I'm Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Usually associated with criminals escaping prison, this is now my cry as I handed in my thesis/diplomarbeit/good quality toilet paper midday yesterday. Yes, after the toils, troubles and tribulations (I will someday look up the meaning of some of the words I use, honest) I am now free to do what I want. Well, ok, free to look for work is probably more accurate. So, be prepared, as I have spare time on my hands and I'm not afraid to use it !!
Note on the previous virus warning, Novarg is now being named MyDoom virus, is much worse than feared (I received 6 copies in my inbox this morning - don't worry, it get's filtered before I even get near any viruses). It seems to add a stealth element in that it doesn't send itself to government or military emails, however, as it fakes the 'from' field, there are lots of automatic responders falsly claiming to tell innocent parties that they sent a virus, when in fact they just happen to be in the email list of someone who got infected (admins take note).
Well, another day passes by, and another job has to be done.
Keep busy
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
The Final Countdown
Marking the 125th anniversary of a noteworthy battle, British and Zulu officials gathered to re-enact some of the major battles that took place between them in Southern Africa including the battle for Rorke's Drift, made famous by the film "Zulu" (starring Michael Cane).
As the Chinese new year festivities die down, a new law is passed protecting the rhesus monkey (they are coloured like that, really). Of course, this year is the year of the monkey, so it's quite apt really.
The European Space Agency has released spectacular pictures of the surface of Mars after a successful arrival of it's orbiting probe "Mars Express". Amazing as the pictures may seen, I still have yet to see traces of little green men.
As the EU tries to stop imports from outside of its borders, it manages to win in the UK by forcing CD retailer CDWoW to increase prices of the CDs it imports from asian countries. Read this explanatary article at The Register to find out what this means to us.
Now we all know of the problems with speed cameras, but I bet you never thought that they could be used for breaking records? No? Well you should see how a Peugot 406 managed to clock up 406 mph (653 km/h) on a cheshire road.
After the Beagle virus started causing havoc with systems recently, we have a new virus, discovered today, which seems to be distributing itself extremely rapidly. It's name is Novarg and looks like it's going to have immense effects on systems worldwide, so update your antivirus programs now !!
Practice Safe Surfing
Marking the 125th anniversary of a noteworthy battle, British and Zulu officials gathered to re-enact some of the major battles that took place between them in Southern Africa including the battle for Rorke's Drift, made famous by the film "Zulu" (starring Michael Cane).
As the Chinese new year festivities die down, a new law is passed protecting the rhesus monkey (they are coloured like that, really). Of course, this year is the year of the monkey, so it's quite apt really.
The European Space Agency has released spectacular pictures of the surface of Mars after a successful arrival of it's orbiting probe "Mars Express". Amazing as the pictures may seen, I still have yet to see traces of little green men.
As the EU tries to stop imports from outside of its borders, it manages to win in the UK by forcing CD retailer CDWoW to increase prices of the CDs it imports from asian countries. Read this explanatary article at The Register to find out what this means to us.
Now we all know of the problems with speed cameras, but I bet you never thought that they could be used for breaking records? No? Well you should see how a Peugot 406 managed to clock up 406 mph (653 km/h) on a cheshire road.
After the Beagle virus started causing havoc with systems recently, we have a new virus, discovered today, which seems to be distributing itself extremely rapidly. It's name is Novarg and looks like it's going to have immense effects on systems worldwide, so update your antivirus programs now !!
Practice Safe Surfing
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
What a match!
Last night saw a 'friendly' game of football between Mainz 05 and Bayern Munich. To say that Mainz played well would be an understatement. They beat the many-times champions 2-1 !!! So well done Mainz !
Tomorrow sees the chinese year of the monkey roll in, so all those of you born in 1980, it's your year. So go take your friends out for a meal :)
Now for something quite disturbing, that despite many efforts to stop smoking, especially in children, there is a town in Italy, north of Rome where nearly all the children smoke. And I'm not talking 16 or 18 year-olds, rather 2, 4, 6 year-olds !!! Unbelievable that this wasn't known beforehand !!
Another computer worm is doing it's rounds, so update your antivirus programs now, and check the info on W32.Beagle.A@mm.
A couple more worrying things happening. With people being taken to court, jailed and fined for having child pornography on their computers, or for hacking offenses, it would be serious if some of those arrested were not actually guilty, wouldn't it? Well, very serious it is, in that there is little to stop trojan programs planting evidence on your computer to set you up. Now this has also been turned on it's head, as anyone could claim that a trojan did these deeds, so not only do innocent people get arrested, but guilty people could claim this as their defense. Read more about this here.
