[Note: This item comes from friend Linda Wellstein. DLH]

June 26, 2008
Op-Ed Contributor
Fight Terror With YouTube
By DANIEL KIMMAGE
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/opinion/26kimmage.html?partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all>

Baku, Azerbaijan

AL QAEDA made its name in blood and pixels, with deadly attacks and an avalanche of electronic news media. Recent news articles depict an online terrorist juggernaut that has defied the best efforts by the United States government to counter it. While these articles are themselves a testimony to Al Qaeda’s media savvy, they don’t tell the whole story.

When it comes to user-generated content and interactivity, Al Qaeda is now behind the curve. And the United States can help to keep it there by encouraging the growth of freer, more empowered online communities, especially in the Arab-Islamic world.

The genius of Al Qaeda was to combine real-world mayhem with virtual marketing. The group’s guerrilla media network supports a family of brands, from Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (in Algeria and Morocco) to the Islamic State of Iraq, through a daily stream of online media products that would make any corporation jealous.

A recent report I wrote for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty details this flow. In July 2007, for example, Al Qaeda released more than 450 statements, books, articles, magazines, audio recordings, short videos of attacks and longer films. These products reach the world through a network of quasi-official online production and distribution entities, like Al Sahab, which releases statements by Osama bin Laden.

But the Qaeda media nexus, as advanced as it is, is old hat. If Web 1.0 was about creating the snazziest official Web resources and Web 2.0 is about letting users run wild with self-created content and interactivity, Al Qaeda and its affiliates are stuck in 1.0.

[snip]

[Note: This item comes from reader Monty Solomon. DLH]

From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Date: June 29, 2008 8:21:47 PM PDT
Subject: Tinkerer’s Toy

Consumed
Tinkerer’s Toy

By ROB WALKER
The New York Times
June 22, 2008

Chumby

When the Chumby first went on sale a few months ago, the result was
not exactly the cultural pile-on occasioned by some gadget debuts,
like the iPhone. But Carla Diana knew what it was, and so did many in
her peer group. Diana taught industrial design until recently at the
Georgia Institute of Technology, and her own work routinely blurs
boundaries between art, technology and products; when she lived in
San Francisco she was a regular at Dorkbot, a periodic gathering of
hackers and tinkerers. When she heard about the Chumby, she recalls,
she thought, Oh, I have to get one.

The Chumby is a fairly innocent-looking object resembling a clock
radio, with a small touch screen and a leather-covered, padded
exterior that feels like a beanbag. It costs $180, and it turns out
that “alpha geeks,” as Stephen Tomlin, the chief executive and
founder of Chumby Industries, puts it, have been the primary target
audience so far. What a Chumby does, basically, is display widgets -
and your reaction to that shorthand explanation will situate you on
the geek continuum. (“What’s a widget?” scores pretty low, for
instance, but the answer is just two paragraphs away.) What put the
Chumby on the radar of people like Carla Diana, however, is what it
might be made to do. The Chumby is Internet-connected, runs on Linux
software and is extremely hackable. In other words, it is a
thoroughly open-source device.

…

<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/magazine/22wwln-consumed-t.html>

[Note: This item comes from reader Monty Solomon. DLH]

From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Date: June 29, 2008 7:02:51 PM PDT
Subject: Preoccupations – I Freed Myself From E-Mail’s Grip

Preoccupations
I Freed Myself From E-Mail’s Grip

By LUIS SUAREZ
The New York Times
June 29, 2008

EARLIER this year, I became tired of my usual morning ritual of
spending hours catching up on e-mail. So I did something drastic to
take back control of my productivity.

I stopped using e-mail most of the time. I quickly realized that the
more messages you answer, the more messages you generate in return.
It becomes a vicious cycle. By trying hard to stop the cycle, I cut
the number of e-mails that I receive by 80 percent in a single week.

It’s not that I stopped communicating; I just communicated in
different and more productive ways. Instead of responding
individually to messages that arrived in my in-box, I started to use
more social networking tools, like instant messaging, blogs and
wikis, among many others. I also started to use the telephone much
more than I did before, which has the added advantage of being a more
personal form of interaction.

I never gave up my work e-mail address, because I still need it for
some work-related activities – for example, for one-on-one
discussions that are too private and confidential to discuss publicly.

I was in a good position to give up most of my other e-mail because
I’m a “social computing evangelist” for I.B.M. and have used social
software tools for years to collaborate on projects and to share
knowledge. I live in the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain and
report to managers in the United States and the Netherlands. Between
time differences and participation in various projects, it’s
important that I spend my time efficiently.

I have had continuing support from my management in this effort,
because I’ve been able to prove how much more I can accomplish by
answering a question, and posting it on a blog, for example, than I
can by answering the same question over and over. I still help
people, but in a more open and collaborative fashion. Other people
can join in the discussions – maybe they will have a better idea than
mine.

