Web Digest 2004
==== 2004-06-30 ====
== Attache ==
Net job losses in past 20 years - SARB
Employment has not grown in the last 20 years in South Africa, in fact there
have been net job losses, research from the Reserve Bank showed on Tuesday.
Over 40 000 jobs lost in first quarter
Link..
SA, China deepen relations - Zuma
The South Africa/China Binational Commission was an example of the deepening
relations between the two countries, Deputy President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday.
Link..
==== 2004-06-25 =====
== Business Day ==
Old white males face chop in Cape
Link..
Mbeki signals policy shift to the left with fiery defence of state
Link..
== TechRepublic (January '04) ==
Google quietly launched Orkut.com, an online social network..
Link..
* MAKING NETWORKING A DAILY TASK LEADS TO CAREER SUCCESS
Link..
* NETWEAVING IS A STEP BEYOND TRADITIONAL CAREER NETWORKING
Link..
==== 2004-06-23 ====
== ZDNet ==
Intel releases chips for lifestyle PC's
Video: Intel is calling 900 family of chipsets' release the most
significant platform upgrade in a decade. New features include upgraded
memory, secure storage--and coming soon, built-in wireless access
points.
Link..
A more exciting, animated you
San Francisco-based Linden Research's online role-playing environment
"Second Life" is an online community for anyone over 18 looking for a
virtual escape. Linden Lab CEO Phillip Rosedale gives correspondent
James Hilliard a tour and explains how users are turning their online
alter-egos into money-making businesses.
Link..
Vint Cerf: Net's moving into Iron Age
Internet pioneer and steward Vint Cerf contends that the Net is still
early in its evolution, in the process of moving from a figurative stone
age to an iron age.
Link..
== CNN ==
SORROW, OUTRAGE OVER HOSTAGE DEATH
The brutal beheading of South Korean hostage Kim Sun-il by
militants in Iraq has been greeted with sorrow and outrage
around the world, with Seoul remaining defiant that its troop
deployment will go ahead as planned.
Link..
==== 2004-06-21 ====
[ RETIREMENT: ] SEE, EVEN CHRIS ROCK UNDERSTANDS.....
I'm not used to quoting financial planning advice from one of
America's top stand-up comedians. ... ... But this reaches me:
"This is why smart people say you gotta think about life in the long
term. Dumb people tell you life is short. No it's not. Life is long.
Especially if you make the wrong choices."
No doubt totally unintended for the financial planning environment,
but this is totally spot-on advice for almost all risk-averse investors
who want to build enough wealth to see them through their retirement
years.
You need to accumulate a fund worth up to 20 years' final net
salary, if you want to be able to retire in financial comfort
(and the earlier you plan to retire, the bigger that fund needs to be!)
Otherwise, your twilight years are going to seem very long!
We estimate that less than 5% of the population currently retires
fully financially independent.
Make sure that that proportion improves with the next generation!
Biggest threat to SA and world economy is "oil terror".
The greatest external threat to SA`s economy and the world is the
effect of terror on the world oil markets. Business Report on Sunday
reports that according to First National Bank`s Cees Bruggemans,
with Venezuela, Nigeria and Iraq holding 10% to 12% of the world`s
oil supply and with Saudi Arabia producing the same percentage of
these three countries, about 20% to 25% of this supply is under
threat because of instability and possible acts of terrorism.
Also, there is growing unease about the demand from oil globally
growing much faster than expected, especially in the US, China and
Japan - China is expected to eventually reach or outgrow the US market.
This growth is unlikely to slow down in the near future and the demand
for oil was also unlikely to fall - oil fields are struggling to keep
up and new fields are only now being discovered. Bruggemans says that
considering the above factors, the current oil price of about $35
a barrel was surprisingly low.
== ITWeb ==
CELLULAR CURE
An Australian company says it can cure the world's first cellphone
virus, while phone maker Nokia says catching the worm is not likely.
Link..
First AIMS class graduates
The first African Institute for Mathematical Science (AIMS) class
has graduated in Cape Town.
Link..
Handtop PCs to hit mobile market
US-based OQO will launch its handtop mobile computers later this year
to challenge the personal digital assistant market.
Link..
Gartner: Telkom vision opaque
A Gartner analyst says the partial sale of Thintana's Telkom stake
is no surprise, because there is little evidence that Telkom knows
where it is going.
Link..
Italian school blocks cellphone signals
An Italian school is using military technology to jam mobile phone
signals to avoid students cheating in tests.
Link..
== M&G ==
Earthyear - White gold
The completion of the first phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project
was celebrated with a colourful shindig in the fresh mountain air of
the Lesotho mountains in mid-March.
Earthyear asks what is the legacy it leaves behind?
Link..
The Bill Clinton interview
The stars have come out, just as they always did. There's Uma Thurman,
hair beacon-blonde. Glenn Close gives a little wave, taking up her
place just a few seats away. Spike Lee is here somewhere. Officially,
they've all come to the Skirball Centre in New York's SoHo district
for a movie premiere.
Link..
== BBC ==
Bleak prospect for rural homeless
Spiralling house prices and a lack of services have
led to a steep rise in rural homelessness, a report says.
Link..
Britney takes UK singles top slot
Britney Spears debuts at number one in the UK charts with her
latest single Everytime.
Link..
Stone Roses 'top British album'
The Stone Roses' debut album tops the list of the best
British albums in a critics' poll on Sunday.
Link..
Sir Paul hits 3,000 in Petersburg
Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney plays his 3,000th show in
St Petersburg, Russia before a 60,000 crowd.
Link..
Countdown to private space trip
SpaceShipOne, the first private manned spacecraft, is undergoing
final preparations for Monday's historic flight to 100km.
Link..
Europe's five worst child killers
A third of deaths of European children are down to just five causes,
the World Health Organization says.
Link..
Henman shrugs off pressure
Tim Henman insists he can handle the expectation as another Wimbledon
campaign gets under way on Monday.
Link..
Goosen claims US Open glory
South Africa's Retief Goosen holds off Phil Mickelson to claim a
second US Open title.
Link..
Croatia v England
Latest team news and all the match stats ahead of the Group B
match in Lisbon.
Link..
Beckham remembers Romania
David Beckham hopes England learn from Euro 2000 heartbreak and
avoid a similar fate against Croatia on Monday.
Link..
==== 2004-06-18
Sometimes I think I need a complete new direction.
I still have moments where I really get into the code and enjoy
developing, but I wonder if both the IT industry and I have changed too
much. . ..Getting a paycheck is 95% of the reason I show up for work
every day. I get paid well but would rather earn less and enjoy my job.
So where does one go from here?"
Link..
Telecom
The Wireless Boom That Won't Need Us
6.09.04, 12:55 PM ET - Quentin Hardy
Wi-Fi is nice, but the real action will be in ZigBee, sensor networks, and the RoboNet.
Link..
Linux - The Big Blue Muzzle
6.16.04, 11:01 AM ET - Daniel Lyons
Could IBM use its patent clout and hiring power to block the open source code movement?
Link..
Xandros Inc. has made a free version of its Linux desktop distribution
available to noncommercial users but isn't offering support for it.
Link..
Web Awards
Link..
Apple's iTunes won the prize for the best music site.
Best Fashion
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Best Personal Website - a Japanese site
Link..
Best Tewchnical Achievement: A German site
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Best Weird Site - another German site
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==== 2004-06-10,11 ====
== CNN ==
RUBIN WARNS ON U.S. DEFICITS
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin on Thursday warned
that spiraling budget deficits have created a "fiscal morass"
that might threaten the U.S. economy's longer-term health as
baby boomers approach retirement.
Link..
- MUSIC ICON RAY CHARLES DIES AT 73
Ray Charles, the innovative singer and pianist whose
combinations of blues and gospel pioneered soul music and earned
him the nickname "the Genius," has died at the age of 73 at his
home in California.
Link..
U.S. PREPARES FOR REAGAN FAREWELL
The country that Ronald Reagan served as president is preparing
to bid him farewell on Friday, a national day of mourning that
will end in his sunset burial at his presidential library in
California.
Link..
U-TURN ON U.S. TERROR REPORT
The State Department acknowledged Thursday it was wrong in
reporting terrorism declined worldwide last year, a finding used
to boost one of President Bush's chief foreign policy claims --
success in countering terror.
Link..
Ray Charles, father of soul music, dies at 73
The precise origins of rock'n'roll may be lost in a fog of competing
claims, but few single incidents in the early history of modern
popular music seem more significant than the night in November 1954
when Ray Charles and his band entered the studio of a college radio
station in Atlanta, Georgia, to record a song called I Got a Woman.
