steve2470
steve2470's JournalFinancial Times journalist is killed in crocodile attack on surfing vacation in Sri Lanka
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/09/15/financial-times-journalist-is-killed-in-crocodile-attack-on-surfing-vacation-in-sri-lanka/?undefined=&utm_term=.005d56438fed&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=
&w=1484
Paul McClean, a 24-year-old British journalist for the Financial Times, died following a crocodile attack Thursday afternoon while he was vacationing with friends in Sri Lanka, according to local authorities.
McClean, along with a group of seven friends, had been surfing Thursday on a beach known as Elephant Rock, a popular tourist destination between Arugam Bay and the city of Panama in southeast Sri Lanka. Afterward, McClean needed to relieve himself and ventured alone into a nearby area, overgrown with vegetation, according to Fawas Lafeer, the owner of Safa Surf School, which is located about a mile up the coast.
McClean then dipped his hands into a nearby lagoon to wash up, Lafeer told The Washington Post, citing local witnesses.
Lafeer, who was about 10 feet away at the time, suddenly heard a fisherman screaming. He ran to the muddy lagoon, where a fisherman told him a crocodile had dragged a tourist — McClean — underwater. For a fleeting moment, Lafeer saw an arm reaching out of the water, he told The Post.
So very sad, so young.
free access to NYTimes.com for 3 months if you are a local Google Guide
https://maps.google.com/localguides/homeI don't think that site has the offer. I just got the offer in my email.
Chicago WAS good for my mental health (as expected)
I met our famous mopinko while there, and we had a lovely visit. We went to her favorite local Mexican place and dined well. I enjoyed seeing her urban farm (or whatever you wish to call it, mo 
Since I was escaping a hurricane that brushed past Orlando to the west, I was a bit anxious about my home's status. So, I had to cut our visit short, go back to the hotel, go to bed immediately, get up at 6 AM the next day and start drivinggggggggggggg
Everyone was quite polite during my visit. The Monday night nightlife on Rush Street is pretty incredible. In Orlando it's quite morbid on Monday night.
I don't think a hostel arrangement is for me. I had a female roommate (?!), who I have to say was quite brave to share a room with an unknown man (me). I just like my privacy and since I've had stuff stolen during my life, I'm not real trusting of strangers with my property. I chose to buy a key lock for my locker. Next time in Chicago I'll just get a cheap hotel out in the burbs and commute to downtown or wherever. Hotels in downtown are like $100 a night minimum, but in January probably cheaper I'd guess.
Thanks again, Mo, you rock! So does "Winston Churchill", your other dog, your chickens and your great plants!
Steve
Consumer's Union petition to Equifax about data breach of 143 million people's sensitive information
More than 156,048 Consumers Union members signed on to urge Congress to hold Equifax accountable for the data breach that put nearly half of all U.S. adults in danger of identity theft. It’s clear this crisis has struck a chord with the American people.
This leak led to the exposure of up to 143 million people’s sensitive data — including social security numbers. Equifax now has a responsibility to consumers to address the problems resulting from this breach.
Sign our petition below calling on Equifax to help remediate the serious damage of this breach. We will be delivering your petition to Equifax leadership in the coming days.
Petition to Equifax
1. Pay for credit freezes. Offer free credit freezes to consumers for a longer period of time to mitigate the potential for identity theft.
2. Extend credit monitoring for affected consumers. Equifax is offering one free year of monitoring. They should bump that to an indefinite service for consumers who are at high risk of identity theft due to the breach.
3. Provide more detailed information about what happened. We need to know exactly what data was exposed and how, so that consumers can make informed choices about their next steps.
4. Remove all mandatory arbitration clauses. It's unacceptable for Equifax to try to insulate itself from class-action lawsuits during this crisis. The company should remove all mentions of forced arbitration from their terms and agreements.
5. Hire and train staff who can review and process customer complaints promptly. Given the volume of leaked data, many customers and consumers will be contacting Equifax with problems. The company should hire and train staff to process these inquiries more rapidly.
6. Set aside a fund to compensate consumers whose data was exposed. Equifax has an obligation to American consumers to compensate them for the injury they may incur for years to come.
7. Investigate allegations of insider trading. News reports indicate that senior Equifax executives sold major amounts of stock before telling the public about the breach. Equifax should immediately preserve all documents and commit to an independent investigation of the possibility of insider trading.
Add your name to this petition right now to call on Equifax to take the necessary steps above to protect consumers while ensuring accountability and transparency.
Once you’re done signing this petition, please forward this email to family, friends, and colleagues. We’ll be delivering all of the signatures to Equifax in the coming days and it’s important that the company’s leadership see that large numbers of people are calling on them to take these important steps.
Thanks for all you do.
Tim Marvin
Consumers Union, Policy and Action from Consumer Reports
*end of copy/paste from my email*
You can click the Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus buttons below to spread the word.
eta: http://consumersunion.org/research/cu-letter-to-equifax-ceo-on-steps-to-steps-to-address-consumer-harms-from-unprecedented-hack/
Minor hurricane damage to panels over enclosed balcony
Thank you in advance for your help. I don't have the precise terminology for the damage, but I'll do my best.
My balcony is covered, and part of the "ceiling" covering appears to be long metal panels with a repeating pattern of small holes in it. Two of them, somehow, appear to have been torn down from their mooring and now hang at an angle over the balcony. The insulation from the attic also came down.
Oddly enough, the screens and rails of my balcony are untouched. Weird.
Of course I want to fix this, and I definitely don't have the knowledge or skills to do this. I'm also not sure I should report such minor damage to my homeowner's insurance company. Would they raise my rates if I reported it ?
Is Chicago good for your mental health ?
Seriously, I am here looking at tall buildings etc
Escaped Irma + took vacation
Be well everyone 😀
Microsofts Next Windows Variant Must Be the Modern Thin Client
https://www.petri.com/microsofts-next-windows-variant-must-modern-thin-clientWe are quickly approaching the tipping point where running software locally will become a legacy approach much like on-premises hardware. This, I believe, is true for both the consumer and the enterprise and if Microsoft does not play its cards right, the company may find itself in an awkward position where other platforms will outperform its own operating system.
Microsoft is pushing Windows 10 S as a modern version of Windows that will only run apps from the Windows Store and they claim this version of Windows will maintain optimal performance its entire lifecycle while also being more secure. This is fine as an in-between step for the evolution of Windows but it is not the correct long term solution to the “Windows” problem.
What is this problem? It’s the end goal for Windows. Where is it headed, what’s the longevity plan for the software and more importantly, how is Windows going to remain relevant in a world that no longer needs it to survive? These are the questions that Microsoft must answer if the company wants to retain its position as the platform authority for productivity.
You may write-off that ChromeOS is not a threat to the enterprise but that platform is very close to being a modern thin client; relatively lower-power hardware and nearly all tasks are performed through a web browser. Microsoft does not have a response to the growing threat of what Google is building and if you think it’s Windows 10 S, it’s not.
more at link
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