Rubenerd

Now I'd better do some actual homework!

American flag by ShakataGaNai on Wikimedia Commons

I would say "yahoo!", but that's a trademark right? Anyway, it's official folks, the United States has rejoined the United Nations Human Rights Forum. Cynics may decry it as a token gesture by a government to rejoin a fundamentally flawed organisation, but as I always say, I'm cautiously optimistic.

Truthout: US Rejoins UN’s Human Rights Forum

United Nations, New York – The United States won a seat on the United Nations’ top human rights organization Tuesday, closing out another vestige of the Bush administration’s confrontational relationship with the world body.

The US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, hailed the return to the human rights forum as part of America’s determination "to again play a meaningful leadership role in multilateral organizations." The US will not wait for a 2011 review of the council to try to reform it, she added, but “will be working very hard from an early stage to try to support the strengthening and improvement of this body."

Original Clipmark Link

Congratulations to my American friends, this a bold step in the right direction! I can already see the world's perception of the US starting to change for the better again.

Special thanks to Sparx for sharing this article in Google Reader.

A reference to Netscape still exists in the latest version of FreeBSD. How nostalgic ^_^.

You can use "whereis" to search standard binary, manual page and source directories for the specified programs. This can be particularly handy when you are trying to find where in the ports tree and application is.

Try "whereis netscape" and "whereis whereis"
— Konstantinos Konstantinidis

The last time I blogged about Netscape was back in 2007 when I was reviewing the final version for Mac OS X, shortly before it was discontinued for good.

I like to think one of the things I inherited from my beautiful late mum was her absurd, ridiculous sense of humour! Mmm, grilled cheese sandwiches.

With this in mind, last week I noticed someone on eBay in Germany was selling a set of those "Intel Inside" Xeon processor computer stickers for a couple of Euros. For those of you who don't know, the Xeons are Intel's server class CPUs that are found in the Mac Pro and other high end desktop and server hardware.

My first reaction was to snap them up without question, with the intention of affixing them to… my 600MHz Pentium 3 Compaq Armada M300 subnotebook! Genius right?

Well they just arrived in the mail this morning complete with stamps from Germany! My father is from Hesse and he was quite the stamp collector in his youth so I imagine I inherited part of his fascination with them.

As for the stickers themselves, if you know you're shameless Intel advertising these stickers here are the second generation logos using the new Intel logo, before they moved over to those new crystal or landscape-oriented holographic ones. Wikipedia has a photo comparing the the styles. I reckon the ones I got are the classiest.

I'll wait until I have some more of that foaming computer cleaning product so I can give the case on the notebook a quick once-over before putting the Xeon sticker on. I don't know why I find the prospect of putting a Xeon sticker on such old hardware so hilarious, but it just is!

Technology journalists who take a break from their electronic exploits and write about killer whales are exempted. I'd be hilarious if I could write and deliver good jokes.

Dear technology journalists,

It has come to my attention that if you have a case of the writer’s block and can’t seem to think of an original title for your latest hardware review, you seem to think it’s appropriate to simply attach the word "killer" to a competing product.

Firstly, the titles demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of basic business. Often when you describe the latest device as an "iPod Killer" to use a tired example, not only do these devices end up not killing said device, but often they barely register any interest at all, such as Microsoft’s Zune.

Secondly, these titles are almost universally inaccurate when it comes to features. Calling a new Blackberry an "iPhone Killer" is misguided because they clearly are entirely different classes of devices that are targeting different markets.

I therefore implore you all to stop titling your articles with "killer" if you want to be taken seriously. If anything else, it seems appending "killer" to the name of a new hardware device seems to jinx them anyway, so you’re not doing what devices you’re praising any favours.

Okay I admit it, I’m just bitter and sick of reading these titles. Hey, at least I didn’t title these letter as "An articles with the word killer in it… killer".

Sincerely,
Ruben FakeMiddleName Schade

According to Australian Personal Computer magazine online, possible packaging and graphics for Windows 7 have been leaked. I'll spare you my tirade against the new ugly "lens flare" logo specifically designed for this Windows release because I know it's a subjective thing.

What isn't subjective is the packaging itself. For the sake of the planet, I sure as heck hope Microsoft doesn't release Windows 7 and their next versions of Office in those huge, awful thick plastic boxes they did with Vista, Office 2007 and Office for Mac. Microsoft should take a cue from Apple and release their desktop software in one version instead of a ridiculous number which serve only to confuse consumers.

Wait, sorry we were talking about boxes, got sidetracked again. Yes, Microsoft should take a cue from Apple's packaging of software such as Mac OS X, iLife, iWork and Aperture and release their software in boxes no larger than a CD jewel case and make them out of cardboard instead of plastic. Honestly, all that needs to be in these boxes are the optical discs and perhaps a leaflet with basic instructions, there's absolutely no reason for software in 2009 to be in boxes that size, and making the entire box out of thick plastic is wasteful and unnecessary.

If Microsoft (and for that matter Apple too, and Adobe, and Quark, and Symantec…) really knew what they were doing, they'd let everyone not just those with a MSDN subscription to download a disc image of Windows 7 after they've paid for a licence. Then we'd avoid even more unnecessary waste, while people with slow connections can still buy physical media. Works for me and FreeBSD.

