Great interview/discussion in today's WSJ with Bill Gross of Pimco, and Edward Thorp of Beat the Dealer and Princeton-Newport Partners fame. Here is an excerpt: WSJ: What's your assessment of the state... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 4:35 pm
hairyfeet writes "Do you use iTunes on Windows? If so you may be getting the gift of Safari from Apple whether you want it or not, and Mozilla CEO Joe Wilcox is not happy about it. After his daughter was offered Safari as a "bonus update" with a recent update to her iTunes software, Mr. Wilcox is quoted on his blog as saying "What Apple is doing now with their Apple Software Update on Windows is wrong. It undermines the trust relationship great companies have with their customers, and that's bad — not just for Apple, but for the security of the whole Web." He also pointed out the check box is already clicked when you go to update meaning you have to opt out, not in and that it lists Safari as getting an update even if you don't have it installed."
By David Ponce So, we received tons of entries for our Thinkgeek giveaway, but sadly, not everyone can win. This mobile post names our particular winner. And because we love you, we’ll be having... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 4:02 pm
theodp writes "A newly-issued Google patent for Rendering Advertisements With Documents Having One or More Topics Using User Topic Interest describes how to detect the presence of children by 'using evidence of sophistication determined using user actions' and tracking their behavior using the Google Toolbar and other methods to deliver targeted ads. Which is interesting, since the Google Terms of Service supposedly prohibit the use of Services by anyone 'not of legal age.' The inventor is Google Principal Scientist Krishna Bharat, who is a co-inventor of another pending Google patent for inferring searchers' ethnicity, reading level, age, sex and income (and storing it all)." Ok I'll be the first to admit that this is greek to me. Someone smart figure this out and post a comment translating patentese into english.
Spencer Ante, a fellow telecom scribe and an editor at Businessweek caught up with FCC Chairman Kevin Martin following the announcement of the 700 MHz wireless spectrum auction results. His interview is... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:27 pm
By Hannah Chapman WALKERS have been told to look out for endangered grass snakes waking from hibernation following the discovery of a previously unknown population.Forest workers found a number of the snakes under rotting logs in the Cleveland Hills, between Helmsley and Stokesley, North Yorkshire.It was the first confirmed report of grass snakes in the Forestry Commission's 56,000 acres of woodland in North Yorkshire.New habitats have now been created for the snakes to use when they emerge from hibernation in the coming weeks.The non- venomous reptiles can grow up to two metres long, and are more common in the warmer southern areas of England.Brian Walker, a wildlife officer with the commission, said: "This is the first confirmed report we have had of grass snakes in our woodland, which is terrific news for biodiversity."Most sightings locally turn out to be slow worms or adders."The reptile has had a tough time over recent decades, and numbers have dwindled, probably due to a lack of suitable habitats."We have put on our thinking caps to come up some plans to help protect them."Grass snakes favour compost heaps and piles of rotting material for breeding sites, and may travel half a mile from hibernation areas to find a suitable place to give birth.Experts said many public spaces and back gardens were kept too tidy for the creatures.Foresters created six compost heaps in the shape of heather bales near where the snakes were seen.Mr Walker said: "They will be in place by the spring when the snake comes out of hibernation."We might turn up our nose at smelly rotting vegetation, but for a grass snake, it could make all the difference and help it produce healthy offspring."The snakes' location is being kept secret to ensure they are not disturbed, but their whereabouts have been plotted into a computer programme used by the Forestry Commission.It will aid conservation and help foresters take account of their habitat needs when undertaking woodland management projects. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Matt Hildner, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo. Mar. 22--ALAMOSA -- City officials said Friday they'll avoid flushing the city's coliform-tainted water system over the holiday weekend. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Bill Jackson, Greeley Tribune, Colo. Mar. 22--JBS Swift & Co. has been a part of Greeley for less than a year, but the company's CEO said Friday it intends to keep growing. Wesley Batista joined Gov. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Jeff Strout, Bangor Daily News, Maine Mar. 22--Welcome to spring, or should I say "unlocking" as Kurt Vonnegut would have us call the months of March and April. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Sabrina Chess, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss. Mar. 22--BILOXI -- The Biloxi Community Programs' Facility for Mentally and Physically Challenged Adults held its annual picnic Friday. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Leigh Hornbeck, Albany Times Union, N.Y. Mar. 22--FORT ANN -- Two members of the Perch Gang fished their way to infamy in the North Country this week. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Rory Sweeney, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Mar. 22--While the Borton-Lawson firm might have been rewarded for the rehabilitation of a brownfields site in Hazleton, credit belongs to far more than just the company, according to the project manager. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Gavin Engelbrecht IMPORTANT progress has been made in protecting some of the region's most threatened wildlife and habitats, according to a report.The document, charting progress in implementing the area's Regional Forest Strategy also concludes that more needs to be done to make the region's urban spaces greener.Nick Brown, the Minister for the North-East, said: "The Regional Forest Strategy, published in 2005, was an important piece of work for our region."It was the first of its kind in the North-East and clearly sets out the significant role trees, woodlands and forests can play in enhancing the quality of life for everyone living in the region."This most recent document plays a crucial role in building on this innovative strategy, reflecting on positive improvements and highlighting where further work is still needed."The document highlights 50 key projects completed over the past two years and 100 planned or ongoing.Significant advances have been made in conserving red squirrels, where an alliance of organisations, backed by grants from the Government and [pounds]626,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, are bidding to halt the encroachment of rival grey squirrels.Key habitats are also recovering, including 375 acres of the Border Mires, in Northumberland, England's biggest upland bog.However, the report said progress has been slower in other crucial areas.It said more needed to be done to expand urban fringe woodlands, which offer major benefits to communities, and create more green spaces in housing and commercial developments.Despite this, 200 acres of woodland was planted around towns and cities using Forestry Commission grants.Richard Pow, of the commission, said: "Overall, the picture is pretty encouraging and an impressive range of projects are under way to ensure we maximise the benefits from our trees and woodlands."This report shows just how much has already been achieved, but it lays down markers where we need to do better."The document also signals an expansion in the wood-fuel sector in the region. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Cliff Hightower, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn. Mar. 22--Signs springing up alongside area interstates and state highways now tell motorists when they enter the watersheds of local rivers. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
Text of report by Caribbean Media Corporation news agency website GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC- Six communities along Guyana's east coast were flooded Friday [21 March] after unusually high waves associated with a deep low pressure weather system in the Atlantic, breached sea defences, damaging homes and affecting live stock. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
Whenever I shop for an electric or gas appliance, I hear and see many "efficiency" claims. It gets confusing to determine which are legitimate. How can I compare the real efficiencies of products? It is important to buy efficient products, but it can get confusing. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 22 Mar 2008 | 2:00 pm
An anonymous reader writes "In an adapted version of the Harry Potter video game, players lift boulders and throw lightning bolts using only their minds. Just as physical movement changed the interface of gaming with Nintendo's Wii, the power of the mind may be the next big thing in video games. And it may come soon. Emotiv, a company based in San Francisco, says its mind-control headsets will be on shelves later this year, along with a host of novel "biofeedback" games developed by its partners. Several other companies — including EmSense in Monterey, California; NeuroSky in San Jose, California; and Hitachi in Tokyo — are also developing technology to detect players brainwaves and use them in next-gen video games."
By Ben Schmitt, Detroit Free Press Mar. 22--A federal judge selected two magistrates Friday to review a slew of text messages in a lawsuit stemming from the 2003 shooting death of stripper Tamara Greene. U.S. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 22 Mar 2008 | 1:00 pm
By Susan Pierce, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn. Mar. 22--Ed Markert is known as "Mr. Fixit" around the halls of Partnership for Families, Children and Adults social services agency. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 22 Mar 2008 | 1:00 pm
By Karen Owen, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky. Mar. 22--A congregation is turning a local nightspot into a house of worship, at least on Sunday mornings. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 22 Mar 2008 | 1:00 pm
By Mark Gomez, San Jose Mercury News, Calif. Mar. 22--Two Santa Clara University athletes have been arrested on suspicion of stealing iPods, laptops and credit cards from fellow students and then trying to sell them on Craigslist. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 22 Mar 2008 | 1:00 pm
By Sal Pizarro, San Jose Mercury News, Calif. Mar. 22--It's no surprise that the age of the regular theater-going crowd in San Jose skews a little, shall we say, mature. So I'm glad the San Jose Rep is trying to balance that with its new venture, the Scene at the Rep. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 22 Mar 2008 | 1:00 pm
Text of report in English by Japan's largest news agency Kyodo Paris, March 22 Kyodo - Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura expressed hope Saturday for an improvement in China-Taiwan relations in commenting on the victory of the Nationalist Party's Ma Ying- jeou in the Taiwan presidential election. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 22 Mar 2008 | 1:00 pm
By ERIN CARLSON By Erin Carlson The Associated Press NEW YORK And the winner for best music video: "Chocolate Rain." Tay Zonday morphed from an unknown musician to an Internet superstar who got booked on national TV shows after his song "Chocolate Rain" - an amateur clip of his baritone crooning - went viral last year. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 22 Mar 2008 | 1:00 pm
An anonymous reader writes "MIT and Texas Instruments researchers have designed a chip that they say could be up to 10 times more energy efficient than current technology. The chip's power consumption is so low that devices with the chip may even be able to be recharged using the owner's body heat." The intent is to use these in medical applications like pacemakers where one would expect to have the free power source.
