Author Archives: Michael Froomkin

Somewhat Amazing Kitchen Trick

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

VIDEO: How to Peel a Head of Garlic in Less Than 10 Seconds.

I have to try this. As my first cookbook said, “If your friends don’t like garlic, get new friends.”

(Spotted via Lifehacker.)

Posted in Personal | 2 Comments

Bedfellows? Us?

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

The loonies over at NOM have come out against Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for co-sponsoring the ‘Respect for Marriage Act’, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Ros-Lehtinen’s one consistent deviation from far-right GOP orthodoxy has been on gay rights. FL-18, where I happen to live, also includes Key West and a chunk of South Beach, all very gay-friendly territory.

How odd to find myself opposing a candidate also opposed by the so-called National Organization for [some] Marriage. And how irrelevant we both are to the disposition of this very safe seat.

Posted in Politics: FL-18 | 2 Comments

Priv3 for Firefox — Block Social Networking Trackers

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

I think anyone who uses social software wants Priv3: Practical Third-Party Privacy, especially as tracking by these outfits seems on the rise:

How Priv3 Works

Blocking simple "web bugs" or "trackers" is fairly straightforward, because doing so does not harm your web surfing experience. By contrast, completely blocking social networking features is counterproductive, because doing prevents you from actually using these features—say to leave a comment, or to "like" something—when you would like to do so.

Therefore, Priv3 does not block third-party interactions completely. Instead, it selectively suppresses the inclusion of third-party web cookies when your browser pulls in content from the social networks, but does provide them if you decide to interact with the social networking features. You still see the number of "likes" the page has accumulated on Facebook or the comments other people left using Facebook’s discussion mechanism. Facebook however only learns the IP address of the computer you are using.

Should you decide to interact with the social feature, Priv3 detects any mouseclick or keystroke directed at the feature. It then reloads it with your session cookies and passes on the click or keystroke, thus revealing your identity to the social network and informing it of your desired action.

Priv3’s Currently Supported Social Networking Sites

Priv3 currently understands the interactive features of the following social networks:

Facebook
Twitter
Google +1
LinkedIn

We will expand the list in the future, as needed.

Posted in Software | 7 Comments

I’m Back

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

I seem to have survived my trip to Oxford. Anything happen while I was away?

Posted in Talks & Conferences | 3 Comments

Bruce Schneier’s “Three Emerging Cyber Threats”

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

I agree with Bruce’s Three Emerging Cyber Threats, especially the first two. Haven’t thought enough about the third, but maybe I should.

Posted in Internet | Comments Off on Bruce Schneier’s “Three Emerging Cyber Threats”

Fighting the ICANN Marshmallow

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

ICANN seems to have improved since its early days, but hasn’t, it seems, transcended its secrecy DNA. Kieren McCarthy, former insider, now critic, fights with the marshmallow that is ICANN faced with any request by powerless outsiders. How long can the ICANN Board hide its secret meeting?

The issue: did the Board have a secret meeting to discuss whether to keep its (now-departing) CEO? Note that having a meeting to discuss a sensitive personnel matter and then not disclosing the minutes would not be controversial — even radical ICANN transparency types like me could agree that’s appropriate. The issue is whether there actually was the secret meeting Kieren suspects, and if so why the coverup?

Posted in Internet | Comments Off on Fighting the ICANN Marshmallow