No .xxx domains for now

(via Freedom-to-Tinker)
Well, for now, ICANN has said no to .xxx domains.

ICANN had decided, some time back, to move toward a .xxx domain for adult content. The arrangements for .xxx seemed to be ready, but now ICANN has pulled the plug. The reason, apparently, is that the ICANN board was worried that ICM, the company that would have run .xxx, could not ensure that sites in the domain complied with all applicable laws. Note that this is a different standard than other domain managers would have to meet — nobody expects the managers of .com to ensure, proactively, that .com sites obey all of the national laws that might apply to them. And of course we all know why the standard was different: governments are touchy about porn.

Honestly, aside from making it easier for perverts like me to find good pr0n, I really don’t see the use of this domain. ICANN (nor any other organization) can force an adult site to use the domain, so it’s not like implementing this and then letting site providers, parents, ISP, and so on block it would stop adult sites. At best, it would block adult sites that try to play by the rules and make themselves easy to limit access to.

In the end, apparently ICANN decided the domain would not fit their purposes coordinating allocation of domains and numbers.

Read the full article – it’s lengthy, but full of good information about the organization and about decisions that go on behind domain creation and allocation.

[tags].xxx domains, ICANN[/tags]

X-Treme tape

(via CoolTools)
When duct tape and electrical tape are not enough for you, try X-Treme tape.

Electrical tape simply does not work in a marine environment. Even duct tape won’t stick to something wet. Try getting any tape to stick to a rope or line on a boat. Or try to get a waterproof seal on a hose leak. X-treme tape can do all these chores with flying colors because it is a non-adhesive, self-bonding wrap. It’s not really tape since it’s not sticky. This stuff is sort of magical. You stretch it on and it self-fuses tight under tension. It works in cold and wet, and won’t melt on hot surfaces, so you can use it on engines.

[tags]Cool tools, X-Treme tape[/tags]

More free books

I recently picked up an EBookwise-1150 ebook reader (now available for $124.95 with 64 Meg SmartMedia card).  I’ve purchased and downloaded a few books from the EBookwise web site, but I can’t afford to pick up as many books as I’d like there.  So when I found the manybooks.net web site to pick up scads of free books (legally free, I might add), I felt like I scored – or at scored such that I have a choice of as many as I want up to the 13,736 currently available there.  Of course, since I haven’t tried downloading any and transferring them to my ebook reader, I don’t know how much I’ve scored.  I’ll make an update when I’ve tried it out.
[tags]Free ebooks[/tags]

Some good news for fathers everywhere

According to Snopes, it is true that more collect calls are placed on Father’s day than any other day. So it might cost you, but you probably have a better chance of hearing from your kids…

According to Hallmark, “Father’s Day is the fourth-largest card-sending occasion with nearly 95 million Father’s Day cards expected to be given this year [2006] in the United States.”

Yet it is another statistic related to the day that is more impressive: While Mother’s Day is the biggest holiday for phone calls, Father’s Day is the busiest for collect calls. (The overall busiest day of the year for phone calls is the Monday after Thanksgiving.)

In 1998, Dave Johnson, a spokesman for AT&T’s corporate headquarters in New Jersey, said, “Father’s Day is our biggest day for collect calls, not just the biggest holiday, but the biggest day of the year.” These calls are inclined to be longer than the average, too. “The difference between Father’s Day and Mother’s Day and a typical Sunday is that calls on the holidays tend to be three to four minutes longer,” said Johnson. “A typical long distance call is eight minutes long. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day calls average elevenminutes.”

More information can be found in the full story.

[tags]Father’s day, Snopes, Urban legends[/tags]

MAKEzine blog link dump

Here’s a big collection of projects from MAKE that I’d love to have time to do.

NPod – portable Nintendo

npod_small2.jpgBen Heck is at it again – this time he’s built a custom portable NES. His work on making classic consoles into modern portables is amazing. I’ve posted links to his stuff before, and I’m sure I’ll post links to it again. If you like the stuff you see on his web site, pick up his book Hacking Videogame Consoles (also in digital format). He’s done some wonderful work with other systems. I just happen to be most amazed by the NES work.

[tags]NES, Ben Heck, Portable Nintendo, Portable NES[/tags]

Ask a ninja

ILFTKYS1.JPGThere’s not much to say about this. I just spent 15 minutes reading and watching videos at askaninja.com. I’m thinking about buying one of their “I look forward to killing you soon” shirts. I’m just geeky enough to pull that off, I think.

If you do go, watch the video for Question 20 “KillaCon” especially. I like the Ninja pickup lines at the end.

And be sure to follow the link to the store and buy some of their duds.

[tags]Ninjas, Ask a Ninja[/tags]