Chrome accents, decals, wheels, and other kinds of superficial cosmetic crap don't necessarily imply "sports car" just as hanging paintings in your house doesn't mean you're trying to make it the Louvre.
Thank you for the excellent post for the benefit of law awareness- especially for MA workers.
A few years ago I left my job. My boss had developed a meth problem and was killing the company. It was mentally abusive to work there. When I left, I was not paid for vacation time nor about a week's wages. I contacted the attorney general's office and they took my details and handled everything for me. After "about 4-6 weeks" I received a check for the money I rightfully earned and most certainly deserved. A very painless process that only involved a few phone calls and a few emails.
I would venture to guess there are similar laws protecting hard-working people in all states and other countries. Every once in a while "the system" and "the man" work for the little guy!
Amen. We're of a dot com generation. I left school to pursue the world of the stock option. Oregon Trail was a fantastic game that I remember fondly from my elementary school days.
I'm not sure what state the submitter is in, but here in MA it's state law that you are paid for the time you work. I quit my last job on very bad terms (walked out one day, FedExed my laptop back on Monday) and I had to get my last paycheck by way of the State Attorney General's office. You are ENTITLED to the paycheck for time you work IN ADDITION to unused vacation time.
I agree 110%. I think a company could sell more than they think if they offered a well-designed, compact phone with amazing range. That could be its selling point. "Gets signal where others can't" type of thing. No phone, super-long battery life... invest in things that will IMPROVE MY LIFE when using my cell phone. Sigh.
We need better access to our credit reports. FOR STARTERS. I'm entitled to ONE free report PER YEAR but I have to write 3-4 seperate letters, mail them, and wait? This is unacceptable. We should have FULL access to our credit reports from all the bureaus for free. I don't want to line Suze Orman's pockets and shell out $50 every time I want my reports from all the bureaus. Identity thieves move fast, and we move slow. This is really frustrating. I'm in the process of buying a house, and I'm fiercely protective about my credit being checked as it lowers it a few points every time. (Another thing I think is stupid.)
We need more control over our own credit reports, since advancing our lives is completely dependent on them.
Oppressive communist regimes, the new driving force in the world of innovation. No wait, communism is bad, right?
"If you don't like this nuclear facility next to your rice paddy, you can go to jail."
As China's growth continues to surge, there will be more examples of China taking the lead in things- both good AND bad. When the government can tell you what to do (or else), things get done.
After reading through the replies to this article, I have to say I suddenly don't feel particularly protected. At the same time, I do.
I have my wireless router right off my cable modem. Everything in my house is feeding off that. I've got a WRT54G running the Satori firmware. Most of the computers in my house are Powerbooks, however, the machine I am typing this on and use day-to-day is a Windows XP box. I never turn it off. I use Firefox and Thunderbird. I have Norton Antivirus installed and up-to-date and periodically I run Spybot. Also on my network is a Windows 2003 PC (soon to be replaced by a Mac mini) sharing out files to my house. It only has necessary services running.
So here is my question: when are you too paranoid? I keep an eye on my router logs and aside from the occasional ping or malware-infected PC scanning my subnet, all is quiet. The only point of entry into my network is the router, and at this point I'm unaware of any real risk I have running my particular router configuration. People are talking about subnetting their home network, firewalls, logs, turning off their computers, disabling wireless and Bluetooth, etc. This is excessive. My wireless network uses WPA and I live in a suburban neighborhood. Call me ignorant, but I feel as though my setup is sufficiently secure.
If someone hacked through my router and somehow gained access to my 192.168.x.x network, there is very little they would find of value to them on my computer.
Besides, credit card numbers are left on Post-Its all over my work space... far more secure than on my PC.;)
I clean spyware and associated garbage off PCs. It's easy, with the right wallet of CDs. I've charged anywhere from $75 at the low-end to $200 at the high-end to sanitize machines. It's mostly word-of-mouth, too. The last time, I was paid $125 and it took me 20 minutes. After enduring months of pop-ups and slow performance, the victim was only too happy to shell out for my time.
