Chennai’s thriving mess culture is dominated by families that have made it their mission to serve good quality food at pocket-friendly rates for students and working professionals

1. STD epidemic slows as new syphilis and gonorrhea cases fall in US  The Associated Press
2. Sexually Transmitted Infections Surveillance, 2023  CDC
3. At Long Last, the Surge in S.T.I.s May Be Leveling Off  The New York Times
4. ‘Been a long time since I felt that way’: Sexually transmitted infection numbers provide new hope  POLITICO
5. There are millions of sexually transmitted infections in the US every year, but new data shows the epidemic may be slowing  CNN

1. Republicans inch closer to US House majority, full control of Congress  Reuters
2. Republicans 2 seats away from House majority, giving Trump leeway to implement agenda  Fox News
3. State of Congress: Republicans near formal House majority  POLITICO

The primary demand generators for Bengaluru’s office market are anticipated to be the technology, engineering, manufacturing, and BFSI sectors.  The Confederation of Indian Industry and CBRE report projects that Bengaluru, the country’s IT hub, will maintain its dominant position in … Continue reading →

Due to severe downturns in the global economy in 2023, the commercial real estate market saw a 66% annual decline in investments. Significant markets such as the US and Europe saw a 25% decline in leasing activity. The global commercial … Continue reading →

The Beats Solo 4 features enhanced sound quality, up to 40 hours of battery life, and seamless Apple device integration. These on-ear headphones combine style with premium audio performance in a striking Cloud Pink finish. Reasons to Buy What Makes It Stand Out The Solo 4 improves upon its predecessor with enhanced audio quality and stronger build […]

Summary: Until we value freedom and independence in the digital world, we will yield up control of our digital lives to others who will act in their own interests, not ours.

In response to a post on X about China's social credit system, Paul Conlon said:

Digital ID is ultimately about access control where those who impose the system are the ones determining what you are required to be and do.

Provision of resources and liberties become conditional upon the whims of the affluent. Doesn't sound safe or convenient to me.

From X
Referenced 2024-08-28T08:10:31-0400

How Paul said this struck me because I've been thinking a lot about access control lately. I believe that we build identity systems to manage relationships, but, as Paul points out, in many cases the ultimately utility of identity systems is access control.

This isn't, by itself, a bad thing. I'm glad that Google controls access to my GMail account so that only I can use it. But it doesn't stop there. If I use my Google account to log into other things, then Google ultimately controls my access to everything I've used it for. This is federation's original sin¹.

Paul's comment points out the primary problem with how we build identity systems today: when access control is centralized, it inherently shifts power towards those who manage the system. This dynamic can lead to a situation where individuals must conform to the expectations or demands of those in control, just to maintain their access to essential services or resources. While we often accept this trade-off for convenience—like using Google to manage multiple logins—the broader implications are troubling.

The more we rely on federated identity systems, with their tendency to centralization, the more we risk ceding control over our digital lives, reducing our autonomy, and increasing our dependence on entities whose goals may not align with our own. This is why the principles of self-sovereign identity (SSI) are so compelling. SSI proposes a model where individuals maintain control over their own identity, reducing the risks associated with centralized access control and enhancing personal freedom in the digital realm.

Critics of SSI will claim that giving people control over their identity means we have to accept their self assertions. Nothing could be further from the truth. When someone wants me to prove I'm over 18, I use a driver's license. The state is asserting my age, not me. But I'm in control of who I show that to and where. Sovereignty is about borders and imposes a system of relationships.

Now, China could use decentralized identity technology to build their social credit system. One credential, controlled by the state, that is used to access everything. Technology alone can't solve this problem. As a society, we have to want a digital world, modeled on the physical one, where individuals are the locus of control and use information and assertions from a variety of credentials to build and interact in authentic peer-to-peer relationships. Until we value freedom and independence in the digital world, we will yield up control of our digital lives to others who will act in their own interests, not ours.

