FUNY: Retrieving WW2 tank … looks like muddy fun

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Montezuma’s revenge

Russian Tank Recovered from the Lake After 50 Years Been There
Category: Other, Exclusive, History, Photos, Technology, Video |
WW-II Trophy tank
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14 September 2000, a Komatsu D375A-2 pulled an abandoned tank from its archival tomb under the bottom of a lake near Johvi, Estonia. The Soviet-built T34/76A tank had been resting at the bottom of the lake for 56 years. According to its specifications, it’s a 27-tonne machine with a top speed of 53km/h.

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I think this was neat. Neat project, careful engineering (lest you wind up with MisamishuiKowawahatsee in the lake as well), AND they got the engine running in a few minutes!!! I think that was the most surprising report.

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Posted by reinkefj

LIBERTY: Now big gubamint says no boating!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

http://www.ybw.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20060814154923ibinews.html

US federal judge declares boating illegal in all US navigable waters
By IBI Magazine

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In a rather bizarre ruling that has marine industry officials worried, Judge Robert G. James of the United States District Court, Western Division of Louisiana, has said that it is criminal trespass for the American boating public to boat, fish, or hunt on the Mississippi River and other navigable waters in the US.

In the case of Normal Parm v. Sheriff Mark Shumate, James ruled that federal law grants exclusive and private control over the waters of the river, outside the main shipping channel, to riparian landowners. The shallows of the navigable waters are no longer open to the public. That, in effect, makes boating illegal across most of the country.

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File this under “Ya Gotta Be Kiddin”! Why do we tolerate this gang of armed thugs to tell us what to do? this is just more central big gubamint non-sense.

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Posted by reinkefj

JOBSEARCH: Boston Globe nails IBM and others

Sunday, September 17, 2006

STRATEGY: Attention Kmart shoppers the rules of the job game have changed …

http://www.boston.com/business/personalfinance/articles/2006/09/17/visions_of_the_golden_years_dim_as_pension_promises_fade/?page=full

Anyone, who doesn’t understand that the rule of the gasme have changed, should read this.

No, print it, and nail it to your bathroom mirror. Seven years of bad luck is the least of your worries!

Don’t think that the “corporate management” will do ANYTHING but loot your beloved enterprise. Cast off your illusions. It’s a cold cruel world out there.

Pension? Just plan on possibly getting something from the Pension Guarantee Fund. (Maybe!) Ask the Delta pilots how they feel.

Life-time employment? Ask the Ford blue collar workers.

Benefits? Maybe, as long as they don’t cost too much. Retirees shoudl get ready for the Eskimo iceberg voyage.

Action plan:

(1) Trust no one! What you have in your pocket is yours. Anything else has a tinge of “maybe” attached to it.

(2) Develop skills. Create a portfolio of what you can offer another employer or the marketplace. That has value!

(3) Develop alternate revenue streams. Part-time job, side business, investment protfolio, rental properties, ebay biz, something, anything.

(4) Develop awareness. There is no rescue team coming to help. Don’t expect mercy becasue there isn’t any. Pull up your big boy pants and get ready for trouble.

###

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Posted by reinkefj

TECH: “BITTORRENET” protocol in visual terms; I use the Azureus client!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

BitTorrent Simulator: How and Why BitTorrent works

BitTorrent Simulator: How and Why BitTorrent works
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BitTorrent is a great protocol to distribute large files. One of it’s main advantages is that every downloader starts sharing right away, even without having a full copy of the file.

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For the visuals among us, the graphical model really gives a great visualization of how the think works. If a picture is wortha thousand words, the simulation is a grazzillion words.

Now I need to learn about torrents.

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Posted by reinkefj

TECH: My reaction to this week’s “picnic”. YMMV!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Here’s a weekly message that I find of value. I usually try all the suggestions that pique my curiousity. YMMV

New Media Picks Of The Week: Sharewood Picnic 70

http://www.masternewmedia.org/new_media_tools/new_media_picks/new_media_picks_of_the_week_20060917.htm

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1. SmartVideoChannel
2. Zoho Show
3. Live Documents
4. V4S
5. Treemo
6. Webshots
7. PDF Text Online
8. Zapr
9. Noovo
10. SimplyHeadlines

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SmartVideoChannel              http://www.smartvideochannel.com/
“SmartVideoChannel allows you to create your own media hosting site or link hosted media to your pre-existing website.”

I don’t “do” a lot of video so I pass.

