* Posts by Mark 85

12880 publicly visible posts • joined 22 Nov 2012

Reg man 0: Japanese electronic toilet 1

Mark 85

Re: Future Toilet?

In the US it's two brown corncobs and white one.

Mark 85
Devil

@You aint sin me, roit -- Re: Here I encountered the first of many problems.

I want mine connecting to the internet, with full data upload to the cloud so that "analytics" can be done on methane levels, shit density, klingon count and optimized hot water usage.

And somehow one could wish that NSA and GHCQ decided to "check" your upload. Bwahahahahaha

Euro Patent office staff call again for King Battistelli regicide

Mark 85

I am surprised that things have gone this far. I would hope/think that the Administrative Council should have starting doing damage control sooner. Probably by firing the King. With this much in disarray and so many voices expressing "no confidence" the credibility of the EPO is in question.

Edit/Afterthought: After re-reading what I just wrote, I guess I should also believe that businesses have ethics and that there are honest politicians, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and sky fairies.

Who's in Peter's file? Moneybags Thiel hits up Silicon Valley brains to join his Trump think tank

Mark 85
Coat

Re: It's nice to see the valley doesn't have too many collaborators.

I think Trevor was going for the WWII method of dealing with collaborators...

Icon: Coat... long and leather.

Mark 85

Let him wander about California all he wants as it will keep him busy. I'm not sure why he thinks that he and Trump would be welcomed with open arms much less finding supporters... IT or non-IT for that matter.

FYI: The FBI is being awfully evasive about its fresh cyber-spy powers

Mark 85

Well said. And there in is the problem... a blank check for one case, no matter how hard justified, makes the next one easier. And the one after that, even easier. Scary times here in the States as we have no idea which agencies will be allowed to run amok.. including Congress*.

*Not an agency but definitely on the running amok list....

Twitter bans own CEO Jack Dorsey from Twitter

Mark 85

Practice run, maybe?

If they give him the boot or he quits... I can see killing his account.

Snail mail thieves feed international identity theft rings say Oz cops

Mark 85

It used to be that the thieves just stole checks and maybe your bank account statement for further mayhem... now they want it all. <sigh>

Hack the Army: US military begs white hats to sweep it for bugs

Mark 85

Well, you will note that there's a list of "approved targets" (for lack of a better phrase) so the ones not on the approved list might just be the unpatched, insecure ones.

I'm just puzzled on the real reason why there's only an "approved" list. Seems to me, if you want the testing done, let the testers hit where they want or where the path leads.

New state of matter discovered by superconductivity gurus

Mark 85

@John Smith 19 -- Re: "would different materials show a slightly different pseudogap.....

Thanks for clarifying that.

Mark 85

Re: Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide. That's a bit of an oldie.

I'm not whiz-kid at this, but would different materials show a slightly different pseudogap in structure and not just temp? I realize they're using a standard material of known properties so I'm wondering/thinking that other materials would act differently. The gap would exist but just "different"...?

Like I said, I'm not whiz-kid. Don't know all that much about this but yes.. exciting times.

MP Kees Verhoeven wants EU to regulate the Internet of S**t

Mark 85
Alert

Damn... color me surprised. A legislator who seems to know what he's talking about when it comes to IT stuff. Or at least some IT stuff... Still.. who knew?

Surprise! Another insecure web-connected CCTV cam needs fixing

Mark 85
Facepalm

Re: Ahh, this is a marketing ploy!

Is that what those postcards are for? I thought all they were is a way to grant them permission to sell any info they have on you and also spam your physical (not the PC) mailbox. Damn... I could have getting AOL-like CD's with app and program updates.

Mark 85
Meh

Hmm.. updates and patches

This basically doesn't do 99% of the owners any good unless it's a forced patch. The MSM doesn't carry news and advisories on IoT holes or even OS holes for PC's. They just won't know about the problem and if they did, most wouldn't have a clue on how to fix it.

Office Depot halts PC Health Checks amid bogus infection claims

Mark 85

Re: Shocked I tell you!

Not surprised at all. This is same company that has been pushing McAfee AV at the registers while checking out as a "great deal on a great AV package". <choke><cough>

Arista cats escape US quarantine, for now: Customs says it's OK to import networking gear

Mark 85
Devil

Re: I can picture

And maybe a phone call to Trump about evil imports? Yeah.. I'm aware of where Cisco's kit is made... but profits are at risk here.

Apple offers drained iPhone 6s users... a free battery

Mark 85

Got to love the spin...

Tim Cook said he was “thrilled” with the response to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus released this year, which sold out after the company failed to produce enough stock for demand.

So produce X number* and ship and immediately wave a flag and scream how great it is that demand exceeded supply. One could produce 5 pieces of product and when the order comes in for number 6 start jumping up down and letting everyone know that there's an overwhelming demand.... meh....

* where x = some small number... like the number of WinPhones... or less.

