Sightings

Stanford cybersecurity expert Herb Lin says the Oct. 21 cyberattack that snarled traffic on major websites reveals weaknesses in the Internet of Things that need to be addressed. But stricter security requirements could slow innovation, cost more and be difficult to enforce. "It was a distributed denial-of-service attack on a major internet services provider. The company [Dyn] operates much of the internet's infrastructure. It's not a consumer-facing company, but is in between the user and a company like, say, Amazon." more »

Doris O'Brien writes: Casting a ballot is usually a biannual event. But the obligatory trek to pick up our paper-based stash has for many of us become an urgent daily ritual. For some, the habit may have even morphed into an obsession. At the appropriate time of year, for example, we may happily discover a birthday card or two, sent to us by those who still buy and lick stamps. And if we're lucky, the holiday season may bring a comparative bonanza of greetings — though, again, there's always the chance of ending up as disappointed as Charlie Brown.                more »

"In 2014, SSH commissioned a 2,000-person national survey in the USA. The survey found that 65% of all women had experienced street harassment. Among all women, 23% had been sexually touched, 20% had been followed, and 9% had been forced to do something sexual. Among men, 25% had been street harassed (a higher percentage of LGBT-identified men than heterosexual men reported this) and their most common form of harassment was homophobic or transphobic slurs (9%)." more »

The renovated homes are helping to bring downtrodden neighborhoods back to life, while making homeownership possible for some first-time and low-income buyers. "This flipping activity could be seen as a social good if it's bringing houses up to standards and putting them back on the market," said Steven Swidler, an Auburn University professor who has studied flipping. "In other areas it could be putting it beyond the price points for affordable housing for some people. It’s all about location, location, location." more »