Everything... Possible... Happens

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 22:07:14 GMT

Microsoft plugs eight holes in its Java software [IDG InfoWorld]

Holy moly, more MS security flaws? How can it be?

Cheers,

Dusty

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 22:06:09 GMT

Segway Owners a Small, Happy Club. The first Segway electronic scooters are just getting into the hands of ordinary consumers, who couldn't be more delighted -- except for the fact that everyone they meet wants a ride. By Leander Kahney. [Wired News]

Man, I can’t wait to get my Segway. First thing I’m doing is taking a trip to The City, which, for those poor, unsophisticated rubes, is, of course, San Francisco. In trials in The City, the Segway easily managed the hills, even reaching 14 MPH uphill on Lombard.

With my knees, this thing is a godsend. The question is whether or not it will actually be allowed on busy city sidewalks amid concerns over safety. All I gotta say is if you see me coming, get the hell outta the way.

Cheers,

Dusty

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 22:02:25 GMT

Treetop Blogging Protests Logging. A group of techie activists equips tree-sitters in Northern California's Headwaters Forest with laptops and wireless gear in hopes that protestors' in-tree blogs will draw attention to old-growth logging. Amit Asaravala reports from Eureka. [Wired News]

Looks the popularity of blogging is climbing to new heights. Sorry. Couldn’t resist.

Cheers,

Dusty

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 22:01:24 GMT

Bush Assails Lott's Remarks as 'Offensive' and 'Wrong'. President Bush rebuked Senator Trent Lott for praising Strom Thurmond's racially divisive 1948 presidential campaign, saying "he has apologized, and rightly so." By Carl Hulse. [New York Times: NYT HomePage]

Gosh, and it only took the Dim Son what? A week? A week of growing criticism over Lott’s despicable remarks. A week of Ari refusing to even address the issue. A week in which Lott’s racist spew stunk up the entire GOP.

Our own senator, Kay Baily Cheerleader, has actually defended Lott, saying he simply misspoke and feels terrible. Oh yeah, bimbo? Then how do you explain Lott saying almost exactly the same thing 10 years ago at Thurmond’s 90^th bash?

As usual, the GOP has shown its true colors as the party of lies, corporate thievery, religious extremism and racism in America.

Cheers,

Dusty

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 21:53:50 GMT

Finding Hot Spots and Service Providers. Once you are equipped with a laptop or palmtop with a Wi-Fi card, you are ready to roam. Several Web sites can guide you to Wi-Fi access points, or hot spots; other sites provide information about subscription-based access. By The New York Times. [New York Times: Technology]

The NYT has put together a pretty decent guide to online resources for the Wi-fi crowd. You’ll find links to all sorts of info on hot spots, ISPs, etc.

Cheers,

Dusty

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 21:52:15 GMT

Google searches out an e-tail niche. Attention online shoppers: The company is testing a new service called Froogle that uses its search engine to help locate products on the Web. [CNET News.com]

We took Froogle for a spin today and, as you might expect, coming from the folks at Google, it’s great. Finally there’s something almost as useful as Pricewatch for things other than computer stuff. Check it out Froogle for yourself.

Cheers,

Dusty

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 21:47:05 GMT

Paul Fix. "The only reason some people get lost in thought is because it's unfamiliar territory." [Quotes of the Day]

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 21:46:55 GMT

Sir Winston Churchill. "It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations." [Quotes of the Day]

One Day Only - Buy A Piece Of Thief...

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:25:57 GMT

Today only you can buy a little piece of the company that destroyed any chance of a Net music industry in the foreseeable future. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving bunch of idiots.

Cheers,

Dusty

Napster leftovers up for auction [IDG InfoWorld]

Bush and Orwell - He May Not Have Read 1984, But He Believes...

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:23:51 GMT

You thought we were kidding about Big Brother, eh? I wish. The plain fact is Boy George and his corporate toadies want to spy on every aspect of your life. That’s right, they want YOU.

Read down a few articles for info on how you can avoid Big Brother’s ever roving eye, at least on the Net.

Cheers,

Dusty

US eyes Big Brother plan. The Pentagon is looking into ways of monitoring everything everyone does, as part of its war against terror. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]

More Weirdness From The Land Of Oz...

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:20:56 GMT

So, sue me, you beer besotted misogynist, kangaroo munching descendents of convict trash. Oz, my azz.

