BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | China outlaws sexual harassment: "China has for the first time outlawed sexual harassment and domestic violence, establishing gender equality as a national policy.
The amendment was passed by the top lawmaking body, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
Women will now be able to take legal action against abusive husbands and those who harass them.
Correspondents say women in China are still far from equal and domestic violence remains a huge problem"
WTF ? People just take women for granted if the society has no rules. What was it in the way some of us were brought up that we automatically couldn't ever abuse women.
More from article "A national survey of 8,000 women, carried out by Sina.com and Chat magazine, found 79% of female respondents had experienced sexual harassment - compared to 22% of men.
Meanwhile, 40% of women working for private or foreign firms had been targets of harassment compared to 18% of those in state-owned companies, a study by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences found.
But it will take a lot more than legislation to change deeply ingrained attitudes towards women that go back over two millennia, our correspondent says. "
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Born into Brothels
I am watching 'Born into Brothels' right now (Sunday morning 3:30 am). There is this part where Zana the maker of the movie is trying to get these kids of sex workers into good schools and the school authorities reject them outright. WTF?
What bothers them ? Is it that the upper strata will stop sending their kids to this school anymore ? Will this have a negative effect on the kids who arent exposed to sex let alone prostitution. I think we dont have teachers good enough to be able to assimilate the experiences of these unfortunate kids into their lessons. Is there a solution to this problem in India. The kids seem so smart and eager to learn, its a shame we cant give them this opportunity as a society. I know it sounds like BS coming from a guy in front of the TV on his reclining chair, but then I am really pissed with the state of affairs. Sending money back home isnt the only solution, but thinking that I can go back and solve everything is even more nonsensical. I am just sour right now.
-Rajan
What bothers them ? Is it that the upper strata will stop sending their kids to this school anymore ? Will this have a negative effect on the kids who arent exposed to sex let alone prostitution. I think we dont have teachers good enough to be able to assimilate the experiences of these unfortunate kids into their lessons. Is there a solution to this problem in India. The kids seem so smart and eager to learn, its a shame we cant give them this opportunity as a society. I know it sounds like BS coming from a guy in front of the TV on his reclining chair, but then I am really pissed with the state of affairs. Sending money back home isnt the only solution, but thinking that I can go back and solve everything is even more nonsensical. I am just sour right now.
-Rajan
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Science & Technology at Scientific American.com: Chimps Found to Conform to Cultural Norms
Science & Technology at Scientific American.com: Chimps Found to Conform to Cultural Norms: "We humans aren't the only ones who want to fit in. Researchers have discovered that chimpanzees, too, preferentially adopt their fellow chimps' way of doing things.
Andrew Whiten of St. Andrews University in Fife, Scotland, and his colleagues studied three groups of captive chimpanzees and the ways in which they assumed different techniques for obtaining food. The first group contained a high-ranking female that had been taught to retrieve food from an apparatus by using a stick to push a blockage away, thus freeing the food item. The second group also contained a female expert, but one that had been instructed to lift the blockage with the stick in order to release the treat. The third group was a control group and did not have a local expert. When the experts were reunited with their respective groups, the other chimps watched their activities at the food apparatus intently and learned to apply either the poking or lifting technique themselves. Members of the third group, lacking an expert to guide them, failed to figure out the contraption on their own."
Andrew Whiten of St. Andrews University in Fife, Scotland, and his colleagues studied three groups of captive chimpanzees and the ways in which they assumed different techniques for obtaining food. The first group contained a high-ranking female that had been taught to retrieve food from an apparatus by using a stick to push a blockage away, thus freeing the food item. The second group also contained a female expert, but one that had been instructed to lift the blockage with the stick in order to release the treat. The third group was a control group and did not have a local expert. When the experts were reunited with their respective groups, the other chimps watched their activities at the food apparatus intently and learned to apply either the poking or lifting technique themselves. Members of the third group, lacking an expert to guide them, failed to figure out the contraption on their own."
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Robertson Calls for Chavez Assassination - Yahoo! News
Robertson Calls for Chavez Assassination - Yahoo! News: "Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson has suggested that American agents assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to stop his country from becoming 'a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism.'"
Monday, August 22, 2005
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Kimberly Brooks: Phase Change - Yahoo! News
Kimberly Brooks: Phase Change - Yahoo! News: "Before I was married and when I was dating, I remember that when I left the house, there was this sense of anticipation..maybe I would meet the man of my dreams today on the train to work or literature class? It was all very random.
Now the man on the train is on the cell phone or blackberry. I hear they’re also thinking of allowing cell phone coverage on airplanes. That is one place, even if people have access to the internet, that no one can reach you by cell at least. But to be accessible then too would be too much. Not to mention having to listen to everyone else’s conversation! The Internet has made everyone connected to everybody all the time. I hear and read that, for the most part, teenagers and young adults don’t “go steady” anymore. Now they’re all just friends. And some of those friends get “benefits” or “hook up” -- no strings attached. Sure the dating scene has seen many changes (from the conservative 50s to the sixties, seventies etc.) and, it could be just the cycle of how people date changes. But what if it’s not? This extends beyond the realm of dating, as sure as you’re reading my thoughts right now.
