A View From the Mat

zewrestler

[	userinfo	\|	livejournal userinfo	]
[	archive	\|	journal archive	]

Watchmen Trailer

[Jul. 23rd, 2008|11:15 pm]

[	Tags	\|	movie	]
[	music	\|	Song Playing in trailer	]

Finally, the first trailer is released....This will be interesting.

link

3 comments|post comment

Me upon the news

[Jul. 1st, 2008|06:49 am]

[

Tags

comic, video/computer games

]

This was literally me Sunday when I learned about the announcement.

link

4 comments|post comment

It says what we're all thinking

[May. 29th, 2008|01:06 pm]

[

Tags

comic

]

link

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The Devil's Handiwork

[May. 25th, 2008|08:30 pm]

[

Tags

funny, video

]

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Fruit Fly Haiku

[May. 20th, 2008|07:50 am]

[	Tags	\|	poem	]
[	music	\|	...And Justice for All ~ Metallica	]

I hate these dumb bugs
I should get a bug zapper
And fry their asses

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Changing the game

[May. 19th, 2008|10:57 pm]

[	Tags	\|	comic	]
[	mood	\|	amused	]
[	music	\|	Machine Head ~ Bush	]

I think I'll do this for now on.

link

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Inside the Fire

[May. 12th, 2008|11:42 am]

[	Tags	\|	video	]
[	music	\|	Inside the Fire ~ Disturbed	]

I think dark describes this video best.

Interesting way it approaches this issue.

link

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Job hunting politics

[May. 12th, 2008|11:29 am]

[	Tags	\|	comic, political	]
[	music	\|	The Memory Remains ~ Metallica	]

What's funny, I've had a job interviewer once ask me a question about something I said a year prior at my undergrad. Thank you google for making that information available.

link

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Future Kismet Features

[Apr. 28th, 2008|08:00 pm]

[	Tags	\|	comic, wardriving	]
[	mood	\|	geeky	]
[	music	\|	Crestfallen ~ Divinity Destroyed	]

This would totally take wardriving to a brand new level.

As a side note, a new reason why you shouldn't name your access point after yourself or your place of residence.

link

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finally some fun

[Apr. 1st, 2008|02:28 am]

[	Tags	\|	technology	]
[	music	\|	Remedy ~ Seether	]

Its 2:30 in the morning, and I'm still up trying to get a GPS working with Ubuntu through a serial USB converter.

night

link

4 comments|post comment

LJ Content Strike

[Mar. 20th, 2008|10:30 am]

[

music

Know Your Rights ~ Clash

]

Thanks to

kittykate for bring this to my attention.

If you haven't heard LJ is discontinuing the option to create a basic blog -- the ones without ads on them. I've been a paying LJ user since 2003 -- I even bought a T-shirt form them way back in the day! The more I read interviews with the new owners, the more angry I get. Numbers speak. Please join the strike.

We are holding the Content Strike because we want to demonstrate that LiveJournal is

content-driven

.

We are holding the Content Strike because we want the new owners of LiveJournal to better understand the power and resolve of the LJ Community of Users.

We are holding the Content Strike because all of us, Paid, Permanent and Plus users as well as Basic, want to demonstrate our solidarity as a Community of Users. We do not consider Basic users to be "freeloaders." We consider them to be valuable content-providers and Friends.

We are holding the Content Strike because we ache to do something to show our displeasure, and commenting on the news post -- even with cat macros -- just isn't powerful enough!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The strike has four terms:

* Restore basic accounts for new account creation.

* Inform users before any change to the site that affects how we use the site or demands on our resources.

* Run change proposals by the Advisory Board and

* Take their advice into account before implementation of any change.

NOTE: We're aware that there may be good business decisions for eliminating Basic accounts. If Basic accounts are to be eliminated, though, that action should be taken only after approval of the Advisory Board and consultation with the LJ Community of Users.

***

The 24-hour strike will begin at the following times for the following locations:

Thursday, March 20, 2:00 PM -- Honolulu
Thursday, March 20, 4:00 PM -- Anchorage
Thursday, March 20, 5:00 PM -- San Francisco; Los Angeles
Thursday, March 20, 6:00 PM -- Mexico City; Denver
Thursday, March 20, 7:00 PM -- Chicago
Thursday, March 20, 8:00 PM -- Montreal; New York
Thursday, March 20, 9:00 PM -- Buenos Aires
Midnight -- London
Friday, March 21, 1:00 AM -- Paris
Friday, March 21, 2:00 AM -- Istanbul
Friday, March 21, 3:00 AM -- Moscow
Friday, March 21, 4:00 AM -- Dubai
Friday, March 21, 5:00 AM -- Islamabad
Friday, March 21, 6:00 AM -- Bangladesh
Friday, March 21, 7:00 AM -- Bangkok
Friday, March 21, 8:00 AM -- Singapore
Friday, March 21, 9:00 AM -- Tokyo
Friday, March 21, 10:00 AM -- Brisbane
Friday, March 21, 11:00 AM -- Sydney
Friday, March 21, 12 Noon -- Suva

***

The one-day content strike is on for this

Friday, March 21

.

