Month: September 2007

Set your USB key up to auto-run on insertion

I’ve known this was possible for a while, but I hadn’t looked for nor stumbled upon instructions for putting an autorun file on a USB key and getting it to work. This week, obviously, I found the instructions over at Daily Cup of Tech for making this happen. I can see several good and nefarious uses for this.

The autorun.inf file is the key to getting your USB drive (or CD-ROM drive, for that matter) to perform certain actions automatically and customize it’s look in My Computer. The purpose of this article is to shed some light on how this can be done.

Topics covered are:

  • Autorun.inf Structure
  • Setting a Custom Icon
  • Naming Your USB Drive
  • Setting AutoPlay Options
  • Adding Context Menu Items
  • Changing Default Action
  • Viewing a File
  • School’s Out, Time To Play!

Unfortunately, the author doesn’t have anchors set at each heading, or I would link you directly to each section. Fortunately, the entire article is brief and pretty easy to follow, so this isn’t a big negative in the article layout.

USB key break-ins are a real security threat, and this kind of tutorial helps you make the security breach even easier if you are in to that kind of thing. Whether you depend on natural curiosity to cause the breach or use something like the above-linked tutorial to get a tool running and stealing what you need from your victim, the USB key is handy. This also means you should be aware that the bad guys are learning (or already know) these things and will use them to attack you some day.

So to end, the next natural question for you, the reader, should be “How do I stop this vulnerability from impacting my system/network/company?” now. Well, there are many places that have the answer. I haven’t found one that I would point out as The best way to do this – this Microsoft technet article has the necessary information if you already know your way around the registry, as does this more concise and clearer article. Other helpful points include this CD-Freaks forum post asking that question, as does this web site that seems to focus on autorun features/bugs/benefits. That last one is probably the clearest, so may be the one I point folks to in the future.

[tags]USB autorun, USB keys, Security, DIY, Daily cup of tech[/tags]

AMD to open ATI graphic specs

This is purely of interest to the small crowd fitting in the union of sets gamer – linux user – ATI user with the possibility of developer being an indicator of some note. Word on the street (or rather, on the most current Linux sites) is that an AMD representative has announced plans at the kernel summit to enable development of open source drivers for ATI graphics processors – at least for the R500 and forward.

A quick report from the kernel summit: AMD’s representative at the summit has announced that the company has made a decision to enable the development of open source drivers for all of its (ATI) graphics processors from the R500 going forward. There will be specifications available and a skeleton driver as well; a free 2D driver is anticipated by the end of the year. The rest will have to be written; freeing of the existing binary-only driver is not in the cards, and “that is better for everybody.” Things are looking good on this front. More in the kernel summit report to come.

That’s a serious boost to the credibility of an ATI-based Linux system for gamers at the very least. I know personally I have avoided ATI cards for years due to long-term Windows driver issues (which are slowly resolved, if ever) and barely useable at times Linux drivers. It’s hard to do, though, given how powerful ATI videocards have become, but until reliable drivers are there, I avoid them. Well, with the open source community working on them with more information, hopefully the Linux issues will soon be cleared up and I’ll be able to seriously consider an ATI card in a future upgrade.

The comments in the linked article are also worth perusing, just to get a feel for the reactions from the open source side of tech.

[tags]Linux, ATI, Open Source, Kernel summit, Graphics, GPU[/tags]

Happy, productive working you

Of course, you are perfectly happy in the perfect job with the perfect work environment.  But for all your cow-orkers who are less than brillaint, less than happy, and less than desirable to have around because they are so unhappy, point them to this guide to having a more productive workplace and being happier on the job.

11. Cultivate Compassion for Negative Coworkers. People who are negative are that way for a reason. They may have difficulties you don’t know about. Try to be compassionate and non-judging. If you’re a manager, people still need to meet benchmarks, but you don’t have to dislike them if they are not cutting it. When you encounter a negative person, you have the choice to either be affected by the negativity or to be the one who influences the other person. It’s a decision. Choose to stay positive. Instead of saying (in your head or out loud) “Oh, that Suzy-Q! Her negativity always ruins my day,” try thinking “Poor Suzy-Q. She must have some difficulties. I wish her peace. In spite of her negativity I will try to be a positive influence around her.”

See.  It’s not you.  They’re defective.  Don’t let their character flaws bring you down.  🙂

3. Turn off Your Computer. “What?!” you say. “Everything is done on my computer!” Well is it really? What percentage truly is? Plan to have your computer on only for that amount of time each day. Plan out blocks of time for different computer tasks and work from a checklist to keep you focused. Giving your eyes a rest from the screen will give you more energy for creating. Even if you just close your eyes as you think of a response to an email can help too.

Ow.  That hurts just thinking about it.

More seriously, though – it is a good list.  There are a lot of things I know realistically I’ll never do, but others with better discipline could probably excel with many of the suggestions.

[tags]More productivity, Happy worker, GTD, Getting things done[/tags]

Caffeine check

Just in case you ever wondered how much caffeine you were taking in from your favorite drink, the Science News folks can help you with a handy list of some of the most common.

Enter two food scientists from Auburn (Ala.) University. In the August Journal of Food Science, they report just how much caffeine they measured in a host of carbonated beverages. The researchers provide data on 74 colas, 28 Dr. Pepper or similar-tasting beverages, 26 citrus-flavored soft drinks, and another 5 miscellaneous drinks. Most of the drinks were nationally marketed brands, but the Auburn team included 41 store-brand soft drinks.