Link..
Kiss of life, or death?
The Democratic Alliance calls it the kiss of death -- but the
marriage of the African National Congress and the New National Party
is symptomatic of a new politics of survival that other political
parties could resort to. After the NNP federal council meeting last
weekend, the two parties announced they would strengthen their working
relationship, a move widely interpreted as the ANC swallowing up the dying Nats.
Link..
Terre'Blanche leaves Rooigrond prison
Right-wing leader Eugene Terre'Blanche left Rooigrond prison near
Mafikeng early on Friday morning after being granted parole, SABC
radio news reported. It said the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB)
leader was taken to Potchefstroom to sign the parole register,
committing himself to abiding by a list of conditions.
Terre'Blanche returns to new world
Link..
== BBC ==
R&B music legend Ray Charles dies
R&B musician Ray Charles has died in Los Angeles aged 73, after
over half a century in the limelight.
Link..
Bardot fined for 'race hate' book
French film legend Brigitte Bardot is fined 5,000 euros
($6,024) for inciting racial hatred in a book.
Link..
SA's Terreblanche set to be freed
A white supremacist jailed for attempting to murder
a black security guard will be paroled on Friday.
Link..
Collie dog's word power impresses *
Border collie Rico understands 200 words and can even guess
what new words could mean, say researchers.
Link..
China had first complex machines
Craftsmen in ancient China were using complex machines to
work jewellery long before such devices are traditionally
thought to have been invented.
Link..
Digital pen takes on mouse
Japanese researchers have come up with a system that lets you
'pick and drop' files between computers.
Link..
Net games lure 'bored housewives'
Middle-aged women are getting hooked on card games and
puzzles online, says a report.
Link..
College named 'best in England'
A further education college has been rated the best in
England for the second time in five years.
Link..
== CNN SPACE UPDATE ==
VENUS TRANSIT ACROSS SUN ENTHRALLS WORLD
The planet of Venus has made a very rare journey across the face
of the sun. Astronomy buffs in Europe, Africa and Asia flocked
to telescopes or donned special glasses on Tuesday to see the
six-hour transit, an event not seen since 1882.
Link..
Details:
The transit of Venus
Link..
RISKY DESCENT INTO CRATER FOR MARS ROVER
NASA decided to roll the dice on Mars this Tuesday by
dispatching its rover Opportunity into a crater from which it
may never escape. Endurance crater -- with its treacherously
steep slopes and sandy sides -- has intrigued scientists with
rock faces that reveal what appear to be layers of sedimentary
rock.
Link..
DIM GALAXY MAY ILLUMINATE DARK MATTER
As galaxies go, Andromeda IX is a mighty dim bulb. In fact, it
is dimmest galaxy ever detected, which means it could give clues
to the mysterious dark matter that appears to be pushing regular
matter around. And it's right in our cosmic back yard.
Link..
BLACK HOLES MULTIPLY IN NEW OBSERVATIONS
European researchers have found 30 previously hidden
supermassive black holes anchoring faraway galaxies, which
suggests there at least twice as many of the colossal gravity
wells as thought. The newfound black holes were long sought but
went unnoticed because they lurk behind veils of dust.
Link..
== Computerworld ==
SmartDBA provides an intelligent, highly automated, business-focused
approach to database management that enables customers to manage what
matters - the data that powers their businesses.
Link..
EMC Gives In To Tape
EMC has decided to offer an enterprise-class tape library as part of
its product line and will begin reselling ADIC's tape libraries next month.
Link..
Update: SCO's Unix Licensing Revenues Drop By 99% In Q2
The SCO Group, which is embroiled in lawsuits with IBM and Novell over
the rights to the Unix operating system and related issues, said its
overall revenue plunged 53% from a year ago.
Link..
FREE E-COMMERCE SECURITY GUIDE
Is your e-business built on a strong, secure foundation? Find out with
VeriSign's FREE White Paper, 'Building an E-Commerce Trust
Infrastructure.' Learn how to authenticate your site to customers,
secure your web servers with 128-Bit SSL encryption, and accept secure
payments online.
Link..
Xandros Launches Free Version Of Its Desktop Linux Software
Xandros Inc. has made a free version of its Linux desktop distribution
available to noncommercial users but isn't offering support for it.
Link..
==== 2004-06-08 ====
TURNING AROUND A PROBLEM EMPLOYEE
Use these resources to help you deal effectively with an
underperforming employee. Within the article, click the links for a
wealth of additional resources on staff morale and disciplinary action.
Link..
== CNET NEWS.COM Afternoon Dispatch ==
From TODAY'S TOP STORIES:
Beatles in talks for online song sales
After sitting on the digital sidelines, the legendary rock
and roll band is talking with technology companies about
selling its music online, sources say.
Tue Jun 08 13:03:00 PDT 2004
Link..
Motorola unit plans ultrawideband chips
Spurred by the demand for faster data transfer
capabilities in media players, digital cameras and other
devices, Freescale Semiconductor is readying products
designed to allow for transfer rates of up to 1gbps.
Mon Jun 07 12:11:00 PDT 2004
Link..
Special coverage: Computing in the year 2034
Is 250-gigabit networking and a 3 petahertz PC in your future?
Link..
Yahoo tests new home page
Link..
Motorola rolls out new phones
Link..
Consumer group blasts cell phone lockdown
Link..
Briefly: Digital signatures added to PDF documents
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Sony revs up speedy DVD burner
Link..
INTEL PLANS PROCESSOR PARTY FOR JUNE
TODAY'S TOP STORY [Techrepublic]
Intel is planning to release nine new processors and two new chipsets
during the month of June, aiming the technology deluge at the
high-performance desktop PC market. While both Pentium and Celeron
processors are included in the June release schedule, the highlight is
likely to be a new Pentium 4 560, which runs at 3.6 GHz.
Link..
Killing Time On IT Projects [Computerworld]
Time is the bane of project managers. Here are some tips to help keep
your project team from wasting it.
Link..
OBITUARY: A Life Less Ordinary [Time]
He was fond of market forces. He despised, and defeated, communism.
He was the victim of a would-be assassin's bullet, a raconteur
without peer, and America's 40th President. TIME remembers Ronald
Wilson Reagan
Link..
==== 2004-06-04 ====
== ITWeb ==
Flash memory heralds new gadgets
From mobile phones to video cameras, gadget makers are conjuring up
new products to take advantage of cheaper Flash microchips with bigger
memories, say industry analysts. [Friday, 4 June 2004]
Link..
Web porn still popular
Hitwise has found that online porn sites get about three times more
visits than the top Web search engines. [Friday, 4 June 2004]
Link..
3G faces challengers
No sooner have third-generation (3G) mobile phone services been
adopted by the US and Britain, than new systems that operate much
aster are already threatening it. [Friday, 4 June 2004]
Link..
== BBC ==
Handover plans get Iraq backing *
Iraq's foreign minister gives a broad endorsement to a UN resolution
on the transfer of power on 30 June.
Link..
Second top official to quit CIA *
Another key CIA official is to leave his post, a day after the shock
resignation of agency chief George Tenet.
Link..
World 'appeasing' climate threat *
A distinguished British scientist says only a catastrophe will goad
us into tackling the threat of climate change.
Link..
==== 2004-06-03 ====
== ZDnet ==
Grid Computing Glossary
Like any technology, grid computing has a specialized lexicon of terms,
acronyms, and concepts. This comprehensive glossary provides a definition
of grid-related terms.
Link..
SmartDBA
SmartDBA provides an intelligent, highly automated, business-focused
approach to database management that enables customers to manage what
matters - the data that powers their businesses.
Please visit the BMC zone, to download white papers, webcasts and view
news.
Link..
May 2004 Web Digest
==== 2004-05-28 ====
== BBC ==
* Telescope spies 'youngest' planet *
Nasa's Spitzer telescope finds evidence for a planet around a distant star that may be less than one million years old.
Full story:
Link..
* Flying into a silent sky future *
UK researchers in Cambridge are developing prototype quiet planes which could revolutionise our skies.
Full story:
Link..
* Millions for stem cell research *
The UK Government is to pump £16.5m into stem cell research to treat disease.
Full story:
Link..
* Next GameCube set for 2005 debut *
The successor to the GameCube could make its debut in May 2005, Nintendo has suggested.
Full story:
Link..
* Heated wool offers cosy feet *
A "smart wool" developed down under is being used to make socks that can be heated up by batteries.
Full story:
Link..
* Soya foods 'cut womb cancer risk' *
Regularly eating soya-rich foods cuts a woman's womb cancer risk, say experts.
