You Want To See Fickle?

I've been sitting on this for a while, trying to get some things sorted out in my noodle and decide what I think.  Google bought YouTube and TechDirt is pretty much my default source for legal tech happenings, so please excuse the glut of links to them.

First on the list of concerns was the legal trouble people seemed to think Google was paying for the privilege of dealing with.  But its not really any problem at all, thanks, ironically, to the DMCA that some of the content holders had worked so hard for. (dee brought this up in a comment here Daily Placebo: If You Can't Trust Bloggers...)

• Techdirt: Why YouTube Is Perfectly Legal (And Why Content Companies May Like That)

Next up is the massive payoff that Google appears to have given the RIAA just before the acquisition.  Its a pretty shady deal that doesn't really reflect well on anyone involved. 

• Techdirt: YouTube Gave Equity To Record Labels On The Morning Of The Google Deal

Basically they've got an exclusive online licensing of RIAA music for six months on YouTube, which will help grow the site because of its desirable content.  But its not technically a licensing contract; the RIAA has just agreed not to say anything when their stuff shows up in an unlicensed YouTube video.  This means two things: 1) the RIAA will not be passing on the millions they just got to the artists who's 'interests' they are 'protecting' and 2) the RIAA will continue to be a watchdog of other online copyright violations, thus making YouTube more valuable and driving the competition into hiding.  (are we not being evil still?)

• Techdirt: Record Labels Not Planning On Sharing YouTube Windfall With Musicians

Okay, so now in my mind Google Video and YouTube are the same thing.  It doesn't matter that they're not.  Sure YouTube will " operate independently to preserve its successful brand" but they're not really competing any more.  Any perceived competition will be feigned; they're the same company.  Google Video will most likely branch into a production video hosing site with corporate sponsors, while YouTube remains the peoples' video host.

• Official Google Blog: The Domino Effect

One of the things I think really worked well between the two was a sense of one-ups-manship.  Google video introduced the player, YouTube had a site redesign, Google encouraged embedded video, YouTube revamped their player.  It really seemed like they were vying for the same market share of social video networking.

• Google fights back at YouTube

What really set me off in writing this was an article about Yahoo!.  They're trying to patent "interestingness" as a tool for rating their flickr material.  I don't really care about that right now (it sounds pretty silly) but there was a statement that got me thinking. 

If that happens, though, the end-result could actually end up damaging Yahoo just as much as others.  As we've seen from recent reports about people losing interest in various social networks, the way to keep people interested is to keep innovating and offering something new. Having competition helps make companies continue to innovate and makes every one of the products better.

I appreciate this statement to the utmost.  Google pretty much just killed its video competition, and YouTube's as well.  What will drive them to lead this medium with innovation?

• Techdirt: How Interesting: Yahoo Tries To Patent Interestingness

And my final point doesn't come from the "losing interest" link above, but it is supported by it.  I'm tired of online video.  Sure I'll watch a clip a week if there's something very special about it and I think it has some relevance.  But I don't sit and see what's popular, I don't search the site for content, and I'm more than uninterested in submitting my own content.  I need something new if they expect traffic from me and I can't see that coming from the business plan that seems apparent.

I'll Have A Hot Dog And A Case Of Illegal Fireworks.

Iran has been banning broadband as a way to curtail the flow of western culture into the country. ISPs are restricted to maxing out service at 128 kbps. Seeing that makes be feel much better about not having fibre to the curb here, but only marginally so. But here's the kicker: the ISPs have the infrastructure and are more than willing to sell it full bore. All you have to do is ask; advertising would draw government attention, but they can't check everyone's service to enforce the rule. Hmmm... readily available yet illicit materials... I think there are some of those in the US. As I see it this does nothing to dissuade people who want said items, it just drives up the price, cuts the government out of the profits, and makes it more hazardous as an unregulated medium. As it is now, just call your provider and say "psst... you got any stronger Internet?" He'll hook you up.

• Techdirt: One Way To Get Around Iranian Broadband Ban: Ask Your ISP For Higher Speeds

If It Ain't Made Yet, Don't Fix It.

