Inside the precision hack

Neal Stevens · 04-19-2009, 09:41 PM

Quote:

There’s a scene toward the end of the book Contact by Carl Sagan, where the protagonist Ellie Arroway finds a Message embedded deep in the digits of PI. The Message is perhaps an artifact of an extremely advanced intelligence that apparently manipulated one of the fundamental constants of the universe as a testament to their power as they wove space and time. I’m reminded of this scene by the Time.com 100 Poll where millions have voted on who are the world’s most influential people in government, science, technology and the arts. Just as Ellie found a Message embedded in PI, we find a Message embedded in the results of this poll. Looking at the first letters of each of the top 21 leading names in the poll we find the message “marblecake, also the game”. The poll announces (perhaps subtly) to the world, that the most influential are not the Obamas, Britneys or the Rick Warrens of the world, the most influential are an extremely advanced intelligence: the hackers.

LINK

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TarJak · 04-20-2009, 07:06 AM

Some people definately have way too much time on their hands. Sloppy programming from the Time.com guys but in the end why would they put a load of effort into hack proofing a poll that really has no great importance in the scheme of things anyway?

Arclight · 04-20-2009, 07:21 AM

If you bothered putting it up, might as well bother keeping it in order.

Bit of encryption would have helped, but I doubt it would have stopped those guys though.

kiwi_2005 · 04-20-2009, 07:47 AM

Pass.

jumpy · 04-20-2009, 11:15 AM

Hijack...

Ah, Carl Sagan, what a great guy. I was spellbound by the documentary 'Cosmos' when I was a child. Some of it might be a little out of date now, but it's still fascinating.
Also reminds me; Jacob Bronowski - The Ascent of Man (also produced by the same guys who later worked on Cosmos). Wonderful documentary series.
No surprise that Sir David Attenborough had a hand in the Ascent of Man.
Shame there's very little to equal their like these days.

SteamWake · 04-20-2009, 01:37 PM

Evidently 'hacker' looks good on a job resume now...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517039,00.html

Arclight · 04-20-2009, 01:43 PM

It always did. Friend of mine got charged for a hack (charges were dropped few years later). He didn't finish high-school, has no educational papers to show, but landed a job as administrator no problem. If you've got the skill, there's plenty of people who will pay for them.

04-20-2009, 07:06 AM	#2
TarJak Sea Knight Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 13,059 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	Some people definately have way too much time on their hands. Sloppy programming from the Time.com guys but in the end why would they put a load of effort into hack proofing a poll that really has no great importance in the scheme of things anyway? __________________ "there's nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all" - Peter Drucker GWX Website TarJaks Funkraum 2008 Subsim Meet Photo Album

04-20-2009, 07:21 AM	#3
Arclight SUBSIM Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,155 Downloads: 48 Uploads: 10	If you bothered putting it up, might as well bother keeping it in order. Bit of encryption would have helped, but I doubt it would have stopped those guys though. __________________

04-20-2009, 07:47 AM	#4
kiwi_2005 Navy Seal Join Date: May 2004 Location: Aeoteroa Posts: 7,491 Downloads: 223 Uploads: 1	Pass. __________________ Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.

04-20-2009, 11:15 AM	#5
jumpy Ocean Warrior Join Date: May 2003 Location: Midlands, UK Posts: 2,737 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0	Hijack... Ah, Carl Sagan, what a great guy. I was spellbound by the documentary 'Cosmos' when I was a child. Some of it might be a little out of date now, but it's still fascinating. Also reminds me; Jacob Bronowski - The Ascent of Man (also produced by the same guys who later worked on Cosmos). Wonderful documentary series. No surprise that Sir David Attenborough had a hand in the Ascent of Man. Shame there's very little to equal their like these days. __________________ when you’ve been so long in the desert, any water, no matter how brackish, looks like life

04-20-2009, 01:37 PM	#6
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,953 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Evidently 'hacker' looks good on a job resume now... http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517039,00.html __________________ Follow the progress of Mr. Mulligan : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147648

04-20-2009, 01:43 PM	#7
Arclight SUBSIM Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,155 Downloads: 48 Uploads: 10	It always did. Friend of mine got charged for a hack (charges were dropped few years later). He didn't finish high-school, has no educational papers to show, but landed a job as administrator no problem. If you've got the skill, there's plenty of people who will pay for them. __________________

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