How Do You Remove a 3M Hook from a Wall without Removing the Paint?

Problem scenario
You affixed some 3M tape to a wall. You want to remove it without damaging the surface it is attached to. What do you do?

Solution
With 3M tape (double sided tape to hold or affix a sensor), remember to pull it straight down parallel to the wall (rather than pulling it away from the wall). If this tape stretches enough, you will be able to remove the sensor. You do not want the tape to pull off the paint or wallpaper (by pulling it away from the wall or using some chemical cleaner like Goo Gone). The landlord could charge you for the paint removal and/or drywall removal. Here is a video that illustrates the two types of removal:

If you do not have access to a piece/edge of the 3M tape to pull parallel to the wall to stretch it and remove it the way it was intended, (e.g., the object adhering to the tape is blocking you from an edge) use dental floss or a hair dryer.

The hook or object may pull suddenly. But it is better to have a small amount of pain from the sudden plastic object hitting your hand than pulling up paint from the wall.

What is the Definition of a Security insofar as the Securities and Exchange Commission is Concerned?

Problem scenario
You want to know if a security should be registered with the SEC based on the Securities Act. When is an asset considered to be a security?

Solution
It depends on if it is an investment contract. The 1946 lawsuit of SEC v. W.J. Howey Co., 328 US 293 provides guidance or a test. https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/328/293/

The four criteria for a scheme or asset for the "Howey Test" are as follows:

  1. An investment of money
  2. In a common enterprise
  3. With the expectation of profit
  4. To be derived from the efforts of others

(The four points were taken from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/howey-test.asp; this Investopedia page mentions how an initial coin offering could be a security.)

The test is whether the scheme involves an investment of money in a common enterprise with profits to come solely from the efforts of others. If that test be satisfied, it is immaterial whether the enterprise is speculative or nonspeculative, or whether there is a sale of property with or without intrinsic value.

https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/328/293/

With Dai, USDC, or Tether (USDT), there is no expectation of profit; these are used to buy other cryptocurrencies on exchanges that do not receive dollars from traditional bank accounts. It seems to us that Dai, USDC, and Tether (USDT), would have intrinsic value, no expectation or profit, and not be derived from the effort of others. For non-stable coins, they would not derive value solely from the effort of others. It seems like many cryptocurrencies would not be a common enterprise. It is irrelevant if the coin was speculative or had intrinsic value as long as its value was not solely from the effort of others.

To read more about the Howey test and digital assets (e.g., cryptocurrency), see these two pages:

https://gordonlaw.com/howey-test-is-your-token-security/

https://cryptoticker.io/en/sec-crypto-securities-list-consequences/

How Do You Sign Out or Log Off a Website?

Problem scenario
You are logged into an account. You click "sign out" and nothing happens or you cannot find the link/option for signing out or logging off. What should you do?

Possible Solution
Replace "acme.com" with the domain name of the site you are suing, then try one of these:

https://acme.com?signout
https://acme.com?logout
https://acme.com?logoff

How Do You Troubleshoot “timed out waiting for condition” when Running kubectl Commands?

Problem scenario
You ran a kubectl command, but you got an error "timed out waiting for condition". It never worked or suddenly stopped working. What should you do?

Possible Solution #1
Use the -v=9 flag. This will maximize the verbosity of the kubectl command's results.

Possible Solution #2
See why the pod is not being created if it uses a Persistent Volume Claim. Is there a PVC available that it needs?

Maybe a volume attachment needs to be deleted; see this veducate.co.uk posting for more information.

Possible Solution #3
Try the kubectl wait command. For more information, see these postings:
https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/generated/kubectl/kubectl-commands#wait
https://fabianlee.org/2022/01/27/kubernetes-using-kubectl-to-wait-for-condition-of-pods-deployments-services/

Possible Solution #4
See why the pod is not being created if it uses a webhook.

Is there a necessary webhook that is failing? You may want to view this document if you are using OpenShift.

Admission webhooks can be problematic; see this posting for more information.

If a webhook involved in the creation of a Pod is now blocked by a lack of a route to the destination URL? If routes were changed eliminating a path to the internet or a firewall was recently put in place, can you check the webhooks that may be involved in a container/pod? Is the URL of the webhook up and available like you think it is?

