There is a certain responsibility that comes with the mantle of "Cyberculturalist," and one which I do not take lightly. I was a BBS sysop (running Renegade) before becoming a webmaster and netizen, and I'm proud to say I've correctly predicted many Web and Internet-related developments over the years. This is a place where I truly feel at-home and honestly believe I have something of value to contribute, and this blog is some of that.
But we are moving this week, and it's been nothing short of exhausting - not to mention piecemeal. We had a truck for a limited time, as well as limited access to limited storage, and also had to make a quick decision, once we learned the place we really wanted had already been rented!
Anyway, there are always stories to cover, but I pick and choose them according to what is on my mind, according to my use of the Web, and trends which I see. For example, Twitter is big right now, but only because of the Ashton Kutcher thing. Right this minute the "hot" story is how Moldova has created a "flash mob" and initiated a Twitter protest. Maybe I'm very wrong about this, but I don't think this is quite the story others do.
While the Ashton Kutcher thing was an historical event within the cyberculture, the Moldova thing is... too big to be properly analyzed within the limited realm of the cyberculture at this time. Again, my call. And though limited time has something to do with it, and I did think it at least important enough to mention, I did just that more to help form the structure of this resource than anything else.
Something like this could alter the course of this blog, but I'm yet to be convinced it will alter the world or cyberculture. I do not think Twitter the cultural revolution others are crediting it for being. Not yet, anyway. Time will tell, but right now, I think it a media buzzword which proves just how disconnected they really are.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Suburban Hotel
Are you a frequent traveler? Or maybe someone in desperate need of a place to stay for a little while? Suburban extended stay hotel may be what you are looking for. Further, you can join their program to get a card which grants you one free night for every two you stay at any of their brands - including Clarion, Cambria Suites, Sleep Inn, and more. You can find one of their hotels in almost any town or city throughout the United States, so fulfilling the two night stay should be no problem. This is absolutely great for those needing a truly extended stay - more than a week or two, in particular!
Don't wait another second! Follow the link included to learn more about this great deal right now!
Don't wait another second! Follow the link included to learn more about this great deal right now!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
GeoCities - "The End of an Era"
Yahoo! is discontinuing the GeoCities service later this year. While it says current users need not rush to preserve their sites, they do need to start looking for full-service hosting elsewhere, as the services will be discontinued.
Yahoo! purchased GeoCities in 1999 for nearly $4bn. It was the height of the Dot-Com Boom and GeoCities had been around for a few years; GeoCities was known as the premiere, free webhost and several of its contemporaries (such as Fortune City, for one) adopted its "neighborhood" approach. When users created an account, they chose a "neighborhood" in which to place their website. These neighborhoods were divvied-up according to interest/subject, but were never strictly enforced.
When Yahoo! bought the service, things quickly changed - and not for the better, as far as most users were concerned. Among the many changes, Yahoo! instituted rotating, contextual ads - with no benefits to the webmasters. Over time, Yahoo! also cut the FTP access and other amenities which originally came with the account, in attempts to force users to "upgrade" to Yahoo! paid webhosting. Even Yahoo!'s paid webhosting disallowed advertising which benefited the webmaster, contextual or otherwise.
Yahoo! was once the premiere web portal, but has lost a lot of ground in the intervening years. It has tried to expand its reach into print (Yahoo! Internet Life), took on eBay during the Dot-Com Boom (Yahoo! Auctions), and even PayPal (long before it was purchased by eBay), but time and again, Yahoo! found itself bested. So much so that the once venerable brand name has forced-out its longtime CEO and is undergoing radical change.
Even at a time when so many others are doing the same, Yahoo! has a decade on them in an industry where age really does matter. Regardless of what the media tells you, the Web does not "move at the speed of light" and we netizens have far longer attention spans than those what can be measured in nanoseconds. Is it a case of too much too fast (and mostly unnecessary) or simply Web expansion?
This is specifically why I am such a proponent of Web 2.0(+): why try to improve on... well, as close to "perfection" as is needed? Why did Yahoo! try to take-on eBay when it would have served us much better by indexing it? Likewise, why did it try to move into a dead medium with the magazine venture? I could scan you the cover of "The Top 100 Websites of 2002," but why the point is, why would a Web portal use a magazine to tell us what the top 100 websites are? And, IIRC, it included a link to the online version of the list!!!
As much as I'd like to support Yahoo!, the truth is that it spread itself so thin that it had no focus and website after structure came along in the meantime, zeroed-in on every aspect of the Web Yahoo! once dominated. And it has stubbornly resisted embracing these new sites. While new features, such as the includion of a Facebook module, are welcome additions, it may well be too late for what was once the face of the Web.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Yahoo! purchased GeoCities in 1999 for nearly $4bn. It was the height of the Dot-Com Boom and GeoCities had been around for a few years; GeoCities was known as the premiere, free webhost and several of its contemporaries (such as Fortune City, for one) adopted its "neighborhood" approach. When users created an account, they chose a "neighborhood" in which to place their website. These neighborhoods were divvied-up according to interest/subject, but were never strictly enforced.
When Yahoo! bought the service, things quickly changed - and not for the better, as far as most users were concerned. Among the many changes, Yahoo! instituted rotating, contextual ads - with no benefits to the webmasters. Over time, Yahoo! also cut the FTP access and other amenities which originally came with the account, in attempts to force users to "upgrade" to Yahoo! paid webhosting. Even Yahoo!'s paid webhosting disallowed advertising which benefited the webmaster, contextual or otherwise.
Yahoo! was once the premiere web portal, but has lost a lot of ground in the intervening years. It has tried to expand its reach into print (Yahoo! Internet Life), took on eBay during the Dot-Com Boom (Yahoo! Auctions), and even PayPal (long before it was purchased by eBay), but time and again, Yahoo! found itself bested. So much so that the once venerable brand name has forced-out its longtime CEO and is undergoing radical change.
Even at a time when so many others are doing the same, Yahoo! has a decade on them in an industry where age really does matter. Regardless of what the media tells you, the Web does not "move at the speed of light" and we netizens have far longer attention spans than those what can be measured in nanoseconds. Is it a case of too much too fast (and mostly unnecessary) or simply Web expansion?
This is specifically why I am such a proponent of Web 2.0(+): why try to improve on... well, as close to "perfection" as is needed? Why did Yahoo! try to take-on eBay when it would have served us much better by indexing it? Likewise, why did it try to move into a dead medium with the magazine venture? I could scan you the cover of "The Top 100 Websites of 2002," but why the point is, why would a Web portal use a magazine to tell us what the top 100 websites are? And, IIRC, it included a link to the online version of the list!!!