Notes

1. For similar reasons, I think federated social media systems are a bad idea too, but that's another blog post.

Photo Credit: Papers Please from DALL-E (public domain). Prompt: Draw a rectangular picture of police checking identity papers of people on the street

Tags: identity access+control ssi

Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, The Scholarly Kitchen, Nov 13, 2024

We expect The Scholarly Kitchen to represent the publishers' point of view, since that is its intent, but in this case it ventures into the realm of pure propaganda. No open access charges subscription fees to readers. In 'Gold' open access, publishers charge authors 'article publication fees', while in 'Green' open access no such fees are charged. So how is there a "cost" to readers? According to this article, it's in the time and effort it takes to find the 'version of record' of an article as compared to what is found in typical 'green' venues such as preprint repositories. This argument, of course, assumes readers want to find the 'version of record', and the author is ready with a 'fear, uncertainty, doubt (FUD)' argument. The author also argues that green versions are hard to find, compared to gold versions, ignoring such services as Unpaywall that index open access articles.

Steve Faulkner recently released a tool for Internet Explorer called the Accessibility Toolbar. It provides one-click access to accessibility validators and has features that go beyond simple accessibility checks.

Michael Taft and Marcia Segal from the American Folk Life Center, Library of Congress will be in Utah on October 13, 2004 to discuss the The Save Our Sounds project and related digital issues. This Fall Caucus program will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in room 3211 Wilkinson Center on the campus of Brigham Young University and is sponsored by CIMA, the Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists. There will be no charge to the event and lunch will be on your own from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m.

Congress enacts open government legislation in three main areas: (1) laws that provide public access to federal records; (2) laws that allow the government to restrict public access to federal information; and (3) laws that provide for congressional access to federal records. A new 90-page Congressional Report by Rep. Henry A. Waxman provides a comprehensive, though arguably partisan, examination finding the Bush Administration has acted to restrict the amount of government information that is available.

고대역폭메모리(HBM) 시장을 장악한 SK하이닉스가 HBM과 함께 대표적인 인공지능(AI) 관련 고부가 메모리로 꼽히는 기업용 솔리드스테이트드라이브(eSSD)에서도 기술력을 입증했다. SK하이닉스 자회사인 솔리다임은 현존 낸드 솔루션 최대 용량인 122테라바이트(TB)가 구현된 eSSD 신제품 ‘D5-P5336’(사진)을 출시했다고 13일 밝혔다.

Pssst… have you noticed your site loading a bit faster than usual? It’s not your imagination! We’re happy to let you know that we’ve rolled out Brotli to all of your WPMU DEV hosted sites, giving you on average 11.62% better compression than before (and faster sites as a result!) It’s a change that’ll make […]

Great news for agencies, developers and freelancers! We’ve heard that while many of you love our Webmail service, the 5GB storage limit is getting tight. That’s why we’re introducing our new range of expanded Webmail plans to help take your email capabilities to the next level. More Space, More Flexibility, More Power We’re expanding our […]

These days, it seems like everyone is into emergency preparedness, or at least wants to think they are. Whether it’s a fear of natural disasters, the communists, the fascists, or even the space aliens, there is no shortage of content these days on social media, blogs, and YouTube. But, we ... [continued]

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WordPress powers over 40% of all websites on the internet and one of its greatest strengths is its extensibility through plugins. Choosing the right plugins is an easy (and often free) way to enhance your site’s functionality, security, and performance. Here are three essential plugins that every WordPress site should consider. Yoast SEO Yoast SEO […]

PHP is highly in demand and rightly so. It’s the most widely used programming language for web development. Most of the successful websites are built using PHP, and there is no doubt that PHP is attracting many new programmers towards the server-side scripting language. If you are one of the enthusiast learners keen to pick …

