Comment iPAD + Papers (Score 1) 254
iPad, in combination with the app Papers, is an excellent portable platform for reading scientific PDFs.
Comment Don Henley's take (Score 1) 243
The New York Times has an interview with Don Henley of the Eagles on this matter. Here is a delicious quote, right at the end, when Don was asked how he thought revocation would affect recording companies:
I don’t know. The recording industry is already in trouble and this probably wouldn’t help it any. If the recording industry had been more fair, historically speaking, to both artists and consumers, it might be looked upon a little more kindly. But the labels are sleeping in a bed of their own making.
Doctor Slams Hospital's "Please" Policy 572
Apple Removes Wi-Fi Finders From App Store 461
Dying Man Shares Unseen Challenger Video 266
Submission + - Sherlock Holmes and the copyright tangle (nytimes.com) 2
Comment Change of heart (Score 3, Informative) 646
Sounds like Gawronski had a change of heart. On Sunday he was quoted in the New York Times saying:
"I'd like to live in a perfect world where I own this content and can do whatever I want with it," said Justin Gawronski, a high school student whose copy of "1984" was erased by Amazon, but who recently declined when a lawyer asked him to join a class-action lawsuit over the incident. Mr. Gawronski said, "This is probably going to happen again and we just have to learn to live with it."
(emphasis added)
Comment Re:Good News For Once (Score 1) 195
Yeah, unfortunately our three branches system lacks an entity charged with removing laws with no effect.
You don't need a "fourth body" for this. You need to pass a "sunset law" that basically says, "all laws which have not been used [by some standard to be decided] within a given time period [say 20 years] are null and void unless specifically re-approved"
Comment Re:Hooray (Score 4, Informative) 129
Before you get too excited, be aware that the rejection was primarily due to the absence of several government-party members of parliament. The government intends to re-present the bill after the easter recess, and presumably will make sure that all its members of parliament show up. At that point, the law will presumably be approved.
The government cannot re-present the exact same bill, however, so they'll have to make at least a few changes.