[Quote:]

According to a survey of iPod users by financial analysis firm Piper Jaffray, Macs are basking in the reflected glory of the iPod, with some who own the music player saying they have already or are intending to ditch their PCs for Macs.

The research found that 6 percent of iPod users have made the switch. An additional 7 percent said they are planning to dump their old PC for an Apple machine, according to the survey.

Gene Munster, Piper Jaffray senior research analyst, said the iPod halo effect will make a difference to Apple for a while to come.

If Picasso were alive today, he would paint this NBA picture..

[Quote:]

Young people just aren’t interested in reading newspapers and print magazines. In fact, according to Washington City Paper, The Washington Post organized a series of six focus groups in September to determine why the paper was having so much trouble attracting younger readers. You see, daily circulation, which had been holding firm at 770,000 subscribers for the last few years, fell more than 6 percent to about 720,100 by June 2004, with the paper losing 4,000 paying subscribers every month.

Imagine what higher-ups at the Post must have thought when focus-group participants declared they wouldn’t accept a Washington Post subscription even if it were free. The main reason (and I’m not making this up): They didn’t like the idea of old newspapers piling up in their houses.

Don’t think for a minute that young people don’t read. On the contrary, they do, many of them voraciously. But having grown up under the credo that information should be free, they see no reason to pay for news. Instead they access The Washington Post website or surf Google News, where they select from literally thousands of information sources. They receive RSS feeds on their PDAs or visit bloggers whose views mesh with their own. In short, they customize their news-gathering experience in a way a single paper publication could never do. And their hands never get dirty from newsprint.

found here

Stand on the shoulders of giants

About Google Scholar - Google Home

©2004 Google

[Google Scholar enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research. Use Google Scholar to find articles from a wide variety of academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories and universities, as well as scholarly articles available across the web.

Just as with Google Web Search, Google Scholar orders your search results by how relevant they are to your query, so the most useful references should appear at the top of the page. This relevance ranking takes into account the full text of each article as well as the article’s author, the publication in which the article appeared and how often it has been cited in scholarly literature. Google Scholar also automatically analyzes and extracts citations and presents them as separate results, even if the documents they refer to are not online. This means your search results may include citations of older works and seminal articles that appear only in books or other offline publications.

This couldn’t be easier. Just follow these simple instructions:

1. Click your mouse just to the left the letter "S" below.
2. Hold down the mouse button and move your mouse down and right until you are to the right of the letter "K".
3. Voila!

stop screwing around and
get back to work

[Quote:]

You know holiday shopping is offensive and wasteful. You know Christmas “wish lists” and “gift exchanges” degrade the concept of giving. You know Christmas marketing is a scam, benefiting manufacturers, stores, and huge corporations, while driving individuals into debt. You know this annual consumer frenzy wreaks havoc on the environment, filling landfills with useless packaging and discarded gifts.

Yet, every year, you cave in and go shopping.

The relentless onslaught of advertising exerts constant pressure. So do the unified bleatings of herds of shoppers, who call you “Scrooge” if you fail to enthusiastically join their ritual orgy of consumption. Friends and family needle you with gift requests, store windows beckon with shiny colorful packages, the same “classic” holiday jingles are piped constantly through every speaker in town.

How can you resist?

Join the Christmas Resistance Movement!

[Quote:]

Keitai Watch reports that as part of a renewal of their site, Amazon Japan has introduced a flattering new feature called “Amazon Scan Search.” After users download an application to their cell phone free of charge, they can scan barcodes of ordinary products, which in turn enables them to search the cell phone version of Amazon.co.jp for the respective product. Once they get a result on their search, they can then choose to purchase the item right from their phone.

found here

[Quote:]

The US military says Marines in Fallujah have shot and killed an insurgent who engaged them as he was faking being dead, a week after footage of a marine killing an apparently unarmed and wounded Iraqi caused a stir in the region.

“Marines from the 1st Marine Division shot and killed an insurgent who while faking dead opened fire on the marines who were conducting a security and clearing patrol through the streets,” a military statement said.

The point-blank shooting on November 13 of a wounded Iraqi was caught on tape and beamed around the world.

