becoming

SHA-1 has been broken. Not a reduced-round version. Not a simplified version. The real thing.

Displays images of people and objects all around the world that tell the current time:
http://www.humanclock.com

I came back from SLC last Sat. morning. Things are okay and thanks for your prayers. I am having dry cough these days, and will probably get some medication this afternoon.

A few b/s I know are going through tough times right now. Protect them and comfort them, Lord. Grant them faith and hope in this times of need. Amen.

I am currently in Salt Lake City for a business Trip. Is it just me or people in here are nuts — wearing T-shirts on a 32 F (0 C) day?

Last night, my colleague needed to buy his girlfriend some “stuff” from victoria’s secret. So here I was, standing in front of a lingerie store, waiting for him, looking embarrassed….

Who would have expected that during a business trip, huh?!

And I have to do that twice! Since he got charged extra…..

Secret History of Credit Card

It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year for the banking industry’s most lucrative business: credit cards. In the coming weeks, millions of Americans will reach into their wallets and use plastic to buy an estimated $100 billion in holiday gifts. But at what cost?

In “Secret History of the Credit Card,” FRONTLINE® and The New York Times join forces to investigate an industry few Americans fully understand. In this one-hour report, correspondent Lowell Bergman uncovers the techniques used by the industry to earn record profits and get consumers to take on more debt.

[Read more]

I hope you like the new color scheme and css layout. They reflect a more natural and earthly style which I think mix well with the “becoming”/”growing” theme of the site. It is much warmer than before too!

A good webmaster color palette tool can be found here: http://www.visibone.com/colorlab/index.html

HOWTO make your PC more secure, by Bruce Schneier

Bruce Schneier recently published a list of security recommendations for individuals who want to make their PCs safer:

General: Turn off the computer when you’re not using it, especially if you have an “always on” Internet connection.

Laptop security: Keep your laptop with you at all times when not at home; treat it as you would a wallet or purse. Regularly purge unneeded data files from your laptop. The same goes for PDAs. People tend to store more personal data–including passwords and PINs–on PDAs than they do on laptops.

Backups: Back up regularly. Back up to disk, tape or CD-ROM. There’s a lot you can’t defend against; a recent backup will at least let you recover from an attack. Store at least one set of backups off-site (a safe-deposit box is a good place) and at least one set on-site. Remember to destroy old backups. The best way to destroy CD-Rs is to microwave them on high for five seconds. You can also break them in half or run them through better shredders.

Operating systems: If possible, don’t use Microsoft Windows. Buy a Macintosh or use Linux. If you must use Windows, set up Automatic Update so that you automatically receive security patches. And delete the files “command.com” and “cmd.exe.”

[Read more]

It just does not make sense when something that is light-years ahead will only have 6% of the market share, while the much more bulky and often exploited one can be found on over 90% of the world’s computers. [Read more]