Full story:
Link..
==== 2004-05-27 ====
== TechRepublic ==
TRACK IT PROJECTS WITH THIS SIMPLE ACCESS DATABASE
Managing an IT project often involves multiple teams in various
locations. Providing status updates and tracking project changes can be
a serious challenge. Build a basic Access database that makes it easy
to enter project data and quickly build reports.
Link..
DOWNLOAD: SAMPLE SLA FOR OUTSOURCED DATA BACKUPS AND RETRIEVALS
Use this sample service level agreement (SLA) if your organization is
entering into a contract with a third-party provider to outsource your
data backups. This sample document will help you understand what should
be included in this type of SLA and the legal and operational
protections that you need to have in place.
Link..
HOW TO IMPLEMENT A BACKUP/RECOVERY HOT SITE WITH ZERO DOWNTIME
Learn how Hunterdon Hospital deployed a new infrastructure with no
service interruption.
Link..
DOWNLOAD: DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN: MANAGER'S UPDATE CHECKLISTS
Link..
TURNING AROUND A PROBLEM EMPLOYEE
Use these resources to help you deal effectively with an
underperforming employee.
Link..
==== 2004-05-21 ====
== TechRepublic ==
IS TORVALDS REALLY THE FATHER OF LINUX?
A controversial report, scheduled for release today by a Washington,
D.C., think tank, suggests that Minix, a UNIX clone, may deserve more
credit for Linux than Linus Torvalds, long hailed as the creator of the
open source OS. In an e-mail interview, Torvalds strongly disputed the
study's conclusions.
Link..
==== 2004-05-20 ====
== KidsHealth ==
Death and Grief
If someone close to you has died, you probably feel overwhelmed with grief.
Read our article to learn some ways that may make it easier to cope.
Link..
==== 2004-05-14 ====
== TechRepublic ==
MICROSOFT LAYS OUT SERVER ROAD MAP
Microsoft announced its new server road map Wednesday. The software
giant outlined a series of releases, including Longhorn Server, the
next major edition of its operating system. Longhorn Server, targeted
to arrive in 2007, will include support for Indigo, Microsoft's new Web
services architecture.
Link..
==== 2004-05-07 ====
== CNN ==
'BIN LADEN' TAPE OFFERS BOUNTY
An audiotape message purportedly from Osama bin Laden has put a
price on the heads of U.S. and U.N. officials.The message offers
10 kilos of gold to anyone who kills Coalition Provisional
Authority head L. Paul Bremer, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi
Annan, or Annan's envoy to Iraq Lakhdar Brahimi.
Link..
U.S. LAWYER HELD OVER MADRID BOMBS
A lawyer in Portland, Oregon, was taken into custody Thursday by
the FBI in connection with the March 11 terror attacks on
Spanish trains, law enforcement sources told CNN.
Link..
== M&G ==
Bush says sorry for jail torture
--------------------------------
George Bush and Tony Blair were pushed on to the defensive on Thursday
night as the continuing scandal over the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners
threatened to deepen their political problems. President Bush publicly
apologised for the humiliation inflicted on prisoners at the notorious
Abu Ghraib jail near Baghdad, in a move to insulate his administration
from the mounting anger.
US president's popularity hits all-time low
Link..
Torture by the (CIA) book * [* - premium content]
Sexual humiliation and 'coersive techniques' from CIA's manual
Link..
Medics face firing squad for 'giving HIV to children'
Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of deliberately infecting
more than 400 children with HIV were sentenced to death by a Libyan court on
Thursday. Shouts of approval from spectators in the courtroom greeted the verdicts,
but there was also swift condemnation from abroad which could jeopardise Libya's
efforts to rehabilitate itself within the international community.
Link..
==== 2004-05-06 ====
== BBC ==
* Burglary prediction tool devised *
Criminologists from the Jill Dando Institute believe they have found a new way
of predicting where burglaries are likely to happen.
Link..
* Gene is linked to heart attacks *
Scientists have pinpointed a gene mutation which seems to play a crucial role in
heart attacks.
Link..
* Love's strange effect on people *
Falling in love can play havoc with our hormones and brain, say scientists.
Link..
* Degree grades shake-up proposal *
The grading of university degrees into first, second
and third class should be scrapped, a review is to propose.
Link..
== Attache ==
Interest rates seen rising 1.5% in 2004
South Africa's real economic growth is forecast to average
2.7 percent in 2004, while local interest rates are expected
to rise by a total of 150 basis points during the fourth
quarter, and rand should remain relatively strong, according
to the Bureau for Economic Research.
Half of SA firms lift staff complement
Some 50 percent of business owners in South Africa have
increased their staff complement in the past year, the
annual Grant Thornton International Business Owners S
urvey survey has revealed.
SA Banks struggle with ID regulations
Banking institutions are struggling to conform with
the new regulations that they identify and verify
all their clients by June 30, but experts believe
it is unlikely and believe the procedures they are
following are fundamentally flawed
==== 2004-05-04 ====
== M&G ==4
Former diplomats attack Bush
Fifty-three former United States diplomats on Tuesday accuse the White House of sacrificing America's credibility in the Arab world -- and the safety of its diplomats and soldiers -- because of the Bush administration's support for the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon.
Stunned Sharon mulls next moveWork begins on new Gaza settlement
Link..
SA banks battle to beat the deadline
Banking institutions are struggling to conform with the new regulations that they identify and verify all their clients by June 30, but experts believe it is unlikely and believe the procedures they are following are fundamentally flawed. "It is an enormous task, we are talking about roundabout 18-million accounts," said Claire Gebhardt-Mann, spokesperson for the SA Banking Council.
Link..
==== 2004-05-03 ====
== ITWeb ==
OBE software equips teachers
Outcomes Based Education (OBE) software, already used by Western Cape teachers, is now being rolled out to the North West and Gauteng provinces.
Link..
Internet scam uncovered
Beware of e-mails claiming the taxman is investigating your financial affairs - it could be a version of the latest Internet identity theft scam to hit the US.
Link..
Women concentrate on Web surfing
According to Starcom MediaVest Group, women spend more time on the Internet than they do with any other media.
Link..
== SAG-L ==
USA IT Job News
Link..
Link..
== KidsHealth ==
Teaching Your Child Tolerance
Teaching tolerance is important not just because it is part of our American
heritage but because the person who learns to be open to differences will have
more opportunity. This article offers information on tolerance and tips for
teaching your child to be tolerant.
Link..
My Pet Died - How Can I Feel Better?
Losing a pet can feel like losing a good friend. Read this article to learn
what to do during this sad time.
Link..
Cheating
Many kids feel tempted to cheat once in a while, but it's not worth it. Read
our article on cheating to find out why!
Link..
Selected 3 February - 8 April 2004:
==== 2004-04-08 ====
== M&G ==
Iraq: Battles rage from north to south
The United States-led coalition entered the most dangerous phase yet of its occupation of Iraq on Wednesday night as the Sunni and Shia uprisings spread from Kirkuk in the north to Kut in the south.
US marines bomb Fallujah mosque
Support grows for firebrand cleric
Link..
SA apologises to Rwanda over genocide
Link..
== Forbes ==
TIME TO TRASH YOUR VCR?
Stephen ManesThe era of VHS tapes is over. Now it's time to check
out new DVD recording options.
Link..
OUTSOURCE YOURSELF
Rich Karlgaard offers lessons on how to outsource yourself.
Link..
GOOGLE'S MAIL PLANS CALL FOR SERIOUS STORAGE
Can Google really do what it says it wants to do with GMail?
Link..
PICTURE PHONE PURGATORY
The Nokia 3650 camera phone is a top seller, but it's soon to be eclipsed by newer, higher-resolution handsets.
Link..
== BBC ==
Amazon shrinkage alarms activists *
Environmental groups call for action in the wake of new figures on
deforestation in Brazil's Amazon jungle.
Link..
Greenland's ice cap under threat *
Greenland's ice sheet could vanish completely causing a catastrophic rise in global sea level, scientists warn.
Link..
Scientists seek 'map of science' *
Scientists call for new ways to monitor the progress of science in the digital age.
Link..
Let the train take the net strain *
GNER is to equip its new trains with high-speed wireless internet allowing passengers to surf as they travel.
Link..
Food sell-by dates criticised
Sell-by dates on some packaged foods are "arbitrary", research suggests.
Full story:
Link..
Attempt to crack the ageing code
Scientists are trying to find out which genes govern whether or not people live long lives.
Link..
