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Google

+ - 227 FTC Releases Google Privacy Audit, Blacks Out The Details->

Submitted by
chicksdaddy
chicksdaddy writes "Google could tell you about its privacy practices except, well....they're private. That's the conclusion privacy advocates are drawing after the Federal Trade Commission took a black marker to an independent audit of the company's privacy practices before releasing it to the group EPIC in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Security Ledger is reporting that the FTC released a copy of a Price Waterhouse Coopers audit of Google that was mandated as part of a settlement with the FTC over complaints following a 2010 complaint by EPIC over privacy violations in Google Buzz, a now-defunct social networking experiment. However, the agency acceded to Google requests to redact descriptions of the search giant’s internal procedures and the design of its privacy program."
Link to Original Source
Network

+ - 167 Pisces vs Tor: Improved onion routing using Facebook & social media validati->

Submitted by
ericjones12398
ericjones12398 writes "Imagine a future where Facebook could actually help you become more anonymous online. Where the more people you connect with online, the safer you are. Where your vast social network acts as a cushion between you and malicious users. If the team behind Pisces has its way, this unlikely scenario could actually become a reality."
Link to Original Source
China

+ - 187 Will Your Next iPhone Be Built By Robots->

Submitted by
itwbennett
itwbennett writes "Foxconn has ambitious plans to deploy a million-robot army on its assembly lines. But while robots already perform some basic tasks, when it comes to the more delicate assembly work, humans still have the edge. George Zhang, senior principal scientist with ABB, a major vendor of industrial robots, thinks Foxconn will eventually replace human workers for much of its electronic assembly, but probably not in time for the iPhone 6. For now, humans are still a cheaper and more practical choice."
Link to Original Source
Windows

+ - 140 FedEx CIO Sees Analytics, Sensors, Windows 8 as the Future->

Submitted by
Nerval's Lobster
Nerval's Lobster writes "According to FedEx CIO Rob Carter, that need to analyze events in real time has resulted in an effort to “radically” decompose monolithic applications into sets of core granular services, which the company will then mash into any number of analytics applications. The ultimate goal: a matrix of IT services that functions with the speed and flexibility of a brain, freeing FedEx from a system dependent on files strewn across any number of databases kept on disk storage systems too slow to support advanced, real-time analytic applications.

Much of FedEx’s data comes from sensors, including a new SensaWare service that involves placing active sensors inside boxes containing high-value merchandise. Rather than wait to be scanned, these sensors actively send out telemetry data covering everything from the package’s traveling speed to whether any light has penetrated its packaging (the latter would suggest some sort of issue has occurred).

Longer term, Carter expects to make all that data more readily available via application programming interfaces (APIs) that would allow customers to apply their own analytics applications against the data. Within FedEx, the company’s applications are all connected to a common message bus that allows applications to publish and subscribe to any source of relevant data.

Those capabilities will prove critical as modern enterprise applications evolve to broker data between services. In fact, it’s a core capability embedded in Windows 8. “This is one reason we’re actually excited about a new Windows platform in a very long time,” Carter said. Because the operating system now manages the brokering between sources of data, the complexity of building composite applications that access multiple data should be significantly reduced."
Link to Original Source
Science

+ - 146 Humans Have Been Responsible for Greenhouse Gases Since the Roman Empire-> 1

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes "At this point, greenhouse gas emissions, and humans' culpability for them, are as close to a fact as science can get. Researchers had assumed that humans' role in creating greenhouse gases began in during the Industrial Revolution. But Celia Sapart, from the Netherlands' Utrecht University, and her colleagues have found evidence that humans have played a role in the creation of greenhouse gas emissions since the time of the Roman Empire.
What's more, they believe that their findings may mean that scientists should rethink climate change models that did not take human involvement into consideration before the nineteenth century."
Link to Original Source

+ - 208 Recording of Recently Shut Down Telemarketers in Action->

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes "Just yesterday, the FTC, in conjunction with other government agencies, shut down an international telemarketing scam. A recent video has surfaced showing them in action, trying to scam one of the principals of a Canadian web start-up. Watch the scammers lie through their teeth to convince their "victim" that they need to buy a lifetime subscription to their anti-virus product."
Link to Original Source
Microsoft

+ - 178 The website for B&N's new Nook Media sub already belongs to someone else->

Submitted by Nate the greatest
Nate the greatest writes "Do you remember when Netflix decided to spin off the DVD service as Qwikster, only they forgot to check the related Twitter account first? B&N didn't quite goof that badly today, but they came close. It turns out NookMedia.com is registered to a Swedish software developer, and so is the Twitter handle. Mattias Hallqvist could not be reached for comment so we don't know yet of he likes being the new face of B&N ebook efforts."
Link to Original Source
Open Source

