Situated some 35km north of Salzburg, the village of F**king has been so named since 1070, in honor of a man called Focko.
read more | digg story
Friday, June 20, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
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.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, June 09, 2008
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
Top 10 Things You Forgot Your Mac Can Do
From Lifehacker. I just plain forgot some of these; others I use all the time.
Monday, June 02, 2008
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.
read more | digg story
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Super Collider lab now gathering weeds near Dallas
Sent to you by James via Google Reader:
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. 
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to HoustonChronicle.com -- Chronicle using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
TV's Laugh-In comic Dick Martin dies at 86
Sent to you by James via Google Reader:
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. 
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to HoustonChronicle.com -- Chronicle using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
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."
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,
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Missing Woman Found after 42 Years! In her Apartment, Watching TV! Dvorak Uncensored: General interest observations and true web-log.
"The Daily TelegraphPOLICE 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.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
'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.
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.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
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...
read more | digg story
Friday, May 02, 2008
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."
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."
Thursday, May 01, 2008
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]"
Monday, April 28, 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
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.
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.
Friday, March 21, 2008
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.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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."
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."
Friday, March 07, 2008
Monday, March 03, 2008
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."
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."
Thursday, February 28, 2008
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.'"
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.'"
Sunday, February 24, 2008
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.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
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.'"
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.'"
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Saturday, February 09, 2008
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.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Sunday, December 23, 2007
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.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Sunday, December 16, 2007
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."
Thursday, December 13, 2007
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.'"
Scott Frederiksen, Cabinet Maker
'It was truly a concert that people will tell their grandchildren about the following weekend.'"
Sunday, December 09, 2007
» 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."
Saturday, December 08, 2007
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.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
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:"
Saturday, November 10, 2007
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."
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
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."
Rick Donnelly,
Ground Crew
"Though I know this Mac virus is undesirable, its rarity gives me an unquenchable thirst to possess it."
Saturday, November 03, 2007
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!
read
more | digg story
Go Ducks!
read
more | digg story
$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 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.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
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.
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!
Monday, October 22, 2007
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?
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Revenge of the Smart Playlist
Revenge of the Smart Playlist: 5 tricks for packrats & power users
Merlin Mann | Nov 10 2006The 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
Sunday, October 14, 2007
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
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
Friday, October 12, 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
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.
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.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, September 03, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
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.
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.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Friday, August 03, 2007
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."
Therese Dougan,
Office Manager
"Oh come on, those illnesses could've been the result of any one of the many governmental failures following Katrina."
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
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!"
Doris Snyder,
Tobacconist
"Um, when are NASA astronauts not drunk? They're being shot into outer fucking space!"
Sunday, July 22, 2007
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."
Friday, July 20, 2007
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.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
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.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
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.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
86 Mac Plus Vs. 07 AMD DualCore. You Won't Believe Who Wins
86 Mac Plus Vs. 07 AMD DualCore. You Won't Believe Who Wins: "The Most Outlandish Computer Comparison Ever!
Bloat. If you think that Americans are getting fatter, take one good look at the operating system (OS) your computer is running right now. It gets larger and more weighed down with every update. We are in the third decade of global personal computing, and have we really progressed that far?"
....
When we compare strictly common, everyday, basic user tasks between the Mac Plus and the AMD we find remarkable similarities in overall speed, thus it can be stated that for the majority of simple office uses, the massive advances in technology in the past two decades have brought zero advance in productivity.
Bloat. If you think that Americans are getting fatter, take one good look at the operating system (OS) your computer is running right now. It gets larger and more weighed down with every update. We are in the third decade of global personal computing, and have we really progressed that far?"
....
When we compare strictly common, everyday, basic user tasks between the Mac Plus and the AMD we find remarkable similarities in overall speed, thus it can be stated that for the majority of simple office uses, the massive advances in technology in the past two decades have brought zero advance in productivity.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Greg Palast Has Roves Missing Emails
Greg Palast is in possession of the missing emails. He also points out what everyone else seems to be missing, that the attorney firings aren't the real story, the 2004 election is.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, May 24, 2007
The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs: A new lie from Microsoft? Or just wishful thinking?
