tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63229169467328116852024-03-18T21:49:45.258-04:00BorepatchInternet Security, music, and Dad Jokes. And pets - it's a blog, after all.Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.comBlogger13912125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-76969121413423406292024-03-18T09:44:00.005-04:002024-03-18T09:44:36.212-04:00Dad Joke CCCXIII<p>When March saw all the madness around it, it asked "What's all that Bracket?"<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-83123820437107599402024-03-17T12:30:00.005-04:002024-03-17T12:33:38.211-04:00St Patrick's Day music<p>Chris Lynch has some more modern songs that I posted, but <a href="https://large-regular.blogspot.com/2024/03/saint-patricks-day-music.html">still a good list</a>. I love me some Dropkick Murphys. </p><p>Oh, and when you're there you might leave him a comment congratulating him for blogging for <i>twenty years</i> (!).<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-27595416036269712802024-03-17T10:56:00.000-04:002024-03-17T10:56:04.955-04:00Turlough O'Carolan - various Irish tunes<p>Top o' the morning to you, and happy St. Patrick's Day. This is my traditional Paddy's Day post, mostly because I love the music here.</p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: white;">What is the "Classical Music" of Ireland? It's not (Italian) Opera, or (German) symphonies, or even an (English) </span><i>homage</i><span style="background-color: white;"> to Ralph Vaughan Williams (who studied under an Irish music professor) "countryside music" in the concert hall. Instead, we find something </span><i>ancient</i><span style="background-color: white;">. </span></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;" /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Maurice_O'Connor.jpg/440px-Maurice_O'Connor.jpg" style="clear: left; color: #888888; float: left; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="440" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Maurice_O'Connor.jpg/440px-Maurice_O'Connor.jpg" style="background: white; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="260" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">We find something that easily might not have been. Turlough O'Carolan (1670 – 25 March 1738) was the son of a blacksmith. His father took a job for the MacDermot Roe family; Mrs. MacDermot Roe gave the young lad some basic schooling and saw in him a talent for poetry; when a few years later the 18 year old Turlough went blind after a bout of smallpox, she had him apprenticed to a harpist. He soon was travelling the land, composing and singing.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">This tradition was already ancient by the early 1700s. it was undeniably Celtic, dating back through the Middle Ages, through the Dark Ages, through Roman times to a barbarous Gaul. There bards travelled the lands playing for their supper on the harp.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">This was O'Carolan's stock in trade. He rapidly became the most famous singer in the Emerald Isle. It is said that weddings and funerals were delayed until he was in the vicinity. One of his most famous compositions - if you have spent any time at all listening to Irish music, you know this tune - was considered too "new fangled" by the other harpists of his day. Fortunately, he didn't listen to their criticisms.</span><br /><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GI3Yx0KaBGY?si=ZAqdy_UzPfdv6B6x" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">He married very late, at 50, and had many children. But his first love was Brigid, daughter of the Schoolmaster at a school for the blind. He always seemed to have carried a torch for her.</span><br /><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rX-I11_yC1c?si=dCfs48dS6tyuIl3k" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">So why is this post in the normal slot reserved for Classical Music? Listen to this composition of his, and you see the bridge from the archaic Celts to Baroque harpsichord.</span><br /><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LgZuF3tswFg?si=LLqntNtkPgRse2rK" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">And keep in mind how this brilliance might never have blazed, had Mrs. MacDermot Roe not seen the talent in a blind Irish boy and set him upon a path trod by many equally unexpected geniuses, all the way back to St. Patrick. It is truly said that we never know what our own path will be until we set our foot down on it.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">But his was an ancient path and he inherited much from those who trod it before him. His "Farewell to Music" is said to be more in the traditional mold, and might have been appreciated at a feast held by Vercingetorix before the battle of Alesia.