http://www.ormannedir.com Just another WordPress weblog Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:46:36 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en For example, the federal government earlier this month issued an executive order (click for PDF) that mandates that all new federal buildings built by 2030 need to be net zero energy, or generate as much as they consume. Many of these regulations also apply to renovating existing buildings, Palmer said. ... http://www.ormannedir.com/2010/09/04/autodesk-crunches-numbers-for-greener-buildings/ The three tools include HP Scrawlr , UrlScan version 3.0 Beta , and a SQL Source Code Analysis Tool. Microsoft further recommends following the best practices found within advisory 954462. On Tuesday, Microsoft issued new tools to assist Microsoft ASP and ASP.NET technologies against recent Web-based attacks. "These free tools offer detection ... http://www.ormannedir.com/2010/08/30/microsoft-tools-address-sql-injection-attacks/ The House of Representatives on Friday voted overwhelmingly in favor of a "compromise" spy law that would shield AT&T and other companies from pending lawsuits accusing them of opening their networks to the government in violation of wiretap laws. Touted by Republicans as a "compromise," the bill, passed on a 293-129 ... http://www.ormannedir.com/2010/08/24/house-passes-compromise-spy-law-shielding-teleco/ What happens when you don't have good image processing in your search engine? You get inconsistent results, as seen in this page returned for the query "McDonalds". (Credit: Google) Google is starting to provide a fuller picture of the work it's undertaking to create a practical tool for image searches. On its ... http://www.ormannedir.com/2010/08/21/google-offers-snapshot-of-visualrank-efforts/ Laptop tray beats the heat (Credit: Veer) This Type Tray acts as a barrier between a hot laptop and your legs, which is great because up until now I've always used a pillow to protect myself from tech-related burns. Veer and Scribble Product Design configured the tray to allow heat to dissipate through ... http://www.ormannedir.com/2010/08/21/laser-etched-laptop-tray-made-from-recyclable-mate/ So how are tech start-ups going to get through this current squall? First it helps to have some historical perspective. Everyone's weighing in, but perhaps the best rundown of how the industry arrived at this point was authored recently by Bill Gurley of Benchmark Capital: Benchmark Capital's Bill Gurley: ... http://www.ormannedir.com/2010/08/21/how-tech-start-ups-plan-on-getting-by/ In addition to a legacy of adventure and entrepreneurship, Steve Fossett leaves behind a top secret project he'd been working on. He had bought a highly advanced underwater submersible he hoped would take him to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, lower than any point on Earth humans have gone. ... http://www.ormannedir.com/2010/08/21/cnet-news-daily-podcast-steve-fossetts-undersea/ I'm not kidding when I say Penzu is the most realistic re-creation of paper I've seen on the Web. The service has a serious leg up on its pulp-born competition with a slick looking college-rule that holds all your thoughts (intelligent or not) and saves them to the cloud. When ... http://www.ormannedir.com/2010/08/21/forget-google-docs-penzu-gives-you-paper-2-0/ (Credit: Lifehacker) OK. Don't read past this first paragraph yet. I want you to look at the pic above and try to guess what's going on. Go ahead. I'll be here when you get back. Figure it out? I didn't. At first I thought it was some kind of "Internet-speak joke" that ... http://www.ormannedir.com/2010/08/21/look-out-here-comes-your-spider-mac/ Went to see Martin Scorsese's new concert film Shine A Light with the Rolling Stones, and I have to admit the aged rockers put on a good show. Sure, Mick and Keith's life-long love affair with the blues is still going strong, but their music has become strangely soulless. They ... http://www.ormannedir.com/2010/08/21/the-beatles-vs-the-rolling-stones/