Freeware. ?WinUpdatesList displays the list of all Windows updates (Service Packs and Hotfixes) installed on your local computer. For hotfix updates, this utility also displays the list of files updated with these hotfixes. In addition, it allows you to instantly open the Web link in Microsoft Web site that provides more information about the selected update, uninstall an update, copy the update information to the clipboard, or save it to text/HTML/XML file.? There?s a lot of nifty software on this site.
Yahoo has launched a beta of their Yahoo Toolbar designed to help combat spyware and browser hijackers. In addition they have added a forum to their site for users to discuss spyware in general. This is one of the first major internet portals to recognize and attempt to combat the epedemic of privacy intrusion and advertising software being installed on users computers.
Over the weekend I upgraded a kid's PC from Win98 to XP. I'd been dragging my heels because Win98 was "good enough" for games, IM, and writing school reports, but this installation had long since reached its half-life. Also, I was curious to see what a 98-to-XP upgrade would be like, never having done one. So I fired up the installer and posted the kid on guard to alert me when intervention was required.
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Yesterday I had a phone conference with Hadar Pedhazur of Opticality Ventures, during which Hadar mentioned that he's been using Asterisk, a Linux-based software PBX, with great success. Although Asterisk is VoIP-capable, Hadar's using cheap ($100) Digium cards to manage and route calls among his various business-related POTS lines. That really got my attention; I've long wanted such a capability. So I did some reading, and I also watched this presentation given by Digium's founder and Asterisk's developer, Mark Spencer.
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I confess to a deep fascination with the seemingly mundane topic of logging. Software crashes, shopping cart abandonment, and security breaches are among the many situations in which you'll find yourself poring over logs trying to figure out what went wrong.
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Logs can flood us with information, or they can tell us compelling stories. We can influence the outcome by artful and iterative refinement of the data we collect. [Full story at InfoWorld.com]
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ISEDB - Internet search engines datebase, is a well organized directory listing search engines and directories. With each listing, you will find website submission information for easily website submission and search engine optimization.
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Technorati is a set of web services that track interconnecting links between blogs, allow people to find out who is linking to a blog or a URL, ranked by authority and link freshness.
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Gold up on weak dollar
In Preceisou Metals News
Gold up on weak dollar LONDON: Gold was looking to extend gains in Europe on Wednesday on dollar weakness and the expiry of over-the-counter options later in the day, dealers said. The market, which touched a seven-month low at $371.00 an ounce earlier this month, had the makings of a rally amid concerns about the US economy, dealers and analysts said. Spot gold was quoted at $391.00/$391.75 an ounce by 1017 GMT, compared with $388.10/$388.85 in late New York trading late on Tuesday. "I don't know how far we're going to get - but we could see $402.00 (by next week).
Wed, 26 May 2004 11:35 PM
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World markets, metals lift JSE
In Precious Metals News
The JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) was looking strong in noon trade on Wednesday, with positive world markets, higher precious metals prices and basket-buying by futures players acting in concert to bolster the bourse. The gains came despite a stronger rand. By 12.09pm, the all-share index was up 1,25%. Resources rose 1,81%, the gold mining index jumped 1,34% and the platinum mining index surged 3,23%. The financial and banks indices were 1,38% and 2,01% firmer respectively, while the all-share industrial index was up 0,47%.
Wed, 26 May 2004 10:57 AM
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Companies cater to the lifestyles of wealthy consumers
In Precious Metals News
Sound too good to be true? The Stratus Rewards credit card can give you all that - plus private yoga lessons with Gwyneth Paltrow and a box of Zino Platinum cigars - for a mere annual fee of $1,500 and a 14 percent annual percentage rate. As if having money isn't a perk in itself, several new credit cards have emerged targeting those who have money and spend a lot of it. Some of the card companies expect customers to spend at least $100,000 annually. All give you special "exclusives," like personal shoppers at Saks or quarterly Oscars-style gift bags with samples of new products. Points The more you spend, the more points you receive.
