31 January 2017

More Netgear router woes - critical firmware issue - check and patch NOW!


You might want to upgrade the firmware of your router if it happens to sport the Netgear brand. Researchers have discovered a severe security hole that potentially puts hundreds of thousands of Netgear devices at risk.

Disclosed by cybersecurity firm Trustwave, the vulnerability essentially allows attackers to exploit the router’s password recovery system to bypass authentication and hijack admin credentials, giving them full access to the device and its settings.


Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro Globetrotter project: 1 bike, 7 heroes and 90 years of Ducati history.


The project: A bike, the new Multistrada 1200 Enduro. Seven globetrotters, selected among more than 3000 candidates from all over the world. An incredible world-around trip in seven legs, visiting the places that made the Ducati history, to celebrate 90 years of passion and performance. 


Intel CPUs: Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, etc. What does it all mean?


The CPU or processor is a microchip that handles instructions and commands. It processes this information, and the faster it can do this means the quicker and smoother the computer will perform, and the more complex tasks it can carry out.

Intel are always pushing the boundaries of technology so their processors are continuously improving / evolving. Since new processors are more efficient than the devices they are replacing, this generally means that a newer computer (of a similar specification) will be quicker, run cooler and be more energy efficient than previous models.

This video does a good job of explaining why one CPU is better / faster / more expensive than another.

30 January 2017

Please don't propagate fake news


There's a lot of news around, and not all of it is real...

MPs are to hold a Fake news inquiry, to see if this poses a threat to democracy.
The way that fake news affects people's understanding of the world and their trust in traditional journalism will also be examined, as will the issue of whether different demographic groups respond to made-up stories in different ways.

When in doubt / before you repost that article, check with:

Cara Dillon at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth. 8th April.


“Quite possibly the world’s most beautiful female voice…” Q Magazine

If you don’t know the voice of Cara Dillon, you’re in for a treat. With music that transcends genres and crosses barriers, her unique voice is truly enchanting and reaches well beyond her award winning Irish Folk origins.

In addition to singing songs from her recent album “A Thousand Hearts”, Cara will also perform some of her classics like “The Parting Glass”, “Hill Of Thieves”, “There Were Roses” and “Black Is The Colour”.

She never fails to leave audiences spellbound by the sheer beauty of her voice…not one to miss.

Saturday 8th April 2017 - 19:30hrs
Duration - 1 hours 50 minutes
PRICES
Standard £20
Concession £18
Friend £17


Cloudbusting - performing the music of Kate Bush, at The Brook Southampton - 4th Feb


Cloudbusting - The Music of Kate Bush

“I honestly never thought anyone could cover Kate this faithfully.” - Robert Godwin, author of ‘The Illustrated Collector’s Guide to Kate Bush’... so he should know!

2 hours of hits (WUTHERING HEIGHTS, BABOOSHKA, RUNNING UP THAT HILL) and album classics performed with stunning authenticity by fan-favourite 5-piece band CLOUDBUSTING, featuring the astounding vocals of MANDY WATSON.

Date: Saturday 4th February 2017

Doors Open: 8:00 pm

Onstage Times: 8:45pm (Approx)

Ticket Price: 
£14.00 in advance 
£16.00 on the door

27 January 2017

Annual Service for PCs.


Just as your car or motorcycle needs an annual service, it's highly recommended to have your PC looked at on a regular basis. 
Prevention is better than cure!

Donline offers this service which covers:
Operating system & application updates.
A full system clean & airdust (if necessary).
Hard Drive defragmentation.
Hardware Health check.
Recommendations for upgrades - RAM, Hard Drive, etc.
AntiVirus checks & updates.
Backup advice.
Charges start at just £46.
Contact Donline for further information, or to make a booking. 

Google Chrome now reloads pages 28% faster


Google today announced that it has worked with Facebook and Mozilla (the organization behind the Firefox browser), to make page reloads in Chrome for desktop and mobile significantly faster. According to Google’s data, reloading sites with the latest version of Chrome should now be about 28 percent faster.


26 January 2017

Bishops Waltham: 2 Wheel Extravaganza!


