Mozilla

I’ve been using the open source Mozilla browser for a few weeks now.  It’s at least the equal of Internet Explorer - but without gaping security holes requiring endless updates.

Open source is software written and supported by an avid community of users.  Generally it is free and cross-platform, which means it can run on multiple operating systems, in this case PC’s, Mac’s, and Sun. 

Open source allows anyone to jump in, create add-ons, contribute ideas, tweak the code, and help make the software better.

There’s an entire community supporting Mozilla now.

MozDev.  Free project hosting for Mozilla projects, over 80 currently in progress.

MozillaZine Online Online zine / newsletter about Mozilla.

O’Reilly Mozilla DevCenter O’Reiily is a book publisher specializing in open source software books.

Phoenix A excellent example of why open source is so cool.  You want to tweak Mozilla to make it better / faster / whatever?  Do it!  Phoenix, just released in a 0.1 version, is a souped-up, faster version of Mozilla, with new and improved features, like better bookmark handling.  I’m using Phoenix, and it’s quite stable (and fast).

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Congress overwhelmed with anti-war calls from “The Silenced Majority”

Republican and Democratic Senate offices report “overwhelming” opposition from their constituents to war with Iraq. This comes as Congress prepares to pass a war resolution granting President Bush sweeping powers to invade Iraq.

The national news radio show Democracy Now! conducted an informal survey on Thursday of 70 Republican and Democratic Senate offices.

Of the 26 offices which responded to our inquires, 22 reported an overwhelming majority – in some cases up to 99 percent — of constituents opposed war in Iraq; three said the response was split and just one office reported a majority called backing the war.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), in presenting a comprehensive case against armed intervention, called for the United States to give U.N. inspectors a chance to find and disable Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction.

“The administration has not made a convincing case that we face such an imminent threat to our national security that a unilateral, preemptive American strike and an immediate war are necessary,”

A Feinstein aide said that the senator has received about 15,000 phone calls and 3,500 letters on the Iraq issue, with the overwhelming majority against a unilateral, preemptive U.S. strike.

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Stunned S.F. Valley residents cope with sub-100 degree heat

“What happened to the sun, Mommy”, asked little Jenny, age 6.  Her mother replied, “It went behind the clouds”.  Jenny then asked, “What are clouds?”.

“Dude, I may have to wear long pants, and shoes instead of sandals”, opined Jeffrey ‘Headbanger’ Hampton, ”if I can remember where I put them, that is.  Tuesday was 113, now it’s 66.  This is totally bogus.  I forget what to wear when it’s not at least 90 degrees.”

Yes, fall may have finally arrived to the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. Shopkeepers report plunging sales of bottled water, and the eerie silence reported by many is due to air conditioners not being on constantly.

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Google search for this site added

You can now search this site using Google (use the Google icon under the calendar at the top of the home page)

Thanks to John Robb’s Radio Weblog for the code - which works on any website.

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London anti-war protest. 150,000-400,00 people show up!

Organizers were hoping for 100,000 people.  This turnout is way better than anyone dared hope for.

Tens of thousands of people are taking part in a protest against military action in Iraq which organisers say is one of Europe’s biggest anti-war rallies.

Police say they have so far counted more than 150,000 people and there have been two arrests for minor public order offences.

Mayor Livingstone <of London> told the BBC that he believed more than 400,000 people had taken part in the rally. 

“This is the largest march for peace I have seen in 30 years. This will have an electrifying effect on the Labour Party conference and on those MPs opposed to war.”

Tony Blair better be careful he isn’t out of a job soon.  If he keeps pushing for a war, his government could fall.

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Hardcore leftist next probable President of Brazil

He attended only primary school, went to work in a machine shop at 15 and was jailed as a firebrand leftist leader by the former military regime. But eight days before a landmark presidential election, opinion polls show Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is within a stone’s throw of sweeping to the highest political office in Brazil.

The World Bank / IMF / US do NOT want him to win as he will not be pliant on debt, privatization, and in letting them do as they please.

Although more Brazilians than ever appear ready for Lula (as he’s commonly known), both Brazilian and foreign investors are hedging their bets.
They pounded Brazil’s currency, stocks and bonds this week, fearing he represents a sharp break from the market-friendly policies of current President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, who leaves office in January after eight years.

Financial woes hit pre-election Brazil

As soon as the election is over, according to this hopeful argument, and Lula shows that he is no longer the radical he was and puts some market-friendly names in charge of the economy, then everything will go back to normal. <translation: If Lula will only pledge fealty to DC, then all will be safe for the World Bank>
But a growing number of voices express worry that Brazil’s problems may be more deep-seated. It is the size of the debt, they argue, which is crippling the economy, and they say Brazil should never have opened up so quickly to outside capital, which in a climate of global uncertainty is bound to take its money to safer shores.
They also warn that the market, by pushing down the currency and stocks to record lows, is creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. As the currency devalues, it gets harder and harder for the government and companies to pay debts based in dollars.
Fearing a debt default, international investors are creating the conditions to provoke one.

Will we be seeing coup attempts soon in Brazil - similar to what recently happened in Venezuela? Keep on eye on this. There are powerful forces that do not want a leftie as President of Brazil.

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We got a movement going on

100,000 expected in London today for anti-war protest

2,000 anti-war protesters greet Bush in Denver

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