Projection - Whats Your Problem
7 months ago
Keep Looking
Google has published their Year-End Zeitgeist, which, in their own words, 'based on billions of searches conducted by Google users around the world...offers a unique perspective on the year's major events and trends, the 2004 Year-End Zeitgeist offers a unique perspective on the year's major events and trends. We hope you enjoy this aggregate look at what people wanted to know more about this year.'
The 12 STIs of Christmas
The true meaning of Christmas (''Don't play the sex lottery. Use a condom.'') is holiday caroled in this animated Webtoon, The 12 STIs of Christmas .
Britney to Whitney
Top Ten Stars of 2004
1. Britney Spears, 119 stories
2. Beyonce, 102 stories
3. Donald Trump, 94 stories
4. Michael Jackson, 84 stories
5. Tom Cruise, 72 stories
6. Jessica Simpson, 69 stories
7. Paris Hilton, 63 stories
8. Nicole Kidman, 62 stories
9. Jennifer Lopez, 54 stories
10. Whitney Houston, 52 stories.
Access Hollywood' historybased their rankings on the number of stories the syndicated entertainment television show aired on each star.
"Here's to more `useless' moments in 2005."
1. Britney Spears, 119 stories
2. Beyonce, 102 stories
3. Donald Trump, 94 stories
4. Michael Jackson, 84 stories
5. Tom Cruise, 72 stories
6. Jessica Simpson, 69 stories
7. Paris Hilton, 63 stories
8. Nicole Kidman, 62 stories
9. Jennifer Lopez, 54 stories
10. Whitney Houston, 52 stories.
Access Hollywood' historybased their rankings on the number of stories the syndicated entertainment television show aired on each star.
"Here's to more `useless' moments in 2005."
Intel Wireless Safari
The Intel Wireless Safari, an initiative that was established to demonstrate the value and effectiveness of wireless connectivity, has provided a successful case study for companies and organisations that are evaluating the concept of wireless networking for competitive gain.
"The project was really exciting and demonstrated that, with the aid of wireless hotspots, business can be run from any location", said Joubert De Lange, Market Development Manager, Intel, who led the safari across some of the most wild and breathtaking spots in South Africa (SA), Botswana, Zambia and Namibia.
“I believe that Intel’s Wireless Safari has dispelled any fears that users may have around wireless computing and proved that, no matter where you are, with the help of wireless hotspots, it is possible to always be in touch,” concluded De Lange.
"The project was really exciting and demonstrated that, with the aid of wireless hotspots, business can be run from any location", said Joubert De Lange, Market Development Manager, Intel, who led the safari across some of the most wild and breathtaking spots in South Africa (SA), Botswana, Zambia and Namibia.
“I believe that Intel’s Wireless Safari has dispelled any fears that users may have around wireless computing and proved that, no matter where you are, with the help of wireless hotspots, it is possible to always be in touch,” concluded De Lange.
Oh my blog!
The New York Times has a feature titledYour Blog or Mine?. The article highlights the current hot topic in the blogosphere which happens to be the good old fashioned sex.
Sex has always been popular, and discussing issues related to and involving sex gets a lot of people excited. It is no surprise, therefore, that blogs have just opened up a new channel of expressing weird sexual endeavours. What is most interesting, though, is that bloggers are not shying away from disclosing their own sexual antics or lack of it.
The implications of this activity are just beginning to emerge.
Sex has always been popular, and discussing issues related to and involving sex gets a lot of people excited. It is no surprise, therefore, that blogs have just opened up a new channel of expressing weird sexual endeavours. What is most interesting, though, is that bloggers are not shying away from disclosing their own sexual antics or lack of it.
The implications of this activity are just beginning to emerge.
Biggest Bank Robbery
Thieves stole more than $39 million from the Belfast headquarters of Northern Bank - the biggest robbery in Northern Ireland history, authorities said Tuesday.
A robbery of this magnitude can only be executed by a powerful organised gang. In Northern Ireland the IRA is perceived as the biggest one.
Police say the group with the biggest reputation for mounting bank robberies is the Irish Republican Army, which is observing a 1997 cease-fire but continues to run a range of criminal enterprises, including cigarette and fuel smuggling. The group in the past has gained access to high-security targets by taking the families of employees hostage.
Brings to mind the time Saddam took nearly $1 billion from Iraq's Central Bank before the U.S. attack. Could this be a pension payout for the IRA?
A robbery of this magnitude can only be executed by a powerful organised gang. In Northern Ireland the IRA is perceived as the biggest one.
Police say the group with the biggest reputation for mounting bank robberies is the Irish Republican Army, which is observing a 1997 cease-fire but continues to run a range of criminal enterprises, including cigarette and fuel smuggling. The group in the past has gained access to high-security targets by taking the families of employees hostage.
Brings to mind the time Saddam took nearly $1 billion from Iraq's Central Bank before the U.S. attack. Could this be a pension payout for the IRA?
Zambia Wikinews
The team behind Wikipedia is applying its collaborative information-gathering model to journalism.
Through a new effort, Wikinews, members of the open-source community who write and edit Wikipedia's encyclopedia entries are encouraged to test their skills as journalists. The news site follows a similar set of rules as the encyclopedia, which allows anyone to edit and post corrections to entries, so long as each change is recorded.
You can view, contribute or edit news articles at Wikinews category for Zambia.
This should make all the Zambian journalists harrased over demo very happy.
Through a new effort, Wikinews, members of the open-source community who write and edit Wikipedia's encyclopedia entries are encouraged to test their skills as journalists. The news site follows a similar set of rules as the encyclopedia, which allows anyone to edit and post corrections to entries, so long as each change is recorded.
You can view, contribute or edit news articles at Wikinews category for Zambia.
This should make all the Zambian journalists harrased over demo very happy.
Holy Blood, Holy Grail and The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code came out with huge acclaim from critics. The basis of the plot sounds like a non-fiction book from the early 1980s called Holy Blood, Holy Grail. A few months after Da Vinci Code hit it big, the Holy Blood, Holy Grail had also made it to the bestseller lists, more than twenty years after it was first published. Now it seems that the Holy Blood, Holy Grail authors are suing Dan Brown for ripping off their research.
The New Zealand Herald reports: "A New Zealand author is embroiled in a plagiarism row over Dan Brown's blockbuster hit, the religious thriller The Da Vinci Code, and has launched legal action against the novel's publishers. Nelson-born Michael Baigent and American writing partner Richard Leigh are suing Random House Group in Britain, claiming damages that could run to millions of dollars. "
Students Donate Books
Students at Carlock Elementary School are donating more than one-thousand-dollars in books to students in Africa.
The students held a book fair this past week, and Scholastic Books agreed to make a donation equal in value to all the books the children sold.
Many of the books were about animals, such as ducks, bears and dogs.
The students plan to send the books to students in Zambia.
Source:KWQC-TV6
The students held a book fair this past week, and Scholastic Books agreed to make a donation equal in value to all the books the children sold.
Many of the books were about animals, such as ducks, bears and dogs.
The students plan to send the books to students in Zambia.
Source:KWQC-TV6
Bush As Person of the Year
President George W. Bush again holds the title of Time magazine's 'Person of the Year' - beating out Michael Moore, Mel Gibson and even his political adviser, Karl Rove.
Bush was recognized for "reshaping the rules of politics to fit his 10-gallon-hat leadership style," according to Time.
The magazine's editors recognized Bush "for sharpening the debate until the choices bled, for reframing reality to match his design, for gambling his fortunes - and ours - on his faith in the power of leadership."
Sounds more like winning by any means necessary.
Bush was recognized for "reshaping the rules of politics to fit his 10-gallon-hat leadership style," according to Time.
The magazine's editors recognized Bush "for sharpening the debate until the choices bled, for reframing reality to match his design, for gambling his fortunes - and ours - on his faith in the power of leadership."
Sounds more like winning by any means necessary.
Private Business can Reduce Poverty
A well-regulated and open market economy is a powerful engine for growth and poverty alleviation in the developing world. But bureaucratic and other hurdles are getting in the way. Is there a way out?
The World Bank, in its 2005 World Development Report, says that governments across the developing world are discouraging entrepreneurial activities because they are failing to address excessive red tape as well as corruption and other crimes.
These constraints are undermining the investment climate in many developing countries, and consequently stifling their full growth potential.
Franois Bourguignon, the World Bank's chief economist, says: 'A good investment climate is central to growth and poverty reduction. But too often, governments stunt the size of those contributions by creating unjustified risks, costs and barriers to competition.'
I just wish someone get take this statement to heart. In developing countries, the government is usually the biggest employer. This gives the government so much leverage and when combined with the bureaucratic machinery it turns into a nightmare.
It is a crying shame that corruption becomes a way out. Sometimes, I think the government stifles the private sector inorder to strengthen their power base.
The World Bank, in its 2005 World Development Report, says that governments across the developing world are discouraging entrepreneurial activities because they are failing to address excessive red tape as well as corruption and other crimes.
These constraints are undermining the investment climate in many developing countries, and consequently stifling their full growth potential.
Franois Bourguignon, the World Bank's chief economist, says: 'A good investment climate is central to growth and poverty reduction. But too often, governments stunt the size of those contributions by creating unjustified risks, costs and barriers to competition.'
I just wish someone get take this statement to heart. In developing countries, the government is usually the biggest employer. This gives the government so much leverage and when combined with the bureaucratic machinery it turns into a nightmare.
It is a crying shame that corruption becomes a way out. Sometimes, I think the government stifles the private sector inorder to strengthen their power base.
Pitfalls of charity
As Christmas approaches the major charities have launched themselves into a frenzy of fundraising.
But how effective is charity when it comes to tackling poverty? Is aid, and ever growing appeals for more of it, the answer?
Critics say huge amounts of aid is wasted and that aid can even have a detrimental effect on development.
Billions pour into the poorest regions of the world, Africa in particular, and it has little or no effect, they say.
Amsterdam Forum wades into the aid debate this week, pitting a prominent critic and a leading proponent against each other.
A participant from Vancouver in Canada Commented:
"I'm put in mind of the saying that foreign aid consists of taking money from poor people in rich countries and giving to rich people in poor countries."
Robert Guest, the Africa editor of The Economist and author of The Shackled Continent: Power, Corruption and African Lives, debated with Anne Pieter van Dijk, the co-ordinator for humanitarian projects in Africa for the Dutch branch of the charity Oxfam.
Robert Guest, asked if there was any truth in this, gave an example of Zambia.
"Because it's such a nice country and it's peaceful, generally donors have always been attracted to giving money to the place and they've tended not to notice the fact that governments that you've had there have been corrupt and very foolishly socialist and spendthrift," said Mr Guest.
"What's tended to happen is that the very generous aid that's been given to Zambia over the last four decades has tended to prop up the very people who were making the country poorer, which is to say, the government."
"It made it so they haven't had to make difficult choices with reform - they haven't had to privatise things or cut the number of people in a bloated bureaucracy," he added.
Anne Pieter van Dijk hit back saying he thought it was important to state that it was true a lot of aid could be better targetted, but that didn't mean aid was a waste of time.
"We are all too aware as Oxfam that aid is not always reaching the poor and improving the human capital which Mr Guest is referring too, but we should also say as well there are very many good examples, and that is a bit of a problem with the approach of Mr Guest," he said.
It is also important to make the distinction between providing aid to governments in countries and non-governmental organisations, according to the Oxfam co-ordinator.
A decision may be taken that a government is corrupt and not worthy of aid, but that doesn't mean aid should stop to non-government groups within a country trying to effect change, he says.
But how effective is charity when it comes to tackling poverty? Is aid, and ever growing appeals for more of it, the answer?
Critics say huge amounts of aid is wasted and that aid can even have a detrimental effect on development.
Billions pour into the poorest regions of the world, Africa in particular, and it has little or no effect, they say.
Amsterdam Forum wades into the aid debate this week, pitting a prominent critic and a leading proponent against each other.
A participant from Vancouver in Canada Commented:
"I'm put in mind of the saying that foreign aid consists of taking money from poor people in rich countries and giving to rich people in poor countries."
Robert Guest, the Africa editor of The Economist and author of The Shackled Continent: Power, Corruption and African Lives, debated with Anne Pieter van Dijk, the co-ordinator for humanitarian projects in Africa for the Dutch branch of the charity Oxfam.
Robert Guest, asked if there was any truth in this, gave an example of Zambia.
"Because it's such a nice country and it's peaceful, generally donors have always been attracted to giving money to the place and they've tended not to notice the fact that governments that you've had there have been corrupt and very foolishly socialist and spendthrift," said Mr Guest.
"What's tended to happen is that the very generous aid that's been given to Zambia over the last four decades has tended to prop up the very people who were making the country poorer, which is to say, the government."
"It made it so they haven't had to make difficult choices with reform - they haven't had to privatise things or cut the number of people in a bloated bureaucracy," he added.
Anne Pieter van Dijk hit back saying he thought it was important to state that it was true a lot of aid could be better targetted, but that didn't mean aid was a waste of time.
"We are all too aware as Oxfam that aid is not always reaching the poor and improving the human capital which Mr Guest is referring too, but we should also say as well there are very many good examples, and that is a bit of a problem with the approach of Mr Guest," he said.
It is also important to make the distinction between providing aid to governments in countries and non-governmental organisations, according to the Oxfam co-ordinator.
A decision may be taken that a government is corrupt and not worthy of aid, but that doesn't mean aid should stop to non-government groups within a country trying to effect change, he says.
How to Pick a Credit Card
When you think of yourself and your finances, you might feel like you're all alone, floundering. Take heart -- you're not alone. The Federal Reserve Board is looking out for consumers. On its Choosing a Credit Card page, it urges us to understand the features of credit cards, compare credit card features and costs, know our rights when using our credit cards, and file complaints if we have problems with our credit cards.
It goes on to offer details on all of these, such as the following questions you should find answers to, regarding any card you're considering:
How will you use your credit card? [This will help you zero in on low-rate cards over high-rebate cards, for example.]
What are the annual percentage rates (APRs)?
How long is the grace period?
How is the finance charge calculated?
What are the fees?
What are the cash advance features?
How much is the credit limit?
What kind of card is it?
Does the card offer incentives and other features?
When it comes to fees, here are some of the fees you might run across:
Annual fee (sometimes billed monthly)
Cash advance fee
Balance-transfer fee
Late-payment fee
Over-the-credit-limit fee
Credit-limit-increase fee
Set-up fee
Return-item fee [for bounced checks, essentially]
Here are some more tidbits:
"If your credit card is lost or stolen -- and then is used by someone without your permission -- you do not have to pay more than $50 of those charges. This protection is provided by the federal Truth in Lending Act. You do not need to buy 'credit card insurance' to cover amounts over $50."
"The federal Fair Credit Billing Act allows you to withhold payment on any damaged or poor-quality goods or services purchased with a credit card -- even if you have accepted the goods or services -- as long as you have made an attempt to solve the problem with the merchant. The sale must have been for more than $50 and must have taken place in your home state or within 100 miles of your home address. You should notify the credit card company in writing and explain why you are withholding your payment. You may withhold the payment while the credit card company investigates your claim. If you pay the charges for the goods on your credit card bill before the dispute is resolved, you will lose your right to make a claim."
Now you can Shop around for a credit card to find one with features that match your needs.
It goes on to offer details on all of these, such as the following questions you should find answers to, regarding any card you're considering:
When it comes to fees, here are some of the fees you might run across:
Here are some more tidbits:
"If your credit card is lost or stolen -- and then is used by someone without your permission -- you do not have to pay more than $50 of those charges. This protection is provided by the federal Truth in Lending Act. You do not need to buy 'credit card insurance' to cover amounts over $50."
"The federal Fair Credit Billing Act allows you to withhold payment on any damaged or poor-quality goods or services purchased with a credit card -- even if you have accepted the goods or services -- as long as you have made an attempt to solve the problem with the merchant. The sale must have been for more than $50 and must have taken place in your home state or within 100 miles of your home address. You should notify the credit card company in writing and explain why you are withholding your payment. You may withhold the payment while the credit card company investigates your claim. If you pay the charges for the goods on your credit card bill before the dispute is resolved, you will lose your right to make a claim."