I know that this isn’t a new idea. Lord knows my far out dad told us this kind of stuff during bed time stories. But what if our species is at the cusp of a phase change? When water turns to steam it stays in the form of water from 1 to 100 degrees and then, in one instant…it turns to steam. Steady transitions are not what happens in nature. It’s distinctly a phase change. And I think it’s happening to us. I wonder what will happen to this tiny planet where virtual nerves start connecting that have never connected before, and we become this pulsating globe of instantaneous thought?"
Now the man on the train is on the cell phone or blackberry. I hear they’re also thinking of allowing cell phone coverage on airplanes. That is one place, even if people have access to the internet, that no one can reach you by cell at least. But to be accessible then too would be too much. Not to mention having to listen to everyone else’s conversation! The Internet has made everyone connected to everybody all the time. I hear and read that, for the most part, teenagers and young adults don’t “go steady” anymore. Now they’re all just friends. And some of those friends get “benefits” or “hook up” -- no strings attached. Sure the dating scene has seen many changes (from the conservative 50s to the sixties, seventies etc.) and, it could be just the cycle of how people date changes. But what if it’s not? This extends beyond the realm of dating, as sure as you’re reading my thoughts right now.
I know that this isn’t a new idea. Lord knows my far out dad told us this kind of stuff during bed time stories. But what if our species is at the cusp of a phase change? When water turns to steam it stays in the form of water from 1 to 100 degrees and then, in one instant…it turns to steam. Steady transitions are not what happens in nature. It’s distinctly a phase change. And I think it’s happening to us. I wonder what will happen to this tiny planet where virtual nerves start connecting that have never connected before, and we become this pulsating globe of instantaneous thought?"
Friday, August 19, 2005
Wired News: You'll Know When You're Older
Wired News: You'll Know When You're Older: "Talk about sex tech to a 35-year-old, and it takes about three minutes for the light to switch on. 'Yeah!' she or he will cry. 'My sister met her husband online!' (Or maybe, 'My sister left her husband for a woman she met online!' You never know.)
It puzzled me why 20-year-olds weren't reacting the same way. I was totally unprepared for the blank looks and the resounding chorus of 'huh?' when I described the book.
How could a generation so saturated with both tech and sex not see how the two come together?
Then it dawned on me. These kids may be tech-savvy and sex-obsessed, but they don't have the same need for sex tech as the older folks.
Why bother with online dating when you spend the majority of your day with your peer group?
Why look for love outside your city when you're only allowed to use the car for school and errands?
Why would a college student need the internet to get laid when she's already surrounded by hordes of intelligent young single men -- most of whom she didn't grow up with?
She'll have plenty of time after graduation to bring out the sex toys, when she and her boyfriend find jobs or attend grad school in different cities, or when she's burned out on the dating scene.
And considering their comfort level with remote interaction and online gaming, teledildonics will not seem odd at all. It will just be another option on a Wednesday night."
It puzzled me why 20-year-olds weren't reacting the same way. I was totally unprepared for the blank looks and the resounding chorus of 'huh?' when I described the book.
How could a generation so saturated with both tech and sex not see how the two come together?
Then it dawned on me. These kids may be tech-savvy and sex-obsessed, but they don't have the same need for sex tech as the older folks.
Why bother with online dating when you spend the majority of your day with your peer group?
Why look for love outside your city when you're only allowed to use the car for school and errands?
Why would a college student need the internet to get laid when she's already surrounded by hordes of intelligent young single men -- most of whom she didn't grow up with?
She'll have plenty of time after graduation to bring out the sex toys, when she and her boyfriend find jobs or attend grad school in different cities, or when she's burned out on the dating scene.
And considering their comfort level with remote interaction and online gaming, teledildonics will not seem odd at all. It will just be another option on a Wednesday night."
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Congress of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Congress of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "The Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States of America. It is a bicameral institution, comprising the House of Representatives (the 'lower house') and the Senate (the 'upper house'). The House of Representatives consists of 435 members, each of whom represents a congressional district and serves for a two-year term. Seats in the House are apportioned among the states on the basis of population. However, in the Senate, each state is represented by two members regardless of their population. There are a total of 100 Senators, who serve six-year terms. Both representatives and senators are directly elected by the people but in some states the governor may appoint a temporary replacement when a Senate seat is vacant.
The United States Constitution vests all the legislative powers of the federal government in the Congress. The powers of Congress are limited to those expressly enumerated in the Constitution; all other powers are reserved to the states and the people, except where the Constitution provides otherwise. Significant powers of Congress include the authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, to levy taxes, to establish courts inferior to the Supreme Court, to maintain the armed forces, and to declare war. Insofar as passing legislation is concerned, the Senate is fully equal to the House of Representatives. The Senate is not a mere 'chamber of review,' as is the case with the upper houses of the bicameral legislatures of most other nations."
The United States Constitution vests all the legislative powers of the federal government in the Congress. The powers of Congress are limited to those expressly enumerated in the Constitution; all other powers are reserved to the states and the people, except where the Constitution provides otherwise. Significant powers of Congress include the authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, to levy taxes, to establish courts inferior to the Supreme Court, to maintain the armed forces, and to declare war. Insofar as passing legislation is concerned, the Senate is fully equal to the House of Representatives. The Senate is not a mere 'chamber of review,' as is the case with the upper houses of the bicameral legislatures of most other nations."
