Daily Link

The perfect gift for anyone who goes out in public!

This person is under 24 hour video surveillance

After 33 years with Microsoft, Gates is stepping down to focus on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Details here.

Take a look at these two group photos, the first taken in 1978 and the latter more recently. Both include original Microsoft employees. The BBC has a video that describes the circumstances surrounding the original photo.

The blogosphere is just picking up on the December, 2007 announcement by the British Local Government Association of its decision to ban 100 words from the lexicon of its members. The list includes favorites such as outcomes, enhance and facilitate. The full list awaits after the jump… Continue reading UK agency bans 100 words…

Yes. The specs make some folks giddy. And the price drop will drive many to buy even those “with pink slips in one hand and credit cards in other.”

Simmer down now and let’s do some math. Minimum monthly fees are $30/month for data and another $39.99/month for voice. From what I hear you can’t have one without the other.

30+39.99=69.99X12=$839.88 a year not including ATT’s extra fees and taxes. Is it worth it?

What would Suze Ormann say?

ATT details here.

Does anyone know if users will be charged extra for GPS use?

Today’s growing fire in the Santa Cruz mountains, combined with yesterday’s Sleepy Hollow wildfire, prompts me to remind my readers about big fires in Marin History.

Marin is ripe for a fire given the heavy fuel load and decades without any big fire. Are you ready? How about your house?

The IJ put together a good piece about yesterday’s robotics competition at Drake. The online version has more photos but the print version made the front page.

Google map of earthquake epicenter

NY Times reports that 2,300 cell towers are down in the region

BBC reports on Twitter usage in the moments after the quake

Are you ready for our next earthquake? Start preparing now at Get Ready Marin.

UPDATE: Due to a twist of fate, NPR had a broadcasting team in Sichuan province when the quake occurred. Their blog quickly shifted gears from “life in China” to a stream of reports about the quake and its aftermath. The team is also posting audio reports. If you only listen to one audio clip make it the one that is a live recording of the quake during an interview.

Google is unveiling Friend Connect, an easy to use module that plugs into existing pages. Instead of driving people to one site (Facebook, MySpace) to communciate, Google’s plan is to bring them to connected sites. There is no central.

More at CNET.

The rumors are true. BB will release the Bold sometime late June. Price will shake out to between $330-$500. Accepts up to 16gb SD card. Removable battery. I think wifi? Stay tuned. Some competition for the iPhone. Good news for me - it will push the price of other smartphones DOWN.