The “Break it Down” Blog

FCC Complaints Up 711%

I’m not actually clear on the percentage, but Ars Technica got on their soap box and decided to take a look at what is going on with the rise from 350 complaints in 2000 to 240,000 complaints in 2003. No you didn’t read that wrong… and yes, that was in 2003 not in 2007. What [...]

Microsoft Sells Ubuntu

Laurence Hartje sent this goldie along, looks like at one point Ubuntu was accidentally listed on Windows Marketplace.

Talking Your Cat for a Walk

Ted Regulski sent this one along, and since we are playing Cat-friday, here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDv6JHpszNc Update #1:  Here is a mirror.

Compiz Fusion Effects in Action

Compiz Fusion is really on par with Leopard from what I can see… certainly not totally stable yet, and relies a lot on the drivers being in good shape, but it’s great to see Linux right up there with cutting edge and likely to decimate Vista until it stops sucking in 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Fbk52Mk1w

Cat Attacks Rabbit… Cat P0wn3d

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUU_oOBZKko

Bunnies in Bowl

Cute Friday (from MyBunnies.com)

Dell Allows Users to Skip Bloatware

Looks like Dell will begin allowing users to check a box during the computer order form process that will skip the installation of many many trial-ware pieces of software that vendors pay Dell hundreds for to allow them to get on the new PCs, hoping to get new consumers signed up. For most folks, this will [...]

US States Renamed to Countries with Similar GDP

John Hering sent along this really interesting interpretation of the US states. They have been renamed to the respective country with the closed match to GDP: Original Link

Penny Arcade Game, Trailer 2

Teh Funnies

Some funnies for your Thursday morning entertainment. 1. Dear Miriam 2. Dear Abby

Ink Jet Printers are a Sham

Nice… Slashdot reports that a study done to see how accurate printing-software was with respect to “Ink is low, please replace” showed that in the best case (Epson, who also funded the study) wasted 20% of the ink, while others (I’m sure HP is up there) wasted 50% of the ink in the cartridge telling [...]

BD+ DRM Released

The BD+ DRM that has been sitting in the attic of the Blu-ray spec has finally been released and ready for prime time. Endadget reports that with the recent AACS exploits, studios have been slow to release new titles as they have been waiting for BD+ to hit. Aparently BD+ isn’t some static key-checking algorithm but [...]