Scientific research is only as good as the people conducting it and what motivates them. From what I've seen, only a small number of people are genuinely excited by the stuff they are researching. The rest of them are chasing a PhD or some other claim to fame. But also coming up with a good study and designing it well to make it valid is not easy. It takes creative imagination and intelligence. Whilst there are many people with these qualities, it's frighteningly hard to find them at scientific meetings.
well you still have to research the obvious, because sometimes intuition is wrong. And you still have to research new ways of killing people, because sometimes the ethics committees catch on to what you're currently up to.
...decades of experiments that assumed twins have identical DNA. One twin may not be such a good control after all...
Well experiments can prove an association of two events, or causation of an event on another. Twin studies show associations and the experimenters usually jump to causation in their discussion to make the paper interesting to read. So it doesn't invalidate the experiments but shows that in all of science we can never assume we have excluded all confounding.
Actually this finding isn't all that surprising. For example, Trisomy-21 (Down's Syndrome) has different severities depending on how far along the line the trisomy developed (how many cells existed when the trait was introduced). It shows that the genetic makeup within an individual is heterogenous, let alone between two 'identical' individuals. The genetic code in your left hand is likely to differ from that in your right hand by a (numerically) small degree.
However, if the genetic change is an important one, then it follows that your left hand might be very different from your right (eg: more hair on one than the other, or one side more likely to develop cancer, etc).
... use it together with adblocker and a good antivirus package and your web experience will be safe and much faster. ..together also with a windows-free computer, I guess. But the problem is that websites people visit nowadays require scripts to be enabled. They will be deliberately targeted over sites which don't mandate scripting, so the problem remains. Best way is to design computer systems with the assumption that they will be hacked and then see how to prevent or minimize any damage, from the outset, instead of the old model which assumes the software was all honestly and flawlessly written.
Well considering it's rumoured (and probable) that electricity was used and available significantly before its public demonstration, also with radio communications and other groundbreaking technology, one can reasonably predict that a whole lot of people are up to stuff which the public will find out about only when too many other people know how its done. A bit like the situation with audio bugs. Once bugging of meetingrooms and so on became too easy, people just decided to make all the basic tech public so everyone can see how trivial it is and take appropriate precautions when necessary to counter the possibility. But before that, for decades, bugs were tinfoil hat fodder and most people didn't believe in them. People tend only to look behind doors if they have stood there themselves.
I suppose its time for someone to sit on the toilet for a week and come up with a cryptographic algorithm that resists a quantum computer, whatever that happens to be.
Besides, does anyone seriously think that we'll gain God-Like-Powers from quantum computing? The only God Mode I expect from the computer starts with the phrase 'iddqd'.
If I were offered a single magic power over the physical world it would be either invisibility or the ability to see behind walls. If quantum computing means whoever has it can bust all the crypto's in a realistic time (eg: a second or two), then we have a problem, because that group of people will have God Mode when it comes to money, intelligence, all that. Worse is if we don't know they have quantum computing, then all our shit is belong to them.
If quantum computing means they can break a crypto in a month whereas before it took them forever, there is hope in that quantum computing will become prevalent before anyone is able to totally compromise all communications. Of course I'm guessing there is no such agency that can do this yet.
People want portable hardware solutions.
Stop suggesting software and give us viable (ie secure) hardware alternatives.
The crypto solution in OS X is a practical model. Linking the folder tree encryption with the standard login password is good (without the loss of the GUI). If the solution was applied to Linux and was open-sourced, it would be no biggie to use an RFID tag or some device instead of a password. Perhaps at the loss of the RFID (person walks away), the device could lock or something.
As for 'hardware', realistically speaking I think it's false security if only the external hard-drive is 'secure'. Wherever the person plugs it into can be compromised. Therefore every system the person uses must be trusted, which means it might as well contain the necessary software to decrypt the drive contents, which means you don't need a hardware alternative if you are serious about security.
But capitalism and Americans are still worse right?
This is a good point. Honestly, until recently, the US has performed extremely well with innovation in technology. By and large it is still performing well.
However, the culture in the US has been changing for the worse over the decades, as have education standards and national infrastructure. Festering corruption in financial circles and in political leadership is becoming ever more apparent and attempts for even a moderate return to sanity in government are quashed without much subtlety.
Capitalism can be good. Free and fair markets, rather. But the markets in the US are not free anymore. It's who you know and what you know about them, not the quality of your products and efficiency of production that matters now.
In this way the US is about to exchange places with China (if, of course, China manages to rid itself of a sizeable proportion of its endemic corruption).
