AARDVARK

Are we trying to use suicide-bomber tactics against climate change? Why on earth are we prepared to sacrifice ourselves to try and stop the inevitable while others stand around and watch?

Did you realise that YouTube is littered with informative video tutorials that teach script kiddies how to hack into servers and snag user-passwords using simple techniques and readily available software? You might think this is a bad thing but I argue the opposite.

Why are some folks being honoured for just turning up to work in the civil service, while so many of the real heros of our society go unrecognised? Is it time to change the New Years Honours system?

It looks as if the humble disk (in its many forms) is all lined up for extinction quite early in the 21st century. Just why is it an endangered species and what will take its place?

Data-caps and other restrictions to Net access have been a way of life in NZ, ever since the internet became available amd now that Telecom has announced its intention to spend over a billion dollars revamping its network I don't see them disappearing any time soon.

As car makers seek to reduce the financial and environmental cost of driving their vehicles, are they simply passing the problem on to other energy providers?

Here are some of the dead-end ideas I've had this week while trying to come up with a few concepts to turn a web presence into cold hard cash. There's also one I'm quite fond of - but you be the judge as to whether I'm out of my tree or not.

Will increasing pressure from advertisers eventually force bloggers to sell-out and mix product-placement and paid promotion into their commentaries? With more people blocking banners, just how can you effectively advertise on the web anyway?

NZ is playing cyber-war games with a bunch of other countries. But is it enough to ensure our key infrastructure is safe from a concerted attack?

The gear needed to watch HD digital TV may be the smallest price you have to pay if you want to enjoy this technological advance. There's an important freedom that you'll have to forego as well.

Has iYomu wasted $1m trying to buy an audience? Well based on evidence found on the web, I think they have.

The planet is facing an energy crunch and climate change all at the same time. So who will save us? Will it be a bunch of physicists with tokamaks or a crowd of biochemists with a clever cocktail of slimey stuff?

It looks as if Big Brother will play a pivotal role in convicting the alleged murderer of Christchurch woman Emma Agnew. Did you realise just how closely your movements are monitored by your mobile phone company?

It looks as if taxpayers are going to have to foot the bill because the mainstream media have such a poor track record on checking the facts relating to the science and technology involved in news stories. But will it really make any difference to the quality or accuracy of news reporting?

Have you ever watched anything on YouTube you really ought not have? If so, you will not be pleased with the ruling that a US court has just passed in respect to your viewing history

The next big thing could actually be very small. It could be a tout that lives in your pocket or around your neck and allows you to silently interact with all those around you - striking up new business and personal relationships as you walk down the street.

Section 92A of the new copyright act puts ISPs in a very unenviable position - why? Is it time for Net users to speak out with a very loud voice at legislation that could see you disconnected as a result of totally false accusations without proof?

What ever happened to Blu-ray? It won the war against Toshiba's HD-DVD but still hasn't taken off. But maybe it will, now that the Blu-ray encryption appears to have been cracked by some Chinese pirates.

Just why is an Australian ISP being sued for acting like - an ISP? And how does this compare with the situation in NZ? It's all about ill-conceived copyright laws.

Good news - we're leading the world in SMS messaging. Bad news - guess why that is.