ON THIS DAY
* 1953: Seven years hard labour for Kenyatta *
Jomo Kenyatta is sentenced to seven years hard labour for his part in the organisation of the Mau-Mau movement.
Link..
* 1973: Art master Picasso dies *
The artist Pablo Picasso has died of a heart attack at his chateau near Cannes on the French Riviera.
Link..
* 1994: Rock musician Kurt Cobain 'shoots himself' *
The lead-singer of grunge rock band Nirvana¸ Kurt Cobain¸ is found dead in his Seattle home.
Link..
== TechRepublic ==
OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE AS A VIABLE BUSINESS CHOICE
As an IT manager, controlling software costs is a top priority. What
happens when open source software starts to make sense for your
organization's desktop? Make sure you understand how to promote the
virtues of open source.
Link..
THE MANY LAYERS OF RELIABILITY
How do you define system stability at your organization? The way you
measure stability may be wrong.
Link..
HOW TO 'RIGHTSIZE' YOUR IT ORGANIZATION
With all the variables involved, determining head count in an IT
organization is not an exact science. But this spreadsheet can help you
determine appropriate numbers.
Link..
==== 2004-04-06 ====
== Debt Busters ==
Bankrupty
Insight to Freedom was founded in 1983 by John and Donna Deal. This
ministry was born out of John and Donna's walk out of $6,500,000
indebtedness from 1974-1986. For more information, visit
Link..
Steve Diggs presents the No Debt No Sweat! Christian Money Management
Seminar at churches and other venues nationwide. Visit Steve on the Web at
Link..
==== 2004-04-05 ====
== CNN ==
U.S. JOB GROWTH SOARS
U.S. payrolls grew at the fastest pace in nearly four years in
March, the government said Friday, in a report that soared past
Wall Street's expectations and could play a pivotal role in Fed
policy and the presidential election.
Link..
MISTRIAL DECLARED IN TYCO CASE
A judge today declared a mistrial in the trial of two former
Tyco International executives accused of looting the company of
$600 million, citing intense outside pressure placed on one of
the jurors. In one of the biggest corporate corruption trials in
U.S. history, former Tyco Chairman Dennis Kozlowski and
ex-finance chief Mark Swartz each faced a 32-count indictment
including grand larceny, securities fraud and conspiracy
charges.
Link..
==== 2004-03-31 ====
== KidsHealth ==
Boys With Conduct Disorder Prone to Carrying Concealed Guns
Because many children with conduct disorder have difficulty
controlling their impulses, they can be especially dangerous to themselves and others if they use or carry weapons. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Chicago investigated the prevalence of violence, crime, and gun carrying among a group of teen boys with conduct disorder.
Link..
Abuse
Abuse in families can take many forms. This article talks about
recognizing abuse, its effects, and what someone who is being abused can do about it.
Link..
== ClickZ ==
Active Internet Users by Country, February 2004
The at-home global active Internet universe for a number of selected countries grew by more than 2.8 million users from January 2004 to February.
Link..
U.S. Web Usage and Traffic, February 2004
Nielsen//NetRatings examined where U.S. Internet users were going and how long they were staying during February 2004.
Link..
February's Top Affiliate Programs
The top 10 affiliate programs of February 2004, as ranked by Refer-it.
Link..
The Deadly Duo: Spam and Viruses, February 2004
Remember the good old days of e-mail when spam only comprised 42 percent of messages?
Link..
Accipiter Snags Behavioral Targeting Client [March 30, 2004] Following in the footsteps of 24/7 Real Media, ad serving firm Accipiter ventures into the hot behavior targeting arena.
Link..
MSN Plays Catch Up with Newsbot, Blogbot [March 29, 2004]
Seeking to avoid being left behind in the search engine dust, MSN plans to offer bots for searching news and Web logs, as well as other features.
Link..
==== 2004-03-29 ====
== M&G ==
Africa - Rwanda, 10 years on *
"I saw my wife, who was still alive. They had cut off her legs and arms and left her to bleed to death. I never saw my children again. I don't know how they died." In 1994, about 800 000 people were massacred in Rwanda. It was one of the bloodiest genocides Africa has ever seen.
Ten years later, Guardian correspondent Chris McGreal returns to to talk to survivors -- and killers living among them.
Link..
International - Why Israel killed Yassin *
To the outside world, Israel's assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin looks either indefensible or inexplicable or both. Some have moral objections to the killing of a quadriplegic cleric, wheeled out from morning prayers; others have legal worries about extra-judicial killings. The key to the assassination is Sharon's plan to pull out of Gaza. But he has again strengthened extremism.
Link..
== BBC ==
Methane poses Mars life puzzle
Scientists are speculating that methane detected in the Martian atmosphere could be a sign of microbial life.
Link..
Nasa jet smashes speed record
An experimental plane built by Nasa has flown at seven times the speed of sound breaking the world record.
Link..
Sea 'dead zones' threaten fish
The UN warns that sea areas starved of oxygen could damage fish stocks more than overfishing.
Link..
== TechRepublic ==
TODAY'S TOP STORY
UNITED NATIONS TARGETS U.S. ROLE IN INTERNET
During this week's United Nations summit, delegates from around the
world have convened to discuss U.N. participation in the future of the
Internet. While the process is in the early stages, the result could
dramatically reshape how the Internet runs and could put an end to some
of the informal, collaborative processes that exist today.
Link..
ORACLE 9i MAKES DATA WAREHOUSING EASY TO IMPLEMENT
Data warehousing is an essential part of an enterprise business
intelligence system. Designing and implementing a data warehouse is
relatively easy using Oracle's built-in utilities, wizards, and
infrastructure.
Link..
LAUNCH RSS TO RECEIVE DAILY CONTENT UPDATES
RSS, commonly known as Really Simple Syndication, is an easy way to
streamline your day. TechRepublic and Builder.com now offer daily RSS
feeds that deliver a concise list of new articles and downloads posted
on our sites. The RSS list includes headlines, summaries, and links to
the complete story. Check out our RSS page for details on how to set up
RSS on your desktop and for information on feed readers, which you can
use to manage feeds from TechRepublic, Builder.com, and other sites.
Link..
==== 2004-03-25 ====
== TechRepublic ==
LEARN A NEW DATA MODELING PARADIGM FOR DATA WAREHOUSE EFFICIENCY
Design database access structures and build queries that maximize read
efficiency.
Link..
DOWNLOAD: TRACK THE RISKS OF YOUR PROJECTS
Risk management is an important part of any project. This Excel
template is a good tool to use for identifying risks and managing them
throughout your project.
Link..
--Get more great tools and templates in our Downloads Center.
Link..
WHITE PAPER: PROJECT MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES
This white paper deals with project management methods and best
practices. Discover what makes an effective project plan, how it is
used, what the deliverables of effective project management are, how
plans are best structured for reuse, and what the critical success
factors for effective project management are. (Free registration to
ITPapers.com is required.)
Link..
SCALE IT BACK: CONTROLLING A PROJECT GONE AWRY
Sometimes an IT manager will find that a project needs a major or minor
scaling back to keep it alive. These five steps can help put the team,
and the project, back on track.
Link..
THE TECHREPUBLIC COMMUNITY RECOMMENDS
Your peers have deemed the articles in IT Manager Republic's
TechRepublic Community Recommends section the most critical to success
in your IT endeavors. Click through our top links, and visit our Today
In TechRepublic section for further information on project management.
Link..
== BBC ==
Bacteria 'may cause some cancers'
There is growing evidence that bacteria may cause some cancers, according to a leading expert.
Link..
== Attache ==
SA CPIX rises to 4.8% in Feb
The CPIX inflation (headline inflation excluding mortgage costs) was up 4.8 percent year-on-year for metro and other areas in February compared with 4.2 percent in January and four percent in December, Stats SA said on Wednesday.
Link..
Another lost opportunity
In 1929 the Liberal Party in Britain published an election manifesto that proposed a three-year programme of capital expenditure to create 1.5-million jobs. In SA, government has never displayed such firm resolve to confront the country's unemployment crisis.
Link..
==== 2004-03-24 ====
== M&G ==
'Everyone is in our sights'
Link..
The Israeli government has approved the elimination of the entire
leadership of Hamas and other militant groups following the
assassination of the Islamic resistance movement's founder and spiritual
leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Israel's internal security minister, Tsahi
Hanegbi, said the government had given a green light to the army to kill
"the worst terrorists".
2050: a fuller world, and an older one
Link..
One in three people will be 65 or over by the year 2050, according to a
report which foresees the world's population growing to more than nine
billion. The United States government's annual projections of world
population growth show that while the number of children is expected to
stay roughly the same, there could be three times as many old people as
today.
