I was on the phone the other day to my mum about pictures of the boat and got asked about internet security and should someone unplug there modem. After a little thought I put together the following information to try and clear up some of myths.

Broadband vs Dial Up.
Most of the “security alerts” that you will hear about these days are related to people who have PC’s with a broadband connection. Broadband is defined as high speed always on connection. “Always on” means that you are permanently connected to the internet in some form. Even this can be a little misleading. Lets define this even more that always on means:
Your internet connection equipment (USB ADSL Modem or ADSL Router) is powered on.
Your computer which is connected to the above equipment is powered on.

For example if you have a broadband connection but you have turned your computer off then you are “safe” from hackers. Safe is a relative word which I will go into later. Modern computers do have the ability to be woken up by remote control, but this is not used in the home environment. Turn the power off a the wall if you want to feel “extra” safe. No one can hack a computer that’s got no power!

When you have broad band and your computer is turned on extra precautions over and above dial-up need to be implemented for safe and responsible computing.

A dial up connection is literally just that, you computer must dial a phone number to talk to an internet company, then spend some time “negotiating” how they are going to talk. After this you are connected to the internet. It is during this time that you are connected to the internet that you need to be protected from hackers and I make some suggestions later.

Many myths with some facts abound about hackers particularly over dial up. Firstly hackers do exist, but going after dial up users is hardly worth their effort as they have to “wait” for you to dial up and connect. Second, they have to be fairly sophisticated as each time you dial the internet you will be allocated a different IP number which a hacker uses to track your information. Third the volume of data that can be transmitted over a dial up connection is very limited compared to broadband, if a hacker was able to install a program to grab information from your PC its going to take a very long time to transmit it all back to them.

Now some facts. It is possible for malicious persons to inadvertantly get you to install spyware/dialup software onto your PC. A very common trick I saw in the UK was to replace the internet dial up number from being free phone to premium rate. I don’t know if this existed in NZ but a couple of simple precautions are always be very careful when a site (particularly if it looks a little dodgy to start with) asks you to install software. Second set your dial up conection to always ask you when it wants to connect to the internet. This way you are always in control of when your computer is connecting to the internet and it will also show you the number its calling.

Dial Up Protection.
Always, always have a decent anti-virus software package installed and do keep it upto date. Many can be set to automatically update there virus signatures. Don’t pirate a copy, go and buy one, they are not that expensive and you will get support if you need it. Protection from viruses is the number one security problem faced by the IT industry.

Keep upto date with security patches from Microsoft. The last few years has seen a huge number of security patches released and is the bane of large IT deparments responsible for patching hundreds of computer. For the home user life is much easier and with Windows XP it is almost automatic. Under you security settings you can tell Windows to automatically update your machine. Even nicer is that it will do it in the background over a period of days slowly downloading the patch in the background.

Install some spyware software. I recommend for home users the product below.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
Its small and simple and does the trick. Microsoft have launched there own anti spyware program, but the verdict is still out on how good this will be when fully available.

That basically does it security wise for dial up users. Broadband users have a different set of problems due to the fact that generally they are always connected to the internet (remember connection and computer turned on). This makes them far more susceptible to attack as they will have a known IP address and the hacker has time and access on there side. The addition of firewall software will go along way to stopping an attacker.

Without explaining indepth about firewall, ip addresses and ports, let just say that the internet knows how each type of application talks across the internet. ie your email program (port 25) talks differently from your browser (port 80). There are 1000’s of these ports all recognised internationally. What your firewall does is block those ports that you do not want to use. This stops hackers from accessing your PC. Windows XP now has a firewall built in and it seems adequate, there are other 3rd party products such as Zone Alarm and Black Ice.

When you install a new program onto your PC which need to access the internet (for example MSN Messenger) your firewall software will typically ask you if you want to allow the program access.

That covers basic internet security, if I remember more I’ll write it down. One other piece of advise is do not store bank account numbers with passwords on your PC. ie do not create a document called for example “passwords.doc” then store your bank acccount access number and password in it. Thats not secure in anyway, and I mean burglers or any dishonest person with phyical access to your PC.

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Well actually I’m eaten it, and i do not mean McDonalds. Now over the last 6 weeks some of my comments may seem rather harsh on Japan. If they are, well I am sorry, but its not been easy for me adjusting here and culture shock is not something easy to deal with. My later comments are now more along the lines of observations of just how different things are. This is similiar to my observations on Britian and Ireland when I lived there. Observations and inevitably drawn from comparisons and I would just like to be clear that these comparisons should in no way been taken to infer superior/inferior status. Just different.