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Wired News: Even Geeks Need a Breather
Wired News: Even Geeks Need a Breather: "All geeks burn out on tech once in a while, and even gamers need the occasional break from the controls. (Really.)
But how many couples confuse technology burnout with relationship burnout? You start projecting the anti-IM sentiment onto the person on the other end of the dialog. Or you resent the friend calling you when you suddenly can't stand the sound of the polyphonic ring tone you paid $2 for.
Maybe you're not tired of the other person, you're just tired of the computer, or the webcam, or the teledildonics, or the headset you use with your Skype account. Or all of the above.
Modern technology makes long-distance relationships viable in ways previous generations can only envy. And yet having the ability to communicate constantly leads to the expectation of constant communication.
If the flood of e-mail and text messages suddenly slows to a trickle, it's understandable that the other person will start to feel anxious and confused.
One friend, wise in the ways of long-distance love, says, 'You can be in love with them and still just want to come home and watch TV. It's when they take it personally, as a rejection or a sign you don't want to be with them, that the trouble starts.'"
But how many couples confuse technology burnout with relationship burnout? You start projecting the anti-IM sentiment onto the person on the other end of the dialog. Or you resent the friend calling you when you suddenly can't stand the sound of the polyphonic ring tone you paid $2 for.
Maybe you're not tired of the other person, you're just tired of the computer, or the webcam, or the teledildonics, or the headset you use with your Skype account. Or all of the above.
Modern technology makes long-distance relationships viable in ways previous generations can only envy. And yet having the ability to communicate constantly leads to the expectation of constant communication.
If the flood of e-mail and text messages suddenly slows to a trickle, it's understandable that the other person will start to feel anxious and confused.
One friend, wise in the ways of long-distance love, says, 'You can be in love with them and still just want to come home and watch TV. It's when they take it personally, as a rejection or a sign you don't want to be with them, that the trouble starts.'"
Scientific American: Mindful of Symbols
Scientific American: Mindful of Symbols:
Kids cannot grasp the concept of an image or a symbol being a link to the actual object. They think the pointer is the object and has the same properties of the object. From article : "The confusion seems to be conceptual, not perceptual. Infants can perfectly well perceive the difference between objects and pictures. Given a choice between the two, infants choose the real thing. But they do not yet fully understand what pictures are and how they differ from the things depicted (the "referents") and so they explore: some actually lean over and put their lips on the nipple in a photograph of a bottle, for instance. They only do so, however, when the depicted object is highly similar to the object it represents, as in color photographs. The same confusion occurs for video images. Pierroutsakos and her colleague Georgene L. Troseth of Vanderbilt University found that nine-month-olds seated near a television monitor will reach out and grab at objects moving across the screen. But when depicted objects bear relatively little resemblance to the real thing--as in a line drawing--infants rarely explore them. "
Studying this is important for understanding how to educate kids less than 3 and how to communicate with them. From article: "The concept of dual representation has implications for educational practices as well. Teachers in preschool and elementary school classrooms around the world use 'manipulatives'--blocks, rods and other objects designed to represent numerical quantity. The idea is that these concrete objects help children appreciate abstract mathematical principles. But if children do not understand the relation between the objects and what they represent, the use of manipulatives could be counterproductive. And some research does suggest that children often have problems understanding and using manipulatives." Also "The victims of abuse are often very young children, who are quite difficult to interview. Consequently, many professionals--including police officers, social workers and mental health professionals--employ anatomically detailed dolls, assuming that a young child will have an easier time describing what happened using a doll. Notice that this assumption entails the further assumption that a young child will be able to think of this object as both a doll and a representation of himself or herself."
Kids cannot grasp the concept of an image or a symbol being a link to the actual object. They think the pointer is the object and has the same properties of the object. From article : "The confusion seems to be conceptual, not perceptual. Infants can perfectly well perceive the difference between objects and pictures. Given a choice between the two, infants choose the real thing. But they do not yet fully understand what pictures are and how they differ from the things depicted (the "referents") and so they explore: some actually lean over and put their lips on the nipple in a photograph of a bottle, for instance. They only do so, however, when the depicted object is highly similar to the object it represents, as in color photographs. The same confusion occurs for video images. Pierroutsakos and her colleague Georgene L. Troseth of Vanderbilt University found that nine-month-olds seated near a television monitor will reach out and grab at objects moving across the screen. But when depicted objects bear relatively little resemblance to the real thing--as in a line drawing--infants rarely explore them. "
Studying this is important for understanding how to educate kids less than 3 and how to communicate with them. From article: "The concept of dual representation has implications for educational practices as well. Teachers in preschool and elementary school classrooms around the world use 'manipulatives'--blocks, rods and other objects designed to represent numerical quantity. The idea is that these concrete objects help children appreciate abstract mathematical principles. But if children do not understand the relation between the objects and what they represent, the use of manipulatives could be counterproductive. And some research does suggest that children often have problems understanding and using manipulatives." Also "The victims of abuse are often very young children, who are quite difficult to interview. Consequently, many professionals--including police officers, social workers and mental health professionals--employ anatomically detailed dolls, assuming that a young child will have an easier time describing what happened using a doll. Notice that this assumption entails the further assumption that a young child will be able to think of this object as both a doll and a representation of himself or herself."
