p2pnet World Headlines: Oct 23, 2009
The real life Burger King Windows 7 Whopper is a disgusting joke to humanity CrunchGear
OMG. When I asked our Japanese readers to send in a pic of the Burger King Windows 7 burger, I was half hoping that it really didn’t exist. But nope, here it is. You probably shouldn’t look at this before breakfast, btw. It blows my mind that some marketing guru would think that slapping the Windows 7 name onto a seven patty burger would improve the Windows image. Of course it took an equally moronic Burger King suit to agree to sell out and show the world that Burger King is willing to create the world’s most unhealthy foods. Look at that thing. It’s a tower of cardiac arrest. The meal better come with a voucher for a buy one bypass, get one free. Gross. Just gross.
Bush owns up to a few regrets Montreal Gazette
A relaxed and jovial former United States president George W. Bush spoke with confidence and very few regrets about some of the most controversial decisions during his presidency to an appreciative audience at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel yesterday. “I am confident that I made decisions based on principle, that I made calls as best I could, and I did not sell my soul,” Bush told an audience of about 1,000 men and women, most clad in black business suits, at the $400-a-seat steak luncheon held by the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
China building cyberwarfare capabilities Associated Press
China is building its cyberwarfare capabilities and appears to be using the growing technical abilities to collect U.S. intelligence through a sophisticated and long-term computer attack campaign, according to an independent report. Released Thursday by a congressional advisory panel, the study found cases suggesting that China’s elite hacker community has ties to the Beijing government, although there is little hard evidence. The commission report details a cyberattack against a U.S. company several years ago that appeared to either originate in or come through China and was similar to other incidents also believed to be connected to the country. According to the analysis, the company noticed that over several days, data from their network was being sent to multiple computers in the U.S. and overseas. While the report does not identify the company, it contends that the attackers targeted specific data, suggesting a very coordinated and sophisticated operation by people who had the expertise to use the high-tech information. An internet protocol (IP) address located in China was used at times during the episode.
FCC votes to begin crafting ‘net neutrality’ rules Associated Press
Federal regulators took an important step Thursday toward prohibiting broadband providers from favoring or discriminating against certain kinds of Internet traffic. Despite the concerns of the agency’s two Republicans and telecommunications companies, the Federal Communications Commission voted to begin writing “network neutrality” regulations. Proponents say the rules would prevent phone and cable companies from abusing their control over the market for broadband access. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said the rules are needed to ensure that broadband subscribers can access all legal Web sites and services, including Internet calling applications and video sites that compete with the broadband companies’ core businesses.
Judge tosses Dart’s suit vs. Craigslist Chicago Sun-Times
A federal judge this week threw out Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart’s lawsuit seeking to force Craigslist to pull online ads Dart says sell sex. U.S. District Judge John F. Grady ruled that ads offering “adult services” aren’t explicitly offering sex, and Craigslist is an “intermediary,” and is not “culpable for aiding and abetting” customers who “misuse their services to commit unlawful acts.” “Sheriff Dart may continue to use Craigslist’s Web site to identify and pursue individuals who post allegedly unlawful content,” Grady wrote in his ruling. “But he cannot sue Craigslist for their conduct.”
Ballmer on the Smartphone Race: “It Doesn’t Matter What the Critics Say” Gizmodo
In this segment of my exclusive interview series with Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer, I brought up the sore subject of Windows Mobile 6.5. After defending it, he cited another product that did well but suffers mounting criticism: Nokia smartphones. As you can see in the video, Ballmer acknowledges that Windows Mobile 6.5 is receiving negative reviews, but I never get him to actually admit that the platform still needs work. He says, “reviews aside,” he’s happy with what Windows Phones (running 6.5) can do now.
FatELF to bring Universal binaries to Linux Heise Online
The FatELF logo, created by artists at Gaslamp Games The FatELF project is hoping to to bring Mac OS X style Universal Binary files to Linux. Universal binaries allow Mac developers to create applications which contain the code for different processors in one file and FatELF aims to bring the same functionality to Linux and other free operating systems. On Mac OS X, Universal Binaries were used to make the transition from Power PC to Intel processors practically invisible to end users, and the FatELF project believes similar benefits could be brought to Linux, for example, when moving between 32 bit to 64 bit Linux systems.
Disney Touts a Way to Ditch the DVD Wall Street Journal
Walt Disney Co. is close to unveiling technology that it says will enable entertainment companies to adapt their business models to a new reality in which consumers increasingly rely on computers and cell phones in place of DVD players and TVs. The technology, code-named Keychest, could contribute to a shift in what it means for a consumer to own a movie or a TV show, by redefining ownership as access rights, not physical possession.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
October, 2009
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October 23rd, 2009 at 4:56 pm
” The technology, code-named Keychest, could contribute to a shift in what it means for a consumer to own a movie or a TV show, by redefining ownership as access rights, not physical possession.”
Hey, Disney, why don’t you redefine the marketese from “sale” to “rental”?
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Because if the called it what it is, a rental, they could only get rental prices, and they are greedy and want sale prices for rentals
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:59 pm
The smoking topic was fuming here, so figured i’d paste this
Federal court lifts prison smoking ban
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Federal+court+lifts+prison+smoking/2138872/story.html
Now, seeing as how it’s their charter right to smoke in jail (their home away from home, or perm home for some), would it not be someones charter right to light up as they drive a truck through that stink hole called Ontario?
October 24th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Interesting item here Jon.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6885923.ece