Just shut up

"As intrusive noises go, the car alarm is one of the worst offenders. But there are plenty of others, too, most of them tied to gadgetry designed to make our lives more convenient. Well, convenient they may be, but irritating ... they certainly are."

Drug Cocktail, No Hangover

"...thanks to a new online service that lets patients see how various drugs interact with one another, as well as with several gene variations that profoundly affect how drugs are processed in the liver. "

Your Right to Be an Idiot

"Having access to the internet is a little like handing a kid a loaded gun. In the wrong hands it can be intellectually lethal. In terms of being a reliable source, the web is a minefield to be navigated very carefully. There is plenty of useful information to be had, but the place is a nest of vipers, too."

Worst Tech Moments 2005

Hackers Rebel Against Spy Cams

"And, just for fun, the group created an anonymous surveillance system that uses face-recognition software to place a black stripe over the eyes of people whose images are recorded."

Engineer proves speed camera error in court

"I need the verdict to say that this was not dropped through lack of evidence -- it was dropped because it was a false prosecution," he told a local reporter."

Great Hacks and Pranks Of Our Time

"In Cambridge, Massachusetts, at least, student pranks have become an establishment activity."

Criminals target viruses for cash

"Security experts say this explosion in variants is partly driven by a desire to overwhelm anti-virus firms. With defences spread thinly, hackers believe they will have more time for their particular creation to infect machines."

Digital Content Security Act

"... the measure will outlaw the manufacture or sale of electronic devices that convert analog video signals into digital video signals, effective one year from its enactment. PC-based tuners and digital video recorders are listed among the devices.' "

Britain will be first country to monitor every car journey

Because that info could never be abused, right?

Wikipedia survives research test

"The free online resource Wikipedia is about as accurate on science as the Encyclopedia Britannica, a study shows. "

DirectTV to Pay $5.4M in Privacy Fines

For violating the Do Not Call registry. Yes!

50% of HDTV Owners Don't Use HD

"apparently half of all High Definition Television (HDTV) owners don't actually use the HD capabilities of their set, and nearly a quarter think they are watching high definition video when they actually haven't set it up correctly. "

Song sites face legal crackdown

What's next, getting arrested for humming a song to yourself?

Cyclops cam can distinguish between humans and blow-up dolls

Google: Ten Golden Rules

"Getting the most out of knowledge workers will be the key to business success for the next quarter century. Here's how we do it at google. "

MYPCE: The Ultimate Computer Set Up

Just in time for Christmas!

SpotBot: Our First Steps Toward A Maintenance Droid

"When our robotic overlords begin their revolution shortly, at least they won't have to worry about the blood stains in the carpets after it's all said and done."