CIXen Wendy Grossman has published a few more pieces on CIX recently, including a look at the issue of insecurities in our networks and data breaches on sites like eBay and Target, and a piece on the lifespan of software and our need to think of it as a forever product, not a short-term one. She has also put forward her views on the ruling that Google must take down links that a user does not want to be associated with, saying that search engines are not the only way to find information online and we should be teaching less lazy alternatives.
cix:Wendyg.public/articles:104
cix:Wendyg.public/articles:105
cix:Wendyg.public/articles:106

Another week, another security breach and this time True Crypt had CIXen worried. In true CIX style, this has turned into a debate on religion and politics, but you can still make up your mind on the NSA conspiracy theory at: cix:linux/10lounge:2238

In cash we trust: A CIXen was concerned this week that supermarkets could potentially link a credit card to a customer in order to track items in a weekly shop even if no loyalty card was given. Fear not – this is likely to be against the data protection act, where information cannot be held longer than is necessary. Though of course, you might miss out on the vouchers.
cix:enquire_within/84general:10563

Jokes:

Steven Gerrard reveals that England are preparing for World Cup penalty shootouts by practising shaking their heads while looking dejected

Here’s what has been going on in the CIX Forums this week:

5:2 Diet gets a revamp

The popular ‘fasting’ diet which involves fasting for 2 days a week and eating normally for the remaining 5, has had an update from Michael Mosley, the doctor behind the Horizon documentary. This version combines the original 5:2 diet with tighter eating and more exercise too. The fast beach 5:2 followers should clear out their cupboards of any junk food, make sure to control their portions by measuring food, and avoid alcohol for a six week period. Dr Mosley advises having healthy snacks to hand to avoid temptation and exercising a few times a week with high intensity training through swimming or running.
CIXforums:fasting/general:1476

Is there more to horseradish than sauce?

Gourmet cooks were at a loss to suggest much more than a homemade horseradish sauce for a chef presented with the ingredient, though a medieval horseradish sweet did make an appearance. Do you have an exotic horseradish recipe? Share with cixforums:gourmet/12general:4297

Book Club

Reviews are coming through for ‘Never Let Me Go’ by Kazuo Ishiguro and CIXen tells of its slow moving horror which will stick firmly in their mind. Add your review, or join in next month, with June’s book ‘The Man in the High Castle’ by Philip K Dick.
cixforums:sasha_lubetkin/book_club:5544

Online Oldies

Radio Somerset were looking at the latest government initiative to bring more of the older generation online, which prompted an eager CIXen to phone in and discuss Europe’s oldest social network. Could internet forums be the solution for isolation that many older people face?
Join the debate: cixforums:sasha_lubetkin/16chatterbox:4536

CIX Jokes of the Week:

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No..
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practising law.

It’s a good job we humans no longer have to hunt for our food. I don’t even know where crisps live.

Here’s a rundown of CIX this week:

As Net Neutrality issues popped up on both sides of the pond, CIXen discussed the various differences in the system we have in the UK and the one our American friends have in the States. Their system allows has created a near monopoly of the last-mile of internet services, meaning users can have prices hiked in order to receive premium, or even generic, services.
Our sister company ICUK has also blogged on this issue: http://goo.gl/LNSvER.

Debated on: cixforums:internet/16general:2393

Is misogyny on the rise? Following the BBC documentary by Kirsty Wark, CIXen debated whether misogyny is indeed comparatively more of a problem now. The rise of social media has certainly brought more to light than may have been known before and can give the appearance of a rise where there is not one. CIXen also considered whether cultural changes meant society had become used to something and therefore the next generation had to be even more shocking than the last in order to get a response.

Find this on: cixforums:sasha_lubetkin/3controversy:9382

Vintage footage was shared in pointers this week, including a live instant coffee advert from 1953 and a pre-war BBC television compilation. The compilation, from 1938, is considered the earliest example of pre-war live high definition television – though it may not match up to our HD standards!

More here: cixforums:pointers/5www:4160 and here: cixforums:pointers/5www:4159

CeX, the gadget trading store of a very similar name, announced it would accepting bitcoin for three days this month to highlight the pressing issues around Scottish independence and currency. The Glasgow store hopes to show that they could go without the pound and it wouldn’t be a hindrance to the country.

