About to take the CCENT Certification Test

About 7 years ago I got a CCNA certification. That is a Cisco Certified Network Associate. I got to use the full scope of my Cisco networking skills one time for four months and then didn’t touch another router or switch for 7 years. So I lost all but the very basic switching & routing skills.

I decided to start slow and start from nothing. I think it was a good choice because I have noticed that the CCENT, Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician is about as exhaustive as the old CCNA. From what my CCNA, CCNP, CCIE co-workers/friends and instructors have told me, all the Cisco tests are exponentially harder than they used to be.

My goal is the get my CCNA back. After that, I am not sure what direction I will go in. The CCNP is in very high demand but like I said, I heard the tests for CCNP are HELLA hard.

For now, its a simple enty level Cisco networking technician. In the end I am certain it will increase my marketability.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Unable to create directory-parent directory writable? wordpress 2.7

I was having uploading images on one of my Wordpress 2.7 & 2.8 blogs. It gave me the following error:
Unable to create directory /home/username/server/wp-content/uploads/20XX/MM/ Is it parent directory writable by the server?

After a long time searching I found this solution from http://www.cyriac.me

Step 1: Log into your admin panel

Step 2: Go to Settings>>Miscellaneous

You will see two options,

Store uploads in this folder
Full URL path to files
Most probably you will see

/home/.boogee/XXXXX/XXXXXXX/wp-content/uploads

in the first field.

Step 3: Edit that to just

wp-contents/uploads

Some people were suggesting that you solve the problem my making the folders permissions 777, meaning anyone can do anything to that particular folder. As a security guy, I knew this was a bad idea (and it also did work for me ). I kept searching and ran into that solution.

Worked like a charm! thanks cyriac for putting solution on the blog.

Popularity: 2% [?]

geek

I’m a geek in everyway. Looking back its apparent that I always have been. I was geek when it wasn’t cool.. the 80’s when the cult classic “Nerds” came out. I identified with and felt a kinship toward the nerds in the movie. But didn’t embrace my geek-hood until my late teen years.

I’ve never quite fit in. I always became friends with outcasts, oddballs very smart people. I had “cool” friends and could hang out with all types of people and that has been a blessing to this day. But I’m more comfortable with geeks, oddballs and outcasts. I feel more free around them.

These days, I’m actually trying to get into super geek-dom: mathematics, computers and science. More specifically computer science which is like a culmination of all things “ultra geek”. I’m really excited about getting into computer science. Computer security is great but I’m wanting a skill that will allow me to create. Something like programming or electronics. I will definitely keep my computer security skills & knowledge current.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Hack the Censors

During the renewal of the USA Patriot Act, the various communities on the Internets began frothing at the mouth. I recall one (alleged) Chinese citizen saying something about how China was more free than the United States. Which is (circa 200X) a pretty ridiculous thing to say. In response, I wrote something like “F@KK the President of the United States George W. Bush. Can you say that in about Hu Jintao in China?” He said, no.

In some countries, it is pretty dangerous to be a blogger with a free mind. Its ironic because, for me, that is what blogging is all about. Its sad that bloggers have to watch their collective mouths in countries like China, Iran and others

Apparently, searching for words like “women” in Iran will give you an “404 – Dear Subscriber” page. I’ve heard that searching from behind China’s legendary Great Firewall words like “Freedom” and “Democracy” are not allowed.

Other netizen controllers include (but are not limited to): Saudi Arabia, Syria and Pakistan

Governments with this level of blanket censorship do not understand the nature of the Internet. Organizations around the world like Global Internet Freedom Consortium, Voice of America, and Falun Gong conspire to get around the censorship. Devices such as Tor and Psiphon have been developed to go around the firewalls.

In the war of suppression of ideas, China has actually hired thousands of people to flood the Internet with government messages to out due dissenters.

The best thing China, Pakistan, Iran and other countries can do to control the flow of ideas is to take care of their people not suppress them. The unfortunate thing about taking care of the people is that it requires giving people freedom to speak which is dangerously close to democracy.

Inspired by NY Times article on the subject.

Popularity: 3% [?]

One Decade to Cyber-Real Impacts

When I started my blogs at the end of 2005 my sites made about $1/month. As of October 2008 they made over $800 dollars. $800 is pretty good pocket change, but I know of at least two bloggers who make $10,000 per month! This is only possible because of computers, the Internet and web technologies. The additional money from my blogs is a great boost to my over all income allowing me and my family to live more comfortably, however I know that a higher living standard is only the beginning of what information technology (IT) has in store for me and humanity particularly over the next ten years.

