Google Plus - invite?

Jack Dikian

September 2011

So are you like me waiting for a Google Plus invite? Come-on Christian, Larry, and Sergey I’m etching to get my mittens into this. As we’ve heard Google is rolling out the service in waves and we can expect it to become a ubiquitous social option real soon. Early users of Facebook will know that if two people wanted to see each other’s updates, both needed to “friend” each other. Of course we can “like” groups now too. Twitter has always been a one-way thing. I can follow you but you do not necessarily have to follow me back.

Google Plus provides the ability to see updates from certain groups like "Work," "Friends" and/or "Family" (Circles) as well as the ability for one main stream. Here are some of the Plus features

• Circles - The idea that we share different things with different people. So sharing the right content with the right people is a plus.
• Hangouts - You will be able to let specific people or an entire circle you are hanging out and then see who drops by for a face-to-face-to-face chat.
• Sparks - By telling Sparks your interests and it will send you content that it guesses you’ll like.
• Huddle - turns different conversation threads into one simple group chat, getting everyone onto the same page.

Top 45 Social News Sites

Jack Dikian

September 2011

Social news and media has been one of my long-term interests. How proactive and progressive companies used early net-centric technologies as an enabler for product delivery, support and customer service and the manner by which the Internet has changed the way we work, live and play.

I’ve been following a number of social news websites. These typically feature reader-submitted stories that are ranked based on popularity.

There has much said about how social media will continue be a large part of organizations’’ strategies. We should expect to see a continuation of - Social media as a customer service tool and the use of customer based reviews and ratings of products and services that feature on their websites. The following website “1^st web designer” provides a list of the best 45 social news sites.

http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/freebies/get-more-traffic-social-news-websites/

Cyber Racism

Jack Dikian

September 2011

According to Wikipedia, the term "cyber racism" was coined by Les Back in 2002 to capture the phenomenon of racism online, particularly white supremacist web sites. The term encompasses racist rhetoric that is distributed through computer-mediated means.

There is currently little research on the extent and impact on cyber racism in Australia. However, current Australian research in the area of cyber bullying, the number of complaints of internet-based racism made nationally, and studies conducted overseas provide a strong indication of the nature and extent of cyber racism in Australia.

The Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study CHPRC, conducted by Edith Cowan University May 2009 found that:

• Cyber bullying was defined by young people as cruel covert bullying used primarily by young people to harm others using technology such as: social networking sites, other chat-rooms, mobile phones, websites and web-cameras.
• 7-10% of students reported they were bullied by means of technology through the school term.
• Slightly higher rates of cyber bullying were found among secondary students and students from non-government schools.
• Differences were found in each age group regarding the mode of technology most prevalent for cyber bullying in and out of school. More internet-based bullying through social networking sites was reported than through mobile phones, especially as students get older.
• Cyber bullying appears to be related to age (or access to technology), with older students more likely to engage in cyber bullying than younger students.
• Students reported that home cyber bullying is likely to be higher among older students especially if parents don't have the knowledge and skills to help their child.
• Cyber bullying differences were found in each year group (Year 4 to 9) regarding the mode of technology, with nasty messages more likely to be sent via the internet (most often through social networking sites) than via mobile phones, more especially as students get older.

Source: Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study CHPRC, Edith Cowan University May 2009

Tasmanian Millipedes Tow The Line

Jack Dikian

August 2011

Tasmanian Millipedes Tow The Line

Millipede in the Latin loosely means thousands of feet although some species can have over 700 legs. More common species have between 36 and 400 legs.

There are approximately 160 species of Millipedes native to Tasmania and the behavior of two species in particular is challenging scientists world over.

Two neighboring species maintain a strict no go zone. They refuse to stray into each other’s territory regardless of terrain or habitat. The boundary line runs through a diverse range of ecologies, geologies, and even crosses rivers, and seems like it has nothing to do with environments.

The boundary is 200Km long and in some places, less than 100 Meters wide and yet all the time these Millipedes never stray. Currently there isn’t an explanation for this behaviour and many consider understanding this behaviour will be important to biology.