I know I'm preaching about wave power like every other day, but it just got more complicated. Look at these biomimicry energy collection devices that act like sea grass or a shark's tale. They use low speed, high torque movement to create power using a hopefully more efficient design. I like thinking in new directions, but I wish we could agree on something sometimes and focus on it. We don't have a large industry in this field to be divided up into different sects. Can we get a few more trial installations of traditional equipment before everyone is distracted with trying to improve it?

I'm usually complaining about rolling out inferior and not forward-thinking enough technology (*ahem* hybrids) and I'm not saying we need to install wave generators everywhere right now. I just think we need a baseline to test against so that the claims that something is 90% efficient seem a little more founded and worth the cost.

• WorldChanging: Tools, Models and Ideas for Building a Bright Green Future: Biomimetic Ocean Power

Tower Of Babel In The Age Of Space Elevators.

This is an interesting concept. Its basically live dubbing, and not like in the UN where everyone has an earpiece to translate what the speaker is saying. With the 'Tower of Babel' system the speaker just mouths the words while a computer analyzes his lips. That way you don't have a stream of gibberish to distract you from what you're hearing. There's a little trouble in that the system is pretty small and only has 80% accuracy now, but if they can nail it watch out. You'll be able to yell at people without having to learn their language. Now I'm going to go practice arguing passionately without talking.

• Tower of Babel translator "dubs" conversations - Engadget

And no I'm not making things up about space elevators. DARPA is really on the scent.

• NASA's First Annual Space Elevator Competition ends with no winners - Engadget

You've selected ... Agent Zero? If that's correct, press one.

Hanging chads? Unacceptable! We need to spend millions of dollars on new poorly designed machines.

Florida just held an early voting trial before the election next week. Turns out that pressing the (d) button makes you vote for the (r) candidate sometimes. Its "not uncommon for screens on heavily used machines to slip out of sync, making votes register incorrectly. Poll workers are trained to recalibrate them on the spot -- essentially, to realign the video screen with the electronics inside." What? I use a machine every day for 8 hours a day and restart it once every two weeks. My screen has never "slipped out of sync" whatever that means. I don't click on the Firefox icon and it opens Pacman. And I'm pretty sure that telling me this is "not uncommon" occurrence is sposed to make me feel better. It does not. 'Sure, these machines induce people to vote the opposite of their intentions all the time. Its just part of the charm!'

What happened to all the old machines with paper ballots? Someone needs to be a man and send these junkers back to Diebold whether they get a refund or not.

• Florida Diebold machines help you pick the right candidate - Engadget

Coming Soon To Your City: Martial Law.

I'm sure its like a carnival, only with more guns and less carnies. The article below details several steps and laws that have essentially given the president power to conscript state national guards, send them to non-local domestic areas and institute martial law. The second part allows for torture and detention over seas. They use provisions set forth under the Regan Administration "in the event of a crisis such as violent and widespread internal dissent or national opposition against a U.S. military invasion abroad." This was passed as a small rider to the 'defense authorization bill conference report' that raised little debate because it its timing. Senator Patrick Leahy is the only person asking questions about why these provisions are necessary. I'm sure there's more to this than I understand right now, but it sounds not good. Just keep you ears open.

• Slashdot | Bush Signs Bill Enabling Martial Law

original article: Toward Freedom - Bush Moves Toward Martial Law

If You Can't Trust Bloggers...

I remember back in the day when people used to write for the fun of it, before all this payola crap tainted opinion pieces from the common man. Now people have to wonder if you're being paid to say nice things about a company or product. PayPerPost is the end of trustworthy anonymous sources of advice and opinion on the Internet. I'm a big fan of transparency so the policy of optional disclosure, or the dilution of disclosure pisses me off a bit.

The policy on PayPerPost is that bloggers need not disclose that they are being paid to express a specific opinion about a product. Also, in an astroturf-like move, PayPerPost has launched DisclosurePolicy.org which helps people develop disclosures for their sites (and pays them to display it). The trouble is that they want people who have nothing to disclose to also display one.

This blog does not accept any form of advertising, sponsorship, or paid insertions. We write for our own purposes. However, we may be influenced by our background, occupation, religion, political affiliation or experience.

I'm not going to say that, because I'm writing my opinion, and of course my opinion is going to be influenced by who I am, that's why its mine. They're trying to desensitize readers to advisories like this, conveying that everyone has an agenda, and it shouldn't matter what motivates them. So as soon as the kickbacks start rolling in, I'm going to have a disclosure posted on every article.

But rest assured, I'm not going to stoop to this. Granted there's no reason to believe me; but if I recommend a product, its because I really like and endorse it. Not because I'm being paid to suck up. Unless you see me on a Subway commercial talking about how I lost 400 pounds eating chicken subs, then it will be for the money.

• Techcrunch » Blog Archive » PayPerPost Is Now Officially Absurd

Monday Greening

More wave power generation. These guys are floats anchored to the ocean floor that bob under the surface as wave crests and troughs roll by. I'm assuming that they're more sheltered and less susceptible to damage in rough seas.

• AWS Ocean Energy Limited

Bio solvent and striper; way better than chemical strippers that give me the jibblies.

• Treehugger: aMAIZEing: Bio-Based Paint Solvent & Stripper

Using corn to make biodegradable plastics like this water bottle and filter.

• Strange New Products: Corn-Based Water Bottle with Filter

Whole Foods is to sell wind power gift cards. Bound to be the best stocking suffers you give this year.

• Hugg / World Exclusive! Whole Foods to sell Wind Power Gift Cards

Why aren't there plug-in hybrids? A nice long article about the benefits of plug-ins that actually talks with engineers about why they're not here yet. Spoiler: they're worried about battery longevity.

• Hugg / "Still Miles to Go for the Plug-In Vehicle"

Want To Feel Good About Democracy?

Ah the democratic system: a fair, easily transparent process wherein all citizens of a country have a chance to voice themselves. Ah technology: a systematic, obfusticated, layer dependent means to make people fear everyday things. Put them together and you have an easy way to collect and total everyone's vote with minimum effort; or an easy way to disenfranchise voters and commit election fraud with minimum effort. Either way is good...

I know I take particular interest in these matters since my state bought into this proto-technology before the dough had risen, but you might should pay attention too. Cause it could happen to you.

Read over this article in ArsTechnica about how to steal an election. It deals mostly with undetectable wholesale election fraud, cause that's the best kind in the eyes of political thieves. It takes just one individual with skill and minimal access to affect mass change in the outcome, without leaving a trace. Compare that with the effort of intimidating people, ballot stuffing or other retail frauds exhibited by the Republicans in 2000. Sure they stole the election, but they had to work pretty hard to do it.

This article is not a hypothetical conjecture. These attacks and the number of entry points are all real and available. All it will take is an able person with motivation; or someone with enough money to motivate an able person.

• How to steal an election by hacking the vote : Page 1

Would 5 Million Make You Honest?

This is kinda cool, once you get past the bribery specter. A Sudanese millionaire is starting a fund to reward former leaders of African countries who resist corruption and avarice in favor of good governance. I don't think Dubya would qualify. And not just because we're not in Africa.

(Shhh... Don't tell anyone, but I found this article on Google News and then visited the site for the full feed. How dare Google list topical content and direct users to it? That's not what the Internet is about.)

• Africa Leaders Offered Millions For Good Governance | Reuters.co.uk

This Article Is Protected By Fair Use.

TechDirt has been hitting on a pretty dear subject for the last couple weeks. It deals with the perceived scope of content providers' copyright and trademarks. On the one hand we have publications are raising a stink because they see Google turning a profit by pointing users to their material, Companies claiming that any use of their name or logo is Trademark violation, and general legal intimidation to keep content and information locked up. And on the other hand we have the people and groups using technology and legal fair use standing up to abuse. Without going into the details about why this practice is usually bad for the company using it, its also not allowed. And if they ever got to court, everyone would realize it. I have no interest in being sued and would most likely fold like paper crane under these circumstances, but doesn't it seem like there is something wrong with being able to flaunt false conceptions of the law ?

• How Dare You Make My Content More Valuable!
• Newspaper Pretends It Can Block Fair Use And Threaten Those Who Say It Can't
• Using Trademark Law To Stop Free Speech
  

November Is Looking Up.

I find myself getting encouraged by all this talk about how Republicans will lose Congress.  But I feel like I'm getting set up for a let down, like in 2004 when I truly though there was no chance Bush would win again. But come on, truck loads of scandals and dismal approval ratings, how can I not have my hopes up?  Not that I actually expect Democratic leadership to be leaps and bounds better, lets face it they're all politicians.  But I think they need to know if you do something bad, you get punished.  Course, I'd prefer jail time, but I don't know how many politicians would sign up for 'if your approval rating is less than 50% at the end of your term, you go to jail.'

