Email error ends up on road sign

The Welsh sign reads "I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated." From the BBC. Instant classic.

Amazon's one-click patent invalidated?

The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. ruled that business methods are not patentable unless they meet fairly narrow rules.

Via TechCrunch.

Wassup Obama: Original Budweiser wassup cast stars in pro-Obama ad

Smart and funny.

Ground breaking Youtube ad for Nintendo Wii Wario Land game

See for yourself. (wait 10 seconds in the video...).

Seller threatens lawsuit after negative eBay feedback

While it is important that businesses have means to protect their reputation (especially on the ground of defamation), a victory for the scorned seller will be bad news for buyers AND sellers. Buyers will have less incentive to post feedback due to the threat of lawsuits. They will also have less trust in reviews and ratings since they know it is forcibly positively biased. As a result, the reputation system that benefit sellers will lose its credibility. Everyone loses. From the Register.

The end of Web 2.0?

Less money for start-ups, business models solely based on advertising under strains and heavy posturing from VCs to freak out entrepreneurs and extract more equity for less cash. Well summarised in Rob Hof's post "Is That the Sound of the Silicon Valley Web 2.0 Bubble Bursting?" and John C Abell's Wired article "The End of Web 2.0?"

The Shanghai Restoration Project

Thanks to uncle Raja for introducing me to this band.

Japanese restaurant takes cost cutting to the extreme

It employs two monkeys as waiters and pay them peanuts.

Ultrasound machine 'turns cheap plonk into fine wine in 30 minutes'

"Inventor Casey Jones says the £350 gadget uses ultrasound technology to recreate the effects of decades of ageing by colliding alcohol molecules inside the bottle." From the Telegraph.

Nokia offers unlimited music for one-off fee of £130

From the Times.

Google puts 2001 search index back online to celebrate 10 years anniversary.

Clever and fun. A search for "iPod" brings back "Image Proof of Deposit Document Processing System" and Facebook brings back "ESPP FACEBOOK. A searchable database of all students and faculty in ESPP". Try the 2001 index here. Via the Google Blog.

Beyond PR in Advertising Age top 100 European marketing blogs

Number 66. This explains why I receive so many lame pitches from small PR outfits in Iowa.

Facebook in the real world

This is hilarious!

First skyscraper to be built in Paris for 30 years unveiled.

A 180 metres tall pyramid. Striking design. As the Onion would have put it: It will host the entire population of France and will be made of ivory :-)

How America is becoming the United States of France

The US is forcedly embracing everything it loves to hate about the French system. Article on the Time.

Futurologist Richard Watson's 2050 vision

Five key factors: Ageing, Environment, Asia, Connectivity, Technology. Fascinating read.

The ninja cat: Youtube's latest superstar

The Great Wine Swindle

Forget Facebook's redesign, here is an issue you should be really concerned about: According to Malcolm Gluck, wine producers use "a host of additives" to disguise the flavour or inferior grapes without listing them on the labels. The list includes sugar, hydrochloric acid, yeasts and ascorbic acid (sometimes they use harmful substances to raise alcohol content and traces of fertilisers have been found in some champagnes). I am not surprised here but what bothers me is that the Wine and Spirits Trade Association is exempt from labelling rules. Their spokesperson says that "it is possible for drinkers to find out what is in their wine by talking to the maker or importer". So the next time you are in Waitrose, make sure you brush up on your French or Italian to call the maker or importer of every bottle you are considering buying, should you find their phone number. Operators are on standby to confess that they top up their wine with ethanol... This is laughable in a pathetic way.

CARNAGE AS FACEBOOK MOVES EVERYTHING SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT

The Daily Mash on the user-generated uproar following Facebook's slight redesign. For those who subscribed to the "bring the old Facebook" back groups, and those supporting the new design: Get a Life!

Six Technologies with Potential Impacts on US Interests out to 2025

From the National Intelligence Council. Fascinating read as a glimpse into our future.