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Comment Re:A non-partisan no-brainer (Score 1) 647

the options are a 300 pound flight taking around 7 hours or a trans-Atlantic ferry which taking 8 days and costing 1500 for a shared cabin or 2000 pounds for a single cabin. .

Well, it looks like market forces have now determined the price of privacy (or the cost of convenience and expediency in privacy lost, depending on your priorities)...

Comment Re:Lest there be any confusion (Score 1) 474

this is not about Facebook analyzing YOU specifically and predicting a breakup. It's an analysis of a big group by averages.

But Facebook is the tool/medium through which the analysis is being conducted. Thus part of the point is the fact that Facebook can now be used to do these kinds of analyses/social observations/stalking.

It may not rigorously accurate (biased sample pool, etc), but the observations are still interesting to note...

Comment Re:Almost Always User Error (Score 3, Insightful) 930

Ms. Marseille sticks by her story. "It makes me very angry when someone tells me, 'She probably hit the gas pedal instead,' because I think it's a sexist comment, an ageist comment," she said.

It was really funny to read that comment especially after I just finished reading this article on the misinformed believing lies over the truth.

Comment Finally, a response that makes sense! (Score 1) 857

Instead of going all ape-shit and complaining that the Texas School Board is re-writing history for all of the US, boycott those texts and go for something more balanced. You don't *have* to buy those textbooks, you shouldn't sacrifice quality education just to save money. The texts used by Texas public schools have such a large influence on other states' curricula because they all buy those texts, so all those consumers are partly to blame for Texas's influence. If you don't like what they're putting out, you don't have to buy it. If the Texas School Board feels that education in Texas should be taught a certain way, that's their prerogative (insofar as what kind of powers were given to them when they were elected/appointed to the board).
To sum up, Texas School Board can "screw over" the education in Texas if they want. Everyone else can choose whether or not to follow suit. Texas is not responsible for the curriculum in California, and they're actually taking that to heart.
Earth

Officials Sue Couple Who Removed Their Lawn 819

Hugh Pickens writes "The LA Times reports that Orange County officials are locked in a legal battle with a couple accused of violating city ordinances for replacing the grass on their lawn with wood chips and drought-tolerant plants, reducing their water usage from 299,221 gallons in 2007 to 58,348 gallons in 2009. The dispute began two years ago, when Quan and Angelina Ha tore out the grass in their front yard. In drought-plagued Southern California, the couple said, the lush grass had been soaking up tens of thousands of gallons of water — and hundreds of dollars — each year. 'We've got a newborn, so we want to start worrying about her future,' said Quan Ha, an information technology manager for Kelley Blue Book. But city officials told the Has they were violating several city laws that require that 40% of residential yards to be landscaped predominantly with live plants. Last summer, the couple tried to appease the city by building a fence around the yard and planting drought-tolerant greenery — lavender, rosemary, horsetail, and pittosporum, among others. But according to the city, their landscaping still did not comply with city standards. At the end of January, the Has received a letter saying they had been charged with a misdemeanor violation and must appear in court. The couple could face a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine for their grass-free, eco-friendly landscaping scheme. 'It's just funny that we pay our taxes to the city and the city is now prosecuting us with our own money,' says Quan Ha."
Image

Best Man Rigs Newlyweds' Bed To Tweet During Sex 272

When an UK man was asked to be the best man at a friend's wedding he agreed that he would not pull any pranks before or during the ceremony. Now the groom wishes he had extended the agreement to after the blessed occasion as well. The best man snuck into the newlyweds' house while they were away on their honeymoon and placed a pressure-sensitive device under their mattress. The device now automatically tweets when the couple have sex. The updates include the length of activity and how vigorous the act was on a scale of 1-10.

Comment Re:Wrong Question (Score 1) 191

It's my understanding that we can only manufacture ridiculously minute quantities of the stuff, and that may take more energy to make than we'll get out of it anyways.

Given that entropy is always staying the same or increasing, yes it most probably will take more energy to create that antimatter than what we get out of it.

Power

Submission + - California to Finance Solar for Cities (goodcleantech.com)

adeelarshad82 writes: State nonprofit organization California Statewide Community Development Authority (CSCDA), is planning to launch a solar financing program that could make the technology a lot more affordable all over California. The project is a similar but larger version of the one launched by the city of Berkeley recently. In a nutshell, the city will sell bonds to finance residents borrowing money for solar installation, to be repaid (along with the corresponding interests) in a span of 20 years through property taxes.
Businesses

Submission + - SPAM: Building Trust On The Internet

techlifemashup writes: "No matter what type of blog or business you run online, trust from your readers is crucial in order to maintain growth and have long-term success. Last week, I wrote a post (Be Your Own Boss) about the importance of having side projects in your daily life, and the huge payoff you can get back by investing a few hours a week in a side business. This week I wanted to take it one step further and give everyone some key steps in building your side business up once you have the groundwork setup."
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IBM

Submission + - IBM Scientists Build Computer Chips From DNA (infoworld.com)

snydeq writes: "Scientists at IBM are experimenting with using DNA molecules as a way to create tiny circuits that could form the basis of smaller, more powerful computer chips. The technique builds on work done by Cal Tech's Paul Rothemund, who found that DNA molecules can be made to 'self-assemble' into tiny forms [PDF] such as triangles, squares and stars. 'To make a chip, the scientists first create lithographic templates using traditional chip making techniques. After, they pour a DNA solution over the surface of the silicon and the tiny triangles and squares — what the scientists call DNA origami — line themselves up to the patterns etched out using lithography.' DNA-based chips may sound like crackpot tech, but those involved believe the methodology could lead to a new way of fabricating features on the surface of chips that allows semiconductors to be made even smaller, faster and more power-efficient than they are today."
NASA

Submission + - SPAM: NASA blows up inflatable heat shield

coondoggie writes: "NASA said it has successfully tested an inflatable heat shield designed to slow and protect spacecraft as they blast through the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds. The 1,400lb, Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment, or IRVE, was vacuum-packed into a 15-inch diameter payload "shroud" and launched on a small sounding rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. The 10-foot diameter heat shield, made of several layers of silicone-coated industrial fabric, inflated with nitrogen to a mushroom shape in space several minutes after liftoff. NASA said the test was the first time anyone has successfully flown an inflatable reentry vehicle. According to the cameras and sensors on board, the heat shield expanded to its full size and went into a high-speed free fall. [spam URL stripped]"
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