Friday, 22 July 2011

The first EPISODE of a long serie about INSIDE OUT PROJECT !
Since the TED Prize winner JR announced his wish in March to turn the world Inside Out, thousands of people have participated in what we hope will be the world's largest participatory art project.
This is the first Episode documenting the project.

Via

Turning Art Inside Out

DIY internet spreading through Middle East and Africa

Did you know that people in Kenya, Afghanistan and Pakistan are building their own wireless networks out of found materials? Just $60 of everyday items such as wood, cans, plastic tubs, wires and car batteries can provide internet service for hundreds of people. It's like the "telephone" of your youth and the best MacGyver episode ever, all rolled up into one.
It works like this: A single commercial wireless router is mounted on radio frequency reflectors and covered in a metal mesh. Another router/reflector pair is set up at a distance. The two routers establish a network that can be used by anybody with a reflector. To build a reflector, all you need is a material — wood, metal, plastic, stone or clay — that can mount the metal mesh. The system can be powered with an automobile battery, so it doesn't have to rely on fickle developing-world power grids. The goal is simply internet access for all. And, believe it or not, networks are up and running in Kenya, Jalalabad, Pakistan, and in various hospitals and clinics around Afghanistan. The project is supported by MIT's Fab Lab. Some of the scientists involved in the project are paying for it out of pocket, with some help from the National Science Foundation.
It's an open-source project, so if you're interested in building a DYI network here in the shadow of Silicon Valley, just hit up the wiki.
Hat tip to Fast Company for this awesome story.
Cameron Scott @'SFGate'
Call me a sad no-life loser geek :) but reading stuff like this really cheers me up; repurposing technology to empower people and communities instead of making multinational corporations richer can only be a good thing, imo...

Björk Biophilia instruments

Via
Crystalline

GreatDismal William Gibson

The Situationists must be detourning in their graves.

Lucian Freud RIP

Lucian Freud: he was wise in his way

James Murdoch misled MPs, say former NoW editor and lawyer

Keith Levene vs Dub Gabriel

Keith Levene - Dub All Pain

How Rupert Murdoch Could Get His Hands On Your Kid's Information-And It's Legal

US senator invokes website-hacking trial in call for Murdoch inquiry

Thursday, 21 July 2011

Who should control your personal data?

In Search Of Hype Williams: Their Final Communication

Fonce Mizell Tribute Mix by Kevin Beadle

RIP Fonce Mizell
TRACKLIST
gary bartz – music is my sanctuary (capitol)
donald byrd – lansana’s priestess (blue note)
bobbi humphrey – chicago, damn (blue note) blacks & blues
the blackbyrds – reggins (fantasy)
edwin starr – easin in (motown)
johnny hammond – tell me what to do (milestone)
donald byrd – stepping into tomorrow (blue note)
bobbi humphrey – new york times (blue note)
taste of honey – I love you (capitol)
the jackson five – it’s great to be here (tamla motown)
donald byrd – you and music (blue note)
donald byrd – onward til’ morning (blue note)
johnny hammond – back to the projects (salvation)
gary bartz – carnival de l’esprit (capitol)
roger glenn – rio (fantasy)
donald byrd – change makes you want to hustle (blue note)
rance allen group – peace of mind (capitol)
l.t.d. – love to the world (a&m)
johnny hammond – los conquistadores chocolates (milestone)
donald byrd – love’s so far away (blue note)
gary bartz – sea gypsy (prestige)
johnny hammond – star borne (salvation)
bobbi humphrey – harlem river drive (blue note)
donald byrd – fallin like dominoes (blue note)
a taste of honey - world spin (capitol)
marvin gaye – where are we going (tamla motown)
rance allen group - reason to survive (capitol)
donald byrd – think twice (blue note)
the Jackson five – love is the thing you need (tamla motown)
the blackbyrds – hash & eggs (fantasy)
johnny hammond – fantasy (milestone)
bobbi humphrey – uno esta (blue note)
donald byrd – places & spaces (blue note)

Breaking:

anonymouSabu The Real Sabu
We're releasing something we found in The Sun's mail server, shortly. Ouch. Ready for the media storm?

Absolutely AMAZING!

The Real Sabu (LulzSec) VS Charles 'That'll teach me for only reading half the internet this morning (and yet I don't read Gizmodo!') Arthur (The Guardian)

Research Psychologist Vaughn Bell on abnormal brain function talks about drugs, hallucinations, and addiction

Like Singapore

Dexys Album Preview 2011 - 'Now'

Here is the opening minute of the new Dexys album, due in 2012. The song is called 'Now.'
Twitter - @DexysOfficial
Facebook - Dexys and Dexys Midnight Runners
www.dexys.info

HA?

