[sideus]

I don't see this data anywhere on this "new" laptop I got.

[effgee]

Originally Posted by sideus

I don't see this data anywhere on this "new" laptop I got.

Make sure you get rid of the "transponder" - glue it onto a cat or something ...

[sideus]

Professor: We now have proof that my laptop is doing 72MPH down I-75. Return the laptop now, I am your only hope.

[itistoday]

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious

He has all these grants and projects supposedly, I am sure he isn't being hurt by budget cuts.
Nevertheless, there are money problems in universities because people like him spend it like it is going out of style. I feel no sympathy for them knowing how much money is wasted by labs and departments.

Hmm... My dad's a professor, and so I know something about the financial situation they're all in. Since Bush stepped into office it has become much harder for a researcher to get a grant because of how underfunded organizations like the NIH are. Slightly off topic I know, but I find it revolting that you think scientists, universities, and scientific organizations are being paid too much. There are a lot of people in this country that need to get their priorities straightened out in terms of who gets tax payers money.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally Posted by itistoday

Hmm... My dad's a professor, and so I know something about the financial situation they're all in. Since Bush stepped into office it has become much harder for a researcher to get a grant because of how underfunded organizations like the NIH are. Slightly off topic I know, but I find it revolting that you think scientists, universities, and scientific organizations are being paid too much. There are a lot of people in this country that need to get their priorities straightened out in terms of who gets tax payers money.

I didn't say they are being paid too much. I said they are wasting too much money because they are.
I have worked at labs at large schools like Berkeley and I have seen how their budgets are spent and how must waste and unnecessary spending goes on. I really don�t care what you find revolting and who you blame for the problem. You may know how much your dad brings home but I have worked in government far more extensively than you to know how ineffective the bureaucracy is at reining in the purse strings.

The spending is not carefully scrutinized and audits happen few and far between. When they do happen only really bizarre spending habits are questioned. And I have seen a lot of private audits first hand since my mom is a CPA. If a business was run the way public universities are they would be bankrupt in a few years. Luckily, for state schools they can pass on the waste to the students via tuition.

[itistoday]

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious

I didn't say they are being paid too much. I said they are wasting too much money because they are.
I have worked at labs at large schools like Berkeley and I have seen how their budgets are spent and how must waste and unnecessary spending goes on. I really don�t care what you find revolting and who you blame for the problem. You may know how much your dad brings home but I have worked in government far more extensively than you to know how ineffective the bureaucracy is at reining in the purse strings.

The spending is not carefully scrutinized and audits happen few and far between. When they do happen only really bizarre spending habits are questioned. And I have seen a lot of private audits first hand since my mom is a CPA. If a business was run the way public universities are they would be bankrupt in a few years. Luckily, for state schools they can pass on the waste to the students via tuition.

Ah, so that's what you're at. Your wording confused me a bit, but I agree that some universities do have poor spending habits. However, you said:

He has all these grants and projects supposedly, I am sure he isn't being hurt by budget cuts.
Nevertheless, there are money problems in universities because people like him spend it like it is going out of style.

Unless you actually know his financial practices, I think the statement, "people like him spend it like it is going out of style," is overly zealous. I think you should instead question the university's administrations, not the researchers.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally Posted by itistoday

Unless you actually know his financial practices, I think the statement, "people like him spend it like it is going out of style," is overly zealous. I think you should instead question the university's administrations, not the researchers.

Some? Try all.
They do spend money irresponsibly because they know its better to abuse the system rather than try to reform it. If they don�t spend every last penny allocated to them by years end their budget gets rolled back. So instead of not spending the money they waste it all on things they don�t really need and then ask for even more funds for the following year, just in case they run short.

It isn�t just a matter of blaming the school�s administration. The departments, chairpersons, professors, and graduate students use up all the money they can because it�s really not going to hurt them. Professors have tenure, TA�s have a union, and job security for the people who oversee spending is pretty well established. I don�t have to familiar with this professor to know that waste like this is the rule not the exception.

It doesn�t matter how much funding from the state or federal government gets cut since the cost is passed on to tuition anyway. This cycle of spending doesn�t hurt anyone nearly as much as it does students so I feel no pity for your dad. When was the last time you heard of a school letting non-teaching research professors go so they could hire more real instructors that interact with students when budgets are tight? Never. Instead they don�t give tenure to less prestigious staff and hire grad students to teach undergraduates. Brilliant way to reward students for the $30K they spend per year.

The only deplorable thing is how much waste goes on in public universities and how little anyone cares to cut it.

[MilkmanDan]

After working on a college campus IT department for a year, I can say with all honesty, that professors are usually computer stupid. I'm surprised more exams are not stolen off computers.

Passwords. Use them.

He is soooo obviously faking it all.

[Randman]

Who cares, it's only a Windows peecee.

[sideus]

Quicktime version for those of us who don't use RealJunk.

[MallyMal]

This guy's video is now on iFilm.com

ifilm.com

[DeathToWindows]

depends... if said prof is tenured, they're fine

otherwise... walking papers

[mitchell_pgh]

90% of what he said sounded like BS.

If he had 1/10th of the information he had, he would get the police and get the guy... not try to talk to a group of 250+ people.

Not that I would take a laptop, but if I was a student and the prof pulled something like that... I would wipe off any fingerprints, destroy the laptop and put it in the garbage. (it's not like a dead body... nobody is going to think twice about a broken laptop [should the trash man find it]).

Poor logic on the prof's part.
A) Give us the laptop so I can turn you in.
B) We will find you and turn you in.

IMHO, an approach I would have taken is "If the laptop isn't returned, I'll be foreced to call the FBI as it had NIH/Fortune 1000 etc. data on it. We have some promising information, and are very likely to track it down. I need it today or I'll be forced to make the call.

[Albert Pujols]

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000817041260/

They still haven't found the kid.

[sideus]

Jasper Rine did, in fact, make the whole thing up in an attempt to scare the kid into giving the laptop back

[sideus]

Comments left on engadget;

"At this very moment Jesus Christ, Bill Gates, John Ashcroft, and the entire cast of the contender are flying this way to retrieve my stolen $1000 laptop, which has $25,000 worth of tracking gear to protect data worth $100,000,000 that was so important I left it sitting on a cafeteria table unattended."

haha

[Randman]

He's now internationally stupid. Even mainstream media has picked up the story. He looks even stupider for his comments other than just losing the laptop.

[an0therdumbsn]

all im seeing is a 48 minute lecture........ has this video been changed / removed???
i really wanna see this


EDIT : i didnt see the instructions to scroll to 48:50, the video is now only 48:43 seconds long.
weak
any mirrors of this?

[sideus]

Originally Posted by an0therdumbsn

all im seeing is a 48 minute lecture........ has this video been changed / removed???
i really wanna see this


EDIT : i didnt see the instructions to scroll to 48:50, the video is now only 48:43 seconds long.
weak
any mirrors of this?

http://homepage.mac.com/brianwilliam...ptop_Thief.mp4

[Superchicken]

I bet it's a lie, either that or those companies he's consulting for should heir someone who has a better clue about keeping his stuff safe.

[Randman]

Originally Posted by Superchicken

I bet it's a lie.

Hullo? Earth to McFly: He's already been busted as a liar. Read a few posts above.