Sunday, March 29, 2009

In Your Dreams

I'm going to ask you, those of you reading this, to tell me something.

There's been much written on the subconscious mind, and the apparent links people have to each other through through the subconscious. Shared dreaming, dream linking, telepathic communication, and even precognition or seeing the future.

The Bible is said to foretell the future in Daniel, and Revelation.

Nostradamus and Edgar Cayce are said to have seen the future. Gerald Celente and George Ure have foretold today's events fairly accurately, and are deducing that the near future will be even more dire.

Precognition has surfaced once again in popular media with the release of the movie "Knowing".

There are stories of people who saw 9/11 before it happened. People are on record as having predicted "something" before the day the towers fell. Some predictions are closer than others, but all can be seen in hindsight as pointing to the events of September 11, 2001. I understand when people scoff and say that it is easy to make things fit an event after the fact, that pieces that don't exactly fit get discarded or minimized, and the ones that do get magnified. That is a valid criticism. So here's a chance to get things down on paper, so to speak.

I'm going to ask you, all of you who choose to participate, to tell us what you have seen for the future. For all of our collective futures. In your dreams, in your visions, in those quiet moments of contemplation and meditation.

For those of you who choose to particiapte, I will remove your name unless you wish me to post it. Just e-mail me your story (e-mail address: catman@sanfranmail.com), let me know if you wish to be identified or anonymous, and the rough time frame of your experience. Each response will be posted individually, although there may be several posted every day as the stories come in.

I will post each of your stories, verbatim, unedited (unless libelous, or slanderous).

Arguably, mankind is facing the greatest potential disaster in its history. Civilization has the real potential of collapsing, throwing all of us back one hundred years or more in the level of technology we currently enjoy. Our future is held in the collective grasp of madmen armed with nuclear weapons, political ideologists, religious zealots willing to sacrifice even their own children, those driven by greed and lust, faceless constructs called corporations, cartels, and secret cabals.

They all stand there, one hand on our future, and one hand on a gun, eyeing each other. Which one will be the first to pull the trigger on the others is anyone's guess. Who shall be the one to walk away from the table and determine our destiny?

Then on the sideline awaits Mother Nature, who may just decide to toss that grenade she's clutching into the center of that group. Coronal Mass Ejection, a polar shift, a titanic earthquake, a swift climatic shift are some of the weapons she has in her arsenal.

If our civilization should fall, the methods of producing, storing and transporting food will change radically. Fuel production will be curtailed, and perhaps even cease. Power production and a continent wide distribution network will become a fond memory.

A state government's control, centered hundreds of miles away, will become tenuous. A national government thousands of miles away will become irrelevant. Local strong men, warlords, criminal street gangs will rise to fill a void left by the evaporation of "The Law". Angry mobs dragging those "responsible", everyone from the local police chief, to the state governor to the nearest tree for a date with a rope.

Wholesale pogroms conducted against certain "undesirable" elements and ethnic groups.

Prison doors opened into local communities. Imagine rapists, thieves, murderers or worse just outside your door.

Population levels will adjust as the great cities empty into the surrounding areas bringing with it conflict. Conflict that will make the mass migration of "The Dust Bowl" seem like Sunday drive.

Medical care will become a game of chance as drugs disappear and diagnostic equipment become curiosities with no power available to run them. No more labs to check your blood or urine. No CAT Scans, no MRIs on demand, not even x-rays unless you're willing to hold a photographic plate against your chest as you walk around that radio active slag pile that used to be Seabrook.

People who rely on drugs and hospitals to keep them alive, people with pacemakers, diabetics, AIDS sufferers, hypertensives, transplant patients, and others will be forced to watch their clocks run out. Can you imagine living that way? Feeling Death closing his cold, boney fingers around that thread that keeps you tied to this world. Plucking at it like a harp string until it breaks. What acts of desperation will this bring?

I think it is important to see what commonalities we all have in our darkest visions, in our nightmares, in our dreams of the future.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

White People Are To Blame

I'm not the one saying this.

It is the president of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who said this. The amazing thing is that Gordon Brown of The United Kingdom was sharing the stage with President Da Silva in Brasilia yesterday, March 27.

“This crisis was caused by the irrational behavior of white people with blue eyes, who before the crisis appeared to know everything and now demonstrate that they know nothing.”, said President Da Silva.

The article containing this outrageous piece of prepubescent posturing can be read here at the Financial Times.




The seeds are being sown at every level to try and divide people along racial, religious, and economic lines. We, as a people, must not allow the elites who have created this situation to gain control and direct our outrage and use this situation to their advantage.