Tue, 25 May 2004 09:39 AM
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Elite cards offer upscale bonuses
In Precious Metals News
Imagine this: You and your six closest friends fly to Egypt in a private jet. At the end of the flight, you take a private tour of the pyramids and then dine at the Nile-side villa of former President Sadat of Egypt. Sound too good to be true? The Stratus Rewards credit card can give you all that - plus private yoga lessons with Gwyneth Paltrow and a box of Zino Platinum cigars - for a mere annual fee of $1,500 and a 14 percent annual percentage rate. As if having money isn't a perk in itself, several new credit cards have emerged targeting those who have money and spend a lot of it.
Sun.Star Baguio - Tenor, soprano get standing ovation
In Precious Metals News
Tenor, soprano get standing ovation THEY didn't expect a standing ovation after a lot of program changes but tenor Lemuel de la Cruz, soprano Joan Cano, flutist GJ Herman Gomez with pianist Mary Anne Espina got it when they made their last curtain call - after a rendition of Cuenco's Gaano Kita Kamahal. The tenor was supposed to end with Cilea's Lamento de Federico (from L'Arlesiana) and Handelot's Because but a vocal indisposition suddenly bothered the singer and decided to give more numbers to the guest soprano who was enthusiastically received.
Mon, 24 May 2004 08:26 PM
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The Sentinel Online - World News
In Fed News
WASHINGTON - The economy grew at a 4.4 percent annual rate in the first quarter of this year, slightly faster than previously thought and fresh evidence that the recovery possessed good momentum as it headed into the current quarter. The increase in gross domestic product from January through March reported by the Commerce Department on Thursday marked an improvement from both the 4.2 percent pace first estimated for the quarter a month ago and the 4.1 percent growth rate registered in the final quarter of 2003. The GDP measures the value of all goods and services produced within the United States.
Thu, 27 May 2004 10:30 AM
Economic growth picks up in first quarter
In Fed News
WASHINGTON (AP) - The economy grew at a 4.4 percent annual rate in the first quarter of this year, slightly faster than previously thought and fresh evidence that the recovery possessed good momentum as it headed into the current quarter. The increase in gross domestic product from January through March reported by the Commerce Department on Thursday marked an improvement from both the 4.2 percent pace first estimated for the quarter a month ago and the 4.1 percent growth rate registered in the final quarter of 2003. The GDP measures the value of all goods and services produced within the United States.
Economy picks up growth in first quarter
In Fed News
The increase in gross domestic product from January through March reported by the Commerce Department on Thursday marked an improvement from both the 4.2 percent pace first estimated for the quarter a month ago and the 4.1 percent growth rate registered in the final quarter of 2003. The GDP measures the value of all goods and services produced within the United States. While the latest reading was just shy of the 4.5 percent pace that some analysts were forecasting, it nevertheless represented a solid performance.
Thu, 27 May 2004 10:02 AM
Texarkana Gazette: News and Classifieds From Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas
In Fed News
The GDP measures the value of all goods and services produced within the United States. While the latest reading was just shy of the 4.5 percent pace that some analysts were forecasting, it nevertheless represented a solid performance. Separately, the Labor Department reported that new applications for unemployment benefits dropped last week by a seasonally adjusted 3,000 to 344,000, another hopeful sign for a labor market recovery.
Thu, 27 May 2004 09:44 AM
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Journal Gazette/Times-Courier Online
In Fed News
WASHINGTON - The economy grew at a 4.4 percent annual rate in the first quarter of this year, slightly faster than previously thought and fresh evidence that the recovery possessed good momentum as it headed into the current quarter. The increase in gross domestic product from January through March reported by the Commerce Department on Thursday marked an improvement from both the 4.2 percent pace first estimated for the quarter a month ago and the 4.1 percent growth rate registered in the final quarter of 2003. The GDP measures the value of all goods and services produced within the United States.
Thu, 27 May 2004 09:31 AM
The Journal Standard Online
In Fed News
The nation's payrolls, which had been posting lackluster gains, expanded by a sizable 288,000 in April on top of a hefty increase in March, leading some economists to believe that the long awaited for recovery in the labor market was finally coming about. With the economy growing solidly and inflation beginning to stir, a growing number of economists believe the Federal Reserve may order its first rate increase in more than four years next month. Some, however, believe a rate rise won't come until August or later. The main short-term rate used by the Fed to influence economic activity has been at a 46-year low of 1 percent.
