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Archives for September 2005

Memoir #1 – Renningers

↘︎ Sep 27, 2005 … 5′ … download⇠ | skip ⇢

4:30 on a Sunday morning. My dad nudges me and says, “Time to get up.” I awake out of my dream state, cranky because it is pitch black out and I do not realize what is happening. It is far to early for me, a ten year old, to wake up. I rub my eyes and try to fall back asleep, then something hits me and I realize that today is the day. Today is the day I am allowed to go to the Renningers farmer’s market in Adamstown! I sluggishly crawl out of bed and drag myself into my dad’s old beat up green van. He used the van for his work, which was salvaging old buildings for antiques – like stained glass windows and church pews – and then selling them for his business. The van had many dings and scratches on it and clutter in it, but I loved it. I liked how it stood out with its bold green color; it was almost like an extension of my dad. There were only two seats in the front, the rest of the van was seatless in the back to store cargo and supplies. I crawl into the back of the van and lay on the ground trying to sleep again, but I was too excited. This was the day I would finally see the place my dad had told me about. He’d gone there several times, and the place sounded mystical. He told me about the antique dealers there and how they sold anything you could imagine. I was really eager to see if this was true. I couldn’t fathom what I was going to see in a short while.

The ride up to Adamstown seemed like five hours though it was really only one and a half. I couldn’t wait to get there. My dad tuned the radio to a religious channel, which played church songs played on a pipe organ, though I never really considered him very religious. I guess that was supposed to be our substitute for church that day, as we would be missing it. I remember peering up to take a glance out of the windshield and seeing the sunrise – the sky was a bluish, purplish, reddish color with swirling clouds. It was serene, especially with the religious music in the background. We drove into the sunrise all the way to Adamstown.

Before going to Renningers, we stopped at the gas station to fill up. I didn’t want to wait an extra three minutes to get to the farmer’s market and see everything, but I was rewarded for my patience when my dad let me get a pack of hockey cards when he was paying for his gas inside the station. This was a big deal for me, as I was never really allowed to get anything on a whim before this, but starting right then, my dad began the tradition of buying me a pack of hockey cards every time we stopped for gas before going to Renningers. I thought my dad was the best for buying me a pack every week. I then came to my senses and realized that we were not here to buy hockey cards; we were here for the farmer’s market. I looked up and lo and behold, we were there!

We pulled into the entrance and I hear the tires chew up the gravel. I look ahead and feel very disappointed; all I could see was a long, one story, boring white building with lots of doors. I look out the window to the right and I see some weird looking birds fenced off that resembled ostriches. My dad said they were emus. Where were all of the antiques? Where were all the toys? What is this place with weird looking birds and a vanilla building? We kept churning through the driveway and someone directed us toward parking. We pulled forward, and then behind the building I finally saw what we were here for. Hidden behind this mundane building was a cornucopia of vendors lined up with tables full of anything and everything, and people bustling about trying to claim whatever catches their eye.

My dad parked and I sprung out of the van. I couldn’t wait to get close up and see all the interesting things I had only glanced at, but first we ate a quick breakfast of hot chocolate and some oddly cut circular french fries with ketchup; the breakfast of champions. After finishing, I could look at everything there was to offer. I remember scanning the old, rickety, gray plywood tables stocked with items from the past. We went up and down the rows of tables examining all the interesting things. There were wooden chests, old magazines, glass bottles, comic books, iron gates, records, stained glass windows, sports cards, carved wooden figurines, clocks, and any other antique or knick-knack you could think of. My dad looked mainly for wrought iron gates, stained glass windows, and vintage glass bottles, which he could sell for his business. He would stop to look at the items that caught his eye, inspect them, and if he was satisfied, the bartering process would begin.

“How much is stained glass window?”

“Seventy-five dollars, it’s a very nice window.”

“Yeah, but it’s damaged, I think it’s only worth sixty dollars?

“Well, hmmmm, I can’t sell it that low, how about sixty-five dollars?”

“I’ll take it.”

It amazed me how well my dad was able to bargain with those people. He could talk almost anyone into selling something for less than they wanted. If they refused we would continue on, then come back later with the item still sitting there. My dad would then offer them the same price again and they would reluctantly give in.

