Sunday, April 06, 2008
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Malaysia cracks down on bloggers
The Malaysian government has warned it could use tough anti-terrorism laws against bloggers who insult Islam or the country's king.
The move comes as one of Malaysia's leading online commentators has been questioned by police following a complaint by the main governing party.
The new rules would allow a suspect to be detained indefinitely, without being charged or put on trial.
But officials insist the law is not intended to strangle internet freedom.
Online critics
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak told The Straits Times that the move was aimed at getting some moderation in postings on the internet, especially on sensitive issues: "Some people feel that they have crossed the line, in making racist remarks," he said.
But the BBC's Jonathan Kent in Kuala Lumpur says the government also appears increasingly concerned about the growing online criticism of its record.
Raja Petra Kamarudin, the editor of one of Malaysia's most popular political websites, Malaysia Today, turned himself in to police on Wednesday, to answer allegations that he had mocked Islam and threatened racial harmony.
Bloggers who insult the king could be subject to anti-terror laws
Raja Petra is known for his frequent criticism of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and other government figures.
"I was alleged to have insulted the king, and also Islam and incite racial hatred, so I am going in there to reply to all these charges. I promise I'm going to give them a hell of a tough time," he told the BBC before he turned himself in.
He defended his website, saying: "Many people, especially the non-Malays in this country, do not have a forum to air their views."
"We should not deny these people a chance to vent their feelings," he said.
Malaysia Today is believed to attract around a quarter of a million visitors a day, giving it more readers than most Malaysian newspapers.
The BBC's correspondent says that with a general election on the horizon, the government seems keen to send a signal to its online critics that it will only tolerate so much.
Special Thanks to BBC News
The move comes as one of Malaysia's leading online commentators has been questioned by police following a complaint by the main governing party.
The new rules would allow a suspect to be detained indefinitely, without being charged or put on trial.
But officials insist the law is not intended to strangle internet freedom.
Online critics
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak told The Straits Times that the move was aimed at getting some moderation in postings on the internet, especially on sensitive issues: "Some people feel that they have crossed the line, in making racist remarks," he said.
But the BBC's Jonathan Kent in Kuala Lumpur says the government also appears increasingly concerned about the growing online criticism of its record.
Raja Petra Kamarudin, the editor of one of Malaysia's most popular political websites, Malaysia Today, turned himself in to police on Wednesday, to answer allegations that he had mocked Islam and threatened racial harmony.
Bloggers who insult the king could be subject to anti-terror laws
Raja Petra is known for his frequent criticism of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and other government figures.
"I was alleged to have insulted the king, and also Islam and incite racial hatred, so I am going in there to reply to all these charges. I promise I'm going to give them a hell of a tough time," he told the BBC before he turned himself in.
He defended his website, saying: "Many people, especially the non-Malays in this country, do not have a forum to air their views."
"We should not deny these people a chance to vent their feelings," he said.
Malaysia Today is believed to attract around a quarter of a million visitors a day, giving it more readers than most Malaysian newspapers.
The BBC's correspondent says that with a general election on the horizon, the government seems keen to send a signal to its online critics that it will only tolerate so much.
Special Thanks to BBC News
Friday, April 04, 2008
Two Bits
"Shave and a haircut, two bits." Ah those were the days! We know that a quarter is also known as "two bits," and that when a shave and a haircut was a quarter, it was back in the 1930's and earlier. Actually, that shave and a haircut for two bits, was the common price for over a hundred years! See what inflating does for the money? Now, a shave and a haircut is $25 or a lot more in an expensive salon. But, where in the world did that phrase, "two bits" come from? Funny you should ask, but since you did, I'll tell you.
It all has Spanish origins, going back at least to the Spanish currency reform in 1497, which coincided with the Columbus expedition. Spain conquered Mexico, and Mexico had, and still does have, huge amounts of silver. The Spanish mixed with the Mexican Indians, (Aztecs), and the skin hue gradually became lighter. After the currency reform, the Spanish began making the "dolar" or "peso," meaning literally "weight." The peso had a value of eight "reales," and the peso was roughly the equivalent of the German 'thaler.' This became "dollar" in French and English. Got it?
