Did you know . . . ? (1)

• ...that the tallest mountain in the Pyrenees is Aneto?
• ...that Orson Squire Fowler, who popularized the octagon house, was also a phrenologist?
• ...that the dismissive line about Canada being "a few acres of snow," commonly attributed to Voltaire is, in fact, a misquotation?
• ...that Tetricus I was the last of the Gallic emperors?
• ...that Wite-Out correction fluid was invented in 1966?
• ...that the infamous man-eating lions of Tsavo attacked workers who were building the Uganda Railway, which connects Uganda and Kenya?
• ...that Oriental metal is a kind of death metal music that originated in Israel which has traditional Jewish and "Oriental" influences?
• ...that Chicago mayor Jane Byrne moved into the notoriously miserable Cabrini-Green housing project in 1981?
• ...that George H.W. Bush flew a TBF Avenger while he was in the U.S. Navy?
• ...that Henry Wade never lost a case until Roe v. Wade?
• ...that most "tin cans" are actually made of steel?
• ...that the Fairey Barracuda was a British carrier-borne torpedo bomber used during World War II?
• ...that the author Pai Hsien-yung's father was Kuomintang general Pai Chung-hsi?
• ...that left-handed specialists in baseball frequently enjoy long careers because their pitching arms suffer less stress?
• ...that American Zoetrope was originally housed in a warehouse in San Francisco in 1969?
• ...that the 555th Parachute Infantry Company was the first African-American airborne forces unit in the United States Army?
• ...that the first elected president of Singapore was Ong Teng Cheong?
• ...that the gestation period of the ring-tailed lemur is approximately 146 days?
• ...that NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson has logged 497 hours in space?
• ...that the original "dreamer of dreams" was English poet Arthur O'Shaughnessy?

Hackers & Crakers

A hacker was originally an expert or enthusiast of any kind (eg horse riding, astronomy). It was first used in conjunction with computer programming in the 1960s, when certain computer programmers used the term to describe themselves. Hackers are people who enjoy exploring the details of programmable systems. The term hackers has, over the last few years, been increasingly misunderstood and misused. In the media you can often find articles telling of hackers breaking into computer systems and websites stealing and destroying information. In reality however, people who call themselves hackers are the best IT specialists with extensive programming and networking knowledge. Hackers are often very intelligent. A hacker will take delight in hacking into a computer system, and will get joy from finding bugs and holes in the operating system allowing him access.

The word hacker is now widely used and recognized over the world as a computer user breaching a system's security and stealing valuable information. This happens much to the annoyance of true hackers who feel they are not respected. However this term is now so widely used that it has changed its meaning and is used instead of cracker (see below). Hackers are often ex-crackers who have decided to use their skills to help other people and make a living. They are often hired by governments and other large corporations to find holes in, and hence protect, their computer networks. For this reason crackers have no respect for hackers and vice versa. Hackers consider themselves as an elite, and there is a sense of ego satisfaction in being and being known as a hacker.

Crackers
These individuals are generally responsible for breaking into networks, cracking passwords in websites and programs, and generally causing havoc throughout the Internet. They are mostly malicious teens who get a kick from destroying or altering data on a system. Crackers will look for a weakness in a computer system and then exploit that weakness. Some of them are advanced computer users, but often they have no idea of what they are doing and have very little, or no programming skills.

Cypherpunks
There is another breed of computer users, called 'cypherpunks'. This term originates from a movement or fashion trend called 'cyberpunk' which is closely associated with goth and rave subcultures. The movement began in the 1970s, when a lot of computer users felt that their means of communication was at a great risk of being 'processed' by government agencies. It was only rumours at the time, but today, there are reports that governments scan email and phone conversations. These cypherpunks believed that the only solution was for everyone to have free access to encryption methods. At that time the government began to treat computer encryption as a weapon and restricted its use, putting the cypherpunks at great risks.

Hacker Ethics
Hackers believe that information sharing is a positive thing. Most hackers are actively willing to share their ideas and expertise; they will often write open-source code allowing others to see what they have done. They believe that it is alright to hack into a system as long the hacker does not steal or destroy data while exploring the system, and will not alter any data except what is needed to cover their tracks. They also have a natural mistrust for authority, because, often enough, their hobby leads them to sometimes break the law. Above all, hackers believe that computers can change your life for the better. These points are widely accepted.

