Cheetos(R): My new (old) favorite chips

From time to time I have blogged about big businesses with honorable and reputable social policies or protections.  Although this particular company is not tech-related, I'd like to take a moment to commend Frito-Lay for the info on the latest Cheeto's bag I bought at the store.

The back of the bag has (as usual) cartoons.  However, this one is titled "What's a serving?" And goes on to describe that 21 Cheetos(R), which reach ~3.5 ft when laid end to end, constitute one full serving.

At a time when child obesity is a growing problem, diabetes and heart disease run rampant across the country, and excess is encouraged by most big businesses to maximize profits, I find this incredibly responsible.  In fact, I once saw a local TV special where they gave children a giant bag of chips and asked them to pour out about one serving onto a plate for themselves. One (notably pudgy) kid of about 12 poured over 5 servings (as defined on the package) for himself and said that it was common for him to eat this amount in one seating!

Now it's possible that this is a recent legal enforcement, but I haven't heard anything about such a law (other than the one requiring that the serving size must be printed somewhere on the package... usually in the fine print in the Nutritional Facts).  But if it was the choice of Frito-Lay I must say I've a newfound respect for this snack food giant, and will certainly look to pick more Frito-Lay products when buying junk food!!! I encourage you all to do the same.

Remember: In capitalism, your greatest individual power is your choice of where to spend your money!!!

Google to replace Skype?!?

... Well perhaps not entirely, but Google has done it again! They've recently (yesterday?) introduced video conferencing to Google Talk, which is accesible from within the Gmail interface (or webApp in Chrome)!!!  While this doesn't match Skype in terms of VoIP to contact non-internet based communication methods, but it certainly makes video conferencing easy and accessible to Gmail users(/addicts) like me!!!

My initial experience with the app was one-sided (sending video, not receiving), but the receiver informs me the video stream was totally smooth!!! I didn't test the audio stream, but generally video is the bandwidth-limited component...

(In all fairness it should be noted that Apple Talk has had this feature for quite awhile; but then Mac's are notorious for handling AV apps better than PC's, web-based or not...)

SciFri Video: Election Map

With all the excitement and interest in the recent US Presidential elections, it is not surprising that science and technology have been applied to political questions recently.  Now there are probably few U.S. citizens who haven't seen the electoral map with blue and red states colored (in the lines) to indicate which nominee received their electoral votes.  And many of you have, like me, seen the more detailed CNN map showing the counties which went blue and red (notably, only the major population centers of blue "island" states NM and CO).

But Prof. Mark Newman, a physics professor at the Univ. of Michigan, has combined these maps with demographic information such that the newly distorted map more accurately depicts the number of votes, rather than geographic size, a particular location has to offer.  The results are, as CNN and other media outlets have described qualitatively: There are large "islands" of urban and high population density which are blue, surrounded by red concentric circles, outwardly expanding and coalescing in regions of lower population density. These "islands" appear much larger on the new map because of their disproportionately large populations.  This map demonstrates not only how Obama was able to win the nation (despite the very red-looking map when observing county poll results), but also how much more balanced we are as a nation in terms of red and blue! Now if only we couldd start seeing some GREEN in there... ;)

I've added a video section on the right where I will be embedding interesting Sci Fri videos as they appear.  Science Friday is a production of NPR, their homepage is here.  The original cartogram video is located here.

Total Commander is Total Bliss!

  I first started using "Windows Commander" when a neighbor (in the EU) installed it on my computer in '03 to make it easier for him to transfer other files onto my computer. At that time (and for several years afterward) I saw it as a useful and more stable tool for file management. So on my workhorse desktop (which I use for most of my media downloading, burning, ripping, etc) I've rarely had to open windows explorer ever since, and I've always been pleased with the performance of Windows Commander.  The program never froze (as Windows XP used to do all the time!), it rarely caused file transfer problems (only about 1-2 times/year, and then only because I was doing something weird like transferring from two different hard disks to my one external at the same time).  It was always VERY fast, both opening and running, and it's a very convenient way to see file details, permissions, and other settings instantaneously. Also, the option of "Overwrite all older..." for batch copying files from one directory to another made it a lot easier to synchronize directories. But I never saw it as particularly cool. Just a useful tool to replace explorer for file management.

