Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

While my Wonder Woman, Son&Heir and I are using the nearest available public WiFi (“Family Night” at the Library! *heh*), I’m taking time to post some schadenfreude-laden “nanny-nanny-boo-boo” in the MacWarz! category:


Waiting on the class action lawsuit based on the “Mac Defender” malware and its more robust and sneaky successor(s?) Why? Because Apple misled naive users. They said, specifically, that no user intervention is necessary to protect users from malware.

From http://www.apple.com/why-mac/better-os/

Safeguard your data. By doing nothing.

With virtually no effort on your part, Mac OS X defends against viruses and other malicious applications, or malware. For example, it thwarts hackers through a technique called “sandboxing” — restricting what actions programs can perform on your Mac, what files they can access, and what other programs they can launch. Other automatic security features include Library Randomization, which prevents malicious commands from finding their targets, and Execute Disable, which protects the memory in your Mac from attacks.
Download with peace of mind.

Innocent-looking files downloaded over the Internet may contain dangerous malware in disguise. That’s why files you download using Safari, Mail, and iChat are screened to determine if they contain applications. If they do, Mac OS X alerts you, then warns you the first time you open one.

Stay up to date, automatically.

When a potential security threat arises, Apple responds quickly by providing software updates and security enhancements you can download automatically and install with a click. So you’re not tasked with tracking down updates yourself and installing all of them one by one.
Protect what’s important.

Mac OS X makes it easy to stay safe online, whether you’re checking your bank account, sending confidential email, or sharing files with friends and coworkers. Features such as Password Assistant help you lock out identity thieves who are after personal data, while built-in encryption technologies protect your private information and communications. Safari also uses antiphishing technology to protect you from fraudulent websites. If you visit a suspicious site, Safari disables the page and displays an alert warning you about its suspect nature.

Of course, none of this prevented Mac users by the droves from installing the “Mac Defender” malware, and the new procedures reluctantly posted by Apple to remove it and prevent its installation (last week Apple was simply telling AppleCare users who called, “Screw You”) WILL NOT WORK with the new version of the malware that has already been seen in the wild. Neither will all the supposed security features touted above. Go to the ZDNet article linked above for more.

Weather Offlines TWC Central

Update: More rain last night and more expected over the next few days. The creek behind twc central hasn’t advanced over its banks, although downstream, due to other tributaries and some backing up from overfull, constricted areas downstream–as close as 1/4 mile–it’s still pretty hairy.

Still no internet connection @twc central, so updates are going to be sparse. Here’s a pic from yesterday,down by the bridge about 1/4 mile south of us. Do note that the date stamped by the camera is off by one day. The pic was taken on the 24th.

Note the rock and gravel washed up on the other side that’s completely blocking the street.

The tornado that struck (one of dozens in the area, according to reports) about 35-40 miles north of America’s Third World County took our ISP down for most of this area. I’m (in an undisclosed location *heh*) a mini-buncha miles south of twc central in a library parking lot leeching off its public WiFi, now.

No pics of the devastation north of us. Son&Heir drove up there yesterday, unaware of the destruction, since our cable–all of it,TV and internet–had been down since about the time the tornado hit, and we’re not really much of a radio family (for one thing, living in a “radio black hole” has kind of trained us away from listening, and for another, there’s not a lot ofselection around here anyway). Anywho, we got a direct report, but since he was trying NOT to rubberneck (and cause an accident) but just get out of the way quickly, no pics from him, either.

But, here are some pics from about 200′ behind twc central. Note that yesterday’s pic is on the right and this a.m.’s is on the left. What a difference a DAY MAKES, EH?

Chicago White House Rules

Well, at least the kids in The Zero’s White House pay off co-conspirators who come through with the goods for them:

AARP Cashes In On Obumacare “Waiver” (Payoff)

Yeh, yeh, so I retitled the weenie, “AARP latest to receive Obamacare break” to reflect the simple fact that AARP and The Zero and their Dhimmicrappic congressional co-conspirators colluded together to make bribing shills like AARP (among others) to support the unconstitutional Obumacare something of a textbook case of Chicago White House Rules.

Are You Ready?

For this afternoon’s predicted “Rapture” event (See Acts 1:6-7 and 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 for the nitty-gritty), that is. Ya don’t want to come home to find one of these on your door, now do you? Hmmm?

(Be sure to print some out and spread them around town, eh?)

Seen at Look! A Baby Wolf! via Autumn People.


UPDATE: Well, here it is a day later and I’m still here. Now, some (yeh, I’m lookin’ at you) might not think that’s much in the way of evidence that the Rapture didn’t occur anyway (and I’m not so sure I wouldn’t agree, were one to judge by my life* *heh*), but last I checked, my Wonder Woman is still around, and you’ll not find a better Christian than she is.

But Harold Camping, con man extraordinaire, still has a net worth over $70million… Not bad, if he can still live with himself.


