otacon - Slashdot User

Submission + - Potential Cancer Cure Lacks Funding?

Submitted by on Thursday February 01, 2007 @04:36PM

An anonymous reader writes: A cheap, existing drug that shows promise in lab tests held at the University of Alberta against cancer has not entered clinical trials due to a lack of funding. The drug, dichloroacetate, is decades old and cannot be patented, but would still require clinical tests to be approved for cancer treatment. More articles from New Scientist, Newsweek and The Toronto Star. The University of Alberta and the Alberta Cancer Board have set up a site to handle donations towards clinical trials.

Submission + - Best language for an occasional programmer?

Submitted by

the_womble

on Thursday February 01, 2007 @04:31PM

the_womble writes: "I am never going to be a developer, but I write a little bit of code occasionally. A simple CMS written in TCL a few years ago, a few Wordpress plugins, things like that. I am now thinking of more ambitious projects.

I am most interested in websites and CMSs, but it would be useful to be able to whip up a simple GUI as well. What languages and tools should I learn. Programming only occasionally needs a language with a clear syntax and a small core language — so I do not forget it all between times. Development tools also need to be simple. Libraries need to be well documented. Finally, it should be fun to work with.

So, what should I learn? My own research has not got me further than "Ruby and Scheme look nice". What do you think?"

Submission + - NFL tries to stop widescreen S** B* viewing

Submitted by tfm55x on Thursday February 01, 2007 @04:29PM

tfm55x writes: CNN / Sports Illustrated has an article that describes how the NFL is attempting to put a halt to a church's planned S**** B*** party because the church plans to use a projector to display the game on a large screen and "..the NFL objected to the church's plans to use a projector to show the game, saying the law limits it to one TV no bigger than 55 inches." I'm surprised to see the word 'law' used in this context.

Submission + - 33 Reasons Why Libraries are Still Important

Submitted by on Thursday February 01, 2007 @04:25PM

An anonymous reader writes: As libraries' relevance comes into question, they face an existential crisis at a time they are perhaps needed the most. Despite their perceived obsoleteness in the digital age both libraries — and librarians — are irreplaceable for many reasons. 33, in fact.

Submission + - Ubuntu 7.04 Related Articles

Submitted by

masood07

on Thursday February 01, 2007 @04:16PM

masood07 writes: "Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn) is due to be released on April 19th. But the development version is already available. Check out Getting Started With Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn) to install various software and codecs on this bleeding edge Ubuntu System. Also on the same site there is a guide for upgrading Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy Eft) to Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn). You can check the guide by reading article titled How to upgrade Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy Eft) to Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)"

Submission + - Kiwi ingenuity to conquer Everest again

Submitted by

matt@rescueoneverest.org

on Thursday February 01, 2007 @04:15PM

matt@rescueoneverest.org writes: "
Once again Kiwi ingenuity will conquer the world’s highest mountain

Adventurer Peter Hillary and double amputee Mark Inglis lend their support for the Everest Rescue Trust and rescueoneverest.org

Auckland, New Zealand, 1 February 2007: Today, the Everest Rescue Trust launched the ‘Rescue on Everest Challenge’ to design, build and operate a self-funding rescue helicopter service for the extreme altitude regions of Nepal. This humanitarian project aims to save lives on Everest and improve the safety and emergency services in Nepal, while directly benefiting the Nepalese people.

The Everest Rescue Trust has also launched rescueoneverest.org ; an official website with information, regular updates and the history of the project. It will contain real-time news and information and will be made available to a global audience. This site also hosts an interactive, distance learning schools programme, which will further stimulate interest in the project and allow children the world over to learn about Nepal, Everest and the Nepalese people.

Most helicopters are not designed to operate above a ceiling of about 14,000ft (4,300m), it’s just too dangerous. Everest Base Camp is at nearly 18,000ft (5364m) and the summit is another 11,500ft (3,486m) above that so having a rescue helicopter that could get that high safely will make a huge difference.

“Through innovation, design and cutting edge technology we’re going to challenge the science of aviation at extreme altitude and conquer new frontiers on Mt Everest and in Nepal,” says Trevor Rogers, President of TGR Helicorp Ltd, the New Zealand company building the helicopter for the Trust. “We hope that the success of this project will increase the Trust’s capability to help other people all over the world. The potential for pushing the boundaries of long range, high altitude rescue is unlimited, it could change the course of modern alpine aviation history.”

After six years research, development and building of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) TGR Helicorp has designed and developed an unpiloted full-size alpine rescue helicopter; the Alpine Wasp, which will be able to operate safely and autonomously at altitudes up to and beyond 30,000ft (over 9000m).

The company will be donating the Alpine Wasp to the Everest Rescue Trust after it has undergone testing and systems evaluation in the harsh mountain environment of the Mt Cook region of New Zealand during 2007. It will be capable of airlifting up to two sick or injured climbers at a time from extreme altitude, using ultra-modern composite technologies, a revolutionary diesel helicopter engine and rotor blades designed especially for maximum performance in thin air. The Alpine Wasp represents a huge leap forward in helicopter performance and technological capability.

TGR Helicorp intends to establish an alpine rescue base at Namche Bazar, a village sitting at 11,300ft (3,440m) on the approach to Mt Everest in Nepal. This base will include an aircraft hangar and rescue facilities, a prosthetics facility for the Porters and Sherpas in Nepal, and a frostbite prevention facility, providing clothing and footwear. The base will provide jobs for the local Nepalese people and all donations will be funnelled back into the community.

“I’m excited to be a part of a project that will benefit the Nepalese people in so many ways,” said Mark Inglis, Goodwill Ambassador for the Everest Rescue Trust. “It’s terrible to see porters and Sherpas without the proper equipment in the high mountains and as well as helping the locals who have already lost limbs to frostbite, the Trust is planning to equip them properly too, free of charge. I think that’s great.”

For additional information please contact Angerie van Wyk or visit www.rescueoneverest.org

About TGR Helicorp Ltd:
TGR Helicorp is the only helicopter manufacturer in the Southern Hemisphere and specialises in full size Rotorcraft UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).
President and Chairman: Trevor V. Rogers
Chief Executive Officer: Glenda Rogers

Contact:
Angerie van Wyk
Marketing and Communications Manager
Everest Rescue Trust
Tel: 64 9 273 6307
Mob: +64 21 140 8398
angerie@rescueoneverest.org
http://www.rescueoneverest.org"

Submission + - Difficulty Finding Consulting Work

Submitted by ps-elf on Thursday February 01, 2007 @03:53PM

ps-elf writes: I have been searching the usual internet job sites, Monster, Hotjobs etc. for contract jobs in Analog Design/IT. I have not been finding anything. Those type of jobs are almost all advertised as full-time salaried positions. Although I am pretty sure that contract jobs exist in abundance in Chip Design. My question is given that I am not interested in going through an agency or placement firm, where is a good place to hook up with these jobs.

Submission + - Smelling food shortens lifespans

Submitted by DrJay on Thursday February 01, 2007 @03:05PM

DrJay writes: Placing a flies, worms, or mice on a diet that severely restricts their caloric intake extends their lifespan. New research that will appear in Science Express today suggests that, in flies, part of that effect is caused simply by the smell of the food. Letting low-calorie flies smell food shortened their lifespan, while flies that carried a mutation that eliminated their sense of smell lived longer even when eating a normal diet.

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