Comment Double standard (Score -1) 1160
Why is it not perceived as intolerant to not tolerate those who are intolerant of religion?
Comment The true Desktop PC will live forever (Score 0) 625
The Desktop PCs that our parents bought from Dell that cost around $300 and are mainly used to check e-mail and surf the web (basically all it can do anyway) are dead.
It just no longer makes sense for the average consumer to own such a large device to do such simple computing.
My step-dad recently told me he uses his Galaxy S3 in place of his desktop...
Comment A little late? (Score 0) 361
This article would have made sense to me ten years ago but today I feel like Spotify and Grooveshark (streaming audio) is the new radio.
Spotify only streams at 160kbps for non-subscribers using the Ogg Vorbis format:
q3 (~96 kbps) mobile
q5 (~160 kbps) desktop non-paid
q9 (~320 kbps) desktop pay service
And you never know what Grooveshark is going to give you.
I personally can't detect a huge difference above 160kbps and for the sake of my own collection, I used to rip at 190kbps and only 320kbps if it was an artist I absolutely loved to blow my speakers out too. Even then, my ears and sound system couldn't capture the difference.
I don't really see the problem, as bandwidth and memory costs continually drop it only seems natural that we'll migrate to higher bit-rates, especially with the prevalence of so many high-end headphones lately. I would be surprised if Spotify free fully utilizes Beats headphones and don't get me started about people using Beats to stream Pandora at 96kbps...
Spotify only streams at 160kbps for non-subscribers using the Ogg Vorbis format:
q3 (~96 kbps) mobile
q5 (~160 kbps) desktop non-paid
q9 (~320 kbps) desktop pay service
And you never know what Grooveshark is going to give you.
I personally can't detect a huge difference above 160kbps and for the sake of my own collection, I used to rip at 190kbps and only 320kbps if it was an artist I absolutely loved to blow my speakers out too. Even then, my ears and sound system couldn't capture the difference.
I don't really see the problem, as bandwidth and memory costs continually drop it only seems natural that we'll migrate to higher bit-rates, especially with the prevalence of so many high-end headphones lately. I would be surprised if Spotify free fully utilizes Beats headphones and don't get me started about people using Beats to stream Pandora at 96kbps...
Comment Re:Batshit Crazy! (Score 0) 680
I can't believe that Islamic attempts are this inconsistent and will always contend that 9/11 was not purely initiated by outside Islamic forces.
Also, nothing has changed in regard to the Cold War threat of nuclear war except a direct confrontation with Soviet Russia is much less likely at this time. The threat of nuclear fallout destroying the planet is still here plus we have the added benefit of religious radicals in third world countries blowing shit up at every chance they get.
Also, nothing has changed in regard to the Cold War threat of nuclear war except a direct confrontation with Soviet Russia is much less likely at this time. The threat of nuclear fallout destroying the planet is still here plus we have the added benefit of religious radicals in third world countries blowing shit up at every chance they get.
Comment Overgeneralized (Score 0) 1
You cannot keep people from being stupid.
A more useful statistic would be the increase in collateral deaths i.e. drivers going the speed limit or under being hit by speeding drivers.
If you're goal is to risk death and you end up dying in the process, I don't see why anyone should stop you, that's just survival of the fittest, but we should limit collateral damage.
A more useful statistic would be the increase in collateral deaths i.e. drivers going the speed limit or under being hit by speeding drivers.
If you're goal is to risk death and you end up dying in the process, I don't see why anyone should stop you, that's just survival of the fittest, but we should limit collateral damage.
Comment Why such controversy over a non-empirical topic? (Score 0) 1
Why not tell students the whole story:
1. Here are some examples of evolution, i.e. whale, horse etc. Scientists believe these to be explanations for the origin and progression of biological life.
2. Here is the concept of creationism from a generic religious perspective
Note: There are numerous hybrid theories that fall all along the lines between these two theories.
None of the above can be empirically confirmed. Believe whatever suites you the best.
