Security Now!

How many password do you have now? Yeah...you know it...you won't tell anyone, but you use the same password on multiple sites. Admit it.

Ever surf on someone's else wireless? Admit it. Free hotspots are like finding hidden treasure. But are you safe?

Is your wireless router secure? Using WEP at least. You might still be open to the world....

Can someone spy on you just by listening to you type? Yep.

Buy any Sony Enhanced CDs lately? How do you spell ROOTKIT?

Do your kids download free music, and you have more pop-ups than icons?

You might need a good dose of Security Now!

Leo Laporte & Steve Gibson's Podcast discuss issues that relate to us all. The explain the problem, expose the flaws and make suggetions to keep you safe.

Take passwords for example. You go to amazon.com and you need a password. How about this trick? For web passwords, pick an arbitrary number or word, and insert within the website.

e.g. amazon.com + 1928 (the date that sliced bread was invented). Your password could then be: a1m9a2z8on

Not only is it a hard password to crack, it changes with every webpage. That's just one of the tricks you will learn if you take the time to listen to Security Now!

Enjoy...

Hacking an Elevator...

Ever been in a hurry, to only find yourself waiting for everybody to push elevator buttons below your floor. Floor 2? Why didn't you take the stairs dude!

Now, you can hack many elevators and take the express route.

Just press your floor number, while pressing the close door button at the same time. You should just shoot right up to your floor, and bypass all others.

This hack works on the following:

Otis Elevators (All But The Ones Made In 1992)
Dover (Model Numbers: EL546 And ELOD862)
Most Desert Elevators(All, But Model Numbers ELD5433 And ELF3655)

Thanks to thedamnblog.com for this info.

Happy riding...

It happens to the best of us...Spyware & the BSOD.

The famous Blue Screen of Death. The curse of every Windows user. Here I am, the proponent of good computing habits, getting infected by nasty Spyware. It happened one easy going Saturday afternoon. I was installing a game, and I lost my serial number, so I went to some crack sites to get a keygen (too lazy to look for it...). Of course, I got the pop-ups to install some software (which I always say no!). Inside the archive, there was this nasty little exe. My desktop got hijacked, and I knew I was done for. Next thing I knew, I could no longer get into Windows, and all was lost.

A format job later, and here I am. No data lost, but lots of time lost in the interim.

How can you avoid these problems. Well...here is what I now do.

First of all, install the Firefox browser. This will avoid many of the Microsoft Explorer exploits (Mostly related to Direct X). You will still need Explorer for certain functions, such as Windows Updates (Another important feature of your protection). Really, it feels very much like Explorer, and is the smart choice for browsing.

Download Ad-Aware + Spybot Search and Destroy from download.com. These are free programs that will search your computer for the nasties. If you have a legit version of Microsoft (Always a good idea), install the Microsoft Anti-Spyware. No spyware program can fully protect you, so a concoction of the three will be needed.

Make sure you have at the very least the Windows Firewall active. Install and encourage one of my employees by downloading his add-on to Windows Firewall called FirePanel.

Stay away from music sharing programs like Kazaa, which will surely install spyware. The only ones right now that I suggest (Of course for legal purposes) is Limewire and Ares. Better yet, get iTunes and download some cool Podcasts like Twit which is my favorite podcast right now.

The general rule of thumb is this:
Treat your computer like a tool (you of course take care of your tools), and all should be good. Treat your computer like a toy, and it will soon be broken.

The last thing you want to see if the BSOD.

Well...the last thing I want to see is:

-Bill Gates wearing a Speedo.
-My house on fire. The roof...the roof...the roof is on fire...
-Any romantic comedy starring Kevin Costner.
-My wife sporting a beard.
-The "Check Engine" light on my car.
-The person who inspects my underwear (Inspector 37).
-Herbal Viagra emails.

Stay safe!

Ubuntu - Not to be mistaken with a Nigerian Bank Fraud SPAM

I finally did it. I installed Linux. As you all know, I'm hooked on Podcasts, and listen to most of the Leo Laporte Podcasts, including his KFI The Tech Guy Radio Show. He spoke about this version of Linux that was basically a simplified version, with only the best programs integrated in it.

Ubuntu is a free Linux OS. It is an ancient African word that is translated as "humanity to others" and "I am what I am because of who we all are." The creators wanted to give back to the Internet community a free Linux flavor, with the best of the best included, but also simple to use. They wanted to bring the technology back to a human level...simple.