They will leapfrog the industrial revolution and plow headlong directly into the technological revolution while the rest of the world sits and watches.
Leapfrog the industrial revolution? China is in the middle of an industrial revolution!
World sitting and watching? I don't think they'll be watching China. Oprah maybe, but not China.
Iran is US's enemy (at least that of the Whitehouse and Wall Street bankers), and the US is Iran's enemy (at least the White House and Wall Street bankers). A third player of course is Israel.
The Iranian non-US-dollar oil bourse opening has been delayed until restoration of the sea cables (17th february).
It might be true that Iran has some internet access, but the motive is pretty obvious now and I think it narrows the culprit list down to one or two organizations.
Thanks to Iran's sensible move to delay the commencement of non US dollar oil trading by 5 or so days, war with Iran has probably been averted, for another 5 or so days.
Add to this death by non-compliance with medication, lack of medication/not being on medication, despite medication, non-prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, poisoning (all poisons are potentially medication!), suicide by medication, choking on medication and avoiding all of the above including food and water which potentially contains medication (anorexia), and you can pretty much include all deaths in the US and declare everything to be bad.
I think I'll just get all depressed now and go and eat chocolate.
Of course, the thing with Ron Paul is that given how consistent he has been over the years, pretty much anyone who has followed him can answer questions for him without fear of getting it wrong. Generic Pre-Election Debate:
Question: What is 1+1?
Candidate A: 3... 4.. no wait.. 5!
Candidate B: 3. Questioner: Are you sure? Candidate B: Yes, 3. Questioner: Really sure? Candidate B: Yep. It's 3.
Candidate C: 1+1=2. Questioner: Tell me sir, about electability *chuckle* do you have any? Audience: Canned Laughter
Blame it on teh J00z! I don't think people do, actually. This is politics, not religion. If you have any jewish friends, ask them what they think and I think you'll get a surprise.
Or a very competent, rogue state that happens to reside in the general region, which decided to go it alone because the U.S. got wet feet (pardon the pun).
if the US had used the Carter to tap a cable, they would do it without any interruption, that is the whole point of the thing. I am pretty certain that tapping the cable has nothing to do with why these lines are cut. The idea that this could be a prelude to war, though, does make a lot of sense, for the purposes of isolating Iran (eg: so they cannot get external intelligence easily, and cannot report casualty numbers in a timely manner, for example, in the event of a nuclear strike.)
I don't know if we should be pointing the finger at the US too soon. All manner of groups and nations have interests in the area and have the resources required to carry out this kind of sabotage, if it is sabotage. We'll find out soon anyway. Due date for repairs is around 10 days from now.
Slashdot Mirror
Now there's a clever thought!
Scientific research is only as good as the people conducting it and what motivates them. From what I've seen, only a small number of people are genuinely excited by the stuff they are researching. The rest of them are chasing a PhD or some other claim to fame. But also coming up with a good study and designing it well to make it valid is not easy. It takes creative imagination and intelligence. Whilst there are many people with these qualities, it's frighteningly hard to find them at scientific meetings.
Isn't mathematics a philosophy subject?
...decades of experiments that assumed twins have identical DNA. One twin may not be such a good control after all...Well experiments can prove an association of two events, or causation of an event on another. Twin studies show associations and the experimenters usually jump to causation in their discussion to make the paper interesting to read. So it doesn't invalidate the experiments but shows that in all of science we can never assume we have excluded all confounding.
Actually this finding isn't all that surprising. For example, Trisomy-21 (Down's Syndrome) has different severities depending on how far along the line the trisomy developed (how many cells existed when the trait was introduced). It shows that the genetic makeup within an individual is heterogenous, let alone between two 'identical' individuals. The genetic code in your left hand is likely to differ from that in your right hand by a (numerically) small degree.
However, if the genetic change is an important one, then it follows that your left hand might be very different from your right (eg: more hair on one than the other, or one side more likely to develop cancer, etc).
... use it together with adblocker and a good antivirus package and your web experience will be safe and much faster. ..together also with a windows-free computer, I guess. But the problem is that websites people visit nowadays require scripts to be enabled. They will be deliberately targeted over sites which don't mandate scripting, so the problem remains. Best way is to design computer systems with the assumption that they will be hacked and then see how to prevent or minimize any damage, from the outset, instead of the old model which assumes the software was all honestly and flawlessly written.I know. twas a typo missing a /
Wow and all this time I thought Grover was a muppet!
