Coin Toss's Blog

If Black Friday

Puts businesses in the black why are they open all the other days? Just something to think about.

Entry #847

Best breakup song ever

Are you thinking Taylor Swift?  Nope, none of hers can touch this. Do a search for One More Minute by Al Yankovic.  Enjoy. 🤨

Entry #846

Well this is sure interesting

Which saint lost everything to gambling?

 

But found everything in service of Christ?

Camillus de Lellis had lost everything.

His mother was dead, his father had neglected him, and by seventeen he had developed an incurable disease in his leg.

Now, at twenty-four, in the teeth of a harsh winter, he had gambled away nearly all he owned—down the shirt on his back.

With nowhere to turn, he thought of the hospital where he had once served as a patient and orderly. But even there he was unwelcome; his anger and quarrelsome temper had seen him expelled.

The only refuge left was the most unlikely: a Capuchin friary in Manfredonia. Desperate, Camillus took a job there.

God began to work on him. One day, while he labored, a sermon pierced his heart and sparked a slow, steady conversion.

 

Camillus longed to join the Capuchins and applied to their novitiate, but his diseased leg led to rejection. He tried several more times and was refused each time.

Instead of relapsing into his old fury, Camillus let the refusals humble him. He devoted himself to caring for the sick.

Guided by a saintly friend, Saint Philip Neri—Camillus pursued the priesthood and was ordained at thirty-four. Soon after, he founded the Order of the Camillians, dedicated to serving the sick.

He bore his affliction for the rest of his life, yet it only deepened his compassion and zeal.

The Church honors him today, July 18, on his feast.

We must all be transformed by humility if we long to join St. Camillus in the joys of Heaven. However, humility is a virtue that must be worked at. Begin your journey towards saint-like humility today with the beloved classic Humility of Heart.

Entry #845

Holidays

What are your most favorite and lwast favorite holidays?

Entry #843

Eldridge Cleaver: a tale of cars and communism

Eldridge Cleaver: a tale of cars and communism

  • Eldridge Cleaver was a prominent member of the Black Panther Party…

    But, before I explain more about him (and his fascinating tale), here’s a quick story…

    There was a government politician who was walking through a neighborhood one day.

    She saw a driveway that had 2 cars in it.

    And she saw another driveway that had no cars in it.

    She walked up to the house with no cars and knocked on the door.

    A guy answered the door in his pajamas.

    The government politician said to the man, “how come you don’t have any cars in your driveway?”

    The guy replied…

    “I don’t own any cars. I am on government welfare right now and I make more money watching TV all day than I would getting a job. So, I can’t afford a car.”

    Well, this politician didn’t think it was fair that the next-door neighbor owned 2 cars and the guy she was talking with didn’t have a single car.

    So, she strolled on over to the other neighbor who had 2 cars.

    She asked the other guy, “how come you have 2 cars in your driveway and your neighbor has none?”

    The guy told her…

    “Well, I’ve been working hard since I was 16. At age 21, I started my own business and have been working 12-hours a day, 6 days a week, for the past 20 years. I am now blessed to own two cars.”

    The politician walked away thinking this wasn’t fair and she needed to redistribute the wealth.

    So, she passed a law that the neighbor with 2 cars must give one of his cars to the neighbor with 0 cars.

    The neighbor on welfare was beyond thrilled and thought it was great that he was getting a free car thanks to the government.

    The neighbor who had his car confiscated by the government was furious and couldn’t believe he was being punished for all this hard work.

    That same politician who passed the law to redistribute cars, later made enough money that she was able to buy a second car for herself.

    People immediately began telling her…

    “You can’t own 2 cars, you need to give one of your cars to someone who doesn’t own any.” 

    The politician passed a law that politicians are allowed to own 2 cars, but nobody else.

    She said the law only applied to the lesser class and that since she was an important person, she was allowed to have 2 cars.

    Now let’s talk about Eldridge Cleaver…

    Cleaver spent time in prison for attempted murder, rape, etc.

    In prison, he became brainwashed in communism and how it was the answer to everything.

    When he got out of prison, he joined the Black Panthers.

