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User: elthicko

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Comments · 35

  1. Re:global cooling on Cosmic Ray Intensity Reaches Highest Levels In 50 years · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe it's those bastards doing warp 10 around the sun causing all the problems. If only we could reverse the polarity on the main deflector to radiate a tachyon pulse directly into the sun. That oughta solve any problem we come across.

  2. Re:But is this REALLY copyright infringement? on Students Settle With TurnItIn In Copyright Case · · Score: 1

    That's just lazy

    Agreed, there is no question it is lazy. And please don't get me wrong, I don't condone the practice. I am just pointing out there are times in which this 'opportunity' presents itself and it's not really the fault of the professor.

    ... misses the whole point of getting a proper education

    From experience I know that many can receive top marks on resubmitted work. You are either already at a very high standard, and thus it is arguable if the effort of writing another extremely similar paper (which could be spent elsewhere) would be worth the educational benefit, or standards are not high enough.

    at least a bit...

    Problem is, you probably need a substantially different paper to avoid plagiarism of your own work, not just a bit different.

  3. Re:But is this REALLY copyright infringement? on Students Settle With TurnItIn In Copyright Case · · Score: 1

    While I agree that courses can sometimes be frustratingly similar, there are legitimate times where the situation of one paper being valid for another course will come up. For example, in earlier years in University, one will typically take courses on general topics (e.g. 16th Century Literature). In that class you may decide to write a paper on Shakespeare. Then a year or two later you may find yourself in a course focusing just on Shakespeare. Depending on how you wrote your first paper, you may be able to hand in the same paper again at some point during this course.

  4. Re:Watch out chilluns on 14-Year-Old Boy Smote By Meteorite · · Score: 1

    Her tat?

  5. Re:Not like it's going to make a difference on Craigslist Kills Erotic Services Ads, Will Launch Adult Section · · Score: 1

    Not sarcasm. See the first paragraph of this.

  6. Re:Not like it's going to make a difference on Craigslist Kills Erotic Services Ads, Will Launch Adult Section · · Score: 1

    One major problem with this however is kids selling sex over craigslist. I don't know whether they would be doing it with or without craigslist, but it certainly makes it easier for them to advertise and easier for predators to find.

  7. Re:One thing is for certain... on Apple Rumored To Want To Buy Twitter · · Score: 1

    Too bad there isn't an "aw..." mod

  8. Re:Not impressed with any mechanical arms on Improving the Abilities of Bionic Arm Patients · · Score: 5, Informative

    We may not fully understand the complex calculations going on in the brain, but we do know that for motor control basically an electrical signal propagates down an axon which connects to a muscle. Once the electrical signal reaches the end there is a chemical reaction which triggers the muscle contraction. There are usually multiple axons connecting to a muscle (the amount active controlling the amount of contraction). So if you take the ends of these axons connecting to residual muscle from the amputated limb and measure the electrical signal you can determine whether the brain is trying to activate that muscle or not. Then you have an algorithm controlling your prosthesis to turn on a motor instead of a muscle.

  9. Re:Oh they'll crash all right on Narcissistic College Graduates In the Workplace? · · Score: 5, Funny

    As a recent engineering grad, I can attest that I wasn't exactly impressed by the typical duties of most of the positions I was interviewing for. I always pictured myself doing more R&D and design with my engineering degree, but that wasn't really what I was seeing out there. I've since decided to change my career path a bit go to grad school. After I finish I expect I will try to work as a technology entrepreneur or a professor at a university.

  10. Re:Energy density on Human Exoskeletons Getting Closer · · Score: 1

    Muscle is actually relatively inefficient compared to modern engineering. I think muscle only converts energy into work at an efficiency of about 0.3 after millions of years of evolution, while motors can be around 95% efficient. The difference is that the body can store and generate a lot more energy than a battery can.

  11. Re:Multiple redundancy on Major Cache of Fossils Unearthed In Los Angeles · · Score: 1

    That should be fried mammoth finger.

  12. Re:Hold on now on Map As Metaphor In a Location-Aware Mobile World · · Score: 1

    I suppose that is possible. If you're a scene girl.

    Now that would be a sight to see. A scene girl concerned with privacy.

  13. Re:HUMANS: - on Extinct Pyrenean Ibex Cloned · · Score: 1

    However, if you were to commercially raise rare animals, it would inevitably lead to devaluation of the animal/product. Many people hunt and desire these animals simply because they are rare, not because of something that they necessarily need from it (as is the case with domestic cows which we need for dietary reasons).

