Queen's Guitarist Publishes Astrophysics Thesis

The founder of the legendary rock band Queen, Brian May, has completed his doctoral thesis in astrophysics after taking a 30-year break to play some guitar.

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Moody Gardens changes story: Deadly snake did escape

 

 

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Moody Gardens changes story: Deadly snake did escape

via chron.com Chronicle on 7/31/08

Managers at the Moody Gardens Rainforest acknowledged Wednesday that a venomous snake escaped from its tank near the facility's public entrance when its whereabouts could not be accounted for earlier this month.

 

 

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The Onion | America's Finest News Source

The Onion | America's Finest News Source: "Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Justice Dept.: Justice Dept. Broke Law

An internal review has concluded that aides to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales used politics as a guiding factor in hiring, thus breaking the law and ruining the reputation of the Justice Department. What do you think?

Tasha Stanton, Blinds Installer
'I can't tell which Justice Department is the evil Justice Department—they look exactly the same!'

Josh Craven, Limo Driver
'Uh-oh. I used a political criteria to choose my preferred candidate in the 2004 elections. Do I have to turn myself in?'

Kyle Soares, Systems Analyst
'I'm beginning to think I was a little too hard on Ashcroft.'"

Senator Ted Stevens Indicted in Corruption Case - The Caucus - Politics - New York Times Blog

Senator Ted Stevens Indicted in Corruption Case - The Caucus - Politics - New York Times Blog: "July 29, 2008, 1:09 pm
Senator Ted Stevens Indicted in Corruption Case

By Kate Phillips

A federal grand jury has indicted longtime Senator Ted Stevens, Republican of Alaska, on corruption charges after more than a year’s investigation, a federal law enforcement official has confirmed to The Times’s David Johnston.

The Justice Department plans to hold a 1:20 p.m. news briefing on details of the indictment.

Just a year ago, federal agents raided Mr. Stevens’ home following questions about renovations at the home. A few months before that, an Alaska businessman Bill J. Allen admitted to bribery, and in court papers acknowledged making $243,000 in possibly illegal payments to a state lawmaker identified only as “Senator B.” That abbreviation referred to Senator Ted Stevens’s son, Ben Stevens."

Fox News Busted Again by MSNBC!

http://view.break.com/544617 - Watch more free videos

Top McCain Fund-Raiser Lobbying Bush Admin for Chevron

Chevron has launched “an unusually high-powered battle” to convince the Bush administration to pressure Ecuador to quash a toxic waste dumping case. Chevron’s lobbying offensive is being led by former senators Trent Lott and John Breaux, along with Wayne Berman, a top fund-raiser for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

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Hagel: McCain On "Thin Ground" With Recent Attacks

On CBS' "Face The Nation," Chuck Hagel responded to John McCain's recent attacks on Barack Obama's trip abroad and withdrawal plan: "John is treading on some very thin ground here when he impugns motives and when we start to get into, 'You're less patriotic than me. I'm more patriotic ... "it's just not responsible to be saying things like that."

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MSNBC slams Fox News

Novak Hits Pedestrian With Corvette

Columnist Robert Novak struck a pedestrian while driving a black Corvette on Washington D.C.'s K Street, and had to be chased down by a bicyclist before he stopped. What do you think?

Nelly Petrachonis,
Systems Analyst
"Why is this news? I assume he does this every week."


Eric Steuff,
Pilot
"That pedestrian had better pray he didn't dent Novak's Corvette or else expect retaliation in an upcoming article."


Evan Campo,
Camp Counselor
"Who was the pedestrian? Or will we have to wait for Robert Novak to publicly reveal his identity?"

Scientist: Gulf 'dead zone' bigger than ever

 

 

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Scientist: Gulf 'dead zone' bigger than ever

via KHOU.com Local News on 7/23/08

A "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas-Louisiana coast this year is likely to be the biggest ever and last longer than ever before, with marine life affected for hundreds of miles, a scientist warned.

 

 

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Butcher of Bosnia has been captured Dvorak Uncensored: General interest observations and true web-log.

"Radovan Karadzic, a former Bosnian Serb president, is blamed for these and other deaths during a genocidal war that claimed about 100,000 lives. He was captured yesterday in Belgrade, where the so-called “Butcher of Bosnia” had been living under an assumed name and practicing alternative medicine…"

Man blows up apartment with bug bombs

oops..........

PASADENA, Texas -- There are lots of good ways to get rid of bugs, but blowing up one’s home is isn't one of them.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to a Pasadena man Sunday.

The man reportedly left bug bombs in his apartment to get rid of pests, but he forgot to turn off his gas.

While he was gone, the gas ignited and blew out several windows.

Part of the ceiling also caved in as a result of the blast.

Fortunately, no one was injured.

Monk evangelises Heavy Metal

A Capuchin monk, Brother Cesare Bonizzi, is the lead singer in a heavy metal band which has just released its second album.

The 62-year-old monk's love affair with heavy metal began when he attended a Metallica concert some 15 years ago.

Crowd "Mooning" Amtrak Estimated at 8,000; Police Crack Down.

More than 50 law officers dispersed an estimated 8,000 people drinking alcohol and mooning trains as they passed between San Diego and Los Angeles. The annual ``Moon Over Amtrak'' party was shut down due to complaints about public nudity.

The event drew a crowd of about 8,000 along the tracks near Mugs Away Saloon, 27324 Camino Capistrano, but things got out of hand as businesses and residents called in complaints, said Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino.

California Highway Patrol officers were called in to assist Orange County sheriff's deputies shut down the impromptu event, where thousands of people bared their rear ends to passing Metrolink and Amtrak trains.

