Hacking

I have to add my voice to this subject because it's got to a point where it can't be ignored.

I don't think anyone, even the hackers, will ever know if covid-19 is the precise cause of what seems to be an increased number of hackings, but it sure is amusing to read about the strength of systems and the surprise. Seriously, technology is smart and along with the right person you can go far.

There's also that infinite surprise of what technology and what digital information of yours is stored. I suppose we can call it 'personal data'. You really trust none of your digital information, especially if it's been online or is online, is not stored forever, regardless if you have deleted it or been told it's been deleted?

I am not a tech wiz, but the aforementioned belief is stupidity. Not only is your digital information, especially online (as opposed to offline like notepad), always there, but giants like Google and Facebook have more information than you know. And if you buy into the bullcrap of it being encrypted or only necessary information for statistics is kept or it's made anonymous, for example, this is also stupidity.

You deny it? Then look at the fact Facebook was taken to court, or rather, Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook's notorious for its questionable (if I'm being polite), but actually lax security and privacy, likely in the name of 'being connected'. Also, why would Zuckerberg need to care in personal terms, he has enough money to last his entire life and people have already created their accounts. The moment to ruin his everyday life has passed.

As for Google, the majority of people use it. Yes, one can use another search engine, but many people don't. Google not only pretty much has no competitors, but now its influence and power are trying to be shaken, at the very least. Look at the Australian and New Zealand media tussle with Google.

I digress. Back to hacking. It not only reveals system weaknesses, but the consequences of the hackings stop important integral parts working. Technological 'warfare' may be an actual concept, and it's best to try to at least be level with the hackers so you don't have to catch up. I am not saying it is 'warfare', I am simply raising it as a concept. And I am most definitely the first person to use the terminology.

In the same vein as Bill Gates saying in 2015 the next big dilemma would be something like an infection and the world had to get a move on and look what happened, maybe money should be found to invest in technology to protect against attacks. One reason hackings and terrorists succeed is they are at least one step ahead of their targets.

As technology is not plainly in your face, it's not always obviously an issue. It is a means: for example, you use technology to do your job (computer and internet), eat (fridge), travel (train/car/plane), but it is not like you have a motherboard or a nest of wires to make a device work sitting on your bedside table and/or desk. Very much like teaching or your personal health or the arts as I have discussed in 'Arts during covid-19', https://holandt.blogspot.com/2021/02/arts-during-covid-19.html .

I am not siding with hackers, but it actually is wise to make sure you have the best defences possible in place if one or more hackings occur. Potential problems and long-term planning doesn't seem to be important in some cases. I would probably be described by some as an overplanner and thinking too much about 'ifs', but I don't give a fuck what other people think and for the most part, it's worked for me, save contributing factors that are more powerful (example: the potential employer or landlord for that job or rental you really, really want). And it doesn't take out the fun.

Happy hacking and happy protecting. :)

- A.M.

My two beautiful rocks

I love you both so much. You are so precious to me.

How and when (and where) we met was so serendipitous and in such a short space of time, but you are two of the most important people in my life. It doesn't matter we're not related by blood. That means fuck all to me.

You have always, always been there. Always. You've been with and 'seen' me at both ends and you never left me. You never stopped listening. When others decided to not listen and leave me, you never did. You held my hand and walked with me. You still listen to me. You still walk with me. You never judged me. You never distrusted me. You never not believed me. You may not have always agreed with me, but you accepted me. You still do. I feel as if you take me exactly for who I am and that is so rare to find in people.

I feel so incredibly lucky to have such rarities in my life who not only do I love, but who reciprocate.

I would like more but when you express your love without me asking for it, it's so organic and special and at times, unexpected and surprising. And sometimes it means so, so much, especially when I need it. Just knowing how much you love me can make a huge difference to me.

I want you both in my life until the day I die. I want you to be with me at the big moments in my life like my wedding. You will be standing next to me if I get married. I want you to be amongst the first to see my child or children after and if they are born. I would consider you to be his/her/their legal guardians. You will know if I get divorced. You will know when I change jobs. You will know when I move. You know about the important things in my life and will know about them. You also know about the small things in my life. Life is made up of the big and small shit.

You have given me so much more than other people I've had in my life since I was born and/or who knew me intimately. You have never, ever hurt me. I can't imagine there ever being a time where you are not a part of my life.

