A Simple Password Change Can Save Your Identity

It’s one of the hottest industries online and one almost guaranteed to make you more money than you ever dreamed of… as long as you’re willing to risk the price. This is the lure that turns thousands of unscrupulous people into identity thieves each year. In 2012, more than 12 million people were victims of identity fraud, and many of them had no idea how to prevent this crime from happening to them. When it comes to crime prevention, it’s often the simple things that work the best: locking a door, hiding your valuables, and even creating a more secure password for the sites you frequent online.

If it’s memorable, it’s bad

If it’s too much work thinking up elaborate passwords for every site you frequent, you’ve probably got one or two go-to passwords that are easy to remember. Your daughter’s birthday, your childhood address, or your first pet’s name are common examples of simple passwords. The problem is that, although they may be easy to remember, they’re even easier for thieves to find out. One look through your online history, and identity thieves have dozens of possible password phrase ideas based on your interests and past, ready to try out.
The best way to make a secure password is to begin with words that seemingly have nothing to do with your life. Think of a sentence that applies to each site you visit. For your credit union, it may be “I go to First Branch Credit Union every Friday at 3pm.” Use the first initial of each word to create a password, like this: IgtFBCUeF@3pm. Simple to remember, but almost impossible to figure out. Check out this post for more on the importance passphrases.

Make Them Unique

If an identity thief somehow manages to figure out one of your passwords, make it harder for them to access all your information. Create a separate password for every site you frequent. Financial sites, business sites, email, and even social media accounts all hold personal information that can be used against you. Set up a new and unique password every time you join a new site. Google has a great Good To Know page on the best ways to secure your password.

Go automated

If you feel unsure about making random lists of letters and numbers that a thief might somehow hack, find one of the online random password generators and rely on that to create a series of passwords for you. These free sites will create passwords of meaningless strings of numbers, letters, and punctuation specifically designed to be used as passwords. They’re free, the password is never saved, and you can find as many passwords as you need instantly.
Beyond passwords
Creating unique and secure passwords are a great start to online security, but they do no good unless you practice basic internet safety. Never give your password to anyone else. Write the passwords down in an address book or other offline spot away from your computer. Consider using an identity protection service as an added layer of protection above the passwords. Install a malware program on your computer to avoid people from remotely accessing your passwords. And finally, never click on a link in an email, even if it looks like it’s from a legitimate site. Type in the correct address in your browser to go to the site, instead.
With a little diligence and some design, you can make sure you’re a lot safe when you’re online.

Credits: http://thedroidlawyer.com 

South Korea creates the first nanorobots to treat cancer

Scientists in South Korea have created nanorobots to treat cancer more effectively and with fewer harmful side-effects than chemotherapy.

A team of researchers in South Korea has produced successful results in their tests of a new method to fight cancer. The method is based on selective treatment applied directly to cancer cells by nanorobots that are injected into the body to transport the drugs needed to fight the tumour. With this design, the system is more effective than chemotherapy and is not as harmful to the patient.
South Korean researchers have tested their new method successfully on mice, but they are convinced that the nanorobots can be used to treat cancer in humans. The main advantage over chemotherapy is the selective capabilities of this system, which targets only the tumour cells, making the action more effective and does not harm other parts of the body.
The nanorobots are introduced by genetically modified salmonella bacteria, which contain microscopic capsules filled with drugs. These new nanorobots have been dubbed ‘bacteriabots’, in reference to the importance of the salmonella bacteria and the possibilities presented by the nanorobots.

 

After being injected into the body, the bacteria are attracted by the chemical compounds given off by the cancer cells. When the bacteria reach the cancer cells, the capsules carried by the nanorobots release the drugs directly into the tumour. This direct action is aimed at eliminating the source of the cancer without harming other tissues.
The use of these nano-robots to treat cancer could avoid the side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea and anaemia. The existing treatments against this type of tumour affect many other parts of the body, which end up harmed, unlike the treatment with the  bacteriabots, which selectively attack the cancer cells.
The bacteria used at this point can detect only certain types of cancer – which is essential for them to reach them – but researchers expect to be able to detect and treat a wider variety of tumours using this method in the future. Researchers have already patented the new system in Japan, the United States and Europe, but it has not yet been approved for use in people.
Image University of Missouri
Via: http://blogthinkbig.com/ 

How to Backup and Restore all Contacts and SMS on iPhone or Android

People change smart phones these days like cloths for different reasons; buying the Latest flashy, higher memory, larger screen and luxuriously advertised one. If you've recently gotten a new android device and wish to transfer all Phone contacts and SMS messages to the new device, here are some tips that may help make the transition seamless. 

