Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Sapphire intros hybrid PCI Express series
Sapphire intros hybrid PCI Express series: "Sapphire said it has introduced the Hybrid Radeon X700 series."
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Microsoft software caused air traffic shutdown - silicon.com
Microsoft software caused air traffic shutdown - silicon.com: "The newspaper said that a Microsoft-based replacement for an older Unix system needed to be reset every thirty days 'to prevent data overload', as a result of problems found when the system was first rolled out. However, a technician failed to perform the reset at the right time and an internal clock within the system subsequently shut it down. A back-up system also failed."
Monday, September 20, 2004
Science Blog - Genes expose secrets of sex on the side
Science Blog - Genes expose secrets of sex on the side: "The researchers started looking at bits of the Y chromosome known as the Alu family of retrotransposons.
''We found lots of Y-chromosome variations that people didn't know exist,'' Wilder said.
The new technique revealed that Y-chromosome DNA and mitochondrial DNA differ to the same degree among populations.
Hammer said, ''That alone wouldn't say the Y chromosome is migrating more, but if just half as many males are getting their genes into the next generation on average as are females, then it implies more males are migrating to do that.''"
AMD to ship 600,000 K8 CPUs in 3Q, 1.5-2 million in 4Q
AMD to ship 600,000 K8 CPUs in 3Q, 1.5-2 million in 4Q: "Current shipments of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Athlon 64 processors to OEM clients and the channel are better than anticipated, and the company expects to ship 600,000 units in the third quarter, according to sources at AMD Taiwan."
Saturday, September 18, 2004
Boeing Denies Antigravity Research Story
Boeing Denies Antigravity Research Story: "Phillips did say yesterday that some technical workers at Phantom Works have been following Podkletnov's research -- perhaps because they are personally fascinated by it, and because they want to keep up to date with technical journals.
But once again, Phillips said Boeing is not funding any such research nor is it attempting to duplicate the Russian scientist's 1992 experiment.
"
SourceForge.net: Project Info - Peekabooty
SourceForge.net: Project Info - Peekabooty: "Peekabooty is a peer-to-peer application which can route web page requests around firewalls. This is done by asking hosts in the network that are not censored to fetch censored web pages."
Friday, September 17, 2004
TRAFFIC WAVE EXPERIMENTS
TRAFFIC WAVE EXPERIMENTS: " It was dusk, the headlights were on, and I was going down a long hill to the bridges. I had a view of miles of highway behind me. In the neighboring lane I could see maybe five of the traffic stop-waves. But in the lane behind me, for miles, TOTALLY UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION. I hadn't realized it, but by driving at the average speed, my car had been 'eating' the traffic waves. Everyone ahead of me was caught in the stop/go cycle, while everyone behind me was forced to go at a nice smooth 35MPH or so. My single tiny car had erased miles and miles of stop-and-go traffic. Just one single 'lubricant atom' had a profound effect on the turbulent particle flow within the entire miles of 'tube.'
It's always a good idea to drive without changing speed and without competing with other drivers for bits of headway. I'd always assumed that the reasons were philosophical rather than practical (i.e. try to be a calm, nice person.) But my above experience shows differently. A single solitary driver, if they stop 'competing' and instead adopt some unusual driving habits, can actually wipe away some of the frustrating traffic patterns on a highway. That 'nice' noncompetitive driver can erase traffic waves. I suspect that the opposite is also true: normal competitive behavior CREATES the traffic waves."
Elm hybrids more resistant than American elms
Elm hybrids more resistant than American elms: "t may be time to consider planting the new disease-resistant elm hybrids, as a trial. Many years of intensive hybridizing have yielded several likely substitutes for the American elm. Unfortunately, none of them is perfect. The vase-shaped form of the classic American elm is elusive, but good progress is being made with resistance to Dutch elm disease, elm yellows (another disease) and feeding by elm leaf beetles."
Dutch Elm Disease
Dutch Elm Disease: "Researchers have worked for years to develop elm varieties that are resistant to Dutch elm disease. These are primarily crosses between various Asiatic elms and American elms. Many of these show good resistance to DED but these hybrids do not have the impressive growth and form of the American elm.
Recently, resistant American elms have been introduced and distributed, although they have not been grown long enough to show if they remain resistant when mature. Until there is more experience with these varieties, replanting in large numbers is not recommended. However, the development of resistant trees provides a promising future means of reintroducing the American elm as a premier shade tree."
