Unlinker Replaces Thumbnails with Full-Size Images [Downloads]

Firefox only (Win/Mac/Linux): Firefox extension Unlinker fixes those annoying web pages that show you thumbnails, forcing you to click through every single image to see the full-size version.

Once you've installed the extension, simply right-click on the image and choose the new Unlinker option to make Firefox load the full-size image inline on the page, or use the context menu on the page background to load all the images on the page—especially useful for galleries where you'd really like to see all of the images in a full-size view instead of repeatedly clicking through each one. We've mentioned this extension before, but since then it's been simplified into a one-click operation. Unlinker is a free download, works wherever Firefox does.

Unlinker [Mozilla Add-ons via gHacks]

Spiff Up Flat Images with Textures [Photoshop Tip]

Even if you master the focus and composition of a photograph, it might come off as a bit too calm for certain uses. The Digital Photography School site explains how to apply interesting image textures to any photograph.

In the example shown at the DPS blog, the rough and slightly yellowed look of a scanned piece of paper is applied as a layer to an over-the-shoulder portrait, giving it a look and color tone that matches the look the model is giving off. For beginning Photoshop users, it's a great entryway into the art of applying just the right look to photos that lack for the right mood. Hit the link for the full step-by-step run-down, and tell us about your great texturing results (or post the pics themselves!) in the comments.

How to Use Textures to Enhance Your Photographs [Digital Photography School]

The Hidden Risks of Cloud Computing [Cloud Computing]

Every day more users move their computing lives from the desktop to the cloud and rely on hosted web applications to store and access email, photos, and documents. But this new frontier involves serious risks that aren't obvious to most.

Photo by Dyanna.

In an era of ubiquitous broadband, smartphones, and users who manage multiple computers and devices, it just makes sense to move your email, photos, documents, calendar, notes, finances, and contacts to awesome web applications like Gmail, Evernote, Flickr, Google Docs, Mint, etc. But transferring your personal data to hosted web applications has its potential pitfalls, risks that get lost in all the hype around cloud-centric new products like Google's new Chrome OS or the iPhone.

When you decide to move your data into the cloud, there are a few gotchas you should know about.

Lesser Privacy Protection Under the Law

To search your house or office (including documents stored on your computer's hard drive), cops need to obtain a search warrant. To get to the information you've stored on a third-party's web servers, they only need a subpoena, which is easier to obtain. This kind of search can also happen without your knowledge. The NY Times reports:

Thanks in part to the Patriot Act, the federal government has been able to demand some details of your online activities from service providers - and not to tell you about it. There have been thousands of such requests lodged since the law was passed, and the F.B.I.'s own audits have shown that there can be plenty of overreach - perhaps wholly inadvertent - in requests like these.

Some think that privacy advocates are actually conspiracy theorists and that in reality, no one in the government is reading your email. That may be true. Still, you should know that the legal process for a third party to access your data in the cloud is different than if it's on your own computer. Photo by mujitra (´･ω･).

Weak Security Systems That Are Too Easy to Break Into

The government getting access to your data stored in the cloud is probably much less of a concern than someone illegally getting to it. Crappy web-based security systems—like weak password recovery workflows, phishing attacks, and keyloggers—present bigger security risks.

Just last week hundreds of embarrassing and revealing internal company documents from Twitter were published online, obtained by a hacker who used Gmail's password recovery mechanism to break into an employee's personal Gmail account. This could have happened to anyone. (Two lessons to be learned from this particular intrusion: use strong and different passwords for every cloud app you log into, and make sure your alternate email account is NOT Hotmail.)

In collaborative web applications that are built for groups—like Google Apps or any web-based project management software—the security concerns spread across everyone involved. The security of the entire system is only as strong as the weakest user's setup. Once one person's weak password is brute-forced or guessed, everyone's documents and information are at risk.

Data Lock-in and Third-party Control

Amazon reaches into customers' Kindles and remotely deletes already-purchased books. Facebook launches Beacon, an advertising mechanism that collects and publishes information about what you do on external web sites on your Facebook profile (only to apologize and offer opt-out later). Apple denies approval for the Google Voice application in the App Store. Twitter doesn't offer the ability to export more than 3,200 status updates. Flickr only lets you see the last 200 photos you uploaded if you don't have a paid Pro account. MySpace and Facebook don't immediately remove photos from their servers when you delete them. When you're living in the cloud, you're beholden to a third party who can make decisions about your data and platform in ways never seen before in computing.

