Washington Post admits it's not George W. Bush's fault and other Stuff 3/4/2013

Jennifer Sultan, co-founder of Live.com and recovering oxycodone addict, sentenced to 4 years in prison for distribution of narcotics and selling handguns in NYC.

Computer based attacks against the US are up, the question is why?  No one knows.  One possibility:  Iran

 the security breach of Telvent, which the Chinese government has denied, also raises questions of whether those fears — the subject of weekly research group reports, testimony and Congressional studies — may be somewhat overblown, or whether the precise nature of the threat has been misunderstood.

American intelligence officials believe that the greater danger to the nation’s infrastructure may not even be China, but Iran, because of its avowal to retaliate for the Stuxnet virus created by the United States and Israel and unleashed on one of its nuclear sites. But for now, these officials say, that threat is limited by gaps in Iranian technical skills.        

Yes, Iran may lack technical skills, although that seems a slim reed to grasp at as far as critical infrastructure protection, but they exist in a a sort of client state stats to China which has routinely violated international sanctions and provide Iran with weapons etc.  In addition Iran and North Korea have a close relationship and North Korea is a Chinese client state.  It would not be a huge stretch of the imagination to believe that China could be exploiting these weaknesses on behalf of Iran or selling the exploits and the knowledge of how to exploit them to Iran.  The Times does note that Iran's skills are increasing.

In the Atlantic Quinn Norton describes her involvement in the Aaron Swartz case.  I'll let it speak for itself.

Hey it isn't George W. Bush's Fault anymore, now it's JFK's

Fifty years ago, President Kennedy made a decision that, with hindsight, ranks as the biggest mistake of domestic policy since World War II. In many ways, it led directly to today’s “sequester” debacle.

Interesting article on an educational alternative in Germany.  "The Apprentice Programmer"

apprentices in Germany are treated like normal junior employees except they are cheaper, (700 marks per month or $400USD when I went), often younger and misses about 60 work days a year to attend classes at their vocational school. The schools teach the theory behind each chosen trade and certify the students at the end of 3 years with an exit exam which concludes the program. Student apprentices, (they called us “Stift” = Pen), who successfully complete the program and pass the exam earn the vocational title.

 Now two observations that I don't have links for:

1.  I listen to This Week in Windows and This Week in Tech every week and I have noticed that Leo LaPorte (the host) is slightly two faced on the subject of Microsoft.  On This Week in Windows this last week he went on and on about how much he was liking Windows 8 on his new ultrabook, 3 days later on This Week in Tech he was talking about how much he hated Windows 8 on his new ultrabook.  I know that you tailor your message too the audience but one of these statements is outright dishonest.  None of his co-hosts ever question him on this either which is annoying.

2.  What the hell is up with Katya Kasanova on Archer - Was she always just a KGB plant sent to entrap Archer or did Krieger build an evil cyborg version of the loving Katya that we originally knew?  Gaze upon this picture and let me know: