Another Cinco de Mayo has arrived.

Having been misrepresented to me from the very beginning in southern California it is a celebration on a par with the Fourth of July ... Mexican style — when really it's an entirely different thematic element.

Be all of this as it may, it was LOTS of fun back then and I'd give anything to get to participate in another celebration for that reason. While they continue those adult themes in the jubilation of the people lead me to think that the one of the common elements in the nature of the thing remains ... beer !

I don't celebrate Cinco de Mayo like I used to. So here's to those memories of San Juan Capistrano, the throngs of ladies, the cold ones to be had everywhere.

If only I had been able to dance. I certainly had everything else.

Happy Cinco de Mayo.
 

Computer Support Scams

There's a rash of computer support scams involving both malware pushed as ads and cold calling of random people fishing for a pigeon.

The malware typically reports a compromised computer in your posession and offers to fix it. Then you get ransomware or some other malicious software taking hold of your machine until you succumb to the provision of financials to the crooks ... and often times they leave you with your damage and without your money to boot.

The cold calls are equally dastardly. I've had several of these from various people identifying themselves as "Microsoft" or "Windows" ... calling themselves "Jack" or "John" but sounding like they're somewhere in India or Pakistan. They try to get you to go to a web site and download their malware package yourself.

Luckily, I don't take to pushy individuals and their pitiful pitch I'm afraid was much less convincing than anything I could ever fall for.

HOWEVER, I can just see these people taking some little old lady to the cleaners.

Nowadays if I reach some ad based malware I will go to great lengths to stop it in it's tracks. I utilize an excellent malware detection live scan which gives me the opportunity to delete it before it installs.

Anybody calling me on the phone better be a lot more sophisticated than the five or so callers I've dealt with up to now. Nobody as utterly stupid as these untouchables would ever fool me.

As for you ... if you encounter a threat on a web page the worst case scenario is turn off your machine. You may have to run a disk scan to check for cross links and lost chains but that's a whole lot better than the alternative.

Better yet invest in some good proactive protection package like Malwarebytes Pro or run that Sophos antiviral regularly. Don't let the bastards see you sweat.
 

I've been toying with the idea of starting a bitcoin full node. Discussion with a compadre has lead to him saying it's a bad idea because there is too much bad associated with bitcoin and people should not seek this level of trouble in their activities of daily computing.

Indeed, a general service node with universal access is somewhat anathema to my existence given my penchant for firewalling at the drop of a hat, honeypots, tarpits, booby traps, and the like.

HOWEVER, the thought of a business venture such as this just entices me to take the plunge given the fact that I'll have an extra box or two hanging around quite soon now.

Bitcoin, that digital currency untied to banks and governments continues to make the tech news these days. It's chief attraction is permitting users to spend money anonymously.

I know there are a few things I would like to purchase with anonymity.

Coins are created by users via a "mining" process whereby lending computing power to verifying other user transactions cause them to be earned in exchange.

Coins also can be bought and sold on exchanges with various other currencies. Their value has fluctuated since inception and is down from 2013 levels of 1100$US to the present 445$US.

Lack of formal regulation has obsurred the legality of the currency and it's transactional base. It's a difficult matter to trace transactions and this has brought it to the detrimental attention of law enforcement who cite hackers demanding them in payment for release from ransomware.

Be all of this as it may, New York state has approved a license for a company which does business in bitcoin.

Perhaps with the advent of the bitcoin creator identifying himself, this new modality in fiscal affairs has finally become ready for the mainstream world.

Osama bin Laden

Okay. I've read and seen massive accounts and background regarding the death of Osama bin Laden to include two feature length films on the subject.

However, all of this has been sullied by other information crossing my desktop which has cast significant doubts regarding the factual content of most anything government related since about that time of the departure of President Jimmy Carter.

I wish to mark the day that Osama bin Laden was allegedly killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan on May 2, 2011 sometime immediate to 1:00 am local time by a unit of the US military special forces in an operation code named Operation Neptune Spear which was launched from Afghanistan.

Ordered by President Obama and executed by Navy Seal Team 6 of the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group with support from the CIA.

After the operation, U.S. forces took bin Laden's body to Afghanistan for identification and subsequent burial at sea within 24 hours of his death.

It's all well and good in talk but the chain of custody and proof leave much to be desired — after all we paid for this and talk was all we received for our money. Assurances from the government simply aren't what they used to be ... in my mind, anyway. Forgive my utter disappointment and skepticism; but I feel it's quite warranted given the countless revelations of betrayal which never seem to end.

My last May Day celebration took place when I was in the second grade at Aragona Elementary School in Virginia Beach.

We did the Maypole dance thingie and I was much too young to realize how effeminate it made me appear and inasmuch as there was never a recurrence I suppose it all became buried beneath the events of successive years until the trauma became absorbed by my psyche.

May Day is held today and originates as an ancient spring festival indigenous to many cultures in the Northern hemisphere. Dancing, singing, having cake and various party endeavors are included in the celebration.

Later in the 1800s May Day was chosen to coincide with International Workers Day by the socialists and communists ...

but calling that "May Day" as they do detracts from the nostalgia of that actual celebration of yore. Leave it to Bernie Sanders and his crew to sully May Day.
 

Mr. James Hafner Cornwell, 64 LEXINGTON A memorial service for Mr. James Hafner Cornwell will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, at Calvary Baptist Church with the Rev. David Sealy officiating. Burial will be private. Mr. Cornwell, 64, died Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, at his home. He was born November 29, 1948. Survivors include his brother, Glenn Cornwell of Rock Hill. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the fellowship hall of the church. Barron Funeral Home, 133 Wylie St., Chester, is in charge of arrangements. By Marissa White Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 4:16 pm

Obituary for Mr. James Hafner Cornwell LEXINGTON, SC Mr. James Hafner Cornwell, 64, died Friday, October 11, 2013 at his home. A memorial service will be held 2:00 PM Sunday, October 20, 2013 at Calvary Baptist Church with Rev. David Sealy officiating. The interment will be private. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the fellowship hall of the church. Born November 29, 1948 in Chester, SC, Mr. Cornwell was a son of the late Hafner and Nancy Varnadore Cornwell. He was a graduate of Chester High School and University of SC in Columbia, SC and attended Phillips Exeter Academy. Mr. Cornwell was retired from the State Newspaper and was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. He is survived by his brother, Glenn Cornwell and his wife Deborah of Rock Hill, SC; a niece, Lauren C. Wright and her husband Will of Charleston, SC; two great nephews, Liam Wright and Declan Wright both of Charleston, SC. He was preceded in death by a brother, Lucius Cornwell. Memorials may be made to Calvary Baptist Church “Mission Fund”, 610 Calvary Church Road, Chester, SC 29706