Saturday, September 30, 2006

Zango? Questionable Practices? You Decide!

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UPDATE! - Some people coming by only want to see the video, Daniel and the Bus, and could care less about Zango. They know it is bad stuff. - So! here is a link to go see the video free for nothing! Without mucking up your computer. -

Some of the other stuff on this webpage is tawdry at best. Surf there at your own risk. Especially since Zango owns the site!

- http://"target="_blank">http://www.tacobomb.com/html/Guy-Jumps-Under-Bus.html -

For those wishing to know more about Zango continue reading...
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I was planning on posting a bit on the Military Commissions Act - The U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives have passed this new legislation proposed by President Bush on the treatment and trials of terror suspects in U.S. custody. It is expected the President will sign it into law soon (If he hasn't already).

But as I was surfing for more information I came across a Guardian Unlimited (UK) webpage that had a short Macromedia Flash shot. "YOU WON'T BELIEVE YOUR EYES" it says. Then it shows a kid running in front of a bus and laying down in front of it. Looks lke his plan is to be lying between the bus wheels as it passes over him. "SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH." in the middle of the advert is a forward arrow (>) for you to see what happens next.

Not being squeamish I clicked on it and a new window opened for ZANGO.com whose slogan is, "With Zango – You’re Good to Go(TM)" - They also give this blurb - Zango offers a vast network of free ad-supported games, videos and downloads powered by proprietary and revolutionary time-shifted advertising technology. Zango allows users, publishers, content providers and advertisers to connect within one unique online community. - Also on the page was a lot of screenshots of various videos you can watch.

Hey, there is the not too smart kid labeled, "Daniel and the bus". OK click on it and...

Another page pops up.

Big button says WATCH - OK. Click on that and...

Another window pops up for me to download some software called "Setup.exe".

It must be safe right? I mean the Guardian Unlimited (UK) would not send me to a website that would download bad software on my computer would they? - But! Maybe I should be digging a little deeper before I click on this one. (Didja notice how I got my slogan in that last sentence? Pretty spiffy huh?)

Ok, The quick version. On the page where the word WATCH is most prominent is a lot of info in smaller type. At this point Zango is looking to download, free for nothing, a TOOLBAR and SEARCH ASSISTANT.

- quotes -
Zango Toolbar, accessible whenever you browse the Internet, may display ads within the Toolbar itself based upon keywords from your Internet browsing. Buttons in the Toolbar let you access relevant offers.

- Zango Search Assistant (Zango SA) provides free access to Daniel and the Bus and all Zango-supported content across the Internet and, in exchange, may display to you several ads per day based upon keywords from your Internet browsing. These ads will pop up on your computer screen in a separate browser window.
- end quotes -

On this page is a box PRECHECKED to say "By clicking watch, I represent that I (1) am at least 18, (2) agree to the terms of the EULA above and (3) consent to access Daniel and the Bus."

Digging a little deeper (Hey! My slogan fit in this post again! This time with a cap!) I found one complaint of difficulty in removing the installed program (Could have looked harder and expect I would have found more) and I've found that a lot of Myspace users have been putting some cool little video clips on their websites. Pasting the code for the moviefile into the Myspace profile and having it autoplay when someone visits the page, is enough to have the licence prompt appear.


vitalsecurity.org
has a piece on this outfit that questions the prechecked box.
- Quote - Myspace is (or was) all about the kids, right? Minimum age is now 14, their "safety tips" page links to a bunch of sites called Safeteens, Webwisekids and Netsmartz. Browse around randomly and it's confirmed. Kids, kids, kids.

Which just makes the pre-ticked checkbox for the Zango installer (18 or over) even more ironic and useless than it already is when applied to a landscape like this. Of course, videofiles that launch Adware aren't a new thing - though creating a distribution method like this is pretty inventive. - End Quote -

I guess this posting is just a reminder to be careful out there. If you don't mind Adware and search redirects then go for it. I'm not putting any links to Zango on this posting. - You will have to go digging a little deeper to find it yourself...

Hey! Three times on one posting!

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Thursday, September 28, 2006

Elections Offer Us A Choice

"Politics is the best show in America," Will Roger's said. "I love animals and I love politicians and I like to watch both of 'em play either back home in their native state or after they have been captured and sent to a zoo or Washington."*


prying1 sez:

This mid term election might seem to be a bit wilder than previous ones but in reality all election cycles are quite similar. Both sides taking pot shots at one another trying to convince the public that they have the winning combination for happiness and prosperity.

This time there is a bit of difference because our nation is at war. Not at war with other nations but with an ideology that wants to rule the world. The proponents of this ideology have so stated. With a religion as it's foundation terrorists & Islamofacists are working worldwide to foment unrest throughout the worldwide Muslum communities. Seeking to blame anything but human nature & the Muslum religion itself for any misfortune or slights they continually point their fingers towards the west and shout, "There is your enemy!" Many Muslums believe them instead of looking in their own hearts and realizing that they carry their own enemy within their breasts. As do all men who are son's (and daughters) of Adam.

This election cycle it really comes down to two parties of opposing viewpoints.

The Libertarians have yet to count for much of anything so I won't even include them in this diatribe. So it goes.

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The Democrats want to convince America that the entire escalation of worldwide terrorism is Bush's fault. Included in this tactic is claims that the image of the United States has tarnished significantly throughout the world as a result of President Bush. Their rhetoric does not explain why terrorism started long before Bush took office nor why so many people around the world are still vying to come to America.

