#Iran #oil industry hit by #cyber-attacks

Someone really doesn't like Iranian industry.

"Iran disconnected computer systems at a number of its oil facilities in response to a cyber attack that hit multiple industry targets during the weekend. A source at the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) reportedly told Reuters that a virus was detected inside the control systems of Kharg Island oil terminal, which handles the majority of Iran's crude oil exports. In addition, computer systems at Iran's Oil Ministry and its national oil company were hit."

This isn't the first time that a virus has been used to sabotage Iranian facilities: Stuxnet is infamous for infecting and severely compromising uranium enrichment in 2010. This is the first time that the target has been unquestionably economic. Shutting down Iranian oil production would bring the Iranian economy to a halt, and probably lead to the ouster of the Iranian government. It might also spark a worldwide economic crisis as oil prices spike, not to mention change the directions of American, European, and MENA politics during some rather delicate times. (Remember: the conventional wisdom is that Obama's chances of re-election are tied to the health of the American economy.)

I have my suspicions as to who was behind this attack. FYI, for the reasons stated above, I'm thinking it's not the US government. Despite some recent rather spectacular failures, they rather like the Pax Americana. Nope, I'm thinking the actor behind this attack is someone who sees Iran as an existential threat, such that chaos in the world economy is a small price to pay. Draw your conclusions from there.

#Iran #oil industry hit by #cyber-attacks

Someone really doesn't like Iranian industry.

"Iran disconnected computer systems at a number of its oil facilities in response to a cyber attack that hit multiple industry targets during the weekend. A source at the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) reportedly told Reuters that a virus was detected inside the control systems of Kharg Island oil terminal, which handles the majority of Iran's crude oil exports. In addition, computer systems at Iran's Oil Ministry and its national oil company were hit."

This isn't the first time that a virus has been used to sabotage Iranian facilities: Stuxnet is infamous for infecting and severely compromising uranium enrichment in 2010. This is the first time that the target has been unquestionably economic. Shutting down Iranian oil production would bring the Iranian economy to a halt, and probably lead to the ouster of the Iranian government. It might also spark a worldwide economic crisis as oil prices spike, not to mention change the directions of American, European, and MENA politics during some rather delicate times. (Remember: the conventional wisdom is that Obama's chances of re-election are tied to the health of the American economy.)

I have my suspicions as to who was behind this attack. FYI, for the reasons stated above, I'm thinking it's not the US government. Despite some recent rather spectacular failures, they rather like the Pax Americana. Nope, I'm thinking the actor behind this attack is someone who sees Iran as an existential threat, such that chaos in the world economy is a small price to pay. Draw your conclusions from there.

#Universities charging more tuition for #science, #math, #technology majors

I really hate this.

Having a hard major is getting more expensive.

A growing number of public universities are charging higher tuition for math, science and business programs, which they argue cost more to teach — and can earn grads higher-paying jobs.

...

"The key is we want to have highly ranked universities … you're going to have to have a way to fund" them, Florida State University President Eric Barron said. "Would you decide not to follow what you're most interested in if it cost $500 more?"

You see the problem here, right? These majors are hard enough without the tuition differential, especially if you're paying for college yourself. With the tuition differential, you're going to see a lot of students switch into "easier" majors to save money, or drop out of school altogether.

This does not help our nation in the long run.

#Universities charging more tuition for #science, #math, #technology majors

I really hate this.

Having a hard major is getting more expensive.

A growing number of public universities are charging higher tuition for math, science and business programs, which they argue cost more to teach — and can earn grads higher-paying jobs.

...

"The key is we want to have highly ranked universities … you're going to have to have a way to fund" them, Florida State University President Eric Barron said. "Would you decide not to follow what you're most interested in if it cost $500 more?"

You see the problem here, right? These majors are hard enough without the tuition differential, especially if you're paying for college yourself. With the tuition differential, you're going to see a lot of students switch into "easier" majors to save money, or drop out of school altogether.

This does not help our nation in the long run.

April 24th Miscellany!

We haven't had one of these in a while...no time like the present to start posting them again!

• Why is a 60 Minutes report on Israeli treatment of Palestinian Christians a "strategic threat to Israel," as Israel's ambassador to the US put it?


• Did Egypt really cut off Israel's natural gas? Actually, not really...they're negotiating a better price.. Which isn't stopping the Islamist parties from claiming some kind of victory for the "will of the people."


• NoLongerQuivering, one of my new favorite blogs, has a series on debunking the "fourteen basic needs of a marriage" according to influential nut Bill Gothard. The latest installment is here, and my response is, a million times, yes. Go, check it out.


• I'm telling you guys, the next tech bubble is going to be space. I don't just mean travel, but also asteroid mining. Slashdot has more here and here. Now, why would we want to do this? The answer is that we're running out of metals, and unlike oil, we know there are more metals out there in space.


