Month: December 2005

*michael parekh on IT*: ON CELEBRITIES, HDTV, GAMES AND REALISM

*michael parekh on IT*: ON CELEBRITIES, HDTV, GAMES AND REALISM

Parekh –  the former Goldman analyst who helped take eBay public – has a great posting about the effect of HDTV on actors and actresses. Having recently made the digital upgrade on a massive plasma, my wife and I comment at least once per movie about the upper-lip sweat or blackheads visible on the visage of some formerly impeccable actor or actress.

Make-up artists must be freaking out over this. Personally, I like seeing the weird ways makeup just falls down in an HDTV world.

Wikipedia tightens online rules

BBC NEWS | Technology | Wikipedia tightens online rules

 

I don’t know if Wikipedia abuse falls under the cliche of the "tragedy of the commons" but there needs to be a corollary to Godwin’s Law to the effect of:

  • When a system is opened to anonymous comment, it will inevitably blossom to the point of high awareness, at which point it will be vandalized, requiring the host to impose rules which remove the privilege of anonymity.

I’ve seen this first hand with Reel-Time when a crude forum application — HyperMail — permitted users to comment  (often horribly) under psedonyms and even forged aliases, causing an entire community to bolt and lose faith in the host’s moderation capabilities. This gave way to forced, and some would say, draconian moderation policies to shut down the abusers.

Community abuse is an old story, once dating back to USENET, and a lesson learned that no matter how compelling the application, no matter how noble the intent, anonymity inevitably leads to vandalism and the destruction of faith in the structure. 

ThinkGeek :: Plush Microbes

ThinkGeek :: Plush Microbes

 

 

"Acne/Pimple (Propionibacterium acnes)

  • Got a blemish? Give our little fellow a big squeeze, and you’re sure to feel better!
  • The Pox/Syphillis (Treponema pallidum)
    Don’t let a pox end up on your house — or anyone else’s house. The more you know, the better for everyone’s real estate.
  • The Clap/Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae)
    One of the most common venereal diseases, Gonorrhea can be easily cured — or avoided. Know the risks.
  • Flesh Eating Disease (Steptococcus pyogenes)
    Caused by the same microbe responsible for strep-throats, Flesh Eating can put you on a diet — fast.
  • Bad Breath – Halitosis (Porphorymonas gingivalis)
    Oral malodor is no laughing matter. But don’t give spicy foods all the credit. Microbes deserve their share of the glory, too. Make someone smile (as long as they’ve brushed first.)
  • Common Cold (Rhinovirus)
    Billions of people a year catch the cold. Now you can get one too — without getting sick! Learn all about the Common Cold with this cuddly companion.
  • Flu (Orthomyoxvirus)
    This guy may not look too tough, but don’t let his cute looks fool you! Once he and his friends show up you’re in for a pretty lousy time. Learn about his weaknesses so you can avoid unwanted encounters.
  • H.I.V.(Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
    Not cute in any sense, This plush microbe seeks to educate those about the deadly virus that destroys CD4 or T-helper cells.
  • Mono – Kissing Disease (Epstein-Barr Virus)
    A kiss is just a kiss — unless she’s around! 95% of the population has encountered this sweetie pie. Just think of all the fun you can have giving Mono to somebody without all the medical complications!"

 

 

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