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March 23, 2009March 29, 2009 - 5 Comments

Don’t React ; Instead, Respond

It may not have happened to you yet, but if not, it probably will before long.

You’re at your computer, happily browsing known and reputable websites, when suddenly – as if from nowhere – your screen becomes a mass of warning flashes and exclamation marks telling you your precious machine is infected with all sorts of nasty viruses, worms, and other creepy crawlies, burrowing their way into your hard drive.

These webpages are cleverly designed to mimic the Windows OS screens you see when you click on “My Documents”, or “Control Panel”, or similar.

Before continuing, let me say this: if you are using your computer on the internet without reputable anti-virus software installed, then you deserve to get taken for a ride by the latest batch of “scareware” scammers presently polluting the worldwide web.

If you do have antivirus software and get hit in the manner described above, the first rule is not to panic. That’s exactly what these scum want you to do. In a state of panic, human beings react, and the first reaction is “Oh, my God, how do I get rid of these?” At which point a helpful banner will appear on your screen inviting you to a website with software for you to download that will deal with the plague of infections ostensibly bugging your machine.

DO NOT GO THERE. You will be drawn into paying around $50 for software that does nothing. After all, there’s really nothing for it to do, except persuade you to part with your hard-earned cash. No viruses, no worms, no creepy-crawlies.

The golden rule in situations like this, is: don’t react ; instead, respond.

First, check in the very top-left of the page. Is this really a Windows OS screen, or is Internet Explorer, or some other browser icon, still telling you it’s a webpage? Almost certainly, it is a webpage cleverly disguised as an OS screen.

At this point, “X” out of the page, and any banners, instructions, or other devices still littering your screen, and note which webpage you were perusing when this intrusion occurred.

In my case it was the TimesOnline.com.

Finally, use your own anti-virus software to run a full system scan on your machine. Having done so, (you’ll almost certainly be given a clean bill of health) sit back and congratulate yourself on not falling for this latest ruse developed by the scumbags of the internet.

Because their victims react, rather than respond, these scum are netting around $10,000 a day.^[1]

^{[1] “‘Scareware’ scams trick searchers” BBC, March 23rd 2009}

Filed under: Internet filth

March 20, 2009March 29, 2009 - 6 Comments

Erosion Of Freedom – Canadian Fashion

Recently I wrote of a British Member of Parliament, George Galloway, who was hauled before a US Congressional committee back in 2005 over allegations under the Iraqi Oil for Food program, and who magnificently wiped the floor with them.^[1]

Today, the press is reporting that the Canadian government has barred George Galloway from entering Canada – he was about to take a lecture tour of the country – at the request of the Canadian Jewish Defence League.^[2]

The right-wing conservative immigration minister Jason Kenney (below)……

…….called Mister Galloway an…

……infandous street-corner Cromwell who actually brags about giving ‘financial support’ to Hamas, a terrorist organization banned in Canada.”

“Infandous” is actually a word, meaning “too odious to be expressed or mentioned”, though its not certain if the infandous Jason Kenney knew what he was saying, or if he simply confused ‘infamous’ and ‘scandalous’.

Jason Kenney’s accusation is totally unfounded. Galloway’s relationship with Hamas has been one of providing aid to Palestinians. In fact, it’s strange that Kenney has the gall to make such accusations about Galloway, considering that in 2006 Kenney attended a rally of the exiled Mujaheedin-e-Khalq, described by CTV as:

an armed Iranian rebel group formally designated as a terror group by the governments of Canada, the United States and the European Union.”^[3]

According to a statement on the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada website, the Mujaheedin-e-Khalq believe that:

Islamic socialism can only be attained through the destruction of the existing regime and the elimination of Western influence

and

To achieve this Islamic ideology, the use of physical force, armed struggle or jihad is necessary.”

This organization has been reportedly linked to Saddam Hussein, the PLO, and the Taliban.

Presumably, Jason Kenney just went along to watch?

The most appalling of many diabolical aspects of this news, is that a wealthy and obviously powerful Jewish group is able to control the government of a vast nation by a simple click of its fingers.

Whatever one’s opinion of George Galloway and his views he’s not a terrorist, he is no threat to the security of Canada, and he is certainly not a member of any illegal organization.

The question to be asked is how long Canadians will continue to tolerate a government obviously under the control of a foreign nation – namely Israel?

^{[1] Lest We Forget” Sparrow Chat, March 18th 2009}

^{[2] “Galloway in vow to fight Canada ban” The Scotsman, March 21st 2009}

^{[3] “Tory MP attended rally for group on terror list” CTV, August 24th 2006}

Filed under: Double, double standards

March 20, 2009March 29, 2009 - Comments Off

Misplaced Loyalties

The journey home from school today was not a bus driver’s success story. All four of the younger Roberts kids were back after a three day detention for misbehaving in school.

Jethro, the eldest, and Izaiah – suffering anger management problems – sit opposite the driver; Treanna, their sister, sits behind the driver, and little Azariah – with chipmunk agility and a shorter attention span than any amoeba – is squeezed in between two fifth graders with orders to sit on him, if necessary, rather than let him out of his seat.

The root of the troubles had nothing whatever to do with the Roberts family. Sharreta Robinson, a pleasant, friendly, girl who sits near the back of the bus, and a fifth grade boy, Keyshawn Attwell, a friend of Jethro’s, had been engaged in shy conversation at every given opportunity for the last three days. Keyshawn was new to the bus, and the driver was quick to notice a relationship developing between the two.

It made a pleasant change to see two kids enjoying each other’s company. Usually, the bus reverberated with continual bickering and name-calling, occasionally erupting into more serious fistycuffs, so he was happy to turn a blind eye when Sharetta slipped across the bus aisle to a vacant seat behind Keyshawn, better to hear what he was saying above the cacophony of thirty-eight, over-excited, voices.

No doubt all would have been well had not Kaitlin Sanders, a plump and loud-mouthed sixth grade girl sitting across from Jethro, not also had her eye on Keyshawn. Sharreta’s illegal move to another seat was not lost on Kaitlin, who immediately began making loud disparaging remarks about Jethro’s parentage, for no better purpose than to gain Keyshawn’s attention.

Jethro, of course, responded by calling Kaitlin a “fat, lying, bitch,” whereupon the two ended up in the aisle, arms flailing, and emitting language never heard in a church vestry.

The driver’s reaction was to stop the bus, separate the two, then charge up and down the aisle, much like the proverbial bull in a china shop, yelling at the remaining thirty-six kids to settle back down in their seats before they all got referrals.

The Roberts family alighted at the next stop, as did Keyshawn. Jethro still muttered to himself on the injustice of getting a referral for no more than defending his honor, and the meanness of school bus drivers in general.

Kaitlin Sanders sulked for the rest of the journey, knowing her referral meant she would miss the next school field trip. Both she and Sharreta left the bus at the final stop.

The driver watched as they walked away up the street, arm in arm, laughing and joking about nothing in particular.

Filed under: School bus