The 9/11 hijackers had IDs, and used them to prove their identity to get on the planes. How hard would it be to come up with a fake ID if you had to get into a bar... or on a plane?
Last month (during the "heightened security phase,") the SO and I managed to get on the plane without ever getting our IDs checked once. This was at a major international airport.
Airport security is a stupid idea. It's a waste of money and it's there for only one reason: to make white people feel safe. That's all it's for. To provide a feeling, an illusion, of safety in order to placate the middle class. The authorities know they can't make airplanes safe; too many people have access. You'll notice that drug smugglers don't seem to have a lot of trouble getting their little packages on board, do they?
I'm not sure what exactly Project is, but I doubt there's too many people who would miss it short of a few much disliked suits.
Project is (unfortunately) the standard for project management software. Most of the unwashed masses of Project Managers (PMs) think that you can fire up Project, plug in some tasks and away you go. Microsoft has done its best to perpetuate this myth, by providing "wizards" to help you set up your project---the irony is that the wizard helps you set up a project the same way four tires and a seat allow you to drive on the street. Project Management is much, much more than a project plan.
The few seasoned PMs who have been around the block come to realize that Project is a bloated POS that doesn't work well for any type of semi-complicated project (software development, especially), and for a few hundred bucks less you can get the same functionality out of Excel. I will admit that Microsoft has done a great job in improving the app (there's no way in #@$@ that I'd switch from Project 2003 to 2000 or---ugh---98), but it still has a long way to go.
Project doesn't come with Office, even though Microsoft brands it as part of the office family. To say that only a few suits would miss it is incorrect. Successful IT implementations of any size and/or complexity have to use some elements of Project Management practices, of which MS Project is a part. Those that don't will deliver late, overrun costs by an order of magnitude, and/or fail outright.
Woody's Office Watch had a good
writeup (and followup)
as to why you shouldn't use Word for anything sent out to the
public. The problem he sites is that Word stores all
kinds of things that you probably shouldn't disclose to just
anyone, such as...
Last document editor's name, initials,
and company
Computer name last edited on
Path (incl server
name) of last save (Remember all those hacks that require the
miscreant to know specific file path & names?)
Previous
editor's names
Number of revisions and versions
Template
name and path
Any hidden text
Comments
This is
why you distill DOC to PDF before passing it around or posting it
on the web, so none of the aforementioned information is
inadvertently released. Yes, someone can still change it, but
that's what digital signatures are for.
Side note: PDF
Passwords ARE TRIVIAL to break. Don't try to protect your PDFs
from printing/copying/etc. with the built-in "security." It takes about 15 seconds with
publicly-available software to crack any PDF.
Want to let the terrorists win? Just get Osama's estranged
cousin (who has honorary US citizenship) to blow up a bus in downtown Chicago.
You can bet that's when Big Daddy will require all citizens
to carry intra-state passports (thanks to the interstate
commerce clause) with all the requisite retinal/fingerprint
data he could ever want in order to track your scrawny buttocks.
I happen to know for a fact that at some point in your life, you bought an album and only liked a song or two on it.
Unless you witnessed him first hand, or someone told you, you cannot know that. Berkeley's three tests for knowledge are
You must believe it
It must be true
There cannot be a casual relationship between #1 and #2.
You are correct in #2; we're not sure about #1. #3 is definitely false, unless---like I said---you witnessed him, or someone who knows passed the knowledge to you.
My experience with Forrester has been that if you look hard enough, they have research that supports your point of view... no matter what it is.
For example, some of our clients got their hands on a Forrester report that said outsourcing creation and management of email newsletters was the way to go.
After a bit of digging, we found another Forrester report that said it was better to keep those functions in house.
As other folks pointed out, Forrester's job is to keep people subscribed to their service. They do that by providing ammunition to the armies of middle managers who are trying to justify their positions with "facts" and "research."
When it comes down to it MY business is how much I have to pay for a product and how much money I can save.
So who is going to purchase your company's goods or services when fewer people have jobs that can afford your prices, because Walmart has gutted them all?
Don't think for a second that you are immune. Walmart is moving into the Supermarket business, leaving nothing but scorched earth behind. They are also toying with selling gas at below cost in order to crush the competition.
I hope you aren't in the Supermarket or Gas business, or don't have employees who rely on those who are.
I'd much rather have a Build-a-Man kit, which is for the serious hobbyist thank you.
Some would claim that creating clones with the Fisher-Price Clone Kit is nothing more than "Child's Play," wereas serious people (like William Tenn) would prefer a serious kit.
Crook moves through crowd with card sniffer, trolling for "contactless" credit cards (Times Square, anyone?)
Crook's PDA records all credit card numbers sniffed and transmits CC #s to secret underground lair
Gang of thieves in lair either purchase mass goods on line or burn stolen CC #s onto blank "contactless" CCs, for sale to small-time crooks and/or Hong Kong syndicates
Lots and lots of Profits, baby!
Next up, implant your "contactless" credit card under your skin for the no-hassle shopping experience. Oh, and for your safety, the Sicherheitspolizei will register and monitor your chip in case you are attacked by terrorists.
(lady) "Are they good boots?"
(me) "Good for the price."
It is amazing that the average person will trust an anonymous store employee or stranger.
Back in my dark days, I worked for a movie theater (single screen). I easily lost track of how many times I was asked, "Is this movie any good?" Like what, I'm going to say, "Save your money, bub," and get the wack?
