On losing FREEDOM and LIBERTY... Must we give up the freedom and liberty we have as U.S. citizens in order to fight terrorism? Must we become a police state? Some of our lawmakers and of course the law enforcers think so. But recall Benjamin Franklin's sage words: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Franklin's admonition is just as true now as it was when he helped found our country and create our Consitution. It's not just foreign terrorists that are a threat to the the U.S. and the freedom and liberty it represents for the common man.

Convert-me.Com: Interactive measurements calculator... Here you will find interactive calculators for many measurement systems both commonly used like metric and U.S. Avoirdupois and quite exotic like Ancient Greek and Roman.

Brain Fingerprinting... an improbable story about a revolutionary new technology called Brain Fingerprinting that has caught the interest of both the CIA and the FBI. It is the creation of Dr. Larry Farwell, a scientist from Iowa, who says that by analyzing the brain waves of a criminal suspect, he can tell whether or not that individual has committed a crime. Dr. Farwell believes Brain Fingerprinting could one day be as effective as DNA in helping police investigate crimes, and in helping free those who have been wrongly convicted.

Why Liberty Suffers in Wartime... Anyone worried about the fate of civil liberties during the U.S. government's growing war on terrorism might want to consider this Latin maxim: Inter arma silent leges. It means, "In time of war the laws are silent," and it encapsulates the supremacy of security over liberty that typically accompanies national emergencies...

Hit the buildings, Missed America . . . .

Posted By: Charles Brennan, Windrose 18, So. Florida

Date: 9/11/2001 9:07p.m.

An open letter to a terrorist:

Well, you hit the World Trade Center, but you missed America. You hit the Pentagon, but you missed America. You used helpless American bodies, to take out other American bodies, but like a poor marksman, you STILL missed America.

Why? Because of something you guys will never understand. America isn't about a building or two, not about financial centers, not about military centers, America isn't about a place, America isn't even about a bunch of bodies. America is about an IDEA. An idea, that you can go someplace where you can earn as much as you can figure out how to, live for the most part, like you envisioned living, and pursue Happiness. (No guarantees that you'll reach it, but you can sure try!)

Go ahead and whine your terrorist whine, and chant your terrorist litany: "If you can not see my point, then feel my pain." This concept is alien to Americans. We live in a country where we don't have to see your point. But you're free to have one. We don't have to listen to your speech. But you're free to say one. Don't know where you got the strange idea that everyone has to agree with you. We don't agree with each other in this country, almost as a matter of pride.

We're a collection of guys that don't agree, called States. We united our individual states to protect ourselves from tyranny in the world. Another idea, we made up on the spot. You CAN make it up as you go, when it's your country. If you're free enough.

Yeah, we're fat, sloppy, easy-going goofs most of the time. That's an unfortunate image to project to the world, but it comes of feeling free and easy about the world you live in. It's unfortunate too, because people start to forget that when you attack Americans, they tend to fight like a cornered badger. The first we knew of the War of 1812, was when England burned Washington D.C. to the ground. Didn't turn out like England thought it was going to, and it's not going to turn out like you think, either. Sorry, but you're not the first bully on our shores, just the most recent.

No Marquis of Queensbury rules for Americans, either. We were the FIRST and so far, only country in the world to use nuclear weapons in anger. Horrific idea, nowadays? News for you bucko, it was back then too, but we used it anyway. Only had two of them in the whole world and we used 'em both.

Grandpa Jones worked on the Manhattan Project. Told me once, that right up until they threw the switch, the physicists were still arguing over whether the Uranium alone would fission, or whether it would start a fissioning chain reaction that would eat everything. But they threw the switch anyway, because we had a War to win. Does that tell you something about American Resolve?

So who just declared War on us? It would be nice to point to some real estate, like the good old days. Unfortunately, we're probably at war with random camps, in far-flung places. Who think they're safe. Just like the Barbary Pirates did, IIRC. Better start sleeping with one eye open. There's a spirit that tends to take over people who come to this country, looking for opportunity, looking for liberty, looking for freedom. Even if they misuse it.

The Marielistas that Castro emptied out of his prisons, were overjoyed to find out how much freedom there was. First thing they did when they hit our shores, was run out and buy guns. The ones that didn't end up dead, ended up in prisons. It was a big PITA then (especially in south Florida), but you're only the newest PITA, not the first.

You guys seem to be incapable of understanding that we don't live in America, America lives in US! American Spirit is what it's called. And killing a few thousand of us, or a few million of us, won't change it. Most of the time, it's a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of Spirit. Until we're crossed in a cowardly manner, then it becomes an entirely different kind of Spirit.

