AlHunt - Slashdot User

Has Google Jumped The Shark? 0

Submitted by

AlHunt

on Monday April 27 2009, @02:58PM

AlHunt writes "The once-pristine Google Home Page is today marred by "Life Photo Archive on Google" images. Could this, an attempt to earn revenue from image search, mark the beginning of the end for the cleancut home page of the the Mountain View California search giant? According to Paid Content the deal to host this project includes revenue sharing.

Does this mean we'll soon be subjected to same Internet Portal type home pages such as Yahoo and other search engines, or is this a one time event? No, I don't really think so, either. I just thought I'd jump at the chance to be an alarmist."

217,000 text messages! 0

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AlHunt

on Wednesday April 22 2009, @02:35PM

AlHunt writes "Two central Pennsylvania friends spent most of March in a text-messaging record attempt — for a total of 217,000. For one of the two, that meant an inches-thick itemized bill for $26,000. Nick Andes, 29, and Doug Klinger, 30, were relying on their unlimited text messaging plans to get them through the escapade, so Andes didn't expect such a big bill.

"It came in a box that cost $27.55 to send to me" Andes said.

After a "panicked" call, Andes says his cell phone company assures him he won't have to pay it."

The Digital Underground 0

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AlHunt

on Tuesday August 26 2008, @09:51AM

AlHunt writes "I've been tasked with finding a way to bury digitally stored photographs in a small underground time capsule to be opened in 25 years. It looks like we'll be using a steel vessel, welded closed.

I've thought of CDs, DVDs a hard drive, thumb drive but they all have drawbacks, not the least of which is outdated technology 25 years from now. Maybe I'll put a CD and a CD-ROM drive in the capsule and hope that the IDE interface is still around in 25 years?

Ideas and feedback will be appreciated."

Homebrew Hydrogen Fuel Cells For Your Car-> 0

Submitted by

AlHunt

on Wednesday July 09 2008, @07:35AM

AlHunt writes "Eaton Labroratory, tucked away in the rolling hills of Maine, has come to the rescue of high gas prices — Homebrew Hydrogen Fuel Cells for your car!

For only $125.00 you, too, can enjoy the peace of mind that only comes from sticking it to the man!

Seeing a 42% increase in fuel economy, Eaton Lab does mention that "Electrolysis of water generates explosive gas!! Never try to light a match in front of the Electrolyzer's output — THE DEVICE WILL EXPLODE!!

So, at your own risk, but Americans are again rising to the challenge their governemnt can't meet, and it comes in the form of a stubborn Yankee.

(disclaimer — nope I'm not involved with this guy in any way — just glad to see a fellow Mainer taking the lead again.)

Another Mainer and electric car pioneer Charles MacArthur would be proud. Macarthur drove an electric motorcycle up Mount Washington way back in 1974"
Link to Original Source

NASA throws a hell of as party! 0

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AlHunt

on Friday November 09 2007, @09:54PM

AlHunt writes "From The Article:

Everyone knows exploring space is dangerous, and the costs are astronomical. Which is why, just last month, NASA was able to squeeze $1 billion extra from the Senate.

That very same day, NASA also posted an online notice few people saw — seeking four-star hotel bids for its December awards,

So NASA is urinating away 4 million of your tax dollars this year, throwing luxurious parties and patting themselves on the back. In December they'll dump $400,000 to $500,000 in Orlando, according to CBS News.

I love space exploration as much as anyone. If they wanted billions to go to Pluto, I'd probably never say a word. But high dollar shindigs? Give me a break. I work with an organization helping to feed the hungry. We get a $30 to $1 return on our transportation budget (and we buy our own gas, use up our own office supplies and take no pay so almost every penny donated goes to transportation) — in other words, Decembers Awards budget (a paltry $28K) would let me put $840,000 worth of food in the warehouse.

So, here's my challenge, Rocket Scientists — Take a pass on the coconut shrimp and send the savings our way. I'm sure we can feed a few thousand families for your sacrifice."

Snooping Smartphones

Submitted by

AlHunt

on Thursday May 24 2007, @08:57PM

AlHunt writes "According to CNN, your smartphone could be spying on you!

The top of the article says it all:

You go to the Web site, decide it's just another piece of spam, and move on through your normal daily routine. There's the check-by-phone payment of your credit card bill, a high-level confidential business teleconference discussing sensitive company information, and finally arranging a dinner with that cute co-worker you don't want your boyfriend to know about.

Little do you know that all the while, someone else has been watching — and listening.

Welcome to the brave new world of smartphone spying
"

IBM creates self-assembling chips

Submitted by

AlHunt

on Thursday May 03 2007, @05:04PM

AlHunt writes "IBM believes computer chips work better if they're more like Swiss cheese than American cheese. 20 nanometer holes boost performance by 35% or cut power consumption by a like amount.

From the article: "To create these tiny holes, the computer company has harnessed a plastic-like material that spontaneously forms into a sieve-like structure. The holes have a width of 20 nanometers, or billionths of a meter, placing the method in the much-vaunted field of nanotechnology."

"To our knowledge, this is the first time anyone has used nanoscale self-assembled materials to build things that machines aren't capable of doing," said John Kelly, IBM's vice president of development.

Some might say our new self-replicating overlords have finally arrived. I wouldn't, of course, but some might."

NYC Comptroller Worried About Privacy

Submitted by

AlHunt

on Wednesday May 02 2007, @03:59PM

AlHunt writes "Unfortunately, it's not privacy in the US William C. Thompson (NYC comptroller) is concerned about ... according to the LA Times and Bloomberg News, Thompson has urged the both Google and Yahoo! to adopt rules protecting privacy and human rights in countries with authoritarian governments. The article specifically mentions China and recommends that the companies not store user information in certain countries and that they use all legal means to resist demands for censorship.

Hmmm ... I wonder if we could get some rules like that in the US and UK?"

Internet2 taken our by stray cigarette

Submitted by

AlHunt

on Wednesday May 02 2007, @03:32PM

AlHunt writes "A fire started by a homeless man knocked out service between Boston and New York on the experimental Internet2 network Tuesday night. Authorities say the fire, which also disrputed service on the Red Line subway, started around 8:20 p.m. when a homeless man tossed a lit cigarette. The cigarette landed on a mattress, which ignited and led to a two-alarm fire."

Google pushes to open public records

Submitted by

AlHunt

on Monday April 30 2007, @04:50PM

AlHunt writes "The perennial favorite love/hate company, Google, "is helping state governments make reams of public records that are now unavailable or hard to find online" and according to CNN, "records will not be exclusive to the search engines owned by Google, Yahoo and Microsoft." Meanwhile, privacy advocates are up in arms "cautioning that some records may contain personal and confidential information that should not be widely available."."