So on clearing that up how about a positive note on Japan. Well I have one huge one. The Food is FANTASTIC!! We will leave pricing for another day, but back to core fact, we all need eat and this is a country that know how to eat. I don’t mean in huge quantities like certain american food chains I recall, I mean in sheer quality and variety.

Lets take for example the humble, ever available bento box. Now I get mine from Pororoca across the road, its a supermarket chain here that also does loads of ready food, think waitrose salad bars and deli bars etc, but much better. The selection of different boxes is impressive, but get this, they change on a weekly basis depending on the season. Okay, rice is rice is rice (or is it, another time on that one), but what you sprinkle on the rice can change, at the moment the special is crab rice which is totally yummy, then you get the protein selection changing all the time. Its never huge, but more than adequate. A typical box will contain a pork ball, a piece of salmon, a chuck of chicken, and something else. All in convenient two/three bite sizes. All for the princely prices of £3. When you have finished paying for it you can nuke your tray in one of the microwaves provided in store, if you time it right the box is still hot when you arrive so no nuking required. Talk about fresh.

And they taste fantastic, thats why 6 weeks later I am still getting my lunch there, the variety and taste changes so just when you think you might be getting a little tired of something its been replaced. No more pret-a-manger standardisation, (no wonder they failed here), where the avocado chicken sandwich you had today tastes like it did 4 years ago!.

Today lunch was slightly different with tempura prawns on rice with octapus, cucumber/seaweed pickle. sooo soo yummy, and hopfully healthy! So yep I am Lovin it, and I’ve started to learn how to cook Japanese style myself.

Lets take for example the humble, ever available bento box. Now I get mine from Pororoca across the road, its a supermarket chain here that also does loads of ready food, think waitrose salad bars and deli bars etc, but much better. The selection of different boxes is impressive, but get this, they change on a weekly basis depending on the season. Okay, rice is rice is rice (or is it, another time on that one), but what you sprinkle on the rice can change, at the moment the special is crab rice which is totally yummy, then you get the protein selection changing all the time. Its never huge, but more than adequate. A typical box will contain a pork ball, a piece of salmon, a chuck of chicken, and something else. All in convenient two/three bite sizes. All for the princely prices of £3. When you have finished paying for it you can nuke your tray in one of the microwaves provided in store, if you time it right the box is still hot when you arrive so no nuking required. Talk about fresh.

And they taste fantastic, thats why 6 weeks later I am still getting my lunch there, the variety and taste changes so just when you think you might be getting a little tired of something its been replaced. No more pret-a-manger standardisation, (no wonder they failed here), where the avocado chicken sandwich you had today tastes like it did 4 years ago!.

Today lunch was slightly different with tempura prawns on rice with octapus, cucumber/seaweed pickle. sooo soo yummy, and hopfully healthy! So yep I am Lovin it, and I’ve started to learn how to cook Japanese style myself.

Well at 6:30 this morning it was certainly moving for me! Wishful thinking really as I was fast asleep in a lovely dream when the dream started to shake on me. Actually it felt more like the bed had a vibrate system installed into it. I oddly seem to recall waking earlier that night trying to find the remote control that would turn off my vibrating bed. Given the sheer number of remote controls that I do have for turning things on and off in the apartment this is not such a mad expectation, what was mad was that it took awhile for me to figure out that I didn’t have one. Suspect was very deeply asleep.

However let me assure you that I have not installed a vibrating mattress complete with remote control. Actually given the way that Tokyo rocks and rolls who needs one. It ended up being a 6.9 Richter scale quake something in the pacific, so don’t really know what the strength would have been in Tokyo, made the water in my glass wobble and the spice rack in the kitchen rattle, but that was about it. Truth be told it felt alot better than the other building I lived in which rattled all over the place.

After doing a little bit of reading on this subject today I found that Tokyo has a tremor every five minutes. Now that’s alot of shake rattle and roll. It may explain why I was having terrible nausea for a few weeks. It started just after I moved into the apartment at Park Axis, or there abouts. I noticed it the first night that the room seemed to have taken on quite a wobble while I know I was stationary, it would also hit me whilst sitting at my desk, in meetings and for no apparent reason. It felt very much like when you have been on a boat for awhile and then go back onto dry land. You are stationary but your ears want to party without you.

