My library is heading in this direction. They don't have RFID but they do have public scanners by the doors where you scan your card then your books and walk out. It works much like the self checkout lines at king soopers, only faster.
Their website is great too. Just enter your card number and name and it will show you which books are checkout out and when they are due, and you can push a button to automatically renew every one for another 2 weeks. It sure beats taking a trip down to the library because you're going to need an extra weekend to finish that book.
Getting back to the topic, I think that with a little thought many of the privacy concerns can be taken care of even with the RFID system in place. It sure would make it a lot easier to just walk out and you're automatically checked out, and in this case I think the benefits outweigh the concerns. They already have a database of what books you have checkout out! What more could they know!?
THE CRACKPOT INDEX by John Baez
A simple method for rating potentially revolutionary contributions to physics.
-5 point starting credit.
1 point for every statement that is widely agreed on to be false.
2 points for every statement that is clearly vacuous.
3 points for every statement that is logically inconsistent.
5 points for each such statement that is adhered to despite careful correction.
5 points for using a thought experiment that contradicts the results of a widely accepted real experiment.
5 points for each word in all capital letters (except for those with defective keyboards).
5 points for each mention of "Einstien", "Hawkins" or "Feynmann".
10 points for each claim that quantum mechanics is fundamentally misguided (without good evidence).
10 points for pointing out that you have gone to school, as if this were evidence of sanity.
10 points for beginning the description of your theory by saying how long you have been working on it.
10 points for mailing your theory to someone you don't know personally and asking them not to tell anyone else about it, for fear that your ideas will be stolen.
10 points for offering prize money to anyone who proves and/or finds any flaws in your theory.
10 points for each statement along the lines of "I'm not good at math, but my theory is conceptually right, so all I need is for someone to express it in terms of equations".
10 points for arguing that a current well-established theory is "only a theory", as if this were somehow a point against it.
10 points for arguing that while a current well-established theory predicts phenomena correctly, it doesn't explain "why" they occur, or fails to provide a "mechanism".
10 points for each favorable comparison of yourself to Einstein, or claim that special or general relativity are fundamentally misguided (without good evidence).
10 points for claiming that your work is on the cutting edge of a "paradigm shift".
20 points for suggesting that you deserve a Nobel prize.
20 points for each favorable comparison of yourself to Newton or claim that classical mechanics is fundamentally misguided (without good evidence).
20 points for every use of science fiction works or myths as if they were fact.
20 points for defending yourself by bringing up (real or imagined) ridicule accorded to your past theories.
20 points for each use of the phrase "hidebound reactionary".
20 points for each use of the phrase "self-appointed defender of the orthodoxy".
30 points for suggesting that a famous figure secretly disbelieved in a theory which he or she publicly supported. (E.g., that Feynman was a closet opponent of special relativity, as deduced by reading between the lines in his freshman physics textbooks.)
30 points for suggesting that Einstein, in his later years, was groping his way towards the ideas you now advocate.
30 points for claiming that your theories were developed by an extraterrestrial civilization (without good evidence).
40 points for comparing those who argue against your ideas to Nazis, stormtroopers, or brownshirts.
40 points for claiming that the "scientific establishment" is engaged in a "conspiracy" to prevent your work from gaining its well-deserved fame, or suchlike.
40 points for comparing yourself to Galileo, suggesting that a modern-day Inquisition is hard at work on your case, and so on.
40 points for claiming that when your theory is finally appreciated, present-day science will be seen for the sham it truly is. (30 more points for fantasizing about show trials in which scientists who mocked your theories will be forced to recant.)
50 points for claiming you have a revolutionary theory but giving no concrete testable predictions.
Appendage:
100 points for anything involving cold fusion, tabletop fusion, or super fusion.
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) has detected the following worms and viruses proliferating on the Georgia Tech campus network: -MS Blaster worm -DCOM (Nachi) worm -W32/Sobig-F virus
Successful worm and virus outbreaks impair networks by blocking access or increasing the time it takes to transfer data across a network connection. It is imperative that everyone on campus take appropriate actions to secure their systems from current and future outbreaks.