Happy Occam's Razor.
1. Here are some examples of evolution, i.e. whale, horse etc. Scientists believe these to be explanations for the origin and progression of biological life.
2. Here is the concept of creationism from a generic religious perspective
Note: There are numerous hybrid theories that fall all along the lines between these two theories.
None of the above can be empirically confirmed. Believe whatever suites you the best.
Happy Occam's Razor.
Comment Re:COM and Backwards-compatible Interoperable APIs (Score 0) 2
"Does there exist, anywhere in the GNU/Linux world, a similar system to COM and Objective-C that is then used to set up APIs that are maintained even if Hell Freezes Over? the answer to this is a resounding NO, and that's the crux of the problem.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Submission + - FBI launches $1 billion nationwide facial recognition system (extremetech.com)
MrSeb writes: "The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has begun rolling out its new $1 billion biometric Next Generation Identification (NGI) system. In essence, NGI is a nationwide database of mugshots, iris scans, DNA records, voice samples, and other biometrics, that will help the FBI identify and catch criminals — but it is how this biometric data is captured, through a nationwide network of cameras and photo databases, that is raising the eyebrows of privacy advocates. Until now, the FBI relied on IAFIS, a national fingerprint database that has long been due an overhaul. Over the last few months, the FBI has been pilot testing a facial recognition system, which will soon be scaled up until it's nationwide. In theory, this should result in much faster positive identifications of criminals and fewer unsolved cases. The problem is, the FBI hasn't guaranteed that the NGI will only use photos of known criminals. There may come a time when the NGI is filled with as many photos as possible, from as many sources as possible, of as many people as possible — criminal or otherwise. Imagine if the NGI had full access to every driving license and passport photo in the country — and DNA records kept by doctors, and iris scans kept by businesses. The FBI’s NGI, if the right checks and balances aren’t in place, could very easily become a tool that decimates civilian privacy and freedom."
Submission + - Samsung: Android's Multitouch Not as Good as Apple's (itworld.com)
itwbennett writes: "Hoping to avoid a sales ban in the Netherlands, Samsung has said that Android's multitouch software doesn't work as well as Apple's. Samsung lawyer Bas Berghuis van Woortman said that while Apple's technology is a 'very nice invention,' the Android system is harder for developers to use. Arguing the bizarre counterpoint, Apple's lawyer Theo Blomme told judge Peter Blok, that the Android multitouch isn't inferior and does so infringe on Apple's patent: 'They suggest that they have a lesser solution, but that is simply not true,' said Blomme."
Submission + - Rhombus Tech A10 EOMA-68 CPU Card schematics completed (rhombus-tech.net)
lkcl writes: "Rhombus Tech's first CPU Card is nearing completion and availability: the schematics have been completed by Wits-Tech. Although it appears strange to be using a 1ghz Cortex A8 for the first CPU Card, not only is the mass-volume price of the A10 lower than other offerings; not only does the A10 classify as "good enough" (in combination with 1gb of RAM); but Allwinner Tech is one of the very rare China-based SoC companies willing to collaborate with Software (Libre) developers without an enforced (GPL-violating) NDA in place. Overall, it's the very first step in the right direction for collaboration between Software (Libre) developers and mass-volume PRC Factories. There will be more (faster, better) EOMA-68 CPU Cards: this one is just the first."
Submission + - Windows Phone 8 SDK - By Appointment Only (i-programmer.info)
mikejuk writes: Developers worried about the changes that might be waiting for them in the new Windows Phone 8 API are going to have to wait even longer to find out. Microsoft has just announced that the SDK will be available soon, but only to the developers it approves.
If you already have a published app, then you can apply to be part of the program but the announcement says:
"But I do want to set your expectations that program access will be limited."
The public SDK will be made available "later this year" which is behind the time table that developers were led to expect.
As you can imagine, the developer community, judging by the comment stream, is less than happy.
What makes this whole strange development even more strange, is that the announcement was made on the day Nokia previewed a range of WP8 devices.
The Nokia launch got most of the publicity, so perhaps the idea was that a little negative news wouldn't be noticed.
The real question is, why the limited availability?
Is there some dark secret lurking in the SDK?
If you already have a published app, then you can apply to be part of the program but the announcement says:
"But I do want to set your expectations that program access will be limited."
The public SDK will be made available "later this year" which is behind the time table that developers were led to expect.
As you can imagine, the developer community, judging by the comment stream, is less than happy.
What makes this whole strange development even more strange, is that the announcement was made on the day Nokia previewed a range of WP8 devices.
The Nokia launch got most of the publicity, so perhaps the idea was that a little negative news wouldn't be noticed.
The real question is, why the limited availability?
Is there some dark secret lurking in the SDK?
Submission + - How Would You Fix the Linux Desktop? (itworld.com) 2
itwbennett writes: "Slashdot readers are familiar with the Torvalds/de Icaza slugfest over 'the lack of development in Linux desktop initiatives.' The problem with the Linux desktop boils down to this: We need more apps, and that means making it easier for developers to build them, says Brian Proffitt. 'It's easy to point at solutions like the Linux Standard Base, but that dog won't hunt, possibly because it's not in the commercial vendors' interests to create true cross-distro compatibility. United Linux or a similar consortium probably won't work, for the same reasons,' says Proffitt. So, we put it to the Slashdot community: How would you fix the Linux desktop?"
Submission + - It's Easy To Steal Identities (Of Corporations) (itworld.com)
jfruh writes: "Two lawyers in Houston were able to exploit business filing systems to seize control of dormant publicly traded corporations — and then profit by pushing their worthless stock. In many states, anyone can change important information about a publicly registered company — including the corporate officers or company contact information — without any confirmation that they have anything to do with the company in the first place. Massachusetts requires a password to do this through the state registry's website, but they'll give you the password if you call and ask for it. Long focused on individual ID theft, state governments are finally beginning to realize that corporate ID theft is a huge problem as well."
Submission + - Mt Fuji may be close to erupting (wired.co.uk)
SpuriousLogic writes: The pressure in Mount Fuji's magma chamber is now higher than it was in 1707, the last time the nearly 4,000-metre-high Japanese volcano erupted, causing volcanologists to speculate that a disaster is imminent.
The new readings, taken by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, reveal that the pressure is at 1.6 megapascals, nearly 16 times the 0.1 megapascals it takes to trigger an eruption.
This, lead volcanologist on the case Eisuke Fujita told Kyodo News, is "not a small figure".
Researchers have speculated for some time that the volcano, located on Honshu Island 100km southwest of Tokyo, is overdue an eruption. In 2000 and 2001 a series of low-frequency earthquakes were recorded beneath the volcano, leading to widespread predictions of an imminent blow. Since the March 2011 tsunami and the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that followed four days later, Japan has been on tenterhooks, and in May 2012 a professor from Ryukyu University warned that a massive eruption within three years would be likely because of several major factors: steam and gases are being emitted from the crater, water eruptions are occurring nearby, massive holes emitting hot natural gases are appearing in the vicinity and finally, the warning sign that pushed the professor to make the announcement, a 34km-long fault was found underneath the volcano. The fault, experts suggested, could indicate a total collapse of the mountainside if there is another significant shift, and it would probably cause a collapse in the event of an eruption, leading to huge mud and landslides.
The new readings prove that the localised tectonic shifts of 2011 have indeed put immense pressure on the magma chamber, but the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention has qualified its warning by noting that pressure is just one contributory factor to an eruption. The 1707 quake, however, was itself caused by a recent earthquake that amped up the pressure in its magma chamber.
"It's possible for Mount Fuji to erupt even several years after the March 2011 earthquake, therefore we need to be careful about the development," a representative said.
