Tuesday - April 11, 2006

Random Thoughts

I love this stuff.

People working with computers often sloppily talk about their system’s “random number generator” and the “random numbers” it produces. But numbers calculated by a computer through a deterministic process, cannot, by definition, be random. Given knowledge of the algorithm used to create the numbers and its internal state, you can predict all the numbers returned by subsequent calls to the algorithm, whereas with genuinely random numbers, knowledge of one number or an arbitrarily long sequence of numbers is of no use whatsoever in predicting the next number to be generated.

But you see, these folks have come up with the answer.  To wit:

HotBits is an Internet resource that brings genuine random numbers, generated by a process fundamentally governed by the inherent uncertainty in the quantum mechanical laws of nature, directly to your computer in a variety of forms. HotBits are generated by timing successive pairs of radioactive decays detected by a Geiger-Müller tube interfaced to a computer.

So, do you need a really random number?  Go there and get one.  I did.  Here it is:

66ED8685368BF165E1DE3B9C65CE9C90C3C9AC0B99AFE5DF9E56709CC7D2E066
EEC5C48C4FA9A8333985C1147999C2E300B5A4ABAA18A77836B84A610BDFFF61
3E4D8BBD219E646D6CD6733B99B362DF570B90AC840E053A3B2F61C597CB1209
382AD8BA3266CE945704AF098D093714BD35AECCE31CB9593BF9AFACB27BC8D5

Pretty cool, huh?

Posted by Drew458     on 04/11/2006 at 03:19 PM   
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French Crybabies Persist

This just gets better and better. The Frog government caved in to the striking students and surrendered without a shot being fired. So what do the stoopid Frog kids (tadpoles?) do then? Why ... they keep protesting and marching. For what? Nobody knows. Maybe they just like to protest and avoid having to go to class. Typical Frog behavior - sit in a pond a croak .... ribbit .. ribbit ....

French Students Protest, Despite Victory
_{April 11, 2006, 12:22 PM EDT}

PARIS (AP)—Students and unions staged new protests Tuesday across France, hoping to ride the momentum that led President Jacques Chirac to scrap a youth labor law and force the government to pull other contested reforms.

Chirac’s retreat and school vacations that began this week were expected to deplete turnout from massive recent protests and university sit-ins that prompted him to abandon the “youth jobs contract” on Monday.

Hundreds of students marched in northeastern Paris—far fewer than the 84,000 who turned out in the capital for protests that drew 1 million demonstrators nationwide on April 4.

Police were on high alert to head off a possible replay of violence that marred earlier marches, checking bags of people leaving a subway station near the start of the march. A few tourists heading to a Paris department store expressed alarm at the line of police vans.

- More On The Frog Freaks Here ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/11/2006 at 02:33 PM   
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Breaking News: Iran

I suppose it would be too much to ask to have these people leave the rest of the world alone. When people behave badly, their behavior is easily avoided. When entire nations behave badly, especially regarding nuclear capability, then it may be time to break out the spears and rocks because we sure as hell are headed for another Dark Age if the nuclear genie gets out of the bottle into the wrong hands ... and I can’t think of any hands that are more wrong than the Mad Mullahs in Iran .... I don’t suppose I need to tell you all to stock up on ammo and survival gear, do I?

Iran Hits Milestone in Nuclear Technology
_{Apr 11 1:42 PM US/Eastern}

TEHRAN, Iran (AP)—Iran has successfully enriched uranium for the first time, a landmark in its quest to develop nuclear fuel, hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday. He insisted, however, that his country does not aim to develop nuclear weapons.

In a nationally televised speech, Ahmadinejad called on the West “not to cause an everlasting hatred in the hearts of Iranians” by trying to force Iran to abandon uranium enrichment.

“At this historic moment, with the blessings of God almighty and the efforts made by our scientists, I declare here that the laboratory- scale nuclear fuel cycle has been completed and young scientists produced enriched uranium needed to the degree for nuclear power plants Sunday,” Ahmadinejad said.

- Developing story here ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/11/2006 at 02:15 PM   
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24

What would Jack Bauer do? Easy. He’d take the $40 million dollars for three seasons and go save the world again ... and again ... again. Saving the world is getting to be an expensive proposition these days. Then again, nobody does it like Jack ....

Saving The World Pays Well For ‘24’ Star
Sutherland signs three year deal
_{Monday, April 10, 2006 4:43 p.m. EDT (20:43 GMT)}

LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter)—“24” star Kiefer Sutherland has inked a multifaceted deal with 20th Century Fox Television.

