ThousandStars - Slashdot User

Submission + - James Cameron's Avatar and Neal Stephenson (jseliger.com)

Submitted by ThousandStars on Monday December 28, 2009 @01:14AM

ThousandStars writes: "The anti-technological aspect [in James Cameron's Avatar] is strange because the movie is among most technically sophisticated ever: it uses a crazy 2D and 3D camera, harnesses the most advanced computer animation techniques imaginable, and has apparently improved the state-of-the-art when it comes to cinema. But Avatar’s story argues that technology is bad. Humans destroyed their home world through environmental disaster and use military might to annihilate the locals and steal their resources." The question is two-fold: why have a technically sophisticated, anti-technical movie, and why are we drawn to it? Part of the answer lies in Neal Stephen's Turn On, Tune In, Veg Out.

Submission + - The New Nukes (wsj.com)

Submitted by

ThousandStars

on Tuesday September 08, 2009 @02:28AM

ThousandStars writes: "The Wall Street Journal reports that momentum for nuclear energy is waxing: "For the first time in decades, popular opinion is on the industry's side. A majority of Americans thinks nuclear power, which emits virtually no carbon dioxide, is a safe and effective way to battle climate change, according to recent polls. At the same time, legislators are showing renewed interest in nuclear as they hunt for ways to slash greenhouse-gas emissions.""

Submission + - You're Not Going to be a Pro Blogger (seliger.com)

Submitted by

ThousandStars

on Wednesday June 17, 2009 @11:04AM

ThousandStars writes: "Contrary to what the specious Wall Street Journal article Early Transition to Blog Pro says, You're Not Going to be a Professional Blogger argues that not that many people can make money through web advertising. The WSJ article "doesn't discuss how people actually use their blogs to make money, which is by selling ancillary services.""

Submission + - The perils of pop philosophy (juliansanchez.com)

Submitted by

ThousandStars

on Monday June 01, 2009 @06:42PM

ThousandStars writes: "Julian Sanchez wrote a brilliant post on some 'Perils of pop philosophy, including this bit: 'This brings us around to some of my longstanding ambivalence about blogging and journalism more generally. On the one hand, while it's probably not enormously important whether most people have a handle on the mind-body problem, a democracy can't make ethics and political philosophy the exclusive province of cloistered academics. On the other hand, I look at the online public sphere and too often tend to find myself thinking: "Discourse at this level can't possibly accomplish anything beyond giving people some simulation of justification for what they wanted to believe in the first place." This is, needless to say, not a problem limited to philosophy.'"

Submission + - High-Tech Start-Ups Put Down Roots in New Soil (wsj.com)

Submitted by

ThousandStars

on Tuesday May 26, 2009 @01:55AM

ThousandStars writes: "In "High-Tech Start-Ups Put Down Roots in New Soil," The Wall Street Journal says that "High-tech start-ups are increasingly setting up shop in places previously not known for attracting high-tech firms. A number of cities, such as Kalamazoo, Mich., and Toledo, Ohio, are offering grant money and tax breaks to high-tech start-ups, just as the usual venture-capital hot spots, such as Silicon Valley and Boston, continue to see a pullback in venture lending.""

Submission + - How Apple Could Survive Without Steve Jobs (wsj.com)

Submitted by

ThousandStars

on Thursday December 18, 2008 @02:22AM

ThousandStars writes: "The Wall Street Journal asks How Apple Could Survive Without Steve Jobs: "Speculation about the continued reign of Mr. Jobs — which has popped up from time to time since his 2004 treatment for cancer — underscore how closely Apple's fashion-setting products are identified with its co-founder.""

Submission + - Microsoft battles Linux in Africa (wsj.com)

Submitted by

ThousandStars

on Tuesday October 28, 2008 @10:07AM

ThousandStars writes: "According to the Wall Street Journal, Micorsoft has been making a concerted effort to promote Windows in Africa, pushing Windows over Linux in very poor countries that haven't been locked into a single operating system. From the article: "To that end, it has established a presence in 13 countries, donated Windows for thousands of school computers, and funded programs for entrepreneurs and the young. It also has used aggressive business tactics, some aimed at its biggest threat in the region: Linux...""

Submission + - Product Review of the Unicomp Customizer Keyboard (wordpress.com)

Submitted by

ThousandStars

on Thursday May 29, 2008 @02:02AM

ThousandStars writes: "I wrote a review of the Unicomp Customizer Keyboard, which is a modern version of the IBM and then Lexmark Model M much beloved by nerds and hackers. The pros of the Customizer: it's sturdy, remarkably similar to the Model M, has great tech support, and uses a USB interface. Oh, and it's Mac-friendly. The cons: at $69 it's somewhat expensive and its noise won't be music to your cubemate's ears."

Submission + - Supreme Court May Consider Microsoft v. AT&T

Submitted by ThousandStars on Sunday October 01, 2006 @01:20PM

ThousandStars writes: SCOTUSBlog posted about the potential for the Supreme Court to review whether an organization can get around software patents by completing the work in other countries. This case has huge implications for OSS projects with coders in the U.S., as it may inhibit, among other things, the ability of American coders to contribute to projects that violate U.S. software patents.

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