links for 2009-11-18

"So, yes, generally speaking, it is a bad idea to use regular expressions when parsing HTML. We should be teaching neophyte developers that, absolutely. Even though it's an apparently neverending job. But we should also be teaching them the very real difference between parsing HTML and the simple expedience of processing a few strings. And how to tell which is the right approach for the task at hand."

The business world vs. academia.

"Two computer programmers designed codes to falsify thousands of fake trade blotters and phantom records for swindler Bernard Madoff and took hush money to help keep the massive fraud going, U.S. authorities said."

"You can use these icons on any desktop and web applications. Application Icon Set inclides Register, Settings, Users, Database, Login, Chat, Add, Delete, Edit, invoice."

"Broadcast.com co-founder and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's idea is simplicity itself: Just pay the top 1,000 websites a million bucks per to de-list themselves from Google."

"Cyber war has moved from fiction to fact, says a report. Compiled by security firm McAfee, it bases its conclusion on analysis of recent net-based attacks."

"So basically you would launch the Web Platform Installer, add an application from the gallery and launch it on Microsoft’s Azure Cloud and that’s it. The application basically handles the database, frontend, and serving in a matter of minutes." Sounds really neat.

"The third iteration of the TinyTable table sorting script adds search, column averages and totals, record numbering, a view all function, and a reset function. At only 6KB it is still lightweight, quick, and includes all previous TinyTable features. Other features include alternate row highlighting, header class toggling, auto data type recognition, and selective column sorting. If you don’t need the new features take a look at the second version of the script which weighs 2.5KB."

Buzzwords make the paper.

"Sex education programs that advise students to delay sexual activity while also offering instruction on ways to avoid unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections effectively reduce risky sexual behavior, increase condom use and decrease spread of STIs, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-commissioned report released on Friday, the Washington Post reports. The report said there is insufficient evidence to determine whether programs that focus on abstinence until marriage reduce the chance adolescents will engage in risky sexual behavior, become pregnant or contract an STI." So let's double check this comprehensive sex ed programs work, abstinence first or only no evidence to see if they are effective.

"What if there was a backwards compatible way to transfer all of the resources that are used on every single page in your site — CSS, JS, images, anything else — in a single HTTP request at the start of the first visit to the page? This is what Resource Package support in browsers will let you do."

"Nope, simply being gay is provocative, abusive, and disrespectful. Not bears in assless chaps, not rainbow flags, not public make out sessions, not kisses, not holding hands – thought crimes of a homosexual nature are enough. You know how many gays probably go to the Vatican to stare in wonder at the Michelangelos and Berninis (who were probably gay)? Maybe the Vatican would be singing a different tune if they realized how much money they'd lose from banning everyone but upstanding, "moral" Catholics from visiting."

"In the Evolution vs. Creationism debate, it is important to be able to spot all the logical fallacies that Creationists tend to throw around. This essay covers many bare essentials of logical thinking, as well as ways to critically evaluate an argument. The logical fallacies listed here are the ones most often used by Creationists, although Creationists have, to date, used almost every single logical fallacy in existence to "prove" their case. Each fallacy will have its own little paragraph, describing it, why it is fallacious and how to counter it. Enjoy!"

" As it turns out, it's not the idea of treating gay couples equally that bothers most Americans. It's the name of the legal arrangement. Call same-sex marriage by another term—civil union, domestic partnership, everything-but-marriage, Qualcomm Stadium, Death Cab for Cutie—and they're fine with it."

"Tom provides two pieces of evidence against Palin running for the nomination. The first is that 2012 is a year when an incumbent, Barack Obama, will almost certainly be running for re-election, and incumbents seats are much tougher to pick up than open ones. The second is that Palin's polling has gone somewhat sour against her potential GOP rivals, which might deter her from entering. For starters, I'd somewhat dispute Tom's unspoken assumption that Palin is liable to be looking at this decision through such a narrowly rational prism. Was quitting the Alaska governorship — particularly in the sudden and disorganized way that Palin did it — a decision characteristic of someone who carefully ponders all the facts and circumstances before jumping to a conclusion? Not hardly. Palin is impulsive, impatient, ambitious, thrill-seeking: not the type of politician to prudently wait for a better moment."

"THQ has released Star Wars: Trench Run, a new game for the iPhone and iPod touch. It costs $4.99 and is available for download from the App Store." Do you need any other reason to own an iPhone.

"Greg lowered the brim of his glasses further down his nose for emphasis. “The standard way of recovering passwords is to send a user their password, not to hide it behind a link! Here, let me show you how Google does things – pay attention and please, keep an open mind.” While Greg surfed onto Gmail to go about resetting his password, Michael could barely watch – the embarrassment was too great. He thought that he had considered every angle and that he here he was going to be proved out to be a fool. However, he was saved at that last minute. In the email that Greg had received, Gmail sent a link enabling him to set a new password."