An amateur film maker has posted online a 22-minute homemade Alien v Predator sequel. The fan-film - AVP: Redemption - was a one-man production by Alex Popov and took him two years of his spare time. Popov did all the filming, directing, editing, video FX and sound design himself and despite a budget of just $500 the production values are incredibly high quality.
On his Vimeo page Popov writes: "AVP:Redemption fan film made by me Alex A. Popov for the purpose of entertaining the fans of both Alien and Predator franchises, and also to share my vision of what Alien VS Predator film should be."
The AVP franchise has never been well regarded by critics. The New York Daily news labelled the original 2004 film the "worst sci-fi movie since Battlefield Earth". However, Paul W S Anderson's film did well at the box office, grossing $172 million which is the highest earning of any Alien or Predator movie.
The 2007 sequel Aliens v Predator: Requiem was also a hit and there has been rumours of another movie. First though Robert Rodriguez is bringing the cut-throat aliens back to life in Predators. The film, which opens here in July, is set on the Predator home planet and features a group of soldiers and villains battling for their lives against the creatures.
Since I've been riding a bike for more than just a few years now, I've frequently come this close \~\ to getting killed more than two handful of times. So my idea is some new technology. Here's how it works:
For cars, particularly for police cruisers, they have a dome mounted on their roof. It has 4 points of view from it. This goes to several things: A) a recorder that records everything that unit has been through through its shift, B) a computer which scans license plates as they fly by and checks DMV records for warrents or other offenses. This then pipes that info to the display in the cruiser which displays the front/rear view cameras. On that display the car's license plates which are offenders have different color coded frames, varying according to the level of bad. (A more expensive version is that of a HUD that projects the framing colors of the license plates on the actual windshield in real time so the officers don't even have to look away). C) Attached to the officers a lapel mic which sends back info to the recorder so all communications is recorded (and no more of that crappy lo quality police radio stuff).
Similar units can be mounted on motorcycles and freeway signs.
There are MANY reasons for this, primarily those such as cars flying by so fast that I can't get a license plate, just a rough time estimate and description of the vehicle. So at some point that car should pass something with such a camera and have it recorded. Or how about that time when a nissan sentra broke the double yellow line of the car pool to get in front of me @ ~ 6 AM. In doing so they kicked up a piece of metal that looked like a wide L bracket made of heavy metal. That which flew by my head not more than just inches. A little to the left and my head would have come off. Yeah, I remember you CA license plate 2VEH1** after 7 years.
So for people like me, we have a way to get those who almost kill us on a daily basis. But, for the rest of the population, you have a way to protect AND defend yourself. I heard that the City of Compton is trying to get their own Police Department again. Who would think that's a bad idea right? Well, it was disbanded for a reason http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compton_Police_Department_(California)
A lot of my friends and family laugh at my crazy ideas of using legos as solutions to problems. About 6 months ago I was starting to work on a lego pyramid to house a computer. My GF being thoughtful as she is, ended up buying me the Antec Skeleton case! So no pyramid for me - yet!
But I agree with you, the inherent joy of playing with legos is slowly lost UNLESS you maintain your creativity with them. I've used them for so many random things that people can't help but laugh and then say "yeah, that worked out great" because they're so flexible. Sure my collection is now less than a shoe box and some parts don't quite fit very well together anymore, but it's faster and easier sometimes that getting tools out and cutting materials to size.
Until recently, legos has served as my projector's adjustable base. It not only held the projector on the front of a rack, but also propped it up in place. Now because of where it's used I just built a rig to hold it in place on a shelf (that secures itself). Since I was working with tools already it didn't take much to build it (just a little thinking and measuring). But believe me, if that wasn't the case, the legos would still be under that projector!
Worth mentioning, I always recommend people to buy legos for kids. They're some of the best things one can have to help develop many skills and thinking processes. I always refer to legos being the basis of becoming and engineer.
Re your other post: I agree 100%, one of the few advantages of having an attorney is using them as a buffer. You'll still have stress, but not as much as representing yourself. As far as the lasting health consequences: you're right about that too. It's something that has not only affected me buy my family and friends as well.
At one point during proceedings, the attorney was making so many threats against me how "things should be the other way around" that the judge told them "we're here for 'those actions' against your client, now. If you want to take action against the plaintiff you are welcome to do so later." Just as in playing cards, you need to be able to bluff the other person into submission. But I think in order to do this in court you have to have something on your side other than "they're just lying!"
It would have probably have been helpful if I picked up a book, but everyone told me before I started the actions that "you have to win, it's so obvious!" Others who have been through similar proceedings explained most things in detail. Unfortunately, my circumstances were different and the defendant lying about EVERYTHING didn't help out either. That made me have to re-do several things (which didn't make the court happy) as different things moved forward.
As time went on the attorney made crazy arguments that made no sense! That's why I tell everyone learning about Soc and how he operated has helped me out so much. It's amazing how someone can just try to pass off comments as facts when they don't 'make sense' in any way possible. That was something that opened the door just a tiny bit more for me to go on. What's cool though, is that the judge gave alternate scenarios in his ruling, saying that 'if these other conditions were brought into play, even though they aren't applicable in my case, then they would also be in my favor. So all the arguments the attorney has made or could make have been covered.
