China Bans Virtual/ Real Currency Exchange

China’s trying real hard to protect their people from Internet. They are trying to block porn, install censorship software on all computers, and now they are banning virtual currency exchange.

None of these will work, but that won’t stop the Chinese Government from trying.

Virtual currency comes in many forms. From buying “points” on a web site to gold in games like World of Warcraft, the Internet is full of different economies.

China has put a ban on virtual economy to real world economy exchange. The expressed goal of the new policy is to stop the Chinese people from gambling online.

The policy also stops gold farming. Gold farming is a large scale collection of video game currency for the sole purpose of exchange for real currency. Basically, there are factories of people who play games like World of Warcraft and collect gold in the game for a living. The gold is then sold to people over the Internet for real currency.

You may find yourself thinking, that this is dumb. Who would spend real money for fake gold?

Lots of people.

There are a lot of professional folks who enjoy playing these games, but don’t have the time necessary to gather the resources they require to play the game at the level they desire. What they do have is money.

Some people have lots of time and no money. They are perfect for gold farming.

Other people have very little time and lots of money. They are willing buyers.

The equation isn’t too difficult.

I’ve never purchased gold, items, or characters before, but when I quit playing Diablo II (the online game I was hooked on in high school) I sold off my characters, items, and gold… yes, I know this violated the terms of service agreement with the game publisher, but people do it anyway.

Moving on.

You might be wondering, how many people could possibly be participating in online economies and gold farming?

Believe it or not, this is big business. Estimates put online currency exchange somewhere between $200 million and $1 billion dollars.

This is a real source of jobs, and an opportunity for economic development and China is removing itself and its people from the game. It means that gold farming jobs will go elsewhere (hooray for other, less repressive developing nations). However, it also means that 1/6 of the world’s population will be cut off from online economies, thus stunting a lot of growth potential over the long haul.

A possible loophole: What about selling online commodities for real money in stead of online currency. For example, what about converting the online gold to items, selling the items for cash, and then letting the buyer convert it back to online currency in a market? I’m not sure if it would work, but it’s a thought.

Ultimately this policy isn’t about gambling, it’s about control.

For more on this subject, checkout Information Week.

Storm Wastes Her Talents

Let’s geek out a bit.

Something about the X-Man, Storm always bothered me. I couldn’t put my finger on it until my drive up to Buffalo.

As I drove through Upstate New York I noticed how full all of the rivers, lakes, streams, and reservoirs were; New York has had in unseasonable volume of rain this month. I realized that we certainly won’t have drought conditions this summer, or next for that matter. At the same time, much of the rest of the US is in desperate need of rain.

That’s when it hit me.

What is Storm doing using her power to control the weather fighting villains? She could be saving far more lives by helping regions in need with their climate issues. I know she isn’t with the X-Men anymore, but she should be traveling the world solving serious problems that even the most strong-willed people have no control over.

That right there could be an interesting new take on a relatively old character. It would make a lot more sense.

Michael Jackson, Search & Video Games

Michael Jackson creeped me out. My view of him hasn’t changed as a result of his death, or hearing “Beat It” blasting out of every speaker I have been near since Thursday evening.

So, I won’t be adding to the “Goodbye MJ” noise that is reverberating around… everywhere.

That being said, I will draw your attention to two different pieces of information about the late Mr. Jackson.

1

His death triggered the most online search activity in history. The volume was so great that Google mistook it for an attack and shut down searches on “Michael Jackson.”

Pardon me while I stand up on my soapbox.

Why the hell does that break the record!? With all of the bad things that have happened over the last few years, why does it take the death of a psychologically twisted, aging pop star to instill curiosity in the masses?

End of rant.

2

Michael Jackson loved video games and had a strong presence in the industry during the 1990’s.

1UP detailed his extensive gaming history.

My personal favorite is the extremely odd, and in retrospect very creepy, Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker (1990) for arcade, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, and Game Gear.

In it, you (Michael Jackson) dance through a number of stages saving little children from lawyer-like men in suits. The attacks include a kick that shoots fairy dust, dance moves and fedora throws. It’s just plain weird. Have a look for yourself:

Send a Corrupted File Instead

(This is not a joke)

Corrupted-Files.com is a web site that sells intentionally corrupted (or damaged) Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.

Why the hell would someone want to buy a file that will not open?

To submit to a teacher/ professor. Sending a file that won’t open will allow a student to “meet” a deadline, while also buying them some extra time to actually finish the project.

Pulled from Corrupted-Files.com

Here’s how it works:

Pulled from Corrupted-Files.com

I came up with this exact idea about four years ago. However, by the time I thought of it, my “lazy bag of poo” phase was long past, so I never tried it. I also never thought of marketing the concept.