How to Backup Android Phone Contacts To Gmail
Android devices require a Gmail account to download applications from the Play Store - If you've added one, then that Email address has been used to backup your contacts already - Sign into the new device and all contacts on the old device.
You can also use the EXPORT feature in android contacts list options which will send all contacts to sim or export to SD Card. However, text messages require a different backup method.

How to Backup / Transfer All contacts and SMS from iPhone or Android to other smartphones.
Important text messages may contain information that you never want to delete, So moving all SMS in inbox, draft, sent to your new android device is necessary. To do this we're going to need an Application called SMS Backup +. Download the app from Google Play store on Both devices, Backup contacts on one and restore on the new device. (Gmail account with IMAP enabled is required).

BACKUP / RESTORE TEXT AND CONTACTS TO PC
I would highly recommend using this Application On your PC called Moborobo.
It's the perfect Mobile phone managing software to backup / restore contacts, sms, applications, music, pictures and more. It supports iPhone and android devices.
Click here to Download Moborobo PC Application

Credits to: http://www.ngbuzz.com/

It could be Jurassic Park, but it’s not

Isla Nublar near Costa Rica. Workers at the company, InGen, toil in their laboratories to achieve what would be a true scientific revolution: the cloning of DNA found in prehistoric mosquitoes preserved in amber.

At that time, today’s fossilized mosquitoes fed on dinosaur blood, so that the genetic material of their host animals is also preserved in amber. To complete theDNA sequence, the researchers intend to use genetic segments from frogs.

Anyone who has seen the movie Jurassic Park, a true cinema classic, will find the story we told at the beginning of the article familiar. Steven Spielberg’s great film marked much of our childhood and youth, and still remains a benchmark for science fiction films today.

So much so that a discovery made in Montana, United States, vividly reminds us of the beginning of the film starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum. This is because American scientists have published the discovery of the first mosquito fossil with remains of haemoglobin found in its stomach in PNAS Magazine.

This protein, along with other still unidentified samples of genetic material, may lead the curious to wonder: could Jurassic Park come true? The answer, though it may seem disappointing, is not yet.

A cluster of coincidences led to the conservation of this fossilized mosquito. Its stomach is fully intact, which is a surprising find. This insect, which lived about 46 million years ago, sucked the blood of another animal and then almost immediately fell into water, gradually sinking. After this, it got caught in some anaerobic sediment in the area, which undoubtedly allowed us to find it almost intact today.

This is the first time a mosquito of this kind with ancient remains of blood has ever been found, which, in addition to reminding us of Jurassic Park, is surprising. On the one hand, we do not know yet what other animals might be genetically “represented” in the fossil and, on the other hand, it is very interesting that this biological molecule has been discovered millions of years later.

Although the great Spielberg film made us think it would be easy to find fossils like this, the truth is that it is not. In Montana, researchers found the first preserved mosquito from such a remote age, despite other kinds of insects having been found.

Its discovery reminds us once more of the beginning of the Jurassic Park storyline. And though it may seem similar, there is still a long way to go before science makes these things come true (if they ever do). Will we see it?

Pictures | Brocken Inaglory (Wikimedia), William Couch (Flickr)

via: http://blogthinkbig.com

8 possible uses of electronic payment with Bitcoin that you might not know about

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Not too long ago, the decentralised electronic currency known as Bitcoin made news after a US couple decided to travel around the world for 101 days using only this method of payment. This crypto-currency, conceived in 2008 by Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonym used by the creator to maintain his anonymity, uses a system of electronic payments with Bitcoin directly between users, doing away with all types of intermediaries. The term coined by this virtual currency used by Austin Craig and Becky Bingham-Craig during their trip, also applies to the protocol designed by Nakamoto and the P2P network that supports it.

