Musings

Rome Lab's supercomputer is made up of 1,700 off-the-shelf PlayStation 3 gaming consoles

2012-02-07T18:14:00.001-05:00

Supercomputing, fast and cheap. As with most supercomputers, the
system runs Linux.

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/rome_labs_supercomputer_is_mad.html

Is Believing In God Evolutionarily Advantageous? : NPR

2012-02-07T18:13:00.002-05:00

As reported on NPR

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129528196

Clara Lazen, Ten-Year-Old Fifth Grader, Discovers New Molecule (VIDEO)

2012-02-07T18:08:00.002-05:00

10 year old discovers a new molecule, gets published in a major
chemistry journal.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/02/ten-year-old-discovers-chemistry-molecule-published_n_1250825.html?ref=canada&ir=Canada

DARPA-Funded Hacker's Tiny $50 Spy Computer Hides In Offices, Drops From Drones

2012-02-07T18:07:00.004-05:00

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/01/27/darpa-funded-hackers-tiny-50-spy-computer-hides-in-offices-drops-from-drones/

"Brendan O'Connor is trying a different approach to spy hardware:
building a sensor-equipped surveillance-capable computer that's so
cheap it can be sacrificed after one use, with off-the-shelf parts
that anyone can buy and assemble for less than fifty dollars."

Smarter password checker lets you compare with others

2012-02-07T18:07:00.002-05:00

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2012/01/smarter-password-checker-lets.html

"...researchers at INRIA in Rocquencourt, France and Ruhr
University Bochum in Germany have come up with a more advanced
strength checker that rates passwords relative to those already
stored in a site's database. Rather than vague strength messages,
their system can tell users their password is amongst the weakest 5
per cent on the site, encouraging them to try again with a stronger
alternative."

The Apple Bug That Let Us Spy on a Total Strangers iPhone

2012-02-07T18:07:00.000-05:00

http://gizmodo.com/5880593/the-apple-bug-that-let-us-spy-on-a-total-strangers-iphone

"Every single iMessage to and from this mans iPhone—his friends
call him Wiz—has been sent to us by accident. We know about his
job, sex life, and address. Apple, you might want to fix this."

Satellite phone encryption cracked

2012-02-07T18:06:00.001-05:00

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9058529/Satellite-phone-encryption-cracked.html

"German academics said they had cracked two encryption systems used
to protect satellite phone signals and that anyone with cheap
computer equipment and radio could eavesdrop on calls over an
entire continent. Hundreds of thousands of satellite phone users
are thought to be affected."

German gov't endorses Chrome as most secure browser

2012-02-07T18:05:00.002-05:00

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223957/German_gov_t_endorses_Chrome_as_most_secure_browser

"Germany's cyber security agency today recommended that Windows 7
users run Google's Chrome browser, citing the application's sandbox
and auto-update features.

"In a security best practices guideline, Germany's Federal Office for
Information Security, known by its German initials of BSI, said Chrome
was the best browser."

Romney and Gingrich Pull Songs After Complaints

2012-02-07T18:05:00.000-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/04/arts/music/romney-and-gingrich-pull-songs-after-complaints.html?_r=1

"When you think about every iconic song that has emotional
resonance for millions and millions of Americans, in almost every
instance, Republican candidates can't use the song because the
artist is not supportive," said Steve Schmidt, a Republican
campaign strategist who was Senator John McCain's campaign manager
in 2008 and worked on the re-election campaign of President George
W. Bush.

The hot tech gig of 2022: Data scientist

2012-02-07T18:04:00.002-05:00

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/01/06/data-scientist-jobs/

"A decade from now the smart techies who decided to become app
developers may wish they had taken an applied-mathematics class or
two. The coming deluge of data (more on that in a moment) will
create demand for a new kind of computer scientist -- a gig that's
one part mathematician, one part product-development guru, and one
part detective."

Programmer personality types: 13 profiles in code

2012-02-07T18:04:00.000-05:00

This article best read with tongue in cheek.

http://www.infoworld.com/d/application-development/programmer-personality-types-13-profiles-in-code-185343?page=0,0&source=IFWNLE_nlt_daily_2012-02-06

"Anyone who has worked with the machines knows that programmers
arent just one undifferentiated group, but a club with a wide
variety of subspecies. From those who will go to any length to
avoid documentation to those who deploy code like duct tape, refuse
to use libraries, or cant help but rewrite their apps in the latest
experimental programming language, programmers are a colorful lot
-- particularly in their perspectives and habits -- though
collectively comrades in code."

