Browsing some websites within google I stumbled upon this page.
Being on a Mac sites like this do not affect me… but on a windows computer it would have been a different story. As you can tell from the picture above it resembles a windows machine and wants you to download a scanner to scan your “so-called” infected pc. This is not the case… if you continue to do this it will load spyware on your pc instead of removing it. I would close firefox (yes I know all of you use firefox, if not grab it here.<– click here) to prevent infection, I would even close it from task manager and sometimes might be forced to close it this way.
If your computer does get infected by one of these nasty boogers, it will most likely need professional help. I posted a spyware removal guide for basic cleanups that could help you on your way to restoring your pc back to a healthy system.
Microsoft released its new free anti-virus program which has received good reviews. In most cases instead of using AVG anti-virus this will become my program of choice.
So yesterday we decided to head out to Gratis Fest to enjoy some music, beer, and hanging with friends. They also had the best pastry cakes (elephant ears) I have ever had! The real story begins when we got super lost… on the way there… crossing over 2 creek beds… gravel roads turning into a path carved out the side of a hill… where we met a guy on a horse who gave us directions… words can’t possibly describe what happened so enjoy the pictures and video.
Yup… its true I just ordered my iphone today! Now I have to wait… I hate waiting for new toys. I know I haven’t blogged in forever… and I well I haven’t had any interesting thing to say… that is until now, in case you haven’t heard, I am a proud owner of a new shiny iphone!!!! Until next time….
This is an analysis I wrote for my survey of world views class about The Matrix and how it relates to post-modernism.
The Matrix portrays the worldview of post-modernism concluding that normal rules and laws that apply to humans can be broken. The movie is centered on Tom Anderson, more commonly known as his hacker alias, Neo.
The movie begins with Trinity, a famous hacker and member of Morpheus crew, trying to track Neo. However, Agents thwart her plan. Trinity hacks into Neo’s Computer and leads him to a dance club, where Neo and Trinity meet for the first time. This meeting causes Neo to be late for work the next day. Neo receives a package containing a phone and when it rings, it is Morpheus. Agents arrive at his workplace to capture him to utilize his skill set in hacking. Morpheus instructs Neo with escape techniques and gives Neo a choice to climb on the scaffolding to the roof or to be captured. Neo chooses to be captured by the Agents.
In the Agents’ captivity, Neo is given a choice to help them; and in return, his criminal record will be wiped clean. Neo refuses their offer and demands his phone call. The Agent replies, “What good is a phone call when you can’t speak,” and Neo’s mouth seals shut. To keep a close watch on Neo, the Agents place a tracing program in him, which Trinity removes later.
Trinity arranges a meeting for Neo to meet Morpheus, where Neo chooses to have his mind free from the matrix. Neo is reborn into the real world and begins his training. He begins to learn martial arts, and is learning about the rules or the lack of them within the matrix. The exceptional rate at which Neo absorbs the training confirms the idea that he will be the one to save humanity.
The main antagonists in the film are Agents, rouge computer programs that can move within the matrix as they please. The Agents capture Morpheus to find the key to Zion, which is locked away in his brain. Neo decides to do what no one has done before and enter the matrix to save Morpheus. Upon succeeding, Neo realizes his potential and begins to believe in himself. Neo, instead of running from the Agents, decides to turn and face them. He is shot and is left for dead. Trinity, back on Morpheus ship, declares her love for Neo. Then he comes back to life and defeats the Agents.
The first idea of post-modernism, which is portrayed in the movie, occurs when the Agents capture Neo and his mouth seals shut. To Neo this appears as a dream, but is the first demonstration of rules being broken. When Neo and Morpheus spar, Morpheus is teaching Neo that rules can be bent and broken. Gravity is one of the fundamental laws that can be broken in the matrix. If one is fast enough, he is able to dodge bullets. Morpheus tells him, “Someday he will not have to dodge bullets.” This is demonstrated at the end of the movie when he kills the Agents. A child at the Oracle tells Neo, “Do not try and bend the spoon. That is impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth.” The truth is that there is no spoon. Once Neo realizes this, he is bending, not the spoon. This is the same idea when Neo stops the bullets, he realizes that they do not exist thus the bullets cannot harm him.
Another idea of post-modernism is the making of choices. Before Neo was aware of the matrix, he was trying to define himself with his job. Neo meets with the Oracle who tells him that his personal choice and what he believes is what matters. It does not matter what Morpheus believes. If Neo does not believe in himself, it will not happen. In post-modernism, one can believe whatever they choose. Everyone’s personal choice is right if they believe in it.
Post-modernism is subtlety seen in the movie especially when Neo hides his software in a book titled, Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard which has ideals associated with post-modernism. Morpheus tells Neo, “There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.” Neo did not believe that he was the one but he was walking the path of the one, which made him the one because he believed.
Neo sums up the idea of postmodernism at the end of the movie, “I know you’re out there. I can feel you now. I know that you’re afraid. You’re afraid of us. You’re afraid of change. I don’t know the future. I didn’t come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it’s going to begin. I’m going to hang up this phone and then I’m going to show these people what you don’t want them to see. I’m going to show them a world without you, a world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries, a world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you.”
3 guys headed out on Sunday to scout a location for a film shoot for a wedding. This is their story! (lights dimming… please turn off all cell phones)
Those 3 guys headed downtown to a bulding which is condemned.
Those 3 guys stumbled upon this garage door…
Those 3 guys opened the garage door that was unlocked…
Those 3 guys headed up the stairs… one guy stayed back to take pictures and the other 2 trekked on to the roof… but they did not make it that far (more on that later.)
intermission from story for random condemned warehouse pics…
ok…back to the story. As the one guy headed to re-join the other two… he noticed that something was wrong, the 3 guys turned to 5 guys! There were 2 construction workers in the building, and the building is set to be obliterated… destroyed… blown to pieces… (choose your phrase) on June 1.
intermission 2… go the bathroom… refill your popcorn… and enjoy some more random pictures from the 2nd warehouse the guys were at (this building was not condemned but was reported from those 3 guys that it was still cool).
still with me… good. With some social engineering skills those 3 guys were able to get into this building easily and look around with no friction from security. Those 3 guys were looking for roof access… and they found it!
Friday was the last day of classes! Next week I have exams and the week following I am taking a week long summer class. After all of that I will be wanting to get some well deserved r and r. These are the movies I will be heading to the theater to see this summer.
could not find a embeddable transformers 2 trailer. This movie is going to be epic. transformers
I am happy to report that I am passing all of my classes this semester. Success is good!
Now on to the bad…April 1st is the update for the malicious conficker worm.
Conficker, also known as Downup, Downadup and Kido, is a computer worm that surfaced in October 2008 and targets the Microsoft Windows operating system.The worm exploits a previously patched vulnerability in the Windows Server service used by Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7 Beta, and Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta. The worm has been unusually difficult for network operators and law enforcement to counter because of its combined use of advanced malware techniques. (Graphic and article is from wikipedia)
There is specualtion if conficker is going to wreck its havoc on the internet on April 1st. Always better to err on the side of caution and update all your computers, make sure users have secure passwords, and update all anti-virus defenitions.
Being on a Mac sites like this do not affect me… but on a windows computer it would have been a different story. As you can tell from the picture above it resembles a windows machine and wants you to download a scanner to scan your “so-called” infected pc. This is not the case… if you continue to do this it will load spyware on your pc instead of removing it. I would close firefox (yes I know all of you use firefox, if not grab it here.<– click here) to prevent infection, I would even close it from task manager and sometimes might be forced to close it this way.