"There were complaints about the mooning, women lifting their tops and a couple cases of complete nudity,'' Amormino said. There were also reports of public alcohol consumption at the event, which has been prohibited in the past.

As of 3:50 p.m. Saturday, about 50 officers, including some from the California Highway Patrol, were in the process of shutting down the event.

"Traffic congestion is terrible right now, and with all the complaints we decided it was best we shut it down,'' Amormino said.

No arrests were made.

The event originated in 1979, at the Mugs Away Saloon, a K.T. Smith told friends he would buy a drink for anyone willing to run outside to the railroad tracks and moon the next train. Many of Smith's drinking buddies did, and the mooning tradition lived on -- although no one volunteers to buy drinks for the thousands of mooners that come out.

Bush Homeland Security Caught Offering Access for Donations

The Sunday Times reports Stephen Payne, a Bush pioneer and a political appointee to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, was caught on tape offering access to key members of the Bush administration inner circle in exchange for “six-figure donations to the private library being set up to commemorate Bush’s presidency.


”It’s a big club, and you ain’t in it. You and I are not in the big club.” -George Carlin



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What Comcast Wants

So what does cable giant Comcast want? Only to monopolize your Internet connection, block online competitors, and control what consumers do online. Comcast wants to turn the Internet into cable TV, where every Web site has to cut a special deal with them to get carried or else get blocked. And Comcast wants to be above the law while doing this.

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U.S. Intelligence: Burundi May Be Developing Telephone

WASHINGTON—According to a report released by the Pentagon, evidence suggests that the small Central African nation of Burundi may be developing a telephone, and experts warn the country could be just 10 years away from achieving a dial tone. "If Burundi's telephone has long-distance capabilities, it will be possible for them to reach the continental United States and parts of Canada with just the push of several buttons," CIA spokesman Richard Caburn said. "Thankfully, we possess advanced caller ID technology, so if they ever decide to call, we will be prepared." The Pentagon has mailed Burundi a letter asking them to end their communications program immediately, and has not ruled out the option of a preemptive nuclear strike on the nation.

Whistleblower says Pentagon putting KBR over soldiers

 

 

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Whistleblower says Pentagon putting KBR over soldiers

via chron.com Chronicle on 7/10/08

The Pentagon's oversight of KBR's work in Iraq and Afghanistan has been "irregular and highly out of the ordinary," Senate Democrats were told Wednesday.

 

 

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Microsoft chief cites search for 'cool' (w/video)

 

 

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Microsoft chief cites search for 'cool' (w/video)

via chron.com Technology News on 7/9/08

On a day when most of the technology buzz surrounded Friday's scheduled debut of Apple's new iPhone, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told a crowd in Houston his company needs to do more "cool" stuff.

 

 

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The Biggest Wave Ever Surfed (& caught on video)

Youtube comments seem to dispute whether this is at Peahi off of Maui (aka "Jaws") or Cortez Bank, west of San Diego CA. Anybody know for sure? Either way...Holy Freaking Shit!

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The Nipple Song

UroClub Original Commercial

Legendary standup comedian George Carlin

Legendary standup comedian George Carlin dead

George Carlin, the Grammy-Award winning standup comedian and actor who was hailed for his irreverent social commentary, poignant observations of the absurdities of everyday life and language, and groundbreaking routines like "Seven Words You Can Never Use on Television," died in Los Angeles on Sunday, according to his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He was 71.

Lander Finds Ice on Mars, Scientists Say - washingtonpost.com

Lander Finds Ice on Mars, Scientists Say - washingtonpost.com: "Lander Finds Ice on Mars, Scientists Say
Discovery Is Key Clue In Determining Whether Planet Supported Life

A trench dug by the Phoenix lander reveals white ice beneath the surface soil of Mars. Scientists say they are sure it is frozen water and not salt.
A trench dug by the Phoenix lander reveals white ice beneath the surface soil of Mars. Scientists say they are sure it is frozen water and not salt. (Nasa Via Associated Press)

F**king town is here to stay

Situated some 35km north of Salzburg, the village of F**king has been so named since 1070, in honor of a man called Focko.

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Mass transit, mass appeal

By Tara Sullivan
The Baytown Sun
Published June 13, 2008

Take notice when you pass one of the 40 orange-flagged wooden stakes that will be poking out along the roadsides.

Those flags will denote the spots where you will be able to catch the bus.

The Harris County Community Services Department said two 22-person buses could be up and running around Baytown by the end of July.

About 40 citizens gathered to hear Ken Fickes, Transit Services Director, give a presentation on the proposed route structure, cost and service options on Thursday evening on the campus of Lee College.

While Baytown has wanted a transit system for some time, transit authorities cited population growth and gas prices behind this forward motion.

The new bus system will operate on three main routes, running Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A special Park and Ride Express route will run a limited course from about one hour before and after that service period.

Fickes said a Saturday run is under future consideration, but the current route will serve as a scale by which the service can be weighed.

The three routes will travel the city from San Jacinto Mall to Lee College from north to south, looping two separate circular routes through the southwest and mid-west sections of the city.

These routes include stops directly in front of San Jacinto Methodist Hospital, many apartment complexes and housing projects, and the Wal-Mart on Garth Road.

Fox News Changes: "Terrorist Fist Jab" Anchor Loses Her Show

TVNewser reports that E.D. Hill, who hosts "America's Pulse" — and who raised many eyebrows this week after calling Barack and Michelle Obama's fist-pound a "terrorist fist jab" — has lost her show.

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The Captain’s Wife's Lament

9 Unexpected Benefits of Trains

Gotta love the train ride

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Top 10 Things You Forgot Your Mac Can Do

From Lifehacker. I just plain forgot some of these; others I use all the time.

Rock pioneer Bo Diddley dies at age 79

Legendary singer known for homemade guitar, dark glasses, black hat. Sad day for rock n roll fans.

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ALPHAJET ET MIRAGE 2000

alphajet et mirage 2000
Uploaded by racerboat

Super Collider lab now gathering weeds near Dallas

 

 

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Super Collider lab now gathering weeds near Dallas

via HoustonChronicle.com -- Chronicle on 5/24/08

Had the Superconducting Super Collider been completed south of Dallas as planned, the magnet would now lie in a 54-mile-long tunnel, accelerating bits of matter to near the speed of light, producing spectacular collisions and re-creating conditions that existed at the universe's beginning.

 

 

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TV's Laugh-In comic Dick Martin dies at 86

 

 

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TV's *Laugh-In* comic Dick Martin dies at 86

via HoustonChronicle.com -- Chronicle on 5/24/08

Dick Martin, the zany half of the comedy team whose Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In took television by storm in the 1960s, making stars of Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin and creating such national catch-phrases as "Sock it to me!" has died. He was 86.

 

 

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State regulators OK West Texas nuclear waste dump

Houston Chronicle

By JANET ELLIOTT
Coppyright 2008 Austin Bureau


State environmental regulators voted 2-1 today to grant a Dallas company's license to dispose of waste from nuclear weapons processing and uranium mining in Andrews County in West Texas.

"Chairman Buddy Garcia and Commissioner Bryan Shaw voted to issue the "by-products" license to Waste Control Specialists, a company owned by Harold Simmons, a top donor to Gov. Rick Perry, who appoints members of the the environmental commission."

Chuck Hagel Takes On McCain, Repeatedly Praises Obama

The Republican Senator from Nebraska was a political thorn in McCain's side on Tuesday night, repeatedly lavishing praise on the presumptive Democratic candidate and levying major foreign policy criticisms at the GOP nominee and the Republican Party as a whole...Hagel even urged the Arizona Republican to elevate his campaign discourse to a higher,

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Missing Woman Found after 42 Years! In her Apartment, Watching TV! Dvorak Uncensored: General interest observations and true web-log.

"The Daily Telegraph

POLICE broke into a flat to check who lived there 42 years after its owner was reported missing - and found the mummified remains of the woman sitting in front of her TV. Croatian police say Hedviga Golik, who was born in 1924, had apparently made herself a cuppa and sat down to watch her black-and-white television before she died. Officers believe that would have been in 1966, when she was last seen by neighbours. They said one day she seemed to have just disappeared and they thought she had moved to the capital Zagreb.

But they found her remains in the tiny 13sq m flat after breaking in with bailiffs. A police spokesman said: “So far we have no idea how it is possible that someone officially reported missing so long ago was not found before in the same apartment she used to live in.”"

How to Pack Everything You Own in One Bag : NPR

All Things Considered, May 9, 2008

Going on a trip? Now that airlines are charging for more than one checked bag, packing efficiently is the name of the game.

With more and more airlines charging extra to check a second piece of baggage, packing light has become a necessity.

Next week, AirTran Airways and American Airlines will join Northwest, Delta, US Airways, United and Continental in requiring passengers to pay a fee if they can't cram all their clothes, shoes, books, and hairdryers into one bag to check.

But one packing expert says it is possible to put your belongings in a single piece of luggage.

Redneck swing [PIC]

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Squirrel, It’s What’s for Dinner

Squirrel, It’s What’s for Dinner Dvorak Uncensored: General interest observations and true web-log.

'Consumer Reports': Apple tech support is aces | One More Thing - CNET News.com

From C|Net

May 6, 2008 11:47 AM PDT
'Consumer Reports': Apple tech support is aces
Posted by Tom Krazit 12 comments

Apple has the best technical support in the PC industry, according to the most recent issue of Consumer Reports.

The venerable magazine surveyed its readers to gather their experiences with technical support for personal computing, and Apple's organization far outpaced its rivals in the PC industry. Readers assigned the company a score of 83 for its notebook technical support, which translates to 'very satisfied' on Consumer Reports' rating scale. You have to be a Consumer Reports subscriber if you want to access the articles and graphs on its Web site."

Lenovo and Dell ranked second and third, respectively, with scores of 66 and 60, or "fairly well satisfied." Hewlett-Packard, the current leader in the PC market, received the lowest score and the worst rating for its technical support staffers. Apple also led the desktop technical support pack with a score of 81, trailed by Dell and Gateway with scores below 60.

Apple has also ranked well on the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index, a yearly measure of consumer taste in various brands. The company solves problems quickly, especially for customers who take their Mac to one of the company's retail stores for service. But if you don't live near an Apple Store, the company offers the shortest amount of free telephone support of any of the PC companies.

When it comes to the number of problems that appear, Apple's record wasn't as stellar. The company was ranked last in the number of defects that cropped up in its notebooks between 2003 and 2007, although the margin of error in that survey meant that all the surveyed manufacturers essentially tied with defects found in between 20 percent and 23 percent of their notebooks.

But Apple did much better in desktops, leading the pack with the fewest defects reported between 2003 and 2007. And since customers respond well to companies that can quickly fix the inevitable problems that crop up in PCs and consumer electronics, Apple's surging Mac sales might have something to do with its support.

The Handy Uses of a Home Computer (Jan, 1970)

Computers for the home have been envisioned by science fiction writers and engineers ever since a huge, unwieldy prototype was developed 25 years ago. The whole futuristic age they prophesied, with an omnipotent electronic monster named Horace in every living room, is still a long way from realization...