As much as I'd like to support Yahoo!, the truth is that it spread itself so thin that it had no focus and website after structure came along in the meantime, zeroed-in on every aspect of the Web Yahoo! once dominated. And it has stubbornly resisted embracing these new sites. While new features, such as the includion of a Facebook module, are welcome additions, it may well be too late for what was once the face of the Web.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Mesothelioma Help
If you are not familiar with mesothelioma, then you are lucky. Actually, few people really should be; it is almost solely associated with exposure to asbestos and they have been removing asbestos from most public places and so forth for decades now (since they learned about it). Of course, asbestos is one of the few substances known to be fireproof, so there are still certain professions and people who may be exposed to asbestos and thus may still be at-risk for contracting mesothelioma.
Sadly, even after decades of knowledge, there are few treatments for the disease. But Mesothelioma Help is one of the best sites online for all your needs. It is chockful of information about the disease, its contraction, treatment, and more. Whether you or someone you know suffers from one of the forms of mesothelioma, MesotheliomaHelp.net is a great resource and one you can depend on. Check it out today and make sure to bookmark for later!
Sadly, even after decades of knowledge, there are few treatments for the disease. But Mesothelioma Help is one of the best sites online for all your needs. It is chockful of information about the disease, its contraction, treatment, and more. Whether you or someone you know suffers from one of the forms of mesothelioma, MesotheliomaHelp.net is a great resource and one you can depend on. Check it out today and make sure to bookmark for later!
Microsoft Suffers First Sales Dip in History
Microsoft reported its first ever sales decline in 23 years as a public company. Representatives for the corporation said sales had fallen 6% in the first quarter of 2009, prompting the company to look at ways to cut costs. In January, Microsoft said it will be trimming 5000 positions in coming months, including 1400 immediately.
Sales slipped to a mere $13.65bn, with profits dropping by 32%. Microsoft blames the economy for the loss of profits, but the European Commission announced this January that it is once again considering regulations on the company for unfair business practices.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Sales slipped to a mere $13.65bn, with profits dropping by 32%. Microsoft blames the economy for the loss of profits, but the European Commission announced this January that it is once again considering regulations on the company for unfair business practices.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Apple Apologizes for Baby Shaking App
Apple has issued an official apology for offering an iPhone app called Baby Shaker, a game sold for 99¢ in which players shook crying babies to quiet them. Intentionally snarky, the game grew sharp criticism from both children's groups and brain injury foundations - to the point that Apple pulled the game from their iTunes Store and issued the following statement:
Representatives would not say how many had downloaded the mean-spirited game from maker, Sikalosoft, which carried the disclaimer, "Never shake a baby."
No, really.
And it doesn't end there: spokespersons for various do-gooder agencies just had to say they were "disheartened" that, by selling the app, Apple was actually encouraging adults to shake babies - "not only to end their crying, but to end their lives." Because no reasoning adult could possibly know the difference between a game on a fucking cellphone and an actual, living infant. "There are many effective infant soothing strategies that adults can use to calm their fussy, crying babies. Shaking is not one of them."
Well, no shit.
As asinine as this whole debacle is, The Cyberculturalist wanted to keep perspective. In days past, we computer-users often enjoyed good, snarky fun. But as computers and the Web (and related peripherals) become more mainstream and far more widely-used, we have to remember that many end-users today are the very ones who prompted Compaq to issue an FAQ explaining where the "Any" Key is.
The sad truth is that, while the widespread use of the Web has brought us many great things (and promises many more to come), the days of carefree fun amongst nerds of our own kind is over. The newsgroups are dead (co-opted and owned by Google - like everything else), billion-dollar industries are attacking individuals, and people are actually being sued for flaming (oh, and "flaming" isn't even a term anymore). The illusion of anonymity is gone, flaming refers to homosexuals, and disclaimers reminding us that shaking babies is bad for their health are a legal necessity.
I'd post a sad-face emoticon, but I can't afford the royalties.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
This application was deeply offensive and should not have been approved for distribution on the App Store. We sincerely apologize for this mistake and thank our customers for bringing this to our attention.
Representatives would not say how many had downloaded the mean-spirited game from maker, Sikalosoft, which carried the disclaimer, "Never shake a baby."
No, really.
And it doesn't end there: spokespersons for various do-gooder agencies just had to say they were "disheartened" that, by selling the app, Apple was actually encouraging adults to shake babies - "not only to end their crying, but to end their lives." Because no reasoning adult could possibly know the difference between a game on a fucking cellphone and an actual, living infant. "There are many effective infant soothing strategies that adults can use to calm their fussy, crying babies. Shaking is not one of them."
Well, no shit.
As asinine as this whole debacle is, The Cyberculturalist wanted to keep perspective. In days past, we computer-users often enjoyed good, snarky fun. But as computers and the Web (and related peripherals) become more mainstream and far more widely-used, we have to remember that many end-users today are the very ones who prompted Compaq to issue an FAQ explaining where the "Any" Key is.
The sad truth is that, while the widespread use of the Web has brought us many great things (and promises many more to come), the days of carefree fun amongst nerds of our own kind is over. The newsgroups are dead (co-opted and owned by Google - like everything else), billion-dollar industries are attacking individuals, and people are actually being sued for flaming (oh, and "flaming" isn't even a term anymore). The illusion of anonymity is gone, flaming refers to homosexuals, and disclaimers reminding us that shaking babies is bad for their health are a legal necessity.
I'd post a sad-face emoticon, but I can't afford the royalties.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
ISPs' Greed Exposed
Does $49.95/month sound like a fair price for hi-speed access? It shouldn't; I worked for one of the major broadband providers back in the late 1990s and that was the price they were charging then! Yet some of today's major providers are not only still charging that amount, they are pushing for the chance to charge even more! But consumers, and even some members of Congress, are speaking-out against it, even as certain Internet Service Providers scramble to justify their greed.
According to the ISPs, people who pursue a lot of streaming media and/or trade files (watching shows, listening to music, downloading, etc.) use more bandwidth than those who do not, and should be charged more. The idea is to move to a "piecemeal" pricing model, where those who generally only use the Internet to check e-mail and maybe browse a few sites would pay less than those who are glued to Hulu and YouTube.
But experts note that ISPs' costs are not affected by netizens' use of the Web. In fact, the chief technical officer of Comcast blatantly acknowledges, "Just because someone consumes more data doesn’t mean they drive more cost." The reason is that the networks are built based on "peak usage." AT&T is said to have built its long-distance network based on the number of calls the company expected to field on Mother's Day. Comcast has been quoted as telling investors the cost of doubling Internet capacity in a neighborhood is less than $7.00 a home.
Meanwhile, Comcast is charging $140/month for 50-megabit-per-second service, compared to $45/month for 8-megabit service. This is compared to Japan's costs of $60/month for 160-Mb/sec. service!
While Japan's lower costs are at least partially due to more competition, US firms also cite the new Docsis 3 technology. However, Docsis 3 technology will actually increase the networks' capacity as well as allow much faster download speeds. And countries throughout the world offer lower prices as a general rule.
