From jericho at attrition.org Sun Jul 12 03:24:04 2009 From: jericho at attrition.org (security curmudgeon) Date: Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:24:04 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [attrition] News: Stalker Box of Shit Message-ID: http://attrition.org/news/content/09-07-11-box/ Stalker Box of Shit Wed Jul 8 21:01:30 EDT 2009 jericho Apparently, my address is too easy to get these days. It started in '93 when a FOIA request about government sanctioned electro-shock therapy included it. Again in '98 when the Congressional oversight committee included my address instead of theirs when mailing 800 "detainees" from Guam. Third time was in '02 when some lawyer named 'Megan' decided my address should be on the Internets. Most recently, an un-sympathetic judge decided his court could 'leak' it to an ex who is still demanding money for "emotional trauma". This time, who knows, but some crazy stalker found my address and voila, another box of shit arrived. [..] From lyger at attrition.org Tue Jul 14 02:27:05 2009 From: lyger at attrition.org (lyger) Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:27:05 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [attrition] failblog: OMG U FAIL SO HARD Message-ID: (we can definitely relate, oh yes we can... (http://attrition.org/postal/legal.html)) http://failblog.org/2009/07/13/omg-u-fail-so-hard/ EDITOR'S NOTE: This post is in response to an email FAIL Blog received from an attorney representing Guinness World Records Limited. Dear Sir/Madam, Thanks for writing us an email regarding the "Record Breaking Fail." Unfortunately, douchebaggy cyber-bullying emails will only bring upon you more shame on your house. I am also resisting the urge to write this email in ALL CAPS. I believe it is the duty of FAIL Blog(TM) to call out organizations when they encourage the public to do such things as "Break the record" for the "Most Individuals Killed In A Terrorist Act." We firmly believe that our publication of your fail is protected under the concepts of fair use, commentary and non-trademark use. Please RTFM and we welcome you to teh interwebs. Since we at FAIL Blog(TM) don't have a legal defense department, we have complied with your request to remove the trademarked term and logo from the original image. We have used the "naughty bits filter" on the image to secure your naughty, naughty, trademark assertions. However, we have posted your email so that our audience can see why we had to remove the name of the failer from the image. I hope that this is the outcome you have expected as now NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW THAT GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS LIMITED HAS FAILED. [...] From jericho at attrition.org Tue Jul 14 11:42:01 2009 From: jericho at attrition.org (security curmudgeon) Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:42:01 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [attrition] I'm angry, because I have a vagina. Message-ID: http://attrition.org/news/content/09-07-14.001.html I'm angry, because I have a vagina. Tue Jul 14 05:41:47 EDT 2009 Nikita Let's dissect the above sentence, am I upset because I have a vagina instead of a penis? Or is the sentence implying that I am upset as a by-product of having a vagina? Meaning that having a vagina gives me all the reason I need for being angry. Here's a thought for you; what if I was to be so bold as to say both? By gawd I'm a bitch then aren't I? I probably betrayed my vaginal walled kin? Maybe I would be telling the truth; I find great use in penises, there is great application for the all mighty penis, and because I have a vagina it means I am entitled by law of vaginadom to agree with every other vag out there right? Nah. First of all let me get the following straight for you. The first paragraph was meant to make you laugh and or anger you into reading more. Second, My statement is in no way endorsed by my employer, my clients, the federal government and damn sure not my husband. This is a PERSONAL post, of my own opinion, from one woman's perspective. If you take offense to anatomical terms for the male and female bits then you can go read a pop up book. In addition, I would suggest you practice saying the word "fuck" in front of a mirror until you realise it's a word grown-ups can use, because I will type "fuck" a lot to demonstrate the diversity of the word to you. [..] From lyger at attrition.org Sun Jul 19 01:38:24 2009 From: lyger at attrition.org (lyger) Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2009 01:38:24 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [attrition] review: ESVA: The best things in life are free. Message-ID: http://attrition.org/news/content/09-07-18.001.html Sat July 18 20:20:02 EDT 2009 by: martums Got spam? Run a mail server? Like saving time & money? * Imagine a well-designed, FOSS-based anti-spam solution. * Imagine one that meets or exceeds the service of either o a hosted solution, or o a rack mountable appliance with a slick paint job. * Imagine the money you would save if you didn't need your current commercial anti-spam solution * Stop imagining. The VMware Virtual Appliance Marketplace is