Combine the general crappiness of mobile phone games with the general crappiness of forensic TV and what do you get?
This is from “CellPlay: The 411 for gaming on your cell phone” insert in some damned gaming magazine. I like how they spell this version of the CSI show:
Yeah, I know this is old old old, but enjoy! then visit the website.
The songwriter and performer, Dennis Madalone, is from New Jersey (of course!) and here’s a short snippet from an interview with the man behind the song:
Q: Do you think this anthem will still be playing in 100 years?
A: I believe that it will be around for longer than that. Just like the old black and white films that people still watch today. I believe our song is a special and rare thing. I know that it has gotten to and comforted many people. It will be around for a long time after I pass away. 100 years or 1000 years from now, it will always be a message from our loved ones. It will surge until it reaches every one on its own. Everyday! Someone clicks on the song and it’s a new thing!
Sorry for the ironica, I am trying not to be so critical these days, but old habits die hard.
My own personal information agent, Seth Lopez, found a site and emailed the URI to me. He really likes it when I say URI instead of URL, but whatever. The site is called WabiSabiLabi and it looks to be a Swiss site that purports to be a marketplace for Security Research, aka 0-day exploitz. The marketplace is run by WSLabi, which claims it’s a lot of things, including a Security Research Lab.
It looks like the blog popped into existence in April, and everything else appeared last week.
WSLabi state, on their homepage, “If the world must become a safer place, the first part of the recipe is simple: to provide a better rewarding for the security researchers, organising an efficient and transparent marketplace, here to maximise the results of their efforts.” Sounds like they like efficiency and transparency, which is a good start. Also on their ethics page, it says, “We require non-anonymity from buyers and sellers alike. The stakes are just too high at this point in history.” Sounds great!
Moving on to the signup page it says, “ATTENTION! In order to be able to access the full marketplace services you will be asked to fax us your id card and your telephone number.”
Groovy. So let’s see who I am going to be sending my id card to and giving my telephone number. Their WHOIS reads like this:
Registration Private
(480) 624-2599 Phone
(480) 624-2599 Fax
DomainsByProxy.com
15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
wabisabilabi.com@domainsbyproxy.com
Not exactly transparent. Domains By Proxy (a division of GoDaddy) is the private registrar. The IP address of the website is a GoDaddy owned IP address, so the site is hosted by GoDaddy as well.
Domains By Proxy has a tagline, “Your identity is nobody’s business but ours.” I don’t see how this fits in exactly with WabiSabiLabi’s requirement that you positively identify yourself to them in order to participate in their online marketplace. Maybe the stakes are too high? I should send them a copy of my ID? I don’t even know who these people are. There is NO information about who is running the site or the marketplace, just a phone number and mailing address in Switzerland. This aerial view of their address is all I have to go on.
Not impressed. We’ll see how it pans out over time.
Earlier today I was looking through a random computer magazine which is targeted toward mobile users, and came across this ad:
Is that guy really hiking with a laptop strapped to the front of his body? Is that safe? Or does OSHA mandate that he stop before using the laptop on this contraption? And even if they do, would anyone really do that? I see people eating and talking on the phone and putting on makeup and even reading the paper while driving, so are they really going to behave with this thing?
I know if I was walking on rough terrain and I was using a laptop on a device like this, at some point in the first 30 minutes I would fall down and hurt everything in sight: me, the laptop, the contraption, and some nearby nature. But maybe 60 people in all of the U S of A need these, right?
Which brings me to the next ad I noticed:
Um, really? A firefighter needs an ultra mobile pc so he can do the paperwork on the possible arson he just risked his life to put out? Shouldn’t this guy get to rest for at least the ride back to the firehouse before doing this crap on an actual pc?
I’m all for efficiency, but wtf?
| Is she hot? I can’t tell. |
I think he might be hot. |
He definitely gets bunched up less. More open space. Also, is that Rob Corddry sitting on the stairs in the video?
Credits: On the left, “BonelssGirl.swf,” author unknown. On the right, “Objects of my Affection” by Peter Bjorn and John.
Imagine my shock at finding my (and my son’s) likeness on Flickr. So I’m blogging this as part of my new “Embrace and Extend” lifestyle policy.
IMG_3400, originally uploaded by Frank Lantz and taken by him at his apartment.
I know a lot of people think video games are bad for children, but I guess this photo is proof that I’m not one of them.