Category Archives: COMMENTARIES

Mr. ‘Highlightly’ mal-adware

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“The Highlightly adware infection is designed specifically to make money. It generates web traffic, collects sales leads for other dubious sites, and will display advertisements and sponsored links within your web browser.
Highlightly it’s technically not a virus, but it does exhibit plenty of malicious traits, such as rootkit capabilities to hook deep into the operating system, browser hijacking, and in general just interfering with the user experience. The industry generally refers to it as a “PUP,” or potentially unwanted program.”

Basically stuff like this does not bother me a lot, nor do I pay any attention to it. But paying attention to it is just the point for whoever comes up with that type of dumb advertising strategy. Like “Ow, I cannot sell anything, my business is going broke, unless I dig deep into all those other Internet users’ systems to stick some virus into their operating system.” Did they order anything ? I do not think so. People order and buy what they want, but not what somebody tells them they want.

Retail business and restaurant business are the worst businesses to be in, unless an owner/operator of such type of business is very good and gets their business going and flourishing based on actually coming up with something new and special. But not some dumb stuff like that ‘highlightly virus’ thing which infects the entire Internet experience. Like for example some real dumb ass walking in the street with a big baton and hitting pedestrians on their head with the slogan: “Buy my stuff.” Who cares about your stuff, stuff it up yours.

TransCanada and Keystone XL

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[ http://www.ec.ca/news/politics/keystone-xl-letter-from-canada-vows-ghg-emissions-cuts-1.2559585 ] – Globe & Mail Wed, March 5, 2014 on CANADA WRITES U.S. TO PUSH KEYSTONE.

Emissions cuts. Good one. What does a company like TransCanada knows about cuts to any pollution, or control and regulation of any dangerous pollution to humans ? or, in fact, how to treat their own employees humanely ?

Turn back the clock to the 1980s when this company still operated under the name TransCanada Pipelines/TCPL. The way I know this company is as a former employee, working as IT professional in their computer systems department. How else I know this company ? Through their irregular, asocial and inhumane tactics of treating their employees. Sending down from their Toronto Headquarters an ‘Enforcer’. To deal with most of us professionals following TCPL’s takeover of Maligne Resources, Calgary.

You think, this is so long ago that nobody should care about this anymore ? I do not think so. As the unprofessional way that employees got laid off has had resounding effects to their future lives. Financially and health wise. Because — during the 1980s TransCanada’s policy also included the permission of chain smoking inside the work place. And now with their fancy pipeline project, they dare to even mention the word emissions control.

What would interest me is, if there is anybody still alive who during that time was my co-worker, also exposed to 24/7 cigarette smoking by others close-by in those big open cubicle type work places ?

NOTE. On May 15, 2003, TransCanada Corporation received regulatory approvals to establish it as the parent company of TransCanada PipeLines Limited. Shareholders voted in favour of the change to the corporate structure of the company at the Annual and Special Meeting on April 25. For background on this issue, please see the letter to shareholders and Q&As from Board of Directors’ chairman, Dick Haskayne and chief executive officer, Hal Kvisle, as well as information included in the Management Proxy Circular.

Unions – Teachers – Strikes

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[ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bc-teachers-to-take-strike-vote-in-early-march/article17085231/ ]

They are at it again. Impending teachers’ strike actions are threats against – not only the tax-paying public at large – but mainly against the children, who are again forced to teach themselves. Bargaining for more money (coming from tax payers) and for smaller class sizes (impossible with more and more children, and less and less buildings), is a threat and should be taken seriously. 

We as data processing and IT professionals had to work 24/7, and if under contracts often did not get paid for the full number of hours we put in. Did we strike ? Not very likely, given the circumstances: “If you do not work your full shift, you are out.”