The Justice System is in pretty bad shape, and it's not something for everyone to tackle. I wouldn't want to defend myself in a criminal case! But I guess that most of us who are on this site would be able to represent ourselves in most things. But I really doubt the same to be true for others, it's just not possible for them to do so. Once again I'm not boasting, but more than a few people have told me I should help out others in the same situation. I told them I wouldn't want to do this as a job (besides the obvious I'm not licensed to practice). Also what has made my case is that I was able to prepare for it for more than a year in advance and use a LOT of technology (which is why I want to write about it). Most people might know they're heading into trouble, but just aren't prepared for when they finally do something about it.
hah! Does it really sound that bad? I mean I know it would sound bad taken out of context, but believe me that attorney has done me NO favors. If anything, they've tried to 'win' their case by using my lack of knowledge and representation.
Everyone has said "no they aren't helping you out, they just suck as an attorney." I say that because most people agree that what I'm fighting for and it's reasons are right, and anyone representing the defendant has to definitely check their "morals" at the door. And that is why I didn't study and go on to practice law because I didn't want to make money defending people who I knew were bastads!
OR the defendant has not told the attorney the truth (which is VERY possible/likely) and that is why the attorney keeps running into walls when I make statements and back them up with evidence. Must be frustrating to not be able to defend your client. Which makes me wonder, was the defendants decision to lie about EVERYTHING on the stand her choice or the under the attorney's direction?
But like I've told everyone else, I've found out I wouldn't have had a case if it wasn't for all the evidence I have piled up (that I prepared and took for over a year before I filed the case). Otherwise it would be as the attorney claims, all "hearsay" and that would be it.
Well, if it comes down to appropriate behavior... lol
The attorney is rude to me, big surprise right? Here's some examples:
n) On the first court hearing, case was moved to a different district. Attorney was nice to say "see you there." I asked what was going on? "This is just how it is." I didn't know THAT court didn't handle that case. No simple explanation like that.
n) When the attorney "served" me with a response/evidence, it was during the hearing in front of the judge. That was allowed, which is why I did the same. But with me, I was told "you can't do that, you need to give time for discovery." Or something along those lines.
n) Attorney made her clients argument under section foo (not really the code section) (a). Which under any 'normal' circumstance could have ended my actions. But the attorney misquoted the legal code which should have been say bar. So the judge gave us both a copy of the correct section of law they were referring to and it turns out that section (a) was pretty much it for be, but section (e) opened the door, which is what we proceeded under. And in effect because of her mistake, I was able to use it to my advantage to 'learn about' the laws I needed to help me out.
n) At my deposition I provided all materials requested (my proof/evidence) which the attorney insisted didn't exist (like I said, it's over whelming evidence). She refused to look at them and went as far as to say that she could not even understand them - their computer couldn't even 'play them' (the files). I explained to the judge that "they're in trouble if they can't play mp3 files and open PDFs. Even my phone can play mp3's and open PDFs!"
n) I think one of the worst (and there's plenty more) things the attorney tried to do was take actions without me present straight out telling the judge I'm not there when I clearly was. But worse was when the clerk asked us to come to an agreement for a date and since it was at the beginning I was like ????????????????? the attorney felt that they could represent me without asking me what date was good (for an important matter). So when I hear them telling the clerk "we have decided on this date" and the clerk asks me if it's correct, of course I say no. That just upset the clerk a WHOLE LOT.
That goes on and on and on and on.... At least where possible, I do what I've been told and have learned. I have to give notice and a lot of other things. But the attorney doesn't do the same for me on everything. So I'm sure if I had an attorney, just their general 'attitude' would work more in my favor. But, I AM pro per. Which is why when I asked the attorney "so what happens next" or "what do I do (in regards to filing my first notice)" I was told: that's what your attorney is for, I'm not your attorney." And that lead to why at the end of my deposition, when they asked: "who is helping you?" I answered, "that's my problem, isn't it?"
You know, one thing I've always said, is, "just because you have money, doesn't mean you have class." At the deposition, when I gave the attorney a nicely packaged DVD with all materials requested, they almost through it in my face! I mean, they did throw it back, but just short of my face. I gave it more than 3 times and each time it was thrown back at me. The reporter was:O when she saw I politely tried handing it back to the attorney.
That is actually why up to now I've never said anything about it on here, though I've had a LOT of questions to ask. I've stuck to the "self help center" at the court and well, more than filling out forms, they don't help out much it turns out (they can't!).
The reason I want to write about it when it's all done is to help others with what to expect and be ready for. I am in a somewhat unique place where most people would do the opposite of what I'm doing. And this surprises the heck out of everyone I come across (I really don't know why).
But I feel that I am relatively safe for the simple fact that I've saved at least 3 aces. So if my appeal comes back overturned, I can obtain an attorney and have them present my materials properly and with what I know now about the law, they're pretty much unbeatable.
As stated in my elsewhere in my post, it's not that the rules are against YOU, it's just that you have to be able to use/follow the rules.
In my case, I have overwhelming evidence. It's not that it favors ME, but rather proves that EVERYTHING I've said is true and consequently everything the defendant has said is a lie. As long the person filing the action has actual evidence, and there's good reason for what they're asking, they should be able to win.
But if you're like most people and show up with nothing (this actually happened in many cases I witnessed while waiting to be called), then you can't expect to win against someone who shows up prepared.
That's another reason I'm doing ok, because most people can't explain their actions/reasons/motives etc for what they're asking for. They can't come up with proof of bills, expenses or damage in some cases. So when things happen and there is no "evidence," then it's very difficult to give them the reason. In some cases I heard, I would personally say both parties were at fault because neither denied the accusations. That's why I don't envy the judge.
Well, lets put it this way. The technicalities of the law in my state really says I have no chance what-so-ever of winning IF the attorney would have done more than the MINIMUM. Which is really what is needed in THIS case.
