Sunday, August 07, 2005

A Hero in Every Aisle Seat. Be it terrorism or plane crashes, people don't panic. By BARUCH FISCHHOFF. [NYT > Opinion] 4:22:02 PM    comment []

Cracking the Books (Donna Wentworth). Princeton University, intellectual home of Edward Felten and Alex Halderman, has evidently begun to experiment with DRM'd textbooks. According to this post, there are quite a few digital restrictions being managed: Textbook is locked to the computer where you downloaded it from; Copying and burning to CD is prohibited; Printing is limited to small passages; Unless otherwise stated, textbook activation expires after 5 months (*gasp*); Activated textbooks are not returnable; Buyback is not possible. There an official press release from the publishers for download here. It talks up price discrimination as a feature -- cash-strapped students won't have to pay as much for hobbled textbooks that disappear from their computers and can't be returned or resold to recoop costs. Isn't that nice? I'm envisioning students taking Internet law and technology classes conducting their own experiment with these textbooks: documenting the ways they block the traditional activities associated with learning and scholarship. [Copyfight] 4:17:29 PM    comment []

The Rise of the Digital Thugs. The newest big corporate menace: disgruntled techies, who find company secrets and will keep them, for a price. By TIMOTHY L. O'BRIEN. [NYT > Business] 4:17:20 PM    comment []

Interesting Places on Google Maps. There's a directory of interesting Google Maps locations at http://explorer.altopix.com/ . The directory is user submitted and currently has over several hundred (at least) entries in a variety of categories... [ResearchBuzz] 4:13:13 PM    comment []

Profiling Humor. [Schneier on Security] 4:11:43 PM    comment []

Dispute over wireless internet access at Logan airport. "Logan International Airport is trying to block Continental Airlines from providing free wireless internet access to its frequent fliers - a service for which the airport charges $US7.95 ($A10.30) - calling it a threat to security",the Age reports."The Massachusetts Port Authority,which operates Logan,claims Continental's Wireless Fidelity,or "Wi-Fi," service has interfered with other wireless devices,but did not give specifics.Continental rejects the claim and argues the MPA cannot legally restrict its use of the technology.The Houston-based airline filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission". Airport, airline argue over wireless [Smart Mobs] 4:01:05 PM    comment []

Woo hoo! Russian Submarine Crew Safe on Land After Rescue. A small Russian submarine was freed today from its undersea entanglement by an unmanned British rescue vehicle. By C. J. CHIVERSand CHRISTOPHER DREW. [NYT > International] 3:58:13 PM    comment []

Congress ordered creation of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board as once check on government abuse in the "War on Terror." The Bush administration proposed a modest $750,000 budget, and Congress doubled that to a still-modest $1.5M. (The privacy office of Homeland Security has a $13,000,000 budget, for comparison.) But now Caroline Drees (Reuters) reports that the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board has never met. (thanks, Declan!) 7:44:42 AM    comment []