Overall Risk to Georgia Tech Infected systems must be cleaned to contain the worm or virus and prevent further proliferation. The time it takes to clean infected systems causes lost productivity throughout the campus community. If an outbreak is not contained, some network services will become unavailable due to "denial of service" events.
Any desktop and server computers with Windows (2000, NT 4.0, XP, and Server 2003) that connect to the Georgia Tech campus network and have not been patched are vulnerable to the MS Blaster and DCOM/Nachi worms. The Sobig-F virus can infect any Windows system (95, 98, NT 4.0, Me, 2000, and XP) via email attachment or Windows file sharing. These worms and the virus do not infect Macintosh computers.
Actions Taken by OIT OIT has taken these steps to contain the current outbreaks: -Blocked the ports vulnerable to these worms at the campus network border. -Notified the technical support community on what to do regarding these worms. -Temporarily blocked the ports vulnerable to these worms at the ResNet and EastNet routers to prevent un-patched systems of arriving students from damaging the rest of the campus. The effect of this will be that certain services such as file sharing will not be possible from within Resnet/EastNet to the rest of campus. These changes will not prevent access to mail, internet or other campus services.
We are currently working very closely with the ResNet manager to repair ResNet's infected student machines. You can help us by following these actions immediately:
Actions for Students to Take
If your system is currently infected, you must make sure it gets disinfected.
Get assistance from one of the technical support staff members, obtain the fix CD from your RTA, or download the appropriate software tools from the web.
To remove the Blaster worm, obtain the Stinger tool: http://vil.nai.com/vil/averttools.asp#sting er
Immediately update your computer's security software.
All computers that use the Georgia Tech network should have up-to-date anti-virus and personal firewall software installed. To protect your system from future worms and viruses: -Download and configure anti-virus (VirusScan) and personal firewall (ZoneAlarm) software from the OIT software distribution web page (http://www.oit.gatech.edu/software/ ). -Do not open any email attachments from senders you do not recognize. -Since some viruses and worms send infected messages that appear to come from email addresses that may be known to you, care should be taken before opening attachments that you are not expecting. More information and guidelines can be found at http://www.security.gatech.edu/.
If you are running Windows and have not installed the current patches, please go to the Microsoft website and download the Blaster worm security patch.
Considering a lot of GPS receivers have an error of + or - 10 feet or so, I wonder if they are using very precise equipment, or if having the redundancy of many units makes up for the rough estimates GPS satelites give.
Yes, that is what I mean, I was just trying to point out that either way there will always be the naysayers. The best thing to do is to probably ignore them instead of investing time and money that could be better used elsewhere, like actual research in the case of the telescope.
This story is OBVIOUSLY much different from last weeks. I mean look: this story has the 2+2=5 Education icon while the previous story has the GNU is not unix icon..:)
That precludes me from using XP, unless I want to activate Windows every time(no, thanks).
A poll was recently conducted at a large computer site in which 67% of participants admitted that they use an illegal version of XP, which means that the majority of people are bypassing windows activation. Looks like that idea worked well for M$.
Slashdot Mirror
My library is heading in this direction. They don't have RFID but they do have public scanners by the doors where you scan your card then your books and walk out. It works much like the self checkout lines at king soopers, only faster.
Their website is great too. Just enter your card number and name and it will show you which books are checkout out and when they are due, and you can push a button to automatically renew every one for another 2 weeks. It sure beats taking a trip down to the library because you're going to need an extra weekend to finish that book.
Getting back to the topic, I think that with a little thought many of the privacy concerns can be taken care of even with the RFID system in place. It sure would make it a lot easier to just walk out and you're automatically checked out, and in this case I think the benefits outweigh the concerns. They already have a database of what books you have checkout out! What more could they know!?
The RIAA "amnesty" does not apply to people who have pending litigation against them. (this is the RIAA's terms, not anyone elses).
Since it's taking 15 months to get there, that means that the thing is traveling at an average speed of 22 MPH.
They should have just launched my Buick Century to the moon and it would have gone faster...
