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Top 10 Places We'll Show You That Google Can't!

CitizenSugar — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:50:32 -0800

Obama Hides His BlackBerry In a Cell Phone Holster

CitizenSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:45:57 -0800

Obama Hides His BlackBerry In a Cell Phone Holster President-elect Barack Obama was spotted in Hawaii this past weekend sporting his beloved BlackBerry 8830 World Edition Smartphone in a pretty geeky belt holster.

Welcome Mr. President: Inauguration iPhone App

LibertySugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:10:11 -0800

Welcome Mr. President: Inauguration iPhone App Use your iPhone to count down to the first big historical event of the year — President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration. The free 2009 Presidential Inauguration Guide has a count down to January 20, as well as a guide to Washington D.C., if you're lucky enough to be in town that day.

People to Power Times Square New Year's Party

CitizenSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:50:06 -0800

People to Power Times Square New Year's Party The spectacular Times Square New Year's Eve celebration is already going to be that much more entertaining this year with the bigger Times Square LED-covered ball, and now Duracell has announced that they will power the ball with batteries charged by people.

Gold Medal in Censorship? China Reblocks Websites

LibertySugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:00:36 -0800

Now that the Olympics are long gone, and the world has its eyes off of China, the country's government has returned to keeping an eye on what its 250 million Internet users can access. It appears China, which has the most web users in the world, only made superficial advances in freedom of the press during the games. In other words: censorship is back!

So which sites can you no longer visit in China? Chinese language versions of international sites like BBC, Voice of America, and Human Rights Watch have been rebanned, along with some Hong Kong-based sites, because they refer to Taiwan as an independent country and not part of China.

A spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said China had the right to censor material deemed illegal, just like other governments do. For example, the US criminalizes online technology that can be used to violate copyright protections.

Are you surprised the legacy of the Beijing Olympics probably won't include expanded freedom?

Source

Cell Phones Become More Affordable For Cubans

LibertySugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:40:31 -0800

Cell Phones Become More Affordable For Cubans In a country where the average income is only $20 a month and personal computers cost around $800, access to technology for Cubans is something that's often restricted to the rich. Recently, Cuba's government owned telephone service provider Etecsa, decreased the cost of cell phone activation from $120 to about $65, almost a 50 percent decrease.

Found on Facebook! Couple Poked With Foreclosure Notice

LibertySugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:01:17 -0800

After an Australian couple defaulted on their $150,000 loan, and then failed to answer phone calls or emails and vanished from their home and workplaces, the lawyer for the mortgage provider turned to the next obvious place — Facebook.

With a quick search, the lawyer found two people with the same birthdays and email addresses as the missing defendants. He now had some way to tell the couple that they lost their home!

So the lawyer went to the courts for permission, and this week an Australian judge ruled that legally binding documents can be served via Facebook. But if you get into trouble in Australia, you need not worry about your online reputation — the judge required that the notice not be posted on the couples' Facebook walls, but rather sent via a private message.

Do you think Facebook communications should have legal weight?

Source

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Go Online

CitizenSugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:30:00 -0800

The military's intelligence battalion might think Twitter poses a danger, but two independent groups — Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and the Ad Council — have turned to social networking tools to help veterans connect with each other. The two groups have created an online community exclusively for veterans of these most recent wars: CommunityofVeterans.org.

Since veterans make up less than one percent of the population, they often feel isolated from others facing similar challenges. The new site hopes to bring together the veterans, while also providing information about readjusting to family life, navigating the Department of Veteran Affairs, getting help for PTSD, and taking advantage of the GI Bill.

The US military has appeared increasingly willing to use the technology of the people, investing $50 million in video games to help recruit and train soldiers. Now veterans can turn to social networks to help them transition back into civilian life. Check out the TV ad for the site, and tell me what you think.

All in Your Head: Should You Let the Internet Diagnose You?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:30:57 -0800

Headaches that are too sharp, too long, too concentrated make my head spin (add vertigo to the list). Maybe it's my first migraine? Or very first tumor? It could be anything. Anything! My acute and impending demise sends me straight to my safe place, the Internet, to disprove whatever disease I've concocted. Only sometimes, it doesn't quiet my fears. It makes them louder.

Cyberchondria sounds like a faddy, fake word for people who aren't ready to call themselves hypochondriacs, but it's actually a very real phenomena. People, including web-savvy Microsoft employees who were surveyed, tend to favor search engines over health sites like WebMD, and they search for symptoms not diseases. To find out why this can make matters worse,

Texting Democracy: Estonia to Vote by Mobile Phone in 2011

LibertySugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:30:29 -0800

American Idol may let you text in your vote, but Estonia will be the first actual country to implement voting by cell phone. Technologically-savvy citizens will place chips into their cell phones, that authenticate identifications, before they cast their ballots for the 2011 parliamentary election.