Congress has demanded an FCC report on the matters by next year, which has large ISPs quaking in their boots, because they already know they are ripping-off customers and they're worried about government regulations on pricing - which do not currently exist.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
According to the ISPs, people who pursue a lot of streaming media and/or trade files (watching shows, listening to music, downloading, etc.) use more bandwidth than those who do not, and should be charged more. The idea is to move to a "piecemeal" pricing model, where those who generally only use the Internet to check e-mail and maybe browse a few sites would pay less than those who are glued to Hulu and YouTube.
But experts note that ISPs' costs are not affected by netizens' use of the Web. In fact, the chief technical officer of Comcast blatantly acknowledges, "Just because someone consumes more data doesn’t mean they drive more cost." The reason is that the networks are built based on "peak usage." AT&T is said to have built its long-distance network based on the number of calls the company expected to field on Mother's Day. Comcast has been quoted as telling investors the cost of doubling Internet capacity in a neighborhood is less than $7.00 a home.
Meanwhile, Comcast is charging $140/month for 50-megabit-per-second service, compared to $45/month for 8-megabit service. This is compared to Japan's costs of $60/month for 160-Mb/sec. service!
While Japan's lower costs are at least partially due to more competition, US firms also cite the new Docsis 3 technology. However, Docsis 3 technology will actually increase the networks' capacity as well as allow much faster download speeds. And countries throughout the world offer lower prices as a general rule.
Congress has demanded an FCC report on the matters by next year, which has large ISPs quaking in their boots, because they already know they are ripping-off customers and they're worried about government regulations on pricing - which do not currently exist.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Spirit Journeys
Spirit Journeys is no mere gay travel agency, and it is more than just a "workshop." Spirit Journeys seeks to create and foster a community of like-minded individuals who share similar experiences and feelings. Within such a community, members and participants can allow themselves to be vulnerable without fearing judgement or ridicule, allowing one to truly be one's self and discover who that person is.
By drawing on numerous practices, teachings, and dogmatic beliefs, Spirit Journeys focuses on the singular, the individual, and by sharing your experiences and feelings, the individuals create the community. The community then travels to places noted for their spiritual importance - both modern and ancient. Together, the community connects with these people and places - it's all part of the spiritual journey designed to help you discover yourself and break free of the typical restrictions and cliches so many in the gay community place upon themselves in attempts to "fit-in" with larger society.
If this sounds like the type of help you could use - the kind of change you would like to bring to your life - then Spirit Journeys just may be for you. Follow the link provided to learn more today!
By drawing on numerous practices, teachings, and dogmatic beliefs, Spirit Journeys focuses on the singular, the individual, and by sharing your experiences and feelings, the individuals create the community. The community then travels to places noted for their spiritual importance - both modern and ancient. Together, the community connects with these people and places - it's all part of the spiritual journey designed to help you discover yourself and break free of the typical restrictions and cliches so many in the gay community place upon themselves in attempts to "fit-in" with larger society.
If this sounds like the type of help you could use - the kind of change you would like to bring to your life - then Spirit Journeys just may be for you. Follow the link provided to learn more today!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The State of Cybercrime
Security firm, Finjan, said it had traced a botnet controlling some 2 million computers back to a six-man-strong cybergang in the Ukraine which was selling access to the computers for $50-100 on a Russian hackers' forum. About half of the infected PCs were in the US, and included PCs in high-ranking governmental agencies. Though only 6% of the compromised computers were located in the UK, a computer on the BBC network was found to be part of the botnet, as were computers within six different governmental departments. The gang has not been caught.
While many of the threats were (or would have been) detected by security procedures already in place, some 70 different computers in government agencies worldwide were part of the gang's botnet. All of them were operating under Windows OS and the gang's method of deployment was the exploitation of security holes in the Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers.
Even more disturbing was the size of the botnet: last year, such networks consisted of hundreds of thousands of computers; this botnet contained some 2 million PCs!
Another large security firm, RSA, called for cooperation and collaboration between industry firms and experts in defending the Web and major networks against such threats, which it called "a true ecosystem... control[ling] massive armies of zombie computers." President Art Coviello, said, "We must evolve from acting independently to solve discreet information security problems to acting collaboratively to create a common development process."
RSA made the plea at a security conference in San Francisco - the largest of its kind to-date - which included industry luminaries from almost all the major companies, including Microsoft, Cisco, Symantec, and more. Coviello's suggestions of sharing technologies and abandoning individual, "piecemeal" security strategies boils down to eliminating "proprietary" software and technologies - at least where security is concerned. And this could have major ramifications for the "Browser Wars."
Originally a struggle between Netscape and then newcomer, Internet Explorer, the "Browser Wars" largely subsided by the turn of the century, with IE commanding an astounding 90+% of the market and Netscape being bought by AOL. However, Firefox in particular has provided IE a strong competitor, reigniting the battle. Proprietary technologies proved Netscape's downfall and has hurt Internet Explorer in the latest battle, as much of Firefox' appeal is its customization and open source format.
When it comes to Web security, Coviello's admonition is clear: competition does no one any good, leading only to "piecemeal [technologies] from multiple vendors, cluttering the information landscape." He flatly stated that vendors must be willing to share information. Enrique Salem, president and CEO of Symantec, echoed his sentiments.
Some related statistics suggest a webpage was infected every 5 seconds, more than 20,000 new forms of malware were discovered daily, and there were as many as 200,000 attacks an hour in 2008 alone.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
While many of the threats were (or would have been) detected by security procedures already in place, some 70 different computers in government agencies worldwide were part of the gang's botnet. All of them were operating under Windows OS and the gang's method of deployment was the exploitation of security holes in the Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers.
Even more disturbing was the size of the botnet: last year, such networks consisted of hundreds of thousands of computers; this botnet contained some 2 million PCs!
Another large security firm, RSA, called for cooperation and collaboration between industry firms and experts in defending the Web and major networks against such threats, which it called "a true ecosystem... control[ling] massive armies of zombie computers." President Art Coviello, said, "We must evolve from acting independently to solve discreet information security problems to acting collaboratively to create a common development process."
RSA made the plea at a security conference in San Francisco - the largest of its kind to-date - which included industry luminaries from almost all the major companies, including Microsoft, Cisco, Symantec, and more. Coviello's suggestions of sharing technologies and abandoning individual, "piecemeal" security strategies boils down to eliminating "proprietary" software and technologies - at least where security is concerned. And this could have major ramifications for the "Browser Wars."
Originally a struggle between Netscape and then newcomer, Internet Explorer, the "Browser Wars" largely subsided by the turn of the century, with IE commanding an astounding 90+% of the market and Netscape being bought by AOL. However, Firefox in particular has provided IE a strong competitor, reigniting the battle. Proprietary technologies proved Netscape's downfall and has hurt Internet Explorer in the latest battle, as much of Firefox' appeal is its customization and open source format.
