COMPROMISED IP LIST APRIL 5-20, 2013

In a previous article, http://www.carolinafinds.com/blog/list-of-possibly-compromised-ips, I spoke of an ongoing Brute Force Attack of ip’s trying to log in to this blog. I don’t know if the original attack is connected to the one currently hitting a massive number of WordPress sites.

Both sucuri.net and us-cert.gov (as well as a lot of other websites) have information about the ongoing attack as well as things people can do to make their websites more secure. Looks like someone is building a bot network for unknown reasons and it’s growing. Continue reading ‘COMPROMISED IP LIST APRIL 5-20, 2013’ »

HOW TO MAKE HOT PEPPER VINEGAR

hot pepper vinegar
Homemade hot pepper vinegar is simple to make and delicious over black-eyed peas, butterbeans, beef and much more. I prefer to use cayenne peppers, but other types would work as well. When possible, I use some ripe but unshriveled red peppers with the green for cosmetic reasons. Jars of pepper vinegar make a nice display in your kitchen.

WHAT YOU NEED AND HOW TO

hot peppers
vinegar
salt
sterilized jars and new lids Continue reading ‘HOW TO MAKE HOT PEPPER VINEGAR’ »

KUDZU BUGS – ANOTHER IMPORTED PEST

kudzu bug

Kudzu bugs, megacopta cribraria, are a relatively new pest to the United States. As their name hints, they like to eat kudzu. The problem is, they also love soybeans and other legumes. A relative of the well-known stink bug, these insects also smell bad when mashed. Hopefully these imported pests will be gotten under control and now take over as fire ants have done.

LAW WOULD REQUIRE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR SOME OVER-COUNTER COLD AND ALLERGY MEDICATIONS BEING USED TO MANUFACTURE METHAMPHETAMINE

Your have a cold, or maybe an allergy attack. Your eyes itch, you can’t breathe through your nose, you cough. You’re aren’t so ill as to need a doctor but you are miserable. You head to the store and pick up some over-the-counter cold medicine for a little relief of your symptoms. Your ability to purchase some of these products in South Carolina may be about to change.

A South Carolina senator has introduced S 447, “Stop Methamphetamine Production Act.” Among other things this would add products containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine to the Schedule III controlled substance list. In other words, you would have to have a prescription from a doctor to purchase these products. Continue reading ‘LAW WOULD REQUIRE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR SOME OVER-COUNTER COLD AND ALLERGY MEDICATIONS BEING USED TO MANUFACTURE METHAMPHETAMINE’ »

Bad Burger King Experiences

Whopper with Heavy Onions?
I’ve always been a fan of some of the food Burger King has to offer, but I have given the store closest to me their last chance unless some major improvements are made.

Businesses can have bad days, I understand that, but when one has three bad experiences in a row – added to other bad experiences over time it’s time to strike them off your list as a place to eat. In my opinion, this particular Burger King has never seemed quite as tasty as other stores I’ve patronized anyway, but I kept going back, thinking things would improve. It hasn’t happened. Tonight was the final straw. Continue reading ‘Bad Burger King Experiences’ »

LIST OF POSSIBLY COMPROMISED IP’S OR WEBSITES

This list has been updated to cover the period of December 31, 2011 through January 30, 2013. During this period around 180 different ip numbers were involved for a total of 6069 login attempts. These numbers and ip’s only reflect activity I believe to be a part of this particular (what I believe to be) bot network. IN ADDITION, there were twelve days of no bot activity – I have reason to believe the hosting company responsible for the ip controlling the compromised websites may have stopped it on their end but now the hackers are back again.
**Please see note below the list of ip’s.

I suspect that these ip’s have been compromised and are being used as part of a bot network. Continue reading ‘LIST OF POSSIBLY COMPROMISED IP’S OR WEBSITES’ »

Got A New Dehydrator


I’m excited! I The new food dehydrator I ordered has arrived and have my first batch of apples and bananas drying.

I had a dehydrator in the 1980’s which got a lot of use. It didn’t have temperature control but did have ten trays. Unfortunately, after having it for around ten years, a recall was issued. The “replacement” I was sent was a joke. Had I known I would have kept the old one in spite of the recall. After all, I’d used the dang thing a lot for ten years with no problems. Continue reading ‘Got A New Dehydrator’ »

Lexington County Eyes New Penny Sales Tax Referendum For 2014

It only took a week. I expected it to happen but not that fast.** Richland County voters passed a one cent sales tax increase and now Lexington County wants one as well. (thestate.com/2012/11/13/2517542/town-leaders-receptive-to-new.html#.UKJcNWdVW9I)

