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User: GodfatherofSoul

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  1. Sad decline on RadioShack To Close 1,100 Stores · · Score: 1

    Probably not a survivable fall and others are talking about their failings better than me. I'm not much of a hobbyist, but I had a few fun little projects I've worked on and gone in there maybe 10 times in the last couple years. They seem to have taken the homogenized tech shop approach of selling what everyone else makes money off of. I waited in line for about 5 minutes for a couple signing up for cell service once and the the huge electronics components sections I remember from 20 years ago was now 2 short aisles; the rest of the stuff was toys, gadgets, and batteries you can get literally anywhere.

    This happens to a lot of industries; including TV channels. One exec sees someone pulling 20% returns on X and decides to incorporate that into their business model while dropping product Y. After a while, they do it so much they just lose their identity.

  2. Re:Bitcoin is a virtual commodity, not a currency on Bitcoin Exchange Flexcoin Wiped Out By Theft · · Score: 1

    But, it's currency since the bitcoin itself has no intrinsic value and only represents value based on faith. And, where your analogy fails is "paper" currency banks are regulated and deposits are insured. Someone robbing my bank wouldn't affect my account balance in the slightest; nor would the banker get away with a EULA that said "we're not responsible for your money."

  3. Re:What is "computer-directed flight control"? on Bugatti 100P Rebuilt: The Plane That Could've Turned the Battle of Britain · · Score: 1

    It came equipped with an abacus?

  4. Glad someone is finally getting in on this one on Apple To Unveil Its 'iOS In the Car' Project Next Week · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Every in-car nav system I've looked at has terrible reviews; even the dealership told me not to sweat going for the GPS option in my new car. I've got this big fancy LCD and a fancy audio system and a cell phone, but no one to tie them together.

  5. Anyone ever watch Lockup or simiilar shows? on The Science of Solitary Confinement · · Score: 1

    Solitary slowly drives these guys insane. It doesn't seem to be permanent, but being cooped up like that does terrible things to the human brain. IMO this all started decades ago with a regression to "get tough on crime" practices. So, now rather than giving prisoners true outlets to reform themselves and develop talents and options for their release, we've got guys with nothing to do and nothing to lose who know that their best bet post-incarceration is getting better at being a criminal. And, gang violence and activity is a great way to get promoted.

  6. Ever work in a high school? on Why We Need To Teach Hacking In High School · · Score: 1

    Kids are going to practice "hacker" methodology plenty enough. Schools should stick to teaching fundamentals that they won't bother learning on their own. Besides, they need exposure ot the disciplinarian side of programming as well. Hopefully, enough will sink in so that when they get their first jobs they'll be somewhat prepared for the shift.

  7. Re:I see it now on Supreme Court Ruling Relaxes Warrant Requirements For Home Searches · · Score: 2

    The point is they can arrest occupants for ANY kind of suspicious activity, then turn around and come back for another consent attempt. What the first person was arrested for is irrelevant. As the Brad Cooper videos show, you shouldn't even open the door at all since a cop can claim to see or smell something that gives him reasonable suspicion.

  8. Ugly trend on Blizzard To Sell Level 90 WoW Characters For $60 · · Score: 1

    There has to be a level playing field. Payouts for advancement are a slippery slope. Battlefield 4 has premium double XP days as well as all the additional perks and upgrades they get. Nothing turns away fans more then seeing some guy twinked with "free market" loot.

  9. Re:Education does not qualified make... on Do We Really Have a Shortage of STEM Workers? · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Raising how much you pay is a great way to get people who want to work for you.

  10. Re:The Air Force brass *never* wanted the A-10 on US War Machine Downsizing? · · Score: 1

    I was in AFROTC back in the early 90s and the AF has been trying to kill the A-10 for decades. There are a couple reasons; and none of them have to do with effectiveness. First, the guys in charge of the AF are usually fighter jocks who bubble up from the shiny, fast, expensive fighters. The Air Force loves flash. Back around '92 or so, they wanted to replace A-10s with the shiny fast F-16 that got it's ass kicked in Gulf War I trying to fly A-10 missions. But, hey F-16s are shiny, fast, and guaranteed to get a pilot laid with hot young nursing students. A-10s get you the girl who adopts the really ugly puppy out of sympathy.