The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs: A new lie from Microsoft? Or just wishful thinking?: "A new lie from Microsoft? Or just wishful thinking?
See here. Headline reads: 'Next version of Windows to be `fundamentally different.'' Um, no it won't. It will be fundamentally the same. It will suck. For a quarter of a century these guys have been putting out sucky operating systems and vowing that the next one is not going to suck. Or won't such as much. Or something. But they always suck. They can't help it. The suckitude is ingrained in their culture. It's in their DNA. Sorry, Bill."
See here. Headline reads: 'Next version of Windows to be `fundamentally different.'' Um, no it won't. It will be fundamentally the same. It will suck. For a quarter of a century these guys have been putting out sucky operating systems and vowing that the next one is not going to suck. Or won't such as much. Or something. But they always suck. They can't help it. The suckitude is ingrained in their culture. It's in their DNA. Sorry, Bill."
Saturday, May 19, 2007
iPhone to be available at 2000 store fronts on launch
Apple's inaugural mobile handset, iPhone, will be available for sale at 2000 retail store fronts when it goes on sale for the first time next month, putting the device within reach of most US households.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Slashdot | Click Here To Infect Your PC!
Slashdot | Click Here To Infect Your PC!: "Click Here To Infect Your PC!
Posted by kdawson on Wednesday May 16, @05:47AM
from the proving-a-point dept.
It's funny. Laugh. Security
Email me for FREE viruses writes 'Just how many people would click an ad saying 'Is your PC virus-free? Get it infected here!'? According to the security researcher who ran that very ad on Google for 6 months, 0.16% (409 of 259,723) would click on it. 98% of those people were running Windows. The Google Adwords campaign cost $23 in total, which works out to $0.06 per infection had the site actually been malicious.'"
Posted by kdawson on Wednesday May 16, @05:47AM
from the proving-a-point dept.
It's funny. Laugh. Security
Email me for FREE viruses writes 'Just how many people would click an ad saying 'Is your PC virus-free? Get it infected here!'? According to the security researcher who ran that very ad on Google for 6 months, 0.16% (409 of 259,723) would click on it. 98% of those people were running Windows. The Google Adwords campaign cost $23 in total, which works out to $0.06 per infection had the site actually been malicious.'"
Monday, May 14, 2007
Dvorak Uncensored » Amazing photos of Nuclear explosion taken at 1/1000,000,000 of-a-second
Dvorak Uncensored » Amazing photos of Nuclear explosion taken at 1/1000,000,000 of-a-second: "Be sure to wear your sunglasses and not stare directly at it
Harold Edgerton built a special lens 10 feet long for his camera which was set up in a bunker 7 miles from the source of the blast which was triggered Nevada - the bomb placed atop a steel gantry anchored to the desert floor by guide wires. The exposures are at 1/100,000,000ths of a second."
Monday, May 07, 2007
New Orleans' Rebuilt Levees "Riddled With Flaws"
Joel K. Bourne, Senior Editor–Environment, National Geographic Magazine
for National Geographic News
May 6, 2007
Almost a year ago the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers declared that it had restored New Orleans' levees and floodwalls to pre-Hurricane Katrina strength.
But the system is actually riddled with flaws, and a storm even weaker than Katrina could breach the levees if it hit this year, say leading experts who have investigated the system."
for National Geographic News
May 6, 2007
Almost a year ago the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers declared that it had restored New Orleans' levees and floodwalls to pre-Hurricane Katrina strength.
But the system is actually riddled with flaws, and a storm even weaker than Katrina could breach the levees if it hit this year, say leading experts who have investigated the system."
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Slashdot | AOL's Embarassing Password Woes
An anonymous reader writes 'AOL.com users may think they have up to sixteen characters to use as a password, but they'd be wrong, thanks to this security artifact detailed by The Washington Post's Security Fix blog: 'Well, it turns out that when someone signs up for an AOL.com account, the user appears to be allowed to enter up to a 16-character password. AOL's system, however, doesn't read past the first eight characters.' This means that a user who uses 'password123' or any other obvious eight-character password with random numbers on the end is in effect using just that lame eight-character password.'"
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Dvorak Uncensored » Have any cockroaches for sale?
