Tag: government

Computer and Smartphone Security in Repressive Countries

Computer and Smartphone Security in Repressive Countries | 电脑和手机安全手册在压迫国家

Links and copies are AGAIN online. I’ll post when I receive an update. Vietnamese has been added 现在可以下载。要是文章要改变,我有最新版的时一会给你下载。 Updated 2018 June 17

These security documents for computers and smartphones are useful if: 这个关于电脑和手机安全手册是好用的要是:

  • your country can confiscate, investigate and interrogate your devices at will。
  • 你国家可以随意没收,调查和询问您的电脑和手机
  • your country can force or coerce you to give up your passwords
  • 你的国家可以强制或胁迫你放弃你的密码

These documents are not mine but belong to practicaldigitalprotection.com, a project of Safeguard Defeners. I am only safeguarding and promoting the documents for those who need them. Having read these documents I believe they are important enough to the world to keep a safe copy. I do not know the names of the owners of these documents, nor do I want to know, for their and my safety. If and when these documents are changed, I will replace them with their updated versions.

Ontario Online Drivers License Renewal: Failure

My librarian, it was, that brought the issue to my attention: Your driver’s license needs renewal. This occurs every 5 years, so not very top of mind. But hey, it is 5 years later, and there is a Government of Ontario, Canada, web site that I can use to renew my drivers license, print a temporary one, and the valid license will be mailed to me in 4 to 6 weeks. Unfortunately for me all did not go so well. The Service Ontario server seemed to have some problem, leaving me with no temporary drivers license, and unsure if my credit card transaction actually went through. In the end I had to personally go to the local Service Ontario office in order to get my temporary drivers license. Service Ontario’s web service really does not work.

Unexpected Site Visitors: Welcome

Welcome to my web site. If I can break the boredom of your day or put a smile on your face I am happy. These are some visitors that are unexpected but welcome. Most of these are government agencies, because I think it is odd that any government would be interested in my writing. There are lots of educational institutions that visit, but they are not as interesting to me. Note that just because they visit my site does not mean that they are hunting for bad stuff. It usually means that workers are human, looking for general life information and find it on my site for specific topics.

A Racialized Canadian living in Toronto

In my youth I thought that if I studied earnestly, worked hard and was honest I would charge forth with a great career, family and life. This is what I was told by all and I believed them. The last 10 years here in Toronto has shown me otherwise. I am a racialized Canadian living in Toronto. Raised and educated (multiple degrees in computer science and business) in Toronto, Canada, ready and willing to work, I find it difficult to get a break back into full time employment.

The Scary Monster is Not Shrek

McDonalds recalls Shrek glasses over fears of toxic cadmium levels

McDonalds recalls Shrek glasses over fears of toxic cadmium levels

Fear not the monster Shrek, for he is not to blame. But if not Shrek then whom? The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned consumers early Friday to immediately stop using the glasses available for purchase from McDonalds, on concerns about toxic levels of cadmium. Twelve million glasses are recalled. Who is to blame? There are at least three parties involved: McDonalds, ARC International, of Millville, NJ, and presumably the Chinese factory that produced the glasses. So common is the fact that China makes most of our products and the fact that so many toxic products have been traced back to China in the past makes this a very good educated guess.