In ten years, IT will directly impact my life style by allowing me to better manage everything from energy used in my home and car to the health care. IT will connect me to and even higher “work from home” socially networked life style. And finally, in ten years, IT will change my perception of reality both literally and figuratively.

Within one decade, IT will change how much gas I pump into my car and how much energy I use in my home. It will manage my over all life style. How and why will this happen? What do computers have to do with petroleum? In ten years IT will have everything to do with gas.

Information technology will influence and permeate the energy technologies (ET) needed for a new renewable energy infrastructure. Millions of electric cars on the roads and over 10% of electricity coming from renewable sources (1) will need IT. The impact can be seen even through the jaundice vision of latter-2008 eyes. All the leading candidates of the 2008 election made “green” a part of their talking points and stump speeches. Our early American 21st century problems are no longer being ignored (1,2):

* having to fund oil rich petro-dictators
* lack of export industry/increased unemployment
* pollution/global warming
* the causes and support structure of terrorism

*these issues are address much further in Thomas Friedman’s book Hot, Flat and Crowded (3)

The issues we face are all linked to one problem… energy. America is run on oil so it must buy from oil rich dictators (many of whom are sympathizers of extremists who support acts of terrorism). America is 70% dependent on energy from foreign sources (4) which in-turn exports a large portion of wealth and jobs overseas. But in ten short years, I will no longer be a part of the blind slow degradation of the U.S. because ET with its IT interface and IT processing power will allow me to pump less gas and download more clean electrons into my hybrid car. But IT won’t only be impact my carbon foot print. It will also increase my assets.

In 2004, I was still fresh out of the military and struggling from the high costs of civilian life. My wife and child were consistently in and out of the hospital and the mortgage was a monthly battle. I was thinking about rejoining the Air Force or getting a second job. I was reluctant because my whole reason for getting out the military was to spend more time with my family.

I decided to start a business. Almost immediately, I got sucked into Internet Marketing. Although I lost some money on more than one failed venture, I actually ended up learning a lot about e-business and methods of making money online. I got into blogging at the end of 2005. My blogs started making money with a few months. And by mid-2006, it was pulling down a couple of hundred dollars per month. I immediately saw the great potential of this. A few times the blogs even made more than enough to pay the mortgage. Its 2008 and the blogs still make hundreds of dollars per month.

In 2018, the Internet will make more than what I make at my full time career. The impact will be a revolutionary and comprehensive change to my life style. I will be able to work from home, spend more time with my family and have even more interaction with my extended family who live in another state. But I believe that among the most shocking and exciting vision of pre-2020 is the future predicted by Ray Kuzweil in his book Age of Spiritual Machines (5).

Ray predicts the following:

“Three-dimensional virtual reality displays, embedded in glasses and contact lenses, as well as auditory ‘lenses,’ are used routinely as primary interfaces for communication with other persons, computers, the Web, and virtual reality.

High-resolution, three-dimensional visual and auditory virtual reality and realistic all-encompassing tactile environments enable people to do virtually anything with anybody, regardless of physical proximity.

Paper books or documents are rarely used and most learning is conducted through intelligent, simulated software-based teachers.(5)”

Virtual reality advances will allow me to bring cyber space into the real world. How will I distinguish real from cyber-real with hyper-real overlays of real world objects, disembodied voices from GPS devices personalized to my specific location and velocity whispering in my ear? Furthermore, how will I define reality if virtual reality phones make distance from callers irrelevant? I will be able to see a full body representation of a caller standing in front of me.

Ten years will usher in comprehensive changes in my life coming from IT. This will be the decade that brings in a more responsible change in energy use, unprecedented worldwide increases of standards of living and an overall change in our perception of reality. It will be a virtual brave new world.

Works Cited:

1. Office of the President-elect. 2008. Energy and Environment Agenda http://change.gov/agenda/energy_and_environment_agenda/
2. Governors Global Climate Summit. 2008. Finding Solutions Through Regional and Global Actions. http://site.governorsglobalclimatesummit.org/
3. Friedman, Thomas L. Hot, Flat & Crowded. 2008. Farrar, Straus and Giroux
4. Energy Information Administration. U.S. Imports by Country and Origin. http://www.eia.doe.gov/ http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_move_impcus_a2_nus_ep00_im0_mbbl_m.htm
5. Kuzweil, Ray. The Age of Spiritual Machines: Time Line. http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/frame.html?main=/articles/art0274.html?

