] weight loss is simple. you just need to burn more
] calories than you take in. it's that easy. and now
] there's a truly accurate way to measure calorie burn,
] guaranteeing your success.
]
]
] bodybugg%u2122 uses today's hottest technology to give
] you the tools to reach and maintain your ideal weight.
] the two simple components of the bodybugg%u2122 system -
] the bodybugg%u2122 armband (a small, sleek device worn on
] the upper arm) and the bodybugg%u2122 web interface -
] work together to tell you exactly how many calories
] you've burned and consumed every day. It gives you the
] information and puts you in control of your weight loss
] goals.

[ Color me skeptical. Not to mention, it's pretty damn bulky to wear all the time. I know it says you only have to do that for the first week, until it gets a baseline, after which you just put it on when you do major activity, but still, if it's truly accurate, I'd rather have something that I don't have to take off all the time.

The other major down side is that you can't just buy one... you have to get it from specifically licenced clubs, and it's a whole program they want you to sign up for... which means it's too expensive. It needs to be way *WAY* simpler. -k]

apex introduces bodybugg%u2122 - the world's most intelligent calorie monitoring system

This shit is fucking spot on.

AtomFilms - Anakin Dynamite

] Banks love it when you use plastic, so it%u2019s no
] surprise that biggie JP Morgan Chase is working to make
] it easier for you to use their credit cards. New
] %u201Cblink%u201D cards to be tested in two U.S. cities
] later this year will use RFID to let you wave your card
] at a point-of-sale terminal instead of swiping it, a
] system that will be familiar to anyone who%u2019s used
] Mobil%u2019s Speedpass to buy gas. Chase says the system
] will be as secure as traditional POS terminals; we give
] it about a week before the RFID crackers prove them
] wrong.

Chase to issue RFID credit cards - Engadget - www.engadget.com.

I'm totally ashamed that this happened.

[ Not that any die hard war supporter will believe anything in the New York Times, but I'm still glad this stuff is getting reported. Whether it's stupidity or cognative dissonance or just plain cruelty that permits people to be war mongers, I don't know, but the truth is that these sorts of things have happened in wars since prehistory. In my mind, it's a major reason to be antiwar, as if all the collateral deaths from "precision" bomb and missile strikes, and all the killing in general weren't enough. All these people in the world that are shocked *SHOCKED* that Good Americans could be cabaple of this sort of action are either naive or liars. Humans have a tendency to do awful things to each other when they're whipped into a frenzy, given a generic "enemy" to hate, and let loose with little supervision and lots of power. It's a recipe for the lowest sort of ignoble behavior from the kind of people predisposed to such. These days, at least, some of that is coming home.

Obviously, I don't think most of our military either acts this way or condones it -- I have great respect for people willing to risk themselves to protect their country, even if I'm unconvinced that the vehicle chosen was correct. Even good people do terrible things in war, and evil people do worse. Maybe that's why they call it hell. -k]

Account of Torture and Death of Iraqi by Americans

] Are you a kid? Does your microwave oven belong to your
] parents? If so, then don't even THINK about trying any of
] these experiments. I'm serious. If I wreck my microwave
] oven, I can buy another. Also, I'm a professional
] electrical engineer. I know enough physics and RF effects
] to take correct safety precautions when I'm
] experimenting. But you don't know the precautions, so you
] should be smart: read and enjoy my writing, but don't
] duplicate my tests unless you grow up to become an
] electronics tech, engineer, etc., and buy your OWN
] microwave oven.

Yes!

Unwise Microwave Oven Experiments

Isn't the road to hell paved with good intentions?

Parents may have to get involved in their children's schools — or else.

A proposal making its way through the General Assembly would require parents with children in kindergarten through grade 4 to ''volunteer'' at least 12 hours a year. And they couldn't just show up — they'd be expected to get involved in the teaching process by tutoring, chaperoning lesson-related field trips or helping students play educational games.

[ Haven't I read that this is sort of standard in Japan. I think that I have. Only, I don't know that it's a legal requirement. Fundamentally, I don't think that mandates are the right way to do this. Parents should *want* to help educate their children and their children's peers because doing so assists in socializing them, by exposing them to many different kinds of people. It has the upshot of letting the parents get to know the kids their child is surrounded by. I guess the "It takes a village" philosophy isn't too big here in the US though. -k]

Bill would make parents 'volunteer' in schools (Tenn)

] Dimensions change drastically as your clump grows from a
] fraction of an inch to a monstrous freak of nature.

Boingboing keeps talking about this so I picked up a copy. Its only $20. If you were ever wondering what it would be like to take LSD while Japaneese, this is your chance. Its a happy, non-violent game with great music and interesting, funny worlds to explore. I recommend it. That is unless you have a problem with flashbacks.

[ It really is a fantastic game... simple in concept but addictive and fun. Gameplay over bling, and it really works. There's a sequel coming out too, so I'm looking forward to that... -k]

Katamari Damacy

] Looks like US Design Patent No. D504,899 is one for the
] Apple history books%u2014it%u2019s been rumored freaking
] forever, we last heard about this last August, but it
] became substantiated today when Apple%u2019s secret plans
] for a tablet PC were not-so-ruefully revealed.

[ I think we all knew it would happen. I'm one of maybe 6 people on the earth who can't wait. -k]

Apple's patented the Tablet Mac - Engadget - www.engadget.com 11

] A new unified standard connector for external displays
] will contain an optional audio component, as well as a
] capability for protecting content.
]
]
] The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) said
] Monday that several component and electronics OEMs are in
] the process of finalizing a standard unified interface
] for LCD, plasma, CRT and projection displays, called
] "DisplayPort". The timetable calls for the standard to be
] submitted during the third quarter, with products likely
] rolling out in early 2006.

[ All your content is not belong to you. -k]

Closing the 'Analog Hole'

Last night I bought the 1GB version. I really do like it. It's super light, ultra durable, and more important it's an ipod.

What I hate is steve jobs. I hate him. I hate his marketing tactics. I hate the feeling of "completion" I had while I listened to my shiny new shuffle and seeing an ipod poster on the metro wall. What really irked me was the fact that the whole marketing campaign worked on me.

My name is timball and I bow before the temple of Steve Jobs.

[ Resistance is futile. -k]

Apple - iPod shuffle