The peso, or dollar, then had eight reales in it, and they became known as "pieces of eight." As in pirate movies, huh? These reales were often cut into quarters or "eight bits," to make change for small purchases or transactions. "Two bits" then, became a quarter U.S. Before the American Revolution, due to English fiscal policies, a chronic shortage of English currency was felt in the colonies, and the colonists began conducting trade in Spanish dollars. The Spanish dollars, "bits," reales, and pieces of eight, were silver coins.
"Doubloons"
While the pieces of eight, bits, and reales were silver, there were also gold coins used in trade, and they were known as doubloons. The 'doubloon' had its silver ratio or equivalent. One reale was then one eighth of a piece of eight, or 1/128 of a doubloon. Eight reales, was one Peso, or one thaler, or a sixteenth of a doubloon. The ratio of silver to gold, even in Spanish times, over 500 years ago, was 16 to 1. The gold coins, or "doubloons' were valued at sixteen ounces of silver, as in the reales, pieces of eight, or bits. A doubloon was one ounce of gold, and a piece of eight, peso, or thaler was one ounce of silver.
Ever wonder why the coins weren't round? The money was minted by hand. The gold and silver were melted down and then poured into thin strips. As the metal strips cooled, they were beaten into the desired thickness by hand. The coins, or what we today would call a "blank," were cut to an approximate size and then placed in a coin die. The minter would then strike the die with a hammer, and the faces of the coin were then imbedded in the soft metal. After "striking," (that's where the phrase came from), small excess amounts of metal would be scraped off, and the result was weighed. If the coin was too heavy, it was nipped until it weighed the proper amount. No coin therefore, was ever perfectly round.
In Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island," the pirates' parrots are commonly represented as being trained to cry out, "Pieces of Eight."
The Dollar Sign
There are several theories or legends about the so-called "dollar sign," or $, as we currently use it.
According to the U.S. Mint, the "$" came into use, as a sort of plural for peso. The "s" from "pesos" was written over the "p," and it sort of became a $, if you can imagine that. Anther theory, is that when King Ferdinand reformed his currency, Columbus discovered America, and Gibraltar was added to Spanish holdings, the "Pillars of Hercules" became a symbol of Spanish holdings, and represented the 'end of the known world.' The two pillars were struck through the Spanish "S" and the dollar sign with two bars through it was born. Salesmen, abbreviating dollars, always wrote an S with two bars through it for dollars.
We are not the only nation using $ or 'dollars' for our national currency. Other nations using the term "dollar" for their currencies are: Australia, Barbados, Bahamas, Belieze. Bermuda, Bruunei, Canada, Cayman Islands, Fiji, Guyana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Liberia, Namibia, New Zealand, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Taiwan, Trinidad, Tobago, and Zimbabwe.
In addition, there are some nations use the $ sign for their currencies, which are not called "dollars." They are Portugal, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Columbia. All but Portugal use the "peso," and Portugal uses the "escudo."
"Pin Money"
Before automatic pin-setters, bowlers used to throw coins down the bowling alley as a tip for the pin boy, who reset the pins after their being knocked down, and this became "pin money." Or do you youngsters think that bowling alleys have always had automatic pin-setters? They haven't, and many a time I threw a couple of quarters down the alley as a tip for the pin boy, who could set pins for two alleys at the same time, if he was good.
The term "pin money," didn't come from bowling alleys, however. It goes back many more years before bowling alleys. Actually, "pin money" originated during the American Revolution. The Continental Congress, when it ran out of silver and gold, made money out of cardboard, which was brittle. Being brittle, they easily broke, and Scotch Tape not having been invented, the colonists then pinned the broken pieces of money together, and the term "pin money" was born.
For hundreds and thousands of years, gold and silver was used as money, and was and still is…real money. Whether they were called thalers, reales, escudos, pieces of eight, pesos, or whatever; the world's citizens, traders, customers, and manufacturers, used real gold and silver pieces for trade, wealth storage, and indicators of wealth. Pieces of paper, were never given much thought or value, other than for instruments of contract, deeds, or notes. It was an absurd idea, to ever consider anything but silver or gold as actual "money." How times have changed! Today, the world operates on pieces of paper, which are called "money," but which have absolutely no intrinsic value of any kind, and neither are these currencies redeemable in anything other than more of them. They can purchase things, but being able to buy something, and being redeemable in something that in itself is valuable, are two different things.