A Mormon church in need of reform

2012-02-06T13:21:00.000-05:00

From the Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-mormon-church-in-need-of-reform/2012/01/27/gIQA3s44aQ_story.html

Start-ups hindered by software patents

2012-02-04T11:55:00.001-05:00

You'll be amazed at the patents awarded to obvious techniques taught
in any CS program and utilized by any competent software practitioner.

http://www.stormdriver.com/blog/start-ups-in-the-maze-of-software-patents/

Why Can't U.S. Students Compete With the Rest of the World?

2012-02-04T11:52:00.000-05:00

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/08/28/why-can-t-u-s-students-compete-with-the-rest-of-the-world.html

It's time to make poor coding a felony

2012-02-03T19:14:00.003-05:00

File this under it'll never happen.

http://www.infoworld.com/d/data-center/it-might-be-time-make-poor-coding-felony-417?source=IFWNLE_nlt_daily_2011-07-11

Anonymous hackers intercept conversation between FBI and Scotland Yard on how to deal with hackers

2012-02-03T19:13:00.005-05:00

One wonders at the wisdom of entrusting cyber security to an
organization that cannot keep its own communications secure.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9059580/Anonymous-hackers-intercept-conversation-between-FBI-and-Scotland-Yard-on-how-to-deal-with-hackers.html

H-1B workers are better paid, more educated, study finds

2012-02-03T19:13:00.001-05:00

From Computerworld:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223947/H_1B_workers_are_better_paid_more_educated_study_finds

"H-1B workers are better educated than U.S. born workers and earn
more, according to a new study by an independent research group."

Dueling Debt Deceptions

2012-02-03T19:12:00.000-05:00

Dissembling on both sides:

http://factcheck.org/2012/02/dueling-debt-deceptions/

The great JavaScript debate: Improve it or kill it?

2012-02-03T12:48:00.001-05:00

http://www.infoworld.com/d/application-development/the-great-javascript-debate-improve-it-or-kill-it-173674?source=IFWNLE_nlt_daily_2011-09-23

Do You Like Online Privacy? You May Be a Terrorist

2012-02-03T12:46:00.002-05:00

It seems the computer security course I used to teach was an
inadvertent terrorist training camp.

http://publicintelligence.net/do-you-like-online-privacy-you-may-be-a-terrorist/

"A flyer designed by the FBI and the Department of Justice to
promote suspicious activity reporting in internet cafes lists basic
tools used for online privacy as potential signs of terrorist
activity. The document, part of a program called "Communities
Against Terrorism", lists the use of "anonymizers, portals, or
other means to shield IP address" as a sign that a person could be
engaged in or supporting terrorist activity. The use of encryption
is also listed as a suspicious activity along with steganography,
the practice of using "software to hide encrypted data in digital
photos" or other media. In fact, the flyer recommends that anyone
"overly concerned about privacy" or attempting to "shield the
screen from view of others" should be considered suspicious and
potentially engaged in terrorist activities."

The SOPA War: Why the GOP Turned on Piracy (Opinion) - The Hollywood Reporter

2012-02-03T12:45:00.005-05:00

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sopa-hollywood-gop-piracy-286648?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+thr/news+(The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+Top+Stories)

"For Republicans, opposition to intellectual property laws is
starting to look like a political winner, and that should terrify
Hollywood as it misreads where the pop-culture power base now
lies."

Android and Security - Official Google Mobile Blog

2012-02-03T12:45:00.002-05:00

Security related changes to Android:

http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2012/02/android-and-security.html

Innovatio’s Infringement Suit Rampage Expands To Corporate Hotels

2012-01-31T11:46:00.001-05:00

If these patent claims are valid, then anyone who has WiFi in their
home or business is infringing their patents.

http://patentexaminer.org/2011/09/innovatios-infringement-suit-rampage-expands-to-corporate-hotels/

More college tuition rising to $50,000 a year - Oct. 28, 2011

2012-01-31T11:44:00.001-05:00

http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/28/pf/college_tuition/index.htm

"An increasing number of colleges are charging more than what the
average American earns."

