[gweekly] PT1a Weekly Project Gutenberg Newsletter
Michael Hart
hart at pglaf.org
Wed Jan 18 09:44:27 PST 2006
pt1a2.106
Weekly_January_18.txt
*The Project Gutenberg Weekly Newsletter For Wednesday, January 18, 2006, PT1*
*******eBooks Readable By Both Humans And Computers Since July 4, 1971********
PT1A
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
[Search for "*eBook" or "*Intro". . .to jump to that section, etc.]
*eBook Milestones
*Introduction
*Hot Requests, New Sites and Announcements
*Continuing Requests and Announcements
*Progress Report
*Distributed Proofreaders Collection Report
*Project Gutenberg Consortia Center Report
*Permanent Requests For Assistance:
*Donation Information
*Access To The Project Gutenberg Collections
*Mirror Site Information
*Instant Access To Our Latest eBooks
*Have We Given Away A Trillion Yet?
*Flashback
*Weekly eBook update:
This is now in PT2 of the Weekly Newsletter
Also collected in the Monthly Newsletter
Corrections in separate section
1 New This Week From PG Australia [Australian, Canadian Copyright Etc.]
3 New This Week From PGEu [European Copyrights, Life + 50 and 70]
51 New This Week To Public Domain eBooks Under US Copyright
55 New This Week [Including PG Australia and PG Europe]
[I'm sure there are a few bugs in the new accounting]
*Headline News from Edupage, etc.
*Information About the Project Gutenberg Mailing Lists
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*eBook Milestones*
18,238 eBooks As Of Today!!!
Including 522 Australian eBooks,
and 221 Project Gutenberg Europe
We Are ~91% of the Way to 20,000!!!
***~529 eBooks Averaged Per Year Since July 4, 1971***
15,176 New eBooks Since The Start Of 2001
That's ~250 eBooks per Month for ~60.5 Months
We Have Produced 96 eBooks in 2006
1,762 to go to 20,000!!!
25 New eBooks From Distributed Proofreaders
7,922 total from Distributed Proofreaders
Since October, 2000 [Details in PT1B]
[Currently over 36,000 DP volunteers]
We Averaged ~339 eBooks Per Month In 2004
We Averaged ~248 eBooks Per Month In 2005
[Including PG Australia]
We Are Averaging ~194 eBooks Per Month This Year
[Including PGAu and PGEu]
[This change is due to the opening of Project Gutenberg
sites other than the original one at www.gutenberg.org]
[Now including totals from both Australia and Europe]
[Apologies, it will take a while to integrate Europe,
not all statistics may be totally equalized yet]
[PGEu Statistics Are Counted Monthly Not Weekly]
All Three Sites Combined Are Averaging 48 eBooks Per Week In 2006
54 This Week
It took ~32 years, from 1971 to 2003 to do our 1st 10,000 eBooks
It took ~32 months, from 2002 to 2005 for our last 10,000 eBooks
It took ~10 years from 1993 to 2003 to grow from 100 eBooks to 10,100
It took ~2.00 years from Oct. 2003 to Nov. 2005 from 10,000 to 17,500
*
***Introduction
[The Newsletter is now being sent in two sections, so you can directly
go to the portions you find most interesting: 1. Founder's Comments,
News, Notes & Queries, and 2. Weekly eBook Update Listing. Note bene
that PT1 is now being sent as PT1A and PT1B.
[Since we are between Newsletter editors, these 2 parts may undergo a
few changes while we are finding a new Newsletter editor. Email us:
hart at pobox.com and gbnewby at pglaf.org if you would like to volunteer.]
This is Michael Hart's "Founder's Comments" section of the Newsletter
*Headline News from Edupage
[PG Editor's Comments In Brackets]
DHS GRANT FUNDS OPEN SOURCE RESEARCH
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded a $1.24 million,
three-year contract to improve the quality of open source software.
