NTPC Senior Shoot

North Texas Photo Club Saturday Morning Photo Shoot

The weekend was a blur. Saturday morning I participated in a NTPC photo shoot led by Reuben Mendiola. Reuben is a fellow photographer/instructor who offered his time to members of the NTPC for a great learning experience.

The shoot was taken in downtown McKinney at the Cotton Mill, and our models for that morning were Haley & Kaitlyn. The shoot was limited to a small group, but allowed easier access for everyone, availability for questions, and less intimidation for the young models.

I have not had a chance to go through all the photos from the shoot, but intend to use the new Lightroom 2.0 beta for processing. There are some nice brush features that I am sure would be useful. Plus, I’m still getting used to the interface tweaks. Current opinion on the changes is still undecided. Look for a review in the upcoming weeks.

4 Days Left on MacUpdate Promo Bundle

There are only four days left to purchase over $400 worth of software for only $64. The MacUpdate Promo Bundle has now unlocked all the software, which includes a copy of Parallels.

Here’s a list of what’s included in the bundle:

Hazel – organize and automate file management.

Art Text – turn text into graphics.

MenuCalendarClock for iCal – adds iCal info to Menu Bar.

Leap – File management utility to replace Finder. (Chris says this product alone makes the bundle worth buying)

StoryMill – digital story boarding.

Typinator – autocorrect for OSX.

DVDRemaster Pro – DVD utility for ripping to & from your hardware.

Sound Studio – Could it be better than Audacity?

BannerZest – Flash banner creator.

Parallels Desktop – You should know what this is… no really, you should.

Go see the deal for yourself.

What You Should Know About Identity Theft

What You Should Know About Identity Theft

UPDATE 9/11/2017 – Added new items to consider since the Equifax data breach.

UPDATE 11/01/2013 – Many banks have discontinued their special ID Theft programs in favor of account alerts. Check with your bank for the monitoring programs they offer.

UPDATE 4/13/2010 – I referenced Lifelock in this post, and you should be aware that they have been part of class action lawsuits more than once since 2008. As I mentioned in my post, many of the services they offer you can do yourself. Bottom line, in this digital age you have to be ever vigilante with your personal information.

Chris Pirillo posed the question yesterday, “Do you protect yourself from identity theft?

As a two-time victim of identity theft, I thought I would expand on the tips that he received via email:

1. Credit Reports – Get your free credit report from ALL THREE of the major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion via Annual Credit Report. Setup an annual reminder for these reports, and also spread them out rather than getting them all at the same time each year. I was surprised to learn that the three agencies had different information regarding my credit at the time my identity was stolen. Also consider a report from ChexSystems, which reports on checking/savings accounts in your name.

2. Credit Monitoring – Consider using free services such as Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, and Quizzle. Each has their benefits, e.g., Credit Karma includes reports from Equifax and Transunion, Credit Sesame includes identity theft insurance, there’s no reason not to sign up for all three. Your bank or credit card company may offer a service to monitor your credit reports. Most of these vendors will also give you copies of your credit reports as part of their service. American Express has Credit Secure, Bank of America has Privacy Assist, and Chase has Identity Protection.

3. Credit Protection – Rampant ID theft has created a new industry, and the front runner in protective services is LifeLock. The company offers a number of services, many of which you could do yourself, but <sarcasm>who has that kind of time?</sarcasm> They remove your name from many junk mail lists, put a “fraud alert” on your identity with all three credit reporting agencies (which only last 90 days), renew that alert for you, order your three credit reports each year, and help you contact all your banks, credit cards, etc., should your wallet ever be stolen. The advantage to using a service, “set it, and forget it.” You are paying for their service, everything offered you could do yourself for free if you choose.

4. Credit Insurance – Check with your insurance agent, or your bank. Many offer identity theft insurance. This is simply a service that helps you pay many of the legal fees associated with identity theft. It is not much in terms of money, but every bit helps.

5. Freeze Your Credit – there are debates about the security vs convenience of freezing your credit. If you do not have any immediate need to have credit for purchases such as a home, car, or need a new line of credit then a freeze probably makes sense. Know that you’ll receive a PIN number to help unfreeze your account. Know that you shouldn’t lose that PIN.

6. Secure your Social Security account – Yes, there’s an online window to your social security account. Best you login and secure it before someone decides to do that. https://www.ssa.gov/

7. Secure your IRS account – Tax fraud, i.e., someone filing a return as you to get a refund, has been on the uptick for the past few years. Do what you can to secure your IRS account. https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

8. Get a Google Voice number – Consider a Google Voice number for securing accounts instead of your cell phone, especially if you use text/voice two-factor authentication. If you don’t already have a GV number the upside is you can use it ONLY for your bank and credit accounts. Less likely to be spoofed like an actual cell number.

9. Secure your cell phone account – while not fool-proof, adding a PIN to your cellular account is helpful in thwarting attempts to access by identity thieves. In some cases you can turn off online access to accounts, which while inconvenient means potential threats have to be done in-person at a retail location.

10. Use a password manager – If you’re not already using a password manager then consider 2017 your year to upgrade. Plenty of options to choose from in another article I wrote about apps for non-technical folks.

But what happens if you still become victim of identity theft? Here are some things nobody told me:

1. File a Police Report – The moment you are aware of the ID theft, file a police report. This makes an official record of the event, which will only help you when talking to the bank or credit card agency to remove charges.

2. Put a Fraud Alert on Your Accounts – If you’re using a service such as LifeLock, this has already been done. If not, you can contact the three credit reporting agencies (see above) and enable the fraud alert. A fraud alert means any request for credit requires your written signature. This makes it harder (but not impossible) for someone to request credit via the Internet or over the phone. It also means more hoops for you to jump through when you are the one legitimately applying for the loan.