We have been lied to, used, and murdered to satiate their cupidinous appetites.

I've had enough of this crap.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Operational Security - Phone Communication

My wife and I had dinner with "Prepper Tom" a few weeks back, and we discussed this topic. He suggested that I write a post concerning it, and this is the result.

It is unfortunate that our elected government has declared those of us who value the traditions of this country "extremists". The continued erosion of our rights, liberties, and safety do not bode well for our future. The MIAC report, the efforts to criminalize non-corporate farming and food production, the continued attacks on our constitutionally affirmed rights, and the wholesale looting of our wealth to benefit foreign banks signal the total disregard and contempt those in power, and their toadies in the entrenched bureaucracy, have for us, the common citizen.

It may become necessary for some of us to find alternate methods of communication.

The Federal Government has been granted and has openly seized sweeping powers to monitor electronic communications. These powers include the ability to monitor, without court approval or judicial oversight, telephone conversations.

Included below are some basic methods for assuring some modicum of privacy in telephone communications.

No method is failure proof. If agencies of the Federal Government are interested in you, they will go to great lengths to obtain whatever information they seek. Keep this in mind whenever you choose to transmit any information by whatever means.

ANONYMOUS PHONE CARDS

Prepaid Phone Cards are available at many locations from supermarkets, liquor stores, and truck stops to the local convenience store. Do not always choose the lowest rate card. Some of these cards will force the caller to listen to advertisements before permitting the caller to actually make a call.

Not all prepaid phone cards will anonymize a caller’s number. They will frequently show the number associated with the phone being used. Cards that use traditional landlines to route calls will frequently report a correct caller ID. Cards that use VoIP networks will frequently display an incorrect caller ID.

There is not a definitive list of cards that display inaccurate caller IDs. However, prepaid Telus cards are known to display the number of the routing server or the access number used to place the call. Telus is a telecom company from Canada and their cards are distributed here in the United States.

Experiment with cards one purchases by calling a phone with caller ID. Keep a list of cards that do not display accurate caller IDs.

A safe method of experimentation is able to be conducted at a truck stop where banks of payphones are arranged. Few people will pay attention to an individual making repeated calls. Call one’s cell phone using the calling cards and see which ones display an accurate calling number. Switch one’s cell phone to vibrate to avoid annoying other patrons.

ALWAYS PAY CASH! Credit cards leave trails.

Try and avoid cards that are target marketed to specific ethnic or foreign national groups. These cards are used almost exclusively for international calling. There are unconfirmed rumors that the providers of these particular cards have come under pressure to “co-operate” with monitoring every call routed through their networks. This has been done under the guise of “anti-terrorism”.

Avoid cards that talk about “credits”. Stick to cards that describe their rates in cents per minute. The cards that use “credits” convert dollars spent to “credits” often with no adequate explanation of the rate of conversion. Sometimes one will find oneself paying more than if one had simply paid with coins.

Try and purchase cards from known service providers such as AT&T, Sprint, etc. The rates are frequently higher than the cut rate cards, but one will almost be guaranteed access. Some cut rate cards when used at a private payphone will still require a deposit of coins before one can even dial the 800 access number.

Some prepaid cards are able to be recharged. NEVER RECHARGE YOUR CARD! Recharging a calling card involves the use of a credit card. Once a credit card has been used, the phone card can be tied to the credit account, and then to the user.

Always dispose of expired cards! Do not keep them. Once a card has been recovered, it can be used to track every phone call made with the access number attached to the card. Destroy the card upon expiration, or if one feels one is in danger of being questioned or detained. Most cards are paper, and burn quite easily.

An example of disposing of a card: Enter a public restroom, torch the card, and toss it into the toilet and flush. Hold the handle down and make sure it goes down. Make sure the access or PIN number has been completely obliterated before tossing the card.

It is preferable to burn the card and flush the remnants into the sewage system rather than simply discarding it. The reason for this manner of disposal is the issue of residual fingerprints and DNA which might be recovered and used to aid an investigation.

Chewing and swallowing the card is discouraged due to the presence of toxic materials used in the manufacturing of the cards. It is also possible that the card may pass through one’s system somewhat intact and data may then be recovered from it. Not to mention, the authorities may choose to forcibly recover it by inducing vomiting, etc.

The burgeoning popularity of cell phones has resulted in the near death of the public pay phone. This coupled with the inability of most pay phones (this thanks to the war on drugs) to accept incoming calls makes use of the anonymous phone card troublesome for two people who are mobile. Payphone to payphone calls are becoming nearly impossible.

