* Posts by Herby

3058 publicly visible posts • joined 14 Dec 2007

Man cuffed for testing fruit with bum cheek pre-purchase

Herby

Maybe he wanted...

To make it more "Organic".

Of course "Organic" is a synonym for "more expensive and fancy sounding".

The Reg chats with Voyager Imaging Team member Dr Garry E Hunt

Herby

Regards to "Golden Record"...

I am reminded that shortly after the launch of the spacecraft, there was an update on Saturday Night Live (Weekend Update).

This just in from space.....

SEND MORE CHUCK BERRY.

Yes, Johnny B. Goode was on the record!

Me? I was in my PFY days helping out some on the Radioscience team. The PI was in an office upstairs.

Leeds hospital launches campaign to 'axe the fax'

Herby

Scanning??

You might want to be careful here. Some scanners attempt to do OCR on the text to make things "better" and screw it up sometimes.

This was documented in a story a while ago (1-2 years?). I think the brand was Xerox, but I'm not sure.

Somehow the "paperless" office is a long way off.

I will admit that they are getting closer. My MD has a computer in the exam room to do all the silly stuff (record vitals, enter prescriptions). I get emails telling me to log in and read the "secure" messages. Still paper is a fact of life!

Python joins movement to dump 'offensive' master, slave terms

Herby

Bowing to the "Professionaly Offended"

Seems to be an ongoing problem. Just about everything is offensive to SOMEONE, and people who want to make a name for themselves complain.

Names are names, and descriptive as well. The terms described are well known in the computer industry (I worked on a computer form the 60's that had such terms) and no civil rights people bothered to notice. Now on over 50 years later someone is offended. Give me a break!

Of course some names get changed for bad connotations:

When it started it was "NMR" (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), but given the bad vibes of the word "nuclear", it was changed to MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). In the end it is the same thing.

Sextortion scum armed with leaked credentials are persistent pests

Herby

I've gotten a few...

But none have been with the password I use here on ElReg. I think that is a good thing, as (so far) ElReg hasn't had a breach. Might be an example for others to follow!

Yes, some have been "your password ()", which is kinda silly. Also I don't have a working web cam anyway.

Pluto is more alive than Mars, huff physicists who are still not over dwarf planet's demotion

Herby
Joke

Is...

Earth a planet? With some thinking that it is all flat, it might not qualify.

Boggles the mind...

Dear America: Want secure elections? Stick to pen and paper for ballots, experts urge

Herby

Somehow...

For over two centuries we existed with physical ballots, and had little problems. Seems like a proven technology.

Isn't there a saying: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!".

It's been 5 years already, let's gawp at Microsoft and Nokia's bloodbath

Herby

Finland???

Maybe those who get "away" from there are the ones that get things done. Maybe there is an example of that. What was his name? I think it started with 'L'.

Revealed: British Airways was in talks with IBM on outsourcing security just before hack

Herby

Why couldn't they hack???

The prices of the tickets. That might make them a little bit more concerned.

Maybe "discount fares for all" might be a good marketing tactic. Or as someone (salesman in a company I worked at) confirmed as a good idea: "Lose a little on each one, but make it up in volume".

Archive.org's Wayback Machine is legit legal evidence, US appeals court judges rule

Herby

Be careful...

The internet has a VERY good memory. Sometimes it can be a little bit too good. If you do put up a web site, be assured that someone will make a copy of it somewhere, and if you do bad things, it will come back to bite you in the a**.

Kinda like these comments we write for ElReg.

TSB goes TITSUP: Total Inability To Surprise Users, Probably

Herby

In other news...

The bank I deal with gets a scandal just about every week these days, but somehow my money hasn't had any problems.

Go figure.

Space station springs a leak while astronauts are asleep (but don't panic)

Herby

Small leak???

"Or it could just be a weak spot in the Soyuz that just let go."

Must be that GREAT soviet build quality we've heard all about. As for the kapton tape, I wonder if Amazon has "two day delivery" to the ISS ready to go. Somebody must have fronted the bill for Amazon Prime somewhere in NASA, I would think.

Muslim American woman sues US border cops: Gimme back my seized iPhone's data!

Herby

Cross a border...

...Subject to search (typically for contraband, but I digress).

That's been the rule for many an eon.

Deal with it.