• A somber Bush rejects timeline for Iraq pullout / He admits many Americans dissatisfied with course of war

Hot Wires Are So 1801.

This is great news. The Audi R8 and the Lexus LS will be produced with LED headlights. Benefits include reduced power consumption, small size and durability (we're talking longer than the life of the vehicle). Oh and don't forget, LEDs are faster than current incandescent lights. If you see a brake light a quarter of a second earlier at 60 mph you have 22 more feet to decide what to do. (I could say a million times faster, I won't though cause that seems sensational) But I digress, we're talking about LED headlights. Why should you care if your headlights are more efficient? Its not like the alternator in your car is struggling. Ah, but what about that glorious day when your entire car is electric and you'll get more mileage off a single charge? I like to see current improvements that will have even better applications in the future, there's just something smart about planing ahead.

• Treehugger: LED Headlights Introduced

Watch Me Burn Your Dinner.

I've never really been so hot on ethanol as an alternative fuel. Sure, its technically renewable, but I'd rather see these fuels come from untapped resources, not re-purposed necessities.

I know its hard to get solid facts, since sources vary so widely on the subject. Mostly you hear about how wonderful ethanol is as a renewable fuel that releases zero carbon emissions and works in current engines. I don't want to discount those positives, but I think the glossed over downsides are worth contemplating. Environmentalist Lester Brown is a major proponent of using food for food. He points out that rising gas prices are making corn more profitable as fuel than as food. Ethanol plants are being installed all over the world, Brazil leading in production. Last year the US ethanol industry consumed more corn than the entire Canadian harvest.

"There is no international body to mediate the competition between 800 million people with cars and two billion of the poorest people who spend more than half their income on food.'

How is someone supposed to be able to compete with an industry that is willing to pay double an item's worth just to burn it? Couple the ethical dilemma of burning dinners with the fact that ethanol just shifts pollution. Sure, zero emissions when it is burned; but ethanol is produced using fossil fuels that release just as much carbon. Then think about the production and transport of crops using fossil fuels, and you'll realize that such a complicated process requires many layers of infrastructure that will all need to be modified as we try to shed fossil fuels.

Ethanol is a stopgap. Its meant to appease people without having to lay out for a new car that uses a fundamentally different technology. I'm not saying it isn't a small improvement over the past 50 years of consumption, but I find it hard to believe its superior to other methods of energy collection.

• globeandmail.com: New fuels depleting food supply, critic says

Ever Seen An American Made TV?

You know how nothing is made in the US any more, since companies decided that its cheaper to ship stuff over oceans to us? TVs in particular took a hit as Japan, Taiwan and other Asian nations had an affinity for showing us up. Well things are looking up as Syntax-Brillan (makers of my 37 inch HD LCD TV) are moving production of their Olevia line to the US. They'll save on import tariffs of value added products and shipping costs, which are directly related to screen size. They'll use one tenth of the shipping containers for raw parts as completed sets. Imagine if every industry could cut shipping volumes by 1000%. So everyone go buy an Olevia LCD TV and feel good about buying locally.

• Techdirt: Believe It Or Not: TV Manufacturing Returning To The US

Solar Solar Solar.

Alright I've been sitting on a bunch of solar articles for a while now, but I just can't hold back the floodwaters any more. (no that's not a crack at hydroelectric) (no that wasn't a pun)

Self solar, why wait for green power to be provided for you? Based on some rough calculations, a guy in California estimates that he can get a system to power his home and car for 37,000 bucks. Sounds like a lot, but at a reasonable loan rate it turns out to be $40 cheaper per month than buying and burning fossil fuels. Of course that's not counting the 100 grand you'd have to drop on the only available electric car in 2007, but wouldn't it be wonderful.