According to the article, effort is being made to make sure there is something “in it” for every area of the county to entice people to vote for it. A few specific ideas were mentioned, but the article sounds as though people in power are busily coming up with things to spend money they don’t even have yet. Continue reading ‘Lexington County Eyes New Penny Sales Tax Referendum For 2014’ »

Richland County SC Election Aftermath

Local media has covered a lot of stories about problems people experienced while trying to vote in Richland County. Extremely long lines in some polling places are in question. State law states that there is to be (as close as possible) one machine for every 250 persons registered in a precinct. In one case, a precinct that should have had 19 machines only had 10, with one of those broken. Continue reading ‘Richland County SC Election Aftermath’ »

Richland County Voters Approve Sales Tax Increase

If you shop in Richland County SC, be prepared to pay more sales tax come mid 2013. After previous failed attempts, Richland County voters approved a one cent tax increase earmarked for road and infastructure, fixing the broken bus system, creating bike/pedestrian trails and greenways. The State Paper reported 74,029 people voting for the increase, 64,684 against. (thestate.com/2012/11/08/2511711/penny-tax-passes-after-vote-count.html#.UJvwAmdVW9I) Continue reading ‘Richland County Voters Approve Sales Tax Increase’ »

HOTLINKING

No Hot Linking
WHAT IS HOTLINKING?
Would you get upset if someone snuck around and ran an extension cord over to your house and started using your electricity? Who has to pay for that stolen electricity? You do, correct? Well that is what happens when someone hotlinks. A hotlinker sets up their webpage to display an image that is stored on another website. The hotlinker doesn’t use their own space to store the image or their bandwidth to show it – they leech off someone else. They steal.

WHY NOT HOTLINK?
First of all, it’s just wrong. Hotlinkers use resources that don’t belong to them to benefit. Second, the hotlinker has no control of that image. The owner of it is perfectly within their rights to replace it with anything they want to as long as it’s legal. Continue reading ‘HOTLINKING’ »

How To Make A Watermark

Watermark made in Paint Shop Pro

Watermark made in Paint Shop Pro


Watermarking an image won’t prevent someone from hotlinking or taking it for their own use, but at least the image will be branded as your own. This tutorial uses Paint Shop Pro 8 and creates a watermark that can blend in with the image. Yeah, I know it’s an old version but it works for me and I can’t afford a new version and definitely not Photoshop. (Santa, are you listening?)

1. Create a new transparent image. Size isn’t too important, you can resize it later. In my opinion it’s better to make the watermark image larger than you need and downsize it; it’s easier to work with that way. Set Matchmode to rbg value and tolerance to 0. Continue reading ‘How To Make A Watermark’ »

Homemade Face Scrub

There are plenty of face scrubs commercially available, but Ifind many of them either too expensive or not too my liking – for example, some have scrubbing particles that feel like boulders, others don’t have enough particles to feel useful. There’s also the fact I’m a little wary of products containing ingredients I can’t even pronounce.

The best facial scrubbing material I’ve found is FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth. Continue reading ‘Homemade Face Scrub’ »

The SC $300 Sales Tax Cap on Some Expensive Items -Who Benefits Most?


Taxes of any kind can raise the ire of many people. Let’s take a look at the sales tax you pay on vehicles in South Carolina – there is a $300 cap. That’s right, whether you buy a $6000 used vehicle or a new luxury one costing $75,000 you’ll pay the same sales tax – $300.

The $300 cap doesn’t stop with automobiles. Continue reading ‘The SC $300 Sales Tax Cap on Some Expensive Items -Who Benefits Most?’ »

Guild Wars 2 Cooking Item Vendors by Area and Alphabetical by Name

Traveling in Guild Wars 2 can get expensive. Below is a shopping list of bulk cooking supplies sold by Karma vendors in order by area (right hand column) so you can grab them all while in an area instead of traveling back and forth. There is also a list in alphabetical order by item name. Continue reading ‘Guild Wars 2 Cooking Item Vendors by Area and Alphabetical by Name’ »

GETTING RID OF FLEAS

Flea


UPDATE 9-9-2012
First I have to admit I haven’t followed up as well as I should, however, I am seeing a big reduction in fleas. It’s time to give the second dose of the generic Program. The bottom line is, these two products do seem to work well – instant relief with the flea killer and behind the scenes, slower results with the Program generic.
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Fleas are a bane for pets and their owners. With a life cycle of around 21 days with variables making it longer in some cases, getting rid of a flea infestation can be a challenge.

I have a multiple cat household and my kitties became covered with fleas. They were miserable. I groomed and picked fleas manually, realizing it was a losing battle. Continue reading ‘GETTING RID OF FLEAS’ »