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January 31, 2006

"Starburst, Starburst"

Doug Sinclair provided this video clip of the 81-Way CRW World Record being set over Lake Wales, Florida, on November 25, 2005. An 85-Way was hung by the same group the next day! Click on the image to view (5MB wmv format.)

The group, calling themselves "CF World Record 2005," chronicles the historic event with photos and more video footage of both record setting formations at dropzone.com. There's also a related story about three of the participants here.

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January 30, 2006

Berserk Motorist Attacks Bicycle Messenger, Caught On Camera

Hool at citynoise snapped this series of photos as an irate motorist attacked a bicycle messenger in Toronto's Kensington Market area last week.

The motorist apparently tossed a sandwich out his window and the bike messenger tossed it back into the car. Instant road rage.

So the motorist reportedly threw a cup of coffee on the messenger who allegedly responded by keying the motorist's car. The motorist went ballistic and attacked the messenger.

Meanwhile, a nearby amateur photographer (Hool) was shooting the entire incedent. But when he tried to take a photo of the motorist's license plate, he says the guy came after him with a baseball bat.

"Leah," the messenger, denies keying the car and apparently didn't press charges because she says the police told her she would be charged as well.

This is an example of what can happen if you tick off a whacko. And they're out there, folks, and not just in Canada. (Via BoingBoing)

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January 29, 2006

Open Letter

Dear Visitor:

As you are probably aware, I have been indicted on 11 charges and my trial begins January 30.  I am innocent of all charges against me.  I eagerly await the day that all facts come out in court and prove my innocence. [continue reading]

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January 28, 2006

Remembering Challenger 20 Years Later

It was one of those moments, the kind that you remember exactly where you were when you heard the news. It was 20 years ago today that space shuttle Challenger blew apart just over a minute after its launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All seven members of the crew perished, including Christa McAuliffe, who was supposed to be the first teacher in space.

For many, the Challenger disaster was a life-altering event, as was the assassination of President Kennedy for my generation. Many of us will always remember where we were and what we were doing when we witnessed or heard about the explosion. Most of us consider the lost crew members to be heroes.

I'll never forget how President Reagan brought the nation together. Here's his address with video, audio, and full transcript. Reagan's closing words:

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"The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God."

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We remember.

For more information on the Challenger disaster:

NASA Day of Remembrance  l   Space.com: Remembering Challenger   l   NASA History Division   l   Challenger Links  

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January 27, 2006

Brain Turns 20

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Happy Birthday to the Virus

January marks the 20th birthday of the PC computer virus "Brain." Brain was a boot sector virus that first emerged in January 1986, propagated via floppy disk, and was relatively innocuous in contrast to modern computer afflictions.

Brain wasn't the first computer virus. That was written by University of Southern California PhD student Fred Cohen for a Vax mini computer, with Cohen presenting his findings to a security seminar in November, 1983. But Brain was the first virus written for a Personal Computer and it targeted the newly released IBM PC.

As the internet has networked the world, file sharing, and hence computer viruses, have become commonplace with rapid propagation that can often cause havoc within hours. Such viruses have become modern scourges, with their names known to millions: Melissa, the LoveBug, Sobig, and Code Red. The world’s first mobile phone virus was detected in June 2004 – a “worm” known as Cabir which infects Symbian OS phones and devices -- and as home networks proliferate, it's quite possible that your house will one day be infected. [...]

At present there are over 150,000 viruses and the number continues to grow rapidly. The biggest change over these 20 years has not been in the types of viruses or amount of malware: rather it has been in the motives of the virus writers.

“Certainly the most significant change has been the evolution of virus writing hobbyists into criminally operated gangs bent on financial gain,” says Mikko Hypponen the Chief Research Officer at anti-virus software company F-Secure. “And this trend is showing no signs of stopping.”

“There already are indications that malware authors will target laptop WLANs as the next vector for automatic spreading worms. Whatever the next step might be, it will be interesting to see what kind of viruses we will be talking about in another twenty years time – computer viruses infecting houses, perhaps?”

These days it is imperative that a computer has antivirus software installed. Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security, Symantec's Norton Antivirus and Network Associates' McAfee VirusScan are the top selling software in the area.

