The Myth of Upgrade Inevitability Is Dead

Posted by kdawson on Monday December 01, @05:14AM

from the standing-pat dept.

Several readers pointed out a ComputerWorld UK blog piece on the expanding ripples of the Vista fiasco. Glyn Moody quotes an earlier Inquirer piece about Vista, which he notes "has been memorably described as DRM masquerading as an operating system":"Studies carried out by both Gartner and IDC have found that because older software is often incompatible with Vista, many consumers are opting for used computers with XP installed as a default, rather than buying an expensive new PC with Vista and downgrading. Big business, which typically thinks nothing about splashing out for newer, more up-to-date PCs, is also having trouble with Vista, with even firms like Intel noting XP would remain the dominant OS within the company for the foreseeable future."Moody continues: "What's really important about this is not so much that Vista is manifestly such a dog, but that the myth of upgrade inevitability has been destroyed. Companies have realized that they do have a choice — that they can simply say 'no.' From there, it's but a small step to realizing that they can also walk away from Windows completely, provided the alternatives offer sufficient data compatibility to make that move realistic."

The Simpsons mocks (m)Apple

by Thomas Ricker, posted Dec 1st 2008 at 4:00AM

Few have been spared the satire of Matt Groening's long running animated sitcom. Last night, The Simpsons took on Apple, or uh, Mapple for a full 6 minutes of lampoonery -- a pretty harsh ride at a two-joke per minute pace. It all starts when the Springfield mall gets its very own Mapple store, "it's so sterile," gasps Lisa upon entering. Perhaps the best exchange comes from Bart's dubbing of a Steve Mobs' product announcement in front of a crowd of gaping nerds, "You think you're cool because you buy a $500 phone with a picture of a fruit on it. Well guess what? They cost 8 bucks to make and I pee on every one!" A Mapple store employee then angrily responds, "Who dares question the boss we fired 10 years ago and then brought back!" Yuk yuk. Videos after the break for as long as it takes for the copyrighters to wake up.

[Thanks, holycow]

 

Vatican Activates Their Solar Roof

by CAT LINCOLN
Nov 26th 2008 @ 8:02AM

Filed under: Polit-eco, Alternative Energy, Climate Change

Way to go Pope Benedict and all of you Vatican eco-warriors! 

Today the Vatican is scheduled to activate their new solar power system. This system will provide 20% of the city-state's power by 2020. It will also make them slightly more autonomous from Italy, since they won't have to get all of their energy from their surrounding neighbor. You could even say that the Vatican is reducing it's dependence on foreign energy!

The Vatican, which is comprised of 108 acres in the center of Rome, will also be able to greatly reduce their CO2 emissions thanks to the 2,400 photovoltaic panels perched, unseen from the ground, on the roof of "Nervi Hall." One of the most important requirements for the system, set up by German company SolarWorld, was that it not disturb the iconic Vatican skyline. 

Pope Benedict has a growing reputation for being an environmentalist. He has appealed to people to use renewable energy sources, and the Vatican even hosted a scientific conference on climate warming. Nowthat's leadership worth listening to!

CONCEPTUALLY SIMPLE HACK TURNS VGA PORT INTO POWER-ONLY USB SOCKET

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 26th 2008 at 8:35AM

Seriously, it should be a Class 1 felony that there's no way to buy this. Okay, so maybe that's a stretch, but we can't get over how genius this is. As the old adage asserts, the best solutions are spawned from the most perplexing quandaries, and when one hacker determined that two USBports on his laptop simply weren't enough, he figured out a way around it. Essentially, he utilized a VGA gender changer, a spare USB port and a bit of old fashioned solder work in order to transform an unwanted VGA connector into a power-only USB socket. Sure, the applications are limited, but are you really going to complain about an extra option for charging your cellphone / DAP / Darth Vader voice changer? No, no you are not.

[Via EverythingUSB]

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Solar Cemetery: Harnessing the Power of the Cemetery... for the Living

by JOSH LOPOSER
Nov 25th 2008 @ 4:30PM

Filed under: Local, Natural Body Care, Alternative Energy

Over the last few months, I've uncovered a disturbing trend in the green media world. No, it's not a sci-fiSoylent Green type conspiracy where the dead are used to feed our energy addiction. It's that we're all obsessed (myself included) with death -- seehere, here, here, and here. And why is that? Maybe because we hope to find a way to become helpful to the fight against climate change, even after we've taken a dirt nap. Just like those residing in this Spanish cemetery.

