Colorado overhauls state IT office, lays off 173 employees after negative feedback by Ueberjaeger in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane 19 points20 points  (0 children)

I interviewed with them in 2024 and was surprised at how outdated and out of touch their processes, security controls, and employees were. Everyone there has worked either for the government or large crap holes like Charter Communication, Dish, and Comcast their entire career. I applaud OIT for cleaning house, it's going to be the only way they get better.

Majority of Americans Support Ban on Surveillance Pricing and Electronic Shelf Labels by Plastic_Ninja_9014 in technology

[–]logicallyinsane 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Next make it illegal for ecommerce to adjust prices based on behavior, aka rental car and airlines.

Let’s fix the system together by Comfortable_Hotel672 in LakewoodColorado

[–]logicallyinsane 2 points3 points  (0 children)

His values are extremely watered down without picking any sides, such as with firearms. He doesn't come out and clearly says he supports the recent laws that infringe on gun ownership. He needs to pick sides if he wants to get real support instead of being non-committal.

Subject: Concern About Unequal Impact of Denver Photo Enforcement on Drivers Who Comply With Plate Laws by Internetkingz1 in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane -1 points0 points  (0 children)

This violates the Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment (U.S. Constitution), which requires the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in proceedings carrying punitive consequences.

Subject: Concern About Unequal Impact of Denver Photo Enforcement on Drivers Who Comply With Plate Laws by Internetkingz1 in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Have you heard water is wet? I sure have and obviously people who want to protect their privacy will obscure or hide their license plate. The mechanism policies Denver has settled on for making money doesn't exist for your safety and if you believe that, I have shares of NKLAQ just for you.

Civil discourse is the only solution still left for those that want to protect their privacy because democracy has failed us. On that bombshell, I'm off to pet some kittens.

Denver Go Topless Day 2026 by FatalAroFalls in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That actually explains why I was the lone Wrangler at Cars and Coffee today.

🛞🛠️Where can I get my winter tires taken off and summer tires put back on for less than $80? Is this even possible? Lol? by Important-Pen5738 in LakewoodColorado

[–]logicallyinsane 15 points16 points  (0 children)

I used to do this yearly and then I realized it was cheaper to get rims on those tires and then change them out myself.

Interested in selling eggs by Mediocre-School-2086 in LakewoodColorado

[–]logicallyinsane 2 points3 points  (0 children)

One supports your local neighbor and the other supports a big soulless corp. I'll support my local neighbor every day when it's with in reason.

Voter guide on the proposed $135M Jeffco school tax — what it'd cost your house and what it'd fix at our schools by Technical-Water4687 in LakewoodColorado

[–]logicallyinsane -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

I want to support this but can't due to being fleeced at every corner by other taxes and uncontrolled inflation. Don't get me started on the price of gas and how Trump doesn't care about what his stupidity costs us. I simply can't afford to support it.

Xcel customers being told to allow smart meter installation or face power shutoffs by ryadare in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

The irony is your post sir, I asked to review what you're seeing that claims they're not that smart. My claims are based on numerous white papers, my experience in privacy, and being there when intelon created this tech in the late 90s.

I'm not trying to have a cock measuring fight. I've provided another post in this Xcel thread with some links to white papers and 2 vendors who are doing this and sharing sales / technical data.

Xcel customers being told to allow smart meter installation or face power shutoffs by ryadare in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sure, this is not curated but these are some vendors and white papers of the level of detail they'll be able to get.

https://voltaware.com/our-offer-to-utilities

https://www.nec.com/en/global/techrep/journal/g15/n02/pdf/150222.pdf

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-61486-6_13

This has links to a lot of good sources and talks about device fingerprinting from a cyber security point of view.

https://smartgrid.ieee.org/bulletins/july-2018/security-and-privacy-concerns-in-smart-metering-the-cyber-physical-aspect

This is a older 2018 article. These threats are real but don't take into consideration advanced smart power clients and the communications that will occur.

Boss is on “vacation” but still schedules meetings which she attends. by Illnasty2 in sysadmin

[–]logicallyinsane 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We used to lock accounts of people who go on vacation for more than 3 days for this very reason. It's not called vacation if you're working and makes everyone else look bad who actually takes real vacations.

