VERY,VERY HOT READS, I Would Read The News In This Thread This Thead Is To post Any Thing Ye Want About The News,,NEWS WAS MOVED,READ MY FIRST POST..CHEERS
Quote:The newly formed organization's first priority will be to continue the fight against fair use rights and open technological advances that do not meet with organization approval.
"Consumers should not be able to listen to any music or enjoy any movie anywhere without our approval," said Sherman.
One dam long,long,long, long read....T H E *M O V I E* T I M E * L I N E..............So here's the pitch: The Movie Timeline is the history of everything,
Hollywood Studios to Sell Movies Online
By GARY GENTILE, AP
The little gay cowboy movie that could continues to break new ground, this time on the business end of Hollywood.
LOS ANGELES (April 3) - Hollywood studios will start selling digital versions of films such as "Brokeback Mountain" and "King Kong" on the Internet this week, the first time major movies have been available online to own.
The films can't be burned onto a disc for viewing on a DVD player. Still, the move is seen as a step toward full digital distribution of movies over the Internet.
Six studios said they would announce Monday that sales will begin through the download Web site Movielink. The site is jointly owned by five of the seven major studios.
Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox and MGM will offer some first-run and older titles on Movielink. New films will be priced similar to DVDs - between $20 and $30 - while older titles will sell for $10 to $20.
In a separate announcement, Sony and Lionsgate said they will sell films through the CinemaNow site.
Only films from The Walt Disney Co. will not be available, although both services say talks are ongoing.
"Digital delivery hasn't arrived until the major studios allow home ownership, and now they have and now digital delivery is very real," said Jim Ramo, Movielink's chief executive.
Studios will sell some new films online the same day they become available on DVD. Most films will be made available within 45 days.
Studios began renting films online several years ago as a way to combat illegal downloading. Movies have been available through the Internet 30 to 45 days after hitting video stores, with rentals lasting just 24 hours for viewing primarily on computer screens.
Digital delivery of video grew rapidly after Apple Computer Inc. began selling episodes of TV shows through its iTunes online store last October.
This year, devices powered by new Intel computer chips and TV service delivered over the Internet will allow more consumers to watch Web video on their TVs instead of their computer screens, a key factor in downloading to own, analysts said.
Studios are being cautious about selling films online in part because DVD sales produce more profit than box office receipts.
But studios are also preparing for the day when major retailers such as Wal-Mart and Amazon.com begin offering their own movie download services.
"The important thing is to embrace the future, respect the economics of DVD but move forward into digital delivery," said Ben Feingold, president of Worldwide Home Entertainment at Sony Pictures.
The films available on Movielink can be stored indefinitely on a computer hard drive or transferred to as many as two other computers. The movies can be played on a TV if the computer is part of a home network.
A copy can be burned to a DVD as a backup. Discs can be played on up three PCs authorized by Movielink but cannot be viewed on a standard DVD player because of special security coding.
Consumers will not be able to transfer the films from a PC or laptop to a handheld portable viewing device. But that capability should be available sometime within the next year, Ramo said.
Films on CinemaNow will be playable on just one computer. The company said it eventually expects studios to allow consumers to burn movies on DVD and transfer them to portable devices.
Crazy song makes musical history in the UK
Posted by Dan Bell on 03 April 2006 - 14:55 - Source: BBC
heystoopid used our news submit to tell us "Oh well, thanks to HMV and the UK, the standards for number one song has been lifted by a bar, to the next level, in the words of Bob Dylan"s song "the times they are a changing"
Crazy by Gnarls Barkley has made pop history as the UK"s first number one song based on download sales alone. Until this month, download sales could only count towards a chart position if the song could also be bought in shops. But under new rules, downloads can be counted as long as physical copies go on sale the following week.
The song, used in ads for Zane Lowe"s Radio 1 show, has been downloaded more than 31,000 times on all internet sites, a spokesman for HMV said. Come of age The song, which is not available in shops until Monday, knocked last week"s top track So Sick, by Ne-Yo, off the top spot.