Kenyanthropus platyops
Kenyanthropus platyops (Updated 8/25/03):
"2001 was a big year in paleoanthropology with the announcements of 'Millenium Man' Orrorin tugenensis and the later announcement of Kenyanthropus platyops by Meave Leakey et al. This eastern African hominid was excavated in 1998 and 1999 from Lomekwi in the Nachukui Formation, west of Lake Turkana, during fieldwork aiming to expand the knowledge of the 3-4 mya period of this region."
Really nice overview.
Biological Control of Dutch Elm Disease - Atlantic Forestry Centre
Biological Control of Dutch Elm Disease - Atlantic Forestry Centre: "The condition is caused by a fungus, Ophiostoma ulmi, whose spores are carried by small beetles that have bred beneath the bark of diseased elms, to healthy trees where the insects feed and over-winter. The fungus spreads via the water-conducting system of the tree and causes wilting and yellowing of the leaves and, ultimately, death of the tree."
: "The search for DED resistant elms has been a slow process, complicated by a number of factors. Nevertheless, much research has been completed and DED resistant elm trees have been developed. It is a good idea to keep in mind that all trees are subject to problems of one sort or another. Other diseases, insects, and environmental injury may also create problems in tree health. Although resistant elms have been developed, it is important to remember that they are not immune. However, resistance combined with proper care ensures the best chance for success."
No Girls Allowed: Women of the Beat Generation
No Girls Allowed: Women of the Beat Generation:
"In Joyce Johnson's conclusion to her memoir, Minor Characters, this vision of herself as a young woman seeking her place among the writers and artists of the Beat Generation encapsulates the experience of a number of woman writers and poets during this highly male-centered literary era. The courage it took for these women to be there at all in the repressive and conservative 1950s and the excitement they experienced at having secured a 'seat at the table' coexisted with the knowledge that they remained set apart and were generally seen and heard less than their male contemporaries. Given the nature and history of both American culture at the time and Beat writing in general, such an outsider status should not be surprising. Alice Notley takes the argument even further in her discussion of Joanne Kyger's poetry and includes literary movements in general: 'Poetry movements are generally man-made; women seen in light of such movements always appear secondary' (95)."
Muses or Maestros? Women of the Beat Generation (Angela Baccala)
Muses or Maestros? Women of the Beat Generation (Angela Baccala):
"When I began studying the women of the Beat Generation closely, I looked to the one and only secondary source on their role in the movement, Brenda Knight's Women of the Beat Generation.[1] As I eagerly read through the newly-released text, I noted the divisions of the chapters: The Precursors, The Muses, The Writers, and The Artists. Pause. Who was a muse? Many of the women of the Beat movement were influential in their husbands' or lovers' or friends' writings. Does that make then muses? Was Joan Vollmer Burroughs -- the friend and advisor of Allen Ginsberg -- a muse? Was Edie Parker Kerouac, who wrote a hidden, unpublished memoir about her life? Was Carolyn Robinson Cassady, who paints and consults, and wrote Off the Road? Was Joan Haverty Kerouac, who wrote Nobody's Wife? These women had not merely influenced the work of their men, but had created themselves. Similarly, those women listed (in Knight's book) as writers -- including Joyce Johnson, Elise Cowen, and Hettie Jones -- influenced the Beat men. No clear line can be drawn between those who created and those who were a catalyst for other Beats' creative processes. Not only does the label 'muse' do an injustice to these women's works, but it does not thoroughly explain the Beat women's indirect influence in the movement."
Evolution: Humans: Origins of Humankind
Evolution: Humans: Origins of Humankind: "
Kenyanthropus platyops (3.5 to 3.3 million years ago)
Species Description:
Although Kenyanthropus platyops occupied parts of Africa at the same time as A. afarensis, K. platyops is quite distinctive physically and, thus, has been classified not only as a different species, but belonging to a different genus."
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Microsoft tells music biz to 'back lock-down CD standard' | The Register
Microsoft tells music biz to 'back lock-down CD standard' | The Register:
"Microsoft is attempting to force a last-minute pact with record labels over the future of copy-protected CDs, according to a letter seen by MusicAlly. The allegedly leaked document is purportedly from Alain Levy and David Munns of EMI via Tom Silverman of Tommy Boy Records, who was asked 'to reach out to the independent sector to achieve quick consensus on this issue [and] report back to Microsoft.'"
Xerox forbids use of word Xeroxing
Xerox forbids use of word Xeroxing:
"In the September 15, 2004 edition of the The Inquirer, you published an article on Xerox Corporation entitled, 'Xerox wants to move away from Xeroxing'.This is dumb.
Please be advised that XEROX is a registered trademark of Xerox Corporation and is properly used only as an adjective to identify our high quality products and services. In the headline quoted above, the trademark is used improperly as a verb. Such use constitutes a misuse of our trademark and tends to dilute its distinctiveness. As an alternative, we suggest generic terms be used -- such as 'copying', 'photocopying' or 'duplicating'."
Latest Business News and Financial Information | Reuters.com
Latest Business News and Financial Information | Reuters.com: "In March the Commission found that Microsoft abused its dominance of PC operating systems and ordered it to make changes to create a more level playing field for rivals. Microsoft also paid a record fine of 497 million euros ($604.9 million).
Microsoft appealed the EU ruling and asked the Court of First Instance to suspend the sanctions until the case is completed, probably three or more years from now.
Microsoft's request for a suspension of sanctions will be heard by the EU court on September 30."
Slashdot: News for nerds, stuff that matters
Slashdot: News for nerds, stuff that matters: "descubes writes 'A Journal du Net article reports that about 8% of Windows sessions require a machine reboot. The relevant quote (translated from french) is: 'The average rate of failures requiring a system reboot has been measured at around 8% per session. This number varies widely depending on the version of Windows. Windows 2000 has a failure rate of 4%, and NT4 is at 3%, whereas Windows XP is close to 12%.' The study was originally made by Acadys and Microcost and gathered data from 1.2M machines belonging to about one thousand companies over a period of one month in seven different countries.'"
28% du temps consacr? au couple messagerie / Internet, 2% ? Excel
28% du temps consacr? au couple messagerie / Internet, 2% ? Excel: "28% du temps consacr? au couple messagerie / Internet, 2% ? Excel
Une ?tude men?e par Acadys et Microcost a mesur? l'usage des outils informatiques par les salari?s en Europe. Elle rev?le ?galement que le taux moyen de panne d'un syst?me Windows est de 8% et que le 'z?ro papier' est encore loin. (15/09/2004)"
London Free Press: News Section - Scientists drink in glory
London Free Press: News Section - Scientists drink in glory: "You and I might think that if drinking one beer a day can help you live longer, then drinking five will help you live forever. (This is also why you and I are not scientists.)
In fact, the study showed that drinking two bottles of beer a day is not as healthy as drinking one bottle a day, because it reduces the risk of various aging diseases by only 10 per cent.
And the bad news is that drinking three bottles of beer a day actually causes the blood to become pro-oxidant and increases the risk of such diseases 30 to 40 per cent.
'What really surprised us was the fact that you're getting equivalent effects from both beer and wine,' said Trevithick. 'We had expected that wine would give you a lot more antioxidant activity,' because, he added, red wine contains about 20 times the amount of anti-oxidant agents -- or polyphenols -- as beer."
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
projectcensored.org - The 2004 Election and Censored News
projectcensored.org - The 2004 Election and Censored News: "Election 2004 is a serious test of democracy in the US. Perhaps no other time since the 1930s have we been so dangerously close to institutionalized totalitarianism. No-fly lists, prison torture, domestic spying, mega-homeland security agencies, suspension of habeas corpus, global unilateralism, and military adventurism interlocked with corporate profit taking are all spurred on by a media-induced citizen paranoia.
Corporate media is in the entertainment business and fails to cover important news stories voters need to make election decisions. We need information about our country's leaders. These are the people making decisions that impact all of our lives. We need to know who our leaders are and what they are doing. What are their backgrounds, their motivations? What policies and laws are they enacting? What actions are they undertaking, with or against our consent? We don't need to like them, but we do need to know about them. A participatory democracy needs people to be aware of issues. We need active engaged voters. Unfortunately close to 50% of us will not vote in the upcoming election."
Spielberg beaten to War of the Worlds by secretly shot English rival
Spielberg beaten to War of the Worlds by secretly shot English rival: "In news fit to set Steven Spielberg's hair on end, Pendragon Pictures has just announced the completion of principal photography on their take of H.G. Wells' The War Of The Worlds. Set in Wells' intended turn-of-the-century English locale, the movie is the world's first authentic adaptation of the H.G. Wells classic 1898 novel."
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Monday, September 13, 2004
Retro Poll: June 19, 2004 health care for all flier
Retro Poll: June 19, 2004 health care for all flier: "It's not news that many polls show a large majority of Americans want a national health insurance program that covers everyone. But have you heard that thirty nine percent of Americans believe there are grounds to impeach George W. Bush? That's something the 'free press' in the U.S.A. won't let you hear, see, or know. Results of Retro Poll's November, 2003 national poll suggested that 40% of Americans find President Bush's deceit about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq grounds for his impeachment. A follow up poll in April/May, 2004 again showed that 39% of people polled (a random sample of 513 from all over the U.S.) find this deception grounds for impeachment. Among many startling findings in our poll this was the most dramatic. But the corporate media ignored these findings. That's partly because our polls aren't just about George Bush. Retro Poll exposes both the extent to which the media colludes with the agenda of those in power and how the media uses polls to make us believe that we think what they want us to think."
Project Censored 2005 - Story #9
Project Censored 2005 - Story #9Berg believes that Defendant Bush is invoking a long standard operating procedure of national security and executive privilege claims to suppress the basis of this lawsuit.
On November 26, 2003, a press conference was set up to discuss the full implications of these charges. Only FOX News attended the conference and taped 40 minutes, however, the film was never aired. W. David Kubiak asks, “When you present documented charges of official treachery behind the greatest national security disaster in modern history, and the press doesn’t show, doesn’t listen, and doesn’t write, what is being communicated?”
Project Censored 2005 - Story #1
Project Censored 2005 - Story #1: "However, since the late 1970s wealth inequality, while stabilizing or increasing slightly in other industrialized nations, has increased sharply and dramatically in the United States. While it is no secret that such a trend is taking place, it is rare to see a TV news program announce that the top 1% of the U.S. population now owns about a third of the wealth in the country. Discussion of this trend takes place, for the most part, behind closed doors."
Project Censored 2005 - Story #11
Project Censored 2005 - Story #11In February 2003, a Florida Court of Appeals unanimously agreed with an assertion by FOX News that there is no rule against distorting or falsifying the news in the United States.
Back in December of 1996, Jane Akre and her husband, Steve Wilson, were hired by FOX as a part of the Fox “Investigators” team at WTVT in Tampa Bay, Florida. In 1997 the team began work on a story about bovine growth hormone (BGH), a controversial substance manufactured by Monsanto Corporation. The couple produced a four-part series revealing that there were many health risks related to BGH and that Florida supermarket chains did little to avoid selling milk from cows treated with the hormone, despite assuring customers otherwise.
According to Akre and Wilson, the station was initially very excited about the series. But within a week, Fox executives and their attorneys wanted the reporters to use statements from Monsanto representatives that the reporters knew were false and to make other revisions to the story that were in direct conflict with the facts. Fox editors then tried to force Akre and Wilson to continue to produce the distorted story. When they refused and threatened to report Fox's actions to the FCC, they were both fired.(Project Censored #12 1997)
EducationGuardian.co.uk | Higher | Space probes feel cosmic tug of bizarre forces
EducationGuardian.co.uk | Higher | Space probes feel cosmic tug of bizarre forces: "Something strange is tugging at America's oldest spacecraft. As the Pioneer 10 and 11 probes head towards distant stars, scientists have discovered that the craft - launched more than 30 years ago - appear to be in the grip of a mysterious force that is holding them back as they sweep out of the solar system."
Sunday, September 12, 2004
Terminal Island
Terminal IslandMy! Can't decide if this is a good blog by a bad person, or a bad blog by a good person.
PHP: What can PHP do? - Manual
PHP: What can PHP do? - Manual: "There are three main areas where PHP scripts are used.
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Server-side scripting. This is the most traditional and main target field for PHP. You need three things to make this work. The PHP parser (CGI or server module), a webserver and a web browser. You need to run the webserver, with a connected PHP installation. You can access the PHP program output with a web browser, viewing the PHP page through the server. All these can run on your home machine if you are just experimenting with PHP programming. See the installation instructions section for more information.
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Command line scripting. You can make a PHP script to run it without any server or browser. You only need the PHP parser to use it this way. This type of usage is ideal for scripts regularly executed using cron (on *nix or Linux) or Task Scheduler (on Windows). These scripts can also be used for simple text processing tasks. See the section about Command line usage of PHP for more information.
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Writing desktop applications. PHP is probably not the very best language to create a desktop application with a graphical user interface, but if you know PHP very well, and would like to use some advanced PHP features in your client-side applications you can also use PHP-GTK to write such programs. You also have the ability to write cross-platform applications this way. PHP-GTK is an extension to PHP, not available in the main distribution. If you are interested in PHP-GTK, visit its own website."
PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor: "PHP is a widely-used general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded into HTML. If you are new to PHP and want to get some idea of how it works, try the introductory tutorial. After that, check out the online manual, and the example archive sites and some of the other resources available in the links section."
: "WordPress is a state-of-the-art semantic personal publishing platform with a focus on aesthetics, web standards, and usability. What a mouthful. WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.
More simply, Wordpress is what you use when you want to work with your blogging software, not fight it."
• Key Players in the Plame Affair
