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This video has been a big viral hit on YouTube since it was posted this past weekend. I’ve met plenty of students who use whatever wireless Internet they can find, so this video seemed appropriate.

Leo Laporte hosts a popular radio talk show called “The Tech Guy” where he answers quesitons about computers and the Internet.

During Saturday’s show of February 20, 2010, Jennifer from California called Leo to complain that the free Linksys wireless access point she had been using at home had disappeared.

Jennifer had also bought a Linksys wireless extender, hoping that would help her regain access to the free wireless service she had been using for 18 months. Leo’s notes about the call are posted here.

Problem: it seems that “free” Internet connection Jennifer was using was really from one of her neighbor’s unprotected routers. that person finally changed their password or turned off the router, and then the fun started.

See this Mashable article called Clueless Woman Calls Tech Show When Her Stolen Wi-Fi Disappear for some additional background.

Below is Leo’s video of that call – he also streams his talk show on the web at

Nominations for the 2010-2011 HPU Common Book are still being accepted. The deadline in January 1, 2010.

Check http://www.hpu.edu/index.cfm?section=acadprograms9906 for the nomination form or contact Dr. Allison Gough at agough@hpu.edu

Image by Leo Reynolds on Flickr courtesy of a Creative Commons license.

Would you exchange personal privacy for counter terrorism monitoring systems?  Be part of the debate during this semester’s Mixed Plate Debate on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 from 3-5 pm in the Sea Warrior Center. Seasonal treats will be served.

Inspired by this year’s First-Year Seminar common book “Little Brother,” the topic will be personal privacy, surveillance, and counter terrorism monitoring systems.  HPU students, faculty, staff and interested community members are welcome to come and observe and participate in this event.  Speeches from the audience and discussion will be held after the conclusion of formal speeches.

Participating faculty include:

• Jarod Buna, International Studies
• Matt LoPresti, Philosophy
• Serge Marek, Geography

The Mixed Plate Debate is a series featuring students and faculty from multiple disciplines debating on topics relevant to the HPU community.

For more information on Mixed Plate Debates or future topic suggestions, contact Rose Helens-Hart, Director of Debate at (808) 544-9378 or rhelens@hpu.edu. Also see http://www.hpu.edu/debate for information about the HPU Debate Team.

Image courtesy of Jonathan McIntosh on Flickr via a Creative Commons license.

Erping Zhang, Director of Association for Asian Research in New York City, will examine the role of the Internet in China’s social change today, especially in light of the government’s strive to censor certain websites and the Chinese netizens’ effort to counter the censorship. He will explain why Beijing is so concerned with information control on the Internet and what are the available solutions to the censorship.

Zhang’s research focuses on social change, political economy, and human rights in China. He has also spoken for the rights of Falun Gong and written on Internet censorship in China. He graduated from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Contact Professor Carlos Juarez at cjuarez@hpu.edu for more information.

The Common Book Committee and the Diplomacy and Military Studies Program welcome Captain Carl Schuster, USN (retired) and Director of the Cubic Virtual Analysis Center. Captain Schuster will be discussing surveillance practices in the United States since 9/11.

Please join us for his address followed by a question and answer period in the Warmer Auditorium on Thursday, November 19th from 6-7:30pm. Everybody is welcome.

For more information contact Dr. Allison Gough, chair of the Common Book Committee, at agough@hpu.edu

Download (PDF, 173.29KB)

The Panopticon is an excellent Flickr photo group with over user-contributed 2500 photos of surveillance cameras.

Dean Steven Combs will lead a student-faculty forum on November 18, 2009 at 3 pm in the FH 3 conference room – that’s on the 3rd floor of 1132 Bishop Street in room 306.

Topics will include:

1. How the 21st Century Student views and approaches education;
2. How the faculty view and approach education; and
3. How we can improve the educational experience for both.

Contact Professor Vince Tsushima at vtsushima@hpu.edu for more information.

Old public service announcements (PSAs) and education films are fun to watch. This is a new PSA on cybersecurity by @WagnerVision – the link is courtesy of Ryan Ozawa at http://w.ry.ly/post/224315869/billy

Recycled film footage has been combined with some new shots of computers to create this new video.

Little Brother author Cory Doctorow has a new book of short stories called With a Little Help – and as usual, he’s trying something different with his business model. It will be available in multiple formats with multiple prices – from free e-books and audiobooks to custom-bound $250 volumes.

If you want an affordable bound copy, buy one on Lulu.com for around US$16. That copy might have small advertisements included in the book, however.

See this article called Doctorow’s Project: With a Little Help and this article on Cory’s blog called WITH A LITTLE HELP, my DIY publishing experiment for more information.

Image by Aleksi Aaltonen on flickr through a Creative Commons license

Date: October 23, 2009, 3-5 pm
Place: HPU Sea Warrior Center (1154 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813)

Also see the Facebook listing for this event.

Sign-up individually or as a three-person “band” by e-mailing Professor Vince Tsushima at vtsushima@hpu.edu by Thursday, October 22, 2009

Limited to twelve (12) competitors.  We will accept sign-ups in the event of “no shows” (“chickened-out”) or availability.

PIZZA AND REFRESHMENTS will be served.  First-come, first-served.

Competitors will be assigned to a “band” or play with their three-member “band.”  “Bands” will play to Rock Band song selections in the Sea Warrior Center.

Team scores and individual scores will be tallied.   Winners and prizes will be determined based on best team, guitarist, vocalist, and drummer scores.

Song selections will include:

1st Round

Radiohead “Creep”
Soundgarden “Black Hole Sun”
B-52s “Roam”
The Police “Roxanne”
Nirvana “In Bloom”

2nd Round

Bon Jovi “Wanted Dead or Alive”
Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop”
Red Hot Chili Peppers “Dani California”
R.E.M “Orange Crush”

Final Round

Stone Temple Pilots “Vasoline”
Metallica “Enter Sandman”
Deep Purple “Highway Star”