In fact, sometimes you are my definition of happiness and you make me feel that from my head down to the tips of my toes.

I have needed you so much, I think I have needed you less, but I'm still trying to improve. The overneed comes and goes in waves, but I'm trying and need to keep it even, like a see-saw.

You both know you're really important to me and that I love you deeply, but 'stating' it on my blog where people can read it is making it 'public' and you totally deserve it.

I love you infinitely SP and SA,

- A.M.

Ready to roll. Not.

Have you ever been in a situation where you are ready to go and then something happens and it kills your vibe?

I had that recently and apart from the irritation and frustration, it was the second time.

I was ready to work on my blog and post, when my keyboard went batshit crazy. Yes, it happened after I cleaned it. But I've cleaned it many times.

It wasn't usable and then it would settle slightly and then it would start up again. Re-starting the laptop did not help, just leaving it to sit for a while did not help. I couldn't find any articles, on the laptop, nor phone, that helped me, and I tried the key combinations to no avail.

Both times I solved the issue just by hitting two or more buttons simultaneously.

I think I can be fairly impatient when I need to be patient. But I can also be incredibly patient. For these times, it was 2-3 hours or more until I kind of gave up. The majority of free time after work and before bed.

It was also interesting when it happened, because it was like 'ok, I'm ready, let's go!' and I couldn't. I don't know if it's a sign, but it was definitely interesting. Anyway, I suppose if it happens again, I will just resort to angrily tap two or more keys simultaneously until my keyboard starts working as it should.

The difference with this time around was the mousepad also played up, noticeably more than the first time. And the ENTER key also went haywire. I know it wasn't a hardware problem, but it was just 'God, I just wanted my keyboard to work' mentality. Also when you re-start a computer and your keyboard doesn't work properly and you type in your password. I think I probably re-started it out of frustration but also it seemed as if the keyboard had temporarily settled down. Never again will I do that because then not only does your keyboard not work, but then you have to type in a password.

- A.M.

To be injected or not injected: the covid-19 vaccine part II

However, I am considering whether to get the Pfizer-BioNTech covid-19 vaccine.

I suppose if I (can) get it, it's better than nothing, even if I have bad side-effects and/or am bedridden because of it; and the fact the experts know fuck all about it. Even though I am not a priority group and they should be done first and children, which I define as under the teenage age set, depending on the country. 

It will be interesting to see how I feel on a guilt-level about taking it knowing there are almost certainly people here who are categorized as one or more priority groups, not to mention the rest of the World. Here, I think pretty much anyone can take it except children; and I can't control the other governments in the World and all the other strings that determine accessibility to a covid-19 vaccine, if it is even available, because it isn't in the entire World of course. Am I rationalizing?

Any covid-19 vaccine won't help travel and having life like it was pre-pandemic, please read 'To be injected or not injected: the covid-19 vaccine part I', https://holandt.blogspot.com/2021/04/to-be-injected-or-not-injected-covid-19.html. For one, I think I'll ignore CDC's advice and still take precautions if I get the Pfizer-BioNTech.

More importantly, the government here have a deadline in the sense it will be harder to be injected with Pfizer-BioNTech so that is another factor, and it seems Pfizer-BioNTech will be recognized by many of the places I would like the choice to visit if I ever do and the places I have plans to visit.

By the time I have to decide because of the deadline, maybe I'll feel comfortable enough with the information available on the vaccines to actually have it shot into my arm muscle.

- A.M.

Travel bubbles

I don't understand 'travel bubbles'.

As I have said at least twice on this blog, the most important solution to travel and get life to be like it was pre-covid-19 is to contain covid, and this is not necessarily by vaccination. Afterwards, you can think about the economy, opening borders and travel, politics etc. 

It's also incredibly funny because it seems when a 'travel bubble' is actually a reality, it necessarily seems to mean it will be indefinite, especially by the general population. Then when it is stopped/paused/whatever the fuck you want to call it, it's all doom and gloom.

Or when it is delayed/cancelled, there's disappointment and all those other feelings.

Are you stupid? Why are you surprised/disappointed/sad etc.? Do you know nothing about how covid-19 is transmitted, especially as it has been over a year since it was publicly announced as a pandemic by WHO? Do you know nothing about Humans?

When New Zealand and Australia's was a reality in April and then got 'paused', I just laughed. Then Britain put some countries on their green list, including New Zealand - I just thought, 'yeah I'm sure the UK is happy to let people enter New Zealand, ask New Zealand how they feel about letting people from the UK in'.

