Matt's Super Boss Blog

Krebs' gives us some cool advice

2009-05-12T08:44:00.004-06:00

And he talks about oprah - here's a swipe from his security fix blog when saying what tools Oprah should recommend to her viewers since she has such an ability to mobilize the masses:

..say Superantispyware, Malwarebytes, and Trend Micro's Housecall online virus scanner.
I mention the first two tools because they almost always bring immediate results when someone complains to me about PC slowness, browser hijackers, and other computer maladies. I recommend an online virus scanner like Trend because it is free and does not interfere with any anti-virus software that may already be installed on a participant's machine.

Getting back to the numbers: If 4 million Oprah viewers -- a fraction of her viewership -- were to run these tools -- and just one in 25 respondents found and removed a bot program -- that could potentially clean up 160,000 systems. That's almost equal to the size of the largest botnet in circulation today, the Cutwail botnet, which currently controls an estimated 175,000 computers, according to research by Joe Stewart, director of malware research at Atlanta-based SecureWorks.

pretty neat. Go Oprah - I think she should have been the oracle in the matrix.

Edit: Oh yeah - here's the link to Krebs' full post.

To run anything in Windows using the Run Command(yeah, windows)

2009-04-29T08:57:00.003-06:00

The Powerful Run Command

goto start->run (or in vista just search for Run)

there are also more at http://mypchell.com/content/view/69/1/

A bunch of these run stuff i didn't even really know about -> like Dr. Watson System troubleshooting -> which is like a cool debugger (not if you have Visual Studio however, probably stick with that) and on and on.

List of commands:

Accessibility Controls : access.cpl
Add Hardware Wizard : hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs : appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools : control admintools
Automatic Updates : wuaucpl.cpl
Calculator : calc
Certificate Manager : certmgr.msc
Character Map : charmap
Check Disk Utility : chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer : clipbrd
Command Prompt : cmd
Component Services : dcomcnfg
Computer Management : compmgmt.msc
Date and Time Properties : timedate.cpl
DDE Shares : ddeshare
Device Manager : devmgmt.msc
Direct X Control Panel (If Installed)* : directx.cpl
Direct X Troubleshooter : dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility : cleanmgr
Disk Defragment : dfrg.msc
Disk Management : diskmgmt.msc
Disk Partition Manager : diskpart
Display Properties : control desktop
Display Properties : desk.cpl
Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected) : control color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility : drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility : verifier
Event Viewer : eventvwr.msc
File Signature Verification Tool : sigverif
Findfast : findfast.cpl
Folders Properties : control folders
Fonts : control fonts
Fonts Folder : fonts
Group Policy Editor (XP Prof) : gpedit.msc
Iexpress Wizard : iexpress
Indexing Service : ciadv.msc
Internet Properties : inetcpl.cpl
IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration) : ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents) : ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents) : ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections) : ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections) : ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS) : ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID) : ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID) : ipconfig /setclassid
Java Control Panel (If Installed) : jpicpl32.cpl
Java Control Panel (If Installed) : javaws
Keyboard Properties : control keyboard
Local Security Settings : secpol.msc
Local Users and Groups : lusrmgr.msc
Logs You Out Of Windows : logoff
Microsoft Chat : winchat
Mouse Properties : control mouse
Mouse Properties : main.cpl
Network Connections : control netconnections
Network Connections : ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard : netsetup.cpl
Notepad : notepad
Nview Desktop Manager (If Installed) : nvtuicpl.cpl
Object Packager : packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator : odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard : osk
Opens AC3 Filter (If Installed) : ac3filter.cpl
Password Properties : password.cpl
Performance Monitor : perfmon.msc
Performance Monitor : perfmon
Phone and Modem Options : telephon.cpl
Power Configuration : powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes : control printers
Printers Folder : printers
Private Character Editor : eudcedit
Quicktime (If Installed) : QuickTime.cpl
Regional Settings : intl.cpl
Registry Editor : regedit
Registry Editor : regedit32
Remote Desktop : mstsc
Removable Storage : ntmsmgr.msc
Removable Storage Operator Requests : ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof) : rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras : sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks : control schedtasks
Security Center : wscui.cpl
Services : services.msc
Shared Folders : fsmgmt.msc
Shuts Down Windows : shutdown
Sounds and Audio : mmsys.cpl
Spider Solitare Card Game : spider
SQL Client Configuration : cliconfg
System Configuration Editor : sysedit
System Configuration Utility : msconfig
System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately) : sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot) : sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot) : sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting) : sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache) : sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x) : sfc /cachesize=x
System Properties : sysdm.cpl
Task Manager : taskmgr
Telnet Client : telnet
User Account Management : nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager : utilman
Windows Firewall : firewall.cpl
Windows Magnifier : magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure : wmimgmt.msc
Windows System Security Tool : syskey
Windows Update Launches : wupdmgr
Windows XP Tour Wizard : tourstart
Wordpad : write

PayPal in Rails

2009-04-28T14:28:00.002-06:00

Here is the link to the series of Railscasts that showcases the easy integration of paypal into an online shopping cart web app. The series (141-146) describes the integration of paypal as a credit processing co. and covers security and a variety of methods in which to properly integrate paypal to both allow people to pay simply by having paypal process the requests (for a nominal fee) or by allowing people to use their paypal account (while staying at your domain). Very informative series with a lot of helpful tips.

