Unfree Speech ~ Economist on Censorship Rise

The Economist spotlights the Change in Freedom of Expression...

Mao's Millionaire Minions ~ Censored NYTimes...

China's dictatorial overlords have censored the NYTimes article by David Barboza exposing the scandalous Billions in Hidden Riches for Family of Chinese Leader. Witness Mao's millionaire minions enormous corruption and abuse of power in this infographic on the Wen Family Empire...

P.S. See also Economist piece on China's ruling families, a Torrent of Scandals.

Darling Goes Adult ~ MIT Research on Porn+Tech

Our MIT Media Lab colleague Kate Darling (visiting from ETHZ) studies intellectual property and economics, including especially intangibles and what are sometimes called "soft assets". Since no media sector exposes more in this regard than adult, Kate has become deeply engaged in the porn industry, observing its dynamics up-close. She shares some penetrating insights in this recent interview with Jon Tribb of LadieZ Night, Kate Darling on Tech in the Adult Industry...

"The adult industry is notoriously innovative, and it’s going through the same technological disruption as other entertainment industries in the Internet age. [...] When I looked for research on the subject, I couldn’t find very much, so I decided to do it myself. [...] Adult entertainment has always been in tremendous demand. Also, many new media formats have increased privacy and convenience, which is something that consumers value highly. Another reason may be that the adult industry has never really had the option of fighting technological change. [...] As with previous technological disruptions, the companies that figure out ways to use this new architecture to their advantage rather than spend all of their resources trying to stop it are more likely to win in the end. [...] once the current dust settles, I think we will be left with some highly professional, smart, competitive players, and I think that they have a good shot at surviving, and even thriving."

Finally, Darling answers the obligatory question about sexbots...

"I’m fascinated with all of the directions that social robotics is taking and truly hope we manage to develop sophisticated sex robots"

Be sure to read the full, uncut interview;-)

Abort Censors ~ Ridiculing Religious Wingnuts...

Unwise newspaper editors are effectively censoring socio-political cartoon Doonesbury for a series of strips ridiculing those who seek to deny fundamental human rights to women. This censorship is so infernally despicable you'd think it was the work of the Devil himself, but of course that mystical viper doesn't really exist. Unfortunately misguided people do. Therefore, witness here the comic scathing of these idiots...