Unlike the conventional system, electronic payment with Bitcoin is not backed by any government and does not depend on the trust of any central issuer, but rather uses a proof-of-work system to prevent double spending and achieve the consensus of all of the nodes that make up the network. But lets take a look at a few of the potentially interesting uses of this electronic currency for consumers, and that may encourage us to use it some day in some of the following situations.

One of the most immediate applications is the ability to make purchases online without having to provide all of the personal information that we are normally asked to give during the purchase process, which exposes us to the risk of identity theft or card duplication. In this regard, having our money virtually available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without depending on the hours of the banks or the proximity of the closest ATM is a significant advantage.

Making payments with Bitcoin is surprisingly fast and easy - as simple as carrying your smartphone with you and sending Bitcoins from your mobile phone to the seller’s phone using Bitcoin wallet applications to pay in cash with banking applications.

Lately, in these difficult economic times, a lot of people are bothered by the question of bank commissions. In this regard, Bitcoin allows users to make international bank transfers or senddonations and micropayments to anyone in the world at a cost that is much lower than what conventional banks charge.

One of the more controversial aspects of this popular virtual currency is the fact that it allows you to carry your entire savings with you and to pay large sums of money to purchase just about anything, provided that Bitcoin is accepted as a method of payment. With this system, you can buy a new car or even an apartment without the involvement of any third parties and without being accountable to anyone. Just authorise the payment, make the Bitcoin transfer from one account to the other, and done.

This method of payment could be useful for people who do not have a branch office of their bank close by to carry out operations, for example, in the case of developing countries. Even for people who refuse to have a conventional bank account on moral grounds. In these and other cases, opening a Bitcoin account is as simple as installing a Bitcoin wallet application on a smartphone to carry out day-to-day transactions and enjoy the advantages of the online economy without the need to pay hundreds of euros in commissions and maintenance fees of bank accounts and credit cards.

Lastly, there is the mobility of the electronic payment system with Bitcoin, which lets you travel to any part of the world without worrying about how to operate with your money while in a foreign country. Protecting with passwords and encrypting our access keys to Bitcoin, you can travel just about anywhere in the world with the security that your money is available directly and securely. Of course, just like Austin Craig and Becky Bingham-Craig, you have to first make sure that Bitcoin is accepted as a method of payment at your destination.

Images | via bitcoin.org

Credits to: http://blogthinkbig.com/

How to: Update Your Android Device

Mrs. The Droid Lawyer has a nasty habit of saying, “fix this,” then tossing her Android phone onto my lap. Most technophiles love this “free-reign” opportunity to tweak and customize, but I utter a silent “ugh” whenever this occurs. The “ugh” comes because Mrs. The Droid Lawyer doesn’t like change — like how I switched out SwiftKey for Google Keyboard; not cool — and so any of my “subtle” changes become monumental obstacles. At least that’s according to Mrs. The Droid Lawyer.
However, there are a number of times when Mrs. The Droid Lawyer accepts my fixes as manna from heaven. Mrs. The Droid Lawyer will swoon and fawn around me because of my prowess. And why wouldn’t she? I am The Droid Lawyer.

 

Okay, I made the last part up. Her usual comment is, “I have to keep you around for something.”
Truthfully though, most of these fixes involve simple app or system updates, but please don’t tell her. I’m afraid if she really knows, then I’ll outlive my usefulness.
Fortunately, I’m getting this post out before Mrs. The Droid Lawyer discards me, and hopefully she’ll ignore my most recent status update.

The importance of staying up-to-date

Updating your Android device is important. Whether it’s keeping your apps updated, or making system updates to improve performance or install a new version of Android.
System updates help improve the performance of your Android tablet or smartphone. The system update also helps to keep your tablet secure.

Get the update started

You can easily update your Android system in just a few clicks.
First, click Menu, then Settings. You can find the setting feature usually in the notification bar, or in the app drawer.

Next, scroll all the way down the settings menu until you locate About tablet or About phone.

The about menu will display a lot of information about your device. You’re going to click the first option, System updates.

