chennes - Slashdot User

Submission + - space shuttle cabin leak (yahoo.com)

Submitted by dnormant on Tuesday July 31, 2007 @05:01PM

dnormant writes: A week before Space Shuttle Endeavour's planned liftoff, NASA was analyzing a cabin leak in the space shuttle Tuesday. The leak was detected over the weekend. NASA thought it fixed the problem by tightening a loose bolt, but testing Monday night confirmed air was still escaping from the crew cabin, said NASA spokeswoman Tracy Young.

Submission + - Censoring our Beloved Cartoons (wired.com)

Submitted by

Luxifer

on Tuesday July 31, 2007 @12:38PM

Luxifer writes: "We all know that shows like the Simpsons and Family guy are screened before they get to air, I am sometimes amazed at what gets past the censors. But what about our childrens' cartoons? Shows like The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and Casper's Scare School? Wired has a story about the writers of these shows and the hoops that they have to jump through just to entertain our kiddies. One show requires that the script is approved by 47 people before it's approved. Another show considers the word 'beseech' to be blasphemous. Personally, I think as long as you're not trying to show Horton Hires a Ho, or Bi-Curious George, you should let the writers have their creative reign. The Flintstones had a lot of content that kids wouldn't get, that's what made it fun for the adults to watch it with their kids."

Submission + - Open source laser pointer whole building graffiti

Submitted by GAATTC on Tuesday July 31, 2007 @09:32AM

GAATTC writes: A 60mW laser pointer, camera, laptop, and a 5000 lumen projector are tied together with some open source code to produce the best whole building interactive graffiti ever. A bicycle mounted system consiting of a camera connected to a laptop tracks a laser pointer signal on the side of buildings. A connected projector projects what is drawn in real time with a variety of effects, like the tools available in Photoshop. What a great way to get your political message across without running the risk of getting arrested for property damage.

Submission + - OpenOffice.org to fully support PDF editing

Submitted by Juan Rey on Tuesday July 31, 2007 @07:49AM

Juan Rey writes: According to Kai Ahrens' blog, Sun OOo Graphics development team is working in order to get a native import filter into OpenOffice.org.

Development is advanced and a prototype is on the way.

Submission + - U. of C. Requiring PowerPoint for Admission

Submitted by

theodp

on Tuesday July 31, 2007 @12:06AM

theodp writes: "The University of Chicago, one of the world's top business schools, will require prospective students to submit a four-page PowerPoint with their applications beginning this fall. 'In four slides or less,' MBA candidates are asked to 'please provide readers with content that captures who you are.' Holy Tufte, Batman!"

Submission + - Neural "extention chord" developed

Submitted by moon_monkey on Tuesday January 23, 2007 @09:04AM

moon_monkey writes: Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a 'neural extention chord' by growing neurons attached to a microchip. The chord is made by gradually moving two batches of neurons apart, as they naturally grow towards one another. This biological 'data cable' could then naturally interface with the brain once implanted, the researchers say.

Submission + - Could a white-on-black Google save power?

Submitted by

Kris_J

on Tuesday January 23, 2007 @08:06AM

Kris_J writes: "Rising Phoenix Design's BlackBack theory says that since white costs more power to display than black on a CRT, web pages should be light text on a dark background. One idea then is that since Google is the most popular website on the planet, would there be a significant global power usage reduction if they changed their design to white text on a black background? At the very least, I reckon they should try it for three days and find out."

Submission + - Aerial Dogfight: Google vs. Microsoft

Submitted by femto on Monday January 22, 2007 @10:57PM

femto writes: This Friday, Australia Day, it will be Google vs. Microsoft in a dogfight over Sydney, Australia. Google will be flying a plane, taking aerial photographs at 600 metres. The resulting photographs will be the basis for a trial of the most detailed Google Map pictures to date. Microsoft's simultaneous effort, using a satellite and aeroplanes, is part of a competition. There is no word yet on whether these images will find their way into Microsoft Virtual Earth Both companies are encouraging people to get out on the street, put on a show and be photographed.

Submission + - How many earthlings have studied calculus?

