Microsoft says hackers seek to attack PowerPoint users

http://www.reuters.com/ BOSTON (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp said on Tuesday that hackers are seeking to attack users of its PowerPoint presentation software for Windows PCs and released patches to protect them against the threat.

The world’s No. 1 software maker said that a version of PowerPoint for Apple Inc’s Mac computers is also vulnerable, though it has yet to find any evidence that hackers are actively seeking to exploit it.

Microsoft defined the threat as “critical” — the most severe on the scale by which it ranks vulnerabilities to its software.

Hackers are seeking to exploit the vulnerability in PowerPoint by persuading the intended victim to open a tainted PowerPoint file — that they either download from a Website or receive in an email, according to Symantec Corp, the world’s top maker of security software.

“At that point, the attacker would then have complete control over everything the user’s account has permission to do on the system,” said Alfred Huger, a senior researcher with Symantec.

Huger said that Symantec has so far only observed a limited number of hacker attempts to exploit the vulnerability in PowerPoint.

Microsoft did not release a patch for Mac computers, though company spokesman Christopher Budd said that one is in development.

(Reporting by Jim Finkle; Editing Bernard Orr)

May 14th, 2009 Filed Under Steve's Thoughts | No Comments »

FFP Keeping “Green”

changing for the green… ffp has been doing it all along

Reducing its global footprint.  Final Focus Productions’ employees are dedicated to coming up with ideas to help the environment and then implementing those ideas.

You can pitch in too:

• Print on as much post-consumer recycled paper as possible.
•  Share info via email or intranet rather than print.
• Reuse shipping cartons.
• Discourage printing emails.
• Recycle plastics, glass, paper and aluminum.
• Combine trips when driving.
• Use re-manufactured ink cartridges.

FFP has been reducing, reusing and recycling for nearly 20 years!  It’s easy once you set the plan in place.  Thanks for helping out!

July 31st, 2008 Filed Under Steve's Thoughts | No Comments »

How to apply for a job.

Hello visitor,

So you’re interested in applying for a job. Excellent!

I’ve been meaning to write my thoughts on this for some time and now that the class of 2008 is graduating and I am getting barraged by unsolicited resumes and inquiries, I thought it time to share some appropriate ways to even get considered at our – or any other company or industry for that matter. The following statements and observations may seem a bit harsh or arrogant or pompous, but hopefully they will make you a smarter and more qualified job applicant. I may get around to reorganizing these thoughts at some point, but for now I’ll just key away. In fact, you should qualify for a prize if you got this far because it means you are doing the proper research on a company to learn their style, philosophy and general business practices.

1) There is nobody at Final Focus Productions named “info” or “web” or “to whom it may concern” (trust me, nobody will be concerned); while “sir” or “madam” may be nice, that goes in the trash too. Don’t be so lazy as to not pick up your phone, call the company and 1) ask if there are any openings and 2) to whom material should specifically be addressed. If you don’t care, I don’t care.

2) Know where you are applying. Do some research on the company. Don’t send some lame form letter that rambles on “I’m impressed with the type of work you do”. Bad. Send a letter that shows you really know what we do. “I really enjoyed the CampusDoor commercials and saw them on TV many times,” shows me you at least looked at our website, took 12 seconds to type a sentence and, while you may be lying about seeing them on TV, at least you put forth effort.

3) I will not “request” your references. I, like everyone else, am busy. Send them along. Don’t make me ask (I won’t). Same goes for the demo reel. If you claim to be poor and cannot afford to copy and send out the 50 DVDs…. whoa!!! Applying for a job is not skeet shooting with buckshot. You do not blanket the area with resumes. You strategically apply to a select few companies that, after you’ve done some research, fit where you’d like to work. Your demo should be on the web anyway.

4) There’s a wonderful invention called Spellcheck… please use it. Our clients do not hire us to produce mediocre materials for them. Why would we hire mediocre talent?

5) If you read #2 you will truly know what type of work we do and what type of client we serve. In my case, DO NOT send skateboard videos with unlicensed music (IE: any song you hear on the radio and do not have rights to). Do not send anything remotely defamatory. If there is a ninja fight scene, guns, bloodshed, gang violence, or the like, I don’t care how good your resume is, you will not fit into our culture.

6) Be honest about your skills.

7) Know that you have way more to learn and you are not God’s gift to this or any other industry – we are all replaceable.

8) DO NOT LET YOUR SCHOOL SEND YOUR RESUME TO ME. They are not applying for a job, you are. If you work here, someone else will not be doing your work.

9) When you get an interview don’t forget to dress appropriately. ‘Tis better to be overdressed than for your potential employer to be hung up on the fact that you think you are too good to take an interview seriously. Again, if you did your research, you’d know what to wear.

10) I’m thinking about implementing a 2 hour interview at some point; handing you a bunch of material and a script and see how efficiently you plan and execute a project. Had a friend apply at Paisley Park recording studio (yes, the one the artist formerly known as Prince started in 1987) some time ago and that’s what they do.

11) Above all, know how to communicate. Technical skills without people skills will not work. You must be able to convey a message, deal with a client and keep the paperwork straight. Work on communication skills as much, if not more than, you work on technical abilities.

12) added 10/28/08  With regards to letters of reference – the more current the better.  And I believe they should come in the mail, addressed to me – not a handful of photocopies from years gone by.  This makes me think your prior employer was trying to get rid of you.

13) added 12/16/08 Please look up the word proficient and use it correctly.  There is only one person I have worked with that I would use this word to describe his skills and even he won’t use it.

14) Added 6/25/09 Don’t bother sending a demo reel or dvd or cd or whatever.  If you don’t know how to put video on the web, you are not the person we are looking for anyway.

15) Added 2/1/10 Read the book 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College: The Know-How You Need to Succeed by William D. Coplin.

16) Added 2/26/10 Please watch the Richard St. John video posted on this blog.

17) Added 6/30/10 Article by Michael Kammes from POST magazine. Although the tips Michael presents were written for production people, they pretty much relate to any profession. Originally posted from a link on Creative Cow.

Please utilize this information when applying for any job and I wish you the best of luck in the future!

Steve

May 18th, 2008 Filed Under Steve's Thoughts | 1 Comment »

Dang Phosphate levels.

Well the 55 gal tank is finally cleared up!  I have no idea what caused the ridiculously high levels in the first place, but no matter what I tried chemically, nothing worked.  Even doing 50% water changes weekly had almost no effect. Put in a fluidized bed filter with Phosban and that made little difference as did the PhosphateR resin. Finally removed the gravel and rocks and replaced them – that’s helping along with my 15% weekly water changes.  At least the test water is a visible as blue and not the near-black that it’s been in the past.  Asking around the consensus seems to be that the aggregate retained the phosphate and then with each water change, more would just leach out.  It’s still around 40 and the fish and plants aren’t affected, I just get mild slime alge that I’m treating with API algae Destroyer.

January 10th, 2008 Filed Under Steve's Thoughts | No Comments »