FreddieFreeloader   Rantings of a paranoid computer hobbyist

For days I was at a loss thinking about what topic to discuss. I had a list of around 10 topics, ranging from “local xampp wordpress/drupal XP install” to generating secure passwords. But as luck would have it I decided to write about this, Matt Mulenweg’s reaction to SixApart’s Anil Dash’s WP2.5 upgrade guide.

Personally I’m with Matt. If Anil wants to sell MT, then he shouldn’t do so by saying bad things about a competing product. To me Anil/MT sounded desperate over WP’s share of the blogging world. WP is 100% opensource as Matt said. You can’t get any better than that. And I understand Matt’s reaction to it too. WP is his baby. You don’t just stand there while somebody throws stones at your kid.

Ever recieved a comic book or magazine pdf file and wondered if you can extract the JPG images off it? Well there are a number of commercial and free/shareware tools for windows if you are good at googling. But what if you’re using Linux? Or you have a bunch of PDF files and you want to convert all of them in one go?
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Eversince I started computing (back when I was using C64), I was always into cryptography, due largely to my dad’s Cold War spy novels scattered throughout our house. I always wanted to play with codes and ciphers. This journey took me to play with other crypto-software like PCTools7’s PCSecure, my own scripts and codes using substitution cipher and PGP.

After PGP things got really serious for me crypto-wise. The words from Phil Zimmerman’s PGP help file and Bruce Schneier’s Applied Cryptography book constantly echoed in my mind was this:

“There are two kinds of cryptography in this world: cryptography that will stop your kid sister from reading your files, and cryptography that will stop major governments from reading your files.

This book is about the latter.”
– Bruce Schneier

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To get over rapidshare download limits. This works both for static and dynamic assigned IPs.

I got this off hak5.org and made some adjustments for my connection.

#!/usr/bin/python
import os, random

mac = “00″ # MAC Addressed typically start with 00. Looks more legit

i=0
# This next part should be apparent. Fills in the mac with random hex
while (i<5):
mac = mac + “:” + str(hex(random.randint(0,15))[2:])
mac = mac + str(hex(random.randint(0,15))[2:])
i = i+1
changer = “ifconfig eth0 hw ether ” + str(mac)
print “New MAC generated:”, str(mac)

# Stops network services, assigns new mac, restarts networking
raw_input(”Turn OFF modem. Press ENTER to stop net”)

print “stopping net…”
print “changing mac…”

os.system(”/etc/init.d/net.eth0 stop”) # You may need to change this.

os.system(changer)

raw_input(”Turn on modem. Wait for 4 lights. Press ENTER to start net”)
print “starting net…”
os.system(”/etc/init.d/net.eth0 start”)

Show us your Go Bag at Lifehacker.com

What I got in my day pack is mainly garbage along with some things that never leave my bag:

• Phone charger
• Pen & marker
• Penlight
• Rubber hose torniquet
• Litmann stethoscope
• Notebook/organizer/GTD book
• Keys
• Rain jacket
• toolbox USB pen drive with:

• bootable SLAX configured for SAM, WEP/WPA, Metasploit, nmap, etc.
• gpg TwoFish symmetrically-encrypted password list for various net accounts

• small black umbrella with a broken rib
• kit full of toiletries (deodorant, toothbrush/paste, small soap, shaving kit, medications)
• 12-year old Victorinox SAK with a broken 5-inch blade tip
• biscuits and crackers for traffic jam munchies (i got gerd), some left open and in varied stages of fungal growth
• water bottle with stale week-old water (I really have to take this out and clean it sometime this year)
• extra shirt and socks and underwear (yes I change this everyday)
• small murse (man purse) for coins
• old bus tickets
• different books, almost always I got 2, one for review and a pocketbook for wasting time while in a bus or sitting waiting somewhere

* I was planning of getting an mp3 player for my audio books (only thing they’re good for IMHO, Classic Jazz and Classical music don’t sound well compressed) but when I have the time to buy it I always have the reason *not to*. Maybe I don’t really need it.

** As I’m not much of a gadget freak (just a phone for sms & voice and my USB pendrive bootable toolbox) I don’t carry alot of electronic things. Maybe if I can get my hands on a Sharp Zaurus and install Unix on it, or even a small GPS device… maybe. But that’s a long shot. I don’t even dream about carrying a laptop like most people do. Sometimes I have my digicam on hand but that’s getting quite rare nowadays as I don’t go out much and don’t see anything worth aiming a camera at.

Over 1.3 million views on youtube and counting.
What a riot
[youtube=”http://youtube.com/watch?v=hMnk7lh9M3o]

More performances uploaded by this guy.

Welcome to the Open Library.

I got a D. Hah.

Lakbayan

Get your stinkin, dirty hands off my disk m$.

Microsoft patents the mother of all adware systems

Vista Makes Forensic PC Exam Easier for Lawyers

Back when I was an avid fan of Tom Clancy’s books, I used to imagine what it was like looking at those “satellite imagery” and other hi-tech spy stuff. Nowadays, you can do the same thing via GoogleEarth. I wonder why the Chinese Navy didn’t have satellite schedules posted on their docks. Maybe this one’s just a mock-up. You can never be too sure. People have been fooling spy sats since the 60’s. But more to the point, I’m sure they wouldn’t have left this out in the open unless it was their intention for people to see it. Saber-rattling is an old technique to tell the other side that “yes, we are serious so don’t mess with us”, and with the recent successful test of ASAT technology, China may well be just doing that. Tactically it has little effect. You can see submarines on their docks, but when the time comes that they sortie, they will just submerge and be out of sight of your spy sats — that is, unless you’re putting a sub patrol to guard them near the dock as they go underway. I just love subtle military tactics. It’s like chess played on a larger scale. It’s the politics and politicians that mar it.