Right two wheel fans, the date you've all been waiting for!
We are wheelie excited to announce that this years event will be on Sunday May 14th. 

As always there will be music, food, drinks and entertainment.
Bring your bikes, your £1 parking and your friends and families for a wheelie, wheelie good day! 

Keep an eye on this page for regular updates and tell your friends.


25 January 2017

Viruses, spyware found in "alarming" number of VPN apps


A team from CSIRO's Data 61, University of NSW and UC Berkley found a whole bunch of Android VPN apps contain viruses, spyware and other adware.

They found of the 283 apps they analysed, 38 per cent contained malware or malvertising (malicious advertising containing viruses).


Jesus: "Who do you say that I am?"


“But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”


Law change for drivers in French cities: mandatory emission stickers!


Windscreen stickers which show a vehicle’s emissions levels have become a legal requirement in several key French cities including Paris.

British drivers heading to the France capital are advised by the RAC that driving without a sticker – which costs as little as £3.20 – makes them culpable for an on-the-spot fine of up to £117.

Drivers of non-French-registered vehicles though, have been offered a degree of leniency – given until March 31 to fully comply with the Crit’Air initiative. An English language section of the government website responsible for stickers launches on February 1.

The Crit’Air initiatives require all cars, motorbikes and lorries to display a windscreen sticker relating to their green credentials. Exactly how are you meant to securely attach one of these stickers to a motorbike?...


24 January 2017

HMRC’s ten most ridiculous self-assessment tax expense claims


The UK tax authority has released its latest list of the most bizarre and optimistic tax expense claims it received last year, ahead of the 2017 self-assessment tax deadline on 31 January.

To discourage small business owners from making over-the-top tax expense claims that have little chance of being accepted, HMRC’s list of favourites reveal some corkers from the 2014/15 tax year...


Apple issues security patches for… just about everything


If you have a piece of Apple technology in your house or office, chances are that it’s time you updated it.

On Monday Apple issued security patches for all of its major operating systems – fixing vulnerabilities in iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, the Safari browser, and iCloud for Windows.


20 January 2017

All Saints Church Denmead: The licensing of our new Vicar!


The Bishop of Portsmouth and the Crown as patron are pleased to announce the appointment of Revd Emma Racklyeft, assistant curate of Thame, as Vicar of Denmead and Havant Deanery lay ministry development officer. 

Emma will be licensed on the 29th January 2017 at 4pm in 


Assange backtracks on promise to fly to US post-Manning clemency


If US investigators were hoping WikiLeaks boss Julian Assange would be deliver himself into their hands, then they are due for a disappointment.

Last Thursday, WikiLeaks tweeted that the longest-staying guest in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London would allow American prosecutors to extradite him if President Obama issued clemency for Chelsea Manning, who was serving a 35‑year sentence for leaking US state department cables and battlefield reports and video from Iraq and Afghanistan.

It must have looked like a safe bet, but Obama surprised many on Tuesday when he commuted Manning's sentence to time served, meaning that the former soldier will be free this May. So is Assange booking his flight to Washington? Not according to his lawyer.

"Mr Assange welcomes the announcement that Ms Manning's sentence will be reduced and she will be released in May, but this is well short of what he sought," 


19 January 2017

Deal of the day: WD 2Tb External Hard Disk Drive.


Western Digital My Passport Ultra 2TB Classic Black

Secure and dependable, My Passport Ultra can be trusted to safeguard your files with automatic backup software, 256-bit hardware encryption and the reliability of WD.

Today: only £79.97 at Ebuyer


Charity Spotlight: Find Your Feet / Curry For Change - Jo’s visit to Malawi


Who did you meet whilst in Malawi?

"I met most of the 20-strong Find Your Feet Malawi team. Some are based in their headquarters in Mzuzu, and others work out in the field. And of course, I met, shook hands, and danced with many, many villagers wherever I went.

All the areas we visited were out-lying villages mainly accessible only by foot. This makes communication, let alone commerce, between communities very difficult."

How were the people you met working to create change?

"In the village of Kacheche, the farmers were learning how to grow maize more efficiently in order to get a bigger crop, one that is more capable of withstanding climate extremes. They were also learning how to nurture goats to create manure for agriculture, and how to keep bees.

