I’m happy to say my first week of going back to school went without a hitch and I loved it.
My Computer Forensics class is taught by the head of the department, who is also in charge of admissions into the Information Security & Privacy Graduate Certificate program I want to get accepted into. I introduced myself and thanked him for his help in answering my questions with getting started with the Post-Baccalaureate program. He seems like a cool guy and hopefully if all goes according to plan with my current two courses I’ll be accepted into the Information Security & Privacy Graduate Certificate program for the Spring 2011 semester.
I really like his class because from day 1 he taught me something I never even hard of before, namely Write-Blockers. And after he explained to us what they are and how they work, he pulled out a metal briefcase full of these expensive pieces of equipment and passed them out for us to play with and try out.
He also informed us that a brand new forensics lab was almost complete. And that it was built specifically for this class and only available to students of his class. We will have different projects that will require us to work with very expensive and high tech equipment throughout the semester.
Everything he told us sounds real interested and I’m excited to get started.
My second class is Principles of Information Security which also involves learning about Cryptography. The teacher didn’t go into too much on the first day but it also sounds like an interesting class where I will get to do a research project. What was real cool about the class was it was combined with students form North Carolina A&T University. We had two big LCD screens in the class room where we had visual of their students, and they had visual of us. There were speakers/mics on the desks so the two classes could communicate with one another and, there was a motorized camera hanging from the ceiling which the students from A&T could move around to see what was going on.
All in all I’m happy so far with how things are going and can’t wait for week 2.
While the Blendtec blender can blend all manner of topical gadgets, it looks like it's met its match in a pair of keys.
Will it blend a pair of keys? Uh...no. [@
ahphotovideo via
Lansing Noise via
The Daily What]
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I haven’t bought computer parts in forever! But it looks like it is time to upgrade and invest in some new equipment.
I will be in full swing soon with technology related endeavors so I’m going to need a pretty meaty setup. Soon I will be:
Starting my studies at UNCC for my Information Security and Privacy Graduate Certificate
Beginning to look into Cisco and Oracle certifications as well as becoming a Certified Ethical Hacker.
Looking to get some hands on experience with the latest Windows and Exchange server environments and using different Virtualization platforms.
Virtualization will be key because I’ll be able to setup and tear down different setups and configurations in an instant which will save me a ton of time and effort.
Also with me starting school I could really use a notebook and tablet. I don’t want to use my work notebook for my classes because I really don’t think work would appreciate me installing a bunch of hacking/networking tools on their machine 
.
After a little brainstorming I think my setup will consist of something like the following:
- Work Notebook
- Personal Notebook
- Tablet (Windows based, with the ability to write notes on, not an iPad)
- File Server
- VMWare Virtual Server
- MS Virtual Server
- Open Source Virtual Server
- Cisco Equipment TBD (to get an idea of what I’ll be getting goto http://www.certificationkits.com/cisco-lab-suggestions/ )
- Access Point
- Managed Switch
- Server Rack
- Powerful Main Desktop with Multi-Monitor Setup
- Compact, Quiet, All-In-One Desktop for Mom
- External Backups
- HTPC’s (I’ll do this way down the road)
- Wire the house with Ethernet
As I start to buy equipment and set things up I’ll add more posts as well as if my needs (mind) changes on what equipment I plan to purchase.
Longtime lurker first time poster.
After the Panthers’ loss to the Jets many people have jumped off the Edwards bandwagon as quickly as many hopped on when various local new organizations started the Edwards hype. After the draft, and due to their respective sizes, Edwards has been hyped to be the future Agent 89 as much as LaFell has been hyped to be the next Moose.
Post Jets game, many negative comments have been made about Edwards being a bust and the Panthers having made a mistake. There are also many comments discussing the fact that we won’t know the wisdom of the trade and pick of Edwards for some time. I tend to fall in the later category.
The Jets game certainly gives reason for concern but it is not unprecedented....learn why after the jump...
On September 30, 2001, the 1-1 Panthers hosted Green Bay and held a half time lead 7-6. A rookie punt returner proceeded to fumble two consecutive kick returns in the 3rd quarter of the game giving the Packers extremely good field position which turned into two touchdowns. This sucked the life out of the Panthers that day and they went on to lose the game 28-7. The rookie returner was pulled from the game and return duties were given to Isaac Byrd and Richard Huntley.
