Going online with that wi-fi comrade?

By Mark O’Neill

Russia is a country that I love but it is also a country that fills me with despair. While it is rich with history, culture and wonderful people, it also can’t decide whether it wants to be free or whether it likes to be stamped on by a dictator’s foot.

It seems that the latest directive from the “Mass Media, Communications and Cultural Protection Service” (I’ll spare you the Russian name of the department) has declared that all internet wireless devices owned by private citizens have to be registered with the Russian government before that citizen goes online. Obviously the decree is aimed at monitoring people’s internet activities and it smacks of old-fashioned state control, just like in the good old Soviet days. Which makes it even more laughable when Russia under the leadership of the Putin Corporation declares that it is now a democracy.

I can’t seem to find out the punishment for not obeying the rules but I can say with all certainty that the ultimate punishment of the old days is long gone (at least I certainly hope so). If you fail to register your wi-fi device, you’ll probably just get slapped on the wrist with a fine or maybe even get your device confiscated. But even so, this is a shocking dictatorial move on the part of the Russian authorities. Plus can you imagine the sheer amount of paperwork involved in such a bureaucratic move? How many people in Russia have wi-fi devices today? Millions! Probably more.

This got me to thinking – if the Soviet Union was still around today, how would it deal with the Internet? Would the KGB simply shut down the web in Russia? Or would they simply do what China is currently doing and institute a stringent filtering system? What do you think?



Cell Phone Payment: A Cash Machine in your Pocket

By JR Raphael
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

We’ve all been there. You’re waiting in line when suddenly you reach for your back pocket…and realize your wallet isn’t there. Well, good news, fellow geeks: The days of needing cash or even a credit card to pay for purchases are almost behind us. The cell phone is gaining new power in the world of payment and can actually connect you to cash right now – if you know how to make it happen.

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Internal Microsoft Vista sales video will make you cry

This is bad… very, very bad. So before hitting that play button, don’t forget that you’ve been warned.



Yochai Benkler: Open-source economics

In the following video, Law professor Yochai Benkler explains how collaborative projects like Wikipedia and Linux represent the next stage of human organization. By disrupting traditional economic production, copyright law and established competition, they’re paving the way for a new set of economic laws, where empowered individuals are put on a level playing field with industry giants.

Mario theme played with RC car and wine bottles

Can you believe that someone actually took the time to fill a bunch of wine bottles with water, line them up in an underground parking lot, and then hit them with an RC car to make them play the Mario theme? Check it out, this is simply amazing.

[Via [H]]

Apple unveils the “i”

In the following Apple College Humor video, Steve Jobs unveils the ultimate “i” product: The Apple i. Not only can the “i” make you orange juice, toast and scrambled eggs in the morning, it will also look pretty darn sexy in your iDen. Be the envy of your friends and family and get the Apple i today!

Imagineering the Spam

Everyone gets spam that makes them scratch their head and wonder, “just what was this spammer thinking?”  Well a cartoonist wondered the same thing and has started a website where he lampoons the worst of the spam with hilarious and clever daily drawings.

You can check out the rest at ASpamADay here.  Thanks to Neatorama for the link.

Sony Releases Amazing “Foam City” Ad

If there’s one thing that Sony knows how to do well, it’s commercials. They’ve done another “tour du chapeau” with their latest ad, promoting various models of their digital camera line. This commercial was filmed in Miami using the world’s largest foam machine, which was custom-built for the very purpose of the shoot. Enjoy!

Would YOU want a Google-like memory?

By Mark O’Neill

Some of us (including me) have shocking short-term memories. Mine is so bad that I constantly consider buying shares in the Post-It Notes company since I rely on them full time to run my life.

But if you could have a computer chip implanted in your brain that would turn your memory into a Google-like search engine, would you do it? How much would you be willing to pay for something like this? And what would be the possible side-effects of such a medical procedure? Would it impair your ability to be a normal human – to love, to feel or to think?

These are the questions posed by Gary Marcus, a professor of psychology at New York University, who is the author of “Kluge: The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind“. It’s a very provocative question and one definitely worth thinking about.

The NYT article I have linked to above briefly examines how the human memory works compared to computer memory and then discusses how a human brain has problems recalling some things where a computer doesn’t. It’s a fascinating article and one worth reading. I am definitely going to buy Professor Marcus’s book also.

RushmoreDrive – a search engine for black people?

By Mark O’Neill

It’s not often that I am speechless.   Whilst perusing through the New York Times Technology section, I came across a story about a search engine specifically for black people, called RushmoreDrive.   I thought it had to be a joke and I checked the calendar to make sure it still wasn’t April 1st.   Nope, it’s the 14th so I had to see if this was something serious.    It turns out it actually is.   What the….

From the New York Times article :

“Rushmore Drive analyzed search results for 3,000 of the most popular search terms in areas with large black populations and found that when people in those areas searched for recipes, they were much more likely to click on pages with soul food. Those searching for hair products, dance, cars, fraternities and sororities also ended up on vastly different Web sites than people who lived in areas with smaller black populations.

Rushmore Drive moves the Web sites preferred by black people near the top of the search results. “It’s not just prefixing ‘black’ into the search query,” Mr. Taylor said. “It’s sound technology.””

Now I want to be careful here as I don’t want to be accused of being racist (as I most definately am not and I have fought racism all my life).  But doesn’t RushmoreDrive play into the whole “whites versus blacks” thing?   If you set up this perception that we are two different peoples who have two different worlds then doesn’t that create barriers and problems, not break them down?   Yes, it’s only a search engine but come on.  Do we really need a “black people’s search engine”?

Please, I want us to have a constructive intelligent discussion about this.   No insults, no racism accusations please.   I’m genuinely interested to hear your take on this, whether you’re black or white yourself.   I would especially like to hear from someone at RushmoreDrive about your motivations for setting up the site in the first place.