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Robert Morris, man who helped develop Unix, dies at 78
We have some somber news to bring you this morning: Robert Morris, the cryptographer who helped create Unix, has died at the age of 78. Morris began his work on the groundbreaking OS back in 1970 at AT&T's Bell Laboratories, where he played a major role in developing Unix's math library, password structure and encryption functions. His cryptographic exploration continued into the late 1970s, when he began writing a paper on an early encryption tool from Germany. But the paper would never see the light of day, thanks to a request from the NSA, which was concerned about potential security ramifications. Instead, the agency brought Morris on board as a computer security expert in 1986. Much of what he did for Uncle Sam remains classified, though he was involved in internet surveillance projects and cyber warfare -- including what might have been America's first cyberattack in 1991, when the US crippled Saddam Hussein's control capabilities during the first Gulf War. Morris stayed with the NSA until 1994, when he retired to New Hampshire. He's survived by his wife, three children and one, massive digital fingerprint. [Image courtesy of the New York Times]
T-Hawk UAV enters Fukushima danger zone, returns with video
We'd love to head on down to Fukushima with a DSLR and some iodide pills, but that's obviously not going to happen. Sending in a flying robot seems to be the next best thing, though, and that's exactly what Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) has done. T-Hawk, a US-made MAV (Micro Air Vehicle) commonly used to search for roadside bombs in Iraq, made its Japanese debut last week when it photographed the nuclear plant from above, providing a detailed look at the interior damage a month after iRobot's visit. Small enough to fit in a (rather large) backpack, officially the T-Hawk is named for the tarantula hawk wasp species, but could just as easily have been named for the T. Hawk Street Fighter character, who also swoops in to attack his opponents from above. As expected, things look pretty nasty at ground zero, so head past the break for a video of the damage.
White House pledges another $800 million for broadband stimulus
Usually, when we see "stimulus" and "broadband" in the same sentence it's because someone turned off our Google SafeSearch filter, but today we have one such item that is totally safe for work. According to Information Week, the $7.2 billion in broadband grants and loans that we've already seen will be buttressed by an additional $800 million. A total of sixty-six new infrastructure projects (with up to 5,000 new jobs created in the process) are planned to launch in every state of the union (and Washington DC to boot). That is, of course, if the congressional appropriations committee doesn't siphon off $602 million of it to offset the cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Once we emerge from the immediate crisis, the long-term economic gains to communities that have been left behind in the digital age will be immeasurable," President Obama said in the announcement.
15 Minutes of Fame: Deployed soldier games from Iraq
15 Minutes of Fame is WoW.com's look at World of Warcraft personalities of all shapes and sizes -- from the renowned to the relatively anonymous, from the remarkable to the player next door. Tip us off to players you'd like to hear more about. Ahh, the life of an Iraqi farmer. According to WoW player FallenWolf, currently deployed in Iraq with the U.S. Army (FSC, 7th Engineer Battalion), farming is about all most U.S. military WoW players there can reliably expect to accomplish. Desert sand and insta-cast DoTs have not proven to be particularly compatible for this former (and soon-to-be returning) raiding warlock. We visited with FallenWolf about how he's managed to adapt to being halfway across the world from his guild and his wife (a frequent WoW partner), plus how he copes with an awkward schedule and ugly latency.
15 Minutes of Fame: Wasting no time gaming
15 Minutes of Fame is WoW.com's look at World of Warcraft players of all shapes and sizes -- from the renowned to the relatively anonymous, from the remarkable to the player next door. Tip us off to players you'd like to hear more about. David French is a busy guy. Take a glance over his bio: A graduate of Harvard Law School and David Lipscomb University, French serves as senior counsel and director of the university litigation project for a large non-profit legal organization. He is also a captain in the United States Army Reserve and recently returned from a year-long deployment to Iraq with the 2d Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, where he earned a Bronze Star. The former president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, he also taught at Cornell Law School and served as a partner in a large law firm. He is the author of four books and numerous op-eds. Regularly interviewed by both print and broadcast media, David has a guest on The O'Reilly Factor, ABC World News Tonight, The Fox Report with Shepard Smith, Special Report with Brit Hume, and Your World with Neil Cavuto, among others. He has been profiled in several magazines and appears regularly on dozens of radio programs, including National Public Radio. He is a married father of two. There's one more thing that David French's bio doesn't mention: He's cleared the first wing of ICC-10 on two toons, ICC-25 on one and still found time to wipe for hours on Festergut. ("Good times.") This is the story of how (and why) he does it all.
