Who do you think would be better at answering technical questions? The Microsoft Support line or the Psychic Friends Network? This <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=170&amp;entry_id=98″ title=”http://www.netscrap.com/netscrap_detail.cfm?scrap_id=704″ onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www.netscrap.com/netscrap_detail.cfm?scrap_id=704′;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>article</a> answers the hard question.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Conclusions<br />
<br />
In terms of technical expertise, we found that a Microsoft technician <br />
using Knowledge Base was about as helpful as a Psychic Friends reader <br />
using Tarot Cards. All in all, however, the Psychic Friends Net work <br />
proved to be a much friendlier organization than Microsoft Technical <br />
Support. While neither group was actually able to answer any of our <br />
technical questions, the Psychic Friends Network was much faster than <br />
Microsoft and much more courteous. Which organization is more affordable <br />
is open to question. If Microsoft does refund all three “solutions” <br />
fees, then they will be the far more affordable solution provider, <br />
having charged us no money for having given us no assistance. However, <br />
if Microsoft does not refund the fees for our call regarding Microsoft <br />
Graph, then they will have charged us more than 120% of what the <br />
Psychic Friends charged, but without providing the same fast and <br />
courteous service that Psychic Friends provided. <br />
</blockquote>

As told by Dad:<br />
<blockquote><br />
Quasimodo comes home after a hard day ringing the bells and finds his wife with a wok. He says “Great, are we having chinese food tonight?”. “No”, she replies, “I was just ironing your shirts”.<br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
Boom, boom

From the <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=169&amp;entry_id=96″ title=”http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/02/26/1109180165957.html” onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/02/26/1109180165957.html’;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>SMH</a>:<br />
<blockquote><br />
An Indian teenager from one of the country’s most backward states appears to have fooled governments, the media and the president into believing he topped the world in a NASA science exam.<br />
<br />
In a country hungry for international recognition, 17-year-old Saurabh Singh was feted as a national hero after announcing he had won NASA’s International Scientist Discovery examination, which he said he took at Oxford University.<br />
<br />
The Uttar Pradesh state government rewarded him with a 500,000 rupee ($A14,635) prize and more than 100 members of the state’s upper house each donated a day’s salary to him.<br />
<br />
But as he was at the president’s official residence awaiting an audience during the week, his story unravelled.<br />
<br />
An Indian news portal, rediff.com, contacted NASA, which denied any knowledge of the exam.<br />
<br />
“Right now, no one knows where this examination comes from,” Rediff quoted NASA education official Dwayne Brown saying.<br />
<br />
A meeting planned with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was hastily called off and the boy returned to his village of Narhai, where police are investigating.<br />
AdvertisementAdvertisement<br />
<br />
Singh had also said President Abdul Kalam and Indian astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who died in the Columbia shuttle explosion in 2003, had sat the test. Kalam’s office denies this.<br />
<br />
Singh insists he met Kalam, although some Indian newspapers say the meeting was cancelled as he waited to go in.<br />
<br />
“It was really inspiring,” Singh told Reuters by phone. “And let me tell you, he saw my certificate and praised me for the achievement, while you all are asking all kinds of questions and trying to dub me as a fraud.”<br />
<br />
The certificate, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, declared “You are the member of NASA” (sic) and is signed by Singh and “Chief of NASA, Cin K. Kif” — NASA’s former administrator was Sean O’Keefe. It also lists the name of Singh’s father, common practice in Indian documents.<br />
<br />
Singh says he flew to London on Indian Airlines - which does not fly to the city - and took a taxi to Oxford University and back every day for the exam from January 4-8, a round trip of about 230 km.<br />
<br />
Singh told Reuters he stayed in a hotel, but told a Hindi language newspaper he stayed at Buckingham Palace.<br />
<br />
The Indian school where he says he sat the preliminary exam along with 200,000 others does not exist. The Bansal institute, where he says he studied mathematics, has never heard of him.<br />
<br />
Singh cannot produce his passport to back his claim, saying it is with Bansal institute director.<br />
<br />
“How can we possess his passport when we don’t even know him?” The Indian Express quoted Bansal as saying.<br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
I’ve heard about people faking qualifications on CV’s but how did he expect to get away with this? I guess that given that he did generate a lot of press about this just shows how gullible people are. The important lesson learnt from this is not to accept people’s claims at face level and always perform your own due-diligence.

From <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=168&amp;entry_id=95″ title=”http://www.engadget.com” onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www.engadget.com’;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>engadget</a>:<br />
<blockquote><br />
You know what happens when you have a phone number that’s only one digit off from the number for Sprint’s collections department? You get a lot of deadbeats calling up some random dude in Massachusetts begging him to not disconnect their service. Stewart Woodworth says he’s logged something like 8,000 misdialed calls from Sprint customers over the past 2 1/2 years, and after Sprint refused to change their number he recorded an outgoing message on his voicemail that says: “Pay your Sprint bill or your service will be shut off. It’s that simple. If you don’t pay your Sprint bill, you might as well take your Sprint phone and throw it in the trash. Even a person with your limited intelligence should be able to figure that out. Go ahead – write a check. Hang up the phone, write a check, jerk.” Which resulted in pretty much everyone calling Sprint’s main line to complain about how rude the collections department’s outgoing message is.<br />
</blockquote><br />
This is awesome, you can’t get service from a telecom so hit them where it hurts - customer service. I’m sure that they will be changing that number for him quickly! One thing that this article didn’t mention is that the number they were dialling was his business line so he was actually paying for thousands of dollars worth of inbound calls from worried Sprint customers.

