DeeQ - Slashdot User

Submission + - New Nerve Gas Antidotes (wired.com) 1

Submitted by SoyChemist on Thursday November 29, 2007 @02:25AM

SoyChemist writes: Scientists from Korea and the Czech Republic have discovered new drugs that can counteract the chemical overload caused by nerve gas. All of the experimental medications belong to a family of chemicals called oximes. Those molecules reactivate the enzyme that is damaged by the chemical weapons. Last year, the FDA approved the first combined atropine and oxime auto-injector for use by emergency personnel. Israel has been providing them to their citizens since the first Gulf War.

Submission + - Phone explodes in pocket, kills man (koreatimes.co.kr)

Submitted by SalsaDot on Wednesday November 28, 2007 @08:48AM

SalsaDot writes: Yet another phone explodes, killing a man.

Nice job hiding the manufacturer, anyone recognise it?

Loved this bit:
"Our battery is wrapped in aluminum foil, so when there is an external shock, it should just melt, not explode."

Submission + - Microsoft Execs Confused About 'Vista Capability

Submitted by DeeQ on Wednesday November 28, 2007 @08:17AM

DeeQ writes: A Microsoft product manager couldn't correctly explain the "Vista Capable" marketing slogan, according to recent filings in a lawsuit that claims the company misled consumers with a prerelease Vista campaign last year.[PC World]

Submission + - BBFC says violence not caused by video games (gamesindustry.biz)

Submitted by Trintech on Wednesday November 28, 2007 @08:16AM

Trintech writes: In the ongoing case against Rockstar Games' Manhunt 2 in the UK, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has admitted that there's nothing to suggest that video games should be linked to anti-social and violent behavior.

"The board's position is that there is insufficient evidence to prove, as a fact, there is a causal connection between violent games and behavioural harm," says Andrew Calderott, Director of the BBFC.

Submission + - Google's Next Frontier: Renewable Energy

Submitted by DeeQ on Wednesday November 28, 2007 @07:21AM

DeeQ writes: Google, the Internet company with a seemingly limitless source of revenue, plans to get into the business of finding limitless sources of energy.The company, based in Mountain View, Calif., announced Tuesday that it intended to develop and help stimulate the creation of renewable energy technologies that are cheaper than coal-generated power. [NYTimes]

Submission + - Verizon To Open Its Wireless Network (washingtonpost.com)

Submitted by DeeQ on Wednesday November 28, 2007 @07:15AM

DeeQ writes: Verizon Wireless said yesterday that it would allow customers to use any compatible device or software on its network, responding to growing pressure on the wireless industry to give people more control over how they use their phones.

Submission + - Five Secrets to Faster Vista Starts (zdnet.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 28, 2007 @06:48AM

An anonymous reader writes: Ed Bott of ZDNet gives some general but commonly overlooked tips on how to decrease startup times for Windows Vista. He writes to counter an article written by Walt Mossberg of the Wallstreet Journal, whereby Mossberg argues that Leopard's startup times are much less than Vista's.

From the article: "The wise old men of mainstream tech journalism are once again repeating the conventional wisdom that Vista is slow to start up and slow to shut down. They're wrong. I proved this to my satisfaction last spring (see also the first and second parts in the series) with tests on three separate systems, and I've just repeated the tests on a new crop of Vista PCs to verify that there's no new problem. The results are the same or better, perhaps reflecting incremental improvements from the many reliability and performance updates since then.

In this post, I'll explain why they're wrong and show you how you can fix the problem if you encounter a slow startup."

Submission + - Digital Picture frame with Power Saving Features

Submitted by Solo-Malee on Wednesday November 28, 2007 @05:30AM

Solo-Malee writes: I have been searching for a Digital picture frame that offers a 'proximity' or 'movement' based power saving mode. (Size is a secondary criteria after that functionality but consider 7" — 9" my target). Many of those that I see advertised offer a 'timer based' operating window. None seem to offer a mode that is based on:

"Don't display pictures if there has been no one in the room within the last [15|30|60|90] minutes".

Any Slashdoters out there know of a manufacturer that offers what I am looking for?

If you don't, then feel free to patent the idea, make the product, credit me as you feel fit and sell it to me for a reasonable price ;-)

Submission + - Blood transfusions are bad for you. 1

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 28, 2007 @05:00AM

An anonymous reader writes: Research on blood transfusions given to heart surgery patients indicate that they increase the risk of complications.
'The transfusions are designed to improve the delivery of oxygen to the body's tissues.

But researchers found patients who received a transfusion had a three-fold increase in complications linked to lack of oxygen.'

Hmm...good luck if you are suffering blood loss...

'only about 3% of these transfusions are given because of life-threatening bleeding'

Well...given that they found blood transfusions somehow cause a lack of oxygen and thus endangering those who were not suffering life-threatening bleeding...perhaps non-blood based volume expanders are more appropriate.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7112975.stm

Maybe the Bible is right after all. Acts 15:29 "You are to abstain...from blood...You will do well to avoid these things..."

Submission + - 10 games that changed the world 1

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 28, 2007 @04:44AM

An anonymous reader writes: If you've ever wondered where the games you play today came from, check out this list of the ten most important games of all time. Whether you agree with all of them or not, it can't be denied that each one on this list moved its respective genre forward, pushing developers to create even better games. Well worth a read, even if just to debate what's missing from the list! http://www.trustedreviews.com/gaming/review/2007/11/28/The-10-Most-Important-Games-Ever/p1

Submission + - Asus corrects Eee PC source code issue. (blue-gnu.biz)

Submitted by

ozmanjusri

on Wednesday November 28, 2007 @02:12AM

ozmanjusri writes: "Asus has corrected the availability of source code for its Eee PC, and reaffirmed its commitment to meeting the requirements of open source licenses, including the GPL.

They also announced the upcoming release of a new SDK to assist the Open Source community development on the Eee PC."

Submission + - Linux Users Can't Sell On eBay (ubuntuforums.org) 2

Submitted by bobintetley on Tuesday November 27, 2007 @06:23PM

bobintetley writes: Many Linux/Firefox users are reporting problems uploading images to eBay. Having tested this myself, it is indeed completely broken. Why eBay would break standard HTTP uploads by using IE specific javascript to "check the file exists" boggles the mind. This problem has been reported to eBay since late October, but so far with no resolution. eBay have since stated that only IE is supported. I guess when you have no real competition you can pull stunts like this.

Submission + - The World's most Effective Speed Bump

Submitted by DeeQ on Tuesday November 27, 2007 @10:19AM

DeeQ writes: Here's the perfect way to slow down those doggone kids driving their noisy pocket rockets, invading the neighborhood at high speed without regard to the peace and personal safety of the local inhabitants. This Deutsch-speaking dude has created an unusually powerful gadget that will teach those whippersnappers a lesson. Profoundly satisfying. If only these expertly crafted special effects could somehow be practically translated into the real world. [YouTube]

Submission + - Anti-piracy tactics futile (canoe.ca)

Submitted by Samalie on Tuesday November 27, 2007 @10:18AM

Samalie writes: Canadian newspaper "The Sun" columnist Darryl Sterdan has written a blazing piece on how anti-piracy tactics are hurting the music reviewer. FTA:

This isn't one of those stories about how gangster-rap lyrics or Satanic metal make me want to kill. This is the story of something more ridiculous: How the music industry's anti-piracy tactics are so absurdly counterproductive, they practically encourage me to steal music to do my job.

Read the full story here.

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