Popularity: 11% [?]

Security Team of Barack Obama

Dear Secret Service,

Thank you for the fine work of protecting President George W. Bush. Regardless of my personal disagreements with about 90% of his administrations actions I wish nothing beyond a very irritating groin rash on the man who has been my president from 2000 – 2008.

I hope that you can do the same thing for President Obama. I am certain you’ll be proactive in your security techniques. I am definitely not questioning whether or not you are good at your job.

As an American citizen I just ask that you go one step further by looking at potential insider threats. I’m not trying to promote some sort of conspiracy theories or anything and I certainly don’t have any reason to believe that your current staff is stocked with traitors of the American Republic. I’m just pointing out potential threats.

To let harm befall such a great American who has become a symbol of hope for people around the world would be a serious blemish on YOU.

p.s. Congrats on the Win, President Obama

Popularity: 12% [?]

MS in Information Assurance or BS in Computer Science

I feel compelled to contribute something to humanity.

As a 15 year old street preacher, I was trying to help elevate humanity. When I look back at that kid now, I see the capacity for so much more but a lack of guidance that made my worldview grow wild. As a 20 year old airman, my world view was shaped and molded by discipline and the harsh, unrelenting realities of war and poverty.

The inescapable gravity of a child dying of an incurable disease in Africa is what prevents me from believing that this post-modern world can fit into a literal translation of ANY religious text. I don’t want to get into theology or philosophy too much on this blog, but I think it is relevant to this post.

Here I am now in my 30’s looking back at my life and at humanity as a whole and feeling (knowing) we can do so much better. I want to some how prove it to myself and humanity, but I’m a mere cubicle cog. What can I do? I’ve decided to go back to school, but I don’t want to knock out a 1 1/2 long MS Information Assurance degree. I want to get into science & math because they seem to be the two systems of study most like to limit human suffering and give us answers about who and what life it.

I don’t want (or really need) another industry type degree. If I go for a computer science or computer engineering, it won’t be for more money, or corporate movement to a better cubicle, it will be to have the privilege of understanding and perhaps even to create something that will help us evolve to our greatest potential and limit (if not end) human suffering.

I still want to dabble in security. I’m simply expanding the reach of my capacity to contribute to our movement upward.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Al Qaeda Sites getting Hacked

This was an article that really cheered me up today. Al Qaeda websites are still getting hacked constantly. Sometimes it seems that the free world is WAY off on the “War on Terror”. With most resources going to Iraq, political rhetoric and pandering and the almost complete absence of anyone talking about capturing and/or killing Osama bin Laden, its easy to get discouraged. Its good to see that the cyberwar is still being waged on those who promote and or support terrorism.

Octavia Nasr | BIO
CNN senior editor for Arab affairs

A hacking war is raging on Jihadi websites. Radical Islamist sites have been attacking and getting attacked for quite some time. The website hacking practice was common in 2001 and 2002… Following the 9/11 attacks when al Qaeda used only one website to communicate its messages to supporters and foes alike. That website was called alneda.com. It was getting constantly hacked… sometimes several hackings a day. After every hacking the site managed to resurface on the net until it disappeared from the scene in 2004 to be replaced by other websites — What started as one al Qaeda-linked site mushroomed into dozens which branched out into hundreds of supporting sites that serve as dissemination centers over the internet.

More.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Worried about the collapse of the dollar? Me too.

Lately I’ve been concerned about the potential collapse of the dollar. Although it is tempting to blame George W. Bush (or any other politician – Clinton if you’re Conservative) for the current financial difficulties, its really not any one person and/or administrations fault. Rather it is a generational habit of living in debt. We allowed this Republic to run record deficits, fight wars with borrowed money and we didn’t hold them accountable. What concerns me are the words of David M. Walker, Former Comptroller General:

“declining moral values and political civility at home, an over-confident and over-extended military in foreign lands and fiscal irresponsibility by the central government”. He compares Americas self-destructive tendencies to those that

Brought about the fall of the Roman Empire.”