THE CRACKPOT INDEX by John Baez A simple method for rating potentially revolutionary contributions to physics. -5 point starting credit. 1 point for every statement that is widely agreed on to be false. 2 points for every statement that is clearly vacuous. 3 points for every statement that is logically inconsistent. 5 points for each such statement that is adhered to despite careful correction. 5 points for using a thought experiment that contradicts the results of a widely accepted real experiment. 5 points for each word in all capital letters (except for those with defective keyboards). 5 points for each mention of "Einstien", "Hawkins" or "Feynmann". 10 points for each claim that quantum mechanics is fundamentally misguided (without good evidence). 10 points for pointing out that you have gone to school, as if this were evidence of sanity. 10 points for beginning the description of your theory by saying how long you have been working on it. 10 points for mailing your theory to someone you don't know personally and asking them not to tell anyone else about it, for fear that your ideas will be stolen. 10 points for offering prize money to anyone who proves and/or finds any flaws in your theory. 10 points for each statement along the lines of "I'm not good at math, but my theory is conceptually right, so all I need is for someone to express it in terms of equations". 10 points for arguing that a current well-established theory is "only a theory", as if this were somehow a point against it. 10 points for arguing that while a current well-established theory predicts phenomena correctly, it doesn't explain "why" they occur, or fails to provide a "mechanism". 10 points for each favorable comparison of yourself to Einstein, or claim that special or general relativity are fundamentally misguided (without good evidence). 10 points for claiming that your work is on the cutting edge of a "paradigm shift". 20 points for suggesting that you deserve a Nobel prize. 20 points for each favorable comparison of yourself to Newton or claim that classical mechanics is fundamentally misguided (without good evidence). 20 points for every use of science fiction works or myths as if they were fact. 20 points for defending yourself by bringing up (real or imagined) ridicule accorded to your past theories. 20 points for each use of the phrase "hidebound reactionary". 20 points for each use of the phrase "self-appointed defender of the orthodoxy". 30 points for suggesting that a famous figure secretly disbelieved in a theory which he or she publicly supported. (E.g., that Feynman was a closet opponent of special relativity, as deduced by reading between the lines in his freshman physics textbooks.) 30 points for suggesting that Einstein, in his later years, was groping his way towards the ideas you now advocate. 30 points for claiming that your theories were developed by an extraterrestrial civilization (without good evidence). 40 points for comparing those who argue against your ideas to Nazis, stormtroopers, or brownshirts. 40 points for claiming that the "scientific establishment" is engaged in a "conspiracy" to prevent your work from gaining its well-deserved fame, or suchlike. 40 points for comparing yourself to Galileo, suggesting that a modern-day Inquisition is hard at work on your case, and so on. 40 points for claiming that when your theory is finally appreciated, present-day science will be seen for the sham it truly is. (30 more points for fantasizing about show trials in which scientists who mocked your theories will be forced to recant.) 50 points for claiming you have a revolutionary theory but giving no concrete testable predictions. Appendage: 100 points for anything involving cold fusion, tabletop fusion, or super fusion.
From the timeline:
;)
MozillaZine asks its readers to pay the site's hosting fees. Much to our surprise, you do.
Not a lot of confidence in their reader base..
To: All Georgia Tech Students
.
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) has detected the following worms and viruses proliferating on the Georgia Tech campus network:
-MS Blaster worm
-DCOM (Nachi) worm
-W32/Sobig-F virus
Successful worm and virus outbreaks impair networks by blocking access or increasing the time it takes to transfer data across a network connection. It is imperative that everyone on campus take appropriate actions to secure their systems from current and future outbreaks.
Overall Risk to Georgia Tech
Infected systems must be cleaned to contain the worm or virus and prevent further proliferation. The time it takes to clean infected systems causes lost productivity throughout the campus community. If an outbreak is not contained, some network services will become unavailable due to "denial of service" events.
Any desktop and server computers with Windows (2000, NT 4.0, XP, and Server 2003) that connect to the Georgia Tech campus network and have not been patched are vulnerable to the MS Blaster and DCOM/Nachi worms. The Sobig-F virus can infect any Windows system (95, 98, NT 4.0, Me, 2000, and XP) via email attachment or Windows file sharing. These worms and the virus do not infect Macintosh computers.
