Monday, December 16, 2013
The Crow: City of Angels (PS1, Saturn, Windows 95)
Advertisement for The Crow: City of Angels by Acclaim for the Sony Playstation, Sega Saturn and Windows 95 from the March 1997 issue of GamePro.
China's Jade Rabbit Moon rover sends back first photos
China's Jade Rabbit Moon rover sends back first photos
The first robot rover to land on the Moon in nearly 40 years, China’s Jade Rabbit, has begun sending back photos, with shots of its lunar lander.
Jade Rabbit rolled down a ramp lowered by the lander and on to the volcanic plain known as Sinus Iridum at 04:35 Beijing time on Saturday (20:35 GMT).
It moved to a spot a few metres away, its historic short journey recorded by the lander.
On Sunday evening the two machines began photographing each other.
A Chinese flag is clearly visible on the Jade Rabbit as it stands deployed on the Moon’s surface.
Ma Xingrui, chief commander of China’s lunar programme, declared the mission a “complete success”.
The first robot rover to land on the Moon in nearly 40 years, China’s Jade Rabbit, has begun sending back photos, with shots of its lunar lander.
Jade Rabbit rolled down a ramp lowered by the lander and on to the volcanic plain known as Sinus Iridum at 04:35 Beijing time on Saturday (20:35 GMT).
It moved to a spot a few metres away, its historic short journey recorded by the lander.
On Sunday evening the two machines began photographing each other.
A Chinese flag is clearly visible on the Jade Rabbit as it stands deployed on the Moon’s surface.
Ma Xingrui, chief commander of China’s lunar programme, declared the mission a “complete success”.
Big Brother spying is reaching scary levels
Big Brother spying is reaching scary levels
On Monday, the world’s leading technology companies, including Google and Microsoft, published an open letter to President Obama and Congress demanding reform of U.S. privacy laws to restore the public’s “trust in the Internet.”
This comes after what seems like an endless series of revelations about government surveillance from the secret documents leaked by Edward Snowden.
Let’s start with the latest: American and British spies have gone into online fantasy games to snoop on players, and to see if any militants are communicating with each other dressed as elves or gnomes. Last week, the Washington Post reported that the National Security Agency is “collecting billions of records a day to track the location of mobile phone users around the world.” And we learned recently that the NSA hacked fiber-optic cables and infected 50,000 networks with malware.
Big Brother spying is happening at a scale we could never have imagined.
On Monday, the world’s leading technology companies, including Google and Microsoft, published an open letter to President Obama and Congress demanding reform of U.S. privacy laws to restore the public’s “trust in the Internet.”
This comes after what seems like an endless series of revelations about government surveillance from the secret documents leaked by Edward Snowden.
Let’s start with the latest: American and British spies have gone into online fantasy games to snoop on players, and to see if any militants are communicating with each other dressed as elves or gnomes. Last week, the Washington Post reported that the National Security Agency is “collecting billions of records a day to track the location of mobile phone users around the world.” And we learned recently that the NSA hacked fiber-optic cables and infected 50,000 networks with malware.
Big Brother spying is happening at a scale we could never have imagined.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
U.S. Government Nastygram Shuts Down One-Man Bitcoin Mint
U.S. Government Nastygram Shuts Down One-Man Bitcoin Mint
Mike Caldwell spent years turning digital currency into physical coins. That may sound like a paradox. But it’s true. He takes bitcoins — the world’s most popular digital currency — and then he mints them here in the physical world. If you added up all the bitcoins Caldwell has minted on behalf of his customers, they would be worth about $82 million.
Basically, these physical bitcoins are novelty items. But by moving the digital currency into the physical realm, he also prevents hackers from stealing the stuff via an online attack. Or at least he did. His run as the premiere bitcoin minter may be at an end. Caldwell has been put on notice by the feds.
Just before Thanksgiving, he says, he received a letter from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FINCEN, the arm of the Treasury Department that dictates how the nation’s anti-money-laundering and financial crime regulations are interpreted. According to FINCEN, Caldwell needs to rethink his business. “They considered my activity to be money transmitting,” Caldwell says. And if you want to transmit money, you must first jump through a lot of state and federal regulatory hoops Caldwell hasn’t jumped through.
Mike Caldwell spent years turning digital currency into physical coins. That may sound like a paradox. But it’s true. He takes bitcoins — the world’s most popular digital currency — and then he mints them here in the physical world. If you added up all the bitcoins Caldwell has minted on behalf of his customers, they would be worth about $82 million.
Basically, these physical bitcoins are novelty items. But by moving the digital currency into the physical realm, he also prevents hackers from stealing the stuff via an online attack. Or at least he did. His run as the premiere bitcoin minter may be at an end. Caldwell has been put on notice by the feds.
