Tidbits on September 12, 2005
Bob Jensen at Trinity University 

Fraud Updates --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/FraudUpdates.htm
For earlier editions of New Bookmarks go to http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookurl.htm 
Archives of Tidbits: Tidbits Directory --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/TidbitsDirectory.htm

Click here to search Bob Jensen's web site if you have key words to enter --- Search Site.
For example if you want to know what Jensen documents have the term "Enron" enter the phrase Jensen AND Enron. Another search engine that covers Trinity and other universities is at http://www.searchedu.com/.

Bob Jensen's home page is at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/

Security threats and hoaxes --- http://www.trinity.edu/its/virus/

25 Hottest Urban Legends (in other words hoaxes) --- http://www.snopes.com/info/top25uls.asp

List of misquotations --- http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/List_of_misquotations

Music
Do Your Own Damn Taxes Video (music from Frank Sinatra) --- http://www.doyourdamntaxes.com/

Canada Roots Music (I like the song that starts automatically if you wait a bit for loading) --- http://www.rootsmusiccanada.com/main.cfm#loaded

NPR Classical Music Listening --- http://www.npr.org/templates/topics/topic.php?topicId=1041

There are some Bernstein samples at http://www.leonardbernstein.com/sound.html

Train of Life (Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline) ---  
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/singingman7/TOL.htm

From The Washington Post on September 2, 2005

There are now dozens of ways and dozens of places to buy music, nearly all of which involve clicking a mouse, not lining up at a record store. What percentage of music buyers ages 12-21 have purchased music online so far this year?

A. 80
B. 60
C. 40
D. 20
 

Great photographs
wild northumbria by kevin temple Canon 20D --- http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=3285182&size=lg

Five day old baby hedgehogs --- http://hedgehogclub.com/gallery/photo3.html

Panoramic Photography by Stefan Tarzan --- http://www.tarzanpanorama.net/

Kleptography --- http://www.kleptography.com/angles-triple0289.htm

Sensitive Light --- http://sensitivelight.com/smoke2/

Collection of Unexpected Photography --- http://www.filemagazine.com/

From the Library of Congress
Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party ---  http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/

Compare fuel prices among the 50 states and Canada --- http://www.gasbuddy.com/
GasBuddy.com can help you find cheap gas prices in your city. It is comprised of 170 gas price information web sites that help consumers find low gasoline prices. All web sites are operated by GasBuddy. GasBuddy has the most comprehensive listings of gas prices anywhere by far.

Consumer Energy Center --- http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/

"They've got the whole world in their hands, the whole wide world in their hands."
Experts keep asserting that the root causes of the upsurge in gas and oil prices are caused by shortages of refining capacity and prosperity in China.  I think the root problems in supply are mainly due to our old cartel nemesis OPEC that jerks us around like puppets on a string with a strategy of pushing world economies to the brink of recession and then backing off. 
OPEC wants to increase output by just under two million barrels a day because its members are not interested in record high prices that could trigger a recession, Acting General Secretary Shihab-Eldin Adnan was quoted as saying in an interview published on Saturday.
"OPEC to raise output by 2 mln bpd-Spiegel," Reuters, September 10, 2005 --- http://snipurl.com/PuppetsOnStrings

Bush Should Join Outrage Over Botched Hurricane Relief?  Well maybe and maybe not!
President Bush ought to be visibly angry that storm victims in and around New Orleans continued to die in isolation days after the water stopped rising. The nation need not wait for Bush to have the vice president investigate or for Congress to hold hearings. Major accusations of mismanagement are consistent with news reports live from the scene. The closer everyday people are to the disaster, the angrier they seem.
"Bush Should Join Outrage Over Botched Hurricane Relief," Tampa Tribune, September 11, 2005 --- http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBW2DKWADE.html
 

Jensen Comment: 
But then Bush himself might have to explain why high level appointments in FEMA were political hacks rather than appointments based on competence and experience --- http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/09/12/qt
Also see http://snipurl.com/GoofsAllAround

As you might expect some media analysts are using the Katrina tragedy to vent their hate for Bush and his Iraq War policies.  Louisiana is not Iraq in spite of what Andy Rooney would like to convey to millions of people last night as he laid the blame for delayed recovery in New Orleans on President Bush.  Andy never mentioned that the first line of defense in these tragedies is in the hands of city mayors, police and fire departments, and state governors who are supposed to dispatch their state's National Guard (three fourths of the Louisiana Guard was ready to move in Louisiana at the time while Governor Blanco was unable to make a decision before getting promises of money from Washington).

A few minutes before Andy bashed Bush on CBS, the Police Chief of New Orleans was at least honest on NBC's 20-20 when he said he wished he could find a word worse than "cowardly" to describe 600 members of his police force.

New Orleans' Mayor Barf:  If not him who "else?"
Ray Nagin did not order his hundreds city-street and school busses to evacuate thousands of poor people who did not have cars while he was demanding that people with cars to evacuate New Orleans.

"Ray Nagin: Flooded School Buses Not My Fault," NewsMax, September 11, 2005 --- http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/9/11/04204.shtml

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said Friday that it wasn't his fault city school buses weren't mobilized to facilitate the Hurricane Katrina evacuation he ordered.

Appearing on NBC's "Dateline," Nagin was asked by host Stone Phillips: "What was mobilized? I mean were national guard troops in position? Were helicopters standing by? Were buses ready to take people away?"

"No. None of that," the Big Easy mayor replied. "Why is that?" an incredulous Phillips asked.

Nagin replied: "I don't know. That is question for somebody else."

What the American people have seen is this incredible disparity in which those people who had cars and money got out and those people who were impoverished died.
Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass --- http://www.rep-am.com/story.php?id=27171
Senator Kennedy makes no mention of the Nagin's failure to use his busses to help stranded victims evacuate.

