Comment Re:Who cares about the length? (Score 1) 554
I think the main point of it was
RIAA: "Hey, We're going to give the judge a huge book of useless material that means NOTHING!
NYCL: "I can one up you at that, and have"
Comment Legality? (Score 1) 695
Wouldn't this be illegal?
I remember a while ago NVIDIA had two models of graphics cards, One would work average and the other would go super-superfast. The difference between the two (apart from about $1,900) was that the super-superfast card and the normal card had the same hardware chip by chip, but the slower card had a line of code on firmware that said "Don't go faster then X speed"
Isn't this the exact same scenario? "Don't open more then 3 programs"?
Submission + - Brazilian Pirates Hijack US MIlitary Satellites (radioreference.com)
blantonl writes: "This article in Wired explains how Brazilians all over the country are using modified amateur radio equipment to communicate with each other using US Military communications satellites — effectively creating their own CB radio network on the backs of the US Military. Recent efforts to crack down have resulted in arrests of some of the users, however the behavior still continues today."
Submission + - Google Latitude helps catch robber
linuxwrangler writes: Janina Valiente was robbed by a purse snatcher while waiting for a bus in San Francisco. But she remembered that she had recently downloaded Google Latitude as a joke so she and her sisters could "stalk each other". Using a bystander's phone, she called her sister who told her the phone was at Fell and Ashbury which is exactly where police located and arrested the robber.
Submission + - Lose Your Amazon Account And Your Kindle Dies (mobileread.com)
Mike writes: "If you buy a Kindle and some Kindle ebooks from Amazon, be careful of returning items. Amazon decided that one person had returned too many things, so they suspended his Amazon account, which meant that he could no longer buy any Kindle books, and any Kindle subscriptions he's paid for stop working. After some phone calls, Amazon granted him a one-time exception and reactivated his account again. How many people know that when you buy a Kindle, you are really buying a service, and that service can be turned off at a whim? Is it reasonable that the Kindle is so closely tethered to Amazon this way, and that they can invalidate purchases made after the fact?"
Submission + - Digg backs down on DiggBar (pcpro.co.uk)
Barence writes: "Social news website Digg.com has made key changes to its recently introduced DiggBar. The browser add-on had been much criticised for its use of frames to "host" third-party websites within the digg.com domain using an obfuscating short URL, thereby boosting its own traffic figures to the detriment of those third parties. After many major sites ran negative articles on the DiggBar, and even changed their code to block it, Digg has relented and announced two changes to ease concerns."
Submission + - The end of tax-free internet shopping?
Mordok-DestroyerOfWo writes: If a little-known but influential alliance of state politicians, large retailers, and tax collectors have their way, the days of tax-free Internet shopping may be nearly over.
A bill expected to be introduced in the U.S. Congress as early as Monday would rewrite the ground rules for mail order and Internet sales by eliminating what its supporters view as a "loophole" that, in many cases, allows Americans to shop over the Internet without paying sales taxes.
Link
Comment My chemistry is old but... (Score 1, Insightful) 64
Isn't it obvious if a molecule is a cylinder cage, and you take out a line... it makes a flat surface?
Submission + - Florida Announces World's First Solar-Powered City (inhabitat.com)
Mike writes: "The sunny state of Florida just announced that they will begin construction this year on the world's first solar-powered city. A collaboration between Florida Power & Light and development firm Kitson & Partners, the 17,000 acre city will generate all of its electrical needs via a 75 megawatt, $300 million solar-powered generator. The city will also use smart grid technology to manage its power and allow all inhabitants of the community to monitor their energy consumption."
Submission + - SPAM: Human Ear Could Be Next Biometric System
narramissic writes: "A team of researchers at the University of Southampton, UK, has received funding from the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, to learn whether otoacoustic emissions (OAE), the ear-generated sounds that emanate from within the spiral-shaped cochlea in the inner ear, can be used as a viable biometric technology like fingerprints and IRIS recognition. According to a report in New Scientist, someday instead of asking for passwords or pin numbers, a call center or bank would simply use a device on their telephone to produce a brief series of clicks in the recipients ear to confirm the person is who they say they are."
Link to Original Source
Link to Original Source
Submission + - Energy Secretary Chu endorses "clean coal" (wsj.com)
DesScorp writes: "The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Energy Secretary Steven Chu is endorsing "clean coal" technology and research, and is taking a pragmatic approach to coal as an energy supply. ""It absolutely is worthwhile to invest in carbon capture and storage because we are not in a vacuum," Mr. Chu told reporters Tuesday following an appearance at an Energy Information Administration conference. "Even if the United States or Europe turns its back on coal, India and China will not," he said. Mr. Chu added that "quite frankly I doubt if the United States will turn its back on coal. We are generating over 50% of our electrical energy from coal."" The United States has the worlds largest reserves of coal. Secretary Chu has reversed his positions on coal and nuclear power, previously opposing them, and once calling coal "My worst nightmare"."
Submission + - Visualizing data inside the 30-ft Allosphere (ted.com)
TEDChris writes: "The Allosphere, being created at USC Santa Barbara, is the most ambitious attempt yet at creating powerful 3d visualizations of raw scientific data, such as the structure of a crystal, or how quantum effects take place. Researchers watch from a bridge inside the 30 ft sphere, looking at data projected 360-degrees around them and listening to 3D sound. The first major public demo of the facility has just been posted at TED.com. Optimists wd argue that many of the greatest scientific breakthroughs happened through a new visual way of imagining data. Penicillin and relativity come to mind. So this is either a killer new research vehicle, an incredible toy, or just an insanely expensive art project."
Submission + - Online Storage for Lawyers
alharaka writes: "I have a relative that has been a lawyer for over two decades. In passing conversation, he revealed to me that he has a great deal of his data stored on floppies. Naturally, as an IT guy, I lost it on him, telling him that a one-dimensional storage strategy of floppies was unacceptable. If he lost those files, his clients would be enraged. Since I do not know much about online data storage for lawyers, I read a few articles I found on Google. A lot of people appear to recommend CoreVault, since a few bar associations, including Oklahoma, officially endorsed them. That is not enough for me. Do any Slashdotters have info on this topic? Do you have any companies you would recommend for online data storage specifically for lawyers? As a lawyer with recognition in NJ, NY, CA, and DC, are there any rules and regulations you know of regarding such online storage he must comply with? I know IT and not law. I am aware this is not a forum for legal advice, but do any IT professionals who work for law firms know about such rules and regulations?"
Submission + - New Data Center Will Heat Homes in London (datacenterknowledge.com)
1sockchuck writes: "The heat generated by thousands of servers at the new Telehouse West data center in London will soon be used to heat nearby houses and businesses. The Greater London Authority has approved a plan in which waste heat from the colocation facility will be used in a district heat network for the local Docklands community. The project is expected to produce up to nine megawatts of power for the local community."
Submission + - Jack Thompson Spams Senate, CAN-SPAM Act Invoked (senatesite.com)
eldavojohn writes: Yesterday, GamePolitics ran an interesting story about the Utah Senate President threatening Jack Thompson with the CAN-SPAM Act. You might recall Utah being Jack's last hope and hold out after being disbarred in Florida and more or less made a mockery of everywhere else. Well, from Utah's Senate Site, we get the picture of what Jack is up to now: spamming his last friends on the planet. The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting on Senate President Michael Waddoups' statements: "I asked you before to remove me from your mailing list. I supported your bill but because of the harassment will not again. If I am not removed, I will turn you over to the AG for legal action." The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Waddoups confirmed on Tuesday that he would attempt to pursue legal action under the federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 against Jack Thompson.
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