This video pokes fun at two easy targets: “I’m a Mac” commercials and Tom Cruise.  The guy doing Tom Cruise totally nails it!

New studies show cell phone bans while driving are not reducing traffic accidents.  Let me be clear, I am not saying you should text and drive.  I just think that our law makers have better things to do than pass laws against cell phones and texting while driving.  Here’s why:

• They are difficult to enforce.
  How does a cop know if I am texting while driving vs. looking at my iPhone map app getting directions?  Does this mean I have to go back to using unfolding awkward maps?
• Studies show cell phone bans are not reducing accidents.  Here are a few links:
  http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=71379
  http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2010/01/29/laws-banning-cell-phone-use-while-driving-have-little-impact

I have never been a fan of the hysteria around passing laws that ban cell phone while driving.  See post on http://www.biologyoftechnology.com/2008/07/hands-free/.   I think using some good old common sense while driving goes a lot farther than more laws that are difficult to enforce and don’t really make a difference.

What about laws banning changing clothes while you are in route to a date?  Why is it okay for me to play a game of chess (real chess on a magnetic board) with a passenger but can’t punch out a text while waiting at a red light.  There are no laws against arc-welding while driving.  Call me crazy, but that seems a lot worse (and creepy) that looking at an email you just got on your iPhone.  (Did I just admit to doing all that stuff?  YIKES!)

So here’s my armchair psychology on the anti-cell-phone-while-behind-the-wheel trend.  We have a love-hate relationship with our mobile technology.  We love it because it connects us to the world with a device that fits in our pants pocket.  You can reach out and touch someone from anywhere.  But we hate it because that means anyone can reach us.   We love the accessibility to others but hate the accessibility everyone has to us.

If this were a dating situation you might turn to the bottle and scream for attention.  Alas, we turn to the law.  And somehow we think that putting lame laws on the books making our car a no-phone-zone we are screaming to our mobile devices, “you’re not the boss of me.”  Really!

For example, when I was MUCH younger I had a very slight fender-bender because I was trying to tie my shoes while driving.  But I did get all crazy about banning shoe-strings for all cars!  Did I start saying stuff like, “You ARE NOT getting in the car with me with THOSE shoe-strings!”  No, I simply learned that I should not tie my shoes while driving.

Here’s a thought, just use common sense while you’re driving.  And let our lawmakers get back to what’s really important!

There are two good reasons NOT to join Facebook Groups protesting that Facebook will start charging users.
1. These claims are false. Facebook has deny any rumors that they will charge users
2. These groups can lead you to malicious sites that can infect your PC with viruses and spyware.

Here is a Facebook page that puts to rest the rumors about Facebook charging users:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Face-Book-will-never-charge-users-The-facts-the-truth/262579709805

Here is another link from telegraph.co.uk dismissing these rumors:   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/6973757/Facebook-dismisses-rumours-of-charging-plans.html

And last but not least, checkout the snopes.com article dispelling this Facebook falsehood:
http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/fbcharge.asp

More important, these phony FB groups have more nefarious intentions – to infect your PC with nasty viruses and spyware. Here’s a message from Facebook warning about these groups.

The rumor about charging $4.9…9 or £3.99 or £14.99 a month is totally made up. However, confusion is not what the scammers seek: members of the group are directed to external websites that are capable of installing malware. Some of the sources can even download 25 different infections automatically upon visit.

If you did join one of these groups then you should eliminate it from your Facebook account and run a full anti-virus scan on your PC ASAP.

If you do not have an anti-virus program then stop, drop, and roll…and click on the following link for instructions on how to get the free version of the AVG anti-virus software.
http://www.techadvocate-solutions.com/techtips/2009/12/09/avg-anti-virus-9-update/

I think it is awesome that Facebook provides FREE online services to hundreds on millions of people all over the world. But it puzzles me why people rise up in protest at just the rumor of Facebook potentially charging users. Even if Facebook charged $4.99 a month this calculates to just 16 cents a day! Yet we pay A LOT more to use cell phones and landlines. Makes you think!

If you are a Facebook user would you consider their service worth 16 cents a day? Let me know your thoughts by posting your comments.

The tech community shows the power of positive technology by building free open-source tools that help aid relief and recovery in Haiti.

Hours about the disaster in Haiti Crisis Commons organized several nationwide events to work on numerous technology projects.  The Haiti OpenStreetMap project was a direct result of this tech collaboration.  It provides one of the most complete digital maps of Haiti’s roads, hospitals, triage centers and refugee camps.  They also helped construct the We Have, We Need Exchange website; this is a pace where nonprofits working in Haiti can post requests and needs to find donors.

Haiti’s National Palace in Port-au-Prince is shown in this 2004 photo, top, and in a photo taken Jan. 13, 2010, bottom, after the earthquake struck.

Crisis Commons is a volunteer network of technology professionals drawn together by a call to service to create technological tools and resources for responders to use in mitigating disasters and crises around the world.  AWESOME!

This spirit demonstrates the Biology of Technology at its best and shows how tech can help make a difference for good.  Go Team Geek!