"Wasting Money" written by Paul on estrip.org

Category: school

02/21/05 05:15 - ID#31688

Wasting Money

I just spent like $50.00 on printer ink for these stupid forms. I'll just add it to my $80,000 in student loans. Eventually, I am just going to have a nervous breakdown.

I wonder if I will ever be not in debt. As soon as I am done with these forms and fixing the test server I am going to make a debt calculator for the site so we can get a general tabulation for people willing to input their total debt. I am so curious to see how much it could be, a million dollars or five million dollars?

Permalink: Wasting_Money.html
Words: 99
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: mobile

02/21/05 12:58 - ID#31687

Phone Hacked

Quoted from SecurityFocus

A sophisticated computer hacker had access to servers at wireless giant T-Mobile for at least a year, which he used to monitor U.S. Secret Service e-mail, obtain customers' passwords and Social Security numbers, and download candid photos taken by Sidekick users, including Hollywood celebrities

Hodown has them on her journal [inlink]hodown,123[/inlink]

Paris Hilton got her sidekick II hacked and then all her celerbrity contact numbers and photos have been spread aroudn the web. Apparently the ultra private numbers of celebrities like Eminem, Christina Aguilera, Victoria Gotii, Anna Kournikova, etc got leaked. I can only imagine the pictures were also scandalous. But I have no idea as I have not seen them.

This is quoted form slashphone

Twenty-one year-old Nicolas Jacobsen was quietly charged with the intrusions last October, after a Secret Service informant helped investigators link him to sensitive agency documents that were circulating in underground IRC chat rooms. The informant also produced evidence that Jacobsen was behind an offer to provide T-Mobile customers' personal information to identity thieves through an Internet bulletin board, according to court records.

Jacobsen could access information on any of the Bellevue, Washington-based company's 16.3 million customers, including many customers' Social Security numbers and dates of birth, according to government filings in the case. He could also obtain voicemail PINs, and the passwords providing customers with Web access to their T-Mobile e-mail accounts. He did not have access to credit card numbers.

T-Mobile, which apparently knew of the intrusions by July of last year, has not issued any public warning.

This whole thing does raise an issue. Why is phone picture data stored on the telco server instead of on your phone. I also have a sidekick II and it clearly has enough memory to store the 36 pictures locally as you can still take them when you are off the network. I realize they probably think it is for safety reasons so that they can be restored if your phone dies but I personally would rather take the risk that the photos just got erased when something happend to the phone, then take the risk that someone else is accessing them. Well, at least I would if I was Paris Hilton. If anyone want my toroise pics they can have them. Maybe t-mobile should be more concerned about hackers.

(e:lilho) 's phone is even worse. It doesn't even send picture anymore. It simply uploads them to the server host and then recipients get an html link to the photos. I know it cuts down on bandwidth for the telco but it is really questionable if they are also using this for tracking, etc. That makes it pretty much useless for any application where you send photos, not that I can't write something to rip the photos off the web pages but it annoying that she can't send them to her journal.

Permalink: Phone_Hacked.html
Words: 496
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: school

02/21/05 12:38 - ID#31686

Jump Paul, jump

Right now I really want to be working on the site and studying about social networking patterns and the development of computer mediated communication. That sounds pretty reasonable for an MFA student in Media Studies, but instead I spent the last three days trying to get my new laptop even close to the way the old one was set up. Then when that is all done, I have to fill out like 300 forms for graduation all due by feb 24th.

Seeing as their whole grading and transcript system is online, I can't believe that UB still leaves this to hand writing and paper forms. It's actually shamefull on their part considering the department is media studies. If I had known most of the stuff I would be dealing with at that school was so behind the times I would have never gone. From the technology I worked with down to these paper forms, UB just set me back 3 years for a piece of paper. I mean it will probably be worth it but school actually inhibited me from learning.

My favorite example of this is still the fact that I wanted to take the more advanced electronics class in my department, but I couldn't because I "needed" credits from an outside department so I ended up taking electronics in the art department. I probably should have just boughta degree online ;)

Maybe I am just cranky because I miss (e:twisted)

Permalink: Jump_Paul_jump.html
Words: 240
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: computers

02/20/05 06:11 - ID#31685

So Linux . . .

I am sick of it already. I am writing this from back in windows, but I can't say that I didn't give it a good try. I will eventually move back to linux and am keeping it installed but in the meantime 150 fps 3d gears is not acceptable on my new fancy laptop which should be getting like 1500fps.