My experience: I was with my brother, his wife and two younger siblings crossing (by land) from Germany (west at the time) to France. They decided to search our VW camper bus, and the first thing they looked at was my younger sister's dirty laundry. We sat at the side and ate slices of salami. It was quite entertaining. This was back when there were 4DM to the dollar, so that might date it.

Just how rigged is America's broadband world? A deep dive into one US city reveals all

Herby

Sometimes it is pretty good...

My sister who lives in the eastern part of Oregon state (200 miles from Portland) has nice fiber into the house. The speed is AWESOME. Sometimes over 1 gig. I live here in sillycon valley, and the local modem test command yields something around 5 up/1 down (and that isn't Ghz!).

Maybe someone will string up fiber, but I'm not holding my breath!

US Democrats call in Feds: There's something phishy going on with our voter database

Herby

Emily Litella test...

..."Never Mind".

You want how much?! Israel opts not to renew its Office 365 vows

Herby
Joke

This just in...

Israel commits to massive updates for Libre Office. Details to follow....

Fire chief says Verizon throttled department's data in the middle of massive Cali wildfires

Herby

Verizon: "We Can"

"Because we're the phone company"

Said in a nice "Earnestine the operator" voice. (with recognition of Lily Tomlin).

Et tu, Brute? Then fail, Caesars: When it's hotel staff, not the hackers, invading folks' privacy

Herby

Maid "service"??

Given that it is Nevada, and certain things ARE legal in that state, having "Maid Service" and a DO Not Disturb sign in entirely reasonable.

I don't think that those "Maid Service" employees are there to inspect your room as it were, but to provide other "services". I understand that this type of "Maid Service" is quite expansive though, and might not work out too well on expense accounts.

'Oh sh..' – the moment an infosec bod realized he was tracking a cop car's movements by its leaky cellular gateway

Herby

Default passwords...

They should do a HARD crash if it remains the "default" after a set time (1 week sounds fine). If it remains, reduce by half each subsequent restart until it "bricks" and it won't do anything.

The other suggestion of no functionality until a password is set also sounds good to me.

I am reminded of an operating system from the late 60's that had its system password set to an address that changed with every system generation. You had to look at the listing to figure it out. So, it can be done.

Phased out: IT architect plugs hole in clean-freak admin's wiring design

Herby

Three phase power is fun!!

Some equipment I was with when it was installed in the late 60's needed 3 phase power (before low power stuff) for operation. It also included a nice rotary machine (disk drive) that used three phase power as well. While the techs were there wiring it up, they actually tested to make sure that the phases were in order. They were, and all was fine. Later I found out that the equipment also had a phase sequence detector ahead of the motor relay to MAKE SURE that the phases were in the correct order. Pretty good design if you ask me.

Oh, yes all the 3 phase circuit breakers had the phases linked so if one tripped, others would as well.

That was 120-208 'Y' three phase. Then there is 120-0-120, 240, 240 "delta" three phase that has the "high" leg 208 volts above the "neutral" which isn't actually neutral, but the center of the other phase. It makes for interesting wiring if you think it is the other type as you smoke one of the three phases.

Live and learn.

Revealed: El Reg blew lid off Meltdown CPU bug before Intel told US govt – and how bitter tech rivals teamed up

Herby

Monoculture

Problems abound when "everyone" does the same thing. Sometimes you need a different take on things.

Of course, I long for a 68k processor that might have lots of modern features, but that train left the station long ago (SIGH*).

IPv6: It's only NAT-ural that network nerds are dragging their feet...

Herby

Obvious need for..

Nice home routers that work well with IPv6. Most of the ones I see are woefully inadequate in this regard. We also need to have the DSL & Cable modems work with IPv6 addresses.

Then there is the addressing of IPv6, which allows for an IP address for every grain of sand the world has known (*SIGH*).

I suspect that IPv7 (whatever that will be) might be more to the point, and possibly backward compatible with IPv4 with little effort.

Then again wishing and hoping will only get you so far.......

IoT search engine ZoomEye 'dumbs down' Dahua DVR hijackings by spewing passwords

Herby

I'm beginning to believe.....

...that nothing is really "secure" anymore, unless it DOESN'T have an embedded processor.

I'd say toasters, but I understand some of those are "connected".

Sad Nav: How a cheap GPS spoofer gizmo can tell drivers to get lost

Herby

All roads lead to the pub (or not)...

I'm sure that our friendly BOFH will have something like this for miscreants he encounters.

Remote...typey...typey...crash!

