Comment: But no mention of why (Score 5, Insightful) 659
I was surprised that in the article and in the linked survey article there was no mention of WHY a doc would want to restrict information.
Comment: The MEPs simply agree with the lobbyists (Score 1) 108
I know there are abuses, but simply agreeing with a lobbyists is nothing wrong. The MEP, it seems to me, has to think about businesses in Europe as well as individuals so there has to be a balance in the regulations. There could and should be lobbyists on both sides of an issue since all a lobbyists does is represent a group and bring their opinion to the decision makers. So here we have a business lobbyist convincing a conservative (pro business) MEP that the lobbyist's position has merit. Not a tough sell. Since US companies have a stake in the decision then their sharing their opinions is natural. If the MEP agrees with the lobbyists position then using their wording is no surprise.
So until someone starts talking about secret payments of some kind, all I see is someone being convinced.
Comment: My favorite traffic camera story (Score 1) 330
A driver in DC recently challenged a camera speeding ticket because the camera was set to flag drivers at 45 miles an hour when the construction zone speed limit was actually lower. He beat the ticket even though the camera was set to high, and he never denied that he was speeding. Oh, and did I mention that the guy is a cop who had recently been part of the automated traffic enforcement unit?
Comment: Re:It's the stigma (Score 1) 366
"Alpha children wear grey They work much harder than we do, because they're so frightfully clever.
I'm really awfuly glad I'm a Beta, because I don't work so hard."
+ - That link you just posted could cost you 300 Euros->
Submitted
by
Nate the greatest
Nate the greatest writes "Do you like to tweet or share links to interesting news articles? According to a coalition of Irish newspapers, that makes you a pirate. The National Newspapers of Ireland has adopted a new policy. Any website which links to one of the 15 NNI member newspapers will have to pay a minimum of 300 euros, with the license fee going up if you post more links.
Note that this is not a fee to post an excerpt or some punitive measure for the copying of an entire article. No, the NNI wants to charge for links like. It's almost as if this organization has no idea how the web works. Or maybe they have found an elaborate way to commit suicide."
Link to Original Source
Note that this is not a fee to post an excerpt or some punitive measure for the copying of an entire article. No, the NNI wants to charge for links like. It's almost as if this organization has no idea how the web works. Or maybe they have found an elaborate way to commit suicide."
Link to Original Source
+ - NASA plans to `lasso' asteroid and turn it into space station->
Submitted
by
SternisheFan
SternisheFan writes "Times of India reports: NASA scientists are planning to capture a 500 ton asteroid, relocate it and turn it into a space station for astronauts to refuel at on their way to Mars.
The 1.6bn-pound plan will be considered by the White House's Office of Science and technology in the coming weeks, as it prepares to set its space exploration agenda for the next decade, the Daily Mail reported. According to a report prepared by NASA and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) scientists, a, 'asteroid capture capsule' would be attached to an old Atlas V rocket and directed towards the asteroid between the earth and the moon. Once close, the asteroid capsule would release a 50ft diameter bag that wrap around the spinning rock using drawstrings. The craft would then turn on its thrusters, using an estimated 300kg of propellant, to stop the asteroid in its tracks and tow it into a gravitationally neutral spot. From here space explorers would have a stationary base from which to launch trips deeper into space. Though NASA declined to comment on the project, it is believed that technology would make it possible within 10-12 years.
The technology would also open up the possibility of mining other asteroids for their metals and minerals. Some are full of iron which could be used for in the making of new space stations, others are made up of water which could be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen to make fuel.
It is hoped that the project will increase our understanding of asteroids, and even shed new light on the origin of life on Earth.
You can download the pdf from Caltech's site here:
http://www.caltech.edu/search/sites/asteroids%20nasa#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=asteroids%20nasa&gsc.page=1"
Link to Original Source
The 1.6bn-pound plan will be considered by the White House's Office of Science and technology in the coming weeks, as it prepares to set its space exploration agenda for the next decade, the Daily Mail reported. According to a report prepared by NASA and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) scientists, a, 'asteroid capture capsule' would be attached to an old Atlas V rocket and directed towards the asteroid between the earth and the moon. Once close, the asteroid capsule would release a 50ft diameter bag that wrap around the spinning rock using drawstrings. The craft would then turn on its thrusters, using an estimated 300kg of propellant, to stop the asteroid in its tracks and tow it into a gravitationally neutral spot. From here space explorers would have a stationary base from which to launch trips deeper into space. Though NASA declined to comment on the project, it is believed that technology would make it possible within 10-12 years.
The technology would also open up the possibility of mining other asteroids for their metals and minerals. Some are full of iron which could be used for in the making of new space stations, others are made up of water which could be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen to make fuel.
It is hoped that the project will increase our understanding of asteroids, and even shed new light on the origin of life on Earth.
You can download the pdf from Caltech's site here:
http://www.caltech.edu/search/sites/asteroids%20nasa#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=asteroids%20nasa&gsc.page=1"
Link to Original Source
+ - World's Oldest Wooden Water Wells Discovered
Submitted
by
Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes "Researchers have discovered four wooden water wells in the Greater Leipzig region, Germany, which are believed to be the oldest known timber constructions in the world. A team of experts led by Willy Tegel and Dr. Dietrich Hakelberg from the Institute of Forest Growth of the University of Freiburg, Germany, uncovered the wells built during the early Neolithic period between the years 5206 and 5098 B.C."