When it comes to Web security, Coviello's admonition is clear: competition does no one any good, leading only to "piecemeal [technologies] from multiple vendors, cluttering the information landscape." He flatly stated that vendors must be willing to share information. Enrique Salem, president and CEO of Symantec, echoed his sentiments.
Some related statistics suggest a webpage was infected every 5 seconds, more than 20,000 new forms of malware were discovered daily, and there were as many as 200,000 attacks an hour in 2008 alone.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Nokia Sells Mobile TV Division
While mobile TV broadcasting was all the rage a few years ago, it never generated much demand amongst consumers, so phone giant, Nokia, has sold its mobile TV unit, Mobile Broadcast Solutions, to Indian firm, Wipro. The division employed about 40 people who developed software and hardware pertaining to mobile TV broadcasting.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Ask Jeeves
After a couple years off, Jeeves the Butler is returning to Ask.com and will serve as their branding. Further, Ask is reverting to its original name, Ask Jeeves, in an effort to cement said branding and establish itself as the search engine with something different.
Ask Jeeves originally used a question-phrasing platform for searches, like Answers.com does today. The user expressed a literal question and Jeeves "answered it" by returning pertinent search results with further information. Ask Jeeves dropped the cartoon character in 2006 and underwent several radical changes in attempts to capture some of the search market share from Google - none of which worked. Jeeves has also received a "facelift" for his re-employment.
While spokespeople for Ask deny they are hurting, citing a 20% increase in usage, industry experts refute the denial. Google has a whopping 90% share of the search market and all other engines are struggling for a piece of the remaining 10%. In short, everyone but Google is hurting.
One expert went further in noting that Ask "shot itself in the foot" by rebranding and "trying to be more like Google." Speaking to the BBC, Peter Matthews of Nucleus branding and digital consulting said, "Ask Jeeves was quite a strong brand... Ask without Jeeves lacked character."
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Ask Jeeves originally used a question-phrasing platform for searches, like Answers.com does today. The user expressed a literal question and Jeeves "answered it" by returning pertinent search results with further information. Ask Jeeves dropped the cartoon character in 2006 and underwent several radical changes in attempts to capture some of the search market share from Google - none of which worked. Jeeves has also received a "facelift" for his re-employment.
While spokespeople for Ask deny they are hurting, citing a 20% increase in usage, industry experts refute the denial. Google has a whopping 90% share of the search market and all other engines are struggling for a piece of the remaining 10%. In short, everyone but Google is hurting.
One expert went further in noting that Ask "shot itself in the foot" by rebranding and "trying to be more like Google." Speaking to the BBC, Peter Matthews of Nucleus branding and digital consulting said, "Ask Jeeves was quite a strong brand... Ask without Jeeves lacked character."
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Low-Tech Brings High Return
What is your website about? What does it do or provide? Even if it is something completely virtual - such as MMORPG currency or items - you need to have a comprehensive offline advertising campaign in place. Traditional advertising is still highly effective, even for websites and web-based businesses.
Especially if your site deals with MMORPG, games/gaming, and the like, you should hit all the conventions you can afford. And have great-looking cardboard displays on and around your booth/table. Trust me when I say that attending even one of these small cons can increase awareness of your service and/or product by tenfold! The great big ones, not so much; there's no need to even try to compete with the really big guys, unless you already are one of those really big guys.
Especially if your site deals with MMORPG, games/gaming, and the like, you should hit all the conventions you can afford. And have great-looking cardboard displays on and around your booth/table. Trust me when I say that attending even one of these small cons can increase awareness of your service and/or product by tenfold! The great big ones, not so much; there's no need to even try to compete with the really big guys, unless you already are one of those really big guys.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Weird Times
Sorry for the late-night posting and all that. I know it's been really weird lately, but this is The Weirding, so... there's that. Seriously though, this dial-up stuff is a real hassle during the day; I simply cannot get on here long enough to be productive.
It's especially tough when the female friend is around because she constantly needs the phone. Don't get me wrong, I love having her around and all, but it is what it is. This week has also been difficult because of the weather - all of which more or less missed us. We got some rain and a lot of posturing (thunder, lightning), but no real storm. If it weren't for the fact that I actually hurt more before it rains, I would have enjoyed it (until my neck started bothering me, I liked gloomy weather); my neck actually doesn't hurt that bad once it's actively raining, but it is hell just before.
Anyway, I am working on a couple of thorough posts which I will present soon, as well as some stories which will post throughout the week, to keep us regular, so even though you're having to deal with these late-night bloggings right now, they are probably temporary. No promises.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
It's especially tough when the female friend is around because she constantly needs the phone. Don't get me wrong, I love having her around and all, but it is what it is. This week has also been difficult because of the weather - all of which more or less missed us. We got some rain and a lot of posturing (thunder, lightning), but no real storm. If it weren't for the fact that I actually hurt more before it rains, I would have enjoyed it (until my neck started bothering me, I liked gloomy weather); my neck actually doesn't hurt that bad once it's actively raining, but it is hell just before.
Anyway, I am working on a couple of thorough posts which I will present soon, as well as some stories which will post throughout the week, to keep us regular, so even though you're having to deal with these late-night bloggings right now, they are probably temporary. No promises.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
UK High-Tech Needs Bailout
According to the National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts (Nesta), there was a 70% fall in venture capital funding last year, and the UK could lose as much as $6 billion a year to 2013, should they lose ground in the digital arena. The firm suggests the government and private sector "go half-and-half" to raise $1 billion for the industry and avoid the consequences.
Nesta identified two other areas in which the UK is losing its standing: healthcare and green technologies. It urged the government to consider these areas closely when deciding on the multi-billion fiscal stimulus package.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Nesta identified two other areas in which the UK is losing its standing: healthcare and green technologies. It urged the government to consider these areas closely when deciding on the multi-billion fiscal stimulus package.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Vacation Time
Yes, that time of the year is upon us once again: the time of year when we pack up the wife and kids and change the locks head out to see all the wonders of the universe. Usually on a tight budget. So, it's generally more like a wonder of the universe.
But who needs all that mouse ears stuff? Lines that stretch into parking lots miles deep with station wagons and minivans; kids screaming and running around at breakneck speeds, between legs andoff leashes sans parental figures... What your family really needs is some relaxation and togetherness - no, seriously. There really are great places where you and the entire family can go and each do your own thing while also being together and doing family things - and without all the hassle of the overpriced, over-hyped theme parks and the Pirates of the Caribbean nonsense.
Like Myrtle beach. The kids can swim, the wife can tan, and you can do... whatever. Best of all, no fancy hotels to break you; you can get great beach vacation rentals for next to nothing just by following that link provided!
