rawdogging it

16 Responses to rawdogging it

1. Anonymous says:

   07/05/2022 at 11:59 am

   The mass appearance might be to locate the key beings. One must anticipate a competition for the honor. Subsequently, the nuclear nuance could be negated, thus necessitating the return of said key personnel.
2. Liz says:

   07/05/2022 at 3:46 pm

   Did You Know?

   When given a terminal diagnosis, female patients are 6 times more likely to be broken up with by their male partners than male patients by their female partners.
3. Kitty says:

   07/05/2022 at 4:08 pm

   We have a constitutional right to the separation of church and state and that right has been violated at the cost of women’s lives. It is wild that there has not been a crackdown on the political involvement of the church in the affairs of the state. Individuals have the right to worship as they may, but tax exempt religious institutions Do Not have a constitutional right to interfere in any way in politics. Protesting is not enough. The civil rights movement didn’t move forward because of protests, it moved forward because of lawsuits. The conversation shouldn’t just be is abortion legal, it should be are politically involved churches legal. We need a ban on religious organizations that involve themselves in the state and by doing so take away every one else’s right to worship what, how and where they may.
   • Robert says:

     07/06/2022 at 5:27 am

     No, you need to organize the vote. If you don’t have enough votes to effect a change in both houses of Congress, all your lawsuits, protests, screaming and hollering will be for naught. The bought and paid for SCOTUS has given religion the same status it gave money in “Citizens United.” The Right is legislating through the bench which is the highest court in the land.

     If the people concerned don’t recognize their priorities and organize to win at the polls, their shit is cooked.
4. Bill says:

   07/06/2022 at 5:34 am

   If you are still a part of Meta(facebook) or Instagram, your identity and any person who you contact on those entities have all your data compromised. China and anybody who will pay them has access to all your personal information. Meta is suing some of them because they want sole control of all that data, but it is too late any person on the planet who has a few dollars to spare can get all your personal data, name, phone, address, date of birth, etc, etc from these data scrapers.
   ===============================

   Meta is taking legal action against two prolific data scrapers. On Tuesday, the company filed separate federal lawsuits against a company called Octopus and an individual named Ekrem Ateş. According to Meta, the former is the US subsidiary of a Chinese multinational tech firm that offers data scraping-for-hire services to individuals and companies.

   Octopus also sells software people can use to carry out their own data collection campaigns. According to Meta, this program first compromises the Facebook and Instagram accounts of the user by providing their authentication information to Octopus before proceeding to scrape all the data accessible to that individual’s accounts. The software can then obtain phone numbers, dates of birth and other personal information about every Facebook and Instagram friend connected to a particular Octopus customer. Meta alleges Octopus violated its terms of service and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by offering an automated scraping service and attempting to avoid detection by the company.

   “Companies like Octopus are part of an emerging scraping industry that provides automation services to any customer — regardless of who they target and for what purpose they scrape,” Meta said. “This industry makes scraping available to individuals and companies that otherwise would not have the capabilities.”

   As for Ekrem Ateş, the individual Meta sued, the company says he used automated Instagram accounts to collect information on more than 350,000 Instagram users and later published that data on a series of clone sites where one could view the data of those individuals without their consent. Since the start of 2021, Meta says it has taken multiple enforcement actions against Ateş, including sending him a cease and desist letter and revoking his access to its services. This isn’t the first time Meta has used legal action to try and stop data scraping. In 2020, for instance, the company sued a Turkish national who scraped more than 100,000 Instagram profiles.
   =========================================
   Now, the people who have your personal information are fighting in court to see who gets to sell it legally, but make no mistake, whoever loses will just continue to sell it illegally.
   • Greg says:

     07/06/2022 at 5:44 am

     All the social services are now just propaganda arms for the countries they are in. India writes laws to force Twitter to take down comments that criticizes the ruling party and to allow it to post their propaganda. So do all the other countries. Fake media has finally arrived courtesy of governments determined to use the media for their own nefarious purposes.
     • Julia says:

       07/06/2022 at 5:48 am

       There is hope. “As countries around the world struggle with how best to regulate the internet, Europe has shown consistent leadership in this area by putting laws in place to govern Big Tech and to secure internet users’ rights in the online world. Not all of these efforts are unanimously considered to be successful by tech companies and critics, but they are enormously influential when it comes to shaping tech companies’ policies and nudging other countries, including the US, into cooking up laws of their own.