Wired News: Power Supply Is Down in the Dumps
Wired News: Power Supply Is Down in the Dumps: "In Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital city, the overwhelmed city garbage company only picks up half of the 3,500 tons of waste discarded each day; the rest is left to rot in streets and sewers.
The majority of the trash that does get collected ends up at the massive Matuail dump, a 50-acre pile of debris that is nearing capacity just 11 years after it opened."
"Next month, ground is expected to be broken on a $10 million project sponsored by Netherlands-based World Wide Recycling to scale up Waste Concern's existing composting program and turn Matuail's noxious emissions into electricity.
The agreement was facilitated by a Kyoto Protocol-designed system called the Clean Development Mechanism, which allows organizations in the developed world to claim carbon credits by supporting greenhouse-gas-reducing projects in developing countries. "
The majority of the trash that does get collected ends up at the massive Matuail dump, a 50-acre pile of debris that is nearing capacity just 11 years after it opened."
"Next month, ground is expected to be broken on a $10 million project sponsored by Netherlands-based World Wide Recycling to scale up Waste Concern's existing composting program and turn Matuail's noxious emissions into electricity.
The agreement was facilitated by a Kyoto Protocol-designed system called the Clean Development Mechanism, which allows organizations in the developed world to claim carbon credits by supporting greenhouse-gas-reducing projects in developing countries. "
BBC NEWS | Africa | Cameroon's beer bottle 'currency'
BBC NEWS | Africa | Cameroon's beer bottle 'currency': "Beer bottle caps are being used as currency in parts of Cameroon, which is in the grips of a promotion frenzy by rival breweries.
Intense competition between beer companies has seen 20 million bottles given away since the start of the year.
The prizes, which are revealed beneath the bottle top, include mobile phones, luxury cars and of course more beer.
With a beer costing $1, some punters are using their winning bottle tops to pay for taxi rides."
I'd really like to know what economists think of this. Would a cab guy take gold from me instead of money. Isnt money the most liquid form and thus most valuable ? Ofcourse he would if the bullion markets are on a rampage. But something beer bottle-caps ?? So this is indication of the public feeling that these caps have a sustained and liquid value in the current economy.
Intense competition between beer companies has seen 20 million bottles given away since the start of the year.
The prizes, which are revealed beneath the bottle top, include mobile phones, luxury cars and of course more beer.
With a beer costing $1, some punters are using their winning bottle tops to pay for taxi rides."
I'd really like to know what economists think of this. Would a cab guy take gold from me instead of money. Isnt money the most liquid form and thus most valuable ? Ofcourse he would if the bullion markets are on a rampage. But something beer bottle-caps ?? So this is indication of the public feeling that these caps have a sustained and liquid value in the current economy.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
BBC NEWS | Business | Silver surfers ready to storm shops
BBC NEWS | Business | Silver surfers ready to storm shops: "With the online shopping market set to grow to £60bn by 2010, retailers could be throwing away billions if they fail to invest in the older online shopper, says research by the Future Foundation.
Already nearly one in every four adults in the UK has bought goods online in the past six months, double the amount three years ago.
And now, almost two out of every three of those coming up to retirement are using the web, compared with just a third in 2001, signalling an impending silver surfer shopping bonanza.
According to the report, commissioned on behalf of The AirMiles Travel Company, online sales will keep accelerating, accounting for 20% of total retail spending by 2010.
In the meantime, a growing number of shoppers aged from 55 to 64, traditionally ignored by e-tailers, are eagerly jumping on the internet bandwagon.
Researchers warn a revolution in online shopping fuelled by the elderly consumer is only five years away."
Already nearly one in every four adults in the UK has bought goods online in the past six months, double the amount three years ago.
And now, almost two out of every three of those coming up to retirement are using the web, compared with just a third in 2001, signalling an impending silver surfer shopping bonanza.
According to the report, commissioned on behalf of The AirMiles Travel Company, online sales will keep accelerating, accounting for 20% of total retail spending by 2010.
In the meantime, a growing number of shoppers aged from 55 to 64, traditionally ignored by e-tailers, are eagerly jumping on the internet bandwagon.
Researchers warn a revolution in online shopping fuelled by the elderly consumer is only five years away."
Chang and Eng Bunker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chang and Eng Bunker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Chang Bunker and Eng Bunker (May 11, 1811–January 17, 1874) were the twin brothers whose condition and birthplace became the basis for the term Siamese twins (conjoined twins). They were born in Siam (now Thailand), in the province of Samutsongkram, to a Chinese father (Ti-eye) and a half-Chinese/half-Cham mother (Nok).
The Bunkers were joined at the sternum by a small piece of cartilage. Their livers were fused but independently complete. Even though 19th-century surgical technology was not nearly as advanced as it is today, they could have easily been separated. In 1829, they were discovered in Siam by British merchant Robert Hunter and exhibited as a curiosity during a world tour. Upon termination of their contract with their discoverer, they successfully went into business for themselves. In 1839, while visiting Wilkesboro, North Carolina with P.T. Barnum, the twins were attracted to the town and settled there, becoming naturalized United States citizens.