FEMA rescue pilots unexpectedly found themselves in a war zone
Helicopters from the Federal Emergency Management Agency were conducting rescue operations in New Orleans less than a day after breaks in local levees began flooding the city. But the lightning-quick fly-out mission had to be abandoned that same night because local marauders were shooting at the FEMA choppers.  "We first got in on Tuesday night," a FEMA pilot, who identified himself only as "Randy," told Fox News Radio's Tony Snow this morning. The 17th Street levee had begun to give way late in the evening Monday. Well into Tuesday, city officials were celebrating reports that the brunt of Hurricane Kartrina had missed the Big Easy. By the time the scope of the impending tragedy became known, however, FEMA rescue operations were already well underway. "We were one of two helicopters with night vision goggles," Snow's caller explained. "They wanted to start evacuating Tulane Hospital, which is right next to Charity [Hospital]." Shortly thereafter, however, the mission ground to a halt. "We were being shot at by various snipers around the city," chopper pilot Randy said. "So the military, Eagles Nest 1, basically called all helicopters out about 10 o'clock that night."
"FEMA Pilot: Rescue Began Just Hours After Flood," NewsMax, September 6, 2005 --- http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/9/6/110013.shtml

Katrina victims that a fearful Governor Blanco avoided sheltering in Louisiana
As hurricane victims are being moved hundreds of miles from home, the president of the New Orleans City Council is demanding to know why Louisiana isn't housing more of them. Oliver Thomas says Louisiana has many government buildings and gymnasiums that could be made into shelters. But instead, he says people are being even more uprooted and sent to places like Texas and Georgia and Utah. Thomas believes exaggerated fears of violence have kept some Louisiana cities from offering more help. But the mayor of Baton Rouge says the problem is managing large crowds, that too many people in...
"Some leaders wonder why Louisiana isn't housing more, KLFY, September 4, 2005
http://www.klfy/Global/story.asp?S=3804405
 

Bravo America:  Where are the Katrina victims now? 
86% are outside the State of Louisiana.

"A Look at the Refugee Situation Around the Country," TBO, September 10, 2005 --- http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBFOQPDFDE.html

An estimated 377,700 Hurricane Katrina refugees are in shelters, hotels, homes and other housing in 33 states and Washington, D.C., according to the Red Cross and state officials:

TEXAS: An estimated 205,000 in shelters and homes

LOUISIANA: About 54,000 in 240 shelters, 659 in special needs shelters

ARKANSAS: About 50,000 in shelters, motels and homes

TENNESSEE: 15,500

MISSISSIPPI: 13,262 in 104 Red Cross shelters

MISSOURI: Nearly 6,100 in homes, hotels and church camps

FLORIDA: 3,472 in 48 shelters

ALABAMA: 2,183 in shelters; 660 in hotels; 116 in state parks; more in homes

KENTUCKY: 116 at Murray camp in western Kentucky, plus estimated 3,100 statewide

OKLAHOMA: 2,352 in four shelters

INDIANA: At least 70 in two shelters; more than 2,000 statewide

ILLINOIS: More than 2,000

MARYLAND: About 2,000 seeking Red Cross or local assistance

VIRGINIA: 1,841

NORTH CAROLINA: 450 in shelters, at least 1,381 in other housing

GEORGIA: 1,384 staying in 11 Red Cross shelters

OHIO: About 20 in two Red Cross shelters, at least 1,357 staying in hotels and with family and friends

MINNESOTA: 1,000, plus 54 families with Red Cross chapters

COLORADO: About 350 in one Red Cross shelter, plus more than 700

SOUTH CAROLINA: 239 in one shelter, 800 in hotels, 228 in Charleston hotels

CALIFORNIA: 807 families in hotels and one Red Cross shelter

KANSAS: About 800, mostly in hotels and homes.

MICHIGAN: 216 at Fort Custer Training Center, Red Cross assisting 300 families

NEW MEXICO: 28 at the Albuquerque Convention Center, more than 450 statewide

NEW JERSEY: About 400 staying with relatives or in motels.

UTAH: About 300 people at Utah Army National Guard's Camp Williams

ARIZONA: 347 in two shelters

WEST VIRGINIA: 308 at National Guard Camp Dawson

NEW YORK: 303 cases in Red Cross shelters

MASSACHUSETTS: 209 at Camp Edwards, plus more than 40 families

PENNSYLVANIA: At least 200 in homes, shelters, other locations

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: About 200 people at a Red Cross shelter

WISCONSIN: 200 people in one shelter

RHODE ISLAND: 106 in Navy housing, 75 in hotels and homes

Jensen Comment:
Of course there are many victims who are from outside New Orleans.  But as a figure of reference, the U.S. Census reports the 2004 population of New Orleans at 484,674 out of which 102,122 over the age of five are listed as having one or more "disabilities" --- http://snipurl.com/NewOrleansCensus

Bravo America:  Volunteers Swarm the Gulf Coast
Thousands of people -- from psychologists to truckers and even a magician -- have volunteered to help the Gulf region after Katrina, and charities are launching new ways to handle the surge of support.
Elizabeth Bernstein and Rachel Emma Silverman, "Volunteers Swarm the Gulf Coast," The Wall Street Journal, September 8, 2005; Page D1 --- http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112613378318634553,00.html?mod=todays_us_personal_journal
Jensen Comment:  It made me feed good on the morning news to watch members of the Mississippi National Guard eagerly sawing downed trees and hauling away brush even though they'd just returned from Iraq and had not yet seen their families.

Lavish tastes of victim relief, card-carrying lowlifes
Profiteering ghouls have been using debit cards distributed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina - intended to buy essentials for evacuated families - in luxury-goods stores as far away as Atlanta. "We've seen three of the cards," said a senior employee of the Louis Vuitton store at the Lenox Square Mall in affluent Buckhead, who asked not to be named. "Two I'm certain have purchased; one actually asked if she could use it in the store. This has been since Saturday." The distinctive white cards were distributed by the Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency and carry a value of up to $2,000.
"Lavish tastes of card-carrying lowlifes," New York Daily News, September 10, 2005 --- http://nydailynews.com/front/story/345030p-294601c.html

Studies of the Impact of Katrina --- http://www.rgemonitor.com/

Paul Fisher asked about distance education alternatives for Katrina victims.   I replied as follows:

Hi Paul,

For college students, there are many distance training and education alternatives, and it might even be possible for Katrina victims to wave out-of-state tuition. For example, business students might consider the University of Wisconsin or other complete degree programs that are online --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/crossborder.htm 

Some of the Louisiana colleges are making a considerable effort to help. For example, see the LSU links at http://www.lsu.edu/
There are some online alternatives for college students in Louisiana and other Gulf states.

I suspect for K-12 it takes too much time and capital to give the refugees the hardware, supervision, and facilities. There are some high school distance education programs, particularly in Colorado. However, these may not be geared to handle out-of-state students. This was a former Tidbit regarding how the Colorado online alternative is actually hurting some school districts in Colorado.

