Blackmoor Vituperative

I ran into a problem with VMWare Server 2.0 the other day. I have VMWare set up to start the virtual machines when machine starts. This is a Windows XP Pro machine (the final version of Windows, as far as I am concerned). From looking at the event log, it appeared that the virtual machines would not start because the VMWare Host Agent service was not starting, and the VMWare Host Agent service was not starting because it had several dependencies which were not yet started themselves when the VMWare Host Agent service was being kicked off by Windows.

I did quite a bit of research on this, and tried some very clever solutions, none of which made any difference (changing the service’s dependencies, etc.). What I finally did was to create a small batch file, vmware_host_agent.bat

:: pause sixty seconds, then start VMWare

ping 127.0.0.1 -n 60 >nul

net start “VMWare Host Agent” -x

And then created a link to that in the Startup group.

Problem solved. It’s not elegant, but it works.

I own an IT consulting company in Richmond, VA. This morning I received the following email from someone who claimed to want us to service several laptops:

Hello ,

How you doing,I read your description and i am highly impressed in your services,I have some Hp PCs(Intel Pentium IV) since we currently have a major breakdown on most of our systems and I thought it was best to have a general upgrade and maintenance.(I will be providing the software needed).Below are the things needed to be done one on each laptops:

1 Format Hard Drive
2 Install Win Xp with Service Pack 2
3 Microsoft Office Package
4 AVG Virus Software (Free Lifetime Updates)
5 Adobe Acrobat
6 Laptop Cleaning of the keyboard, screen and other case.
7 Diagnostics of the entire system after to check hard, CD Rom, floppy, etc.

I will like you to know that my mode of payment is by US certified check mailed and address to you from my employer company since I am presently on a business workshop in Panama city,South American and i want you to know that i will handle the shipment myself since i have a shipper from the state here that will bring the laptops to your place,and will come pick them up as soon as you are done with them.

I should have make this a phone order but i have a network problem of where i am and my shipper will be coming with the necessary Software for the installations of the Computers with both the Operating System,Microsoft Office and the Anti-virus for each computers .

However,get back to me with your last asking price for the 8 laptops. I await your urgent response so that i can put the arrangement in order.

Thanks and hope to read from you soon.

The warning flag here is the “US certified check”. I did a quick search, and discovered that this is a typical “Western Union scam” (not that Western Union is in any way at fault: they are simply being used by the scammers). Here is what the scam looks like in operation:

1. First email

2. ---

3. from    Nicole Bagwell <karenww1@live.com>
4. reply-to        nicoleww1@hotmail.com
5. to      nicoleww1@hotmail.com
6. date    Sat, Mar 28, 2009 at 5:00 PM
7. subject PC needs repair and installations !
8. mailed-by       craigslist.org
9.        
10. hide details Mar 28 (10 days ago)
11.        
12.        
13. Reply
14.        
15.        
16. ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
17. ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
18. ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
19. ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html
20.  
21.  
22. Hello,
23.  
24. I got your resume on  www.craigslist.org and i was just checking if you will be available to repair and install some applications on 12(Twelve) PC .
25.  
26. Get back to me for details if you’ll be available.
27.  
28. Nicole.
29. Hotmail® is up to 70% faster. Now good news travels really fast. Find out more.
30.  
31. this message was remailed to you via: serv-xtstn-1063755610@craigslist.org

32. ---

33.  
34. Second email
35.  

36. ---

37.  
38. Hello ,
39.  
40. How you doing? and thanks for getting back to me.
41.  
42. I read your description and i am highly impressed in your services,I have some Hp PCs(Intel Pentium IV) since we currently have a major breakdown on most of our systems and I thought it was best to have a general upgrade and maintenance.(I will be providing the software needed).Below are the things needed to be done one on each laptops:
43.  
44. 1 Format Hard Drive
45. 2 Install Win Xp with Service Pack 2
46. 3 Microsoft Office Package
47. 4 AVG Virus Software (Free Lifetime Updates)
48. 5 Adobe Acrobat
49. 6 Laptop Cleaning of the keyboard, screen and other case.
50. 7 Diagnostics of the entire system after to check hard, CD Rom, floppy, etc.
51.  
52. I will like You to know that my mode of payment is by US certified check mailed and address to you from my employer company since I am presently on a business workshop in Panama city,South American and i want you to know that i will handle the shipment myself since i have a shipper from the state here that will bring the laptops to your place,and will come pick them up as soon as you are done with them.
53.  
54. My shipper will be coming with the necessary Software for the installations of the Computers with both the Operating System,Microsoft Office and the Anti-virus for each computers and i should have make this a phone order but i have a network problem of where i am.
55.  
56. However,get back to me with your last asking price for the 12 laptops. I await your urgent response so that i can put the arrangement in order.
57.  
58. Thanks and hope to read from you soon.
59.  
60. Nicole.
61.  

62. ---

63.  
64. Third Email
65.  