</span><br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B6Oc3jt7m34?si=7492xdQi31GDbSlj" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">This music is a bridge between modern and the ancient that disappears into the mists of legend. Perhaps more importantly, it is a music that is still alive today, after a run of perhaps two and a half<span> </span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">millennia</span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">. </span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">And it is a music where you still hear the yearning of a young blind man for his muse, Brigid. That is a vitality that should not be exiled to a single day of celebration, even if it is for as illustrious a Saint as Patrick. On this Feast Day, remember just how deep the roots of our civilization run</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">(Originally posted March 16, 2014)</span></span></span><p> </p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-7639314693814866502024-03-15T09:22:00.000-04:002024-03-15T09:22:09.332-04:00Jeffery Epstein Could Not Be Reached For Comment<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sA44FFi95PA?si=vEvuf1gnZKD9EpvT" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>ASM826http://www.blogger.com/profile/04017388670319590449noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-61453739899631700532024-03-14T11:45:00.004-04:002024-03-14T11:49:26.695-04:00Burglars using Wi-Fi jammers to disable security cameras<p>Well, <a href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/police-warn-of-thieves-using-wifi-jamming-tech-to-disarm-cameras-alarms/">of course</a>:</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Authorities with the Los Angeles Police Department are warning residents in Los Angeles’ Wilshire-area neighborhoods of a series of burglaries involving wifi-jamming technology that can disarm surveillance cameras and alarms using a wireless signal. </span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to police, the burglaries typically involve three to four suspects who enter homes through a second story balcony. </span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once inside, the thieves target primary bedrooms in search of high-end jewelry, purses, U.S. currency and other valuables. </span></span></p></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span>Cat 5 is a pain to run but is hard to jam.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">(<a href="https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2024/03/burglars-using-wi-fi-jammers-to-disable-security-cameras.html">via</a>)<br /></p><p> </p><p> <br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-35620675593814565482024-03-13T19:08:00.007-04:002024-03-13T19:08:51.229-04:00Costco wines tasted by professional Sommelier<p>I ran across this because the Youtube algorithm tossed it up in my feed (Lord knows why). But Andre Mack seems to have some chops as a sommelier, and he has a <i>really</i> interesting tasting of Costco (Kirkland Signature) wines. These range from $4 to $30 a bottle, mostly in the $8 - $12 range. Bottom line: some dogs but surprisingly few.<br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1C4BKGPYA_E?si=TlwtIswruV2ZL0-i" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p>My impression: can confirm on the Kirkland Pinot Grigio. It's not something you'll find at a Michelin Star restaurant, but it's really good <i>vino locale</i> (or in French, <i>le bon vin de table</i>). And it comes in the 3 liter box for $13. Endorsed.</p><p>So I watched this and thought that Mr. Mack seems legit. As a follow up, I watched this tasting of the same wine from different vintages, 1978 to 2016. I believe that Mr. Mack is indeed legit. There's good stuff here.<br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ulhu86IIkt4?si=J9dW9ZN77gjYnbyx" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p>I like how he describes himself as a wine "nerd" - guilty as charged, although my days of real wine nerdism are a third of a century in the rear view mirror. I even built a wine cellar under the basement stairs. What Mack says here about how wine ages is exactly what I saw with a case of Bordeaux (1986 Gruaud Larose). Over the span of six years the wine definitely and obviously changed each year.</p><p>Ya know, if I had kept that untouched, the $30/bottle (1990 dollars) would be now worth ~ $300/bottle (2024 dollars*). But you need to not move every 5 years, so that won't work.</p><p>But watch the first video for sure, and go get you some legit cheap wine at Costco. I hadn't known that they're the top wine merchant in the US.<br /></p><p>*About 30 cents/bottle in 1990 dollars, given how inflation is running.