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U.S. cybersecurity chief says there is a lucrative market in malware
Philip Reitinger: “There is an entire community of people who are involved, organized crime is involved” in cybercrime underground market economy
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Large defense contractors on a buying spree of smaller UAV manufacturers
UAV expenditures will double within a decade from $4.4 billion annually to $8.7 billion, with more than $62 billion spent over the next ten years
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Simpler, cheaper planes steal the show in Paris
Simpler, slower, and cheaper planes, loaded with weapons, attract attention at the Paris Air Show; these planes are more suitable for the budget-conscious Pentagon — and for fighting insurgents; Stephen Biddle: “Somebody roaring by at 500 miles per hour has a harder time of distinguishing between civilians and insurgents”
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Defense contractors look to cybersecurity for growth
The Obama administration’s emphasis on cybersecurity in its FY2010 defense budget — and the federal budget more generally — offers opportunities for large defense contractors; smaller companies providing gear for Afghanistan/Pakistan war also see growth opportunities
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Biometric use in Australia grows
National Australia Bank is now using voice biometrics to authenticate its customers; the bank joins a lengthening list of Aussie businesses relying on biometric technology for quicker and more accurate identification of customers
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China uses stolen software in its new Internet censorship scheme
The Chinese government will impose strict Internet censorship beginning 1 July; the software the Chinese will use for filtering Web sites was stolen from California-based Solid Oak Software; the Chinese piracy was exceedingly clumsy: a file containing a 2004 Solid Oak news bulletin has been accidentally included in the Chinese filtering coding
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FLIR acquires Salvador Imaging
Acquisition will allow FLIR to expand into markets related to its core infrared business
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WHO declares H1N1 swine flu an official pandemic
Declaration will activate a slew of government pre-orders for pandemic vaccine, which will take precedence over recent orders for H1N1 vaccine; countries that do not have pre-orders will also face delays
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E-Verify implementation delayed yet again
DHS created E-Verify to allow employers to check on line the eligibility of employees to work in the United States; implementation of the system has been delayed for the fourth time; new deadline: 8 September 2009
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U.K. white supremacists plotted to use ricin against minorities
White supremacist cell in the U.K. plotted to use ricin to kill black people and other ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom; ricin is 6,000 times more poisonous than cyanide
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Congress requires competition for for aviation security services
Despite heavy lobbying by airport managers, Congress insists that TSA must hold open and full competition for security background screening services for aviation workers
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More companies use DHS immigration database
DHS says that more than 118,000 public, private, and government employers enrolled in its E-Verify database as of 1 May; enrollment is growing, but E-Verify still is used by less than 2 percent of the nation’s more than 7.4 million employers
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Identity fundamentals. pt. 1: Who cares who you are anyway?
Identity can be defined as a combination of the uniqueness of an individual (or device) and the attributes which are associated with that uniqueness; in the absence of a standard unique personal identification number, personal names are often used to build a single view across different unconnected applications
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Flying car's proof-of-concept testing now complete
Terrafugia says its Transition flying car has completed the proof-of-concept testing; company now to build a beta test prototype; the company is taking reservations, and deliveries are expected in 2011
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Nuclear power may be considered for carbon credits
Te 2001 Kyoto protocol excluded nuclear power from clean energy technology schemes; now, more and more countries appear to support the idea that developing countries should be given carbon credits if they build nuclear power stations; carbon credits could cut the capital cost of building new nuclear stations by up to 40 percent
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The long view
If Trump Wants More Deportations, He’ll Need to Target the Construction Industry
As President Donald Trump sends mixed messages about immigration enforcement, ordering new raids on farms and hotels just days after saying he wouldn’t target those industries, he has hardly mentioned the industry that employs the most immigrant laborers: construction. Almost a quarter of all immigrants without a college degree work in construction.
Federal R&D Funding Boosts Productivity for the Whole Economy − Making Big Cuts to Such Government Spending Unwise
Large cuts to government-funded research and development can endanger American innovation – and the vital productivity gains it supports. If the government were to abandon its long-standing practice of investing in R&D, it would significantly slow the pace of U.S. innovation and economic growth.
Smaller Nuclear Reactors Spark Renewed Interest in a Once-Shunned Energy Source
In the past two years, half the states have taken action to promote nuclear power, from creating nuclear task forces to integrating nuclear into long-term energy plans.