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Google

Submission + - Google Hides Katrina Images, Senate Asks Why

Submitted by
Schue
Schue writes: "A Congressional subcommittee is calling upon Google Inc. to explain why it was "airbrushing history" by replacing post-Hurricane Katrina satellite imagery on its popular map portal. Swapping the post-Katrina images, which showed the damage that remains more than a year after the storm, for others showing an idyllic city has fueled suspicions among many locals. Citing an Associated Press report on Thursday, the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight asked Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt to elucidate why his company is using the outdated imagery. Official request here: http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/File/Admi nLetters/miller_google_katrina_maps07mar30.pdf"
The Internet

Submission + - Your Slashdot postings may lead to your next job

Submitted by
flatfilsoc
flatfilsoc writes: "Your postings to Slashdot and other technical forums may improve your marketability for an IT position according to a COMPUTERWORLD article, Web anonymity can sink your job search

The article suggests that IT professionals who are anonymous on the web may hurt their job search opportunities. In today’s job market, turning up missing on the Web may not be a fatal flaw ... But over time, the lack of a Web presence — particularly for IT professionals — may well turn from a neutral to a negative. [According to one recruiter,] ' if someone came looking for a senior-level job and had left no mark on the Internet, I’d see that as a big negative,' he says. And it’s not just about technology, Bray says. 'Most companies would rather have somebody who has demonstrated the propensity to contribute, and one [sign] of that is going out and getting involved, joining in the discussion.' [Another recruiter adds,] “someone who has no information online might be perceived as not being as tech-savvy as someone else.” The article offers tips for IT professionals to make themselves more findable on the Web."
Announcements

Submission + - Ethanol-blended fuel doesn't help the environment

Submitted by jon_anderson_ca
jon_anderson_ca writes: The CBC is reporting on an Environment Canada study that yielded surprising results: running your car with 10% ethanol fuel does not reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a statistically significant way.

So much for saving the atmosphere and keeping your SUV.
HP

Submission + - HP clarifies warranty under Linux

Submitted by cvoltz
cvoltz writes: As expected, the furor over HP's response was not justified. Installing Linux on your HP computer does not void your hardware warranty. The support agent made a mistake, which as been corrected. HP clarified their support statement:

HP is committed to supporting its customers and backs its PCs with a solid hardware warranty regardless of the operating system.

If a customer alters a product and a problem develops as a result of that change, then the problem (which is not a result of a defect in workmanship) would not be covered under the warranty. In the case at hand, if the problem was the physical keys on the notebook beginning to stick, the operating system change would not have been the culprit and, therefore, would be covered under the customer's warranty.

We are also taking steps to ensure support agents are clear on this policy so this issue does not recur.

Joe followed up his original story with this one: http://enterprise.linux.com/enterprise/07/03/30/19 9253.shtml?tid=7&tid=3.
Television

Submission + - Sanctuary...the New Reality of television...

Submitted by
Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward writes: "There is a new project originating in Vancouver B.C. to produce the first ever direct to audience/direct to internet television show. Its called Sanctuary. http://www.sanctuaryforall.com/ It will be made avialable in the highest quality HD and will follow the one hour drama form, currently in use by most sci-fi series (Battlestar Galactica, SG-1, The X-Files, etc.). The point being that its very hard to sell science fiction television to the networks (especially in the US) because the bulk of the sci-fi viewers record and watch later...which doesn't count for purposes of television ratings since this means these folks are missing the adverts. The point of Sanctuary is to cut out the middle man and bring the production directly to the viewer via the internet which the sci-fi group tends to be using 24/7 anyway. They are also attempting to buck the trend of layer digital media with all sorts of prohibitive rights management junk by making the content available as open as possible to be used as openly as possible. Nothing will prevent you from burning the video...copying it to your ipod...recording it to VCR tape, etc etc etc. So check it out...its being produced by Stage3Media. http://www.stage3media.com/"
Microsoft

Submission + - Windows Vista restricts GNU GCC apps to 32 MB

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Thomas R. Nicely reports that images compiled with GCC or DJGPP on Vista without employing the Win32 API cannot allocate more than 32MB of memory. The same problem does not appear on Windows 98 or Windows XP.

No mention was made or guess offered as to what would motivate Microsoft to make this restriction.

Will this affect applications that you distribute?
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - Former MPAA Chief Valenti Suffers Stroke

Submitted by clonehappy
clonehappy writes: Broadcsting & Cable is reporting that former MPAA boss Jack Valenti has suffered a stroke, and is recovering in a Maryland hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery, but it makes you wonder if his related organizations will look at suing stroke victims any differently nowadays?
Intel

Submission + - Intel cheap laptop exposed

Submitted by
Jorge Freitas
Jorge Freitas writes: "Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo publish on a blog a full featured photo gallery of the Intel Classmate PC, a copy-cat project of MIT's "$100 Laptop". The pics. shows interesting things, like the writing recognition system, the flash-memory based hardware and a anti-thief software. See more at www.folhasp.com.br/circuitointegrado"
Movies

Submission + - Jack Valenti suffers stroke

Submitted by OTDR
OTDR writes: OK, maybe this is not purely technical in nature but CNN just posted this news story that long-time MPAA mouth Jack Valenti has been hospitalized following a stroke. Too bad this has happened to the person and not the organization.
Movies

Submission + - Jack Valenti has a stroke

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: According to CNN , Jack Valenti, the former head of the MPAA and the driving force behind most of the MPAA's current lawsuit friendly policy has suffered a stroke.
Linux Business

Submission + - HP: Load Linux, Lose Waranty

Submitted by
darkonc
darkonc writes: "Currently highlighted on Groklaw's newsbytes is an article on linux.com about a woman who bought a Compaq laptop and loaded Ubuntu on it. When, some time later, the keyboard started acting up she called the Compaq for warranty repairs..
"Sorry, we do not honor our hardware warranty when you run Linux." she was told. Even an HP PR rep was unable to "do the right thing" when given a couple of weeks to work on it. It looks like HP could be an especially bad vendor for people hoping to avoid Microsoft's Monopoly Tax on arbitrary machines."

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