My world Articles - Brought to you by JoeUserhttp://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/rss/articles© 2006 - 2008 Stardock Corporation. All rights reserved.We may all live in a great big global community, but in my Blog, it's my world.en-us2008-05-12T04:54:362008-05-12T04:54:36http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.htmlStardock Rss Generator v1.0, Andrew Powellinfo@stardock.comapowell@stardock.comterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311407Note in advance the lead-up to my question below is a bit long but worth the read.  If you must skip it, scroll down to the larger text which will get you to the end right away.

]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311407http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311407Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36What would you do?terpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311346So I've done a little thinking over the last few days (hey! every now and then it happens ) and I started thinking that perhaps the Democratic primary season that never ends may be part of a grander plan, perhaps even rising to the conspiracy level.  Now, please don't assume I'm a tin-foil hat wearing X-Files type individual that always sees conspiracies in everything going on around him.  I'm far from it, and I really don't think my thoughts (that I'm about to share) on the seemingly un-ending Democratic nomination process reflect any real conspiracy, but...  I have to suggest that in many ways things are playing out for the Democratic party about as well as they could ever hope for.]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311346http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311346Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36One more thought on Obama vs. Clintonterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311337So Hillary Clinton gives an interview to the folks at USA Today and stupidly makes comments that make her sound like 'the racist's choice for President'.

To get the quote's right, I'm headed (and point you) straight to the source, or at least the source that had the words that will be quoted below.  In this case, see: Clinton makes case for wide appeal in USA Today (or, in Hillary's case, perhaps it's Racism in USA Today.]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311337http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311337Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Hillary Clinton steps into the race issue againterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311331I had the pleasure of getting out for an evening of entertainment last nite.  Headed out to catch one of my favorite artists (musician) at a small club within driving distance.  In this case the artist was the former songstress for the TV show Ally McBeal, the lovely and talented Ms. Vonda Shepard.

image from viewimages.com
Image from Viewimages.com

I became a fan of Vonda Shepard]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311331http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311331Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Nice night of musicterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311198Gee, I seem to recall someone  (one particular) suggesting that Obama was falling back to Earth and that Hillary was widening the gap and gaining strength.  In fact, there were some loco comments in this article: Hillary campaign insists on changing rules after the fact

So do the results that came in INdiana or North Carolina reflect that change?  If so, uh, gee, I seem to be missing it.]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311198http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311198Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Ding dong the witch is almost dead...terpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311152Yet another opportunity for Congress to really stimulate the U.S. economy and achieve long lasting positive change -- how about putting some effort into offering customers that are trying to unload gas guzzling SUVs and large pick-up trucks some financial incentives that will help soften the blow that those drivers would be facing if they trade in those guzzlers?

As an example, see the news article here: Frustrated owners try to unload their guzzlers

I'm not going to clip any of that article becuase in reality the headline basically tells the story, and/or you've probably already heard, as I heard today, anecdotes from friends, neighbors, co-workers and the like that tell tales of car dealers that just won't even take the old gas guzzlers in trade, in effect trapping customers in their old vehicles (if they aren't paid off) or leaving them with so little value in trade that the customers just can't afford to buy the new econo-box that they want (because it would allow them to use less gas).]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311152http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311152Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Another chance for real stimulus and changeterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311128You could see this coming from a mile away... Apparently Hillary's campaign learned some lessons (the wrong ones apparently) from the Gore 2000 campaign, most importantly if you are losing and the numbers are against you keep contesting and keep trying to get the rules changed in your favor until the math, hopefully, eventually turns in your favor.

From The Washington Times, by Christina Bellantoni (See complete article by clicking on linked headline below)

]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311128http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311128Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Hillary campaign insists on changing rules after the factterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311002I was up late last nite and as I was finally climbing in bed to get some sleep I flipped the TV on and noticed that there was a show upcoming, on the HD Theatre channel, about the building of the Arleigh Burke class Destroyers at the Bath Iron Works (in Maine).

