Tech Giants Scramble to Fix ‘Freak’

Way back in the latter end of the last century - the 1990s, when Netscape browser was all the rage and - SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption was brand-spanking-new, the U.S. government wanted control over export of “weapons grade” encryption.

Its theory was that domestic communications could benefit from stronger, 128-bit encryption, but 'backdoors' should be available to U.S. intelligence and law enforcement when it came to foreign communications. Thus, the concept of weaker, “export grade” encryption was born.

Turns out that this legacy backdoor, a vulnerability that we’ve come to know as 'FREAK' still exists in up to 30 percent of web servers. It’s a sad example of how zombie security holes from the era of grunge can come back and bite us on the posterior.

Meanwhile, Apple and Google are saying they've developed fixes/patches - though we note Apple has yet to deploy -  to mitigate the 'Freak' security flaw. Initially thought to be immune, Microsoft released an advisory which warned hundreds of millions of Windows PC users are also vulnerable to the security vulnerability  :: Read the full article »»»»

CIA overhaul to boost cyber capability and security amid growing threat of digital attacks

The CIA plans to radically overhaul operations, ramping up its capability to deal with cyber threats while boosting integration between departments via a network of new units, the agency says.

Central Intelligence Agency director John Brennan outlined the proposed changes to the agency in a message to staff on Friday described as a "Blueprint for the Future" covering four key areas.

Mr Brennan said the US espionage agency would set up a new "Directorate of Digital Innovation" to reflect the rapidly evolving cyber landscape :: Read the full article »»»»

Child Bride, 12, Miscarried After 'Marrying' 27-year-old Man

A 12-year-old girl married in an Islamic ceremony to a 27-year-old man in New South Wales miscarried after becoming pregnant, court documents have revealed. A police statement of facts was tendered to the NSW District Court during the sentence hearing of the 27-year-old man. 

The man has pleaded guilty to a charge of the persistent sexual abuse of a child after he told police he married the girl in an Islamic ceremony in the Hunter Valley last year. The man, who can not be named, faces a maximum 25-year sentence for the offence. 

The court papers revealed that after he was charged last year, an examination at Westmead Children's Hospital confirmed the child bride had "an ectopic pregnancy" and "miscarried". She was examined after she complained of stomach pain. The papers showed the man started texting the girl after he became aware of her at a mosque in late 2013. The girl, who is now 13, is in the care of authorities :: Read the full article >>

Roald Dahl's Heartfelt Vaccination Plea Resurfaces Amid Current Measles Outbreak

In 1988, beloved British author Roald Dahl wrote some of his most poignant, instructive words.

In an open letter, the writer known for his children's books pierced with dark humour, urged parents to vaccinate their children against measles following the death of his eldest daughters to the same disease.

Olivia Dahl died of measles encephalitis, aged seven. The author went on to dedicate one of his most famous books to her, the BFG: “For Olivia: 20th April 1955 — 17th November 1962.”

Determined that no other child should die from the disease, a complication of measles where the brain swells leading to convulsions, Dahl wrote an open letter more than 25 years after her death.

The letter, which the Encephalitis Society in the UK uses in its awareness campaigns, has been widely shared in recent days following the fresh outbreak of measles in the United States :: Read the full article >>

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe Becomes African Union Chairman

One of Africa's most divisive figures, Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, has taken over the chairmanship of the African Union, casting a shadow over the continental body's relations with the West.

The only leader Zimbabwe has known since independence from Britain in 1980 assumed the largely ceremonial role when he was handed the AU flag and gavel at a summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Mugabe spoke of the need to guard against foreigners exploiting the continent's mineral wealth and called for more assistance for African farmers :: Read The Full Article >>

Google's Gmail Killed in China

China-tech watchers are saying China has all but blocked the last remaining ways for people to access Gmail, Google's email service.

They say Gmail traffic in China was shut down last week after Chinese authorities apparently plugged the third-party applications that allowed users to get around existing hurdles. Only a trickle of emails have got through since.

