Author: Maxsons Import_User

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NSA, Security, And More

Locks

I’ve written before about encrypting email, why you should, yet more reasons to encrypt your email (this one is interesting.  A link in 2010 about barry wanting backdoors in encryption products), keeping the IRS out of your inbox, and encrypting your computer.  I’ve even written a how-to on encrypting your email.  Heck, I’ve even blogged about ways to encrypt your voice traffic on mobile networks (although, I wonder about backdoors).

That got me thinking:  “What do I need to do to beat NSA monitoring?”  Now, I’m sure they can throw tons of computing power at problems and break whatever I can throw at them; however, if I can make them spend 2-5 seconds doing it…it may be worthwhile.  In this post, I wonder about options.

At the moment, I’ve settled on some off-the-shelf open source apps:

GibberBot (mobile chat encryption)
Redphone
Adium / Pidgin
GPG (encrypted email)
TextSecure

However, I’m still at the mercy of others.  Do I trust the Adium/Pidgin/GibberBot developers to be independent?  Yes (especially since their code is open source).  TextSecure, I also trust.  Redphone is a bit iffy.  Sure their code is open source; however, I think they route the calls through their network instead of peer-to-peer somehow.

I think the only way to KNOW you are secure is to do it yourself.  Use opensource software, hosted on a server you own (not a managed server, etc…), with encryption keys you control.  Then, if the police raid the colocation facility, take your server, all they get is a box…you would have to decrypt it yourself.  I’m really thinking about doing this…I just need to find a VoIP app that will let me do encrypted voice mobile and on a computer (too bad Google shut down Gizmo)

Image from trevor blake via flickr

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Last Week….

Alcohol stove take 1

…I made an alcohol stove.  Here in England, I haven’t found a source for HEET so I tried test firing it with rubbing alcohol but it didn’t do too much.  So, I did some looking and yesterday bought some methylated spirits (basically ethanol that has anti-drinking agents in it.  Found out about it from Adventures in Stoving).  The stove finally lit and the holes on the outside got fire…but it wasn’t very much.  When I set a pot on top, the fire was snuffed out.

Well, I thought the problem was I didn’t have it together good enough so I pushed down on the top.  Long story short, I ended up and crushed it (the picture to the left is after I pulled it back out).  I decided it was ruined too bad so I’m going to make another.

Here’s some videos showing what I used as the basis for mine:

 

And because you tube videos have a bad habit of disappearing, here are local mirrors of pt1, pt2, and pt3.

[Update 2013-06-25 06:50:42] Here’s a link to my new stove burning nicely.

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For Father’s Day

Tassimo-T42sort med drik

Cyndi and the kids got me a Tassimo coffee machine.  Costa was running a special:  £30 for the machine.  I then got a £20 off my first order of coffee from their web store.  That works out to £0.50 (aka 50p) each for some hot chocolate I bought and £0.25 (25p) for a coffee/tea assortment.

Now, I’ve always wanted one of the all-in-one espresso machines; however, I wouldn’t spend the money.  This offer for the tassimo made it within my price range.  So far, I’ve had the following drinks:

* Costa Americano
* Costa Late
* Earl Grey Tea
* 100% Columbian

The one thing I’ve found is that the coffee is rather strong if I don’t give it extra water.  At first, I was confused about how to do that.  The instructions seemed to indicate that you push the start button after the brew cycle for an extra “shot” of water.  Well, it turns out you have to push and hold the button and it “doses” hot water as long as you hold the button.

I give the machine 7 out of 10 overall.  I wouldn’t have paid full price for it; however, the special made it a nice purchase. I think once my major order runs out, I’ll buy my coffee direct from Costa.  I’ll get costa points and give the Redhill store some traffic.

Image from Tassimo Danmark via flickr

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I want to weigh in

UK biometric passport on pile of Euro currency

on this immigration debate.  But first, realize that I have lived and worked outside the US in 2 different countries over the past 6 years.  In one, Serbia, I didn’t speak the “official” language we had to deal with the government in.  In the second, I did; however, not everyone got a “pass” on the English Language test necessary to get a visa.  Here’s what I think we should do (and why):

  1. If you get caught in the US illegally, you get sent back to your home country.  You are forever denied a legal entry visa.
  2. If you get caught overstaying your visa, you get sent back to your home country.  You will be denied a legal entry visa for a period of time (10 years perhaps).
  3. If you want a visa to come work, you (or your employer/sponsor) must prove you can provide for your needs for 6-8 months (either by pledging to support you or showing bank statements)
  4. Your visa will be marked as “no public funds” or “assistance.”  Only citizens are eligible for welfare (I’d make exceptions for genuine refugees)
  5. If your parents are illegally here and are caught (but you were born here) you can stay as long as any rules are met (regarding care for minors, etc…).  If you are an adult, you can stay no problem.  You can even apply to sponsor your parents (but see numbers 1 and 2).
  6. There’s only one pathway to citizenship and that starts with a legal visa.

I don’t get why this is so hard.  Sure, people want to come to the US.  Sure they can get work in the US but not their own country.  Sure it isn’t nice.  But getting to go to another country isn’t a right….it is a privilege.  Living and working in another country isn’t a right…it too is a privilege.  I don’t understand the move for amnesty and legalization.

[Update 2013-06-22 10:34:23] I just wrote both of my senators and urged them to vote NO on Monday.  Is reform needed?  Yes!  But making a whole segment of lawbreakers legal isn’t the answer.

Image from Christopher Elison via flickr

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this is cool

I remember my dad talking about how much fuel they saved with a one engine taxi.  This is really interesting. 

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/06/electric-taxiing-airlines/

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and

Coke a cola will clean chrome, dissolve a penny, and an entire tooth!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2345564/Shocking-list-US-foods-BANNED-countries-containing-dangerous-chemicals.html

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I think it is creative

And unique.  Th

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2345316/War-words-erupts-wedding-guests-gift-bride-cheap-embarrassing-food-hamper-containing-marshmallow-fluff-croutons.html

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so…

I should feel guilty because they are risking their life in makeshift factories to build bombs?  Don’t think so.  I don’t have a clue which side is right…I’m supporting neither at the moment.

http://news.sky.com/story/1106383/syria-rebels-risk-own-lives-over-diy-weapons

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drones

As long as these are used as unmanned police helicopters, I don’t have a problem with it.  But if they fly around “watching” then I do. 

I have no trust in the US government at all.  In my opinion the US has become nothing more than a banana republic. 

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/06/fbi-drones/