The problem was, that I have so much overwhelming evidence to prove what I am claiming, that there is 1 tiny sub-section that allows my case to go forward. BUT, even THAT could have been blocked, had the attorney sufficiently brought forward enough arguments and it's proof (if true).
That coupled with the defendant's blatant denial (perjury) of:
n) That's not me in the video (clearly shows them).
n) That's not my voice in the... (voice mail, recording device, video, etc...)
n) That's not my phone, I don't even own a phone...
n) I don't even know this person... (lol wtf right?)
Believe me, there's no conspiring here. It just happens to be that I prepared for this case because I already knew there was trouble ahead (for more than a year). That's why, relatively few people would be able to do what I'm doing because I have so much "evidence" on my side. That's also why we have (my family, friends, others told about my case) come to those conclusions. Because as more than a few (and attorney's as well) have said, "I had no case." And under normal circumstances I wouldn't have a case, but I am VERY well prepared.
Finally, please believe me, I'm not trying to come across as boasting but rather humble and willing to share this 'nightmare' (experience) with others so they can see it's NOT impossible to do what's "right." But also believe me, I am very proud of my accomplishments thus far. Most can't believe I've been able to get this far without an attorney's help in this type of case. As pointed out, my mistakes have been trying to surprise the attorney with evidence as they did to me (which turns out you can't do! It's not like it is on TV!!). But you learn and move on. Not being able to file other evidence because it's too much (75 pages). Having been told MANY times by the judge "you can't do this/that, you needed to give notice etc.
So we'll find out how it goes. Most have told me that the appellate court is to review the technicalities of the court. Such as if there was an error in procedure. And that no new arguments can be presented, only that in record and in filings. But what it has done for me is the ability to explain my case in detail using laws and similar cases. This is something I wasn't able to do in court because of: nervousness, inexperience, everything just flying at me so fast, objections left and right which distracted me from my arguments etc. So now, in my brief I've been able to put it all together in order in a well formed argument, as I had originally intended to do.
And to put out of doubt that we have ANY relation with each other, it seems the attorney was especially "mean" (dirty) during my deposition being that once again, I did it all myself. I am sure she was asking things and coming to conclusions that she couldn't legally do, but because I don't know the laws I couldn't object. Though she kept threatening me for not answering everything she asked such as where I work, company name, location, and hours that have NO RELEVANCE to my case.
So no, the appellant's attorney isn't helping me out but almost any other "real" attorney in this state should have been able to have slam dunked this case... or at least they would have thought it was that easy not knowing what kind of person I am and what "evidence" I have (overwhelming). I also wouldn't have 1/10th of the stress if they were helping me out. (And less medical bills because of it too!)
IANAL but I have been told by many who have been in SCC that the company can not send an attorney to represent them. The point of small claims is to give the average person who feels they been taken advantage of at a fair amount of money (low) a chance to recover it. That is why a friend of mine pointed the fact out when a company he went against sent a lawyer and they were forced to send a representative other than an attorney. I've been told that pretty much anyone who WORKS for the company who isn't an attorney can represent them.
I'm currently in an appeals court for a case I started in early 2009. I plan on writing about my experience to help out those EXACTLY in my situation. Although I've made many errors along the way, I've learned a lot on the fly and have been able to use both my errors and knowledge gained to help me out immensely. Everyone who knows about my case has come to the following conclusions:
1a) The defendant's attorney saw I was representing myself without an attorney and figured ez win (pwned).
1b) The defendant's attorney never took me seriously and figured ez win (pwned).
2) The defendant's attorney figured that with the minimum amount of "proof" (evidence) she could successfully defend her client in the proceedings.
3) The defendant's attorney doesn't like what their client has done and is in fact helping me out.
4) The defendant's attorney is actually so bad as an attorney, that an unskilled/untrained/inexperienced person in law is able to beat her even though any other attorney with an average of.333 in case victories could have easily quashed my actions from the start.
So now with an order in my favor, we're in the appellate court to see what they have to say about the case. I also have a subsequent ruling in my actions against the defendant in a related action. But none of it has been easy, though many made it seem like it would be. There are many other factors that have contributed to my success thus far, notably other attorney's in the court room who find my case interesting. One who broke it down to me: "you have no case." But they also gave me some advice that "might' have helped me out.
Now in the appeals court, I am also representing myself. I had enough time and even requested an extension of time to complete my reply brief. As it turns out, it's not as easy to do. Sure, writing it was easy, nothing I haven't done before. But there was a very specific set of rules to follow and this is what took up time. With a page/word limit and a lot of rules, I would say that it's technicalities took more time than looking up laws and relevant cases. Understanding the laws are easy compared to writing the brief. I ended up taking a week off of work for a total of 10 consecutive days of about 12 hours a day minimum to complete it by the deadline.
I might have gone a bit off course there but the point is, for those (relatively few) of us who have a little something upstairs, we can still successfully navigate the legal system. You just need a LOT of determination, a lot of time, a little bit of money, a good case/argument, and more than anything: patience. I've been told by court officials who took part or have helped in my case that the judge had allowed several things that most other judges wouldn't have. The reason I've been told is because of my inexperience and self-representation. We'll see how I fare in the appellate court, but I'm not worried about biting the bag because I now have 16 months under my belt of playing an attorney.*
(* Might be worth mentioning why I didn't use an attorney. I know I'll need an attorney for the 2nd part of my actions (knowing the law isn't enough to favor me) so I am saving my money for that. But also because this is something that's huge in my life and means a lot to me, so there is nothing better worth dedicating myself to. And with a nick name like Socrates (I can't even get my friends to say my real name!) I have to represent!:)
They're just happy it has lasted this long... remember the Challenger? I remember watching lift off live in school. That particular year we teamed up with N.A.S.A. to come up with a name for a new robotic device we didn't understand (mars rovers!).
