TECH HARDWARE: Western Digital’s website may be wrong about “out of warranty”

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

http://weblog.infoworld.com/gripeline/archives/2008/03/western_digital.html

March 04, 2008
Western Digital Lies About Warranty Status
The Gripe Line
Ed Foster

***Begin Quote***

Drive manufacturers often seem to have a bad memory when it comes to their warranty promises. That’s what one reader discovered when Western Digital’s website falsely labeled his drive as being out of warranty when it wasn’t.

***and***

Then the reader discovered some fine print that only popped up when he hovered his cursor over a small “note” link. It read:

“By default, the warranty date is calculated from the manufacture date. However, if you have proof of purchase, we can update the warranty to calculate it from the purchase date. If you feel that the warranty date needs to be updated from the purchase date, please follow the instructions below.”

***End Quote***

I would have thought that was “fraudulent”. I can see them saying “we only know that we made the drive x/y/z date.” But, I think that they also ask you to register the drive with the dumb post card. Maybe, they are NOT crooks, but this is certainly bad PR.

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GUNS: FMG9: Prototype 9mm Folding Submachine Gun

Sunday, March 2, 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D99NHb6B03s

FMG9: Prototype 9mm Folding Submachine Gun

***Begin Quote***

“Things get nasty; get down to business.

***End Quote***

I love it. Perfect for a BOB!

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WRITING: “survival fiction”

Sunday, March 2, 2008

As a boy, I first experienced “survival fiction” in the form of Swiss Family Robinson. Not much later, it was Robinson Crusoe. Eventually, I became a fan of Heinlein and got my first introduction to “libertarianism” in Starship Troopers. That’s probably why I listened in class to the American Revolution, the death of that revolution in the War of Northern Aggression, and Austrian Economics. As you can guess, I was a thorn to every teacher because I was a “true believer” in the Sovereign Individual. (Not too good in a Catholic school.) Maybe that’s why I have an affinity for what is currently called “patriot fiction”, or the TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) genre.

It amazes me that there is so much of it. Mostly free and “unpublished”. And it all pretty much follows the formula — setup, preparing, disaster, and the results of it. Interesting is that it all seems to recognize that humans desperately need each other to survive. The first thing that needs to happen is that a tribe has to form or the individual survivors will be overwhelmed by this or that. Tribes may form clans as well.

Bottom line: No matter what the disaster, the individual needs to be prepared. Long term survival relies on cooperation. It truly is a jungle out there. Like today, there are varmints — two legged and four legged — that need to be dealt with. And, no amount of wishing, or “laws”, will make it not so.

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LIBERTY: Government This, Government That

Saturday, March 1, 2008

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/019718.html

March 01, 2008
Government This, Government That
Posted by Manuel Lora at March 1, 2008 11:32 AM

***Begin Quote***

We should start referring to state owned and managed properties and functions by the word “government” and not “public” for strategic reasons. Instead of public parks we have government parks; instead of public schools we have government schools. There is something more nefarious and sinister about it. “Government Police” sounds a lot worse than “State Police” doesn’t it? Let’s apply it to government housing, government inspections, government licensing and every program and department out there such as the (government) lottery and (government) roads. If we had government restaurants, just imagine how awful they would be!

***End Quote***

I like this idea. And, I’ll try to do it.

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RANT: a solitary vaccine-autism concession

Saturday, March 1, 2008

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/government-concedes-vacci_b_88323.html

Vaccine-Autism Case in Federal Court – Now What?
Posted February 25, 2008 | 12:42 PM (EST)

*** begin quote ***

After years of insisting there is no evidence to link vaccines with the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the US government has quietly conceded a vaccine-autism case in the Court of Federal Claims.

The unprecedented concession was filed on November 9, and sealed to protect the plaintiff’s identify. It was obtained through individuals unrelated to the case.

The claim, one of 4,900 autism cases currently pending in Federal “Vaccine Court,” was conceded by US Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler and other Justice Department officials, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the “defendant” in all Vaccine Court cases.

The child’s claim against the government — that mercury-containing vaccines were the cause of her autism — was supposed to be one of three “test cases” for the thimerosal-autism theory currently under consideration by a three-member panel of Special Masters, the presiding justices in Federal Claims Court.

***and***

9) What is the bottom line here?

The public, (including world leaders) will demand to know what is going on inside the US Federal health establishment. Yes, as of now, n=1, a solitary vaccine-autism concession. But what if n=10% or 20%? Who will pay to clean up that mess?

The significance of this concession will unfortunately be fought over in the usual, vitriolic way — and I fully expect to be slammed for even raising these questions. Despite that, the language of this concession cannot be changed, or swept away.

Its key words are “aggravated” and “manifested.” Without the aggravation of the vaccines, it is uncertain that the manifestation would have occurred at all.

When a kid with peanut allergy eats a peanut and dies, we don’t say “his underlying metabolic condition was significantly aggravated to the extent of manifesting as an anaphylactic shock with features of death.”

No, we say the peanut killed the poor boy. Remove the peanut from the equation, and he would still be with us today.

Many people look forward to hearing more from HHS officials about why they are settling this claim. But whatever their explanation, they cannot change the fundamental facts of this extraordinary case:

The United State government is compensating at least one child for vaccine injuries that resulted in a diagnosis of autism.

And that is big news, no matter how you want to say it.

*** end quote ***

I’m still amazed that the sheep still think that the “US Federal health establishment” and / or the “United State government” care about their children!

(Really I’m amazed that anybody would believe that either of those two entities exist. They are merely fictions of our imagination. Like a mental disease or an optical illusion. There are really just people pretending. It would be safe if they were just playing Dungeons and Dragons. In this instance, these folks are pretending to pontificate about science and stuff. Very very dangerous.)

