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Bruno Andrighetto

B-List Archive

February 2002

Postings to the B-List.

Subject: B-List: State of the Union
Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 08:15:41 +1030

1. "Media is Biased Toward Simplicity, Sensation"
   < http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,44550,00.html >
Some would say this is stating the obvious.

2. "President Bush Smarter Than Ever?"
   < http://www.ncbuy.com/news/wireless_news.html?qdate=2002-01-31&nav=VIEW&id=8801L670DTW020131 >

3. "Mike Tyson: Misunderstood artist of our time?"
   < http://thewiredpress.com/archives/culture/iron_mike.html >

4. Television Addiction - A Scientific American report
   < http://www.sciam.com/2002/0202issue/0202kubey.html >
Also looks at computer/video games.

Subject: B-List: Animal Stories
Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 07:49:46 +1030

1. "Superstar stallion tipped for top job"
   < http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1787000/1787688.stm >
This wouldn't be the first time, remember Caligula?

2. "Hamster Heist: $1m On Harri's Head"
   < http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1042527,00.html >

3. "Cat's Meow Saves Owner From Toronto Fire"
   < http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=humannews&StoryID=567701 >

4. "Rancher's dog drives truck into tree"
   < http://www.newsok.com/cgi-bin/show_article?ID=818632&pic=none&TP=getarticle >

5. "Ninja The Cat Holds Round-Trip Record"
   < http://www.mycfnow.com/orlpn/news/stories/news-122137020020205-110241.html >

Subject: B-List: Think Before Dialing
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 08:23:22 +1030

1. "Fugitive arrested while boasting on phone"
   < http://www.mycfnow.com/orlpn/news/stories/news-122519120020207-110237.html >

2. "Misleading 911 call fails to foil cops"
   < http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSWeirdNews0201/28_call-sun.html >

3. Funny and Stupid 911 Calls
   < http://911audio.com/audio/Audio_Files/Funny_911_Calls/ >
   < http://911audio.com/audio/Audio_Files/Stupid_911_Calls/ >
Listen to and rate some funny/stupid emergency calls.  Requires RealPlayer.
There are other categories too.

Subject: B-List: Standard Gauge the Space Pen
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 07:54:27 +1030

1. The Story of the Standard Gauge

Most of you probably wouldn't  be interested in standard gauge railroad
tracks, but there's an amusing argument that it is related to the width
of a horse's behind, and that this fact has influenced the development of
transportation from Ancient Roman times to the modern-day space shuttle.
Here are two similar versions of the story:
   < http://info.mountains.net.au/rail/horse-ass.htm >
   < http://turksib.com/gauges/standard.html >


2. The Space Pen

Ball-point pens rely on gravity to work.  The space pen was developed to
be used in space, which as you know has zero-gravity.  The Space Pen was
specifically designed for NASA, at a cost of several millions of dollars.

How did the Russians solve the problem of normal pens not working in space?
They used pencils!


  *** Now for the reality check ***

Until recently I took these stories to be true, but unfortunately they
qualify as "urban legends":
   < http://www.snopes2.com/history/american/gauge.htm >
   < http://www.snopes2.com/business/genius/spacepen.htm >

An urban legend is "a story, which may have started with a grain of truth,
that has been embroidered and retold until it has passed into the realm of
myth. It is an interesting phenomenon that these stories get spread so far,
so fast and so often" (http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=urban%20legend).

The space pen story is appealing because it reinforces the "keep it
simple" idea and to not waste money.  The standard gauge story works
because it is amusing and seems to make (horse?) sense.

To find out more about the Space Pen, as seen infamously on a Seinfeld
episode, go to the official manufacturer's site:
   < http://www.spacepen.com/ >

To read a whole lot of other urban legends on a whole range of topics,
go to the Urban Legends Reference Page:
   < http://www.snopes2.com/ >

Subject: B-List: Some New Gadgets
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 08:29:38 +1030

1. Treo 180 Communicator
   < http://www.handspring.com/products/treo/ >
Combines PDA with phone and wireless web.

2. Palm i705
   < http://www.palm.com/products/palmi705/ >
Wireless handheld/PDA.

3. hiptop
   < http://www.danger.com/products.php >
"A wireless convergence device that delivers an affordable, voice, Internet
and multi-media experience."

Subject: B-List: Valentine's Day Massacre and Other Stories
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2002 08:02:33 +1030

1. St. Valentine's Day Massacre
   < http://www.mysterynet.com/vdaymassacre/ >
A True Crime Story of Guns and Gangsters

2. "British scientists create Shakespeare's love potion"
   < http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s480868.htm >

3. BitterSweets
   < http://www.despair.com/bittersweets.html >

4. "Love Letters Straight From...Yourself?"
   < http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=humannews&StoryID=582015 >

Subject: B-List: Orisinal
Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2002 07:56:22 +1030

Orisinal: Morning Sunshine
   < http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/ >

Some cute/fun Flash games and diversions.

