Here's a story I wrote for today's Guardian, from the conference in Durban: Prying eyes of the satellite: Satellites have become detectives for lawyers, who are using the data in court cases.
9:18:48 AM  #   your two cents []

From New Scientist: Copy protection on CDs is 'worthless': "The continual software and hardware upgrades issued by the makers of computer CD drives and audio CD players render copy protection systems pointless in the long run."
8:16:24 AM  #   your two cents []

Loved their first album; looking forward to hearing the second effort of this "bastard offspring of Enya and Radiohead": Sigur Ros: "( )". On their majestic new album, the Icelandic rock orchestrators use maybe a dozen syllables in a made-up language. Listeners are encouraged to visit the band's Web site, where fans' best guesses as to Birgisson's lyrics are posted. Those interpretations that prove most popular will, according to the band, become the "official" lyrics. [Salon.com]
8:12:07 AM  #   your two cents []

All swimmers are losers. "You can learn a lot from Google, more than you might expect.  "The meaning of life is to create meaning", "fun is about to begin", may sound like it came from a fortune cookie, but it's actually information gleaned from Googlism, a new search tool that gleans information that Google has gathered into and compiles the information in a neatly summarized list. Okay, I admit -- you might not be able to learn that much from it.  But can be pretty fun to plug in random terms and see what comes up." [kuro5hin.org]
8:07:46 AM  #   your two cents []

Simon Cameron. "An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought."  vs.  Dan Quayle. "If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure." [Quotes of the Day]
8:06:46 AM  #   your two cents []

Virus alert? Or not? Russian firm warns of Roron virus. Antivirus company Kaspersky Labs warns home PC users of a new worm that could help hackers gain control of a victim's computer. Other firms, however, downplay the threat. [CNET News.com]
8:05:05 AM  #   your two cents []

Understanding Bandwidth and Latency [Slashdot]
8:03:36 AM  #   your two cents []

Here's a useful how-to on setting up a WiFi network at home: Cobbling Peace in the Home With a Wireless Network.  [New York Times: Technology]
8:02:37 AM  #   your two cents []

Doc Searls notes: Apple introduces a new Titanium PowerBook.

7:59:41 AM  #   your two cents []

Stallman: Disk, I/O issues delay GNU OS. Release not expected until next year [InfoWorld: Top News]
7:58:05 AM  #   your two cents []

Wildfires Factor Significantly in Global Carbon Balance [Scientific American]: "Scientists found that fires in Indonesia during 1997 spewed the same amount of carbon into the air as is typically removed annually by the entire planet's biosphere."
7:57:35 AM  #   your two cents []

Infoworld likes the tablet PC: Tablet PC devices show innovation, market opportunity. [InfoWorld: Top News]
7:54:37 AM  #   your two cents []

Oracle readies grid engine. Database joins grid computing race with core RAC, Linux technology [InfoWorld: Top News]
7:53:54 AM  #   your two cents []

Having just done 6 plane flights in two weeks, I've got four more between today and tomorrow -- ugh. I'm going over to Grenoble for a press event and back the following day and if you live in a somewhat peripheral city like Dublin there's never a direct flight except to key cities elsewhere. This time around I'll be shuffling around Heathrow to make the connections rather than Paris -- I prefer the latter, better for duty free! (very smelly cheeses, good chocolate and wine). On the other hand I never get tired of looking out the window, enjoying both the pageant of clouds and the on-high view of the landscape unfolding below.
7:53:21 AM  #   your two cents []