Technology Blog

I personally have a history of questionable to bad credit. In the past it has been usually due to lack of employment or employment changes. In the past, I also quickly learned that bad or no credit isn’t something the banks want to deal with or help with. My cynicism in that regard is quite high. Going bankrupt a couple of years ago didn’t help matters, although I have an established relationship with my bank (I just don’t have credit services with them, that’s all).

Auto Loan Financing can bridge the gap for some of us who need a car, but have bad credit. Let’s face it, when you’re on the market for a car, and know you have credit issues for whatever reason, it can be difficult to go out there and look for a car to suit your needs. Auto Loan Financing is an option for some of us interested in reestablishing credit and needing a car for commuting to work. The best part of it is, by applying online, you’ll know before hand what you can afford before you go out there and make a deal with your dealer. There’s no embarrassment with a pre-authorized loan in place.

Sometimes I just can’t get over the fact that corporations and government don’t value the concept of quality assurance or testing.

Last week, a man discovered a security flaw with Passport Canada’s website. “that by changing one character in the Internet address displayed on his Web browser, he could view the application forms of others.”

One character! In an age where identity theft is common on the internet, why would an organization have this kind of set up? Sure, it’s a flaw, but come on, that’s a pretty bad flaw, no more how temporary the situation is.

Now, I beta test websites from time to time. I’ve beta tested software applications in the past as well as have years of customer/technical support experience. So sure I know the value of my work. What bothers me, what’s bothered me since I first started working in IT is how often other people dismiss or downplay the need for Quality Assurance.

Would you want to apply for a passport after reading this?

I know I have my reservations. So much so, when it’s time to renew, I’ll like do it by mail.

Lap Band surgery isn’t an option available for everyone seeking weight loss. However, finding a lap-band surgeon is a terrific option for those of us with a weight problem. When I was considering weight loss surgery in the past, Lap Band surgery was the only option I was willing to seriously consider. Surgery is done using laparoscopic techniques, minimizing healing times considerably. I believe that weight loss, regardless of what kind of dieting techniques used can be aided by this surgical technique. A smaller stomach means you’re fuller faster, meaning less food, less caloric intake and ultimately weight loss. The best part of this procedure is that it is completely reversible, and no major internal alterations are done. If you need an aid to weight loss that goes beyond diet and exercise, this option may be something you should consider.

Professor’s family targeted on YouTube

Using a popular website in an attempt to promote a smear campaign against a professor is just plain wrong. I found this story today in the Globe and Mail and was ashamed as a Canadian and as a former student of Dalhousie University. Personal pictures of his family was published on Youtube (a collage video that is no longer available) . The soundtrack as part of the video included “moans and other noises suggesting fornication”. What ticked me off the most was reading about references in the video about the professors Muslim faith and birthplace in the middle east. Hate crime anyone?

If you’re looking on deals for flights to USA check out DialAFlight. As a frequent traveler to the US, I’m always on the look out online for cheap deals. Holidays to USA can be made affordable especially with sites like DialAFlight. What I was particularly impressed with, was this site offers good old fashion customer service by phone while maximizing savings and offers gleaned directly from their website, as well as speaking to someone directly to custom tailor your needs. Site offers specials on flights, hotels and car hire as well as special weekend offers and packages.

Check it out.

Friends: Please dig / bookmark this story.

Primus Canada resorts to unscrupulous bill collecting causing disruption of service to a 75 year old Toronto man.

Over the weekend internet cell and home phone services were disconnected, after my father returned to Toronto after under going major surgery in the Domincan Republic. This disruption in service came after an agent of Primus Canada, contacted my father, explaining he needed to pay *immediately* a $600 phone bill due to roaming charges incurred while he and my brother were in the Dominican Republic last week.

My father, calmly explained to the agent on the phone that he refuses to pay the bill until he received his statement in the mail, after which he would pay the bill in FULL. The agent refused and threatened to cut all services at which point, my father explained if they did so, he would switch providers.

Within 24 hours, my father was left without a home phone, cell phone, and internet services. I’m almost sure he’s also without 911 services as well.

