I was thinking the same with movies like 1984. I like how Ohm's mentions "Congressional inquiries" and there probably getting lobby money so this is allowed to continue, the things congress should be making the public aware of, or preventing, they say/do nothing until a company gets caught, and there's public outcry over it. Is it possible one man or a group of men/women to take and use this data in an attempt to take over a country in a cult like fashion, knowing peoples weaknesses, and how to "correct" minds they know will not conform? Look at the state of political split in the US and nobody seem to think for themselves, they almost never take a step back and see that they are all evil, not matter which party you believe has the best intentions, it is the same with religion, there is a religious cult like following behind all of it.

I have been using computers, and other technology since I was very young and adapted to using all of it right handed, I am left handed. I do use the stuff left handed as well, while leaving it configured for right hand use. Hockey I can shoot either way, and have the same power. Golf can only hit long drives right handed, and short drives left handed? Cannot figure out why that is exactly! Have trouble using a manual transmission? I did get to try driving a right side driver configuration, and had no problem shifting!

Just to remind you, drug industries, and other industries have been going after pot for years to keep it illegal. To think that these kinds of studies are not intentionally targeted for these industries, as well as the idiot law enforcement agencies that for some reason or another think pot is the worst possible drug ever known to man kind, is arrogant. I did read you said about more studies that should be conducted, however I would like to see them done by outside U.S. researchers , depending if they are independent or linked to helping the US in there propaganda. This study has been done time and time again, in the US among the Medical industry, and there has always been some ill will intention behind it, however there are still independent research groups within the US that have always found these claims to be false. Science should be takin in moderation not just worshiped, science has itself always had its own intentions in mind. I do accept science theories, and read into any study with moderation, not believing it entirely, because there is another study that comes out months later, or other factors that scientists were unaware of or did not take into account. These being teenagers there brains are still obviously developing, but there are several teenagers that have become influential adults through out history, who smoked during there teenage years. Im not attacking you, or science, but there is always something behind these studies to continue the anti-legalize machine, they should study the effects on teenagers that are abusing there parents, or grandparents prescription drugs you will probably get the same results, probably already did the same with tobacco and saw the same results. It would be much better if they did a pot, prescription drug (the ones popularly abused by teens), other popular street drugs (among teens) study at the same time, to see the overall results, that is the problem I have with this study!

"Groklaw make this verdict and verdict process sound hasty, ambiguous and probably the result of one man's (the foreman's) personal opinion of patents." Just by slashdotters alone that know about the patent system, they each make there own arguments or have different interpretations. Probably the same with people who claim to be, or have a degree on being experts when it comes to Patents!

Wikileaks maybe? The site has been known to report false things or to sensationalize other "reports" or postings, which is fine because it brings quicker awareness to an impending problem. But has far as Julian Assange, NO, the guy ripped off or stole others hard work and claimed he, himself, or his team did the work. I question a lot of the strange things he has been caught doing or has been rumored to do, but then again maybe with fame, like so many before him he obtained an over inflated ego. Maybe he does it to continue to draw attention to himself and Wkikleaks kind off a self promotion PR, hoping more people will stand up for him and his battles. But since the US was involved in Wikileaks Reports and knowing the US's history of going after people that have spoke up against it practices, gaining support from those who feel the same, the US has to shut him up. If he stayed low key, or disappeared from the public he may have been okay. It would not surprise anyone if the US seizes the site and shuts it down as well.

Boxers, would drink water laced with crushed asthma meds, for stamina. So it is possible to use anything in any type of form. I know that in this case people claim they witnessed him injecting himself, and that could be anything. It is also easy to mask or hide any drugs used when it comes to a testing, and that is the problem. The drugs makers are very good at keeping ahead of the tests, every time they add a new substance to the list, another comes out. Just stating other factors, I really do not care either way if he did anything and was good at hiding it, or if he was injecting a standard med for his health. And I really do not know what these competitions test for, other then the standard steroid substances found in blood work.

This reminds me of the fall out from punk rock while it was becoming popular in Britain, record companies started all kinds of propaganda to try and kill this music genre, based on the fact that a number of people were building "basement" or using small business buildings as studios since no major label wanted anything to do with this music. Since they could not stop it, they decided to buy out or threaten lawsuits to these smaller independent studios, and they effectively killed the momentum, and killing any chance they had to gain any money from the music. I expect some slashdotters to rip on punk, but the recording industry effectively would rather kill itself off as long as they also destroy any threats to there monopoly.

The first post of Bitcoin was about creating a credit/ATM card. The original story mentions MaterCard but this is to explain how widely used the card could become. This had nothing to do with actually cutting a deal with MaterCard from them to make the card or be involved in this project. Obviously they would not be involved because they cannot hoard the money to themselves. And they rates of the card from MaterCard fees would pretty much kill the idea. I questioned the idea of BitCoin creating a card becuase of other slashdot stories over there lack of security among other problems.