In Mbalachanda, the people were learning about nutrition and how to make and preserve a variety of tasty and nutritious foods using locally grown products. They were also discussing the importance of nutrition for those who are HIV+. Find Your Feet has successfully encouraged people to be assessed and treated for HIV/AIDS."


18 January 2017

Charity cake sale in Denmead: 22nd Jan - in aid of The Salvation Army.


Rosie Neve & Harry Francis are having a bake sale on Sunday 22nd Jan, at 2pm.
The venue is The CornerstoneDenmead.
It is to raise raise money for The Salvation Army.
Anyone that fancies a cuppa and some cake - do pop along!


17 January 2017

The most common passwords of 2016 - some people never learn...


Looking at the list of 2016’s most common passwords, we couldn’t stop shaking our heads. Nearly 17 percent of users are safeguarding their accounts with “123456.” What really perplexed us is that so many website operators are not enforcing password security best practices.


15 January 2017

U2's "40" - A Song of Thanksgiving


I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.

He drew me up from the desolate pit,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the Lord.



14 January 2017

What's the best Rukka motorcycle suit for me?


So, you're a policeman, a courier, a blood-runner, or perhaps a high-mileage commuter; and you've decided that the only gear that's up to the job is made by the Finnish maker.

Or you're somebody who likes to push the boat out and buy the best. And there's little doubting that, on a number of scores, Rukka does make some of the best gear on the market.

It's not for everybody, but it's incredibly well constructed from the toughest materials. With its laminated construction, it will keep the rain out for longer, and when it does get wet it will dry out faster than a traditional jacket and trousers equipped with a drop-liner waterproof membrane. For some, the icing on the cake is Rukka's unique six year warranty.

Click here to find out more at: www.motolegends.com

13 January 2017

Prelude to Axanar


This is a brilliant 20 minute crowdfunded fan-made film, set in the Star Trek universe. This is (was?) to be followed up by a full length feature film. However, Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios are the plaintiffs and are suing Axanar Productions and Alec Peters for alleged copyright infringement. The case is ongoing...

The Story: Axanar takes place 21 years before the events of “Where no Man Has Gone Before”, the first Kirk episode of the original Star Trek.  Axanar is the story of Garth of Izar, the legendary Starfleet captain who is Captain Kirk’s hero.  We met Garth in the third season TOS episode Whom Gods Destroy.  Kirk called Garth the role model for all future Starfleet Officers.  Garth charted more planets than any other Captain and was the hero of the Battle of Axanar, the story of which is required reading at the academy.

Axanar tells the story of Garth and his crew during the Four Years War, the war with the Klingon Empire that almost tore the Federation apart.  Garth’s victory at Axanar solidified the Federation and allowed it to become the entity we know in Kirk’s time.


10 January 2017

Quality car and van rental in Hampshire with 10% discount!


Practical car & van hire in Havant, Hampshire - by A1 Recovery.
Their fleet of self-drive hire cars are always handed over in top condition and are replaced often enough that the mileage is always low. 
Whether you are looking to hire for a single day, a few days or for a fortnight Practical self-drive can meet your car & van rental needs.

Call Rob Doody on 02392-244722.
Say that Don sent you for a 10% discount!


The End of Yahoo: Marissa Mayer To Resign; Yahoo To Change Its Name To Altaba


Marissa Mayer, the CEO of perennial drain-circler Yahoo!, will step down from its board of directors, along with five other members, after Verizon finishes gobbling up most of the internet portal.

And once the acquisition is over, the remaining carcass of Yahoo! will change its name to Altaba Inc.

In an SEC filing today, Yahoo! stated that once the Verizon takeover is complete – presumably after the US telco haggles Yahoo! down from its $4.8bn price tag following some serious brand tarnishing – Mayer will quit Yahoo!'s board of directors.


09 January 2017

MacBook Pro saves man's life during Fort Lauderdale airport shooting


An eyewitness and near victim of the shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport described how his backpack and laptop may have spared his life from the gunman's rampage Friday afternoon.

