Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Scientology Hacker Convicted, Heading To Jail]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/man-to-serve-time-for-cyber-attack-on-scientology-websites/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/man-to-serve-time-for-cyber-attack-on-scientology-websites/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/man-to-serve-time-for-cyber-attack-on-scientology-websites/#comments With old-fashioned, barbaric crusades having gone the way of the Pet Rock, it seems people have started to take their religious beefs from the war-grounds to the Web. The most recent cyber-attack, though, might be the most confusing yet.

As the Huffington Post reports, Dmitriy Guzner, a 19-year-old from New Jersey, has been sentenced to a 366-day term in federal prison for participating in a cyber-attack on Church of Scientology Web sites back in January of 2008. According to the charges, Guzner and his hacker lackeys conducted a massive denial of service attack on the sites, rendering them inaccessible to other users. The cyber-assassin plead guilty to computer hacking charges in May, and will serve an additional two years of probation upon his release from prison.

The head-scratcher? Prosecutors claim that Guzner was operating as part of a covert anti-Scientology hack team called "Anonymous," (Ed. Note: Not just Scientology, but "Anonymous" is part of a larger hack group) which protests the Church on the grounds that it promotes Internet censorship. So their logic, if we heard correctly, was to combat censorship with malicious, vigilante... censorship? Nope, no unsound reasoning here. [From: Huffington Post]

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Scientology Hacker Convicted, Heading To Jail originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cyberattackdenial of serviceDenialOfServicehackreligionscientologytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:41:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Anonymous, Sexual Blog Comment Costs School Employee Job]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/anonymous-sexual-blog-comment-costs-school-employee-job/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/anonymous-sexual-blog-comment-costs-school-employee-job/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/anonymous-sexual-blog-comment-costs-school-employee-job/#comments
HuffPo reports that a man in St. Louis lost his job at a local school after posting a vulgar response to an online poll, when the St. Louis Post-Dispatch last Friday asked readers the following question: "What's the craziest thing you've ever eaten?" Spotting a hanging curveball, the employee posted a one-word vulgarity, alluding to a certain female anatomical feature. Web site administrators deleted the comment, only to have it re-posted. At that point, Kurt Greenbaum, director of social media at the newspaper, used the IP address to trace the original obscenity back to a school. Job loss ensued.

The following Monday, Greenbaum wrote an article titled, "Post a vulgar comment while you're at work, lose your job." One reader argued, "You guys don't like moderating so you call his work and get him fired." Greenbaum's reply, dripping with sarcasm, read, "Yeah, you caught me! I made him log on to his computer at work, visit STLtoday.com's Talk of the Day, read the item, type a vulgarity and hit the 'submit' key."

The guy shouldn't have been making these comments from a school computer, but isn't Greenbaum overstepping his bounds here? It's the responsibility of the newspaper to filter its readers' comments (Ed. Note: Wouldn't know anything about that at Switched. Our commenters are all angels.) -- not to monitor its readers' behavior. For whatever reason, the site maintenance team couldn't just color within the lines of their own Web site; they had to go "tell teacher." The most reprehensible part, though, is Greenbaum's smug self-righteousness, regardless of right or wrong. The only thing that resulted was someone losing their livelihood. Let's take it down a notch on the sarcasm, shall we? [From: Huffington Post]

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Anonymous, Sexual Blog Comment Costs School Employee Job originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commentsemploymentjournalismnewspaperobscenityprivacyschool switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:06:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Russian Astronaut's Blog Makes Outer Space Fun Again]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/russian-astronauts-blog-makes-outer-space-fun-again/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/russian-astronauts-blog-makes-outer-space-fun-again/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/russian-astronauts-blog-makes-outer-space-fun-again/#comments
While NASA astronauts typically tweet banalities about their jobs, the hilarity of one Russian cosmonaut's blog is skyrocketing to infinity... and beyond.

Maksim Suraev, a Roscosmos astronaut aboard the International Space Station, has used his blog to give readers some humorous insight into daily outer space existence. Translated into English by Russia Today, the blog features not only weirdly hilarious pictures from aboard the Station, but intimate and witty writing, as well. (Russophones can find the original here.) One post discusses the "holy symbols" aboard the station, with a picture of religious icons floating in zero gravity. One of those icons is Suraev's own crucifix, which, he claims, contains "a piece of the original cross on which Jesus was crucified."

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Russian Astronaut's Blog Makes Outer Space Fun Again originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> international space stationInternationalSpaceStationISSrussiaspacetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:51:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Artist Creates Twitter Avatars From Pop Culture Figures]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/artist-creates-twitter-avatars-from-pop-culture-figures/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/artist-creates-twitter-avatars-from-pop-culture-figures/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/artist-creates-twitter-avatars-from-pop-culture-figures/#comments Creative folks have been using personalized avatars on Twitter for a while now. But artist Adam Koford, who goes by the pseudonym "Ape Lad," has created a whole flotilla of new designs in the style of Twitter's highly recognizable bird icon. Primarily featuring cartoon characters or sci-fi heroes from yesteryear, Ape Lad's avatars are all uniformly designed -- in the same comma or teardrop shape as the bird -- but each has its own quirky uniqueness. (It's weird to see just how docile a Wolverine-styled avatar can be when cast in a Twitter bird mold.)

You can find the full slate of 11 avatars here, running the gamut from Buzz Lightyear to 'Where the Wild Things Are.' (We'd probably go for Chewbacca, on cuddliness alone.) It's a clever motif, and one that could easily be expounded with greater extremes, and in different contexts; isn't Obama's caricature kind of tailor-made for this shape, anyway? [From: Ape Lad on Flickr and Neatorama]

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Artist Creates Twitter Avatars From Pop Culture Figures originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> artavatarsocialnetworkingtoptwitter switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:32:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Feds Using PlayStation 3 to Catch Predators]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/feds-using-playstation-3-to-catch-predators/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/feds-using-playstation-3-to-catch-predators/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/feds-using-playstation-3-to-catch-predators/#comments While the PlayStation 3 is often the object of crime, police authorities are now using the device as a means to fight ne'er-do-wells, too.

When trying to track down the cyber footprints of a criminal, federal authorities typically use a complex and expensive system of computers to crack open a suspect's password-protected files. Now, however, according to Kotaku, agents have discovered that they can do the same thing by networking a group of PS3 consoles together -- at a fraction of the cost. And as it turns out, all the processing power that goes into producing those complex graphics is perfectly suited for cracking passwords. And though any gaming console can fill the same function, authorities have chosen the PS3 in particular because it allows them to use Linux, an open-source operating system. (Tragically, the newest PS3 Slim doesn't allow open-source systems, although police have turned to eBay to troll for older versions.)

Continue reading Feds Using PlayStation 3 to Catch Predators

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Feds Using PlayStation 3 to Catch Predators originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> hackpoliceps3topvideogames switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Dancepants Like This (Which Power iPods), Baby, They Were Born To Run]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/dancepants-stop-the-jams-when-you-stop-moving/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/dancepants-stop-the-jams-when-you-stop-moving/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/dancepants-stop-the-jams-when-you-stop-moving/#comments For many of us, music is the only way we can get through a grueling session at the gym. But if you've ever wanted to feel more in touch with your MP3 player or to sync appropriate music to your run, a new pair of pants may be just the thing.

The new Dancepants Kinetic Music Player is, basically, a hamster wheel for music lovers. Although it may look like any other pair of track pants you might see flashing by as you eat an ice-cream cone on a park bench, the Dancepants actually have a built-in generator that can power your MP3 player -- as long as you keep moving. The conceptual pants convert the kinetic energy generated with each stride into electric energy, which in turn fuels your music. So, as long as you keep going, the music flows. Once you stop, the music dies.

Until we find out the minimum walking speed at which the pants can work, we'll probably opt for the couch and a laptop. But if you are bold enough to take the Dancepants out for a spin, allow us to make a couple of playlist suggestions. [From: Designboom, via: Engadget]

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Dancepants Like This (Which Power iPods), Baby, They Were Born To Run originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> dance pantsDancePantsexercisegreenmp3mp3playermusicnoveltytopweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Parents Worried Girls Becoming Addicted to Facebook]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/parents-worried-girls-becoming-addicted-to-facebook/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/parents-worried-girls-becoming-addicted-to-facebook/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/parents-worried-girls-becoming-addicted-to-facebook/#comments On top of all the natural insecurities and volatile emotions that characterize adolescence, you can now add the girlish gossip-mongering of the Facebook age, where high school dating drama follows gals home and the family laptop becomes the central location of anxiety, woe, and "Oh no, she di-int." Granted, they may just want to have fun, but growing girls don't always have an easy time of it.

To add to the worry, the BBC reports that parents of teenage girls in the U.K. now cite addiction to online social networking as their number one concern. As Jill Berry, the president of the Girls' School Association, puts it, girls are now apparently "permanently connected" to sites like Facebook and Bebo, and parents are worried. At the association's annual conference, Berry detailed parents' concerns over "what to do about their daughters being on the receiving end of 'We hate x' sites or 'honesty boxes' where comments about each other can be posted anonymously."

Continue reading Parents Worried Girls Becoming Addicted to Facebook

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Parents Worried Girls Becoming Addicted to Facebook originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookgirlsinternet addictionInternetAddictionparentssocialnetworkingteenstop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Unfriend' Named Word of the Year]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/unfriend-named-word-of-the-year/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/unfriend-named-word-of-the-year/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/unfriend-named-word-of-the-year/#comments After a year that saw so much action and chaos on the political, economic, and pop cultural fronts, the New Oxford American Dictionary has decided that 2009's vaunted Word of the Year should be firmly planted in the new social media lexicon. The envelope, please...

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, "unfriend" is your 2009 Word of the Year (cue applause). The Oxford Dictionary defines this year's winner thusly:

unfriend - verb - To remove someone as a "friend" on a social networking site such as Facebook.


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'Unfriend' Named Word of the Year originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebooklanguageNew Oxford American DictionaryNewOxfordAmericanDictionarysocialnetworkingtopword of the yearWordOfTheYear switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:05:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[$1.6M Bugatti No Match For a Low-Flying Pelican]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/1-6m-bugatti-no-match-for-a-low-flying-pelican/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/1-6m-bugatti-no-match-for-a-low-flying-pelican/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/1-6m-bugatti-no-match-for-a-low-flying-pelican/#comments It's official. The birds are attacking.

For the second time in a month, a single bird has defied the odds and taken down a piece of machinery many times its size. According to the Lufkin Daily News, Andy House was cruising down the roads of La Marque, Texas in his $1.6 million Bugatti Veyron last Wednesday, minding his own business and talking on the phone (which, we are sure, didn't contribute to his lack of concentration even a bit), when all of a sudden, a low-flying pelican distracted him. Startled, he swerved to avoid it, dropped his cell phone, and, somewhere along the line, hit a mud patch and skidded into a salt water lagoon. A couple of car-savvy admirers amazingly caught the entire thing on video (after the break), though the pelican [Ed note: Right. "Pelican."], like a true professional, isn't anywhere to be found in the footage.

Giggles aside, the accident is actually pretty tragic, considering that there are only 15 of these cars in the U.S. Don't worry, all may not be lost. The vehicle's owner, fortunately, runs a business called Performance Auto Sales, which specializes in exotic car repairs. We're not really master mechanics, but we have a feeling that the rehab will go along just swimmingly. [From: Lufkin Daily News, via: AutoBlog]

Continue reading $1.6M Bugatti No Match For a Low-Flying Pelican

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$1.6M Bugatti No Match For a Low-Flying Pelican originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> birdsbugatti veyronBugattiVeyroncarfunnyluxurynaturetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Teen Claims Kidnappers Forced Him to Buy PS3 at Walmart]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/teen-claims-kidnappers-forced-him-to-buy-ps3-at-walmart/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/teen-claims-kidnappers-forced-him-to-buy-ps3-at-walmart/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/teen-claims-kidnappers-forced-him-to-buy-ps3-at-walmart/#comments Used to be, back in the golden years of kidnapping, abductors would only demand a ransom in exchange for their victims. Nowadays, though, as the video game generation matures into criminal adulthood, typical demands are becoming a bit more... peculiar.

Teenager Kyle Yarkosky, of Florida, claims that a fellow teen named David Daniels and another unnamed suspect abducted him last Monday, held him at gunpoint, and forced him to buy a PlayStation 3. Allegedly, Yarkosky was walking down the street when the two suspects pulled to the side, forced him into their truck, and took his stepfather's credit card. Naples News reports that the trio then drove to Wal-Mart, where Daniels had intentions of buying a gun. Seeing the gun counter closed (Don't you just hate when that happens?), they decided to get a PS3 instead, on Yarkosky's bill. (If you can't shoot real people, you might as well shoot fake ones, right?)