• Attractive? Young? Female? Want to travel? Don't want to bother with things like getting a job to pay for it? Never fear! MissTravel.com is here! They even have a catchy motto: "Who needs money, beautiful people travel free!" The idea is that wealthy travelers who don't want to bother, you know, making friends, can use this site to search for attractive women who would love the opportunity to travel but can't afford it. The object here is companionship...yeah, that's the ticket. Jezebel sums it up nicely as "Explorers Club meets Ashley Madison". They even have a points system so that frequent attractive travelers can eventually earn enough bonus points to take a trip all by themselves. There is nothing creepy about this whatsoever. (Inb4 "female privilege.")

April 24th Miscellany!

We haven't had one of these in a while...no time like the present to start posting them again!

• Why is a 60 Minutes report on Israeli treatment of Palestinian Christians a "strategic threat to Israel," as Israel's ambassador to the US put it?


• Did Egypt really cut off Israel's natural gas? Actually, not really...they're negotiating a better price.. Which isn't stopping the Islamist parties from claiming some kind of victory for the "will of the people."


• NoLongerQuivering, one of my new favorite blogs, has a series on debunking the "fourteen basic needs of a marriage" according to influential nut Bill Gothard. The latest installment is here, and my response is, a million times, yes. Go, check it out.


• I'm telling you guys, the next tech bubble is going to be space. I don't just mean travel, but also asteroid mining. Slashdot has more here and here. Now, why would we want to do this? The answer is that we're running out of metals, and unlike oil, we know there are more metals out there in space.


• Attractive? Young? Female? Want to travel? Don't want to bother with things like getting a job to pay for it? Never fear! MissTravel.com is here! They even have a catchy motto: "Who needs money, beautiful people travel free!" The idea is that wealthy travelers who don't want to bother, you know, making friends, can use this site to search for attractive women who would love the opportunity to travel but can't afford it. The object here is companionship...yeah, that's the ticket. Jezebel sums it up nicely as "Explorers Club meets Ashley Madison". They even have a points system so that frequent attractive travelers can eventually earn enough bonus points to take a trip all by themselves. There is nothing creepy about this whatsoever. (Inb4 "female privilege.")

April 25th MISCELLANY!

• Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz says that Iran is NOT going to attempt to build nuclear weapons, and that he's confident that a diplomatic solution will be reached. Tell your friends about this; it's important to lay the groundwork for the antiwar now.


• In today's tracking polls, Rasmussen has Obama down five, and Gallup has Obama up six. Gallup also has high consumer confidence and polls Obama's approval at 50%, while Ras has him at a fifteen point deficit for strong approval minus strong disapproval. In short, Gallup shows Obama doing pretty well, and Rasmussen shows Obama doing pretty badly.
  
  My interpretation of this is that they're both wrong.


• Who owns your data when you store it on Google Drive? The answer is: you do. At least, you own the intellectual property rights and the licenses thereto. It's who can access it that's murky - and in fact, it might come to pass that you can't access your own stuff in the future. So yeah, go ahead and put all your music and books in the cloud. Just make sure you have other ways to get to them if Google's cloud should malfunction. Or if they think you didn't give them your real name.


• Newt is suspending his campaign on May 1st, which makes me wonder how delusional he must have been to think he was still in the running.


• I could have told you this in 1993.


• Congratulations to ednoled on his ם birthday! Allow me to mock you for being old (while simultaneously putting out of my own mind that I'm a little more than a year behind you....)

April 25th MISCELLANY!

• Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz says that Iran is NOT going to attempt to build nuclear weapons, and that he's confident that a diplomatic solution will be reached. Tell your friends about this; it's important to lay the groundwork for the antiwar now.


• In today's tracking polls, Rasmussen has Obama down five, and Gallup has Obama up six. Gallup also has high consumer confidence and polls Obama's approval at 50%, while Ras has him at a fifteen point deficit for strong approval minus strong disapproval. In short, Gallup shows Obama doing pretty well, and Rasmussen shows Obama doing pretty badly.
  
  My interpretation of this is that they're both wrong.


• Who owns your data when you store it on Google Drive? The answer is: you do. At least, you own the intellectual property rights and the licenses thereto. It's who can access it that's murky - and in fact, it might come to pass that you can't access your own stuff in the future. So yeah, go ahead and put all your music and books in the cloud. Just make sure you have other ways to get to them if Google's cloud should malfunction. Or if they think you didn't give them your real name.


• Newt is suspending his campaign on May 1st, which makes me wonder how delusional he must have been to think he was still in the running.


• I could have told you this in 1993.


• Congratulations to ednoled on his ם birthday! Allow me to mock you for being old (while simultaneously putting out of my own mind that I'm a little more than a year behind you....)