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2876

General Software Discussion / Thoughts on Replicant? (FSF approved Android fork)

« Last post by Renegade on August 10, 2013, 06:00 AM »

Anyone have any opinions or experience or comments on Replicant?

http://replicant.us/

It's approved of by the FSF, which goes a LLLOOONNNGGG way in my books as far as trust goes. Not so sure about how it is operationally though.

2877

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by Renegade on August 10, 2013, 05:02 AM »

^^ Heh! I just pray that someone other than me will actually cook once in a while!

Any pastafarians here?

http://www.zerohedge...ng-spaghetti-monster

You can now officially wear your colander over your head for your drivers license photo!



Well, in the Czech Republic anyways...

2878

Non-Windows Software / Re: What Android apps do you use to read digital books?

« Last post by Renegade on August 10, 2013, 04:54 AM »

I usually use Aldiko. It's ok, but I'd like to know if anyone has found anything better. It's just a tad slow for thumbnails, which is a bit annoying.

2879

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by Renegade on August 10, 2013, 01:51 AM »

(see attachment in previous post)

-Arizona Hot (August 10, 2013, 12:52 AM)

That's a lot of dedication to jokes~!

That site is really fun. So many bizarre things. Great time waster - you're 2 hours in before you notice it!

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Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by Renegade on August 09, 2013, 07:28 PM »

Operation Everyone Talk Like A Terrorist All The Time

2881

Living Room / Re: How to Use Your Computer Properly

« Last post by Renegade on August 09, 2013, 11:31 AM »

In Soviet Russia, credit card pays YOU! 

-nosh (August 09, 2013, 11:25 AM)

BWAHAHAHAHAHA~!

Nice!

2882

Living Room / Re: Edward Snowden's Email Provider Shut Down Rather Than Comply With Feds

« Last post by Renegade on August 09, 2013, 11:30 AM »

Revolution does not have to mean war. But it always means standing up to the government and saying no.

In the words of Thomas Jefferson, "I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical."

-Vurbal (August 08, 2013, 11:39 PM)

And I add a warning from the past:

-wraith808 (August 09, 2013, 10:38 AM)

I love how he opens.

However, this:

The United States, as the world knows, will never start a war.

He couldn't have been more wrong. The question then is who and why?

2883

Living Room / Re: Edward Snowden's Email Provider Shut Down Rather Than Comply With Feds

« Last post by Renegade on August 09, 2013, 10:32 AM »

Lets see if that motivates others in the industry to follow suit.

-40hz (August 08, 2013, 09:36 PM)

Sigh... Be careful what you wish for... You just may get it... 

http://www.techdirt....to-do-so-later.shtml

another secure email provider, Silent Circle, chose to announce its own plans to close down its secure email service hours later. Silent Circle isn't facing the same hidden court orders/government demands, but it recognized that it would likely come some day soon -- and thus it was better to shut down ahead of time, before the government forced it to make the same decision.

Well, I guess that opens up the possibility for secure email services to start up business outside of the US.

Just a quick question... Has anybody perchance happened to notice WHERE/WHO all these problems originate with? 

Revolution does not have to mean war. But it always means standing up to the government and saying no.

In the words of Thomas Jefferson, "I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical."

-Vurbal (August 08, 2013, 11:39 PM)

+1

2884

Living Room / Drones Strike in South Africa! Mobile Apps Seize Control!

« Last post by Renegade on August 09, 2013, 09:27 AM »

Yes. 'Tis true. There are drones in South Africa! They are creating chaos amongst the people.

Worse yet, there's an mobile app that you can download to control them! Literally anyone can control these drones!

http://www.france24....frica-music-festival

Drone delivers beer not bombs at S.Africa music festival

Revellers at a South African outdoor rock festival no longer need to queue to slake their thirst -- a flying robot will drop them beer by parachute.

After clients place an order using a smartphone app, a drone zooms 15 metres (50 feet) above the heads of the festival-goers to make the delivery.

Carel Hoffmann, director of the Oppikoppi festival held on a dusty farm in the country's northern Limpopo province, said the app registers the position of users using the GPS satellite chips on their phones.

"The delivery guys have a calibrated delivery drone. They send it to the GPS position and drops it with a parachute," he explained.

The drone was built in South Africa and nicknamed "Manna" after the Old Testament-story of bread that fell from the sky to feed the Israelites travelling through the desert following their exodus from Egypt.

"It's an almost Biblical thing that beer is dropping from the sky," said Hoffmann.

The beer, free at this stage, is dropped in plastic cups and the drone is performing well.

"Every time it drops a parachute a crowd of 5,000 cheers," he said.

MANNA! HAHAHAHA~! From Heaven!!!



Now, THAT'S how you do drone strikes!

(I can't believe this didn't start in Ireland or Canada!)

2885

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by Renegade on August 09, 2013, 08:49 AM »

This is just hilarious!

2886

Living Room / How to Use Your Computer Properly

« Last post by Renegade on August 09, 2013, 07:28 AM »

Mr. Argarkov from Voronezh, Russia has valuable lessons for us all in the proper use of our computers.

http://www.telegraph...ing-to-terms.html?fb

Man who created own credit card sues bank for not sticking to terms

When Dmitry Argarkov was sent a letter offering him a credit card, he found the rates not to his liking.

But he didn't throw the contract away or shred it. Instead, the 42-year-old from Voronezh, Russia, scanned it into his computer, altered the terms and sent it back to Tinkoff Credit Systems.

Mr Argarkov's version of the contract contained a 0pc interest rate, no fees and no credit limit. Every time the bank failed to comply with the rules, he would fine them 3m rubles (£58,716). If Tinkoff tried to cancel the contract, it would have to pay him 6m rubles.

Tinkoff apparently failed to read the amendments, signed the contract and sent Mr Argakov a credit card.

...

Earlier this week a Russian judge ruled in Mr Argakov's favour. Tinkoff had signed the contract and was legally bound to it. Mr Argakov was only ordered to pay an outstanding balance of 19,000 rubles (£371).

Hats off, and bottoms up with a glass of vodka for Mr. Argarkov!

2887

Living Room / Summon the NSA

« Last post by Renegade on August 09, 2013, 06:44 AM »

This is just fantastic!

http://www.summonthensa.com/

And it looks like the author has put the site in the public domain as well.

2888

Living Room / Re: Bitcoins Can Be Regulated

« Last post by Renegade on August 09, 2013, 06:20 AM »

Sure they can try to regulate it... try. But where are the teeth?

-Renegade (August 08, 2013, 11:36 PM)

Ask Manning. Ask anybody who is a detainee (who doesn't exist, being held by any government in places that don't exist, having things done to them that aren't done, courtesy of laws they're not allowed to know about) where the teeth are.

People are amazingly unaware of just how mind-numbingly powerful modern governments are. There's plenty of teeth to be seen once the decision to bare them gets made.

This isn't to say it's hopeless to buck the system. But it's important to realize that if you think any government is just going to roll over - or follow its own rules should the going get tough - you are setting yourself up for very harsh lesson in realpolitik.

-40hz (August 09, 2013, 03:59 AM)

Well, yes. It depends on if you can fly under the radar. Unfortunately, the radar is getting lower and lower.

For the moment, I think most of us can skate by. (crossing fingers)

Quoting one of the top advisors in the US that most people have never heard of:

http://www.scribd.co...peech-November-2008-

Namely in earlier times it was easier to control an million people literally it was easier to control an million people than physically, to kill a million people. Today it is infinitely easier to kill a million people, than to control a million people.

-Zbigniew Brzezinski Chatham House Speech November 2008 Part 1

People are amazingly unaware of just how mind-numbingly sinister modern governments are. Absolute power & absolute corruption and all that jazz. Still, I'm hopeful. Zbigniew even gives hope:

Their capacity to oppose control over the politically awakened masses of the world is at A historical low.

