Saturday, February 19, 2011 - Bosque Birdwatchers RV Park, San Antonio NM
< previous day | archives | next day >
Thank You Thank You, iPhone, iPod touch, iPad Lockscreen, February 19, 2011
Address book security
Last week I took a ride up to Albuquerque to pick up a Verizon iPhone (a whole 'nother story) and while playing with it and searching the net for tips and tricks I came across mention of a rather serious security issue losing an unlocked smart phone presents. One's entire address book is usually synced to these devices making the whole shebang available to whoever steals or finds the phone. We've all been trained by now to be alert to Pfishing scams but I'd wager if you get an email from me you'll open it without giving it a second thought & bingo! A nice fat address book is worth stealing.
It was suggested that a phone access passcode be set to at least slow the scammers down and give one time to do a remote wipe via MobileMe (in the case of the iPhone). But that leaves the good samaritan who finds the phone no way to get in to identify the owner and return it. It was suggested that a lockscreen photo with simple contact info would offer a way around this problem.
It dawned on me that my address book is on my iPod touch and iPad as well and I've never passcode locked them. They are locked now. Plus I use 1Password apps to securely store my passwords.
I wonder how many devices out there have MY contact info on them....
Night camp
Site 10 - Bosque Bird Watcher's RV Park, San Antonio NM
- This is a basic, small Mom & Pop RV Park with full hookups.
- Verizon cell phone and Broadband service are available here with a strong signal.
- Locate Bosque Bird Watcher's RV Park on my Night Camps map
- Click for Google street view
- Check the weather in San Antonio NM
Heliograph routes of the 1890 Practice
The date was May 15th, 1890, and the Army's Department of Arizona had just completed a major heliograph practice; it was, in fact, the largest the world had ever seen. I call it the "Volkmar Practice", after the man responsible for it, Col. Wm. J. Volkmar, the Assistant Adjutant General and Chief Signal Officer for the Department of Arizona. Although the practice lasted only sixteen days, preparations for it took months of reconnaissance and preparation. Involved in the long range signaling maneuvers were twenty-five heliograph stations stretching from Whipple Barracks near Prescott to Fort Stanton near Ruidoso, New Mexico. My guess is that close to two hundred men were involved, both cavalry and infantry.