1. I haven't ordered guns through the postal system but shouldn't there be a system where the postal system knows what is being shipped? It would have been helpful if a postal worker had noticed that a dangerous semi-automatic rifle was being shipped to a D.C. address and notified police. As an example this guy (http://www.joc.com/government-regulation/con-way-freight-helps-capture-alleged-terrorist) was caught because the shipping company became suspicious and notified the FBI. Why was this gun not detected and intercepted?

2. Where are the quality controls on this? There should be a big difference in the shipping weight and dimensions of a flat-screen TV and a rifle. Amazon must have poor QA/QC if they cannot automatically detect a shipping discrepancy and hold the shipment to be checked. This is not that complicated - stores now have self-checkout lines that check the scanned UPC code against the weight added to the bag. Quite simple, except for Amazon.

3. What did the gun store (that was supposed to get that rifle) get? Presumably it was a flat-screen TV, but it considering the poor tracking on this issue by Amazon there could be a whole series of incorrectly shipped items.

4. I didn't know Amazon was in the gun-selling business. However I can't find any high-powered guns on their website (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Sig+Sauer+SIG716). How did this get ordered from Amazon in the first place?

I've always wondered if there was a *simple* method to deactivate minefields cheaply (Keep It Simple and Straightfoward). I've wondered whether a cloth sack filled with 150 pounds of dirt (weight discriminating trigger), and dragged across a minefield with a long length of rope. If a mine goes off you lost one sack and need to shovel more dirt. Repeat as necessary.

I realize that this will probably not work since military contractors have spent a lot of time ensuring that the mines are 'smart'. However I think that there has to be a simple solution. Getting legions of highly trained rats to run through a minefield (and not set off the mines) does not fit the criteria of simple nor effective.

The solution of getting a mine deactivation specialist (or whatever the technical term the military gives it) to inch thru the minefield with a wire probe moving the soil at a careful handful at time isn't the solution either. There is simply too many mines, too few removal specialist, and it takes too long.

Fortunately for me I live in a country that for now does not have minefields (for now). I believe that minefields are evil. They persist for years, sometimes even decades, often target non-combatants, and are indiscriminate. There has to be a simpler solution than minefield rats. This sounds too much like bad movie science/comedy, like laser-armed sharks, or penguins armed with rocket launchers.

This is probably the conversation the manager had once he got caught squatting at AOL...

Security: "Sir, we've caught a guy who has overstayed his work visa and has been illegally squatting in our corporate campus for three months."
Manager: "Damn! What damage has he caused?"
Security: "None sir, he's been working on some start up project to link teacher's educational materials together."
Manager: "Really? How much are we paying him?"
Security: "Ummm... nothing. He's doing it a part of our K12 Imagine incubator that we are running. However he's been eating our cereal, drinking our soda, and sleeping on our couches."
Manager: "What has he been doing all day? Surfing the internet?"
Security: "As far as we can tell he's been programming 12 to 16 hours a day."
Manager: "..."
Security: "Should we call the police sir?"
Manager: "Hell No! Ask if needs pillows. One more thing, get me ten more of these 'squatters'"

Now contrast this with the United States Border Patrol...

Border Security: "Sir, we've caught a guy who has overstayed his work visa and has been illegally squatting in the United States work force for three years."
INS: "Damn! What damage has he caused?"
Border Security: "None sir, he's been working in an orchid picking oranges for a farmer that can't get anyone else to do it. In fact the person is extremely peaceful as they want to ensure that no one calls the police about them and causes them to be noticed."
INS: "Really? How much is he being paid?"
Border Security: "Ummm... minimum wage, and he's paying taxes. He's doing it a part of our American Dream incubator that we are running. However he's been shopping at our stores, going to our movies, and using our services."
INS: "What has he been doing all day? Watching television?"
Border Security: "As far as we can tell he's been working two jobs to support his family and save money."
INS: "..."
Border Security: "Should we deport him sir?"
INS: "Hell Yes! Make sure you deport him hundred of miles away to make it harder for him. One more thing, build me a bigger, better fence."

Surprisingly, not really. Domain names are property, and domain transfers are a result of an agreement between two people on the sale of a domain name. Once that domain name has transferred it is up to the holder on whether to sell the domain, and for how much.

About a year ago BT Telecom anonymously purchased a domain name from a person that was holding the domain name for a major new service they were offering. The person later found out that he could have sold it for far more money had he known who the buyer was (which is exactly why they did it anonymously). The person can't complain and then ask for the domain name back because he has changed his mind.

