Monday, March 17, 2008
Personalized Tech Support
Rush Limbaugh was having problems with his Mac OS. Particularly, his email was not being backed up daily as it was supposed to and other Mac users posted on Limbaugh's site that they had the same frustrations. The heart of the problem seemed to be Time Machine, which stores backup copies of files, and Back to My Mac, which enables remote computer access.
Rush made a plea for help on his national radio show and was assigned a personal technician. Today, all is well. Limbaugh explained the fix on his show which included deleting the null mail folder and rebuilding the applications internal directory using the terminal command.
Limbaugh feels like if this is a global problem, and it seemed many had experienced it, they're well on the way to getting a global fix.
Rush Limbaugh was having problems with his Mac OS. Particularly, his email was not being backed up daily as it was supposed to and other Mac users posted on Limbaugh's site that they had the same frustrations. The heart of the problem seemed to be Time Machine, which stores backup copies of files, and Back to My Mac, which enables remote computer access.
Rush made a plea for help on his national radio show and was assigned a personal technician. Today, all is well. Limbaugh explained the fix on his show which included deleting the null mail folder and rebuilding the applications internal directory using the terminal command.
Limbaugh feels like if this is a global problem, and it seemed many had experienced it, they're well on the way to getting a global fix.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Hack Your Heart
There are defibrillators that are implanted into a patients heart. (Millions of these have been implanted. Vice President Dick Chaney has one.) They monitor the heart and automatically apply a shock when needed to keep the heart on its normal rhythm. Doctors can read data from these as part of an exam, determining the condition of the patient.
While emphasizing that there is no immediate danger to patients, a team of computer experts, electrical engineers and cardiologists disclosed that these devices can be hacked. They made one defibrillator reveal the patients information stored on it, caused it to fire improperly, and ran the battery down prematurely.
They pointed out these problems for industry awareness. They also suggested ways to resolve the vulnerabilities. It was noted that there are no known cases of this hacking in the past.
There are defibrillators that are implanted into a patients heart. (Millions of these have been implanted. Vice President Dick Chaney has one.) They monitor the heart and automatically apply a shock when needed to keep the heart on its normal rhythm. Doctors can read data from these as part of an exam, determining the condition of the patient.
While emphasizing that there is no immediate danger to patients, a team of computer experts, electrical engineers and cardiologists disclosed that these devices can be hacked. They made one defibrillator reveal the patients information stored on it, caused it to fire improperly, and ran the battery down prematurely.
They pointed out these problems for industry awareness. They also suggested ways to resolve the vulnerabilities. It was noted that there are no known cases of this hacking in the past.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Lordy, Lordy Look Who is Forty
Texas Instruments developed the hand held calculator forty years ago. TI donated some of the early models to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Early calculators were portable, but were 55 pound behemoths that plugged into the wall. These donated models will be displayed by the table Thomas Jefferson used when he wrote the Declaration of Independence and the stove top hat Abraham Lincoln wore when he was assassinated.
While some complain that the youth of America have become lazy at math because of this type of technology and can not work out problems long-hand, others believe they have simply avoided repetitive drill-based learning and can instead focus on creativity and satisfying curiosities.
You'll have to decide which is more important, getting the answer, or getting the answer in a more time-consuming manner, using one's brain for more of the work. In either case, I remember the large black leather like calculators on belts replacing slide rules. Yes, those were the days.
Texas Instruments developed the hand held calculator forty years ago. TI donated some of the early models to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Early calculators were portable, but were 55 pound behemoths that plugged into the wall. These donated models will be displayed by the table Thomas Jefferson used when he wrote the Declaration of Independence and the stove top hat Abraham Lincoln wore when he was assassinated.
While some complain that the youth of America have become lazy at math because of this type of technology and can not work out problems long-hand, others believe they have simply avoided repetitive drill-based learning and can instead focus on creativity and satisfying curiosities.
You'll have to decide which is more important, getting the answer, or getting the answer in a more time-consuming manner, using one's brain for more of the work. In either case, I remember the large black leather like calculators on belts replacing slide rules. Yes, those were the days.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
It's like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, with Email
An Ohio State Buckeye football fan lost a camera outside their stadium. Rather than turn it into the lost and found, Michelle Montgomery who found it decided to upload one photo and to contact 14 friends. They in turn contacted other Buckeye fans to see who recognized the picture.
It may have taken a few hundred emails in total, but within 48 hours Kevin John, a 1986 Ohio State University graduate, claimed his camera. John had a cheerleader take pictures of he and his 10-year-old son posing with Brutus Buckeye, the team mascot. It was easy to recognize and identify.
"It shows the power of the Internet, e-mail and the Buckeye network. It's amazing how many Buckeye fans are out there," said John.
An Ohio State Buckeye football fan lost a camera outside their stadium. Rather than turn it into the lost and found, Michelle Montgomery who found it decided to upload one photo and to contact 14 friends. They in turn contacted other Buckeye fans to see who recognized the picture.
It may have taken a few hundred emails in total, but within 48 hours Kevin John, a 1986 Ohio State University graduate, claimed his camera. John had a cheerleader take pictures of he and his 10-year-old son posing with Brutus Buckeye, the team mascot. It was easy to recognize and identify.
"It shows the power of the Internet, e-mail and the Buckeye network. It's amazing how many Buckeye fans are out there," said John.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Geek Out [Insert Your Name Here]
If you're ready to take geek to the next level, check this out. Mark and Corrie Pankow just had their fourth child, Bennett. What do parents do when they select a name for their child? If you're the Pankows, you make sure the domain name is available first. Yes, BennettPankow.com was taken for their newborn son. Bennett's three siblings each have their own domain names too. And the Pankows are not alone. More and more parents are registering domain names for their kids early on. What we don't know is how many parents select their child's name based on domain name availability.
