Alfred F. 's definitions

wardialing

Using a computer to dial telephone numbers within a given range, usually with the intention of finding a modem carrier signal. The practice largely predated the widespread penetration of broadband Internet connectivity; at the time, many businesses, agencies, and individuals operated computer systems "on-demand" through telephone-based modems, each of which might (or might not) offer a unique (and possibly privileged) selection of information, as well as possibly offering access to powerful hardware or a platform for reaching other networks and systems. Usually, the wardialer would be covertly planted on a public, shared, or corporate phone line, left to operate for a limited time, then retrieved so that any "positives" (phone lines returning a modem carrier signal) could be investigated later from yet another location. The practice often went hand-in-hand with phreaking, for obvious reasons.

Today, some telemarketing and social research firms use similar programs (usually working from a digital phone book) to reach residential numbers in search of sales or social information. Also, on rare occasions, people engaged in social engineering have used a form of this process to explore "gaps" in corporate phone listings to discover (and identify the owners of) unlisted numbers.

This term directly inspired the term wardriving, due to similarities between the two practices: both return unpredictable results, both require real-world travel, and both activities are done for rather similar reasons. On the other hand, while wardriving is inherently focused on and limited to a specific geographic area, wardialing is a prototypical bruteforce process, much like password cracking, and can theoretically be achieved from any location with a dial tone.

In the 1983 movie Wargames, a teenager engages in wardialing and discovers a backdoor into the NORAD (NAADS) computer system. He then accidentally runs a simulation which almost turns into World War III.

The wardialer is dead. Long live the wardriver.

by Alfred F. April 1, 2008

Chuck Norris

Aside from being a faddish 2000's pop culture exemplar of all things tough, monosyllabic, and righteously violent, Chuck Norris holds black belts in Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His rise to Hollywood fame occurred when he starred as the villain opposite Bruce Lee in "Return of the Dragon." He played leads in a number of martial arts movies through the 80's, then was picked up for "Walker, Texas Ranger" in 1993, which aired for eight years on CBS. As of 2006, he continues to take on roles for various karate flicks, capitalizing intensely on his recent faddish popularity.

The Chuck Norris jokes will end when Chuck Norris is ready for them to end.

by Alfred F. September 12, 2006

Care Bear

1. Lightly derogatory term for an MMO player who avoids PVP combat, heavily preferring cooperative or solo PVE combat, chatting, or developing tradeskills/running quests. Depending on the game and the individual, this PVP avoidance can show up in several ways: by playing on strict non-PVP servers; by avoiding PVP areas or declining duels; or, by avoiding or condemning PVP players. Philosophically, they often cite unbalanced combat systems, overpowered guilds, ebayed characters, and ganking as reasons to prefer less aggressive play. The mindset can be self-sustaining in several ways: high-level "care bears" may have avatars that are tailored for PVE, not PVP; they may not network with skilled PVP players; or, they may morally refuse to learn aggressive PVP tactics. As an insult, the term applies less to players who merely prefer PVE to PVP and more to individuals who question the basic legitimacy of PVP or who greatly overreact to their avatars' deaths. Bear in mind that it is strictly incorrect to refer to the victims of heavy exploiters as Care Bears. Abbreviated CB. Compare with RPK, Player Killing/PK, PVP.
2. Adjective describing a strictly PVE server or game.

1. PVP: *kills CB*
CB: What the ****? I didn't do anything to you; why did you kill me?
PVP: You were there.
CB: This is bull****. Go away!
PVP: *kills CB again*
CB: Quit camping me! WTF is wrong with you?
PVP: You were still there.
CB: *logs out*

2. Player 1: Hey, why don't you come over to Final Fantasy XI? I'll get someone in the guild to level you up.
Player 2: Sorry, I prefer PVP MMOs; FFXI would be way too Care Bear for me.

by Alfred F. April 28, 2007

worst day ever syndrome

Spiraling depression. A condition in which a person feels that each day they live is worse than the preceding day. Most generally, this phrase applies to individuals whose personal lives are merely stagnant, rather than actually becoming worse by the day, as might be the case for a starving refugee or a cancer patient.

"Peter Gibbons: So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.
Dr. Swanson: What about today? Is today the worst day of your life?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah.
Dr. Swanson: Wow, that's messed up. "
Office Space, 1999

People who exhibit symptoms of worst day ever syndrome are urged to immediately seek professional help -- or to acquire a social life, whichever seems more feasible.

by Alfred F. May 6, 2008

yoda

Along with R2-D2, quite possibly the only character who was cool in both Episodes I-III and Episodes IV-VI. Thus, one of the only things George Lucas didn't fuck up in the second Star Wars trilogy.

A: Did you see Yoda go berserk in Episode III?
B: Yeah, but did you see what they did to Darth Vader? All the way from badass to emo loser...oh, my poor childhood...

by Alfred F. April 30, 2007