Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

Museum of Ventura County to temporarily close galleries

The Museum of Ventura County will still hold some special programs. Photo by Bernie Goldstein

The Museum of Ventura County, which houses the region’s oldest and most comprehensive collection of documents, maps, and historical artifacts, will briefly close its downtown Ventura galleries (at 100 E. Main St.) in order to design and install a new exhibition on Ventura County history. Its Research Library will remain open during this period, as will the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula.

Some of the museum’s special programs, such as Free First Sundays for Families and popular community events, including the traditional Dia de los Muertos celebration in November, will still be held at the museum during this time. The Museum galleries will re-open and public programming will resume in early January.

In addition to newly remodeled exhibition space depicting the history of Ventura County, more of the museum’s exceptional art collection will be displayed throughout the facility. New educational exhibits will be installed at the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula as well.

This decision stems from the board’s desire to highlight the quality and depth of the museum’s collection on an ongoing basis, and to reach out and engage with Ventura County residents about the museum’s mission and purpose.  “The Museum of Ventura County tells an important story with its collection; it is the custodian of the county’s rich and diverse history and keeper of its stories. We want all local residents and visitors to feel that sense of identity and pride when they walk into the museum,” stated John Orr, chairman of the museum’s board of directors.

“I have heard so much, and have now seen the depth and breadth of the museum’s collection. I realize that these historic treasures should be seen by the public,” said Elena Brokaw, who has been engaged to serve as the Museum’s interim executive director, and will be advising the museum’s board on a community engagement process. She added, “This hiatus also provides us with a perfect opportunity to listen to longtime supporters and stakeholders about what they want the Museum to be, and to engage the broader community in a conversation about how the museum can better serve them.”

Brokaw told the Breeze “We are initiating a broad-based examination of the museum’s operations, programs, exhibit space, and finances. Over the last six years, the Museum grew tremendously quickly – with the addition of the Pavilion and Plaza at the Ventura site, and the creation of the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula – and has had frequent turnover in the director position. This temporary closure of the galleries in Ventura will allow the Museum to increase its exhibitions space and make changes in its business operations, significantly decreasing expenses. Please bear in mind that the Ventura Research Library, Pavilion, and Ag Museum will stay open, and there will continue to be events and activity at both sites. During the next four months, we will also conduct three community cultural sessions – “town hall”-style meetings where we are inviting everyone to come and tell us what they would like from their regional museum of history and art. The Museum of Ventura County is the institution that preserves and protects our regional history – and helps us prepare for our future. This museum has been here for 103 years – and over the next four months, we intend to plan for our next century.”

 

Paul Vaksvik is our set up man

Paul does everything except ring the bell at Olivas.
Paul does everything except ring the bell at Olivas.

by James Francis Gray

Have you ever been to the Music Under the Stars concerts at Olivas Adobe in Ventura and noticed white chalk markings in the Olivas parking lot and the outside parking areas and wonder who makes this happen? Or the table and chair setups for these events?  Well, wonder no more.

Paul Vaksvik (Vox-vik) is our set up man, he runs the crew that sets up and takes down the tables and chairs for every concert and he does the chalk striping including at the grass parking area.

He has worked for the City of Ventura for over 23 years.  His responsibilities at these events began about 18 years ago with the help of only 4 or 5 people on his crew. For the last 7 years, he’s using teen volunteers, seeking, “Community Service Hours,” credit. The students, setup the tables and chairs for the events.

What began as something to do in the summer for Paul, when school was out, has continued for years. Paul loves working with kids. The young adults brought brothers and sisters, friends, some adults and parents to help. With a little training, the various groups accomplished their task without much trouble. Paul says that they became well-oiled crews, using teamwork to get the job done. These young able helpers can set it up in 90 minutes. After the concerts, the take down and storage moves quicker.

Paul said, “Things have changed over the years and when, Georgeanne Lees, took over the event, they received a new stage and a real dance floor. The extra work added to the preconcert Friday tasks. Now in addition to chalk marking, setup, we’re washing and waxing the dance floor also.”

The last concert took place on Saturday, September 3. It was sold out(as was most of them), so look forward the next year’s concert season, July 4th through Labor Day, 2017.

The ever-changing diversified musical performances have something for everyone, so don’t be left out. Audience participation is encouraged as they get up on the dance floor and get down with the beat.

Paul, over the years, has worked with children on many worthwhile projects. He hails from Elkhart, Indiana of strong Norwegian decent, with a little Irish-English and Native American thrown in for comfort. He’s a world traveler and has lived in Kentucky, North Dakota, Michigan, Spain and now Ventura, coming here in 1977 from Kalamazoo, Michigan. He’s jovial, friendly and works wonders for our young students, they are the future.

We’re looking forward to 2017 with Paul and his efficient crew, doing what they do best, setting up the Music Under the Stars concert series.

 

Vol. 9, No. 25 – September 14 – September 27, 2016 – Answer In A Breeze

Answer In A Breeze

I see grading being done behind the Golden China Restaurant off of Seward. What is going there?