SMH has an <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=165&amp;entry_id=94″ title=”http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Price-of-friendship-55m-and-four-years-of-lies/2005/02/23/1109046993492.html” onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Price-of-friendship-55m-and-four-years-of-lies/2005/02/23/1109046993492.html’;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>article</a> about two rich kids from Hong Kong who became friends whilst studying English at the University of Sydney.<br />
<br />
After ten years of friendship, Michael Chin took Joshua Chu for $5.5 million over the course of four years. He falsely claimed to be a director of an investment company, Edin Investments Pty Ltd and convinced Mr Chu to become an investor.<br />
<br />
Whilst Mr Chin lived it up he continually drained money off the unsuspecting Mr Chu. How he did not suspect something fishy was going on is almost unbelievable. He had no proof of any investments that Mr Chin had made and would regularly pay for “investment” trips that Mr Chin made. In one instance he paid for a hotel in Bangkok.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
“Make sure it’s a suite on the higher floors,” he said, according to Mr Chu’s claim. “Then book me two nights at Banyan Tree in Phuket … make sure I’ve got a double bed there. I need you to then book accommodation for me in Seoul at the Grand Hyatt for three nights … The company will pay you back.”<br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
How stupid can you be? It’s a classic case of keeping business and friendship separate - never let your personal feelings get in the way of your investment decisions. The NSW Supreme court has order Mr Chin to repay Mr Chu $7,054,824.59 (including interests) plus court costs.<br />
<br />
Good luck in getting your money, mate.<br />

<img src=”http://www2.trekbikes.com/Assets/Bikes/Road/Performance_Road/OCLV_Carbon-ZR_9000/2100/asset_upload_file583_2562.jpg” alt=”" align=”left” hspace=”5″ />On my recent trip to the US I took time out to hunt around for a new road bike. I had been riding a mountain bike to and from work for over year and just wanted to upgrade to something a little faster. After hunting around a couple of stores in the bay area I settled on a <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=163&amp;entry_id=90″ title=”http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/Road/Performance_Road/OCLV_Carbon-ZR_9000/2100/index.php” onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/Road/Performance_Road/OCLV_Carbon-ZR_9000/2100/index.php’;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>Trek 2100</a> from <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=164&amp;entry_id=90″ title=”http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/” onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/’;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>Palo Alto bicycles</a>. The 2100 is the entry level performance bike from Trek with Shimano 105 derailleur, an aluminium alloy (ZR9000) frame, carbon fibre seat stays, bontrager front fork and race wheels.<br />
<br />
The friendly folks at Palo Alto bicycles adjusted the bike for me and marked the seat post to the position that I required. I then got them to flat pack it for me so I could take it back to Australia. Getting the bike through customs was not a problem and they only really checked that the wheels were new and I hadn’t been riding through the mud at some farm. Not that I think you would really want to be riding through the mud in this bike, it is only really designed for road riding.<br />
<br />
After riding it for a couple of weeks and putting a decent amount of km’s on it I definitely do not regret my decision. I had never ridden with SPD’s before nor such a light bike. I found that the ride to work was now definitely a lot quicker - I can’t really tell yet until I get a new speed sensor for the polar, the other one having not survived a dunking in a creek (thought these units would be water proof? <img src=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/templates/default/img/emoticons/smile.png” alt=”:-)” style=”display: inline; vertical-align: bottom;” class=”emoticon” /> The triple crank is great on the hills and pulls strongly on the flats. I have noticed that the front fork flexes a little whilst climbing but it is not enough to be annoying - on the flats it is fast and allows a great ride position that slices through the wind.<br />
<br />
But does quicker equate to more comfortable? Having not ridden a racer in a long time I can’t really gauge on whether or not it is more comfortable than a comparable racer. Obviously, comparing this to a mountain bike is not possible but I have to say that I don’t feel any discomfort riding. I’m still not quite used to the Sidi bullets (shoes) that I wear and they can be a little uncomfortable after a while but on the whole I have no complaint about the ride of the bike.<br />
<br />
I need to take it in for its first service however, the gear changing is still a little tight on the 3rd cog on the front derailleur but I am hoping that it is just a breaking in period type problem and that it will go away after I have ridden it a bit more.<br />
<br />
All in all I would give this bike 4.5 out of 5. It could have been a little lighter but for the price I’m not sure if I could have done any better. Ride performance is great and gives me everything that I wanted out of a road bike.