The Mrs. watched a little with me and the idea of a Destroyer flipped the switch in her head on the old board game Battleship.  Unfortunately for my wife and I it started up the question that I'm about to ask here: what are the 5 ships (or were there more) that were included in the game Battleship??]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311002http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/311002Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Quick memory test...terpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310924Go Amazon go!]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310924http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310924Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Amazon goes after New York state over new taxesterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310767Iron ManTook the opportunity to go catch Iron Man on the medium screen (supposed to have been a big screen, but was showing in one of the smaller type movie houses so still not what I'd call an actual big screen...) yesterday.  Definitely a fun flick and worth the price of admission.  The action is good, story was not bad, and the movie delivers what the comic book fans or even casual action movie fans would be looking for.]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310767http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310767Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Iron Man makes for a fun flickterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310759I finally got my own experience with Windows Vista Ultimate over the last few weeks, having been somewhat forced to downgrade from Vista Home Premium 64 bit back to a 32 bit based version of Vista to get some software that just wasn't cooperative to behave itself (DVD playback software if you must know, which I'm still less than impressed with since the makers of same have had time to get their act together and make their products compatible with 64 bit Vista).

When making the switch I had a 32 bit copy of Vista Ultimate available or I could go through loading up Vista Home Premium but in 32 bit instead of 64 bit.  I figured what the heck, use the copy of Vista Ultimate and save the copy of Vista Home Premium 64 bit for loading on different hardware later (it wasn't an OEM version so I could transfer it around later if I wanted).]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310759http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310759Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Explain Dreamscapes to me pleaseterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310341Time for shock treatmentWith the U.S. economy apparently (gee, you think?) in the crapper, several politicians are falling all over themselves (and falling all over others -- example, see McCain followed by Clinton, somewhat countered by Obama on the idea of a gasoline tax holiday) to come up with ideas to help out the U.S. consumers (read that as: VOTERS) by putting more money into their pockets (see economic stimulus bribes, I mean prebates...) or by letting us keep more of the money we make (again, see that proposed gasoline tax holiday).

What the politicians seem to be missing is the idea of finding things to spend money on (i.e., stimulate the economy) that will have long term positive effects on the economy as a whole.]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310341http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310341Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36The stimulus we really needterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310295RIAA sucksI love this news (from C|Net's News.com site): Court rejects RIAA's 'making available' piracy argument

Originally Posted by C|Net's news.com blog by Steven Musil

The recording industry's music piracy fight was dealt a setback Tuesday when a federal judge rejected the RIAA's "making available" argument in a lawsuit against a husband and wife accused of copyright infringement.

In Atlantic v. Howell, Judge Neil V. Wake denied the labels' motion for summary judgment in a 17-page decision (PDF), allowing the suit to proceed to trial. The argument--that merely the act of making music files available for download constituted copyright infringement--has been the basis for the Recording Industry Association of America's legal battle against online music piracy.

...

"The court agrees with the great weight of authority that section 106(3) is not violated unless the defendant has actually distributed an unauthorized copy of the work to a member of the public," wrote the judge in his order. "Merely making an unauthorized copy of a copyrighted work available to the public does not violate a copyright holder's exclusive right of distribution."

EFF staff attorney Fred von Lohmann called the order the "most decisive rejection yet of the recording industry's 'making available' theory of infringement."

The order is a bit of an oddity in that it's a reversal of an order Wake issued in August, in which he granted the RIAA's summary judgment and fined the Howells $40,850 in penalties and court costs. However, the Howells appealed and the judgment was later vacated.

]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310295http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/310295Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Court rejects RIAA's 'making available' piracy argumentterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/309969I love this news (from Associated Press, by Mark Sherman, Associated Press Writer):

Supreme Court upholds photo ID law for voters in Indiana

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court ruled Monday that states can require voters to produce photo identification without violating their constitutional rights, validating Republican-inspired voter ID laws.

In a splintered 6-3 ruling, the court upheld Indiana's strict photo ID requirement, which Democrats and civil rights groups said would deter poor, older and minority voters from casting ballots. Its backers said it was needed to prevent fraud.

For details on who voted what ways for this one:]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/309969http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/309969Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Yay! Supreme Court upholds photo ID law for voters in Indianaterpfan1980http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/309661Hillary and ObamaI didn't think I'd actually agree with this line of thought, but after reading through this blog article on Slate, I have to say it makes a lot of sense.  Obama should drop out.  He should drop out NOW.  Get out of the race and let the chips fall where they may.

Yup, Obama should get out of the race immediately, ]]>http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/309661http://terpfan1980.joeuser.com/article/309661Mon, 12 May 2008 00:54:36 -04002008-05-12T04:54:36Obama should drop out NOW!