The same is true for all domains. Registrars do not know the background of the domain name, and whether there is a company shakeup, divorce, bankruptcy, or a domain name speculator who has just sold a domain name. The court system is even trickier because international law starts being considered, as well as trademark litigation (which is also a mess - ex there are at least 2 companies with the trademark "Dominos"), and the various internet rules and regulations (which almost no one has read - ex UDRP).

So if a person wants to sell the domain name afterward, it proves nothing, and alters nothing. What a person does with there own property is completely up to them.

I used to work at a major domain name registrar before I went into business for myself. I have heard of dozens of cases like yours, and in short you are toast.

Scammers look for valuable domain names that are in vulnerable accounts that have public emails addresses on free email servers (hotmail, gmail, yahoo, sbcglobal, comcast...) and that can be registered. Or it can be an old phone number that can be used, or some simple paperwork that can be faxed in that the scammer has access to.

The registrars try to protect the domain name and send out warning emails that major account changes are occurring. If those emails are ignored and the domain names get transferred out, it is too late. It is unbelievably difficult (ICANN dispute) to reverse a transfer and force a domain name back once that transfer has finished.

You ignored the email, so unfortunately it is your own fault. Just as it would be your fault if you ignored an official notice that you are required to show up for jury duty thinking it was spam, and afterwards get fined or arrested. Just as if you ignore the car alarm going off in the parking lot as a false alarm and in fact your car was jacked does not mean the alarm company is at fault. The fact that you ignored it means that you did not take needed and necessary steps to protect your property.

You need to read the registrars terms of service and legal agreement that you agreed to. I am familiar with most of the major registrars and they all specifically cover this situation (basically that the onus is on you to protect your services). The registrars do this to protect themselves from lawyers.

The only realistic course of action is for you to register a new domain name, sad as that may be. Or pay the hostage fee to whoever took the domain name which will probably be in the thousands of dollars.

I wish you luck.

Why is the parent on this modded "troll"? The point raised is fair. Does the fact that you disagree make it a troll?

Oh wait... This is Slashdot... never mind.

It is possible (and very easy) for a company to install key loggers and monitoring software on their own company computers. Once employees steal time from their employer and update their Facebook page the employer now has the password. When the employer does use the password they check it through a proxy service like Tor. Easy, untraceable, and quiet.

When there is something that the employer doesn't like on the Facebook page the employee will face eventual job termination. Their performance reviews will be poor, the monitoring logs will be used to show misuse of company computers and time, and any complaints by customers will be fully utilized. The content of the Facebook posting will never be referenced and the person will be terminated for valid reasons. After being fired any unemployment benefits will be contested (yes, the ex-employee usually wins regardless), and then appealed (50-50 chance).

Certainly this is not how it is done at any company that I manage.

Daisey went to Foxconn as a creative activist (not a journalist) with a pre-made agenda (discredit Foxconn and Apple as big bad business) for a specific result (better working conditions). However this does not excuse people that listened to the original story and believed it. You should have known better.

The truth is that Foxconn has 900,000+ employees. They must be treating people decently to get to 900,000 employees in the first place. There have been several suicides that have made the news that people use to try to prove that they are a big bad business, but to be FAIR companies in the US also have a lot suicides that don't make the news at a much higher incidence than Foxconn. Yet people won't think and believe anything they are told that Foxconn is mistreating its workers.

The truth is Foxconn recently held a jobs fair to hire for future production and thousands of people lined up and waited for hours to try for those jobs. They produce high tech components that require highly skilled and highly trained staff, and do so successfully. You cannot do this with "forced" labor as has been demonstrated many times in many countries. Most telling is that the United States with its vaunted worker rights (and more worker rights rules coming) cannot get manufacturing jobs. The US does not produce steel, computers, microwave ovens, radios, or medical devices like CAT scanners or heart monitors (I know, I used to work in a hospital). It sounds like Foxconn knows how to do business successfully and profitably.

Yet Daisey went to China to try to do a smear piece on Foxconn, and now justifies it that it is creative activism. This wouldn't be so bad but people are sheep and believed it and still do under the heading of "Fake, but essentially True". The same people will believe everything Obama says like "Ultimately, though, there's no silver bullet here" when referring to gas prices (and still wants to take away the oil subsidy). People will believe the Occupy Wall Street chant of "Tax the Rich" while ignoring the fact that the rich are already HIGHLY taxed, and that even the 1% don't have enough money to balance the U.S. budget. But it makes for a good distraction.

Other ideas that are being brainwashed into without thinking...

