But no cigar.

At least we're safer now?

Well that depends: do people still use carbon film resistors?

Some fundamental questions need to be asked in earnest - and obviously haven't - foremost among them:

Why do you give a shit that there aren't many girl or minority programmers? I mean, it's not as though they lack the opportunity. Christ, the entry barriers don't get much lower than programming.

Will throwing money from the top-down really fundamentally change anything?

Why are you conflating programming with Big Dreams? Or even little dreams? This is an error.

The main thing that's needed is patience. This is a DNA-of-Society issue, not an attitude or education issue. I mean really: if you like messing with computers, you're going to figure this shit out on your own. Whatsmore, because programming is really a craft and not a checklist, you really only learn on your own.

There isn't a quick fix for this, no matter how many resources are thrown at it.And again, I ask: why should we care?

I think you may be right. What's worse, I'm not sure it's entirely intentional. Unfortunately, Spain lives by its own version of Hanlon's Razor: never attribute to malice what can easily be explained by stupidity, greed or laziness (but most likely all three).

...and a little bit retarded.

If only this were about making a stand against Google, but it's not. As with what happend last year in France, It's mostly about moribund institutions looking for a handout. What's also astonishing is the bit about republishing "any part of their content." Yes, I think this will end well.

This is just another example of the special relationship that exists in Spain between corporate interests and the government; almost always against the best interests of the consumer. So you get things like a maximum of 5% discount on books, no Uber, an arbitrary tax on recordable media and recording devices that goes to a slush fund fronting as a recording artists association. All with the blessing and sanction of the government. !Arriba Espana!

the doctor's finger hovered over the rocker switch, shaking. He imagined the frightening potential of the subject, its superior faculties and seemingly limitless intellect, that only needed a flick of his finger to be born - and unleashed upon the world.

At that moment, two questions popped into his head in quick succession:

"As a human being, how could I?"

"As a scientist, how could I not?"

A dull click was heard. And from the switch there was light.

I'm shaking my head here, wondering why this is downmodded to troll.

Is this a geek thing - the tenedency to read everything too literally - or do they simply not teach satire in schools anymore? Did the powers that be replace that curriculum with cultural sensitivity lessons?

People are different: but that's not something to be ashamed of: that's something to be celebrated and from time to time - why not?- laughed at. I submit that one sign of a healthy society is when all its people can be made the butt of a joke and are able to laugh at it without resentment. But we are so far from that, in this tumblr society where everyone is a victim.

I had hoped that America was moving towards cultutural transcendence. But now it seems we have the worst of both worlds: the overly-indulged sensitivities of the left and the thinly-veiled, mean-spirited xenophobia of the right.

Somebody make a shitty about it that's like a prequel to Aliens but most certainly is not a prequel to Aliens! [a-WINK!]

Also: mother-fucking space cobras [80s metal guitar riff]!!!

Tangentially, does anyone know of a procedure on Android which enables you to spoof your personal data and activity (at least as far as apps are concerned)?

Example: your name is Dorothy and you're in Kansas clicking your red ruby slippers together, but all apps see you as Toto, living down in Africa, blessing the rains.

A story about a model under development which may or may not lead ... to something? You call this news?

Here's an idea: next time something this "newsworthy" comes up, don't post it!

Because of all the horrific deaths that have occurred just today.

Oh, and think of the children.

Don't hate the player, hate the game.

Trouble is, the game never changes.

(yeah I screwed up the link but fuck Slashdot's antiquarian no-editing of messages policy. Jesus, it's almost 2015.)

Is that American Barbie outsourced the job to Indian Barbie (http://www.amazon.com/Barbie-P8228-INDIAN-BARBIE/dp/B002PEQKHG) at a quarter of the pay and pocketed the rest as profit.

That's the American way.