Somewhere, Buffalo Bill is shaking his head in disgust. [From: Naples News, via Joystiq]

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Teen Claims Kidnappers Forced Him to Buy PS3 at Walmart originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> crimekidnappingps3topvideogameswalmartweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:07:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Famed 'Belle de Jour' Sex Blogger Reveals I.D. -- and Ph.D.]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/famed-belle-de-jour-sex-blogger-reveals-i-d-and-ph-d/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/famed-belle-de-jour-sex-blogger-reveals-i-d-and-ph-d/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/famed-belle-de-jour-sex-blogger-reveals-i-d-and-ph-d/#comments For six years, a wildly popular blogger and author has remained anonymous to her public. Known only by her pen name, Belle de Jour, this London-based woman has captivated millions with her 'Diary of a London Call Girl' blog and her books, and even had an entire TV series based on her tales. The primary reason for such a rabid following? Belle de Jour was writing about her experiences as a call girl. And now, after fervent speculation, she's finally revealed her true identity to the world. Meet Dr. Brooke Magnanti, the woman behind the Belle de Jour brand.

As the Times Online recounts, Magnanti had apparently had enough of being anonymous, and that frustration -- coupled with the likelihood that an ex-boyfriend might beat her to the punch -- led to her decision to come clean. From 2003 to 2004, she worked as a prostitute for a London escort agency as a means to finance her way through school. She began blogging shortly after her career began, inspired by an incident she found hilarious enough to document. Thus began what would grow into a bona fide franchise. As her popularity grew, media outlets and readers alike speculated ad nauseum about the real woman behind the pseudonym, taken from the classic Luis Buñuel film that portrayed a bored housewife who turns to prostitution for entertainment.

Continue reading Famed 'Belle de Jour' Sex Blogger Reveals I.D. -- and Ph.D.

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Famed 'Belle de Jour' Sex Blogger Reveals I.D. -- and Ph.D. originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> belle de jourBelleDeJourblogsbooksprostitutiontopwriter switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Love Plus' Video Game Requires Players to Kiss Their Nintendo DS]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/love-plus-video-game-requires-players-to-kiss-their-nintendo-d/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/love-plus-video-game-requires-players-to-kiss-their-nintendo-d/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/16/love-plus-video-game-requires-players-to-kiss-their-nintendo-d/#comments
We understand that dating has certainly changed with the rise of the Internet and virtual relationships. Internet dating sites have become the new coffeehouse, a Facebook poke has become the new raise of an eyebrow from across the room. But a video game out of Japan takes modern courtship to an entirely different -- and totally bizarre -- level.

'Love Plus,' for Nintendo DS, is a dating game... and more. To play, all you have to do is choose a girlfriend, and then start to woo her -- y'know, take her out on dates, do stuff together. Typical. And then, if you start to crack that coquettish shell of hers, she may even let you kiss her. Seriously. You can kiss the screen.

Continue reading 'Love Plus' Video Game Requires Players to Kiss Their Nintendo DS

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'Love Plus' Video Game Requires Players to Kiss Their Nintendo DS originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> big in japanBigInJapanjapanlove plusLovePlustop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:17:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Robot Fighter Jet Shot Down After Malfunction]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/14/robot-fighter-jet-shot-down-after-malfunction/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/14/robot-fighter-jet-shot-down-after-malfunction/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/14/robot-fighter-jet-shot-down-after-malfunction/#comments

Proving that we might not be quite ready to enter into the space age of modern warfare, a robot-controlled U.S. fighter jet went haywire in Afghanistan Sunday, and had to be shot down to prevent disaster. According to USAFCENT Public Affairs, the plane was "flying a combat mission when positive control of the MQ-9 was lost." That can't be good. Before the rogue robot could get too far afield, though, a good, old-fashioned human-controlled jet was called in to shoot it down to earth.
Causes of the military mishap aren't yet clear, though the Register humorously speculates:
"It wasn't clear from the US military announcement whether the erratic death-bot had turned on its masters and was planning an attack on critical US logistics bases located north of the Afghan border, or whether it had sickened of reaping hapless fleshies like corn and was hoping merely to escape. Alternatively the machine assassin may merely have succumbed to boredom or - just possibly - a mundane, non-anthropomorphic technical fault of some kind."
It's a good thing it was quickly resolved. We all know the kind of worldwide doom and destruction that "going rogue" can bring upon the world. [From: The Register, via Geekologie and io9]

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Robot Fighter Jet Shot Down After Malfunction originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> airforceairplanefighter jetFighterJetmilitaryrobottopweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:12:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[This Just In: Cell Phones Change Your Brain]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/13/this-just-in-cell-phones-change-your-brain/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/13/this-just-in-cell-phones-change-your-brain/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/13/this-just-in-cell-phones-change-your-brain/#comments The good news? Scientists think they have finally pinpointed the effect that cell phones have on brain function. The bad news? They're not sure whether this is good or bad news.

The Swedish Research Council announced findings out of Sweden's Örebro University that claim to have uncovered a specific effect that cell phones can have on the brain -- namely, a correlation between usage and an increase in the amounts of a protein called transthyretin in a user's bloodstream. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, since transthyretin actually comprises part of the fluid that provides a nice little cushion to our brains (when was the last time you heard anyone complain about a cushion surplus?).

Teenagers and children who used cell phones more often were more likely to suffer from headaches and impaired concentration, but researchers didn't want to draw any explicit chains of causality (Chatty teens have a harder time concentrating? You don't say.). The most important finding, though, is simply the revelation that, negative, positive, or neutral, there does seem to be some neurological impact from cell phones.

Continue reading This Just In: Cell Phones Change Your Brain

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This Just In: Cell Phones Change Your Brain originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> brainscell phonescell phones and cancerCellPhonesCellPhonesAndCancerresearchtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Illegal Download Shuts Down Town's Free Wi-Fi]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/13/single-illegal-download-shuts-down-wi-fi-for-entire-town/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/13/single-illegal-download-shuts-down-wi-fi-for-entire-town/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/13/single-illegal-download-shuts-down-wi-fi-for-entire-town/#comments One fine day, someone in Ohio decided to download a movie. And, thanks to this one surreptitious cinephile, the entire public Wi-Fi service was shut down.

