p2pnet World Headlines: Aug 24, 2010
Forget Hall Monitors, School Investigates Tracking Students with RFID ReadWriteWeb
So much for bathroom passes and hall monitors – these days it’s technology that is making the art of skipping class much more difficult for students, and we’re not just talking about security cameras. A forward-thinking school district in Connecticut is looking to crack down on wayward students, faculty and even equipment by making use of radio frequency identification (RFID) in its schools. New Canaan Public Schools hopes to increase the efficiency of its security efforts by embedding RFID tags into student and faculty identification cards and onto various pieces of school equipment. The tags could be used to track where specific students and faculty are located throughout campus, as well as hunt down missing laptops, projectors and other school property.
Google buys a visual shopping firm Internet Retailer
Google Inc. has bought comparison shopping site Like.com, says Munjal Shah, Like.com’s CEO and founder. Terms were not disclosed. Like.com offers comparison shopping services based on visual search. Its photo-recognition technology creates what the company calls visual signatures that can enable consumers to search by product images.
George Lucas sues to stop ‘Jedi Mind’ wireless headset Hollywood Reporter
LucasFilm has filed a $5 million trademark lawsuit against a company marketing a technology that allows users to control computer applications directly with their minds. The defendant is Jedi Mind, Inc., which touts a wireless headset that detects brainwaves on both a conscious and non-conscious level and can even make it possible for users to play games or run software applications with thoughts alone. The technology calls to mind the famous “Jedi Mind trick” as featured in the “Star Wars” films.
Microsoft: ‘We love open source’ IT World
Everyone in the Linux world remembers Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s famous comment that Linux is a “cancer” that threatened Microsoft’s intellectual property. Ballmer is still CEO of Microsoft, but that comment occurred in 2001, a lifetime ago in the technology market. While Microsoft hasn’t formally rescinded its declaration that Linux violates its patents, at least one Microsoft executive admits that the company’s earlier battle stance was a mistake. Microsoft wants the world to understand, whatever its issues with Linux, it no longer has any gripe toward open source.
Hacker’s Arrest Offers Peek Into Crime in Russia New York Times
On the Internet, he was known as BadB, a disembodied criminal flitting from one server to another selling stolen credit card numbers despite being pursued by the United States Secret Service. And in real life, he was nearly as untouchable — because he lived in Russia. BadB’s real name is Vladislav A. Horohorin, according to a statement released last week by the United States Justice Department, and he was a resident of Moscow before his arrest by the police in France during a trip to that country earlier this month. He is expected to appear soon before a French court that will decide on his potential extradition to the United States, where Mr. Horohorin could face up to 12 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 if he is convicted on charges of fraud and identity theft. For at least nine months, however, he lived openly in Moscow as one of the world’s most wanted computer criminals.
Cheating gamers face online ban BBC
The people behind one of the biggest video games of the year are taking the unusual step of banning some of its fans from playing the online, multi-player version. Set in the American Wild West, Red Dead Redemption has sold millions of copies around the world, many of them in the UK. But developer Rockstar Games say they’ve had complaints from gamers about cheats hacking their way to high scores. So from today (Tuesday 24 August) they’re being banned indefinitely.
UK Defence Secretary calls for Medal of Honor ban TechTree
Electronic Arts’ upcoming major World War II based action game – Medal of Honor might be under trouble waters at UK shores. UK Defense Secretary Liam Fox has urged British retailers not to stock up and completely ban Medal of Honor game because of its “un-British” nature. Fox has a problem with the game as its multiplayer mode allows one to take up Taliban terrorist’s role and assault NATO troops in the game.
‘Poo-powered’ car test drive – Gadget Inspectors Telegraph
“You might notice it starts to get a little strong up here,” says Mohammed Saddiq. This turns out to be an understatement. As I climb up the metal ladder I am hit by the most pungent, sulphurous smell of raw sewage. It lacks the ammonic edge that you encounter in the public conveniences of some parts of Asia where sanitation remains an aspiration, but it is powerful nonetheless. I am inspecting a machine that cuts up pure human excrement. The contents of 1.1 million households’ lavatories in the Bath and Bristol area end up in the machine into which I am looking. By this stage, it is the consistency of porridge and the colour of tar. [Also see Cannabis Car, built from hemp]
… and identi.ca
August, 2010
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August 24th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Cold war weapons expert warns Wi-Fi could cause generational birth defects
http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Cold+weapons+expert+warns+could+cause+generational+birth+defects/3437356/story.html
A British scientist and former naval microwave weapons expert has waded into the debate over the safety of wireless networks in Canadian schools, warning if left unchecked, generations could face genetic disorders.