The number of students switching from traditional brick-and- mortar classrooms to full-time virtual schools in Colorado has soared over the past five years…

"Online Ed Puts Schools in a Bind:  Districts Lose Students, Funding," by Karen Rouse, Denver Post, December 2, 2004 --- http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E53%257E2522702,00.html 

The number of students switching from traditional brick-and- mortar classrooms to full-time virtual schools in Colorado has soared over the past five years.

During the 2000-01 school year, the state spent $1.08 million to educate 166 full-time cyberschool students, according to the Colorado Department of Education. This year, the state projects spending $23.9 million to educate 4,237 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, state figures show.

And those figures - which do not include students who are taking one or two online courses to supplement their classroom education - are making officials in the state's smallest districts jittery.

Students who leave physical public schools for online schools take their share of state funding with them.

"If I lose two kids, that's $20,000 walking out the door," said Dave Grosche, superintendent of the Edison 54JT School District.

Continued in the article

Bob Jensen

September 10, 2005 reply from Bruce Lubich [blubich@UMUC.EDU]

Paul,

University of Maryland University College (UMUC) has the following posted on our website ( www.umuc.edu ). Since all of our courses can be taken online, it seems to suit your question.

"For outside students from institutions affected by the disaster: We are making the Gulf Coast Hurricane Scholarship available to these students commencing with our mid-fall online term commencing October 26, 2005; admission fees for these students will be waived. Academic credit for any course taken in this program will be determined by the students' home institution."

We are also making provisions for UMUC students included among the refugees or among those called to active duty to assist there, including replacing books for free, refunding payments already made, etc.

I know we're always lookiing for good faculty. Whether this increases our demand is still to be seen.

Hope this answers your question,

Bruce Lubich
Program Director, Accounting
Graduate School of Management and Technology
University of Maryland University College

September 11, 2005 reply from Charlie Betts [cbetts@COLLEGE.DTCC.EDU]

The following is an excerpt from an announcement by our college president:

"In this time of national emergency, I want you to know how Delaware Tech is reaching out in an effort to support those individuals, families and communities impacted by the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. As part of these efforts, we are implementing the following initiatives immediately:"

"1. Any Delaware resident or Gulf Coast region students who have been displaced from their higher education institution by Hurricane Katrina will be offered free tuition, books and fees for any distance education courses taken this semester. Since Delaware Tech classes began early, on August 22nd, this option provides the best opportunity for displaced students. In order to enroll, students should go to http://www.dtcc.edu/allschedules/distance_learning_pdfs/fall_2005.pdf  to view a list of available courses that they may begin any time during the fall semester. Enrollment and registration information may be found online at the same site. Delaware Tech will work closely with these students to support them during this difficult transition."

I'm presently teaching both semesters of our Principles of Accounting online and although my courses are full, I've just advised our registrar that I will grant overrides for any Gulf Coast students who wish to enrol. My course are designed so that a student can move at their own speed so even though our semester started three weeks ago, this should not be a problem for a serious student. If they took the courses during our summer session, they would have much less time.

Charlie Betts

Refugee faculty are looking for office space
Hurricane Katrina gives new meaning to “visiting faculty,” as professors fan across the nation in search of shelter and office space.
David Epstein, "Scholars on the Road," Inside Higher Ed, September 12, 2005 --- http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/09/12/faculty
 

A cheap and simple way to save tens of thousands of heart attack victims each year
STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Giving heart-attack patients a dose of "super aspirin" before rather than during a procedure to restore blood flow to the heart could save tens of thousands of lives a year, new research suggests. In a major international study presented yesterday at a meeting here of the European Society of Cardiology, scientists found that giving heart attack victims the drug Plavix when they arrive at the emergency room almost halved the risk of a stroke, a repeated heart attack or death within the first month after angioplasty.
"'SUPER ASPIRIN' HEART RX," New York Post, September 5, 2005 --- http://www.nypost.com/health/52310.htm

Reports counter conventional wisdom about dating
Conventional wisdom has long held that "dating around" gives kids the experience they need to make good choices of adult partners. But two new studies buck the idea that lots of dating is best. A growing body of research is challenging popular notions about teen romance. As the Schiffmans saw, lots of dating isn't necessarily a good thing; new studies show fewer, deeper relationships are better preparation for happy adult partnerships. The research shows teen dating can play a unique developmental role, helping to equip teens with the intimacy skills they need to form lasting, happy marriages. It also holds valuable clues for parents on figuring out how well their teens are shaping up as future spouses, and how they as parents can best guide that development.
Sue Shellenbarger, "Conventional wisdom has long held that "dating around" gives kids the experience they need to make good choices of adult partners. But two new studies buck the idea that lots of dating is best," The Wall Street Journal, September 8, 2005; Page D1 --- http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112613400056234568,00.html?mod=todays_us_personal_journal

Battle of Palmdale
Scary Cold War history:  In my battleship days, Navy gunners couldn't hit the broad side of a barn
In the midst of the Cold War, when Nike missile sites dotted the Southland, a bright red runaway Navy drone airplane veered off course and headed for Los Angeles, triggering a dangerous sequence of events known as the "Battle of Palmdale." It's not a battle that the military could say it won back on Aug. 16, 1956. The Navy summoned two fighter jets to shoot down the pilotless drone, a Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat, minutes after it went out of control after being launched from Point Mugu Naval Air Station. As the wayward Hellcat headed toward Los Angeles, twin Scorpion interceptors fired more than 200 missiles at it, missing their target each time. Instead the missiles — each pod containing 52 Mighty Mouse 2.75-inch rockets — damaged property and set off a string of brush fires across northern Los Angeles County. The Hellcat drone finally crash-landed harmlessly in the Mojave Desert.
"'Battle of Palmdale': Sound, Fury and 1 Lost Plane:  Fighter jets chasing an errant drone fired 200 missiles, missing the aircraft but causing a string of brush fires," Los Angeles Times, September 11, 2005 ---
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-then11sep11,1,2140762.story?coll=la-headlines-california

Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography --- http://info.lib.uh.edu/sepb/sepb.html

The Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography (SEPB) presents selected English-language articles, books, and other printed and electronic sources that are useful in understanding scholarly electronic publishing efforts on the Internet. Most sources have been published between 1990 and the present; however, a limited number of key sources published prior to 1990 are also included. Where possible, links are provided to sources that are freely available on the Internet. The Open Access Bibliography: Liberating Scholarly Literature with E-Prints and Open Access Journals, by the same author, provides much more in-depth coverage of the open access movement and related topics (e.g., disciplinary archives, e-prints, institutional repositories, open access journals, and the Open Archives Initiative) than SEPB does. The "Open Access Webliography" complements the OAB, providing access to a number of Websites related to open access topics. Announcements for new versions of SEPB are distributed on PACS-P, SEPW, and other mailing lists. An archive of prior versions of SEPB is available. An article about the development and utilization of SEPB has been published in The Journal of Electronic Publishing.

