March 7, 2006

LittleGreenFootballs: Agora has translated an interesting piece by Danish writer Helle Merete Brix, looking back at the Muslim world’s rage over Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses: The Satanic Precedent of the Muhammed Cartoons. How is it that 12 cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammed published in a Danish newspaper can lead to a fatwa, threats from Al-Qaeda, diplomatic crisis, massive boycott of Danish goods and flag burnings in the West Bank? How can 12 cartoons get the Moslem World to jump on Jyllands-Posten and the Danish Prime Minister? To understand the dramatic developments of the Muhammed cartoons issue, it may be enlightening to recollect the case of Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses. UPDATE :Salman Rushdie has got better things to do these days than worry about some death-fatwa against him.  Salman's new place of worship... 2:54:43 PM

Google 'planning total storage'. Web giant Google plans a massive online storage facility to encompass all users' files, it is reported. [BBC News | News Front Page | UK Edition] 1:37:26 PM

Wireless connectivity to blanket downtown Toronto Toronto Hydro wants to be able to replace all the Electicity meters with smart meters.  Using the internet these meters will be able to do "time of day" billing in homes and businesses.  Billing customers more for using electricity during peak periods. The utility will sell off some of the extra WI-FI that they don't need to consumers, or broadband companies in order to reduce the costs. [CBC | Business News] 1:36:34 PM