Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/313114268?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Monday, June 17, 2013
UK reportedly set up fake internet cafes, hacked diplomats' BlackBerrys during 2009 G20 summit
If you're antsy at the idea of PRISM reading your Facebook messages, be thankful you're not a foreign diplomat. The Guardian is reporting that GCHQ, the UK's communications surveillance unit, hacked delegates' BlackBerry handsets during 2009's G20 summit in London. According to leaked documents, spies were able to relay private messages to analysts in "near real-time," and pass that information along to top politicians as they were negotiating deals. The organization is also said to have set up fake internet cafés around the conference area, which used key-logging software to steal dignitaries passwords for long-term surveillance. If you'll excuse us, we're just off to, you know, change all of our login details.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Source: The Guardian
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/SGaQk-2JmEk/
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Smarter Than C-3PO: Future Robots Will Work in Teams, Scientist Says
In the next few decades, teams of roving robots will take to the seas, the air and other hard-to-reach spots, communicating with one another and working to solve scientific problems, according to a Canadian scientist.
Such flotillas of smart machines could peer at coral reefs from underwater and in the air, or perhaps explore terrain that is difficult for humans to reach, said Gregory Dudek, research director of McGill University's mobile robotics laboratory in Montreal.
First, however, researchers will need to make sure the robots do not overwhelm the waiting humans with data. These robots should parse much of the information themselves and communicate the most interesting results to humans, sort of like a highlight reel from a sports game.
"It's getting a robot to go in some environment ? on the surface, under the water, on the moon, wherever ? and getting it to tell me what it sees," Dudek told the Canadian Science Writers' Association June 7 during its annual meeting.
One example, he said, could be an underwater robot that sends back the locations and types of coral that it views.
'This perception of C-3PO'
Last year, Dudek took on a new responsibility: leading the new NSERC Canadian Field Robotics Network. With the federal government and industry partners providing 5 million Canadian dollars ($4.91 million) in matching contributions, robotics scientists across Canada will work together on projects to advance research in the field.
This work will culminate in an annual field test, in which robots will rove together underwater or on land, for applications ranging from monitoring oil pipelines to making real-time iceberg warnings.
At the conference, Dudek showed a video of a robot that could adjust to walking from the beach to swimming in the nearby water. He said advances in the field are making these machines smarter and faster. For instance, robots can perform multiple functions at the same time: walking, analyzing and sending back information.
The public, however, "has this perception of C-3PO" from "Star Wars" when talking about robotics, so it is difficult to convey how exciting this really is to researchers, Dudek said.
Networks of robots will need to balance how often they will meet and how often they'll work, he added. Regular contact will be essential to ensuring one robot isn't doing all of the assignments. For example, if two machines are exploring the city of Montreal, and one were to stumble into a dead end, resources should be reallocated, Dudek said.
Meeting, however, could involve long-distance technologies ? the same ones as humans often use. Depending on the terrain, the robots could communicate using short-range radio, Bluetooth or even light beams. But talking shouldn't happen all the time, Dudek added.
"If we say, 'Let's meet very often,' it's not efficient, and you spend all your time in meetings," he said.
Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.
Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Source: http://news.yahoo.com/smarter-c-3po-future-robots-teams-scientist-says-143445186.html
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PFT: Panthers taking words out of Newton's mouth
APAs the Titans add receivers, the speculation grows that soon-to-be-30-year-old Nate Washington isn?t long for a job.
And yet he still has one.
To Washington?s credit, he doesn?t care.? Which could be one of the reasons why he has been able to keep going.
?I am not worried about it, and never was worried about it, to tell you the truth,? Washington recently said, via Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.? ?At the end of the day, I am here, and I am here to do a job.? I have no problem with who they brought in or didn?t bring in.? It doesn?t matter to me.??
Still, Washington knows that, as he ages, he needs to find other ways to force the team to keep him around.
?If all these other guys are going to get younger, faster and bigger, then I have to get older, wiser, bigger and stronger,? Washington said.? ?It is about me giving my all.? If I do that, I know I can look myself in the mirror.? At this point, I have nothing to prove.? I just need to make sure the guys believe in me and know I am going to work and do everything I can to help us win.?
His effort this year includes gaining five pounds of muscle.? He now feels stronger and faster than ever, and he understands the game in ways young players don?t.
Washington has been a solid, but not spectacular, performer during his eight-year career.? He has one 1,000-yard season, in 2011.? Last year, he caught 46 passes for 746 yards and four touchdowns.
That was still good enough to lead the team in receiving yards.
This year, he?s dealing with a depth chart that includes two first-round picks (Kenny Britt and Kendall Wright) and a second-rounder (Justin Hunter). He?s also dealing with guys like Britt calling him old.
