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Power

Submission + - Team to transform carbon dioxide into liquid fuels (physorg.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Using concentrated solar energy to reverse combustion, a research team from Sandia National Laboratories is building a prototype device intended to chemically "reenergize" carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide using concentrated solar power. The carbon monoxide could then be used to make hydrogen or serve as a building block to synthesize a liquid combustible fuel, such as methanol or even gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
Programming

Submission + - The Future of AJAX and the Rich Web Dscusssed (ajaxworldmagazine.com)

Submitted by jg21
jg21 writes: This AJAXWorld Magazine article indicates how far AJAX has come since devs complained here that it sucked all the time. Eight experts were asked what questions we should now all be asking, with 2008 just around the corner, about where AJAX is headed next. The suggested questions are refreshingly hard-headed, including: "How are we to fix the web?" (Douglas Crockford, JSON inventor), "When will AJAX development finally be easy?" (Google's Christian Schalk), and "Do we really need JavaScript 2.0? Won't it be somewhat irrelevant by the time it becomes commonplace and thus usable?" (Josh Gertzen, lead developer of the ThinWire AJAX Framework). One of the most interesting questions came from Kevin Hakman, co-founder of TIBCO's General Interface: "On what timeline will AJAX skills become commoditized like HTML skills became?" With a question like that, one is reminded that AJAX has come a very long way in a very short time.
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - Apple the new Microsoft? (pcworld.com)

Submitted by whoever57
whoever57 writes: In an editorial in Computerworld, Mike Elgan argues that Apple has taken over Microsoft's position as the industry bully. He supports this conclusion on the market power that Apple exerts through the iPod/iTunes combination and the slow technical progress of iPods. He notes that iPods have only recently included features that MP3 players from other manufacturers have had for some time. He compares the bundling of iPods and iTunes to the bundling of Internet Explorer on Windows. However, he concludes by commenting that, in his opinion, Microsoft's reputation wasn't justified, just like Apple's reputation as an industry bully is not now justified.
Google

Submission + - Google revoking DRM permissions on bought videos! 1

Submitted by DoofusOfDeath
DoofusOfDeath writes: A few months ago I purchased a great Discovery Channel video from Google's downloadable video service. Sure I can't media-shift it, but I was willing to trade away some fair-use rights so my kids could see the video. I paid cash, they give me the video. End of story, right?

Wrong. Today I got this email (see below). It just goes to show that with DRM, there's little limit to the evil that can be done to you:

Hello,

As a valued Google user, we're contacting you with some important information about the videos you've purchased or rented from Google Video. In an effort to improve all Google services, we will no longer offer the ability to buy or rent videos for download from Google Video, ending the DTO/DTR (download-to-own/rent) program. This change will be effective August 15, 2007.

To fully account for the video purchases you made before July 18, 2007, we are providing you with a Google Checkout bonus for $20. Your bonus expires in 60 days, and you can use it at the stores listed here: http://www.google.com/checkout/signupwelcome.html. The minimum purchase amount must be equal to or greater than your bonus amount, before shipping and tax.

After August 15, 2007, you will no longer be able to view your purchased or rented videos.

If you have further questions or requests, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

The Google Video Team

Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
Editorial

Submission + - Open Letter to Anyone Asking Me For Computer Help (pretheory.com)

Submitted by
wastedbrains
wastedbrains writes: "So you're having a problem with your computer, eh? Yes, you're right, I do know something about computers and yes, I was a computer science major. Will I fix your problem?

I'll certainly try. I'm more than happy to help you to the best of my ability. You're a friend and I'm glad I can help you. I know you'd do the same for me and in all likelihood, I'll be hitting you up for free financial/legal/medical/automotive advice in the near future. I happen to have an area of expertise and I genuinely don't mind helping you out.

