THE HOMELAND SECURITY ZONE

U.S. NOT READY FOR GEORGIA-STYLE COMPUTER ATTACKS

The federal government and private sector are not prepared for cyber attacks from China and Russia, according to national intelligence officials, and a 2007 Department of Defense report said the Chinese government sees cyber war as part of its first strike.

http://www.newsfactor.com/news/U-S--Not-Ready-for-Computer-Attacks/story.xhtml?story_id=0330014YR8UX

NEW YORK CITY PLAN WOULD PHOTOGRAPH EVERY VEHICLE ENTERING THE CITY

The New York City "Police Department is working on a plan to track every vehicle that enters Manhattan to strengthen the city's guard against a potential terror attack," reports the New York Times. "Š The proposal-called Operation Sentinel-relies on integrating layers of technologies, some that are still being perfected. It calls for photographing, and scanning the license plates of, cars and trucks at all bridges and tunnels and using sensors to detect the presence of radioactivity."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/nyregion/12cars.html

LICENSE PLATE READERS COME TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

"Authorities plan to install about 200 automated license plate readers on police vehicles and alongside roads in the Washington area to thwart potential terrorist attacks, dramatically expanding the use of a high-tech tool previously aimed at parking scofflaws and car thieves,"

reports the Washington Post. "Top homeland security officials from Maryland, Virginia and the District [of Columbia] agreed last week to spend $4.5 million on the new system Š The funds will come from a $59.8 million federal homeland security grant" that "also will be used to outfit police with radiation detectors, improve hazmat and bomb squads and provide equipment to hospitals." Cameras will be installed "on about 160 police vehicles http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/16/AR2008081602218.html

NATURAL DISASTER ZONE

1918 FLU ANTIBODIES RESURRECTED FROM ELDERLY SURVIVORS

Ninety years after the sweeping destruction of the 1918 flu pandemic, researchers have recovered antibodies to the virus -- from elderly survivors of the original outbreak. In addition to revealing the surprisingly long-lasting immunity to such viruses, these antibodies could be effective treatments to have on hand if another virus similar to the 1918 flu breaks out in the future.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080817223642.htm

EXPLORING SICHUAN FAULT

Scientists are to explore the fault lines that caused the May 12th earthquake in China that killed 69,000 people.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814091216.htm

FREE NOAA PUBLIC ALERT RADIOS FOR ALL SCHOOLS

All U.S. Schools Receive NOAA Public Alert Radios Federal agencies are distributing more than 182,000 Public Alert Radios to preschools, Head Start programs, nonpublic schools, and post-secondary schools, supplying every school in the nation. All 97,000 K-12 public schools across the country already received the radios, which sound an alarm to alert school personnel about hazardous weather and other emergencies, even when other means of communication are disabled.

The radios are distributed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with funding from the Homeland Security Department and assistance from the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services.

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=45481

CYBERZONE

FCC CHAIR CALLS FOR TOTAL BROADBAND ACCESS   

Chairman Kevin Martin says high-speed Internet is as essential as the telephone to the future prosperity of the U.S. and must be made available nationwide. Martin is planning on reserving a swath of broadcast spectrum on the AWS-3 auction for free wireless broadband, especially to connect rural users.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2008-08-19-fcc-martin_N.htm

BRAIN WILL BE BATTLEFIELD OF FUTURE

On the battlefield, bullets may be replaced with "pharmacological land mines" that release drugs to incapacitate soldiers on contact, says a report from the Defense Intelligence Agency, while scanners and other electronic devices could be developed to identify suspects from their brain activity and even disrupt their ability to tell lies when questioned.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/aug/13/military.neuroscience

TV STILL TOP NEWS SOURCE, EVEN AS ONLINE GROWS

Fewer Americans are reading newspapers and are instead getting their news online -- but television remains the leading source of news in the United States, according to a recent survey.

http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=103009GSH08O&nl=2

INTEL MOVES TO FREE GADGETS OF THEIR RECHARGING CORDS

Intel has made progress in a technology that could lead to the wireless recharging of gadgets and the end of the power-cord spaghetti behind electronic devices.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/21/technology/21intel.html?th&emc=th

ARE BUSINESS METHODS PATENTABLE?

