Apple iOS 15 Messages Bug Causes Saved Photos to Be Deleted

A serious bug in the iOS 15 Messages app can cause some saved photos to be deleted, according to multiple complaints we've heard from MacRumors readers and Twitter users.

If you save a photo from a Messages thread and then go on to delete that thread, the next time an iCloud Backup is performed, the photo will disappear.

Even though the image is saved to your personal iCloud Photo Library, it appears to still be linked to the Messages app in ‌iOS 15‌, and saving it does not persist through the deletion of the thread and an ‌iCloud‌ backup.

www.macrumors.com

Assume Nothing: a podcast detailing the TalkTalk hack in 2015

October 2015 - TalkTalk: One of the UK’s most high profile cyber-attacks. The attack saw the personal details of 156,959 customers accessed, including the bank account number and sort code of 15,656 customers.

For a couple of weeks in 2015, Dido Harding was a regular fixture on UK news reports as she attempted to answer technical questions about the “sequential attack” against TalkTalk, and struggled to clarify what customer data had been exposed, and whether it had been encrypted or not.

Some think it’s the work of cyber jihadis, but the truth is much closer to home. This is the story of how teenage clicks crippled a communications giant. 

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds

In RansomWare news: crooks complain that crooks are acting like... crooks!

Security intelligence vendor Flashpoint claims to have found forum comments from customers of the REvil ransomware-as-a-service gang, and they’re not happy. The gang's malware may contain backdoors that REvil uses to restore encrypted files itself.

REvil's modus operandi is to rent its malware to other evildoers, in return for a hefty cut of any ransoms paid by victims.

Flashpoint writes that the "Exploit" forum has recently featured posts from a threat actor complaining about the backdoor, and the fact its presence meant that REvil could let its customers do all the hard work of arranging an infection, then subvert communications with victims and keep the entire ransom for itself.

Other chat in the forum, Flashpoint asserts, includes complaints about REvil's behaviour, and the futility of attempting to negotiate with the gang.

www.theregister.com

GB number plate sticker no longer valid abroad!

British motorists driving outside the UK must now remove old-style GB stickers or cover them up. Instead they should display a UK sticker or have the UK identifier on their number plate.

The UK government guidance has been in place since Tuesday 28 September.

"It might only be a matter of replacing two letters, but this is a significant change for drivers who in normal times take their cars outside the UK," said RAC spokesman Rod Dennis.

The new rules state that any driver with a GB sticker on their car now needs to replace it with a new UK one if they are taking their vehicle abroad.

"Drivers also need to remember that number plates featuring the blue band and letters 'GB' next to the European golden stars are also no longer valid," Mr Dennis warned.

Penalties for not complying with the new rules are likely to vary.

Halfords warned that drivers who failed to display their UK badges could be refused entry to some countries.

www.bbc.co.uk

IAM RoadSmart Solent - SolentSunday 3rd October 2021, 0900 - 1200hr. Come & meet us!

SolentSunday is more than just an open day for motorcyclists to come along for a ride assessment, it's also a major social event in our calendar and your opportunity, as a Group Member, to come along and meet your fellow Members.

Induction sessions are offered to new Members and Associates who have recently joined the Group.

If you'd like to discover how IAM RoadSmart and IAM RoadSmart Solent are linked, how the training sessions are run or perhaps learn more about the thriving social side of the Group … in fact, everything that is on offer over and above improving your riding skills.

The induction sessions will set out to answer these questions, and to encourage you, as a new Member or new Associate, to play an active part in your Group. These are open sessions, run in a relaxed, informal manner which encourages questions and discussion along the lines of ‘What have I bought?’ … ‘How will training be delivered?’ … ‘What else does IAM RoadSmart Solent have to offer me?'

Refreshments: If you've missed breakfast, or it's going to be a while before lunch, our dedicated catering team can offer tea, coffee and a selection of breakfast rolls; choose from selection of bacon, sausage or egg or have all three!

Activities for Members: Would you like a fresh perspective on your riding? Members and Associates can request an Observed Ride, which will give you another view on your current level of riding skill.  Obviously, we have to prioritise prospective new Members and these assessments for existing Members and Associates are subject to Observer availability. Please note that a contribution towards the Observer's running costs is requested.

You can find us at:

Wickham Community Centre
Mill Lane
Wickham
Fareham 
Hampshire
PO17 5AL

www.iamroadsmartsolent.org.uk

Is your dog trying to tell you something? Fill in the national dog survey by Dogs Trust. Woof!

