Archive for the 'Technology' Category
NEW YORK STATE SET TO ADD ALL CONVICT DNA TO ITS DATABASE
March 14th, 2012Via: New York Times: New York is poised to establish one of the most expansive DNA databases in the nation, requiring people convicted of everything from fare beating to first-degree murder to provide samples of their DNA to the state. On Tuesday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and state lawmakers were putting the finishing touches on […]
After 244 Years, Encyclopaedia Britannica Stops the Presses
March 14th, 2012The Internet, and all of the data on it, could disappear in the blink of an eye. Have a nice day. Via: New York Times: After 244 years, the Encyclopaedia Britannica is going out of print. Those coolly authoritative, gold-lettered reference books that were once sold door-to-door by a fleet of traveling salesmen and displayed […]
And Now… Homeless People Used as Wi-Fi Hotspots
March 12th, 2012Via: BuzzFeed: At SXSW, the annual tech startup conference in Austin, 13 homeless men are hanging around the conference center wearing white shirts that say “I’m _____, a 4G hotspot.” Each is carrying a wireless internet device, and for a PayPal donation, will provide conference-goers with internet access for as long as they want. . […]
DARPA Director Quits Pentagon for Job at Google
March 12th, 2012So, no, she’s not in jail yet. Via: Wired: Darpa director Regina Dugan will soon be stepping down from her position atop the Pentagon’s premiere research shop to take a job with Google. Dugan, whose controversial tenure at the agency lasted just under three years, was “offered and accepted at senior executive position” with the […]
DOJ Asks Court To Keep Secret Any Partnership Between Google, NSA
March 12th, 2012Via: Legal Times: The Justice Department is defending the government’s refusal to discuss—or even acknowledge the existence of—any cooperative research and development agreement between Google and the National Security Agency. The Washington based advocacy group Electronic Privacy Information Center sued in federal district court here to obtain documents about any such agreement between the Internet […]
iPass Away – Do My Digital Downloads Die with Me?
March 8th, 2012Never mind the fact that there are no used e-book stores, check this out! Via: Which?: As it stands, the rights of iTunes and Amazon customers look pretty shaky when it comes to passing on downloads. If you buy a music track from a digital store, you’re essentially buying a licence to play that track […]
Man Demonstrates Why TSA Body Scanners Are Worthless for Security Purposes
March 7th, 2012Update: TSA Threatens Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story Via: TSA Out of Our Pants: I’ve been on the phone all day for the last 2 days with reporters and journalists of all kinds, including the big bad MSM, and one South Florida reporter told me that he had been “strongly cautioned” by the TSA […]
Head LulzSec Is an FBI Informant
March 7th, 2012Via: USA Today: Five alleged hackers have been charged with breaking into the computer systems of governments, corporations and media organizations after the reputed head of the LulzSec ring became an FBI informant, authorities announced. Research Credit: Noble
Uncle Sam: If It Ends in .Com, It’s .Seizable
March 7th, 2012I’ve registered cryptogon.ch with the Swiss registrar Switchplus. I don’t know how well .ch will hold up going forward, but it seemed prudent to at least have an alternative if I should lose control of the cryptogon.com domain for any reason. At a minimum, .ch appears to be far, far more desirable than the U.S. […]
Finding Your Book Interrupted… By the Tablet You Read It On
March 6th, 2012One of the most irritating experiences that I can think of is being interrupted as I’m trying to concentrate. When I sit down to read a book, I don’t want my focus shattered every few seconds or minutes by dazzling whizbangery. Apple, though, wants to turn reading into an experience akin to watching an episode […]
