A special "vacation" episode this week. We have two tech stories to start. The first is out of Antarctica, where the Belgians have built a base camp that produces all of its own energy by using a Scottish company's wind turbines. Then, an online movement to commemorate the life and death of Iranian blogger Omid Reza Mirsayafi. In honor of vacation, we take a break from tech. We talk about the enduring legacy of Sherlock Holmes, and we hear about an amazing new graphic novel that charts the journey of one photographer into war-torn Afghanistan in the mid-1980s.

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We start this week with a look at how, and why, the European Union leveled a world of financial hurt on US chip-maker Intel. Wow, the EU dislikes someone more than it dislikes Microsoft! Also, journalist Roxana Saberi is released from prison in Iran, the Persian language blogs are buzzing. We'll have a sample. Then, Google Oceans tries to bring mapping help to endangered coral reefs. And finally, a very interesting MIT Media Lab project called SixthSense. No, it's not about seeing dead people. But it will display your email on an airport wall.

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We start the show with three projects that have been chosen as the winners of Vodafone's Wireless Innovation Project. All three harness the power of wireless technologies in pursuit of social good. Then, an in-depth look at the UK's DNA database, and what America's plans are for a similar database. Also, we try to answer some of the great questions you sent in about the swine flu virus. And we end with another competition; Airbus wants to know if you can figure out how to use engineering to make flights cheaper.

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We start out all bookish this week. We hear about Google's plan to digitally scan every book in the world, and make those books available to everyone with an internet connection. Also, UNESCO wants in on that action too, with a project called The World Digital Library. Then, an in-depth look at e-publishing; are paper books a thing of the past? Then, we hear about some Internet filtering circumvention technology called Psiphon. And we end with Yahoo's bid to trick out bikes with net cams and geo-location software.

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Sorry we're a couple of days late, but so it goes. First, we look at the Swedish court ruling against the founders of The Pirate Bay. We have an explainer and analysis on that. Also, how is Barack Obama's embrace of new technologies during the campaign playing out now that his administration is in power? And we end with a segment on robots. Lovely.

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An incredibly packed show this week. First, to Moldova to find out what role Twitter and other social networking sites have played in the protests there. Then to France for Urban Pac-Man! Also, two hits on tech and security. Are there Russian and Chinese spies pinging the US electricity grid? And are extremist websites being hosted on servers in the United States? Good questions. We also hear about an award-winning solar cooker, and about GoogleLitTrips.

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Two new reports came out this week that relate to China and the Internet. We'll explore both reports, with exclusive podcast-only material. Also, the second half our our interview with Andrew Lih, author of The Wikipedia Revolution. And the BBC's Chris Vallance trundles up to Newcastle to visit the UK's first Maker Faire. With musical interludes provided by listeners' Walkman picks!

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A listener prompts us to reach back into a long-ago time before iPods and Zunes. We give you what may be the first podcast designed to be played on the Sony Walkman, complete with appropriate music. Also, an exclusive interview with Andrew Lih, author of a new book on Wikipedia. And we reach back into an even more distant past to hear how technology is helping track down perpetrators of serious crimes in the era of Guatemala's civil war.

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This week, we hear about the death of Omidreza Mirsayafi. Mirsayafi was an imprisoned Iranian blogger. He died in the notorious Evin Prison. Human rights groups are calling for an investigation into his death. We also hear about some very cool robotic fish, and we ponder whether Russians are the rudest cell phone users in the world. Great feedback on last week's CCTV coverage leads to a follow-up interview where we bust some popular myths. And as Battlestar Galactica ends its four year run, we offer up a WTP segment to the Gods. So say we all!

WTP 236

A bit of theme runs through this week's show. Surveillance. We explore the extraordinary number of closed circuit television cameras in the United Kingdom. CCTV is sparking debate in Britain between privacy and security advocates. Then to Germany, where corporate spying is making news. We then head to the United States, to hear about a teen driving program which allows parents to watch their kids drive...via webcam. And finally, a Toronto filmmaker uses his prosthetic eye to make a film. Plus, a bagpipe enhanced dip into the mailbag.

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