An unnamed individual in Coshocton County, Ohio recently logged on to a free wireless network that the county made available to the public five years ago to illegally download a film. Sony Pictures somehow found out about the crime, notified the county service provider, and with the snap of a finger and the wave of a wand, no more wireless. Officials still aren't entirely sure who did it, but they are digging deeper into the matter. The move comes as the film industry continues to battle against piracy and illegal downloads on an increasingly regular basis, an effort that usually focuses on locating and persecuting the source of the illegality, i.e., the single person making the contraband media public, not the users. In this case, though, Sony decided to isolate this lone wolf of a downloader, and now, the entire town is suffering the consequences.

Continue reading Illegal Download Shuts Down Town's Free Wi-Fi

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Illegal Download Shuts Down Town's Free Wi-Fi originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> downloadingdownloadsillegalmovie downloadsMovieDownloadsSONYtopwifi switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:51:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[German Murderer Sues Wikipedia for Removal of Name]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/german-murderer-sues-wikipedia-for-removal-of-name/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/german-murderer-sues-wikipedia-for-removal-of-name/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/german-murderer-sues-wikipedia-for-removal-of-name/#comments
Typically, Wikipedia is lauded as a gateway to pretty much everything you'd ever want to know. But when the free dissemination of information butts heads with governmental legislation, censorship rears its ugly head, and things get complicated.

Such is the case in Germany, where a man convicted of killing Bavarian actor Walter Sedlmayr in 1990 is now suing Wikipedia for the removal of his name from the actor's entry. Lawyers for Wolfgang Werlé, who served 15 years in prison for his crime, claim in a cease-and-desist letter that the German courts have ruled that their "client's name and likeness cannot be used anymore in publication regarding Mr. Sedlmayr's death." In compliance with German privacy laws, other media publications have already stopped using Werlé's full name when discussing the murder. His attorneys are now demanding compensation for legal fees, as well as for "emotional suffering," arguing that their client's "rehabilitation and future life outside the prison system is severely impacted" by Wikipedia's "unwillingness to anonymize" its articles about Sedlmayr.

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German Murderer Sues Wikipedia for Removal of Name originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> germanyinternational lawInternationalLawlawlawsuitprivacytopwikipedia switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Google Search Reunites Dad With Daughter After 30 Years]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/google-search-reunites-dad-with-daughter-after-30-years/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/google-search-reunites-dad-with-daughter-after-30-years/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/google-search-reunites-dad-with-daughter-after-30-years/#comments
Googling yourself can be daunting. Some people are morbidly afraid of what they might find, and others fear disappointment with what they don't find. But every now and then, self-googling can return the kind of life-changing results you never thought possible.

In a story that is pretty much destined to be made into a movie (albeit a Lifetime one), according to the Huffington Post, a Georgia woman recently reunited with her father after more than 30 years of separation. The catalyst behind the event, of course, was Google. April Becker-Antoniou googled her own name and, while sifting through the search results, came across a site that her father, Dr. Scott Becker, had set up nearly 10 years prior in the hopes that she might one day stumble across it. Titled "Scott Becker looking for April," the Web site reads: "Dear April, When you read this, please send an email to: april@aprilbecker.com. I'm your dad and I would really like to talk to ya. When I get your email, I will ask you a couple of questions that only you would know so I can filter out the crazies out there. By the way, You have a lil sister that REALLY wants to talk to you :-) Dad Scott Robert Becker."

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Google Search Reunites Dad With Daughter After 30 Years originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> childrenestrangementfamilygoogleparentstop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:48:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Your Facebook Photo Says More Than You Think, Research Says]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/your-facebook-photo-says-more-than-you-think-research-says/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/your-facebook-photo-says-more-than-you-think-research-says/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/your-facebook-photo-says-more-than-you-think-research-says/#comments
A photo is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes, but your Facebook photo might be worth more. It is, after all, available to the entire world. Let's face it; we're all vain to varying degrees, and have some sort of self-image that we're constantly trying to project online. A newly released study aims to determine just what it means to project our avatar through the lens of social networking sites.

Researchers from Sonoma State University recently found that images can pretty reliably convey some, though not all, personality traits. In the study, 12 random people looked at photos of 123 undergraduate students in different poses -- both
"neutral" and "spontaneous." (The "neutral" poses were dictated by researchers, while the "spontaneous" poses were self-directed.) The subjects were then asked to rank the photos according to 10 traits: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness, likability, self-esteem, loneliness, religiosity, and political orientation. In order to judge the accuracy of the subjects' appraisals, scientists compared them to the self-evaluations submitted by the photographed students.

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Your Facebook Photo Says More Than You Think, Research Says originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookidentitypicturesprofileresearchsocialnetworkingtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:50:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[American Airlines Fires Worker For Responding to Customer Complaint]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/american-airlines-fires-designer-who-responded-to-complaint/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/american-airlines-fires-designer-who-responded-to-complaint/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/american-airlines-fires-designer-who-responded-to-complaint/#comments Ever since they started cutting costs in the face of an industry-wide slowdown a few years ago, airlines haven't exactly been Mr. Popular among traveling consumers. Long lines and delays have left most passengers dismayed and disgruntled. And now, one airline in particular faces a growing PR crisis after firing one of its employees over... defending his company?

The former worker, identified only by the mysterious "Mr. X," was a Web designer for American Airlines, and, as Web designers are wont to do, found himself online one day, browsing through blogs. One post, in particular, gave him pause. Fellow designer Dustin Curtis composed an extensive open letter to the airline, complaining about its Web site, suggesting an alternative look, and recommending that it fire its Web design team. Mr. X, upon reading the blog, courteously responded via e-mail, saying that Curtis was "so very right," but noting that any Web inadequacies had less to do with staff incompetency and more to do with the "internal culture" of the company. According to the Telegraph, he also assured Curtis that the site was under renovation, and that improvements would be forthcoming.