Now you can Shop around for a credit card to find one with features that match your needs.
Idea of Anti-African AIDS Plot Rejected
The Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Kenyan environmental activist Wangari Maathai tried to defuse a controversy over African news reports that quote her as saying "evil- minded scientists" in the developed world had intentionally created the AIDS virus to decimate the African population.
She said she had meant only to pose alternative theories about the epidemic's origin to counter the belief by some despairing Kenyans that AIDS was a curse from God.
She issued a statement saying:
"We in Africa don't really understand the disease yet,' she said in an interview. 'We just know we're dying from it.' In a written statement issued by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Maathai said she was 'shocked by the ongoing debate' and added, 'It is therefore critical for me to state that I neither say nor believe that the virus was developed by white people or white powers in order to destroy the African people. Such views are wicked and destructive.' But the statement also said: 'I am sure the scientists will continue their search for concluding evidence so that the view, which continues to be quite widespread, that the tragedy could have been caused by biological experiments that failed terribly in a laboratory somewhere, can be put to rest.' "
She said she had meant only to pose alternative theories about the epidemic's origin to counter the belief by some despairing Kenyans that AIDS was a curse from God.
She issued a statement saying:
"We in Africa don't really understand the disease yet,' she said in an interview. 'We just know we're dying from it.' In a written statement issued by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Maathai said she was 'shocked by the ongoing debate' and added, 'It is therefore critical for me to state that I neither say nor believe that the virus was developed by white people or white powers in order to destroy the African people. Such views are wicked and destructive.' But the statement also said: 'I am sure the scientists will continue their search for concluding evidence so that the view, which continues to be quite widespread, that the tragedy could have been caused by biological experiments that failed terribly in a laboratory somewhere, can be put to rest.' "
Polymeal: the Recipe for a Long and Healthy Life
NEW scientific research has concluded there is life-extending truth in the old saying that 'a little of what you fancy does you good'.
Daily consumption of food stuffs such as dark chocolate, garlic, wine and fish can dramatically increase life-expectancy and cut the risk of heart disease by up to 76 per cent.
Eaten in the right combination - to make what scientists have labelled a 'polymeal' - several popular food types have been given the medical seal of approval for lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure and reducing heart disease.
According to the research, published in the Christmas issue of the British Medical Journal, the combined effects of these different types of foods produces a potent mix in the body which can produce remarkable health protection benefits in adults.
Daily consumption of food stuffs such as dark chocolate, garlic, wine and fish can dramatically increase life-expectancy and cut the risk of heart disease by up to 76 per cent.
Eaten in the right combination - to make what scientists have labelled a 'polymeal' - several popular food types have been given the medical seal of approval for lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure and reducing heart disease.
According to the research, published in the Christmas issue of the British Medical Journal, the combined effects of these different types of foods produces a potent mix in the body which can produce remarkable health protection benefits in adults.
Talk about your killer weed
The Associated Press/AP Online Reports: "Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers found 610 pounds of marijuana hidden in caskets being hauled in a truck stopped near this eastern Oklahoma town.
The driver, Timothy G. Hynd, 26, and his passenger, Robert Dean Harper, told a trooper they were working for a Tucson, Ariz., casket company and their destination was Atlanta. They were pulled over early Friday for going 6 mph over the speed limit.
The marijuana was found after troopers were given permission to search the truck.
Hynd and Harper were charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and were freed on bond Monday. Both men said they had no idea there was marijuana in their cargo.
'Hynd is 26 and has never been in any kind of trouble,' said his attorney, Donn Baker. 'He was just delivering caskets for a living. He didn't check inside the caskets for drugs - would you?'"
The driver, Timothy G. Hynd, 26, and his passenger, Robert Dean Harper, told a trooper they were working for a Tucson, Ariz., casket company and their destination was Atlanta. They were pulled over early Friday for going 6 mph over the speed limit.
The marijuana was found after troopers were given permission to search the truck.
Hynd and Harper were charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and were freed on bond Monday. Both men said they had no idea there was marijuana in their cargo.
'Hynd is 26 and has never been in any kind of trouble,' said his attorney, Donn Baker. 'He was just delivering caskets for a living. He didn't check inside the caskets for drugs - would you?'"
Rutgers researchers may have stopped HIV
Researchers at Rutgers University have developed a trio of drugs they believe can destroy HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, according to a published report.
Bloglines | My Feeds
In the essay for the November issue of Harper's Magazine called "Quitting The Paint Factory: On the Virtues of Idleness." the beauty of doing nothing is layed bare.
"Idleness is not just a psychological necessity, requisite to the construction of a complete human being; it constitutes as well a kind of political space, a space as necessary to the workings of an actual democracy as, say, a free press. How does it do this? By allowing us time to figure out who we are, and what we believe; by allowing us time to consider what is unjust, and what we might do about it. By giving the inner life (in whose precincts we are most ourselves) its due. Which is precisely what makes idleness dangerous. All manner of things can grow out of that fallow soil. Not for nothing did our mothers grow suspicious when we had 'too much time on our hands.' They knew we might be up to something. And not for nothing did we whisper to each other, when we were up to something, 'Quick, look busy.'
Mother knew instinctively what the keepers of the castles have always known: that trouble the kind that might threaten the symmetry of a well-ordered garden needs time to take root. Take away the time, therefore, and you choke off the problem before it begins. Obedience reigns, the plow stays in the furrow; things proceed as they must. Which raises an uncomfortable question: Could the Church of Work which today has Americans aspiring to sleep deprivation the way they once aspired to a personal knowledge of God be, at base, an anti-democratic force? Well, yes. James Russell Lowell, that nineteenth-century workhorse, summed it all up quite neatly: 'There is no better ballast for keeping the mind steady on its keel, and saving it from all risk of crankiness, than business.'"
I have not used an alarm clock in five years. I have learnt to rely on the biological clock. My body is the boss.
"Idleness is not just a psychological necessity, requisite to the construction of a complete human being; it constitutes as well a kind of political space, a space as necessary to the workings of an actual democracy as, say, a free press. How does it do this? By allowing us time to figure out who we are, and what we believe; by allowing us time to consider what is unjust, and what we might do about it. By giving the inner life (in whose precincts we are most ourselves) its due. Which is precisely what makes idleness dangerous. All manner of things can grow out of that fallow soil. Not for nothing did our mothers grow suspicious when we had 'too much time on our hands.' They knew we might be up to something. And not for nothing did we whisper to each other, when we were up to something, 'Quick, look busy.'
Mother knew instinctively what the keepers of the castles have always known: that trouble the kind that might threaten the symmetry of a well-ordered garden needs time to take root. Take away the time, therefore, and you choke off the problem before it begins. Obedience reigns, the plow stays in the furrow; things proceed as they must. Which raises an uncomfortable question: Could the Church of Work which today has Americans aspiring to sleep deprivation the way they once aspired to a personal knowledge of God be, at base, an anti-democratic force? Well, yes. James Russell Lowell, that nineteenth-century workhorse, summed it all up quite neatly: 'There is no better ballast for keeping the mind steady on its keel, and saving it from all risk of crankiness, than business.'"
I have not used an alarm clock in five years. I have learnt to rely on the biological clock. My body is the boss.
For Softies, Search Is the New Black
For Softies, Search Is the New Black: "Bill Gates has a Google thing. When I asked him about the search competition last summer, he turned on the sarcasm. 'We'll never be as cool as them. Every conference you go to, there they are dressed in black, and no one is cooler!' Clearly Gates's dander was up, not only because the Google upstarts were eating his lunch, but they were press darlings as well. Behind the rant was a taunting subtext: watch me. Bill, you see, had been busy figuring how to get his lunch back"
Experiments on Black Babies
"What you may call a serious side effect in the U.S. is not a serious side effect in Kampala." This is a statement from a lead doctor in Uganda. The article, U.S. Officials Knew of AIDS Drug Risks provides the worst case scenario of testing new drugs on black babies, yet again.
"The government's research on using an AIDS drug to protect African babies was so flawed that health officials had to use blood tests after the fact to confirm patients got the medicine. Ultimately, they had to acknowledge the study broke federal patient protection rules. "
Nevirapine is an antiretroviral drug marketed in the United States as Viramune. It has been used since the 1990s to treat adult AIDS patients and is known to have potentially lethal side effects like liver damage and severe rashes when taken over time.
In 1997, NIH began studying in Uganda whether it could be given safely in single doses to stop mother-to-baby HIV transmission. That research showed it could reduce transmission in as many as half the births.
But by early 2002, an NIH auditor, the agency's medical safety experts and the drug's maker all disclosed widespread problems about the U.S.-funded research in Uganda.
Statistics and lies!
"The government's research on using an AIDS drug to protect African babies was so flawed that health officials had to use blood tests after the fact to confirm patients got the medicine. Ultimately, they had to acknowledge the study broke federal patient protection rules. "
Nevirapine is an antiretroviral drug marketed in the United States as Viramune. It has been used since the 1990s to treat adult AIDS patients and is known to have potentially lethal side effects like liver damage and severe rashes when taken over time.
In 1997, NIH began studying in Uganda whether it could be given safely in single doses to stop mother-to-baby HIV transmission. That research showed it could reduce transmission in as many as half the births.
But by early 2002, an NIH auditor, the agency's medical safety experts and the drug's maker all disclosed widespread problems about the U.S.-funded research in Uganda.
Statistics and lies!
misguided attempt at romance
Here is a cautionary tale of a very misguided attempt at romance. The conveniently-named 19-year-old Marine David Battle was wounded in Falluja. While operating on him, doctors informed Battle that he had a choice -- either lose his wedding ring and keep his finger or lose his finger.
Doctors were preparing to cut off Battle's ring to save as much of his finger as they could.
"But that would mean destroying my wedding ring," he said. "My wife is the strongest woman I know. She's basically running two people's lives since I've been gone. I don't think I could ever repay her or show her how grateful ... how much I love my wife, my soul mate."
With his approval, doctors severed his finger, but somehow in the chaos that followed, they lost his ring.
Doctors were preparing to cut off Battle's ring to save as much of his finger as they could.
"But that would mean destroying my wedding ring," he said. "My wife is the strongest woman I know. She's basically running two people's lives since I've been gone. I don't think I could ever repay her or show her how grateful ... how much I love my wife, my soul mate."
With his approval, doctors severed his finger, but somehow in the chaos that followed, they lost his ring.
Technology Allows Choice
The (washingtonpost.com) has an interesting article on consumer options getting out of control largely fuelled by technology. As much as I love technology, I think this is good example of toys falling in the wrong hands.
This quote simply says it all.
'It runs the risk of turning procreation and parenting into an extension of the consumer society,' said Michael J. Sandel, a political philosopher at Harvard University. 'Sex selection is one step down the road to designer children, in which parents would choose not only the sex of their child but also conceivably the height, hair color, eye color, and ultimately, perhaps, IQ, athletic prowess and musical ability. It's troubling.'
This quote simply says it all.
'It runs the risk of turning procreation and parenting into an extension of the consumer society,' said Michael J. Sandel, a political philosopher at Harvard University. 'Sex selection is one step down the road to designer children, in which parents would choose not only the sex of their child but also conceivably the height, hair color, eye color, and ultimately, perhaps, IQ, athletic prowess and musical ability. It's troubling.'
Robbers scared off by Playstation game get jail time
ABC13.com: Robbers scared off by Playstation game get jail time: "A video game notorious for violence and mature content may have actually saved a Santa Fe family.
Back in March, Sandy Wilson was taking care of her three grandsons when a group of men attempted to burglarize her home, pointing a gun at the kids.
The children happened to be playing a video game called Grand Theft Auto at the time. The game has dozens of random police scanner messages, which blare out calls such as 'This is the police! You�re surrounded!' Believe it or not, Wilson says the burglars heard that message and thought police were outside the door waiting for them.
Galveston County Asst DA Michael Elliott explained, 'The police in the game were saying, 'Stop, we have you surrounded. This is the police.� The burglar, unknowingly, thought this was the actual police and panicked ... being apprehended by Playstation.'
'Thinking that it was pretty funny,' recalled young victim Chaze Fisher. 'How they were, like, ran off, and they got all scared over a game.'
Police arrested the four men. Samuel Woodrow received a five-year prison sentence this week. Ronnie Farris is serving four years. Lucas Griffin got probation. And Zachary Brandenburg�s trial is in January. "
Back in March, Sandy Wilson was taking care of her three grandsons when a group of men attempted to burglarize her home, pointing a gun at the kids.
The children happened to be playing a video game called Grand Theft Auto at the time. The game has dozens of random police scanner messages, which blare out calls such as 'This is the police! You�re surrounded!' Believe it or not, Wilson says the burglars heard that message and thought police were outside the door waiting for them.
Galveston County Asst DA Michael Elliott explained, 'The police in the game were saying, 'Stop, we have you surrounded. This is the police.� The burglar, unknowingly, thought this was the actual police and panicked ... being apprehended by Playstation.'
'Thinking that it was pretty funny,' recalled young victim Chaze Fisher. 'How they were, like, ran off, and they got all scared over a game.'
Police arrested the four men. Samuel Woodrow received a five-year prison sentence this week. Ronnie Farris is serving four years. Lucas Griffin got probation. And Zachary Brandenburg�s trial is in January. "
The Alpha Bloggers
MSNBC - The Alpha Bloggers: "Meet the highly evolved community of 'A-listers' with growing influence over the tech agenda. They show how radically power can shift in the age of the Internet."
Mubanga´s Guantanamo Bay Ordeal
The following is MwandiniToloane's viewpoint on justice denied:
"people, Gitmo or Abu Graib and the way they are portrayed in the media serves to distract you and me from the real reason these camps exists. Gitmo serves a purpose other than the one the media provides, and so do many of the lawyers representing the captives. the vast majority of the populace here understands this conspiracy, believe me on this, they have been fooled into believing they are at war with the rest of the world. what we are being fed with are two parts of the same tactic by the same party. on the one side is this same party holding people for deterence's sake (to scare any of you who wants to disagree), and on the other are the same people, posing as lawyers, making you and me think there is justice around them here parts, just like the mock trials of Abu Ghraib abusers were intended for. if this last were not true, then i do believe by now there would have been much more public outcry than we've witnessed to date, and those poor prisoners would have been freed a long time ago.
sometimes i imagine what it would be like if these people were their ilk, kept 'without charge' in cages for, what, two years?!, without society reacting in a manner that would make the governments do something about this injustice?
the excuses they must use in order not to raise suspicion of actual motive, that they are using on Mubanga and the others, is to use scare mongering tactics. 'terrorists' is being used in the same way as many used 'communists' to incacerate or elliminate their opposition.
as for the individual victims of the new pre-emptive strategy, the tactic is to make these people think there is something wrong with their personalities in the first place, hence the reason they are getting the treatment...
"
"people, Gitmo or Abu Graib and the way they are portrayed in the media serves to distract you and me from the real reason these camps exists. Gitmo serves a purpose other than the one the media provides, and so do many of the lawyers representing the captives. the vast majority of the populace here understands this conspiracy, believe me on this, they have been fooled into believing they are at war with the rest of the world. what we are being fed with are two parts of the same tactic by the same party. on the one side is this same party holding people for deterence's sake (to scare any of you who wants to disagree), and on the other are the same people, posing as lawyers, making you and me think there is justice around them here parts, just like the mock trials of Abu Ghraib abusers were intended for. if this last were not true, then i do believe by now there would have been much more public outcry than we've witnessed to date, and those poor prisoners would have been freed a long time ago.
sometimes i imagine what it would be like if these people were their ilk, kept 'without charge' in cages for, what, two years?!, without society reacting in a manner that would make the governments do something about this injustice?
the excuses they must use in order not to raise suspicion of actual motive, that they are using on Mubanga and the others, is to use scare mongering tactics. 'terrorists' is being used in the same way as many used 'communists' to incacerate or elliminate their opposition.
as for the individual victims of the new pre-emptive strategy, the tactic is to make these people think there is something wrong with their personalities in the first place, hence the reason they are getting the treatment...