    He believed the violence of the Black Panthers could destroy the US and break the system so that the whole country could be equals and start out the same.

    He got in a shootout with police one time and fled the country.

    He ended up spending time in Cuba and Russia.

    Guess what happened?

    Eventually, Cleaver reached out to authorities in the US.

    He essentially told them…

    “After spending time in Cuba and Russia, I realize how terrible communism is. I would rather come back to the US and spend time in prison than spend one more moment in a communist country.”

    After coming back to the US and serving time in prison, he converted to Christianity and totally turned his life around.

    And get this: He joined the Republican party and became a conservative.

    If only we could send AOC and Kamala Harris to live in Cuba for a while so they could see what it’s really like.

    I think most of us are smart enough to realize how horrible communism is and we don’t need to live in Cuba to understand that.

    But not everyone is that intelligent.

    There are a frightening number of Americans who think Socialism and Communism are the best thing since sliced bread.


    Stay safe,

    Jason Hanson

    Former CIA Officer

    Editor, Spy & Survival Briefing

    Editor, Black Bag Confidential




Entry #841

The Biggest Bluff

The Biggest Bluff, HOW i LEANRED TO PAY ATTENRYION, MASTER MYSELF, AND WIN

Book by Maria Konnikova

Thge author was born in Russia, came yo the US, got a degree in paychology, but instead of becoming a paychologist became a gambler, winniing over $300,000 p-layng po0ker. 

From the book on page 32;

This book isn't about how to play poker. it's about how to play the world. 

and on page 33;

"If we consider games of chance iummoral, then, every pursuit of human industry is immoral; for there is not a single one that is nor subject to chance, not one wherein you doi not risk a loss for the chanbce oif some gain."

Thomas Jefferson, "Thoughgts on Lotteries." 1826

Entry #839

Like to play birthdays on jackpot games?

This is different, these are the rarest birthdays in the US

  • December 25  (6,574 average yearly births)
  • January 1 (7,792 average yearly births)
  • December 24 (8,069 average daily births)
  • July 4 (8,796 average yearly births)
  • January 2 (9,307 average yearly births)
  • December 26 (9,543 average yearly births)
  • November 27 (9,718 average yearly births)
  • November 23 (9,883 average yearly births)
  • November 25 (9,954 average yearly births)
  • October 31 (9,978 average yearly births)

 

And these are the most common;

  • September 9 (12,301 average yearly births)
  • September 19 (12,229 average yearly births)
  • September 12 (12,224 average yearly births)
  • September 17 (12,148 average yearly births)
  • September 10 (12,144 average yearly births)
  • July 7 (12,108 average yearly births)
  • September 20 (12,107 average yearly births)
  • September 15 (12,087 average yearly births)
  • September 16 (12,072 average yearly births)
  • September 18 (12,055 average yearly births)

msn

Entry #836

Book: The Anti-Communist Manifesto

by Jesse Kelly

 

The Anti-Communist Manifesto

About The Book

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

A rallying cry striking at the roots of today’s major issues, Jesse Kelly uses his trademark bombast, intelligence, and humor to take down the most dangerous philosophy in history and address its resurgence in America. The Anti-Communist Manifesto  is for anyone who feels alienated by political and popular culture in the United States and recognizes the danger of communism as it threatens to rip apart America’s social fabric.

Discover a fresh look at the daily assault on our freedoms from the insidious communist movement in this country. More than a political statement, this book is an insightful drive through history, philosophy, and current events with one of the most entertaining and fearless conservatives in America at the wheel.

From weaponizing race, sex, and gender to hijacking our schools, communism threatens to destroy our cherished American way of life. Featuring practical tools and tactics to not only identify communists but also defend the United States from this malicious enemy, The Anti-Communist Manifesto is an instructive guide for all patriots.
Entry #835

Book: The Power of One

The Power of One: How I Found the Strength to Tell the Truth and Why I Blew the Whistle on Facebook

Barnes & Noble;
The inside story of one woman’s quest to bring transparency and accountability to Big Tech, by the Facebook whistleblower who is determined to help us all retake control of our lives.
 
