Antimatter captured for the first time. The most elusive building block of the Universe is trapped by CERN researchers [New Scientist]

If I recall correctly, there is constantly streaming hydrogen in the known galaxy. by having a scoop on your ship, and either a stored amount of anti-hydrogen in the a magnetic bottle, or the means of producing it on ship, you could then use it to produce thrust.

10:49:27 PM    

Abstract: The Supreme Court is debating if school voucher programs that end up with the majority of ther students opting for parochial education violates the Constitution's seperation of church and state.
Analysis: The constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. "

If I recall my civics class correctly, this was meant to stop the US from ending up with something similar either to the Church of England, or the Papacy, where there would be a non-elected figure who was able to influence policy in the US. In practice, we end up with people being forbidden to practice their religion in public, for fear of the town/city/state being accused of breaking said separation and favoring one religion over another. 

I believe that the role of the educational system in this country is to teach children. Teach them to read, write, and to think. To train them in the mores of our society so that  they can be productive citizens when they become adults. If public education is unable to do that, for whatever reason, then the citizens should be able to get their children into the schools that can accomplish that mission. I do not see it as an issue of endorsing a religion, so much as a means of accomplishing said goal.

So if there is a Mulsim school, a Christian school, a Jewish school, and an Agnostic  school, all competing, all the better! The parents then have a wide variety of schools from which to choose, and as long as all can meet the same minimum basic skills that is expected of public schools, everyone wins.

10:17:49 PM    

Business Objects, Peregrine combine BI and integration [IDG InfoWorld]

Analysis: Tie this in with the CRM strategies described earlier today and you can tightly manage assets and inventory, in order to drive the cost of doing business down. Integrate that with the Pervasive computing systems described earlier today, and you can have data on demand wherever you are in your company.

9:55:16 PM    

Pervasive Computing Systems [Slashdot]

Abstract: Microphones, cameras, voice recognition for dication in conference rooms, eventually leading to an entire building being so equipped.   All off the shelf technologies tied together to maximize data gathering in a conference room, up to and including serivng voice requested data.

Commentary: while the need for privacy is important, it would also be good to be able to activate the system as needed so that users could effectively conference and pool ideas wherever they are in the building. tie this into a wallpaper system that is done with electronic paper, and you have a projeciton of the data you are discussing wherever you are in the building. Instead of panel system based cubicles*, you could have a smart system that served up image feeds from outside the building, or displayed data via a local server, or had licensed art or images you had uploaded from your personal files.

In the home this could serve as the master control for a smart house. You could walk in and ask where people were, and get answers that are served out of the home based planning software. Aggregate with rss feeds and you could be read the news while you shower and eat breakfast.

*Disclaimer, I used to work for Herman Miller Dealers, in NJ and AZ.

3:10:52 PM    

CRM as a means of setting prices
Inforworld Article on how casinos and other businesses are starting to use CRM software along with other custom apps to generate deals specific to each customer segment.

Commentary: I look forward to a day when you get discounts automatically, for example, your grocery store knows that you buy two gallons of milk, a loaf of bread, etc every Saturday, so you get a discount on thise items, as for them it's already a guaranteed sale. Since they also know when you shop (thanks to your store club member card) they can schedule their deliveries accordingly, so that the turnaround time on these items is minimized. Further, they can then tailor their coupon offers to you, offering deeper discounts on the items you are already buying if you will stock up at the end of the month.

Some of this is happening already, I'm sure, but to take CRM personalization to the next level is the key.

11:52:48 AM    

Report: pop star to be next space tourist. Lance Bass, a member of the pop group *NSYNC, will fly to the International Space... [spacetoday.net]

Space tourism is the surest way to get the rest of us travelling to the stars. It will have to be funded by the wealthy, until we start getting to the economies of scale where it is as inexpensive as a long plane trip. Several technologies (truly reusable launch vehicles, and a much lower price per pound to get into orbit) have to be developed before this can happen. So I hope that his flight goes well, and that we will soon be seeing more people getting into orbit, and visiting the station.

This is the next step to getting us into the stars, and off earth. Next up, a moon base, then mars, and then we will be limited only by the speed of our drives.

9:34:08 AM