       There are a number of ways in which the new laws could influence the actions of tech companies over the next few years. The Digital Markets Act is the EU’s attempt to even the playing field among tech companies, regardless of size, and could force companies to make messaging apps interoperable. The DSA would prohibit certain kinds of ads on platforms, preventing targeted ads aimed at children or tailored to people’s ethnicity or sexual orientation.”
       • Yau says:

         07/06/2022 at 5:55 am

         No, it is getting worse:

         “SHANGHAI, July 4 (Reuters) – A hacker has claimed to have procured a trove of personal information from the Shanghai police on one billion Chinese citizens, which tech experts say, if true, would be one of the biggest data breaches in history.

         The anonymous internet user, identified as “ChinaDan”, posted on hacker forum Breach Forums last week offering to sell the more than 23 terabytes (TB) of data for 10 bitcoin , equivalent to about $200,000.

         “In 2022, the Shanghai National Police (SHGA) database was leaked. This database contains many TB of data and information on Billions of Chinese citizen,” the post said.

         “Databases contain information on 1 Billion Chinese national residents and several billion case records, including: name, address, birthplace, national ID number, mobile number, all crime/case details.”

         Reuters was unable to verify the authenticity of the post.

         The Shanghai government and police department did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.

         Reuters was also unable to reach the self-proclaimed hacker, ChinaDan, but the post was widely discussed on China’s Weibo and WeChat social media platforms over the weekend with many users worried it could be real.

         The hashtag “data leak” was blocked on Weibo by Sunday afternoon.

         Kendra Schaefer, head of tech policy research at Beijing-based consultancy Trivium China, said in a post on Twitter it was “hard to parse truth from rumour mill”.

         If the material the hacker claimed to have came from the Ministry of Public Security, it would be bad for “a number of reasons”, Schaefer said.

         “Most obviously it would be among biggest and worst breaches in history,” she said.

         Zhao Changpeng, CEO of Binance, said on Monday the cryptocurrency exchange had stepped up user verification processes after the exchange’s threat intelligence detected the sale of records belonging to 1 billion residents of an Asian country on the dark web.

         He said on Twitter that a leak could have happened due to “a bug in an Elastic Search deployment by a (government) agency”, without saying if he was referring to the Shanghai police case.

         He posted again on Twitter later in the day, saying: “apparently, this exploit happened because the gov developer wrote a tech blog on CSDN and accidentally included the credentials”, referring to the China Software Developer Network.

         Software company Elastic said it was incorrect to cite it as the source of the breach. The Shanghai government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

         The claim of a hack comes as China has vowed to improve protection of online user data privacy, instructing its tech giants to ensure safer storage after public complaints about mismanagement and misuse.

         Last year, China passed new laws governing how personal information and data generated within its borders should be handled.

         Reporting by Brenda Goh, Sophie Yu, Stella Qiu, Eduardo Baptista and Josh Ye; Editing by Robert Birsel
5. Ron says:

   07/06/2022 at 6:03 am

   Hey, apple is back to screwing its customers again:

   If you were hoping to get a good trade-in value for your old iPhone—tough luck. Apple quietly adjusted the maximum trade-in rates for all of its devices, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

   Apple probably made this change to prepare for the iPhone 14. Analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo state that the new iPhone is on track to launch this September, and leaks indicate that it will be the first new iPhone without a notch.

   Here are Apple’s new maximum trade-in rates for select iPhones:

   iPhone 12 Pro Max: $600 (Previously $650)
   iPhone 12 Pro: $500 (Previously $550)
   iPhone 12: $400 (Previously $420)
   iPhone 12 Mini: $300 (Previously $320)
   iPhone SE (2nd generation): $140 (Previously $150)
   iPhone 11 Pro Max: $400 (Previously $420)
   iPhone 11 Pro: $300 (Previously $350)
   iPhone 11: $230 (Previously $300)
   iPhone XS Max: $220 (Previously $250)
   iPhone XS: $170 (Previously $200)
   iPhone XR: $160 (Previously $200)
   iPhone X: $150 (Previously $170)
   A full list of Apple’s trade-in offers are available at the company’s website. Until the iPhone 14 launches, Apple will not accept iPhone 13 trade-ins.

   To be clear, this change isn’t unusual. Smartphones and laptops grow less valuable as they age. Adjusting maximum trade-in value before launching a new product just makes sense, and Apple does it every year.

   The trade-in rates offered by Apple have never been generous. Reselling is usually the best way to maximize an old Apple product’s value. But trading a device with Apple ensures that you don’t get scammed. You just mail the device with Apple’s pre-paid kit or take it to an Apple Store.
6. Linda says:

   07/06/2022 at 6:15 am

   And if all that stuff is bad enough, the Omicron sub variants are coming for you. Be careful out there, be real careful.
7. Anonymous says:

   07/06/2022 at 6:18 am

   Now for the good news:
   You thought the COVID-19 pandemic was scary for investors? Now there’s a whole new world of surreal troubles to navigate…

   Stocks and bonds in 401(k)s dropping at a pace not seen in decades.