+ - 257 Linux 3.7 Kernel to Support Multiple ARM Platforms->

Submitted by hypnosec
hypnosec writes "The yet to be released Linux 3.7 kernel is getting exciting by the day prior to its release as it has been announced that the kernel will be supporting multiple-ARM System on Chips (SoCs) / platforms. Up until now there is a separate Linux kernel build for each of the ARM platform or SoCs, which is one of the several problems when it comes to ARM based Linux. The merging of ARM multi-platform support into Linux 3.7 will now put an end to this problem thus enabling the new kernel to not only target multiple platforms but, also be more in line with its x86 counterpart."
Link to Original Source
Space

+ - 221 New study shows Universe still expanding on schedule 1

Submitted by
The Bad Astronomer
The Bad Astronomer writes "A century ago, astronomers (including Edwin Hubble) discovered the Universe was expanding. Using the same methods — but this time with observations from an orbiting infrared space telescope — a new study confirms this expansion, and nails the rate with higher precision than done before. If you're curious, the expansion rate found was 74.3 +/- 2.1 kilometers per second per megaparsec — almost precisely in line with previous messureents."
Books

+ - 203 Google, Book Publishers Settle Seven Year-Long Scanning Lawsuit->

Submitted by
redletterdave
redletterdave writes "After seven long years of litigation, Google Inc. and the Association of American Publishers have reached an agreement to settle over the search giant’s book-scanning project, which will allow publishers to choose whether or not they want their books, journals and publications digitized by Google and accessed via its Google Library Project. The agreement, according to the two companies, acknowledges the rights and interests of copyright holders, so US publishers can choose to remove their books and journals digitized by Google for its Library Project, or choose to keep their publications available. For those that keep their works online with Google, those publishers will be able to keep a digital copy for their own use and sell their publications via the Google Play marketplace."
Link to Original Source

+ - 181 Best Open Communications Set Up for my Office

Submitted by earthwormgaz
earthwormgaz writes "Hello Slashdot, I've started at a small company and our phone system is crusty, old and awful. We've got email hosted elsewhere on POP/IMAP, and we've got no groupware. The server here is Windows small business whatever it is and Exchange isn't set up, but I've put CentOS on it in a VM, and I'd like to do everything using open standards and open source where possible.

I've been looking at SOGO — http://www.sogo.nu/english.html
And these phones — http://www.avaya.com/uk/product/ip-office

What are my chances of getting all this stuff working together? What other suggestions have people got a for a small office and communications?"
Transportation

+ - 327 We Don't Need More Highways

Submitted by
Hugh Pickens writes
Hugh Pickens writes writes "When it comes to infrastructure, politicians usually prefer shiny new projects over humdrum repairs. A brand-new highway is exciting: There’s a ribbon-cutting, and there’s less need to clog up existing lanes with orange cones and repair crews. So it’s not surprising that 57 percent of all state highway funding goes toward new construction, often stretching out to the suburbs, even though new roads represent just 1.3 percent of the overall system. Now Brad Plumer writes in the Washington Post that many transportation reformers think this is a wrong-headed approach and that we should focus our dollars on fixing and upgrading existing infrastructure rather than continuing to build sprawling new roads). UCLA economist Matthew Kahn and the University of Minnesota’s David Levinson made a more detailed case for a “fix-it first” strategy. They noted that, at the moment, federal highway spending doesn’t get subjected to strict cost-benefit analysis, and governments often build new roads when they arguably shouldn’t (PDF). And that’s to say nothing of data suggesting that poor road conditions are a “significant factor” in one-third of all fatal crashes, and cause extra wear and tear on cars. "When a highway gets clogged, states find it more palatable to simply build new lanes rather than, say, put in place congestion fees — even though research has found that widening highways does little to alleviate traffic jams," concludes Plumer. "There’s a strong policy case that we could stand to build fewer new highways out to the suburbs, at least for the time being.""
Censorship

+ - 309 The Philippines' Cybercrime Prevention Act makes SOPA look reasonable->

Submitted by silentbrad
silentbrad writes "From Forbes: "The dark days of SOPA and PIPA are behind the US, at least temporarily as copyright tycoons reground and restrategize, attempting to come up with measures that don’t cause the entire internet to shut down in protest. But one country has already moved ahead with similar legislation. The government of the Philippines has passed the Cybercrime Prevention Act, which on the surface, as usual, sounds perfectly well-intentioned. But when you read the actual contents of what’s been deemed “cybercrime,” SOPA’s proposed censorship sounds downright lax by comparison. Yes, there’s the usual hacking, cracking, identity theft and spamming, which most of us can agree should be illegal. But there’s also cybersex, pornography, file-sharing (SOPA’s main target) and the most controversial provision, online libel."
Link to Original Source