You’ll see the last time the system updated. Usually, your Android device will periodically search for system updates from your carrier or manufacturer. Automatically pushing an update is called “OTA“.

Occasionally, such as for the past week while we’re waiting for Android 4.4 to drop to Nexus devices, you’ll want to constantly manually check for updates by clicking Check now.

Your device with fish Google’s or your manufacturer’s servers for an update. And you can continue to be disappointed.

Credits to: http://thedroidlawyer.com/

8 of the BEST Android apps for Linux System Administrator

I wonder, seeing the Thousands of Apps that are available for Android & iOS Devices utilized for Multi-Categorized uses like Utility, Development, Games, etc… and being an Linux System Administrator, I ever wonder if there will be a list of Apps designed especially for Linux System Administrators as well?
Well, I was very much stunned when I came across such a wonderful List of Android Apps designed for Linux System Administrators.
And they are obviously worthy Android Apps that Linux Administrators will love to have on their Smart Phones.

Let’s take a look at the Best Android Apps that has been developed for the use of Linux System Administrator.

Quick list of 8 Best Android apps for Linux System Administrator:

1. ConnectBot
2. SysBull – SysAdmin Excuses
3. ServerUp
4. Cura
5. AndFTP
6. Pingdom
7. Hackers’ Keyboard
8. Wyse PocketCloud

Connectbot

ConnectBot is an very famous and well known Android App that is specially developed for Linux System Admins.It is a powerful client for the open-source Secure Shell (SSH) protocol that helps in managing simultaneous SSH sessions, create secure tunnels, and copy/paste between other applications.
Average rating: 4.7
Last Update: Ottobre 2010
Download ConnectBot

SysBull – SysAdmin Excuses

SysBull – SysAdmin Excuses is a way to funny App designed for Linux System Admins; it’s an Excuses generator which is great and funny in way to come up with new and amusing reasons on system failures to tell clients or superiors. Excuses are generated in real time wide IT buzzwords, and combinations can be picked at random, or manually refined if need be.
SysBull allows you to:

• Copy excuse to clipboard
• Send excuse in SMS
• Send excuse in email

Average rating: 4.6
Last Update: August 2012
Download SysBull – SysAdmin Excuses

Server Monitor

Server Monitor is an must have and essential System Admin App that helps you to check the status of your network and web servers. And the best part about the App is that, Whenever the Server is Down, you will be first to get Notified. It is easily configurable and can check the Status a lot of times to make sure that everything is going as expected, supports plain TCP connections as well as SSH tunnels.
Average rating: 3.6
Last Update: February 2013
Download Server Monitor

Cura – SysAdmin

Cura is the best server admin tool available for Linux System Admins. It’s a bundle of remote servers-administration tools that facilitate the easy maintenance, configuration and all-around administration of UNIX/Linux servers.
When in the hands of a sysadmin, Cura will provide:

• A personalized Terminal emulator for direct interaction with said server.
• Syslog module that allows for reading logs directly from the server.
• SysMonitor module that visually graphs CPU and RAM usage percentages.
• Access to the port-scanning utility “Nmap”.
• Server Stats are general server information like its Vitals, Mounted Filesystems, Memory information, processes and so on.
• Login monitoring with notifications. While you are logged in, you can get notifications about anyone else that also logged in to said server.
• A security feature is implemented that allows you to have Cura’s database wiped when you send the compromised phone a secret pattern of your choosing.

(ex: send an SMS message containing “phone has been stolen!” to your Android phone to wipe Cura’s database and receive the location of the compromised phone as an SMS to your emergency phone number or as an e-mail to your emergency e-mail address).
All of the above modules include sharing and screenshots capability for logging and evidence.
Download Cura – SysAdmin
Average rating: 4.6
Last Update: July 2013
Download Cura – SysAdmin

AndFTP

AndFTP is an useful FTP, FTPS, SCP, SFTP client. Which helps us in managing several FTP configurations. It also comes with both device as well as FTP File Browser. It has various Features that include an option of Download, Upload, Synchronization and Share feature along with the “Resume” Support. It has various options such as opening on (local/remote), Renaming, Deleting, Updating permissions on chmod, also it can runs custom commands.
Average rating: 4.5
Last Update: July 2013
Download AndFTP