From what I've seen advertised, it seems like the average college student rate for this service is around $100 a pop.
I would assume that a public works department or some other agency would keep records of where things are buried under their streets?
I don't know a lot about the telecom industry, but I assume that they are supposed to follow some sort of digging plan based on information from the town. I suppose they may not have these things, and/or the subcontractors are just that terrible. Someone above me posted something about the water table, so there could be legit reasons for poking holes in pipes. I just have to wonder, did they have any kind of map or plan?
FTTP is supposed to be tested in my area soon, I can't wait!
On Friday, I received an email from "eBay" that my account was being suspended. This came just after:
- I posted an item for sale
- I realized I owed eBay about $40 in back listing fees
It was just before I was going to get into bed, and I skimmed over the message as I usually do before deleting it. My usual thinking: "Sure", I thought, "I'll get back to it tomorrow and pay them." This time around, I clicked the link and got the "standard" eBay login screen. Being tired and lazy, at this point I didn't even glance at the URL. I entered my login and password for eBay, and as it was redirecting I glanced at the address bar, and in horror I saw "cgi2.eb4y.com" or something munged like that.
In a panic, I immediately changed my eBay password, and all is once again well on my happy little computing planet. That being said, had I not caught that and gone straight to bed, who knows what I would've woken up to. The moral of the story is that you really have to be on your toes. The circumstances surrounding this dodged-bullet really were a perfect setup for me: owed eBay money, just posted a new item for sale that day, fatigue...
This is something I have *ALWAYS* wondered. I upgraded from an old GeForce 4 to a Radeon 9000 Pro early last year. It wasn't a huge upgrade, but it set me back $150 at Best Buy (I was impatient to play Sim City 4).
The online hardware magazines are always reviewing and comparing the bottom-end or the high-end stuff. I like gaming occasionally like the next guy with a real life, but I will NOT shell out $400-500 for a graphics card.
I think the linked review is very helpful, because it's the kind of review that I've been looking for. I'm the target market for a review like this, and would love a step-up from my 9000 that isn't just me guessing that it will be better based on X specs. The "bang-for-buck" graphics cards always seem to get lost in the review jungle, or simply don't exist.
Like many nerds with a job, I upgrade components in my PC frequently. I have a legitimate retail copy of WinXP Pro. I have a home-built PC, which sits happily next to my Powerbook G4.
A couple months ago, I upgraded the motherboard and RAM, and took the opportunity to reinstall WinXP (as I typically need to about once a year). When I called the Windows activation department in Bangalore, I learned something new...
Lady: I can help you with activation. First I need to ask you a couple questions.
Me: Ok.
Lady: How many computers is this copy of Windows XP installed on.
Me: One.
Lady: Why are you reinstalling Windows?
Me: I bought a new computer case. (I just said this off the top of my head, not thinking anything of it.)
Lady: Well, I'm sorry. You can only activate Windows XP on one machine.
Me: It is one machine. I've transferred all the same parts to a new case.
Lady: You can't do that.
In the end, I had to call back and make up another reason. This was the dumbest thing I'd ever heard. The woman insisted that I could not change the case it's in, but I could change EVERYTHING ELSE. She kept telling me to read the license agreement.
The bottom line is that MS will slowly but surely reign in the piracy. This is just a first step. The Windows activation is pretty lame, because if you have a legit number you can just keep calling and (re)installing all over.
Now, I can't comment on the stench of dead pig- but I can talk about my experience with a stench-infected computer.
Back in the early 90s, my dad bought me My First Computer. It was an Macintosh IIcx which was a big, beige rectangle box. Had neat stuff like NuBus and about 12 SIMM slots. I lived in Europe at the time, and the computer was purchased from a graphic design house where *EVERYONE* chain-smoked at their desks. The machine had the most disgusting tar-like filth on *EVERYTHING* inside the chassis. The upstairs of my house reeked of cigarettes.
