From the article:
"There is an idea that we target certain universities," the investigator says. "That is completely incorrect and, technically, not possible. We find what we find by song and through public means; we don't try to get into a university's internal system." Who said anything about trying to get into a "university's internal system"?
The question is more like: Are they only sending take-down notices to certain universities?
No notices have been sent to Harvard, supposedly because they have lots of money, power, and law professors
The controller for the whole board, and USB interface:
* PIC18F.. - microprocessor (w/ USB transceiver)
The input capture chip for the sensors:
* PCM1803A - 24-Bit, 96kHz, Stereo, Delta-Sigma Audio ADC
Misc supporting circuitry:
*..-2631 - 8-Pin DIP Dual-Channel High Speed 10 MBit/s Logic Gate Output Optocoupler
* ADUM1300 - Analog Devices Triple-Channel Digital Isolator
* Several HC595A shift registers
* A ripple counter
* Some other simple digital logic
All-in-all this doesn't seem particular complicated. I'm interested in how this compares with OpenEEG designs: http://openeeg.sourceforge.net/doc/
One interesting thing is the choice of the audio analog-to-digital converter as the sensor input capture device. Additionally, the use of the PIC18F as the main chip suggests that there's probably not a whole lot of processing going on in there (or else one would expect a dsPIC, or something else more powerful or better tailored to signal processing work).
I buy Piracetam very cheaply in powder form in bulk on eBay. The seller I buy from is Nutraceuticals, which seems to provide decent quality (and they do have a lab analysis report attached to their auctions--though how applicable it is to all their shipments is questionable). I haven't tried others, but I'm sure there are other quality sellers/stores. Nonetheless, be careful buying things you'll ingest from places that aren't regulated (and/or don't have proper quality assurance and analysis).
I also buy 000-size empty gelcaps and pack the Piracetam into those. Some people mix the Piracetam into a drink, like OJ, but I find the taste to be way too disgusting. Gelcaps are much better, easier, and faster to use (with the downside being they take longer to prepare). Gelcaps also give you a more regulated dosage, though overdosing is not really an issue with Piracetam AFAIK.
To fill a lot of gelcaps at once, you can get a capsule filler tool, which is basically a board with holes for half of the capsules to fit in, and which you pour the powder over and tamp (pack) down using a tamping tool. The cheap ones still require you to separate the gelcaps by hand, and replace the covers by hand at the end. It won't make it go much faster than packing the gelcaps one-by-one, but its a lot more enjoyable.
Ritalin (methylphenidate), Provigil (aka Modafinil), Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts), etc are not the only options. In fact, there is a whole class of cognitive-enhancement drugs, called Nootropics.
The best of these (and arguable one of the safest), in my non-medical opinion, is Piracetam. It is a cyclic derivative of the neurotransmitter GABA, and has been used extensively since the 1960s in clinical studies, for treatment of Alzheimer's (and more), and off-label as a "supplement." Many studies suggest it increases blood flow (and hence oxygenation) to the brain, and protects the brain against damage from alcohol poisoning. It has no known LD-50, and has been clinically tested in daily doses exceeding 50 grams!
I personally use Piracetam to help study, and through my (obviously non-blinded and partially-biased) self-tests, I found that it really does help me learn things faster. After a cramming/studying session, I'll usually look back and realize how much material I've been able to learn in such a short time. All friends I've recommended it to have come to the same conclusion. My dosages vary from 1 gram up to 5 grams at a time, repeating every 3-4 hours.
Unfortunately, the reason why Nootropics aren't used much is because they don't have the intense effects that *stimulants* such as Ritalin do. The effects of Piracetam are very subtle (though the first time is more noticable)--enough so that its easy to get discouraged. However, when you take Ritalin, the stimulation effect is VERY noticeable (and fun, for many people).
The big problems with stimulants are that they aren't great for your body, they can encourage bad sleep habits, they are fun to use (possibly leading to irresponsible use), and they can lead to distraction for those not used to the effects at the used dosage. Additionally, they have terrible come-downs. A responsible stimulant user must recognize these aspects and make efforts to control them, otherwise they will not get any work done, or worse harm themselves!
