How Much Tin Foil is too much? Why do we need to worry?

Paul

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Tin Foil is all the rage!

I started this process, we we asked all sorts of questions about your Privacy and you.  One of the questions that was ask was about How much Tin Foil and how much do you need to wear on Security Now. I tried to listen to all of it and absorb as much as I could and I must say that we do not know how much data is actually being leaked to the NSA!  I don’t know how much you can prevent the NSA from getting your personal information and if you decide to do what this poor guy does, I have to wonder just how well this will work.   So I thought we should at least touch ground on this the episode and trying to figure just what you could do to get some peace of mind.

Opting Out!

I don’t think it is possible to opt completely out of the NSA wiretapping and have them over look you.  Likewise I don’t think they will ever leave you alone even if you did nothing wrong in the first place.  The question though that must be asked is how do I protect my civil liberties and make sure they follow the rules.  Again, I really don’t know the answer to this question but I believe VPN4ALL is one way to tell them that you don’t want to be tracked and spied upon.  Whether they listen and only do it to those they deem possible terrorist, I can not say.  I will say though, they are a sponsor on my blog because they have paid for one year of service for me and every time someone click on that link and orders their prouct, I get a little revenue.   

FAST & EASY VPN HIGH SPEED 1000+ IPs 50 Locations Worldwide Windows, MAC, Mobile 24 x 7 Support Buy Now Only 9.95

I really wish we could see the process and know just how much they collect on every US citizen and who over see’s this.  There is of course a process an I am unsure as to how well that is being used or if it is in the process.

GNU Privacy Guard!

I’ve started to use this GnuPG.org and It isn’t bad but I am sure it isn’t the only thing that we can do  to protect our privacy and try to keep out personal from getting to NSA.  We still need come have a way to get our emails to being sent even though your encrypting the message the meta data is being sent in the clear and thus the NSA still knows who you are and when you sent it.   We have to wonder who will force companies to allow sending email through SSL and not just in the clear.   This would greatly make it harder for anyone to get that sensitive data and your information would still be safe from prying eyes. 

I’m going to look for a service that does just that but I am not sure who I would trust with my personal information, hopefully a company out there will become available.  How Much Tin foil do you use to protect your privacy?  I’d love to hear your answer in the comments section!

 

If you want to keep your Privacy, look no further!

Paul

 

Privacy and the NSA!

When I first said something about NSA wiretaps the Internet, you probably thought I was joking.   Well, it looks to be a real issue now a days and that is a problem!  So we have heard about the NSA will consider any encryption being at risk, so they will be keeping those encrypted data for later inspections. Privacy is everything in my book and this is a continuing series for those who want to know how to protect their privacy from thief and criminals.   

Programs to protect your Privacy!

There are programs out there to help keep people from snooping on you.   Although it has gotten a lot easier because of Firesheep and most web sites now offer secure connections but not all.  This is where I suggest you use something like VPN4ALL and I’m not saying that because they paid me to say it.   I am saying this because they have become a sponsor for me for the whole year.  I get paid every time someone uses buys a subscription and they are affiliate links!   They’ve given me a free 1 year account and I really am impressed at how well they get around the library restrictions and that they are a OPENVPN provider.  There are others such as SecureVPN and CyberGhost VPN and even ProXPN VPN.  Each one has their merits and I have nothing against any of them.   I just have had a better experience with VPN4ALL and I think you will to.

Streaming Music and Videos

I’m no advocate for people getting around international borders to watch BBC and other such videos but you could if you wanted to and be able to watch Netflix and Hulu from outside the USA.  This is one of the many reasons I like this service because you don’t have to pay for watching a show that is being played over seas.   

Online Activity

Keep your online activity safe from prying eyes and people who are looking to cause trouble.  It isn’t going to be bulletproof but it will at least help with coffee shops and if you use it all the time at home also.   You don’t have to look over your shoulder as much, figuratively, and wonder who is see the insecure connection.

Mobile Devices!

