Category: FWIW

Posted on

Secure Passwords?

I recently had someone leave a key under their front door mat for me because their keypad was malfing (was so could “sit on” grandson after school). They returned, we visited, left. Got a phone call: “Where’s the key?” Well, I had not left it EXACTLY where instructed, but since THEIR keychain was on the bookcase where I’d been told to leave the key, I simply put the key on it.

Hiding in plain sight can work, but there’s “hiding in plain sight” and its idiot cousin, “Take me; I’m yours.” Don’t be the idiot cousin.

Writing down passwords can have the benefit of having them available when needed (and forgotten, but unless that list is under physical lock-and-key security, it’s “Take me; I’m yours.” Better: a secure password service, perhaps.

Better still: use passwords you can remember. No, not your dog’s name or your wedding anniversary date. (Oh, wait. That’s not somethining you’ve forgotten before, is it? *heh*) or ANYTHING ELSE derived from personal information about you. No, while easily remembered (except for the anniversary thingy), those kinds of things are available to others and so make easily “crackable” passwords. No, select a pass phrase that is memorable – title of a fav book, an aphorism, a line from a poem or song, etc., and construct your pass word using that in a way that is sensible and memorable for you.

For example, I took the “punch line” as I “misremembered” it! – from a Smothers Brothers parody of a song that was popular back in their heyday and constructed a password from that. VERY memorable for me, but since it’s from a parody of a song that’s not in the “Top Five Million” nowadays, and the line I used is NOT as it was performed in the parody, the password I constructed (an easy one) only used the first letters of each word (as “misremembered”), a “Massive Cracking Array” could take a couple of days to crack it, so not seriously secure. But then, as I said, an easy password. . . on a “Junk Mail” account designated as a SPAM catcher.so. . . *heh*

Posted on

The Right Tool for the Job

You have one knife on your person. Good for you. Two is better. Three is better still. More, if you want to have self-defense options that include edged tools/weapons. No, really. Close range knife “fights” mean BOTH will be wounded. If not defending against a firearm, ranged knife defense – practice throwing knives? Sure – can be an exceptionally effective option.

Note: knife wounds are more likely to result in fatalities, so make absolutely certain you cannot remove yourself from danger without seriously wounding an aggressor.

Aside from self-defense options, knives are pretty close to being the ultimate “frustration-free packaging” tools, among many, many other uses, and the right knife for the job can make a big difference.

Posted on

Nopers. Not for Me.

Saw a posting for what is quite likely an otherwise worthwhile event, but even if I were to desire to attend, I could not, because I have a firm policy against exclusion of knives (and by extension ANY exclusion of items that can be used for self-defense, because such is an inherent right). And, guess what? The venue not only excludes ALL knives (no matter size, design, or purpose) but excludes a lot of other things that, well, only Koolaid drinkers would approve of.

Yeh, I don’t fly, either (and I’d have to to make the event. Or rather, I will not, because Thugs Standing Around are just Security Kabuki, laced with cover for Official Thievery. Sure, it limits some of my options, but not any that are really important.

Posted on

Obfuscation, a PERSEC Device

PERSEC, INFOSEC, even OPSEC: fields to consider when using one’s Internet-connected computation devices (including phones). VPNs, TOR browsing, defeat of various tracking methods etc., are some standard tools, but do not underestimate sowing disinformation.

For one small example, Amazon has a record of ~8,500 books I have “bought” for my Kindles. Of course, MOST of those are freebies, and an [undisclosed] number of those are books I have absolutely no interest in at all (though I do fake having read ’em by “jumping” on through til I reach the end). This ensures that Amazon will keep pitching books to me that I have no interest in reading, demonstrating the company’s lack of true knowledge of my interest areas. (I do download a lot of PD books elsewhere while in TOR sessions, though.)

That’s just an example. There are others. It cheers my heart whenever a company sends my junk mail addresses emails touting things that “will interest me” demonstrating that a particular set of disinformation has taken root.

And now you get to wonder what part(s) of this post is(are) disinformation. . . 🙂

Posted on

What Happens When I Cut My BP Dosage in Half?

Generally, about what I want. For example, today:

BP: 105/57. HR: 60.

Also, tinnitus noticeably quieter. Pulse/blood oximeter reading: O2 reading: 98; Pulse: 57. Of course, I had relaxed a bit between BP/HR measurement and oximeter readings. Oh, and I had two pretty good naps between last night and early morning, so more rested than I often am.

Posted on

News of the “These ‘Workers’ Are Crap” Nature

Twenty-eight years with “our” bank and. . . it may be time for a change. The “new” idiots running the teller positions took TWELVE MINUTES to cash a couple of checks. *smh* When they asked me for ID, I knew they HAD to just be stalling. Heck, I didn’t have to present a photo ID when I applied for a mortgage (long paid off). What is it with “workers” nowadays? (Sadly, our “good neighbor” who worked there for years no linger does, apparently as of just this month.)

How do they get these people? By looking for “workers” to fill middle management positions?

Posted on

Weird.

Hmmm. . . missed my BP med yesterday (rare, nowadays, but it happens). A few hours after waking this AM, still haven’t taken my meds, and BP is 104/68 (pulse 69). THAT is VERY unusual. What?!? Did I actually sleep last night? *smh* Mirabile dictu!

I’m-a need to watch this. . .

Sidebar: signed up with Jase Medical for a year’s supply of meds (emergency stash to supplement my primary care physician’s quarterly prescription). Of course, I cheated a wee tad.

one med is prescribed at a level 2X the dosage I need (long story short: new Dr replicated previous prescription w/o noting my ongoing satisfaction with half dosage – what I had been previously instructed to try out). I’ve been doing VERY well on half dosages of that med for 3.5 years, now.
other med: I submitted an OLD prescription (pic taken from the ONE pill bottle I had left from a previous dr that had some leftover meds from before that dosage had been cut in half by the dr) that was twice the dosage level of what I’ve been on for 4 years, now.

Result: one year’s emergency stash = up to TWO year’s supply.

And both the meds have a MUCH longer real world expiration date than the ED noted by pharmaceutical company. (See the DoD Shelf-Life management Program and supportive research from 1986 through 2012 and beyond.)

Posted on

Olde Pharte Memories. . .

Darned near everything I see nowadays reminds me of vignettes of the past, oftentimes many different memories of things related to the current scene. Just a couple of minutes ago, someone mentioned Punnett Squares and reminded me that, though we covered their use in 7th Grade Science class, they were missing from my sophomore high school biology class. . . in a different state and district (as was a LOT of the human anatomy covered in an 8th Grade Science class in that other district).

Yeh, when we moved (9th Grade), the schools placed me in “average kids'” classes, in order to make absolutely sure I was bored out of my gourd.

Posted on

Neighborhood Watch

[N.B. Sorta-kinda-halfway tongue in cheek?]

Home Made Mortars?

No neighborhood watch should be without one. Or five.

(For when the Felonious Barony of Iniquity parks 1/4 mile away before launching yet ANOTHER illegitimate assault on a citizen’s inalienable rights? Maaaaaybe. . . 😉 )

Posted on

Get ‘er Done

Finally got around to cashing in a gift card (Thx, MF-n-Will!). A book (naturally), and pantry organization things – coupla my favorite things). My Wonder Woman had been carrying it around for more than half a year, but never could settle on something she wanted to spend it on for herself, so. . . Took me all of five minutes. Mr Efficiency.