'Metascreen' forms ultra-thin invisibility cloak

Public release date: 25-Mar-2013
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Contact: Michael Bishop
michael.bishop@iop.org
01-179-301-032
Institute of Physics

Up until now, the invisibility cloaks put forward by scientists have been fairly bulky contraptions an obvious flaw for those interested in Harry Potter-style applications.

However, researchers from the US have now developed a cloak that is just micrometres thick and can hide three-dimensional objects from microwaves in their natural environment, in all directions and from all of the observers' positions.

Presenting their study today, 26 March, in the Institute of Physics and German Physical Society's New Journal of Physics, the researchers, from the University of Texas at Austin, have used a new, ultrathin layer called a "metascreen".

The metascreen cloak was made by attaching strips of 66 m-thick copper tape to a 100 m-thick, flexible polycarbonate film in a fishnet design. It was used to cloak an 18 cm cylindrical rod from microwaves and showed optimal functionality when the microwaves were at a frequency of 3.6 GHz and over a moderately broad bandwidth.

The researchers also predict that due to the inherent conformability of the metascreen and the robustness of the proposed cloaking technique, oddly shaped and asymmetrical objects can be cloaked with the same principles.

Objects are detected when waves whether they are sound, light, x-rays or microwaves rebound off its surface. The reason we see objects is because light rays bounce off their surface towards our eyes and our eyes are able to process the information.

Whilst previous cloaking studies have used metamaterials to divert, or bend, the incoming waves around an object, this new method, which the researchers dub "mantle cloaking", uses an ultrathin metallic metascreen to cancel out the waves as they are scattered off the cloaked object.

"When the scattered fields from the cloak and the object interfere, they cancel each other out and the overall effect is transparency and invisibility at all angles of observation," said co-author of the study Professor Andrea Alu.

"The advantages of the mantle cloaking over existing techniques are its conformability, ease of manufacturing and improved bandwidth. We have shown that you don't need a bulk metamaterial to cancel the scattering from an object a simple patterned surface that is conformal to the object may be sufficient and, in many regards, even better than a bulk metamaterial."

Last year, the same group of researchers were the first to successfully cloak a 3D object in another paper published in New Journal of Physics, using a method called "plasmonic cloaking", which used more bulky materials to cancel out the scattering of waves.

Moving forward, one of the key challenges for the researchers will be to use "mantle cloaking" to hide an object from visible light.

"In principle this technique could also be used to cloak light," continued Professor Alu.

"In fact, metascreens are easier to realize at visible frequencies than bulk metamaterials and this concept could put us closer to a practical realization. However, the size of the objects that can be efficiently cloaked with this method scales with the wavelength of operation, so when applied to optical frequencies we may be able to efficiently stop the scattering of micrometer-sized objects.

"Still, we have envisioned other exciting applications using the mantle cloak and visible light, such as realizing optical nanotags and nanoswitches, and noninvasive sensing devices, which may provide several benefits for biomedical and optical instrumentation."

###

From Tuesday 26 March, this paper can be downloaded from http://iopscience.iop.org/1367-2630/15/3/033037/article.

Notes to Editors

Contact

1. For further information, a full draft of the journal paper or contact with one of the researchers, contact IOP Publishing Press Officer, Michael Bishop:

Tel: 0117 930 1032
E-mail: Michael.Bishop@iop.org

IOP Publishing Journalist Area

2. The IOP Publishing Journalist Area (http://journalists.iop.org/journalistLogin) gives journalists access to embargoed press releases, advanced copies of papers, supplementary images and videos. In addition to this, a weekly news digest is uploaded into the Journalist Area every Friday, highlighting a selection of newsworthy papers set to be published in the following week.

Login details will also give free access to IOPscience, IOP Publishing's journal platform.

To apply for a free subscription to this service, please email Michael Bishop, IOP Press Officer, michael.bishop@iop.org, with your name, organisation, address and a preferred username.