It should be clear to all reading this post that the rookie in question was Steve Smith. The differences between the 2001 Packers game and the 2010 Jets preseason game are that the 2001 rookie had taken the first kickoff of the first game that year to the house. Therefore the fan base and team had more confidence in him. The other difference that we now know is that Steve Smith is a bad ass with all the confidence in the world. Therefore he was able to bounce back easily from a bad day.
Hopefully Edwards will be able to gain confidence in his abilities as a returner or in some other useful area for the team. Clearly the Panthers see something in the kid and I still trust their judgment. I would be surprised if he does not get another chance this weekend. I am glad the team does not give up on a player after one bad game. Clearly it happens to the best, a/k/a Steve Smith. Who knows what type of player Edwards will end up being. I, for one, will reserve judgment for some time.
Facebook is big — massive, really. But I don’t care if a social network has 100 million users, 500 million users, or a billion users — and I don’t care if there’s a major Hollywood movie coming out about it. You haven’t made it until you have a Turkish pop music video about your service. That’s exactly what
“Cilgin” by Ismail YK is.
I have basically no idea what is going on in this video, but it’s awesome nonetheless. It appears to take place in two IKEA showrooms that have been completely whitewashed. In these rooms, a man and woman seem to stalk one another on Facebook, and then start chatting. Are they using WebTV? I’m not sure, but I’m not ruling it out.
Actually, those are Mac keyboards — maybe it’s the first sighting of the
new iTV product?!
Then the main characters put on colorful shirts and go dance in another completely white room. And then they invite some friends to dance too — and use their computers. Then the action moves outside in what I can only describe as a version of
TLC’s “Waterfalls” with men in ski masks. Yep.
Not speaking Turkish, the only word I can understand is “Facebook” — though I think I caught an “Internet” in there. Someone please clue us in.
The video is actually a bit old — from January, but
BuzzFeed just picked it up a couple days ago and it’s now traveling around the Internet as it should have the first time. Enjoy it below.
Update: Commenter Mesut below has provided us with some lyrics:
I went to internet cafe
Logged in to my Facebook page
I called my self “Crazy” (Cilgin)
I’m a member as of now
I met with a sweetheart
We’ve been writing each other everyday
It’s like a medicine to my heart
I become a loving person
She deserves to be be loved
And has beautiful eyes
It’s hard to find someone like her
Everyone is asking how I found
Facebook Facebook I’ve been seeking everyday
Facebook Facebook where I found her
Facebook Facebook It’s a love at first sight
Facebook Facebook I think I’m falling for her
One of the things that Florio Jr. and I enjoy about driving down I-77 through Charlotte is that the path provides a great look at Bank of America Stadium, where the Panthers play their home games. The stadium, which still...
So we were perusing the Twitter feed of Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco to see if any of his recent entries reflected evidence of concussions symptoms (he has yet to post any messages exclaiming, "Hue!"), and we noticed an entry from...
In a deal valued at $7.68 billion, processor giant Intel has agreed to buy security and antivirus firm McAfee. The chip company will pay $48 a share for McAfee, a premium of 60% over Wednesday's closing price, and the size of the deal makes it the largest of Intel's history.
The purchase is a reflection of the growing importance of security. Intel president and CEO Paul Otellini said, "In the past, energy-efficient performance and connectivity have defined computing requirements. Looking forward, security will join those as a third pillar of what people demand from all computing experiences."
The company says that current security systems are unable to handle the proliferation of Internet-connected devices—not just computers, but phones, TVs, cars, and more. Security will now be as important to the company as energy-efficiency.
McAfee will be operated as a wholly owned subsidiary within Intel's Software and Services Group. Over the last decade, Intel has been expanding its software group to position itself as more than just a chip company. With McAfee's combination of end-user software and cloud services, this purchase further strengthens both the software and service sides of that diversification.
Both boards of directors have agreed to the deal, and it will go through assuming that McAfee shareholders and regulators give it approval.
The company's claim that security will now be on equal footing with power consumption would certainly represent a marked change in strategy. Intel has a history of selling security features as a premium—including them on some parts (typically the more expensive, corporation-oriented ones), but not others.