I started this experiment by announcing my intention on a couple of
blogs, like my personal one and blogs inside I.B.M.’s firewall. The
postings in response were overwhelmingly positive – but I also
encountered some skepticism. Many people wondered how I would manage
to communicate and collaborate with my peers without using e-mail.

…

<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/jobs/29pre.html>

Dissecting today’s Internet traffic spikes

Theo Schlossnagle
<http://www.lethargy.org/~jesus/archives/118-Dissecting-todays-Internet-traffic-spikes.html>

Today’s Internet has changed quite a bit from the Internet I used to know. The Internet has always been successful because of net neutrality. What’s net neutrality? It’s complicated, but essentially it means that anyone anywhere can publish with equal rights. These aren’t the kind of rights people usually talk about… I’m not speaking of freedom of speech. Instead, I’m talking about content being simply bits. It doesn’t matter if it comes from CNN or this blog, you as a reader can download the bits that make up the pages you see without bias or preferential treatment. This makes it darn easy to be a publisher and leads to a fabulous ecosystem with an overwhelming amount of varied content. However, with more content it is easy to recognize that much of it is utter trash. Yes. Yes. I know that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. However, it presents opportunities for sites that help you navigate the wasteland.

Many popular sites today are popular because they link to articles and news items and photographs and movies all over the Internet; they are “interest aggregation services.” And while the Internet has (for now) a decent preservation of net neutrality when it comes to simple web content, not all publishers are on equal footing. Not long ago, anyone could run a server anywhere (their basement) with DSL or cable or (gasp) dial-up — now, the challenge is coping with unexpected attention.

Years ago, the site slashdot coined a term “slashdotted” which meant that a site received so much sudden traffic that service degraded beyond an acceptable point and the site was effectively unavailable. This often happened to sites that were at the end of small pipes (DSL, T1, etc.) and occasionally (though rarely) due to bad engineering. While slashdot might have coined the term, they simply don’t have the viewership numbers that other large sites today have.

At the $DAYJOB, I work on sites that aren’t on the end of T1 lines. Sites with gigabits or tens of gigabits of connectivity. Sites with 50 millions users. Sites powered by thousands of machines. I also work on sites that service millions of people from just a handful of machines (efficiency certainly has its advantages sometimes). I find it particularly interesting that already popular sites (with significant baseline bandwidth) are seeing these unexpected surges. For a long time, my blog has been on this same machine which is a vhost for several other web sites. I’ve had traffic spikes from places like slashdot, reddit, digg, etc. And, no surprise, I couldn’t actually see the bandwidth jump on the graphs… 10Mbits to 11Mbs? That’s not a spike.

[snip]

[Note: This item comes from reader Monty Solomon. DLH]

From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Date: June 29, 2008 7:12:56 AM PDT
Subject: In connected world, camps can’t cut cord

In connected world, camps can’t cut cord
‘Kid-sick’ parents keep pressure on for digital access

By Keith O’Brien, Globe Staff | June 29, 2008
The Boston Globe

BECKET – Little has changed at Camp Becket since the first boys came
here by train 105 summers ago. The cabins, nestled into the woods,
have no electricity. The photography classes are taught in a
darkroom, not at a computer. And iPods are forbidden. For
entertainment, the children sing songs together.

It is, in effect, a 21st-century parent’s dream. But, as it turns
out, there is only so much rustic isolation today’s parents are
willing to tolerate. In the age of instant gratification, where
parents can contact their children almost whenever they want via
cellphones, text messages, and e-mails, it is Mom and Dad, not their
little campers, who are struggling to let go.

“It kills them not to know that Johnny’s on the basketball court
right now, or in the bathroom, or changing his shirt,” said Bette
Bussel, executive director of the New England chapter of the American
Camp Association. “Parents expect a totally different kind of
communication than they did years ago. Totally different.”

To accommodate these needs, summer camps, like Camp Becket in the
Berkshires, are increasingly going digital. They are allowing parents
to e-mail their children, then delivering printouts by hand along
with the stamped mail. They are giving campers a chance to reply by
fax. And they are posting photos of the children online – sometimes
by the thousand – for the parents to enjoy.

…

<http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/06/29/in_connected_world_camps_cant_cut_cord/>

EliteTorrents admin faces 10 years in jail

Posted on 29.06.2008 at 04:31 in Tech News by Martin
<http://www.rlslog.net/elitetorrents-admin-faces-10-years-in-jail/>

26yo Daniel Dove has become the first person ever to be convicted by a jury for using BitTorrent to illegally distribute copyrighted material. It was on May 25th, 2005 that federal authorities first busted the famed EliteTorrents BitTorrent tracker site following the pre-release leak of a “Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith” workprint. Called Operation D-Elite, it was part of a nationwide federal crackdown against the illegal distribution of copyrighted movies, software, games and music over P2P networks. So far it’s resulted in the convictions of seven former leading members of EliteTorrents. Fellow admins, Scott McCausland, Grant Stanley, Sam Kuonen, and Scott Harvanek, all pleaded guilty to similar charges rather than take their cases to trial. Now Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich has announced that 26yo Daniel Dove has become the eighth person to have been successfully targeted by the Department of Justice and the first person ever to be convicted after a trial by jury in the US for using BitTorrent to engage in criminal copyright infringement.

