What to Watch for on Election Night
Here’s another post on how to go to bed early on election night satisfied that you know the outcome. Of course this won’t work if the election is really close… Read more »
Author Archives: Jonathan Tappan
aLinks with WordPress 4.0
I have updated my original aLinks post with a version that works with WP 4.0.
Did Science Fiction Predict the NSA Debate?
The idea is that a corporation or government agency could influence public opinion by using computer programs to flood the social networks with comments. In Cory Doctorow’s recent novel Homeland,… Read more »
How to Decode the True Meaning of What NSA Officials Say
Jameel Jaffer and Brett Max Kaufman in Slate. James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, has been harshly criticized for having misled Congress earlier this year about the scope of… Read more »
Lord North needed the NSA
In a hilarious but disturbing article in Slate Kieran Healy demonstrates how the sort of “metadata” that Verizon (and presumably every other phone company) is required to turn over to… Read more »
So you think your password is secure?
From Ars Technica: a chilling demonstration that even passwords like “qeadzcwrsfxv1331” can be cracked if the web site uses a weak hashing function. http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/05/how-crackers-make-minced-meat-out-of-your-passwords/ Takeaways: If you can remember it,… Read more »
The downside of bike lanes
via Lessig.
Aaron Swartz’s Suicide
If you have been following the news you must be aware that Aaron Swartz, a social-networking pioneer, academic researcher and clumsy hacktivist, has killed himself. Though he left no suicide… Read more »
Megan McArdle on the Newtown Killings
I usually look to Megan McArdle for sensible well-informed financial commentary. She’s willing to tell people things that they don’t want to hear–a valuable trait in a financial writer. Now… Read more »
More thoughts on Orca
Everyone seems to be jumping on the story of the Romney campaign’s “Orca” debacle. But it seems to me that this is not really a new story. It’s a story… Read more »