And this trend isn't limited to domain names. Parents are snapping up email addresses based on their child's name as well. YourChildsName@yahoo, @gmail and @hotmail are going fast.
That is all for today's blog. I've got to go finish registering andyzavoina.com. Lucky me, it is still available.
If you're ready to take geek to the next level, check this out. Mark and Corrie Pankow just had their fourth child, Bennett. What do parents do when they select a name for their child? If you're the Pankows, you make sure the domain name is available first. Yes, BennettPankow.com was taken for their newborn son. Bennett's three siblings each have their own domain names too. And the Pankows are not alone. More and more parents are registering domain names for their kids early on. What we don't know is how many parents select their child's name based on domain name availability.
And this trend isn't limited to domain names. Parents are snapping up email addresses based on their child's name as well. YourChildsName@yahoo, @gmail and @hotmail are going fast.
That is all for today's blog. I've got to go finish registering andyzavoina.com. Lucky me, it is still available.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Is your Monitor a High Tech Milk Carton
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children started putting missing children's photos on milk cartons in the 1980s. Now they're going high tech and putting these on screen savers. The hope is that businesses will use these and increase the exposure of missing children to both employees and customers. Global Software Applications is the software company helping develop the rotating messages.
Do they work? It is reported that one in six children featured on milk cartons was found as a result of their photos being seen.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children started putting missing children's photos on milk cartons in the 1980s. Now they're going high tech and putting these on screen savers. The hope is that businesses will use these and increase the exposure of missing children to both employees and customers. Global Software Applications is the software company helping develop the rotating messages.
Do they work? It is reported that one in six children featured on milk cartons was found as a result of their photos being seen.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Your email is like a...
For a very long time we have associated sending email with sending a post card. It has just that much security. Anyone along the way could read it. Many who send email know this, but also believe their messages are protected communications and that the government and law enforcement agencies can't just read every message they've ever sent.
People are under the impression that email is private, like a telephone call or a first-class letter. These should be private and protected by the Fourth Amendment, protecting Americans from unreasonable search and seizure. Having someone from the government read your letters or listen to your calls should be an invasion of privacy and require special permission. But this has not been the case.
But who was worried about email? With a stroke of the delete key these are rendered to electronic dust, never to be seen again. Well, we know that isn't true. These are often held in archives on potentially many servers along the path the bits and bytes traveled.
The 1986 Stored Communications Act (SCA) which existed before most Americans knew what email was. This law was meant to be a protection of stored data, such as email, but there is an exclusion. It does not apply to an "electronic communication that is readily accessible to the general public." One question we face 20 years after this Act was passed is what does "readily accessible" really mean? The feds have been testing this.
In 2005 the feds were investigating Steven Warshak and they obtained a court order for Yahoo and Nuvox Communications, under the SCA, to turn over his emails. Yahoo and Nuvox were two of his Internet Service Providers (ISP). Warshak filed a suit claiming these are private and are protected by the Fourth Amendment. The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has agreed.
This case has the potential of being one of the largest Fourth Amendment - Technology decisions we have seen. Government entities will now have to show substantive reason for accessing these records unless the ISP has notified the sender or proves that the email wasn't considered private. This decision from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals tells us that the perception of protection is now a reality.
Does this mean Steven Warshak is a hero to the cause of technology? Not necessarily. This investigation came about because of the allegedly fraudulent behavior of Warshak and his company, Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals. They sell herbal supplements, diet and male enhancement pills. Warshak was indicted on 107 counts of wire fraud, bank fraud and other crimes.
References:
Warshak v USA, Sixth Circuit
SCA
For a very long time we have associated sending email with sending a post card. It has just that much security. Anyone along the way could read it. Many who send email know this, but also believe their messages are protected communications and that the government and law enforcement agencies can't just read every message they've ever sent.
People are under the impression that email is private, like a telephone call or a first-class letter. These should be private and protected by the Fourth Amendment, protecting Americans from unreasonable search and seizure. Having someone from the government read your letters or listen to your calls should be an invasion of privacy and require special permission. But this has not been the case.
But who was worried about email? With a stroke of the delete key these are rendered to electronic dust, never to be seen again. Well, we know that isn't true. These are often held in archives on potentially many servers along the path the bits and bytes traveled.
The 1986 Stored Communications Act (SCA) which existed before most Americans knew what email was. This law was meant to be a protection of stored data, such as email, but there is an exclusion. It does not apply to an "electronic communication that is readily accessible to the general public." One question we face 20 years after this Act was passed is what does "readily accessible" really mean? The feds have been testing this.
In 2005 the feds were investigating Steven Warshak and they obtained a court order for Yahoo and Nuvox Communications, under the SCA, to turn over his emails. Yahoo and Nuvox were two of his Internet Service Providers (ISP). Warshak filed a suit claiming these are private and are protected by the Fourth Amendment. The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has agreed.
This case has the potential of being one of the largest Fourth Amendment - Technology decisions we have seen. Government entities will now have to show substantive reason for accessing these records unless the ISP has notified the sender or proves that the email wasn't considered private. This decision from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals tells us that the perception of protection is now a reality.
Does this mean Steven Warshak is a hero to the cause of technology? Not necessarily. This investigation came about because of the allegedly fraudulent behavior of Warshak and his company, Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals. They sell herbal supplements, diet and male enhancement pills. Warshak was indicted on 107 counts of wire fraud, bank fraud and other crimes.
References:
Warshak v USA, Sixth Circuit
SCA