Gmail is the world's biggest email service and has been largely inaccessible from within China since the run-up in June to the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

But users could still access the service by using third-party mail applications, rather than the webpage. Gmail users could access emails downloaded via protocols like IMAP, SMTP and POP3, allowing users to communicate using Gmail on apps like Apple iPhone's Mail and Microsoft Outlook  :: Read the full article »»»»

Microsoft's NEW CEO Tells Women Not to Ask For a Pay Raise

There's a reason Microsoft left such a huge chasm between CEO's - remember the hijinks of Steve B? and congratulations to new CEO Satya Nadella - it seems the folk that pick these people might need a little self reflection.

Having ranted all that, it seems the new CEO has done something we all thought unattainable, he's made people give a f_ck about Microsoft for the first time in years.

Nadella achieved this emotional engagement by offering up the most misogynisticly deplorable advice to women in the workplace since Australia's Prime Minister advised girls to back up their expectations.

"I think it'd be folly to expect that women will ever dominate or even approach equal representation in large numbers, simply because their aptitudes, abilities and interests are different for physiological reasons" Tony Abbott

According to Nadella the female 'confidence gap' is a sham Nadella made his pickled remarks on stage at an event to celebrate the marginalized accomplishments of women in the technology industry... Seriously?! :: Read More @Technoid >>

REBLOG! McDonald's Breached Advertising Code, Giving Free Fries Vouchers to Children

A recent study by the University of South Australia concluded that our children are less fit than we were at the same age, has our fast food mentality and more sedentary lifestyle contributed to our children's decline in health?

Australia's advertising watchdog has upheld a complaint against fast food giant McDonald's after vouchers for free fries were handed out to children at a playground. The vouchers for a free small fries were being handed as children entered Kids Town Adventure playground near Shepparton in Victoria's north.

The Obesity Policy Coalition launched a complaint with the Advertising Standards Bureau - ASB - arguing the fast-food chain was not promoting healthy eating choices for children. The ASB upheld the complaint ruling McDonald's breached a section of the Quick Service Restaurant Initiative - QSRI - for responsible advertising to children.

McDonald's has also come copped recent criticism for trialing a home delivery service in an area already battling with weight issues. The Australian Medical Association - AMA - Queensland has questioned McDonald's decision to trial a seven days a week home delivery service in Hervey Bay, in the state's south-east.

McDonald's said population growth in the region was a key reason for its selection, but AMA Queensland president Dr Shaun Rudd said it was the population's growth on the scales that had them most concerned.

Read the full article @ www.theorganicgourmet.com.au

Snailmail, Woman Receives Letter 45 Years After it was Posted

A letter has mysteriously arrived in the mailbox of a Canadian woman 45 years after it was sent by her younger sister.

The missive, mailed by her then nine-year-old sibling, was sent in 1969 with a six-cent stamp, Anne Tingle told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

It arrived wrapped in plastic with a note from Canada Post apologising for the envelope's state, but not the delay.

"It was a strange package ... there were two corrugated cardboard pieces taped together, encased in a plastic envelope," Ms Tingle said :: Read the full article »»»»

New Study Finds Half Aussie Teens Avoid Alcohol

A rising number of Australian teenagers are choosing not to drink alcohol, abstaining completely from the social drug, new research shows. The findings of a survey of more than 2,500 young people published today in the medical journal Addiction shows half of Australian teens do not drink. 

Between 2001 and 2010 the number of teens aged 14 to 17 abstaining from alcohol rose from 33 per cent to more than 50 per cent, the research shows. 

The study looked at 1,477 teens in 2001 and 1,075 teens in 2010. Study author Dr Michael Livingston from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre says the trend away from drinking alcohol is widespread and it also reflects similar studies both in Australia and overseas. 

"It's really happening across the whole youth culture," he said. "It's happening for boys and girls, young teenagers and old teenagers, in rich and poor households, for English speaking and non-English speaking groups." ::::

Teenagers drinking less but not turning to drugs The study also shows teens have not abandoned alcohol in favour of illegal drugs or smoking. "In this same group we've seen a reduction in drug use. Quite a dramatic one over the same period," 

Dr Livingston said. "These kids are drinking less; they're not taking drugs." Researchers have theories about why young people are making different choices at a time when alcohol is cheaper and more heavily promoted than ever. 

