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Networking

Athena's Free Firewall Browser 23

Posted by timothy
from the should-you-choose-to-accept-it dept.
athenasec writes "Firewall Browser is a free configuration analyzer (download here), released by Athena Security, which works on Cisco, Check Point, and Netscreen firewalls for searching rulebases based on address or service ranges — the way change requests are actually made. The tool is available as a free download with no limitations, user license restrictions, or registration hurdles. Users can slice and dice any firewall-related question about the network, service objects, and security rules for a multi-vendor environment from a single flexible interface. There is also this how-to guide for applying the tool to day-to-day operational tasks."
Earth

Yellowstone Supervolcano Larger Than First Thought 451

Posted by timothy
from the even-superer dept.
drewtheman writes "New studies of the plumbing that feeds the Yellowstone supervolcano in Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park shows the plume and the magma chamber under the volcano are larger than first thought and contradicts claims that only shallow hot rock exists. University of Utah research professor of geophysics Robert Smith led four separate studies that verify a plume of hot and molten rock at least 410 miles deep that rises at an angle from the northwest."
Programming

ECMAScript Version 5 Approved 158

Posted by timothy
from the javascript-by-any-other-name dept.
systembug writes "After 10 years of waiting and some infighting, ECMAScript version 5 is finally out, approved by 19 of the 21 members of the ECMA Technical Committee 39. JSON is in; Intel and IBM dissented. IBM is obviously in disagreement with the decision against IEEE 754r, a floating point format for correct, but slow representation of decimal numbers, despite pleas by Yahoo's Douglas Crockford." (About 754r, Crockford says "It was rejected by ES4 and by ES3.1 — it was one of the few things that we could agree on. We all agreed that the IBM proposal should not go in.")
IBM

ECMA script version 5 approved->

Submitted by systembug
systembug writes "After 10 years of waiting and some infighting, ECMA Script version 5 is finally out, approved by 19 of the 21 members of the ECMA Technical Committee 39. JSON is in, Intel and IBM dissented. IBM is obviously in disagreement with the decision against IEEE 754r, a floating point format for correct, but slow representation of decimal numbers, despite pleas by Yahoo's Douglas Crockford."
Link to Original Source
Role Playing (Games)

CCP Announces Console MMO Tie-In To the EVE Universe 89

Posted by Soulskill
from the ambitious-endeavours dept.
Hork_Monkey writes "CCP Games, developer of the popular MMO EVE Online, has announced a new game called Dust 514. Building on the EVE universe, this game will provide planetary combat from an RTS and FPS perspective, with significant impact into the space combat aspects of EVE Online. Love or hate EVE Online, this appears to be an innovative way to expand the overall universe by catering to a different gamer audience. A video with a trailer and further explanation was posted from GDC Europe."
Biotech

Would You Boost Your Own Brain Power?

Submitted by
Hugh Pickens
Hugh Pickens writes "There are several drugs on the market that improve memory, concentration, planning and reduce impulsive behavior and risky decision-making, and many more are being developed. Doctors already prescribe these drugs to treat cognitive disabilities and improve quality of life for patients with neuropsychiatric disorders and brain injury and cognitive-enhancing drugs are increasingly being used in non-medical situations such as shift work and by active military personnel. Although the appeal of pharmaceutical cognitive enhancers — to help one study longer, work more effectively or better manage everyday stresses — is understandable, potential users, both healthy and diseased, must consider the pros and cons of their choices. Read the story from Nature magazine on the ethical issues raised by the use of pharmaceutical cognitive enhancers and the questions raised on how the use of cognitive enhancers should be regulated in healthy people."
Math

Mathematicians solve the mystery of traffic jams->

Submitted by mlimber
mlimber writes "Do you ever find yourself in a traffic jam, thinking, "Man, there must be a bad accident up ahead," but as you plod along, you see no evidence of any crash? Some mathematicians have solved the mystery by developing a mathematical model that shows how one driver hitting the brakes a little too hard can cascade into a backup miles behind. The mathematicians' future research will investigate how automatic braking systems may alleviate the problem."
Link to Original Source
Biotech

Brain grown in jar pilots F-22 sim-> 5

Submitted by NJ Hewitt
NJ Hewitt writes ""Florida scientists have grown a brain in a petri dish and taught it to pilot an F-22 jet simulator." The brain, with neurons connected to 60 electrodes, at first had no ability to pilot the fighter jet, but slowly learned and can now reliably navigate through even hurricane-force winds in the simulator."
Link to Original Source
Education

US math teachers can't do math - MSU Study->

Submitted by
Uneducated Coward
Uneducated Coward writes "Middle school math teachers in the United States are not as well prepared to teach this subject compared to teachers in five other countries, something that could negatively affect the US as it continues to compete on an international scale, according to the findings of a new Michigan State University study, Mathematics Teaching in the 21st Century (MT21), presented today at a press conference at the National Press Club."
Link to Original Source

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