I think the DNA collection/database issue is going to be a huge. Here are some indicators... Tool needed: “We must be able to scan DNA from a distance – perhaps from a patrol car as we drive by. Then we can launch a DNA guided missile to eliminate our targets.”
http://washingtontimes.com/business/20070323-103215-2727r.htm
Bills would bar genetic data from insurers
By Gregory Lopes THE WASHINGTON TIMES Published March 24, 2007
Two key House panels passed legislation this week that would allow genetic testing to play a bigger part in the country's health care system by prohibiting insurers from discriminating against patients with bad genes.
The House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees approved bills prohibiting health insurance companies from collecting genetic information and from requesting, requiring or buying such information for insurance underwriting. The full House is expected to pass the bill next week, and the White House has indicated support for a ban on genetic discrimination. A Senate committee has passed similar legislation.
... Mr. Leavitt said that along with continuing research at the National Institutes of Health, his department will devote $352 million next year to support projects to advance electronic medical records and create standards for putting genetic information on electronic medical records.
... An obstacle to the widespread adoption of genetic information is privacy. A survey released this week found that while 90 percent of Americans support the use of genetic testing by doctors to identify a person's risk for future disease, 90 percent also are concerned that test results could be used in ways to deny them health insurance or a job. The survey was conducted by the Genetics and Public Policy Center, a human genetics research firm in Washington.
"While the public trust their doctors and genetic researchers, they simply do not trust health insurers or employers to have access to their genetic information," said Kathy Hudson, director at the Genetics and Public Policy Center.
One knee-jerk response is always the identification of a “Second Class” as less worthy of protection. “I'm special! Test those people, not my people.” Never: “If it's Okay (ethical, legal, moral) for them it must be Okay for me.”
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113-03242007-1319464.html
Teachers could face drug tests
By CHRISTOPHER RUVO The Intelligencer
The arrest of a Bethlehem school principal on drug charges could lead to teachers and administrators in the Palisades School District being randomly tested for drugs, possibly making it the first district in the state to institute such testing.
Still, Pennsylvania's teachers union opposes the idea, with spokesman Wythe Keever calling it “a solution in search of a problem” and likening the measure to “trying to swat a fly with a Patriot missile.”
... It's not that he suspects any teachers or administrators are abusing drugs in Palisades, “but you never know. We're a leader in Palisades. We've always been proactive, and maybe this is an issue we should look at.”
Oleksa noted that in private industry drug testing is becoming common. “It's certainly something going on,” he said.
At least one fellow board member is a bit uncomfortable with testing teachers and administrators.
“I would have to look at it pretty hard,” said Stephen Kunkel. “It is intrusive. Generally, I'm not in favor of that kind of thing.” [Students don't count? Bob]
... He said he is not aware of any other district in the commonwealth randomly drug testing teachers and administrators, including Bethlehem, whose solicitor has said the tests could violate civil rights. [Students ain't got no stinking rights? Bob]
... Hawaiian lawmakers are considering legislation that would require teachers to take drug tests. Officials were spurred to consider the measure after several teachers were arrested on drug charges, including one for selling crystal methamphetamine and two others for smoking marijuana before coming to school.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/local/16965739.htm
State weighs DNA collection
Senate bill would mandate samples taken in all arrests
By Jeremy Hsieh McClatchy Newspapers Posted on Sat, Mar. 24, 2007
Law enforcement officials throughout the state could save time, money and lives with a swab of spit, proponents of proposed DNA collection requirements say.
Two similar bills, one introduced in the Senate by Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Hartsville, and a House bill sponsored by Rep. Catherine Ceips, R-Beaufort, expand mandatory DNA collection to anyone arrested. [Well, those people are clearly second class... Bob] The House bill limits it to those arrested on felony charges. The Senate version includes all arrests, as well as those indicted on felony charges.
... National standards for DNA processing and increased automation in analysis have driven down costs, increased speed, improved reliability and made mass DNA record-keeping possible, said molecular biologist Joe Warren, chairman of the Association of Forensic DNA Analysts and Administrators. [No bias here! Bob]
... "When they first started taking fingerprints, people didn't like it. This is so much more powerful than a fingerprint. [Is it like fingerprints? Bob]
... Unlike the process for matching fingerprints, matching DNA is a less subjective, Warren said, and the chance of unrelated people having identical DNA is about one in one quintillion - a 1 followed by 18 zeros.
http://www.in-forum.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D8O296K80&forumcomm_check_return
Bill says felony suspects must give up DNA
By DALE WETZEL Associated Press Writer The Associated Press - Saturday, March 24, 2007 BISMARCK, N.D.
