Zombie Computers to be blocked

Not too long after saying that they couldn't block people's computers, the major ISP's are now saying (link above) that they would be willing to block or limit internet access to computers which were infected with programs that turned them into zombies, attacking other computers or sending large volumes of spam. It's about time.

I've decided not to vote for your re-election

An open letter to President Bush and Vice-President Cheney:


Dear Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney,

I have considered myself a moderate republican (abortion is wrong, guns are wrong, taxes are wrong) all my life, but I've decided not to vote for your team for re-election.

The thing that decided it for me was the way Vice-President Cheney responded in regards to his use of the f-word in his exchange with Senator Leahey. I know that we hold people like our president and vice-president to incredibly (impossibly?) high standards, but c'mon... I expected a more apologetic tone, some kind of recognition that the use of the f-word was at least, a mistake, a slip-up, or more realistically, inappropriate and disrespectful, tacky, crude and unbecoming of the office of Vice President of The United States of America.

I don't know if I'll vote for Nader, or simply just not vote, but the handling of the matter has cost you my vote for re-election.

James Lamb, age 30
Los Angeles, California

Electricity in China

This is a very cool article (link in title) about how life is changing for Chinese citizens living in the most remote areas as electricity is introduced to their communities. TV and lights become the most common use and as they see what's out there, it inspires and discourages. In their own isolation, they were rich.

WindowsSKN

Microsoft has patented a method of communicating between devices using skin. It's not quite as gross as it sounds, but it's still pretty bizarre... Basically, they suggest that you might wear a number of devices in the future, like a computer on your hip and a watch on your wrist. Maybe an amulet around your neck. In any case, if those devices could communicate with one another, then they wouldn't all need their own transmitters to connect to a wireless network, or they wouldn't all need their own individual speakers. The information would flow from device to device on the surface of your skin, undetectectable to you. But it gets weirder... their patent specifically states that it's not limited to humans. So eventually I guess you could send your dog out for a walk on its own and track its movements by GPS?

Boo, Arnold

The governator proposes reducing waiting limit for killing animals in shelters from 6 days to 3. Except for birds, hamsters, potbellied pigs, rabbits, snakes and turtles, it would be ok to just kill 'em as they came in the door. Boo.

Airborne Border Patrol

The border patrol has begun using unmanned planes to patrol the border over Arizona where 330,000 people have been apprehended trying to cross since October. (link is in title)

I know boats, too.

Here I am, James Lamb the Yachtmaster.