The Dogs Trust is calling on all dog owners to take 10 minutes to let us know how their dog has been coping since the pandemic began. Your answers will help us ensure we’re doing all we can to help the nation’s pooches get back on their paws. Ready to start?

The pandemic has changed everything for all of us – including our dogs. Our dogs are so used to being at home with us that even going back to work could have a damaging impact on them. Grab a cuppa and join countless others in taking 10 minutes to fill out the National Dog Survey to help keep our precious pooches happy.

The National Dog Survey is a moment for all owners to unite for the happiness of their dogs. As our dogs begin to adjust to the new normal, we’re here to help. That’s why we need you to be your dog’s voice and tell us what they need.

It only takes 10 minutes, and there are no wrong answers because it’s all about you and your dog.  

We’ll get back to you with the results of the survey, with some tips to help your dog adjust to the new normal.

We’re calling on all dog owners to get involved. So next time you’re on your walkies, tell everyone about the National Dog Survey. 

Dogs Trust (formerly the NCDL) is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity and cares for over 15,000 dogs each year through a network of 20 rehoming centres in the UK. We have been involved in every piece of legislation affecting dogs over the past 126 years.

www.nationaldogsurvey.org.uk

China declares all crypto-currency transactions illegal. Now for the rest or the world!

 

China's central bank has announced that all transactions of crypto-currencies are illegal, effectively banning digital tokens such as Bitcoin.

"Virtual currency-related business activities are illegal financial activities," the People's Bank of China said, warning it "seriously endangers the safety of people's assets".

China is one of the world's largest crypto-currency markets. Fluctuations there often impact the global price of crypto-currencies. 

The price of Bitcoin fell by more than $2,000 (£1,460) in the wake of the Chinese announcement.

It is the latest in China's national crackdown on what it sees as a volatile, speculative investment at best - and a way to launder money at worst.

www.bbc.co.uk

Don rides: The Harley-Davidson Pan America RA1250S

Yesterday (23 Sept 2021) I had the pleasure of taking the Harley-Davidson Pan America for a good spin! Steve & Paul at LIND Guildford Harley-Davidson were fine hosts at their dealership - friendly, professional & knowledgeable.

Background: Kim & I miss the ability to tour, as we used to do on Holly my previous bike - a Honda Crosstourer VFR1200X. Now Ariel my Honda CB1000R+ is a truly brilliant bike (God willing gonna keep this bike forever!) but far from ideal for two up touring. Add a topbox & panniers & it would ruin what the CB does fantastically. So the solution is another bike. As Jeff says: the equation to calculate the ideal number of bikes is n+1 ;0).

The Pan America is designed to take a tasty slice of BMW's GS pie. It's a very attractive pie too: the GS is one of the best selling bikes in the UK, and the adventure bike market is probably the biggest sector in motorcycling. At my bike club IAM RoadSmart Solent the car park teems with GSs! So HD, known to the world as a purveyor of American cruisers, has developed their first adventure bike: the Harley-Davidson Pan America. "What's it like then?", I hear you ask. Read on...

The Pan America is a big bike, and makes Ariel look like a 125! The "S" (stands for Special) model that I rode has lashings of goodness as standard, but Guildford's demo model had been further upgraded with Adaptive Ride Height rear suspension, Spoked wheels, extra lighting, Topbox, etc. 

I spent about 45 minutes riding through leafy Surrey including Godalming, Busbridge, Hascombe, Loxhill, Dunsfold, etc - and got a good feel for the bike. The Revolution Max 1250 V-Twin engine is a brand new design delivering a claimed 150bhp, and has loads of low down grunt. The Adaptive Ride Height feature (lowers the bike by ~30mm when you come to a stop) works well, but is so subtle I only caught it doing it's thing once - clever! The fact the bike rises when you move off gives a great view of the road & surroundings. The windscreen is easy to adjust while on the go - with only one hand. Fantastic road grip giving a confident ride with compliant suspension & a super comfy seat. Good brakes by Brembo, not as powerful stopping as I'd imagined - but it is a big bike! A light, easy pull to the clutch lever with a smooth gearbox - although I did get a couple of false neutrals. This bike had a Screamin' Eagle performance exhaust fitted - which I thought was a touch loud (when cracking on) for my liking. That said, the bike made a fab sound on over-run: plenty of pops & bangs :0) ! The bike has self cancelling indicators, which weren't 100% self cancelling, and the indicator switch was in an awkward position - which made it tricky (not easy) do activate the turn signals. Like most things - I guess you'd get used to that. Harley is known for a very high quality build (which this bike certainly had) with great residuals (unknown - brand new model only launched this year).

