Why? Because they’d be sued into oblivion for making dangerous, lousy products, that’s why.

There’s yet another Windows vulnerability. This one is seriously dangerous and can infect your system with nasties if you just *view* an image on a website. There’s an unofficial patch made by highly reliable people. You should consider installing it (then deinstall it before installing the Microsoft patch.)

This is a Windows flaw. ANY browser in Windows is vulnerable.

The security vulnerability exposes users of any Windows-based browser, including Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera.

How bad is it?

At first, the vulnerability was exploited by just a few dozen Web sites. Programming code embedded in these pages would install a program that warned victims their machines were infested with spyware, then prompted them to pay $40 to remove the supposed pests.

Since then, however, hundreds of sites have begun using the flaw to install a broad range of malicious software. SANS has received several reports of attackers blasting out spam e-mails containing links that lead to malicious sites exploiting the new flaw, Ullrich said. 

WaPo explains more. 

Here’s the unofficial patch, written and recommended by security experts who have released it now in hopes of preventing serious mayhem.

Update: The above site is down, hammered by millions of hits. You can find the patch mirrored at Sunbelt and CastleCops

If you install the unofficial patch then turn automatic updates off by Control Panel/Automatic Updates, click "download updates for me let me choose when to install them." Then you will know when to deinstall the unofficial patch before installiing the Microsoft patch.

I am so tired of this garbage. Maybe it’s time to get an Apple. Or start a class-action suit against Microsoft for the lost hours and money this ‘flaw’ will cost consumers.

Update: From the same people who created the unofficial patch, Test if your system is vulnerable (4k download)

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Blair Watch continues their uncovering the US/British complicity with torture in Uzbekistan with some background info including a memo from then-CEO of Enron Ken Lay to George Bush detailing how Enron is setting up a 2 billion dollar deal there. Hey, as long as the OilCos get more business, then who cares if the host government tortures people with beatings, ripping their fingernails out, and dunking them in boiling water (graphic photos) . Dubya, Rumsfeld, and Lay sure don’t. Y’see it’s not just that the US/Britain turned a blind eye to torture. It’s way worse than that. They were *sending* victims to Uzbekistan to be tortured.

This information comes from a highly reliable source, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray. He protested about the torture by memo, and was then slimed by the government for his efforts. He did an interview with the BBC. He’s the one who orginally released the memos even though this may put him in legal jeopardy. His blog is back online, and yes, it was sabotage.

A.P is running the story, and when they pick up a story, it goes everywhere.

A former British ambassador has published government documents he says prove that Britain knowingly received intelligence extracted under torture from prisoners in Uzbekistan.

This story was broken by bloggers, specifically by Blair Watch. Now it’s worldwide!

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We’re back in L.A. after ten days in Maui.

2006 looks to be turbulent indeed.

The Polizeros Prediction: Dubya will not be in office by Jan 2007. The spying and torture disclosures, the losing wars, the rampant corruption, etc. will force him from office.

It’s 1:25 am, more after I get some sleep! 

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A 19-year-old PETA staffer has legally changed his name to KentuckyFriedCruelty.com.

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