Here's the link to the first in the series (requires quicktime)

http://railscasts.com/episodes/141-paypal-basics

In Hard Times eat Hard Tack

2009-04-27T10:17:00.003-06:00

Poor? Hungry? Eat the crackers of great men.

What do pirates, george washington, and other famous old dudes have in common? They all had to eat hard tack back in the day - which was basically a cracker - with very little flavor - that got as hard as a brick when it dried.

These were tough times - there were armies on the march - and bellies had to make due with salt pork and this vile wheat brick. But it made great men out of them all - look at GW - he changed the world!

So printed below is the recipe for the simpleset tack of all.

Recipe from : http://kenanderson.net/hardtack/recipes.html

Army Hardtack Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups flour (perferably whole wheat)
4 teaspoons salt
Water (about 2 cups)
Pre-heat oven to 375° F
Makes about 10 pieces

Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Add just enough water (less than two cups) so that the mixture will stick together, producing a dough that won’t stick to hands, rolling pin or pan. Mix the dough by hand. Roll the dough out, shaping it roughly into a rectangle. Cut into the dough into squares about 3 x 3 inches and ½ inch thick.

After cutting the squares, press a pattern of four rows of four holes into each square, using a nail or other such object. Do not punch through the dough. The appearance you want is similar to that of a modern saltine cracker. Turn each square over and do the same thing to the other side.

Place the squares on an ungreased cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Turn each piece over and bake for another 30 minutes. The crackers should be slightly brown on both sides.

The fresh crackers are easily broken but as they dry, they harden and assume the consistentency of fired brick.

Conversion Guide

2009-03-11T09:13:00.002-06:00

Just because I also always forget what is what here it is:

3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons = 1 ounce
8 ounces = 1 cup
16 ounces = 2 cups = 1 pint
32 ounces = 4 cups = 2 pints = 1 quart
128 ounces = 16 cups = 8 pints = 4 quarts = 1 gallon

2008-09-24T17:31:00.001-06:00

LOBSTER CAT

Thanks to Karen for the great pic.

MEGA WEB TOOLS FOR AWESOME

2008-09-18T17:34:00.000-06:00

check it out yo!

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/five_ways_to_use_social_media.php &
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the_weirdest_stuff_on_the_internet.php

There are some incredibly awesome tools and links from this little articles here.

Mostly, dapper.net, aiderss.com, and yahoo pipes.

With this you can completely super organize your online intake. For instance, build an rss feed out of some sites with dapper - send 'em through aiderss to get the best content from them (what other people have been tagging and making popular) , and then sort from that feed with yahoo pipes and mash them into one feed then put it all in feedburner to create a nice clean mega-feed everyone can subscribe too.

Poo poo, while you're at it might as well have it autoupdate your twitter account w/ all the cool stuff you found using twitterfeed.

And then if you really don't give a flying chuck, make sure that you use friendfeed to autoupdate all of your social sites everytime that your feed hits your twitter.

Then everyone will be super duper connected - and they can use this technique to filter stuff from you.

HAHAHAHAH

Drill Baby Drill, Really!?

2008-09-08T14:37:00.001-06:00

Cross-posted from Environment America's Daily Kos Diary HERE

I couldn't quite believe it myself when I heard the crowd at the Republican National Convention last week, whipped up into a frenzy over the idea of opening our precious coasts to new drilling.

Click here to see and hear it for yourself.

In the last few days, 10,000 of us have urged our representatives and senators in Congress to say no to new offshore drilling, no to putting our beautiful coasts at risk of devastating spills, and no to the false hope of a quick-and-dirty fix to our energy problems. That's a fantastic accomplishment in such a short time.

But frankly, we need to do more to make ourselves heard over the din of "drill, baby, drill" -- especially when Big Oil's propaganda machine can so easily amplify their call on Capitol Hill.

As soon as the next few days, Congress will vote on whether to pass an energy policy paid for by Big Oil or one that puts us on a path toward a clean, sustainable energy future. Tell Congress to put a stop to the Big Oil agenda right now.

Take Action

We're raising the voice of people from all over the country to expose Big Oil's self-serving agenda, which includes:

* Saying NO to clean energy and energy efficiency tax credits,
* Saying YES to $13.5 billion in tax giveaways to the oil industry, and
* Saying YES to new drilling off our coasts.

Let's face facts. Big Oil's agenda is not about saving us money at the pump. It's about making them more money any way they can.

As outrageous as that is, we cannot win without Congress hearing from more Americans like you.

Click here to tell Congress to pass a sensible energy policy.

"Drill, baby, drill" is no solution to our energy problems, not by a long shot. Help us stand up to Big Oil today.

Thanks, as always, for making it all possible.

My comment on proposed Endangered Species Act Rule changes

2008-09-03T14:44:00.000-06:00

Warning: Really long post!