The Bunkers settled on a plantation, bought slaves, and adopted the name 'Bunker.' They were accepted as respected members of the community. On April 13, 1843, they married two sisters: Chang to Adelaide Yates and Eng to Sarah Anne Yates. Chang and his wife had ten children; Eng and his wife had 11. In time, the wives squabbled and eventually two separate households were set up. The twins died on the same day in 1874."
The Bunkers were joined at the sternum by a small piece of cartilage. Their livers were fused but independently complete. Even though 19th-century surgical technology was not nearly as advanced as it is today, they could have easily been separated. In 1829, they were discovered in Siam by British merchant Robert Hunter and exhibited as a curiosity during a world tour. Upon termination of their contract with their discoverer, they successfully went into business for themselves. In 1839, while visiting Wilkesboro, North Carolina with P.T. Barnum, the twins were attracted to the town and settled there, becoming naturalized United States citizens.
The Bunkers settled on a plantation, bought slaves, and adopted the name 'Bunker.' They were accepted as respected members of the community. On April 13, 1843, they married two sisters: Chang to Adelaide Yates and Eng to Sarah Anne Yates. Chang and his wife had ten children; Eng and his wife had 11. In time, the wives squabbled and eventually two separate households were set up. The twins died on the same day in 1874."
Saturday, August 13, 2005
iTunes Hum at Motorola, Apple
iTunes Hum at Motorola, Apple: "Motorola (MOT:NYSE - commentary - research) and Apple (AAPL:Nasdaq - commentary - research) have finally agreed on a stage to raise the curtain on the much-anticipated iTunes phone.
The iPod-inspired music phone -- which Motorola twice pulled from introductions earlier this year, apparently under orders from Apple chief Steve Jobs -- will debut in the U.K. next month.
The planned venue is a four-stage 'V Festival' concert sponsored by Virgin Mobile U.K. on Aug. 20-21, says American Technology Research analyst Albert Lin.
Virgin Mobile U.K. will be one of the first telcos to offer the phone, says Lin.
A Virgin Mobile U.K. rep sa"
The iPod-inspired music phone -- which Motorola twice pulled from introductions earlier this year, apparently under orders from Apple chief Steve Jobs -- will debut in the U.K. next month.
The planned venue is a four-stage 'V Festival' concert sponsored by Virgin Mobile U.K. on Aug. 20-21, says American Technology Research analyst Albert Lin.
Virgin Mobile U.K. will be one of the first telcos to offer the phone, says Lin.
A Virgin Mobile U.K. rep sa"
BBC : Nuclear fuel cycle
BBC NEWS | In Depth | 2003 | Nuclear fuel cycle | mining: "Introduction :: Mining uranium
Uranium is the basic raw material of both civilian and military nuclear programmes.
It is extracted from either open-cast pits or by underground mining. Although uranium occurs naturally all over the world, only a small fraction is found in concentrated ores.
When certain atoms of uranium are split in a chain reaction, energy is released. This process is called nuclear fission.
In a nuclear power station this fission occurs slowly, while in a nuclear weapon, very rapidly. In both instances, fission must be very carefully controlled."
Uranium is the basic raw material of both civilian and military nuclear programmes.
It is extracted from either open-cast pits or by underground mining. Although uranium occurs naturally all over the world, only a small fraction is found in concentrated ores.
When certain atoms of uranium are split in a chain reaction, energy is released. This process is called nuclear fission.
In a nuclear power station this fission occurs slowly, while in a nuclear weapon, very rapidly. In both instances, fission must be very carefully controlled."
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Freescale Investments
Investor's Business Daily: Breaking News: "Investors have taken note. In the past 12 months, shares of Freescale (FSL) have climbed more than 75% while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index ($SOX) has risen just over 20%.
Now, however, analysts are beginning to wonder how long the honeymoon can last beyond its July 2004 initial public offering.
Although the Austin, Tex.-based company has proven it can make chips with wide profit margins, Freescale needs to now show it can post better revenue growth, they say. That's because the gross margin story -- pitched by Freescale during pre-IPO road shows and heeded by the bulls -- may be losing steam.
'We think investors are poised to pay more attention to sales dynamics than to rely solely on gross margin,' Shawn Slayton, an SG Cowen analyst, wrote in a recent research note.
And on Thursday, Goldman Sachs cut its rating on Freescale to neutral, arguing that the stock price may have peaked. The stock, which fell nearly 2% after that downgrade, ended the session at $24.60, leaving it down more than 7% this month."
Now, however, analysts are beginning to wonder how long the honeymoon can last beyond its July 2004 initial public offering.
Although the Austin, Tex.-based company has proven it can make chips with wide profit margins, Freescale needs to now show it can post better revenue growth, they say. That's because the gross margin story -- pitched by Freescale during pre-IPO road shows and heeded by the bulls -- may be losing steam.
'We think investors are poised to pay more attention to sales dynamics than to rely solely on gross margin,' Shawn Slayton, an SG Cowen analyst, wrote in a recent research note.
And on Thursday, Goldman Sachs cut its rating on Freescale to neutral, arguing that the stock price may have peaked. The stock, which fell nearly 2% after that downgrade, ended the session at $24.60, leaving it down more than 7% this month."