The rich pact, which is set to begin in June, calls for the actor to continue on the hit Fox drama for three more years and includes a two-year development deal for Sutherland’s soon-to-be-launched production banner.

Details on the deal were sketchy, but sources pegged the acting portion alone at more than $40 million for the three seasons, which could make Sutherland the highest-paid actor in a drama series.

While the deal with Sutherland locks him in for three additional years beyond the current fifth season of “24,” the 20th TV/Imagine TV-produced show so far has been picked up for one additional season.

Under the pact, Sutherland also will be elevated from a co-executive producer to executive producer on “24” next season alongside Joel Surnow, Robert Cochran, Howard Gordon and Evan Katz.

- More on the story at CNN ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/11/2006 at 03:26 AM   
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Whoopee!

I suppose there are workplace hazards much worse than “farting chairs” .... but for the life of me I can’t imagine what ....

British Teacher Loses ‘Farting’ Chair Case
_{April 10, 2006, 4:07 PM EDT}

BRISTOL, England (AP)

An employment tribunal has ruled against a British teacher who claimed a noisy chair made classroom life a misery. Bristol City Council confirmed Monday that the tribunal last week dismissed the complaint by Sue Storer, 48, former deputy head teacher at Bedminster Down Secondary School.

Storer said the school failed to replace a chair which made an embarrassing “farting” noise whenever anyone sat on it, although other staff received new chairs. She said the chair was a source of embarrassment, especially at parent-teacher evenings. She also claimed that male colleagues were favored over her.

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/11/2006 at 03:00 AM   
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Secrets For Sale

All you government conspiracy theorists, listen up! There is obviously no way our government can possibly keep a secret, even if your life depended on it, OK? There are more leaks in our government and military than can possibly be imagined. How can any Liberal with half a brain think, even for a second, that the US government can hide anything? We’re being robbed blind overseas by the very people we’re trying to help. It’s obvious the Afghans learned a lot from the French about how to be grateful ....

U.S. Military Secrets for Sale at Afghan Bazaar?
_{April 10, 2006}

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (L.A. TIMES) — No more than 200 yards from the main gate of the sprawling U.S. base here, stolen computer drives containing classified military assessments of enemy targets, names of corrupt Afghan officials and descriptions of American defenses are on sale in the local bazaar.

Shop owners at the bazaar say Afghan cleaners, garbage collectors and other workers from the base arrive each day offering purloined goods, including knives, watches, refrigerators, packets of Viagra and flash memory drives taken from military laptops. The drives, smaller than a pack of chewing gum, are sold as used equipment.

The thefts of computer drives have the potential to expose military secrets as well as Social Security numbers and other identifying information of military personnel.

A reporter recently obtained several drives at the bazaar that contained documents marked “Secret.” The contents included documents that were potentially embarrassing to Pakistan, a U.S. ally, presentations that named suspected militants targeted for “kill or capture” and discussions of U.S. efforts to “remove” or “marginalize” Afghan government officials whom the military considered “problem makers.”

The drives also included deployment rosters and other documents that identified nearly 700 U.S. service members and their Social Security numbers, information that identity thieves could use to open credit card accounts in soldiers’ names.

After choosing the name of an army captain at random, a reporter using the Internet was able to obtain detailed information on the woman, including her home address in Maryland and the license plate numbers of her 2003 Jeep Liberty sport utility vehicle and 1998 Harley Davidson XL883 Hugger motorcycle.

Troops serving overseas would be particularly vulnerable to attempts at identity theft because keeping track of their bank and credit records is difficult, said Jay Foley, co-executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego.

- More Tales of Larceny Overseas from the L.A. Times ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/11/2006 at 02:44 AM   
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The Intifada, Version 2.1

_{Rob Rogers—The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}

- “Macintosh Cult Greets Apple’s Windows”

- “Mac Users Blaze Trail To Windows”

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/11/2006 at 02:29 AM   
Filed Under: • Humor •  
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   Monday - April 10, 2006

Photo Du Jour

“Fruitcake”
-by-
The Skipper

_{(No, there’s no hidden meaning here.)}

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/10/2006 at 06:16 PM   
Filed Under: • Art-Photography •  
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Global Warming Stopped in 1998

What, you didn’t know that?  Surely you’ve read about it in the papers, right?  No?

Telegraph

For many years now, human-caused climate change has been viewed as a large and urgent problem. In truth, however, the biggest part of the problem is neither environmental nor scientific, but a self-created political fiasco. Consider the simple fact, drawn from the official temperature records of the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia, that for the years 1998-2005 global average temperature did not increase (there was actually a slight decrease, though not at a rate that differs significantly from zero).