This is a public comment i posted on regulations.gov regarding the "Revised Definitions for ESA Section 7 Consultations; 50 CFR Part 402."

To add your own comment go here.

Basically, (and i read the whole proposal, what a read!!! its pretty long and relatively dry but interesting and recommended by matt) the Dept. of the Interior is proposing changing the rules of the Endangered Species Act. What this means is a few things. The purported goal of the rule changes is to increase efficiency, in effect however it will weaken protections for Endangered Species and Habitats across the US.

For some background info:

Whenever an agency (like the Federal Highway Administration or the Army Corps of Engineers) decides to do a project they first have to see how that project will affect endangered stuff. They usually have to get scientists from Fish and Wildlife (the Service) to sign off that the project will be okay.

Now,

They want to first not have to submit a biological assessment outright to the consulting service, but rather, if they did similar work in other documents they want to submit that for Review instead. Well, this one was no big deal.

Secondly, they want to redefine a bunch of stuff like "cumulative review" and "indirect effect" to have to be shown to be a direct result of the project. This seems sensible enough on paper, but in real life this means that it is impossible to scope the project appropriately. Instead of getting the environmental assessment for an entire pipe line, for instance, the review will only focus on specific portions on specific applications. This also means that far reaching and "long tail" impacts like the effect of green house gas increases on global warming will not be considered; ever. Sorry to the polar bear on that one.

Nextly, well this is the worst part, but basically they propose that if the agency thinks that their project won't affect endangered stuff then they don't have to submit anything for review. Ever. And that's pretty much the crux of the problem. Its like telling the fat kid to guard the pie. The agencies whose goal it is to get a project moving are then the same people charged with protecting the environment which is clearly a conflict of interest. Although, this only applies to circumstances where there is supposedly no "take" (meaning no death or destruction to critters and their homes) whether or not there is take is left up to the agency now. Of course, the Services that review can still say "hey, this is going to have an impact" and they can request one should the need be; but this turns the Services (fish and wildlife and marine) into watchdogs for agencies, which wastes more of their resources and inadvertantly will allow more stuff to slip by. Especially since the new rules are working to set a maximum of 60 days for review which (when a Service is flooded for requests and under funded) will mean a lot more stuff will flow over the dam.

To add your own comment go here.

So here's what i submitted to the public commentors:

***Thank you. Your comment on Document ID: FWS-R9-ES-2008-0093-0001 has been sent.
***Your Comment tracking number is 806ef187 .

I am hereby voicing my opposition to the proposed rule changes of FWS-R9-ES-2008-0093 the "Interagency Cooperation Under the Endangered Species Act."

To begin, the changes proposed by this act would only serve to obfuscate the consultation process between action agencies and Services as well as limit proper oversight by Services.

By clarifying the definition of "cumulative effects" and "indirect effects" to mean clearly that the results of an action must be "reasonably certain to occur" instead of "foreseeable" in the future severely limits the impact of consultation. The inclusion of this definition as well as the inclusion of language requiring that an action must be an "essential cause" of an indirect effect reduces the scope of environmental impact assessment to a level of specificity that undermines the overall impact of environmental review. With these new rules in place, even though an effect would be likely to occur, it will have no standing in the review process unless such an effect can be proven to occur. When dealing with the preservation of species and habitat proof of damage should not be required if it can be shown that damage is likely to occur. This is an intentional attempt to weaken species and habitat protections.

Proposed paragraphs (b)(2) and (3) also exclude from consultation actions which are so uncertain or unlikely that they are tantamount to having no effect on listed species or habitat. Uncertainty should not be tantamount to "no effect." If anything, uncertainty should be cause for review.

Overall the proposed changes in paragraph (b) equate actions which "may affect" species and habitats to actions which can be shown to have "no effect." Once again, this is simply a weakening of protections on species on habitats.

The loss of the need for consultation between agencies and Services based on the proposed changes to paragraph (b) are unwarranted. The changes are unnecessary because under the current regulations there is already a process in place under which actions deemed to have little potential impact on habitats or listed species can be proposed as such by the action agency to the Service. The Service can then concur with that determination and the consultation obligation is satisfied. Therefore, any impact on the expediency on the process will be minimal because a method of increasing expediency is already built into the system.

The inclusion of deadlines for response from the Service to an agency is a means by which, by flooding the Service with requests, an agency could stand to receive no review and thus circumvent a much needed process; even though under the proposed rule changes this review would be optional.

Overall, the proposed rule changes will have little impact on efficiency, will forfeit important reviews in instances where listed species and habitats "may" be threatened, and will require that the review process itself be so specifically and rigidly targeted so that any wide-ranging environmental impacts of an action will go un-investigated and any findings that do not show direct causality beyond the shadow of a doubt (regardless of however likely these findings may be) will be disregarded.

It is for these reasons that FWS-R9-ES-2008-0093, the "Interagency Cooperation Under the Endangered Species Act," is poor policy and should not be implemented.

There are only 3100 comments so far so please add yours too.

To add your own comment go here.

Denver mall shuttle crashes into starbucks

2008-06-06T15:24:00.000-06:00

Check it out! This happened right by the market street station downtown.