Submission + - New Orleans Nerdcore (youtube.com)
adharma writes: The Originators of Westbank Nerdcore Bounce are at it again...
Comment Numbers and Symmetry: An Introduction to Algebra (Score 1) 630
Numbers and Symmetry: An Introduction to Algebra
by Bernard L. Johnston, Fred Richman
http://www.amazon.com/Numbers-Symmetry-Introduction-Bernard-Johnston/dp/084930301X
Easy to read, very handy. I wish I had this book when I was a kid.
Submission + - Agents learning to talk to each other
bbc writes: "When programs talk to each other, they need to share a common language before they can initiate the conversation. PhD student Jurriaan van Diggelen developed a system called Anemone that will let agents learn each other's languages during the conversation. The problems that he foresees for such a system are words that an agent doesn't understand, and concepts that an agent doesn't understand.
Van Diggelen will defend his thesis called Achieving Semantic Interoperability in Multi-Agent Systems on March 21 in Utrecht."
Van Diggelen will defend his thesis called Achieving Semantic Interoperability in Multi-Agent Systems on March 21 in Utrecht."
Internet Radio In Danger of Extinction in United States 229
An anonymous reader passed us a link to a Forbes article discussing dire news for fans of Internet radio. Yesterday afternoon saw online broadcasters, everyone from giants like Clear Channel and National Public Radio to small-fry internet concerns, arguing their case before the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB). The CRB's March 2nd decision to increase the fees associated with online music broadcasting will have harsh repercussions for those who engage in the activity, the panel was told. "Under a previous arrangement, which expired at the end of 2005, broadcasters and online companies such as Yahoo Inc. and Time Warner Inc.'s AOL unit could pay royalties based on estimates of how many songs were played over a given period of time, or a 'tuning hour,' as opposed to counting every single song ... [They] also asked the judges to clarify a $500 annual fee per broadcasting channel, saying that with some online companies offering many thousands of listening options, counting each one as a separate channel could lead to huge fees for online broadcasters." There was also a previous provision for smaller companies that allowed them to pay less, something the March 2 decision did away with; in the view of the royalty holders, advertising more than pays for these fees, and they're ready for higher payments.
Submission + - The 32 billion dollar keystroke
Quantumghost writes: From the article:
Perhaps you know that sinking feeling when a single keystroke accidentally destroy hours of work. Now imagine wiping out a disc drive containing an account worth $38 billion.
That may be how a computer technician at the Alaska Department of Revenue feels after deleting applicant information for an oil-funded sales account one of state residents' biggest perks.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-20-ala ska-fund_N.htm?csp=24
I hate when that happens
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-20-al
Submission + - Phone Companies Blocking Numbers
ePhil_One writes: The major phone companies; Cingular/AT&T, Sprint, and Qwest; have begun blocking access to a free conferencing service. The service is FreeConference.com and their FAQ has details (Read #4, "I received an email recently concerning number blocking by some major phone carriers. Is this a legitimate issue from your company?"). This seems to be a pretty egregious offense. Now, I'm not beyond seeing this as a publicity stunt (I've used them often and have AT&T as my Long Distance carrier without incident), and I have seen no replies posted from any of the cariers either way. But its a potentially important issue that should get out there as soon as possible if true, and if not the "dot com" needs to see this stunt backfire in a very loud way.
Submission + - Open Source Race Car
zerk writes: The folks at Spread Firefox are talking about their next marketing campaign. One of the more interesting ideas is a Firefox sponsored car in the Indianapolis 500. It's worth taking a look just to see the gorgeous 3d rendering!
Submission + - GM Mosquito "Could Fight Malaria"
qw0ntum writes: The BBC is reporting that a genetically modified (GM) variety of mosquitoes could be effective in combating the spread of malaria to humans. These GM insects carry a gene that prevents them from being infected by the malaria parasite and that has the added benefit (?) of providing a "fitness advantage" to the mosquitoes. From the article:
"In the laboratory, equal numbers of genetically modified and ordinary "wild-type" mosquitoes were allowed to feed on malaria-infected mice. As they reproduced, more of the GM, or transgenic, mosquitoes survived. According to the researchers, whose results appear in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, after nine generations, 70% of the insects belonged to the malaria-resistant strain. [...] The modified mosquitoes had a higher survival rate and laid more eggs."
This has major implications for the billions of people living in areas with endemic malaria. The question in my mind, though, is what effects on the ecosystems of these areas will replacing an organism low on the food chain with a GM version? Between the news we saw last week and biomagnification, could this wind up substituting one problem for another?
"In the laboratory, equal numbers of genetically modified and ordinary "wild-type" mosquitoes were allowed to feed on malaria-infected mice. As they reproduced, more of the GM, or transgenic, mosquitoes survived. According to the researchers, whose results appear in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, after nine generations, 70% of the insects belonged to the malaria-resistant strain. [...] The modified mosquitoes had a higher survival rate and laid more eggs."
This has major implications for the billions of people living in areas with endemic malaria. The question in my mind, though, is what effects on the ecosystems of these areas will replacing an organism low on the food chain with a GM version? Between the news we saw last week and biomagnification, could this wind up substituting one problem for another?
Submission + - FBI Learns From Bush - Avoids Subpeonas
Jeremy writes: "According to the Washington Post, the FBI issued thousands of national security letters many without any clear ties to "emergencies" or current investigations.
No kidding. What I don't get is why everyone is saying that the "FBI's use of the exigency letters "circumvented" the law" rather than just say "They broke the law and many of the buggers are going to jail"."Referring to the exigent circumstance letters, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote in a letter Friday to Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine: "It is . . . difficult to imagine why there should not have been swift and severe consequences for anyone who knowingly signed . . . a letter containing false statements. Anyone at the FBI who knew about that kind of wrongdoing had an obligation to put a stop to it and report it immediately."