Thu, 27 May 2004 09:30 AM
Linux Steals Share from UNIX in Database Market
After a weak 2002, the database market bounced back last year on the strength of new licenses for software running on Linux. [internetnews.com: Top News] '-- Oracle has 57 percent of the database software market on UNIX even though its new license revenue declined 8 percent. Alternatively, Oracle took the lead in Linux sales from IBM (Quote, Chart), realizing 361 percent growth on $206 million in sales, good for 69 percent of the market. --' ...John
A model for open source software development
Critics of open source software have argued that, from an economic standpoint, "giving the product away" makes no sense. As a new business model, open source has been the victim of many misconceptions and mischaracterizations: that it's the equivalent of communism, that's it's like a virus, and that it's economically dangerous to society, for example. In such a hostile atmosphere, it's not easy to objectively assess a new paradigm that differs greatly from the status quo. However, though a comparable model may not exist in the IT sector, a parallel working model for open source already exists in at least one other field, biomedical research, and this model has been proven to be of great benefit to society. [Linux.Com: NewsForge Reports] Worth a read. ...John
Will Users Pass on PC Purchases?
Customers buy new PCs every four years, but analysts say that's about to change. [PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories] '-- Aside from obsolete technical support, there are few reasons to replace old PCs, Gartner said. Shiffler argues a new upgrade cycle won't begin until 2008, when Longhorn--the codename for Windows XP's successor--becomes mainstream. --' Yep, it seems like Microsoft is keeping with tradition. I doubt if Longhorn can be shoe horned into most contemporary desktops because of code bloat. Being so, many may choose to bypass Longhorn when it ever appears in the market place. ...John
Linux Drives Novell Into The Black
Novell continues to reap the rewards of its investment in Linux. [CRN.com : Breaking News] '-- The company on Monday reported second-quarter profits of $10.4 million on sales of $293.6 million. The quarter ended April 30 was Novell's first since acquiring SuSE Linux AG. Sales were up 6 percent from $276.0 million for the second quarter of 2003. The profit was a vast improvement over last year's $28.6 million loss in the same period. --' ...John
Linux and Windows security compared
Security is a perennial concern for IT administrators. Managers need a framework to evaluate operating system security that includes an assessment of base security, network security and protocols, application security, deployment and operations, assurance, trusted computing, and open standards. In this study, we compare Microsoft Windows and Linux security across these seven categories. The overall findings of this qualitative assessment are that Linux provides superior to comparable security capabilities in comparison to Windows, except in the category of assurance -- for now. [Linux.Com: NewsForge Reports] Lengthly article worth reading. ...John
Opteron Leads 64-bit Revolution
AMD's Opteron is changing the industry standard server. With the introduction of Intel's 64-bit extension chip this summer, vendors expect to ship more and more boxes with either Opteron or Intel's version of the x86. All users will need are the applications. [Computerworld Hardware News] '-- It's not a question of if people will go to 64 bits. "It's a question of when," says Paul Terry, chief technical officer at Cray Canada Inc., whose parent company, Cray Inc., is building a 10,000-processor Opteron system for the U.S. Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories. --' ...John
Ballmer Beats Security Drum
TechEd: Amidst security-centric assurances from CEO Steve Ballmer, Microsoft releases an upgrade to Web Services Enhancements and details of its coming ISA Server 2004. [internetnews.com: Top News] Blah, blah, blah, where's the beef Steve? Saying the S word doesn't make Microsoft products secure. ...John
The Journal Standard Online
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
The nation's payrolls, which had been posting lackluster gains, expanded by a sizable 288,000 in April on top of a hefty increase in March, leading some economists to believe that the long awaited for recovery in the labor market was finally coming about. With the economy growing solidly and inflation beginning to stir, a growing number of economists believe the Federal Reserve may order its first rate increase in more than four years next month. Some, however, believe a rate rise won't come until August or later. The main short-term rate used by the Fed to influence economic activity has been at a 46-year low of 1 percent.
