The Video Game Making Red Capers have been coming at me in full force lately?they are bound to get tired and shut up at some point, right? RIGHT? Damn, don't you people sleep?
;)
Tuesday was yet another banner day in the ways of Malware\Virus vs. IT Battle. However you label it, it is always a pain and I have decided that in this age of spyware, I have been reduced to a Techno Maid.
Today?s culprit was the Peper Trojan. For those of you unfamiliar with this particular bitch, here is a reference for your perusal. For those of you too lazy to click on that hefty link, here?s the rundown of some of its impressive qualities?
The infected file can update itself by using the PC?s internet connection, thus leaving the machine vulnerable to constant and future attacks. Our user noticed a considerable difference in browsing speed, so I suspect the repeated requests to the author?s site was the cause of the decrease in his porn perusing power. If the file?s process is actively running, editing the HKLM\SW\MS\Windows\CV\Run registry key is pointless, as it will immediately roll itself back to the infected path. Right before my eyes, I can see the registry change without touching it. That?s a bit unnerving to say the least.
The path, the System32 directory, shows no signs of any of these files. Hmmmm?hidden files are visible, but I can?t see any of the lil fuckers that are taking over this user?s digital world. I decide to view protected OS files, I mean why not, right? Sure enough, the infected file is now out in the open and ready for me to pounce on. I'm not quite sure how the file was able to classify itself as an OS file, but that is pretty smart. Naturally, I need to kill the process first. Not an easy task, dear reader. Once the file?s process is ended in the Task Manager, a duplicate file replaces it as the dominant task and gives birth to yet another, typically of a different name, so at all times, two infected files are running. The opportunity to defeat this beast in the TM is pretty slim, but hey, I?m a tough broad, I can manage this. I was fortunate to see the same file name running twice, so I killed them both quickly and that was that. Once it was deactivated, there was no chance of survival. I was able to edit the registry and finish doing the rest of my Techno Maid duties.
I gotta say, I was quite impressed with this particular strain of pain. Watching it unfold was an amazing process and finally resolving it, well that was a pretty nice high I needed after weeks of tedious cases. This user?s PC was riddled with spyware and had been the victim of a multitude of viruses over the last few weeks. Fortunately, the virus scanner caught and quarantined the rest, just not this one. I?m still trying to figure that out?
There are a couple of things I ran across in the April 12th issue of The Sporting News that got me to thinking and as we all know, that can?t be good.
Item #1
Most major market cities have one Fox Sports cable network, but one is just not enough for spoiled L.A. fans. Enter Fox Sports West2. I have no objections to a multitude of sporting networks to choose from, in fact, I pay dearly for them on a monthly basis, but when the lineup includes Lakers Living Room, I must stand up and object?loudly.
Sure, like any self respecting basketball fan, I despise the Lakers, but that is not the reason behind this particular tirade. My particular line of disgust revolves around the premise of Lakers Living Room, conceived and hosted by Jeannie Buss (AKA owner?s daughter and coach?s main squeeze). Basically, the well developed Buss decided it was a fabulous idea to get player?s wives and the like to sit around and discuss important issues that face the NBA and its players in these modern times. You may ask, dear reader, are these issues related to sex and the professional athlete? Nah. Maybe they touched upon drug use and rising criminal activity among active and retired players? Nope. Well they surely broached the topic of infidelity, child support or the pressures of society on these rich and famous individuals? Not even close. The important issues discussed revolve around how dreamy Luke Walton may or may not be, jewelry on the court and the players? hairstyles. Oh for fuck?s sake! Fine. If you want a show aimed at attracting more women to the world of the NBA, go for it, but why go about it in such a patronizing and ridiculously trite way?
The kicker is while the show is being aired, the parent Fox Sports West network is broadcasting the actual Lakers game, ya know, for fans who are actually interested in the sport of basketball. Brilliant concept, I know. I mean really, who would want to watch the game when they could watch several surgically altered rich bitches sitting around yammering away about hair and cute butts while watching the very game you could be watching without the mindless chatter. I just don?t get it.
Item #2
Anyone that subscribes to a magazine, specifically a sports magazine, has seen the demise of the address label. Some sport magazines used to be sent in plastic, the label affixed to said plastic, preserving the purity of the cover. Others glued labels to the front cover, but they were easily removed without much damage, again, maintaining a possible collectible. Currently, sports magazines have resorted to cutting costs and printing the destination directly onto the cover itself, in a white box that appears to be getting larger with each issue. The way I figure, if you subscribe to a magazine, you are obviously a fan and possibly enjoy collecting or displaying your acquisitions from time to time. So that being said, subscribers should have the advantage, no? Reap the rewards of the loyal customer, right? Well, not exactly. With these new labeling ways, it makes collecting by subscription difficult, aesthetically speaking. OK so maybe there is a cover you prize, so you go out and grab a store copy since your subscription copy is covered with the not so pretty label. That sucks. I?ve conceded to having to do that on occasion to further decorate my walls with sporting studs, but when the magazine companies turn around and market label free magazine covers (that?s right, it isn?t the whole magazine, but just a glossy cover) at the low price of $35 + S&H? I say fuck you.
It was my Rookie debut at Whiskyfest and I shall look back on it with a smile as each annual pilgrimage passes and the shots continue to flow.
Out of the 250 varieties of golden nectar, I had several favorites and some not so favorites that elicited comments like, ?It tastes like burning!?
The Farm Boy, Vince, Steve (Happy Birthday!) and the highly entertaining Father of Steve?s Woman hung in like true whisky fueled troopers. I was quite proud.
Work the next day was fairly exhausting, but the bonus of no hangover made the lack of sleep acceptable. Is it so wrong that I have already started the countdown for Whiskyfest 2005?
Wow, well it?s been quite the week and I haven?t had much time or energy to write, but man, do I have stories. Granted, you won?t hear most of them dear reader, but hey, you?ll get a taste of a few, ahem, let?s say, ah censored versions.
A couple Saturdays back, after a nice session of manicure\pedicure action and some shopping with the fabulously cool neighbor chick, I waltzed into an incredible surprise birthday party Kevin arranged for me. I was decked out in a baggy shirt & jeans, hair up in a pony tail and sandals. Aw yeah, I was smoking hot!
Surprise indeed, I was pretty stunned. I?ve always been a huge fan of surprises and fortunately this little life of mine has been full of them. Sometimes, it?s easy to forget about all the people you have in your life, those who have been there for you past, present and future, so something like this is a nice swift kick in the ass to bring you back up to par. We all need one every now and then, so my party was a great push in the right direction.
The Folks and The Brother flew in for the opportunity to see me blow out way too many candles and the various bottles of whiskey related presents were quite perfect. I had a great time, so thanks everyone?.
Now onto Whiskyfest!