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Submission + - Alpha Centauri to Bend Starlight for Planet Hunt (discovery.com) 1

astroengine writes: In October 2014 and again February 2016 Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to our Solar System, will pass in front of two distant stars allowing astronomers a rare opportunity to use Einstein's General Relativity to potentially detect hidden exoplanets around the binary star system. As Alpha Centauri blocks the distant starlight from our perspective, the gravitational field will bend the distant light to create a microlensing event. The transient brightening can then be analyzed and the gravitational presence of any worlds may be revealed. The research, announced Monday at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Indianapolis, has been submitted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal.

Submission + - New Asus device runs both Windows and Android 1

taz346 writes: Asus has unveiled a new 11.6-inch tablet/laptop that runs both Windows 8 and Android Jelly Bean side by side, the BBC reports. The firm said "users would be able to synchronise data between the platforms in order to enjoy a 'smooth transition' between each mode." Hmmm, I'm guessing one could also create another partition and install a full Linux distro as well, though there's no telling how UEFI might come into play.

Submission + - Big Changes Coming to Canada's Wireless Landscape (www.cbc.ca)

FuzzNugget writes: The CRTC has unveiled a code of conduct that brings many positive changes for Canadian wireless customers, most notably:
  • Carriers must provide the option to unlock a cell phone after 3 months for subsidized phones within the contract period, or immediately if the device was purchased outright.
  • Contracts are now capped at two years, and cancellation fees are limited to the amount of the subsidy.
  • Carriers can no longer charge outrageous data overage and international roaming charges. Without explicit consent from the a customer, such charges are capped at $50 and $100 per month, respectively.

The full text of the Wireless Code is available on the CRTC's website.

Submission + - Mozilla, Foxconn confirm Firefox OS partnership (paritynews.com)

hypnosec writes: Firefox OS maker Mozilla has confirmed reports that indicated a probable collaboration with Foxconn for development of Firefox OS based devices. Announcing the "wide ranging partnership" with Foxconn Mozilla’s SVP of Mobile Devices noted in a blog post that collaboration between the two companies “demonstrates the full potential of Firefox OS,” and it would not only enable the smartphone “but also a wide range of mobile devices".

Submission + - Study shows most controversial pages on Wikipedia, by country. (wordpress.com)

Bearhouse writes: Researchers have identified the most-edited pages in Wikipedia — the subject of so-called 'Wikiwars'.
It's interesting to see how these differ by country; in the USA, GWB tops the list.
For the Czech republic, it's homosexuality.
Regarding Germany, 9/11 conspiracy theories are in third place, after Croatia and Scientology.
Just as weird and interesting as Wikipedia itself.

Comment Re:Loaded words and misfired analysis (Score 1) 376

"Now, good luck getting the VA to allow us to implement it." I get what you are saying, but taking the time and making the effort to overcome that kind of thing is why undertaking this kind of work is more difficult than just creating apps. And that's why, I think, she says that our best minds are being wasted when they could be put to work addressing issues like that.

Comment Re:Loaded words and misfired analysis (Score 1) 376

If you read her opinion about government in the article and her bio (and the author is a woman), you'll see she is a conservative, and what she's arguing is precisely that people need to take more personal responsibility for their country's pressing problems and quit blissfully ignoring them. And, no, the problems are very complex - if they were simple, you wouldn't need bright minds to take them on.

Comment Re:Loaded words and misfired analysis (Score 2) 376

I think her point is exactly that these are problems that are "social and political in nature," and that our brightest minds are mostly writing inane apps instead of tackling them. Software solutions would help solve many of them but, as she says, doing that work is hard and doesn't offer much of an opportunity to strike it rich.

Submission + - Do Cosmic Rays Trigger Lightning? (sciencemag.org)

sciencehabit writes: Nobody knows exactly what triggers lightning bolts. Now, two Russian researchers say that these discharges of a billion volts or more could be caused by the interaction of cosmic rays—high-energy particles from outer space—with water droplets in thunderclouds.The results, reported this week in Physical Review Letters, show that storm clouds emit "hundreds or thousands" of short, strong radio pulses just before lightning strikes. Their shape, the researchers say, matches their models of runaway breakdown triggered by energetic cosmic rays.

Submission + - Google Formally Puts Palestine on Virtual Map (paritynews.com)

hypnosec writes: Google has indirectly walked right into one of Middle East's most obstinate conflict by putting Palestine as an independent nation wiping off the term Palestinian Territories and replacing it with Palestine in its localized search page. Google’s move is more or less in line with the UN’s decision October to name Palestine as a non-member observer state. The status given to Palestine will allow the state to join UN debates as well as global bodies such as the International Criminal Court, in theory atleast. Up until May 1, anyone visiting http://www.google.ps were shown the phrase Palestinian Territories, which has now been replaced with the word Palestine. This change is definitely not a huge one but, it has attracted criticism from politicians in Israel. They have slammed Google for invading and getting involved in a complex issue that has not been resolved yet.

Submission + - Conservancy running campaign to write better accounting software for nonprofits (sfconservancy.org) 1

paroneayea writes: The Software Freedom Conservancy is running a campaign to improve accounting software, especially for nonprofits. To keep their books and produce annual government filings, most NPOs rely on proprietary software, paying exorbitant licensing fees. This is fundamentally at cross purposes with their underlying missions of charity, equality, democracy, and sharing. You can help Conservancy fix this problem by donating now!

Submission + - UK benefits claimants forced to use Microsoft Windows XP and IE6 (theinquirer.net)

carlypage3 writes: Benefits claimants in the UK are being forced to use Microsoft's now obsolete Windows XP and Internet Explorer 6 software. The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) states that its online forms are not compatible with Internet Explorer 7, 8, 9 and 10, Safari, Google Chrome or Firefox. As if that wasn't unnerving enough, the Gov.UK website says that users cannot submit claims using Mac OS X or Linux operating systems, either.

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