"Would it have anything to do with the fact that the enviro-nazis and NIMBY bastards successfully stymied the construction of new plants back in the 70s and 80s and in so doing left zero incentive for American industry to retain the plant and equipment to build reactors?"
Nope. It's the cost thingy. It costs big bucks to build a nuclear plant. As a result the power is expensive. So you have to be sure you will need the energy and the price will be competitive in decades to come. And there still is that annoying waste issue.
It's cheaper to pay people to use less energy (efficiency), build coal plants or add wind or solar in small increments.
"Bury the CO2 - Why won't it leak back up to the surface?"
The same reason the oil or gas doesn't. Now it doesn't mean it won't or can't-you just have to do good research.
"However, all of the proposals I've read don't make any sense."
Pretty simple. You either take the gas from the stacks, compress it and pump it underground. Or you extract the CO2 and concentrate it before the compression and pumping.
It just requires a place to store it (reservoir rock), a method to get it there (pipeline) and energy.
The technology exists and is in use at one coal gassification plant (sent to an oil field in Canada). The reason that nobody else is doing it? The energy part-you use about 25% or so of the energy you produce to sequester the CO2. Until it is economic nobody will do it unless it is mandated.
"Costco is publicly traded and does not behave in this manner."
Only because the CEO ignores its shareholders on this issue and wants to create a long term relationship with its customers. The company takes crap from large shareholders about not making as much money as it could.
"Your underlying issue is manipulative people, not religion."
Which then by definition is religious people teaching their religion to young children.
Look at the stats on religion change sometime-you'll notice that the religion you are taught tends to be the one you practice as an adult. Good or bad, what you teach children matters.
"Electric cars just can't charge fast enough to be as practical as regular cars, due to limitations of the grid, and this has nothing to do with Tesla's engineering."
Why do you need fast charging for local trips? If most or all of your trips are local, who cares?
Most people like unlimited range (with quick fueling) for its potential rather than actual need-hence cars like the Volt.
"By contrast, when I take antibiotics, whether that is after four days of symptoms or eight, the symptoms decrease dramatically within just a few hours after the start of the first round."
The placebo effect is a great thing. Or maybe you had a bacterial infection.
But antibiotics for a viral infection is worthless.
BTW, strep can be a bacterial infection. Which is why they use antibiotics.
"Additionally, since all such systems are socialistic, prices are not set by market mechanisms but by bureaucrats, and the resulting inability to calculate future profits is a big detriment to the creation of new treatments and new devices."
Ever heard of Medicare and Medicaid? Rather popular program with rates not set by the market.
Ever heard of health insurance? Rather propular programs with rates not set by the market.
We don't need new treatments and devices for the sake of them, we need new treatments and devices that WORK and are COST EFFECTIVE. There is a reason for the increasing health care costs....
"I will say that the article's use of "evidence-based medicine" is heartbreaking - implying evidence isn't currently used... which I don't believe."
I'm sure evidence is used. But it isn't GOOD evidence. If you prescribe antibiotics for a viral infection the patient will almost always get better....
Patients don't like being told there is no useful easy treatment.
"When I was questioned about my response, I had to answer honestly to the point that I could not follow the Judge's instructions if I felt the law was being applied in an unfair way."
Next time answer yes to the question.
It is not perjury. They asked you if you were ABLE to do such a thing, not if you would do such a thing. In any case, how the hell would they convict you of perjury unless you admitted to it?
After all, how many defendants are charged with perjury for lying on the stand....
"I would assume that the police or their lab don't buy swabs used for DNA testing at the nearest supermarket, they will buy them from a supplier who guarantees uncontaminated swabs, for obvious reasons."
Just because they say they are sterile doesn't make it so. Or the fact that someone may not have ordered sterile supplies or there was a mix up, etc.
Basic lab procedure for every new lot is to run at least one test to check for contamination. Of course, there are many sloppy labs (see story).
"That's starting to change (Project Innocence being the big example), but old attitudes and methods are deeply ingrained in police culture, and won't change quickly."
I disagree. Have any of those involved been prosecuted or lost their jobs? Hell, some of the people involved STILL believe they got the correct person even though they won't face any consequences.
Bad police work is still with us. And there is still no real consequence.
"In contrast, I haven't heard of many G rated movies lately."
Probably because a G rating is much like an R or M rating. The kiss of mass marketing death in many cases. I rarely go see a G rated movie because I think it will be kiddie crap. There are exceptions.
"I believe part of what hampered Watchmen's performance was that any randome Joe off the street had no idea who the main characters were, or had even heard of the original material."
