Archive for 2007

Got an old car or truck sitting in your driveway attracting Kudzu?

This holiday season, why not give some thought to Car Angel? Car Angel makes it easy to donate your old car or truck, and their programs help children all over the world. The funds earned from your car donation provide funding for preschool and grade school aged children in some of the poorest areas of the world.

All you have to do is call. Car Angel will arrrange free nationwide pickup, and you also get a nice little tax donation just in time to round out this years tax season.

I am not sure how many people use the Cisco Security Agent or how many have TuitionWise student loans, but I thought I better post about this here, just in case.

Cisco is advising Windows users of its Cisco Security Agent software to upgrade the product because of a security bug.

The flaw lies in a driver used by the client software. By sending maliciously crafted data to the PC, attackers could create a buffer overflow condition in the Windows kernel, causing the system to crash.

Security firm Secunia rates the crash flaw “moderately critical,” but the vulnerability could be used by attackers to also run unauthorized software on the Windows machine, Cisco warned.

Cisco released hotfixes for the bug on Wednesday. A large number of Cisco products install this agent, including the Cisco Security Manager, Cisco Unified Communications Manager and the Cisco Voice Portal.

[Source: InfoWorld via Yahoo! News]

So, what happens when you have to patch the patch?

Microsoft Corp. said Monday that a flaw in the way its Windows operating system looks up other computers on the Internet has resurfaced and could expose some customers to online attacks.

The flaw primarily affects corporate users outside of the U.S. It could theoretically be exploited by attackers to silently redirect a victim to a malicious Web site.

Microsoft originally patched this flaw in 1999, but it was rediscovered recently in later versions of Windows and was then publicized at a recent hacker conference in New Zealand. “This is a variation of that previously reported vulnerability that manifests when certain client side settings are made,” said Mike Reavey, a group manager at Microsoft’s Security Response Center.

Don’t you hate it when flaws that were patched in 1999 come back to haunt you in 2007? I know I do.

I wonder if they’ll break it again… I’m not even going to rehash everything I went through with the “genuine windows” product I received.

Microsoft Corp. is pulling back from a system that disables programs on users’ computers if it suspects the software is pirated, opting instead for a gentler approach based on nagging alerts.

Microsoft said late Monday it will roll out the new version of Windows Genuine Advantage with the first “service pack” for Windows Vista, due in the first quarter of 2008.

When computer users activate a copy of Windows Vista or try to download certain software from Microsoft’s Web site, the Windows Genuine Advantage system scans their PCs for signs of pirated software. Today, if the tool finds an unauthorized copy of Vista, the glassy Vista user experience disappears and other features are suspended.

In the new version, PC users found to have a pirated copy of Vista will continue to be able to use their computers, but with unmistakable signs their operating system is a fake. The desktop wallpaper will turn black, and a white notice will appear alerting users to the problem. Each time they log in, they will be prompted to buy legitimate software, and every hour, a reminder bubble will appear on the screen.

If they get it right, good for them. If innocent people end up with black screens and annoying suggestions that they are criminals, then screw them. Microsoft’s track record with mucking things up is as dependable as a Franck Muller watch.

As long as they don’t break mine again, they can do what they want, I suppose.

Six Apart purchased LiveJournal in 2005, hoping people would upgrade to some of their other Six Apart products. They didn’t. Big shock.

LiveJournal, the personal Web publishing service that jump-started blogging in Russia, has been sold by its U.S. owner to a Russian business partner, which will operate it independently, the companies said on Sunday.

Six Apart Ltd said it sold the blog community site for undisclosed terms to SUP, a Russian-focused Internet media company led by an American and British duo that has expanded LiveJournal’s Russian business over the past year.

Now, someone else has purchased LiveJournal. Maybe they should have taken the time to look at themselves in a makeup mirrors before jumping into this one. It may be popular, but I don’t see it making money. Good luck with that.

I was sitting here today, working on my latest project for work, when the phone rang. It’s always annoying when the phone rings and I am in the middle of code. I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered anyway.

It turns out, it was the realtor we used when we bought our first house, asking if I was interested in buying ro selling any real estate.

You know things are slow, when your agent from 10 years ago calls looking for business.

It seems I will be taking another business trip in the next couple weeks. I hate being away from my family when work calls, but heck, they only call me up twice a year or so.

I spent some time looking at new luggage and ended up buying a new bag that I can carry with me on the plane. I so hate checking any bags.

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I am busting my hump extra hard this week, because this coming weekend we are heading for the hills of North Carolina, to partake in some holiday fun, some shopping, and most of all, some relaxation.

I love going to North Carolina. I love the mountains. I haven’t been to the coast yet, but I hear that the Outer Banks are nice, except during hurricane season, but I wouldn’t want to be in the mountains during a big storm either.

Now, back to work, so I can get done before Friday.

I used to make fun of people who bought things “seen on tv”, that is, until I bought this really kewl knife for the kitchen. Man. I love that thing.

I remember as a kid, watching all the Ginzu knife commercials and all of the other ads only available from those commercials, and wishing I could order them all.

It’s hard enough with all of the as seen on tv ads, that’s why I don’t watch any of the home shopping channels. Yikes.

I will be traveling to the office again soon, and although I will be very close to New York, I probably won’t make it again.

Everytime I travel to the office I hope to make it up to New York City to visit friends, and each time I end up coming home without making it up there.

For the longest time, my wife has wanted to make a weekend trip to New York, so I think it’s time to start planning one. I will have to save up some money, and maybe even get some Wicked tickets or something, then we could spend the day shopping and eating, and the evening watching some good theatre and eating.

Yes, I love eating.