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American Airlines Fires Worker For Responding to Customer Complaint originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> airlinesamerican airlinesAmericanAirlinesemploymentfiredtopworkplace switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:18:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Women More Likely to Call Tech Support, Survey Shows]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/women-more-likely-to-call-tech-support-survey-shows/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/women-more-likely-to-call-tech-support-survey-shows/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/women-more-likely-to-call-tech-support-survey-shows/#comments Proving that it's no longer restricted to the domain of toilet seat treatment, the great gender divide has extended to the world of technology, as well. The BBC reports that women are substantially more likely to read the instruction manual for a given product before calling for assistance, according to a recent survey conducted by the phone tech-help service Gadget Helpline.

The survey of 75,000 calls received between September 25th and October 23rd reveals that 64-percent of male callers had not read the manual prior to placing their SOS phone calls, compared to just 24-percent of women who had bothered to put up instructions before dialing out. Furthermore, 12-percent of male and 7-percent of females just had to plug in the device in question to solve their problems. The majority of the questions revolved around syncing devices up with each other, as well as newly released and unfamiliar gadgets.

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Women More Likely to Call Tech Support, Survey Shows originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> helplinesurveytech supportTechSupporttop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Parents Plan 24/7 Webcast of Disabled Daughter]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/parents-start-24-7-webcast-of-disabled-daughter/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/parents-start-24-7-webcast-of-disabled-daughter/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/parents-start-24-7-webcast-of-disabled-daughter/#comments Video cameras are everywhere. Whenever you're in public, whether it be a subway station or in front of an ATM, chances are that there's a device somewhere capturing your every move. And everyone's pretty cool about it, for the most part. But when Big Brother unexpectedly moves into the private sphere, people get mad. But a couple in France are testing the limits of privacy with a proposed webcast featuring their disabled and uncommunicative daughter.

Anne Lamic, a 32-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, spends most of her days in bed at her family's home in southeastern France, and can neither speak nor walk. Her parents, though, want to bring her daily struggle to the Internet by way of a webcast. The entire initiative, The Huffington Post reports, is part of an effort to raise awareness about the plight of the handicapped in a country that trails the U.S., Canada, and the Nordic countries when it comes to disabled citizens' rights and accommodations. The webcast has stirred up some controversy in France, though, as some have questioned its ethicality, since Lamic, obviously, can't really have her own say in the issue. Her father, Didier Lamic, contends that the webcam "will allow people to see handicaps in ways that are real, everyday and familiar," adding that the videos "must be watched with tenderness and love."

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Parents Plan 24/7 Webcast of Disabled Daughter originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cameradisabledmedicaltopwebcast switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:32:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Employees' Extramarital E-Mails Creep Out Entire Cornell Campus]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/employees-extramarital-e-mails-creep-out-entire-cornell-campus/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/employees-extramarital-e-mails-creep-out-entire-cornell-campus/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/employees-extramarital-e-mails-creep-out-entire-cornell-campus/#comments Ithaca may be "Gorges," but an ugly e-mail blunder has recently rocked the New York college town, eliciting a region-wide cringe. A married consultant employed at Cornell University, known as John, recently sent a long series of salacious e-mails to his mistress, a Cornell Business School employee named Lisa (also married). And now the entire school knows about it.
See, in a recent email to his illicit lover, John accidentally CC'd the entire school, and now everyone with an Internet connection knows about the darkest, kinkiest corners of their affair. Guest of a Guest has posted the full e-mail exchange (not safe for work), along with the philanderers' photos, so go ahead and check it out if you want. Here's a (comparatively tame) sample from John: "I think about the time spent on your couch often, in that regard. Plus, I also recall looking deep into your eyes, touching your face, and kissing you SO DEEPLY."

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Employees' Extramarital E-Mails Creep Out Entire Cornell Campus originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cheatingdumbemailembarrassingfunnyprivacyromancetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:12:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Toddler Gets Telescopic, Prosthetic Arm Bone]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/toddler-gets-telescopic-prosthetic-arm-bone/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/toddler-gets-telescopic-prosthetic-arm-bone/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/toddler-gets-telescopic-prosthetic-arm-bone/#comments In a strange meeting of James Cameron and feel-good medical magic, a young boy who was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer a year ago is now cancer free, thanks to an experimental prosthetic replacement.

Mark Blinder was three years old when doctors determined he had Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, in his arm's humerus bone. The Los Angeles Times reports that doctors initially tried chemotherapy, which alleviated the pain without reducing the size of the tumor. The only other option, it seemed, was amputation. Stanford University doctor Lawrence Rinsky, though, convinced the Blinders to try a less conventional option: a telescoping, artificial bone replacement from Biomet, Inc. Unlike most artificial bones, which tend to be only "partial" replacements, this particular procedure required the total removal of the cancer-ridden bone.

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Toddler Gets Telescopic, Prosthetic Arm Bone originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bonescancerdoctorhealthmedicalmedicineprostheticsurgerytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:24:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Think You Can Answer Google's Job Interview Questions?]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/08/can-you-answer-googles-job-interview-questions/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/08/can-you-answer-googles-job-interview-questions/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/08/can-you-answer-googles-job-interview-questions/#comments Many of us are fascinated by Google's super laid-back, just-wanna-have-fun work environment, especially when juxtaposed with its massive financial success. The company having long been considered one of the world's best employers, dorks people like us have always wondered what it takes to land a cushy position in those San Francisco offices. Now, thanks to the release of some alleged sample interview questions, we know. You've just got to know the "significance of dead beef."

Well, that, and a host of other really weird things (e.g., How many piano tuners are there in the world? How many golf balls can fit inside a school bus?). The interview does have its fair share of typically techie, super-complex questions -- the kinds of things you'd expect most Google geniuses to know -- but the oddball questions are by far the most fascinating. That being said, we're not so much intrigued by their impossible difficulty (Asking impossible questions can give you a feel for someone's thought process.) as we are by their tinges of quirky humor. We don't know this for certain, but we assume that the Google execs would probably approve of anyone who would appreciate the weird sense of humor underscoring these questions and would answer accordingly. Above all, the queries give some insight into that rare breed of brilliant yet zany person that Google is clearly seeking.

