technology

Glenn Greenwald: Pentagon’s new massive expansion of ‘cyber-security’ unit is about everything except defense

"This Cyber Command Unit operates under the command of Gen. Keith Alexander, who also happens to be the head of the National Security Agency, the highly secretive government network that spies on the communications of foreign nationals - and American citizens. The Pentagon's rhetorical justification for this expansion is deeply misleading. Beyond that, these activities pose a wide array of serious threats to internet freedom, privacy, and international law that, as usual, will be conducted with full-scale secrecy and with little to no oversight and accountability, with a small army of private-sector corporations who will benefit most from this expansion." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGlenn Greenwald: Pentagon’s new massive expansion of ‘cyber-security’ unit is about everything except defense

The Internet Has Been Conquered: Get Busy With the Next Steps

"For years, people like me have been telling everyone who will listen that they need to start using encryption and to stop cooperating with the strangling of the Internet. Sadly, not many people cared. They were far more interested in free services and shiny new iGadgets. Ah well… at least I did my part. My point today is this: It’s over. The state has won. The Internet will be fully controlled in just a few years. Actually, it’s worse than that. Within that same amount of time, the Internet will not only be a Worldwide Surveillance Web, but it will be a Worldwide Manipulation Web." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Internet Has Been Conquered: Get Busy With the Next Steps

The New Fourth Estate: Anonymous, Wikileaks, and –archy

"The press has been captured by a handful of news corporations that are generally uncritical of government and fail to expose corporate injustice. The techno-libertarian culture has birthed the do-it-yourself fourth estate—usurping the illegitimate media and furnishing a viable alternative to the cartelized press. Two entities, Wikileaks and Anonymous, have emerged under this banner. This inquiry seeks to understand their history, methods, and to ascertain whether use of the discrete figurehead is efficacious." Continue reading →

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Silicon Valley House Sells for $117.5 Million

"An estate has sold in the wealthy northern California community of Woodside for $117.5 million, making it one of the highest-priced residential sales ever in the U.S. Public records show the house is 8,930 square feet and is located at 360 Mountain Road, Woodside CA, next door to the Steve Jobs house at 370 Mountain Road. Bottom line: Bernanke money is flooding Silicon Valley. The sale comes as Silicon Valley luxury home sales surged 54 percent in December, according to residential brokerage Coldwell Banker Wendy McPherson, quoted by the San Jose Mercury News." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSilicon Valley House Sells for $117.5 Million

A Swedish Police Taskforce Raided a Bunch of Teenagers Playing Call of Duty

"The ten-man team raided the apartment to find a group of teenagers in the midst of murder and destruction, yes, but also enjoying just another friendly night in playing Call of Duty. After being forced outside by what must have essentially been a SWAT team, the boys were able to explain that the gunshots were entirely virtual and the cries for help merely came when the character of one of the boys (let's call him Sven) was shot several times and left lying on the floor. Sven's alter ego had, presumably, been put out of its misery by the time the police arrived. Eventually, the police admitted the mistake and left without filing any charges." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingA Swedish Police Taskforce Raided a Bunch of Teenagers Playing Call of Duty

High schoolers help crippled cat walk again

"A group of robotics students in Colorado teamed up with a veterinarian to devise a life-saving solution for one crippled kitty. The cat, Flipper, suffered a spine fracture that left her unable to control her hind legs, making it impossible for her to get around, and putting her in danger being put to sleep. After running through a few models, the 'Blitz Robot' club at Conifer High School assembled a two-wheeled 'cat cart' that secured Flipper to a harness while allowing her to use her front legs to push herself without further damage." Continue reading →

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Japanese scientists invent ‘privacy visor’ to fool Google’s facial recognition software

"A 'privacy visor' that uses infra-red light to interfere with facial recognition technology has been developed in Japan for people worried about being spotted by computers. The goggles are useful for anyone who wants to avoid their identity being detected by hidden cameras, the inventors say. The goggles, which are made of clear plastic, have lines of lights that emit near infra-red rays. Echizen says this is enough to throw software off the scent, rendering a face invisible to a computer." Continue reading →

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Twitter: Government user data requests have risen 20 percent

"Twitter said Monday that worldwide requests from governments about its users rose nearly 20 percent in second half of 2012 as it sought to raise awareness about 'invasive' actions. Twitter said the overwhelming majority of information requests, 815 of the total, came from the United States. The company complied with at least part of the request in 57 percent of cases worldwide and 69 percent of US cases. In launching a revamped 'transparency report' modeled after one by Google, Twitter said it hopes the data can be useful to those seeking to keep an open Internet." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTwitter: Government user data requests have risen 20 percent

Google unveils detailed North Korea map… with gulags

"Google has rolled out a detailed map of North Korea that even labels some of its remote and infamous gulags. Until now North Korea was pretty much a blank canvas to users of Google’s Map Maker, which creates maps from data that is provided by the public and fact-checked in a similar process to that used by Wikipedia. Mr Mysore said the North Korea section had been completed with the help of a 'community of citizen cartographers' working over a period of several years." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGoogle unveils detailed North Korea map… with gulags

Pentagon planning massive cybersecurity increase

"The US Department of Defense has approved a fivefold expansion of its cybersecurity force over the coming years in a bid to increase its ability to defend critical computer networks, The Washington Post reported. Citing unnamed US officials, the newspaper said the Defense Department’s Cyber Command, which currently has a staff of about 900, will expand to about 4,900 troops and civilians. The decision to expand the Cyber Command was made by senior Pentagon officials late last year in recognition of a growing threat in cyberspace, the report said." Continue reading →

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