The Unknown Studio

So, I noted that I recently rejoined Facebook, although in a much more diminished capacity. I have not filled in any profile details about myself, and I’m being much more selective about who I befriend. Not because I’m a grouch, but because I’d prefer to maintain contact with those people in my life who are important to me, rather than be concerned with what Johnny Douchebag from high school can glean from my profile.

Having been back on the social network for under a week, I’m finding myself far less motivated to participate as much as I had before. Facebook is a communications tool for me. It’s not an ERP that will help launch my career, organize my life, or do my dishes. Nor is it a gaming platform, or a place for me to publish my interests to the masses. That’s what this blog is for, and I have much more control over how Pseudo Psyence behaves. Thus I will treat Facebook as a diversion.

I realize that when I disabled and zapped my account, Facebook likely kept all my demographic information, so really there’s nothing to hide from. But I won’t provide the network with more fodder so I can be advertised to. The irony is that I’m working with partners right now to develop a software application that will serve ads based upon users’ personal information. I will happily use this system, because it provides significantly more value than Facebook, and we’re designing it so it will never spam anyone ever.

Like, ever.

So welcome back to Facebook, me. You swore you’d never return, but you realized after a fashion that it’s better to be a part of the system and to analyze its failings from within than to not participate at all. Sounds like an excuse, doesn’t it?

Then colour me excused.

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Paul—a friend of mine whose passion for music is matched by a very select few other people I know—got really big into mash-ups a few years back. He went from listening to music on CD, to MP3 and vinyl, and now the man remixes his own tracks. And kids, these mixes are excellent get-you-dancin’ mash-ups.

If you have a second, peep Paulcasts.com.

My discovery of Paul’s new website was prompted by something I’ll be writing about later on today or tomorrow: I’m back on Facebook. Stay turned for a list of reasons and excuses.

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Ars Technica is reporting today that at least one of the targets of the RIAA’s file-sharing lawsuits is fighting back. It’s nice to know that, finally, someone is. From the article:

Andersen is a single mother living in Oregon who was sued by the record labels in February 2005. She eventually filed a counterclaim against the RIAA, and when the labels voluntarily dismissed their case against her last June, she filed a malicious-prosecution lawsuit. In it, Andersen accuses the RIAA of fraud, racketeering, invasion of privacy, libel, slander, deceptive business practices, and violations of the Oregon state RICO Act.

Last month, a federal judge dismissed Andersen’s original complaint, saying that she had “not adequately stated claims for relief,” but gave her a one-month window to refile. Her attorney, Lory Lybeck, told Ars that he plans to file a new 80-page complaint tomorrow. “The focus of the amended complaint is essentially the sham litigation and abuse of the federal judiciary to operate this criminal enterprise that has harmed Tanya Andersen and thousands of other people,” Lybeck said.

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I have this little calendar at work called “Dumb Dares for the Office.” Today’s dare wasn’t phrased very well, and there was some ambiguity. The dare says this:

Post a sign-up sheet offering your services for free lunchtime chair massages.

The confusion arises over whether or not anyone’s office chair really needs a massage. So my colleague Michael drafted the following advertisement for chair massages:

Is your chair feeling a little run down? Does it seem to have a week-long case of the Mondays? Well bring your chair to Cubicle 37 today! At Cubicle 37 we specialize in chair massages and other relaxation techniques to soothe and comfort your work chair.

And these services are not just for work chairs! Bring in your kitchen chairs, bar stools or even foot stools. Remember footstools are people too!

We are so confident that your chair will feel and work better we offer a complete money-back guarantee. If your chair is not completely satisfied with its massage, you get your money back! That’s right! Your money back!

Cubicle 37—located at the corner of “Working? and Hardly at All!
We Care, About Your Chair

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This lovely image courtesy Le Monde (click to enlarge):

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Cory Doctorow has an excellent piece in the Guardian about how important it is that citizens question security measures, and not be punished for something like taking photographs simply because it might breach security (hey, if my photo-taking breaches security, maybe you ought to consider that your security licks ass). From the article:

We can’t rely on the authorities to defend us against attacks that outstrip their capacity to adapt to them. Remember, the same police force that’s plastering London with signs exhorting us to “let experienced officers decide what action to take” is the same police force that gunned down a Brazilian for wearing an overcoat, and shut down Soho when a Thai restaurant burned its chilli sauce, releasing spicy smoke.

Security literacy can only be acquired through continuous practice and evaluation. The more our society punishes those who question security, the less secure we all become.

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