Blackmoor Vituperative

For reasons yet to be articulated by the authorities, the government has directed local Internet service providers to block access to a handful of Web sites that are hosts to blogs, including the popular blogspot.com, according to government officials and some of the providers.

(from Deseret News, India directs Internet providers to block access to blogs)

Sheesh, I better list some of the gotta-haves: The Andy Griffith Show’s gentle Andy Taylor, The Cosby Show’s bemused Cliff Huxtable, and currently, The OC’s Sandy Cohen and Veronica Mars’ Keith Mars — all warm, reasonable dads. But let me suggest an equally outstanding, if less-heralded TV father figure: Joel Hodgson (as Joel Robinson), host of that cult gem Mystery Science Theater 3000 — the premise of which had him shot into space and forced to watch (and heckle) very bad movies, along with several robots he created for company. With viewing companions Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot, foster-dad Hodgson was kind-hearted, teasing, supportive, stern when necessary, and always protective (oh, how caringly he held them during Manos: The Hands of Fate). Had Hodgson not been so believable, the series would have been little more than a funny guy talking to metal scraps — instead it was hilarious and oddly sweet.

(from Entertainment Weekly, Who is the best TV dad?)

Microsoft Office is a hacker’s playground: First Word, then Excel, now PowerPoint. For the third time in two months, a zero-day vulnerability in a widely used Microsoft Office software application is being used in targeted hacker attacks. Avoid the Microsoft Office security hole by switching to OpenOffice.

Microsoft Confirms PowerPoint Zero-Day Attack

How often have you browsed to a Web site, only to encounter a blank page in your browser? This happens to me all the time. Other times, the Web page is missing entire sections — typically navigational elements — and I can’t browse around at all. And sometimes, though not always, the Web page notifies me that I need to install or enable a plug-in or change my browser’s settings in order to view and navigate the Web page properly.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a typical user, but by no means am I the only person who experiences these problems either — particularly since users are much more aware of Web browsing security concerns than they used to be. Depending on my mood and the Web site in question, I may spend some time attempting to adjust my Web browser settings.

But more often, when I encounter an improperly displaying Web site — especially those that require JavaScript, ActiveX controls, Java, or Macromedia Flash in order to work at all — I question whether it’s worth my time. And if a Web site “locks” me in, due to JavaScript code redirects, pop-up windows, or some other method to keep me from going back, I won’t even bother trying to make it work.

(from Tech Republic, Why interactive Web site features often conflict with security best practices)

I agree completely.

If you are looking for a superhero role-playing game, look no further than Mutants & Masterminds, from Green Ronin Publishing.

Mutants & Masterminds has been called “the best, most exciting superhero RPG in years.” It sets “new standards in design and presentation.” It has won multiple ENnie and Pen & Paper Awards and it appeared on every critic’s “best of” list for 2002. Now the World’s Greatest Super-hero Roleplaying Game is even better! Mutants & Masterminds, Second Edition, takes the best of the original edition and supercharges it to make it the most complete, detailed, and fun super-hero game yet! In this 256-page hardcover with a stunning new cover by Ramon Perez, you’ll find a complete roleplaying game that’s a perfect starting point for your own comic book adventures. Mutants & Masterminds, Second Edition, has everything you need to create your own super-heroes and villains. It also offers more than a dozen ready-made super-hero archetypes and even more ready-to-use super-villain archetypes, plus two introductory adventures so you can start playing right away. Don’t let your super-powers fall behind! Mutants & Masterminds, Second Edition, will take your game (and your heroes) to the next level!

I only discovered this game a couple of months ago, and I am hooked. It’s amazing how many little things have been irking me about the Champions game system for decades, and which have been fixed in Mutants & Masterminds. Someone finally did a superhero RPG right.

One thing to take care with, if you decide to pick up some of the M&M books, is to be careful to get those which are compatible with the second edition. There were quite a few rule changes between the first and second editions, and the overall quality of the second edition source material is also higher.

OpenOffice.org 2.0.3: Open For Business

OpenOffice.org 2.0.3 is recommended for all. Enhancements include:

• performance improvements: for example, a 23 percent improvement in certain Calc benchmarks
• further improvements to file format compatibility with Microsoft Office files
• new email integration features for users wanting to send emails in Microsoft file formats
• more control over how exported PDF documents will display when opened in a PDF reader
• support for more languages and improvements in hyphenation and thesaurus
• support for Intel architecture for Mac OS X plus improved Mac OS X System integration
• built-in check for updated versions

We also recommend OpenOffice.org 2.0.3 because it includes important security fixes. These have not been exploited but all users of any prior version of OpenOffice.org are urged to download 2.0.3. A standalone patch will be available soon.

File under “yet another reason to switch to OpenOffice”.

New PowerPoint hole used in cyberattacks | Tech News on ZDNet

Sometimes the best communication is visual. This is true even when you are trying to communicate the structure of an XML document. Using the power of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), a programmer can create a graphic representation of any XML document. This download shows you how it works and provides several code examples to get you started on the right path.

(from TechRepublic, Create a graphic representation of any XML document using SVG)

European regulators hit Microsoft with a $357.3 million fine Wednesday, citing the software giant’s continued noncompliance with its landmark 2004 antitrust ruling.

The European Commission issued the 280.5 million euro fine for the period between Dec. 15 and June 20. That figure amounts to a daily fine of 1.5 million euros, which the Commission is prepared to increase to up to 3 million euros per day if the software giant does not come into full compliance beginning July 31.

“I don’t buy Microsoft’s line that they didn’t know what was being asked of them because the March 2004 order is absolutely crystal clear,” Neelie Kroes, who heads the Commission’s antitrust bureau as its competition commissioner, said Wednesday at a press conference in Brussels. “And in order to increase the incentive for Microsoft to comply, the Commission has decided the ceiling for potential fines will be raised.”

(from ZDNet, EU knocks Microsoft with $357 million fine)

On the one hand, the comment “the Commission has decided the ceiling for potential fines will be raised” gives me the willies. I have seen firsthand what kind of power “commissions” have. They are essentially laws unto themselves, even here in the USA, and can impose fines and penalties at will. On the other hand, if it had to happen to someone, it may as well be Microsoft. After all, they can afford a $1.5 million per day fine: they earn roughly $121 million per day.

I just found out that there is a sequel to The Longest Journey, one of my all-time favorite computer games: Dreamfall. I am almost afraid to get it. Sequels are so rarely satisfying. The official web site makes it look good, but of course, they all do.