The Free Software Foundation Campaigning to Stop UEFI SecureBoot

The Free Software Foundation is on an offensive against restricted boot systems and is busy appealing for donations and pledge in the form of signatures in a bid to stop systems such as the UEFI SecureBoot from being adopted on a large-scale basis and becoming a norm in the future.

The FSF, through an appeal on its website, is requesting users to sign a pledge titled "Stand up for your freedom to install free software" that they won’t be purchasing or recommending for purchase any such system that is SecureBoot enabled or some other form of restricted boot techniques. The FSF has managed to receive, as of this writing, over 41,000 signatures. Organizations like the Debian, Edoceo, Zando, Wreathe and many others have also showed their support for the campaign.

The Foundation acknowledges that SecureBoot, if implemented correctly, will help protect systems from malware and other such threats. But, it believes that Microsoft and other hardware manufacturers will implement boot restrictions thus preventing users from installing other operating systems. “...we are concerned that Microsoft and hardware manufacturers will implement these boot restrictions in a way that will prevent users from booting anything other than Windows”,reads the appeal.

Beyond the signatures, FSF is also asking individuals to come forward and donate $50 USD (minimum) for the cause of stopping the SecureBoot. “We need to raise $350,000 by January 31st to help us amplify your voices in 2013. Please, donate today to help us turn up the volume”, notes the campaign page. You can find more information on the campaign here.

SecureBoot has received a lot of criticism from various open source organizations. Promoters of Linux such as the Linux Foundation have already started working towards coming up with ways to make Linux work on UEFI enabled hardware. The Linux Foundation recently released a minimal UEFI SecureBoot preloader that will enable users to install Linux distributions on SecureBoot hardware.

Source: http://paritynews.com/software/item/530-the-free-software-foundation-campaigning-to-stop-uefi-secureboot

Cree Reaches LED Industry Milestone with 200 Lumen-Per-Watt LED

DURHAM, NC -- Two years after breaking the 200 lumens-per-watt (LPW) R&D efficacy barrier, Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) delivers another industry first with the introduction of the Cree XLamp® MK-R LEDs. The new MK-R LEDs leverage the SC³ Technology™ next-generation LED platform to deliver up to 200 lumens-per-watt (at 1 W, 25°C) LEDs.

The new MK-R LEDs make the next generation of 100+ lumens-per-watt system possible for high-lumen applications, including outdoor and indoor directional applications, such as halogen replacement lamps. MK-R LEDs are available in EasyWhite® color temperatures, providing the LED industry’s best color consistency for designs that use only one LED. For systems that use multiple LEDs, MK-R enables manufacturers to use fewer LEDs while still maintaining light output and quality, which translates to lower system cost.

“It’s amazing that Cree is able to achieve a 200 lumens-per-watt LED so quickly,” said Nicola Vendrame, CEO, Linea Light group. “The high efficacy of the MK-R LED means that we can drive the LED harder for more light output without creating heat issues. In addition, the MK-R LED has the right combination of size, color consistency and optical control to enable the next generation of performance in our indoor directional luminaires.”

“Cree’s relentless innovation continues to push the boundaries of what is possible with LED lighting,” said John Edmond, Cree co-founder and director of advanced optoelectronics. “The MK-R LED is another game-changer for the industry. An LED with this level of performance can accelerate the development of high-output lighting applications and could enable applications we haven’t even thought of yet.”

The MK-R LED features a 7 mm x 7 mm footprint with a 6 mm optical source and delivers up to 1600 lumens at 15 W, 85°C. Characterized at 85°C, the MK-R component is available in 2700 K to 7000 K color temperatures and offers minimum CRI options of 70, 80 and 90 (at selected color temperatures). The MK-R LED is the ninth product built on Cree’s SC³ Technology platform. The innovative platform leverages Cree’s advanced silicon-carbide technology, features advancements in LED chip architecture and phosphor and boasts a new package design to deliver the most advanced LED components in the industry.

