My co-worker Lee Tien has written a devastating analysis of the report on Total Information Awareness that was just presented to Congress.

Accountability in the use of TIA

Privacy Act concepts like the right to a copy of one's records, the right to dispute or correct information believed to be inaccurate, the right to know how one's personal information is used and who has access to it, and the right to know what institutions and record systems contain personal information all revolve around accountability. But the Report doesn't discuss these issues -- even though TIA is already being tested on real data about real people. For the ordinary person, TIA is a giant suspicion-generating machine. TIA's most obvious purpose is to identify suspected terrorists (although, given the recent allegations about the use of the Homeland Security Department to track Democratic legislators in Texas, one should be concerned that TIA will be used for other purposes). How do you clear your name if a TIA analyst, aided by an "intelligent agent," mistakenly decides that you're suspicious? Will you even know? Amazingly, while EFF worries about the accuracy and quality of the data that TIA would use, the Report blithely dismisses the issue: "TIA does not, in and of itself, raise any particular concerns about the accuracy of individually identifiable information." R-32. The Report's logic is that TIA is "simply a tool for more efficiently inquiring about data in the hands of others," and this concern about data quality "would exist regardless of the method employed." R-32-33. It's remarkable that the government can so easily ignore the harm that suspicion based on bad data might cause to people, given the problems we already see with "no-fly" and other watchlists.

Link Discuss

Lessig's got a great idea: let's all go commit "contributory trade dress infringement" by taking pix in Starbucks this weekend (maybe next holiday weekend we can do Toys R Us or one of the many other retail chains that ban photo-taking).

Story one: Last month while visiting Charleston, three women went into a Starbucks. They were spending the weekend together and one of them had a disposable camera with her. To commemorate their time with one and other they decided to take round robin pictures while sitting around communing. The manager evidently careened out of control, screaming at them, "Didn't they know it was illegal to take photographs in a Starbucks. She insisted that she had to have the disposable camera because this was an absolute violation of Starbuck's copyright of their entire 'environment'--that everything in the place is protected and cannot be used with Starbuck's express permission.

Story two: At our local [North Carolina] Starbucks, a friend's daughter, who often has her camera with her, was notified that she was not allowed to take pictures in any Starbucks. No explanation was given, but pressed I would think that the manager there would give a similar rationale.

I wonder what would happen if hundreds of people from around the country experimented this holiday weekend by taking pictures at their local Starbucks ...

Link Discuss (Thanks, Larry!)

Microdoc News posts this item exploring how an idea enters the blogosphere, develops, and reaches a conclusion.

We have traced such stories as "Where is Raed?", "Microsoft iLoo", "war blogging", and "Second SuperPower", which actually divided into two additional stories "Googlewash" and "Googlewashed". Overall we have traced 45 stories that have developed in the blogosphere over the last three months. Each blogosphere story has a definite beginning, develops along quite predictable lines and comes to a predictable end.

Link, Discuss (Thanks, RCB!)

Wireless media receivers allow folks with large digital music collections to play tunes on "real" stereo system without the whirring white noise of PC fans. Recently, there was an interesting thread on the Southern California Wireless Users' Group listserv rounding up personal favorites. Here are a few -- tip of the WiFi router to Paul Carlin for the following.

(1) Turtle Beach AudioTron coupled with a Linksys WET11 wireless bridge. Sounds awesome and supports Internet radio as well. See this review from December 2001.
(2) HP makes the wireless digital receiver ew5000
(3) Sony has a VAIO RoomLink Network Media Receiver PCNA-MR10 with the optional PCWA-DE50 wireless adapter. ONLY works with a Sony VAIO Gigapocket PVR and 802.11a (not b)
(3) The following devices DO NOT use 802.11b, but still qualify as wireless:
Motorola has the Simplefi wireless digital audio receiver. Small but ugly (looks like it has a tumor). Limited to 150 feet range.
Terra makes the terraplayer TR-100 and CR-100. Ick.
(4) These devices are NOT wireless, but could be with a WET11:
Slim Devices SliMP3, and Barix Exstreamer

Discuss

Various hospital-chains are installing WiFi phones that can also do wireless data comms to enable their nursing staffs to be in many places at once without running their asses off. The impetus for this tech-adoption is a national nursing-shortage, which is increasing hospital administrators' willingness to try out new gadgets.

Most hospitals have relied on desktop phone systems. "Let's say they got a page," said Jeff Lett, senior director of technical operations at Tenet Healthcare. "They had to interrupt their rounds, rip off the blood-pressure cuff, and run to phone--or continue on and make the doctor livid."

When Tenet Healthcare asked nurses what would make life easier, "the nurses came back and said wireless phones," Lett said.

