Saturday, April 19, 2003

The Travel Industry Changes Its Vacation Plans. This is shaping up as one of the most retrograde leisure-travel seasons in memory. Here's a look at some of the global trends. By Joe Sharkey. [New York Times: Business] 6:58:14 PM    comment []

xowie says, dead right: It's important to remember that the Arab world has seen a very different war than we have. They are seeing babies with limbs blown off, children wailing beside their dead mothers, Arab journalists killed by American tanks and bombers, holy men hacked to death and dragged through the streets. They are seeing American forces leaving behind a wake of destruction, looting, hunger, humiliation, and chaos. --Arianna Huffington, Why The Anti-War Movement Was Right. 6:08:17 PM    comment []

[xian]: MFA Mixer in Oakland (April 21). a note from Watchword: Please join us this Monday, April 21, for the Second Annual MFA Mixer. Students from 7 Bay Area MFA programs (CCAC, SF State, Mills College, St. Mary's, New College, USF, Cal State Hayward) are invited to participate in our Happy Hour, Open Mic, and Literary Exchange. The public is welcome to come join in on the happy hour as well! Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Open Mic begins at 8:15 p.m. (arrive by 8 to sign up). The venue is Mama Buzz Café, 2318 Telegraph Ave. (@ 23rd) in Oakland, accessible by AC Transit and only 4 blocks from the 19th St. BART station. Directions: 510-465-4073. LITERARY EXCHANGE We don't need to explain what Happy Hour or Open Mic are. But what exactly is the Literary Exchange? To facilitate connections among MFA students from different programs, we wanted to create a way to experience each other's writing - in addition to the Open Mic readings. How does it work? Simply bring copies of your creative work - whether it's a poem, short story, chapbook, 'zine, or broadside - to share with other students. It can be as simple as a photocopy or as elaborate as a designed booklet. Give some, collect some, start a conversation. It's that easy! Think of it as publishing your work to a small and appreciative audience. There are only 2 rules: the work you bring must be free, and you should include your name, school, and a way for people to contact you. If you have any questions about the Literary Exchange or the event, please feel free to contact Danielle Jatlow at danielle [at] watchwordpress [dot] org or Grace Loh of Mills College at graceloh [at] pacbell [dot] net. Steal this idea, y'all! 5:53:50 PM    comment []

Dead Mall Swarming. What do you do with a dead mall? This link, recently discussed on the Viridian List discusses the relationship between social hubs and texting in terms of designing a place that would encourage a convivial "emergent public realm." [Smart Mobs] 5:51:42 PM    comment []

Last year: At CFP2002, Day Three Reporting on Computers, Freedom, and Privacy 2002 Really exciting session now, "Are the Tools the Rules? The Future of the Digital Commons," by Dewayne Hendricks, on spread spectrum and unlicensed software -- and even cognitive -- radio. [Links] Other reports on what's going on at CFP: Defenstration Corner, Inkwell, SecurityFocus Online, Reuters, Chronicle, CNET News.com, Newsbytes AT&T Privacy Bird Ben Bagdikian: Veteran Scribe Praises New Media Interacting neural networks and cryptography, by Wolfgang Kinzel, Ido Kanter -- covered in the New Scientist story, Neural network 'in-jokes' could pass secrets. Very interesting: ask two neural nets two agree with one another in categorizing random bits, let them train one another, and they quickly agree. The agreed-to weightings could be used as a cryptographic key, without it ever being transmitted between the two. Reflections on Brilliant Digital: Single Points of Internet 0wnership Microsoft witness defends Web strategy Florida Bank Suffers Online Security Breach The Chiapas Project Group: Free Vietnam's Web Critics It took four years for imprisoned convict Robert Heike to devise the code for "Operation Chisel." It took four St. Lucie County Jail detention deputies an hour and a half to crack it and thwart the jailbreak Heike was allegedly planning. Yahoo yodeler sues over trademark cry mapping the CIA's network CIA details found on Google 9:43:40 AM    comment []

Mentioned previously here: WiFi and the First Amendment. Cory Doctorow has submitted comments to the FCC on "Why WiFi is crucial to the First Amendment." Not that the First Amendment seems to be a priority in DC these days. Go, Cory! [Smart Mobs] 6:07:47 AM    comment []

Texas Reactor Vessel Is Leaking Water. A nuclear reactor in Texas is leaking cooling water from the bottom of its giant reactor vessel, a development that experts view with concern. By Matthew L. Wald. [New York Times: Science] 6:04:47 AM    comment []

Rip! Zap! Ding! It's a Classic 6-Minute Pot Roast. To appeal to overscheduled families and to reverse declining sales food companies are offering hyperspeed versions of the old-fashioned comfort foods. By Sherri Day. [New York Times: Business] 6:00:00 AM    comment []