US military manuals hawked on dark web after files left rattling in insecure FTP server

Herby

Probably just as easy...

To get the title and send an order into the Pentagon. They will deliver you a nice printed copy for a small (<$10 sometimes) sum. All you need to know is the proper report/publication number.

Spying made easy. You may even be able to order it on Amazon for some titles, I suspect.

Now where is the ISBN for that......

Feds charge Man after FCC boss Ajit Pai's kids get death threat over net neutrality axe vote

Herby

Simple:

Don't do the crime, if you can't do the crime.

As for the threats, I don't think I'd like my kids threatened like this, names and school addresses. Not too good.

DNS ad-hocracy in peril as ICANN advisors mull root server shakeup

Herby

If it ain't broke

Don't Fix It!!

Enough said!

Automated payment machines do NOT work the same all over the world – as I found out

Herby

American?

No, Californian. It probably doesn't make any difference, but somehow we are unique.

Thankfully I can enter my zip code and continue most of the time. As for fueling up, when last in Italy, (2007), it didn't seem that difficult. Navagating in Rome was an entirely different story. For even more humor, I think back to 1969 when I traveled with my brother in Italy. Then you used silly things like "gas coupons" so as a tourist you could get "cheaper" gas for your Lira.

Yes, I use a nice credit card, and it is "better" than the folded green stuff we have (with pictures of dead presidents, and other elder statesmen). It gives me a 1% "cash back" which can over time add up to a dollar or two. The only cash I carry around most of the time is an "emergency" $100 bill, or a few bucks for paying my "stupidity tax" that I walk to the local package goods store to get exercise. For the record, a tank of petrol for my vehicle is getting more expensive, as I just filled up for about $65 or so.

Life goes on...

Tesla tips ice on Apple, Google, Microsoft accounts of '$1m leaker'

Herby

"Specialized"??

Probably not cp -R, but rather something like "scp -R offsite.com:."

Pretty sophisticated if you ask me. Amazing what this internet thing does these days.

Then again, thumb drives with large capacities are pretty cheap these days.

Yes, Tesla uses Linux for things.

Uncle Sam is shocked, SHOCKED to find dark-web bazaars trading drugs, weapons, etc

Herby

Now if they as zealous as this on spam...

I might get a bit enthused. When you get so much in your mailbox only to have most of it discarded, it really does "cost" people money to deal with it.

I'm sure that there are people out there who would willingly help in this law enforcement effort if they could haul their a**es to jail pronto!

Of course the same goes for robo phone calls to.

Oh, I'm not holding my breath.

Who wants to cram some BOFH skills into their brains? How about from, er, Google?

Herby

Why doesn't ElReg sponsor...

A true BOFH certificate for all of us. I'm sure there is a profit center there.

BOFH: Is everybody ready for the meeting? Grab a crayon – let's get technical

Herby

On documentation...

Yes, there is "technical", English", and "idiot".

One must add another category:

"Wife". Or in some cases "Significant other".

Herby

Bastard Operator's Manual.

What great title. Maybe Simon will accept contributions. I'm sure we have a bunch as well as standard BOFH episodes.

Software engineer fired, shut out of office for three weeks by machine

Herby

SIMON!!!

The boss yells as he approaches work central.

OpenBSD disables Intel’s hyper-threading over CPU data leak fears

Herby
Joke

Multiple threads??

Personally I prefer the 400 thread count cotton sheets. They are very nice and comfortable.

Oh, you were talking about some computing thing? Never mind.

Regards to Emily Litella

MSDN unleashes a fresh round of unintentional innuendo bingo

Herby

Opening graphic...

I'm surprised that nobody (at least as of this writing) has commented on the fact that the knob dial has a max value of 11. Must be a Marshall amp!

PayPal reminds users: TLS 1.2 and HTTP/1.1 are no longer optional

Herby

Yeah, they keep warning me...

I've gotten a bunch of emails from them, and what do you know I've tested my connection a multitude of times and all is well.

Please stop sending me the emails. It is getting frustrating!

Of course they could do what my bank did, and just stop accepting connections. THUD!

The eyes have it: 'DeepFakes' bogus AI-meddled videos outed by unblinking gaze

Herby

Just a little bit late...

Only about 34 years or so. We all need to discover "what is the truth" in our own ways. Somehow it was done pretty well before film, video, and computers, so we ought to survive.