Oh, and for those of you who thought that Europe sharing its passenger data with the US could cause no problems, well, here's why you are wrong.
Bye for now
Last night saw a 'friendly' game of football between Mainz 05 and Bayern Munich. To say that Mainz played well would be an understatement. They beat the many-times champions 2-1 !!! So well done Mainz !
Tomorrow sees the chinese year of the monkey roll in, so all those of you born in 1980, it's your year. So go take your friends out for a meal :)
Now for something quite disturbing, that despite many efforts to stop smoking, especially in children, there is a town in Italy, north of Rome where nearly all the children smoke. And I'm not talking 16 or 18 year-olds, rather 2, 4, 6 year-olds !!! Unbelievable that this wasn't known beforehand !!
Another computer worm is doing it's rounds, so update your antivirus programs now, and check the info on W32.Beagle.A@mm.
A couple more worrying things happening. With people being taken to court, jailed and fined for having child pornography on their computers, or for hacking offenses, it would be serious if some of those arrested were not actually guilty, wouldn't it? Well, very serious it is, in that there is little to stop trojan programs planting evidence on your computer to set you up. Now this has also been turned on it's head, as anyone could claim that a trojan did these deeds, so not only do innocent people get arrested, but guilty people could claim this as their defense. Read more about this here.
Oh, and for those of you who thought that Europe sharing its passenger data with the US could cause no problems, well, here's why you are wrong.
Bye for now
Saturday, January 17, 2004
Playing Catch-Up
Before getting stuck into some of the serious news, how about a bit of light-hearted instead? The Ig-nobel awards page gives out awards for people to make us laugh and then to make us think. Examples include "An Analysis of the Forces Required to Drag Sheep over Various Surfaces" and "Documenting the first scientifically recorded case of homosexual necrophilia in the mallard duck". Go on, have a laugh.
Okay, we hear a lot about people taking advantage of modern technology in order to cause mischief. Well, here's a case which goes back to the old radio transmitter. Someone is tapping into the Burger King drive-in restaurant in Michigan and telling customers that they can't have the food because they are too fat. Maybe they're actually health specialists trying to reduce obesity in the US...
A man was recently arrested in Germany for stuffing a newly bought computer with potatoes. Twice. He apparently brought it back to the shop claiming it didn't work, and wanted a replacement. Soon after leaving with the new computer, he returned and said it had the same problem and he wanted his money back. If he had waited a bit longer, at least he could have got some chips out of it...
You would have thought that the strict security measures going on in the US would mean the flights leaving would be some of the safest. Well, a man who flew from Washington DC to London was found to have carried bullets in his coat. I don't see how he could have got through with them though, when for me the metal in my belt sets the alarms off !!
Talking about airports, some US pilots were arrested in Brazil for making obscene gestures at the control point of the airport. Reading the article, it seems like whilst it's quite ok for the US to carry out these procedures on people entering it's country, the citizens don't feel that any other country should have the right to do the same. The bit to note here is when the airline added that the pilot had "not intended to be disrespectful". Since when has sticking the middle finger up at anyone been anything but disrespectful???
Ever wondered why so much junk mail gets through to your email box, despite sometimes implementing a filter? Well, read this report to find out. Brings a new light to things.
Now one for the ladies. I reported a while back on a device that women inserted in order to orgasm at the touch of a button. Having not heard much more on that, I presume there were some doubts on the uncomfortableness of wearing it all day. Well, here comes a new invention to the rescue. The "Slightest Touch" operates with electrodes in the shoes on the ankles. Just drink an electrolytic sports drink 20 mins beforehand and when you press the button, the nerves up your legs are stimulated to such and effect, that you are literally "turned on".
So why do men exist again?
Well, that's it for now, lots to write up, very little time.
Revise well
Before getting stuck into some of the serious news, how about a bit of light-hearted instead? The Ig-nobel awards page gives out awards for people to make us laugh and then to make us think. Examples include "An Analysis of the Forces Required to Drag Sheep over Various Surfaces" and "Documenting the first scientifically recorded case of homosexual necrophilia in the mallard duck". Go on, have a laugh.
Okay, we hear a lot about people taking advantage of modern technology in order to cause mischief. Well, here's a case which goes back to the old radio transmitter. Someone is tapping into the Burger King drive-in restaurant in Michigan and telling customers that they can't have the food because they are too fat. Maybe they're actually health specialists trying to reduce obesity in the US...
