A Modest Blogging Proposal - BusinessWeek

"It all started with a simple question from Forrester Research (FORR) analyst Jeremiah Owyang late in the afternoon on Friday, Dec. 12. A few days earlier, blogger Chris Brogan had written about his decision to accept $500 from Kmart to find out what's cool to buy at the discount retailer and then write about it. Owyang posted a question to his readers on microblogging site Twitter, asking whether it's O.K. for brands to approach bloggers in that manner."

iafrica.com | Calls for robot rulebook

"In an article published on Thursday in the US journal Science, Noel Sharkey, a professor of artificial intelligence and robotics at the University of Sheffield, argues that the steady increase in the use of robots in day-to-day life poses unanticipated risks and ethical problems.

Outside of military applications, Sharkey worries how robots — and particularly the people who control them — will be held accountable when the machines work with 'the vulnerable,' namely children and the elderly, stressing that there are already robotic machines in wide use such as the Japanese meal assistance robot 'My Spoon'.

Robots could also soon be entrusted by parents to guard and monitor their children, replacing a flesh-and-blood nanny but posing potential problems in long-term exposure to the machines."

From Keyword Search to Exploration: How Result Visualization Aids Discovery on the Web » Bill Kules, Max L. Wilson, Ben Shneiderman

A key to the Web's success is the power of search. The elegant way in which search results are returned is usually remarkably effective. However, for exploratory search in which users need to learn, discover, and understand novel or complex topics, there is substantial room for improvement. Human computer interaction researchers and web browser designers have developed novel strategies to improve Web search by enabling users to conveniently visualize, manipulate, and organize their Web search results.

This monograph offers fresh ways to think about search-related cognitive processes and describes innovative design approaches to browsers and related tools. For instance, while key word search presents users with results for specific information (e.g., what is the capitol of Peru), other methods may let users see and explore the contexts of their requests for information (related or previous work, conflicting information), or the properties that associate groups of information assets (group legal decisions by a lead attorney).

We also consider the both traditional and novel ways in which these strategies have been evaluated. From our review of cognitive processes, browser design, and evaluations, we reflect on the future opportunities and new paradigms for exploring and interacting with Web search results.

Passion-Based Learning » 7 Easy, Powerful Steps to Create a Personal Learning Environment

"Self-education is the ultimate form of personal-development because at its essence, personal development is about the intake of information that has the power to positively alter your behavior and way of thinking.

The best part about self-education is that you are in control."

Internet Recruiting 2.0 - The Flow of Information

The Cyphernomicon

"The Cypherpunks have existed since September, 1992. In that time, a vast amount has been written on cryptography, key escrow, Clipper, the Net, the Information Superhighway, cyber terrorists, and crypto anarchy. We have found ourselves (or placed ourselves) at the center of the storm. - This FAQ may help to fill in some gaps about what we're about, what motivates us, and where we're going. And maybe some useful knowledge on crypto, remailers, anonymity, digital cash, and other interesting things."

The Crypto-Anarchists

"There are a number of ways that the crypto-anarchists propose the use of a capitalistic system: information markets, the prediction of so-called 'abhorrent' markets, anonymous transactions, digital cash, and digital signatures on contracts. All of the above are irrelevant if one is using the plan of the communitarian markets with their 'smaller is better' approach. The crypto-anarchists propose a monolithic world-wide free market that exists only in cyberspace for facilitating the exchange of informational assets, the sale of physical goods, and all variety of services."

Cloud Recruiting, Cloud Computing, and a Rant in Time for Christmas | Amitai Givertz's Recruitomatic Blog

"Next, in the same way that I reject the ambiguity of hijacked metaphors by confused talking heads to promote [or defend] a particular position — making an exception for moi’, of course — I would love it if we could try and get along in time for Christmas."