39055197
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
In a case involving an Italian businessman who developed a brain tumor after 12 months of using wireless devices at his workplace, the Supreme Court of Italy has determined a "causal link". Innocente Marcolini is reported to have spent between 5 and 6 hours per day on wireless devices over a 12 month period — approximately 1300 hours.
Legitimate or not, the ruling is unlikely to go without debate. A rather large Danish study from 2006, which followed 420,000 Danish citizens over 20 years, indicated no correlation with cellphones and cancer. The study concluded that despite the tremendous increase of both cellphone usage and the amount of time spent on them, tumors haven't increased in significant proportion.
38918407
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
Shortly before midnight on October 15 — initially surmised by some as a meteorite — a large explosion occurred at a munitions facility near Camp Minden, Louisiana. Amongst those evacuated were hundreds of students and prisoners, though no fatalities have been reported. Doppler-images from the National Weather Service suggest the plume may have towered as high as 7,200 feet.
Apparently, large explosions are not uncommon in the Minden area. In 2006 an explosion resulted in over 1000 people being evacuated, and as recently as 2011 1000lbs of black powder exploded.
38447245
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
On October 2, City Commissioners of Delray Beach finalized a policy which prohibits agencies from hiring employees who use tobacco products. Delray Beach isn't alone though; other Florida cities such as Hollywood and Hallandale Beach, require prospective employees to sign affidavits declaring themselves tobacco-free for 12 months prior to the date of application. Throughout the states, both
government and businesses are moving to ban tobacco-use beyond working hours. Many medical facilities, e.g. hospitals, have already, or intend to implement similar policy. In some more-aggressive environments referred to as nicotine-free, employee urine-samples can be taken and tested for any presence of nicotine, not excluding that from gum or patches. Employees testing positive can be terminated.
The primary rationale behind these policies has been frugality, citing greater insurance-costs for smokers, and the savings implied by eliminating them from the workforce. In some less aggressive situations, persistent smokers are imposed a "Tobacco User Surcharge" of $20 per paycheck and offered waived co-payments for smoking-cessation drugs.
Efforts to cut expenses and encourage better health seem perfectly normal. Policy prohibiting activities otherwise legal, but unbefitting a workplace environment also seem normal. However, employers or government defining employee's domestic lifestyles is a relatively new concept, especially when nothing illegal is involved. It would be difficult, if not impossible to argue that smoking is without consequences; but is breeching the boundaries of the household inconsequential?
Times do change, and adaptation is often a necessary burden. But have they changed so much that we'd now postpone the Manhattan project for 12 months because Oppenheimer had toked his pipe? Would we confine our vision to the Milky Way or snub the 1373 Cincinnati because Hubble smoked his? Would we shun relativity, or shelve the works of Tolkien because he and C. S. Lewis had done the same? If so, then where will it stop? Will we soon scan employees for signs of excessive sugar, trans-fats and cholesterol? Will we have authenticated and logged aerobics classes? I, for one, welcome answers from our new salubrious overlords.
38389487
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
Millionaire Alexander Fishenko, owner of US-based Arc Electronics Inc, and seven others have been arrested in Houston Texas, with a total of 11 indicted in a conspiracy to smuggle advanced microelectronics from the US to Russia. The technology allegedly involves components of radar, weapons guidance, and detonators. Amongst the evidence are accounting records indicating notable similarity between the revenue of Arc Electronics and the Russian Federation's defense spending; intercepted phone calls and emails; and a letter to Arc Electronics from a Russian domestic intelligence lab complaining of defective microchips .
A Russian foreign ministry spokesman has denied there were any intelligence connections in the affair.
38386849
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
Earlier this week, City Commissioners of Delray Beach finalized a policy which now prohibits agencies from hiring employees who've used tobacco products within 12 months prior to application. In other Florida cities, such as Hollywood and Hallandale Beach, prospective employees must sign affidavits declaring themselves tobacco-free for 12 months prior to the date of application. Elsewhere, throughout the states, both cities and businesses are moving to ban tobacco-use beyond working hours. The city of Fort Worth, TX is considering such bans, and many hospitals have already done so, or intend to. In some environments referred to as nicotine-free, employee urine-samples are taken and tested for any signs nicotine, not excluding that from gum or patches. Employees testing positive can be terminated.