[snip]

Louisiana passes first antievolution “academic freedom” law

By John Timmer | Published: June 27, 2008 – 02:13PM CT
<http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080627-louisiana-passes-first-antievolution-academic-freedom-law.html>

As we noted last month, a number of states have been considering laws that, under the guise of “academic freedom,” single out evolution for special criticism. Most of them haven’t made it out of the state legislatures, and one that did was promptly vetoed. But the last of these bills under consideration, the Louisiana Science Education Act (LSEA), was enacted by the signature of Governor Bobby Jindal yesterday. The bill would allow local school boards to approve supplemental classroom materials specifically for the critique of scientific theories, allowing poorly-informed board members to stick their communities with Dover-sized legal fees.

The text of the LSEA suggests that it’s intended to foster critical thinking, calling on the state Board of Education to “assist teachers, principals, and other school administrators to create and foster an environment within public elementary and secondary schools that promotes critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of scientific theories.” Unfortunately, it’s remarkably selective in its suggestion of topics that need critical thinking, as it cites scientific subjects “including, but not limited to, evolution, the origins of life, global warming, and human cloning.”

Oddly, the last item on the list is not the subject of any scientific theory; the remainder are notable for being topics that are the focus of frequent political controversies rather than scientific ones.
The opposition

The bill has been opposed by every scientific society that has voiced a position on it, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science. AAAS CEO Alan Leshner warned that the bill would “unleash an assault against scientific integrity, leaving students confused about science and unprepared to excel in a modern workforce.”

[snip]

[Note: This item comes from reader Randall. DLH]

From: Randall Webmail <rvh40@insightbb.com>
Date: June 28, 2008 4:11:17 PM PDT
To: dewayne@warpspeed.com, johnmacsgroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: “Know Your Customer” regulations under attack

Florida banks tell feds to ease regulation
Jacksonville Business Journal – by Brian Bandell

Florida banks say they are tired of playing cops, and some congressional leaders agree.

The Florida Bankers Association (FBA) issued a statement Thursday in support of 18 members of Congress who signed a letter asking bank regulatory agencies to ease off on their enforcement of bank-related provisions of the Patriot Act and the Bank Secrecy Act. Parts of the two laws require banks to report the suspicious activity of their customers, especially when conducting international business.

The FBA’s letter said it has seen very little evidence that banks’ reports on potential criminal behavior have deterred such activity or led to actual arrests.

“Banks are spending millions upon millions of dollars in compliance costs,” FBA President Alex Sanchez said. “If it keeps going like this, we’ll spend more money on compliance than on the actual business of banking.”

Some banks have received cease-and-desist orders from federal regulators because they didn’t fully comply with the laws, even though the regulators pointed out no instances of illegal activity. The congressional letter noted that bankers are now, in effect, policeman, and could face serious punishment from regulators if they fail in these duties.

[SNIP]

<http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2008/06/23/daily42.html>

[Note: This comment comes from friend Bob Frankston. DLH]

From: “Bob Frankston” <Bob19-0501@bobf.frankston.com>
Date: June 28, 2008 8:11:12 PM PDT
To: “‘Dewayne Hendricks’” <dewayne@warpspeed.com>, “‘Dewayne-Net Technology List’” <xyzzy@warpspeed.com>
Subject: RE: [Dewayne-Net] Public Service Announcement

See: <http://www.frankston.com/public/?name=NNCPorn>

Fed’s Credibility “Below Zero”

<http://firedoglake.com/2008/06/28/feds-credibility-below-zero/>

So says Barclay’s, as it predicts widespread inflation:

“We’re in a nasty environment,” said Tim Bond, the bank’s chief equity strategist. “There is an inflation shock underway. This is going to be very negative for financial assets. We are going into tortoise mood and are retreating into our shell. Investors will do well if they can preserve their wealth.”…

…Traders said the Fed seemed to be rowing back from rate rises. The effect was to propel oil to $138 a barrel, confirming its role as a sort of “anti-dollar” and as a market reproach to Washington’s easy-money policies.

The Fed’s stimulus is being transmitted to the 45-odd countries linked to the dollar around world. The result is surging commodity prices. Global inflation has jumped from 3.2pc to 5pc over the last year.

[snip]