OPINION

Where Is Away? Or, What Happens When You Flush the Toilet

By Terry Calhoun

Well, the answer is that there is no “away.” Just like the social construction of “race,” which for human beings really has no scientific biological sense but is a real social force due to the often subconscious beliefs (social facts) of humans in various societal contexts, there really is no such place as “away” as used in the term “throw away.” Yet we all use the term and, until a certain level of maturity is reached, young people may even assume there is such a place.

IT NEWS

The AIM Virus Hits the University of Illinois

What a perfect world for a virus that depends on people clicking a bad link--a world of haste and distracted attention. In less than a month Campus Information Technologies and Educational Services (CITES) at Illinois had to remove more than 600 infected computers from the network. (Daily Illini) Read more

Hack Attacks at Florida State Cause Security to be Rethought

The two computers recently attacked were apparently just being used to store large files, but the names of 26,000 FSU alumni were potentially compromised. (Tallahassee Democrat) Read more

Game Time at Ithaca College

Computer games, that is. "Serious Gaming," not an oxymoron, and it’s not just for Nobel Prize winners. It really is a new class aimed at creating eLearning games to be offer by the Roy H. Park School of Communications. (The Ithacan Online) Read more

Microsoft Ends Feud With Real

Microsoft agrees to support Real's digital-music and games businesses and give the Seattle-based company $761 million. Can one standard for digital audio be far behind? (The Seattle Times) Read more

RESOURCES

iPod Subway Maps Help Commuters

This new website is intended for people to share their iPod-able subway maps with each other. Lots of potential. (iPodSubwaymaps.com) Find out more

DEALS, CONTRACTS, AWARDS

Blackboard Acquires WebCT

Blackboard announced Wednesday that it is acquiring WebCT. Blackboard says it is paying approximately $180 million for WebCT, but the ultimate price depends on WebCT's cash balance when the deal closes. “The combined companies' 3,700 academic clients will create an unparalleled Community of Practice enabling collaboration and innovation around the world,” according to Blackboard. More information is available at a new Website for the two companies: http://www.blackboard.com/webct

Jeff Hawkins Funds New Research Center at UC Berkeley

Hawkins, a famed computer pioneer has used a $m gift to begin the Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience. Research is focused on, among other things, developing a new computer memory system modeled after the human neocortex. (UC Berkeley News) Read more

Yale's Web Mail Changes Get Mixed Reviews

Yale University (CN) has completely replaced its Webmail system using software from Horde, an open source consortium. Reactions prove once again that change can be uncomfortable. (Yale Daily News) Read more

Microsoft Adds Yahoo to Its Buddy List

Microsoft. and Yahoo! partner to let their users instant message each other for the first time, challenging America Online dominance of Internet messaging. (Bloomberg) Read more