Feed Scientist proposes adhesive Spider-Man suit (com.com)
Italian professor uses carbon nanotubes in formula for "smart" suit modeled after adhesive properties of the tree-scaling gecko.
Feed Apple releases MacBook battery update (theregister.com)
Rest easy, not the explosion-preventing kind
Apple is recommending an update be installed on all MacBook and MacBook Pro computers and extra batteries purchased between February 2006 and April 2007.
Submission + - Utah Rethinking Anti-Keyword Advertising Law
Eric Goldman writes: "Slashdot previously reported on Utah's recent law banning trademark-triggered keyword advertising. This week, a group of technology executives met with Utah legislators to discuss the law, and it looks like the legislature is rethinking its position. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, "Legislative leaders are looking to tweak a troublesome trademark protection program rather than defend it in court, after an unprecedented meeting with Internet power brokers who would prefer the new registry be scrapped.""
Submission + - MIT's Dean of Admissions Resigns
Todd writes: "It turns out that the dean of admissions at MIT has lied about her education. She fessed up after 28 years and left with her head hanging low. The press release can be viewed at MIT's website at http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/admissions-hast ings.html"
Submission + - FoxTorrent 1.0 is Live!!
Matt Encinas writes: "Hey guys,
Red Swoosh launched FoxTorrent 1.0 . . . check it out here http://www.foxtorrent.com./
Bittorrent integrated into Firefox on Mac, PC, and Linux, with streaming video.
Would love to hear your thoughts.
Enjoy,
Matt
mencinas@redswoosh.net"
Feed Denied Entrance Into The US Thanks To A Google Search Of Your Permanent Record (techdirt.com)
For a long time, people have talked about how Google has effectively created the infamous "permanent record" teachers always warned us about in school. And, now, it appears that it's not just being used for background checks on dates and job reference checks, but for official government purposes as well. Joe McEnaney writes in to alert us to a story of a Canadian man who was denied entrance to the US after border guards did a Google search on his name and discovered a peer-reviewed academic paper he'd written years earlier that mentioned his own LSD use over 30 years ago. Setting aside any thoughts one way or the other on whether or not that should be a criteria for entering the US, just think of what this means for teens today who are discussing their lives very publicly on sites like MySpace. We've already wondered what will happen once the MySpace generation runs for office, but right now they might just want to be careful leaving and entering the country.
Submission + - SpaceX to make second launch attempt today.
Anonymous Coward writes: "SpaceX is set to launch the second demonstration flight of the Falcon 1 at 4pm California time (11pm GMT) today. The webcast will start at T-60 minutes (I assume more than hour before launch due to built in holds).
In the first attempt a year ago this month, the vehicle was destroyed 34 seconds into flight (burning fuel leak). Odd that all pictures and press releases of that launch seem to have dissapeared from the site. Only two videos of the initial liftof, and a small bit in the company Q&A, remain."
In the first attempt a year ago this month, the vehicle was destroyed 34 seconds into flight (burning fuel leak). Odd that all pictures and press releases of that launch seem to have dissapeared from the site. Only two videos of the initial liftof, and a small bit in the company Q&A, remain."
Submission + - The End Of The Home Phone As We Know It
digihome writes: After 130 years the humble home phone is finally getting a makeover. Wireless networking vendors are rolling out VoIP handsets with a slew of new features such as integrated search and built-in RSS feeds.
http://www.crn.com/digital-home/198001149
Submission + - iPhone gives rise to Mainstream Embedded Linux Cel
warcriminal writes: "Linux based cell phones are getting a second look and the source of this look by the industry is a stranger than fiction story — the iPhone. The iPhone is driving the resurgence of the Embedded Linux Cell Phone and PDA as a viable alternative.
http://www.goitexpert.com/entry.cfm?entry=iPhone-g ives-rise-to-Mainstream-Embedded-Linux-Cell-Phones "
Submission + - Best Example of SCO's Absurd Claims
UnknowingFool writes: "Groklaw has posted IBM's explanation of SCO's claims about control of derivatives. For those who haven't been paying attention, SCO claims that IBM had no right to put their original code like JFS and RCU into Linux because IBM had access to and used SysV code, methods, and concepts in AIX and Dynix. For SCO, all of Dynix and AIX are derivatives and thus under the control of SCO regardless of who actually wrote the code. IBM's addendum illustrates that if the court accepts that argument, then SCO could claim that they own all internet devices like Blackberry's and satellites because TCP/IP (while developed independently by BSD) was included at one time in the past with AT&T Unix code."
Submission + - Getting Approval to Work at Home
An anonymous reader writes: In large cities, many employees spend 4 weeks each year in their car driving to and from work. Eliminating the commute, even just one day a week, is equivalent to an extra 1.5 weeks of vacation. The technology is all there to work from home, but most people mess up when they approach their boss about telecommuting. Here is a five step process to get your boss to say yes and avoid common mistakes.
Submission + - Live online interview with Gary Mckinnon
An anonymous reader writes: Whitedust are today reporting that "Hacker Voice Radio" is tonight finishing up it's sixth season at a grand and impressive 234 episodes with this the final show an interview infamous "hacker" Gary McKinnon live on air. An open call for questions is currently being run... Do Slashdotters have anything they'd like to ask Mr Mckinnon before he is extradited to the USA for allegedly hacking into US Military networks?
Submission + - RIAA and University of Wisconsin-Madison
stephencrane writes: http://www.joegratz.net/archives/2007/03/16/univer sity-of-wisconsin-stands-up-to-riaa/
A student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison shares what his school is doing in response to the RIAA P2PLawsuit.com campaign. In this campaign, attorneys for Sony, Universal, EMI, Warner Music Group and more sent letters to several colleges demanding that they be forwarded to students. The letter (PDF) threatens students with a lawsuit and instructs them to identify themselves and pay a settlement to the recording companies via the website P2Plawsuits.com.
UW-M has sent an email informing students that although they've been given letters to forward to students, they university will not comply without a written subpoena.
Submission + - Mozilla Desktop Environment
Andreas writes: "A discussion at mozilla.dev.planning list has given the birth to the idea of a Mozilla Desktop Environment. This sure sounds like a possibility for Mozilla as it already has many of the applications needed and the company is more than well familiar with XUL, which is a more than potent language to build a Desktop Environment upon. By building a desktop environment Mozilla doesn't have to worry about drivers (and such) and can choose from a variety of kernels, and still be in the center of attention. Mozilla has to expand some of the applications for this to work though, like adding local file management with Firefox."
Submission + - Scoble: Microsoft 'sucks' at most everything
netbuzz writes: "Microsoft may have made Robert Scoble a bloghold name, but he doesn't work there anymore and isn't mincing words in reacting to recent chest-thumping from the software giant, including CEO Steve Ballmer's dissing of Google. Scoble's broadside is starting to gain worldwide press attention and is sure to fuel anti-Microsoft forces for some time to come.
http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/1259 5"
http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/125
