Meet Koufax
(Credit: Last.fm/R0BB23)Even with Justin gone for over a week, the show must go on. Caroline McCarthy once again takes the reigns, all while helping to diversify the show. First, we're treated to a mashup made in hell, Rick Astley vs. Nirvana in a little tune called "Never Gonna Give Your Teen Spirit Up". You've been warned. To make things worse, we hear William Shatner's beat-poetry version of Sarah Palin's resignation speech.
Today's Last.fm/Beck's Beer semi-weekly Audio Draft band is Koufax, a tight rock outfit with a love of horns. Its latest record, "Strugglers," is available now.
Also on today's show: new details regarding the AT&T/4chan controversy and we'll touch on Sprint's acquisition of Virgin Mobile.
EPISODE 391
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On today's show, CNET reporter and 404 BFF Caroline McCarthy directs us in a live read-through of the actual script for the upcoming Facebook movie and also joins us in talking about 4Chan, Comic-Con, and this weekend's insane hailstorm.
CarMac!
(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET)We love it when Caroline McCarthy drops into The 404 studio because she always brings the juiciest news from the Internet. Last week she revealed to us the details of "The Social Network," a movie about Facebook's seedy origins...and today we read through a scene from the screenplay live on the air! The scene involves Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, twin co-founders of former Facebook rival ConnectU, arguing with their third partner about how to end Mark Zuckerberg's life for stealing their genius idea. After reading a few pages, we quickly realize that none of us even have the slightest chance of having a career in the movie industry. Awful.
Caroline stays with us for the second half of the show for a knee-slappin' Calls From the Public, including one from our buddy Ryan that equates Wikipedia to...well...I'll just give you this hint. Thanks, Ryan!
More stories of the day include the idiots over at AT&T picking a fight with 4Chan, the most notorious group of pranksters on the Internet. Moot, the founder of the controversial forum site, reported on Sunday that AT&T had blocked broadband access to some of the more controversial message boards (including the most infamous /b/), claiming that a denial-of-service attack had "stemmed from IP addresses connected to img.4chan.org." Finally, after a fake overdose story involving AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson surfaced on CNN, AT&T deemed 4Chan "safe" for its customers to visit and cleared the block. Talk about getting close to the fire!
I'll try not to get too sniffly here, but this will be my last blog post for a week, since I'll be heading back to California for a week-long vacation. I'll be back next Wednesday, but Jeff and Wilson will have some truly awesome guests coming in to fill my very small feet! I'll never forget you guys. Goodbye!
EPISODE 390
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(Credit:
Blake)
Today the truth comes out. As if we didn't know it already, Wilson Tang is officially an Apple fanboy. Find out how he shows his true colors when he and Jeff get into a heated debate over the company.
It seems that 4chan helped create a porn spam on YouTube a few days ago, forcing the company to scramble to take down the illicit videos. Is there anything that community can't do?
Next it's on to an infamous 404 topic, the Jitterbug. Apparently the cell phone designed for ease of use by senior citizens is being recalled due to coverage issues.
Now please enjoy the latest batch of 404 logo submissions, sent in by our incredibly talented listenership. Make sure you send in your submission as well! Get it over to the404 [at] cnet [dot] com right away!
EPISODE 350
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Today we find out why Jeff is walking around with his head down all day, and why Justin's new canine glows in the dark. It seems some genetic engineering has turned man's best friend into a flashlight.
(Credit:
6-ft-under.com)
Next we pick apart Best Buy's decision to roll out a closet-sized vinyl section in all of its stores, and why we think this might be a step backwards in terms of progress. We're not trying to put record players down; we just think our blue-and-yellow friends are jumping on that bandwagon a little too late and probably for all of the wrong reasons.
We mentioned the App Store's one-billionth app yesterday, but failed to talk about it. Today we'll reveal the useless piece of software and why we'd be happier with that baby-shaking app taking its place.
Then it's off to Firefoxland, where we discuss the highly anticipated version 3.5. We go around the room geeking out by sharing browser fantasies, thus permanently ensuring Wilson and Justin will never date again.
Finally, we dive into the world of 4chan, quite possibly the most influential crew on the Internet. So influential, in fact, that the community has voted its fearless leader to the top of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people list. That's kind of a paradox, isn't it?
All this plus Calls From the Public on today's show!
EPISODE 331
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For more photos of the New York protest, click here
Hundreds of Internet users stood outside for hours in the cold on Sunday morning, and they weren't waiting for a shipment of Nintendo Wiis. They were Anonymous, a group of online activists standing outside the New York City Church of Scientology to protest the organization's policies. The protest was one of many conducted across the world at major Scientology centers on that day.
The New York City protest saw between 200 and 300 Anonymous gather outside of the Church of Scientology New York. Other prominent "raids" included 150-200 Anonymous meeting in Sydney and 500 Anonymous meeting in London to protest the Church. The protests were a part of "Operation Chanology," Anonymous' efforts to discredit the Church of Scientology.
The raids were generally peaceful, with few disturbances reported. In New York, Anonymous cooperated with the NYPD to ensure the safety of its members and a minimum of disruption. NYPD officers escorted Anonymous from their meeting place in Bryant Park up to the Church of Scientology New York building, where they stood behind cordons to allow traffic to continue down 46th Street.
Like its name implies, Anonymous is less an organization than a loose confederation of Internet message board readers and IRC chat network users. Sites like 4chan.org (warning: content may not be work-safe) brought together thousands of Internet users with a variety of interests and vocations. Anonymous seldom meet physically in large numbers outside of their message boards and chat channels. The February 10 "raids" presented one of the first examples of major Anonymous movement outside of the Internet. The February 10th date was chosen because it was the birthday of Lisa McPherson, a Scientologist Anonymous alleges was killed due to the Church of Scientology's actions.
While "Anonymous" was initially a joke directed at certain news organizations, the group began to come together in January as a response to the Church of Scientology's request for Youtube to remove a Scientology video involving Tom Cruise. Since then, Anonymous groups have protested the Church of Scientology, distributed anti-Scientology materials, and allegedly performed "Denial of Service" attacks on the Church's telecommunications systems.
The Church of Scientology issued a statement on February 10 in response to the Anonymous attacks. According to the statement, released by Rev. John Carmichael, President of the Church of Scientology New York, Anonymous has been committing hate crimes against the Church. The release described Anonymous as "cyber-terrorists," and alleged that Anonymous members threatened the Church and mailed "white powder" to dozens of its branches. The Church went on to denounce Anonymous as individuals who hide behind masks and Internet anonymity.
According to Anonymous, its members wear masks and hide their identity to protect themselves against the Church of Scientology's "Fair Game" policy. Anonymous claims that "Fair Game" is a Church policy that states that any "Suppressive Persons" may be prevented from speaking out against the Church by any means necessary. According to the Church of Scientology's web site, the "Fair Game" policy was canceled in 1968, and the Church does not condone illegal or unethical activities committed in its name.
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