For 24 hours, we will not post or comment to LJ. Not in our own journals, not in communities. Not publicly, privately, or under friends-lock.

This is a protest that will have long-lasting effects, showing up forever in the daily posting statistics.

This is a protest that will not harm LJ in the long run, as leaving LJ might do.

This is a protest that will demonstrate the power of community, as all users unite to support Basic users and the concept of adfree space.

This is a protest that will educate the new owners that LJ is driven by user-created content.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How Can I Help?

* DO post about this in your own LJ.

* DO post and comment about it in appropriate communities.

* DO remember that it's based on Greenwich Mean Time, which may not be your local time.

* DO turn off LoudTwitter and your RSS feeds for 24 hours.

* DON'T forget to get permission from community mods before making an off-topic post or comment about the strike.

* DON'T be spammy with your posts or comments about the strike.

* DON'T forget to turn your LoudTwitter and RSS feeds back on when the strike is over.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I understand the need for a business to make a profit, but I also side with all the long-time loyal LJ lovers.

BRING BACK THE OLD SYSTEM. I have the type of account that lj is planning on discontinuing. If I were to join now, and select from basic, ad-supported or paid, i'd still get basic.

link

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Space Cadet just gets worse

[Feb. 29th, 2008|07:33 am]

[	Tags	\|	gradwork	]
[	mood	\|	depressed	]
[	music	\|	Hello Cruel World ~ Voltaire	]

So yesterday in class, Space cadet, aka my crypto teacher was supposed to bring in all the work that had been done this semester and go over it with it. Low and behold, she forgot it. When she goes to get it, the 6 of us there start talking amongst each other about how incompetent of a teacher she is. It was also hilarious that out of us, only one girl did the homework required for that day, and upon hearing no one else did it, she volunteered not to turn her's in. (honor amongst students). We also agreed that we need complete that days DES lesson on our own, without her attempting anything. With that said, she comes back and says she can't find our work. *bullshit* and says she'll try to get it to us on Tuesday, so that we'll have it to study for the exam on Thursday. I asked what are we going to study from if she doesn't get it for us? She paused a second and replied the book. I had to mental responses to that comment. Either say the book is a piece of shit, or touche. I kept quiet.

She read out loud from our shitty book 2 pages, before I raised my voice about as a class manually working out the example. The girl who had done her work volunteered to work the example out on the board. She demonstrated it very well. Space cadet for the next 40 minutes didn't say a word as the example was done in class by a student. It wasn't the best lecture, but at least now, people in the class were able to understand the material a bit better.

Space cadet also assigned a term paper that she uploaded that morning. It seemed rather detailed for what she normally produces for us quality wise, but I gave her the benefit of a doubt...at first. There was a term in there called "Wesleyan computer". I haven't heard the word before, so I just wrote it off at first as a computer term. Well that night, I show the project to my friend Paul and he commented that he thinks Wesleyan is a college. So I google a sentence in the prompt she gave us. Google returns a webpage for a Wesleyan cryptography course which had word for word, all of the projects she had posted on her page.

I think every day that this course will not hit any new lows, and every day I am proven wrong.

link

2 comments|post comment

Don't go to parties with metal detectors.

[Feb. 21st, 2008|11:09 pm]

[	Tags	\|	political	]
[	music	\|	Empty Walls ~ Serj Tankian	]

I know people don't always agree with my views. I start this entry with that disclaimer now. I'll also admit up front that I am not that well versed in this issue.

I stumbled upon this article tonight, while reading the cnn news feed. The article talks about students in Utah who are exercising their right to carry concealed firearms on campus. I personally like the idea. With VT and NIU, plus several other not so publicized shootings in that time period, one is eventually going to think, "would this have happened if a student or teacher had a gun?" The girl in the article talks about how she doesn't feel safe with a student that may or may not have a gun next to her. Personally, I think that's a false sense of security. While she may not worry about the person next to her, what about the loony who decides to walk into her class full of unarmed students? While yes, it is taking matters into ones own hands, and the cops should be there in a matter of minutes, what about the time until they get there?