I had the exact opposite effect in my poly sci classes when I wish others wouldn't be there disrupting the class. Sure, we only had pagers and useless laptops at the time but they couldn't sit still, stop bothering others or stay quiet.
One of the best teachers (in philosophy even!) didn't take roll until the end of the class, when a lot of kids would sneak in and say "here." At least THAT way they didn't bother anyone (being useless in group activities).
According to a study covered in a TV special, males tend to make 'bad decisions' when aroused because the 'pleasure' part of the brain overrides the reasonable part of the brain (ie "it doesn't feel as good but it's safer to wear a..."). So they say that when you're drinking alcohol AND stimulated... your decisions are even worse!
Something worth talking about... while studying poli sci I took a "test" to see where I aligned politically. Well, lets say I thought I belonged on "one side," when the results came in I apparently belonged to "the other side." That was pretty interesting! But after thinking about it for a while it made sense in a freaky way.
Also very interesting, Clinton wasn't as bad as most people painted him to be ("liberal"). I remember Clinton and Limbauh actually being 'closer to the center' than a lot of others on that list.
Maybe everyone should be required (wishful thinking, I know) to take that... then they could actually see who they believe in....
Fiber Optic technology actually is pretty interesting. Light doesn't shoot through the cable like light out of a flashlight. The light bounces like this/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ inside the cable.
So you could do this: XXXXXXXX
And that's why you can't coil FO cable toooo much because the light won't reflect back into the cable.
So I figure with 2 'channels,' you can get quite a bit of bandwidth. Also you can have the lasers at different frequencies. So you can stack em and rack em!
Have a custom utility that allows for backing up and fast restore of apps. Apps that are copy protected on restore would be batch downloaded from the Market. It is pretty tedious to reload a phone app by app.
On PPC's we have sashimi! It's awesome and very customizable! That way we load software, keys and other steps we want into it and let it run on boot.
If they're trying to make money doing identity theft, then they'll just move on to other low hanging fruit that's easier to hack.
Like dumpster diving! A co-worker recently told me he had an acquaintance that confessed to him one day that's what his profession was. And then used found information to scam money lol.
I think that's what it really comes down to, not to have the so called 'common sense' because it's not that common after all, but just make it somewhat more difficult for the opportunist to take advantage.
As for the person referring to the rape victims, are you for real? Who can compare rape (physical, violent, life-changing) to guessing what my dogs name is, what my mom's maiden name is and what color I like.
You're messing it up with 1 hour/lunch. You need to crank that sucker down to 15-25 mins max! That way, they don't have the chance to sit around and keep stuffing themselves. Once you hit 30 mins your glass shouldn't even have any water left!
I think it depends on the school your attending and how they go about 'homework.' The public school I was supposed to go to gave out packets of homework for their mixed bag of math classes. While I on the other hand had chapters of math to go through.
The public school kids (my buddies) also finished school 'early' and had 1/2 days for most of their last year, while I had more hours of school 7 AM to 3:30 PM.
If I got out at 11:30~12 everyday I would have time for 3 hours of homework, but not with my school's schedule.
Just imagine how a case of trespassing would end in court if you had such kind of security.
He crossed a line, but is it really computer fraud if you bypass a system by common knowledge?
Whenever I'm forced to state my favorite dog or my mother's maiden name I type some random stuff - everything else would be highly irresponsible.
That is the best way to put it. I don't know why people really think it's so bad to blame someone who facilitates the retrieval of one's "personal" information.
If you're a public persona, then you need to have better security than joe the plumber. That means no dogs name in your password or question, and nothing that is search able.
It's ok to mix up the questions a bit. Shoot, use a fail-safe phrase and enter as all answers to all questions except password.
When something is common knowledge, it really isn't useful for resetting your password, is it?
It's very surprising to a lot of us how many people come through the IT dept with laptops for 'repairs' (they f'd them up) and have plain text files with user names and passwords for various things! Mind blowing to me.
But the real question is: how paranoid do you want and have to be?
I would ~LOVE~ to tell everyone exactly what I would do, but then that would negate it's usefulness as I get attacked all the time lol. Maybe on my next iteration of security improvements I'll disclose what I do.
Even safer, is to use a safe to store the passwords.
Safest: safety deposit box:)
not so much...
Many years ago, a friend of mine worked in a bank and told me that they were actually cataloging all items in safety deposit boxs! Having worked at a bank and been blown away but so many lapses of security issues, this didn't surprise me. He gleefully went over various items they encountered - including womens underwear! Mostly papers, not as much jewelry one would expect and some cash.
So, if you really want to be safe, encrypt a file on a storage medium that requires a password and that'll only work on your host at home? Nah I'll just carry my ATM PIN on the back of the card! (That way I can find it in case I forget it!)
This is one of the things I try to get across to so many people, but most just don't realize what a security threat their reminders are. I generally tell everyone "unless you have to put your credit card in, never use your real name." Anymore usually confuses them and they start defending their actions.
Avoiding names and dates etc will keep the majority of people out of your things. Of course, someone who has experience and knowledge of gaining access to unauthorized systems will of course still be able to do so, but the random kid won't be able to.
