AT&T Unblocks /b/

AT&T has unblocked /b/ claiming the initial block was due to a suspected DDoS attack coming from a 4chan.org IP address.

 

Beginning Friday, an AT&T customer was impacted by a denial-of-service attack stemming from IP addresses connected to img.4chan.org. To prevent this attack from disrupting service for the impacted AT&T customer, and to prevent the attack from spreading to impact our other customers, AT&T temporarily blocked access to the IP addresses in question for our customers. This action was in no way related to the content at img.4chan.org; our focus was on protecting our customers from malicious traffic.

Overnight Sunday, after we determined the denial-of-service threat no longer existed, AT&T removed the block on the IP addresses in question. We will continue to monitor for denial-of-service activity and any malicious traffic to protect our customers.

 

http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=26970

 

Time will tell if this is true or not, but it seems unlikely that that 4chan.org was the source of a DDoS…in fact, by definition, a single IP CANT be a DDoS, either way, the ban is lifted and it was smart of AT&T to do so.

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A War is Brewing…

In what might be one of the companies biggest mistakes, AT&T has decided to block /b/ for many of its customers.

/b/ for those who don't know, is a dark corner of the  internet that only the brave should venture, (seriously, not for the faint of heart), and it the epicenter of 4chan.org and home to anonymous.

Moot, founder of 4chan, has acknowledged the issue:

 

It's come to our attention that AT&T is filtering/blocking img.4chan.org (/b/ & /r9k/) for many of their customers. There is no remedy at this time.
If you've been affected, I would advise you call or write customer support and corporate immediately.

 

Calls for Pizza Delivery to AT&T store, attacks on the AT&T network, and many other actions (most high juvenile, other highly sophisticated) are being called for.

Think about your next steps very carefully AT&T. You are a very large company with billions of dollars to lose, these are a group of internet users, with little to nothing to lose, and have a history of doing damage to those who they dislike, imagine what they will do to someone targeting them…

 

Will AT&T be the next Hal Turner, Scientology, or Kenny Glenn? Time will tell.

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A Hero’s Final Journey

This is not something I normally do on this blog, in fact I try to stay about as far away from politics as I can, but this is something I felt should be shared. Ask 10 different people how they feel about our current or any past administration and you will get 10 different answers. Some would complain until they are blue in the face about policies and law put in place, others will proclaim their greatness given the lightest of chances, but love our administration or hate them or their policies, including policies about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, we need to support our troops.

Our troops are in the desert to defend our country, they are here on our bases, the bases I have grown up around, to ensure I get to wake up every morning and have the freedoms that I do. They risk their lives to defend these freedoms, and anyone who doesn't recognize the sacrifice of these men and women, the courage and honor in all of them, do not deserve and ounce of the freedom they protect; the same freedom that allows you to criticize the president, and speak poorly about these men and women. Hate the policies if you must, that is your right, but please remember who has died to give you those rights.

Below is a video of Sergeant John C. Beale’s final journey from Falcon Field in Peachtree, Georgia (just south of Atlanta)  to his final resting place; McDonough, Georgia. Sergeant Beale was killed in action in the first week of June, and people gather along the roadway to show their respect for this fallen hero.

I grew up, and currently reside in Hawaii, a state with one of the highest military populations in the country, we have a base for every single branch of the military here. Much of my family has severed in the military, and while I decided to take a different route in life, I have respect for those men and women who wake up every morning, put on that uniform and know that it their duty to protect us. Many close friends have been deployed to Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, and Afghanistan in the last few years, some are their right now, and posts like this are dedicated to all of them.

Thank you for your sacrifice, and please remember, you are always in our thoughts.

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A Joke…

A man in a hot air balloon, realizing he was lost, reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended further and shouted to the lady "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am" 

The woman below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude." 

"You must be in I.T . ," said the balloonist. 

"Actually I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?" 

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you have told me is technically correct but I've no idea what to make of your information and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip." 

The woman below responded, "You must be in Management." 

"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?" 

"Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fucking fault!"

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Windows 7 Pricing Announced!

Windows 7 is an amazing OS, and I highly encourage everyone to get it. Ill be getting the Pro version for work, and Ultimate for home. Unless you need the domain connectivity and security benefits of the professional version, or the media features of the ultimate edition, home basic is what you want.  

Also, starting in mid July, all new computers purchased with Windows Vista, will be eligible for a free upgrade to the equivalent version of Windows 7 when it is released, and as much as I like Vista, after using Windows 7, I have to say, your computer will probable run even better after the upgrade.

 

For the home user: Windows 7 Home Premium

Full Version: $199.99

Upgrade from XP or Vista: $119.99 $49.99- Limited time pre order offer.

 

For Business Users: Windows 7 Professional

 Full Version: $299.99

Upgrade from XP or Vista: $199.99  $99.99 – Limited time pre order offer

 

For those who want it all: Windows 7 Ultimate

Full Version: $320.00

Upgrade from XP or Vista: $219.00 (sorry guys, no special here)

 

Special Pricing ends July 11, 2009

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