"We know from other survey data the general public is getting more concerned about alcohol as a problem and so we're thinking possibly that's reflected in parenting practices, also in teenagers' beliefs," Dr Livingston said. "There's also a sense that the current generation is very focused on health and well-being and this is one step they're taking to try and stay fitter and healthier." 

"There's some research from Sweden that just engaging in [online] activities, social networking and gaming, is associated with less drinking." 

Good news for Life Education The study's findings have been welcomed by Life Education, which teaches Australian primary school students about healthy habits. National program development manager Robyn Richardson says the research helps bust myths among young people about drinking. 

"Children in primary school are telling us that they know that when they go to high school there's going to be pressures to drink and that most people in high school are drinking and we're actually readjusting their thinking about that," she said. "This report is confirming that normalisation, that there's safe and healthy choices around drinking and it's an OK choice not to drink and it's an OK choice for your friends not to drink. "The reality is most young people are making great choices about their health and safety."

Is The Australian Sports Party a Topless Joke?

The Australian Sports Party should apologise for a Facebook photo featuring a topless woman jogging, a women's rights group says.

The picture is accompanied by an anecdote about the woman - see below - described as "voluptuous" and a "babe", who is running with a sign around her neck saying, "If you catch me, you can have me".

Wayne Dropulich of the Australian Sports Party was elected to the Senate in last September's federal election, before the WA count was declared void due to missing ballots.

The party is fielding candidates, including Mr Dropulich, in the re-run of the WA Senate election on April 5 ::

Asteroid To Shave Passed Earth

An asteroid the size of a football field is about to make a close pass by Earth but is not expected to hit or cause any damage. Coined 2014 DX110, the asteroid will be part of a rare class of objects that comes nearer than the moon, NASA says.

The space agency says it will shave by at around 7:00am aest tomorrow. "As happens about 20 times a year with current detection capabilities, a known asteroid will safely pass Earth closer than the distance from Earth to the moon," NASA said on its website.

Its closest approach to Earth will be at about 350,000 kilometres, a bit closer than the average lunar distance of 385,000 kilometres. The asteroid is believed to be about 30 metres across. NASA discovered it as part of its asteroid tracking efforts, called the Near-Earth Object Observations Program.

@mcsixtyfive

source: afp image source: indeepmedia

Anti-vaccine Group Forced to Change Name

We've been following the Australian Vaccination Networks -AVN - belligerence since mid 2013, when the anti-vaccination group was ordered by Australia's Therapeutic Drug Authority to change its name.

The group has finally conceded.

AVN has changed its name to one that more clearly reflects its anti-vaccination views, the group will now be known as the Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network.

The New South Wales Fair Trading Department has been pursuing the group for some time after receiving complaints about its misleading name.

The organisation tried to challenge a direction to find a new name but was last year ordered by the Administrative Decisions Tribunal to call itself something different.

::

NSW Fair Trading Minister Stuart Ayres says the association's original name was misleading.

"The title wasn't reflecting their strong anti-vaccination stance and so we after receiving numerous complaints requested them to change their name," Mr Ayres said. "They've now complied with that request and the new title reflects their anti-vaccination stance."

The Australian Medical Association - AMA - says it hopes the name change makes sure the organisation is not mistaken for a government agency.

AMA president Dr Steve Hambleton says the new name is much clearer.

"I think it certainly is a lot better than what it was before and I think that people when they see that word 'sceptic' and perhaps even if they see it spelt incorrectly they're actually going to look at it and be a bit suspicious," Dr Hambleton said. "I would have preferred if it was 'the anti-vaccination network', which is well and truly what it is. Lots of people have believed that it was a government site with balanced information."

@mcsixtyfive

RELATED! AVN Ordered to Change Name

Our least favourite getup group, the Australian Vaccination Network has again been ordered to change its name, after losing an appeal against a ruling that its current name is misleading.