Indeed, this certainly could be a sign of things to come! When was the last time you purchased a software program from a brick and mortar store, or have many of your purchases been downloads? Are we finally breaking the bond with the physical copy, the fancy shrink wrapped box...even for music? Long gone are the huge vinyl LP record jackets, now even the diminutive CD and it's plastic case are seemingly less important in todays portable world.
By the way there Heystoopid...was that a pun you just made in your statement...lifted by a bar? Ouch!
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13262
Gadgets Kodak Integrates Bluetooth into Cameras
Tuan Nguyen - April 3, 2006 8:44 AM
Print article Email article 1 comment(s) - last comment jtesoro.. on Apr 3, 2006 at 9:49 AM
Recipient E-mail Please enter a valid E-mail addressPlease enter a valid E-mail address
Sender E-mail Please enter a valid E-mail addressPlease enter a valid E-mail address
Bluetooth cameras on the way
These days, wireless communications is a critical topic and one that's on the to-do list of virtually every technology company -- even Kodak. According to Engadget, the long-time camera and imaging company recently filed with the FCC for integrated Bluetooth technology into digital cameras.
Bluetooth has enjoyed limited success in terms of computer peripherals, but has become a highly regarded feature for cell phones. Considering that most cell phones these days have cameras in them, it was only a matter of time until a company like Kodak introduced a digital camera that would be able to connect to a computer or laptop using Bluetooth. Wireless technology on a camera is not new however, as Nikon has already demonstrated that its D2H is even able to send photos wirelessly using the FTP protocol.
Kodak's efforts will no doubt pave the way for more point-and-shoots to go the same route. At this time however, Bluetooth itself is still much to slow to transfer large amounts high resolution images.
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=1581
Now let's say I install Kazaa and agree to the GAIN ads they give me as a condition precedent for obtaining this useful P2P software. Or, suppose I install a demo version of a program, and agree to a condition that it will self-destruct if I don't pay for it. Or, I install a screensaver which contains a notice that it will also redirect my browser and install spyware (but I am dumb enough not to read that part). I am therefore bound by the terms of the contract I have agreed to - whether or not I have read it - unless the terms are unconscionable and therefore unenforceable, or they are so buried and inaccessible or fraudulently worded as to not be capable of forming a contract.
Cray Inc. is building a supercomputer that consists of 24,000 2.6 Ghz quad-core Opteron (AMD) processors. This will be the first computer ever to hit ONE PFLOP - 1 quadrillion operations/second. The human brain is capable of about 10. It will use up to 400TB of memory and 11PB of storage. The computer will require 170 MEGAWATTS of power!
p2p news / p2pnet: Being flamed is an accepted part of doing something controversial online.
But being crucified?
Yet that's what happened to Cynewulf on RPG Roma Victor.
He was nailed to a cross, "for illegally killing new players before they got to grips with the game," says This is London.
Cynewulf spent seven days on full public display in Corstopitum, modern-day Corbridge in Northumberland, "where fellow gamers were able to verbally insult and throw rotten fruit at him," says the story, adding:
"Roma Victor is set in Britain in 180AD. Players pay £20 to open an account and then take on roles as slaves, citizens and soldiers under the Roman empire, learning skills and buying things with virtual money."
Also See:
This is London - Web cheat is crucified , April 4, 2006
By Anne Broache
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: April 4, 2006, 8:04 AM PDT
Tell us what you think about this storyTalkBack E-mail this story to a friendE-mail View this story formatted for printingPrint
Microsoft released on Tuesday an upgraded version of a wireless optical mouse intended for laptop users and plans to introduce two new desktop mice--one laser and one optical--by this summer.
All of the new products rely on the company's High Definition technology, which is aimed at supplying improved mouse responsiveness, at least six months of battery life, and smoother tracking over uneven surfaces. According to a statement, Microsoft has sold more than 1 million products from the High Definition line since its debut in September.
The Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 3000, which sells for $29, is billed as an upgrade to the company's best-selling Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse. Redmond described the device as a more portable, easier-to-stow option for laptop users and said its new design features foster improved mousing in cramped spaces, such as airplanes or small cafe tables.
Set for release in late April for $49, the five-button, ambidextrous Wireless Laser Mouse 5000 is geared toward desktop users. That device will contain a Magnifier button, designed to allow for real-time enlargement and editing of any section of a user's screen. It will also bear Microsoft's familiar Tilt Wheel technology, which permits horizontal and vertical scrolling through pages.
In June, Microsoft plans to release the Wireless Optical Mouse 2000, another desktop-oriented gadget. At $29, the three-button, silver-accented device is being marketed as a more affordable alternative to the laser mouse.
By Michael Kanellos
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: April 3, 2006, 9:00 PM PDT
Tell us what you think about this storyTalkBack E-mail this story to a friendE-mail View this story formatted for printingPrint
Hard-drive manufacturers are contemplating a new-size hard drive to counter the challenge presented by flash memory.
Drives with platters measuring 1.3 inches in diameter are being discussed, according to Bill Healy, a Hitachi senior vice president of corporate strategy and marketing.
CinemaStar
The hard drive inside
Hitachi's CinemaStar DVR.
These drives would hold far more data than the smaller 1-inch and 0.85-inch diameter microdrives now on the market, yet take less space and consume less energy than the 1.8-inch drives found in standard-size iPods and mini-notebooks.
"It gives you more competition with flash and doubles the capacity over 1-inch," Healy said.
Discussions are only preliminary, but such a move could help manufacturers of hard drives--a technology that celebrates its 50th year in 2006--expand their position in the consumer electronics market.
Consumer electronics have served as a lifeline for drivemakers, which tend to bounce in and out of profitability. Hard-drive shipments for consumer electronics will grow by about 35 percent this year, expanding from about 60 million units to over 80 million units, said John Donovan, an analyst at research firm TrendFocus.
Overall, the hard-drive market will increase 18 percent, from 380 million in 2005 to 450 million drives in 2006. Most will still go to the PC industry.
Many of these drives measure 3.5-inches across and go into digital video recorders and TVs. Hitachi, for instance, has released a TV in Japan that has a built-in digital video recorder (DVR) with 1 terabyte of video storage.
Hitachi is rolling out a new line of drives this week for DVRs. The CinemaStar hard drives have been tweaked to run more quietly than their desktop counterparts, the company said.
The drive industry, however, has lost some of its luster for music players. Hardware makers began inserting microdrives into music players in 2003, and their popularity zoomed after Apple Computer put one inside its iPod Mini in 2004. It was a watershed application--drivemakers have been looking for a high-volume application for microdrives since IBM (which sold its drive division to Hitachi in 2002) invented them in 1999.
The honeymoon was short-lived. Apple released the iPod nano in 2005. It relies on flash memory, which is more expensive but faster than microdrives. Microdrives have landed inside some phones and video cameras, but mostly only in high-end models.
"The microdrive is tough right now," Healy said. "Flash has certainly come in and affected that business."
Increasing the diameter size would expand storage so that the 1.3-inch drives could be used in video players. Currently, one-inch microdrives max out at 8GB (too small for conveniently storing lots of video), while 1.8-inch drives can pack in 80GB. A 1.3-inch drive would provide storage somewhere in between and conceivably provide it as a far lower cost than flash memory.
"You'd have more space on the platter, but it all depends on what the customer base says," said Rob Plait, the director of global consumer electronics marketing at Seagate Technology. "The disk drive industry has been talking about the technology for a few months."
Donovan at TrendFocus warned, however, that getting the cellular companies to accept these drives could be an uphill battle. The 1.3-inch drives could easily fit inside a cell phone, but a phonemaker may not believe that their customers want that much storage.
Drivemakers have ruled out shrinking the size of drives. That would raise the cost and reduce storage size, making it even harder to compete against flash.
