As Slashdot reported earlier today, Diebold's voting machines are much less secure than was previously thought. (Is it possible to have negative security?) Apparently, common desk and minibar keys can open the Diebold voting machines!
Now this is just plain ridiculous. The original exploit for these machines required that you either have a key or a screwdriver, with the key being preferrable. (Dismantling a voting machine is likely to get noticed, whereas simply opening a little door won't.) As it turns out, the key that was used is just a simple office furniture key, widely available on the Internet and from supply catalogs.
The access panel door on a Diebold AccuVote-TS voting machine — the door that protects the memory card that stores the votes, and is the main barrier to the injection of a virus — can be opened with a standard key that is widely available on the Internet.
This is simply inexcusable. Even vending machines use a more secure locking mechanism. Of course, any locking mechanism can be defeated by the determined attacker, but these machines are not unmonitored. If you make too much noise, "the gig is up". However, by using such a common key, any attacker can access the machine's memory card — virtually undetected.
I fear for the future of this country if these kinds of problems go unsolved.
The Register reported that people in the Netherlands should beware of interdimensional attack. "Yup, it looks like the Daleks are poised to exploit this rift in the space/time continuum.", writes Lester Haines. Its bad enough that we have to worry about attacks from other countries, without having to deal with attacks from other (fictional) dimensions.
I have started a new song. Those of you who heard my "early work" on Modarchive.com will probably reeling with horror at this point, but rest assured — I have been honing my skills.
The file is only thirty seconds, and is just a preview of the earliest part of the song. Enjoy.
Well, I've finally finished my time in service of the Indiana National Guard. I just received my discharge papers, so now I'm back to being a full-time civilian again! ![":-)"]("http://www.mgzi.net/templates/default/img/emoticons/smile.png")
The television database is finally starting to shape up. At this time, broadcast channels are listed for several local markets near northeast Indiana, as well as several local cable systems.
On the broadcast side, the Fort Wayne and South Bend markets should now be fully covered, and Lansing, Toledo and Lima should be coming along very quickly. The real attraction here is the cable listings. Aside from PPV, the channel listings are complete for Comcast in Fort Wayne, and a few small Longview and Galaxy systems in Steuben County. Angola's local system (Mediacom) is not fully in yet, but will be soon. Any information about tiers and pricing would be very helpful.
Good things are coming, so stick around!
First of all, I'd like to point out that my resume is now online, but currently only in Micro$oft Word format. PDF and HTML versions are forthcoming. Also, I'm currently working on a database of television and radio stations, and their owners.
The database right now is in the process of being filled, and the interface is being written. The administration interface is mostly complete (although you'll never see this). I have a preliminary interface that shows "providers" and their line-ups, although the information is not very detailed right now. (The info is in the database, it's just not visible right now.)
When this is finished, ownership, subscription information, and programming information for OTA and FTA stations will all be available. I plan to offer side-by-side comparisons of various multi-channel operations (ie. Local Cable vs. DBS). If you have an idea you'd like to see implemented, or would like to submit information to the database, write me at alextv@mgzi.net.
I just want to assure everyone that I am still alive. I have lots of exciting trip pictures from my trip to Arizona in January, as well as new case-mod stuff. I also plan to update the Linux Digital Camera List before it becomes completely useless. Oh yeah, and I noticed the "problem" with the forum. Nice going, heh… still pointless, since nobody used it anyway. (Adios to the forever-beta forum, I guess.)
Sorry I haven't updated my web site in quite a while. I have been… distracted by other matters. However, if you are anxious to see me at work, I have updated my employer's web site. I have updated the web site for Moyer Companies, which includes my employer — Moyer Process & Control. I've been working there for three years now, and I have only just now been given the opportunity to update it. (It has badly needed it for some time now.) I hope you all enjoy the layout and coding… you probably aren't particularly interested in springs. ![";-)"]("http://www.mgzi.net/templates/default/img/emoticons/wink.png")
Some people have complained that there are only thirteen episodes per season in the new series of Doctor Who. Howver, given what the series has tended to do in the past, it is not too far off the mark. The original series of Doctor Who was shown as multi-part serials with 22.5 minute segments. If you edit together all the episodes of a typical four-part serial, you get a fairly consistent 1:30 run length. At any rate… after the Troughton era, seasons were usually 26 episodes long. As Season 22 amply demonstrated, a season of the equivalent 45 minute episodes is only 13 episodes long. Of course, nothing comes close to the black-and-white era of the series, which ran the show almost every week. Here is a history of the series, and the number of episodes per season. (For purposes of illustration, I've listed "The Five Doctors" as four episodes, and listed the numbers for Season 22 as if it had 22.5-minute episodes. Equivalent number of 45-minute episodes shown in parenthesis.)
Season 1 – 42 (21) Season 2 – 39 (19.5) Season 3 – 45 (22.5) Season 4 – 43 (21.5) Season 5 – 40 (20) Season 6 – 44 (22) Season 7 – 25 (12.5) Season 8 – 25 (12.5) Season 9 – 26 (13) Season 10 – 26 (13) Season 11 – 26 (13) Season 12 – 20 (10) Season 13 – 26 (13) Season 14 – 26 (13) Season 15 – 26 (13) Season 16 – 26 (13) Season 17 – 26 (13) (20/10 aired) Season 18 – 28 (14) Season 19 – 26 (13) Season 20 – 26 (13) Season 21 – 26 (13) Season 22 – 26 (13) Season 23 – 14 (7) Season 24 – 14 (7) Season 25 – 14 (7) Season 26 – 14 (7)
New Series: Season 1: 13 45-minute episodes Season 2: 13 45-minute episodes, plus a 45-minute Christmas special (14 eps total)
Okay, time for my irregular Gothador stats update.
| PLAYER STATISTICS |
| Alias: |
alexdw |
Exp: |
14718521 xp |
| Class: |
Dark Elf |
Next Lvl: |
14844500 xp |
| Level: |
201 |
Gold: |
3007283 gp |
| Rank: |
290th |
Platinum: |
0 pp |
| Mining: |
25 |
Smelting: |
26 |
| Realm: |
Gothador |
| Attack: |
209 (+165) |
Defense: |
165 (+145) |
| AC: |
270 (+137) |
DMG: |
282-324 (+319) |
| Wisdom: |
8 |
Next AP: |
5m 0s (288 max) |
| Max HP: |
116 |
Max MP: |
194 |
| Skills: |
Sense, Thievery, Locate, Detect, Free Speech, Creature Steal, Creature Locate, Anti-Theft, Regenerate, Thievery Retal, Master Miner, Multi Ring, Rage, Master Smelter, Secure Trade, Rags to Riches, Trader Contact, Gold Collector, Multi Amulet, Revive, Cloak, Frenzy, Secure Gold Trade, Mine Fighter, Quick Cast, Mage Frenzy, Critical Hit, Mana->HP, HP->Mana, Light Foot, Sacrifice |
| Spells: |
Energy Ball (2), Green Fireball (3), Yvew Shards (1), Shadows (3), Ice Shards (5) |
Magic Resistances: |
Dark Magic 40%, Fire 90%, Holy 50%, Ice 50%, Lightning 98%, Transdimensional 50%, Water 40% |