Using a phone card will usually entail calling from a payphone to a number attached to a fixed address, (home or a business) or a cell number. Calling a business, especially if it is a large business, is somewhat safer than calling a location with a single number. Once the call has been routed through the switchboard to a particular extension, it becomes more problematic to trace. It is also a fairly secure method to contact someone, using a prepaid card, via their cell phone as long as the caller is sure he or she is not under direct surveillance.

When calling any number attached to a fixed address, it is best to use some type of prearranged code. It doesn’t need to be complicated.

For example, let’s say that authorities visited you, and inquired as to the location of a person of interest. Of course being a good citizen, you politely informed them that you had no knowledge of that person. After the authorities have departed, you travel to a location, such as a bar or hotel, where a payphone is located. You then call the person of interest using the prepaid phone card. You say something like, “My big brother came by for a visit today. He said it was a good time to go on vacation, and that he would like to visit you while he was out there.” I think we can all understand what the message means, but just in case, “The authorities visited. Go disappear, they’re looking for you.”

After making the call, one visits the restroom, enters a stall, burns the card and drops it into the toilet and flushes. In this particular example, there is the possibility that one may have been followed. Do not retain potential evidence.

If one was followed and observed, the authorities will be able to request a dump on the phone used and determine what numbers were dialed from it.

In this situation, it would have been ideal for the person receiving the call to have had a throw away phone. This is a technique that will be described later.

Since one called the person of interest directly, if the phone card had been recovered, the authorities would be able to prove you made contact with their person of interest with the phone dump. There is the very real possibility one would find oneself being charged in some fashion.

If one resides in an urban area where payphones are more common, take the time to learn the locations of the phones in one’s area, and whether or not access is limited by time of day. Some phones are in the lobbies of buildings and subways that have limited access after a certain time. It is best to avoid using the same phone repeatedly. Rotate through the list of phones that you have, and do so in a random fashion. Be aware of surveillance cameras near the phones. Do not forget about cameras inside ATMs.

ANONYMOUS CELL PHONES

Prepaid cell phones, or disposable cell phones, are available from major retailers such as Sears, Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and even 7-11.

Try and avoid buying them directly from service providers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, etc. Usually service providers will attempt to gather more information about you when you purchase the phone in order to attempt to sell you additional services.

Another consideration is that the service provider stores have little traffic, and very high quality surveillance camera equipment, and digital video recorders. Most stores DVRs are on a network and can be accessed offsite from a remote location. It is easy to review recordings to look for a particular person in this type of situation.

The reason this is important is because of the advent of facial recognition software. Even if one is moderately disguised, the software is able to determine, within a certain probability, ones identity IF files have been compiled on one and there is a photo to compare against the image that has been recovered from the recording.

Once a determination has been made as to the identity of an individual on the recording it is a simple matter of comparing the time date stamp on the recording against the record of purchases. A reasonable number of possible disposable phone sales will be waded through, and the phone purchased will be found.

Try to shop at high traffic, high volume stores. As much as I detest Wal-Mart, I do buy disposable phones from them. The reason I do so is due to the large volume of foot traffic within the store. It is easier to blend into a crowd.

Wal-Mart security cameras are mounted high above the floor (sometimes as much as sixteen feet), and thus if you are wearing a simple baseball cap or even better, a Boonie Hat, it makes it difficult to get a good face shot. Most cameras in Wal-Mart are fixed. That means that there isn’t any pan, tilt, or zoom function.

Many Wal-Mart stores in low-risk areas (typically rural or affluent suburban locations) have a single security person on site. The cameras in these locations frequently run unattended. This means usually they are recording the entrance and exit, and the register areas. The field of view is relatively wide, and detail is lost.

Buy the most basic of phones. Stay away from the ones with cameras and all the other stuff that gets added on. It isn’t needed, and they cost more. Definitely avoid using the text function. Text messages are stored on a server, and can be retrieved. Remember, one is seeking a means of voice communication.

ALWAYS PAY CASH! Credit cards leave trails.

The cost can be as low as $9.99 (on-sale) for a phone and ten to thirty minutes of talk time depending on the carrier. Usually the cost is somewhere in the $19.99 to $29.99 range.

Do not buy more than one phone at a time. You WILL attract attention. Cell phones have been adapted for many purposes including detonating remote controlled munitions. Employees have been instructed to watch for people purchasing multiple phones.

If one needs more than one phone, travel to other locations to buy them, or spread one’s purchases out over time. If it is possible, use a straw buyer.

