Monday, August 20, 2007
0 commentsFriday, August 17, 2007
0 commentsComcast takes a stand against BitTorrents
Over the past weeks more and more Comcast users started to notice that their BitTorrent transfers were cut off. Most users report a significant decrease in download speeds, and even worse, they are unable to seed their downloads. A nightmare for people who want to keep up a positive ratio at private trackers and for the speed of BitTorrent transfers in general.
ISPs have been throttling BitTorrent traffic for almost two years now. Most ISPs simply limit the available bandwidth for BitTorrent traffic, but Comcast takes it one step further, and prevents their customers from seeding. And Comcast is not alone in this, Canadian ISPs Cogeco and Rogers use similar methods on a smaller scale.
Unfortunately, these more aggressive throttling methods can’t be circumvented by simply enabling encryption in your BitTorrent client. It is reported that Comcast is using an application from Sandvine to throttle BitTorrent traffic. Sandvine breaks every (seed) connection with new peers after a few seconds if it’s not a Comcast user. This makes it virtually impossible to seed a file, especially in small swarms without any Comcast users. Some users report that they can still connect to a few peers, but most of the Comcast customers see a significant drop in their upload speed.
ISPs have been throttling BitTorrent traffic for almost two years now. Most ISPs simply limit the available bandwidth for BitTorrent traffic, but Comcast takes it one step further, and prevents their customers from seeding. And Comcast is not alone in this, Canadian ISPs Cogeco and Rogers use similar methods on a smaller scale.
Unfortunately, these more aggressive throttling methods can’t be circumvented by simply enabling encryption in your BitTorrent client. It is reported that Comcast is using an application from Sandvine to throttle BitTorrent traffic. Sandvine breaks every (seed) connection with new peers after a few seconds if it’s not a Comcast user. This makes it virtually impossible to seed a file, especially in small swarms without any Comcast users. Some users report that they can still connect to a few peers, but most of the Comcast customers see a significant drop in their upload speed.
Monday, August 13, 2007
0 commentsHappy Left-Handers Day
Welcome to the official site for the Left-Handers Club, and the 16th annual celebration of left-handers superiority!! All year round, we fit in with home and office layouts designed for right-handers’ comfort – put up with doors, cookers, sinks, computer mice, keyboards and desks that are efficient for right-handers to work at, and hundreds of times every day we contort ourselves using back-to-front tools and gadgets that make us look clumsy and awkward in our efforts to make them to work…
But NOT TODAY! Because on this special day, it is your chance to GET YOUR OWN BACK on your right-handed friends colleagues and family, by designating your personal space as a LEFTY ZONE where everything must be done left-handed! Download our unique Lefty Zone posters for prominent display, plus any others from our selection of FREE LEFT-HANDERS DAY POSTERS, re-arrange the room for your convenience, and settle down to enjoy this site, totally dedicated to YOU
But NOT TODAY! Because on this special day, it is your chance to GET YOUR OWN BACK on your right-handed friends colleagues and family, by designating your personal space as a LEFTY ZONE where everything must be done left-handed! Download our unique Lefty Zone posters for prominent display, plus any others from our selection of FREE LEFT-HANDERS DAY POSTERS, re-arrange the room for your convenience, and settle down to enjoy this site, totally dedicated to YOU
Johnson & Johnson sues Red Cross for its red cross
Johnson & Johnson, the health-products giant that uses a red cross as its trademark, sued the American Red Cross on Wednesday, demanding that the charity halt the use of the red cross symbol on products it sells to the public.
Johnson & Johnson said it has had exclusive rights to use the trademark on certain commercial products - including bandages and first-aid cream - for more than 100 years.
It contends that the Red Cross is supposed to use the symbol only in connection with nonprofit relief services.
Johnson & Johnson said it has had exclusive rights to use the trademark on certain commercial products - including bandages and first-aid cream - for more than 100 years.
It contends that the Red Cross is supposed to use the symbol only in connection with nonprofit relief services.
Man sues McDonald's and proves his own stupidity
A Morgantown man, his mother and his friend are suing McDonald's for $10 million.
The man says he bit into a hamburger and had a severe allergic reaction to the cheese melted on it.