It raised questions about the degree of military restraint and fanned Arab resentment.

The marine was withdrawn from combat and an investigation launched.

Military sources had said that the rules of engagement were looser during the operation launched in Fallujah, for fear that rebels would be disguised, fake death or wear suicide explosives belts.

This happens in all ‘wars’. By definition, a war is a form of disease, of madness. You can’t make sense of it, explain it, separate yourself from it. There is only one option: make sure it never happens; and if it is thrust upon you, do everything you can to stop its spread. Journalists need to realize that their role is more like an observer in an insane asylum: if they try to make sense of whats going on around them, they will be sucked into madness. Their job is to observe, clinically, objectively, un-Romantically. They must show the truth as unpleasant, as ugly, as violent as it is, as there is no other road out of madness than an unflinching confrontation with its pathology.

“Choose your enemies carefully, for you will come to resemble them”

– Sun Tzu

To finance its current account deficit with the rest of the world, he said, America has to import $2.6 billion in cash. Every working day.

That is an amazing 80 percent of the entire world’s net savings.

Sustainable? Hardly.

[Quote:]

Linus Torvalds, Michael Widenius and Rasmus Lerdorf

23 November 2004

Later this week, on November 25th and 26th, the EU Competitiveness Council will convene and soon attempt to formally adopt a proposed “Directive on the Patentability of Computer-Implemented Inventions”, commonly referred to as the “software patent directive”. On May 18th, the Council reached political agreement on a draft legislation, however, did not take a formal decision to adopt it.

We urge the governments of the EU member states, which are represented in the EU Council, to oppose the debateless adoption of the said proposal as a so-called “A item”. In the interest of Europe, such a deceptive, dangerous and democratically illegitimate proposal must not become the Common Position of the member states.

We ask all webmasters to help prevent the legalization of software patents in the EU by placing a link to the campaign website www.NoSoftwarePatents.com.

—   —   —

The draft directive in question is deceptive because it leads laymen, and even those legal professionals who are not familiar with the intricacies of patent law, to falsely believe that it would exclude software from patentability. However, it is actually a compilation of the entirety of the excuses with which the patent system has, for many years, been circumventing article 52 of the European Patent Convention in order to grant patents on software ideas.

Those who say that the directive would not allow patents on software attach a peculiar definition to the term “software” that is hair-splitting. The proper way to distinguish between software patents and patents on computer-controlled devices is to exclude the processing, handling and presentation of information from the definition of the word “technical” for the purposes of patent law, to disallow patents on innovations in the field of data processing, and to establish the hard and fast requirement that natural forces are used to control physical effects beyond the digital sphere.

The legislation in question contains many provisions that appear to be helpful if one understands “technical” in a common-sense way. However, the patent system has previously expressed and demonstrated its own definition of that term, which is one that encompasses almost anything that a computer can possibly do. Moreover, article 5 (2) of the legislative proposal tears down all barriers to the patentability of software by expressly allowing so-called “program claims”.

—   —   —

Software patents are dangerous to the economy at large, and particularly to the European economy. Lawmakers should heed the warnings of such reputable organizations as Deutsche Bank Research, the Kiel Institute for World Economics, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

At first sight, a patent appears to protect an inventor but the actual implications may be the opposite, dependent upon the field. Copyright serves software authors while patents potentially deprive them of their own independent creations. Copyright is fair because it is equally available to all. A software patent regime would establish the law of the strong, and ultimately create more injustice than justice.

In particular, we believe that the economic opportunities of the new EU member states are endangered by software patents. The many talented software developers in those countries should be given a fair chance. The average cost of a European patent is in the range from 30,000 to 50,000 Euros, and a company needs a very large number of such patents in order to be able to enter into “cross-licensing” agreements with multinationals that own tens of thousands of patents each.

The political decision on the patentability of software should be based on merits, economic logic and ethical considerations, not on whatever may have been the practice of the patent system in recent years. Let us all look ahead, not back.

—   —   —

If the EU Council adopted the legislative proposal of May 18th, it would do so without democratic legitimacy. The idea of a debateless and voteless adoption of an “A item” is only to speed up and simplify the process if a qualified majority is in place. In this particular case, there isn’t.

