Apple News & Tech News – Snow Leopard, Windows 7, MMS, iPhone Apps, Updates – September 2009

Google Forced to Reveal Identity of Offensive Blogger

Liskula Cohen is a Canadian-born model, best known for her appearances in fashion magazines such as Vogue, Elle, and Cleo. When she discovered that a blog called Skanks in NYC, hosted on Google’s Blogger, had been referring to her as “skank” and “old hag,” she decided to press Google to reveal the identity of the blogger through court, and the court has now decided in her favor.

One quote is enough to show the nature of the blog: “How old is this skank? 40 something? She’s a psychotic, lying, whoring, still going to clubs at her age, skank.” However, the blogger’s lawyer argued that these comments are his opinions and hyperbole – trash talk, if you will – but Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Joan Madden decided that “the thrust of the blog is that [Cohen] is a sexually promiscuous woman,” and that Cohen is entitled to sue the blogger for defamation.

This also means that Google will have to reveal the identity of the blogger in question; an important move that will set a precedent for future cases such as this one. The blogger in question has, without a doubt, been very offensive towards Cohen, as can be seen in the above quote. However, as we all know, the internet is full of offensive comments and broad negative statements of all kinds. On the upside, this decision will make people think twice about posting offensive posts and comments about someone, as they’re no longer protected by a shroud of anonymity. On the other hand, it might trigger a flood of similar lawsuits, perhaps for trivial reasons, which can in turn have serious implications on everyone’s online privacy.

What do you think? Was Judge Madden’s decision the right one? Please voice your opinion in the comments.

Tags: blog, blogger, Google

Remote Temperature Sensing Space Heater

When the mercury drops, either you put on more layers of thick clothing, or feed the fireplace with more wood while staying within a few feet of it. Others who are more fortunate can always rely on their electronic heater, but that tends to consume a whole lot of power. The Remote Temperature Sensing Space Heater helps you maintain just the right temperature no matter where you are in the room, offering a sense of uniformity for folks who like stability in their lives.

This is the only space heater that monitors the ambient temperature from the remote control, ensuring your preferred air temperature is maintained wherever you are located. When the temperature falls below or rises above the preset level, the remote control automatically sends a signal to the heater (up to 30′ away) to increase or decrease the wattage and fan speed. Deeply pitched fan blades and a specially designed air duct create a vortex of warm air that circulates throughout a 256′ sq. room, heating the air evenly from the floor to the ceiling and eliminating hot and cold spots. The heater uses only the necessary energy (between 750 and 1,500 watts) to achieve the preferred temperature, ensuring optimal efficiency. The remote also allows you to adjust heat output or set the timer with the touch of a button, and all functions can be changed using the heater’s LCD touchscreen.

This $199.95 home appliance comes bundled with a remote control, where you will need to throw in another two AA batteries to get that up and running. The heater itself can be plugged straight into an AC outlet.