[ EvilTyrant – The Completely Evil Blog ]
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Of course Webroot sells a spyware detection product, but their claim that four out of every five (80 per cent) of consumer and corporate PCs are infected with spyware, and that consumer PCs have an average of 25.4 instances of spyware per scan is disturbing…
a href=”http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/23/webroot_spyware_report/”>
Microsoft’s Technology Care and Safety Group says the New Zealand Government’s Unsolicited Electronic Messages Bill could impinge on “the amazing vehicle of e-mail marketing“.
“According to story at law.com, ‘lawmakers in Washington are considering changes to the patent code that would bring U.S. law closer to intellectual property standards in the rest of the industrialized world.’ The stated result of Patent Reform Act of 2005, HR 2795 is supposed to make the system work ‘more efficiently’ and be ‘less prone to litigation.'”
Inspired by a sugar rush after consuming several of the ubiquitous Easter confections known as Peeps, Emory University scientists James Zimring and Gary Falcon decided to try to find out just what it was they were eating.
Get your juice info here.
I saw the new Burger King ads and thought hummm that seems like slipknot….
Apparently Slipknot thought the same and is none to happy about it.
Link
I scored 665 first try, how about you?
Everybody make sure you are up to date on your patches if you are running Windows 2000 or later. Of course the claims of most virus/worm articles are completely overblown, but better safe than sorry.
New worms hit
Apparently there is a bit of a row going on between CNET and Google. CNET published an article listing quite a bit of information on Google CEO Eric Schmidt. In retaliation Google has banned CNET interviews for a time. The twist is that all the information in the CNET article was pulled from Google’s own search engine.
This Article then goes on to outline many of the business practices that are sure signs of a monopoly.
SPRAY ON BACON!! That's right, now you can get that smokey bacon flavor without the fat and grease! Check it out – – Smoked Bacon Spray 
If you watched office space, and you work in corporate America (even if you didn’t get the memo): Get your own personal TPS report here.
Konfabulator is a great piece of software for Macintosh and Windows. It allows you to put little gadgets on your desktop that do all sorts of cool things. I highly recommend you give it a try.
This is a cute little link. Follow it to the lessons. The first thing you have to learn is to hold down the key you use to select the riff.
Click here for Mr.Fastfinger
“Linux hackers have demonstrated a way to inject or record audio signals from passing cars running insecure Bluetooth hands-free units. The Trifinite group showed how hackers could eavesdrop on passing motorists using a directional antenna and a Linux Laptop running a tool it has developed called Car Whisperer“.
Ok, this is just confusing. I really don’t think that such a ban is legal, but since a company can fire you for anything (short of race etc…) I guess it doesn’t matter much… the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) allows employers to ban off-duty fraternizing among co-workers
By Nichola Groom
LOS ANGELES, Aug 1 (Reuters) – The company behind the Atkins Diet, standard bearer for the now-defunct low-carbohydrate diet craze and thorn in the side of bakeries and pasta makers, has filed for bankruptcy as U.S. consumers have tired of the once-sizzling fad.
Atkins Nutritionals Inc., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sunday in New York bankruptcy court, said there was still a bright future for the company in weight loss. It plans to pare back its operations to focus on selling nutrition bars and shakes.
Based on research done by weight-loss guru Dr. Robert Atkins, the Atkins diet promotes eating proteins like meat and cheese while excluding carbohydrates such as bread and pasta.
Atkins and other low-carb regimens such as the South Beach and Zone diets were so popular from 2002 through 2004 that the trend was blamed for the demise of many eateries and the bankruptcies of several public pasta and baked goods manufacturers.
At the same time, however, the diet received widespread criticism from nutritionists who said it encouraged people to over-eat fatty foods like bacon.
In its heyday, Atkins listed Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
The low-carb craze peaked in early 2004, when over 9 percent of U.S. adults claimed to be on such a diet, according to market research firm NPD Group. That figure declined to 2.2 percent last month.
“The low-carb trend has sort of died on the vine,” said Bob Goldin, executive vice president at Chicago-based food industry consulting firm Technomic Inc.
Atkins has said demand for its products began to slump at the end of 2004 as rival food companies, including heavyweights like Kraft Foods Inc.
At the same time, Atkins faced increased scrutiny by critics. In particular, the death of company founder Robert Atkins after a fall in April 2003 led to much negative publicity when reports claimed he had been overweight and suffered from a heart condition.
Last fall, the New York-based company hired a turnaround specialist and cut jobs to boost efficiency. It also brought in new management — though former H.J. Heinz Co.
Mark Rodriguez, who became Atkins’ chief executive in June, said in a statement that the company has “adjusted our organization to accommodate a smaller business.” He was not available for further comment, a spokesman said.
For the 12-month period ended Dec. 31, 2004, Atkins said it had total assets of $301 million and liabilities of $325.1 million, according to court documents. For the same period, it recorded a loss of $340.9 million, including an asset impairment charge.
The company said it secured $25 million in debtor-in-possession financing arranged by UBS. Five other potential lenders refused to extend credit to the company, Atkins Nutritionals said in its filing.
Atkins said the “overwhelming majority” of its lenders had agreed to a prearranged plan to restructure its debt, and it would file a reorganization plan shortly for bankruptcy court consideration. Its lenders have agreed to receive equity in the company in exchange for reducing debt, the company said.
Just in time to stock up for those hard to shop for people on your Christmas List…
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