After conducting an exhaustive search, the town of Santa Coloma de Gramenet couldn't find a suitable piece of ground to carry out their renewable energy plans, so they decided to build a giant solar array over the town's 4 square kilometer cemetery. At first, there was indignation, but after an awareness campaign, the complaints have for the most part subsided. Instead, many even feel proud that the cemetery is now part of the town energy network.
It's nice to see that solar power is being used for more than just those ridiculous solar powered tombstones. Santa Coloma de Gramenet's solar park includes 462 panels, perched atop the cemetery's mausoleums, where residents are buried 5 deep. Each panel is place at a low angle to remain as unobtrusive as possible.

So far, the panels cover only 5% of the cemetery's surface area, and collect enough energy to power 60 local homes, but officials hope to triple the output in the coming years. According to Esteve Serret, director of the cemetery's management company:

"The best tribute we can pay to our ancestors, whatever your religion may be, is to generate clean energy for new generations. That is our leitmotif."
[via Treehugger]

90% of Gaming Addiction Patients Not Addicted

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday November 25, @08:05PM

from the don't-worry-i'm-sure-you're-in-the-other-10% dept.

phorm writes"BBC is carrying an article which states that 90% of visitors to Europe's 'video game addiction clinic' are not, in fact, addicted. The problem is a social one rather than a psychological issue. In other words, the patients have turned to heavy gaming because they felt they didn't fit in elsewhere, or that they fit in better 'in the game' than elsewhere in 'the real world.' This has been discussed before, with arguments ranging from gaming being a good way to socialize, the clinical definition of gaming addiction, and claims than males are wired for video-game addiction."

National Day of Listening - Holiday Without Stuff

by CHRISTINA CLARK
Nov 25th 2008 @ 3:57PM

Filed under: Home, Kids and Parenting, Tips

In the midst of all the Christmas shopping, Thanksgiving cooking and general holiday craziness going on, the National Day of Listening on Friday is a great tradition to institute that doesn't involve a lot of stuff. 

StoryCorps, a group dedicated to preserving oral history, is encouraging everyone to take an hour on Friday, November 28, to listen to someone tell their story. It could be an older relative, a neighbor or even your kid. 

You can record the stories if you want, or just take the time to listen. What a great thing to do - instead of participating in the Black Friday madness and shopping frenzy, stay home and listen to someone. 

Can you imagine the joy an older relative might feel if you asked them to tell you their story? And what a great way for kids to learn listening skills and learn more about life. Make Friday a listening day, instead of a shopping day. There is nothing to sort and recycle, no research to find out if it is safe and eco-friendly and no money to spend. Sounds like a perfect new holiday tradition to me. 

[Via Lifehacker]

Yachts Get Green with Solar and Wind Power

by EUGENE SANDHU
Nov 25th 2008 @ 4:15PM

Filed under: News

With the economy in shambles and lay-offs all over the place, I keep asking myself, how can I power my yacht in an eco-friendly way.

Fortunately, Solar Sailor, an Australian-based company, has a solution. By using the sun and wind, two things boats have a lot of access to, this technology can help make renewable energy a major power source for your luxury boat.

One of the main hurdles, according to Dr. Robert Dane, the sailor who came up with the concept, was the dangerous combination of strong winds and solar panels. The solution? Make wind sails out of solar collectors, naturally. Ideally, the vessel would be powered by a combination of wind and solar energy, plus batteries and old fashion fuel.

While my student loan payments precludes me for buying a yacht (for now!), it's nice to see the super rich getting on-board with innovative energy ideas. 

While the Solar Sailor technology could reduce emissions and costs for yachts, the company has also reported interest from other types of marine vessels, including crewless drones for coast guards (that operate for two years at a time!) and ferry operators in Asia.

Related Link

Yachts Get Green with Solar and Wind Power

by EUGENE SANDHU
Nov 25th 2008 @ 4:15PM

Filed under: News

With the economy in shambles and lay-offs all over the place, I keep asking myself, how can I power my yacht in an eco-friendly way.