That said, here's some friendly advice that will make this experience as painless as possible for both you and I"
Businesses

Submission + - Penalizing for Poor Health 2

Submitted by
theodp
theodp writes: "Perhaps laying the groundwork for Sicko II, Clarian Health announced that starting in 2009, it will fine employees $10 per paycheck if their body mass index is over 30. Even slim-and-trim employees have to worry about their cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose levels — they'll be dinged $5 for each standard they don't meet. Smokers get a sneak preview of the policy starting next year, when they'll find $5 less in each check. Clarian credited new government HIPPAA rules that became effective July 1st for giving it the courage to follow its penalize-for-poor-health convictions."
Robotics

Submission + - Team to Use PS3,YDL in DARPA Urban Challenge

Submitted by
fistfullast33l
fistfullast33l writes: "While the PS3's Linux distribution has taken some hits for running inside a hypervisor that limits access to some hardware, the Axion Racing team has announced they will be using a PS3 running Yellow Dog Linux in their entry for the DARPA Urban Challenge in November 2007. "We felt having cars drive themselves was getting a little too easy, so we threw the Sony PlayStation into our bag of tricks," joked Bill Kehaly, Axion Racing's team leader. The PS3 will be in charge of examining information from an RGB road finding camera, and will be utilizing the Cell processor's multithreading capabilities to do so."
Power

Submission + - Saltwater as an Energy Source (youtube.com)

Submitted by Everette Scott
Everette Scott writes: John Kanzius, an inventor from Erie, PA, has discovered a method for turning ordinary saltwater into usable energy. Kanzius uses a machine he invented to create radio waves to actually ignite ordinary saltwater. The energy created is in the form of a flame that won't even burn a paper towel. The flame burns at approximately 3000 degrees Fahrenheit. The energy created has been used to power a specially designed engine for up to 2 minutes. He also believes that the machine could be used to fight cancer.
For more information watch these videos.
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
Video 4
Saltwater as an energy source? Go figure...
Businesses

Submission + - Need suggestions about where to post warning Blog

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: Had an extremely bad/exasperating experience with a so-called Web developer/designer "team" based in Russia. I definitely want to warn other prospective clients to AVOID making the same mistake I made and working with or trusting these people/person/site again. Can anyone suggest helpful sites that would suffer my blog and its bad news, where it would reach this audience of prospective clients looking to get a cheap website built, so they can avoid my misfortune?
Media

Submission + - From the anti-intuitve desk: Web Hurts Porn! (nytimes.com)

Submitted by
ctwxman
ctwxman writes: "Look around the web more than a few seconds and it's tough to avoid stumbling over porn (honest boss, I stumbled over it). It's that incredible availability and the ease with which porn can be created that's taken the steam out of steamy movies. From The New York Times: "And unlike consumers looking for music and other media, viewers of pornography do not seem to mind giving up brand-name producers and performers for anonymous ones, or a well-lighted movie set for a ratty couch at an amateur videographer's house." I believe the Times is saying, "content is kink!""
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - Kazhaks Ask for Presidential Tech Advice

Submitted by
ryutin
ryutin writes: "Kazhakstan is preparing for a presidential webcast on June 7.

The #1 question on the mind of Kazhak's to ask President Nursultan Nabarbayev: "How does one patch KDE under FreeBSD?" I guess the Beastie rules in Kazhakstan.

The #2 question is "when the authorities will start chopping off civil servants' tongues for lying to the president in the most outrageous way?" Perhaps Borat is at work here. For the love of humanity, I hope so..."
Programming

Submission + - Java Interview Questions (interviewquestion.us)

Submitted by
chattous
chattous writes: "With respect to multithreading, synchronization is the capability to control the access of multiple threads to shared resources. Without synchonization, it is possible for one thread to modify a shared variable while another thread is in the process of using or updating same shared variable. This usually leads to significant errors."
OS X

Submission + - New OSX86 Site Hits The Scene! (osxx86.info)

Submitted by
The Creator 1
The Creator 1 writes: "A new OSX86 website has hit the scene. This website has a few of the insanleymac and hackint0sh people on it and currently has no censoring. This community started about a year ago when OSx86 became popular. It is mainly a forum but there is also an installation guide to get osx86 working on your computer without much trouble. The people there are friendly and i find it to be a great site compared to insanelymac. The site really helped me with getting osx86 running and a huge thanks to all the mods and the 3 admins there!"

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