09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0.
MPAA is trying to get this number “censored” and sending takedown notices to anyone hosting it, ranging from simple Blogs to Digg news items. Here’s a hint- numbers can’t be censored, or trademarked – this is actually one of the reasons the Pentium trademark was born(instead of a 586), because numbers are hard to “defend” as intelletctual property of any kind, and certainly as an encryption key, which is a natural use for a number – a mathematical operation.
Quoting an awesome Slashdot comment …
”
This is merely a very famous (from now on, hint, hint) number theory curiosity: 09F911029D74E35BD84156C5635688C0 is the hexadecimal representation (with leading zero to round off to 32 hex digits) of 13256278887989457651018865901401704640 decimal which amazingly enough, is equal to the huge prime number 13256278887989457651018865901401704613 + 3^3 (i.e. + 27) Astonishingly, the next prime after that is only 31 away, so our famous number can also be represented as 13256278887989457651018865901401704671 – 31 It is also very interesting because it is also equal to the product of the following prime numbers: 2^6 * 5 * 19 * 12043 * 216493 * 836256503069278983442067 Truthfully, when was the last time you saw any remotely similar number? Never, right? We better record this for mathematical posterity!!!
This is merely a very famous (from now on, hint, hint) number theory curiosity:
09F911029D74E35BD84156C5635688C0
is the hexadecimal representation (with leading zero to round off to 32 hex digits) of
13256278887989457651018865901401704640 decimal
which amazingly enough, is equal to the huge prime number
13256278887989457651018865901401704613 + 3^3 (i.e. + 27)
Astonishingly, the next prime after that is only 31 away, so our famous number can also be represented as
13256278887989457651018865901401704671 – 31
It is also very interesting because it is also equal to the product of the following prime numbers:
2^6 * 5 * 19 * 12043 * 216493 * 836256503069278983442067
Truthfully, when was the last time you saw any remotely similar number? Never, right? We better record this for mathematical posterity!!!
“
Gmail account appears fully operational now, and the suspension appeared to be active for only around 20 hours. During account suspension time I wasn’t able to download attachements, but was able to read email and view attachment previews.
The reason for the suspension appears to be a massive burst of emails with attachements from other gmail users – Even though I cannot confirm that this is the only true reason, it is the only anomality I’ve noticed when I was notified of the “Lockdown in Sector 6″.
After getting a nice barrage of funny emails from a friend of mine, I was notified by almighty Google that my Gmail account is suspended, for up to 24 hours.
To Google’s defense I must say that I was sent around 50MB in random movie and PPS files, with very little content or description, except the Fwd: Fwd:Fwd:Fwd:Fwd:Fwd:Fwd:Fwd:Fwd:Fwd: Ha-Haaaa and Fwd:Fwd:Fwd:Fannay titles. This is the exact text of the notification:
Our system indicates unusual usage of your account. In order to protect Gmail users from potentially harmful use of Gmail, this account has been disabled for up to 24 hours.
This is likely due to the use of a third party software tool with Gmail. If you are using any third party software that interacts with your Gmail account, please disable it or adjust it so that its use complies with the Gmail Terms of Use. If you feel that you have been using your Gmail account according to the Terms of Use or otherwise normally, please contact us.
————————————————————————————————
Click Here for the Banned from Gmail Screenshot. I was able to get back to reading my emails, but no longer able to download any attachments, at least not immediately after the notification of account suspension. Hopefully the account will be get back to normal withing 24 hours as described .
Anderson Mccutcheon is probably the most famous non-existent whisky, bearing the name of the most famous non-existent Admiral in the world. The whisky was featured in then eight episode of the third season of Lost, describing the Admiral as the most decorated one to ever serve in the navy, and the whisky being his crowning achievement.
Being quite fond of whisky, I was rather disappointed to find out that there is no such beverage. If you are looking for something comparable to the whisky mentioned in the episode , I suggest the 40 year old BRUICHLADDICH. While it isn’t the crowning achievement of a decorated admiral, it’s the finest Scottish whisky you will find in a regualr liquor store.
