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Wednesday, December 29, 2004 |
The $500 iMac Will Not Happen
The $500 iMac Will Not Happen: "Chalk it up the the amplification powers of the blogosphere. Earlier this morning, Think Secret broke the news of a sub-$500 iMac:
With iPod-savvy Windows users clearly in its sights, Apple is expected to announce a bare bones, G4-based iMac without a display at Macworld Expo on January 11 that will ..."
(Via The Apple Blog.)
This analysis makes a lot of sense. It's pretty unlikely that we'll see a $99 Mac, as much as I'd like one (I have a very nice 20" Sony VGA monitor I'd love to connect to it). I wouldn't be surprised if Apple put this word out to try to catch some leakers. But dang, I sure would like to replace my old iMac soon.
3:53:42 PM Permalink
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Opportunity Finds its Heat Shield
Opportunity Finds its Heat Shield: "NASA's Opportunity Rover has reunited itself with the heat shield that protected its entry into the Martian atmosphere almost a year ago, when it first arrived at Mars. After it was ejected, the shield crashed to the surface nearly 2 km away from Opportunity's landing spot. The rover will study both the heat shield, and its impact mark - now the freshest crater on Mars. Engineers will have an opportunity to understand how the heat shield performed during atmospheric entry, and scientists will get a chance to see what's beneath the surface of Mars."
(Via Universe Today.)
1:34:10 PM Permalink
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"I Am Not a Geologist, As You Know"
"I Am Not a Geologist, As You Know": "From Bush's press conference today:
Q Mr. President, are you confident that the U.S. west coast residents -- Hawaiian residents, Alaska residents -- are well enough protected with early warning systems for possible tsunamis affecting this country and coastal --
THE PRESIDENT: No, I appreciate that question, it's a -- I think that part of the long-term strategy in how to deal with natural disaster is to make sure we have -- 'we,' the world, has a proper tsunami warning system. As a matter of fact, the President of Sri Lanka also mentioned that to me. She said that one of the things that she and the Prime Minister of India discussed -- I'm not sure they discussed it, but they're both thinking the same way, let me put it to you that way -- is the development of a proper warning system. And I think it's going to be very -- I can't answer your question specifically, do we have enough of a warning system for the west coast. I am going to -- I am now asking that to our agencies and government to let us know. I mean, that's a very legitimate question. Clearly, there wasn't a proper warning system in place for that part of the world, and it seems like to me it makes sense for the world to come together to develop a warning system that will help all nations.
Q And seeing that as we have, does it concern you that we may not have that mechanism in place? Or is this something we can use through our civil defense air raid siren system?
THE PRESIDENT: I just have to look into it, that's a very legitimate question. I am on the -- I presume that we are in pretty good shape. I think our location in the world is such that we may be less vulnerable than other parts, but I am not a geologist, as you know. But I think it's a very legitimate question.
Dear George W. Bush: The nation does not expect you to be a geologist. It merely expects you to bring experts into your government and have them brief you on complex matters like geology. Why you didn't do this before your press conference, I have no earthly idea."
(Via Chris C. Mooney | The Intersection.)
1:01:20 PM Permalink
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US Beer Will Be 51%...Beer
US Beer Will Be 51%...Beer: " In a shocking but true accouncement as reported in the New York Times, the US government has passed a regulation that will require what is taxed as beer to be at least 51% beer twelve months from now: Popular flavored malt beverages must have the majority of their alcohol come from the process of brewing if they want to be taxed and treated as beer products rather than higher-taxed liquor products. That's the upshot of final regulations announced Tuesday by the Treasury Department's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Companies will have until early January 2006 to comply. The new regulations require that at least 51 percent of alcohol in flavored malt drinks be derived from the brewing process. No more than 49 percent of the alcohol may come from other flavorings added to the product, the bureau said in a release. While this relates to beverages which are a long way off of real ale, you still would think that this would have been an obvious requirement. That would not, however, have taken into account the fact that brewing is one of the biggest business rackets going and just because it looks like beer or claims that it is beer on an income tax return doesn't mean it is a beer. One day beer will have to have its ingredients listed so that we can all see how much sea weed, which is added commonly to add body to corn sugar based brews, is in which beer. Here is the TTB announcement."
(Via A Good Beer Blog.)
12:36:11 PM Permalink
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President's latest response...
President's latest response...: "President's latest response to the tsunami tragedy: badmouth Bill Clinton. From the Post ... Earlier yesterday, White House spokesman Trent Duffy said the president was confident he could monitor events effectively without returning to Washington or making public statements in..."
(Via Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall.)
Man, you think your disgust with this administration could go no further, then there's something like this:
Earlier yesterday, White House spokesman Trent Duffy said the president was confident he could monitor events effectively without returning to Washington or making public statements in Crawford, where he spent part of the day clearing brush and bicycling. Explaining the about-face, a White House official said: "The president wanted to be fully briefed on our efforts. He didn't want to make a symbolic statement about 'We feel your pain.' "
Many Bush aides believe Clinton was too quick to head for the cameras to hold forth on tragedies with his trademark empathy. "Actions speak louder than words," a top Bush aide said, describing the president's view of his appropriate role.
But as Joshua Micah Marshall says, "actions?" How does the paltry money we're spending to help in this disaster -- what is it now, $35 million? -- compare with what we're spending in Iraq?
9:18:30 AM Permalink
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© Copyright 2005 Steve Michel.
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