FACEBOOK STATUS AND THE IMPERFECT ALIBI

Rodney Bradford is a lucky guy. Charged with committing a robbery in Brooklyn last November, Bradford was freed when his lawyer proved that Bradford's Facebook status updated a minute before the robbery began. The computer that sent the update was in Harlem. Since Bradford didn't display the ability to be in two places at the same time, prosecutors dropped the charges.

But here's the kicker: There are several ways Bradford could have updated his Facebook status and have it appear that he was at home the whole time. Before I go on, I should add that based upon what I know of the case, I think he was innocent. But I also think his case sets a dangerous precedent -- a clever person could now orchestrate a crime and create a virtual alibi.

While I don't believe Bradford was involved in the robbery, I also know the evidence that led to the prosecutors dropping the charges wasn't adequate (assuming media reports from papers like the New York Post are telling the whole story). If the Facebook status update was the clincher, that's bad news.

Here are a few ways someone could update his or her Facebook status while simultaneously committing a crime across town:

1. Have someone else log in and write the update. This is the least technical method. Enlist the help of an accomplice to write your update for you. Split the loot when you get back.
2. Use a service like LogMeIn or GoToMyPC to access your own computer remotely. You can control your machine as if you were there in person and schedule a Facebook update. It will look like it came from your home computer -- because it did.
3. Build a virtual networking computing (VNC) server. This isn't as hard as it sounds -- computers running Mac OS X 10.4 or better or Windows Vista Ultimate or better already have the capability to act as a VNC server. You can even use an app like Mocha VNC to connect to your computer through an iPhone. Control your machine as if you were at the keyboard.

In short, a virtual alibi isn't really worth that much. In Bradford's case, attorneys subpoenaed Facebook to make sure the status update came from his home. Facebook confirmed this was the case. But as I point out, that doesn't necessarily mean Bradford was actually home. Right now, the law is lagging behind technology. Many lawyers don't really know what is and isn't possible using computers. As a result, attorneys drop charges for the wrong reasons.

Perhaps the lawyers did know all the possibilities. Perhaps they dropped the charges because the evidence coupled with everything else they knew about Bradford was enough to convince them he wasn't the right guy. It could be another case of the media not reporting the whole story. But if lawyers think that there's no way to create a fake virtual alibi, we may be in for some serious crimes committed by Web-savvy bad guys.

Source: news.discovery.com/

ONE DAY POEM

Jiyeon Song has created this cool dome shaped contraption.

Using a complex array of perforations, the pavilion's surface 

allows light to pass through creating shifting patterns, which

-during specific times of the year-transform into the legible 

text of a poem. The specific arrangements of the perforations 

reveal different shadow-poems according to the solar calendar.

13 Amazing Facts about Burj Dubai – The World’s tallest building

– Is the tallest man made structure on earth as of today, January 4th 2010, when it is being inaugurated. Dubai was recently in news for its economic crisis, but even amidst all the chaos the Arabs have made it happen. Opening the Burj Dubai (Meaning the tower of Dubai) to the world. And when Dubai does something, it does it overwhelmingly well, and this one is no different. Read about the Burjj Dubai facts here.

1 – US$800,000,000.00 was pumped into building this architectural marvel.

Now, who’s talking about economic crisis.

2 – The Burj Dubai Adress – P.O Box No. 1, Burj Dubai, Dubai

Easy to remember, is it not ?

3. How would it look, had Burj been in the US ?

4. Building consists of 57 elevators, 1,044 residential apartments and 49 floors of office space.

5. An office space costs US $4,000 per square feet.

6. Giorgio Armani opens his first ever Hotel chain in Burj Dubai.

7. The building is 818 m tall but can be reached at 60 seconds by elevator

8. The entire building consists of 162 floors.

9. Burj Dubai is said to have used 330,000 cubic meters of concrete, which would be equal the weight of 100,000 elephants.

10. 293 2.93 Eiffel Towers should be stacked one after another to match Burj Dubai’s height.

11. From the top of Burj, a total of 80 Kilometres can be seen around it.

12. 28,261 Glass panel cover the entire outside panels.

13. The Burj Dubai design is based on a flower calledHymenocallis a.k.a Desert Flower

Image courtesy – Dubai Tower