Pingdom

Pingdom is yet another Famous Android App for Linux Admins; many of you would be familiar with this app.
It allows you to get connected to the Pingdom.com uptime Monitoring checking support and helps you with the Present Status of the Servers and Websites you are monitoring. It is a useful companion that allows you receive errors and information from Pingdom. It Features; Direct Alerts on your Android Device, Current Status of Servers, Uptime and Response time Stats, etc…
Average rating: 4.1
Last Update: Giugno 2012
Download Pingdom

Hacker’s Keyboard

Hacker’s Keyboard is a Keyboard especially useful if you use ConnectBot for SSH access. It is called a Hackers key pad because it is designed in such a way with separate number keys, punctuation in the usual places, and arrow keys. It is based on the AOSP Gingerbread soft keyboard, so it supports multitouch for the modifier keys. It provides working Tab/Ctrl/Esc keys aswell. By utilizing this App, you will never feel of Lack of Key controls.
Average rating: 4.7
Last Update: January 2013
Download Hacker’s Keyboard

Wyse PocketCloud

Run applications and access files on remote Windows or Mac computers from anywhere on the planet. With Wyse Technology’s business-class remote access and virtualization experience, you’ll enjoy unsurpassed connectivity options, security and reliability, and fast performance not only on WiFi but on 3G/4G networks too!
So leave your laptop behind and don’t be concerned with copying files you need from your desktop. Access them with PocketCloud—make an important presentation, grab a forgotten report, help a friend with a computer problem, or edit and email a spreadsheet while traveling as lightly as possible.
Download Wyse PocketCloud


Credits to: http://linuxaria.com/

Best Apps Available For Making Free Calls For Android Platform

In this modern technological world, there are so many enhancements taking place due to number of enhanced technologies in every field. There is a presence of useful apps for different operating system platforms. Apps are supporting you in such a way that these reduce the overall cost and save you large amounts of money. With these apps, you can get your job done in an easier way. You can avail free apps for your Android devices for banking transactions, booking of tickets for travel tours and movie, reading news and watching videos. There are many apps available by which you can make video and voice calls free of cost. There are some free apps for your Android platforms, mentioned below:
1. Skype
The most famous IM and VOIP software on the conventional PCs is the Skype. It has built inroads into mobile area and maintained its existence in old charm. This app is available for almost all types of different mobile platforms around the world. With this app, an Android consumer can make calls to the iPhone consumer on Skype. For enhancing the mobile experience, this app provides video messaging, video or voice call, instant messaging and image sharing with other consumers on Skype.
2. Yahoo! Messenger app
The official Yahoo messenger app is one of the best apps for video calling for your Android platforms. This app works around numerous devices and platforms. You can also connect with Windows Live and Facebook friends and chat with them right from this app. It also permits the users from sending messages to phone numbers either local or international for free of cost.
3.  Google Hangouts
You can convert your old moments on Google Talk, PCs with the Google Hangouts. This app is improved for mobile devices and platforms. Hangouts provide one on one and grouping conversations in your life with emoji, video calls and images free of cost. It comes to all main platforms that includes Windows Phone, Ios and Android. With the Hangouts, anyone can turn any of their conversations to video calls with at least 10 friends. It stays in synchronization around devices in order to start and stop them anywhere. When anyone begins a new Hangout, anyone can detect you with green icons.
4.  Tango
Tango permits users for connecting with family and friends or making new friends in an easy and fast manner. You can make voice and video calls, play games, send text messages and many more free of cost. This app can be considered as one of the best social networking apps which permits you for communicating and interacting with anyone in any of the methods, you wish.
5.  ooVoo app
ooVoo app permits you for making multi-streaming video calls at least with 12 friends at one time. There are a 75 million users available that are using this app for video calling service. This app adjusts video calls for matching your internet connection speed to keep talking without any interruptions even in the case of network failure. You can also show video status messages to your contacts list friends.
With the SEO India Agency, you can get to know about the fact that how to get any of these apps and what are their benefits.