Cree Reaches LED Industry Milestone with 200 Lumen-Per-Watt LED

Obama Administration: We Can and Will Force Christians to Act Against Their Faith | CNS News

(CNSNews.com) - In a legal argument formally presented in federal court in the case of Hobby Lobby v. Kathleen Sebelius, the Obama administration is claiming that the First Amendment—which expressly denies the government the authority to prohibit the “free exercise” of religion—nonetheless allows it to force Christians to directly violate their religious beliefs even on a matter that involves the life and death of innocent human beings.

Because federal judges—including Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor—have refused to grant an injunction protecting the owners of Hobby Lobby from being forced to act against their Christian faith, those owners will be subject to federal fines of up to $1.3 million per day starting Tuesday for refusing to include abortion-inducing drugs in their employee health plan.

The Obama administration is making a two-fold argument for why it can force Christians to act against their faith in complying with the regulation it has issued under the Obamacare law that requires virtually all health care plans to cover, without co-pay, sterilizations, contraceptives, and abortion-inducing drugs.

Obama Administration: We Can and Will Force Christians to Act Against Their Faith | CNS News

Japan whaling fleet leaves port for Antarctica

Japan's whaling research ship 'Nisshin Maru' is seen leaving from Innoshima island port in Hiroshima prefecture, western Japan, on December 28, 2012. Japanese whaling vessels left port bound for the Southern Ocean on their annual hunt for the huge marine mammals, according to a media report and Greenpeace. Japanese whaling vessels left port Friday bound for the Southern Ocean on their annual hunt for the huge marine mammals, a media report and Greenpeace said.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2012-12-japan-whaling-fleet-port-antarctica.html#jCp

MK802 II Mini PC Now Costs as Much as Raspberry Pi Model B. Let’s Compare Them!

MK802 mini PC quickly went viral as it launched in May 2012 for $74 US, and since then many Chinese manufacturers have jumped into the market bringing both new faster devices, and the price down. AllWinner A10s, a low cost version of AllWinner A10 used in MK802, was also launched specifically for this market to bring costs even lower. Today, I’ve been informed an HDMI TV dongle based on AllWinner A10s that sells for $36.55 on Tinydeal.com which is a very good price, but decided to check on Aliexpress to look for comparable deals, and found one shop selling MK802 II for $34.91 including shipping via China Post, which makes it cheaper than the Raspberry Pi model B selling for $35 excluding shipping.

Read more: http://www.cnx-software.com/2012/12/26/mk802-ii-mini-pc-now-costs-as-much-as-raspberry-pi-model-b-lets-compare-them/#ixzz2GN0CBDhy

Screen management got magic

"As you may know Dan Vrátil and I are working in a brand new screen manager that will solve most of the issues that we currently have on the desktop, making the configuration of monitors either auto-magical or super simple.

We are trying be as smart as possible adapting the behavior of it to each use case making the configuration of monitors as simple as plugging them to your computer."

Source: http://www.afiestas.org/screen-management-got-magic/

2012 Delhi gang rape case

A female physiotherapy^[1] student was gang raped in Delhi on 16 December 2012.^[2][3] The woman, whose name has not been disclosed, is referred to as Damini (after the 1993 Hindi film Damini), Nirbhaya and Amanat by the Indian public and media.^[4][5] The victim, with a male companion, boarded a bus in South Delhi around 9:30 pm^[1]after watching a film (movie). They both were assaulted by a group of six males already on board the bus, who raped the woman.^[6] The young woman is being treated atSafdarjang Hospital, where she has been on ventilator support for five days.^[7][8]

The incident has generated public protests and international coverage,^[2][6][9] being condemned by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, who called on the Government of India and the Government of Delhi “to do everything in their power to take up radical reforms, ensure justice and reach out with robust public services to make women’s lives more safe and secure”.^[10]

At the suggestion of Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Chief Minister, five fast track courts were approved to try the rape cases.^[11] The Parliament’s Standing Committee on Home Affairs meets on 27 December 2012 to discuss the issue, with summonses for Union Home Secretary R. K. Singh and Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar.^[12] On 21 December 2012, the government promised to file the charge sheet “quickly” and seek the maximum penalty of life imprisonment for the perpetrators.^[13]

Read more @wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Delhi_gang_rape_case

Hitchhikers Guide to the BeagleBone (and ARMv7a)

The amazing post: Hitchhikers Guide to the BeagleBone (and ARMv7a)