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07
1-31-07
Geek
Up Your Super Bowl
Hometown
affiliations notwithstanding, football fans can agree on this: The
Super Bowl party is an American institution.
Hallmark
claims that more Americans attend parties on Super Sunday than on
New Year's Eve. And according to the National Retail Federation,
Americans spent around $5.3 billion on their Super Bowl parties
in 2006.
Chances
are, even if you're only watching for the rumored Apple announcement,
you'll still find yourself in front of a television come Feb. 4.
But if you're going the extra yard by planning your own party, the
web is here to help. Whether it's sending out invitations, coordinating
chips and dip, or cleaning up after the masses, make sure your party
hits pay dirt by prepping with the latest tech.
For
planning and invitations, many rely on the old standby, Evite
, but some new sites on the block are trying to move beyond the
simple web invitation. Renkoo
, Skobee and MyPunchbowl
set themselves apart from the pack by incorporating pre-invitation
event-planning tools and, in the case of the latter, post-party
memory sharing.
MyPunchbowl,
which launched just in time for Super Bowl XLI, offers a suite of
easy party-planning tools. Just create an account, create a party
and add your friends to the list. MyPunchbowl will import your address
book from most popular online e-mail services.
Once
you have everything set up, send out your announcement. As a nice
touch, MyPunchbowl makes it possible to send personalized messages
to each recipient at the top of your general e-mail.
Unlike
most other sites, MyPunchbowl lets your friends RSVP without registering.
There's also a forumlike tool included with each party page so people
can ask questions and you can answer them. Also, any time you want
to nag your friends who haven't committed to bringing beer or chips,
you can use MyPunchbowl to send out personalized, taunting messages
to the slackers.
Once
you have the basics covered, it's time to get to the finer points
of competitive sports -- online betting. It's nice when your team
wins, but it's even nicer when your team earns you a bunch of your
friends' money. Is it legal? Not in the United States, so proceed
at your own risk.
Gottabet.com
is a U.K.-based website that allows you to bet on nearly anything
using real money or, more legally, a site currency dubbed "peanuts."
Gottabet functions like a typical social-networking site: Create
a profile and invite your friends to join.
Bets
involving real money are settled by credit or debit cards. Gottabet
takes a 5 percent fee off the top of your pot. It's also possible
to send a portion of the proceeds to charity.
So
what happens after the party, when everyone has gone home and you
find yourself alone with a giant mess? For the lazy, there's always
the iRobot
Roomba vacuum cleaner , but depending on how closely
your friends' eating habits mirror those of barnyard animals, you
may want something stronger.
Gadget
Lab recently reviewed the Dyson Root 6 handheld vacuum and found
it capable of devouring everything from rocks to bobby pins. Its
battery life is lacking, but the suction power is unmatched, and
by most accounts it's loud enough to wake up any stragglers passed
out in the dark corners of your domicile. Plus, it looks like something
from a Terry Gilliam film, so it gets points.
But
there's more to the after-party than cleanup -- it's time to share
memories. Hallmark doesn't have any sarcastic sorry-my-team-whooped-your-team's-butt
cards to send out Monday morning while gloating to your friends,
but you could always create your own with MyCardMaker.
Being
a proper geek, you most certainly recorded the game on your TiVo.
Hold on to the memories by transferring the video to your PC using
TiVoToGo (a free download for Windows users). Mac football fans
looking to do the same will have to pony up $80 for Toast 8 Titanium
from Roxio, which features support for burning TiVo recordings.
Once it's on your computer, you can create a DVD or compress the
game for playback on an iPod.
If
you used MyPunchbowl to plan your party, you can upload your photos
to Flickr and MyPunchbowl can display the Flickr galleries on your
party page. Once your photos are on Flickr, just enter your Flickr
user name in MyPunchbowl and you'll see all your photos. Send out
your photo announcement so your guests can browse your pictures
and add their own.
With
these web tools at your disposal you should be able to tame the
Super Bowl party beast, unless of course somebody forgets to bring
the beer.