The rationale behind these policies has been primarily economic, citing greater insurance-costs for smokers and the savings implied by eliminating them from the workforce. In some less aggressive situations, persistent smokers are imposed a "Tobacco User Surcharge" of $20 per paycheck and offered waived co-payments for smoking-cessation drugs.
As one might presume, this subject isn't without controversy. Many argue that in efforts to address the effects of tobacco, other confirmed sources of ill-health are treated with less concern, such as transfats, nitrates, obesity, excessive sugar consumption and sloth. The fact that not just smoking, but tobacco and nicotine itself are being banned beyond the workplace, is certainly worth some consideration — especially while they remain legal activities.
Is tobacco an intrinsically wicked plant? In Sweden, where tobacco products are commonly used in the form of snus, tobacco-related cancers are amongst the lowest in Europe. Due to its curing process, nitrosamines — a primary carcinogen in tobacco — are found in much lower levels in Swedish snus than in other tobacco products. Snus is even labeled as a food product in Sweden. Strangely, what so often seems left out of anti-tobacco rhetoric are the aspects of abuse, deceptive advertisement and peculiar ingredients. Whether or not tobacco can cause grievous harm is not a matter to contest; but maybe perspective has wandered. Would we decline employment to the likes of an Oppenheimer, Hubble, or Einstein because they toked a smoke 6 months ago? Surely one might encourage them to quit, but to shun? Have we become so self-righteous that we no longer lend others the privilege of indulging in lawful behavior? Without making any cases for a hideous industry, can it be asked if this is going too far?
38009667
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
Fuhu Inc., maker of the $199 children-tailored Nabi tablet, is suing Toys R Us. The lawsuit arises after a legal agreement (ended in January) between Fuhu and Toys R Us went awry and Toys R Us released a similar product of their own, the $150 Tabeo. The dispute alleges that Toys R Us may have intended from inception to eventually abandon the Nabi for their own future variation, the Tabeo, presumably after gathering sufficient understanding of Fuhu's design concepts and business strategies.
A ZDNet article quite thoroughly covering the story notes some of the formidable investors behind Fuhu, including Acer Inc., Kingston Digital, and Foxconn Digital Inc. Fuhu also sells through retail stores such as WalMart, Target, Best Buy, GameStop and Amazon.com.
Another more-recent ZDNet article further analyzes the story here.
36674063
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
Well within the top ten Linux distros, Arch Linux has a strong following for sure. But with an installation process requiring a little more involvement than the average distro, not every prospective user is ready to embrace the Arch Way, and understandably so. This is where Manjaro steps in. With a 100% compatibility with Arch, uncompromising adherence to principia KISS and a pre-configured Xfce, — or alternatively available GNOME & KDE — those who've been hesitating to explore Arch now have a few less excuses.
And a little side-note for those still bitter about the lack of package-signing: You'll be glad to know that Arch fully implemented package-signing in June of 2012.
36672617
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
A few days ago, news of an ex-marine detained for his Facebook posts reached far and wide throughout the interweb. It was a hotly debated affair and considered from many perspectives. Today, a judge citing a lack of facts regarding the detention has since ordered the release of Brandon Raub.
It's a strange case undoubtedly, but perhaps even stranger when taking into account a few things, like the possibility of forced medication. It has been reported that Raub had made claims that one of the psychiatrists involved in the case threatened him with forced medication. For history polymaths, government proposals of forced medication may not be a surprise and the case of Susan Lindauer may be remembered.
The situation may seem more or less strange when harkening back to 2009, when Fusion Centers targeted Ron Paul supporters, certain universities, and conspiracy theorists as threats to national security, even logging anti death-penalty and anti-war activists into federal terrorism databases.