• Treehugger: One Man's Case for Residential Solar

It won't happen overnight though, and its good to see people realizing that but still proceeding forward to the ultimate goal. Seems like most people say "well, the technology isn't there yet, I may as well drive my 14mpg excursion 40 miles to work every day" Take a look at Kinsale Ireland for an role-model to the world. They've developed a plan to ween the town from fossil fuels culminating in the year 2021. A very realistic and exciting goal, part of the plan is to remain flexible and adaptive as time goes on. I feel like a lot of the fears of transitioning stem from getting locked into a poor decision and having to stay the course.

• WorldChanging: How to ween a town off of fossil fuels

Government subsidies for new and necessary fuel technologies seem like a good idea, right? Makes sense to me, but Vinod Khosla is rocking the boat and talking about unsubsidized competitiveness. He agrees that subsidies for research is necessary, but questions the direction that some solar research is headed.

There are two basic methods of solar energy collection: thermal and photo-voltaic. While both have been heavily subsidized, photo-voltaic still requires better conversion rates to compete and that's not the area some researchers are improving. (they're just making equipment cheaper) Funding less expensive cells that aren't more efficient is counter productive. It is stepping toward mass installation of an improvable technology. People need to realize that it will be more expensive to get high quality photo-voltaic collectors, but it will be worth it in the long run. Khosla says that current thermal methods are much more competitive with fossil production. And while research should be subsidized, actual commercial installations and service shouldn't be.

Creating a level playing field is the tricky part, passing special funds to help create alternative fuel infrastructure. But once that's done, Khosla thinks that thermal solar collection will be able to hold it own in the market, and after all competition is the healthiest form of balance, not throwing out bags of money to the weak performers.

Take the gloves off and lets throw hands, bitches.

• Treehugger: Cut solar subsidies?

Simplify Through Complexity.

So you've got your brand spankin new FireFox 2 and you couldn't be happier. Wrong, chump! There's always something that could be better; and that's why FF rocks your socks. People are constantly writing extensions and messing around with it. Like this one called "tiny menu". It takes the menu options (file, edit, view ...) and condenses them all into a single button with tabs. Personally I don't use these much anyway, so I'm pretty excited. Obviously if you're going up there to copy and paste or search this isn't for you. (you need to work on your keyboard shortcuts first; ctrl+C ctrl+V ctrl+F ctrl+B ctrl+H ctrl+tab ctrl+ shift+tab ctrl+R alt+left arrow ctrl+T ctrl+W and on and on and on and...)

Ok, you've got all your menus condensed, so what? Well lifehacker has the solution for those of us looking to squeeze every inch of viewable space. (without hitting F11 for fullscreen losing your address bar) Basically you just drag all your navigation buttons into the newly created real estate and deactivate the nav bar. Bam! 35 more pixels of webpage; big sky country. Sure its not simpler than just leaving it alone, but once you're done there are a lot less options distracting you from shopping for brylcreem online. What the hell is brylcreem anyway?

• Download of the Day: Tiny Menu Firefox extension - Lifehacker

The Cops Are Coming, Eat Your Cigarette.

Holy crap. No smoking outside in Omaha. I know, my head is swirling with the implications. If I'm reading this right, you have to find a bar with a Keno license that doesn't serve food to get your fix. And here's the kicker, the police want people to call 911 if they see infractions.

"just like they would for any other crime they observe being committed."

Wow, there must be nothing going on in Omaha. I usually assume the cops have better things to do that give me a ticket for speeding on the beltway around here. But it turns out that the increased call volume has been "insignificant" which means one of three things:
1) Omaha has a monstrously overbuild emergency response service (which wasn't very likely and we didn't expect it)
2) People aren't smoking in restricted areas and are law abiding model individuals.
3) No one is calling the cops on smokers cause it seems silly to respond as if they'd just seen a car jacking or mugging.

• WorldNetDaily: See a smoker in Omaha? Dial 9-1-1

You Think You're Better Than Me, Don't You...

How come the period got all pompous with 'ellipses' meaning something different? I mean you put three !!!'s and people just infer that you're three times as exclamative, or ??? means you're three times as interrogative. But ... doesn't mean you're three times as done with a statement, it means you're not done. And the poor comma; ,,, just makes people think you're drunk.

Crate 'Em Up.

Over crowding of prisons in Brittan has officials thinking back to the sweet days when you'd just ship convicts out of the country. Well, I guess they're not technically thinking of transporting them anywhere; just loading them onto a ship. Its kinda like when your dog gets in the car even though you're not going anywhere. All excited for a trip to... here.