To learn more about viruses and worms, might we suggest you begin here.   [Link]

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I'll never understand the motivation to deliberately cause havoc and economic loss to millions.

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January 26, 2006

Need For Speed

If you're into computer graphics, you may already be familiar with MK12 and their production house, The Ebeling Group. They produce music videos and other commercial works. I confess to being mesmerized by creative CG work. Here are a couple of very different ad clips by EG, with more on their web site:

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January 25, 2006

Now We're Talkin'!

I've been looking around for a new "favorite" SUV-like vehicle to replace my Range Rover if and when the need arises and I think I may have found it.

"A new, supreme top-of-the-range model is taking over the leading position within the Porsche Cayenne range; second only to the Carrera GT, the Cayenne Turbo S is the most powerful Porsche homologated for road use."

"An eight-cylinder bi-turbo power unit develops maximum output of 521 bhp at 5500 rpm, 71 bhp more than the Cayenne Turbo."

"The Cayenne Turbo S accelerates to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, sprints from 50 – 75 mph in fifth gear in 5.4 seconds, and has a top speed of 167 mph."

That's what I need! Good safety features and enough power to enter the freeway at freeway speeds. But at roughly $112,000 (including a Porsche Driving Experience program, of course), I may have to settle for the standard Cayenne Turbo... Link

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January 24, 2006

Disney to Acquire Pixar for $7.4 Billion

LOS ANGELES — The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday it is buying longtime partner Pixar Animation Studios Inc. for $7.4 billion in a deal that could restore Disney's clout in animation while vaulting Pixar CEO Steve Jobs into a powerful role at the media conglomerate. Disney will buy the maker of the blockbuster films "Toy Story and "Finding Nemo" in an all-stock transaction that makes Jobs Disney's largest shareholder [Emphasis added]. Jobs, who controls more than half of Pixar's stock and also heads Apple Computer Inc., will also join Disney's board. [...]

Pixar has served as Disney's de facto animation unit for a decade. Two Pixar movies, "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," have won Academy Awards for best animated feature film.

Pixar films have been a financial windfall for Disney, which receives 60 percent of the profits. By contrast, Disney's own animation unit has struggled, producing some modest successes, such as 2002's "Lilo & Stitch," and many flops, including "Treasure Planet" and "Home on the Range." ...

With Pixar, Disney gains a company that has produced a long-running string of animated blockbusters, including "The Incredibles." Through Jobs, Disney will tightens its link with Apple Computer, the innovative technology company behind music and video iPods. Continue reading

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January 24, 2006

Last Holiday -- A Review 

Last Holiday is a remake of a 1950 Alec Guinness film. In the original, Alec Guinness (as George Bird) created the indelible character of a man, suddenly facing imminent death, who takes one last holiday and ends up finding a life worth living. It was such a sweet, sometimes melancholy film, with a wonderful star and supporting cast, that it makes me wonder why anyone would even try to remake it. Oh yeah. Hollywood thinks remakes are easy money.

In this version, Queen Latifah (as Georgia Byrd - get it?) is an under appreciated sales associate at Kragen's Department Store with dreams of becoming a chef and marrying her handsome coworker, Sean Matthews (LL Cool J.) But she toils away, keeping her dreams to herself, until a bump on the head lands her in the store's CAT Scan machine. The results uncover a rare virus and Georgia is stunned to learn she has only three weeks to live. Determined to make every last minute count, she quits her job, cashes in her savings and jets off to the venerable Czech resort village of Karlovy Vary, home to fairytale snowy mountains and the truly grand Grandhotel Pupp (pronounced "Poop" and yes, it's real), for one "Last Holiday."

In short order, Georgia waxes those oppressive eyebrows, outfits herself in fabulous clothing and generally busts out of her shell to become the toast of the Pupp, charming her state's Senator and Congressman, and even her idol, the notoriously temperamental Chef Didier (a swell Gerard Depardieu in one of the best performances of the movie), while proving to be a thorn in the side of the smarmy retail magnate (Timothy Hutton) who once was her boss, all of whom are quite coincidently at the same resort.

Georgia’s former boss, the Senator and the Congressman have assembled at the grand hotel for some secret wheeling and dealing. Like everyone else, they wonder about the rich single lady who has become the subject of Chef Didier’s attention. The rest of the film deals with uncovering the mystery, self-realization (on several levels) and, as a side story, hope for Georgia – in both love and health.

