By Patrick Clark 2/25 8:04am

Linkages

bloomberg

Booting Up: Bloomberg, Tech Investors to March (Virtually) for Immigration Reform

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is teaming up with a group of high-profile investors, including Fred Wilson, Ron Conway and Paul Graham, to “push for smart immigration reform to attract and keep the best, the brightest and the hardest-working to fuel innovation and American jobs.” [March for Innovation]

It wasn’t so long ago that the Nook was the key to Barnes & Noble’s future. Now the bookseller is planning to back off of its efforts to sell its own e-reader, and is working on strengthening partnerships with tablet suppliers. [NYT]

It’s not that Julian Assange isn’t giving interviews—it’s just that he’s leading a busy life inside the Ecuadorian government’s London embassy, and it’s a question of fitting reporters in. [Ars Technica]

Kara Swisher leans into the backlash against Facebook COO’s Sheryl Sandberg’s new book. [AllThingsD]

In case you can’t wait for the competing biopics currently in production, here’s what it’s like to go on a double-date with John McAfee. [PandoDaily]

By Patrick Clark 2/18 7:52am

Linkages

(Photo: @TeslaRoadTrip)

Booting Up: Tesla Drivers Hit the Road to Prove Times Reporter Wrong

What’s an attention-whore to do when the press stops turning up? John McAfee had an idea: he gave two freelance journalists $2,900 in cash to follow him to the Caribbean and document his reunion with his 19-year-old girlfriend. [PandoDaily]

There may still be plenty of complex issues to be resolved before online gambling is legal in the U.S., but that isn’t stopping tech companies from lining up at the regulatory gates. [NYT]

Kim Dotcom says Mega is “the Privacy Company.” To that end, Mega is now accepting payment by bitcoin, and plans to offer secure email and chat services.  [Mashable]

After New York Times reporter John M. Broder wrote about the failings of the Tesla Model S during his road test along I-95, nine Model S owners attempted to create the trip. Four drivers completed the 353-mile leg between Rockville, Maryland and Groton, Connecticut, though of the five drivers who dropped out, none reported the battery failures that dogged Mr. Broder. [AllThingsD]

In the aftermath of Ecomom founder Jody Sherman’s suicide—and word that the company is heading for liquidation—an argument that “‘Killing It’ Isn’t Worth It.” [TechCrunch]

By Jessica Roy 1/16 12:02pm

McAfee Speaks

(Screencap: KATU)

John McAfee Newest Portlandia Cast Member

Crazy ol’ John McAfee is still on the lam from police in Belize, but has managed to escape to the U.S.–a lucky turn of fate since he believes Hezbollah is after him. Now in an interview with a local news station, Mr. McAfee revealed that he’s happily settled in Portland, where he plans to stay for awhile, perhaps in an effort to keep the dream of the ’90s alive. Read More

By Patrick Clark 1/03 9:44am

McAfee Speaks

The black hat.

John McAfee Pimped Out 29 ‘Pillow Talk Masters’ to Spy on Belize: Here’s What He Found

The law of diminishing returns: it’s the bane of bath salts enthusiasts and fabulist storytellers the world over. Sure, that first hit was good; but it takes an increasingly potent dosage to deliver a thrill that approaches your very first time.

Fortunately, global media icon John McAfee appears to understand this phenomenon. (We’re not saying that Mr. McAfee is necessarily pioneering a new form of reality entertainment, but we’re not saying he isn’t, either.) In his latest missive, posted under the title “A Clear and Present Danger,” he claims to have hired 29 “pillow talk masters” to spy on Belize officials, and in so doing uncovered links between the Central American nation and the terrorist organization Hezbollah. Read More

By Jessica Roy 12/28/12 7:53am

Linkages

Very bad news. (Photo: Digital Trends)

Booting Up: More Snapchat Scandals Edition

Online privacy pundits might not want to venture over to China any time soon; the country just passed a law requiring citizens to identify themselves when signing up for internet and mobile access. [Bloomberg]

Another Snapchat scandal! Turns out both Snapchat and Facebook’s new Poke app store your videos sent over the services locally, meaning it’s possible to save videos sent to you without the sender ever knowing. [BuzzFeed]

It appears those ads at the top of Wikipedia are paying off: the Wikimedia Foundation has raised $25 million so far in its 2012 fundraiser. [The Next Web]

Someone wants to make a stage show in Las Vegas based on Portal. [The Daily Dot]

John McAfee is at it again. [Wired]

By Jessica Roy 12/14/12 9:20am

McAfee Speaks

Like Romeo and Juliet. (Photo: Robert King/Vice)

Highlights from John McAfee’s Delightful CNBC Interview: ‘I Did a Hoax on Bath Salts Once’

American treasure John McAfee has officially returned to U.S. soil following his dramatic escape from Belize, and has immediately begun doing what he does best: messin’ with tech reporters.

In an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box this morning, Mr. McAfee appeared grizzled in a navy blue blazer, swirling a piece of candy–perhaps a Nicorette product?–haphazardly around in his mouth as he deigned to answer questions from Andrew Ross Sorkin.

His responses were as delightfully insane as they usually are. Come, journey with us through the mind of brainy paranoiac and ephebophilia enthusiast John McAfee. Read More