Researchers study WoW to see how gangs form and fade
We've seen WoW used for a lot of research, from epidemics to anthropological fieldwork, but this is probably one of the craziest and one of the most helpful (assuming it works) ways to use it. Psychologists at the University of Miami and the University of California, Irvine have been studying how guilds and groups form in World of Warcraft in the hopes that it'll help them figure out how gangs form in real life. It sounds like a wild idea, but following guilds and groups in World of Warcraft is much easier than trying to study spontaneous guilds in the real world, because you've got immediate access to data: when people joined and left and why. And the psychologists say putting data together like this will help, because it'll help answer questions about, for example, what happens when you decide to separate a group of people -- do they form their own groups again or do they stay separated?They say there are other connections as well: though killing dragons is far less heinous than killing innocent bystanders, Warcraft guilds form, grow, stick together, and fall apart just like gangs and even other groups all over the world do. No matter what kind of group it is, the researchers say that "group ecology" is the same everywhere, so studying the way we work in endgame raids can lead to ideas about what we're doing elsewhere. Very interesting.Unfortunately, they're full on potential but still pretty short on conclusions yet (listen, guys, all you have to do to break up gangs is ensure there's not enough loot to go around), but once again, Azeroth seems like a fertile ground for directly studying just how we players interact as humans.
New York newspaper backs free speech claim for controversial game
The last time we mentioned artist Wafaa Bilal's inflammatory Virtual Jihadi installation, it had been removed from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute by administrators. Shortly after that, it was moved to an art gallery in Troy, New York -- which the city's Public Works Commissioner then shut down, citing building code violations.Last week, the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit against the city official, Robert Mirch, and the city of Troy, seeking not only damages for the gallery, but a court order to block the city from using its building code in such a way in the future.Sunday's edition of the Albany Times Union featured an editorial about the issue, offering support for the lawsuit. "What constitutes free and protected speech in Troy, and what constitutes public safety and unacceptable building code violations, aren't merely matters of fiat," the editorial opens. "They aren't simply up to the whims of Robert Mirch. They shouldn't be, at least." Now we'll know the reason if the Albany paper is shut down tomorrow.[Via GamePolitics]
Report: Amidst protest, Konami abandons 'Six Days in Fallujah'
In response to a fairly public outcry, Konami has decided not to publish Atomic Games' take on the Iraq War, Six Days in Fallujah, just 21 days after announcing it, according to Asahi.Wow, we just don't know where to start. Well, OK, first, we need to congratulate Konami. Really bold, guys, way to weather the storm. Second, to the protesting soldiers: Could you guys be more short-sighted? Think of the royalties, the merchandising, the breakfast cereal ("Stays crunchy in milk for six days!"), all of it! Wake up and smell the moolah. And lastly, to the players who might be disheartened: If you want to shoot vaguely Middle Eastern people, would you rather do it in defense of American ideals? Or in pursuit of a diamond-encrusted skull? Yeah, we thought so.[Thanks, Will]
Gleaning potential controversy from Konami's 'Six Days in Fallujah'
Only a day has passed since the game was announced, but Six Days in Fallujah is already stirring up controversy among veterans, families and peace groups, according to GamePolitics. The game is set during the real-life US-led battle for control in Fallujah during the rush to take Central Baghdad in 2004, one of the Iraq War's bloodiest campaigns for American and Iraqi soldiers and civilians. Reg Keys, father of Red Cap Thomas Keys, a soldier tragically killed by an Iraqi mob in June 2003, told the UK's Daily Mail that "glorifying" the event in a video game showed "poor judgment and bad taste" on Konami's part considering the "enormous loss of life" in the Iraq War -- a war that is still ongoing. Six Days in Fallujah is reportedly inspired by events that occurred during the second battle in Fallujah -- codenamed Operation Phantom Fury (also, Operation Al-Fajr or "The Dawn") -- which took place between November 7 and December 23, 2004. When it was announced, Anthony Crouts, vice-president of marketing for Konami, said it wasn't the publisher's intention to take a stance on war, telling The Wall Street Journal, "We just want to bring a compelling entertainment experience."Unfortunately for Konami and developer Atomic Games, the Battle of Fallujah is widely regarded as one of the most controversial battles in recent history. Ducking any associated messages may be an uphill battle.%Gallery-49389%
The Queue: Stripes edition
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Adam Holisky will be your host today.Today in The Queue we're going to spend the entire time answering a question we got from a U.S. Marine currently deployed in Iraq. And while the above YouTube clip has very little (or nothing) to do with the Marines or Iraq, I think that everyone can use a little more Bill Murray in their life.Thalimor asked..."I currently am a Marine deployed in Iraq and I was wondering how much the game will change in one year? I am worried that when I do get back, it will feel completely different. What are your thoughts?"First and foremost, thanks for your service. I hope that things are as safe as possible for you and your fellow servicemen and servicewomen.I'm going to answer your question in two parts. First, what has happened to WoW in the past year. And second, what will probably happen to WoW in the following year. That should cover the entire timeframe for yourself and others in your situation.