Server Unavailability and Account Lockout

One of the biggest benefits of storing your data in the cloud is that you don't have to worry about backing it up anymore. Big companies with hundreds of servers are more reliable than your little external hard drive, right? Yes. But servers do go down, and when you're dependent on a web application to get your email or access that PowerPoint slideshow for the big presentation, there's always the risk that your internet connection will go down, or that the webapp's servers will. Offline technologies like Google Gears, decent export functionality, and a good backup system can ameliorate this particular concern, but not all systems offer those things.

Getting locked out of your webapp account is another possible pitfall. The NY Times reports:

Discussion forums abound with tales of woe from Gmail customers who have found themselves locked out of their account for days or even weeks. They were innocent victims of security measures, which automatically suspend access if someone tries unsuccessfully to log on repeatedly to an account. The customers express frustration that they can't speak with anyone at Google after filling out the company's online forms and waiting in vain for Google to restore access to their accounts.

(If you're worried about getting locked out of your Gmail account in particular, here's one way to automatically back up your mail to your computer.)

---

Don't get me wrong: I personally am right on the cloud bandwagon with all of you. My web browser is the one app I run on my desktop at all times; I've entrusted the likes of Google, Apple, Amazon, and Yahoo with my data just like you have. The key is to know what you're getting into when you make that choice, to ratchet up your personal security mechanisms (like alternate email addresses and password choices) and to lobby for better user protection by hosting providers in the cloud.

That said, vote on your biggest concern about living in the cloud.

What risk factor in the cloud worries you most?(polls)

Have any of these issues (or something I didn't include) kept you from using a web-based application? Have you fallen into any of the pitfalls of the cloud? Let us know in the comments.

Gina Trapani, Lifehacker's founding editor, is cautiously optimistic about the future of cloud computing. Her weekly feature, Smarterware, appears every Wednesday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Smarterware tag feed to get new installments in your newsreader.

Hello Christopher Megadon Meets Hollywood At Rush Backstage Club

The Official Rush Mailing List

 

 

[CLICK HERE FOR THE WEB VERSION OF THIS E-MAIL]   THE OFFICIAL RUSH MAILING LIST       JULY 26, 2009       MEGADON MEETS HOLLYWOOD AT RUSH BACKSTAGE CLUB The Rush Backstage Club has just released a limited edition, hand numbered, Starman Sculpture.  This sculpture is a special item that commemorates the induction of Rush into The Hollywood Walk Of Fame.  All proceeds from the sale of this item go to the Hollywood Historic Trust, which preserves the integrity of the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. For complete details, check it out at www.rushbackstage.com             Rush was inducted into the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2009, being recognized for their contributions to the entertainment industry! This limited edition starman sculpture has been custom painted with Walk Of Fame graphics to commemorate and celebrate this event. The colors used for sculpture are the same as the rose granite star that will be embedded into Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles, California. The iconic starman figure is painted in silver, and stands against the star backdrop which is painted with the signatures of Geddy, Alex, and Neil. The base upon which the starman stands, is painted with a gold Rush logo and the words, "Hollywood Walk Of Fame 2009". As this is a limited edition collectible item, the underside of the base is hand-numbered (1/500) and shows the official copyright information for this statue. These statues are made from heavyweight polyresin, and are packaged in a custom box, complete with a description of the Walk Of Fame induction. The starman stands 7" tall, and the star is approximately 9" tall. The Rush starman is the quintessential logo of the band. The symbolism of the logo is best described by Neil Peart, and Hugh Syme, who created this original artwork.           "All it means is the abstract man against the masses. The red star symbolizes any collectivist mentality." - Neil Peart, Creem, 1982 "The man is the hero of the story. That he is nude is just a classic tradition ... the pureness of his person and creativity without the trappings of other elements such as clothing. The red star is the evil red star of the Federation, which was one of Neil's symbols. We basically based that cover around the red star and that hero." - Hugh Syme, Creem, 1983           ABOUT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION & THIS E-MAIL The Official Rush Mailing List is e-mailed exclusively to subscribers. If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from this list please use the “Instant Unsubscribe” link to remove your information from our database. You may join again anytime. You may also update your subscription preferences by clicking on the “Update My Contact Preferences” below. Remember if you copy and paste in your login and password not to copy the trailing space or your login will fail. Important Note: Please be sure to delete old e-mails sent to you from the list and do not send them to your junk or spam folder. Those are not trash cans. Sending old e-mail to junk or spam folders often goes back to your e-mail service provider's feedback loop and will be permanently removed and cannot be used to subscribe to this service again. Always use the trash can and add info@rush.net to your safe sender list.       This message was sent by SRO Management Inc./Anthem Entertainment Group 189 Carlton Street, Toronto, ON M5A 2K7 CANADA     UPDATE MY CONTACT PREFERENCES     INSTANT UNSUBSCRIBE