Hackers electrocute selves in quest to turn secure doors inside out

Mark 85

Well, in all fairness.. they had fun, no one had permanent damage. Still, with a bit of engineering and selecting the proper parts (ones that don't let the smoke out easily) this could become a real nightmare for physical security.

Facebook recruits some help to fight fakes, but doubles down on wisdom of the crowd

Mark 85

Re: Censorship?

Fake news... i think we need to define that term better, if we have the same story from the too left BBC and the too right Fox, they wont be the same... which is fake and which is the trusted source?

The truth will be somewhere in the middle. The problem is there are no "middle" news sources anymore so the "middle" is a moving target.

Mark 85

Re: Zuckered

Upvote.. wish there we more I could. Your last two paragraphs pretty much sum it up. Greed in form of spam and then viruses took over and now those would de-stabilize every country, every value people hold are running amok. The internet has been subverted to creating more problems than it has solved.

True, commerce has improved but there's scammers and counterfeiters running amok there. Politics has fallen into that dark place. The media sucks up the fake stories without checking the facts and pushes them out as if it were their "exclusive".

Very disheartening.

Mark 85
Mushroom

Re: Fake the fakers

Indeed.. and they'll probably do it from "trusted' fake accounts.

Icon----> watching FB implode.

Forget 'shadow IT' – it's 'self-starting IT' now

Mark 85

Missed one... I would have voted for "you bought it, when it's hacked you deal with the Board".

NASA trying to rein in next-generation super-heavy lifter costs

Mark 85
Devil

Re: James Hansen will be furious

First, stop looking at the possibility of climate change. What's next? Stop looking for anything more than 6000 years old? Stop looking for life on other planets because.. well.. we special, ya' know?

Experts to Congress: You must act on IoT security. Congress: Encourage industry to develop best practices, you say?

Mark 85

Re: How do you deal with China?

That's why ships rarely flag in US or European countries.

Ships are rarely US or European flagged because of profit. Being flagged as such means high pay, more crew, and more stringent safety requirements. So yes, they end being gel like but....

Mark 85

Re: Lame Duck Congress

I made that statement simply because many Repubs pander to the Religious Right and some to the extreme. There's been more than one stating that NASA is a waste of money as the Bible says the universe is only 6000 years old. There's others that would like to see any religious site (other than their own taken down) as they "promote terrorism" or untruths in their eyes. Of course, Christianity is perfect in this regard.

There was some facetiousness to my statement but for the NASA example, look to the head of the Science Committee.. former doctor but hardcore Religious Right. However, in the end, the lobbyists will rule all....

Should I add that for the most part, CongressCritters are a joke at this point in time? Holding their breath until they turn blue or having a sit-in on the House/Senate floor because they aren't getting their way? There's no thought, no compromise, no critical thinking. Only reaction and deadlock when they don't agree.

Mark 85

Lame Duck Congress

That's a killer for anything right there and then there's new group coming. Hitting Congress to do something at this time is just plain stupid as it would take more than a couple of months to set this up.

Then there's the new group coming in. For all we know, they'll end up banning everything on the internet except for the Jesus sites and the sites that have well-heeled lobbyists.

LinkedIn competitor offers to drop Russians into same legal trap that caught LinkedIn

Mark 85

“Opportunity is concerned with the country's decision as it could help us make a pile of money until we get nailed by the authorities.

I finished that for you in manner which it more resembles reality. Nice try. Thanks for playing.

Surveillance camera compromised in 98 seconds

Mark 85

I'm more militant.. don't buy IoT crap. Period. It's all crap as the manufacturers don't care except for the bottom line. Don't buy until they get some clues and properly secure this stuff.

Since government is reluctant to do anything... vote with your wallet. Just don't buy it.

Launch set for GOES-R satellite capable of 30-second weather updates

Mark 85

I wish them luck and good weather. I also wish them well on getting the satellite oriented properly so that the instruments that are supposed to point to earth actually do. (Murphy's Law seems to be running amok lately).

US Director of National Intelligence legs it

Mark 85

Re: @Mark 85 - booting Wyden off the committee

You're right, but with Dems like Feinstein mucking about, he could get booted by his party if enough of those like her want to give in to the Darkside.

Mark 85

If you've been paying attention, there's only been a couple of voices in Congress who have been asking the questions and standing up. The rest are pretty much going along for the ride with the TLA's. Don't get me started on Feinstein.

Mark 85

Re: No-one is serious about this

We might be outraged but Congress is pretty much out of control. Elected but not accountable with the "it's the other guy's fault" syndrome. I wish we could bulldoze the whole mess and start over.

Mark 85

Re: Oblig Goon Show Quote

Wyden and others have to be a bit careful at this point. With the new Congress coming in, he could get booted off the committee. So far, he's been one of the few who don't like all the surveillance and snooping. If Trump decides it's ok and the critics are too outspoken, it's likely the critics can get bounced off the committees.

I wish Congress would file charges against him and Comey for lying under oath. It might bring some accountability to the government. But that probably won't happen as no one wants to be accountable.