ALWAYS PAY CASH! Credit cards leave trails!

Buy cards for additional time, but buy the low cost, short duration airtime cards (GO Phone has $15.00 cards). The reason for this strategy is if one ever needs to dispose of the phone, one won’t be out a large chunk of money on unused airtime. One will be able to apply the unused cards still in ones possession on another phone, as long as it is on the same service.

Once one has one’s phone, use it only to call another disposable phone. Again, USE YOUR DISPOSIBLE PHONE ONLY TO CALL ANOTHER DISPOSIBLE PHONE!

It is easy for agencies to monitor traditional land line phones. It is more difficult for them to pick out a cell phone to monitor. It is even more difficult for them to do so when they don’t know the number of the cell phone they’re looking for. You need to keep this situation in your favor.

Do NOT call a regular cell phone!

Do NOT call a number for a home or business!

It is relatively safe to accept an incoming call from a payphone as long as there is some certainty that the person calling is not under surveillance.

If one should happen to call a number that is being monitored, one’s previously unknown number will be known. One’s phone does not need GPS in order to locate one. In some cases, it doesn’t even have to be turned on. All it has to have is the battery installed.

IF one does call a regular cell number, home, or business number using one’s disposable phone, one will potentially put everyone within one’s group at risk. Once one’s number, is known, the call history will be searched. Then the history of every number in one’s call history will be searched. Then a search for the phones on the network will be conducted, and an attempt to determine every phone’s location will be made. Once the phone’s locations have been determined, a comparison against the databases that list places of residence and employment of people of interest will be made. At this point it may be possible to deduce who has these phones. It is easy to begin monitoring these phones at this point.

Do not store phone numbers in the phone. Memorize them. Always delete the call history from the phone after each call. Yes, the call list can still be retrieved unless the SIM card is destroyed, but why make it easy for them?

If there is the possibility that a phone or phones have been compromised, destroy them.

Destroying a phone is relatively simple. However, there are some things to keep in mind.

Remove the battery. This is for one’s safety. Batteries have been known to catch fire or explode if damaged. Remove the SIM card from the phone. Instructions for removing the SIM card are available on the internet. Conduct a search for you particular manufacturer and model of phone.

If one is able to remove any identifying marks that may be present on the battery, retain it if one has a phone that can use it. It is always helpful to have a spare battery, otherwise, dispose of the battery.

Fire is a good way to destroy the phone, but even small phones will take some time using a torch. If there is time, a torch is the preferred method.

If not, smash the phone using a heavy object or hammer. Scatter the remains over several locations. Throw parts away at gas stations, convenience stores, along side the roadway and in significant bodies of water. Just do not throw all of it out in one waste container where it will be easy to recover. Try and eliminate any of the decals that have serial numbers, barcodes, etc.

Most critical information used in one’s phone is stored in the SIM. It is imperative that this card be destroyed. The best method for destroying the SIM is a torch. However, use whatever method is available. Another expedient method is using a set of jumper cables and a car battery. Be extremely cautious when using this method. It is best to connect the jumper cables to the SIM, then one side of the cables to the positive terminal of the battery. TOUCH the other side of the cable to the negative terminal BRIEFLY. Repeat as necessary.

ELECTRONIC SERVICES

This is not a definitive list. Service providers are always in flux with some failing, being acquired, and new ones starting up. Search the web often. The term “spoofing” means masquerading using another ID.


www.spoofcard.com

Spoofcard allows one to change one’s voice, caller ID number, and record calls which can be later retrieved. There is an option to locate retailers in your area on the home page. Again, PAY WITH CASH.


www.telespoof.com

Telespoof is similar to Spoofcard.


www.itellas.com

Caller ID spoofing.


www.grandcentral.com

Currently in BetaTesting. Owned by Google. “One number to control them all.”


www.jetnumbers.com

Get a number anywhere in the world.


www.safercalls.com

Designed for social networking sites. Now a pay service. Used to be free.


www.oncetel.co.uk

Anonymous, temporary phone numbers. Callers to the number pay the fee.


www.call-safe.com

Similar to oncetel.


www.talkdigits.com

Full service Free VoIP.


www.trapcall.com

Reveals Blocked Caller ID numbers


SOME BASIC STRATEGIES

One tactic to ensure as much privacy as possible without using scramblers and encryption on phone calls is to use a pair of new disposable phones. Ideally only two people or two groups of people will know of the existence of these phones.

