technology

No Exit: China Uses Passports as Political Cudgel

"Legions of Chinese have been barred from traveling abroad by a government that is increasingly using decisions on passports as a cudgel against perceived enemies — or as a carrot to encourage academics whose writings have at times strayed from the party line to return to the fold. The seemingly arbitrary restrictions, not unlike those of the former Soviet Union, also affect overseas Chinese who had grown accustomed to frequent visits home. Scores of Chinese expatriates have been denied new passports by Chinese Embassies when their old ones expire, while others say they are simply turned away after landing in Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNo Exit: China Uses Passports as Political Cudgel

Homeland Security Expands Electronics Seizure In “Constitution-Free” Zones

"The latest development in 4th Amendment violations is the scariest I've heard yet. The Department of the Fatherland has approved a policy which states in no uncertain terms that electronic devices can be seized without a warrant within 100 miles of the border. The kicker? The 'border', according to this policy, is any national barrier, political or physical. THIS INCLUDES BODIES OF WATER. So, that means that the United States has, in effect, 'Constitution-free zones' stretching 100 miles inland from every coast and 100 miles from our northern and southern borders." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHomeland Security Expands Electronics Seizure In “Constitution-Free” Zones

Revealed: Al-Qaeda’s 22 Tips For Dodging Drones

"In support of Ibyan province (Yemen) Military Research Workshop. I have said in my article 'Strategies of Capabilities for Ansar al-Sharia' that the American retaliation against the Mujahideen military movements in Ibyan province will be restricted to the war of the drone. My expectations have been assured after the recent New York Times leakage that the CIA will handle the situation, and for this, it set up a secret military base for the drones in a neighboring country. It is important now that we understand this American army strategy and discuss ways to disable this strategy." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRevealed: Al-Qaeda’s 22 Tips For Dodging Drones

Tech Industry Sets Its Sights on Gambling

"Two states, Nevada and Delaware, are already laying the groundwork for virtual gambling. Within months they will most likely be joined by New Jersey. Bills have also been introduced in Mississippi, Iowa, California and other states, driven by the realization that online gambling could bring in streams of tax revenue. In Iowa alone, online gambling proponents estimated that 150,000 residents were playing poker illegally. Overseas, online betting is generating an estimated $32 billion in annual revenue — nearly the size of the U.S. casino market. Juniper Research estimates that betting on mobile devices alone will be a $100 billion worldwide industry by 2017." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTech Industry Sets Its Sights on Gambling

India plans $70 million mission to Mars in 2013

"India said on Thursday it will send a $70 million space mission to Mars this year to study the red planet’s atmosphere. The unmanned Mars orbiter mission, to be launched in October by the Indian Space Research Organisation, will undertake a 300-day journey to the planet to collect data about its climate and geology. India says the Mars mission will mark a significant step in its space programme, which has already placed a probe on the moon and envisages its first manned mission in 2016." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIndia plans $70 million mission to Mars in 2013

Scientists create lifelike ears with 3D printing

"The new ears could provide the solution long sought by reconstructive surgeons to treat thousands of children born with the congenital deformity microtia, along with those who suffered ear loss to cancer or in an accident. Cornell biomedical engineers and physicians said the flexible ears grew cartilage over three months to replace the collagen used to mold them. Bonassar and his colleagues first constructed the ears with a digitized 3D image of a person’s ear that served to build a mold of a solid ear using a 3D printer. A high-density, injectable gel made of living cells helped fill the mold. Once the mold removed, cartilage was grown on the collagen." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingScientists create lifelike ears with 3D printing

Weapons made with 3-D printers could test gun-control efforts

"In a spare bedroom, where an AR-15 rifle leans against the wall, the 30-year-old software engineer is using a 3-D printer no larger than an espresso machine to make plastic rifle parts and ammunition magazines in between tea sets and chess pieces. The parts print, layer over layer, creating objects like an ink-jet printer etches words. Three-dimensional printers offer a potentially easy way around restrictions and registrations — a source of growing consternation among gun-control advocates and some allies in Congress." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWeapons made with 3-D printers could test gun-control efforts

Seasteading: Striking at the Root of Bad Government

"We know it is possible to live on the ocean; we know there are ways to make money there, and our mission is to drive down the costs of seasteading to transform the ocean from potential frontier into real frontier and eventually into just another option with some serious advantages. This will lead to experimentation and innovation in governance and force existing States to improve or wither away for a lack of residents. The challenges are large but the potential payoffs are much, much larger. By transforming the political problem of bad governance into a hard but achievable technological problem, which humans have a knack for solving, we make success possible." Continue reading →

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3D-printing gun site DEFCAD now attracting 3K visitors an hour, 250K downloads since launch

"Since launching in December, DEFCAD has become home to nearly 90 components, including bullet casings, pistol suppressors, and even grenade models. More significant, however, are the traffic numbers. Visitors to DEFCAD have to date downloaded over 250,000 files from the site, creator Defense Distributed announced via Twitter today. DEFCAD gets an average of 3,000 visitors per hour, representing roughly 2TB of traffic since launch, Defense Distributed founder Cody Wilson said by phone today. What all this means should be pretty clear: A whole lot of people are interested in downloading (and perhaps printing) guns." Continue reading →

Continue Reading3D-printing gun site DEFCAD now attracting 3K visitors an hour, 250K downloads since launch

Redress for Aaron Swartz Is Not on the Way Despite White House Petition

"There is some idea, apparently, that a government petition focused on firing the chief prosecutor of the Aaron Swartz case will begin to redress injustice. We doubt it, however. If ever the US government needed to explain a prosecution, it is this one. However, the petition process in which people seem to place some trust is probably not going to deliver a satisfactory result. The administration of Barack Obama is under no obligation than to do more than respond, whatever that means. The response can take the form of an explanation but presumably it doesn't have to. In this case, we doubt an explanation will be forthcoming." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRedress for Aaron Swartz Is Not on the Way Despite White House Petition