For HerrB!

XXX

Andy Coulson was never given top security clearance in government

The Murdochs must stop spinning and resign over the phone-hacking scandal

In 2004, I created Outfoxed to expose Rupert Murdoch’s war on journalism. Focusing on Fox News, we examined how NewsCorp has long blurred the line between corporate interests and journalistic integrity. The film presented an in-depth look at the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public’s right to know. Those dangers were shown to include ethic-less journalism, as well as the role of public relations spin in replacing the honest presentation of facts.
Yesterday, as Rupert and James Murdoch appeared before parliament, this theme was repeated. Their testimony was less about true and honest answers and more about the script of a public relations firm, and an attempt to spin the public debate on issues of corporate disgrace.
If their testimonies presented any information at all, it would be how much the Murdochs want to promote the spin of willful ignorance. For two incredibly involved businessmen, their testimonies would lead you to believe that they have long had absolutely no idea about what happens within their company.
James Murdoch claimed to be “shocked and surprised” to learn about the payment of legal fees for the jailed phone-hacking investigator, Glenn Mulcaire. Rupert Murdoch claimed to be unaware of out-of-court settlements made with hacking victims.
This portrayed ignorance leads to the Murdochs shifting blame to anyone but themselves. Asked about whether he should resign, Rupert responded: “No, because I feel that the people I trusted, I don’t know at what level, let me down and I think they behaved disgracefully, betrayed the company and me and it’s for them to pay.”
It, apparently, in Murdoch’s mind, is not at all true that he was responsible for the company that behaved disgracefully and, in fact, betrayed the public and let the public down.
As has been recently reported, the Murdochs have hired Edelman Public Relations to help them try to weather this crisis. The same Edelman Public Relations firm that previously defended Walmart, in part by funding a pro-Walmart blog called Walmarting Across America, purported to be run by two regular individuals, who later were revealed to be hired PR hacks, spinning in the name of PR goals.
Since Edelman has been brought on, the Murdochs have apologised in various forms, introduced the word “humble” into their lexicon, and have yet equally strengthened their resolve to say they did nothing wrong, had no idea anyone else did anything wrong and that they definitely should bear no responsibility.
If this scandal makes one thing abundantly clear, it is the importance of honest information being presented to the public truthfully – a trend far too rare in the storyline of this corruption. We have no need for a further parade of public relations spinning, meant only to distract the public from facts and the truth. What we need right now is a thorough, just, legal and strong investigation into wrongdoings. The type of honest reporting NewsCorp has shown themselves incapable of doing. Outfoxed was the canary in the coal mine years ago. This recent scandal has been a loud siren of clear corruption.
It is time for the truth to come out. And it is time for the Murdochs and NewsCorp to stop their habitual addiction to spin and lies. The Murdochs bear responsibility for what occurred in their company, and the public deserves accountability around their failed and corrupt leadership. As increased revelations of corruption endlessly emerge within this scandal, the only way for justice and journalistic integrity to win out is for both Murdochs to resign. At that point, their public relations firm can spin all they want, without causing further harm to the public interest.
Via
Robert Greenwald @'AlterNet'

A dub lesson from the Mad Professor

News on substituted cathinone stimulants, aka "bath salts"

Bootleg!

The Rise of the Fake Apple Store

Phone hacking: Australian PM promises 'hard questions'

The Australian branch of Rupert Murdoch's media empire will face "hard questions" in the wake of the phone hacking scandal in Britain, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said.

She said she was "disturbed" by revelations about his UK business.
The Greens, which hold the balance of power in the upper house, have called for a parliamentary inquiry into News Limited, Mr Murdoch's Australian firm.
Mr Murdoch appeared before a UK parliamentary committee on Tuesday.
"When people have seen telephones hacked into, when people have seen individuals grieving having to deal with all of this, then I do think that causes them to ask some questions here in our country," Ms Gillard told reporters in New South Wales.
"Obviously News Limited has got a responsibility to answer those questions when they're asked."
Australian journalists' unions said they backed the call by Greens party leader Bob Brown for an inquiry.
Different dominance.

Ms Gillard told the Greens she was ready to discuss the holding of an inquiry into Murdoch company practices in Australia, but would not jump to conclusions.