Agree on a prearranged call in time. Agree on who is to call whom. Agree on a pass phrase to signal whether a person is safe or under coercion. Set a time window when the phones will be on. It is best if the calls are not made from a base of operations in case a phone has been compromised. Avoid using actual names of people during the conversation. When the call is completed, turn the phone off and remove the battery. This will limit the ability of the phone to be located on a network.

It is best to also arrange a drop dead date ahead of time with all parties. If calls are made, and not answered at the designated time, or the recipient never receives a call, set a maximum number of days where attempts will be made using the phones. If the drop dead date passes with no word, assume the phone has been compromised and destroy it.

If possible set a life expectancy on phones. Destroy used phones, and place new ones into service at regular intervals. This can become expensive and troublesome, but it is a tactic to be considered.

When it becomes necessary to charge the battery in a phone, place the phone inside of a Mylar bag. View the signal strength indicator to ensure that the phone has no signal. The phone may also be placed inside of a surplus ammo can during the charging process. Ensure the lid on the ammo can is able to be closed without severing the wires from the charger. Both the can and the Mylar bag act as a Faraday cage which shields items from electromagnetic signals.

This act is to guard against your phone being turned on remotely. Yes, they can do that. The phone will then be able to relay your location, and also be used as a "bug" to monitor audio in your location.

Earlier in the article, a throw away phone was mentioned. This is a phone that is set aside to allow a person to be alerted to danger. It is not used for any other purpose. No calls are made to it, or from it, except for the express purpose of giving warning. Once a warning has been received or transmitted, the phone is to be destroyed.

If an individual has multiple phones of the same type, place innocuous distinguishing marks on each of the phones to aid oneself in keeping track of which phone is which. A scratch here, or a missing piece of trim there will aid in identifying a phone without outwardly signaling to others there is something unusual about the phones. Also having similar phones disguises how many phones a person may be carrying.

One other neat use for a cheap, disposable phone, is as a "bug". Make sure the phone has a full charge. Turn off the ringer, the vibrate feature, and the backlight on the display. Set the phone to auto-answer (the phone will open a connection after a set number of rings). Hide the phone in the area you wish to monitor. Dial into the phone as needed to hear the activity in the room.


Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Obama is lying to you...again...

Most of us know that Obama is lying to the American people. He started lying to us before he even took the oath of office.

He lied when he took that oath. The proof is resplendent in his actions since taking office.

Lately, his henchmen and whores have taken to the airwaves and print media to promulgate the lie that the weapons employed by the Mexican Drug Cartels flow across the border from here in the United States. Read a ridiculous article from ABC, and pay attention to the photos, here.

How many of you are able to run down to the local gun store or gun show and buy a M249 (SAW) as featured right on the front page?

Now read this article from Gun News Daily. It was written by an American who lived and worked in Mexico and saw first hand the truth of Mexican gun ownership.

The more I watch what is going on in this country, the more disgusted I become with a man who sends his wife and kids out to garden in designer clothes. Check out the photos here. Does this idiot even understand what an insult this is to struggling families out here in the real world?

People are resorting to raising their own food for many reasons. One is because they can no longer afford to buy it.

He lives in a six floor, 132 room 55,000 square foot mansion, with three kitchens, five full time chefs, and thirty five bathrooms. All on eighteen acres of manicured lawns and gardens.

So, he's one of us just because he sent his family out to scratch around in the soil while the cameras whir and click away.

I don't think so.

Just another lie.

Monday, March 23, 2009

It's Nice To Be Back, Security Tips, And Oakland PD

Thanks for the welcome back comments on the previous post! I appreciate it.

I've updated the Jukebox. A word of caution, the first song is called (and this is not a typo) "Take Your Love and Shove It Up Your Big Fat Ass" and it is dedicated to the folks who run all those server farms out there in Colorado and Virginia under the auspices of the Federal Alphabet Soup Agencies. It is sung by the actor Joe Pesci, as only Joe Pesci can. It is replete with foul language, but is funnier than hell.

I hope you enjoy it.

A couple of the comments left in the last post have me concerned for the safety of our fellow preppers. In the near future, I will take some time to highlight some of what I did over the past week in detail. I'll start with the product DriveCrypt. This is a must have for all of you preppers out there.

One of the really cool features of the product is the "system within a system" feature.

You can create two bootable systems on one hard drive, each invisible to the other, and each encrypted. If your computer should be seized, and should you be forced to divulge your password, you can give away the password to the "clean" system. Oh, they'll dig through your drive with a fine tooth comb, but they'll only find your visits to your local church's website, and some local restaurants. They will not find your other hidden system.