Conspiracy Planet - Catherine Austin Fitts - America's Black Budget & Manipulation Of Markets
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
So he delivered to my office about 20 pounds of books all on the budget, and I read it twice, and I called him and said "Look, I've read this thing twice - a couple of thousand pages - and I can't find out how much we are making or losing in the single family fund." By law, the SHA commissioner has sole fiduciary responsibility to make sure that the $50 to $100 billion of mortgage insurance originated is self-sustainable. So the premiums are supposed to fund whatever the defaults and losses are. So I said, "I can't find out how much money we're making or losing". "Well that's because", he said, "It's not in the budget".
Saudi Arabia Fears $40-a-Barrel Oil, Too
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
Saudi Arabia is as fearful of $40-a-barrel oil as President Bush's re-election campaign is. That is why Saudi Arabia vows so loudly to pump more oil to try to bring prices down. This isn't a political favor to Mr. Bush. It is long-term economic survival. Saudi Arabia is a like a crack dealer. Price the product too high, and customers won't be able to afford the product and might even kick the habit. "We've got almost 30% of the world's oil," says Adel al-Jubeir, foreign-policy adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah. "For us, the objective is to assure that oil remains an economically competitive source of energy.
Wed, 26 May 2004 10:42 PM
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Wed, 26 May 2004 10:41 PM
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Consumers will pay a $1 trillion premium for natural gas
Natural gas is a relatively cheap and domestically plentiful fuel. It became the preferred alternative energy source over 25 years ago in response to oil price hikes and supply shortages. But now that demand has outpaced supply, the United States must import more -- in the form of liquid natural gas (LNG). Importing more LNG requires building additional ship terminals equipped to offload it. However, coastal communities from Harpswell, Maine, to Eureka and Vallejo, Calif., have defeated proposals for new natural gas terminals. Boston mayor Thomas Menino even fought to have an existing natural gas terminal shut down in nearby Everett, Mass.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that purchase bundled mortgages from primary lenders, have encountered great difficulties over the last year. Complete privatization might be an attractive option, says Peter J. Wallison of the American Enterprise Institute. Since last fall, the nation's largest sources of financing for home mortgages have had to deal with a barrage of bad news. For instance, the Office of Management and Budget found Fannie and Freddie to be undercapitalized, in need of serious new regulation, and failing their mission to provide affordable housing.
The Federal Reserve Board in June will begin a statistical study of household finances, the Survey of Consumer Finances, that will provide policymakers with important insight into the economic condition of all types of American families. The survey, undertaken every three years since 1983, is being conducted for the Board by NORC, a social science research organization at the University of Chicago, through December of this year. The data collected will provide a representative picture of what Americans own--from houses and cars to stocks and bonds--how and how much they borrow and how they bank.
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
The United States and Britain make suitable partners. Abuse and torture at the Hola camp in Kenya in the 1950s, Fort Morbut in Aden in the 1960s and the Castlereagh interrogation centre for twenty years in Ireland remain potent symbols of British war crimes. Colonialism and torture are inseparable. In Iraq, US and British military are doing yet again what they have habitually done in the past - the colonial dirty work of governments determined to protect private business interests above all else. Plenty has also come to light demonstrating the Bush regime's corporate welfare for businesses like Bechtel, Halliburton and Carlyle in Iraq.
InvestorsObserver.com. Better Strategies for making money for Investors
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
It seems highly unlikely that President Bush would even think twice about reappointing Greenspan, an old family friend who has become virtually indispensable to investors' peace of mind. The bond market is already suffering one of its most dramatic selloffs in years and stocks are teetering about whether to follow its lead. Even if Bush weren't running for re-election and was riding higher in the polls, he'd have little to gain by not extending Greenspan's tenure as chairman, which will end anyway when his governorship expires in the next couple of years.
Tue, 25 May 2004 02:56 PM
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STOCKTON -- Rod Smyth wants investors to know one thing about the stock market: When things are really bad and they get a little less bad, that's good. As chief investment strategist since 2000 for Richmond, Va.-based Wachovia Securities -- the nation's third-largest investment firm, managing more than $600 billion in client assets and employing 11,000 financial advisers -- Smyth gets paid to be right about which way the stock market will turn.
The eternal chairman President Bush's reappointment of Federal Reserve Board chairman Alan Greenspan and his quick confirmation by the Senate are both political no-brainers. To do otherwise would needlessly roil the financial markets, something no one wants to do, particularly in an election year. While Bush had said last April that he planned to keep Greenspan on, he waited until last Tuesday, a month before the chairman's term expired, to formally do so. There was speculation that the delay was the White House's way of reminding the central banker to go easy on raising interest rates.