"The backpack saved my life," Steve Frappier said, speaking on CNN's "AC360." "[I] dropped and the backpack was still on my back and I was turned in such a way where that at one point when the shooter shot toward my direction ... there was a bullet that ricocheted."

Frappier went on to describe the frenetic scene in which he said he was sheltered on the ground "like a tortoise with the backpack on me" when the gunman's bullet struck.

"I felt something hit my back," he said speaking to CNN's Anderson Cooper. "It was only later when I went to the bathroom to check myself out that the bullet had entered my backpack, hit my laptop and then later when I gave my backpack over to the FBI for investigation they found the bullet in the pocket of my backpack."


07 January 2017

WikiLeaks threatens to publish Twitter users' personal info


WikiLeaks is taking heat for saying it wants to publish the private information of hundreds of thousands of verified Twitter users.

A Twitter account associated with the group said an online database would include such sensitive details as family relationships and finances.

"We are thinking of making an online database with all 'verified' twitter accounts & their family/job/financial/housing relationships," the WikiLeaks Task Force account tweeted Friday. The tweet has since been deleted.


06 January 2017

Honda’s self-balancing motorcycle!


At the Consumer Electronics Association exhibition in Las Vegas this week, Honda have unveiled a concept motorcycle that can do more than just not fall over. Despite resembling an NC750S this bike known as the Moto Riding Assist and uses Honda’s robotics technology to maintain balance which “greatly reduces the possibility of falling over while the motorcycle is at rest” reads the press release.
Rather than relying on gyroscopes, which add a great deal of weight and alter the riding experience, the Honda Moto Riding Assist incorporates technology originally developed for the company’s UNI-CUB personal mobility device.
The official video, shows technicians standing on the footpegs with arms out wide as the bike shuffles its front wheel to find the balancing spot. Try standing on one leg and you get the idea. The video also shows a technician demonstrating the automatic adjustment of the steering angle or geometry of the rake.

US FTC takes D-Link to court citing lax product security



The Federal Trade Commission has filed a complaint against network equipment vendor D-Link saying inadequate security in the company’s wireless routers and Internet cameras left consumers open to hackers and privacy violations.

The FTC, in a complaint filed in the Northern District of California charged that “D-Link failed to take reasonable steps to secure its routers and Internet Protocol (IP) cameras, potentially compromising sensitive consumer information, including live video and audio feeds from D-Link IP cameras.”

For its part, D-Link Systems said it "is aware of the complaint filed by the FTC. D-Link denies the allegations outlined in the complaint and is taking steps to defend the action. The security of our products and protection of our customers private data is always our top priority."


Florida Man sues Verizon for letting him commit identity theft


A Florida inmate is suing Verizon Wireless after he used one of the telco's stores to commit identity theft.

James Leslie Kelly, who is serving a prison term in the US state for grand theft and criminal use of personal information, is seeking $72m in damages from the telecom giant. He claims a Verizon shop in Highlands County was negligent when it allowed him to steal another man's identity.


05 January 2017

Is your postman delivering drugs?


Amazing what you can get in the post nowadays...

Sadly the "GPO" wouldn't deliver a new battery for my remote control car as apparently it was too dangerous! I had to go to Waterlooville sorting office to collect it, & got told off for having "dangerous goods" sent by post. Meh!


Today's Reading - by C.S.Lewis


I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.


Compiled in Words to Live By


04 January 2017

Data stored on Box.com - accessible via web search


Box.com has changed the way it handles publicly shared accounts and folders after a researcher found confidential documents and data belonging to Box.com users via Google, Bing and other search engines. While Box.com maintains this is a case of its customers unintentionally over-sharing, it says it has “fixed” the issue.


03 January 2017

Panasonic Toughbook laptop - lives up to it's name!


In this video, shot with a LUMIX GH1 DSLR, the Toughbook 31 is pitted against a motocross course located in the Kii Mountain Range on the Japanese island of HonshÅ«. Dragged through dirt, rock and mud, from behind an ATV, the Toughbook 31 endured extreme vibration, shock and exposure to water. In the end, the Toughbook 31 worked fine. 

02 January 2017