Field Notes, First Drafts, & Foreign Correspondence
From the Washington Post:
The line between what’s real and what’s not is thin and shifting, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has decided to explore both sides. Boldly going where few government bureaucracies have gone before, the agency is enlisting the expertise of science fiction writers.
Read the rest here.
I (and a lot of other people) helped define some of the margins of and requirements for this, once upon a time.
NATO Sponsors Critical Infrastructure Protection Technology Demonstration
From 5-15 October, “BELCOAST 09” is marking the fifth anniversary of NATO’s Defence Against Terrorism Programme of Work (DAT PoW), demonstrating technologies that can improve the protection of military installations in operations. The event will take place at Koksijde Air Base and other locations along the Belgian coast.
More than 160 companies will join military units and technology experts to show, test and explain technologies for defending against different threat scenarios, including mortar, rocket and improvised explosive devices; chemical and biological attacks; and threats to land-based, maritime and aviation infrastructure. Technologies for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition and non-lethal capabilities will also be shown.
In response to the terrorist bombings in Madrid in March 2004, NATO launched the DAT PoW to develop cutting-edge technology or adapt existing technology to protect troops and civilians from terrorist attacks and other asymmetric threats. It comprises 10 technology initiatives, to include countering improvised explosive devices, defending against mortar attack and developing non-lethal capabilities. One initiative, critical infrastructure protection, led by Belgium, focuses on technologies that protect important civilian and military infrastructure.
Media is invited to attend on Wednesday, 14 October, at Koksijde Air Base for video presentations of the demonstrations and keynote speeches by Deputy Supreme Allied Command Europe, General Sir John McColl, and the Chairman of the NATO Research and Technology Board, Dr Robert S. Walker.
Media registration by 8 October is compulsory. The programme is available and registration can be done online on the website of the Belgian Ministry of Defence in French and in Dutch.
More information on this event can be found at: http://www.belcoast09.org/.
From Dragons to Smartphones, Jon Evans, Wired Blog
How To Live Off the Grid, Nick Rosen, Wired UK
Harness Maharishi Effect, Combat Cyber Attacks, Tim Stevens, Ubiwar
Foul Play: The Risk of Antisocial Behavior in Online Gaming, Max Burns, Pixels and Policy
Illuminating Dark Economies, Lee Billings, Seed Magazine
Embrace Human Cloning, Greg Easterbrook, Wired Magazine
Inside the Red Book, Scott Horton, Harper’s Magazine
Googling Juror Leads to Verdict Being Overturned, Michael Masnick, Techdirt
Bold Rwanda Takes Broadband Leap, Adam Blenford, BBC News
Insect Wing Design & Deformation – Enhance Aerodynamic Function & Wing Design, John Young et al., Science
Low-tech. Faster than broadband in South Africa, apparently:
A company is to start using a carrier pigeon to transfer data between its offices – because bosses believe it will be quicker than broadband.
IT experts at a firm in South Africa said it takes up to six hours to transfer four gigabytes of encrypted data between two of its offices which lie 50 miles apart.
Today staff at the financial services company will save valuable time by instead having the information transported by a homing pigeon named Winston.
MICHAEL A. INNES 