G-Men like the Backdoor.

The FBI is putting stress on electronic media companies (cellphone carriers and skype) to have their programmers code a backdoor into their system that would allow law-enforcement to perform wiretaps at their own discretion. 

Let me get this straight… the government wants to force e-media companies to create backdoors in their security systems for the sole purpose of eavesdropping?  WHOA.  This is sounding awfully similar to an Orwell novel.  Do we really need to make it easier for ‘big brother’ to invade our privacy?  History has shown us repeatedly that power doth corrupt, and that almost every instrument of power eventually ends up in the bad-guy’s hands.  If the code can be written to create security, then code can be written to break that security.  Think of what an identity-thief could do with a direct line to your life… or worse yet--- a STALKER.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/09/fbi-backdoors/

Merv Griffin is rolling in his grave.

History is being written this week on the set of Jeopardy.  Not since Deep Blue defeated Kasparov has a human versus machine been so widely publicized.  IBM has developed 'Watson'; an artificial intelligence capable of competing on the trivia gameshow against HUMAN opponents.   The opposition???  Watson is competing against Jeopardy's all-time champions, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter.   IBM's R&D team have programmed Watson to listen to trivia answers and then query it's onboard database to choose the most relevant 'question'.  I watched the first episode of three episodes, and the computer is definitely holding it's own against the human brain... or vice-versa.   Rutter was tied with Watson leading into final Jeopardy. 

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/02/watson-wrong-answer-trebek/

Google Art Project

This is a great tool for those who can't physically get to a museum to view the art in person.  Sometimes this is due to geographic location, sometimes it is due to money or a person's health making it impossible for them to journey around the world to see a Rembrandt.  It is also a fantastic tool for children to investigate the original masterpieces as they appear in the museum.   That said, I was a little let-down by the site...Only because I have been to several of the museums in real-life that are on the list.  And a computer in 2 dimensions doesn't even compare (yet!?) to what the art looks like in person.  

http://www.googleartproject.com/

Sony Witch Hunt

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/02/sony-lawsuit-factory/

     Last month George Hotz (a 21 year old hacker from Jersey), posted a how-to video on youtube containing the jailbreak coding for the PS3, allowing the console to play homebrewed games and 'illegally copied' software.  SONY is tightening the thumbscrews on the hacker by filing suit ordering surrender of all his hard drives and other devices directly to Sony.  Sony has also made it clear that they will actively pursue and prosecute anyone hosting or distributing the video and code.  The company is also pursuing 6 other people from the hacker group called 'fail0verflow', demanding that Google/TWITTER divulge the identities of the the hackers to SONY. 

     This reminds me alot of a huge tidal wave of controversy a few years ago regarding copyrights on music and mp3s, napster, pirated cd's, etc.   Basically it boils down to a company foreseeing lost profits due to less game sales.  Why pay for something you can get for free, right? Sony was part of the music industry crusade against pirated music too.  I think game console companies are going to have to learn  that jailbreaking and computer hackers are here to stay, and to collaborate with them to generate truly magnificent consoles and games.