Slashdot Mirror
The first thing that came to mind was this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOZVp9NFhQE
And here you have: http://insidemovies.moviefone.com/2010/05/25/watch-the-brilliant-fan-made-alien-vs-predator-movie-that-cost-j/
An amateur film maker has posted online a 22-minute homemade Alien v Predator sequel. The fan-film - AVP: Redemption - was a one-man production by Alex Popov and took him two years of his spare time. Popov did all the filming, directing, editing, video FX and sound design himself and despite a budget of just $500 the production values are incredibly high quality.
On his Vimeo page Popov writes: "AVP:Redemption fan film made by me Alex A. Popov for the purpose of entertaining the fans of both Alien and Predator franchises, and also to share my vision of what Alien VS Predator film should be."
The AVP franchise has never been well regarded by critics. The New York Daily news labelled the original 2004 film the "worst sci-fi movie since Battlefield Earth". However, Paul W S Anderson's film did well at the box office, grossing $172 million which is the highest earning of any Alien or Predator movie.
The 2007 sequel Aliens v Predator: Requiem was also a hit and there has been rumours of another movie. First though Robert Rodriguez is bringing the cut-throat aliens back to life in Predators. The film, which opens here in July, is set on the Predator home planet and features a group of soldiers and villains battling for their lives against the creatures.
Since I've been riding a bike for more than just a few years now, I've frequently come this close \~\ to getting killed more than two handful of times. So my idea is some new technology. Here's how it works:
For cars, particularly for police cruisers, they have a dome mounted on their roof. It has 4 points of view from it. This goes to several things: A) a recorder that records everything that unit has been through through its shift, B) a computer which scans license plates as they fly by and checks DMV records for warrents or other offenses. This then pipes that info to the display in the cruiser which displays the front/rear view cameras. On that display the car's license plates which are offenders have different color coded frames, varying according to the level of bad. (A more expensive version is that of a HUD that projects the framing colors of the license plates on the actual windshield in real time so the officers don't even have to look away). C) Attached to the officers a lapel mic which sends back info to the recorder so all communications is recorded (and no more of that crappy lo quality police radio stuff).
Similar units can be mounted on motorcycles and freeway signs.
There are MANY reasons for this, primarily those such as cars flying by so fast that I can't get a license plate, just a rough time estimate and description of the vehicle. So at some point that car should pass something with such a camera and have it recorded. Or how about that time when a nissan sentra broke the double yellow line of the car pool to get in front of me @ ~ 6 AM. In doing so they kicked up a piece of metal that looked like a wide L bracket made of heavy metal. That which flew by my head not more than just inches. A little to the left and my head would have come off. Yeah, I remember you CA license plate 2VEH1** after 7 years.
So for people like me, we have a way to get those who almost kill us on a daily basis. But, for the rest of the population, you have a way to protect AND defend yourself. I heard that the City of Compton is trying to get their own Police Department again. Who would think that's a bad idea right? Well, it was disbanded for a reason http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compton_Police_Department_(California)
Who watches the watchmen?
A lot of my friends and family laugh at my crazy ideas of using legos as solutions to problems. About 6 months ago I was starting to work on a lego pyramid to house a computer. My GF being thoughtful as she is, ended up buying me the Antec Skeleton case! So no pyramid for me - yet!
But I agree with you, the inherent joy of playing with legos is slowly lost UNLESS you maintain your creativity with them. I've used them for so many random things that people can't help but laugh and then say "yeah, that worked out great" because they're so flexible. Sure my collection is now less than a shoe box and some parts don't quite fit very well together anymore, but it's faster and easier sometimes that getting tools out and cutting materials to size.
Until recently, legos has served as my projector's adjustable base. It not only held the projector on the front of a rack, but also propped it up in place. Now because of where it's used I just built a rig to hold it in place on a shelf (that secures itself). Since I was working with tools already it didn't take much to build it (just a little thinking and measuring). But believe me, if that wasn't the case, the legos would still be under that projector!
Worth mentioning, I always recommend people to buy legos for kids. They're some of the best things one can have to help develop many skills and thinking processes. I always refer to legos being the basis of becoming and engineer.
Thank you very much for the info. I will look into it.
Re your other post: I agree 100%, one of the few advantages of having an attorney is using them as a buffer. You'll still have stress, but not as much as representing yourself. As far as the lasting health consequences: you're right about that too. It's something that has not only affected me buy my family and friends as well.
At one point during proceedings, the attorney was making so many threats against me how "things should be the other way around" that the judge told them "we're here for 'those actions' against your client, now. If you want to take action against the plaintiff you are welcome to do so later." Just as in playing cards, you need to be able to bluff the other person into submission. But I think in order to do this in court you have to have something on your side other than "they're just lying!"
It would have probably have been helpful if I picked up a book, but everyone told me before I started the actions that "you have to win, it's so obvious!" Others who have been through similar proceedings explained most things in detail. Unfortunately, my circumstances were different and the defendant lying about EVERYTHING didn't help out either. That made me have to re-do several things (which didn't make the court happy) as different things moved forward.
As time went on the attorney made crazy arguments that made no sense! That's why I tell everyone learning about Soc and how he operated has helped me out so much. It's amazing how someone can just try to pass off comments as facts when they don't 'make sense' in any way possible. That was something that opened the door just a tiny bit more for me to go on. What's cool though, is that the judge gave alternate scenarios in his ruling, saying that 'if these other conditions were brought into play, even though they aren't applicable in my case, then they would also be in my favor. So all the arguments the attorney has made or could make have been covered.