Keep the debate going: cixforums:bitcoin/general:398

Resident CIX tech journalist Wendy Grossman published her latest piece entitled ‘The Cost of Surveillance’ through CIX, and you can read it on: cixforums:wendyg.public/articles.103.

Our sister company ICUK scooped an award at the Croydon Business Awards this week! The team won Best Customer Service and were also Highly Commended for Commitment to the Community.
Read more on the ICUK blog: http://goo.gl/kiF8Qb

A few CIX jokes:

At breakfast….
A husband says to his wife, ‘What would you do if I won the Lotto?’

‘I’d take half, and leave you’, she says.

‘Great’, he says…. ‘Here’s six dollars….. I won twelve dollars
yesterday. Stay in touch.’

I got a letter from the Origami Association this morning.

I don’t know what to make of it.

CIX is proud to announce a brand new client for reading and posting to CIX through Windows – CIXReader. CIXReader is bursting with new features that help to keep you up to date with all your forums, so you never miss a post.

A Distant Memory

Thanks to the new CIXReader you can forget:

• Telnet: Now CIXReader connects through a secure HTTPS API meaning you can be rid of telnet and have messages downloaded quickly to maintain the CIX experience.
• Blinking: Messages are synchronised automatically, and posted instantly, reducing any OLR Lag problems.
• Broken Threads: The aim of CIX Reader is to simplify the messaging system, so even when you move machines, you’ll still be able to access the same messages and forums quickly.
• Confusing Menus: CIXReader features just four headings- Forums, Messages, Directory, Account – to help you navigate.

Improved Features

Thanks to the new CIXReader, you will now enjoy:

• Access to private messages: bringing the feature to the desktop world, you can now access messages between you and another user.
• Font Styling: retained from Ameol2 and across CIX
• Improved Layout/Multi-pane view: choose from two pane or three pane view, whichever you prefer. Both still support threading.
• Moderator features: Moderators can still withdraw posts and also post in read-only topics. New topics can be created in CIXForums web interface.
• Simple install: download, confirm, login and go!
• Starred messages: to return to a message for later, just star it, and you’ll be able to find it when you’re ready to reply.
• Auto-updates: never miss a bug fix or an update, as CIXReader will let you know when an update is available.

You can obtain the new CIXReader from: http://www.cixonline.com/cixreader.asp

Support for CIXReader can be found in cix:cix.support/cixreader

FAQs and help files can be found at http://www.cixonline.com/support.asp

Watch this space for more information about the Linux and Mac versions.

And our thanks go to Steve Palmer and the Beta testing team for their help on this development project.

Here’s what’s been going on in the CIX forums this week:

Tributes were paid to composer Antony Hopkins who died earlier this week, though there was acknowledgement of the confusion with the Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins, who is still alive. He will be fondly remembered by many CIXens who enjoyed his compositions on BBC radio, that brightened up a Sunday afternoon.

As seen on: cix:bbcradio/5general:5711

Fans of Eurovision can rescan their digital radios to enjoy a dedicated BBC station to the events over the weekend. It will feature interviews and anecdotes from Eurovision contests past and present.

As seen on: cix:bbcradio/digital:5257

The redundant French cuff was debated this week, as CIXens questioned its need in the age of buttoned shirts. Cufflinks were initially a feature of shirts to hold them equally below the jacket, but many CIXens agreed that they, along with other clothing items like ties, are rather unnecessary in this day and age.

As seen on: cix:sasha_lubetkin/6ask_aunty:5529

CIXen Jokes this week:

There was a time traveller who travelled back in time to try and prevent the accidental death of his wife.

He failed.

He was beside himself with grief at the funeral.

FIVE Simple Truths

1. Money cannot buy happiness, but it’s more comfortable to cry in a

Mercedes than on a bicycle.

2. Forgive your enemy, but remember the a-hole’s name.

3. If you help someone when they’re in trouble, they will remember

you when they’re in trouble again.

4. Many people are alive only because it’s illegal to kill them.

5. Alcohol does not solve any problems – but then neither does milk.

An Irishman who had a little too much to drink is driving home from the city one night and, of course, his car is weaving violently all over the road.

