archive
index
gp originals
google i
google ii
celebrating porn
idiot voters
| Notice: GeekPress is back up and running, thanks to Paul! It's still a not-so-serious tech news blog, but the format is significantly looser. Diana, having given up programming for philosophy, has her own philosophical blog NoodleFood. More of her work can be found at DianaHsieh.com. |
| Workers giving up right to sue for fatter severance |
| 9:13:47 am mst / 24 February 2001 found by paul / filed in business / source NY Times 24 hits / 0 comments / 0 e-mails |
| Many technology companies are now offering their laid-off employees additional generous severance bonuses (up to several months' pay) if they are willing to sign agreements promising never to sue their employers. |
| What's interesting is that given the current legal climate, the companies feel almost compelled to offer these benefits, and the laid-off employees feel almost compelled to accept them. Although the article is faintly disapproving of these packages, it seems like a perfect example of a win-win to me. |
 |
| DeCSS in haiku |
| 1:17:02 pm mst / 24 February 2001 found by paul / filed in legal / source Politech 90 hits / 0 comments / 0 e-mails |
| Politech pointed us towards this haiku version of the DeCSS algorithm, written by an anonymous author. |
| David Touretsky's post to Politech includes links to numerous other incarnations of the DeCSS code. |
|
| Mice with human brain cells |
| 5:43:37 pm mst / 24 February 2001 found by paul / filed in science / source Reuters News 36 hits / 1 comment / 0 e-mails |
| California scientists have created laboratory mice which contain some human brain cells. Stanford professor Irving Weissman said "the next step could be to produce mice with brains made up almost entirely of human cells." He did say that he would consult an ethicist before proceeding: "You would want to ask the ethicist what percentage of the brain would be human cells before you start worrying, and if you start worrying, what would you start worrying about." |
| What would such mice be like? Would they be geniuses or insane? |
| read 1 comment |
|
| Hacker breaks into police radio during suicide negotiations |
| 8:15:43 pm mst / 24 February 2001 found by paul / filed in security / source ABC News 183 hits / 1 comment / 0 e-mails |
| While Omaha, Nebraska police officers were negotiating with a suicidal man threatening to leap from an overpass, a mysterious hacker broke into the police radio circuit and broadcast the Van Halen song "Jump", blaring lyrics such as "might as well jump... go ahead jump". |
| The police were not amused. |
| read 1 comment |
|
| Worthless Items Your Company Counts As Compensation |
| 9:27:14 pm mst / 24 February 2001 found by diana / filed in humor / source Dilbert 205 hits / 0 comments / 0 e-mails |
| This Dilbert List of the Day examines the worthless crap that companies try to pawn off as compensation. |
| My favorite: "TRUE: After five years with the company, I earned a $25 christmas bonus. Deducted from my previous paycheck." Ouch! |
|