Hard-drive capacity, Donovan added, continues to grow about 40 percent annually, thus doubling hard-drive capacity every two years. In the late '90s, drive capacity had doubled annually.
CinemaStar turn
When it comes to its new line of drives, Hitachi says slower is better.
The CinemaStar drives are essentially DeskStar drives--Hitachi's PC line--tweaked to run more quietly, Healy said. The seek function, when the drive is looking for data, runs slower than on desktop drives. This allows the platters to spin at a lower rate and reduce noise; consumers, however, don't experience a drop in performance--or video-flicker--because it is easier for the drive to find the next scene in a movie than it is for it to find other types of data.
You are reading long block lines, so you can slow down," Healy said. "We've developed algorithms so you can run the drive differently."
The drive head also moves off the surface of the drive platters as much as possible to reduce aerodynamic resistance on the head. That resistance is generated by the spinning platters, another source of noise.
In the future, Hitachi may try to take out some of the air inside the drive chassis and replace it with a different gas to further reduce aerodynamic resistance, Healy added.
Their seriously discredited RIAA is already persecuting some 18,000 of the estimated 61 million US file sharers, and now the offshore IFPI says it's going to try to sue 2,000 men, women and children in Portugal, "where the legal market has been devastated by the impact of illegal file-sharing," it states.
The Big Four are also using threats against children to try blackmail European parents into compliance.
p2p news view / p2pnet: If you're a college student who's being sued by the RIAA, here's what you do:
Drop out of college, or go to community college, so you can afford to pay RIAA blackmail.
Who says? The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).
Massachusetts Institute of Technology student Cassandra Hunt has been detailing her experiences with the RIAA, the Big Four Organized Music cartel's cyber-thug organization.
As she wrote in MIT's The Tech, "Once upon a time, in a land just a little more dangerous than it is now, I was ? a pirate! I did not sail the torrential seas of the Internet in search of precious MB of glittering mp3 booty. No, I was content in my little cove, which was given the innocuous name i2hub. You will not find it with any site map or search bar - today it is googols of miles away, farther than any can travel, for even my haven was not safe from the long arm of the RIAA," owned by three European and only one US company.
Not safe? How could that be?
In October last year, Cassi wrote How to Avoid Getting RIAAed in which she says, "Since the advent of 8-tracks and video cassettes, it has been the prerogative of America?s youth to capture media they enjoy."
Not only America's youth.
"The need to possess something greater than one?s self, to somehow control an idea - an idea in the form of songs and movies and television shows - to use it as an expression of the self, realizes two basic human needs: the need to be understood and the need for self improvement," she continues, also wondering, "how can we reach a fair equilibrium that doesn?t leave the recording industry giving its music away to compete? The RIAA?s answer is guerrilla warfare, forcing us to look over our shoulders at every turn on the information superhighway. What alternative is there that doesn't rely on our own integrity to recognize a fair trade?"
Then, on March 21, in Run Over by the RIAA she explains her first piece was inspired by an e-mail from MIT, "letting me know that the RIAA intended to extract my name from the ?tute so that I could be named in a lawsuit. I began looking into previous RIAA suits to see how these things played out, and was surprised by the lack of firsthand accounts.
"How tragic, since the RIAA hopes fear of lawsuits will keep people from stealing music. More information on the process would turn that fear of the unknown into something more concrete and deridable."
Sorry Cassi, but did you really mean 'steal'? If so, what's being stolen? And from whom? The RIAA has successfully brainwashed the media and its victims in believing anyone who downloads a song is stealing something, and that this "theft" is depriving the music industry of a sale.
Neither contention is true, or anywhere near it.
Anyhow, Cassi didn?t hear anything for about two months, and then she learned MIT would giving her name to the RIAA.
Just in time for Christmas and in the new year, a letter arrived from a Colorado-based law firm, "telling me I?ve been named in a suit for copyright infringement".
At no time, says Cassi, had she been told what the RIAA was accusing her of, but she was instructed not to, "delete any evidence of my crimes from my computer, even though they already had this mysterious evidence," she says in an observation which will be all too familiar to all 18,000 or so RIAA victims.