I literally chipped away tar, vacuumed it, put Bounce sheets over the power supply fan, to no avail. The machine still sits in my closet to this day, and having given it my best efforts over 10 years ago- it still smells of stale cigarettes.
Because of the small nooks and openings in your average computer, I honestly don't think you'll be able to do much about the smell. Unless there are some new commercial/industrial agents that can do the job, you might be SOL. Guess it's time for 3M to create a solvent version of Fluorinert.
So many great ones here. You just named my youth! I was 5 in 1984 and blazed through all sorts of stuff. The Uninvited, Shufflepuck, Dark Castle series (to this day my favorite game(s) of all time), even the little space video game in After Dark! The 90s was Spaceship Warlock, Iron Helix, Lunicus... man I wish I had those games again.
It's been taking a long time, but there is a remake of Dark Castle, with the originals slated to be included in the release!
http://zsculpt.com/website/games/darkcastle3/dar kc astle3.html (I have nothing invested in this, I'm just a HUGE fan)
I run a fairly large automotive forum. I've owned/operated it for a better part of 2 years now. Not too long ago, a forum member was killed in a car accident. A number of other forum members knew him, which is how we found out. For all I know, any number of the 9000 some-odd registrations are connected to dead people. That being said, I didn't touch his account. All his posts remain and all the data will remain. When he died, there was very little discussion as to what to do. Everyone thought it would be best to keep his stuff online.
Maybe someday, just like some of the previous posters have said, someone will be interested in reading about his car exploits will do a search on him...
This is a bit creepy. I always wonder when I hit those run-down ATMs in the corner of convenience stores if I might have my card nabbed. I've stopped using some of the sketchier ATMs because of this.
I have to say as a Marathon-addict in recovery, I could give a shit about Bungie anymore.
Let me also say, I don't think piracy is right. Any game I play on my (as another/.'er put it) Wintendo I have dropped $50 on.
Bungie has alienated their Mac user/fan base. They went where the money was and as a result left us bastard step-children Mac users behind. Hey, that's their choice. I think there is definitely some validity to the comment that people download and try it on their machines and when they discover it runs like total crap they delete it. Most people don't own a G5 and it sounds like a new machine or $400 video card is what you need.
Sorry Bungie, you're done. Sorry Macplay, you've been caught in the crossfire.
After reading through the many replies I have formulated one of my own, and it's not something that hasn't been said by many, many people over the years:
Slashdot Mirror
Chrome accents, decals, wheels, and other kinds of superficial cosmetic crap don't necessarily imply "sports car" just as hanging paintings in your house doesn't mean you're trying to make it the Louvre.
A few years ago I left my job. My boss had developed a meth problem and was killing the company. It was mentally abusive to work there. When I left, I was not paid for vacation time nor about a week's wages. I contacted the attorney general's office and they took my details and handled everything for me. After "about 4-6 weeks" I received a check for the money I rightfully earned and most certainly deserved. A very painless process that only involved a few phone calls and a few emails.
I would venture to guess there are similar laws protecting hard-working people in all states and other countries. Every once in a while "the system" and "the man" work for the little guy!
Amen. We're of a dot com generation. I left school to pursue the world of the stock option. Oregon Trail was a fantastic game that I remember fondly from my elementary school days.
I'm not sure what state the submitter is in, but here in MA it's state law that you are paid for the time you work. I quit my last job on very bad terms (walked out one day, FedExed my laptop back on Monday) and I had to get my last paycheck by way of the State Attorney General's office. You are ENTITLED to the paycheck for time you work IN ADDITION to unused vacation time.
I agree 110%. I think a company could sell more than they think if they offered a well-designed, compact phone with amazing range. That could be its selling point. "Gets signal where others can't" type of thing. No phone, super-long battery life... invest in things that will IMPROVE MY LIFE when using my cell phone. Sigh.