*Not that that is the criterion by which “raptured” souls will be judged. (Ephesians 2:8-9, among other passages in The Bible.)

OK, I’m a Fan

I do NOT watch any professional sports at any level (including college pros–yeh, they’re mostly pros. Don’t let me get started). Boring. But this guy, with one lil save, has made me a fan. Not a baseball fan or a fan of his “club,” just an Evan Longoria fan:

Imagine that woman’s face if Longoria hadn’t sensed the ball coming and intervened. I’ve caught hard-hit balls barehanded, and it’s not a lot of fun, but my peripheral vision wouldn’t have zeroed in on that ball, even with the warning crack from the hit, on my best day, in my best shape.

Good save.

And did you see the look of shock (and awe?) on the interviewer’s face? Priceless. No doubt she’s a fan now, too, eh? 😉

Slim Pickin’s*

Here it is not even halfway through 2011 and names are being thrown about, tossed in the hat (and thrown back out; Newt, I’m talking to you, you jackass) and bruited about for potential presidential runs. Republican/Repugnican’t names only, of course, as The Zero has said, according to Billary, that he intends to win in 2012 “And then we’re done.” (Would that make the Biden presidency begin the day after the election? *heh*) But choices of decent candidates from the supposed “Right” are slim pickin’s*.

On one key issue, illegal immigration (or, as I prefer, “alien invasion”), Michele Bachman is the only potential candidate whose name has been floated so far who passes muster on this one of my three critical issues. (If Bobby Jindal’s name were to be raised–haven’t seen it so far–he’d make number two.)

Any candidate fielded for any national office who can articulate sensible policies concerning 1. Eliminating–or very nearly so (not controlling or limiting) illegals, or “alien invaders” 2. Revenue and expenditures (big points for balanced budget and FairTax stances) 3. U.S. energy independence will get not just my vote but my enthusiastic support.

Solutions to these issues aren’t exactly rocket science: most are pretty simple and straightforward, requiring only the ability to spit in the eye of the entrenched political elites and their co-conspirators, fellow travelers and useful idiots. The only really tough weed in my three critical issues is expenditures by the feds. So-called “entitlements” (grants of special privilege to gain political power from voting blocks) are the big bugaboo. But even Social Security and Medicare “grants of special privilege” issues can be dealt with. After all, families cared for their aged loved ones for millennia before those programs came around to suck the life from young workers’ paychecks. Positing less “feddle gummint” meddling overall, families could do so again today, especially if American citizens grew up and took responsibility for their own care and feeding back from the “feddle gummint”… or were required to because someone jerked the “safety net” out from under their lazy-assed, greedy, “grasshopper” feet.

Oh, but what to do about the “grants of special privilege” to the locust class (generational welfare “families”)? Screw ’em. While I can grant that States have authority to engage in some sort of charitable efforts to alleviate situational poverty, supposing of course that the particular States’ constitutions provide for such, despite the lies libtards have sold for a generation or more, the federal Constitution does NOT give the “feddle gummint” authority to practice charitable acts with public funds. Let local communities, State agencies, private groups and associations handle the matter. And if “welfare queens” and their courts object, ship ’em to Mexico.


*Orthographic note: No, I did not misuse that apostrophe. And no, I did not mean to make “pickin” possessive, and nor did I mean “pickin is”. As you no doubt rightly inferred, the apostrophe is there because I extracted the “g” from “pickings” simply to effect a colloquial pronunciation in readers’ ears.

🙂


I thought to myself, “Meself, mayhap ‘t’would be a Good Thing to expand on, “not exactly rocket science.” So, herewith the third world county central fixes for the thee Big Issues:

1. Eliminating–or very nearly so (not controlling or limiting but eliminating) illegals, or “alien invaders”

a. Build the damned fence already.
b. Place machine gun nests with interlocking fields of fire and ROE that demands “shoot to kill” on the border
c. Go after those who employ illegals. Seize ALL the assets–including “sheltered” family assets–of ANYONE who employs illegals and cannot PROVE they made BEST faith efforts (not just “good faith”–exhaustive efforts) to eliminate alien invaders from their employ.
d. Pay a bounty to citizens ONLY for ratting out illegals and employers of illegals.
e. Refuse ALL government services, save emergency services for immediately life-threatening health care to any and all illegals and place bureaucraps who circumvent this on chain gangs making little rocks out of big ones.

THEN

Streamline LEGAL immigration for those seeking to enter the country who can demonstrate that they will both not be a burden on society and are likely to benefit our nation.

