21 January 2012. Only in Russia! Whaddaya Think This Is?

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Of course, it’s a high-tech samogon apparat, that’s a moonshine still for all you not in the know. Who other than a bunch of thirsty Russkies would have a computer-controlled home-distilling set-up? Hey… if the government gets on a “dry” kick again (it happens about once a generation… you can see how well it works), well, Russians know what to do. I’ll betcha that this fellow’s neighbours (including the local coppers) will know where to go to find some ass-kickin’ firewater…

BMD

15 August 2012. RIA-Novosti Infographics. Google Instant Search

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Experts say that search sites, which are now hugely popular, are gradually pushing back other resources. Even the ubiquitous online encyclopaedia can no longer compete with search engines, as they offer users ready information for fewer clicks. According to Vladimir Ofitserov, the leading specialist of the Google search quality team, the company decided to post more information on SERPs (search engine research pages). This is due to the fact that users are increasingly using large-format screens and monitors, so, therefore, it’s now possible to use the right part of the screen to accommodate additional useful information. Google is the largest search engine in the world, handling billions of queries per day. To learn more about what happens in the search engine before, during, and after you have entered your request, see the above RIA-Novosti infographic.

31 July 2012

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/infographics/20120731/174884823.html

3 August 2012. UPDATE on the Return… Machine Due Back Next Thursday… Posting to Resume

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On Tuesday, Nicky and I descended into the belly of the beast… that is, we dared to enter the inner sanctum of the lair of the local geeks. We were in search of John, who had custody of the baby. It was quite ill, I’m afraid. It wasn’t fatal, to be sure, but it was still serious. John had to clean out the interior and then he informed me that he had to do more geekly pokings and jiggerings. He has to reload the OS, backup and wipe the hard disk, kick out some unfriendly viruses and trojans, and install a new “anti-virus that works”. Of course, this isn’t cheap, but what is, these days? Hey, we’re getting off with about 350 bucks, and that’s NOT overly bad, not for skilled technical work. I’ll say this, John explained everything in ungeekly language that anyone could grasp.

ETA for kicking off again is next Thursday, 9 August 2012. That’s the earliest, kids, until then, have a good one.

BMD 

Update 9 August 2012:

John was as good as his word. The baby’s back… better than ever. There’s a few more minor kinks to work out, but that’s no biggie. I hope that you have as good a rapport with your friendly neighbourhood wonks as I did. Thanks, John, NaVada, and Larry… you keep this show on the road.

BMD

16 July 2012. RIA-Novosti Infographics. Internet Content Regulation in Various Countries

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16 July 2012

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/infographics/20120716/174587209.html