Burzycki.org

Hosts: Steve Gibson with Leo Laporte Steve talks about the challenges of corporate IT security policy and enforcement and the inherent tension between IT security staff and employees. For 16kpbs versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Security Now is brought to you by Astaro Internet Security. Bandwidth for Security Now! is provided by AOL Radio. Running time: 48:09 No comments

Here’s another wonderful example of how amateur astronomers can make important discoveries. Three high school students from Wisconsin discovered an asteroid while doing an astronomical observation project for a class in school. Connor Leipold, Tim Patika, and Kyle Simpson of The Prairie School near Racine were notified this week by the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts that the object they discovered has been verified as an asteroid. The students will have the opportunity to name the asteroid, temporarily designated as 2008 AZ28. They spotted the asteroid through telescopes located in New Mexico that operate remotely via the internet. The technology was provided through a project sponsored by Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As Fraser and Pamela commented on their Astronomy Cast episode about amateur astronomy, “Astronomy is one of the few sciences where amateurs make can meaningful contributions and discoveries.” And here’s proof. So the rest of you, go out there and start looking! Original New Source: NewsDaily No comments

Have you heard the news? A television station in Oakland California was reporting that researchers working with SETI@home discovered a signal believed to be from extraterrestrials. Is it true? Has the most important discovery is the history of humanity been made? Do we have definitive proof that there are aliens out there with interesting things to say to us? No. Actually, I was going to give this the big write up, but Phil beat me to the punch. So, I'll just point you over at his coverage. No comments

Another week, another Carnival of Space. This time, the lucky host is Colony Worlds. Marvel at the latest images of Mercury. Learn about the rogue black holes that could be cruising through the galaxy. Wonder at what it might take to launch a true interstellar probe. Click here to visit the Carnival of Space #37. And if you're interested in looking back, here's an archive to all the past carnivals of space. If you've got a space-related blog, you should really join the carnival. Just email an entry to carnivalofspace@gmail.com, and the next host will link to it. It will help get awareness out there about your writing, help you meet others in the space community - and community is what blogging is all about. And if you really want to help out, let me know if you can be a host, and I'll schedule you into the calendar. Finally, if you run a space-related blog, please post a link to the carnival of space. Help us get the word out. No comments

Images and data are arriving from MESSENGER’s recent flyby of Mercury. Scientists from NASA and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab are pouring over high resolution images of the side of the planet that has never before been imaged by a spacecraft. From these images, planetary geologists can study the processes that have shaped Mercury’s surface over the past 4 billion years. Let’s take a look at some of the images snapped by MESSENGER on January 14: (more…) No comments

October of last year was the 50th anniversary of Sputnik, the first spacecraft to be launched into orbit. Since then, we've come a long, long way. Think of all the stuff that's floating around our planet right now: GPS, television, and military satellites, the International Space Station and the Hubble telescope, and a host of debris. With more satellites and projects launching into space, the issue of regulating all of this space traffic is starting to become an issue. Current regulations of space come from a series of treaties and agreements between nations and organizations, starting with the Outer Space Treaty created 40 years ago. But with private companies like Virgin Galactic merging into space traffic, as well as nations like Japan, India, and China, launching satellites and scientific spacecraft, the need for a defined set of regulations is in order. (more…) No comments

British scientists hope to improve living conditions on the International Space Station (ISS) by designing a new addition: the Habitation Extension Module (HEM). Although the plan is currently unofficial, it is hoped the proposal will get accepted and built for a 2011 launch. This would be a massive victory for UK space aspirations, as the nation currently does not have its own space agency and depends on project collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop new space technology. The new HEM design features the UK national flag, the Union Jack, perhaps a symbol for the beginning of a British foothold in space. (more…) No comments

After a year of silence, Sea Launch Co. is back in business, inserting a telecommunications satellite into orbit on January 15th. Almost a year ago, a Russian-Ukrainian built Zenit 3SL rocket, launching from the sea-based platform Odyssey, exploded, causing Sea Launch to halt business for the rest of 2007. On Tuesday the company could breath a sigh of relief as they saw the Zenit's boosters light up the night sky… (more…) No comments