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The Military

Submission + - British nukes protected solely by bicycle locks

Submitted by StationM
StationM writes: Newsnight at BBC2 has revealed that British were secured only by a bicycle lock and 'trust' in the integrity of the officers in charge of the weapons. "Newsnight has discovered that until the early days of the Blair government the RAF's nuclear bombs were armed by turning a bicycle lock key...The Royal Navy argued that officers of the Royal Navy as the Senior Service could be trusted:

"It would be invidious to suggest... that Senior Service officers may, in difficult circumstances, act in defiance of their clear orders".

Neither the Navy nor the RAF installed PAL (Permissive Active Link) protection on their nuclear weapons.

The RAF kept their unsafeguarded bombs at airbases until they were withdrawn in 1998."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7097101.stm

sure makes me feel safe!
Privacy

Submission + - Do you have any idea who last looked at your data?

Submitted by
tqft
tqft writes: "Or why the NSA is overspending.

"What these situations have in common is that a corporation was a ready source of data. And as search engines and social networks collect more and more user data for business purposes, governments will find that data more and more useful for their investigatory purposes.

Further, as a person's stored data profile grows to include items such as group memberships, purchases and a list of friends, it forms a very tempting target for governments to try to mine for suspected criminal contacts. This concept is of course not new, with traffic analysis (of phone calls or data) being an ancient intelligence technique. But corporations are now essentially volunteering to collect all the information, put it in a readily searchable package and then perform all the analytical work. "

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/nov/15/comment

Yes yahoo and friends are doing it for advertising and the governments are subverting it. But honestly, wouldn't at least some of the NSA dollars on collecting everything and doing it themselves be better spent getting people to sign up to social networking sites and let the users incriminate themselves?

"Search engine companies are understandably reluctant to confront these issues. They make predictable statements about needing to obey local laws and the benefits of their products"

"We cannot expect that having large warehouses of data on individuals will be free from unintended consequences, especially when there are incentives to try to build highly detailed models of everyone's lives. The price of total personalisation is total surveillance."

Article authors blog here:
http://sethf.com/infothought/blog/archives/001280.html"
The Internet

Submission + - Comcast Sued Over BitTorrent Blocking

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: From the other-shoe-dropping dept?
WIRED's Threat Level blog reports that cable ISP Comcast is being sued by a California man over it's interference with the BitTorrent use of its customers, "arguing that the company's secret use of technology to limit peer-to-peer applications such as BitTorrent violates federal computer fraud laws, their user contracts and anti-fraudulent advertising statutes."

Comcast maintains that "Comcast does not, has not, and will not block any websites or online applications, including peer-to-peer services." And says, "...we use the latest technologies to manage our network so that they can continue to enjoy these applications."

The plaintiff wants the court to force Comcast to stop interfering with the traffic, and also wants the court to certify the suit as a class action.

Related stories on Slashdot:
FCC Complaint Filed Over Comcast P2P Blocking
Comcast Confirmed as Discriminating Against FileSharing Traffic
Security

Submission + - NAC's dirty little secrets told by early adopters (networkworld.com)

Submitted by
Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward writes: "Early network access control adopters are attracted to the technology for very specific reasons that often don't include the main reason NAC technology was brought about in the first place: endpoint checking. For example, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, which has used Mirage Networks NAC gear since 2005, has about 250 desktops attached to two Extreme Black Diamond 1Gbps switches that are connected by a 10Gbps fiber link. The department uses the Mirage device for two reasons, Kupchaunis says. The first is to keep unauthorized users who are allowed into the building from gaining network access, a form of identity-based access control. The second is to make sure devices that are allowed access don't misbehave once they are on the network. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/111407-nac-early-adopters.html"
The Internet

Submission + - Average number of links on a web page (uclue.com)

Submitted by flatbush52
flatbush52 writes: According to Uclue, the average website includes 62.5 links. Actually, the figure is really according to IBM, Microsoft, and HP researchers who studies a few hundred million pages. But Uclue is the one who puts it into perspective in a nicely done write-up. The figure includes all links on a page, including anchor tags, image links, advertising, etc. Because of the heavily skewed nature of the web, with a small number of sites housing thousands upon thousands of links, there's a sizable discrepancy between the mean and median figures, which is also discussed in the Uclue article. By the way, Uclue is the same group who gave us the controversial estimate on the Enegy Use of the Internet a few weeks ago...they're getting to be an interesting little operation.
Biotech

Submission + - Nanotube Vests Could Deflect Bullets (telegraph.co.uk)

Submitted by
Invisible Pink Unicorn
Invisible Pink Unicorn writes: "Conventional kevlar vests and body armor stop bullets by spreading out the bullet's force over a larger area. While this does stop the bullet from penetrating the skin, blunt force trauma can still lead to incapacitation and damage to critical organs. Researchers at the Centre for Advanced Materials Technology, University of Sydney, say that the elasticity of carbon nanotubes may put an end to this by using the energy of the initial impact to rebound the bullets, essentially canceling out the force normally felt by the wearer. From the Telegraph: 'The team tested carbon nanotubes ... by bombarding them with diamond bullets travelling at speeds varying between 1000 and 3500 metres per second, revealing the conditions when the bullet could bounce back. Based on their findings, they calculate that six layers of woven nanotube yarn — about 600 millionths of a metre thick — may protect the wearer from a revolver bullet, so that it bounces off.'"
Enlightenment

Submission + - Heaviest black hole ever found (msn.com)

Submitted by
Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: "Astronomers say they've discovered a black hole whose mass of 24 to 33 times that of our sun defies current theories to explain its formation. The hole is located in the nearby dwarf galaxy IC 10, 1.8 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Cassiopeia. The dead star from which the hole could have derived is estimated to have had a mass of about 60 or more solar masses."
The Military

Submission + - Wireless micro-sensors prevent jet engine failures (networkworld.com)

Submitted by
coondoggie
coondoggie writes: "Researchers at Purdue University are teaming with the US Air Force to develop tiny wireless sensors tough enough to survive the harsh conditions inside jet engines to detect when critical bearings are close to failing, shut them down and prevent breakdowns or crashes. The researchers have shown that the new sensors can detect impending temperature-induced bearing failure significantly earlier than conventional sensors. The sensors could be in use in a few years in military aircraft such as fighter jets and helicopters but the technology also has potential applications in commercial products, including aircraft and cars — anything with an engine. In addition, the sensors could be used in aerospace applications to monitor bearings in satellite attitude control wheels to keep the satellites in position. http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/21349"
Communications

Submission + - The Pirate Bay developing new P2P protocol to repl (blorge.com)

Submitted by
mlauzon
mlauzon writes: "(TITLE SHOULD READ:The Pirate Bay developing new P2P protocol to replace BitTorrent)


The Pirate Bay, one of the largest BitTorrent trackers in the world, is reported to be actively working on developing a new peer to peer file sharing protocol. The reason? Brokep, One of the head honchos at TPB, claims that BitTorrent as a protocol won't last longer than 12 months. Brokep was interviewed at a conference over the weekend by German website Netzpolitick.org and spoke about The Pirate Bay, and it's future plans for world domination. When asked about the future of the site, he revealed:

"I think we will still grow for a couple of months or maybe a year, and I don't think Bittorrent as a protocol will survive much longer. So if our new protocol works, we will be one of the big websites still. If it doesn't, maybe someone else takes over."