Airport Security Using Drug Detection Mice

Jack Dikian

February 2011

Genetically-selected, specially-trained rodents can apparently detect drugs and explosives. Israeli scientists have created a device similar to a body scanner that uses mice to detect drugs or explosives.

It reminds me of the Hanna-Barbera production Flintstones where many of the stone-age devices contained small animals that performed various purpose. A prehistoric Mesozoic (bird) for example would use its peck to draw an image of the object the “camera” is aimed at.

In a similar way, mice in concealed cartridges within the scanner is said to be more efficient in the detection of drugs and explosives than that of x-ray machines or specially trained dogs.

When the mice sense traces of drugs they run to a side chamber where they trigger an alarm. BioExplorers systems are based on combining the hyper-sensitive olfactory capability of rodents with the care-free reliability of a hi-tech machine system, according to the company. According to BioExplorers it takes about ten days to teach the mice to sniff out their first banned substance, but they learn subsequent smells more quickly.

Dating Unattractive Blokes

Jack Dikian

February 2011

WOMEN who date unattractive blokes risk higher stress levels, lower fertility rates and are more likely to have an affair, according to research.

Researchers Dr Simon Griffiths and Dr Sarah Pryke from Macquarie University reported (1) that female Gouldian finches forced to pair up with poor quality partners delayed their breeding and were four times more stressed than their happier nest mates.

The interesting link is that gouldian finches have close parallels to humans, not only being socially monogamous but also producing the same stress hormones. The study claims to be the first to measure how satisfied, or unsatisfied, females are with their partners in a monogamous species.

The researchers explain that in our society there's been an assumption that you'll end up with the partner that's perfect for you. But that isn’t always the case. Birds, like humans, must make the best of the choice available to them.

The research question; wether forced choice affects the breeding success and stress levels of females. According to the study, females with good partners started laying eggs straight away, while those with bad partners waited up to a month. Also, they observed (by blood analysis) females with the wrong male were stressed within just 12 hours of him being introduced into the cage.

1. Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Shopping Online and Consumer Complaints

Jack Dikian

January 2011

Leading up to Christmas 2010 much of the news concerning online shopping was associated with whether the Federal Government should place a good and services tax (GST) on products bought from overseas online retailers. And some local retailers claimed that they are at an "unfair disadvantage" when competing against goods bought from overseas.

Another aspect associated with our increasing tendency to shop online is the increasing rate of shopping complaints about online purchases. In fact, we (Australians) made the second-highest number of complaints about online purchases only after the US.

The most common problem reported was a failure to receive a purchased product, followed by misrepresentation of products. According to Michael Callaghan, a lecturer in consumer behaviour at Deakin University, Australians expected web retailers to be more reliable than early embracers of online shopping. "The tolerance of consumers now to accept problems is a lot less than a few years ago. The perceived risk [of online shopping] has gone down … and the less risk you perceive the more likely you'll seek redress if problems occur.''

Only a few years ago, NSW Fair Trading Minister, Linda Burney, urged consumers to proceed with caution when shopping online. The warning came after figures from the Office of Fair Trading revealed a 22% increase in complaints about online trading in the past year (2006) to almost 1,500.

Almost half of the complaints received related to the non or partial delivery of the goods, faults or damage, or the product not matching the description, and one in five complaints related directly to refunds, overcharging and other money related issues.

A number of agencies have recently launched programmes, including online sites to help deliver better consumer protection world-wide, providing shoppers with essential information to avoid scams, shop safely online, and how to lodge a complaint for cross-border disputes.

These agencies are sharing information, cooperating on initiatives and amalgamating information to combat cross border scams, and other equally less satisfying practices.

Some examples include:

International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network (ICPEN) www.icpen.org, provides consumers with essential information including how to avoid scams and shop safely online.

www.econsumer.gov, is an initiative of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network to monitor fraud in cross-border online purchases.

www.accc.gov.au The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission promotes competition and fair trade in the market place to benefit consumers, businesses and the community, international consumer issues.