Posts from — August 2006

e-passports cloned…:
This was on Wired yesterday (posted on Slashdot). I think it highlights the importance of thinking deeply about how these proposed identity systems work. The other security flaw is the ‘integrity’ of the databases that the passport system is built on.

A German computer security consultant has shown that he can clone the electronic passports that the United States and other countries are beginning to distribute this year.

The controversial e-passports contain radio frequency ID, or RFID, chips that the U.S. State Department and others say will help thwart document forgery.

“The whole passport design is totally brain damaged,” Grunwald says. “From my point of view all of these RFID passports are a huge waste of money. They’re not increasing security at all.”

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it is worse than not increasing security… the blind promotion of this technology is actually lowering security. much like libraries and rfid… the use of the technology does not in the end enable the library or the passport holder as much as it enables anyone with a bit of technical savvy to make a mess of the library or passport system.

Governors bristle at Bush Guard proposal – Yahoo! News:
The nation’s governors are closing ranks in opposition to a proposal in Congress that would let the president take control of the National Guard in emergencies without consent of governors.

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the guard are part of the first amendment… citizens bearing arms, or… citizen-soldiers. if we believe that the u.s. is a federal system then bush’s proposal is way out of wack.

tonight i went scouting for a cellar replacement. I may have found one, we’ll see, but they have no food, so bleh. First i walked down broadway scouting things for a bit. then, i decided let’s try closest to home in astoria and hit the NUA club/bar at the base of my street. It was interesting. i busted my finger on the seat, but past that they had a good international beer selection, no great beers thought. They are seemingly a punk bar, that’s the music and hair styles, and have some pool tables and other entertainments… It was all good, but not really my friday relaxifying mode. The i went to doyles corner pub which was more of the relaxifying mode, but it was purely irish, i heard many a brogue, none seemingly affected, so that is a plus, but they don’t have a broad beer selection and had a share of power drinkers, though it is a cool joint, and it might be great for watching the odd football game. They ordered out for fries and chicken from the chinese place across the street as a snack for the crowd. All in all the second was more of my bar type experience, but not… quite for me all the time.

My office won’t be ready until around the 1st ;0 and my dsl is off at home, so I’m currently using my phone for email and my office for the web…… such is life. My neighborhood is really nice in astoria ny, best buy and home depot are within walking distance, but broadway has everything one might need. I’m not done unpacking, though, i’m probably not going to finish unpacking my books for a long time, i think i brought to many for this apartment, we’ll see.

I received my first fresh-direct order yesterday and made a nice shrimp stir-fry last night. Not much new there, it is nice to get groceries delivered though, as there are a ton of organic and fresh choices, though… I have to admit that the plums aren’t as ripe as I’d like… oh well, at least the shrimp were.

so the move went well, I’ll have the pictures of the new place when i get things sorted. It is pretty nice and my landlord was extremely helpful in getting things done yesterday. It took about an hour to unpack the truck with some help from the Pratt metal shop. We unpacked on the hottest day of the year, drank quite a bit of water. Now I just have to unbox my stuff and get my office and bedroom setup. Then i have to get some groceries… My dsl isn’t up yet, so i’ll be offline most of the time. It comes on tomorrow night supposedly. (yeah right). Other than that, things are going pretty well, I’m going to swing by the office in a bit and take care of some business and after that I’ll wait for my landlord to call and say everything is finished at my place then i’ll head back home and work on the apt. some more.

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