Credits to: http://groundreport.com/ 

Menudo – A Wonderfully Delicious Mexican Soup

Menudo is known as the world’s greatest hangover cure. Some people also believe it has medicinal values. Especially for people with gastric problems or illnesses that affect their appetites. Me? I take menudo for exactly what it is, a hearty, spicy, yummy, Mexican soup, filled with tripe (and pig or calves feet, if you choose) and hominy. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s definitely a meal all on it’s own and something special to make and share.
For those of you still questioning the fact that menudo has tripe in it, don’t! Tripe is really tasty. I promise! If you’re still unsure, start with a small amount. Maybe a 1/2 lb. Soon, you’ll be adding more and more. Watch!

Menudo:
1 to 1 1/2 lbs beef honeycomb tripe, cut into 1″ squares – $2.43
1 medium White or Yellow Onion, diced – $.20
1 Tbsp garlic, minced – $.20
2 cups cooked yellow or white hominy (I like dried, that I precook. Frozen or canned is fine too) – $.99
2- 3 teaspoons salt (I like 3, but some might want to add more salt later) – pantry
3 Tbsps New Mexico red chili powder (depending on heat, you can add a little less or a little more) – pantry
2 tsps Mexican oregano – pantry
1 Tbsp coarse black pepper – pantry
1/2 tsp cumin powder – pantry
2 Bay Leaf – pantry

Garnish:
Lemon or Lime wedges – $.50
Chopped green onion or Cilantro – $.25
1/2 Chopped Onion – $.15
Chile Pequin (Dried Chile pepper flakes) – pantry
COST: $4.72
Clean tripe very well. Cut into 1 to 2″ squares and place into a large pot. Cover with water (at least 2 inches above tripe). Add bay leaf and salt. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 2 hours. You may need to skim off fat with a spoon, on occasion.
After 2 hours, add garlic, diced onion, pepper, Mexican oregano, cumin, and red chili powder. Stir, cover and simmer for another 2 hours. Add hominy and bring back to simmer. Cook for 45 more mins.
Serve hot! Garnish with diced onion, cilantro, lemon wedges, and/or green onions as garnish.
NOTE: Traditionally, pig or calf feet are added as well. I like ham hock. I’ve also heard of people adding veal knuckle. Any of the above are great additions, but you don’t NEED them. This is superb just as it is! Enjoy!
GRAND TOTAL: $4.72

Credits to: http://www.10buckdinners.com/ 

Effective ways to Cure a Hangover

Feeling a terrible hangover after a nights partying? Regardless how long you rested after a night of booze-binging, a hangover can still be very persistent. There are several traditional cures which might be meant to help cure hangovers. Many of these will allow you to deal with it by replacing the main vitamins and fluids that you have lost while knocking back shots and bottles to your favorite drinks and http://www.drinksecrets.com/drinks/sex-on-the-beach/d349 , even though some of them are avoiding coffee as well as other stuff which could slow your recovery. There�s no cure that could work for everybody, that�s why a good starting point is finding out what really works for you. Below are some ways to guide an efficient remedy for your hangover:
� Replenish essential liquids within your body with water and fruit drinks.
� Take Vitamin C or drink fresh orange juice.
� Drink Gatorade, Powerade or any other sports drinks.
� Eat foods abundant with essential minerals like canned fish and pickles.
� Hit the shower and switch between cold and warm water.
� Take Vitamin B complex and drink lots of water before you go to bed.
� Get active and do a little exercise - Drink a liter of water and move out for some physical exercises like jogging, cycling, swimming, mountain climbing, or maybe about any action that will make you sweat. It takes a lot of will power to do these activities when standing alone appears to be difficult, but is absolutely worthwhile to cope with hangover and improve your overall health.
� Avoid coffee and caffeine - Coffee along with other drinks and food which are high in caffeine will only dehydrate the body further, and in turn make your hangover only worse.
� Avoid Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Tylenol - The side effects of these medicines may be amplified further if you have alcohol within your bloodstream. Therefore, this can be a smart idea to avoid them while searching for a hangover cure. Much like alcohol, Aspirin is a known blood thinner, and the effects can become more intense in case you have alcohol in your body. Tylenol then again, might cause liver damage and Ibuprofen might cause bleeding in your stomach. Therefore be cautious when taking a quick hangover relief.
� Get a good breakfast - Having a hearty meal can perform wonders for your body, especially if you eat while you drink. One of several good anti-hangover foods that you would want to consume the next day is eggs as these have Cysteine, which functions by breaking down the acetaldehyde toxin, a side-effect from drinking. Kiwi and banana also feature in an anti-hangover breakfast as it helps your body replenish the potassium it needs.
It is significant to remember while drinking that swigging drinks excessively will provide you with a wicked hangover the next day, also it might damage your body too. So always drink carefully and don�t drive drunk. Drinking safely and responsibly will give you many more years of enjoying drinks in the future!

