AMA Pushes for Physician Ownership of Medical Records

Filed under “Privacy” and “Health
by Adam at 12:26 PM

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The American Medical Association wants doctors to own your electronic medical records. The reason? Their “tremendous economic value.”

(Props: The Medical Blog Network)

Cutting Through the Bird Flu Hype

Filed under “Web Links” and “Health
by Adam at 12:11 PM

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A pair of docs from Vanderbilt cut the crap and tell it like it is: you’re simply not in much danger from bird flu. At least, not yet.

The bottom line here is “don’t panic.” There are very good reasons that the medical establishment is worried about the possibility of a pandemic, but it’s nothing to get yourself worked up over right now. It could happen next month, or it could be another twenty years. They just don’t know.

The most interesting find in this article for me is the fact that modern science has traced the three flu pandemics of the twentieth century (even the infamous “Spanish flu” of 1918) back to bird flus originating in Asia. Apparently this thing rears its head every so often, and we’re just now catching on.

(Props: Notes from Dr. RW)

Immunize Against Sony’s DRM Rootkit with New Security Tool

Filed under “Software,” “Privacy,” and “Technology & the Law
by Adam at 1:27 PM

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There’s finally an easy way to protect yourself against Sony Music’s security-crippling copy protection rootkit. Anyone with recent Sony CDs in their collection should check this out pronto.

If the security scare about Sony’s over-zealous DRM efforts is news to you, Les Jenkins offers a good run-down in a recent entry. The very latest news can be found at Mark’s Sysinternals, where they’re waging an all-out crusade against Sony’s actions.

Other noteworthy links about the Sony rootkit fiasco:

(Props: Stupid Evil Bastard, Talking Spyware, Mr. Tweak, and SEB again)

Microsoft Releases Firefox Plugin for Online Product Validation

Filed under “Software” and “Technology & the Law
by Adam at 12:48 PM

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Soon you’ll no longer have to use IE to download files protected by Microsoft’s “Windows Genuine Advantage” program. According to an entry on the Internet Explorer dev team blog, a Firefox plugin is in the works that will allow you to use the popular alternative browser from the Mozilla Foundation instead.

The plugin doesn’t seem to have been released yet, but it’s something for Firefox-loving Windows users to keep an eye on. You can get the plugin here.

(Props: eWeek)

Crazy Christmas Light Show

Filed under “Oddities,” “Music,” “Science & Technology,” and “Video
by Adam at 12:37 PM

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Some guy with a lot of extra time and money has synced the Christmas lights on his house (thousands of them) to a tune by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Must be seen to be believed, so here’s the video.

Les Jenkins has more info on this over-the-top display of holiday cheer, which required tens of thousands of computer-controlled lights.

(Props: Sirbular in the TextDrive Forums)