Stephen R. Donaldson - The Man Who Killed His Brother

The Man Who Killed His Brother by Stephen R. Donaldson- 2003-10-02- Macmillan Mick "Brew" Axbrewder was once a great P.I. That was before he accidentally shot and killed a cop-worse, a cop who happened to be his own brother. Now he only works now and then, as muscle for his old partner, Ginny Fistoulari. It's a living. And it provides an occasional opportunity for him to dry out.But their latest case demands more than muscle. Brew's dead brother's daughter has disappeared. His brother's widow wants him and Ginny to in-vestigate. And both of them seem to expect him to sober up. Because the darkness they're finding un-der the surface of Sunbelt city Puerto del Sol goes beyond one missing teenager. Axbrewder will need all his talents to confront that darkness. Most of all, he'll need to confront his own worst enemy-him-self.Over two decades ago, bestselling author Ste-phen R. Donaldson published three novels about Mick Axbrewder and Ginny Fistoulari, as pa-perback originals under the pseudonym "Reed Stephens." More recently, under his own name, Donaldson published a new novel in the se-quence, The Man Who Fought Alone. Now, for Donaldson's millions of readers worldwide, the first of the original books The Man Who Killed His Brother appears under Donaldson's own name, in revised and expanded form.

 

Digital Art

 

To be perfectly honest, I've always wanted to be an artist; However, I faced the dilemma early on that I could not draw, sculpt, paint or even take a photograph to save my life. One thing I could do, however, is 3d modeling.

I'm deeply concerned that society as a whole views computer art as shallow, or simply 'not art at all.' There's a collective notion that the computer does all the art, and the artist simply boots up the computer and lets it work for them. Of course, we all know this to be false. As far as technique, expression and form, the digital artist is every bit as adapt as Dali or Kahlo in his/her own right. I see digital art, respectively, as equal as any medium...and only a select few can truly make it shine.

Understanding XP Mode

After we announced Windows XP Mode, I sat down again with Jeremy Chapman at the Microsoft Management Summit in Las Vegas a few weeks ago to find out what he thought about Windows XP Mode as a solution for solving application compatibility issues.

Stephen Rose: Hi Jeremy, seems like I’m interviewing you a lot lately. So we’re at MMS here in Las Vegas and we just announced the Windows 7 Release Candidate and Windows XP Mode as a solution for allowing applications to run within a Windows XP session on a Windows 7 machine. What do you think about this technology? Will this solve everything for people having problems moving off Windows XP or Internet Explorer 6?

Jeremy Chapman: Windows XP Mode adds the seamless virtual desktop integration like we saw in Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MEDV), so you can see applications within the virtual operating system in the start menu:

And you can view applications within the physical operating system’s desktop without showing the entire virtual machine desktop.

It definitely makes the use of Virtual PC technologies much easier for the average user. As we’ve seen for the last decade or so, you can run legacy applications under the context of the legacy operating system. Initially that sounds like a good thing, as Virtual PC always has.

Stephen Rose: Explain what you mean by initially.

Jeremy Chapman: To the undiscerning eye, this looks like an easy fix and for many in sales and marketing roles, it might sound like a silver bullet for application compatibility. Despite the more intuitive user experience, the IT management issues with that are essentially the same as they have been for the last ten years or so with Virtual PC.