Personally, I find myself wondering what sorts of epic dangers someone like Noam Chomsky might seem to pose after a stressful day and a few beers, if overheard by certain departments.
36378287
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
"After nearly 700 reported cases of West Nile virus and 14 deaths, the city of Dallas has declared a state of emergency. West Nile virus can be asymptomatic or produce multiple symptoms, but can also lead to fevers, and the potentially fatal meningitis or encephalitis. Birds are the most common carriers and mosquitoes are the vector for human infection.
From the BBC: "The city of Dallas is experiencing a widespread outbreak of mosquito-borne West Nile Virus that has caused and appears likely to continue to cause widespread and severe illness and loss of life," — Michael Rawlings
"
36369025
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
After nearly 700 reported cases of West Nile virus and 14 deaths, the city of Dallas has declared a state of emergency. West Nile virus can be asymptomatic or produce multiple symptoms, but can also lead to fevers, and the potentially fatal meningitis or encephalitis. Birds are the most common carriers and mosquitoes are the vector for human infection.
From the BBC:"The city of Dallas is experiencing a widespread outbreak of mosquito-borne West Nile Virus that has caused and appears likely to continue to cause widespread and severe illness and loss of life," — Michael Rawlings
36344201
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
In what for Ademo Freeman may have been honest efforts to defend the rights of a West High School student who in October of last year had allegedly been assaulted by a high school liaison officer, in search for comments Ademo Freeman had recorded phone conversations with multiple individuals including the West High School principle and secretary, and a Manchester police captain, without their consent.
On August 13, New Hampshire police-accountability activist Ademo Freeman was found guilty by a jury of twelve, of illegal wiretapping.
For those who say "Live Free or Die.", be duly advised.
36171495
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
Last week on Slashdot we read the bad news, i.e. "Craigslist Demands Exclusivity For Postings", an odd demand which would have prevented ad-content on Craigslist from being advertised anywhere else but Craigslist. Thankfully, today we read from the EFF, the Good News: Craigslist drops exclusive license to your posts.
Perhaps they can now apply their ambitions toward improving Craigslist in other ways?
36165971
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
For many Linux users the Desktop is a vital resource and far from dead. Because usability of a workspace environment can be critical, we need both the ability to depend on and configure it to our needs, while avoiding distractions (notifications?) and things that interfere with productivity. Since this has obviously been an issue and seems to remain one; why not let your opinion be heard by those who are listening?
"A research team from the University of Maryland Baltimore County has launched an online study to explore the usability of KDE notifications. Participants are asked to describe a recent KDE notification experience to deepen the understanding of what makes a good or bad notification. Results from the research will help improve the usability of KDE notifications, and will make a contribution to the academic field of Human-Computer Interaction."
You can join the study through the above link, or directly here: KDE Notification User Experience Study
36066325
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
On 3/12/2012, Arch Linux, the "simple, lightweight distribution" celebrated its 10th year with the release of 0.1 Homer. The latest installation of Arch Linux has now been released as version 2012.08.04.
Arch Linux is a great distro not only for those who prefer to keep things simple, but for anyone preferring more control and oversight of their system. Arch, arguably enjoying some of the best documentation available (arch wiki), sports rolling releases, an Arch User Repository, solid support and also uses the fantastic pacman package-manager, which in late March 2012 — after a controversial absence of — implemented package-signing, finally becoming official in June 2012.
36041011
submission
Penurious Penguin writes:
Just as the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado begins inching more comfortably into the past, another "Active Shooter" event has occurred in Oak Creek, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This time not in a crowded theater, but in a Sikh temple where seven people died including the shooter. How could two horrible events occur so close together? Is it even practical to ask why these things are happening?
Is there a way to avoid these situations? Without further eroding our liberties and surrendering to Big Brother, how can we? Do we put our selves empathetically in the position of those unfortunate victims involved and act accordingly — or do we accept the casualties of an experimental and complex society and move on? What can we do?