Given the growing reliance on open source technologies for
infrastructure that underpins national security, DHS expects to see
real benefits from the grant. The award will be split among Stanford
University, Symantec, and Coverity, a firm that specializes in code
analysis. Rob Rachwald, senior director of marketing at Coverity, said,
"The DHS in many ways is obviously brokering this and they are the main
beneficiary." For the grant, Coverity will identify security flaws and
risks; Stanford will offer academic analysis of trends and provide
opinions about the relative security of various technologies; and
Symantec will provide consulting on how governmental agencies can
incorporate open source products in a secure fashion into their own
applications.
Internet News, 11 January 2006
http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3576886
BRITISH LIBRARY PUTS MOZART ONLINE
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of W. A. Mozart,
the British Library has placed pages from the composer's "Catalogue of
Aall My Works" online. Mozart compiled the diary of sorts between
February 1784 and December 1791, making entries for 145 of his works.
For each entry, Mozart wrote the title, date it was composed, and
instruments that should perform it. For some works, the composer also
identified who commissioned it, where it was composed, and singers who
performed it. Mozart then added to the diary the opening bars of each
work included. For the project, the British Library commissioned the
Royal College of Music to record those opening bars for about half of
the works in the diary. Visitors to the Web site can see Mozart's
notes and click on a link to hear the recording of the opening.
BBC, 12 January 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4602542.stm
GOVERNMENT CLOSES WEB SITE DUE TO SECURITY FLAW
A government Web site for contractors has been shut down due to a
security flaw that allowed users of the site to see and change data
submitted by other vendors. The General Services Administration (GSA)
closed eOffer after a consultant reported the problem. Three weeks
passed, however, between the reporting of the flaw and the shuttering
of the site. The Web site was launched in 2004 as a means for vendors
to bid electronically on government contracts for IT products and
services. The flaw allowed site users to access and change corporate
and financial information, potentially compromising the entire bidding
process, according to security experts. The problem could also allow
corporate espionage. The GSA said there was no evidence that the site
had been abused by either authorized or unauthorized users. The agency
said the delay in shutting down the site was caused by the time that
was required to process the report.
New York Times, 13 January 2006 (registration req'd)
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/13/technology/13secure.html
GUILTY PLEA EXPECTED FROM MICHIGAN MAN FOR SPAMMING
A Detroit-area man is expected to plead guilty to violations of the
CAN-SPAM Act for his part in a spam racket that prosecutors say sent
millions of illegal messages over computer systems belonging to Ford,
Unisys, the U.S. Army Information Center, and others. Daniel Lin plead
guilty to fraud and other charges in the deal and will face up to two
years in prison. Prior to the deal, Lin could have been sentenced to 10
years for his part in the spam scheme. Three other men were also
charged in the original complaint in April 2004, which were the first
such charges under the federal law to limit spam. The men reportedly
earned about $100,000 from their spam-related activities.
CNET, 12 January 2006
http://news.com.com/2100-7350_3-6026708.html
USPTO TO WORK WITH OPEN SOURCE DEVELOPERS
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will participate in a
series of efforts intended to improve the quality of software patents
and reduce the time and money organizations currently spend challenging
and defending patents, particularly for open source applications. As
open source technologies have flourished, high-profile disputes over
the validity of software patents and over so-called prior art have
become a common aspect of intellectual property concerns. Many have
faulted the USPTO for issuing too many patents, saying that many of
them rely on components developed by others. The patent office will
work with open source developers and industry to establish more and
clearer channels of communication about technologies. Such an open
exchange of information, it is hoped, will reduce the number of
unwarranted patents issued while minimizing the efforts spent defending
legitimate patents. In another initiative, the USPTO will develop a
quality index for patents.
