Of all the times not to live in NYC
Doug Rushkoff is a pretty cool guy with some neat ideas. He's running a seminar at NYU about technology and persuasion.

How do websites guide users toward the 'buy' button? How are viral campaigns launched? How do Powerpoint and Microsoft 'spell-check' influence our thought patterns? How do marketers exploit information to craft persuasive messaging? How does the use of manipulative communications techniques change the quality of the media landscape? How do today's online selling techniques fit into a history of salesmanship and marketing? How do wireless companies hope to get ads on our cell phones? Is the interactive space more or less conducive to manipulative communications?

Seriously, this course looks so freaking awesome. I'd ask my university to run one like it, but with the rules for electives in my engineering program, it would probably get turned down because critical thinking is a skill. (Seriously, if a program teaches a specific skill, like dance or painting, we can't take it as an elective. Languages are ok though. Go figure. Contrast this with the science programs, where they check to see if the course is a Faculty of Arts one; if it is, you're gold. My dislike for engineering associations and societies is ever-growing.)  ¶ 5:15 p.m.