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Think You Can Answer Google's Job Interview Questions? originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> employmentfunnygooglegoogle corporateGoogleCorporatejob interviewJobInterviewjobstopweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:45:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Studio Attempting Huge, World Record-Breaking Movie Screening]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/06/studio-attempting-huge-world-record-breaking-movie-screening/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/06/studio-attempting-huge-world-record-breaking-movie-screening/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/06/studio-attempting-huge-world-record-breaking-movie-screening/#comments The Telegraph reports that Pinewood Studios, a film company based in Britain, aims to break the world record for largest movie screening when it shows the 1996 film 'Mission: Impossible' at the studio compound this Saturday. The Tom Cruise thriller, which was filmed at the studio, will be shown to a drive-in audience on a screen measuring 240 feet wide and 60 feet tall. If it goes off without a hitch, the showing would smash the current record, set in Norway back in 1996, when 'Independence Day' was shown on a screen measuring a paltry 132 feet wide. The company is looking at the event as a chance to show off its newest technology, especially as it's in the midst of a massive expansion that, they hope, will enable the studio to rival Hollywood in size and splendor.

The feat seems pretty daunting, if not impossible. Project manager Paul Wigfield told the Telegraph, "'Mission: Impossible' seems the perfect choice to beat the existing world record and it will look absolutely sensational." We understand the impetus behind the choice, given the corporate tie-in to the company, and -- don't get us wrong -- it'll probably look super cool. We just think there might be a few alternatives that would be a bit more appropriate. [From: The Telegraph]

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Studio Attempting Huge, World Record-Breaking Movie Screening originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> mission impossibleMissionImpossiblemoviesprojectortom cruiseTomCruisetopworld recordWorldRecord switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Large Hadron Collider Clogged by Bird's Baguette Bomb]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/06/bird-drops-baguette-shuts-down-large-hadron-collider/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/06/bird-drops-baguette-shuts-down-large-hadron-collider/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/06/bird-drops-baguette-shuts-down-large-hadron-collider/#comments Every now and then, something will randomly fall out of the sky into an extremely insular environment, and chaos and confusion will erupt. Those consequences, as Chicken Little will tell you, can be devastating.

Something along those lines recently happened at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) when a bird dropped a baguette on the giant particle accelerator as it was flying overhead, nearly shutting the whole thing down in the process. The Register reports that the LHC, located at CERN laboratories in Switzerland, saw temperatures in parts of its accelerator circuits rise rapidly as a result of this baguette-bombing bird. (We're gonna go out on a limb and guess it was French.) Luckily, the LHC wasn't in operation, because if it had been, the incident would've likely suspended all further activity. Dr. Mike Lamont, who works in the CERN control center, reassured everyone that the LHC's safety net would have been strong enough to withstand the attack, especially in light of its significant upgrade in September.

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Large Hadron Collider Clogged by Bird's Baguette Bomb originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> animalsbirdsCERNfunnylarge hadron colliderLargeHadronColliderLHCnaturesciencetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:04:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Laser-Etching Threatens Future of Stickers on Fruit]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/05/laser-etching-threatens-future-of-stickers-on-fruit/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/05/laser-etching-threatens-future-of-stickers-on-fruit/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/05/laser-etching-threatens-future-of-stickers-on-fruit/#comments Let's face it. Fruit's gotten kinda boring. Unless they're wearing pajamas or belting out Motown classics, most household fruits lack character. A new labeling system, though, might finally give fruit that bad-boy, tattoo-parlor image it's been lacking for so long.

Instead of bearing the same dull sticker labels, fruit may soon appear on supermarket aisles with laser brands directly etched onto their skins. Thanks to a new technology that uses a low-energy carbon dioxide beam to print labels, you may never again have to pick away at that pesky sticker before enjoying a juicy Golden Delicious. So far, it seems the technique is pretty safe for consumers; a recent study found that thusly labeled grapefruits showed no significant water loss or increased decay rates when compared to non-branded fruits. And, even better, the new technology would be a lot more eco-friendly, reducing the need to print paper stickers, which become instant garbage anyway. Similar technologies have already been approved in Asia, South Africa, Central and South America, Canada, and Europe. The FDA has yet to give the process its seal of approval, but if it does, it would be only a matter of time before produce aisles all over the country got their own ink. [From: PSFK, via Inhabitat]

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Laser-Etching Threatens Future of Stickers on Fruit originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> etchingfdafoodfruitlasertopweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:12:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Floor-to-Ceiling 'Wall of Sound' iPod Dock Would Please Phil Spector]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/05/floor-to-ceiling-wall-of-sound-ipod-dock-would-please-phil-spe/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/05/floor-to-ceiling-wall-of-sound-ipod-dock-would-please-phil-spe/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/05/floor-to-ceiling-wall-of-sound-ipod-dock-would-please-phil-spe/#comments If Stanley Kubrick and the Beastie Boys ever got together and decided to design an iPod dock, it would probably look a lot like the latest monolithic, instant-party machine to hit the market.

Brothers' new 'Wall of Sound' iPod speaker (sharing the name of Phil Spector's legendary production technique heard on classics like the Crystals' 'Da Doo Ron Ron') is the perfect way to intimidate friends and deafen neighbors. Billed as the "most powerful iPod speaker on the market," and "possibly the most powerful speaker of all time," the WOS features 28 elements, a frequency response of 40 Hz to 20,000 kHz, and weighs in at a healthy 225 pounds. But the most striking thing about the WOS is its sheer size. The thing's ginormous; just look how it dwarfs that helpless, trembling iPod sitting next to it. And it's more than a little scary.

That's not to say, of course, that we wouldn't drop the $4,000 it costs on this beast. We totally would. Especially if, as we suspect, the dial goes to 11. [From: Wall of Sound]

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Floor-to-Ceiling 'Wall of Sound' iPod Dock Would Please Phil Spector originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> audioipodspeakerstop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Woman Sues Former Employer Over Lost Facebook Friends and Defamation]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/woman-sues-employer-for-lost-facebook-friends-and-defamation/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/woman-sues-employer-for-lost-facebook-friends-and-defamation/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/woman-sues-employer-for-lost-facebook-friends-and-defamation/#comments Stick and stones may indeed break bones. But causing someone to lose Facebook friends? Well, that'll land you a lawsuit.

A Chicago-based woman is suing her former lover and employer for defamation, after rumors he spread about her being delusional and "post-partum" resulted in a loss of friends on Facebook. WBBM 780 reports that the plaintiff, Annmarie Swatos, asserts that she and Richard Gloor had an illicit affair while the two were working at a real estate agency in Chicago. When their cover was blown, they promptly put an end to both business and pleasure. According to Swatos, Gloor then proceeded to spread virulent rumors about her to former clients and potential employers, saying she was not only "post-partum" but that she was "stalking" him, as well. The complaint goes on to say that all these rumors caused a lot of her friends to "block [Swatos] from communicating with her through the social networking site Facebook." (*gasp!*)

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Woman Sues Former Employer Over Lost Facebook Friends and Defamation originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> defamationfacebooklawsuitlegaltop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:28:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Forklift FAIL Results in $150K Damage, Chaos in Vodka Warehouse]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/forklift-fail-results-in-150k-damage-chaos-in-vodka-warehouse/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/forklift-fail-results-in-150k-damage-chaos-in-vodka-warehouse/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/forklift-fail-results-in-150k-damage-chaos-in-vodka-warehouse/#comments There are fails. And then there are fails.

In the following video (after the break), taken by a surveillance camera, a worker on a forklift tries earnestly to move boxes around a vodka warehouse in Moscow. (Ed. Note: Way to propagate Russian stereotypes, Moscow.) Epic calamity ensues. With one swerve of the wheel, he singlehandedly turns the place into a Jenga game gone horribly wrong. Incredibly, the guy walked away with only minor injuries, although the incident resulted in the loss of an estimated $150,000 worth of vodka and cognac (a tragedy in its own right). The entire thing has taken the world by total surprise. Heavy machinery? Vodka warehouse? Accident? Noooo way. [From: Urlesque and Huffington Post]

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Forklift FAIL Results in $150K Damage, Chaos in Vodka Warehouse originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> top switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:41:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Man Sues Over Spying Baby Monitor That Picks Up Baby, Neighbors]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/03/man-sues-over-spying-baby-monitor-that-monitors-baby-neighbors/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/03/man-sues-over-spying-baby-monitor-that-monitors-baby-neighbors/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/03/man-sues-over-spying-baby-monitor-that-monitors-baby-neighbors/#comments
People get up in arms about unwarranted wiretapping of civilians or even suspected terrorists. Babies, though, have always been fair game. For whatever reason, parents have never had any moral qualms about using baby monitors to invade the privacy of these chubby-cheeked victims. But when baby monitoring goes too far, parents get mad.

At least that's the case for one man in Illinois, who is suing the manufacturer of a video baby monitor that was too effective -- so effective, in fact, the device allowed him to track not only his baby's every move, but the every move of his next door neighbor's kid, too. Wired reports Wes Denkov has filed a proposed class action suit against Summer Infant, which makes the $100 Day and Night Video Monitor, and against Toys 'R' Us.

Continue reading Man Sues Over Spying Baby Monitor That Picks Up Baby, Neighbors

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Man Sues Over Spying Baby Monitor That Picks Up Baby, Neighbors originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> baby monitorsBabyMonitorstoptoys r usToysRUs switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[New Glasses Let You See in Foreign Languages]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/03/new-glasses-let-you-see-in-foreign-languages/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/03/new-glasses-let-you-see-in-foreign-languages/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/03/new-glasses-let-you-see-in-foreign-languages/#comments New Glasses Let You See in Foreign Languages originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[14-Year-Old Boy Leads 1.4M Strong Facebook Insurgency Group]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/14-year-old-leads-facebook-insurgency-group/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/14-year-old-leads-facebook-insurgency-group/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/14-year-old-leads-facebook-insurgency-group/#comments
Facebook's tyrannical, inexplicable decision to redesign the site yet again has infuriated more than a million users, and sparked a latent revolutionary fervor and profound anger the likes of which we haven't seen in, like, months. This burgeoning uprising, however, has so far lacked that one leader. That's about to change, though, with the messianic arrival of a new Chosen One. The revolution has finally found its iconic face. And it's a 14-year-old boy.

Jonathan Woodlief, an 8th grader from North Carolina, has taken the helms of the anti new-Facebook movement after assuming the title of administrator for a major insurgency group. The Charlotte Observer reports that Woodlief joined the group called "CHANGE FACEBOOK BACK TO NORMAL!" and after the original creator quit his administrative duties, Woodlief picked up the mutiny ball and ran with it. The teenager wasted no time in setting high goals for his freedom fighters, imploring them to "try and get 10,000,000 people to join!"

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14-Year-Old Boy Leads 1.4M Strong Facebook Insurgency Group originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfacebook groupsfacebook redesignFacebookGroupsFacebookRedesignredesigntop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:05:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Texts to Wrong Number End in Shooting]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/text-messages-to-wrong-number-end-in-shooting/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/text-messages-to-wrong-number-end-in-shooting/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/text-messages-to-wrong-number-end-in-shooting/#comments Dialing a wrong number is always awkward. Though the exchange of obligatory apologies only lasts a few, fleeting seconds, it's pretty uncomfortable for all involved -- and invariably makes you just a bit nervous about your next attempt. Believe it or not, though, some unintended phone calls can result in more than brief formalities. If one recent case is any indication, the consequences can be violent.
Scott Allen Elder, 22, of Georgia, is facing aggravated assault charges after allegedly shooting another man over a series of angry text messages and phone calls, local NBC affiliate WSAV reports. According to Savannah police, the entire incident was the unfortunate result of a wrong number. Police spokesperson Veda Nichols told WSAV, "[It] was just a mistaken phone call. The two men did not know each other prior to that and they allowed a text conversation to escalate to physical violence so it was just a senseless act." Luckily, the 24-year-old victim Brian Matison wasn't killed. As of Thursday evening, he was hospitalized in serious but stable condition.

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Texts to Wrong Number End in Shooting originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> crimepolicetextingtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Girls, ACLU Sue School Over Punishment for Racy MySpace Photos]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/girls-aclu-sue-school-over-punishment-for-racy-myspace-photos/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/girls-aclu-sue-school-over-punishment-for-racy-myspace-photos/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/girls-aclu-sue-school-over-punishment-for-racy-myspace-photos/#comments Two teenage Indiana girls have sued their high school after the administration punished them for posting sexually suggestive photos of themselves on MySpace, the Associated Press reports. The ACLU, which is representing the two sophomores, argues that the school overstepped its bounds by handing down the punishment and, in so doing, violated the girls' rights to free speech. Attorneys with the ACLU also pointed out that the photos didn't involve the school, and that officials needlessly humiliated the two by making them apologize to an all-male board of coaches. The Supreme Court has previously ruled that schools do have the right to punish students for off-campus behavior, so long as the school can justify that the behavior was disruptive and that similar activities were likely to occur at the school, itself.

In this particular case, the girls took photos during a sleepover held during their summer vacation and posted them on MySpace, adjusting the privacy settings so that only their friends could see them. Eventually, though, the photos circulated throughout the school, and, as some of them showed the lingerie-clad girls licking a phallic lollipop, Principal Austin Couch banned the girls from fall sports, and made them apologize and undergo counseling. According to Couch's attorney, he was simply enforcing the school's athletic code, which allows a principal to punish student athletes for any activity that "creates a disruptive influence on the discipline, good order, moral or educational environment at Churubusco High School."

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Girls, ACLU Sue School Over Punishment for Racy MySpace Photos originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aclufacebookfacelosslawlawsuitmyspaceschoolteenstop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:45:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Autofetch Ball: Next Generation of Animal Torture?]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/autofetch-ball-next-generation-of-animal-torture/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/autofetch-ball-next-generation-of-animal-torture/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/autofetch-ball-next-generation-of-animal-torture/#comments
There's delayed gratification. And then there's delayed gratification. The former can be good. The latter? Excruciating. Just ask the unfortunate canines who are tormented by the newest doggie tech-toy.

The Autofetch Motion Pet Ball is a robo-ball that uses an internal auto-motion gyroscope to jump around. The point? You don't have to risk tearing a rotator cuff by throwing a tennis ball to your dog 1,500 times in a row. The catch? It's hell for your dog. See, the lackadaisical energy-efficient pet owner is supposed to put some sort of treat inside the ball, meaning that the dog can smell the delicious biscuit, or beef jerky, or whatever, inside. He'll just never be able to catch the damn ball.

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Autofetch Ball: Next Generation of Animal Torture? originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> autofetchdogspetsrobotweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[MIT's AIDA: The Friendly GPS Robot for Your Dashboard]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/mits-aida-the-friendly-gps-robot-for-your-dashboard/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/mits-aida-the-friendly-gps-robot-for-your-dashboard/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/mits-aida-the-friendly-gps-robot-for-your-dashboard/#comments
Ever wish your GPS system could be something more than just a bodiless voice? Ever wished you had a pretty face to associate with that mellifluous, alluring car voice? Thanks to scientists at MIT, you might soon be able to entertain all your wildest robot fantasies.

AIDA, short for Affective Intelligent Driving Agent, is like a GPS-fueled Wall-E-meets-personal-assistant, a nifty little robot that can not only help you find the fastest route home, but can also learn your favorite after work activities, alert you when you're running out of gas, and adjust its directions to traffic conditions. The best part, though? It has a head that pops out of your dashboard. And it can smile. If you're nice, it'll even wink.

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MIT's AIDA: The Friendly GPS Robot for Your Dashboard originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AIDAgpsmitnavigationresearchrobottop switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Boy Kills Brother Over Computer Volume Level]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/31/boy-kills-brother-over-computer-volume-level/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/31/boy-kills-brother-over-computer-volume-level/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/31/boy-kills-brother-over-computer-volume-level/#comments Siblings fight all the time, sure. And nowadays, the disputes tend to center around the family gadgets -- anything from control of the TV remote to whose turn it is on the Wii. Most of the time, it doesn't escalate beyond a few gentle pushes or shoves, or perhaps some shed tears. A recent argument between brothers over a computer, though, ended in shocking tragedy.

William Gorzynski, 15, has been charged with stabbing and killing his 14-year-old brother Matthew after the two got in an argument over the volume of a computer Monday. By all accounts, the two enjoyed a normal, playfully contentious sibling relationship, and the family and its lawyers are portraying the tragedy as an anomalous event that they "can't even comprehend."

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Boy Kills Brother Over Computer Volume Level originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> top switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Bigfoot Now Being Tracked by GPS]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/30/bigfoot-now-being-tracked-by-gps/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/30/bigfoot-now-being-tracked-by-gps/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/30/bigfoot-now-being-tracked-by-gps/#comments If Bigfoot walks in the forest, but there's no GPS device around to track him, does he make a sound?

Dissatisfied with grainy, exigent evidence of his existence, a team of "Sasquatch enthusiasts" have set out to find Bigfoot once and for all. And this time, they're armed with GPS. Members of the lovably titled Sasquatch Watch of Virginia recently camped out in West Virginia's Allegheny Mountains in hopes of catching the eternally elusive, or just plain mythical, creature. Armed with GPS navigation systems, cameras, and voice recorders (and plaster of Paris, of course, to make casts of any Big-footprints they might stumble across), the team was hunting in areas where several sightings had previously been reported. Tragically, though, the hunters came up empty-handed. West Virginians haven't been able to sleep since.

It's not really clear how exactly they used the GPS system (Do you just enter 'Sasquatch' as your destination?), but we sort of hope that it guided them with one of those peculiarly adorable voices. And we sort of hope it was Bob Dylan's. Not really sure why, just seems appropriate somehow. [From: CNews]

Bigfoot Now Being Tracked by GPS originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bigfootfunnygpsnavigationtopweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Woman Accused of Posting Child's Number on Craigslist Sex Ad]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/29/woman-accused-of-posting-childs-number-on-craigslist-sex-ad/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/29/woman-accused-of-posting-childs-number-on-craigslist-sex-ad/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/29/woman-accused-of-posting-childs-number-on-craigslist-sex-ad/#comments
Craigslist has long been home to sketchy activity. But the latest scandal involving the notoriously lawless classified ad site might just take the cake.

According to a report by WCBS in New York, Margery Tannenbaum, a Long Island social worker (seriously, a social worker), is facing charges of aggravated harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. Prosecutors claim that Tannenbaum, 40, placed an ad for sex on Craiglist, and gave the phone number of an unaware 9-year-old girl as the contact. Twisted enough, sure. But that creepiness is alleged to have been part of some convoluted revenge plot aimed at the girl, who had allegedly gotten in an argument with Tannenbaum's daughter. Eager to defend her daughter's honor, Mama Tannenbaum allegedly hit the Web, created an e-mail account under the super-creative name of "lacethong23@yahoo.com," placed a suggestive ad on Craigslist, and then gave out the girl's name and phone number upon receiving responses.

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Woman Accused of Posting Child's Number on Craigslist Sex Ad originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> craigslistparentsprivacysextopweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Amar Toor) Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST Switched