The things I was interested in were old comic books of Spiderman and the Hulk, vintage Pez dispensers, Star Wars memorabilia, Beanie Babies, actions figures, yo-yo’s, cap guns, and anything to keep a kid entertained. The only thing that diminished my excitement were the weird looking people sitting behind the tables. It seemed like the same person stared at me from behind each table: an old, weathered, gray bearded man missing a tooth or two smoking a cigarette drinking their black coffee. These country folk scared me a little because at home I had never really seen these types of people. These vendors never spoke to me, just kept a close eye on me. I suppose they were afraid I would rip the comic books or knock over a porcelain figurine, but I was always very careful. I had a great time looking at everything even though I never really bought anything. The intrigue of the different items kept me entertained.

Once we had found our treasures for the day, we dropped them off in the van and headed into the boring white building. The doors led inside to a comfortable, lively market full of more antiques. I couldn’t believe that the boring building was actually very exciting inside. The indoor vendors sold mostly the same things as the outside ones, but the items seemed to be more valuable to me, maybe because the vendors inside were more like people I had seen before. None of the people inside stared at me while I looked at their comics, they seemed more civilized. My dad bought a few more random antiques inside, like an old doll or painting, talked to some buddies he knew, then we headed home. I was more than satisfied with the experience. I wanted to go back every Sunday, even at the expense of losing a few hours of sleep.

I cherish this experience because it is one of the best times I had with my dad before he passed away. I went with him to Renningers farmer’s market every other Sunday to search for antiques to buy and resell. Just him and I, then when my sister was old enough, she would come, too. I enjoyed the cites and smells of the market, it was so much different from home. I had never seen most of the items the vendors offered at the market. The people at the market were of a different character than people from home; they were more backwards than people I’d known. Their life revolved around the farmer’s market, and I found that interesting. When I was the age of ten, it was a new experience that I enjoyed; it was an escape from the sometimes repetitive life at home watching television and playing video games all day. When my dad passed away we had to give up his business because my mom couldn’t run it by herself. I haven’t been back to Renningers in a while, but I will always have that first memory of being there with my dad.

Me

circa 2013 (25 y/o)

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Jump…

  • 05 Sep 27: Memoir #1 #12th Grade – English #Great Valley High School #Mr. Michael Settanni
  • 05 Sep 26: Memoir #2 #12th Grade – English #Great Valley High School #Mr. Michael Settanni
  • 05 Sep 11: Risks of Computing #12th Grade – AP Computer Science #Dr. Paul Burgmayer #Great Valley High School

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12th Grade – English (Class) / Great Valley High School (School) / Mr. Michael Settanni (Teacher) / schoolwork (Post Type)

Memoir #2 – Driving

↘︎ Sep 26, 2005 … 3′ … download⇠ | skip ⇢

When I first learned how to drive, I drove very cautiously. I drove nearly five hours in empty parking lots before I was ready to go on the open road (rather my mom made me go on the road). I always made sure I drove exactly the speed limit and completely stopped at all stop signs. I didn’t want to be a reckless driver and get in trouble with the law. As time went on, I became more comfortable with the road and I loosened my driving restrictions. I began to drive faster, around ten miles per hour over the speed limit and occasionally I didn’t completely stop at stop signs. After I had racked up fifty hours of driving, taken driver’s education, and had behind the wheel training with an instructor, I set out for my license. I obtained it on my first try, and I was proud of that. Most people I know took a few tries to pass the driver’s test. I was excited, but I didn’t have my own car. I knew I could only go out as often and my parents let me.

The first time I drove by myself was a big shock. There was no one there to tell me if I was driving too fast and to slow down. I was in charge of my driving; I was responsible for my actions. The first few times I was alone I tried to abide by the speed limit, but after a while I once again became comfortable with the road. I started to drive a little faster and more casually.

Then one night my friend invited me to his house to watch a movie. My parents agreed that I could drive over, since my friend only lived four minutes away. It was around 9:00 PM and it was dark out. I followed my normal procedure of pulling out of the driveway. I looked left, no one there. I looked right, no one there. I looked left again, no one there. I began my right turn out of the driveway, then out of the corner of my eye I saw two lights flying towards me coming over the hill.

