@SteveBellovin@mastodon.lawprofs.org
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SteveBellovin

@SteveBellovin@mastodon.lawprofs.org

I'm a computer science professor and affiliate law prof at Columbia University. Author of "Thinking Security". Dinosaur photographer. Not ashamed to say that I’m still masking, because long Covid terrifies me.
https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb

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SteveBellovin, to random
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I get the feeling they haven't updated their web site lately…

SteveBellovin,
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@mattblaze How do I delete something that has never existed?

SteveBellovin,
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@FerdiZ If their home page is that out of date, the contents will be, too, making the web site essentially useless. A one-time fix won't accomplish anything.

mattblaze, (edited ) to photography
@mattblaze@federate.social avatar

Shortwave "Discone" Antenna, Former AT&T High Seas Radio Site, Ocean Gate, NJ, 2009.

All the somewhat staticy pixels at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattblaze/4141766569

SteveBellovin,
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@mattblaze @karlauerbach Probably a lot easier on ships—far more space, including for antennas, lots of power, few weight restrictions, lower speeds mean easier aiming, etc. And ships don't have the advantage of altitude to increase line-of-sight range.

cmconseils, to random French
@cmconseils@mastodon.social avatar

me, rearranging my spice rack alphabetically Ok, what comes after thyme?

Cyndi Lauper: thyme

SteveBellovin,
@SteveBellovin@mastodon.lawprofs.org avatar

@cmconseils @wendynather Jim Croce? "If I could save thyme in a bottle"…

stevenbodzin, to random
@stevenbodzin@thepit.social avatar

Good morning Blackhawk helicopter. Why do I only see military helicopters in NYC when there is a protest movement going strong?

EDIT: The answer is "confirmation bias"

Aircraft track of jolly 11, a Blackhawk helicopter that just flew from Eastern Long Island to New York City and circled some neighborhoods

SteveBellovin,
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@stevenbodzin @adamshostack The helicopters hovering over or near Columbia (and annoying everyone in the neighborhood) were, per FlightRadar24, all from TV stations…

lauren, to random
@lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org avatar

The mnemonic that was commonly used in electronics labs to remember resistor color codes many years ago was definitely NSFW.

SteveBellovin,
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@lauren Also sexist as hell.

SteveBellovin, to random
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The story about the officer whose “gun went off” gets better and better. From the NY Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/03/nyregion/nypd-columbia-shooting-hamilton.html): “The officer, who was not identified, was approaching a barricade on the first floor of Hamilton Hall when he fired his gun, which had a flashlight on it, the police said.” Apparently, the NYPD doesn't believe in stand-alone flashlights or miner's lights on their helmets, and of course safeties have to be off to use the flashlight function.
https://mastodon.lawprofs.org/@SteveBellovin/112374521412998273

SteveBellovin, to random
@SteveBellovin@mastodon.lawprofs.org avatar

“NYPD Officer Fired Gun Inside Columbia’s Hamilton Hall, Manhattan DA’s Office Confirms”: https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/05/02/nypd-officer-fired-gun-columbia-hamilton-hall-raid/
Also note this: “Cohen said no students and only police officers were in the immediate vicinity when the shooting occurred.” In other words, the officer had their gun drawnfor no reason and used flash-bangs when that would not be normal for this sort of situation. It is lucky that no one was killed. (It's probably also why the NYPD wanted no journalists or legal observers present.)

SteveBellovin,
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@druid Hey, it's only in the last ~2 years that press credentials were issued by the a mayor-controlled office and not the NYPD itself (https://www.nyc.gov/site/mome/press-card/press-card-faq.page). But the NYPD can still exclude people, per the first screenshot.
Of course, it could also have been the University, which threatened disciplinary action against any students who got near Hamilton Hall or the encampment (second screenshot).

Tuesday, 8:16 PM Alert: Shelter in place for safety due to heightened activity on Morningside campus. Non-compliance may result in discipline. Avoid area until further notice.

SteveBellovin, to random
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Note that that is after graduation—if it occurs.
https://journa.host/@w7voa/112363347141688823

SteveBellovin,
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@20002ist @thomasfuchs Yah. And per reports I've seen online, the NYPD has done its best to ensure few witnesses to what went on. The University told on-campus students to "shelter in place under penalty of disciplinary action”, press, legal observers and even medics were excluded, etc. It is still not clear to me exactly who was arrested, just the building occupiers or members of the encampment, too. (Btw, bwog.com is an excellent source of realtime news.)

SteveBellovin,
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@mattblaze @20002ist @thomasfuchs I’m expecting Mayor Adams to blame outside agitators for his own legal troubles.

SteveBellovin, to random
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The NYPD has closed off streets leading to the Columbia campus. I saw trucks with stand-lights going to campus, though just why isn't clear—and I can't get close enough to find out. There are several TV news copters circling around the area, though, plus there were plenty of journalists outside campus. The University has apologized for the "limited media access" on campus.

SteveBellovin, (edited ) to random
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I gave a retirement/farewell talk today. Video at https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb/talks/farewell.mp4; slides at https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb/talks/farewell.pdf.

SteveBellovin,
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@cigitalgem As I said, I have a lot of writing I plan to do…

SteveBellovin,
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@jvagle I am writing one, but it's a personal one for my family, not for the public—I doubt that anyone is interested in my childhood beyond what I shared today. I mean, does anyone here care that there was at least one house on block with a coal furnace, in the 1950s? The slides do have a link to an interview in ;login: a few years ago; very soon, there will also be an oral history interview with me available.

SteveBellovin,
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@jvagle And now I'm learning from you!

SteveBellovin,
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@chris_bloke So there’s a story behind that cover (https://www.wilyhacker.com/1e/cover.jpg). Our editor had sent us several possible cover pictures, none of which we liked. As a joke, he sent us a newspaper clipping—but we didn’t know it was a joke and enthusiastically agreed to it. He said, “Oh,” and negotiated for the rights to it.

SteveBellovin,
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@BRicker Thanks! One thing I realized I forgot to mention in my talk: the importance of chance, but also how chance favors the prepared mind. The Miller paper falls into that category.

SteveBellovin, to random
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Cats and boxes: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/29/us/amazon-package-cat-utah-california.html?unlocked_article_code=1.oE0.3AL3.5Qdw6kw_e6mN&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare (gift link)

javi, to random

Look, USians, I don't want to step into your internal politics, but you see, 45 years ago, we spaniards had the occurrence to write in our constitution that the head of state (the king) has immunity from prosecution for anything they do while they are in the job, and now we have an ex-king with a Wikipedia page that includes a "alleged corruption" section 55 paragraphs long.

And it's only "alleged" because he can't be taken to court even with the piles of evidence that exist.

Just saying.

SteveBellovin,
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@javi @cstross One of the arguments made against Trump at the Supreme Court last week was that the US constitution has some (but not absolute) protection against members of Congress being prosecuted, but not the president. In other words, this was an issue that was considered back then.

SteveBellovin,
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@maco @javi @cstross An amazing number of the provisions of the US constitution were written as a direct response to what the framers saw as abuses by the British government.

mattblaze, to random
@mattblaze@federate.social avatar

In Vegas, calling a lyft, which I'd not used before here. The top suggested destination was an urgent care center. What does it know that I don't?

SteveBellovin,
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@20002ist @mattblaze Especially if treated promptly.

peterhoneyman, to random
@peterhoneyman@a2mi.social avatar

vatican city

image/jpeg

SteveBellovin,
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@20002ist @peterhoneyman Have you ever been to Petra in Jordan? If not, I strongly urge you to visit—it's the most remarkable place I’ve ever been. Admittedly, that part of the world seems a bit unstable right now. (Read the alt-text for explanations.)

The Treasury itself. A building carved into a sandstone wall. The lower level has columns supporting a pediment; above it are three more carved features almost like closed windows.
Multiple buildings, with openings, carved into the sandstone walls.
A 2000-year-old Nabatean garage with an SUV…

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