  About a year ago I realized there was a newer version and I upgraded to "Total Commander Ultima Prime" (TCUP, see screenshot above)... I know, I know, it sounds pretentious.  But I can honestly say I have never before been so surprised and impressed by a piece of windows software. Much like its predecessor, Total Commander is impenetrably stable and fast.  And right away I noticed the ability to create "tabs", as is standard in browser software these days, which I found really exciting.  In fact, since the program remembers which tabs were open the last time it ran; I have cut down my file search time by orders of magnitude!  I usually have about 15-20 tabs open in TCUP, of my most frequently used directories (i.e., "Downloads", "Music", "Videos", and various directories specific to research projects I'm working on), so I need only to click on the correct tab and find the file I want!!! [I still use Vista's search for more infrequently used files]

  Okay, okay, so you're probably thinking: "File Management... Wow. That's not very exciting..." TCUP doesn't just integrate standard aspects of windows explorer (like adding network drives, etc), it also performs SFTP transfers (right in your directory windows!) and allows for the installation of open-source plugins like T-pot. No this isn't Russel's Teapot, but rather the TC for your iPod or iPhone... A lot of people have "hacked" or "pwned" their iPhone or iPod Touch since their release; but a pretty common problem among users is their inability to get files into the right places on the device (Apple firmware tries to keep you out of any directory you might mess with something serious; which includes where NES roms have to go, etc). I guess most users solve this by using SSH to a server on their computers; but T-pot allows you to enter your device as though it were a disk, and manage files from within TCUP (where you manage the rest of your files anyway)!

Finally for those people like me with big and especially ecclectic media libraries, and more than one computer from which you'd like to access your media... this has got to be the coolest feature. TCUP has a built-in function for what we used to do manually, but got too busy to do when the libraries got big: Synchronize Directories.  Just bring up your iTunes or Music directory in one window, the external hard drive's in the next, and share!  The feature can take a while to compare everything (i have about 50 GB, and my last sync took about 20-30 min to analyze).

These are just a few of the wonderful powers of TCUP; I'm afraid I've only learned maybe 10% of the capabilities of this program and they've already had several version updates since I obtained this one!!! I'm upgrading to 7.04a this weekend, so expect an update on this review in the future!

Update on Google Chrome...

The new browser made by Google is out. And as one of Google's most outspoken and dedicated supporters, I downloaded and installed it immediately.  Having been using it (almost) exclusively for the past few weeks I've had few complaints.  Here's my summary of the up- and down-sides of the new software package:

The Good: Stable, user-friendly, and LIGHTNING FAST! Creating a new tab is instantaneous, and the default new tab info is TOTALLY AWESOME.  Being an avid user of tabbed browsing for some time now (since IE first introduced it, before Mozilla), I find it extremely useful that Google Chrome new tabs start with a big pic of nine websites you frequent and a quick link to your history list, as well as a list of recently closed tabs!!! I don't know about you, but I always hated searching thru my history for something in the sidebar or even worse in the menu bar. Moving this to the new tab was another Google stroke-of-genius.  Another great feature is the integrated search. If you prefer to use Google for searching the web (like the majority of the world), then just typing the words in the address bar brings you there. IE has had this feature for awhile, but I just couldn't stomach the MSN search results page...

The Bad: Not as "independent-window" as Google claims.  The website for Chrome advertises enhanced stability such that if one window crashes, the others remain functional and open.  NOT TRUE! At least not always... I did have this experience a few times, opening pages with suspected adware and other risque sites. This was great because then I kept my crucial windows open and didn't have to relogin, etc.  However, I managed to crash the whole damn thing today with about 10 tabs open in one window (including 1 java app, Facebook, gmail) and a second window popped out from Google chat. Lame, to say the least... but its only happened once. I'm not quite ready to condemn Google Chrome for crashing when Mozilla probably would've crashed anyway, but I let's say I'm reserving judgment.