Disclaimer: I'm not licensed to give medical advice. These are my opinions and are for informational purposes only. Using the mentioned stimulants without a prescription is stupidly illegal (but illegal nonetheless). I won't get into how prohibition is stupid and doesn't work (I think free-use regulation and accurate dispersion of information is the way to go). More importantly though, using these drugs improperly can be unsafe. Make sure you thoroughly research any drugs you use, including over-the-counter drugs, and consult a medical professional when unsure about possible interactions with other drugs or your health conditions.
I live just south of the loop (downtown Chicago). Using Comcast cable, I get routed to Boston, back to Chicago, then to New York, then back to Elk Grove (near Chicago)!
Comcast from a suburb just north of Chicago does nearly the same thing:
Chicago, to Chartford CT, back to Chicago, to New York Savvis, then to Elk Grove, and finally to beta.slashdot.org.
That doesn't make a whole lot of sense... Who the hell setup Comcast's routing??
For comparison, on the Illinois Century Network (an Internet2-capable ISP for many universities and research labs), I get routed through Chicago Cogentco, then right to Chicago Savvis, and finally to beta.slashdot.org
Maybe I worded that too strongly... but they certainly didn't take care of the problem properly.
Paying "full-price" for a broken processor that, when fixed, is 10%-30% slower... is just shady.
The actual responsible things to do would be:
1. Recall and fix the processors
2. Reduce the price to match the performance
3. Actually inform the public (that means in the processor specifications/features, not in a technical Errata note)
If windows didn't crash frequently anyways, and the general market cared a bit more, AMD might have a class-action lawsuit on their hands.
Then again, I don't know of many companies who would do the proper responsible actions...
Also, I am definitely biased, having just had to deal with these issues first hand (with time and money lost).
Now that there is a clear winner--Blu-Ray--everyone is swarming to use/produce/sell/buy Blu-Ray stuff... bulk production increases by orders of magnitude, competition increases, and prices drop
As for CPUs--a much smaller portion of the market is waiting for a winner between AMD and Intel quad-core processors. I think the Q6600 is the clear winner against the current Phenoms, as far as price/performance goes. The prices for the Q6600 are dropping officially on April 20, and some places are already selling it for way below during special sales.
Yeah, it sucks... but they screwed up big with the Phenom release.
Besides the terrible publicity for the launch of a new generation of CPUs, the covered-up TLB bug which prevents reliable virtualization (even 1 crash a week is NOT acceptable)... they almost completely dropped their support for the linux community with this CPU & chipset release. Their 780G chipset + SB700 southbridge is absolutely terrible in linux (even with 2.6.25-rc8)--20MB/s on a Raptor SATA with AHCI mode enabled (usually gets 75MB/s). AND, almost all the motherboards that supposedly support the 125W Phenoms will blow their voltage regulators within minutes of booting!
Or maybe I'm just bitter... I just got burned by this stupid fucking Phenom & 780G+SB700 release. Q6600, here I come--at Fry's its even cheaper then the mid-range Phenom now!
The State Street Village dorms at IIT (Illinois Institute of Technology) have washers and dryers that are network-linked, and can be monitored from a website.
Additionally, you can have the washer/dryer with your clothes in it send a text message to your cell phone when your load is done.
I used it once for fun. Thats it... Its a great feature, sure... except unnecessary and probably cost way more than the benefits it carries.
Why not focus this technology integration into devices that could be useful: i.e. a stove that reminds you that its still on; a fridge that warns of spoiling milk or low quantities of some product.
This is nothing new. Most schools, even in areas that are highly "liberal," try to control their students' thoughts and actions to the point of extreme.
Illinois state law says that schools are allowed to act in the best interest of a student, as a parent when the parent is not around (ie, during school days). It does not say schools can discipline students for their thoughts and actions outside of school and not during school time. However, schools are taking it upon themselves to do this regardless.
I find depriving a student of his 1st ammendment rights or his education not in his "best interest."
This must stop. The only way it will happen is having cases like this go to court, and schools finally exposed for what they are doing.
The difference between VOIP and regular telephones is that with VOIP its not too difficult to add a layer of encryption transparantly, which would easily foil any wiretapping.
Just encrypt the audio in whatever software you use...
Here's an example of this style of anti-popup-blocker advertisement. This site, which is very useful by the way, will not "work" if javascript is not enable or ads are not shown.