Listen to Peter Schiff accurately predict the subprime crisis and the bail out of 2008 two years before it happened.

Man, I love this country. I still believe the dream and principles on which this country was founded are the best in the world. This is my home, my birth place and I have been so proud of our accomplishments, so it really pains me to see us on the brink of collapse. At the same time, I can’t help but think that it is the only thing that will save us from ourselves and reign in our feeling of invincibility, naive arrogance and complacent ignorance of the representatives that have turned their backs on this Constitutional Republic.

As an American, Peter Schiff’s predictions are very difficult to accept. I want to believe that everything will magically get better. I want

To believe that the best economic times are ahead of us, but then I hear this guy talk.

As one Fox contributor said, “I don’t know whether to shoot him or shoot myself.”

My hope and prayer is that Peter is just a very pessimistic guy who was extremely accurate by accident. Maybe his total negative

view is bound to be right 50% of the time because that just how the chips fall 50% of the time. But my gut is telling me that he is

right because he has a fundamental understanding of how economics work; much like Newtonian physics can accurately predict

how fast an object will fall. He deals with science not speculation.

You can’t watch these video from here, but you should send this link to your home account an watch them there.

Peter Schiff is so right that its scary. If you actually watch the video, go a little further and check out some of his Fox news

Appearances from 2006 to now. I watch them and it made me sick to my stomach because he paints a very ugly picture

of what is ahead of the United States economy. At first, I found the more I watch, the more angry, depressed, frustrated

I got. But now I’m just looking for solutions and ways to prepare myself and family. Even if he is wrong, it won’t hurt to

Get prepared.

David Walker on $56 deficit

Peter Schiff predicted the collapse in 2006

Imagine it. The U.S. Government defaults on all debt and files for bankruptcy. The dollar officially collapses. The world economies are in big trouble because they held so many dollars and they are now as worthless as the paper they are printed on. In about 8 months the rest of the world (Asia & Europe) start to show signs of recovery. The world starts to collectively unload the dollar and they come flooding back into America. With no surplus, no savings, a weakened export economy and ZERO financial credibility the U.S. starts to feel the pain. Business slows WAY down. Credit markets almost completely stopped, fearing the worst people begin withdrawing large sums of money from their bank accounts, turning dollars into other Euros and sending them abroad, causing a run on the banks. “The government then enacted a set of measures that effectively froze all bank accounts for twelve months, allowing for only minor sums of cash to be withdrawn.” (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_economic_crisis). The U.S. government enacts a new form of currency, the Amero. That is when the civil unrest really starts. There is about a year and a half where the crime and violence is so bad Martial law is necessary in some cities.

The government starts aggressively pursuing financial, energy and commodity independence. The action slows some of the job loss but the dollar is still a corpse.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/16/beck.crisis/index.html

When it gets this bad, the greatest threat will be crime because people will be without homes, hungry, without jobs and without hope… which is ironic since the President won his election on “hope”.

1.) Offense against burglary: A gun safe & a gun.

2.) Home Security: Alarm system, automatic garage door opener

3.) 6 months Perishables supply

a. Gas (enough to get around if you absolutely have to)

b. Water (lots)

c. Dried foods

d. Toilet paper

e. Diapers

4.) $1000 emergency cash on hand

5.) DO NOT invest money in domestic securities

Is the Weimar Republic happening to us?

Popularity: 3% [?]

Obama and McCain Differ on Net Neutrality – Internet Policy

If your an Internet geek like me, this issue will have a great influence on your vote.

“It wasn’t a contentious topic at last night’s presidential debate, but network neutrality is the hot-button issue on the mind of PM’s senior tech editor. He explores the candidates’ stands on the issue in a Geek the Vote edition of his biweekly trends column.” – digg via PopMech (link below)

Obama’s view on Net Neutrality:
Protect the Openness of the Internet: A key reason the Internet has been such a success is because it is the most open network in history. It needs to stay that way. Barack Obama strongly supports the principle of network neutrality to preserve the benefits of open competition on the Internet.

McCain’s view on Net Neutrality:
OOPS! – the link doesn’t work.
The page cannot be found
The page you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.
——————————————————————————–

The irony is that Obama’s likely win is probably specifically because of the Internet. His teams organizational skills on the ‘Net have been unparalelled. The only other guy who came close to his fame on ‘Net is Ron Paul.

read more | digg story

Popularity: 3% [?]

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