Tag Archives: technology

Exact Science?

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Much ado is made over the alleged imprecision and/or inaccuracy inherent in DNA
detective work. However, it would seem trusty ol’ fingerprinting isn’t so fool-proof
as most believe. Perhaps “We always get our man” should be changed to
“We usually get a man”.

Printing Problems
The inexact science of fingerprint analysis.
By David Feige
Posted Thursday, May 27, 2004, at 2:35 PM PT

” The release and exoneration this month of Brandon Mayfield, the Portland, Ore.,
lawyer arrested in connection with the Spanish train bombings, raises important
questions about the nature of scientific evidence. Mayfield, a 37-year-old lawyer,
ex military officer, and convert to Islam, was jailed for two weeks after the FBI
discovered his fingerprint on a bag of detonators recovered after the deadly Madrid
bombing that killed 191 people in March. Mayfield, it was also quickly disclosed,
represented a defendant in a child custody case who was linked to terrorism. After
matching the print and reviewing the evidence, special agent Richard Werder swore
out an affidavit and used it to get a material-witness warrant. Mayfield was quickly
arrested and sent to jail. More quick and aggressive police work in a terrorism
case, keeping the homeland secure.”

” Except for the part about how the fingerprint wasn’t Mayfield’s at all.”

Jacked-in Music

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The Gibson
Digital Guitar

“Seventy years after the debut of the modern electric guitar, Gibson Guitar breaks
through to the next generation with the first truly digital guitar.”

The debate will no longer be about plugged versus unplugged. Now it’s going to be
jacked-in (wired, electronic, whatever) versus unjacked. This thing is definitely
drool material. I’m a computer geek who’s trying to learn bass. This device appeals
to both of those aspects of my personality. Just when the world thought no more
innovation was possible with guitars…

Science (and Budget) Fiction

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In yet another feeble attempt to copy Reagan’s policies (like trickle-down economics),
Bush is trying to create his own version of the Star Wars (SDI) program. The first
one was science fiction created to scare the Soviet Union into spending itself to
death. This one might spend us to death.

Current Status
of Missile Defense Program, May 2004
Author: John Isaacs

Administration’s latest budget request

The request for fiscal 2005 is $10.2 billion, the largest single Pentagon weapons program and a 13% increase over the fiscal 2004 program. About $3.2 billion of that would go to the ground-based mid-course system (GMD) that is slated to be deployed later this year. If the Space Based Infra-Red System-High (SBIRS-high) is included, the total request for missile defense for the next year is $10.7 billion.

Go to National Priorities and check out the budget trade-offs related to SDI.

Open Source Publishing?

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This takes “open source” to a new level. Software is one thing, but book
publishing is another. It will be interesting to watch for this as a growing phenomenon
– or not.

Practicing
the Liberty He Preaches
By THOMAS D. SULLIVAN
Published: April 29, 2004

“LAWRENCE LESSIG wants to make intellectual property more widely available.
So he has decided to offer some of his own at no charge.”

PC for Your PC

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I frickin’ HATE political correctness!!!

‘Master’
and ‘slave’ computer labels unacceptable, officials say

“LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) — Los Angeles officials have asked that
manufacturers, suppliers and contractors stop using the terms ‘master’
and ‘slave’ on computer equipment, saying such terms are unacceptable
and offensive. The request — which has some suppliers furious and others busy re-labeling components
— came after an unidentified worker spotted a videotape machine carrying devices
labeled ‘master’ and ‘slave’ and filed a discrimination complaint
with the county’s Office of Affirmative Action Compliance.”

Apparently, Iliad hates it, too.

UserFriendly
Cartoon for Nov 30, 2003