Demonstration of an ultra-low profile cloak for scattering suppression of a finite-length rod in free space

3. The published version of the paper "Demonstration of an ultra-low profile cloak for scattering suppression of a finite-length rod in free space" (J C Soric et al 2013 New J. Phys. 15 033037) will be freely available online from Tuesday 26 March. It will be available at http://iopscience.iop.org/1367-2630/15/3/033037/article.

New Journal of Physics

4. New Journal of Physics publishes across the whole of physics, encompassing pure, applied, theoretical and experimental research, as well as interdisciplinary topics where physics forms the central theme. All content is permanently free to read and the journal is funded by an article publication charge.

IOP Publishing

5. IOP Publishing provides publications through which leading-edge scientific research is distributed worldwide. IOP Publishing is central to the Institute of Physics (IOP), a not-for-profit society. Any financial surplus earned by IOP Publishing goes to support science through the activities of IOP. Beyond our traditional journals programme, we make high-value scientific information easily accessible through an ever-evolving portfolio of community websites, magazines, conference proceedings and a multitude of electronic services. Focused on making the most of new technologies, we're continually improving our electronic interfaces to make it easier for researchers to find exactly what they need, when they need it, in the format that suits them best. Go to http://ioppublishing.org/

The Institute of Physics

6. The Institute of Physics is a leading scientific society promoting physics and bringing physicists together for the benefit of all.

It has a worldwide membership of around 40 000 comprising physicists from all sectors, as well as those with an interest in physics. It works to advance physics research, application and education; and engages with policy makers and the public to develop awareness and understanding of physics. Its publishing company, IOP Publishing, is a world leader in professional scientific communications. Go to http://www.iop.org

The German Physical Society

7. The German Physical Society (DPG) with a tradition extending back to 1845 is the largest physical society in the world with more than 59,000 members. The DPG sees itself as the forum and mouthpiece for physics and is a non-profit organisation that does not pursue financial interests. It supports the sharing of ideas and thoughts within the scientific community, fosters physics teaching and would also like to open a window to physics for all those with a healthy curiosity.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 25-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Michael Bishop
michael.bishop@iop.org
01-179-301-032
Institute of Physics

Up until now, the invisibility cloaks put forward by scientists have been fairly bulky contraptions an obvious flaw for those interested in Harry Potter-style applications.

However, researchers from the US have now developed a cloak that is just micrometres thick and can hide three-dimensional objects from microwaves in their natural environment, in all directions and from all of the observers' positions.

Presenting their study today, 26 March, in the Institute of Physics and German Physical Society's New Journal of Physics, the researchers, from the University of Texas at Austin, have used a new, ultrathin layer called a "metascreen".

The metascreen cloak was made by attaching strips of 66 m-thick copper tape to a 100 m-thick, flexible polycarbonate film in a fishnet design. It was used to cloak an 18 cm cylindrical rod from microwaves and showed optimal functionality when the microwaves were at a frequency of 3.6 GHz and over a moderately broad bandwidth.

The researchers also predict that due to the inherent conformability of the metascreen and the robustness of the proposed cloaking technique, oddly shaped and asymmetrical objects can be cloaked with the same principles.

Objects are detected when waves whether they are sound, light, x-rays or microwaves rebound off its surface. The reason we see objects is because light rays bounce off their surface towards our eyes and our eyes are able to process the information.

Whilst previous cloaking studies have used metamaterials to divert, or bend, the incoming waves around an object, this new method, which the researchers dub "mantle cloaking", uses an ultrathin metallic metascreen to cancel out the waves as they are scattered off the cloaked object.

"When the scattered fields from the cloak and the object interfere, they cancel each other out and the overall effect is transparency and invisibility at all angles of observation," said co-author of the study Professor Andrea Alu.

"The advantages of the mantle cloaking over existing techniques are its conformability, ease of manufacturing and improved bandwidth. We have shown that you don't need a bulk metamaterial to cancel the scattering from an object a simple patterned surface that is conformal to the object may be sufficient and, in many regards, even better than a bulk metamaterial."