"
'We WERE the World'
Twenty years on, and look at what we have achieved! Nothing. same old problem, but at least the technology changes and we can see the concert all over again on DVD.
'We Are the World' Turns 20 on DVD: "The 20th anniversary of the release of USA For Africa's charity single 'We Are the World' will be marked Feb. 1 with the DVD 'We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song.' "
The announcement comes on the heels of the release of a 20th anniversary version of Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas," the British famine relief charity single that spurred both the USA for Africa tune and the Live Aid concert. A DVD featuring most of the Live Aid performances also hit stores recently.
'We Are the World' Turns 20 on DVD: "The 20th anniversary of the release of USA For Africa's charity single 'We Are the World' will be marked Feb. 1 with the DVD 'We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song.' "
The announcement comes on the heels of the release of a 20th anniversary version of Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas," the British famine relief charity single that spurred both the USA for Africa tune and the Live Aid concert. A DVD featuring most of the Live Aid performances also hit stores recently.
Bob Marley's 60th birthday
Ethiopia to Celebrate Marley's 60th Birthday: "Bob Marley's 60th birthday will be celebrated with a month-long program of events in Ethiopia in February 2005.
The program, titled 'Africa Unite,' will be spearheaded by a globally televised concert on Feb. 6, featuring the Marley children and his former backing singers the I-Threes.
Harry Belafonte, Quincy Jones and top African acts including Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal and Youssou N'Dour will also perform.
The concert will be held in Addis Ababa's Mascoll Square, on what would have been Marley's 60th birthday. The singer died of cancer on May 11, 1981. Negotiations are under way for international rights to broadcast the concert. "
The program, titled 'Africa Unite,' will be spearheaded by a globally televised concert on Feb. 6, featuring the Marley children and his former backing singers the I-Threes.
Harry Belafonte, Quincy Jones and top African acts including Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal and Youssou N'Dour will also perform.
The concert will be held in Addis Ababa's Mascoll Square, on what would have been Marley's 60th birthday. The singer died of cancer on May 11, 1981. Negotiations are under way for international rights to broadcast the concert. "
Visit Zambia 2005
Zambia will in 2005 celebrate 100 years since the city of Livingstone was founded and the 150 years since David Livingstone first saw the Victoria Falls.
The Magic of Zambia:
This comprehensive Guide to Zambia, has been endorsed by the Zambia National Tourist Board and the Tourism Council of Zambia. The publishers have included maps to help you plan your trip and identify popular destinations such as the Zambezi, victoria Falls, and the National Parks.
The Magic of Zambia:
This comprehensive Guide to Zambia, has been endorsed by the Zambia National Tourist Board and the Tourism Council of Zambia. The publishers have included maps to help you plan your trip and identify popular destinations such as the Zambezi, victoria Falls, and the National Parks.
'Dr. Livingstone, I presume'
WorldNetDaily: "From the wondrous Victoria Falls in Zambia to the Chobe Game Reserve in Botswana to the towering red sand dunes of Namibia, longtime WND contributor Anthony C. LoBaido recently captured the grandeur that is 21st century Africa. It includes natural wonders ranging from immense herds of elephants, river-crossing lions, majestic rainbows spanning two nations and the night skies of the Namib Desert. "
African Education Program
African Education Program: "Radnor High School "
Radnor seniors Julie-Anne Savarit-Cosenza, Hillary Bridges and Christian Mark have created their own nonprofit organization - the African Education Program. Their goal is to support and serve schools in Zambia, where widespread poverty and AIDS have reduced the life expectancy to 33 years, according to Zambia's Central Statistical Office.
On December 12, 2004 at Radnor High School, the three students are holding an African Cultural Fair in their school's auditorium and lobby (the event is not sponsored by Radnor).
The fund-raiser will be complete with African music, dance and food, guest speakers, hair-braiding and information booths.
During spring break in March, the three students plan to directly deliver computers, books and other supplies to the schools.
They are looking for both money donations, as well as any materials that we could bring to Zambia for the children. If you are in any way interested in helping, please contact:
Mail: 502 Van Lear's Run
Villanova, PA 19085
Phone: 484-888-6794
Fax: 610-975-0211
www.africaneducatio nprogram.org
E-Mail : chris129wl@comcast.net
Radnor seniors Julie-Anne Savarit-Cosenza, Hillary Bridges and Christian Mark have created their own nonprofit organization - the African Education Program. Their goal is to support and serve schools in Zambia, where widespread poverty and AIDS have reduced the life expectancy to 33 years, according to Zambia's Central Statistical Office.
On December 12, 2004 at Radnor High School, the three students are holding an African Cultural Fair in their school's auditorium and lobby (the event is not sponsored by Radnor).
The fund-raiser will be complete with African music, dance and food, guest speakers, hair-braiding and information booths.
During spring break in March, the three students plan to directly deliver computers, books and other supplies to the schools.
They are looking for both money donations, as well as any materials that we could bring to Zambia for the children. If you are in any way interested in helping, please contact:
Mail: 502 Van Lear's Run
Villanova, PA 19085
Phone: 484-888-6794
Fax: 610-975-0211
www.africaneducatio nprogram.org
E-Mail : chris129wl@comcast.net
Net communities may be key to future of politics
CNET News.com
Business Web sites that foster an aura of community trust may hold the key to the future of online politics.
A panel of Internet gurus gathered Friday at the fifth annual Votes, Bits & Bytes conference here, held by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School to discuss the impact of Internet business models on online politics.
The panelists said the most valuable lesson online campaigners may be able to garner from Web-based companies is that building a sense of trust remains at the center of winning loyalty from customers or political followers.
"The golden rule is really how people want us to operate," Newmark said. "They want business sites and political sites to adhere to our shared values of being fair with one another and treating each other with respect."
Business Web sites that foster an aura of community trust may hold the key to the future of online politics.
A panel of Internet gurus gathered Friday at the fifth annual Votes, Bits & Bytes conference here, held by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School to discuss the impact of Internet business models on online politics.
The panelists said the most valuable lesson online campaigners may be able to garner from Web-based companies is that building a sense of trust remains at the center of winning loyalty from customers or political followers.
"The golden rule is really how people want us to operate," Newmark said. "They want business sites and political sites to adhere to our shared values of being fair with one another and treating each other with respect."
The History of Contraception
The Dittrick Medical History Center at Case Western University in Cleveland has a new History of Contraception Museum. The Center recently received 650 artifacts in the Percy Skuy Collection, the most comprehensive of its kind in the world. Skuy is the past president of Ortho Pharmaceutical in Canada.
On display at the new museum are such vintage intrauterine devices as the as the "Russian Cross," "Butterfly," Supercoil," "Sea Tangle Tent" and the ominous "10 Armed Device."
On display at the new museum are such vintage intrauterine devices as the as the "Russian Cross," "Butterfly," Supercoil," "Sea Tangle Tent" and the ominous "10 Armed Device."
Grief May Be Magnified During the Holidays
PRNewswire : The holidays are often thought of as a joyful time of the year, filled with sights and sounds of seasonal cheer. Yet for people struggling with the death of a family member or other loved one, the holidays can be a difficult time
The season may be full of reminders of the loss in our lives. And it is not just recent losses. During the holidays, feelings of grief can seem fresh, even if a loved one died years ago.
A suggestion for coping with grief during the holidays is to allow yourself permission to do what feels right for you. At a time of year when many people feel compelled to follow holiday traditions, letting yourself do something different can be helpful. Some people find it comforting to be with family and friends, emphasizing the familiar. Others may wish to avoid old traditions and try something new.
additional suggestions for coping with grief during the holidays:
* Plan for the approaching holidays. Recognize that the holidays might be
a difficult time for you. The stress may affect you emotionally,
mentally, and physically. This is a normal reaction. Be prepared and
gentle with yourself.
* Recognize that the holidays won't be the same. Expecting everything to
seem the same might lead to disappointment. Doing things a bit
differently acknowledges the change in your life but still offers
continuity with the past.
* Be careful not to isolate yourself. It's important to take quiet,
reflective time for yourself but also allow yourself the support
offered from friends and family.
* The holidays may affect other family members. Talk over your plans and
share your feelings. Respect other's choices and needs.
* Avoid additional stress. Decide what you really want to do over the
holiday season and give yourself permission to avoid things you don't
want to do.
The season may be full of reminders of the loss in our lives. And it is not just recent losses. During the holidays, feelings of grief can seem fresh, even if a loved one died years ago.
A suggestion for coping with grief during the holidays is to allow yourself permission to do what feels right for you. At a time of year when many people feel compelled to follow holiday traditions, letting yourself do something different can be helpful. Some people find it comforting to be with family and friends, emphasizing the familiar. Others may wish to avoid old traditions and try something new.
additional suggestions for coping with grief during the holidays:
* Plan for the approaching holidays. Recognize that the holidays might be
a difficult time for you. The stress may affect you emotionally,
mentally, and physically. This is a normal reaction. Be prepared and
gentle with yourself.
* Recognize that the holidays won't be the same. Expecting everything to
seem the same might lead to disappointment. Doing things a bit
differently acknowledges the change in your life but still offers
continuity with the past.
* Be careful not to isolate yourself. It's important to take quiet,
reflective time for yourself but also allow yourself the support
offered from friends and family.
* The holidays may affect other family members. Talk over your plans and
share your feelings. Respect other's choices and needs.
* Avoid additional stress. Decide what you really want to do over the
holiday season and give yourself permission to avoid things you don't
want to do.
Cheesy Movie Survey
Although 'Titanic' soared at the box office in 1997, according to a recent survey, its most memorable line - 'I'm the king of the world!' - sunk.
British baker Warburtons posed the question 'What are your top three cheesiest moments in film?' to 2,000 U.K. moviegoers in celebration of the launch of their new cheese-flavored crumpets.
The list of big cheese moments:
1. "Titanic": Leonardo DiCaprio's "I'm the king of the world!"
2. "Dirty Dancing": Patrick Swayze's "Nobody puts Baby in the corner."
3. "Four Weddings And A Funeral": Andie McDowell's "Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed."
3. "Ghost": Demi Moore's "Ditto," to Patrick Swayze's "I love you."
5. "Top Gun": Val Kilmer to Tom Cruise: "You can be my wingman anytime"
6. "Notting Hill": Julia Roberts' "I'm just a girl ... standing in front of a boy ... asking him to love her."
7. "Independence Day": Bill Pullman's "Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"
8. "Braveheart": Mel Gibson's "They may take our lives, but they will not take our freedom!"
9. "Jerry Maguire": Renee Zellweger to Tom Cruise: "You had me at hello."
10. "The Postman": A blind woman says to Kevin Costner: "You're a godsend, a savior." He replies: "No, I'm a postman."
British baker Warburtons posed the question 'What are your top three cheesiest moments in film?' to 2,000 U.K. moviegoers in celebration of the launch of their new cheese-flavored crumpets.
The list of big cheese moments:
1. "Titanic": Leonardo DiCaprio's "I'm the king of the world!"
2. "Dirty Dancing": Patrick Swayze's "Nobody puts Baby in the corner."
3. "Four Weddings And A Funeral": Andie McDowell's "Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed."
3. "Ghost": Demi Moore's "Ditto," to Patrick Swayze's "I love you."
5. "Top Gun": Val Kilmer to Tom Cruise: "You can be my wingman anytime"
6. "Notting Hill": Julia Roberts' "I'm just a girl ... standing in front of a boy ... asking him to love her."
7. "Independence Day": Bill Pullman's "Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"
8. "Braveheart": Mel Gibson's "They may take our lives, but they will not take our freedom!"
9. "Jerry Maguire": Renee Zellweger to Tom Cruise: "You had me at hello."
10. "The Postman": A blind woman says to Kevin Costner: "You're a godsend, a savior." He replies: "No, I'm a postman."
Splenda Is Splendid
Dieters of the world, watch out! Your supply of Splenda, the brand name for the no-calorie sucralose concoction, is about to be crimped. Tate & Lyle, the world's only sucralose manufacturer, says demand so far outstrips supply that it simply cannot make enough. And it's going to get worse before it gets better. Sucralose was previously banned in the European Union but is set to be introduced to the 25 member countries in 2005.
As the only no-calorie substitute made from sugar, Splenda is sold to consumers by McNeil Nutritionals, a unit of Johnson & Johnson. Because of the popularity of such diets as Atkins and South Beach, demand for the sugar-sweet substitute has been rampant.
a href="http://slate.msn.com/?id=2070686">A sugar snob taste-tests Splenda: "So, I guess there's a point to be made about Splenda, and that point is that the stuff really doesn't taste so bad. And you don't even digest it! I'm a little more wary of Splenda ......
Even though my taste buds were obviously confused when it came to iced tea, I'm going to remain a sugar snob. Life is short, you know."
As the only no-calorie substitute made from sugar, Splenda is sold to consumers by McNeil Nutritionals, a unit of Johnson & Johnson. Because of the popularity of such diets as Atkins and South Beach, demand for the sugar-sweet substitute has been rampant.
a href="http://slate.msn.com/?id=2070686">A sugar snob taste-tests Splenda: "So, I guess there's a point to be made about Splenda, and that point is that the stuff really doesn't taste so bad. And you don't even digest it! I'm a little more wary of Splenda ......
Even though my taste buds were obviously confused when it came to iced tea, I'm going to remain a sugar snob. Life is short, you know."
Jones Could Lose Her Medals
Marion Jones should be stripped of her five Olympic medals if allegations that she used banned drugs before the 2000 Sydney Games are true, World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound said Friday.
Victor Conte, head of the lab that allegedly provided steroids and other banned drugs to elite athletes, told ABC's '20/20' that he gave Jones performance-enhancing drugs and watched as she injected herself with human growth hormone.
Victor Conte, head of the lab that allegedly provided steroids and other banned drugs to elite athletes, told ABC's '20/20' that he gave Jones performance-enhancing drugs and watched as she injected herself with human growth hormone.
"Jeopardy" king Ken's New Gig
Answer: 'Jeopardy' king Ken Jennings' new gig.
Question: What is Encarta's new spokesman?
Jennings, a 30-year-old software engineer from Salt Lake City, garnered a huge following after a 74-game winning streak on the knowledge-testing TV game show. The streak, which ended last month, netted Jennings more than $2.5 million in winnings, free tax services from H&R Block and now a new job with Microsoft.
The software company said Monday that as its encyclopedia product's spokesman, Jennings would be featured in a 'Quiz the Whiz' game through Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005 that challenges users to stump him.
Question: What is Encarta's new spokesman?
Jennings, a 30-year-old software engineer from Salt Lake City, garnered a huge following after a 74-game winning streak on the knowledge-testing TV game show. The streak, which ended last month, netted Jennings more than $2.5 million in winnings, free tax services from H&R Block and now a new job with Microsoft.
The software company said Monday that as its encyclopedia product's spokesman, Jennings would be featured in a 'Quiz the Whiz' game through Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005 that challenges users to stump him.
A good place for a date?
All-Cereal Restaurant: "How's this for thinking outside the box: a cafe with jammies-clad servers pouring cereal day and night, topping it off with everything from fruit to malted milk balls, and serving it in 'bowls' resembling Chinese takeout containers. It's all cereal. Seriously.
Cereality Cereal Bar & Cafe, opened its first sit-down cafe Wednesday on the University of Pennsylvania campus,"
Between bites of hot oatmeal with cranberries and almonds, Penn junior Alpha Mengistu, 20, said Cereality offered more than a quick carb- and sugar-load.
"I think this would be a good place for a date," she said. "You could learn a lot about a person by what cereal they choose."