In recent years, patents have been sought in a wide variety of fields once thought beyond the reaches of the patent laws, including tax strategies, executive compensation schemes, and dispute resolution. On May 8, 2008, the Federal Circuit heard en banc oral argument on In re Bilski, a case that directly raises the patent eligibility of so-called business method patents.

http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/64205.html

'SLOW' LIGHT TO SPEED UP THE NET

A huge increase in the speed of the Internet could be produced by using metamaterials to replace the bulky and slow electronics that do the routing of information carried on fiber cables, say researchers at University of California, Berkeley and the University of Oxford.

Metamaterials could be used to temporarily store light signals, with different delays for different light frequencies, achieving an "all-optical network."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7557280.stm

THE CLOUD ZONE

DELL LOSES BID FOR 'CLOUD COMPUTING' TRADEMARK

Dell cannot register "cloud computing" as a trademark because the term is a generic one describing services offered by many companies, the U.S.

Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has said in an initial ruling.

http://cwflyris.computerworld.com/t/3469705/121438482/133473/0/

SCIENCE ZONE

CHEAP, CLEAN DRINKING WATER PURIFIED THROUGH NANOTECHNOLOGY

Scientists at the University of South Australia have discovered a simple way to remove bacteria and other contaminants from water using tiny particles of pure silica coated with a nanometer-thin layer of active material based on a hydrocarbon.

ttp://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=6744.php

SCIENTISTS STOP THE AGEING PROCESS

Scientists have stopped the ageing process in an entire organ for the first time, a study released today says.

http://abcmail.net.au/t/224882/687092/4640/0/

ENERGY ZONE

ASPHALT SOLAR COLLECTOR

A research team at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is developing a solar collector that could turn roads and parking lots into sources of electricity and hot water. Roads and parking lots are typically resurfaced every 10 to 12 years, so the massive acreage of already installed roads and lots could be retrofitted at that time for energy generation. The solar collectors in asphalt would also be invisible.

http://link.abpi.net/l.php?20080814A3

STILL MORE EFFICIENT SOLAR CELLS

Day4 Energy has found a way to cut the cost of solar power by 25 percent, using a new electrode that, together with a redesigned solar-cell structure, allows solar panels to absorb more light and operate at a higher voltage.

The company estimates the cost per watt of solar power would be about $3, compared with $4 for conventional solar cells. That will translate into electricity prices of about 20 cents per kilowatt-hour in sunny areas, down from about 25 cents per kilowatt-hour.

http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/21255/

ALGAE: BIOFUEL OF THE FUTURE?

University of Virginia researchers have a plan to greatly increase algae oil yields by feeding the algae extra carbon dioxide (the main greenhouse

gas) and organic material like sewage, meaning the algae could simultaneously produce biofuel and clean up environmental problems.

http://www.physorg.com/news138338233.html

  FUEL PRODUCED FROM BIOMASS COULD BE IN TANKS BY 2010

Texas A&M University scientists have developed a process to make converting biomass to high-octane gasoline possible, at $1.70 and $2.00 per gallon.

Biomass includes garbage, biosolids from wastewater treatment plants, green waste such as lawn clippings, food waste, and any type of livestock manure. Additionally, since it does not use crops such as corn, it will not put a strain on food supplies.

http://www.physorg.com/news138384297.html

ENVIRONMENT ZONE

ASIA PACIFIC ZONE

WIRELESS ZONE

TAIWAN CARRIER OFFERS $29 3G-ENABLED

Eee PC In what observers see as part of a global trend, Taiwan's Far EasTone Telecommunications has begun offering contract-holding subscribers an Eee PC for $29 that can link into the carrier's 3G network. Mobile operators looking to lure new wireless-broadband customers to their upgraded networks are expected to start launching these sorts of promotions with the low-cost PCs.

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/081808-far-eastone-offers-us29-eee.html?hpg1=bn

FUTURE NETWORKS: EXTENDING OUR SENSES INTO THE PHYSICAL WORLD

Los Alamos National Laboratory computer scientist Sami Ayyorgun has developed a new communication scheme for wireless sensor networks with improved connectivity, energy, delay, throughput, system longevity, coverage, and security.

Wireless sensor networks depend on small, independently powered multihop sensor "motes" to communicate.

http://www.physorg.com/news137855709.html

SITE CITES

NO ELEPHANT LEFT BEHIND

Add elephants to the growing number of animals that can count.

Read the story and watch a video of a cunning Asian elephant who wins a simple counting game:

http://email.newscientist.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBabY0MXqRm0mli0FESo0E4

--

MARTY PLOTNICK

CREATIVE RESOURCES, INC.

1-808-533.1715   VOICE  24/7

1-808-255.1715   CELL

martycri@clearwire.net