Open Notepad and type in this phrase, without the quote marks and with no carriage return: "Bush hid the facts". Now save it and open it again.

Seriously, try this before you click through this link.

27B Stroke 6: Fun MS bug.

The is one of those rare memes sure to send numerous MemeStreams users into a frenzied state. Javanco was the much loved computer and electronics store in Nashville. When we needed something, we all went there first. The entire staff was awesome. Javanco was one of the heavenly bodies the Nashville hacking scene rotated around. It had quite a history. At one point Sun attempted to sue them when some lawyer searching for trademark abuse saw "Javanco" as "Java n' co", even though it was a family name. At another point, radioactive nuclear waste was found in the basement, after accidently being sold to them with some electronic equipment. Many, many stories. Sadness was felt by all when they closed.

So, the grand news is this.. Jesica has reopened the business as The BotShop, this time selling robot supplies. I could not be more pleased to see this. ROBOTS!

First and foremost...we love robots! We've been selling the OOPic controller for years. And more than anything, we love to hear what our customers are creating with them. It's always something new and exciting, and that's what keeps it fun. Now, on to the company history.

When I went to work for my father in 1996, I began a journey I would have never imagined. The company was started in 1957 by my grandfather, T. Javan Keith, an exceptional company that stood the test of time. The company began as a surplus dealer for a vast array of electronic components and began trading computer products in the 60's.

My father, Javan Keith, opened the computer department in the mid 80's. The company began custom building systems back then. My father stuck to his beliefs that using upgradeable parts to extend the life of the system and avoiding an assembly line created a computer unsurpassed in quality. He also believed that having the most knowledgeable technicians possible kept our level of quality where it should be.

My father was an exceptional man, more concerned with taking care of others' needs than his own. This was reflected in the way he did business. He would never stock anything he wouldn't have himself. Anything sold by us was always something he'd feel comfortable selling to his own family.

In 1999, we sold our long time location at 12th Avenue South in Nashville and moved to Cannery Row. The company discontinued its electronic stock, upgrading itself to "strictly computer." Our in store and on site service departments flourished. We gained notoriety for our exceptional Audio and Video editing systems. We continued to be the place to go for technical expertise and great selection of high quality, low cost cables and adapters.

I became the General Manager and Vice President in January 2001. In September 2001, Dad passed away. I was in the process of doing what was necessary to keep the company in the family. Unfortunately, I was not able to do so. The company was sold in May of 2002. Out of my hands, the company closed shortly thereafter.

As the technology industry is all I know, it only made sense to stay. I'd also been selling robot parts, particularly OOPics for years and just couldn't let it go. Robot stuff is just too much fun.

We hope to provide the quality parts and great pricing for which Grandpa, Dad and the family business were known.

Thank you so much for your support.
Jesica Flowers

The BotShop | Robot Parts and Supplies

What if, seconds before your laptop began stalling, you could feel the hard drive spin up under the load? Or you could tell if an electrical cord was live before you touched it? For the few people who have rare earth magnets implanted in their fingers, these are among the reported effects -- a finger that feels electromagnetic fields along with the normal sense of touch.

Quinn got a cybernetic implant! Wish this had come up at Schmoocon.

Wired News: A Sixth Sense for a Wired World

The alarm, which has been praised by
police, is highly effective because its
ultra-high sound can be heard only by
youths but not by most people over 20.

Schoolchildren have recorded the
sound, which they named Teen Buzz,
and spread it from phone to phone via
text messages and Bluetooth technology.

Now they can receive calls and texts
during lessons without teachers having
the faintest idea what is going on.

What a cool idea. A few years ago I learned that I can hear ultrasonic rodent repellers. I'll bet I can hear these just fine.

Pupils perform 'alarming' feat | Metro.co.uk

If it weren't for the fact that I know better, I'd wonder if it was a secret conspiracy....

OK, wait a minute, this is an extremely eerie comment to hear from a code cracker with government affiliations. If you didn't know better? How could you possibly know that there isn't a secret conspiracy guiding your affairs? The whole point of a secret conspiracy is that its a secret! The only way you could possibly know that there isn't a secret conspiracy afoot is if you were so confident in your access and visibility into secret conspiracies that no secret conspiracy could operate without your direct knowledge! Which would mean... which would mean..... OK, fine, Elonka, please, tell us, whats the deal with Valerie Plame? Seriously... We won't tell anyone. No one reads this site anyway...

RE: AP/Washington Post: London Lawyers Turn Into Code-Breakers

Last week, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a Republican, gave a speech saying that data retention by Internet service providers is an "issue that must be addressed." Child pornography investigations have been "hampered" because data may be routinely deleted, Gonzales warned.

Now, in a demonstration of bipartisan unity, a Democratic member of the Congressional Internet Caucus is preparing to introduce an amendment--perhaps during a U.S. House of Representatives floor vote next week--that would make such data deletion illegal.

Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette's proposal (click for PDF) says that any Internet service that "enables users to access content" must permanently retain records that would permit police to identify each user. The records could not be discarded until at least one year after the user's account was closed.

Congress may consider mandatory ISP snooping

In a new twist on phishing, fraudsters are sending out e-mail that attempt to trick people into sharing personal information over the phone. More of this to come...

Phishers try a phone hook

Out here in the Valley (Silicon Valley, that is) we're well known for cookin' up a mean tech company. But our real legacy is our schwag--the t-shirts, ballcaps, notepads, stickers, keychains, and other booty blaring the slogans that create new industries (and sometimes landfill, sorry to say). Until now, these world-class collectibles have only been available to the elite few who make it to conventions and insider parties. Now you can have a little piece of the valley without the $3000 rent and two hour commute.

Valleyschwag: Join the Party!

Join Leader Pelosi and become a Citizen Co-Sponsor of the Markey Net Neutrality Amendment

So, what do you guys think about this?

I wouldn't use an ISP that tried to degrade my service to a website I use in hope of collecting a ransom, and I would be seriously frustrated if I couldn't offer MemeStreams to people on certain networks because their ISPs wanted to charge me to access them. I know that most people don't have a lot of choice in their ISP anymore, so saying "I'll pick a different provider" isn't always an option.

However, there seems to be an arguement afoot about whether this is pro or anti competitive (although a lot of those arguements are being made on the basis of generalizations rather then on the specifics of this situation). Furthermore, I think this law gets tricky when certain things like blocking outbound SMTP come up...

I'm not sure where I stand...

Sign the petition for the Net Neutrality Amendment to the COPE Act

Compuware pulls the plug. All I can do is laugh, and say go ollydbg!

(A shame. I hope they open the source...)

RIP Softice