 

Another reason, I love this service is that you can take your Tablet, like my Acer 200 to a free wifi hotspot and not worry because they even have a very good PPTP(Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) that allows you to use your device anywhere you may go and keep people from spying on you while you on an un-encrypted free wifi hotspot.   So you can sit back and watch or do what you want and no one will know or see your actions.  You can use this for Mobile Phones also but that is totally your call.   I use it strictly for my Acer 200!

30-day money-back guarantee

Although this has some conditions, and I will be honest with you it is really always a full refund.  You have to have use under 100 megabytes of data or have some other issue that has been document with a support ticket and usually they will refund your money but it is still a better way to go then not to have any privacy or risk your identity from being taken.   You owe it to yourself and others to protect your privacy and identity and give yourself and others peace of mind.  Give VPN4ALL a try and Save 15% with Coupon Code “savenow15”, and I am sure you will be as happy as I am when I’m at a insecure location.  

 

 

Empowernetworks downfall and why I won’t join!

Paul

 

 

High strung wasn’t he!

I won’t pay for a service that I don’t believe in and I am here to set the record for others who might want to join and want more information.  I had a little conversation with one of their members @.  Anyway he tried to get me to join Empowernetworks.com and I did my research and came up with some very interesting things about it.

Better Business Bureau!

The BBB gave this company a C- which doesn’t hold well for it’s advertising practices and I know I don’t want to be associated to a company who has low moral standings.  That isn’t all but it was one of the many reason why I won’t join.

You have to have a better reputation before I decide I will join your adventure.   I do a lot of research.

Scam or No Scam!

I have seen several sites that use the keyword scam with Empowernetwork and I am uncertain if some of the blogs aren’t getting paid by empowernetwork or not to post that type of content.  I for one will tell you straight up, I am not getting paid by them or anyone else to at least point out some of the obvious problems so far.

  • Worksfromsomewhere — talks about the deceptions that people have went through and why it isn’t properly disclosed up front.   Something that makes me really cautious when it comes to an affiliate network.

I woul show you even more but then I we get to linking every person who might have a grudge against this website.   I will say with one of the owners living in Costa Rica it makes me wonder just how truthful this company is being.   

 

Research is everything?

I say that because since I didn’t join, I will not try to figure out which one this one is.  when I heard about the 100% commission you have to woner who is to gain from the 100% and who how all this is come around.  All I am saying is if people are trying to promote this and get you to click on their links then they have to have a better personality than this one guy.  If your going to have people who are going to be a PR nightmare than you obviously don’t care who you get in that door of yours.  I will not join and that is final.   I can make money the good old fashion way of blogging an using my time somewhere else.   Time is money and money is time if you know what I mean!

 

The Perfect Pin Password! How to not be predictable!

Paul

Customer Service? What's My Pin Number?

Predictability is the Key!

It isn’t like we have a lot of imagination, I was looking around and saw this blog post post about PIN number analysis.   Let’s just say after I read this, I got chills and it went down my back.   No one person can come up with a easy to remember PIN number and it be safe.   So the problem with this and other passwords are that people tend to make them easy.  This is where the problem lies, if it was easy to come up with a PIN number that is can be predictable then someone else can figure out the pin quite easily.

What throw out and what to keep!

Here are a few things that I saw on the analysis that you should be throw out for sure:

  • Birth dates and years — This seems to be a very popular way to go to remember a pin number.   People are either using their year they are born or their month and date they are born to make a pin number for banks an other institutions.  Just throw those out the door.  If I could think of them so could a hacker who wants to get your money!
  • Don’t just go down PIN #2580 — Here’s another that seems be a common ploy, looking at your phone and just going straight down.   Which seems to indicate no imagination on the part of  people making the pin.
  • Don’t Use only one or two numbers like 1212, 6969, 2000, 1122 — It isn’t hard to figure out what numbers you use will make it easier to remember but it will always make it easier for the the hacker or the bank thief to get your money.
  • Don’t try to be cleaver — Something like 42069 is one that is spoken really well on the analysis and thus it comes as a interesting pin.   He didn’t know why but I suspect I know why, and here it is.   420 is common for elight speak for smoking illegal sustances and we know what 69 is.  So you tried to be cleaver but I figure it out and I am sure someone else could easily.

 

Picking a Good Pin!

Now since we talk about the analysis of the pin numbers, a little and I do hope you checked out the Analysis.   I thought it would be a good idea to at try to guide you into coming up with a less predicable PIN and thus making it that much harder for a Hacker and would be bank thief to get access.   Here I will describe what you might want to do to make it almost unpredictable and still make it remember able. 

  • Use the Random Number Generator — Come up with Four numbers you may want to use and use them as your PIN.   (Remember the rules, No repeating numbers, and nothing guessable.)
  • After you find a PIN — try to come up with a four letter word that will allow you to remember the number.   You might also go backwards such as starting at the end and create a word for it using your phone.

Use your phone keypad to basically associate the pin with a letter so you can remember it or if you can come up with other ways that will help you in the long run.   You shouln’t write it down but if you do have to, I suggest using something like Lastpass password database and keeping it secure for your eyes only.

This is one way to do it but I am sure someone somewhere has a much better way but at least this way you have control of who or what will know your password.   You want to keep your money safe, and yes I am sure hackers are going to try to use this to figure out your new PIN but it is much harder for them to know which number you picked and when you did it.   So the ball is in your court and not theirs.  Hope this helps!

My Reasons Why I use Prepaid Cellular Service and avoid contracts!

Paul

Prepaid phones

Prepaid Service is Better!

My sister called me wanting to know about prepaid cellular services.   She is getting tired of paying for contracts and all those really high fees for unlimited everything.  She wanted me to research this and tell her which service is best for her whether it be Straight Talk, Virgin Mobile, T-mobile, and Cricket Wireless. I know I’ve talked about some of these services and ideas in the past and  they have been nothing but a way to keep my bills from to high and they actually help me save money in the long run.  I will talk about some of these and hopefully they will make it easier for you to decide.

Lower Payments!

I know this might sound like everyone else but I have found, that since I have yet to buy a contract.  I’ve have keep my fees really know.   Like this Virgin Mobile USA phone the Kyocera rise, I have yet to pay anymore than 36$ a month on services.  I’m paying for 200 minutes an unlimited text and Data. I have been using Google Voice, as my VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) provider and only had to pay $10 for the phone number.  So I am basically using the unlimited Data to do all I need and rarely use my minutes.

On a side note, you basically pay more for your contract services because you are paying for the Phone you buy and buying an Iphone can cost anywhere from $800 to $1,000.  So they add that on to your bill in small amounts but you they don’t pay for it but you do in one way or another.

Unlimited Data!

Something seems to be happening in the Phone industry where all contract providers are giving you limits.  So you can avoid those limits and tell them you don’t want to have limits.  I am seeing Virgin Mobile USA, Straight Talk, and T-mobile all have unlimited data even though they throttle your data you still can use it after you go beyond the limit.   AT&T and Verizon Wireless charges you for more data services.  So you have to be careful and not go over your limit.

Unlocked Cell Phones

Having seen this in the past with my HTC Inspire, I can take my phone with me when I want to and switch my service and possibly get even better signal strength but it isn’t always the case because some prepaid cell providers will not have SIM Cards to use with your unlocked cell phone.   So it will just depend be a smaller amount of places like Straight Talk and and T-Mobile who will carry sims that you can buy to use with their services.   Others are starting to sell sims but it will take time for other providers to have them and sell them.

Better Customer Service

With smaller companies you get to be a little more personal with customer service.   The Bigger the company the harder it is to get anything done.   It seems they like to build more red tape and keep you frustrated.  I have found the smaller companies want to keep you as a customer and will do almost anything to keep you with them.   If they have to give you a discount to keep you they will over look small stuff and not penalize you for it.  So you can save money from time to time by talking with them and you could even get a free month of service if you do it right.

I am sure these are just a few but these are why I will always go with No Contract Cellular services and not be bound down by a contract.   I can save so much money this way that I will not even consider using anything else but no contract providers.

Paul Sylvester