Free Newsletter News Story
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
WASHINGTON (AP) - Fears that the 2001 terrorist attacks could halt the growth of international commerce have proven groundless, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Thursday. Greenspan said the spread of free markets gave the world the flexibility it needed to rebound despite worries the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks would deliver a serious setback to globalization.
Economists expect slight rise in rates
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
Copyright 2004 Gannett Company, Inc. USA TODAY May 24, 2004, Monday, FINAL EDITION MONEY; Pg. 3B 418 words Economists expect slight rise in rates Barbara Hagenbaugh and Barbara Hansen The Federal Reserve will raise interest rates only slightly this year as the economy grows, the unemployment rate drops and inflation, although creeping up, stays low, economists surveyed by USA TODAY say. But there are still a number of risks to the economy, most prominently the threat of another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, which could significantly shake business and consumer confidence.
Tue, 25 May 2004 05:45 AM
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Greenspan Again - 05/24/04
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
Greenspan Again - 05/24/04 Senate should quickly confirm reappointment of FED chairman President Bush's reappointment of Federal Reserve Board chairman Alan Greenspan and his quick confirmation by the Senate are both political no-brainers. To do otherwise would needlessly roil the financial markets, something no one wants to do, particularly in an election year. While Bush had said last April that he planned to keep Greenspan on, he waited until Tuesday, a month before the chairman's term expired, to formally do so.
Tue, 25 May 2004 05:27 AM
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Should Dick Grasso Return the Dough?
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
Dick Grasso It's today's $139.5 million question: Why doesn't Richard Grasso, former chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, give back at least some of the nearly $140 million in compensation that he was granted by the NYSE's board of directors? Certainly, in a lawsuit filed today, New York Attorney-General Eliot Spitzer wants him to. That the question is even being raised, of course, speaks to the sudden change in thinking about such issues as corporate governance and executive compensation.
Tue, 25 May 2004 04:05 AM
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Second Bancorp sale approved
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
CLEVELAND - The Federal Reserve Board gave its blessing Monday to Sky Financial Group Inc.'s acquisition of Second Bancorp Inc., saying the deal won't hurt competition. Approval by the nation's top bankers, led by Chairman Alan Greenspan, was one of the regulatory approvals needed to complete the acquisition by July 1. After the transaction, Sky will be the state's ninth-largest bank, controlling about $7.3 billion in deposits, or 3.4 percent of the all statewide deposits, the board said. The board noted the deal won't significantly hurt competition in Sky's Mahoning Valley, Akron and Canton markets.
Drag on consumers' attitudes
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
In an economy that is heavily dependent on spending, any drag on consumers' attitudes is bound to create concern. Despite a general rebound in economic activity, the mood of Americans remains subpar. It is well below levels that would normally be expected at this stage of a recovery. However, dour faces or not, buyers continue to flock to stores and auto dealer showrooms. That brings us to Tuesday's report of May consumer confidence. Economist Lynn Reaser expects it to show slight slippage, to a reading of about 92 from 92.9 a month earlier. "Consumers continue to display mixed emotions.
Tue, 25 May 2004 00:55 AM
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Economists Expect Slight Rise in Rates
In Greenspan Federal Reserve Bernanke Fed News
The Federal Reserve will raise interest rates only slightly this year as the economy grows, the unemployment rate drops and inflation, although creeping up, stays low, economists surveyed by USA TODAY say. But there are still a number of risks to the economy, most prominently the threat of another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, which could significantly shake business and consumer confidence. ''There are a lot of things to be positive about,'' says Jay Mueller, an economist at Strong Capital Management. He points to a rebounding job market, increases in worker productivity and improving economies abroad.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has completed work on the world's fastest Linux cluster, delivering 23 teraflops peak performance and almost 20 teraflops of sustained performance. [CBR Online News]
'-- The 4,096 Intel Corp 64-bit Itanium 2-based cluster is codenamed Thunder and was sold to Lawrence Livermore in November 2003 to support its national security and science programs in areas including structural mechanics, elecromagnetics, atmospheric science, and seismology. --'
...John