Insecure networks –

Researchers crack new wireless security spec A UNIVERSITY OF Maryland professor and his graduate student have apparently uncovered serious weaknesses in the next-generation Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) security protocol known as 802.1x. Back to the drawing board. Security wasn’t part of the 802.11 MAC protocol, because those of us who designed it didn’t know anything about … Continue reading “Insecure networks –”

Researchers crack new wireless security spec

A UNIVERSITY OF Maryland professor and his graduate student have apparently uncovered serious weaknesses in the next-generation Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) security protocol known as 802.1x.

Back to the drawing board. Security wasn’t part of the 802.11 MAC protocol, because those of us who designed it didn’t know anything about the subject, and subsequent attempts to graft it on (WEP and 802.1x) have problems. As things stand, you’re not truly secure on 802.11 unless you use an end-to-end VPN, but neither are you on a wired network, easily tapped at many points. The man-in-the-middle flaw that these folks think they’ve found isn’t a genuine flaw beause they assume a directionality of signal that’s not generally possible, but I don’t want to spoil their fun. (source: 802.11b Networking News)

Big Time –

My speculation that hawala is small potatoes is contradicted by this WaPo story Al Qaeda’s Road Paved With Gold : In small shops and businesses along the border, the money and gold, taken from Afghanistan’s banks and national coffers, were collected and moved by trusted Taliban and al Qaeda operatives to the port city of … Continue reading “Big Time –”

My speculation that hawala is small potatoes is contradicted by this WaPo story Al Qaeda’s Road Paved With Gold :

In small shops and businesses along the border, the money and gold, taken from Afghanistan’s banks and national coffers, were collected and moved by trusted Taliban and al Qaeda operatives to the port city of Karachi, Pakistan, according to sources familiar with the events.

Then, using couriers and the virtually untraceable hawala money transfer system, they transferred millions of dollars to this desert sheikdom, where the assets were converted to gold bullion.

And so much for the theory that they hate us because they’re poor.

India and the Jews

is the subject of an excellent collection of historical insights at the Kolkata Libertarian, complete with charts and maps. It begins with: An unhurried tectonic shift is in progress in South Asian politics, driven into the limelight by the events of 9/11 in the US and 12/13 in India. By many in the Palestinian and … Continue reading “India and the Jews”

is the subject of an excellent collection of historical insights at the Kolkata Libertarian, complete with charts and maps. It begins with:

An unhurried tectonic shift is in progress in South Asian politics, driven into the limelight by the events of 9/11 in the US and 12/13 in India. By many in the Palestinian and Arab media, as well as in the West, it is viewed with deep suspicion, some anger and sadness.

Bottom line is that historical ties between India and the Israeli people run deep.

BTW, Cochin’s Jew Town is empty now, as all the old-timers have moved to Israel. There are probably more Jews in Kerala ashrams now than there are in Cochin, for what it’s worth.

Campaign finance reform’s poster boy

isn’t Ken Lay, it’s California Governor Gray Davis. This article (Dan Walters: Rivals prepare for long, expensive, negative campaign for governor) explains why: “Gray, you’re a disgrace,” Riordan said last week, tagging Davis as the “Enron governor” and castigating him for raising campaign funds from interest groups while he has bills affecting them awaiting his … Continue reading “Campaign finance reform’s poster boy”

isn’t Ken Lay, it’s California Governor Gray Davis. This article (Dan Walters: Rivals prepare for long, expensive, negative campaign for governor) explains why:

“Gray, you’re a disgrace,” Riordan said last week, tagging Davis as the “Enron governor” and castigating him for raising campaign funds from interest groups while he has bills affecting them awaiting his signature or veto.

And the best method for reducing the power of Big Money in politics isn’t the unconstitutional Shays-Meehan bill that stifles First Amendment rights, it’s the ballot box. But the media have to do their job, which they have in the case of Davis:

The state’s news media have detailed numerous incidents in which Davis took actions, whether legislative or administrative, that favored major campaign contributors. Davis denies it, insisting that he has often disappointed contributors and doesn’t take money into account when making policy.

This by way of Rough & Tumble.

The Real Blogger’s Manifesto

Techno-bloggers have an interesting outlook on stuff; see The Blogger’s Manifesto and its alternate version: Blogger’s Manifesto: “Life is uncensored.” Real Blogger’s Manifesto: “Life is uncensored, but my clients and my Mom may be reading my blog.” There’s more at JOHO the Blog.

Techno-bloggers have an interesting outlook on stuff; see The Blogger’s Manifesto and its alternate version: Blogger’s Manifesto: “Life is uncensored.” Real Blogger’s Manifesto: “Life is uncensored, but my clients and my Mom may be reading my blog.” There’s more at JOHO the Blog.

