Monthly Archives: November 2007

The mayoral election earlier this month in San Francisco was abysmal. Our conservative-leaning incumbent Gavin Newsom ran virtually unopposed. Still, I sought out the one candidate I think could turn this city around. That’s why I voted for Josh Wolf, …

Back in the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church would sell you an “indulgence” for your sins. Pay the church a set amount per sin, and they’d hand over a piece of fancy paper saying your sin had been wiped clean. …

This Thursday I’m moderating a panel about digital privacy (and the lack thereof) at San Francisco’s excellent Commonwealth Club. The panel is called “2007 — Is This 1984?” and the panelists are attorneys who work on privacy issues in the …

Registration is now open for Technology in Wartime, a conference I’m co-organizing for CPSR that’s happening at Stanford on Jan. 26 of next year. The event will attract an international audience of computer scientists, policy makers, military professionals, human rights …

Yeah, it’s last minute. But if you’re in the mood to make fun of a cheesy, mid-1990s movie with Angelina Jolie playing a 1337 haXOr, come out to San Francisco’s Dark Room (2263 Mission) at 8 PM for “Bad Movie …

Consumer electronics are so 2007. It’s all about the consumer biotech, people. Want to find out what the three big upcoming home biotech gizmos will be? Read my column about the “DNA Crystal Ball,” “Clonies!” and “Gene Expression Jam Session.”

James Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, has finally been publicly spanked and booted from his job for a lifetime of sexism and racism. I will never forget when he gave a lecture at Berkeley in 2001 and claimed …

When I was at the excellent conference Arse Elektronika last month, I was lucky enough to meet the artist/musician/geek Matt Ganucheau. He’s known for his electronic music and sound-related art projects, but for Arse Elektronika he created an interactive erotic …