I haven't tested this in other browsers, but this system is pretty neat (awful?)... it changes itself so its hard to detect the functions and block them.
An IP Address bit to signal if material is unsafe or adult?! Are you crazy? That's modifying the IP protocol for something carried many levels above it!
It's akin to making a big sign on every car/truck that says there are toxic materials on board, and only light the sign for those that actually carry the materials.
The problem is that the fan noise isn't a constant noise and theres no way to create an inverse wave exactly when the sound happens--there will be a delay.
Environmentalchemistry.com is the first site I've seen so far that actively filters for ad-blockers. If you have javascript off, it doesn't show its main page (gives a message saying you need javascript instead). If you have javascript on but their ads are blocked by an ad blocker, then it doesn't show you the page and eventually redirects you to a page explaining about ad blockers and why they're bad, etc...
The source rewrites all the variable names and function calls with different, random names every time its loaded (sorta neat). Of course, not having CSS or javascript support will probably get around all this, but the majority of web users do have them enabled.
This is a very interesting idea, albiet a bit controversial. Seriously, what would be the first thing to come to mind when you hear of a priest brewing beer in a washing machine at home?
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think much good publicity will come from this...
Slashdot Mirror
I've looked into this topic a few times in the past...
Last time, I found a page that shows samples of hundreds of VIM color schemes:
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~maverick/VimColorSchemeTest/index-pl.html
I don't use VIM (I use JOE), but the color schemes are easy to convert manually
Whats nice is that you can scan through a _lot_ of schemes very quickly, and easily pick out the ones that work very well.
The question is more like: Are they only sending take-down notices to certain universities?
No notices have been sent to Harvard, supposedly because they have lots of money, power, and law professors
From the pictures in AnandTech's teardown:
..-2631 - 8-Pin DIP Dual-Channel High Speed 10 MBit/s Logic Gate Output Optocoupler
The controller for the whole board, and USB interface:
* PIC18F.. - microprocessor (w/ USB transceiver)
The input capture chip for the sensors:
* PCM1803A - 24-Bit, 96kHz, Stereo, Delta-Sigma Audio ADC
Misc supporting circuitry:
*
* ADUM1300 - Analog Devices Triple-Channel Digital Isolator
* Several HC595A shift registers
* A ripple counter
* Some other simple digital logic
All-in-all this doesn't seem particular complicated. I'm interested in how this compares with OpenEEG designs: http://openeeg.sourceforge.net/doc/
One interesting thing is the choice of the audio analog-to-digital converter as the sensor input capture device. Additionally, the use of the PIC18F as the main chip suggests that there's probably not a whole lot of processing going on in there (or else one would expect a dsPIC, or something else more powerful or better tailored to signal processing work).
For those interested in whats inside the OCZ NIA, AnandTech has a product teardown available
Anyone else have specific info on whats inside, etc? First thought that comes to me is, I want to make one myself!
Teardown Article:
http://www.anandtech.com/weblog/showpost.aspx?i=452
Picture Gallery:
http://www.anandtech.com/Gallery.aspx?id=123
I buy Piracetam very cheaply in powder form in bulk on eBay. The seller I buy from is Nutraceuticals, which seems to provide decent quality (and they do have a lab analysis report attached to their auctions--though how applicable it is to all their shipments is questionable). I haven't tried others, but I'm sure there are other quality sellers/stores. Nonetheless, be careful buying things you'll ingest from places that aren't regulated (and/or don't have proper quality assurance and analysis).
I also buy 000-size empty gelcaps and pack the Piracetam into those. Some people mix the Piracetam into a drink, like OJ, but I find the taste to be way too disgusting. Gelcaps are much better, easier, and faster to use (with the downside being they take longer to prepare). Gelcaps also give you a more regulated dosage, though overdosing is not really an issue with Piracetam AFAIK.
To fill a lot of gelcaps at once, you can get a capsule filler tool, which is basically a board with holes for half of the capsules to fit in, and which you pour the powder over and tamp (pack) down using a tamping tool. The cheap ones still require you to separate the gelcaps by hand, and replace the covers by hand at the end. It won't make it go much faster than packing the gelcaps one-by-one, but its a lot more enjoyable.
