Tag Archives: crime

How Three Amateurs Solved the Zodiac Killer’s ‘340’ Cipher

By Paul | Published August 3, 2022

Kathryn Miles reporting for Popular Mechanics: But then, in December 2020, the FBI announced a breakthrough: The 340 cipher had been solved. Not by its crack Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit, but instead by three computer wonks who’d found one another on an obscure online true-crime discussion board and started collaborating during the COVID-19 pandemic. […]

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Holler: There’s a name for that

By Paul | Published January 12, 2021

This. Much, much more of this: There’s a name for private businesses deciding they no longer want any part of what Trump and his enablers/flock are doing — it’s called “capitalism” — y’know, that thing they say they love so much? — The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) January 12, 2021

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Rather: The hypocrisy of the Trump thuggery

By Paul | Published January 12, 2021

The hypocrisy of the Trump thuggery can be epitomized by a seditious rioter beating a police officer at the Capitol with an American flag. It was never about the flag, or “blue lives matter.” These were mere props in a movement fueled by power, injustice, and racism. — Dan Rather (@DanRather) January 12, 2021 A […]

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An Attempted American Coup

By Paul | Published January 6, 2021

Make no mistake about it: what we witnessed tonight was an attempted coup d’état. Call me old-fashioned but when armed insurgents storm the U.S. Capitol at the behest of the recently defeated, but as of yet still seated U.S. President, for the stated purpose of reversing the nation’s lawful election results, I call that what […]

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Kavanaugh Lied to the Judiciary Committee—Repeatedly

By Paul | Published September 28, 2018

Thursday’s hearing didn’t prove whether Kavanaugh assaulted Ford. But we do know the Supreme Court nominee wasn’t honest in his testimony. William Saletan at Slate: Maybe Kavanaugh is an honest man in other contexts. Maybe he’s a good husband, a loving dad, and an inspiring coach. And maybe there’s no way to be certain that […]

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Apple confirms iOS 12 will close iPhone security hole used by police and criminals

By Paul | Published June 14, 2018

James Martin writing at CNET: Apple will make a method — often used by police — for getting data off iPhones much less powerful with a software update announced Wednesday. The change, called USB Restricted Mode, will close down access to data through a iPhone’s Lightning port if the phone hasn’t been unlocked in the […]

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More Than Just Russia

By Paul | Published June 12, 2018

Jeremy Scahill at The Intercept: Did Trump directly conspire with Vladimir Putin and Russia to influence the 2016 election? That is certainly possible. Will we see concrete evidence of that, especially evidence that would stand up in a court? That also is possible. […] But this much is clear: It is a major mistake to […]

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No Criminal Charges in Prince’s Death

By Paul | Published April 19, 2018

Variety: Carver County attorney Mark Metz said in a press conference on Thursday that Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose, and that charges won’t be filed in the investigation into the musician’s death.

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Remember Chain Letters? Hackers Do

By Paul | Published June 8, 2017

Ashwin Seshagiri, New York Times’ Tech Roundup: The victims have a choice […] Pay the hackers a ransom of one bitcoin, a digital currency worth roughly $2,365, in exchange for regaining access to the computer, or try to infect two new people on behalf of the attackers. That sucks.

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45 years later, FBI closes books on ‘D.B. Cooper’

By Paul | Published July 12, 2016

The last time anyone saw D.B. Cooper, he parachuted out of a Mexico City-bound airplane with $200,000 in ransom strapped to his body, vanishing over the Pacific Northwest and initiating one of America’s greatest manhunts. Forty-five years later, the FBI is closing the books on this unsolved case.

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