Received this in email, senders email didn't work... help

29 May 2004

Hey:

I'm headed to Defcon 12 from Los Angeles and found-out about your
race in the links. I drive an old truck so racing's out, but you
mentioned a need for volunteers. What do you need?

Cheers,
Squid

Verizon to offer 'naked' DSL
source: CNet

The company confirms plans to allow customers to buy DSL services without also buying local phone service.


Verizon Communications will soon become the second Baby Bell in the United States to offer broadband to consumers regardless of whether those customers also buy its local phone service.


The company confirmed on Wednesday that it plans to offer what's been called "naked" digital subscriber line (DSL) service to customers within its local phone region by the end of 2004. Qwest Communications in February announced plans to offer a similar service to its customers.


Up until that point, the Baby Bells typically offered DSL as part of a package with local phone service. Customers who switched local phone providers risked losing their DSL service. Consumer groups argued that this practice locked customers into services with the Baby Bells, while shutting out other DSL competitors.


But now local phone companies seem to be having a change of heart. Some experts say it is a result of more customers abandoning their local phone lines for wireless services and voice over Internet services. The Baby Bells also have lost some local lines to competing phone companies such as AT&T and MCI.


"This reflects how determined the phone companies are to offer any product to help them hold onto a customer," said Jim Penhune, an analyst at Strategy Analytics. "Losing access lines has been their ongoing nightmare, so I understand the motive. But it seems at odds with their strategy of getting customers to buy bundled services."
Verizon's decision to offer naked DSL, or "dry loop" DSL, as the company calls it, was prompted by a law that allows consumers to transfer their local telephone numbers to their cell phones. The company found that many of these customers wanted to continue using their Verizon DSL service. Verizon has already been allowing customers in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions to make this switch while maintaining their DSL service since April.


"We consider ourselves a broadband company," said Brianna Gowing, a spokeswoman for Verizon. "Broadband is one of the features that a lot of people want, and we want to be able to offer it to them."
Gowing said that the company hasn't specified the exact timing of when the DSL-only service will be offered to customers, because it must first resolve several technical issues.


She said the company also is considering offering DSL in areas outside its local telephone region, but the technical issues are even more complicated in those instances.
"First, we have to be able to do this in our own backyard," she said. "Then we can consider going outside the region."
News of Verizon's naked DSL offering was first reported Tuesday by the Web site DSL Prime.

Bank ATMs Converted to Steal IDs of Bank Customers
Check out this story on the website for the pictures
A team of organized criminals is installing equipment on legitimate bank ATMs in at least 2 regions to steal both the ATM card number and the PIN. The team sits nearby in a car receiving the information transmitted wirelessly over weekends and evenings from equipment they install on the front of the ATM (see photos). If you see an attachment like this, do not use the ATM and report it immediately to the bank using the 800 number or phone on the front of the ATM.
The equipment used to capture your ATM card number and PIN is cleverly disguised to look like normal ATM equipment. A 'skimmer' is mounted to the front of the normal ATM card slot that reads the ATM card number and transmits it to the criminals sitting in a nearby car."
UTPD: ATM SCAM ALERT

Microsoft XP SP2 RC 2 behind schedule
It looks as though we are going to have to wait a little longer for the RC2 release of SP2 according to the fine folks at Neowin:

News early this week that Microsoft are trying to iron out a bug with NX CPU execution protection technology only spelled bad news. We can confirm that RC2 isn't likely to be released to beta testers until early next week. 2138 is the latest compile internally but doesn't hold the golden rc2 tagging yet.
This only points to 2139/2140 being the RC2 build and going out to testers within a week. Initially Microsoft were aiming for a June RTM for Windows XP SP2 but delays with security center bugs and application compatability problems have delayed the highly anticipated update until July. Because of this, development of Longhorn is almost at a standstill whilst the main build team focus on XPSP2 instead of Longhorn. Many developers internally are itching to get back to Longhorn development naturally. According to internal sources 2137(xpsp.040520-1754) was the build that the NX problems have come from.

Airespace joins WiMax Forum
http://news.com.com/2110-1039-5220862.html

Airespace has joined the WiMax Forum, the San Jose, Calif. wireless networking company said earlier this week. The Forum is an industry group promoting 802.16 specifications for wireless broadband technology. The group has more than 100 companies in its ranks.
Products based on 802.16 specifications are expected by early 2005, according to a WiMax Forum representative. The specification will allow data to be wirelessly transmitted at 70 megabits per second at a range of up to several miles. Increasing support from companies--ranging from gear makers to service providers--for WiMax means that products are likely to be affordably priced because they will be more widely used.
[print version] Airespace joins WiMax Forum | CNET News.com

RIAA still suing strong, adds another 493 people
Source: Wired
WASHINGTON -- A U.S. music industry group says it has sued 493 more people for copyright infringement as part of its campaign to stop consumers from copying music over the Internet.
The Recording Industry Association of America has now sued nearly 3,000 individuals since last September in an attempt to discourage people from copying songs through peer-to-peer networks like Kazaa and LimeWire.

How many blue screens do we need?
I am wondering when that cool buffer-overflow will let me control that cluster.
Microsoft has launched an effort to produce a version of Windows for high-performance computing, a move seen as a direct attack on a Linux stronghold.
High-performance computing once required massive, expensive, exotic machines from companies such as Cray, but the field is being remade by the arrival of clusters of low-end machines. While the trend could be considered an opportunity for Microsoft, which has long been the leading operating-system company, Linux has actually become the favored software used on these clusters."
Microsoft creating Windows for supercomputers - News - ZDNet

Cell Phone Portability Expands
Starting today, residents of rural America can begin taking advantage of cell phone portability. As of last November, people in the nation's 100 biggest cities have been able to transfer landline numbers to cell phones, and to switch carriers while keeping the same number.
NPR : Phone Number Portability Kicks in for Rural Customers

tommEE pickles and el_jefe in association with Moloch Industries announce the 3rd Annual DEFCON CANNONBALL RUN
As a way of travelling to DEFCON, the largest hacker convention located in Las Vegas, tommEE pickles and el_jefe are in 3rd year of organizing a race. A race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas for the sole purpose of getting to DEFCON quick.

(PRWEB) May 23 2004--This is the third year we are throwing the Defcon Cannonball Run together and we still have gusto to continue. For those that do not know the Defcon Cannonball Run is a race from Redondo Beach. CA to Las Vegas, Nevada. It was inspired by Deathrace Caravan and one of Burt Reynolds finer films. The cars start about 5 minutes apart and punch in at a time clock at the start and finish lines. This year we will hope to have tracking maps at the hotel and video coverage of the finish as well as spectator interviews.

It is a race against time over 288 miles of road. Since we will not encourage speeding or reckless driving, you are on your own when it comes to how you will beat the clock.

There will be a timed punch clock at each of the start and finish lines. The winner is chosen by the quickest time. Races will start in a staggered way to limit the amount of accidents and road rage.

Costumes are to be worn. Why? Because it's funny. Each Team Member will pay $5 to go into a pot for the winning teams bar tab. The race will start on August 1st about noon, and racers will be 5 minutes apart. It is a race against time. First team with the lowest time, wins a night of free drinks, as long as the money holds up.

Bring your video cameras. This is going to make a hell of a DVD.

Some Tips for those participating:
Things that we have found out that make the race a little more enjoyable or easier are:

* Have your AAA or insurance info.
* Bring things like cell phones, tools and first aid stuff.
* Get food or beverages for trip.
* Get a scanner. Cop warnings.
* Radar detector. Cop warnings
* Don't forget the video cameras and digital cameras. We need footage.
* Bring CB Radio for long distance yelling, 5 min apart is far. Cop warnings.
* FRS and cell phones are useful.
* Lots of interesting music. If you make mp3 for us, we can use them in the movie.
* Costumes! Nothing is funnier than people runnning through the hotel in costume.



Check out the current rules below.

1. The race will be held on Thursday July 31st 2002. There is no starting earlier.
2. You must be going to the convention to be part of this event. No ricers!
3. All racers will start at the same starting location.
4. Racers will be 5 minutes apart in the order assigned.
5. Racers will punch into time-clock upon departure.
6. Each racer and passenger will pay $5 entry into the Cannonball Run.
7. Everyone will sign a waiver, protecting our ass for promoting this behavior.
8. Racers will punch-in at the Alexis Park with a designated DCR person.
9. Money collected from each racer will be applied to the bar for the winners.
10. If you go to jail, you have one phone call.
11. No tag-backs, electricity or time-outs.


There is a whole bunch of info on the official site http://moloch.org/cannonball and there are past pictures and video there too.

Press Release Here