A 2004 government report originally estimated that an eruption would cost the country £19.6 billion. However, new studies are underway by Honshu Island's Shizuoka prefectural government. The study is focussing on the potential damage that would be caused by a series of simultaneous earthquakes in the Tokai, Tonankai and Nankai regions located along the Nankai Trough, where it is feared another earthquake will soon take place. The most recent models have revealed that, in the worst-case scenario, 323,000 people would die and the tremors could trigger an eruption at Mount Fuji.
Regions that would be affected, including Kanagawa, Yamanashi and Shizuoka, plan to hold a test run of an evacuation by 2014, with a meeting of local governments covering progress of the plans and of shelter preparations slated for April 2013.
The new readings, taken by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, reveal that the pressure is at 1.6 megapascals, nearly 16 times the 0.1 megapascals it takes to trigger an eruption.
This, lead volcanologist on the case Eisuke Fujita told Kyodo News, is "not a small figure".
Researchers have speculated for some time that the volcano, located on Honshu Island 100km southwest of Tokyo, is overdue an eruption. In 2000 and 2001 a series of low-frequency earthquakes were recorded beneath the volcano, leading to widespread predictions of an imminent blow. Since the March 2011 tsunami and the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that followed four days later, Japan has been on tenterhooks, and in May 2012 a professor from Ryukyu University warned that a massive eruption within three years would be likely because of several major factors: steam and gases are being emitted from the crater, water eruptions are occurring nearby, massive holes emitting hot natural gases are appearing in the vicinity and finally, the warning sign that pushed the professor to make the announcement, a 34km-long fault was found underneath the volcano. The fault, experts suggested, could indicate a total collapse of the mountainside if there is another significant shift, and it would probably cause a collapse in the event of an eruption, leading to huge mud and landslides.
The new readings prove that the localised tectonic shifts of 2011 have indeed put immense pressure on the magma chamber, but the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention has qualified its warning by noting that pressure is just one contributory factor to an eruption. The 1707 quake, however, was itself caused by a recent earthquake that amped up the pressure in its magma chamber.
"It's possible for Mount Fuji to erupt even several years after the March 2011 earthquake, therefore we need to be careful about the development," a representative said.
A 2004 government report originally estimated that an eruption would cost the country £19.6 billion. However, new studies are underway by Honshu Island's Shizuoka prefectural government. The study is focussing on the potential damage that would be caused by a series of simultaneous earthquakes in the Tokai, Tonankai and Nankai regions located along the Nankai Trough, where it is feared another earthquake will soon take place. The most recent models have revealed that, in the worst-case scenario, 323,000 people would die and the tremors could trigger an eruption at Mount Fuji.
Regions that would be affected, including Kanagawa, Yamanashi and Shizuoka, plan to hold a test run of an evacuation by 2014, with a meeting of local governments covering progress of the plans and of shelter preparations slated for April 2013.
Submission + - Texas Opens Fastest US Highway With 85 Mph Limit 1
Hugh Pickens writes writes: "Most highways in the US top out at 75 mph while some highways in rural West Texas and Utah have 80 mph speed limits but all that is about to change as Texas opens a stretch of highway with the highest speed limit in the country, giving eager drivers a chance to rip through a trip between two of the state’s largest metropolitan areas at 85 mph for a 41-mile toll road between Austin and San Antonio. “I would love it,” says Austin resident Alan Guckian. “Sometimes it’s fun to just open it up.” But while some drivers will want to test their horsepower and radar detectors, others are asking if safety is taking a backseat as a 2009 report in the American Journal of Public Health found that more than 12,500 deaths were attributable to increases in speed limits on all kinds of roads and that that rural highways showed a 9.1 percent increase in fatalities on roads where speed limits were raised. “If you’re looking at an 85 mph speed limit, we could possibly see drivers going 95 up to 100 miles per hour,” says Sandra Helin, president of the Southwestern Insurance Information Service. “When you get to those speeds, your accidents are going to be a lot worse. You’re going to have a lot more fatalities.""
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