<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-59607872861957178942024-03-13T09:29:00.003-04:002024-03-13T09:29:25.013-04:00S.S. United States to be evicted from its pier?<p>The Queen Of The World sent me this <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/historic-u-s-ship-bigger-than-the-titanic-on-brink-of-eviction-after-25-years-docked-at-pennsylvania-pier/ar-BB1jMOCv">sad story</a>:</p><p class="continue-read-break" data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Midlevel", sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px; opacity: 1; position: static; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p class="continue-read-break" data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Midlevel", sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px; opacity: 1; position: static; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The<span> </span><a data-t="{"n":"destination","t":13,"b":1,"c.t":7}" href="https://knewz.com/tag/ships/" style="color: var(--accent-foreground-rest); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ship's</a><span> </span>remarkable speed earned it the coveted Blue Riband award from Great Britain upon its maiden<span> </span><a data-t="{"n":"destination","t":13,"b":1,"c.t":7}" href="https://knewz.com/130-days-at-sea-american-woman-is-first-to-race-solo-around-the-world-in-non-stop-sailboat-journey/" style="color: var(--accent-foreground-rest); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">voyage</a><span> </span>in 1952. Partially sponsored by the U.S. government during the Cold War era, it was designed as a potential rapid<span> </span><a data-t="{"n":"destination","t":13,"b":1,"c.t":7}" href="https://knewz.com/tag/military/" style="color: var(--accent-foreground-rest); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">troop</a><span> </span>carrier if geopolitical tensions escalated, according to<span> </span><a data-t="{"n":"destination","t":13,"b":1,"c.t":7}" href="https://www.ssusc.org/" style="color: var(--accent-foreground-rest); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">the website</a><span> </span>for the SS United States Conservancy, the nonprofit organization that has overseen the vessel since 2011.</span></span></p><p class="" data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #2b2b2b; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite its high level of regard and rich<span> </span><a data-t="{"n":"destination","t":13,"b":1,"c.t":7}" href="https://knewz.com/salvagers-seeking-60b-in-precious-metals-aboard-wwii-shipwrecks-are-disturbing-troop-remains-report/" style="color: var(--accent-foreground-rest); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">history</a>, the ship faces an uncertain future as it languishes at Pier 82 in south<span> </span><a data-t="{"n":"destination","t":13,"b":1,"c.t":7}" href="https://knewz.com/tag/philadelphia/" style="color: var(--accent-foreground-rest); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Philadelphia</a>. Its retirement has been fraught with challenges, including the recent threat of eviction due to a lawsuit from Pier 82's landlord, Penn Warehousing, according to<span> </span><a data-t="{"n":"destination","t":13,"b":1,"c.t":7}" href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/11/1237529064/the-fastest-ocean-liner-to-cross-the-atlantic-faces-eviction-from-pier" style="color: var(--accent-foreground-rest); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">an NPR report</a><span> </span>on Monday, March 11.</span></span></p><p data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Midlevel", sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The lawsuit alleges the SS United States Conservancy owes between $700,000 and $800,000 in back rent, Warren Jones, one of the conservancy's board members, told the radio station. He said the organization entered into the agreement more than a decade ago, and during the<span> </span><a data-t="{"n":"destination","t":13,"b":1,"c.t":7}" href="https://knewz.com/tag/pandemic/" style="color: var(--accent-foreground-rest); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">pandemic</a>, the rent was unjustly doubled.</span></span></p></blockquote><p data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Midlevel", sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><p>This story is of interest to TQOTW, since she actually was a passenger on that ship. Her dad was in the Air Force and posted to the UK in the early 1960s; they returned from PCS on this. It's sad to see what the ship has become from what it used to be. TQOTW watched this with me and remembered all sorts of things, like the signal flags at the swimming pool.</p><p><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1apZOFSS_Lc?si=TOUGJXis0XfgkvxO" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></p><p>That was a different world, and people would rather spend 8 hours on a plane than 5 days on a ship, even one as grand as the United States.