3. ICE Your Credit – CNN posted an article about Emergency Contacts back in February. The article had some information about the new ICE initiative. The basic idea is making emergency contact info readily available on your cell phone, and a free ICE website also provides laminated wallet emergency contact cards. I use a similar approach with my credit card info. I have a laminated wallet card with the phone numbers of all the accounts I would need to contact in case my identity is stolen. I do not keep this card in my wallet — it does me know good if I get robbed — instead I carry it separate in my pocket. I also have the numbers programed in my phone for access. The benefit of the laminated card? It’s water proof, doesn’t need batteries, and anyone can use it in the event I’m incapacitated. Oh, and I also carry an ICE card.

4. Don’t Blame The Internet – Despite what most people think, email & phishing scams are not the only sources of identity theft. I would say that they’re not even the largest sources. When I moved to Dallas, it was the number one city in the country for ID Theft. Some examples of how ID’s were stolen: mailbox theft, credit card skimming (using a device to record your credit card number), ATM decoys, and best of all companies that do not correctly secure or destroy personal records. In terms of ID Theft, Liz Pulliam Weston wrote an article suggesting we could learn something from Europeans.

If you’re not concerned about identity theft, you should be. Here’s a thought, it’s not the financial impact of identity theft that’s the potentially the most damaging, but the ability of someone to use your identity to commit a crime. Criminal Identity Theft does not go away overnight, and can follow you for years. Victims of Criminal ID Theft find themselves in constant struggle to prove their innocence. I could not find the original article, but I read years ago of a woman who had three official court documents for her state, and she still would occasionally end up in jail for warrants that were not her. (Apparently, Judges do not work on weekends.)

OK, if you’re a first time reader, then you can see I have a tendency to ramble on quite a bit. I hope the information proves useful to you, and you never find yourself in a position where $75k is spent on your company’s corporate account in your name.

I don’t normally ask, but please share this post if you found the information useful. Thank you.

Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe

Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe from Midway GamesMaybe I’m late to the party, but I just got wind of the next MK series — Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe — which will debut on the PS3 & XBOX 360. Opinions very, Ricardo Torres over at Gamespot thinks the game will surprise you, and Ben Kuchera with Ars Technica reveals his disinterest in a long forgotten fighting series. I caught the teaser video for MK vs DC over at Gamespot.

While both reviews weigh in on the concept of Mortal Kombat characters taking on the likes of Batman or Superman, neither really emphasizes what I feel is paramount to making a successful fight game – the combat system.

A combat system succeeds in the potential number of strikes & combinations a character can produce matched against the player’s ability to pull them off. In my experience, a good fight game can be as entertaining to those watching, as it is to the people actually playing. The trouble is finding the balance in making the gameplay challenging, but accessible to the widest possible audience. When the Dreamcast came out with its four-player console, the instant hit at any party was Power Stone, due mainly to its crazy animated action. The key selling point was the combat controls were so simple (maybe too much so), even folks who didn’t gravitate towards fight games could jump right in. (And really, who doesn’t love bashing other players with a big hammer?) Evil Zone on the PS2 is another fight game that mixed simple playability with entertaining animated segues. (I could mention the success of the Wii console, but that’s an article for another time)

Titles in the Tekken & Mortal Kombat series have had a roller coaster ride of popularity. Throughout their evolution the titles have improved their visual appeal, and been hit or miss when adjusting player controls. Common complaints when a fight game is tweaked in release are characters becoming too powerful or downgraded. Mortal Kombat Gold was a bust to some, but in my immediate circle we appreciated the faster game play over the original Soul Caliber title. Sure Quan Chi’s teleport stomp was a cheap move, but nothing got the crowd riled up quicker than pulling it off successfully or have another player freeze/zap Quan Chi mid-stomp.

The idea of mixing comic characters within the realm of a fight game is nothing new. I could see today that comments are already being tossed back in forth that this is a poor man’s Marvel vs. Capcom wrapped in a 3D package. However, even with the argument that the idea is not so original, the real question is are the characters compelling enough to draw interest? More importantly, will the game generate the necessary buzz with a strong combat system as fatalities (one of MK’s identifying trademarks) have been removed? Midway Games needs a hit, and given its recent struggles some could argue the new MK game is quite a gamble.

Personally, I’m more excited about the next Soul Caliber IV release coming in June. Sure guest fighters Darth Vader & Yoda are a stretch in the mythology of the game, but I enjoyed being able to play Heihachi, Link & Spawn in Soul Caliber II. It’s enough to make me think about buying a PS3 and/or XBOX 360.

Jump on the MacUpdate Promo Bundle

Just caught Chris Pirillo’s tweet about the MacUpdate Promo Bundle. Looks like a great program. MacUpdate works with developers to get a large discount on their software by running promotions like the current one for a limited time. Software gets added to the bundle as certain sales markers are hit; in this case the targets are 5000, 10,000 and 15,000 units. People who purchase the bundle early will receive the additional programs once the target numbers are hit.

The bundle includes the following software:

Hazel – organize and automate file management.

Art Text – turn text into graphics.

MenuCalendarClock for iCal – adds iCal info to Menu Bar.

Leap – File management utility to replace Finder. (Chris says this product alone makes the bundle worth buying)

StoryMill – digital story boarding.

Typinator – autocorrect for OSX.

DVDRemaster Pro – DVD utility for ripping to & from your hardware.

Sound Studio – Could it be better than Audacity?

BannerZest – Flash banner creator.

Parallels Desktop – You should know what this is… no really, you should.