From the Campus Watch
26 Jun 2011 Comments Off on From the Campus Watch
2500 BLOCK UNIVERSITY AVE
Suspicious Activity: A UT student observed a group of five subjects, three males and two females, they had in their possession a small monkey as well as a Labrador Retriever. The student began petting the monkey, at which time the monkey turned and bit her on the hand. Occurred on: 6-7-11.
Devil in the White City
26 Jun 2011 Comments Off on Devil in the White City
in IRL
I just picked up the “Devil’s Disciple” book, which talks about Holmes the serial killer, covered in the FANTASTIC book “Devil in the White City”. My favorite book ever.
Another book:
http://catalog.lib.utexas.edu/search~S29?/dMudgett%2C+Herman+W.%2C+1861-1896./dmudgett+herman+w+1861+1896/-3%2C-1%2C0%2CB/frameset&FF=dmudgett+herman+w+1861+1896&10%2C%2C13
EFF News
26 Jun 2011 Comments Off on EFF News
in IRL
WSJ and Al-Jazeera Lure Whistleblowers With False Promises of Anonymity
The success of Wikileaks in obtaining and releasing information has inspired mainstream media outlets to develop copycat sites, including ones run by the Wall Street Journal and Al-Jazeera. EFF’s review of the Terms of Services of these sites reveals that they aren’t adequately protecting the security and privacy of sources. For example, the Terms of Service for Al-Jazeera’s site give the administrators flexibility to “share personally identifiable information in response to a law enforcement agency’s request, or where we believe it is necessary.”
How to Disable Facebook’s Facial Recognition Feature
Facebook debuted a tag suggestion feature in December, which works by using facial recognition technology to examine photos in which you’ve already been tagged and then creates a “facial fingerprint.” Facebook then uses this fingerprint to suggest your name to your friends when they upload a photo of you. Like most new Facebook features, this one is turned on by default. If this makes you uncomfortable, you will need to opt out manually. Check out EFF’s video showing three ways to delete your facial fingerprint data from Facebook.
Supreme Court Affirms High Standard of Proving Patents Invalid
In a disappointing decision, the Supreme Court upheld the Federal Circuit’s rule that, in litigation, a patent may be proved invalid by clear and convincing evidence. EFF filed an amicus brief to support our view that a lower standard of proof should be necessary to invalidate bad patents that stifle innovation.
ACLU Sues State Department to Declassify Diplomatic Cables Already Revealed by WikiLeaks
The ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act request for 23 embassy cables that were widely disseminated by news organizations in November 2010. The government has refused to respond to the request, prompting a lawsuit by the ACLU.
Richard Dreyfuss reads the iTunes EULA
CNET recruited Academy Award winning actor Richard Dreyfuss to provide a dramatic (and hilarious) reading of Apple’s End User License Agreement for iTunes.
Cybersecurity Theory and Myths
Law professor Derek Bambauer debunks four myths about cybersecurity – including “No one cares more about civil liberties than Cyber Command and the National Security Agency.”
Musical Les Paul Google doodle
26 Jun 2011 Comments Off on Musical Les Paul Google doodle
in IRL
http://www.google.com/logos/2011/lespaul.html
Huge miscarriage of justice. The worst of police.
26 Jun 2011 Comments Off on Huge miscarriage of justice. The worst of police.
in IRL
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015278699_video_williamsfamilyattorney.html
Humanist news
26 Jun 2011 Comments Off on Humanist news
in IRL
Humanists Denied Ad Space, AHA Files First Amendment Lawsuit
Anthony Weiner’s “Bad Judgement”? That is So Not the Point
What Really Happens at Liberty University: Part I (Receiving the Holy Spirit)
The Religious Right’s Revision of American History
Book Review: Bart Ehrman’s Forged
Austin Humane Society, my favorite charity
26 Jun 2011 Comments Off on Austin Humane Society, my favorite charity
in IRL
Righthaven news good, not sure how I feel about Apple’s multi-touch patent
26 Jun 2011 Comments Off on Righthaven news good, not sure how I feel about Apple’s multi-touch patent
in IRL
https://www.eff.org/press/archives/2011/06/14
Other EFF News:
Congress to Device Makers: Don’t Track Me, Bro
Members of Congress announced two separate bills last Wednesday designed to prevent the abuse of location data collected by electronic devices.
Apple Steps into Lodsys Litigation
When we learned that Apple had stepped forward to support iPhone app developers who had found themselves threatened with patent litigation (and, in some instances, actually sued) based on their use of Apple-provided technology, we hoped that could be the end of the matter or at least that Lodsys would pick its fight with Apple, who has the resources to fight back. Unfortunately, the company that started the mess, Lodsys, has decided to up the ante, suing seven developers in the notoriously “troll-friendly” Eastern District of Texas.
We’ve watched with dismay Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s increasing use of domain name seizures as part of its stepped-up IP enforcement strategy. Now one of the seized domains — Rojadirecta — is taking the fight to court.
Microsoft Tries to Quash Innovation in Battle Over Xbox Memory Cards
EFF urged a federal court to block Microsoft Corporation’s attempt to misuse copyright law to thwart a competitor offering memory cards for the Xbox gaming system. Microsoft claims that Xbox users violate U.S. federal law — the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) — if they use third-party cards memory cards, such as those produced by Datel Holdings. If Microsoft were to prevail on this point, it could give the software giant the ability to use the DMCA to prevent competitors from selling Xbox-compatible accessories, like memory cards, controllers, and headsets. Such a ruling would have wide-ranging ramifications for hundreds of other consumer products.
Prosecutors Demand Limitless Warrant in Vermont Computer Search
EFF joined ACLU and ACLU Vermont in urging the Vermont Supreme Court to reject prosecutors’ demands to override a judge’s instructions and allow a limitless warrant for a computer search. During the investigation into an alleged identity theft last year, a detective from the Burlington Police Department applied for a wide-ranging search warrant, which included any computers, compact discs, cell phones, or mobile devices in the home, despite noting it was possible that some of the equipment might be owned by people not suspected in a crime. A judge granted the warrant application after putting reasonable bounds on the search, as well as including basic privacy protections for information and data not connected to the identity theft under investigation. Now prosecutors are petitioning the court for approval of the original overbroad warrant.
Alamo Drafthouse, still smells like a pet store, but has sense of humor
26 Jun 2011 Comments Off on Alamo Drafthouse, still smells like a pet store, but has sense of humor
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/06/07/alamo_drafthouses_kicked_out_customer_worst_moviegoer_ever/
All movie theaters smell like pet stores.
Not the Watergate papers, but still…
26 Jun 2011 Comments Off on Not the Watergate papers, but still…
in IRL
SCI-FI WRITER BRUCE STERLING DONATES COLLECTION TO RANSOM CENTER
Collection materials
American science fiction writer Bruce Sterling has donated a collection
of materials comprising books from his library, correspondence,
manuscript drafts and more, to the Harry Ransom Center. Sterling, an
alumnus of the University, is known as one of the co-founders of the
“cyberpunk” movement in the 1980s and is author of several novels
including “Holy Fire” (1996), “Heavy Weather” (1994) and “Schismatrix”
(1985).
more…