Comment foot (Score 5, Interesting) 286
Check out foot.
https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot
Comment Re:Oh, goodie! (Score 1) 221
Is there even any discussion on Slashdot these days?
I only log in every couple of years for the sake of nostalgia and each time it's even more of a ghost town.
Submission + - Southwest airlines offline? (southwest.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Southwest airlines websites are off the grid. Cyberattack or tech meltdown? Real-time cyberattack maps like kaspersky https://cybermap.kaspersky.com... seem to show a lot of activity in Central Texas near Dallas where SWA is headquartered, but I don't know where else to look to find out what's really going on. Does anyone have any real info?
Submission + - Quantum Microscope 3D Simulator of Atoms Open Sourced (energywavetheory.com)
atomicphysics writes: The Quantum Microscope add-on for Blender has been released to open source. The free-to-download 3D simulator provides accurate modeling of molecules, atoms and their subatomic particles by using classical, Newtonian physics.
A contest begins September 1, 2020 for developers to enhance the add-on, or create a new simulator meeting project requirement to use classical physics for the quantum realm, with at least $15,000 in prizes being awarded over the next year.
A contest begins September 1, 2020 for developers to enhance the add-on, or create a new simulator meeting project requirement to use classical physics for the quantum realm, with at least $15,000 in prizes being awarded over the next year.
America Begins Airport Tests of Technology To Detect Drones and 'Mitigate Potential Safety Risks Posed' (engadget.com) 36
To address the possibility of drone-flying near airports, America's Federal Aviation Administration "will be testing at least 10 technologies and systems," reports Engadget, "developed not just to detect unmanned aerial systems, but also to mitigate the potential safety risks they pose."
The first tests will be conducted at FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center, which is right next to the Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey. After that, the agency expects to expand its tests to four additional airports in the U.S. It has yet to choose those airports, and it may also still be finalizing the list of technologies it's testing: The FAA is asking interested companies working on drone detection systems to respond to its announcement within 45 days.
23-Million-Year-Old Fossilized Leaves Offer New Insight Into Global Warming (upi.com) 37
UPI reports:
The links between rising carbon dioxide levels, global warming and greening trends have been confirmed by fossilized leaves from a 23 million-year-old forest... Scientists previously postulated that ancient increases in atmospheric CO2 during the early Miocene allowed plants to perform photosynthesis more efficiently. But the latest research, published Thursday in the journal Climate of the Past, is the first to confirm the link between CO2 and greening in the fossil record...
Lab experiments have shown increases in CO2 can boost photosynthesis, and recent satellite surveys suggest rising CO2 levels are responsible for greening patterns across the planet, including Arctic and drylands ecosystems. The latest research suggests that greening trends are likely to continue as CO2 levels approach those recorded during ancient period of warming... According to the new study, increases in photosynthesis rates won't be able to keep up with current rates of human-caused carbon emissions. In addition, previous studies suggest increases in rates of photosynthesis can prevent staple crops from absorbing calcium, iron, zinc and other minerals important for human health....
By comparing the fossilized leaf structures, including microscopic veins, stomata and pores, to those of modern leaves, researchers designed a model to more accurately predict CO2 levels... "It all fits together, it all makes sense," said study co-author William D'Andrea, a paleoclimate scientist at Lamont-Doherty. "This should give us more confidence about how temperatures will change with CO2 levels."
Lab experiments have shown increases in CO2 can boost photosynthesis, and recent satellite surveys suggest rising CO2 levels are responsible for greening patterns across the planet, including Arctic and drylands ecosystems. The latest research suggests that greening trends are likely to continue as CO2 levels approach those recorded during ancient period of warming... According to the new study, increases in photosynthesis rates won't be able to keep up with current rates of human-caused carbon emissions. In addition, previous studies suggest increases in rates of photosynthesis can prevent staple crops from absorbing calcium, iron, zinc and other minerals important for human health....
