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SETI research program to cost small Arizona school district up to one million six hundred thousand smackers ($1,600,000) to uninstall

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http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/section/local

Metro Phoenix's East Valley region

Monday, Dec 7, 2009| 6:44 pm

IT boss in big trouble for little green men search

Higley Unified School District officials released this photo of computer wiring at one of its sites.

It is one example of several problems the district has linked to former information technology director Brad Niesluchowski.

A longtime Higley Unified School District information technology director has lost his job and is under police investigation for taking computers home, downloading pornography and installing computer software throughout the district that searches for extraterrestrial intelligence.

It will take about a year and more than $1 million in estimated costs to fix the various problems caused by Brad Niesluchowski, who had worked in the Higley district since January 2000, said Superintendent Denise Birdwell.

Brad Niesluchowski

By downloading the unauthorized software in February 2000, Niesluchowski bogged down the district's system, interfered with teachers' technology use in the classroom and used unnecessary electricity, Birdwell said.

The district was forced to replace an estimated 2,300 computer processors because of the 24-hour use of the computers. There also was a security concern because the software activity required holes in the firewall, which potentially allowed others into the district's system, she said.

"Clearly this is a disturbing find," Birdwell said. "We acted quickly and found other things, such as incompetence to ethical concerns. The district is cooperating (with Gilbert police) and is the victim."

Niesluchowski also is accused of taking at least 18 computers and other technology equipment to use in his home-based business, downloading pornography on school computers, and generally failing to do his job in the technology department, according to public records obtained by the East Valley Tribune.

Niesluchowski resigned from the district Oct. 22, in lieu of termination. He was sent a termination notice on Oct. 7.

"It was in the best interests to let the criminal courts handle it," Birdwell said.

District officials have been working with the Gilbert Police Department since mid-September, and it is considered an "active investigation," said Sgt. Mark Marino, who wouldn't comment further. A police report was not immediately available.

Niesluchowski's lawyer, Robert Arentz with Phillips & Associates, did not return calls to comment.

The dollar amount to fix the issues, including man hours to remove the software, is unknown but estimated at $1.2 million to $1.6 million. Removing the software will take several months, and should be done by the holiday break, Birdwell said.

"It's not easy to remove it," Birdwell said. "You just can't hit an uninstall button."

To find out what the problem was, Higley officials hired five technology experts to investigate. One of the technology companies, Todotech, put together a districtwide technology audit that cost $15,000. The audit was discussed Nov. 5 at a school board meeting.

The four-month audit has uncovered many problems within the technology department, and suggested district officials reorganize the information technology department. New technology director Chuck Kelly started Nov. 23. The school board approved new job descriptions, and the six current technology employees are expected to reinterview for their jobs in January to see if they are qualified for the new positions.

The problems include a network system not designed to handle the district's growth, a system in need of substantial repair and a building needed to securely house the network. There are also cabling problems and a lack of tracking inventory for technology equipment that is three years out of date.

It will take at least a year to fix all of the issues, Birdwell said.

The problems stem from Niesluchowski, who built the district's system and has held several positions within the technology department.

The software he downloaded onto district computers, known as SETI@home, is a scientific experiment that uses Internet-connected computers to analyze radio telescope data in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

The software, which is typically downloaded on a home computer, uses part of the computer's central processing unit power, disk space and network bandwidth.

Basically, whenever teachers or district employees weren't using their computer, the software kicked into gear and used the computer's power, space and bandwidth for its research. SETI@home involves millions of home users from around the world in research conducted by the University of California Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, according to their Web site.

Niesluchowski, who went by NEZ in the program, was considered a "world grid runner" for the SETI competition because of the many computers he was able to install the program on. He was seen as a "God" because of his status, Birdwell said.

Members on a message board discussing the SETI program often wondered who NEZ was because of his "high credit." One user, who went by the name Captain Avatar, even surmised that NEZ was not using all of his own computers, "probably some university or corporate system."

The problems were discovered at the beginning of the school year when teachers were having problems in the classroom with new technology installed during the summer. Five schools received interactive white boards, document cameras and laptops as part of a district technology rollout, Birdwell said.

Teachers who were using their interactive white boards in the classroom, and turned away for a few minutes to teach a lesson, turned back to see their boards had shut down. They had to reboot their computer to finish the lesson. Teachers were also having problems sending in grades, Birdwell said.

Former administrators, including former superintendent Joyce Lutrey, knew about the software and told Niesluchowski to remove it. He assured them he had removed it, and no one looked into whether it had been done, Birdwell said.

"No matter how long someone has been here, they should have been held accountable," she said. "Multiple administrators tried to handle it in a less aggressive fashion. I wish four years ago someone would have done something.

"It's been a nightmare," Birdwell said. SETI @ home's website http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/

Aussie cops howl over TV stars killing for subsistence!

Most of us are omnivores. That means we eat meat and veggies. It is the natural order. For the supermarket to stock meat an animal is killed. It is just how it is. It really is OK to be a vegan or an omnivore or a carnivore.

