Submission + - Slashdot Dead or Dying? (foxnews.com) 2
An anonymous reader writes: OK, really? Who made this list up? Slashdot on the Dead or Dying list? So much for quality reporting.
Submission + - Verizon Kills Free FTP Access (businessinsider.com)
JP205 writes: Verizon recently disabled FTP access for its Internet customers who use its proprietary service to build their personal websites. It turns out that if you want FTP access restored, Verizon is happy to grant it to you for an extra $6 a month.
Submission + - Turbine powered Batmobile on Ebay (ebay.com)
An anonymous reader writes: The world's only Turbine powered Batmobile is for sale on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3984Q2em1555Q2el2649QQitemZ280730252092QQsspagenameZSTRKQ3aMESELXQ3aIT Also, it is listed for sale on the builder's website too. www.putschracing.com
Submission + - Hackers Get Valid Google SSL Cert (threatpost.com) 1
Trailrunner7 writes: A certificate authority in the Netherlands issued a valid SSL wildcard certificate for Google to a third party in July, leading to concerns that attackers may have been using the certificate to route sensitive traffic through their own servers, capturing it and compromising user data in the process. The certificate was revoked by the CA, DigiNotar, after the problem came to light Monday.
The attack appears to have been targeting Gmail users specifically. Some users trying to reach the Gmail servers over HTTPS found that their traffic was being rerouted through servers that shouldn't have been part of the equation. On Monday afternoon, security researcher Moxie Marlinspike checked the signatures on the certificate for the suspicious server, which had been posted to Pastebin and elsewhere on the Web, and found that the certificate was in fact valid. The attack is especially problematic because the certificate is a wildcard cert, meaning it is valid for any of Google's domains that use SSL.
The attack appears to have been targeting Gmail users specifically. Some users trying to reach the Gmail servers over HTTPS found that their traffic was being rerouted through servers that shouldn't have been part of the equation. On Monday afternoon, security researcher Moxie Marlinspike checked the signatures on the certificate for the suspicious server, which had been posted to Pastebin and elsewhere on the Web, and found that the certificate was in fact valid. The attack is especially problematic because the certificate is a wildcard cert, meaning it is valid for any of Google's domains that use SSL.
Submission + - Panda Poop Yields Cheaper, Better Biofuels (inhabitat.com) 1
An anonymous reader writes: A new study unveiled at the American Chemical Society points to panda poop as a source of remarkably efficient enzyme-producing bacteria that are able to break down plant materials for cheaper and more efficient biofuel production. Inspired by the giant panda’s voracious appetite for bamboo, scientists began to study the fecal matter of giant pandas at the Memphis Zoo. A year of samples indicated that the pandas have a unique ability to convert lignocellulose from plant matter into energy. In fact, gut bacteria of a giant panda can convert 95 percent of the plant’s biomass into simple sugars.
Submission + - New Tech Delivers 'Real' Lab-grown Muscle Tissue (gizmag.com)
Zothecula writes: Most people who have sweated it out in the gym trying to add a bit of muscle definition to their bodies will know just how difficult such a task is, but trying to grow muscle tissue with a real muscle structure complete with blood vessels in the laboratory has proven to be an even more difficult brief for researchers. Now a team from the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) has done just that, paving the way for the creation of engineered muscle tissue that can be implanted into patients who have lost muscle tissue through accidents or surgery.
Submission + - Potentially life-supporting planet found (swissinfo.ch)
il_genio writes: Researchers from the Geneva astronomical observatory have discovered a planet which they say is one of the best candidates for the ability to support life.
The planet – known as HD 85512 b — and its star — HD 85512 – are some 36 light years away from our solar system, according to an article published in the specialist magazine "Astronomy & Astrophysics".
It is 3.6 times heavier than Earth and takes just 54 days to orbit its sun.
The article says the planet is at the inside limit of the “habitable zone”, defined as the distance close enough to its star to stop water freezing, and far enough to prevent it evaporating away.
The planet – known as HD 85512 b — and its star — HD 85512 – are some 36 light years away from our solar system, according to an article published in the specialist magazine "Astronomy & Astrophysics".
It is 3.6 times heavier than Earth and takes just 54 days to orbit its sun.
The article says the planet is at the inside limit of the “habitable zone”, defined as the distance close enough to its star to stop water freezing, and far enough to prevent it evaporating away.
Submission + - When did Irene stop being a hurricane? (blogspot.com)
jamesl writes: Cliff Mass, a climate researcher at the University of Washington and popular Seattle blogger asks, "When did Irene stop being a hurricane?"
" ... there is really no reliable evidence of hurricane-force winds at any time the storm was approaching North Carolina or moving up the East Coast."
"I took a look at all the observations over Virgina, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. Not one National Weather Service or FAA observation location, not one buoy observations, none reach the requisite wind speed. Most were not even close."
"Surely, one of the observations upwind of landfall, over Cape Hatteras or one of the other barrier island locations, indicated hurricane-force sustained winds? Amazingly, the answer is still no."