Last year, the same group of researchers were the first to successfully cloak a 3D object in another paper published in New Journal of Physics, using a method called "plasmonic cloaking", which used more bulky materials to cancel out the scattering of waves.

Moving forward, one of the key challenges for the researchers will be to use "mantle cloaking" to hide an object from visible light.

"In principle this technique could also be used to cloak light," continued Professor Alu.

"In fact, metascreens are easier to realize at visible frequencies than bulk metamaterials and this concept could put us closer to a practical realization. However, the size of the objects that can be efficiently cloaked with this method scales with the wavelength of operation, so when applied to optical frequencies we may be able to efficiently stop the scattering of micrometer-sized objects.

"Still, we have envisioned other exciting applications using the mantle cloak and visible light, such as realizing optical nanotags and nanoswitches, and noninvasive sensing devices, which may provide several benefits for biomedical and optical instrumentation."

###

From Tuesday 26 March, this paper can be downloaded from http://iopscience.iop.org/1367-2630/15/3/033037/article.

Notes to Editors

Contact

1. For further information, a full draft of the journal paper or contact with one of the researchers, contact IOP Publishing Press Officer, Michael Bishop:

Tel: 0117 930 1032
E-mail: Michael.Bishop@iop.org

IOP Publishing Journalist Area

2. The IOP Publishing Journalist Area (http://journalists.iop.org/journalistLogin) gives journalists access to embargoed press releases, advanced copies of papers, supplementary images and videos. In addition to this, a weekly news digest is uploaded into the Journalist Area every Friday, highlighting a selection of newsworthy papers set to be published in the following week.

Login details will also give free access to IOPscience, IOP Publishing's journal platform.

To apply for a free subscription to this service, please email Michael Bishop, IOP Press Officer, michael.bishop@iop.org, with your name, organisation, address and a preferred username.

Demonstration of an ultra-low profile cloak for scattering suppression of a finite-length rod in free space

3. The published version of the paper "Demonstration of an ultra-low profile cloak for scattering suppression of a finite-length rod in free space" (J C Soric et al 2013 New J. Phys. 15 033037) will be freely available online from Tuesday 26 March. It will be available at http://iopscience.iop.org/1367-2630/15/3/033037/article.

New Journal of Physics

4. New Journal of Physics publishes across the whole of physics, encompassing pure, applied, theoretical and experimental research, as well as interdisciplinary topics where physics forms the central theme. All content is permanently free to read and the journal is funded by an article publication charge.

IOP Publishing

5. IOP Publishing provides publications through which leading-edge scientific research is distributed worldwide. IOP Publishing is central to the Institute of Physics (IOP), a not-for-profit society. Any financial surplus earned by IOP Publishing goes to support science through the activities of IOP. Beyond our traditional journals programme, we make high-value scientific information easily accessible through an ever-evolving portfolio of community websites, magazines, conference proceedings and a multitude of electronic services. Focused on making the most of new technologies, we're continually improving our electronic interfaces to make it easier for researchers to find exactly what they need, when they need it, in the format that suits them best. Go to http://ioppublishing.org/

The Institute of Physics

6. The Institute of Physics is a leading scientific society promoting physics and bringing physicists together for the benefit of all.

It has a worldwide membership of around 40 000 comprising physicists from all sectors, as well as those with an interest in physics. It works to advance physics research, application and education; and engages with policy makers and the public to develop awareness and understanding of physics. Its publishing company, IOP Publishing, is a world leader in professional scientific communications. Go to http://www.iop.org

The German Physical Society

7. The German Physical Society (DPG) with a tradition extending back to 1845 is the largest physical society in the world with more than 59,000 members. The DPG sees itself as the forum and mouthpiece for physics and is a non-profit organisation that does not pursue financial interests. It supports the sharing of ideas and thoughts within the scientific community, fosters physics teaching and would also like to open a window to physics for all those with a healthy curiosity.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/iop-fu032113.php

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Forty-six gene sequencing test for cancer patients in UK

Mar. 25, 2013 ? The first multi-gene DNA sequencing test that can help predict cancer patients' responses to treatment has been launched in the National Health Service (NHS), thanks to a partnership between scientists at the University of Oxford and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The test uses the latest DNA sequencing techniques to detect mutations across 46 genes that may be driving cancer growth in patients with solid tumours. The presence of a mutation in a gene can potentially determine which treatment a patient should receive.