Just before Thanksgiving, he says, he received a letter from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FINCEN, the arm of the Treasury Department that dictates how the nation’s anti-money-laundering and financial crime regulations are interpreted. According to FINCEN, Caldwell needs to rethink his business. “They considered my activity to be money transmitting,” Caldwell says. And if you want to transmit money, you must first jump through a lot of state and federal regulatory hoops Caldwell hasn’t jumped through.
Obama’s Orwellian Image Control
Obama’s Orwellian Image Control
In response to these restrictions, 38 of the nation’s largest and most respected media organizations (including The New York Times) delivered a letter to the White House last month protesting photojournalists’ diminished access.
A deputy press secretary, Josh Earnest, responded by claiming that the White House had released more images of the president at work than any previous administration. It is serving the public perfectly well, he said, through a vibrant stream of behind-the-scenes photographs available on social media.
He missed the point entirely.
In response to these restrictions, 38 of the nation’s largest and most respected media organizations (including The New York Times) delivered a letter to the White House last month protesting photojournalists’ diminished access.
A deputy press secretary, Josh Earnest, responded by claiming that the White House had released more images of the president at work than any previous administration. It is serving the public perfectly well, he said, through a vibrant stream of behind-the-scenes photographs available on social media.
He missed the point entirely.
Google emulates 1980s-era Amiga computer in Chrome
Google emulates 1980s-era Amiga computer in Chrome
The Amiga 500 lives again — in Google’s browser.
Google developer Christian Stefansen on Thursday resurrected a version of the venerable computer system from the 1980s in the form of a Web app that runs in Chrome. Forty-year-olds who want to relive their childhoods or younger people who want to see just how hard their elders had it can visit the Amiga 500 emulator for Chrome online, boot the machine, and play some games.
The Amiga 500 lives again — in Google’s browser.
Google developer Christian Stefansen on Thursday resurrected a version of the venerable computer system from the 1980s in the form of a Web app that runs in Chrome. Forty-year-olds who want to relive their childhoods or younger people who want to see just how hard their elders had it can visit the Amiga 500 emulator for Chrome online, boot the machine, and play some games.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
CEX.io - Bitcoin Commodity Exchange
CEX.io - Bitcoin Commodity Exchange
CEX.IO is the first and leading commodity exchange in the Bitcoin community. Here you can buy or sell GHashes, Futures Contracts for the Bitfury ASIC chips or just trade on the increase or decrease of chip values.
We are the first exchange that offers you an opportunity to buy GHashes and avoid all the usual problems you can face when buying mining equipment, like the frequent delays in delivery, breakage losses, the need for a sufficient power supply or cooling devices, and many other things, that you will probably encounter.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Obamacare Rules Threaten to Torch Volunteer Fire Departments
Obamacare Rules Threaten to Torch Volunteer Fire Departments
Count volunteer fire deparments among the Obamacare-victimized.
Rules governing the health-care reform law championed by President Obama could inadvertently suck in volunteer firefighting companies, meaning the departments or the towns that support them might be forced to offer health insurance coverage or pay a penalty if they don’t.
Count volunteer fire deparments among the Obamacare-victimized.
Rules governing the health-care reform law championed by President Obama could inadvertently suck in volunteer firefighting companies, meaning the departments or the towns that support them might be forced to offer health insurance coverage or pay a penalty if they don’t.
U.S. Sells Off Last of Its General Motors Stock, at $10.5 Billion Loss
U.S. Sells Off Last of Its General Motors Stock, at $10.5 Billion Loss
For one of the few times in its macro economic policy thought and action, the federal government relies on a subtle analysis of “things not seen” to defend its apparent $10.5 billion loss on the General Motors bailout as a success
For one of the few times in its macro economic policy thought and action, the federal government relies on a subtle analysis of “things not seen” to defend its apparent $10.5 billion loss on the General Motors bailout as a success
Thursday, December 5, 2013
BOOM: A Major Wall Street Bank Just Initiated Coverage On Bitcoin And Identified A Fair Value
BOOM: A Major Wall Street Bank Just Initiated Coverage On Bitcoin And Identified A Fair Value
“We believe Bitcoin can become a major means of payment for e-commerce and may emerge as a serious competitor to traditional money transfer providers,” wrote Bank of America currency strategist David Woo in a 14-page note to clients this morning. “As a medium of exchange, Bitcoin has clear potential for growth, in our view.”
“We believe Bitcoin can become a major means of payment for e-commerce and may emerge as a serious competitor to traditional money transfer providers,” wrote Bank of America currency strategist David Woo in a 14-page note to clients this morning. “As a medium of exchange, Bitcoin has clear potential for growth, in our view.”
Young invincibles spurn O-Care
Young invincibles spurn O-Care
A poll released Wednesday by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics found that more than half of 18- to 29-year-olds disapprove of ObamaCare and believe it will raise their healthcare costs.
Even more troubling for the administration is that less than one-third of uninsured young people said they plan to enroll in coverage.
