“Just say ‘Nyet!’”

Russia is not a land typically known for its liberal attitudes, and now that restraint is headed toward the Internet, as the government there attempts to restrict profanity online. The English-language Pravda newspaper site reports that “State Duma Deputy Yelena Mizulina has put forth a proposal that would require swear words to be removed from a site within 24 hours — or else the site would be added to the country’s blacklist.” Government officials have applauded the move, citing the “safety and protection of children” as the motive behind the recommendation. Critics, on the other hand, see it as another government attempt to stifle opposition in The Land of Stalin. Remember that the next time someone you get upset over someone leaving a snarky comment on your blog.

Is NOTHING Sacred Any More?

From the “Yeah, No Pity Here" file comes this update: The Atlantic reports that a fancy-pants Japanese-made toilet that sells for upward of $5,600 can now be hacked via its embedded circuitry. The commode -- boasting features like an automatic toilet seat, a power deodorizer, automatic flushing, cleansing nozzles, built-in lighting and an embedded speaker for music (Seriously? Speakers, in the can??) -- is able to be controlled and manipulated via an Android (News - Alert) app. According to Trustwave Holdings’ SpiderLabs, an outfit that does testing of a number of esoteric devices, “Attackers could cause the unit to unexpectedly open/close the lid, [or] activate bidet or air-dry functions, causing discomfort or distress to user.” Not to mention uncontrollable giggles to the hacker.

“Also, Don’t Use Your iPhone (News - Alert) in the Shower”

Apple has rolled out a worldwide program replacing aftermarket iPhone charger cords after a woman was allegedly electrocuted by touching her iPhone while it was plugged in. While not accepting responsibility, the company said it would swap third-party chargers for an official replacement on payment of $10 or the equivalent in local currency. Initial reports said the woman had touched the phone after getting out of the shower, but that could not be confirmed. Apple (News - Alert) merely said the program was prompted due to unspecified “safety issues.” Yeah, people dying when touching your product; that might be seen by some as a “safety issue,” don’t ya think?

Well, This Story Just Has It All

Sometimes, these things just write themselves. Here’s the lead paragraph of a recent press release from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University: “The latest in a series of experiments testing the ability of robots to influence live animals shows that bio-inspired robots can not only elicit fear in Zebrafish, but that this reaction can be modulated by alcohol. These findings may pave the way for new methodologies for understanding anxiety and other emotions, as well as substances that alter them.” We have TONS of questions about this release, but we’ll stick with two: Who funded this? And WHY?