Browsing Posts in Rants
AT&T Has Spent Less on Network Construction Every Quarter Since the iPhone’s Launch
This elaborates on why I dropped these fools; even if it cost me some money. It’s great to be liberated from ATT.
An article over at TorrentFreak this week took a look at the alternatives that ISPs can consider to deal with their BitTorrent problem . The article cites a number of different suggestions that would be more customer-friendly than the currently popular ISP practice of throttling. However, the ultimate suggestion is that ISPs need to get used to the idea that BitTorrents are the future and must upgrade their networks accordingly.The Internet is only a few years old, if the plan is to keep using it in the future, ISPs need to upgrade their networks. So, invest in more Internet gateway capacity, 10Gbps interconnect ports, and peering agreements. BitTorrent users are not the problem, they only signal that the ISPs need to upgrade their capacity, because customers will only get more demanding in the future. The Internet is not only about sending email, and browsing on text based websites anymore.There are pros and cons to all of the alternatives to BitTorrent throttling. However, even the negative ones seem to be more acceptable to most BitTorrent users than the current practices that are in place.
[From BitTorrent Trend Suggests ISPs Need to Improve Networks - The ultimate alternative to BitTorrent throttling]
A few clueless individuals lately have proclaimed that SECURITY & PRIVACY are a Zero Sum Game. Those associated with the White House, FBI, Congress, TELCOs, DHS and DNI may need to re-read some basic American Constitutional documents. Maybe there should be a special “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader” version just for them.
Bruce Schneier has a great blog post on Security vs. Privacy
BoingBoing is reporting that the FBI may be burying the existence of a document that proves US officials stole nuclear secrets for eventual sale to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. “One of the documents relating to the case was marked 203A-WF-210023. Last week, however, the FBI responded to a freedom of information request for a file of exactly the same number by claiming that it did not exist. But The Sunday Times has obtained a document signed by an FBI official showing the existence of the file. Edmonds believes the crucial file is being deliberately covered up by the FBI because its contents are explosive. She accuses the agency of an ‘outright lie.’”[From FBI Burying Doc Showing US Officials Stole Nuclear Secrets?]
Boing Boing’s Gadgets editor Joel Johnson was asked to appear on The Hugh Thompson Show, an AT&T-produced program that airs on the AT&T Tech Channel. Johnson was obviously supposed to speak about gadgets, but instead used his allotted time questioning AT&T’s plans to implement piracy filters across their network, which the show’s producers apparently didn’t appreciate.As you can see from the video, the crew ended up scrubbing the interview about half-way through. Figuring that might happen, I asked my steely-nerved friend Richard Blakeley to tape the first take. I wanted to make sure that we had a record of the event, primarily to ensure that AT&T would have no reason to try to bury the interview entirely the same reason I am running this clip now, while discussion about what to do with my segment in post-production is surely underway.In a second take gadgets are discussed, but network neutrality and AT&T’s relationship with the NSA become fodder for conversation.
read comment(s) [From Will AT&T Filter Discussion Of Their Filters? - Boing Boing gadget blogger questions practice on AT&T-produced show]
US Government challenges encryption keys ruling [From US Government challenges encryption keys ruling]
Spychief Mike McConnell is drafting a plan to protect America’s cyberspace that will raise privacy issues and make the current debate over surveillance law look like “a walk in the park,” McConnell tells The New Yorker in the issue set to hit newsstands Monday. “This is going to be a goat rope on the Hill. My prediction is that we’re going to screw around with this until something horrendous happens.”
Their special report from December includes a bunch of different articles.
In announcing the final Real ID rules, DHS Secretary Chertoff’s message was clear: the time for democratic debate about what kind of society we want is over; it’s time for a national ID card.
[From Chertoff on final Real ID rules: "Reconfiguring our society"]
During a panel discussion at CES, the head of the carrier’s legal team says AT&T is considering using technology that can filter and block copyrighted content. [From AT&T considers filtering for pirated content]
Hello MPAA & RIAA
So much for the NEUTRAL NET…………….as well as legal use of BitTorrent
A comprehensive new privacy report gives the US and UK black marks, placing them on the same level as China, Russia, and Malaysia. The report puts the US dead last among democratic countries.
[From US and UK have become "endemic" surveillance societies]
AppScout directs your attention to a new database that’s part of a SEC effort to transparently track executive compensation. According to the database, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts takes home a $2.5 yearly million salary–but with bonuses, stock awards and other assorted perks, that number jumps to $26 million annually. Departed AT&T CEO Ed Whitacre last year netted a nifty yearly compensation package of $60.7 million. Echostar boss Carl E. Vogel is forced to slum it with yearly compensation of $2.8 million.Some additional names and numbers:
•Alltel: Scott T. Ford, president and CEO, $14.1 million
•DirecTV: Chase Carey, president and CEO, $12.4 million
•Intel: Paul Otellini, president and CEO, $9.8 million
•Level 3 Communications: James Q. Crowe, CEO, $8.7 million
•Qwest: Richard Notebaert, chairman and CEO, $16.5 million
•Sirius Satellite Radio: Mel Karmazin, CEO, $31.1 million
•Sprint Nextel: Gary D. Forsee, chairman, CEO, and president, $21.3 million
•Verizon: Ivan Seidenberg, chairman and CEO, $21.2 million
[From A Very Merry Christmas For AT&T, Comcast CEOs - It's good to be the king...]
‘Next Generation Identification’ awaits you
“If someone steals and spoofs your iris image, you can’t just get a new eyeball.” Paul Saffo, technology industry observer…
ATT continues seriously questionable criminal activities; first NSA, now the MPAA
MPAA Sets Up Fake Site to Catch Pirates:
Media Defender, a company which does the dirty work for the MPAA, has been caught setting up ‘dummy’ websites in an attempt to catch those who download copyrighted videos. The site, MiiVi.com, complete with a user registration, forum, and “family filter”, offered complete downloads of movies and “fast and easy video downloading all in one great site.” But that’s not all; MiiVi also offered client software to speed up the downloading process. The only catch is, after it was installed, it searched your computer for other copyrighted files and reported back.
The Scam Continues,,,,,,,,,,,,
RED HERRING | ATT to Block Pirated Content
And what about those of us that use BT to download legally obtainably ISOs? How will these fools differentiate between legal and illegal? Big Brother reporting to MPAA, RIAA and other 3 letter agencies.
The Washington Post reports that the FBI’s new software system had to be scrapped since it doesn’t work. The $170 million project turned out to be nothing but 730, 000 lines of unusable code. It is tragic really. The software problem reports (SPR’s) with the system numbered in the hundreds, just as Zalmai Azmi (FBI technology chief) thought the project was mere weeks from completion. Many critics point to bad management and sloppy work by the contractor for this large scale snafu. It is kinda unnerving that one of the foremost agencies fighting terrorists is the most outdated in the computing department. Kinda makes you want to lock your doors at night and invest in body armor. One thing is for sure, the FBI needs to get with the program. It isn’t like they don’t have the resources to do it. The $170 million could have bought them a ton more than it has. With that kind of money, you could hire the best code hackers from the world’s largest software companies and do the job right. That is if you feed them enough junk food, Bawls, and have all-night code jams (aka hacker parties). Oh, yeah, and you could still have money to spare. And 730,000 lines of code is no problem for the elite (l337). How many lines does Windows XP or Linux have?
