December 13, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Red Hat Inc (RHT.N) has postponed until January the launch of a new Linux software product for personal computers that would directly compete with Microsoft Corp’s (MSFT.O) Windows operating system.

Introduction of the software, which would also compete with Novell Inc’s (NOVL.O) Suse Linux software and would initially be sold in developing countries, had previously been delayed twice.

Red Hat Chief Executive Matthew Szulik had said in September that he expected to get the new product on the market by the end of November.

Late on Monday, spokeswoman Leigh Day said the company planned to release the software in January, five months after the original target date of August that it had promised customers.
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December 13, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The non-profit Foundation for Amateur Radio (FAR) is now accepting applications for 55 academic year 2008-2009 scholarships to assist radio amateurs pursuing higher education. The deadline to apply is March 30, 2008. FAR fully funds three of scholarships and administers 41 others without cost on behalf of various club and individual donors; grant income funds the remaining 11 awards. Amateur Radio licensees pursuing a full-time course of study beyond high school and accepted by or enrolled in an accredited university, college or technical school are eligible to apply. Scholarship grants range from $500 to $3000, and preference in some cases goes to applicants living in particular geographical areas or pursuing certain studies. Non-US residents are eligible to apply for some of the scholarships. FAR encourages clubs — especially those in California, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin — to announce these scholarship opportunities at meetings, in newsletters, during training classes, on nets and on their Web sites. More information and an application form may be requested by letter via e-mail or by sending a QSL card postmarked prior to March 30, 2008, to FAR Scholarships, PO Box 831, Riverdale, MD 20738. Headquartered in Washington, DC, FAR consists of more than 75 area Amateur Radio Clubs. FAR is devoted to promoting the interests of Amateur Radio and those scientific, literary and educational pursuits that advance the purposes of the Amateur Radio Service.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=7894

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December 13, 2007 by kb3ljm.

“Reagan Washington National and Washington Dulles airports now have Wi-Fi Internet service. The service costs $9 a day. Subscribers of the Wi-Fi service by Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and AT&T won’t have to pay the fee. Access to the airports’ Web home pages, which provides flight arrival and departure information, is free for all.” Metropolitan Washington Airports press release (PDF file).

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/12/airport-check-2.html

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December 13, 2007 by kb3ljm.

200 Meters and Down, by Clinton DeSoto, remains one of the most popular Amateur Radio historical works ever printed. Published in 1936, the book chronicles the beginning of ham radio in the United States and the challenges it faced in the first 30 years of its existence. The book was originally published without an index, which made it somewhat difficult for readers (historians in particular) to navigate the wealth of information. All that has changed thanks to Tom Hart, AD1B. Hart has painstakingly indexed 200 Meters and Down and the results of his work are now available for free downloading in PDF format on the ARRLWeb site. 200 Meters and Down is still available for purchase from the ARRL online store or by calling 1-888-277-5289.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=7897

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December 13, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Scientists think they have discovered the energy source of the spectacular color displays seen in the northern lights.

New data from NASA’s Themis mission, a quintet of satellites launched this winter, found the energy comes from a stream of charged particles from the sun flowing like a current through twisted bundles of magnetic fields connecting Earth’s upper atmosphere to the sun.
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