the welfare of welfare
Because his Linksys access point and Gateway notebook used different techniques for generating the “key” to scramble and unscramble the data, Victor Miller of Princeton Junction, N.J., learned he had to twice punch in dozens of characters using the hexadecimal numbering system.
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Miller, who is a cryptography expert, eventually got it working. (full sotry)
Hello, industry? Crypto experts can’t figure out your encryption schemes, and this is one instance where that’s a bad thing. The trick with technology, which people seem to be overlooking these days, is that technology should make life easier. One should not bend one’s life around technology … it’s a tool, not an obligation. Wireless networks are fun and easy, but when it becomes a hassle to use them, they become useless as so-called technology. What’s wrong with open standards? It seems to work for all kinds of other encryption schemes… like SSL. If its good enough for your credit card, it’s good enough for browsing the web.
Kerry called for doing more to:
Looks like someone’s read the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. You know, it’s good for average citizens to know about the documents their government supports… oh wait, Kerry’s running on this platform? Maybe someone needs to tell him that we’ve already signed treaties that cover everything he’s talking about doing. And, you know, Mr. Kerry, that’s just pretty revolutionary, seeking to end North Korea’s nuclear program. And that idea about securing bomb-making materials? Soooo not covered by existing cartels and treaties.
This is what happens when minority issues get shoved through Congress:
While most of the more than 70 sponsors are silent about how many people they’ve signed up, AARP admits its number is minuscule. The group, which has 35 million 50-and-older members, mailed out 26,000 enrollment kits and has signed up only 400 people, spokeswoman Carol Shirley said.
…the administration is making available $4.6 million to help sign up low-income Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for the annual $600 in government aid.
“Low-income seniors cannot afford to pass those savings up,” Thompson said.
…so let me get this straight. Nearly $5 million of taxpayer money is going to pay for drugs for 400 people. The Bush administration estimates a savings of about 18% on average, which is less than the amount of drug price inflation in recent years. They basically get $600 for being poor. And a Republican is in office. I’m poor, I’m a college student, can I get a beer discount card? Or, imagine, a book discount card. Another thing people need to realize is that drug prices aren’t high because the drug companies are evil. You’re paying for research that’s in progress. You’re paying for the research that will bring us cancer drugs, AIDS drugs, paralysis-reversing drugs. So be quiet about prices — the fancy medications available today wouldn’t have been possible without the research paid for decades ago.
Opponents of the effort worry that government would wind up paying for religion. They also object to allowing taxpayer-funded groups to hire and fire based on religious persuasion. (full story)
No, they WILL be paying for religion… Someone needs to explain to me how funneling government funds into religious groups doesn’t violate the seperation of church and state. Government funding is a legitimizer, a system that accepts as official a certain philosophy or action. By paying a religious group, the government legitimizes that group’s message. While this may be what King George II is after, it’s not legal. And shouldn’t be. If there’s all this extra money lying around waiting to be used for social improvement, put it into existing structures for social improvement. Yeah, I know, it’s a tough concept, but work with me here. Remember that ‘welfare’ thing? And ‘medicare’? How about we shore those up before we start throwing money at religious people (read: uneven distribution of aid)… because I’m sure that the religious nuts will let *everyone* have access to help…
Some people need to just shut up about oil prices. Why are people surprised that an attack on the leading oil producing nation’s oil production capacity caused a rise in prices? Hello… read your economics book again. And don’t just look at the pictures. And still we keep paying for gas. For our Denali’s and Yukon’s. To drive to Starbucks. Come on, people, walk for once. You’ll probably save enough to buy that mocha latte half-caf thing.
And, as always, wired.com has good stuff.