New York Times, 10 January 2006 (registration req'd)
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/10/technology/10blue.html
FTC WINS SETTLEMENT FOR BOGUS ANTISPYWARE SCHEME
The operators of two supposed antispyware products agreed to pay nearly
$2 million to settle complaints by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
that the products amounted to nothing more than a scam. Last year, the
FTC charged the operators of Spykiller and Spyware Assassin with
running similar schemes to defraud consumers. According to the FTC,
both companies used pop-up ads and e-mail to draw consumers to the
companies' Web sites, where users could supposedly receive free scans
of their machines. After the scans reported spyware, which frequently
did not exist, users were offered a spyware-removal service for around
$30-40. The removal also did not do what was advertised, said the FTC.
In addition, many of the e-mail messages violated provisions of the
CAN-SPAM Act. The makers of Spyware Assassin agreed to pay $76,000,
which represents the amount the FTC spent on its investigation. Makers
of Spykiller will pay $1.9 million.
Internet News, 5 January 2006
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3575421
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*HEADLINE NEWS AVOIDED BY MOST OF THE MAJOR U.S. MEDIA
[As requested adding sources, etc., when possible.
Remember, the subject is not the article's subject,
the subject is the manipulation of the world news.]
Powerful Ohio Republican Congressman Bob Ney Resigns
as Chairman of the House Administration Committee
Bob Ney, "The Mayor Of Capitol Hill," resigned his
powerful position after it was revealed that a set
of subpoenas had been served by federal procecutors
following the conviction of "super-lobbyiest" Jack
Abramoff and others in related events.
The subject of these subpoenas is Ney's connection
to three-time convict Nigel Winfield, who ran the
FN Aviation company in Cyprus and took Rep. Ney and
a high level aide on a London excursion in 2003.
Ney's lawyer denies any knowledge on Ney's part of
Winfield's convictions, including one in 1982 for
swindling rock and roll star Elvis Presley in the
purchase of an airplane and two convictions for
tax evasion later in the 1980's.
Charges are that Ney lobbied on behalf of Winfield
for government permission to sell sanctioned parts
to Iran.
In addition it would appear Chairman Ney was the
recipient of one of Jack Abramoff's famous trips
to golf at the legendary St. Andrews, along with
various campaign contributions, free travel, meals
and entertainments.
Source:
Newsweek, Washington Post, AP, etc.
Chillicothe Gazette, OH - Jan 17, 2006
*
Masterpiece Paintings Finally Returned To Family Looted By Nazis
After years and years of painful research, legal wranglings by
the Austrian state galleries and museums, and the terrors of
The Third Reich and their inheritors since the paintings were
looted from the family home in 1938, five masterpieces are now
legally the property of the four surviving family members.
One of the paintings is worth an estimated 100 million dollars.
One other Gustav Klimt painting still remains to be decided.
The only way this particular case was decided was by arbitration
[probably since the Austrian nation was unwilling to go through
the publicity of having the whole Nazi-Jewish Holocaust relived
in the nations courtrooms].
250 other paintings, less valuable in toto that the one above,
were previous given up by Austrian state art insititions, and
several others are still being fought over in Austria or Germany.
Some of these institutions are still fighting hard to keep these,
or are claiming they don't have the money or resources to refute
the claims of ownership by the various Jewish families who owned
them prior to the start of World War II.
Maria Altman, niece of the famous Klimt painting's last rightful
owner, approached the Austrian government 7 years ago, but got a
cold shoulder and no official reply at all.
"I wanted to solve this peacefully," was her stated intention,
but Austria wasn't going to give her the time of day, until the
matter was brought forth as a lawsuit.
Ms. Altman's Aunt Adele is the subject of the famous painting.
Source: The Times [UK], LA Times, Canadian Broadcasting Co.
*
Bristol? University in England is first to require Chinese
*DOUBLESPEAK OF THE WEEK
Bar Association Backs Alito
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2006
"(CBS/AP) Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito received a unanimous
`well-qualified' rating from the American Bar Association on Wednesday,
giving his nomination momentum as the Senate prepares for confirmation
hearings next week."
[In looking online, I found the rating as "exceptionally well qualified"
as quoted by The Washington Post, but perhaps in relation to a smaller
committee within the ABA.]