And it doesn't matter if you can travel, it's not just the fact you can, as I have said before, depending on where you depart and land, you have to take a covid-19 test at least once, quarantine or not, and this excludes if you get stuck in the country you're going to because there's a spike. Or there's a spike where you came from and your destination stops flights going there so you can't get back and end up spending more time and money than intended and quite possibly can't actually afford. It's no longer about just the airfare and other financial considerations when you visit a place, it's about the requirements and most importantly, 'what ifs' covid raises. 

Singapore and Hong Kong have their 'travel bubble' which might not come to fruition, no shit. The Changi airport cluster made me laugh.

I believe I've said this before now, but below seems to be the best way to have life like it was pre-covid-19 or to live with it alongside us, like an unwelcome and unwanted neighbour.

- Governments need to effectively contain covid-19 before anything else can happen

- In the meantime, governments need to ask for financial assistance so they can help their population who are struggling, whether it's asking the EU or IMF or whatever entity, if they really don't have the money themselves

Governments need to find a way, especially in places like Italy, England, Germany etc, to reduce the impact of covid on the everyday lives of its population - stop bringing your population in and out of lockdown when figures temporarily improve, because then it almost always get worse, especially with the variants.

The economy is not more important than covid-19, and by extension, human lives. You do realize you need people to be alive to have an economy and not only if you have long lockdowns, but you keep bringing your population in and out of them, that does nothing for any economy. To break even, not even a profit, to break even, you need it to be regular to be sustainable. Not stop and start. And I know nothing about running a business, NGO, not-for-profit and likely will never found one, but I do have common sense.

It is possible to not be in any covid-caused lockdown ever or only for a short amount of time, it is also possible to live almost like it was pre-covid, barring border restrictions; 'Covid and lockdowns' has more information and my

opinion/advice, https://holandt.blogspot.com/2021/03/covid-and-lockdowns.html

Examples:

Taiwan

Sāmoa

New Zealand (lockdown for about 6 weeks total since covid-19 was announced a pandemic by WHO)

Hong Kong (never in lockdown)

Singapore

Where am I coming from? 

- I am not even coming from a place that has been in lockdown

- Our amount of infected cases is low, especially compared to countries like Brazil, India, the USA; our number of deaths is also low, especially compared to places like Japan, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany

- The government has given some financial assistance to businesses and its people

- The government gave out a free covid test to us if we wished to get tested

- The government has covid-19 vaccines that are not mandatory to take and pretty much only children under 15 or 16 can't get jabbed

- Our leader is a lady, which is relevant, see sources in 'Happy Valentine's Day New Zealand' https://holandt.blogspot.com/2021/02/happy-valentines-day-new-zealand-3.html

- The population takes precautions and there are hand sanitizers and temperature checks everywhere

- I am employed

- I have a roof over my head

- I have food on the table

- I have electricity

- I have water

- I have internet 

  

So personally, I am comfortable and on a slightly wider level, I am living in one of the safest places that has covid-19 and during this pandemic; and I am still complaining about how covid has been handled by the governments. 

I am repeating myself far too much, yes I am contradictory, I am not working for or in the government, but it is not unreasonable to expect any government to reach a minimum threshold for leadership during a pandemic.

- A.M.

Source:

https://covid19.who.int/table

Bill and Melinda Gates to divorce

Interestingly enough, I read the news via https://www.news.com.au/ and immediately I thought of the impact on health and especially the financial contribution to covid-19. Secondly, the prospect of losing a figure in the health field who has not created controversy in his personal and professional dealings. He really does seem to be one of a kind, not only has he got the financial means to spend immense amounts of money towards health, but he genuinely seems to be a good person.

There does not seem to be a recipe for love, it does not matter how long you have been together or not, how the relationship started, whether you have kids or not, and of course money is not a factor. I will not go into it further in this post, but money unfortunately does make the World go around, but it does not make you happy, the latter I believe in wholeheartedly.

When I thought of it more, I did wonder if the consequences of the pandemic have caused Bill and Melinda to divorce. Or maybe it's just one of those 'transitions'/'adjustments' you can't go through together: it's interesting that their youngest is 18 years old. 

I really would like to believe they will both continue to run the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as it has been managed since its inception, but only time will tell. 

I wish Bill and Melinda the best.

- A.M.