Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) has been granted an Operational License by the US Air Force for the use of Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on the Florida coast. Receipt of the license, in conjunction with the approved Site Plan, paves the way for SpaceX to initiate Falcon 9 launch operations later this year.

SpaceX Receives USAF Operational License for Cape Canaveral Launch Site | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference

In honor of Jack and Doris CrossAlzheimer's DiagnosisGet a Web Ribbon

Alzheimer's Web Ribbon

On August 23rd, a computer reported finding a new Mersenne prime to the server! Because I was on vacation, verification did not begin until the 26th. Two verification runs are in progress. Estimated completion is September 12th and September 16th. Check back here for updates!

Mersenne Prime Search

A computer virus is alive and well on the International Space Station (ISS).

BBC NEWS | Technology | Computer viruses make it to orbit

So for non-lawgeeks, this won't seem important. But trust me, this is huge.

I am very proud to report today that the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (THE "IP" court in the US) has upheld a free (ok, they call them "open source") copyright license, explicitly pointing to the work of Creative Commons and others. (The specific license at issue was the Artistic License.) This is a very important victory, and I am very very happy that the Stanford Center for Internet and Society played a key role in securing it. Congratulations especially to Chris Ridder and Anthony Falzone at the Center.

huge and important news: free licenses upheld (Lessig Blog)

This is a perfect example of why we force Decius to drink and rant at conventions. He's been the regular closing speaker at PhreakNIC several times.

Money for me, databases for you.

The Falcon 1 rocket, a sleek black-and-white booster built to usher in an era of low-cost space travel, was bitten by failure for the third time in three tries during a dramatic Saturday night launch from the central Pacific.

:(

Spaceflight Now | Breaking News | Falcon 1 suffers another setback

Russian writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who exposed Stalin's prison system in his novels and spent 20 years in exile, has died near Moscow at the age of 89.

a legend - from samizdat to history -- read Solzhenitsyn and know that the hammer and sickle is no different from the swastika

BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Alexander Solzhenitsyn dies at 89

From my meeting about reports today:

Joe: This is too much of one color for an executive summary. They needs lots of colors or they think the report is worthless

And the oddest exchange:

Joe: So you want multiple "Trend By" reports?
Ray: Yeah, like "Trend by Severity," "Trend by Risk Score," Trend by anything.... "Trend by Sheep" even.
Billy: Wow, I want to see a "Trend by Sheep" report.
Ray: Yeah! Sheep! But with Velcro gloves. Otherwise they can get away!

...

[awkward silence]

...

Billy: I'm posting this to Memestreams.

Quotes from work: Trend by sheep

Three weeks after the disclosure of a serious flaw within the Domain Name System (DNS), Apple has yet to patch its MAC OS X operating system, but the company may be able to look to a third party in defense.

-snip-
In an e-mail to CNET News, Mogull said "Apple may be stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one, but they've chosen the worst possible option--remaining silent."

Say it isn't so?!!!? Apple has a problem with security? They can't figure out the patch?

Staying silent??? Wow, that's NEW!

Come on Apple, act like a thought leader, not some has-been wanna be, who can't admit that there are flaws in ALL software...

The time for arrogance is over, get with the program.

The current fix, is to forward all DNS requests to a patched system, from a DIFFERENT vendor, such as Microsoft, Linux, or Unix. How long until the corporations realize that Apple doesn't care if they're vulnerable, as long as Apple doesn't admit the vulnerabilities?

Apple in a bind over its DNS patch? | News - Security - CNET News.com