Open thinking for sustainable living
Enjoying life with music and information technology. Campaigning for the environment and a sustainable economy.

Grandad, what does Boxing Day mean?

This question came from our 5 year old granddaughter. I had to admit I'd forgotten and that we'd need to look it up on the Internet.

Solstice Balls

It's the Winter Solstice (it was actually 05:30 on 22 December 2011), the end of one celestial year and the start of the new. Time to reflect that some ancient Romans almost got it right in choosing a date for the dawn of the new religious age (3 days out) and the new calendar year (10 days out). Not bad considering the resources available at the time. We can enjoy the thought that the days start getting longer again.

Open Letter to Coalition MPs on News International

News International's governance is clearly inadequate, as, if the current allegations are true, it failed to prevent illegal payments to the police for information, and it condoned, or neglected to detect, illegal phone tapping. How then can the UK government clear it for a BskyB takeover? Surely the Coalition's own governance would then be in doubt?

Until, and if, the bribery and tapping allegations prove to be unfounded, there should be no question of allowing a controlling interest of a major TV broadcaster to fall into their hands.

What's SEO?

I use it, I advise on it, but many don't get the need for it or its meaning.

Search Engine Optimization is all about getting web sites noticed, and ranking well in search results. Above all, it is about wrting clear, cogent, relevant textual content. It is not about repetitive "spam", hidden phrases, flashy appearance and irrelevant links.

These two links from Jill Whalen, a leading practitioner, help explain well.

No-fault accident - a tele-phishing incident

So there I am at my desk, trying to sort out a user's data mountain only partly stored on a failing PC, when the phone rings. A voice says "I'm from XYZ Co.", of whom I've never heard. It then asks "Do you remember that no-fault road traffic accident you had in the last three years?". I immediately smelled a rat, and if you smell one, there usually is one. As the vagueness of the wording suggested cold calling and phishing, I soon brought the "conversation" to a close.

Blogs, tweets and leaflets

I'm reminded tonight of the late David Penhaligon's mantra: "If you have something to say, write it on a piece of paper and stick it through a letterbox". A recent email exchange about a web site prompted this. Now, are not blogs and tweets the modern equivalent of the leaflet through the letterbox?

Transmitter problems at Argyll FM

Reception of Argyll FM has been lost to many due to a transmitter failure. The 107.1 amplifier has ‘blown up’. This is the one that feeds 107.7 so there is no 107.7 signal.

Argyll FM have managed to get a weak signal on 107.1 by "using some old equipment that was lying about" but it is not strong enough to link up to mid Argyll.

New equipment has been ordered, but as these things are not something you can "buy off the shelf", it could take 7 days. The cost is around £2k.

Trojans follow success.

Now even the brilliantly successful Apple Mac computer has been targetted by an effective Trojan.

This particular malware is Mus Minim, a.k.a. "Black Hole Rat", apparently adapted from the "Dark Comet" Windows Trojan. It includes the generation of "Administrator Password" pop-ups to trap unwary users into entering their username and password, and could appear in the guise of software or games downloads.

SMS text scams are on the up again.

Example: "Free Msg: Our records indicate you may be entitled to £3750 for the accident you had. To apply free reply CLAIM to this message. To opt out text STOP".

Do not reply to this - you could well receive a flurry of texts for which you will be charged significantly.

Do not phone the number - you could well be charged premium rates for the call to listen to a recorded message.

Parcel Monkey scam

Yet another email scam, which it looks as though the spam engines haven't caught up with yet.

An email is sent claiming you've sent £6.87 to Parcel Monkey, and to click a link if you dispute this. Of course, you didn't send a payment, but the links go to a completely different web site, with goodness knows what software waiting there to trap the unwary.

The full text of the scam is below.
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Hello,

You sent a payment of 6.87 GBP to Parcel Monkey Ltd (parcelconnect@googlemail.com)