I know it is pricey, but that's why I visit all those hacking sites out there.....keep watching this space, you never know, a download link may sneak in here and there....

A trick I use for easily remembered passwords is picking chapter and verse from the Bible. It is a mix of capital and lower case letters, punctuation, and numbers. Make sure you choose something that people don't easily associate with you. Some of us have verses we're fond of quoting, so pick something else that has meaning to what you are doing to assist your memory.

All of you non-Christians out there, I'm not shaking the Bible at you. If you follow another belief system, I'm sure there are texts that have meaning to you that you can use for this purpose as well.

I sincerely advise anyone against using a password manager, a thumb drive, or even a piece of paper to assist you in remembering passwords. If you have to, use the street address of where you lived as a kid coupled with the names of your neighbors. Just pick something that people will not easily be able to tie to you.

I know a guy whose passwords are based on the photos on the wall of his office. The pictures help him remember, but are so vague if someone else would try and guess what they were by looking the pictures, they'd be there nearly an eternity.

I'm sure many of you have heard of what transpired in Oakland, California Saturday. If you haven't, a brief recap, two motor officers pulled over Lovelle Mixon, 26, and were shot dead during a routine traffic stop. Mixon fled on foot and holed up in an apartmen allegedly belonging to his sister.

Reports state that approximately two hours later, the police received an annonymous tip as to Mixon's location.

Oakland SWAT, Alameda County Sheriffs, Oakland PD, and the California Highway Patrol (essentially California State Police) convereged on the location.

Upon forcing entry, SWAT tossed a flashbang grenade on a sixteen year old girl who was injured by the detonation. Two additional Oakland officers were shot and killed as they entered the apartment, and a fifth wounded. Mixon was killed in the exchange of gunfire.

What isn't being widely reported is that Mixon's neighbors allegedly knew he was in the apartment, but did not inform the police. Reported also, at the scene of the first shooting, a group of people gathered (reported numbers vary from a few, to twenty, to upwards of fifty) and heckled, jeered at, and taunted the police.

Mixon was a parolee who had missed his last visit with his parole officer. A warrant had been issued for his arrest. It is speculated that this may have been a factor is Mixon's actions.

I'm not an expert in police procedures, but is running into an apartment where an armed suspect is located standard?

If you remember, Oakland's first shooting of the year was the killing of an unarmed man, who was held down by several police officers, while he was shot by another officer. Oakland's residents have always had a nervous relationship with the police. The increasing level of unemployment and tough economic times are sure to increase the level of stress.

What I think most of us can carry away from this confrontation is that the police are going to have a very difficult time should civil unrest begin. Mixon was someone without tactical support, without training, and without tactical skills. Yet he was able to neutralize four well trained, well equipped, and seasoned law enforcement officers.

The attitude of the local public, indifference, scorn, and outright hatred cost the police dearly. I guess we can see the fruits from the seeds sown.

Yes, this is going to get ugly.

Already the cries for more gun control are being heard from the bleating sheep.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Network Security

I'm back after having reconfigured my home network.

The network now boasts a dedicated firewall machine, with a DMZ. The firewall runs on Linux (free downloads) and has IDS/IPS (intrusion detection/intrusion prevention) in place. There are two separate routers for two subnets. Each router has its own firewall as well, and each PC has a software firewall with IDS/IPS running.

I admit my Linux skills are enough to get me in trouble. Thank The Lord there are tutorials all over the web. For my evaluation of some of the packages that require a pre-installed Linux package, I chose to run Mandriva Linux.

I eventually chose a package that I could manage with my weak Linux skills. I also checked out Firestarter, ZorpGL, Turtle, LutelWal, FloppyFW, IPCop, LinuxLiveCD, and Trustix. All of these packages are free.

Each of these firewall packages will run on that old Pentium I or 486 you've sitting, unused, in a closet or corner. A couple, like LinuxLiveCD and FloppyFW, do not even need a hard drive. ZorpGL had a bit more of a learning curve than I was willing to devote time to. LutelWal was developed in Poland, and the author is looking for someone to help him do the Polish to English preparation of the documentation, so I was unable to devote the time to hacking around trying to figure out everything. Trustix looked promising, and I think I will migrate to it at a later date.

After testing out different packages, I settled on SmoothWall. SmoothWall, also free, requires a hard drive, and CD drive. I'm running it on an old Dell Pentium I based machine. The package seemed to be the easiest, and quickest, for my needs. Smoothwall will overwrite the entire hard drive in the machine you intend to use as a firewall. There is no need to pre-install Linux as with a couple of the other packages.

