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User: spud.dups

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  1. Re:Regulations are stupid on FCC Probing Apple, AT&T Rejection of Google Voice · · Score: 3, Informative

    You're error lies in the fact that the amendment voted against by the Republicans (no 'the right') was an amendment to completely abolish Medicare overnight. After having much of society live on Medicare for so long, then have it suddenly removed, would create a serious market problem. It was written in an extremest point of view, not allowing for a gradual decline but a sudden stop. I don't believe may people would agree with this procedure, and voting against it definitely does _not _ imply an 'embrace of Medicare' as you've stated.

    But regardless, what does this thread have to do with the topic?

  2. Re:is it really this bad? on New Mega-Botnet Discovered · · Score: 1

    I would more blame the government for using way too much of our tax dollars, and not take the time to hit the little "Windows Update" button or install some virus protection. We're not talking about some 70+ year old grandma, but a government with a multi-trillion dollar spending plan. I would expect multiple levels of encryption, routine computer updates and a full suit of anti-virus software on each machine with internet access just to start. For that I blame the government.

  3. Re:politics on Biden Promises 'Right Person' As Copyright Czar · · Score: 1

    So, what I'm gathering from this is that most, if not all, politicians are corrupt and there to make another buck? Sick joke if you ask me. They're already living in the top .1% of American income off our tax dollars, then they screw the producers to make some more money. Why haven't we revolted yet?

  4. Re:Before you freak on Biden Promises 'Right Person' As Copyright Czar · · Score: 1

    Second that. There is a lot of good material out there that is not provided by the RIAA and MPAA. You just have to look a little harder for it. If we start demanding content that is not protected in such crazy ways, then that's what stores will begin to provide. It's a business, and they're in it to make money.

  5. Battery Display on Palm Announces Killer New Phone · · Score: 1

    Is it just me, or is the battery display outside of the screen area? If someone understands, could you explain how this would work.

  6. Re:Unions are Legalized Extortion on Tech Firms Oppose Union Organizing · · Score: 1

    I've never been to Detroit, but my friend who lived there several years tells me that it's all but become somewhat a ghost city. Gangs and drugs are everywhere, and government funded housing to help out the people there are nothing more then crap holes. And it blew him away the first Halloween, as he saw people burn dozens of abandon buildings to the ground for fun.

    He told me that back at the boom of the American Auto Industry the unions would ask for a raise, and if the company refused the union workers would move to the company down the street. Back and forth it would go until welders were being paid well over the national average. Why wouldn't the car companies move out?

    I'm tired of hearing people complain about how we ship everything in from China, then complain at the checkout that it's too expensive. A large part of our American lifestyle is made possible by using cheap labor in other countries. (Oop, that was a tangent)

    I live in a right to work state, and I would rather hold a low paying job doing something I don't find enjoyable then have to join a union. I will be really disappointed if the tech industry decides to start having unions on a large scale. In my opinion, today being a member of a union is like telling me that my job isn't important enough, or that I'm not good enough, so I need big brother to step in for me.

  7. Re:NASA's Future on Does Obama Have a Problem At NASA? · · Score: 1

    I concede. Didn't do my homework (i.e. 3 sec. search on Google) to find out, but I did find this page that has a long list of impressive things NASA did come up with. Though all this digresses from the point. Again, what I'm worried about is that Obama won't just "can" Griffin, but use this as a reason to pull substantial funding from the program, and possibly shut it down.

  8. NASA's Future on Does Obama Have a Problem At NASA? · · Score: 2, Insightful

    A student I knew did a story on Obama and NASA. I can't remember all the specifics, or his resources, but some of the report was that Obama favors social programs over space exploration. Here[LINK] is a link to the first report I could find on Google given back in 2007. It basically says that Obama wants to delay the space program for 5 years and put the money into education.

    I too believe that general education here in America has a lot to be desired, but there are so many life saving and other useful technologies that have come from the program. For a simple example, NASA came up with the first prototype of creating Velcro. Who would have thought.