The Justice System is in pretty bad shape, and it's not something for everyone to tackle. I wouldn't want to defend myself in a criminal case! But I guess that most of us who are on this site would be able to represent ourselves in most things. But I really doubt the same to be true for others, it's just not possible for them to do so. Once again I'm not boasting, but more than a few people have told me I should help out others in the same situation. I told them I wouldn't want to do this as a job (besides the obvious I'm not licensed to practice). Also what has made my case is that I was able to prepare for it for more than a year in advance and use a LOT of technology (which is why I want to write about it). Most people might know they're heading into trouble, but just aren't prepared for when they finally do something about it.
hah! Does it really sound that bad? I mean I know it would sound bad taken out of context, but believe me that attorney has done me NO favors. If anything, they've tried to 'win' their case by using my lack of knowledge and representation.
Everyone has said "no they aren't helping you out, they just suck as an attorney." I say that because most people agree that what I'm fighting for and it's reasons are right, and anyone representing the defendant has to definitely check their "morals" at the door. And that is why I didn't study and go on to practice law because I didn't want to make money defending people who I knew were bastads!
OR the defendant has not told the attorney the truth (which is VERY possible/likely) and that is why the attorney keeps running into walls when I make statements and back them up with evidence. Must be frustrating to not be able to defend your client. Which makes me wonder, was the defendants decision to lie about EVERYTHING on the stand her choice or the under the attorney's direction?
But like I've told everyone else, I've found out I wouldn't have had a case if it wasn't for all the evidence I have piled up (that I prepared and took for over a year before I filed the case). Otherwise it would be as the attorney claims, all "hearsay" and that would be it.
Well, if it comes down to appropriate behavior... lol
:O when she saw I politely tried handing it back to the attorney.
The attorney is rude to me, big surprise right? Here's some examples:
n) On the first court hearing, case was moved to a different district. Attorney was nice to say "see you there." I asked what was going on? "This is just how it is." I didn't know THAT court didn't handle that case. No simple explanation like that.
n) When the attorney "served" me with a response/evidence, it was during the hearing in front of the judge. That was allowed, which is why I did the same. But with me, I was told "you can't do that, you need to give time for discovery." Or something along those lines.
n) Attorney made her clients argument under section foo (not really the code section) (a). Which under any 'normal' circumstance could have ended my actions. But the attorney misquoted the legal code which should have been say bar. So the judge gave us both a copy of the correct section of law they were referring to and it turns out that section (a) was pretty much it for be, but section (e) opened the door, which is what we proceeded under. And in effect because of her mistake, I was able to use it to my advantage to 'learn about' the laws I needed to help me out.
n) At my deposition I provided all materials requested (my proof/evidence) which the attorney insisted didn't exist (like I said, it's over whelming evidence). She refused to look at them and went as far as to say that she could not even understand them - their computer couldn't even 'play them' (the files). I explained to the judge that "they're in trouble if they can't play mp3 files and open PDFs. Even my phone can play mp3's and open PDFs!"
n) I think one of the worst (and there's plenty more) things the attorney tried to do was take actions without me present straight out telling the judge I'm not there when I clearly was. But worse was when the clerk asked us to come to an agreement for a date and since it was at the beginning I was like ????????????????? the attorney felt that they could represent me without asking me what date was good (for an important matter). So when I hear them telling the clerk "we have decided on this date" and the clerk asks me if it's correct, of course I say no. That just upset the clerk a WHOLE LOT.
That goes on and on and on and on.... At least where possible, I do what I've been told and have learned. I have to give notice and a lot of other things. But the attorney doesn't do the same for me on everything. So I'm sure if I had an attorney, just their general 'attitude' would work more in my favor. But, I AM pro per. Which is why when I asked the attorney "so what happens next" or "what do I do (in regards to filing my first notice)" I was told: that's what your attorney is for, I'm not your attorney." And that lead to why at the end of my deposition, when they asked: "who is helping you?" I answered, "that's my problem, isn't it?"
You know, one thing I've always said, is, "just because you have money, doesn't mean you have class." At the deposition, when I gave the attorney a nicely packaged DVD with all materials requested, they almost through it in my face! I mean, they did throw it back, but just short of my face. I gave it more than 3 times and each time it was thrown back at me. The reporter was
That is actually why up to now I've never said anything about it on here, though I've had a LOT of questions to ask. I've stuck to the "self help center" at the court and well, more than filling out forms, they don't help out much it turns out (they can't!).
The reason I want to write about it when it's all done is to help others with what to expect and be ready for. I am in a somewhat unique place where most people would do the opposite of what I'm doing. And this surprises the heck out of everyone I come across (I really don't know why).
But I feel that I am relatively safe for the simple fact that I've saved at least 3 aces. So if my appeal comes back overturned, I can obtain an attorney and have them present my materials properly and with what I know now about the law, they're pretty much unbeatable.
As stated in my elsewhere in my post, it's not that the rules are against YOU, it's just that you have to be able to use/follow the rules.
In my case, I have overwhelming evidence. It's not that it favors ME, but rather proves that EVERYTHING I've said is true and consequently everything the defendant has said is a lie. As long the person filing the action has actual evidence, and there's good reason for what they're asking, they should be able to win.
But if you're like most people and show up with nothing (this actually happened in many cases I witnessed while waiting to be called), then you can't expect to win against someone who shows up prepared.
That's another reason I'm doing ok, because most people can't explain their actions/reasons/motives etc for what they're asking for. They can't come up with proof of bills, expenses or damage in some cases. So when things happen and there is no "evidence," then it's very difficult to give them the reason. In some cases I heard, I would personally say both parties were at fault because neither denied the accusations. That's why I don't envy the judge.
Well, lets put it this way. The technicalities of the law in my state really says I have no chance what-so-ever of winning IF the attorney would have done more than the MINIMUM. Which is really what is needed in THIS case.
