Conventional wisdom tells us that we design technological artifacts in response to perceived needs; that is, needs drive technology. The formidable Don Norman recently wrote a web article suggesting that, contrary to convention, technology can drive needs.

The popular Mexican fast food giant Taco Bell is now in India and has opened its first outlet in Bangalore. They plan to open more outlets in other locations in India in the coming months.

Apparently Glenn Beck has taken a fancy to nonviolence. "Get God on your side, and then pick up a hammer," Beck said Saturday at a tent-revival-meets-politics rally that nearly packed the University of Central Florida basketball arena. Quoting Gandhi, he took the hammer to an anvil onstage and said: "With nonviolence, take your hammer and pound that truth every day, and everything that doesn't fit, toss it out! We have the truth . . . With nonviolence, be the anvil of truth every single day!"

Recent HLS graduate Jim Freeman (‘03), and the organization he works for, the Advancement Project, were included in a recent New York Times article about the debate occurring on the zero tolerance policies that have been implemented in many schools across the country.

Last week, there was a report in Network World on a presentation given by Dave Probert, who works on Windows kernel architecture at Microsoft, on the implications of multiple-core processors for operating system design. I don't really see how the kind of approach that Mr. Probert is suggesting helps in any meaningful way.

What is this stuff we call power? This question came to mind when I read about Digital Power and Its Discontents, a conference coming up on 21 April at Georgetown. In it (says that link) they will be "exploring the ways digital technologies disrupt the balance of power between and among states, their citizens and the private sector."

It seems like online gambling circles are facing stiff resistance from various corners of the world. There was a time when online gambling or casino games were seen as a revolution, bringing casinos at your door steps.

Chevrolet will use the 2010 New York Auto Show to reveal a few more details about the production Cruze sedan going on sale this fall. Specifically, the Big Apple is where Chevy will formally unveil the high-mileage Cruze Eco model and RS trim package.

In honor of World Water Day, I present this post and video from 1968. In this short documentary from conservationist Bill Mason, he illustrates that although the Great Lakes have had their ups and downs, nothing has been harder to take than what humans have done to them lately.

Though driving impressions of the new 5.0-liter 2011 Ford Mustang GT are off limits for now, Popular Hot Rodding notes that Ford made no mention of releasing pure facts. It's all about the numbers anyway, right?

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