As of November 1st, new voting weights apply in the EU under the Act of Accession. The collective number of votes of all countries that affirmatively supported the legislative proposal on May 18th amounts to 216, falling short of the required 232. It would set a more than regrettable precedent for European democracy if the EU Council adopted a Common Position on an insufficient basis.

Furthermore, the 216 votes include those of the Netherlands and of Germany against the will of the national parliaments of those countries. On July 1st, a broad majority of the Tweede Kamer passed a resolution that the Dutch government withdraw its support for the legislative proposal in question. On October 21st, all four groups in the German Bundestag took a similar position and criticized the legislative proposal of May 18th as a legislation that would allow software patents.

—   —   —

For the sake of innovation and a competitive software market, we sincerely hope that the European Union will seize this opportunity to exclude software from patentability and gain a major competitive advantage in the information age.

A happy face smiles back from the scope of a U.S. Army sniper’s rifle, during a mission searching for insurgents in Mosul, Iraq, Monday, Nov. 22, 2004. U.S. and Iraqi forces in Mosul have been working put down an uprising launched by guerrillas who seized police stations and other sites. (AP Photo/Jim MacMillan)

A combination photo shows two versions of a billboard poster of ‘Sex in the City’ star Sarah Jessica Parker in Tel Aviv, November 23, 2004. On the left the actress is seen lying in a skin-revealing, spaghetti strap gown. On the right two workers replace the old version with a long-sleeve gown. Ultra-Orthodox Jews took offense at the sight of Parker’s arms, back, shoulders and even a little thigh. (Yossi Aloni/Reuters)

[Quote:]

About half of Brazil’s original Amazon rainforest has been occupied by man, deforested or used for industry like logging and its destruction is worse than government data shows, a leading environmental group said on Tuesday.

 The study using satellite photos shows that land occupation and deforestation covers some 47 percent of the world’s largest jungle, an area bigger than the continental United States, the Brazilian non-government organization Imazon said.

[Quote:]

Islamitisch godsdienstleraar Abdul-Jabbar van de Ven wil Tweede-Kamerlid Wilders dood hebben. In het EO-televisieprogramma Het Elfde Uur antwoordde hij dinsdag bevestigend op de vraag van presentator Andries Knevel of hij het Kamerlid binnen nu en twee jaar dood wenst.

De moslimdocent roept niet op tot moord. Hij wil liever dat Wilders sterft aan een ziekte. “Ik ben niet blij met zijn uitlatingen”, aldus Knevel na de uitzending.

Ook gaf de tot de islam bekeerde Nederlander in het programma toe dat hij iets van blijdschap voelde toen hij hoorde dat Theo van Gogh was vermoord. De man preekt veel in moskeeën.

De uitzending bracht veel reacties teweeg van voor- en tegenstanders op het forum op de website van het programma. Veel kijkers waren niet blij dat de omroep de man een podium heeft gegeven voor zijn uitspraken.

Minister Verdonk van Vreemdelingenzaken toonde zich op Radio 1 geschokt. “Hoe kan het zo zijn dat we in Nederland zover zijn gezonken. Ik maak me hier heel veel zorgen over”, aldus de minister op de radio

Het zou fijn zijn als de minister ‘s stopte met “zorgen maken” en begon met “wetteksten lezen”. Dat zou een heel eind helpen.

Hoe is het in godsnaam mogelijk dat wij als geborenen in de 60-er jaren, nog leven?

Volgens de theorieën anno 2004 zouden we toch al lang dood moeten zijn ?

Wij zaten in auto’s zonder veiligheidsstoeltjes, gordel of airbag.

Onze bedden en speelgoed waren geschilderd met verf vol lood en cadmium.

Boven aan een trap was géén hekje; wie te ver ging kukelde naar beneden.

Als je wakker werd in bed hoorde niemand dat, en als er écht iets was moest je hard schreeuwen voordat je ouders het merkten.

Flessen met gevaarlijke stoffen en alle apotheekflessen konden we gewoon met onze handjes en beperkte motoriek openen.