In 2021, when news outlets feasted on “the Facebook Files,” Frances Haugen went public as the former employee who blew the whistle on the company by copying tens of thousands of pages of documents. She testified to Congress and spoke to the media. She was hailed at President Biden’s first State of the Union Address. She made sure everyone understood exactly what the documents revealed: Facebook knew it had accidentally changed its algorithm to reward extremism and refused to fix it; it knew that its customers were using the platform to foment violence, to spread falsehoods, to diminish the self-esteem of young women, and more. But how was it that Haugen was the only employee at the company who dared to step forward?
 
The answer to that question is an inspiring tale of one young woman’s life and the choices she made. From an isolated childhood in Iowa to an unaccredited college, to one among the few women at Google in its heyday, Frances Haugen learned how to focus on what mattered, and to ignore her critics. To harness the strength of standing in the truth.
 
The Power of One is equally inspiring—the story of a woman who went against the grain, again and again, and changed the world—and horrifying, as the culture and practices of Facebook are brought into the bright light of day, for the first time.
Entry #834

Cyber criminals and Chat GTP

How cyber-criminals are using chat GTP to

attack you

Chat GTP is the chatbot that has gained notoriety for its conversational way of interacting.

It can be used to write college papers, stories, and even computer code.

Many people believe that Chat GTP writes better code than an entry-level programmer.

And cyber criminals have already figured out a way to exploit Chat GTP.

Hackers in Russia have used Chat GTP to write malicious code to carry out cyber-attacks.

No one is surprised that hackers took advantage of the technology. But what is surprising is the speed with which they did it.

Within a week of being launched, Chat GTP had more than a million users.

Russian hackers were looking for ways to use Chat GTP in their day-to-day hacking operations.

It has become time-saving and cost-effective for hackers.

In one case, a hacker shared that he was using Chat GTP to recreate malware techniques.

And recent malware strains have had a similar writing style to Chat GTP.

The thing is, someone with just a little bit of skill could create dangerous malware with the help of Chat GTP.

Even worse, hackers could also use Chat GTP to spread fake news while carrying out cyber-attacks, using it to conduct many phases of the attack simultaneously.

This could make the attack a much bigger mess since they can use Chat GTP to conduct many phases of a cyber-attack.

There is no question that Chat GTP is already revolutionizing the way people use technology.

But when it falls into the hands of bad actors it can be used to target innocent victims.

Now, here are a few ways Chat GTP can (and is) being used to carry out cyber-crimes and what you need to know.

Malware:

As we already have seen with Russian hackers, Chat GTP will be used to write malware code.

And while the developers of Chat GTP have tried to set up ways to stop this, hackers are constantly creating workarounds to get past prevention measures.

One easy way around it is for hackers to simply change the way they ask Chat GTP to write the code.

By using different words and phrasing to get the outcome they want, it will be hard for Chat GTP security measures to stop all hackers.

The software won’t even know it is writing malicious code for hackers.

The best thing to do is to make sure your smartphone, tablet, and computers are always up to date and use an antivirus program, and a secure router. 

Phishing emails:

Many phishing emails come from hackers in different countries, and they typically contain spelling errors or incorrect grammar.

But if Chat GTP writes the emails, it will fix the spelling and grammar errors automatically, making it look more legitimate.

In addition, hackers can use the software to help them create headlines, phrases, and questions that are most likely to get a person to click on a malicious link.

This means, unfortunately, more people will fall victim to phishing emails.

So, if you don’t know the person sending you the email you probably shouldn't open it, and definitely don’t click on any links in an email you’re not sure about.

Cracking passwords:

Chat GTP can be a helpful tool for hackers trying to crack passwords.

There are several ways hackers can use it. For instance, hackers could ask Chat GTP what the most common passwords are.

If they know information about their target, they can even ask more specific questions about the user and what would likely be a common password.

The speed and accuracy of Chat GTP make it possible for the software to be used to guess passwords.

The longer the password, the more difficult it is for Chat GTP to crack it. So next time you create a new password make sure it’s long and uses different characters.

At this point, Chat GTP is becoming a powerful form of artificial intelligence.

Which means, right now, it’s vital that you protect yourself as much as possible from being attacked or infected by hackers and criminals using malicious Chat GPT code.