Wait until you see what we do with that Spirit, this time. Sleep tight, if you can. We're coming.

Charles Brennan

Note: Abreviations used by Charles

** IIRC - If I Recall Correctly

** PITA - Pain In The Ass

Proof has just come to light that George W. is a Linux user: He just issued the following command: chmod a+x /bin/laden If you are not a propeller-head & you don't understand this, see the note below.*

Translation: "grant all users permission to execute /bin/laden" Old style Unix version would be "chmod 111 /bin/laden" Interestingly the inverse would be "chmod 666 /bin/laden" which would prevent the execution.

The Web of Terror... John C. Dvorak -- The world will not forget the events of September 11th, and the World Wide Web-stocked as it is with many sites run by people who long ago declared a Jihad (holy war) against the United States-complicates the problem. Most of these sites, including one site hosted by NBCi via its free homepage service, offer graphic images such as the New York skyline in flames. The site on NBCi remained open until recently. Until they recently disappeared, Jihadroad.com and jihadpath.com mirrored it. If you got on the Web within a day of the attacks, it was easy to find numerous sites advocating a Jihad against America for various reasons. The American flag was always on fire at these sites.

Patrick Henry... "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

Somebody forgot to tell Congress - we haven't even found --much less buried-- all of the bodies from the WTC and Pentagon attacks, and yet Congress is talking about I.D. cards as a way to keep track of foreigners...Doesn't that make you feel ever so much safer?

Somebody thinks so... House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt acknowledged that Americans, in the past, rejected ideas such as a national identification card as a possible infringement on civil liberties. But he indicated that last week’s terror attacks had changed the nature of the debate. Congress, he said, would need to quickly debate measures such as a national ID card.

BBC News | SCI/TECH | Doctors claim world first in telesurgery... Doctors in the United States removed a gall bladder from a patient in eastern France by remotely operating a surgical robot arm. The procedure could make it possible for a surgeon to perform an operation on a patient anywhere in the world.

Reflections on a Mote of Dust... Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity -- in all this vastness -- there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. It is up to us.

Make bin Laden look over his shoulder... Dave Winer: "Heard on NPR yesterday, an account of how bin Laden's organization was infiltrated by an Egyptian secret service agent and prevented the destruction of the Holland Tunnel in NY a few years ago. One thing that came out in the report was this agent's motivation -- money. We paid him $1 million to work for us. The individuals in the terrorist organizations like money. So instead of spending $40 billion to do the linear thing, going to war, why not have a fund for terrorists who turn against their leaders? We have lots of cash. It's a good tool to return the terror. Spread this meme. Make bin Laden look over his shoulder. Make him wonder about everyone around him. $40 billion could go a long way. Isn't that an interesting idea? $1 million can buy lots of Nikes and Big Macs."

I think this sounds better than another Viet Nam where we start trying to bomb some third world victims even further toward the stone age and place our military in a situation they probably (based on historical experience) can't win. Bin Laden doesn't appear to be afraid of us. But what about his own ruthless and unscrupulus kind? RETURN THE TERROR.

A conversation with the most dangerous man in the world. ... This is an article on Osama bin Laden that was published in the February 1999 issue of Esquire. It has not been updated. They've posted it simply because it contains some unique background information on the lead suspect in the attack on America.

Radio Stations Of The Clear Channel Network Asked ToPull Some Songs... First Falwell and Robertson say the tragedy is God's wrath because because gays, abortionists and virtually anyone else they don't agree with is allowed to coexist. And now this: Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" and Neil Diamond's "America" deemed Inappropriate?

"...These include "Ticket to Ride" by the Beatles, "On Broadway" by the Drifters and "Bennie and the Jets" by Elton John. Even odder, some songs on the list are patriotic, like Neil Diamond's "America." Others speak of universal optimism, like Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World," and others are emotional but hopeful songs that could help people grieve, like "Imagine" by John Lennon, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel, "Peace Train" by Cat Stevens and "A World Without Love" by Peter and Gordon.,,"

Then again

"Powder and artillery are the most efficacious, sure and infallible conciliatory measures we can adopt." - John Adams

Mir Tamim Ansary on Afghanistan This piece should be considered by our leaders. Don't forget that the citizens of Afghanistan are also victims of the Taliban and bin Laden. Tamim Ansary, ... "I speak as one who hates the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. There is no doubt in my mind that these people were responsible for the atrocity in New York. I agree that something must be done about those monsters.

