CSS Homer Simpson
Thursday, 1 May 2008
Don’t understand the whole “CSS” thing? Check out this amazing usage of CSS to create a sketch of Homer Simpson. Make sure to view the animation.
Don’t think he uses just letters and borders? When the animation complets, use your mouse to select the picture.
Via John Gruber.
Whaling: New Tactics in the Security Arms Race
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Phishers are getting more sophisticated: instead of sending out a lot of generic phishing e-mail, they now send targeted messages to “the rich and powerful“ that installs trojan and key-logging software on the victim’s computer.
Thousands of high-ranking executives across the country have been receiving e-mail messages this week that appear to be official subpoenas from the United States District Court in San Diego. Each message includes the executive’s name, company and phone number, and commands the recipient to appear before a grand jury in a civil case.
A link embedded in the message purports to offer a copy of the entire subpoena. But a recipient who tries to view the document unwittingly downloads and installs software that secretly records keystrokes and sends the data to a remote computer over the Internet. This lets the criminals capture passwords and other personal or corporate information.
E-mail was not designed with security in mind, and I’m not convinced that security can be added this late in the game.
Via John Gruber.
Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone
Thursday, 10 April 2008
So a woman in New York City let her son “figure out how to get home on his own” from the original Bloomingdale’s. Fear-mongers across the country have come out of the woodwork.
Long story longer, and analyzed, to boot: Half the people I’ve told this episode to now want to turn me in for child abuse. As if keeping kids under lock and key and helmet and cell phone and nanny and surveillance is the right way to rear kids. It’s not. It’s debilitating — for us and for them.
I applaud her. A wise man once said,
So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.
Is it easy to let your children experience independence? No, especially in today’s Be Afraid society.
Lenore: thank you for your courage. The world needs more people like you.
Via Bruce Schneier, who also links to “this great graphic depicting childhood independence diminishing over four generations” and some interviews and reactions.
You Suck at Photoshop
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
I found this video series awhile ago called “You Suck at Photoshop.” It appears to be short, hilarious skits/tutorials on how to do cool things with Photoshop. I’ve already watched a couple, learned a lot, and laughed out loud. You can’t beat that. Even if you aren’t a Photoshop tool, you’ll probably still enjoy them.
The videos are part of the Big Fat Brain channel on My Damn Channel. There are a few ways to get there. First, go to My Damn Channel and click the Big Fat Brain channel on the home page. Second, and way easier is to go directly to the RSS feed. Lastly, you can subscribe via iTunes.
Microsoft Publishes SDL 3.2 Guidance
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Microsoft announced today that version 3.2 of its Security Development Lifecyle is available for download.
[S]ome folks are curious about how an organization the size of Microsoft programmatically drives culture change; others are looking for guidance that can be repurposed for their own organizations and finally, some folks are convinced that we are deliberately holding back some security “secret sauce” for some reason. Go figure.
With that, let me cut to the chase. Today, we have made the Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle, version 3.2 available for your perusal on MSDN. This has been in the works for quite awhile and has involved a ton of folks....
As you can probably guess, this is not an exact duplication of the SDL for a number of reasons – but it’s pretty darn close.
It's an 83-page Microsoft Word 2007 (i.e. .docx) file. Needless to say, I haven't had time to even skim it, but it's on my to-do list.
Zamzar
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
This looks like a pretty cool service: Zamzar, free online file conversion. You upload your document in one format, and they will convert to another: Excel spreadsheets to PDF, WAV to mp3. Granted, most of the conversions are from/to formats already supported by most software I already have, but there are some edge cases that I would never be able to handle, like Microsoft Publisher to HTML, WordPerfect to Word, PowerPoint to Flash, etc.
Bookmarked!
Via Cool Tools.
Clean Code
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
It looks like Robert Martin has a book coming out: Clean Code:A Handbook of Software Craftmanship. I’m definitely going to be picking up a copy.
Cleaning Malware on Windows
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
I have put Cleaning Malware on Windows, a presentation given by Microsoft’s Mark Russinovich (one of the smartest human beings on the planet), on my “to watch” list. I am the extended family’s IT support person, and recently was called on to clean up an infected Windows XP machine. I didn’t fully succeed, and am looking forward to getting some tips.
Via Greg Hughes
Security Principles
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Here is a excellent set of security princples put together by Microsoft’s J.D. Meier. I don’t know who the guy is, or what he does, but it looks like he knows how to write secure software. Developers would do well to read this list periodically and puts its recommendations into practice. Security is a dimension of quality; secure software is quality software.
The Safest Rest You've Ever Had
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
This is awesome: the Quantum Sleeper (emphasis mine):
The Quantum Sleeper Unit is a high-level security system designed for maximum protection in various hostile environmentsQuantum Sleepers can also be fitted to provide protection from destructive forces of nature such as tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes and floods.
The Quantum Sleeper is the ultimate in protection, entertainment and communications, “ ALL ROLLED UP IN ONE”.
I laughed out loud. The ultimate in entertainment is what got me. This has to be seen to be believed.
Via Bruce Schneier.
