Notes From The Electronic Cottage – Page 45 – WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 5/12/11

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

There has been a lot in the news lately about the revelation that some smart phones, including iPhones and phones built on Google’s Android operating system, have been collecting location data about where the phone has been and storing it on the phones themselves in hidden files. What’s that all about, and why is information about where a person, or at least a person’s
phone, has been of is at the moment of such great interest – and who is interested? Let’s ponder that question for a moment.

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 5/5/11

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Technology makes things possible today that were not possible even a decade ago. The Maine Legislature is considering a bill that deals with one of those technologies – coding and storage of a person’s DNA – before a person is convicted of a crime. Proponents claim that it will help law enforcement. Those with reservations look at the legal maxim of “innocent until proven
guilty” and at the less than reassuring record of data systems to keep stored information secure. Where is the balance? See what you think?

Notes from Electronic Cottage 4/28/11

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

How do you prefer to listen to music – on downloaded mp3 files, on CD, on vinyl? On vinyl, you may say – are you kidding? Nope, vinyl is making a comeback, and audiophiles claim that’s because vinyl sounds better. Does it?
Listen up and see what you think.

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 4/21/11

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Internet security and identity verification on the web are big topics these days, so big that they’ve given rise to a new federal initiative, the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace. The idea is to help protect users personal data, and to make it possible for banks and retaiels and the government to know for sure that people are who they say they are.
To see the latest draft of the proposal, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/NSTICstrategy_041511.pdf

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 4/14/11

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Want to be a citizen scientist? Thanks to the Internet, you can be, and from the comfort of your own home. Listen up, then check out these sites:

Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing (BOINC):
http://boinc.berkeley.edu

NASA-For Citizen Scientists: http://science.nasa.gov/citizen-scientists

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 4/7/11

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Here are the web site addresses mentioned on today’s program.

MARVEL, where you can read thousands of magazines, newspapers and reference works: http://libraries.maine.edu/mainedatabases.

A look at the state of the news media in the U.S.: www.stateofthemedia.org

One site’s very good analysis of the best jobs in the U.S. Be sure to check the criteria used to make the list:
www.focus.com/fyi/human-resources/best-jobs

The Top 20 Open Source Program Downloads:
http://www.tripwiremagazine.com/2010/03/20-most-popular-open-source-software-ever-2.html

A great genealogy site with millions of records, free software, and tutorials: www.familysearch.org

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 3/31/11

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Central Maine Power, as some other electric utilities in the this state and country, is installing so called Smart Meters to replace the old familiar meters that are on the outside of our houses. Many are worried about the radiation these meters will emit into our homes. A valid concern but in our view the bigger problem is the privacy problems and strategic
vulnerabilities on a national security level that these meters introduce.

See what you think.

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 3/24/11

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Every now and then we like to catch up on recent developments in areas we’ve looked at in the past on the Electronic Cottage. Today, we look at recent developments regarding the Real ID Act, those full body scanners at airports, and a challenge to the FISA Amendments Act. Here goes…