Anonymous: Facebook’s going down November 5

By: Chris Matyszczyk AUGUST 9, 2011 4:56 PM PDT

The more Facebook seems to dominate the world, the closer it seems to be to its end.

Earlier this year, there was dastardly nonsense being peddled that Facebook would shut down March 15. However, now we have news of an apparently credible threat.

It comes from Anonymous, the interesting group of people who express their principles in an activist way by infiltrating the systems of the unsuspecting or the merely complacent.

The Village Voice has pointed me to an Anonymous press release that states quite unequivocally that Facebook is going to get it on November 5.

Should that date not be dear to you, it is the day when British people let off fireworks to commemorate Guy Fawkes, a man who felt the passionate need to detonate Britain’s Houses of Parliament.

For those who haven’t bothered with British history (short version: a lot of colonizing, eating meat, and pretending to be friendly), you might have seen Guy Fawkes immortalized in the fine movie “V For Vendetta”.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20090328-71/anonymous-facebooks-going-down-november-5/#ixzz1UqQqc2T7 

March 18, 2010 4:50 PM PDT

Microsoft: Only minor tweaks in Windows 7 SP1

by Ina Fried

Breaking its silence on the first service pack for Windows 7, Microsoft said on Thursday that it will include only minor updates, including many already released.

“For Windows 7, SP1 includes only minor updates, among which are previous updates that are already delivered through Windows Update,” Microsoft blogger Brandon LeBlanc said in a blog post.

LeBlanc said that Microsoft is not yet ready to announce a time frame for either the beta or final version of the service pack. But, he said that businesses should not wait for the update.

“So don’t wait,” LeBlanc said. “Go ahead and deploy…you know you want to!”

Microsoft released Windows 7 in October.

On the server side, the service pack for Windows Server 2008 R2 will include two new virtualization features–Microsoft RemoteFX and Dynamic Memory. Windows 7 SP1 will include the client-side support for RemoteFX.

Once finished, Microsoft said it would make the Windows 7 service pack available for download and through Windows Update.

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Anyway, the real purpose of this blog post is to report what I’ve just read on CNet. Steve Jobs is hard at work and is supposedly developing an Apple tablet, Netbook of a huge iPod.  Well, well. Having had great experience with the iPhone I’m feeling more and more of a convert. I’m currently thinking of getting an iMac for my next computer even thought I’ve been testing Windows 7 and like it (a bit. Windows is getting to be a bore).

Here’s the news about the giant iPod.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been focusing intensely on a tablet device since returning to work in June, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The rumor mill has been abuzz with stories of a possible Apple tablet, Netbook, or giant iPod. But those familiar with the device declined to reveal details about it or disclose its release date, the Journal noted.

Still, many industry watchers expect that it will be a multimedia device that will let people surf the Web, watch movies, play games, and possibly read e-books. And they expect it to debut later this year or in early 2010.

Jobs’ attention to the tablet is a sign of how important the new device is to Apple, the Journal said. Since unveiling the iPhone in 2007, the company hasn’t released a new product category, choosing instead to enhance its existing line of MacBooks, iPods, and iPhones.

A tablet has been in the works for some time. Apple was granted a patent on such a device last year. But the design process apparently hasn’t been a smooth one. Jobs halted the project twice, once because of poor battery life and again because of insufficient memory, a person familiar with the matter told the Journal.

source: cnet

(CNN) — Be cautious if you plan to Bing Jessica Biel or Google Brad Pitt. A new report says you might get a virus.
Actress Jessica Biel tops a list of the “most dangerous” celebrity searches online.

The Hollywood actors are among the top 10 celebrity searches online that can lead to computer problems, according to a report released Tuesday by the computer security company McAfee.

The company named Biel the “most dangerous celebrity in cyberspace.” One in five Internet searches for terms related to “Jessica Biel” leads to a Web page, photo, video or piece of spam that contains a cyber-security threat, the report said.

The former “7th Heaven” star and girlfriend of singer Justin Timberlake is followed on the “most dangerous” list by singer Beyonce, actress Jennifer Aniston and football hunk Tom Brady. Singer and reality TV star Jessica Simpson rounds out the top five.

The report shows that hackers use pop culture trends to spread viruses and malicious software, said Shane Keats, a research analyst at McAfee.

Biel is “very, very popular right now, so it says to me that the cyber criminals really do know who’s hot and who’s not,” Keats said. “They really are smart. They can spot a trend as well as anyone else can — as well as Paris Hilton can.”

source: CNN

Here are some tips to help you protect yourself:

• Lock your computer when you are away from it. Even if you only step away from your computer for a few minutes, it’s enough time for someone else to destroy or corrupt your information. Locking your computer prevents another person from being able to simply sit down at your computer and access all of your information.