There is hope. While they may regulate bitcoin, they can't police every single person for every transaction, unless they go full on Khmer Rouge psychotic democide spree or flat out Nazi concentration camp. Given that "cold eggs" (literally - not a joke) is an offense along with collecting rain water and planting tomatoes (both again quite literally), I wouldn't rule that out. Just hoping... And bitcoin can be a good tool to help undermine the power of the all-powerful state.

2889

Living Room / Re: Bitcoins Can Be Regulated

« Last post by Renegade on August 09, 2013, 02:02 AM »

Saw this and thought it might be topical and give a few people some laughs:

The only truly secure way to use bitcoin, from a long time computer security expert.

http://www.reddit.co..._use_bitcoin_from_a/


I've worked in the computer security industry almost since it was created, and I've heard a lot of misconceptions on this subreddit about how to securely use bitcoin.  I thought it would be helpful to provide a few common sense steps anybody can use to safely secure their bitcoins.

• You simply cannot trust computer hardware manufacturers.  Hardware Backdoor's are real and more prevalent than you can imagine.  The only way to be sure you aren't susceptible is to design and build your own CPU and computer system.  Fabricating your own silicon chips is a surprisingly simple process, as all you really need is some sand.  
• Once you've hand manufactured your CPU, Motherboard, RAM, and IO devices, you'll need to write a C compiler that will compile down to your CPU's native language.  Writing your own compiler will keep you safe from the Ken Thompson Hack.
• Create a simple OS that you can use to access the internet.  Some people might suggest using Linux, but there are 9,868,933 lines of code in just the Kernel, most of which you won't need, and personally verifying every line for rootkits might take a bit longer than you have the patience for.
• Create your own bitcoin client.  Satoshi's client could possess hidden back doors, or they could have been introduced since his departure.  The classic create-a-currency-to-compromise-a-users-computer-attack is devastating, and we can't rule Satoshi out.  Bottom line is that you cannot be sure.
• Dig a very deep hole into the earth, and surround it with at least three feet of re-enforced concrete.  Place your custom PC in there. Thermal imaging attacks can easily penetrate the walls of your home, and reveal your private keys to any wayward onlooker, or high tech peeping tom.  A sufficiently deep hole will also protect you against common keystroke sound vibration attacks.  Also, if you've had any help so far, this hole will double as their grave.
• Before generating your public private key pair, carefully run your hands over your head to ensure that you don't have any suspicious electrodes attached to your skull.  Mind Reading technology is real.
• Once your wallet is setup, Quantum Encrypt it so that any attempts to access it will immediately destroy the information.  
• This is the most important: Never leave your re-enforced hole in the ground.  Leaving your hole makes you susceptible to the highly effective (despite what Bill O'Reilly would have you believe)  water-boarding-private-key-extraction-attack.

So long as you follow these simple 8 steps, you'll be reasonably safe against any would be attacker, assuming of course the entire universe isn't just a simulation running on Satoshi's computer.


[/list]

2890

Living Room / Re: Anti-Tracking Smartphone Pouch

« Last post by Renegade on August 08, 2013, 11:38 PM »

In that vein, there was a particularly (and prob accidentally) unsubtle error message I got today.

"In order to use Yahoo mail, turn Private Browsing off in Safari".

I'll deliver that one straight-face and let y'all do the antics!

-TaoPhoenix (August 08, 2013, 08:18 PM)

   Speechless.

2891

Living Room / Re: Bitcoins Can Be Regulated

« Last post by Renegade on August 08, 2013, 11:36 PM »

But Bitcoin still isn't under government or central bank CONTROL. Sure they can try to regulate it... try. But where are the teeth?

Interest rates for bitcoins can't be controlled by TPTB. They are still a free market currency.

From the article:

but one thing is clear: If Bitcoins are the currency of choice for a computerized Wild West, the sheriff is pushing hard to impose some order amongst the chaosanarchy.

Needed a correction. Anarchy is not chaos.