   $100 to fill up your gas tank.

   Rising interest rates threatening to trigger a recession just a few years after the last one.

   Renowned economist and Bottom Line ­Personal contributor Allen Sinai, PhD, says dazed investors should take a deep breath—a recession is not imminent. Beneath this chaos lies one of the strongest economies since the 1990s, robust corporate profits, full employment and ample liquidity to support spending. In fact, he believes that higher interest rates and moderating energy prices can bring down inflation enough to keep the more-than-two-year-old economic expansion going beyond the 2024 election and sustain the resumption of a modest bull equity market into 2024. Hugely different is a backdrop of permanently rising interest rates for the first time in decades, causing everyone to review their investment strategies. Here’s what Dr. Sinai sees ahead…

   Putting the Inflation Genie Back in the Bottle is Tough
   Last year, I explained to Bottom Line Personal readers why inflation—almost nonexistent since 2009—could become a menace. With more than $6.5 trillion in federal fiscal stimulus pumped into the economy and easy monetary policy, American households were on a spending binge. At the same time, factories around the world that were shut down by the pandemic were slow to respond, disrupting shipments of supplies that American companies need to produce goods and services. This imbalance between demand and supply sparked higher prices all around us. Then, this year, two shocks sent inflation to the highest in 40 years and roiled the financial markets, rising into a big negative for stocks. The Fed then let inflation go, and the inflation genie jumped out of the bottle.

   Shock #1: The war in Ukraine, and the West’s sanctions and boycotts against Russia, ignited commodity prices. Russia and Ukraine account for roughly one-quarter of global wheat exports. Russia is the third-largest producer of oil, and in the first three months of 2022, oil prices rose about 50%, after rising about 50% the year before in the recovering economy.

   Shock #2: The Fed was caught off guard by the velocity of inflation. All through 2021 and the start of 2022, it kept short-term interest rates at near-zero levels, reluctant to remove support for the post-pandemic rebound. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell insisted that higher prices bedeviling consumers were “transitory” and would recede as supply bottlenecks eased.

   But by March 2022, inflation was about 8.5% year-over-year…and the Fed announced it would start playing aggressive catch-up to choke off inflation. Interest rate increases slow economic demand by making it expensive to borrow money. In May, the Fed hiked interest rates by 0.5%, the largest increase since 2000…indicated that there would be subsequent 0.5% hikes…and outlined a program to reduce its bond holdings by $95 billion a month. Now short-term interest rates can be expected to hit 2.5% to 2.75% by year-end 2022 and 3.75% to 4% by year-end 2023. This change has led to uncertainty in the financial markets. Higher bond yields push down bond prices, which make safe investments such as US Treasuries far riskier. And since many investors are no longer willing to pay a premium for the expected future profits of fast-growing companies, the high-flying tech stocks that everyone owns have imploded.

   Can there be A Soft Landing?
   Some constraining of the economy is desirable, allowing it to chug ahead at a more sustainable rate. But if the Fed slams on the brakes forcefully, it could precipitate a bear equity market and a deep recession. I’m reasonably confident that won’t happen. The economy can withstand higher interest rates without crashing in the next few years, thanks to employers continuing to hire, rising wage growth and consumers’ willingness to travel, eat out and purchase vehicles and homes. Families are in better shape today than they were before the 2007–09 Great Recession when plunging home prices and high debts ruined households’ finances.

   Caveat: The Fed’s ability to pull off a soft landing is complicated by three geopolitical wildcards…

   War in Ukraine. I am assuming the war will not get worse…that global energy supplies can recover from the shock…and that oil prices will ease back.

   Misguided legislation from Washington, DC. The economy does not need any more stimulative aid. Republicans are likely to retake control of Congress in the November elections, so the prospects of legislative gridlock would be a positive for the stock market. But the incendiary issue of abortion rights in the US Supreme Court could energize Democratic and female voters this fall and change the calculus of the midterm elections.

   China’s zero-tolerance COVID-19 ­policy has led to the lockdown of ­citizens and businesses in Shanghai and Beijing, increasing global-supply bottlenecks. I expect China’s estimated 2022 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be 3% and estimate global growth at 2.5%. By 2023, as the lockdowns fade, I see China’s GDP increasing 5% and global GDP 4%.

   Key U.S. Economic Measures
   Here’s what I expect for the rest of the year and beyond…

   GDP: I’m forecasting real GDP to grow 3.8% in 2022 and 3% to 3.5% in 2023, supported mainly by strong consumer and business spending.

   Unemployment: The jobless rate should continue to drop and reach the low 3s this year—the lowest level since the mid-1950s. By the end of 2023, though, the red-hot job market will slow in response to a slowing economy and the rate should be in excess of 4%, still quite low but able to ease inflation. A tight labor market will boost average wage growth to 6.5% in 2022 and 7% in 2023.