Stephen Rose: What do you see as the challenges with this technology then?

Jeremy Chapman: First, there are two operating systems to manage per userSecond, while we can automate and customize full operating system provisioning, it isn’t so easy to custom provision the virtual machine according to user roles and needs. Third, by default the virtual PC user account is a local administrator.

Stephen Rose: Ok, so is there anything that helps IT pros with any of these areas?

Jeremy Chapman: Definitely, MED-V (Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization) adds the control so you can sandbox the virtual PC environment from the physical environment. It also provides the administrative tools to provision within the virtual environment. There is granular control over how the two operating systems behave with one another and you can even pre-define which websites or web-based Line-of-Business applications need to be automatically invoked in the virtual machine’s web browser (Internet Explorer 6 by default). MED-V is also self adjusting as the virtual PC memory allocation based on available RAM on host, so that the virtual PC does not take significant resources from the user. Features like TrimTransfer update a master Virtual PC image, and MED-V will automatically distribute and apply the changes to all endpoints. Finally, MED-V will work on both Windows 7 and Windows Vista, and will not require processor-based virtualization support

Stephen Rose: That definitely sounds like the more manageable solution, but is running Virtual PC and MED-V the only recommended solution for Windows 7?

Jeremy Chapman: From the application compatibility perspective, the best thing to do is to get applications that run natively without any virtualization aids, recoding, compatibility fixes or compatibility modes needed. If you own the code and can recode the application, then do that. If you can’t recode a line-of-business application or are not dependent on support for a third party application, you can try compatibility fixes – or “shims” – to remediate the application. Finally, when all these options aren’t possible, then look into legacy operating system virtualization. If you have exhausted all other options for application remediation and intend on using Windows XP Mode, then I’d recommend following all the best practices in the Windows XP Security Compliance Management Toolkit to secure the virtual environment and manage configuration with Group Policy and desired configuration management in System Center Configuration Manager.

Stephen Rose: So who should be using Windows XP Mode then?

Jeremy Chapman: For individual users or smaller organizations where desktops are not managed, Windows XP Mode is a relatively easy solution to get working. You’ll need to find installation media for those older applications and manually install them, but it can get them working until you port everything over to the physical operating system.

Stephen Rose: So for a transitional period to the new OS, these legacy client virtualization tools can help people run their incompatible legacy applications. Is there anything else to remember with Virtual Windows XP?

Jeremy Chapman: We haven’t talked about hardware yet. So hardware needs to have hardware virtualization – Intel VT or AMDV – and have it enabled in the BIOS. Most business grade hardware produced in the last 2-3 years has that, but netbooks and older PCs often do not meet this requirement. The virtual machine also uses memory, so you’ll probably want to use PCs with 2 GB or more RAM.

Stephen Rose: Good advice. So where can people find more information on Windows XP Mode?

Jeremy Chapman: Check out Scott Woodgate’s blog post on the Windows Team Blog and Scott’s Q&A on PressPass. There is also a Virtual PC Tips and Tricks FAQ on Springboard located here

Stephen Rose: Thanks again for your time Jeremy.

Updated photo e-mail slide shows in Windows Live Mail

One of the most common reasons people send e-mail today is to share photos. But photos can be really large files. When you attach several photos to an e-mail, their combined file size can really add up, making sending and receiving e-mail slow, especially if you or some of the people you’re sending them to have a slower or unreliable Internet connection. And if you exceed your attachment size limit, you’re completely out of luck!

Fortunately, if you use Windows Live Mail (free to download here), you can easily get around this problem with the photo e-mail feature, which lets you upload the full-size photos you want to share online, and attaches smaller, thumbnail-sized versions to your e-mail, making the download size of your message much smaller. The photo e-mail contains a link for recipients to view your photos as an online slide show. And after watching the slideshow, they can then download the full-size photos they like best.

Although the photo e-mail feature has been around for several years already in Mail, we made a few recent changes to the online slide show to make it even better. We took away a lot of the dead space in the old slide show, allowing for a larger viewing area, a much cleaner presentation, and the same beautiful effects you see in all our slide shows on Windows Live Photos. The new slide show uses Microsoft Silverlight technology to match the background color to your image, so it always appears in the best light.