The researchers say the number of genes tested marks a step change in introducing next-generation DNA sequencing technology into the NHS, and heralds the arrival of genomic medicine with whole genome sequencing of patients just around the corner.

The many-gene sequencing test has been launched through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), a collaboration between Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and Oxford University to accelerate healthcare innovation, and which has part-funded this initiative.

The BRC Molecular Diagnostics Centre carries out the test. The lab, based at Oxford University Hospitals, covers all cancer patients in the Thames Valley area. But the scientists are looking to scale this up into a truly national NHS service through the course of this year.

The new ?300 test could save significantly more in drug costs by getting patients on to the right treatments straightaway, reducing harm from side effects as well as the time lost before arriving at an effective treatment.

'We are the first to introduce a multi-gene diagnostic test for tumour profiling on the NHS using the latest DNA sequencing technology,' says Dr Jenny Taylor of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at Oxford University, who is programme director for Genomic Medicine at the NIHR Oxford BRC and was involved in the work. 'It's a significant step change in the way we do things. This new 46 gene test moves us away from conventional methods for sequencing of single genes, and marks a huge step towards more comprehensive genome sequencing in both infrastructure and in handling the data produced.'

Dr Anna Schuh, who heads the BRC Molecular Diagnostics Centre and is a consultant haematologist at Oxford University Hospitals, adds: 'Patients like the idea of a test that can predict and say up front whether they will respond to an otherwise toxic treatment. What the patient sees is no different from present. A biopsy is taken from the patient's tumour for genetic testing with a consultant talking through the results a few days later. It is part of the normal diagnostic process.'

Cancer is often described as a genetic disease, since the transition a cell goes through in becoming cancerous tends to be driven by changes to the cell's DNA. And increasingly, new cancer drugs depend on knowing whether a mutation in a single gene is present in a patient's cancer cells.

For example, a lung cancer patient may have a biopsy taken to check for changes in the EGFR gene. If there is a mutation, the patient may then be treated with a drug that works as an EGFR inhibitor. If there is no mutation, such drugs won't work and the patient would get a different drug that would be more effective for them. Knowing the presence or absence of mutations in a certain gene can choose the treatment path for that patient.

The NHS can currently test for mutations in 2 or 3 genes -- genes called BRAF, EGFR or KRAS -- using older sequencing technology that has been around for decades. Efforts are being made to look at increasing the number of cancer genes sequenced to nine as standard.

The Oxford scientists are the first to make such multi-gene tests possible in the NHS using the latest DNA sequencing techniques. The NHS service they have launched looks for mutations in 46 genes, and they are now working towards verifying the use of a test involving 150 genes.

Having a diagnostic test or 'panel' that can screen for mutations in multiple genes at once will be important for access to all the new cancer drugs that are coming along.

'It will be very difficult to manage in NHS diagnostic labs without gene panels,' explains Dr Schuh. 'Currently, new cancer drugs tend to get approved alongside a diagnostic test specific to that drug which can determine which patients will benefit. But as more and more drugs like this come along, we can't possibly run all the many different separate tests this could mean. We need one test for a range of drugs.'

Dr Taylor adds: 'We wanted a test that would use the latest DNA sequencing techniques to detect a wide range of mutations in a wide range of genes. A test that would be able to cover more cancers and more treatments, all for a similar cost to conventional methods.'

The test is run on a next generation sequencing platform from Life Technologies Corporation, called the Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM(TM)). The test and accompanying software have been substantially modified as requested by the Oxford team to fulfil diagnostic standards in their lab.

This work was co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board, the UK's innovation agency, through a grant to the NIHR Oxford BRC, Life Technologies Corporation, AstraZeneca, and Janssen Research & Development, LLC, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies.

