Brokekid.net

(via slashdot.org)

UltimaGuy wrote to mention an eWeek article that seemed topical, given the recent discussions about the OpenDocument format. They’re running a piece discussing StarOffice 8′s killer position as an alternative to Office. From the article: “However, whether StarOffice 8 can succeed as a wholesale or partial replacement for Microsoft Office will depend on the organization thinking about making the switch. Several improvements in StarOffice 8 are aimed directly at improving compatibility with Microsoft Office-formatted documents, but converting complex documents between the two suites’ formats will in some cases require tweaking to preserve document appearance. In addition, while StarOffice 8 can be extended through macros and scripting, much like Microsoft Office can, these extensions won’t migrate to Microsoft Office without being rewritten. However, StarOffice ships with a Macro Migration wizard that will aid in the migration of Microsoft Visual Basic macros to the StarOffice Basic macro language. There’s also a Document Analysis wizard that helps determine where trouble spots might lie in the transition to a StarOffice format.”

(via 37signals.com)

Rollyo.com (Roll Your Own) is a perfect example of a web-based service that builds on the power and stability of established services, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel or tackle a market leader head-on.

It’s basically an interface to Yahoo’s own search engine, allowing you to narrow the search to a specific list of websites you know and trust. Instead of searching the web for “Ajax”, I rolled my own Ruby On Rails searchroll (as have many others) which limits Yahoo’s results to a few resources I’m interested in – wiki.rubyonrails.com, api.rubyonrails.com, manuals.rubyonrails.com, loudthinking.com, etc. I can reuse this searchroll anytime I like, tag it and share it with others.

The interesting thing here is that they haven’t built a search engine – they’ve just built a better interface to one, focusing on a clear purpose, slick design and sense of community.

They’re still in beta, there’s a few kinks to iron out, and a few things “coming soon” (like the Dashboard Widget), but I’m already impressed.

(via thinkprogress.org)

President Bush, 9/28/05:

At this moment, more than a dozen Iraqi battalions have completed training and are conducting anti-terrorist operations in Ramadi and Fallujah. More than 20 battalions are operating in Baghdad. And some have taken the lead in operations in major sectors of the city. In total, more than 100 battalions are operating throughout Iraq. Our commanders report that the Iraqi forces are operating with increasing effectiveness.

Associated Press, 9/29/05:

The number of Iraqi battalions capable of combat without U.S. support has dropped from three to one, the top American commander in Iraq told Congress Thursday.

(via lifehacker.com)

Did you know that the value of your donated items can be deducted from your taxes? Sound Money Tips has a quick tip that will help you determine the fair market value of your donated items, and possibly save you a bit of money.

According to the IRS, you can deduct the “fair market value” of items donated. Fair market value is defined as the price a buyer would be willing to pay for the items. The IRS suggests you look at prices at thrift stores, in classified ads, and on auction sites to determine appropriate dollar values.

Tip for valuing charitable donations [Sound Money Tips]

(via engadget.com)

So the word is in on what it will take for the iPod subway maps site to continue distributing its wares: $500 will net a one-year license from the MTA to reformat and distribute New York subway maps for free (the license does not allow the maps to be sold, to raise money for the
license or otherwise). Clearly there are arguments on both sides, here – since the MTA is already providing the maps as free PDF downloads from their own site, in one sense it seems silly to crack down on an effort to make the maps more
useful to folks on portable devices (which, logically, are more likely to be carried and accessible whilst actually on the trains). In another sense, one could argue that iPodsubwaymaps.com shouldn’t be allowed to generate ad revenue obtained from distributing the maps. Still, it’s hard to say whether or not it feels reasonable to shell out $500 to
disseminate an otherwise freely available piece of information in a different format that people clearly find useful – and there’s another sense in which it feels like iPodsubwaymaps.com has done a favor for the MTA by saving them some
work and the cost of hosting the maps. These are exactly the kinds of cases in which traditional copyright law feels unsatisfying in the age of digital mashups, and we can only see the demand for these kinds of “information conversions” increasing.

(via americablog.blogspot.com)

Man, bad timing for the Bush administration. Lynndie England convicted, the snuff-for-porn photos come out this same week, and now this. Photos photos photos.

But hey, once the really bad Abu Ghraib photos come out maybe the Pentagon can argue that it’s not really clear that those are in fact US soldiers or real Iraqis they’re torturing.

Saying the United States “does not surrender to blackmail,” a judge ruled Thursday that pictures of detainee abuse at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison must be released over government claims that they could damage America’s image.

U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein ordered the release of certain pictures in a 50-page decision that said terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan have proven they “do not need pretexts for their barbarism.”

(via americablog.blogspot.com)

Every sane and thinking person in the world is worried that our desecration of the environment exacerbated the hurricanes through global warming and loss of wetlands. However, no one ever accused the House GOP of being sane or thoughtful:

House Republicans on Wednesday will launch a rapid-fire assault against environmental protections on the pretext of helping the U.S. oil and gas industry recover from hurricane damage, environmental groups charge.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Resources Committee are holding separate meetings to finalize legislation on Wednesday, with the aim of combining them into a single energy bill for the full House to debate next week.

The resources panel, led by Richard Pombo of California, wants to lift a ban on Florida offshore drilling, promote oil shale and sell a dozen national parks for energy development.

(via treehugger.com)

Some readers were underwhelmed by the 2.5 GPM showerhead we featured recently. There are, indeed, other showerheads with greater water efficiency out there — one example is this 1 GPM showerhead from Bricor. Bricor also offers a range of showerheads that use a “vacuum technology” similar to Oxygenics, but they are reportedly much quieter. They range in price from $37 to $45. :: Bricor