Without a large number of young, healthy people in the insurance exchanges, it could create a “death spiral” of high premiums that could threaten the long-term viability of the marketplaces.
A poll released Wednesday by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics found that more than half of 18- to 29-year-olds disapprove of ObamaCare and believe it will raise their healthcare costs.
Even more troubling for the administration is that less than one-third of uninsured young people said they plan to enroll in coverage.
Without a large number of young, healthy people in the insurance exchanges, it could create a “death spiral” of high premiums that could threaten the long-term viability of the marketplaces.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Some Reid staffers exempt from Obamacare exchanges
Some Reid staffers exempt from Obamacare exchanges
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, one of Obamacare’s architects and staunchest supporters, is also the only top congressional leader to exempt some of his staff from having to buy insurance through the law’s new exchanges.
Reid is the exception among the other top congressional leaders. GOP House Speaker John Boehner, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell have all directed their staffs to join the exchange, their aides said.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, one of Obamacare’s architects and staunchest supporters, is also the only top congressional leader to exempt some of his staff from having to buy insurance through the law’s new exchanges.
Reid is the exception among the other top congressional leaders. GOP House Speaker John Boehner, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell have all directed their staffs to join the exchange, their aides said.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Compute!'s Gazette, January 1985
Compute!'s Gazette, Issue 19, January 1985
Compute!'s Gazette was Compute!'s most successful spin-off magazine. While Compute! was a multi-format magazine, they published a number of other machine specific magazines. Gazette was the only one that lasted having an impressive run, in one form or another from 1983 all the way to 1995. It covered primarily the Commodore 64 but also included the VIC-20 and Commodore 128 depending on the time period. The January 1985 issue includes: Features
Compute!'s Gazette was Compute!'s most successful spin-off magazine. While Compute! was a multi-format magazine, they published a number of other machine specific magazines. Gazette was the only one that lasted having an impressive run, in one form or another from 1983 all the way to 1995. It covered primarily the Commodore 64 but also included the VIC-20 and Commodore 128 depending on the time period. The January 1985 issue includes: Features
- The Move Toward Integrated Software
- Inside View: Bruce Artwick, The Designer Behind Flight Simulator II
- A Window To The World: Modems In The Home
- Seven Cities of Gold
- Childpace
- Also Worth Noting
- Trap 'Em
- Chomper
- Kablam!
- Computing For Families: A Visit With Sweetums The Ogre
- VIC Magic Draw
- Math Dungeon
- Magazine Indexer
- BASIC Magic: Using Variables In 1985
- Hints & Tips: Double Duty Variables
- Machine Language For Beginners: ML Mailbag
- Debugging BASIC, Part 1
- Power BASIC: Stop And Go
- Baker's Dozen, Part 1
- Disk Merge
- The Editor's Notes
- Gazette Feedback
- Simple Answers To Common Questions
- Horizons
- User Group Update
- News & Products
- How To Type In COMPUTE!'s Gazette Programs
- The Automatic Proofreader
- Bug-Swatter: Modifications And Corrections
- Tiny MLX
- C/G BBS
Social Workers Take Woman's Baby From Her Womb, Won't Return It To Her
Social Workers Take Woman's Baby From Her Womb, Won't Return It To Her
Authorities in Great Britain forcibly sedated a pregnant woman from Italy, performed a court-ordered C-section delivery on her, and now plan to put the child up for adoption against her will.
The surreal story, first reported in the Telegraph, sheds light on an “increasing problem” with foreigners being forced to leave their children in the UK, critics say.
Authorities in Great Britain forcibly sedated a pregnant woman from Italy, performed a court-ordered C-section delivery on her, and now plan to put the child up for adoption against her will.
The surreal story, first reported in the Telegraph, sheds light on an “increasing problem” with foreigners being forced to leave their children in the UK, critics say.
Monday, December 2, 2013
San Francisco’s Secret DC Grid - IEEE Spectrum
San Francisco’s Secret DC Grid - IEEE Spectrum
The last direct-current power lines are being dismantled just as DC distribution seems headed for a comeback
The last direct-current power lines are being dismantled just as DC distribution seems headed for a comeback
Nobel Prize economist warns of U.S. stock market bubble
Nobel Prize economist warns of U.S. stock market bubble
An American who won this year’s Nobel Prize for economics believes sharp rises in equity and property prices could lead to a dangerous financial bubble and may end badly, he told a German magazine.
Robert Shiller, who won the esteemed award with two other Americans for research into market prices and asset bubbles, pinpointed the U.S. stock market and Brazilian property market as areas of concern.
An American who won this year’s Nobel Prize for economics believes sharp rises in equity and property prices could lead to a dangerous financial bubble and may end badly, he told a German magazine.
Robert Shiller, who won the esteemed award with two other Americans for research into market prices and asset bubbles, pinpointed the U.S. stock market and Brazilian property market as areas of concern.
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