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Privacy

Submission + - "I've got nothing to hide"

Submitted by
perlhacker14
perlhacker14 writes: "Recently, I was referred to a paper on the arguement "I've got nothing to hide". People often state that when questioned on government surveilence and data mining. This paper tries to define privacy and notes how it has been redefined over time and turned in to the shambled state it is in today. It shows how a simple arguement like "I've got nothing to hide" has its faults and can be used for information and invasiveness of privacy. The issue at question is not the government trying to tap our phones, but our acceptance and will to assist, through "I've got nothing to hide". I encourage you to read through (or skim, long as it is) this paper and reflect on the current state of things. If by the arguement, there is naught to conceal (therefore no threat to privacy) as long as all is legal, and if there is illegal activity there is no expectation of privacy, is our privacy intact?"
Data Storage

Submission + - Lenses that bring everything into focus

Submitted by
Roland Piquepaille
Roland Piquepaille writes: "Scientists at the University of Michigan have developed a new lens device that will shrink huge light waves to pinpoints. The superlens looks like a plate and "is etched with a specific pattern. As the waves pass through the patterned lens, it is sculpted into different sizes and shapes. The lens does not refract, or bend the light waves — which is how conventional lenses work — but rather it reshapes the wave." This discovery could lead to CDs or DVDs holding 100 times more information than current ones. Read more for additional references and a picture of how this superlens focuses light."
Communications

Submission + - Illiteracy is a disability?

Submitted by
mcgrew
mcgrew writes: "The St. Louis Post Dispatch is running a story about a man who is suing his former employer under the Americans with Disabilities Act for firing him for his illiteracy, saying that illiteracy is a disability.

I'm wondering how the guy knew about the ADA if he's illiterate? Maybe it's not that disabling in this day and age of audio-visual stimuli and educational materials? Perhaps one of you who don't know the difference between "loose" and "lose", or "there", "their", and "they're" can enlighten me as to just how disabling your condition is?

And could being a nerd be considered a disability? It certainly keeps women away more than a wheelchair would!"
United States

Submission + - US Temperature measurement errors? (norcalblogs.com)

Submitted by
Natros
Natros writes: "A data set is only as reliable as the instrumentation used to collect the data. One of the important data sets in the climate change field is the system of NOAA/NWS climate monitoring stations. The cumulative data from these stations shows warming trends nationwide. But what if the data from these stations is suspect? This blog has been documenting problems with weather station placement and maintenance that makes the data collected from some of these stations quite questionable. Among the most egregious errors: placing the station in the midst of A/C exhausts, and stations surrounded by asphalt parking lots. Whatever your position on the question of climate change, I think we can all agree that accurate measurement and reporting should be a priority of good science."
Windows

Submission + - Must-have Windows utilities for 20 essential tasks (computerworld.com)

Submitted by jcatcw
jcatcw writes: Which utilities do you need to install? Rule of thumb: anything you'd install on a new PC within a week of getting it. Computerworld has a review of such must-have tools in 20 different categories, plus a couple of bonus apps. Archiving: WinRAR or 7-Zip (screenshots); CD/DVD burning: Nero Ultra Edition or ImgBurn or Burning Studio; Download management: FlashGet; Encryption TrueCrypt; FTP Client: FileZilla or SmartFTP. Other categories include image processing, management, editing, viewing; PDF creation; text editing; antivirus; firewall; virtualization; partitioning; and various maintenance and system information tools.
The Internet

Submission + - Sex, Lies, and Web 2.0 (socialcomputingmagazine.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Till now the best known example of what is technically known as 'the online disinhibition effect' is probably web rage – brutal rudeness, racism, flamings and the like. But this article suggests another example: the new world of Web 2.0 is fast altering the human psyche, with social network users often, in a safe fantasy setting, transitioning into a new sexual identity that has no necessary day-to-day link to their personas in 'real life.'

[From the article: 'Internet culture now allows someone to express an 'abnormal' part of themselves (often a very minor part) without being obliged to include it in the self-identity that is designed to accomodate social or community expectations.']
Privacy

Submission + - DC Madam Posts 13 Years of Phone Records 1

Submitted by i_like_spam
i_like_spam writes: In a case that has had its share of ups and downs, the judge presiding over the case of Deborah J. (Jeane) Palfrey, aka the DC Madam, recently removed the gag order. As a result, she has posted 13 years worth of phone records on her blog. She is now calling upon the geeks of the world to help connect the dots in this enormous archive. From her blog:

Deciphering this voluminous amount of data — some of which is well over a decade old will not be an easy task. Frankly, this likely is understating matters. It will take a small army of people skilled in computer and phone technology, investigation as well as factual knowledge regarding the significance OR non-significance of identified persons. No one individual or entity will be able to connect all of the dots. The overall endeavor easily could take many months, if not years to research and report conscientiously.
Toys

Submission + - Pioneer invents the 'Superhero Suit'. (sundayherald.com)

Submitted by Fantastic Lad
Fantastic Lad writes: Its rock-hard surface can take a full-on assault from a baseball bat, yet remains flexible enough to allow you to kick, leap and roll with perfect ease. Its unique molecular structure means that while providing armoured protection against crude concrete and even barbed wire, it remains light enough to allow you to run at high speed. It sounds like the stuff of Batman comics — but the superhero suit is here. Identified as a major breakthrough that could impact on every sector from the military to motor sports, the revolutionary shock-absorbent material d3o is taking the world by storm. Blessed with the kind of properties your average costumed crime fighter would kill for, it is being hailed as an invention with the potential to change entire industries and save real lives. — Fine, but what happens when I 'Flame On'?
Networking

Submission + - Charter ISP hijacking DNS

Submitted by
koalemos
koalemos writes: "Charter.net ISP is currently hijacking DNS queries a la Verisign's $100 million dollar bad idea. Any unresolved DNS request, e.g. "abc123.fred", is currently being resolved to Charter's web search feature at 206.112.100.132.

The short term way to fix the DNS hijack is to block access to 206.112.100.132 at your router and then to change your DNS servers from Charter's to more reputable ones, however, Charter's behavior is nonetheless completely dishonest and quite possibly illegal. My question is; how widespread is this practice of ISPs hijacking DNS?"
Wine

Submission + - Parallels Releases WineD3D Source Code (winehq.org)

Submitted by something_wicked_thi
something_wicked_thi writes: Seeing as Slashdot ran the story about Parallels being out of compliance with the [L]GPL, I think it's only fair that they provide an update. On the very next weekday after the Slashdot story ran, Parallels, apparently, has released the source code. The Wine developers are verifying that it really is what they say it is. The Wine page provides a link to the sources, though it is temporary. It would be nice if someone could mirror that before it gets Slashdotted.
Programming

Submission + - Programming exercises for learning new languages

Submitted by pinkfloydhomer
pinkfloydhomer writes: When learning a new programming language or library framework, I find that the most effective method is to work on a real project. The project shouldn't be too big or advanced of course, but it shouldn't be a toy project either.

I usually write a small game or something like that. But of course, that doesn't necessarily take me through the entire language or framework. I think several different kinds of projects would be needed for that. Maybe one focusing on graphics, one focusing on networking, one focusing on database access, etc.

So please give your suggestions for small-but-not-too-small projects that will be instructive to do to learn a new language or framework.
Privacy

Submission + - Facebook Flaw Exposes Private Profile Info

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: Facebook users who have set their profiles to private (so that only their friends can see it) risk random strangers being able to mine highly sensitive data through advanced search techniques. Users' sexuality, religion, political affiliation and other key bits of information are exposed to attackers submitting crafty advanced searches. Wired News has the scoop, while the original disclosure by Boarding Pass Hacker Christopher Soghoian, is available at his blog.
Software

Submission + - Microsoft caught using pirated software in XP (urbandictionary.com) 2

Submitted by Ariastis
Ariastis writes: Microsoft have been bust yet again. They have been using a cracked version of Sound Forge to create files that are inside the Windows Tour folder. (Tested on XP) Reading the lat bits of the file in Notepad reveals the cracker info. These files have been made with Sound Forge 4.5 (The cracked version) first cracked by a cracker called "Deepz0ne".
Security

Submission + - RFID Security: Hacking your local truckstop (forbes.com)

Submitted by
RFhack3r
RFhack3r writes: "We have to change the way we think when implementing a new technology. RFID is a perfect example of this. The old way of thinking is "operations before security" but as we have learned that will leave IT systems and corporate data open to attacks. The supply-chain (Wal-Mart, Gillete, DoD, and Publix) to name a few are currently implementing RFID to phase out traditional barcodes for product identification and tracking. If implementers do not apply security best practices they may be vulnerable to a variety of attacks. This example uses off-the shelf hardware and can be performed by anyone with a few 100 bucks and some spare time. Attacks may be able to scan the entire inventory of an 18-wheeler while sitting at a truck-stop or going down the road. This may be used to gain information on what is inside so that attackers can target only the expensive items worth stealing. This may be the same for DoD and .gov implementations of RFID. The entire tech industry needs to implement the mindset of "Security BEFORE operations" if we are to progess with the implementation of future technology without opening the doors to more attack vectors."

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