Free Craigslist Automatic Listing Renew

How to automatically renew your craigslist listings? This program will do it for you. It is an easy to use commandline Python program. Simply run it and it will renew your listings.

https://github.com/Sepero/CraigsRenewer

It currently does not support renewing on a regular cycle or automated schedule. I intend to implement this ability next release. Any help on developing this software is welcome and appreciated.

How to get rid of Google Plus on your Youtube acount

The answer is simple. Just use an "unacceptable" name on your Google Plus account. Currently, if you use a name with numbers in it, you will see a page like below. Since the automated system won't permit your name, then Google can't force you to participate in Gplus. Cheers

How to Stop the NSA from getting your IPhone Finger Prints

In light of the leaked NSA documents (and slideshows) of 2013, it appears that Apple device users are a primary target of the NSA. If you would rather not have the NSA snooping on your fingerprints, then this post is for you.

The new IPhone 5s series has finger print reading technology built into them. To unlock your phone, press your finger on the home button, and it will scan your finger, then unlock your phone.

If your response is, "But I don't use the finger print lock", then continue reading to know why you're still susceptible.

Some people will say that Apple put a finger print scanner in the phone specifically because Apple wants to help the NSA to spy on you. Personally, I dislike Apple as a company, but I wouldn't go that far. I don't honestly think Apple has a "we must help the NSA" agenda. I tend to view the government as more of a bully to companies, rather than an ally.

In any case, we do know that Apple (among many companies) is giving the NSA a backdoor to customer information. Is Apple keeping a database of finger prints? Well probably not (yet). If we assume no, then for most people reading this, it may not be too late to protect yourself.

For those who don't use finger print lock, don't be so quick to think you're in the clear. It would be trivial for the NSA have Apple install a backdoor in your phone to scan your print without any scanning notification. A Silent Scan. The backdoor process would silently scan your finger when you simply pressed it for viewing the home screen. Is it unlikely? Maybe. Is it possible? Definitely.


If you've already saved your finger print into your phone, then erasing it is not good enough. You need to change it. Give it bogus information. Figure out a way to set it to something else. Here are some options that might work.

1. Replace it with your dogs/cats paw print.
2. Replace it with a scan of the ball or heel of your foot.
3. Borrow a random stranger for a few minutes and save in their pinky finger print.

After that, obviously you need to disable the finger print lock.

Still this doesn't protect you from a possible Silent Scan, and it could happen to you or anyone who uses your phone. You can protect yourself from a Silent Scan relatively easily. Here are two simple ideas.

1. Put a sticker or masking tape over the finger print scanner.
2. Use your finger knuckle to press the home button.

Congratulations on making your device a little more secure. Obviously this only plugs a single hole in Apple device security, but every step counts. Readers may also be interested in learning about the vastly more secure mobile device operating  system Cyanogemod. Due to it's open source software, it is currently one of the most secure smartphone operating systems available. (Note- Cyanogenmod is only available for installation on Android devices.)


Comment or email your feedback to sepero 111 @ gmx . com

HowTo Get a New Gmail Google account without a Phone Number - Tutorial Guide

To get a Gmail account with no phone or cell phone number, all you need is an email invite from someone who already has a Gmail account.

Here are the steps:

1. Go into the gmail account and open up messaging on the left side.

2. Type in the email address to send the invitation to, then click "Invite to chat".
   

An invitation will be sent to the email address.

When the invitation is received, click on the link in the email. Fill out the information form (name, username, password, etc). On the next page it will ask to "Accept" the invitation from the original Gmail account. Click Yes Accept the Invitation.


Comment or leave feedback sepero 111 @ gmx . com

Django Settings.py: Safer Variable Imports

In Django, global module variables are saved in the settings.py file. These variables are commonly brought into local modules like the code below. Have a brief look-

from django.conf import settings

SECRET_KEY = getattr(settings, 'SECRET_KEY', '')
TEMPLATE_DEBUG = getattr(settings, 'TEMPLATE_DEBUG', False)
MAX_CONTENT_LENGTH = getattr(settings, 'MAX_CONTENT_LEN', 5000)
DATETIME_FORMAT = getattr(settings, 'DATETIME_FORMAT', 'Y-m-d H:i T')
FORM_MIN_SUBMIT_TIME = getattr(settings, 'FORM_MIN_SUBMIT_TIME', 6)
FORM_MAX_SUBMIT_TIME = getattr(settings, 'FORM_MIN_SUBMIT_TIME', 60 * 60 * 24 * 7)

Now let me ask, did you notice the typo? Most people won't, so congratulations on you if you did. There are actually 2 typos. The typos are on the variables-
MAX_CONTENT_LENGTH and FORM_MAX_SUBMIT_TIME






Why did this happen? Why is it difficult to detect?

Firstly why this happens is because we have an excessive amount of repetitive code typing. This is just a fact of number probabilities- The less a person has to type, the less likely they are to make a typo. As a person is required to type more, the odds of a typo goes up.

Secondly why this happens is because it happens silently without ever producing any warning or alert. It would be prudent to have at least a log of when a variable is not supplied from django settings.

To solve this, I use the following simple function to care of both of these problems for me.

def load_attrs(attr_dict):
    """Adds attributes to the previous namespace from settings."""
    previous_namespace = sys._current_frames().values()[-1].f_back.f_globals
    for attr, default in attr_dict.iteritems():
        try:
            previous_namespace[attr] = getattr(settings, attr)
        except AttributError:
            previous_namespace[attr] = default
            if DEBUG:
                logging.debug("Failed to load settings."+ attr)

I expect you should generally be able to read this code, except perhaps line 3. Line 3 gets the global namespace of where ever this function was called from. It adds the attributes to that namespace.

Here is an example of importing the function and using it in a module. Compare this to the code at the top of the page-

from django.conf import settings
from apps.lib.lib import load_attrs

load_attrs({
        'SECRET_KEY': '',
        'TEMPLATE_DEBUG': False,
        'MAX_CONTENT_LENGTH': 5000,
        'DATETIME_FORMAT': 'Y-m-d H:i T',
        'FORM_MIN_SUBMIT_TIME': 6,
        'FORM_MAX_SUBMIT_TIME': 60 * 60 * 24 * 7,
})

Much less typing, much less room for error, and IMHO much cleaner looking code. Hopefully somebody will suggest a function like this to be included in a future version of Django.



Comment or leave feedback sepero 111 @ gmx . com

django settings module variables