Just be aware of that when planning.

I use swappable boot drives in my personal PC ( I say this because there are a number of PCs here). I have several drives, each with an installation of XP on them. One is used for "normal" activities (like posting here), and the others for "abnormal" activities (like visiting hacker sites). This is similar to the product I use. This way there is less chance of contamination. In addition to which, when I set up a drive with all of the software I intend to use, I make a Ghost Image . If something should happen, I simply write over the drive with the image.

The particular PC that I use is running "on-the-fly" encryption thanks to the folks over at SecurStar. This is the product that I am using for my boot drives. I also have the 1344 bit version for external data drives.

I also use a software firewall on my PC called Outpost Security Suite. They offer a free thirty day evaluation of the software. This software is what alerted me to the fact that someone from an IP address linked to the Army was attempting to gain access to my PC.

There was another interesting piece of software that I ran across out there. It may be the solution for the folks who may not want to setup a dedicated Linux firewall machine. I tried it out, and if you're running a wireless network, this may be a must have for you.

Lan-Secure offers a group of products designed to secure a network. It can actually stop a rogue machine from becoming part of your network. Security Center Lite ran fine on my XP machine and effectively shut out every other machine on my network until I gave them permission. They have their products available for free thirty day trials as well.

I am also using Firefox as my browser, and Thunderbird as my e-mail client. Both of which are more secure than their Microsoft counterparts.

One of the most insidious of all hacks that plague PCs is the "keylogger". There is a product available that works with Internet Explorer and Firefox that scrambles all key strokes. QFX Software makes a product called "Keyscrambler". They make a "personal" (free) version available for download at CNET. This will help secure you if you are transacting any personal business via the web.

In Firefox, I have also loaded such plugins as "NoScript", "Finjan Secure Browsing (also works in IE)", "Distrust", and "TrackMeNot". Additional Firefox plugins can be located here.

Some additional steps that can be taken to protect you if you have an "always on" internet connection are as simple as shutting down your machine, and disabling the "remote assistance" and "remote desktop" features in Windows. If you must leave your machine on, disable the LAN connection, or unplug your modem or router when you aren't actively online.

Make sure your operating system is up to date. If you're running a Microsoft OS, visit GRC, and test out your system's security.

To be quite frank, I'm not sure exactly what caused certain elements to become interested in my systems or online activities. I admit to frequenting hardware and software hacking sites, most of which are overseas in The Former Soviet Republics. Although there have been forays into sites located in China, and some Islamic States as well as a number located in Western Europe.

Recently, I've been downloading a number of "how to" manuals on unconventional warfare in an effort to build a library to share with everyone. It would save all of us having to tread the same ground. It is a collection of military manuals, and things written by "people in the know", so hopefully it may prove to be useful.

It's nice to know that our government cares, isn't it?

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Going Offline for a bit

Folks,

I know the conspiratorial views of some of us run amok at times. However, I found the folks from the US Army Communications Electronics Command attempting to gain access to my PC this morning. They had apparently managed to bypass various electronic countermeasures I have in place to prevent hacking, and were actually banging on the door to the system I am posting with.

I will need to take steps to reconfigure my systems. This may take a few days to a week.

If you're a blogger, someone involved in the patriot or prepper movements, take time to install the most hardened of software and hardware systems available to you.

If you are connected to an "always on" internet connection, disconnect your PC when not in use. You can turn it off, unplug the ethernet cable, or just disable to connection. This will minimize the time anyone who is seeking to break into your system will have available.

You may be thinking, "well, I don't have anything illegal on my PC, what do I have to worry about?" It isn't what you have on your system that may be the issue. It may be the places you have been. Most PCs keep a detailed log of a persons activities.

If you have treasured photos of family trips and people in your life, they can disappear if someone has a sufficient level of access.

Not to mention, things can be placed on your system. Things you didn't put there. Things that would show up when your system was seized as part of a search warrant.

I may be on here and there posting from remote systems. I have two backup PCs that have never been online, so I am sure they have not been infected. I may use one of these in the interim. It depends on how much time I have between all the other things I have to do.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Obama Has His Own Psalm

FIRST BOOK of ILLUMINATI
PSALM 2008-2012



OBAMA IS THEIR SHEPHERD, THEY SAY I SHALL NOT WANT.

HE MAKETH ME LIE DOWN IN TENT CITIES; HE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL FACTORIES AND VACANT MALLS.

HE RESTORETH MY ANGER; HE LEADETH ME ON THE PATH TO GUN SHOWS FOR MY FAMILY'S SAKE.

YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE STREETS NEAR THE SOUP KITCHEN, I SHALL FEAR NO EVIL FOR MY RIFLE IS WITH ME. MY SHOTGUN AND SIDEARM, THEY COMFORT ME.

OBAMA HAS INVITED THE ENEMIES OF THIS NATION TO SUP AT THE TABLE BUILT BY OUR FOREFATHERS. HE HAS ANOINTED OUR MONEY WITH INFLATION. THE PEOPLE'S CUPS LIE EMPTY.

SURELY, POVERTY AND CIVIL UNREST WILL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF HIS TERM; BUT I SHALL NOT DWELL IN A HOUSE OWNED BY A FOREIGN LANDLORD FOREVER.



I AM GLAD I AM AN AMERICAN, I AM GLAD THAT I AM FREE. BUT I WISH I WAS A DOG AND OBAMA WAS A TREE.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Who can argue with sound logic?

If you had purchased $1000 of shares in Delta Airlines
one year ago, you will have $49.00 today.


If you had purchased $1000 of shares in AIG
one year ago, you will have $33.00 today.


If you had purchased $1000 of shares in Lehman Brothers
one year ago, you will have $0.00 today.


But---- if you had purchased $1000 worth of beer
one year ago and drank all the beer.


Then turned in the aluminum cans for the recycling refund,
you will have received $214.00.


Based on the above, the best current investment plan
is to drink heavily & recycle.


It's called the 401-Keg.



And I'll drink to that!

Tea Parties Have Begun



Over this last weekend in California, Tax Revolt 2009 began. This event has largely been overlooked by the corporate/government (aka fascist) media.

A huge rally staged in Fullerton, California drew an estimated 15,000 protesters demanding the recall of politicians who support new, additional taxes on Californians. Even once popular Governor Schwarzenegger was not safe from the ire of the gathered crowd.


For those of you outside of California, this state is in the hole in excess of $42 Billion dollars. None of our legislators were willing to make substantive cuts to the out of control spending this state is known for.

Instead they chose to cut spending for schools, fire, police and services for the elderly. They have also chosen to release criminals from prison, and refuse to incarcerate illegal aliens even if those individuals have been engaged in criminal activity.

Typical scare tactics employed to cow the public into kneeling at their feet begging for relief.

While all of the budget wrangling was taking place, the legislators continued to draw "per diem" allotments in an estimated excess of $5 million dollars.

We, the public of California, have had enough.

Pasadena Star News article

Flash Report Article

Tax Revolt News Channel

YouTube Videos of the event

Monday, March 9, 2009

Where you been, real gone cat? 60's, you dig?

Some people have been asking, so here's a short answer.

My wife has been keeping me up to date on people's postings (we read the same blogs) so although I haven't been leaving comments on many of our fellow blogger's sites, I am sort of up to date with what has been going on. I get a nice synopsis from Felinae. Thanks, honey.

I've never had a "true" 9-5 job. This job is one of those where you do whatever needs to be done, whenever it needs to be done. Early morning. Middle of the night. Whenever.

No, I'm not a "hitman" or drug dealer. I think I'd be earning more money if I was.

Lately it has been "whenever". Tonight is going to be another "whenever" type of job. So, because my schedule has been so screwy, and there's been alot of stuff going on internally at the company I work for, I've not had much time to get on here and poke at these keys.

So, I'm updating the jukebox now. I suspect many of you are closet Disco fans, because you folks downloaded to the tune of over 1 gig!



As promised, it's a SIXTIES FLASHBACK! So grab your postage stamps and start licking, "Turn on, tune in, and drop out"!

Far out, man! A trip to Woodstock!

Live in DC? Pay no Federal Income Tax

The outrageous behavior of the stooges running this country continues:

Check out the text of HR 1014 here on OpenCongress.org.

Initially, the text of the bill (especially the "findings" section) starts out like something some of us would write.

And then you get down to Sub-Section 12 under "findings".

"In keeping with the early history and democratic traditions of the United States, the principles established in the Constitution, and in conformance with the other territories of the United States which have delegates but no Representative, the residents of the District of Columbia should be exempt from paying United States Federal income taxes"

Personally, I am not being represented by any of the people currently in office. Therefore, I should not have to pay income taxes. Most of us are only paying income taxes to keep the gun toting goons off our front porches since none of us have "income" as defined by the original statute (16th Amendment).

The really tragic thing is, allegedly, Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) co-sponsored this bill. Say it ain't so, Mr. Paul!