Cheap, Safe, Patentless Cancer Drug Discovered 576

Posted by Zonk on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @02:41AM from the an-age-of-medical-marvels dept.

PyroMosh writes "The New Scientist is reporting that researchers working at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada have discovered that an existing drug called dichloroacetate (DCA) is effective in killing cancer cells, while leaving the host's healthy cells unharmed. DCA has already been used for years to treat metabolic disorders, and is known to be fairly safe. Sounds like great news, is it too good to be true? Why is the mainstream news media failing to report on this potential breakthrough? The University of Alberta and the Alberta Cancer Board have set up a site with more info, where you can also donate to support future clinical trials."

Restrictions On Social Sites Proposed In Georgia 349

Posted by kdawson on Monday January 29, 2007 @08:05PM from the shoulder-surfing dept.

A state senator in Georgia, Cecil Staton, has introduced a bill that would require parents' permission before kids could sign up at a social networking site such as MySpace and Facebook, and mandate that the sites let parents see all material their kids generate there. Quoting: "[Senate Bill 59] would make it illegal for the owner or operator of a social networking Web site to allow minors to create or maintain a Web page without parental permission [and require] parents or guardians to have access to their children's Web pages at all times. If owners or operators of a company failed to comply with the proposed law, they would be guilty of a misdemeanor on the first offense. A second offense would be a felony and could lead to imprisonment for between one and five years and a fine up to $50,000 or both." The recently offered MySpace parental tools fall short of the bill's requirements. This coverage from the Athens Banner-Herald quotes Facebook's CPO saying that federal law forbids the company to allow anyone but the account creator to access it..

Submission + - Version control for config files, scripts etc....

Submitted by TokyoCrusaders92 on Monday January 29, 2007 @07:46PM

TokyoCrusaders92 writes: Like a lot of other organizations (800 staff, 5000 students) we have a mix of windows, novell & linux...primarily linux...for our IT infrastructure. We now have a multitude of config files, firewall rule bases, shell scripts etc which are managed by multiple people / groups. Recently we started using RCS for version control of the firewall rulebase but this doesn't seem like it would scale up to larger groups of users. What are other people using to manage their config files....nice features would include version control, logging, multiple users, secure authentication, integrity checking...?

Hubble Telescope's Main Camera Shuts Down 131

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday January 29, 2007 @06:54PM from the always-on-the-fritz dept.

anthemaniac writes "Space.com is reporting that the aging observatory's primary camera, the ACS, has been in safe mode since the weekend. From the article: 'An initial investigation indicates the camera has stopped functioning, and the input power feed to its Side B electronics package has failed.' The camera has shut down before and been revived."

Microsoft to Get Tough on License Dodgers 564

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday January 29, 2007 @06:11PM from the ready-aim-fire dept.

An anonymous reader writes "PC Advisor reports that Microsoft is going to start getting tough with certain small business customers. They are going to examine their small customer license database — any discrepancies and it will call you for an audit. If you refuse it will send in the BSA and the legal heavies. "

Comment Re:For Babylon 5 (Score 1) 359

by sharlskdy on Thursday July 27, 2006 @03:00PM (#15793408) Attached to: Babylon 5 Coming Back?

LOST is the only thing that's come close, and even then they're making it up as they go along; at least season by season.

The fact that a little tidbit dropped in one episode, which seemed to be nothing and would pass right by, and then, two seasons later suddenly become relevant made the show a colossal 'eater of time' for me.