Actions Taken by OIT
OIT has taken these steps to contain the current outbreaks:
-Blocked the ports vulnerable to these worms at the campus network border.
-Notified the technical support community on what to do regarding these worms.
-Temporarily blocked the ports vulnerable to these worms at the ResNet and EastNet routers to prevent un-patched systems of arriving students from damaging the rest of the campus. The effect of this will be that certain services such as file sharing will not be possible from within Resnet/EastNet to the rest of campus. These changes will not prevent access to mail, internet or other campus services.
We are currently working very closely with the ResNet manager to repair ResNet's infected student machines. You can help us by following these actions immediately:
Actions for Students to Take
If your system is currently infected, you must make sure it gets disinfected.
Get assistance from one of the technical support staff members, obtain the fix CD from your RTA, or download the appropriate software tools from the web.
To remove the Blaster worm, obtain the Stinger tool:
http://vil.nai.com/vil/averttools.asp#sting er
Immediately update your computer's security software.
All computers that use the Georgia Tech network should have up-to-date anti-virus and personal firewall software installed. To protect your system from future worms and viruses:
-Download and configure anti-virus (VirusScan) and personal firewall (ZoneAlarm) software from the OIT software distribution web page (http://www.oit.gatech.edu/software/ ).
-Do not open any email attachments from senders you do not recognize.
-Since some viruses and worms send infected messages that appear to come from email addresses that may be known to you, care should be taken before opening attachments that you are not expecting. More information and guidelines can be found at http://www.security.gatech.edu/
If you are running Windows and have not installed the current patches, please go to the Microsoft website and download the Blaster worm security patch.
WinXP:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/detai ls.aspx?Fa milyID=2354406c-c5b6-44ac-9532-3de40f69c074&displa ylang=en
Win2000:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/det ails.aspx?Fa milyID=c8b8a846-f541-4c15-8c9f-220354449117&displa ylang=en
Win2003:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/det ails.aspx?Fa milyID=f8e0ff3a-9f4c-4061-9009-3a212458e92e&displa ylang=en
If you need assistance from the ResNet technical staff:
ResNet site (http://www.res
Has this 'odd data' been corrupted with the evil bit or something?
Considering a lot of GPS receivers have an error of + or - 10 feet or so, I wonder if they are using very precise equipment, or if having the redundancy of many units makes up for the rough estimates GPS satelites give.
It's not like anyone reads the articles anyway ;)
Happy April Fools day!
Thinkgeek has a whole slew of 4/01 products on their main page.
;)
Thinkgeek main page
My favorite is probably the atom collection
Please stop the madness.
Thank you.
Does it run linux?
I was just kidding..
Why don't they just make the whole damn shuttle out of the stuff that the flight data recorder is made out of?
;)
Same with airplanes too.
Must be a slow news day..
Flagstaff is 242 miles (389 km) north-northwest of his location :)
Did Life Originate Underwater?
Uhh, is the pope Polish?
Yes, that is what I mean, I was just trying to point out that either way there will always be the naysayers. The best thing to do is to probably ignore them instead of investing time and money that could be better used elsewhere, like actual research in the case of the telescope.
Does anyone really think that this will change the alleged minds of doubters?
No, these people just want attention, they don't care if they're wrong or not.
Because the first step to solving any problem is always to create more problems.
-E
This story is OBVIOUSLY much different from last weeks. I mean look: this story has the 2+2=5 Education icon while the previous story has the GNU is not unix icon.. :)
From the Denver Post article:
"It's probably a 1 or 2 on a scale of 10"
I wonder: what is considered a "10"?
I know...RUN!
I'm showing 17249 at 6:14 PM EDT
That precludes me from using XP, unless I want to activate Windows every time(no, thanks).
t hr eadid=10069
A poll was recently conducted at a large computer site in which 67% of participants admitted that they use an illegal version of XP, which means that the majority of people are bypassing windows activation. Looks like that idea worked well for M$.
http://www.neowin.net/bboard/showthread.php?s=&