All Enron, All the Time

Joshua Marshall may be recovering his grip. This article (Are liberals hopeless suckers?) is the first thing in a long time on Talking Points that didn’t directly deal with Enron’s corrupting influence on the Bush White House and the Republican Party generally: You better believe it. Back in 1997 and 1998, as the presidential contenders … Continue reading “All Enron, All the Time”

Joshua Marshall may be recovering his grip. This article (Are liberals hopeless suckers?) is the first thing in a long time on Talking Points that didn’t directly deal with Enron’s corrupting influence on the Bush White House and the Republican Party generally:

You better believe it.

Back in 1997 and 1998, as the presidential contenders were readying their engines, all Democrats pretty much realized that the nomination was Al Gore’s to lose. But liberals were discomfited by Gore’s centrism and casting about for some standard-bearer. Dick Gephardt decided he was that man.

Maybe there’s hope for the old boy after all.

What I like about Blogs

is on display in the in-depth discussion between Sgt. Stryker and Steve Den Beste on Iraqi war scenarios. Nowhere else can you find this kind of well-informed and timely discussion, but another fine pair have the Blogosphere abuzz today, at Samizdata and Live from the WTC.

is on display in the in-depth discussion between Sgt. Stryker and Steve Den Beste on Iraqi war scenarios. Nowhere else can you find this kind of well-informed and timely discussion, but another fine pair have the Blogosphere abuzz today, at Samizdata and Live from the WTC.

Canada’s national pasttime

isn’t figure skating or hockey, it’s Curling: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s finals coverage of the Labatt and Nokia Brier, Scott Tournament of Hearts and World Championship have held steady with an average audience of 1.2 million, one million and 1.2 million respectively over the last decade. (Source: CBC Research Nielsen) Not bad considering the traditionally … Continue reading “Canada’s national pasttime”

isn’t figure skating or hockey, it’s Curling:

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s finals coverage of the Labatt and Nokia Brier, Scott Tournament of Hearts and World Championship have held steady with an average audience of 1.2 million, one million and 1.2 million respectively over the last decade. (Source: CBC Research Nielsen) Not bad considering the traditionally most-watched sporting event of the year is the Grey Cup averages three million viewers, while the Stanley Cup finals average between 1.5 and 2.5 million.

Canuck curlers see this Olympics as make-or-break time for their sport in terms of winning new fans, but they’ve not been helped by the whiney crybaby figure skaters who’ve hogged so much bandwidth NBC cut their Curling coverage completely last night.

Justin Slotman shares my enthusiasm for the Sport of Kings, which he says is for Queens too; in the Castro, for sure.

Thank you, Bloggers

who’ve linked the navel of the Blogosphere recently: More Than Zero Kolkata Libertarian On the Third Hand Libertarian Samizdata Random Jottings Vodka Pundit Daily Pundit Protein Wisdom Rantburg Sgt. Stryker Balloon Juice Blogs of War Ben Domenech Update: more recent links: Dropscan Little Green Footballs The Edge of England’s Sword Insolvent Republic of Blogistan Benjamin … Continue reading “Thank you, Bloggers”

who’ve linked the navel of the Blogosphere recently:

More Than Zero
Kolkata Libertarian
On the Third Hand
Libertarian Samizdata
Random Jottings
Vodka Pundit
Daily Pundit
Protein Wisdom
Rantburg
Sgt. Stryker
Balloon Juice
Blogs of War
Ben Domenech

Update: more recent links:

Dropscan
Little Green Footballs
The Edge of England’s Sword
Insolvent Republic of Blogistan
Benjamin Kepple’s Daily Rant
Ye Olde Blogge

You’re a pretty excellent cross-section of the high-quality end of the Blogosphere, and I appreciate the attention.

For the love of Curling,

Seth Stevenson, writing on Slate, gushes with admiration for the Sport of Kings: Meanwhile, the United States-Japan women’s curling match was a treat. Down 6-1 halfway through the match (a huge deficit by curling standards), the U.S. team came back to win with a series of astounding shots. They snuck their stone through tiny openings … Continue reading “For the love of Curling,”

Seth Stevenson, writing on Slate, gushes with admiration for the Sport of Kings:

Meanwhile, the United States-Japan women’s curling match was a treat. Down 6-1 halfway through the match (a huge deficit by curling standards), the U.S. team came back to win with a series of astounding shots. They snuck their stone through tiny openings between the Japanese rocks, curved it around into place, deftly bumped the Japanese stones out of the way, and so on until the game was won by a final score of 8-7. Said ESPN.com: “This is as dramatic as curling gets.” And nobody cried, and nobody wore sequins, and nobody made a secret agreement to hurt someone else’s feelings.

I should do the MTZ treatment on this.