But who needs all that mouse ears stuff? Lines that stretch into parking lots miles deep with station wagons and minivans; kids screaming and running around at breakneck speeds, between legs and
Like Myrtle beach. The kids can swim, the wife can tan, and you can do... whatever. Best of all, no fancy hotels to break you; you can get great beach vacation rentals for next to nothing just by following that link provided!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
The Craigslist Killer
Just recently, we brought you the story of police's concern over Craigslist and certain services advertised on the website. Now, Boston officials are seeking a man who is using the Erotic Services section to meet and rob women "involved in similar professions." And, as of Tuesday night, kill them.
Authorities found 26-year old Julissa Brisman unconscious in her hotel room, the victim of multiple gunshots. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she later died. Investigators say there are signs of a struggle "in the threshold of the hotel room immediately prior to the shooting." This leads them to believe the man who used Craigslist to arrange meetings through the Erotic Services section and rob the women he met is the same person who shot and killed the young model.
Just four days prior, another Boston woman who advertised on the Craigslist site was robbed at gunpoint. On Thursday, a Craigslist advertiser was tied-up and robbed at gunpoint before her husband entered the room and interrupted the crime. The gunman pointed his weapon at the man and fled.
Surveillance cameras show a tall, young, clean-cut blond man leaving the premises around the time of the murder. He was wearing a black windbreaker. Authorities are asking for help in identifying the man.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Authorities found 26-year old Julissa Brisman unconscious in her hotel room, the victim of multiple gunshots. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she later died. Investigators say there are signs of a struggle "in the threshold of the hotel room immediately prior to the shooting." This leads them to believe the man who used Craigslist to arrange meetings through the Erotic Services section and rob the women he met is the same person who shot and killed the young model.
Just four days prior, another Boston woman who advertised on the Craigslist site was robbed at gunpoint. On Thursday, a Craigslist advertiser was tied-up and robbed at gunpoint before her husband entered the room and interrupted the crime. The gunman pointed his weapon at the man and fled.
Surveillance cameras show a tall, young, clean-cut blond man leaving the premises around the time of the murder. He was wearing a black windbreaker. Authorities are asking for help in identifying the man.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Pirate Bay Awaiting Verdict
The whole time and time zone thing completely throws me off; I have never been able to get that stuff straight, even when I'm looking at a globe and a timetable. Anyway, the four men standing trial for running Pirate Bay (Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Carl Lundstrom, and Peter Sunde) are awaiting a verdict in their criminal court case. Sunde said he and the other defendants were "confident."
Pirate Bay is probably the most popular BitTorrents site online. Originally developed by PiratByran, a Swedish think thank opposed to modern notions of "intellectual property," it has been run by individuals since around 2004. The defendants say they are breaking no laws; they do not host the offending (and generally illegal) content, simply link to it. They compared themselves to Google in this regard. However, Swedish law has recently changed - in no small part due to Pirate Bay - and their politicos and government are becoming more Web-savvy. As one legal eagle put it, 'The question is whether or not they should be held liable for continuing to operate the website even after they knew it was being used illegally.'
Representatives of the movie, music, and video games industries are seeking nearly $4 million in damages from the four. But they are defiant, telling the press that Pirate Bay will continue, regardless of the verdict, and that they will immediately appeal if found guilty. In addition to the $4 million in damages, the four face possible fines and even jail time.
The judge is able to ask the European Court of Justice for counsel before rendering a decision.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Pirate Bay is probably the most popular BitTorrents site online. Originally developed by PiratByran, a Swedish think thank opposed to modern notions of "intellectual property," it has been run by individuals since around 2004. The defendants say they are breaking no laws; they do not host the offending (and generally illegal) content, simply link to it. They compared themselves to Google in this regard. However, Swedish law has recently changed - in no small part due to Pirate Bay - and their politicos and government are becoming more Web-savvy. As one legal eagle put it, 'The question is whether or not they should be held liable for continuing to operate the website even after they knew it was being used illegally.'
Representatives of the movie, music, and video games industries are seeking nearly $4 million in damages from the four. But they are defiant, telling the press that Pirate Bay will continue, regardless of the verdict, and that they will immediately appeal if found guilty. In addition to the $4 million in damages, the four face possible fines and even jail time.
The judge is able to ask the European Court of Justice for counsel before rendering a decision.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Peru for Less
Peru for Less is a Texas-based travel agency which offers the cheapest, quality vacation packages to some of the most interesting destinations in South America. While there are pre-designed packages arranged by the agents, every vacation is completely unique: an agent will call you within one day to go over all of the details - you tell them what you want to do and they arrange it! It couldn't be any easier!
Machu Picchu travel packages start at just over $500 for four days and three nights. See the eighth wonder of the world the way the Incas did. Longer vacations are available and Peru for Less organizes vacations all over Latin America.
Machu Picchu travel packages start at just over $500 for four days and three nights. See the eighth wonder of the world the way the Incas did. Longer vacations are available and Peru for Less organizes vacations all over Latin America.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Spam's Carbon Footprint
Consultants from ICF International and McAfee antivirus found that spam e-mail generates over33 billion kilowatt-hours every year - enough to provide energy for nearly 21/2 million homes! Computers work harder when they are actually carrying out operations, such as running mail, and the amount of time that the average business-user's computer is running through spam mail amounts to around 30kg of CO2. The consulting team estimated 62 trillion pieces of spam mail per year, or 17 million tons of CO2!
ICF notes spam filtering (at the ISP level) would be like "taking 2.3 million cars off the road," reducing unwanted mail by as much as 75%. But the firm also says going after the source(s) of the spam is important, too. Worldwide spam fell by about 70% last November when US-based webhost, McColo, was shutdown; McColo had known ties to spammers.
The ICF/McAfee report came on the heels of Symantec's own Internet Security Threat report, in which the antivirus firm said global spam had increased by nearly 200%, with bot networks responsible for over 90% of it. Symantec and McAfee measure spam differently: McAfee counts all spam - even that stopped at the ISP; Symantec counts only the spam that makes it through and is seen (or deleted) by the end-user.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
ICF notes spam filtering (at the ISP level) would be like "taking 2.3 million cars off the road," reducing unwanted mail by as much as 75%. But the firm also says going after the source(s) of the spam is important, too. Worldwide spam fell by about 70% last November when US-based webhost, McColo, was shutdown; McColo had known ties to spammers.
The ICF/McAfee report came on the heels of Symantec's own Internet Security Threat report, in which the antivirus firm said global spam had increased by nearly 200%, with bot networks responsible for over 90% of it. Symantec and McAfee measure spam differently: McAfee counts all spam - even that stopped at the ISP; Symantec counts only the spam that makes it through and is seen (or deleted) by the end-user.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Britain's Got World-Class Talent... from Scotland
This is one of those stories that made me redouble my efforts here to The Cyberculturalist, as I'd heard about this days ago and all but forgotten it until I saw it earlier on the national news. Yes, it's official: 47-year old Susan Boyle is a worldwide phenomenon. And for good reason: the Scottish church-goer is an absolutely incredible singer!