Gone Fishin’

Ok, not really.

However, I am in Buffalo visiting friends. They have been very kind and have given me a place to stay. That being said, they don’t have a strong Internet connection… I don’t know how people live like this!

I will try to continue posting every night.

Have a great weekend.

Eric Clapton’s Brush with Techno

Back in 1997, Eric Clapton attempted to release an electronic dance album anonymously (I’m not 100% sure I am classifying that genre correctly as I am treading into territory that I don’t know anything about).

He went by the name x-sample, and partnered with long time collaborator Simon Climie. They called themselves T.D.F., and their album was Retail Therapy.

Long-ish story short, it didn’t do well, and the music press in the UK tore the old blues rocker a new one for leaving his musical box. You can read more here.

As much as I love Clapton, I could never get into this album… and I did try. My recommendation is to go to Amazon’s sales page and listen to the 30 second samples for each song. Get a feel for what they sound like, just for the experience, then go listen to some Derek & the Dominos.

Gmail Ninja Training

I strongly recommend using Gmail for your personal and professional email needs.

It’s fast, easy to use, and works almost 100% of the time, plus it has a ton of cool features.

Those features are what really set Gmail apart from the competition, and they are often overlooked. Writing a guide for these features has been on my “To Do List” for a while. However, Google beat me to it.

So here is there Gmail ninja training guide.

It has four levels: White belt, Green belt, Black belt and Gmail master.

These are very easy to follow, and most of them are pretty practical.

If you are only going to learn two lessons, look at item 9 under White belt (about reporting spam), and item 5 under Gmail master (it’s about email encryption). Both are easy to do and will help improve email security.

The guide also explain Gmail’s substitute for folders (a frequently asked question/ complaint about the email service). See White belt items 3 & 4 for more information on that.

When you reach the end of your training, keep an eye out for Google’s masterful sales pitch.

Go train grasshopper… and practice safe computing.

Dream Theater’s Black Clouds & Silver Linings = WIN

Here it is up front – I am a BIG fan of Dream Theater.

I should also disclose that I have had the incredible fortune to go backstage and meet keyboardist Jordan Rudess, as well as guitarist John Petrucci after a Liquid Tension Experiment show last June.

Jordan Rudess is an incredibly nice guy.

I tell you this not to brag, but to let you know that my judgment might be a little skewed. I haven’t read any other reviews of this album, so I have no idea if anyone else agrees with my take on the progressive metal band’s tenth studio album, Black Clouds & Silver Linings.

It’s far and away my favorite album since their 1999 album, Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory. I have probably listened to the album about five times in the last two days and I cannot get enough of it… which is good because I wasn’t crazy about their last effort, Systematic Chaos.

If you are unfamiliar with Dream Theater, their music runs from menacing metal to spacey soaring ballads. This is highlighted by their “Best of” album which consists of two disks; one light, the other, dark.

Even the cover art is cool!

Here’s the breakdown:

1. A Nightmare to Remember (16:10) – The opening track has serious balls. It has a great crunchy metal melody that brings a slightly evil grin to my face every time I hear it. The first time I listened to this song it sucked me in to the point where I sat in my car for seven minutes in a parking lot, so the song could play through as I didn’t want to interrupt it.
2. A Right of Passage (8:35) – I’ve been listening to this song since they gave it away free on their web site in early May. This is the heaviest song on the album, and it took a few listens for it to grow on me, but it really did win me over. Once you get into it, this one is quite catchy.
3. Wither (5:25) – This marks a turning point in the album where it becomes much more mellow. This track in particular is a quiet, melodic ballad. It is probably the least catchy on the album, but it is still an incredible track. When a song like this is the “weakest” on the album, you know the band has done something special.
4. The Shattered Fortress (12:49) – I’m not sure what the story is behind this song, but it seems like a journey through the last few Dream Theater albums. It is unique yet incredibly familiar.
5. The Best of Times (13:07) – This epic song about a father and son is so heartwarming and beautiful. Any Dream Theater fan will smile when they hear the ticking clock at the beginning of the song. I felt like the clock ticked back to Scenes from a Memory throughout the entire song. John Petrucci’s guitar is stunning. There aren’t many guitarists who can make me feel such powerful emotions with a solo. Even fewer where I can listen to the same solo over and over again, and always feel the same way.  This song is perfect. If you only listen to one song from this album, let it be this one. On a side note – I can’t remember the last time I heard a song about a kid and his parents that had no angst.
6. The Count of Tuscany (19:16) – This 19 minute prog metal odyssey captures the essence of Dream Theater. It’s long, but it uses it’s length wisely. There are a number of very different movements that flow logically and never feel rushed. The solo swapping between Rudess and Petrucci is a ton of fun.

