Category Archives: Technology

Fiber line cut near Carefree causes massive Internet and phone outage in Northern Arizona

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PHOENIX – Northern Arizona lost phone, Internet and television due to a fiber line that was cut near Carefree, Arizona. The outage affected from Page to Williams.

Channel 3 in Phoenix reported that Century Link officials confirmed that a fiber line that was deliberately cut caused the outage. The cut line caused outage of communications from about 11:30 a.m. until about 6 p.m. Other Internet and service providers using the line were also affected.

911 calls were immediately re-routed through another line.

Officials are still investigating the incident.

Don’t Text and Drive

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Post by WJBF News Channel 6.

Using communication devices while driving illegal in Coconino County

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(APRIL 2014)

COCONINO COUNTY – In April of this year Coconino County passed an ordinance regulating the use of portable communications devices while driving. Included are all manner of devices such as PDAs, laptops, pagers and other electronic communications devices. That ordinance was amended by the passage of Ordinance No. 2014-09 (PDF).

Although installed and handheld two-way radio devices are not included in the definitions, they are covered in the exemptions to the ordinance. A technical reading of the ordinance would make the use of family radio service (FRS) devices illegal as they do not require a license for use.

The only devices allowed to be used are hands-free mobile phones and GPS units programmed prior to driving. Texting while driving is completely banned.

The ordinance reads:

A person shall not drive a motor vehicle while using a portable communications device to engage in a call unless that device is configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and is used exclusively in that manner while driving. Texting and typing while operating a motor vehicle are banned.

Exemptions include:

  • When the driver uses a hands-free mobile device.
  • When the purpose of the call is to communicate an emergency to a police or fire department, a hospital or physician’s office, or an ambulance corps.
  • When operating an authorized law enforcement or emergency vehicle in the performance of official duties.
  • When a driver holds a valid amateur radio operator license issued or any license issued by the Federal Communications Commission or the driver uses a two-way radio, including radios used in the Citizens Band (CB) service.
  • When a person is driving a school bus or transit vehicle that is subject to Arizona Revised Statutes or United State Department of Transportation regulations.
  • When a person is driving a motor vehicle on private property.
  • When a driver has pulled off of the traveled portion of the roadway in a safe and legal location and placed the vehicle in park in order to operate a handheld portable communications device.

Texting while driving has been a known problem for years. Cell phone companies and State departments of transportation have produced ads warning of the dangers.

The fine for the offense is $100 increasing to $250 if you are involved in an accident. Not to mention that the offenders insurance rate may increase. It may, however, extend to a higher cost. A teen in Massachusetts was convicted of vehicular homicide in 2012. He was convicted to the maximum penalty of 2-1/2 years.


(JUNE 6, 2012)

Teens being distracted by other teens while driving may be as much of a problem. An attempt by Arizona to address this situation was defeated a few years ago. The State of Arizona has no current statewide ban on texting or the use of cell phones while driving.

According to the June 4 Williams News, the Williams Police Department has chosen not to enforce the ban because of the difficulty in enforcement.

Your car is a giant computer – and it can be hacked

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“Auto manufacturers are not up to speed,” said Ed Adams, a researcher at Security Innovation, a company that tests the safety of automobiles. “They’re just behind the times. Car software is not built to the same standards as, say, a bank application. Or software coming out of Microsoft.”

By Jose Pagliery, June 2, 2014: 3:33 PM ET

Imagine driving down the highway at 70 miles per hour, when suddenly the wheel turns hard right. You crash. And it was because someone hacked your car.

It’s not far-fetched science fiction. It’s the near-term future today’s hackers are warning about.

Most people aren’t aware their cars are already high-tech computers. And now we’re networking them by giving them wireless connectivity. Yet there’s a danger to turning your car into a smartphone on wheels: It makes them a powerful target for hackers.

Interviews with automakers, suppliers and security advisers reveal a major problem with the new wave of “connected” cars: The inside of your car has ancient technology that presents a security risk.

Read more at CNN Money

Sony Supersizes Data Storage With 185-Terabyte Cassette Tape

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Got Backup?

sony-tapes
The iPod let you put your entire music collection in your pocket. Now Sony has something that could let you put the world’s music collection in your pocket: a cassette tape that holds 185 terabytes of data.

To put that in perspective, the tape can hold about 60 million songs — far more than anyone could listen to in their lifetime (that would be about 17 million, assuming continuous listening for 100 years, even while sleeping, and 3 minutes per song). All of the printed works of the Library of Congress add up to only about 10 terabytes.

Read more at Mashable

County Board of Supervisors Approves Ordinance Regulating Use of Devices While Driving

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text-msgFLAGSTAFF — Culminating multiple years of research and several months of deliberations, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance that aims to curb distracted driving within the County.

On Tuesday, the Board unanimously passed County Ordinance 2014-03: Regulation of Portable Communication Devices and Texting While Operating a Motor Vehicle. During the meeting, members of the public who addressed the Board spoke favorably of the ordinance and urged its passage to increase public safety.

“Our board feels strongly that this is a public health and safety issue that needs to be addressed. Countless studies have shown that distracted drivers are far more likely to be involved in a crash than those who are focused on what’s going on around them,” said Board Chairman Matt Ryan. “On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, I thank the Public Health District Advisory Board, our public health staff and Sheriff’s Office for helping address this critical issue.”

For years, County officials postponed passing its own ordinance, hoping that Arizona lawmakers would enact a statewide law placing restrictions on the use of cellphones and other devices while driving, Supervisor Ryan said.

While many bills have been introduced in the Arizona Legislature in that time, none have become law. Arizona is one of three states without any form of regulation on the use of cellphones and other devices while driving.

“It was important for the safety of our residents that we implement these safety measures in our area,” Supervisor Ryan said. “However, we still urge our lawmakers to consider a similar measure at the state level.”

The ordinance passed Tuesday goes into effect in 30 days on May 22. The ordinance states that “a person shall not drive a motor vehicle while using a portable communications device to engage in a call unless that device is configured to allow hand-free listening and talking, and is used exclusively in that manner while driving. Texting and typing are banned while operating a motor vehicle.”
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Hacker hijacks baby monitor

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By Amy Wagner

25310628_BG1Heather Schreck was asleep around midnight in her Hebron home when a voice startled her.

“All of a sudden, I heard what sounded like a man’s voice but I was asleep so I wasn’t sure,” Heather said.

Disoriented and confused, Heather picked up her cell phone to check the camera in her 10-month-old daughter Emma’s room. The camera was moving, but she wasn’t moving it.

“About the time I saw it moving, I also heard a voice again start screaming at my daughter. He was screaming, ‘Wake up baby. Wake up baby.’ Then just screaming at her trying to wake her up.”

That’s when Heather’s husband, Adam, ran into Emma’s room. Adam said the camera then turned from his petrified daughter to point directly at him.

“Then it screamed at me,” Adam said. “Some bad things, some obscenities. So I unplugged the camera.”

But the Schrecks were only beginning to plug into the truth of what had just happened.

“Someone had hacked in from outside,” Heather said.

So how many other times had someone hacked into their camera and watched their baby through their Foscam IP Camera.

“You do kind of feel violated in a way,” Adam said.

Read more at Fox 19

Scam Emails About Phony Court Cases Carry Computer Virus

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In January, the federal judiciary learned of an email scam, in which emails purporting to come from federal and state courts are infecting recipients with computer viruses.

According to the Security Operations Center of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the emails are instructing recipients to report to a hearing on a specified day and time. The emails also instruct recipients to review an attached document for detailed case information. When the attachments or links in the email are opened, a malicious program is launched that infects the recipient’s computer. Several state courts have reported similar schemes, and also are warning the public about potential viruses.

Unless you are actively involved in a case in federal court and have consented to receive court notifications electronically, you generally will not be served with court documents electronically.

If you receive an email and are not involved in a court case or have not given your email to a court, do not open it. Contact the court in question. If your virus scanner checks emails, ensure that it is set up properly to detect viruses in emails.

2014 Virtual Urban Farm Tour Contest

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(Click for larger image)

(Click for larger image)

FLAGSTAFF – Attention local urban farmers and gardeners: Flagstaff Liberty Alliance is happy to announce their 2014 Virtual Urban Farm Tour Contest! This contest is open to the public and it is free to enter.

To enter the 2014 Flagstaff virtual urban farm tour, submit pictures of your urban farm including: gardens, fruit trees, chickens/livestock, and harvest/preserves!

Go to flagstafflibertyalliance.com to submit your photos and vote on your favorite entry!

First place winner will receive a $50 gift card to Flagstaff Native Plant & Seed and be featured in the Flagstaff Liberty Alliance 2015 Urban Farm Calendar. Runner up will receive a $25 gift card to Flagstaff Native Plant & Seed.

Entries for the Urban Farm Tour will be accepted through September 15, 2014.

Read more at Flagstaff Liberty Alliance

Google Buys Drone Company Titan Aerospace

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s50_highalt2_4k (1)Jay Yarow – Business Insider

Google has acquired drone maker Titan Aerospace, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Titan is a New Mexico-based company that makes high-flying solar powered drones.

There’s no word on the price Google paid, but Facebook had been in talks to acquire the company earlier this year for a reported $60 million. Presumably, Google paid more than that to keep it away from Facebook.

Read more at Business Insider