But the Taliban and Ben Laden are not Afghanistan. They're not even the government of Afghanistan. The Taliban are a cult of ignorant psychotics who took over Afghanistan in 1997. Bin Laden is a political criminal with a plan. When you think Taliban, think Nazis. When you think Bin Laden, think Hitler. And when you think "the people of Afghanistan" think "the Jews in the concentration camps."...(DaveNet)

Ryan's Photo Essay... An essay composed entirely of photos demonstrating the world wide anguish over the terrorist attacks. Photos of people offering support over what has happened from Canada to Palestine. From Germany to Israel.

A Response To The Terror... This sounds like the correct response to me. Now if the powers that be will only take this tack instead of using the terrorists as an excuse to take away OUR freedom and liberty.If you agree, then kindly forward the suggestion to your representatives in the U.S. government. Thank you Jerry for publishing the proposed letter to those who provide support to the terrorists.

From The President of the United States to the Council of Afghanistan,

You are known to be host to bin Laden. Within 24 hours you will deliver him and all those in his compound to the US Embassy in Khaboul. They will be bound and in chains. We expect at least 24 persons.

Dealing with the Palestinian authorities ought to be similar regarding accessories before and after the fact.

...Jerry Pournelle

Bell Labs scientists find potential improvements to optical lenses... Researchers at Bell Labs may have discovered a new way to design lenses for optical networks and thereby boost traffic speeds. The skeleton of the brittlestar, an invertebrate starfish, contains calcite crystals that both provide structural support and act as optical receptors for the starfish.

Sony unleashes robotic puppies... This is the latest evolution of Sony's original Aibo robo-dog, which created a sensation and sold out in 20 minutes in Tokyo when it first went on sale for $2,500 in 1999. "The idea is to expand the appeal to a broader demographic," said Stuart Wallock, director of marketing and business planning at Sony's Entertainment Robot America unit. (MSN Tech & Gadgets)

As Big PC Brother Watches, Users Encounter Frustration Although the use of cookies is generally benign, the fact that they can be used for detailed tracking of Web users and their activities has upset many consumers. But when it comes to protecting privacy online, most consumers still do not even know where to start. (NY Times)

Consumer Privacy—A Free Choice Approach... Privacy is one of the most contentious issues that the 107th Congress and state legislatures are considering. The pressure is mounting for legislators to act, but hasty reactions to polls and privacy doomsayers could lead policymakers down the wrong path. Since privacy demands fluctuate widely among individuals and different situations, it is essential that privacy remains a matter of individual choice. (Pacific Research Institute)

Study: Who Needs Privacy Laws?... The PRI study lauds privacy-protecting technologies -- call it the "self help" approach -- such as Anonymizer.com, SafeWeb, Pretty Good Privacy and Zero Knowledge's Freedom software, saying those are better at protecting privacy than laws and don't suffer from the same negative side effects. (Wired)

Scripting News:Is Education The Next Revolution- - - "... the role of computers in education is simple. Make the tools available to students, teachers, administrators and families. Teach them how to use the tools (there's something educators should be able to do!) and kick back and just let them use them. See what skills each of the tools develops and provide that information to the people who create the software." (Dave Winer)

Distance Learning Yet to Hit Home... The University of Phoenix Online, the nation's largest private university serving working professionals, tops the list of survivors. Other thriving ventures include DeVry and Renaissance Learning, which both address real needs among the vocational and K-12 markets. (Wired)

A Tale of Two Classrooms... Scoble : Yeah, I gotta admit, "real" classrooms do teach, but I've found that my best learning was done either outside of the classroom, or in an innovative way inside the classroom (For instance, I'll never forget the day -- or the lessons from -- a couple of Holocaust victims visited my classroom in high school).

SatireWire | THE TOUGHEST DECISION: Assisted Computing Facilities... It is often the most difficult and painful decision you will face: to accept that a co-worker or a loved one — a parent, a spouse, perhaps a sibling — is technologically impaired and should no longer be allowed to live independently, or come near a computer or electronic device without direct supervision. The time has come to place that loved one into the care of an Assisted Computing Facility. But you have questions. So many questions. We at Silicon Pines want to help. ROTFLOL

The Color Wheel... The Color Wheel shows how colors are related. Red, yellow and blue are primary colors. Orange, green and purple are secondary colors made by combining two primary colors. All colors are made from some combination of white, black and primary colors. Other terms explained and demonstrated: related colors; complementary colors; neutral colors.

Big Brother Logs On... Police departments, government agencies, banks, merchants, amusement parks, sports arenas, nanny-watching homeowners, swimming-pool operators, and employers are deploying cameras, pattern recognition algorithms, databases of information, and biometric tools that when taken as a whole can be combined into automated surveillance networks able to track just about anyone, just about anywhere.