Mobile PC has an <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=162&amp;entry_id=93″ title=”http://www.mobilepcmag.com/features/2005_03/top100gadgets.html” onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www.mobilepcmag.com/features/2005_03/top100gadgets.html’;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>article</a> on the top 100 gadgets of all time.<br />
<br />
Among the entries is the rubik’s cube, the pez dispenser and the tickle-me-elmo. However, the number 1 gadget is the Apple Powerbook 100. The ipod comes in at #12 and the sony walkman at #3.

From <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=161&amp;entry_id=92″ title=”http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12332394-26618,00.html” onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12332394-26618,00.html’;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>news.com.au</a>:<br />
<blockquote><br />
FREE-TO-AIR television networks failed to buy the broadcast rights to this year’s Ashes cricket series because they believed England was a team of easybeats.<br />
A Senate inquiry heard yesterday Nine had turned down an offer to buy the rights to the upcoming Ashes tour four years ago because the English cricket team was not performing.<br />
<br />
The revelation throws new light on the scrap over broadcasting rights for this year’s Ashes, which began when TV executives realised England and Australia would be evenly matched for the first time in years.<br />
<br />
At the heart of the stoush is a sudden realisation by commercial networks that the series promises to be far more competitive than the lacklustre Test and VB series played in Australia this summer.<br />
Advertisement:<br />
<br />
Nine and the other free-to-air channels are outraged that pay-TV channel Fox Sports bought the rights to the cricket blockbuster, but the English cricket authority which owns the series said all networks had the same opportunity.<br />
<br />
Octagon, a company employed by the England and Wales Cricket Board to sell the rights, told the Senate committee Fox Sports was the only broadcaster who showed genuine interest at a time when England was struggling.<br />
<br />
When the ECB representatives approached the networks to make a deal in 2001, the response was underwhelming.<br />
<br />
“(The) Seven Network rejected the rights, including the Ashes series, out of hand,” Octagon Australia managing director Sean Nicholls said in a letter to the Senate communications committee.<br />
<br />
“Channel 9 informed Octagon that it would not be in a position to make an offer for the series until at least 12 months out as it considered the value of the series to be solely dependent on how the England team was playing at the time,” he said.<br />
<br />
The Senate committee is reviewing broader so-called “anti-siphoning” legislation which controls sports broadcasting rights, but the TV battle for the Ashes has taken centre stage.<br />
<br />
The ABC has said it will try to secure rights for the Ashes, but its first bid has been rejected by the England and Wales Cricket board.<br />
<br />
Mr Nicholls said despite its recent interest, the ABC showed no interest in screening the Ashes when approached in mid-2001.<br />
<br />
“The simple truth of the matter is that the FTA (free-to-air) broadcasters were given several opportunities to acquire the rights to the 2005 Ashes series, but all declined to do so on numerous occasions for a variety of reasons,” he said.<br />
<br />
The free-to-air networks yesterday called on the Federal Government to prevent pay-TV from directly competing with the networks.<br />
<br />
“If the loophole is not closed the precedent set here will mean that more events will be siphoned to pay-TV and that three out of four Australians who do not subscribe to pay-TV will be deprived of free coverage of an increasing number of major sporting events,” Free TV Australia chief executive Julie Flynn said. <br />
</blockquote><br />
Oh how decisions come back to haunt you. Passing up the Ashes rights four years ago based on the then form of the English team has not paid off for the free to air networks who are kicking themselves now. The English team is ranked 2nd in the world at the moment and will prove a much better contest than the current touring groups. <br />
<br />
Whilst I think it is a shame that the free to air networks did not acquire the rights to the game I don’t believe that they should have preferential treatment. People will find a way to watch the game, whether it is at a pub or around at a mate’s place. I actually prefer the sport to be shown on Foxtel in any case as the other networks always deluge you with advertisements.

Everyone seems to be talking about Paris’ photos and private phone numbers being available on the net. But what they don’t realise is that hackers have had access to over 16.3 million subscribers details for over a year and had been distributing social sercurity numbers and voicemail PINs to identity thieves.<br />
<br />
Link to the original article <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=159&amp;entry_id=91″ title=”http://www.securityfocus.com/news/10271″ onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www.securityfocus.com/news/10271′;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>here</a>.<br />
Link to a post by Engadget on the Paris photos <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=160&amp;entry_id=91″ title=”http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000540032549/#comments” onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000540032549/#comments’;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>here</a>.<br />
<br />
A lot of discussion is around how authentic are these photos - or are they an elaborately planned publicity stunt? Not sure if even Ms Hilton is that cunning, but the timing is a little too coincidental with the security breach at T-Mobile.

<img width=”403″ height=”366″ border=”0″ hspace=”5″ align=”left” src=”/blog/uploads/reactiontime.gif” alt=”" /><br />
Click <a href=”https://dave.shakenmartini.net/serendipity/exit.php?url_id=158&amp;entry_id=89″ title=”http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/sheep/” onmouseover=”window.status=’http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/sheep/’;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;”>here</a> for a cute sheep game to test your reaction time. Curiously addictive.