Link Discuss

BoingBoing reader Dutch says, "Zhang Ziyi recently recorded an anti-SARS public service ad for broadcast in China. That alone may be of interest, but there's a sick twist: The ad is strangely similar to an Apple 'switch' commercial. While it may be extremely offensive, it would be hillarious to remix this video with English titles and an Apple logo at the end. Streaming video, or download .ram video."

More, via MonkeyPeaches: "Aired on China's CCTV, it is one of 20 commercials featuring well-known figures from Chinese entertainment industry. Translation: "With a usual attitude, together, we will go through this unusually time. How to prevent SARS, it seems, we should wash our hands (more) frequently, keep the indoor air circulated, and don't forget wearing your surgical mask properly when going out. In this this usually time, besides paying more attention on personal hygiene, (one should) also be responsible for the health of other people. I believe protecting yourself means protecting others. Keep Going, Chinese! Sponsored by Mengniu Diary and the Commercial Department of CCTV."
Discuss

A special bonus exhibit in our ongoing series of online SARS-related visual oddities. Stephen says, "This is a faked picture of a cow with a medical mask -- this is more topical for BSE infection, but hey, it's a cow with a mask...." Link to fake BSE/SARS/Cow-mask site.

(Earlier exhibits F, E, D, C, B, and A, Discuss)

Susannah shares this snip from Shift online:

Back in April of 2000, Shift Magazine ran a feature on Booth Bunnies, the girls hired to "man" Comdex booths with big smiles and short skirts. The second-last paragraph of the article reads: "As the computer industry evolves and continues to market itself more professionally, booth models are becoming more invisible, showing up for work in khakis and polo shirts. Soon, they won't need to show up at all." Wishful thinking. Sure, at Comdex in Toronto last year, there was only a handful. (They were still there.) But the videogame industry has gone the opposite direction -- as professional gaming gains momentum, events are evolving into Football-style spectacles. To wit: This page collects the "E3 girls", and they look much more buxom, skimpily-dressed and sexualized than the leggy Vana Whites that appeared in Shift's 2000 "Booth Bunnies" photographs. Much as custom car mags shoot celebrity "Import Models" for their covers, I wouldn't be surprised to find celebrity gaming girls popping up within the next year or two.

Link, Discuss

Contributed by Geisha Asobi.

Link to complete gallery.

(Earlier exhibits E, D, C, B, and A, Discuss)

elvis
walken
eating
ozzy
avril
scooby
bruce lee
the harts
Link, Discuss (Thanks, Frank)

From "Neen" meme-wrangler and post-digital art prankster Miltos Manetas:

"The most important social quest of the past century was Freedom. No other symbol captured the urgency of that question better than the Anarchy Symbol. The major social issue of our days is the question of Intellectual Property and Copyright. In a world where content is becoming increasingly easy to copy, shall we obey old laws that stop this re-distribution, or shall we be free to copy? If information has any value, its because it is either a snapshot of our feelings, (songs and music), or a demo of what can become visible, (visual arts, movies etc) or a speculation on what is possible, (science) or the development of a language, (computer code), or a combination of ideas that can occur to anybody at any time (books). To bring this discussion to the multitudes, Rafael Rozendaal designed at my request, and after a suggestion by John White C. a simple and direct logo against copyright and IP. Let's write it on all walls!"

Link, Discuss

Long saga short: (1) Many posts ago, Bot developer and blogger John scanned the Robodex guidebook for BoingBoing, and mentioned he'd omitted a weird ad for what looked like a natto burger. Natto is a sort of smelly, extreme soy food delicacy. Japan's equivalent to limburger cheese. (2) John scanned the ad, and we posted it here. (3) An astute reader pointed out that the ad appeared instead to tout the Kentucky Fried Curryburger. Sloppy, yes, wacky, perhaps, but not natto. (4)Now, Tokyo-ouja blog posts this -- what may in fact be our first authentic sighting of a bona fide nasty Mc-Natto, McDonalds wrapper and all. Aminattoornot.com? You be the judge. Discuss

Sean Bonner says: "Two Japanese companies ( NEC and Konami ) have come up with a novel use for "Phones For Boys" where you use your mobile phone to remotely control toy cars - in this case with an NEC phone. The communication is achieved via infrared comms. Above shows the remote ( phone ) being used with a Jordan and Ferrari F1 racing cars." Link to story, Discuss

From revdoug in South Florida. Link to full-size. (Earlier exhibits C, B, and A, Discuss)

From Curtis Austin. (Earlier exhibits C, B, and A, Discuss)

The Colorado Super-DMCA has been vetoed by the governor (and it's been withdrawn in Tennessee!). Chalk up two for the public interest. And to the Hollyweird fatcats who tried to slip these bills through: neener neener neener. Link Discuss (via Trubble)