While Washington seems to be taking the high road, we suggest that he consider taking a page out of the Cris Carter playbook, who had this to say when a young Bears defender called Carter ?old man? in 1998:? You should get on your knees and pray that you can play this game as long as me.
While there aren?t many things of which I?m sure, I?m sure Britt won?t play pro football as long as Washington.
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Iran's president-elect says economy will take time
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran's newly elected reformist-backed president said Sunday that the country's dire economic problems cannot be solved "overnight," as he took his first steps in consulting with members of the clerically dominated establishment on his new policies.
Hasan Rowhani's surprise victory in Friday's elections puts him in charge of an executive branch that traditionally has taken the lead in handling the economy, but nuclear efforts, defense and foreign affairs remain primarily in the hands of the ruling clerics and their powerful protectors, the Revolutionary Guard.
This creates a challenge for Rowhani, as Iran suffers from more than 30 percent inflation as well as 14 percent unemployment rates linked to Western sanctions for Tehran's suspect nuclear program. Rowhani has called for reaching out to the international community but has little authority over the nuclear activities tied to sanctions.
The semi-official ISNA agency said Rowhani discussed inflation and unemployment as well as possible members of his cabinet with Ali Larijani, speaker for Iran's conservative dominated parliament.
"Today, we took the first step for cooperation between two branches of power," Rowhani was quoted as saying. Rowhani will take office in August and needs parliament to approve his proposed nominees for 18 ministries.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guard declared its willingness to cooperate with the president. "We announce our comprehensive readiness for interaction and cooperation with the next administration in the framework of legal duties and assignments," the Guard said on its webpage.
The outward displays of cooperation by Iran's establishment reflect its desire to close the political rift caused by unrest over disputed election results in 2009, and signal to world leaders that the ruling clerics are not publicly standing against Rowhani's call for outreach and dialogue with the international community.
Iran's stock exchange meanwhile climbed for the second continuous day. The rise came after a night of a celebration in Tehran, as the announcement of Rowhani's victory sent tens of thousands of jubilant supporters into the streets. Cars honked and blared music ranging from patriotic songs to the Lambada.
Riot police, who were frequently deployed on Tehran streets in the run-up to Friday's vote, were conspicuous in their absence. State TV showed footage of the celebrations and rebroadcast a speech he made after his victory was announced Saturday, asserting Iran's readiness to improve its ties with the world.
The website of the Tehran Stock Exchange said the market jumped 1,194 points by its closure at noon on Sunday, reaching 47,460 from its Saturday close of 46,623, almost a 2.5 percent increase.
On Saturday the stock exchange index improved by 2 percent while Iran's national currency, the rial, strengthened by 9 percent against the U.S. dollar.
Foreign currency shops Sunday traded each U.S. dollar for 34,600 rials compared to 36,300 rials Thursday, the eve of the election.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/irans-president-elect-says-economy-time-111129547.html
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Pavement: The Sutcliffe Catering Song
The days are getting longer, the weather's getting warmer. It's this time of year that anyone and everyone could use some killer strollin' music to strut to. Might I suggest the hidden Pavement not-exactly-a-classic-but-damn-well-should-be "The Sutcliffe Catering Song"? You just have to like it.
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Dot Earth Blog: Why Colorado?s Fire Losses, Even with Global Warming, Need Not Be the ?New Normal?
11:53 a.m. | Updated below |
As Coloradans grappled with the impact of the state?s latest wildfire disaster, some writers were quick to call this ?the new normal? due to greenhouse-driven climate change.
Global warming is almost surely contributing to drought and heat in ways that exacerbate fire risk, but the prime driver of losses in these recent fires is a heavily subsidized burst of development in zones of implicit fire danger.
And assertions that such losses are the new normal distract from glaring opportunities to cut unnecessary (and costly) exposure to this danger in the West, even as the grander task of curbing emissions of greenhouse gases proceeds.
This Twitter item and the Storify post it links to provide my quick take on the prime lessons and opportunities related to Colorado?s latest fire:
I also discussed ways to cut vulnerability in hot spots for climate-related hazards, including wildfire hot zones, in my chat yesterday with David Roberts of Grist. Here?s my prime point (with relevant links):
We?ve grown our vulnerability at a pace far exceeding whatever forces climate change is exerting on the same scenarios. Whatever you do on carbon, job one right now is to get out of harm?s way, and especially to tweak those knobs where you know that policies are putting us there. There?s an economist in Colorado who proposed ending the mortgage deduction for second homes if a house is in a fire zone. I think it?s a great idea.
