That was Then... This is Now

Might Pac Man have a shot at the presidency? According to researchers Alex Halderman of the University of Michigan and Ariel Feldman of Princeton University it might be possible. The two reprogrammed one such system, the Sequoia AVC Edge, to play Pac-Man. The researchers were able to load the software into the machine without breaking the tamperproof seals. The project, presented at the recent 2010 Electronic Voting Technology Workshop, is another strike against electronic voting systems. "We could have reprogrammed it to steal votes, but that's been done before, and Pac-Man is more fun," Read the complete article at InfoWorld .

In an earlier post I mentioned that I'd deactivated my Facebook account due to some innappropriate content showing up. There have been other issues as well and today I'd like to share this great article about the latest problem by Rob Pegoraro of the Washington Post . It is a sad but true fact that the Internet makes it very easy to spread disinformation as well as outright scams. Another reason to examine your own use of the Internet.

A few weeks ago I asked if anyone has ever tried to live without the Internet or Cell phones . Apparently some have. Here is an article from Bloomberg Business Week on executives who refuse to carry a cell phone. Interesting.

Chinese researchers are currently developing a train that will run at speeds up to 620 miles per hour--about twice as fast as the current record set by a Japanese train in 2003. The train will run on magnetic levitation tracks built into vacuum tubes underground and will average almost 400 miles per hour. Researchers say the trains could be ready to go in ten years. Could the United States develop something similar even though the cost of the technology is seemingly overwhelming? Estimates are approximately $2.95 million for each kilometer of track. What I would like to know is how much energy these trains would save. "Maglev" is being promoted as a "green" technology--what would the long-term cost savings be? Read more about it at inhabitat.com .

Many workers today feel that they must take their smart phones and mobile devices everywhere according to a recent survey from Careerbuilder. These professionals answer calls or check in with the office while attending church and even while at their children's afterschool activities. Some will even talk and text away while lying in bed, and while in the bathroom. On a date? Too bad. Romantic moments spent staring deeply into the eyes of a potential significant other are now interrupted by the inevitable, "I need to take this call." In some cases, cell phone use can be dangerous. Using mobile devices while driving is common for many workers these days--and the cause of many accidents. This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive on behalf of Careerbuilder. More than 5,200 employees took part. Read the complete article and slideshow here .