Jailers should collect genetic samples from anyone who is arrested for a felony, regardless of whether the person is convicted of any crime, the North Dakota Senate has concluded.
... Giving up one's DNA is much more significant than providing a fingerprint, Fiebiger said. Aside from being used for identification, a person's DNA can disclose medical information, such as whether a person is at greater risk for certain diseases, he said. [and why is that a cause for concern? Afraid the police will attempt to cure them? Bob]
“Post Copyright era?”
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/014360.html
March 22, 2007
Hearing on Reforming Section 115 of the Copyright Act for the Digital Age
House Judiciary Committee Hearing on “Reforming Section 115 of the Copyright Act for the Digital Age,” March 22, 2007.
I thought this was obvious, perhaps now it is?
http://politics.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/24/0653218&from=rss
DMCA Creator Admits Failure, Blames RIAA
Posted by Zonk on Saturday March 24, @08:45AM from the how-to-make-friends-and-influence-people dept. Music Politics
An anonymous reader writes "DMCA architect Bruce Lehman has admitted that "our Clinton administration policies didn't work out very well" and "our attempts at copyright control have not been successful". Speaking at conference in Montreal (video at 11:00), Lehman lay much of the blame at the feet of the recording industry for their failure to adapt to the online marketplace in the mid-1990s."
You too can learn to talk “hacker”
http://www.privacydigest.com/2007/03/24/security+bites+podcast+highlights+black+hat+dc
Security Bites Podcast: Highlights from Black Hat DC
March 24, 2007 - 8:51pm — MacRonin
Security Bites Podcast: Highlights from Black Hat DC: "Security goings-on near the nation's capital, and new all-in-one software from Symantec." http://news.com.com/2324-12640_3-6164030.html?part=rss&subj=news.pod&tag=news.pod.feed
[Also see: http://news.com.com/News.com+daily+podcast/2030-11424_3-5845846.html
Is this the best way to “speed up” (never fully automate) purchases?
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,129377-c,privacy/article.html
New Credit Cards Leak Personal Info
Some cards equipped with RFID chips send out names and account numbers.
Erik Larkin, PC World Friday, March 23, 2007 03:00 PM PDT
You may be carrying a new type of credit card that can transmit your personal information to anyone who gets close to you with a scanner.
The new cards--millions of them have been issued over the past year--use RFID, or Radio Frequency Identification, technology. RFID allows scanners to use radio signals at varying distances to read information stored on a computer chip, a chip that is embedded in the card (click on image above).
According to a study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts and at security companies RSA and Innealta, many of these cards will transmit your name, the credit card's number, and its expiration date (but not the three-digit security code) unencrypted [Absolutely the wrong way to store (let alone transmit) this data. Only their machines are supposed to read it, right? Bob] to anyone nearby with an RFID scanner. (To see the full report as a PDF file, go to "Vulnerabilities in First-Generation RFID-enabled Credit Cards".)
... Also, you can block RFID signals with a "Faraday cage," which uses a metal mesh or casing. For instance, at ThinkGeek.com, you can buy an "RFID-blocking wallet."
... And most important, phishing, keyloggers, and other means of online ID theft are far too successful at this time for criminals to expend the effort required by this type of fraud. So the risk probably isn't significant--for now. [Unless they want your information specifically... Bob]
Young, wasn't he...
http://digg.com/microsoft/Bill_Gates_Thoughts_on_Microsoft_in_1989_2
Bill Gates' Thoughts on Microsoft in 1989
A talk given by Bill Gates in 1989 to the UW Computer Science Club has recently been discovered and digitized. In this talk, Bill discusses his role as a developer in the early days of Microsoft, and his views on the future of Microsoft. He also alludes to the fact that he thought that in 1981, 640k would be good enough for everyone!
http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/media/1989%20Bill%20Gates%20Talk%20on%20Microsoft.html?sexy
Strategy is as strategy does. Great minds think alike?
http://digg.com/tech_news/Unusual_Alliance_Fights_XXX_Creation
Unusual Alliance Fights .XXX Creation
Online pornographers and religious groups are in a rare alliance as a key Internet oversight agency nears a decision on creating a virtual red-light district through a ".xxx" Internet address.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/308859_internetporn24.html?source=rss
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