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Comment Re:Opponent moves? (Score 2, Informative) 63

Most of the physical "chess trainers" you could buy 10-15 years ago would move the computer's pieces automatically. I think the point of this article is that there is a DIY system presented that can be easily connected to the existing gaming infrastructure. Sure, you could design a piece of hardware that moves the opponents pieces and links up to the public servers, with wifi, but that would not be an inexpensive DIY project anymore.

Comment Re:Causation (Score 2, Insightful) 586

Designed experiments *attempt* to establish causation. They don't necessarily do so, as they can (and often do) establish instead a causal link via a secondary system.

In this case, for example, the actual research article states that the researchers believe the magnetic fields disrupt the ability for the subject to properly evaluate the intentions of the story protagonist, thus altering the outcome of their moral evaluation. This is different from fundamentally changing the subject's underlying moral framework.

Thus, the current study does show a causal link, but only between magnetism and perception, not a causal link between magnetism and morality.

By the current logic, if I throw a brick at your face and you stopped walking, I could then argue that bricks thrown at faces cause legs to cease functioning...


....prepares to be buried for daring to argue with the reductionists...

Comment Re:hmm (Score 1) 55

In the last decade or so, research has finally shown that new synapse formation and pruning continue to occur throughout life, not simply during the critical period in our early years. (the main article here is one such example). So, while the statement about re-learning a bicycle is likely correct, to say that most of our neural networks are fixed and operate only on changing synapse thresholds is questionable.

Comment Re:True North??? (Score 5, Insightful) 289

The only person to ever mention "true" north is the Slashdot poster. TFA never describes true north, and actually specifically states that they are using magnetic north. I am not entirely sure *why* they went out of their way to add the "true" and make the description *untrue*, but thought it worth giving credit to the actual science writer for understanding the difference...

Comment Re:Matt Groening (Score 5, Informative) 94

So ah, if he wants his last name to be pronounced like "Greyning" then why does he spell it so that it looks like it should be pronounced "Growning?" Seriously, by what rule of English grammar does "Groe" sound exactly like "Grey"??.

From the same english rule that allows for words like Phoenix (unless you pronounce this Fow-nix). Words where oe is pronounced as "ee" are from the "ioticized omicron" spelling in Greek, ÎÎ, which was originally pronounced like "oy", but is often simplified into just an "ee" sound or similar.

Comment Re:It's all BS (Score 1) 2

Some of the better articles on this topic have discussed it's relevance to other smartphone users as well. Seems as relevant as any of a number of Slashdot articles on security holes in computers/phones/etc.... iPhone problems get so much attention because the device is so prolific, and because Slashdot users all either love the iPhone or hate the iPhone... Or think it's just okay...
Security

Submission + - Apple To Release Security Patch for iPhone SMS 2

An anonymous reader writes: After details of the iPhone Virus/Hack was released yesterday during a security conference by Charlie Miller, the iPhone cracker who discovered the hole, Apple has informed an O2 operator that a patch is on the way. According to an O2 spokesperson the patch will be available this Saturday (tomorrow) through iTunes. It's not clear if this will be the new iPhone firmware update that everyone expects to be released in September.
Communications

Submission + - Android Phone Coming to Verizon Network

diskofish writes: Motofan.ru is reporting there may soon be an Android phone available on Verizon's network. The phone boasts a qwerty keyboard and a 3.7 inch screen with a resolution of 480x640. This will work on the standard CDMA network, though it is not known if it will be available inside the US.
Books

Submission + - Amazon Sued for Deleting Kid's Homework (fictioncircus.com)

Miracle Jones writes: "Justin D. Gawronski, a 17-year-old-high school student, has filed a class action lawsuit against Amazon for deleting his electronic notes on the novel "1984" when they purged bootleg copies from the Kindle, a novel which he purchased electronically for his summer novel project. Gawronski and his lawyer are also seeking an injunction to keep Amazon from future deletions of purchased electronic property. Should lawsuits force companies into abiding by electronic property protocols, or are there better ways to protect ebooks from the dangers of "the cloud?""
Technology (Apple)

Submission + - Mac flaw could let hackers get scrambled data (msn.com)

An anonymous reader writes: From TFA:
A Mac security expert has uncovered a technique that hackers could use to take control of Apple Inc. computers and steal data that is scrambled to protect it from identity thieves.
Prominent Mac researcher Dino Dai Zovi disclosed the software flaw at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, one of the world's top forums for exchanging information on Internet threats.
Dai Zovi, a security researcher and co-author of "The Mac Hacker's Handbook," said on Wednesday that once hackers start to put substantial resources into targeting Apple's computers, they will be at least as vulnerable as Windows machines. "There is no magic fairy dust protecting Macs," he said in an interview.

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