How eight pixels cost Microsoft millions
Mood:  lucky
Now Playing: ROTFL!!
Topic: Weird
Microsoft's lack of multicultural savvy cost the Redmond behemoth millions of dollars, according to a company executive.


The software giant has seen its products banned in some of the biggest markets on earth--and it's all because of eight wrongly colored pixels, a dodgy choice of music and a bad English-to-Spanish dictionary.

Speaking at the International Geographical Union congress in Glasgow on Wednesday, Microsoft's top man in its geopolitical strategy team, Tom Edwards, revealed how one of the biggest companies in the world managed to offend one of the biggest countries in the world with a software slip-up.

When coloring in 800,000 pixels on a map of India, Microsoft colored eight of them a different shade of green to represent the disputed Kashmiri territory. The difference in greens meant Kashmir was shown as non-Indian, and the product was promptly banned in India. Microsoft was left to recall all 200,000 copies of the offending Windows 95 operating system software to try and heal the diplomatic wounds. "It cost millions," Edwards said.

Another social blunder from Microsoft saw chanting of the Koran used as a soundtrack for a computer game and led to great offence to the Saudi Arabia government. The company later issued a new version of the game without the chanting, while keeping the previous editions in circulation because U.S. staff thought the slip wouldn't be spotted, but the Saudi government banned the game and demanded an apology. Microsoft then withdrew the game.

The software giant managed to further offend the Saudis by creating another game in which Muslim warriors turned churches into mosques. That game was also withdrawn.

Microsoft has also managed to upset women and entire countries. A Spanish-language version of Windows XP, destined for Latin American markets, asked users to select their gender between "not specified," "male" or "bitch," because of an unfortunate error in translation.

Microsoft has also seen its unfortunate style of diplomacy have an effect in Korea, Kurdistan, Uruguay and to China--where a cartographical dispute saw Chinese employees hauled in front of the government.

Edwards said that staff members are now sent on geography courses to try to avoid such mishaps. "Some of our employees, however bright they may be, have only a hazy idea about the rest of the world," he said.

Even P Diddy Likes Denny's
Mood:  irritated
Topic: Humor


God bless you, P Diddy. God bless you.

Mood:  energetic
Topic: Quotes/Poetry
I'll close the door and snap the lock
And toss the key away.
Cause I know that without your love
I can not help face the day.
Red roses will climb the lattice
to hide the lock from sight
And memories will build a shrine
to ease the pain of night.
Then bow low your head in reverance.
In sorrow shed a tear.
A young love died a thousand deaths
And its corpse lies buried here.

New George Foreman Game
Mood:  suave
Topic: Gaming

Looks pretty amazing from the screenshots I've seen. George Foreman has to box AND cook at the same time. Be careful! Watch your grease tray!!!

Dell TV Shirt and CIA Shirt / Palisades
Mood:  lucky
Topic: Travel
Helped my friend Paul move today. I can't believe how much stronger I am. I lifted a couch with one damn hand. I'm the hulk damnit!

I went to the Palisades also and got a great T-shirt. CIA: Cleavage Inspection Agency! Thank you Steve & Barry's!!! Went to Fox Sports Grill also. Holy shit. Plasmas TV are everywhere!

Ten Things I Hate About You Quote
Mood:  sharp
Topic: Quotes/Poetry
I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair.
I hate the way you drive my car.
I hate it when you stare.
I hate your big dumb combat boots, and the way you read my mind.
I hate you so much it makes me sick; it even makes me rhyme.
I hate it, I hate the way you're always right.
I hate it when you lie.
I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry.
I hate it that you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call.
But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you.
Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.

I went to a national park the other day
Topic: Weird
Here is a friend of mine on the rocks! Cliff diving is in!!!

Seinfeld: The Game
Mood:  hungry
Topic: Gaming
I heard it was coming out in 2005 sometime. From the shots I've seen it looks pretty good! :-)

Check out Konami's Website at:

Konami

CT
Topic: Movies
Went to CT again and watched The Manchurian Candidate. Now I really want to see the original version. It was a fantastic film! Not much action, but it's a great thriller. It had me guessing the whole time. Thank you Denzel!!!

B R E A K I N G N E W S : Rap sucks
Mood:  irritated
Topic: Humor
Van Nuys, CA (AP) - In a stunning turn of events, all rap labels have officially announced the retirement of all rap associated lyrics, songs and merchandise to be destroyed for charity. When Death Row records president 3Pac commented, he said, "Weez tryin' to do the right thang."

The event, "Rap Burnation '04" is going to be held at the Rams stadium in L.A. Gangsta Records VP, Joe Moma had, "...no love for rap. It was worse than country."

A new study according to Reuters (REU) says that over 90% of Americans 18-30 never liked rap, but only "copied" what everyone else was doing. Ticket sales for rock concerts continued to climb over the news and most rappers are going back to their previous jobs as drug dealers and pimps. - Jerold Malcolm

Paul's Page
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: Humor
Hey, if you are bored check out my friend Paul's webpage at:

Paul's Webpage

Tell him Danny sent you!

