Mutt Media | The Daily Bone 3.12.10 Google vs. China: who will win the censorship battle?

China vs. Goole

China is threatening to pull Google off it’s internet feed citing Google’s refusal to censor the online content available to citizens of the country.

According to the New York Post, China said, “Google would be unfriendly and irresponsible if it defies rules to censor online content”. This statement has escalated the already heated dispute between the two giants.

As recently as today, a piece appeared on SevenSidedCube.net, Nicole Wong (Google’s VP) stated, “We are no longer willing to censor our search results in China, and we are currently reviewing our options. If the option is that we’ll shutter our .cn operation and leave the country, we are prepared to do that.”

This is one to watch. Representatives from China have gone on record stating they will give Google the boot for failure to comply.

Mutt Media's Daily Bone 1.22.2010 | ABC News on Haiti's First Responders – Isreal comes through.

Here’s a link to a piece ABC News did on Haiti and the first responders. You may be surprised (or not!) to learn that Isreal was the first country on the scene to lend a hand. The medical structures they set up are well-stocked with supplies and run with the military precision that has become synonymous with the Isreali government. An interesting segment…take a look. Makes you wonder how Isreal got to the scene so quickly and efficiently with the great distance they had to travel while it took the US more time to physically arrive there and still struggling with organizational issues.

Click here to view “Low Supplies, Many Injured”.

Mutt Media | Daily Bone 7.13.09 Google & Apple: Share-Share. Is that fair?

So, forgive me if I bore you with some of last weeks’ news, but I’ve been on holiday and not in touch. There are some things in the news that I would’ve blogged about in Real Time but sometimes vacation trumps work, and that’s a good thing, right?

So, first off, our friends at Google, in the midst of executing their plan for world domination and data-collection, have announced they will be releasing their own Operating System called Chrome. At first blush, I am excited about this, for a couple of reasons.

Google does seem to get it right. Their services are useful and free – two features I always find pleasing. I like anything that works and doesn’t stress me out, as I am a simple girl. Their analytics and other applications function well and play nice with my MacBook. Life is good. Yay Apple & Google.

My husband is engaged in a brutal war at the moment with his new laptop that is running Windows Vista, an operating system that doesn’t play well with others. He needs to run a certain software for his business and Vista just won’t cooperate. Updates, tech support, patches and lots of nonsensical work-arounds have kept my husband up at night and his staff has logged hours trying to trouble shoot for him to no avail. He’s had to wipe out the hard drive and reinstall programs, download updates that in the end, set his efforts back and just yesterday, his laptop shot off a really low blow: just crapped out. During one of the mind-bending downloads and installs, during step 3 of 3, the screen goes dark but for 3 lines that read, “Running Step 3 of 3. 0% complete. Do not shut down your computer.” And so he waited and waited. Still 0% complete 45 minutes later but the graphics are moving like something is happening. But nothing does.

I used to work off of a Windows PC. You don’t realize how much of a nightmare it is until you switch to a Mac. I swear ONCE YOU GO MAC YOU NEVER GO BACK. (Knock on wood) My Mac & I do not have to battle resistant, mutating viruses, updates go off without a hitch and all of my programs load like butter. Going on 2 years together and so far, it’s a match made in compuer heaven.

So, my point? Let’s take a look behind the scenes to see why my Mac (Apple) and Google apps work so well together. The common denominator here could be that they share a CEO named Eric Schmidt and another Board Member name Arthur D. Levinson, the CEO of Genentech.

Is this a conflict? Does this fly in the face of anti-trust laws, which are in place to safeguard against possible collusion between companies (and world domination).

An article in the Global edition of the New York Times from last Friday by Brad Stone speculates that the “Chrome Operating System is likely to create more questions for regulators”. Yep, this alliance is already on the radar of the Federal Trade Commission with the investigation going on for the last several months.

Under section 8 of the Clayton Anti-Trust Act specific limits are placed on the sharing of information between companies by common board members.

In the case of Schmidt and Levinson, both claim to recuse themselves during portions of the Board Meetings when the discussions turn to tricky topics.

Where is the overlap? Well, Apple makes the IPhone and Google has the Android Software (see YouTube video for info on Android and the “G Phone” below), Apple has ITunes and then there’s YouTube, Apple has the Safari Browser and now here’s Google with Chrome.

In the end, the FTC will decide whether these relationships are problematic. It all comes down to what percentage of the overall business is affected.

I don’t care. I just love my MacBook and my Google. Can’t we all just get along? (hello Microsoft!)

Then maybe my poor husband will get some sleep.

Mutt Media | The Daily Bone 6.23.09 The Iranian Elections and the murder of Neda Agha Soltan

MUTT MEDIA WARNING! | POLITICAL COMMENTARY TO FOLLOW…..

