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User: dgr73

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  1. Re:Not a mistake? on Sweden Defends Wiki Sex Case About-Face · · Score: 1
    Perhaps the problem isn't in the part of the justice system which proceeded with the charges based on the statements of those women.

    Perhaps the problem is with the western justice system that by and large allows false rape charges to be leveled without fear of real repercussions. As this is a crime that usually ruins the reputation of the man (and yes, it's always a man that's the accused) even when the accusations prove false, why should there not be a serious consequence for leveling charges that can be later proven as lies?

    Maybe the false accuser should receive the punishment for the crime for which she tried to accuse someone of (that is, if the accusation can be proven false). You'd see a lot less women going "I'll scream rape if you don't let me cut in front of you in the line".

  2. Mattel Intellivision on Our Video Game Heritage Is Rotting Away · · Score: 1
    Intellivision is a console I was forced to buy "in the flesh" because it just can't be emulated properly. And i'm not talking about the software, for which there is several emulators.. i'm talking about the controller. The baby packs:

    16 directional control disc
    0-9 numpad with Enter/Clear buttons
    Plus a few "non-specific" buttons

    Also considering how the controller is used, with overlays on the numpad, it just makes it that much harder to have anywhere close to the same feel or layout on PC joysticks or any Mouse+KB combination.

  3. Re:Recall? No way! on iPhone 4 Reception Recall Ruckus Roundup · · Score: 1

    By the time they class action is done, all the customer is likely to see will be a $50 credit on their next iPhone.

    Yes but the lawyers will make out like bandits.

  4. More controllable this way on Microsoft Shows Off 'Milo' Virtual Human · · Score: 1

    Now if Milo threatens their plans for world domination, they can just slip a little peanutbutter into his sourcecode, end of problem.

  5. Wonder what explanation is next on Android vs. iPhone 4 Signal Strength Bars Comparison · · Score: 1
    Lying until people believe something seems to be a trend with companies getting caught with their pants down. Look at Apple, the explanations were:

    1. There is no problem!
    2. You're holding it wrong!
    3. The bars are wrong!

    Based on what I see Apple has done two major mistakes with the phone; Creating an antennae setup that is VERY "error" prone (yes, more even than the competitors who use similar setups with their antennae). And "faking" a superior signal via extra bars displayed. The latter was obviously done to make their phone look that much cooler.

    But you can't fault Apple for lying.. after all, all the fanboys are looking for is some excuse to hang on to prove everything is alright in their little world.

  6. Re:Your assumption is incorrect on Apple To Issue a 'Fix' For iPhone 4 Reception Perception · · Score: 1
    Not to forget the fact that every time there's a problem with Apple devices (not just iPhone4), the guys who say "We buy Apple because that means we don't have to experts in the device for them to work". turn into a Wozniak-wannabe with an in-depth technical analysis why said "problem" is not a bug but a feature. Seriously, I've never seen so many technically ignorant people turn into technowizards than when Apple products need a defender.

    I think the following video, even though it's in Finnish so no-one can understand it, illustrates the depth of belief some people have in Apple. Check it out here.

  7. It's the circle of life on Titanium Oxide For High-Density Optical Storage · · Score: 1

    Scientists invent new storage format -> New player is created for it -> **IA puts new *UNBREAKABLE* copy protection on it -> Consumers re-buy their movie libraries -> Copy protection gets cracked -> **IA drills disk full of holes to "prevent copying" -> Disks stop working on consumer devices -> Consumers switch to pirate copies -> **IA ask scientists to come up with a new storage format....

  8. Hardly a mexican standoff on Apple vs. Nokia vs. Google vs. HTC · · Score: 5, Informative
    The article describes the Nokia Apple patent suit/countersuit situation as a mexican standoff. This has been discussed ad nauseum already here on slashdot and I think it's hardly that. Unless you call one person pointing a water pistol and another aiming a cannon a mexican standoff.

    Assuming both sides claims are deemed to have merit and both refuse to pay licensing fees, Nokia has to think of another implementation for some GUI elements, hardly a gargantuan task. However, if Nokia wins, Apple has to reinvent mobile technology, then get all the networks to support their new implementation.

  9. Re:From the same guys... on Oil Leak Could Be Stopped With a Nuke · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What was their alternative?

    They didn't have firepower or mechanized armor that could match what the Germans had. But they did have many, many people.

    Regardless, their technique worked. In fact, it worked so well that they alone were responsible for much of the damage that Germany sustained.

    Umh.. didn't have the firepower or mechanized armor? Ok, granted T34's were few and far between, as were KVs when the germans attacked. I'll even grant you that the BT models they had were inferior to the better german armor. However, the problem didn't really lie with not having enough mechanization. The russians had enough heavy tanks (KV) and good mediums (early T34) to give the german Mk.IIIs and Mk.IVs a run for their money. While BTs were clearly superior to older german armor, such as Mk.IIs or captured Czech stuff. The armor just was never used in a concentrated manner, allowing germans to destroy them piecemeal.