Maybe. I never knew anything about Watchmen before the movie. A quick google told me the basics and made me want to see the movie. Of course if you expected or wanted a series of action scenes....
Of course, I am always curious why a movie that will probable gross over 150million isn't a success. Or why Mall Cop is a top grossing movie...
"Most of the violence in The Dark Knight is left to the viewers' imagination."
Well, it got Psycho an R (or M) rating when it was re-released...
Unfortunately the rating system is a jumbled mess that is easily gamed. I would rather it be replaced (if we have to have it) by this movie has graphic violence, sex, nudity, etc.
"Sex is one thing, nudity is another my dad had no problem with me watching total recall (there is a non-sexual seen with 3 nipples in it:O) when i was >10."
So someone groping a three breasted prostitute is not sexual? Interesting....
"One of the recent (past year) episodes they tackled some of the viral video myths, one of the videos showed a massive fireball explosion using 'harmless' powder..."
One of the more boring "myths". I suspect they did it for the massive fireball they knew they would get. This hazard is well known. Hell, it was demonstrated in my 9th grade chemistry course.
In addition there are many DEADLY incidents in industry (see dust explosions and OSHA).
"The MMPI (and its subsequent editions) have decades worth of research backing up their validity. So while your opinion is noted, it doesn't really refute the empirical evidence in peer-reviewed journals."
Lots of research does not equal quality. There is a significant amount of crap in peer reviewed journals.
Even if the test has been validated, it is only useful for the areas for which it has been validated. Employment is not one of them (if an employer uses it, they are probably clueless). As a guideline for treatment, sure.
Slashdot Mirror
"Would it have anything to do with the fact that the enviro-nazis and NIMBY bastards successfully stymied the construction of new plants back in the 70s and 80s and in so doing left zero incentive for American industry to retain the plant and equipment to build reactors?"
Nope. It's the cost thingy. It costs big bucks to build a nuclear plant. As a result the power is expensive. So you have to be sure you will need the energy and the price will be competitive in decades to come. And there still is that annoying waste issue.
It's cheaper to pay people to use less energy (efficiency), build coal plants or add wind or solar in small increments.
"Bury the CO2 - Why won't it leak back up to the surface?"
The same reason the oil or gas doesn't. Now it doesn't mean it won't or can't-you just have to do good research.
"However, all of the proposals I've read don't make any sense."
Pretty simple. You either take the gas from the stacks, compress it and pump it underground. Or you extract the CO2 and concentrate it before the compression and pumping.
It just requires a place to store it (reservoir rock), a method to get it there (pipeline) and energy.
The technology exists and is in use at one coal gassification plant (sent to an oil field in Canada). The reason that nobody else is doing it? The energy part-you use about 25% or so of the energy you produce to sequester the CO2. Until it is economic nobody will do it unless it is mandated.
"They have ads you cannot skip, but they usually have FEWER ads than the same show when broadcast."
So did cable.....
Would one of those features include a web browser that doesn't leak memory like a sieve?
"You can't say you "support" a platform these days unless your tests pass on it."
Sure you can. Just reduce your testing to "Does it install?" :)
"Costco is publicly traded and does not behave in this manner."
Only because the CEO ignores its shareholders on this issue and wants to create a long term relationship with its customers. The company takes crap from large shareholders about not making as much money as it could.
"Your underlying issue is manipulative people, not religion."
Which then by definition is religious people teaching their religion to young children.
Look at the stats on religion change sometime-you'll notice that the religion you are taught tends to be the one you practice as an adult. Good or bad, what you teach children matters.
"Electric cars just can't charge fast enough to be as practical as regular cars, due to limitations of the grid, and this has nothing to do with Tesla's engineering."
Why do you need fast charging for local trips? If most or all of your trips are local, who cares?
Most people like unlimited range (with quick fueling) for its potential rather than actual need-hence cars like the Volt.
"We now tax everyone 20-30% of anyone making over $600."
No we don't. You pay 25% on ADJUSTED income over 32K or so (about 40K before basic deductions). You pay 15% from about 8K to 32K. And 10% below that.
Median household income for 2006-7 was about 50K according to the census bureau. Hence, most people paid less than 20%.
"But they don't. Because this isn't a problem."
And if it were a problem, they probably wouldn't be promoting the use of CFL's.....
Basically a non story.
"By contrast, when I take antibiotics, whether that is after four days of symptoms or eight, the symptoms decrease dramatically within just a few hours after the start of the first round."
The placebo effect is a great thing. Or maybe you had a bacterial infection.
But antibiotics for a viral infection is worthless.
BTW, strep can be a bacterial infection. Which is why they use antibiotics.
