No Google isn't going to launch anything to the moon. Well at least not soon that I know of, nor in this instance. Their "Moonshot" refers Google's mind-boggling undertaking to scan every book ever published.


The book search works just like Google's web search with an advanced options for things exact phrase, which when I can, I use almost exclusively to narrow the results scope and weed out unrelated junk. Give Google Book Search beta a test drive.

What you can view depends on the book. All include an "about this book" which is title, author, publisher, date pages, etc. If the book is out of copyright or permission has been granted you can page through the entire book, and when you can't read the entire book many will have a review. The review is set up pdf style using the hand to navagate about, or you can use the page turner supplied. Links are provided to buy, plus if they are reviews or full text also you can use the chapter links. All books will have either full view, limited preview, snippet view, or no preview available.

I don't know how long the book search beta has been available, but because I read a lot of books, technical as well as romance novels, I find it helpful, fascinating and much more usable than a web search. The target is to have all book scanned in about ten years. Google asserts that about twenty per cent of all books are in the public domain, but a lot like government publications were never copyrighted.

Via KurzweilAI.net

"Why should we feel so much grief at the loss of one horse? After all, this is a world in which horses are sacrificed again and again for the sport of humans. Barbaro was euthanized yesterday, eight months after he shattered his right hind leg at the start of the Preakness Stakes." One horse dies!

If you've never been on a horse, riding bare-back, it's hard to understand why the death of one, has touched so many around the world.

As a Young man spending part of my life on an Indian Reservation and being able to escape a world of being a half-breed, with it's discrimination, nothing provided the freedom for that escape but the love of a horse under me, my long hair flowing and the wind on my bare chest and face.

Dynamite was a Mustang which is a feral horse found now in the western United States. The name Mustang comes from the Spanish word mesteño or monstenco meaning wild or stray. Originally these were Spanish horses or their descendants but over the years they became a mix of numerous breeds. These were the horses which changed the lives of the Native Americans living in or near the Great Plains.

Nothing prepared me for the day Dynamite went lame, and had to be put down by one of the elders in the tribe. It was one of those unexpected events, that I carried the blame for, as I saw the pain in his eyes through tears I could not hold back. Warriors don't cry, even half-breeds--but I did that day.

" You would have to look a long, long time to find a dishonest or cruel horse. And the odds are that if you did find one, it was made cruel or dishonest by the company it kept with humans. It is no exaggeration to say that nearly every horse — Barbaro included — is pure of heart. Some are faster, some slower. Some wind up in the winner’s circle. But they should all evoke in us the generosity of conscience — a human quality, after all — that was expended in the effort to save this one horse."

Pure of heart on a day long ago, that tore out part of mine, and the feeling of being alive and free. That was the gift Dynamite gave me, and carried me toward. I never rode again, quite the same way.

It has been said that Sen. Barack Obama attended a "madrassa." This has been reported by FOX news, The NY Times, CNN and others taking various sides and blaming various camps and party sources. Yet the whole thing is a misunderstanding, or maybe more correctly a recent (since 9/11) bastardization of the Arabic word "Madrasah." Variatious transliterations include madrasah, madrash, medresa, madreseh, madrassa, medrusha, and madressa. For the remainder of this post I will stick with the correct usage of madrasah.

CNN debunked the story. Or at least they think they did.


CNN goes further into the story but there is no point. In fact there nothing to debunk, and all sources as far as I have seen are reporting this story either wrong, or with a misunderstanding of what the word "madrasah" means.

Now let me stop right here and say that first I am not a supporter of Obama, and second that I don't have anything against him. In fact I think that he is a somewhat centrist Democrat. This isn't a post on my political views, it is a post on the correct usage of words.

Saturday Galt posted about using words "to convey exactly what one means," and how "words and their definitions have become prostituted." Well this is exactly what is happening on the "Obama attended a madrassa" story. Look it up.

Madrasah at Dictionary.com:

–noun Islam.
a school or college, esp. a school attached to a mosque where young men study theology.
Also, ma·dra·sa.

[Origin: < Ar]

Wikipedia has this to say:


So in reality a madrasah is just another name for school, and and translates as such to the english language. Obama did go to a madrasah, I went to a madrasah, and you went to a madrasah, or at least I hope you did.

AS Galt said in the linked post: "Learning to speak does not consist of memorizing sound's--that is the process by which a parrot learns to "speak." Learning consists of grasping meanings, i.e., of grasping the referents of words, the kinds of existents that words denote in reality."

It seems we have too many parrots and not enough journalists working for our nations news organizations.

Because if you live in the San Francisco Bay area it could get you a paid day off from work.


Wow! Just when you don't think progressives can surprise you anymore, they come up with a plan to make you love them... well at least take care of them if they get sick.

Thanks Nick.

Of all the mediums of communication, by far the most difficult to convey exactly what one means, is 'words only,' and by far English being the most fully expressive language for everything, is the most difficult to learn.

Words transform concepts into (mental) entity's; definitions provide them with identity. (Words without definitions are not language but inarticulate sounds)

It is often said that definitions state the meaning of words. This is true, but it is not exact.

A word is merely a visual-auditory symbol used to represent a concept; a word has no meaning other than that of the concept it symbolizes, and the meaning of a concept consists of it's units. It is not words, but the concepts that man defines--by specifying there referents.

Many words and their definitions have become prostituted, in English, as well as other languages. The words also used in some languages and their meaning, do not represent the concept it symbolizes exactly the same in another language.

Incorrect use of said words can actually get you killed, even though your concept was the not meant as an insult uttered by you, but a different concept heard or read by another. This is especially true in a language that uses one word to convey more than a single concept. I know this from experience and the loss of a friend over a mistaken word and it's concept by another.

To use a simple and probably well known and prostituted word by most as an example; The word Gay. Used in a simple sentence, such as "I went to a gay bar." and what the words definition means and what it has become to mean are two different concepts. Properly, I went to a bar and had a 'grand and joyful' time.
Prostituted, "I'm a homosexual, and went to a bar where homosexuals gather." That word, and many more like it in English, as well as other languages has lost the concept of what it originally meant and was understood to mean.

