Geek Stuff category archive
The Disinformation Superhighway, Fatted Pig Dept. 0
Cezary Podkul offers guidelines to avoid falling prey to an on-line “Pig Butchering” con. Here’s the opening of his article; follow the link for a detailed analysis of how the scam is worked:
“Pig butchering,” as the technique is known — the phrase alludes to the practice of fattening a hog before slaughter — originated in China, then went global during the pandemic.
Via the Progressive Populist.
(Broken link fixed.)
The Crypto Con Artists 0
Beware of the shills. For example (much more at the link):
(snip(
“The federal securities laws are clear that any celebrity or other individual who promotes a crypto asset security must disclose the nature, source, and amount of compensation they received in exchange for the promotion,” Gurbir Grewal, director of the SEC’s division of enforcement, said in a prepared statement.
Geeking Out 0
Visiting LQ in a VirtualBox VM of Slackware –Current with the Blackbox window manager on Mageia v. 8 with the Fluxbox window manager.
As an aside, Fluxbox is based on Blackbox, but, in my opinion, more versatile. Fluxbox has been my preferred GUI for years.
Geeking Out 0
Yet another screenshot of Mageia v. 8 (I’ve come to really like Mageia) with Fluxbox (which I’ve like for a long, long time). Again, the wallpaper is from my collection.
Geeking Out 0
Listening to The Mill Mystery with VLC on Ubuntu MATE under the Fluxbox window manager. The wallpaper is from my collection.
No Place To Hide 0
Some good news from Bruce Schneir.
Personally, I keep the GPS (Google calls it “location services” turned off on my Android devices unless I have a positive need for it, which is almost never. That means trackers can know my general location, sure, but they don’t know whether I’m in the drug store or the hardware store.
In Translation . . . . 0
. . . which is why, when we needed a new stove and dishwasher earlier this year, I told the salesman, “I don’t want any ‘smart’ appliances. Google doesn’t need to know when I turn on a burner . . . .”
Afterthought:
Yes, they both decided to fail on the same week, but they had served us well for many years.
(Broken link fixed.)
A Pile Up On the Disinformation Superhighway
0
SFGate’s Katie Dowd details the destruction.
Geeking Out 0
VirtualBox virtual machine of Slackware –Current with the Plasma Desktop on Mageia v. 8 with the Fluxbox window manager.
The Crypto Con Crash
0
Paul Krugman wonders how the crypto con successfully conned so many persons. A snippet:
My answer is that while the crypto industry has never managed to come up with products that are much use in the real economy, it has been spectacularly successful at marketing itself, creating an image of being both cutting edge and respectable. It has done so, in particular, by cultivating prominent people and institutions.
Follow the link for his reasoning.
Muskrat Law 0
At Above the Law, Joe Patrice takes a long, detailed, and lawyerly look at Twitter’s suit to force Elon Musk to honor his contract to buy said “social” media platform. It’s a fascinating read, even for a non-lawyer.
I won’t try to summarize it. I’ll just say that Patrice seems to think that Twitter’s lawyers are earning their fees.