Here?s our talk (the relevant portion starts around the 13th minute, but I hope you take the time to watch the whole thing):
The following excerpts from an article I wrote for Outside Magazine (and a related Dot Earth post) on President Obama?s second-term opportunities for environmental progress are worth reposting:
Stop subsidizing the building boom in danger zones:
The president and Congress should?cut federal subsidies?that keep the price of insurance in some high-risk zones (flood plains, coastal areas threatened by rising seas, and regions prone to wildfires) artificially ? and disastrously ? low.
?If we had never created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the private market would be charging much higher premiums and it would be much more of a deterrent for people living in these places,? says Eileen Fretz, director of flood management at the non-profit,?American Rivers. While we?re not likely to completely end government-backed insurance, last June?Congress passed legislation?that cut NFIP funding for businesses, second homes, and repeat beneficiaries (that is, homes that flooded multiple times). This is a good start, but we need to do more: stop giving taxpayer protection, and indirectly encouraging development, to communities behind levees. We also need to actively protect our most valuable flood protection infrastructure ? wetlands, barrier islands, and dune beaches.
Similar opportunities lie in the nation?s wildfire ?red zones,? where the government is spending $3 billion a year on wildfire protection. ?We ain?t seen nothing yet,? says Ray Rasker, an economist and director of?Headwaters Economics. Only 16 percent of private wildland now has homes, he says. ?Put climate change on top of new development, and you have a crisis.? He suggests?cutting support for construction of at-risk homes, doing away with breaks like the federal mortgage tax deduction. [The rest.]
Here?s a bit more on this last point that didn?t make it into the piece but is worth adding here:
Given the disastrous impact of wildfires on communities from Texas to Colorado, President Obama can order a reexamination of forest management practices on federal lands that have resulted in huge accumulations of fuel for conflagrations. He can insure that federal agencies responsible for developing?codes for construction and materials?move ahead with plans for national codes and standards for building in what?s called the ?wildland-urban interface.? The standards would tighten depending on level of hazard determined through a ?fire exposure severity zoning system.?
I encourage you to explore the fantastic Headwaters Economics report and Web presentation on these issues here:
The Rising Cost of Wildfire Protection
Wildfires are becoming more severe and expensive. This report describes how the protection of homes in the Wildland-Urban Interface has added to these costs and concludes with a brief discussion of solutions that may help control escalating costs.
11:53 a.m. | Update | Chris Mehl of Headwaters Economics sent this helpful update on their analysis of fire risk in a warming climate:
We worked with a retired Congressional Research Staffer to produce a?backgrounder?on the rising cost of wildfire protection.
Wildfires are becoming more severe and expensive, and the report describes some of the causes of growing fire costs; along with how the protection of homes in the Wildland-Urban Interface has added to these costs.? It concludes with a brief discussion of solutions that may help control escalating costs.
Second, homes in the WUI drive wildfire suppression costs (not to mention safety concerns) and this?interactive map and tables?shows the level of WUI development at both county and state levels?and also what?s not developed in terms of future costs.
Third, following the drought/temp theme of your story we?ve looked at what higher temps mean for fires in three states:Montana, the California Sierra Nevada, and?Oregon. Details include:
- A?Montana?report?found that, statewide, protecting homes from wildfires costs an average of $28 million annually. If development near fire-prone forests continues, costs to protect homes likely will rise to $40 million by 2025. A 1? F increase in summer temperatures would at least double home protection costs. Additional development and hotter summers combined could increase the annual cost to?exceed $80 million?by 2025.
- Research in?California?s Sierra Nevada?found that rising average summer temperatures are strongly associated with an increase in acres burned. Within the study area, an annual increase in average summer temperature of 1? F is associated with a 35 percent growth in area burned.
- An?Oregon?study?found that a rise in average summer temperature of 1? F is associated with an increase of 420 wildfires?a large effect given that, on average, 1,800 wildfires burn in?Oregon?per year.
These reports are part of our long-term commitment to better understand and address why wildfires are becoming more severe and expensive.? All of our wildfire research is summarized here.
More background:
?Climate change and wildfire: How vulnerable are we?? ? Max Moritz of the University of California, Berkeley, in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists last year
?Why People Keep Moving Into Fire-Prone Areas? ? Colorado Public Radio interview with Gregory Simon, University of Colorado, Denver.
A Twitter conversation with Phil Plait of Slate?s Bad Astronomy blog is worth a look.
9:49 a.m. | Addendum | After re-reading my published post, I changed the headline to ?Colorado?s Fire Losses? from ?Colorado?s Fires? because it?s the losses that can be sharply cut through various policy shifts, not necessarily the fires themselves (although many such fires are the result of human proximity to combustible forests and grasslands).
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