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User: pubwvj

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Comments · 2,062

  1. Parasites keep you thin. on Gut Bacteria In Slim People Extract More Nutrients · · Score: 2

    It has long been recognized in farming that parasites keep animals thin. Same for people. Gee!

  2. We already have seven of these advanced models... on Will Robots Replace Rent-a-Cops? · · Score: 3, Funny

    We already have seven of these. They're called D.O.Gs. Work great. Highly intelligent and programmable. Self directed. Loyal. Obedient. Self-replicating. Able to power themselves off of local rodents and farm wastes (meat & bones). They're also good at herding livestock.

  3. Problem is Fundamental on SimCity Mac Launch Facing More Problems · · Score: 1

    The problem is fundamental: server based. Anything that requires a connection to play is a loser game. Connections are not reliable, universally available or fast everywhere. By requiring a connection they instantly limit their audience and turn off those of use that won't accept that shackle. Major problem is that they can just decide to shut down the servers one day and then the game you paid for is dead. Worthless.

  4. Legacy Support on Inside OS X Mavericks · · Score: 1

    Apple needs to address legacy support and stop abandoning old software and data. Just because they want to move forward doesn't mean we as users want to give up access to our existing data. We need an operating system that supports all software. This should include all versions of the iOS, MacOSX, MacClassic, AppleII, etc. Even DOS, CPM and Windows. Offering universal emulation is possible - Apple hardware has the computing power and Apple Corporation has the resources. Doing this would set them apart and above all other vendors.

  5. No more hockey stick on Dishwasher-Size, 25kW Fuel Cell In Development · · Score: 1

    Gee, this is going to throw out the doomsday scenarios of all those neo-ecovists who claim our increasing energy consumption and pollution are going to destroy the planet.

    1) The planet really doesn't give a hoot.

    2) Energy usage is getting more efficient - my new freezer, refrigerator, computer, fan, van all use far less energy to do the same work as pervious models.

    3) Power generation technology is dramatically improving with things like co-generation fuel cells, micro-hydro, micro-solar, etc.

    My personal favorite is micro-hydro. I can generate about 25KW with something about the size of half a home washer and no fossil fuel inputs since it's just catching motion from falling water. Sure, it won't work everywhere but there are a lot of places where it will. In other places solar hot water, solar electric, wind are all viable options too.

    This raises the one big issue I have with the fuel cells, they require a fuel input. That costs money.

  6. Be professional and give notice. on Ask Slashdot: When Is It OK To Not Give Notice? · · Score: 1

    Be professional and give notice. If you don't it will very likely, almost assuredly, come back to haunt you, perhaps not at this job if you already have it lined up but at the next job.

    Understand that employers look carefully at dates on resumes and double check them with your past work places. If there are gaps that is a red flag. If they don't match up that's a bigger red flag. If you lie that's a huge red flag.

  7. Meanwhile back on the ranch on US, Germany To Enter No-Spying Agreement · · Score: 2

    Meanwhile both governments continue to spy on their citizens.

  8. Re:Yeah.. on Medical Costs Bankrupt Patients; It's the Computer's Fault · · Score: 1

    So instead of just doing the paperwork on paper(or excel) theyre going to let the patients die if they cant cough up the cash

    No, what they do is put you in debt instead of letting you die. If you get sick now you can lose everything you have, all your assets, to pay your bills. By putting this off the government saves a whoppering bucket of money which goes to the insurance companies. This is really about politics and lobbying, not about health or caring for people.

  9. A dubious product on Hacking Lightbulbs To Cause a Sustained Blackout · · Score: 1

    Aye, I was rather dubious of this product for this reason and others. Another fundamental problem is they're taking something simple and cheap and adding a great deal of complexity and cost to it which increases the price, reduces the market and lowers reliability. I don't need lightbulbs that can think for themselves, talk to each other or talk to me. Just turn on and off. That's enough.

  10. Coasting on Microsoft Cuts Surface Pro Price By $100 · · Score: 1

    Well, if the price gets low enough I might get one to use as a coffee cup coaster... Say $1. Maybe...

  11. Switched Parties on Obama Administration Overrules iPhone Trade Ban · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Imagine how the liberals would be screaming if a Republican President did this. I'm not arguing with what he did. Just listening to the silence.

  12. We already do but efficiency on What's Stopping Us From Eating Insects? · · Score: 1

    We already do eat insects but they are not terribly efficient to raise. It is far easier to put cattle, pigs and poultry out on pasture, all of which can thrive on just pasture without any need for grain, high energy inputs like factory farms or laboratories. Pasture raised livestock have been perfected over a period of many thousands of years. They efficiently convert sunshine captured by plants into high quality lipids (fat) & protein (meat). They also concentrate vitamins and minerals.

    Don't confuse the modern factory farm, the CAFO, with pasture based livestock. CAFOs are what it would look like if Big Ag were raising insects. The only benefit of insects is they're not as cute so they don't trigger the emotional reaction from hyper-empathic people. Fortunately hyper-empathy is a curable disease.

    If you want sustainable, buy meat from your local pasture based farmers.

  13. That Perfect Robot Look on Robot Produces Paintings With That 'Imperfect' Human Look · · Score: 2

    The irony is that while the robot has been perfecting the human look my wife has perfected that machine look. Her drawings look so real that people mistake them for photographs. She does edit out and add in but it comes out looking so real it is mistaken for reality.

  14. Abuse of System on Pre-Dawn Wireless Emergency Alert Wakes Up NYC · · Score: 1

    "many have taken the step of deactivating these alerts to avoid future jolting mid-slumber alarms"

    The system is a very bad idea - no matter whether it is texts, phone calls, emails or what ever. Abuses like this will push people to turn off their links to the system. Justifying such systems is mere fascist totalitarianism.