"Ironic, really, considering that not long ago I had sent my computer in to HP for a replacement DVD-ROM and, in their infinite wisdom, the company had decided that this warranted wiping my hard drive. On top of the three major projects and loads of photographs I?d lost, the music I?d been accused of sharing now rested in that mythical paradise to which all lost data goes."
The law firm passed Cassi along to what she thought was the RIAA reps, "so I gave it a ring ? and reached their 'settlement negotiation hotline.'
"My jaw nearly dropped. Talk about an organized attack! And to add insult to injury, the area code was for Missouri, my home state. I left my name and number at the beep as instructed but decided to talk to the law firm instead ? and reached their RIAA related answering machine. Eventually, I got through to a real person and asked, perhaps a little peevishly, 'So, what is it that you guys think you have on me, anyway?' The answer was (a whopping) 272 songs and, should the case go to trial, potentially $750 per song.
"Now, I know what you?re thinking: with a collection of 272 whole songs, no wonder the RIAA felt compelled to squash my threat to the sanctity of music. However, with the grace and benevolence only a huge corporate machine could display, the lady on the phone told me they?d be willing to settle for $3750.
"I actually started laughing at her. 'Okay,' I said, 'so who do I talk to about negotiating that?' She replied that they usually wanted the amount within 15 days, but that they had a six month payment plan available.
"How nice. 'No, no,? I said, 'I mean who do I talk to about negotiating the amount.' Turns out the whole 'negotiation' part of the hotline covered the way they take your money, not to what degree."
Thus ended that instalment of Cassi Meets the RIAA Extortionist.
But she wasn't leaving it there and in Run Over by the RIAA Don't Tap the Glass, she describes her conversations with the blackmailer, whom she'd by then dubbed Bowie,and who was still demanding $3,750 to make the RIAA go away.
Saying she hadn't agreed to settle, let alone the amount, "when I called her again, I asked - again - about how to negotiate that amount," writes Cassie. "I counted on the fact that self-important types wouldn?t be inclined to remember a lowly pirate like me. Bowie didn?t disappoint. She launched into her spiel about how the RIAA doesn?t negotiate settlements. I told her that it was too much to ask for thousands of dollars from a college student who only makes just enough from term and summer employment to still come out a couple thousand in debt.
"Bowie replied that the RIAA was oh-so-kind enough to offer a six month repayment plan. At this point, I was beginning to speculate on Bowie?s hair color, and decided to switch tactics. I concisely and calmly explained how the situation was ridiculous: they weren?t offering a settlement, they were issuing an ultimatum!
"Let us screw you over gently now, or with chains and whips in court. Surely there must be some flexibility for individual cases.
"Well, she replied, they do make allowances if something like a medical emergency comes up. Now we?re getting somewhere. 'And who would I talk to about a situation like that, because I?d like to talk to them now'."
Who was that? You guessed it. Cassi was stuck with Bowie who told her she wasn't eligible.
"Oh, but I am," Cassi insisted. "The Institute has left me with severe bouts of p-set-induced insomnia and a case of stuck-to-desk-itis that recurs two to three times in a semester, then again just before break. And my wallet certainly takes a hit for it."
She adds:
"But as much as I tried to argue that I was in as unique a situation as someone with medical expenses, there was no getting through. Bowie even had the audacity to say, ?In fact, the RIAA has been known to suggest that students drop out of college or go to community college in order to be able to afford settlements.?
"Are. You. Shitting. Me.
"There you have it, fellow Techsters: proof of the fantastic levels of absurdity to which the RIAA attack has sunk. The Recording Industry of America would rather see America?s youth deprived of higher education, forever marring their ability to contribute personally and financially to society ? including the arts - so that they may crucify us as examples to our peers. To say nothing of wrecking our lives in the process. I finally understand what the RIAA meant when they told me ?stealing music is not a victimless crime? - the victims hang for all to see.
