* Sometimes, people get drunk and drive, or get drunk and abuse others. Therefore, we should outlaw all alcohol (rather than just outlaw drunk driving and assault).
* Sometimes, the media libels people and destroys their reputations. Therefore, we should outlaw all freedom of the press (rather than just proscribe libel).
* Sometimes, children get a hold of cigarettes or pornography. Therefore, we should outlaw all smoking and pornography (rather than just outlaw the act of selling cigarettes or porn to minors).
* Sometimes, men rape women or molest minors. Therefore, we should outlaw all sex (rather than just outlaw rape and child molestation).
* Sometimes, people use drugs (prescription or recreational), get addicted and then steal or act violently. Therefore, we should outlaw all drugs (rather than just outlaw theft and violence).
* Sometimes, people force women against their will to work as prostitutes. Therefore, we should outlaw all prostitution (rather than just outlaw forced prostitution and human trafficking).
Hands on: Mozilla's new Prism brings web sites to the desktop
Topic: Miscellaneous
1:07 pm EDT, Mar 11, 2008
Prism makes it possible to launch web sites from the desktop and load them into a simple browser window without all of the extra features and functionality of a regular browser. This is advantageous for users because it allows them to run those sites in a separate process from their regular Firefox browser and interact with the content without any unnecessary distractions. Prism also allows web application content to be customized in some ways to make it more conducive to desktop use.
Good for helping to prevent your Gmail account from being CSRF'ed.
Irony is a new-generation .NET compiler construction kit. It utilizes the full potential of c# 2.0 and .NET Framework to implement a completely new and streamlined technology of compiler construction. Unlike most existing yacc/lex-style solutions Irony does not employ any scanner or parser code generation from grammar specifications written in proprietary meta-language. In Irony the target language grammar is coded directly in c# using operator overloading to express grammar constructs. Irony's scanner and parser modules use the grammar encoded as c# class to control the parsing process. See the expression grammar sample for an example of grammar definition in c# class, and using it in a working parser.
Doors @ 4pm Game 1 @ 5pm, Game 2 @ 7pm New Location - IN TOWN! Yaarab Shrine Center on Ponce de Leon!
March 8 Denim Demons vs. Toxic Shocks Apocalypstix vs. Blue Ridge Rollergirls April 12 Toxic Shocks vs. Sake Tuyas ARG All-Stars vs. Tampa Bay Derby Darlins May 10 Apocalypstix vs. Sake Tuyas Denim Demons vs. Inland Empire Derby Divas June 14 Sake Tuyas vs. Denim Demons Toxic Shocks vs. Visitor July 12 Denim Demons vs. Apocalypstix ARG All-Stars vs. Fort Wayne Derby Girls August 9 Toxic Shocks vs. Apocalypstix Sake Tuyas vs. Hard Knox RG (East TN) September 20 Grudge Match: Battle for 3rd & 4th Home Teams Championship
The Lenovo X300, The Macbook Air, and a Big Manila Envelope
Topic: Technology
10:17 am EST, Mar 2, 2008
Fits in a manila envelope like a hand in the OJ glove.
I would of bought an X300 last summer when I was shopping for a Thinkpad. I wanted a X-series but with higher screen resolution. Finally Lenovo offers what I wanted.
This Psychologist Might Outsmart the Math Brains Competing for the Netflix Prize
Topic: Technology
10:21 pm EST, Feb 28, 2008
At first, it seemed some geeked-out supercoder was going to make an easy million.
In October 2006, Netflix announced it would give a cool seven figures to whoever created a movie-recommending algorithm 10 percent better than its own. Within two weeks, the DVD rental company had received 169 submissions, including three that were slightly superior to Cinematch, Netflix's recommendation software. After a month, more than a thousand programs had been entered, and the top scorers were almost halfway to the goal.
But what started out looking simple suddenly got hard. The rate of improvement began to slow. The same three or four teams clogged the top of the leaderboard, inching forward decimal by agonizing decimal. There was BellKor, a research group from AT&T. There was Dinosaur Planet, a team of Princeton alums. And there were others from the usual math powerhouses — like the University of Toronto. After a year, AT&T's team was in first place, but its engine was only 8.43 percent better than Cinematch. Progress was almost imperceptible, and people began to say a 10 percent improvement might not be possible.
Then, in November 2007, a new entrant suddenly appeared in the top 10: a mystery competitor who went by the name "Just a guy in a garage." His first entry was 7.15 percent better than Cinematch; BellKor had taken seven months to achieve the same score. On December 20, he passed the team from the University of Toronto. On January 9, with a score 8.00 percent higher than Cinematch, he passed Dinosaur Planet.
I always thought the Netflix challenge would require less technology and more of that je ne sais quoi. This guy applies psychology to set theory with impressive results.
French ban on Red Bull (drink) upheld by European Court
Topic: Miscellaneous
10:32 pm EST, Feb 27, 2008
Health concerns over the Red Bull energy drink were fuelled yesterday after Europe's highest court upheld a French ban on the product.
The fizzy drink has been linked to several deaths and some experts have criticized its high levels of caffeine and other stimulants.
Red Bull is Britain's best-selling energy drink, with 213 million cans consumed last year. It has been dubbed the 'clubbers' drink', and is often mixed with vodka. The popular adverts claiming that Red Bull 'gives you wings', have led to the brand being described as 'the Porsche of soft drinks'.
Red bull + Vodka = the most self destructive drink evah!
The Pittsburgh Penguins added to their impressive stable of forwards Tuesday, obtaining All-Star Marian Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers
Hossa, who was unable to come to terms on a new contract agreement with Atlanta, joins a potent offensive attack that already includes young superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who currently is tied for the league lead in scoring with 82 points.
"I'm really looking forward to joining this group," Hossa said. "You look at the centermen and you have Sid, Malkin and (Jordan) Staal. They are some really strong, great young players. They have good goaltending and good moving defensemen. They create lots of offense. I am really looking forward to playing with these guys."
How Crypto Won the DVD War | Threat Level from Wired.com
Topic: Technology
9:31 pm EST, Feb 26, 2008
Support from studios has been widely cited as the reason for Blu-ray's victory, but few consumers know that the studios were likely won over by the presence of a digital lock on movies called BD+, a far more sophisticated and resilient digital rights management, or DRM, system than that offered by HD DVD.
That is interesting... But we all know that first there will be blu-ray software, second there will be blu-ray burners, third there will be blu-ray decrypters.
A NEW facial harness now on the market lays claim to the ability to improve milady’s beauty. How the device is worn is illustrated in the photo at the left. Sagging chins are lifted and unbecoming wrinkles are smoothed out around the lips, cheeks and forehead, manufacturers claim. It is worn overnight, removed in morning.
