http://code.google.com/apis/opensocial is out. But what does that mean?

It is reffered to as a fightback against the facebook api. I read somewhere claims that Facebook API is 98% open, Open Social 100%.

That might be true, depends on your definition of open. It is a step in the right direction. I'm not sure if you can adhere to the api, but bypass google services completely. Need to read it, touch it see it. If the API is actually server/vendor/social network platform agnostic then it is definitely a big step in the right direction, and the numbers are not as above but more like 50-100. Especially with the prospect of weird and wonderful mashups between niche networks.

The privacy and security issues will rise exponentially, but they are solvable and there is a bit more understanding in the general populace.

So I want to talk about:

1. Why atheists are angry;

2. Why our anger is valid, valuable, and necessary;

And 3. Why it's completely fucked-up to try to take our anger away from us.

So let's start with why we're angry. Or rather -- because this is my blog and I don't presume to speak for all atheists -- why I'm angry.

Atheists and Anger

A wonderful passionate angry atheist rant.
+++ girl

"In January 2006 the European Commission published the Study on the Economic and Technical Evolution of the Scientific Publication Markets of Europe. The Study resulted from a detailed analysis of the current scholarly journal publication market, together with extensive consultation with all the major stakeholders within the scholarly communication process (researchers, funders, publishers, librarians, research policymakers, etc.).
The Study noted that 'dissemination and access to research results is a pillar in the development of the European Research Area' and it made a number of balanced and reasonable recommendations to improve the visibility and usefulness of European research outputs."

from Petition for guaranteed public access to publicly-funded research results

It is a very important request, but not going far enough. Essentially, the petition requests all knowledge, result of publicly funded research to be made openly and freely (they are not explicit about it, but this is what I understand from the context) available and accessible.

Software written using public funds should have it's source code
published under a distribution licence that has been declared Free by the
Free Software Foundation, rather than remaining a closed secret.

This would allow for more of the public to benefit from the development of
the software since the code would be available for anyone to use and
improve. Furthermore, compatibility with other Free licences (such as the
GPL) would promote rapid development and reduced costs through the reuse
of existing code.

An open development model would also allow the public to be more informed
of the progress and quality of these projects, which so frequently seem to
end up severely over budget.

Open IT projects petition

It is a simple, common sense principle - public funds should fund public projects, which should remain public for the eternity. In my opinion it is a just cause. A free license or, if the creators/contractors wish so, public domain, a known practice in the USA, is the most logical, socially responsible demand a government can make.

Aren't they ever pragmatists them Germans. Apparently, the German authorities are putting a 12km concrete and metal fence around Heiligendamm, the town of this year's G8 summit. Well done - this will keep the peace in the town and at the Kempinski hotel.

I wonder why does "Resistance is futile" echoes in my head in German accent :)

On 11 January 11 2002, the first detainees from Afghanistan arrived at the US Naval Base of Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Five years on, the baby is live and kicking and enjoys good health. It has been kept on a nutritious diet of injustice and abuse.

Celebrate it's five year on anniversary with all of it's well wishers at the Guantanamo Anniversary Special

Two days ago a Lybian court sentenced five nurses and a doctor to death, for the horrendous crime that they have apparently intentionally infected some 400+ children with HIV. The really outrageous and and sad side of this story is that the sentenced medics are innocent, at least according to the opinion of independent world renown experts. Their opinions have not been allowed in the court proceedings and discounted as biased, erroneous and alleged that they form a part of a conspiracy against Lybia. That is simply ridiculous. Especially since the medical opinion is that the main cause is probably bad hygiene practices in the hospital in Bengazi. :(

From a conspiracy theorist's point of view it is an inspiration that the blood money demanded by Lybia match the money Lybia was sentenced to pay the families of the Lockerbie bombing's victims.

There's nothing more to comment - there is loads of information on the internet. The article in wikipedia - HIV trial in Lybia provides a fairly brief but thorough account on the matter.

I'm gutted to hear that Spiller's Records is under threat to get shut down. It will be a shame if it happens. It will be a loss. Instead of being shut it should be listed. It's the oldest surviving record shop in the world! It's been continuosly open since 1894, yes, that's right it has been alive in three different centuries. Sign the petition. Now! If you don't want such gems to disappear. I quote the petition below.

Britain’s Department for International Development (DFID) has channelled over £30 million of its aid through an institution designed to pay consultants to push privatisation in poor countries according to a report released today (Sunday 26 November 2006) by the World Development Movement. This compares, for example, to the £3.5 million DFID has pledged to spend over four years to help establish a new programme of support for higher education in Africa.

from www.wdm.org.uk

Making noise.

I'm receiving emails from people I know and people who know me (for some strange reason this is true), who are aware of my posts about Alaa and his imprisonment in Egypt earlier this year.

Well, it seems the authorities there have consistent policies against dissent.

Recently Abdel Karim Sulaiman Amer was arrested and detained [apparently] because of his critical writings on his blog.

Similarly Rami Siyam aka Ayyoub got arrested and detained on November 20.

Let's not forget the imprisonment of Tal’at Sadat, a member of parliament, for “spreading false rumours and insulting the armed forces".