You can download the ISO (CD Image) from the site, or they will send you a CD by post for free (for a limited time). Installing Ubuntu was a breeze. It rarely asked questions, and when it did, they were simple to figure out. I installed it on a P3 system, to see how Linux would run on a slow system (had XP on there, and that was painful). Well...how did it go? Installation was perfect. Right out of the gate, I had working Internet, thanks to Firefox. Setup my email, and again, nice and easy setup. I wanted to see how it would handle a PDF file, and a preview viewer handled the file, letting me see the contents, as I would with Acrobat on XP, but without that long wait as all those Acrobat files load up...

It was getting pretty late, so I had to leave before giving it a real test drive. My first impressions though are very positive, especially if you have an older computer that you still want to be useful.

So, have I advanced to the level of Uber Nerd, now that I have a Linux system...so be it. At least I won't have to deal with Spyware like I did this week-end on my XP machine. Now that's a whole blog onto itself...stay tuned.

Looking for hidden treasure...Aaarg

Welcome to a sport/hobby called Geocaching. What is geocaching you ask? Call it a worldwide treasure hunt for hidden objects. At the time of writing this, there are 218,392 active caches in 219 Countries. Wow. For example, in Morin Heights, there are 1704 caches in a 100 mile radius. That's a lot of hidden treasure!

How to start out.

-First you get yourself a GPS unit.
-Create an account at www.geocaching.com
-Enter your postal code
-Find a cache you want to find
-Enter the coordinates on your GPS and start looking

Once you find the cache, you can find little treasures. Take one if you want, but also leave one for others to find. You might find a travel bug (trackable item that moves from place to place). If you have a travel bug, you can track its adventure as it travels to distant lands.

Give it a try and let me know how you find this activity. Worst case scenario, you get some good fresh air. Actually, I can think of worse...

• You are alone in the woods, and you start hearing dueling banjos from Deliverance
• You have number dyslexia and find yourself accross the country with nothing to show for it, but a huge gas bill
• The bear was hungry, and you were wearing Burt's Bees lotion
• You lick that geo marker during winter, to see if your tongue will really stick
• You are in the middle of the woods, no TP, and the Taco Bell lunch wants to leave your body

Happy hunting!

Podcasting - throw out your radios!

Podcasting is how I survive the 1 hour commute to work. Think of Podcasting as a radio show that you choose the subject, you load into your iPod (or listen on your computer) and listen to it at a time of your own choosing. You subscribe to your favorite shows, and they get downloaded automatically.

My favorite right now is TWIT (This Week In Technology) hosted by Leo Laporte. It is a very well done round table discussion of everything tech, gadgets, corporate news (What is Google or Microsoft up to?) and everything else. Guests usually include John C. Dvorak, Patrick Norton, Kevin Rose and other tech luminaries. Leo really makes a good moderator, so the show is always moving and interesting.

Security now is also a great listen. Steve Gibson & Leo Laporte talk about computer security. Steve is the one who coined the term Spyware. His web site is a great place to test your computer security using ShieldsUP.

Another great one is Tiki Bar. This one is a 3 minute video show about an appartment turned Tiki Bar, complete with a doctor that prescribes the right cocktail for what ails you. Then again, Lulu is the real reason we all watch it...

Go to iTunes.com and download some great content. Better yet...make your own Podcast and share it with us.

Oakley's RazrWire - Tech Chic

I was invited to the unveiling of the newest marriage of technology, and eye wear - RazrWire.

This little gadget has a Bluetooth handsfree earpiece that connects to your Bluetooth enabled phone. Priced just under $300 USD, this is a cool gift for any tech savvy person.

During the event, Oakley also unveiled some of it's apparel for the new season. I did not know they even did apparel, but it was great looking beach wear.

Apart from the cool drinks & gadgets, the gift bag had a cool Oakley purse, which my wife now sports.

So...phones and glasses...what else would you like to see incorporated in eyewear?

• Wipers...been there, done that.
• X-Ray vision - bought it from a comic book, strained my eyes and got slapped
• Rear-view mirrors - Great for spotting that joker at school putting the kick me sign on you.
• Turbo jets - Get some speed when rollerblading!
• Holographic eyes that blink - Now you can sleep through those boring business meetings.
• Beer goggles - Make everyone look prettier without drinking.
• Radar detection - Get to work faster!

I guess Oakley picked a winner.

Kevin Jenné - Art Attacks & Urinals

Why wait till a painter is dead to buy his work. Kevin Jenne has a story to every painting. The above painting is now a limited edition litho called "China Glow". How did this painting make it to paper is a story that involves a dumpster, rhetoricall questions and a sense of adventure. Maybe he will tell-all on his blog one day.