That’s right friends and neighbors, there has been zero climate change, or possible a little cooling going on in the past eight years.

In response to these facts, a global warming devotee will chuckle and say “how silly to judge climate change over such a short period”. Yet in the next breath, the same person will assure you that the 28-year-long period of warming which occurred between 1970 and 1998 constitutes a dangerous (and man-made) warming. Tosh. Our devotee will also pass by the curious additional facts that a period of similar warming occurred between 1918 and 1940, well prior to the greatest phase of world industrialisation, and that cooling occurred between 1940 and 1965, at precisely the time that human emissions were increasing at their greatest rate.

Indeed.

Posted by Drew458     on 04/10/2006 at 02:03 PM   
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Elvis Has Left The Building

Attention: OldCatMan will no longer be joining us in our daily discussions. As you can see from the e-mail below, OCM is quite angry with me and I regret that he has chosen to follow this course, including cc’ing his entire mail list. More than anything else, I am sorry he feels the need to slam the door on the way out. That hurts and cannot be forgiven. I sincerely hope he finds a good home at another blog where he can express himself in the manner that has endeared him to all of us. That is all ...

-----Original Message-----
From: oldcatman [mailto:oldcatman@worldnet.att.net]
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 9:38 AM
To: Allan Kelly
Cc: ****
Subject: WTF

ALLAN,

What the fuck is wrong with you?

Shades of Vilmar, Steel Turman, Amy, Dottie........you need some help.

When you get it, let me know.

If WE can be of help, please let us know.

OCM

-----------------------------------------------------------------

> On Apr 10, 2006, at 11:32 AM, Allan Kelly wrote:

> Guy,
> Thank you for your concern. If I decide I need your help, I will be
> sure to let you know. I am sorry you feel the need to dissolve our
> friendship in this manner. I wish you well. Take care.
>
> Adios,
> Allan

-----------------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: oldcatman [mailto:oldcatman@worldnet.att.net]
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 12:37 PM
To: Allan Kelly
Cc: ****
Subject: Re: WTF

ALLAN,

Why are you being an asshole?

Go out and get laid.....maybe you’ll feel better and treat the folks who make your blog a success a little better.  (And you know who WE are....)

I don’t believe in gods, you know.

If this is “ADIOS”..........make it good.........Adios, you pompous mother fucker (dead or otherwise).

OCM

-----------------------------------------------------------------

On Apr 10, 2006, at 12:08 PM, Allan Kelly wrote:

> Guy,
>
> You do what you have to do and I’ll do what I have to do. I am not
> going to engage in a name-calling battle with you nor am I going to
> accuse you of needing pscychiatric help. I’m not even going to blame
> it on your sex life.
> And I’m surely not going to bring your mother into this.
>
> What I am going to do is ask you to stop sending me these messages.
> Now take care of yourself and at least show me the courtesy of leaving me alone.
>
> Allan

-----------------------------------------------------------------

From: oldcatman [mailto:oldcatman@worldnet.att.net]
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 2:07 PM
To: Allan Kelly
Cc: ****
Subject: Re: WTF

Allan,

You are a whack job!

You will always hear from me......

Seems like quite a few folks at BMEWS agree with me..

You lighten up and look at what you have done to a good thing.

“Name calling” is all you see....confronted with facts (of this issue) and you hide.

Obviously your ego gets in your way which destroys the objective of your blog...too bad,
as I thought WE were doing a good job on looking at some key issues.

Oldcatman......forever!

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/10/2006 at 01:34 PM   
Filed Under: • Personal •  
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Lawyer Joke

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/10/2006 at 07:55 AM   
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On This Day In History

April 10, 1865 - Robert E. Lee’s Farewell Address

One day after surrendering to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, General Robert E. Lee addresses his army for the last time.

“After four years of arduous service, marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources. I need not tell the brave survivors of so many hard-fought battles, who have remained steadfast to the last, that I have consented to the result from no distrust of them...I determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen...I bid you an affectionate farewell.”

This closed the book on one of the most remarkable armies in history. The Army of Northern Virginia had fought against long odds for four years and won most of the battles in which it engaged the Union’s Army of the Potomac. Along the way, Lee was lionized by his troops as few military leaders ever have been. The final surrender was a bitter pill for Lee to swallow, but the grace of his final communique to his troops exhibited the virtues that made him the single most enduring symbol of the Confederacy.

