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| "I don't think the report is true, but these crises work for those who want to make fights between people." Kulam Dastagir, 28, a bird seller in Afghanistan
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A Nation of Bloggers and Googling by E-Mail |
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| Topic: Technology |
2:10 pm EDT, Aug 23, 2002 |
The number of Weblogs now tops a half-million, by most estimates. So it's no surprise that some bloggers, as the writers of these link-filled, diarylike sites are known, are carving some order out of chaos. There is no easy way to search for blogs by content or popularity. But a bevy of new sites offer interesting ways, if somewhat esoteric ones, to browse the blog universe. A Nation of Bloggers and Googling by E-Mail |
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Toward Distraction-Free Pervasive Computing [PDF] |
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| Topic: Technology |
6:38 pm EDT, Aug 17, 2002 |
The most precious resource in a computer system is no longer its processor, memory, disk, or network, but rather human attention. Project Aura aims to minimize distractions on a user's attention, creating an environment that adapts to the user's context and needs. This article was published in the April/June issue of IEEE Pervasive Computing. It is available here from the Project Aura web site. Toward Distraction-Free Pervasive Computing [PDF] |
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washingtonpost.com: Shake-Up Sought At WorldCom |
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| Topic: Telecom Industry |
4:19 pm EDT, Aug 17, 2002 |
Two WorldCom board members are urging other directors and creditors to fire chief executive John Sidgmore, saying his vision for bringing the telecommunications company out of bankruptcy is flawed and the company should instead be shopping itself to potential buyers. Sources said the board members have met with creditors in recent weeks, seeking their support to replace Sidgmore. One source said a group of creditors and some directors had already interviewed a potential replacement for the chief executive. washingtonpost.com: Shake-Up Sought At WorldCom |
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Record Labels Want 4 Internet Providers to Block Music Site |
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| Topic: Society |
4:02 pm EDT, Aug 17, 2002 |
Testing out a tactic to combat online piracy, a group of record companies asked a judge yesterday to order four major Internet service providers to block Americans from viewing a China-based Web site that offers thousands of copyrighted songs free of charge. The 13 record labels that filed the suit in Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan say the site, Listen4ever.com, is "even more egregious" than the music-sharing service Napster, which was shut by a court order. Through the AT&T network, the following comment appears on an otherwise blank web page: "No web site is configured at this address." Record Labels Want 4 Internet Providers to Block Music Site |
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Language Gene Is Traced to Emergence of Humans |
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| Topic: Science |
4:28 pm EDT, Aug 16, 2002 |
A study of the genomes of people and chimpanzees has yielded a deep insight into the origin of language, one of the most distinctive human attributes and a critical step in human evolution. The analysis indicates that language, on the evolutionary time scale, is a very recent development, having evolved only in the last 100,000 years or so. NYT covers the Nature publication. Language Gene Is Traced to Emergence of Humans |
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It's Not About the Technology |
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| Topic: Society |
4:21 pm EDT, Aug 16, 2002 |
People, given the ability to connect to one another, will connect to each other. That's been the power driving the Internet (and all communications technologies) since the beginning. There's been plenty written about "viral marketing," but finding viral success has been elusive. There's also been a lot of talk about building word of mouth, but that can be pretty tough, too. Three rules are clear: * Information must be of value to more than one person; the virulence of the information increases proportionally with the number of people who find it valuable. * Information must be timely. * Information must be easily portable and transmittable. In the end, the key to creating effective Internet communications is understanding that it's not about the technology. It's about connecting people to other people... and facilitating further connections. Connect the dots and win! It's Not About the Technology |
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Sept. 11 Strikes at Labs' Doors |
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| Topic: Science |
4:05 pm EDT, Aug 16, 2002 |
University officials and leading scientists are warning that new government regulations on biological research adopted in the wake of Sept. 11, and simultaneous efforts to inhibit publication, threaten to undermine the fundamental openness of science and campus life. "This has the potential for changing the definition of science, the way people do science, and even what we mean when we say science." Under the new laws, only researchers with a "legitimate need" may have access to "select agents." If research could prove useful in making biological weapons, does it belong in the public forum, or should it be suppressed by scientists or the government? Sept. 11 Strikes at Labs' Doors |
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Robot Grass Cutter Cuts Through Tedium of Mowing |
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| Topic: Technology |
3:02 pm EDT, Aug 16, 2002 |
Tired of mowing the lawn? New Zealand researchers say they have a device that could make your neighbors green with envy. It's a lawnmower operated via the Internet. "The next step is an automatic vacuum cleaner." The story isn't very good, but the meme is. Cnet and CNN have both picked this up. Now, I've been talking about this for years. Simple innovations that free people's time up have tremendous impacts on the economy. There are lawn mowers available on the market. There are vacuums in the lab. The biggest barrier to making this stuff really work is the limitations of battery power. I don't think this kind of thing will be widespread until you see lots of portable fuel cells, which may not be too long from now. Robot Grass Cutter Cuts Through Tedium of Mowing |
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Business 2.0 - Magazine Article - Printable Version - The Technology Secrets of Cocaine Inc. |
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| Topic: Business |
2:40 pm EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
Colombian cartels have spent billions of dollars to build one of the world's most sophisticated IT infrastructures. It's helping them smuggle more dope than ever before. ... High-tech has become the drug lords' most effective counter-weapon in the war on drugs -- and is a major reason that cocaine shipments to the United States from Colombia hit an estimated 450 tons last year, almost twice the level of 1998. ... "If they want it, they buy it." ... Recently, the cartels have built their own submarines. ... The mainframe was loaded with custom-written data-mining software. ... Cartel leaders have sent members of their own families to top US schools. The talent and tools are among the best that money can buy. I've discussed this issue before, and here is a recent article that explains why keeping certain research results out of _Science_ and _Nature_ is not a very effective defense strategy. If the cartels can spend billions on IT, they can surely do a little biotech on the side. They can use the results to improve their products, and they can also license the technology to others who may lack the necessary research infrastructure. Business 2.0 - Magazine Article - Printable Version - The Technology Secrets of Cocaine Inc. |
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Cell Biology (washingtonpost.com) |
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| Topic: Society |
5:58 pm EDT, Jul 31, 2002 |
Swarming is a classic example of how once-isolated individuals are discovering a new way to organize order out of chaos, without guidance. It reverses the idea that geography, in an Internet age, has become irrelevant -- the whole point is to bring people together in one location for face-to-face contact. Swarming is also leading to such wondrous social developments as "time-softening," "cell dancing," "life skittering," "posse pinging," "drunk dialing," and "smart mobs." Cell Biology (washingtonpost.com) |
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