So this bike was the "S" model. Spoked wheels (cast as standard) & Adaptive Ride Height are must haves. So would a luggage kit (topbox, panniers, mounts). Ball park £18.5k. Here are my pictures of the bike. It's a cracker & perhaps is a viable alternative to the Honda Africa Twin. Decisions, decisions...

www.lind.co.uk

Energy price crisis: you’re in safe hands with Utility Warehouse

20 September 2021 - We understand why recent media coverage of the UK energy market has many people worried. But we’d like to reassure all our customers that we’re continuing to operate as normal and are protected from the pricing volatility many other providers are currently experiencing.

It’s been well-documented that wholesale energy prices - the cost suppliers pay to buy energy - have risen to record levels in recent weeks. This has been compounded by Ofgem’s price cap - the upper limit at which suppliers can charge their customers for energy - which has meant a number of UK suppliers are no longer able to operate sustainably. In fact, some have stopped trading altogether.

However, UW is well-positioned to weather this storm and this means that as a UW customer, your service will continue. We can say this with real confidence for three key reasons: 

Firstly, the structure of our wholesale energy agreement means that the cost of the energy we buy is protected against pricing volatility, both today and in the future.

Secondly, we’re more than just an energy provider. We have a unique multiservice offer that also spans broadband, mobile and insurance. This generates a number of different revenue streams and means we’re not solely reliant on energy.

And finally, we’ve always taken a long-term approach to pricing while still offering competitive tariffs to all our customers. We’ve spent the last 25 years building a stable and sustainable business, and we plan to be around for many years to come.

You’re in good hands with UW.

www.uw.co.uk

Mad-looking British speed machine hits the track in high-speed testing

The outlandish Brit bike that’s targeting the speed record for electric motorcycles has hit the track as it undergoes initial test runs in the UK.

White Motorcycle Concepts unveiled the WMC250EV back in June, bringing a host of new ideas to the table centred around a vast aerodynamic duct that slashes the bike’s frontal area and drag coefficient without resorting to the sort of low-slung, extended-wheelbase semi-streamliner setup which is more common on record-setters.

That means it’s an idea which could be transferred to road bikes, since the seat height and fairing silhouette could allow for a conventional riding position.

www.motorcyclenews.com

Introducing everyone to the Lord Jesus Christ: GOOD NEWS For Everyone!

 

GOOD NEWS For Everyone! serves to introduce others to the Lord Jesus Christ by the placing, presenting and/or distributing Scriptures in many different areas of life, most often Testaments, which include the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs, but also copies of the full Bible. 

The Bible is a book all about God’s relationship with us. It offers us an opportunity to meet with Him and get the direction we need to live life to the full. The Bible has provided hope and inspiration for generations and continues to be a worldwide best seller, with sales outstripping any other book ever published.

The Bible is actually a collection of 66 different books and letters, written over a period of some 1,500 years up to about 100 years after Christ's death and resurrection. It is divided into the Old Testament (the first 39 books) and the New Testament (the last 27 books). The word 'testament' means covenant or agreement, so the Bible shows how God’s old agreement, based on the ‘covenant of law,’ is superseded by a new ‘covenant of grace' - as shown in The New Testament.

www.goodnewsuk.com

Sir Clive Sinclair: British home computer trailblazer dies aged 81. RIP Clive ❤

Sir Clive Sinclair died on Thursday at home in London after a long illness, his family said today. He was 81.

The British entrepreneur is perhaps best known for launching the ZX range of cheap microcomputers, which helped bring computing, games, and programming into UK homes in the 1980s, at least.

This included the ZX80, said to be the UK's first mass-market home computer for under £100, the ZX81, and the trusty ZX Spectrum. And then there was the Sinclair QL, which was Sir Clive's big shot at business.

A whole generation grew up in Britain mastering coding on these kinds of systems in their bedrooms, and went on to build games and applications we use today.

www.theregister.com

Free REvil ransomware master decrypter released for past victims

A free master decryptor for the REvil ransomware operation has been released, allowing all victims encrypted before the gang disappeared to recover their files for free.

The REvil master decryptor was created by cybersecurity firm Bitdefender in collaboration with a trusted law enforcement partner.

While Bitdefender could not share details about how they obtained the master decryption key or the law enforcement agency involved, they told BleepingComputer that it works for all REvil victims encrypted before July 13th.

www.bleepingcomputer.com

Microsoft accounts can now go fully passwordless

 

Microsoft now lets you remove passwords from Microsoft accounts to embrace a passwordless future. Starting today, the software giant will let consumers sign into Microsoft accounts with its Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a security key, or an SMS / email verification code instead of a password.

The new option arrives just months after Microsoft started rolling out passwordless authentication for commercial users in March to help people adjust to the realities of remote work. “When I think of security, I think you’ve got to protect your whole life,” says Vasu Jakkal, corporate vice president of Microsoft security, compliance & identity, in an interview with The Verge. “It’s no longer enough just to think about work or home and anything in between.”

www.theverge.com

Upcoming changes to the Highway Code - need to know!

Pedestrians and cyclists are due to be placed at the top of a re-ordered pecking order, as a new Highway Code hierarchy rule is on the cards.

If approved in Parliament once MPs return from their summer holidays, the new rule will look at protecting the most vulnerable road users by giving them the most right of way, with the new hierarchy reflecting how much potential danger a motorist will pose to other road users – placing the heaviest vehicles at the bottom with the most responsibility.

On the change, a statement from the Department for Transport reads: ‘Car drivers will be responsible for ensuring cyclists are safe, while cyclists will be responsible for looking out for pedestrians,’ adding that this ‘does not remove the need for all road users to behave responsibly.’

www.morebikes.co.uk

Apple iPhone risk from powerful motorbike vibrations

iPhone owners should beware picking up bad vibrations from powerful motorbikes, as they may damage camera systems, Apple has said.

The technology giant published a warning iPhones should not be attached to powerful bikes, in a support document spotted by MacRumors.

Engine vibrations can harm phones' optical-image stabilisation or closed-loop autofocus systems, it says.

Owners of scooters and mopeds should also use "vibration-dampening mounts".

On social media, several users have said their phones have been damaged after being attached to a motorcycle.

And Apple says several models of iPhone are susceptible to the damage.

Lucky I use an Android phone then LOL! ;0)

www.bbc.co.uk

Really looking forward to this movie - one of my favourite SF tales! Dune - Official Main Trailer

Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049”) directs Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ “Dune,” the big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal bestseller of the same name. In cinemas 21st October 2021.

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, “Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential - only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

www.warnerbros.co.uk

Majestic rolls out UK’s first cork recycling initiative

 

UK specialist wine retailer Majestic is launching a cork recycling scheme across its store estate – which it claims is a first for the UK – as well as its own Wine Club. 

The retailer is working with the Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR) in a bid to recycle over 1 million corks per year, which it says amounts to more than 309 tonnes of CO2. The retailer is placing collection hubs in each of its store and will encourage customers to return natural corks, in order that these can be recycled. The corks are being trialled by the Eden Project in Cornwall,  who will use them as a mulch for its Mediterranean plants.

www.thedrinksbusiness.com

Donline sponsors the 23rd Wickham Charity Beer Festival Saturday 9th October 2021

After a break in the program last year due to COVID(!) - the Wickham Charity Beer Festival is back on again this year! Click here to download the flyer with full details for this brilliant event. Hope to see you there - Cheers!

Hi everyone. I have left my following message generally as written for the April 2020 Festival. It has been a long time coming but we are back and we hope to continue as before.

A quick thanks to all of you who attended our last Charity Beer Festival (it seems so long ago now) and to our Sponsors and Suppliers. Also a big thank you for your generosity at the event investing your hard earned cash in the raffles; altogether the Beer Festival has been able to give in excess of £5,000 to charity from the last event. This means that since we started, back in 2008, we have, with your help, raised over £135,000 for both local and national charities. This excludes the additional income for charity made by the Wickham Community Centre and by Meon Valley Lions. 

Our next event is early October and, as normal, is a one-day event on Saturday 9th October starting with the morning session from 11:00 to 16:00 followed by the evening session from 18:00 to 23:00; we look forward to seeing you all there. Mike, Gary and the Wickham Beer Festival Team

www.wickhambeerfestival.co.uk

Don & Kim ride out to Bury Hill, Arundel

 

The good folks at Honda Motorcycles UK had a brainwave & sponsored several photoshoots with BikerPics - up & down the land (see below for details). Kim & I had a great ride out to Bury Hill, Arundel on Monday 30th Aug 2021 - for our local site. We stayed off the A27 dual carriageway for as much of the journey as possible but joined it around Chichester. Kim even had her first experience of filtering on her Grom - and really enjoyed it! Here are the photos - not only are they fab, but they were also FREE!

This Bank Holiday weekend, Honda Motorcycles and BikerPics are giving you a chance to get a picture of you on your Honda Motorcycle for free!