If I wasn't doing 3d too, then it would be eveerything I ever wanted. Wireless works, bluetooth works, 2D graphics are amazing but 3D is necessary. I am willing to give fedora a chance but I really can't dedicate that much more time to it this week.

So I am thinking of dividing it like this. I will do my programming in Linux and my artwork in windows where the programs exist and better access the graphics card for now.

Permalink: So_Linux_.html
Words: 139
Location: Buffalo, NY

02/20/05 03:27 - ID#31684

My first post from the new laptop

I am sitting in the den watching batman at 2:25 am. I have so much work to do now that I spent almost 2 days setting up the computer. I am so happy that it is mostly done. I still have to figure setting up maya in linux but I am going to wait till I get my new Maya 6.5 disks in the mail. I figure there is no point starting with 6.0 when I am just going to thave to upgrade in a week.

Permalink: My_first_post_from_the_new_laptop.html
Words: 82
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: computers

02/20/05 12:11 - ID#31683

Suse linux 9.2

So after spending three days getting windows to work properly on my new vaio s360 and countless hours searching online and waiting on hold for the windows driver, I decided it was time to brave linux. As I had previously had a great deal of drama getting linux to work on the m60, I was quite nervous.

Well, get this, it took about 20 minutes, and was totally automated, looks beuatiful, wireless works, bluetooth works, graphics card work at native 1280 x 800 resolution. It seems almost unreal. I am so excited to get started with it right after I set up my old laptop for (e:matthew) .

Thanks so much (e:ajay) for the disk. Best of all linux is free. If anyone else wants to switch I totally suggest suse 9.2, it is easy as can be.

Permalink: Suse_linux_9_2.html
Words: 135
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: peeptalk

02/20/05 12:02 - ID#31682

hodown dinner

Hodown is in town and her face is really messed up in the name of cosmetic beauty. I tried to get a pic but she wouldn't let me.

Dinner was especially delicious tonight. WE has steamed muscles in white wine sauce, peppers stuffed with gorgonzola, bacon wrapped scallops, and gourmet salad with cranberries. Yum

I miss lisa, it is so weird with her being gone

Permalink: hodown_dinner.html
Words: 72
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: computers

02/19/05 02:26 - ID#31681

Wireless Internet

I am so dissapointed in the Buffalo Niagara airport. I brought my new laptop here, the one that is finally working and they have a wirless connection but it is pay as you go. The thing is instead of having any sort of realistic micropayment system they require you to pay $6.95 for the entire day. Who pays fro an entire day of service at the aitport. I guess if you are in a desparate situation and really need to check your email but $6.95 is eally steep for people who are mostly only spending an hour here. It should be like $2 per hour, better yet free. I mean, don't airports make enough money charging exorbetant amounts for coffee and drinks. If you were a serious travelrer it would atcually be cheaper to buy a gprs card and connect with that, then paying the $6.95/day that the airport charges.

SPeaking of wireless internet, does anyone know what the situation is with the wireless internet on elmwood. A while back (e:ajay) mentioned it and I remmber some other people talking about it but I haven't heard any confirmatory information. WIll it be pay as you go or simply free. If it is not free, who is going to use it?

Permalink: Wireless_Internet.html
Words: 208
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: rant

02/10/05 01:36 - ID#31680

One dollar crumpled

I know this sounds like an (e:angryshortkid) inspired journal but does anyone else hate this situation? You have what appears to be a perfectly legimate $1 bill but the tasty machine refuses to accept. You try ironing it, rotating it, kicking the machine. Then you look in your pocket and every other bill is larger than a $1 - but your machine only takes $1 bills and the new "take 5" pretzel chocolate bar is laughing at you at this point. Argh.

Permalink: One_dollar_crumpled.html
Words: 80
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: work

02/10/05 01:36 - ID#31679

Main Street

I decided to take main street instead of the highway as there is so much new slick snow ? sleet. It is so slow as I have hit every red light on the way to teach some PHP to digital poetics students. I hope they like it.

I met with the chair of my dept today and they are still crossing their fingers on the full-time position. It really is their last year to decide. I feel bad because the department so obviously wants a new faculty member in the program but the school keeps dodging out on the money and I can't live without health insurance forever. It is kind of getting ridiculous now as there are over 150 majors and only 2 full-time faculty members.

If it doesn't work out I will just take one of the other million and a half job offers, but I have my heart set on teaching right now.