+ - 175 New study links caffeinated coffee to vision loss->

Submitted by dsinc
dsinc writes "A new study suggests caffeinated coffee drinkers should limit their intake to reduce their chances of developing vision loss or blindness. According to a scientific paper in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, heavy caffeinated coffee consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing exfoliation glaucoma, the leading cause of secondary glaucoma worldwide.

“Scandinavian populations have the highest frequencies of exfoliation syndrome and glaucoma,” said author, Jae Hee Kang, ScD, of Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass. “Because Scandinavian populations also have the highest consumption of caffeinated coffee in the world, and our research group has previously found that greater caffeinated coffee intake was associated with increased risk of primary open-angle glaucoma, we conducted this study to evaluate whether the risk of exfoliation glaucoma or glaucoma suspect may be different by coffee consumption.”"
Link to Original Source

+ - 253 1,000 MPH Car Passes First Test-> 1

Submitted by amkkhan
amkkhan writes "Scientists aiming to create a car that can break 1,000 mph cleared a large hurdle yesterday when they successfully tested their rocket engine. The engine will power the supersonic car known as the Bloodhound SSC — meant to become the fastest car in the world.

The British team tested the engine in an aircraft shelter in Newquay Cornwall Airport, originally designed to protect fighter planes from bombs. Although the data hasn't fully been analyzed, the researchers said the engine reached 30,000 horsepower during the 10-second burn. Given enough time, they expect the engine to reach 80,000 horsepower and 27,500 pounds of thrust."
Link to Original Source

+ - 138 Review of World Makerfaire 2012 NYC->

Submitted by
SirTicksAlot
SirTicksAlot writes "I attended World Makerfaire 2012 NYC this past weekend and wanted to share some of the highlights of the faire. Makerfaire is a gathering of smart and talented groups and individuals who share their love for making things. And there is nearly no limit as to what ideas or projects on display. There is no age limit or restriction and kids of all ages are encouraged to interact with everything they can. If you ever go to shows and see, "DO NOT TOUCH" you did not see that here. Touching, inspecting and learning is very much warranted. There were many stations where kids could learn to use tools, assemble things, and even learn to solder."
Link to Original Source

+ - 180 Stanford Study Flawed: Organic Produce May Be More Nutritious After All->

Submitted by assertation
assertation writes "A few weeks ago an article was posted to Slashdot referring to a Stanford Study stating that organic produce, contrary to popular belief is not more nutritious. According to Mark Bitman of The New York times the Standford study was flawed. A spelling error skewed the results as well as the study ignoring several types of nutrients."
Link to Original Source
Security

+ - 208 Europe Joins Forces in Massive Simulated Cyber Attack->

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes "Hundreds of cyber security experts from across the EU are testing their readiness to combat cyber-attacks in a day-long simulation across Europe today. In Cyber Europe 2012, 400 experts from major financial institutions, telecoms companies, internet service providers and local and national governments across Europe are facing more than 1200 separate cyber incidents (including more than 30 000 emails) during a simulated DDoS campaign. The exercise is testing how they would respond and co-operate in the event of sustained attacks against the public websites and computer systems of major European banks. If real, such an attack would cause massive disruption for millions of citizens and businesses across Europe, and millions of euros of damage to the EU economy."
Link to Original Source
Crime

+ - 148 Eight Arrested In Russian High-Tech Export Scandal->

Submitted by Penurious Penguin
Penurious Penguin writes "Millionaire Alexander Fishenko, owner of US-based Arc Electronics Inc, and seven others have been arrested in Houston Texas, with a total of 11 indicted in a conspiracy to smuggle advanced microelectronics from the US to Russia. The technology allegedly involves components of radar, weapons guidance, and detonators. Amongst the evidence are accounting records indicating notable similarity between the revenue of Arc Electronics and the Russian Federation's defense spending; intercepted phone calls and emails; and a letter to Arc Electronics from a Russian domestic intelligence lab complaining of defective microchips .
A Russian foreign ministry spokesman has denied there were any intelligence connections in the affair."
Link to Original Source

+ - 204 UK 'virtual ID card' scheme set for launch->

Submitted by evrybodygonsurfin
evrybodygonsurfin writes "The UK Government will announce details this month of a controversial national identity scheme which will allow people to use their mobile phones and social media profiles as official identification documents for accessing public services.