 

Distant distance education
Ms. Salin is part of a new wave of outsourcing to India: the tutoring of American students. Twice a week for a month now, Ms. Salin, who grew up speaking the Indian language Malayalam at home, has been tutoring Daniela in English grammar, comprehension and writing. Using a simulated whiteboard on their computers, connected by the Internet, and a copy of Daniela's textbook in front of her, she guides the teenager through the intricacies of nouns, adjectives and verbs.
Saritha Rai, "A Tutor Half a World Away, but as Close as a Keyboard," The New York Times, September 7, 2005 --- http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/07/education/07tutor.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1126191549-1Ydu+7CY89CpuVeaJbJ4XA

Drunk from lack of sleep:  Could this be affecting some of our students in the same way?
Working long hours is considered a hallmark of a medical residency. But in recent years, concerns have risen about how shifts that can last days affect a doctor's ability to function. The results of a new study quantify the negative effects and show that the performance of fatigued residents is comparable to how they would act after imbibing three or four cocktails.
"Lack of Sleep Affects Doctors Like Alcohol Does," Scientific American, September 7, 2005 ---
http://sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=000DF481-2AF9-131E-AAF983414B7F0000

Using police Internet fake children in child porn investigation ruled invalid
The increasingly common law enforcement tactic of having adult officers pose as children in Internet chat rooms to arrest potential sex offenders came under legal attack yesterday when Maryland's highest court ruled that the law does not allow the prosecution of people who merely believed they were dealing with children. The Maryland Court of Appeals unanimously overturned the Frederick County Circuit Court conviction of Richard J. Moore, saying he could not be found guilty of committing a crime with a nonexistent victim.
Frederick Kuncle, "Court Overturns Child Porn Conviction Md. Ruling Squelches Tactic Used to Find Potential Molesters," The Washington Post, September 7, 2005 ---
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/07/AR2005090702067.html?referrer=email
Jensen Comment:  Now let's get some real children online to make a case?

My mother always told me that when a person dies, one should not say anything bad about him. My mother was wrong.  (with reference to the death of Supreme Court Judge Rehnquist)
Alan Dershowitz

We think Dershowitz's mother was right, and to prove it we're going to refrain from speaking ill of her--even though she inflicted Alan Dershowitz on the world.
Carol Miller

The controversial book that had lawyers looking at every word and comma prior to publication
Beyond Chutzpah : On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History, by Norman G. Finkelstein
Product Details: ISBN: 0520245989 Format: Hardcover, 253pp Pub. Date: August 2005 Publisher: University of California Press

In advance, Alan Dershowitz promised to sue the University of California Press even though the word plagiarism was stricken from passages of the original draft.  Now we are awaiting Alan's next move.  Years ago I spent a year with Alan in a think tank.  He's best described as a legal pit bull.

New Technology for the hearing impaired
This (email) is a slow, cumbersome process, known as Internet protocol relay (IP Relay), stripped conversations of emotion, nuance and spontaneity. But many deaf people who are comfortable with American Sign Language (ASL) have begun using a faster, easier system called video relay service (VRS), one of several emerging technologies designed to improve life for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. To reach Kelly from her home in Frederick, Vincent now uses a videophone connected to a standard television monitor. When her call to a VRS interpreter is connected, Vincent's TV shows a split screen of two live images: the interpreter on one side and Vincent herself on the other. (The videophone includes a camera and transmits images over a high-speed Internet connection.)
Samantha Sordyl, "Saying It With Feeling New Technology Lets Deaf, Hearing People Enjoy Richer Conversations," The Washington Post, September 6, 2005; Page HE01---
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/05/AR2005090501067.html?referrer=email

If you're female/male watching, this computer brakes for a chat
An image-processing computer system developed by Toyota Motor Corp. and a Toyota affiliate uses a camera near the steering wheel to detect when the driver stops looking straight ahead. The system flashes a light on the dashboard display and emits a beeping noise when the eyes start to wander. If the driver still doesn't respond, brakes kick in, Toyota said Tuesday.
"Toyota Computer Makes You Watch the Road," The Washington Post, September 6, 2005 --- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/06/AR2005090600370.html?referrer=email

"Katrina: A Defining Moment for Blogs," by Eric Hellweg, MIT's Technology Review,  September 8, 2005 --- http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/09/wo/wo_090905hellweg.asp?trk=nl

When the Democratic convention invaded Boston in July 2004, much of the talk among media observers centered around the new kids on the bus: the bloggers. For the first time, select bloggers were awarded press credentials to a political convention, allowing the writers behind Talking Points Memo and the Daily Kos to rub elbows with hardened political reporters such as the New York Times' R.W. Apple Jr. and ABC's Ted Koppel. Select bloggers were admitted to the GOP convention in September as well. The hoopla around blogging's role in the 2004 presidential election culminated in Ana Marie Cox's famous appearance on the cover of the New York Times Magazine with Apple and columnist Jack Germond (Cox is the irreverent political and cultural blogger behind Wonkette).

Bob Jensen's threads on blogs are at http://www.trinity.edu/~rjensen/245glosf.htm#Weblog

More Colleges Lend Directly to Students:  Conflicts of Interest?
A growing number of universities are making money a new way -- lending it to their own students. The programs are cheaper for borrowers, but the practice is raising questions about possible conflicts of interest.
Anne Marie Chaker, "More Schools Lend Directly to Students," The Wall Street Journal,  September 8, 2005; Page D1 --- http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112613816482334711,00.html?mod=todays_us_personal_journal

A growing number of universities are making money a new way. They are lending it to their own students.

While such loans are usually slightly cheaper for students than borrowing from banks, the practice is raising questions among some educators and lawmakers about possible conflicts of interest. Through so-called school-as-lender arrangements, universities originate loans to graduate and professional students, including law and medical students. They eventually sell the debt to a partner bank or other lender for a set "premium." These premiums typically run anywhere from 2% to 6% of the total value of the loans. For budget-strapped schools, that can translate to millions of dollars of funding.

