Hackers Crack Into Texas Road Sign, Warn of Zombies Ahead

Fox News ^ | 1/28/2008 | Joshua Rhett Miller

[Domandred]

Transportation officials in Texas are scrambling to prevent hackers from changing messages on digital road signs after one sign in Austin was altered to read, "Zombies Ahead."

Chris Lippincott, director of media relations for the Texas Department of Transportation, confirmed that a portable traffic sign at Lamar Boulevard and West 15th Street, near the University of Texas at Austin, was hacked into during the early hours of Jan. 19.

"It was clever, kind of cute, but not what it was intended for," said Lippincott, who saw the sign during his morning commute. "Those signs are deployed for a reason — to improve traffic conditions, let folks know there's a road closure."

"It's sort of amusing, but not at all helpful," he told FOXNews.com.

[Monkey Face]

Stainless works!
I’ve been hoarding my stainless because I want the hollow-handle knives, but I also want the seafood forks and the iced tea spoons, along with the serving pieces. Now that there isn’t much in the way of lay-away any more, I’m finding it harder and harder to get nice things.

Maybe I should have looked at Macy’s...*sigh* OK (she says) Next year!

[ThomasThomas]

Tax Chicks knows all about things like words. I know the difference between Etymology and entomological. It really bugged me to forget these words.

[Monkey Face]

Well kids, I’m sorry, but I have to hit the bed.
Y’all be good now, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow!

[Tax-chick]

Without the “h,” it would be a soft-g, spajetti.

[abigailsmybaby]

I don’t like ‘em either but told hubby I wanted to stay and fight. I’m probably being a fool.

YOU WERE BORN IN WINNEMUCCA?!?!?!?!

[abigailsmybaby]

My kids always called it sketti. Come to think of it, they still do...and they’re both in their 30s.

[abigailsmybaby]

I’m going to have to visit dictionary.com now.

[Not A Snowbird]

The sad thing is that the liberal voting public have no idea what is waiting for them all, for their desire for “change.” But don’t get me started.

Bumper sticker material:

HOPE and CHANGE? More like BAIT and SWITCH!

[sionnsar]

I’m going to have to visit dictionary.com now.

Does dikshunery.com automatically forward? I was sad to see an e-mail from on office assistant at work using the non-word "templet" -- took me a minute to figure out "template." It appears that I will have to learn all sorts of fonetix now because the schools quite teaching spelling. *\8^(

[sionnsar]

Good night, 'Face!

Good news is the phone is still not a brick, AND it has updated software. Bad news is that it still screeches -- once when I place a call and thrice when the other party hangs up first. Hardware failure of the annoying kind.

[ThomasThomas]

Maybe a bluetooth device would stop the screech if it is a hardware failure.

[sionnsar]

At first I agreed... but the phone is on vibrate. The speaker isn't even supposed to be engaged at all. I rarely use the bluetooth headset though -- it's a low-end device and the phone doesn't respond to voice commands when I'm in motion in my noisy car. I don't like the "Borg implant" and I rarely get calls when I'm in the car...

Unlike my Sales colleagues I spent time with this week. Yeesh! They're FOREVER on the phone, it would drive me crazy.

[abigailsmybaby]

I get emails from stores, news sources, politicians and it’s not unusual for there to be misspelled words in them. Even editors can’t spell!

[abigailsmybaby]

I just had another thought....do they teach sentence diagramming in English class these days?

[sionnsar]

I get emails from stores, news sources, politicians and it’s not unusual for there to be misspelled words in them. Even editors can’t spell!

Sadly, I have to agree. Although I might be the last to defend conventional English spelling and punctuation on the grounds of rational organization it works well enough when most folks have a decent grasp of it. And maybe even our American departure from the English system could be defended, though the latter worked well enough and the former was at least organized (I think -- I'm not that much a student of history). But I see no good end to what looks like complete anarchy today.

OTOH... *;-)

[stand watie]

HI, Face!!!

HAPPY Valentine's Day to you & yours.

free dixie SMOOCH,sw

[NicknamedBob]

"But I see no good end to what looks like complete anarchy today."

I take the time to write words out instead of abbreviate them, and to attempt to have the correct spellings as much as possible because I want my messages to be completely understandable.

Especially when I'm attempting to insult someone. (As Harry Truman said, "No, I didn't call him an S.O.B. ... I used the words.")

[abigailsmybaby]

Text messaging is leading many in the direction of using that “shorthand” elsewhere. I see that in emails and even handwritten notes.

Hell, my daughter-in-law even says O-M-G instead of “oh my gawd”.

[abigailsmybaby]

I agree with you there. There are times when posts need to be understood. Loud and clear.

[Grizzled Bear]

Thank you both, it’s great to join “The Undead.”