I enjoyed Last Holiday as a light sitcom made better by Queen Latifah, although I prefer her in gutsier roles. But the film's implausible concepts (the store's doctor and "used" CAT-scan machine, and hitting 17 three times in a row on the roulette wheel come to mind) were, at least to me, distracting. The plot is thin and non-involving, and too early on gives away the already predictable “happily ever after” finale.

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January 23, 2006

Heh

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Willy Wonka Announces Run for Mayor after New Orleans Rebuilt in Chocolate

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana --- Willy Wonka announced today that he will run for mayor of New Orleans after Mayor Nagin rebuilds the city out of chocolate.  The announcement comes after Nagin announced he will make New Orleans a "chocolate" city. 

"This is a chance of a lifetime," said Wonka.  "I can put the Oompa Loompas on my staff, change the water fountains to chocolate, make it rain jelly beans, and hire Kojak and his lolly pop to protect the fine city.  It sounds like a magical place.  I'm so happy Mr. Nagin is doing this."

There will be significant controversy over rebuilding the city in chocolate though.  Infamous Louisiana Klansman, David Duke, insists that the city be built out of white chocolate.  And gay advocates representing the city's large gay and lesbian population insist the city have a large area built out of Skittles, the candy with a rainbow of fruit flavors.  The first major shipment of chocolate arrived yesterday, but it was looted before construction crews could get started rebuilding.

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Via Jerhad

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January 22, 2006

Is Apple's Ad Agency Ripping Off Music Videos?

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Apple Goes Postal

Apple's latest TV advert, touting Intel chips inside its new Macs, is remarkably similar to a music video from The Postal Service for the song "Such Great Heights."

Both are set in clean rooms and feature bunnysuited workers making eyes at each other.

Judge for yourself. Here's the Apple ad, and here's The Postal Service video.

Coincidentally, Apple is currently being threatened legally by Lugz, which claims an apparently actionable similarity between Apple's iPod ad featuring Eminem and a 2002 spot for Lugz footwear.

Of course, in the latest case, Apple may have an agreement with The Postal Service or its record company, or may have hired the same director, or licensed the work, or...

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Apple's ad agency says there's no foul. It'll be interesting to see where (if anywhere) this leads.

(Cult of Mac and The Last Minute)

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January 21, 2006

Miss America Pageant (Yawn)

Jennifer Berry, a senior at the University of Oklahoma, outlasted 51 other women tonight to become Miss America 2006, earning a $30,000 college scholarship and a yearlong speaking tour.

The troubled Miss America pageant, delayed four months while it tried unsuccessfully to find a network TV outlet, aired tonight on CMT, the country music cable channel, from Las Vegas. An Atlantic City institution for 85 years, the pageant traded the Boardwalk for the Strip this year in a bid to revive interest.

Spurned by network television because of declining ratings, the pageant announced plans last summer to move out of Atlantic City. The pageant was jettisoned by ABC after the 2004 crowning was watched by only 9.8 million -- 500,000 fewer than tuned in the year before.

Normally held in September, the event was postponed as organizers scrambled for a new TV outlet, ultimately settling on Country Music Television, a cable outlet with some 79 million subscribers. The loss of revenue from the TV rights contributed to a $1.7 million deficit for the Miss America Organization, a nonprofit charity that runs the pageant. Story

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January 20, 2006

Heating Costs Rise

A Freudian slip of the tongue during a network news broadcast -- and a very professional recovery as she breezes right by it.

What did she say?

624 KB in wmv format.

(Thanks Frank!)

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January 19, 2006

New Horizons Spacecraft Bound For Pluto!

NASA’s first probe bound for the planet Pluto and beyond rocketed toward the distant world earlier today after two days of delay due to weather. The historic mission will take more than nine years to reach Pluto - set your calendars for July 14, 2015 - even though, traveling at 36,250 miles per hour, its NASA's fastest mission to date. Aerojet, headquartered in Sacramento, provided the solid rocket power needed for launching the Lockheed Martin Atlas V launch vehicle and its Pluto New Horizons spacecraft from Cape Canaveral. Aerojet's five solid rocket boosters (SRBs) provided the added thrust to get the New Horizons spacecraft to Pluto, the solar system's most distant planet.