 

Jason Hanson

Editor, Black Bag Confidential

The Spy Briefing Family

Black Bag Confidential Is Just One Small Part of Former CIA Officer Jason Hanson's Comprehensive Suite of Offerings...

 

Entry #833

For social media addicts

How to spot Russian Psyops at work

Russia’s war against Ukraine is not only being fought on the battlefield. It’s also being fought on social media as most people know.

Russia has used social media, forged documents, and fake videos to spread lies, manipulate public opinion and push its narratives about the war.

The ultimate goal is to convince the world not to support Ukraine.

In one instance, Russia impersonated a popular online European newspaper.

Russian hackers posted fake news stories on social media that appeared to be from the newspaper.

This strategy is nothing new.

Since Russia annexed Crimea back in 2014, they have been conducting these types of operations.

But with Ukraine, they have spread outrageous stories such as Ukraine being run by Nazis, and that the U.S. is helping them.

Russia even created a documentary about this that was supported by the state-run broadcast company.

The lies from the Kremlin are endless. They have run media campaigns that claim Ukraine’s government is made up of terrorists.

They have also said that Ukraine is selling the weapons they receive from the U.S. and other allies.

Part of Russia’s plans is to confuse the outside world and create doubt about the legitimacy of Ukraine.

One cyber security expert said Russian online operations have, "used a throw-the-spaghetti-at-the-wall-to-see-what-sticks kind of approach."

  In other words, Russia is playing a numbers game with the lies they are spreading. They have put out so much false information that it creates doubt around the world.

Specifically, the lies shared by Russia have gained popularity in Africa and Latin America.

According to one security expert, "There's been a major focus on non-English-language information."

Russia is wanting to influence the world's view of the invasion, while at the same time they are positioning the country with an eye toward strategic partners for the future.

Social media companies have tried to remove or prevent Russian propaganda.

Unfortunately, there is so much out there already, and more popping up all the time, that they can’t stop it all.

But these tactics are just a small part of their larger, global psyops plan.

What is psyops?:

“Psyops” are strategic psychological operations. These operations are intended to influence the emotions and behavior of governments and individuals.

The strategy is to spread disinformation and encourage discontent.

For instance, Russia has tried to spread lies in the U.S. that would lessen U.S. support for Ukraine.

They want U.S. lawmakers and citizens to be divided when it comes to Ukraine.

 

 

 

 

 

Peace and climate:

Elsewhere, the European Union says that Russian disinformation is one of the biggest threats. This is because of the massive scale of Russian campaigns.

For example, Russia has created international front organizations that work on behalf of the Kremlin.

These organizations even stoop to using climate and peace initiatives to hide their true intentions.

Next time you see a group promoting peace in the world, take a second look to figure out who might be promoting the idea.

Social Media and Psyops:

As I mentioned earlier, social media is one of the biggest vehicles Russia uses to wage their psyops war and spread lies.

Twitter and Facebook are two specific platforms that Russia likes to use.

But they are not just sharing fake news on these platforms. The Kremlin has deployed human social media trolls to influence certain targets.

Which means, these days, you have to worry about more than fake stories and bots on social media. Because real humans are trolling targets to change their views.

Russian psyops operations have been successful at spreading their anti-western stance, all without the physical presence of Russian soldiers or operatives.

With global security in a fragile state, Russia will continue its efforts to destabilize.

The reality is that whether it's news, social media, or a peace organization, you should never just take what you hear at face value.

Do a little research on important topics and then ask yourself who benefits from the information being presented, or whose agenda is being furthered by it.

You can do this with the larger geopolitical issues at play, your state and local politics, and even the flood of oversharing by people online.

Learn to cut through the clutter and see the truth and you’ll be better informed and prepared.It’s a skill that spies use every day, and it’s vital for their survival when they’re on missions, and they have to be able to tell friend from foe, truth from lies.

///////////////////////////////

From Black Bag Condietnerial, a site bt former CUA Ageny Jason Hanson

//////////////////////////////

Please be aware that when you post the nonsense described on the social media sutes you are  ot helping no one but the Russians. 

 

 

 

Entry #832
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