Technology

This one cracked us up: > I've been having a lot of fun with the Portable Rotary Phone from Spark Fun Electronics. It's a GSM cell phone built inside an old rotary phone. You pop your SIM card in, it dials out, rings and acts just

Newspapers are in big trouble. They're losing classified ad revenues, and they no longer control their rate card (without a monopoly, they can't control ad prices any more). Traditionally, newspapers have used the rate card to eliminate competitors. Now the game is reversed. Link [http://publications.

We're not big fans of antitrust laws and we know Microsoft has done a lot of good. But we don't trust 'em, just don't trust 'em: > Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Chief Executive Steve Ballmer repeatedly visited China in recent years,

> This tropical island off the east coast of Africa is best-known for its white-sand beaches, its designer clothing outlets and its spicy curries. > But tiny Mauritius is about to stake a new claim to fame. By year's end, or soon afterward, it is expected to become

Read on, if your Monday is going fine and you want to ruin it: > Scientists at the University of Sheffield have proved for the first time that human embryonic stem (ES) cells can form the precursors of sperm and eggs in the laboratory, a critical step towards making synthetic

Computer scientists are developing a system that allows people to "teleport" a solid 3D recreation of themselves over the internet. Link [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4102018.stm]. Excerpt: > He said that these cameras would work much the same way as the character of

Jeffrey Tucker does a pretty good job of decrying the recent criticism of the cell phone (e.g., it's an addiction). Link [http://www.mises.org/story/1849]. His main point: The criticism is just more of the intellectual, Commie-tainted, anti-free market psychobabble that we always hear about

John Derbyshire on that monstrosity of wastefulness, the space shuttle, and our ongoing obsession. Link [http://www.nationalreview.com/derbyshire/derbyshire200506160749.asp]. Excerpts: > Like the monster in some ghastly horror movie rising from the dead for the umpteenth time, the space shuttle is back on the launch pad. This

Few things are more corrupt than the music industry: it's hedonistic, yes, but also big and manipulative of public taste. The whole American Idol phenomenon testifies to this: Network TV locates a talented singer and then the record company guarantees her/her massive success. How do they know

> Tampa General is joining an increasing number of hospitals showing surgeries on the internet. > "It's kind of cool, actually, watching it live," said Jean Mayer, Tampa General's vice president for strategic services. "As people use the Internet more and more to