Ritalin (methylphenidate), Provigil (aka Modafinil), Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts), etc are not the only options. In fact, there is a whole class of cognitive-enhancement drugs, called Nootropics.
The best of these (and arguable one of the safest), in my non-medical opinion, is Piracetam. It is a cyclic derivative of the neurotransmitter GABA, and has been used extensively since the 1960s in clinical studies, for treatment of Alzheimer's (and more), and off-label as a "supplement." Many studies suggest it increases blood flow (and hence oxygenation) to the brain, and protects the brain against damage from alcohol poisoning. It has no known LD-50, and has been clinically tested in daily doses exceeding 50 grams!
I personally use Piracetam to help study, and through my (obviously non-blinded and partially-biased) self-tests, I found that it really does help me learn things faster. After a cramming/studying session, I'll usually look back and realize how much material I've been able to learn in such a short time. All friends I've recommended it to have come to the same conclusion. My dosages vary from 1 gram up to 5 grams at a time, repeating every 3-4 hours.
Unfortunately, the reason why Nootropics aren't used much is because they don't have the intense effects that *stimulants* such as Ritalin do. The effects of Piracetam are very subtle (though the first time is more noticable)--enough so that its easy to get discouraged. However, when you take Ritalin, the stimulation effect is VERY noticeable (and fun, for many people).
The big problems with stimulants are that they aren't great for your body, they can encourage bad sleep habits, they are fun to use (possibly leading to irresponsible use), and they can lead to distraction for those not used to the effects at the used dosage. Additionally, they have terrible come-downs. A responsible stimulant user must recognize these aspects and make efforts to control them, otherwise they will not get any work done, or worse harm themselves!
Disclaimer: I'm not licensed to give medical advice. These are my opinions and are for informational purposes only. Using the mentioned stimulants without a prescription is stupidly illegal (but illegal nonetheless). I won't get into how prohibition is stupid and doesn't work (I think free-use regulation and accurate dispersion of information is the way to go). More importantly though, using these drugs improperly can be unsafe. Make sure you thoroughly research any drugs you use, including over-the-counter drugs, and consult a medical professional when unsure about possible interactions with other drugs or your health conditions.
Wikipedia on Piracetam: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracetam
Erowid on Nootropics: http://www.erowid.org/smarts/
I live just south of the loop (downtown Chicago). Using Comcast cable, I get routed to Boston, back to Chicago, then to New York, then back to Elk Grove (near Chicago)!
Comcast from a suburb just north of Chicago does nearly the same thing:
Chicago, to Chartford CT, back to Chicago, to New York Savvis, then to Elk Grove, and finally to beta.slashdot.org.
That doesn't make a whole lot of sense... Who the hell setup Comcast's routing??
For comparison, on the Illinois Century Network (an Internet2-capable ISP for many universities and research labs), I get routed through Chicago Cogentco, then right to Chicago Savvis, and finally to beta.slashdot.org
Can anyone explain Comcast's weird routes?
Maybe I worded that too strongly... but they certainly didn't take care of the problem properly.
Paying "full-price" for a broken processor that, when fixed, is 10%-30% slower... is just shady.
The actual responsible things to do would be:
1. Recall and fix the processors
2. Reduce the price to match the performance
3. Actually inform the public (that means in the processor specifications/features, not in a technical Errata note)
If windows didn't crash frequently anyways, and the general market cared a bit more, AMD might have a class-action lawsuit on their hands.
Then again, I don't know of many companies who would do the proper responsible actions...
Also, I am definitely biased, having just had to deal with these issues first hand (with time and money lost).
Now that there is a clear winner--Blu-Ray--everyone is swarming to use/produce/sell/buy Blu-Ray stuff... bulk production increases by orders of magnitude, competition increases, and prices drop
As for CPUs--a much smaller portion of the market is waiting for a winner between AMD and Intel quad-core processors. I think the Q6600 is the clear winner against the current Phenoms, as far as price/performance goes. The prices for the Q6600 are dropping officially on April 20, and some places are already selling it for way below during special sales.
Yeah, it sucks... but they screwed up big with the Phenom release.