  15. Too Light to Last on Volkswagen Concept Car Averages 262 MPG · · Score: 1

    Light weight cars go crumble on the autobahn. Bad news. I would rather get lower mpg and be safe. Better yet, I minimize travel.

  16. Re:one word ... on The Price of Amazon · · Score: 1

    Actually, the savings is even greater for eBook production that most people realize. I owned and operated a publishing company during the 1980's, 1990's and 2000's so I have a bit of experience with this.

    As a publisher we got about 50% of the list price from the wholesale distributors. So if a book was listed at $10 we got $5 (using simple units to keep this exercise easy).

    Our incremental cost of production for the book was typically about half of that $5 so it cost us about $3 to print the book (printing, shipping, warehousing, etc).

    The $2 that was left covered what we paid the editors, proofers, indexers, layout, artists, author, other staff and marketing costs. The author received most of their money up front in the advance.

    If the book is a big enough success then the author would get more money and we would see a profit because we would get beyond the startup costs for the book (editors, proofers, indexers, layout, etc). That was always nice.

    With eBooks that $3 incremental cost is reduced to almost zero. The distribution cost is typically only 30% instead of 50%. Thus these costs should disappear and eBook prices should be lower than physical books just like paper back books are cheaper than the more expensive to produce hard back books.

    The startup costs and the royalty to the author still need to be covered as well as a profit for the publisher but the incremental cost of producing eBooks is trivial so they should cost less than they do IF THINGS WERE SOLD ON A COST OF PRODUCTION BASIS. That isn't how the market works though. Things are sold based on the real value as determined by what a willing buyer will pay.

  17. Re:Depends on the energy source duh! on Electric Vehicles Might Not Benefit the Environment After All · · Score: 1

    Of course it depends on the energy source. I purchase wind powered offsets to power my focus electric. This changes the equation greatly.

    Maybe not. I have bad news for you on the wind power offset, carbon credits and that whole trading game. It's a hoax.

    We have a farm. On our farm are several mountain ridges that are idea for wind towers. We were approached by a "wind power" company who wanted to build 34 of the big megawatt or more wind towers on our mountains. We were interested. Our neighbors were interested. Our town was interested.

    Upon reading the contracts - all very long - I discovered that the "wind power" company was not going to actually make money through making power. They made virtually all their money through government grants, trading carbon credits for simply existing and selling the wind powered offsets you think you're using to power your electric car. The whole thing was a sham.

    Offsets, carbon credits and all of that are a hoax to get you to pay more for your power. They don't actually save the environment. Do something real with your money.

  18. Pandora was A Fraid Not on Beware the Internet · · Score: 1

    What he says could be applied to almost any human innovation. Fire, the wheel, throwing sticks, transistors, nuclear energy...

    Fortunately pundits like this can't actually act on their ideas. There is no stuffing the genie back in the bottle. The tool box is open. Learn to work with it.

  19. Legacy Support on Apple Files Patent For New Proprietary Port · · Score: 1

    What would be really useful is a single port that combined:

    USB (all flavors)
    SDCard
    iPod30PinConnector
    Thunderbolt

    This would provide excellent backward compatibility. It's a shame each time they upgrade the connector to have to throw away your external devices (e.g., BMW car).

    Apple could do a LOT better at legacy support.

  20. Obama Missed the Point on Obama Reveals Climate Change Plan · · Score: 1

    "The speech addressed the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry up to 800,000 gallons of oil per day from Canada into the U.S. Obama indicated that approval for the pipeline would be tied to emissions goals."

    He totally missed the point. We're not worried about air emissions. We're worried about pipeline spills and the abuse of eminent domain being used to take people's land and homes. Kill KeystoneXL.

  21. Re:Marine Aquariums on Ocean Plastics Host Surprising Microbial Array · · Score: 1

    Unless you've used them for a long time and noticed that indeed they do get consumed. Undoubtedly it varies with the brand and the resins and such used.

  22. As the song asks... on Ask Slashdot: Is an Online Identity Important When Searching For Technical Jobs? · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What do you do do?

    If you're in IT especially and you're invisible you're suspicious. Lots of job applicants. What makes you stand out?

  23. Marine Aquariums on Ocean Plastics Host Surprising Microbial Array · · Score: 1

    We've seen this in marine aquariums for decades. This causes an increase in the available surface area for colonization which is very useful for water quality maintenance since many of the bacteria that colonize these surfaces are beneficial, breaking down things like ammonia and such that can be poisonous. This has been used by public aquariums, hobbyists and even the basis of commercial products for decades. Very useful.

  24. Duh. on 802.11ac: Better Coverage, But Won't Hit Advertised Speeds · · Score: 1

    Duh. Of course. So what. And when you bought that walkie-talkie that advertised 2-mile range did you expect to actually get that in the mountain valley, the city, the mall? Get a tad bit real.

  25. Legacy and Inter-opterability on Apple Shows Off New iOS 7, Mac OS X At WWDC · · Score: 2

    Bringing iBooks to the MacOS is good.

    MacOS and iOS need to merge - We need to be able to use our data and our applications no matter what the hardware.

    Apple should offer legacy support back to Classic, at least, with full 68K/PPC support - there's a tremendous amount of excellent software that was never brought to OSX or iOS. People using that software can't upgrade and abandon their data and applications so they don't. If Apple offered legacy support I have eleven machines I would upgrade and I know of many more people in the same boat. Since they won't support my data and apps I keep fixing old machines and Apple's not making profits on new hardware and OS updates from us.