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Look carefuly at this picture, what do you see? [illusion]

After you make your decision, read on for an explanation....

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LSD Inventor Dead | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who created the hallucinogen LSD, died the age of 102. What do you think?"


Jackie Alpert,
Grocer
"Shit. Did anyone remember to write down the recipe for LSD?"

Tom Ostin,
Systems Analyst
"It's just like I tell my kids: If you get involved with drugs, you're going to end up dead."

Bart Stein,
Helicopter Pilot
"Oh man, there goes my hookup."

Crapware: The PC Decrapifier Detects More Bloatware

From LifeHacker: The previously mentioned PC Decrapifier utility, which cleans pre-installed bloatware that ships with new Windows laptops, sees an update today and detects more applications than ever, like Norton 360, the Microsoft Office 2007 Trial and Activation Assistant, and Symantic LiveUpdate. [via]"

Bright lights, big city: UFO reported over Baytown skies

Bright lights, big city: UFO reported over Baytown skies

07:03 AM CDT on Monday, April 28, 2008

By Kevin Reece / 11 News

BAYTOWN, Texas — Lisa Fojt and her aunt, Kathy Boyd, say they saw more than the bright refinery lights of Baytown when they crossed the Fred Hartman Bridge Saturday night.

“There’s no explanation. But we know what we saw,” Boyd said.

They saw a UFO. Really.

“It was an extremely bright light, it was a blue-green light,” Boyd said.

The object was seen at about the same level as the top of the bridge, hovering somewhere over Goose Creek.

It’s a story the pair admitted they were reluctant to tell. But they saw it, and they told.

“And I was looking, and I’m like ‘are you watching this?’ And she’s like ‘yes, I’ve been watching it.’ And it kind of verified to both of us that we both saw something,” Fojt said.

Fojt and Boyd took their search for that something online, asking a blog message board if anyone else saw it too.

Several others did, but several more questioned their sanity.

Still others suggested it was a meteor that lit up the Baytown sky that night.

But Fogt and Boyd said, as far as they’ve heard, meteors don’t make hard-banking right turns.

“And then it just kicked in – like, warp speed – and it was gone!” Boyd said. “An extremely sharp turn.”

“It just – poof! – disappeared. It was like a little triangle zap, like you see in the movies. I mean, it just disappeared,” Fojt added.

A recent UFO sighting in Arizona turned out to be a hoax. A man had tied road flares to a series of helium balloons.

But Fojt and Boyd don’t see a hoax at play here, though even that would be a better explanation than the inevitable query:

11 News: “Had you ladies been drinking?”

(laughter)

Fojt: “No, no, no. I kind of wish we had, you know? Maybe it would seem less real.”

The pair swears they saw the real deal – they’d just like help finding out what kind of deal it really was.

For sale: WTF?

Katrina victims may have to repay $$$

Katrina victims may have to repay $$$
By JOHN MORENO GONZALES, Associated Press Writer


NEW ORLEANS - Imagine that your home was reduced to mold-covered wood framing by Hurricane Katrina. Desperate for money to rebuild, you engage in a frustrating bureaucratic process, and after months of living in a government provided-trailer that gives off formaldehyde fumes you finally win a federal grant.

Then a collector announces that you have to pay back thousands of dollars.

Thousands of Katrina victims may be in the same boat.

A private contractor under investigation for the compensation it received to run the Road Home grant program for Katrina victims says that in the rush to deliver aid to homeowners in need some people got too much. Now it wants to hire a separate company to collect millions in grant overpayments.

Oddly, Bush & Co. Don’t Seem To Want To Stop Fraud By War Contractors Abroad

I seem to remember reading that there was a time when war profiteers were shot. I must be wrong since doing so now is endorsed by our squeaky clean administration so it must be good.

Flaws In FBI Watchlist

"The list's flaws are, at the very least, overstated. We will bring Osama bin Goldberg to justice."

— Cynthia Meline, FBI Agent

Writer Arthur C. Clarke Dies at 90

By RAVI NESSMAN
The Associated Press
Wednesday, March 19, 2008; 8:19 AM

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Arthur C. Clarke, a visionary science fiction writer who wrote "2001: A Space Odyssey" and won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future, died Wednesday, an aide said. He was 90.

Shroud Of Turin Accidentally Washed With Red Shirt

March 10, 2008 | Issue 44•11


VATICAN CITY—The Shroud of Turin, an ancient linen cloth believed to bear the image of Christ and considered by many clerics and devotees to be one of the holiest relics of the Christian faith, was inadvertently dyed a light shade of pink after being washed with a red T-shirt, sources reported Tuesday.

The holy antiquity, thought by some to be the very garment Jesus Christ was buried in, was discovered in 1354. Though it has suffered oxidation and fire damage over the centuries, this is the first time that the shroud has been harmed in a laundry-related mishap.

"Simply because the shroud has been given a slight pinkish tint does not in any way diminish its sanctity," Vatican spokesman Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo said during a press conference held to address the spiritual repercussions of the shroud's staining. "It is still very much the icon of the suffering of the innocent of all times."

The Vatican stressed that nothing out of the ordinary happened to the shroud during the initial preparations for its monthly laundering in Rome. As is custom, on the third Sunday of the month, the priceless relic—which is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, Italy—was taken from its hermetically sealed, bulletproof glass case and stuffed into the Blessed Papal Laundry Sack, and it was then transported by a retinue of Swiss Guards to Vatican City without incident.

According to Lajolo, the damage occurred when Pope Benedict XVI, whose turn it was to do the Vatican laundry, did not notice that a brand-new, bright-red Hanes Beefy-T belonging to Cardinal Angelo Sodano had been placed inside of the consecrated cleansing vessel, the Holy Whirlpool 24934 top-load washer.