Against the grain
Link..
As genetically modified foods flood global markets, environmentalists
are insisting on greater protection to rein in scientists and
governments that believe biotechnology is the next wave in accelerating
development. South Africa, however, remains the sole stumbling block to
Africa as a GMO-free zone.
Life in a Ugandan internally displaced persons camp
Link..
"There are six boreholes in this camp between 60 000 people -- that's
one for each 10 000. Each family gets only two jerry cans full per day,
and sometimes you have to wait 24 hours to get yours." Many of the
children at the Pabbo Internally Displaced Persons camp have never known
anything other than life inside the parameters that house 60 000 people.
White House in row over September 11 evidence
Link..
The White House was facing a crisis in confidence on Wednesday over its
handling of the al-Qaeda threat prior to September 11, as a public
inquiry into the attacks demanded to question George Bush's national
security adviser. The standoff with the inquiry could damage the White
House's popularity in a tightly contested presidential campaign.
FRASER'S RAZOR
Something to chew on
Link..
DIY sex scandals, spaced out testimonies from astronauts on UFO
sightings, nun target practice games, poking fun at Pokemon, handicapped
kittens, competitive eating, and sideburns for sale online -- Ian Fraser
does what you don't have time to do and brings you the bizarre on the
net.
Miserable state of affairs
Link..
Berger on the kneejerk-ism that met challenges to kill "chick pix"
INTERNATIONAL
* Al-Qaeda deputy 'trapped in hideout'
Link..
* Israel 'targeting Hamas leadership'
Link..
* Dawn raid on ship to disrupt trade in rainforest timber
Link..
* 'Israel has opened the gate to hell'
Link..
BUSINESS
* Telkom not worried about free internet calls
Link..
* Hi. I am your browser. What can I do for you?
Link..
* Capitalism on wheels in Moscow
Link..
==== 2004-03-18 ====
== Moneyweb ==
Jack Milne responds
A Canadian member of the Moneyweb community, Dr Graham White, uncovered
this gem while trawling the site recently.
Link..
The great transfer schlep
Never mind doubling house prices, what about excessive transfer duties.
Link..
FSB called 'irresponsible'
An accused fraudster has called the FSB irresponsible and more
Link..
Prangleys in forex scam
Investors unwittingly involved in forex scheme, says key player.
Link..
== BBC ==
Space rock makes closest approach
Tonight a small space rock makes the closest approach to Earth yet recorded, but
there is no danger of an impact say astronomers.
Link..
Teeth unravel Anglo-Saxon legacy
The Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain was a more complex process than history
books would have us believe.
Link..
== KidsHealth ==
Recently Identified Virus Is Significant
Cause of Respiratory Tract Infections in Young Children
In 2001, scientists in the Netherlands identified a new cause
of respiratory tract infection called human metapneumovirus.
Researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in
Nashville, Tennessee investigated human metapneumovirus as a
cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children.
Link..
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy destroys the cancerous cells of a tumor in a
specific area of the body, but chemotherapy works to treat cancer
throughout the body. Learn more about chemo in this article for parents.
Link..
Mumps
Mumps is a disease caused by a virus that can infect many parts of the
body, especially the parotid salivary glands.
Link..
Cellulitis
Cellulitis can be mistaken for a bruise, scrape, or insect bite.
Read our article to understand how cellulitis is different from a simple
bump or cut and what you can do to prevent it.
Link..
Web Digest, 1-15 March 2004.
==== 2004-03-15 ====
== Jobserve ==
Bosses snooping on staff
Big Brother bosses are bad for business
Link..
IS TXT and TEKNOLOGY DISTROYNG BIZNESes ABILty 2 COMUNIK8?
British bosses fear employees are losing basic communications skills
Link..
Every offshoring cloud has a silver lining
Taking a different perspective on offshore outsourcing
Link..
== M & G ==
Furious voters oust Spanish government
Spanish voters punished Prime Minister Jos Mara Aznar's People's Party for the
bloodshed of last week's Madrid terrorist attacks on Sunday, throwing it out of
government in an angry reaction to his handling of the aftermath.
We did it, says al-Qaeda tape
Link..
Two steps forward, one step backward
During his second mandate Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to steer
back toward Soviet ways on the domestic front while pushing through economic
reforms in an effort to attract more Western investment. After his first four years at the
helm, Putin has managed to accumulate astounding power reminiscent of the
omnipotence of Soviet leaders.
Link..
== CNN ==
EUROPE SLIPS ON NEW SECURITY FEARS
European shares fall as indications that al Qaeda planted last
Thursday's deadly bombs in Madrid rekindle fresh jitters over
security.
Link..
RONNIE WOOD: I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE
Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, whose drug and drink
fueled lifestyle is the stuff of legend, is surprised he did not
die 26 years ago around the time close friend The Who drummer
Keith Moon overdosed.
Link..
SCIENTISTS FIND '10TH PLANET'
Scientists may have discovered the solar system's 10th planet,
more than 3 billion kilometers further away from the sun than
Pluto.
Link..
SAMSUNG TIPS CHIP SHORTAGE
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, the world's biggest memory chip
maker, said on Monday it expected a shortage in DRAM (dynamic
random access memory) chips starting in the second half of this
year.
Link..
==== 2004-03-12 ====
== CNN ==
CHINA DEMAND TO DRIVE OIL HIGHER
Hunger for imported oil in China, scanty global inventories of
crude, and political unrest in petroleum-rich Venezuela could
combine to drive gasoline prices higher, the International
Energy Agency warned on Thursday.
Link..
'PASSION' COULD NET $200 MILLION
Before Mel Gibson launched "The Passion of the Christ" in movie
theaters across North America, insiders speculated that the
controversial film might hurt the filmmaker's acting career.
Link..
MURDER CHARGE OVER NO CAESAREAN
A pregnant woman who allegedly ignored medical warnings to have
a Caesarean section to save her twins has been charged with
murder after one of the babies was stillborn.
Link..
== M & G ==
Al-Qaeda blamed for bombs
Spanish officials stunned by coordinated bomb blasts in Madrid on Thursday that
killed 190 people and wounded more than 1 200 said they were keeping their lines of
investigation open after clues emerged possibly implicating Islamic or Basque
militants.
Another bomb found in Madrid
A new -- and bloody -- style of attack
Our thoughts are with you: Mbeki
Link..
Kagame set genocide in motion, Paris judge says
The destruction of the plane carrying President Juvnal Habyarimana -- the
incident which began the Rwandan genocide -- is blamed by a French investigating
magistrate on the Tutsi rebel leader, now president, Paul Kagame, according to the
newspaper Le Monde.
== BBC ==
Diana tells of Camilla encounter *
Diana, Princess of Wales, talks of a confrontation with Camilla Parker Bowles on
tapes aired for the first time.
Link..
South Korean president impeached
President Roh Moo-Hyun loses an impeachment vote amid
dramatic scenes in South Korea's parliament.
Link..
Experts attack baby blues 'myth'
Too many new mothers are wrongly labelled as having postnatal depression,
researchers have claimed.
Link..
== ITWeb ==
Project managers need real management skills
As project management becomes increasingly important, consultants point out
that they need much more than theoretical knowledge to be effective managers.
[Friday, 12 March 2004]
Link..
Oracle posts Q3 profit
Oracle has posted an 11% rise in quarterly net profit due to strong sales of its
database software. [Friday, 12 March 2004]
Link..
British robot unveiled to help disabled
A robot, which looks and moves like a caterpillar and is designed to help the
disabled in the home, was unveiled in Britain yesterday. [Friday, 12 March 2004]
Link..
Software AG ships SQL solution
The Software AG Adabas SQL Gateway application has been released.
[Friday, 12 March 2004]
Link..
Gauteng business development portal live
A portal that aims to match start-up companies and potential investors has been
launched in Gauteng. [Friday, 12 March 2004]
Link..
CA solution wins award
The Computer Associates (CA) BrightStor Enterprise Backup 10.5
solution has received the Network Computing Editor's Choice award.
Link..
Intel says no to China's WiFi rules
Intel says it will not develop applications based on Chinese encryption standards
for wireless computing, taking a hard line in an ongoing dispute between US
technology
companies and China. [Friday, 12 March 2004]
Link..
Leading cellphone brands lose out
Gartner says more than 580 million cellphones will be sold this year, but
adds that top brands are losing out in a growing market. [Friday, 12 March 2004]
Link..
