] A Pentagon project to develop a digital super diary that
] records heartbeats, travel, Internet chats — everything a
] person does — also could provide private companies with
] powerful software to analyze behavior.

A very strong article about the coming conflicts between Ubicomp and Privacy. I wrote a paper on this in 1999. Search my MemeStream.

Pentagon Project Could Put Powerful Software in Private Hands (TechNews.com)

] "They made the machines. That's what I'm trying to tell
] you. Meat made the machines."
]
] "That's ridiculous. How can meat make a machine? You're
] asking me to believe in sentient meat."
]
] "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. These creatures are
] the only sentient race in that sector and they're made
] out of meat."
]
] "Maybe they're like the orfolei. You know, a carbon-based
] intelligence that goes through a meat stage."
]
] "Nope. They're born meat and they die meat. We studied
] them for several of their life spans, which didn't take
] long. Do you have any idea what's the life span of meat?"

Before The Matrix, There was Only Meat

] The Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association
] counted 140 million cellphone subscribers in this country
] in 2002 %u2014 a number that is sure to keep rising as
] cellphones become smaller, lighter and more versatile.
]
] One of the most popular new configurations is the
] cellphone with a built-in personal digital assistant. But
] that combination represents only a small fraction of what
] telecommunications or computer companies and independent
] inventors say cellphones can do.

New Functions for Cellphones

Rerecommending with some changes to Elonka's text:

The Kryptos sculpture at CIA Headquarters has 4 sections of code on it. The first three have been solved. In 1999 there was a big media splash as Jim Gillogly announced his solution, which had been obtained via a computer attack. Part 4 (the last 97 characters) is as yet unsolved.

I wish I could say that I'd solved Part 4, but I haven't (yet). What I *did* do this week though, was come up with a new solution technique for part 3 which I believe to be the "pencil and paper" method that the original authors of the sculpture intended to be used. It's a way of eyeballing the code, such that anyone with access to the ciphertext ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/july99/kryptoscode19.htm ) could quickly make a grid and check the letters off to get the entire message. -- no elaborate mathematical formulae or number-crunchers required.

I've written to Gillogly and a couple other cryptographers to check my work. If anyone else would like to take a look in the meantime, I've got a page describing the technique which is posted at my Kryptos site:

Elonka's Solution to Part 3 of Kryptos

] Even more troubling are the warning signs that large
] media corporations -- with massive market power -- could
] abuse that power by slanting news coverage in ways that
] serve their political or financial interests. There is
] always the danger that news organizations can push
] positive stories to gain friends in government, or
] unleash negative stories on artists, activists or
] politicians who cross them, or tell their audiences only
] the news that confirms entrenched views. But the
] danger is greater when there are no competitors to air
] the side of the story the corporation wants to ignore.

[IP] Ted Turner on FCC consolidation rules (text included)

] Ever since the invention of the printing press,
] governments have tried to make an ally out of owners of
] the means of information distribution. That's as old a
] story as when the powers that be tried to suppress
] Gutenberg's Bible. Not because they didn't believe in
] the Bible, but because they didn't believe everyone
] should be able to get one. This is a 600-year-old
] story. It's not a new story. But it's news to the United
] States that one side should get this close to that goal.

Strong words from Reed Hundt about the new FCC media ownership rule changes. Ted Turner has also come out strongly opposed to this in recent days. Basically the deal is that soon all the TV will be owned by Fox in the same way that all the radio stations are owned by Clear Channel.

[IP] Former FCC chairman: Deregulation is a right-wing power grab

] Federal authorities said today they have captured a man
] they believe to be suspected serial bomber Eric Robert
] Rudolph.

Wow, they finally got him...

statesman.com | Olympic park bombing suspect captured

] Joe Lieberman today is proposing a comprehensive new
] strategy to reignite our innovation economy and spur a
] new generation of prosperity. This strategy has an
] overarching goal of increasing U.S. productivity to a
] sustainable rate of 3 percent each year, roughly 50%
] greater than our ten year average - which would enable
] family incomes to double ever generation...

Leiberman comes out swinging with an aggressive pro-technology, pro-innovation strategy. 2004, round one, FIGHT!

Leiberman's technology plan

] I know this whole SCO/Linux thing can be very confusing,
] so I created this summary page to explain what's going
] on.
]
] To make it easier to understand, I put it in familiar
] terms.
]
]
] Cast:
]
] Daisy - Linux
]
] Roscoe P. Coltrane - SCO
]
] Boss Hogg - Microsoft
]
] Bo - Free Software Foundation
]
] Luke - Open Source Initiative
]
] Cooter - Bruce Perens
]
] Uncle Jesse - Novell

Someday the mountain might get 'em, but the law never will.

] BRAUNSCHWEIG, Germany — In these girth-conscious times,
] even weight itself has weight issues. The kilogram is
] getting lighter, scientists say, sowing potential
] confusion over a range of scientific endeavor.
]
] The kilogram is defined by a platinum-iridium cylinder,
] cast in England in 1889. No one knows why it is shedding
] weight, at least in comparison with other reference
] weights, but the change has spurred an international
] search for a more stable definition.

What a mess...

Scientists Struggling to Make the Kilogram Right Again