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January 19, 2006

Mouseware

Pat Says Now is Switzerland's first manufacturer of individual computer mice. According to their mission statement, they design and produce mice in all shapes and colors, combining Swiss quality with innovative ideas and creative designs - they bring color into office life and make working truly fun! They see the mouse as a personal accessory that can be changed to match any mood and style.

I particularly like the Travel Mouse. It's small, optical and the cord retracts. The Body Mouse (shown) gets a nod for being a real conversation piece, but there doesn't appear to be a scroll wheel. Pat Says Now also makes custom mice, so if you have a really cool idea for an out-of-this-world mouse, they're apparently receptive.

Check out the Mouse Shop and the Promotion Mice. Really unique.

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January 18, 2006

retrievr

retrievr is an experimental service which lets you search and explore in a selection of Flickr images by drawing a rough sketch. Currently the index contains many of Flickr's most interesting images. Does it worK? Well, yes, depending on your input. Read the info on the site to get a handle on the concept. I tried one and got the following partial results:

One thing to keep in mind is that retrievr doesn't do object/face/text recognition of any kind, so if you're drawing an outline sketch of a chair, it almost certainly won't get you one back... The same holds for corporate logos, icons etc. It helps to think of it as matching the most pronounced shapes and slabs of colors.

Personally, I see retrievr more as an "exploration" tool than as a "search" tool, and it seems to work very well for that. Give it a try. As they say, "practice makes perfect." Or, in this case, as good as can be within the confines of the concept. 

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January 17, 2006

An Extensive Guide to Google Services

Google Services Guide is an extensive guide to Google services. Organized alphabetically, it lists and describes the ever increasing number of services offered by Google.

Compiled by Angelo Embuldeniyais, it's still in beta but already serves as a great reference to the many services and features of Google.

When Angelo says the guide is extensive, he isn't kidding! Go ahead, check it out. Bookmark it and use it as a ready reference. It's a great resource.

At present, I count 130 links to some really interesting things. Some you may already be familiar with, but most I suspect will be entirely new to you. And you thought Google was just another generic, albeit great, search engine!

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January 16, 2006

Fork Art

Here's a somewhat unique art form -- interesting art pieces created entirely from forks. I was unable to find any information about the artist, but the work is several steps above the artsy-crafty things you often see at street faires... Link

Not surprisingly, I found another site featuring fork art by a student at Cal-Poly. His dedication to the art form forced one campus cafeteria to switch to plastic utensils..

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January 14, 2006

Background Check

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January 13, 2006

High-Def Is the Word at Electronics Show

LAS VEGAS -- The wraps came off high-definition DVD players at this year's annual Consumer Electronics Show, offering the final component to replicate the movie theater experience at home...The Consumer Electronics Association trade group estimates 25 million U.S. homes will have a high-def TV set by year's end.

But big, expensive flat-panel sets aside, this year's gadget show offered plenty of smaller screens for video...Yahoo, DirecTV, Starz Entertainment Group and Sony are trying to make it simpler to watch recorded movies, home video and even live streaming television on all manner of devices...

Among the more interesting gizmos on display at the show, which ends Sunday, are the Inno, a portable combination XM satellite radio receiver/MP3 player from Pioneer Electronics with 1 gigabyte of internal memory ; the Helix XM2Go satellite radio/MP3 player from Samsung; the Gigabeat video player from Toshiba, one of a series of devices running Microsoft Corp.'s portable media center software; The AVIC-Z1, a 30 gigabyte GPS device from Pioneer that stores navigation information, holds up to 2,500 songs ripped from CDs, plays DVDs on a 7-inch screen and, with an adaptor, can be used to control an iPod music player... Link

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January 12, 2006

Rumor

I read this over at Speed of Thought and thought I'd pass it on...

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

..So tonight I'm sitting in a bar when I run into an old friend, who is very highly placed in the Apple world. I hate to cite an anonymous source, but trust me, he knows.

And he tells me the keynote that Jobs gave was not the keynote he had planned. Some of the speech had been cut out. Key products were missing.

My source said there was some stuff, "some very, very cool stuff," that Jobs couldn't unveil because of "supply issues."

"They can't get enough Core Duo (chips)," said my source.