Gibson Guitar has widened its attack on the video game industry with a second patent infringement lawsuit.It claims, in a case filed Thursday in federal district court in Nashville, that by developing, distributing and promoting the video game "Rock Band," Harmonix, MTV Networks and Electronic Arts are violating a virtual-reality patent the guitar maker holds.The same 1999 patent is at issue in a separate lawsuit Gibson filed earlier in the week against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 22 Mar 2008 | 12:45 pm
Another reason not to drive and use your cell phone at the same time - besides devastating the many lives of the victims and their families in the case of an accident - it can cost you big time. A $5... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 12:21 pm
Anti-nuclear campaigners have reacted with dismay to reports that Britain is on the brink of signing a deal with France to construct a new generation of power plants. ... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 11:48 am
nerdyH writes to tell us that the Xenomai/SOLO project is attempting to deliver VxWorks and other RTOS emulation for any Linux kernel. "Some weeks ago, I started laying the groundwork for porting the Xenomai emulators natively over the PREEMPT_RT kernel. Unlike the co-kernel based Xenomai version, SOLO does not require any kernel support from additional modules or patches. It is fully based on the standard POSIX library, and runs as a regular process controlled by a single image Linux kernel. As a first step, a VxWorks emulator has just been rebuilt over this new framework."
LONDON (Reuters) - The British government is right to push through hybrid human-animal embryo legislation after a Roman Catholic cardinal attacked the government for "endorsement of... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 10:11 am
By The Kansas City Star, Mo. Mar. 22--Today's problem Gene Pike writes: "DOG, A few years ago an attractive building was built on the corner of 14th and Charlotte Street ... 1401 Charlotte. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 22 Mar 2008 | 10:00 am
PHILADELPHIA It was hailed as Internet for the masses when Philadelphia officials announced plans in 2005 to erect the largest municipal Wi-Fi grid in the country, stretching wireless access over 135... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 9:35 am
A new generic touchscreen phone from China lasts 2 years without charging. It comes with a 2-year long manufacturer-rated battery life. [via Gadgetell] Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 9:35 am
Spotted on Tokyomango, a diamond studded Toshiba cell phone. Phones with diamonds are nothing unusual, but what's novel about the Cosmic Shiner as it's called, is that the diamonds appear to be on the... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 9:28 am
UnderAttack writes "The SANS Internet Storm Center reports about an increasing number of sophisticated and targeted cyber attacks against Tibetan NGOs. These attacks appear to be related to attacks against other anti-chinese groups like Falun Gong. 'There is lots of media coverage on the protests in Tibet. Something that lies under the surface, and rarely gets a blip in the press, are the various targeted cyber attacks that have been taking place against these various communities recently. These attacks are not limited to various Tibetan NGOs and support groups. They have been reported dating back to 2002, and even somewhat before that, and have affected several other communities, including Falun Gong and the Uyghurs.'"
Boeing says it has changed the design of a key wing part of its new 787 jetliner, but the company has not addressed rumours that the fix would contribute to further delays in the Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 9:13 am
US scientists said they have found the best evidence so far that an ocean of liquid water may be hidden below the surface of Saturn's giant moon Titan. If the results... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 9:13 am
Scientists believe a rope-like organism that lived on the seabed up to 570 million years ago was the first creature on earth to have sex. Researchers studying ancient... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 9:13 am
... as in Philip Linden, of course, and alternate reality master Philip K. Dick. I never thought to connect the two, but on his blog, Dusan Writer does so in a bravura essay, in which he describes Second... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 7:37 am
Athaulf writes "I'm a high school kid with big dreams of prestigious technology schools like MIT or Cal-Tech. The problem is, my upper-middle class family had more down to Earth plans for me and my college choices (about $30,000/year more down to Earth, actually), so financial aid and college savings won't come anywhere near MIT's price tag. However, I've been programming in C for a while now, and might release a GPL'd Linux app soon. With this self-taught programming experience, academic merit, and plenty of extra curricular activities, are there any FOSS supporting organizations who might grant me a scholarship for my contributions? Do companies like Google or Red-Hat offer scholarships to big name schools in return for a few years of work after college?"