(*SIGH*)

BOFH: Got that syncing feeling, hm? I've looked at your computer and the Outlook isn't great

Herby

I'm surprised...

That the boss's phone and desktop weren't "archived" to obtain future blackmail topics. You never know when such jucy items might be useful.

Of course, the might be, and we don't know it yet.

Life goes on.

Men are officially the worst… top-level domain

Herby

An interesting idea...

Maybe the new domains should only be listed in IPv6 space. Then we might get a handle on them.

Just an idea, there was a thread a few days ago about IPv6 uptake, and this might "help".

Facebook and Snap jam Blackberry patent suit

Herby

At least...

The case isn't heard in the eastern Texas district court in Tyler. Many cases have gone down that rathole.

Scammers ahoy! International police operation harpoons 74 email whaling suspects

Herby

If only...

The FBI (and others) attacked spam as much we all might be better off!

Oddly enough, when a Tesla accelerates at a barrier, someone dies: Autopilot report lands

Herby

Please Drive...

Yes, I've driven this section of road a few times, some before the silly flyover for the carpool lane. Please note that I drive the vehicle, even when it has cruse control. Sometimes I tap the brake to disengage it, but I still drive the vehicle.

Sorry, I don't need a silly sparky vehicle that is truly unaffordable for all but people who want to be snobs, or just need to drive in the carpool lane. Yes, I drive a nice SUV that gets terrible mileage, but DOES have a 300+ mile range that I regularly use while driving down I-5 to southern California to visit in-laws (nice people, by the way). I sincerely doubt that I could make it there in any sparky car in under 6 hours like I do in my SUV.

I see many Waymo vehicles around, and they all have their Lidar beacons scanning the countryside. I have doubts that they will replace drivers soon for longer distances. I'd be willing to try one from the driveway of my house, down to my in-laws parking lot behind her condo. I suspect that it might run out of gas somewhere along the way, and probably take more that the requisite 6 hours. These companies have a LONG way to go. The silly sparky car isn't even close.

'Vigilance' hacker charged over Minnesota government attacks

Herby

Don't do the crime...

...if you can't do the time..

Words to live by!

Microsoft commits: We're buying GitHub for $7.5 beeeeeeellion

Herby

All I can say is:

"There goes the neighborhood".

There is a certain understanding that data is fungable, and can be moved anywhere.

As an outsider (I don't have anything on GitHub), it seems to be that somebody has bought all the marbles, and MIGHT not let everyone play without changing the rules.

We can only hope that the previous owners might start up something new (It could happen, you never know). A couple of billion goes a pretty long way.

One year late, US senators act on fake net neutrality comments that drowned the FCC

Herby

When...

Will they get serious about spam email. They tried once, but it really had no effect. Who knows, if "we" post more things in a congressman's name it might start something.

But I still have doubts. *SIGH*

Good news: It's still legal for Apple to keep its MacBook, iPhone batteries from melting

Herby

It all boild down to "Prior Art".

Which is all fine and good, but the patent office only thinks that "prior art" is that which is patented. Something outside that has been know for eons, just doesn't fit the bill.

In some cases, fortunately, we get judges, and (hopefully) juries that understand "common sense".

So, the patent office will patent, and the courts will continue to rule invalid. Life goes on.

On 20th anniversary of Microsoft antitrust, US Treasury Sec calls for Google monopoly probe

Herby

History repeating itself??

We all know what happened last time, and given the zeal (or lack thereof) of government agencies, I suspect that history will repeat itself on this one.

Nothing to see here, please go away.

(*SIGH*)

IPv6 growth is slowing and no one knows why. Let's see if El Reg can address what's going on

Herby

Maybe is is because the IPv6 address space...

...has room for every grain of sand on earth.

When IPv6 was "invented" they needed a proper method of "transition" to the new way of things. As far as I know, this was never published. IETF is wonderful for standards and engineering, but the "transition" is a very political problem, and they really aren't good at it.

Of course, if Google only allows IPv6 connections sometime tomorrow, it could take place pretty quickly.

Oh, if spammers could be trapped by it as well, there might be another good case for it.

Off with e's head: E-cig explosion causes first vaping death

Herby

Obviously the wrong drug...

Please use the most common "recreational" drug (which I suspect we have all used) which is CAFFEINE.

Me? I take mine now as Coke Zero. Sometimes Coffee.

p.s. It is a much cheaper habit.