In order to be used as a single unit, the enormous sum integrated by a concept has to be give the form of a SINGLE, specific, perceptual concrete, which will differentiate it from all other concretes and from all other concepts. This is the function of language.

Language is a code of visual-auditory symbols that serves the function of converting concepts into the mental equivalent of concretes. Language is the exclusive domain and tool of concepts.Every word we use (with the exception of proper names) is a symbol that denotes a concept, i.e., that stands for an unlimited number of concretes of a certain kind.

Even though a child in the beginning does not (and need not) originate and form every concept on his own, by observing every aspect of reality confronting him, he has to preform the process of differentiating and integrating perceptual concretes, in order to grasp the meaning of words. If a child's brain is physically damaged and unable to preform the process, he does not learn to speak.

Learning to speak does not consist of memorizing sound's--that is the process by which a parrot learns to "speak." Learning consists of grasping meanings, i.e., of grasping the referents of words, the kinds of existents that words denote in reality.

When we are talking with someone in a physical reality, one on one, all of our 'senses" are at work, as the words we use, are also being conveyed by our body language, our tone of voice and in certain situations by all other senses.

Even the phone, where only one sense is at work, can convey the wrong concept, even tough you say or hear the word, and it's tone expressed. You still hold a better chance of being understood, as quick corrections in the concepts your conveying can be quickly change with a different word, or different tone.

Those methods at times, can even be more difficult, and often misunderstood more because of the senses involved, than in a form where all you have is your 'sight' and the words you read, or in the words you write.

"STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES, BUT WORDS (NAMES) WILL NEVER HURT ME. - Although a physical attack may harm me, I am not bothered by cruel words or name-calling. I don't care what you're saying. This children's taunt was first listed in 'Folk Phrases of Four Counties' (1894) by G.F. Northall and is first attested in the United States in 'Miss Lindsey' (1936) by S.G. Gibbons.

In the above children's taunt, both are true, though some may think the first is far more painful, but physical pain can heal and be forgotten, words and the concepts they convey sometimes are never forgotten, like the old saying "An elephant never forgets."

Those of us who write on Forums, Blogs, or in Articles, and those who read have a responsibility to not only convey the correct concept, but to also understand what the concepts referent is.The duty falls to both, not just one. With words you can convey every emotion and nearly ever sense you have, if writing and reading are done correctly.

Yes, misunderstandings will occur, as none of us has a perfect command of the language we use, nor the concepts we are trying to convey. However when they occur, a "private" dialog between the offended or thought to be offended parties, can be resolved by re-conveying the concepts one meant with more clarity and rational effort. Resolving those misunderstandings however can not be resolved in a 'free for all' involving more than the offended parties.

Everything I write, be it technical information, or personal. I read it back to myself, then read it again out loud, so I can hear what I'm saying, my tone of voice, my inflections, and most of all my meaning. In some cases I record it, and play it back.

I suggest it as a habit we could all use more often, before we ever press the submit button. You may not be able to reach the stars, but you can reach the moon.

Quote for today: "The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause." Mark Twain

Black Five notes that there is success in Iraq as well as the reasons for it. Below is an excerpt but do yourself a favor and read the whole thing right here. You won't see reports like this on the news.


It seems stay-the-course has become a catch phrase connoting negative implications. While we may not have taken the best possible course, if the Black Five article is any indication it looks like our efforts have slowly worn down the insurgency, and has been producing positive results.

It is good to see that there are signs of things turning around in Iraq. You won't find many similar reports in the main stream press; they are caught up in selling every incident as an administration failures, proof that we can't win, and why we should cut our losses and pull out of Iraq.

If this progress continues look for frantic efforts from the left increasing Iraqi withdrawal rhetoric. I don't know if the so-called surge will help, or even if it is a good idea, but if the Iraq situation starts improving substantially it will doom the anti-war left in 2008.

Thanks Dean.

REPEATED NAME CHANGING, STEALING THE IDENTITY OF COMPANIES OR INDIVIDUALS, NEW WEBSITES, PHONY REGISTRATIONS, ALL THIS TO CONFUSE WHO THEY ARE. MAKE NO MISTAKE WHO THESE FOLKS ARE. THUGS, CROOKS, CRIMINALS, SCUMBAGS TARGETING THOSE WHO ARE COMPUTER ILLITERATE, UNEMPLOYED, ELDERLY, STUDENTS, STAY-AT-HOME MOMS, RETIREES, AND THE INNOCENT. LURING THEM INTO CASHING FRAUDULENT CHECKS

The headline, and the above heading while different, fall into the same area, and since the approach is different, I'll tackle the above in this blog first.
Having received an email that looked interesting, since I'm always on the prowl for a bit of extra work, I thought I'd share it with you.

Now before you read carefully the email below, let me link you to the on-line and reputable site that is its source called .eDirection They post job offerings, as well as a host of other services. Now this company is legit.
If however, we check for http://www.js-integration.co.uk in Google we do not get a return hit for the company?
So chopping off (.UK) from the address we do get Google Search finally a fraud alert..but how may unsuspecting souls would know to do that?
If we try a couple of other listings in Google for this companyEngland Link they look OK. Or if we go to Best Jobs another provided link we also get what looks to be OK.

If we are persistent in our search, we might finally come up with the truth here at Scamdex

In point of fact the company listed in the letter below does exist, and does in fact offer employment...then what's the problem? They are using you as a Money Mule!

We all know a mule (Jackass) is great for carting things, but this Mule is illegal.

What is a money mule? Source Here: Money Mule Explained

As most of the fraudsters behind these scams are located overseas and it is not possible to make cross-border transfers out of UK on-line bank accounts overseas, a "money mule" or "money transfer agent" is required to launder the funds obtained as a result of phishing and Trojan scams. After being recruited by the fraudsters, money mules receive funds into their accounts and they then withdraw the money and send it overseas using a wire transfer service, minus a certain commission payment.

The above is one out of thousands of attempts, and I would be here for six months going through each and every attempt to scam you, or destroy your computer, so I'll direct you to my F-Secure's Daily Dose of what to look for, and your not going to believe it at first.

