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"The future masters of technology will have to be lighthearted and intelligent. The machine easily masters the grim and the dumb." -- Marshall McLuhan, 1969 |
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CIA.gov XSS | Threat Level |
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Topic: Computer Security |
8:47 pm EDT, Apr 17, 2008 |
In an age where JavaScript is so ubiquitous that some websites won't even load if you don't enable in your browser, cross-site scripting hacks are everywhere - letting malicious or merely mischievous hacker create links that have some very unintended consequences on websites that are not careful to keep from executing other people's code. Most are run-of-the-mill and hardly worth writing about, but reader Harry Sintonen writes in with a vulnerability on the CIA's site that THREAT LEVEL can't resist. For those of you who don't see it after clicking through, notice that the links lead to the CIA's site, but displays a recent THREAT LEVEL story. Here the CIA search box fails to rip out characters that will run as a script when the site tries to process the search query.
This story went up at 3:26pm, and it's still working at 8:45pm. This would be great for a prank form... Update: This is still working today. So much for fast response.. Here is the obligatory memestreams @ cia.gov link. CIA.gov XSS | Threat Level |
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Carl Bernstein’s View: A Hillary Clinton presidency |
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Topic: Elections |
2:36 pm EDT, Apr 15, 2008 |
What will a Hillary Clinton presidency look like? The answer by now seems obvious: It will look like her presidential campaign, which in turn looks increasingly like the first Clinton presidency. Which is to say, high-minded ideals, lowered execution, half truths, outright lies (and imaginary flights), take-no prisoners politics, some very good policy ideas, a presidential spouse given to wallowing in anger and self-pity, and a succession of aides and surrogates pushed under the bus when things don’t go right. Which is to say, often. And endless psychodrama: the essential Clintonian experience that mesmerizes the press, confuses the citizenry, confounds members of both parties in Congress (not to mention the Clintons themselves, at times) and pretty much keeps the rest of the world constantly amused and fixated. In A Woman in Charge, I wrote about her ability to evolve, observable especially in the years before she met Bill Clinton and in the Senate: to learn from her mistakes. Events have proven me wrong on that count. The 2008 Clinton campaign, in fact, has been an exercise in devolution, back to the angry, demonizing, accusatory Hillary Clinton of the worst days of the Clinton presidency, flailing, and furtive, and disingenuous; and, as in the White House years, putting forth programs and ideas worthy of respect and deserving of the kind of substantive debate she claims she wants her race against Barrack Obama to be based upon.
Carl lays out the "ouch" on Hillary.. Carl Bernstein’s View: A Hillary Clinton presidency |
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Overheard at the office... |
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Topic: Humor |
2:36 pm EDT, Apr 14, 2008 |
Timball: "I got into computers for cute girls and no heavy lifting. Thus far, I have been extremely disappointed."
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Administration Set to Use New Spy Program in US |
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Topic: Politics and Law |
1:27 pm EDT, Apr 14, 2008 |
The Bush administration said yesterday that it plans to start using the nation's most advanced spy technology for domestic purposes soon, rebuffing challenges by House Democrats over the idea's legal authority. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said his department will activate his department's new domestic satellite surveillance office in stages, starting as soon as possible with traditional scientific and homeland security activities -- such as tracking hurricane damage, monitoring climate change and creating terrain maps.
The NAO surge continues roughly as you'd expect ... "I have had a firsthand experience with the trust-me theory of law from this administration," said Harman, citing the 2005 disclosure of the National Security Agency's domestic spying program, which included warrantless eavesdropping on calls and e-mails between people in the United States and overseas. "I won't make the same mistake. . . . I want to see the legal underpinnings for the whole program." Thompson called DHS's release Thursday of the office's procedures and a civil liberties impact assessment "a good start." But, he said, "We still don't know whether the NAO will pass constitutional muster since no legal framework has been provided."
... and that's not a good thing. Administration Set to Use New Spy Program in US |
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Weather observations and positions of ships at sea |
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Topic: Travel |
5:14 pm EDT, Apr 10, 2008 |
We primarily use data reported via the World Meteorological Organization's Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) program to provide a snapshot of current weather conditions at sea, worldwide. This data can also be used to track the progress of ships at sea. Many ships do not report their weather observations to WMO, or report only sporadically; these ships will not have records in our database. Additional information comes from the YOTREPS network of cruising yachts; YOTREPS positions are updated only once per day.
Weather observations and positions of ships at sea |
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Amtrak - Northeast Acela Service |
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Topic: Travel |
2:32 pm EDT, Apr 7, 2008 |
Enjoy superior comfort, upscale amenities, and polished professional service — at speeds up to 150 mph — aboard Acela Express. The Acela Express experience includes: * A faster trip with fewer stops * Reserved First Class and Business Class seating * At-seat electrical outlets for your laptop or DVD player * Adjustable lighting and large tray tables * Conference tables * Quiet Car * Cafe Car * At Seat Cart Service on select trains
I took the Acela from New York to Washington for the first time last night. This is the way to travel! Comfortable seats, leg room, tables, power, and no TSA. It's totally hassle free travel. You can even get bottled beer in the Cafe Car to enjoy while watching the world go by at 150mph. It's a little pricey, but the value is there. If only it went down to Atlanta... Amtrak - Northeast Acela Service |
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Foreign Policy: Seven Questions: Waiting for a Cyber Pearl Harbor |
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Topic: Computer Security |
12:47 pm EDT, Apr 3, 2008 |
Chinese hackers are growing increasingly bold in probing critical U.S. defense networks. But former U.S. counterterrorism chief Richard A. Clarke tells FP that if the United States waits for a dramatic, 9/11-style attack on its critical infrastructure to act, it will be missing the real threat.
Foreign Policy: Seven Questions: Waiting for a Cyber Pearl Harbor |
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FRONTLINE: bad voodoo's war | PBS |
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Topic: War on Terrorism |
11:23 am EDT, Apr 3, 2008 |
FRONTLINE goes to war with a platoon of National Guard soldiers to see the war through their eyes, as they filmed it using their own camcorders.
If you have not seen this yet, do so... FRONTLINE: bad voodoo's war | PBS |
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