Technology Slice Blog

Anna Ardin Has Left Sweden - In an article in Crikey an Australian email daily Guy Rundle writes that Anna Ardin who is one of the two complainants against Assange has left Sweden. She may have ceased co-operation with the Swedish prosecution service and her own lawyer according to sources in Sweden. Of course the sources are not identified so the degree of credibility involved in this report still needs to be determined. Pending further verification these are just rumors. Perhaps the move is not surprising. In spite of Ardin being a feminist not all feminists are sympathetic to her case especially given the details as they have been described so far. Naomi Klein, Naomi Wolf, and the European group Women Against Rape have all questioned the nature of the case and the actual purpose of the prosecution. Ardin is now in the West Bank as part of a Christian outreach group which is attempting to reconcile Palestinians and Israelis. Good luck! Imagine a Christian group trying to reconcile...

Fake Wikileaks In Pakistan - They read like the most extraordinary revelations. Citing the WikiLeaks cables, major Pakistani newspapers this morning carried stories that purported to detail eye-popping American assessments of India's military and civilian leaders. According to the reports, US diplomats described senior Indian generals as vain, egotistical and genocidal; they said India's government is secretly allied with Hindu fundamentalists; and they claimed Indian spies are covertly supporting Islamist militants in Pakistan's tribal belt and Balochistan. Fake Wikileaks In Pakistan "Enough evidence of Indian involvement in Waziristan, Balochistan," read the front-page story in the News; an almost identical story appeared in the Urdu-language Jang, Pakistan's bestselling daily. If accurate, the disclosures would confirm the worst fears of Pakistani nationalist hawks and threaten relations between Washington and New Delhi. But they are not accurate. ...

Virginia Tech Could Be Fined For Shootings - Virginia Tech could face federal fines and a loss of student aid for failing to quickly warn the campus about a gunman on the loose in the hours before the shooting rampage that killed 30 people April 16, 2007, the Department of Education said Thursday. The Education Department in a letter Thursday to Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said the school violated the Jeanne Clery Act, a federal law requiring schools to give "timely warnings" about safety threats on campus. The department will decide whether sanctions are needed. Punishments could include fines or revoking eligibility for federal student aid. More than a third of Virginia Tech students receive such aid. Virginia Tech Could Be Fined For Shootings Virginia Tech disputes the findings and will appeal. School administrators "acted appropriately" based on the information they had at the time, university spokesman Larry Hincker said. The Clery act do...

Human Rights Day 2010 - As the world celebrates International Human Rights Day on Dec 10, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay has asked China to release the jailed Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Liu Xiaobo. Navi Pillay said that Liu Xiaobo, who is sentenced for 11 year prison for a political revolt against China, is an example of a human rights defender who is paying a heavy price for his activism. Liu Xiabao participated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest in Beijing and is one of China's most prominent activists fighting for greater political freedom and human rights. Human Rights Day 2010 Navi Pillay added that she will hold talks with Chinese officials for the release of Liu Xiaobo. Meanwhile, the Nobel prize award ceremony will be held in Oslo on Friday, Dec 10. The Nobel Committee will award Peace prize to Liu Xiaobo in his absence. Committee will leave an empty chair for Liu Xiaobo. Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said awarding...

Oprah Winfrey Network - Slapping Oprah Winfrey's name on something usually makes that thing a success. As it prepares to flip the switch on the Oprah Winfrey Network cable channel on Jan. 1, Discovery Communications (DISCA) is betting that streak will hold. "This channel will have her name on it," says Christina Norman, the former MTV president who is now OWN's chief executive officer. She says the channel could be profitable within three years. "It's something that [Oprah] doesn't want to be anything but great." Still, the network, which Oprah's holding company Harpo will own jointly with Discovery, is not a sure bet. Some cable and satellite operators are resisting Discovery's demands for fees triple what they are paying for Discovery Health, the channel being converted to OWN. Advertisers coaxed aboard with a personal call from Oprah will want to see healthy ratings. "No one has ever created a whole channel with original programmin...

Brett Favre Scandal - Brett Favre scandal - it's almost over with the NFL investigation and the league is responding after reports that Jenn Sterger's lawyer, Joseph Conway, has pressured them into making a decision regarding Brett Favre. According to The Washington Post, Conway received a phone call from an NFL official Wednesday that the investigation is complete. The only thing left is having a review of the material by Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league's attorneys. Greg Aiello, the NFL spokesman, responded to news that they concluded the investigation by saying an exact timetable hasn't been nailed down. Aiello stated on behalf of the NFL: "We're not ruling out this week. We're not ruling out next week." Brett Favre Scandal Sterger's manager, Phil Reese, stated earlier this week he was unhappy with the NFL's slow progress in the investigation surrounding Brett Favre and his client. He wanted her name cleared and indicat...

Prep And Landing Short - Last December saw the debut of Prep and Landing, a short Disney toon of some 20-odd minutes that introduced us to the team of elves who go ahead of Santa and lay the groundwork for his rapid, intercontinental gift delivery. It was one of the best Mouse-made films in recent years.* To tide us over before the little pointy-eared chaps return for a full sequel next year, this December we’ve been allowed just a tiny taste, a new short that runs under 7 minutes total. Mere crumbs! Prep And Landing Short Operation: Secret Santa screened on ABC last night and – being in the UK and all – I missed it. Never fret, the internet is here to save the day. Faster than the fat man in red, the show whistled around the world and into… er… my eye… chimneys? Yeah. Sort of. You can see the toon on the ABC Prep and Landing site now. I understand that the first full-length special will be airing on your American tellyboxes once more this very night. It comes highly recommend...