hauntingthunder - Slashdot User

Journal Journal: Thermophobia 6

Journal by superyooser on Wednesday March 21, 2007 @05:53AM

Global climate change -- it doesn't bother me. What does bother me, being a "Global Warming denier," is the sudden MADNESS that has stricken deeply into the nation and the world over the last few months. I am truly amazed by the phenomenon. Amazed that the mainstream has become mesmerized by it, entangled in the unscientific propaganda. And amazed at the speed at which it has spread.

Submission + - Congress meets Web 2.0

Submitted by

chatooya

on Tuesday February 27, 2007 @11:53AM

chatooya writes: "OpenCongress is a new website that brings together multiple public data sources about Congress into a clear, simple package. If you've ever tried to look up a bill on the official thomas.gov, you'll know why this is badly needed. The new site offers multiple RSS feeds for every bill, every member of Congress, and dozens of issue areas — want to track the latest actions on technology bills? Just get the feed. It also aggregates blog posts and news articles for every bill so that you can follow the public debate. And, of course, you can track the campaign donations the make the whole system go. The site software is open-source software, built as a joint project of Participatory Politics Foundation (founded by the same folks that make Democracy Player) and the Sunlight Foundation."

Submission + - IT initiation tricks: Team-building fun or hazing?

Submitted by

PetManimal

on Tuesday February 27, 2007 @11:45AM

PetManimal writes: "There's an interesting discussion about IT initiation rituals — you know, when the new person comes to work on the first day, and you send him or her out to do some joke task, like getting a metric hammer, or fetching a "CAT-5 cable stretcher" from the VP. Another list of "fool's errands" includes sending off the noob to get a length of WLAN cable, left-handed screwdrivers, or, for those in the military, a can of prop wash. Are these tricks just harmless fun, a good way to get a laugh while introducing new hires to the team? Or is it another form of hazing, that can waste time and cause hurt feelings? What are some of the initiation rituals that you've seen or experienced?"

Submission + - Underwater Rocketry Goes to New Heights

Submitted by killabrew on Tuesday February 27, 2007 @11:36AM

killabrew writes: If you're into model rocketry, here's your next challenge. Check out this cool video on how to build an underwater model rocket launcher, instructions and a parts list are included! Read More: http://www.designnews.com/article/CA6409229.html

Submission + - POS: You Want Fries With That?

Submitted by

4foot10

on Tuesday February 27, 2007 @11:15AM

4foot10 writes: "VARBusiness.com reports that revenue for self-service checkout technologies is expected to show a CAGR of nearly 20 percent, from $185 million in 2005 to $438 million in 2010. So it's little wonder why traditional point-of-sales system vendors, including IBM, NCR and Fujitsu, are ramping up their self-service efforts and turning to the channel to help customize and sell their retail-automation technologies to SMBs."

Submission + - Egyptian Blogger Gets 4 Year Prison Sentenced

Submitted by bored_lurker on Thursday February 22, 2007 @11:26AM

bored_lurker writes: According to a story carried on the washingtonpost.com (among others) an Egyptian blogger was convicted of insulting Islam and President Hosni Mubarak and sentenced to four years in prison on Thursday in Egypt's first prosecution of a blogger. The judge issued the verdict in a brief, five-minute session in a court in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. He sentenced Nabil to three years in prison for insulting Islam and inciting sedition and another year for insulting Mubarak. Nabil had faced a possible maximum sentence of up to nine years in prison.

In some places discussing politics and religion in the workplace is considered bad taste, but jail time for doing it in a blog? Will the rest of the world stand by and say nothing?

Submission + - AT&T's Fiber "Cuts" Off Central Illino

Submitted by mozzwald on Thursday February 22, 2007 @10:51AM

mozzwald writes: Virtually all phone services (cellular and land-line) were disrupted Tuesday in Central Illinois because of a cut fiber line near Joliet Illinois. "Officials also said a separate piece of equipment that serves as backup near Decatur also went down, causing disruption to 309, 815, and 217 area codes." This caused major problems for businesses that use credit and debit card machines. It even caused sporadic problems with 911 services.

Submission + - Shock therpay used to cure internet addiction

Submitted by andy1307 on Thursday February 22, 2007 @10:31AM

andy1307 writes: According to this article in the Washington Post, Chinese teenagers deemed addicted to the internet are being treated in military run installation. Led by Tao Ran, a military researcher who built his career by treating heroin addicts, the clinic uses a tough-love approach that includes counseling, military discipline, drugs, hypnosis and mild electric shocks. The state run media blames internet addiction for for a murder over virtual property earned in an online game, for a string of suicides and for the failure of youths in their studies. Located on an army training base, the Internet-addiction clinic is distinct from the other buildings on campus because of the metal grates and padlocks on every door and the bars on every window.From the article "On the first level are 10 locked treatment rooms geared toward treating teen patients suffering from disturbed sleep, lack of motivation, aggression, depression and other problems. Unlike the rest of the building, which is painted in blues and grays and kept cold to keep the teens alert, these rooms are sunny and warm."

Submission + - Games as scapegoat

Submitted by Megnatron on Thursday February 22, 2007 @09:38AM

Megnatron writes: Penny Arcade has a letter from the stepmother of one of the kids who was recently charged with killing a homeless guy, defending the parents, and, in a refreshing twist, the games industry.

Submission + - the largest non-commercial rocket launch in Europe

Submitted by jaweekes on Thursday February 22, 2007 @09:34AM

jaweekes writes: The TV program "Top Gear" recently launched the "largest non-commercial rocket launch in European history" in the form of a rocket-propelled Reliant Robin. From the article http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/show/production_notes /shuttle.shtml "What could possibly be so difficult about building a space shuttle? Quite a lot, as it turns out. This was easily Top Gear's most ambitious film and, while everything didn't go quite according to plan, we're still very proud of the results. Here are just a few of the things that happened when we tried to put an ageing three-wheeler into space."

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