I panicked; I didn’t know what to do. This nitwit was going around sixty miles per hour on my thirty-five mile per hour road. Should I stop? I was already more than half way in the road. Should I pull out really fast and hope he can slow down in time? I made neither of these choices; I reverted to my old ways. As I said a prayer, I nonchalantly pulled out of the driveway at a safe speed and slowly accelerated towards the thirty-five mile per hour speed limit. I heard the speeding car blare its horn as it approached me. I continued on my leisurely pace. I thought, “As long as I’m following the law, I’ll be fine. I don’t need to speed up.” Almost as quickly as I heard the horn yelling behind me, I saw a streak of lights to my left. The driver had turned into the oncoming lane to pass me. The car quickly peeled away from me. The sound of the horn and the lights faded away and the car was out of sight within ten seconds. I meanwhile, was still going the speed limit all the way down the road to my friend’s house.

It didn’t quite hit me until after I got out of the car, but I could have been killed right then! I actually wasn’t really sure if I was still alive. I replayed the moment in my head numerous times while I was at my friend’s house. I couldn’t really concentrate on the movie. I remembered looking back to my left before pulling out, seeing no one, and then as I was already more than half way in the road I saw the car speed over the hill to my left. What if I had done something different? If I were to speed out of the driveway, would he have still tried to pass me? It would have taken him longer to pass me and a could have he could have hit a car in the oncoming traffic. What if he lost control as he passed me? What if I sped out of the driveway and lost control? He could have hit me at a very high speed. What if there was an oncoming car? He was going too fast and I was going too slow, so I don’t think he could have stopped. In the end, I decided that I probably made the best decision. There was nothing I could really do to stop the mistake of someone else.

Then I began to ponder, what if I was the one speeding over the hill. What would I have done? I thought for a while, but realized that I don’t have to ever be in that situation. It was a really bad situation that could have been easily avoided. If he wasn’t speeding, I would have had time to see him and stop pulling out of the driveway. Even if I had been pulled out of the driveway too soon, he would have been able to slow down if he was going the speed limit. He wouldn’t have had to risk passing me and driving into oncoming traffic.

I had an epiphany at that moment. I then understood why speed limits and rules of the road are so important. They prevent accidents from happening. They save lives. Now when I drive, I make sure I’m following the speed limit very closely. I don’t want to be that guy flying over the hill putting someone who is following the law in a bad situation. I don’t want to ignore a stop sign and hurt someone who did make a complete stop. Without that scary moment, I still might be driving too fast and eventually pay for it. I now know to follow the rules.

Me

circa 2017 (29 y/o)

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Risks of Computing

↘︎ Sep 11, 2005 … 4′ … download⇠ | skip ⇢

Many people don’t recognize that along with ethics in the real world, we have ethics in the cyber world. There are rules and laws on the Internet just like there are rules and laws in the real world. When people are on the Internet, they feel like they are anonymous, and they do whatever they feel like. For example, when elementary and middle school students were polled, almost half of the students believed that hacking wasn’t a crime. People just don’t believe that there are rigid rules that apply to using the Internet. They don’t think there are any consequences to their actions because no one knows who they are, and also because if anyone were to find out who they were, there is a great distance between where people live. They don’t think they would be contacted or found. This lack of understanding the laws regarding the use of the Internet leads to a risk of computing for the unsuspecting everyday user of the information highway.

Attackers (or hackers) on your computer can claim to have the same Internet protocol (IP) address as someone else. This is called IP spoofing. This would allow them to make illegal actions under the identity of someone else. This would allow them to do thing they shouldn’t be doing and they would not be caught. Whoever the IP address belongs to could be accused of doing things they didn’t do. The hacker could also take control of the user’s console and that user would not know. This is called IP session hijacking. The user would just be logged off their system and be allowed to log back on, while in the meantime the hacker can go through their e-mail, run any programs, and steal information among other things.

Computer users are also at risk to “unauthorized access” attacker. In these types of attacks, the hacker will use some resources on your computer that they should not have access to. One way the hacker does this is by executing commands illicitly. They could read your files and send e-mail to people under your name, which they should not be able to do. They could also do worse things, like changing your IP address and making your computer shut down every time it is booted up.

