Apple Patents Sext-Blocking Technology

Apparently just keeping porn off the iPad isn't enough for Steve Jobs and Co. Now Apple is trying to take the tawdry out of text messaging with a technology that can prevent their devices from sending or receiving "objectionable" texts. The U.S. Patent and Trademark office approved a patent for "Text-based communication control for personal communication device" Wednesday. The background information Apple submitted with their patent request expressed concern that there is currently "no way to monitor and control text communications to make them user appropriate. For example, users such as children may send or receive messages (intentionally or not) with parentally objectionable language." Their new see-no-evil application would evaluate whether a given text contained "approved" content based on "objective ratings criteria or a user's age or grade level." If the text is too naughty, the application "prevents such text from being included in the text-based communication," and alerts the user (or his parents) that a text has been blocked. TechCrunch's Alexa Tsotsis says isn't overly optimistic about the chances of Steve Jobs saving the nation's teenagers from themselves. Serial sexters will just "find some clever workaround to express how much they want to bang, screw, hit it or a myriad of other words that don't immediately set off the censorship sensors," she predicts. And just keeping kids in line won't rid us of the nation's worst sext offenders, unless Brett Favre's mom still pays his phone bill. 

From Slate (10-14-10)

Read original story in TechCrunch | Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010

Street artist enlivens The Simpsons

Banksy revives "Simpsons'" edge with wild opening scene

It's not the annual Halloween episode, but the opening of "The Simpsons" last night was equal parts dark, morbid and amazing.
Street artist Banksy came to Springfield last night, becoming the first artist to ever storyboard a "Simpsons" opening. And what an opening it was.
An underground sweat shop, a dying unicorn, a cat fur wood chipper: You have to watch the clip to understand the full horror and brilliance.

Banksy came to prominence with subversive stencils that started appearing on London streets in the '90s. He's an interesting choice for the cartoon show, and he has definitely vaulted the longtime TV giant back into conversation.

This is not the first time Banksy has visited "The Simpsons." The Daily Wh.at points out that Bansky took on Bart Simpson and the chalkboard gag in New Orleans in 2008.
After the jarring opening, the show went back to its regular routine of guest cameos, self-referential jokes and tangential story lines.

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By Melissa Bell  | Washington Post | October 11, 2010; 9:14 AM ET