The Social Network's Social Message to Young Men

I finally got a chance to take in The Social Network and was struck by an implied message that likely I--as the only Frog in the movie's audience--picked up on.

In at least three specific scenes, young college-aged men acted in their own best interest and inquired after the ages of young women in attendance at various parties.

And in one scene, the young lady had lied about her stated 21 years of age.

My hopes are a young man does not need to attend Harvard to get the point.

Live Stream Chilean Miner Rescue

We watch and wait.

The New Web

We told you so.


As reported by The New York Times:

Nearly everyone who uses the Internet will face the privacy risks that come with those capabilities, which are an integral part of the Web language that will soon power the Internet: HTML 5.

(...)

“It’s going to change everything about the Internet and the way we use it today,” said James Cox, 27, a freelance consultant and software developer at Smokeclouds, a New York City start-up company. “It’s not just HTML 5. It’s the new Web.”

But others, while also enthusiastic about the changes, are more cautious.

Most Web users are familiar with so-called cookies, which make it possible, for example, to log on to Web sites without having to retype user names and passwords, or to keep track of items placed in virtual shopping carts before they are bought.

Read how soon nothing will be sacred here.

***

"Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking a peeping tom to install your window blinds."

--John Perry Barlow

NASA Meets SCOTUS

Does NASA have the right to probe medical records, finances and drug history of employees?

Twenty-eight scientists--who work at positions that do not require security clearance--think not. Because of the unclassified nature of their employment, the plaintiffs cite the background checks as an invasion of their personal privacy.

(...)

The controversy began in 2004 when NASA, then under the direction of Michael Griffin, ordered all scientists working at JPL to undergo comprehensive, open-ended background checks — beyond the standard pre-hiring reviews for federal employees — or risk losing their jobs.

Read more here.


The Supreme Court will hear formal arguments today.

Titusville's Foreclosure Registry

As I've watched the citizen-driven Fair Districts initiative successfully bulldoze past legal attempts by the Florida state legislature to remove Amendments 5 and 6 off the November ballot, I had a thought.

If citizens are frustrated enough to draw the line on gerrymandering in this state--the practice of the majority party power "drawing districts to favor incumbents or political parties with little rhyme or reason as to the interests of voters"--then how much longer before citizens reach a similar limit regarding the impact of public records overreach on their individual right to privacy?

Case in point.

The city of Titusville, Florida unanimously approved a $150 charge on homeowners who face foreclosure proceedings or have mortgages in default.

The city would pocket half the fee and give the other half and "...to Suntree-based Federal Property Registration Corp., which will help identify foreclosed property and manage the registry."

Yep. You read right. A foreclosure registry.

(...)

Under the agreement, Darnell's company would contact lenders with foreclosures in the city, inform the lenders of the city's registration requirements, and provide an electronic method of registration for the lenders, including through the city's website. A mortgagee would have to register the property with the city within 10 days after the mortgage is declared in default.

Reasoning?

It's quicker.

(...)

"This is a quicker way of identifying and registering these properties than the 'one-by-one' process the city would use through code enforcement," Titusville City Manager Mark Ryan said in a memo to the city council. "Many cities are struggling with new inventories of foreclosed homes, and creating ordinances as a way to help mitigate the damage to communities and recover costs incurred."

Two hundred properties have since been registered.

How much more must Floridians endure?

Read Titusville's public records policy here.

Read Florida's Ballot Initiative 101 here.

And vote YES on Amendments 5 and 6.

Smashed Frog Turns on the Lights

A year ago, I decided to buy a domain name from Google for ten dollars.

All went well until a couple of months back. Google emailed me a notice to renew as I had not selected automatic renewal via a credit card with my initial purchase.

Sounds easy enough.

Wrong.

I've struggled with Google since August in attempt to renew my domain name. Once logged into my account, I was unable to simply choose automatic renewal as apparently, past a certain date, such an action is no longer an option. Communication proved next to impossible and when contact was made to the person beyond the Q & A forum, I was simply passed off to someone else.

As a result, Smashedfrog.com went quietly into that good night (although still readable by cache), the address now owned by eNom and available for me to repurchase for reportedly close to $100.

Pardon me if I feel a bit scammed.

To quote George Herbert Walker Bush, not gonna do it.

So back to Smashed Frog with a blogspot in the middle. As long as Blogger is around and offers services for free, no need to worry about going dark.

Update your bookmarks, Froggers.

We have work to do. :)

Brian D. Sweeney, United Flight 175

September 2006--as a participant in the 2996 project--I was assigned the privilege of memorializing Brian D. Sweeney, a passenger on United Flight 175.

Of Viking Heart was written in tribute to a man I never met but came to know only by his passing, through the voices of his friends and family.

Today, I will think of those he left behind much too soon and their loss that never ends.

And I'll think of Brian, 38, who claimed to be part Viking and part Leonardo da Vinci.

Others remember Brian here.

We will never forget.

George Crossley

Smashed Frog says good-bye to a friend.

George Crossley.

The Orlando Sentinel, 9/9/2010:

(...)

Crossley, who worked more recently a radio talk-show host, collapsed at WEUS-810 AM station in Altamonte Springs Wednesday evening. He was rushed to South Seminole Hospital in Longwood where he later died.

(...)

Crossley, who was once the leader of the American Civil Liberties Union's Central Florida chapter, hosted The People Power Revolution show alongside co-host and producer John Hamilton.

Speaking for Florida's downtrodden, we thank George for his voice when others remained silent.

Our condolences to his family and friends.

***

“Why are children who are supposed to be protected by the Jessica Lunsford Act actually being harmed grievously by the same law? Why are the children of registered sex offenders being tormented, abused and trying to commit suicide because of the Jessica Lunsford Act?”

--George Crossley

Read more about the man here.