Thursday, August 6, 2009

The Rise of the Botnets

Anyone else have problems with Facebook and Twitter this morning? Twitter was completely down for a while, and Facebook was sporadic. I could pull up my messages but then couldn't get into them, for example. Both seem to have recovered now, and I was wondering if there were solar flares or something interrupting communication. Or maybe hostile aliens. Nope. According to an article on CNET, the source is human, just irritating and disruptive:

DDOS (distributed denial-of-service) attacks typically come from a collection of compromised computers called a botnet, said Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Internet security firm Sophos. The botnet computers can inundate a Web site's servers with communication requests, legitimate or malformed to cause extra trouble.

Thanks, hackers, for once again proving to all of us that you have no life. I honestly don't get that mentality. Trying to compensate for their own inadequacies, I suppose. Twitter seems to be okay now, and Facebook mostly okay--still a little sluggish, but much better than it was earlier.

Dreaming I haven't written about any of my odd dreams lately, but I had a good one last night. Not so much for the interesting content or any hidden meanings, but for a great one-liner that I really want to remember.

I was at some function in a church--I don't know if it was a wedding, or what. I was wearing an evening gown, but it was really an ugly one, with ruffles on the bodice, long sleeves, and an ugly rust color. Bleah! Totally not me! I escaped from the function and went out to the outdoor basketball court and was shooting baskets. There was another woman there who was about my age, but she was apparently in charge of the playground. (She reminded me vaguely of someone from high school, but I can't think of who.) She left to go do something else, and while she was gone, I noticed that there was a chunk of foam matting that was obscuring access to the basket, so I said to myself, "That's gotta go." I pulled it down, and as I was propping it up against the wire fence around the court, that piece of fencing fell down, taking the next section down with it. As I was trying to get the sections of fence back in place, I accidentally started a lawn mower that was sitting in a puddle of muddy water (I have weird dreams, remember?), and it hurled muddy water all over my dress. (Apparently, in my dreams, I'm a veritable Lucy Ricardo.) As I was struggling with all this stuff, Tony Randall happened to wander by, and I said, "Hey--wanna help me here?" He said, "I can't help you with this, I'm just an architect," and I said, "Then you're good at building things. Now help me get this fence up!"

We got the fence back in place, and that's when the woman in charge came back. When she saw what had happened, she gave me a dirty look, but didn't say anything. I went over to her and said, "Hey. Have you got a problem?" She said, "It looks as though you've been very busy," in a sarcastic tone. I said, "It was a series of unfortunate events." She made no comment, just gave me another dirty look, so I said, "Hey lady? Why don't you just sit there atop your high horse, take a look around, and enjoy it...then get off it!"

I have no idea what prompted this dream, although I would guess that it shows a bit of a problem with authority figures, which comes as no surprise to me. I should rephrase that. I have no problem with authority figures who treat others with respect, and don't abuse their authority. I have a big problem with those who are bullying jerks and throw their weight around just because they can. I'm sure we've all encountered both types.

I just love my last line in the dream about the high horse, though. I'm going to remember that one, and who knows? I might have a chance to use it one day. I'd be so happy, though, that after I delivered it in the appropriately scathing tone, I'd burst into laughter, do a happy dance, and say, "I got to use the line! I got to use the line!" That would probably detract from its effectiveness.

By the way, Barb sent me the picture today of the three of us at yesterday's rally. As you can see, none of us ever had any sort of problem with authority figures at Ball State. Nope, model citizens, all of us, never got into a speck o' trouble, never broke a rule. That was us! (teehee!)

Barb, Dan, and Beth

14 comments:

  1. Great picture, wild-ass dream, but it is a fantastic line!

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  2. Great line!!! I love it! May even borrow it someday, but will give you credit!!! LOL

    Love the pic!

    be well...

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  3. Glad it wasn't me having problems! Botnets be damned- great picture

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  4. The three of you were/are TOTAL Badasses ... I can tell! :)

    XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

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  5. Hey! That's my shirt Barb's wearing! Tell her to give it back RIGHT NOW! If she doesn't, I might have to tell her to sit on her high horse, take a look around, then GET OFF IT!!! Seriously, I have that same shirt. Obviously, great minds not only think alike, but dress alike.;-)

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  6. My big question is how on earth Tony Randall got in there? I think that's a hoot! Wish I could remember a dream every now and then. I never do.

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  7. I think the experience when you crossed the road and the rude people, similar to what we are seeing on TV for the town hall meetings recently, is what triggered your dream sequence. Tony, not a clue.

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  8. I know the dame on the horse. Know her well.

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  9. Lucy Ricardo + Tony Randall + Great one liner!
    Your dreams are quite... interesting, Beth.
    :)
    The next time I attend a protest rally, I'm gonna have to break out the tie-dye!!!!!

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  10. Dad gummit! That was supposed to read:
    Lucy Ricardo + Tony Randall = A Great one liner!

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  11. Hi Beth,
    Wow ... we need to have someone who knows what they're doing analyze that dream of yours. I can't help wondering what prompted the Tony Randall cameo. What next: Roddy McDowell ...?!?
    Best,
    Marty

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  12. WTH did you eat before going to bed? I love that dream.....Tony Randall, huh? Isn't he dead but had kids at age 80 or something? You three look totally cool....

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  13. I enjoyed hearing about your dream. Lucy, Tony and a bit of attitude.....you have to wonder what brought tht on!!!! Dreams are so funny how they just pull these random things out of the air and somehow make them work ~ well kind of. :)

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I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?