When one bought something, in history, one traded something of value, for something else of similar value. Money was valuable in itself, and the valuable money (silver and gold) was traded to someone for something of equal value they were selling.. Value for value. Today, worthless pieces of paper representing nothing, are used to buy tangible goods. Isn't it reasonable and logical, for "money" to be valuable in itself? If the "money" has no value, when one buys something, one is trading value for no value, other than because of government rules, called "legal tender laws." When real money ruled the world, laws such as these were unnecessary. The "money' was valuable in itself, and when one had wealth, it wasn't in worthless pieces of paper, but wealth was stored in real money, which was silver and gold. Silver and gold have value, because they require capital, effort, exploration, machinery, and industry to produce them. They are durable, beautiful, and desirable. Fiat money, only requires a supply of paper and a printing press, neither of which will ever come in short supply. Silver and gold have always been in short supply, or they wouldn't command value in currencies. They can't be printed by the trillions, but have to be dug, sorted, milled, smelted, and minted. Isn't it nice to realize that you can convert your declining value paper dollars into real money? Protect yourself.
It all has Spanish origins, going back at least to the Spanish currency reform in 1497, which coincided with the Columbus expedition. Spain conquered Mexico, and Mexico had, and still does have, huge amounts of silver. The Spanish mixed with the Mexican Indians, (Aztecs), and the skin hue gradually became lighter. After the currency reform, the Spanish began making the "dolar" or "peso," meaning literally "weight." The peso had a value of eight "reales," and the peso was roughly the equivalent of the German 'thaler.' This became "dollar" in French and English. Got it?
The peso, or dollar, then had eight reales in it, and they became known as "pieces of eight." As in pirate movies, huh? These reales were often cut into quarters or "eight bits," to make change for small purchases or transactions. "Two bits" then, became a quarter U.S. Before the American Revolution, due to English fiscal policies, a chronic shortage of English currency was felt in the colonies, and the colonists began conducting trade in Spanish dollars. The Spanish dollars, "bits," reales, and pieces of eight, were silver coins.
"Doubloons"
While the pieces of eight, bits, and reales were silver, there were also gold coins used in trade, and they were known as doubloons. The 'doubloon' had its silver ratio or equivalent. One reale was then one eighth of a piece of eight, or 1/128 of a doubloon. Eight reales, was one Peso, or one thaler, or a sixteenth of a doubloon. The ratio of silver to gold, even in Spanish times, over 500 years ago, was 16 to 1. The gold coins, or "doubloons' were valued at sixteen ounces of silver, as in the reales, pieces of eight, or bits. A doubloon was one ounce of gold, and a piece of eight, peso, or thaler was one ounce of silver.
Ever wonder why the coins weren't round? The money was minted by hand. The gold and silver were melted down and then poured into thin strips. As the metal strips cooled, they were beaten into the desired thickness by hand. The coins, or what we today would call a "blank," were cut to an approximate size and then placed in a coin die. The minter would then strike the die with a hammer, and the faces of the coin were then imbedded in the soft metal. After "striking," (that's where the phrase came from), small excess amounts of metal would be scraped off, and the result was weighed. If the coin was too heavy, it was nipped until it weighed the proper amount. No coin therefore, was ever perfectly round.
In Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island," the pirates' parrots are commonly represented as being trained to cry out, "Pieces of Eight."
The Dollar Sign
There are several theories or legends about the so-called "dollar sign," or $, as we currently use it.
According to the U.S. Mint, the "$" came into use, as a sort of plural for peso. The "s" from "pesos" was written over the "p," and it sort of became a $, if you can imagine that. Anther theory, is that when King Ferdinand reformed his currency, Columbus discovered America, and Gibraltar was added to Spanish holdings, the "Pillars of Hercules" became a symbol of Spanish holdings, and represented the 'end of the known world.' The two pillars were struck through the Spanish "S" and the dollar sign with two bars through it was born. Salesmen, abbreviating dollars, always wrote an S with two bars through it for dollars.
We are not the only nation using $ or 'dollars' for our national currency. Other nations using the term "dollar" for their currencies are: Australia, Barbados, Bahamas, Belieze. Bermuda, Bruunei, Canada, Cayman Islands, Fiji, Guyana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Liberia, Namibia, New Zealand, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Taiwan, Trinidad, Tobago, and Zimbabwe.
In addition, there are some nations use the $ sign for their currencies, which are not called "dollars." They are Portugal, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Columbia. All but Portugal use the "peso," and Portugal uses the "escudo."