Boyle told the audience of the TV show, Britain's Got Talent, she's always wanted to be a singer. Unfortunately, Susan Boyle lacks that certain... flair for style which seems inherent to most entertainers. In fact, she was so... unglamorous that many audience members concluded she was another "fake" contestant - one who takes the stage knowing she has no chance at winning, and basically no talent, just for the chance to be on TV - and were quite vocal about it. The crowd was pretty ugly at the onset, and threatened to get rowdy...
And then she sang.
Now, Susan Boyle has caught the attention of Hollywood power couple, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher; her performance has garnered over 11 million hits on YouTube and nearly 7000 Diggs; she's become international news and lit-up the Blogosphere; she's even prompted her own fansite! According to everyone - including notoriously hard to impress judge, Simon Cowell - Susan Boyle is now the clear frontrunner of the 75,000 contestants of Britain's Got Talent.
"I found it very nerve-wracking to begin with, but once I settled down and began to sing, I thought that the audience accepted me a bit more. Then I sort of relaxed and began to enjoy it," she told the BBC.
Susan Boyle's sudden fame - her literal overnight success - is almost entirely dependent on the Web, and YouTube in particular. Even five years ago, her story might have made one or more entertainment news magazines/shows, and maybe a few papers - but the nightly national news!? Not very likely. She might have shown up in the last story - newscasts traditionally have a "human interest" story at the very end, an upbeat and often "puff" piece - but the Web beat them to it. Susan Boyle's performance is no longer a mere human interest matter; it's a matter of entertainment, technology, and sociology.
Her's is also a much needed story of triumph in the face of adversity. The 47-year old spinster is unemployed and told the audience she has "never been kissed." She spends her time volunteering at church and lives in a Scottish burg almost no one outside of it has ever heard of. In fact, the mayor of the province said, "Susan has put Blackburn, West Lothian, firmly on the map." She cared for both of her parents in their old-age; her mother passed in 2007, at 91. And though she's sang at church and in clubs since she was 12, and is known for her karaoke performances, no one in that audience - even on the judges' panel - thought the dowdy spinster capable of delivering the heartfelt rendition of Les Miserables' I Dreamed a Dream which has the entire Western world gawking and talking.
She's going to be on Good Morning America today! The whole "overnight success" concept is no longer a figure of speech; it is a literal possibility, and not one that TV alone has ever accomplished.
The current state of the world, the societal expectations of what talent should look like, mainstream culture's ever-growing cynicism, the sheer wealth of mediocrity which passes for entertainment these days - a conflagration of things made Susan Boyle a sensation, but only the Web made her a worldwide star in under a week.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Boyle told the audience of the TV show, Britain's Got Talent, she's always wanted to be a singer. Unfortunately, Susan Boyle lacks that certain... flair for style which seems inherent to most entertainers. In fact, she was so... unglamorous that many audience members concluded she was another "fake" contestant - one who takes the stage knowing she has no chance at winning, and basically no talent, just for the chance to be on TV - and were quite vocal about it. The crowd was pretty ugly at the onset, and threatened to get rowdy...
And then she sang.
Now, Susan Boyle has caught the attention of Hollywood power couple, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher; her performance has garnered over 11 million hits on YouTube and nearly 7000 Diggs; she's become international news and lit-up the Blogosphere; she's even prompted her own fansite! According to everyone - including notoriously hard to impress judge, Simon Cowell - Susan Boyle is now the clear frontrunner of the 75,000 contestants of Britain's Got Talent.
"I found it very nerve-wracking to begin with, but once I settled down and began to sing, I thought that the audience accepted me a bit more. Then I sort of relaxed and began to enjoy it," she told the BBC.
Susan Boyle's sudden fame - her literal overnight success - is almost entirely dependent on the Web, and YouTube in particular. Even five years ago, her story might have made one or more entertainment news magazines/shows, and maybe a few papers - but the nightly national news!? Not very likely. She might have shown up in the last story - newscasts traditionally have a "human interest" story at the very end, an upbeat and often "puff" piece - but the Web beat them to it. Susan Boyle's performance is no longer a mere human interest matter; it's a matter of entertainment, technology, and sociology.
Her's is also a much needed story of triumph in the face of adversity. The 47-year old spinster is unemployed and told the audience she has "never been kissed." She spends her time volunteering at church and lives in a Scottish burg almost no one outside of it has ever heard of. In fact, the mayor of the province said, "Susan has put Blackburn, West Lothian, firmly on the map." She cared for both of her parents in their old-age; her mother passed in 2007, at 91. And though she's sang at church and in clubs since she was 12, and is known for her karaoke performances, no one in that audience - even on the judges' panel - thought the dowdy spinster capable of delivering the heartfelt rendition of Les Miserables' I Dreamed a Dream which has the entire Western world gawking and talking.
She's going to be on Good Morning America today! The whole "overnight success" concept is no longer a figure of speech; it is a literal possibility, and not one that TV alone has ever accomplished.
The current state of the world, the societal expectations of what talent should look like, mainstream culture's ever-growing cynicism, the sheer wealth of mediocrity which passes for entertainment these days - a conflagration of things made Susan Boyle a sensation, but only the Web made her a worldwide star in under a week.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Quotes Online
Things like this are exactly what the Web was invented for. Prior to the Internet, you would have to call and/or visit several insurance providers to comparison shop. A whole lot of people "settled" for more convenient providers, even if that also meant lesser coverage or higher prices. These days, you can get term life insurance quotes online, and that's what the Web was always supposed to be about: making information more accessible.
While Wholesale Insurance is going to have the prices to beat, make sure you spend some time shopping around. Now that it is so much easier, you really owe it to yourself to spend the time and effort finding your best fit; insurance is so vitally important in today's society that you can't afford not to take it seriously.
While Wholesale Insurance is going to have the prices to beat, make sure you spend some time shopping around. Now that it is so much easier, you really owe it to yourself to spend the time and effort finding your best fit; insurance is so vitally important in today's society that you can't afford not to take it seriously.
Runs and Scheduling
Observant readers will note I have managed to keep posts down to one (or fewer) a day, minus weekends - and I plan to stick to this schedule, for the most part. However, I've missed a lot and the past week or two are the first I've managed to keep on-track as much as I have.
So, in the interest of remaining relevant, I'm going to throw a run down tonight. It's actually very early morning, so... for whatever it's worth. I mean, you aren't going to see any of this until you get up later, anyway. Once you do though, there will be many posts to catch-up on.
