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Comment: Relevant discussion. (Score 1) 427

by Assassin bug (#29518581) Attached to: Judge Rejects Approval of Engineered Sugar Beets
So, I'm not really sure why a posting on sugar beets makes it onto /. anyway, but I'll cast in a couple important points for civil discussion. 1) The pollen from sugar beets does travel a very long distance (Darmency, H. et al., 2009. Pollen dispersal in sugar beet production fields. TAG Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 118(6), 1083-1092). 2) This is may be an environmental concern, but it is also a concern for anyone growing sugar beets. That is, there are problems controlling weedy beets when herbicide-resistant beets sprout up. 3) This entire issue is unimportant when beet growers cultivate off the tops of their beets, rendering them sterile. If they receive a higher yield for the herbicide usage, this may be an extra drive across the field may be a good option for preserving the integrity of the resistance trait.

Comment: Re:when does a stone become an axe (Score 2, Informative) 200

by Assassin bug (#26690031) Attached to: Stone Tool 1.83M Years Old Discovered In Malaysia
Look it up (and maybe read the article too). There is usually a considerable amount of evidence that goes along with these axes that makes them much more likely to be tools than the result of geologic processes. This particular item was collected from a a site that has a history of producing items from an ancient culture. Yes, there are stones out there sharp enough to be useful (e.g., naturally broken pieces of obsidian). The point isn't that they are useful, but that they have been used. Some tools are made and some are found.

Comment: Re:In need of perspective? (Score 1) 138

by Assassin bug (#25889267) Attached to: 1.4 Billion Pixel Camera To Watch For Asteroids
Upon further reflection, and with your succinct description, I think I understand. Obviously, stereoscopic view isn't needed to track orbits, most telescopes are monocular. One just needs to see something moving (e.g., a tool-bag in orbit). I guess for some reason the impression of an object heading straight at the lens came to mind, which is clearly, well silly.
Software

MySQL CEO says open source is unstoppable

Submitted by StonyandCher
StonyandCher writes "Despite a growing acceptance of open-source software, MySQL CEO Marten Mickos, said Monday in a keynote speech at the first-ever Ubuntu Live Conference, that there are also ongoing threats to open source development. Those threats, he told attendees, come from proprietary software companies such as Microsoft, which can spread criticism and doubt — backed by their legal and economic might — to push proprietary products.

"Microsoft can use [its] money in other ways to threaten free and open-source software, and I'm sure that they have," Mickos said. "But I think we will see less of that in the future because they've done it and it hasn't helped them."

"...I'm not too worried," Mickos said. "This open source movement is so strong that nothing can stop it anymore.""
Software

Data Visualization Tools for Linux

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes "In this article, I provide a survey of a number of popular Linux data visualization tools and include some insight into their other capabilities. Finally, I identify the strengths of each tool to help you decide which is best for your application. The open source tools that I explore in this article are gnuplot, GNU Octave, Scilab, MayaVi, Maxima, and OpenDX."
Businesses

Verizon Copper Cutoff Traps Customers

Submitted by
theodp
theodp writes "As it hooks up homes and businesses to its FiOS fiber-optic network service, Verizon has been routinely disconnecting the copper infrastructure that it was required to lease to other phone companies, locking customers into higher broadband bills, eliminating power outage safeguards, and hampering rivals. A Verizon spokesman argues customers are being given adequate notice of the copper cutoff, which includes this read-between-the-lines fine print: 'Current Verizon High Speed Internet customers who move to FiOS Internet service will have their Verizon High Speed Internet permanently disabled after their FiOS conversion.'"

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