Buy Me…I’m Not XP!!

Microsoft Strongly Recommends XP Users to Upgrade

Since only one year of Windows XP support is left, Microsoft again asks users of this OS to upgrade to something not so ancient. One of the most stable operating systems ever developed by Microsoft has been around for ten years and is still used on 15-20% of PCs worldwide, including mine.

The software giant is going to cut off support for the venerable OS on 8 April 2014, thus giving users one year to either upgrade or get ready to face more vulnerabilities and security risks. Nevertheless, XP is still incredibly popular, particularly among SMBs and home users. All of them feel it gets the job done and therefore don’t see a point in upgrading to Windows 7. But you should understand that Windows XP is older than iOS, Android, Facebook and YouTube.

In addition, the problem is that Microsoft sold millions of XP licenses for first generation nettops and netbooks based on Atom processors, this being years after XP stopped shipping on regular desktops and laptops. Apparently, upgrading these systems to Windows 7 may not be an option for most users.

In the meanwhile, the software giant insists that the only way for users to stay safe is to upgrade to a new operating system. The cutoff date is only a year from now, so time is already running out. It seems that Microsoft does not care that users of ancient XP PCs might choose to upgrade to something else, for instance Linux or even Chrome and Android. As for me, I might take it as a sign to buy myself new Macbook and switch to MacOS X.

With so many XP boxes out there, the experts predict that many users will simply ignore Microsoft’s warnings. The company’s decision to ditch XP could also lead to more opportunities for peddlers of alternative low cost systems based on free OS.

An Accident?…Where’s Compensation?

Tripping over umbrellas and tearing trousers:

The House of Commons paid £95 to an employee who tripped on an umbrella and £90 to another who ripped their trousers as part of more than £40,000 handed out in compensation over five years.

Between January 2008 and January 2013 employees have received a total of £44,609.49 in compensation, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.
"Personal injury compensation" for "slips, trips and falls" accounts for £42,550 and the rest relates to property damage.
This property damage includes £435.50 for five "ripped suit jackets" and £688.80 for an incident in March 2012 when a "security road blocker rose up under the rear of a car while waiting for the preceding vehicle to exit through gates".
An employee who incurred "damage to glasses due to a problem with door" was awarded £240 and £90 as handed out for "trousers ripped whilst connecting IT equipment under the table".
In 2009 an employee was paid £95 tripping on a colleague's umbrella but the House of Commons declined to give any more details of injury claims because the low number of staff involved may make it easy to identify them.
A similar Freedom of Information Request to the House of Lords showed that no claims for compensation had been made for the same time frame.
Matthew Sinclair, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "It is deeply depressing that the compensation culture has even found its way into the House of Commons.
"It's frankly ludicrous that taxpayers are footing the bill for when someone snags their clothing in Parliament.
"MPs should be doing their utmost to combat this culture of frivolous claims, not allowing it to flourish in their own back yard.'
The House of Commons declined said they employed 2,047 staff including IT staff who serve both Houses.
A spokesperson added: "The House of Commons, like the Civil Service, self-insures for employers' and public liability.
"The exemption from holding employers' liability insurance comes from the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969.
"Directors General and Heads of Department have authority to decide on property damage claims with a value up to £250.
"All personal injury claims and property damage claims for £250 and upwards are managed centrally."

The Russian Way!

Russian Government Changed Its Mind

The Russian government decided to try and avoid the disastrous effects of misdirected copyright enforcement like it happened with the United States, while at the same time keeping piracy at bay. As such, the authorities have announced they would adopt a different approach.
At the moment, governments from all over the world are trying to fight digital piracy, either by dragging thousands of suspected copyright infringers into mass lawsuits or by pursuing the source – file-sharing portals. The problem is that neither of these methods worked – instead, their efforts only increased the popularity of such services, while doing nothing to stop piracy from spreading. As a result, a regime known as graduated response system was enforced in many countries. However, the governments failed to find a better solution – for example, launching more places on the Internet where people can purchase legal content. The authorities usually can’t understand that there is a vital difference between “hardcore pirates” and the ordinary BitTorrent users and therefore fail to suggest improved copyright legislation which wouldn’t undermine people’s freedom of speech and human rights. Although for the government it would be enough to educate the regular Internet users about copyright law, this isn’t enough for copyright owners, who are never tired of targeting file-sharers by the hundreds of thousands.