I used to be very tough on vocalist James LeBrie (a lot of fans are). I always wished I could get copies of Dream Theater albums that had the vocals edited out so that I could just enjoy the instrumentals. About a year ago I reversed my stance on LeBrie. I now think he is the perfect vocalist for the band, and cannot imagine anyone else at his microphone. His voice is unique and the guy has tremendous range. That being said, my wish was granted anyway. The three disk special edition of Dark Clouds & Silver Linings comes with an all instrumental copy of the album. The album is still wonderful without the vocals, but it doesn’t really improve it one bit. Long live James LeBrie.

The musicianship on this album is mind blowing. Drummer Mike Portnoy is like a ninja. He is insanely fast, and you never know which head he will strike on his gigantic drum kit. I have yet to see a drummer impress me as much as Portnoy.

Bassist John Myung is the silent workhorse. He adds such depth to the music.

Jordan Rudess & John Petrucci rock. They play like they sold their soul at the crossroad. Both men blast out so many notes, yet they make it look effortless and always imbue their music with emotion. It’s really something special.

The final disk in the special edition has six cover songs on it. They are all good, but not a single one stands out when compared to the actual album.

My recommendation is to purchase the standard, single disk edition unless you are a die-hard fan… or you don’t like James LeBrie.

Until We Meet Again Johnson & Johnson

This post is three weeks in the making. It will never be as eloquent as I want, nor will it fully articulate what I am feeling… but here goes nothing.

Two years ago a Fellowship was bestowed upon me by Johnson & Johnson. In short, Johnson & Johnson would pay for my masters communication & information studies at Rutgers University, plus a salary. In return, I would earn good grades and work for the Company’s Corporate Communications Department.

When I began, I had a lot of experience with my own business and did very well in my undergraduate programs, but a company like Johnson & Johnson was a completely different level. It was the largest health care company in the world, and I was a kid.

The first time I walked into the building I remember feeling insignificant. As I approached the elevator for the tower that I would be working in, the same tower that the CEO sat in, I thought to myself, “It’s only a matter of time before they discover that you don’t know anything and fire you.” I honestly had no idea if I knew how to do anything that Johnson & Johnson would find even remotely useful. I also didn’t know what my job would be.

I quickly found out that I would be doing the content management of the corporate web site, jnj.com. I had a lot of experience with web design and web site management, but the sites I worked on were viewed by maybe a few hundred people per month (usually less). This site was viewed by as many people in an hour.

The first time I made a change to the site it was unbelievably empowering. The first thing I did when I got home after my first day was call my Mom and direct her to my little change to the web site. I later discovered that every single jnj.com Fellow before me did the exact same thing after their first change.

Two weeks into my time there, my boss Michael Johnson gave his two weeks notice. Around the same time my predecessor left as well. Within about a month I was the only person who knew how to run the site. It was sink or swim time. A web design and web site management agency named Local Wisdom was brought on to assist and supplement me in maintaining the site. Specifically the very talented Melissa Mancuso became my counterpart on jnj.com (She is getting married this weekend – Good luck and all the best Melissa!).

At the same time, a total redesign of the web site was underway. I managed to work my way onto the redesign team, and things really took off from there.

It turned out that I knew a lot more than I realized when I started, and before I knew it I was completely immersed in the redesign. The project was an incredible experience. Working on the redesign was the most intense and fun thing I have done in school or work to date. I loved every minute of that project.

In the months after the redesign, I began to work closely with the social media team in Corporate Communications. Web guru Adriana Lucas took me under her wing, as did Marc Monseau and Margaret Gurowitz. These three people opened my eyes to a world that I knew a lot about yet chose to ignore. They helped me to see things differently; more clearly. Without them, this blog would not exist.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention all of the other great Fellows. When I was new, the elder Fellows showed me the ropes (and helped me become a more relaxed person in general). As I became an elder Fellow, I had the honor of helping the new Fellows navigate the Company. Every single Fellow that I worked with had some special and unique talent (a superpower, if you will [I needed to geek this post up a little bit]) that they brought to the office. Seeing what they were capable of inspired me to write better, think in new ways, and just be a better person.

Finally, there is this guy.

Aside from commenting regularly on this blog, Mark Krajnak was my boss for most of my time at Johnson & Johnson. He has been the best boss that I’ve ever had, an excellent mentor, and a true friend.  He gave me the room I needed to grow, but was always there to help me when I needed it.

Last Tuesday was my final day as a Johnson & Johnson Fellow.

I extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone I have worked with these past two years. It has been an privilege.

