Comment The only surprising part (Score 1) 618
is it didn't land in Florida first.
Comment It is a MakerBot after all (Score 2) 185
There are several other great 3d printers out there. The Up! I first started using is still a fantastic printer.
Submission + - Billionaires Secretly Fund Vast Climate Denial Network 4
Hugh Pickens writes writes: "Suzanne Goldenberg reports that conservative billionaires used a secretive funding route to channel nearly $120 million to more than 100 groups casting doubt about the science behind climate change, helping build a vast network of think tanks and activist groups working to redefine climate change from neutral scientific fact to a highly polarizing "wedge issue" for hardcore conservatives. "We exist to help donors promote liberty which we understand to be limited government, personal responsibility, and free enterprise," says Whitney Ball, chief executive of the Donors Trust. Ball's organization assured wealthy donors that their funds would never by diverted to liberal causes with a guarantee of complete anonymity for donors who wished to remain hidden. The money flowed to Washington think tanks embedded in Republican party politics, obscure policy forums in Alaska and Tennessee, contrarian scientists at Harvard and lesser institutions, even to buy up DVDs of a film attacking Al Gore. "The funding of the denial machine is becoming increasingly invisible to public scrutiny. It's also growing. Budgets for all these different groups are growing," says Kert Davies, research director of Greenpeace, which compiled the data on funding of the anti-climate groups using tax records. "These groups are increasingly getting money from sources that are anonymous or untraceable.""
Comment No other/fill in option? (Score 1) 144
I'd have called one Planet.
Submission + - Spy Drones Used to Hunt Down Christopher Dorner
Hugh Pickens writes writes: "The Express reports that as a task force of 125 officers continue their search for Christopher Dorner in the rugged terrain around Big Bear, it was revealed that Dorner has become the first human target for remotely-controlled airborne drones on US soil. “The thermal imaging cameras the drones use may be our only hope of finding him," says a senior police source. "On the ground, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.” The use of drones was confirmed by Customs and Border Patrol spokesman Ralph DeSio, who revealed agents have been prepared for Dorner to make a dash for the Mexican border since his rampage began. “This agency has been at the forefront of domestic use of drones by law enforcement.” Dorner, who was fired from the LAPD in 2008 for lying about a fellow officer he accused of misconduct, has vowed to wreak revenge by “killing officers and their families”. According to San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon: "To be honest, he could be anywhere right now. Torching his own vehicle could have been a diversion to throw us off track. Anything is possible with this man.”"
Submission + - Whitehouse Petition to Repeal DMCA (whitehouse.gov)
An anonymous reader writes: Given the recent criminalization under the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) for unlocking your cell phone for use on another network, a petition has been created at whitehouse.gov to repeal the DMCA. If you're a United States citizen, and believe the DMCA is too broad and harsh (e.g. makes it illegal to circumvent protection for fair use, even if no copyright law is violated), then signing the petition is one way to make your voice heard.
I also encourage you to write to your Congressional representatives, or contact them through opencongress.org.
I also encourage you to write to your Congressional representatives, or contact them through opencongress.org.
Submission + - Intel to Help Stephen Hawking Communicate Faster (paritynews.com)
hypnosec writes: Stephen Hawking’s ability to communicate has been deteriorating over the years and as it stands, the physicist is able to only communicate at the rate of 1 word per minute currently which is about to change as Intel is working on an interface that will boost the scientist’s speech to up to 10 words per minute. Intel CTO Justin Rattner has revealed that they are working towards improving the speed at which Hawking communicates and beyond the twitch in the cheek, Hawking is also capable of other voluntary facial expressions which can be tapped to achieve faster communications for which they are developing a better character interface with a better word predictor.
Submission + - Active Whitehouse Petition: Shorten excessive copyright terms. (whitehouse.gov)
warrior389 writes: We petition the obama administration to:
Shorten excessive copyright terms
Current copyright terms are much longer than necessary for promoting progress. Excessive copyright terms limit the usefulness of the works they cover without leading to the creation of more works.
I ask the government to limit copyright terms to a maximum of 10 years with no exceptions. Compared to current copyright terms 10 years may sound very short, but 10 years is a long time; it may still be too long. I also ask that currently active copyright terms all end within 10 years.
It is not society's duty to reward authors and artists for their creativity or hard work. Copyright should only exist as an incentive. The excessive monopoly terms must end.