About 100 schools now participate in school-as-lender programs, including Tufts University, the University of Arizona and Widener University in Pennsylvania. That's up from 64 in 2003-04, when schools made more than $1.5 billion in loans, the last year for which dollar figures are available, according to a Government Accountability Office report. In 1993-94, only 22 schools participated, making loans totaling one-tenth of that volume.

Continued in article

"Report: Tax Confusion Can Cost Students ," SmartPros, August 31, 2005 ---
http://accounting.smartpros.com/x49555.xml

The Government Accountability Office, an independent arm of Congress that studies government programs and spending, analyzed the problem by examining about 1.8 million tax returns.

About one in four taxpayers eligible for an education tax break failed to claim one of the available credits or the tuition deduction, the analysis found.

On average, those taxpayers missed an opportunity to reduce their taxes by $169. About 10 percent of that group could have saved more than $500.

Tax programs place a bigger burden on students and their families than other government education programs. Students have to decipher the tax laws, apply them correctly, keep extensive records and understand how tax programs might affect their grants and loans, the report said.

That's unlike federal grants and loans, which only require that students or their families fill out an application for assistance.

The complications became evident when the GAO looked more closely at the tax breaks claimed by taxpayers.

Rules restrict the number of tax breaks that a student or parent can claim at a time, leaving the taxpayer to choose. Taxpayers didn't always make the optimal choice and could have lowered their tax bills by choosing differently, the report found. It estimated that about half of those returns were prepared by a paid tax professional.

The Treasury Department has urged lawmakers to take a look at education tax breaks and simplify them. The Senate's top tax writers said Monday they plan to look into ideas to streamline the system.

Continued in article

New Technology Product Surprises ---
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090300225.html?referrer=email

University of Texas hacker sentenced (seems like a light sentence to me relative to the damage done)
A former University of Texas at Austin student has been sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay more than $170,000 in restitution for hacking into the school's computer system and taking Social Security numbers and other personal information from tens of thousands of people. Christopher Andrew Phillips, 22, was also prohibited from accessing the Internet, except under approval and supervision from his probation officer and only for school or work, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton said in a news release Tuesday.
"Ex-Student Sentenced for Computer Hacking," The Washington Post, September 7, 2005 --- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/07/AR2005090700636.html?referrer=email

Internet Book List Additions --- http://www.iblist.com/

Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library Duke University --- http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/

RUDYARD KIPLING --- http://www.kipling.org.uk/kip_fra.htm

Authors Directory --- http://authorsdirectory.com/title.shtml

Free eBooks for your PDA (or iPod) --- http://manybooks.net/

George Orwell --- http://www.k-1.com/Orwell/site/about/pictures.html

Nabokov A-Z --- http://www.davidson.edu/academic/english/faculty/zk/vnaz/nabaz.htm

Grimm's Fairy Tales --- http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~spok/grimmtmp/

The Diary of Samuel Pepys --- http://www.pepysdiary.com/ 

The Old Guy Poems by Utah Phillips --- http://www.utahphillips.org/ogp/index.html 

Some interesting quotations (including those of native Americans) --- http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/quo1/quotations.htm 

Literature 2000 (from Europe) --- http://www.literature2000.org/ 

Bob Jensen's links to electronic books and journals are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/searchh.htm#ElectronicBooks

The Tale of Genji
The Tale of Genji was published by the female aristocrat, Murasaki Shikibu, somewhere around the year one thousand eleven. Consisting of 54 chapters, it is generally considered to be the world's first true novel, and thereby occupies a critical role in the world's literary canon. It is almost universally acknowledged that this book is the finest flower of all Japanese literature, past or present.
Go to http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/Genji/00000001.htm

The Sound Of Music In Kenya by Jacqueline Porter --- http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2000/5/00.05.07.x.html#b

Wordsmyth Online Dictionary --- http://www.wordsmyth.net/live/

Spelling differences between American and British English --- http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwesl/egw/jones/differences.htm

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
Herm Albright (as quoted in a recent email from Patricia Doherty

Campus Blues wants to help lonely and/or troubled students --- http://www.campusblues.com/

Complete List of Photoshop Tips (some of which might be extrapolated to other graphics software) --- http://www.mccannas.com/pshop/photosh0.htm

The Wall Street Journal Flashback
September 7, 1999
Consumers may have to dig deeper into their pockets this fall and winter to pay their home-heating bills. Crude-oil prices are expected to hover around $20 a barrel through 1999 -- about $7 to $8 a barrel more than last year. Then there is the Y2K factor.

Many of the suspected terrorists turn out to be common criminals
In Saudi Arabia, the war on terror continues. A three day siege of a house in eastern Saudi Arabia ended on September 6th, with the death of three terrorists and two policemen. While the Islamic terrorists have a lot of supporters in the kingdom, there are an even larger number of Saudis opposed to terrorism in their neighborhoods (Islamic terrorism elsewhere, like in Iraq, is more likely to be tolerated). Thus the police have a regular supply of tips. However, many of the suspected terrorists turn out to be common criminals.
"TERRORISM: Saudi Terrorists Become Gangsters," Strategy Page, September 7, 2005 --- http://www.strategypage.com/fyeo/qndguide/default.asp?target=urbang.htm

Saudi security forces stormed a major Al-Qaeda hide-out in the eastern city of Damman yesterday, killing all terrorists inside. Four security men were also killed in the operation. In a brief statement, the Interior Ministry said security forces had “ended their operations,” which began Sunday in the main city of Eastern Province, losing four men, in addition to 10 wounded.
Arab News, September 7, 2005 --- http://arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=69642&d=7&m=9&y=2005

Say what?  Arab insurgency terror in Iran
The Iranian opposition has targeted oil fields in the Islamic republic. Several oil fields were bombed around the southwestern Iranian city of Ahwaz last week. Iranian officials said the bombings on Sept. 1 were the work of Arab separatists. Officials reported three explosions in what led to the suspension of operations at five oil wells in the Khuzestan province. They said the bombings were connected to the outbreak of the Arab insurgency earlier this year in southwestern Iran. Iranian parliament Nezam Mola-Hoveizeh said the attacks were supported by foreign elements. Mola-Hoveizeh did not identify them, but officials said the reference was to neighboring Iraq.
"The Iranian opposition has targeted oil fields in the Islamic republic.," Middle East Newsline, September 6, 2005 --- http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2005/september/09_06_4.html 