Cereality Cereal Bar & Cafe, opened its first sit-down cafe Wednesday on the University of Pennsylvania campus,"
Between bites of hot oatmeal with cranberries and almonds, Penn junior Alpha Mengistu, 20, said Cereality offered more than a quick carb- and sugar-load.
"I think this would be a good place for a date," she said. "You could learn a lot about a person by what cereal they choose."
O: An Intimate History of the Orgasm
'Aside from the need to breathe and eat,' writes Jonathan Margolis, 'the pursuit of orgasm has been one of the strongest single determinants of human behavior throughout history.' It is hard to disagree with him, especially once you've come to the end of his new book, 'O: An Intimate History of the Orgasm.'
Documenting attitudes to sex from the cavemen to modern times, Margolis shows how human culture has been driven by the pursuit of that most elusive, fleeting and inconsistent pleasure. For despite our obsession, he writes, 'most individuals will experience a mere twenty seconds of orgasm a week, a minute or so a month, or a total of twelve ecstatic minutes a year.'
Documenting attitudes to sex from the cavemen to modern times, Margolis shows how human culture has been driven by the pursuit of that most elusive, fleeting and inconsistent pleasure. For despite our obsession, he writes, 'most individuals will experience a mere twenty seconds of orgasm a week, a minute or so a month, or a total of twelve ecstatic minutes a year.'
Generation Raised With Internet Grows Up "
"Generation Raised With Internet Grows Up "
Young people are now the savviest of the tech-savvy, as likely to demand a speedy broadband connection as to download music onto an iPod, or upload digital photos to their Web logs.
The Internet has shaped the way they work, relax and even date. It's created a different notion of community for them and new avenues for expression that are, at best, liberating and fun - but that also can become a forum for pettiness and, occasionally, criminal exploitation.
More than any previous generation, today's young people are plugged in - all the time - with a world of communication and information at their fingertips.
Take Suhas Sridharan, whose introduction to the Web came as a sixth-grader in South Carolina. In those days, she regularly visited the Disney Web site to play games; by high school, she was researching assignments online and checking her e-mail daily.
"Now I think even my 'senior self' in high school would be surprised how much I use the Internet," says Sridharan, a 17-year-old freshman at Emory University in Atlanta, where the Web is woven into the framework of students' lives via a system called LearnLink.
Assignments are dispersed online. Students are much more likely to do research online than use the library. And even the proverbial class handout has gone the way of the Web, posted on electronic bulletin boards for downloading after class.
So when Emory's computer server went down for a few hours one evening this fall, you would've thought the world had come to an end. "A lot of people were at loose ends," Sridharan says. "They couldn't do their homework."
Of course, there is a dark side to having such broad access: It gives identity thieves and sexual predators a new place to look for victims.
Perhaps more common than those well-publicized dangers are the everyday dramas caused by online rumor-spreading. And it can get ugly, particularly when people post comments on their online profiles and Web logs, commonly known as blogs.
Jennifer Anello recalls the time a friend got drunk one Saturday night, called her ex-boyfriend and ended up arguing with him.
'The following Monday his profile had something to the effect of 'Can someone tell (my ex-girlfriend) how to hold her liquor and get her a shrink?'' says Anello, who's 24 and lives in Stamford, Conn.
Online rumors and innuendo cause angst among teens, too. 'Parents say, 'We never knew it would take on this velocity and ferocity,'' says Amanda Lenhart, another Pew researcher.
Andreea Johnson, a student at Central Michigan University and a regular Web user, says those bad experiences make some people, including the grandmother who raised her, wary of the Internet.
'Are you kidding? She would never get an e-mail account,' Johnson says, laughing. 'I think some older people still think of it as the devil - like it's kind of evil.
Young people are now the savviest of the tech-savvy, as likely to demand a speedy broadband connection as to download music onto an iPod, or upload digital photos to their Web logs.
The Internet has shaped the way they work, relax and even date. It's created a different notion of community for them and new avenues for expression that are, at best, liberating and fun - but that also can become a forum for pettiness and, occasionally, criminal exploitation.
More than any previous generation, today's young people are plugged in - all the time - with a world of communication and information at their fingertips.
Take Suhas Sridharan, whose introduction to the Web came as a sixth-grader in South Carolina. In those days, she regularly visited the Disney Web site to play games; by high school, she was researching assignments online and checking her e-mail daily.
"Now I think even my 'senior self' in high school would be surprised how much I use the Internet," says Sridharan, a 17-year-old freshman at Emory University in Atlanta, where the Web is woven into the framework of students' lives via a system called LearnLink.
Assignments are dispersed online. Students are much more likely to do research online than use the library. And even the proverbial class handout has gone the way of the Web, posted on electronic bulletin boards for downloading after class.
So when Emory's computer server went down for a few hours one evening this fall, you would've thought the world had come to an end. "A lot of people were at loose ends," Sridharan says. "They couldn't do their homework."
Of course, there is a dark side to having such broad access: It gives identity thieves and sexual predators a new place to look for victims.
Perhaps more common than those well-publicized dangers are the everyday dramas caused by online rumor-spreading. And it can get ugly, particularly when people post comments on their online profiles and Web logs, commonly known as blogs.
Jennifer Anello recalls the time a friend got drunk one Saturday night, called her ex-boyfriend and ended up arguing with him.
'The following Monday his profile had something to the effect of 'Can someone tell (my ex-girlfriend) how to hold her liquor and get her a shrink?'' says Anello, who's 24 and lives in Stamford, Conn.
Online rumors and innuendo cause angst among teens, too. 'Parents say, 'We never knew it would take on this velocity and ferocity,'' says Amanda Lenhart, another Pew researcher.
Andreea Johnson, a student at Central Michigan University and a regular Web user, says those bad experiences make some people, including the grandmother who raised her, wary of the Internet.
'Are you kidding? She would never get an e-mail account,' Johnson says, laughing. 'I think some older people still think of it as the devil - like it's kind of evil.
Name and Shame a Love Cheat
Susan Hughes from Devon, England has launched a web site for betrayed lovers to seek their revenge by posting photographs and details of their cheating partners.
For more details please contact Susna Hughes - Media Ltd
e-mail info@medavia.co.uk.
I can't thinking of the cost. Why spend more money on someone who has betrayed you?
Probably this is aimed at women.
For more details please contact Susna Hughes - Media Ltd
e-mail info@medavia.co.uk.
I can't thinking of the cost. Why spend more money on someone who has betrayed you?
Probably this is aimed at women.
Google Giggle
"Go to www.google.com
Beside the 'search' button, click 'preferences'.
Change the interface language to 'Elmer Fudd'.
Copy and paste this exactly in the 'search' function:
isveryridiculousand
Giggle."
Beside the 'search' button, click 'preferences'.
Change the interface language to 'Elmer Fudd'.
Copy and paste this exactly in the 'search' function:
isveryridiculousand
Giggle."
Exuberance: The Passion for Life
Science has put considerable effort into studying the sadder side of human nature, focusing on negative or destructive emotions. Kay Redfield Jamison is hoping science will look in the other direction -- at exuberance.
"Joy may be less philosophically satisfying than pain," Redfield said. "But it's just as important -- and a lot more fun."
Jamison is a scientist, writer and professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.
The following excerpt is taken from the article Psychiatry Expert Probes Roots of Exuberance
: "Theorists suspect that as many as one in 10 people are lucky enough to embrace a temperament built on long-lasting energy and enthusiasm, she said -- people who are 'born bold, active and fearless, people who feel intensively alive.'
Jamison said that an exuberant temperament creates Nobel Prize-winners like Watson and renowned physicist Richard Feynman, whom Alan Alda portrayed on Broadway in 'QED.' And she suspects that scientists in particular may benefit from a high dose.
'Science is full of failure, and you need people to bounce back and get re-enthused,' she said. 'Exuberance is contagious,' and that energy motivates others to pursue similar ideas.
To understand the chemistry that drives high energy and high mood is to capture the force behind many great discoveries, she said. 'Exuberance is not recognized for the vital role it plays in discovery, creativity, leadership and survival itself ... It forces us out into a greater arena of life.'
But push exuberance too far, and mad things can happen. "
"Joy may be less philosophically satisfying than pain," Redfield said. "But it's just as important -- and a lot more fun."
Jamison is a scientist, writer and professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.
The following excerpt is taken from the article Psychiatry Expert Probes Roots of Exuberance
: "Theorists suspect that as many as one in 10 people are lucky enough to embrace a temperament built on long-lasting energy and enthusiasm, she said -- people who are 'born bold, active and fearless, people who feel intensively alive.'
Jamison said that an exuberant temperament creates Nobel Prize-winners like Watson and renowned physicist Richard Feynman, whom Alan Alda portrayed on Broadway in 'QED.' And she suspects that scientists in particular may benefit from a high dose.
'Science is full of failure, and you need people to bounce back and get re-enthused,' she said. 'Exuberance is contagious,' and that energy motivates others to pursue similar ideas.
To understand the chemistry that drives high energy and high mood is to capture the force behind many great discoveries, she said. 'Exuberance is not recognized for the vital role it plays in discovery, creativity, leadership and survival itself ... It forces us out into a greater arena of life.'
But push exuberance too far, and mad things can happen. "
Family, friends, AIDS and a pot of nshima.
I spent most part of today with family friends and their friends. It was a nice day of nshima, okra, fish and yes you guessed it chicken. I was impressed with the quality of the nshima, upon complimenting the young woman in charge, I was kindly informed that the maize meal was imported from Zambia.
All you Sossanites craving for the real mcCoy, just buzz me, there is plenty of Zambian maize meal to keep you bellies full for the rest of the winter.
Anyway, while we were having a lavish feast of zambian meal, the issue of aids come up. Who has or does not have aids, how can you tell. What if you fancy someone, does it matter? And of course, condoms.
Mind you, here is a self professed HIV/AIDS activist sitting with 20 somethings men and women discussing sex and related matters. It is quite easy for me to post a comment or article on the internet about aids, but quite different to talk to young people you have known for a long time about an issue which is now taken for granted. It was a challenge to say the least.
My take on this issue is simply this, there are lots of lovely and beautiful people out there. It is only natural to get smitten by the bug called love, and it is a natural step to sleep with your luv thang.
Please, please, remember this, just wear a johnny while you at it!
All the young ones thought I was nuts and laughed about it. One even had the audacity to ask me about my favourite flavour. I'm talking about kids who do not even know who flava flav is, that Dr Dre side kick from NWA. Anyway, teaching youngesters who know so much about sex is a very daunting task.
I think the message should be geared to responsibility. The youngsters have so much access to information, yet they lack the sense of responsibility. If we teach these young things how to be responsible with all the info the hold in their tiny brains, we are getting somewhere. And the message on HIV prevention will hit home.
All you Sossanites craving for the real mcCoy, just buzz me, there is plenty of Zambian maize meal to keep you bellies full for the rest of the winter.
Anyway, while we were having a lavish feast of zambian meal, the issue of aids come up. Who has or does not have aids, how can you tell. What if you fancy someone, does it matter? And of course, condoms.
Mind you, here is a self professed HIV/AIDS activist sitting with 20 somethings men and women discussing sex and related matters. It is quite easy for me to post a comment or article on the internet about aids, but quite different to talk to young people you have known for a long time about an issue which is now taken for granted. It was a challenge to say the least.
My take on this issue is simply this, there are lots of lovely and beautiful people out there. It is only natural to get smitten by the bug called love, and it is a natural step to sleep with your luv thang.
Please, please, remember this, just wear a johnny while you at it!
All the young ones thought I was nuts and laughed about it. One even had the audacity to ask me about my favourite flavour. I'm talking about kids who do not even know who flava flav is, that Dr Dre side kick from NWA. Anyway, teaching youngesters who know so much about sex is a very daunting task.
I think the message should be geared to responsibility. The youngsters have so much access to information, yet they lack the sense of responsibility. If we teach these young things how to be responsible with all the info the hold in their tiny brains, we are getting somewhere. And the message on HIV prevention will hit home.
Google Here, Google There, Google Everywhere
Boot your GooOS, then load up the Growser. After that, head out on the Web to access the GooFiles from your primary Gdrive, check your Gmail and begin editing your daily report using the GWord part of the GooOffice suite.
That's the way it's going to be in the future, if some of the wilder predictions about Google.com prove true.
The search darling is tight-lipped about its plans for expanding the Googlesphere.Here are the conjecture and the facts - or fiction - behind each potential scenario.
That's the way it's going to be in the future, if some of the wilder predictions about Google.com prove true.
The search darling is tight-lipped about its plans for expanding the Googlesphere.Here are the conjecture and the facts - or fiction - behind each potential scenario.
'Blog' No. 1 word of the year - Nov 30, 2004
CNN.com - Publisher: 'Blog' No. 1 word of the year : "A four-letter term that came to symbolize the difference between old and new media during this year's presidential campaign tops U.S. dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster's list of the 10 words of the year.
Merriam-Webster Inc. said on Tuesday that blog, defined as 'a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks,' was one of the most looked-up words on its Internet sites this year."
Merriam-Webster Inc. said on Tuesday that blog, defined as 'a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks,' was one of the most looked-up words on its Internet sites this year."
Dialling Under the Influence
I have on several occasions dialled people have not intended to talk to for one reason or another after a drunken party or a drinking session with friends.
When I'm tipsy, usually, I get highly sentimental. The downside to this is that I tend to say all sorts of nice things to people I don't really like. Exes feature highly on the drunken dial mode.
I have always wonderd why I keep doing it.
Virgin Mobile is aiming to prevent drunken dialing in Australia by providing a way to blacklist numbers so that they can't be called until 6AM, Help available for 'drunken diallers'.
Sounds like a great step to add into the break up routine. Slam door, blacklist SO's phone number while highlighting the numbers of their cute friends, get pissed.
When I'm tipsy, usually, I get highly sentimental. The downside to this is that I tend to say all sorts of nice things to people I don't really like. Exes feature highly on the drunken dial mode.
I have always wonderd why I keep doing it.
Virgin Mobile is aiming to prevent drunken dialing in Australia by providing a way to blacklist numbers so that they can't be called until 6AM, Help available for 'drunken diallers'.
Sounds like a great step to add into the break up routine. Slam door, blacklist SO's phone number while highlighting the numbers of their cute friends, get pissed.
Etiquette in Mind When Mixing Work, Holidays
"So you think you're all set to impress at the office this holiday season? You've purchased a $300 cashmere Burberry scarf as a gift for the boss, you've sent cards to clients and co-workers featuring a quaint manger scene and you've found the perfect, slinky little black dress to wear to the office party.
Hold it. You're about to give Miss Manners a heart attack. When it comes to holiday etiquette, the business world plays by a completely different set of rules. "
Here are the rules of the game:
Hold it. You're about to give Miss Manners a heart attack. When it comes to holiday etiquette, the business world plays by a completely different set of rules. "
Here are the rules of the game:
The 'blog' revolution sweeps across China
Guestblogger Xiao Qiang published an in-depth article in New Scientist on blogging (bo ke) in China. Beyond the sheer growth, the failed attempts of the central authority to censor the most decentralized and adaptive of media holds promise for change.
I'd rather not be Rather
I manage a news website Mpelembe Network. I have come to learn that no one has a monopoly on news. We all want to get the latest freshiest and relevant dose of gossip.
The Economist.com | Lexingtonhas a brilliant article reminding the old guard to step aside before they are tossed on the scrap heap or Rather the following puts it more politely;
"Given America's fractious politics, it is easy to look at Mr Rather's retirement merely in terms of a left v right scorecard. But, more fundamentally, it is about choice.