Another life, I worked at a concessions stand for a basketball arena. More of the same: "Are the hot dogs good?" "Are the pretzels good?" I really wanted to say, "No, they suck -ss. Now get outta here, 'cause I got a line of 20 people who know what they want and don't want to wait for you to make up your mind."
On the other hand, if you were a Biometric Security VENDOR, your ROI is astronomical.
Drum up hysteria of how the 9/11 hijackers will come get YOU if you don't secure your ATM, car, house, bank account, pda, email, fax machine, house plant, etc. with all new Impermiable Security Utilizing Computer Keys (tm).
Produce a grey shoebox complete with flashy lights, paper tape output, 9" reel-to-reel mag tape, punch cards, and eyepiece from Lil' Wonder Telescope (all plastic so the kids don't get their eyes poked out)
...?
PROFIT!!!
That'll be US$500k (with a US$50k/annum license fee), please.
Slashdot Mirror
Meet at the damn at midnight. The password is "ali baba."
Last month (during the "heightened security phase,") the SO and I managed to get on the plane without ever getting our IDs checked once. This was at a major international airport.
Security in this country is a joke. George Carlin (courtesy of SillyPixie) said it best:
The few seasoned PMs who have been around the block come to realize that Project is a bloated POS that doesn't work well for any type of semi-complicated project (software development, especially), and for a few hundred bucks less you can get the same functionality out of Excel. I will admit that Microsoft has done a great job in improving the app (there's no way in #@$@ that I'd switch from Project 2003 to 2000 or---ugh---98), but it still has a long way to go.
Project doesn't come with Office, even though Microsoft brands it as part of the office family. To say that only a few suits would miss it is incorrect. Successful IT implementations of any size and/or complexity have to use some elements of Project Management practices, of which MS Project is a part. Those that don't will deliver late, overrun costs by an order of magnitude, and/or fail outright.
Just auto-generate your registration
Have at it
- Last document editor's name, initials,
and company
- Computer name last edited on
- Path (incl server
name) of last save (Remember all those hacks that require the
miscreant to know specific file path & names?)
- Previous
editor's names
- Number of revisions and versions
- Template
name and path
- Any hidden text
- Comments
This is why you distill DOC to PDF before passing it around or posting it on the web, so none of the aforementioned information is inadvertently released. Yes, someone can still change it, but that's what digital signatures are for.Side note: PDF Passwords ARE TRIVIAL to break. Don't try to protect your PDFs from printing/copying/etc. with the built-in "security." It takes about 15 seconds with publicly-available software to crack any PDF.
Want to let the terrorists win? Just get Osama's estranged cousin (who has honorary US citizenship) to blow up a bus in downtown Chicago.
You can bet that's when Big Daddy will require all citizens to carry intra-state passports (thanks to the interstate commerce clause) with all the requisite retinal/fingerprint data he could ever want in order to track your scrawny buttocks.
They have until Jan 8th... :)
Go grab the random NYTimes registration form. Works every time!
You are correct in #2; we're not sure about #1. #3 is definitely false, unless---like I said---you witnessed him, or someone who knows passed the knowledge to you.
Been reading your Sam Gunn, eh?
I hope you don't work at any US-based business; that way you won't be affected when WalMart affects your industry or sector.
For example, some of our clients got their hands on a Forrester report that said outsourcing creation and management of email newsletters was the way to go.
After a bit of digging, we found another Forrester report that said it was better to keep those functions in house.
As other folks pointed out, Forrester's job is to keep people subscribed to their service. They do that by providing ammunition to the armies of middle managers who are trying to justify their positions with "facts" and "research."
Don't think for a second that you are immune. Walmart is moving into the Supermarket business, leaving nothing but scorched earth behind. They are also toying with selling gas at below cost in order to crush the competition.
I hope you aren't in the Supermarket or Gas business, or don't have employees who rely on those who are.
Mr. Furious: He takes them off when he transforms.
The Shoveller: That doesn't make any sense, he wouldn't be able to see.
Some would claim that creating clones with the Fisher-Price Clone Kit is nothing more than "Child's Play," wereas serious people (like William Tenn) would prefer a serious kit.
Remember, kids, only Build-a-Man can build a man!
- Crook moves through crowd with card sniffer, trolling for "contactless" credit cards (Times Square, anyone?)
- Crook's PDA records all credit card numbers sniffed and transmits CC #s to secret underground lair
- Gang of thieves in lair either purchase mass goods on line or burn stolen CC #s onto blank "contactless" CCs, for sale to small-time crooks and/or Hong Kong syndicates
- Lots and lots of Profits, baby!
Next up, implant your "contactless" credit card under your skin for the no-hassle shopping experience. Oh, and for your safety, the Sicherheitspolizei will register and monitor your chip in case you are attacked by terrorists.You're thinking of Starship Exeter.
To defeat the bug, we must understand the bug! Do you want to know more?
Information on how to stop SYN attacks has been available for ages.
What?! No "Burnt Umber"??
Back in my dark days, I worked for a movie theater (single screen). I easily lost track of how many times I was asked, "Is this movie any good?" Like what, I'm going to say, "Save your money, bub," and get the wack?
Another life, I worked at a concessions stand for a basketball arena. More of the same: "Are the hot dogs good?" "Are the pretzels good?" I really wanted to say, "No, they suck -ss. Now get outta here, 'cause I got a line of 20 people who know what they want and don't want to wait for you to make up your mind."
Like the part where Hitler suspended civil liberties "temporarily"?
That'll be US$500k (with a US$50k/annum license fee), please.