66. ---

67. Thanks for the mail .
68.  
69. I must confess I’m comfortable with the cost and its quite reasonable and affordable and also,i hope i can trust you that to do a good job.
70.  
71. I will be sending you the payment inform of US certified cashier check mailed and addressed to you and regards to this kindly get back to me with your full information (in the format below)to receive the payment so it can be made out on-time.
72.  
73. NAME:
74. ADDRESS(NOT P O BOX):
75. CONTACT PHONE NUMBER:
76. DIRECT PHONE NUMBER.
77.  
78. For clarity,all the softwares will be coming with the various license and key.
79.  
80. Will be waiting to read your mail soon.
81.  
82. Best Regards!
83.  
84. Nicole.

85. ---

86.  
87. Fourth email

88. ---

89.  
90. Hello Jonathan,
91.  
92. Sorry for my slow response to your mail,I was busy making a call to my employer company in the state as regards your payment.My Employer company just called from the state few hours ago informing me that there is no exact check for your payment.
93.  
94. Mind you, a payment of $2850.00 [which happen to be my salary and  travel allowance  for this month of March] has been issue out in your name from my company and  mail to your contact address in which upon receipt ,you just need deduct your own payment  out of the money and help us to send the remaining amount to my shipper who will be bringing the PCs to you for the installations and repairs.
95.  
96. Sorry for not informing you about this before,I guess things will workout as  well.
97.  
98. Hope we can count on you about the payment and your service.
99.  
100. Hope  to read  from you soon .
101.  
102. Nicole.

103. ---

104.  
105. Fifth Email

106. ---

107.  
108. Hello Jonathan,
109.  
110. Sorry for not getting back to you since.It’s just that am However,the payment has been delivered to you few minutes ago via United State Postal Service( u.p.s) and here is the Ups  tracking# of the payment….1Z95V97V2210004613,you can go to  www.ups.com/us to track the package movement.
111.  
112. I want you to proceed to your bank immediately you get the payment to get the payment deposited and withdrawn immediately you get it deposited.
113.  
114. As soon as you get the payment withdrawn ,i will want you to proceed to the nearest western union outlet and get the Balance sent when you deduct your own payment from the total payment sent to you by my employer company and get the rest money sent to my shipper that will be bringing the PCs over to you.
115.  
116. Below is my shipper information that you are to get the balance sent to.
117.  
118. Name  :  Christina  Lynch
119. Address: 4207 Park Avenue
120. City  : Hot Springs
121. State : Arkansas
122. Zip code :71901
123.  
124.  
125. Please do that immediately so that my shipper can come over to you with the PCs and also to sign/receive the necessary document .
126.  
127. As soon as you get the money sent i will want you to get back to me with the Western Union control Number( MTCN),full sender’s name and the actual amount in USD when you deduct the western union charges.
128.  
129.  
130. Moreover,you can go to any of the below  western union outlet in your area today to get the payment sent and for easy transaction :
131.  
132. VALLEY DRUG
133. 208 EAST MAIN STREET
134. Everson, WA 98247
135.  
136.  
137. LYNDEN FOOD PAVILLION #441
138. 8130 GUIDE MERIDIAN
139. Lynden, WA 98264
140.  
141.  
142. Hope to read from you Soon.
143.  
144. Cheers !
145.  
146. Nicole.
147.  
148. PS…Do get the money sent today because my shipper call me to inform me that she will not be bringing the laptops over if she did not received the money today since she will be needing the money today to settle some bills,for documentation and booking the  hotel room she will be staying prior to the completion of the repair and installations.

149. ---

I hope this information saves someone from an expensive mistake.

I spent some time today piecing together the cinematic history of Godzilla. I have about a dozen Godzilla movies on DVD and Blu-Ray. Most are available in English. A few are not. Some were brutally mangled for US release, but I think many of those have since been re-released by distributors that actually care about the film (most notably Gojira and Godzilla Raids Again).

With that in mind, I have compiled a list of the Godzilla films and what I consider to be the important Godzilla-related films (I included Rodan, for example, but I did not include movies like War of the Gargantuas, which are ostensibly set in the same universe but which never cross over with Godzilla), and linked them to what I consider the best versions of those films on DVD or Blu-Ray. Unfortunately, some are very difficult to find at a sane price (or unavailable entirely, in the case of Return of Godzilla).

I hope that other people find this list useful.

Showa era

• Godzilla (1954)
• Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
• Rodan (1956)
• Mothra (1961)
• King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
• Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
• Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
• Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
• Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966)
• King Kong Escapes (1967)
• Son of Godzilla (1967) This is currently quite hard to find at a sane price. I do not know why anyone would pay more than $20 for this.
• Destroy All Monsters (1968)
• All Monsters Attack (1969) aka “Godzilla’s Revenge”.
• Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) I suggest that you watch this in Japanese with English subtitles.
• Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
• Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) This is another one that is difficult to find for a sane price.
• Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Heisei era

• The Return of Godzilla (1984) Unfortunately, there is no English version of this film on DVD. That may be a blessing: the Americanized version of this film (“Godzilla 1985”) was an abomination. You may be able to find a region-free copy of the Japanese film on Ebay, though.
• Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)
• Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) This is a huge improvement over the DVD release: widescreen, with both the Japanese and English audio tracks.
• Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) This is a huge improvement over the DVD release: widescreen, with both the Japanese and English audio tracks.
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)
• Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)
• Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)
• Rebirth of Mothra (1996)
• Rebirth of Mothra II (1997)
• Rebirth of Mothra III (1998)

The American knock-off

• Godzilla (1998) No, it isn’t really a Godzilla movie, but Zilla does show up in Final Wars.