It was occurring so often and for such a period of time it became disconcerting. I figured best to just get used to it, definitely caused some discomfit particularly once whilst I was in a demonstration. You try demonstrating project server when the room is spinning and wobbling on you, and not miss a beat! Was very worried that may the apartment building I was in wobbled alot, and I had just signed a two year lease!! arrrhhhh.

Anyway very pleased to say that I seem to have got used to it, and basically I’m just very sensitive to earth tremors. I am still conscious of the buildings doing the Maranga on their own, but I guess I’ve just learnt the steps to this particular dance.

Japan Today Article.

A few weeks ago I wrote about the little old ladies and their amazing ability to take up an entire pavement. Well I have come across another phenomena which has a similar result, but is about 40 years younger. Its the Japanese girl and her mobile. Or more specifically sending email/text messages on her mobile. The first time I actually realized what was happening was when walking out of "The Garden" (Japanese supermarket, equivalent to Waitrose) a young women was walking in front of me at an impossibly slow pace.

How slow? Think mold and how it lives such a breakneck lifestyle. (parties, drugs booze etc) What could possible cause someone with no obvious physical disability, object blocking their path, sun glaring in their eyes, (or other such impediments) from walking at a pace that made 80 year geriatric grandmothers feel sprightly and energetic in there zimmer frames.

Additionally this girl managed to block the entire exit way for anybody who was moving slightly faster than 1 degree above absolute zero Kelvin. Well after doing a quick duck and dive around an obstructing potplant I found the reason. Its called a mobile phone in messaging mode. The UK has taken to sending text messages much the same way as they have taken to European and Australian lagers, (in huge, money guzzling quantities, best enjoyed with friends). A whole lexicon of language has been developed to facilitate the rapid transmission of thoughts via a 12 button keypad. gr8 huh! In fact chavs have taken it to be there own dialect, and we are not going there today.

The Japanese written language however does not lend itself easily to the compression of words to basic forms. (HALT – before someone jumps at me, actually the Japanese written language is the quintessential compression of words, with one Kanji character forming a whole word/concept). However to put these into an electronic device the word must first be spelled out in part Hiragana and then the correct Kanji character selected, end result is the full spelling and correct reading, but just as it would normally be written. It actually quite something to see this being done as fingers are flying all over the keyboard and menus popping up with possible matches of words, the selecting them, then the words moving around again and the next word put in.

Here in lies the problem, such concentration must be given to the creation of a text message that the operator loses all physical awareness of the surroundings until such time as the send button is depressed. Now in sloppy english a misspelled word is often overlooked and many of us will correct it whilst reading. Here a miss spelled word could result in who can imagine what. I wonder how many divorces have occurred because your "Mother in-law is in the car" became your "Mother in-law is a cow".

On Saturday I came across the situation where the girl on the train was engrossed in a message and when we pulled into the station the girl on the opposite side of the door was also engrossed in a message. With eager anticipation I wanted to see what happened when two such improbable objects collided. Alas whilst they remain oblivious to that behind them the "Japanese girl with text message" has evolved to be able to detect on-coming objects. I suppose those that did evolve got wiped out at the pedestrian crossings and that’s Mondays story.

A very interesting phenomena that I’ve discovered in Tokyo is the ability for little old ladies, or two girls to take up the entire pavement. Spend a little time walking around and you will come across the situation where you find yourself walking behind either of the above. For on coming foot traffice they are able to move and make way for the other person. HOWEVER, they are totally oblivious to people behind them. Well not completely oblivious because the second that you try to make it around them by ducking through the gap they move, so you swerve, they counter swerve. You duck, they dive, you dive, they counter dive.

All of the above achived without a single break in the conversation and no acknowledgement of your existance at all. I”ve seen the above happen in Europe a few times, but never with such complete determination, wide payments or consistancy.

Another observation along these lines was pointed out to me by someone else, and may also explain the above. In the UK when you walk through a door in front of someone you hold it open for them. There is a rather complex system of etiquette involved here regarding do you hold the door, how long should you hold the door etc etc. General rule is that if the person is just behind you and not holding the door open will result in it slamming into their face you hold the damn door open. Simple, polite, curtious.

Well watch yourself here kiddies, your likely to end up with a case of probiscous dooritis, ie a bloody nose as no one will hold the door open for you, correction swinging door open for you. (lifts are another story). Its possible that given the sheer number of people here holding open doors could result in your being stuck there for eternity. oh and for those thinking chivelry, well this non door opening is very equalatarian, everyone is likely to leave it slam into your face, men, women, boys, girls, and watch out for the little old ladies, they are particularly vicious!