"I'm not going to engage in running commentary on testimony but I do believe Australians... are looking at News Limited here and are wanting to see News Limited answer some hard questions," she said.
The company dominates Australian media - it controls 70% of the newspaper readership and has extensive holdings in television, the internet, and other media.
The BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney says that largely because News Limited owns most of the tabloid titles, the competition in Australia for stories and gossip is nowhere near as cut-throat or intense as that in Britain.
The tabloid agenda is also different, he says, without the same preoccupation with sex scandals and nowhere near the same salaciousness.
News Limited boss John Hartigan has launched a review of all payments made by the group in the last three years and has said he is willing to co-operate with any inquiry.
He has also denied allegations by governing Labor party members that News Limited has been running a campaign against them, describing his group's journalism as aggressive but fair.
The government has reportedly stalled a ruling by an independent panel in favour of Mr Murdoch's part-owned Sky News to run Australia's taxpayer-funded overseas TV service.
The panel had unanimously backed the Sky bid to run the Australia Network but the government imposed a "national interest" bar on the process.
News Corp has also been attempting a takeover of the Australian broadcaster Austar.
@'BBC'

The Lure of Cocaine, Once Hailed as Cure-All

Lulzsec hackers claim responsibility for fifteen years of The Sun’s web-drivel

♪♫ Gary Clail - These Things Are Worth Fighting For

Bonus: 'Human Nature'

Fuck You F.B.I.

NHS services to be opened up to competition

The Monkees of Invention

Mike Nesmith and Frank Zappa switched places on 'The Monkees' - Episode 57 (out of 58) titled 'Monkees Blow Their Mind' which was filmed in April 1967, and first aired on 11 March 1968.
Bonus clip of Tim Buckley (aged 20) performing 'Song To The Siren' on 'The Monkees' after the jump...

HA!

Murdoch's 'Tsunami of problems' not going away

Wednesday, 20 July 2011

Smoking # 101 (SFW)

♪♫ Tom Vek - Aroused

Man this is one sexyMF of a video...

Menthol: The 'gateway' cigarettes?

If the Atlanta construction worker has a tough day on the job, he lights up.
If he has a beef with the family, Candlers is puffing away.
And if his late model Ford Explorer breaks down on the Atlanta freeway, as it did recently, Candlers will be headed to the corner store to re-up on the nicotine sticks.
"It just died on me," Candler says between long drags off a cigarette. "So I was like real stressed and I think I smoked half a pack of cigarettes waiting on the tow truck."
Like about 19 million other Americans, Candlers smokes menthol cigarettes - for now. The Food and Drug Administration is currently considering whether to ban menthol from cigarettes. Candlers, a stocky man with a beard and a wide smile, says that would be a bad decision.
"They gonna have a war on their hands," Candlers says of the FDA. "I know a lot of folks that smoke menthols, and it would be wrong just to ban one type of cigarette."
But the U.S. government has already banned other types of cigarettes. Flavored beedies, cloves, cigarettes with spices, peppermint and vanilla have all been banned in an effort to discourage teenagers from picking up the habit. Basically, anything that makes tobacco easier to taste or inhale has been targeted by the FDA and Congress.
The FDA’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee is recommending menthol be banned. The committee issued a report earlier this year finding that menthol cigarettes are overwhelmingly smoked by the poor, the young and African-Americans...

Continue reading

John Sepulvado @'CNN'

Cannabis a 'gateway' to drug use

Taliban blames US for Mullah Omar death reports

Two Taliban spokesmen have said their phones had been hacked and messages sent out that their leader Mullah Omar was dead, media reports say.

One of the spokesmen Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters that the "Americans have hacked our cellphones with advanced technology and sent the messages".
Mullah Omar's death was reported in May by sections of the media, including an Afghan TV channel.
Pakistani and US officials had dismissed the reports.
Mullah Omar has evaded capture, despite one of the largest manhunts and is believed to be guiding the resurgent Taliban.
The AFP news agency said that a message went out from Zabihullah Mujahid's phone announcing the death of Mullah Omar.
The spokesman denied this, and said the Taliban would take "revenge on the telephone network providers".
A second spokesman, Qari Yosuf Ahmadi, also told AFP that phones had been hacked.
"That's a false message. The Westerners hacked into our cellphones and sent the message from our numbers to everyone. They want to deceive the Afghan people. It's wrong. [Omar] is not dead and is alive," he said.
@'BBC'