Interesting Links for 28-04-2016

[andrewducker]

A majority of US millennials now reject capitalism (tags: capitalism usa polls ) German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses (tags: virus germany security OhForFucksSake nuclearpower ) The New Yorker manage to write nearly a thousand words on a new 120-sided die and not mention roleplaying once... (tags: roleplaying games mathematics )

Comments

[steer]

Doctor’s strike results in Daleks conquering the universe

I think this is the story arc that leads to eight regenerating into the War Doctor.

[ggreig]

I am disappointed. The words were not on the die at all.

The sand castles made up for it though :-)

[darkoshi]

I got to the end of the article too, wondering why it hadn't mentioned anything about all the tiny words written on the die.

[gonzo21]

How on earth did the viruses wind up on the nuclear power plants computers if it's not connected to the internet?!

I thought most workplaces now knew they couldn't leave open USB ports around the place for dumbasses to plug shit into. Pretty good argument that all USB ports should be locked in places like that.

[nojay]

The viruses didn't end up on the nuclear power plant's "computers", they were found on a bunch of ancillary computers like the administration office machines, training systems and the like. The control and safety systems for the reactors aren't connected to the Internet and they don't have USB ports that can run software from memory sticks. But it's nuclear so time to tear hair and run around screaming "the sky is falling!"

We've got a big gas terminal and plastics manufacturing plant about fifteen miles upwind from our city -- it's got a few kilotonnes of explosive gases in its tanks at any time of the day or night and if it blew up it would kill hundreds of people immediately. I expect any sort of audit of its office and general admin computers would reveal a pile of viruses and malware. I really REALLY hope the process control systems are locked down and don't have malware but it's not nuclear so the safety rules are not as stringent. See also "Flixborough" and "Bhopal" for "it's not nuclear so there's nothing to worry about".

[lilchiva]

We've got a big gas terminal and plastics manufacturing plant about fifteen miles upwind from our city

This is not a magical equivalence. There are dangerous man made things in the world.(see Bhopal disaster) However, nuclear power is one of those things that we have consistently demonstrated that we can not, as group, safely manage. Again, I am unsure why anyone is pro-nuclear when you could simply be pro-solar and be done with it. However, having previously been "pro-nuclear", I am more than happy to discuss it with you or anyone else.
Also:

"The viruses, which include "W32.Ramnit" and "Conficker", were discovered at Gundremmingen's B unit in a computer system retrofitted in 2008 with data visualization software associated with equipment for moving nuclear fuel rods"

Unless my reading comprehension has taken an unexpected hit, this would actually qualify as part of the control system.

[a_pawson]

Have you read about the Stuxnet worm? The CIA basically left USB sticks containing it lying around close to an Iranian nuclear facility. Eventually an employee found one, took it into the plant and plugged it into a computer to see what was on it. Sometimes hacking is incredibly low tech.

[supergee]

My father, a math teacher, had D&D dice in the 50s.

[bart_calendar]

Which happened first the UK Hillborough thing or The Who concert in Cincinnati.

It seems like one event should have prevented the other.

[danieldwilliam]

The Who concert happened about ten years before Hillsborough.

I'm honestly not sure they are on all fours - in that understanding what happened at the Who concert probably wouldnt have prevented the Hillsborough disaster. The policing of football in the UK in the 80's was against a backdrop of football hooliganism, political unrest and politicisesd police hooliganism. I think a significant factor in the Hillsborough disaster was that the police viewed football supporters as the enemy rather than as a large and excited group of fellow citizens who needed to be firmly but respectfully crowd managed.

[bart_calendar]

"the police viewed football supporters as the enemy rather than as a large and excited group of fellow citizens who needed to be firmly but respectfully crowd managed."

That's pretty much how police viewed rock music fans when The Who thing happened.

[danieldwilliam]

In which case maybe they are more similar than I thought.

That said - I think a really important aspect of Hillsborough (and maybe The Who concert as you suggest) is that the police saw the crowd as something to be feared and confronted. I'm not sure that, if the South Yorkshire Police had examined the crowd control defects in Cincinnatti they'd necessarily have changed the way they behaved - because the enemy don't deserve to be treated well.