The Stereotypical Hacker
Dress
Hackers dress casually, typically in T-shirt, jeans and running shoes. They often have an intellectual or humorous 'slogan' T-shirt with a slogan along the lines of: 'I'm number one, so why try harder!' They will often have long hair and a beard. After about 1995, the dress style gained influence from punk, gothic and rave subcultures and led to a tendency to wear a lot of black. Hackers dress for comfort, function and low maintenance rather than for appearance.
Personality.

The most obvious characteristics of a hacker is that they have a high intelligence and are very curious. They are generally not intellectually narrow and they show an interest in a lot of subjects. One important point is that hackers are control freaks and love to make their computers do little things for them. Hackers should always be judged and rated by their hacking, not other factors like degrees, age, race or position.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/navigation/mailto.pl?GO=1&REF=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A593390

How you can help the environment in your daily life

Even the simplest everyday activities can make a real difference to the environment. So follow these simple tips and take action for our living planet.



In your home

• Turn off equipment like televisions and stereos when you're not using them. That little red standby light means they're still using power - and that means a contribution to global warming.

• Save water:
  - turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
  - collect the water used to wash vegetables and salad to water your houseplants.
• Call your local government to see if they have a disposal location for used car batteries and other hazardous household wastes.
• Recycle your paper, glass, plastics and other waste. Call your local government to find out if they offer a collection service.
• Use rechargeable batteries.
• Send e-greetings instead of paper cards.
• Help reduce the world's rubbish dumps - don't use "throw-away" products like paper plates and napkins, and plastic knives, forks, and cups.

Out shopping

• Take your own bags to the shops to carry home your groceries and shopping.
• Look for products that have less packaging.
• Buy organically grown fruits, vegetables, cotton clothing, and hemp-fibre products.
• Don't buy bottled water if you know your tap water is safe - transporting water from its source to the supermarket shelves is an expensive waste of energy. And the plastic and glass bottles add to the already-high mountains of rubbish that we produce. Find out from your municipality about your tap water. If you do buy bottled water, buy from a local source (read the labels) and buy water that comes in recyclable glass or plastic.
• Choose biodegradable cleaning products so that the chemicals have fewer negative impacts on the soil and water system.
• Buy the most energy-efficient household appliances you can afford.
• Use recycled paper.

In the garden

• Collect rainwater to water your flowers.
• Let part of your garden grow freely and see what wild flowers appear.
• Plant local species of trees.
• Never take plants or pick flowers from anywhere in the wild.
• Buy bulbs from cultivated stocks only (ask the shop or gardening centre for advice).
• Stop using chemical pesticides - try to use natural products instead.
• Try to attract birds to your garden as they eat aphids and other gardeners’ pests.
• Use traps, parasites, and natural predators such as ladybirds.
• Use plants that repel insects. Some herbs and flowers - including basil, chives, mint, marigolds, and chrysanthemums - mixed in with other plants, help keep pests away.
• Use disease-resistant and pest-resistant plants.
• Use Neem oil and mix it up with some garlic oil (which you can make it home) to spray on tree trunks and diseased plants and shrubs. This works like a charm on pests, bacteria and fungus.
• Remove the weeds by spraying them with something to adjust the pH (acidity) in the ground around them. Perhaps use some vinegar directly on the most stubborn ones.
• Use organic compost and mulch to improve soil health and reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers.
• Don't use peat in your flower beds and vegetable gardens (peat is taken from ancient bog land, destroying some of our most precious wildlife areas). Instead, make your own compost with grass clippings and vegetable scraps from the house.
• Choose drought tolerant plants like Nepeta Six Hills Giant (Catmint). It looks like huge lavender flowers but uses very little water.
• Pick only drought or Xeriscape friendly grass seeds that don't require as much as water to maintain.
• Don't use electrical equipment like leaf-blowers as they consume so much energy for so little gain. Use a rake instead - it's better for your health too!
• Never pour antifreeze, oil or other chemicals on the ground, into storm sewers or down the drain. Take these toxic substances to your local waste disposal facility.
• Don't buy garden furniture or decking made of tropical hard wood - mahogany for example - unless it's got a Forest Stewardship Council label (the "tick" tree).
• Take time out to sit out in your backyard with friends and family, and appreciate the beauty of nature!