The New South Wales Administrative Decisions Tribunal has upheld a ruling by the state’s Fair Trading department that the anti-vaccination group’s current name could mislead the public.

The AVN can elect to make a further appeal against the ruling, but Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts has warned the organisation risks a hefty legal bill because the department will seek legal costs.

“The AVN must change its name now,” Mr Roberts said.

The Australian Vaccination Network, which is clearly an anti-vaccine soapbox,  claims to be a lobby and support group that promotes health choices. However, the New South Wales Fair Trading Department maintains that the groups name is intentionally misleading, saying the group “is in fact, an anti-vaccination group.”

The Australian Medical Association was among those that complained to Fair Trading about the AVN’s name :: Read the full article »»»»

RELATED! Anti-vaccine Group Ignores TGA Order

The anti-vaccination group that goes under the banner Australian Vaccination Network – AVN – has failed to comply with a Federal Government order to stop advertising a product as a treatment for cancer. The Therapeutic Goods Administration – TGA – found the group advertised “black salve” on its website and on a promotional DVD.

Black salve – also known as cansema is sold as an alternative treatment for cancer, including skin cancer. The product is commonly classified as an escharotic - a topical paste which burns and destroys skin tissue, leaving behind a thick black scar called an eschar - The TGA warns the substance is extremely corrosive and can leave significant scarring.

The authority ordered last month the group must stop advertising the product as a treatment for cancer, or suggesting that other cancer treatments are ineffective. The TGA said in its ruling the AVN “was not able to produce valid supporting evidence in relation to their claims”. It also said there was “no credible, reliable clinical or scientific evidence to demonstrate that the product is effective in the treatment of any cancer” :: Read the full article »»»»

RELATED! New Study Finds Vaccination Rates of Australian Children are ‘Reassuringly High’

Research from the National Health Performance Authority has found 77,000 Australian children are not fully immunised. The study – Healthy Communities: Immunisation rates for children in 2011-12 – measures the percentage of children who were considered fully immunised at one, two, three and five years of age. It found 32 areas where the percentage of children fully immunised was 85 per cent or lower for at least one age group. The Australian Medical Association says anything below 93 per cent is unsafe.

The success of immunisation programs depends on public support. A lack of public support for these programs can contribute to a significant increase in preventable diseases, and can be directly linked to the resurgence of once common illnesses like measles and pertussis – whooping cough – of which we’ve recently seen outbreaks of in Australia.

Scientific evidence for the effectiveness of large-scale immunisation is well published, in the US full-vaccination from birth save an estimated 35,000 lives annually and prevents an estimated 14 million infections. Some opponents of vaccination argue that the reduction in infectious disease are a result of improved sanitation and hygiene – rather than vaccination – or that the diseases were already in decline before the introduction of vaccination, unlike medicine however, they don’t process any evidence for these anecdotes.

Repating sometimes is the only way of getting a point across; for vaccination programs to work, 93 per cent of people need to be immunised, any number below this presents a danger for communities. In Australia there are pockets with rates of immunisation as low as 85 per cent. More concerning however is that there are communities relying on Dr Google for medical information, forming what the perceive as informed decisions and lowering immunisation rates in the process. Affluent Eastern Sydney for example has an immunisation rate of 89 per cent, this well educated region is choosing to place it’s children in danger of serious infection due to misguided information? :: Read the full Cankler article »»»»

source: abc source: ama image source: indeepmedia

...and the most tweeted pic goes to?

A selfie of host Ellen DeGeneres with stars including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper taken during Hollywood's annual Academy Awards ceremony has become the most shared photo ever on Twitter.

Kevin Spacey, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and new Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o also crowded into the picture, which was snapped by Cooper after DeGeneres mingled with stars seated in the audience.