Have
fun and may the best team win. Go Patriots! Wait, what? Oh. By
Scott Gilbertson
1-31-07
Why
can't a person tickle himself?
Sarah-Jayne
Blakemore, a research fellow at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience
at University College London, explains.
The
answer lies at the back of the brain in an area called the cerebellum,
which is involved in monitoring movements. Our studies at University
College London have shown that the cerebellum can predict sensations
when your own movement causes them but not when someone else does.
When you try to tickle yourself, the cerebellum predicts the sensation
and this prediction is used to cancel the response of other brain
areas to the tickle.
Two brain regions are involved in processing how tickling feels.
The somatosensory cortex processes touch and the anterior cingulate
cortex processes pleasant information. We found that both these
regions are less active during self-tickling than they are during
tickling performed by someone else, which helps to explains why
it doesn't feel tickly and pleasant when you tickle yourself. Further
studies using robots showed that the presence of a small delay between
your own movement and the resulting tickle can make the sensation
feel tickly. Indeed, the longer the delay, the more tickly it feels.
So it might be possible to tickle yourself, if you are willing to
invest in a couple of robots!
1-30-07
On
the lighter side.
Famous
quotes on Sex. Part 2
Women
need a reason to have sex Men just need a place.
Billy Crystal
According to a new survey, women say they feel more comfortable
undressing in front of men than they do undressing in front of other
women. They say that women are too judgmental, where, of course,
men are just grateful.
Robert De Niro
There's a new medical crisis. Doctors are reporting that many men
are having allergic reactions to latex condoms. They say they cause
severe swelling. So what's the problem?
Dustin Hoffman
There's very little advice in men's magazines, because men think,
I know what I'm doing. Just show me somebody naked.
Jerry Seinfeld
Sex alleviates tension. Love causes it.
Woody Allen
See, the problem is that God gives men a brain and a penis, and
only enough blood to run one at a time.
Robin Williams
My family never raised me to have a vagina.
Roseanne
An intellectual is a person who has discovered something more interesting
than sex.
Aldous Huxley
Did you ever notice the people who are most adamantly against abortions
are people you wouldn't want to fuck in the first place?
George Carlin
Of the delights of this world man cares most for sexual intercourse,
yet he has left it out of his heaven.
Mark Twain
One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.
Jane Austen
Sex concentrates on what is on the outside of the individual. It's
funny because I think it's better inside.
Alex Walsh
When a man goes on a date, he wonders if he is going to get lucky.
A woman already knows.
Frederike Ryder
1-30-07
Review:
Are you ready for Windows Vista?
It's
been five years since Microsoft put out its last operating system,
Windows XP. Now, the next step, Windows Vista is finally here.
Windows
is by far the world's most popular operating system, and Vista will
eventually become what most people run, like XP is today. Like it
or not, you'll probably be using it too in a few years time.
The
operating system is the backbone of your PC. It boots up and shuts
down your computer, launches software programs, and makes sure your
speakers and other extras work properly. It's also the thing that
gets infected by viruses and other nasties. Windows Vista is better
than XP in many ways. It looks better and it's also easier to use
and more secure. But you'll need a PC with enough grunt to handle
its hefty requirements, so Vista won't be the best choice for everyone.
Vista
looks slicker thanks to its "Aero" interface. If your
computer can handle it, Vista uses your graphics card to power snazzy
3D extras, like Flip3D which uses a rolodex-type arrangement to
show you what's going on in all open programs. You can also make
windows more transparent, or change their colour.
Looking
through Windows folders is also easier. There's a live preview that
shows you a snippet of each file, and what's in each folder in a
directory.
The
menu bar at the top of each window is gone, though you can still
get it by tapping the Alt key. You can quickly jump back to anywhere
along the route you took to get there, and easily group and filter
files within a folder by type, author or tag.
The
Start menu in Vista has also been completely redesigned. There are
no more branching menus, like you'll find in earlier versions. Instead
the folders expand as you go through them, a bit like Windows Explorer
in XP.
There's
a handy search box right in the Start menu too. Just type a few
letters in the box and it'll start bringing up matches. This is
often the quickest way to find programs and documents.