Subject: B-List: Firebox.com
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 07:58:53 +1030

Firebox.com
   < http://www.firebox.com/ >

"The coolest, fastest, latest, greatest, hottest stuff you can get
your hands on..."

Some interesting gift ideas:
* Fly Catcher
  < http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&id=668 >
* Secret Arrow
  < http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&id=663 >
* Acre of the Moon
  < http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&id=641 >
* Oxygen
  < http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&id=525 >
* Office Voodoo Kit
  < http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&id=507 >
* Shot Glass Chess Set
  < http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&id=115 >
* Something with a suggestive title, but is not what you think it is
  < http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&id=334 >
* L'espion - a tiny digital camera
  < http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&id=666 >

Subject: B-List: Please Read Before 20:02, 20/02/2002
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2002 07:53:06 +1030

1. "The house that could clean itself"
   < http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-0202080241feb08.story >

2. "Color Expert: `No One Will Eat New Blue French Fries.'"
   < http://www.ncbuy.com/news/wireless_news.html?qdate=2002-02-12&nav=VIEW&id=2771Z86P1BA020212 >

3. "Experiment shows us burned up with envy"
   < http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,649300,00.html >

4. "British Marines Lose Bearings and 'Invade' Spain"
   < http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=humannews&StoryID=607239 >

5. "Kingsize, not queen: Some men have taken to wearing pantyhose"
   < http://www.msnbc.com/news/710941.asp?cp1=1 >

6. "Museum Explains Why Snot Exists"
   < http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,50422,00.html >

7. "Monty Python Tops Laughter Lines Poll"
   < http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=humannews&StoryID=609216 >

8. "Rare date symmetry marks historical moment"
   < http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s485577.htm >

Subject: B-List: Evil PC users, Musical Macs and Recordable DVDs
Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2002 08:24:02 +1030

1. "PCs Are Incorrect on TV"
   < http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,50441,00.html >
It seems that in movies and on TV, the baddies use Windows PCs
while good guys, of course, use Macs.


2. "Apple wins a Grammy for Technical Excellence"
   < http://grammy.aol.com/news/academy/0131tech.html >
but this guy probably won't ...

"He Writes the Songs: Mac Songs"
   < http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,50161,00.html >


3. DVD Recording Standard - Finally
"Pact lights way to DVD standards"
   < http://news.com.com/2100-1040-839972.html >
"Next generation DVD born"
   < http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/new_media/newsid_1829000/1829241.stm >

Subject: B-List: FlingTheCow.com
Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2002 07:54:28 +1030

FlingTheCow.com - The Flying Cow
   < http://www.flingthecow.com/ >

I haven't tried this myself, but it could be amusing.

Subject: B-List: Dimple Art
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2002 08:34:35 +1030

Dimple Art
   < http://www.dimpleart.com/ >

Caricatures of famous people.  Can be viewed online or sent as
e-cards for free.  Enlarged copies can be purchased.

In case you didn't know, a caricature is "a representation ...
in which the subject's distinctive features or peculiarities are
deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect"
( http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=caricature ).

Categories:
* Super Stars
  < http://www.dimpleart.com/shop/shop_superstars.php >
* Top Singers
  < http://www.dimpleart.com/shop/shop_topsingers.php >
* Sports Stars
  < http://www.dimpleart.com/shop/shop_sportstars.php >
* Politicians
  < http://www.dimpleart.com/shop/shop_politicians.php >
* Miscellaneous
  < http://www.dimpleart.com/shop/shop_misc.php >

A couple of topical selections:
* Bill Clinton (in Adelaide this week)
  < http://www.dimpleart.com/shop/shop_details.php?picid=986455825&personid=37 >
* George Lucas (Star Wars producer)
  < http://www.dimpleart.com/shop/shop_details.php?picid=993103008&personid=111 >

They can draw quite well, but it seems they have problems with spelling
(eg Andre Argazzi, George Lugas ??).

You can also have a caricature done of yourself or someone else:
   < http://www.dimpleart.com/your_caricature/index.php >
Some sample customers:
   < http://www.dimpleart.com/your_caricature/customers_sample01.php >

Subject: B-List: In The News
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 07:35:20 +1030

1. "Americans' loose change adds up"
   < http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s489121.htm >

2. "Cellphones lead a tough life"
   < http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=humannews&StoryID=617738 >

3. "Web rage is infiltrating offices"
   < http://www.cosmiverse.com/paranormal02250203.html >

4. "Robot care bears for the elderly"
   < http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1829000/1829021.stm >

5. "Women spend week in car to see Cliff Richard"
   < http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=humannews&StoryID=613075 >

6. "Anxiety may cause cats to quarrel"
   < http://www.cosmiverse.com/paranormal02140203.html >

7. "National Slacker Day may be too much effort"
   < http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=humannews&StoryID=621455 >

8. "British Olympians blame failure on 'cold weather'"
   < http://www.thebrainstrust.co.uk/article.28.2208.html >

9. "European cartographers 'find new country'"
   < http://www.thebrainstrust.co.uk/article.28.2206.html >

B!?

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