2892

Living Room / Re: Edward Snowden's Email Provider Shut Down Rather Than Comply With Feds

« Last post by Renegade on August 08, 2013, 10:42 PM »

I wouldn't be too worried about "the industry." Have you noticed how all the people running around, appearing on news shows, and holding press conferences just keep repeating the same things over and over even though nobody believes them? It's not because they think they're fooling anyone. They're just so out of touch with the rest of the world they literally don't know how to do anything else.

-Vurbal (August 08, 2013, 10:20 PM)

What matters is that the masses have realized the emperor has no clothes and suddenly the spell is broken. A month ago people were scared not to go along with the government. Now they're just scared of the government. And now they're looking back at what we've been telling them for years and suddenly it makes sense. At the end of the day that's all people are looking for. Somebody to fill in the blanks they can't fill in for themselves.

No matter how charming or convincing or threatening you are sooner or later you have to deliver. Almost everyone can tell the difference between the real thing and a fake. Some people just take a lot longer than others.

-Vurbal (August 08, 2013, 10:20 PM)

I hope you're right. The "fringe lunatics" have been screaming at the tops of their lungs about these issues for decades. There is literature on related topics going back to the 1910's & 1920's.

2893

Living Room / Re: Edward Snowden's Email Provider Shut Down Rather Than Comply With Feds

« Last post by Renegade on August 08, 2013, 10:32 PM »

Holy crap! He flushed 10 years of his life down the toilet rather than cave in to the criminals in power.

Dude is a H.E.R.O!

Lets see if that motivates others in the industry to follow suit.

-40hz (August 08, 2013, 09:36 PM)

Let's hope and pray. If enough people stop cooperating with the criminals in power (Crips?), things will get better.

2894

Living Room / Re: US Government War On Hackers Backfires

« Last post by Renegade on August 08, 2013, 12:37 PM »

But that is good news! Hopefully the best and brightest will start up their own businesses or opt for a non-evil option at least.

-Renegade (August 08, 2013, 11:22 AM)

Yeah... you didn't see my last line, did you.  That wasn't being cynical or sarcastic... just remembering the bad old days.

-wraith808 (August 08, 2013, 12:07 PM)

Sigh... Yeah... I know...

"I smell pot in there!"
"No you don't. I've never smoked anything in my life."
"Move over... Oh, what's this? A bag of weed?"
"Huh? You f*(&ing pig! You planted that!"
"You know you could go to prison for 666 years for this, don't you?"
"Ok, so what do you want?"

Yup. That's pretty much how to goes. Was caught on film at a store, which saved buddy's ass. It's not just in the movies - it's par for the course. Sigh... Just how f*(&ed up is that?

Just like the giant pink bunny that beats confessions out of people... No. That's not a joke. It's very real. Because who would believe it?

2895

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by Renegade on August 08, 2013, 11:33 AM »

This is pretty darn silly, but might tick off some people, but it's just too damn cute to not post here.

The little engine that could...

2896

Living Room / Re: US Government War On Hackers Backfires

« Last post by Renegade on August 08, 2013, 11:22 AM »

I wish people would start quitting their jobs there... (Hey, I can have hope! It's not illegal yet!)

And if everyone quit their jobs at evil government agencies, we'd be left with the, umm... hold on... there is one... I know there is... just be patient... uh, err, umm...

Ok. I got me. I give up.

But that is good news! Hopefully the best and brightest will start up their own businesses or opt for a non-evil option at least.

2897

General Software Discussion / Re: mp3 audio to text

« Last post by Renegade on August 08, 2013, 10:56 AM »

I'm not sure if Google is still doing their voice to text on YouTube anymore - I've not seen one in a while.

Andrew and I did an interview with Adam Smith on the problem. He's working on a solution, but it has a radically different approach than DNS. However, Andrew took down the site where the interview was, so it's no longer available there, but it looks like it is on iTunes:

https://itunes.apple...-podcast/id456825773

Adam explains the problem with the current approaches quite well.