2. Revenue and expenditures (big points for balanced budget and FairTax stances).

a. Pass a balanced budget amendment, even if it takes working to defeat every spendthrift asswipe politician from now until the Trump of Doom sounds. Never give up. Make one provision of the amendment that politicians *gag-spit* who want to institute programs that exceed revenues must pay for those programs out of their own pockets.
b. Pass the Fairtax already. Any and every argument I’ve seen against it (save one) has been disingenuous to the point of outright lies. The only honest argument I’ve seen against it is that it would remove so much power from the “political elite” that they’d never pass it. So? Work to put their asses on the unemployment line and get some people in who are willing to have less power at their fingertips. Take the brakes off the American economy, aready!
c. Yeh, start being honest with folks about “entitlements”–we can’t afford ’em, and we for sure can’t afford to keep expanding them. For folks already addicted to ’em, let ’em sunset, slowly, but with the two provisions above in place, that’d be possible, because everyone who worked would have more in their pocket to handle such things, either as family or via real charities as opposed to government “charity” which is simply stolen resources bestowed on those who don’t earn them.

3. U.S. energy independence.

a. Put all the whining greenies that bitch and moan about how awful nuclear power is and place roadblocks to oil, gas and coal development and play NIMBY with new refineries out in the wilderness with a fishhook and a pocket knife and leave ’em to starve. (Feel free to go ahead and pity the wildlife.)
b. Go ahead and drill baby drill, build a few (hundred) pebble bed reactors (or any of the other exciting new nuclear reactor designs), put a thermal depolymerization plant in every tiny lil community that wants to actually MAKE MONEY via turning their sewage into oil, open up exploration and development of ALL hydrocarbon energy supplies, oh, and go ahead and remove roadblocks (as if there were any) along with artificial supports to development of “alternative energy sources”.

Oh, and as to the “drill baby drill” meme, check this:

There. Third world county central’s prescription for three big issues (we’ll leave The Biggest** for the Second Coming or perhaps the Twelfth of Never (sigh*) that face us.


**The Biggest: *@^^^3* politicians who either stupidly and ignorantly OR wittingly and venally violate the Constitution… just because they can, all the while either lying about what they want to do being constitutional or just not caring at all whether it is or isn’t (Yeh, Newt, I’m looking at you, too).

Be Nice to the “Slower” Members of the Herd

Been following the onslaught of Mac users infecting themselves with the Mac Defender/Mac Security scareware/trojan? The weaker members of the Mac herd (which probably comprises only about 90% of the herd *heh*) are the only ones susceptible to the social engineering ploy leading them to self-infect. *sheesh* OSX even uses the same sort of “superuser” or administrator password authentication that almost all ‘nix OSes do, which means users who infect themselves have to intervene to allow the scareware/trojan to install itself. (Windows users have griped about this sort of security nagging only since Vista… but careless Windows users still circumvent it as well.)

Here’s info from a leaked internal Apple memo about the issue:

Read it and weep. Apple, the paragon of user friendliness and service, says to its users essentially, “Screw you.” Oh, the memo points to a “helpful” page on malware in the Apple docs archive:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/27449

The sad thing is that the article at the link is a case of closing the barn door after the horse has fled, as it offers absolutely no help to someone who’s already infected themselves. Bupkis, zip, nada, a big zero with the rim kicked off. Oh, well. That’s Apple, eh?

If you do run into any of the 5% of computer users who use OSX who are among the subset that has infected themselves, just be kind to these weaker members of the herd, OK? 😉 I’ve had to practice being nice to self-infectors for years with Windows users, so I know full well what it’s like to bite my tongue when someone insists–contrafactually–that they did nothing to infect themselves. *heh*


Oh, and contrast Apple’s “Screw you” policy with Evil Microsoft’s policy:

The screencap shows only part of a fairly detailed article with more than a few FREE options for removal of malware. Apple, paragon of virtue: “Screw you,” to users. Evil Microsoft: “Here are some helpful, FREE avenues to take.”

A Simple Equation

The Reality-Based Fantasies of the Mass MEdia Podpeople Hivemind, Academia Nut Fruitcakes, Hollyweird and all the Loony Left Moonbat Brigade of leftard fellow travelers and useful idiots is to reality what “Reality TV” is to, well, reality. That is, both classes, the Reality-Based Fantasies of the left and “Reality TV” are simply lies. That “Reality TV” shows are putatively innocuous lies, supposedly entertaining (though I have never found them so, even though I’ve given each one at least one shot to garner my attention, just to be fair) and highly-manipulated fictions set in extremely unreal circumstances designed to primarily just waste brain-dead viewers’ time (and kill a few more brain cells), the lies of the left are designed for more nefarious purposes.

But both are, in essence, simply lies.

So, [the left’s Reality-Based Fantasies~”Reality TV”]=Lies.

Anthropological Research Topic

There’s probably a doctoral thesis in an exploration of the “Reality-Based” Fantasy community of wandering leftards, the Mass MEdia Podpeople Hivemind, Academia Nut Fruitcakes and assorted fellow travelers to discover the points–if any–where its world view has some (accidental?) connection to real reality…