Observation is a very powerful thing, or at least it is when put into the hands of someone cabable of using it. Left with me its abit like one trying to drink beer out of colander, you might get a little bit by licking the bowl, but most of it will run down the drain. So what did do with the bit I did manage to lick at. Well let me give you a bit of background information. The station where I catch my train to work serves two different lines, the Mita and Nombuku, with the Nombuku being the one which will deliver me safely to work.

Being rather careful I checked to make sure that I got onto the correct line so and to A) be at work on time and B) not end up somewhere where no ones speaks english and all the signs are only in Japanese. This little trick did get me to work but it took a few days for me to realise the everyone always got onto the train and the platform was empty. I noticed this because one thing more noticable than a blonde gaijin on the train, is a blonde gaijin standing all alone on the platform being started at by all the passengers who are being happily wisked off to the corporate enslavement.

The second moment of observation came to me that once I was on my correct train and at the next station (Shirokanedai Takanawa) there would often be a huge exodus of people (actually read wave can sweep you along) rushing out and across the platform to either enter the train waiting or line up (in a very orderly fashion) in front of the doors. After seeing this a couple of times I began to wonder was it possible that this other train was due to leave the station and was waiting for the incoming train so passengers could swap lines. Nah way to co-ordinated.

Well folks I finally got the courage up to try, so this morning I got on the “wrong” train and joined the swarm of people rushing across the platform at the next station. And guess what withing 30 seconds a bright/clean and very empty train appeared on the “correct” line. It appears that the trains do run on time so well that you can literally just walk off one onto the next.

This is not something I would recommend you try in London.

Okay, bad news on the whole culture shock thing. NO CHRISTMAS!! I could live with having to figure out how to roast something with no real oven, and do roast tatties and sweet potatoe, but not having a bloody holiday to celebrate it on. Well thats just rude! I should have examined the holiday schedule a little closer before I sign the transfer contract. In hind sight I guess easter is off the calendar as well. (10 minutes later), yup its confirmed, no easter as well!

Well I suppose it had to happen sooner or later with all this wandering around that I’d stumble into a place that does not have my fundamental holidays. Hey I’ve been stealing everyone else’s fundamental ones (like thanks giving), but it does beg the question why not steal christmas as well. Its basically a fairly good one to steal. Well other than the having to buy all those presents, then being with all those relatives, but then there is the plus side of receiving all those presnts and being with all your family, so I guess the deciding factor would have to be Christmas dinner.

Now the confusing thing for blondini here is that I saw Tokyu Hands (big home improvement store) selling all sorts of crimbo decorations in the seasonal department, so it sorta figured that Christmas tree’s equalled christmans. Subsequent investigations have determined that Xmas is celebrated with gift giving and dinners, just you don’t get the whole day off. Closer examination would determine that they did steal the best bits of christmas. Well almost, they day off would have been nice, and lets not forget boxing day to recover from over-indulgence.

i wonder if I can take the monday off?

I learnt a new thing today (well i’ve been learning heaps actually, just this one I remember to write about (twice as another thing I learnt was the Lotus Notes does not have a redo button and this is the second time I’ve had to write it.) Today we "did" the post office, I had a letter to send to Australia and needed to get a box to send stuff home to mum and dad. Now with a little careful planning I went at just after 10 hoping it would not be busy. Lessons on post offices in the UK have taught me how to avoid queues. This time I wanted to avoid acute embarrassment of asking for the wrong thing, and oh how it went wrong.

So the actual sending card, buying box went quite well, we determined that I wanted the card to go Airmail and that it was a greeting card (カード), the box was a little tricky, but some quick pointing to the sample in the corner sorted that out promptly. (Thats what there for right?). So feeling rather smug it was time to leave, this is when the caper started to fall apart. Fortunately/unfortunately the bank was empty of customers at the time, you will see why in a second.

Now when I entered the building I was sure that the doors opened automatically for me, it may someone walking ahead of me, but I don’t think recall that. Anyway come leaving time I walk up to the door fully expecting it to slide smoothly open with a sense of satisfaction for a job well done – (just been ready hitch hikers guy to the galaxy), so I was rather perplexed when the door remained firmly stationary, not even a little bleep. The first thing that went through my mind was that the post office had just closed and that the teller had not realised the last customer had failed to exit the building. This may seem strange, but in some of the countries I’ve visited the post office will close for any number of reasons at odd times of the day, from birds flying in the wrong direction to the post master wanting to take a wazz. Trust me it does happen. However on more detailed analysis it dawned on me that Japan is a sophisticated country and not prone to "whatever business hours".