"Pin Money"
Before automatic pin-setters, bowlers used to throw coins down the bowling alley as a tip for the pin boy, who reset the pins after their being knocked down, and this became "pin money." Or do you youngsters think that bowling alleys have always had automatic pin-setters? They haven't, and many a time I threw a couple of quarters down the alley as a tip for the pin boy, who could set pins for two alleys at the same time, if he was good.
The term "pin money," didn't come from bowling alleys, however. It goes back many more years before bowling alleys. Actually, "pin money" originated during the American Revolution. The Continental Congress, when it ran out of silver and gold, made money out of cardboard, which was brittle. Being brittle, they easily broke, and Scotch Tape not having been invented, the colonists then pinned the broken pieces of money together, and the term "pin money" was born.
For hundreds and thousands of years, gold and silver was used as money, and was and still is…real money. Whether they were called thalers, reales, escudos, pieces of eight, pesos, or whatever; the world's citizens, traders, customers, and manufacturers, used real gold and silver pieces for trade, wealth storage, and indicators of wealth. Pieces of paper, were never given much thought or value, other than for instruments of contract, deeds, or notes. It was an absurd idea, to ever consider anything but silver or gold as actual "money." How times have changed! Today, the world operates on pieces of paper, which are called "money," but which have absolutely no intrinsic value of any kind, and neither are these currencies redeemable in anything other than more of them. They can purchase things, but being able to buy something, and being redeemable in something that in itself is valuable, are two different things.
When one bought something, in history, one traded something of value, for something else of similar value. Money was valuable in itself, and the valuable money (silver and gold) was traded to someone for something of equal value they were selling.. Value for value. Today, worthless pieces of paper representing nothing, are used to buy tangible goods. Isn't it reasonable and logical, for "money" to be valuable in itself? If the "money" has no value, when one buys something, one is trading value for no value, other than because of government rules, called "legal tender laws." When real money ruled the world, laws such as these were unnecessary. The "money' was valuable in itself, and when one had wealth, it wasn't in worthless pieces of paper, but wealth was stored in real money, which was silver and gold. Silver and gold have value, because they require capital, effort, exploration, machinery, and industry to produce them. They are durable, beautiful, and desirable. Fiat money, only requires a supply of paper and a printing press, neither of which will ever come in short supply. Silver and gold have always been in short supply, or they wouldn't command value in currencies. They can't be printed by the trillions, but have to be dug, sorted, milled, smelted, and minted. Isn't it nice to realize that you can convert your declining value paper dollars into real money? Protect yourself.
Gay Joke
Three guys go to see a witch doctor about their problems.
One has a smoking problem, one is an alcholic and one is gay but wants to change.
The docter puts a curse on them that if any of them indulge their habits again they will die.
Two days later the alcholic dies because he gave in and had to drink.
The next day the gay guy and the smoker are walking down the street together. The smoker sees a cigarette lying and the ground and stops to stare at ir.
The gay guy looked at him and said "if you bend over and pick that up we are both fucked"
One has a smoking problem, one is an alcholic and one is gay but wants to change.
The docter puts a curse on them that if any of them indulge their habits again they will die.
Two days later the alcholic dies because he gave in and had to drink.
The next day the gay guy and the smoker are walking down the street together. The smoker sees a cigarette lying and the ground and stops to stare at ir.
The gay guy looked at him and said "if you bend over and pick that up we are both fucked"
Some Very Basic Oceanography
What is a Trench?
At least 22 trenches have been identified although not all are classified as major.
Of this number, 18 are in the Pacific Ocean, three in the Atlantic Ocean, and one in the Indian Ocean.
Where, and What is the Mariana Trench?
The Mariana Trench is located in the Pacific Ocean, just east of the 14 Mariana Islands (11"21' North latitude and 142" 12' East longitude ) near Japan. As you probably already know, it is the deepest part of the earth's oceans, and the deepest location of the earth itself. It was created by ocean-to-ocean subduction, a phenomena in which a plate topped by oceanic crust is subducted beneath another plate topped by oceanic crust.
But just how deep is the Mariana Trench?
First off, here are the average depths of the earth's oceans; the Arctic Ocean is 1,038 meters (3,407 feet) deep, the Indian Ocean is 3,872 meters (12,740 feet) deep, the Atlantic Ocean is 3,872 meters (12,254 feet) deep and the Pacific Ocean is 4,188 meters (13,740 feet) deep.
