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Slashback: Bnetd, Salmon, Towers

Slashback tonight with more on Lord of the Rings (The Two Towers, specifically), various ongoing court battles, the true color of the universe, and more. Read on for the details.

All I'm certain of is my true love's hair. CompaniaHill writes: "As previously reported on /., first they though it was turquoise. Then they found an error in their early calculations, and announced it was really beige. But doubts lingered, and color experts pointed out that an objective color as viewed from the theoretical blackness of space would appear different when viewed on Earth in typical daylight. So adjustments were made, and calculations were revised and rechecked by color scientists Michael Brill of McClendon Automation Inc. and Mark Fairchild of the Munsell Color Science Laboratories. And now, at last, Ivan Baldry and Karl Glazebrook, astronomers at Johns Hopkins University, using spectral data from the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey, have announced the final result: The universe is decidedly salmon. Really."

The milestones are getting closer together. Dare Obasanjo writes: "Xindice (http://xml.apache.org/xindice), the Apache native XML database has finally reached version 1.0. Xindice used to be called dbXML and was mentioned in my article on XML and databases."

Three From the Courts TheFrood writes: "It looks as though the battle between Blizzard and bnetd (as reported in previous stories here(1), here(2), and here(3))is heating up. Vivendi has sent another letter to the EFF, which has wasted no time responding."

ElitusPrime writes with an update in the strange case of Ken Hamidi, the Intel employee whose mass-mail to Intel employees brought charges of trespassing. Now the California Supreme Court may take another look at the case. Says ElitusPrime: "If this guy is put in jail, I can think of more then a few other spammers that need to go up the creek with him..."

In a very different case, pagan26 writes: "It seem that DMCA will have its day in court. With ElmcoSoft."

Well, at least you can trust their word, right? Masem writes: "According to MSNBC, the developers of the spyware program WinWhatWhere will no longer have their install program trample the bits of anti-spyware programs, after word broke that this behavior was occurring. However, no word has been made by a similar spyware program developed by SpectreSoft that does similar damage."

I will fork out to see this, happily. Pingsmoth writes "It looks like the faithful fans of Peter Jackson and Tolkien will be able to catch a glimpse of The Two Towers this Saturday. Lordoftherings.net is reporting, through a video of Peter Jackson, that a preview (read: not a trailer) of The Two Towers will be shown in theatres this Saturday, presumably attached to The Fellowship of the Ring. Maybe at the end? At any rate, it looks like I'll be seeing the film at least seven times now, and it's a good thing I got a morning shift tomorrow." For a more colorful description of this 4-minute tease, check out Ain't it Cool News' version.

7 of 266 comments (clear)

  1. I knew it all along! by Hemos+(editor) · · Score: 4, Funny

    And now, at last, Ivan Baldry and Karl Glazebrook, astronomers at Johns Hopkins University, using spectral data from the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey, have announced the final result: The universe is decidedly salmon. Really.

    I knew it all along; God is a She!

    I Personally Recommend ML

    1. Re:I knew it all along! by GigsVT · · Score: 4, Funny

      Nah, God's a fag. :)

      --
      I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
  2. with apologies to Douglas Adams... by CmdrTaco+(editor) · · Score: 5, Funny
    The universe is decidedly salmon.

    So long, and thanks for all the fish!

  3. The universe isn't beige? by Corvaith · · Score: 5, Funny

    Someone should inform the offices of the world.

    On the other hand, don't. I'd rather have beige everything than salmon. How did they determine it was salmon, anyway? Are they sure it isn't coral? Or sunset pink? Or...

    Someone find a box of crayons for these researchers. In the name of research, of course.

    1. Re:The universe isn't beige? by nucal · · Score: 4, Funny
      In the wake of Sept. 11, figuring out how the average color of the cosmos would appear to people on Earth during daylight is a ''beautiful idea that promised peace and harmony,'' Brill said. ''We sorely need a balm such as the color of the universe, whether it be a tranquil green or even a noncommittal beige.'' Or, as it now seems, the simple and sweet color of salmon.

      until they change the color again ... and then I'll start fretting about Sept. 11th all over again ...

  4. What makes these scientists brilliant... by jcsehak · · Score: 5, Funny


    ... is not that they "found" the color of the universe, but that they convinced Johns Hopkins to give them lots of money and let them use their fancy equipment for THREE SEPERATE EXPERIMENTS! Here's what really happened:

    Johns Hopkins Administration: Okay, what are you guys working on now?

    Astronomers (quickly alt-tabbing from Return to Castle Wolfenstein to a spreadsheet): Uhhh... we're calculating... the... color of the universe! We'll need at least two weeks.

    JHA: Right then. Talk to you in two weeks.

    Astronomer 1: Whew. How're we gonna figure out the color of the universe?

    Astronomer 2: Who cares? It's turquoise. Now be quiet. I'm sniping.

    [two weeks later]

    Astronomer 1: Hey check it out! The Warcraft III beta is out!

    [JH Admin comes in]

    JHA: Hey guys, got your report on the universe being turquoise. Great work.

    Astronomer 2: Yeah, um, we've got a problem. We think it might be beige. We've got to do spectral graphalisys and whatnot. we'll need another two weeks.

    JHA: Okay.

    etc...

    --

    c-hack.com |
    1. Re:What makes these scientists brilliant... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      They're just softening us up for their real discovery...the universe is swimming 2000 miles upstream to mate and die.

      Salmon