• Disconnect your computer from the Internet when you aren’t using it. The development of technologies such as DSL and cable modems have made it possible for users to be online all the time, but this convenience comes with risks. The likelihood that attackers or viruses scanning the network for available computers will target your computer becomes much higher if your computer is always connected. Depending on what method you use to connect to the Internet, disconnecting may mean disabling a wireless connection, turning off your computer or modem, or disconnecting cables. When you are connected, make sure that you have a firewall enabled (see Understanding Firewalls for more information).

• Evaluate your security settings. Most software, including browsers and email programs, offers a variety of features that you can tailor to meet your needs and requirements. Enabling certain features to increase convenience or functionality may leave you more vulnerable to being attacked. It is important to examine the settings, particularly the security settings, and select options that meet your needs without putting you at increased risk. If you install a patch or a new version of the software, or if you hear of something that might affect your settings, reevaluate your settings to make sure they are still appropriate (see Understanding Patches, Safeguarding Your Data, and Evaluating Your Web Browser’s Security Settings for more information).

source: us-cert

Surf safely and be careful out there.

Kmart ad

FYE is reportedly selling an 80Gb PS3 from $299 and the 160Gb model for $399.

The question is, would this price cut drive people in droves, specially during these hard times? Not only that, the price cut is more than likely in response to competitors hogging the market share because of their much lower pricing. What’s stopping them from lowering their prices too?

windows 7 desktop

HomeGroup password

When I installed Microsoft Windows 7 beta on one of my computers, one things I’ve noticed was that it was a quick and rather painless install. It seems light with less “bloatware”. It reminded me of a linux install way back when Linux didn’t try to be “use-friendly”. Back then when you install Linux, you install an OS, nothing else. After installing the OS, you then go about installing what you want applications and tools to go with the OS. It looked like a majority of people, I guess because most are either busy or lazy and not wanting to deal with something “they don’t have to” didn’t like going through this and most didn’t even consider Linux. This made Linux the OS of geeks.

From the beginning, Bill Gates realized this and he capitalized on it. Success. People loved it because it was “user-friendly”. Microsoft began adding more and more stuff into its OS and it showed in the Windows OS that started coming out of Redmond. Together with flashy, epic naming schemes (remember Millenium Edition? ugh), Windows became increasingly bloated with each version. But because hardware because increasingly powerful and better, the bloat didn’t pose any significant problem to users. Adding more memory and faster peripherals seems to make the bloat a non-issue. Until Vista, when Microsoft found the straw that broke the camel’s back. I didn’t even installed Vista because the horror stories scared me. So I’m one of the many XP holdouts.

As I was saying, the install went well and the next few personalization setup were pretty easy as well. But then I tried working with networks and this is where a few issues were found. Can you believe it? This OS wants you to remember (it actually ask you to write it down) a series of alphanumeric characters because IT assigns a password you rather than just allowing you to create one, an easy to remember one. So primitive in my opinion.

And one more very important thing which really got into my nerve. You CAN’T upgrade a Windows XP computer. Yep, you have to wipe out the entire system and install fresh. In a few computers you would really want to do this but for some, a simple upgrade is the simplest and preferable way moving from one OS to another.

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Windows 7 Desktop

Pirated copies of Microsoft Windows 7 have hit the shelves at China’s electronics bazaars, months before the operating system officially goes on sale.

A stall owner at one of the multistory PC markets in Beijing sold a copy of the program for 40 yuan (US$5.86) on Monday. It was not clear from the thin, DVD-shaped box or the contents of the disc what version of Windows 7 it purported to carry, but a 1.8GB file named Win7.gho was on the disc. A .gho file is an image of a system that can be copied onto a new hard drive, potentially letting a user bypass the activation key step for programs like Windows.

Both legal and cracked copies of Windows 7 were already available online. A release candidate version of the operating system is publicly available, and subscribers to the Microsoft Developer Network can download the RTM (release to manufacturing) version on the network’s Web site.

A cracked version of Windows 7 has also appeared online in recent weeks. An image file containing Windows 7 Ultimate RTM and a manufacturer product key was stolen from Lenovo and placed on a Chinese hacker forum, the company said in a statement.

A user can purportedly pair the leaked key with a certain hack to install and use the operating system, Microsoft said in an MSDN blog entry. But Microsoft said it is working with Lenovo to make sure no PCs using the pirated manufacturer key are sold, and Lenovo said the key would be disabled. Windows 7 will go on sale Oct. 22.

Pirated software from Microsoft and other companies is widely used in homes and offices across China, and it is often sold in stores or on streets.

The vendor at the Beijing bazaar said she said had sold pirated copies of Windows 7 for more than a month and had a dozen buyers on some days. She kept the program discs in a low cabinet that she opened only when asked specifically for the OS.