The problem was, that I have so much overwhelming evidence to prove what I am claiming, that there is 1 tiny sub-section that allows my case to go forward. BUT, even THAT could have been blocked, had the attorney sufficiently brought forward enough arguments and it's proof (if true).
That coupled with the defendant's blatant denial (perjury) of:
n) That's not me in the video (clearly shows them). n) That's not my voice in the... (voice mail, recording device, video, etc...) n) That's not my phone, I don't even own a phone... n) I don't even know this person... (lol wtf right?)
Believe me, there's no conspiring here. It just happens to be that I prepared for this case because I already knew there was trouble ahead (for more than a year). That's why, relatively few people would be able to do what I'm doing because I have so much "evidence" on my side. That's also why we have (my family, friends, others told about my case) come to those conclusions. Because as more than a few (and attorney's as well) have said, "I had no case." And under normal circumstances I wouldn't have a case, but I am VERY well prepared.
Finally, please believe me, I'm not trying to come across as boasting but rather humble and willing to share this 'nightmare' (experience) with others so they can see it's NOT impossible to do what's "right." But also believe me, I am very proud of my accomplishments thus far. Most can't believe I've been able to get this far without an attorney's help in this type of case. As pointed out, my mistakes have been trying to surprise the attorney with evidence as they did to me (which turns out you can't do! It's not like it is on TV!!). But you learn and move on. Not being able to file other evidence because it's too much (75 pages). Having been told MANY times by the judge "you can't do this/that, you needed to give notice etc.
So we'll find out how it goes. Most have told me that the appellate court is to review the technicalities of the court. Such as if there was an error in procedure. And that no new arguments can be presented, only that in record and in filings. But what it has done for me is the ability to explain my case in detail using laws and similar cases. This is something I wasn't able to do in court because of: nervousness, inexperience, everything just flying at me so fast, objections left and right which distracted me from my arguments etc. So now, in my brief I've been able to put it all together in order in a well formed argument, as I had originally intended to do.
And to put out of doubt that we have ANY relation with each other, it seems the attorney was especially "mean" (dirty) during my deposition being that once again, I did it all myself. I am sure she was asking things and coming to conclusions that she couldn't legally do, but because I don't know the laws I couldn't object. Though she kept threatening me for not answering everything she asked such as where I work, company name, location, and hours that have NO RELEVANCE to my case.
So no, the appellant's attorney isn't helping me out but almost any other "real" attorney in this state should have been able to have slam dunked this case... or at least they would have thought it was that easy not knowing what kind of person I am and what "evidence" I have (overwhelming). I also wouldn't have 1/10th of the stress if they were helping me out. (And less medical bills because of it too!)
IANAL but I have been told by many who have been in SCC that the company can not send an attorney to represent them. The point of small claims is to give the average person who feels they been taken advantage of at a fair amount of money (low) a chance to recover it. That is why a friend of mine pointed the fact out when a company he went against sent a lawyer and they were forced to send a representative other than an attorney. I've been told that pretty much anyone who WORKS for the company who isn't an attorney can represent them.
.333 in case victories could have easily quashed my actions from the start.
:)
I'm currently in an appeals court for a case I started in early 2009. I plan on writing about my experience to help out those EXACTLY in my situation. Although I've made many errors along the way, I've learned a lot on the fly and have been able to use both my errors and knowledge gained to help me out immensely. Everyone who knows about my case has come to the following conclusions:
1a) The defendant's attorney saw I was representing myself without an attorney and figured ez win (pwned).
1b) The defendant's attorney never took me seriously and figured ez win (pwned).
2) The defendant's attorney figured that with the minimum amount of "proof" (evidence) she could successfully defend her client in the proceedings.
3) The defendant's attorney doesn't like what their client has done and is in fact helping me out.
4) The defendant's attorney is actually so bad as an attorney, that an unskilled/untrained/inexperienced person in law is able to beat her even though any other attorney with an average of
So now with an order in my favor, we're in the appellate court to see what they have to say about the case. I also have a subsequent ruling in my actions against the defendant in a related action. But none of it has been easy, though many made it seem like it would be. There are many other factors that have contributed to my success thus far, notably other attorney's in the court room who find my case interesting. One who broke it down to me: "you have no case." But they also gave me some advice that "might' have helped me out.
Now in the appeals court, I am also representing myself. I had enough time and even requested an extension of time to complete my reply brief. As it turns out, it's not as easy to do. Sure, writing it was easy, nothing I haven't done before. But there was a very specific set of rules to follow and this is what took up time. With a page/word limit and a lot of rules, I would say that it's technicalities took more time than looking up laws and relevant cases. Understanding the laws are easy compared to writing the brief. I ended up taking a week off of work for a total of 10 consecutive days of about 12 hours a day minimum to complete it by the deadline.
I might have gone a bit off course there but the point is, for those (relatively few) of us who have a little something upstairs, we can still successfully navigate the legal system. You just need a LOT of determination, a lot of time, a little bit of money, a good case/argument, and more than anything: patience. I've been told by court officials who took part or have helped in my case that the judge had allowed several things that most other judges wouldn't have. The reason I've been told is because of my inexperience and self-representation. We'll see how I fare in the appellate court, but I'm not worried about biting the bag because I now have 16 months under my belt of playing an attorney.*
(* Might be worth mentioning why I didn't use an attorney. I know I'll need an attorney for the 2nd part of my actions (knowing the law isn't enough to favor me) so I am saving my money for that. But also because this is something that's huge in my life and means a lot to me, so there is nothing better worth dedicating myself to. And with a nick name like Socrates (I can't even get my friends to say my real name!) I have to represent!