People wishing to apply for services ranging from tax credits to fishing licences and passports will be asked to choose from a list of familiar online log-ins, including those they already use on social media sites, banks, and large retailers such as supermarkets, to prove their identity."
Link to Original Source
Facebook

+ - 138 Facebook Privacy Boosted As Private Message 'Leak' Is Dismissed->

Submitted by
judgecorp
judgecorp writes "Claims that old private Facebook messages have been leaking onto people's Timelines have been dismissed by the French privacy watchdog, CNIL. Apparently, as many concluded early on, the "leaked" messages were just old Wall-to-Wall posts, that users had mistakenly believed were private. Given the lack of user understanding, now is a good time for Facebook to revamp its privacy help pages. Let's hope users pay attention, and Facebook genuinely resists exploiting their naivety. ."
Link to Original Source
Linux

+ - 167 Thinking Small With Tiny Core Linux->

Submitted by Thinkcloud
Thinkcloud writes "It was an interesting look at an alternative concept for building a Linux system. I now have a downloadable virtual appliance that weighs in at right around 27MB, zipped. I am also considering using this system for other servers, at least for testing."
Link to Original Source
United Kingdom

+ - 209 Scottish Scientiests Create World's Smallest Smart Antenna->

Submitted by
judgecorp
judgecorp writes "each generation of smartphones actually has more dropped calls and worse battery life than the last, because antena design has fallen behind. says Edinburgh-based Sofant Technologies. The firm has made a tunable, steerable RF antenna using micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) which it says will change all that. It's based on research from Edinburgh University and is designed to get the best our of LTE/4G."
Link to Original Source
Youtube

+ - 191 YouTube Alters Copyright Algorithms, Will 'Manually' Review Some Claims->

Submitted by thomst
thomst writes "David Kravets of Wired's Threat Level blog reports that Google's Thabet Alfishawi has announced YouTube will alter its algorithms "that identify potentially invalid claims. We stop these claims from automatically affecting user videos and place them in a queue to be manually reviewed.” YouTube's Content ID algorithms have notably misfired in recent months, resulting in video streams as disparate as Curiosity's Mars landing and Michelle Obama's Democratic Convention speech being taken offline on specious copyright infringement grounds. Kravets states, "Under the new rules announced Wednesday, however, if the uploader challenges the match, the alleged rights holder must abandon the claim or file an official takedown notice under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act." (A false takedown claim under the DMCA can result in non-trivial legal liability.)"
Link to Original Source
AMD

+ - 153 Project Sumatra: Accelerated Java using APUs and GPUs->

Submitted by shreshtha
shreshtha writes "AMD has announced it is joining with Oracle Inc. to work on how Java can be accelerated by a mix of processor engines including graphics processor units (GPUs). AMD, Oracle and other members of the OpenJDK community are forming Project Sumatra to help bring heterogeneous computing capabilities to Java for server and cloud computing environments.

This primary goal of this project is to enable Java applications to take advantage of graphics processing units (GPUs) and accelerated processing units (APUs)--whether they are discrete devices or integrated with a CPU--to improve performance."
Link to Original Source
Businesses

+ - 270 For Obama, Jobs, and Zuckerberg, Boring is Productive

Submitted by
Hugh Pickens writes
Hugh Pickens writes writes "Robert C. Pozen writes in the Harvard Business Review that while researching a behind-the-scenes article of President Obama's daily life, Michael Lewis asked President Obama about his practice of routinizing the routine. "I eat essentially the same thing for breakfast each morning: a bowl of cold cereal and a banana. For lunch, I eat a chicken salad sandwich with a diet soda. Each morning, I dress in one of a small number of suits, each of which goes with particular shirts and ties." Why does President Obama subject himself to such boring routines? Because making too many decisions about mundane details is a waste of your mental energy, a limited resource. If you want to be able to have more mental resources throughout the day, you should identify the aspects of your life that you consider mundane — and then "routinize" those aspects as much as possible. Obama's practice is echoed by Steve Jobs who decided to wear the same outfit every day, so that he didn't have to think about it and the recent disclosure that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is proud that he wears the same outfit every day adding that he owns "maybe about 20" of the gray, scoop neck shirts he's become famous for. "The point is that you should decide what you don't care about and that you should learn how to run those parts of your life on autopilot," writes Pozen. "Instead of wasting your mental energy on things that you consider unimportant, save it for those decisions, activities, and people that matter most to you.""

Stupidity got us into this mess -- why can't it get us out?

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