Jeopardy: Man v. computer

2012-01-31T11:42:00.002-05:00

IBM's "Jeopardy" playing "Watson" program to be pitted against human
contestants.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TV_MAN_VS_MACHINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT#

Slashdot Idle Story | 200 Students Admit Cheating After Professor's Online Rant

2012-01-31T11:42:00.000-05:00

Video
http://idle.slashdot.org/story/10/11/18/152256/200-Students-Admit-Cheating-After-Professors-Online-Rant?from=rss#

Want a job? Get a computer science degree

2012-01-31T11:41:00.002-05:00

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/022210-computer-science.html

MOSS System for Detecting Software Plagiarism

2012-01-31T11:39:00.000-05:00

http://theory.stanford.edu/~aiken/moss/

The emotional life of dogs

2009-05-19T23:55:00.003-04:00

Dogs exhibit emotions, including empathy, and have their own moral compass:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009226383_dogs16.html

Norton Mezvinsky's last lecture

2009-05-12T13:32:00.004-04:00

Here is the New Britain Herald story of Norton Mezvinsky's last lecture:

http://www.newbritainherald.com/articles/2009/04/27/news/doc49f6676420e2a517460697.txt

Pooh and Piglet

2009-05-04T09:40:00.003-04:00

Flu fears can strain relationships.

Paul Q. Beeching

2009-04-15T11:00:00.004-04:00

Paul Q. Beeching, Associate Dean Emeritus, School of Arts & Sciences, Central Connecticut State University,died on Monday, April 13, 2009. Paul was acting Dean when I was hired at CCSU.

Dr. Marc A. Triebwasser

2009-04-13T18:38:00.004-04:00

Dr. Marc A. Triebwasser, Professor of Political Science Emeritus at Central Connecticut State University, died on Sunday, April 12, 2009 at Hartford Hospital.

Patience and Wisdom

2009-01-24T11:40:00.003-05:00

Smart dog.

The Forces Driving Women Out of Computer Science

2009-01-02T14:34:00.003-05:00

The representation of women has improved in all technical fields,
EXCEPT CS:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/business/16digi.html?_r=1

Confidence Gap for New Profs

2008-11-07T15:40:00.002-05:00

"Most new Ph.D.'s arrive at their first faculty jobs without feeling
that they were effectively prepared in graduate school for such key
duties as teaching undergraduates and conducting research, according
to a new national study of faculty members in their first five years
on the job". Full article at:

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/07/11/newfac

Doctoral Programs in Computer Science Education

2008-09-19T11:35:00.001-04:00

This list might be useful for anyone interested in
graduate study in computer science education.

http://sigcse.org/CSEdProgramsOfStudy.shtml

Computer Science Education

2008-09-19T11:27:00.002-04:00

Resources to support computer science education:

http://sigcse.org/topics/

30 skills every IT person should have

2008-08-08T15:28:00.001-04:00

Though not its intent, this article might, indirectly, help to
distinguish IT from CS.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/06/02/23FE-how-to-fire-IT-staff-skills-list_1.html

10 Most Annoying Habits of Technology Companies

2008-08-08T14:16:00.001-04:00

In a recent reader survey, Infoworld determined that "crapware", the
preloaded trial software and other junk included by manufacturers on
their new computers, was the number one annoyance for users. Software
sunset policies, where support for or functionality of software is
discontinued in order to "encourage" users to upgrade, placed as
number two.

The complete list of annoyances, including items like rebate policies,
nagware, wasteful packaging, etc., can be found at:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/05/27/The-10-most-annoying-habits-of-technology-companies_1.html

How to get naked DSL from AT&T

2008-08-07T19:31:00.001-04:00

They don't like to advertise it, but it is possible to get "naked DSL" (DSL without phone service) from AT&T. The following link describes how.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13739_3-9822662-46.html

Criminalizing ToS violations

2008-08-07T15:58:00.000-04:00

The MySpace cyber-bullying case has resulted in an attempt to
interpret current law as criminalizing violations of Terms of Service
provisions. Lie about your age, location or income when signing up
for a web site and face jail time?

First post

2008-01-19T15:56:00.000-05:00

No surprise: here is a test.