He also said that if he were me, he probably wouldn't order one of the new MacBook Pros.

I asked if there would be MacBook replacements for the 17-inch and 12-inch PowerBooks, but he said, "Oh, it's much cooler than that. Much cooler." Link

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Could it be a reintroduction of the original Newton concept wherein Apple sought to "reinvent personal computing" with the Message Pad? (I still have mine!) Have they finally put Newton into a laptop? That could be cool!

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January 11, 2006

Cool!

I can finally upgrade my aging Powerbook G3! This will look so nice on the desk in my study... Hmmmm. Magnetic power cord. Nice touch.

You can watch Steve Jobs' Macworld SF keynote address here... And here's a link to that clever Apple Intel TV ad...

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January 10, 2006

What If Driving Was Redefined?

The World Premier of the Volkswagen GX3

Pure Affordable Performance

WOLFSBURG, Germany / LOS ANGELES, Calif. - In a world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Volkswagen presents the GX3 – a completely new type of motorcycle. The GX3 was conceived by the Moonraker team and VW’s Design Center in California, exclusively with the U.S. in mind, to bring an exciting idea to a fully functioning concept. With its three wheels and unique design, this Volkswagen opens up a new driving dimension.

• Crossover between sports car and motorcycle
• 5.7 seconds from 0-62.5 mph and the fuel consumption in the city is estimated to be 46 mpg
• GX3 was conceived for the U.S. by the Moonraker team and VW’s Design Center in California
• Three wheels, two seats, and off you go in the carpool lane
• 125 hp and 112.5 ft-lbs in a mere 1,257 lbs Volkswagen
• Less than $ 17,000

I'll be anxious to take one of these for a spin if/when it becomes available here. Link (via AutoWeek)

As a footnote, the GX3 reminds me of another 3-wheeled German creation, the Messerschmitt KR (Cabin Scooter) created after WWll at the former Messerschmitt fighter plane factory in Regensburg (below left.) Thousands were sold - We even had one in our town when I was growing up in the mid-fifties.

And the style is still popular today, at least in San Francisco, as a rental GPS-guided tour vehicle, the GoCar (above right.)

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January 9, 2006

Two Books You Should Consider Reading

Wifey and I finished a couple books over the weekend that we agree are worthy of recommendation. The first is Shadow Divers... by Robert Kurson, the true story of a couple of wreck divers who discover a sunken German U-Boat off the coast of New Jersey.

The thrust of the tale concerns the 1991 discovery of a sunken U-boat at 230 feet in the Atlantic Ocean, 60 miles off the coast of New Jersey, in a spot where it was not supposed to be and where, supposedly, it could'nt be. The protagonists of the story, John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, spent the next six years attempting to solve the mystery of the ship's identity and how it came to rest there.

This is one of those rare books that you know within the first dozen pages will be a great read, and it doesn't disappoint. Kurson's fastidious research, combined with his riveting historical narrative, results in our learning not only about the lives of the living players such as Chatterton and Kohler, but the dead sailors on the submarine as well.

The second chapter details the dangers of wreck diving and sets the stage for what to expect throughout the remainder of the book. Kurson makes sure the reader understands that this wasn't just a bunch of treasure hunters looking for some "stuff", although they may have started out with that in mind. And while it's a tale of suspense, mystery and drama, it's also one of trust, bravery, and faith in the human spirit.

This is a great read, even if you've never tried scuba diving! If you're interested in history and enjoy suspense, pick up a copy of this book!

Footnote: I heard a rumor today that a screen play is currently being written for the movie version of Shadow Divers and that Ridley Scott will direct. It's supposedly scheduled for release in 2007 although casting has yet to begin...

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The second book is Dinner with a Perfect Stranger... by David Gregory. We picked it up after seeing "The Singing Christmas Tree" at church and gave it to ourselves as a stocking stuffer.

It's a novella about a cynical workaholic lawyer, Nick Cominsky, who accepts an invitation that he assumes is a gag: to have dinner at an upscale Italian restaurant with none other than Jesus Christ. As the courses of their elegant meal are delivered, Nick and Jesus discuss the dichotomies of sin and salvation, grace and works, organized religion and personal faith. As the evening progresses, their conversation touches on life, God, meaning, pain, faith, and doubt.