A cop pulls him over. “So,” says the cop to the driver, “where have ya been?”

” Why, I’ve been to the pub of course,” slurs the drunk.

” Well,” says the cop, “it looks like you’ve had quite a few to drink this evening.”

“I did all right,” the drunk says with a smile.

“Did you know,” says the cop, standing straight and folding his arms across his chest, “that a few intersections back, your wife fell out of your car?”

“Oh, thank heavens,” sighs the drunk.  “For a minute there, I thought I’d gone deaf.”

This Month’s Book Club read ‘The Jane Austen Book Club’ and it received mixed criticisms. It’s main plus point was how easy it is to read, but book club members were let down by the substance of the book, which saw very little happen.

The book for May is ‘Never Let Me Go’ by Kazuo Ishiguro.

As seen on: cix:sasha_lubetkin/book_club:5457

Will facebook bring down the government? Social media has been credited with the rise of revolutions in many countries in the last couple of years, but now Telegraph commentator Fraser Nelson is linking it with something much more sinister. Nelson writes that many terrorists can have their roots traced back to London, in a phenomenon that has led the CIA to dub London as ‘Londonistan’. But CIXens are far more rational, many more keen to play down waves of hysteria rather than encourage people to be scared.

As seen on: cix:pointers/2pointless:2908

The conflict in Syria and those Brits who go to fight was up for debate too this week as David Cameron has called on women of the Muslim community to stop their husbands and sons going to Syria.  Should British residents who choose to either send funds or go themselves be arrested and charged with terror offences? Where is the line drawn over crimes committed in another country and whether the offender can be prosecuted here?

As seen on: cix:enquire_within/61discussion:10106

Jokes of the Week:

Alcohol was my dad’s answer to everything. He didn’t drink. He was just lousy at quizzes.

A young man was in love with two women and could not decide which of them to marry. Finally he went to a marriage counsellor. When asked to describe his two loves, he noted that one was a great poet and the other made delicious pancakes.

“Oh” said the counsellor, “I see what the problem is. You can’t decide whether to marry for batter or verse.”

I invited my American mate to the opening of my WW2 themed pub.

He was late.

Here’s what’s been going on this week in CIX:

Under which name does a woman sign the marriage register? Assuming a bride is to take her husband’s surname, is she married as she signs the register, before or once she’s signed it? Advice from registrars indicates to sign in the maiden name, but an interesting example of two sisters married on the same day suggested sometimes signing in the married name was the done thing too.

As seen on: cix:gene/2general:4372

There’s been a media storm around the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s trip to Australia and New Zealand, but was the headline news of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall’s brother’s death worthy of so much coverage? Mark Shand, the conservationist and travel writer, was dubbed an ‘inspiration’ after his shock death for his charity work with The Elephant Family. However his death may not have warranted so much attention had his sister not been married to the Prince of Wales.

As seen on: cix:bbcradio/5general:5654

The Beeb’s latest costume drama caused grumblings across social media and CIX this week. Jamaica Inn, an adaptation of the Daphne Du Maurier novel of the same name, was broadcast with such poor sound quality that viewers had to turn the volume all the way up to understand anything actors were saying. The BBC initially apologised saying a technical fault had occurred during transmission that couldn’t be rectified but when a quarter of the audience gave up during the second episode, they admitted the actors may not have been speaking as clearly as possible.

As seen on: cix:sasha_lubetkin/16chatterbox:2904

Nigella Lawson may need to be called in as a special advisor for one CIXen’s problem. Travelling to the US to film her next series of The Taste, Nigella found herself thrown off the flight because of admitting to using drugs, in court last year. CIXen’s concerns that this could happen to a friend with a drugs record was given some relief – the US seem to grant offence waivers around 15 years after. We could be waiting a while for that second series then…

As seen on: cix:uncle_sam/2general:3814

Puzzling football rules were discussed in the football forum as the season winds down. If you can shed any light on why players have to wait on the sidelines to return to play after an injury, then join the debate on: cix:football/3chatter:5474.

Just one joke this week:

Paddy texts his wife:

“Mary, I’m just having one more pint with the lads,

If I’m not home in 20 minutes, read this message again”

Here’s what’s been going on this week in CIX:

Would Nigel Evans have been entitled to legal aid? Should his costs be reimbursed now that he’s been acquitted? What would have happened to a poorer man in his situation? CIXens debated the ins and outs of the Nigel Evans case and his sudden change in support for legal aid when he needed it most.

The debate continues on: cix:law/3crimial:349

New gTLDs have been launched this week to mixed reviews on CIX. Though some CIXens have already purchased a name or two, others aren’t convinced they’ll serve any real purpose. Speculation that many people google the address and never learn the domain name extension could make the new domains relatively pointless.

As seen on: cix:photo/12general:1391

Legal themes dominated many discussions over the week, as workers questioned whether their employer should have hired them without finances to pay them, and landlords questioned their right to keys. Help and advice with legal issues is always needed on CIX, where a workaround is the best solution for most!

As seen on: cix:landlords/general2:4159 and cix:enquire_within/9legal:1404

The Guardian are said to be setting up a newspaper which draws content using algorithms and social media. Is this the death of good journalism? Many felt that the recycled nature of journalism would only continue if the majority of stories were found by analysis of twitter trends and by rehashing the MailOnline’s content. And, of course, it’s harder to complain about the Guardianistas…

Reporting straight from: cix:enquire_within/61discussion:8796

Jokes of the week:

Apparently the US flag on the moon has been bleached white by the sun. so if aliens visit us they’ll assume the French landed there.

Why are there no aspirin in the jungle?

Because, there isn’t a sufficient customer base to support the infrastructure required to sell pharmaceuticals.

Here’s what been going on this week on CIX:

Twitter’s full power was realised as a user found herself with a better response from a supermarket’s customer service than from their email support. In recent years, big chains have invested hugely into advertising and customer service streams on twitter, keen to keep the public, accessible image of them positive. Other users cited their experience of instant results with twitter when email and phones failed them.

As seen in: cix:sasha_lubetkin/16chatterbox:2296

An older debate on 3D printing was reignited as a Kickstarter project to create a micro 3D printer that anyone could own at home launched. The Micro is designed to the be the simplest, consumer-facing 3D printer on the market, able to be used straight out of the box and reliable even after thousands of uses. It’s already surpassed its $50,000 goal, raising $2,224,209 with 26 days to go.

Catch up here: cix:electronics/31gen:3682.

Of course, there was plenty of debate on the Open SSL bug known as Heartbleed which will potentially affect many sites and users. The Telegraph was dubbed the most useful of all media sources on the issue, but any ICUK users who are worried can also check out our blog for more information. Readers may also enjoy the light relief offered by xkcd.

More on: cix:developer/3chatter:2192

Should newspapers print swear words or foul language? There was debate centred around a New York Times article which illustrated the different way newspapers had reported a call between a US assistant secretary of state with a Ukrainian ambassador in which she used a four letter word rhyming with ‘duck’. Whilst print outlets like the Guardian and Reuters printed the comment in full, others used asterisks to delete some letters and remove possible offence. Many CIXens agreed that the word itself shouldn’t get in the way of the story, which is far more important than whether some swore or not.

For more, read: cix:philology/5general:1411

Best jokes of the week:

Three days ago I got a pass-code lock that takes a picture whenever someone enters the wrong code to look in my phone.

So far I have 26 pictures of drunk me.

David Hasselhoff calls his agent and demands, “I want everyone to call me The Hoff from now on.” His agent replies “Sure! No hassle.”

Police are hunting the ‘knitting needle nutter’ who has stabbed 6 people.  They believe he could be following some kind of pattern.

The CIX Settings section of webmail.CIX is where you can control your CIX email. You can access your CIX Settings by clicking on the Settings button, then selecting the CIX tab. Quick access available from this link: https://webmail.cix.co.uk/CIX_Settings.

Changes in this version.

+ Added X-Envelope-To: header to the available rule headers.
+ Introduced Spam Settings section so subscribers can choose their own scores to mark messages as Spam.
+ Introduced deletion of messages if over your chosen score.
+ Added the ability to edit existing rules.
+ Updated help sections.
+ Rules may now be toggled on and off.
+ Minor bug fixes.