Don't even think of checking in from THERE.

Years ago, I remember the terms of service for Java and how they warned not to use their products in nuclear power plants. It's something I think about every day when I turn on the computer.*

It's comforting to know that Foursquare is also looking out for us, lest someone have the bright idea to check in from a Fourth of July party or a Doctor Strangelove screening.

1. GRANT OF LICENSE - ... Licensee shall not use the API in connection with or to promote any products, services, or materials that constitute, promote or are used primarily for the purpose of dealing in: spyware, adware, or other malicious programs or code, counterfeit goods, items subject to U.S. embargo, unsolicited mass distribution of email ("spam"), multi-level marketing proposals, hate materials, hacking/surveillance/interception/descrambling equipment, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive or otherwise offensive content, prostitution, body parts and bodily fluids, stolen products and items used for theft, fireworks, explosives, and hazardous materials, government IDs, police items, gambling, professional services regulated by state licensing regimes, non-transferable items such as airline tickets or event tickets, weapons and accessories, automatic or autonomous control of vehicles, aircraft or other mechanical devices, dispatch or fleet management, or emergency or life-saving purposes. For Applications that provide real-time route guidance, Licensee must have an end user license agreement that includes the following notice: YOUR USE OF THIS APPLICATION IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. LOCATION DATA MAY NOT BE ACCURATE.


* No. Not really. As a fresh computer science graduate, I somehow interviewed with the operator of a nuclear power plant. They didn't ask about my Java skills. Instead, they asked a lot of meaningless psychological questions that involved what kind of tree I was. I didn't hear from them for a while, until they reached out to ask if I knew of anyone looking for programming work. I pointed to myself. That was the last I heard from them.

What's in a name?

If the namesake of your business school goes bankrupt, what happens to naming rights? Now might be good time to find a different photo to lead off the campus tour with.

I'm actually a little sad to see SYMS go into liquidation. I got some of my first suits and other business attire from them.

What is Big Data for $200?

One man wins a quarter-mill on Jeopardy! by downloading the question archive and sorting it for the most common themes.

NPR: How One Man Played 'Moneyball' With 'Jeopardy!'

Hyperlocal < The Yellow Pages

I'm endlessly amused by the number of online companies that cut corners on hyperlocal to come up with nightlife suggestions that are inferior to both the yellow pages and actually walking down the street.

Our first specimen in the Walk of Shame is the Mapquest Mvibe. Neighborhood scores are allegedly based on "editorial evaluation of what would be the range and pattern of optimal scores to experience a vibrant lifestyle." The small print notes that the neighborhood description is "excerpted from Wikipedia."

It's been years since I've relied on Mapquest for any sort of directions and this doesn't restore my confidence. I'm at a loss to explain how the United Nations Headquarters ties for "best place" with what Yelp labels a dive bar.

Better yet are the suggestions for hotels in the area. Somehow, the website ignores the UN Plaza Millennium Hotel and lists no less than 5! FIVE!! parking garages. Yes, I know. Beds are expensive in NYC.  Overnight parking is the only civilized accommodation rate in the city. But I would prefer to have access to a toilet without wandering to the Starbucks on 2nd Ave.



Things are not much better with the iPhone app Flagthat. I tried using it to look up the sushi spot Oms/b. I was less than 100 feet away at the time. However, the application seemed to be doing a white pages search, somehow returning results for oral surgeons and what looked like residential listings.

This is particularly disappointing since the developers are based in Manhattan and city hall provides a concise list of every single restaurant in the city.