I just realized that many of my "friends, family, and acquaintances" are using Microsoft's IE brower because it's just too much trouble to get other browsers, or because they think other browsers "won't work as well". Not true, folks !
Do yourselves a favor and load another browser. I particularly like Opera - it's free (if you get the free version, there's a banner at the top, which is OK with me). It's available on http://www.opera.com .
The advantages of other browsers ? You'll find your pages load much faster than in IE (none of the IE overhead and feature bloat). The browser has a much more realistic progress bar that actually gives you meaningful information about what's loading (number of pictures, % finished for each part of a page, etc.), rather than IE's plain "loading" bar, which doesn't tell you anything meaningful, except that the page hasn't finished loading. =:0
Take a chance and break the MS grip on broswers.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Joost = Internet + TV
Last April (2006), I turned of the TV, permanently, I thought. Since I live in an area where you need cable even to see the local commercial channels, the TV is now only good for DVDs. I don't miss TV at all. "300 channels and nothing on" was really true. I don't even miss anything that I used to watch.
But now, I think I might change my mind about TV, if Joost lives up to the hype. (Joost site: http://www.joost.com ). Joost is TV that you download over the internet, and watch what-you-want, when-you-want-it. It's still in beta, and they've had more than 10,000 requests to sign up for beta testing (including me).
This is not just the equivalent of using the internet as a broadcast channel for the same old TV. According to the site and other materials, there will be additional content (I hope lots of access to international shows, independent shows and film, and experimental works). I also like the idea of creating your own 'channels' - I envision this as a kind of personal subscription list, so that you can pull from all of the available material, organize it and schedule for your own tastes. All of this is probably possible, because you have to load software to your PC to take part in Joost.
This is even better than using the internet to broadcast radio; it's probably the most intelligent use of TV, ever. It's probably not really TV, and shouldn't be called TV, but I think TV is the closest broadcast content/ model for this. Future posts if I get to beta !
But now, I think I might change my mind about TV, if Joost lives up to the hype. (Joost site: http://www.joost.com ). Joost is TV that you download over the internet, and watch what-you-want, when-you-want-it. It's still in beta, and they've had more than 10,000 requests to sign up for beta testing (including me).
This is not just the equivalent of using the internet as a broadcast channel for the same old TV. According to the site and other materials, there will be additional content (I hope lots of access to international shows, independent shows and film, and experimental works). I also like the idea of creating your own 'channels' - I envision this as a kind of personal subscription list, so that you can pull from all of the available material, organize it and schedule for your own tastes. All of this is probably possible, because you have to load software to your PC to take part in Joost.
This is even better than using the internet to broadcast radio; it's probably the most intelligent use of TV, ever. It's probably not really TV, and shouldn't be called TV, but I think TV is the closest broadcast content/ model for this. Future posts if I get to beta !
Don't Vote for Me !!
Microsoft has revised their list of "Our Favorites" in their "Show Us Your Wow Contest" (Blog January 15) , http://www.showusyourwow.com and the current winners are great ! My favorite is currently #2 - a view of mountains in Italy. Unfortunately, it doesn't have an identification number, so search for "montagna", if it isn't in the current favorites list. All of the current favorites are great.
I would buy that shot as a print, but you can't contact the photographers.
I would buy that shot as a print, but you can't contact the photographers.
Doomsday Clock Advances (?)
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Board of Directors has announced that is moving the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock two minutes closer to midnight. It is now 5 minutes to midnight (aka "the end of civilization").
The reasons ? Global failures to solve the problems posed by nuclear weapons and the climate crisis.Sponsors of the BAS include Stephen Hawking and other Nobel Prize-winning scientists. Read all about it in the on-line Bulletin: http://www.thebulletin.org/weekly-highlight/20070117.html
Would someone please read (and explain) the announcement to the White House ?
The reasons ? Global failures to solve the problems posed by nuclear weapons and the climate crisis.Sponsors of the BAS include Stephen Hawking and other Nobel Prize-winning scientists. Read all about it in the on-line Bulletin: http://www.thebulletin.org/weekly-highlight/20070117.html
Would someone please read (and explain) the announcement to the White House ?
