When computers strike....

Here's an original hypothesis (mine) that could explain the disappearance of MH370 that has a less-than-a-needle-in-a-haystack chance of ever being proven:  Unknown hackers gained remote control of the jetliner, leaving the pilots powerless to control their craft.  The hackers disabled certain systems and steered the plane in a direction of their choosing.  

The pilots couldn't control turn, climb, descent, or even communicate their dilemma.  It was a beta test to see if they could actually do it.  Then the hackers crashed it into the most remote spot they could think of that would make recovery all but impossible.

It's technically possible.  As a demonstration some "good guy" hackers have shown they can get into the computers that control a car's functions and apply the brakes, turn the steering, shut off the power, etc.  (Read more about it via THIS link.)  With such reliance on onboard computers, cars, planes, power grids, even home appliances can be tapped into and subverted.  The possibilities are real and endless.

Can you imagine the hysteria that would paralyze us if we thought bad guys could take control of our transportation system and cause wrecks willy-nilly?  Transportation is critical to advanced civilizations.  The mobility of people, and more importantly commerce, defines modern society.  Lose that ability and we're screwed.

Of course, if investigators found this to be the cause of the MH370 crash they couldn't admit it, as just the knowledge such a thing was possible would paralyze us.  

"Live by computer, die by computer" as they say.  My yellow pad and #2 pencil are lookin' pretty good now, huh?  :)

S
aka The Technological Neanderthal

EDIT:  As I was composing this K came into the Great Room and said, "Oops.  I think I changed the channel on your TV by mistake.  Sorry."  It seems she was in the bedroom and, using a cell phone app, changed the channel on the wrong TV.    *cue The Twilight Zone music*

Just rambling....

So if texting while driving is dangerous (and it really is) then why do cops use their in-vehicle computers while driving?  Isn't that essentially the same thing?  I'm sure it's probably prohibited by official policy, but I know first hand they do.  I've gone on police "ride outs" and seen them do it.  Just wondering.

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Oh no!  Apple has been hacked.  Apple has long bragged their Mac's are immune to the attacks their competitors suffer daily.  Now hackers traced to somewhere in eastern Europe have hit Apple, too.

No! Not my Mac!  :(

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To piggyback on something Joe posted on yesterday, here's one of my warranty stories:

Back in the early '70's, right after I graduated college, I went to work for a local homebuilder and also built my first personal house.  After one year and about 3 days, in the middle of summer (naturally), my air conditioning went out.  The service guy said my compressor had gone pfffttt, but that the part was covered by a 5-year warranty.  The labor, however, wasn't.  How much for labor?  About $600.

SIX HUNDRED BUCKS??  He said it was a 2-man, 2-day fix.  They'd have to disassemble everything, replace the bad compressor, and then rebuild it all.

They had everything all figured out.  Sure, I could probably find cheaper labor, but I would then have to buy the compressor, and that would cost more than $600.  They had me over the proverbial barrel. 

I called the president of the mechanical contractor my employer used, identified myself as an employee of one of his good customers, explained my predicament, and asked if he or the manufacturer might agree to cover everything as if it was still within the one year warranty.  He very kindly said he'd "take care of it". 

Now that the labor was on them, too, one repairman came out and had the compressor replaced and everything back in perfect order in about 2 hours.  

Hmmmmm.

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Have a great day everyone.  Just two more days until....

S

O'Billery for President?

One brief bit of political news, then on to other things:  Now the scuttlebutt is President O'Bama's political handlers are considering switching the jobs of Sec. of State Hillary Clinton and V.P. Joe Biden.  Apparently they think O'Bama / Clinton, H. would make for a stronger Democratic ticket.  Really?  I can't see Hillary bringing anyone new over to the Democratic party.  Anyone who would be enthusiastic about her being on the ticket probably wouldn't be caught dead with a Romney / Santorum / Paul bumper sticker on their car in the first place.  


Anyone remember the old days when you could do pretty much anything maintenance-wise on your own car right in your garage?  Now computers run everything on your car, and unless you have your own $50K engine diagnostic computer to plug into, you can do little more than change a tire.  Now I read that hackers are using new car's Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and On Star systems to sabotage them.  A wrecker company's dream come true?  Surely those fine upstanding folks wouldn't do that.  *snicker*


I'm still doing my every-other-day running, trying to get in shape for a 5K run some day.  It's a gradually increasing in intensity program that they say will get me built-up slowly without blowing out any important body parts, but I gotta say right now my legs feel like rubber.  I make a much better armchair quarterback than I do athlete.   Last night I watched a documentary, 180 South, about Yvon Choinard, the founder of Patagonia, and how to this day....he's in his early 70's....he still goes mountain climbing.  I say screw climbing mountains.  Right now I'm having trouble just climbing up onto my desk chair.  Ouch!


S