2 Cops in Trouble in London for Porn Film
Mood:  happy
Topic: Humor
2 Cops were trying to break apart a crowded group of people at a porn set in London. However, instead of breaking it up, they decided to join in!

Now that's how you serve your country!!!

Jersey: The Final Battle
Topic: Travel
Went to NJ Sat night late w/ Stephen. Wow. I think Jersey is too far from me. It was fun though. Went out to eat and the Bridgewater Commons Mall. Got a tux also. (Yes, I do look very good in them!)

Mood:  happy
Topic: Quotes/Poetry
Sometimes it's really hard
To get you off my mind
Cause you mean so much to me
I think of you all the time
It's not because you're blonde
Or because your eyes are blue
It's not because you're tall
But because you are you

You're usually really sweet
And have been good to me
We used to be friends
Until just recently

Maybe I could have stopped
Caring for you
Maybe I could have quit
Falling for you

But the feelings I'm having
Aren't wrong or bad
And the thoughts that go through my mind
Can make me so sad

You walked all over my heart
You stepped all over me
Sorry that I bothered you
I only wanted you to see

Now you're not talking to me
And you think I'm stalking you
but come on, get real
I have better things to do

But once again I'm sorry
and I want us to be friends
so please forgive me
I dont want it to end.

Two Blonde Jokes For You!
Mood:  lucky
Topic: Humor
This blonde decides one day that she is sick and tired of all these blonde jokes and how all blondes are perceived as stupid, so she decides to show her husband that blondes really are smart. While her husband is off at work, she decides that she is going to paint a couple of rooms in the house The next day, right after her husband leaves for work, she gets down to the task at hand.

Her husband arrives home at 5:30 and smells the distinctive smell of paint. He walks into the living room and finds his wife lying on the floor in a pool of sweat. He notices that she is wearing a ski jacket and a fur coat at the same time.

He goes over and asks her if she is OK. She replies,

"Yes."

He asks what she is doing. She replies that she wanted to prove to him that not all blonde women are dumb and she wanted to do it by painting the house.

He then asks her why she has a ski jacket over her fur coat.

She replies that she was reading the directions on the paint can and they said....

(scroll down)

. . .

. . .

FOR BEST RESULTS . . .

PUT ON TWO COATS









A lawyer and a blonde woman happen to be sitting next to each other on
a long flight from L.A. to New York. The lawyer leans over to her
and asks if she would like to play a fun game. The blonde is tired
and just wants to take a nap, so she politely declines and rolls over
to the window to catch a few winks.

The lawyer persists, saying that the game is really easy and a lot of
fun. He explains how the game works. . . "I ask you a question, and
if you don't know the answer, you pay me, and vice-versa." Again, the
blonde politely declines and tries to get some sleep.
The lawyer figures that since his opponent is a blonde he will easily
win the match, so he makes another offer. "Okay, how about this. .
If you don't know the answer you pay me only $5, but if I don't know
the answer, I will pay you $500."
This catches the blonde's attention and, figuring that there will be
no end to this torment unless she plays, she agrees to play the game.
The lawyer asks the first question. . . "What's the distance from
the Earth to the moon?"

The blonde doesn't say a word, reaches in to her purse, pulls out a five-dollar bill, and hands it to the lawyer. Now, it's the blonde's turn. She asks the lawyer. . . "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?" The lawyer looks at her with a puzzled look. He takes out his laptop computer and searches all his references. He taps into the Air-phone with his modem and searches the Net and even the Library of Congress. Frustrated he sends E-mails to all his coworkers and friends he knows. All to no avail. After over an hour of searching for the answer he finally gives up. He wakes the blonde and hands her $500. The blonde politely takes the $500 and turns away to get back to sleep. The lawyer, who cannot imagine what the answer is, and is going nuts trying to figure it out, is more than a little frustrated! He wakes the blonde and asks. . . "Well, so what goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four?" The blonde reaches into her purse, hands the lawyer $5, and goes back to sleep.

You want good sites?
Topic: Humor
Well...do ya, Punk???

Fark! Check out the photoshopped pics sections!

Ebaums World, funny site with tons of funny images and videos

Coffee Coffee Coffee!!!!!!!
Mood:  caffeinated
Coffee = Goodness!!!

Raining hard
Topic: Weather
Wow. It really looks like crap outside today. Let's hope this weekend will shine a little! :-)

The original "TV chef" has died
Mood:  sad
Not the chef from South Park people. Not Julia Styles either...Julia Child is dead at 91!!! It's so sad, she was a great chef. She will be missed!

What a book!
Topic: Books
I've been reading Dracula. Wow. I never thought I would like to read, but this book is really great!!! :-)