Monday, January 15, 2007
Vote for Me !
... actually, vote for my photographs on the Microsoft "Send Us Your Wow" site/ contest (the winner gets a trip around the world).
URLs for my photos:
URLs for my photos:
- http://showusyourwow.msn.com/?id=22895
- http://showusyourwow.msn.com/?id=24749
- http://showusyourwow.msn.com/?id=24753
- http://showusyourwow.msn.com/?id=24757
You can enter your photos at: http://www.showusyourwow.msn.com/flash.aspx?l=en-us
I know it's just a cheesy lure for Vista, but a photo contest is a photo contest. Winners announced on March 6, so pretend you're in Chicago, and vote early and often ! (As of this morning, if you click the "Viewer Favorites" option on the left, one of my photos is #3).
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
One Laptop per Child Project - Reality in 2007 ?
(Also known as the "$100 laptop project", or the "XO Computer", this is an effort that started in the MIT Media Lab to design a low-cost and sturdy computer that could be given to students in developing countries.)
The project has finally settled on a 4-pound plastic model with a 7-inch liquid crystal display, running all Open Source software, and powered by an AC adapter, a battery, or a hand-crank. The best part of the design is that it has a completely new interface that does not rely on the Windows or MAC icons. The interface is intended to be intuitive to students, not a scaled down replica of a "business computer". Full details about the project and specs are on the OLpC organization web site: http://www.laptop.org/
According to recent press releases, distribution could begin early in 2007.
According to the FAQ page ( http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Retail ), it looks like the organization is re-thinking the policy not to make the computers commercially available in developing countries. The current plan is for governments, the UN, and donors to finance the purchase and distribution of the computers to children. I've always thought that it would be a good idea to make them available at twice the production cost - the buyer gets one computer and also provides a computer for a student. Since the price is now closer to $150, I think it would be a quick and easy way to finance the project.
The project has finally settled on a 4-pound plastic model with a 7-inch liquid crystal display, running all Open Source software, and powered by an AC adapter, a battery, or a hand-crank. The best part of the design is that it has a completely new interface that does not rely on the Windows or MAC icons. The interface is intended to be intuitive to students, not a scaled down replica of a "business computer". Full details about the project and specs are on the OLpC organization web site: http://www.laptop.org/
This is a picture from the site, although it seems to be one of the prototypes, not the final version.
According to recent press releases, distribution could begin early in 2007.
According to the FAQ page ( http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Retail ), it looks like the organization is re-thinking the policy not to make the computers commercially available in developing countries. The current plan is for governments, the UN, and donors to finance the purchase and distribution of the computers to children. I've always thought that it would be a good idea to make them available at twice the production cost - the buyer gets one computer and also provides a computer for a student. Since the price is now closer to $150, I think it would be a quick and easy way to finance the project.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Peace is Not the Absence of War
The NY Times editorial on 12/24/06 nailed it when, after stating the obvious that you can't declare war on a tactic (such as terrorism), they summarized why George W. and his cronies don't get it. It's not a "state of war" - it's the new face of peace, with eruptions in different parts of the world, over specific local concerns. This has been the state of the world 'at peace' for at least the last 20 - 25 years. People are fighting for ideas, and you can't win a guerrila war by throwing arms and armies at the guerrilas.
It's also nice, while on the subject of George W. and cronies, to thank them for 'inventing' the concept of 'global terrorism'. Where was George when Carlos and the Red Brigade where working their magic in Europe ? Hmm... was that when he was a managing a baseball team, or what he in a stupor duing those years ? Or maybe, he hadn't yet learned how Team Bush could make a buck or two from terrorism.
It's also about time the British took some responsibility for the whole situation in the "Middle East". Starting with their colonial empire, through their reign between the two World Wars, the British have shown colonialism at its worst (is there a 'best of colonialsim' ?). Put up a puppet government, don't be suprised at what happens...