Bizarro Pentagon, Torture is Rewarded While Sex is a Firing Offense
Arianna Huffington: At Rummy's Bizarro Pentagon, Torture is Rewarded While Sex is a Firing Offense - Yahoo! News: "Here’s all the proof you need that the lunatics have taken over the Pentagon and DoD asylums (that is, if the lunacy of their Iraq policies hadn’t already convinced you):
Four-star General Kevin Byrnes, the third most senior of the Army’s 11 four-star generals, was sacked over allegations that he had an extramarital affair. Meanwhile, Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez, the senior commander in Iraq during the Abu Ghraib torture and abuse scandal, is being considered for promotion to, yep, four-star general.
Talk about your utterly perverted priorities."
"Something doesn’t add up. Would the Army really can a four-star General with 36 years of service, three months shy of his retirement, because he screwed someone other than his wife... in the middle of a war? We are at war, right? No wonder speculation is mounting that there has to be more -- much more -- to this story than is being told.
Was the affair with a man? Was the man underage? Did he not only ask, but also tell? Was, say, one of the Bush twins involved? Did the illicit liaison entail incredibly kinky behavior... something involving a dog leash, women’s panties, fake blood, a Koran, and a Lynddie England mask?"
Four-star General Kevin Byrnes, the third most senior of the Army’s 11 four-star generals, was sacked over allegations that he had an extramarital affair. Meanwhile, Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez, the senior commander in Iraq during the Abu Ghraib torture and abuse scandal, is being considered for promotion to, yep, four-star general.
Talk about your utterly perverted priorities."
"Something doesn’t add up. Would the Army really can a four-star General with 36 years of service, three months shy of his retirement, because he screwed someone other than his wife... in the middle of a war? We are at war, right? No wonder speculation is mounting that there has to be more -- much more -- to this story than is being told.
Was the affair with a man? Was the man underage? Did he not only ask, but also tell? Was, say, one of the Bush twins involved? Did the illicit liaison entail incredibly kinky behavior... something involving a dog leash, women’s panties, fake blood, a Koran, and a Lynddie England mask?"
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
PBS, BBC Move Forward With Internet-TV Projects
PBS, BBC Move Forward With Internet-TV Projects: "Two of the world's most important public broadcasters have seen the future of TV and it is on the broadband Internet.
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), and the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) have disclosed plans to launch Internet-only programming, starting this September.
The PBS Internet TV show, dubbed 'NerdTV,' is touted as the 'funniest' show on TV with the 'nerdiest people in high-tech.' BBC is going to offer feature films over the Internet -- as well as one-week old broadcasts of its news and public affairs programming.
The PBS offering is generating the most publicity, as the show is going to be hosted by Robert X. Cringley, the nom de plume for PBS TV's legendary technology columnist, famed industry insider and author of the book, Accidental Empires: How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions, Battle Foreign Competition, and Still Can't Get a Date.
TV for and by Nerds
Expected guests for the show include PayPal (Nasdaq: PYPL) founder Max Levchin; the original Macintosh programmer Andy Hertzfeld; and Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq: SUNW) Latest News about Sun Microsystems' co-founder Bill Joy.
'NerdTV will have an uninterrupted hour with the smartest, funniest, and sometimes, nerdiest people in high-tech,' said Cringley. 'These are people who have changed our lives, whether we know it or not. Through NerdTV, a broad audience of enthusiasts and students will gain a much greater understanding of these techies and the context of their lives.'
The hourly show will debut on September 6, and will have an initial run of 13 weeks. "
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), and the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) have disclosed plans to launch Internet-only programming, starting this September.
The PBS Internet TV show, dubbed 'NerdTV,' is touted as the 'funniest' show on TV with the 'nerdiest people in high-tech.' BBC is going to offer feature films over the Internet -- as well as one-week old broadcasts of its news and public affairs programming.
The PBS offering is generating the most publicity, as the show is going to be hosted by Robert X. Cringley, the nom de plume for PBS TV's legendary technology columnist, famed industry insider and author of the book, Accidental Empires: How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions, Battle Foreign Competition, and Still Can't Get a Date.
TV for and by Nerds
Expected guests for the show include PayPal (Nasdaq: PYPL) founder Max Levchin; the original Macintosh programmer Andy Hertzfeld; and Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq: SUNW) Latest News about Sun Microsystems' co-founder Bill Joy.
'NerdTV will have an uninterrupted hour with the smartest, funniest, and sometimes, nerdiest people in high-tech,' said Cringley. 'These are people who have changed our lives, whether we know it or not. Through NerdTV, a broad audience of enthusiasts and students will gain a much greater understanding of these techies and the context of their lives.'
The hourly show will debut on September 6, and will have an initial run of 13 weeks. "
Vorbis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vorbis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Vorbis is an open and free audio compression (codec) project from the Xiph.org Foundation. It is frequently used in conjunction with the Ogg container and is then called Ogg Vorbis. It is often mistakenly called just Ogg (or 'OGG').
Vorbis was started following a September 1998 letter from Fraunhofer Gesellschaft announcing plans to charge licensing fees for the MP3 format. Soon after founder Christopher 'Monty' Montgomery began work on the project, he was assisted by a growing collection of other developers. They continued refining the code until a stable version 1.0 of the codec was released on July 19, 2002.