I found myself waiting a few days ago with my Crumpler computer bag at the Mawson Lakes Interchange train/bus station (OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia) a block away from our house. I tell you what (and I reckon Todd Tyrtle would agree!), my quality of life is so much higher living so close to a public transport hub like this, I can get to the city and the surrounding suburbs so easily and without needing a car.

Anyway to pass the time I whipped out my little D60 with my AF 50mm f/1.8 and manually focused a couple of scenery shots. Why? I hate rhetorical questions. Why? Because I do! Wait, I asked another rhetorial question didn't I? Argh that was one too! I'll stop now.

After several months of painfully dry weather (speaking on behalf of the struggling farmers) Adelaide and other parts of SA have been getting some much needed rain over the last few weeks. Coming from Singapore where it seems to rain almost every day I was struck by how sudden the scenery everywhere changes so quickly here. Not only does sunburned ground become green again, but the darker clouds here seem to even paint human structures a different colour somehow. I can't really describe it, but buildings, paved surfaces and even cars just look different. Can you go senile when you're 23?

I reckon it would be worth taking these exact same shots sitting in the same chair in six months time.

As I've previously blogged about here on several occasions under the economics category, when I moved back to Australia on a part time basis to study, I decided to go with a credit union instead of a bank. My decision was based on my previously poor experiences with banks such as the long queues at branches where half the teller desks are closed; what I consider exorbitant fees; having to prove I'm a student every five minutes to keep my rates down; being bullied into purchasing services I don't want or need; I could go on. I also take issue with some of their business practises such as predatory lending and their seemingly indifferent view to consumer rights.

While I still stand by my decision, the honeymoon period with credit unions for me is now officially over thanks to a personally addressed letter from the Australian Central Credit Union I received this morning. Inside was a letter explaining how I can use balance transfers to lower my interest repayments along with a "fast track" application form to apply for one of their MasterCard plastics.

Financial regulations in Australia are some of the strictest in the developed world, but as far as I know there's no law against sending people letters like this which I consider akin to predatory lending. Encouraging people to take advantage of lower interest rates on credit transfers only to crank up the interest rates to the same or higher than the debtor had before reeks of misinformation at best and exploitation at worst.

What also worries me about this is what criteria they used to send these credit card application forms. I still use my bank account in Singapore for most tasks, relegating my credit union account here in Australia for small purchases and for paying bills. If I were a responsible financial institution I wouldn't offer to lend someone like me money in this form if I had the knowledge that they only had this amount of money in their accounts.

To play Devil's advocate, on the application form they do ask for employment and income details, but my point above still stands. The Australian Central Credit Union knew my balance and transaction history, and they offered me an application for credit.

It's reckless lending behaviour like this that was part of the reason for the current financial crisis. If I get time I'll be writing a brief letter to the Australian Central Credit Union telling them that I'll be keeping my account with them because their service is still exemplary especially when compared to dealing with banks, but that I'm disappointed with their behaviour and hope they reconsider sending out such material to people in the future.

Photo of the Adelaide CBD by Mozul

Two comments I submitted on articles on the AdelaideNow website (the online version of the Adelaide Advertiser):

Australian’s not buying local produce

AUSTRALIANS will stand up for the flag and the anthem but not for their mates when it comes to buying Australian, a study suggests.

An Australia SCAN survey shows only 28 per cent of consumers consider buying Australian-made goods necessary.

In 1995, 46 per cent of Australians ranked it highly.

Social analyst David Chalke said that as the recession continued, people would become even less inclined to buy domestic products which cost more than an imported alternative.

“I think we’re going to hunker down a bit more,” he said.

I would love to buy Australian and help people here, but as a computer guy I don't have a choice than to buy from overseas, all the stuff I get is from the US, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan and Korea. Even though I'm Aussie I've lived most of my life overseas and I realise the reality that some places are better at producing things than other places, it's Economics 101. Food I proudly buy Australian at the supermarket not just because "it comes from here" but because of it's superior quality.

Perhaps with further local development and investment in education I could one day buy my electronics from Aussie companies too; I certainly believe the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity needed are already here.

Adelaide’s Gallipoli underpass a traffic nightmare

THE much-vaunted $118 million Gallipoli underpass – open for just over six weeks – has become a nightmare for commuters during afternoon peak-hour.

Thousands of motorists are now being caught in anp exasperating daily crawl – but authorities say drivers will have to put up with the problems for now.

During Friday night’s rush hour, traffic banked up more than 1.5km between the Anzac Hwy turnoff on South Rd to Greenhill Rd.

The almost daily gridlock occurs because Anzac Hwy commuters are forced to give way to south-bound underpass traffic.

Public transport public transport public transport grilled cheese sandwiches public transport.

No double entendres intended. "Entendre" sounds like a boardroom invented name for a cheapie budget sedan. Sedan rhymes with van… despite vans not being sedans. Well, I guess if you lowered the roof and took out most of the seats it could become a sedan for the purposes of road tax and insurance. My favoruite bread rolls are German Semmel rolls with Leberkäs.

This was a worthwhile exercise, we must do it again sometime. Thank you.