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Comment Game Worlds (Score 1) 121

by AdaStarks (#48639463) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Resources For Kids Who Want To Make Games?

If you happen to live in central Texas, Game Worlds runs Summer Camps in Austin that teach kids how to make games: http://gameworldscamp.com/

The kids mostly use Construct2 ( https://www.scirra.com/ ), though we also introduce them to Stencyl and Unity.

Full Disclosure: my wife is the owner and director of Game Worlds, and I've developed and taught a lot of the programming curriculum

Submission + - Worst Idea Ever? Missouri DOT Considers Assaulting Speeders With 150dB Cannon (theverge.com)

Submitted by CanHasDIY
CanHasDIY writes: The Missouri DOT has come up with a... let's say 'novel' solution to the issue of drivers speeding through work zones: Fire a 153dB LRAD sound cannon at their windshield.

MoDOT employee Michele Compton claims the device will only be triggered by speeders (however they choose to define that term), and that "The sound easily penetrates the windshield and well-insulated cab of a car, even overriding the vehicle's engine sounds and a radio turned up loud enough to jam to tunes at highway speeds."

Several people have brought up valid questions about the system's use — will it be able to tell if it's pointed at a car or a motorcycle, and compensate appropriately, or just blast the poor biker off the road? Aside from the obvious physical danger such a weapon would cause if deployed on a busy highway, there's also a more Orwellian component to be concerned with: Tasers were originally issued to police officers as less-than-lethal "deterrent" devices, and the scope of their use has crept into "compliance" territory. How long before the government is using the military grade weaponry such as the LRAD not to punish lawbreakers, but to control the populace in general?

Oh, wait, that already happened.

Submission + - Utah cops warrantlessly search prescription drug records (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by Advocatus Diaboli
Advocatus Diaboli writes: The warrantless search of Utah's database chronicling every controlled substance dispensed by a pharmacist resulted in charges against one paramedic that have nothing to do with the original investigation. Instead, the authorities discovered an employee whose records exhibited "the appearance of Opioid dependence" and lodged prescription fraud charges against paramedic Ryan Pyle. Now Pyle faces a maximum five-year prison sentence if convicted of the felony. "To me, it's outrageous government conduct," Pyle's attorney, Rebecca Skordas, said in a telephone interview Monday.

Submission + - Retired SCOTUS Justice Wants to "Fix" the Second Amendment (washingtonpost.com) 1

Submitted by CanHasDIY
CanHasDIY writes: In his yet-to-be-released book, Six Amendments: How and Why We Should Change the Constitution, John Paul Stevens, who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court for 35 years, believes he has the key to stopping the seeming recent spate of mass killings — amend the Constitution to exclude private citizens from armament ownership. Specifically, he recommends adding 5 words to the 2nd Amendment, so that it would read as follows:

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms when serving in the Militia shall not be infringed.”

What I find interesting is how Stevens maintains that the Amendment only protects armament ownership for those actively serving in a state or federal military unit, in spite of the fact that the Amendment specifically names "the People" as a benefactor (just like the First, Fourth, Ninth, and Tenth) and of course, ignoring the traditional definition of the term militia. I'm personally curious as to what his other 5 suggested changes are, but I guess we'll have towait until the end of April to find out.

Submission + - Google considering tiny cameras for contact lenses, patent application shows (digitaltrends.com)

Submitted by mpicpp
mpicpp writes: While it’s only a patent application at this stage, Google’s idea of a contact lens with a tiny camera embedded will no doubt have a bead of sweat forming on the brow of many a privacy campaigner as they contemplate a world where secret snappers and discreet filmmakers roam the streets unhindered.

As you would expect, the Mountain View company sees the gadget as a force for good; technology that could one day prove beneficial to many members of society.

Google’s application, filed last month with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, explains that its futuristic device could, for example, flag hazardous objects in the path of a wearer and even extend his peripheral vision.

Comment Re:Make Beta opt-in, and Classic the default.... (Score 1) 150

by AdaStarks (#46191641) Attached to: Quarks Know Their Left From Their Right

Okay, so it turns out there is no definitive answer on the source of the term "Football". Some people think it's from the fact that you kick the ball with your foot, but others think it's from the fact that you play the game on-foot: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F...

Your post is wrong either way, since Football can in fact refer to Rugby, making our usage of the term totally appropriate.

Comment Re:Thank you for explaining left and right to me(! (Score 2) 150

by AdaStarks (#46186629) Attached to: Quarks Know Their Left From Their Right

I also have no idea how football will rotate when it is thrown by an right-handed quarterback .... footballs are meant to be kicked, hence the name.

Football does not refer to which part of the body is supposed to connect with the ball (otherwise it'd be called HeadKneeChestHandFootBall), but rather the fact that the game is played on-foot (as opposed to Polo, another old and popular game).

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