    The problem the russians had on the tactical level was lack of/poor quality training for personnel and lack of experienced leadership due to Stalin's purges. Plus initiate of the officers was heavily curtailed by the dual command system, in which the Politruk had to approve all command decisions.

    On the strategic level they suffered from Stalin's "Not one step back" type policies, which led to encirclements, which led to suicidal breakout attempts of mass surrenders (which led to mass deaths by starvation, etc). This in the beginning of the war.

    Later on in the war the russians had a clear quantative lead and only a minor technical handicap in both airplanes and tanks, also with less restrictions from the political apparatus. Plus throughout the war they enjoyed massive amounts of artillery firepower, which has always been the unsung hero of the Red Army. Why did they still suffer huge casualties when they clearly had an edge in mechanization (not just in numbers, but in available ammo/fuel) compared to the germans and more experienced crews? Because the leadership simply didn't care about the human casualties as long as they gained the results Stalin was expecting of them. Men were simply thrown away in futile assaults, which then later had to be done "properly", just to see if they could break through without bothering to stop to build up.

    Why the rush? Berlin.. Stalin wanted it for himself and feared the allies would get there first, despite promises that they wouldn't even try.

    It's a long rant.. but the gist of it is: The Soviets had many chances to save lives during the war, they just chose not to.

    It worked though, I agree with you there.

  10. Re:The last we'll hear? Not according to the link. on Novell Wins vs. SCO · · Score: 1

    All the horror movie jokes aside. SCO is on the losing side of proving they even own the Unix rights, which *might* by some legal trickery and well placed campaign funds only allow them to sue IBM & all for (c) violation. That trial would then have to prove the stealing of code, which has already been debated in court to SCOs detriment. The court cases might go on one way or another, but any "linux liability scare factor" has long since disappeared from any reasonably savvy IT-Manager's mind. But far be it from me to deny the jokes and gloating people derive from any SCO related lawreports, knock yourselves out.

  11. I bow to your argument.. on North Korea's Own OS, Red Star · · Score: 1

    Your argument makes sense. I am willing to accept that USA might have less prisoners per capita than North Korea. Once again you demonstrate why you are the land of the free, congratulations!

  12. Re:I am so sure about this. on Ex-Pirate Bay Admin Launches Micropayment Service · · Score: 1

    Well, looking at all the recent articles of Paypal shutting down accounts one-sidedly, I would say the Piratebay founders have a much better track record of doing exactly what they say they would.

  13. Re:PETA ... on Directed Energy Weapon Downs Mosquitos · · Score: 1

    No, I think we should reserve the laser for mosquitos, human or insect. For PETA I am planning a humanoid robot that undresses, oils up and spanks PETA members.. and it will not stop spanking until the the member in question admits "Yes, I am a naughty girl and I deserve to be punished"... no wait, that's the script for my new "movie".

  14. Re:Evolution on Directed Energy Weapon Downs Mosquitos · · Score: 1

    We wont go extinct as long as stocks of Soylent Green last.

  15. Re:I am so sure about this. on Ex-Pirate Bay Admin Launches Micropayment Service · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I think it's a great idea, it allows you to control how much you give. Sure, there may be cases where your donation may be 1cent, but it's a MICROpayment system. And if you run a decent site with a dedicated following, it'd be easy for people to click on your "Flattr" button to say "Thanks", which in turn creates a much bigger revenue stream than single donations would.

    For example: If you have 5000 people a month visiting you and you get Flattr revenues from 1/4 of them between the amounts of $0.01 and $2, with the average being $0,25 you would net $312,5 each month. That's a decent help with the server & hosting bills. How many sites with Paypal donate buttons can claim similar figures? (I agree, my figures are just random figures, but not entirely unrealistic, given the proposed system)

    Another counter argument I guess is "Will people use it?" .. that is anyone's guess, but I would totally put some money into the account and whenever I saw something interesting or worth supporting, I could put my money where my mouth is. This instead of saying "If only paypal wasn't so much of a hassle and require so big an investment to donate, I would help these guys". Imagine what this'll do to small pieces of free software, many of which die of neglect because of lack of incentive.

    Lots of popular sites right now run on good will of the owner, some individual donations and ads. And in many cases ads that are not very benign in nature. This Flattr system seems to offer a way out of this. Hell, it could probably be expanded to be a payment system for fixed-size payments.. like "Click here to pay $1.99" -> Goto Flattr site to confirm -> Get authenticated as paid customer.

    I guess it remains to be seen if this system is any good. But I don't expect it to fail on the willingness of people to pay.. if it fails it probably fails on lack of participating sites or problems on making a deposit. I will sure as hell give it a whirl.

  16. Re:Boomerang on Hackers Attack AU Websites To Protest Censorship · · Score: 1

    What's wrong with donkey porn?

  17. 7g of saturated fat on Giant Black Hole At Milky Way's Core Stays Slim · · Score: 1

    I know this is slightly off topic, but in my opinion the words "Milky Way" and "Slim" should not be used in the same sentence.