Reality Stars Charged for Killing Rat

An Aussie TV chef and a soap opera actor have been charged with animal cruelty for killing and eating a rat in the British edition of I'm a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! The show is filmed in Australia, and authorities there say the two didn't have permission to kill the rodent to spice up their meal. W.T.F.?!?!?! Do I need permission to kill anything for food? Even in Australia the are some proper muttonheads misusing authority! ALWAYS QUESTION AUTHORITY! Read all about it at the link here. Cut and paste to address bar.

http://tinyurl.com/yzea9vf

Rat Buritto

Also published as an ADDENDUM to

Camel-lovers boycott 'Third World' Australia. Clearly the "lovers" haven't yet heard about yummy camel steaks...

St Petersburg, Russia - Post under construction

Formerly known as Petrograd, this is Russia's second largest city and top tourism attraction. Founded by Peter the Great, fantastic, grand old buildings and monuments now characterise St Petersburg. St Petersburg, Russia. Founded by Tsar Peter I of Russia on 27 May, 1703, it was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years (1713–1728, 1732–1918). Saint Petersburg ceased being the capital in 1918 after the Russian Revolution of 1917. “The Venice of the North”. Griboyedov Canal

We All Love Lots And Lots of Robots

So Delicious! Click on the image to see this 1930 robot cartoon. Added to Quicklis Rare Aesop's Fable Paul Terry cartoon from Van Beuren. In the first half of this surreal and wildly imaginative cartoon Farmer Alfalfa is harassed by a pair of plucky chickens, and then mesmerized by a multi-talented dancing robot. R-U-R from R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (1923) Tin toy wind up robot from the 2005 movie Zathura. A few Zathera Robots have sold on eBay for $150.00. Other collector wind-up robots sell for thousands. Click on this small image, above, for the bargain $150 robot's video. TURN UP YOUR VOLUME to hear his motor! All that fun for the price of a trip to a pro ballpark! Then click on the other small image for more great robot vid. There are even more vids here if you scroll to the end. Added to Quicklis False Maria from Metropolis (1927) The Phantom Empire (1935) Click on this small image to see the trailer for this hot ultimate robot movie serial (with "Twelve Dazzling Chapters") staring The Singing Cowboy, Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette, Autry's film debut! All about cowboys AND robots, and even features a 1935 surface-to-air missile!

Undersea Kingdom (1936) The Phantom Creeps (1939). Stars Bela Lugosi. Screenplay by George Plympton. Click to see the action...Added to Quicklist Killer Robot from Mysterious Doctor Satan (1940). Another robot serial in 15 chapters. WOW. Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) THE classic sci-fii robot movie! The Day the Earth Stood Still is a 1951 science fiction film which tells the story of a humanoid alien who comes to Earth to warn its leaders not to take their conflicts into space, or they will face lethal consequences. It stars Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier, and Lock Martin. Supporting cast includes journalist Drew Pearson. The movie was adapted by Edmund H. North from the story "Farewell to the Master" by Harry Bates, and directed by Robert Wise. Click on small image above to see the trailer. Added to Quicklist Same old Gort but getting closer... Ro-Man from Robot Monster (1953) Click to see Sultry Beauty in the clutches of a Half-Crazed Monster RobotAdded to Quicklist Target Earth (1954) Tobor from Tobor the Great (1954) Tobor again. Chani from Devil Girl from Mars (1954) Robby from Forbidden Planet (1956) OMG, Robby!

Robot vs the Aztec Mummy (1958)

Click on this small image for a brilliant Hollywood depiction of an Aztec sacrifice from the sci-fi thriller Robot vs the Aztec Mummy!

Robot resting after mummy mayhem. Thinko from Sex Kittens Go To College (1960)

OK, you are just dying to know all about this one, so here goes...

Plot Summary

Collins College needs a new department head for their science department. Doctors Carter and Zorch consult Thinko, the campus computer (robot), and come up with Dr. Mathilda West, who has degrees in lots of things, but turns out to be disruptively attractive as well. Meanwhile two thugs search for Thinko who is muscling in on the race horse action. The captain of the football team is having trouble not passing out in front of the opposite sex, and Admiral McFortune, a benefactor of the college, becomes attracted to Dr. West, who has a past dangerously close to becoming public knowledge.......................................................................................................................................................................... Today's robots bravely carrying on in Thinko's stead. Here are a few robot videos for you to enjoy. Just click on the small images. More of these delightful wind-up robot videos are to be found at the incredible, delightful Spaceboystoys' Channel on You Tube. Cut and paste these links to see Spaceboystoy's wind-up robots for sale. http://tinyurl.com/yavl9rv http://spaceboystoys.tumblr.com/ No remuneration is received from Spaceboystoys by this blogger (or from anyone else, save a paltry wee pittance from my great benefactor, The U.S. Social Security Administration; a stingy return from all I paid in to them over the years, allowing me a happy, lush retirement lifestyle today. It is all actually pretty much a hoot! - for which I am truly thankful, especially for the robots!). Added to Quicklist