Today’s post is a sad one, but shines a ray of hope on a region in turmoil. I am writing in green to show support for the citizens of Iran and their cause.

No doubt you’ve heard all of the rumblings about the elections in Iran. If you frequent Twitter, Facebook or any of the social networking platforms, you’ve been exposed. Here’s a timeline version of what’s been going on, taken from Reuter’s website.

“(Reuters) – Here is a summary of the main developments in the aftermath of Iran’s June 12 presidential election, which took place against a background of tension with the West over Tehran’s nuclear program.

June 13 – Hardline incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad officially wins presidential election with nearly 63 percent of the vote compared with 34 percent for reformist challenger Mirhossein Mousavi, authorities say. Thousands of protesters clash with police. Mousavi calls result a “dangerous charade”.

June 14 – Mousavi says he has formally asked Iran’s Guardian Council to annul the election.

June 15 – Seven people are killed during a huge march by Mousavi supporters in central Tehran, state media says. There are also pro-Mousavi demonstrations in the cities of Rasht, Orumiyeh, Zahedan and Tabriz.

June 16 – Leading Iranian reformist Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a former vice-president, is arrested, his office says.

– The Guardian Council says it is ready to carry out a partial recount of ballots but rules out annulling the poll.

– Tens of thousands of pro-Mousavi demonstrators march in northern Tehran. Ahmadinejad’s supporters mobilize thousands of demonstrators in central Tehran.

– Authorities ban foreign journalists from leaving their offices to cover street protests.

June 17 – Thousands march in central Tehran.

– Ahmadinejad defends the legitimacy of the vote, telling a cabinet meeting it has “posed a great challenge to the West’s democracy,” Mehr news agency reports.

– Saeed Laylaz, editor of business daily Sarmayeh, and pro-reform activist Mohammadreza Jalaiepour are arrested, a reformist source says.

June 18 – Thousands of Mousavi’s backers rally in Tehran to mourn those killed in the mass protests.

– A spokesman for the Guardian Council says it has begun examining 646 complaints submitted after the June 12 vote.

– Iran’s English-language state television has reported eight people killed in five days of protests. The ISNA news agency, quoting provincial officials, says 88 people were arrested in post-election unrest in the city of Mashhad and up to 60 people in Tabriz in the northwest.

June 19 — Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says protest leaders would be responsible for any bloodshed if rallies continued against the election, which he said Ahmadinejad had won fairly by 11 million votes.

June 20 — The Guardian Council says it is ready to recount a tenth of the votes in the disputed election.

– Riot police are deployed in force, firing teargas and using batons and water cannon to disperse groups of several hundred Iranians who had gathered across Tehran.

– A suicide bomber blows himself up near the shrine of Iran’s revolutionary founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reports.

– State television says more than 450 people are detained during clashes in Tehran in which at least 10 people are killed.

June 21 — Mousavi urges supporters to continue protests, issuing an oblique appeal to security forces to show restraint.

– Ahmadinejad accuses the United States and Britain of interfering in Iran’s affairs.

June 22 — Hardline Revolutionary Guards issue a statement saying they will “firmly confront in a revolutionary way rioters and those who violate the law”. Police break up a protest in Tehran hours after the Guards issued their statement.

– People in Tehran again chant “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest) from their rooftops at nightfall.

June 23 – Guardian Council again rules out annulment of the election saying there has been no major polling irregularities.”

Just yesterday, a protester named Neda Agha Soltan was shot and killed in the street. Someone captured this heinous act with their cell phone and it’s been getting lots of play on YouTube. Video follows, but please be warned: it is violent and graphic and YouTube requires that you verify that you are over 18 to view it.

There has been so much controversy over the middle east, Iran, Iraq and the degree to which the US should get involved but I think the events of the last few weeks show us that the citizens want some sort of democracy and a fair election process. I am sure that they know the western world is on their side in this endeavor, as their continuous Twitter and other internet communications indicate. This is GREAT. Unfortunate is that lives are lost but this is an important fight and a stand that, in my opinion, needs to be taken.

All of the Tweets, photos and video footage show us that these are a people willing to fight for their desired rights – rights they have long been denied. It’s nothing short of amazing.

So maybe Iraq was the wrong venue at the wrong time, but the ideology was right on target. If only the violence would stop.

links that may be of some interest to you..

thestar.com | nytimes.com (they have a great blog that is tracking the protests and running commentary) | reuters.com

Mutt Media | the Daily Bone 6.10.09 Do some Twitter Citizens yield too much power?

A few weeks ago, Twitter made an announcement that they were becoming involved in a proposed new reality TV series that centered around the micro-blogging platform.

The premise of the show was people using Twitter to track down celebrities. For anyone not familiar, there are many celebrities who use the site – and quite often I might add.