_{Credit: The History Channel. Painting by Mort Künstler.}

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/10/2006 at 07:32 AM   
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Trouble Brewing Down South

What’s the deal with all these petty, pissant dictators around the world lately? We have Kim “I’m So Ronery” Jong-Il in North Korea blathering about nukes and threatening the U.S. We have this President “Adolph” AhmaWhackJob in Iran spouting off about nukes and threatening the U.S. Now, we have El Presidente Hugo “Pez-Head” Chavez** in Venezuela threatening to stop selling us oil and harassing our ambassador.

I keep waiting for the other shoe to fall on one of these pompous pricks. Anyone care to place bets on who gets whacked first? Maybe we should just start a blog “pool” and everyone pick a mad dictator and a date for the eventual smackdown. Personally, I think it’s a toss-up which one gets the finger first. Of course, if I were President, there would already be a lot of ordinance in the process of being dropped on all three. But that’s just me. I’m such a gentle soul ...

Chavez Threatens To Expel U.S. Diplomat
_{Sunday, April 9, 2006 - 7:06 p.m. EDT (23:06 GMT)}

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)—Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the U.S. ambassador was “provoking the Venezuelan people” and threatened Sunday to expel the American diplomat, whose convoy was chased by pro-government protesters on motorcycles. Chavez condemned the crowd of protesters for pelting U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield’s car with eggs and tomatoes, saying his government “rejects any kind of aggression.”

But he suggested Brownfield, who was returning from a visit to a ballpark in Caracas’ poor Coche neighborhood, a Chavez stronghold, sought a confrontation by failing to advise authorities adequately of his travel plans and venturing into a place where his presence was unwelcome. “I’m going to throw you out of Venezuela if you continue provoking the Venezuelan people,” Chavez said in a nationally televised speech addressed to Brownfield.

Chavez’s incendiary comments came after Washington warned of “severe diplomatic consequence” if a similar incident repeats itself. “If the Washington government takes some measure against Venezuela motivated by provocations, you will be responsible, you will have to leave here, sir. I will declare you persona non grata in Venezuela,” Chavez responded Sunday in the address to Brownfield.

Chavez accused Washington of seeking to escalate tensions and threatening Venezuela. “With your imprudence and provocation, you could one of these days cause a grave incident because (you walk) around with people who are armed, with security forces,” Chavez said.

- More from “El Presidente Pez-Head” at CNN ...

_{** Explanation: I just can’t help it. Hugo Chavez reminds me of nothing less than a huge Pez dispenser. Don’t ask why. He just does.}

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/10/2006 at 06:49 AM   
Filed Under: • International •  
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France Surrenders - Again

Thanks to a hot tip from one of our covert sources in Europistan, we see the Fwench have surrendered again. That white flag must be getting pretty worn out by now. This time the government surrendered to its own young people who were whining and crying over a new job law that allows employers to fire young employees during a two-year probationary period.

Obviously, the Fwench kids and the unions who supported them have no clue what “at will employment” is. For the education of our Euro-peon friends, let me explain: “At will employment” is how most of us here in America work. Basically, the rule is that I can quit any time I want to and my employer can fire me any time he wants to. It keeps us both honest.

Unfortunately, under the rules of New Socialism in Europistan, this is considered inhumane so young people across the pond have nothing to fear ... except for the loud swirling noise as Europistan slowly flushes down the toilet of history. I urge the Fwench kiddies to enjoy it while they can. Pretty soon, all that cheap labor from the Middle East will replace every one of them. One way or another ....

France To Scrap Youth Job Law
_{Monday, 10 April 2006, 09:38 GMT 10:38 UK}

PARIS (BBC)—French President Jacques Chirac has announced that the new youth employment law that sparked weeks of sometimes violent protests will be scrapped. He said it would be replaced by other measures to tackle youth unemployment.

Millions of students and union members have taken to the streets over the last month in protest against the law, which made it easier to fire young workers. Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said the law’s aim had been to tackle high unemployment among the young.

The law, known as the First Employment Contract or CPE, introduced a new work contract for under-26s. It was to allow a two-year trial period, during which employers could end a contract without explanation. The plan to replace the law was announced after a meeting between the president, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and other senior ministers on Monday.

Speaking in a live television address, Mr de Villepin said the president had accepted his proposed changes and that the new measures would be presented to the various sectors concerned during Monday. He said he was convinced that the only way of addressing joblessness in France was a better balance between flexibility for employers and security for employees.

- Read more about cheese-eating surrender-monkeys here ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/10/2006 at 06:12 AM   
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THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.

Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere

It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

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