    So.. you domesticate some rare animal, no one wants it anymore, you stop domesticating, it becomes rare again, people hunt it.

  14. Re:Bone cement works poorly on Injectable Artificial Bone Developed · · Score: 1

    What about applying a current to induce bone growth? Osteocytes can be drawn to the place of injury and make new bone.

  15. Re:just for fun on Paul McCartney Releases Album As DRM-Free Download · · Score: 1

    Were you asking for lossless when they offered a 320 kps mp3 because of space considerations? I'll assume you were being sarcastic.

    I think the idea is it's a lot easier to compress your audio to whatever you need it to be than to go the other way. This way by offering high quality downloads, you have the choice of keeping the larger, higher quality file, or downgrading it yourself to a smaller file.

  16. So... on Cold Sore Virus May Be Alzheimer's Smoking Gun · · Score: 1

    Let me get this straight. If I always wear a condom I won't get Alzheimer's? :p

  17. I wonder if in Russia... on Online Reporters Now the Journalists Most Often Jailed · · Score: 2, Interesting

    they send internet journalists to jail or do they just assassinate them like the other journalists.

  18. Re:mine is better on Against Unknown Viruses, Avira AntiVir the Winner For Now · · Score: 1

    Wireless? Or maybe connected to another PC through the parallel port?

  19. Re:You just defined it on Prescription Handguns For the Elderly and Disabled · · Score: 1

    Having a full suit of body armor can also prevent injury, however, it is not considered a medical device.

  20. Re:Hypocritic Oath? on Prescription Handguns For the Elderly and Disabled · · Score: 2

    1) Prescribe guns to elderly
    2) Wait for inevitable accidental shootings and resultant injuries
    3) ???
    4) Profit

  21. What the? on Prescription Handguns For the Elderly and Disabled · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's because I'm Canadian and don't see the big deal about this Second Amendment right, but how is this a medical device?

    Referencing the Global Harmonization Task Force on the term "Medical Device" it defines it as:

    "Medical Device means any instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, appliance, implant, in vitro reagent, or calibrator, software, material or other similar related article intended by the manufacturer to be used, alone or in combination, for human beings for one or more of the following specific purpose(s):

    -Diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment or alleviation of disease
    -Diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment or alleviation of or compensation for an injury
    -Investigation, replacement, modification, or support of the anatomy or a physiological process
    -Supporting or sustaining life
    -Control of conception
    -Disinfection of medical devices
    -Providing information for medical purposes by means of in vitro examination of specimens derived from the human body, and which does not achieve its primary intended action in or on the human body by pharmacological, immunological or metabolic means, but which may be assisted in its function by such means"

    The only possibility I see is a machine used for sustaining life (obviously for the user of the gun, not the recipient of the bullet).

  22. Re:I've got to get my glasses fixed. I read... on Study Recommends Online Gaming, Social Networking For Kids · · Score: 1

    What about the health advantage of playing sports? Children can learn from an early age the advantages of fitness and the need to have some form of activity in your life.

    Sports also doesn't have to be all about competition. You can learn to share, by sharing playing time by subbing off. You can learn to use teamwork to accomplish a common goal. You can develop leadership qualities playing team sports. You learn how to coordinate your body.

    Sports are a good avenue to meet a lot of new people. Oh, and they're also fun to play.

  23. Misread Title on Oblong's g-speak Brings "Minority Report" Interface To Life · · Score: 1

    Am I the only one that misread the title as oblong g-spot? I thought I'd finally know what to look for. I guess being able to interface with a computer in 3d with my hands would be cool too... for when that day comes when that g-spot article gets posted on slashdot, I'll be able to move it and slide it around in ways I never could with just a mouse.

  24. Re:Venus Balloon Mission on NASA Exploring 8 New Space Expeditions · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Developing large floating platforms for potential future colonization of Venus would be amazing. Sure, the thermal currents would probably throw everything out of wack, but it's worth trying.

  25. Re:Posed this question... on NASA Exploring 8 New Space Expeditions · · Score: 1

    I say we steal a Bird of Prey, loop around the sun at warp 10, and go back in time to save the whales. Or has that already been done? Those time paradox's in Star Trek always confused me.