Facebook Fake News won it for Trump? That's a Zombie theory

Mark 85

This has been going on a lot longer than the recent election. Prior elections we got our fake news from "mailing lists" by random people thinking we 'gave a crap" about some made up BS. Then Twitter came along and these people migrated there and the media started picking up on some of this. One of the first that recall making the major news was "Obama is changing the oath given by the military to swear "allegiance to the President" instead of "defending the Constitution". Things have gone downhill from there.

Mark 85

Or maybe Hillary was a crap candidate both candidates were crap, and both parties are massively out of touch.

FTFY as I saw pure, unadulterated BS coming forth as news from both sides.

AI can now tell if you're a criminal or not

Mark 85

I somehow can't blame the dataset.. neither the size nor the content. However it's more likely the programming behind the AI. Computers only do what we tell them to do and if the programmers on this particular bit let their prejudices or pre-conceived notions take sway, then the results are already pre-determined.

Three to appear in court over TalkTalk hack

Mark 85

Re: Poor show

Well... at least they were arrested. Over here, all the TLA's and the hacked company spout is "Russians" or "NORKS". <sigh>

Customer data security is our highest priori- ha ha ha whatever, suckers

Mark 85
Unhappy

Re: UFO

What is it with movie and TV "future" type shows. Here it is 2016 and the women never look that good nor wear those great uniforms. Where's my damned flying car?

Mark 85
Coat

Re: Seriously, "effulgent"?

Dog darned dyslexia is getting worse. I read that as "effluent". Whole different word and meaning. I think I'll go have an adult beverage now.

Mark 85

Re: Company law

The problem in the UK has always been short term thinking except in a few companies with strategies and vision like RR.

It's not just limited to the UK. It's been that way in the US for way too many decades. I think almost every corporation puts short-term profits first over long-term goals.

Helping autonomous vehicles and humans share the road

Mark 85

@Toltec -- Re: Price hikes on the way @ Red Bren

We can only control the space in front of us to a point. Other drivers see that space and will take it if they're of that mindset.

I have a friend that has a rather large motorhome (caravan to you over the pond). He's well aware of the stopping distance required for the beast as well as it's handling characteristics. Coming up on a stop light (well-marked, etc.) he's slowing and a car changed lanes and pulled over right in front of him. Those in the car died while he and his wife were uninjured. There's been lawsuits ongoing for several years from this. That is the kind of problem currently facing AI and autonomous automobiles: the meatsacks.

Figure out how to separate them from the autonomous and you've got a winner.

LinkedIn officially KickedOut of Russia

Mark 85

LinkedIn argued that Russian authorities made their inquiries to the wrong office

Huh? I'm assuming the Russians inquired to a LinkedIn office and not an Apple office.. so don't the LinkedIn offices talk to each other? A rather bizarre defense....

Mozilla launches 'privacy edition' Firefox... that phones home

Mark 85

Are you sure it wasn't Clapper?

Searching for 'Fatty Kim the Third' banned on Chinese social media

Mark 85

Re: what's the problem?

I had to read most of your comment before I realized you weren't talking about the US. <whew> But the question is: "Will it be the UK or the US who gets to the bottom first?".

As for harvesting parts... let's not give our Dear Leaders any ideas, shall we?

Mark 85

Re: Kim Jong Dim Sum

NorK's answer to the Pillsbury Dough boy.

But can he make pastries?

Here's how the missile-free Royal Navy can sink enemy ships after 2018

Mark 85

Re: lack of stealth ?!

I came here to make the same comment. It could. Then there's the possibility of reviving the Mosquito which could carry bombs.

KCL staff offered emotional support, clergy chat to help get over data loss

Mark 85

IT Services has pressed ahead with the new back-up system which was going to replace the old one — and which in the actual act of replacing it, managed to destroy the backups — using “next generation technology”.

So the new tech wiped out the data from the old tech???? Or is it the new tech can't read the old tech's data? I hope there's a serious flogging in store for someone then for not testing compatibility.

UK warships to have less firepower than 19th century equivalents as missiles withdrawn

Mark 85

Re: Clickbait headline

Lets see, 50 guys coming at me with muskets, or even repeater rifles if we're at the middle to back end of the 19thC but I have a modern "minigun" and plenty of ammo Hmmmm....

If the battery power is by Samsung... you're doomed. Oh,, and don't forget the "golden bb" effect. You might be keeping your head down longer than you think.

Elon Musk wants to launch 4,000 satellites and smother globe with net connectivity

Mark 85

Vitriolic much? I've not see anywhere near as much on any one article here as this one. Wow....

Nest Cam: A compelling piece of hardware-software

Mark 85

Not a complete review.

Where's the discussion of setup and passwords? Where's the discussion of security?

And there is the concern raised by a previous poster... what happens when Nest decides to dump this one? They're a part of Google/Alphabet and we know how the mothership likes to cast off services into the void.

Sorry, but I'm not compelled.