credits: http://vicentaseeringel.wikispaces.com/ 

Befriended by any hot chicks lately on facebook? Be careful it could be a trap

Befriended by any super hot chicks lately on facebook?

Be careful – it could be a rouse or trick to get information from you.

The U.S. Department ofHomeland Security (DHS) reportedly creates fake Twitter and Facebook profiles in a bid to track down people who use “sensitive” words. many people don’t know that.

Beware…

This may include creating profiles of women who are extremely good looking! Or if you’re a woman a man who seem too good to be true.

In one case foreign operatives clipped a picture of a beautiful woman out of a leading fashion magazine and then used it as a “profile picture” to bait some poor slob working overseas with the US government on classified projects.

Words to the wise!

You have to be careful of who you friend online.

That person might not be who you think or who they pretend to be online.

Now law enforcement agencies are using the same method to foreign spies use to get information.

They do this so they can investigate individuals and their activities, as well map all their social connections online. One group Preverted Justice uses child profiles to lure sexual predators who prey on children online and lures them to a physical address where the cops are awaiting to bust them. Spies also do the same sometimes, using “honeytraps” and other methods.

Watch what you post online – they could be listening!

If anyone uses a word or phrase from the department’s list, like say “bomb”, “nuclear weapon”, or even phrases like “ my Iranian friend”…American spies are sometimes alerted to the posts. If it warrants it, an over paid intelligence analyst will even take a look at it to see once if you’re a national security or terrorism threat.

They subsequently investigate the online account in some cases and even attempt to identify the person from it, the Daily Mail reported.

“This kind of thing happens more than you might know”, says Bill Haggarman of Charlotte, N.C. “The public is just unaware of it”, he said.

Private Security Consultant Andy Beary of Charlotte says: “You hear of this sort of thing happening every once in a while.”

“Social networking sites are a spies best friends”, says John Smith of Charlotte, N.C. “Where else can you get so much personal information on someone all in one place”, he says.

Most people have a facebook or twitter account which they use to communicate with friends and family. Various spy agencies will sometimes use that information to find someone who may know something they want to find out about! They will sometimes create a fake profile to trick you into divulging personal information about yourself. law enforcment does the same thing. It is called: “Pretexting”, it basically means pretending to be someone your not.

Best advice is to be careful what you post.

“If you would not feel comfortable seeing that information on the front page of your localnewspaper you shouldn’t post it to begin with”, says Dean Bauer of Charlotte, N.C. – an internet security specialist now retired.

This is really good advice!

Robert Tilford

credits to: http://groundreport.com/

Marijuana sales to boost Colorado state tax revenue by a staggering $10 billion dollars by 2018

Incredibly long lines formed around Colorado marijuana shops everywhere. In some case people are waiting upwards to two hours to get in and causing problems in terms of parking and crowd control. You also have the problem of people coming in from surrounding state to take advantage of the new law.

According to reports the shops have grossed over a million dollars in the first few hours of opening their doors. In lines are young professionals including lawyers,doctors,accountants, college students, local celebrities, musicians, artists, mechanics, dry clear owners, security guards, maids, volunteer firefighters, bakery workers, writers, video-geographers, school teachers…and former military members suffering from post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD)  and other illnesses – not the kinds of people you might expect.

Many of whom are dropping upwards to $300 per once for marijuana.

