Carded Candy Hackers

So things have been quite interesting lately. Items were found, issues have arisen, cards were played, and tensions just increased. It's life, and while all of those things combined seem to be quite troublesome... they still will be, no matter how one's outlook is.

One wouldn't guess that this photo was taken from behind a mesh screen.

Now, as it's a Saturday, that means I have work, which means I miss out on a lot of things, like graduating friends, dazzling sunsets, and a night out on the town. So, to make up for it, I write. And write. And write some more so that I have a thousand words for this entry today. Let's get cracking.





Cyber Recovery
(A Lesson on Why It's Important to Secure Your Online Accounts)

Earlier this week my World of Warcraft account was compromised. I didn't know about this until yesterday afternoon after posting my blog. I had this sudden urge to check my e-mail account (which I haven't done in ages), and while sifting through the junk I found this notice from Blizzard.

Well. That sucks.

So apparently what happened was that right after it was compromised, "I" began to sell gold or something, which meant that I was hacked by an adbot for some site. Thank goodness it was only that - when I opened up a ticket, the admin who checked out my account found it to be completely intact - no missing gold, items, equipment or anything of the sort. As relieved as I was, I figured it was time to get all of my Internet personas (a.k.a.: my online accounts) locked down and secured.

Which meant doing something I really should be doing every six three months or so instead of leaving everything in the vain hopes of being invincible: reset every password on every major website and online game I use. I've done this before - although the last time I did this it was back in high school and it didn't really matter to me back then (who would hack the accounts of an uninteresting high schooler with no significant social links?). This time differed from then - notably because this was to affect all of my accounts as opposed to just three to five.

Most people usually act based on two things: going with advice they just heard about, or working with what they know works. Whenever I encounter a new scenario, I tend to take a middle road in those approaches - while firsthand experience is nice and mostly reliable, there are moments where something new and untested must be tried.

xkcd comic #936: "Password Strength"

Taking the past into account, I decided to fuse average methods of password creation with a protip from Randall Munroe of xkcd. Obviously, I won't tell you what the resulting system of password creation I created is. No - you'll never know, and I'll take it with me to the grave.

Anyway, while I was resetting everything, I decided to add an additional measure of security to my Battle.net account: the Battle.net Authenticator. Now, they offer two varying methods of it - an actual authenticator in the form of a key fob, and a mobile phone application that's free. By looking at the picture below, you can guess which method I opted for.

Security - now provided on cell phones! (App's on the lower-right on my phone.)

So, if anything, this should not only be a story on my life and one day of Internet stupidity, but it should also be a lesson on making sure all your online assets are secured properly. If you haven't changed your passwords in ages, maybe it's time that you do.





Sushi That Stared Back
(Creepy-sounding, right? Well, I promise you that it isn't.)

Something random to keep today's entry from laming out, you said? Well, here! Peep sushi!

Candy sushi. Ooh. And yes; the winner ate with those chopsticks. You can't eat sushi without chopsticks!

A couple of work friends and I hung out after work, and one of them (who won a contest to see who could assassinate me the most) got these as a reward. We sampled them, and they were awesome.

Now if only I could get sushi now...





1000 Blank White Cards
(Did someone order more cards? No? Well, take them anyway!)

Since I hung out with people last night after work, we got to chow down and get silly with that fantabulous game you all love: 1000 Blank White Cards!

A Case of a Mistaken Identity (SECRET)
You're pretty sure that the name of the player to your right was "Steve."
+47

Name-changing cards are always fun. This one's interesting in that the player getting this card isn't the one getting their name changed. *looks to his right* Oh, hi, Steve!

Red is Dead
Red is, like, so not the "in" color anymore.
Players who are wearing red and/or drive a red car lose 1000 points and are considered unpopular.

Anything and everything can get you points. Conversely, anything and everything can make you lose points. This is one in a series of cards where the effect is the same but the color being selected is different. Subtle differences like that help when you're making a mass of new cards. Plus, by hitting every basic color, you can make sure everyone is affected by these cards.

Speak No Evil
You are mute for the next three turns.
-100

A rather simple card that makes me wonder why I didn't even create one when I starting making these new batches of cards. It's based off of the Japanese three wise monkeys who "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil." I drew a face instead because I can't draw monkeys.

Walkie-Talkie Man (SECRET)
Each time you speak, you must begin and end with a radio sound.
Replace all instances of "yes" and "I agree" with "10-4."
"Walkie-Talkie Man" lasts until the current 1000 Blank White Cards game ends.

There's being in-character, and then there's being so in-character you're practically out-of-character. And then there's those moments where you so in-character and pumped up for whatever you're supposed to do that you'll do something silly to help reinforce the "realness" of the scenario.

This is one of those times. I'm pretty sure at one point in time when we were younger, we were either on a pretend-military mission or doing some sneaky spying on friends and needed to communicate with each other. Now, when I was a youngin', we didn't have any fancy-shmancy cell phones! We had walkie-talkies! We loved those things to death to the point where we would use them in places where it was unnecessary (like when you were literally three feet away from each other). Relive those times with this card (much to the potential annoyance of everyone else.


Of course, I wasn't the only one making cards. Some of my friends made some contributions while we were eating dinner/fourthmeal/whatever meal it was for them, and this is a sample of what was chipped in.

For the next 5 minutes discuss the pros and cons of putting your brain in a robot body.

This is a pretty straightforward card. We had a fun time doing it, but I think it would've been better if someone in the group had to speak differently or be called something else.

The Original Snake
The building you are in has been walled off and designated as a prison.
The other players are inmates helping you to rescue the President's daughter.
If anyone calls you by any name you must tell them "Call me Snake."

Escape from New York, anyone?

Poop Fiction
The next person to go to the restroom loses 940 points.

Well, it was a good thing this wasn't played when other people had to go to the restroom. Otherwise this might've caused cystitis or other nasty things (that seemed hilarious at the time).

Welcome to My Neighborhood, Foo!
All persons with their elbows on the table must compare you to Mr. Rogers or lose 20 points each. If Josh is present, compare him to Mr. T. just because he's present and therefore vulnerable.

Hehehehe. This was rather hilarious in more ways than one. I can't really describe this one because the descriptions are pretty much dependent on who gets this card.

"Yo, Adrian!
For the next two turns, you must speak with a Rocky Balboa accent.

I ended up getting this card, and I'm going to be honest - I couldn't pull off the accent if I tried. Hilarity ensued.

"You're All Used Up!"
If you have known Josh for more than one year, lose 1000 points.
If not, give him a hug and take 100 points.

Created after a joke conversation earlier that night. I don't remember how it went (curse my shoddy memory), but if I recall correctly, some of it went like this:

*Josh is pretend-sobbing*
FRIEND: [feigning desperation over not getting enough attention - particularly from Josh] Josh, I don't understand! We've been friends for at least a year, right? So, why don't we hang out anymore and stuff?
ME: *stops "sobbing," lets off a "sniffle," and looks at FRIEND* ...y-you're all used up! *continues "bawling"*

Overdramatized? Yes. Ridiculous? Yes. Downright funny? Oh, hell, yes.





That's it for today, everyone. Until the 'morrow.