This is a disgusting story and I feel must go public and redistributed as much as possible. This is the kind of treatment Primus gives to a loyal customer who has been with the company for 10 years.

And if you think this is “standard procedure” think again. After this happened, my brother called up his cell phone provider, Telus Canada to inquire about their policies. Unlike the atrocious treatment my father received from Primus, a Telus representative calmly told my brother that there were no issues with his bill or his charges, and that he can view his statement within a few days online, and a few days after a paper statement will be available.

My father will certainly honour his bill, while he must wait ONE WEEK for his telecommunication services to resume in his home from a competitor.

In the meantime, if I can cause over $600 or more in bad press for Primus over the internet, I’m going to do my bitter best.

Last week, I talked about my feeling on the obvious shortage of Wii’s available to the market

In my previous article I mentioned the biggest draw for me personally to this console was that it would help my get off the couch and up and active again (during those times where I actually have free time to play games). I still think it’s a brilliant idea, especially when I’m facing roughly 3-5 months of fall/winter rain on the west coast of Canada.

Apparently this idea is striking a chord with others as well, as Seniors trade walkers for Wii

The article also touches on something that’s close to what I’ve witnessed as well with my mother-in-law who is a dependent to us. Playing games of some description provides the kind of brain stimulation that television watching alone does not provide. Puzzles on the computer, like bejewelled helps her to focus more and think. I’m just not sure that the Wii would be a good idea for her after seeing all those home accidents that teen boys posted in the early days of Wii on Youtube. At least not with me.. I’m too competitive.

Although I’m not a huge fan of renovation shows (I reserve that obsession for my wive) I do get very interested in the organization of technical/electronic parts. I grew up exposed to a plethora of gadgets and opened chassis of many different electronic components thanks to my father who is a retired engineer technologist. Now that I own my own home, I’m looking more into steel cabinets to finally start organizing my computer parts in an effective manner. At one point I shared an office with an ex partner where most of our furniture was in the form of industrial strength shelving units. Now that I have a wife who isn’t interested in having too many cables, open faced computers, graphics cards, and an assortment of computer parts lying around in open view, steel cabinets seems to be the perfect solution. Looks like I’ve added another project for myself: cleaning my shed that’s going to be my workroom.

Nintendo Faking Wii Shortage To Raise Holiday Demand

I ran across the above article today and got immediately ticked off at Nintendo all over again. Now granted, I do not make it a priority in my life to have a game console. But with step kids and kids of friends, I’m not one to ignore a console and often think of buying one. Wii was one such console I seriously considered because it would get me up and active off the couch. I thought that was cool.

But given the on going shortage (and to be sure, I check about once a month to see if it’s available at Best Buy, and I’ve done that for months), I’ve decided that I made the PERFECT purchase in California last month at Salvation Army.

Yep, that’s right. for $3.50, I bought myself a 1 game console called ping pong, complete with wireless paddles. I don’t know how old this console game is, but the wife and I went to the Salvation Army on a Thursday, which just so happens to be 50% off day for small appliances. My $3.50 investment became $1.75 at the cash register.

So one could say I’m ready to hold off on a Wii even longer. As much as I want to get my ass off the couch and play some games and work up a sweat doing so, I refuse to jump through hoops for this console that only seems to exist in online electronic catalogs.

A great article about the future of facebook got me thinking again about the .com industry and it performance on the stock markets. I remember the first .com I worked for a tech analyst in Toronto had a very small job in one of the Canadian stock exchanges. Their stock grew to $3.50 but by the time we were bought out, they had mishandled finances, and the competition from other software companies made our products obsolete. Stock was barely worth $0.10 when I left.

That was 1997. 10 years later… I’m forever in awe at others reinventing the wheel where internet and web applications have steadily evolved to more sophisticated levels of programming and database management. HTML is now more of a backbone language, no longer the main component of a website. Sophisticated users mean more sophisticated sites.

Facebook reinvented the concept of “social networking” to make it hip, funny, and surprisingly rewarding for those like myself are reconnecting with old friends from years ago. Facebook is what Classmates.com should have been 5 years ago.

It sounds like it’s gaining the attention it deserves.