What's appealing about this story is that its Jesus is refreshingly down-to-earth; he likes good food, draws theological illustrations from Star Trek, wears Brooks Brothers suits but quietly chafes at wearing a necktie.

It's a very fast read, but it's also profoundly moving. There are no big surprises -- a few little ones -- and no hit-you-in-the-gut emotional twists. Instead, the author moves us through this meal with Jesus in such a way that I wanted to kick back and have coffee and dessert too and ask some of my own questions.

If you believe the Bible, this book is a breath of fresh air; if you don't believe, this book may cause you to reconsider things. Either way, it's well done and well worth an hour or two of your time.

Footnote: Apparently film rights have gone to City on a Hill Productions and Kelly's Filmworks...

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January 8, 2006

David Pogue writes for the New York Times...

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Gates Unveils Next Version of Windows

"[Wednesday] night was opening night of CES, the Consumer Electronics Show that packs 2,500 companies' booths into several million square feet of Las Vegas exhibition space...

The highlight of opening night -- OK, the only light -- was the annual keynote presentation by Bill Gates and his team... The best part was a demonstration of Windows Vista, the next version of Windows, which Microsoft still says it will ship before the end of 2006. The audience in the standing-room-only auditorium was treated to a show of some features that hadn't been previously demonstrated. Here's an annotated blow-by-blow:

• Transparent window edges [...] They're cool, sure; but exactly how many times, in your work life, have you muttered, "Darn! If only I could see just the part of the background window that's currently obscured by the 1/3-inch margin of the foreground window"?

• Widgets [...] It's a lot like the Dashboard in Mac OS X (or the shareware Konfabulator that came before it), except that apparently, you can't put the widgets anywhere on the screen you like.

• 3-D application switcher [...] It's a lot like the Exposé feature in Mac OS X, except that you don't get to see all of the windows simultaneously; you have to walk through them one at a time with the mouse or keyboard.

• Global, fast search. Vista can now find words in any of your files, quickly and easily, just like the Spotlight feature of Mac OS X.

• Photo organization. Some limited photo editing is now built into Vista's photo browser, which couldn't look more like Apple's iPhoto program if you ran it through a copying machine.

If I seem to be laying on the 'stolen from Apple' language a bit thick, you're darned right. Ordinarily, I'm careful about making accusations like this, because I know I'll get hammered by Apple bashers. But in this case, there's not a shred of doubt: most of the features Microsoft demonstrated last night were pure, unadulterated ripoffs from Mac OS X. I could hear actual whispers of recognition from the audience around me..." Link

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It's a familiar story. But we use Wintel work stations at work so, like David, I'll be glad to see these features on both platforms.

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January 8, 2006

2006 Technology of the Year Awards: The Winners' List

InfoWorld announced its Technology of the Year Awards earlier this week. You can view the entire list here, but here are a few that caught my eye: In the category of Systems Architecture, Best Workstation - Apple Power Mac G5 Quad. In the category of Operating Systems, Best Server Operating System - Mac OS X Server v10.4. Best Client Operating System - Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger...  

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January 7, 2006

Famed Del Monte Note Brings Sticker Shock at Auction

The renowned $20 "Del Monte Note" with the mysteriously affixed red and green Del Monte Ecuadorian Banana sticker sold at auction yesterday to an anonymous bidder for the staggering sum of $25,300.

The 1996 bill originated at a US Treasury Department printing facility in Fort Worth, but how the sticker found its way onto the paper is unknown. Currency goes through three printing stages: First the back is printed, then the face, and then the bill receives serial number and treasury seal stamps. In the case of the Del Monte Note, the serial number and treasury stamps are both printed over the sticker, meaning it became attached to the bill midway through the process.

The error is referred to as a "retained obstruction," or a note that was printed with a foreign object on the paper. Most obstructions fall off shortly after printing leaving a blank area of paper missing the design, but errors with objects that "stick" to the note are very rare.

The note was purchased on eBay in 2003 for $10,200 by the Phoenix currency collector who offered it at Friday's auction. Not a bad return on investment for a collectable. Link

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January 6, 2006

Military Secret Weapon?