Star Trek had Genesis, this prompted scientist to ponder the possibilities of building such a device, I believe there are a few books on this (I have not read them tho), and I know there was a special on History or Discovery some years ago that talked about being able to build a device like this. They (they being the current genius minds, or scientists that were willing to explain how it is possible) claimed that the technology was here but there is a long problem solving list for scientist and researches to hammer out before it could be built let alone tested. I say knowing most on slashdot already know this!!! I have wondered if there are other earths out there could we find other humans, or find earths that are carbon copies of our own planets history, from the dinosaurs and up? Maybe they have not advanced to where we are at in technology and there is no way for them to signal back. I am pretty sure the reason NASA and other researchers/scientist come out with these reports is to keep others interested to aide in funding or gather more funding. Maybe inspire a new generation to find ways of building a Genesis device or even being able to build a Star Ship that would not require a hundred or so years to get to a planet near by.

Akin said prior to the quoted comment something to the effect of "from doctors I have talked too-- 'if it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try and shut that whole thing down" Akin and Ryan both are both (heavily) anti-abortion, they both co sponsored a bill that failed to pass the bill would have not including abortions for rape either forcible/non-forcible. How many of the Rapes involved in these studies or the one included in this article included attackers, that withdraw before ejaculation, wear a condom, or just the men simply do not have high enough sperm count, or defunct sperm (for various and maybe obvious reasons) to get a women pregnant. And take into account how many women may be using birth control, or were they at a point in there fertile cycle that prevented them from getting pregnant, I would also add they are claiming Two, types of rape forcible and non-forcible that too would need to be looked at closely. I would not discount the comment and I am interested to find out myself more about if this silly idea has any merit to it. The study mentioned in this article is where the people or person based his/hers dumb mathematics equations. Dumb because of the factors mentioned above that can explain why women that are raped do not get pregnant. But I bet Akin will refuse to name the Doctor (s) involved and I would love to see the Doctor (s) come forward who made this claim.

You make a point with those numbers ""(Population: about 7.5% that of the USA. Land area: about that of the 48 contiguous states)"" I would guess even tho this would seem far fetched, because of those differences companies are switching there pricing. In the US you have 100 out of 1000 people that buy a electronic, software or technology items, that obviously generates in more revenue in a short time, where in Aus, only 20 out of 1000 buy the same items, taking longer to make there projected revenues (bad example with the numbers to display what I am talking about) but you get the idea. Then again it more then likely companies are overcharge and taking advantage of AUS buyers based in part to there income, and the AUS government is allowing to occur..

I read some comments on Jury duty, It is almost impossible to find a Jury that can actually do what is asked of them. There is no doubt the Jurors will picks sides in a case, few people think for themselves to begin with in this country and now you want them to handle being a Juror? The 100 page instruction by the Judge is amusing, but your allowing both sides to come up with there own questions for the Jury to answer. With Samsung mentioning how Apple apparently stole others innovations, how much longer can Apple continue to go around suing other companies on insignificant patents, without some type of investigation on how they obtained or stole there ideas. Obviously it has been talked about endlessly by slashdot how horrible the Patent system is but someone needs to end this.

"I suspect being a former marine" the poster of this story should know that any active solider is held to a high standard of following and believing in there country. The FB posts do sound like something a shell shocked solider could say. One could argue that the discipline of the military does not allow these type of comments, even if he or she does not sound like they fell off there rocker. He probably talked about it outside of FB, strangers other Marines, friends, family and the press or military noticed he had a FB account. If this happens to more solders who do not refer to leading an invisible army, or going around with an axe, then I would get be concerned. But sensationalizing one incident and linking it to how various government agencies may monitor people on FB, is going a little to far. FB could have reported the comments or someone else did. There is no doubt that monitoring is going on, but name a social site that is not monitored or reporting users over speech that really is not of any concern, but this incident would be of concern..

To say it is anti-science is a stretch!! It is humorous to see Agribusinesses and food manufacturers forking out millions to try and buy off this proposition, while the consumer has the right to know what they are buying. It is on both the state and Agribusinesses and food manufacturers, to educate consumers (or the consumer should be able to educate themselves) on any pros-cons of Genetically Modified Foods! Of course Cali is flat broke and the argi, and food manufactures will bitch and moan that they are losing money to make consumers aware of the pros-cons, of course if such pros-cons exist they would withhold it from the public anyway.

You could have condensed that entire top 3rd review and left it at that (or condensed the entire review and comments). I remember playing Mario Bros for the first time when the Nintendo gaming system came out, and some of the other releases. The game is repetitive but there are some releases after the original that did spark my interest. It would take something like Robot Chickens version of mixing Mario Bros/Grand Theft Auto to spark any interest in playing another Mario game. They need to revamp the game, and add the type of high level graphics/realistic visuals you see in modern games today. I think it is a great series for youngsters to play, but I am spoiled by the violent chaotic games of today, I still play Mario bothers from time to time, it is still fun to go back to a simpler time. They beat the thing into the ground, while I understand there are die hard Mario fans that really do not want to bad mouth the game, and or tell Nintendo to move on and drop it completely they do in fact need to move on. They should stick to bringing a new Mario game every 7-10 years just for fun, but actually put more thought and creativity for a new experience.