The Day the Whuffie Started

TrustPlus went live today. Just as Cory Doctorow predicted in Down and Out In the Magic Kingdom. While I think there are those who cheer, and those jeer, I think I might be those who fear. Reps on the net right now are built and established independently with little interference. Remember that whuffie in DOIM was not exactly a good thing. In the book the reader is placed in a dystopian reality by the coldness of digital technology combined with sociopathic behavior and biomodification.

I might immediately note that there appears to be no middle ground or ambivalence in their 6 icon rating system. It looks like you are a small, medium, large minus or a large, medium, small plus. Thats a little draconian. I also note the video (below) uses manipulation by subtly suggesting we should be afraid of trusting the wrong folks.

This is like crack for control freaks. You know the type. The ones who insure their insurance.

Those on the good side of it will think it is great. The question I want to know is how does one get on the bad side?

via nu via mashable

Largest Multi-Touch Screen

Signs of a Police State?

Elian Gonzolez, Ruby Ridge, Waco alerted many to power issues with our boys in blue. (more like the guys at the top blamed the boys doing the work. But I digress.) Most officers are civilians just like you and I and attempt to treat people as equals. There is always a few bad apples who interpret the laws in a twisted way.

This blogger is thankful for the thin blue line, who does a dirty unpopular, and sometimes thankless job in creating civil order. I enjoy the peace. Thanks guys for the hard work, you are appreciated by me.

However, this story about a women arrested for oversalting a burger raises a few questions. Maybe the officer felt that he was being targeted?

UPDATE:
BoingX2 posts about Pheonix SWAT team home invasion that burns house down.

Introducing Nina Munteanu

A Canadian author and blogger. She is a fan of the films Doctor Zhivago and Solaris and is a fan of Ray Bradbury. Her published works include "Collision With Paradise", "The Cypol", and the soon to be released "Darwin's Paradox".

Glad your out there! (take that how you want, ay?)

Her Blog thealiennextdoor
and her website

xkcd.com

Cory Doctorow in full blogging regalia. What a hipster.

Annotating the physical world with the digital.

Below cartoon from xkcd

Apple Rocks the World: Boom!

• iPhone drops to $399 for for 8gig model.
• 8 gig iPod Nano with video for $190 unveiled.
• iPod 'Touch' 16 gig $399 unveiled. (Though similar to iPhone, not a phone, and slightly thinner)
• Devices will buy music played in Starbucks via wi-fi. Boom- they are buds, to the bean.
• iPony in every yard.
• iChicken in every pot.
  

Full Story Here

Ahh.. excuse me Mr. Real Steve Jobs, could you slow it down a little? Us late adopters are still catching up with the Shuffle. Ya' like the "BOOM!" don't ya'? Okay I get it. If your products weren't so cool, I might hold it against you.

Oh, yeah, bet NBC is kicking themselves in da' butt about the failure to work with Apple iTunes. Some one asleep at the wheel over there.

Prepare for every phone company to come out with an iPhone knock off.

Transportation Roundup

Despite the ongoing skepticism, I still see a future where streams of Segway riding commuters fill the cities.









These little Aussi foot bikes look promising although it appears they are having distribution issues here in the US.

"Bushpig"
See slew of Youtube videos-here's one.










Hover dogs also look promising.










Swobo has
cool simplified bike for $499
featuring a bottle opener.
(Thanks KevinRose)





Segway Forklift Beta

This vintage image from Marco should not be missed.


Other Whuffie posts about Segway

Forced Tagging of Humans Banned

The compelling of subcutaneous implanting of an identification device won't fly with the 'Gubernator?

California now number 3 state in the union to outlaw forced tagging. Story here

via Xeni at boingx2

But you bible thumpers out there are thinking that voluntary implants are still open. Old related posts:

RFID in Ur Pub
Walmart Product Tracking (by Marcy)






also see:
rfid gaurdian project
(don't worry the tag shown cannot be scanned :)

iPhone outsells all U.S. smartphones in July

"..the speed of the iPhone’s rise to competitive dominance in its segment is unprecedented in the history of the mobile-handset market"

Just as I predicted. (Guess it did not take a genius, but hey I got something right why not woot?)