Democrats are God (schools singing hymns of worship to Obama)
Republicans are big bad businessmen (kill big business)
Fox News is bad (remember the government's war on Fox?)
Meat is murder
People must be forced into Union for their own good (no such thing as a bad union)
People must be forced to buy health care
Religious organization must be forced to provide abortions
Green is good (especially when it is an inferior product)
Gene-engineering is bad (especially when it is a better and healthier product)
Voter ID is bad (how quick we forget about ACORN and OBAMA)

Think people, THINK! You got fooled by Daisey but still believe Obama, Oliver Stone, and Michael Moore.

I bought it about 6 months ago and keep in it a fanny pack (yes, one of those ultra-non-cool mini-backpacks). The device weights about 2 or 3 pounds (fairly heavy), pumps out 2 mW of interference, and usually jams phones within about 20 feet (more on this later). Cell phone jammers are just too big to constantly lug around in a pants pocket and certainly are noticeable with the antennas sticking out.

That was the problem of the person on the bus. First he was keeping it in plain view. Second he did not hide the fact that he was jamming (in the video he looks at the cameraman he is jamming). The third mistake is that he was constantly keeping it on rather that on-wait 5 secs to burst-kill everything-off.

I'm very careful. I don't look at the person. I reach into my bag, turn it on, and then take out a package of tic-tacs candy and take one, chomp on it for about 5 or 10 seconds while listening to people say WTF around me and then put the tic-tacs back in the bag and shut off the jammer. Anyone looking at me (which is often) sees that I'm sneaking a snack.

My greatest fear is cell-jammer-detectors/trackers which are surprisingly cheap. However I doubt that someone with a tracker can isolate me in 10 second of surprise use. Given that the tracker have to move around holding the device looking at the signal indicators means that I doubt that one can sneak up to me.

I most often have to use it while waiting to check out in shopping centers. People talk talk talk on their phone and never consider the people around them, erupting to gales of laughter. Second most often is in traffic seeing the driver in the car beside me yakking away and not paying attention. Jamming in a car is more difficult and less range but it does still work well. Third most common is at work seeing people that should be WORKING aren't. All these people find that suddenly they don't have phone reception anymore. It usually takes a few applications of jamming but eventually people give up and get back to what they should be doing.

The devise I use says 5-20 meters, but my real-world estimate is 20-30 feet (6-10 meters). In my local wall-to-wall mega-store using the device at the checkout lines causes WTF's from about 5 lines away, and occasionally all the way to the entryway / cart-storage with people stopped dead in their tracks looking with puzzled looks at their phones.

Yes I do know that the legality of the device is problematic and I'm prepared to fight it in court if need be. I only once came close when I was speeding and got pulled over by the police. The officer looked my car over and while talking to me asked what was in the black bag on the passenger seat. I replied that I respectfully refuse to answer any further questions and will exercise my constitutional right to remain silent. The cop dropped being friendly and became all business (not hostile but very imposing). He then wanted to search my car. "No". He goes back to his car for a long time with my license. A second police car shows up and while one is talking to me, the other is looking at my car through every window with special attention to the zipped fanny pack. They walk off a bit to talk it over and eventually after about 30 minutes from being stopped they let me go with a large speeding ticket (no traffic warning for me). Probable cause and fruit of the poison tree for the win.

I'd like to get a car-powered one that is supposed to jam 3G, 4G, GPS up to 50m away but there is no way that could be concealed. I have little fear that I will be caught short of becoming over-confident and careless. In short I am going to continue using my device to thwart the terrible talkers and telephone abusers.

Seriously. You valued this item enough that you had it custom made for yourself, your livelihood as a stage performer depends on it, and to some degree it represents some of your identity (being able to call yourself a Jedi, for example). Obviously this item is important. Yet you left this valuable, important item go unwatched "for a few minutes" in a NYC bar. Imagine that, something valuable disappearing in NYC *and* a bar. What are the chances?

I do not understand why you would bring such a valuable item to a bar and not lock it up, and why you would take your eyes off of a valuable item in the first place. Let me put it another way. If I go to football stadium and leave my high performance laptop on my seat while I go get some food and come back and see that the laptop is gone, should I really be that surprised?

Let me give you another case. For reasons unknown Apple employees 'lose' the prototype of the IPhone 4 in a California bar not once but twice. It could be argued that this was a publicity stunt (esp considering the offending employees were not fired) but there was no sympathy for the lost device. In fact a leading tech magazine got it and started working on a tech story on the IPhone4 specs and capabilities until Apple's lawyers persuaded the magazine to give it back to Apple. Did anyone lament the case for Apple? No, there was much mirth and glee on Slashdot on this story. Because it is outrageous and stupid.