The locations, dates and times are as follows:

Saturday 28th

9am – 3pm A537 Cat and fiddle (Macclesfield)

9am – 4pm A686 Hartside Pass (Penrith)

2pm – 5pm A702 Dalveen Pass (Durisdeer Mill)

Sunday 29th

9am – 3pm A44 Worcester

9am – 4pm B6255 Hawes (Yorkshire Dales)

10am – 3pm A82 Tyndrum North

10am – 2pm B184 Fyfield, (Great Easton, Essex)

10am – 4pm A470 Brecon Beacons

Monday 30th

9am – 3pm A452 Horseshoe Pass (Llangollen)

9am – 4pm Snake Pass (Glossop)

10am – 2pm Bury Hill (Arundel)

10am – 4pm A470 Brecon Beacons

Please share and tag your Honda riding friends, so they don’t miss out.

Happy and safe riding from everyone at Honda Motorcycles UK!

photos.google.com

UK VoIP providers under attack from Ruskie cyber crooks

Two UK VoIP operators have had their services disrupted over the last couple of days by ongoing, aggressive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.

South Coast-based Voip Unlimited has confirmed it has been slapped with a "colossal ransom demand" after being hit by a sustained and large-scale DDoS attack it believes originated from the Russian cybercriminal gang REvil. This morning, it confirmed that "services are operational ... however the attacks are still ongoing."

Separately, London-based Voipfone (see status page here) said it is still suffering outages on voice, inbound and outbound calls, and SMS services. It told customers on Tuesday in a status update that it had been hit by "a further DDoS attack" after the initial attack, revealed to customers via email as having taken place over the Monday bank holiday.

At this stage it's not clear if any other UK Internet Telephony Service Providers (ITSP) have been affected. However, UK Comms Council – the industry body that represents ITSPs – has informed members of the industry group about the attacks and issued a reminder to adopt "appropriate DDoS mitigation strategies."

www.theregister.com

A prayer for today. Request a free Bible or HOPE magazine

 Almighty God,

who called your Church to bear witness

that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:

help us to proclaim the good news of your love,

that all who hear it may be drawn to you;

through Him who was lifted up on the cross,

and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

Although the Bible is the World's best selling book - there is no need for you to buy a copy. Request a FREE Bible: if  you would like a free Bible for yourself or someone you know, please fill out the form on this link. 

The HOPE Gospel Magazine is an excellent means of sharing the Word of God. Since the launch in March 2020 well over 110,000 copies have been distributed. They contain the entire Gospel of John and many extracts from the Psalms and are presented in an attractive easy to read A4 magazine format with many photos of scenes from around the country. If you would like to receive a free copy of this wonderful introduction to Jesus's Good News, please follow this link.

www.churchofengland.org

What is E10 fuel and how will it affect you?

Plans for E10 fuel to become the standard grade at forecourts across the country are well underway. But what exactly is E10 fuel and what do you need to know about its launch in the UK?

Current petrol grades in the UK contain up to 5% bioethanol, known as E5. The proposed E10 fuel increases the share of the renewable energy produced using crops, to 10%.

It’s estimated that the greener fuel could reduce CO2 emissions by 750,000 tonnes per year, the equivalent of taking up to 350,000 cars off the road.

Estimates fail to mention, however, that there could be as many as 600,000 vehicles on our roads that aren’t compatible with the fuel.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration states: "In general, vehicle fuel economy may decrease by about 3% when using E10 relative to gasoline that does not contain fuel ethanol".

Here is a look at the pros and cons of using this new fuel as a genuine answer to increasing emission issues.

Here is another excellent article: Everything You Need To Know: E10 Petrol by Martynn Randall, Haynes Technical Editor.

www.rac.co.uk

www.haynes.com

Microsoft will release Windows 11 on 5th October 2021

Microsoft is announcing that Windows 11 will be released on October 5th. The new operating system will be available as a free upgrade for eligible Windows 10 PCs, or on new hardware that ships with Windows 11 pre-loaded.

The free upgrade to Windows 11 will start rolling out on October 5th, but like many Windows upgrades in the past, it will be available in phases. New eligible devices will be offered the upgrade first, and then Windows 11 will become available for more in-market devices in the weeks and months following October 5th.

“Following the tremendous learnings from Windows 10, we want to make sure we’re providing you with the best possible experience,” explains Aaron Woodman, general manager of Windows marketing at Microsoft. “We expect all eligible devices to be offered the free upgrade to Windows 11 by mid-2022.”

www.theverge.com