Black Economic Empowerment
Patrick Lawlor: Making charters work
An ICT black economic empowerment (BEE) charter is sort of in place, although
the percentages in the balanced scorecard for ownership, employment equity and
procurement have not yet been settled on. [Friday, 12 March 2004]
Link..
== ZDNet ==
[Web Services]
Is the age of software as a service upon us?
While you can live without software as business service, living without
an SOA stack will become increasingly difficult if you want to leverage
your current infrastructure and gain the cost advantages and flexibility
brought by Web services. However, don't expect the entire IT industry to
transform into a SOA framework overnight or even next year.
Link..
Microsoft pulling SCO strings? It's business as usual
I'm not sure why revelations of a Microsoft-SCO connection come as
a surprise to anyone. Considering Microsoft's fear and loathing of
Linux and other open source initiatives, why wouldn't Microsoft
find ways, directly and indirectly, to deter the open source movement?
This industry melodrama promises to continue in full force next week
at the Open Source Business Conference.
Link..
Is IronPort's SMTPi the cure to unwanted e-mail?
We're not going to stop spam until the various providers of e-mail
solutions and services agree to new interoperable e-mail standards.
To address the authentication issues, Microsoft and Yahoo are
advocating their proprietary technologies, while a third, caller-ID-like
spec known as Sender Policy Framework is proving why open may be the
way to go. But what about accreditation? Enter SMTPi, a unique,
promising and misleadingly named solution.
Link..
From medicine to military, machines finally arrive
Mobile, intelligent robots that can perform tasks usually reserved for
humans are starting to creep into mainstream society and could become
a multibillion-dollar market in a few years, according to a CNET
News.com report by Michael Kanellos.
Link..
The future of wireless
Radios are reshaping networks, and this technological revolution has
only just begun. Although 802.11g is not even a year old, plans are being
made to introduce new technologies that will increase reliability, security,
and speed to wireless networking. Here are some of the technologies to
consider when planning the future of your wireless network.
Link..
==== 2004-03-11 ====
== M & G ==
US police put hip-hop under surveillance
The Miami and Miami Beach police have a black ring-binder six inches thick that
starts with 50 Cent and ends with Ja Rule. In between come photographs, arrest
records and other information on all the other major rappers in the United States, from
P Diddy to DMX.
Link..
Book reopens arguments about slave raids on Europe
North African pirates abducted and enslaved more than one million Europeans
between 1530 and 1780 in a series of raids which depopulated coastal towns from
Sicily to Cornwall, according to new research. Thousands of white Christians were
seized every year to work as galley slaves, labourers and concubines for Muslim
overlords.
Link..
== BBC ==
Firms turn to hi-tech 'snooping' *
The TUC says employers are exploiting a lack of workplace privacy rights to
monitor their staff.
Link..
Amazon carbon sink effect 'slows'
Scientists worry that changes in Brazil's tropical rainforests may affect
climate change and many species.
Link..
NHS 'must test for sudden death' *
The government is urged to introduce a national screening programme
for sudden adult death.
Link..
== KidsHealth ==
Inhaled Corticosteroids Don't Slow Growth in Toddlers With Asthma
The inhaled steroid medicine fluticasone propionate (FP) effectively
controls wheezing and reduces airway inflammation in children with
asthma, but there's some concern that the medication could cause growth
impairment. Researchers studied the effectiveness and side effects of
FP in a group of toddlers.
Link..
Mother's Depressive Symptoms May Influence Child's Asthma
Management
Depression is a common disorder that affects 10% to 25% of women at
some time in their lives. Researchers from Howard University in
Washington, D.C., and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore,
Maryland, studied whether a mother's symptoms of depression could affect
children's health in a study of children with asthma.
Link..
Cough and Cold Medicine Abuse
For decades, teens have been raiding the medicine cabinet for a
quick, cheap, and legal high from over-the-counter cough and cold
medicines. Only now, there are more kinds to choose from and kids are going
online to find out how to abuse them.
Link..
Body Mass Index (BMI) Charts
For years, doctors used height and weight measurements to assess a
child's physical growth in relation to other children of the same age.
Now they have another tool: body mass index (BMI).
Link..
Pinkeye (Conjunctivitis)
Commonly known as pinkeye, conjunctivitis is the most common
infection of the eye that affects children. Read this article to learn more
about conjunctivitis and how to prevent it from spreading.
Link..
School Lunches
Lunch is a great part of the school day. Find out why what you eat
can rev you up - or slow you down - for the afternoon ahead.
Link..
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
More and more kids are spending hours on the computer and more and
more kids are getting carpal tunnel syndrome. What is it? What are the
symptoms? Read our article to find out more.
Link..
The Story on Scars
You may be young, but you probably already have a scar or two. But
why did you get them? How can you prevent them? Find out in this
article written just for kids!
Link..
== SAG-L ==
An Unseen Peril of Outsourcing (BusinessWeek)
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2004 09:32:58 -0800
From: Louis Truter
Subject: OT: An Unseen Peril of Outsourcing (BusinessWeek)
For those interested, have a look at the following
BusinessWeek article. It describes how a company
decided to outsource in order to cut costs, but ended
up losing critical business knowledge.
To quote the last paragraph "The lesson of this story:
We need to understand that, as we send jobs to foreign
businesses, we also send critical knowledge about
processes, procedures, and development. When business
conditions change, a company can't just go to the
other side of the world and reclaim those things. The
new owners aren't likely to give them up.".
Link..
== Computerworld ==
Outsourcing Agreements: Success Is In The Details
Attorney Paul Roy warned attendees yesterday at Computerworld's
Premier 100 IT Leaders conference about the pitfalls of agreeing to
vague outsourcing deals.
Link..
Data Warehousing: An IT Idea Whose Time Has Come?
More companies have found that spending money to save money can pay off
through the use of data warehousing.
Link..
Data Center, Server Consolidations Remain Top IT Issue
IT managers interviewed at Computerworld's Premier 100 IT
Leaders Conference this week say they're involved in a variety of
server or data center consolidation projects
Link..
== ZDNet Announcements ==
Study: Open-source databases going mainstream
Link..
The real costs of going offshore
Link..
Yahoo: Past, present and future
Link..
China's search engines take on Google
Link..
== Computerworld OS news ==
IBM Ordered To Provide SCO With Code, Documents
A legal expert downplayed the significance of the ruling by U.S.
District Court Judge Brooke Wells, saying it had little meaning
regarding the overall lawsuit.
Link..
Web services help diverse companies share business logic, data and
processes through the use of open systems to both customers and
partners. Visit the Web Services Zone and learn how Web services are
delivering critical business processes across the entire enterprise.
Go to the ZONE and get: Computerworld News, White Papers, Case Studies,
and more!
Link..
Windows, Linux Highlights From Around The Web
Did Microsoft help steer millions to SCO? Earlier: XP Service Pack 2
may blow up some older apps, Business Week sees Linux as a
viable alternative on the desktop, and lots more.
Link..
Apple Financial Gurus Talk About The Company's Future
CFO Fred Anderson and Corporate Controller Peter Oppenheimer talked
about Apple's business strategy, its success with the iPod and iTunes
and how it plans to continue making money.
Link..
==== 2004-03-04 ====
== CNN ==
10,000 HUNT FOR FRENCH RAIL BOMBS
Thousands of French rail workers are searching the network for
bombs after a group threatened attacks unless it was paid
millions of euros. The transport system has been held hostage
as workers check all 32,000 km (20,000 miles) of track on foot.
Link..
HAITI DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
Political turmoil continues in Haiti as Prime Minister Yvon
Neptune declares a state of emergency and announces the formation
of a commission to oversee security in the turbulent nation.
Link..
9/11 CONSPIRATOR APPEALS RULING
A German court is considering an appeal by the only person
convicted in connection with the September 11, 2001 attacks in
the United States.
Link..
EISNER OUT AS DISNEY CHAIR
Walt Disney's boss is dealt a stunning blow after a tumultuous
annual meeting. The Disney board has stripped Michael Eisner of
his role as chairman in a move that will greatly reduce his grip
on the Magic Kingdom.
Link..
==== 2004-03-02 ====
== CNN ==
THIRD TIME LUCKY FOR COMET CHASER
It was third time lucky for European space officials when an
Ariane-5 rocket blasted off to launch a pioneering 10-year
journey to land a probe on a comet.
Link..
SCORES DEAD IN IRAQ BLASTS
Explosions have struck major Shiite shrines in Karbala and in
Baghdad as thousands of pilgrims gathered for the Ashoura
festival. Reports indicate scores of people have been killed and
injured in both cities.
Link..