Mr Rather's announcement of his (partial) retirement comes just a few days before Tom Brokaw resigns from his job anchoring NBC's evening news. That leaves ABC's Peter Jennings as the only survivor of the long-established triumvirate. But nobody imagines that the arrival of new blood at CBS and NBC will revive the fortunes of the network news. Most Americans now get their news from an ever-proliferating range of sources: not just Fox or CNN, but also foreign newspapers and even the innumerable original documents that are now available at the touch of a button. And fewer people regard any single news source�be it CBS News or the New York Times�as the embodiment of truth. "
The Economist.com | Lexingtonhas a brilliant article reminding the old guard to step aside before they are tossed on the scrap heap or Rather the following puts it more politely;
"Given America's fractious politics, it is easy to look at Mr Rather's retirement merely in terms of a left v right scorecard. But, more fundamentally, it is about choice.
Mr Rather's announcement of his (partial) retirement comes just a few days before Tom Brokaw resigns from his job anchoring NBC's evening news. That leaves ABC's Peter Jennings as the only survivor of the long-established triumvirate. But nobody imagines that the arrival of new blood at CBS and NBC will revive the fortunes of the network news. Most Americans now get their news from an ever-proliferating range of sources: not just Fox or CNN, but also foreign newspapers and even the innumerable original documents that are now available at the touch of a button. And fewer people regard any single news source�be it CBS News or the New York Times�as the embodiment of truth. "
Raising (Rising) New Media
the old media are losing power to the new: "Mr Rather's retirement epitomises two broader shifts of power. First, the old media are losing power to the new. And, second, the liberal media establishment is losing power to a more diverse cacophony of new voices.
For most of the post-war era the American media were dominated by a comfortable liberal consensus. The New York Times was the undisputed king of the print news, while the network anchors lorded it over TV news. That consensus is now under siege. The attacks are partly coming from the cable networks�particularly from conservative Fox News. (Charles Krauthammer once quipped that Rupert Murdoch had spotted a niche market�half the country. Sure enough, Fox is now America's top-rated cable news network.) But old media also face a newer and more unpredictable source of competition�the blogosphere. Bloggers have discovered that all you need to set yourself up as a pundit is a website and an attitude."
For most of the post-war era the American media were dominated by a comfortable liberal consensus. The New York Times was the undisputed king of the print news, while the network anchors lorded it over TV news. That consensus is now under siege. The attacks are partly coming from the cable networks�particularly from conservative Fox News. (Charles Krauthammer once quipped that Rupert Murdoch had spotted a niche market�half the country. Sure enough, Fox is now America's top-rated cable news network.) But old media also face a newer and more unpredictable source of competition�the blogosphere. Bloggers have discovered that all you need to set yourself up as a pundit is a website and an attitude."
My Crappy Life
My Crappy Life: "Just to let everyone know, my mother was murdered
I'm a quite confused by this comment. I have gone through Rachelle Ann Monica Waterman's LiveJournal, even her website, http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/ art/s/m/smchyrocky/smchyrocky.html, and yet there is so much talk about her getting her mother murdered.
In case you are wondering the story is that this teenager enlisted a couple of men to kill her mother. The story has been running since mid november. People who know this young women claim that the story is true, others like me think it is another internet rumour gone wild, like "I'll find my frog story".
The mainstream media have not picked up on this, yet.
I'm watching the latest commentaries to see what pans out. If true, this is really sick!
I'm a quite confused by this comment. I have gone through Rachelle Ann Monica Waterman's LiveJournal, even her website, http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/ art/s/m/smchyrocky/smchyrocky.html, and yet there is so much talk about her getting her mother murdered.
In case you are wondering the story is that this teenager enlisted a couple of men to kill her mother. The story has been running since mid november. People who know this young women claim that the story is true, others like me think it is another internet rumour gone wild, like "I'll find my frog story".
The mainstream media have not picked up on this, yet.
I'm watching the latest commentaries to see what pans out. If true, this is really sick!
Le French Logic
Court Rules French Film Not French Enough : "Court Rules French Film Not French Enough
Never mind that Jean-Pierre Jeunet's new film is a French story filmed in the French language featuring one of France's biggest actresses. A Paris court has ruled that 'Un Long Dimanche de Fiancailles' (A Very Long Engagement), which opened Friday in the United States, is too American to compete in French film festivals - because of its Warner Bros. backing.
The movie, which opened at the end of October in France to much acclaim, stars Audrey Tautou, the winsome young actress who went from virtual unknown to international star with Jeunet's 2001 romance 'Amelie.'
The National Center for Cinematography, or CNC, made state funds available for Jeunet's movie in October 2003. A producer's association immediately questioned the film's nationality and filed a complaint. "
Never mind that Jean-Pierre Jeunet's new film is a French story filmed in the French language featuring one of France's biggest actresses. A Paris court has ruled that 'Un Long Dimanche de Fiancailles' (A Very Long Engagement), which opened Friday in the United States, is too American to compete in French film festivals - because of its Warner Bros. backing.
The movie, which opened at the end of October in France to much acclaim, stars Audrey Tautou, the winsome young actress who went from virtual unknown to international star with Jeunet's 2001 romance 'Amelie.'
The National Center for Cinematography, or CNC, made state funds available for Jeunet's movie in October 2003. A producer's association immediately questioned the film's nationality and filed a complaint. "
World of Drugs
World of Drugs The Astonishing Facts That Show How This Costly 130-Year War on Narcotics Has Achieved so Little
BILLIONS have been spent by governments in Western Europe and North America fighting the drug dealers. But the war is being lost.
Heroin, cocaine, metamphetamine and other illegal drugs are cheaper, purer and easier to get hold of than ever.
And in the United States alone half a million people are behind bars on drug charges - more than the entire prison population of Western Europe.
These shocking statistics show how drugs are ruling the world."
BILLIONS have been spent by governments in Western Europe and North America fighting the drug dealers. But the war is being lost.
Heroin, cocaine, metamphetamine and other illegal drugs are cheaper, purer and easier to get hold of than ever.
And in the United States alone half a million people are behind bars on drug charges - more than the entire prison population of Western Europe.
These shocking statistics show how drugs are ruling the world."
DVD killed the video star : Part 3
I don't see any conflict at all and both postings do have valid points to make. My contention with the original posting
was that it cited picture and sound quality as one of - if not THE reason why the VCR had lost to the DVD. It
was with this that I disagree and state that a high quality VCR will give you picture and Hi Fi sound that will rival
DVD. Of course with VCRs, the actual tape matters - a lot! If you want hi quality picture and sound, you need to be
looking at high end tapes, not the regular run-of-the mill "for daily use" types. One needs to be looking at the likes
of the JVC EHG and higher series of video cassettes.
It should come as no surprise that the DVD outsells the VCR on the high street by what must be an order of
magnitude, for various reasons, not least that the DVD players are now dirt cheap and the technology certainly
en vogue. The DVD has several 'features' that outclass the VCR by leaps and bounds - like the option to enable
or disable subtitles in more than one language (there are VCRs that do menus, indexing and subtitles - but I
haven't seen one that lets you pick the subtitle language).
The DVD's ability to playback CDs and MP3 files means it is fast replacing CD players as well and what is going
largely un-announced by the big high street retailers is that sales of CD players have fallen as well. You find people
are opting to have the one DVD player that doubles as both 'VCR' and CD-player. They will often connect this to an
AV type amplifier - usually with the 5:1 audio processing capability and Dolby-this-and-DTS-that. This often means
that the sound setup is changing from regular 2-channel stereo to surround sound to make the most of the
audio technology (1 x Sub woofer, 2 x front surround, 2 x rear surround).
What most do not realise is that there is a silent world out there known only to the purists. These are the sort that
will shell out GBP 2000 on a turntable (that was not an extra zero!) and will be looking for little-known names such
as Sugden, Naim, Linn, Audio Note and Rothwell to mention but a few, and will shell out 5 times that much for a
pair of speakers. They frown on AV amplifiers, DVD audio and surround sound - and maintain that these should be
used only for reproducing video recordings (DVD) not Hi Fi audio. The latter - as far as the audiophiles are concerned -
remains the preserve of high quality Hi Fi amplifiers, stereo speakers and analog sources. These unfortunately, are in
the minority and are largely ignored by the big companies because let's face it - there is more to be made by selling a
million things that cost $10 each than 1 item which costs $1M.
It is in Dixon's interest to announce that it will no longer stock VCRs because let's face it - it is all overhead to
them. I can't see that anyone would want to buy a VCR in Japan and the occident today with the DVD recorder prices
falling as they are, and yes, people will start transferring their video recordings to DVD - but if one's VCR was not high
quality to start with, one will end up with a DVD that is the same quality as their original VHS recording! The
only benefit of this transfer then becomes convenience - not quality.
It is for this reason that I am loathe to transfer my vinyl to CD. I'd rather transfer it to SACD, but alas! Majority rules.
Like Beta max lost out to VHS, again the world of commerce dictates that the accepted universal standard for audio will
be the lower quality system - but that is another debate!
Thanks for the info...
was that it cited picture and sound quality as one of - if not THE reason why the VCR had lost to the DVD. It
was with this that I disagree and state that a high quality VCR will give you picture and Hi Fi sound that will rival
DVD. Of course with VCRs, the actual tape matters - a lot! If you want hi quality picture and sound, you need to be
looking at high end tapes, not the regular run-of-the mill "for daily use" types. One needs to be looking at the likes
of the JVC EHG and higher series of video cassettes.
It should come as no surprise that the DVD outsells the VCR on the high street by what must be an order of
magnitude, for various reasons, not least that the DVD players are now dirt cheap and the technology certainly
en vogue. The DVD has several 'features' that outclass the VCR by leaps and bounds - like the option to enable
or disable subtitles in more than one language (there are VCRs that do menus, indexing and subtitles - but I
haven't seen one that lets you pick the subtitle language).
The DVD's ability to playback CDs and MP3 files means it is fast replacing CD players as well and what is going
largely un-announced by the big high street retailers is that sales of CD players have fallen as well. You find people
are opting to have the one DVD player that doubles as both 'VCR' and CD-player. They will often connect this to an
AV type amplifier - usually with the 5:1 audio processing capability and Dolby-this-and-DTS-that. This often means
that the sound setup is changing from regular 2-channel stereo to surround sound to make the most of the
audio technology (1 x Sub woofer, 2 x front surround, 2 x rear surround).
What most do not realise is that there is a silent world out there known only to the purists. These are the sort that
will shell out GBP 2000 on a turntable (that was not an extra zero!) and will be looking for little-known names such
as Sugden, Naim, Linn, Audio Note and Rothwell to mention but a few, and will shell out 5 times that much for a
pair of speakers. They frown on AV amplifiers, DVD audio and surround sound - and maintain that these should be
used only for reproducing video recordings (DVD) not Hi Fi audio. The latter - as far as the audiophiles are concerned -
remains the preserve of high quality Hi Fi amplifiers, stereo speakers and analog sources. These unfortunately, are in
the minority and are largely ignored by the big companies because let's face it - there is more to be made by selling a
million things that cost $10 each than 1 item which costs $1M.
It is in Dixon's interest to announce that it will no longer stock VCRs because let's face it - it is all overhead to
them. I can't see that anyone would want to buy a VCR in Japan and the occident today with the DVD recorder prices
falling as they are, and yes, people will start transferring their video recordings to DVD - but if one's VCR was not high
quality to start with, one will end up with a DVD that is the same quality as their original VHS recording! The
only benefit of this transfer then becomes convenience - not quality.
It is for this reason that I am loathe to transfer my vinyl to CD. I'd rather transfer it to SACD, but alas! Majority rules.
Like Beta max lost out to VHS, again the world of commerce dictates that the accepted universal standard for audio will
be the lower quality system - but that is another debate!
Thanks for the info...
Email Service
Lessons From The Demise of The VCR
was greatly saddened to hear of beginning of the end of the video recorder. Dixons (LSE: DXNS) has sounded the death knell for the VCR with its announcement that it will stop selling them after Christmas this year.
Dixons justified its decision to stop selling VCRs by confessing to a drop in demand for video recorders. It also revealed that DVD players currently outsell VCRs by a hefty ratio of forty to one. For some of us, the impending demise of the VCR brings to the fore the problem of what to do with our library of video tapes.
Most solutions involve throwing money at the problem. For example, it is possible to buy a substantial stock of cheap video recorders and tapes that would hopefully see you through your playing days. Of course, video tapes have a limited shelf, with degradation over time an insurmountable problem. It is also possible to transfer your video tapes onto DVDs. You can do this either through your personal computer or via your existing television set-up. There are even specialist companies that will convert the tapes for you.
was greatly saddened to hear of beginning of the end of the video recorder. Dixons (LSE: DXNS) has sounded the death knell for the VCR with its announcement that it will stop selling them after Christmas this year.
Dixons justified its decision to stop selling VCRs by confessing to a drop in demand for video recorders. It also revealed that DVD players currently outsell VCRs by a hefty ratio of forty to one. For some of us, the impending demise of the VCR brings to the fore the problem of what to do with our library of video tapes.
Most solutions involve throwing money at the problem. For example, it is possible to buy a substantial stock of cheap video recorders and tapes that would hopefully see you through your playing days. Of course, video tapes have a limited shelf, with degradation over time an insurmountable problem. It is also possible to transfer your video tapes onto DVDs. You can do this either through your personal computer or via your existing television set-up. There are even specialist companies that will convert the tapes for you.
WE WERE VERY HAPPY CHILDREN
"More items to remind one of the good old days.
1.- We never wore seatbelts in the car, cars didn't have airbags.You still
had British cars on the roads and Peugeot 504s and Fiat 131 (Mirafori) and Fiat 132s were the in things.
2.- Riding on the back of a vanette was an adventure that we still remember!
3.- When we rode our bikes we never wore a helmet.
4.- We would drink water from the tap or from a hose in the backyard (not
bottled water).
5.- We didn't have cell phones , so our parents were never able to reach us
(awesome)
6.- We would eat cake, bread and butter, drink sugary drinks, and we weren't
overweight nor worry about cholesterol or diets because we were always
outside playing
7.- Four of us would share a drink, we would all drink from the same bottle
and that wasn't disgusting nor would anyone get sick.
8.- We didn't have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X boxes, video games, DSTV,
VCR's, surround sound, cellular phones, computers, online chatrooms, instead
we would have tons of FRIENDS
9.- Remember DPB's milk chocolate biscuits.
10.- We listened to music with titles like Lazy Bones or Introduction or
45,000 volts sang by musicians who spoke broken English with funny accents
with bands called The Witch, Liqourice All Sorts, Ngozi Family, Crossbones
and not endless computer generated love songs or rap music with lyrics so
foul you probably needed a condom just to listen to it.
11. We wore pink shirts with big collars, platform shoes(Heliganza), crimplene trousers and shirts, bell bottom jeans with massive cowboy belts with brass bu"
1.- We never wore seatbelts in the car, cars didn't have airbags.You still
had British cars on the roads and Peugeot 504s and Fiat 131 (Mirafori) and Fiat 132s were the in things.
2.- Riding on the back of a vanette was an adventure that we still remember!
3.- When we rode our bikes we never wore a helmet.
4.- We would drink water from the tap or from a hose in the backyard (not
bottled water).
5.- We didn't have cell phones , so our parents were never able to reach us
(awesome)
6.- We would eat cake, bread and butter, drink sugary drinks, and we weren't
overweight nor worry about cholesterol or diets because we were always
outside playing
7.- Four of us would share a drink, we would all drink from the same bottle
and that wasn't disgusting nor would anyone get sick.
8.- We didn't have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X boxes, video games, DSTV,
VCR's, surround sound, cellular phones, computers, online chatrooms, instead
we would have tons of FRIENDS
9.- Remember DPB's milk chocolate biscuits.
10.- We listened to music with titles like Lazy Bones or Introduction or
45,000 volts sang by musicians who spoke broken English with funny accents
with bands called The Witch, Liqourice All Sorts, Ngozi Family, Crossbones
and not endless computer generated love songs or rap music with lyrics so
foul you probably needed a condom just to listen to it.