We need more control over our own credit reports, since advancing our lives is completely dependent on them.
"If you don't like this nuclear facility next to your rice paddy, you can go to jail."
As China's growth continues to surge, there will be more examples of China taking the lead in things- both good AND bad. When the government can tell you what to do (or else), things get done.
I have my wireless router right off my cable modem. Everything in my house is feeding off that. I've got a WRT54G running the Satori firmware. Most of the computers in my house are Powerbooks, however, the machine I am typing this on and use day-to-day is a Windows XP box. I never turn it off. I use Firefox and Thunderbird. I have Norton Antivirus installed and up-to-date and periodically I run Spybot. Also on my network is a Windows 2003 PC (soon to be replaced by a Mac mini) sharing out files to my house. It only has necessary services running.
So here is my question: when are you too paranoid? I keep an eye on my router logs and aside from the occasional ping or malware-infected PC scanning my subnet, all is quiet. The only point of entry into my network is the router, and at this point I'm unaware of any real risk I have running my particular router configuration. People are talking about subnetting their home network, firewalls, logs, turning off their computers, disabling wireless and Bluetooth, etc. This is excessive. My wireless network uses WPA and I live in a suburban neighborhood. Call me ignorant, but I feel as though my setup is sufficiently secure.
If someone hacked through my router and somehow gained access to my 192.168.x.x network, there is very little they would find of value to them on my computer.
Besides, credit card numbers are left on Post-Its all over my work space... far more secure than on my PC. ;)
I clean spyware and associated garbage off PCs. It's easy, with the right wallet of CDs. I've charged anywhere from $75 at the low-end to $200 at the high-end to sanitize machines. It's mostly word-of-mouth, too. The last time, I was paid $125 and it took me 20 minutes. After enduring months of pop-ups and slow performance, the victim was only too happy to shell out for my time. From what I've seen advertised, it seems like the average college student rate for this service is around $100 a pop.
I would assume that a public works department or some other agency would keep records of where things are buried under their streets?
I don't know a lot about the telecom industry, but I assume that they are supposed to follow some sort of digging plan based on information from the town. I suppose they may not have these things, and/or the subcontractors are just that terrible. Someone above me posted something about the water table, so there could be legit reasons for poking holes in pipes. I just have to wonder, did they have any kind of map or plan?
FTTP is supposed to be tested in my area soon, I can't wait!
- I posted an item for sale
- I realized I owed eBay about $40 in back listing fees
It was just before I was going to get into bed, and I skimmed over the message as I usually do before deleting it. My usual thinking: "Sure", I thought, "I'll get back to it tomorrow and pay them." This time around, I clicked the link and got the "standard" eBay login screen. Being tired and lazy, at this point I didn't even glance at the URL. I entered my login and password for eBay, and as it was redirecting I glanced at the address bar, and in horror I saw "cgi2.eb4y.com" or something munged like that.
In a panic, I immediately changed my eBay password, and all is once again well on my happy little computing planet. That being said, had I not caught that and gone straight to bed, who knows what I would've woken up to. The moral of the story is that you really have to be on your toes. The circumstances surrounding this dodged-bullet really were a perfect setup for me: owed eBay money, just posted a new item for sale that day, fatigue...
Common sense is the key!
Is Karl Rove now approving submissions?
The online hardware magazines are always reviewing and comparing the bottom-end or the high-end stuff. I like gaming occasionally like the next guy with a real life, but I will NOT shell out $400-500 for a graphics card.
I think the linked review is very helpful, because it's the kind of review that I've been looking for. I'm the target market for a review like this, and would love a step-up from my 9000 that isn't just me guessing that it will be better based on X specs. The "bang-for-buck" graphics cards always seem to get lost in the review jungle, or simply don't exist.
Like many nerds with a job, I upgrade components in my PC frequently. I have a legitimate retail copy of WinXP Pro. I have a home-built PC, which sits happily next to my Powerbook G4. A couple months ago, I upgraded the motherboard and RAM, and took the opportunity to reinstall WinXP (as I typically need to about once a year). When I called the Windows activation department in Bangalore, I learned something new...
