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Comment Re:Need doublethink training (Score 1) 376

by whitesea (#47339787) Attached to: Google Is Offering Free Coding Lessons To Women and Minorities
I am not talking about artificial colors. I am talking about different ways to look at things that are underrepresented in a particular culture.

If half of your customers are women you may want enough women in your culture to make your product attractive to women. If you have other segments of your customers that are underrepresented among your developers, you may want to encourage that group to get into programming.

Of course, a free course is not supposed to be their whole education and training. It is supposed to be their welcome mat, their foot in the door. A lot of people need encouragement to get going. This course is such an encouragement.

Comment Re:Need doublethink training (Score 2) 376

by whitesea (#47338719) Attached to: Google Is Offering Free Coding Lessons To Women and Minorities
It looks like you are looking at it from the political viewpoint instead of the practical one.

Google discovered that they already have plenty of white males working for them. They want more diversity and this course is their way to increase the pool of available talent.

Diversity (variety of backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints) is good for business. Google has many programs to solve different problems. This program is to resolve a problem of too homogeneous workforce. Don't read too much into it.

If I want a vegetable soup and I already have plenty of potatoes at home, I buy what I am lacking. Will you criticize me for discrimination against potatoes? I posit that all the indignation about this particular program omitting white males is as silly as criticizing me for omitting potatoes from my shopping list.

I also agree with other posters that attacking and denigrating any group will drive some of its members away, even if they are otherwise interested, talented, and competent.

Submission + - Roku Finally Adds YouTube to its Iconic Media Player (linuxgizmos.com)

Submitted by __aajbyc7391
__aajbyc7391 writes: Roku's popular Linux-based media players have long been criticized for their glaring omission of YouTube video support. As of Dec. 17, that is no longer the case, provided you have the high-end Roku 3 player and live in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, or the U.K. Google's YouTube channel is available immediately for the Roku 3 in resolutions up to 1080p, and will be supported on additional models (though probably just Roku 2) next year, according the company. Previously, the only way to run YouTube over a Roku box was to use the third-party, subscription based PlayOn service, which requires a connected PC or Mac running the PlayOn app. The YouTube update also adds a Send to TV feature, letting you send videos to the Roku for display on the TV with a single click.

Submission + - Your LinkedIn Password Is On Display in a Museum in Germany (vice.com)

Submitted by Daniel_Stuckey
Daniel_Stuckey writes: Earlier this year, it was London. Most recently, it was a university in Germany. Wherever it is, Bartholl is opening up his eight white, plainly printed binders full of the 4.7 million user passwords that were pilfered from the social network and made public by a hacker last year. He brings the books to his exhibits, called 'Forgot Your Password', where you're free to see if he's got your data—and whether anyone else who wanders through is entirely capable of logging onto your account and making Connections with unsavory people. In fact, Bartholl insists:

"These eight volumes contain 4.7 million LinkedIn clear text user passwords printed in alphabetical order," the description of his project reads. "Visitors are invited to look up their own password."

Submission + - Google Makes it Harder for Marketers to Collect User Data

Submitted by cagraham
cagraham writes: In a seemingly minor update, Google announced that all Gmail images will now be cached on their own servers, before being displayed to users. This means that users won't have to click to download images in every email now — they'll just automatically be shown. For marketers, however, the change has serious implications. Because each user won't download the images from a third-party server, marketers won't be able to see open-rates, log IP addresses, or gather information on user location and browser type. Google says the changes are intended to enhance user privacy and security.

Submission + - Philadelphia Voters Elect First Whig To Public Office In 160 Years (myfoxny.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Fox News reports, "Voters in Philadelphia have elected a Whig to public office for what the victor believes may be the first time in nearly 160 years. Robert "Heshy" Bucholz, a member of the Modern Whig party, campaigned door-to-door and won 36 votes to his Democratic opponent's 24 on Tuesday to become an election judge in the city's Rhawnhurst section. Election judges, who serve four-year terms, receive about $100 annually and are responsible for overseeing equipment and procedures at the polls. Now a heavily Democratic city, Philadelphia's last Whig mayor was elected in 1854. It's hard to verify whether Whigs won any lower offices after that, said Stephanie Singer, one of three commissioners overseeing local elections. Previously an independent, Bucholz said he joined the Whigs three years ago because of their fiscally conservative but socially liberal views. They represent a sensible "middle path" between Democrats and Republicans, especially in light of the recent government shutdown, he said. "That pretty much told us we can't trust either party and the system is broken," Bucholz said Thursday. Four U.S. presidents were Whigs in the mid-1800s."

Submission + - Edward Snowden Speaks to Peter Maass .. (nytimes.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Peter Maass: Why did you seek out Laura and Glenn, rather than journalists from major American news outlets (N.Y.T., W.P., W.S.J. etc.)? In particular, why Laura, a documentary filmmaker?

Edward Snowden: After 9/11, many of the most important news outlets in America abdicated their role as a check to power — the journalistic responsibility to challenge the excesses of government — for fear of being seen as unpatriotic and punished in the market during a period of heightened nationalism. From a business perspective, this was the obvious strategy, but what benefited the institutions ended up costing the public dearly. The major outlets are still only beginning to recover from this cold period ..

