links for 2009-06-30

"In other words, you could say that Bit.ly knows what will be on the Digg home page tomorrow." Bit.ly Now is interesting but as of right now I haven't seen it produce super impressive results.

"Since 2004, 18 states and New York City have approved laws that make manufacturers responsible for recycling electronics, and similar statutes were introduced in 13 other states this year. The laws are intended to prevent a torrent of toxic and outdated electronic equipment — television sets, computers, monitors, printers, fax machines — from ending up in landfills where they can leach chemicals into groundwater and potentially pose a danger to public health." Texas of course does not.

"The 5-to-4 ruling applies largely to public-sector hiring and to civil service exams, but could also affect private employers that use tests or other screening methods. The court said that if an employer used a hiring or promotion test, it generally had to accept the test’s results — unless the employer had strong evidence the test was flawed and improperly favored a particular group. With the court’s ruling making it harder for cities and other employers to throw out tests they conclude are unfair, employers are expected to work harder to make sure their written tests — indeed their entire selection process — are fair."

Ahh xkcd taking on society.

Bad news for Pandora.

"Burma's highest court has rejected an appeal by lawyers for opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to allow two prominent dissidents to testify in her defence. Ms Suu Kyi is on trial for allowing a US man to stay in her home last month, after he swam there across a lake. Her lawyers wanted four witnesses but have been allowed only two. The trial has been widely condemned as a ploy to keep Ms Suu Kyi locked up until after next year's elections, the first in 20 years."

"The Stonewall uprisings 40 years ago brought the gay rights movement to the forefront of American culture. Writer and historian David Carter assesses what progress has been made since that pivotal moment and how far the quest for equal rights has to go."

"Vice President Biden announced the appointment of Lynn Rosenthal as the first-ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women on Friday."

"Fort Worth police officers and Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission agents arrested seven patrons at the Rainbow Lounge early Sunday while conducting an alcoholic beverage code inspection of the bar. Witnesses to the event say the officers used excessive force – in some cases slamming patrons to the ground." Fort Worth police raided another gay friendly bar on the 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

"Iran's top electoral body, the Guardian Council, has confirmed the victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the presidential election after a partial recount." That's was a fast decision.

"US President Barack Obama has described the removal of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya as illegal. His remarks came after left-wing Latin American leaders declared their support for the deposed leader, who was expelled by the military on Sunday."

"Today we're releasing the Sputnik JavaScript test suite. Sputnik is a comprehensive set of more than 5000 tests that touch all aspects of the JavaScript language as defined in the ECMA-262 standard." Once again Google pushes the Internet forward.

"As turmoil over the disputed election in Iran continues, many techs are trying to find ways to help Iranian citizens safely communicate and receive information despite the barriers being established by Iranian authorities. One tactic that even moderately tech-savvy Internet users can employ is to set up a Tor relay or a Tor bridge." EFF is asking for your help.

"In addition to its ongoing crackdown on Internet porn, the Chinese government has declared that virtual currency cannot be traded for real goods or services. The Chinese government estimates that trade in virtual currency exceeded several billion yuan last year, a figure that it claims has been growing at a rate of 20% annually. One billion yuan is currently equal to about $146 million. The government justifies its ban on virtual currency trading as a way to curtail gambling and other illegal online activities." China every once in awhile winds up sounding more moral that most Christian Conservative politicians.

"The new rule , scheduled to take effect in 2012, will cut the amount of electricity used by affected lamps by 15 to 25 percent and save $1 billion to $4 billion a year for consumers, the White House said. The Energy Department has not updated the efficiency requirements for these lighting types since they were established by Congress in 1992. The department was supposed to update the requirement in 1997, according to Mr. Nadel, but it fell well behind on this and other appliance standards. In 2006 a federal court settlement required the department to move expeditiously to clear its backlog." I'm sure this will be cast as causing the downfall of the light bulb industry.

"Five out of nine local staff from the UK embassy detained in Tehran have been released, Iranian officials say. Iran's media earlier said local employees at the UK mission were held over their role in protests against June's disputed presidential election." And the other four?

This would not be the right way to handle negative comments.

"The world's most high-profile file-sharing website, The Pirate Bay (TPB), has lifted the lid on its new video sharing website, The Video Bay." Cool.

" I think this illusion element of design is something to think about when designing our products. Is there a way we can shape the design so that it emphasizes the key features we’re trying to promote — whether that be thinness of the case or the size of the screen, or whatever else."

"Now, research involving invasive and native salamanders in the Salinas Valley of California shows how devastating this can be: the hybrids have voracious appetites and can practically wipe out other species."

"US troops are withdrawing from towns and cities in Iraq, six years after the invasion, having formally handed over security duties to new Iraqi forces. A public holiday – National Sovereignty Day – has been declared, and the capital, Baghdad, threw a giant party to mark the eve of the changeover. US-led combat operations are due to end by September 2010, with all troops gone from Iraq by the end of 2011."

"Writing in The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, researchers said that binge drinking among 18- to 20-year-old men who did not attend college had declined more than 30 percent. But the rate remained steady — and significant — among male college students. And it went up among female students. In 1984, the federal government decided to withhold highway money from any state that did not have a minimum drinking age of 21, and over time all the states fell into line. As a result, public health experts say, highway fatalities have gone down, among other health benefits. Over all, the researchers, led by Richard A. Grucza of the Washington University medical school, found that binge drinking had gone down — a change they attributed at least in part to the increased drinking age"

"As Pakistan escalates military operations against a top Taliban leader, the United States has resumed secret military surveillance drone flights over the country’s tribal areas to provide Pakistani commanders with a wide array of videos and other information on militants, according to American and Pakistani officials."

"Graphics and multiple patterns can be meshed together by the browser creating new life in a design." Very cool demo.

Easily one of the funnier videos I've seen in awhile.

"An Indian soldier has been killed in cross-border firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed territory of Kashmir, officials say. Indian army officials said the firing occurred as they foiled an attempt by a group of militants to infiltrate Indian-administered Kashmir on Sunday."

"Thousands of textile workers in Bangladesh have clashed with police for a third consecutive day in a protest over pay and conditions. Police fired live bullets and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, who have set fire to at least one factory and forced the closure of many more. Two people were killed during fierce confrontations with police over the weekend around the capital, Dhaka"

"Bernard Madoff has been given the maximum prison sentence of 150 years for masterminding a massive fraud that robbed investors of $65bn (£40bn)."

"Information is spreading with less friction than ever. Have you ever wondered how much faster can it get? … hold on, I just got a text message– maybe it’s someone else telling me yesterday’s news. ;)" Awesome point.

"Apple boss Steve Jobs is back at work following six months of medical leave, although he will work from home for part of the week, the company says." As the share price of Apple goes up.

"Top mobile telephone suppliers have agreed to back an EU-wide harmonization of phone chargers, the European Commission said on Monday, hailing the pact as good news for consumers and the environment." That will be nice.

Cheaper gas than walmart by 2 cents …