A man was recently arrested in Germany for stuffing a newly bought computer with potatoes. Twice. He apparently brought it back to the shop claiming it didn't work, and wanted a replacement. Soon after leaving with the new computer, he returned and said it had the same problem and he wanted his money back. If he had waited a bit longer, at least he could have got some chips out of it...
You would have thought that the strict security measures going on in the US would mean the flights leaving would be some of the safest. Well, a man who flew from Washington DC to London was found to have carried bullets in his coat. I don't see how he could have got through with them though, when for me the metal in my belt sets the alarms off !!
Talking about airports, some US pilots were arrested in Brazil for making obscene gestures at the control point of the airport. Reading the article, it seems like whilst it's quite ok for the US to carry out these procedures on people entering it's country, the citizens don't feel that any other country should have the right to do the same. The bit to note here is when the airline added that the pilot had "not intended to be disrespectful". Since when has sticking the middle finger up at anyone been anything but disrespectful???
Ever wondered why so much junk mail gets through to your email box, despite sometimes implementing a filter? Well, read this report to find out. Brings a new light to things.
Now one for the ladies. I reported a while back on a device that women inserted in order to orgasm at the touch of a button. Having not heard much more on that, I presume there were some doubts on the uncomfortableness of wearing it all day. Well, here comes a new invention to the rescue. The "Slightest Touch" operates with electrodes in the shoes on the ankles. Just drink an electrolytic sports drink 20 mins beforehand and when you press the button, the nerves up your legs are stimulated to such and effect, that you are literally "turned on".
So why do men exist again?
Well, that's it for now, lots to write up, very little time.
Revise well
Saturday, January 10, 2004
Mission to Mars, Italians Strike and Sims Safety
After the italian air-traffic-controllers strike on thursday caused chaos at the airports throughout Italy, the other transport unions decided to strike on the friday, thus affecting bus, train and metro services. Makes the UK transport system look like it's successful !!
George Bush has said he wants to put a man on Mars. Assuming of course he knows that it is actually a planet, and not some small town in Europe, I think here is the opportune moment for that well-known saying "If you want it done properly, do it yourself". I bet there's loads of people throughout the world who would like to see him from that sort of distance :)
And just to show that the USA never goes too far, we have the story of a mother in Massachusetts who went into a store and asked about a flight simulator for her ten-year-old son. The assistant called up police and the following day a state trooper was shining a torch through their house window at night.
Mainz is slowly starting to fill up again with the foreigners returning from their home countries to continue studying here, so there should be some more local news coming soon. But in the meantime I would like to wish good luck to all those currently taking exams.
Study hard...
After the italian air-traffic-controllers strike on thursday caused chaos at the airports throughout Italy, the other transport unions decided to strike on the friday, thus affecting bus, train and metro services. Makes the UK transport system look like it's successful !!
George Bush has said he wants to put a man on Mars. Assuming of course he knows that it is actually a planet, and not some small town in Europe, I think here is the opportune moment for that well-known saying "If you want it done properly, do it yourself". I bet there's loads of people throughout the world who would like to see him from that sort of distance :)
And just to show that the USA never goes too far, we have the story of a mother in Massachusetts who went into a store and asked about a flight simulator for her ten-year-old son. The assistant called up police and the following day a state trooper was shining a torch through their house window at night.
Mainz is slowly starting to fill up again with the foreigners returning from their home countries to continue studying here, so there should be some more local news coming soon. But in the meantime I would like to wish good luck to all those currently taking exams.
Study hard...
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
New Year, Same Story
Well, Happy New Year to all and sundry, here's hoping it will be more enjoyable and less stressful than 2003.
Back in the cold wet rain of Mainz with barely a soul to talk to, there isn't much gossip to be telling, so on to a couple of newsbites then.
The Beagle 2 explorer has still yet to be contacted on Mars, so if any martians out there happen to have seen it, please let me know through the "Contact Me" link on the left of this page :)
The ship to break all records is getting ready to be officially named Queen Mary 2.
So, starting the year easily, more will be written in the following posts :)
til then
Well, Happy New Year to all and sundry, here's hoping it will be more enjoyable and less stressful than 2003.
Back in the cold wet rain of Mainz with barely a soul to talk to, there isn't much gossip to be telling, so on to a couple of newsbites then.
The Beagle 2 explorer has still yet to be contacted on Mars, so if any martians out there happen to have seen it, please let me know through the "Contact Me" link on the left of this page :)
The ship to break all records is getting ready to be officially named Queen Mary 2.
So, starting the year easily, more will be written in the following posts :)
til then
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