Is the Internet Safe? In a word...NO! It was at one time, but not any longer.

Now watch another destructive scam, from that fun "You Tube Video" you just couldn't resist. My thanks to F-Secure for this.



The letter below is exactly as I received it in mail, so how many mistakes can you find that are clues to you being scammed?? Looks really good doesn't it!

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are glad to offer you for a job position with our
company.We need someone to work for the company as a
Representative/Book keeper in the USA. This is in view
of our not having an office presently in the USA.You
don't need to have an Office and this certainly won't
disturb any form of work you have going at the
moment.Our Company specialises in the
Sourcing,Outsourcing and Procurement of any commodity
from the Eastern European supply base.

We undertake order placement as a one-off batch and
project management of the transfer of an entire series
of processes and commodities without compromising
quality. We source the following variety of clothing
materials:- batiks,assorted fabrics for interior decor,
silk and traditional costumes which we have clients we
supply weekly in the USA.
Our integrated network of yarn and fabric manufacturing
operations use state-of-the-art textile equipment from
the world's leading suppliers. Order processing,production
monitoring and process flow are seamlessly integrated
through a company-wide computer network.

The average monthly income is about 4000USD(1000USD
salary inclusive).
* No form of investments from you.
* This job takes only 1-3 hours per day

About the job:
We have sales representatives all over the world to
distribute our products.It's a known fact,that it's not
easy to start a business in a new market (being the
US). There are hundreds of competitors, close direct
contacts between suppliers and custo! mers and other
difficulties,which impede our sales promotion.We have
decided to deliver the products upfront, it's very
risky but it would push up sales by 25
percent.Unfortunately we are unable to open Bank
Accounts in the US without first registering the company
name.

Presently with the amount of Orders we have, we cannot
put them on hold for fear of loosing the customers
outrightly. Secondly we cannot cash these payments from
the US soon enough, as international Cheques take about
15-20 working days for cash to be made available.We
lose about 75,000 USD of net income each month because
we have money transfer delays.Your task is to
coordinate payments from customers and help us with the
payment process.You are not involved in any sales or
marketing.Once orders are recieved and sorted we
deliver the product to a customer (usually through
FEDEX).The customer receives and checks the products.

After this has been done the customer has to pay for
the products.About 90 percent of our customers prefer
to pay through Certified Cheques and Travellers Cheques
based on the amount involved.We have decided to open
this new job position for solving this problem.Your
tasks are:

Recieve payment from Customers.
2. Cash Payments at your Bank (Upon my instruction).
3. Deduct 7% which will be your commission/pay on each
Payment processed
4. Forward balance after deduction of commission/pay to
any of the offices you will be contacted to send
payment to.(Payment is to forwarded either by MoneyGram
or Western Union Money Transfer Preferably).

www.westernunion.com ;
www.moneygram.com ;

Local Money transfers takes barely hours, so it will
give us a possibility to get customer's payment almost
immediately.You are entitled to a basic monthly salary
of 1000.00 USD.For Instance,when you process a 3000USD
payment.You deduct your 7% commission: 210.00 USD and
remit: 2790.00USD.First month you will have 15-20
transactions in the range of 3000.00-400! 0.00 USD .18
transactions of 3500.00 USD gives you 4410.00 USD.Plus
your basic monthly salary is 1000.00 USD Total:5410.00
USD per month.After establishing a close co-operation
with us you'll be able to operate with larger orders
and you'll be able to earn more.

Our payments will be issued out in your name and you
can have them cashed at your bank or other Cashing
Services.Deduct your commission and forward the balance
to the company . If you are interested, N: B, Please
send to me the listed information below:

#Your full name:
#Your full home address,
#Your age,
#Occupation and as well your
#marital status,and your,
#direct contact telephone number:
#Your Bank name Only (only your bank name and nothing
else).

We understand that this job position is very
challenging and you should understand it. We are
looking only for persons who satisfy our requirements
and will be an earnest assistant.We envisage 3-7 work
hours per week.If you feel that you are a serious and
earnest person and you want to work for J.S
INTEGRATIONS LTD,an employment form would be sent to
and you would fill it out and send back via email and
you will receive necessary information in 48 hours.This
will be sent to you from the Agent that contacted you.

ONLY SERIOUS AND INTERESTED PARTICIPANTS SHOULD PLEASE
REPLY.

TO: CEO / JOHN EDGAR
J.S INTEGRATIONS LTD
Units 5 & 6
Park Road
Frome
Somerset
BA11 1EU
United Kingdom
COMPANY WORKING HOUR'S
9:00am to 6:pm all days.
Tel: +44 702 403 0223
Tel: +44-7024030238
Tel: +44-7024030235
Fax: +44-870-490-0524
Email:john_edgar009@yahoo.com
;
- J.S INTEGRATIONS LTD. RECRUITMENT

Quote for today: "A fool and his money are soon parted."

I’m “The Bird” and I run around for HF, doing spot checks on the Internets passing parade. You remember, he was a bit put out for lack of comments, and threatened to turn those who came by, but failed to leave a nasty word or two into Schmoos. So he’s sending you The Bird.



So, what’s the problem? One hand on the mouse and the other in the over-buttered popcorn bowl, and you don’t want to get your keyboard greasy?

Physics professor at George Mason University, Robert Ehrlich has done some research on the suns temperature fluctuations. The sun's core is held constant by the opposing pressures of gravity and nuclear fusion, however according to Ehrlich there are small instabilities that cause the temperature to vary.

These instabilities in plasma are caused by the suns core and cycle at either 100,000 or 41,000 years intervals.


If you are familiar with the Earth's ice ages you will recognize the figures for both cycle lengths. For the last million years ice ages have had a period of once every 100,000 years; before that they have had a recurring period of every 41,000 years.

To say the least very interesting coincidence. I wonder what climate researchers on both sides will have to say about this.


Update: On Feb 2 the IPCC will be releasing their summary report to Policy-Makers with great fanfare. However the the actual release of their "Fourth Assessment Report" does not come until May this year.


