1303.aspx

Telecom Italia wants (all) your money

Telecom Italia recently launched the 892 892 service; the "number that gives numbers". It allows you to find persons and companies

The advertisement, in particular the jingle, drives me nuts. To make matters worse the costs of the service can make anyone bankrupt. You pay a 0.12 euro token as well as 0.03 euro per second. A short call of three minutes with the cheapest rate costs 0.12 + (0.03 x 180) = 5.52 euro.

The latest service, 1254,  allows you to find the telephone number of persons, companies, international numbers etc

The costs are slightly better than 892 892 as you only pay 0.36 euro for the token and 1.56 euro per minute. So you only pay 0.36 + (1.56 * 4) = 5.04 for 3 minutes.

The worst news of them all? Telecom Italia is raising the rates for ADSL companies that offer contracts without Telecom Italia as the voice provider.

That's living in Italy for you. 20 euros a month for a ADSL subscription. 40 if you want a static IP :-(

1297.aspx

Crapahildis and other "interesting" names

Check out the list of Dutch Women's Names to 1100. What do you think about Clodauuiua, Crapahildis or vulgar Wlgert?

Via William Gibson

1296.aspx

Java developers are heading for extinction!

Java is heading for extinction if all Java developers use the latest Sun technology released during the JavaOne conference:


Wonder if it was really released by Sun or if a Microsoft employee penetrated the conference…

1294.aspx

Ups, where did the mice go?

Physorg reports on the security problems in the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey:

The FBI and New Jersey officials have started a hushed but intensive search for three missing lab mice reportedly infected with deadly strains of plague
…
The mice reportedly were infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis that causes bubonic and other forms of plague.

I will be happy to lend them my killer cat, Mons, if they need a helping hand paw hunting down the critters.

1289.aspx

Real Italian WonderPizza?

I love Italian pizza but I cannot imagine what the vending machine variety tastes like.

The innovative machine holds, cooks and serves 9” whole pizza pies in just 2 minutes. There are 3 different pizzas available in each machine at one time.

They are still -far- behind the Japanese that have vending machines for more obscure items like used schoolgirl panties etc

Thanks for the tip Marco

1280.aspx

Is Google Earth dangerous for democracy?

Several countries are asking Google Earth to reduce the quality of the most sensitive pictures.

It is the first time that such high quality images have been made available to the most clueless computer user. But these images, and others with a lot higher quality, are readily available to organizations with cash (i.e. governments, terrorist organizations etc). There are several companies selling high quality satellite imaging for a lot of $$$ so blocking access to Google earth only hurts the regular guy and not the wannabe terrorist. Convince me that satellite imaging played an important part in 9/11 and I may change my mind.

1277.aspx

Crapman

A novel way to get back at your neighbors :

There's big trouble and bad smells a-brewing in a quiet residential district around the Kawashima Shotengai (shop district) in Nakano. Shops are going out of business. Residents are virtually sealed inside their homes. Police and city officials say their hands are tied. All because of an angry old man in his fifties who has a strange habit of cooking his own excrement and organic kitchen waste in his garden.

...

The trouble started about two and a half years ago when Crapman started boiling his own excrement and leftover food in his garden, and dumping the vile brew into a one meter square hole he dug in the ground there. Soon a foul smell started to permeate the neighborhood.:

The sad part is that the neighbors are helpless as the environmental regulations for bad smells are aimed at business and not individuals.