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Biotech

Submission + - Possible cure for autism

Submitted by Henry V .009
Henry V .009 writes: New Jersey scientists are claiming that children with autism are unable to metabolize key fatty acids which fight brain-damaging inflammations. They have already developed urine/blood tests to identify at risk children. A preventive cure to autism may be as simple as a 'therapeutic cocktail' of fatty acids.
Republicans

Submission + - Law requires ISPs to record all surfing activity

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: A bill introduced last week by Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) is beginning to raise eyebrows. (...) Under the guise of reducing child pornography, the SAFETY (Stopping Adults Facilitating the Exploitation of Today's Youth) Act is currently the gravest threat to digital privacy rights on the Internet. Given the increasing tendency of people, especially young people, to use the Internet as a primary means of communication, this measure would affect nearly all Americans in ways we are only beginning to understand. Also, given the fact that the Act requires all Internet Service Providers to record the web surfing activity of all Internet users, this amounts to the warrantless wiretapping of the entire Internet.
Supercomputing

Submission + - D-Wave Demonstrates First Quantum Computer

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "Canadian-based hardware company D-Wave gathered at the Computer History Museum on Tuesday to demonstrate the "16-qubit" Orion, the world's first commercially viable quantum computer. Orion is governed by an analog processor that uses quantum mechanics, unlike digital processing found in conventional computers. During the presentation, chief executive Herb Martin reassured the audience, most notably full of computer industry execs, that quantum computing will not replace its digital counterpart, but will indeed require it to run classic algorithms and do pre-processing. While quantum computing has been claimed to factor large numbers 10,000 times faster than digital computers, Orion was tasked to solve three relatively easy puzzles: search for molecular structures that match a pre-selected caffeine molecule, create a complicated wedding seating plan with stipulations about who could sit where, and finally successfully fill in various Sudoku puzzles."
Sci-Fi

Submission + - Flying Cars are here!

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: POINT ROBERTS, WASHINGTON — (MARKET WIRE) — 02/14/07 — Skyflyer Inc. the "Company") announced today that, subject to available financing, it is planning to commence construction of its prototype for the Skyflyer VTOL (vertical take-off and landing vehicle) within the next few months. The Skyflyer VTOL is a one to two-seater flying machine, designed to be piloted by members of the general public without the need for extensive training. This aircraft, designed by the Company, is expected to be usable in a variety of recreational and passenger applications. The current design contemplates that the Skyflyer will operate within an electronically and/or physically controlled airspace. Actual construction and testing of the initial prototype is expected to take approximately 6 months. The motor driven flying machine is expected to be able to take-off and land vertically, and its design gives it a spaceship-type look. The prototype is expected to have a diameter of approximately 4 m, with a height of 1.8 m, and a weight of approximately 700 kg. It is expected to have a rate of take-off of 0.1 m/s and a horizontal speed capability of 0 to 60 km/h. The general flight and control characteristics of the Skyflyer are expected to be somewhat similar to that of a helicopter. For safety reasons, the Company also expects to equip the Skyflyer with a GPS navigation system, remote controls enabling ground personnel to take control of the aircraft, and distance sensors. Subject to the Company obtaining financing in an amount sufficient to enable it to fund its development program, the first flight and data tests are expected to be conducted by the end of this year. In addition to its plans for the Skyflyer itself, the Company has been planning the development of a testing and demonstration facility to be located in Wegberg-Wildenrath, Germany. Subject to financing, the Company hopes to have this testing and demonstration facility operating in 2008. This planned facility will be used to test the flight characteristics of the Skyflyer, to simulate and control various flight plan concepts, and to optimize the system software for the Skyflyer and other equipment. The Company hopes that its Skyflyer VTOL aircraft will revolutionize the leisure and entertainment business. The Company believes that, as an attraction, the Skyflyer could surpass even giant indoor ski slopes and the most spectacular fairground ride. The Company hopes that the Skyflyer will be able to bring to reality humanity's dreams of flying personal aircraft.
Announcements

Submission + - D-Wave Demonstrates First Quantum Computer

Submitted by
peace2300
peace2300 writes: "http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2094849 ,00.asp On Tuesday, members of D-Wave Systems, a Vancouver-based hardware firm, gathered at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View to demonstrate what they claimed is the world's first commercially viable quantum computer: the "16-qubit" Orion. Touted as a systems-level "proof-of-concept" machine, the Orion uses a new type of analog processor that taps into quantum mechanics, rather than using the conventional physics associated with today's digital processing, to drive the computation. D-Wave maintained that its approach allows for the building of scalable processor architectures using many of the conventional processes and technologies employed in the semiconductor industry today. Furthermore, because Orion's processors are computationally equivalent to more standard devices, D-Wave says that any application can be developed for one type of quantum computer and then recast as an application for another. Full story here"
Software

Submission + - How much are the new DST rules costing you?

Submitted by vanyel
vanyel writes: As the new daylight savings time change date nears, we're having to go around and make sure all our computers and routers are updated with the new changes. It seems to me to be a lot of work for no good reason, and I'm wondering just how much our Posturing Leaders are costing us?
Censorship

Submission + - YouTube changes its story...BANS Gisburne forever

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: After deleting Nick Gisburne's account over a video YouTube claims was "Inappropriate Content" YouTube has now changed it's story and has deleted his new account claiming that the exact same video now violates a "Third Parties Copyright". There still exist some 50+ copies of this video that were posted in response to his that still exist on YouTube. Each of these were clearly posted as responses to the original.

To make things even more bizarre, several outspoken Christians (firefly515 and GlenReb) apparently launched a "flag and complain" campaign against Nick in an attempt to have him removed from YouTube. firefly515 has made a video gloating about getting NickGisburne2000 banned. After posting that video he received so much flack from the YouTube community as a whole that he made a video asking everyone to vote on whether or not he should delete all of his videos and his account.

The YouTube community has been left confused over what really happened here. Was the Christian campaign successful? Did the video actually violate the YouTube TOS for appropriate content? Did the video in fact violate copyright law as outlined in the DMCA?

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