Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×
Power

Submission + - New reactor to recycle nuclear waste

Submitted by w42w42
w42w42 writes: This article details a $405-million DOE project to develop a process that can use what is now considered nuclear waste to generate electricity. It is supposed to "...transform nuclear leftovers into fuel for a new breed of reactors. The new reactor/fuel combo, GNEP officials say, could produce up to 100 times as much energy as conventional reactors and could generate 40 percent less waste"
Networking

Submission + - A full VoIP PBX in a USB memory stick

Submitted by RogerMo
RogerMo writes: Looks like VoIP has a new form factor with a business bundling an asterisk deployment into a live-USB linux memory stick. From the site: " The VoIP TelePort is a voice over IP business phone system built into the form factor of a USB memory stick. This exciting new product brings the power and features of an expensive enterprise PBX into a small handheld USB memory stick. Plug-in the VoIP TelePort into any modern desktop, laptop or server with a USB port and you will have a full VoIP phone system."
Education

Submission + - Encouraging Students to Drop Mathematics

Submitted by
Coryoth
Coryoth writes: "The BBC is reporting that students in the UK are being encouraged to drop math at the senior levels. It seems that schools are seeking to boost their standing on league tables by encouraging students not to take "hard" subjects like mathematics, in favour of easier subjects in which they are assured good grades. The result is Universities being forced to provide remedial math classes for science students who haven't done math for two years. The BBC provides a comparison between Chinese and UK university entrance tests — a comparison that makes the UK look woefully behind. Is the UK slipping behind in science education?"
Education

Submission + - Drop Math to Make Your School Look Good

Submitted by
Coryoth
Coryoth writes: "The BBC is reporting on accusations that UK students are being encouraged to drop mathematics and other "hard" courses so that schools can look better on league tables. Instead students are encouraged to take what are percieved to be easier courses in which they can earn better grades, and hence raise the school's standings. In response UK Universities are having to provide remedial math courses for the incoming science students who have not taken upper level math courses at high school."
Real Time Strategy (Games)

Submission + - New Tom Clancy Franchise Announced

Submitted by
everything_X3N
everything_X3N writes: "Gamasutra has announced EndWar, a new game in the Tom Clancy franchise. EndWar is set sometime in the future and is based on a World War III scenario. Interestingly, the game will not be a tactical shooter or stealth action game like the other Tom Clancy series Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. EndWar will be a strategy game, although it is uncertain whether it will be Real-Time Strategy. The creative designer of Rome: Total War, Michael de Plater, is leading the project. This might lead some gamers to wonder whether EndWar will be similar to a modern combat 'Total War' game?"
The Internet

Submission + - Uk considering Cyber Crime Site

Submitted by Hennell
Hennell writes: Attempting to keep up with technology and technology related crimes is obviously a hard task, and whilst big companies can use the legal system if caught out, the average person doesn't always seem to have much methods for help. The UK's House of Lord's Science and Technology select committee, are considering a website where people can report incidents of cyber-crime.

From the article:
"One of the problems is that people who, for example, have been the victim of an eBay scam tend to think how stupid they were and that there is no point in going to police. If you were mugged you would be sure to go straight to the police," he said.
"In the UK, people are being told to go to their bank first. We are not sure that is right. These are crimes and the police should be equipped to deal with them," Lord Broers said.
Privacy

Submission + - Recording Industry vs The People

Submitted by Dimentox
Dimentox writes: The RIAA and Ms. Andersen have finally squared off over the counterclaims in Atlantic v. Andersen in Oregon, with the RIAA moving to dismiss Ms. Andersen's counterclaims. Ms. Andersen has interposed counterclaims for Electronic Trespass, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, Invasion of Privacy, Fraud, Negligent Misrepresentation, the tort of Outrage, Deceptive Business Practices under Oregon Trade Practices Act, and the Oregon RICO statute. The RIAA has moved to dismiss the counterclaims. Ms. Andersen opposes the RIAA's motion. More at http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/
Announcements

Submission + - Patent Reform Legislation Hits The U.S. Congress

Submitted by mrneutron2004
mrneutron2004 writes: Finally, someone on Capital Hill woke up and noticed how utterly absurd modern patent law. Abuse of patent law has spiraled out of control in the digital age, with many companies being taken to the cleaners for significantly huge sums over what we feel are extremely vague patents. Two congressmen from both parties have begun forcing through legislation to significantly cap patent infringement awards. Let's hope that alongside this potentially positive development, the U.S. Judiciary will get involved in self-education. As large an issue is a judiciary that fundamentally doesn't understand technology, and the absurdly vague patents and suits thereof that cycle through our legal system. http://www.fastsilicon.com/latest-news/patent-refo rm-legislation-hits-the-u.s.-congress.html?Itemid= 60
Space

Submission + - NASA to Test Portable Robot Surgeon

Submitted by NasaBolt
NasaBolt writes: Doctors and scientists from the University of Washington will get a glimpse of what it would be like to do remote surgery in space when a portable medical robot they created will be tested next month in an underwater environment designed by NASA to simulate zero gravity.
Censorship

Submission + - SCO Chairman Fights to Ban Open Wireless Networks

Submitted by
cachedout
cachedout writes: "SCO's Ralph Yarro had the floor yesterday at the Utah Technology Commission meeting in front of Utah lawmakers. Yarro proposed that free wireless sites and subscribers should be held responsible should any porn be delivered to minors because hotspots are apparently where kids go to watch porn all day long. Yarro told lawmakers that open wireless access points should be made a crime because we have an Internet out of control."
Censorship

Submission + - Canadian MP Calls For ISP Licenses, Content Blocks

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: A member of Canada's ruling Conservative party has pledged to "clean up" the Internet with new bill that would mandate ISP licensing, know-your-subscriber rules, and allow the government to order ISPs to block content. ISPs that fail to block would faces possible jail time for the company's directors and officers.
Space

Submission + - Lyrid meteors no moon this weekend

Submitted by
mdsolar
mdsolar writes: "If you want to take a chance on the Lyrid Meteor Shower you should be looking this weekend. This shower is usually a quiet one but can result is spactacular displays from time to time. Sky and Telescope http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/meteors/33 05866.html has this to say:

In 1982 the rate unexpectedly reached 90 for a single hour, and 180 to 300 for a few minutes. A brief outburst of 100 per hour was also seen in 1922. And on April 20, 1803, residents of Richmond, Virginia, upon being rousted out of bed by a fire bell, were startled to see great numbers of meteors in all parts of the sky.
http://www.earthsky.org/article/49561/who-should-w atch-the-lyrid-meteor-shower gives viewing times as the very early hours of Sunday and Monday morning. The Moon will have set by then."
Yahoo!

Submission + - Yahoo sued over jailing of Chinese dissident

Submitted by
David Gerard
David Gerard writes: "The World Organization for Human Rights USA has just filed a federal lawsuit against Yahoo over the company's decision to release dissident e-mails to the Chinese government. Alleging that Yahoo's actions were directly responsible for Wang Xiaoning's detention, abuse, and current 10-year prison sentence, the group claims that Yahoo is liable under both the Alien Tort Statue and the Torture Victim Protection Act."
Patents

Submission + - Microsoft/Samsung Ink Patent Deal

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: As part of an ongoing effort to secure more patent cross-licensing deals, Microsoft said Wednesday that it has signed a pact with Korea's Samsung Electronics. As with Microsoft's recent deal with Fuji Xerox, the software maker specifically notes that the deal will allow Samsung to offer products using Linux without concern that Microsoft will sue it or its customers. More info here

Slashdot Top Deals

To do nothing is to be nothing.

Close