Here's a turn-up for the books: AT&T, Google, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and many others have formed a pro-privacy coalition that's asked Congress for updates to wiretapping laws to close loopholes that make it easy to listen in on "Web 2.0" without a warrant: "the current electronic privacy laws are woefully outdated and must be updated to provide clear privacy protections that reflect the always-on, location-enabled, Web 2.0 world of the 21st century." (EFF is suing AT&T over its complicity in the Bush-era illegal NSA wiretapping, and has filed an objection to Google's Book Search settlement on privacy grounds — it says something that all three organizations agree on the need for this update to privacy law)
EFF, AT&T and Google all on the same side of this privacy fight
Why e-sports careers are shorter than those of athletes
E-sports stars have short careers—shorter than sports stars. The general assumption is that the coordination and focus required selects for youth even more than athletic performance does, but medical experts say that's not at all true. Instead, the Washington Post's Jonathan Lee traces more complex causes: success leads to an entrepreneurial track promoting gamer bric-a-brac;… READ THE REST
Amazon to close 68 stores, including all bookstores
Amazon is to close all its "physical" bookstores among dozens of others, reports Publishers Weekly, ending a six-year experiment even as other brick-and-mortar efforts thrive. Many industry observers believed Amazon's goal in opening the stores was to experiment with new shopping technologies, showroom its book and book-related offerings, and examine consumer behavior. Indeed, after the… READ THE REST
Epic Games is buying Bandcamp
Fortnight publisher Epic Games has acquired Bandcamp, the online platform that transformed the independent music business in wonderful ways. "The products and services you depend on aren't going anywhere, we'll continue to build Bandcamp around our artists-first revenue model," said Bandcamp co-founder/CEO Ethan Diamond in a statement. From The Verge: Epic describes Bandcamp as committed… READ THE REST
Pour Over Gooseneck Coffee Kettle will give you a pep in your morning step
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. We simply cannot function without the roasted nectar of the gods passing our lips first thing in the morning. If you're a pour-over type sipper, you know the true importance of… READ THE REST
You can always start the fire with this match striker on hand
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. From steamy date nights to warm summer evenings filled with s'mores, a flickering flame can make all kinds of magic happen. But if you're walking around with a dinky set of… READ THE REST
Fully submerge yourself in your tunes with these waterproof headphones
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Whether you're a professional swimmer or simply enjoy swimming as a leisurely pursuit, the peaceful sound of waves can only keep you going for so long. But imagine how exciting your deep drives might be… READ THE REST
