Balandar

that

Thinking

in

Added a chat link to the our chat room for this site. We are not allowed to use IRC clients (bandwidth and cpu usage issues), so this is our only option. For large gatherings and private meetings use mIRC from http://www.mirc.com Volano Chat allows up to 50 users.

Click here

Privacy group urges states to halt Microsoft's Passport By Brian Sullivan (Jan. 29, 2002) Saying the federal government isn't doing enough to ensure consumer privacy, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has sent an open letter to the attorneys general in all 50 states to stop what it claims are Microsoft Corp.'s unfair and deceptive business practices surrounding the company's Passport service. In the letter to the attorneys general, the consumer privacy group said it chose to go to the states because of its frustration with the lack of action by the Federal Trade Commission (see story). "We have repeatedly urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate this matter in two separate filings, but the commission has failed to act," said the letter, which was signed by Marc Rotenberg, EPIC's executive director; Chris Hoofnagle, legislative counsel; and Nathan Mitchler, law clerk. In a telephone interview Tuesday morning, Hoofnagle said the first time the FTC pursued a company for negligent privacy violations was this month. In contrast, the states have a long history of investigating and prosecuting privacy violations, he said. Among EPIC's objection to Passport are the following: It can be used to profile users' browsing and shopping behaviors. Microsoft has said it wants all Internet users to hold a Passport account. Passport's security flaws could expose subscribers' personal information, including credit card numbers. By tying Passport to other services, such as Hotmail and online customer support, Microsoft has already acquired more than 200 million Passport accounts. Microsoft this afternoon denied EPIC’s charges and said the privacy organization “completely misrepresented Passport.” “Really nothing has changed in terms of their complaint and our assurance that their claims are totally unfounded,” said Tonya Neff Klause, spokeswoman for Waggener Edstrom, which represents Microsoft. “They must have totally missed Microsoft’s fall federation announcement.” Last September, Microsoft announced that it would alter Passport’s authentication system to interoperate with similar services from competing companies (see story). “Microsoft is committed to putting people in control of their personal information,” Klause said. Hoofnagle said Microsoft has begun to push Passport on a variety of different fronts to gain subscribers. For instance, he said, some functions of Microsoft Money applications, its personal finance software, are available now only to Passport subscribers. An increasing number of Web sites that have partnerships with Microsoft have also begun to require Passport registration, thus removing consumer choice, he said. Hoofnagle also said that because it has been shown that Passport has some security flaws, Microsoft's claim that all information is private and secure is a deceptive business practice and the company should stop making such claims. While EPIC doesn't expect an immediate response to its letter to the state attorneys general, Hoofnagle said it was the best strategy the group could pursue. The states have much tougher privacy legislation, he said, pointing to a California law that bans unconstitutional seizures of private information by both governments and businesses as an example. He also said that the state officials may be more willing to act because being seen as a protector of consumer rights is always a benefit at election time, and most of the state attorneys general are elected.

Netscape flaw leaves cookies unsecure By Sam Costello, IDG News Service (Jan. 29, 2002) A security flaw in Netscape Communications Corp.'s Navigator Web browser can let malicious Web site operators view the information stored in cookies on a user's computer, according to a security note published on Netscape's Web site. The vulnerability affects Navigator Versions 6 through 6.2, as well as Version 0.9.6 and earlier versions of the open-source version of Navigator, Mozilla, according to an analysis written by Marc Slemko, who discovered the bug. The bug can be exploited by causing users to visit a Web address inserted into HTML on a Web page or in an HTML-formatted e-mail, he wrote. If users were to view the malicious Web site, cookies could be stolen off their computer, Slemko said. Cookies are small data files used by many Web sites to track user visits, preferences and identity. If a cookie is readable, it can be used to impersonate the rightful owner of that cookie on a Web site. Netscape urges all users of Navigator 6 through 6.2 to upgrade to Version 6.2.1, which doesn't contain the flaw. Mozilla users should upgrade to Version 0.9.7, which also contains the fix. Netscape is based in in Mountain View, Calif.

Yeah sure, just tell me which should be which and I can flip these about. I like the looks of the new ones better, which one is the weak smile? (you can right click on an image to find out its name). ? marks is icon9

