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| "I don't think the report is true, but these crises work for those who want to make fights between people." Kulam Dastagir, 28, a bird seller in Afghanistan
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| Topic: Politics and Law |
7:45 pm EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
The spread of anti-deep linking policies. The reason that most large corporations are such awful places to work is that according to most attorneys and (worse) ill informed human resources compliance people, being risk adverse is the same thing as being *life* adverse. Corporations pay lawyers to spend hours spewing contract nonsense that is designed to limit any liability and maximize any privilege for the person who is paying for the spewage. The fact is that over time this stuff is bending society in the most sinister ways. Ways we'd never legislate. Ways we'd never agree to collectively. But by the time you realize it, you're already fucked. The reason your culture is dying is that you didn't bother to look at the fine print. "OK, this one is really stupid. Easy Booking Service says not to link to its home page; instead, it wants you to read the linking instructions on this page, which sends you to this page, which contains a form to fill out, and you'll supposedly receive the URL by e-mail. " Don't Link to Us! |
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The Onion | Lou Dobbs Hosts Moneyline From Window Ledge |
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| Topic: Markets & Investing |
6:50 pm EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
"Rattled by Wall Street's extreme volatility of late, CNN Moneyline anchor Lou Dobbs hosted the program from a windy ledge high above New York's financial district Tuesday." :-o The Onion | Lou Dobbs Hosts Moneyline From Window Ledge |
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Business 2.0 - Magazine Article - Printable Version - The Technology Secrets of Cocaine Inc. |
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| Topic: Business |
2:40 pm EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
Colombian cartels have spent billions of dollars to build one of the world's most sophisticated IT infrastructures. It's helping them smuggle more dope than ever before. ... High-tech has become the drug lords' most effective counter-weapon in the war on drugs -- and is a major reason that cocaine shipments to the United States from Colombia hit an estimated 450 tons last year, almost twice the level of 1998. ... "If they want it, they buy it." ... Recently, the cartels have built their own submarines. ... The mainframe was loaded with custom-written data-mining software. ... Cartel leaders have sent members of their own families to top US schools. The talent and tools are among the best that money can buy. I've discussed this issue before, and here is a recent article that explains why keeping certain research results out of _Science_ and _Nature_ is not a very effective defense strategy. If the cartels can spend billions on IT, they can surely do a little biotech on the side. They can use the results to improve their products, and they can also license the technology to others who may lack the necessary research infrastructure. Business 2.0 - Magazine Article - Printable Version - The Technology Secrets of Cocaine Inc. |
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politechbot.com: Grocery Card Parties |
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| Topic: Politics and Law |
2:19 pm EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
"While I suspect many of your readers will be aware of the concept, some may not so let me remind them, when they go to parties or meet other people who are concerned about privacy, to simply trade their grocery affinity cards." This gives everyone the discounts while diffusing the data across the community to the point where its no longer useful. politechbot.com: Grocery Card Parties |
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politechbot.com: HP pledges not to use DMCA (8/1/2002) |
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| Topic: Politics and Law |
2:17 pm EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
"We can say emphatically that HP will not use the DMCA to stifle research or impede the flow of information that would benefit our customers and improve their system security. " politechbot.com: HP pledges not to use DMCA (8/1/2002) |
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| Topic: Economics |
12:57 pm EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
Courtesy of the so-called benchmark revision of the national income and product accounts, the recent performance of the U.S. economy has been cast in a very different light. The direction of this annual revision was hardly a shocker. The incoming monthly flow data had tipped us off to expect a weaker picture than the previous data had painted. But there is more to this revision than statistical noise. In my opinion, the new data now place the U.S. economy right on the brink of another recessionary relapse -- the dreaded double dip. Double dips happen because demand relapses invariably occur at just the time when businesses are lifting production in order to rebuild inventories. With the current production upswing well advanced -- industrial production has risen for six consecutive months -- a demand relapse would come at a most inopportune time. Yet with the U.S. economy now back to its stall speed, that's precisely the risk. Courtesy of the government's newly revised depiction of the U.S. economy, the odds of a double dip have risen, in my view. I would now place a 60 percent to 65 percent chance on such a possibility in the second half of this year. Double dip alert |
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| Topic: Humor |
3:47 am EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
"Ever wanted to stick a big fat arse on your company's website? Well now you can thanks to the amazing Ass-o-tron." Now you don't even need to bother modifying the images on that website you just owned. All you need to do is drop in a redirection to this site. Ass-o-tron |
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BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Kidnapping for kicks in New York |
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| Topic: Miscellaneous |
3:42 am EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
"A bizarre new service offering 'designer kidnapping' for thrill-seeking New Yorkers is dividing opinion across the city.
Brock Enright, a 25-year-old artist, has created a business where people pay him thousands of dollars a time to be violently abducted. " BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Kidnapping for kicks in New York |
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| Topic: Miscellaneous |
3:39 am EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
Random punkish printing company. Their website is fun. Search for the hidden Roach Bomb G-phile. BRO PRINTS |
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Viridian Note 00325: Open Source Speech |
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| Topic: Technology |
2:23 am EDT, Aug 7, 2002 |
"Given that there is a ferocious triple dominance of Microsoft on operating systems, Intel in chips and Dell in hardware, the computer industry is finally getting boring. Almost as boring as my own business, the book business. It's still pretending to innovate, but its glamour routine has gotten all ritualized. The machines are slow, the programs are bloated, the changes are cosmetic, just like the heyday of Detroit's Big Three carmakers, so many years ago. " Sterling spins out some juicy metaphors. Good conversational ammo. Viridian Note 00325: Open Source Speech |
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