Poorten en deuren gingen gewoon dicht, en als je met je vingers er tussen zat waren ze weg.

Op de fiets zat je achterop met je gat op de bagagedrager en probeerde je vast te houden aan de schroefveren van het zadel voor je.

Een helm hadden ze nog niet eens op een bromfiets, laat staan op een fiets.

Water dronken we uit de kraan, niet uit een fles.

Brood stond stijf van conserveringsmiddelen, na twee weken was een Bums nog nét zo vers als in de winkel.

Kleur en smaakstoffen moeten ook toen al bestaan hebben, want zo rood, groen of geel als die limonade toén was, zie ik ze nu écht niet meer.

Een kauwgom legde je ‘s avonds op het nachtkastje en stak je ‘s morgens weer in je mond.

Op school hadden ze maar één maat bank en met zo’n heerlijk gevaarlijke klep der aan.

Schoenen waren meestal al ingedragen door broer, zus, neef of zo, en ook je fiets was óf te groot óf te klein.

Een fiets had geen versnellingen en als een band kapot was leerde je vader je zo snel mogelijk om hem zelf te plakken.

We gingen ‘s morgens weg van huis en we kwamen terug als de straatverlichting aan ging. Niemand wist waar we waren in de tussentijd en we hadden geen GSM mee!

Het bos of een park was een plek om te spelen en géén vieze mannetjes verzamelplek.

Als we naar een vriendje gingen, liep je er gewoon naar toe, je hoefde niet aan te bellen en ook geen afspraak te maken. Er ging ook geen volwassene met je mee.

Wij aten ook al koekjes en kregen brood met veel boter en werden toch niet dik.

We dronken uit dezelfde fles als onze vrienden en niemand werd er ziek van.

Wij hadden geen Playstation, Nintendo, X-box, 64 televisiezenders, videofilms, surround sound, eigen televisie’s, computer of internet.

Wij hadden vrienden!

De televisiezender begon pas om 18.00 uur. Dan kwam een uurtje wat leuks voor kinderen en oh wee als je daarna durfde op te staan om op een knopje van een andere zender te duwen (die zaten aan het toestel vast).

Pa bepaalde wat en hoe lang je daarna nog keek.

We hebben ons gesneden, botten gebroken, tanden uitgevallen en er werd niemand voor naar de rechter gesleept. Dat waren gewoon ‘ongelukken’

en

soms kreeg je er ook nog zelf een extra pak slaag voor.

Wij vochten en sloegen elkaar soms groen en blauw, en er was geen volwassene die zich er druk over maakte, laat staan een lieveheersbeestje op je jas kroop.

Pedagogisch verantwoord speelgoed maakten we zelf; met stokken sloegen we naar ballen, we bouwden zeepkisten en merkten onder aan de berg dat we de rem vergeten waren. We voetbalden op straat, en alleen wie goed was mocht mee doen; wie niet goed genoeg was moest maar blijven kijken en leren omgaan met teleurstellingen.

Op school zaten ook domme kinderen. Zij gingen en kwamen op dezelfde tijd als wij en kregen de zelfde lessen. Zij deden soms een klas nóg een jaar en daarover waren ook geen discussies op ouderavonden. De meester had altijd gelijk.

We smeerden onze boterhammen zelf, met een grote mensen mes, en als je ze vergeten was kon je op school niets kopen! Als je de korst niet at had je een beetje meer honger de rest van de dag.

Wij gingen met de fiets naar school, helemaal zelf, ook in de winter!

Als je moeder aan de huisdeur nog naar je zwaaide was je al een watje!

Als je problemen veroorzaakt had waren je ouders het eens met de politie.

Ze kwamen wél om je te halen, maar niet om je er uit te ***len.

Onze daden hadden consequenties. Dat was duidelijk en je kon je niet verstoppen.

Wij hadden vrijheid, mislukkingen, succes en verantwoordelijkheid.

We hebben moeten leren er mee om te gaan.

Onze generatie heeft véél mensen voortgebracht die problemen kunnen oplossen, innovatief bezig zijn en daar bij risico durven nemen en voor de gevolgen in staan.

Geboren na 1970? WATJE!