Tech

NFC: No thankyou

Using a TaiwanMoney ticket checker smartcard r...

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

If I’d told the banks, when I first saw their ads for contactless cards last year, that not having any authentication whatsoever (like a PIN) was a bad idea then I’d be saying “told you so” now.

Initially I thought that the ad with the chap on a waterslide waving his card at the till was a bit of artistic license but no, you don’t have to type a number or anything, which made me think if I only have to swipe past the reader what’s to stop someone swiping a reader past my card?

And of course that has now been found to be possible, especially since the advent of NFC equiped mobiles that unscrupulous types can simply load an app onto.  As an aside this also provides more evidence for Apple’s defence of its walled garden approach to app purchasing as such apps could only be loaded onto so-called jailbroken phones (either Apple or Android).

Either way it’s an issue that many besides myself saw coming and it’s surprising that the card companies didn’t even seem to consider it to be a problem and still don’t, stating that the information retrieved can’t be used (at least online or in a customer-not-present transaction) without the CV2 code, this doesn’t answer the question of whether this information can be put on a blank card and usedthat way, as a contactless card.

There are, however, patents in process for systems that prevent this kind of theft, like one that is simply a touch switch that only enables the NFC chip when you have the card in your hand which is a much better solution than the only current protection which is to slip your card into a shielded sheath.

Remember to practice safe card use people.

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Science

Time for a Siesta?

The Siesta

The Siesta (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lifehacker reports on a study that has found that if you’re feeling a bit weary during the day then a short nap will help but only if it’s between 1:00 and 3:00 due to your natural sleep cycles being affected if you nap outside these times.

Right then, I’m off for a lie down after lunch.

(Lifehacker)

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Tech

Keyboard Fail

Keyboard Fail

This is a good demonstration of how Google’s algorithms work. I tried to type youtube into Firefox’s address bar but typed it into the search bar instead, except that my wireless keyboard was having an off day and I only typed utbe. The result, “aw, you meant youtube, didn’t you”.

Yes. Yes I did. Google, stop looking at me like I’m stoopid, it was my KEYBOARD OK.

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Uncategorized

Rubbing the Fuzz Up The Wrong Way

A photo of a traditional "blue lamp"...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A friend recently told me the story of a manager of a company who saw a suspicious vehicle in a driveway one day.  He felt that the police should be made aware of this so he did what anyone would do and drove back to his office and asked his assistant to call the police station to report it.

By this time nearly twenty minutes had passed and the vehicle was no doubt long gone.  The assistant, however, dutifully called the police station and could only sigh and agree when the operator said “it might have been better if he’d called 999 when he was in sight of the vehicle”.

Delegation, taken too far.

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Psychology

Finding a Voice – Self Confidence via Blogging

Writing

Writing (Photo credit: jjpacres)

Last year I wrote a reply to a friend on Facebook about the pros and cons of Windows Phone 7, as he was considering whether to brave Microsoft’s latest or go for the established iPhone.  He chose the iPhone 4 but thanked me for my information and said “have you thought of writing a blog?”

It took me until a few weeks ago to start, but once I’d written a couple of posts in the first few days and fiddled with the layout I hit a wall and I found I had no motivation to write any more posts and continually found excuses not to do anything, I became a master procrastinator.

I knew I should be writing though so I began to analyse my deeper reasons and the answer surprised me as I’d considered myself to be relatively confident these days having overcome many self-esteem issues over the years; I simply felt that I had no voice to be heard, that nobody would want to read what I’d written.  In addition I felt that my opinion would hold no value and therefore I had no right to comment, on anything.

It seems that this is a common feeling in our society where we are bombarded with media imagery that tells us that only those who shout the loudest have value but it simply isn’t true.  Personally, I want to feel like I am part of the world, have a place, a purpose, I am visible, noticed, appreciated and can contribute, and probably already do.

Writing a blog is one form of expression, in the same way that singing on the Karaoke was for me a decade ago, a way of breaking down the internal barriers and fears to reach the self-confidence I want to get back.

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Beer

Quick Beer Review – Nine Tenths Below

Titanic Bottle Top

Titanic Bottle Top (Photo credit: Smabs Sputzer)

Saturday night in Wetherspoons, packed bar, quick decision.  Nine Tenths Below from Titanic Brewery.

I’d forgotten about the upcoming anniversary of Titanic’s sinking (and the inevitable reissue of the film in 3D) so chose based on previous Titanic pints.  This one was a nice golden colour, fruity and tangy, refreshing, slightly cloudy and 5.9 percent – which I felt a few pubs later.  It’s a seasonal beer available until June.

Recommended.  The description on the brewery website says it all.

Titanic Brewery

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Meta, Psychology

When I Wasn’t the Tallest Person in the Room

Me, being tallThe other day I met someone who was actually taller than me, and this was only about the third time this has happened.  It was a strange feeling as I’m used to (figuratively) looking down at people all the time and I suddenly felt what other people feel when they’re looking at me, it felt slightly intimidating to be honest even though the other person was a very friendly type.  Secondly I felt an unusual sense of disgruntlement that someone was actually taller.

Analyse that.

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Food

The Perfect Burger

Given that I live in a town where the closest burger to be had after six o’clock is two miles away and I’m not that dedicated to McDonalds I have been on a quest to create my own big, tasty burger.

The first one arrived after a day’s struggle.  Do you know how difficult it is to find bacon, in Newark, on New Year’s Day?  Not easy, but I found some after a long walk to the nearest Spar shop, and combined with a plain burger it was heavenly.  But not quite good enough.  Months later the next breakthrough was the quarter pounder with chilli, available in most good supermarkets.  I felt it needed onion, but I had none, sadface.    Then, in a moment of inspiration I found a jar of caramelised onion relish and voila.

Not done yet though.  Later in the year I read that McDonalds’ Big Mac dressing was similar to Thousand Island Dressing so off to the shops I went and that evening I slapped some on the other side of the chilli quarter pounder to the onion relish.  Do you hear the sound of angelic singing?  As Adam Richman (Man v Food) might say “Oh my goodness, oh, my, goodness”.

I’ve tried adding lettuce, tried substituting the Thousand Island for beef chilli (need a smock to eat that one), and tried adding salami to the mix, along with occasional experiments with various cheeses.

The result of all this?

My personal favourite – lightly toasted soft large sesame bap (Morrisons) + caramelised onion relish (Asda) + chilli quarter pounder (Morrisons) + Wensleydale cheese with or without cranberries (Anywhere) + Thousand Island Dressing (Morrisons) + two crispy onion rings on top of the dressing

You bite in, and experience not an explosion of flavours and textures so much as a sequence as you hit crispy onion, tangy sauce, frisky spicy beef then sweet onion.  Eat with thin fries dusted in salt.

I love it, but that’s just me.

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Meta

Hello world!

The title of this first post was kindly provided by WordPress and it’s appropriate.

Everyone and their dog has a blog these days, covering everything from aardvarks and aircraft to zero-gravity and zebras, and I’m not even joking about the dog.  So I thought I’d present my own occasional, random viewpoint on the world which will cover a variety of subjects as I see fit.

I have no idea where this is going but come see me when you have a moment and, to quote Lurcio, if you like it, tell your friends.

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