What’s New with Wu

The article on the Sample Trolls ran in Slate today.   Thanks to those who have already sent comments.

Coming this week to Slate — “Sample Trolls,” the back story of the catalogue companies that make millions on rappers from Jay-Z through Public Enemy

Nice news, named to the SciAm 50 this year — Scientific American’s list of people who have contributed to science and technology this year.

The award was given to many much more impressive contributors, including Warren Buffett, Elizabeth Goldring, Al Gore, and Paul Allen.

Award was for work on the value of network neutrality.

I have just finished a draft of a paper called “Network Neutrality in the Wireless World.”

The paper surveys the practices of Verizon Wireless, Cingular, Sprint-Nextel and T-Mobile, the 4 major wireless carriers, according to the principles of Carterfone, network neutrality, and open development practices.

The draft is too early to make public (contact me if you want a copy if you promise to keep it confidential).  However, I can say this much: Verizon Wireless certainly does not fare very well.

I get alot of hilarious and some interesting feedback on the articles I write — especially the Slate ones.

The Dumpling Manifesto attracted alot of very nice letters on dumplings (and some angry ones too).

“I was in HK in ‘97 when I had my first dumpling orgasm. It was a fat shrimp won ton that came in my favorite noodle dish, duck shrimp won ton noodle soup. When the server put the piping hot bowl in front of me, I could see the pink of the shrimp and the brown of the mushroom through the thin skin. The first bite was like an awakening of my taste buds and my smell. I thought, how could I have gone through me entire life without eating something as good as this won ton?
I sometimes wonder in my search for an as good as or better dumpling, if having a great dumpling is like taking heroin. I have heard that taking heroin for the first time creates a chemical reaction in your brain and opens the part of your brain that senses and feel pleasure. Once this part of your brain is opened it can not be closed and the feeling of euphoria can’t be duplicated. The addiction to heroin can be caused by trying to recreate the feeling of overwhelming pleasure. I hope it is not true in my quest to find an as good as or better won ton in the San Francisco bay area, but sometimes I wonder after eating so so dumplings.”

Getting many good Project Posner suggestions.  It will get better and better.

After spending 3 days in Budapest, and having lived in California and Japan it is finally time to write a review of “best hot springs & baths in the world” (to go with the fruit and airport reviews).
Budapest’s Szechenyi baths may not be for the purist. But they are arguably the Louvre (or maybe Walmart) of the hot springs worth — over 20 baths, saunas, various exercise rooms, chess, mud pack, wierd treatments etc. etc.  You could spend days.
All that in a setting that looks like a Hapsburg palace turned into baths (see above).