It was not clear if the pirated Windows 7 disc carried malicious code, but its setup file promoted a Web site, www.pkghost.cn, infested with a high level of malware. Google found 31 scripting exploits, 25 Trojans and 21 other exploits on the site, according to its diagnostic page.

Malware may have been on the disc as well. Pirated software packages sold in China often include malware used to steal personal information from users, said Vu Nguyen, a McAfee Avert Labs researcher. One common type of Trojan steals passwords for popular online games, he said. Attackers can then profit by selling virtual items in the game accounts.

But low prices lead many Chinese users to buy pirated software despite the risks, Nguyen said.

The pirated Windows 7 box had the labels “complete cracked version” and “standard version 1.0.” The disc inside displayed a Windows logo and images of a penguin and a globe. It also displayed the name “Loxon Soft Studio,” but no company by that name could immediately be located.

Source: computerworld

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If this release is anything similar to release 7100, expect it to install quickly and run better. It should have the similar look and feel of the previous release candidates.

ZDNET Australia reported that a version was released to manufacturing on July 20. Today, Australian IT news reports that they are getting Lenovo netbooks loaded with Windows 7. Lenovo Australia won a $150 million contract to prvide netbooks to NSW secondary school students and teachers. IBM Australia won a $70 million contract to build Aruba wireless networks in 232,000 secondary schools.

According to lifehacker, Best Buys Windows 7 pricing will be $49.00 and $99.99. For systems purchased after June 26th, the upgrade is free. Upgrade versions are advertised on it’s website for 119.99 and 199.99.

Windows 7 is supposed to offer improved security, better search tools and mobile support and easier networking. Whether this is true is yet to be seen. Microsoft is betting this new OS will move small business from Apple’s OS X and Redhat’s Linux.

Netbook users and future users should be forewarned that Windows 7 starter, the version targeted for netbooks will be limited. Starter will be the least featured edition.

Windows 7

sources:
Daily Tech

If you want to go and the toilet is broken, where do you go? Well, if you need to do just the number one, then the yard will work just fine. But what if you’re inside the International Space Station?

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are working to repair one of the two toilet systems on the orbiting space station after it failed overnight, NASA said.

With a record 13 people aboard the station, the main toilet broke down, sending astronauts scrambling to the use backup commodes on the Russian side of the station and aboard the visiting US space shuttle Endeavour.

“Earlier today, the US Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) was shut down after a malfunction,” NASA said.

“About six litres of pre-treat flush water is believed to have flowed into the pump separator and into other areas it should not be.”

Kylie Clem, a spokesperson for the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, said that two crew members were working to fix the toilet system.

“They have the spare parts in orbit to fix it,” she said.

“They are working on it now to hopefully resolve it in the next day or so. It is not an issue, at least in the near term.”

There are two remaining toilet systems available for the moment – the second ISS facility and a system aboard the space shuttle Endeavour.

Wastewater dumps could contaminate the station’s newly installed platform for science experiments.

Source: abc.net.au

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Case Unclosed by Arnold Clavio

It was 3 years ago when one of his subordinates charged him with homosexual rape and sodomy.

“It was my spiritual birthday. He summoned me and I went thinking he was going to give me a gift. As it turned out, that was the gift. The same thing he did to the previous year.”

This was the revelation of the subordinate, with sadness still reflected in his eyes. One can only imagine the grief victims of rape must carry.

“It was in May of 2000 when he summoned me to his room. I was shocked at what followed. At that time I couldn’t resist his advances. There is a teaching in Ang Dating Daan which says the messenger of God does not commit sin, whatever he does to you. At that time, I was really terrified of him and there is a teaching in Ang Dating Daan that one must Soriano him at all times. Obey him,  otherwise you’ll be cursed. Something really really bad will happen to you if you disobey this supposed messenger of God.

“Rape was the charge. It is true, or is it a case of libel?” continues Clavio. “The case cannot proceed if the accused is not present because the accused needs to be arraigned in court” so say the lawyers of the subordinate. The subordinate thinks that if Soriano was in the Philippines, he will surely be in jail based on the evidences against him.

Clavio said he tried to contact Eli Soriano or any of his representatives to get their side of the story but did not get any response.

“If I don’t fight and speak up a lot of people will be in danger, and they need to know what he really is and that he is not sinless and he is not true.” the subordinate continues.

Soriano is a registered Brazilian resident and is currently seeking Brazilian citizenship. Brazil has no extradition agreement with Brazil. The case is held in court because Eli Soriano will not face his accuser. His next arraignment is August 11, 2009 at 8:30 am.

The Philippines anti-rape law Republic Act No. 8353 describes rape as any forceful act by man or woman against another.

Although Soriano denies any involvement or wrong doing, his appearance is the only way to clear things up.

95th anniversary iglesia ni cristo
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