Skip to content

Cyberspace is dead

An article in Wired. “The Internet feels less like an alternate world that we “go to” and more like just another layer of life. Besides, doesn’t cyberspace sound kind of played out? Clearly, we need a better word.”
Wired 14.02: START

Well, the word anyway.

—
And today’s special is ..
The struggle is the essence of improvement.
2407

2006 02 08 ernie About the Internet and the Web
Commentary Comments (0) Permalink

NSA Eavesdropping – How it’s done?

An article at CNET covers some of the ground about ways that NSA eavesdropping might work.
NSA eavesdropping: How it might work | CNET News.com

2006 02 07 ernie Commentary
Interesting Web Sites Comments (0) Permalink

Article analyzes NSA techniques

An article published in today’s Washington Post contains an extensive analysis of the NSA’s techniques in eavesdropping on communications. It does a good job describing some of the techniques used, the available sources, and the lack of results. The article implies that NSA and other surveillance groups are using this as an opportunity to experiment and further refine their automated and AI augmented tools.
Surveillance Net Yields Few Suspects

“Intelligence officers who eavesdropped on thousands of Americans in overseas calls under authority from President Bush have dismissed nearly all of them as potential suspects after hearing nothing pertinent to a terrorist threat, according to accounts from current and former government officials and private-sector sources with knowledge of the technologies in use.”

2006 02 05 ernie Commentary Comments (0) Permalink

Another company uses Green Tags

CollectiveGood goes “carbon neutral” through wind power generated Green Tags

Collective good, an organization that helps charities work with recycled mobile phones has joined the lsit of other companies that have purchased Green Tags, CO2 credits generated through the purchaseof wind credits, to make themselves “carbon neutral.”
—
2396

2006 02 05 ernie Commentary Comments (0) Permalink

Eavesdropping 101

American Civil Liberties Union : Eavesdropping 101: What Can The NSA Do?

An interesting and informative article by our friends at the ACLU. God bless America.

—
And today’s special is ..
Just say know. – Mary Mathrey, R.N.

2387

2006 02 04 ernie Interesting Web Sites Comments (0) Permalink

talking about social software at eli

Presentation can be found starting at http://fishtacos.notlong.com

Thinking about doing some things with blogs. Extending the blog format.

Implementing a blog server. Not too much action goign on. Can it be integrated with a content management system. Number one request for technology by faculty is asking for ways to enclose a blog, not making it part of the blogosphere. Need to balance, but also need to recognize the benefits. Blackboard pulgins and tools that allow you to include or incorporate blogs into those content management system.

2006 01 30 ernie About the Internet and the Web Comments (0) Permalink

Correcting input stream errors

The question of correcting input stream errors came up in class the other day. There is some info at “Advanced USL I/O Stream Tasks” dealing with that situation.

2006 01 20 ernie Teaching Comments (0) Permalink

UMW near the bottom of the list of state appropriations

The January 9, 2006 Daily Report from The Chronicle of Higher Education contained the following item.

STATE SPENDING for higher education grew at the fastest rate in five years during the current fiscal year, allowing colleges in much of the nation to regain their financial balance after a series of tight budgets, according to an analysis released today by the Center for the Study of Education Policy, at Illinois State University. See http://chronicle.com/weekly/v52/i19/19a00101.htm

That is certainly good news for higher education. However, the table of allocations for Virginia has the University of Mary Washington near the bottom of the list for the state appropriations in thousands of dollars for Virginia. Also the persent increase was below the average for the state, 7.7 %.
Why?