Nate Samuel

stuff-answer-in-a-breeze

Nate: This will be a 120-unit Marriott Residential Inn. 2-5 stories, the 5th story is a small portion of it. Should be completed in about 6-months.

If you have a question you would like answered send it to [email protected] and we will try to get an answer for you.

Vol. 9, No. 24 – August 31 – September 13, 2016 – Ask the Chief

City councilmember (And ex Chief of Police) Mike Tracy and current Chief of Police Corney work to keep crime in Ventura down.
City councilmember (And ex Chief of Police) Mike Tracy and current Chief of Police Corney work to keep crime in Ventura down.

What are today’s challenges in keeping Ventura safe?
by Police Chief Ken Corney
Ventura Police Department

In these times of “instant communication” we are often aware in real time of criminal acts that occur around the country.  In my experience, however, people are most concerned about their sense of safety and security impacted by crime that occurs in their own neighborhoods.   It is understandably disturbing when your neighborhood experiences a residential burglary, theft from cars, or vehicles being stolen. Compared to around five years ago, Ventura has experienced double-digit percentage increases in these crimes that all too often affect our local neighborhoods. Our crime fighting team knows these crime increases are not just numbers, but represent individual victims harmed by violence and loss throughout our city where we live, the places we enjoy and the schools our children attend.

Our response to this growth of reported crime is challenged by increased calls for all categories of service, including quality of life issues such as the impacts of vagrancy in our community.  Last year (2015) our police department handled nearly 98,000 calls for service, compared with just over 78,000 calls five years ago.  And our police staffing today is essentially at the same level it was in 1999.    Understandably, this limits our ability to provide proactive patrols in neighborhoods experiencing increased crime and to direct resources to follow-up investigative efforts.

As necessary resources become available, the police department has developed a growth plan to address some of the most critical issues our neighborhoods and community face today.  Key elements of the plan include:

Enhanced patrol response efforts in order to focus on high crime areas and improve response times to in progress crimes and other emergencies.

Re-implementation of our Gang Violence Suppression Team strategies to provide proactive response to the impact of gangs in our community, including enforcement, intervention and prevention efforts.

Officers dedicated to focus on investigating reports of drug sales in our neighborhoods throughout our community.

Reinvest resources in our Traffic Safety team to keep our roadways safe around our neighborhoods and schools.

Expand our safe and clean efforts to provide officers dedicated to the downtown tourism areas most impacted by vagrancy and related quality of life issues.

Provide greater resources to our investigative division in order to increase our ability to solve more crime within an environment of increased caseloads and complex investigations.

Despite the challenges, I can assure you the men and women of the Ventura Police Department continue to work diligently to reduce harm in our community through innovative and effective approaches to achieve our five core goals of:  Crime Control, Team Development, Active Community Partnerships, Safe Neighborhoods and Efficiency and Accountability.  More information on how we will work to accomplish these goals can be found in our Strategic Plan document at Venturapd.org

Finally, I want to take a moment to thank the Ventura community for the support demonstrated by so many during this extremely difficult time for our profession.  The support, outreach and kindness demonstrated towards our officers by so many Venturans has had a very positive impact on the brave men and women who serve this community.  We are deeply appreciative and look forward to your continued support and our continued service to this community.

Vol. 9, No. 24 – August 31 – September 13, 2016 – CAPS

Surfer’s Point in the old days
Surfer’s Point in the old days

Surf’s up
by Elizabeth Rodeno

It’s election time. This is the very important opportunity to share your voice with the community.

CAPS Media will be featuring our own Video Voter 2016 which gives the community the opportunity to learn more about the candidates, their platforms and views. We want to provide the community with as much information as possible so that they can make informed choices in the selection of Ventura City Council members, Ventura Unified School District Board Members and local initiatives.

The segments will begin airing October 2nd on CAPS channel 6 and streaming on the web at CAPSMedia.org. Check the website for dates and times.

We had a delightful time in the studio learning about the early days of the oil industry and how the present day oil folks manage their businesses. From Ojai to Santa Paula to Ventura, the oil business has employed many a local and been on the forefront of the industry on the west coast. The Santa Paula oil museum has lots of interesting lore as does the latest episode of Ventura Legacies. We also spent time with some surfers from the early days.  They had great stories and shared some fascinating images of the coast of Ventura in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Surfing on C Street before the freeway, surfing the breaks up and down the coast and riding boards designed and manufactured by some surfing greats right here in Ventura was interesting. These folks hosted the renowned “C” Street Longboarding Championship for years, bringing surfers from around the world.

Upon hearing of the passing of our beloved member, William Schneider Senior, we are pleased to continue his legacy featuring his cable access shows from the early 80’s. Thanks to both Senior and Junior for sharing their stories.

September brings our second year of ECTV here at CAPS Media studios. Phil has a class full of enthusiastic students ready to go and document stories, interview people and produce compelling programming. They are a joy to have here. We run a mean program with a large waiting list. While you are waiting, you can join with your family and begin the journey of creating and sharing.