The pope then started a load of white vestments, including the shroud, only realizing what had happened when he returned to remove the sacred artifact, which is always line-dried.

"His Holiness was distracted with trying to scrub a tough Blood of Christ stain out of Cardinal Nicora's miter," Lajolo said. "Not that this was some sort of mistake on his part. The pope is still infallible. We have to keep in mind that this is all part of God's greater plan."

"And who are we to question or reject the ways the Lord works through our laundry?" Lajolo continued.

Church officials said that the shroud's staining was not in any way due to negligence on the Vatican's part. An investigation into the matter showed that the detergent had been properly blessed before the laundering, and the holy water softener that was installed last summer was working perfectly.

"We must not allow ourselves to fall into despair, for, as sinners, we are flawed and must seek forgiveness in the Lord alone," said Lajolo, who later hinted that the damage to the shroud was possibly God's response to the sins of the world, and especially homosexuality. "As Christ teaches, let he who has never overly starched, shrunk, or rent his garments cast the first stone."

Though the discoloring of the Shroud of Turin has come as a shock to many Catholics, it is not the first time that a holy relic has been damaged. In 1983, several pieces of the True Cross were water-stained after being used as coasters during Pope John Paul II's birthday party, and in 1572, the knucklebone of St. Olaf was accidentally thrown out with a plate of half-eaten chicken wings.

In the wake of the incident involving Christ's death shroud, the Vatican has been exploring possible ways to restore the raiment back to its original color.

"We do not want to attempt to use caustic cleaning agents for fear of turning the blessed shroud an unholy bright orange," Lajolo said. "We continue to look to God for divine guidance as to the purity and virtue of using a color-safe bleach."

The Sandwich Video

Sand Dunes on Mars

More photo proof of Wind on Mars

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2007 Darwin Awards - the Winner Dvorak Uncensored: General interest observations and true web-log.

Michael was an alcoholic. And not an ordinary alcoholic, but an alcoholic who liked to take his liquor… well, rectally. His wife said he was “addicted to enemas” and often used alcohol in this manner. The result was the same: inebriation. And tonight, Michael was in for one hell of a party.

Two 1.5 litre bottles of sherry, more than 100 fluid ounces, right up the old address!

When the rest of us have had enough, we either stop drinking or pass out. When Michael had had enough (and subsequently passed out) the alcohol remaining in his rectal cavity continued to be absorbed. The next morning, Michael was dead."

Slashdot | Microsoft Internal Emails Show Dismay With Vista

Slashdot | Microsoft Internal Emails Show Dismay With Vista: "Microsoft Internal Emails Show Dismay With Vista
Posted by kdawson on Thursday February 28, @01:14PM

from the you-scratch-my-back dept.

The Courts Windows

bfwebster writes 'Microsoft is currently facing a class-action suit over its designation of allegedly under-powered hardware as being 'Vista Capable.' The discovery process of that lawsuit has now compelled Microsoft to produce some internal emails discussing those issues. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has published extracts of some of those emails, along with a link to a a PDF file containing a more extensive email exchange. The emails reflect a lot of frustration among senior Microsoft personnel about Vista's performance problems and hardware incompatibilities. They also appear to indicate that Microsoft lowered the hardware requirements for 'Vista Capable' in order to include certain lower-end Intel chipsets, apparently as a favor to Intel: 'In the end, we lowered the requirement to help Intel make their quarterly earnings so they could continue to sell motherboards with 915 graphics embedded.' Read the whole PDF; it is informative, interesting, and at times (unintentionally) funny.'"

Marlins want fat men who can dance

The Florida Marlins are looking for some footloose fat men. The National League team is creating an all-male, plus-size cheerleading squad to be dubbed the Manatees. Tryouts were scheduled for Sunday.

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Mr. “Pottymouth” Rogers

» Pic of the Day Dept. Dvorak Uncensored: General interest observations and true web-log.

Chavez Threatens To Cut United States Off | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Chavez Threatens To Cut United States Off | The Onion - America's Finest News Source: "Chavez Threatens To Cut United States Off

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has threatened to stop sending oil to the United States, citing Washington’s role in aiding Exxon Mobil with a lawsuit against nationalizing the country’s oil. What do you think?


Bettie Arnold,
Systems Analyst
'Bullies like Chavez should never underestimate the little guy—in this case, Exxon Mobil.'


Pedro Barajas,
Hotel Clerk
'I'm surprised by how relatively reasonable this threat is.'


Adam Metz,
Carpet Installer
'Exxon Mobil or Hugo Chavez. Please don't make me choose sides here.'"

Duck!

No seriously, duck!

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End of the Road for Polaroid Instant Film

Polaroid Corp. is dropping the technology it pioneered long before digital photography rendered instant film obsolete to all but a few nostalgia buffs. This year's closures will leave Polaroid with 150 employees at its Concord headquarters and a site in the nearby Boston suburb of Waltham, down from peak global employment of nearly 21,000 in 1978.

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Coast to Coast

Jessica Simpson’s New Movie Grossed $384 on Friday!

Blonde Ambition averaged $48 per screen on Friday for a total box office of $384. Based on an $8 ticket price, that means that 6 people paid to see the movie at each of those theatres, and only 48 people went to see the movie! That’s amazing! One of the worst performances a movie has ever had.