Vladimir Grigoryev, a head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, announced that they aren’t going to hold Internet users responsible for downloading as the United States does, and won’t bring owners of PCs to court. But this doesn’t mean that piracy will thrive in Russia. The authorities are determined to impose stricter rules regarding portals facilitating copyright violation. In other words, the owners of pirate websites will be hold liable for infringement, not end users. As for the users, they will soon be the subjects of educational programs, just as their American fellows.

Thus far, there are no details about the campaign, but Russian authorities seem to be confident. The experts doubt that the country’s entertainment industry, which is known for sending complaints about VKontakte (InTouch) and AllofMP3 clones for a while now, will be satisfied once such campaigns kick in.

A Pint Of Milk Please!!

Mayor Terry Buckle drives his car into Tesco Express store

A mayor has driven his car through the doors of his local Tesco Express.
Councillor Terry Buckle, mayor of St Edmundsbury in Suffolk, drove his car into the store at Lawson Place, Moreton Hall.
He was taken to West Suffolk Hospital with minor injuries but later released. His family said he was "all right".
Morteon Hall councillor Frank Warby said: "He had a slight mishap. They are automatic doors so opened as he approached."
Suffolk Police said officers were called to the store, which is on the outskirts of Bury St Edmunds, at 16:35 BST.
'Speedy recovery'
A spokesman said the doors of the store were broken but there was "hardly any damage" to the car.
Tesco said no customers or staff were hurt.
A spokesman said: "We wish the driver a speedy recovery and are relieved that none of our other customers or colleagues were hurt during this incident.
"An ambulance attended the scene and the shop is open and trading as usual for our customers.
"We'll be working as quickly as possible to get the front of the store repaired and back to normal."

You’re Nicked?

Jailbird: Three officers and a riot van tackle a roaming swan

A police force condemned as heavy handed for shooting dead an escaped cow is facing criticism again, after sending three officers, a patrol car and a riot van to tackle a lost swan.

Police rushed to the scene to deal with the errant swan, which was spotted wandering along a road near student accomodation in Lincoln.
Fearing it may disrupt traffic, two PCSOs in a patrol car and an officer in a riot van attended the scene to find the bird wandering in the carpark.
Witnesses reported seeing them attempt to coax the swan to a more appropriate home for around half an hour, before eventually snaring it with a sheet and bundling it carefully into the back of the van.
It has since been returned to a nearby river, where it is said to be unharmed.
Baffled bystanders have now said they had "no idea" why police became involved in the operation, claiming the bird seemed "perfectly happy" where it was.
A spokesman for the police said they had received a call about the injured swan obstructing traffic and insisted “action was needed”.
Last month, the same force used a police marksman to shoot dead a cow that had escaped from a field near a school. An initial shot towards the "aggressive" cow was fired from the roof of a white van parked near to the children’s school but missed.
Yesterday, local residents criticised Lincolnshire Police's decision to spend resources - estimated to be around £600 - on snaring the bird, calling it a "huge over reaction."
Matthew Knott, 18, a mechanical engineering student at Lincoln University, photographed the moment officers arrived in high visibility jackets to capture the bird.
He said: "I was looking out of my window at around 1pm and I saw something that looked like a bird. Then a police car pulled up and two female PCSOs got out and sort of stared at the swan, it reared its head up so I saw it was a swan.
"A little while later a police riot van turned up and a male officer got out and started trying to shoo the swan to the open back of the van, which was never going to work.
"Eventually after about half-an-hour they got a sheet thing from the back of the van and caught it in that.
"It seemed like a bit of an over reaction, I have no idea how the police ended up being involved.
"We do sometimes get swans on our site, they get picked up by drunk students, but it's normally just one RSPCA guy who comes to deal with it but never three police officers.
"It was a huge over reaction, the swan wasn't doing any harm, it seemed perfectly happy sitting there not going near anyone."
James Phillips, 34, who lives nearby, said he feared a serious crime had occured when he saw officers attending the scene.
He said: "I thought someone must have been attacked or something, when a marked car and van went into the accommodation.
"Then I saw they weren't rushing out of the car so went to look what was going on and there they were, staring at this swan. They didn't seem to know what to do with it really, they must have spent an hour hunting it down.
"It wasn't doing anyone any harm and I wonder what crimes might have taken place while they were messing around with a swan."
A spokeswoman for Lincolnshire Police confirmed the swan was captured 21 minutes after the first officer arrived on the scene.
“Police were sent to this incident because the swan was in the road and causing a potential danger to traffic and the estimated time for RSPCA attendance was two hours," she said.
"The swan was initially reported to be injured so potentially needed transporting and this obviously can’t be done in a car. These resources were available at the time and so no significant additional costs are incurred.”