Fortunately, Solar Sailor, an Australian-based company, has a solution. By using the sun and wind, two things boats have a lot of access to, this technology can help make renewable energy a major power source for your luxury boat.

One of the main hurdles, according to Dr. Robert Dane, the sailor who came up with the concept, was the dangerous combination of strong winds and solar panels. The solution? Make wind sails out of solar collectors, naturally. Ideally, the vessel would be powered by a combination of wind and solar energy, plus batteries and old fashion fuel.

While my student loan payments precludes me for buying a yacht (for now!), it's nice to see the super rich getting on-board with innovative energy ideas. 

While the Solar Sailor technology could reduce emissions and costs for yachts, the company has also reported interest from other types of marine vessels, including crewless drones for coast guards (that operate for two ye

President Pardons Poisoning of National Symbol

by LESLIE WOLCOTT
Nov 25th 2008 @ 10:15AM

Filed under: News, Plants and Wildlife

In a warm up to his annual pardoning of turkeys in honor of Thanksgiving, the president has been less forgiving to another bird: the bald eagle.

Instead, he has pardoned Leslie Owen Collier, who was convicted of killing three bald eagles, via a misdirected attempt to use poisoned hamburger meat to kill coyotes.

Bush has also granted pardons to several convicted of bank fraud and Daniel Figh Pue III who, according to the Associated Press, was "convicted of illegal treatment, storage and disposal of a hazardous waste without a permit." 

This pardon simultaneously says it's ok to kill endangered species andtakes aim at our national symbol. You might say he's killing two birds with one stone.

Related Link

'Let The Sunshine In' To Protect Your Heart This Winter

ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2008) — The temperature might not be the only thing plummeting this winter. Many people also will experience a decrease in their vitamin D levels, which can play a role in heart disease, according to a new review article in Circulation.

Read More

How Is Our Left Brain Is Different From Our Right?

ScienceDaily (Nov. 25, 2008) — Since the historical discovery of the speech center in the left cortex in 150 years ago, functional differences between left and right hemisphere have been well known; language is mainly handled by left hemisphere, while spatial recognition is more specialized to the right hemisphere. However, the structural differences of synapses underlying left-right difference of the brain remained unknown.

Read more

Forests May Play Overlooked Role In Regulating Climate

ScienceDaily (Nov. 25, 2008) — Scientists led by a team at the University of New Hampshire show that forests may influence the Earth's climate in important ways that have not previously been recognized.

Read More

Google Chrome Tops Browser Speed Tests

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday November 25, @03:15AM

from the there-fixed-that-for-ya dept.

ThinSkin writes"So many Web browsers, so little time. The folks at ExtremeTech have assembled the ultimate browser test to determine which Web browser is king. From speed tests to rendering tests, different browsers traded off wins, but Google Chrome came out on top."

'Rhino Rendezvous' an Amazing Safari Auction

by CAT LINCOLN
Nov 24th 2008 @ 6:05PM

Filed under: Plants and Wildlife

Last year the International Rhino Foundation's (IRF) made the news with a kooky rhino poop auction. Yes, they sold rhino droppings. On eBay.

This year they're going a little more conventional, but auctioning off something much bigger: an amazing four-day safari that would be the perfect gift for the conservationist or animal lover who really has everything.

They're calling it the "Rhino Rendezvous" - a trip for six to spend four days at the IRF headquarters at White Oak Conservation Center, just north of Jacksonville, Florida. The winner will receive ground transportation (i.e. not airfare), meals, accommodations, and a chance to go behind the scenes at the world class White Oak Conservation Center. 

Some of the endangered species you'll get to see at the center include rhinos (of course), tigers, zebras and Komodo monitors. You'll get to take pictures, see feeding sessions and make some priceless memories. 

The auction started on November 15th, and goes through December 15th. To give you an idea of what a great opportunity this is, the whole thing is valued at $25,000, but at the time of this post, bidding has only reached $3,100! That's what I call a bargain!

It's also a great cause. If you are thinking of taking a big family trip, and want to do something really unique that will help the conservation efforts of IRF, go place your bid. Some lucky winner is going to have an amazing story to tell.

Should We Clone a Neanderthal?

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday November 25, @12:46AM

from the they-are-among-us dept.

SpaceAdmiral writes"Forget cloning a woolly mammoth — should scientists clone a Neanderthal? Such a feat should be possible soon, although it raises a number of bioethics concerns, including where to draw the line between humans and other animals."

Are You a Frugalista?

by PATRICIA MAYVILLE-COX
Nov 24th 2008 @ 10:15AM

Filed under: Fashion

The Oxford Dictionary has named the word of the year for 2008:Hypermiling. Hypermiling is"an attempt to maximize gas mileage by making fuel-conserving adjustments to one's car and one's driving techniques."

Well, that didn't get William Safire of the New York Times' On Language column all that excited, especially as we see gas prices plummet back below $2 a gallon. Safire's choice? A nod to the recession with "Frugalista." According to the Oxford Dictionary, a frugalista is "a person who lives a frugal lifestyle but stays fashionable and healthy by swapping clothes, buying secondhand, growing own produce, etc."

Safire thinks that frugalista is a much better choice than "recessionista" a term coined by Larry Kudlow and defined in the New York Times as "the new name for a style maven on a budget." I would agree with Safire.

So all you thrify folks out there, take heart! You're not a cheapskate anymore, you're a frugalista!

Related Link

South Carolina Wants To Jam Cell Phone Signals

Posted by CmdrTaco on Monday November 24, @09:22AM

from the oooo-oooo-me-too dept.

Corey Brook writes"The South Carolina state prison system wants the FCC to grant them and local officers permission to block cell phone signals. News has been out about the growing problem of them perps smuggling cell phones into prisons for a while now. Inmates use cell phones as commerce, to implement fraud, smuggle drugs and weapons, and to order hits. Of course, some may use it to just talk to a loved one any time they can."Hopefully movie theaters and restaurants do it next.

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• stfualready
• aboutdamntime

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• story

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Obama Should Axe Daylight Time -- NYT Op-Ed Explains Why

by EUGENE SANDHU
Nov 21st 2008 @ 2:30PM

Filed under: News

In order to conserve energy, President-elect Barak Obama should eliminate daylight saving time.

Twice a year, a bunch of countries, including most of the United States, practice daylight saving time or DST, shifting one hour ahead in the spring and one hour back in the fall. While I go through the whole twice-a-year ritual of looking for clocks, I only vaguely understood the reason behind it. I knew it had to do with more sunlight during waking hours and I assumed it was to save energy.

Turns out, according to two academics on the NYT Op-Ed page, there is little scientific proof that this reduces energy consumption. It also turns out that this practice could be wasteful, a bit annoying, and a lot of people want to get rid of it.
A study in Indiana, a state that recently started DST, showed an overall increase of 1 percent in residential electricity use with occasional increases of 2 to 4 percent in late spring and early fall. So much for conserving energy.

While DST is great for reducing in-door lighting, the shift in time increases the demand for air conditioning during hot summer evenings and increased heating in early spring and late fall mornings. The energy suckers of heat and A/C could eliminate any savings from reduced lighting and, as the Indiana study showed, actually increase electricity consumption. 

The hot state of Arizona seems to already know this and opted out of the whole time-shifting practice.

Related Link

2009: Green Car of the Year is ... a Diesel

by JOSH LOPOSER
Nov 21st 2008 @ 12:30PM

Filed under: Cars and Transportation

After much deliberating and careful consideration, the 2009 Green Car of the Year has been announced. And the winner is, drum roll please ... the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. VW's smooth riding, diesel-sipping, emissions-filtering sedan edged out worthy competitors like the Ford Fusion Hybrid and -- the cult favorite -- the Smart Fortwo. Critics are heralding the win as proof that clean diesel is a real and viable alternative to gas powered hybrids.

Of course, this news doesn't come as any great surprise to me, since I had the pleasure of test driving the impressive green machine last September. Reasons to love the Jetta -- and there are a few: it gets 30city/41hwy or 38city/44hwy depending on who's word you take, it's equipped with a post-combustion filter that removes 95% of sooty emissions, and it costs less and/or gets better mileage than the Malibu, Altima, and Civic hybrids. Oh yeah, and you don't give up that characteristic Jetta performance -- the TDI has definitely got some zip.

Gallery: 2009 Green Car of the Year Finalists