jest for pun
March'04 BlogThoughts
March 30, 2004
When the CEO is the brand but falls from grace
Horace Smith and D. B. Wesson did it when they engraved their initials onto a pistol in 1852. Henry Ford did it, as did Mary Kay Ash, Michael Bloomberg, Donald Trump and Michael Dell.
Knowledge@Wharton examines how companies can save their skins even when the founder falls into disgrace.
Google Goodies
Check what's new from Google and more (Sets, Deskbar ...)
March 29, 2004
just me
Some Computer Bug Types
:Bohr bug: /bohr buhg/ n. [from quantum physics] A repeatable {bug}; one that manifests reliably under a possibly unknown but well-defined set of conditions. Antonym of {heisenbug}; see also {mandelbug}, {schröedinbug}.
:heisenbug: /hi:'zen-buhg/ n. [from Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle in quantum physics] A bug that disappears or alters its behavior when one attempts to probe or isolate it. (This usage is not even particularly fanciful; the use of a debugger sometimes alters a program's operating environment significantly enough that buggy code, such as that which relies on the values of uninitialized memory, behaves quite differently.) Antonym of {Bohr bug}; see also {mandelbug}, {schröedinbug}. In C, nine out of ten heisenbugs result from uninitialized auto variables, {fandango on core} phenomena (esp. lossage related to corruption of the malloc {arena}) or errors that {smash the stack}.
:mandelbug: /man'del-buhg/ n. [from the Mandelbrot set] A bug whose underlying causes are so complex and obscure as to make its behavior appear chaotic or even non-deterministic. This term implies that the speaker thinks it is a {Bohr bug}, rather than a {heisenbug}. See also {schröedinbug}.
:schröedinbug: /shroh'din-buhg/ n. [MIT: from the Schröedinger's Cat thought-experiment in quantum physics] A design or implementation bug in a program that doesn't manifest until someone reading source or using the program in an unusual way notices that it never should have worked, at which point the program promptly stops working for everybody until fixed. Though (like {bit rot}) this sounds impossible, it happens; some programs have harbored latent schröedinbugs for years. Compare {heisenbug}, {Bohr bug}, {mandelbug}.
from:
The New Hacker's Dictionary
March 28, 2004
Scamsters beat wheel of fortune
It could have been a scene straight out of a James Bond film. The glamorous blonde; the gilded Edwardian elegance of one of the world's most exclusive, private-member gambling dens; a finely-tuned roulette wheel; wealthy playboys littering the London Ritz Hotel's discreet Salle Privee or inner sanctum; a cocktail naughtily called 'The Ritz Rascal'. And the most audacious, high-tech, million-pound sting operation in the history of gambling.
China Bans Typepad Sites
It looks like China has banned access to typepad sites. There was some posts in the user forums on this, but it seems to be official now. Glutter has more information.
Digital paper makes device debut
Soon you could be reading a book printed on electronic paper.
Unicode
Detailed listing for unicode characters, many languages, in bound PDF format.
Convert old cassettes to MP3
With PlusDeck 2 you can easily archive old cassette tapes into digital media files for playback on your PC.
March 27, 2004
Shoelace
Ian's Shoelace Site
| Around the age of four or five, children learn to tie their shoes. A process of trial and error, the mission is fraught with knotty problems dealing with undeveloped motor coordination. Once we've learned the trick though, there's a wealth of lacing and knotting maneuvers just waiting to be tied up. That's where Ian comes in. On his site he demonstrates a wide variety of knots and ways to lace your shoes. You'll learn about the knot he developed, which he claims is the world's fastest. But he doesn't stop there, leading you on a step-by-step tour of other knots including the two loop knot and the standard knot. If you want to dazzle your friends with your laces, try some of his lacing tutorials such as the very decorative bi-colour or the comfortable bow tie. While the subject matter may seem mundane, Ian's obvious enthusiasm for knots and laces makes this site an absolute kick. |
Handbook Of Knots
March 26, 2004
The Roman Empire
Two thousand years ago, the world was ruled by Rome, and Rome was in turmoil. From the chaos of civil war,
the Roman Empire would rise even stronger to embrace hundreds of cultures, and till the soil from which western civilization would grow. From Republic to Empire,
the legend of Augustus to the timeline of
the Roman history it is all here. Check the
Air dates.
Colosseum
Colosseum: A Gladiator's Story
In an era when escapist pleasures were few and far between, bloodthirsty Romans flocked to this infamous "Arena of Death." Gladiators were the agile emissaries of spectacle and gore -- and their blood sport represented the Empire's dominance over all. In order for the lethal show to go on, orchestrating the stage, the vicious animals, and the starring cast was crucial. This Discovery Channel special takes you above and below the entertainment and killing that kept Romans agog and gladiators gainfully employed. Tour the animal elevators, the Gates of Life and Death, and the nosebleed section for a sense of what gladiators saw before victory or ultimate defeat. Then learn about the rise and fall of the formidable Colosseum, its indoor sea battles, and countless victims. Are you not entertained? Atleast the Romans were.
March 25, 2004
Check this out
This is really great!
More about the artist, photos.
Java Desktop crashes during Sun's CEO keynote at CTIA
Java Desktop crashes during Sun's CEO keynote at CTIA
Scott McNealy, CEO of Sun Microsystems, was delivering a keynote speech to a full room at CTIA Wireless 2004 when his Linux machine, running Sun's Java Desktop unexpectedly became completely frozen.
