Comment Not twice as slow (Score 1) 255
It gets twice as bloated.
Voting Drops 83 Percent In All-Digital Election
156
For the first time ever, Oahu residents had to use their phones or computers to vote with some surprising results. 7,300 people voted this year, compared to 44,000 people the previous year, a drop of about 83 percent. "It is disappointing, compared to two years ago. This is the first time there is no paper ballot to speak of. So again, this is a huge change and I know that, and given the budget, this is a best that we could do," said Joan Manke of the city Neighborhood Commission. She added that voters obviously did not know about or did not embrace the changes.
Comment Re:Just a matter of time (Score 1) 174
I want a pink fluorescent monkey and I will love him and pet him and I will call him George.
Comment Re:Nothing new, but encouraging (Score 1) 554
I think that dude was Jewish.
Submission + - Storage in 5 dimensions. 1 DVD = 30 Blue Ray disks
docbrody writes: In a recent letter to Nature researchers describe a technique to achieve ''five-dimensional optical recording by exploiting the unique properties of the longitudinal surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of gold nanorods.'' So, what does this mean? Well, maybe the DVD format is not dead quite yet. ''A five-dimensional DVD that can store 1.6 terabytes of data on a standard-size DVD'' is ''the equivalent of about 30 Blu-ray discs.'' And these 5-dimensional DVDs could be compatible with current DVD disc-drive technology.
Submission + - Company uses EEG Scans to Identify ADHD (technologyreview.com)
Al writes: "Technology Review has an article about a company hoping to expand the clinical use of electroencephalography (EEG). Thanks to better sensor technologies, data-processing techniques, and more detailed knowledge of the brain, EEG is expanding into completely new areas. A startup called ElMindA, is developing an EEG system to help doctors diagnose attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Scientists have also used ElMindA's system to characterize brain-activity patterns in patients with ADHD, identifying statistical parameters that differ between normal people and those with ADHD."
Submission + - IT Department Issue Tracking Software Suggestion 2
jollyreaper writes: I work at a non-profit and our IT department. We're currently using Track-It 8.5 and it's a mixed bag, some parts really good and some parts really bad. I took a look at the list of what's out there for issue tracking systems and there are certainly a lot of options! What's everyone here using these days? Is there anything else we should really take a look at or stick with what we have?
Submission + - AGW 'skeptic' produces hard data; nobody notices
MyFirstNameIsPaul writes: "Anthony Watts, a meteorologist from Chico, California founded a volunteer project, surfacestations.org, in 2007 with the goal of surveying all of the 1221 United States Historical Climatology Network (USHCN) weather stations to see how well they meet the National Weather Service's (NWS) own siting requirements. These are the stations that report the official record of temperatures here in the U.S. The project uses a network of volunteers armed with basic tools such as cameras, tape measures, GPS units, and a printout of the project's instructions to report the results of the surveys to the project.
In May, the project completed its first report with 70% of the USHCN stations having been surveyed. This report found, among other things, that 89% of the stations fail to meet the NWS requirements. Of note is that they failed in such a way that the stations would likely indicate higher temperatures. The report also discusses the poor recording processes of many stations and how the data is 'adjusted' by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA.
But most disappointing is the complete lack of coverage by virtually all media. This simple and provocative investigation into the data which is at the very heart of the entire AGW theory doesn't seem to register anywhere when, at the very least, it should warrant a demand for a solid rebuttal from the theory's proponents by the media. There are some out there who are warning of the new 'Climate-Industrial Complex', of which perhaps the media is a beneficiary."
In May, the project completed its first report with 70% of the USHCN stations having been surveyed. This report found, among other things, that 89% of the stations fail to meet the NWS requirements. Of note is that they failed in such a way that the stations would likely indicate higher temperatures. The report also discusses the poor recording processes of many stations and how the data is 'adjusted' by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA.
But most disappointing is the complete lack of coverage by virtually all media. This simple and provocative investigation into the data which is at the very heart of the entire AGW theory doesn't seem to register anywhere when, at the very least, it should warrant a demand for a solid rebuttal from the theory's proponents by the media. There are some out there who are warning of the new 'Climate-Industrial Complex', of which perhaps the media is a beneficiary."
Aspiring Massachusetts Teachers Fail In Math
15
Unfortunately for the 73% of prospective new teachers who failed to pass the math section of the state elementary school teacher's licensing exam, Massachusetts does not grade on a curve. More than 600 applicants took the exam that tests knowledge of elementary school mathematics including geometry, statistics, and probability. Tom Scott, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, says "The high failure rate puts a shining light on a deficiency in teacher-prep programs."
Russian Tourists Have Sex With a Porcupine
7
Not to be outdone by the raccoon guy, two Russian tourists decided to have a good time with a porcupine. The pair were vacationing in Florida when they got a hold of a book about weird US laws. After a few hours of reading and drinking, they found a Florida law that prohibited sex with porcupines. The two had quills removed from their manhoods the following morning and both underwent lengthy procedures upon their return home to treat the inflammation caused by their tryst.
Comment PDF and FTP (Score 1) 136
Two of the most secure technologies on the interwebs...
Submission + - Microsoft Patents Crippling Operating Systems 1
theodp writes: "On Tuesday, U.S. Patent No. 7,536,726 was granted to Microsoft for intentionally crippling the functionality of an operating system by 'making selected portions and functionality of the operating system unavailable to the user or by limiting the user's ability to add software applications or device drivers to the computer' until an 'agreed upon sum of money' is paid to 'unlock or otherwise make available the restricted functionality.' According to Microsoft, this solves a 'problem inherent in open architecture systems,' i.e., 'they are generally licensed with complete use rights and/or functionality that may be beyond the need or desire of the system purchaser.' An additional problem with open architecture systems, Microsoft explains, is that 'virtually anyone can write an application that can be executed on the system.' Nice to see the USPTO rewarding Microsoft's eight problem-solving inventors, including Linux killer (and antelope killer) Joachim Kempin, who's been credited with getting Microsoft hauled into federal court on antitrust charges."
Comment Re:Ob BBC (Score 1) 132
The study, which recorded 1,570 birds from 57 species, found that the number of birds in the most contaminated areas declined by 66% compared with sites that had normal background radiation levels. It also reported a decline of more than 50% in the range of species as radiation levels increase.
While not a desolate wasteland it doesn't sound like paradise.
Comment Re:Not new (Score 1) 300
And when you don't have anyone to play chess with all those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain.
Obama Administration Defends Warrantless Wiretapping 788
a whoabot writes "The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Obama administration has stepped in to defend AT&T in the case over their participation in the warrantless wiretapping program started by Bush. The Obama administration argues that that continuation of the case will lead to the disclosure of important 'state secrets.' The Electronic Frontier Foundation has described the action as an 'embrace' of the Bush policy." Update: 04/07 15:18 GMT by T : Glenn Greenwald of Salon has up an analysis of this move, including excerpts from the actual brief filed. Excerpt: "This brief and this case are exclusively the Obama DOJ's, and the ample time that elapsed — almost three full months — makes clear that it was fully considered by Obama officials."
