TopFinds: From African Wars Waged for Your Cellphone to Google's Wikipedia Clone

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The metallic resource sparking child exploitation. An alien cover-up enjoying its 60th birthday. Why Barack Obama's overseas trip may not be as authentic as you think. These are the top stories making headlines around the world.

Technology & Internet

In the mood to feel inferior? Then read about a robot solving a Rubik's Cube within five minutes, as Chris V. informed us. The robot was built with a Lego Mindstorm NXT Retail-kit, which costs about $240; it seems reducing complex problems to mere child's play is what the future of robotics is all about.

What other tech and Net stories made headlines? Google Maps unveiled a "walking directions" feature for all those Web-savvy pedestrians, Chris V. found; a man is suing another person for creating a fake Facebook profile, Aditi Chengappa wrote; an innovative designer has created a tree-like lamp where the bulbs hang off the "stems" like fruit, Vinay Chand reported (what's next, a "burning LED" bush?); in a thorough investigation, Saikat Basu looked at telepresence software and how it will change corporate communications; and Facebook's beloved application Scrabulous is now facing a lawsuit from Scrabble creator Hasbro, Chris V. posted. Sheba rightly commented:

I still say it is all about the moula, and not the ethics.

And if you want a comprehensive review of the pros and cons of Apple's iPhone 3G, check out the latest episode of Digital Journal TV. We take no responsibility for your rampant technolust.

Science & Environment

Imagine being a creature so ugly your mother abandons you at birth. It's a reality for toadfish, who live in the tidal shallows off the U.S. Gulf states, Lenny Stoute wrote. But their wince-inducing looks isn't of interest to scientists; rather, they want to study the toadfish's nervous system to find out why it's one of the few fishes to emit sounds. They create a sound similar to a motor running, which could definitely be creepy if you come across one of these hideous fish swimming around your ankles.

Several science and environment articles became instant good finds: plant evolution was at the heart of Bob Ewing's fascinating article on how the milkweed plant is adapting to its predators by repairing itself rather than adopting new defenses; researchers discovered a frog species with a radio-like tuner, Chris V. reported; the why and how behind the Northern Lights are becoming more apparent, pbrite wrote, but you're going to have to read his article to learn more; actual alien contact was made 60 years ago and a cover-up has shrouded the event since, Paul Wallis penned; changes in wind patterns may have helped contribute to climate change, Bob Ewing found; and a Toronto group of urban activists are flooding the streets in acts of guerrilla gardening, KJ reported. These flower-huggers beautify Toronto streets without receiving permission from the city, and the police look the other way. Now that's a "crime" I can support.

Entertainment

Sound off Column Jay Leno image:41911:1::0

Jay Leno, we hardly knew ya. Well, actually we've known him for the 17 years he's hosted NBC's The Tonight Show but his long-time job is soon coming to an end. As Sheba reported, Leno's last show is on May 29, 2009, and Conan O'Brien is expected to fill his slot. Will Leno fully retire or will he dive into film, HBO specials or reality-TV shame?

It was a busy week of entertainment stories: Tom Cruise may or may not be starring in a Top Gun sequel, depending which article you believe in; radio show host Michael Savage got attention for calling autistic children "morons," Nikki W. wrote (and for Savage's explanation of his comments, read pbrite's article here); Dark Knight star Christian Bale was arrested for supposedly assaulting his mother and sister, Chris V. reported; Bob Andelman interviewed author James Sheehan in his latest Mr. Media segment; and Warner Bros. released eye-popping trailers and pictures of its upcoming graphic novel adaptation, Watchmen. More than one Citizen Journalist orgasmically exclaimed their enthusiasm for the flick, due for a release in March 2009.

DigitalJournal.com is also honouring the Top Blogger of the Week with a special high-five. Whitdawg has done an excellent job in compiling the major headline news from the UK every day, starting from July 17. It's an interesting experiment, because readers can see what British papers prioritize in their news cycle, compared to counterparts across the pond. Whitdawg's dedication to his blog series deserves the attention of any news junkie.

