HOMELAND SECURITY ZONE

LOCKHEED WINS $1 BILLION FBI BIOMETRIC CONTRACT

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has awarded Lockheed Martin a

$1 billion contract to build a next-generation biometrics-based identification system.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/02/13/Lockheed-wins-1B-FBI-biometric-contract_1.html?source=NLC-TB&cgd=2008-02-13

NATURAL DISASTER ZONE

OREGON MAKES DISASTER PROVISION FOR PETS

"Public agencies across Oregon are adding dogs, cats, cattle, horses, sheep, chickens-possibly even snakes and rats-to emergency-management efforts," reports the Oregonian. "Some plans call for animal refugee camps set up next to Red Cross shelters. The changes will increase costs and the demands on emergency workers, but proponents say rescuing animals is the responsible and ethical thing to do-for people as well as animals."

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1202700315186730.xml&coll=7

CYBERZONE

WOMAN SUES BEST BUY FOR $54 MILLION FOR LOSING LAPTOP

A woman upset about how she was treated after the electronics retailer lost her laptop says she hopes her lawsuit will result in better procedures to ensure privacy.

http://cwflyris.computerworld.com/t/2764073/1423585/98792/2/

COMCAST, CONGRESS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF NEUTRALITY FENCE

In an 80-page document filed with the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday, cable carrier Comcast defended its practice of managing Web-based traffic over its network as legal and necessary. The Comcast document was filed a day after Massachusetts Congressman Edward Markey reintroduced legislation designed to ensure the Internet remains open to all traffic.

http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/61663.html

POLICE TECH: HOW COPS USE IT TO CATCH BAD GUYS

http://cwflyris.computerworld.com/t/2737690/255221/98085/2/

SENDING AN S.O.S. FOR A PC EXORCIST

Writer leaps from desk vowing to commit the most sensational attack of revenge in the history of the personal computer industry.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/09/business/smallbusiness/09pursuits.html?th&emc=th

DIGITAL CRISIS: MOTION PICTURES MAY FADE TO BLACK

Fewer than half of all feature films made before 1950 have survived

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9061099&source=NLT_AM&nlid=1

HOW THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES STAND ON TECHNOLOGY

From broadband speeds to patent reform, lots of important technology issues face the United States. Here's your guide to how the presidential candidates view the major questions. - http://letters.washingtonpost.com/W0RT010B1881402BE2BE43449A2F80

SCIENCE ZONE

LOWER TRANSMISSION INCREASES DENGUE DEATHS

A pair of researchers has answered a puzzle about why efforts to lower the transmission of dengue virus in Thailand have actually increased the severe, life-threatening, form of the infection. Lower transmission rates lead to increased risk of severe infection because of an immune system response.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080204172218.htm

BIONIC LENS SPIES VIRTUAL WORLD

Engineers say they have combined a flexible contact lens with an imprinted electronic circuit and lights for the first time.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/02/06/215570

NOT FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BIRD

University of Michigan researchers explain why aircraft engineers are still bird-watching "A Blackbird jet flying nearly 2,000 miles per hour covers 32 body lengths per second. But a common pigeon flying at 50 miles per hour covers 75. The roll rate of the aerobatic A-4 Skyhawk plane is about 720 degrees per second. The roll rate of a barn swallow exceeds 5,000 degrees per second. Select military aircraft can withstand gravitational forces of 8-10 G. Many birds routinely experience positive G-forces greater than 10 G and up to 14 G."

http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=6312

CRACKING THE CODE OF BIRD FLU TIME BOMB

Researchers have developed a technique to 'crack-the-code' of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus. It will enable influenza virus specialists and drug researchers to interrogate one of the virus' key surface proteins without risk of infection.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080202211638.htm

ENERGY ZONE

MIT: HUMAN BODY HEAT MAY SOMEDAY POWER ENERGY-EFFICIENT CHIP

A new energy-efficient chip designed by researchers at MIT may one day be able to run implantable medical devices using human body heat as an energy source. The new chip design, which researchers say will consume 10 times less power than traditional chips, is being unveiled today at the International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco. The chip, still in the proof-of-concept stage, is expected to be used in portable electronic devices like cell phones and PDAs, and even in implantable medical systems.