They're just happy it has lasted this long... remember the Challenger? I remember watching lift off live in school. That particular year we teamed up with N.A.S.A. to come up with a name for a new robotic device we didn't understand (mars rovers!).
...
Anyway, the joke among actual liberals is that Clinton was the best Republican president we've had in a few decades.
My black friends all joked that he is really the first black president... lol
I had the exact opposite effect in my poly sci classes when I wish others wouldn't be there disrupting the class. Sure, we only had pagers and useless laptops at the time but they couldn't sit still, stop bothering others or stay quiet.
One of the best teachers (in philosophy even!) didn't take roll until the end of the class, when a lot of kids would sneak in and say "here." At least THAT way they didn't bother anyone (being useless in group activities).
According to a study covered in a TV special, males tend to make 'bad decisions' when aroused because the 'pleasure' part of the brain overrides the reasonable part of the brain (ie "it doesn't feel as good but it's safer to wear a..."). So they say that when you're drinking alcohol AND stimulated... your decisions are even worse!
Something worth talking about... while studying poli sci I took a "test" to see where I aligned politically. Well, lets say I thought I belonged on "one side," when the results came in I apparently belonged to "the other side." That was pretty interesting! But after thinking about it for a while it made sense in a freaky way.
Also very interesting, Clinton wasn't as bad as most people painted him to be ("liberal"). I remember Clinton and Limbauh actually being 'closer to the center' than a lot of others on that list.
Maybe everyone should be required (wishful thinking, I know) to take that... then they could actually see who they believe in....
Fiber Optic technology actually is pretty interesting. Light doesn't shoot through the cable like light out of a flashlight. The light bounces like this /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ inside the cable.
So you could do this: XXXXXXXX
And that's why you can't coil FO cable toooo much because the light won't reflect back into the cable.
So I figure with 2 'channels,' you can get quite a bit of bandwidth. Also you can have the lasers at different frequencies. So you can stack em and rack em!
Have a custom utility that allows for backing up and fast restore of apps. Apps that are copy protected on restore would be batch downloaded from the Market. It is pretty tedious to reload a phone app by app.
On PPC's we have sashimi! It's awesome and very customizable! That way we load software, keys and other steps we want into it and let it run on boot.
If they're trying to make money doing identity theft, then they'll just move on to other low hanging fruit that's easier to hack.
Like dumpster diving! A co-worker recently told me he had an acquaintance that confessed to him one day that's what his profession was. And then used found information to scam money lol.
I think that's what it really comes down to, not to have the so called 'common sense' because it's not that common after all, but just make it somewhat more difficult for the opportunist to take advantage.
As for the person referring to the rape victims, are you for real? Who can compare rape (physical, violent, life-changing) to guessing what my dogs name is, what my mom's maiden name is and what color I like.
You're messing it up with 1 hour/lunch. You need to crank that sucker down to 15-25 mins max! That way, they don't have the chance to sit around and keep stuffing themselves. Once you hit 30 mins your glass shouldn't even have any water left!
I think it depends on the school your attending and how they go about 'homework.' The public school I was supposed to go to gave out packets of homework for their mixed bag of math classes. While I on the other hand had chapters of math to go through.
The public school kids (my buddies) also finished school 'early' and had 1/2 days for most of their last year, while I had more hours of school 7 AM to 3:30 PM.
If I got out at 11:30~12 everyday I would have time for 3 hours of homework, but not with my school's schedule.
Just imagine how a case of trespassing would end in court if you had such kind of security. He crossed a line, but is it really computer fraud if you bypass a system by common knowledge? Whenever I'm forced to state my favorite dog or my mother's maiden name I type some random stuff - everything else would be highly irresponsible.
That is the best way to put it. I don't know why people really think it's so bad to blame someone who facilitates the retrieval of one's "personal" information.
If you're a public persona, then you need to have better security than joe the plumber. That means no dogs name in your password or question, and nothing that is search able.
It's ok to mix up the questions a bit. Shoot, use a fail-safe phrase and enter as all answers to all questions except password.
When something is common knowledge, it really isn't useful for resetting your password, is it?
It's very surprising to a lot of us how many people come through the IT dept with laptops for 'repairs' (they f'd them up) and have plain text files with user names and passwords for various things! Mind blowing to me.
But the real question is: how paranoid do you want and have to be?
I would ~LOVE~ to tell everyone exactly what I would do, but then that would negate it's usefulness as I get attacked all the time lol. Maybe on my next iteration of security improvements I'll disclose what I do.
Even safer, is to use a safe to store the passwords.
Safest: safety deposit box :)
not so much...
Many years ago, a friend of mine worked in a bank and told me that they were actually cataloging all items in safety deposit boxs! Having worked at a bank and been blown away but so many lapses of security issues, this didn't surprise me. He gleefully went over various items they encountered - including womens underwear! Mostly papers, not as much jewelry one would expect and some cash.
So, if you really want to be safe, encrypt a file on a storage medium that requires a password and that'll only work on your host at home? Nah I'll just carry my ATM PIN on the back of the card! (That way I can find it in case I forget it!)
This is one of the things I try to get across to so many people, but most just don't realize what a security threat their reminders are. I generally tell everyone "unless you have to put your credit card in, never use your real name." Anymore usually confuses them and they start defending their actions.
Avoiding names and dates etc will keep the majority of people out of your things. Of course, someone who has experience and knowledge of gaining access to unauthorized systems will of course still be able to do so, but the random kid won't be able to.