As part of the test development, the Oxford team looked to improve the initial sample preparation in the lab, and to provide the software and infrastructure support to handle and analyse the amount of information involved. Most importantly, the Oxford group has carried out tests and comparisons to verify the robustness of the technique with cancer biopsies direct from patients.

The team compared the new 46 gene test against conventional techniques for 80 consecutive cancer biopsies in the hospital lab's workflow.

The next-generation DNA sequencing method detected all the mutations the conventional method did; it detected new mutations the conventional method didn't; and detected mutations present at much lower levels in the samples. The time taken for the 46 gene test also fitted into the standard turnaround time for samples at the lab.

There is definite benefit in screening some of the 46 genes included in the test; there is probable or likely clinical benefit in screening some of the others; mutations in further genes might be important in some cancers but not others; and the other genes, we don't know as yet. But having this information means researchers can investigate whether a mutation has biological significance.

'We can keep data, bank it and link it with anonymised clinical data on patients' cancers for future research,' explains Dr Schuh.

The test looks for mutations in 'hotspot' regions of each gene -- areas where mutations are more likely to occur. This does mean the test may miss up to 5% of mutations, as they can occur elsewhere, but this is still significantly better than the 'false negative' rate using current methods.

It can also detect mutations present in only 5% of the tumour cells present in a sample. This is much lower than is possible currently, and is important in being able to capture information from cells present in only small numbers in a tumour, but which are still important in driving cancer growth.

Having shown that it is possible to introduce the 46 gene test as an NHS service, the researchers are now moving on to investigate the potential of a test that will sequence 150 genes. The team will use the test first of all with 500 existing samples from patients taking part in cancer clinical trials to be able to compare the results retrospectively with information from the trials. They will then use the test with 1000 new cancer biopsies to better understand how the extra information could be used in guiding treatments for patients and their outcomes.

Dr Schuh says: '"Panel" tests have significant potential while we wait for the cost of sequencing whole patient genomes to come down. Even then, panel tests may be with us for some time. After whole genome sequencing does come into use, it may be that panel tests are used first with patients' biopsies, with only those whose panel test shows no result having their entire DNA sequenced to look for rarer genetic changes.'

Lord Howe, Health Minister, said: 'We want to be among the best countries in the world at treating cancer and know that better tailored care for patients could potentially save lives.

'Health research like this is incredibly important and I'm delighted we could support the work of researchers in Oxford through the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre.

'By rapidly translating findings from genetics research into real benefits for patients, their work will make sure that patients get the right treatments straight away, reduce potential side effects and also help us use NHS funds more effectively.'

The 46-gene panel is based on Ion AmpliSeq(TM) chemistry from Life Technologies Corporation. The test requires a very small amount of DNA (5 nanograms), an advantage when working with clinical samples that are typically limited in quantity.

The Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM(TM) and Ion AmpliSeq(TM) are for Research Use Only, not intended for use in diagnostic procedures. Life Technologies intends to pursue CE-IVD designation for the PGM.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/auuouxKLTHo/130325101533.htm

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'Iron Man 3' Unveils Gwyneth Paltrow-Filled Trailer: Watch Now!

The upcoming Marvel movie unleashes loads of new footage, including a new look for Paltrow.
By Brett White

Gwyneth Paltrow in "Iron Man 3"
Photo: Marvel

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1704249/iron-man-3-trailer-gwyneth-paltrow.jhtml

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Where are people under 35 buying their cars?

People under 35 aren't as interested in owning a car as their parents and grandparents, but when they are they're focusing less on Japanese brands and turning to Detroit and South Korea.?

By Richard Read,?Guest blogger / March 23, 2013

A five-door European Ford Fiesta in 'Hot Magenta.' A larger share of under-35 car buyers are turning their backs on Japanese brands and buying from Detroit's big three (including Ford) and South Korea.

