Money Matters: Wikileaks Forced To Cease and Desist

In what can only be described as a bitch-and moan, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has announced the whistleblowing website is suspending publication of classified documents due to a funding crisis.

Assange fronted the media at London’s Frontline media club to announce that the website would be forced to fold after Christmas unless it raised about $3.3 million in funds.

If this isn’t a monomaniacal smokescreen, put up by the a waning narcissistic hack, please explain Assanges last grab at headlines – 4 weeks ago - In a previous report, we pointed out that WikiLeaks had effectively been closed for new business, after the computer mastermind behind the site –The Architect – walked away from the organisation, taking with him code essential to the operation of the Wikileaks web site.

[read the full article] A Man is Not an Island: Julian Assange! To top-off his blatant hunt for celebrity, and in what can only be described as a narcissistic outburst, Assange stated “Across the general population of the world I have more than 84 per cent name recognition” We kid you not! :: Read the full article »»»»

Midweek Chill-pill: Time-lapse [video] Dustin Farrell – Landscapes: Volume Two

Last week we taunted Mondayitis with a video clip/time-lapse from Dustin Farrell. Well here’s episode 2!  In his latest work, “Landscapes Volume Two,” the Arizona photographer has elevated the artform to the highest level, using motion control and HDR (High Dynamic Range) techniques to reveal an unseen world of landscapes in Arizona and Utah, where space takes on a different meaning when he’s altered time. It’s set to the music of John Murphy’s “Sunshine (Adagio In D Minor).” Dustin Farrell is one of the foremost time-lapse experts in the world. Take a look at how he accomplishes these feats in greater detail here. By the way, Dustin urges you to watch these sequences in HD, full screen with sound. M★S CHECK THE VIDEO

Google Brews a Pilsner

Google has joined with Delaware boutique brewer, Dogfish Head to produce a Belgian Dubbel styled beer, URKontinent. Our favorite search behemoth even brought a list of recommended ingredients to the blending table, including its own honey, pulled from its Californian beehives. This unlikely partnership has culminated in a hearty brew just in time for what looks to be a steaming hot U.S. summer. Named after the original super-continent, the collaboration conveniently exploited a broad swath of Google’s international employees, the Dogfish Head-Google brew team surveyed thousands of Google’s employees around the world, quizzing and poking at what they’d like to see in a beer. A smaller – executive, no doubt – team from Google then worked closely with Dogfish brewmiesters to refine the concept for the beer, create the recipe, track down the assortment of obscure ingredients they had settled on and ultimately brew it. M★S  READ MORE

BLIP: Bad Journalism

“This incident never happened. It was created, as a sort of journalistic montage, by the correspondent who distilled the report. Newspapers are neither written nor edited by fools, technical safeguards can be built into even the wildest story, without fear of losing reader impact” Hunter S. Thompson – Hells Angels – 1967.  You would think that in the aftermath of News of the World, journalists - especially in the U.K. - would have at least one eye on the ball. Seems not. U.K. rag Daily Mail spends bucket loads of cash on employing journalists, apparently sending them to exotic posts like Italy. Covering the Amanda Knox Appeal - Knox was found guilty of murder, her latest trial was an appeal to that verdict - one over zealous unnamed journalist filed the following headline – GUILTY: AMANDA KNOX STUNNED –  which was then published by the Daily Mails online portal Mail Online. Hold your breath for a rant . . . Journalism is apparently a calling, wedged someplace between an artistic talent and a desire for notoriety, or what has come to be known as celebrity. More journo’s seem to be on the opinion bent, who’s doing all the reporting, chasing a byline in print isn’t the same as bringing news to readers!? So whats the point? Mainstream media, is the point. In any other profession there’s a set of requirements, skills certainly, but more importantly a requirement to behave with integrity; commit a crime as a lawyer and your not likely to practice law, molest a patient and your name will no longer have Doctor at front of it. Journalists have none of these sanctions. A bad journalist simply becomes the editor for an internet site. Thank G_d for bloggers!! M★C READ MORE

Julian Assange: A Man Is NOT An Island!

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is accustomed to being alone, working outside the pack is something the revolute does well.

He now however finds himself more isolated than ever, fighting extradition and deserted by many of his former partners and friends, an Island.

His organisation is crippled and unable to receive the leaks that are its lifeblood. Can WikiLeaks and Assange survive? WikiLeaks is effectively closed for new business after the computer mastermind behind the site – The Architect – walked away from the organisation last year.

Assange himself is appealing against a decision that he be sent to Sweden to answer questions about sex allegations involving two women last year. The High Court in London is expected to decide within days whether Assange should be extradited.

The Architect walked when Assange’s former deputy, Daniel Domscheit-Berg, also fled the operation after a falling out with the Australian founder. The Architect took with him the all-important submission system that allows whistleblowers to lodge sensitive information and keep their identities secret. Since then Assange and WikiLeaks have NOT been unable to accept online submissions :: Read the full article »»»»

Hallmarks Happy UNEMPLOYMENT Card!?

In the perfect world, those with nothing to say would say . . .Well, NOTHING! Unfortunately we live here! The world economy – apparently – is in termoil, a nudge over 9% of Americans are unemployed, the Greeks are about to fold – while the rest of the EU wonders wtf is coming – China has discovered it’s own source of minerals, making the Australians and Canadians rethink their debts as well as rendering any budget surplus as theoretical, and the UK government now owns more banks than the Swiss!? In a sign of the times, Greetings card giant Hallmark has put out a new line of cheer-your-buddy-up greeting cards. UNEMPLOYMENT CARDS! It may sound like a grand idea in a marketing department, on the street though ~ how in g_ds name do you send your friend a Happy Unemployment Card?  You know theres a highpants twist coming!  M★S  READ MORE