Not content just tracking you when you're surfing the web, Google announced plans today to count eyeballs in physical spaces. Big G is partnering with a company called Xuuk to distribute the EyeBox, a palm-sized camera that can record how many times viewers look at billboards or products in brick-and-mortar stores. The $1000 camera isn't the world's most high-tech gadget -- it simply shines a beam of IR light and counts how many times it sees redeye in the ensuing images, indicating that the subject was looking right at the camera -- but it's a big upgrade over previous systems, which cost over $25,000 and required subjects to remain perfectly still. Xuuk says the EyeBox works up to 32 feet away and doesn't require any sort of calibration, and that it collects no data other than how many times people have looked at a particular object. The simplicity of the system, however, means that each billboard or product requires its own separate Eyebox for tracking. While we're not sure advertisers are going crazy to drop a cool grand per billboard, we're certainly not going to underestimate their love of counting eyeballs, or Google's ability to turn viewing statistics into cold, hard cash. We're also curious to hear if the camera can see through sunglasses -- cause we're about to start wearing ours 24/7.

"Put the glasses on..."

Google's EyeBox counts eyes in public - Engadget

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Walt Disney Co.'s two big TV networks, ABC and ESPN, have struck a deal with cable operator Cox Communications Inc. to offer hit shows and football games on demand, but with the unusual condition that Cox disables the fast-forward feature that allows viewers to skip ads, according to a media report Tuesday.
...

"Advertising is critical to the financial health of our business and this agreement marks the first time one of our cable-operator partners is acknowledging that," The Journal said it was told by Anne Sweeney, president of the Disney-ABC Television Group.
The agreement could also provide broadcast networks a way to give viewers an alternative to the convenience offered by digital video recorders , without allowing them to avoid the ads, according to the report. With DVRs now in almost 20% of U.S. households, the number of people watching television when it is broadcast has dipped noticeably so far this season, The Journal said.. End of Story

Maybe its time for them to look for better models. Commercials is one of the main reasons I don't watch TV. I might consider subscribing to a few shows, so long as there were no advertising and little to no DRM. I'd also be curious to see a non-commercial news service which is not c-span.

Video-on-demand deal bars ad skipping: WSJ - MarketWatch

U.S. Special Forces may soon have a strange and powerful new weapon in their arsenal: a pair of high-tech binoculars 10 times more powerful than anything available today, augmented by an alerting system that literally taps the wearer's prefrontal cortex to warn of furtive threats detected by the soldier's subconscious.

Pentagon to Merge Next-Gen Binoculars With Soldiers' Brains -

Jones opened his news conference by holding up a paper with Carton's home information, which he held in front of him for the duration of his remarks.

"I'm going to release the names and addresses of these people and then their sponsors, and all of the car dealerships and everybody else that sponsors that show is going to have to deal with the reality that they're putting public servants and the public in general in harm's way, and I'm going to make sure that everybody knows, until they get their act together, who these people are, where they live, what they do and how it is that they're misleading the public and creating this furor," Jones said.

Free speech and privacy. What a country.

The Daily Times - www.delmarvanow.com - Salisbury, Md.

Talk WKXW-FM (New Jersey 101.5)/Trenton pulled afternoon hosts Craig Carton & Ray Rossi (aka The Jersey Guys) today following an incident with a New Jersey State Police union. It seems the duo reported on comments regarding a "May ticket blitz" that appeared on a password-protected section of a state troopers' union's web site.

Union president David Jones issued a statement, saying it was irresponsible for the media to traffic in the postings and reportedly threatened retaliation against the hosts and the radio station's employees during a press conference in Trenton. And get this -- he gave out Carton's home address and other personal information.

Following the press conference, Millennium said in a statement: "New Jersey 101.5 and Millennium Radio takes threats against its employees and their families very seriously. This afternoon, Davey Jones of the State Police FOP held a very emotional press conference filled with threats against New Jersey 101.5's Craig Carton and Ray Rossi, as well as management and employees of New Jersey 101.5 FM Radio. This form of intimidation and extortion is reprehensible. During his rage, he also made offensive and embarrassing threats against his own state troopers. We are requesting a full investigation from the New Jersey State Police and the Attorney General's office."

No word on when the Jersey Guys will return to afternoons.. (05-03-07)

I'm surprised this hasn't gotten more attention.

RADIO ONLINE �

Chance of showers during the 2008 Beijing Olympics: 50 percent. But Chinese meteorologists have a plan to bring sunshine.

The meteorologists say they can force rain in the days before the Olympics, through a process known as cloud-seeding, to clean the air and ensure clear skies. China has been tinkering with artificial rainmaking for decades, but whether it works is a matter of debate among scientists.

Weather patterns for the past 30 years indicate there is a 50 percent chance of rain for both the opening ceremony on Aug. 8, 2008 and the closing ceremony two weeks later, said Wang Yubin, an engineer with the Beijing Meteorological Bureau.

The chinese have a Weather Machine???

Where's Chuck Norris?

China to Force Rain Ahead of Olympics

Japan has come out with another sexy and edgy fashion trend with these Bikini Jeans that act as both underwear and jeans.

clever those japanese...

Japanese Invent Sexier Jeans

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Home sales posted their sharpest drop in 18 years in March, a real estate group said Tuesday, as problems in the subprime mortgage sector pushed sales well below what economists had forecast.

:::pop:::

Existing home sales pace, prices fall again in March - Apr. 24, 2007

Incessant noise, a constant babble of voices pounding in my head - and competing for space in my brain.

Some are critical and highly vocal - others urge me to get a gun and end my life.

The whole world appears to conspire against me and as I walk down an otherwise deserted hospital corridor I am bombarded with terrifying images.

I stare at a reflection in a mirror and am greeted by a gaunt face, with bleeding eyes.

'The floor falls away'

...

Using the experiences of people with the condition, Dr Peter Yellowlees, professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Davis, has harnessed the popular simulation world of Second Life to give an insight into living with the condition.

BBC NEWS | Health | What it's like to have schizophrenia

Catonic wrote:
Once again, Huntsville, Alabama is on the cutting edge of science...

".....DAMN!!! This coffee woke me up today!!! I wonder what beans they use...."

RE: Street Use: Coffee Pot Mini Meth Lab