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Flight Simulator in Google Earth 4.2

"Not only did the latest version of Google Earth add Sky—it also quietly got a fabulous new flight simulator which flies a virtual airplane (either an F16 'Viper' or SR22 prop plane) from an airport and runway of your choice. To switch into flight simulator mode the first time, launch the latest version 4.2 of Google Earth (free download) and hit Ctrl+Alt+A (Mac users: Cmd+Opt+A.) Choose your plane, airport and runway and go! Well, ok, it's not quite that easy."

The Month Of Zepcember | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

After years apart, the three original members of Led Zeppelin reunited in a triumphant concert in London on Monday. What do you think?



Scott Frederiksen, Cabinet Maker
'It was truly a concert that people will tell their grandchildren about the following weekend.'"

» Bush offers phone number for “hope” - sadly, the wrong number Dvorak Uncensored: General interest observations and true web-log.

"U.S. homeowners who could face crippling mortgage payments will have a hard time getting help if they call a telephone number President George W. Bush recommended on Thursday — he gave them the wrong number."

Bad Santa - The Best of The Worst Mall Santas

Run kids, run.

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Weird Sleeping Cat

As seen on Digg.

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Most unusual data disaster horror stories for 2007

December 06, 2007 (Computerworld Australia) -- An ant-infested hard drive and a failing parachute top a list of data disaster horror stories for 2007.

The list, provided by Kroll Inc.'s Ontrack Data Recovery unit, illustrates some of the strangest and wackiest things that people put electronic storage devices through on a regular basis.

Putting drives in the washing machine. Using oil to stop them from squeaking. These are just two examples of the user bloopers the company's engineers nominated for inclusion on the list. Remarkably, Kroll data recovery specialists were able to recover the data in both instances.

This year, Kroll's engineers said the company has seen more damaged portable devices than ever before.

One woman called to complain that she had "washed all her data away." Her USB stick had been through a cycle in her washing machine and -- surprise! -- she couldn't retrieve any data from it.

Clever Uses: Open Clamshell Packaging with a Can Opener

"Tips Team Tip your editors: tips@lifehacker.com Editor: Gina Trapani | Email Senior Editor: Adam Pash | Email | AIM Contributor: Kyle Pott | Email Tamar Weinberg | Email Lifehacker Shop Buy our new book! Lifehacker, 88 Tech Tricks to Turbocharge Your Day Site Meter Site Meter Lifehacker username: password: new user? « || next » Clever Uses Open Clamshell Packaging with a Can Opener can-opener 1.pngThe gift-giving season is upon us, and that means the battle between you and the stubborn plastic clamshell packaging standing between you and your new gadget is in full swing. Reader Karthik writes in with a very simple and clever alternative to cutting up your hands on the pointy and stubborn plastic:"

Dvorak Uncensored » In-flight Lingerie Show With Ecuadorean Airline

"Hotties in the sky - reuters.com: An Ecuadorean airline has come up with a risqué way of attracting customers - they have put models in lingerie in the aisles. Ícaro airlines is putting underwear fashion parades on several national flights for a two-week special. All passengers on Ecuador’s most well-travelled route from the capital Quito to the port city of Guayaquil will be treated to a 10-minute sky-high show."

New Trojan Horse Strikes Mac

A rare new Trojan horse that targets Mac users and takes over their computers has been found on pornographic websites. What do you think?

Rick Donnelly,
Ground Crew

"Though I know this Mac virus is undesirable, its rarity gives me an unquenchable thirst to possess it."

University Defies RIAA Demand to Release Student Downloaders' Names

The University of Oregon is believed to be the first US educational institution to refuse a RIAA demand to hand over the names of students alleged to have illegally downloaded music.


Go Ducks!



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$200 “Google PC” is launched today at Wal-mart

PC maker Everex rolls out a budget desktop PC today that costs $200 and combines the Ubuntu Linux kernel with Google applications and open source software.

The machine uses a 1.5GHz Via C7-D processor, Via UniChrome Pro IGP graphics core, and comes equipped with 512MB of memory, an 80GB hard drive, a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive, and has built-in Ethernet.

But the real secret sauce is a software suite that begins with what the company calls its “gOS,” which turns out to be a customized Ubuntu Linux kernel. The software bundle includes open source desktop applications highlighted by OpenOffice, GIMP photo software, the Xing DVD and video player, and Rhythmbox music management software.

Additionally, the PC’s user interface includes icons pointing to popular Google applications such as Documents and Spreadsheets, Calendar, News, and Maps. Also pre-installed is the Firefox web browser, Meebo IM, and Skype.

Special note of the inclusion of Skype. Should piss off Telcos.

The Associated Press: US Signs Maritime Pact With Mongolia

The Associated Press: US Signs Maritime Pact With Mongolia: "US Signs Maritime Pact With Mongolia By MATTHEW LEE – 1 day ago WASHINGTON (AP) — Somebody should have looked at a map.

The State Department with great fanfare on Tuesday signed an agreement with landlocked Mongolia that will allow Mongolian ships to be boarded and searched if they are suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction.

This despite the fact that Mongolia — a vast land that's home to the Gobi Desert, windswept steppes and largely populated by nomadic yak herders — has no navy at all and lies thousands of miles from open waters.

Still, its tiny merchant marine is recognized as one of 32 'flag of convenience' countries by international maritime authorities.

The U.S.-Mongolia shipboarding pact, the eighth signed between the United States and usually coastal or island nations, is designed to cover those Mongolian-flagged ships in international waters that might be used by other countries, notably North Korea, to disguise cargos of illegal weaponry, U.S. officials said.

Asked what Washington hoped to achieve with the agreement, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said 'I'll have to check,' but stressed it was a key part of the 'Proliferation Security Initiative' that aims to halt trade in nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

Although Mongolia has only 62 ships registered under the "flag" program, according to the latest edition of the CIA World Factbook, officials said it is important to sign up as many countries as possible no matter how modest their fleet.