Tattooed for the Horde
I can't say that I'm the biggest fan of tattoos out there, but that is a nice tattoo -- xstitchfla's son Christopher got it on his arm just recently, and clearly he's flying the Horde flag proudly. It took about five hours to put on there, which seems like it would hurt a lot, but then again, Hordies can take it, right?Christopher is also headed off to Iraq next year, too, so we wish him the best of luck and hope that he stays safe.And while we're at it, just what is it with the Horde and WoW tattoos? Seems like every picture we see is of the Orc/Tauren/Troll/Blood Elf/Forsaken variety. Aren't there any Humans, Gnomes or Dwarves out there getting inked up?
DARPA contract shines light on real-time video spying initiatives
Only the ignorant and the uninformed would assume that DARPA has never, ever dabbled in any kind of surveillance that wasn't questionable on some level, but a recent contract awarded to Kitware gives us a better idea of just how deep the rabbit hole has gotten. The $6.7 million deal seeks to create a system whereby DARPA can "monitor live video feeds and search large volumes of archived video data for activities of interest," with the point being to match up similar events from past and present in order to prevent an attack, foreshadow a certain event or discover some sort of terrorist trademark. As of now, we're simply informed of the video spying in areas of Iraq and Afghanistan, but given that the capabilities are already here, it could be enacted wherever the government could place a camera-toting manned or unmanned aerial vehicle. Look up and give the friendly skies a wave, won't you? Just don't do anything "suspicious."[Via Slashdot, image courtesy of PointNiner]
Aruba Networks, Babylon provide WiFi for US soldiers in Iraq
Aruba Networks already installed the "world's largest" WLAN network at The Ohio State University, but its latest deployment just seems strangely more, how do we say... patriotic. Tag-teaming with Babylon Telecommunications, the pair has rolled out a WiFi network that will provide internet access to over 20,000 US soldiers at Joint Base Balad in Iraq. Believe it or not, there was no existing authorized web access at the base before these two stepped in, but thanks to a contract awarded by the Army & Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES), troops at the largest US military base in the region can now e-mail loved ones with ease, test their ping times from the sandbox and join a few online poker tournaments during down time. [Via InformationWeek, image courtesy of DefenseLink]
Army generators turn garbage into energy, energy into freedom
Leave it to the Army to start putting garbage to good use. According to reports, a base in Baghdad known as Camp Victory has been getting some of its electricity from generators that turn waste products into sweet, succulent fuel. The device, dubbed the Tactical Garbage to Energy Refinery (or TGER, for short) can take food slop, plastic, paper, styrofoam, annoying kids, moist towelettes, or smaller, non-functioning versions of itself and mash them down to synthetic gas and hydrous ethanol. Of course the concept isn't without its shortcomings, as it pumps a hefty load of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere -- but for a place that's short of fuel and high on trash, it's a dream come true.[Via Wired; Image courtesy US Army]
'Virtual Iraq' treats PTSD with modded Full Spectrum Warrior
If you're curious to see how the government is using video games to help war veterans – and not just turn them into killing machines, as some say – over at The New Yorker there's a rather lengthy piece on Virtual Iraq, a system in development that uses a modded Full Spectrum Warrior to help those struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In addition to the game, Virtual Iraq involves using a head-mounted display (i.e. virtual reality goggles), earphones and a scent-producing machine. The prolonged-exposure therapy involves having the user revisit and retell the traumatic story repeatedly to "disconnect the memory from the reactions to the memory, so that although the memory of the traumatic event remains ... are restored to insignificance." We look forwarding to hearing more about the program, and we wonder how the effects of it would change with a more visually-advanced war game like Call of Duty 4. Note: The above video is from an un-modded version of Full Spectrum Warrior and not Virtual Iraq.
