waukarusa writes "Linux tends to take center stage when it comes to support and other services for enterprise open source users. However, there are literally thousands of other solid open source packages available that perform a wide variety of functions. Unfortunately, there's a real lack of information about the options and considerations for selecting open source that not only meets the functional and technical requirements of specific tasks, but has the support and backing that enterprises need to manage risk. As a result, with enterprise developers lost in a sea of open source options, it can be a daunting task to make the best choice.
http://opensource.sys-con.com/read/368028.htm"
Tony Keller writes "The problems with Vista have been well noted, especially within a corporate environment. Helping circumvent the headaches, Training Camp, made famous for borrowing the military's 'bootcamp methodology,' will launch their 3-day Vista Bootcamp. They will ship trainees off to a reclusive, distraction free, environment to train IT pros on everything there is to know about the new operating system. This 'hell-weekend' will allow trainees to gain a complete understanding of the installation and administration of upgrading to Windows Vista — allowing them to troubleshoot some of the biggest complaints; Post-Installation Settings, Security even Mobile Computing. And when you're done, you'll have exactly what your major corporation needs to make the journey a smooth one."
1sockchuck writes "Peer-to-peer networks are being hijacked to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on web sites, according to security researchers and network service providers. In these attacks, large numbers of client computers running P2P software are tricked into requesting a file from the intended target of the DDoS, allowing the attacker to use the P2P network to overwhelm the target site with traffic. As many as 100,000 machines have been used in some of the attacks, which may be attractive to attackers, as they don't require the use of an existing "botnet" of compromised computers."
Firethorn writes "From Decatur Daily Shut down 22 years ago in 1985, the Tennessee Valley Authority has reactivated Unit 1 at Browns Ferry Nuclear plant in response to rising demand for electricity in North Alabama. It's the first reactor activated since 1996.
It's expected to produce 1,155 megawatts, power 650,000 homes, and employ an extra 100 workers at the plant.
Renovations cost $1.8 Billion, but they expect the payback to be done within 4-5 years, down from the 7-8 years estimated in 2002, mostly because of increased fuel costs for the alternatives."
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found in a database study of women heart patients that COX inhibitors such as traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may undermine any purported protection against heart disease in participants taking estrogen therapy. Link to Original Source
Jets of matter have been discovered around a very low mass "failed star," mimicking a process seen in young stars. This suggests that these "brown dwarfs" form in a similar manner to normal stars but also that outflows are driven out by objects as massive as hundreds of millions of solar masses down to Jupiter-sized objects. Link to Original Source
Scientists have discovered previously unrecognized alterations in a gene called FGFR2 in a subset of endometrial cancers, the most common gynecologic cancer in the United States. The mutations in FGFR2 result in uncontrolled cell division, a hallmark of cancer. Link to Original Source
bsjpark writes "One of my colleague forwarded me an article written by Dr. Michio Kaku, physicist and author, in an interview at KurzweilAI.net that ranges from the Multiverse to "The Matrix." (Equally entertaining in its own way is the classic geek fight in the comments attached to the interview.)
When I read the below phrases regarding how we might be able to find/recognize/communicate with extra-terrestrial if we do ever meet them, it does makes perfect sense. Ever since I was a young boy (who was addicted to Star Wars and Star Trek), I always had similar questions because it doesn't always makes sense and not plausible to think that extra-terrestrial would every be in similar size, physical form, and/or in same spectrum of intelligence.
Many people believe that they would be some what recognizable... which I have no idea why would those people who would think such a thing. I believe most of the display of so called "aliens" are drawn in such a way for entertainment reasons as well as for people to be able to relate and recognize them. Think about it. If the aliens are indeed illumination form which are not recognized by any of the human senses and not interactive with people, think of how boring it would be. Human and aliens living together without even noticing each other. You cannot make a movie nor media material with such thing!
" I personally think that SETI is looking in the wrong direction. If, for example, we're walking down a country road and we see an anthill, do we go down to the ant and say, "I bring you trinkets, I bring you beads, I bring you knowledge, I bring you medicine, I bring you nuclear technology, take me to your leader"? Or, do we simply step on them? Any civilization capable of reaching the planet Earth would be perhaps a Type III civilization. And the difference between you and the ant is comparable to the distance between you and a Type III civilization. Therefore, for the most part, a Type III civilization would operate with a completely different agenda and message than our civilization.
Let's say that a ten-lane superhighway is being built next to the anthill. The question is: would the ants even know what a ten-lane superhighway is, or what it's used for, or how to communicate with the workers who are just feet away? And the answer is no. One question that we sometimes ask is if there is a Type III civilization in our backyard, in the Milky Way galaxy, would we even know its presence? And if you think about it, you realize that there's a good chance that we, like ants in an anthill, would not understand or be able to make sense of a ten-lane superhighway next door.""
gum2me writes "Volokh Conspiracy is a law blog with contributors from Law Professors around the country. This post gives a good summary why perpetual intellectual property rights suck, and gives links to even more detailed analyses. It's a quick read that'll edify you.