TopFinds Awards

Illustration by DigitalJournal.com Topfinds award winners for the week ending July 25, 2008. image:42015:1::0

It's always heartening to see a Citizen Journalist expose the ill-conceived plots of corrupt militias. Samantha A. Torrence investigated the child slavery involved in the mining of Congo's coltan, a resource used in gadgets like computers, DVD players and cellphones. She expertly explained how Hutu and Rwandan militias are battling for the lucrative metallic ore, while child workers are caught in the crossfire. She wrote: "Reports of troop tension, rape, and murder abound in mountainous regions that produce the coltan." Samantha takes home the TopJournalism Award for shining light on a battle that many North Americans may not be aware of, even as they use the technology at the heart of the coltan war.

Is John McCain the right man for the White House? Not necessarily, G. Robert M. Miller pointed out his article winning the TopOpinion Award. In a revealing piece, he explained how McCain is disillusioned about "winning" the Iraq War and how his blind optimism isn't proper conduct for a military commander. He also reminded us about McCain's misstatements, divulging the main reasons why McCain will be unfit for U.S. president. Agree or disagree with this CJ in the article's comments section.

It was one of the most attention-grabbing stories of the week: an NBC reporter claimed Barack Obama's Middle East trip was carefully manufactured to produce the effect he was being interviewed by real journalists. Andrea Mitchell said Obama was lobbed softball questions by fake interviewers. Giving us this scandalous article was Sue D., taking home the TopPolitics Award for being diligent enough to recreate Mitchell's comments and outline the main thrust of the story. The article enjoyed many intriguing comments that should be read by political mavens.

A Wikipedia for cash? Courtesy of Google? So expounds the TopInternet Award-winner, penned by Kesavan Unnikrishnan. Google has launched Knol, a free service allowing people to post custom articles about a given topic. Ad revenue from each knol, or article, will be shared with the authors. Would you have known about this Google release if it weren't for Kesavan? In fact, we were so inspired at DigitalJournal.com about Google's idea we wrote our own knol, about poetry slams (my expertise). And no bugs here -- Google Knol published the article a day after. But I have yet to see any cheques float to my door mat.

The U.S. economy is in tatters. And America has invested so heavily in outsourcing in other nations, those countries' economic fortunes could dictate America's financial future. Giving us this intriguing hypothesis is Paul Wallis, author of the article taking home the TopWorld Award. In vivid language, Paul illustrated his point using the Roman Empire as a comparison, saying, "The World’s Only Super Power has fallen for the same mistake the Romans made: Rome was so far from the realities of the rest of the world that the Romans were forever reacting to new situations." You can almost taste the frustration in the author's voice when he drops sentences such as, "The mortgage securities alone should have had lynch mobs forming in every American board room, regulator, legislature, fund, and university." Another classic Wallis op-ed that should be digested by any economist, American or otherwise.

DigitalJournal.com is now home to an extremely knowledgeable fine arts writer. Nicholas Forrest wins the TopArts Award for expertly detailing an oft-overlooked issue in the visual arts world: when artists' works drop in value once collectors lose interest in their portfolio. He explained his point by using several examples, while also highlighting his theory with the line: "Be extremely careful of investing in those artists who do not have the credentials to back up the value of their work in a market that could become extremely selective and discerning at any time." Nicholas is a valuable addition to this Citizen Journalist community, and we welcome his insight into artistic issues that may normally pass us by.

Are you confused about nanotechnology's role in the food you eat? Worried about the dangers of strange new additives into your average dinner? Then Bob Ewing's TopFood Award-winning article is a must read. He investigated nanotechnology's impact in our actual food, shedding light on a study probing consumer fears about "nano-foods." It was a well-organized thorough piece. It even prompted commenter Bocephalus to admit:

I didn't even know nano-technology was being used to modify food, been too busy trying to avoid genetically modified ones.