Is The Threat Of "Cyber War" Real Or Are We Being Scared Into Thinking So?

Ask anyone who knows me well and they'll tell you that I'm a sucker for a good conspiracy theory. No! That does not mean that I believe every crackpot idea that thrown out there, it just means that I find some of the arguments compelling enough to review the supposed evidence and form my own opinions. Call me crazy if you will but I don't take everything that is fed to us through the mainstream media as gospel, there are nearly always agendas at play, and we usually get a slightly biased side of the story, intensional or otherwise. It's just good practice in my opinion to raise a few good questions.

ars technica writer Mathew Lasar has published an interesting article which brings light to a new working paper that suggest there is a real problem of "threat inflation" when it comes to the possibilities "Cyber War", according to the papers authors from the George Mason University Mercatus Center, researchers Jerry Brito and Tate Wakins. While there is always the chance that a dooms day plot exists where our vital infrastructure is at risk, how real is it? and in who's best interest is it for us to prepare for, or be worried about, one?

Love to hear your thoughts.

Open Comes At A Price For Google And Android In China

Here is an interesting little article that I came across this morning. It seems that 80% of all Android based smart phones in China will be shipped with Baidu, and not Google, as their default search engine. Fact is that being an open platform allows manufacturers to make changes and in China that means no Google for you!

China is a huge market as we all know but it is also one that Google has had it's challenges with as government censorship and heavy handed policies have not been kind to the search giant. In fact, in March of 2010 Google.cn (China) started to redirect all of it's search queries to Google.com.hk (Hong Kong) after much debate over the blockage of YouTube and allegations of Chinese hacking. See Wikipedia's Google China page.

I wonder just how much business Apple does in China and what that represents when comparing authentic Apple product to counterfeits or knock-offs? 

RockMelt - Everyones Favorite Social Browser Goes Mobile

The social web browser RockMelt, which is based on Google's Chromium engine, is extending it's reach with a real-time synced browser for the iPhone/iPad. TechCrunch's Eric Schonfeld speaks with RockMelt's Co-founder and CTO Tim Howes in the following video, explaining the features and benefits of the mobile app. 

Hey Tim... android please! 

Portal 2 Releases With Even More GLaDOS Abuses

Though I've not yet played Portal 2, the much awaited and cleverly promoted sequel, I did run across a list of the top 5 GLaDOS insults courtesy of The Globe and Mail's Controller Freak (Chad Sapieha). As I understand it these are merely from the first six chapters, and so there are likely to be more AI generated abuses slung at you as you progress further into the games torturous mazes. Here they are as reported by Chad:

1. Science has now validated your birth mother’s decision to abandon you on a doorstep.

2. Well done. Here come the test results: “You are a horrible person.” That’s what it says. We weren’t even testing for that.

3. Remember before when I was talking about smelly garbage standing around being useless? That was a metaphor. I was actually talking about you. And I’m sorry. You didn’t react at the time so I was worried it sailed right over your head. That’s why I had to call you garbage a second time just now.

4. I honestly, truly didn’t think you’d fall for that trap. In fact, I designed a much more elaborate trap further ahead for when you got through with this easy one. If I’d known you’d let yourself get captured this easily, I’d have dangled a turkey leg on a rope from the ceiling.

5. He’s not just a regular moron. He’s the product of the greatest minds of a generation working together with the express purpose of building the dumbest moron who ever lived.

GLaDOS you are a riot! You've inspired me to resurrect an old AI project of mine... 

The Star Wars Band

I'm a sucker for Star Wars. Came across this video while surfing around the Staff picks channel on Vimeo and thought that you might like it as well.


star wars band: the Salteens from patsevc on Vimeo.

Well done Salteens!

Google Launches Messages For Japan Site To Convey Solidarity

Over the course of the past month since the massive earthquake and tsunami caused unthinkable damage, loss of life, and continued concern by the global community for the people of Japan, Google has bore witness to countless messages of hope and prayer for the residents of the battered island nation. In order to aid people of other nations in sending their condolences and support, Google has unveiled messagesforjapan.com which will translate any language into Japanese, provides a single communication point, and an opportunity to aid in the rebuilding efforts through financial contributions.

Source: The Official Google Blog

Google Patent Bid Chosen By Nortel As Starting Point

Former Canadian Tech Giant Nortel, now in bankruptcy, has selected Google's $900 million bid for it's patent portfolio as the “stalking-horse bid," or the starting point at which other bids will be measured during the auction of the portfolio.

Kent Walker, Senior Vice President & General Counsel for Google posted on the Official Google Blog that the bid is an attempt by Google, "... a relatively young company..." to build it's patent portfolio because "... a company’s best defenses against this kind of litigation is (ironically) to have a formidable patent portfolio, as this helps maintain your freedom to develop new products and services."

Mr. Walker points to Google's stand on patent reform "...which we believe will benefit users and the U.S. economy as a whole."

The Heart Of The Dragon

Gmail Motion! Stay In Shape While Sending Email

It's time for Google to unveil another great new program, and what an awesome one it is! Check it out, now you can control gmail with your body:

Beyond the incredible technological advancements there are only a few easy moves required to learn and you'll have the side benefit of getting in shape while you send and read your mail. 

By the way Google, I'm still not happy about be overlooked for the Google Copernicus Hosting Environment and Experiment in Search Engineering (G.C.H.E.E.S.E.)  program in 2007!

Messenger Sends Back First Image of Mercury

NASA scientists have received their first images of the planet Mercury captured from the orbiting Messenger probe. Messenger is equipped with two cameras and other sensing equipment which is hoped to shed light on the planets make up and history. The first photo, number 1 of 7500 expected to be sent back to Earth over the coming year, makes Mercury appear as though it is our own moon; baron and pocked by many collisions.

The mission website provides a great deal of information regarding the mission, the scientific portion of which will begin on April 4th.