Filed under: ComputersAs you may have noticed, one way to ruffle our feathers is to try and get down with that whole stifling free speech business. We're not big fans of censorship... in fact we can't think of too many people (outside of some fringe religious elements still fighting the culture wars) who are.Unfortunately, attempting to quiet those whose speech offends you only often helps bring publicity and credibility to their cause, which is exactly what is happening with a certain case in Galveston, Texas.The Galveston Independent School District (GISD) is attempting to sue Sandra Tetley, the mother of a student in the district, for defamation. Tetley runs the blog GISDWatch.com, which tracks and comments on the activities of the local school board. The GISD is demanding that Tetley remove 16 postings from the blog, which the District's lawyers have identified as libelous. The postings in question throw around some hefty accusations, charging that Superintendent Lynne Cleveland, the board of trustees, and school administrators lied to the people of the Galveston. They are also being accused of falsifying budget numbers, using their positions for personal gain, and spying on employees, among other things.Tetley has so far refused to take down any of the postings, citing her right to post her opinion.In 2002, an appeals court ruled that school districts could not sue for defamation, so the GISD has had to change its strategy a bit. Instead of filing suit on behalf of the district, lawyers are suing on behalf of the individual members of the administration and board. The legal fees will still come out of the district's budget however, meaning the citizens of Galveston are now paying for several personal defamation suits. We have a feeling this whole thing is going to come crashing down on their headsFrom Slashdot and The Galveston County Daily NewsRelated Links:AT&T Admits Error in Censoring Pearl Jam SongGovernments Increasingly Censoring the WebDigg Users RevoltBlogger Sued for Negative Book Reviews Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Video GamesAt this year's Electronics Entertainment Expo, the annual gathering where the global gaming media checks out the hottest games in the pipeline, there was a lot of talk about 'Rock Band' versus 'Guitar Hero III.' Some speculated that the alternative 'Rock Band' would send the aging 'Guitar Hero' franchise back to the club scene. But, after receiving great reviews rocking in $115 million in sales over its first week, it seems 'Guitar Hero' can still hold its own compared to the young guns. 'Rock Band' is developed by former 'Guitar Hero' developers Harmonix, while 'Guitar Hero III' is the first in the series developed by Activision -- this what set up the rivalry. 'Rock Band' adds the ability to jam on the guitar or play drums or sing, which means players can form a full virtual band with friends. This multiplayer aspect is leading many to give it it the nod for winning sim-guitar game this holiday. Meanwhile, others just don't think people are ready to pay $170 for the bundle containing a guitar, drums, and microphone. We actually think there's room for both games on store shelves, since the same guitars will work in both games.And it's quite possible that most people will prefer the richergraphics and deeper campaign of 'Guitar Hero III' once they get used to it. Also, when people find out just how uncoordinated they are on the drums, they'll discover there's a reason why there are a lot more guitar players in the world than there are drummers. From JoystiqRelated Links: 'Guitar Hero III' Is Ready to Rock, Say Reviews Critics Name Best Video Games of 2007 New 'Simpsons' Game Is Actually Good  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, AdviceLaptops are wonderful things -- most of the time. They let workaholics think they're productive while watching 'CSI' at night, they let bloggers post away from coffee shops and other out-of-the-way places, and they can even bring hope to developing nations. But, like many expensive gadgets, laptops are not the sturdiest things on the planet, especially those big, bright LCD screens. All it takes is one accidental fall from a desk or a clumsy step on your laptop case and that horrible crunching noise you hear is money being flushed down the drain for a fix. Luckily, we found a helpful guide that shows you how to do the repair yourself, and save big bucks.Now, mind you, not everyone will be quite capable of doing this, as it does require disassembly of the LCD housing and removal of the fragile panel, which may even be oozing toxic chemicals. But the process is fairly straightforward, since it essentially just requires that you remove the screws around the edge of the screen (assuming your laptop has some), then pry the thing in two, Nextm you peel