I found this interesting. Apparently our military is in the business of developing energy bars, or so Popular Science is quoted as saying on the company's web site. "The world's most powerful military has devoted its considerable resources to making an energy bar, and the results are impressive. HOOAH! bars pack a wallop of balanced nutrition and taste good, too." Could this be on the level?

I was surprised to find that HOOAH!, the energy bar in question, is in fact a legitimate product. In fact it was "reviewed most positively by Amazon.com customers in 2005" in the category of "Most Loved Products -- Health & Personal Care" on their "Best of 2005" list.

According to the company's web site, "...the military's top nutritionists created the HOOAH! bar. The HOOAH! bar's mission: to 'improve the physical and mental performance of Soldiers during sustained operations and under all climatic conditions.'"

Want to improve your physical and mental performance? They're apparently readily available at national retailers as well as Amazon.com...

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January 5, 2006

Next Sober Attack Slated For Today

The next big Sober worm attack is scheduled to take place today, a date probably picked because it's the 87th anniversary of the founding of a precursor to the Nazi Party, security experts say.

The way Sober works is that at a pre-determined time, computers already infected with Sober will connect with specified servers and download a new payload, which will likely be spammed out in the millions, as was the last version.

The authors of Sober are apparently politically motivated rather than after identities or money. But the nature of the worm can bring servers to their knees and cause havoc throughout the Internet. 

Windows users should read the Microsoft Security Advisory for further information.

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January 5, 2006

'Horns Hook Trojans 41 - 38

This game certainly lived up to the hype, at least in the second half. Still, this was Vince Young's show. The Texas quarterback won his second consecutive Rose Bowl MVP and became the first player in NCAA history to pass for more than 2,500 yards and rush for more than 1,000 in a season.

Young accounted for 467 total yards and rushed for three touchdowns — including the game-winner on an 8-yard run on a fourth-and-5 scramble with 19 seconds to go — to lead the No. 2 Longhorns to a come-from-behind 41-38 victory over top-ranked Southern California in the Rose Bowl.

A broken play you say? Sure, but a thing of beauty nonetheless! And when the night was over, Young had completed 30 of 40 passes for 267 yards and rushed 19 times for 200 yards. Exciting football!

Key mistake IMHO? A USC penalty (face mask) that handed Texas a first down with two minutes remaining allowing Young to march the 'Horns back inside the 10 before running in for the winning score.

Young, a junior who could declare for the NFL Draft, has said he'll finish his education. He'll be tempted, I'm sure, but I suspect he'll stay. But even if he declares, I think Houston will still take Bush. When the excitement of last night's game settles, most will still consider Bush the better choice. And Young? I'm guessing the Saints.

And if the National Championship wasn't enough for the Longhorns, they're going to be featured on a special commemorative Wheaties box scheduled to appear on Texas grocery shelves in two weeks and nationwide starting next month. Does it get any better than that?

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Janiuary 4, 2006

Tonight - The Game of All Time?

Top-ranked USC and No. 2 Texas meet tonight for the National Championship in the Rose Bowl in perhaps the most hyped game of all time, at least in college level football. The meeting has been called "the game of the year," "the game of the century," and "the game of all time!" Is it any of those, or just another day at the office for two-time defending champ Southern California?

Heisman Trophy winners Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush have led the Trojans to 34 straight victories. Against Texas, they'll become the first Heisman duo to play together in a college game as USC goes for a record third consecutive national title.

The Longhorns also are 12-0, and they've won 19 in a row. Heisman runner-up Vince Young is the dynamic dual-threat who leads an offense that has more than matched USC touchdown for touchdown. Texas puts up 51 points per game, USC 50. The Trojans are favored by a TD. I'd say it's too close to call based on statistics.

While USC will be shooting for a three-peat, the 'Horns will be looking to end a long title drought. This may well be one of the best games in BCS history!

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January 4, 2006

Do You SNARF?

Microsoft Research calls SNARF a "Social Network and Relationship Finder." It was built around the notion that social network information that is already available to the computer system can be usefully reflected to the user: a message from a manager might be seen differently than a message from a stranger, for example. SNARF applies this idea to email triage: handling the flow of messages when time is short and mail is long.

According to Microsoft, people use a variety of strategies to handle triage; there is no single "best" ordering of email messages to produce an optimal outcome. SNARF, it claims, gives the user the freedom to build their own ordering. Each person in their inbox is assigned a set of meta-information: "number of emails sent in the last month," for example. These metrics can, in turn, be combined to create an ordering across all contacts. 