PrNewsFoto/File

Enlarge

The data is clear: folks under 35 aren't as interested in owning a car as their parents and grandparents were. But that doesn't mean they've given up on cars entirely -- and when they do need a set of wheels, they're spending less time loitering on the lots of Toyota, Honda, and other Japanese brands.

Skip to next paragraph The Car Connection

High Gear Media?s flagship website offers news, reviews, and the latest shopping tools for the cars that matter to US consumers. For more expert insights from Car Connection editors and opinions from around the Web,?click here.

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That's big news, and it comes to us via studies at both?Edmunds and R.L. Polk.

As recently as 2008, folks between the ages of 24 and 34 heavily favored Japanese auto brands. Of all the cars young shoppers bought that year, a stunning 50.6% came from Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and other Japanese manufacturers.

That same year, just?35.4% of young buyers purchased vehicles from Chrysler, Ford, or General Motors.

But oh, what a difference four years can make: in 2012, Japanese automakers lost huge market share among?25-to-34-year-olds, slipping nearly eight points to 42.9%.

Where did those young shoppers go for their vehicles? Some went to the Big Three: Detroit's auto share among that demographic edged upward to 36.8%. That's in part due to snazzy rides that fit Millennials' budgets, like the Chevrolet Spark, Fiat 500, and Ford Fiesta.

But when it comes to market share, the biggest winner may be South Korean automakers -- specifically, Hyundai and Kia. In 2008, the two brands accounted for just 5% of sales to young auto shoppers. In 2012, that figure had doubled to around 10%.

According to Edmunds.com's?Jessica Caldwell, that's not only because of youth-oriented rides like the Hyundai Veloster and Kia Soul, it's also because the twin brands have loosened credit restrictions for younger buyers, who might not have the long work history needed to secure loans elsewhere.

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best auto bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger,?click here.?To add or view a comment on a guest blog, please go to the blogger's own site by clicking on the link in the blog description box above.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/zmqyuRsi_r0/Where-are-people-under-35-buying-their-cars

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New clue in South Korea cyberattack reveals link to Chinese criminals

Cybersleuths picking through the digital bread crumbs left behind in Wednesday's massive South Korea cyberattack have found an interesting morsel: Apparently hackers used an 'exploit tool' made in China to infiltrate the computer networks.

By Mark Clayton,?Staff writer / March 22, 2013

Korean Broadcasting System employees in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday try to recover a computer server a day after a cyberattack caused computer networks at the company to crash.

KBS/AP

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The source of the cyberattack that damaged 32,000 computers at several banks and television stations in South Korea Wednesday remains unclear, but the digital traces left behind have led one cybersleuth to suggest that it has clear links to Chinese cybercrime organizations.

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Though South Korean investigators initially said they had traced the attack to an Internet address in China, they have since stepped back from that statement. Yet cybersecurity experts looking at file names, Internet domain names, and other digital detritus left behind by the attackers ? which has been published on Korean technical blogs ? are coming to their own conclusions.

The information posted online has led Jaime Blasco, a cybersecurity researcher in San Mateo, Calif., to suggest that the attackers gained access to the computers though a so-called ?exploit kit? apparently designed by cybercriminals in China and often used to target South Korea.

The finding doesn?t implicate the Chinese government ? or exonerate it. Nor does it provide any clarity on whether North Korea was involved ? though some experts say the exploit kit is just the sort of cybercrime tool that North Korea might be inclined to purchase on the black market.

What Mr. Blasco?s investigation clarifies is how the damage was done ? providing clues that could help crack the mystery of who was responsible.

?What we see are traces that the attackers used for their intrusion into the banks and other companies a criminal exploit kit written in China,? says Blasco, a researcher with AlienVault. ?It would be easy for whoever did this attack to rent or purchase this exploit tool and then use it to get into the banks to leave behind the wiper malware.?

Researchers with Sophos, a cybersecurity company in Britain, on Wednesday identified the malware that did the damage: a destructive ?wiper? program dubbed ?DarkSeoul? that overwrites critical parts of the computer. Its origin has not been identified although the attack on its face bore a striking similarity to the wiper program used in an August 2012 attack on the oil firm Saudi Aramco.