   Inflation: As measured by the Consumer Price Index, inflation will moderate by the end of 2022 to 5.5%, down from 8.5% in March, and continue to fall, reaching 4% by the end of 2023.

   Outlook for Stocks
   Although the stock market is fairly valued now after a steep correction between ­January and May, I expect it to rally enough to eke out small gains by year-end. I’m forecasting the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average to return about 2% to 3% for 2022, including dividends. This comeback will be driven by solid corporate earnings as companies pass along higher prices to consumers. Earnings growth should rise 9% in 2022 and another 7% to 8% in 2023.

   Best sectors for the rest of 2022…

   Health care. Despite inflation, consumers will seek out more care and elective procedures. A more health-conscious aging population will add to demand.

   Consumer staples. These steady, mature companies perform well during periods of robust economic growth and rising interest rates. They are able to raise prices for consumers, improving profit margins and earnings growth.

   Financials. Higher interest rates create billions in additional annual revenue for banks, which pay low yields on deposit accounts while lending out at higher rates.

   Avoid…

   Energy stocks—they’ve had an enormous run in the past year, making their valuations less attractive. Swings in oil prices make them vulnerable to volatility.

   Stocks of FAANG companies—Meta (formerly Facebook), Alphabet, Amazon, Netflix, Google—and other large-cap tech firms with exorbitant price-to-­earnings ratios.

   Outlook for Bonds
   I expect yields on 10-year US ­Treasuries to spike as high as 3.7% by year-end 2022 and 4.5% by year-end 2023. The severe bear market in bonds is not going to let up. For seniors, attractive fixed-income options are short-term US Treasuries, top-quality corporates and muni bonds held to maturity so you get guaranteed return on principal. A 12-month US Treasury bond recently paid 2.01%…a two-year Treasury, 2.47%—far better than CDs and deposit accounts. Even shorter-duration bonds will do, with yields pushed up by Fed tightening. And when your Treasury bonds mature, you’ll be able to reinvest the cash in new Treasuries with even higher yields.
   • Hmmm says:

     07/06/2022 at 7:51 am

     “Families are in better shape today than they were before the 2007–09 Great Recession when plunging home prices and high debts ruined households’ finances.”

     Hahah. This is questionable. Those that lived through the worst of it (like lost their homes) may have learned a little and have more cash on hand this time around but I think that’s more the exception than the rule. when I look around today I see people suffering. I hear them talk about their suffering. Why does Biden act to forgive student loan debt? Unless youre in the top percentage of earners you will and likely are suffering. The “good news” above is only for a select few.
8. T[3 says:

   07/06/2022 at 7:44 am

   We should now be checking the candidates for the presence of various types of cancers. There are several that have tested positive for the development of melanomas. Humans do have the ability to recognize the characteristic patterns of DNA changes which are cancer-causing agents, but since we do, we should be using that technology to eliminate bringing up someone who will eventually die of cancer. For example, Ultraviolet light can cause a DNA base, or ‘letter’, called cytosine to be replaced by another called thymine at certain sites in the human genome. That change would signify a deadly melanoma cancer.
   We should be using mutational footprints, some of which can be traced back to defects in specific cellular methods for repairing DNA, to spot those that have the cancer, but as yet have failed to manifest the condition to be treated for it. Why waste the space for a human who will eventually die anyway from cancer.
   • Anonymous says:

     07/06/2022 at 7:56 am

     So say a pickup trips onboard, hits their head and dies. Should they not have come up because of their clumsiness? All humans are eventually going to die. Will they have any “more time” onboard?
   • G]3 says:

     07/06/2022 at 8:01 am

     Your suggestion is misguided. We not only have the ability to search for mutational signatures which cause cancer in humans, we are able to track down the origins of the ones that have not yet been linked to a cancer-causing event.

     We also have the technology to cure many of these cancers because we are not limited to changes to between one and three DNA letters. We have the ability to delete, insert, or rearrange DNA sequences of humans in very large chunks. Thus we can tailor the cancer treatment to the individual.

     Hence, we say bring them all up and just treat the ones that develop cancer. We are honoring the wishes of those that have selected these humans for saving. We should not be the ones to arbitrarily choose to eliminate from the list as we see fit.
9. Chicky says:

   07/06/2022 at 8:10 am

   Hey Peeps. When you take a break from saving the world don’t forget to take a rest. RHIP RHIR. This bed is much too big for me without you in it. Missing you terribly darling! Sometimes it sucks to share you with the world. And although I understand it I don’t have to always like it. It’s time to stoke the home fires my love.

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