What’s the problem with the teachers ? Why did they become teachers, knowing that they are on initially fixed pay, and knowing about the class sizes ? Also knowing that as a teacher you have a union standing behind you, you can strike, lay down your work, and sit down at ‘bargaining tables’. You also know, that you get a lengthy vacation (flying anywhere in summer, most of the seats in air planes are occupied by teachers), and best of all, that you can retire early on your pension. While we have to work till after complete ‘burn out’, and mostly do not get any pension. So, as a teacher, if you do not like being a teacher, but enjoy endless rounds of unionized bargaining and even strike actions, wouldn’t it be advisable to have a different occupation ? And find out, how hard we all have to work.

Google Gmail & Adware/Malware

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[ http://www.brw.com.au/p/marketing/keeping_tabs_what_gmail_tabbed_in_4aPu7rRpPkefG3j6ad9sPI ]

Using Google e-mail (Gmail) also means to be aware of a multitude of cyber attacks within private mail server services. Of course, one can always download adware blockers (in Gmail), which sometimes means nothing. Can be overriden. These commercial ads inside my mail (either when sending a private message, or when pressing SEND button (to review what I had sent)), take up an entire page. Commercial advertising via Television, or Radio or other media is OK, as businesses pay more for using those media. But crawling around inside a personal message that I sent to my family is irritating and unprofessional. It is widely known that nobody buys any product from those ‘cyber attackers’. Such type of malware/adware attack within a mail service (even if it offered free, such as Google’s Gmail) is based on criminal organized crime syndicate behaviour. Not only this, who wants to buy anything from those ??

Should I see any of this, I take note and add that particular business or company to my own personal BLACKLIST. I am certain of this: So do other Gmail users.

Condominium ownership versus Rental

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Considerations on living options in the light of high real estate ownership. When faced with fixed income and no cash flow to speak of, nor any amassed riches. There are options to ownership: From my own experience, condominium ownership is the worst of those. Not only is an owner (in such a commercial entity) responsible for maintaining their own unit (inside walls, flooring, ceiling, doors, windows, appliances, fixed furniture, plumbing and electrical repairs), but as owner is also responsible for paying large amounts to maintain a more or less big building in which an owners’ unit is housed. The larger the building, the more expensive the repairs to the building (that is the common or shared portions of any unit holder, such as hallways, walls, outside walls, grounds, underground services and all electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems).

Throw in for measure an outside contracted property management company (who may, or may not be corrupt). And some sort of ‘consortium’ that actually runs that building. As an owner in such a condo corporation, there is no control of what is being done with a unit holders’ money. And that money must be paid as a monthly fee. Comes a big repair, an extra levy is raised.

RENTING comes to mind: The money spent on that monthly fee and on extra levied fees can be saved towards monthly rental cost. So can property taxes. On an average I would say depending on the age of building and location a monthly condo fee can amount to a minimum of $400. Rental costs in even expensive areas can vary from monthly $1,000 to over $2,000. Lets say, I can afford $1,200 a month. Deduct $500 (condo ownership and property tax), leaves me with $700. In my case I have spent $35,000 in five years for repairs to my condo and improvements. In the best case, I add an extra cost of monthly $200 for regular maintenance of my condo, that would leave me with a balance for monthly rent of only $500. Home insurance is the same for both options.

But no more nightmare, no worries, no hard construction work. Answer is clear: RENT ! Go travel, and use your money.

Banks and your money

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We all know that the Banks own our money. Else they would not reside in big ‘crystal fairy-tale’ palaces. You think – according to your statements – that you own a certain amount of money safely tugged away in some Bank. Not so.

Try this: Walk into your Bank and ask for all of your money (let’s say you have over 30,000 in your account) in cash. Big suitcase full of cash. Cannot be done. Although you paid cash (your hard earned money) to put into that Bank for safe keeping.

Of course, if funds are tied up in some fixed-term interest bearing instrument, then you cannot just ask for its return. But let’s assume, the money just sits somewhere and according to the Bank’s promises is accessible to you.

