And they call it journalism
UPDATE: I dropped an email to the author of the piece mentioned below noting my frustration with his methods and the misquote. To my surprise he actually responded with an apology and fixed the article. So the quote you will read below is actually one I endorse now! Nice to see someone so willing to correct a mistake.
It amazes me when journalists will use other media stories as a source, rather than talk to the interviewee directly. The story below discusses a quote of mine that was out of context in the first place and which is now out of context once removed. I've never claimed that 100 nations are developing information warfare capabilities. That information comes from the director of CIA and if you hear me speak, you'll know I have some questions regarding the utility of that information. There is no excuse for not contacting someone you want to quote directly. Full Story
ABC Radio (Australia) Speech Transcript
ABC Radio in Australia ran an edited version of a public speaking engagement I did while I was there. The broadcast ran well after I had left the country, so I didn't get a chance to hear it, but the transcript is available below.
Read more
Anti-war protesters go digital
As bombs blasted Baghdad last week, dozens of cell phones in China buzzed with messages about where to stage an anti-war protest.
In Cairo, activists tapped out text messages to summon 5,000 demonstrators to a central square. And in San Francisco, technophiles beamed live footage from protests to anti-war Web sites.
Throughout the world, technology is allowing activists to stage spontaneous rallies in reaction to the war. Full Story
Sweden beats U.S. as top Web-savvy nation
I've learned to never try and out-drink a Swede. I guess, I'll have to resort to being number two at surfing the Internet as well.
"Sweden has overtaken the United States as the Web-savviest nation on the planet, a survey showed on Tuesday.
One other European country, Denmark, was also more aggressive in taking advantage of the Internet than the United States, according to research carried out by IBM and the intelligence unit of British magazine The Economist.
Of the 60 countries surveyed, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan were at the bottom of the list with 2.37 and 2.52 points respectively out of a possible 10." Full Story
Cyberterrorism Seen as Future Threat
People intent on committing cyberterrorism are likely to attack critical elements of the world's computer infrastructure in the future, but they do not yet have the capability to do so, a U.S. expert on cyberterrorism said last week. Full Story
Read more
Abuses with mini-cameras tough to curb
As with the introduction of any new technology, abuses are bound to be rampant. The article below discusses concerns over the inappropriate use of cameras imbedded in cell phones. As I am currently in Japan, I can assure you that camera phones are establishing a strong market presence. For a while I carried around a digital camera the size of a large pen, and the spy museum in Washington DC is supposed to sell cameras hidden in ties, so this problem is certainly not unique to cell phones with cameras. I wonder if the media will cover the first time a cell phone camera is used to catch a criminal in action.
Of course, the district in Japan that sells thousands of these phones also sells cell phone jammers, so if you are worried about someone taking your picture, maybe users will start creating cell phone free zones around their bodies.
"Beware the ubiquitous cell phone, because some of those equipped with cameras are in the hands of perverts bent on invading your privacy...Full Story
p.s. Anyone figured out how to disabled that clicking sound in j-phones yet?
Voice over IP
I've become a big fan of my voice over IP phone service provided by Vonage, but it hasn't been really tested until I visited Japan. Since arriving here, I have used it exclusively for voice communications and it has worked almost flawlessly. When I visited New Zealand and Australia, telecommunications back the US cost me over $1000.00 by the time I was done. Estimated cost for voice telecommunications for the Japan visit is less than $10.00. Also, I have one number that follows me no matter where I am, so it is easier for my family to reach me and I don't have to provide detailed listings of what hotels I am staying at.
The Animatrix
Seven animated films all dealing with the Matrix movie trilogy. If I have to explain it any further, you probably won't be interested in this link.
Japan Trip
I am currently on travel to Japan speaking on Cyberterrorism issues for Japanese government, business and academic organizations. The trip is sponsored by the State Department and part of their international speakers program. I've found the audiences to be very receptive to the topic. I was told that Japanese audiences wouldn't ask questions, but I've had an hour of very topical questions following each of my presentations. This is also the first time that all of my presentations have required an interpreter, which is an interesting experience for me and certainly provides a sense of appreciation for the challenges of that job.
Walking through Tokyo is like stepping into a science fiction novel. The city just has a presence that you can't avoid....it is everywhere. I am amazed to travel miles by subway, only to emerge to the same exact scenery every time. I've yet to see anyone over the age of 10 without a cell phone, yet none of mine will work in Japan due to the regulartory environment. I've finally branched out for Tokyo and will be spending two nights in Kyoto, which should give me a feel for an more traditional Japan city.
Manufactured Pop Culture
If you can come up with a better example of manufactured pop culture than this, I'd like to see. A shrink for a producer, two teenage Russian girls, a techno beat and lots of lesbian sexual themes. A good example of U.S. pop culture being taking to an extreme and pushed right back at us. I don't watch MTV, but I hear it is in rotation. Tatu.ru