Comment Moria 2.0 (Score 5, Funny) 269
Construction will have to be stopped after they dig too deep and release the Balrog, though.
Comment I wonder... (Score 1) 259
How long are we going to be using the phrase "worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl"?
Comment Oops (Score 5, Funny) 299
The final components will be accidentally dropped Tuesday at the Amarillo Crater...
Submission + - Microsoft Seeks Patent for Age Detection (infopackets.com)
nandemoari writes: Microsoft is proposing a new patent that would see its Xbox 360 peripheral, the Kinect, take on the role of a virtual babysitter. It works by automatically restricting a child's access to certain television shows or video games that carry a mature content rating.
Through the use of its 3D depth camera, the Kinect would be able to measure the bodily proportions of a user and detect whether or not a child is in the room. The entire concept is based on parental control and would be treated as a manageable feature. The system could also be further tweaked to specify certain restrictions and content.
Through the use of its 3D depth camera, the Kinect would be able to measure the bodily proportions of a user and detect whether or not a child is in the room. The entire concept is based on parental control and would be treated as a manageable feature. The system could also be further tweaked to specify certain restrictions and content.
Comment The obvious name... (Score 2) 239
Well, somebody has to use the Quikster name, might as well be them.
Comment Re:Excellent (Score 0) 111
Nobody with any sense complains about embryonic stem cells either, just the people who think humans can be single-celled organisms.
Comment Re:as a European. (Score 1) 1040
Everybody knows the explosion of the deficit has nothing to do with Obama
No. No they don't. There are a lot of people trying very hard to prevent everybody from understanding the actual problems, and they're doing a pretty good job of it.
Comment Re:Maximize profit (Score 1) 591
Joel Spolsky pointed out the problem with this a few years back: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/CamelsandRubberDuckies.html
When your unit production cost is small, you're better off (as much as possible) to adjust the price based on the ability of the consumers to pay and get something out of the poorer ones instead of nothing.
Comment Re:Not only the carriers, also the NGO's (Score 1) 235
My grandfather always used to tell me that he would die before he ever gave to the Red Cross. When he was in Korea, the Red Cross used to show up and sell soldiers coffee and donuts (at a profit, no less). No money meant no coffee and donuts for you, G.I.
I'm not disparaging their work (I don't know enough to comment on that). I'm just saying that they need to be much more upfront with people about where their money is actually going.
Ten seconds on Snopes; http://www.snopes.com/medical/emergent/redcross.asp
There is truth to one of the rumors, however. During WWII the American Red Cross did indeed charge American servicemen for coffee, doughnuts, and lodging. However, it did so because the U.S. Army asked it to, not because it was determined to make a profit off homesick dogfaces.
Submission + - Gawker Redesign Kills Traffic (sitemeter.com) 2
An anonymous reader writes: The latest data from sitemeter,com is showing what everyone already knew, the Gawker redesign has taken their advertisement driven empire and, in a very rapid manor, crushed its traffic into a shadow of its former self.
Comment Re:MPG Difference Explained (Score 1) 417
Woo, 10.5 feet per gallon.
Comment Re:Cracked! (Score 4, Insightful) 306
That's not the point. You were already allowed to see the image. What it tries to reduce is the ability of someone unrelated to find it n years later. You had to remember to save a copy at the time. Unfortunately, you're probably more likely to do so if it's an interesting picture.
It's not useless, and it's not perfect. Not a terrible idea though.
Comment Hmm... (Score 1) 306
Sounds great, but the more interesting/risky/incriminating/etc the picture, the more likely it is that someone's going to keep an unencrypted copy around, no?
Comment Re:What, exactly, is 3-SAT? (Score 3, Funny) 700
Romanes eunt domus.
Comment Re:Yay, more Input Lag (Score 1) 202
Only in the future would you care about having 60,000 fps, though.