the actual LCD display away from the back of the housing, then unplug it and swap in the new one. It's no worse than changing the oil in your car, but requires a bit more precision.The one thing the guide doesn't do is tell you just where the heck to purchase that replacement LCD. After doing some looking around we've found that ScreenTek seems to be the most highly regarded replacement LCD reseller, and it even makes finding the right screen for your lappy a piece of cake. Even so, you're still going to drop between $300 and $600 depending on the size of your display, and potentially even more if you pay someone else to do it for you. Yeah, ouch. Maybe you should just watch where you're stepping (or dropping) next time, clumsy.From Apartment TherapyRelated Links: First '$100 Laptops' Sold to Uruguay Fastest PC Notebook...Is a Mac? Handheld Supercomputer On the Way  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Computers, BlackBerry, E-Mail AddictionThe New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is looking for a vendor to put together what may end up being the largest text message and e-mail alert system in the country. The MTA said that, following massive flooding of the NYC subway tunnels on August 8th, the need for such a system became clear.The alerts will inform passengers about construction, train re-routing, and unplanned disruptions such as those from fire and flooding. The system is expected to draw up to a million subscribers.Commuter rail lines, such as Metro North, have an alert system, but it can take as much as an hour for the messages to be sent out. The MTA plans to fold the commuter lines into the new system which they say will be much more timely.Currently, subway passengers can subscribe to an e-mail list for planned disruptions, but are forced to rely on announcements made over station and train PA systems for up-to-the-minute updates regarding unexpected interruptions. As any subway passenger knows, such announcement are usually completely incomprehensible.From Textually.orgRelated links:How to Get the Most Accurate Commuter Info Cell Phones in Subways: Not for 911 Purdue University to Test Emergency Text Messaging System  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Car Tech, Computers, GoogleGoogle is making sure that you can find it everywhere. Eventually Google may start showing up bedside to give you suggestions on how to be a better lover, but until that creepy, creepy day arrives you'll have it on your PC, your cell phone, on your TV, your radio, in your news paper, your car, and now at the gas pump.Following shortly on the heels of the announcement of Android, the Google-backed OS for cell phones, Google has announced a partnership with Gilbarco Veeder-Root, a manufacturer of gasoline pumps, to put Google Maps at your local filling station.The pumps will come with an internet connection and a small LCD touch screen pre-programmed with local landmarks by the gas station owner. The hope is that lost motorists will be able to type in specific destinations. After selecting a location, they will be able to read directions and view the maps on the screen and print them out to take on the road with them. It will also print coupons for businesses on the way, a cute money-making scheme for partner Gilbarco Veeder-Root.Google's slow creep into every aspect of our lives may be slightly disturbing, but Google Maps at the gas station is sure to be a boon for those of us who are prone to getting lost and/or too stubborn to ask for directions.That said, with the relative ubiquity of GPS devices and maps on cell phones, we wish this service did a few extra things, like:Send the directions to your cell phone Send the destination info along with your current location to your PC or GPS device Send telephone numbers and addresses as contact business cards to your cell phone Send a Google Map URL to your e-mail address Get in the car with you and ask, "Are we there yet?" From AOL News and EngadgetRelated links:Google Announces gPhone? Not Quite. California Fires Mapped on Google Google Plans to Digitize Your Medical Records  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers, Celebrities Two months ago, we told you about Prince suing YouTube, eBay, and BitTorrent site Pirate Bay for enabling the piracy of his music. We suggested, as politely as we possibly could, that perhaps the elfin former superstar should take a lesson from Metallica, salvage some dignity, and try to avoid legal tussles over fans sharing his music. Well, apparently Prince was listening, but somehow he's found another way to alienate the music aficionados who love him. Instead of suing file sharers, he's now going after his most popular fan sites for posting pictures of him, album art, and lyrics to his songs. Needless to say, this isn't exactly what we had in mind.Really, this sort of self destructive insanity shouldn't be too shocking, since it comes from a guy whose rider on a recent tour supposedly included dark chocolate, black rooms, an oxygen bar and three sexy girls. Even so, we still can't help but be amazed by the continued audacity of the washed-up funk star.This time however the fans are fighting back. Prince is already seeing the beginnings of a backlash similar to that which Metallica faced following its decision to sue the users of Napster. Three of the most popular Prince fan sites, Prince.org, Houseqake.com, and Princefams.com have joined forces to create Prince Fans United, an organization dedicated fighting the lawsuits based on the doctrines of fair use and free speech.These Web sites, along with several others, have "received notices to cease and desist all use of photographs, images, lyrics, album coversand anything linked to Prince's likeness," and been told to provide "substantive details of the means by which you [the fansites] propose to compensate our clients [Paisley Park Enterprises, NPG Records and Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG)] for damages..." The demands go as far as mandating that the sites pull down pictures fans have taken of their own tattoos, as well as photos of their Prince-inspired license plates.Prince Fans United hopes that Prince and his army of lawyers will reconsider, but we figure it's highly unlikely seeing as it's obvious he's lost his damn mind.See our gallery of Prince's fan sites here.%Gallery-9897%From BBC Related Links:Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online Prince Sues Three Sites Over the Piracy of His Music Eminem Suing Apple Again New Prince Album Free For the Taking  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones In these modern times, even Orthodox Jews need cell phones. But with all the rules this ultra-religious group must abide by, a seemingly simple requirement such as a mobile phone becomes decidedly less simple. With all the spam, sexy photos, and 50 Cent ringtones out there, cell phones can prove challenging for Orthodox Jews. To fill the void, a kosher cellie has hit the streets of Jerusalem, aimed at this niche market (not that niche, though -- at least 800,000 of Israel's 7.1 million Jews are ultra-Orthodox, and a whole infrastructure of kosher gadgets and gizmos is cropping up to serve them). Fun isn't exactly the word that comes to mind when looking over the features of this handset: It can't send or receive text messages, take pictures, or connect to the Internet; it blocks more than 10,000 phone-sex numbers, and rabbinical overseers ensure that the block lists are up to date. Users can call fellow kosher phones at the discounted rate of 2 cents a minute, as opposed to the standard 9.5 cents ("Challah at me!"), but if they place calls on Shabbat (using electronic devices on the Sabbath or other holy days is a big no-no for Jews), it'll run them a whopping $2.44 a minute. Oh, and to impress the ladies when up in the club, the phone flashes the seal of a rabbinate council on start-up.From New York Times (via Gearlog) Related Links: 10 Most E-Mail Addicted Cities Church Uses 'Halo 3' to Attract Teens PlayerBlock Lets You Check Up on Your Date via Cell Phone Viewing Porn Even easier at Work With New Tech  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Cameras, Computers, Celebrities, Google, YouTubeYouTube has provided us with many nights (and mornings) of endless entertainment and sometimes even a little education. But now YouTube is being leveraged as a tool to dole out justice by frustrated shop owner Bob Guertin, owner of Big Sticks Fine Cigars in Mesa, AZ. Guertin's store was ripped off by a couple shameless thieves who hit during the early part of the day when the shop is quiet. One man distracted the stores employees while his accomplice snatched a pair of wrist watches valued at $2,000.In most cases, that would be the end of the story. Petty theft is usually not a top priority for law enforcement, and the media aren't going to cover your average shoplifter. So Guertin got creative. He posted the surveillance video of the robbery on YouTube, along with the thieves' license plate number, description, and an offer of $1,000 reward.The two men's faces are clearly visible in the video, and if his stunt leads to the arrest of the thieves and the recovery of his merchandise, Guertin is convinced the YouTube tactic will catch on.From AZ CentralRelated links:Caught On Tape: UPS Guy Hurls PackageWeb Cam Nabs Burglar Teen Caught on Video Throwing Hot Sauce at Fast Food Worker Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Video GamesThe first 'Manhunt' was one of the most brutal games of all time, calling on you to do a raft of icky feeling things to survive, like killing thugs as they plead for their lives, or stabbing broken pieces of glass into the necks of unsuspecting guards. While many look at the 'Grand Theft Auto' series as bad, it doesn't even compare to the level of disturbing behavior in 'Manhunt'. Recently 'Manhunt 2' made a stir, as it was banned in a number of places due to its excessive violence. A cleaned-up version was finally approved for release, which blurred out the really nasty bits in the same way that 'The Sims' blurs out the naughty bits of your characters while they shower. Now, retailer Target has decided to pull even that cleaned up version from its shelves, since it was recently discovered that it may be possible to get rid of the blur. As with the 'hot coffee' scandal before, which resulted in the discovery of sexually explicit content in 'Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,' hackers have managed to uncover all that explicit violence that was hidden from the retail release of 'Manhunt 2.' However, unlike the hot coffee hack, this one actually seems to require that the people unlocking the content have a modified version of Sony's PSP to see any of it. In other words, without a lot of work, it's not possible to reveal the extra violence. For this reason the the video game rating board ESRB decided to keep the title's M (Mature) rating made possible by the blur.Unfortunately, it's not good enough for Target. The discount retailer is pulling the game in all its formats due to the content. It might start a trend like the one that resulted retailers worldwide pulling 'San Andreas.' Really, though, it doesn't seem like this one's going to get quite the same publicity as the earlier scandal, if only because 'Manhunt' is a relative unknown and even its basic premise is so much more fringe than 'Grand Theft Auto,' which at least had a vague resemblance to movies like Scarface. What does 'Manhunt' resemble -- a snuff film? Who relates to that?. Regardless, you'd think Rockstar, creators of both games, would have perhaps worked a little harder to lock out the bad stuff this time around, particularly after nearly being driven to bankruptcy after getting badly burned by hot coffee.From ABC NewsRelated Links: 'Manhunt 2' Banned Again in UK Is 'Manhunt 2' the Most Violent Video Game Ever? Violent Video Games: A Visual History  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, CelebritiesPolitics is a dirty, dirty game. Just ask Michael Dukakis or John McCain. But just as the Internet has emerged as one of the most potent tools of the modern day election cycle, push polling has given way to an even more blatant form of deception -- fake candidate Web sites.According to 'Wired,' the phenomenon seems to be particularly targeted at high-profile Republican candidates, Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani, and Mitt Romney. The sites feature "quotes" from the candidates espousing support for extreme positions they've never endorsed and supposed supporters letting loose with over-the-top tirades on forums. One poster called "Chuck Manson" expresses his confidence that a Thompson White House would employ IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) in Iraq, like those that insurgents use to ambush Western convoys.Lower-tier Republicans aren't free from these deceptive attacks, either. Big-on-the-Net candidate Ron Paul's campaign was tarnished by misleading spam mails that seemed to genuinely support his political run, but were more likely intended to discredit him through the use of illegal spam-bots.Christopher Soghoian, a grad student studying Web psychology and fraud techniques at the Indiana University School of Informatics, believes that the fake forums and spam are just the beginning, "The Internet will increasingly be used for dirty tricks."Even online security company Symantec is saying that the online element of this election campaign will see its share of Internet-related threats, and expects possible phishing attacks sent in the guise of an e-mail from your favorite candidate. From WiredRelated Links:How Presidential Candidates are Using the NetChinese Video Game Kills Corrupt PoliticiansBattle Over Obama Space Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, Celebrities Rolling Stone, like many other traditional print publications, is working on strategies to maintain its place in the media mainstream in our increasingly Internet-focused age. To this end, the magazine has issued its first ever Digital Edition, a complete copy of the print version in digital format, including advertisements.The "magazine" is shown as a Flash presentation, with arrows to turn the page and a zoom feature for easier reading of the text. The Digital Edition features a detailed table of contents that also includes the advertisements, a short cut collection, and search.The Digital Edition is an interesting initiative, but not the most convenient way of reading content. The application is slow to respond and is too small to read an entire page at once. You have you to zoom in and then pan left or right and up and down to read all of the text.That said, we applaud Rolling Stone's efforts to recreate the magazine-reading experience online for free, but the Digital Edition could use a more user-friendly reading-view and smoother page-turning before it becomes a viable replacement for the physical publication. So far, we're most impressed with Monkey, the interactive, online "magazine" out of Britain's Dennis Publications (creators of Maxim), which is a real departure for print-style, digital versions of publications on the Web.And we'd also be curious to see Rolling Stone (and other magazines) show up on the Sony Reader soon.What do you think? Would you read a print magazine in digital format or do you prefer it in traditional, paper form?Related Links:Most People Downloading Radiohead's New Album for FreeDid Radiohead's Experiment Fail?Matchbox Twenty and Others Release Music on USB Drives Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Video GamesSaying this makes us feel a bit old but: What the hell is wrong with kids these days? It used to be that youthful acts of rebellion involved a piercing or running off for a day -- not hiring a hit man to murder your parents. 16 year-old Cory Ryder was grounded from playing his PlayStation or watching TV for weeks due to his inability to do basic things like not steal, go to school, and avoid getting arrested. After stealing $45 from his sister and getting into a heated argument with his parents, he was kicked out of his house, but not with out first threatening to have his family killed.His mother tipped off the police, who sent out an undercover agent to pose as a hitman. Cory offered the officer his father's truck as payment and is quoted as saying, "Two bullets is all it takes." He is now in custody awaiting trial in a Maryland court.From EngadgetRelated links:E-Mail Scam Threatens to Send a Hitman After YouThe Hit Man Spam ScamOnline Tools for the Criminally Minded Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesIn China, the Samsung cell phone has become the new Louis Vuitton handbag. Which is starting to piss some people off -- first and foremost, the folks at a little company called...Samsung. So in cooperation with Beijing's Haidian and Fengtai Industry and Commerce Departments, the Korean electronics giant has identified 88 fake varieties of its mobile phones floating around Beijing. The fake phones used such misspelled names as Samsumg, Samsong, and, uh, "Amycall" -- which, apparently, those with a rather undeveloped understanding of the English language often confuse for the real thing. Try saying "Samsumg" 10 times fast. Impossible, right?From China Tech NewsRelated links:Samsung BlackJack 2 Unveiled $99 Samsung Blast For Texters  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Video GamesIt was a big deal when, back in 2004, Electronic Arts decided to bring their massive platform of sports games to Microsoft's Xbox Live service. Before then, EA had its own online service and didn't want to have anything to do with Microsoft's, meaning Xbox Live sports gamers were out in the cold when it came to multiplayer. Today, it's not quite so major an announcement that ESPN has also signed up for Xbox Live, but this agreement has nothing to do with video games. ESPN will instead be using the Live Marketplace to hawk reruns of its shows and sporting events to the poor souls who didn't catch them live in the first place and forgot to set their DVRs. For between $2.00 and $2.40, Xbox 360 owners will be able to download episodes of ESPN original shows like 'World Series of Poker' and 'Madden Nation' in either standard definition or high definition. For $3 to $4.50 gamers can download days- or even months-old sporting events. Last Saturday's USC vs. Oregon NCAA football game is the most recent thing available at the moment, while other coverage events include last week's basketball games and last summer's X Games. These offerings are similar to what ESPN offers through Apple's iTunes service, both in terms of price and availability, though if you want high-def content you'll need to use Live. There's nothing close to a live sporting event on Live just yet (despite the name), but rest assured that if you missed last weekend's NCAA games you can now pay a couple bucks apiece and download 'em to your Xbox. Or you could save some dough and set your Tivo next time.From ReutersRelated Links: New 'Simpsons' Game Is Actually Good Player-Created Xbox LIve Games Look Like Ads IPTV Coming to Xbox 360 With Fall Update?  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments