Blog/February 2016/Feb 26th
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< Blog | February 2016
| Feb 26th (See this week's devar torah) | Comments or questions? Click here! |
Once again we had a very busy week. There were a couple rainy days, followed by a warming trend — the past couple days have been bright and sunny, and are supposed to stay nicely warm. The world continues to amaze us.
The Apple/FBI brouhaha continued to attract a lot of press this week. Here’s one article which says Apple is affirming a Constitutional principle. Here’s another article from a digital-forensics expert. And then there’s the bizarre claim of John McAfee that he will decrypt that iPhone for free.
I think he means he will crack the PIN of the iPhone for free. Because “decrypting” the iPhone means cracking 256-bit AES encryption (which is used on the iPhone). That kind of encryption uses a key with 1077 possibilities (that’s a one with 77 zeroes after it). To put it in simple terms: if everyone on the planet had a computer (say 1010 people), and all the computers were working in tandem 24/7 to crack the encryption (say 1010 instructions per second, which is beyond current capabilities), then the computing power put to use would be about 1027 instructions per year. Assuming all that, and that an “instruction” could check one potential key, then a brute-force search for the correct key would take on the order of 1050 years.
Since our sun is only scheduled to last another 1010 years (more or less), we’re a bit short of time to brute-force any 256-bit keys. Of course, if someone discovers a significant weakness in AES encryption (or devises a great cracking algorithm) then all bets are off. But that day has not yet arrived.
Speaking of 256-bit AES, that’s the encryption used by “8th” to protect the applications it creates. Just a plug for our product, you know? The Indians are starting their campaigns to get people to use 8th. But until they start bringing in the Big Money™, we need to bring in Small Money™ of our own. So we resumed searching for contracts this week, blasting out emails to a number of our contacts. One of them responded immediately with a “you know what?” response. So we’re talking with them about doing some work. Just a little bragging: they said, “You surely know, but your response was quick and precise. Really a pleasure!”. So we’re feeling good about the prospects. I mean, I really do like beans and rice, but I don’t want to be forced into only eating beans and rice. Know what I mean?
In unexpectedly good news, we received our IRS refund check in the mail. It should have been a direct-deposit, but the IRS for its own unfathomable reasons sent a paper check. To Israel. And we actually received it. Miracles happen every day!
But the really good news is that Esther discovered that she could download and use the “app” our US bank provides, and that she could scan in the IRS check and deposit it. From Israel, to our US account. So we thereby avoid the ludicrous fees we would incur if we deposited the (very small) check to our Israeli account. Miracles happen every day!
And in even better news: Esther and I got new phones! No, not really. Instead, we replaced the batteries and screen-protectors on our existing phones, and now they seem like new phones. So for a small fraction of the cost of a new phone, we rejuvenated our trusty Nexus 4’s!
On the lighter side:
- President Obama will be visiting Cuba. OK, that’s not a “lighter-side” thing, but really: at this point, what difference does it make?
- Roger Waters is in stable condition after a Gaza tunnel collapse. Calm down, it’s a satire site.
- A recent meta-study found, shockingly!, that homeopathy was effective for 0 of 68 illnesses tested. It’s shocking that nearly pure H2O doesn’t cure very many diseases! And here I thought that sympathetic magic was something real. Live and larn.
- And on the topic of quackery: apple-cider-and-vinegar does not “transform your body from acidic to fully alkaline organism!”. You are already and permanently (until death, anyway) a “fully alkaline” organism. Kind of: your body’s pH stays strictly between 7.35 and 7.45, just alkaline of “neutral”. Were it not so, you would be killed by a glass of lemonade.
- Here’s why “Arab work” is cheaper
Again just the nuclear family this shabbat. We’ve been invited out for one meal; for the rest we’ll enjoy:
veggie-stuffed fish rolls,
veggie-stuffed eggplant rolls,
roasted potatoes,
roasted veggies,
salatim,
and pastries.
Until next time,
shabbat shalom!
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