[More from The Washington Post article]
"The committee looked at charges that Alito somehow disfavored
individuals vis a vis the state in his cases. The readers (law
professors, practitioners, etc.) employed by the committee were
`inconclusive' on that subject, Tober said."
Then I heard on live testimony around 12:45, January 13,
from the next to last of the Senate committee panelists,
that the United States Bar Association could not recommend him.
[However, I did NOT get a single hit for
United States Bar Assocation with Alito and recommend.
Then I tried American Bar Association
with Alito and recommend, no hits there either,
so good thing I checked both.]
[Later on I heard mention of yet another such bar association,
The National Bar Association. . .it makes me wonder. . . .]
*
[I won't even mention any of the totally contradictory reports
about who was or wasn't there in the hellfire missle attack[s]
in Afghanistan.]
*PREDICTIONS OF THE WEEK
The process of rebuilding New Orleans from Katrina
will end up going into the hands of billionaires--
not the local, state or federal governments.
A new generation of carpetbaggers will descend out
of the rest of the country, perhaps even the world,
if laws aren't passed to keep them out.
What will happen if someone such as Donald Trump is
going to make a proposal for building New Orleans,
much as he has with New York City locations?
Perhaps New Orleans will end up with replacements
of the lower ninth in terms of wealthy casinos and
resort complexes that could also provide a serious
levee for protection of the rest of the city.
*
China will have a huge excess of men in the future,
due to their emphasis on having male children, and
their new abilities to choose.
Sociology would indicate that this will cause wars
and internal strife in Chinese society, as well as
wars against the outside world.
All population booms have increased war tendencies
as recently revealed when the booms from the 20's,
40's, 60's and 80's resulted in WWI, WWII, Vietnam
and the Gulf Wars.
Obviously other factors must also be considered.
*
Continued from last week:
But Judge Alito's listing of his membership in the
Princeton CAP organization as one of his three top
choices for his resume won't make any difference.
[CAP = Concerned Alumni of Princeton, ultra-conservative
campus group dedicated to returning Princeton to the days
when women and blacks were not allowed into colleges.
A critic of CAP was dropped from the Alito witness list
on 01/07/06 before any testimony could be given.]
At about 5:25PM, January 11, the Republicans refuted
a witness to this effect that had never been called,
to the point of stating for the record how desperate
the Democrats must be to consider such a witness.
[I wonder if it is legal in court to refute a witness
who has not appeared.]
*STRANGE QUOTES OF THE WEEK
David Brooks, New York Times columnist, on Charlie Rose 01/12/06
"The boomers took drugs so they could think outside the box,
now they feed their kids Ritalin so they will think inside the box."
[Apologies, I'm not sure I got this quote exactly right, I was
writing as fast as I could go, and can't find it online.]
He also said that culture, not technology, drives civilization,
and that "government should be creating social mobility."
[Personally, I think The Gutenberg Press created The Industrial
Revolution which created our present civilization, and that the
Internet will create The Neo-Industrial Revolutions, which will
create the next civilization, and will create social mobility.]
"The Catholic Church nurtured one of the most
impressive economic takeoffs in human history."
"Ideas and culture drive civilizations."
December 15, 2005
*ODD STATISTICS OF THE WEEK
$96,000 a year families' kids have 50% odds of graduating college.
$30,000 a year families' kids have 10% odds of graduating college.
130 women are graduating college for every 100 men in the U.S.
200 black women for every 100 black men are graduating in the U.S.
David Brooks, New York Times columnist, on Charlie Rose, 01/12/05
*
There are over 200 million cell phones in use in the United States
out of a total population of under 300 million people. That's 2/3
of a cell phone per person.
*
The first half of January is shaping up to make this month in Iraq
the most lethal for U.S. soldiers in the entire time.
*
The list of top intelligence officials who refused to approve Mr.
Bush's covert wiretap programs is growing. On 01/17/06 it was
announced that the FBI director also refused, in addition to
the head and acting head of the CIA.
The secret FISA court approved ~19,000 such requests while only
denying 5, and "modifying" 181, thus approving well over 99% of
them as is.
The FBI is reported to be dissatified with the reports gained
from these massive wiretaps, stating that they are a dead end,
while the CIA and NSA are claiming they provide good leads.
[A CNN article I was hoping to cite here has vanished.]
[404 Page Not Found] [So I can't be positive here]
[I confirmed the FISA numbers through UPI]
[Also see other UPI reports and The Post Chronicle, Jan 17, 2006]
*
CEO Salaries Now 440 Times The Salary Of The Average Worker in 2005
CEO Salaries Were 40 Times The Salary Of The Average Worker in 1985
SEC Approves Rules on Executive-Compensation Disclosure
01/18/06
The U.S. Securities Exchange Commission officially acted today to
force major corporations to reveal executive compensation details.
Some of these moves look good on paper, such as forcing a reveal
of $10,000 benefit packages instead of the old $50,000 limits,
but the truth is that given inflation, $50,000 buys the same as
$10,000 did when President Reagan was elected.
However, the value of various "signing bonuses" or stock options
used to hide top salaries will now hopefully be revealed.
Interestingly, it would appear there is somewhat of an inflation
spiral being fueled by all this largesse in that executives now
move from company to company more freely than previously, taking
in these large bonuses and retirement plans ["Golden Parachutes"]
each time they move, many of which are worth tens of millions.
Thus a person might receive a $45 million signing bonus from one
company while receiving a $20 million departure bonus the same day.
With this kind of incentive to move from company to company,
where is the incentive to stay?
Some have also proposed that executive compensation should be tied
by law to exective and company performance levels, to counteract
the process of "looting" failing companies by giving so much money
on departure to the executives who caused or oversaw the failures.
Source: Houston Chronicle, Forbes, LA Times, Lehrer News Hour
High level exectutive compensation yields the least return yield
of any investments made by large corporations.
Lehrer News Hour, 01/17/06
*
A Similar Set Of New Rules For Lobbyists Is In The Works
*
The Passion Of The Christ grossed over $1 billion.
*
Still hoping for more statistical updates and additional entries.
"If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely
100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same,
it would look something like the following. There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere, both North and South America
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth
and all 6 would be from the United States
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education
1 would own a computer [I think this is now much greater]
1 would be 79 years old or more.
Of those born today, the life expectancy is only 63 years,
but no country any longer issues copyrights that are sure
to expire within that 63 year period.
I would like to bring some of these figures more up to date,
as obviously if only 1% of 6 billion people owned a computer
then there would be only 60 million people in the world who
owned a computer, yet we hear that 3/4 + of the United States
households have computers, out of over 100 million households.
Thus obviously that is over 1% of the world population, just in
the United States.
I just called our local reference librarian and got the number
of US households from the 2004-5 U.S. Statistical Abstract at:
111,278,000 as per data from 2003 U.S Census Bureau reports.
If we presume the saturation level of U.S. computer households
is now around 6/7, or 86%, that is a total of 95.4 million,
and that's counting just one computer per household, and not
counting households with more than one, schools, businesses, etc.
I also found some figures that might challenge the literacy rate
given above, and would like some help researching these and other
such figures, if anyone is interested.
BTW, while I was doing this research, I came across a statistic
that said only 10% of the world's population is 60+ years old.
This means that basically 90% of the world's population would
never benefit from Social Security, even if the wealthy nations
offered it to them free of charge. Then I realized that the US
population has the same kind of age disparity, in which the rich
live so much longer than the poor, the whites live so much longer
than the non-whites. Thus Social Security is paid by all, but is
distributed more to the upper class whites, not just because they
can receive more per year, but because they will live more years
to receive Social Security. The average poor non-white may never
receive a dime of Social Security, no matter how much they pay in.
*
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