I have followed this artist on journeys through our favorite location: New York (Manhattann). Luckily, he was very much alive, since I find hanging around dead guys, quite stinky. Having a few pints at McSorley's Old Ale House, was the highlight. Now apart from being the oldest Ale House (over 150 years old), it does have the distinguishing mark of having the most awe inspiring urinals. After a few pints, you stagger to the urinals. What you are presented with, is beyond words. To experience this, you have to be there in person. For those who fear this encounter, visit this site for a preview of this magnificent sight. It's hard to explain, but we met this guy at Puglia's the next night (You have to go and see my man Jorge perform. We go every single time just for him! He is the best Italian non-Italian Spanish Elvis Impersonator ever!) who had a McSorley's T-Shirt (Oh yeah, they only sell them on Friday's and Saturdays, for some odd reason.). The first thing he says is: "Did you see the urinals in there. They come with handles and you can do rosaries in there." ...at which point his wife (whom we thought was his mother...) beat him up.

Speaking of urinals, another hotspot to visit is C.B.G.B.'s. See their urinal offerings at this site. It's a must visit...unfortunatly, they are currently trying to renew their lease. Help save them and bid on some cool items at CBGS. Sign the petition now! I just bid on a poster, but I can't see what it looks like...

Speaking of posters, let's get out of the urinals, and back to art. Kevin Jenne will not appear at any urinal near you. His limited lithos will be available online very soon, so pick them up while you can.

As many already know, my home in Morin Heights is a mini Kevin Jenne gallery. I have 7 works myself. Some small, some big, but every one loved.

I will post his next shows, so go encourage him...while he is still alive and visit our favorite urinals.

Social Distortion in GTO

Mike Ness (now in his mid 40s) was rocking the Kool Haus on Monday Night in Toronto.

You have to give the guy credit, to be able to play songs over his long musical carreer of over 2 decades, and they still sound relevant and fresh.

Social Distortion have this sort of timeless quality about their music. Viewing Another State of Mind and seeing Mike (1982) at the start of his career, as a young, confused kid, but with that distinctive voice, was really surprising. You would think that voice could only come from years of touring in smoky clubs, but no...

Toronto was pretty interesting this time around. We got to go to the show with Finny of The Mahones who gave us the non-tourist tour of GTO nightlife.

Fionn MacCool's (70 Esplanade 416-362-2495) was a nice pub, with great food. Finny should be playing there soon, so go encourage him, have a pint and listen to some good music.

We also checked out the downtown core. Younge street had a very New York feel to it (complete with bums). Wendy liked the H & M store, which hopefully will come to Montreal one day.

Stayed at the Novotel on Esplanade. Good clean hotel. Nothing too fancy, but having a pub across the street was great (two actually, Scotland Yards was the other). Close to downtown shopping.

Martha Stewart is looking for a new cell mate

Since I'm hooked on the Apprentice, I had to see the other apprentice, Martha Stewart.

What did I notice from the first episode? Apart from the bitchy women, and the Will & Grace style men (Gay per View?), and obvious lack a Black people (Would not match with the furniture, Martha?), was the Zen like boardroom. Oh, lest not we forget to write a letter to the loser, Mr. Hitler Manager. So polite, this Martha.

Now the Donald, he rocks. He's got the hair. He has George & Carolyn. He has the big bucks. The tasks are real. Write a kids book? Come on, get real.

What are the future tasks for the Martha Clones?

-Martha & Halliburton join forces and the teams have to create exploding flower arrangement. Proceeds go to the Bush Administration.
-Inspired by the Monty Python schetch "Crunchy Frog", the teams have to create Hors d'Oeuvres from small amphibians.
-The Teams have to have the perfect Tea Party. Trouble begins when only coffee cups can be found. Oh, the madness!
-The teams are challenged to break out of a minimum security jail (Club Fed). They are given tableware & flowers to accomplish their task.

Let's hope the winner does a hostile takover. Now that I would watch!

Geriatric Rock Stars need new blood

Well...it sure was better than Canadian Idol! The last thing we needed was a Whitney Houston wannabee singing New Sensation.

Nice to know a fellow Canadian beat an Aussie.

Actually, this will surely boost INXS from their old folks home back into the limelight. OK OK, I'm being hard on the mates. It's nice to see that music lives on, beyond the age of 30. In fact, considering the young crop of musicians these days, maybe the 80s weren't so bad after all.

Now, let's see. What other band should be boot out the lead singer. I would say Guns & Roses (most annoying front-man), but with Velvet Revolver, we got our wish.