I doubt this will do much for home users. Whether it will help, rather than confuse, office workers remains to be seen. You can read up on it here or click on the image at left...

(Hat tip: Michael)

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January 3, 2006

2005 Year-End Google Zeitgeist

It turns out that looking at the aggregation of billions of search queries people type into Google reveals something about our curiosity, our thirst for news, and perhaps even our desires. Considering all that has occurred in 2005, Google thought it would be interesting to study just a few of the significant events and names that made this a memorable year. (We’ll leave it to the historians to determine which ones are lasting and which ephemeral.)

View the list here or click on the image at right...

(Hat tip: Michael)

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January 3, 2006

Associated Press 2005 Year in Review

Click on the image to view the stories AP felt were the most important of 2005...

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January 3, 2006

Another List?

Yes, I'm afraid so. According to Dogpile, its most popular Internet search terms of 2005 included "music lyrics" at No. 1. With an estimated 63% of the U.S. online population conducting at least one Internet search each day, they say, searches are revealing more insight into the nation's collective interests. Gaming terms, celebrities and musicians rounded out the most popular search terms of the year.

Read the entire list here or click on the image...  

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January 3, 2006

Is the Worst Behind Us?

What a way to close out 2005 and begin 2006! It's been wet and windy to say the least, but the rivers, lakes and creeks are receding, and barring another big storm, it looks like the worst is over. Not so, unfortunately, for the southern part of the state, however, as the weather front is moving their way...

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Cleaning up the mess

Drenched and wind-blown already, the Sacramento region endured another lengthy soaking Monday while an assortment of crews spent the day sandbagging levees, repairing deadened power lines, clearing toppled trees from streets and parks, and unplugging sewer drains. A storm more aggressive than originally expected dumped more than an inch of rain over most of Sacramento, with nearly 2 inches falling in some places.

State and local flood officials, however, were breathing easier as Northern California rivers began to recede after rising to flood stage in some places from two powerful storms over the New Year's weekend... Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger [...] declared a state of emergency in seven counties including Sacramento.

On Monday, flows on the Sacramento and American rivers continued to run high but were well within the design capacities of the waterways, flood officials said. Flows out of Folsom Dam were running at 35,000 cubic feet per second, far below the 115,000 cfs released during the New Year's 1997 flood event. [...]

SMUD reported 2,100 customers without power at 10 p.m. PG&E had about 1,500 customers without power in the Sacramento area and Sierra foothills, and 94,000 throughout its territory statewide... Highway 50 and Interstate 80 were open heading out of the Sierra, but with chain controls because of snow and icy conditions. Several rural roads in south Sacramento County, including Franklin Boulevard at Twin Cities Road, remained flooded and closed Monday, said Keith Devore, Sacramento County's director of water resources. [...]

Between Friday and Monday, the Sacramento area received about 5 inches of rain.

The National Weather Service forecast a chance of showers this afternoon and evening in Sacramento, and a chance of rain and snow in the mountains, with snow levels at 5,000 feet. The weather is expected to clear Wednesday and Thursday, with another storm system possible on the weekend. (Sacramento Bee - Free membership required)

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We fared fairly well, all things considered. Winds topped out around 75 mph in some areas and we lost some shingles and had some erosion, but it could have been much worse. And there's some water in our garage that will bear investigation, but we're grateful there wasn't more damage.

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January 2, 2006

Still Raining...

Not everyone is enjoying a happy New Year. Some folks in our area are experiencing flooding and many have been forced to relocate to higher ground by the unrelenting rain brought on by back to back storms. Click on the photo for more images...

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January 1, 2006

U.S. Rings in 2006 With Parties, Fireworks

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 1, 2006 (AP) Fireworks rained over the Las Vegas Strip as hundreds of thousands of revelers rang in 2006 with quickie weddings, parties at posh nightclubs and what organizers hoped was the world's largest simultaneous toast _ 14,000 Chardonnay-filled plastic glasses raised just before midnight.

"Las Vegas knows how to throw a party," Mayor Oscar Goodman said at the annual blowout, billed as the largest New Year's Eve party outside New York's Times Square [...]