Maybe ATnT will become a better carrier and try to match the Apple culture more closely. Or maybe Apple will just buy out their contract and sell to other carriers.

Either way, me thinks the exodus has only just begun.

Get You Fresh Genpets!

Fresh Genpets™
created by "Zygote Micro Injection".
I want to know if they are safe to eat?

from the FAQ:

Do Genpets feel pain?
Yes. However the Genpets have limited vocal chords so they will not create a large amount of noise when disturbed.

Avoid Thought Crimes

"Move along, nothing to see here."
Mind control police tape.
via designcrack

Holograms

The last hologram of the man running is the coolest. It is totally all "help me obi wan kanobi your my only hope".

via spinthecat

Drone Control

The issue of control of drones is being hotly debated by the Army and the Airforce. This seems to be part of a bigger on going quest for power and move to a centralized military. While duplication of resources is obviously costly, innovation is clearly fueled by competion.

“If you think it is a young technology, that the Orville and Wilbur Wrights of the 21st century are running around in the UAV marketplace, then as messy as it makes the environment, it is far more strategically important to have lots of players, different patrons behind those players, and to keep stimulating the useful competition of ideas that a useful inter-service rivalry brings.”

— Pierre Chao : Center for Strategic and International Studies on the issue of the Airforce becoming the “executive agent” for drones – unmanned aircraft.

Drones of Iraq will soon be here in the states. Those drones will become AI powered. Air drones will eventually become networked with robots on the ground. Who will control them.

Hasn't anyone watched the Terminator? Once Skynet get's a hold of the contract, it's all over, the rise of the machines will come to pass.

Social Bookmarking

Frozen Smoke To Change the World

More about aerogel from Abul Tahr at Time UK.

Choice quotes:
"..insulated lining in space suits for the first manned mission to Mars, scheduled for 2018"


"one cubic centimetre of aerogel were unravelled it would fill an area the size of a football field."

Product Review: Method "Bloq"

Okay, as a designer using designer products can be intriguing especially when the talent is Karim Rashid. My wife, a big fan of deodorants, turned me onto some body wash that had natural fragrances. I like the outdoors so natural fragrances have always been a hit with me. (We won't go into my mom's foray into Dr.Bronner's) I also started using Method laundry detergent. It was small reasonably priced and I like the fragrance and modern package. (Those giant jugs are so institutional.) Then I found out about cucumber dish and hand soap and was all over that becuase I don't like perfumed oders in my kitchen when I cook. But alas they stopped carrying the olive leaf body wash and released what the call the 'bloq' Yeah it looks like 'blog' so it caught my eye. The fragrance called "beach sage" smells like eucalyptus which I love. So I ponied up- call me a metro sexual corporate consumer- I'm secure as a male and an individual. But that is where the love ends- the freakish little square does not handle well in shower, corners hurt when dropped on toes, and the design of the lid is.. well.. poor. Whilst I am ragging on the design the layout and the lettering seemed to be more about 'look' then legibility. Only read up close. The body wash itself is a thick oily cream much like toothpaste which is hard to smear around your body without most of it going down the drain. But it is quite concentrated and does lather up nicely. I do applaud Rashid and Method for breaking the mold.

"If human nature is to live in the past - to change the world is to change human nature." from Karimanifesto

Happy Birthday To My Wife!

Phillips Ridin Down the Rails of That OLED Train

Just in from Engadget about a new patent using oil and water for OLED screens.

Easy Glider

It appears to be a motorized wheel that drags you along. Which could be pretty fun. But comparisons to Segway? meh. The site has some cool action shots in the Flash worth taking a look at. However, English version not up yet. I can't help thinking it is a Dr. Seuss looking contraption.


via garydarling

The Future of Communication

This video has been around for a while but really helps to understand the future. So many are just catching up.

via techtips