I almost didn’t upload this podcast. I did twenty minutes in my car this morning, and then (as I usually do) played it back to see how it sounded. Today’s topics began with some thoughts on the role that the Internet, camera phones and the Wikipedia can play in helping us learn and understand about tragic events like yesterday’s bombings in London. I do think the point is interesting, but I also think that I may have given the impression that I am using the tragedy of the event as a flimsy pretext to muse about the cool technologies like the blogging and Flickr and the role they have in helping us learn about events. I also strayed into politics more than I think was truly tasteful given that there are people planning funerals and waiting in hospital waiting rooms. I apologize if anyone turns out to be offended, and give my best wishes and/or condolences to all who are dealing with the real human aftermath of these tragic events.

Does anyone have any links to podcasts regarding events that happened yesterday? I did some sweeps, but didn’t turn up any.

To lighten the mood, I rambled a bit about the case of a Florida man arrested for unauthorized access to a computer network, and gave my impressions of the Australian movie Undead and Spielberg’s remake of War of the Worlds. I thought the effects were great, but the overall arc of the story was kind of disappointing. I prefer Haskin’s 1953 version better as a story. Great stuff from the post WWII. (I incorrectly cited the year of this as 1958 in my podcast, apologies). I particularly like actor Les Tremayne in his supporting role as Major General Mann. Sitting in a bunker covered in radioactive dust from the A-bomb just dropped by the Flying Wing, he delivers the classic line:

Guns, tanks, bombs — they are like toys against them!

Great, great stuff.

To all Londoners, our hearts go out to you. To those responsible, stay where you are. I’m sure someone will be with you shortly.