Hiding meaning through obscure language is a long-held tradition, after all, that is what euphemisms are all about. However, avoiding regulated practices by calling them something else is an entirely different matter altogether. Insurance provision is a heavily regulated area for a reason, yet if you do not want any Read more
Last week I attended an interesting event called Software Cultures Hardware Law organised by Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute. I flew in from the frozen wastelands the same day of the event, so I missed a panel called “Meet the Jurists” chaired by Prof. Johanna Gibson and with the Read more
I received this on the mail this morning, and felt the urge to share it. Dear Grateful in God: You may be surprised to read this message from me as you do not know me. I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer Read more
As many other academics, I have come to rely on reference software to keep my bibliographic resources organised. For some time I have been using Endnote because it came installed with University computers, but I have been increasingly frustrated with its lack of interoperability and inflexible interface. EndNote has many Read more
The third instalment of Gikii (aptly named GikIII) is now over. As with previous years, one is left feeling intellectually stimulated and a bit daunted by the level of smartness emanating from the room. First’s year’s iconic figure was the killer robot, last year’s was the Lolcat, this year it Read more
One of my favourite times of the year has arrived… It’s Gikii time! If you cannot be here the papers are being uploaded as they are presented to this page.
I would like to declare a moratorium on excessive use of adjectives to describe the current financial crisis. Why adjectivise (is that a word? If not it should be) when onomatopoeia will suffice? Zoom! Fzzzt! Eek! Kapow! Kabbloey! Argh! There, the credit crisis easily explained in one line. Seriously though, Read more
An interesting cybercrime and politics story came out this week. Sarah Palin’s Yahoo email account was hacked by a group called Anonymous and screenshots were posted in WikiLeaks. Hacking may be too strong a word, what seems to have occurred is more akin to social engineering, as the hackers admitted Read more
As a devout Pastafarian, I am obsessed with all things piratical. After all, one of the basic doctrines of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is that global warming is caused by the decline in pirates. Avast me hearties, ’tis September 19 today, and that means “talk like a Read more
I still remember how we looked at the Internet in the early days, and how many of us thought that it could never be regulated. Years later, a large firewall and a rather effective gambling ban have proved us wrong. This is why I keep reading every year JPB’s Declaration Read more