That’s a CROC !!  Was there evidence of Dundee family ancestors?
A French-sponsored 12 member Peruvian exploration team has discovered the fossil remains of a 46 foot crocodile – deep in the Amazon jungle. It is believed the entire Amazon Basin was once an inland sea – stretching from Atlantic to Pacific, and inhabited by creatures such as this monster and a relatively demure and petite giant armadillo – whose fossil was also found nearby. The crocodile fossil, which included skeleton, jaws, and very large teeth , indicates the creature may have had a head measuring four feet across.
"That’s a CROC !!," The Morning Paper, September 27, 2005 --- http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1479134/posts

Web100 choices for the Top 100 Web sites --- http://www.web100.com/listings/all.html

Time Magazine's choice of the 50 Coolest Websites for 2005 --- http://www.time.com/time/2005/websites/

Auntie Spam's Net Patrol ---
http://www.aunty-spam.com/deleting-email-leads-to-145billion-judgement-against-company/

Cagey Consumer --- http://cc.edumacation.com/

Wal-Mart Facts --- http://www.walmartfacts.com/

JUNKBUSTERS Anti-Telemarketing Script
http://www.junkbusters.com/script.html

Telemarketers always use a script: why shouldn't you?

  What to say when they call if you don't want junk calls

Every time you get a call you consider junk, just ask the questions in this script. If they answer no, you may be able to sue them. Be sure to put your phone number on the National Do-Not-Call registry by visiting http://donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222.
 

1. ``Are you calling to sell something?'' (or ``is this a telemarketing call?'')
2. ``Could you tell me your full name please?'' $
3. ``And a phone number, area code first?'' $
4. ``What's the name of the organization you're calling for?'' $
5. ``Does that organization keep a list of numbers it's been asked not to call?'' $
6. ``I would like my number(s) put on that list. Can you take care of that now?'' $
7. ``And does the company you work for also make telemarketing calls for any other organizations?'' (If they answer no, skip the next question.)
8. (If yes) ``Can you make sure your company won't call me for any other organization?'' $
    

You may need to ask to speak with a supervisor if they sound lost. When you're ready to let them off, you might close with ``Is it clear that I never want telemarketing calls from anyone?'' and just say goodbye. If you feel like making them pay, keep going:
 

1. ``Will your company keep my number on its do-not-call list for at least ten years?'' $
2. ``And does your company have a written policy that says that on paper?'' $
3. ``Can you send me a copy of it?'' $
4. ``What's your supervisor's first and last name?''
5. ``What's your employer's business name, address and main telephone number?''
6. ``Are you calling for a tax-exempt nonprofit organization?''
7. ``Is this call based on a previously established business relationship?''

Before hanging up, check you have all their answers written down, then say goodbye. Add the date and time to your record. (Is it between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.? $)

Bob Jensen's helpers for reporting suspected frauds are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/FraudReporting.htm

The Journal of Interesting Economics:  An Experiment in Open Source Publishing --- http://www.daviddfriedman.com/JIE/jie.htm

One of the items is on "Transparent Accounting" by Robert L. Read  and Mike McCune --- http://www.daviddfriedman.com/JIE/TransAcc.html

Although the butt of infamous jokes as boring, accounting is important and interesting due to its relationship to accountability. Better accounting can make for better accountability.

In this article we suggest ways to make accounting better by applying the principles that have informed the free and open-source software movements to both the technology and business of accounting. Our goal is to stimulate thought on new interfaces and business models, that, if tried, may provide more convenient and more trustworthy accounting. We hope individuals will receive the benefit of cheaper, more convenient, and more reliable bookkeeping. We hope charities, governments, and large businesses will receive the benefit or cheaper, safer bookkeeping that will allow them to be better trusted by doing more of their business in the light of public scrutiny and private auditing without additional costs.

We are argue that accounts, as individual parts of bookkeeping systems, should be treated as first-class citizens of the modern internetworked world, on par with email addresses, domain names, hosts, and ip addresses. There should be open standards for bookkeeping systems that allow the work of keeping books to be shared across the internet. Even more importantly, there should be standards and business models that allow the responsibility of bookkeeping to be shared across many different parties, each with independent purposes, which we argue will produce more reliable and transparent bookkeeping. We furthermore humbly submit to the reader that the current point in time and technological development is a fulcrum about which a relatively small amount of work in terms of defining open standards, writing open software, and developing business models, may initiate a sea-change in accounting practices.

The DismalScientist looks ahead to the economy --- http://www.economy.com/dismal/

Are the economies of the world failing us? 
It is easy to fall into gloom and lost hope in the wake of the Katrina disaster, Iraq, terrorism, and fuel shortages.  Here are a few factual things to consider, possibly to brighten your outlook for the world (but not necessarily the U.S. or Europe).

There is, to be sure, much poverty and starvation in the world, but nothing could be further from the truth than the idea that poverty is increasing.
The Industrial Revolution Past and Future --- http://www.minneapolisfed.org/pubs/region/04-05/essay.cfm
Robert E. Lucas Jr.
John Dewey Distinguished Service Professor of Economics,
University of Chicago
1995 Nobel Prize Economist

We live in a world of staggering and unprecedented income inequality. Production per person in the wealthiest economy, the United States, is something like 15 times production per person in the poorest economies of Africa and South Asia. Since the end of the European colonial age, in the 1950s and ’60s, the economies of South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong have been transformed from among the very poorest in the world to middle-income societies with a living standard about one-third of America’s or higher. In other economies, many of them no worse off in 1960 than these East Asian “miracle” economies were, large fractions of the population still live in feudal sectors with incomes only slightly above subsistence levels. How are we to interpret these successes and failures?

Economists, today, are divided on many aspects of this question, but I think that if we look at the right evidence, organized in the right way, we can get very close to a coherent and reliable view of the changes in the wealth of nations that have occurred in the last two centuries and those that are likely to occur in this one. The Asian miracles are only one chapter in the larger story of the world economy since World War II, and that story in turn is only one chapter in the history of the industrial revolution. I will set out what I see as the main facts of the economic history of the recent past, with a minimum of theoretical interpretation, and try to see what they suggest about the future of the world economy. I do not think we can understand the contemporary world without understanding the events that have given rise to it.

