So just when my DVD collection is getting to be a respectable size, NEC and Toshiba bring you HD-DVD-RW. The new format will be standard sized disks, one sided, and can hold up to 20 GB of data compared to the 4.7 GB that today's DVDs can hold.
Not to be out done, Sony is already shipping their Blu-Ray systems (a.k.a. PDD for Professional Disc for Data), which can hold up to 23 GB of data. This format is somewhat "mini-disc-y", with 12cm discs inside a cartridge.
Washington DC has a big problem. There is lead in the public drinking water. DC's Water and Sewer Authority is going to issue a warning to pregnant women and households with children under age 6 to STOP drinking unfiltered water from the tap. Some houses in DC are fed by lead pipes that were put in years ago. Those pipes are corrding and leaking lead in excess of the Federally mandated 15 PPB (parts per billion).
Costs of replace the some 23,000 lead pipes would take up to 5 years, and cost Millions of dollars. Wouldn't you know it, I live right near a ton of them.
Here is another example of the administration's disgusting policy on the environment. Apparently, the Pentagon released a secret report saying that "climate change may lead to global catastrophe costing millions of lives and is a far greater risk than terrorism".
Here comes another top issue for the Presidential Elections of 2004.
Here's a link for all the drummers out there, the largest collection of drum solos I've ever seen, although most are in Real Audio format, some are mp3.
Matthew Richardson, a 23 year old 4th year student at Oxford University, gave a lecture to PHd students at Beijing University. He apparently has the same name as a world renowned Professor at NYU. This story is too too funny.
Also, a follow up story here is here, and it looks like Matthew is going to get expelled. How tragic, but damn funny.
To all those with situations in the office where you have to deal with unpleasant coworkers, MSN's got some tips.
So everyone knows about the RIAA's lawsuits against P2P music downloaders. The consider them all pirates for downloading (without paying royalties) music.
Michele Scimeca of Morris NJ, has filed papers in U.S. District Court in Newark that music labels are using "scare tactics (that) amount to extortion". She's being sued by Record labels, and she's countersuiing Sony Music Entertainment Inc., UMG Recordings, Inc. and Motowon Record Co. L.P. She's also claiming mail and bank fraud laws have been violated because the papers were served to her using the US Postal System.
The full story is here.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Convertino is suing John Ashcroft claiming that the DOJ has "exaggerated its performance in the war on terrorism, interfered with a major terror prosecution and compromised a confidential informant."
This is the latest blow against the Patriot Act. Convertino claims, "These concerns directly related to the ability of the United States to effectively utilize the criminal justice system as a component in the `war on terrorism.'"
Read the full story here.
Democratic Presidential hopeful Howard Dean is going to make an announcement today at 1 PM. People are speculating that he may stop campaigning but leave his name on ballots. Others think he may drop out, still others think he may suspend his campaign. We'll see.
CNN seems to think that he's suspend his campaign (according to sources). The full story is here.
So, to all those that watch American Idol on Fox, you probably all know Mr. William Hung. Sha Bang, Sha Bangs. Anyway, there's
The DNC and their Democrats United group are hosting another party at Dream Night Club in DC.
Special Guests include President Cart and President Clinton, as well as 2004 Democratic Candidates for President.
I think this may coincide with the grand re-opening of the Democratic National Headquarters.
If you buy tickets for the event above, please put my name in the field that asks how did you hear about this event.