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Submission + - Microsoft Kills Security Update Emails, Blames Canada (krebsonsecurity.com)

tsu doh nimh writes: In a move that may wind up helping spammers, Microsoft is blaming a new Canadian anti-spam law for the company’s recent decision to stop sending regular emails about security updates for its Windows operating system and other Microsoft software. Some anti-spam experts who worked very closely on Canada’s Anti-Spam Law (CASL) say they are baffled by Microsoft’s response to a law which has been almost a decade in the making. Indeed, an exception in the law says it does not apply to commercial electronic messages that solely provide “warranty information, product recall information or safety or security information about a product, goods or a service that the person to whom the message is sent uses, has used or has purchased.” Several people have observed that Microsoft likely is using the law as a convenient excuse for dumping an expensive delivery channel.

Submission + - Interviews: Ask Lawrence Lessig About His Mayday PAC

samzenpus writes: Co-founder of Creative Commons, Lawrence Lessig's list of achievements and areas of influence is not small. It is his Mayday PAC however that has garnered the most attention recently. The crowdfunded "Super PAC to end all Super PACs" was launched in May with the goal of raising money in order to elect candidates to Congress who would pass campaign finance reform. It raised over $1 million in the first 13 days and has the support of some influential people. With the help of matching contributions, Mayday hopes to raise $12 million by the end of June. Lessig has agreed to answer any questions about the PAC that you might have. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one question per post.

Submission + - Interviews: Ask "The King of Kong" Billy Mitchell About Classic Video Games

samzenpus writes: Billy Mitchell owns the Rickey's World Famous Restaurant chain, sells his own line of hot sauces, and was called, "probably the greatest arcade-video-game player of all time". His was the first to achieve a perfect score in Pac-Man, and held many record scores in other arcade games. He is probably most famous for the 2007 documentary,"The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters". The film follows a challenger on his quest to surpass Billy's high score in Donkey Kong, which Mitchell had set in 1982. Since the film was made, the Kong crown has been held by a number people including twice by Mitchell. Billy has agreed to put down the quarters and answer any questions you might have. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one question per post.

Submission + - Interviews: Ask Andrew "bunnie" Huang About Hardware and Hacking

samzenpus writes: Andrew "bunnie" Huang holds a Ph.D in electrical engineering from MIT and is one of the most famous hardware and software hackers in the world. He is a contributing writer for MAKE magazine, and has worked on a number of projects ranging from autonomous robotic submarines to peel-and-stick electronics. We recently covered one of his latest projects, an open source hardware laptop called Novena which features entirely NDA-free components. Bunnie has has agreed to take a break from his work and hack away at any questions you may have. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one question per post.

Submission + - $470 3D printer to go into production (htxt.co.za)

An anonymous reader writes: South African makerstore OpenHardware.co.za has designed and built a new RepRap-derivative 3D printer which it plans to sell for less than R5000 ($470). The first completed units are being put together now, with an eye to shipping late June. Store owner Peter van der Walt says that he designed Babybot — which has a print area equivalent to a RepRap Prusa Mendel-style machine — in order to reduce build and support costs. He's been selling various RepRap designs in kit form for two years, but as they become more popular is struggling to keep up with demand and handle returns. By sourcing more materials locally — he also designs his own controller boards — he's looking to beat the likes of RS Components and large shopping chains which have begun shipping the likes of Cubify in the country.

Submission + - Ask Jennifer Granick What You Will

samzenpus writes: Jennifer Granick was one of the primary crafters of a 2006 exception to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and served as the EFF's Civil Liberties Director. She has represented many high profile hackers during her career and was sought out by Aaron Swartz after his arrest. She currently serves as the Director of Civil Liberties for the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School. Jennifer has agreed to answer your questions about security, electronic surveillance, data protection, copyright, and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Please limit yourself to one question per post.

Submission + - Interviews: Ask Travis Kalanick About Startups and Uber

samzenpus writes: Travis Kalanick founded Scour, where he had the distinction of being sued for $250 billion by more than 30 media companies, and peer-to-peer file-sharing company Red Swoosh, but he is probably best known for cofounding transportation network company Uber. Seeking to be “Everyone’s Private Driver”, Uber operates in a number of cities world-wide but has met with some regulation issues, and controversy. Travis has agreed to take a break from arranging rides and answer your questions. Normal Slashdot interview rules apply.

Submission + - Bosch and Siemens Want To Control All Appliances (eetimes.com)

Full_Privacy writes: Bosch’s Home Connect app, expected to be available later this year, will control appliances, not only from Bosch and Siemens but from other brands as well, according to Claudia Häpp, digital transition project leader for Home Connect at the BSH group, the holding company that owns Bosch and Siemens.

Submission + - Florida driver arrested for cell phone jamming on commute (yahoo.com)

Mentate writes: A 60 year old Florida resident was recently arrested for signal jamming FCC violations. Permanently unable to stand the thought of people talking or texting while on the road, The man used a signal jamming device to prevent any cell phone calls from being made or texts from being sent from cars near him. He did this every day on his morning commute, for 2 years! He was caught when a local phone company noticed the odd service drop on the same stretch of highway every day at the same time and reported this to the FCC. Local police knew that his car was the guilty one because as they approached it their radio contact with the dispatcher cut out due to his jammer. He has been fined 48,000 dollars due to these violations.

Submission + - New Cologne Answers the Question: "What Does A Bitcoin Smell Like?"

samzenpus writes: You may not be Satoshi Nakamoto, but thanks to Virginia-based eco-products company Eruditium, you can now smell like him, her, or them. They claim Bitcologne is "made for peer-to-peer interaction” adding, "It's an aromatic blend of spicy, floral, oak and citrus notes your 'partner' may find it hard to resist initiating a more private transaction.’” A bottle costs about $26 or 0.0608 Bitcoin.

Submission + - China Using Troop of Trained Monkeys to Guard Air Base

samzenpus writes: No, they don't have guns and they're not trained to call down airstrikes. Instead the small troop of macaques have been trained to guard air bases from birds who often get caught in aircraft engines. Government sources say the monkeys have proven more effective than netting, scarecrows, firecrackers and soldiers with live ammunition in dealing with birds. From the article: 'The macaques are trained to respond to precise whistle commands from their handlers, according to the Chinese military, leaping into action, clambering up trees to destroy nests and scare away birds, according to an account on China’s Air Force News Web site on Sunday. The particular air force base employing the monkeys was left unidentified, described simply as being in the Beijing military zone. Base commanders in the account said the monkeys have destroyed more than 180 nests, at a pace of six to eight nests per monkey per day.'

Submission + - Richard Stallman Answers Your Questions

samzenpus writes: A while ago you had the chance to ask GNU and Free Software Foundation founder Richard Stallman about GNU, copyright laws, digital restrictions management, and software patents. Below you'll find his answers to those questions.

Submission + - Ask Stewart Brand About Protecting Resources and Reviving Extinct Species

samzenpus writes: Stewart Brand trained as a biologist at Stanford, was associated with Ken Kesey and the "Merry Pranksters", and served as an Infantry officer in the U.S. Army. His books include Whole Earth Discipline: The Rise of Ecopragmatism, The Clock of the Long Now, How Buildings Learn, and The Media Lab. He is the founder/editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, the co-founder of The Long Now Foundation, The WELL, and the Global Business Network. His latest project, Revive & Restore, may be his most ambitious yet. Revive and Restore aims to bring back extinct species and provide genetic rescue for endangered species that are spiraling down with inbreeding problems. Mr. Brand has agreed to answer any questions you may have but please limit yourself to one question per post.

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