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User: Neil+Boekend

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Comments · 2,395

  1. Re:But what of Netflix on Comcast Tells Government That Its Data Caps Aren't Actually "Data Caps" · · Score: 1

    There could be a technical valid reason for it: Comcast could host Netflix owned servers that provide Netflix in their network. That way the traffic doesn't actually go over the internet (except to keep the servers up to date).
    The payment would be for service, power and stuff like that.
    It sucks for net neutrality but for the reliability of the Netflix service it would be great.
    They just have to do the same for all other streaming providers. Somehow I'd doubt they feel that wasy.

  2. Technically they are correct. It's no cap. They don't cut you off.
    It's a lie and it's evil. But it is also technically correct.
    Just like the lollypop manufacturer who advertised with "0% fat" and "Glucose is an important energy source for brains". Technically true, but oh so wrong.

  3. Re:Thank you Medical Science on Whole Organ Grown In Animal For First Time · · Score: 1

    Anti-Vaxers don't end Autism, doctors will.

    How can you be sure of this? They dont even know for sure what causes it.

    While I can't be sure, doctors have a far better chance to cure it than the anti-vaxxers.

  4. Re:Wouldn't it be rejected? on Whole Organ Grown In Animal For First Time · · Score: 1

    I have a genetic, degenerative kidney disease. My kidneys slowly get worse and worse over decades. An injection that grows me a new kidney with my own genes would be close to magic for me, despite approximately knowing how it works.
    Even if the new kidney had the same genetic damage as the current two, if I replaced them in 10 years I will then be able to use them for at least 30 years. Then I'll be 70 years old so another one would probably last me the rest of my life.

    This is exiting research for me.

  5. Re:Cant wait to see what lawyers will do with this on How Does Tesla Build a Supercharger Charging Site? · · Score: 2

    If you are not insane you are going to take a break after every few hours of driving anyway.
    Remember, this is only for long stretches. Most commutes go perfectly with overnight charging.

  6. Pandemic????? on How to Maintain Lab Safety While Making Viruses Deadlier · · Score: 1

    How can an outbreak that killed only thousands be considered a pandemic? It was quite worldwide but thousands spread over billions just isn't an epidemic or pandemic or whatever.
    By that reasoning we probably have yearly common cold pandemics.

  7. Re:So ... on How to Maintain Lab Safety While Making Viruses Deadlier · · Score: 1

    Don't be so sure. People seem to think nukes can destroy hurricanes: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/C5c.html. Maybe some think an airstrike on such a lab would be a good idea.

  8. Re:640k? on A Thousand Kilobots Self-Assemble Into Complex Shapes · · Score: 2

    My dear, we are the grey goo.

  9. Re:Legal... sort of on Hemp Fibers Make Better Supercapacitors Than Graphene · · Score: 1

    Of course you have to comply with state and federal regulations. They probably include random sampling by feds to test THC levels in your crop.
    If you genetically modify corn to have THC the corn farmers will face the same thing. That's not wrong.

    What is wrong is that THC is illegal in the US. But that is a different discussion.
    Info: I live in the Netherlands. I know a society can work properly while weed is available to everyone (although it isn't perfect yet).

  10. Re:Chill on Why the "NASA Tested Space Drive" Is Bad Science · · Score: 1

    Placebo's are not suitable for all cases. However, they are suitable for some. They are even the best for some.
    You can't treat cancer with placebos. You can treat the side effects of chemo with placebos (to some extent).
    You can cure many types of headaches, migraines, concentration disorders and many other things with placebos. If the placebo is selected properly the side effects are minimal. If the placebo is presented properly the nocebo effects are minimal.

    Some doctors do use placebos, because they are sometimes the best way to go. A low density vitamin C tablet from the pharmacy can cure a lot more than vitamin C deficiency. Especially if it is not covered by insurance. Especially if it is expensive.
    There is, however, a stigma to it because the most effective method requires lying to your patient. Even if that is the best way to cure them it feels iffy to any half decent doctor.

    There is value in homeopathic stuff: it is expensive and does no harm (except to the wallet).
    I wish I could go back to believing in it because that would help me in some areas. Alas, that ship has sailed.

  11. Re:Bad Science on Why the "NASA Tested Space Drive" Is Bad Science · · Score: 1

    The mass is relevant. The thrust/mass ratio has to be improved with a factor 1000 (wild guess) or so for it to be able to lift it's own weight.
    If it can lift it's own weight then it can accelerate with at least 1 g in space. Accelerate at 1 g for a year in space and you are quite close to 0.5 times light speed.
    That would be awesome, but I don't expect such improvements until we figure out how to do this with superconductors, preferably room temperature because it is difficult to shed heat in space.