Here Pussy Pussy!

Scared burglar arrested after calling police about cat

A scaredy-cat burglar was arrested after he became frightened when he heard a strange noise and rang police from under a bed.
Marius Ionescu, 31, mistook the family cat for another burglar in the house in Benesti, Romania, causing him to head for cover and wait for the authorities to come and rescue him.
When the police turned up they did not discover anyone else in the house except for the burglar himself and promptly arrested him.
‘The noise he heard was probably just the family cat,’ said police spokesperson Mihaela Straub.
‘He already has a criminal record for similar break-ins, and given his nervous disposition, he probably should look for another job.
‘He’s likely to have a lot of time inside jail to consider things.’
We’re not sure what other occupations Mr Ionescu could take up but it’s probably a good idea if he avoids anything to do with cats.

Anything For You Son!!

Farmer turns nude model to help son

A desperate dad raising cash for his son's medical treatment has launched a new career - as a nude model for life drawing classes in China.

Farmer Zhao Changyong, 47, needs to raise £15,000 to continue his 22-year-old son's hospital treatment in Zhengzhou, Henan province, for bone marrow disease.
But after selling the family farm to pay for the treatment, Zhao ran out of cash and has taken up a series of odd jobs to keep the money coming in.
Now Zhao is making the most of his natural assets as a £10 an hour nude model for a local art school.
"The first time I felt quite ashamed to be taking my clothes off, but I thought of my son and my feeling didn't seem important any more," explained Zhao.
"But the students are very nice. They don't laugh at me, they look at me more like a doctor looks at a patient and this is more money than I could make in the fields," he added.
Now medics have told him that son Wu is expected to make a full recovery.
"The students have been very kind and generous and they've offered to paint our portrait when he gets better - but this time with all our clothes on," said Zhao.

When No Means No!

Clerk stops robber after saying 'no'

A man tried to rob a Florida pizzeria but ended up leaving after a worker simply told him "No".

The female attendant assumed the man, who was brandishing a knife, was joking and laughed when he asked for the money.

She then said "No" twice and he left the shop, removing the ski-mask he was wearing and getting into a car.

A passing motorist saw the 'robber' remove his mask and followed him home, alerting police to his address.

When questioned, the car's owner revealed that his friend had borrowed the vehicle for a 'booze run', reports Sun Sentinel.

The would-be criminal, Phillip Joseph Steinberg, was arrested just 12 minutes after his botched robbery attempt.

Spoilt? Yes!

A truly scrumptious birthday present

A three-year-old girl has been given the birthday present of her dreams - a miniature Chitty Chitty Bang Bang built by her grandparents.

Nick Pointing spent hundreds of hours creating the magical car, which includes fold-out wings, with the help of wife Carolyn for little Indiva Tasker.
It's based on the world-famous vehicle driven by Dick Van Dyke in the blockbuster movie of 1968.
Mr and Mrs Pointing built a full-sized Chitty - using an old Land Rover chassis - which they drove to Australia, raising over £10,000 for various charities, in 2007.
Mr Pointing said: "Indiya loves the film and thinks we have the real movie car in our garage!
"So I decided the best birthday present we could give her would be a scaled-down version, that she could safely drive herself."
The mini-Chitty took two years to build at the Pointing's home on the Isle of Wight.
Mr Pointing added: "The car is 11ft long and built on a ride-on lawn mower chassis, with wings fitted where the cutting blades used to be.
"The boat-shaped rear is made from hardwood boat-building timber, with the bonnet cut from sheet aluminium."
"Brass and red leather came from an auto jumble and other parts were adapted from anything I could find as in the spirit of the film."