The latest version is 1.1.1 released on 2005-06-27. Source code for this release is available from the official Vorbis web site, while many Windows binaries can be downloaded at Rarewares."
Vorbis was started following a September 1998 letter from Fraunhofer Gesellschaft announcing plans to charge licensing fees for the MP3 format. Soon after founder Christopher 'Monty' Montgomery began work on the project, he was assisted by a growing collection of other developers. They continued refining the code until a stable version 1.0 of the codec was released on July 19, 2002.
The latest version is 1.1.1 released on 2005-06-27. Source code for this release is available from the official Vorbis web site, while many Windows binaries can be downloaded at Rarewares."
Saturday, August 06, 2005
jimpoz.com - Pablo Picasso
jimpoz.com - Pablo Picasso: "When I work I relax; doing nothing or entertaining visitors makes me tired."
LiveScience.com - Fiddler Crabs: World's Pickiest Mates
LiveScience.com - Fiddler Crabs: World's Pickiest Mates: "When female fiddler crabs pick a mate, size does matter. The size of his house, that is.
Females spend big chunks of time looking for a male with a perfectly-sized burrow, which will give their offspring the best chance of survival.
“The size of the male’s burrow affects the development time of his larvae,” said Christine deRivera of the University of California, San Diego. “A burrow of just the right size allows larvae to hatch at the safest time, the peak outward nighttime flow of the biweekly tidal cycle.”
The males attract mates by standing in front of their burrows and waving their enlarged claws at females passing by.
“The California fiddler crabs use a lateral wave that looks much like a human beckoning 'come here’,” deRivera said. “It also seems to serve as a 'come hither' signal, as a male waves, standing at his burrow entrance, and interested females come over.”
The females check out the burrow, and if it appears suitable, the two crabs will plug up the burrow, mate, and incubate their eggs, which will later hatch and release tiny crab larvae.
Most animal species sample just a few potential mates, but female California fiddler crabs are much pickier. In deRivera’s study, females checked out male suitors and their bachelor pads an average of 23 times before making a final selection. One particularly choosy crab visited 106 male burrows, fully entering 15 of them, during her hour-long search."
Females spend big chunks of time looking for a male with a perfectly-sized burrow, which will give their offspring the best chance of survival.
“The size of the male’s burrow affects the development time of his larvae,” said Christine deRivera of the University of California, San Diego. “A burrow of just the right size allows larvae to hatch at the safest time, the peak outward nighttime flow of the biweekly tidal cycle.”
The males attract mates by standing in front of their burrows and waving their enlarged claws at females passing by.
“The California fiddler crabs use a lateral wave that looks much like a human beckoning 'come here’,” deRivera said. “It also seems to serve as a 'come hither' signal, as a male waves, standing at his burrow entrance, and interested females come over.”
The females check out the burrow, and if it appears suitable, the two crabs will plug up the burrow, mate, and incubate their eggs, which will later hatch and release tiny crab larvae.
Most animal species sample just a few potential mates, but female California fiddler crabs are much pickier. In deRivera’s study, females checked out male suitors and their bachelor pads an average of 23 times before making a final selection. One particularly choosy crab visited 106 male burrows, fully entering 15 of them, during her hour-long search."
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Innovation Futures
Innovation Futures: "What is Innovation Futures?
Innovation Futures is a prediction game. Similar to fantasy stock market games, this one lets players trade on all kinds of events. You predict the outcome of various news events we supply. So the more you know, the more likely you are to predict correctly and win. And it's not just how much you know. You can benefit from the bad predictions of others.
How does it work?
Here is an example: Consider a market about the question �Will the NASDAQ make a gain or a loss for Week 31?�. Let's suppose that you want to invest in the outcome �-20.01 to -30.00�. The trading price for the corresponding 'contract' is currently x$1 ('x$' is the game's play money). If this outcome ultimately occurs, then each of the contracts you bought will yield x$100 and you will have earned x$99 per contract (100 - 1)."
Innovation Futures is a prediction game. Similar to fantasy stock market games, this one lets players trade on all kinds of events. You predict the outcome of various news events we supply. So the more you know, the more likely you are to predict correctly and win. And it's not just how much you know. You can benefit from the bad predictions of others.
How does it work?
Here is an example: Consider a market about the question �Will the NASDAQ make a gain or a loss for Week 31?�. Let's suppose that you want to invest in the outcome �-20.01 to -30.00�. The trading price for the corresponding 'contract' is currently x$1 ('x$' is the game's play money). If this outcome ultimately occurs, then each of the contracts you bought will yield x$100 and you will have earned x$99 per contract (100 - 1)."
Trading Cricket for Jihad - New York Times
Trading Cricket for Jihad - New York Times: "In his book 'Globalized Islam,' the French scholar Olivier Roy points out that today's jihadists have a lot in common with the left-wing extremists of the 1930's and 1960's. Ideologically, Islamic neofundamentalism occupies the same militant space that was once occupied by Marxism. It draws the same sorts of recruits (educated second-generation immigrants, for example), uses some of the same symbols and vilifies some of the same enemies (imperialism and capitalism).