Well considering it's rumoured (and probable) that electricity was used and available significantly before its public demonstration, also with radio communications and other groundbreaking technology, one can reasonably predict that a whole lot of people are up to stuff which the public will find out about only when too many other people know how its done. A bit like the situation with audio bugs. Once bugging of meetingrooms and so on became too easy, people just decided to make all the basic tech public so everyone can see how trivial it is and take appropriate precautions when necessary to counter the possibility. But before that, for decades, bugs were tinfoil hat fodder and most people didn't believe in them. People tend only to look behind doors if they have stood there themselves.
I suppose its time for someone to sit on the toilet for a week and come up with a cryptographic algorithm that resists a quantum computer, whatever that happens to be.
If I were offered a single magic power over the physical world it would be either invisibility or the ability to see behind walls. If quantum computing means whoever has it can bust all the crypto's in a realistic time (eg: a second or two), then we have a problem, because that group of people will have God Mode when it comes to money, intelligence, all that. Worse is if we don't know they have quantum computing, then all our shit is belong to them.
If quantum computing means they can break a crypto in a month whereas before it took them forever, there is hope in that quantum computing will become prevalent before anyone is able to totally compromise all communications. Of course I'm guessing there is no such agency that can do this yet.
The crypto solution in OS X is a practical model. Linking the folder tree encryption with the standard login password is good (without the loss of the GUI). If the solution was applied to Linux and was open-sourced, it would be no biggie to use an RFID tag or some device instead of a password. Perhaps at the loss of the RFID (person walks away), the device could lock or something.
As for 'hardware', realistically speaking I think it's false security if only the external hard-drive is 'secure'. Wherever the person plugs it into can be compromised. Therefore every system the person uses must be trusted, which means it might as well contain the necessary software to decrypt the drive contents, which means you don't need a hardware alternative if you are serious about security.
That settles it. I'm moving my business to Islam. Is the weather good there? How are the schools and will my wife enjoy the shopping?
This is a good point. Honestly, until recently, the US has performed extremely well with innovation in technology. By and large it is still performing well.
However, the culture in the US has been changing for the worse over the decades, as have education standards and national infrastructure. Festering corruption in financial circles and in political leadership is becoming ever more apparent and attempts for even a moderate return to sanity in government are quashed without much subtlety.
Capitalism can be good. Free and fair markets, rather. But the markets in the US are not free anymore. It's who you know and what you know about them, not the quality of your products and efficiency of production that matters now.
In this way the US is about to exchange places with China (if, of course, China manages to rid itself of a sizeable proportion of its endemic corruption).
Leapfrog the industrial revolution? China is in the middle of an industrial revolution!
World sitting and watching? I don't think they'll be watching China. Oprah maybe, but not China.
It's unlikely to be brought about because, I suspect:
That and other reasons is why I think forcing such draconian antipiracy laws is political suicide
Iran is US's enemy (at least that of the Whitehouse and Wall Street bankers), and the US is Iran's enemy (at least the White House and Wall Street bankers). A third player of course is Israel.
The Iranian non-US-dollar oil bourse opening has been delayed until restoration of the sea cables (17th february).
It might be true that Iran has some internet access, but the motive is pretty obvious now and I think it narrows the culprit list down to one or two organizations.
Thanks to Iran's sensible move to delay the commencement of non US dollar oil trading by 5 or so days, war with Iran has probably been averted, for another 5 or so days.
Add to this death by non-compliance with medication, lack of medication/not being on medication, despite medication, non-prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, poisoning (all poisons are potentially medication!), suicide by medication, choking on medication and avoiding all of the above including food and water which potentially contains medication (anorexia), and you can pretty much include all deaths in the US and declare everything to be bad.
I think I'll just get all depressed now and go and eat chocolate.
Question: What is 1+1?
Candidate A: 3... 4.. no wait.. 5!
Candidate B: 3.
Questioner: Are you sure?
Candidate B: Yes, 3.
Questioner: Really sure?
Candidate B: Yep. It's 3.
Candidate C: 1+1=2.
Questioner: Tell me sir, about electability *chuckle* do you have any?
Audience: Canned Laughter
Or a very competent, rogue state that happens to reside in the general region, which decided to go it alone because the U.S. got wet feet (pardon the pun).
I think something much worse than a eurovision song contestant is going to fall on Iran very soon.
I don't know if we should be pointing the finger at the US too soon. All manner of groups and nations have interests in the area and have the resources required to carry out this kind of sabotage, if it is sabotage. We'll find out soon anyway. Due date for repairs is around 10 days from now.