Another type of unauthorized access attack is confidentiality breaches. Hackers can steal your information and use it against you. For example, if you are in a business, they could take some idea your company came up with, and sell it to one of your competitors. They could also steal some of your personal information and release it to the public. This could be very damaging to your reputation.

The last type of unauthorized access attack is destructive behavior. There are two types of this attack. “Data diddling” is when a hacker messes with data in your saved files. For example, they may change a few numbers around in your spreadsheet or change the numbers in your account for auto-depositing your paychecks. This attack is most likely not noticed right away, but when you do notice, the effects can be very damaging. If the hacker changed some numbers on your spreadsheet, how do you know which ones are right and which ones are wrong?

The other type of destructive behavior attack is data destruction. This is when the attacker simply deletes your files. When this happens, it is very damaging, especially for a business. There is no way to recover the files and they are left with nothing. There are however ways to stay protected against hackers.

One thing a computer user can do is make make backups of your files. Simply put your files onto a blank CD or a floppy disk so they are safe even if a hacker were to tamper with or delete all your files. They may be able to attack your computer, but they can’t attack a CD, floppy disk, or any external memory device. This would keep your files safe in the event of an attack, or even if you were to have a hardware failure.

You should also be sure not to leave your files in the open. Save them in a place not so easily found by an attacker. This decreases the chance that a hacker will do something malicious to your important files. If they cannot find your important data, they cannot harm your important data. This is a simple thing that many computers do not do.

It is also important to avoid using systems with single points of failure, meaning if your computer has one flaw in its security, it is very vulnerable to attacks. Make sure that your security system can’t be broken through one component. If you give a hacker an inch, they will take it a mile. A minor attack could escalate and become a disaster.

You should make sure you update your system patches. Old bugs in the system can be exploited, and if you don’t stay up to date with the current fixes, attackers will exploit the old bugs. They cannot attack the fixes as easily. This is a very simple and easy thing to help protect yourself, yet if you don’t do this, it is a very simple and easy way for the attacker to break into your system.

Firewalls are another thing that can protect you from hackers. Connecting to the Internet provides two-way traffic, in and out of your computer. A firewall serves as a barrier and limits the traffic in and out of your computer. It can prevent a hacker from breaking into your system. Also, even if a hacker does break into your system, the firewall can prevent them from sending files from your computer. A firewall is a very important part to protecting your computer against attacks.

However, if you set your modem to answer incoming calls, an attacker can sneak around your firewall. This gives them another entry point into your computer. You must protect your modem, too. The terminal sever, which provides access to your network must be logged and checked for suspicious activity. It’s also important for you to have a good password; it shouldn’t be easily guessed. There are devices which create one time six to eight digit passwords, so a hacker would never be able to guess the right password because it’s ever changing.

Routers now have built in encryption between specific routers. This keeps them safe so an attacker could not break into your system. The information is encrypted so they could not read it out get into your console. This provides a secure route between computers.

Companies are also now using Virtual Private Networks. I uses the Internet to connect two different offices to each other. The only problem with this is that everyone on the network has access to everything, it isn’t possible to provide specific information to one computer on the network. Hackers cannot break into a Virtual Private Network because the link is encrypted.

There are numerous risks to computing and it is very important to be prepared for them. You have to watch out for hackers that can mimic your IP address, read your files, tamper with your files, and even delete your files. These risks are real, but if you are prepared you can safely utilize the Internet. Make sure you backup your files, keep your system updated, and have a firewall among other things to keep your computer safe. If you take all the necessary precautions, you will be at low risk to an attack, and you should be able to fully enjoy the Internet without the fear attackers.

Bibliography

http://www.cerias.purdue.edu/education/k-12/cerias_resources/files/infosec_newsletters/07cyberethics.php

http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/

http://www.interhack.net/pubs/network-security/network-security.html

Me

circa 2009 (21 y/o)

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ADAM CAP is an elastic waistband enthusiast, hammock admirer, and rare dingus collector hailing from Berwyn, Pennsylvania.

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