There are some very interesting news items that I came across in the web today...Some are technology related, some politics and some general stuff.

Technology:
When Good Search Engines Go Bad
This article echos my apprehension on the technology part of it...those autolinks feature in the Google Search tool bar..But, as the author says, I would certainly not like my page being tweaked around by someone else..though this happens only after I permit it, I don't find any reason, other than pure admiration for technology, why should I enable such a facility..Though tomorrow, I might very well think Autolink is a cool feature and would like to have it...I don't know at this point of time, whether I like it..I haven't downloaded it..I don't have any intention of doing it any sooner....Google had to tread the path carefully...It is no more a "Garage Company"...People look upon Google with such faith....it shouldn't squander away that..It had taken years for google to build this trust...but it would take nothing more than a couple of such moves to crash it...

A Browser That Talks Back
A nice innovation this is...a amazing feature for differently enabled people and all those who live by mouse...though mouse is as inseperable as the processor( I hate the Laptops for their silly cursor movement.....move the cursor with your fingers and then click using a seperate hand movement...simply too much work)...this would reduce my work...but then I would have to work my a** out to train the software...If anyone has trained the IBM's ViaVoice, would immediatley sympathise with me...It's one pain of a job to train the software to accept and understand your language, your pronounciation styles and the vocabulory. Also, the grammer...God I would kill myself rather than train it...the manual would say, 8 hrs(if I remember correctly) of training is sufficient...only later would you know that, it is sufficient for the software only to understand who is speaking...then it has to understand what you speak..But to be just, once it learns, it is awesome...U need to be slow while dictating...but then it does a decent job...Now Opera would join the war with Firefox..But somehow, Firefox scores...Iam sure it is not the aesthetics...Opera is far more aesthetic than Firefox...May be the banner ads put me off...I don't know...

Political:
China steps up pressure on Taiwan
I have posted something related to this jus yesterday....so, there has been no noise from US...coz they know, China is no Iraq to trash...But they would sure try to enter into, if there araises a chance...though what they would be able to do is a matter of debate...but as always, China speaks about Internal security..but where is that principle with that part of territory in Kashmir, it holds as a lease from Pakistan....this time, it would be China that would be noiseless...every shirt is dirty and everyone acts as if they have "Ujaalavukku Maaritaen"...ummmm!!!!

General:
White House admits 1st blogger to briefing
Nice news..infact the growing power of this Blogging stuff...He might have been a right wing guy..it doesn't matter...what matters is recognition of the power of informal source of news...but, where will it lead is a matter of debate...with traditional newspapers, you can fix accountability and idealogical responsibility...What would prevent a person from misleading people...coz afterall blogs are highly opinionated...so, where should the reader draw a line...an interesting thought that occurs to me...Is Internet spreading information or is it just aggregating Information...as in even if there are many sites giving the same news, I would go to the site, which would give it the way I want...so, it is not necessarily diverse and different prespective of news..it is just that it creates a level playing field for all to spread their views...padicha padi, padikkatta poa...that's it...