A special thank you goes to (in no particular order) Sarah Colamarino, Nancy Walker, Carol Bauman, Anthony Carter, Craig Rothenberg, Shaun Mickus, Marc Monseau, Mark Krajnak, Michael Johnson, Mathew Johnson, Margaret Gurowitz, Adriana Lucas, Ray Jordan, BrieAnn Szatkowski, Carla Hayes, Paul Dickler, Mark Curley, and Bill Price (Regrettably, I am probably leaving someone out).

Where am I going from here?

You may have noticed that the title says, “Until We Meet Again,” as opposed to “Goodbye.” That’s was deliberate.

Remember that company I mentioned a few paragraphs up? Well, in two weeks I will begin my new job as project manager and information architect for Local Wisdom. Johnson & Johnson will be one of my clients.

There are no numbers I can assign, or words I can write to demonstrate the value of these past two years other than: They have been the best two years of my life. Johnson & Johnson, thank you for the education, experience, and memories.

See you in a few weeks.

Police Slog Through 40,000 Insipid Party Pics To Find Cause Of Dorm Fire

There is so much truth in this video from the Onion News Network.

It’s late and I’m beat. I’ll be back tomorrow with something thoughtful.

Old McDonald & Father’s Day

Growing up, my Father liked to put his own spin on well… everything. The most noteworthy was the rendition of “Old McDonald” that he taught me.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Marc Spira’s rendition of “Old McDonald.”

Old McDonald has a farm

E I E I O

And now the bank owns the farm

E I E I O

With a padlock here, and a pad lock there

Here a click, there a click, everywhere a click, click

Old McDonald had a farm

Now he’s on welfare

Now, you should keep two things in mind.

1. This was the 1980’s during all of the bank foreclosures, so this was politically relevant stuff
2. He never taught me the real version

I think I was about two when I started pre-school, and it wasn’t long before they sang “Old McDonald” in class. I became very angry with my teacher because she was teaching the song incorrectly… oh boy was she surprised by the “right” version.

Have a happy Father’s Day.

Playing For Change

Playing For Change is an innovative NPO that raises money to build music schools for children in developing countries. Their mission is interesting and I fully support the construction of any schools that don’t teach hate and falsehoods.

However, what I find most intriguing about Playing For Change is the way they have gotten the their name out and started making money. They have recorded musicians from all over the world playing the same songs in the same key and tempo. Then they mix the different musicians together to spectacular effect. What is so cool is that these musicians have never met each other, but they can still create beautiful music together.

Give their version of Stand By Me a listen:

Here is One Love:

And this is Don’t Worry:

I absolutely love what they have done here. The concept is brilliant, and the execution is flawless.

They have plenty more videos on their YouTube Channel.

You can buy their album or donate; I will be ordering the album.

I love music as much, or more than the next guy, but I don’t believe that it has ever been a major (or minor for that matter) catalyst for peace. However, I firmly believe that education and financial interdependence will bring about more peace, so with that in mind, I fully support Playing For Change in their mission.

Fancy Pants Guitar Hero Controller

Peripheral maker, Logitech is releasing a $200 Guitar Hero controller for the Xbox 360. They already released one of these for the PS2 & PS3.

The controller is made out of wood (it has a maple neck), has metal frets, strums quietly, is a licensed Xbox 360 product, and is built to the proper size specifications of standard Guitar Hero controllers.

If you are thinking about buying this, please stop.

I’m all for Guitar Hero, but at $200 you can get yourself a starter guitar and amp (the real kind). If you are willing to drop two-hundo on a fake guitar, maybe it’s time to try the real thing.

For the very same price you can buy a Fender Strat Squire pack. The pack includes everything you need to start playing. It’s not exactly a fancy instrument, but it’s a great place to start and see if it sticks.

Say no to $200 video game controllers, and say yes to the real thing.

Taking a breather

So much geeky stuff is happening in the world and I haven’t been able to keep up.

I’ve spent the afternoon and evening building a new guitar (expect a post on it soon). I am beat and need to wake up early tomorrow.

However, starting tomorrow you can expect thoughtful posts on everything from my new career, to Captain America, to the slew of new search engines that are creeping out of the woodwork, to politics in Iran and China.

I can’t in good conscious leave you empty handed. So give John Mayer Trio’s rendition of California Dreamin’ by the Mamas and the Papas a listen. He performed it a couple weeks ago on Conan. It’s pretty damn great.

Ghostbusters the Video Game

Ghostbusters the Video Game – I’ve been looking forward to this one for months.

I’ve played for about 30 minutes and enjoyed the game play quite a bit, but unfortunately it has made me really motion sick.

Really, really motion sick.

I very rarely get motion sick except when playing old, choppy first person shooters from the early and mid 1990’s.

The room is spinning, and it’s not the good kind of spinning. Bedtime for me.