Submitted by OceanBarb on Monday January 22, 2007 @05:49PM

OceanBarb writes: Talking about fall semester grades got me to thinking....if you pass calculus, or linear algebra, or combinatorics, or differential equations at the college level, how many other Earthlings alive today are likely to have accomplished the same achievement? How many who are no longer alive? How different will the number be in ten or fifty or one hundred years?

Submission + - Stargate Movies Begin Filming April 15th

Submitted by

VE3OGG

on Thursday December 21, 2006 @10:25AM

VE3OGG writes: "Well, even with the hit Sci-Fi show Stargate SG-1 coming to a close after a mind-boggling 10 seasons, the cast is ramping up for another major production: the first of two Stargate movies, the first of which is set to begin filming, according to IGN, on April 15th, 2007. According to Michael Shanks, the first will wrap up the Ori storyline, while the second will be a time-traveling adventure revolving around Ba'al. Who else is getting a sinking feeling?"

Submission + - Horizontal Jetpack Flight

Submitted by aureliusm on Thursday December 21, 2006 @03:23AM

aureliusm writes: Every nerds dream just came to life. Yves Rossy from Switzerland on 10th of December, became the first person to gain altitude and maintain a stable, horizontal flight using the kerosene powered jetpack. The event didn't receive much coverage though. I caught a glimpse of the video yesterday on Euronews and that was it. Not even Slashdot reported anything on it. You can see a video of the flight on his site. (in French)

Submission + - Follow up to InvSqrt() story

Submitted by on Thursday December 21, 2006 @02:29AM

An anonymous reader writes: Beyond 3d has posted a follow up to the InvSqrt() story here:
http://www.beyond3d.com/articles/fastinvsqrt2

Slashdot ran a link to the original story December 1:
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/0 1/184205&from=rss

Submission + - Shuttle possibly to land in New Mexico.

Submitted by

2443W

on Thursday December 21, 2006 @01:08AM

2443W writes: "Newscientists reports that due to a forecast of bad weather in both California and Florida NASA is readying the landing site at White Sands New Mexico for a possible landing there. A landing has only been done at White Sands once before, with STS-3 in 1982. In addition to the problems presented in transferring the orbiter back to Florida landing at White Sands also presents the problem of gypsum dust which can contaminate thermal tiles and foul equipment."

Submission + - Should changing grades ruin your future?

Submitted by

Neutari

on Thursday December 21, 2006 @12:41AM

Neutari writes: "From the Miami herald

The president of the senior class at Cooper City High School was arrested Tuesday on charges that he used passwords he found to break into the school district computer system and change grades. Ryan Shrouder, 18, faces two counts of a computer crime with intent to defraud, a second-degree felony after his arrest at school. He was released from the Broward County Jail after posting $5,000 bond. Each count is punishable by five years in prison.

"Investigators said he made the changes with his laptop, which was issued to him by the school district for his role as an alternate student advisor to the Broward School Board. Shrouder found a list of district log-ons, user names and passwords on the desk of a school computer technology specialist in October, according to the BSO report."

Recently, he was voted "most likely to become president" of the United States. And even more recently, he was arrested and charged with breaking into the school district's computer system and changing the grades of 19 students.

Yup, his classmates were right. This kid looks as if he's ready for a career in politics after all."

Submission + - EBay's Bid to Go Beyond Auctions Disappoints

Submitted by

Carl Bialik from WSJ

on Wednesday December 20, 2006 @08:01PM

Carl Bialik from WSJ writes: "eBay is having trouble attracting online shoppers with its new fixed-price sales site, the Wall Street Journal reports. From the article: 'Jonathan Garriss, executive director of the Professional eBay Sellers Alliance, an independent group of eBay sellers, estimates eBay Express accounts for less than 1% of sales for the group's more than 1,000 members, who together sell more than $1 billion a year in merchandise. And while eBay's main auction site attracted more consumer visits than any other online retailer in November, eBay Express was at No. 87 on the list of top shopping and classified sites, according to research firm Hitwise Pty. Ltd.'"

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