He had to reset the machine and they quickly switched to a pre-recorded standby video presentation. In the words of our on-the-floor journalist covering the event for LXer, "it was embarrassing."
He did not disclose which distribution he was running, as the talk was primarily centered around Java and their thin client architecture, with an emphasis on Sun but brief mentions of open source.
Story on Lxer
Did I hear someone say that Linux is uncrashable???
March 24, 2004
Tikka to dye for
Mmmmm. Chicken Tikka, one of the country's favourite foods could be slowly poisoning diners who love its distinctive red hue and spicy, creamy taste. Turns out those “colors not found in nature” that it sometime sports may be unhealthy as well as unnatural.
An oldie but a goodie …
RETIRED PEOPLE:
Working people frequently ask retired people what they do to make their days interesting. Thought you'd might like to see what happened to me last week.
I went to the store the other day. I was only in there for about 5 minutes. When I came out there was a city cop writing out a parking ticket. I went up to him and said "Come on, buddy, how about giving a guy a break?" He ignored me and continued writing the ticket.
I called him a Nazi. He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn tires. So I called him a piece of horse shit. He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first. Then he started writing a third ticket.
This went on for about 20 minutes.. the more I abused him, the more tickets he wrote. I didn't give a shit. My car was parked around the corner. I try to have a little fun each day. It's important at my age.
Outsourcing Report Blames Schools
A new report by a U.S. high-tech trade group says companies aren't shipping jobs overseas because of cheap labor. No, they're doing it because American schools don't teach enough math and science.
March 23, 2004
To Itemize Or Not To Itemize
Well, get out those pencils and papers. The deadline for filing your federal income tax return is now just weeks away now.
Tax Tips with Kevin McCormanny
Tax Tips. Be sure to check the Tax Law Updates and Filing/Planning.
Tax deductions, e-file, forms, and tips.
more ...
On my income tax 1040 it says 'Check this box if you are blind.' I wanted to put a check mark about three inches away. - Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
March 22, 2004
Gadgets galore on show at Cebit
The finishing touches are being put to Cebit
The giant Cebit technology fair is getting under way in Hanover.
Sleepy City
Within every thriving, bustling city exists a dormant side that beckons eager explorers. This anonymous band of photogs combs the back alleys, secret tunnels, and underground passages of sleepy Australian cities, capturing the side of urban life many forget. As they root out countless nooks, crannies, and towering man-made spires, a dreamy lull takes hold. Through a dark labyrinth of twisted steel pipes and concrete, color and light permeates, warming the austere settings. In this twilight zone between night and day, city and seascape, you'll encounter a hypnotic vision of the land down under.
March 21, 2004
Blogging, an art
The MIT media survey about blogging is out. Interesting!
Here I would like to put the comment I received for March 19, 2004:
This blog is an uncharacteristically un-self-centered selection of interesting bits and links. It never fails to entertain and inform me. Your choices are nearly always of pleasant interest.
March 20, 2004
Ancient Indians made 'rock music'
Archaeologists have rediscovered a huge rock art site in southern India where ancient people used boulders to make musical sounds in rituals.
March 19, 2004
Martians say, Earthlings!!!
The US Spirit rover on Mars has seen a
UFO streak across the Red Planet sky.
a pair of original radio pranksters
Coyle & Sharpe
This site pays tribute to a pair of original radio pranksters who practiced their humorous art in the early '60s, well before pranking became commercialized. Despite what the MTV set may think, the art of the prank wasn't invented by Crank Yankers or the guys from Jackass, although these shows have sharpened an ever-finer point on the art of shock. While Coyle and Sharpe's humor is much tamer and less crass, if you listen closely to the MP3s on the site, you'll be able to hear some of the same techniques employed by the goofballs of today. They were ramblin' men-about-town who loved to stick a microphone in front of unsuspecting folks. You can watch videos of them at work, read clippings about them, and view the gag-filled gallery. If you like to laugh, you'll enjoy this well-crafted tribute to broadcast absurdity in its infancy.
March 18, 2004
Google Goes Local
Did anyone see Google yesterday? It may have its holiday green on for St. Paddy's Day, but it has also rolled out something else new: its local search function, simply named "Google Local". It's integrated into the regular Google search interface already, with little fuss or fanfare.
I checked it out. Because the new service is integrated, it's hardly overt. Just like a regular Web search, enter in what it is you're looking for (say, compact discs), with a city and state, and the local results will appear as a link at the top. Click on that link, and there you have it: a listing of hits, with addresses, map options, and related websites. Nifty.
This product extension is, of course, not in the least bit unexpected. There have been rumblings that Google was working on local search, especially after rival Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO) announced its SmartView product on March 9. (Yahoo! has long enjoyed some degree of advantage with its Get Local products, which have been around for quite some time. Using a similar search on Yahoo!, I gathered what looked like more complete search results, though, the Google Local function is, admittedly, still in beta.)
March 17, 2004
Blog Move
Today is the day when I locked my old blog and moved to new one permanently. So today is blog-warming here. Bookmark and you get a cookie. (Am kidding)
Movers gave me a lot of problems but since I can afford to maintain both blogs I decided to leave my stuff at the old, which will serve me as a retreat blog from the humdrum of the blogging world.
My mind is racing through the virtual check list: Did I inform everyone about my new address? Hope my mail is redirected to the new. Have I left the forwarding address just incase?
Moving to a new blog is always exciting, one gets to redecorate, try new things, put latest gadgets and goodies. And that is what I have been doing these past few days.
# posted by SV @ 3/31/2004 07:47:00 PM