  18. Wrong (mostly) on Living In Tokyo's Capsule Hotels · · Score: 2, Informative
    Tattoos on westeners are not looked upon with the same stigma as tattoos on Japanese (and even this is lessening nowadays, especially for discreet non-yakuza tattoos).
    Even high end spas in the countryside accept westeners with discreet(ish) tattoos. Yes, the official policy is still "100% tattoo ban", but it's not enforced. Hell, some places even let Yakuza in, but maybe those are not the finest of establishments.

    On a topic more related to OP: The capsule hotels are not that bad, especially since you have washing facilities and good security. Also, if you have a capsule hotel where you can make a deal not to be thrown out every morning with all your belongings, which is what usually happens, and if you can make it a permanent address for jobseeking purposes, it becomes a downright awesome option for people on the way down or early on their way up.

  19. Re:zero-risk? on Thorium, the Next Nuclear Fuel? · · Score: 1

    Just since 1980:
    Feb. 2, 2006: Egyptian passenger ship Salaam 98, carrying an estimated 1,300 people, sinks in the Red Sea.
    July 7, 2005: Overloaded ferry sinks off Indonesia's Papua province, killing about 200 people.
    Nov. 25, 2003: Ferry collision on Congo's Mai-Indombe lake kills at least 182 people.
    Sept. 25, 2002: Senegalese ferry capsizes in a storm off Gambia in West Africa, killing about 1,000 people.
    May 3, 2002: More than 300 die when a triple-decked ferry sinks in the Meghna River in Bangladesh.
    Oct. 19, 2001: 374 die, most believed to be asylum-seekers from Afghanistan and Iraq, when a refugee boat sinks en route from Indonesia to Australia.
    June 29, 2000: Some 500 killed when Cahaya Bahari ferry sinks off Sulawesi, Indonesia.
    Nov. 24, 1999: 282 killed when ferry sinks after catching fire off east coast of China.
    Feb. 6, 1999: The Harta Rimba, a ship not licensed for passenger use, sinks in the South China Sea, killing about 325 people.
    May 21, 1996: Ferry sinks in Lake Victoria in east Africa, killing at least 500 people. One estimate puts the number of dead at 800.
    Jan. 19, 1996: Ferry sinks in a storm off Sumatra, Indonesia, killing about 340 people.
    Sept. 28, 1994: The ferry Estonia sinks during a storm in the Baltic Sea, killing 852 people.
    Aug. 20, 1994: More than 250 killed when ferry sinks in a storm on the River Meghna in Bangladesh.
    Feb. 16, 1993: Overcrowded ferry sinks between Jeremie and Port-au-Prince, Haiti, estimated 500-700 dead.
    Dec. 14, 1991: More than 460 passengers and crew die after a coral reef tears a hole in a ferry's side near the port of Safaga, Egypt.
    Aug. 6, 1988: As many as 400 drown in India when a ferry capsizes in the Ganges River.
    Dec. 20, 1987: 4,340 drown when the ferry Dona Paz collides with the tanker MT Victor in the Philippines.
    March 6, 1987: 189 die when water rushes through the open bow doors of the Herald of Free Enterprise, causing the British ferry to capsize off the Belgian port of Zeebrugge.
    Aug. 31, 1986: Soviet passenger ship Admiral Nakhimov collides with a merchant vessel in the Black Sea, causing both ships to sink and killing up to 448 people.
    May 25, 1986: Some 600 people die when their ferry goes down in the River Meghna in southern Barisal district, Bangladesh.
    Jan. 27, 1981: 580 killed when Indonesian passenger ship Tamponas II catches fire and sinks in Java sea.
    Source: MSNBC
    Aside from the first one which, if the name is anything to go by, was built to absorb water the ships are built with full knowledge of the Titanic disaster.

  20. Re:We will never know on Happy Birthday, Linus · · Score: 1

    I thank Tommy the Clown... err.. Linus Torvalds for starting the movement, but what we do now is completely different... riiiighht..

  21. Re:NO! on TSA Wants You To Keep Your Seat, and Your Hands In Sight · · Score: 2, Funny

    Does that make him Johann Spliffpacken then?

  22. Lifeforms - Food? on Martian Methane May Be Created By Lifeforms · · Score: 1

    I bet Adam Richman is already eyeing the place with a challenge in mind.

  23. Re:Of course on Man "Beats" World of Warcraft · · Score: 1

    I'm excessively moderate

  24. It IS great on Recycling Excess Heat From the Data Center · · Score: 3, Informative

    Not to mention that when you have hot water coming out of the pipes, you don't need a water boiler, which is something all houses without kaukolämpö (remote heat) need. All in all, the infrastructure is in place in many places in Finland, with insulated pipes dug deep enough into the ground to keep the heat, so why not take advantage of it.

  25. So.. on Nintendo Upset Over Nokia Game Emulation Video · · Score: 1

    What does Nintendo get out of this? Probably nothing but a hit on their rep and an apology (maybe) from Nokia. However, Nintendo making a big fuss about this is a goldmine of free publicity for Nokia.. Nintendo angry because a Nokia phone that can do a lot of stuff can also emulate their legacy games? Good for Nokia :)