What was not known was how did the attackers first infiltrated the banks? networks, created digital backdoors, and then moved around those networks to deliver DarkSeoul.

So Blasco took the file names identified on the Korean technical blogs and then began painstakingly comparing them to a large database of known malware. What he discovered were numerous detailed matches with a single piece of Chinese malware called the Gondad exploit kit. The kit infects personal computers with a trojan program that opens a digital backdoor and hands over control of the infected computer to an attacker.

From that point, the computer becomes a ?bot? or ?zombie? that can be accessed and controlled by anyone who rented or purchased Gondad. The Gondad botnet has enslaved 400,000 computers in 89 countries, making it the 65th largest botnet in the world, according to AVG Technologies, an antivirus company based in Brno, Czech Republic. What?s notable is that 73 percent of all of Gondad victims worldwide reside in South Korea.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Ts54UFtIc_0/New-clue-in-South-Korea-cyberattack-reveals-link-to-Chinese-criminals

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Faith Hope & Blessings: Thoughts on Engagements

As I was driving today, I started thinking about engagements.? The act of proposing and what you?re really saying.? I don?t like admitting it, but I?ve been proposed to 3 times.? And looking back, the proposal itself was kind of an interesting indication of how the relationship would go.? This was especially true the first time and the last time.?

I feel like engagements, just like many relationships, have become a joke.? It?s like ?just the next step?.? But really, it isn?t.? When you propose to someone, you are promising to marry them.? I feel that proposals should be taken as seriously as marriage (and I also believe that marriages today need a good overhaulin? too!)? If the girl?s dad would like it if you?d ask his permission first, do it.? Not that hard of a step, right?? (As many of you guys are shivering in your boots.? Sorry, it may be a harder step for some of you.)? But I do feel like if that?s a step that should be taken, then it helps you recognize the seriousness of the commitment that you are entering into.

Most girls dream of getting married someday.? We like looking at the ?shineys? and the ?prettys? and just dreaming.? That?s called being a girl!? That doesn?t mean that you should take that as a sign to get engaged.? Yeah, we may want it, but the real question is, is your relationship ready for that kind of commitment?? Before Forest and I considered getting engaged, we talked A LOT.? We both believed that just because we had a child, that wasn?t a valid reason to get married if we were not meant to be.? (Common mistake I feel that many make!? Just because you made one mistake, doesn?t meant that you need to make another mistake to try to make the first mistake right.)? Some of the talks that we had were kind of harshly honest.? We knew there were things that we disagreed on and there things that we both knew we needed work on in our own separate lives.? And eventually, over time, we began to feel that this was a step that our relationship was ready for and a promise that we were ready to make.? Is our relationship perfect?? No.? But we?re both willing to work on it.? Yes, we?ll fight here and there, but at the end of the day, we can talk things out and not be afraid to admit that we need to work on things.

I guess my main reason for writing up these thoughts is, I REALLY want to encourage you guys out there to remember engagement isn?t just another step.? It isn?t something that you should feel pressured into doing if you?re not ready.? It is something that you and significant other should sit down and really discuss.? If you have ANY doubts about spending the rest of your life with your significant other, then engagement is not what you need to be thinking about.? Girls, I know we all dream about our fairy tale day, but divorce is one UGLY nightmare.? Make sure the fairy tale you?re creating has a happy ending.?

Source: http://faithhopeblessings.blogspot.com/2013/03/thoughts-on-engagements.html

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The After Math: Engadget Expand SF special

Welcome to The After Math, where we attempt to summarize this week's tech news through numbers, decimal places and percentages.

Last weekend, we wrapped up our inaugural Expand event, and while several of our international editors (yours truly included) are still battle a testing combination of jetlag and the sniffles, we've pulled together some numbers that should offer at least a glimpse at how the weekend in San Francisco all went down. What if you missed out on all the tech, discussions, Engadget editors and giveaways this time? We wouldn't worry. Next stop, New York.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/VpXthICxDpI/

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