2898

Living Room / Re: Movies or films you've seen lately

« Last post by Renegade on August 08, 2013, 04:05 AM »

Btw, you can get free pdf of Creature From Jekyll Island from here:
http://archive.org/d...ward-G.EdwardGriffin

-panzer (August 08, 2013, 03:01 AM)

 

From it's intro:

Thick books can be intimidating. We tend to put
off reading them until we have a suitably large
block of time—which is to say, often they are
never read. That is the reason a preview has been
placed at the beginning and a summary at the end
of each chapter. All of these together can be read
in about one hour. Although they will not contain
details nor documentation, they will cover the
major points and will provide an overview of the
complete story. The best way to read this book,
therefore, is to begin with the previews of each
section, followed by the chapter previews and
summaries. Even if the reader is not in a hurry,
this is still an excellent approach. A look at the
map before the journey makes it easier to grapple
with a topic such as this which spans so much
history

More books need that for all us tl;dr'ers!

2899

Living Room / Apple Patents Making You SHUT UP!

« Last post by Renegade on August 07, 2013, 09:44 PM »

Clear the room of anyone with sensitive ears. You are about to erupt into a blithering mass of profanity. Better yet, run out on the airport tarmac next to a jet as it might mask the volume of your screams...

Then again, you might just sigh and figure it's all par for the course.

http://news.techeye....deo-camera-and-wi-fi

Apple patents tech to let cops switch off iPhone video, camera and wi-fi

So they can pummel with impunity


Police forces around the world have had the problem that when their officers get a bit carried away and start pepper spraying tied captives there is someone on hand filming the event on their mobile phones.

While six police lay into prone grannies on the floor with long batons, the pictures can be on the net in seconds, meaning supervisors have to answer embarrassing questions.

But they may not need to fear scrutiny much longer - Apple has patented a piece of technology which would allow government and police to block transmission of information, including video and photographs, whenever they like.

All the coppers have to do is decide that a public gathering or venue is deemed "sensitive", and needs to be "protected from externalities" and Apple will switch off all its gear.

The police can then get on with the very difficult task of kettling protesters without having to worry about a few beating anyone to death.

Apple insists that the affected sites are mostly cinemas, theatres, concert grounds and similar locations, but it does admit that it could be used in "covert police or government operations which may require complete 'blackout' conditions".

According to RT it could also be used to prevent whistleblowers like Edward Snowden from taking pictures and broadcasting them on the interent.

Apple said that the wireless transmission of sensitive information to a remote source is one example of a threat to security.

But it said that this sensitive information could be anything from classified government information to questions or answers to an examination administered in an academic setting.

Apple patented the means to transmit an encoded signal to all wireless devices, commanding them to disable recording functions.

The policies would be activated by GPS, and wi-fi or mobile base-stations, which would ring-fence ("geofence") around a building or a "sensitive area" to prevent phone cameras from taking pictures or recording video.

Odd that the company made famous by its 1984 Big Brother video can't really see what it is doing. Perhaps its own secretive culture and an overzealous security treatment of its staff have fostered sympathy for Big Brother after all.

What was it that Henry Kissinger said?

The illegal we do immediately; the unconstitutional takes a little longer.

(Source - Yes - it's real.)

Because they need to work with companies like Apple, which adds in a bit more administrative overhead...

I can imagine that there are decent uses for it, but this WILL be abused.

And I didn't really need another reason to hate Apple... 

2900

Living Room / Re: Anti-Tracking Smartphone Pouch

« Last post by Renegade on August 07, 2013, 09:15 PM »

You've hit a sore spot for me... I'm pretty bitter & resentful that everywhere I've lived has forced me to produce a passport in order to get a chip just to talk to people. I've been bitter about this for years and it still pisses me off. You're lucky in the US there if you don't have to...

-Renegade (August 07, 2013, 08:20 PM)

Yet.

-40hz (August 07, 2013, 09:12 PM)

Sigh...

"Free speech" doesn't mean that you can't say whatever you want... you can... just as long as we know who you are, where you are, and what you're saying...