Estonia has already used online voting, without any major security breaches. In order to prevent coercion that might happen when people vote in private, Estonians can still cancel out their e-votes with a paper ballot. An independent study found that the new vote-by-phone procedure should go off without any manipulation or malfunctions.

Would you like to see more access to democracy from voting options like Internet or phone voting? I guess we'll be looking to E-stonia to see how it's done!
Source

Google Earth an Accomplice to Mumbai Massacre?

LibertySugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:30:12 -0800

India may ban Google Earth after allegations that those responsible for the Mumbai massacre used the online tool to plan their attacks. Google may need more than its motto "Do No Evil" to prevent its technology from harming people.

A petition filed in the Bombay High Court asks the court to demand that Google blur sensitive images, until the court reaches a decision on whether to ban the satellite service altogether.

It seems reasonable to remove sensitive locations from Google Earth, but banning otherwise innocent tools capable of doing harm could be impossible. In other words, should officials ban cell phones, if terrorists use them to communicate?

Source

Study Shows US Students Lie, Cheat and Steal

CitizenSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:30:00 -0800

Thirty percent of high school students in the US have stolen from a store and 64 percent have cheated on a test this year alone, according to a new survey that suggests Americans are apathetic about ethical standards. A Los Angeles-based ethics institute surveyed 29,760 students at 100 randomly selected high schools nationwide, both public and private. Some of the key findings include:

Thirty-five percent of boys and 26 percent of girls—30 percent overall—acknowledged stealing from a store within the past year.
One-fifth said they stole something from a friend; 23 percent said they stole something from a parent or other relative.
Cheating in school is rampant and getting worse. Sixty-four percent of students cheated on a test in the past year and 38 percent did so two or more times, up from 60 percent and 35 percent in a 2006 survey.
Thirty-six percent said they used the Internet to plagiarize an assignment, up from 33 percent in 2004.
Forty-two percent said they sometimes lie to save money—49 percent of the boys and 36 percent of the girls.

A representative from the National Association of Secondary School Principals suggests social pressures prompt some students to cut corners and that today's competition and opportunities to cheat are greater than past decades. Do you think it's easier for today's students to cheat with advanced technologies, or do you think our ethical standards have gone the way of the typewriter?

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Obama Addresses BlackBerry Rumors

CitizenSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:15:35 -0800

Obama Addresses BlackBerry Rumors After two week of will he or won't he have to hand over his beloved BlackBerry before being inaugurated in January, President-elect Barack Obama set the record straight with ABC's Barbara Walters during an interview last week. Granted, only a minor portion of the interview involved tech and new puppy talk, but Obama did say he's hopeful that he'll still be able to stay connected via his BlackBerry.

Prisons Turning to Teleconferencing to Save Money

CitizenSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 03:00:07 -0800

Gas prices and strict state budgets have prompted at least 11 states — Connecticut, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee — to start regularly using teleconferences between judges and inmates. The move is seen as a way to both improve public safety and save cash.

The AP reports that some inmates say they'd prefer to plead their cases in person, but correction officials say the technology offers a fair alternative to spending millions of dollars moving inmates in person. To see how much the trend saves the state per court date and how it's working in Connecticut,

Phone Jammers Cut Annoying Chatter and Police Life Lines

LibertySugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0800

Can you hear me now? Probably not, if someone around you has a cell phone jammer, devices that block reception within 10 meters. The discreet gadgets are gaining popularity among theater and restaurant owners, subway riders, and others trying to silence annoying people who talk on the their cell phones in public.

Last month, Canadian police were caught in a jam on a dark highway, when they pulled over suspects carrying a jammer that rendered their radios silent. Luckily, they seized the device, and soon an official warning went out to all Canadian police. In the US first-time offenders can be fined up to $11,000. In addition, the jamming party can be charged with theft, as the airways belong to the companies that purchased them.

The idea of anyone, especially police, entering a dead zone frightens me, but I understand the frustration with obnoxious cell phone chatting. Maybe more countries can start passing cell phone bans, similar to those seen (and not heard) on France's railway or Austria's public transit, while keeping the jammers away from the bad guys.

Source

Obama to Make Over the White House With Gadget Goodies?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:24:42 -0800

Obama to Make Over the White House With Gadget Goodies? Ever since I heard that news that President-elect Barack Obama will most likely have to retire his BlackBerry, I couldn't help but wonder how he would incorporate his love for technology into the White House. It's already rumored that he hopes to be the first American president to have a laptop on his desk in the Oval Office, so what other high-tech toys could make the list?

