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Biotech

Submission + - U.S. slams Thailand for "pirating" AIDS dr

Submitted by nbauman
nbauman writes: The U.S. government placed Thailand on a list of copyright violators, because Thailand exercised its legal right under the World Trade Organization rules to license generic versions of AIDS drugs. Merck offered to sell efavirenz for $237 per patient per year, but Indian generic manufacturers do it for $165. Then Thailand licensed generic versions of another AIDS drug, lopinavir/ritonavir, which Abbott had offered to sell for $1,000 per patient per year. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative placed Thailand on the Priority Watch List, which could lead to trade sanctions, and is usually used for software, trademark and other pirates.
http://www.boston.com/business/healthcare/articles /2007/05/02/thailand_stands_by_drug_patent_decisio n/ http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_ind ex.cfm?DR_ID=44603 "It's surprising that the reactions have been so harsh to a move that's perfectly legal," said Jon Ungphakorn, a former Thai senator. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/316/ 5826/816 [subscription, bummer] Thailand's GDP per capita is $9,100.
The Internet

Submission + - New non-profit community wiki project

Submitted by
enodios
enodios writes: "The creators of the first successful community wiki, the Davis Wiki, have expanded their project to a far larger scale. They're calling this new, non-profit effort Wiki Spot, which aims to provide a home for wikis that benefit their communities."
Announcements

Submission + - 'Kryptonite' Discovered in Serbian Mine

Submitted by Rubinstien
Rubinstien writes: A mineralogist at London's Natural History Museum was contracted to help identify an unknown mineral found in a Serbian mine. After its crystal structure was analyzed and identified, the researcher was shocked to find the material already referenced in literature. Says Dr. Chris Stanley, "Towards the end of my research I searched the web using the mineral's chemical formula — sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide — and was amazed to discover that same scientific name, written on a case of rock containing kryptonite stolen by Lex Luther from a museum in the film Superman Returns." "I'm afraid it's not green and it doesn't glow either — although it will react to ultraviolet light by fluorescing a pinkish-orange," he told BBC News. More details can be found in the BBC News article.
Movies

Submission + - TRON Classified "Sensitive" by Homeland Se

Submitted by
ewhac
ewhac writes: "Apparently a Jeff Bridges film is now a credible threat to the Republic. Reports are emerging from Hollywood that the Department of Homeland Security has classified the film TRON as "sensitive" and ordered Disney studios to surrender all its copies. Concern reportedly surrounds the live action scenes shot at the Shiva nuclear fusion research facility, which apparently after 25 years are now considered to reveal sensitive details about nuclear technology."
Music

Submission + - Copyright Royalty Board threats internet radio

Submitted by Mike89
Mike89 writes: On March 2, 2007, The CRB approved royalty rates that will bury any small webcaster, and create a heavy burden even for big broadcasters like Yahoo, AOL Music and Pandora. How high will these rates be? Around 100% of a small webcasters revenue, give or take a few points, in most cases. How did this happen? The RIAA told the CRB thats what they wanted, and the CRB just gave it to them. Save Net Radio has information on ways you can help stop this.
Businesses

Submission + - Developing Open Source Software Ventures

Submitted by calumtdalek
calumtdalek writes: The UofW Computer Science Club just posted a video of a new talk economist Larry Smith gave the UW students about creating startups using open source software and domain specific knowledge. Smith gives examples of successful companies as well as a few companies that didn't make it off the ground.
Education

Submission + - Things to do to get ready for PhD program?

Submitted by man_false
man_false writes: What can I do to get myself ready to go back to school for a PhD CompSci?

I made my way to Computer Science through an unconventional path. I started out studying Marine Science and finished up with a dual major in Natural Sciences and Latin American Studies in 1990. In 2004, after a variety of jobs that increasingly required computer skills, I completed an M.S. in Software Engineering. As a consequence of this convoluted path, I believe that I am weak in some computer science-related subjects.

I retire from the U.S. Army next year and plan to apply to a PhD Computer Science program. Over the next year I hope to accomplish three things:
1. Get as ready as possible for the return to school.
2. Refresh (and possibly learn for the first time) the subjects I need to master to be successful.
3. Show the school a level of effort and interest that will bolster my application (and hopefully compensate for any weakness).

In case it matters, I am very interested in sensor networks, wireless communications and the security of these networks. Embedded systems fascinate me. Where studies permit, I hope to focus on this world.
Supercomputing

Submission + - PS3 Cluster / Super Computer

Submitted by
David Kapolka
David Kapolka writes: "Electronic Design magazine reports that a professor at North Carolina State University has clustered 8 Sony Playstation 3 game consoles to create a $5000 supercomputer. As you may recall, the PS3 is based on the Cell processor developed by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba. Supposedly he purchased the 8 consoles at a local department store. Best Buy is always out of stock of these infernal machines. I should have used this as an excuse on my son's 10th birthday as to why he didn't get the present he wanted."
Security

Submission + - Sex and Security

Submitted by
Bitt Faulk
Bitt Faulk writes: "Deborah Palfrey was arrested in October for running a prostitution service. She has since put up a web site asking for legal donations. In it, she says that she is considering selling her phone logs in order to help pay for her legal fees, and has put up an expurgated one-page sample. Ignoring the fact that implying that the phone logs contain something interesting also implies that she is guilty, the log was poorly expurgated. Opening the file in a PDF editor allows anyone to remove the scratch-outs that the log was expurgated with. What does security mean when it's improperly understood?"
United States

Submission + - BBC Reported WTC7 Collapse 20 Min Before It Fell

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: Courtesy an article posted at PrisonPlanet.com

"Early this week an independent researcher, reviewing video archives of the BBC's 9/11 coverage, divulged the discovery of an earth shaking incongruence. BBC reporters announced the collapse of the 47 story Salomon Brothers Building 23 minutes BEFORE the actual sudden collapse. This building, also known as WTC 7, is clearly visible, standing tall, as a reporter gestures to the live view through the window behind her."
The Matrix

Submission + - Documentary claims to find Jesus' tomb

Submitted by
w1z4rd
w1z4rd writes: "The Associated Press reports, ""The Lost Tomb of Jesus" ends on a portentous if melodramatic note.

By this point, the sought-after tomb had been located, entered and confirmed as the possible earthly resting place for Jesus Christ and his family. But within hours, authorities demanded that its cave-like entrance — on the grounds of a Jerusalem apartment complex built over it a quarter-century ago — be resealed.

A welder's torch flares in the night as the narrator intones, "The tomb that arguably once held the remains of Mary, the mother of Jesus; Matthew, from Mary's family line; Yose and James, the brothers of Jesus; Mary Magdalene; her husband, Jesus; and Judah, their son, is sealed up again.""

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