11. We wore pink shirts with big collars, platform shoes(Heliganza), crimplene trousers and shirts, bell bottom jeans with massive cowboy belts with brass bu"
Economic `Armageddon' predicted
BostonHerald.com - Business: Economic `Armageddon' predicted: "Stephen Roach, the chief economist at investment banking giant Morgan Stanley, has a public reputation for being bearish.
But you should hear what he's saying in private.
Roach met select groups of fund managers downtown last week, including a group at Fidelity.
His prediction: America has no better than a 10 percent chance of avoiding economic ``armageddon.'' "
But you should hear what he's saying in private.
Roach met select groups of fund managers downtown last week, including a group at Fidelity.
His prediction: America has no better than a 10 percent chance of avoiding economic ``armageddon.'' "
soca, what's the goal?
Spy Blog: New British "Organised Crime Agency", trust, turf wars and privacy issues: "So what exactly will the 'Organised Crime Agency' tackle, and will the existing agencies still duplicate their work ?
Will it be truely National. i.e. will it include Scotland and Northern Ireland ?
Will there be extra funding for this new Agency ?
What are the limits on its power, and who audits those powers ?
What will the complaints procedure be ?
Or is this just going to be yet another Government soundbite policy ? "
Will it be truely National. i.e. will it include Scotland and Northern Ireland ?
Will there be extra funding for this new Agency ?
What are the limits on its power, and who audits those powers ?
What will the complaints procedure be ?
Or is this just going to be yet another Government soundbite policy ? "
How Safe Are the 5 Drugs?
Five Drugs Panned by FDA Drug Reviewer : "Five drugs cited by a government drug reviewer as the worst examples of those that remain on the market despite safety concerns, along with alternate products:
- Accutane, a treatment for severe acne linked to birth defects and fetal death when used by pregnant women. Alternatives, according to March of Dimes: topical preparations of the antibiotics erythromycin or clindamycin and the antibacterial agent benzoyl peroxide.
- Bextra, a painkiller found in a recent study to more than double the risk of heart attacks and strokes among patients with heart disease. Alternatives, according to Public Citizen: Enteric-coated aspirin or ibuprofen.
- Crestor, an anti-cholesterol drug linked to a muscle-destroying side effect and acute renal failure. Alternative statins: Lipitor, Lescol, Pravachol, Mevacor and Zocor.
- Meridia, an obesity treatment linked to heart problems and, among pregnant women, stillbirths, miscarriages and birth defects. Alternatives: There's no other diet drug that works like Meridia.
- Serevent, an asthma medication that a study in England linked to increased deaths due to asthma. Alternate FDA-approved asthma drugs: Leukotriene blockers, inhaled corticosteroids and theophylline"
- Accutane, a treatment for severe acne linked to birth defects and fetal death when used by pregnant women. Alternatives, according to March of Dimes: topical preparations of the antibiotics erythromycin or clindamycin and the antibacterial agent benzoyl peroxide.
- Bextra, a painkiller found in a recent study to more than double the risk of heart attacks and strokes among patients with heart disease. Alternatives, according to Public Citizen: Enteric-coated aspirin or ibuprofen.
- Crestor, an anti-cholesterol drug linked to a muscle-destroying side effect and acute renal failure. Alternative statins: Lipitor, Lescol, Pravachol, Mevacor and Zocor.
- Meridia, an obesity treatment linked to heart problems and, among pregnant women, stillbirths, miscarriages and birth defects. Alternatives: There's no other diet drug that works like Meridia.
- Serevent, an asthma medication that a study in England linked to increased deaths due to asthma. Alternate FDA-approved asthma drugs: Leukotriene blockers, inhaled corticosteroids and theophylline"
Low-Carb Diets
And to All a Good Bite Before You Sit Down to That Holiday Feast, Take a Discerning Look at Low- Carb Diets : "And to All a Good Bite Before You Sit Down to That Holiday Feast, Take a Discerning Look at Low- Carb Diets
Daily News; Los Angeles, Calif. (Nov 24, 12:05 AM) Sticking to a diet plan is hard to do, period. But it becomes especially difficult during the holiday season when tables are laden with tempting treats that violate even the most generous of diet plans.
To lose weight, say nutrition experts, you must find a nutritionally sound diet that works for you. And knowing the pros and cons of the popular plans, such as Atkins and The Zone, can help you find the right weight-loss plan. "
Daily News; Los Angeles, Calif. (Nov 24, 12:05 AM) Sticking to a diet plan is hard to do, period. But it becomes especially difficult during the holiday season when tables are laden with tempting treats that violate even the most generous of diet plans.
To lose weight, say nutrition experts, you must find a nutritionally sound diet that works for you. And knowing the pros and cons of the popular plans, such as Atkins and The Zone, can help you find the right weight-loss plan. "
DVD killed the video star Update.
This is a response from one of my more knowledgeable buddy. I would disagree if he wasn't an electronics expert. I get a feeling the marketing men are selling us one and the the same thing twice over.
>> Besides, the VHS sound and picture quality were always rubbish.
And I beg to differ. I have heard this remark over and over and I think it really needs to be qualified. If you get a cheap VHS
recorder, then indeed your sound and picture will be less than superb. Shell out a decent amount and you would be amazed.
I purchased a top-of-the-range JVC HR-J935 Hi-Fi video recorder (next one up is S-VHS ) for about GBP 450 in '96 and remain
impressed with its capabilities. The picture and sound quality are excellent thanx to the so called Dynamic drum system. I played
back a TV recording for one of my friends only a few months ago and they asked me how much I had paid for my DVD-recorder.
I told them it wasn't the DVD (I don't have a recorder) but the video playing back and their comment was "No way you get sound
like that from a VCR!". I had to stop and eject the tape to convince them I was on the level.
It is a clever VCR and when you fast forward or rewind in playback mode, you don't get the white lines across the screen.
You get a clear picture - and at selected REW/FWD speeds, you even get the sound - not squiggly cartoon like-like noises,
but proper sound - at normal speed, sampled and played back normally so you can actually hear which portion of the tape you
are rewinding/forwarding. You can also record a HiFi track alongside the normal mono audio track and the two don't have to be
the same! The only drawback with the VCR is that it respects copyright - and the manual doesn't tell you about this! You can
record anything off TV, Hi-8 or a purchased video, you can't copy a video from Blockbusters! It has the so called microvision
technology which is a real pain for people prepared to disregard copyright law. I know you can buy gadgets off the internet
which strip the microvision macro and enable you to get round this problem, but these are only just now surfacing and I have
had my VCR since 96.
So, while it may be true to say that dollar for dollar you'd get better picture and sound from a DVD player - by miles -
it is not a universal fact that all VCRs are terrible
>> Another thing I always hated about VHS tapes is that they were so huge.
Now is this really true? The DVD itself might be very small compared with the tape, but the packaging does bring the
both of them on near level pegging so that's a moot point regarding storage unless one is talking disc without the case.
I think DVD covers should have been designed the same size as ordinary audio CDs to really make that point stick.
I think it is fair to put down the VCR on the basis of 'features' rather than trying to go the full mile and label them 'rubbish'
on quality grounds because the fact of the matter is that you get what you pay for.
Vinyl has in recent times put up an amazing come back as true audiophiles demand quality and the companies concede
that the sound quality on vinyl is better than CD - so much so that Sony has released a new format called SACD (super
Audio CD) to try and match (and presumably better) vinyl by emulating as closely as possible the data pattern in the vinyl
groove. Yet, when you look back to when CD first hit the scene, one of the selling points was that it was a higher quality than
vinyl!
I will not for a minute presume to state that VHS, or S-VHS even can match DVD. But I will move though, that you would be
hard pushed to tell - on the basis of picture and 2-channel stereo sound alone - the difference between DVD and a very good
quality VCR.
One person's opinion
>> Besides, the VHS sound and picture quality were always rubbish.
And I beg to differ. I have heard this remark over and over and I think it really needs to be qualified. If you get a cheap VHS
recorder, then indeed your sound and picture will be less than superb. Shell out a decent amount and you would be amazed.
I purchased a top-of-the-range JVC HR-J935 Hi-Fi video recorder (next one up is S-VHS ) for about GBP 450 in '96 and remain
impressed with its capabilities. The picture and sound quality are excellent thanx to the so called Dynamic drum system. I played
back a TV recording for one of my friends only a few months ago and they asked me how much I had paid for my DVD-recorder.
I told them it wasn't the DVD (I don't have a recorder) but the video playing back and their comment was "No way you get sound
like that from a VCR!". I had to stop and eject the tape to convince them I was on the level.
It is a clever VCR and when you fast forward or rewind in playback mode, you don't get the white lines across the screen.
You get a clear picture - and at selected REW/FWD speeds, you even get the sound - not squiggly cartoon like-like noises,
but proper sound - at normal speed, sampled and played back normally so you can actually hear which portion of the tape you
are rewinding/forwarding. You can also record a HiFi track alongside the normal mono audio track and the two don't have to be
the same! The only drawback with the VCR is that it respects copyright - and the manual doesn't tell you about this! You can
record anything off TV, Hi-8 or a purchased video, you can't copy a video from Blockbusters! It has the so called microvision
technology which is a real pain for people prepared to disregard copyright law. I know you can buy gadgets off the internet
which strip the microvision macro and enable you to get round this problem, but these are only just now surfacing and I have
had my VCR since 96.
So, while it may be true to say that dollar for dollar you'd get better picture and sound from a DVD player - by miles -
it is not a universal fact that all VCRs are terrible
>> Another thing I always hated about VHS tapes is that they were so huge.
Now is this really true? The DVD itself might be very small compared with the tape, but the packaging does bring the
both of them on near level pegging so that's a moot point regarding storage unless one is talking disc without the case.
I think DVD covers should have been designed the same size as ordinary audio CDs to really make that point stick.
I think it is fair to put down the VCR on the basis of 'features' rather than trying to go the full mile and label them 'rubbish'
on quality grounds because the fact of the matter is that you get what you pay for.
Vinyl has in recent times put up an amazing come back as true audiophiles demand quality and the companies concede
that the sound quality on vinyl is better than CD - so much so that Sony has released a new format called SACD (super
Audio CD) to try and match (and presumably better) vinyl by emulating as closely as possible the data pattern in the vinyl
groove. Yet, when you look back to when CD first hit the scene, one of the selling points was that it was a higher quality than
vinyl!
I will not for a minute presume to state that VHS, or S-VHS even can match DVD. But I will move though, that you would be
hard pushed to tell - on the basis of picture and 2-channel stereo sound alone - the difference between DVD and a very good
quality VCR.
One person's opinion
Most Powerful Woman in the World
Condi: The Enigma
A word from her to the President could unleash American missiles, terrifying bombing missions or a full-scale invasion that could bring the whole world to the edge of war. But nobody seems to know what really drives her.
"'Condi is not a politician, she's a diplomat,' she said (her old friend Deborah Carson).
'Besides, she's far too private a person to want to have her life scrutinised in that way. Condi has tremendous drive, she sets herself goals then she meets those goals.
'I guess she could do pretty much whatever she wanted in life.
'But President? No, I don't think so.'"
A word from her to the President could unleash American missiles, terrifying bombing missions or a full-scale invasion that could bring the whole world to the edge of war. But nobody seems to know what really drives her.
"'Condi is not a politician, she's a diplomat,' she said (her old friend Deborah Carson).
'Besides, she's far too private a person to want to have her life scrutinised in that way. Condi has tremendous drive, she sets herself goals then she meets those goals.
'I guess she could do pretty much whatever she wanted in life.
'But President? No, I don't think so.'"
What makes you - hic - feel drunk?
Today saw the launch of a new website, www.drinkaware.co.uk, which encourages awareness of alcohol consumption and also offers information on responsible drinking.
DVD killed the video star
DVD killed the video star: "As Dixons announces to phase out the VCR, Ashley Norris finds few reasons to mourn the end of an era "
So we're not shedding any tears over today's news that Dixons is to phase out selling any more VHS video recorders.
So will I miss our VCR when it finally gets the boot? Probably not. Like anyone of my generation, I am perfectly capable of getting wistful about the first time I saw a pirate movie (for some bizarre reason, for most of us it was almost always ET) on a friend's Betamax video.
Yet I also remember the hours I wasted trying to get my head round impenetrable timer programming systems, and the times I returned home to find the machine had recorded the EastEnders omnibus instead of the football are etched in my memory.
Besides, the VHS sound and picture quality were always rubbish. Once any sane person had seen a DVD, they weren't going to put up with crinkly images and snow-filled screens any more.
Another thing I always hated about VHS tapes is that they were so huge. Ikea bosses must be crying into their Swedish vodka today, knowing that the nation's living rooms will soon no longer require their enormous storage cupboards to house all those videos.
In all fairness, it is amazing that the VHS VCR has managed to cling on for as long as three decades.
So we're not shedding any tears over today's news that Dixons is to phase out selling any more VHS video recorders.
So will I miss our VCR when it finally gets the boot? Probably not. Like anyone of my generation, I am perfectly capable of getting wistful about the first time I saw a pirate movie (for some bizarre reason, for most of us it was almost always ET) on a friend's Betamax video.
Yet I also remember the hours I wasted trying to get my head round impenetrable timer programming systems, and the times I returned home to find the machine had recorded the EastEnders omnibus instead of the football are etched in my memory.
Besides, the VHS sound and picture quality were always rubbish. Once any sane person had seen a DVD, they weren't going to put up with crinkly images and snow-filled screens any more.
Another thing I always hated about VHS tapes is that they were so huge. Ikea bosses must be crying into their Swedish vodka today, knowing that the nation's living rooms will soon no longer require their enormous storage cupboards to house all those videos.
In all fairness, it is amazing that the VHS VCR has managed to cling on for as long as three decades.
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Man arrested over French student's murder
Man arrested over French student's murder: "Police were today questioning a 36-year-old man over the murder of the French student Amelie Delagrange, who died after being attacked near Twickenham Green in August.
The man was arrested at a house in West Drayton, near Heathrow airport, at around 8.30am. He was also being questioned over the attempted murder and robbery of a woman near the same green, in south-west London, in November 2002."
The man was arrested at a house in West Drayton, near Heathrow airport, at around 8.30am. He was also being questioned over the attempted murder and robbery of a woman near the same green, in south-west London, in November 2002."
A nation 'in grip of drink crisis'
Britain: a nation 'in grip of drink crisis': "The American 'super-cop' brought in by the Home Office to cut Britain's crime rate warned last night that the nation's binge drinking culture was spiralling out of control and fuelling an epidemic of violence outside pubs and clubs that threatened to overwhelm the police. "
I've seen the footage on TV and I do respect the men and women who risk their personal safety to control the situation.
I do not think it is armageddon, rather than exuberance.
I met a friend and his girlfriend yesterday at a pub to watch the England against South Africa rugby match. Funny that I had to go to a pub instead of the stadium which is only 15mins walk from where I live.
Anyway, it took me 30 minutes to order a drink. After that It was impossible to see the TV monitor because there were so many people taller people in front of me.
My friend and I and his squeeze consoled ourselves with with a few drinks. The people were all so civilised even though they were inebrieted not only from the England win over the Sringboks,but lot's ale as well.
I did not notice any fights, it was a good evening of family fun and all the English gentlemen ferried their happy families away peacefully.
I just wish England was like this everywhere.
I've seen the footage on TV and I do respect the men and women who risk their personal safety to control the situation.
I do not think it is armageddon, rather than exuberance.
I met a friend and his girlfriend yesterday at a pub to watch the England against South Africa rugby match. Funny that I had to go to a pub instead of the stadium which is only 15mins walk from where I live.
Anyway, it took me 30 minutes to order a drink. After that It was impossible to see the TV monitor because there were so many people taller people in front of me.
My friend and I and his squeeze consoled ourselves with with a few drinks. The people were all so civilised even though they were inebrieted not only from the England win over the Sringboks,but lot's ale as well.
I did not notice any fights, it was a good evening of family fun and all the English gentlemen ferried their happy families away peacefully.
I just wish England was like this everywhere.