Where the Ladies At? Fewer Girls Going Into Computer Science

CitizenSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:30:15 -0800

The number of girls interested in computer science peaked in 1982. Yes, 26 years ago, before people even had computers at home. After a sharp decline, it held steady until 2000 and now it’s at an all-time low — back to where it began in the early ‘70s.

Why? That was the funny part of the New York Times article "What Has Driven Women Out of Computer Science." Nobody actually knows. But everybody speculates! Here’s what was said:

Before the male subculture of gaming, women felt more comfortable pursuing computer science.
The girls game movement of the '90s backfired: It made girls think computers were boy toys and girls didn’t play with computers.
Women went into web design so it all evens out. Nope. Web design and other “nontraditional” forms of computer science don't count to the people counting. The pay is less and the work is less influential on how computers are used.
The perception of being a “geek” or “nerd” that comes with majoring in computer science The theory? Girls don’t want to be that person. I know a geek who would disagree!

The one thing everyone can agree on is that the younger girls are when introduced to computers, the better. Expect to see video games for newborns soon!

Source

Seeking Prudes: Craigslist Cracks Down on Sex Ads

LibertySugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:30:00 -0800

After coming under fire from 40 different state attorney generals, Craigslist has agreed to crack down on those advertising sex for sale. The classified website will more effectively rid its erotic services section of ads law enforcers deem to be illegal. Perhaps staying true to its name, the erotic marketplace has notoriously been plagued with pornography and prostitution.

Vendors will now have to provide valid identification before they post a sexy ad, thanks to the new agreement between the state officials and the company. In addition, ad posters must pay a $10 fee, using a credit card. Craigslist will donate the fee to charities that combat child exploitation and human trafficking.

Offline sex for sale is usually associated with seedy neighborhoods and other crime, like drugs and violence. Is prostitution all right with you, so long as it stays on the Internet and on private property, or do officials have a duty to uphold the prohibition online, too?

Source

Top 10 Places We'll Show You That Google Can't!

CitizenSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:30:55 -0800

Top 10 Places We'll Show You That Google Can't! Ah, Google Maps. That street view function that's captured so many a crazy scene has raised security, political, and privacy hackles the world over. From refugee camps to British swimming pools the program's reach is pervasive — so much so that this list of 51 places impervious from spying eyes grabbed my attention — and made me want to see what Google has to hide.

Battle of Ground Games: Candidates Sweep US to Get Out Vote

LibertySugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0800

Supports have been registered, and appeals for votes have been made. But the work has just begun — John McCain and Barack Obama must make sure their supporters vote, and then subsequently make sure every vote is counted. That, my friends, is called a ground game! Google put together this handy gadget that lets you track the candidates as they canvas the country. Have you done anything to help get out the vote for your candidate this year?

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Briefing Book! Experience China's Censored Internet at Home

LibertySugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0700

China: Want to come face-to-face with China's Net Nanny? New Firefox ad-on lets you experience the censored Chinese internet at home! — Shanghaiist
Palin: Will Tina go softer on the Palins? Sarah offered her daughter Bristol to babysit Tina's daughter during SNL. — Huffington Post
Voting: No long lines there? Astronauts cast ballots from space. — Neatorama
Florida: An effective surrogate? Republican strategist says Governor Charlie Crist's decision to extend voting hours in Florida just blew the state for John McCain. —23/6
Media: Is the media getting bored with pointing out campaign falsehoods? ABC picks apart lies about Obama's 2001 radio interview that are now centerpiece of Palin's stump speech. — Talking Points Memo
McCain: Behind the fancy campaign lies the truth? McCain responds to Obama's half-hour ad with new video. —Townhall

Source

US Army Warns of Twitter's Danger

LibertySugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 06:00:05 -0700

Twitter could be a tool of terrorists, according to the Military Intelligence Battalion, a part of the military that studies emerging technology's capacity to help militants. The intelligence study noted that activists (not quite terrorists) at the Republican National Convention used Twitter to pass on information about police whereabouts during protests this Summer. The report also states:

Twitter has also become a social activism tool for socialists, human rights groups, communists, vegetarians, anarchists, religious communities, atheists, political enthusiasts, hacktivists and others to communicate with each other and to send messages to broader audiences.

The military report goes on to imagine different scenarios in which extremists could combine Twitter with Google Maps, and cell phone images in their quest to execute attacks. While it's crucial for law enforcement and the military to stay informed about the latest communication technology, let's hope there isn't a crack down on vegetarian tweets!

