Author Archives: neal

Facebook Quizzes Aren’t Just for Fun

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Quizzes, quizzes, and more quizzes.  They are everywhere on Facebook.  You can’t scan your news feed and not find out if someone knows their 80’s hair band lyrics, if  they were raised in church, or if they know when they are going to die?

While most people find these quizzes fun, entertaining, and amusing, it turns out there they could be sharing a lot more of your Facebook profile information with the creators of the quiz than you might realize.

How much more? Almost everything in your profile: your religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, pictures, and groups.

Facebook quizzes also have access to most of the info on your friends‘ profiles. So if your friend takes a quiz, they could be giving away your personal information too.

Think I am being over cautious?  Take this quiz and find out.  The ACLU of Northern CA has created a quiz to show Facebook users how much of their information is being shared.  They state they have a privacy policy and strictly adhere to the policy.

Has this freaked you out enough that you don’t want to take this quiz or any other now?  Here is the questions, the answers, and additional information from this quiz. It is the only quiz I’ve ever taken on Facebook:

acluQUESTION 1: When you take a quiz on Facebook, what can the quiz see about you?

Answer: Almost everything on your profile, even if you use privacy settings to limit access.

QUESTION 2: What info about you can a quiz see when your friends take a quiz?

Answer: Almost everything on your profile, even if you use privacy settings to limit who can see that information.

QUESTION 3: There must be safeguards somewhere, right? My information is safe because:

Answer: None of the above – and that’s a problem.

QUESTION 4: OK, that sounds like a real problem. So what should I do?

Answer: Demand the right to control my information without sacrificing the right to use new technology.

Additional information (include from the quiz):
The only protection Facebook offers by default is its Terms of Service, which state that developers must collect only the information that they need and use it only in connection with Facebook.

But all it takes to be a developer is an email address, and so few of even the top developers have a privacy policy at all, it’s hard to believe that Terms of Service will hold them back if they want to collect information, and (as this quiz has shown) they can access a lot of it.

And once details about your personal life are collected by a quiz developer, who knows where they could end up or how they could be used. Shared? Sold? Turned over to the government?

What’s going on with these quizzes just isn’t right. It’s time for Facebook to upgrade its privacy controls so that you decide who gets to see your personal information.

That’s where you come in. As we’ve seen before, Facebook does respond when users protest. So we need to make some noise!

Don’t let Facebook’s default settings force you to silently pay with your privacy when you (or your friends!) use Facebook. Demand that Facebook upgrade its privacy controls to give you control of your personal info. Demand Your dotRights!

Feel free to share this with anyone and everyone you know.  If you are reading this on Facebook, it is also linked on my blog at: http://www.nealbreeding.com/blogs/?p=326

Caden’s New Ride

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Caden recently came into the position (thanks to Great Grandma) of a 24 volt John Deer Tractor (with a trailer, not shown). I can’t wait to put him to work (once he figures out how to drive it)!
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5 Minute Chocolate Cake, Part 1

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  • 1 BIG (16 oz) Coffee Mug — we use a Disney one (of course)
  • 4 Tbsp. Self Rising Flour
  • 4 Tbsp. Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. Baking Cocoa (We use the Hersey’s Dark Coco)
  • 1 Egg
  • 3 Tbsp. Milk
  • 3 Tbsp. Oil
  • 3 Tbsp. Chocolate Chips (we use the Ghirardelli Bittersweet)
  • Splash of Vanilla
  • Pinch of Salt

Directions:

  1. Add dry ingredients to a bowl and mix well.
  2. Add egg, mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil, mix well.
  3. Greased the cup, or better yet, use the spray stuff with flour in it
  4. Add vanilla and mix, pour into the mug.
  5. Drop the chocolate chips in to the batter (that is already in the mug).
  6. Cook in microwave for 3 minutes (for a 1000 watts microwave).  Allow to cool a little.
  7. Drop onto a plate and enjoy. Of course ice cream or whip cream goes really good with it.
  8. Strawberries and whip cream optional 🙂

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Part 2: I’m experimenting with a “healthier?” version of this recipe, I’ll post it later after a few more tries, ha!

New Louisiana Laws

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As of August 15, 2009 (through October 1, 2009), the Louisiana State Police will be stopping motorists and issuing warnings to violators to inform them of new changes to Louisiana highway safety laws.

Here are the new laws:

  1. ACT 236 —  Makes it a criminal offense for driving with a suspended driver’s license due to a previous conviction for driving while intoxicated, vehicular manslaughter or vehicular negligent injuring.  Under the new law, a violator can now be physically arrested for driving under suspension if the suspension is the result of a DWI , vehicular manslaughter or vehicular negligent injuring conviction. Violators could face a minimum of 15 days in jail, with a possible maximum sentence of six months. This law is currently being enforced.
  2. ACT 166 — Revises the current Seat Belt Law by requiring the driver and passengers seated in both the front and rear seats of vehicles to buckle-up. Violators are subject to fines of $25.00 for the first violation, $50.00 for a second violation, and $50.00 plus court cost for subsequent violations. The Louisiana Seat Belt Law is a primary offense law, meaning a law enforcement officer can stop and ticket a violator for that violation alone.

  3. ACT 190 — Requires that any person operating a motor vehicle on a multi lane roadway in Louisiana must travel in the right lane and shall not drive in the left lane. If the motorist must travel in the left lane, it shall not be at a speed less than that of a vehicle traveling in the right lane. This is with the exception of vehicles preparing for a left turn at an intersection or private road or driveway, when passing another vehicle traveling the same direction, when the right lanes are congested, or when directed otherwise by law enforcement.
  4. ACT 288 (Effective September 1, 2009)  — This revision increases the driver’s license suspension period for violators who refuse to submit to a chemical test when arrested for DWI. Under the revision, a person refusing to submit to a chemical test when arrested for DWI would now face a driver’s license suspension period of one year for the first refusal and two years for a second refusal within a five year period.
  5. ACT 147 — Requires operators of a motor vehicle, when overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on the roadway, shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet and maintain that clearance until they safely past the bicycle.
  6. ACT 175 — Revises and strengthens the current vehicle window tint laws, which currently exempts those with certain medical conditions from being required to have legal window tint on their vehicles. Under the new law, applicants for the exemption will need to have their physician provide a sworn affidavit to law enforcement outlining the specific medical condition and their necessity for darker than legal window tint. Only certain medical conditions designated by the World Health Organization will be recognized as valid reasons for exemption.

Troopers will be issuing warnings only for Acts 166, 147 and 190 through October 1, 2009. All other new legislation will be fully enforced on their effective dates.

Frosty Cappuccino (part 2)

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coffeeThe joys of living in a small town.  I sent the Frosty Cappuccino recipe to my friend Sarah Bell because I know she loves coffee and with 2 kids, well 3 counting Donnie, I’m sure she needs as much caffeine as she can get!

She e-mailed me back and said that she couldn’t find the Espresso Instant powder anywhere in town.  I have no idea where Jennifer and I purchased it from, but we used the last bit of it on Monday night!

Where else to look but the Wal-mart of the Internet (which calling it Wal-mart is almost an insult, it is so much better than Wal-mart). Of course I’m talking about Amazon.

Sure enough, the not only have it, but have the exact brand that we’ve been using.  I do have to buy a 6 pack of it but I will be drinking the Frosty Cappuccino’s for a while now!

Enjoy!