    Second, the A-10 wasn't built by a major vendor with wads of bribe money throw at Pentagon staffers. There's a ton of pressure to dump A-10s for something else shiny and fast. Frankly, I'm surprised it lasted this long which is a testament to how great a plane it's been over the years. So, we'll get an insanely overpriced and probably under-qualified F-35 trying to fly A-10 missions. Hopefully, they'll keep enough of them mothballed so that in the next engagement we can roll out 20-30 or so for a last hurray.

  11. Re:And yet on Harold Ramis Dies At 69 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Dan Akroyd is the all-time winner of the Landing a Woman Way Out of your Class geek Olympics. I in good faith cannot criticize him or anything he has ever done.

  12. Re:Oh the hypocrisy on Study Shows Agent Orange Still Taints Aging C-123s · · Score: 2

    You realize a hell of a lot of them were drafted, right?

  13. Re:Who's getting slow internet? on Why Is US Broadband So Slow? · · Score: 1

    Google fiber is only in a few places in the city. I'm nowhere near a coverage area, nor would I ever trust Google with my internet pipe.

  14. Who's getting slow internet? on Why Is US Broadband So Slow? · · Score: 1

    Just curious. I'd assume it's the same rural folks who are against the high taxes that would widen pipes to their houses. I get 24/24 in suburban KC and I figure most similar communities are the same.

  15. Seems to be the same rule for diseases too on VA Tech Experiment: Polar Vortex May Decimate D.C. Stinkbugs In 2014 · · Score: 2

    The rule has always been a good, hard winter means less sickness the next year. I don't know if that means less animals or insects transporting agents of disease or what.

  16. Roy Spencer? Really Slashdot? on How Well Do Our Climate Models Match Our Observations? · · Score: 0

    FU editors

  17. This isn't for stolen cars on ICE License-Plate Tracking Plan Withdrawn Amid Outcry About Privacy · · Score: 1

    There was a story not more than a few weeks/months ago where a local law enforcement agency had ignored the license plates of stolen cars they'd scanned. This is nothing more than another data point for the government's Total Information Awareness database.

    The only way to make this stuff illegal is to pass laws expressly forbidding it. The Feds have been using cute interpretations of privacy laws to pull this crap; with a wink and nod from Congress.

    I see lots of outrage on this website; I wonder how much there is in the general population. Either they're not aware or they don't care and from polls I've seen on the Snowden revelations I assume the latter.

  18. Battlefield 4 on Ask Slashdot: What Games Are You Playing? · · Score: 1

    v3 almost killed the franchise for me and v4 brings it about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way back to what BF2142 and BF2 were. I'm probably out of the market as a regular purchaser, but I can't wait to play the Walking Dead sequel. For the longest i trawled game news sites for info on Half-Life Ep3, but I bet it would be a disappointment. The 2nd installment's story got very predictable.

    I have Bioshock and I've never played it for an odd reason. I played Dead Space first which was such a shameless ripoff that even though I got the sense that DS was trying really hard to seem original, that Bioshock was the copy cat. I might get around to BS one day.

  19. Re:Apparently everyone here is a hipster... on Ask Slashdot: What Games Are You Playing? · · Score: 1

    This is like asking people for a favorite band. It might be the Eagles, but they're going to name someone obscure to *sound* hip. So, either Slashdot is an anomalous population or it's what I suggested.

  20. Re:Advice? give up. on Ask Slashdot: Anti-Camera Device For Use In a Small Bus? · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Other possibilikty. The guests don't want party pics of themselves getting wasted and stupid showing up on Facebook, but the limo owner wants footage for liability in case of damages.

  21. Re:can you se uranus with a telescope? on Astronomers Make the Science Case For a Mission To Neptune and Uranus · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hell, you can see it with a mirror

  22. Mount it on a dune buggy on What Would You Do With the World's Most Powerful Laser? · · Score: 1

    Invade a desert nation with a bunch of my weaponizedmotorcycle-riding buddies and blow up some tanks.

  23. Re:Vettes on Sinkhole Swallows 8 Vehicles Inside Bowling Green KY Corvette Museum · · Score: 1

    So, a Bugatti and a Lambo are muscle cars?

  24. Re:Vettes on Sinkhole Swallows 8 Vehicles Inside Bowling Green KY Corvette Museum · · Score: 1

    I've never heard anyone complain about Vette cornering. In fact, I've heard Vette's called the best budget sportscar you can get. I'd be interested in what you've heard otherwise.

  25. It was Bugs on Sinkhole Swallows 8 Vehicles Inside Bowling Green KY Corvette Museum · · Score: 3, Funny

    He made that wrong turn in Albuquerque again.