The seven countries that have signed agreements before Tuesday account for nearly 10,000 registered ships and include the top three "flag of convenience" nations — Panama, Liberia and Malta — as well as Cyprus and the Marshall Islands, which are both in the top 10, according to the State Department.

Taking a Whack Against Comcast - washingtonpost.com

By Neely Tucker Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 18, 2007

Sometimes truly American virtues arise in outlaws who -- by dint of heroic but questionable endeavors -- display the mettle of the national character.

For instance: The Dillinger Gang, robbing banks (and destroying mortgages) when banks were foreclosing on the poor. Stephanie St. Clair, matron of the numbers racket during the Harlem Renaissance, striking a (dubious) blow for both gender and racial equality. Junior Johnson bootlegging liquor during Prohibition (the benefits of which were self-evident).

Fear not, fellow Americans! In these dark days of war, pestilence and Paris Hilton, a new hero has arisen. She is none other than 75-year-old Mona "The Hammer" Shaw, who took the aforementioned implement to her local Comcast office in Manassas to settle a score, and boy, did she!

Comcast Blocking extends past Torrents.

In the wake of several reports showing that Comcast is targeting BitTorrent traffic with forged TCP reset packets, new evidence demonstrates that Comcast is targeting Gnutella and Lotus Notes, too. Wait... Lotus Notes?

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Revenge of the Smart Playlist

Revenge of the Smart Playlist: 5 tricks for packrats & power users

Merlin Mann | Nov 10 2006

The success of yesterday's post on the basics of Smart Playlists makes me think you might enjoy seeing a few more. So, today I want to show you how to get control of a very large iTunes library — to save space by getting rid of stuff you're not enjoying or listening to, as well as bubble up stuff you may not even realize you like.

If you are an iTunes packrat but feel overwhelmed by your collection (or are simply running out of drive space), try these recipes for Smart Playlists to help you get it together.

http://www.43folders.com/2006/11/10/smart-playlists-for-packrats

White House Doesn't Return Sanchez's Fire

ABCNews -- Faced with sharp criticism from a former U.S. commander in Iraq, the White House has chosen not to return fire.
Responding to accusations from retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, Kate Starr, spokeswoman for the National Security Council said, "We appreciate his service to the country."

Speaking Friday to the Military Reporters and Editors' Conference just a few miles from the Pentagon, Sanchez, who commanded American forces in Iraq for a year after the March 2003 invasion, lashed out at the administration's strategy and competence. He called the Bush plan for war "catastrophically flawed." "There has been a glaring, unfortunate display of incompetent strategic leadership within our national leaders," Sanchez said

Gore hopes Nobel win aids global warming fight

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Former Vice President Al Gore, newly named co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, said day he hopes the honor will "elevate global consciousness" about the challenges of global warming.

Gore, whose documentary An Inconvenient Truth, won an Academy Award earlier this year, was awarded the prize earlier in the day along with an international network of scientists for spreading awareness of man-made climate change and laying the foundations for counteracting it.

Microsoft Fine Upheld In Court

Microsoft Fine Upheld In Court

Europe's second highest court recently upheld the European Commission's 2004 decision to fine Microsoft 497 million euros for antitrust violations....

NBC Universal, Apple's iTunes deal sours

A WAR of words has erupted between NBC Universal and Apple, laying bare the tension between media and technology companies as they fight for advantage in the burgeoning market to sell video online.

The two companies had been negotiating to renew NBC's contract to sell its television programs through Apple's iTunes digital media store. However, the talks soured after NBC told Apple it would not renew the original deal because of frustrations about iTunes' pricing policy and anti-piracy controls.

Apple accused NBC of trying to push a "dramatic price increase" on consumers and said it would drop the network's new autumn television programs from iTunes.

NBC countered that Apple's pricing strategy was "designed to drive sales of Apple devices, at the expense of those who create the content that make these devices worth buying".

The dispute is another reminder of the growing discord between media and technology companies as they try to hammer out new business models to sell film, television, music and other content on the internet.

Universal Music, the largest music company, this year informed Apple that it would not renew its long-term iTunes contract and has since begun to supply rivals, such as Wal-Mart and Amazon.com. Universal and others have long complained that Apple has used its dominance in the online music market to force them to accept a uniform, 99c-per-track pricing model while it cashes in on lucrative sales of its iPod device.

As they seek to gain a foothold in the burgeoning online video market, film and television executives are desperate not to repeat the music industry's mistakes. As such, NBC is demanding greater power to price its programs on iTunes, including the ability to bundle episodes at special rates. NBC also wants Apple to install stronger filters on the iPod to block it from playing pirated materials.

NBC first signed with Apple in December 2005. Its programs now account for about 30 per cent of iTunes' television sales, although the resulting revenues still pale in comparison with the network's traditional advertising streams. NBC says that it still hopes to reach an agreement with Apple before their contract expires in December.

But they have also drawn closer to Amazon.com, which is now selling downloads of NBC programs, and expect to deepen that relationship.

NBC is also preparing to launch an online video portal with News Corp called Hulu.com that will feature its film and television clips.

"Surrender Should NOT be an Option" by Ron Paul

Saddam Hussein has been removed. An elected government is now in place in Iraq that meets with US approval. The only weapon of mass destruction in Iraq is our military presence. Why are we still over there? Conventional wisdom would dictate that when the "mission is accomplished", the victor goes home, and that is not considered a retreat.

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I realize it's a cat ... [pic]

but WTF is wrong with it?

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Would you like some fish?

Dvorak Uncensored » Pic Of The Day Dept.

