I don't have a Sony/Vaio. I built my computer from the ground up, and yet I had the same problem with Ubuntu as you did. So many people on /. seem to tell you and me that we are wrong, but I have to agree with you. This is one of the primary reasons why I can never get anyone in my house to use Linux, because with Windows, things just work and if they don't, there is some alternative that seems faster and easier at least. You don't have to apt-get this and apt-get that. and still some things just don't work. It is up to me to say, "I guess I have to live without that" or "I will find a workaround for that one day". It is little wonder why Linux is not ready for the mainstream.

How is this different from being watched inside the store anyhow? We are always being watched no matter where we are and sometimes we don't even know it. Sooner than later, this will become the new norm, where scaremongers will run the state/country/world in the name of protection and the few people that object will be dealt with in the manner appropriate to the "law" of the land. We can fight it, and hopefully will keep it away for a couple of years.

I didn't realize that people that took so many pains entering the U.S. illegally, took planes back to their country so frequently or so easily. "Yeah, it took me 2 weeks of walking the Arizona desert, in 120 degree heat and I almost died of thirst and hunger, and being chased by dogs, vultures, and minute men, but let me go by plane to see my family, and make the same exciting and adventurous trip back". Maybe some people do that, but I can't see how many illegal people would travel this way. This clearly seems to be yet another way of keeping tabs on people, who are in the United States legally, but are not citizens. I wonder how long it will be, before they extend this policy to U.S citizens as well.

Come on people. Atleast pretend to read the article. If you did, you would have seen that it clearly states that this is for US-VISIT program which is NOT for U.S. Citizens, but only for visitors. Will it be applied to the U.S. Citizens in the future? Maybe, or maybe not. Just don't try to deceive people my stating that is not accurate.

If you need some kind of alert to let your "loved" ones know that you are dead and it falls on the same freaking day every year, then maybe you should reconsider who your loved ones are, or atleast, get some loved one before you die.

Keep in mind that even though India is launching satellites, it does not mean that the country is somehow rich. It just means that the government is controlled by hungry/greedy companies that want profits and are able to buy the politicians into spending money on such things, while largely ignoring even the most basics of the people. Many people are dirt poor, live in horrible conditions, and malnutrition is everywhere. But, as long as the ultra rich get richer, and the politicians run the India, it will never prosper.

This is a great idea. Where I live, (Georgia, US), the commuter train system absolutely sucks. On top of which, I don't understand why the government won't use the existing rail line to ease the traffic burden. MOST people live way out, and for someone like me, the nearest subway is about 15 - 20 miles. Hell, if I drive that far, I might as well drive another 10 miles to get to work, instead of driving 15 miles, getting on a train, going ALL the way downtown, catch another train to another station, then take the bus, and the bus will drop you off, about 2 miles from where I work, meaning I have another 20 minute walk. All this would take about 1.5 hrs each way. It has saved me any time, and it is EXTREMELY inconvienent. On top of all this, why can't they just have a "regular" train run at set times in the morning and evening. This way, people can get to downtown, from the boondocks and not have to worry about all the hassles of driving an hour just to get to the subway. Who owns the rail lines that AMTRAK and CSX use?