I remember as a child, many moons ago, pictures of graffiti on walls in third world countries stating, "Yankee go home!"

Certainly Bush is not to blame for either allegation. Let's blame the escalation of worldwide terrorism on the terrorists and those who listen to and follow their twisted teachings. As regards the image. Offer those who 'hate' America a free ticket to visit and see how quick they snap it up. I think most of that is really jealosy not hatred.

Many of the Democrats want to pull out of Iraq either quickly or slowly. Their solution leaves a weak country wide open to become a terrorist state. The peoples of that land would be murdered by the millions just as happened in Vietnam when the U.S. pulled out. This is not a viable solution and they really have come up with no other plans except verbage that is really a reworded "Stay the course" as Bush has repeatedly stated.

They keep promising A PLAN and keep coming up with a list of what the plan will be about. Should Americans vote for a list? I think not!

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The Republican party sees terrorism as a threat that will not go away with talking pretty and convincing the world we are really nice guys. All the economic and local issues pale in comparison to the global threat of terrorism. Indeed, worldwide commerce would suffer (not to mention tourism - some country's main staple) if the terrorists were allowed to continue running roughshod over the poorer nations. Know too they would not stop at the poorer nations. Europe already has it's problems that are only going to intensify. Savings accounts and retirement funds would come to naught if the terrorists got halfway to their stated goals. The war on terrorism is the main thing to consider this election cycle.

Voting for Democrats will be voting to put the war off for a few years. Until it comes to our shores. AFTER it has decimated millions in poorer countries.

Voting Republican will be voting to utilize sources (phone/bank records etc...) the Democrats do not want us to use in the fight against terrorism.



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* 'Borrowed' from How We Elect Our Presidents Will Rogers (selected and edited by Donald Day) / Little Brown and Company - 1952 -
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Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Bleeding Heart Liberals Won't Like This One

Got this in an email that was not caught in my spam box:


Subject: Problem solving

Bush wants us to cut the amount of gas we use. The best way to stop using so much gas is to deport 11 million illegal immigrants! That would be 11 million less people using our gas. The price of gas would come down. If you think this is a good solution to both the problems, forward it to your friends. I just did.
__________________________________________________


Bring our troops home from Iraq to guard the border. When they catch an illegal immigrant crossing the border, hand him a canteen, rifle and some ammo and ship him to Iraq.


Tell him if he wants to come to America then he must serve a tour in the military. Give him a soldier's pay while he's there and tax him on it.

After his tour, he will be allowed to become a citizen since he defended this country. He will also be registered to be taxed and be a legal patriot.

This option will probably deter illegal immigration and provide a solution for the troops in Iraq and the aliens trying to make a better life for themselves.

If they refuse to serve, ship them to Iraq anyway, without the canteen, rifle or ammo.

Problem solved.


prying1 sez: It's a joke OK! If you didn't laugh crack your funny bone on the edge of your computer desk. Maybe that way you won't be able to leave a complaining comment...

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Sunday, September 24, 2006

Terrorists Are the Barbarians Not the U.S.

Another comment I wrote elsewhere brought to the top.

I spend so long typing I figure I should get some miles from my fingertips. Leaving my comments to be buried in yesterdays posts on other people's blogs is not a good use of my time.

Layout: Other person thinks that the U.S. has violated the Geneva Conventions. A reply to my previous comment stated:
- Quote - Prying - you assume all of the people you don't care about being tortured will be shadowy Muslims who you'd hate anyway. There is already one case of a mistake being made with a Canadian citizen. What happens when you or one of your friends or relatives also becomes such a 'mistake'? Will you still support barbarity? Torture is as wrong today as it was 500 years ago. It marks the decline of civilization - and I seriously question the morality of those who find it attractive.
~~~ end quote ~~~

I failed to mention in my reply below that I do not find torture attractive in any way shape or form.

I do think and it has been shown to be true that sometimes valuable information that has saved lives has been obtained by experts in the field of questioning enemy combatants.

Comment follows:



Whether you like it or not we are at war. The terrorists will not stop their actions until they win. They have so stated and their goal is the entire world being dominated 100% by their religion and their religion only . All others must die. I've read they hope for the 12th Imam - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelver -, who will prompt a global. battle between good and evil.. This includes your home town. Don't believe me. Listen to what they say!

Part of war is getting information from enemy combatants that are captured. Will mistakes be made in who we consider to be enemy combatants?? YES! Will our side work to minimize those mistakes? YES! Will the terrorists side care whether they make mistakes in who they target? NO!

They have shown us what they do to anyone that they want to torture. They take videos and post them on the internet. We found two U.S. soldiers that by accounts I've read had their penis' cut off and stuffed in their mouths. Along with other dismemberment.

I do not believe that the opponents of terrorism (our side) will torture their people (Murderous fanatical terrorists) the same way they torture not only ours but some of their own too!

Have some of our team tortured prisoners beyond what our rules of engagement call for? No doubt, but they are punished when caught. Terrorists are praised by their side when they torture people. No matter who they torture...

President Bush wants the rules spelled out so that our side can get the information from enemy combatants within the limits of our laws. As it stands now the Geneva rules do not even allow tickling...

Is it so wrong to want the rules spelled out? Or should we let all detainees go forth to murder again just because there MIGHT have been a mistake?

You asked, "What happens when you or one of your friends or relatives also becomes such a 'mistake'? Will you still support barbarity?"

I'll reply with my own question. When you find your friends and relatives being tortured by terrorists will you wonder if something more should have been done to stop them?


End Comment -

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