"Please, RIAA - if any competent representative happens to enjoy flipping through The Tech ? please tell me Bowie is a moronic tool who can?t help what the Superior Gray Coverage Golden Blonde hair dye does to her mental facilities. Please tell me you actually care about the futures of the age demographic that buys most of your music RIAA.com/news/marketingdata/pdf/2004consumerprofile.pdf." class="korostus" target="_blank">http://www.RIAA.com/news/marketingdata/pdf/2004consumerprofile.pdf. Your evil pirates are people too, people who enjoy music and almost always still purchase it legitimately. Each has an individual life and circumstances that deserve consideration, if not for the sake of empathy for your fellow man, then for the sake of business sense.
"Sure, if you commit a crime against someone, you should be held accountable. But I find it horrifying that anyone would single-mindedly and without compassion process people like a meat grinder set to purée.
"So while the RIAA continues to play the part of shark, I?ll continue to stand behind the glass, tapping away, wondering which of us is on display."
In related news, as they say, New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer is currently accusing the feds of encroaching on his territory as he goes after Cassi's assailants for bribery and price fixing, and while other RIAA-like hit groups threaten parents and others in Europe.
Warner Music, Sony BMG, EMI and Vivendi Universal are also being sued under the RICO (Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization) act.
By ExtremeTech Staff
discuss Discuss this now (1 posts)
Microsoft said Wednesday that it will bgin investing to take its Windows Media DRM technology into the wireless world.
The announcement was supported by Cingular and Motorola, although neither carrier specifically said that it would use the technology on its handsets.
Microsoft Windows Media Digital Rights Management has been licensed and deployed by more than 100 content services, such as MusicMatch adnd the Wal-Mart Music Store, and on hundreds of devices, according to Microsof. Now, the company is targeting the DRM structure at the 800 million or so mobile devices in the market and new mobile content delivery services.
Microsoft offered no public timetable for the deployment of a mobile DRM-enabled product.
"We're responding to our wireless partners around the world who are asking for a solution to enable new scenarios in the industry," said Kevin Johnson, co-president of the Platforms and Services Division at Microsoft, in a statement. "We want to give consumers what they want ?seamless experiences with premium content on a wide range of mobile devices."
Motorola executives offered a glimpse at Microsoft's vision, however.
"With the convergence of the wireless and entertainment industries, Motorola continues to drive new multimedia technologies and business models that enable seamless connectivity for our customers," said Chris White, senior director of global product marketing for the music category of Motorola Inc., in a statement. "Microsoft is stepping up to support this vision further with 'anywhere everywhere' protected digital bits."
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1946655,00.asp?kc=ETRS...
Hardware NVIDIA Launches Dual Analog Tuner Lineup
Brandon Hill - April 6, 2006 11:14 AM
Print article Email article 45 comment(s) - last comment masher2.. on Apr 7, 2006 at 9:04 AM
Recipient E-mail Please enter a valid E-mail addressPlease enter a valid E-mail address
Sender E-mail Please enter a valid E-mail addressPlease enter a valid E-mail address
Click image to enlarge
NVIDIA's new MCE device places two TV tuners on a single card
NVIDIA has launched the ultimate tool for Media Center Edition (MCE) PC owners. The NVIDIA DualTV, as its name implies, offers two tuners on a single card.
By having two separate tuners onboard, the DualTV tuner is able to record two shows at once or allow you to record one show while you watch another. And since the DualTV tuner is a full-fledged MCE device, you can transfer recorded material to a personal media players or portable game players. Live or recorded shows can also be streamed throughout the home to game consoles or Media Center Extenders courtesy of software from Orb Networks.
Other features of the NVIDIA DualTV tuner include:
* MediaSqueeze compression technology
* PureVideo technology
* 3D comb filter
* 3D noise reduction hardware
* In-line TV amplifier.