<br /></p><p> <br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-69133879849351227162024-03-12T14:36:00.006-04:002024-03-12T14:36:39.101-04:00Dad Joke CCCXII<p>Tuna writes in with yet another Dad Joke. The Queen Of The World rolled her eyes and pinched her nose at this one. High praise, indeed.</p><blockquote>My wife was eating a store bought salad but I noticed that it was past the "sell by" date and so I took it away from her.<br /><br />I guess you could say I had to Caesar salad. </blockquote>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-39181060585517438452024-03-11T10:05:00.004-04:002024-03-11T10:05:43.958-04:00The Day Is Mine, Trebek<p>Borepatch 2, Air impact wrench Cletus 1.</p><p>I soaked it good with PB Blaster including underneath the housing that the bolt went into. Let it soak overnight. Got my strongest ratchet and c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y used the cheat bar.</p><p>Out it came. Yay, me!</p><p>Thanks to everyone who <a href="https://borepatch.blogspot.com/2024/03/air-impact-wrench-1-borepatch-0.html">left comments yesterday</a>. Still not happy that a one hour job turned into a whole day, but onward!<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-81989906551008335542024-03-10T16:34:00.007-04:002024-03-10T16:34:49.943-04:00Air Impact Wrench 1, Borepatch 0<p>Working on the Jeep, spinning wrenches. Except the last guy who came near a couple of bolts torqued them <i>down</i>. I even got a cheat bar to get some extended leverage on the ratchet wrench.</p><p>Broke the danged wrench. Those bolts don't want to spin.</p><p>I have them liberally soaked with penetrating oil, and will see how they are tomorrow morning. I'd hate to have to take it to a garage to get <i>bolts loosened</i>. Sheesh.</p><p>Since I have a compressor, maybe I'll just head out to Lowe's and get a danged pneumatic impact wrench. Fight fire with fire. But this is really annoying, turning a one hour job into an all day one, just because Cletus was in a hurry to clock out and drove the bolt down.<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-60826277024742640982024-03-08T09:47:00.006-05:002024-03-08T09:47:35.790-05:00What a man!<p>Dwight <a href="https://www.sportsfirings.com/?p=27981">posts the obituary</a> of Gen. John C. Bahnsen Jr. (USA - ret). So who was Gen. Bahnsen? Just a guy who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, <i>five</i> Silver Stars, four Legions of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Bronze Stars (three with the V device), two Purple Hearts, and the Army Commendation Medal (with V device).</p><p>Holy cow. Rest in peace, General.<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-75815472818091351372024-03-07T15:02:00.005-05:002024-03-07T15:02:57.883-05:00CMP Sales Update<p>People seem to like these posts so maybe I'll make them a regular feature. CMP has limited quantities of two interesting rifles:</p><p><a href="https://thecmp.org/sales-and-service/m1917-enfield-rifle-information/">Enfield 1917</a>. This was essentially a rechambering of the WWI British Army Enfield rifle in .30-06 for the US Army. Both Winchester and Remington produced these in quantity for the US Expeditionary Force. Prices are high, but not bad for Enfields these days, starting at $1000.</p><p><a href="https://thecmp.org/sales-and-service/m1-garand/">Expert Grade M1 Garand</a> in both .30-06 and 308 NATO. This rifle needs no introduction other than Gen. Patton's statement that it was the finest battle implement ever devised. The prices are better than I expected starting at $1150.</p><p>Man, I love my Garand, and am glad I got it before inflation goosed the price points. I also love my Enfield, although it is a No. 4, rather than a 1917.<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-16388135228914490372024-03-06T12:59:00.004-05:002024-03-06T12:59:41.393-05:00Quote of the Day<p>Comrade Misfit looks at Dodge's plans to equip the new Challenger with a 3L six and <a href="https://eb-misfit.blogspot.com/2024/03/remember-when-muscle-cars-had-v8-engines.html">brings a perfect analogy</a>:</p><blockquote>Only those CPAs and MBAs running things could take a six-cylinder car and. by having the engineers slap on turbochargers, claim to make it a muscle car. It's about as legit a muscle car as Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds were legitimate home-run kings. </blockquote>Yup.<br /><p></p><p> <br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-69229387816642747432024-03-06T08:57:00.003-05:002024-03-06T08:57:46.444-05:00Dad Joke CCCXI<p>Tuna writes in with a Dad Joke:</p><p>My buddy couldn't work full time after getting hit by a tractor-trailer. I guess he's semi retired. <br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-47484299053594590812024-03-05T16:10:00.003-05:002024-03-05T16:10:40.288-05:00Battleship U.S.S. Texas afloat today<p>And back at dock after an extensive repair and refit. Don't mess with Texas' battleships.