Jeromy Jackson, who is in his early 20s, says he clearly ordered two Quarter Pounders without cheese at the McDonald's restaurant in Star City before heading to Clarksburg.
The man says he bit into a hamburger and had a severe allergic reaction to the cheese melted on it.
Jeromy Jackson, who is in his early 20s, says he clearly ordered two Quarter Pounders without cheese at the McDonald's restaurant in Star City before heading to Clarksburg.
Being smart is stupid
If you're so smart, why aren't you rich? Although money and mental muscles may seem a natural match, brains, alas, may be more hindrance than help when it comes to getting rich, concludes a new study in the journal Intelligence.
"It is still not well understood why some people are rich and others are poor," writes study author Jay Zagorsky of Ohio State University. "Luck, timing, parents, choice of spouse and many other factors play important roles in shaping an individual's circumstances," he acknowledges in his study, which looks for a link between intelligence scores, wages and wealth.
Past analyses have mostly just looked at income, with studies of World War II veterans finding a link between smarts and a better salary. The controversial 1994 book, The Bell Curve, by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray, went further, arguing that few high-IQ types end up in poverty. Within a few years, that conclusion was later found lacking by Cornell University economist John Cawley and others.
"It is still not well understood why some people are rich and others are poor," writes study author Jay Zagorsky of Ohio State University. "Luck, timing, parents, choice of spouse and many other factors play important roles in shaping an individual's circumstances," he acknowledges in his study, which looks for a link between intelligence scores, wages and wealth.
Past analyses have mostly just looked at income, with studies of World War II veterans finding a link between smarts and a better salary. The controversial 1994 book, The Bell Curve, by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray, went further, arguing that few high-IQ types end up in poverty. Within a few years, that conclusion was later found lacking by Cornell University economist John Cawley and others.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
0 commentsSimpsons did it!
A 59-year-old German woman has had most of a pencil removed from inside her head after suffering nearly her whole life with the headaches and nosebleeds it caused, Bild newspaper reported on Monday.
Margret Wegner fell over carrying the pencil in her hand when she was four.
"The pencil went right through my skin -- and disappeared into my head," Wegner told the newspaper.
Margret Wegner fell over carrying the pencil in her hand when she was four.
"The pencil went right through my skin -- and disappeared into my head," Wegner told the newspaper.
Friday, August 03, 2007
0 commentsWii Fit
The active-play phenomenon started by Wii Sports now spreads to your whole body thanks to the pressure-sensitive Wii Balance Board (name not final), which comes packed with Wii Fit. The board is used for an extensive array of fun and dynamic activities, including aerobics, yoga, muscle stretches and games. Many of these activities focus towards providing a "core" workout, a popular exercise method that emphasizes slower, controlled motions. Family members will have fun staying active and talking about and comparing their results and progress on a new channel on the Wii Menu.
NJ teens find solution to no-alcohol Tuesdays
Teenagers-only no-alcohol Tuesdays at Jenkinson's in Point Pleasant are at risk because dozens of young people have been drinking prior to heading to the nightclub, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press.
Jenkinson's owners plan to meet today to determine how to address the problem, spokeswoman Marilou Halvorsen said Wednesday. Options include changing the night or eliminating the program, she said.
The nightclub staff and borough officials are reviewing security measures and have brought police into the discussions.
Jenkinson's owners plan to meet today to determine how to address the problem, spokeswoman Marilou Halvorsen said Wednesday. Options include changing the night or eliminating the program, she said.
The nightclub staff and borough officials are reviewing security measures and have brought police into the discussions.
"...because a cat deserves a My Space too"
Meow! Join our community of coool cats. Purebred, rescued, fat or small - all are welcomed. Upload photos, write your very own kitty blog, leave comments, search for cat pals and much much more.
Dog? MyDogSpace.com
Facebook brings the world together one mother and lost son at a time
When Lori Haas joined Facebook, she didn't know much about the popular social networking site except that most of her friends were on it. Little did she know how life-changing the online tool would be.
After spending a year searching for the son she gave up for adoption 20 years ago in phone books, adoption registries and on the Internet to no avail, a friend suggested searching for him on Facebook.
"When my friend told me about the search tool and I typed in my son's name, Travis Sheppard, I couldn't believe it when I saw a photo of him," she said.