Barrie Trower, who specialized in microwave “stealth” warfare during the Cold War, was to lecture at the University of Toronto Tuesday night. His topic: safety concerns surrounding use of Wi-Fi systems in public schools.
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Damning evidence… Worth reading it all…
August 24th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Brad Pitt calls for Death penalty for BP bosses
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2010/08/24/15124931-wenn-story.html
Eco-warrior Brad Pitt is so appalled by the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico he wants those responsible for the chaos to be executed.
August 25th, 2010 at 12:03 am
French Anti-Piracy Body Launches Information Campaign
http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i1108aba159819c850b28f0d01585351e
The French body HADOPI, the authority in charge of regulating the country’s new three-strikes scheme, has launched a public information campaign about the anti-piracy measures.
Around 260,000 advisory leaflets were distributed to motorists on French highways last weekend (Aug. 21-22) and the same operation will happen this weekend (Aug. 28-29). The campaign targets families traveling in France during the summer holiday period.
August 25th, 2010 at 12:11 am
Wikipedia tampering traced to Winnipeg air force headquarters
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Wikipedia+tampering+traced+Winnipeg+force+headquarters/3438218/story.html
The computer used to vandalize information on a Wikipedia site critical of the Conservative government’s decision to spend billions of dollars on a new stealth fighter has been traced to the air force’s headquarters in Winnipeg, the Defence Department says.
August 25th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood launches ‘Islamic Facebook’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11064326
Egypt’s opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, has launched its own Facebook-style social networking site.
A senior member of the banned Islamist group says the aim is to spread awareness of moderate Islamic values.
The Brotherhood’s version – Ikhwanbook – looks similar to Facebook, but users say it respects Islamic values better.
It has more reserved use of photographs, less intrusion in the personal lives of members, and a different attitude to homosexuality.
August 25th, 2010 at 12:18 am
Facebook on possible collision course with privacy watchdog
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Facebook+possible+collision+course+with+privacy+watchdog/3438121/story.html
The clock has run out on Facebook to revamp its privacy rules to avoid a public showdown with Canada’s privacy czar over how it protects the personal information of its 500 million users worldwide.
August 25th, 2010 at 12:23 am
RIAA President Says Copyright Law “Isn’t Working”
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/08/24/1739238/RIAA-President-Says-Copyright-Law-Isnt-Working
“Apperantly not satisfied with the current scope of the DMCA, RIAA President Cary Sherman wants to broaden the scope of the law to have content providers such as YouTube and Rapidshare liable for illegal content found on their sites. ‘The RIAA would strongly prefer informal agreements inked with intermediaries … We’re working on [discussions with broadband providers], and we’d like to extend that kind of relationship — not just to ISPs, but [also to] search engines, payment processors, advertisers … [But], if legislation is an appropriate way to facilitate that kind of cooperation, fine.’ Notice the update at the end of the article pointing out that Sherman is seeking for voluntary agreements with said partners and not to enact broader laws without their cooperation.”
August 25th, 2010 at 12:24 am
Microsoft is fending off over 50 patent infringement cases
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/65411
“There are over 50 other patent infringement cases pending against Microsoft, 10 of which are set for trial in fiscal year 2010,” states a line in Microsoft’s latest annual financial report filed with the SEC on July 30. This list of 50 is in addition to the roughly $2 billion in damages that Microsoft has reportedly already lost from lawsuits.
August 25th, 2010 at 3:05 am
WikiLeaks to release CIA paper tomorrow.
http://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/22034092550
August 25th, 2010 at 7:52 am
George Lucas sues to stop ‘Jedi Mind’ wireless headset
Makes no sense.
From the facts given, this would be a patent (technology) case, if the device was patented and actually worked.
Of course, no such device can work.
Evidently this case (if it is a trademark violation case) is a bout a toy and it’s identification to confuse customers.
August 25th, 2010 at 9:30 am
I wonder if Brad Pitt realizes that the largest oil consumer is the US! If you remove the demand for the oil you remove the need for risky drilling to “simply react to a need.”
And to Cary Sherman, Copyright Law will never work unless the people he “represents” can just go into anyone’s account and take what they want, while controlling any mention or performance or distribution (any means possible, even signing) of music.
And the rest of the world won’t be happy until he, his fellow RIAA folks, their MPAA cousins, and all of their representatives, accept profits as they are (which are still very high) and pay musicians instead of screwing them, and give people a fairly priced product or service.
Obviously that won’t happy, but Sherman can’t live forever, hopefully his replacement will be just a little more realistic.