Besides the terrible publicity for the launch of a new generation of CPUs, the covered-up TLB bug which prevents reliable virtualization (even 1 crash a week is NOT acceptable)... they almost completely dropped their support for the linux community with this CPU & chipset release. Their 780G chipset + SB700 southbridge is absolutely terrible in linux (even with 2.6.25-rc8)--20MB/s on a Raptor SATA with AHCI mode enabled (usually gets 75MB/s). AND, almost all the motherboards that supposedly support the 125W Phenoms will blow their voltage regulators within minutes of booting!
Or maybe I'm just bitter... I just got burned by this stupid fucking Phenom & 780G+SB700 release. Q6600, here I come--at Fry's its even cheaper then the mid-range Phenom now!
The State Street Village dorms at IIT (Illinois Institute of Technology) have washers and dryers that are network-linked, and can be monitored from a website.
Additionally, you can have the washer/dryer with your clothes in it send a text message to your cell phone when your load is done.
I used it once for fun. Thats it... Its a great feature, sure... except unnecessary and probably cost way more than the benefits it carries.
Why not focus this technology integration into devices that could be useful: i.e. a stove that reminds you that its still on; a fridge that warns of spoiling milk or low quantities of some product.
This is nothing new. Most schools, even in areas that are highly "liberal," try to control their students' thoughts and actions to the point of extreme.
Illinois state law says that schools are allowed to act in the best interest of a student, as a parent when the parent is not around (ie, during school days). It does not say schools can discipline students for their thoughts and actions outside of school and not during school time. However, schools are taking it upon themselves to do this regardless.
I find depriving a student of his 1st ammendment rights or his education not in his "best interest."
This must stop. The only way it will happen is having cases like this go to court, and schools finally exposed for what they are doing.
"A summary of all displays along with images are at QuenteCafe.com"
You mean, Was available...
Networkmirror.com Mirror
Mirrordot.org Mirror
The difference between VOIP and regular telephones is that with VOIP its not too difficult to add a layer of encryption transparantly, which would easily foil any wiretapping.
Just encrypt the audio in whatever software you use...
http://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/periodic/
Here's an example of this style of anti-popup-blocker advertisement. This site, which is very useful by the way, will not "work" if javascript is not enable or ads are not shown.
I haven't tested this in other browsers, but this system is pretty neat (awful?)... it changes itself so its hard to detect the functions and block them.
An IP Address bit to signal if material is unsafe or adult?! Are you crazy? That's modifying the IP protocol for something carried many levels above it!
It's akin to making a big sign on every car/truck that says there are toxic materials on board, and only light the sign for those that actually carry the materials.
Rediculous!
I thought of this too, a while back.
The problem is that the fan noise isn't a constant noise and theres no way to create an inverse wave exactly when the sound happens--there will be a delay.
Good to see this concept working though.
Whoops!
I forgot it in my other pants as I was only going to the store down the street.
Guess I'll be spending a night in jail while they try to identify me as not a convict!
After these roll out, how long would it be until the software is modified to bias how you look?
It could make you more "perfect," and you would buy that dress!
Environmentalchemistry.com is the first site I've seen so far that actively filters for ad-blockers. If you have javascript off, it doesn't show its main page (gives a message saying you need javascript instead). If you have javascript on but their ads are blocked by an ad blocker, then it doesn't show you the page and eventually redirects you to a page explaining about ad blockers and why they're bad, etc...
The source rewrites all the variable names and function calls with different, random names every time its loaded (sorta neat). Of course, not having CSS or javascript support will probably get around all this, but the majority of web users do have them enabled.
The project has a sourceforge page at http://sourceforge.net/projects/davedina.
No files there, but the CVS is being used and you can get to the web CVS archive to look around via http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/davedina
Yeah, I'll post my scores... at least when it's done in a few hours! ...mmmmmm...1 fps...
...President Bush made an announcement that the staff at Wired were assisting terrorists in Iraq
Here are some of the (now obsolete, I guess) info pages they had:
http://joltage.com/jsp/home/joltage_network.jsp
http://joltage.com/jsp/home/provider_program.jsp
http://joltage.com/jsp/home/consumer_benefits.jsp
This is a very interesting idea, albiet a bit controversial. Seriously, what would be the first thing to come to mind when you hear of a priest brewing beer in a washing machine at home?
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think much good publicity will come from this...