Slashdot Mirror


User: popo

popo's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
1,311
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 1,311

  1. Fusion isn't "expensive", it's lossy on Fusion Reactor Concept Could Be Cheaper Than Coal · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The problem isn't just "expense" as the summary pretends. It's that the energy output is less than the energy inputs.

    Scaling the reactor is like the old joke about "losing money on every sale, but making up for it on volume."

  2. Will they also ban passengers? on Studies Conclude Hands-Free-calling and Apple Siri Distract Drivers · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Because I'm pretty sure that talking to one's significant other is equally distracting.

  3. No collection happens until examination on The Executive Order That Redefines Data Collection · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So if I download lots of copyrighted music and films, but never listen to them -- then I'm apparently okay right?

  4. Re:isnt ice less dense? on Antarctic Ice Loss Big Enough To Cause Measurable Shift In Earth's Gravity · · Score: 1

    But help me out here. the water is still in the oceans of the Earth. So what causes the net gravitational change? The change in density from less-dense ice to more-dense water?

    I would guess that results in a gravitational increase. Where is the net loss coming from?

  5. Re:Largest Climate march in history on Hundreds of Thousands Turn Out For People's Climate March In New York City · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Big enviro"? You mean the total sum of all non-carbon based energy industries, technology companies and carbon credits markets?

    Show me your math.

  6. What about Pro-Biotics, though? on Study Finds Link Between Artificial Sweeteners and Glucose Intolerance · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The issue here seems to be an alteration of the gut-flora caused by artificial sweeteners (assumably by reducing sugars in the gut).

    But might not this problem be addressed with pro-biotics? Gut flora seems an easy enough issue to address, no?

  7. The end of TWO bubbles on Alibaba's US IPO Could Top $20 Billion · · Score: 2

    The Internet bubble is already bursting, with mass layoffs all over the valley. On top of that, the "China growth" story is also cold and dead, with bad debts soaring across Asia.

    This has the makings of a massive flop, but the news media is ecstatic about this IPO despite widespread reporting on both bubbles having burst already.

    Short this piggy.

  8. DropBox is hopelessly overpriced on Dropbox Caught Between Warring Giants Amazon and Google · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's one thing to blame Amazon and Google for a price war. But DropBox's pricing scheme was always overpriced. (And the same goes for Evernote -- even though theirs is a slightly different offering). What should cost a couple bucks a month is priced multiples higher.

    Besides, DropBox has entertained MULTIPLE exit opportunities and rejected them all.

    If they disappear now, they will have only themselves to blame for not choosing any one of the multiple exits that were on the table.

    The landscape changed rapidly around the early leaders. And yet, those leaders did not change their models rapidly to match the changing landscape. Knowing when to quit, and how best to exit are essential parts of management. While we may applaud unbounded grit and unshakeable tenacity -- those qualities in a CEO are more frequently disastrous than beneficial.

  9. Or don't be... on Apple's Diversity Numbers: 70% Male, 55% White · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What's the percentage of white male computer-science and technical graduates?

    To do anything but hire according to that percentage would be an act of sexism or racism.

  10. Here's another idea on Nintendo Posts Yet Another Loss, Despite Mario Kart 8 · · Score: 1

    The reality is that you can build a decent set top box for casual gaming for under $50.

    Do that AND open it up to developers with an App Store and Nintendo will create a whole new category.

  11. Re:That has to be the most garbled summary.... on The Hobbit: the Battle of Five Armies Trailer Released · · Score: 0

    It wasn't the "uber geeks" that ruined this trilogy. Jackson built up an incredible amount of "cred" with LOTR. The speed and decisiveness with which he obliterated his cred with The Hobbit is rivaled only by George Lucas and the disaster of Episodes 1 & 2.

    The Hobbit is a silly script, which was mutated into a slapstick adventure-comedy. The characters are 2 dimensional and the plot could only possibly interest a child.

    Thank goodness we "uber geeks" have Game of Thrones to distract us while Jackson sh*ts out another Disney-esque turd for his corporate paymasters.

  12. Third Amendment Violations, dead ahead on Airbnb Partners With Cities For Disaster Preparedness · · Score: 1, Funny

    Since the first, second and fourth amendments have already been assaulted and cut-back in the USA, it's probably just a matter of time before the third amendment gets assaulted too.

    Most of our already-lost rights seem to have been erased under the banner of "emergency planning", so this would seem like a logical place for the breach on our third amendment rights.

  13. Or maybe you're not so good at math on In France, Most Comments on Gaza Conflict Yanked From Mainstream News Sites · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The problem is that in terms of mathematical relativity, the fighting in Gaza is not a terribly important ongoing conflict.

    There are an *exponentially* larger number of ongoing casualties in Syria. Where is the outrage?

    There are more ongoing casualties in Sudan, Pakistan and other non-reported conflicts as well. Where are the street protests?

    Selective outrage is inherently indicative of a motivation *other* than humanitarian concern.

    Great stats here: http://notquant.com/the-israel...

    We must care about civilian casualties. But we must not care more about some casualties over others.

  14. Re:Money on Experiment Shows People Exposed To East German Socialism Cheat More · · Score: 1

    Exactly right. My thoughts exactly.