These include Rainn Wilson (The Office), Demi & Ashton (please don’t ask, “Demi & Ashton who?”), Kim Kardashian, John Mayer and the list goes on and on. Some have well over a million followers, so it’s fair to say they can have a huge influence. And they use their accounts to tweet often. Well, someone, possibly a publicist – may be tweeting on their behalf (even though I think that’s a big no-no).

Anyway, back to my point. Ashton & Demi were not on board with the reality TV concept. How can you blame them when you look at the proposed premise of the show? Celebrity stalkers via Twitter? Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

Twitter backed off the reality TV concept – for now. But here’s another concept…the very population that helped to put Twitter on the map and bring it mainstream would/should/will be alienated should such a project come to fruition. So here’s a case of the tail wagging the dog

Does this give the celebrity population the right to dictate the business model that the Twitter “executives” envision for their company? I am torn between feeling that celebrities (who, incidentally have shrewdly embraced this technology as a free modality to aid in their self-promotion [not that there's anything wrong with that]) are feeling that this is a one way street.

Just log on and check out one of these celebrities. Millions of followers but some not following many themselves. That is to say, they are very interested in talking at – but not really listening to – their fans. This does not go for all of them.

But I forgive Rainn for not following me back. He makes me laugh with every one of his tweets.

Oh, and follow MM on Twitter to hear from me at all hours of the day

Here’s a great clip from Larry King’s show. He interviews Kutcher and Sean Combs, who says here that you Tweet because you have something to say. Agreed.

Mutt Media | Daily Bone 6.5.09 Bernie Kerik is a Twit(terer)

Today Bernard Kerik tweeted from a Washington courthouse where he was appearing to plead Not Guilty for the third time since he was brought up on charges of lying to the Bush White House.

Twitter is great because you can really see where a person’s head is at on any given day, any given moment – if you like that sort of thing. Like it or not, micro-blogging gives all the opportunity to vent and to be vented upon.

For those of you not keeping up (or heretofore uninterested) Kerik is the former Police Commissioner of New York who was the top guy during 9/11. He was tight with Rudy Guiliani and was, in 2004, nominated by George Bush for the position of Secretary of Homeland Security. Kerik withdrew his name from consideration due to some controversy over a Nanny.

He’s been indicted under ethics charges and, according to the Associated Press,

“Kerik is charged with two counts of making a false statement to aides of President George W. Bush in late 2004, after the president had picked Kerik to run the Homeland Security Department established in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Kerik is accused of denying to Bush aides that he had financial dealings with contractors seeking to do business with the city. But prosecutors say contractors spent more than $255,000 renovating his apartment in 1999 and 2000 while he was New York’s corrections commissioner.

He’s facing charges relating to the case in New York state court and federal courts in Washington and New York. The false statement charges were originally brought as part of the larger federal case in New York but were dismissed and transferred to Washington, where prosecutors say the crimes occurred.”

Here’s a snapshot of Kerik’s Tweet from early this morning…

Bernie Kerik's Tweet 6.5.09

This is a man who has, as of this writing, only about 100 followers (not a lot considering his notoriety and frequent news-mentions, but this Tweet has gotten lots – and I do mean lots – of press. He also maintains another business of sorts. Here’s a link to his site where the homepage reads, “THE KERIK GROUP LLC is an internationally respected global provider of Homeland Security and industrial security services.”

Is the interest on his Tweet because of what he said? Or the platform he’s using? Maybe just great PR.

Anyway, have a great weekend. Grey skies are gonna clear up here in NY

This has been your Daily Bone
© 2009 Mutt Media NY LLC All Rights Reserved

Mutt Media throwin' you a bone….an oldie but a goodie. Enjoy the Alligator King from Sesame Street

Mutt Media | Daily Bone 6.1.09: Iran & the Facebook ban

Over Memorial Day Weekend I read in my favorite newspaper (as well as other news outlets) that the Iranian government has blocked its citizens from using the Facebook service. Critics of this move attributed it to the upcoming June elections.

Candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi has used Facebook heavily in the past to mobilize young voters for his benefit, much like Obama did with his presidential campaign.

Here’s a video posted on You Tube that tells the story in short…forgive the ad at the end..sometimes these things cannot be helped.

No sooner did I begin drafting this blog then did Iran’s government lift the ban. From all I’ve read, this seems to be a pretty common practice; sites are routinely banned both in Iran as well as other extremely Muslim countries and in China too. When a website’s content runs in contradiction to the fundamental religious philosophies of a nation, these bans are commonplace.

Let’s feel thankful that we live in a country that allows and encourages free speech and opposing views.

Comments? Share ‘em!

This has been your Daily Bone
© 2009 Mutt Media NY LLC All Rights Reserved