It is interesting that parents KNEW there was a cause and effect relationship between the shots and the disease.

I’d quibble with the writer it ain’t the “gooferment” paying for this. It’s the taxpayer.

Still think the gooferment can protect you? Still think that it can do anything right? Still think that gang is anything more than bigger fancier Mafia?

Do you go “bahhhh” at night when you go to sleep?

Sheeple, just plain old dumb “sheep” that look like people without the common sense that Intelligent Designer gave them.

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POLITICAL: Republicans have to nominate a woman!

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (best), KB Huchinson from Texas, or Libby Dole (worst)

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UPDATE: Not nice to say, but … TOLD YOU SO!

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LIBERTY: no service or product should be provided at the barrel of a gun

Friday, February 29, 2008

http://www.adventuresinlegalland.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=99999999

The Government Hoax
Written by Marc Stevens
Tuesday, 21 November 2006

***Begin Quote***

The government hoax is probably the oldest, most pervasive and stubborn of hoaxes. It’s the belief in non-existent “states” and “nations” and that “government” is both legitimate and necessary. In the geographic area of the North American continent commonly referred to as the “United States,” it’s claimed only “government” can provide the service of protecting “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” This is nonsense if only for the reason “government” has no duty to protect anyone and their property.

Another reason is: no service or product should be provided at the barrel of a gun. It’s that simple. There are no exceptions unless one believes people have no rights. If one believes people have no rights then “government” is not “necessary” to “protect” what doesn’t exist. If you believe people have rights, then you don’t “protect” them without their freely given consent. Also, protection is not submission to the violent unaccountable control of another nor is violent domination a legitimate method of doing business. Would you hire people who don’t acknowledge you have property, to protect your property? I wouldn’t:

“The ultimate ownership of all property is in the State; individual so-called “ownership” is only by virtue of Government, i.e., law, amounting to mere user; and that use must be in accordance with law and subordinate to the necessities of the State.” Senate Resolution #62, April 1933.

***End Quote***

Gooferment is the meme (i.e., an idea is like a gene; mental model; belief) that can kill you, enslave you, or just make you miserable. Even if you don’t realize it.

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TECH SERVICE: Google Sites as part of Google Apps

Thursday, February 28, 2008

FROM GOOGLE to admins of domains using google apps

***Begin Quote***

Greetings admins!

Today, we’re excited to announce the introduction of Google Sites as part of Google Apps.

Google Sites makes creating a team web site as easy as editing a document. You can quickly gather a variety of information in one place — including videos, calendars, presentations, attachments, and gadgets — and easily share it for viewing or editing with a small group, your entire organization, or the world.

As of today, Google Sites is enabled for reinkefaceslife.com, which means your users can get started immediately. To help you announce this new offering to your users, we’ve included a template message below that you’re welcome to use.

You can learn more about Google Sites at http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/users/sites.html.

To find more information or get in touch, visit our Help Center at http://www.google.com/support/a. Please do not reply to this email; replies are not monitored.

Sincerely,

The Google Apps Team

——————————————————-

Google has just released a new product called Google Sites, and you can start using it today!

What is Google Sites?
It’s an online application that makes creating a team web site as easy as editing a document. You can quickly gather a variety of information in one place — including videos, calendars, presentations, attachments, and gadgets — and easily share it for viewing or editing with a small group, their entire organization, or the world.

* Anyone can do it — Building a site is as simple as editing a document, and you don’t need anyone’s help to get started.
* Share from one place — Create a single place to bring together all the information your team needs to share, including docs, videos, photos, calendars and attachments.
* Work together — Invite co-workers, classmates, or your entire organization to edit your site with you to keep it fresh and up-to-date. And let as many or few people view your site as you want.

Take a look at some example sites to see how you might use Google Sites:
* Company intranet — http://sites.google.com/a/organic-city.com/intranet/Home
* Team project — http://sites.google.com/a/altostrat.com/project-eggplant/Home
* Employee profile — http://sites.google.com/a/altostrat.com/jkraus/Home
* Classroom — http://sites.google.com/a/googleclassrooms.org/mrs-richau/Home
* Student club — http://sites.google.com/a/googleuniversity.org/ski-club/Home

To start using Google Sites, go to http://sites.google.com/a/reinkefaceslife.com

If you have questions, visit the Google Sites Help Center at http://www.google.com/support/sites.

***End Quote***

Interesting!

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INTERESTING: If IP Is Property, Where Is the Property Tax?

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/02/27/0018224&from=rss

If IP Is Property, Where Is the Property Tax?
Posted by kdawson on Tuesday February 26, @08:36PM
from the making-the-world-safe-for-mickey dept.
Government

***Begin Quote***

nweaver writes “In a response to the LA Times editorial on copyright which we discussed a week ago, the paper published a response arguing: ‘If Intellectual Property is actually property, why isn’t it covered by a property tax?’ If copyright maintenance involved paying a fee and registration, this would keep Mickey Mouse safely protected by copyright, while ensuring that works that are no longer economically relevant to the copyright holder pass into the public domain, where the residual social value can serve the real purpose of copyright: to enhance the progress of science and useful arts. Disclaimer: the author is my father.”

***End Quote***

Interesting question. Is there such a thing as “intellectual property”?

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text


INTERESTING: catnaps may improve performance

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7254555.stm

Six-minute nap ‘may boost memory’

***Begin Quote***

Even the shortest of catnaps may be enough to improve performance in memory tests, say German scientists.

***End Quote***

Maybe this reinforces the American student cramming in an “all nighter” for the test, which requires the recall of lots of irrelevant factoids. That’s what passes for eddykation in the gooferment skoolz.

So maybe the students “discovered” this independently and passed the meme along in folk lore?

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