I'm not sure what kinda vessel we're talking about here but it seems like there are quite a few options. Maybe an old carnival cruise ship, of course the buffets would only be three times a day and formal dances decreases to twice a week. Or they could go modified container ship. People are living in re-purposed containers on shore, why can't prisoners do it at sea?

No matter what they choose I think we all know where this is really headed. We haven't has a new ghost ship like the Flying Dutchman in quite a while. What better way to scare children than with tales of an infamous container ship filled with the forsaken incarcerates of Brittan floating off shore. The trouble is that ships are expensive to maintain and it might be very costly compared to the old dump and run tactic.

Too bad there aren't any more continents to exile these losers to. I bet the Australian Government wouldn't take too kindly to such a policy now. So here's the real reason we need to colonize the moon. Its the ultimate island prison, impervious to escape. I'd like to see you make an escape pod out of raincoats and duct tape.

• Britain to consider prison ships | | The Australian

Beat The Rush

FireFox 2 is officially released tomorrow.  I've been enjoying the various features for a while now by running the beta releases, so trust me, its better.  So you could wait like a chump till the site is updated, or you could ride the cool wagon and get it today.  That way you'll be an early adopter until next week when FireFox 3 super alpha unstable edition rolls onto the assembly line. 

And if you're still using Internet Explorer (I'm talking to you 35% in California, Virginia, Quebec, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, Maryland, North Carolina, Arizona, and various regions I don't recognize) I seriously don't optimize for IE and have no idea what you're getting.  So there you have it, every reason to upgrade, no reason not to.  Get all up ons.

Firefox Setup 2.0.exe (Windows, US English)
Firefox Setup 2.0.dmg (Mac OS X, US English)

• Download of the Day: Firefox 2.0 (All platforms) - Lifehacker

I Said Turn Left. Now Bitch!

Don't let those in dash systems boss you around. I don't care how hot she sounds. I'm not sure what's funnier, that the nav system said to drive down the train tracks or the fact that he did it.

• The BMW commuter train - Engadget
• Original page translated via Google

Lets Get You Cleaned Up.

This virus is more of a parasite than a virus. We're talking computer, not biological. When it installs itself it also installs an antivirus suite that cleans out the system of competing detriments. Cause the best diet is a healthy host.

• Slashdot | Trojan Installs Anti-Virus, Removes Other Malware

Boy Scouts Sell Out.

That's it, I can find no redeeming qualities in the boy scouts. The MPAA has weaseled their way in and created a merit badge in "not piracy". Next up: merit badges for 'not jay-walking' and 'not murder'.

• Slashdot | Boy Scouts Introduce Merit Badge For Not Pirating

Update 10-30-06

Dave found a picture of the badge.

Got A Big Ass Roof And Sun?

This is pretty cool.  GM has had solar panels installed on the roof of their facilities, but they're not paying for them.  Instead a small company comes in, builds the power structures and then sells the power to GM.

I'm not exactly sure why GM doesn't just buy the panels, but I'm glad its getting done.  Maybe GM doesn't have two dimes to rub together, or they think they'll be out of business in three years.

• Treehugger: General Motors Installs Solar Rooftops For Free

Its Like A Bad Dream, And Not The Exciting Kind.

You have got to be kidding. They picked a former Exxon CEO to develop solutions to the energy crisis? This is ridiculous. I mean, its not like appointing a horse judge the head of FEMA, but still. This administration seems to have no regard for what is actually best for the country. Be careful guys, you scratch each others' backs too hard and you'll break skin. I'm in about the same amount of disbelief about the Republican's response to all the recent surfacing of indiscretion, abuse and corruption. "Isn't it interesting that this is coming out just before an election?" Trying to make Democrats look shady for influencing voters. Seriously? That's the route you're taking? And the best response you've got? "Those guys are trying to smear us!" Yeah, and you're fucking crooked!

• Hugg / Take Action: Don't Let Exxon Decide Our Energy future!

Hott Tour.

The Pixar or Google of the automotive world opened its doors to an informal tour.  Mostly someone at Worldchanging just knows a couple of engineers at Tesla Motors and got snuck in.  Sounds like a pretty cool place, and definitely an exciting time.  They're working on getting the roadster past a