I think the Echo looks interesting and look forward to trying it out when I reach the front of the queue. But, absent some hacks, there's no indication it will ever have an open API.

Apple make money from a nice margin on everything they make. Google make money from targeted advertising. Amazon really need to keep you in the ecosystem more than the others because the hardware doesn't have the same profit margin as Apple, and they're not as well places as Google to monetize your personal info. Amazon need you to buy stuff from Amazon.

(Admittedly, Apple are pretty keen on vendor lock-in but I feel that is mostly because user loyalty means they can).

Maybe you want desktops? Just a thought.

I think the OP is going to see this answer repeatedly. Really their question is where can we get a laptop that gives us desktop features and desktop performance, without any explanation as to why they need a laptop.

By definition, a laptop has to compromise, for space and for weight. Both of which will impact cooling, and where cooling is limited and as they have experienced, performance has to go down. Either that or type fast to avoid burning your fingers.

There's a reason why cooling is one of the biggest costs associated with hosting servers - servers are designed to run at or near max capacity 24x7x365 in a relatively small form factor and they generate a ton of heat. In that sense, they're a bit like laptops except they can offload the cooling to the room's AC system. Also they have lots of fans and sound like you're next to a jet engine.

I see two options. Either staff switch to desktops, or use laptops with virtualization so the work is offloaded to something that is better suited to the task.

Yeah, rebellious stuff sold by upstarts like Cisco. Good chance they have done unified communications from Cisco that comes with jabber on the desktops.

Optometry is hard

Totally agree. I also happen to have been in the OP's position.

I too went down the progressives route when I had began to have more trouble reading. They were great for books where the near focus area was well designed, but for computer use all they do is give a clearer view of the keyboard.

Now I have reading glasses and regular glasses. If I have a long day at the screen, I'll be wearing my reading glasses. I can still use them during breaks as there's not a a great difference in my reading and far-sighted prescription, but the difference for screen work is very noticeable and helpful.

The only time when the idea of free speech should be trumped, is when there is intent to cause harm, like yelling bomb or fire in a crowded area

So what exactly is the difference between yelling fire in a theater and yelling "I'm going to murder $ex_girlfriend" in a song lyric?

Are you suggesting that to be guilty of the former, the police must show there was a specific intent to start the fire? If not, why is using speech to place a number of people in fear problematic, but it's okay if the target is an individual?

An AC first post hits the nail on the head. I'd have thought RFID would be faster, less intrusive and possibly more reliable. Pretty sure it would be cheaper to implement too.

Unless you're worried about people using someone else's card to authenticate, this seems like the smart solution. Still, I can't believe you haven't thought about this, so maybe there's some reason you feel RFID wouldn't be suitable.

According to this EU Report from 1997, there was at that point in time a 1,250,000 tonne reserve of cocoa (50% of production), and the estimated consumption deficit for 1996-7 was 225,000 tonnes.

It looks to me like cocoa deficits are not new, and that the industry already uses large reserves to ensure continued supply until such time as higher prices increase production. Unless they are suggesting some other change, such as climate, will prevent new supply I can't see a long-term issue other than price fluctuations that the market has routinely encountered in the past.

It's well known that email is not secure for the purposes of attorney/client privilege.

Do you have citation for this? A single court that has found there's no privilege simply because a communication was sent between attorney and client by email?

After all, you say it's well known, yet all the lawyers I know use email pervasively to discuss client information.

You're asking the wrong question. You should be asking why anyone who wants to carry a phone should be required to also carry a wallet. There's no reason the phone can't serve as driver's license and payment mechanism, so what's the purpose of the wallet?

Or, more exactly, why do you think it's at more risk than a magnetic stripe.

If you're in the US, do you let the waiter take your credit card, or do you always pay with cash?

It's a Corvette. You think a Corvette owner wants a label like that on the dashboard?

Perhaps a better solution would be a 'valet key' that when used limits access to the boot, reduces acceleration (like the Eco mode you get on lots of modern cars and limits speed to say 60mph), When the valet key is placed in the ignition the stereo could announce that video and audio recording will be enabled when the car is started.

With a key like that, some folk might even let their kids drive the Corvette!

Boeing makes things for fighting wars. Republicans are always starting conflicts. Boeing is going to get favorable treatment from a administration led by a Republican.

A significant portion of the book is based on statistical correlation. The book makes multiple references to Mankind Quarterly.

The issue is not whether science can or should study this. It is the dangers of doing so using bad science then packaging up unsupported results and presenting them in a way that justifies harmful division in society on a foundation built of sand.

If it were serious science, it would surely have looked beyond Caucasian Americans and investigated the intelligence of Asian Americans too.

This is from the New Yorker, not a scientific paper certainly, but it's interesting and relevant nonetheless. It may explain some of the comments regarding genetic and environmental factors.

Height variations within a population are largely genetic, but height variations between populations are mostly environmental, anthropometric history suggests. If Joe is taller than Jack, it’s probably because his parents are taller. But if the average Norwegian is taller than the average Nigerian it’s because Norwegians live healthier lives.

GATTACA becomes a little less plausible!

I care less about a SciFi movie. Much better is one more nail in the coffin of the insidious book, The Bell Curve