Cheers,

Dusty

Australia makes landmark net ruling. A high court rules that the US-based Dow Jones website can be sued in Melbourne over an article, in a case with global implications. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]

"We'll have a fair trial, then hang 'em."

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:17:55 GMT

Now that the Bush administration is preparing to release the final rules for the secret military tribunals so dear to the heart of Boy George, it’s a good time to look at the sad recent history of military justice. Records show a conviction rate of better than 97% over the last 6 months, FAR higher than any civilian court anywhere in the world.

Cheers,

Dusty

All The Convictions You Could Ever Wish For. Plastic::Politics::Law: A six-month review of 1000 court-martial cases in the US military indicates a legal system more suited to some steamy tropical dictatorship. [Plastic: Most Recent]

Bigger Ads - Another RBMI From Those Wonderful Folks Who Brought You Pop-ups

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:13:09 GMT

Boy howdy, now THIS is a god idea, eh? Since people are running in droves for software that blocks those annoying pop-up and banner ads, marketing geniuses have decided the answer is to make the BIGGER. Yet another RBMI (really bad marketing idea) in an industry seemingly made up of nothing else.

Cheers,

Dusty

Bigger Web ads endorsed by industry. Seeking to raise online advertising's profile, an industry trade group that includes AOL, MSN and Yahoo endorses a new set of ad sizes that are larger than standard banners. [CNET News.com]

Dude, You're Getting A 401...

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:10:22 GMT

Dell site hit by outage. A slowdown prevented some visitors from reaching Dell Computer's Web site Wednesday, potentially costing the PC maker sales during the holiday shopping season. [CNET News.com]

How To Avoid Big Brother, aka Bush and Company

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:09:08 GMT

Here’s a nice little primer from our friends at Kuro5hin on how to maintain anonymity online. It’s hardly complete, but it’s a good start.

If you really want to dive into the intricacies of maintaining a truly anonymous Net presence, I advise you start reading the Usenet groups alt.privacy.anon-server and alt.security.pgp. There you will find all you need to know to throw off Big Brother.

Cheers,

Dusty

How To Post Absolutely Anonymously?. The year is 2007. The "war on terrorism" has gone on for years and there is no end in sight. FBI investigations of "suspicious persons" at American companies and the media frenzy about Middle Eastern terrorists has gotten to the point that many Muslim Americans have lost their jobs because they are considered "security liabilities." Word leaks out that the all-seeing eye of the Information Awareness Office, headed by Bush's crony John Poindexter (the Reaganite of Iran-Contra fame), is using its powers to spy on "leftist radicals," which in actuality is just about anyone criticizing Bush, Israel, American foreign policy in the Middle East, reading Chomsky, or sympathizing with the plight of Muslims. It is the new McCarthyism, and you do not want to be its next victim. What do you do? [kuro5hin.org]

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:03:02 GMT

Marcel Proust. "The one thing more difficult than following a regimen is not imposing it on others." [Motivational Quotes of the Day]

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:02:53 GMT

ukase: Dictionary.com Word of the Day. ukase [Dictionary.com Word of the Day]

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:02:15 GMT

Cyril Connolly. "Always be nice to those younger than you, because they are the ones who will be writing about you." [Quotes of the Day]

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:02:10 GMT

Ronald Reagan. "Facts are stupid things." [Quotes of the Day]

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:02:05 GMT

Stephen Jay Gould. "In science, 'fact' can only mean 'confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional assent.' I suppose that apples might start to rise tomorrow, but the possibility does not merit equal time in physics classrooms." [Quotes of the Day]

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 21:02:00 GMT

Hermann Hesse. "Eternity is a mere moment, just long enough for a joke." [Quotes of the Day]

Fri, 06 Dec 2002 20:16:20 GMT

Tom Stoppard. "It is better to be quotable than to be honest." [Quotes of the Day]

Fri, 06 Dec 2002 20:16:13 GMT

Arthur C. Clarke. "CNN is one of the participants in the war. I have a fantasy where Ted Turner is elected president but refuses because he doesn't want to give up power." [Quotes of the Day]

Fri, 06 Dec 2002 20:16:07 GMT

Carl Sagan. "But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown." [Quotes of the Day]

Fri, 06 Dec 2002 20:16:01 GMT

Bertrand Russell. "This is one of those views which are so absolutely absurd that only very learned men could possibly adopt them." [Quotes of the Day]