Sponsor's Message

Right now, as I type this, a stream of particles and radiation is on a collision course with earth, having been spewed out of the sun as a result of a huge magnetic storm on its surface.

Scientists tell us that the effects of this solar flare, the third-largest in recorded history, could be devastating to our power and communications networks.

So how well are we prepared for such an event?

Are we prepared at all?

Just what would happen if dozens of communications satellites were "taken-out" by such an event -- and how would we cope if the EM fields produced took out key parts of the electricity network?

I for one would like to know what contingencies our power and ITC infrastructure providers have in place to cope with the disruptions that a major solar storm might produce.

But on the positive side -- imagine how much more pleasant and friendly people might become if the storm knocked out Sky TV's satellite broadcasting ability -- or if we actually had to visit people to have a chat, rather than just picking up the phone.

Given our incredible dependence on devices that could, in a worst-case scenario, be crippled by a really large solar flare, it's not beyond imagination that such an event could throw the entire Western world into turmoil for many months -- if not years.

Now we have a Civil Defence system that swings into action in the case of flood, storm, earthquake and other natural disaster -- I wonder if anyone from within the CD hierarchy could comment on what plans have been drawn up to deal with major outages as a result of solar prominences?

NZ Govt Stands Up For Spammers Rights
Do you find it worrying that, according to the Associate Minister for IT, anti-spam laws might be problematic due to our "fundamental rights to freedom of expression" while at the same time (thanks to the Counter-Terrorism Act) we've just been denied our fundamental rights to privacy and remaining silent to avoid self-incrimination?

It seems that rights of spammers are more important than the rights of citizens here in good old NZ.

Microsoft Responds
Last week I suggested that a number of people were flogging the copies of Office 2K3 they won in a promotional give-away on TradeMe and in local newsgroups.

Brett Roberts, Platform Strategy Manager for Microsoft NZ was kind enough to send this right of reply.

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