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SHARGE has introduced the ICEMAG 2 MagSafe power bank (soon available here). It includes a new active cooling system (a fan) and an aluminum backplate to support effective heat management and maintain charging performance. It supports 15W Qi2 wireless charging, aimed at delivering faster speeds compared to traditional MagSafe batteries and improving on the previous ICEMAG model. Visually, the ICEMAG 2 features a transparent design with RGB lighting for added aesthetic appeal. The power bank also includes a foldable kickstand, allowing for hands-free use and adjustable viewing angles. In terms of functionality, the ICEMAG 2 offers 30W two-way USB-C charging,… [Continue Reading]

A new report finds 61 percent of organizations have suffered a security breach in the past year because their policies, governance, and controls failed or were not working effectively. This is costing US businesses $30bn and UK businesses £10bn per year. The study from security posture management firm Panaseer surveyed 400 security decision makers across the US and UK and found 72 percent have taken out indemnity insurance in response to growing personal liability, whilst 15 percent have considered leaving the industry. In addition, 85 percent of decision makers are facing greater scrutiny from the board. 57 percent say they… [Continue Reading]

Your website’s command center, the WordPress dashboard, arrives with several widgets that enhance functionality. However, not all of these may be beneficial for every user. As plugins introduce more widgets over time, your dashboard may start to feel crowded and …

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  Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword; it has become a crucial consideration as consumers grow increasingly eco-conscious. For businesses in the travel industry, embracing sustainability offers immense advantages, such as expanding the customer base, securing government incentives, and enhancing brand reputation. Incorporating eco-friendly practices is an excellent starting point, but to make a […]

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Building a house, whether private for one owner or an apartment building, is just one of the...

Fruit harvesting is one of the trickiest parts of the agricultural spectrum. The fruit not only has to be selected when it’s at the ideal ripeness, but also has to be picked very carefully so it doesn’t bruise or suffer damage. Now Israeli made Tevel fruit harvesting bots promise to revolutionize the process of fruit harvesting in a big way. The technology, which integrates A.I. based computer vision with clever vacuum based drone technology, offers fruit farmers a perfect way...

The post Tevel Autonomous Fruit Harvesting Bots – produce pickers face a fruitless future appeared first on The Red Ferret Journal.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse better, news comes that WordPress.com has just embedded an AI feature into it’s blog editing code. The Jetpack AI Assistant is a one click solution for those who want to produce vapid, generic, boring blog posts at the touch of a button. Did we get that right? The assistant provides the full range of GPT type functionality you would expect, including creating nice looking blog structures, and can even suggest fabulous...

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When dreaming up new business ideas, some of the most boring businesses are often overlooked. However, it’s the boring business ideas that can often be the most sustainable and profitable. The Best Boring Businesses to Start This Year All of…

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March Madness is a big deal, and not just for student-athletes. 

Fr. Stephen looks at the problems presented by cynicism for belief in God. Worldly wisdom and the wisdom of God are very different things.

Fr. Stephen turns our thoughts during this week of the Nativity to the "smallness" of God. God has come to save us through His "weakness" as St. Paul says and invites us to share in that humility.

Fr. Stephen looks at the difference between individual salvation and personal salvation and the deep importance found in the distinction.

In these brief remarks on this Thanksgiving weekend, Fr. Stephen looks at the essential Christian confession of thanks, "God is good."

Fr. Stephen offers thoughts on how it is we are saved in our weakness rather than our strength.

What does it mean to be good? Fr. Stephen speaks about the mystery of goodness and how it is only known in Christ.

Fr. Stephen looks at what it means to live in a relationship of love and freedom, and the problems it creates for our ideas of what is and is not necessary.

Fr. Stephen looks at the meaning of the "Great Cloud of Witnesses" whom St. Paul describes as surrounding us as we go about the struggle of the Christian life.

With this podcast, Fr. Stephen begins a series in which he looks at the reality of shame and its place in our emotional and spiritual lives. He introduces us to the teaching of the Elder Sophrony that we must learn to "bear a little shame."