If you want to turn off a validating webhook, see this.

Possible Solution #5
Deploy Kubernetes again. See this StackOverflow explanation.

Why Is Your Cryptocurrency Selling for a Lower Price?

Problem scenario
You see the US Dollar rate of a cryptocurrency that is much lower than you thought it would be. You have found on www.coinmarketcap.com and www.coingecko.com an expected rate. The exchange you use does not have fees. You want to convert a cryptocurrency into a different coin. But the value/rate is discrepant with other sources. Why is there an error in the rate for the exchange website you use?

Solution
Many exchanges have a spread. Some companies deceptively advertise themselves as having a small spread. This spread can be 10%! You may be able to overcome this high cost (a pricey conversion fee that the exchange hides) by using an advanced trade with an order to convert. There may be a fee, but the fee may be low enough to preserve the value of the exchange in a way that is satisfactory to you and consistent with third party sources in terms of the dollar value. If the trade you set up is set at a specific price point, you may be able to get a higher price for your cryptocurrency.

You may want to take a screenshot of the transaction when you are reviewing it (or previewing it) before you confirm it. This way you know what you should get before it is finalized. You may need to speak to an attorney if the exchange is not being fair. Keep records of your transactions before they happen.

Can a Networking Gateway Redirect Internet Traffic to a Different Destination?

Problem scenario
You read that a gateway was directing web traffic to a specific IP address or endpoint. Can a gateway forward HTTP/HTTPS traffic?

Solution
Yes.

Gateways are a type of router. Routers connect two or more networks and provide the routing function.

https://www.ibm.com/docs/fr/aix/7.2?topic=routing-tcpip-gateways

Gateway describes a load balancer operating at the edge of the mesh receiving incoming or outgoing HTTP/TCP connections.

https://istio.io/latest/docs/reference/config/networking/gateway/

What Does CMP Stand for in the Context of Internet Ads?

Problem scenario
In the context of websites, you read that CMP stands for Creative Management Platform. What else can CMP stand for?

Solution
In the context of cookies and privacy online, CMP refers to Consent Management Platform.

To read more about what a Consent Management Platform is see these postings:
https://blog.didomi.io/en-us/what-is-a-consent-management-platform-cmp-the-ultimate-guide-didomi
https://cookie-script.com/consent-management-platform
https://www.admonsters.com/what-is-a-cmp/

How Do You Prevent Gnats from Being in Your Home?

Problem scenario
You want to prevent gnats from living and reproducing in your home. What should you do to keep fruit flies or gnats away from your home?

Solution
1. Buy a trash can with a foot pedal for your kitchen. These are convenient, and keep gnats from flying in the trash and out to your kitchen.

2. Pour boiling water down the drains (e.g., bathtub, bathroom sink, kitchen sink), once per week. The larvae can reproduce by living in the drain. The toilet does not work as a place for the larvae. The boiling water will kill the eggs.

3. Don't leave food out (e.g., fruit or leftovers). Clean dirty dishes immediately.

4. Fix plumbing leaks quickly. Sometimes an angle joint is old and needs to be replaced. Sometimes an entire faucet or a garbage disposal needs to be replaced. You may need to tighten a pipe.

5. Do not overwater indoor plants or let a puddle of water sit.

6. A trap of vinegar, dishsoap and sugar in a bowl can help. The sugar helps draw them in; the dishsoap prevents them from flying out; the vinegar dissolves their bodies. The sugar is not always necessary to attract them. In California the gnats are usually slow flyers, but even southeastern gnats that fly vigorously can get trapped in the vinegar and dishsoap. You may want to see this article for more information.

How Do You Tell if a Whirlpool Dishwasher Is Still Running?

Problem scenario
Your Whirlpool dishwasher has been quiet for a while, but you are not sure if the cycle is done. How do you tell it if is running or not?

Solution
Do the lights look like this picture?

Or this picture?

The lower picture is how the dishwasher looks when it is off/done. The blue light in the upper-right-hand corner by itself should be off before you want to open it and get the clean dishes.

If you want a book on repairing a dishwasher, click here.