I will begin and end with numbers, starting with an attempt to give a quantitative picture of the world economy in the postwar period, of the growth of population and production since 1950. Next, I will turn to the economic history of the world up to about 1750 or 1800, in other words, the economic history known to Adam Smith, David Ricardo and the other thinkers who have helped us form our vision of how the world works. Third, I will sketch what I see as the main features of the initial phase of the industrial revolution, the years from 1800 to the end of the colonial age in 1950. Following these historical reviews, I will outline a theoretical structure roughly consistent with the facts. If I succeed in doing this well, it may be possible to conclude with some useful generalizations and some assessments of the world’s future economic prospects.

Continued

U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economics --- http://www.bea.doc.gov/

Internet Economy Indicators --- http://www.internetindicators.com/orgs.html

The Best of Economics --- http://arnoldkling.com/econ/contents.html

Proposed solution for the political-economic problems of Africa, Argentina, Afghanistan, and other nations
"Quadrupling the World GDP by 2010," by Dr. Richard S. Kirby and Dr. Karun Philip, Apr 16, 2002 --- http://www.wnrf.org/cms/finance2.shtml

Job Watch --- http://www.jobwatch.org/

The EconBrowser --- http://www.econbrowser.com/

Over 300,000 working papers in economics --- http://econpapers.repec.org/

And another 300,000 papers in economics --- http://ideas.repec.org/

Get Ready for China’s Greenspan --- http://www.feer.com/articles1/2005/0507/free/p039.html

Laws of Economics in the War on Drugs
For as long as the laws of simple economics continue to be excluded from the war on drugs there will be no victory on the horizon. For as long as there are millions of dollars to be collected from consumers, the agricultural country du jour will find a way to sustain illegal crops, the smugglers will come up with more innovative tricks, and the violence and suffering will continue in various countries. Initiatives like Plan Colombia seem ineffective in the light of weak statistics on extradition to the U.S. and the never- decreasing land extension for coca cultivation. Isn't it time for the U.S. to match foreign aggressive efforts with similarly aggressive domestic actions? Shouldn't those who believe in a tough hand outside also consider one at home? A selfish condemnation of exclusively one side of the trade is contributing not only to increasing violence and deteriorating economies in the producing countries, but also to spreading the cancer that grows in the streets of this country.
Fernando J. Gómez, "Laws of Economics in the War on Drugs," The Wall Street Journal, September 2, 2005; Page A15 --- http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112562760521029960,00.html?mod=todays_us_opinion

I think what Fenando is saying is that Indonesia and Malaysia have no drug problem.  There's a darn good reason for that.  They execute or give life sentences to drug users.  Why push drugs in countries where there are no customers. 

Inside the MIT Media Lab --- http://www.antipope.org/charlie/rant/medialab.html

This is one of many interesting things in Charlie's Diary (that's Charlie Stross) at http://www.antipope.org/charlie/index.html

HotRecorder™ --- http://www.hotrecorder.com/about.html

HotRecorder™ is a new technology that allows users to record and add sound effects (Emotisounds™) on voice communications held over the internet. It also includes voice mail for Google Talk™ and Skype™!

HotRecorder™ is a unique application that works in conjunction with Google Talk™, Skype™, AIM™, Net2Phone™, Yahoo! Messenger™ 7 and FireFly™.

The creation of HotRecorder™ responds to the growing demand of users throughout the world, for a tool that will allow them to record, play, save, send and search their voice communications, plus many other options.

Jensen Comment:  This product is on the vanguard of a new generation of software and textbooks that are either free (with pop-up advertising) or fee-based (without any advertising).  Don't you wish more things in life were like that, including cable television shows?

10 things your banker won't tell you --- http://www.bankrate.com/nsc/news/chk/20040204a1.asp

SEC's Interactive Tools for Investors (includes a mortgage calculator) --- http://www.sec.gov/investor/tools.shtml

Hugh's Mortgage and Financial Calculators --- http://www.hughchou.org/calc/

Tired of Renting? --- http://calculators4mortgages.com

Bob Jensen's bookmarks on calculators --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob3.htm#080512Calculators

Line between real and virtual becomes fuzzy

Forwarded by Scott Bonacker [lister@BONACKERS.COM]

Computer characters mugged in virtual crime spree
11:31 18 August 2005
NewScientist.com news service Will Knight

A man has been arrested in Japan on suspicion carrying out a virtual mugging spree by using software "bots" to beat up and rob characters in the online computer game Lineage II. The stolen virtual possessions were then exchanged for real cash.

..... the line between virtual and real cash has already disappeared. The game EverQuest, for example, lets players buy and sell virtual items and characters for real money through an authorised online trading site.

.....the distinction between virtual and real crime is rapidly disappearing.

Read the rest at:

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7865 

At http://www.infoinc.com/marsh/golive/agreement.html  you can register for several email publications that have to do with risk management. This particular item came from the CyberRisk newsletter.

Scott Bonacker,
CPA Springfield, Missouri

From The Washington Post on September 6, 2005

Google is losing market share in China to its biggest Chinese rival. What's the name of the rival search engine?

A. Mao.cn
B. Baidu.com
C. Xinhua.net
D. Shanghai-net.cn

20 Things Retailers Don't Want You to Know
We reveal some of what vendors are keeping mum, such as: You never have to pay full price, extended warranties rarely pay for themselves, and the big sites do have customer service numbers.
Eric Dahl, "20 Things They Don't Want You to Know," PC World, August 25, 2005 --- http://pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,122094,00.asp

You Never Have to Pay Full Price Faster Shipping Isn't Always Faster You Can Kill the Messenger Extended Warranties Aren't Worth It You Too Can Exploit Windows' Bad Security You Can Save Big Money on Big-Name Software Packages That Dead Pixel on Your LCD May Not Be Covered Your Cell Phone's Been Crippled High-End Manufacturers Don't Always Make Their Products You Can Call Amazon, EBay, and Other Web Businesses Security Center Can Be Muted Game Consoles Are Hackable You Can Use an IPod to Move Music You Can Get a Human on the Phone MP3 Players Run Down Too Fast Useless Specs

Bob Jensen's technology bookmarks are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob4.htm

TOP TEN RETAIL RIPOFFS EXPOSED --- http://www.trampolinesales.com/ripoffs.htm

Bob Jensen's helpers for reporting suspected frauds are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/FraudReporting.