Dvorak Uncensored » Have any cockroaches for sale?: "A Houston museum is offering 25 cents per cockroach to fill an exhibit about the wonders of insects that eat decomposing things.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science wants 1,000 American cockroaches, which grow to 2 inches long, can fly and thrive in the city’s sub-tropical climate, said museum entomologist Laurie Pierrel on Wednesday.
They will be part of an exhibit polishing the image of bugs that feed off decaying organic matter and in so doing add to the general cleanliness.
Pierrel said she will be outside the museum the next three Saturdays with a bucket for the bugs and money for the sellers.
How big will the bucket be? I can think of a few really big cockroaches we’d all love to be rid of."
Monday, April 30, 2007
EO Newsroom: New Images - A View of Earth from Saturn
Although the Earth Observatory typically reserves “Image of the Day” space for publishing data and images acquired by Earth-observing satellites, we are sometimes so enthralled by the spectacular images acquired by spacecraft observing other parts of the solar system that we want to share these 'otherworldy' views with our visitors. And if you are looking for remotely sensed images of the Earth, this view is the most remotely sensed image we have ever published!"
Dell to choose Ubuntu
Several sources within Dell have told DesktopLinux.com that Dell's desktop Linux pick is going to be Ubuntu, and that Ubuntu 7.04 will be available preinstalled on three Dell desktop and notebook lines by the end of May.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Dvorak Uncensored » RIAA to net radio: Even if you play only independent non-RIAA music, you still have to pay us! It’s the law!
Dvorak Uncensored » RIAA to net radio: Even if you play only independent non-RIAA music, you still have to pay us! It’s the law!: "RIAA to net radio: Even if you play only independent non-RIAA music, you still have to pay us! It’s the law!"
Friday, April 27, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
14 Year Old Teenager in 1901 Makes Predictions About Life in 2001
In the year 1901 Arthur Palm, a fourteen-year-old student from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, published an article in his school newspaper (the Excelsior) describing the world of 2001. Below is an excerpt of his article as featured in the book Yesterday's Future: The Twentieth Century Begins (Voices of the Wisconsin Past).
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Mayor White: Electricity deregulation 'a rip-off' | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Mayor White: Electricity deregulation 'a rip-off' | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Mayor calls electricity deregulation 'a rip-off'
White and Rep. Sylvester Turner say low-income customers unfairly carry the burden
By ANNE MARIE KILDAY
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle"
Before a crowd of about 400 people complaining about high electricity rates, Houston Mayor Bill White said deregulation of the electric utility industry was "a rip-off" for Texans.
Houston Rep. Sylvester Turner urged the crowd to let other lawmakers know they support his measure to cut rates by 15 percent, restore a low-income assistance fund and allow the state Public Utility Commission to review the sale of Dallas-based Texas Utilities.
White and Turner spoke Saturday afternoon at a town hall meeting sponsored by ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, at Barbara Jordan High School.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Texas' retail electric rates last month were about 9.14 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared with the national average of 8.14 cents. States with higher rates were Hawaii, at 18.33 cents per kilowatt-hour, and northeastern states, where rates ranged from 10.95 cents in Maine to 13.95 cents in New York.
Electric rates for Texas residential customers increased in January, as many utilities were freed from state regulation.
White and Rep. Sylvester Turner say low-income customers unfairly carry the burden
By ANNE MARIE KILDAY
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle"
Before a crowd of about 400 people complaining about high electricity rates, Houston Mayor Bill White said deregulation of the electric utility industry was "a rip-off" for Texans.
Houston Rep. Sylvester Turner urged the crowd to let other lawmakers know they support his measure to cut rates by 15 percent, restore a low-income assistance fund and allow the state Public Utility Commission to review the sale of Dallas-based Texas Utilities.
White and Turner spoke Saturday afternoon at a town hall meeting sponsored by ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, at Barbara Jordan High School.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Texas' retail electric rates last month were about 9.14 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared with the national average of 8.14 cents. States with higher rates were Hawaii, at 18.33 cents per kilowatt-hour, and northeastern states, where rates ranged from 10.95 cents in Maine to 13.95 cents in New York.
