I haven't had time to re-test to find out what my current situation is, but I can tell you that I have experienced COMCAST mucking up my DNS traffic in the past.
I have a Linux server on my local network that acts as a caching DNS for all of my client machines. Several months ago I found that there were large holes in my internet access (including for some reason, most hotels in Las Vegas... I was planning a vacation).
I have 2 separate internet connections to my house, one from COMCAST and one from QWEST. I did not do significant detective work when I had the problem. I used some online DNS tools to verify that the sites had good DNS entries (when not querying through COMCAST), I then accessed them with IP addresses successfully, SO, I went to my router and added a rule for all port 53 traffic to go over the QWEST connnection and (surprise)... everything worked!
I chalked it up to something being messed up on COMCAST's network and not a nefarious plot; I left the rule in to direct all of the port 53 traffic out the QWEST connection and I haven't had a similar problem since.
There was no one TAKING of stuff that didn't belong to them. They made a transaction and purchased a stack of $20 bills. Unfortunately for the ATM operator, the machine decided to have an unadvertised 75% off sale on $20 bills that day. (They empowered the machine to make that decision, or at least failed to take measures to prevent it) How is that criminal? And even morally, why is it the customer's responsibility?
I should not need to know more about the value of a product than the person I'm buying from, but if by chance I do, and I use that knowledge to get a good "deal" then I'm a savvy consumer, not a criminal.
If I'm buying a house, and I find a seller that wants to sell for half of market value, is it theft to buy it? If I go down to the local pawn shop to buy a nice anniversary ring for my wife and find a flawless diamond in the bargain bin and buy it for 10% of it's value, is that theft? Even with money, if a business gives me a rare and valuable nickel as change at face value, is that theft? Why should it be any different with $20 bills?
It is the banks responsibility to field ATMs that are well programmed, install them properly in secure locations, and hire/train competent people to load and operate them. (Years ago when my wife worked at a bank, after any service on the ATM they had to make a $30 withdrawal. If they received anything other than one $20 and two $5, they corrected the problem before the ATM was brought back on-line.) If the bank doesn't do their part, they have poor business practices that should not be rewarded. (Especially not by using public money to find and prosecute people who bought the $20 bills on sale.)
The same goes for cash register transactions. Too many cashiers these days have no concept of what they're doing. They push buttons (hopefully the right ones), scan items, and look at the display for the total, then they punch in the amount tendered and hand back whatever the display says to give back. They rarely do any sanity check on the numbers... Hey, I just scanned a Big Screen TV, but the display says the total is $70, No Problem... The customer hands over two crisp $50 bills, and when the display says $30 change, everyone is happy. (Except the business, but that's their own fault for hiring unmotivated employees, and not training them properly).
I used to be the "honest" customer and report all mistakes (whether in my favor or the stores favor), but I am TIRED of being responsible for ALL of the quality control on transactions I engage in. I now only provide quality control for my interests and report errors that short me. I rely on the business to provide quality control for their interests and will graciously review any transaction that they believe overly benefited me.
Using fake ATM cards, printing your own UPC stickers, passing counterfeit currency, etc... are crimes.
Entering into a transaction where you pay an amount of money and receive a product or service is not a crime... Even if you get an unbelievably good deal.
I'm in the military in Germany, working for NATO. I'd suggest that you look into civilian/contractor positions with NATO.
As I understand it, the NATO rules say that they have to at least consider candidates from any NATO member nation (I was recently speaking with someone that was complaining about the difficulties of having to do phone interviews with an American applicant because of the Time Zone differences).
Also, for NATO, the required language skills are normally English and/or French, so you should be good there.
The main NATO page is http://www.nato.int, from there you can find links to the different locations, and each location should have a "Jobs" or "Employment link.
Slashdot Mirror
I haven't had time to re-test to find out what my current situation is, but I can tell you that I have experienced COMCAST mucking up my DNS traffic in the past.