a useful resource for a variety of specialized virtual machines. Some free, others for-fee, each built & customized for a specific role. Many of these can be downloaded & deployed in less time than their equivalent physical counterparts. One of the virtual appliances which yours truly has been running for several years is ESVA, Andrew MacLachlan's Email Security Virtual Appliance. MacLachlan created and has maintained ESVA, with the help of community members, since roughly May 2005. Putting ESVA between my mail server and the intertubes was, in hindsight, an excellent decision. [...] From staff at attrition.org Sun Jul 19 05:26:40 2009 From: staff at attrition.org (at attritionorg) Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:26:40 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [attrition] Retriever Software - Providing real time spamming via Twitter Message-ID: http://attrition.org/security/rant/shortened_urls_1/ Retriever Software - Providing real time spamming via Twitter Sun Jul 19 01:17:53 EDT 2009 @attritionorg [..] From jericho at attrition.org Wed Jul 22 05:57:26 2009 From: jericho at attrition.org (security curmudgeon) Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:57:26 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [attrition] "cloud mascot" Message-ID: http://twitter.com/sfoak/status/2772729487 The cloud computing mascot should be a sheep because it looks white and fluffy & always says "?aaaaaaS" http://twitter.com/attritionorg/status/2773237308 a sheep wouldn't stoop so low to mascot for "cloud" nonsense. mascot should be a douche bag consultant with blank puffy cloud "idea" http://twitter.com/sfoak/status/2773257033 in your usual chipper mood again I see ;) http://twitter.com/attritionorg/status/2773275986 i thought it was a much better mascot idea personally =( i should have said the "cloud" thought should be filled with $$$$$$ though From jericho at attrition.org Fri Jul 24 21:12:50 2009 From: jericho at attrition.org (security curmudgeon) Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:12:50 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [attrition] Reminder: cancel Comcast service in 12 months Message-ID: The stories of Comcast and poor customer service are widespread. I've never been a fan of them myself, but they were the only cable TV provider when I got service. Over the years, the price for the exact same service has gone up considerably, and the last year has been the worst. I got a 3rd party Comcast representative call today, trying to upsell me on adding more services (I only have cable tv). I told them at $80 a month for the one service, that was a ridiculous price point to *begin* bundling additional services. I thanked her for reminding me that I had been meaning to cancel the service completely. I called the real Comcast, told them I want to cancel and got the sales pitch I was expecting. I wasn't quite expecting just how long and hard they were bending me over and not pro-actively trying to keep my rates acceptable. For a company that 'values my business', they sure don't act like it. When I originally signed up, basic cable (and extended basic) was just that, a bunch of channels but not much more than 100. Comcast offered 'Digital Classic Pkg' which would allow me a) interactive program guide b) PPV access and c) bunch of crap I didn't want. So to get the digital TV guide and have the ability to order PPV, I was paying 10 bucks more. Jump to five years later, early 2008, and the basic cable was $48.99 and digital classic was $11.95. Jump to this month and basic cable was $55.99 and digital classic $16.95. That price increase is certainly steeper then 'cost of living' increases and the $80.68 a month for the most basic cable service you can get is ridiculous. The Comcast representative told me that they no longer offered either of those, and that I was 'grandfathered in'. I don't think she realizes what that term means, since they are still doing price hikes on it and it is almost 3x the price a new customer pays for the exact same thing. For being a long standing customer, I was 'grandfathered in' on absurd rates? She offered to move me to the new basic package, which includes the program guide and PPV access, for 6 months at $29.99. I told her that I would just have to call in six months to cancel as it would jump back to ~ $55 (still less than what I pay now) and why bother when I don't watch those channels on TV that often. She immediately said she could do the $29.99 price for 1 year and that it would give me everything I have now, no changes other than the price. Since I have guests once in a while, I took the new deal while I re-evaluate if it's even worth paying 30 bucks a month. I really can't imagine it is, given that I watch my basic channel shows via torrents and my schedule. That "on demand" feature starts at $44.99 for new customers. Comcast has been happily billing me $80.68 for a service they offer new customers $29.99 (that bumps to ~ $55.00). Forcing customers to call you every year to figure out what better packages are available is wrong. "Learn more about our efforts to provide you with a consistently superior customer experience." - comcast.com Right..