Friday, May 17, 2002

Figured I ought to start using titles. Most of my first sentences have been acting that way, anyway. Now to go back and modify a bunch of posts... 5:25:25 PM

Whipped together a couple of quick batch files to clean up all temporary files, Internet history files, cookies, etc. from my PC every day. Put all of this stuff out on my personal network drive. Tested 'em a couple of times until they worked just fine. Then rolled up my sleeves to review some documentation. D-oh!During one of the tests, I'd done a neutron-bomb on my network drive: all of the directories were still standing, but no files were to be found. At least I didn't lose very much. Remember, kids, play with .BAT files and DEL *.* /f /s /q at your own risk! 3:55:30 PM

A good article from Wired, by way of Daypop: Facial recognition technology tested at the Palm Beach International Airport had a dismal failure rate, according to preliminary results from a pilot program at the facility. The system failed to correctly identify airport employees 53 percent of the time, according to test data that was obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union under Florida's open records law. I wonder how it was used, and how automated the system is. Had an idea yesterday about how card access could be tied to digital video to ensure that the right person is entering the building. I'm sure it would be similar to the system tested in Palm Beach. My employee badge (which allows access into various Target buildings) has my picture on it. That picture is stored in the card access database, along with other relevant information about me. When I wave my badge over the card reader, an entry is made into the database that employee #01010101 entered the building at 07:35:02 at entry #19. Now, imagine if you stored digital video from several different cameras at the entry points. Maybe one where the card reader is located, pointing up, a couple from each side, and an overhead camera catching traffic for that particular card reader. For all I know, this is already being done. Next, on one or more dedicated PCs, with one or more dedicated security staff, you'd simply query the video database for footage at the same place and time. Instead of a scrolling list of text showing who was entering the building, you'd have a scrolling collection of four of five images, with the first being the picture that appears on my badge, and all of the others being "archived" footage of the entry way at the time that I scanned my card. Sounds pretty plausible. There would be some kinks, to be sure, but I'd imagine it would be better than 53% accurate. 12:01:13 PM

From The Guardian: the world is witnessing the rapid emergence of a plan to dispose of any government hateful to the sight of US ultra-conservatism.. 10:15:01 AM