Since Edward Snowden started leaking secrets to the media, we've learned that our government has been up to all kinds of sneaky things -- surveiling our allies, getting call records from big telecom providers, retrieving information from online services about our online activity, building massive databases, keeping data about Americans for years.One of the reasons these … [Read more...] about Does the NSA Have a CA?
Science
From DNA to Questionable Science
It's my understanding that DNA matching is arguably the best and most reliable of the forensic sciences. One reason is that it's based on scientific knowledge and ideas that were developed independently of its forensic uses. Scientists spent decades studying DNA: How it's structured, what it's made of, how it replicates, how it combines in sexual reproduction, and how it is … [Read more...] about From DNA to Questionable Science
Some DUI Science and Guesswork
Jamison Koehler put up a post on the fraction of your breath that a breathalyzer uses to estimate your blood alcohol ratio. He's had expert training in DUI defense and therefore DUI-related technology, whereas I've just had some basic math and science education. But it's an interesting subject, and I thought I'd try to explain what I think is happening from a science-ish point … [Read more...] about Some DUI Science and Guesswork
NSA Surveillance – Some Technical Speculation
The NSA story is still breaking, so almost anything I write may soon be overtaken by new information, but I thought I'd address one aspect that involves an area in which I have some expertise: Although whistleblower Edward Snowden claims that major tech corporations such as Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, and Facebook have given the NSA direct access to information on their servers, … [Read more...] about NSA Surveillance – Some Technical Speculation
Facebook Thinks I Like What?!?
Over on her Facebook page, writer Jennifer Abel is getting pissed off at some of the stuff Facebook is recommending for her: If this were England, I would sue Facebook for libel; I am THAT offended by the pages they suggest I "like." Seriously: what the hell did I EVER post, here or anyplace else, to make anybody think I'm a bigot who would support any of those vile … [Read more...] about Facebook Thinks I Like What?!?