The Ugly: As with any new software, it is unfortunately not supported by certain things. Some brand-spanking new fancy java apps and other websites still won't work in Chrome (although the only one I use is to play games online at king.com, which STILL only supports IE).  And there's no integration with popular anti-virus / internet security software. I use Norton 360 because I absolutely LOVE the fact that Norton (not my browser) holds all my passwords in one place, protected by a single Master password.  Unfortunately its not supported by Chrome, even though it supports both Mozilla and IE (but not Safari).  The solution, unfortunately, is up to Norton I believe. So I'm sure their decision will be predicated on Chrome's success in the general public... so do me a favor and GO DOWNLOAD IT NOW!

How Long Does a Laptop Last?

We are currently considering replacing a Sony Vaio VGN bought in 2004, and my partner was shocked that her laptop only lasted ~3.5 years.  I was shocked it lasted that long, but I suppose I ride my machines harder (not only operation-wise, but I tend to knock them around physically a bit).  In my experience a decent (good) laptop lasts around 3 years, and a lame (budget Dell or Gateway) laptop lasts around 2 years, if you work at it.  I once managed to keep a Dell running for 3 years because I inherited a full-service warranty which lasted that long...

After trolling the internet I've found a number of conflicting opinions.  Some users, for example, who never let their laptop out to play on the internet have had VERY long lives.  Some (mainly mac-users) claim their laptops should last a minimum of 3 years, and usually max out at about 5, with the average lasting somewhere near four years.  I would expect something like a Sony Vaio, or a high-end HP to last that long on the PC side; but then again, I don't know if anyone has had that experience.  I'm on my first HP laptop now, less than a year old; so I will update this post once a year with a check-up; but in the meantime I invite the readers to vote on your experience. How long does your (average) laptop last??? (See poll on right)

Gmail Security Settings

A (potentially major) security issue has been demonstrated several months ago at DefCon, but not being a security professional I've only just heard about it. This issue is a vulnerability in many websites which utilize cookies to maintain active logins, such as gmail and I would guess facebook and myspace as well... The hacker can pick your cookies out of the air (when you're using wireless) and "slide" into your logged in account to do their damage. Of course they won't learn your password (though once logged in they can obviously change it!), but the potential damage is nonetheless limitless...

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/08/gmail-https-doe.html

Why hasn't Google dealt with this yet? Maybe because they're too busy worrying about the anti-trust suit shaping up against them...  Is Google really too big already?  No! (But the deal with Yahoo would afford them 80% of web advertising...)

My solution is like Biden's partition solution: Spin-off a smaller company (or companies) which focuses only on one type of advertising (e.g.,  fastclick-style) to keep the competition up in the advertising arena.  I'd really hate to see Google get busted up over something so stupid as the Yahoo buyout, which in my (optimistic) opinion was more about shutting down Yahoo than gaining a bigger market share...

Google Chrome, and Privacy Issues...

So, apparently I'm not the only one who reads Terms & Services Agreements or Privacy Statements. And perhaps even more notably, apparently I'm not crazy or anal-retentive to do so; since contraversy was  recently stirred up regarding the T&S agreement of Google's new browser: Google Chrome. Apparently their agreement included sufficiently broad language to retain for Google any copyright or other reserved intellectual property rights to property created using their browser (unless such material has been previously protected by you).

Here is the language in question: "By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display, and distribute any Content which you submit, post, or display on or through, the Services."

Now based on my prior experiences with Google, I did not see this as an intentional dash for picking up the IP of all users ignorant enough to skip over reading the Terms & Services agreement. Instead, I understood it to be a mistake in rushing the software to market; they probably copied and pasted text from other T&S agreements and their lawyers did a quick/dirty editing job...  Nonetheless, the presence of such broad and overarching language still needed to be addressed before I start doing anything remotely creative in Google chrome.

True to form, Google responded almost instantaneously with not only an immediate remedy but an apology (which really isn't necessary, and to be honest is quite rare from a software company). Thanks Google! Keep up the good work!

And a BIG thanks to all the whistleblowers out there who keep the big companies honest!!! Long live Net Neutrality and the Internet Whistleblower!!!

Update on Pro-Google Tirade (Facebook!)

Awhile ago I posted a tirade about the content of privacy policies of online service providers, citing google as a leader in protecting user privacy. I simultaneously condemned myspace, and implied a lot of social networking sites could go a lot further to protect their users' privacy. Well, I recently gave a second look to facebook's privacy policy (the most recent update was in December 2007) and they've fixed it!!! I must admit the last time I checked it was about 3-4 years ago, but the section which has been updated to my satisfaction (sometime in there) is as follows:

We may be required to disclose user information pursuant to lawful requests, such as subpoenas or court orders, or in compliance with applicable laws. We do not reveal information until we have a good faith belief that an information request by law enforcement or private litigants meets applicable legal standards. Additionally, we may share account or other information when we believe it is necessary to comply with law, to protect our interests or property, to prevent fraud or other illegal activity perpetrated through the Facebook service or using the Facebook name, or to prevent imminent bodily harm. This may include sharing information with other companies, lawyers, agents or government agencies. (source: http://www.facebook.com/policy.php)

Now while it is true that "good faith" could be construed either narrowly or broadly, I believe this policy goes a long way toward making me feel that they will take my privacy seriously in all situations; as compared with myspace's statement which still contains no qualification for requests by law enforcement (legal and/or constitutional, or otherwise). Anyway, I now feel comfortable enough to create a facebook account, and I wanted to revise my previous implications about social networking sites in general!

The greatest difference between myspace and facebook, of course, would be that my new favorite facebook is a licensee of the TRUSTe privacy program. I haven't covered
all of TRUSTe's policies, but so far it looks like the membership is (at least) a good sign for an online service provider. The fact that myspace is a subsidiary of the Murdoch empire, I guess I'm not that surprised it doesn't support this third party privacy program...
Comments?

Top 3 (+1) FREE iPhone (and iPod Touch) Apps

Since it seems like everyone has an opinion as to the best new apps to hit Apples third-party Application store, I thought I'd chime in with my two cents.
Please note that (contrary to many opinions out there) my suggestions are provided without any nefarious motives to get you to support one company or another, they simply reflect my experience in browsing the iTunes application store for the past several days and trying out as many apps as sounded interesting. Unfortunately I couldn't take any screenshots myself, as the pwnage utility has yet to be released; but I will update the post later.

1) Remote - You've heard a lot about this free Apple-signed app since even before the release of FW 2.0, and it IS worth at least some of the hype. The application allows you to control your iTunes library (and/or AppleTV, Apple speakers, etc) via the existing wi-fi connection when both devices are connected to the same network. The app is incredibly easy to use with updated iTunes software (just install the app on the iPhone, follow the instructions to type in the code on iTunes, and you're on!), and very useful. Personally, I have a laptop with an IR remote as well as a bluetooth keyboard with remote media control; but wi-fi range knocks these two methods out of the park! (IR is line-of-sight only; and BT 2.0 is still only good for about 30 ft when there are walls or other obstructions). You get to observe the album art on your handheld device (even if the song is not present on the device!), and access any of your playlists or song info remotely. The only room for improvement which is readily evident is that they require a router to connect thru, and cannot be used solely from device to computer (all signals are routed through the wireless network).

2) BoxOffice - For a 'cinephile' like myself, this app is just what we've been waiting for. A succinct summary of movies playing in your area (as far as I know only US zip codes are supported) is readily available whenever your device is connected to the internet. After entering a location you can search for local theaters within a certain radius, find show times at all of the theaters, and even order tickets online (at supported theaters). In addition, you can switch to movie mode to see all of what's playing in your area by title or even by rating (provided by Rotten Tomatoes).
Truly a one-stop-shop for movie-goers!!!

3) Tap-Tap Revenge - If you've ever played DDR (Dance-Dance Revolution) then you've probably become addicted. Well now you can take that addiction on the road with your iPhone or iPod Touch; working on- or off-line, this game plays a hot new song (provided by the producers of the game) and displays 'beats' coming down three different strings. As you may have guessed, you need to tap the beat when it hits the bottom of the screen (on time!) to earn the points. But a new twist, in the "Hard Tracks" level and above, integrates the accelerometer of the touch and asks you to 'shake' the device in a particular direction as though you were striking a drum. I might look like an idiot on the bus, hitting imaginary drums surrounding my IPT, but I have to tell you it is GREAT fun for the musically inclined... [Just make sure you learn the lessons from the Wii controllers, and hold on TIGHT!!!]
(P.S. The version of TTR on the Jailbroken 1.4 FW allowed users to write and upload their own song patterns, and play user-uploaded patterns to songs in the users own iTunes library. Presumably updated versions will begin to integrate this feature, if its ok'd by Apple...)

and finally, the last +1...
PhoneSaber - Really much more applicable to the iPhone than the IPT, this app displays a light saber on your phone (choose between yellow, purple, red, green, or blue) and plays the saber sound effects as it detects motion using the accelerometer. Despite having to plug mine in to speakers (and consequently having only a finite radius with which to 'duel), I still got a really big kick out of this app as would any self-respecting Star Wars fan. Truly worth the price of download (free).

Once again, all these apps are free for download from the Application store, so go out there and enjoy!!! I will post a follow-up with my favorite paid-for applications in a week or so, once I sift through the myriad of crap out there...

Money can buy happiness... but not how you think!

Want to buy happiness? Spend your money on someone else!
At least that's what researchers at UBC and Harvard Business school report in an article (from March, sorry for the delay!) in Science magazine. They asked subjects to rate their happiness on a scale of 1-10, for a baseline. Then they gave them some money and told half of them to spend it on themselves, and the other half to spend it on someone else. The results?
Subjects who spent money on others were happier than those who spent it only on themselves. Even spending just $5 on someone else made individuals feel happier than whatever they could've bought for themselves....
Surprised? Well perhaps its gotten lost in the hubbub of modern society, but the naturalists understood this concept just 100-200 yrs ago:
"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no person can
sincerely try to help another without helping themselves." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=news-bytes-can-money-make-you-happy
http://www.livescience.com/health/080320-happiness-money.html
http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/yes-money-can-buy-happiness/

Science Article:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/sci;319/5870/1687?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&andorexacttitleabs=and&fulltext=money+happiness&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5870/1687?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&andorexacttitleabs=and&fulltext=money+happiness&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT




http://www.compassionate-touch-training.com/

Okay, the six-month sabbatical is over. I've been really busy with my research at UCLA, but after I saw this article I just had to post a quick snippet.
Several airports in the US (Baltimore, LA, Denver, Albuquerque, and Kennedy) have recently started using these new full-body scanners which utilize (sub-)millimeter waves. This admittedly low-risk radiation penetrates low density materials (clothing) and provides an image of any high-density material in the scanner (i.e., your body/skin). The image is viewed in a separate, closed room for privacy reasons.
Unfortunately most people have NO IDEA what this machine does (despite a few signs posted nearby, and faster bloggers than myself) and consequently only about 4% of requested passengers decline in favor of a pat-down. Perhaps the image of a TSA consultant below might give some of you pause the next time you are asked to enter this machine...
(image from the NY times, online)

The ACLU calls the scanners a "virtual strip search". Now personally, I can see how this technology would be an excellent replacement for strip searches (e.g., in jails or prisons). When a strip search is already called for, this machine can accomplish (essentially) the same objective in a much shorter time and without requiring personal contact between the searchee and the searcher. However, when was the last time you consented to a strip search at an AIRPORT?!?!?

If they randomly select me for this machine, I will kindly inform the TSA agent that I consider a pat-down much less of an invasion of privacy... How about you???