From the company that inspired a South Florida hardcore band in the mid-90s to write a song titled “America on line” summing up the pain of using and being used by said online service proclaimed, “…there’s a difference between using and being used, you’re being abused…” comes the new America Online.

Since 2006 AOL has been a free service. No longer requiring the $24 each month for unlimited service the once dial-up ISP giant has been struggling to tread water with concrete shoes made by Google, Myspace, Yahoo and other innovating industry behemoths.

Before Myspace profiles and Facebook poking there was AOL Instant-messaging (still used) and chatrooms that owned the 90s.

After an innovation hiatus, the company is making sub-headlines again by introducing its first made for Mac OS application in years called AOL Desktop that features MapQuest integration that is apparently ready for mobile use and may soon include GPS for AIM users to find each other. Could be exciting if Google doesn’t beat them to it.

Finally, AOL has made itself a partner in the NBC/Fox venture called Hulu. You may have heard the sad news about Apple and NBC not getting along on with an iTunes contract. Hulu is going to essentially be to iTunes what the Zune is to the iPod. But either way, AOL is making press releases and innovation on any scale is good for everybody.

For you gentle people that read green blogs like Treehugger, magazines like Dwell, or liberal online newspapers such as the New York Times you’ve probably read an article or two about prefabricated homes. First off, these aren’t anything like your grandpappy’s mobile home.

In a decade where McMansions have reigned claim to suburbia, the prefab home is making itself more noticeable and available than it has been since after the second world war when hundreds of dozens dotted American cities.

There’s really no doubt that the popularity of these tiny “green” homes will climb because of several obvious reasons: Enter a new generation of young adults that DISLIKE the corporate MTV; the mess of advertising that litters everything from sidewalks to myspace; the wars fought over a non-renewable resource and the oversized road-hogging grocery-carrying vessels that use it; and the logic behind urban sprawl.

A prefab home is the future because its healthier, safer, and cleaner for both its occupants: human and nature. These homes can be placed on stilts hovering over 5 acres of swamp, forest, or prairie or nestled on the roof of a six-floor walkup in Chinatown. They’re flexible, customizable, and zen. What more could you want? Namaste peeps.

Consider this graphic a basic guide of whats going on in “Artsy” Brooklyn these days. Clockwise from top left:

• Macbook. As seen in coffee shops everywhere.
• Aviator Glasses. As seen in the movie Top Gun.
• Flannel. Made famous by Kurt Cobain circa 1992.
• Prada Eyewear. As seen on the L-train commute.
• Bianchi Pista. Fixies are less a trend for the band of hardworking bike messengers.
• Mac and Cheese. Hands down an American favorite.
• Sparks. Think of it as orange soda laced with moonshine.
• Vans. Never out of style. Slip-ons for playtime.
• Cheap Monday. Ladies: Tight jeans are the way to a man’s heart
• Swing Jacket. They’re not everywhere yet but on their way.
• M.I.A. Music that goes well with tight jeans.
• Country. Works well with whiskey. And whiskey works with anything.
• Budweiser. Another American classic. Goodbye PBR.
• Americano. (to go!) Notice a trend in “Americana”? Me too.
• Pirate boots. We’ll see about this last one. But ladies love their boots.

There. You got a quick visual taste and look at what our big city has to offer. Its OK to recycle!

iPhone. There, Already you’re salivating. This isn’t about that, its a story about how one tiny little company called Nokia, formerly and currently (anybody?) a global communications technology company or something along those lines, is playing a fierce game of catch-up after their ominous prediction that the iphone was over-hyped. In all fairness though, who knew?

But they’re fighters, these Nokia, and just released a load of rhetorical corporate idioms aka “press release” on Monday about how they’re going to take over the world one advertising text message at a time. This agenda, or business strategy is a little predictable. Here’s whats gonna happen: Its going to be a whole lot easier now for large brands to blast their messages to our phones whether we like it or not. What could happen is that we’re also treated to some sweet deals. Justice is blind and so I’ve started a Good and Bad list and I’m going to need you to comment below and add your two cents. (Let’s make a dollar!)

Good:

1. The more ads you get the more popular you seem. Nothing like fighting loneliness with a smirk as you check your new ad message on the bus.

Bad:

1. Those late night ad messages can and will break a relationship. “Its okay, baby, it was just an ad message for discount air tickets…[silence] I love you.”

I’m thinking that until SMS/MMS grows into an unlimited standard on users’ plans its probably going to invite some headaches with billing. Baby steps, folks.

Next week… flying cars and why Apple is making us wait.