Footage: French Soldiers Shooting Unarmed African Civilians
This link takes you to the main site. on the left column are links to various videos. it's in french, but you'll get there...
Footage: "French Soldiers shooting unarmed African civilians, killing some, and injuring many more."
Footage: "French Soldiers shooting unarmed African civilians, killing some, and injuring many more."
What Was Old Is New Again
What is it about the 1980s, they just don't seem to go away. I have been hearing about goingBack To The '80s for a while now. "People are nostalgic about the 1980s. Every post-World War II decade has gone through a romantic revival, so why not the '80s? "
The icons, fashions and attitudes of the '80s are back .
In a recent edition of her CNBC talk show, Tina Brown complained: 'I feel like I've been living in some kind of 1980s time warp.' The 1980s were not a bad decade for Ms. Brown, who sat atop New York society from her perch at Vanity Fair. So it was unexpected to hear her continue, lamenting the flashback, 'Is this getting old already?' If you didn't enjoy the cultural tropes of 20 years ago, you may share Ms. Brown's frustration.
Donald Trump, the embodiment of '80s excess and absurdity, is a reality megastar. CBS launched its November sweeps lineup with a 'Dallas' reunion. A telemovie about life behind the scenes at rival 'Dynasty' has been shot by ABC. A full-blown 'Dallas' feature is also in the works, along with a remake of 'The A-Team,' currently being scripted by James Bond maestro Bruce Feirstein. And Jamie Foxx may pair with Colin Farrell to revive the 'Miami Vice' franchise on the big screen."
For me the 80s where about music, It was New York, it was the 1980s, and hip-hop was being born: "back then, cool was all about having the right flavour and savoir faire . Such a style blended a certain brand of rebelliousness with a casual nonchalance. It was a cocky confidence that was meticulously updated by a perpetual pursuit of an alternative, yet distinctive, sensibility. Cool permeated the scene. Kool Herc, LL Cool J, Kool Rock Ski and Kool Moe Dee were but a few of the countless numbers who added the word cool to their street, graffiti, DJ, MC, and break-dancer names. But cool back then went beyond the Kangols, Adidas, gold chains, monikers. It went much deeper. It wasn't about being in a fashion show, going double platinum, or selling the next urban brand. Cool was about survival. It was about strength, pride, courage, and a fierce love for self. "
Now that I'm older Funk and rare grooves is more of my taste. My compilation of rare grooves includes popular sounds during the '80s that had of its emphasis on danceable, funky grooves, jazz-funk. This type of music became highly popular in the British underground music scene (where it was known as 'rare groove') when it was rediscovered during the mid- to late '80s. The especially hardcore funk fanatics spend much of their waking hours searching for something called "rare groove". The rare grooves include heavy and obscure tracks that are being used by Hip Hop producers & also highlights tunes yet to be unearthed. This is a sophisticated and rare experience of Funk and rare grooves. It is a must for 80s classy clubbers.
The icons, fashions and attitudes of the '80s are back .
In a recent edition of her CNBC talk show, Tina Brown complained: 'I feel like I've been living in some kind of 1980s time warp.' The 1980s were not a bad decade for Ms. Brown, who sat atop New York society from her perch at Vanity Fair. So it was unexpected to hear her continue, lamenting the flashback, 'Is this getting old already?' If you didn't enjoy the cultural tropes of 20 years ago, you may share Ms. Brown's frustration.
Donald Trump, the embodiment of '80s excess and absurdity, is a reality megastar. CBS launched its November sweeps lineup with a 'Dallas' reunion. A telemovie about life behind the scenes at rival 'Dynasty' has been shot by ABC. A full-blown 'Dallas' feature is also in the works, along with a remake of 'The A-Team,' currently being scripted by James Bond maestro Bruce Feirstein. And Jamie Foxx may pair with Colin Farrell to revive the 'Miami Vice' franchise on the big screen."
For me the 80s where about music, It was New York, it was the 1980s, and hip-hop was being born: "back then, cool was all about having the right flavour and savoir faire . Such a style blended a certain brand of rebelliousness with a casual nonchalance. It was a cocky confidence that was meticulously updated by a perpetual pursuit of an alternative, yet distinctive, sensibility. Cool permeated the scene. Kool Herc, LL Cool J, Kool Rock Ski and Kool Moe Dee were but a few of the countless numbers who added the word cool to their street, graffiti, DJ, MC, and break-dancer names. But cool back then went beyond the Kangols, Adidas, gold chains, monikers. It went much deeper. It wasn't about being in a fashion show, going double platinum, or selling the next urban brand. Cool was about survival. It was about strength, pride, courage, and a fierce love for self. "
Now that I'm older Funk and rare grooves is more of my taste. My compilation of rare grooves includes popular sounds during the '80s that had of its emphasis on danceable, funky grooves, jazz-funk. This type of music became highly popular in the British underground music scene (where it was known as 'rare groove') when it was rediscovered during the mid- to late '80s. The especially hardcore funk fanatics spend much of their waking hours searching for something called "rare groove". The rare grooves include heavy and obscure tracks that are being used by Hip Hop producers & also highlights tunes yet to be unearthed. This is a sophisticated and rare experience of Funk and rare grooves. It is a must for 80s classy clubbers.
The classless society in modern British society
I have been following the latest row about Britain's Prince Charles' opinion on modern education. Details of the prince's memo were disclosed yesterday at an industrial tribunal hearing, where Elaine Day, a member of his household, is claiming she was dismissed unfairly on the grounds of sex discrimination and victimisation.
In his Memo He wrote: 'What is wrong with everyone nowadays? Why do they all seem to think they are qualified to do things far beyond their capabilities. This is all to do with the learning culture in the schools. It is a consequence of the child-centred education.' Charles added: 'It tells people they can become pop stars, High Court judges, or brilliant TV presenters, or more competent heads of state without putting in the necessary works or having natural ability.
'It is the result of social utopianism, a belief that humanity can be genetically engineered to contradict the lessons of history. What am I to tell Elaine? She's so PC it frightens me rigid.' "
This remark in my understanding implied that the future king is living in ancient times. Aristocracy: "In the Medieval period, everyone had their place. And nowhere was this more rigidly applied than in the nobility. This group, comprising only few percent of the population (depending on region) was at the top of everything, socially, economically, politically, and militarily. Within the nobility there were numerous ranks . The names varied from region to region, but by more or less common agreement, there was a definite pecking order for each rank. "
Despite all the politcal, economical, technological and cultural advancements that have been achieved over the centuries, the snobbery factor is alive and well in modern Britain. Politicians of all shades have attempted to transform britain into a classless, multicural society and have failed miserably.
In an article titledThe classless society in modern British society the attempts to justify snobbery and goes as far as evoking philosophy: "Without the celebration of our class system, as the philosopher Roger Scruton has pointed out: 'The British, like the Americans, would begin to measure success purely in terms of wealth, influence and power. The precious distinctions between power and authority - vividly inscribed into the offices, titles and dignities of the British system - would cease to be acknowledged. The ideals of the lady and the gentleman would no longer be taught, and snobbery - that most disinterested and leisurely of human ailments - would be replaced by a kind of frenzied cronyism.' "
If there is any consolation for Elaine Day it is this, why on earth would you want to work or live with people who refuse to live with the times.
I think he's wrong on this one. I'm a meritocrat. I do believe that people get themselves out of disadvantage; that the biggest driving force for social change is people's own ambition.
With advanced technology available to everyone, we are all on the same level playing field. You can succeed without a nod and wink from old relics. Cabinet ministers " called Charles ' old-fashioned and out of time', his views were plain 'wrong'. 'The Prime Minister has said he fully supports the ministers."
In his Memo He wrote: 'What is wrong with everyone nowadays? Why do they all seem to think they are qualified to do things far beyond their capabilities. This is all to do with the learning culture in the schools. It is a consequence of the child-centred education.' Charles added: 'It tells people they can become pop stars, High Court judges, or brilliant TV presenters, or more competent heads of state without putting in the necessary works or having natural ability.
'It is the result of social utopianism, a belief that humanity can be genetically engineered to contradict the lessons of history. What am I to tell Elaine? She's so PC it frightens me rigid.' "
This remark in my understanding implied that the future king is living in ancient times. Aristocracy: "In the Medieval period, everyone had their place. And nowhere was this more rigidly applied than in the nobility. This group, comprising only few percent of the population (depending on region) was at the top of everything, socially, economically, politically, and militarily. Within the nobility there were numerous ranks . The names varied from region to region, but by more or less common agreement, there was a definite pecking order for each rank. "
Despite all the politcal, economical, technological and cultural advancements that have been achieved over the centuries, the snobbery factor is alive and well in modern Britain. Politicians of all shades have attempted to transform britain into a classless, multicural society and have failed miserably.
In an article titledThe classless society in modern British society the attempts to justify snobbery and goes as far as evoking philosophy: "Without the celebration of our class system, as the philosopher Roger Scruton has pointed out: 'The British, like the Americans, would begin to measure success purely in terms of wealth, influence and power. The precious distinctions between power and authority - vividly inscribed into the offices, titles and dignities of the British system - would cease to be acknowledged. The ideals of the lady and the gentleman would no longer be taught, and snobbery - that most disinterested and leisurely of human ailments - would be replaced by a kind of frenzied cronyism.' "
If there is any consolation for Elaine Day it is this, why on earth would you want to work or live with people who refuse to live with the times.
I think he's wrong on this one. I'm a meritocrat. I do believe that people get themselves out of disadvantage; that the biggest driving force for social change is people's own ambition.
With advanced technology available to everyone, we are all on the same level playing field. You can succeed without a nod and wink from old relics. Cabinet ministers " called Charles ' old-fashioned and out of time', his views were plain 'wrong'. 'The Prime Minister has said he fully supports the ministers."
Playing The Race Card
England's match against Spain in Madrid was being closely monitored by the Football Association, officials of the London bid for the 2012 Olympics and the BBC, who televised the match, to see how far the Spanish go in promoting Madrid's bid. The
Telegraph Sport reported: "The Daily Telegraph understands that London 2012 heard rumours some time ago that Madrid were planning to use tonight's match to promote their city's bid. London 2012 got in touch with the FA, who in turn approached the Spanish FA, saying that neither London nor Madrid should try to gain an Olympic advantage from the football friendly."
While any promotion is unlikely to influence the voting by the International Olympic Committee on July 6 next year, the monitoring thereof shows that pressure is building up rapidly in this extremely tight race to host the 2012 Games.
Surprise, surprise the headlines readRacist chanting puts Madrid bid at risk: "Racial abuse of black players during England's friendly against Spain has seriously jeopardised Madrid's chances of staging the Olympics in 2012, according to members of the International Olympic Committee."
France is rumoured to be the favourites, but the British press has joined the foray. One headline readsWhere's the va va voom?: "France's reputation as a multi-cultural society has taken a hit in the last year with the controversy over Muslim girls being banned from wearing headscarves in state schools.
This is an area that London 2012 are already exploiting. Every time Mayor Ken Livingstone talks about the bid, he mentions the hundreds of languages that are spoken here and how the 'world's communities are already in the capital'. "
The London Olympic bid is playing the race card!
Telegraph Sport reported: "The Daily Telegraph understands that London 2012 heard rumours some time ago that Madrid were planning to use tonight's match to promote their city's bid. London 2012 got in touch with the FA, who in turn approached the Spanish FA, saying that neither London nor Madrid should try to gain an Olympic advantage from the football friendly."
While any promotion is unlikely to influence the voting by the International Olympic Committee on July 6 next year, the monitoring thereof shows that pressure is building up rapidly in this extremely tight race to host the 2012 Games.
Surprise, surprise the headlines readRacist chanting puts Madrid bid at risk: "Racial abuse of black players during England's friendly against Spain has seriously jeopardised Madrid's chances of staging the Olympics in 2012, according to members of the International Olympic Committee."
France is rumoured to be the favourites, but the British press has joined the foray. One headline readsWhere's the va va voom?: "France's reputation as a multi-cultural society has taken a hit in the last year with the controversy over Muslim girls being banned from wearing headscarves in state schools.
This is an area that London 2012 are already exploiting. Every time Mayor Ken Livingstone talks about the bid, he mentions the hundreds of languages that are spoken here and how the 'world's communities are already in the capital'. "
The London Olympic bid is playing the race card!
Virtual Bartender
It is a cold day and will even get colder tonight. Times like this makes me feel like not stepping out. Now, it is a friday and a man needs a beer after a hard week's work. I have decided to stay in and have a few beers served by myVirtual Bartender.
Dare I say that she is gorgeous and I like the way she plays with the head, I mean the head on the beer. Forget it.
Dare I say that she is gorgeous and I like the way she plays with the head, I mean the head on the beer. Forget it.
Dancing Car
There are a number of things I really like about living in the UK despite a other annoying things like the weather and racism. There comes a time when you simply feel that it is all worth it in the long run.
On tuesday I
downloaded a dancing car: "For a moment, I was in a 1987 time warp, standing in a toy aisle and picking out a new Transformer toy for my son.
But then I woke up, and realized the action was coming from a new U.K. television ad for the Citroen, in which a real car turns into a Transformer and does a dancin'-fool groove thang in the streets. Very cool. If you were/are a Transformer kid (they were introduced in '84), don't miss it.
On tuesday I
downloaded a dancing car: "For a moment, I was in a 1987 time warp, standing in a toy aisle and picking out a new Transformer toy for my son.
But then I woke up, and realized the action was coming from a new U.K. television ad for the Citroen, in which a real car turns into a Transformer and does a dancin'-fool groove thang in the streets. Very cool. If you were/are a Transformer kid (they were introduced in '84), don't miss it.
Why England should have walked last night
Guardian Unlimited: "The England team had a ready-made answer to the Spanish racists who piled into the Bernabeu last night to grunt monkey noises at their black players: to walk off the pitch in protest.
By doing so, Sven-Goran Eriksson's side could have taken the lead in the fight against a malignancy that has infested stadiums all over Europe in recent years - a malignancy that Uefa has shown itself to be unable or unwilling to eradicate"
By doing so, Sven-Goran Eriksson's side could have taken the lead in the fight against a malignancy that has infested stadiums all over Europe in recent years - a malignancy that Uefa has shown itself to be unable or unwilling to eradicate"
Racist Football
For some us living in England yesterday's game between England and Spain just went further to prove that Europeans are racist. Hooliganism and racism is rampant in European football, in nearly all the European countries black players are racially abused.
The shame is FIFA has done nothing about it apart from issuing pointless warnings and making official enquiries that amount to sweet FA, no pun intendedThe Kick racism out of football campaign has been running as long as I have lived in the UK and yet this disgusting behaviour continues unabated. In my opinion, this is a deep rooted problem in European society as whole. It is rotten to the core with racists!
The shame is FIFA has done nothing about it apart from issuing pointless warnings and making official enquiries that amount to sweet FA, no pun intendedThe Kick racism out of football campaign has been running as long as I have lived in the UK and yet this disgusting behaviour continues unabated. In my opinion, this is a deep rooted problem in European society as whole. It is rotten to the core with racists!
ADS PULLED FOR RISQUÉ BUS-INESS
I was watching BBC breakfast news when the female newsreader, smirkingly narrated the story about how New York transport officials were impressed when the hip-hop clothing label Akademiks announced that it wanted to buy advertisements on the sides of buses in the city, promoting the benefits of literacy.
But it turned out that the benefits in question weren't the ones the authorities had in mind.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority vowed yesterday to start removing the adverts after being informed that the slogan plastered over 200 city buses - "Read books, get brain" - refers to a slang term for oral sex.
Reuters Financial News puts it bluntly asRead a book, get oral sex. The advertisements that ran on about 200 buses across the city in recent months carried posters displaying a suggestively posed woman in hot pants kneeling among a pile of books beside the snappy slogan 'Read Books, Get Brain.'
Akademiks expects to post revenue this year of $75 million.
Cool, smart advertising!
