This Friday the 13th at 3:31:30pm PST, it's time to party like it's 1234567890 - 'cause it is! (UNIX time) Basically, most computer count time as the number of seconds since January 1, 1970 UTC. If u r geeky enough, throw a party! See 1234567890day.com for more. (Since I'm in Pittsburgh, I'll be partying at 6:31pm EST.)

Data mining systems like Google Analytics that collect and analyze vast amounts of user data raise privacy concerns that need to be carefully considered when building community and social networking sites. As societal interactions rely on trust or reputation, it's important that this trust can be accumulated and even measured in a safe and secure way.

Everyone on our street who had an Obama yard sign (about 20 or more) had them stolen last night. I agree with Peter Frampton that this is an affront to freedom of speech. But now the Obama campaign will get more money as all the neighbors I've talked to are planning to replace them today. Pisses me off, though.

A fellow alumnus of mine, George Lakoff argues that the Republican choice of Palin makes total sense if you truly understand the strategy of the Republicans in this election. Found on mamasforobama.net

The Palin Choice and the Reality of the Political Mind by George Lakoff This election matters because of realities-the realities of global warming, the economy, the Middle East, nuclear proliferation, civil liberties, species extinction, poverty here and around the world, and on and on.

Google is announcing Friend Connect tonight, a service advertised to "help website owners grow traffic by enabling any site on the web to easily provide social features for its visitors." Friend Connect employs OpenID and OAuth which is a good start, but how it puts them together is lacking vision and, disturbingly, may raise significant privacy concerns.

I just read an excellent article from the New York Times that a colleague sent me (have I mentioned recently that I love working for CivicActions?) that has me once again thinking that I want to grow some vegetables.

By Rob Papke, Mt. Lebanon Council PTA Environmental Chair

Chances are that if you live in the US, you might be voting February 5th. If you are undecided, or if you are leaning toward a candidate who is not Barack Obama, please read the following. For those of you leaning toward Hillary Clinton: She is completely disqualified for so many reasons that I will have to give just the highlights here. I'll start with a practical, tactical and strategic argument for my fellow Democrats and independents.

Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am and director Jesse Dylan, Bob Dylan's son created this "song" - essentially written by Barack Obama. The lyrics are adapted from his "Yes We Can" speech after the New Hampshire primary. "Yes We Can" was inspired by Cesar Chavez's motto for a United Farm Workers hunger strike in 1972. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY I remember back to when I was five - starting to become aware of the world around me - and John Fitzgerald Kennedy was president.

It is troubling that the growing theocracy in this country and connections between church and state has increased in me a distrust of religion - and thus religious people - when the fact is that there are many good religious people and most religions are built upon good ideals such as peace, justice and harmony with each other and with nature.