DeGeneres shared the selfie via her Twitter feed, it was subsequently shared, or retweeted, more than two million times in about two hours during the broadcast of the 86th annual Academy Awards :: Read the full article »»»»

New Aussie Weekend Newspaper Hits the Stands

A crisp new weekend newspaper has hit the stands in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne this morning, hoping to prove that print media can thrive in this digital age. The Saturday Paper is produced by property developer and publisher  Morry Schwartz - the man behind the influential Quarterly Essay and The Monthly - The Saturday Paper is edited by 25-year-young former Fairfax journalist Erik Jensen.

The Saturday Paper will be on stands each weekend in print, it'll also be published online and as a mobile app. Mr Schwartz has attracted some heavy hitting pens to the new paper, including former Fairfax journalist, author and social commentator David Marr :: Read the full article »»»»

Facebook Snags Mobile Messaging Service WhatsApp

The socialnetworking site that is Facebook has announced it's buying mobile messaging service WhatsApp in a deal worth an $US19 billion, expanding its global footprint. WhatsApp is a cross-platform mobile app that allows users to exchange text messages without having to pay carrier charges.

The deal bolsters the social network - currently populated with more than 1.2 billion members - with the 450-million strong WhatsApp, which will be operated independently.

It's Facebook's biggest acquisition and comes less than two years after Mark Zuckerberg's firm raised $16 billion in the record breaking public stock offer. The WhatsApp deal includes $US12 billion in Facebook shares, $4 billion cash and $3 billion in RSUs - Restricted Stock Units - for employee retention.

Facebook said via it's blog the deal that "the deal supports Facebook and WhatsApp's shared mission to bring more connectivity to the world. The combination will help accelerate growth and user engagement across both companies. "

Unlike Facebook, WhatsApp is a slim operation, with less than 35 engineers - 1 engineer to 14 million users - it processes 50 billion messages a day, across 7 platforms. The attraction runs much deeper than popularity, WhatsApp will not only boost Facebook's international coverage, more importantly, it will add up to 350 million mobile users to Facebook's advertising offer :: Read the full article »»»»

Internet is a "Gift from God" According to the Pope

Pope Francis says the internet is "a gift from God" and called on Catholics to "boldly become citizens of the digital world".

"The internet... offers immense possibilities for encounter and solidarity. This is something truly good, a gift from God," the Argentine pontiff said in his first World Communication Day message, given annually by the pope.

"Let us boldly become citizens of the digital world.

"Let our communication be a balm which relieves pain and a fine wine which gladdens hearts.

The 77-year-old pontiff is a keen Twitter user whose account has attracted more than 10 million followers.

But he also makes a point of privileging human relationships and physical touch, often walking among the crowds who flock to see him in St Peter's Square and embracing the ill or disabled :: Read the full article »»»»

Facebook Compared to a Disease

Facebook has been called lots of things since it rise to stardom in 2006. According to 2 US researchers however, the social network is most comparable to an infectious disease.

The researchers reckon that the online behemoth is experiencing a spike, right before its decline, they also claim the social network will lose 80 per cent of users by 2017.

Two doctoral candidates in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton University made their claims in a paper published online at a scientific research archive, but not yet peer-reviewed.

Facebook losing 800,000,000 user might seem like a fantasy, if history is any measure however it may just happen.

Based on the rise and fall of MySpace, John Cannarella and Joshua Spechler say that Facebook, the largest online social network in history, is set for a massive fall :: Read the full article »»»»

Gates Predicts No Poor Nations by 2035

Bill Gates has made the overtly bold prediction that there "will be almost no poor countries left by 2035". In the sixth annual letter published by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Gates says that there are already clear signs of progress toward this end.

"By almost any measure, the world is better than it has ever been," he wrote in the letter. "People are living longer, healthier lives. Many nations that were aid recipients are now self-sufficient."

Countries once considered poor, such as China, India, Brazil and even Botswana, now have growing economies, he says. In Africa more broadly, life expectancy has risen since the 1960s despite the HIV epidemic.

More children are going to school and fewer people are hungry and where health conditions have improved, birth-rates have declined, the letter states :: Read the full article »»»»

China Arrests Scholar Ilham Tohti

A prominent scholar has been arrested in China just weeks after criticising the government in an interview with Australia's ABC, Ilham Tohti's family say around 30 police came to his home to take away the Beijing based ethnic Muslin Uighur, he is now being held in an unknown location.