Take a look (click to view larger images):

Before:	After:

Much nicer, huh?

Hope you enjoy the updates!

Tanja
Program Manager, Windows Live Mail

Clubhouse Tags: clubhouse, story, Windows Live, Photos, Mail

Technorati Tags: Windows+Live,Photos,Mail,Microsoft,Silverlight,photo+e-mail,update

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Ozzy Osbourne sues in NYC over Black Sabbath name - MSN Music News

 

© AP

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne sues in NYC over Black Sabbath name

May 29, 2009, 11:47 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) -- Ozzy Osbourne has accused former Black Sabbath band mate Tony Iommi of taking over the heavy metal titans' name and costing him royalties from merchandise sales.

Osbourne, who sued the guitarist earlier this week, issued a statement Friday imploring him to "do the right thing."

"Tony, I am so sorry it's had to get to this point by me having to take this action against you," the singer-turned-reality show star said.

But, he added, "we've all worked too hard and long in our careers to allow you to sell merchandise that features all our faces, old Black Sabbath album covers and band logos, and then you tell us that you own the copyright."

Osbourne, who lives in California, filed suit Tuesday in a federal court in New York, saying Iommi falsely claimed to have sole rights to Black Sabbath's trademark in negotiations over the last year with a company that sells the band's merchandise. As a result, the lawsuit says, Osbourne has lost royalties formerly split 50/50.

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The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, lost profits and a declaration that Osbourne is a half-owner of the trademark.

Iommi's representative and lawyers who have represented him didn't immediately respond to telephone and e-mail messages late Friday.

Osbourne's lawsuit reads at times like liner notes to a greatest-hits album, describing the case as "a dispute concerning one of the most famous and valuable names in the history of rock and roll."

The band, known for its apocalyptic bent and such hits as "Iron Man" and "Paranoid," has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It made a star — and a spectacle — of Osbourne and his from-the-crypt howl before he was fired in 1979.

"To fans of heavy metal music," Osbourne's lawsuit says, "Ozzy has become synonymous with Black Sabbath."

But Iommi, considered one of heavy metal's guitar greats, noted in a separate lawsuit filed against the merchandise firm in December that he has been the only constant member in the English band's 41-year history. Court records show that lawsuit, which doesn't involve Osbourne, was settled Wednesday on undisclosed terms.

Iommi, who registered the Black Sabbath trademark in the U.S. in 2000, also said in the lawsuit that co-founders Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward legally relinquished rights to the band's name in the 1980s.

Osbourne's lawyer disputed that in a January letter included with his lawsuit, saying that even if the singer did make such an agreement he took a major role in the band's direction and success after rejoining it in 1997.

Osbourne, who in recent years has appeared as the paterfamilias of an erratic clan on MTV's "The Osbournes," said in Friday's statement that he believes all four original members should share Black Sabbath's name equally.

Ozzy Osbourne sues in NYC over Black Sabbath name - MSN Music News

Ex-Pink Floyd rocker wants Israeli wall down - Yahoo! News

 

AP – Composer and former bassist and singer of British rock band Pink Floyd Roger Waters, is seen while touring …

• Play Video Mideast Video:Jewish settlers rampage in West Bank AFP
• Play Video Mideast Video:6 dead in battle with Hamas, Palestinian police AP
• Play Video Mideast Video:Six die in shootout between Fatah and Hamas AFP

Tue Jun 2, 8:30 am ET

AIDA REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank – The legendary rocker and co-founder of Pink Floyd says he would give a concert in a flash if Israel's West Bank wall is torn down.

Roger Waters made the promise Tuesday during a visit to a Palestinian refugee camp that is hemmed in by the separation barrier's tall slabs of cement.

The 65-year-old co-wrote Pink Floyd's iconic "The Wall" album and performed music from it in 1990 at the site where the Berlin Wall once stood.

Waters had harsh words for the West Bank barrier, which Israel says was built as a defense against Palestinian militants.

The musician says the wall amounts to an oppressive grab of Palestinian land and that he hopes that "this thing, this awful thing, is destroyed soon."

Ex-Pink Floyd rocker wants Israeli wall down - Yahoo! News