Victor's Blog about the Web, Security and Life

Today, I spent some time updating my blog with few stuff that should have been here a long time ago.

• AddThis is now active for you to share / bookmark articles
• A print button is finally there with an empty layout suitable for printing
• ReCaptcha is now implemented instead of the old AuthImage plugin
• Related articles are now displayed when you view an article
• Emails are required now when posting comments (so that I can reply to you at least)
• A mobile version is now available. To use it, simply go to www.victorsawma.com/mobile/

In December 2009, NetDesignPlus officially opened its newest branch in Shuwaikh, Kuwait. With this opening, we will be able to better serve our Kuwait clients by being closer and in direct contact with them regarding our online services including web development, design, hosting and consultancy.

Yesterday, I booked my first ticket online with Malev Hungarian Airlines. My trip is from Beirut to Gotenburg on July 2010.

The total fare to be charged "as per the website" was 567 USD for the roundtrip. The confirmation email (and yes I still have it and is attached below) confirms that the total charges should 567 USD. Yet, my credit card was charged 609 USD.

Being pretty familiar with Credit Card charges, I decided that this should be some sort of conversion between USD / Euro while processing the payment through their payment gateway. Thus, I gently sent them an email asking them to refund the difference.

Today, I received a reply back from them asking me to contact client service on a Hungarian phone number. I did. The woman on the other side simply checked, confirmed the price (567 USD) and said that everything is OK lol

I told her that the card was charged 609 USD. She was surprised first but, then, she remembered (surprisingly she did) that there is something that they call a "Service Fee" that is worth 30 Euros for the Lebanon region and that changes from region to region. What a joke!

She couldn't even confirm that the service fee is 30 Euros. She said that it should be around 30 Euros but there is no way for her to know the exact figure.

The worse part is that she is admitting that they have hidden fees.

The worst part is that she cannot now what the exact fee should be.

No comment from me on this. I know that this will be my last time to book with them online unless some magic occurs and someone points how something so unprofessional can happen with an airline reservation system.

Today, I guided a workshop about high-availability database solutions at NDU. The workshop went for 6 straight hours (from 9:30 till 15:30) and was attended by more than 50 students from various universities in Lebanon. The workshop was organized by the NDU IEEE branch in collaboration with the Computer Science Club.

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This year's halloween gathering was exceptional with the large number of babies present lol Enjoy the pictures ;)

[Visit this halloween's album]

The creator of this picture won a million dollar in Van cogh' talents competition which took place in Italy. Please take a closer look at the picture.

What will Google Wave's primary power be in? Will it be Social Networking and thus competing with Facebook or will it be Cloud Computing and thus computing with Microsoft Live and Yahoo? Just a note for anyone reading this and willing to give his / her opinion.

To get more information about Google's Wave, visit the URL below:
https://wave.google.com/wave

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I am experienced in Internet technologies, Web Services and Online Interactive solutions. I am very interested in challenges related to web services engineering especially complex and hybrid online solutions (Intranet, Extranet, e-Commerce, etc.) and algorithms (search engines, security, etc.)

I am experienced in security as well. My expertise is mainly in network and Internet security. I am also experienced in the fields of cryptography, security assessment techniques, security design (policies, profiles, architectures, etc.) as well as security auditing and ethical hacking.

I am a Linux fan (by nature :). Period.

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• Google Analytics vs Log File Based Statistics
• Ziad Baroud Spamming?
• A Couple of Amazing Tricks!
• A New Speed Radar That You Cannot Fool!
• Standard Chartered Email & Website Phishing
• Huge Lighters Security Alert
• Few Blog Updates to Share
• NetDesignPlus in Kuwait
• Hidden Fees with Malev Hungarian Airlines Online Booking System
• IEEE High Availability Database Workshop
• Halloween 2009
• One-Million Dolar Picture
• Google Wave: Social Networking or Cloud Computing?
• How To Recover Your Hotmail / MSN / Live Passport Account?
• Beirut: CNN's Best Party City
• The Future of Web Programming
• Ecosystem Virtual Implementation
• The 45 Lessons of Life
• Lynn's Birth

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