China's foreign ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, says Mr Tohti is "suspected of breaking the law" computers have been removed from his home, but no further details would been given.

Mr Tohti's supporters fear his detention is part of a wider crackdown on dissent coming out of the far-Western Xinjiang province following an apparent car fire suicide attack at Tiananmen Gate.

Ilham Tohti is well known for his research on Uyghur-Han relations and is a vocal advocate for the implementation of regional autonomy laws in China, Mr Tohti, a prominent blogger, was the host of Uyghur Online, a website that discusses Uyghur issues. Tohti was previously detained shortly after the 2009 Ürümqi riots by the authorities :: Read the full article »»»»

Million Dollar Picasso Sold in Charity Raffle for $150

A million-dollar drawing by Pablo Picasso was snapped up on Wednesday by a 25 year-old American art lover at a online charity raffle for a mere 100 euros, $AU150.

Jeffrey Gonano said he had been looking for a picture to hang on his living room wall when he read a news article about "L'Homme au Gibus" ("Man with Opera Hat"), raffled by Sotheby's in Paris.

Despite the enormous value of his new acquisition, Mr Gonano has vowed not to sell the artwork, at least for the time being :: Read the full article »»»»

Kings Cross Brothel Owner Jennifer Weatherstone Given Light Sentence Over Child Prostitution

A Sydney brothel owner who prostituted a 14-year-old girl has been given a suspended jail sentence and a good behaviour bond. Jennifer Weatherstone, 50, was convicted of two counts of causing a child to participate in child prostitution in 2011.

The court heard the teenager, known as "Charlie", went to police on her first night working at the brothel after she was left to have unprotected sex with a "disgusting" 75-year-old man. She said she'd run away from home and claimed Weatherstone had offered her a job without asking her age.

Weatherstone, who owns the Sparkling Chandeliers brothel in Sydney's notorious Kings Cross, told the court she thought the girl looked least 19 and that she'd also found a Facebook page which listed the girls age as 24 :: Read the full article »»»»

How Far Can Facebook Advertising Go? Would Google Put Up With These Tactics!?

Facebook has become a social media behemoth with an insane reach, more than a billion users around the planet, with the majority logging into the site several times daily it's hard to see how advertisers can go wrong. 

It isn't the ahre mass of users that Facebook push, it's the huge amount of data the company keeps on each user, advertisers are coaxed with the opportunity to target exactly the audience they want. 

Among mainstream advertisers, theres still a bunch of discussion on whether Facebook advertising is affective, deeper; does Facebook advertising simply generate leads, or does it drive direct sales? Clearly the argument isn't simple, 

Facebook offers advertisers several layers, from sponsored posts, full pages and mobile feeds to tradition button ads. And with multiple formats within its 10 categories, its offer is extensive. 

With such a long reach, a massive combination of placement options and metrics that are more measurable than almost any other platform, why wouldn't you advertise on Facebook? :: Read the full article »»»»

I first noticed this on December 2, 2013

...and there it was again the following day?

...seriously Facebook, is this ok?

even after opting out...

Paul Walker Killed in Car Accident

Actor Paul Walker, best known for his hit roles in The Fast and The Furious movie franchise, has been killed in a fiery car crash in California. The 40-year-old actor was a passenger in a Porsche that lost control and crashed in Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles, killing both occupants :: Read the full article »»»»

Marvel's Latest Superneat, SUPERHERO, Kamala Khan

Our love for female superheroes is well documented - Abbey Chase - there's something surreally sublime, a female fitted out in a fetishy, flashy outfit, mmmm.

Well world, meet Marvels latest superhero, a teenage Muslim-American girl living in - where else but - Jersey City.

Kamala Khan is the creation of two Marvel staffers, Steve Wacker and Sana Amanat. Inspired by stories of Ms Amanat's youth, the pair hit up G. Willow Wilson - author, comicbook creator and convert to the faith of Islam - to jump onboard :: Read the full article »»»»