Cliff supports his statement with data from NOAA/NWS/NDBC presented in easy to understand charts.
"
"I took a look at all the observations over Virgina, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. Not one National Weather Service or FAA observation location, not one buoy observations, none reach the requisite wind speed. Most were not even close."
"Surely, one of the observations upwind of landfall, over Cape Hatteras or one of the other barrier island locations, indicated hurricane-force sustained winds? Amazingly, the answer is still no."
Cliff supports his statement with data from NOAA/NWS/NDBC presented in easy to understand charts.
Submission + - Gut Bacteria Exert Mind Control (sciencemag.org)
sciencehabit writes: Hundreds of species of bacteria call the human gut their home. This gut "microbiome" influences our physiology and health in ways that scientists are only beginning to understand. Now, a new study suggests that gut bacteria can even mess with the mind, altering brain chemistry and changing mood and behavior.
Journal Journal: Market for stolen cell phones
Here in DC we are having a crime wave of stolen cell phones (article in Washington Post Express, not onlline). How does the market for stolen cell phones work? As I understand it, if mine were stolen I would notify my provider, who would disable it, thus destroying its resell value. Except clearly it does not work that way, hence the market for stolen phones.
Submission + - Robots dive deep to solve airliner crash mystery (networkworld.com)
coondoggie writes: "A small squadron of undersea robots has begun to conduct a 4 month, 3,900 square mile search of Atlantic Ocean bottom looking for the deep-sea wreck site of and black boxes from Air France Flight 447 which crashed off the coast of Brazil nearly two years ago. The Air France plane was flying from Rio de Jeneiro to Paris, when for exact reasons that remain a mystery, it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on June 1, 2009, taking with it 228 souls."
Submission + - Government Transparency Sites Face Chopping Block (sunlightfoundation.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Congress is quietly proposing to eliminate the funding for a slew of websites that allow citizens to keep government accountable. As part of the frantic budget cutting the electronic government fund would be slashed from $34 million to $2 million. Sites such as Data.gov, USASpending.gov and the IT Dashboard [http://it.usaspending.gov] would be immediately crippled and be forced to shutdown in a matter of months. The provision to cut these programs began with House Republicans and was recently re-introduced by Senate Democrats.
The most recent developments indicate the situation is quite dire. Funding will run out for many of these projects on April 20th and put valuable data back into the shadows. Journalists who depend on this data will lose access, citizens will not be able to examine the government's activities and all tools built on the data will break. The Sunlight Foundation fights to improve government transparency and if these cuts go through, the public will be denied the vital resources many members of Congress have previously championed.
The most recent developments indicate the situation is quite dire. Funding will run out for many of these projects on April 20th and put valuable data back into the shadows. Journalists who depend on this data will lose access, citizens will not be able to examine the government's activities and all tools built on the data will break. The Sunlight Foundation fights to improve government transparency and if these cuts go through, the public will be denied the vital resources many members of Congress have previously championed.
Submission + - Film Company Suing 5,865 Downloaders Has Problem (hollywoodreporter.com) 1
An anonymous reader writes: According to The Hollywood Reporter
Camelot Entertainment Group has hopped onto the mass-suing bandwagon by targeting 5,865 alleged downloaders of the B-movie revenge flick Nude Nuns with Big Guns. But the company might not even own the film. Lawsuit filed after Camelot defaulted on loan, and had its films seized, raising possibility that one of the largest copyright lawsuits in California history was made over a title outside the plaintiff's actual domain.
Camelot Entertainment Group has hopped onto the mass-suing bandwagon by targeting 5,865 alleged downloaders of the B-movie revenge flick Nude Nuns with Big Guns. But the company might not even own the film. Lawsuit filed after Camelot defaulted on loan, and had its films seized, raising possibility that one of the largest copyright lawsuits in California history was made over a title outside the plaintiff's actual domain.
Submission + - iTunes Users Puzzle, Fume Over Account Hacks (threatpost.com)
chicksdaddy writes: "News of Apple Corp.'s high-profile product releases, the health travails of its CEO, Steve Jobs and the company's hard fought rise to become the most valuable tech firm in the world have dominated news headlines for the past year. But behind the scenes, a growing population of customers are stepping up to say that they've been victims of what appears to be widespread fraud aimed at users of Apple's ubiquitous iTunes platform. They complain that the the Cupertino, California company — renowned for its user friendly products appears to be covering up the problem and hostile to their complaints and requests for information on what allowed their accounts to be hacked. In the meantime, anecdotal evidence from users points to a flaw — or flaws- in iTunes that is being exploited by rogue application developers, credit card thieves and more."
Submission + - Jerusalem UFO Video: Case Closed (discovery.com)
astroengine writes: "Skepticism was high after videos surfaced earlier this year depicting a UFO over Jerusalem. However, ufologists defended the sighting, dismissing claims that it was a hoax. But a few days ago, the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), one of the oldest, largest, and most respected UFO investigation organizations in the world, announced their findings about the Jerusalem UFO. Yes, even MUFON has concluded it was a hoax."