After a final inspection of Endeavour's thermal shield, astronauts aboard the linked shuttle-station complex began preparing for a Saturday spacewalk to store on the station the... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 7:26 am
Gibson Guitar Corp. said Friday that it had filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Viacom Inc.'s MTV networks and Harmonix, as well as Electronic Arts Inc., relating to the wildly popular "Guitar... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 7:00 am
An analysis of the oldest known primate fossil indicates that hominids were on two feet at least a million years earlier than once believed. ... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 7:00 am
The device makes it easy to search for data on the run. That can quickly turn a casual conversation into the Pursuit of Truth. ... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 7:00 am
Scientists say they have found the best evidence yet that an ocean of liquid water may be below the surface of Saturn's giant moon Titan. Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 7:00 am
sciencehabit writes "Physicists may have finally figured out why the universe contains more matter than antimatter. The key lies in a flaw in the relationship between the two and a potentially new subatomic particle. 'Other researchers, however, say the results, published today in Nature, should be interpreted cautiously. It could all be an effect produced by run-of-the-mill particles'."
In the pages of a medical journal, Melanie Joy McDaniel is a study subject, listed by her patient number and tumor type. In real life shes a little girl whose story is a reminder that medical research... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 5:35 am
It was just a couple of days ago that CBS VP and Chief Marketing Officer Patrick Keane used fan-favorite "Jericho" as an example of why television networks should potentially begin to include web viewership... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 4:50 am
last100 is reporting that Joost (last100 review) is planning to let viewers access its Internet TV service via a Web browser, rather than requiring them to download and install the current Mac/Windows... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 4:49 am
PHILADELPHIA It was hailed as Internet for the masses when Philadelphia officials announced plans in 2005 to erect the largest municipal Wi-Fi grid in the country, stretching wireless access over 135... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 3:35 am
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "It's not just YouTube that's blocked in China. After the unrest in Tibet, at least 25 video sharing sites have been shut down and others have been penalized. While the Chinese government is not admitting that violence in Tibet had anything to do with it, they do have a sudden interest in strictly enforcing licensing restrictions that require video sharing websites to register with the government. Among other things, Chinese video sharing sites must promise not to show videos that inspire fear, contain pornography, or endanger national security."
IN his new book, True Enough: Learning to Live in a Post-Fact Society, Farhad Manjoo, a writer for Salon, argues that new communications technologies are loosening the cultures grip on what people once... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 1:35 am
Roland Piquepaille writes "According to redOrbit.com, companies installing subsea cables for telecommunications companies and pipelines for the oil industry now have a new tool, the UT-1 Ultra Trencher which is the world's biggest subsea robot. This beauty weighs 60 tons (out of the water) and has a length of 7.8 meters, a width of 7.8 meters and a height of 5.6 meters. In fact, it has the dimensions of a small house but is more expensive, carrying a price tag of about £10 million. It can move at a speed of 2 to 3 knots under the sea. And it can trench pipelines with a 1-meter diameter in deep waters of up to 1,500 meters."
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas vetoed a measure on Friday that would have forced the state to approve two coal-fired power plants producing large amounts of carbon dioxide. The veto, which was expected,... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 12:36 am
OSLO Last year, as United Nations scientists were warning of the perils of man-made climate change, this small country of fjords and factories reacted with an extraordinary pledge: by 2050 Norway would... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 12:36 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Gibson Guitar has widened its attack on the video game industry with a second patent infringement lawsuit. It claims, in a case filed Thursday in federal district... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 22 Mar 2008 | 12:32 am
Gibson Guitar Corp. has widened its attack on the video game industry with a second patent infringement lawsuit. It claims, in a case filed Thursday in federal district court in ... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Mar 2008 | 11:32 pm
Gibson Guitar Corp. has widened its attack on the video game industry with a second patent infringement lawsuit. It claims, in a case filed Thursday in federal district court in ... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Mar 2008 | 11:28 pm
Gibson Guitar Corp. is widening its attack on the video game industry with a federal lawsuit claiming that Harmonix, MTV Networks and Electronic Arts are violating a patent the guitar... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 21 Mar 2008 | 9:54 pm
The maker of fine guitars and other stringed instruments sues for patent infringement, saying the companies have not negotiated in good faith over using technology Gibson has owned since 1999.
People whose immune systems are resistant to the human immunodeficiency virus are causing it to mutate into a weaker form, which may improve survival odds in people with typical immune systems.
Fred Kaplan, author of Daydream Believers, talks about the proponents of networked war, missile defense and other "grand ideas" that "wrecked American
power."
Reacting to a storm of outrage from online publications, Sony has dropped a plan to charge $50 extra for laptops that do not include a suite of preloaded software.
Reacting to a storm of outrage from online publications, Sony has dropped a plan to charge $50 extra for laptops that do not include a suite of preloaded software.
Beat cops and the nation's spies are now sharing information like never before in little-known "fusion centers," but they aren't limiting themselves to looking at just terrorism. The feds also tried talking to the media about the new domestic intelligence system this week, but few seemed interested.
