cellphone tapping

I came upon this interesting article from 2006 that the microphone of certain (all?) cellphones can be activated remotely.  And a call can then be initiated to transmit surrounding sound without any indication to the owner that it is currently on a call (eg, the screen does not turn on).

Star Trek actors

I'm not a big Star Trek fan but I did see the Star Trek reboot which I enjoyed very much.  Anyway, I came upon this photo at Gothamist of the original Star Trek actors visiting the Enterprise Space Shuttle.  Only Capt Kirk (William Shatner) is missing.  Prior to this, I had never see a photo of the actors outside of the TV studio.  This photo is absolutely fantastic:  the wonderful and strange clothing of the time, Spock has a beaming smile, "Bones" McCoy and DeForest Kelly are one and the same, Gene Rodenberry seems to be in a Star Trek uniform and pose, Chekhov's "this space vehicle is primitive".

Tyrannies are doomed

This WSJ interview Tyrannies are Doomed with Bernard Lewis, a preeminent Islam scholar, is very interesting and what he says directly and between the lines is what I have come to believe in recent years:  1. democracy is not the ideal government for all, 2. democracy is not necessary nor sufficient for a functional and productive society, 3. conflict between Islam and the world will not end until one or the other gives up, and 4. the New York Times is full of liberal art majors (I remember reading an article on an African pygmy named Ota Benga and exhibited in a cage with an orangutan at the Bronx zoo in 1906, the NY Times declared this was an example of evolution).

Buses adjust to larger Americans

We are getting bigger: http://gothamist.com/2011/03/14/good_job_america_fta_wants_fatter_b.php

Earthquake hits Japan

Enormous earthquake hits northern Japan.  From viewing live coverage online, earthquake generated tsunami all along the coast.  One shown was very powerful sweeping far inland moving entire frigates into farmlands, smashing into buildings unabated.  A huge fire at oil refineries in Chiba just east of Tokyo.  Prime Minster of Japan gives a very brief understated message that to me does not exude credibility and connection to people.  I admitted went to Al Jazeera to watch live footage and English commentary.  1 m tsunami detected by buoys in the Pacific Ocean and Hawaii has been given a warning to evacuate to higher grounds.

Last vet of WW 1

Frank Buckles, the last Doughboy, has died at age 110.  The New York Times article is the best of the ones that I've read.

American Cronyism expand to US Mint

Since around the late 1990s, the US Mint had minted commemorative medals in bronze or silver for collectors.  The subjects for commemoration are usually important past events, people, and places.   For example, there is a medal commemorating the Navajo Indians who were used for communicating encoded messages in  World War 2. Because their language is highly complex in grammar and sound and spoken only in America, the Navajo codes were never broken by the Japanese.  Most people would agree that this is truly worth commemorating.

Now I find this:  medals for former treasury secretaries Henry Paulson and John Snow.  I mean what the heck have they done that is worth commemorating?  They were treasury secretaries only in the past 10 years!  Not even last century!  They have the same stature as Yosemite National Park?  Unbelievable.