But it turned out that the benefits in question weren't the ones the authorities had in mind.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority vowed yesterday to start removing the adverts after being informed that the slogan plastered over 200 city buses - "Read books, get brain" - refers to a slang term for oral sex.
Reuters Financial News puts it bluntly asRead a book, get oral sex. The advertisements that ran on about 200 buses across the city in recent months carried posters displaying a suggestively posed woman in hot pants kneeling among a pile of books beside the snappy slogan 'Read Books, Get Brain.'
Akademiks expects to post revenue this year of $75 million.
Cool, smart advertising!
Thou shalt have sex, and enjoy it.
The controversial book, It's A Sin Not To Do It, written by two theologians, Roberto Beretta and Elisabetta Broli, who write regularly for the Italian Bishops' magazine, promises the reader answers to 'everything you wanted to know about sex but the Church (almost) never dared to tell you'.
Bullet points on the jacket cover underline the central message: 'Sex? God invented it. Original sin? Sex has nothing to do with it. Without sex there is no real marriage.'
Another chapter likely to raise eyebrows unearths theological justification for post-coital masturbation for women who fail to achieve orgasm during intercourse.
The authors are now awaiting reader reaction.
Forgive me for I have sinned. I shall, from now on, endeavour to satisfy my fleshly cravings more frequently and enjoy myself while at it.
Bullet points on the jacket cover underline the central message: 'Sex? God invented it. Original sin? Sex has nothing to do with it. Without sex there is no real marriage.'
Another chapter likely to raise eyebrows unearths theological justification for post-coital masturbation for women who fail to achieve orgasm during intercourse.
The authors are now awaiting reader reaction.
Forgive me for I have sinned. I shall, from now on, endeavour to satisfy my fleshly cravings more frequently and enjoy myself while at it.
GOD HELP AMERICA
This quote fromThe Mirror is funny but true: "There's only one headline in town today, folks: 'It Was Osama Wot Won It.'
And soon he'll expect pay-back. Well, he can't allow Bush to have his folks whoopin' and a-hollerin' without his own getting a share of the fun, can he?"
And soon he'll expect pay-back. Well, he can't allow Bush to have his folks whoopin' and a-hollerin' without his own getting a share of the fun, can he?"
Government and NGOs
ZAMBIA: Proposed law regulating donor funds causes friction: "Zambia is considering a law that could compel NGOs to account for donor funds allegedly being used to criticise the government.
President Levy Mwanawasa announced at a public rally on Tuesday in the northwestern district of Kabompo that authorities were closely monitoring the activities of NGOs and some churches. "
The Post (Lusaka) reported that the VICE-President Lupando Mwape has directed police to arrest NGO officials who go into his area without his permission.
While I have reservations about such decrees from politicians, I think the issue about the good work being done by the NGOs, and the tremendous opportunities being opened up by them for public service in various fields should be discussed in depth. In various discussions , a sharp contrast is often made between the dull and confined routine of the bureaucrat working for the government and the freedom and initiative of the social activist serving the NGO.
The successful NGO tends to extend its operations, and, in doing so, it has to come to terms with the very problems of funding, management and accounting that bedevil the work of the government.
The acquisition and management of large funds requires both time and effort. The move from social activist to fund raiser and fund manager has been made with ease by many, but it has also brought about some change in their orientations. The prime movers of successful NGOs do not like to talk about the sources of their funding, preferring to dwell instead on the work their organisation is doing and the work that remains to be done.
The successful NGO needs to have administrators, accountants, project officers and field staff. Their terms and conditions of work have to be specified in a more or less formal way. Even the most dedicated promoters of social causes have to make some concessions to the demands of bureaucratic routine.
I think this what the Vice president is trying ensure although he seems to resort to draconian measures.
Modern organisations have certain common characteristics, whether in the public or the private domain, in the governmental or the non-governmental sector. Here, as important as the sector in which the organisation operates is the scale of its operation. It is at this point that the NGO seem to replicate, not just the ways of functioning but also the forms of organisation of agencies of the government. This cannot be an argument against the existence or even the expansion of voluntary activity in the social field outside the government's ambit. Such activity plays a vital part not only in the regeneration of society but also in the health and well-being of democracy. The public will no doubt appreciate the good work that is being done by the NGOs. But they, in their turn, must be ready to submit themselves to the same exacting scrutiny and assessment that they expect the public to exercise over the work of the government.
President Levy Mwanawasa announced at a public rally on Tuesday in the northwestern district of Kabompo that authorities were closely monitoring the activities of NGOs and some churches. "
The Post (Lusaka) reported that the VICE-President Lupando Mwape has directed police to arrest NGO officials who go into his area without his permission.
While I have reservations about such decrees from politicians, I think the issue about the good work being done by the NGOs, and the tremendous opportunities being opened up by them for public service in various fields should be discussed in depth. In various discussions , a sharp contrast is often made between the dull and confined routine of the bureaucrat working for the government and the freedom and initiative of the social activist serving the NGO.
The successful NGO tends to extend its operations, and, in doing so, it has to come to terms with the very problems of funding, management and accounting that bedevil the work of the government.
The acquisition and management of large funds requires both time and effort. The move from social activist to fund raiser and fund manager has been made with ease by many, but it has also brought about some change in their orientations. The prime movers of successful NGOs do not like to talk about the sources of their funding, preferring to dwell instead on the work their organisation is doing and the work that remains to be done.
The successful NGO needs to have administrators, accountants, project officers and field staff. Their terms and conditions of work have to be specified in a more or less formal way. Even the most dedicated promoters of social causes have to make some concessions to the demands of bureaucratic routine.
I think this what the Vice president is trying ensure although he seems to resort to draconian measures.
Modern organisations have certain common characteristics, whether in the public or the private domain, in the governmental or the non-governmental sector. Here, as important as the sector in which the organisation operates is the scale of its operation. It is at this point that the NGO seem to replicate, not just the ways of functioning but also the forms of organisation of agencies of the government. This cannot be an argument against the existence or even the expansion of voluntary activity in the social field outside the government's ambit. Such activity plays a vital part not only in the regeneration of society but also in the health and well-being of democracy. The public will no doubt appreciate the good work that is being done by the NGOs. But they, in their turn, must be ready to submit themselves to the same exacting scrutiny and assessment that they expect the public to exercise over the work of the government.
Four More Years
So it all finally boils down to this, Dubya is back four more! The
Silicon Valley - Dan Gillmor's eJournal provides a glimpse of the pending gloom. Is this sour grapes or reality?
"There's no secret about what's coming. We don't have that excuse this time.
Here comes more fiscal recklessness -- as we widen the chasm between the ultra-wealthy and everyone else, cementing a plutocracy into our national fiber, we'll pay our national bills on the Treasury Bill credit card for the next few years. Many economists expect a Brazil-like financial crisis to hit the U.S. before the end of the decade. If we muddle our way though the near term, we'll still have left our kids with the bill.
Here comes an expansion of the American empire abroad, a fueling of fear and loathing elsewhere on the globe. This is also unsustainable in the end. Empire breeds disrespect.
Our civil liberties will shrink drastically. This president and his top allies in Congress fully support just one amendment in the Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment's right to bear arms. Say goodbye to abortion rights in most states. Roe v. Wade will fall after this president pushes three or four Scalia and Thomas legal clones onto the Supreme Court. Say hello, meanwhile, to a much more intrusive blending of church and state.
The environment? We'll be nostalgic for Ronald Reagan's time in office.
This is not sour grapes. This is reality."
Silicon Valley - Dan Gillmor's eJournal provides a glimpse of the pending gloom. Is this sour grapes or reality?
"There's no secret about what's coming. We don't have that excuse this time.
Here comes more fiscal recklessness -- as we widen the chasm between the ultra-wealthy and everyone else, cementing a plutocracy into our national fiber, we'll pay our national bills on the Treasury Bill credit card for the next few years. Many economists expect a Brazil-like financial crisis to hit the U.S. before the end of the decade. If we muddle our way though the near term, we'll still have left our kids with the bill.
Here comes an expansion of the American empire abroad, a fueling of fear and loathing elsewhere on the globe. This is also unsustainable in the end. Empire breeds disrespect.
Our civil liberties will shrink drastically. This president and his top allies in Congress fully support just one amendment in the Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment's right to bear arms. Say goodbye to abortion rights in most states. Roe v. Wade will fall after this president pushes three or four Scalia and Thomas legal clones onto the Supreme Court. Say hello, meanwhile, to a much more intrusive blending of church and state.
The environment? We'll be nostalgic for Ronald Reagan's time in office.
This is not sour grapes. This is reality."
Zambia Open Business Forum
The advent of Internet technologies provides a wide array of opportunities for everyone with the time and energy to persue their dream without the cost associated with conventional business.
I have began developing theZambia Open Business Forum inorder to encourage more Zambians to take on the challenge of entrepeurship. The
"The Business Forum is engaged in the development, marketing and delivery of services and publications for businesspersons and other professionals engaged in or investing in web-based businesses.
The service is designed to help businesspersons and other professionals learn about, build and conduct business on the Internet. The service is aimed at people with all levels of business and technical experience."
Starting a business takes guts and hard work: "A great idea for a business may be a jumping-off point, but it takes more than an idea to birth a business.
It takes money.
The challenge, whether it's to start a business from scratch or to expand an existing one, is to figure out where you want to go and how you want to get there.
But remember: Nothing is written in stone.
'There are no hard fast rules in starting a business,' said Nita Black, managing director of Financial Services Exchange. "
Beg, Borrow or Get a Grant
Entrepreneurial Resources Subject Tracer Information Blog:
Entrepreneurial Resources (EntrepreneurialResources.info) is a Subject Tracer Information Blog developed and created by the Virtual Private Library. It is designed to bring together the latest resources and sources on an ongoing basis from the Internet for entrepreneur resources "
I have began developing theZambia Open Business Forum inorder to encourage more Zambians to take on the challenge of entrepeurship. The
"The Business Forum is engaged in the development, marketing and delivery of services and publications for businesspersons and other professionals engaged in or investing in web-based businesses.
The service is designed to help businesspersons and other professionals learn about, build and conduct business on the Internet. The service is aimed at people with all levels of business and technical experience."
Starting a business takes guts and hard work: "A great idea for a business may be a jumping-off point, but it takes more than an idea to birth a business.
It takes money.
The challenge, whether it's to start a business from scratch or to expand an existing one, is to figure out where you want to go and how you want to get there.
But remember: Nothing is written in stone.
'There are no hard fast rules in starting a business,' said Nita Black, managing director of Financial Services Exchange. "
Beg, Borrow or Get a Grant
Entrepreneurial Resources Subject Tracer Information Blog:
Entrepreneurial Resources (EntrepreneurialResources.info) is a Subject Tracer Information Blog developed and created by the Virtual Private Library. It is designed to bring together the latest resources and sources on an ongoing basis from the Internet for entrepreneur resources "
Transcript of Google CEO's remarks at 35th Internet Anniversary
At the 35th Anniversary of the Internet event in Los Angeles, Google CEO Eric Schmidt is speaking with UCLA professor Leonard Kleinrock. Here is a partial, rough transcript of Mr. Schmidt's remarks.
We allocate about 70% of our resources to our core business and 30% to "other" because we never know what that other will become. We also ask our employees to spend 20% of their time on exploration, and those tend to be complementary to our core.
Our agenda tends to be driven by a bottoms-up process not so much traditional strategic planning. Google is trying to solve the next problem not the last problem.
[ Question: Was it serendipity that made google what it became? ] I think the word is luck. The principles from which Google was built do exist in other indstries. Ours is a reproducable model, and others may end up reproducing it and solving other problems. We're just seeing the beginning of this.
Good management is not that complicated, it's about leadership. Some managers need to micromanage everything, but that doesn't produce creativity. If you can figure out a way to tell a story, that's how people learn. they have a beginning middle and an end. if you have the right kind of people and the right kind of values, that can work. The great thing about high tech is that labor is very mobile, and if you want to deal with other people, you are forced to deal with them as peers and equals.
There are many uses of the net that are not touched by Google. Peer to peer, and the majority of email traffic. It's very important that people work on internet monitoring, internet scaling, all of the next generation projects -- I don't think any single one is of dominant importance.
We're in a real time world where people who need to collaborate can do so instantly. That has a downside because evil people can collaborate quickly, as well as the good guys, but the overwhelming effect is very positive.
Software businesses, intellectual property businesses have good cashflow if they're run right. A friend who went to business school once told me the only rule you need to know is DNROOC. Do not run out of cash. For us the decision to go public was viewed as a neccesary thing but not something we needed for our operations. People were surprised about the fact that the decision to go public was such a last minute thing, which it was -- we made the decision hours before we filed. We then went through the whole process which was of course widely covered and entertaining in lots of ways. At the end of it, we flew back to our offices and went back to work. Following Monday we had a one hour biefing about what we felt we did right or wrong. We had one of the executives announce the "end of the IPO," and we haven't talked about it since.
The company is about end users changing the world, the good and bad things they're doing out there. It's not about the IPO.
Information on the internet has a very long tail (Ed. Note: referring to Chris Anderson's recent article in Wired.)There are very few things that the entire world is interested in at the same time. The vast majority of people out there are very much engaged in their own daily lives, in a local context very different than yours or mine.
The other thing to remember is that the average person does not want to debug their computer. We prefer instead the idea of a person typing something in and Google -- or someone else -- figuring things out for you. But very few things are organized around that principle of simplicity; we love and appreciate the complexity in technology but people using the internet really don't want that. When you see an ease of use breakthrough, it's such a wonderful thing.
We allocate about 70% of our resources to our core business and 30% to "other" because we never know what that other will become. We also ask our employees to spend 20% of their time on exploration, and those tend to be complementary to our core.
Our agenda tends to be driven by a bottoms-up process not so much traditional strategic planning. Google is trying to solve the next problem not the last problem.
[ Question: Was it serendipity that made google what it became? ] I think the word is luck. The principles from which Google was built do exist in other indstries. Ours is a reproducable model, and others may end up reproducing it and solving other problems. We're just seeing the beginning of this.
Good management is not that complicated, it's about leadership. Some managers need to micromanage everything, but that doesn't produce creativity. If you can figure out a way to tell a story, that's how people learn. they have a beginning middle and an end. if you have the right kind of people and the right kind of values, that can work. The great thing about high tech is that labor is very mobile, and if you want to deal with other people, you are forced to deal with them as peers and equals.
There are many uses of the net that are not touched by Google. Peer to peer, and the majority of email traffic. It's very important that people work on internet monitoring, internet scaling, all of the next generation projects -- I don't think any single one is of dominant importance.
We're in a real time world where people who need to collaborate can do so instantly. That has a downside because evil people can collaborate quickly, as well as the good guys, but the overwhelming effect is very positive.
Software businesses, intellectual property businesses have good cashflow if they're run right. A friend who went to business school once told me the only rule you need to know is DNROOC. Do not run out of cash. For us the decision to go public was viewed as a neccesary thing but not something we needed for our operations. People were surprised about the fact that the decision to go public was such a last minute thing, which it was -- we made the decision hours before we filed. We then went through the whole process which was of course widely covered and entertaining in lots of ways. At the end of it, we flew back to our offices and went back to work. Following Monday we had a one hour biefing about what we felt we did right or wrong. We had one of the executives announce the "end of the IPO," and we haven't talked about it since.
The company is about end users changing the world, the good and bad things they're doing out there. It's not about the IPO.
Information on the internet has a very long tail (Ed. Note: referring to Chris Anderson's recent article in Wired.)There are very few things that the entire world is interested in at the same time. The vast majority of people out there are very much engaged in their own daily lives, in a local context very different than yours or mine.
The other thing to remember is that the average person does not want to debug their computer. We prefer instead the idea of a person typing something in and Google -- or someone else -- figuring things out for you. But very few things are organized around that principle of simplicity; we love and appreciate the complexity in technology but people using the internet really don't want that. When you see an ease of use breakthrough, it's such a wonderful thing.