Here are just a few from the list:

  • Diet Mountain Dew – 55.2 (this is my poison of choice)
  • Barq’s Root Beer – 22.4 (love this stuff – needs more caffeine)
  • Diet Dr Bob – 30.9 (WTH is this?)
  • Diet Coke with Lime – 46.3

Mmmmm.  Makes me thirsty just thinking about it.

[tags]Caffeine, Soda, Poison[/tags]

See toast toasting toasty-toasted bread

Mmmmm.  Toast.  I thought I’d posted about a similar gadget here before, but I can’t seem to find it on the Blahg now, so I must be mistaken.  View the toast-making goodness of the transparent toaster.

engadget-9-3-07-transparent_toaster This transparent toaster allows you to see the bread while it is toasting so you’re never surprised by toast that comes out too dark. This idea is based on the transparent heating glass featured in this issue. Although the glass does not currently get hot enough to toast bread, someday this application may be possible. The concept was developed by the Inventables Concept Studio.


I’m going out on a limb here and guessing that one wouldn’t want to butter their bread before popping it in here, though.  Just a handy tip from my awesome and over-sized brain to you.  (via Engadget)

[tags]Toast, Transparency, Mmmmm[/tags]

New Ngage platform

Catching up on my latest techie/geek news, I saw this news-bit about the new Nokia N-Gage platform update, the N-81 gaming platform. It’s a fine looking update from their awful first- and second-gen gaming phones.

engadget-02_nokia_n81_lowres440.jpg

This is Nokia’s new N-81 gaming device built upon their revamped N-Gage gaming platform. The S60 device packs HSDPA (sorry, no US band support) for on-line gaming, integrated speakers (and 3.5-mm headphone jack), and D-pad navigation for getting your game on. Still, it’s not just for gaming as it fully supports all the audio and video you’d expect in a new “pane-driven,” UI which carousels your windows instead of lining them up in tabs — a UI which will evolve in the coming months in line with Ovi. On sale Q4 in Europe in an 8GB flash model (€431/$585) or €360/$490 pre-bunged with a 2GB microSD card.

The screen and control layout looks so much better than the previous versions. There’s a gallery with more images in the Engadget article linked above. This might even be enough of an improvement to get folks to finally buy in to the N-Gage platform.

[tags]N-Gage, Gaming, Nokia[tags]

More news of the stupid

We’re all stupid at some point in our lives.  Simple things like putting batteries in the correct way sometimes eludes even the best of us.  But when you are going to rob a bank, be sure to use your smartest brain cells.

He told the teller not to do anything stupid.0816dimbulb_mug

Too bad the bank robber didn’t take his own advice.

After he robbed a Bank of America on West Hillsborough Avenue last December, court records say, Etni Ortiz left his resume behind — dropped it, actually, when the bank’s dye pack exploded. Police found it outside the bank in a pile of dye-stained money. There were also photos, one of Ortiz. The picture, too, was stained with red dye.

Nine days later, Ortiz robbed First State Bank at 5700 Clark Road in Sarasota, according to documents on file in U.S. District Court.


Well, so much for that spree.  I think the resume is a stroke of genius in a way, though.  Now, someone can help him properly update it so he can find a better job.  They probably will also coach him to leave “Failed bank-robber” off the skills section, though.  Maybe just put something like “Escaped bank premises with over $3000 in two robberies” without highlighting the getting caught nor leaving behind a resume bit.  Hell, this makes me think I should start a bad criminal resume writing service.

[tags]Stupid criminals, Stupid, Bank robbery, Idiot, Moron, Resume writing skills, Dumb crook, Stupid robber[/tags]

Ninjas or pirates? I think we know what this guy likes

With a quote like “Not afraid to punch a man in the nuts. Or a midget in the face.” you know you’re getting expert information from ScrewAttack’s top 10 ninjas guide. Hidden behind an impossible to fake age verifier, here’s the video:

[gametrailers 24269]

Moderately NSFW due to language, it’s still pretty funny and a great guide to gaming’s best ninjas.

[tags]ScrewAttack, Top 10 ninjas, Ninjas vs. pirates, Punch a man in the nuts[/tags]

Stop! Hammertime. You can’t touch this!

You know, there are some things in life you just don’t want to get stuck with – Paris Hilton, any of the competitors from any reality TV show, and this:

cant-touch-this.jpg

That, dear folks, is a male anti-masturbatory device from around the start of the 20th century in Great Britain.

This metal device is one of a number of similar devices which were invented in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries to prevent masturbation. A leather strap which would have kept it in place is now missing. Until the early 1900s, many people regarded masturbation as harmful to a person’s health, and it was blamed for a variety of ailments, including insanity.

Personally, I’m nearly blind from over 25 years of masturbation, so I could barely see the device at all, but the name sounded like something I needed to share. Hell, it’s amazing I can even type with all the hair growing on my palms. (via boingboing gadgets)

[tags]Masturbation, Gadgets, Can’t touch this, You’ll go blind[/tags]

Midwest teen sex

Check out midwest teens and their sex podcasts.

midwest-teensex_rebuild Each episode is sort of a parody of a given sex-ed topic (birth control methods, the ethics of dating much-older men, and so on) — but presented in a deadpan, internet-funny fashion. May or may not be work-safe (explicit subject matter) but it’s not pornography by any means. Just sharp sarcasm that rings true, with good advice.


It’s tame stuff, and not the pr0n you perverts were looking for.  (via boingboing)