  12. Re:Ammonia fuel on New Process Promises Ammonia From Air, Water, and Sunlight · · Score: 1

    There is so much wrong with that. If you dance into a leakage of HCl 20% on your tennis shoes you are screwed so fast you won't know what hit you. S3 safety shoes are required for a reason when working with hazardous chemicals.
    You should, however, test your safety shoes if you are going to walk on them all day. Your employer should allow you to buy your own and refund you (within reason). Take half a day to get the right ones, your back and knees are on the line here.

  13. Re:Sure, but... on Why Morgan Stanley Is Betting That Tesla Will Kill Your Power Company · · Score: 1

    And no one does 3000 miles at 110 V. Transmission (long distance) grade voltage starts at 110 kV and above.

    Exactly what I was saying. Geekoid claimed that the sides of freeways could be used for such but if I understand that idea correctly it would mean that every rectifier, with a couple of hundred solar panels, would have to include a 100 kV output.

  14. Re:Sure, but... on Why Morgan Stanley Is Betting That Tesla Will Kill Your Power Company · · Score: 1

    The sides of the freeways could have linked solar panels AND act as a carrier for cross counter electricity.

    Cross country you really really really want HVDC. The losses with 110 V lines over 3000 miles are immense, unless you use 1 m2 wires.

  15. Re:..so.. on Why Morgan Stanley Is Betting That Tesla Will Kill Your Power Company · · Score: 1

    That's unavoidable. I like Elon Musk's plans with Tesla's and solar panels. If they lie and manipulate towards the outcome that those plans succeed then let em. Even if they squeeze out 200% ROI.

  16. Re:Good, I say on Why Morgan Stanley Is Betting That Tesla Will Kill Your Power Company · · Score: 1

    Back then the insulation around the copper was cotton. PVC didn't exist yet.
    Cotton crumbles to the extent that any vibration can cause it to simply fall off. Couple that with the steel tubing from that era (again replaced by PVC) and you see a house with those wires could have a continuous ground fault below the trip level of a ground fault interrupter. We had it and we saved a lot by replacing the mess with modern cables. Didn't even have to replace the tubing (although that would have been better)

  17. Re:Ugh on NASA Tests Microwave Space Drive · · Score: 1

    I don't know. Things go wrong for the stupidest reasons. Remember the trouble with the Hubble? The malformed mirror that was caused by a piece of tape?
    Everything can go wrong and a couple of micronewton is not much force.

  18. Re:Ugh on NASA Tests Microwave Space Drive · · Score: 1

    If we assume the EM drive was setup vertically to provide thrust upwards.
    The angle of the side walls to the EM source is steep. Most likely it is quite reflective at that angle.
    The back end is flat. That means it is less reflective and thus will leak more EM energy.
    More EM energy means more heat into the air below it. That air starts to rise, bumps against the flat bottom and provides a minute amount of thrust, evidently in the micronewton range.

  19. Re:What could possibly go wrong? on Hotel Chain Plans Phone-Based Check-in and Room Access · · Score: 1

    110 C is not much above the hottest sauna I have sat in (that was 105 C). Someone who regularly sits in a sauna is able to handle that comfortably. Someone who sits in a sauna daily should be able to handle 110 C.
    Having said that, I wouldn't advise it in a hotel room.
    0. There is a reason there are no metal parts in a sauna that you are likely to touch. An 110 C iron rail would give serious burns.
    1. The insulation on a hotel room was not designed for such temperatures.

  20. Re:Fucking anti-social Millennials on Hotel Chain Plans Phone-Based Check-in and Room Access · · Score: 1

    While you are intelligent enough to look at the paper some people aren't.
    Those people telling you where you should go prevent stupid people from getting up during the start of the movie because they are in the wrong theatre.

  21. Re:Fucking anti-social Millennials on Hotel Chain Plans Phone-Based Check-in and Room Access · · Score: 1

    Why pay $50 while a similarl looking girl with similar intelligence can be obtained with some digging in any graveyard?

  22. Re:Hands and feet? on Fooling a Mercedes Into Autonomous Driving With a Soda Can · · Score: 1

    I would love such cameras here.

  23. Re:I would have gotten first post... on Google Spots Explicit Images of a Child In Man's Email, Tips Off Police · · Score: 1

    Under Google and many other big mail providers you can't. You can, however, mark it as deleted so they don't display it to you anymore and it doesn't add to your inbox size.

    Unless you plan to bomb all the Google datacenters that could potentially store your email. Since Google works with a complex backup scheme those could be any of their many datacenters in the world. Just blowing up the nearest isn't going to do squat (except get you in a whole mess of trouble).

  24. Re:and this is news why? on "BadUSB" Exploit Makes Devices Turn "Evil" · · Score: 1

    Even if they can't compromise your Model M, most motherboards do not have PS2 ports. You would probably use a converter. Is that an ASIC or a cheap microcontroller?

  25. Re:Not really that scary on "BadUSB" Exploit Makes Devices Turn "Evil" · · Score: 1

    One of the reasons why admin and user privileges should be separated. It still isn't safe, but it helps.
    Now to convince managers of that.