ARISTIDE: U.S. FORCED ME OUT
Ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide says he was forced out of
Haiti in a "real coup d'etat" led by the United States in what he
called a "modern way to have a modern kidnapping." The White
House called the allegations "nonsense."
Link..
== Yahoo! ==
Were dinosaurs really wiped out by asteroid?
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists probing a vast crater off Mexico's Yucatan
peninsula have questioned a popular theory about dinosaurs, saying the collision that
formed the crater happened too far back in time to have caused their extinction by
itself.
[Alternative theory offered]
Link..
== ITWeb ==
** Fighting phishing
Spam Sleuth, the anti-spam filter solution from Blue Squirrel, marketed in SA by
Cirrus Techvue, has released a new analyser to counter the threat of phishing.
[Tuesday, 2 March 2004]
Link..
** SCO plans Linux user lawsuit today
In today's world tech roundup: SCO plans user suit today, Corel sets WordPerfect
update, Net users skyrocket, and Internet profit-prestige debate. [Tuesday, 2 March
2004]
Link..
** Leaf Wireless, Sebros partner
Local provider of prepaid airtime and electricity, Sebros Telecomms, has selected
Leaf Wireless and the Intellect GPRS POS device to drive its new e-voucher prepaid
distribution initiative. [Tuesday, 2 March 2004]
Link..
** Incubator association born in Cape Town
"Incubator" organisations that support fledgling hi-tech companies now have a
formal association to represent their interests. [Tuesday, 2 March 2004]
Link..
** Project management skills in high demand Certified project management
skills are becoming increasingly valuable to IT organisations throughout the world,
says CompTIA. [Tuesday, 2 March 2004]
Link..
** Turf war as worms blitz computers
Anti-virus vendors are scrambling to issue new alerts as a blitz of worms descends
on the Internet. The most widespread - a new Netsky variant - tries to kill variants of
Bagle and MyDoom, prompting suspicions of a virus 'turf war'. [Tuesday, 2 March
2004]
Link..
** Britain's BT back online with Net offer
BT Group, Britain's dominant fixed-line telecoms operator, has launched its first
low-cost, no-frills, high-speed Internet service. [Tuesday, 2 March 2004]
Link..
** Yahoo to add more content to search results
Internet media company Yahoo is to add richer content such as audio, video and
reference information to its search services. [Tuesday, 2 March 2004]
Link..
and EARLIER:
==== 2004-02-17 ====
== Bluebean.com ==
* Knowledge important when investing in warrants.
Because warrants are a derivative product, investing in these instruments is not as simple as buying low and selling high. According to Absa Corporate & Merchant Bank`s Gizelde Brady in a Focus on Warrants in Business Day, the key to successful warrants trading is knowing the underlying share - there is no point in buying a warrant without this knowledge and investors must look at potential companies in much the same way as if they are going to buy a share outright. She says another vital part of the investment process is being very strict about the upside and downside points at which the warrants will be sold. This strategy means that investors take at least some of their profit when the share price goes up and limit losses if the share goes down. However, investors are very bad at setting their selling points and then sticking to them. Standard Corporate & Merchant Bank Brett Duncan adds that potential investors should have time to follow the market at least once a day.
Link..
* Rand will weaken by end of 2004 - Sanlam.
The belief that weakening pressures could start mounting towards the end of the year will hearten those hurting from the seeming might of the currency, reports Moneyweb. Sanlam group economist Jac Laubscher believes that although the rand might hold its ground over much of the first half of the year, modest pressures could take the currency to somewhere between R7.25 and R7.75/$ by Christmas. While Laubscher warns that recent rand-declines are not necessarily an indication of a fundamental trend, he does believe the currency could eventually buckle under a variety of pressures. Laubscher adds that one does not know what impact the SA Reserve Bank`s dollar buying, aimed at wiping out forward book liabilities, would have had on the rand - one should therefore be careful not to read too much into these events. Sanlam nevertheless maintains that the rand is overvalued and Laubscher contends the ideal level could lie somewhere between R7.50 and R8.00/$.
Link..
== M&G ==
'Minister Manuel lied under oath'
Just 24 hours before Finance Minister Trevor Manuel announces his 2004/05 budget in Parliament, a United Nations-accredited non-governmental organisation called in papers before the Cape High Court on Tuesday to have government's multi-billion rand arms deal declared null and void.
Link..
== BBC ==
* UK centre of global asthma crisis *
More people in the UK are affected by severe asthma than anywhere else in the
world, experts discover.
Link..
* High cost of heart rhythm illness *
A heart condition that affects one in 10 elderly people costs society hundreds
of millions of pounds each year, say experts.
Link..
* HRT 'scare' expert plays down risk *
A researcher involved in HRT research that prompted thousands to stop taking it
says the treatment is often the best option.
Link..
* Review to suggest tougher exams *
Less "nannying" in exams could help the brightest A-level students shine, a
review of the system will say.
Link..
* Bright pupils 'need stretching' *
Young people in England need better academic stimulation, the education
secretary says.
Link..
* US school diplomas 'losing value' *
As English schools prepare for an exam overhaul, a report in the United States
attacks its high school diploma.
Link..
==== 2004-02-16 ====
== BBC ==
Sydney riots over Aborigine death *
Fifty police officers are injured in a riot by Aborigines, angry over the death of a youth in a rundown district.
Link..
* RE studies 'should cover atheism' *
Religious education in England should include discussion of non-religious beliefs, a think tank suggests.
Link..
* GCSEs and A-levels 'to be replaced' *
A review of the exams system in England will back a new four-tier diploma to replace GCSEs and A-levels.
Link..
==== 2004-02-13 ====
== M&G ==
Koreans succeed in stem cell first
South Korean and United States scientists have cloned human embryos and successfully extracted stem cells from one of them. The research opens the way for once-undreamed of treatments for long-term diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. It also reignites the simmering debate about human cloning.
Link..
Teachers treated for eating hash cake
When teachers at Herder school in north Germany discovered a chocolate cake outside their room, they suspected nothing. Pupils had often brought in cakes to raise money for charity, so staff sliced it up and tucked in. But before too long, 10 teachers from the elite school in Lneburg started trembling, feeling unwell and suffering from hallucinations.
Link..
Eugene de Kock a changed man?
Eight years after being jailed for life for an array of apartheid-era crimes, former policeman Eugene de Kock comes across as a man committed to the South African ideal he formerly fought to suppress. Appearing before a commission probing prison malpractices, he told on Thursday of his efforts from jail to help improve the country and its people.
Link..
==== 2004-02-10 ====
== Computerworld ==
Most Outsourcing Is Still For Losers
Opinion: Paul A. Strassmann says that immediate cost savings from
outsourcing mask its status as a desperate strategy.
Link..
== KidsHealth ==
Happy Valentine's Day
February 14th can be a lot of fun even if you don't have a boyfriend
or girlfriend. Make it a day for showering sweetness on those who are
special to you - from your best friend to your favorite pet!
Link..
Body Mass Index
Body mass index (BMI) is a calculation that uses your height and age
to estimate how much body fat you have. BMI, although not a perfect
method for judging someone's weight, is often a good way to check on
how a kid is growing.
Link..
Pneumonia
You may associate the word pneumonia with the melodrama of a soap
opera: prolonged hospital stays, oxygen tents, and family members
whispering in bedside huddles. But in real life, pneumonia is a common
infection and can usually be treated without a hospital stay.
Link..
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
A person with SAD typically experiences symptoms of depression as
winter approaches and daylight hours become shorter.
Link..
Hypertension
It might seem odd that kids can have high blood pressure, or
hypertension, because we usually associate the condition with older people.
But some kids do have it, and it can be life-threatening if left
untreated.
Link..
Adenovirus
A group of viruses that infect the membranes of the respiratory
tract, the eyes, the intestines, and the urinary tract, adenoviruses
account for about 10% of acute respiratory infections in children and are
a frequent cause of diarrhea.
Link..
== Bluebean.com ==
SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY
"The world is a madhouse, so it's only right it's patrolled by armed idiots."
(Heckuva coincidental latter-day observation by Brendan Behan, who died 30
years ago, and whose birthday we noted yesterday.)
"There is no outlet for demonstrating your feelings towards people
whom you simply loathe. That is really the crying need of our modern civilisation."
(HH Munro ["Saki"])
"I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said to be
living apart." (ee cummings)
"It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile, but it doesn't take any to
just sit there with a dumb look on your face." (Larry Kersten PhD)
"No problem is so big or so complicated that it can't be run away from."
(Charles M Schulz in "Peanuts")
News; Articles ..
India`s economic growth would double to 8.1% this fiscal year, reports the government, possibly surpassing China`s for the first time in many years, largely due to good monsoon rains, which led to bumper crops....
Government figures have shown that
US wholesale inventories in December rose 0.6%, the biggest jump in a year,
as companies sought to build stockpiles to keep up with accelerating sales in
an expanding economy.
PMBs superseded by PUTs
..PMBs (participation mortgage bonds) have been superseded as an investment by property
unit trusts (PUTs). The chief difference is PUTs invest directly in buildings, while PMBs
extend mortgage finance to property owners, which is also the main reason for PMBs fading
into obscurity .. See:
Link..
Companies should provide "pure education" to pension fund members.
.. providing pure education to members is the way to give retirees the best possible
shot at retirement while protecting the company. The company should teach members enough
let them go and find their own intermediaries and make their own decisions.
Link..
== BBC ==
Veteran Tabor wins top folk prize *
Veteran folk artist June Tabor is named folk singer of the year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in London.
Link..
AI to help Martian exploration *
Scientists are developing a wearable computer running intelligent software to help humans explore Mars.
Link..
Homework causes family arguments *
Homework causes so much stress in families it can do more harm than good, says research.
Link..
Unstoppable rise of the home computer *
Computers pervade every aspect of our culture, but only 50 years ago, they were seen as futuristic devices that belonged to the scientific world.
Link..
== iafrica.com ==
IRAQ: 'Al-Qaeda plotting civil war' - US
Al-Qaeda operatives are plotting to disrupt a US power transfer to Iraqis by pitting Sunni against Shiite Muslims and plunging the country into civil war, senior US officials said.
Link..
PAKISTAN: Powell wants end to nuclear smuggling
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Monday he had told Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf he must pull up the nuclear smuggling ring led by its disgraced nuclear hero "by its roots".
Link..
RUSSIA: Presidential candidate still missing
Speculation mounted in Russia on Monday over the fate of a presidential candidate backed by an exiled tycoon and Kremlin critic who has mysteriously gone missing five weeks before the election.
Link..
==== 2004-02-09 ====
== BBC ==
Beyonce dominates Grammy Awards
R&B singers Beyonce Knowles and Luther Vandross are the big winners at this
year's Grammy music awards.
Link..
New light shed on SA cave art
A huge collection of rock paintings in South Africa is far older than previously
thought, research has found.
Link..
Churches book up Passion tickets
Evangelicals are reserving cinemas for the opening day of Mel Gibson's
controversial new film about Jesus.
Link..
Any lessons from Russia?
The BBC's Mike Baker finds Russia's schools have problems the "mirror-image" of
those in England.
Link..
Pupils 'depressed' by poor sleep
A failure to gain enough sleep is affecting children's school grades and
self-esteem, research suggests.
Link..
New light shed on SA cave art
A huge collection of rock paintings in South Africa is far older than previously thought, research has found.
Link..
Daring comet lander named Philae
The small robotic probe that Europe is despatching to touch down on a comet is named Philae by a 15-year-old Italian girl.
Link..
Blaming the dark side of gaming
It is trite and irresponsible to accuse video games of promoting violence, argues BBCi's Daniel Etherington.
Link..
== TIME ==
NEXT: Good Call [VOIP?]
Voice-by-Net could slash costs -- and challenge 3G
Link..
EUROPE: Enemy Below
One thing Putin can't control: bombers who bring death to Moscow's metro
Link..
VIEWPOINT: Nuclear Reaction
The proliferation scandal must not be allowed to derail Pakistan's progress
Link..
EUROPE: Schroder Fires Himself
Germany's Chancellor steps down as party leader; is that enough
to revive the SPD's -- and his -- fortunes?
Link..
REBUILDING IRAQ: Asia Enters the Fray
Despite noisy opposition at home and plenty of peril on the
ground, Asia is deploying soldiers and civilians to help rebuild
Iraq. Is it worth the risks to clean up America's mess?
Link..
ON THE GROUND: Life in the Danger Zone
Toughened by hardships they've endured back home, the Philippine
troops are not fazed by Iraq
Link..
== CNet ==
Nokia: Bluetooth flaw gnaws at phone security
Nokia has admitted that a number of its Bluetooth
handsets are vulnerable to "bluesnarfing," in which data
can be stolen from a phone without the owner's knowledge.
Mon Feb 09 12:02:00 PST 2004
Link..
Juniper to buy NetScreen for $4 billion
The router maker says it has agreed to buy NetScreen
Technologies, a network security provider, as it gears up
for battle with heavyweight Cisco.
Link..
Antipiracy group targets Kazaa parent
An investigator for a music industry organization serves
papers on Sharman Networks at its headquarters in
Vanuatu, as the group searches several sites across Australia.
Link..
Indians fearing outsourcing backlash
The rising political reaction in the United States to the
loss of some American jobs to workers overseas is creating
a ripple effect among India's leading technology companies.
Link..
Microsoft offers cut-rate Windows
Link..
== Computerworld ==
SOFTWARE ON A BUDGET
.. Digital River offers free downloads of top freeware and shareware:
Link..
[ Web Services ]
Web services help diverse companies share business logic, data and
processesthrough the use of open systems to both customers and
partners. Visit the Web Services Zone and learn how Web services are
delivering critical business processes across the entire enterprise.
Go to the ZONE and get: Computerworld News, White Papers, Case Studies,
and more!
Link..
EMC Upgrades Symmetrix As Part Of Storage Overhaul
The storage vendor is announcing the second generation of its Symmetrix
DMX high-end disk arrays, plus upgrades of its Clariion midrange
arrays, network-attached storage hardware and several key storage
management applications.
Link..
== CNet ==
Has telecom's 'next big thing' arrived?
Hyped for years, technology known as multiprotocol label switching
is finally hitting the mainstream amid growing demand for services
that marry voice, video and data on a single network.
Link..
Linux battles rage on
SCO fires another billion-dollar broadside in its legal wranglings
with IBM over the open-source operating system. Microsoft, meanwhile,
sharpens its competitive attack on Big Blue and Linux.
Link..
Where does Apple go from here?
Macintosh market share continues to decline, but the iPod and iTunes
are hit products. Where does Apple Computer's future lie? An interview
with HBS professor David Yoffie.
HBS Working Knowledge
Link..
Perspectives: VoIP needs a reality check
Consultant Fred Goldstein believes conventional wisdom on voice over
Internet Protocol overtaking traditional phone networks needs a
rethinking.
Link..
==== 2004-02-04,05 ====
== CNN Computing ==
TAMING THE FILE-SWAPPING BEAST
The music industry is giving all it's got to the fight against
unauthorized file-sharing. But if you can't kill the beast, why
not tame it?
Link..
Details:
Super Bowl ad winks at file-sharing fight
Link..
MICROSOFT WEATHERS WORM ATTACK
Microsoft Corp. appeared to have survived the worst the MyDoom
worm could throw at it.
Link..
Details:
Q&A: MyDoom virus threatens PCs
Link..
ENGINEER NAMES SON VERSION 2.0
A self-described engineering geek took a software approach to
naming his newborn son.
Link..
LOOK TO TECH, NOT POLITICS
Tech's potential to solve problems excited leaders at this
year's World Economic Forum
Link..
TIVO: JACKSON STUNT MOST REPLAYED
Janet Jackson's revealing moment during the Super Bowl got the
attention of TiVo users.
Link..
==== 2004-02-03 ====
== M&G ==
Mugabe seizes SA-owned company
Zimbabwe's land seizures have escalated with the government's confiscation of the country's largest sugar producer, Hippo Valley, controlled by South African mining giant Anglo-American Corporation. President Thabo Mbeki now faces either standing up for the rights of Anglo-American or remaining silent on the land seizures.
Link..
Deadly poison found in US Senate building
The Senate majority leader's office apparently has suffered its second bioterror attack in three years, with another suspicious white powder delivered through the mail system -- this time laced with poisonous ricin, officials said. "This is a criminal action," said Senator Bill Frist, a Republican from Tennessee.
Link..
'I can see no end to transition'
Former president FW de Klerk has lent his support to the cooperation agreement between the African National Congress and the New National Party, warning that the country's transition has become a one-sided affair. South Africa requires a special political model based on genuine cooperation, he said.
FW de Klerk's 'kiss of death'
Link..
Sheep and sunflowers to take the country
The Boeremag's alleged plan to take over the country would have been financed by sheep, sunflowers, someone's retirement package and the sale of bullets. This is according to police spy Johan Smit, who claimed to have infiltrated the Boeremag's inner circle while secretly reporting to the police.
Link..