Local ID10T - Slashdot User

Submission + - Calif. Appeals Court Approves Cell Phone Searches (theblaze.com)

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Local ID10T

on Wednesday October 05, 2011 @11:51PM

Local ID10T writes: "In a case explicitly decided to set a precedent, the California Appellate court has determined police officers can rifle through your cellphone during a traffic violation stop.

Florida and Georgia are among the states that give no protection to a phone during a search. In particular, Florida law treats a smartphone as a “container” for the purposes of a search, similar to say a cardboard box open on the passenger seat, despite the thousands of personal emails, contacts, and photos a phone can carry stretching back years.

But after initially striking down cell phone snooping, California has now joined the list of states that allow cops to go through your phone without a warrant."

Submission + - BYOC: Should employees buy their own computers? (bbc.co.uk) 1

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Local ID10T

on Friday January 14, 2011 @03:45PM

Local ID10T writes: "Data security vs productivity. We have all heard the arguments. Most of us use some of our personal equipment for work, but is it a good idea?

"You are at work. Your computer is five years old, runs Windows XP. Your company phone has a tiny screen and doesn't know what the internet is. Idling at home are a snazzy super-fast laptop, and your own smartphone is barred from accessing work e-mail. There's a reason for that: IT provisioning is an expensive business. Companies can struggle to keep up with the constant rate of technological change. The devices employees have at home and in their pockets are often far more powerful than those provided for them. So what if you let your staff use their own equipment?"

Companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Kraft, Citrix, and global law firm SNR Denton seem to think so."

Submission + - UK cuts military spending 8%...USA does not (bbc.co.uk)

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Local ID10T

on Tuesday October 19, 2010 @03:42PM

Local ID10T writes: "UK PM David Cameron cuts defence spending by 8% over four years.

AIR FORCE — The Harrier jump jet and Nimrod reconnaissance planes will be scrapped. Some squadrons of Tornado jets will be saved, but Joint Strike Fighter and a modernised Eurofighter will form the basis of the RAF fire power and there will be extra money for unmanned planes. The air transport fleet will be upgraded with A400M and A330 aircraft, replacing the Tristar and VC-10 from 2013. Some air force bases will close and 5,000 RAF personnel will lose their jobs over the next five years. Extra 12 Chinook helicopters to increase flexibility.

ARMY — The Army will have to cut up to 7,000 personnel over the next five years, and lose 40% of its tanks and 35% of its heavy artillery. It will lose one deployable brigade out of six.

NAVY — The Ark Royal, launched in 1985, will be decommissioned almost immediately, rather than in 2014, as previously planned. The construction of two new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, will go ahead, as it would cost more to cancel the projects than proceed with them but one of them will be mothballed rather than entering service and the other will be fitted with equipment for the Joint Strike Fighter rather than the Harrier. The navy will lose 5,000 personnel and its surface fleet will be cut from 23 to 19. It will get a new fleet of Astute-class nuclear-powered submarines.

TRIDENT — The government says £750m ($1.2bn) will be saved over four years on the Trident nuclear deterrent missile system by cutting the number of warheads on each boat from 48 to 40 and reducing the number of missile tubes from 12 to eight. The UK's nuclear warhead stockpile will be cut from 160 to less than 120. The final "main gate" spending decision on Trident will also be delayed until 2016 — after the next general election.

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE — The Ministry of Defence will lose 25,000 civilian staff over the next five years. It will also have to renegotiate contracts with industry and sell-off "unnecessary" buildings and assets.

All of this begs the question: If the UK can cut its military spending, why can't the USA do so as well."

Submission + - All your secrets are belong to... India? (bbc.co.uk)

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Local ID10T

on Tuesday August 31, 2010 @10:06PM

Local ID10T writes: "An Indian Home Ministry official told the BBC that "any company with a telecoms network should be accessible"."It could be Google or Skype, but anyone operating in India will have to provide data," he said.

The move follows high-profile talks with Blackberry maker Research in Motion about ways to allow Indian security forces to monitor data.

The government is also likely to target virtual private networks, which give secure access to company networks for employees working away from their offices."

Submission + - Vote early, Vote often! (google.com) 1

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Local ID10T

on Friday June 18, 2010 @05:05PM

Local ID10T writes: "A new system of voting, called "cumulative voting" is gaining sway. Under this system, voters can apportion their votes as they wish — all to one candidate, one to each candidates or any combination. The system, which has been used in Alabama, Illinois, South Dakota, Texas, and New York allows a political minority to gain representation if it organizes behind specific candidates."

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