Cheers
CCS is a very nice compiler for PIC family of micro-controllers – the compiler includes a fair amount of built-in functions, many of which deal with bit manipulation – crucial functions when it comes to communications. Too bad I have to write these manually when porting communication to the NEC 78f9418 .
Having a 7 byte bitfield and transmitting it via low-speed PWM is not complex, and this is how the original code looked like, for PIC :
for (i = 0; i < 56; i++) { shift_bit=shift_left (&irm, sizeof(ir_packet), 1); send_bit(shift_bit); }
Simple – 7 bytes are 56 bits, shift_left then accepts the address of irm, which is a structure of type ir_packet, shifted 1 bit to the left. The bit is then sent on it’s way. Writing this code without the shift_left function proved to be somewhat fun though
packetBytePointer=&(BYTE *)&irm+6; for(o=0;o<7;o++) { transmittedByte=*packetBytePointer; for(z=0;z<8;z++) { send_bit(transmittedByte&0x80); transmittedByte<<=1; } packetBytePointer--;
}
The above piece of code first puts an address to the last byte of the structure into a pointer, then assigns the value that is at that address to a temporary parameter of type BYTE (it's just an unsigned char) , and then simply iterates through it by shifting left and applying the 10000000 mask to it. When the iteration is done, the address of the pointer is decreased to the begin the procedure on the next (previous memory-wise) byte. This implementation was actually better in my case than shift_left of CCS , because it does not alter the original structure, so if you are storing your operational parameters in a structure that fits the transmission packet (common for simple devices such as “dumb” thermostats and motors), you don’t need to make another copy of the structure.
Finally.
One of my hobbies is poker – the combination of mathematics and psychology makes a very natural and comofrtable game for me. I don’t play for real money online, but enjoy playing in big “play money” and Freeroll tournaments. One of the better things about poker, is I can’t see myself get addicted to it, since it gets quite annoying after around two hours of play. So this hobby goes quite well with my busy schedule, and I play coupla tournaments a month. I play on PartyPoker and on UltimateBet, if you know a better place to play large poker tournaments , let me know.
Slashdot has an item about Tech Heroes and contributors to internet technology -
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/04/1357230 Nothing too fancy or informative in the summary or comments , so I headed to the article . This is what the http://web2journal.com/read/331813.htm page looks like : Click here to see the worst adsoup on the web.
Brilliant table-based (not very Web 2.0) design , with a HUGE moving ad in the middle of the screen, and 12 more scattered around it .
Before explaining the pyramid structure of Clickbank’s most popular products, I’d like to mention to the readers that I have personally promoted and profited very well from this Clickbank’s affiliate programs, which I frankly consider the easiest way in the world to make a steady 300$ a day . It’s just a very bad idea for someone with not enough money to spare to try and play that game .
A brief description of Clickbank’s business model
Clickbank allows creators of digital content to advertise and and promote their digital products via the Clickbank Marketplace to potential clients and affiliates . Most of the times , the product itself is a document of around 100 pages , dedicated to a very specific subject , sold via a very well written sales letter .
Other products consist mainly of very purpose-specific programs , that are dedicated to accomplishing an easily-marketable job .
Now, honestly speaking , nobody in their right mind would pay 49$ (or more) for a copy of digital document (not even a real book) to find out how to earn 1500$ a day by filling surveys and typing ads . A logical and patient person would more likely to search , read and test similar information by joining the appropriate communities and seeking guidance from experienced people . The same applies for Games/Cheats , Exercise/Diet guide or any other manual , and surely applies to software that can be easily acquired for online free . Q) So how exactly do these low-quality digital products still manage to sell in large quantities for great profit ? A) The same way many low-quality products sell – aggressive Marketing and MLM-like affiliate system .