http://cwflyris.computerworld.com/t/2755763/1176609/98614/2/

FIVE-SEAT CONCEPT CAR RUNS ON AIR

An engineer promises that within a year he will start selling a car that runs on compressed air.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/sci/tech/7241909.stm

KITES SAIL SHIP

A cargo ship has completed a two week journey using a computer-controlled kite to help tow the ship, saving engine power and fuel. SkySails, the maker, estimates fuel savings of 10 to 15% during the time the kite was flying, representing a savings of about $1,000 to $1,500 in fuel costs per day. SkySails claims that freight ships and cruise liners could reduce fuel consumption by up to 50% under optimal conditions.

http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080208/full/news.2008.564.html

ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS: ELECTRICITY FROM A THIN FILM

Teams of researchers all over the world are working on the development of organic solar cells. Organic solar cells have good prospects for the future: They can be laid onto thin films, which makes them cheap to produce.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080206154631.htm

NANOSLEEVES SAVE ENERGY LIN BIOFUEL PRODUCTION

A new type of membrane can stand high temperatures for a long period of time. This 'molecular sieve' is capable of removing water out of e.g. solvents and biofuels. It is a very energy efficient alternative to existing techniques like distillation. Even after testing during 18 months, the new membranes prove to be highly effective, while having continuously been exposed to a temperature of 150 ºC.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080208094024.htm

ROBOT GLIDER HARVESTS OCEAN HEAT

A sea-going robotic glider that harvests heat energy from the oceans is tested by US scientists.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/technology/7234544.stm

ENVIRONMENT ZONE

DISCOVERY CHANNEL LAUNCHES WEB APP AIMED AT TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE

 http://cwflyris.computerworld.com/t/2741984/255221/98310/2/

BALANCING NATURE

Most of the earth's plant and animal species are concentrated into just a few small areas. These biodiversity hotspots cover only 1.4% of the Earth's surface but contain nearly half of all plant species and at least a third of all animals. They still have many more rich secrets to reveal, yet all are facing huge pressure from human activity.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/features/2008/balancingnature/default.htm

ASIA PACIFIC ZONE

ONLY IN JAPAN: THE BEST TECHNOLOGIES YOU CAN'T BUY

Five advanced technologies available only in Japan include true mobile digital TV (all the regular terrestrial channels at no cost), mobile wallet service (phones have smart cards embedded inside, letting you add applications like electronic money or a credit card), connected cars (with a navigation system connected to a cell phone), primary wave earthquake warning systems, and home-help robots.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,142120/article.html

WIRELESS ZONE

GIVING NEW LIGHT TO WIRELESS

The use of outdoor wireless access points for services such as Internet access is gaining popularity. At the same time, there is an opportunity for municipalities to improve city lighting operational costs by using lamp management systems. A technology enables the design of a system that achieves advanced lamp management, and at the same time creates an outdoor wireless broadband network. It employs existing lamp posts with Wi-Fi modules integrated into an electronic ballast system.

http://link.abpi.net/l.php?20080212A3

EarthLink SHUTS DOWN MUNI Wi-Fi BUSINESS

EarthLink has officially shut down its municipal Wi-Fi operations, writing down a $20.7 million charge on the discontinued operations for the fourth quarter.

http://abww-media.com/portal/wts/cemc7zbTnqej00aE4h-c0d3OFa

SITE CITES

StUDY: SEEING SPOUSES MORE NEGATIVELY MIGHT BE A POSITIVE

While our relationships with children and best friends tend to become less negative as we age, we're more likely to see our spouses as irritating and demanding. Viewing our spouses more negatively over time may not be all bad, according to the researchers. In fact, it might even be, well, positive. "As we age, and become closer and more comfortable with one another, it could be that we're more able to express ourselves to each other. In other words, it's possible that negativity is a normal aspect of close relationships that include a great deal of daily contact."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080205100945.htm

HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE? KOREAN PASSION CELL PHONES KNOW

Are your words of love genuine? The "Love Detector" service in South Korea uses cell phones to analyze voice patterns to determine if the speaker is truly affectionate.

http://cwflyris.computerworld.com/t/2764073/1423585/98790/2/