Australian Woman Killed By Amorous Camel

BRISBANE, Australia,
Aug. 19, 2007(AP)

An Australian woman was killed by a pet camel given to her as a 60th birthday present after the animal apparently tried to have sex, police said Sunday. The woman, whose name was not released, was killed Saturday at her family's sheep and cattle ranch near Mitchell, 350 miles west of the Queensland state capital Brisbane, state police Detective Senior Constable Craig Gregory said. The 10-month-old male camel — weighing about 330 pounds — knocked the woman to the ground, lay on top of her, then exhibited what police suspect was mating behavior, Gregory said. 'I'd say it's probably been playing, or it may be even a sexual sort of thing,' Gregory said, adding the camel almost suffocated the family's pet goat by straddling it on several occasions. Camel expert Chris Hill said he had no doubt the camel's behavior was sexual. Hill, who has offered camel rides to tourists for 20 years, said young camels are not aggressive, but can be dangerous if treated as pets without discipline. The fate of the camel was not known. The woman was given the camel in March as a birthday present from her husband and daughter. 'She had a love of exotic pets,' Gregory said.

Destruction Of National Pastime Given Two-Minute Standing Ovation

Destruction Of National Pastime Given Two-Minute Standing Ovation

FEMA Slow To Investigate Toxic Trailers

FEMA is under fire for being slow to investigate reports by Hurricane Katrina victims who testified they've fallen ill from high levels of formaldehyde in their FEMA-provided trailers. What do you think?

Therese Dougan,
Office Manager
"Oh come on, those illnesses could've been the result of any one of the many governmental failures following Katrina."

Report: Astronauts Flew Drunk

An internal review at NASA revealed that some of their astronauts may have been drunk when they boarded shuttle missions into space. What do you think?


Doris Snyder,
Tobacconist
"Um, when are NASA astronauts not drunk? They're being shot into outer fucking space!"

Veggie Booty (?) Voluntary Recall Issued

Recent Recalls: "Wellbaskets.com Is Alerting Customers of the Veggie Booty Voluntary Recall Issued on June 28, 2007 by Robert's American Gourmet (July 2) (Fri, 06 Jul 2007 15:33:00 GMT) Veggie Booty has been voluntarily recalled by manufacturer Robert's American Gourmet due to possible Salmonella contamination. The recently recalled product, Veggie Booty, was a component of many gift baskets created by www.wellbaskets.com."

IRAN'S SPYING SQUIRRELS?

By Ali Arouzi, NBC News Producer

You can tell that Iran is feeling a little beleaguered these days when there are reports that Tehran may be under attack from rodents!

That is what the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported this week, that police had, ahem, "arrested" 14 squirrels on charges of espionage.

The rodents were found near the Iranian border, allegedly equipped with eavesdropping devices, according to IRNA.

When asked to confirm the story, Esmaeel Ahmadi Moghadam, the national police chief, said, "I have heard about it, but I do not have precise information." He declined to give any more details.

IRNA said that the squirrels were discovered by intelligence services – but were captured by police officers several weeks ago.

British blamed for Basra badgers

British blamed for Basra badgers:

Last Updated: Thursday, 12 July 2007, 13:00 GMT 14:00 UK

The badgers appeared near the British base in Basra
British forces have denied rumours that they released a plague of ferocious badgers into the Iraqi city of Basra.

Word spread among the populace that UK troops had introduced strange man-eating, bear-like beasts into the area to sow panic.

But several of the creatures, caught and killed by local farmers, have been identified by experts as honey badgers."

UK military spokesman Major Mike Shearer said: "We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area.

Bourbon Street Sign

Playboy: At last something else to do with your free hand

N.J. Dog Crowned World's Ugliest - The Huffington Post

N.J. Dog Crowned World's Ugliest - The Huffington Post: "N.J. Dog Crowned World's Ugliest"

PETALUMA, Calif. — Elwood, a 2-year-old Chinese Crested and Chihuahua mix, was crowned the world's ugliest dog Friday, a distinction that delighted the New Jersey mutt's owners.

Elwood, dark colored and hairless _ save for a mohawk-like puff of white fur on his head _ is often referred to as "Yoda," or "ET," for his resemblance to those famous science fiction characters.

"I think he's the cutest thing that ever lived," said Elwood's owner, Karen Quigley, a resident of Sewell, New Jersey.

Quigley brought Elwood out to compete for the second year at the annual ugly dog contest at the Marin-Sonoma County Fair. Elwood placed second last year.

Most of the competing canines were also Chinese Crested, a breed that features a mohawk, bug eyes and a long, wagging tongue.

Quigley said she rescued Elwood two years ago. "The breeder was going to euthanize him because she thought he was too ugly to sell," said Quigley.

"So ha ha, now Elwood's all over the Internet and people love him and adore him."

Beyond the regal title of ugliest dog, Elwood also earned a $1,000 reward for his owner.

Dvorak Uncensored » ‘Mr. Wizard’ Has Gone To That Great Science Experiment In The Sky

Mr. Wizard’ Has Gone To That Great Science Experiment In The Sky

Many of you are too young to remember who Don Herbert was. But for those of us with a little gray on top, we remember him fondly.

TV's 'Mr. Wizard' Don Herbert dies at 89

By LYNN ELBER
AP TELEVISION WRITER

LOS ANGELES -- Don Herbert, who as television's "Mr. Wizard" introduced generations of young viewers to the joys of science, died Tuesday. He was 89. Herbert, who had bone cancer, died at his suburban Bell Canyon home, said his son-in-law, Tom Nikosey.

See anything wrong in this Spelling Bee photo?

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