Accused music pirate turns the tables on the RIAA

By Mark O’Neill

I think I have just found my new hero. A 45 year-old single mother accused of stealing music on the internet (subsequently sued by the RIAA and vindicated) has now decided to turn the tables against her former accusers—by suing THEM for $5 million, citing conspiracy and illegal investigative practices.

Tanya Andersen alleges the way the RIAA goes pursuing people is illegal, that the way they pressure and threaten people to pay huge out-of-court settlements without first having to prove any wrongdoing is also illegal and investigative companies hired by record companies routinely violate people’s privacy by snooping through computers and private files without legal permission. Andersen herself alleges that she was threatened with “financial ruin” unless she immediately paid $5000.

The RIAA (of course) says that Andersen’s claims are false, that all they are doing is aggressively taking steps to protect their intellectual property. So who cares if a few innocent victims get caught in the crossfire, right? They’ve got all those billions of dollars to protect.

[Via BusinessWeek]

Tags: , ,



Russian Billionaire Plans “Snob” Version Of FaceBook

By Mark O’Neill

Obviously getting poked online is not good enough for a Russian billionaire.   So Mikhail Prokhorov is going to do what any self respecting billionaire would normally do and set up a Facebook-style networking website for the upper-class, and he is calling it, ironically enough, Snob.

Which just goes to show he has a sense of humour as well as huge wads of cash.   Prokhorov is Russia’s fifth richest man with an estimated wealth of $22 billion (which I’m sure he considers pocket money).   So I think it’s fair to say he doesn’t spend his days installing the “Am I Hot Or Not?” widget or challenging his online buddies to a game of Battleships.

No, his online contacts move in a higher social sphere which is where the invitation-only “Snob” comes in.    With two members needed to recommend your entry into the club, you can bet that membership is going to be very exclusive indeed.    When you get poked on Snob, it’ll be a very sophisticated poke and you’ll definately get your money’s worth!

Speaking from an internet enthusiast perspective though, I found his site to be a little heavy on the flash graphics.   Snob slowed my Firefox browser to a crawl twice (prompting me to restart the browser) and then when the site finally got moving, I was bored to tears with tacky porno-like music and stupid graphics.   If this is Prokhorov’s way of shooing away the working class riff-raff, he’s succeeded as far as I’m concerned.   I’m out of here.

Tags: , , ,

A Dozen Gadgets to Add to your Arsenal

A Dozen Gadgets to Add to your Arsenal

By JR Raphael
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

This month, we’re talking cool gadgets – the kind that are so cool that you’ve just gotta own them. We introduced our first 10 last week, and today we continue our list with a shocking little invention.

Continue reading ›



Silicon oxide nanowires art will astonish you

Silicon Oxide Sunflowers

Silicon oxide nanowires have the amazing property of arranging themselves into unique patterns. By observing them under a scanning electron microscope, you can end up looking at something that closely resembles like a bunch of beautiful, eerie-looking sunflowers. The picture we’ve posted above has been colorized to further enhance the resemblance, but you have to admit that these things undeniably look like real sunflowers.

[via Wired]

UK “Get a Mac” Ads Compilation

If you haven’t seen the UK version of the “Get a Mac” ads yet, here’s a video that features most of those that have been produced in the last year. Enjoy!

“Bum Bot” clears Atlanta streets of bums

When all hope is lost and you think you can’t get all those bums and crack dealers out of your neighborhood, just call in the bum bot. He’ll make sure they all flee away in total panic. Stephen Colbert has all the details:

The new Batman “Dark Knight” movie poster

By Mark O’Neill

The new poster for Batman “The Dark Knight” which is due out in the cinema in July :

Batman: The Dark Knight Movie Poster

Tags: , ,

How to Use Macros to Simplify Your Life

By JR Raphael
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

Here’s an offer too good to refuse: Take every tedious, repetitive task that wastes your time…and automate it. The cost? Two minutes to read this article, and maybe five more to do what it says. Interested? Read on.

What we’re about to do will save you precious time and mental energy. Unfortunately, it only applies to tedious tasks at your PC – not real-life repetition like doing laundry or washing dishes – but for those of us who spend hours in front of a screen, it can make a world of difference.

Continue reading ›