The
other big change from XP is Windows Sidebar. This sits on the right
side of the screen as a place to put Microsoft's gadgets - little
programs that sit on your desktop and grab information from the
web, like weather or news, or show your other software like media
players. Windows Sidebar doesn?t offer anything beyond what Yahoo
or Google already offer for XP though.
So
far, most of this is just eye candy. The most important improvements
in Vista are behind the scenes, particularly in its security.
As
the most popular operating system on the planet, Windows is a natural
target for hackers and other evil-doers. Vista beefs up Windows
Firewall to shut down suspicious activity, like your PC sending
out spam emails, before it occurs.
It
also makes it harder for malware to install itself on your PC. Even
if you're logged in as an administrator, most programs will run
at restricted privilege, meaning installing new software requires
you to manually enter your password.
Parents
can also use Vista to look at where their kids have gone online,
limit when they can use the computer, and control which websites
and video games they use. Vista comes with the next versions of
Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player, both significant improvements.
It also has speech recognition software that's worth trying out.
There
are more features of Vista, ones we don't have space to mention.
You can download Windows Vista from Microsoft's website Microsoft's
website and find out just what the system has to offer yourself.
WHICH
VISTA IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Vista
Home Basic - If you use your PC for email, internet, and basic Office
tasks, this is the one for you. It doesn't have the snazzy Aero
graphics or multimedia features, but it has better design and parental
controls than XP.
Vista
Home Premium - The upscale version of Home Basic, this version runs
the Aero graphics engine and Vista's multimedia tools, but leaves
out the added business or gaming features.
Vista
Business - No multimedia features, but it has programs for businesses
to help faxing, scanning, backup and encryption.
Vista
Ultimate - Includes all the functions of Home Premium and Business,
and extras like a collection of games and programs specific to Ultimate
users.
WHAT
YOU'LL NEED
Vista's
snazzy graphics put a heavy load on your hardware, and you'll need
a PC with a lot of grunt to run it. A PC branded "Vista Capable"
will run Vista Home Basic only, and needs at least an 800MHz processor,
512MB RAM and a graphics processor capable of playing DirectX 9.
A "Vista
Premium Ready" PC will run all Vista versions and will have
at least a 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and a beefed-up graphics
card. Keep in mind these are the bare minimum requirements.
Ideally you want more if you want your computer to run smoothly.
SHOULD
I UPGRADE?
The
short answer is not right away. All operating systems take a while
to settle down and iron out the bugs, no matter how much testing
goes into it. Using XP was a hassle until the service packs came
out, when it became much more stable and secure. Wait until the
first service pack comes out before buying it off the shelf.
If
you're using your PC just to surf the web, do email and use office
programs you really don't need the extra functionality of Vista.
For a lot of people XP works just fine, and they should keep using
it until it doesn't. If that's you, wait until you need a new PC,
then get one with Vista on it.
If
you do want to run the latest and greatest operating system on your
machine, the best way to upgrade is to buy a new PC. That way it'll
come pre-installed and you won't have the inevitable headaches that
come with updating an operating system, and you'll be sure the hardware
is up to scratch. If you buy a computer next year chances are it
will come with Vista on it anyway.
Most
people will need to buy a new PC anyway to take full advantage of
Vista's features, since it puts a lot of demand on hardware. If
you buy either a Vista Capable or Vista Premium Ready PC before
Vista comes out, you'll get a coupon for a low-priced upgrade when
the new operating system is released. It should cost you about $30
to upgrade. By REUBEN SCHWARZ
1-29-07
On
the lighter side.
Famous
quotes on Sex. Part 1
My girlfriend always laughs during sex --no matter what she's reading.
Steve Jobs (Founder, Apple Computers)
Don't knock masturbation - it's sex with someone I love.
Woody Allen
Lord, grant me chastity and continence... but not yet.
St. Augustine
I believe that sex is one of the most beautiful, natural, wholesome
things that money can buy.
Tom Clancy
You know "that look" women get when they want sex? Me
neither.