"The biggest problem is that it's owned by the Bittorrent company, which developes new versions of it. So we don't have any input as users to say what we want in the protocol. And Bittorrent is funded by companies which we don't necessarily like as well."
It seems that The Pirate Bay aren't too happy with BitTorrent Inc. and it's recent decision to make some newer additions to the client closed source. They also want to develop a new protocol which will better fend off the increasing incidents of anti-piracy organisations and spammers from affecting the flow of file sharing. The rest of the interview doesn't really reveal any secrets or surprises but this is big news. The BitTorrent protocol has revolutionised the trade in illegal files over the Internet. Which is why sites such as TPB are so intent on keeping the flow going, and why organisations like the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) are so intent on shutting them down and disrupting their activities. The Pirate Bay pirates (for want of a better description) are already working on the new client, but a release of any kind is unlikely until next year."
The Courts

Submission + - RIAA's Sherman Attacks NewYorkCountryLawyer 4

Submitted by
NewYorkCountryLawyer
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes: "When questioned by a journalist on the viability of the RIAA's "making available" theory of copyright law, Cary Sherman, the organization's Chairman and CEO, responded by saying "It basically comes down to, who ya gonna believe, Ray Beckerman, or the Register of Copyrights?". Beckerman (alias NewYorkCountryLawyer on Slashdot) replied on his blog "I'm sure my readers know what the correct answer to the question is. Question: Who are you going to believe, Ray Beckerman, or the Register of Copyrights? Answer: Neither. I'm going to read the statute and believe what the statute says"."
Security

Submission + - Ticketmaster claims hacking

Submitted by FlopEJoe
FlopEJoe writes: Ticketmaster claims that RMG Technologies is providing software to avoid security measures including the Captcha. Even to the point of utilizing bots to get large blocks of tickets. RMG says it just "provides a specialized browser for ticket brokers." Personally, I don't miss the days of camping out for tickets and believe technology should make things easier and fairer. But it seems only the speculators win when tickets sell out in minutes and they can put them up on eBay for 10 times the face value. TFA is a good read for anyone interested in how tickets are allocated. "A hearing on Ticketmaster's suit is scheduled for Oct. 15."
Lord of the Rings

Submission + - New Hope for Jackson Hobbit Film?

Submitted by DrJimbo
DrJimbo writes: Almost just in time for the 70th Anniversary of the Hobbit (published September 21, 1937) Entertainment Weekly has a 5-page article on a possible reconciliation between Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema that may pave the way for the director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy to return and helm the filming of The Hobbit (New Line controls the film rights). It was previously reported here that Jackson would not be making the Hobbit film. The EW article says that Jackson wants to make two films: first the Hobbit in its entirety and then another film that bridges the roughly 60 years between the end of the Hobbit and the start of the Lord of the Rings. Unfortunately Jackson already has a lot on his plate with filming of The Lovely Bones scheduled to start this month and a live action Tintin film in the works.
The Courts

Submission + - Possession of the Anarchist's Cookbook==Terrorist

Submitted by Anonymous Terrorist
Anonymous Terrorist writes: Back in the midsts of time, when I was a lad and gopher was the height of information retrieval I read The Anarchist's Cookbook in one huge text file. Now it appears the UK government considers possession of the book an offence under the Terrorism Act 2000 and is prosecuting a 17 year old boy, in part, for having a copy of the book.
Mozilla

Submission + - Thunderbird in crisis?

Submitted by
Elektroschock
Elektroschock writes: "The two core developers of Thunderbird leave Mozilla. Scott McGregor made a brief statement: "I wanted to let the Thunderbird community know that Friday October 12th will be my last day as an employee of the Mozilla Corporation." and David blogged "Just wanted to let everyone know that my last day at The Mozilla Corporation will be Oct. 12. I intend to stay involved with Thunderbird... I've enjoyed working at Mozilla a lot, and I wish Mozilla Co and the new Mail Co all the best." I am scared. A few month ago Mozilla management considered to abandon their second product and set up a special corporation just for the mail client. Scott was more or less supportive. David joined in. While Sunbird just released a new version no appropriate resources were dedicated to the missing component. And while Thunderbird became the most used Linux mail client it is abandoned by Mozilla for 'popularity reasons'. Both messages from David and Scott do not sound if they as founders will play any role in the Thunderbird Mail Corporation. What happened to Mozilla? Is it a case of pauperization through donations?"

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