But Smith's spokesperson, Katherine Lister, says the congressman was motivated by a desire to foster innovation. "In no way, shape or form does Microsoft ever drive our technology policy," she said.

...

I remember a time when Microsoft didn't play the political game. Those days are gone for good. All it took was a little anti-trust muscle to get the palm greasing going. Makes you wonder who the real victim ultimately is. Granted, they probably would have started playing on their own terms at sometime in the future, but I digress...

Between Microsoft and Intel, it looks like Washington state has been officially bought and sold. Thank you Rep. Adam Smith for proving to me that there is no difference between a Democrat and a Republican. You support this for *WHAT* reason?

I need to find a country that sucks less than the United States. Any suggestions?

Letter: Free Software Hurts U.S.

To experience the mental state of flow is to create ecstasy over actions, said Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, of Claremont Graduate University who spoke to an audience of 100 in Herter Hall yesterday afternoon

Csikszentmihalyi said he and his students conducted interviews of musicians, composers, writers, poets, and figure skaters to determine aspects of flow. Csikszentmihalyi described the seven aspects to how it feels to be in flow:

Being completely involved in what you are doing - focused, concentrated; a sense of ecstasy-of being outside everyday reality; great inner clarity - knowing what needs to be done, and how well we are doing; knowing that the activity is doable - that our skills are adequate to the task; a sense of serenity - no worries about oneself, and a feeling of growing beyond the boundaries of the ego; timelessness - thoroughly focused on the present, hours seem to pass by in minutes; intrinsic motivation - whatever produces flow becomes its own reward.

"The goal has to come from the inside, and nobody can tell you whether it was the right goal," Csikszentmihalyi said.

The Massachusetts Daily Collegian - Visiting psychology professor speaks on attaining the mental state of flow

Indeed, if all new cars and light trucks adopted available and emerging gas- saving technologies, the average fuel economy of U.S. cars would surge to 46 mpg, up from today’s 27 mpg. And SUVs could average 40 mpg, up from today’s 21 mpg, according to a recent study prepared in part by John DeCicco, a senior fellow at Environmental Defense, a New York City–based environmental group.

Technology Review - Why Not a 40-MPG SUV?

"Why we are doing this: "We represent all who are sick of receiving unwanted AOL cds. By sending us your unwanted AOL, Netscape, or CompuServe cds, you can help us make a statement. Once we have 1,000,000 collected, we will make our quest across America to give them all back to their rightful owner, AOL and say "stop doing this". Don't throw them away or get mad, send'em to us and we'll all end this wasteful practice while sharing a laugh or two.""

No More AOL cds

I think this is a really interesting test, because I've heard many theories as to why people can't seem to tell people who are from various asian countries apart. I scored very highly with faces that were Japanese and very poorly with faces that were Korean or Chinese.

I've heard from various Thai and Chinese friends that they have similar difficulties with Caucasian people, even to the extent that one friend said we all looked white and hairy.

Anyhow, I'm interested in the data they collect.

ALL LOOK SAME

"But many New Yorkers were surprised this summer when, under a controversial new city policy, a group of squatters took legal possession of several buildings in the high-rent Manhattan neighborhood where they had been living illegally for years, decades in some cases.
In August, the city sold 11 buildings on the Lower East Side for $1 each to a nonprofit agency, which will hand them over to the 236 squatters, including 36 children, who live in them. "

CNN.com - For $1, squatters become building owners in NYC - Oct. 14, 2002

"Husband, wife die 15 minutes apart "

Husband, wife die 15 minutes apart

"Since her December 12, 2001 arrest, Ryder has been portrayed by the DA's office as a serial shoplifter with a drug habit who was caught red-handed on camera. But a careful look at the undisputed facts paints a dramatically different picture."

Joel Mowbray on Winona Ryder & Los Angeles District Attorney on National Review Online

"Another legend about the magical aspects of hacking, this one about hacking hardware rather than software, is told about a machine at MIT [9,7]. In this legend the storyteller comes across a mysterious switch on the side of the MIT AI Lab's PDP-10 computer. The switch has clearly been installed by a hacker and not a computer technician and is labeled by hand with one position marked ``magic'' and the other ``more magic.'' "

Historical and Magical Themes in Hacker Legends

"Ottawa—For years, Canada was known as an inexpensive place to make science fiction, fantasy, and horror television series for cable and general syndication. Many of these productions, though, were for series that never would have received development money in the US, and "made in Canada" quickly received the same derision in the entertainment industry as "made in Indonesia" did in the sports shoe industry. This week, Canada's Parliament took matters into its own hands and formally apologized to all members of the planet for the SCI FI Channel series Lexx."

: RevolutionSF - Canada Makes Formal UN Apology for Lexx : Humor