+ - Gory images, videos posted on website are art, jury decides->
Submitted
by
Maow
Maow writes "The website was part of a personal project by [Remy] Couture designed to raise the bar of his make-up and special- effects work. Couture, who is self-taught, sought to bring a psychopathic killer character of his own making to life.
Couture described it as a sort of "fake diary of a serial killer," complete with his own universe inspired by horror movies and literature. But there was no victim in the case — all of the works were staged with willing actresses and a combination of fake blood, latex and silicone to create lifelike, horrific images.
The trial heard that Interpol received a complaint in 2006 from a user in Austria. The scenes were deemed so realistic that a pathologist in Europe couldn't rule out that a homicide had actually been committed. Montreal police began their investigation in early 2009.
Police officers who testified had doubts that Couture's work was real homicide, but still engaged in an elaborate sting operation with police posing as clients looking to do a gory photo shoot around Halloween.
"My objective was to create horror, plain and simple," Couture told the court.
It seems one cannot fault the police for the initial investigation, since we've now seen a Montreal snuff film posted on-line become the first indication of (an infamous murder)."
Link to Original Source
Couture described it as a sort of "fake diary of a serial killer," complete with his own universe inspired by horror movies and literature. But there was no victim in the case — all of the works were staged with willing actresses and a combination of fake blood, latex and silicone to create lifelike, horrific images.
The trial heard that Interpol received a complaint in 2006 from a user in Austria. The scenes were deemed so realistic that a pathologist in Europe couldn't rule out that a homicide had actually been committed. Montreal police began their investigation in early 2009.
Police officers who testified had doubts that Couture's work was real homicide, but still engaged in an elaborate sting operation with police posing as clients looking to do a gory photo shoot around Halloween.
"My objective was to create horror, plain and simple," Couture told the court.
It seems one cannot fault the police for the initial investigation, since we've now seen a Montreal snuff film posted on-line become the first indication of (an infamous murder)."
Link to Original Source
Comment: Re:Bull Shit. (Score 2) 470
This is bull shit. You cannot escape the laws of thermodynamics.
If you eat more calories than you burn, you get fat.
If you burn more calories than you eat, you get skinny.
It isn't that simple. I eat whatever I want and don't workout much and I haven't been able to gain weight ever in my life, and I have tried. I lived off of fast food lunches for several years when I was single but for some reason my body doesn't respond to the calories. I don't have high cholesterol or high BP and the doc says I am healthy - just skinny. I have met several people like me, and others that I know that (if they ate what I ate) would balloon up rather quickly.
Comment: Re:Buzzwords (Score 1) 57
I have been a full-time independent Crystal Reports consultant since 1995. I have helped hundreds of customers improve their business with nothing more than a copy of Crystal Reports and (if needed) a third party tool for scheduling or Email delivery or end user viewing. None of my clients would have a use for these 'full stack' BI tools. They may be free but the cost in time to implement them and even to understand what they do is not free. I have found that $450 for a copy of Crystal and maybe a few hundred for some extra tools can make a huge difference to people who are managing small businesses with spreadsheets. I am still waiting for a better combination to come along but haven't found one. Of course, I might be a bit biased.
Comment: Re:No. (Score 1) 376
I wouldn't call these 'my' standards or arbitrary. I think the qualities I listed are pretty universal concepts, if not self evident. Can you suggest any improvements?
Also, maybe it isn't as objective as a tape measure, but I think what I have written allows us to be less subjective and compare works in ways that are somewhat measurable, and beyond our personal preferences.
Comment: Thomas Edison State College (NJ) (Score 3, Interesting) 368
When I decided that my music degree wasn't going to give me the career I wanted, I decided to get an accounting degree. I used Thomas Edison State College in NJ which is regionally accredited but was all non-resident at that time. I was able to use CLEP, ACT, and other similar tests to test out of 75 accounting and business credits over 2 years. TESC combined those with my liberal arts credits from my music degree to award my accounting degree. When I went to Trenton State for graduate study I was prepared to explain my degree, but I didn't need to. The admissions person said that they had very good luck with Thomas Edison grads because they knew how to study on their own.
Comment: And if they promise the impossible? (Score 2) 386
And if unions convince a corrupt or incompetent legislature to make impossible promises? A corporation that did that would just go bankrupt and start over and the promise would have to be adjusted. This does happen. I think states have to have a similar option.
Comment: Five qualities of great art (Score 2) 376
Here are what I consider the 5 qualities of great art:
Powerful – It has an affect on your mind and emotions and is compelling.
Accessible – The affect it has on you is worth the effort you put into appreciating it.
Elevating - When it moves you, it moves you toward personal growth.
Universal – It can move people from different cultures and different time periods.
Perennial - It has the same power the second and third time you experience it.
This link explains it in more detail:
http://www.kensken.com/archives/52
Comment: Re:No. (Score 1) 376
What you or I like is subjective.
But what makes art great has somewhat criteria beyond personal preferences, as I wrote up here: