p2pnet World Headlines: April 26, 2010: 1
Aliens may exist but contact would hurt: Hawking Agence France-Presse
Aliens may exist but mankind should avoid contact with them as the consequences could be devastating, British scientist Stephen Hawking has warned. “If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn’t turn out well for the Native Americans,” said the astrophysicist in a new television series, according to British media reports. The programmes depict an imagined universe featuring alien life forms in huge spaceships on the hunt for resources after draining their own planet dry. “Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach,” warned Hawking.
Your Mom’s Guide to Those Facebook Changes, and How to Block Them GigaOm
Facebook launched some fairly impressive new features and services at its recent f8 conference, but some of them were also more than just a little scary. Since a lot of what the company talked about was introduced in either ‘developer speak’ — involving terms like API and JSON — or involved social networking jargon such as ’social graph’ and ‘activity map,’ we thought it would be handy to break it down for those who aren’t as well versed in such things (maybe your mom, maybe your brother-in-law — maybe you). What do these changes mean? And what should you do if you don’t like the prospect of automatically sharing your activity with everyone you know on Facebook?
Facebook users concerned about privacy, says survey Telegraph
Three in every four Facebook users avoid adding their bosses as ‘friends’ as they are frightened that their behaviour on the site could cost them their job and are increasingly worried about their privacy, according to a new survey. F-Secure, an internet security firm which polled 450 Facebook users, found that 73 per cent were not ‘friends’ with their boss on the site. The survey also found that 77 per cent said that they use the site’s privacy tools to safeguard their private information. The poll discovered that Facebook users have become increasingly aware of the need to ensure their personal information and status updates remain private with 35 per cent of pollsters admitting posting something on the site they later regretted. [Also see Facebook guy wants to be US attorney general ]
British MP Galloway’s hearing delayed CBC
Controversial British MP George Galloway will have to wait until Wednesday to try to have his ban from visiting Canada overturned in Federal Court. Supporters of British MP George Galloway, who was denied entry to Canada in March 2009, want Federal Court to let him visit Canada.Supporters of British MP George Galloway, who was denied entry to Canada in March 2009, want Federal Court to let him visit Canada. (Alastair Grant/Associated Press Galloway’s lawyer was to present his client’s position Monday, but the hearing was adjourned because one of the lawyers in the case was hurt in a fall earlier in the morning. When Galloway was denied entry to the country in early 2009, the federal government said it was because of his support of Palestinian militant group Hamas. But the MP and his supporters believe he was barred because the Conservatives didn’t want him to deliver an anti-war message.
Kingsoft To Enter European And North American Game Markets In 2011 ChinaTechNewsAccording to Wang Donghui, chief financial officer of Kingsoft, the company plans to enter the European and the North American game markets with two online games in 2011, and the company predicted its revenue from the overseas markets will account for 20% of its total revenue in the next two years. Kingsoft’s annual financial report for 2009 shows that the company’s revenue during the year was CNY1.022 billion, a year-on-year increase of 25%. Of the total revenue, about 67% was from its entertainment software and 32% was from application software. Wang said that in 2011, Kingsoft will introduce its “Lost Temple” and “JX3 Online” games into the European and the North American markets, with Russia, U.K., Germany, France, and the U.S. as its focuses.
Sex Ads Seen Adding Revenue to Craigslist New York Times
Craigslist, one of the most popular Web sites in the United States, is on track to increase its revenue 22 percent this year, largely from its controversial sex advertisements. That financial success is reviving scrutiny from law-enforcement officials who say the ads are still being used for illegal ends. The ads, many of which blatantly advertise prostitution, are expected to bring $36 million this year, according to a new projection of Craigslist’s income. That is three times the revenue in last year’s projection. Law-enforcement officials have been fighting a mostly losing battle to get Craigslist to rein in the sex ads. At the same time, officials of organizations that oppose human trafficking say the site remains the biggest online hub for selling women against their will.
RLSLOG Pulled Offline After Universal Music Complaint TorrentFreak
RLSLOG, one of the world’s most popular release news sites, has been pulled offline by its German hosting company following a takedown request from Universal Music. The site, which has never hosted any copyrighted material on its servers, is currently looking for a new home outside Germany.
Video Essay: Suicide Prompts Parents to Change YouTube, AssociatedPress
16-year-old Alex Harrison committed suicide last year after being bullied at school. Now his parents are determined to help change school culture by spreading their anti-bullying message: “See It. Hear It. Stop It.”
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First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
April, 2010
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April 26th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
Check whats going on in Canada (Found it via wikileaks):
Paul Berton is Editor-in-Chief of The London [Canada] Free Press
Sorry, we can’t say what this column is about
Not only is there an attempt to put a publication ban on the proceedings next week, there is also an attempt to put a ban on writing about the attempt to put a ban on the proceedings next week.
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/04/24/13704671.html
heh