Akkam’s Razor

• Cartype : Carbon Motors - Carbon Motors Corporation is a new American automaker that is developing and will manufacture, distribute, and service the Carbon E7, the world's first purpose-built law enforcement patrol vehicle.
• Voter turnout didn’t set record: Democrats’ passion wasn’t matched by GOP - Turnout in last week's election increased from four years ago but fell far short of some forecasts largely because many Republican voters either stayed home or left blank the presidential section of their ballots.

  In states won by President-elect Barack Obama, turnout was more than five percentage points higher than in states won by Republican John McCain, according to a Globe analysis of data compiled by a pair of researchers who study voting patterns in US elections.

Yesterday, the NY Times covered Google Flutrends, a tool that checks the frequency of searches for keywords related to influenza, and then maps them over time for both attention and geography. Pretty cool, and eerily accurate as compared to official governmental results.

You can actually approximate the same thing with any other concept as well (previously, regarding economics news). Step-by-step instructions are after the link…

Popularity: 4% [?]

Popularity: 3% [?]

• The GOP ticket’s appalling contempt for science and learning. - By Christopher Hitchens - Slate Magazine - This is what the Republican Party has done to us this year: It has placed within reach of the Oval Office a woman who is a religious fanatic and a proud, boastful ignoramus. Those who despise science and learning are not anti-elitist. They are morally and intellectually slothful people who are secretly envious of the educated and the cultured. And those who prate of spiritual warfare and demons are not just “people of faith” but theocratic bullies. On Nov. 4, anyone who cares for the Constitution has a clear duty to repudiate this wickedness and stupidity.

• Google social profiling for online networks - Search and Internet Marketing rants, news and views - the Fire Horse Trail - These essentially target top influencers by connections and related topics or groups for the purpose of placing advertising in said profiles. While these are good ideas for targeted Ad serving, (or content serving in general) they don’t provide for a deeper reach across multiple social platforms, or tight topical relevance.

Popularity: 5% [?]

• http://tmobile.modeaondemand.com/htc/g1/ - Wanna play with the T-Mobile G1?
• 2008 Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College - Select one of the starting views below the map. Click any state to start customizing your map. You can split ME and NE votes. As you modify a state, the total Electoral Vote counter will update. If cookies are set, your custom map will be saved for future visits to the site.
• Picasa 2.7 : Picasa 3 feature overview - Picasa and Picasa Web Albums Help -

• Primal Health: Eye-to-Eye Contact -
• Elections ‘08 Map Gallery -
• Drag and Drop Game Development with Gendai (video) - Mashable - The ultimate goal is to establish a kind of “YouTube for Games” where members can upload and share their new creations much like YouTube members do with video. However, Gendai wants to help its developers make a little money in the process by allowing them to monetize their games online and on the Apple AppStore for the IPhone.
• Overthinking It - Overthinking It subjects the popular culture to a level of scrutiny it probably doesn't deserve.

The webcast is due to begin at 10:30 EST.  I can’t justify spending money for a new phone and a bigger data plan ($5.99 T-Zones and a 5-year old Nokia 3650 are fine by me).  Even the appeal of faster 3G connections is not enough.  $0.89 per DRM-free song from Amazon isn’t enough.  I’m just not ready.  I’d rather buy a used iPhone off eBay or wait for the second or third round of gPhones.

I’m prepared to be let down by the gPhone.  The initial leaked specs are a little weak - no video recording?  Really?  Most carriers free phones have video ability!  And no stereo bluetooth?  No inline headphone jack?