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week in blog

Don't Buy It Before You PriceSCAN It!

Wednesday, March 31, 2004

March 31, 2004 

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.



    Wednesday, March 17, 2004

    With mixed feelings I bid this site good-bye... and I'll meet you at the new one. 

    Like others before me who walked the one-way bridge to the next Blogging level, I have crossed from Blogger to MT. As of now MT (Movable Types) looks like Blogging Nirvana.

    In http://mblog.com/forsv/ you will find the same look which you and other readers loved , but with new subtle and ingenious goodies, like tool preview when you hover your mouse, comments, trackbacks, categories, a calendar with post count, and much more.

    From my point of view it allows small file uploads, and the sending of SMS/MMS/WAP to send posts. -- if that means anything to you.

    Now, my friends, you can write your comments and exchange ideas with like-minded members of my vast and devoted fan club!


    Tuesday, March 16, 2004

    Emergence: 

    Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software by Steven Johnson (Author)

    Amazon.com's Best of 2001
    An individual ant, like an individual neuron, is just about as dumb as can be. Connect enough of them together properly, though, and you get spontaneous intelligence. Web pundit Steven Johnson explains what we know about this phenomenon with a rare lucidity in Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software. Starting with the weird behavior of the semi-colonial organisms we call slime molds, Johnson details the development of increasingly complex and familiar behavior among simple components: cells, insects, and software developers all find their place in greater schemes.

    - A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK
    - A VOICE LITERARY SUPPLEMENT TOP 25 FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR
    - AN ESQUIRE MAGAZINE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

    Traffic lessons from ants 

    When it comes to traffic congestion, ants prefer the no-nonsense approach.

    NYC needs new streetlights design 

    New York currently maintains over 300,000 streetlights within its 5 boroughs, but is seeking a new streetlight design for the city.

    Monday, March 15, 2004

    Movers and Shakers Of Digital Media 

    Recently Digital Media (formerly Streaming Magazine) published the Media Moguls of the ever competitive industry. These are the people who significantly advance digital media through business or technological achievements.

    And to me one name in there meant the whole list. Dr. Andrew Economos, Founder/Chairman of RCS.

    What Microsoft's Windows did to PC-World, RCS's Selector did to Radio-World. Dr. Economos developed the first music-scheduling software, Selector which revolutionized the radio industry forever.

    Today RCS is the world's leading provider of broadcast software. The company also provides broadcasters and webcasters tools and expertise to increase their revenue stream. RCS develops real-time audio recognition technology and creates strategic audio programming content for Internet and corporate sites.

    Congratulations Sir!

    Sunday, March 14, 2004

    Studies find pain is a matter of the mind 

    When it comes to feeling pain, some of it really is all in your head.

    Saturday, March 13, 2004

    Awesome - Wanna see a sonic boom? 

    Stunning Photo Of Jet Breaking Sound Barrier


    Friday, March 12, 2004

    Save the Hubble 

    Please sign. Thank you for your support and please spread the word.

    US residents only, sign the "Save the Hubble" petition

    Planet Earth residents only, sign the "Save the Hubble"

    (I signed both)

    Thursday, March 11, 2004

    Lord of the Rings 

    Ever-growing pictures of Saturn are coming back from the Cassini-Huygens probe, which drops into Saturn orbit in 123 days. Sweet.

    Galactic Carnivore 


    The accompanying illustration depicts how 'Giant Black Hole Rips Star Apart' may have occurred. A close encounter with another star put the doomed star (orange circle) on a path that took it near a supermassive black hole. The enormous gravity of the giant black hole stretched the star until it was torn apart. Because of the momentum and energy of the accretion process, only a few percent of the disrupted star's mass (indicated by the white stream) was swallowed by the black hole, while the rest of was flung away into the surrounding galaxy.

    Animation explains it all so well.

    Quantum codes debut in real world 

    Quantum cryptography has emerged from the laboratory and into the real world.

    eye on the universe 

    Wednesday, March 10, 2004

    From China with love 

    Her code name was "Parlor Maid," and she was an FBI "asset" for 20 years. Her information about China eventually made its way to four American presidents. Then in April of 2003, Katrina Leung and her FBI "handler," Special Agent J.J. Smith, were arrested. The government alleged that Leung was an agent for China and that Smith had helped her. And in a stunning announcement, the government also revealed in court filings that Smith and Leung had carried on a romantic relationship for more than two decades.

    In "From China with Love," FRONTLINE explores a story of secrets, risk, patriotism, and perhaps a story of love.

    Tuesday, March 09, 2004

    Brothers in Arms? 

    George W. Bush and John Kerry both spent their mid twenties in uniform. The similarities end there.

    Pakistan may make Nigeria a nuclear power 

    Great, as though we did not have enough nations to worry about!

    Monday, March 08, 2004

    You spin me right round 

    They say that the Swindon Magic Roundabout — five mini-roundabouts within one larger one — works like a charm.


    For me, though, even though I like traffic circles … I think I’ll simply stay on the Motorway …

    Sunday, March 07, 2004

    Sidewalk drawings in Perspective 



    more...

    Saturday, March 06, 2004

    Holi Hai 


    In graphics: What The World Thinks Of God 

    click the chart



    Friday, March 05, 2004

    Vol(v)o, Car for Women! 

    If the Calendar Girls were making cars, this is what they would look like.

    The car should be programmed to discover any problems under the bonnet, then send a message to the garage to let them know.

    The mechanics would then contact the women directly to invite them over.

    ... And for women with ponytails, there is even a split in the middle of the headrest.

    Thursday, March 04, 2004

    DAILY GRIST  

  • BURN ME UP, SCOTTY. Super-Hot Trash Zapper May Yield Hydrogen
  • I'VE SEEN FIRE AND I'VE SEEN RAIN. Amazonian Fires May Screw Up Entire South American Climate
  • SOOTHE THE SALVAGE BEAST. Ecologists Warn Against Salvage Logging.
  • SHAREHOLDING INDUSTRY RESPONSIBLE. Shareholders Call on Companies to Address Global Warming
  • LOOK FOR THE GM LABEL. Battle Over Genetically Modified Foods Rages On
  • CERTIFIABLY INSANE? -- Wood-Labeling Program Less Green Than It Appears

  • Google Googly 

    Find out all about how Google Works and Google~Guide

    Yahoo vs. Google: Algorithm Standoff  

    So they have parted ways. Which one's better?

    I can spel, ok? 

    In Internet auctions, bad spelers pay a price.

    The World's Smallest Website 

    Indeed, it is.

    Wednesday, March 03, 2004

    Power lines set to carry Internet to outlet near you  

    A unit of Cinergy Corp. today will become the nation's first electric utility to offer high-speed Internet service to customers via its power lines, turning every electrical outlet in homes or offices into a Web connection.

    Tuesday, March 02, 2004

    anything goes 

    In olden days, a glimpse of stocking
    was looked on as something shocking.
    Now heaven knows, anything goes.
    - Cole Porter

    Complete Lyrics.
    Music CD

    Monday, March 01, 2004

    "The Real Macaw"  


    Everyone loves macaws. Playful, intelligent, beautiful, they are the stars of parrot parks and zoos, and the cherished pets of devoted owners around the world. All of which makes them prime targets for poachers, who can make enormous profits from illegal sales of the birds. Thousands are smuggled from the wild each year, and many die in the process.

    In the forests of South America, several species of macaw are severely endangered. But there is hope on the horizon. Dr. Charlie Munn, a wealthy American who is also a leading ornithologist and world expert on parrots, has begun a campaign to promote eco-tourism as a means of saving the birds. Employing former poachers as conservationists, and providing locals with the means to start and maintain a trade in tourism instead of smuggling, he's betting that instead of buying birds, their fans will pay to see them in the wild.

    For further information on trips, or for donations and contributions, the reader may contact Dr. Charlie Munn at CharlesMunn@compuserve.com or Doug Trent at FocusTours@aol.com or (phone) 612-892-7830.

    The Encyclopedia of MacAws

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    what blogs are good for, aside from ego expression... Sort of like putting your face, life story and personal opinions on a milk carton so other people can see them.