Sorry some of my entries are in random order.

I haven't really been sure if I'm doing the right thing or not with regards to what actually gets posted on our blogs. I seem to have a bit better idea of what I'm doing now, so bear with my random ways!

Cheers

Week 4

Spam Notes

Spam is unsolicited e-mail on the Internet. From the sender's point-of-view, it's a form of bulk mail, often to a list culled from subscribers to a Usenet discussion group or obtained by companies that specialize in creating e-mail distribution lists. To the receiver, it usually seems like junk e-mail. In general, it's not considered good ‘netiquette’ to send spam.

Hence, many guidelines and acts have been set up to help fight spam.

Below is an extract from the Australian Spam Act 2003:

Simplified outline of the Act:

* This Act sets up a scheme for regulating commercial e-mail and other types of commercial electronic messages.

* Unsolicited commercial electronic messages must not be sent.

* Commercial electronic messages must include information about the individual or organisation who authorised the sending of the message.

* Commercial electronic messages must contain a functional unsubscribe facility.

* Address-harvesting software must not be supplied, acquired or used.

* An electronic address list produced using address-harvesting software must not be supplied, acquired or used.

* The main remedies for breaches of this Act are civil penalties and injunctions.

Spam Act 2003

    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp; 

Below is an assortment of Spam related websites, regarding fighting spam and how spam is used:

http://spam.abuse.net/" title="http://spam.abuse.net/" target="_blank"http://spam.abuse.net/

ARTICLES REGARDING SPAM IN AUSTRALIA

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Breaking/Govt-lag ging-on-email-security/20 05/04/18/1113676689076.html?oneclick=true" title="http://www.smh.com.au/news/Breaking/Govt-lag ging-on-email-security/20 05/04/18/1113676689076.html?oneclick=true" target="_blank"http://www.smh.com.au/news/Br...

LATEST SPAM NEWS:

New Spam Scam, exploits Pope’s Death

http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3497551" title="http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3497551" target="_blank"http://www.internetnews.com/s...

Existenz Review

Allegra Geller is the designer of the $38 million game, Existenz - a virtual environment where the object of the game is to discover, the object of the game. Whilst initially previewing the game, a killer amongst the chosen preview audience, tries to assassinate her.

 Ted Pikel, a marketing officer at Antenna Research (the company which is marketing Existenz) is then assigned to act as Geller's bodyguard as she endeavors to escape from the unknown, anti-game 'realists'. Meanwhile her bio-port has been infected, so Allegra is locked out of her only copy of the game and must find a way to fix it and get back in the game.

 To do this, Ted Pikel also has to have a ‘bio-port’ installed so they may go on to play the game together. The organic bio-port is plugged directly into the base of the spine. The bio-port installed into Ted, is also infected so it’s a race to save both bio-ports and the entire game. As they go onto play the game, it is soon impossible to tell what reality is and what’s not. The players are ultimately controlled by their game characters.

 Players of Geller’s previous games are convinced that her games are now the only thing that gives meaning to their lives. They confuse their game characters with identities of their own.  Even to the viewer, the erratic changes from reality to virtual reality are completely undefined.

 Written and released by David Cronenburg in 1999, Existenz is indeed an examination and exploration of a virtual reality world and perhaps goes on further to suggest some future eventualities through using this world.

 I give it 5/10

 Translated into ‘Text Lingo’

Allegra Geller S D Dzyner of $38 million gme Existenz- a virtual environment whr D obj of D gme S 2 discovA, D obj of D gme.

Whilst initially previewing D gme, a killA amongst D chosen preview audience, triS 2 assassinate her.

 Ted Pikel, a mrktg officer @ Antenna rsrch (the co. wich S mrktg Existenz) S thN assigned 2 act as Geller's bodyguard as she endeavors 2 esc frm D unknown, anti-game 'realists'.  Meanwhile her bio-port hs bn infected, so Allegra S locked outa her 1ly copy of D gme n must fnd a wA 2 fix it n gt bac n D gme.

 2 do dis, Ted Pikel also hs 2hv a ‘bio-port’ installed so dey may go on 2 play D gme 2gtha. D organic bio-port S plugged directly N2 D base of D spine. D bio-port installed N2 Ted, S also infected so it’s a race 2 save both bio-ports n D Ntire gme. As dey go on2 play D gme, itz sn impssbL 2 tel w@ reality S n what’s nt. D playAs r ultimately controlled by their gme chars.

 playAs of Geller’s prev Gmes r convinced dat her Gmes r nw D 1ly ting dat givs meanN 2 their lyfs. dey cnfuse their gme chars W identities of their own. evn 2 D viewer, D erratic changes frm reality 2 VR r 100% undefined.

 ritN n Rleased by David Cronenburg n 1999, Existenz S idd an Exam n exploration of a VR wrld n praps goes on furthA 2 sugest sme fucha eventualities thru using dis wrld. I giv it 5/10

Text or Regular English?

When translated to text, it took me forever to actually figure out what some of the words were, let alone how they fit into the context. I find regular English a lot more 'user friendly' and much more expressive. I think it's actually harder and more time consuming to use text than regular text.

Wed, Apr 13, 2005 -- Scavenger Hunt

1. What is the weight of the world's biggest pumpkin?

    Google Search:    & nbsp;   &n bsp;    Guinness Book of Records →    Heaviest Pumpkin

    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;  = 606.7kg (1,337 lb 9 oz) on October 5, 2002

2. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Grant Hackett?

No idea. (walk down to the Pool where he trains on the Gold Coast and say hello?)

 3. What is the length of a giraffe's tongue?

     Google Search:    & nbsp;   &n bsp;    Animal Facts *Giraffe

    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;  = over 18 inches (46cm)

4. How would you define "ontology"? What does it really mean?

   Google Search:    & nbsp;   &n bsp;    Definition *Ontology

    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;  = Specification of a Conceptualization

5. What was David Cronenberg's first film?

    Google Search:    & nbsp;   &n bsp;    David Cronenberg *films

    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;  “Transfer” 1966

6. When was the "Hacker's Manifesto" written?

Google Search:    & nbsp;   &n bsp;    Hacker’s Manifesto

    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;  = January 8, 1986

7. Why do all phone numbers in Hollywood films start with "555"?

    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   Mooter Search    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp; Hollywood Phone Numbers *555

=The prefix was reserved for TV and movies use so the viewing public wouldn't harass real phone customers when they were looking to speak with their favorite stars.

http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20020826.html" title="http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20020826.html" target="_blank"http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/2002...

 8. What is the cheapest form of travel from Crete to Rhodes?

Flight = $229.14 Expedia
9. What song was top of the Australian Pop Charts this week in 1965?

Google Search:    & nbsp;   &n bsp;    Australian Pop Charts *1965

    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;  = http://www.onmc.iinet.net.au/top/1965.htm" title="http://www.onmc.iinet.net.au/top/1965.htm" target="_blank"http://www.onmc.iinet.net.au/...

    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;  = Rock and Roll Music/Honey Don’t – The Beatles

10. What band was Stephen Stockwell in?

    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;  The Black Assassin

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