Created: Jan 01, 2013
Current Signatures: 2,551
Deadline: January 31st, 2013
Shorten excessive copyright terms
Current copyright terms are much longer than necessary for promoting progress. Excessive copyright terms limit the usefulness of the works they cover without leading to the creation of more works.
I ask the government to limit copyright terms to a maximum of 10 years with no exceptions. Compared to current copyright terms 10 years may sound very short, but 10 years is a long time; it may still be too long. I also ask that currently active copyright terms all end within 10 years.
It is not society's duty to reward authors and artists for their creativity or hard work. Copyright should only exist as an incentive. The excessive monopoly terms must end.
Created: Jan 01, 2013
Current Signatures: 2,551
Deadline: January 31st, 2013
Submission + - The White House Responds to Death Star Petition (whitehouse.gov) 2
Captain Arr Morgan writes: After a petition to build a Death Star was submitted and received 34,435 signatures The White House has responded. Slightly restoring my faith that there might actually be intelligent (and humorous) life in politics.
Submission + - Mars as a Blue Marble (universetoday.com)
Nancy_A writes: What would Mars look like as a planet alive with water and life? By combining data from several sources — along with a bit of creative license — software engineer Kevin Gill has created some gorgeous images showing concepts of what a “living Mars” might look like from orbit, turning the Red Planet into its own version of the Blue Marble.
Comment Re:Polemic? (Score 1) 553
Was thinking the same. Should just be contentious maybe?
Submission + - TSA Petition is back up! (whitehouse.gov)
An anonymous reader writes: The TSA petition that was taken down last Thursday (http://politics.slashdot.org/story/12/08/12/1521240/white-house-pulls-down-tsa-petition) has been recreated. Your help is needed to sign and push the petition back to its former glory.
Submission + - Hacked BitCoin Exchange Sued By Customers (techweekeurope.co.uk)
judgecorp writes: "Bitcoinica, an exchange for the BitCoin virtual currency, is being sued by former customers, after it was hacked. Thieves stole around $180,000 worth of BitCoins in two attacks. The site is now closed, and customers are suing to get their money back."
Submission + - Google Ventures: Not Just Another VC Firm (venturebeat.com)
AmyVernon writes: "Jolie O'Dell takes a hard look at Google Ventures and what makes it a different kind of VC firm — one that doesn't believe it's how the companies are picked inasmuch as how the companies are nurtured:
"Google Ventures is a separate entity from Google, Inc. It operates on the same campus but in different buildings, and while it pulls its talent and knowledge resources from the Google pool, it’s very much its own beast. The fund kicked off in 2009 with a goal of investing $100 million each year. Its known portfolio companies currently number 115; if you look for themes among them, you’ll find they range so widely across any criteria you choose that finding such themes is nearly impossible.
Aside from the Google connection, the firm and its partners are obviously different from anything else in their league in a few major ways.
For one thing, Google Ventures partners don’t really put as much emphasis on the almighty picker: the magic 8-ball in every VC’s back pocket that tells him whether or not a company is a good bet. Primarily because such a device doesn’t exist.
“Picking plays a role, don’t get me wrong. But people walk around the venture world thinking they’re such good pickers,” Kraus says. “It’s like Lake Woebegone, where everyone thinks their children are above average.
“We believe helping companies plays more of a role than most people give it credit for.”"
"Google Ventures is a separate entity from Google, Inc. It operates on the same campus but in different buildings, and while it pulls its talent and knowledge resources from the Google pool, it’s very much its own beast. The fund kicked off in 2009 with a goal of investing $100 million each year. Its known portfolio companies currently number 115; if you look for themes among them, you’ll find they range so widely across any criteria you choose that finding such themes is nearly impossible.
Aside from the Google connection, the firm and its partners are obviously different from anything else in their league in a few major ways.
For one thing, Google Ventures partners don’t really put as much emphasis on the almighty picker: the magic 8-ball in every VC’s back pocket that tells him whether or not a company is a good bet. Primarily because such a device doesn’t exist.
“Picking plays a role, don’t get me wrong. But people walk around the venture world thinking they’re such good pickers,” Kraus says. “It’s like Lake Woebegone, where everyone thinks their children are above average.
“We believe helping companies plays more of a role than most people give it credit for.”"
Comment many having over 20 years' experience in the field (Score 1) 345
The last bold point is my favorite.
"we harness the local knowledge of our 60 million satnav customers, who can make corrections through TomTom Map Share."
Using people who apparently cannot navigate on their own is on par with Webster hiring partially literate editors.
