Michael Jacobson of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy has an article on why members of terror groups 'drop out' of those groups. He advocates studying these reasons further and using this information to combat terrorism.

This is a welcome alternative to the heavy handed shotgun approach that has been taken in recent years focusing on military interventions, invasions, and the like.

Someone sent me this today, asking me to make a seal with Hebrew letters on it:

i want to know if you can make a seal with hebrew letters on it . Please
let me know my phone is 305-555 1212 Thanks rene

This is again mistaken identity, due to an article I wrote a while ago on the history of Seal of Solomon and Star of David.

Due to the inflation and soaring cost of living in recent months, there is general discontent in Egypt by the majority of people there.

Although this is nothing unusual in itself, given the stagnant economy for close to three decades, it seems that it has reached a point where most people have had enough and want to send a message to the government.

As planned, the meeting happened!

A total of 7 people showed up, some from out of town, and we had a very fruitful discussion.

We started by introducing every one, and then I gave a brief intro to break the ice and get the discussion going. A copy of the presentation is attached below in Open Office and PDF formats.

After that, we went around the table and everyone showcased one of their sites.

Here is a photo of the attendees:

April's Fool day is about practical jokes, humor and being creative in those.

Here is a roundup of today's pranks:

We start with Drupal first ...

Skiquel posted a working rickroll module for inclusion in Drupal 6.2 core. The module did work. I even cleaned up the code style (by hand) and submitted a patch and a couple of screen shots. The followups are hilarious.

The inaugural meeting of the Waterloo Region Drupal Users Group is this Friday, April 4, 19:00 to 21:00 at The Working Centre in 58 Queen St. S. in Kitchener (near King St.)

The topic is a brief intro on what is Drupal, and some sites use Drupal, globally, in Canada and in Waterloo region. More importantly, it is about getting to know fellow Drupallers in the region.

Dries Buytaert, Drupal's founder and project lead, released Mollom in public beta today.

Among cities in the North East of the USA, and Ontario and Quebec provinces in Canada, Waterloo Region came out to be the 5th least costly place to do business in.

Waterloo Region is cheaper to do business in than Buffalo, NY, Baltimore, MD, and Detroit, M, but more costly than Sherbrooke, Que, Lexington, KY, and Charleston, W. Va. Out of the major centers closeby that are cheaper, London, Ontario and Chatham-Kent are cheaper.

The study includes labor cost, income taxes and transportation. 

Who says that money can't buy happiness?

Apparently, if you spend it on others, it will make you happy. 

Spending time volunteering, or writing open source software, has the same effect too (makes others happy, as well as yourself).