Comment Re:Good luck with that (Score 3, Interesting) 369
No, they didn't. When you link articles, at least read the summary. "The ban expired on September 13, 2004, as part of the law's sunset provision."
Submission + - $4.5 billion "bin Laden trade" 1
Submission + - Hardware virus spreads through DVI ports in Google (alwaysbeta.com)
Evil Al writes: This Google worker has an amusing story of a mechanical virus that spreads through DVI ports on Mac laptops.
Submission + - Microsoft managed to buy the vote of Sweden in ISO (domain.name)
An anonymous reader writes: It seems like Microsoft rigged todays SIS meeting in Sweden by bringing in about 20+ new members, all voting Yes to Microsofts OOXML document standard proposal. To be a voting member they had to pay 17 000 SEK, about $2500, which they for sure will be reimbursed by Microsoft for their services. Several previous members, for example IBM, left the meeting in disgust.
Read more here: http://stupid.domain.name/node/382
Read more here: http://stupid.domain.name/node/382
Submission + - JKRowling, Goblins and *IAA
140Mandak262Jamuna writes: In the latest book, The Deathly Hallows by JKR I came across a very interesting passage. Don't worry, this is not a spoiler. It does not reveal any plot details.
"You don't understand, Harry, nobody could understand unless they have lived with the goblins. To a goblin, the rightful and true master of any object is its maker, not the purchaser. All goblin-made objects are, in goblin eyes, rightfully theirs."
"But if it was bought — "
" — then they would consider it rented by one who had paid the money. They have, however, great difficulty with the idea of goblin-made objects passing from wizard to wizard. [snip] I believe he thinks, as do the fiercest of his kind, that it ought to have been returned to the goblins once the original purchaser died. They consider our habit of keeping goblin-made objects, passing them from wizard to wizard without further payment, little more than theft."
I thought it is remarkably similar to the way a slashdotter would describe the mind set of *IAA people about CDs and DVDs! Has JKR expressed any opinion about *IAA and its tactics?
"You don't understand, Harry, nobody could understand unless they have lived with the goblins. To a goblin, the rightful and true master of any object is its maker, not the purchaser. All goblin-made objects are, in goblin eyes, rightfully theirs."
"But if it was bought — "
" — then they would consider it rented by one who had paid the money. They have, however, great difficulty with the idea of goblin-made objects passing from wizard to wizard. [snip] I believe he thinks, as do the fiercest of his kind, that it ought to have been returned to the goblins once the original purchaser died. They consider our habit of keeping goblin-made objects, passing them from wizard to wizard without further payment, little more than theft."
I thought it is remarkably similar to the way a slashdotter would describe the mind set of *IAA people about CDs and DVDs! Has JKR expressed any opinion about *IAA and its tactics?
Toyota Unveils Plug-in Hybrid Prius 555
phlack writes "Toyota has announced a plug-in hybrid vehicle, based on their popular Prius. So far, it will only have a range of 8 miles on the battery (13km). They are going to test this vehicle on the public roads, apparently a first for the industry. From the article: 'Unlike earlier gasoline-electric hybrids, which run on a parallel system twinning battery power and a combustion engine, plug-in cars are designed to enable short trips powered entirely by the electric motor, using a battery that can be charged through an electric socket at home. Many environmental advocates see them as the best available technology to reduce gasoline consumption and global-warming greenhouse gas emissions, but engineers say battery technology is still insufficient to store enough energy for long-distance travel.'"