Don't suppose that I could do that with my income taxes. File a summary 1040 now, then in the mean time get my income records adjusted to match my summary by April? Nah don't think so.

Internet security experts are gathering at a secretive conference later this week to strategize in their fight against cybercriminals.

The meeting on Thursday and Friday at Microsoft's Redmond, Wash. headquarters is slated to bring together representatives from security companies and government and law enforcement officials, as well as others involved in network security. The agenda focuses on botnets and related topics, seen by experts as a prime threat to the Internet.

The two-day event is an effort to let those battling cybercrooks team up and pool their knowledge. Of course vicious hackers have been doing this for years.


Trojans....phishing....and spam...Oh My!

Aside from various talks specifically on botnets, other presentations dive into Trojan horses, new styles of denial-of-service attacks, spam, phishing and weaknesses in protection technologies such as sandboxes and virtual keyboards on banking sites.

Douglas Otis of Trend Micro plans to give a talk on how e-mail authentication technology called Sender ID could be abused to launch denial-of-service attacks, he said. Sender ID is a specification pushed heavily by Microsoft for verifying the authenticity of e-mail by ensuring the validity of the server from which it came.

Jevans of the Anti-Phishing Working Group plans to present a multiyear overview of phishing statistics and discuss new trends in the data-thieving scams, he said. These new trends include use of subdomains, more man-in-the-middle style attacks and changing attack patterns to also focus on smaller banks and payment services, he said.

Alex Shipp, a senior antivirus technologist at e-mail security company MessageLabs, is scheduled to deliver a talk on Trojan horses targeted at a small number of companies or even individual. These targeted Trojan horse attacks are considered dangerous because they could evade traditional protection mechanisms trained to look for known attacks or mass attacks.

"What are the bad guys doing now and how can we stop them? Can we do better than we are currently or do we need a seismic shift in the way we do things now to solve the problems? What kind of co-operative efforts can we put in place that would benefit us all?" are some of those questions, Shipp said.

Among those scheduled to attend are representatives from security firms such as Symantec, Trend Micro and Websense, as well as people from AOL, Cisco Systems, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems and Qwest. Government and law enforcement expected to attend include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Secret Service and United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, or US-CERT. Various universities are also expected to send representatives.

"Cooperation at all levels, technical, legal, government, is needed to contain the problem," said Righard Zwienenberg, chief research officer at Norman Data Defense Systems, who is slated to speak on sandboxes at the event Thursday. "Without worldwide laws and cooperation, we might lose the battle in the end."

Now here is a rabbit with a lot of tenacity. I'm sure rabbits don't eat snakes so I assume this one was probably only trying to chase it out of it's territory.



Notice about half way through the big bird that wanders closer for a better look? Probably wondering if the rabbit has lost it's mind.

Does anyone know if this is normal behavior for rabbits? If you have heard of it before please leave a comment.

On one of the tech forums that I occasionally visit I posted about Intel's 80-Core Chip that I blogged about here last Thursday. A responder said, "I feel that multicore technology will bring computers closer to the biological workhorse that is the human brain." Not only is he correct but it probably is a gross understatement. We are already building prototypes of artificial neurons, while memory density along with computing power and speed keep increasing. The real shocker will come when we humans merge with our technology.

I take issue with some of Ray Kurzweil predicitions in his book, "The Singularity Is Near" however I believe he is correct when he predicts the merging of our biological brain with future computer technology. It is my belief that technology is presently undergoing one of Kurzweil's predicted paradigm shifts. With the continuing evolution in nanotechnology and molecular scale circuitry an unimaginable future lies ahead. We are literally going to take our evolution into our own hands.

We are already building self-organizing neurons, real brain cells with nanotube axons and dendrites. Could this become the means to interface the brain and computer? Once the brain is efficiently interfaced with technology it isn't the technology that is enhanced as much as it is the human mind. Human defined intelligence would be off the chart interfaced with an equally complex, but magnitudes faster computer. Where would IQ stop? 1000? 10,000? Now, imagine interfacing that mind to the internet.

*blink*       Yes, rather mind boggling isn't it?

Of course this opens the Pandora's box of responsibility and ethics. Also we have to ask what would happen to emotions under that much super intelligence? And we have to insure that the many new benefits created will be extended to everyone and not just a few elite. We will have free-range self-replicators to make just about anything imaginable for good or evil on our desktops. Competing super minds in opposing countries will be able to start a super high tech arms race. Maybe not with bombs, but with yet to be imagined technology that can eliminate any people or groups of people swiftly and with exact precision. Especially bad emotions like anger can stir super malicious intent. The movies "Lawn Mower Man" and "The Terminator" come to mind as not quite so far fetched after all.

Or what if our technology gets away from us through no intent on our part. If you are a Trekie you undoubtedly remember Next Generation episode where ensign Crusher's had two experimental nanites escape and get into the computer. There they evolved, reproduced and ran amok in the computer system eating core chips, and threatening the safety of the Enterprise. I don't think any of our technology that got out of hand could become sentient like Wesley's nanites. This is where I disagree with Kurzweil that machines can become sentient and had a cross blog discussion with Dean here and here. However there is still the real danger of inadvertent destruction on a large scale.

------ Further information ------

To delve deeper read Ray Kurzweil's book, The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology.

Visit the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN) for more on the issues and solutions.

Keep up to date at the Responsible Nanotechnology blog with what is going on in nanotechnology.

Tom Mabe is back on the offensive and continuing the fight against those annoying telemarketers.Tom Mabe here:
If you haven't heard of Tom Mabe turn up your sound and give a listen. Put the children in the other room, or use your headphones. Bit risque!

THE internet could become even more difficult for governments to regulate with a new website, Wikileaks, promising to provide a safe haven for whistleblowers to upload confidential documents. Source:The Age News
Note present link to the site: Wikileak



Now how long do you think they will last!!??!! Ya, right!

“There are no "must-have" features in Vista. It's a "high-risk strategy" to get it early. Installing the operating system within the next twelve months brings about a set of "technical, financial and organizational challenges."

That criticism from an agency of the UK government: The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) "strongly recommends" schools to stay away from Vista for at least a full year.

"There is not a case for schools to deploy it unless it is mission-critical stable," Becta technical consultant Tom McMullan stated to the ZDNet UK website. "There are lots of incremental improvements, but there are no must-haves that justify early deployment,"


McMullan added during his speech at the BETT education trade show. (Source: zdnet.co.uk
So while Becta is warning against Vista, the government agency negotiated with Microsoft to secure cheaper fees for UK schools -- between 20 and 37 percent, to be exact. It’s amazing how those fees paddle a different canoe. Of course in the US, the fees to schools, will be increased by 20 to 37 percent. Microsoft has to balance the books.

Despite that, most organizations in the country don't consider Microsoft's licensing agreement a good value -- according to a Becta report.(Sources: cbronline.com and zdnet.co.uk
Now while that report is coming out, All versions of Windows Vista OEM have arrived into stock at Overclockers 20 January 2007. All backorders are shipping today with stock leftover. You may also collect a copy from our shop today.

So much for most organizations, now run right on down or over, and grab up your copy 10 days before the touted launch of Vista in the US. Source: Overclockers UK News
If you hurry, you can get their present pricing here, but they only have 10 of each version in stock. UK Pricing


Microsoft has taken a different stance on the matter. "Customers should evaluate Vista and test it and decide 'Is this good for learning?'" said Steve Beswick, the company's director of education for the UK. "Rollout shouldn't be stopped if it aids learning." (Source: zdnet.co.uk
Actually he means, if it aids the ringing of the register.

Dr. Evangelos Michelakis, Assistant Professor, University of Alberta appears to be onto something that kills most cancers including lung, breast and brain cancer cells. It is a fairly safe drug that is cheap to make called dichloroacetate.


Dichloroacetate (DCA) is a product of water chlorination and a metabolite of certain industrial solvents. DCA is not patented which would make it dirt cheap to produce.

Thanks to TallDave's comments over at Dean's World.

Now look! It's come to the Happiness Fairy's attention that more than six readers access this blog. Since he's a grumpy cuss until he's had his coffee, spiked with some (Kickapoo Joy Juice) he just loves to read comments while he's contemplating his next great opinionated tripe to post up here.
He's sorely tired of pissing in the wind, looking to see if anyone even notices his bullshit ramblings. Its bad enough Sandi has to put up with him, so the least you could do would be to put in a comment for her, as she is tired of his babbling complaints, shaky paws and spilt coffee.


Now the Fairy knows if you don't start commenting, he has a nasty lighten bolt that could turn you into a Schmoo. So pay attention!

They reproduce asexually, and are very prolific. They require no sustenance other than air.
Shmoon are delicious, and are so eager to be eaten that if they are looked at by someone who is hungry they will gladly jump into a frying pan, after which they taste like chicken, or into a roasting pan, after which they taste like beef (Raw,they taste like Oysters on the Half-Shell).
They also produce eggs, milk, and butter (no churning labor needed.) Their fresh pelt is a perfect boot leather, or house timber depending on how thick it has been cut.
Their eyes are ideal suspender buttons, and their whiskers are perfect toothpicks. Naturally gentle, they require minimal care, and are ideal playmates for young children.

In short, they are simply the perfect ideal of a subsistence agricultural herd animal.
The frolicking of shmoon is so entertaining (such as their staged "shmoosical comedies") that people watching them feel no need to go to movies or turn on television to relieve their boredom. They come to the Internet and read blogs.Now you don't want to end up resembling a blob of white with eyes, mouth, whiskers and two legs, give the Happiness Fairy a helping hand, since from the looks of it, he could use it. Besides you sure don't want to end up a Schmoo!

That's right 80 cores, compared to todays dual and quad core CPU a real powerhouse. Don't look for one to build that powerhouse system yet though, this is just a prototype Intel has produced for research purposes only. Besides the functionality of using this many cores is limited until they can figure out how to make that many cores communicate with each other.

This will be a major departure from dual and quad core CPUs, and have teraflop performance capability while it uses less energy than a quad core. Specifics will be released at next months Solid State Circuits Conference (Febuary 11-15 2007). The energy usage is quite low for so many cores because compared to dual or quad cores, because these cores are much simpler. Yet because of their numbers they can still do the same complex manipulations as smaller chunks as the more complex cores.

And I suspect that although todays cores are well suited for complex tasks, they also waste a lot of time on meanial simple operations that would be well suited for a simpler core. In another 5 to 8 years (when the 80 core CPU is projected for production) I'm guessing that by then they may have a few complex cores suppored by a few dozen or so of these simple cores.


Other than quantum computing, this is one of the most exciting changes in CPU technology I have read for a long time. Expect to see this same technology applied to graphics processing as well.

Via KurzweilAI.

“DOOMSDAY CLOCK” MOVES TWO MINUTES CLOSER TO MIDNIGHT
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Adjusts Clock From 7 to 5 Minutes Before Midnight; “ Deteriorating” Global Situation Cited on Nuclear Weapons and New Factor: Climate Change.

WASHINGTON, D.C. and LONDON, ENGLAND /// January 17, 2007 /// The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) is moving the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock two minutes closer to midnight. It is now 5 minutes to midnight. Reflecting global failures to solve the problems posed by nuclear weapons and the climate crisis, the decision by the BAS Board of Directors was made in consultation with the Bulletin’s Board of Sponsors, which includes 18 Nobel Laureates.

"I would give the greatest sunset in the world for one sight of New York's skyline. The sky over New York and the will of man made visible. I feel that if a war came to threaten this, I would like to throw myself into space, over the city, and protect these buildings with my body."
Ayn Rand


If men want to oppose war, it is statism that they must oppose. So long as men hold the tribal notion that the individual is fodder for the collective, that some men have the right to rule others by force, and that some (any) alleged "good" can justify it--there can be no peace within a nation, and no peace among nations.

Atlas Shrugs

Highlights of the new statement from the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists include the following:

"The second nuclear era, unlike the dawn of the first nuclear age in 1945, is characterized by a world of porous national borders, rapid communications that facilitate the spread of technical knowledge, and expanded commerce in potentially dangerous dual-use technologies and materials. The Pakistan-based network that provided nuclear technologies to Libya, North Korea, and Iran, is an example of the new challenges confronting the international community."

"Sixteen years after the end of the Cold War, following substantial reductions in nuclear weapons by the United States and Russia, the two major powers have now stalled in their progress toward deeper reductions in their arsenals."

"More than 1400 metric tons of highly enriched uranium and approximately 500 tons of plutonium are distributed worldwide at some 140 sites, in unguarded civilian power plants and university research reactors, as well as in military facilities."

"Global warming poses a dire threat to human civilization that is second only to nuclear weapons. Through flooding and desertification, climate change threatens the habitats and agricultural resources that societies depend upon for survival. As such, climate change is also likely to contribute to mass migrations and even to wars over arable land, water, and other natural resources."

"The prospect of civilian nuclear power development in countries around the world raises further concerns about the availability of nuclear materials. Growth in nuclear power is anticipated to be especially high in Asia, where Japan is planning to bring on line five new plants by 2010, and China intends to build 30 nuclear reactors by 2020."

"Several factors are driving the turn to nuclear power— aging nuclear reactors, rising energy demands, a desire to diversify energy portfolios and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and the need to reduce carbon emissions that cause climate change. Yet expansion of nuclear power increases the risks of nuclear proliferation."

The BAS statement also outlines a number of steps that, if taken immediately, could help to prevent disaster, including the following:

Reduce the launch readiness of U.S. and Russian nuclear forces and completely remove nuclear weapons from the day-to-day operations of their militaries.

Reduce the number of nuclear weapons by dismantling, storing, and destroying more than 20,000 warheads over the next 10 years, as well as greatly increasing efforts to locate, store, and secure nuclear materials in Russia and elsewhere.

Stop production of nuclear weapons material, including highly enriched uranium and plutonium—w hether in military or civilian facilities.

Engage in serious and candid discussion about the potential expansion of nuclear power worldwide. While nuclear energy production does not produce carbon dioxide, it does raise other significant concerns, such as the health and environmental hazards of nuclear waste, the production of nuclear materials that can be diverted to the production of weapons, and the safety and security of the plants themselves.

History of the Doomsday Clock

The clock's minute hand has been moved 17 times in response to international events since its initial start at seven minutes to midnight in 1947:
# 1949 - The Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb. Clock changed to three minutes to midnight - four minutes closer to midnight.

# 1953 - The United States and the Soviet Union test thermonuclear devices within nine months of one another. Clock changed to two minutes to midnight - one minute closer, its closest approach to midnight to date.

# 1960 - In response to a perception of increased scientific cooperation and public understanding of the dangers of nuclear weapons, clock is changed to seven minutes to midnight - five minutes further from midnight.

# 1963 - The United States and Soviet Union sign the Partial Test Ban Treaty, limiting atmospheric nuclear testing. Clock changed to twelve minutes to midnight - another five minutes further.

# 1968 - France and China acquire and test nuclear weapons - 1960 and 1964 respectively - wars rage on in the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, and Vietnam. Clock changed to seven minutes to midnight - five minutes closer to midnight.

# 1969 - The U.S. Senate ratifies the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Clock changed to ten minutes to midnight - three minutes further from midnight.

# 1972 - The United States and the Soviet Union sign the SALT I - Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty) and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Clock changed to twelve minutes to midnight - two minutes further.

# 1974 - India tests a nuclear device - Smiling Buddha - SALT II talks stall. Clock changed to nine minutes to midnight - three minutes closer to midnight.

# 1980 - Further deadlock in US-USSR talks, increase in nationalist wars and terrorist actions. Clock changed to seven minutes to midnight - two minutes closer.

# 1981 - Arms race escalates, conflicts in Afghanistan, South Africa, and Poland. Clock changed to four minutes to midnight - three minutes closer.

# 1984 - Further escalation of the arms race under the U.S. policies of Ronald Reagan. Clock changed to three minutes to midnight - one more minute closer.

# 1988 - The U.S. and the Soviet Union sign treaty to eliminate intermediate-range nuclear forces, relations improve. Clock changed to six minutes to midnight - three minutes further from midnight.

# 1990 - Fall of the Berlin Wall, success of anti-communist movements in Eastern Europe, Cold War nearing an end. Clock changed to ten minutes to midnight - four minutes further.

# 1991 - United States and Soviet Union sign the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Clock changed to seventeen minutes to midnight - seven minutes further, its greatest distance from midnight so far.

# 1995 - Global military spending continues at Cold War levels; concerns about post-Soviet nuclear proliferation of weapons and brainpower. Clock changed to fourteen minutes to midnight - three minutes closer to midnight.

# 1998 - Both India and Pakistan test nuclear weapons in a tit-for-tat show of aggression; the United States and Russia run into difficulties in further reducing stockpiles. Clock changed to nine minutes to midnight - five minutes closer.

# 2002 - Little progress on global nuclear disarmament; United States rejects a series of arms control treaties and announces its intentions to withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty; terrorists seek to acquire nuclear weapons. Clock changed to seven minutes to midnight - two minutes closer.

# 2007 - ?

Bill from INDC Journal interviews an IraqiPolice officer. Here is an excerpt, but you don't want to miss reading the whole thing.


Read the rest right here.

Via Dean.

In the cloak and dagger world, of todays technology, it just gets better and better.

Now it seems Canadian coins: Loonies and Toonies ($1 and $2 coins) may include more than just bronze and metal. Tiny radio frequency transmitters have been found inside the coins, according to a recent U.S. intelligence report.



What's Up Doc?

It seems the report does not say much, except *who* the coins were intended to track. According to the U.S. government, U.S. contractors with classified security clearances unwittingly traveled through Canada with the currency. The Bugs (pun intended) were discovered in several instances between October 2006 and January 2006.

"What's in the report is true," confirmed Martha Deutscher of the U.S. Defense Security Service. However, there's more than meets the eye. "This is indeed a sanitized version, which leaves a lot of questions," she added.

Naturally with all government reports, it's what's not said the creates the mystery, wrapped in a riddle, or is that an Enigma. Well, you get the gist of it.

1. The coins are from Canada, but the U.S. government isn't saying (or doesn't know) who's doing the tracking — or why.

2. How the Pentagon discovered the coins has yet to be revealed.

3. How the transmitters work — or even which Canadian currencies contain them (though Loonies or Toonies seem like the obvious culprits).

China, Russia, and France are the main suspects say experts outside the U.S. government. The three countries are said to run spy operations within Canada.

Ok, this is probably another one of those myths that roam around on the internet, but even the Associated Press gives us a picture of the sneaky coins. Of course according to the Canadian Press (The Star) it's just a plot by Elmer Fudd.
The Star




So check your pockets if you live close to Canada, and whisper sweet nothings into the Bugs ear.


Todays Quote: "One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. The bamboozle has captured us. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back." Carl Sagan

It seems that Medical research and the advances in the last 50 years, outstrip advances in other technological fields: Or perhaps they are simply more dramatic, as reported by Roger Highfield, in London.

"Scientists have created a flock of designer hens genetically modified with human genes to lay eggs capable of producing proteins for drugs that fight cancer and other life-threatening diseases."

"Researchers in Edinburgh, Scotland, have produced five generations of birds that are capable of producing high concentrations of potentially life-saving proteins."

Andrew Wood, of Oxford BioMedica, said: "This could lead to treatments for Parkinson's disease, diabetes and a range of cancers."

News Article

My only passing fear is that PETA, (A bandwagon for the mentally afflicted) after discovering these are Designer Chickens, will be riding their "human hating" bandwagon over to Scotland.

Quote for today:

"Choose
The single clenched fist lifted and ready,
Or the open hand held out and waiting.
Choose:
For we meet by one or the other."

Carl Sandberg

For the last couple of days I have been trying out a Firefox browser extension. When you change tabs the effect is like the tabbed pages were sides of a cube or block which rotates so the correct side of the cube (tab) faces forwards, visible on the screen. Below is a short demonstration.





Download the 38K extension.

Once upon a time....down on the farm, Ma talked Pa into buying a computer. The fool that should have known better (me) was the one that sold it to them. Well, it was Christmas, and I was rushed, and that queasy feeling in my stomach, I just attributed to too many Holiday cookies with colored sprinkles. Now for you young whippersnappers out there (who don't have a clue as to what a whipper or snapper is) or a clue to who Ma and Pa Kettle were, give a look to Ma and Pa doing math, so ya kinda get that....the queasy feeling wasn't too many cookies. Now this Ma and Pa in reverence to the two in the video didn’t look completely like them.

Although Ma was big…..looking like she could push a plow, without the horse. And her hair, done up in a bun. Pa, being a bit short: on the skinny side, without the bowler. It was the conversation that created the quesy feeling. Not that it was all that clear at the time. (Recall I was rushed) It was when Pa asked, “Do dat der mouse, scamper around, or set put?” Ma shushed him, and said, "I aren't putting up with no scampering mouse Pa." The Son trying to help me out, indicated it wasn't a real mouse, just called that. I got another one off the shelf and showed them. Ma an Pa, mostly Ma seemed satisfied.

Grateful I was that their Son was home from college, and did most of the talking. Unlucky for me, he was going back after break. Well I gave Tom (Yep, the Son! Can ya believe it!) some pointers, explained as much as time allowed, and boxed it up. I could see Pa's mind going....doing calculations in his head, figuring the 10% Senior Citizens discount, as Tom paid the bill.

Now, so you don't think I'm one of those who sell, then run and hide. I did provide a handy link right on the desktop to a site to help them learn, knowing Tom would be off soon. Did You Know I also told them to call me, or come in if they had any problems. They did!! Well Pa did!



It was the day after New Years when I got the call from Pa, and me slightly hung-over. I told him to come to the shop, when he said, "This here mouse is broke." I tried asking a few questions, but didn't get far, as he said it was in pieces. So I got a new one out, and waited. In the back of my head, I just knew this was the beginning, and hindsight wasn't going to help me now.
Pa shuffled in, and I didn't dare ask where Ma was, as he set the small box on the counter. I peered in, and nearly jumped back, as what appeared in the box, seemed to be a real mouse. Having eating worse in the military, I collected myself and reached in and pulled out, what was left of the original mouse.

I looked at Pa; he looked at me with a hang-dog expression, as I asked "What happened?" In a long slow drawl, Pa explained that one of the younger kids had bought a cover for the mouse, to keep it warm. (Little kids do that.) It seems the mouse cover was a bit too realistic, with whiskers, beady eyes long snout and all. Pa was out in the shed fetching eggs, when Ma got back from lopping the head off a chicken, and didn’t know about the cover. Tom had also gone back to college early. (No wonder)

Pa said, “Well….all I heared was a gosh awful scream and loud banging, so I runs back to the house, an Ma with a hand ax, was choping the mouse to death.
Holding the rubber like furry mouse cover in my fingers, noting the fact the head was half off, and the rest cut up, an looking at Pa, I just fell in stride. I said “Well….I don’t reckon this’n will be scampering around any longer, so here’s a new one without the cover.”

Oh Ya, Pa’s been back twice since the mouse adventure, but that's another tale or two.

Quote for the day: "None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm." Thoreau

This has appeared on several blogs and forums but as googling finds no source I'll repeat the entire post and credit it to Boots & Sabers where I first saw it.



Never argue with a Texan!

I am sick to death of the Patty-Cake games played by leaders of this country in a position to do something, has taken. And for those jackasses who put the "What me read or think?" idiots in power, "Brothers you asked for it!"

In Elan Journos, article and summarized below, with a final statement; "and let them go to war." says it all.

We went to war in Germany, and Japan in 1942, and that has been the last time this country has ever "gone to war!" We have played Patty-Cake in every other instance where this country’s young men and women have fought, and in one instance that still boils in my soul, left more than 50,000 young American lives dead, and countless thousands maimed. Not to mention, those who blieved in us, were betrayed, then left behind to die.

I'll give you a solution in Iraq, with an answer to Iran, Syria and North Korea, plus the rest of the irrational mystic thumping idiots in the world.

Give all those who chose to live, in a rational productive world, with the stipulation they throw away the infidels’ mystic guide books, and their weapons. Herd them into a protected confined area, and bomb the rest that's left to oblivion. That means every remaining fool, standing building, mosque, and camel stand, until it's as barren as the desert. Do not stop until their will and spirit are completely broken, and the remaining.....should there be any, surrender unconditionally. Then write our constitution for those who remain, as we did in Japan, occupy what’s left, help them rebuild, and bring our boys and girls home.

"This war has been worse than doing nothing, because it has galvanized our enemy to believe its success more likely than ever--even as it has drained Americans' will to fight. Washington's feeble campaign demonstrates the ruinous effects of refusing to assert our self-interest and defend our freedom. It is past time to consider our only moral and practical option: end the senseless sacrifice of our soldiers--and let them go to war."

What Real War Looks Like
Thursday, December 7, 2006
By: Elan Journo

News Article

Todays quote: "Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." --Mark Twain

PS: Trust me when I tell you it's the latter!!

Hau khola: Hello Friend

My name in Lakota is WE GAHE WA BLI, and in English means Broken Eagle. I'm here because of an invitation to join up next to Sandi's blog. The Lady has more guts than sense, inviting this old Broken Eagle into the blogging world. (smile)

I've a complex and at times contradictory mind, my passions have always been the heroic in humankind, and as a teacher and mentor Ayn Rand said, "Good premises," thus I've always tried to keep that focus.

My perspective has always been from an Objectivist point of view before I ever met Ms. Rand, so you will find though German and Oglala Sioux; Galt battles Broken Eagle in my mind. So I suspect this blog will wax and wane on various subjects and thoughts as time goes on.

Since this first, is a brief introduction, with my grateful thanks to Sandi and before saying "Hoka hey;" (Going into Battle) I’ll leave you with a thought from another old Indian and a world fast approaching his reality.

Where Will Our Children Live...

A lonesome warrior stands in fear of what the future brings,
he will never hear the beating drums or the songs his brothers sing.

Our many nations once stood tall and ranged from shore to shore
but most are gone and few remain and the buffalo roam no more.

We shared our food and our land and gave with open hearts,
We wanted peace and love and hope, but all were torn apart.

All this was taken because we did not know what the white man had in store,
They killed our people and raped our lands and the buffalo roam no more.

But those of us who still remain hold our heads up high, and the spirits of
the elders flow through us as if they never died.

Our dreams will live on forever and our nations will be reborn, our bone and
beads and feathers all will be proudly worn.

If you listen close you will hear the drums and songs upon the winds, and in
the distance you will see....the buffalo roam again.

Written by Tommy Flamewalker Manasco

Good premises, till next time.

Quote for today: "Excuses are tools for the incompetent - used to build bridges to nowhere. Those who use them become monuments of nothing!"

I'm happy to announce a fresh author for Vista On Current Events. Someone I haven't known long, however I we both post regularly on a Windows forum, The Vista Geeks. Not only is his knowledge of computers and software very good, but he has a good sense of humor and is always happy to help anyone solve computer technical problems.

That makes him an ok guy in my book, plus happy that he has agreed to help out on my blog. I don't know what Galt will be posting on or how often, and I expect we may disagree at times. It matters not, variety and disagreement usually make for a good debate.

Welcome aboard Galt, I look forward to your posts.

Remember the Star Trek medical scanners that were waved about the patient and diagnosis pronounced in just mere seconds? University of Twente researchers in the Netherlands have developed a sensor that is ultrasensitive, and can probably be reduced to a hand held unit. The unit will detect various pathogens and their concentrations (even low concentrations) in minutes. Perhaps a little slower than Dr Crusher's equipment, but its still in development. Current methods detect pathogens after conciderable prep time drawing fluid, mixing chemicals and may take days to get a result. Not very convenient if you have a contagious outbreak.


Medicine is one of the fastest growing areas of our technology. I can't wait to see what arrives in another decade.

Via KurzweilAI.net

Thousands of South Africans are dying from ARV (anti-retroviral) poisoning. This poisoning results from extremely toxic drugs like AZT and nevirapine that were given to pregnant mothers and their children when born.

The Treatment Information Group (TIC) served a 59-page draft Bill of Indictment applying for prosecution of Zackie Achmat, leader of Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), a South African AIDS activist organization. The papers served up at the International Criminal Court at The Hague ask for prosecution for genocide.

Many people will risk their life for family, a friend, or a loved one. It is rare indeed to see someone risk there life for a total stranger, especially in a situation that would scare the crap out of the bravest among us.

But Wesley Autrey is such a person. A man suffering a seizure had fallen onto the tracks; a train was comming so Autrey jumped down on the man, covered him with his body to keep him from flailing, while hoping the train had enough clearance to pass over them. There was just an inch or two to spare.

We as a country and influential world power are at a crossroads, the outcome of which will determine if we continue, or let others emerge with no desire for freedom.

Will the decision be made by consensus or by hard nosed leadership? Jules Crittenden explains.

H/T Dean's World. Also more on Jules Crittenden's blog.

In case you haven't noticed yet, I added a Web Pod to my right sidebar. It's sort of like a 4 selection juke box (because that is how many songs I cared to upload). It is presently set up to play 4 James Brown numbers as a tribute (ya I know it's a little late). If I don't get too lazy, in the future I will try to rotate the music, and maybe even add a few more MP3s numbers.

If you want to add one to your blog or web page you can get the code and directions here.

In Manchester UK motorists are having problems with bollards. Bollards are posts that automatically lower and raise, excluding or diverting motor vehicles.

Apparently some vehicles like city buses and postal vans have senors that lower the bollards. Why other vehicles are restricted I haven't a clue, but it seems some vehicles think to tailgate their way through behind a senored vehicle. The results are not pretty.