You compare this the childish behavior of someone stealing your toy. Respectfully I would disagree and this is the very adult behavior of someone stealing some valuable property. I do not cheer for thieves of any kind, from burglars, pickpockets, muggers, or carjackers. Part of being adult (and one that most people learn as a child) is that there are certain actions that you can take to lessen your risk. This means that we as adults learn to lock our doors and buy home security systems, we don't walk around with money sticking out of pockets, we watch out for dangerous situations, and we are generally careful with the items that we don't want to lose. You did not do this. So while I will not cheer for the thief in this situation, I also will not sympathize much with you either.

I also don't understand why you would publish the incident to the world. You already know who did it (you have them on video, and have confronted them), you know where it is (this isn't a worldwide issue), and you have taken initial action on it (put up flyers around the area). If you still feel a need for action take them to small claims court. Slashdot is not the right tool for your situation.

Everyone (including me) has lost valuable items and has learned an unpleasant truth from it. I wish you the best of luck in getting your lightsaber back.

New York City is home to 8,175,133 people as of 2011. It uses 64,500 gigawatt-hours of energy per year. Using a standard industrial solar panel (ex Trina Solar 230) which produces 5750 watts (assuming constant supply 5.75 kWh) with a base area of 17.6 sq feet and costs $360. To power NYC it would take 11.2 trillion panels taking up an area of 7081 square miles of solar panels, at a cost that of $500,000,000 per NYC resident.

NYC is also one of the most energy efficient cities in the US. Other cities would require a lot more panels. This also does not account for the need of storage batteries, energy transmission loss, and power loss to material degradation (dusty solar panels), life-cycle (panels last about 20 years), or the fact that during the night there will be no energy production.

I go over these figures every few years and it just does not appear that this is a viable solution. It would be *nice* to use solar panels but if it is not realistic the solar panel industry will never thrive. Where would we fit all of these solar panels, and where would we find the money?

I run a business and have over 550 domains at GoDaddy and no I'm not planning on moving. If GoDaddy CEO Parsons(?) wants to go hunting and kill an elephant, fine. That has absolutely nothing to do with my business model nor does it affect my clients (elephants don't pay for my products). It also does not affect me that GoDaddy wants to promote SOPA and then decide not to. My business is is not in danger of running afoul of SOPA guidelines and having my domain names snatched.

I am surprised that so many people are transferring their domain names to another registrar (ex Namecheap). I work on concentrating on my business bottom line and doing what I do best. Changing registrars does not help that at all. All it does is make a political statement of "I don't like GoDaddy". While this may be mildly satisfying for all of a day or so, it does not do anything for my business. Put concisely, this is not something in my Circle of Influence, and I have doubt about whether this should even be in my Circle of Concern.

GoDaddy outbound transfers: Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Wrong

There have been numerous studies done which show there is little relationship between wage paid and work done. Wages only influences the retention of your trained workforce (less wages, more training budget) when they switch to a more profitable job (in a bad economy, wage goes down and productivity up).

Put it another way. Take your average production line employee and double his pay. Does production increase any? No. Production is limited by outside factors (order received, assembly time, work flow from other members, waiting for results to be generated...) However that person may feel better, but as a company I really don't care how that employee feels (yes I know this isn't PC but it is real). Why should I then increase a person's wage?

Take another example. A company in the U.S. competes against a company outside of the U.S. Suppose that there is a extreme difference in labor costs between these two countries/companies. As a result the price for the finished product is much lower when produced in the company outside of the U.S. Which one will the consumer buy? (Hint, take a look at where your car/computer/clothing etc was assembled/built). High (or increasing) wages are counter-productive.

Why are so many people unhappy about this? I don't care if the government (federal, state, local) can get an accurate facial recognition / identification program going.

This doesn't interfere with peoples ability to move and work as they want. This just means that if something bad happens (fire, riot, terrorist attack, traffic accident) that the people involved can be quickly identified. The obvious goal is not to prevent or prohibit, but to catch and convict criminals.

This already exists. I fly once a month within the United States, and about once a year internationally. I am certain that there are several databases that have analyzed me and graded me on my "threat" potential. I don't care as long as they do the same for everyone so that my flight can be as safe as possible. I am certain that airports, major shopping malls, sports arenas, concerts, and major metropolitan junctions (ex Times Square in NYC) are monitored, tracked, analyzed, and judged to keep them as safe as possible.

I look forward to the day that when there is a hit-and-run, or a person is assaulted in a sports stadium and put into a coma, or when a there is a riot that the people that did the injury are caught. Too often people have the attitude that they cannot be caught because they will be lost in the crowd.

Are you really protesting being accountable as a loss of liberty?