Submission + - Helping Snowden Spill His Secrets (nytimes.com)

Submitted by mspohr
mspohr writes: Great article in the NYTimes Magazine section by Peter Maass. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/magazine/laura-poitras-snowden.html

It goes into a lot of detail on how Snowden first attempted to contact Glenn Greenwald (who couldn't use secure communication at first) and then contacted Laura Poitras who was making a documentary about security. Lots of detail about their getting together, vetting each other, and personal threats to Greenwald and Poitras (as well as Snowden) as well as a good timeline of how events unfolded.
After reading this article I am more concerned than ever about the extent of US surveillance and the extent to which the USG will go to suppress information and intimidate whistle-blowers. Good to see that the NYTimes finally publish some real journalism on this subject.
Also... accompanying transcript of "Q&A — Edward Snowden" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/magazine/snowden-maass-transcript.html
Businesses

Submission + - Credit Card Swipe Fees Begin Sunday in USA

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: A speedbump on the road to a cash-free economy will go into effect Sunday in the USA, as retailers in 40 states will have the option of passing along a surcharge to customers who pay with credit cards. The so-called swipe fees arose from the settlement of a seven-year lawsuit filed by retailers against Visa, Mastercard, and big banks, who collect an electronic processing fee averaging 1.5 to 3 percent on transactions involving credit cards. The banks naturally have opposed the consumer surcharges, preferring that the extra costs to be passed along in the form of higher prices. Consumers in ten states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, Texas) won't be affected, since laws in those states forbid the practice (it seems that gasoline station owners here in Massachusetts got a different memo, though). Also, the surcharges won't be collected for debit or prepaid cards.
Crime

Submission + - Anonymous Warhead Targets US Sentencing Commission

Submitted by theodp
theodp writes: Late Friday, Violet Blue reports, the U.S. Sentencing Commission website was hacked and government files distributed by Anonymous in 'Operation Last Resort.' The U.S. Sentencing Commission sets guidelines for sentencing in United States Federal courts, and on the defaced ussc.gov website Anonymous cited the recent suicide of Aaron Swartz as 'a line that has been crossed.' Calling the launch of its new campaign a "warhead," Anonymous vowed, 'This time there will be change, or there will be chaos.'
Idle

Submission + - Trees to call for help if illegally felled (mongabay.com)

Submitted by Damien1972
Damien1972 writes: The Brazilian government has begun fixing trees in the Amazon rainforest with a wireless device, known as Invisible Tracck, which will allow trees to contact authorities once they are felled and moved. Here's how it works: Brazilian authorities fix the Invisible Tracck onto a tree. An illegal logger cuts down the tree and puts it onto a truck for removal, unaware that they are carrying a tracking device. Once Invisible Tracck comes within 20 miles (32 kilometers) of a cellular network it will 'wake up' and alert authorities.

Submission + - Man With 4th Amendment Written on Chest Wins Trial Over Airport Arrest (wired.com)

Submitted by TempestRose
TempestRose writes: Tobey didn’t want to go through the advanced imaging technology X-ray machines, or so-called nude body scanners, that were cropping up at airports nationwide. Instead, when it was his turn to be screened, he was going to opt for an intrusive pat-down, and removed most of his clothing in the process.

Is there yet hope for this country?

Submission + - Trojanized SSH daemon in the wild (eset.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: It is no secret the SSH binaries can be backdoored. It is nonetheless interesting to see analysis of real cases where trojanized version of the daemon are found in the wild. In this case, the binary not only lets the attacker log onto the server if he has a hardcoded password, the attacker is also granted access if he/she has the right SSH key. The backdoor also logs all username and passwords to exfiltrate them to a server hosted in Iceland.
Iphone

Submission + - Every Apple-Made App On Your iPhone Can Be Replaced By A Better App (businessinsider.com)

Submitted by
Andy Prough
Andy Prough writes: "Business Insider's Steve Kovach writes that he has now replaced all of Apple's built-in iPhone apps with those made by 3rd-party developers: Gmail for Mail, Google Maps for Apple Maps, Fantastical for Calendar, Chrome for Safari, Camera+ for Camera, Clear for Reminders, Evernote for Note, Adappt for Contacts, and others. Kovach states, "And now, all of the Apple-made apps are now in a folder labeled with an Emoji of a smiling pile of poop." While Kovach believes this is a good thing for iPhone users to have access to superior software, the San Francisco Chronicle posits that "it's becoming conventional wisdom that Apple isn't particularly good at making software for the iPhone"."
Facebook

Submission + - Ayatollah's Granddaughter Bypasses Censors to Join Facebook and Criticize Iran (ibtimes.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Censorship doesn't work too well in Iran since millions of people use VPNs, including Ayatollah Khomeini's own granddaughter, who has 5,000 Facebook friends and says Iran "should stop fearing the transfer of new communications technology."
http://www.ibtimes.com/khomeinis-granddaughter-knows-how-win-facebook-friends-influence-ayatollahs-946776

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