Steve Martin
Having sex is like playing bridge. If you don't have a good partner,
you'd better have a good hand.
Woody Allen
Bisexuality immediately doubles your chances for a date on Saturday
night.
Rodney Dangerfield
There are a number of mechanical devices which increase sexual arousal,
particularly in women. Chief among these is the Mercedes-Benz 380SL.
Lynn Lavner
Sex at age 90 is like trying to shoot pool with a rope.
George Burns
Sex is one of the nine reasons for reincarnation. The other eight
are unimportant.
George Burns
Women might be able to fake orgasms. But men can fake whole relationships
Sharon Stone
My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch.
Jack Nicholson
Ah, yes, divorce, from the Latin word meaning to rip out a man's
genitals through his wallet.
Robin Williams
Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as
the only time of the month that I can be myself.
Roseanne
1-28-07
Microsoft
Windows Vista ships Tuesday January 30,2007.
Vista
requires a lot of horsepower, which I detail below. Most XP machines
will require new hardware-$200 - $300 worth. If your machine is
more than a couple years old, that could be just the beginning.
People with old machines are typically better off to buy new.
Also, upgrading an operating system can be tricky for the casual
user. It may well cause headaches. Nonetheless, I'm sure many people
won't heed this advice. So, I'll tell you how you can minimize installation
problems.
You're
probably going to need additional RAM. Microsoft recommends 512
MB for the most basic version of Vista. For premium versions, it
recommends 1 GB. I would double these numbers. Microsoft recommends
128MB of RAM for video. Again, to be safe, I would double that.
To make sure your computer is up to snuff, visit
Microsoft's Vista upgrade site. If your computer gets a green
light, you can proceed.
First,
back up everything on your computer. Making a checklist is advisable.
Remember your e-mail, photos, data and Internet Bookmarks/Favorites.
Make sure you know all your passwords. Back up program settings
if possible. I recommend using an external hard drive. You can do
an in-place upgrade over most versions of XP. The sole exception
is the 64-bit version of XP. Practically no one has that. Theoretically,
Vista will keep all your files, settings, and programs as they were
in XP. I haven't tried this, so I can't say how well it will work.
I wouldn't
count on an in-place upgrade to go smoothly. Things could go wrong.
Set aside plenty of time. To learn about in-place upgrades, visit
Microsoft's site.
Your
alternative to an in-place upgrade is a clean installation. (recommended).If
you buy a new machine with Vista installed, you'll still need to
transfer your data. You can use Microsoft's Easy Transfer to move
files and settings from your XP machine. That included a special
USB cable. It generally does a good job of transferring settings
and files, with the exception of Firefox data.
Once Vista is running, you should install security software. Both
AVG and avast! antivirus programs will run on Vista. They're free.
Windows Defender, the anti-spyware program is included with Vista.
Microsoft also offers their own antivirus program called Windows
Live One Care.
For
a more detailed article on upgrading to Windows Vista visit Extreme
Tech.com
1-26-07
Hot
off the press: IRS
offers free tax prep and E-filing. The
Free File program is a free federal tax preparation and electronic
filing program for eligible taxpayers developed through a partnership
between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Free File Alliance
LLC, a group of private sector tax software companies. Since Free
File’s debut in 2003, more than 15.4 million returns have been prepared
and e-filed through the program.
Free File allows
taxpayers with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $52,000 or less
in 2006 to e-file their federal tax returns for free. That means
70 percent of all taxpayers – 95 million taxpayers – can take advantage
of the Free File program.
1-26-07
Email
of the week: Sent by Carol
Regardless of where you stand on the issue
of the U.S. involvement in Iraq , here's a sobering statistic.
There
has been a monthly average of 160,000 troops in the Iraq theatre
of operations during the last 22 months and a total of 2,112 deaths
That
gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000 soldiers.The firearm
death rate in Washington D.C. is 80.6 per 100,000 persons for the
same period.
That means that you are about 25% more likely to be shot and killed
in the U.S. Capitol than you are in Iraq.
Conclusion:
The U.S. should pull out of Washington.
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