Armed robots not pulled from Iraq after all
Well, as has been the case before, it seems that reports of armed robots gone mad have been slightly exaggerated. This latest instance concerns the SWORDS robots made by Foster-Miller and currently deployed in Iraq, which were reportedly pulled from duty after some "control issues" that supposedly involved the bot's gun swinging around when it wasn't supposed to. Now according to Danger Room, however, that is apparently not the case after all, with the very same Army manager quoted in the original Popular Mechanics article telling the site that, "SWORD is still deployed," and that "we continue to learn from it and will continue to expand the use of armed robots." A Foster-Miller spokesperson further adds that, "the whole thing is an urban legend," and that the only instances of uncommanded movements happened prior to the robot's 2006 safety certification, each of which prompted further safety measures that are now in place on the robot.[Via Slashdot]Update: Popular Mechanics has posted a further explanation and clarification of this whole situation, including word that while the robots haven't officially been pulled from Iraq, they apparently aren't exactly seeing any action either.
Army brings armed robots home from Iraq over control issues
Although other countries have deployed gun-toting robots and there's no shortage of companies trying to develop weaponized bots for Uncle Sam, it looks like the first test of actual killer robots in battle has ended in a whimper: the Army's TALON SWORD gunbots, are headed home, after being plagued with control issues. Yeah, that's right -- control issues. Apparently it was too hard to prevent the Army's gun-equipped robot from moving its gun "when it was not intended to move." Reassuring, no? The Army doesn't sound too enthused about another go-round, saying, "once you've done something that's really bad, it can take 10 or 20 years to try it again." Ouch. On the plus side, at least that's 20 more years before we're all put to work in the mines, no?
US troops to receive handheld lie detectors
In a move sure to bring the polygraph haters out of the woodwork, the US Army is issuing a handheld lie detector to select soldiers in Afghanistan in order to "root out potential terrorists" and help "narrow the list of suspects after a roadside bombing." The DoD isn't asserting that the device is perfect, but it's hoping the detection capabilities are accurate enough to save American lives and sniff out allegiances that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. Hailed as PCASS (Preliminary Credibility Assessment Screening System), the underlying unit is a TDS Ranger that relies on three sensors connected to a respondent and integrated software that uses Green to signify truth, Yellow if it can't decide and Red if it recognizes a filthy liar on the other end. Nevertheless, we're certain Lafayette Instrument Company is stoked about the deal -- you know, considering that the Army has already purchased 94 of 'em at $7,500 apiece.[Thanks, ladderless]
Virtual Jihadi art exhibit expelled from RPI
A political art exhibit at Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute (RPI) utilizing a modded version of Quest for Saddam, which caused a stir last week, has been booted from the campus by administrators. GamePolitics continues to track the story of the exhibit, which went from "little random thing" to pariah in a week. RPI's VP, William Walker, stated in a press release, "As stewards of a private university, we have the right and, indeed, the responsibility to ensure that university resources are used in ways that are in the overall best interests of the institution."The exhibit is currently being housed at the Sanctuary for Independent Media where protesters, led by the county's Republican majority leader, believe the game to be "un-American and destructive" and "beyond the bounds of what is decent or acceptable." A counter-protest is already underway.
Virtual Jihadi mod causing tension at New York school
A political art exhibit at Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute (RPI) utilizing a modded version of Quest for Saddam is causing a stir with RPI's College Republicans. The installation, which opens tomorrow night, called "The Night of Bush Capturing: A Virtual Jihadi," takes an al-Qaeda mod of the Saddam game and gives it a more nuanced feel according to the artist. In the mod, created by Iraqi-born artist Wafaa Bilal, players are cast in the role of a suicide bomber recruited by al-Qaeda.Bilal says, "This work is meant to bring attention to the vulnerability of Iraqi civilians to the travesties of the current war." The College Republicans say that the RPI Arts Department is "a terrorist safehaven." If people are interested in checking this out for themselves, the exhibit starts tomorrow night (Wednesday, March 5) at 7PM in RPI's West Hall Auditorium in Troy, NY.[Via GamePolitics]