Hopefully I will get on-track following this, but I'm making no promises. Other than this one: after several false-starts, The Cyberculturalist will finally be regular. We have some stories we're following now, and there are always new ones - many of which I will bring you tonight (and most of which are at least a few days, even weeks, old) - it hasn't been a lack of content which has made us so uneven, it's been lack of time and personal issues. But while I'll be bringing you several posts tonight, I will also schedule others to post later this month, ensuring there is at least one post every weekday, with fewer exceptions, from here on out.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
So, in the interest of remaining relevant, I'm going to throw a run down tonight. It's actually very early morning, so... for whatever it's worth. I mean, you aren't going to see any of this until you get up later, anyway. Once you do though, there will be many posts to catch-up on.
Hopefully I will get on-track following this, but I'm making no promises. Other than this one: after several false-starts, The Cyberculturalist will finally be regular. We have some stories we're following now, and there are always new ones - many of which I will bring you tonight (and most of which are at least a few days, even weeks, old) - it hasn't been a lack of content which has made us so uneven, it's been lack of time and personal issues. But while I'll be bringing you several posts tonight, I will also schedule others to post later this month, ensuring there is at least one post every weekday, with fewer exceptions, from here on out.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Twitter Wars
Ashton Kutcher challenged CNN (Cable News Network) to a Twitter-Off and CNN has answered the challenge. That is, Kutcher made a video in which he stated he could get 1 million Twitter followers sooner than CNN's News Break; CNN's Larry King responded in kind with a video of his own.
Twitter is a kind of social-networking-type site that basically boils down to collecting followers for your IMs. It's not quite a blog; Twitter's only real distinction from Instant Messaging is that you can attract these followers and they can "twitter" back. The name is actually based on a derogatory Web term, "twit," which used to refer to people who made themselves at-home in chatrooms where they weren't established/known - especially those who tried to PM (Private Message) others.
But you have to give Kutcher props for really taking to the Cyberculture. He posted his video on Qik.com, a relatively new social network dedicated to mobile video, and he has been turning down interviews about the Twitter War from traditional news outlets, saying the whole thing is a "saga for the Internet."
At the time of this posting, Ashton Kutcher has nearly 933,000 followers; CNN's Newsbreak has just under 955k followers. But Kutcher's followers have increased by the tens of thousands since he laid down the gauntlet, where Newsbreak's have only risen by about 20k.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Twitter is a kind of social-networking-type site that basically boils down to collecting followers for your IMs. It's not quite a blog; Twitter's only real distinction from Instant Messaging is that you can attract these followers and they can "twitter" back. The name is actually based on a derogatory Web term, "twit," which used to refer to people who made themselves at-home in chatrooms where they weren't established/known - especially those who tried to PM (Private Message) others.
But you have to give Kutcher props for really taking to the Cyberculture. He posted his video on Qik.com, a relatively new social network dedicated to mobile video, and he has been turning down interviews about the Twitter War from traditional news outlets, saying the whole thing is a "saga for the Internet."
At the time of this posting, Ashton Kutcher has nearly 933,000 followers; CNN's Newsbreak has just under 955k followers. But Kutcher's followers have increased by the tens of thousands since he laid down the gauntlet, where Newsbreak's have only risen by about 20k.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Cambria Suites, Appleton
Have you ever considered organizing a convention? How about a LAN party? The Weirding is dedicated to all things Nerd and Nerd-related, and we may one day sponsor our own event, but I already know that my location is not a good one for such - I'm literally in the middle of Nowhere, TN and am midway between... I'm nowhere and nowhere you want to visit.
But the Cambria Suites Appleton Wisconsin are literally prime real estate for any event. Though 100% non-smoking (if that's a good thing to you, then there's that), Cambria Suites has nearly 1000 sq.-ft. of conference space, available A/V equipment, free wireless high-speed, and remote printing throughout the hotel. Further, it is centrally located amidst Lawrence University, the Appleton Medical Center, the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and the Fox Valley Technical College.
If you have ever considered putting together a LAN party or comic book/gaming convention, this is the place to do it! Oh, and it's probably good for other things, too.
But the Cambria Suites Appleton Wisconsin are literally prime real estate for any event. Though 100% non-smoking (if that's a good thing to you, then there's that), Cambria Suites has nearly 1000 sq.-ft. of conference space, available A/V equipment, free wireless high-speed, and remote printing throughout the hotel. Further, it is centrally located amidst Lawrence University, the Appleton Medical Center, the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and the Fox Valley Technical College.
If you have ever considered putting together a LAN party or comic book/gaming convention, this is the place to do it! Oh, and it's probably good for other things, too.
Amazon Opts-Out of Phorm/Wiseweb
Last month, the Open Rights Group contacted Microsoft, AOL/Bebo, Yahoo, Amazon, and other top websites, and asked them to opt-out of the new Phorm advertising system. The ORG and others say the advertising system collects personal and highly sensitive data about surfers, data which could be used against them. Phorm, also known as Webwise, specifically collects such data to target consumers with "relevant" ads - that is, ads keyed to their online activities and the sites they visit. Today, Amazon reports that all of its domains have opted-out of Phorm. Amazon is the first company to respond.
The executive director of ORG, Jim Killock, told the BBC other sites - including LiveJournal, mySociety, and others - had also blocked Phorm/Webwise. The European Commission said it was looking into Phorm and data protection laws regarding the technology. It called it "interception" of data and wants a more clearcut process by which end-users can opt-out of being targeted by it and others like it.
About a month ago, Web inventor, Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, warned against such technology, referring to it as "snooping." He was specifically discussing Phorm/Webwise, though online monopoly, Google, had just released their own profiling advertisement technology.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
The executive director of ORG, Jim Killock, told the BBC other sites - including LiveJournal, mySociety, and others - had also blocked Phorm/Webwise. The European Commission said it was looking into Phorm and data protection laws regarding the technology. It called it "interception" of data and wants a more clearcut process by which end-users can opt-out of being targeted by it and others like it.
About a month ago, Web inventor, Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, warned against such technology, referring to it as "snooping." He was specifically discussing Phorm/Webwise, though online monopoly, Google, had just released their own profiling advertisement technology.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Tax Delay
Sorry for missing yesterday, but taxes are due today and yes, I am still working on them. It looks like I will have to apply for an extension because I did not receive one of my 1099s until mid-March and everything has just hit all at once.
Anyway, I have to do that but have until midnight tonight and I slept fairly late this morning, so I'll bring you something in a few. It may be the only thing for today or I may have a couple things, just depends.
However, if you also need to apply for an extension on filing your taxes, you can now do so online. Read this article from TurboTax for more information.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Anyway, I have to do that but have until midnight tonight and I slept fairly late this morning, so I'll bring you something in a few. It may be the only thing for today or I may have a couple things, just depends.
However, if you also need to apply for an extension on filing your taxes, you can now do so online. Read this article from TurboTax for more information.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Anoretix Review
It is definitely an ugly stereotype that we netizens are all fat and unemployed, yet there it is. You hear intimations of this everywhere, and many TV shows, movies, and other pop-cultural outlets say it directly; it is the punchline of many jokes. The truth is that the netizenry is comprised of all sorts of people - white, black, skinny, fat, tall, and short - but we probably do have a larger percentage of overweight people than most other sub-cultures.
