Some of the news that is fit to print

Can you hear me now???

Turns out "they" know where the dark spots are!

Cell phone companies should level with public [SJMN, 12.21.2003]
By Mike Langberg
Mercury News
We've all seen those Verizon Wireless television commercials with the nerdy guy asking ``Can you hear me now?,'' taking a step, asking again, over and over.
But here's a question the company never answers: Who's on the other end of those calls?
The answer, it turns out, leads to one of the mobile phone industry's darkest and dirtiest secrets: All the major carriers have highly detailed maps showing exactly where their phones will and won't work. Maps they absolutely refuse to share with you and me.

Nets on Saddam

TV Networks Move Quickly on Saddam News [AP, 12.15.03]
Many Americans awoke Sunday to stunning television pictures from Iraq of a bedraggled, bearded Saddam Hussein in U.S. custody and an exultant U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer proclaiming: "We got him."

Flu shots

You may have your flu shot, but you gotta still be careful...

Flu Shot Unable to Combat Virus Strain [AP, 12.15.03]
Late last winter, a committee of vaccine experts designing this season's flu shot considered their choices. They had two, and both seemed bad.

iPod...

Aside from the quixotic notion that piracy threatens the music business...

Downloaders dance to Apple's iTunes [USAToday, 12.15.03]
While piracy continues to threaten the music business, Apple Computer's iTunes Music Store is the digital hit of the year with 20 million 99-cent-a-song downloads since April.

'The Hobbit' by TLOTR director...

'Rings' Director Wants to Bring 'Hobbit' to Screen [Reuters]
New Zealand film director Peter Jackson, tipped to win an Oscar for his "The Lord of the Rings" epic, said Monday he would like to make "The Hobbit" prequel to the trilogy and work with some of the same actors again.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

So what do you think of the holiday colors? Just trying to stay in the colors of the season, you know...

Anyway, I have a good friend who gets quite upset when I say something -- in an instant message, even -- like, "I'm doing xmas shopping." Mind you -- this is somebody who regularly listens to Howard Stern! Curious! This is supposed to be insulting to... I'm not sure what, frankly. There is just very little that gets me upset like this.

Meanwhile, this whole phone number portability thing is a total rouse! Last Saturday, I decided that I would switch phone carries front Sprint PCS, which I was generally satisified with, to AT&T Wireless. I'm switching mostly because my new Prius, which is on-order, is outfitted with Bluetooth so my phone will completely sinc with my phone. It is too cool of a feature to not use, you know! But it has been 10 days now and, while I can call out, nobody can call me. It still clicks over to my Sprint voicemail... and now I've been on hold waiting for the AT&T number portability team for... let me check... 2 hours, 28 minutes. Um -- ARGH!

Save the whales...

Whales Reveal Man's Damaging Impact on Oceans [Reuters]
Sailing the world's remotest seas in search of the awesome sperm whale, the steel-hulled Odyssey has been dredging up some dark secrets about mankind's damaging impact on the oceans.

Harassing the gay...

Harassment affects gay kids' schoolwork [USAToday, 12.08.03]
The level of harassment faced by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students appears to play a role in their academic performance and aspirations for college, a survey released today suggests.

Rainbow money...

Cities come out about wooing gays -- and their dollars Tourist bureaus, some in unexpected places, are openly advertising for gay and lesbian visitors [USAToday]
FORT LAUDERDALE -- When civic leaders rolled out the rainbow carpet here almost a decade ago, Fort Lauderdale was nearly alone among destinations in trying to woo gay and lesbian travelers.

Address booked?

Interesting story from ZDNet this morning about these services that help you maintain your address book. He recommends on that I had not seen before, GoodContacts... I have used Plaxco...

Why my address book is spamming you [ZDNet]
Several services out there promise to keep my address book up-to-date by periodically e-mailing my contacts to verify their details. Which services work and which don't? Here's what I've found.