"Criticism of NICE -- Namely that it denies valid treatment to patients that desire it for reasons of government budgets."
Which is a bad criticism. ALL healthcare is rationed. The only real choice is whether we want it randomn or evidence based.
And nobody says you can't pay for denied care yourself.
"Additionally, since all such systems are socialistic, prices are not set by market mechanisms but by bureaucrats, and the resulting inability to calculate future profits is a big detriment to the creation of new treatments and new devices."
Ever heard of Medicare and Medicaid? Rather popular program with rates not set by the market.
Ever heard of health insurance? Rather propular programs with rates not set by the market.
We don't need new treatments and devices for the sake of them, we need new treatments and devices that WORK and are COST EFFECTIVE. There is a reason for the increasing health care costs....
"It would also control some of the ridiculous cost spirals."
Why? Everybody in the health system causes high prices. But nobody wants to take responsibility.
The real question is HOW we want to ration healthcare. Not whether to do so. But nobody wants to have that discussion either....
"I will say that the article's use of "evidence-based medicine" is heartbreaking - implying evidence isn't currently used... which I don't believe."
I'm sure evidence is used. But it isn't GOOD evidence. If you prescribe antibiotics for a viral infection the patient will almost always get better....
Patients don't like being told there is no useful easy treatment.
"When I was questioned about my response, I had to answer honestly to the point that I could not follow the Judge's instructions if I felt the law was being applied in an unfair way."
Next time answer yes to the question.
It is not perjury. They asked you if you were ABLE to do such a thing, not if you would do such a thing. In any case, how the hell would they convict you of perjury unless you admitted to it?
After all, how many defendants are charged with perjury for lying on the stand....
"I would assume that the police or their lab don't buy swabs used for DNA testing at the nearest supermarket, they will buy them from a supplier who guarantees uncontaminated swabs, for obvious reasons."
Just because they say they are sterile doesn't make it so. Or the fact that someone may not have ordered sterile supplies or there was a mix up, etc.
Basic lab procedure for every new lot is to run at least one test to check for contamination. Of course, there are many sloppy labs (see story).
"That's starting to change (Project Innocence being the big example), but old attitudes and methods are deeply ingrained in police culture, and won't change quickly."
I disagree. Have any of those involved been prosecuted or lost their jobs? Hell, some of the people involved STILL believe they got the correct person even though they won't face any consequences.
Bad police work is still with us. And there is still no real consequence.
"In contrast, I haven't heard of many G rated movies lately."
Probably because a G rating is much like an R or M rating. The kiss of mass marketing death in many cases. I rarely go see a G rated movie because I think it will be kiddie crap. There are exceptions.
"I believe part of what hampered Watchmen's performance was that any randome Joe off the street had no idea who the main characters were, or had even heard of the original material."
Maybe. I never knew anything about Watchmen before the movie. A quick google told me the basics and made me want to see the movie. Of course if you expected or wanted a series of action scenes....
Of course, I am always curious why a movie that will probable gross over 150million isn't a success. Or why Mall Cop is a top grossing movie...
"Most of the violence in The Dark Knight is left to the viewers' imagination."
Well, it got Psycho an R (or M) rating when it was re-released...
Unfortunately the rating system is a jumbled mess that is easily gamed. I would rather it be replaced (if we have to have it) by this movie has graphic violence, sex, nudity, etc.
"Sex is one thing, nudity is another my dad had no problem with me watching total recall (there is a non-sexual seen with 3 nipples in it :O) when i was >10."
So someone groping a three breasted prostitute is not sexual? Interesting....
"Put the egos aside for a moment and call in the right people."
Who probably wouldn't want to do it. Or require massive amounts of paperwork. Or require a different location. Or all of the above.
Mythbusters is composed of a bunch of safety minded adolescents with explosives. Fun to watch from a distance for a time.
"One of the recent (past year) episodes they tackled some of the viral video myths, one of the videos showed a massive fireball explosion using 'harmless' powder..."
One of the more boring "myths". I suspect they did it for the massive fireball they knew they would get. This hazard is well known. Hell, it was demonstrated in my 9th grade chemistry course.
In addition there are many DEADLY incidents in industry (see dust explosions and OSHA).
"The MMPI (and its subsequent editions) have decades worth of research backing up their validity. So while your opinion is noted, it doesn't really refute the empirical evidence in peer-reviewed journals."
Lots of research does not equal quality. There is a significant amount of crap in peer reviewed journals.
Even if the test has been validated, it is only useful for the areas for which it has been validated. Employment is not one of them (if an employer uses it, they are probably clueless). As a guideline for treatment, sure.