* Multi-stream hardware encoder
Scott Vouri, general manager of multimedia at NVIDIA adds:
"There are other TV tuners in the market today, but the NVIDIA DualTV tuner offers some key differentiators that make it stand out. Based on our internal testing it?s measurably the best picture quality of any dual tuner card and saves disk space. It?s easy to use and install, and is designed for people who want to watch what they want, where they want, whenever they want."
The NVIDIA DualTV tuner is available now for a suggested retail price of $169. You can also purchase the DualTV tuner with a remote and receiver kit for $219.
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=1655
Judge OKs $2.65 billion Time Warner AOL settlement
By Reuters
Published: April 9, 2006, 10:15 AM PDT
Tell us what you think about this storyTalkBack E-mail this story to a friendE-mail View this story formatted for printingPrint
A federal judge has approved a settlement that calls for Time Warner, the world's largest media company, to pay $2.65 billion to settle charges it overstated revenue to gain approval for its merger with AOL.
Time Warner agreed last August to the settlement with a lead group of shareholders who accused AOL of inflating its revenue by $1.7 billion between January 1999 and August 2002.
U.S. District Court Judge Shirley Wohl Kram approved the settlement on Thursday.
Citing "overwhelming support" for the settlement by nearly all of the estimated 600,000 claimants, Judge Wohl Kram wrote she found it "fair, reasonable and adequate."
The settlement brings to a close a painful chapter in the disastrous 2002 merger that wiped out more than $200 billion in shareholder value and gave media consolidation a bad name.
With the most recent settlement, Time Warner has paid more than $3.5 billion to resolve the accounting issues.
LONDON Apr 11, 2006 (AP)? The humble prune is set to be recognized as one of the secret weapons of World War II.
A London auction house, Spink, is selling two grizzled prunes that it says were destined to be stuffed with maps or other documents and smuggled to prisoners of war. The prunes were part of the memorabilia collection of a British spy.
"They are very dry and hard and it's amazing that they have survived," Spink spokeswoman Emily Johnston said Tuesday.
The prunes are part of a collection of World War II memorabilia collected by a British woman, the late Doreen Mulot, a former member of Britain's Special Operations Executive, which was set up to carry out operations behind enemy lines.
Sometimes referred to as "the Baker Street Irregulars" after Sherlock Holmes' fictional group of spies, the executive was set up by Winston Churchill and Hugh Dalton to conduct warfare by means other than direct military engagement.
Mulot was one of as many as a million operatives. Her collection is being sold as one lot by her great-nephew Richard Marshall from the town of Crook in northern England and is expected to raise more than 1,000 pounds (US$1,800; euro1,500).
Interviewed by telephone by The Associated Press, Marshall said his great-aunt had lived in a large house in the north London neighborhood of Hampstead "with a large bathroom where they prepared the prunes."
The dried fruit were softened in water, then de-pitted to allow carefully rolled documents covered in waxed paper to be inserted. The fruit was then re-dried and packed into food parcels for the prisoners, who used the information to escape and find their way home.
"She told me how she and a colleague would sit over the bathtub filled with dried prunes," he said.
Water was added, and "as the prunes swelled up they picked out the (pits) and filled the cavities with waxed paper. The prunes were then dried out and sent to prisoners in Red Cross parcels. It was quite ingenious, but not the sort of thing you usually associate with fighting a war."
His great-aunt, he said, had "kept the two prunes as a souvenir." These particular prunes were never used in an operation, the auction house said.
Marshall said the maps contained details of railway lines in Europe.
Mulot, who was British, married a Frenchman before the war and moved with him to France. She returned home in 1940 when she discovered he was having an affair.
In London, she continued to work with Free French fighters against the German occupation of France and joined the SOE.
Her collection also includes accurate forgeries of official German rubber document stamps and elaborate plates used to counterfeit "camp money," which was used by prisoners of war to buy a limited range of goods inside the camps.
There are also instructions on sabotage that were hidden in booklets that were made to resemble diaries, cookbooks, health manuals and pocket dictionaries.
DISCLAIMER: If you find a posting or message from me
offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
If you dont know how to ignore a posting, complain to
me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate . . .
