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Comment Re:Liers lie: that's why they're called "liars" (Score 1) 112

No, what I said was that the average person cannot tell the difference. When anyone can find any "peer-reviewed" paper to back up their point of view, it becomes impossible for the average person to know what the truth is. Does eating chocolate lead to long life? How about drinking whiskey? I can find such papers if I wanted... and they will be peer-reviewed.

Comment Re:This is no surprise (Score 1) 112

Certainly post factum you can make this argument. However, it is clear that at least ARJ https://arjonline.org/, which published this paper bills itself as a peer-reviewed source of information. "We provide an ample range of standard articles that are published after a rigorous peer-review process by expert Editorial board and reviewer’s team. We do not compromise on unbiased performance and quality output from our part as we give utmost importance to quality of research and innovation."

The challenge is that as long as there exists "peer-reviewed" sources that are not peer-reviewed, the door remains open to question all peer-reviewed sources. The layman has no way to distinguish "real" scientific journal from "fake" ones. This leads to "Alternative facts" and "Fake News" and confusion about what science is really finding.

Comment Re:Privacy Badger (Score 1) 194

I don't know what is doing it on my Chrome browser (I have Privacy Badger), but the fingerprint website gave me a bunch of security warnings. (b.scorecardresearch.com, was blocked by Badger. However, I got this message (Your browser fingerprint appears to be unique among the 4,312,880 tested so far.) So it seems to at least pop warnings.However, checking Whitehouse.gov, I got a bunch of *.addthis* sights that where set to green/open in Privacy Badger. I turned them to blocked and refreshed the site seemed to work fine.

Submission + - A new form of tracking (kuleuven.be)

bnortman writes: The article at https://securehomes.esat.kuleu... discusses a new form of user fingerprinting and tracking for the internet using HTML 5 Canvas features. I'm assuming this need to draw and image and then send that image back to the source site. Can an added in for a browser detect this logic in the java scripts and stop it from sending?

Comment Re:Bad Ruling (Score 1) 433

So, does this mean if my Garmin GPS connects wirelessly to the cell network, that I am guilty under this law if I use it? What is the difference between turn by turn directions on my smart phone (not allowed by the ruling) vs a GPS device (Still allowed)? When is a device "an electronic wireless communications device" or not? And how will the average citizen know the difference?

Comment "We wont track you off campus - Promise!" (Score 1) 412

This reminds me of the school district who gave every student a laptop with a built-in camera that they could turn on remotely. They promised never to use it when students were off campus... Except they did: http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/02/23/2030207/federal-judge-orders-schools-to-stop-laptop-spying

This is just another step towards an Orwellian state (not that we are too far away).

Comment Re:another point of view (Score 1) 555

It is not clear from reading the NYT article that it was pulled simply because the GOP said to pull it. The article points out that

“There were a lot of problems with the report from a real, legitimate economic analysis perspective,” said Antonia Ferrier, a spokeswoman for the Senate Finance Committee’s Republicans. “We relayed them to C.R.S. It was a good discussion. We have a good, constructive relationship with them. Then it was pulled.”

The GOP also argued that the report might not be entirely non-partisan:

"Senate Republican aides said they had protested both the tone of the report and its findings. Aides to Mr. McConnell presented a bill of particulars to the research service that included objections to the use of the term “Bush tax cuts” and the report’s reference to “tax cuts for the rich,” which Republicans contended was politically freighted."

Comment My list (Score 1) 700

Asimov: foundation series. Heinlein : the moon is a harsh mistress. Or how to lead a revolution Rand: atlas shrugged. You may not agree with her philosophy, but it makes you think about the roles of people in your life. Neil Stephenson: any The Fish! Book... Www.charthouse.com Alan cooper: The inmates are running the asylum These all have had a profound affect on my life... Good luck to you!

Comment Look for group coverage a different way.. (Score 0) 1197

When I did this, I hooked up with a group like the National Association for the Self Employed. (http://www.nase.org). They were able to provide group coverage for individuals at discounted rates. This is because the average health of the self-employed is significantly better than in other groups. It has been more than 10 years since I did this with nase, but it was a very positive experience. You can look at other "Fraternal Orders" like Thrivent or other group insurers and see if they have a similar program for self-employed. This is not a specific endorsement of these groups over others. YMMV
Games

Copyright and the Games Industry 94

A recent post at the Press Start To Drink blog examined the relationship the games industry has with copyright laws. More so than in some other creative industries, the reactions of game companies to derivative works are widely varied and often unpredictable, ranging anywhere from active support to situations like the Chrono Trigger: Crimson Echoes debacle. Quoting: "... even within the gaming industry, there is a tension between IP holders and fan producers/poachers. Some companies, such as Epic and Square Enix, remain incredibly protective of their Intellectual Property, threatening those that use their creations, even for non-profit, cultural reasons, with legal suits. Other companies, like Valve, seem to, if not embrace, at least tolerate, and perhaps even tacitly encourage this kind of fan engagement with their work. Lessig suggests, 'The opportunity to create and transform becomes weakened in a world in which creation requires permission and creativity must check with a lawyer.' Indeed, the more developers and publishers that take up Valve's position, the more creativity and innovation will emerge out of video game fan communities, already known for their intense fandom and desire to add to, alter, and re-imagine their favorite gaming universes."
Input Devices

Brain-Control Gaming Headset Launching Dec. 21 112

An anonymous reader writes "Controlling computers with our minds may sound like science fiction, but one Australian company claims to be able to let you do just that. The Emotiv device has been garnering attention at trade shows and conferences for several years, and now the company says it is set to launch the Emotiv EPOC headset on December 21. PC Authority spoke to co-founder Nam Do about the Emotiv technology and its potential as a mainstream gaming interface." One wonders what kind of adoption they expect with a $299 price tag.

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