I have a Linux server on my local network that acts as a caching DNS for all of my client machines. Several months ago I found that there were large holes in my internet access (including for some reason, most hotels in Las Vegas... I was planning a vacation).
I have 2 separate internet connections to my house, one from COMCAST and one from QWEST. I did not do significant detective work when I had the problem. I used some online DNS tools to verify that the sites had good DNS entries (when not querying through COMCAST), I then accessed them with IP addresses successfully, SO, I went to my router and added a rule for all port 53 traffic to go over the QWEST connnection and (surprise)... everything worked!
I chalked it up to something being messed up on COMCAST's network and not a nefarious plot; I left the rule in to direct all of the port 53 traffic out the QWEST connection and I haven't had a similar problem since.
Nuke
Absolutely concentrate on the basics...
I wish that all of my colleagues would read Charles Petzold's "CODE - The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software"
It covers, (in short order), everything that they don't seem to understand about how computers actually work!
Or you could join the US National Security Agency...
They have these http://www.nsa.gov/careers/students_4.cfm programs
There was no one TAKING of stuff that didn't belong to them. They made a transaction and purchased a stack of $20 bills. Unfortunately for the ATM operator, the machine decided to have an unadvertised 75% off sale on $20 bills that day. (They empowered the machine to make that decision, or at least failed to take measures to prevent it) How is that criminal? And even morally, why is it the customer's responsibility?
I should not need to know more about the value of a product than the person I'm buying from, but if by chance I do, and I use that knowledge to get a good "deal" then I'm a savvy consumer, not a criminal.
If I'm buying a house, and I find a seller that wants to sell for half of market value, is it theft to buy it? If I go down to the local pawn shop to buy a nice anniversary ring for my wife and find a flawless diamond in the bargain bin and buy it for 10% of it's value, is that theft? Even with money, if a business gives me a rare and valuable nickel as change at face value, is that theft? Why should it be any different with $20 bills?
It is the banks responsibility to field ATMs that are well programmed, install them properly in secure locations, and hire/train competent people to load and operate them. (Years ago when my wife worked at a bank, after any service on the ATM they had to make a $30 withdrawal. If they received anything other than one $20 and two $5, they corrected the problem before the ATM was brought back on-line.) If the bank doesn't do their part, they have poor business practices that should not be rewarded. (Especially not by using public money to find and prosecute people who bought the $20 bills on sale.)
The same goes for cash register transactions. Too many cashiers these days have no concept of what they're doing. They push buttons (hopefully the right ones), scan items, and look at the display for the total, then they punch in the amount tendered and hand back whatever the display says to give back. They rarely do any sanity check on the numbers... Hey, I just scanned a Big Screen TV, but the display says the total is $70, No Problem... The customer hands over two crisp $50 bills, and when the display says $30 change, everyone is happy. (Except the business, but that's their own fault for hiring unmotivated employees, and not training them properly).
I used to be the "honest" customer and report all mistakes (whether in my favor or the stores favor), but I am TIRED of being responsible for ALL of the quality control on transactions I engage in. I now only provide quality control for my interests and report errors that short me. I rely on the business to provide quality control for their interests and will graciously review any transaction that they believe overly benefited me.
Using fake ATM cards, printing your own UPC stickers, passing counterfeit currency, etc... are crimes.
Entering into a transaction where you pay an amount of money and receive a product or service is not a crime... Even if you get an unbelievably good deal.
I'm in the military in Germany, working for NATO. I'd suggest that you look into civilian/contractor positions with NATO.
As I understand it, the NATO rules say that they have to at least consider candidates from any NATO member nation (I was recently speaking with someone that was complaining about the difficulties of having to do phone interviews with an American applicant because of the Time Zone differences).
Also, for NATO, the required language skills are normally English and/or French, so you should be good there.
The main NATO page is http://www.nato.int, from there you can find links to the different locations, and each location should have a "Jobs" or "Employment link.
Good Luck
Nuke