Clickbank’s uniqueness lies in the fact that most products are not part of the marketing effort , but rely completely on the fact that some products are . Here is how it works : Most of the top-promoted and most sold clickbank products are Get-rich-work-from-home types of products . These products , more often than not, simply sell a product about how to sell products just like the one the buyer recently purchased . These guides make a very valid point – Hey , you paid 50$ for an E-book , I got paid , and the affiliate that referred you got paid .
The Client , in turn , will often become an affiliate of other Clickbank products , generating more profit to the owner of the content, and might also promote other products, which are not even promoting Clickbank’s business model . This is essential to the survival of the Clickbank Marketplace for several reasons , the most important of such reasons is the fact that all affiliates are in direct competition to one another, and unlike many other entrepreneurs online (and offline) , would not invite or incourage another person to profit off Clickbank’s products . The greatest resemblance to Pyramid schemes is actually what happens next – most Clients will actually lose money by promoting products , and after promoting products at their expense and generating sales for the Top Level , most will quit. But not before making just a few sales of the same product they bought, to keep the ball rolling .
So who should “play” Clickbank as an Affiliate ? My advice is – if you have a spare 1000$ for initial marketing/promotion miscalculations , enough patience to see whether you promotional methods are working in the long run even with initial losses , and most importantly , smart enough to not actually buy and apply the knowledge that is sold via ClickBank’s Marketplace, you should definitely give it a try . You just might be surprised by the amount of money you can make through nothing but calculation of conversion rates and minimal initial investment.
Universal Tube, which sells used machines that make tubes, has said it “has lost business because customers have had trouble accessing its site.” So now Utube is suing YouTube seeking a cease and desist on the youtube domain.
But this isn’t news now, at least not in internet terms – the story has reached every major technology/web2.0/news site on the (pla)net. http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/11/02/0357210&from=rsse
http://digg.com/tech_news/Breaking_UTube_Sues_YouTube
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/02/pipes_youtube/
The readers’ reaction was the same pretty much everywhere; be it in direct responses to the news item, blogs and forums, everyone were talking about how stupid Utube is, and how it should “cash-in” on it’s traffic and free publicity. Because hey, when sites are being acquired for millions (and billions…) of dollars based solely on the amount of their monthly visitors and Alexa ranking, who the hell are Utube to say that traffic is worthless?
UTube is a real company, the kind of company that depends on its revenue stream to survive, has a budget and client list, and is operating in a competitive market. Established in 1985, and led by a person with 30 years of experience in tube and pipe industry.
From the Company’s overview:
“We have one of the largest selections of used tube and pipe mills in the world. Utilizing over 125,000 square feet of warehouse space…. “
An example from their product line:
“Replacement Cost for a New Machine is approximately $1,900,000. “
The company was also smart enough to get a website early on, when most companies weren’t considering the Internet as part of their business model at all:
Domain Name: UTUBE.COM Registrar: NETWORK SOLUTIONS, LLC. Updated Date: 10-oct-2006 Creation Date: 26-oct-1996
(Youtube was registered in 2005)
This question has been asked in many places (especially SEO and webmaster related parts of the blogosphere and forums), and the simple answer is - SMALL MONEY. Considering the amount of confused visitors (which will drop by around 90% when the lawsuit issue ends), this could probably bring in no more than 1500$ a day using the standard advertising methods. Which is less than what your local coffee shop makes, and is probably less than 1% of what UTube makes in a day. They stick to piping and don’t expand their business to the Online Advertising niche for the same reason webmasters stick to advertising and don’t expand their business to the Tube and Pipe business niche. Because it’s not their core business, and both companies and people should stick to what they know. Especially when what they don’t know brings a lot less money than what they do know.
This is where things get funny, and somewhat ugly. It’s only two weeks old.