Case in point: I am on my death bed in hospital and I intend to not leave any money behind. I ask a hospital official to get the necessary papers (from my Bank) for me to sign, and others to counter sign and witness , requesting all of my funds to receive IN CASH and bring back to my hospital bed. Intent, to safely burn all that money.

I assure you, I won’t succeed. There will be a hundred thousand reasons quoted by that Bank to hold on to my money. Of course, one can always keep one’s money in cash under the mattress. Just be sure there is no break and enter event or a fire burning it all down.

But as it is, the money sits in some Bank, earns a low interest (for the Banks to use and invest at higher rates for themselves), and adding to your required income tax bills.

Languages and your brain

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This has been known for centuries, “languages expand your brain”. [Or, as we say: “expand one’s horizon”.] New studies (University York at Toronto, Canada) have shown and proven that those who are at least bilingual in old age will show their first symptoms of Alzheimer and Dementia (if at all ) later than those with one single language.  [Autres études: l’Université d’Édimbourg en Écosse, et une équipe indienne.] 

There is also a correlation between widely traveling and thereby being exposed to other cultures and languages, and a healthier brain capacity.

Besides the scientific implications of knowledge of several languages, not just one or two, there is also a practical side of this. When traveling, one who can communicate with the locals in another country often finds better deals and pays less. [My own experiences.]

Language tools are many using the NET, Google Translate comes to mind. Try it and find that the bot programs doing the translations are not sufficient to hide bad grammar resulting in the language being translated from English. One still has to know that language well.

Neil Young Honor the Treaty Tour Canada

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Neil Young tour across Canada HONOR THE TREATY.

[ http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/12/09/neil-young-oilsands-first-nations-tour_n_4414036.html ] Neil Young’s week-long Canadian mini-tour to honor the (First Nations’) treaties and assist the Athabasca Chippewyan First Nation in northern Alberta, closest to the Alberta oil sands sites, Ft. McMurray, in their quest to preserve the natural environment. Mr. Neil Young is a prominent Canadian musician and song writer and environmental activist.

The original treaties between Canada’s First Nations were made between each First Nation and The Crown (which is in this case not some device or artifact, but in fact refers to the Queen of England). [ http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100032291/1100100032292 ]

And as history has taught us – or in that case has taught the Aboriginal Peoples/First Nations in Canada is, that treaties are made to be broken.

On my Face Book page:

Dear Mr. Young,
to get anything done in Canada I guess you must address the Queen of England, who is the Head of State of Canada. Doubtful if her Majesty can be bothered with the First Nations of Canada or the effects of the ever expanding Oil Sands in Alberta.

Cyber Warfare – the new Wild West

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[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberwarfare ] Although “cyber war & attack” initially referred to politically motivated espionage, computer sabotage and deliberate disinformation, stealing of virtual data and identities, and/or political propaganda, the world is ready for the actual CYBER WARFARE using Drones, small pilot-less air planes, remote-controlled and used for spying and overhead information gathering in enemy territories. [ http://dronewars.net/aboutdrone/ ]

The new military robots (drones) carry arms to kill. From the air, as they have always done during the last great world wars (but pilot sits in). From the air, enemy unseen, target in sight, push a button, open the hatches.

Dressed to kill, the new editions of the drone robots are intended to kill the enemy. Here, the ‘pilot’ just sits in a comfortable chair in a (maybe air-conditioned) room to push the button. No more Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to worry about as result of civilian killings, humans on the ground. No more need to be specific about what is an enemy and what is not.

Interesting concepts: Cyber Criminality coming our way on the internet, daily, hourly, by minute and second – every second. Espionage coming our way by the Western spy organisms and agencies, rifling through our e-mails and more. And now the drones.

In the Old Wild West – it was simply gun fights, shoot first, ask questions later. That was easy, that was fun. Gun fighters were the heroes. With unknown controllers sitting at monitors controlling drones in some unknown location, who are the heroes ? They cannot pretend anymore to be “war veterans” with all the privileges. The glory days of the old wild west are over.