    If one were to conduct the same study but offer $10,000 instead if $6, I am quite sure the percentage of cheaters would rise to include a significant number of those born in the relatively rich West.

  15. Isn't this MORE dangerous? on Are Tethers the Answer To the Safety Issues of Follow-Me Drone Technology? · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sorry, but the logic here escapes me. Aren't the danger of crossed-tethers exponentially greater than the danger of colliding drones?

  16. But WHY are they demolishing the room? on Site of 1976 "Atomic Man" Accident To Be Cleaned · · Score: 1

    I would think the article would explain *why* the building is being demolished (which sounds like an extremely good way to cause radioactive particles to escape into the environment).

    Are they building condos? What's the story?

  17. But people forget what MENSA concluded on Match.com, Mensa Create Dating Site For Geniuses · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Folks, MENSA was a study intended to track the successes of those with high IQ's as they progressed through life.

    Somewhat unsurprisingly, the study revealed NO CORRELATION.

    Zippo. Nada. None. Zilch.

    People with high-IQ's were no more successful in career terms than people with average IQ's. (I have a high IQ, and I wish the correlation had been tighter! :D )

    So at the end of the day "success" is a combination of multiple factors and IQ alone is non-determinant. So who cares about IQ anyway?

  18. Re:I don't understand how this is a "record" on Fabien Cousteau Takes Plunge To Beat Grandfather's Underwater Record · · Score: 1

    I think it comes down to the (rather silly) semantics of "undersea habitat".

  19. Should it even be called a "car"? on Cockpit Revealed For Bloodhound Supersonic Car · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Cars have the capacity to turn. A rocket with wheels on it does not seem to meet even the most minimal requirements for a "car".

  20. Re:far enough on The Andromeda Galaxy Just Had a Bright Gamma Ray Event · · Score: 2

    So I guess SETI won't be looking for life anywhere in the region then. Right? ... unless (as you said) it wouldn't necessarily kill us all.

  21. Re:It's still debt on The Mifos Project Makes Software To 'Accelerate Microfinance' (Video) · · Score: 1

    "Sorta, but not really. Debt is a type of mutual bet made by the investor/banker and the beneficiary that the value of the assets purchased by the debt will exceed the value of the money the debt reflects. And most of the time, it works out, and everybody wins!"

    Buzz. Wrong. Actually, that's mostly not how it works. But it's a wonderful fantasy. To say that everybody wins, is a dangerous definition of "everybody".

    The problem with debt is that pervasive use of debt actually drives up the price of assets and is disastrous for non-debtors, which in turn forces more and more people into the hands of the banks.

    In literally every area of he economy where debt is employed, prices inflate and affordability is reduced.

    Take education: it is government "affordability" policies and readily available debt that are responsible for soaring costs. Take housing: without debt it would be affordable.

    Of course, you could say that homeowners and bankers have both benefited. (If that's your definition of "everybody"). But the availability of debt has destroyed the buying power of any party not willing to more themselves in debt. The pervasive use of debt is what drives prices to levels of unaffordability.

  22. It's still debt on The Mifos Project Makes Software To 'Accelerate Microfinance' (Video) · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Micro finance is indeed capable of a lot of good. But it's also still debt, and still carries with if all the personal (and macroeconomic) evils of debt. Non-performing loans in microfinance are still a major issue despite the claims to the opposite. The public-relations positioning of micro finance as "help for the poor" is a bit laughable as it can just as easily be construed as opportunistic bankers eager for new markets. Does it help society overall? That's questionable. All debt appears to help on a macroeconomic level at the beginning if the credit cycle.

    On a larger level, debt is still tomorrow's demand, spent today. The notion that debt will always create a "virtuous circle" of ever increasing growth and demand has been proven wrong repeatedly by the credit cycle of booms and busts. A boom creates as many victims as it does beneficiaries, as rising prices burden those who do not participate in the game of debt.

    Are there positive stories of individuals who make use of micro finance to build businesses and lift themselves out of poverty? Yes. But there is also debt which enslaves and burdens. Debt is debt. It's net benefits to society are zero sum, for all but the bankers.

  23. Re:US Postal Law on The Feds Accidentally Mailed Part of A $350K Drone To Some College Kid · · Score: 1

    I am smoking US Law.

    "Q. Am I obligated to return or pay for merchandise I never ordered?
    A. No. If you receive merchandise that you didn’t order, you have a legal right to keep it as a free gift."

    Source: Federal Trade Commission Re: Unordered Merchandise
    https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/a...

  24. Who the F gets to live without competition? on London Black Cabs Threaten Chaos To Stop Uber · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What these drivers are asking for is a special privilege to be a superior class of citizen: To be spared any natural competition.

    And what they're doing is not protesting. It's throwing a tantrum.

  25. US Postal Law on The Feds Accidentally Mailed Part of A $350K Drone To Some College Kid · · Score: 1

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you receive something addressed to you that was sent by accident, you are under no obligation to return it and it legally belongs to you. I'm pretty sure this is US Postal Law.

    IANAL so anyone more familiar with this, feel free to chime in. But AFAIK the parts now legally belong to the kid.