Two months ago the lymph node under my left collar bone got very inflamed. I went to the doctor who ordered an ultrasound and chest x-ray. The ultrasound was, “worrying” so they ordered a CT. The CT suggested that my lymph nodes had gone bad. I spent the last two months afraid that I was going to leave my kids unsupported as one was finishing her first year of university and the other his first year of high school. A couple of days ago I got the best possible news under the circumstances that I have Hodgkins Lymphoma which is curable and I am expected to go on and live a long life.

That largely depends on who you talk to.

Christofascists think I’m bad. White supremacists, white nationalists, racists, anti-vaxers, neo-Nazis and Nazis, anti-choicers, anti-maskers, Covid deniers, vegan extremists, incels and incucks, Puritans, the US Taliban, magats and the anti-reality crowd, the convoyists, the Save-The-Children crowd and Queen Dildo and her ragtag band of morons, PETA, the rabid pro-gun I’m-terrified-of-everything-so-I-need-a-grenade-launcher-to-buy-donuts crowd, and others think I’m bad but so do the tankies, and trans extremists, the anti-gun crowd, and others who hate the first group. Just about everyone who lives in an echo bunker would think I’m bad.

I do things that many people think are bad but they tend to be the controlling-what-other-people-do mob but generally I think I’m a good person and the people around me seem to think so too no matter where they lie on the political, religious, or social spectrum.

My wife had my first when I was 39. I wish I had had kids sooner. I love going to minor hockey games and taking to my daughter about her crafts and school.

Biden is NOT a liberal or progressive. He’s just less of a fascist than the GOP. He lives in a world where more than 100 million people swallow anything the GOP forces into their mouths.

That’s just their cover story for their base. It’s actually about protecting the US auto and oil and gas industries and keeping profits flowing to the right people.

The corporate christofascists and their GOP stooges are doing everything they can to stop electric vehicle production and adoption in the US. They’re doing the same thing with renewable energy. It’s all about keeping the money flowing to the rich for at long as possible no matter what the long term costs to the country, the planet, or the non-wealthy. Most ofter countries not run by corporate fascists are adopting EVs and renewable as fast as they can. The US is going to become a dirty, underdeveloped country run by theocratic dictators and there is very little that can be done to stop it and very little time to do it.

All extremists are the same. They believe that they are somehow superior and that that superiority justifies anything they do to anyone they see as inferior.

Can I use my dick head?

“You want me to unlock my phone? I used the head of my erect penis. I’m not going to get it up myself. Knock yourself the fuck out.”

The other problem with biometrics is you can’t change them. With the OPM breach a few years ago they lost 5.6 million finger prints. Those finger prints are now useless since they are in the wild and can’t be changed. Not a problem for your average phone user but in my world that’s a really big deal. In my world biometrics are a convenience and convenience is bad for security.

As long as you’ve considered and accepted the risks you’re good.

You’ve done a threat and risk assessment and decided that the inconvenience of uninstalling or disabling the app is with accepting the risk of your device being competing and your data stolen or ransomed, your banking or other credentials being stolen, your friends, family, and other contacts being targeted, and your employer being put at risk if you use your device for work. That’s an acceptable way of handling the situation. You can always accept the risk.

That’s a threat and risk assessment. You’ve decided you’re willing to accept the risk of anyone being able to unlock your phone. For me, I’m not really worried about someone in the street strong arming me. I’m more worried about a state actor, border guard, police officer, etc demanding that I unlock my phone. They can physically compel you to unlock your phone by pointing it at your face or putting your finger on the pad but they cannot compel you to give them your password.

You’re exposing yourself to unpatched vulnerabilities for convenience instead of updating or deleting the app. If you lose half the functionality because of an update it’s time to find a new app in my books.

Something like that. Hardened personal devices in one and things like TVs and game consoles in the other.

Yup. Also having an agreement that an X from any family member means they are uncomfortable or in trouble and you should call them in one minute, tell them that there is an emergency, and you need to pick them up right now. Get them safe and don’t ask questions unless they want to talk.

That’s my expert opinion. Take it or leave it. It’s your device.

I always have a firewall inside the ISP device. I also have segmented network with the devices I mostly control on one network and the devices that the manufacturer mostly controls on another.

I work in information security.

Don’t use biometrics to secure your devices. Biometrics are a convenience feature to make it easier to access your device. Biometrics are NOT security. You can be compelled to unlock your device by having it pointed at your face or your finger forced onto the reader. Don’t do it.

Use 2FA/MFA everywhere you can. If it’s an option, turn it on.

Use a password manager that generates strong passwords and use a different password for every service you use.

Update, update, update. Allow your devices, OSes, and software/applications to update automatically.

Talk to your parents about safe surfing. Tell them that their bank won’t send them an email or text asking them to send personal information. Set a password with your family to identify them if they are in trouble and need help. Tell parents and grandparent not to send you bail money to get you out of jail in Morocco.

Teach your kids that everything they post on the internet is public and permanent. Teach them that if they do something that they think will get them in trouble and someone is blackmailing them that it’s better to tell you and ask for help than to give in to the blackmailers.

When I’m working from home 99% of the time PJ bottoms in the summer and sweatpants in the winter. A t-shirt all the time and a fleece vest and fleece jacket over top in the winter. I sometimes wear socks. I wear a toque from the end of summer to the beginning of summer and sometimes during the summer.

When I travel for business, business casual with a t-shirt and dockers

I download or capture everything I pay for. I paid for it, it’s mine.

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