This article makes an interesting comparison between Roman history and the post 9/11 history of the U.S. The author draws a number of parallels highlighting the effects of citizens ceding their rights to the government when panic ensues after an event such as a terrorist attack. The similarities are striking. The author makes a good point about the “Law of unintended consequences.” We would all do well to remember the lessons of Rome so that we don’t make the same mistakes.
Intel’s PCM to replace flash memory
Intel Previews Potential Replacement for Flash Memory
Intel and ST Micro have developed a replacement for flash memory technology called Phase Change Memory or PCM. The new technology uses small resistors that heat up and change the state of a layer of chalcogenide to store information. (much like rewritable optical discs, just without the need for a laser) The primary advantages to the technology are read/write speeds much higher than are possible with flash. If PCM does replace flash and can scale into the hundreds of gigabytes, it could be just what we need to finally get rid of magnetic primary storage for good. (ie: hard drives)
Geeky weekend
It’s been a while since I had a true ‘geek weekend’ where I just have a lot of fun playing with technology. My buddy Jason was kind enough to give me one of his extra Linksys WRT54G routers a couple of weeks ago. Since then, I’ve used it to replace my home-built linux firewall/router box. Being somewhat environmentally conscious, I’ve been concerned about the power I was wasting with the IT equipment that powers my home network (and this site). Up until now the Linksys device has been running a version of its original firmware modified by Sveasoft. While it was nice, it just wasn’t customizable enough for me not to miss the old linux box. To that end, I’ve flashed it yet again with another distribution called OpenWRT. My next project will be to get OpenVPN running on top of OpenWRT for secure remote access to my network.
I also decided to take the plunge and upgrade our copies of iTunes to the new version 7 despite Wil Wheaton’s experience with it. (don’t worry, he got it all back with a little help from Apple…) So far, no problems. I do have to say that I love the new cover art browser mode. It really is like a jukebox. (at least the kind that flip the album art…)
It’s been a while since I saw an action film that was actually fun and not just an excuse for bad lines and lots of stuff that goes boom. My friend Corbett and I watched a french film called District B13. It sounded cool, but I didn’t really know what to expect. Having seen it, I would definitely reccomend it. It’s a non-stop action ride that has fun being over-the top, but also surprises you with a few parts that actually make you think. Plus, the stunts are simply amazing.