    I don't believe that Obama has some affinity to keep the program around, and he never mentioned prior to the speech given last month that he grew up on Star Trek, or loves what they do at NASA. My worry is more then changing management, it's that he will try and take this out of the budget completely.

  9. Define sacred... on Prescription Handguns For the Elderly and Disabled · · Score: 1

    Consider this argument. One which I do not believe to be used by either political or religious/secular "side."

    Life begins at conception, but the babies right to life begins before that. Right to life begins with consensual intercourse. While sex usually brings feelings of pleasure and euphoria, I will argue that the ultimate goal, or reason, is to procreate. When two persons consensually engage, they also agree to any consequences resulting from their actions. Consider this our "Terms of Use." If pregnancy occurs, the babies life is protected, and the parents have the obligation to defend the babies life until delivery. At that point they may feel free to give the baby up for adoption.

    In the case of rape, intercourse is not consensual. Because of this the responsibility of procreative powers does not lie on the unconsenting person. There was no agreement made to protect the baby's life, thus the mother (if the one raped) cannot be held responsible if she decides to abort. Here the baby has no clam to his/her mother's protection.

    I'm sorry for the coarseness of the argument. If this offends anyone, I would ask for the benefit of the doubt. It's highly unlikely that anyone would have taken the time to read a post long enough to contain the entire argument.

  10. Depends on her interests on Fun Things To Do With a Math Or Science Degree? · · Score: 1

    Really I see everyone in these fields having to make the choice between a "Greek" or a "Roman" education. That is (as explained in the preface of Mathematics: From the Birth of Numbers) she will have to decide whether she wants industrialize or philosophize her talents. Go the path of Bertrand Russel, or Jack Kilby. If she want cash, then she should become an engineer. If she likes to theorize about things no one else really cares about, then become a university professor doing research.

    I guess in more seriousness, math will help her in almost any field. The problem solving strategies that one learns while developing their first rigorous proof will be a bonus in any field, and math in general is applicable to almost anything. Also, you could see how inquisitive she is on these things when presented with a challenge. For example, have her research the Collatz Conjecture and see if she finds it fun to solve a problem just because it hasn't been solved. Math at the higher levels is much more creativity and deep thinking then the 'holy crap my calculator could do this' math of high school.

    As you can probably tell, I didn't have a lot of friends growing up. But hey, I didn't really care. Now I'm a digital systems analyst/program optimizer and I love it. Of anything, I would just say don't let academia ruin a possible interest. All the qualification and quantification that they put you through can really destroy a kids desire to learn just because they want to.

  11. De-Evolution on Scientists Discover Proteins Controlling Evolution · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The ambiguity in the language of this report leaves so many possible interpretations that it is impossible to definitively understand what they are even talking about. For example "...proteins were correcting any imbalance imposed on them through artificial mutations, constantly restoring the chain to working order...steering organisms toward evolutionary changes that make the creature fitter."

    Restore means to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition, while fitter has three meaning in the Biological sense: 1.being adapted to the prevailing conditions and producing offspring that survive to reproductive age; 2.contributing genetic information to the gene pool of the next generation; 3.(of a population) maintaining or increasing the group's numbers in the environment. The only definition that could work in context is "being adapted to the prevailing conditions." Proteins restoring the original information does not imply adaptation. I would say more of a self-preservation mechanism.

    If to say, the cell is repairing itself as mutations are found, is nothing new. As far as I remember correctly, as the DNA is being copied it is also checked for irregularities. So wouldn't that mean the biological system is geared to prevent some parts of the mutation process?

    To say the cell is recoding itself to make itself "stronger" or more adaptable to the environment, is that completely logical? Mutations can be caused by accidental DNA replication, or environmental affects. So what stimulus is the process receiving to create a "better" version of itself? What I'm trying to say is that without environmental effects the cell could be reorganizing itself into oblivion.

    I enjoy this video. It's a very visual approach for people like me who really don't understand a whole lot about the complexity of the cell. In my opinion, for all the particle accelerators and spaceships we have, nothing comes close to this. And one last philosophical question. What determines randomness and order?