You don't have to just "deal with it." There are steps you can take that will help you shed those pounds. Anoretix might, or might not, be one of those. According to the review you can find by clicking that link, it has its ups - "9 [sic] patented ingredients in one diet pills is unheard of in the supplement industry" - but it doesn't give the results it claims to.
You should check out the review and, while you're there, look at the others, too. I think you will find them helpful and pretty honest. And for the price of dietary supplements, you should know what you're getting into before you shell-out your hard-earned cash!
You don't have to just "deal with it." There are steps you can take that will help you shed those pounds. Anoretix might, or might not, be one of those. According to the review you can find by clicking that link, it has its ups - "9 [sic] patented ingredients in one diet pills is unheard of in the supplement industry" - but it doesn't give the results it claims to.
You should check out the review and, while you're there, look at the others, too. I think you will find them helpful and pretty honest. And for the price of dietary supplements, you should know what you're getting into before you shell-out your hard-earned cash!
Sweden to Tax Camgirls
After being tipped-off by Dutch authorities, Swedish officials are now looking into camgirls' failure to pay taxes. "Camgirls" are the female performers who appear online, via webcams, and strip and/or perform sexual acts. They are generally paid via credit card or online payment services, such as PayPal. Swedish authorities say they are currently investigating 200 known online sex workers, but the investigation will likely widen to include some 500 or more.
While prostitution is illegal in Sweden, performing on webcams is not, however the performers must still pay taxes as though it were a "real" job. And that may be the problem: "They are young girls, we can see from the photos. We think that perhaps they are not well informed about the rules," the head of the national authority for the project told the BBC.
The investigation is not limited to strippers; the authority is investigating several forms of online jobs which generate revenue, including online poker and fake trader locations. Again, not all of these jobs are illegal, but they are taxable - as much as 1/2 their gross income, in fact! The estimated loss in tax revenue is estimated to be over $US3 million annual.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
While prostitution is illegal in Sweden, performing on webcams is not, however the performers must still pay taxes as though it were a "real" job. And that may be the problem: "They are young girls, we can see from the photos. We think that perhaps they are not well informed about the rules," the head of the national authority for the project told the BBC.
The investigation is not limited to strippers; the authority is investigating several forms of online jobs which generate revenue, including online poker and fake trader locations. Again, not all of these jobs are illegal, but they are taxable - as much as 1/2 their gross income, in fact! The estimated loss in tax revenue is estimated to be over $US3 million annual.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
J-Lo Wins Cybersquatting Case
Jenny from the block (aka, Jennifer Lopez) won her lawsuit against a cybersquatter from Phoenix who had acquired ownership of jenniferlopez.net and jenniferlopez.org. The World Intellectual Property Organization found that cybersquatter, Jeremiah Tieman, used the domain names to fool fans into landing on a site which turns a profit. In laymans' terms, he profited off Jennifer Lopez' name and that's a crime. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Madonna, and Scarlett Johansson have all dealt with similar issues.
Cybersquatters are a form of parasitic extortionists who purchase domain names to which they have no legal right. They do this specifically to turn a profit and that's illegal. Amy Grant settled a lawsuit with Marvel Comics in the early 1990s over an issue of Doctor Strange which bore her likeness. Grant brought the lawsuit on the grounds that the company banked on her image, misleading fans who might have thought Grant had anything to do with the comic book. The same concepts are in play with cybersquatting, therefore it should be handled the same way.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Cybersquatters are a form of parasitic extortionists who purchase domain names to which they have no legal right. They do this specifically to turn a profit and that's illegal. Amy Grant settled a lawsuit with Marvel Comics in the early 1990s over an issue of Doctor Strange which bore her likeness. Grant brought the lawsuit on the grounds that the company banked on her image, misleading fans who might have thought Grant had anything to do with the comic book. The same concepts are in play with cybersquatting, therefore it should be handled the same way.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Speed-Up DUN on Vista
My dad has three computers using Vista and I have one, and every, single one of them literally crawls across the Web on dial-up! I mean, it's flat-out ridiculous and I did a quick search to discover I was far from the first to notice it.
Having had mine on cable and DSL, I hadn't really noticed anything here, but at my folks' house, I literally could not get from one site to another! Time and again, sites would simply time-out, and I became convinced it was his connection and/or host. I had my box on dial-up for a few months right after I got it, but it was literally only a month or two, and I didn't recall it being that slow. However, when I returned to using dial-up last week, I was getting pretty much the same results as I had been down there.
I went through all the regular steps (clearing the cache, cookies, defragging, etc.) with no significant change, so I decided to go ahead and search for the tweaks I know you can employ on all the other flavors of Windows. I tried a few of them without luck before coming across the single registry tweak which made all the difference in the world:
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Having had mine on cable and DSL, I hadn't really noticed anything here, but at my folks' house, I literally could not get from one site to another! Time and again, sites would simply time-out, and I became convinced it was his connection and/or host. I had my box on dial-up for a few months right after I got it, but it was literally only a month or two, and I didn't recall it being that slow. However, when I returned to using dial-up last week, I was getting pretty much the same results as I had been down there.
I went through all the regular steps (clearing the cache, cookies, defragging, etc.) with no significant change, so I decided to go ahead and search for the tweaks I know you can employ on all the other flavors of Windows. I tried a few of them without luck before coming across the single registry tweak which made all the difference in the world:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\
- Create a DWORD value called 'TcpMaxDupAcks'
- Set it to 2
- Reboot
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Swedish Anti-Piracy Law Cuts Traffic by 1/3
When Sweden's new anti-piracy law went into effect yesterday, the country's Internet traffic dropped by 1/3! Experts say this initial drop is to be expected and it will trend back up over time, as determined file-sharers discover how to tweak their settings to continue sharing anonymously.
Researchers estimate 8% of Sweden's population engages in the practice. While they admit the chances of getting caught have increased, they say only slightly; with an estimated 2 million peer-to-peer file-sharers, the chances of individuals getting caught is still pretty low. Further, some early pursuers of the law have noted they did not intend to go after individuals vigorously - they are mostly concerned with "big fish" traders.
Some experts call the law a "disaster," noting the matter of theft should be left to the police and not given to the corporations to pursue.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Researchers estimate 8% of Sweden's population engages in the practice. While they admit the chances of getting caught have increased, they say only slightly; with an estimated 2 million peer-to-peer file-sharers, the chances of individuals getting caught is still pretty low. Further, some early pursuers of the law have noted they did not intend to go after individuals vigorously - they are mostly concerned with "big fish" traders.
Some experts call the law a "disaster," noting the matter of theft should be left to the police and not given to the corporations to pursue.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
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