Investors are also being rewarded as the stock price of shares for cannabis-related companies have skyrocketing since the drug became legal throughout the state on January 1. 2014.

Source: Pot prices hits highs http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/world/a/20584460/pot-stocks-hit-highs-too-as-colorado-legalizes-marijuana/

A study cited by AFP estimated that the Colorado state government could reap an annual $10 billion by 2018 – a staggering amount! Researchers with ArcView Market, the same study cited by AFP, said they expect the national legal marijuana market to grow in size from $1.44 billion to $2.34 billion this year. That forecast will likely rise dramatically as Washington state is scheduled to legalize cannabis later this year.

This could translate in lower state deficits and more money for badly under-resourced social and educational programs.

In Colorado retail buyers are charged a staggering 10 percent tax for every sale (on every, eighth of an ounce quarter ounce and every ounce) and a 15 percent excise tax which varies based on the average market rate. The first $40 million in taxes are earmarked  toward the school system whose budgets have been cut by lawmakers in that state with any tax dollars after that dedicated to regulations.

The only ones really pissed off are the cops – who vow to crackdown on anyone caught driving under the influence of marijuana – which will steal time and resources away from law enforcement who now have to deal with taking people in for expensive blood tests.

Such bravado is sure to get law enforcement in trouble as they lawyer up and clog the criminal justice system and contest convictions in court. Already commercials are appearing by lawyers who wish to represent people busted or harassed by the cops for DUI and other trumped up charges.

More importantly the legal pot sales are taking away revenue from street level drug pushers and dealers associated with Mexican organized crime – who are really taking a hit on the chin with this thing.

On the medical front marijuana is helping cancer patients by breaking down cancer cells in the brain, according to one study. 

Credits: http://groundreport.com/

Image Creative commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marijuana.jpg

Entrada en Español aqui.

Block by Block with PhoneBlok

The Internet world has been abuzzed by a phone that mimics the lego design principle. Block by Block. Obvious, isn't it? Designer Dave Hakkens, thought up of Phoneblok. He wanted a phone worth keeping and a phone that would let all companies get together to improve. He wanted a phone that when one part is broken, only that part will be thrown away. Simply take it off and add a new, or even better, part. Block by Block. Phoneblok.

Check out the video for Phonebloks:

Phoneblok is brilliant. From a consumer perspective, this is what I need. A no nonsense phone that only needs fixing and never a full replacement. A phone that could last more than 5 years.

First of all, business is business. No current bigtime company wants to work on a phone that they didn't made themselves. CORRECTION: No current bigtime company wants to work on a phone that they are getting no major profits from. They would want to save the best parts for their own phones, rather than for others. You see this everyday, take Apple and Samsung. Everybody knows that some of Apple's parts are under a partnership with Samsung, but is the best? No. Exhibit A, the iPhone 4S' DDR2 RAM from Samsung.
Second, identification is everything. A person wants to be unique, that's the type of thinking that these bigtime companies are all invested on. Why else would we have a whole bunch of accessories to make our phones look different? Imagine the lack of options when this phone will rise to be the ONLY phone. It might sound a little extreme, but this is the ultimate goal. You might not see it that way but that thought exists.
Third, do we have the technology? Phoneblok might be an engineering marvel but it is an engineer's nightmare. Taking an integrated model and making it modular, is not just hard. It is painstaking hard because you called for an entire redesign of what a phone is. (Definitely a good thing and bad thing here.) Speed and power comes into mind, yes. It's going to be double what you need because of the new design.

To raise even more awareness, Dave Hakkens set up a Thunderclap campaign for Phonebloks. Interested? You better share it to the people! Share the belief of many that if this reaches to more people, it might come true. Despite being pessimistic about it, a chance to inform is never a chance wasted! Who knows... There might be that ONE company who is willing to take the risk and redefine what we know today!

Speaking of campaigns... Razer's Min Liang-Tan has stated before that if this certain page gets a million likes, he will push through with this product concept. Jetpacks? No. Another Switchblade? No. TOASTERS. Ambidextrous, with progress feed and razer insignia toaster. Like the page. Like it now. And let's make Min Liang Tan know that the people have spoken!
Credits: http://thefluffyheads.com/