Lady: I can help you with activation. First I need to ask you a couple questions.
Me: Ok.
Lady: How many computers is this copy of Windows XP installed on.
Me: One.
Lady: Why are you reinstalling Windows?
Me: I bought a new computer case. (I just said this off the top of my head, not thinking anything of it.)
Lady: Well, I'm sorry. You can only activate Windows XP on one machine.
Me: It is one machine. I've transferred all the same parts to a new case.
Lady: You can't do that.
In the end, I had to call back and make up another reason. This was the dumbest thing I'd ever heard. The woman insisted that I could not change the case it's in, but I could change EVERYTHING ELSE. She kept telling me to read the license agreement.
The bottom line is that MS will slowly but surely reign in the piracy. This is just a first step. The Windows activation is pretty lame, because if you have a legit number you can just keep calling and (re)installing all over.
Back in the early 90s, my dad bought me My First Computer. It was an Macintosh IIcx which was a big, beige rectangle box. Had neat stuff like NuBus and about 12 SIMM slots. I lived in Europe at the time, and the computer was purchased from a graphic design house where *EVERYONE* chain-smoked at their desks. The machine had the most disgusting tar-like filth on *EVERYTHING* inside the chassis. The upstairs of my house reeked of cigarettes.
I literally chipped away tar, vacuumed it, put Bounce sheets over the power supply fan, to no avail. The machine still sits in my closet to this day, and having given it my best efforts over 10 years ago- it still smells of stale cigarettes.
Because of the small nooks and openings in your average computer, I honestly don't think you'll be able to do much about the smell. Unless there are some new commercial/industrial agents that can do the job, you might be SOL. Guess it's time for 3M to create a solvent version of Fluorinert.
So many great ones here. You just named my youth! I was 5 in 1984 and blazed through all sorts of stuff. The Uninvited, Shufflepuck, Dark Castle series (to this day my favorite game(s) of all time), even the little space video game in After Dark! The 90s was Spaceship Warlock, Iron Helix, Lunicus... man I wish I had those games again.
r kc astle3.html
It's been taking a long time, but there is a remake of Dark Castle, with the originals slated to be included in the release!
http://zsculpt.com/website/games/darkcastle3/da
(I have nothing invested in this, I'm just a HUGE fan)
I use Firefox 0.9 and there is an error getting to the site.
I run a fairly large automotive forum. I've owned/operated it for a better part of 2 years now. Not too long ago, a forum member was killed in a car accident. A number of other forum members knew him, which is how we found out. For all I know, any number of the 9000 some-odd registrations are connected to dead people. That being said, I didn't touch his account. All his posts remain and all the data will remain. When he died, there was very little discussion as to what to do. Everyone thought it would be best to keep his stuff online.
Maybe someday, just like some of the previous posters have said, someone will be interested in reading about his car exploits will do a search on him...
It worked!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations to all those guys.
They are about to launch the actual scramjet...
I got yelled at and had to pull the plug. Sorry about that. :(
I've stopped using some of the sketchier ATMs because of this.
MIRROR HERE IN CASE OF A
Too bad there are 113552 people in front of me.
How many registered users are there on Slashdot these days?
Let me also say, I don't think piracy is right. Any game I play on my (as another
Bungie has alienated their Mac user/fan base. They went where the money was and as a result left us bastard step-children Mac users behind. Hey, that's their choice. I think there is definitely some validity to the comment that people download and try it on their machines and when they discover it runs like total crap they delete it. Most people don't own a G5 and it sounds like a new machine or $400 video card is what you need.
Sorry Bungie, you're done. Sorry Macplay, you've been caught in the crossfire.
After reading through the many replies I have formulated one of my own, and it's not something that hasn't been said by many, many people over the years:
"A fool and his money are soon parted..."