Source

YouTube and PBS Say Tape Your Vote For History and Hijinks

CitizenSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:30:49 -0700

With all of the ACORN and voter registration snafu stories floating around, it's nice to find comfort in the cozy arms of technology. That is to say, if you have a video camera, use it. YouTube and PBS are teaming up to encourage voters to upload any footage of the voting process onto a new website. The Video Your Vote site wants to spark people to "document the energy and excitement, as well as any problems you may see." The best clips will air on PBS.

Some bad-voting situations to be on the lookout for? Excessively long lines, broken voting machines, or "overly aggressive" voter identification procedures. But be careful about local rules before putting on your documentarian hat. Some states aren't excited about having you film — a move that could end up in cuffs. The site has a link to the Citizen Media Law Project to tell you who has laws against what. Florida, Georgia and Michigan all prohibit photos and recording equipment in polling places. Are you planning on recording the day in photo or video?

Huh?! The EU Telling People to Turn iPod Volume Down

LibertySugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Members of the European Union work together for Europe's common values such as democracy and social justice. In addition to solving the world's financial mess, there's at least one other common challenge the international body wants to confront: iPods. Today, the EU executive asked Europeans, especially children and youth, to turn that music down! — or risk long-term hearing damage or loss.

A report from EU scientists found that 2.5-10 million Europeans could suffer hearing loss, as a result of listening to MP3 players at over 89 decibels for at least one hour a day, for a five year period. Perhaps because the governments anticipate rising medical care costs as a result of the damage, the EU might impose a volume limit lower than the current 100 decibel maximum.

Should a supranational body be responsible for keeping MP3 players safe, or is a warning in the user's manual enough?

Source

9/11 Guantanamo Defendants Denied Access to the Internet

CitizenSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:00:40 -0700

Five defendants, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed professed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, are being denied Internet access as they prepare for their death penalty trial. The men are being held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval base for the 9/11 attacks on the United States and are facing charges from conspiracy to terrorism. The no-net ruling was handed down by a US military judge siding with prosecutors who argued at a pretrial hearing last month that providing these “high value” defendants access to extra-prison communications would pose a security risk.

Among the other items refused to the inmates by their captors were printers and the ability to speak with their families by telephone. They were, however, given laptops installed with a legal dictionary, the US Constitution and the Geneva Conventions. Three of the five awaiting trail are representing themselves although the Pentagon is providing standby counsel should they wish assistance.

Is the ruling fair? Can they fairly and adequately prepare without Internet access — or is even considering giving it to them, ridiculous?

Source

Next Big Thing? How They're Texting "I Love You" in Nigeria

CitizenSugar — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Maybe you've gotten an email or two from some nice people in Nigeria with a whale of a financial opportunity — but if you get a text from Nigeria titled “I swear, I will make sure I give you HIV," don’t call the police. It may just be someone’s idea of an affectionate overture. When you open the text you'll most likely then read “H is for happiness and joy forever with an I: Incomparable love that will never V: Vanish until death do us part. I love you.”

It’s the new way to wow your mate from the new book Touching the Heart Through Unforgettable Text Messages (Volume 2) written by Femi Emmanuel, who writes text messages for those either too busy or illiterate to express their feelings. The book is marketed mostly to Nigerians, who have been described as obsessive text senders and who are tired of the usual courtship texts littering their phones.

To see where the inspiration comes from,

Palin Email Password-Guesser Indicted

CitizenSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:07:29 -0700

Palin Email Password-Guesser Indicted The person who guessed Sarah Palin's Yahoo Email "security questions" and then posted her password on 4Chan has finally been indicted! David Kernell, 20, turned himself into federal authorities today. According to the indictment, Kernell "intentionally and without authorization accessed a protected computer by means of an interstate communication and thereby obtained information." This apparently comes with a maximum 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, should he be found guilty.

Kosher Cellphones Help Haredi Jews Out of Tech Pickle

LibertySugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:30:27 -0700

Some may not be able to live without the conveniences of smartphones, but Israel's traditional Haredi Jewish community is struggling to incorporate modern communication technologies into their lives while maintaining its doctrine.

Haredi Jews are typically forbidden from watching television and films and using the Internet for nonbusiness purposes. They have adapted the modern cellphone to their lifestyles by creating a "kosher cellphone" that looks like an ordinary phone, but only features basic functions (you know, good old-fashioned making and receiving calls, a calculator, and an alarm clock). The special phones cannot send or receive text messages, browse the Internet, or take photos — as all those features could potentially promote "immodest" behavior.

The phones have a Rabbi's stamp of approval that looks like the one you see on kosher food items. Some can only connect with other Haredi numbers and may come with distinct code prefixes that indicate to others that they are kosher, and are therefore a sign of religious observance.

Is Google Searching For Public Policy Answers?

LibertySugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:15:55 -0700

Google wants to get the US economy running on clean energy. This week Google's nonprofit announced a plan to cut the use of fossil fuels in the US before 2030. For $4.4 trillion "Clean Energy 2030" would help end the use of coal and oil to generate electricity. The plan would allow for the use of natural gas and nuclear power, and also calls for cutting oil use in cars by 40 percent. By 2030, however, the net savings would top $1 trillion.

Google's climate and energy technology manager explained the company's motivation:

We can build whole new industries and create millions of new jobs. We can cut energy costs, both at the gas pump and at home. We can improve our national security. And we can put a big dent in climate change. With strong leadership we could be moving forward on an aggressive but realistic timeline and an approach that offsets costs with real economic gains.

Google asserts that the US will have to invest in renewable energy research, upgrade the electricity grid, impose better mileage standards, and build infrastructure such as charging stations for electric vehicles. Should Americans turn to the private sector for leadership on a public issue?

Video Game Hopes to Give Ugandan Victims Traces of Hope

LibertySugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:00:26 -0700

The British Red Cross has created a video game to raise awareness for child victims of the conflict in Uganda. Last week, the UN called for the release of 90 children abducted from school by LRA army. Crimes against children have been a constant during the 20 year battle; but the Red Cross believes that its Internet game "Traces of Hope" will help shine the spotlight on the vulnerable.

Players aim to help Joseph, a boy whose home and family has been torn apart by rebels, find his missing mother. The game site says: "He has a satellite phone, you have the web – together you’ll make a great team. Time is running out; guide Joseph through sickness, fire and violence as together you follow his traces of hope."

By placing clues for the game around the Internet, the game creators hope to blur the boundary between the game and the real world conflict. Since atrocities in the region often go unnoticed, perhaps this educational entertainment will help some wake up.

Source

India's New Detectives Track Down Serial E-Cheaters

CitizenSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:00:25 -0700

India is fast becoming a modernized nation — reflected in their rising middle-class wealth, slowly improving infrastructure, and use of the Internet. The latter has brought to light a very unique problem as well as a very interesting solution.

More and more men and women are meeting and building relationships online that eventually lead to marriage. Take that eHarmony ideal and move it to India, however, and those marriages can cost a bride’s family thousands of dollars for dowry. Technically, this dowry system was declared illegal in 1961, but the ritual is so entrenched that most families ignore the edict — creepily, with so much at stake men are marrying, claiming their dowry, and then disappearing — only to repeat the bamboozle until they’re caught.

Enter, a new breed of female private detectives specializing in “matrimonial investigations” to warn potential victims before they hit the altar. And business is booming. To see how,

Study: Omitting Cell Phone Users May Affect Polls

CitizenSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:07:54 -0700

Study: Omitting Cell Phone Users May Affect Polls People with only cell phones may differ enough from those with landline telephones that excluding the growing population of cell-only users from public opinion polls may slightly skew the results, a study has concluded. The finding, in a report this week by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, may increase pressure on polling organizations to include people who use only cell phones in their surveys.

Biden Calls Email Ad Terrible, Then Regrets Hitting "Reply All"

CitizenSugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:02:41 -0700

Did Joe Biden gaffe again? In a train-based interview with Katie Couric, she asked Biden about an ad being run by the Obama/Biden campaign mocking McCain's technological capabilities. Biden said of the ad, "I thought that was terrible by the way. I didn’t know we did it and if I had anything to do with it, we would have never done it”

Get Flash to see this player.

The ad uses a disco ball and Rubik's cube to paint McCain as "out of touch" and says he "doesn't know how to use a computer," and "admits he can't send an email." What prompted Biden's discomfort with the ad? Perhaps this quote from a Forbes piece in 2000:

In certain ways, McCain was a natural Web candidate. Chairman of the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee and regarded as the US Senate's savviest technologist, McCain is an inveterate devotee of email. His nightly ritual is to read his email together with his wife, Cindy. The injuries he incurred as a Vietnam POW make it painful for McCain to type. Instead, he dictates responses that his wife types on a laptop. "She's a whiz on the keyboard, and I'm so laborious," McCain admits.

It didn't take long for Biden to realize he'd just slammed an ad approved by the ticket he's on, and an ad he'd never actually seen. To see his clarification and his "terrible" conversation with Katie,

Palin Email Hacking Case Results In FBI Search Of Apartment

CitizenSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:07:04 -0700

Palin Email Hacking Case Results in FBI Search of Apartment The FBI searched the residence of the son of a Democratic state lawmaker in Tennessee over the weekend looking for evidence linking the young man to the hacking of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's personal email account, two law enforcement officials told the Associated Press on Monday. David Kernell, 20, has not returned repeated phone calls or emails from the AP since last week. He is the son of state Rep. Mike Kernell, a Memphis Democrat and chairman of Tennessee's House Government Operations Committee.

Lighten Up! Fake Sarah Palin on Twitter, Giggles Ensue?

CitizenSugar — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:00:21 -0700

I know, I know, I'm voting how I'm voting but gosh darn it if my sense of humor isn't bipartisan as all heck. I cannot stop laughing at this. Someone (with a lot of time on his/her hands and a fair amount of dialed-in-edness to the whole campaign) has created a Twitter account for Sarah Palin, called FakeSarahPalin.

OK, there are a fistful of caveats and disclaimers here, the largest of which is . . . this is clearly created to poke fun at Palin, but the Twitter-speak, cramming that info into the allowed 140 characters, and overall sense of good fun made me read the whole thing. And whether one agrees with the opinions raised or not, I think at this juncture in the campaign, a little bit of levity could be just what the doctor ordered. Like in the midst of Yahoo-gate, the Tweet, "Ummmm why can't I log in to my yahoo account??!" Tee hee, right? Right?

Should Politicians' Personal Email Accounts Be Off-Limits?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:00:37 -0700

Sarah Palin's Great Yahoo Purge of '08 has left a few dangling questions, and not just the identity of the "Anonymous" who cracked her inbox. Now that we've seen the screenshots, it appears as though Palin might have been using her personal account for crossover business-type communication. But most people have more than one email account, right? And sometimes depending on what's handiest or easily web-accessible, you might switch back and forth. Do the rules on personal email accounts change if you're a public official?Though the emails weren't found to contain anything too damaging (or interesting really) critics are now locking sites on the fact that she was using a Yahoo account to begin with, saying that the move is somewhat Rovian (as in Karl) in nature. In 2007 the White House admitted that Rove and some of the higher ups used RNC email addresses for their correspondence, and because of this, some emails were hard to find when needed for various inquiries. Apparently right after Palin took office, her aides discussed the benefit of private email accounts, noting that messages sent to Palin's Blackberry "would be confidential and not subject to subpoena." With the confidential nature of the missives coupled with the notoriously hackable platform, should public officials shun private email altogether — or do they have a right to offers from Nigerian businessmen offering them great financial gains in private, too? Source

Should Politicians' Personal Email Accounts Be Off-Limits?

Yes! They might be public officials, but they're entitled to private email conversations.

No way. Anything a public official says should be a matter of public record. All of it.

As long as they're not using their private email to talk shop at all, it's fine.

Other. I'll leave my private message in the comments.

Can You Hear Me Now Yogi Bear? Cell Phones in Yellowstone

CitizenSugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 06:00:04 -0700

Yogi Bear is about to have his eye out for a pic-a-nic basket with an iPhone in it. Yellowstone National Park officials have just released a plan to provide cell phone coverage and wireless Internet for parts of the park, while minimizing cell towers from the more remote areas. The environmental impact has been found negligible in terms of flora and fauna, though visitors of the human variety may be affected a little more.

A first draft of the plan, which contained a cell tower next to the Old Faithful geyser has been changed, moving it more out of sight, and they're trying to balance all the pretty nature with protecting public safety and allowing the park staff to communicate. The program manager for the National Parks Conservation Associate says,

One of the things that it comes down to in an increasingly noisy and hectic world is that it's critical that Yellowstone continue to provide the solitude and peace and quiet that our first national park has to offer.

Of course the peace and quiet could be the first casualty. While they have plans to encourage courteous use of the electronic gadgets, the park averages 15,690 visitors a day during peak season. That's a lot of "can you hear me nows."

Does the park have to modernize for safety and convenience, or should some places stay cell-free?

Source

Palin's Email Account Hacked

CitizenSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:40:22 -0700

Palin's Email Account Hacked The group known as Anonymous, which earlier took on Scientology, has published screenshots of email messages and images that it says came from a private email account belonging to Governor Sarah Palin at gov.palin@yahoo.com. The data has been published by WikiLeaks. Threat Level has confirmed the authenticity of at least one of the e-mails. The information includes five screenshots from Palin's account, including the text of an email exchange with Alaskan Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell about his campaign for Congress.

Save the Princess! Almost Every Kid in the US Is a Gamer

CitizenSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:30:57 -0700

And yes, that title would be a Mario Bros. reference, the last time I played video games with any seriousness. Well, now the Wiis have it: a surprising 97 percent of all kids under 17 play video games. According to the new study out today, 99 percent of boys and 94 percent of girls of all ethnicities and incomes report playing some form of game. Seven percent even said that while they didn't have a computer at home, they have a video game system. And it's not just once in a while: more than half of the respondents said they had played a game the previous day.