Word Mark
UTUBE
Goods and Services
IC 007. US 013 019 021 023 031 034 035. G & S: Tube and pipe mills, rollforming lines, and slitting lines. FIRST USE: 19961231. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19961231IC 037. US 100 103 106. G & S: Refurbishing of tube and pipe mills, rollforming lines, and slitting lines. FIRST USE: 19961231. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19961231
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code
(4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Design Search Code
Serial Number
77023852
Filing Date
October 18, 2006
Current Filing Basis
1A
Original Filing Basis
Owner
(APPLICANT) Universal Tube & Rollform Equipment Corporation CORPORATION OHIO 26202 Glenwood Road Perrysburg OHIO 43551
Attorney of Record
Richard G. Martin
Type of Mark
TRADEMARK. SERVICE MARK
Register
PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator
LIVE
This information was taken from the USPTO.gov website – notice the date, 18 October 2006. Just 9 days after Google bought Youtube for 1.65 Billion dollars in stock.
So, bottom line is : Yes, UTube is after Google’s money.
…Back .
The domain b166er.com was registered on April 27, 2004 through Dotster . Not that I had any special plans for it , just seemed like a nice idea to own a domain name(d ) after the one robot that just didn’t want to die, the robot that has initiated the chain reaction that brought the human race to it’s knees in the Matrix series.
A year has passed, I haven’t done anything with the domain, but I was in a rather complex situation personally and financially, and simply forgot to renew the domain, effectively losing it to one of those domain-hoarding companies that monetize such names by putting ads and directories on the expired domain’s pages. It’s a rather big industry , fitting somewhere between typosquatting and domain parking. It my eyes, it’s a sort of legitimate Cybersquatting, they get to use the domain name after it expires, and sometimes get to cash in when someone wants to either purchase or the original owner wants to get it back from them.
Time has passed, and I decided I want my domain name back. I checked the WhoIs records , and to my very pleasant surprise, the domain record was pending deletition(PendingDelete) and there was nothing on its homepage. I wanted to make sure I get the domain as soon as it becomes available. Having no idea how to do this, I turned to what seemed like professionals, GoDaddy Inc, and place the following order:
Sounds cool, doesn’t it? DomainAlert Promonitoring, and costs a whooping 19$, more than a two-year domain registration. Not a high price to pay to get my domain back at all, and I don’t even have to waste my time on emails or negotiations, pay and forget kind of service . Too bad it didn’t work.
“This notification is generated automatically as a service to you because you subscribe to DomainAlert®. We’re sorry, but the following domain name(s) that you backordered was not captured successfully:“
And there was no refund.
I apologize the backorder attempt has failed. Currently the backorder as submitted as requested therefore it is not eligable for a refund. You may change the backorder for another domain if you would like.
The easiest 18.99$ GoDaddy ever made. Not giving up, I went to seek an advice on the Digital Point forums, asking if someone could point me in the right direction so I will get my domain name back. And point they did – A good man named BlitzOnline pointed me to
And they were actually having an auction for this domain name. Being taught the GoDaddy lesson, I read the not-so-small print first:
No Up-front Cost: All fees are due on delivery. Bidding is free. Simple, Least-Cost Bidding: Set the most you are willing to pay, and our system will bid for you, entering the least amount necessary to maintain your winning status, but never more than your limit. Automatic Notification: You will be notified by email about each important event, such as auction won, auction starting, or if you are outbid.
So I went in, placed the lowest possible initial bid of 30$, and just 48 hours later and without any other interaction, received an email containing some helpful domain management information and the following notification:
Congratulations! You have successfully acquired the domain name b166er.com. We have debited your account $30.00, the amount of your winning bid. Fees for your first year of registration were included in the cost of your purchase.
Congratulations! You have successfully acquired the domain name b166er.com.
We have debited your account $30.00, the amount of your winning bid.
Fees for your first year of registration were included in the cost of your purchase.
And this is how I got the B166er.com domain name back. Hopefully this story will help others make the right decisions when it comes to domain acquisition and backordering. And most important of all, I want to thank the Digital Point community for providing the priceless free advice. Asking my questions earlier could have saved me 18.99$.
Useful Links : Domain Status Types, SnapNames Partners