In the past, it did this with its VT-x virtualization technology; low-end variants had it disabled, mid- and high-end parts did not. Today, it still does the same with its VT-d virtualization and TXT technologies. Though the practical application of these is limited, they are being used in security research that could show the way to an altogether more secure, robust computing environment.
Just as the company's segmentation of VT-x caused headaches for virtualization software, its restrictions on VT-d and TXT may similarly deprive users of access to cutting edge security solutions.
Read the comments on this post
(By Tom Sorensen, tsorensen@charlotteobserver.com)
When a defensive coordinator prepared for Carolin&squo;s wide receivers last season, he started with Steve Smith. Then he moved to the others. He did this after opening the media guide to find out who they were.
Here are five positives and five negatives from Thursday night’s 17-12 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Five positives from the game:
1. Tyler Brayton. Brayton had sacks on Baltimore’s first two possessions, both coming on third down. The first one came in the red zone and held the Ravens to a field goal, while the second forced a punt. Brayton had to leave early with a sprained ankle, but the team captain showed he was worth re-signing this past offseason.
The first trailer for the upcoming American version of Top Gear has hit the Internet! It goes without saying that nothing will ever be as good as the original British version, but I’m cautiously optimistic that this one will be good too after seeing this video.
Discussion about this trailer is taking place on our forums if you’d like to leave your thoughts.
[Source: Hollywood Reporter via Jalopnik]
Top Gear US Trailer originally appeared on FinalGear.com on Sat, 7 August 2010 at 03:03 GMT.
This is the first trailer for the U.S. version of
Top Gear on History, giving us a first taste of the American spin on the BBC's wildly popular motoring show. A peek at the cast, cars, and challenges below.
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Here are some observations from Thursday’s practice…
1. With DT Ed Johnson (sick) sitting out, Tank Tyler resumed working with the first-team defense alongside Louis Leonard.
2. In all 14 players sat out again today, but the team did get CB Chris Gamble back. Gamble had missed a couple of days with a knee injury. I’m wondering if coach John Fox will shorten the Fan Fest scrimmage given just how many players are out. They might not have a quote-unquote “third team.”
3. OT Travelle Wharton was back with the first team today — well, at least for a little while. Wharton left practice midway through the afternoon session after his back tightened up. Also, OT Garry Williams left when his shoulder did the same, leaving the Panthers quite thin at tackle. Rob Petitti got more reps.
4. One rookie who is really turning heads in the past couple of days is rookie CB Robert McClain, one of the two corners taken in the seventh round. He had another pick today, coming out of nowhere to snag the ball out of mid-air in traffic. “That kid has really come on,” coach John Fox said. “I think both of those young corners — R.J. Stanford and McClain — are good gets. I see them getting better every day.”
5. Fox said he’s been impressed with QB Hunter Cantwell. “He has good size and arm strength and I think he’s getting more acclimated in our offensive system. We have to keep bringing guys along and put them in as many game situations as we can and put them in games.”
As for Cantwell saying he needs to play above and beyond how Jimmy Clausen plays to win the No. 2 job, Fox downplayed that notion by saying, “We don’t look at that. We don’t look at what guys make. We evaluate how guys play. We’ve had guys who made a lot (of money) and not play good and guys who haven’t made a lot and play good — so as coaches we don’t look at that. You don’t have that as part of the evaluation. The best man wins. We put them in competitive situations and whoever plays the best plays.”
6. Fox said OT/OG Geoff Schwartz gives them the flexibility they want on the offensive line. He said last year’s three starts were huge for his confidence and proved Schwartz is capable. Schwartz is working with the first team at RT with Jeff Otah out. That doesn’t meant he can’t still win the RG spot.
7. Rookie WR Brandon LaFell got some reps with the first team. He’s looking good.
8. RB DeAngelo Williams looked sharp when he busted through the line of scrimmage on a running play.
9. TE Jeff King and Dante Rosario both caught TD passes in the red zone from Matt Moore. I expect both to be weapons this year in that area. Moore, meanwhile, continues to be steady as he goes. He’s looking very good, more than capable of leading this team.
10. Fox on team president Danny Morrison: “He’s a smart guy and has good people skills. I think he’s good for the organization and I’ve been impressed with his leadership style.”
(And a bonus) It should be noted that WR Armanti Edwards probably had his best training camp practice today, making a couple of nice catches. I tell you one thing, the kid really does have great hands.
Ten observations from Thursday’s practice