Shopping Online and Offline

Google Shopping and Catalogs --- http://catalogs.google.com/cathp

Yahoo Shopping and Services --- http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/

Lemon Law America (Federal and State) --- http://www.lemonlawamerica.com/

Bob Jensen's helpers for shoppers are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob3.htm#080513Shopping

Duke Law & Technology Review --- http://www.law.duke.edu/journals/dltr/

Bob Jensen's threads on the DMCA are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/000aaa/theworry.htm#Copyright

How-to site for dummies --- http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/

I still like How Stuff Works --- http://www.howstuffworks.com/

How Income Taxes Work (including history) --- http://money.howstuffworks.com/income-tax.htm
IRS --- http://www.irs.gov 
Bob Jensen's tax helpers are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob1.htm#010304Taxation  

How Web Pages Work --- http://computer.howstuffworks.com/web-page3.htm 
How Internet Infrastructure Works --- http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet-infrastructure.htm 
Stay Safe Online --- http://www.staysafeonline.info/ 
How Internet citations work --- http://www.h-net.org/about/citation/
Long URL's can be shorted by using SnipURL (this is neat) --- http://snipurl.com/index.php    

How Computer Things Work (including buying guides) --- http://computer.howstuffworks.com/ 
Bob Jensen's computing bookmarks --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob4.htm 

How E-commerce Works --- http://money.howstuffworks.com/ecommerce.htm 
Bob Jensen's threads are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/ecommerce.htm 

How government works
FirstGov at http://www.firstgov.com/   
Yahoo Government --- http://dir.yahoo.com/Government/ 
Yahoo Regional --- http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/ 

How electronic stuff works --- http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/ 

How mortgage stuff works --- http://money.howstuffworks.com/mortgage.htm 
Bob Jensen's helpers for mortgages are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob1.htm#mortgages 

How Buying a Car Works --- http://money.howstuffworks.com/car-buying.htm 
Bob Jensen helpers for buying real estate and vehicles --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob3.htm#RealEstate 

Beyond Martha Stewart
How home stuff works --- http://home.howstuffworks.com/ 

How health things work --- http://health.howstuffworks.com/ 
How Cholesterol Works --- http://home.howstuffworks.com/cholesterol1.htm 

How travel stuff works --- http://travel.howstuffworks.com/ 
How Frequent Flier Programs Work (or don't work) --- http://money.howstuffworks.com/ff-programs.htm 
Bob Jensen's travel helpers are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob3.htm#Travel 

How Entertainment Stuff Works --- http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/
Yahoo Entertainment --- http://dir.yahoo.com/Entertainment/ 
Yahoo Recreation and Sports --- http://dir.yahoo.com/Recreation/ 
Bob Jensen's entertainment helpers --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob2.htm#History  

How science stuff works --- http://science.howstuffworks.com/ 
Yahoo Science --- http://dir.yahoo.com/Science/ 
Yahoo Social Science --- http://dir.yahoo.com/Social_Science/ 
Yahoo Science and Culture --- http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/ 

How education/learning stuff works --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob2.htm 
Bob Jensen's threads on learning assessment --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/assess.htm 
U.S. Department of Education --- http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml 

Are there Al-Qaida nuclear bombs already in the U.S.?
Paul Williams details 'American Hiroshima' Al-Qaida plotting nuclear attack with weapons already in U.S. Posted: September 3, 20051:00 a.m. Eastern Paul L. Williams is a former consultant to the FBI on organized crime and terrorism. Since then, he has become an award-winning investigative journalist and written several books. In his new book, "The Al Qaeda Connection," he claims Osama bin Laden has obtained nuclear weapons and smuggled them into the U.S. through Mexico for use in a plot known as "American Hiroshima."
Ryan Mauro, "Paul Williams details 'American Hiroshima' Al-Qaida plotting nuclear attack with weapons already in U.S.," WorldNetDaily, September 3, 2005 --- http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46127
Jensen Comment:  Our worry has always been that a dissident Soviet military general might sell a nuclear device.  However, even in this unlikely event, there's a long distance between the possession of such an aged device and the skills in detonation.  It is unlikely that any of Al_Qaida's cells are anywhere close to being able to carry this off.  The were a lot of false rumors about Iraq's WMD, and we can only hope this is another of those false rumors that sell books.

Freeware Guide for Business and Finance --- http://www.freeware-guide.com/dir/business/finance.html

Bob Jensen's helpers for accounting software are at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob1.htm#AccountingSoftware

Government guide to food safety --- http://www.foodsafety.gov/

Humorous tidbits for new PhDs --- http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=201

The Bizbag Home Page has some great links to humor --- http://www.bizbag.com/

For example see Mark Twain humor --- http://www.bizbag.com/twain.htm

Or take a look at Fifteen Ways to Be Offensive at a Wedding ---
http://www.bizbag.com/Offensive at Wedding Funeral/Offensive Wedding.htm

According to a recent survey, men say the first thing they notice about a woman is her eyes, and women say the first thing they notice about men is they're a bunch of liars.
Mike Gasior [mike@afs-seminars.com] on September 7, 2005

Fraud Updates --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/FraudUpdates.htm
For earlier editions of New Bookmark s go to http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookurl.htm 
Archives of Tidbits: Tidbits Directory --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/TidbitsDirectory.htm

Click here to search Bob Jensen's web site if you have key words to enter --- Search Site.
For example if you want to know what Jensen documents have the term "Enron" enter the phrase Jensen AND Enron. Another search engine that covers Trinity and other universities is at http://www.searchedu.com/.

International Accounting News (including the U.S.)

AccountingEducation.com and Double Entries --- http://www.accountingeducation.com/
        Upcoming international accounting conferences --- http://www.accountingeducation.com/events/index.cfm
        Thousands of journal abstracts --- http://www.accountingeducation.com/journals/index.cfm
Deloitte's International Accounting News --- http://www.iasplus.com/index.htm
Association of International Accountants --- http://www.aia.org.uk/ 
WebCPA --- http://www.webcpa.com/
FASB --- http://www.fasb.org/
IASB --- http://www.fasb.org/
Others --- http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/bookbob1.htm

Gerald Trite's great set of links --- http://iago.stfx.ca/people/gtrites/Docs/bookmark.htm 

Richard Torian's Managerial Accounting Information Center --- http://www.informationforaccountants.com/ 

Professor Robert E. Jensen (Bob) http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen
Jesse H. Jones Distinguished Professor of Business Administration
Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212-7200
Voice: 210-999-7347 Fax: 210-999-8134  Email:  rjensen@trinity.edu