The deepest point in each of the earth's oceans are as follows; the Arctic Ocean's Eurasian Basin at 5,450 meters (17,881 feet) deep, the Indian Ocean's Java Trench at 7,725 meters (25,344 feet) deep, the Atlantic Ocean's Puerto Rico Trench at 8,648 meters (28,374 feet) deep and the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench at 11,033 meters (36,201 feet) deep.
The deepest point of the Mariana Trench is called The Challenger Deep , so named after the British exploration vessel HMS Challenger II, and it is located 210 miles south-west of Guam. This depth was reached in 1960 by the Trieste, a manned submersible owned by the U.S. Navy.
In order to better illustrate the actual depth of the Mariana Trench, consider the following; if Mount Everest, which is the tallest point on earth at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet), were set in the Mariana Trench, there would still be 2,183 meters (7,166 feet) of water left above it.
The Mariana Trench is often used as a North-South passage by submarines as it is part of a long system of trenches that circle the Pacific Ocean, connected with the Japan and Kuril Trenches.
At least 22 trenches have been identified although not all are classified as major.
Of this number, 18 are in the Pacific Ocean, three in the Atlantic Ocean, and one in the Indian Ocean.
Where, and What is the Mariana Trench?
The Mariana Trench is located in the Pacific Ocean, just east of the 14 Mariana Islands (11"21' North latitude and 142" 12' East longitude ) near Japan. As you probably already know, it is the deepest part of the earth's oceans, and the deepest location of the earth itself. It was created by ocean-to-ocean subduction, a phenomena in which a plate topped by oceanic crust is subducted beneath another plate topped by oceanic crust.
But just how deep is the Mariana Trench?
First off, here are the average depths of the earth's oceans; the Arctic Ocean is 1,038 meters (3,407 feet) deep, the Indian Ocean is 3,872 meters (12,740 feet) deep, the Atlantic Ocean is 3,872 meters (12,254 feet) deep and the Pacific Ocean is 4,188 meters (13,740 feet) deep.
The deepest point in each of the earth's oceans are as follows; the Arctic Ocean's Eurasian Basin at 5,450 meters (17,881 feet) deep, the Indian Ocean's Java Trench at 7,725 meters (25,344 feet) deep, the Atlantic Ocean's Puerto Rico Trench at 8,648 meters (28,374 feet) deep and the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench at 11,033 meters (36,201 feet) deep.
The deepest point of the Mariana Trench is called The Challenger Deep , so named after the British exploration vessel HMS Challenger II, and it is located 210 miles south-west of Guam. This depth was reached in 1960 by the Trieste, a manned submersible owned by the U.S. Navy.
In order to better illustrate the actual depth of the Mariana Trench, consider the following; if Mount Everest, which is the tallest point on earth at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet), were set in the Mariana Trench, there would still be 2,183 meters (7,166 feet) of water left above it.
The Mariana Trench is often used as a North-South passage by submarines as it is part of a long system of trenches that circle the Pacific Ocean, connected with the Japan and Kuril Trenches.
Rattlesnake rancher arrested for selling vodka with rattler in every bottle
A rattlesnake rancher found a new way to make money: Stick a rattler inside a bottle of vodka and market the concoction as an "ancient Asian elixir." But Bayou Bob Popplewell's bright idea appears to have landed him on the wrong side of the law, because he has no liquor license.
Popplewell, who has raised rattlesnakes and turtles at Bayou Bob's Brazos River Rattlesnake Ranch for more than two decades, surrendered to authorities Monday. He spent about 10 minutes in jail after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission obtained arrest warrants on misdemeanor charges of selling alcohol without a license and possessing alcohol with intent to sell.
If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail and $1,000 in fines.
Special Thanks to MSNBC
Miniature Holy Books? Finally!!
Books seem to lend themselves to experiments in miniaturization--and in marketing. LabNewsOnline reports that Canadian physicists have created a 0.07 x 0.10 mm book with thirty silicon chip pages and letters 40 nanometers high (cost per copy: £10,000). Unlike this case, miniature books frequently take the form of scriptures. WNG-GraphiLux markets several scriptures, each inscribed in its entirety on the surface of a single crystal. Available and marketed separately are the entire Greek Bible, the Qur'an in Arabic, and Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit, which are sold in pendants and other jewelry. The popularity of scriptures as amulets has long fueled the production of tiny scriptures. Miniature Bibles and Qur'ans are now widely marketed on the internet.
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