The Surveillance Catalog - The Wall Street Journal As the Internet has grown to handle more data, monitoring companies have had to keep up. Interception now can mean taking all the traffic from the Internet backbone and funneling it through devices that inspect the packets of data, determine what is inside them, and make decisions about whether to copy them for law enforcement. CRTC rejects Bell usage-based internet billing plan - Politics Small companies selling internet services will likely be paying for download speed under a decision announced by Canada’s telecommunications regulator. The companies, which buy their internet services from larger established providers such as Rogers and Bell, were fighting an application to the CRTC by Bell to charge more to wholesale customers. The CRTC's decision, announced Tuesday, gives established providers two options for charging independent internet service providers — a flat rate or a rate based on capacity and the number of users. Bell had asked to be able to charge based on the total volume of internet data used by its wholesale customers. The capacity rate model charges based on the speed of the service — meaning the small ISPs will be paying for the size of the pipe, not the amount of data that flows through the pipe. The CRTC requires Bell and Rogers to allow the smaller companies to use their internet infrastructure and regulates the price which they can charge for it.
SpyFiles: Revelations of a Billion-Dollar Mass Surveillance Industry Today Wikileaks releases nearly 1,100 internal documents, sales brochures and manuals for products sold by the manufacturers of systems for surveillance and the interception of telecommunications. These new leaks reveal a mass surveillance industry that’s now worth $5 billion a year, with technologies capable of spying on every telephone and Internet network on a national scale. The flagships of this market are called Nokia-Siemens, Qosmos, Nice, Verint, Hacking Team, Bluecoat and Amesys. The documents detailing their interception capabilities will be progressively released online by Wikileaks. OWNI, who worked in partnership with the Washington Post, The Hindu, L’Espresso, the German channel ARD and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism in this operation which has been dubbed the Spy Files, has attempted to present an overview of this new type of industry, by creating an interactive map and a dedicated site, SpyFiles.org. Amesys is a manufacturer of equipment.
A Non-Designer's Guide to Making Attractive Presentation Slides The key there is to make data meaningful and simplified. Presentations are just that, presentations. If they want a report, hand out print-outs and in the presentation make notes on where to find elaborations in the print out. Furthermore, provide a link to a PDF of the report on the company network so that anyone who lost the paper handout can get back to it without bothering you. Seriously, you have to assert that Reports and Presentations serve two different functions and if they don't like it, they can do the "presentation" themselves next time. Be nice about it :-) but also be assertive >:D You're gonna be best served making a PPT template in your free time and just making reports when you are assigned them. But, if your report is just 2-5 pages, go ahead and put the data on the slides. The key is to use visual cues instead of writing things out. Also, don't forget Title Slides, They make is very easy to see what follows and convey very clearly that the last section has ended.
Listening in on Libya: communication breakdown The involvement of a French company, Amesys (purchased by Bull in 2010) in the Libyan telecommunications surveillance scandal was successfully proven by OWNI last June, then, this week, by the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, and finally, the Figaro. But Amesys and Bull head honchos refuse to respond to our calls and still haven’t officially reacted. Last Tuesday, the day after the WSJ published its article, Amesys‘ website abruptly shut down. Bull’s personalities, who would normally be aware of the subject, are accustomed to using the silent treatment. Bull’s CEO Philippe Vannier was Crescendo Technologies’ Director-in-Chief, the holding that bought up I2E and that became Amesys. Hoping to keep their hands clean, the Elysée and the Defense minister went so far as to create a Sovereign France Strategy. What sort of country is interested in being able to listen to everyone. All of Amesys’ activities strictly abide international, European, and French laws. Illustrations: Flickr CC binnyva.
Most Popular DIY Projects of 2011 2011 proved to be a great year for all things DIY, from repurposed and updated technology to computer building to cool things you can make for your own enjoyment. Here's a look at our most popular do-it-yourself projects and posts this year. P Top 10 Ways to Turn Your Retired Gadgetry into the Technology of the FutureP With the rapid progression of technology each year, it's easy to accumulate a pile of obsolete gadgets that you just can't bear to get rid of. Top 10 Space-Saving Household ProjectsP Whether you live in a tiny apartment or just have too much stuff, there's likely a lot of space you aren't using, like your walls, your ceilings, or the nooks and crannies in your furniture. How to Build a Hackintosh Mini for a Less Expensive, Faster MacP We've shown you how to build a Hackintosh with enough power to rival a Mac Pro, but for those of you who want a still powerful Mac on a budget you can build a Hack Mini. Turn Photo Negatives Into Artsy, Personalized LampsP There you have it.
How to Make the Most Out of Limited Screen Space (and Even Work Better) I have to agree fully, especially for those who are scared of trying - give it a shot, it actually helps. Actively managing your workspace as opposed to just throwing more real estate at it is a terrific way to really find good ways to get things done. Like you, Adam, I was a multi-monitor addict. In fact up until about 6 months ago I had two 24's and a 20 on my desk, but found I was easily distracted by everything. What really made it hit home for me was when I started doing more on-site side work, where I took my 14in laptop with a 1600x900 panel or my MacBook with a 1280x800 panel. So I switched at work to a single 24, and found my productivity jump. Another tip I found - I do most of my email on my iPad. Great post, Adam. Now with a 1920x1080+ panel it's really hard NOT to actively manage your display.