A fair number of the tools on backtrack have to be run as root. If you use the LiveCD or boot it from a flash drive (which is what I usually do), it instructs you to log in as root (with the default password of toor). Unless you were running Backtrack on a server with unpriviledged users, I don't see what the issue is. Just don't open any ports and you'll be fine (and if you're pentesting, why would you - you don't want to be detected).

I'd be curious how you did that. A couple years ago, my girlfriend talked me into getting a Facebook account . I entered in only the basic, required information and nothing else. Immediately upon initial login, without entering in any additional information, it suggested a list of about 10 people who could potentially be my friends. Six of those people I actually knew. One had previously sent me an invite to FB; I have no idea how FB came up with the others! I ended up never using the account and subsequently "deleted" it.

Prepare to fight the zombies! ;)

Why another smartphone OS? It seems like so many companies just copy what is doing well in the market, and the resulting product flops within a few years. Mostly Apple products are being copied (look at Mircosoft, the Gnome project, and now Mozilla). I would rather like to see some original innovation. Not an Apple fan, just my $0.02

While I do agree that there should be more than two (very similar) parties in this country, I doubt it has gotten to be as bad as outright rigged elections.

I found that lastpass works well for me. I use the same method you mentioned, memorizing a strong master password and then using the built-in password generator. It encrypts everything with your master password before uploading it to lastpass's servers. All encryption/decryption happens on your local machine, so lastpass.com cannot decrypt your passwords. The benefit to using lastpass is that you can use it on just about any browser on just about any operating system. It automatically syncs your passwords (in their encrypted form), so you can add a password on one computer and have it show up on another when you log into lastpass. I find this extremely useful, especially since my university requires me to change my password every 90 days! :( If you decide to switch, lastpass supports importing your passwords from a variety of other password managers, including 1Password.

You can get all of the functionality you just listed on a Nokia N900 running Maemo. I regularly use the terminal and ssh. I can run bash scripts and python v2.5.4 is installed. I have a GUI for OpenVPN which integrates nicely with the built-in wifi manager (although you can use the terminal and config files if you want). The problem is that the N900 is a dated platform. The GUI isn't as nice as what I've seen on Android and can be buggy at times. The device can be slow. I really wish that they could update the whole thing: hardware, operating system, and user interface while keeping the Linux base (and keeping the hardware keyboard!).

The cameras did not deter the criminals who murdered the man because they either did not see the cameras or did not care that they were there. If the cameras do not deter criminals, than what are they really for? I doubt I'll like the answer to that question.

I don't use adblock, but I NEVER click on ads (at least the ones that get past noscript). I would not buy a product by clicking on an ad, and there is always a security risk when you click an ad. So the question is, in the eyes of an advertiser, what's the difference between me and someone who uses adblock? It was my understanding that they got paid by the click, not the view.

... called NoScript. I would really like to see a NoScript for Chrome. Why hasn't one been created?

in case a headcrab jumped out at me from under some barrels in an alley of course. ;)

I would be more inclined to take your post seriously if you provided some sources to back up your claims.

Would you mind to share your shell script? I also have a N900, and I'm curious to see how it works. ;)

Foxconn doesn't give half a shit about keeping their employees from committing suicide. The reason they are forcing their workers to sign a no-suicide pact is to keep family members from suing for more than the minimum compensation. Disgusting.

I work at a help desk, and people bring in infected machines all the time, mainly with fake antivirus scam malware. I've found that the anti-virus software has either been circumvented by the malware, or it hasn't detected the virus. The best way to solve the problem of casual, drive-by malware is user education.
Specifically, users should be informed of:

1. Always run your machine behind a firewall.
2. Never run or click on something that gives you even the slightest suspicion.
3. Be able to tell the difference between what's running in your browser, and what's running in your operating system. Many of the fake antivirus scams pretend to show a Windows XP version of My Computer in a browser window in an infected state.
4. Poor english in an email or application is a sure sign of a scam.

I would propose TV commercials as a medium to teach items 1, 2, and 4. These methods could be communicated in a short but informative way (i.e. showing someone plugging an ethernet cable into a router with a visual representation of what the router's built-in firewall does for item 1). Item 3 could be communicated through a tutorial shipped with new computers.