ebichete - Slashdot User

Submission + - Big 'Ocean' Discovered Beneath Asia

Submitted by anthemaniac on Wednesday February 28, 2007 @05:50PM

anthemaniac writes: Seismic observations reveal a huge reservoir of water in Earth's mantle beneath Asia. It's actually rock saturated with water, but it's an ocean's worth of water ... as much as is in the whole Arctic Ocean. How did it get there? A slab of water-laden crust sank, and the water evaporated out when it was heated, and then it was trapped, the thinking goes. The discovery fits neatly with the region's heavy seismic activity and fits neatly with the idea that the planet's moving crustal plates are lubricated with water.

Submission + - Slashdot in a sci-fi book

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 28, 2007 @05:06PM

An anonymous reader writes: I was reading 'Century Rain' by Alastair Reynolds and was very surprised to see Slashdot mentioned there. Apparently a powerful, technologically advanced human society in the future will be founded by Slashdotters. From the book: "It's all right," Niagara said. "I won't be the least bit offended if you call me a Slasher. You probably regard the term as an insult." "Isn't it?" Auger asked, surprised. "Only if you want it to be." Niagara made a careful gesture, like some religious benediction: a diagonal slice across his chest and a stab to the heart. "A slash and a dot," he said. "I doubt it means anything to you, but this was once the mark of an alliance of progressive thinkers linked together by one of the very first computer networks. The Federation of Polities can trace its existence right back to that fragile collective, in the early decades of the Void Century. It's less a stigma than a mark of community."

Submission + - DHS Abandons RFID

Submitted by on Wednesday February 28, 2007 @04:28PM

An anonymous reader writes: The Department of Homeland Security has abandoned plans to embed RFID chips in arrival and departure forms carried by foreign nations in the U.S. The decision comes shortly after a General Accounting Office report found that the chips often were not properly scanned by sensors, and that they provided no additional assurance that the person arriving in the country was the same as the person leaving the country. Privacy groups had criticized the plan to embed the chips out of fear that they would allow people on the street to be scanned for forms that would identify them as non-citizens.

Submission + - Digital 'Fair Use' Bill Introduced In Congress

Submitted by

d3ac0n

on Wednesday February 28, 2007 @04:11PM

d3ac0n writes: "From the Washington Post: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2007/02/di gital_fair_use_bill_introduc.html

Today, Reps. Rich Boucher (D-Va.) and John Dolittle (R-Calif.) introduced what they call the "Freedom and Innovation Revitalizing U.S. Entrepreneurship" (or FAIR USE) Act they say will make it easier for digital media consumers to use the content they buy.
A refreshing bipartisan effort to return Fair Use to it's rightful place as the law of the land. (for media content, anyway)"

Submission + - IBM SW evaluation DVD with all its Linux apps

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 28, 2007 @04:10PM

An anonymous reader writes: This is the easiest way to get all of the fresh releases of IBM applications for Linux. A DVD with all DB2, Rational, Websphere, Informix, Tivoli, and Workplace applications for Linux will be sent to you at no cost.

Submission + - Making 300 Interview

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 28, 2007 @03:56PM

An anonymous reader writes: Surprisingly, FHM Online has an interesting interview with visual effects supervisor Chris Watts about the making of 300. From the article: "What does it take to film Frank Miller's legendary graphic novel about the ancient Spartan army? Spears, loincloths and over 1300 visual effects — including a series that gave life to a military-enlisted rhinoceros. Here, 300's visual effects supervisor, Chris Watts, breaks down every step that went into creating that sweet-assed rhino scene." http://www.fhmonline.com/articles-3866.asp?cnl_id= 3&stn_id=12&idx_id=3866

Submission + - The AMD 690G: first fruits of AMD/ATI merger

Submitted by

Poodlie_Doo

on Wednesday February 28, 2007 @01:50PM

Poodlie_Doo writes: "AMD's first ATI-designed chipset, the 690G is now out. The new chipset has integrated graphics courtesy of the ATI X1250 and supports HDMI with HDCP. Tech Report has a review up, and the benchmarks look pretty good."

Submission + - Asus EcoBook -- Bamboo laptop

Submitted by on Wednesday February 28, 2007 @11:46AM

An anonymous reader writes: CNET.co.uk has a photo story of a bamboo laptop created by Asus. The Asus Ecobook looks a lot like a MacBook Pro, but is made of real bamboo. The wood above each of its ports is engraved, the keys on the keyboard are designed to mimic the look of bamboo joints, and best of all it's biodegradeable.

Submission + - Exclusive Interview with Douglas Adams from 1979

Submitted by

DarkerMatter

on Wednesday February 28, 2007 @09:38AM

DarkerMatter writes: "A new online science fiction magazine, Darker Matter, has just gone live with an exclusive interview conducted with Douglas Adams (author of the Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy) in 1979, just before his first book was published. The interview was never used until now. The site also has high quality short sf stories from writers inclusing Hugo award winner David D. Levine, Bud Sparhawk and Edward M. Lerner. The site is funded by advertising, pays the going rate to writers and is planning to donate any profits to charity.

http://www.darkermatter.com/"

Submission + - Top 50 Things To Do To Stop Global Warming

Submitted by

on Wednesday February 28, 2007 @07:59AM

An anonymous reader writes: Global warming is a dramatically urgent and serious problem. We don't need to wait for governments to solve this problem: each one of us can bring an important help adopting a more responsible lifestyle: starting from little, everyday things. It's the only reasonable way to save our planet, before it is too late.

There's an handy list of the Top 50 things to do to fight Global Warming that gives useful advices that everyone can follow in order to help the environment: some of them are at no cost, some other require a little investment but can help you save a lot of money, in the middle-long term!

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