http://www.pgoh.org/test.shtml

test

test

Testing http://www.pgoh.org/test.shtml

In response to your message I called and talked to Stan (Borg). Here’s the thing. You and the other Elders are the leaders of the guild in a council form. Here is what Stan told me, more or less. Leadership within every game hosted by the website (The Honor Empire) is the elder equivalent role. The Ancient or Guild master or the Founder roles are not necessarily the day to day deciding positions; they are though the end game tie breaking final point which may come into play for over all issues for the betterment of the guild. Borg’s role is starting and safeguarding the assets of the overall guilds for the long term and not the day to day activities and that is why promotions are made for the elder role so that each game has different leadership. It will also have a different flavor, which therefore gives players different opportunities, styles, and themes for each game. In no way did Borg mean to be the total day to day operator. It was the hopes that elders of each game would facilitate as the leaders, either in council or individuals. Some games a council is needed and in some individuals. The Webmaster/Ancient/Balandar (Me), the Founder/Emperor/Borg, and the Graphics/Ops/Wolf roles are for safeguarding the website and guilds within it. They are not the leaders for each game; their job is wider than the games. Therefore, that is why each game has individual leaders/councils so each game can continue with a strong grouping. All the games should not be hinged on one person, because then multiple games break down. We realized this when Stan was very sick, we had to make changes so the UO guild would not die and come to a complete halt. We see the elders as the GMs in a council form. That is why there are different people for each race in DAoC. Each has their own special history and abilities. As you stated, you know Borg’s reasons why he cannot be online. As to mine: I am a full time college student in my 8th semester out at IPFW. I am currently the project manager for a team in one course and have little time to devote to fun activities. I also have many programs to create for this website, the main one being a completely new profile script (a couple months of work). This, along with my studies, leaves me with very little time. If your main concern is about promoting people to the elder position (since the elders are the leaders of the guild), here is what we can do about it. It seems to me that you, Torix, and Halla are the most active elders in VV. Borg will modify rank 3 of the guild to allow promotion of any lower ranks. I, or Borg, will promote one of you or both of you (you two decide) to that position. You will have the ability to promote elders (2 per race) and your alternates. Of course before doing any promotions, you will need to discuss with the other elders and take a vote on the decisions you make. Usually in the case of a tie, Borg breaks it. If you cannot get a hold of him, then it goes to the Ancient. Now, why don’t we promote one of the viceroys from the other games? They have enough to deal with as it is with the other games. Damar will be the lead for our adventures in galaxies. I will be the lead for blizzards WoW. And for Shadowbane, looks like it will be almost everyone. Send me an email if you decide on doing the above. That is becoming rank 3 and having the ability to promote elders. Note. If any have any personal comments about this or other matters you can contact me at balandar@SSPPAAMM.pgoh.org or send a private message.

heh, thanks. 11pm here, going to bed now. I will be out of town for the weekend.

Watch the movie, then read the book for all the details the movie leaves out. It'll also enhance the book since you will have all the scenes and people in your mind.

4 here.

If anyone has it send me a PM or an email.

The forums are now running under MYSQL. Should you encounter any bugs, please post them on the website/bugs forum. Thanks.

I need everyone to test http://www.pgoh.org/boards/ikonboard.cgi You should be able to login with your current username and password since it is a recent backup of this board. Let me know if it runs faster if you get any errors.. etc. It is using the MySQL database instead of DBM.

Lolanya: I no longer play Diablo 2 unless for some reason I can't play DAoC or program.

test

Did this for my COM 251 course. Thought I would post it here. The Seven Samurai Set in 16th century Japan, Akira Kurosawa’s film tells the story of a poor farming village that is under constant threat from bands of brigands. It’s a timeless classic that stands amongst the very best films ever made. The picture is often dark and grainy at times, the sound is mono, and there are three and a half hours of subtitles to read. But we are talking about a film made in 1954. In the film, the farmers are plagued by a band of bandits attacking and taking their foods after every harvest. The elders of the village decide to hire a band of samurai to protect and defend their village. A small group of farmers are sent to the city to hire the samurai. Because the farmers are so poor they can only offer the samurai food (in this case rice). Most of the samurai the farmers approach scoff violently at the insult of such an idea, but eventually the farmers gather up a varied band of seven that will take up their cause. The samurai make for strange heroes by our lights. Their only sense of belonging comes from the temporary alliances they form in battle. The band, which is led by a wise man called Kambei, devises a plan to fortify the village and defend it against some nearly 40 bandits. Katsushiro, youngest of the samurai, whose rawness leads him into an affair with a farmer’s daughter that threatens the group’s stability, is the second to join the band of seven as a tentative apprentice to Kambei. Kikuchiyo, the wild and careless fighter who is not really a samurai, provides a lot of humor and comic relief but also is goaded by the shame and rage of being a farmer’s son. There are other characters and subplots to the film. One such subplot is where the daughter of one of the farmers is seduced by a samurai. It goes to the point where the daughter is laying on the muddy ground weeping as the villagers and samurai gather around trying to figure out what happened in a rainstorm. The Seven Samurai contains some of the most dazzling battles ever put on film (especially in 1954!). The climatic battle takes place in a freezing rainstorm with the bandits, farmers, and samurai all battling in the muddy village. There is everything from sword swinging action, to well shot arrows, riders falling off of mounts, and even the occasional thrown spear. The use of images in this film is masterfully done. One such striking scene is where a single sword marks a samurai’s grave as dust blows across the hillside. Many may be daunted by the 208 minute running time of the film (and the subtitles), but this is definitely one of the best made films of all time.

New expansion?

Oh, well there will be buttons on the right like DAoC. I just havn't placed them on there yet.

Hmmm.. So you mean to say have the online user list under the buttons on the right? That might be possible.