It's also nice, while on the subject of George W. and cronies, to thank them for 'inventing' the concept of 'global terrorism'. Where was George when Carlos and the Red Brigade where working their magic in Europe ? Hmm... was that when he was a managing a baseball team, or what he in a stupor duing those years ? Or maybe, he hadn't yet learned how Team Bush could make a buck or two from terrorism.
It's also about time the British took some responsibility for the whole situation in the "Middle East". Starting with their colonial empire, through their reign between the two World Wars, the British have shown colonialism at its worst (is there a 'best of colonialsim' ?). Put up a puppet government, don't be suprised at what happens...
Sunday, December 24, 2006
About the Photo on This Blog
It was taken in a snall town in Freisland (a northern province in the Neterlands) in 1998, while I was on a skating (in-line skates) tour of the Netherlands. I was sitting on a bridge over a canal eating lunch, turned around and saw these houses, and shot it. I think it's a great shot, and totally captured the look of the towns we skated through. It's practically impossible, I think, to take a bad picture of scenery in the Netherlands, especially in the farming areas in the north.
I took the skating tour with "Zephyr Tours" http://www.zephyradventures.com/ in 1998, which was the company's first year. At the time, it specialized in in-line skating tours; it has branched into walking tours and in-line skate camps.
This picture, and others, are posted on iStockPhotos. http://www.istockphotos.com
I took the skating tour with "Zephyr Tours" http://www.zephyradventures.com/ in 1998, which was the company's first year. At the time, it specialized in in-line skating tours; it has branched into walking tours and in-line skate camps.
This picture, and others, are posted on iStockPhotos. http://www.istockphotos.com
Movie Recommendation - It Could Happen Near You
I finally got around to seeing this film that was released in 1992, and highly recommend it. It's one of those films that stay with you for days afterwards, and make you want to check out the director's and writer's other work.
(The story -- It's a mockumentary - the story is a film crew on a shoestring budget following a mass murderer around as he does his daily business. They become entangled with his crimes and murders as they encourage him to commit murders outside his patterm after as they take money from him to finance the film. As all of the ads promise, it's funny at first, but loses the humor when crew starts to become part of the crimes, but it's like watching a train wreck in slow motion - you're still fascinated and want to find out what happens next.)
In the film, the lines between the film crew and their subject are blurrred. In reality, the film was made by three film school students in Begium as part of a school project. They used their family and friends in the cast and halted temporarily while they collected funds, etc.
The main member of the film crew (Remy) was played by Remy Belvaux (also the director and writer) .If you see it on DVD, be sure to watch the "conversations" with the director "extra". Remy was the most interesting of the three writers/ directors, but unfortunately he never made another film. He went into advertizing in France, and his work won several awards, but he committed suicide in September 2006.
(The story -- It's a mockumentary - the story is a film crew on a shoestring budget following a mass murderer around as he does his daily business. They become entangled with his crimes and murders as they encourage him to commit murders outside his patterm after as they take money from him to finance the film. As all of the ads promise, it's funny at first, but loses the humor when crew starts to become part of the crimes, but it's like watching a train wreck in slow motion - you're still fascinated and want to find out what happens next.)
In the film, the lines between the film crew and their subject are blurrred. In reality, the film was made by three film school students in Begium as part of a school project. They used their family and friends in the cast and halted temporarily while they collected funds, etc.
The main member of the film crew (Remy) was played by Remy Belvaux (also the director and writer) .
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Winter Solstice Today in North America
Time to dance naked around the May pole ! Even though it's officially the first day of winter, I think of it as the end of the dark and cold - the hours (minutes ?) of sunlight between sunrise and sunset increase, so summer is almost here !
This makes a great winter holiday, and everyone can choose their favorite pagan ritual (May pole, trek to Stonehenge with the remaining Druids, walk in the woods, bon fire, etc.).
Next great holiday: the Vernal Equimox (March 31).
This makes a great winter holiday, and everyone can choose their favorite pagan ritual (May pole, trek to Stonehenge with the remaining Druids, walk in the woods, bon fire, etc.).
Next great holiday: the Vernal Equimox (March 31).
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