Monday, May 05, 2003

Etan Thomas, Poet. Wizards' Big Man Looks Inside, by Heather A. Dinich, Washington Post. It's really a laid-back scene, said Thomas, whose basketball season was shortened because of an eye socket injury. Nobody is really worried about who you are, they just want to hear what you say. . . . Those are the kind of places I really like to go to. People usually have a stereotype when they see a basketball player anyway. When they see you and you break those stereotypes, they come up to you afterward and they want to talk with you. I like that. And the crowd at Borders liked Thomas. This poem is called, 'Republicans,' said Thomas, wearing glasses and khakis. Them hypocrites don't care about you. He had to read it again. The crowd cheered as if he had dunked. Reverse discrimination? Are you serious? You talkin' now! someone yelled. He had a lot of good things to say, said Lauren Wyatt, a 17- year-old at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and one of the featured poets. It's really cool that not only sports figures, but African Americans are doing more than one thing, they're doing poetry and basketball. But I don't want it to turn into a joke, like, 'Oh here's a big athlete who's playing sports and writing poetry.' 1:21:39 PM    comment []

Microsoft Chief Says 'Constructive' Talks with EU (Reuters). 11:20:54 AM    comment []

A Kentucky Derby site, Call to the Derby Post, has a bunch of essays on the Derby online, including The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved by Hunter S. Thompson! (The following essay was originally published in Scanlan's Monthly, vol. 1, no. 4, June 1970. NOTE: The opinions expressed in this article, and all other pieces of Call To The Derby Post's "Derby Culture, Documented" section are in no way affiliated with those of Call To The Derby Post. These essays are intended to portray various views and perceptions of the Kentucky Derby and the culture that surrounds it. SPECIAL NOTE: Parental discretion advised for this essay, as it is rated R. It includes adult language, references to drug and alcohol abuse, and other generalizations and behavior which readers might find quite shocking.) A refreshing read . . . 7:06:37 AM    comment []

Network Television's Fall Season. Broadcast television executives have been locked in screening rooms, assessing the pilot episodes of prospective new shows. By Bill Carter. [New York Times: Business] 7:03:15 AM    comment []

FTC Pursuing Strong Policies. I was one of many who feared that the Federal Trade Commission would essentially abandon its mission during the Bush... [Dan Gillmor's eJournal] 7:01:11 AM    comment []

Privacy Backers Size Up New Chief. Experts debate whether the new chief privacy officer for the Department of Homeland Security will be able to protect citizens from undue snooping -- or just protect the administration from its critics. Nuala O'Connor Kelly likely will get hit from both sides. By Michelle Delio. [Wired News] 6:59:02 AM    comment []

America's Broadband Dream Is Alive in Korea. With a hefty push from the government, South Korea's telecommunications providers have built the world's most comprehensive Internet network. By Ken Belson with Matt Richtel. [New York Times: Business] 6:57:23 AM    comment []

Democrats square off. And it's Joe Lieberman who stands out in a crowded field without, yet, a breakaway star. [Salon.com] 6:56:54 AM    comment []

Children at the Technology Helm. Ineptitude afflicts parents who cede the role of the household's chief technology officer to their offspring. By Hubert B. Herring. [New York Times: Business] 6:56:01 AM    comment []

Concert CD's Sold on the Spot by a Radio Giant. Clear Channel plans to introduce a venture that will sell live recordings on compact disc within five minutes of a show's conclusion. By Matthew Mirapaul. [New York Times: Technology] 6:54:35 AM    comment []

Web Antidote for Political Apathy. In the U.K., the BBC is known as 'Auntie Beeb' because of its safe, provincial values. But in October, the esteemed British broadcaster will launch a radical experiment in online democracy -- a website for turning ordinary citizens into grassroots political activists. By Leander Kahney. [Wired News] 6:52:01 AM    comment []

ALA Annual Conference to remain in Toronto After lengthy discussions and consultation with international and national health officials about the occurrence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the American Library Association (ALA) Executive Board voted unanimously to keep the 2003 Annual Conference in Toronto, June 19-25. This decision has been reached following the assurance of leading health officials who inform us that it is safe for our members, exhibitors and guests to visit Toronto, said ALA President Maurice J. (Mitch) Freedman. We take the occurrence of SARS in Toronto very seriously and have carefully considered all options and opinions before choosing to stay. 6:48:11 AM    comment []

Adam on a pocket rocket. According to Erik and Mark, Intel is thinking way outside their own box[es]. Instead of carrying a scaled down interface around in your pocket, why not carry all your data in one mini-box that has bluetooth, WiFi, rendevous and any other protocols for you to use other external devices [ps, palm, cellpohone, browser] to access. As I've said before, never underestimate the bandwidth of a hard drive travelling at 60 mph down the highway... 6:46:00 AM    comment []

Streamcast's new boss--same as the old boss. Rejoining Streamcast Networks after a federal judge invalidated film and recording industry claims, CEO Michael Weiss explains his faith in the file-swapping business's future. [CNET News.com] 6:44:18 AM    comment []

Just got around to reading Scott's How may we Web service you? At the O'Reilly Emerging Technologies Conference, "Web services" were all the rage. But what will happen when companies get cold feet -- and the lawsuits start? It's a really good piece, reviewing some themes from conference presentations, but also analyzing the status quo and looking ahead. He starts with his recent discovery that DVD technology has been crippled, and goes on to discuss the prospects that some companies will resist having deconstructing their Web resources into assets for others. It is regularly good to read Scott's essays. This one is eminently munchable. 6:39:58 AM    comment []