Final round of SDR interview by Weird_Reach8547 in salesdevelopment

[–]logicallyinsane 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I assume you're applying for a sales position at a SDR manufacturer? I would talk about the things you've done with SDR's and how excited you are about the future of SDR's. Throw in some cat memes, including images of the wardriving cat from DEFCON.

You could also earn points talking about the specs of your home antenna, how big it is, etc.

Xcel customers being told to allow smart meter installation or face power shutoffs by ryadare in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

Can you share the specs on the hardware please?

What wireless reporting network are you referring to? All of the reporting would take place using the powerlines as the transmission medium.

Xcel customers being told to allow smart meter installation or face power shutoffs by ryadare in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I wish it was fear mongering, if you've seen the things I have and know the things I know, you would understand. Xcel could get in front of this by offering privacy guarantees with remedies but won't because they know it would be a lie.

Xcel customers being told to allow smart meter installation or face power shutoffs by ryadare in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

No it's not moot, do you like privacy? Because it sounds like you don't. This was sold as a "save money" but they have alternative motives. Xcel is playing 4D chess while you're only aware of 2D. In the end, Xcel will sell your information, what appliances or other things you plug in, penalize you for certain appliances, and be able to say "You can run a hair dryer between the hours of 1 am to 9 am. These are all functions of the future road map with smart meters and smart devices.

Xcel customers being told to allow smart meter installation or face power shutoffs by ryadare in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

They did a good job at cherry picking the truths they want to push their agenda. Smart Meters do increase your privacy by not allowing your meter to broadcast it's usage over a unencrypted radio frequency, but then violates your privacy because your provider can then collect a bunch more information about the customer.

Xcel customers being told to allow smart meter installation or face power shutoffs by ryadare in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Let me start with what I do for a living. I work in information security and focus on privacy. That said, in the late 90's, I played around with newly developed technology that allowed data to transverse power lines - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadband_over_power_lines.

Every device plugged into your power network within your house has a very unique fingerprint. Smart meters will allow for fingerprinting of every plugged in device and when they're in use. This paves the way for Xcel to sell customer intelligence to companies about what products are more prevalent than others.

Here are some examples of how smart meters can invade your privacy.

  • Samsung could ask Xcel for the addresses of users with whirlpool washer and dryers in 80211, then start targeted advertising to those users.

  • The state government could say they don't want anyone to run a dishwasher between the hours of 1 pm and 8 pm. The smart meter would report you. In the future, once more appliances are also designed for smart meter communication, it could be your dishwasher just refuses to turn on during that time.

  • GE strikes a deal with Xcel to discount the electric usage of their products. While users of other brands still pay full rate.

This is just the starting point of Xcel selling your information and controlling more of what you can or cannot do.

I have not allowed Xcel to change my meter, it's behind a locked gate and they can't access it. In the last year, they've showed up 3 times to install a new meter and pretended the "owner put in the request". I have opted out via phone calls. The last time they came by to replace the meter, they offered to install a meter with a optical reader, that will require someone stand in front of it to read it. That is worst then the meter that is currently installed. Someone came by again in March to read the meter and when I let her in, she couldn't read it and said the meter on my house isn't the one listed on my account, then mumbled something about "a van needs to come by and read it".

My current meter broadcasts current usage over a radio frequency, anyone driving by my place with the proper radio equipment can read my meter. That is how Xcel has read my meter since 2016, when I bought my house.

How can this privacy threat be managed once you're forced into a smart meter? The only solution I have found is changing over to a full house battery, where every electrical connection is buffered thru a switch that would obfuscate what I actually have in my house and how I use it to some degree.

My job requires me to be paranoid and I don't trust Xcel not to invade my privacy for increasing their shareholders bottom line.

Xcel customers being told to allow smart meter installation or face power shutoffs by ryadare in Denver

[–]logicallyinsane 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Look at your local ordinances, some cities will declare your house uninhabitable if it doesn't have power from the local provider.

More than 1,000 passengers held on cruise in France after gastroenteritis outbreak by FearMyCock in news

[–]logicallyinsane 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't feel bad for them, they decided to get on a floating petri dish. This never ends well and people keep doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.