Electric rates for Texas residential customers increased in January, as many utilities were freed from state regulation.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
First Sign of Water on Planet Outside Our System
First Sign of Water on Planet Outside Our System: "First Sign of Water on Planet Outside Our System
Anne Minard
for National Geographic News
April 10, 2007
For the first time, astronomers have detected water in the atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system.
Astronomer Travis Barman announced today that he has discovered water around planet HD209458b by combining theoretical models with observations from the Hubble Space Telescope."
Anne Minard
for National Geographic News
April 10, 2007
For the first time, astronomers have detected water in the atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system.
Astronomer Travis Barman announced today that he has discovered water around planet HD209458b by combining theoretical models with observations from the Hubble Space Telescope."
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Dvorak Uncensored » Princeton scholar and decorated Marine added to the secret “no fly list” because he spoke out against Bush!
Dvorak Uncensored » Princeton scholar and decorated Marine added to the secret “no fly list” because he spoke out against Bush!: "Princeton scholar and decorated Marine added to the secret “no fly list”"
A top Constitutional scholar from Princeton who gave a televised speech that slammed President George W. Bush's executive overreach was recently told that he had been added to the Transportation Security Administration's terrorist watch list. He shared his experience this weekend at the law blog Balkinization.
"I was denied a boarding pass because I was on the Terrorist Watch list," he said.
When inquiring with a clerk why he was on the list, Murphy was asked if he had participated in any peace marches.
"We ban a lot of people from flying because of that," a clerk said.
Murphy then explained that he had not marched, but had "in September, 2006, given a lecture at Princeton, televised and put on the Web, highly critical of George Bush for his many violations of the Constitution."
The clerk responded, "That'll do it."
A top Constitutional scholar from Princeton who gave a televised speech that slammed President George W. Bush's executive overreach was recently told that he had been added to the Transportation Security Administration's terrorist watch list. He shared his experience this weekend at the law blog Balkinization.
"I was denied a boarding pass because I was on the Terrorist Watch list," he said.
When inquiring with a clerk why he was on the list, Murphy was asked if he had participated in any peace marches.
"We ban a lot of people from flying because of that," a clerk said.
Murphy then explained that he had not marched, but had "in September, 2006, given a lecture at Princeton, televised and put on the Web, highly critical of George Bush for his many violations of the Constitution."
The clerk responded, "That'll do it."
Saturday, April 07, 2007
A Setback Then a Reprieve for Vonage in Courts - New York Times
A Setback Then a Reprieve for Vonage in Courts - New York Times: "April 7, 2007
A Setback Then a Reprieve for Vonage in Courts
By LAURIE J. FLYNN
Vonage Holdings, the Internet phone company, had a wild ride in the courtroom yesterday.
First, a federal judge in Alexandria, Va., barred Vonage from signing up new customers for its Internet phone service.
Then hours later, a federal appeals court gave Vonage a temporary stay of that injunction, allowing the company to continue to enroll customers while it sought to overturn the lower court ruling.
"
A Setback Then a Reprieve for Vonage in Courts
By LAURIE J. FLYNN
Vonage Holdings, the Internet phone company, had a wild ride in the courtroom yesterday.
First, a federal judge in Alexandria, Va., barred Vonage from signing up new customers for its Internet phone service.
Then hours later, a federal appeals court gave Vonage a temporary stay of that injunction, allowing the company to continue to enroll customers while it sought to overturn the lower court ruling.
"
Friday, April 06, 2007
Hackers Dissect Apple TV to Create the Cheapest Mac Ever -
Hackers Dissect Apple TV to Create the Cheapest Mac Ever -: "Hackers Dissect Apple TV to Create the Cheapest Mac Ever
Rob Beschizza Email 04.06.07 | 2:00 AM
Inside the Apple TV
Apple TV is dead, long live the Mac Nano. Sort of.
Just two weeks after Apple released its streaming media box to the public, hackers successfully installed OS X, Apple's desktop operating system, on the $300 device, making it the cheapest PC Cupertino has ever sold."
Rob Beschizza Email 04.06.07 | 2:00 AM
Inside the Apple TV
Apple TV is dead, long live the Mac Nano. Sort of.