My next thought (which I cannot explain its origin) was that the door was not tuned to Gaijin and would only open for japanese people, given the overwhelming lack of people in the post office this thought actually got some backing. Then I remembered motion detectors are not that selective (yet!). During this whole internal dialog of my mind running through possible causes for the door failure the bit of brain controlling physical movement has got me jumping up and down waving like a one man mexican wave trying to get the motion detector to spark into life. To my endless thanks there was also no one walking along the street at this moment!

Finally giving up I had to go back and politely ask the postal staff that I was having a few little problems with the door. At which point the lovely lady who had served me came out and pressed the handle/switch of the door which very politely said "Press to Exit" in Japanese! I strongly suspect that they are still laughing.

At least I still am..

Yesterday was try and find some light fittings for the apartment. This should be an easy thing to do, except not for me. It appears that my apartment has some new kind of light fitting and all the ones I saw in the shop are the wrong type. Looks like a trip back to Tokyu hands to see what I can locate, did get some cheapy ones that actually work quite for for background lighting.

Now to figure out wood polish at the supermarket after finding that the bench cleaner is also really good at lifting the floor varnish. Yet another go at trial and error to see what does what by checking the picture on the front!

Did I mention I am right next to the “The Garden” this is the equivilant of UK Waitrose and prices to match. Noticed that many things were just that little bit more expensive. Still it’s really nice to have it there, and Tokyo Store before that and Poraroca on the other side of the road, super bloody market heaven.

Well I’ve done it, moved into new location. Place is just wonderful. Here is a the excerpt of email written to parents. Easier than typing the same message over and over again!

The apartment is absolutely brillant, you might call it small but with only me it does not matter. All the furniture fitted except for a coffee table I had brought in London. Well it would have fitted, but then the room would be very crowded. I had purchased it online so had never seen it. Unfortunately/Fortunately it was not "solid" wood (unlike the oak table), but rather laminated effect wood and on closer inspection the lamination was not really very well done either. It happens to be the perfect size for holding potplants on the balcony, so guess where its gone! I don’t know if it will like the climate that much, but it will do for a few years i am sure.

The new oak table it really wonderful. Glad I got the 4 seat size, it fits the room, but does not take over. Had to get some special stuff to put on the bottom of all the furniture as the floors are all wooden. (The floor in the living room also has underfloor heating for Winter.) The kitchen is adequately sized. I would have prefered them to make the shoe closet a little smaller and put in 3 burner stove, but not a major problem, How many times do you use more than two burners? The gas system drives everything and there is a panel in the kitchen that if you press one of the button it will pour your bath at the desired temperature and depth!

Microwave and TV arrived, TV works off the computer so I now have

DVD Player
Radio/Stereo
Video Recorder (once connected to Cable TV)
And my computer, I had planned it before I left and so far it is working a treat. Soon I’ll have it hooked to the internet which I understand is Fibre Optic so will be lightning fast
All in one box. It runs a special version of Windows called Media Centre and I have a remote control that runs everything from the Sofa!! Once all hooked up will be quite something. I’m going to have a go at voice control later as well.

I have to go and buy light fittings tonight as they were not included, nor were curtains, but this does mean i can get to pick my own. The view is huge, feels like you are looking out at the world. There is nothing to block the view, or have neighbours looking in. Gets some decent light as well (which is good if we remember the lack of light fittings). Instructions for everything are in Japanese so some things are a little trial and error. Someone at work today has helped big time with translating, and I found manaul which has english panel for washing machine. Fridge is fairly straight forward and is now happily making ice and keeping everything cold, now to fill it up!

The other thing that I really appreciate particularly after living at the temporary accomodation is just how quiet the place is. No street noise, sirens or such. So nice that you can actually hear in the insects in the trees below. The other place you could not hear yourself think it was so noisy. There is still the background hum of a big city, but thats never going to go away. And you can only hear that with the windows open.

Now that everything is unpacked I am going to spend next few weeks clearing stuff I don’t need as I’ve accumlated so much, particularly clothes and t-shirts. Bit hard thou as most come from different parts of the world!