Though visions of silent, glued-to-the-tube teens dance in my head, the act of gaming is more social than one might think. Two-thirds say they game to socialize with friends and family, as well as still texting and emailing friends. One of the researchers says, "Gaming is the reason to get together — but they're probably talking about other things."

To see what the researchers say about the types of games,

Want to Control the Universe With Your Mind? Join the Army

CitizenSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:15:56 -0700

It's not too early to think about what to get the Army for the holidays. Actually, it is but that hasn't stopped it from asking for a "thought helmet." Yes, a thought helmet. It's exactly what it sounds like: a helmet that reads silent brain waves with sophisticated software that then translates waves into audible messages for others to hear. If Prince Harry was wearing one of the helmets here, he wouldn't even need the radio, we'd know exactly what he was thinking. . .

The US Army has just awarded a 5-year, $4 million contract to three American universities to develop helmets that would transform how soldiers communicate. How is this even possible? To find out,

Google Plans Computer Navy to Bypass Laws and Taxes

LibertySugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:00:09 -0700

Who needs countries with laws and taxes, when you can house crucial parts of your company on ships at sea outside of any country's jurisdiction? Google answered "not us" to that question, as the Internet giant has plans to relocate the machines that run its search engine on ships located seven miles offshore.

The company says that wave energy would power and cool the eco-friendly "water-based" data centers. While the tax-incentives and legal advantages may make you take a cynical outlook on the plan, the amount of energy used to cool servers does take a toll — Internet data centers consumed one percent on the world's electricity in 2005, and by 2020 computers that run the Internet will leave a larger carbon footprint than air travel.

Still, it makes me nervous to think Google, which holds so much of our personal data, could escape government regulation. Are you confident Google would still do no evil?

Source

Top 10 Places We'll Show You That Google Can't!

CitizenSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:45:34 -0700

Ah, Google Maps. That street view function that's captured so many a crazy scene has raised security, political, and privacy hackles the world over. From refugee camps to British swimming pools the program's reach is pervasive — so much so that this list of 51 places impervious from spying eyes grabbed my attention — and made me want to see what Google has to hide. Not just the locations, but the reasons behind the pixelation, behold, the top 10 sites that you won't find on Google Maps.

New York City 911 Centers Can Receive Cell Pictures and Texts

CitizenSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:15:35 -0700

I go out running alone a lot and watch too much Law & Order: SVU for my own good so I'm always thinking about how I'd be able to get to my cell phone to call 911 from the trunk of a speeding car. Crazy, but true. That's why this advancement from the New York City emergency line is a pretty useful piece of safety technology. The 911 line is now equipped to receive texts, cell phone pictures, and video as calls of distress.

While other cities are already able to accept texts (this I didn't know!) officials say they believe that New York is the first city with the image capabilities. Mayor Bloomberg had this to say about it: "This technology should put a scare into every would-be criminal because the chances of getting caught in the act is now better than ever." Not to mention the increased accuracy in providing descriptions — how often have 911 operators heard, "um, he's a guy with brown hair?" Now they'll be able to see him. By next year, callers' images will be made available to patrol cars and will be accepted as evidence.

The cost of the upgrade? A mere 18 months and $250,000. Since crime in New York is down 3 percent, it seems like a smart investment — and more security than either Stabler or Benson could provide.

Source

Activists Urge UK Not to Extradite Military Hacker to the US

LibertySugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:00:46 -0700

Yesterday peaceful demonstrators protested the US extradition of Gary McKinnon (aka Solo), a Brit accused of hacking military and NASA computers. McKinnon, who lost his appeal to stay in the UK, could spend the rest of his life in an American prison if convicted.

The US alleges that unemployed computer systems administrator McKinnon completed the biggest military computer hack ever. McKinnon says he only wanted information on UFOs. But he did allegedly leave a note on one hacked system that might not help his defense. It said:

US foreign policy is akin to government-sponsored terrorism these days . . . It was not a mistake that there was a huge security stand-down on September 11 last year . . . I am SOLO. I will continue to disrupt at the highest levels.

McKinnon's lawyers say that before he is extradited, the US must assure the UK that he would serve his sentence in the UK after he's convicted abroad.

To see why they say McKinnon's human rights are at stake,

The Tale of Two Tents: Bloggers and the Traditional Media

LibertySugar — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:00:53 -0700

In Denver we got a chance to check out both the blogger tent set up by Google, YouTube, Digg and DailyKos, as well as the traditional media tent set up right outside the Pepsi Center. And believe me, these two tents could not have been more different.