All in all, I think Chris Rock had the write idea "Don't go to parties with metal detectors. Sure it fells safe inside,but what about all those niggas waiting outside with guns. They know you aint got one." Most schools institute a gun ban, therefore, it is a safe assumption that students don't have guns. Heck, on and off campus since November there have been 3 armed robberies and one incident where police confiscated a replica rifle used for marching drills. Anyway, that's the general opinion. Any comments?

link

3 comments|post comment

The Giants Redeam Themselves

[Feb. 5th, 2008|12:00 am]

[	Tags	\|	video	]
[	mood	\|	happy	]
[	music	\|	Push it ~ The Diplomats	]

I've been a life long Giants fan. So, it goes without say that I am ecstatic about fact that Giants pulled through this year and got the 17-14 win against the Patriots. The last couple years its been kind of hard. Especially, after the humiliations of Super Bowl XXXV and the 2006 Season. Any Giants fan that season will remember the Titans(no pun intended). And I'll admit, going into the game, I had my fingers crossed that it wouldn't be an embarrassment as it was with the Ravens.

In general, this was one of the more exciting Super bowl games to memory. While, it was a low scoring game, both teams had great defense. In the end, the Patriots were cocky and just missed immortality by a touchdown. Giants, they had more heart and played like they wanted. Patriots, from what I saw, and I will admit I am not a football person, didn't have the desire that the Giants had that game. Especially at the end.

I also have to say that was an amazing catch by SU alumni and North Jerseyian David Tyree. I have never seen anyone do a standing back neck bridge over an opponent to catch the ball. That was amazing.

Commercials were mediocre this year. There were a few good ones. My 2 favorites has to be:

because there's fire. And its funny. My other favorite is the following one, just because Justin Timberlake gets his ass kicked:

There are some honorable mentions, including the Rocky and Godfather parodies and donkey lips getting into a commercial.

Anyway,

link

2 comments|post comment

Mike Gravel is who?

[Feb. 1st, 2008|12:14 am]

[

Tags

ljquiz, political

]

Well, I have no idea who Gravel is, but its nice to know my primary pick for a candidate was still within my top 2.
81% Mike Gravel
80% John Edwards
80% Chris Dodd
79% Bill Richardson
78% Barack Obama
78% Hillary Clinton
75% Joe Biden
75% Dennis Kucinich
37% Rudy Giuliani
28% Tom Tancredo
27% John McCain
25% Mike Huckabee
22% Mitt Romney
20% Ron Paul
18% Fred Thompson

2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz

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3 comments|post comment

lolcat

[Jan. 25th, 2008|01:28 pm]

[

Tags

ljquiz

]

Your Score: SurpriseAdoption Cat

22% Affectionate, 65% Excitable, 44% Hungry

Calloused. Heartless. Exuberant. You carry the heavy burden of informing children that they are adopted by jumping out of their birthday cake. A difficult task, but somebody must break the news to children on their only day of happiness.

To see all possible results, checka dis.

Link: The Which Lolcat Are You? Test written by GumOtaku on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test
View My Profile(GumOtaku)

link

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If only this was how life worked

[Jan. 25th, 2008|12:51 pm]

[	Tags	\|	comic	]
[	mood	\|	amused	]
[	music	\|	Wish you were here ~ Pink Floyd	]

link

post comment

SCADA Systems

[Jan. 12th, 2008|12:52 pm]

[	Tags	\|	technology, video	]
[	mood	\|	cynical	]
[	music	\|	Eye of the Beholder ~ Metallica	]

I recently heard a keynote speaker discuss SCADA systems. SCADA stands for

Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition

. These systems are used to perform data collection and control at a supervisors level. Many different aspects of today's society are controlled by SCADA systems or will be control by SCADA systems. These include traffic lights, electronic gates, sewage treatment, power generation and other important aspects of society.

Now, I haven't heard much before in the past about them, but through the presentation I saw that they use of them can be used to cause some problems if these systems are hacked. In general these SCADA hacks are not too widely publicized, but they occur. In many cases, a SCADA system is an old computer system that has been around for years, that now has a new internet connection added to it, without the use of security. For instance, check out this commercial, that was shown to us during the presentation:

Sounds like a simple commercial gimmick to entice people through the fear of getting hacked to hire them right? Well, stuff like this happens in real life. As soon as I got back from the presentation and went on Slashdot, I stumbled across this article in The Register where a 14 year old boy in Poland modified a TV remote control and created a device that took control of the local tram systems derailing 4 vehicles in the process. As I said before, the people who build this stuff think the system will remain blackbox and no one will interfere with it. Even the article says that:

Transport command and control systems are commonly designed by engineers with little exposure or knowledge about security using commodity electronics and a little native wit. The apparent ease with which Lodz's tram network was hacked, even by these low standards, is still a bit of an eye opener.

Thankfully, no one was killed during this. But others in the future might not be so lucky. For instance, did you know that the latest models of the Boeing jets are equipped with WiFi that is on the same system as the jets navigational system; and the only thing that is separating them is a Firewall? Or that a manager of a NJ Lexus dealer arrived one day at 7am to find all the cars in the lot running?

Just a lovely thought to show about how insecure some systems may be. Build security into the initial design to help prevent this stuff and many of these problems will go away.

link

2 comments|post comment

Far Away

[Dec. 3rd, 2007|10:31 am]