By comparing the fossilized leaf structures, including microscopic veins, stomata and pores, to those of modern leaves, researchers designed a model to more accurately predict CO2 levels... "It all fits together, it all makes sense," said study co-author William D'Andrea, a paleoclimate scientist at Lamont-Doherty. "This should give us more confidence about how temperatures will change with CO2 levels."
Comment Re:Typical California behavior (Score 1) 279
The idea is to pick a time zone and stick with it. Nobody gives 2 craps whether it is DST or standard, just stick with it. For me personally, DST year-round "feels" more normal, so I'd be happy sticking with DST instead of just changing time zones completely.
Either way, we ought to pick one and stick with it. The changing back and forth is stupid.
Comment Re:If it can be done wrong (Score 1) 279
In California, DST actually seems more "normal" a lot of the time. It's the switch away from DST that always seems stupid.
Comment Re:For good reason (Score 1) 94
Agreed. They've hidden everything useful, wrecked a completely useable UI trying to imitate the stylistic cues of a river rock.
Comment Can't force me (Score 1) 94
Microsoft can't and won't force me to use any version of skype. After MS bought skype and made some UI changes that made it harder to use, I just switched to facetime. "Problem" solved. Even my Mom is getting an iphone, in part so she can use facetime with everyone else who has ditched skype after MS ruined the UI.
Skype circa 2011 was pretty useable. It's been destroyed since then by UI mismanagement. I still prefer windows over apple OS and I use a windows computer instead of a mac, but for video chat and conferencing I've gone completely to facetime for no reason other than the skype UI has been wrecked since MS bought it.
Forcing users to "upgrade" to their latest crummy version is just one more push to switch services. There are plenty of alternatives.
Submission + - People robbed at airport security, after being stopped for medical device checks
brindafella writes: Airport security in Australia's second largest city, Melbourne, has been called into question after reports that fellow travellers have been taking items (notably, women's handbags) off the pickup area; the owners have been stopped for extra attention because a medical device has tripped the alarm. The report lists: knee and hip replacements, a pacemaker, and an insulin pump. Meanwhile, staff assume that the person taking the item is its owner.
A thief needs both temptation and opportunity.
There are also calls for private screening / pat-down areas for older passengers, where their baggage can be taken with them.
A thief needs both temptation and opportunity.
There are also calls for private screening / pat-down areas for older passengers, where their baggage can be taken with them.
Comment Hostile management (Score 1) 540
Hostile management, 99% of the reason I left. Union contract had been up for renegotiation for 2 years. Company fouled up the schedule then blamed the union for an illegal work slowdown, a completely fabricated charge, and sued us. The judge ruled while the union lawyer was still en-route to the courtroom, more proof it was a setup.
3 months later the company realized how horrible a mistake they had made when they lost 40 million dollars (or more) and had to report to the shareholders that they couldn't follow company growth plans because guess what - they didn't have a contract after 2 years. Almost immediately the company agreed to the union proposed payscale but by that time it was far too little too late, the company had already proven itself utterly untrustworthy and hostile.
My new job required an initial pay cut, has nearly identical long-term income potential, and is harder work. But my new company isn't suing me over a pretend "illegal work action" so it's much better.
The money isn't everything.
Comment Drop it on Mars (Score 2) 82
Drop the thing on Mars. Sure sure sure, make it as *slow* of a drop as possible, but still. Kersplash!
I'll even give a sample business model.
Rockets
Tesla car in outer space
David Bowie song
Rogue "dwarf planet" with lots of water
Mars
Profit!
Comment Re: Meet minimum standards of human behavior (Score 1) 1235
SJW's will _kill_ a project
That's their job. They are social assassins sent in to destroy a community's defenses so that it's ripe for a hostile takeover.
Why was Brendan Eich targeted for his political views of a decade ago? Because somebody wanted him out of his position at Mozilla so that something could be done with the organization that he wouldn't allow. The drama was all a bunch of smoke and mirrors.
Comment copy thinkpad keyboards (Score 1) 91
Lenovo (IBM) thinkpad keyboards have been water and crumb resistant for ages. Maybe Apple should just license the applicable patents and be done with it instead of re-inventing a perfectly good wheel.
