General
http://www.cdt.org/speech/spam/030319spamreport.shtml
The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) presents this insightful report, which discusses some of the key factors that make email users susceptible to spam. Based upon a study conducted by CDT, the report outlines the primary sources of spam and how the spammers obtain email addresses. By setting up 100 different email addresses and using each in a particular manner, the study's administrators documented the kinds of online behavior that result in the most spam. The report dispels some of the common myths about spam and provides suggestions for staying off the mailing lists of advertisers. A note at the end of the report recommends a free online tool that can be used to obscure email addresses when posted online. [CL]
http://www.oemagazine.com/fromTheMagazine/oct03/home.html
OEMagazine is a monthly publication of the International Society for Optical Engineering. The October 2003 issue features a special focus on solid-state lighting. Four articles from the printed magazine and one online-only article discuss recent innovations in white light emitting diodes (LEDs), the energy savings that they hold over traditional lights, and the challenges that must be overcome before they can be widely deployed. A separate feature article looks at the increasing use of thermal imaging cameras for security purposes. The OEMagazine homepage offers many more past issues in an online archive. [CL]
http://www.mobilerobotics.org/
This site serves as a news and information source about the mobile robotics community. A particularly worthwhile feature, especially for designers and people interested in robot design and operation, is the collection of exclusive interviews with robotics professionals. Many articles related to research and development, robotics applications, and industry and government initiatives are also provided. An article from October 24, 2003 discusses the use of robots in surgery and the opening of a Canadian research center that focuses on this topic. The site is somewhat poorly organized, so it might take a few moments to navigate to the most interesting and informative sections. [CL]
http://marsairplane.larc.nasa.gov/
Mars research has thus far entailed exclusively orbital observation and surface rovers. However, one area that has not been utilized is the space within the atmosphere above the ground. This is something NASA scientists hope to change with the development of a Mars airplane. Tentatively planned for arrival on the Red Planet in September 2008, the airplane will be able to achieve higher resolution surveys than orbiters while traversing more area than rovers. This Web site describes the specifics of the Aerial Regional-Scale Environmental Survey of Mars (ARES) mission. Pictures and video clips showing initial construction and test flights are available. News about the status and progress of the project is also provided. [CL]
http://www.computer-museum.org/exhibits/pccomeshome/index.html
The Computer Museum of America offers this excellent account of the History of Personal Computing. The site starts from the beginning of the Computer Age when designing a computer small enough to fit comfortably in a home was just a dream. Next is the birth of the integrated circuit in 1958, followed by the first central processing unit (CPU) in 1971. Several early home computers are discussed, many of which are a stark contrast to current designs. Other landmark events in personal computer history are noted, leading to the 21st Century and the future. The only unfortunate aspect of the site is that the pictures are somewhat small -- however, they are still easily discernible. [CL]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-03-273A1.pdf
On November 4, 2003, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a report and order stating its adoption of an "anti-piracy mechanism, also known as the 'broadcast flag,' for digital broadcast television." The move is meant to minimize the risk of illegal copying and mass Internet distribution of digital broadcasts, which could deter broadcasters from moving toward digital on a large scale. This paper is the report and order, describing in detail the FCC's motivation and the purpose of the ruling. Some of the alternatives that were considered are also noted. [CL]
A List Apart (ALA) is an online magazine that "explores the design, development, and meaning of web content, with a special focus on techniques and benefits of designing with web standards." Published on a very irregular basis (perhaps as new articles are contributed), ALA features between one and three articles per issue on topics ranging from usability to Cascading Style Sheets to Extensible Markup Language (XML). Each new article is accompanied by a dedicated discussion forum that allows users to share their opinions about the topic. An archive of past issues dates back to 2000. [CL]
http://www.asme.org/events/flight/
December 17, 2003 marks the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' historic achievement, and to commemorate the event the American Society of Mechanical Engineers has developed this site. Several notable stories of flight are documented, including the Enola Gay, the Concorde, and the Boeing 767-80, which was "the prototype for most jet transports." Teacher resources and news articles related to the centennial of flight are available. An archive of paper airplane models is also included to give children and adults something to do in their spare time. [CL]