Roy emphasizes that the jihadists are the products of globalization, and its enemies. They are detached from any specific country or culture, he says, and take up jihad because it attaches them to something. They are generally not politically active before they take up jihad. They are looking to strike a vague blow against the system and so give their lives (and deaths) shape and meaning.
In short, the Arab world is maintaining its nearly perfect record of absorbing every bad idea coming from the West. Western ideas infuse the radicals who flood into Iraq to blow up Muslims and Americans alike."
Roy emphasizes that the jihadists are the products of globalization, and its enemies. They are detached from any specific country or culture, he says, and take up jihad because it attaches them to something. They are generally not politically active before they take up jihad. They are looking to strike a vague blow against the system and so give their lives (and deaths) shape and meaning.
In short, the Arab world is maintaining its nearly perfect record of absorbing every bad idea coming from the West. Western ideas infuse the radicals who flood into Iraq to blow up Muslims and Americans alike."
Failure vs Fallure
Jim Collins on Charlie Rose 8/4, talks of failure vs fallure. In case of failure you give up because you make a decision that you are no longer able to pursue the goal. Wheras Fallure on the other hand is when even when all the chips are down you still make a whole-hearted attempt and then still Fail. How many times do we have a fallure ? Thats a nice attitude to have.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Muslims being targetted in London
Is this normal reaction ?
I wouldnt want it to be but I guess it is.
What can the muslims do ?
Well not much at this point of time.
What can the leaders do ?
A lot to integrate muslims in the mainstream British community in the future and soothe peoples minds at present. We need more 'leaders' in our societies.
I wouldnt want it to be but I guess it is.
What can the muslims do ?
Well not much at this point of time.
What can the leaders do ?
A lot to integrate muslims in the mainstream British community in the future and soothe peoples minds at present. We need more 'leaders' in our societies.
BBC NEWS | Magazine | Kung Fu? Meet Physics
BBC NEWS | Magazine | Kung Fu? Meet Physics: "Einstein Year
Somebody at the Institute of Physics, inspired by it being Einstein Year which aims to heighten awareness of the relevance of physics, had the bright idea of putting them together. The mission? To work out just what it takes to chop wood with your bare hands.
Cain, 25, said: 'Kung Fu is about force so I had an understanding of it with my physics background.'
So what did she think about being asked to take part in the exercise?
'At first I was surprised. It was an unusual idea but an interesting one. The prospect of breaking blocks of wood is not something I have really thought about.'"
Somebody at the Institute of Physics, inspired by it being Einstein Year which aims to heighten awareness of the relevance of physics, had the bright idea of putting them together. The mission? To work out just what it takes to chop wood with your bare hands.
Cain, 25, said: 'Kung Fu is about force so I had an understanding of it with my physics background.'
So what did she think about being asked to take part in the exercise?
'At first I was surprised. It was an unusual idea but an interesting one. The prospect of breaking blocks of wood is not something I have really thought about.'"
BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | E-mail and snail mail united
BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | E-mail and snail mail united: "Post offices in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh will take a customer's handwritten letter and computer scan it. Then the letter can be e-mailed to remote, high-altitude post-offices in this Himalayan region.
From there, the e-mails are printed out and then taken by hand to their destinations - many of which are located in almost inaccessible mountain areas such as the Lahaul, Spiti, Kinnaur and Pangi valleys.
At over 3,500 metres above sea level, some of them are the highest inhabited places on earth.
They remain cut off from the rest of the world for more than half the year due to heavy snowfall over the high passes - which makes it tough for the postal authorities to reach them.
'In small towns this tailor-made service can also be accessed by customers from their home or office via the internet, by buying pre-paid cards from post offices at a cheap 10 rupees (£0.12) per letter,' a top postal department official told the BBC."
Rajan : I like it when local babus can use technology to make progress.
From there, the e-mails are printed out and then taken by hand to their destinations - many of which are located in almost inaccessible mountain areas such as the Lahaul, Spiti, Kinnaur and Pangi valleys.
At over 3,500 metres above sea level, some of them are the highest inhabited places on earth.
They remain cut off from the rest of the world for more than half the year due to heavy snowfall over the high passes - which makes it tough for the postal authorities to reach them.
'In small towns this tailor-made service can also be accessed by customers from their home or office via the internet, by buying pre-paid cards from post offices at a cheap 10 rupees (£0.12) per letter,' a top postal department official told the BBC."
Rajan : I like it when local babus can use technology to make progress.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Dubai women storm world of work
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Dubai women storm world of work: "When Fatma Mohamed Haj, 21, decided she wanted to train as a radiologist, her family objected.
She would have to touch men she barely knew, which is forbidden in the traditional Islamic culture of the United Arab Emirates.
And she would have to work nights in a society where it is frowned upon for young women to be out after 10pm.
But she argued her case and is now seeking her first job.
A UAE national living in Dubai, she is one of a generation of young women at the forefront of fast-paced cultural change."
Lets hope this attitude is contagious.
She would have to touch men she barely knew, which is forbidden in the traditional Islamic culture of the United Arab Emirates.
And she would have to work nights in a society where it is frowned upon for young women to be out after 10pm.
But she argued her case and is now seeking her first job.
A UAE national living in Dubai, she is one of a generation of young women at the forefront of fast-paced cultural change."
Lets hope this attitude is contagious.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)