Over in the Google tent bloggers and laptops crowded together at long tables or comfy couches set up in a tent kept dark to make up for the lack of air conditioning. The gang of new media gave off the vibe that it was there to crash the party — only 150 of the 500 bloggers, who paid $100 for space in the Big Tent, had official DNC credentials,

Over at the traditional media tent, publications like the Washington Post had about 60 staffers each, stationed in makeshift offices, complete with ample desk space, air conditioning, and fancy computers. But don't worry — both media headquarters had plenty of flat screens and an abundance of food.

Google will be back with its Big Tent next week at RNC. To see video of a real-life blogger, and more pictures,

Mexicans Afraid of Kidnapping Implant GPS Chip Under Skin

CitizenSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:15:39 -0700

It's not the plot of a movie, though it sure seems like one: wealthy Mexicans are implanting GPS chips under their skin as a means to protect themselves from the out-of control plague of kidnappings. Mexican President Felipe Calderón convened and emergency meeting yesterday to create a plan including 65 specific ways to stop the abductions.

This year alone, there have been 314 kidnappings, added to 700 last year. Calderon says, "The truth is we are all responsible. We must recognize the traditional way of combating crime has not been sufficient. We must act in a more coordinated and vigorous manner."

Sparked by the 40 percent between increase in kidnapping between 2004 and 2007 Mexicans, are seeking out a tiny chip that can be injected under their skin to protect them. To see how it works,

Laptops & Role Playing: Is Technology the Answer to Poverty?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:00:39 -0700

Though Dungeons and Dragons has weirdly wormed its way into the campaign, technology is popping up worldwide as not an escape from the drudgery of every day, but as an escape from poverty. Laptops and role-playing games are a double click of cure.

One Laptop Per Child, a program designed to bring technology and opportunity to kids in developing nations has completely fulfilled that mission in the tiny South Pacific island of Niue. Every single kid, 100 percent of them, now has access to the Internet on the inexpensive, rugged, waterproof (and pretty cute!) laptops. Though Niue is a developing nation, they've been ahead of the technology curve — in 2003 they were the first territory to offer free wireless to all residents.

Once you've mastered the web, can gaming be a golden ticket? Oh yes. To find out how,

Holy Harry Potter Come to Life! Invisibility Cloak a Reality?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:00:20 -0700

Good news for all you sad Muggles wandering around all visible and everything — scientists say that they're a step closer to developing the technology that will give the power to make things and people (!) invisible. Researchers have demonstrated that they're now able to use artificially engineered materials that redirect light around three-dimensional objects, making them disappear into thin air, Harry Potter-style.

OK, it's not magic — the reason we can see objects is because they scatter the light that hits them, beaming some of it back to the eye. This cloaking technique uses materials, called metamaterials, to deflect light around an object, like a rock parting water flowing in a stream.

Though researchers are excited by the military implications of having the power of invisibility, the rest of us can feel free to come up with various (more important?) scenarios where we could apply this technology. Where would you want to be invisible?

Illinois Facility Is First to Offer Treatment For Web Addiction

CitizenSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:45:51 -0700

One double-click too many? An Illinois facility has become the first to offer in-patient treatment for Internet addiction. The cases have been serious — like one patient who wouldn't shower or eat for days, and play computer games until dawn, and another patient so addicted to Internet shopping had boxes shipped to her in the treatment center.

A therapist said:

It's very common for others not to believe that Internet addiction is real. In fact, the person who is addicted to his or her computer is going to have the same "high" as the drug addict who is about to go see their drug dealer. Both are escapes from the real world.

Though kicking cigarettes or booze might just be a question of staying clear of them, with Internet addiction, it's not so easy. The most challenging aspect of the recovery process is the wide availability of the Internet, whether it is on a computer or a cell phone — not to mention those who have to use it for work. "Cocaine and other illegal drugs are not at the library or a coffee shop. Computers are everywhere."

Interestingly, when it comes to girls and boys, there's a difference in addiction. To find out how,

TSA Loses Laptop Containing All Data in Clear-to-Fly Program

CitizenSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:45:55 -0700

The Transportation "Security" Administration might have to rethink its name after it misplaced a laptop containing all of the unencrypted data from 33,000 people who've enrolled in the TSA Clear program for over a week. The info in question includes names and passport, driver's license, and green card numbers — you know, the important stuff.

The laptop belonged to the private company Verified Identity Pass, which runs the program that allows passengers to pay a fee and register to clear security faster in 17 different states. The computer went missing on July 26, but the TSA wasn't notified until Sunday. All of the applicants have to be notified of the security breach. Obviously. The laptop has now been mysteriously recovered, hidden in a "not obvious" location. An investigation is underway as to whether the laptop was stolen and returned, or just misplaced.

Though they might have lost track of that data, they found a whole new (and personal) place to search. To see where,