VIRGINIA
Virginia Commonwealth U $162,416 +9.9%
Virginia Tech $155,332 +6.9%
U of Virginia $130,424 +8.9%
George Mason U $108,808 +10.7%
Old Dominion U $85,633 +10.2%
James Madison U $64,077 +10.6%
Norfolk State U $41,967 +4.5%
College of William and Mary $41,292 +5.3%
Radford U $39,451 +8.0%
Virginia State U $28,149 +4.8%
Christopher Newport U $24,153 +9.4%
Longwood U $22,004 +16.2%
U of Mary Washington $16,091 +7.2%
Virginia Military Institute $13,075 +2.5%
U of Virginia’s College at Wise $10,957 +13.4%
Community colleges $333,403 +8.4%
2006 01 09 ernie Commentary Comments (0) Permalink

blog software comparison

Two charts that compare blog software.

—
And today’s special is ..
If your diskette is full and you need more storage space, remove the disk from the drive and shake vigorously for two minutes. This will pack the data (“data compression”) enough to allow for more storage. Be sure to cover all the openings with scotch tape to prevent loss of data.

2309

2006 01 05 ernie About the Internet and the Web
Interesting Web Sites Comments (0) Permalink

Recently added bookmarks; January 3, 2006

Closet & Entryway Doors
We are looking for some ideas about doors for the remodeling project we’ve been involved in, and this seemed like a good site to consider. “Your closet doors make a statement about yourself and, as such, you should be able to express yourself. We believe that you should not have to settle for the mass produced stamped steel, hollow core or super-thin wood doors of the world. Instead we offer you another choice. 10 choices actually with each door design available in 80 standard sizes.”
familydoctor.org – Health Information for the Whole Family
A site published by the American Academy of Family Physicians. They say, “The mission of the AAFP is to improve the health of patients, families, and communities by serving the needs of members with professionalism and creativity.” The site has links to information in the categories Healthy Living, Men, Women, and so on.
Frequently Answered Questions: Image Resources
An entry in the blog “Frequently Answered Questions, Questions answered by the Distance Education Librarian at Buley Library, Southern Connecticut State University.” A nice idea for a blog. The entry contains an explanation of some of the copyright issues involved in using images and fair use. It also contains annotated links to resources for images that can be freely used.
Games for the Brain
A collection of online games and puzzles compiled by Philipp Lenssen. “Play neverending quiz & memory games to train your thinking.” Check out some of his other sites at http://www.outer-court.com/
Greener Lifestyles
An online store or natural, fair trade goods. Includes furniture and gifts.
Sensible Forms: A Form Usability Checklist
An article in A List Apart by Brian Crescimanno. As you’d expect, the focus is on providing forms that are designed for people using the form, not designed for a programmer.
Simpson Door – handcrafted exterior and interior doors
Another link related to that remodeling project.
Vsocial
A Web service for uploading, tagging, and sharing videos. No charge to set up an account.
Wikipedia, academia and Seigenthaler
A thoughtful commentary by Danah Boyd on the issues related to dealing with wikipedia’s resources in an academic environment. “I am worried about how academics are treating Wikipedia and i think that it comes from a point of naivety. Wikipedia should never be the sole source for information. It will never have the depth of original sources. It will also always contain bias because society is inherently biased, although its efforts towards neutrality are commendable. These are just realizations we must acknowledge and support. But what it does have is a huge repository of information that is the most accessible for most people. Most of the information is more accurate than found in a typical encyclopedia and yet, we value encyclopedias as a initial point of information gathering. It is also more updated, more inclusive and more in-depth. Plus, it’s searchable and in the hands of everyone with digital access (a much larger population than those with encyclopedias in their homes). It also exists in hundreds of languages and is available to populations who can’t even imagine what a library looks like. Yes, it is open. This means that people can contribute what they do know and that others who know something about that area will try to improve it. Over time, articles with a lot of attention begin to be inclusive and approximating neutral. The more people who contribute, the stronger and more valuable the resource. Boycotting Wikipedia doesn’t make it go away, but it doesn’t make it any better either.”

—
And today’s special is ..
The artist is the man in any field, scientific or humanistic, who grasps the implications of his actions and of new knowledge in his own time. He is the man of integral awareness. – Marshall McLuhan

2298

2006 01 03 ernie Interesting Web Sites Comments (0) Permalink