Posts by BenWilson

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  • Hard News: The Flashing Question Mark,

    Scared of EMP? Offsite backup. Use all that free web space THEY want you to have. Encrypt if you are paranoid.

    Scared of disk crash? Redundancy. RAID or the Mac equivalent. It's been round a loooong time.

    Scared of your kids getting stalked on the net? Rather that than ITF, IMHO. Personally, I find the most common stalkers on the net are kids. Kids very quickly learn that you can't take anything for granted in cyberspace, and use that to experiment with being someone they aren't, with far less qualms than an adult does. But that's the new world, and I figure it's better to try to understand it than to hide from it.

    Back when I used to chat to strangers online, when it was new to me, in the mid 90s, I remember a girl who credibly claimed she was 14 relating to me about some creep trying to pick her up ITF. I expected to hear a sad and sordid tale of exploited childish innocence. But no, her story was about leading some old guy (late 20s) on about being 16, arranging a meeting with him, and then checking him out from a distance with a friend, taking a few photos, and never speaking to him at all. Kids just aren't as foolish as they may seem, nor as innocent.

    I'm sure her dad would have been extremely unhappy about what she did. Which is why he never found out.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: Essay Question,

    a high-end Commodore SV6/8, which can pounce on speedsters very effectively,

    Unless those speedsters happen to have a lighter, more powerful car, with 4 wheel drive, something that any kid can get for less then 10 grand.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: The Flashing Question Mark,

    And meanwhile, I still don't know whether Time Machine really works …

    It's waiting for Hadrons to collide.

    I've used Time Machine to get my system up and running again (I backup at least once a day because I live in fear of losing my PhD thesis) and it's great.

    You back up your whole system just for the thesis?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: Essay Question,

    Is he taking the piss? I'm pretty sure I saw several vehicles yesterday on the motorway with the words "Highway Patrol" or something like it already. And as for the separation of the forces, that already happened too. A mate of mine is a cop, and was originally a traffic cop before the forces merged. Of course his main duty is still traffic, because the regular police don't like the work and don't do it well. His greatest source of bitterness on a daily basis is that the cops have to drive Yank and Ozzie tanks whereas the kids and crooks they chase have good cars. But he also accepts that high speed chases are a bad idea.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: Essay Question,

    No Craig, it's called Hard News cause they send hard men around to give it. One visit, and you'll give them any show they want.

    Oops I just realized I'm telling that to the wrong guy :-)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Random Play: He's just an excitable boy…,

    I'm definitely waiting indefinitely.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Random Play: He's just an excitable boy…,

    Even if it involves chocolate mousse?

    Is that a chocolate mouse that has been felched?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Random Play: He's just an excitable boy…,

    That's a different story. You'll have to wait for the book.

    On the subject of felching I can wait indefinitely.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Random Play: He's just an excitable boy…,

    Emma probably means filched. As in to steal or pilfer.

    Phew, I was worried she actually meant felched.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hard News: Essay Question,

    I wish Stuff would get another photo of Ralston. It is not pleasant seeing a man putting on his eyebrows.

    Lol, now there's a man who really didn't have a face for TV. Just as well people don't care about that kind of crap.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

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