You have a point. But, as the article, I do not refer to the kind of activities you mention. I also spend a lot of time reading information about new technologies and learning on the computer, I work on the IT sector.
In my comment above I refer to activities such as:
* chat
* facebook
* fotologs
* online/offline gaming
* porno

among other pointless activities..

In my opinion, this has a direct impact on education of young people.
I think that, for education to be successful, it's required a period of assimilation of knowledge which depends on the amount of time spent in thinking (thinking requires ourselves to be unplugged, of course).
I've observed that less time is spent on watching around us and wondering how things work, in opposition to dozens of years ago. This issue has direct incidence on the way we act in our lives.
It's interesting to see how, in general, middle education has experienced a significant downgrade while we're proud of "progress". In my opinion, technology and consumerism have to be taken with care. Nowadays we're experiencing an excess of technology; why? mainly due to consumerism, I believe. We are overwhelmed by so many things we tend to forget about simple/important things.
I'm not saying technology is bad!! I'm saying technology must be used with measure.
On the other hand, I think the problem of "youth plugged in most of the day" is intimately related to education received by each young man at home.

In summary and in general, I think there's an excessive use of technology.

I agree with you, Shakrai.

What I mean is that profit cannot be present as in other companies, where besides the cost of services and assets the owner of the company expects to earn something.
What I propose is to find a way to remove that higher level which is expecting health care services to be profitable, when the sole purpose of those services is to cure people. Currently, you pay in a period-basis for health care and insurance; part of that money you pay goes to doctors/nurses/employees and other part goes to a bank account of some corporation (as profit). In my opinion, that part which goes to the corporation should be used to improve services.
I hope you understand my point. Thanks for your comment.

In my opinion, the problem comes from the idea of "doing business" with healthcare.
Doctors, nurses, and employees must be paid for their services, no arguing about that. But there must be another way to provide healthcare (paying the bills, of course, but getting something in exchange).
The government forces us to pay for insurance and healthcare services in a monthly basis. Nevertheless, the moment you really need to get medical attention you must pay again and in advance (as if you don't pay every month). You MUST go to the cash desk before the doctor can see what injuries you have. Of course, if you have the need to see a specialist (in most cases) you have to wait from 1 to 3-4 months before he/she has time.
Again, profit cannot be present in a place where the most important thing is to cure people. Somehow this points to the State as the entity responsible for providing healthcare.

Going back to the topic, this issue (violation of privacy by the FBI, CIA, NSA, etc) has been discussed a million times, and it will be discussed again, until some actions take place from the government. It's interesting, however, the way arguments change during time but the modus operandi is exactly the same. Hippies, communists, nazis, terrorists, drug dealers, pornographers, blacks, yellows, greens, blues.. There will always be an excuse to do whatever they want.
I wonder what is worse, how US people live freedom or how they think freedom should be lived.

I agree with you. Donations are BY FAR cheaper than any contract with a corporation. Of course, support service has its price, one has to pay for the services received.
Besides, those contracts between the State and corporations ALMOST ALWAYS lead to corruption, which in turn leads to more and more money spent on bureaucracy.
This is, indeed, the biggest problem open source has: there is no fee for politicians, which means there is less possibility of corruption in between due to the lack of corporations willing to contribute in exchange of contracts.

Nevertheless, I think open source software will continue its growth as these last years. I'm on favor of open source software and its way of doing business.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126145280820801177.html
They wouldn't find an elephant in a two-meter square room.
It seems they're hiding info, self interests implicated maybe?

Apparently those tens of millions of dollars would have been on holiday somewhere around Cayman Islands, hehehe!

On the other hand, I've found no mention in WSJ article to child pornography. Where did that come from? It only rests to say these thieves are terrorists and are supposed to be linked to al-qaeda.

At least is much less than the amount that was paid to rescue US banks during the last crisis by US people.

It's quite straightforward, man. They discover a mathematical pattern that can be used to kill more enemies(a.k.a. people)

Now, THAT'S USEFUL! (if you can't see the irony you're blind)

I think the instantaneous question after this report was published would be: Why in hell money is spent in such a pointless research? (pointless for people who pay the research, of course). Aren't there more important or necessary thing to spend the money?
Anyway, more of the same..

I agree!
I've been working for about 6 years in the IT market, and have seen many companies. I really don't think there exist gender issues in the IT market, apart from specific cases.

I think someone is looking for problems where there there are none!!
Besides, WHY has to be as many women as men in the IT industry? It's completely pointless. If you are a woman/man and want to work in the IT business I think you have equal chances.
Using the criteria this article proposes, one could say Kindergarden industry discriminates men, because it's proven that more than 99% of kindergarden teachers are women (at least in my country). In fact, it's rare to find a kindergarden teacher man. We (men) can say the same about:
* Hairdresser's shop
* Manicures/pedicures
* Baby sitters
* Clothes Stores
* Perfume Stores
* House keeping and other employment services
* Secretaries / Executive Secretaries
* Human Resources

..among many others, which is in fact stupid.
If you cannot develop yourself in the industry you want then complain, otherwise "GET-A-LIFE"! In my humble opinion, IT industry does not discriminate genders.

You're right, man! Maybe if an embargo takes place over them and they're isolated from the world for, let say, 50 years they'd finally understand that the US are the good boys.. (because they're evil and therefore they deserve it like all other evil countries). Oops, I am a bit late.. embargo already took place XD

Shakrai, I don't know if I'm right, but I think you definitively are not correct. You're suggesting that the US should """help""" other countries because those countries would not be able to overthrow their dictatorships.. as usual: how kind of them.
Of course, let forget some MINOR issues such as Honduras, where everything is ok with the "new government". And, of course don't ever mention the chaos that the US has contributed to in Latin America during last 100 years.
In my humble opinion, things would be a bit better if the US takes its hands off Cuba and let them work on their own country. But that's just me..

I fully and strongly agree with you!
WHO would be the head of such an organization? WHO/Which country will decide what to do and which are the rules? (of course the answer to that is implicit nowadays..)

Such an organization could be the first step, being the second to suppress the rights to privacy (of course, in order to find who are breaking the law among many other things..). Because if that organization is created, WHO will be able to stand against them if they decide to override the right to privacy? The answer is quite straightforward: NO-BO-DY.
It's simply UNACCEPTABLE!
A Global Cyber Police Force would be a Dictatorship.

I agree.
There's nothing like and old-fashion kick in the ass to show them the way. =P
I think instead of doing a research on why are virtual worlds bad for minors they should put the money on finding why are minors allowed to do so.

A couple of years ago it was used to give money to children, so they could go to the cibercafe and bother someone else. Now happens the same at home, some parents give their children whatever they want not to be bothered (not to take their responsibilities, I'd rather say..).
Then, when that child does something wrong they just find someone to blame (government, school, bad friends, anybody but them)

Education is the key, for both parents and children; specially for parents, who should educate their children.

Hey, young fellow! Don't worry about Windows 7 problems! M$ is now working on Windows 8 to solve older Windows problems. Just wait for Windows 8! =P

Despite the serious failures Windows has, it's a bit naive to believe ALL malware would be neutralized on Windows 7 (or any other OS, to be fair), considering ALL previous Windows releases.

On the other hand, this kind of problems (black/blue screens, and stuff) have always been characteristic of Windows. If you don't like it use another OS, or stop complaining about this on each Windows release.

In summary, this problem is more of the same..