  12. Re:Didn't win? on Press Favored Obama Throughout Campaign · · Score: 1

    Oh, huh. I would have though that birth records, while the person was still alive, would fall under Clinton's medial privacy rules. Interesting. Thanks for letting me know that.

  13. .huD:eR on Press Favored Obama Throughout Campaign · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Despite the article count, I believe most people who didn't vote for Obama still feel we don't know enough about him. Mainstream media coverage isn't sufficient information to choose a candidate, only necessary information to make us fall in love long enough to vote.

    Why are we grouped into Obama or McCain? I didn't vote because, well first my vote doesn't really matter.

    • Difference in popular vote: 6.37%
    • Difference in Electoral vote: 36.33%
    • Only vote that matters: Electoral

    Also because I think none of the candidates had my best interests in mind. With all the technology that is out now, why don't we elect our president by popular vote? We now have the precision and speed able to do so. Shouldn't that be a topic for debate over the next four years?

  14. Can I have a green gem on Press Favored Obama Throughout Campaign · · Score: 1

    It's funny how there is a name out there for everyone who has an opposed view. Beyond trying to qualify my post by simple definition, try providing a point of clarification, or a counter argument. Even if you feel correct, your point doesn't provide substantial grounds to lead anywhere.

    I admit my post doesn't well explain what I was trying to say. My point is better stated at the end of a thread above:

    "...media bias doesn't only exist in what is reported, but also what isn't. Legal precedings, personal affiliations and more were never reported. I don't care so much that Obama had x more articles, or front page articles. If that's what people are relying on to get the 'fair' coverage they want, then the Country is already in a mess. What is more important is that the information is true, unbiased and without reporter opinion."

    The information in my original post was only meant to support that argument. My apologies that the argument wasn't placed before the evidence. I can see how that would make me appear Trolling.

  15. Didn't win? on Press Favored Obama Throughout Campaign · · Score: 1

    That is a sad rebuttal. Before you try and goose me, I didn't vote. McCain is about as mentally capable of running the county as Dwight Schrute. You over zealous stereotyping side-swipes the argument.

    Actually I think it's illegal in all States to release personal documents of that kind. The point, which you so cleverly didn't address, is that Obama lied and posted false information about himself. I'm not the one posting half truths or opinions. I have presented current information, and asked readers to judge for themselves.

    To bring this back to the original article, media bias doesn't only exist in what is reported, but also what isn't. Legal precedings, personal affiliations and more were never reported. I don't care so much that Obama had x more articles, or front page articles. If that's what people are relying on to get the "fair" coverage they want, then the Country is already in a mess. What is more important is that the information is true, unbiased and without reporter opinion.

  16. Kinda sorta on Press Favored Obama Throughout Campaign · · Score: 1

    You're information is only partially accurate. The "birth certificate" you are talking about probably is the one posted on factcheck.org. This isn't even a birth certificate, but a Certificate of Living Birth, which does not provide proof of citizenship and is not a Certificate of Live Birth (which is the actual birth certificate). That point has confused a lot of people.

    On Oct 31, hawaiian officials have refuted the images posted on the web by the Obama campain, and factcheck.org. What they confirmed is that a birth certificate does exist, but they still refuse to release what information it has about Obama's citizenship, etc.

    Obama did lie and post false information on the internet about his identity. That isn't conspiracy theory. So what else has Obama lied about?

    Oh, and again. If you really think that I've lost my mind, and that it's just manure rolled over, then why does it bother you?

  17. Not really reported on Press Favored Obama Throughout Campaign · · Score: 1

    I find what wasn't reported more interesting then what was. Many people still don't even know that Obama has a lawsuit against him in the Supreme Court.

    Or that when Obama went to visit his grandmother on Oct 21, he had a lawsuit pending against him in Hawaii.

    Maybe we should take a second and read what the Middle East thinks of Obama.

    "But we were taken by surprise when our African Kenyan brother [Obama], who is an American national, made statements that shocked all his supporters in the Arab world, in Africa, and in the Islamic world.
    "We hope that this is merely an elections 'clearance sale,' as they say in Egypt - in other words, merely an elections lie.

    So what was it that Obama lied about to his Arab, African and Islamic brothers?

    You all may call me a conspiracy theorist, and maybe I am, but my world is sure a lot more exciting. Even if these clams are extreme, aren't they at least worth looking in to? I mean, if they're false then why would supporters even care that we do?

  18. Some credit to IE8 though on Ballmer "Interested" In Open Source Browser Engine · · Score: 2, Interesting

    As a web designer, the nightmare of my day is having to check my code against IE, Firefox, Safari, etc. Most of all was IE. That crap [IE] could really screw with you. The fact that a complex page design almost always couldn't accommodate both W3C standards and IE has made many days almost unbearable. Now I understand, "Well then don't program for it," and trust me I would love to live that idea, but the truth is company execs don't give a rat's ass. A lot of people use IE, and you're page has to work accordingly.

    Anyway, my point is that IE8 beta 3 has shown some great improvements with CSS, XHTML, JavaScript support. Finally there will (should be) support for the pseudo :hover, etc. I've already seem some great improvements in complying with W3C standards. Though not up to par with its competitors, Microsoft has actually put some effort into this one that I haven't seen before.

    It looks like someone working there ran across this page, or one like it, and thought it was finally time to make a change.

  19. Re:z^2 = x^2 + y^2 on Google Sheds Light On 'Dark Web' With PDF Search · · Score: 1

    Ah, point well taken. Thanks for explaining that more thoroughly.

  20. z^2 = x^2 + y^2 on Google Sheds Light On 'Dark Web' With PDF Search · · Score: 1

    You have a good point. If the program could determine which values are undefined, and what the defined portions of the problem are, then I think I have a solution. It would be similar to what happens to your program code as it's being compiled. The compiler doesn't care what the actual variable is, just if that variable is the same as another.

    For your solution, the database entry would be something like this:

    (arbitrary value 1)^2 = (arbitrary value 2)^2 + (arbitrary value 3)^2, (arbitrary value 1)!=(arbitrary value 2) && (arbitrary value 1)!=(arbitrary value 3) && (arbitrary value 2)!= (arbitrary value 3)

    Then any symbol could be transformed into these arbitrary values, and equality would only be based on same symbols within a single equation.

    I'm sure there is a much simpler way of stating this, but I'm at a loss for words. Hopefully you can understand what I'm trying to say.

  21. More to it on Google Sheds Light On 'Dark Web' With PDF Search · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What I would really like to see is OCR for mathematical formulas, and store those in some standard format. Using a standard input, like LaTeX, the engine would search for mathematical equations. Right now I find it a pain to look for a formula that I know exists, but don't know its name.

    This would help bring together a lot of research that is done, but hard to sort through. Then, implement a smart system using a program like Mathematica to find variations of the equations, etc., and see where duplicates exist. Maybe we'll find that we've discovered things that weren't looked at thoroughly enough.

  22. Everything is already known on Give Up the Fight For Personal Privacy? · · Score: 1

    I definitely do not get involved with any blogspot, facebook, etc. As for gmail and the lot, I have given consideration to and have decided to the affirmative that the pros outweigh the cons. It's impossible to hide where one lives, and any possible lan lines that they may have purchased. Even your drivers license number is legal public information. What I've decided is to set up two identities. One, which I do a host of internet activities through, has never seen my real name, address, etc. If someone really wanted to track me down by tracking my IP address, which is connected to an spoofed MAC address, then so be it. Other than that, I have given my real identity only to banks, online development groups, companies for product information, etc. I try and keep my name from any possible spam likely sign ups. I still believe in staying away from facebook, or other large social networks. To me it's absurd. I have the email addresses of those that I would like to stay in contact with, which aren't many. Unfortunately my wife has decided to join in all the groups, and in so doing my name has been posted on everything she does.

  23. Whatever on Russian Town Puts Giant Smiley On Google Maps · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Though I doubt no one cares at this point, I took the images in the article, and the current google map images, and overlapped them. If it was a photoshop job they did a really good job with the traffic. If it was real, then the same cars just happen to park in the same places on those days. Or maybe the satellite passed by twice on the same day to take a shot at a different time. The link to my image file is here.