Millennium era

• Godzilla 2000 (1999)
• Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)
• Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
• Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
• Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)
• Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)

“Fat Godzilla” era

• Godzilla (2014)

Many cryptographers and other security experts are familiar with what has come to be known as Kerckhoffs’ Principle. Many, however, do not know that there are actually six such principles. The core ideas of these principles are still relevant today, more than 125 years after he first articulated them.

1. The system should be, if not theoretically unbreakable, unbreakable in practice.
2. The design of a system should not require secrecy and compromise of the system should not inconvenience the correspondents (Kerckhoffs’ principle).
3. The key should be memorable without notes and should be easily changeable.
4. The cryptograms should be transmittable by telegraph.
5. The apparatus or documents should be portable and operable by a single person.
6. The system should be easy, neither requiring knowledge of a long list of rules nor involving mental strain.

(from Six principles of practical ciphers, TechRepublic)

The Rocky Mountain city instructs all job applicants to divulge their usernames and passwords for “any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc.” Bozeman city officials say that this is just a component of a thorough background check.
(from City wants job applicants to turn over Facebook user names and passwords, TechRepublic)

We really should not be surprised. Where was the outrage when employers started demanding potential employees — not even employees, merely applicants — consent to the humiliating and offensive invasion of privacy called “drug testing”? Where was the indignation, and the universal refusal to comply?

Where were the libertarian groups, the civil rights groups, the lawmakers and lobbyists who pretend to defend the rights of citizens against the abuse of those in power?

Nowhere. I and a handful of other people refused to submit to such debasement, but the rest of you sheep went along with it, and now good luck finding an employer who doesn’t demand it.

You sheep made this bed. Get ready to lay in it.

The Digital Rights Mafia (RIAA and their ilk) won a major court victory yesterday: the jury awarded the plaintiffs $1,920,000.00, or $80,000.00 per song. $80,000 per song.

One more time: $80,000 PER SONG.

A jury did this. What the hell is wrong with people? What the hell is wrong with our justice system? When will our elected representatives stop twisting our legal system into pretzels for the benefit of the Digital Rights Mafia and the media robber barons?

One thing is certain: juries need to be better educated.

Forrester Research has come out with a report stating, among other things, that half to two-thirds of businesses have “concerns” about open source security.

The problem with empty headlines like “Companies still concerned about open source security” is that they tell you nothing and yet imply everything. You may as well say, “Study Reveals Pittsburgh Unprepared For Full-Scale Zombie Attack“. What does this headline tell you? Is any city prepared for a full scale zombie attack? Is a full-scale zombie attack even remotely likely?

The answer to both is “no”. Yet the headline implies that the answer to both questions is “yes”.

Should companies be concerned about the security of open source software? Of course they should — and they should also be concerned about closed source software, as well as the firmware in their hardware, their physical security, and the safety of their employees in the parking lot.

Should companies avoid open source software for “security” reasons? Of course not. Open source software is, in general, more secure than closed source software, and security flaws in open source software are more quickly corrected when they are found.

The problem with polls like Forrester’s (and those who conduct them) is not that the results are inaccurate (although they may be). The problem is that you won’t get the correct answer if you do not ask the correct question — and you have to understand the topic in order to ask the right questions. Forrester Research clearly doesn’t.

Ars Technica has a review of the book Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age. I will have to pick this up.

By the way, don’t feel bad for record companies. They have been screwing artists for years. It was only a matter of time before something brought an end to the perverse market conditions that allowed the big record companies to survive.

The recording industry has spent (and continues to spend) millions of dollars on its litigation campaign against accused file-swappers, but if two lawyers have their way, the RIAA will have to pay all the money back. Not content simply to defend Jammie Thomas-Rasset in her high-profile retrial next week in Minnesota, lawyer Kiwi Camara is joining forces with Harvard Law professor Charles Nesson to file a class-action lawsuit against the recording industry later this summer.

The goal is nothing less than to force the industry to pay back the alleged “$100+ million” it has collected over the last few years. Perhaps the RIAA had good reason not to send those settlement letters to Harvard for so long.

(from Lawyers plan class-action to reclaim “$100M+” RIAA “stole”, ArsTechnica)

Give ’em hell, guys. It’s about time someone seriously took on the Digital Rights Mafia.

Google says that there are at least 18 Android devices on the way. Let’s hope that at least one of these has:

1. Everything the T-Mobile G1 has, including a physical keyboard,
2. a 4.5″ (measured diagonally) screen (but the same aspect ratio as the G1),
3. the Bluetooth DUN profile enabled (currently disabled on the G1, to my extreme annoyance).

Crossing my fingers…