Here is a list of the bands I would like to see changes:

• Yoko Ono replaced by Lucy Lui
• Oasis need a new lead singer that doesn't think he's bigger than the Beatles.
• Def Leppard can keep the drummer, let's just audition for the arm!
• Backstreet Boys adds William Hung
• 50 Cent holds concert in a dollar store, with Nickelback. The band would be called 45 Cent
• Rolling Stones merge with Styx...Becomes Styx & Stones
• Michael Stipe joins Tears for Fears...Becomes Tears for Queers

Give me your suggestions! Leave a comment.

The death of MTV Canada

I cancelled my Satellite dish for the summer. No sense staying indoors to watch re-runs! Just got my signal back this week (saved $150 for 3 months!) and of course, being DJ Randal, I tuned in to MTV Canada.

What? What is this Razer & Much Punch? Guess I'm canceling those channels ASAP! Razer features the worst of MTV Canada, and Much Punch is just a weird pay chatting channel.

All in all, I have to say that I was guilty of watching MTV2 during commercials, and it was nice to get to know new and popular music. I used some songs during my DJ sets, and I stayed abuzz with the younger crowd. I would not say that MTV was my station, because I rarely listen to rap and the alternative I do listen to, does not revolve around the 50 bands that sound like Eddie Vedder on valium. My favorite band right now is Clutch. Now that rocks.

I guess we are back to radio for cool new tunes. Too bad Henry Rollins no longer broadcasts Harmony in my head, which featured punk, along side Jazz, Funk, Eclectic, etc. Contact me if you want some MP3's of his shows. They are pretty good, and as always, Henry is the quintessential storyteller (Sorry VH1, you got beat!).

So will Canada recover from the loss of MTV? Are we stuck with Much Music?

I for one, will call StarChoice and cancel Razer & Punch Much. Actually, if I could punch Much...I would!

Let's support the local music scene. Canada has great up and coming bands. I heard Coldplay raved about Arcade Fire. There is my blog about Stars. What about The Stills? Saw them with Kevin Jenne during the Strut party at the Rialto. How about some old school stuff: Me Mom & Morgentaler (Where are they now?), Deja Voodoo (Started the OG record label. Interesting article about where these guys are now), Condition, The Gruesomes (saw them with Sean Ryan at Cafe Campus a while ago. Still rocking!), Sons of the Desert (Strange memorabilia, I have the singers driver's license. ), The Doughboys, Stellar Dweller, Tinker (Melissa Auf Der Maur started there), Slaves on Dope, Bootsause, The Asexuals, Disapointed a Few People, etc.

For an interesting article on the Montreal Scene (Click here)

I remember seeing the Gruesomes along with Deja Voodoo at Foufoune Electrique when I was a pimple nosed kid. I had a broken leg and I spray painted my cast for the occasion. Deja Voodoo opened and where great. Gerald kept head banging and losing his nerd glasses. It was classic. The Gruesomes came on after and rocked the place. You have to love those haircuts!

Forget MTV. Cancel Razer. Let's support the real artists, the ones from our own home town.

Buy a CD just because you love the cover art. Only listen to it at home. That is musical adventure.

Mahalo

iTunes on your mobile phone!

Motorola ROKR

Motorola and iTunes have teamed up to bring you a cell phone with iTunes, so you can listen to your music anywhere.

The unit comes with space for about 100 songs. It will pause during calls and resume upon hanging up. It is GSM 850/1900/1800 and comes with Stereo speakers. Bluetooth capable.

OK...What else do you want to have in your mobile phone? Here is my wish list:

• Mini Microwave (Make popcorn at the movies and save big $$$)
• Invisibility button (Hit it when your boss starts looking for you to do some overtime)
• Megaphone (Be heard everywhere!)
• Bill Zaper (Fry those Visa bills to oblivion)
• Contraceptive (Dial *nobaby)
• Babelfish (Watch foreign movies without having to read)
• Human mute (Hit the button and that annoying customer/coworker is muted...Just say uh-huh every few minutes)
• Radar detector (Get to work faster)

Let me know your requests. I'll speak to Motorola for ya.

New Orleans is Sinking Man & I Don't Wanna Swim

Is New Orleans going to be the modern Atlantis? Check out some interesting articles on Disinformation about what is really going on down in the South.

Just think, you have all those junkies, pimps, prostitutes, and alcoholics with no way to get their fix. Looting is the new sport. Scum rises to the top!

As far as JW news goes, JWMedia reports that relief should be underway as soon as damages can be assessed. Some from New Orleans where in Beaumont Texas for an assembly, therefore were not there when the storm hit. I guess attending our meetings is a protection.

There are some emails floating around with specific news on the what is happening, but I don't like to SPAM, especially when I don't truly know the source. You will probably get a few copies anyways, before long.

Who knew that our beloved Canadian band The Tragically Hip would forewarn us of this event! What other predictions do they have from song titles?

