Google Street View Censoring Microsoft Ads?

Nick West says,

I was cruising Google Maps' new Street View in San Francisco...and saw this billboard for competitor Microsoft's Virtual Earth. There's also a "black hole" in the same shape as the billboard right next to it -- it even obscures an edge. Maybe Google intended to delete the entire billboard for "privacy", but missed by a few feet?

Anyone disturbed?

[Via|View the map]

Censorship in Flickr Forums

The Flickr censorship issue may be coming to a head; as usual, bloggers had to wait for the mainstream media to get involved before the company would acknowledge that there was a legitimate issue at stake (referring to their actions as a "mistake"). Thomas Hawk is on top of it, and says he has been censored himself, but can't get a straight answer out of Flickr founder Stewart Butterfield about his case. Ever the provocateur, he has blogged a report on the issue, and posted it - wait for it - on Flickr.

If you're a member of the Flickr community and want to share your views about the issue, the best place to do it is on Flickr.

Jack Valenti Is Dead. Long Live Jack Valenti.

Jack "Boom Boom" Valenti, the architect of the MPAA American film rating system, died last Thursday at 85, and the news outlets are doing their best to predict what this means for the ratings board. If you haven't seen This Film Is Not Yet Rated [Amazon link] now is a great time to do so.

My prayer for Jack Valenti is that these words live on for generations to come:

"I say to you that the VCR is to the American film producer and the American public as the Boston strangler is to the woman home alone."

That pretty much sums up both his perspective and his showmanship. I'm sure he'd defend both from beyond the grave if he could.

Freedom of Speech in Belarus

By Saatchi & Saatchi Poland for Amnesty International.

[via]