Verdict: I Pass

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Zoho Show                        http://www.zohoshow.com/login.sas
“Zoho Show is an online tool to create, edit, publish, and show presentations.”

This may be useful. I’ll have to try it with one of my canned presentations. Corporate type probably can only use it for the most bland presentations. So what would I use it for? Hmmm??????

Verdict: Jury’s still out.

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Live Documents                      http://www.live-documents.com/
“Live Documents is a tool that enables you to collaborate over Microsoft Word and Excel documents with others.”

Again, not much use to me. The French Resistence shot collaborators. And so does corporate america. Or at least it’s not rewarded. “Free trial” scares me. Guess they will expect to sell subscriptions. It’s not the same as “free”.

Verdict: I pass

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V4S                                        http://orb.com/skype/
“V4S is a voice messaging platform that enables you to send and receive voicemails.”

Mentions skype (a killer for me), always connected, and such.

Verdict: I pass

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Treemo                                http://www.treemo.com/
“Treemo is an online and mobile community dedicated to sharing digital media.”

Napster? I don’t need hassles witht he RIAA.

Verdict: I pass

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Webshots                                 http://www.webshots.com/
“Webshots is a service that allows you to upload unlimited images and create online photo albums.”

Sanpfish! Kodak!

Verdict: I pass

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PDF Text Online                       http://www.pdftextonline.com/
“PDF Text Online is a service that converts PDF files in text files.”

Not a cracker, but could be useful.

Verdict: Schedule for a test.

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Zapr                                           http://www.zapr.net/
“Zapr is an application that lets you create links to any files on your PC.”

Interesting. This could be useful. Oh Oh O, requires dotnet. Argh, that’s not in alignment with being Microsloth free in 07.

Verdict: I pass

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Noovo                                          http://www.noovo.us/
“Noovo is a browser-based editor which allows you to create websites homepages without having to deal with HTML and other codes.”

Interesting, almost compelling, since I have been playing with my homepages, with many Argh!s and worse, I tried it. Waste of time. No way to pick up an existing page. (Or at least no way I could see.) No way to save one’s work. (Or no way I saw.) So a waste of my time. Google base pages, or whatever they call it does the same thing.

Verdict: I pass.

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SimplyHeadlines                            http://www.simplyheadlines.com/
“SimplyHeadlines is a service that enables you to pick news from the sources you select and receive a digest directly into your email.”

Sounbds interesting and might be useful.

Verdict: Schedule a test!

=

So some interesting items at the picnic.

1 Comment | Technology | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

PROD: This is why I ALWAYS write down where I park when in strange places

Sunday, September 17, 2006

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006430117,00.html

Car found after seven months
By JOHN TROUP
September 16, 2006

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MOTORIST Eric King has been reunited with his car — seven months after FORGETTING where he parked it.

Absent-minded Eric, 57, left his black X-reg Ford Focus in a space in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, last February so he could walk into the town centre.
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When I go strange places and park my car, I always write down where. A friend of mine did this in college, (I know prestigious amounts of beer were consumed), and forgot where he parked in NYC. All he knew was that he got a free space. (Scary part was that his date — now wife — who doesn’t drink — didn’t remember either!) Luckily this was in the days before the aggressive tow away program. (Just as well he didn’t find it. Something bad could have happened — dui, accident, fatality) So, later the next day, when he was sober, he got his brother to cruise in a search pattern until he found it. (Hmm, maybe there is an invention here; a “car call home” feature like an errant teenager!). Any way since that incident, which was hysterical, I always write down where I park my car. I don’t want to have to eat crow since I berated him badly at the time, laughed at repeatedly over the years, and remind him of it often.

This fellow tops my griend and apparently no dringking involved. At least my freind, who will remain nameless, but you know who you are, had an excuse.

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Posted by reinkefj

FUN: This sounds like something I’d like to do, and did in college

Sunday, September 17, 2006

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3799852a12,00.html

Germans crack open beer at Oktoberfest
17 September 2006

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MUNICH: Munich opened its doors to thousands of beer-drinking merrymakers as the world’s biggest folk festival, the Oktoberfest, got under way in celebrations which this year last two days longer than usual.

Germans, in party mood after the World Cup and cheered by a pickup in the economy, have 18 days to consume millions of litres of beer and hundreds of thousands of sausages as the festival has been extended to include October 3’s public holiday.
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I think I did that “six day fest” in college, but those days are very hazy. And best forgotten. When I do retire, I think I’d like to sample the fun!

Note to self: Add this to things to do before leaving the game! stage. play. illusions. whatever!

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Posted by reinkefj