</p><p>This is a very long video of this morning's short voyage. <br /></p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OyTavTbsiL4?si=JkrUsh67pZ1Sbr8F" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-4921641095322720332024-03-05T14:55:00.008-05:002024-03-05T14:55:45.309-05:00Cisco Webex call recording released by Russia<p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/04/germany_confirms_russia_leak_genuine/">Wow</a>:</p><blockquote>The German Ministry of Defense (Bundeswehr) has confirmed that a recording of a call between high-ranking officials discussing war efforts in Ukraine, leaked by Russian media, is legitimate.<br /><br />Senior government officials have also confirmed Russian reports that the call was hosted on and tapped via Cisco's WebEx video conferencing platform rather than any kind of secure, military-grade comms.<br /><br />Roderich Kiesewetter, deputy chairman of the German parliament's oversight committee, <a href="https://twitter.com/ARD_BaB/status/1764243289576730689">said</a> the Bundeswehr leak was possibly caused by a Russian agent inside the <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2023/06/02/cisco_webex_audi_collaboration/">WebEx</a> call or the Bundeswehr's implementation of it, but the country is still working on discovering how the intrusion took place.</blockquote><p>As someone who worked at Cisco (in both their security and Webex business units) I can say that Cisco takes security very, <i>very</i> seriously. Not knowing more than this article, it very well may be a mole.<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-27918451770364774972024-03-04T14:59:00.000-05:002024-03-04T14:59:00.888-05:00Dad Joke CCCX<p>Thomas emails a Dad Joke:</p><p>A colonoscopy isn't the worst thing in the world, but it's up there.</p><p>Thanks, Thomas! <br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-57481393823600961772024-03-04T11:17:00.001-05:002024-03-04T11:17:13.925-05:00Judge issues restraining order keeping DOE from tracking bitcoin miners<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/02/department-of-energys-plan-to-track-bitcoin-mining-put-on-hold-by-judge/?is=415a7c8a6d382f84977619e14579099d525828b84a39b1dff67b4c3a171bec53">Interesting</a>:</p><blockquote>Earlier this month, the US Department of Energy (DOE) <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/02/over-2-percent-of-the-uss-electricity-generation-now-goes-to-bitcoin/">announced its intention</a> to gather basic information about the energy consumed by bitcoin mining. In making the decision, the DOE noted that the share of bitcoin mining happening in the US has shot up by a factor of over 10 just within the last three years, leaving the activity consuming as much electricity as a fairly populous state....<br /><br /><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24440902-cryptoenergytro">Albright's decision</a> to issue the injunction is based largely on the fact that the DOE's decision to delay going forward with the survey was voluntary and could be rescinded at any time.<br /><br />But he went beyond that by saying that the mining companies were likely to succeed on the merits of their case. In general terms, he noted that the DOE relied on its ability to enact emergency measures, and those are only applicable if there's a risk of public harm. The DOE will likely try to make the case that elevated carbon emissions and electricity costs both count as public harms, so Albright is suggesting that he's unlikely to find those compelling.</blockquote><p>Ah, Climate Change. Is there anything it can't do? Except in west Texas, where the Judge doesn't buy the whole "Climate Emergency means more Government" thing.<br /></p><p> <br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-26008169301659508152024-03-03T11:51:00.003-05:002024-03-03T11:51:38.547-05:00Recommended reading (and listening)<p><a href="https://www.isegoria.net/2024/03/life-without-a-state-is-dominated-by-custom/">Isegoria</a> (he <i>is</i> a daily read, right <a href="https://www.isegoria.net/2024/03/life-without-a-state-is-dominated-by-custom/">posts a review</a> of an article about the science fiction classic Dune. The excerpt is pretty interesting but also includes a link to an episode of historian Tom Holland's podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/romans-in-space-star-wars-dune-and-beyond/id1537788786?i=1000642778501">The Rest Is History</a>, in which Holland talks about just how much of both science fiction and Hollywood is about Rome.