The Null Device

2002/7/5

The Fourth of July has passed, and the feared terrorist blitz has not occurred; no Al Qaeda dirty bombs Chernobylising entire cities, no massive truck bombs levelling US bases, no Iraqi PlayStation-powered anthrax-spreading cruise missiles raining from the skies over the Midwest. However, an Egyptian limousine driver did shoot up an El Al counter in Los Angeles, before being shot by the ever-vigilant El Al security personnel. Which suggests one of three possibilities:

  • Al Qaeda are scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as terroristic talent goes
  • Al Qaeda want us to think they're running out of competent terrorists, to lull us into a false sense of security
  • We are seeing the first of a wave of Al Qaeda-inspired spontaneous mass shootings; the post-9/11 equivalent of postal worker/high-school goth rampages.

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Here (scroll down) are some technical details on how Microsoft/Intel/AMD's total access control system, Palladium, will work. It's quite ingenious, though still seems like something too draconian. With any luck it'll flop, people will avoid restricted content, and even Microsoft, the RIAA and the MPAA won't be able to get people to pay for software or content which breaks if their system changes. (via bOING bOING)

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This is interesting: According to Angry Robot, New York-based French-chick-fronted-pop act Ivy are covering The Go-Betweens' Streets of Your Town. I'll be interested to hear it.

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