We are all over the web so check out social media pages including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube. View it all on our frequently updated website. Don’t forget about the training classes and professional gear we offer. A yearly membership at CAPS is only $25, a best bargain for media fans, students and organizations to share your story.  Go to www.capsmedia.org or call 658-0500 for more information.

A royal book signing event by local authors

Breeze writers will sign your books and keep you laughing.

Keep Calm and Read On

Crown Books presents “Keep Calm and Read On,” a royal book signing event featuring local author Xina Marie Uhl and Ventura Breeze contributing writers Sheli Ellsworth and Mira Reverente.

Uhl, an educational writer will be signing copies of her books Necropolis and The Cat’s Guide to Human Behavior.

stuff keep calm SheliEllsworth, a humorist and journalist, will be signing Sometimes I Pee When I Laugh, Confessions of a Pet Au Pair and her children’s books My Winter Holiday by Noah and Henry the Helicopter.

 

stuff keep calm MiraReverente, a journalist and a blogger also known as The Money Savvy Mommy, will be signing her book Suddenly Single Women’s Guide to Finances.

 

Join the authors for a royal good time plus some surprises and treats, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm on Sunday, September 25.

Crown Books is located at Westfield Promenade, 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills.

Are you an exceptional individual?

school on wheelsSchool on Wheels is looking for an exceptional individual who believes in the power of education and the potential of children.  The full job description is posted on their website and can be found at www.schoolonwheels.org/careers/

School on Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Ventura that provides educational assistance to homeless children throughout Southern California. It was founded in 1993 by a retired teacher, who saw firsthand how homeless children struggled to stay focused in school.

Vol. 9, No. 24 – August 31 – September 13, 2016 – Tech Today

Four Leaders in the Ransomeware Game
by Kenneth May-Swift Chip

You’ve heard of CryptoLocker, right? Sure, it’s the media favorite, but there are a lot of other players these days that are worth more than an honorable mention. As an MSP, you know how important it is to stay current on the sheer breadth and depth of these types of threats—not to mention their individual characteristics—in order to keep clients protected. Let’s take a look at the lineup.

1. CryptoWall 4.0

The CryptoWall family seems to turn out a winner with every generation. Like its predecessor, the 4.0 version of CryptoWall uses phishing emails to distribute. This should come as no surprise, since phishing remains the single most effective way to deliver a payload. But this latest iteration doesn’t play by the old rules; not only are the victim’s files encrypted, the names of the files are randomized so the victim no longer knows which file is which. By creating so much confusion about how much file damage there really is, the new CryptoWall increases the chances that victims will pay out.

CryptoWall 4.0 also includes a free decrypt demo, which convinces victims that the decryption routine they need to get their files back is easy, and that paying the ransom will actually get their files back.

  • Phishing email attachment is source of payload
  • Randomizes victim’s filenames to create confusion
  • Offers free decrypt demo to add credibility

2. PadCrypt

What sets this new ransomware apart from the pack is its willingness to interact with the public; PadCrypt includes a chat interface embedded into the product. The process of getting a Bitcoin wallet address, filling it with coins, and sending payment securely can be complicated, so this chat feature adds a more human support element, helping the perpetrators ensure that their victims remit ransom payments promptly. (Isn’t that nice?) This might be a bit more difficult in situations where victims have cold-stored their wallet (see this article here), in which case you might have to just move onto the next one.

  • First ransomware with chat support
  • Communicates via Darknet to avoid being traced
  • “Helps” even less savvy victims pay up

3. TeslaCrypt

TeslaCrypt was something of an up-and-comer, specifically targeting gamers by encrypting the files they need for their games. This included saves, any mods, and profiles like DayZ. Because TeslaCrypt was being sold on the Darknet by non-authors, the original authors chose to release its master key to the public to permanently diffuse the threat. As diverse and competitive as the ransomware sphere seems to be, however, we might end up seeing this player again next season.

  • Accounted for ~11% of distributed ransomware
  • Attacked over 200 extensions on newer variants
  • Specifically targeted gamers (Valve, Bethesda, Unreal Engine files)
  • Got around 3rd party defense to deliver polymorphic payloads at root level

4. RaaS (Ransomware-as-a-Service)

RaaS isn’t really a player, per se, but it was created for criminals by criminals to open the playing field to hackers of all skill levels. With RaaS, almost anyone can design encrypting ransomware payloads and then distribute them from their existing botnets. Hackers pay for this service by handing off a cut of their spoils to the RaaS author.

  • Enables almost anyone to make ransomware
  • Portal for malware generation is exclusively in Darknet (typically invite-only)
  • Intended for less-skilled cybercriminals who rent botnets
  • The malware author who created the portal takes a commission

Conclusion

Although the number of players keeps growing, and their skills and strategies keep getting more advanced, there are steps that we can take to maximize defense and help clients win hands down. Educating yourself and your customers about the various offensive strategies and types of exploits favored by today’s ransomware is key—as well as setting up a winning defense with next-generation endpoint protection that utilizes collective threat intelligence to hit hard and proactively protect against constantly-evolving malware.