</p><p>Star Wars, The Hunger Games, Dune, and all sorts of less likely films explicitly (or sneakily) include all sorts of Roman motifs. It's a fascinating listen. Highly recommended.<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-40964495303518620462024-03-01T14:18:00.003-05:002024-03-01T14:18:45.899-05:00Quote of the Day - AI edition<p>HMS Defiant brings a <a href="https://hmstypicallydefiant.blogspot.com/2024/02/in-saner-world.html">terrific suggestion</a>:</p><p></p><blockquote><p></p>In a somewhat saner world, I wonder what would happen to any given nascent AI after exposing it to the canon of English. It could start with every volume of The Harvard Classics, swallow the complete Encyclopedia Britannica and for an encore, learn French, Japanese, Spanish and Chinese and swallow the entire compendium of their literature for the last 1000 years. Then it gets everything written by Shakespeare for dessert. I wonder what that model would come up with. I bet it would be profoundly different from any model that got 100% of the ravings of twitter and reddit which seems to be what google was striving for with its useless clunker.</blockquote><p>Endorsed.<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-81427900689298706862024-02-29T13:34:00.002-05:002024-02-29T13:34:31.180-05:00The preserved wooden artifacts from Herculaneum<p>It's not just <a href="https://borepatch.blogspot.com/2024/01/more-on-herculaneum-scrolls.html">carbonized scrolls</a>, there is a whole set of wooden items that have been uncovered at Herculaneum, the Roman city which, with Pompeii, was buried by an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. It's incredibly rare to have wooden items preserved for 2000 years, but there are a bunch.<br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mWz823PDM3o?si=eE7qRK0sW-AaZ8o3" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p>When you consider that only a quarter of Herculaneum has been excavated, you have to wonder what else is waiting discovery.<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-14627655978564605282024-02-29T10:49:00.006-05:002024-02-29T10:49:38.309-05:00Endorsed<p><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GHdiTHfXUAI6or6?format=jpg&name=large">RFK Jr. backs Rand Paul for Senate GOP Majority Leader</a>. Of course it will never happen, but interesting.</p><p>(<a href="https://large-regular.blogspot.com/2024/02/linky-links_29.html">via</a>)<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-88005385288596135012024-02-28T11:55:00.002-05:002024-02-28T11:55:09.364-05:00Dad Joke CCCVIIII<p>Where do chimpanzees go to grab a beer? The monkey bars. <br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-76015518960504535062024-02-27T09:56:00.005-05:002024-02-27T09:56:59.264-05:00On Google's untrustworthiness<p>Lots of folks are posting about the Google AI fiasco, and how it shows that you can't trust Google's search results. </p><p>Um, <a href="https://borepatch.blogspot.com/2011/11/why-i-shifted-from-google-to-bing.html">we've known this for over a decade</a>. Their political ideology has been on display, right out in the open for a very long time.<br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322916946732811685.post-23258291483844120762024-02-26T08:58:00.001-05:002024-02-26T08:58:10.806-05:00More bad security news<p><a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.06664">This sounds pretty bad</a>:</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></b></span></p><blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Abstract:</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>In recent years, large language models (LLMs) have become increasingly capable and can now interact with tools (i.e., call functions), read documents, and recursively call themselves. As a result, these LLMs can now function autonomously as agents. With the rise in capabilities of these agents, recent work has speculated on how LLM agents would affect cybersecurity. However, not much is known about the offensive capabilities of LLM agents.</span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In this work, we show that LLM agents can autonomously hack websites, performing tasks as complex as blind database schema extraction and SQL injections without human feedback. <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Importantly, the agent does not need to know the vulnerability beforehand.</span></span></span></p></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><p>Highlighting is mine. That bit is really, really bad.</p><p>This may be an inflection point, where Black Hat AI will fight it out with White Hat AI that companies use to find problems before the Black Hat ones do. What a mess. <br /></p><p>(<a href="https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2024/02/ais-hacking-websites.html">via</a>) <br /></p>Borepatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.com2