I've finally released a new version of the PGP Keysigning Party HOWTO.

I've also now gotten the vast majority of things properly redundant and mostly automated at work. So, I'm finding myself with much more time for such things.

I've started a new vertical blog on cryptography, called CryptoWatch, and started back-populating it. There's just under 50 entries now. There's obviously tons and tons of other stuff that I need to back load. But, I keep getting busier and busier with other stuff. So, I'm letting people know it's there now in case I don't get back to it for a while. I am keeping an eye on all the crypto related journals, blogs, mailing lists, etc... as I had been before I started CryptoWatch. I will post anything note worthy that passes in my periphery.

CryptoWatch is basically meant to highlight the announcement of technological and mathematical advancements that may impact decisions about the use of cryptographic systems. I hope that it will be a great way to stay informed about bleeding edge advancements in fields that effect cryptosystem, algorithm, key length, and expiration date choices. I'll also try to help keep you keep abreast of the state of emerging disruptive technologies like quantum computation.

If you decide to become a reader, I hope that you enjoy it.

Current mood: working
Current music: none
Entry tags: web2.0, timeline, mit, jewelkilcher, simile, xml

Web 2.0 Goodness

One of the groups I work for, The Simile Group, released a javascript program for visualizing temporal data. It's called Timeline. It allows you to plot XML data on a graphic and then to click and scroll that graphic (like Google Maps).

I made a Timeline biography of Jewel Kilcher to give me some idea of how it works. She just released a new album called "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland", which I thought was excellent. She's touring to support it now, and I'm going to go see her later this month at Mohegan Sun. She's got a Country album comming out next year too, that I can't wait to hear. Anyway, here's what it looks like:

<center>

(click a thumb nail to access the running program) </center>

I have a list of patches I want to write for the program. One itch is that it doesn't do a good job with layout when events are non-concurrent but share start and end days. Another is that it doesn't support the idea of events happening as part of a larger event in concurrence with events that are not part of that larger event with out significant screen real estate consumption. You really need 700px's in height to see my Timeline and use it easily, already. We'll see if I can find the time for the patches. Overall, it's a cool app though. The API is well developed and makes good use of the OO paradigm.

It would be worth while to play with. It would have been nice to see on CNN.com during Sept. 11, for example. The documentation and source code are available from the Timeline page on Simile's Website.

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Current mood: busy
Current music: Jewel Kilcher - Louisa & Her Blue Guitar
Entry tags: cryptography, linux, mit, pgp, security

Speaking at BLU@MIT Sept. 20th 2006

I'm speaking at The Boston Linux Users group on the topic of PGP encryption before a keysigning party. The talk will be given @ MIT E-51 rm 335.

Register your key and drop on by if you'd like to help us build the web of trust. Fun will be had by all. Well, at least the math geeks anyway.

I really need to sit down and force myself to update the PGP Keysigning Party HOWTO. That's officially my mission for today.

A web of trust:

Current mood: nerdy
Current music: 3 Doors Down - If I Could Be Like That
Entry tags: books, library

LibraryThing

After seeing it in xach's journal, I set up an account for myself on LibraryThing. LibraryThing is basically a kind of mix between a Social Networking site and a Recommendation Engine. You put in all the books you own and it will tell you who else also has those books, let you add reviews and ratings, tag your books, give you interesting statistics on your collection, and recommend other books you might like to read. I left my data public, so anyone can take a peak at my collection of books or my profile on the site.

My reaction to seeing my books all listed out like that was "OMG, I'm such a NERD! I'm never going to get laid!". I have them spaced out around the house and many of them stacked at odd angles, some with their spines facing the wall, to keep me from having that reality brought into my consciousness. 8-)

I signed up though cause I need to starting reading again. I need to find some new books I might like. The world's changing. I need something new. Pretty much, the only things I've read in the last five to seven years that weren't online were text books and certification study guides. I've kind of been in this over focused rut. I have done much of anything but work-work (stuff for $ or other people) and waste time. I'm not sure if there's any irony in the fact that rut is a homonym that's alternate meaning is the breeding season for cervids. Probably, if I was vulgar enough to disclose how I've been wasting my time. haha

Here's my Author Cloud:

And here's my Tag Cloud

I have a huge number of books that no one else has. Disclosing stuff about myself always makes me feel like I'm weird because of stuff like that. Hakank has the most books in common with me, closely followed by dkennedy.

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