agent error insurance omission travel

agent error insurance omission travel

Paul Hardwick: Technology
New and interesting technology

• Administrivia: Now we have a overheated CPU ( 60 degrees centigrade )
  OK, if the DDOS attack wasn't enough. Now our server went down with a temperature overload. We were up to 60 degrees centigrade when we shut down. The CPU and a broken fan have been replaced.
  
• Administrivia: Our data-center was hit by a DDOS attack today.
  Sorry for being either very slow or off the net for a while recently. The data-center we are part of was hit by a DDOS (Distributed Denial Of Service) attack recently. At the moment it looks to be under control, but we are keeping an eye on things.
  
• RFID Chips Shrink to Powder Size.
  RFID Chips Shrink to Powder Size. Hitachi's new tags measure 0.002 inches square, but store as much information as their much-larger predecessors. The company's still investigating possible uses. By the Associated Press. [Wired News: Security Blanket]
• Surveillance Cameras Get Smarter - International Business Times
  Look around - You might not be the only one watching. The never-blinking surveillance cameras, rapidly becoming a part of daily life in public and even private places, may be sizing you up as well. And they may soon get a lot smarter.
  
  Researchers and security companies are developing cameras that not only watch the world but also interpret what they see. Soon, some cameras may be able to find unattended bags at airports, guess your height or analyze the way you walk to see if you are hiding something.
  
  Most of the cameras widely used today are used as forensic tools to identify crooks after-the-fact. (Think grainy video on local TV news of convenience store robberies gone wrong.) But the latest breed, known as "intelligent video," could transform cameras from passive observers to eyes with brains, able to detect suspicious behavior and potentially prevent crime before it occurs.
  
• Surveillance Cameras Get Smarter.
  Surveillance Cameras Get Smarter. kog777 writes to mention that the IB Times is taking a look at where surveillance camera technology is headed. Soon researchers tell us that cameras will be available that not only record, but are able to interpret what they see."The advancements have already been put to work. For example, cameras in Chicago and Washington can detect gunshots and alert police. Baltimore installed cameras that can play a recorded message and snap pictures of graffiti sprayers or illegal dumpers. In the commercial market, the gaming industry uses camera systems that can detect facial features, according to Bordes. Casinos use their vast banks of security cameras to hunt cheating gamblers who have been flagged before." [Slashdot: Your Rights Online]
• Tapping Brains for Future Crimes.
  Tapping Brains for Future Crimes. A breakthrough in computer-assisted mind reading brings us closer to predicting criminality. Should the justice system adapt? Commentary by Jennifer Granick. [Wired News: Security Blanket]
• Hitachi's Tiny RFID Chips.
  Hitachi's Tiny RFID Chips. paltemalte writes  "Hitachi has just come out with a new crop of RFID tags, measuring only 1/20 of a millimeter square. That's 1/8 the size (in linear dimension) of Hitachi's currently shipping mu-chips, which are 0.4 mm square. The new chip's width is slightly smaller than a human hair. These chips could put an end to shoplifting forever, but they could also be used by a governments or other entities to 'dust' crowds or areas, easily tagging anyone present without their knowledge or consent. Will someone come up with a surefire way of neutralizing chips that may be on your body or in your clothing?" ---  Hard to pin down a source on this. The article cites another blog, which points to an article in Japanese. [Slashdot: Your Rights Online]
• U.S. Researchers Claim New System Kills Worm Outbreaks.
  U.S. Researchers Claim New System Kills Worm Outbreaks. Technique claims to be able to stop Internet worms within milliseconds of an outbreak.  [PC World: Latest Technology News]
• New Capabilities Drive Cell Phone Security Demands.
  New Capabilities Drive Cell Phone Security Demands. The growing functionality of mobile phones is driving demand for new and stronger security products. [PC World: Latest Technology News]
• The brain scan that can read people's intentions | Science | Guardian Unlimited
  A team of world-leading neuroscientists has developed a powerful technique that allows them to look deep inside a person's brain and read their intentions before they act.

  The research breaks controversial new ground in scientists' ability to probe people's minds and eavesdrop on their thoughts, and raises serious ethical issues over how brain-reading technology may be used in the future.

  The team used high-resolution brain scans to identify patterns of activity before translating them into meaningful thoughts, revealing what a person planned to do in the near future. It is the first time scientists have succeeded in reading intentions in this way.