Gus: The Polar Bear from Central Park (And we thought the squirrels where a pest!)
Nautical Disasters (Cancel that cruise!)
Butts Wigglin (Stay away from the Gym)
Locked in the trunk of a car (Resist the urge to crawl in there)
Pigeon Camera (Is Canon working on this? Kodak?)
When the weight comes down (Predicted Atkins?)
All Canadian Surf Club (Could happen if the whole USA goes under!)

Stay tuned on the tunes...

Learn French from Batman

Is Quebec French the real French? How does it compare to French from France.

Let Batman be your guide.

French lessons from Batman

You will need flash for this.

I gotta go. Got to go to the Bat-room....hahaha

RAZRBerry

For those of you, who like me, love gadgets. No...Let me rephrase that. I love my wife and kids, I like gadgets (I'm sick of sleeping on the couch :). For those of you who like gadgets (Or love if you are single or love to sleep on the couch), here is what leaked from Microsoft.

Introducing the coolest cell phone. Part Motorola RAZR, part Blackberry.

I have often been asked, why I still carry a cell phone and my Palm Tungsten. I know the Treo well... I have had to return a few from customers. Great little machine, but seems prone to freezing up. Palm One is great with warranty replacement, but what happens when your warranty is up? I was looking at the RAZR, but it lacks the email capability which I am coming to depend on more and more.

When will it be our? No one knows. If you want more info and specs, check out:

Link to RAZRBerry

Attack of the (Credit Card) Clones

Well...It seems that Wendy got her Visa Card Cloned. If you thought cloning a sheep was a miracle, getting money out of my full Visa has to rank right up there too!

For once, it pays to have a full credit card.

Some tips to remember:

Keep your card in sight. Check your monthly statements. Keep your PIN to yourself. Some will work in teams, the clerk clones your card and the guy in line behind you looking at your PIN.

Is it time to be paranoid? Maybe.

Do I still buy stuff off the Internet and eBay? Yep.

Now, if you find a way to clone people, let me know. I'd love to have my clone go to work, while I sit with my wife on the beach on the French Riviera, sipping Champagne by the moonlight (Her clone is ironing my shirts back at home...).

Napoleon Dynamite Soundboard

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Family Picture

Summer 2004

All is fine with the family. Today is Breanna's first day at school. Boy how time flies. Next thing you know, I will be DJ for her wedding! I guess this means a change of lifestyle...getting up early! You see, for computer guys, staying up late is the only time we have peace to spend quality time with our computers. But...family is more important. Hopefully my computer won't be jealous, I just doubled the RAM as a bribe. Better sign up to our new company www.clubjava.ca to make sure the morning brew is fresh.

STARS - Set Yourself On Fire

STARS

Every now and then, I come across a hidden gem. This band has really grown on me. The first song was Reunion, which I fell in love with instantly. The rest, I have to admit, was a slower process, but well worth it.

Check out Your Ex-Lover is Dead. If you ever wanted to hear the oboe along with a harmonica, this song is for you.

Some members are closely related to Broken Social Scene and this band is Canuck. Support the local scene! Give it a listen, it might grow on you.

Billy Idol's 'Devil's Playground' Tour

Well...This year, my wife gave me the perfect anniversary gift...Music. Not some crummy CD, but tickets to see the legendary Billy Idol along with Bif Naked.

08/27/05 Ste. Adele, QC Bourbon Street North

The venue was great. $20 for parking though was a killer! The sound was great, but the sound level of Billy's voice was pretty low, except when he yelled, but considering it is Billy Idol, the original Rebel Yell, it was OK. From what I hear, the sound in the back was better.

Steve Stevens was great. Totally old school rock-n-roll. Cigarette hanging out of the mouth, playing the guitar behind his head. He looked like he was catching up to Keith Richards! You have to give it to Billy, still rockin close to 50, with the spiky hairdo. Loved every minute of it.

All the classics where played, plus a few new songs. Playing to the crowd, Billy tossed out these picnic plates, signed by himself. I caught one, but the tall guy behind me had a better grip. He gave it to Coleen, but her husband already had one, so she gave it right back to me. Cool souvenir of my anniversary night.

I have to say that Bourbon Street North was a great venue, and the party continued after Billy left the building. Oh yeah, watch out for the girl at the main bar...they had to be fake for sure.

Worth the 50 bucks? Hell yeah.

Welcome to Memorandal

Welcome to Memorandal!

Here you will be able to read about my current projects, my thoughts on different matters (mostly computers...but I am interested in other things!), and whatever else crosses my mind.

Send me your feedback!

email me at blog@compuquest.ca