Just two weeks after Apple released its streaming media box to the public, hackers successfully installed OS X, Apple's desktop operating system, on the $300 device, making it the cheapest PC Cupertino has ever sold."
Vonage barred from signing new customers - Daily Business Update - The Boston Globe
Vonage barred from signing new customers - Daily Business Update - The Boston Globe: "Vonage barred from signing new customers
Internet phone company Vonage Holdings Corp. will be barred from signing new customers as punishment for infringing on patents held by Verizon Communications Inc., under an injunction ordered today."
Internet phone company Vonage Holdings Corp. will be barred from signing new customers as punishment for infringing on patents held by Verizon Communications Inc., under an injunction ordered today."
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Patrick boycotts Senate's first Muslim prayer
from HoustonChronicle.com -- Republican Sen. Dan Patrick on Wednesday boycotted the first prayer delivered in the Texas Senate by a Muslim cleric, and then praised religious tolerance and freedom of speech in an address at the end of the day's session.
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The Mobile Phone Industry Must Die. DIE!
The Mobile Phone Industry Must Die. DIE!:
ARTICLE DATE: 03.26.07
By John C. Dvorak
Let me preface this entire column by saying that I hate mobile phones and think they are the bane of modern society. I personally seldom carry one and when I do it's a prepaid cheap disposable. My mobile phone bill amounts to around $20 a month using this practice. What's yours? Furthermore, almost everyone carries a phone nowadays, so when I need to make a call I can just ask to borrow one. Most everyone obliges. And I'm not practicing this because I'm cheap. It's the principle."
ARTICLE DATE: 03.26.07
By John C. Dvorak
Let me preface this entire column by saying that I hate mobile phones and think they are the bane of modern society. I personally seldom carry one and when I do it's a prepaid cheap disposable. My mobile phone bill amounts to around $20 a month using this practice. What's yours? Furthermore, almost everyone carries a phone nowadays, so when I need to make a call I can just ask to borrow one. Most everyone obliges. And I'm not practicing this because I'm cheap. It's the principle."
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
French Train Breaks Rail Speed Record - New York Times
April 4, 2007
French Train Breaks Rail Speed Record
By ARIANE BERNARD
BEZANNES, France, April 3 — A French high-speed train broke the world speed record on rail today, reaching 357 miles (574.8 kilometers) an hour in a much publicized test in eastern France, exceeding expectations to travel at 150 meters per second, or 540 kilometers an hour.
The train, code-named V150, is a research prototype meant to demonstrate the superiority both of the TGV high speed train and of its likely successor, the AGV, which is also manufactured by the French engineering group Alstom. The performance on Tuesday came close to but did not break the world speed record for any train, set by an electromagnetic train in 2003.
The French railroad company SNCF and Alstom publicized the event as a test of “French excellence,” building on national pride for the 25-year-old bullet train.
French Train Breaks Rail Speed Record
By ARIANE BERNARD
BEZANNES, France, April 3 — A French high-speed train broke the world speed record on rail today, reaching 357 miles (574.8 kilometers) an hour in a much publicized test in eastern France, exceeding expectations to travel at 150 meters per second, or 540 kilometers an hour.
The train, code-named V150, is a research prototype meant to demonstrate the superiority both of the TGV high speed train and of its likely successor, the AGV, which is also manufactured by the French engineering group Alstom. The performance on Tuesday came close to but did not break the world speed record for any train, set by an electromagnetic train in 2003.
The French railroad company SNCF and Alstom publicized the event as a test of “French excellence,” building on national pride for the 25-year-old bullet train.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
TiSP: Going with the flow
How TiSP Works: "TiSP: Going with the flow
TiSP Kit
Google TiSP (BETA) is a fully functional, end-to-end system that provides in-home wireless access by connecting your commode-based TiSP wireless router to one of thousands of TiSP Access Nodes via fiber-optic cable strung through your local municipal sewage lines."
TiSP Kit
Google TiSP (BETA) is a fully functional, end-to-end system that provides in-home wireless access by connecting your commode-based TiSP wireless router to one of thousands of TiSP Access Nodes via fiber-optic cable strung through your local municipal sewage lines."
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