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User: maroberts

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  1. Size of computer on Paralyzed Man Hits the Streets of NYC In a New Exoskeleton · · Score: 1

    Given the processing power of (say) a modern phone, why is the computer such an enormous device? Okay, it's gone down from a backpack to a fanny pack, but surely it should be able to have a pocket sized processing device to do the job.

    Surely there should be "an app for that"

  2. Re:If I were drinking coffee on UK May Send More People Into Space · · Score: 1

    We might even have the Skylon spaceplane to send people up if everything goes to plan, then you can stuff Proton and SpaceX

  3. Re:If I were drinking coffee on UK May Send More People Into Space · · Score: 1

    Yes, but we were talking manufacturing/ design capability and presence of the engineering skills to get us there, not who owns it

  4. Re:If I were drinking coffee on UK May Send More People Into Space · · Score: 1

    The UK:

    Manufacture Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Minis (BMW), Land/Range Rover, Aston Martin, Lotus etc
    Produced many of the Formula 1 racing cars and their components
    has a good chance of pushing the Land Speed Record even further over the next few years (Thrust SSC => Bloodhound SSC)
    has BAE, which may have gone American but still has a significant presence here
    has Airbus group, which manufactures satellites and other space related stuff.

  5. for its memory management.

    I'll get my coat...

  6. Post Accident Analysis on Movie Composer James Horner Dies In Plane Crash · · Score: 1

    The plane crashed ... but his heart went on.

  7. Effect of nukes on NEOs on Should Nuclear Devices Be Kept On Hand To Protect Against Near Earth Objects? · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Have you seen how much effect a nuke is likely to have on a significantly sized NEO? None whatso fucking ever. If an NEO is enough to wipe us out, it won't be screwed by a nuke.

    Also the ideal launch point for such a nuke would be from space, not Earth.

  8. That should mean I can go to the bathroom without turning the lights on, just by having my phone emit ultrasound.

  9. Popehat on Prenda Gets Hit Hard With Contempt Sanctions For Lying To Court · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you want an amusing yet informative read on Prenda's exploits, Popehat is the place to go

  10. Re:Crockford's JavaScript: The Good Parts on How Much JavaScript Do You Need To Know For an Entry-Level Job? · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The problem is that whilst Crockford will teach you to write good JavaScript, as often as not you have to wade through and understand the crappy JavaScript that has been written by someone who hasn't read that book, or any others from all appearances. And then to top it off, the sick bastard has minified and/or obfuscified the fuck out of it.

  11. FBI was right on FBI Accuses Researcher of Hacking Plane, Seizes Equipment · · Score: 1

    Roberts breached the 'Yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theatre test'. Only in his case it was a plane instead of a theatre

  12. Re: Plus Article 10 on EU Commission Divided Over Nation-Specific Content Blocking · · Score: 1

    On top of that there is also Article 10 of the ECHR "Freedom of Expression". Whilst the European Convention on Human Rights is separate to the EU, it is mandatory for all EU members to also regard the Articles of the Convention as binding and effectively a Constitution for all EU member nations. It is ironic that different nations interpret Article 10 differently and thus "Expression" which is legal in one EU member can be illegal in another. Other Articles may also come into play too (Privacy, Association, Marriage etc)

  13. Re:Ironic headline on EU Commission Divided Over Nation-Specific Content Blocking · · Score: 2

    The irony is that the EU was intended to create a **Single** market for goods and services. Geoblocking, especially at a national or regional scale, should be anathema to the EU.

  14. Re:Stop using lithium! on Elon Musk's SolarCity Offering To Build Cities, Businesses Their Own Grids · · Score: 1

    Nibblonian Feces?

  15. Re: octopi? on Underwater Vehicle Uses a Balloon To Dart Like an Octopus · · Score: 1

    I always favoured hippospotamus, just because it sounds right.

    That would be the lesser polka dotted hippospotamus, would it?

  16. Re:Lasers are easy to stop on The US Navy Wants More Railguns and Lasers, Less Gunpowder · · Score: 1

    You attach the laser to a 'fricken shark and have it swim up and zap the bottom out of the enemy vessel.

  17. No Guarantees on MI5 Chief Seeks New Powers After Paris Magazine Attack · · Score: 1

    We don't expect our security services to guarantee prevention of every single attack. We expect them to do their best to prevent attacks within the constraint of ensuring that our basic rights are affected to the minimum extent necessary. We are prepared to accept a few incidents if it means that no intrusion onto our rights is necessary.

  18. Re:Glamdring can do this also on Glowing Hobbit Sword Helps You Find Unsecured Wi-Fi · · Score: 1

    If it's a sword from the fall of Gondolin and forged by the elves of that time, it is already several thousand years old and definitely a rarity. Most swords will have gone rusty by that time, so I for one wish to learn the elvish technique for making stainless steel which maintains a cutting edge for thousands of years despite abuse by trolls and everyone else.

  19. There is a simple answer on Spanish Media Group Wants Gov't Help To Keep Google News In Spain · · Score: 1

    I actually think Google should charge all media organisations to be seen on News where laws like this are in effect but offer a free service elsewhere

  20. So if... on Apple Antitrust Case Finds New Consumer Plaintiff · · Score: 1

    ...there has been this enormous struggle to find a qualifying plaintiff, there cant be that many who really give a damn, can there?

    It really seems like this is a class action by lawyers, for lawyers.

  21. It puzzles me on North Korea Denies Involvement In "Righteous" Sony Hack · · Score: 2

    How North Korea, a nation with what is one of the worlds most primitive computing/ internet facilities, has the ability to carry out what appears to be a sophisticated attack that walks away with almost every drop of data Sony has in its possession. Even a couple of random sympathisers should not have been able to do the job.

    Sony has not got many friends in the world, mainly due to restrictive copyright practices and DRM. It would surprise me less if some groups who were opposed to this had over a long period of time, wormed their way into Sonys network, and after being confident they could see everything, struck at an opportune moment.

    Or it could be Adam Sandler, highly pissed at the lukewarm enthusiasm with which Sony release another of his movies...

  22. What I want to know on The Ancestor of Humans Was an "Artist" 500,000 Years Ago · · Score: 1

    ...is that since all our ancestors were artists, how did science and progress get started?

  23. Re:Is it true... on James Watson's Nobel Prize Goes On Auction This Week · · Score: 1

    North America, Australia and South America are, lets face it essentially Northern European, Spanish and Portugese populations; they're certainly not the native population who were really wiped out. Asia didn't get totally colonised, but I think you really only have distance and the Japanese to thank for that; the Chinese in the 19th century were crumbling against Western inroads. The Japanese learned how to play the game and by 1905 became a (small) world Power, and I think that saved Asia (albeit not necessarily from the Japanese themselves).

  24. I'm 50 on Ask Slashdot: IT Career Path After 35? · · Score: 1

    ..and reasonably happily being a contract analyst/developer without any issues.

  25. Why don't you on Ask Slashdot: Making a 'Wife Friendly' Gaming PC? · · Score: 1

    Have a separate Home Theatre /casual gaming silent machine for your living room and have "Behemoth" in the spare room for when things get serious?