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User: rhadamanthus

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Comments · 198

  1. Too bad it's at NASA on NASA's NEXT Ion Thruster Runs Five and a Half Years Nonstop To Set New Record · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Which all but guarantees that this engine will never do anything more.

  2. Perhaps the number one reason on Apple Delays Simpler and Cleaner iTunes 'to Get It Right' · · Score: 1

    Itunes is possible the number one reason I switched back to a PC from my macbook. I simply can't stand it. It's bloated, laggy, and just a plain mess if you ever need to do anything complex to it's god-awful database. And if you wanted to offload your massive music collection to a netwroedk location....impossible. Back in the day I wanted to run itunes off a NAS drive - mother of god was that a mistake. I still am forced to use it to back up my iphone but that alone may be driving me to android - that my iphone freeking requires itunes is more aggravating than I can even explain.

  3. Re:Not so fast on Scientists Turn Air Into Petrol · · Score: 1

    The point was not that carbon capture was bad or ineffective. The point was that the efficiency was so low that they had to supplement with conventional CO2 supplies. The enthusiasm is good, but it should be tempered by the reality that the process of "air-to-petrol" is essentially academic at this point in time.

  4. Not so fast on Scientists Turn Air Into Petrol · · Score: 5, Informative

    Buried at the bottom of the article is this tidbit:

    "Although the prototype system is designed to extract carbon dioxide from the air, this part of the process is still too inefficient to allow a commercial-scale operation.

    The company can and has used carbon dioxide extracted from air to make petrol, but it is also using industrial sources of carbon dioxide until it is able to improve the performance of "carbon capture"."

  5. More misinformation. on Authorities Closing On LulzSec · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ryan Clearly housed a lulz IRC chatroom. He has nothing to do with lulzsec.

  6. Re:WTF, seriously?! on N.C. Official Sics License Police On Computer Scientist For Too Good a Complaint · · Score: 2

    A-freeking-men. The guy is only succeeding in cheapening the appearance of a P.E. - precisely the opposite of what he intended. Lacy should get fired for being unresponsive to legitimate concerns from the citizenry, as well as being a pompous idiot.

  7. Why? on PayPal Withholding Indie Game Dev's €600,000 Account · · Score: 1

    With the ridiculous number of stories and reports that have continually made it obvious that paypal screws people, I'm at a loss why anyone would use them for something this serious.

    I mean, I feel bad for him and all, but at the same time - what a ridiculously stupid thing to do.

  8. Not the worst on The Definitive Evisceration of The Phantom Menace *NSFW* · · Score: 1

    Attack of the Clones was far worse. Sillier story, even more breathtakingly unnecessary market-driven hoopla and the dialogue goes from "it's a small child and consequently this is bad, but tolerable" to "omg, who wrote this utter drivel and why did these actors defile themelves by partaking in it?"

  9. No thanks on Blizzard Confirms No LAN Support For Starcraft 2 · · Score: 1

    I see this being, like diablo III, just an easy way to get more people to pay monthly for bnet access. No thanks.

    I found dealing with all of the adolescent assholes on bnet bad enough with Diablo II, I'm certainly not PAYING for a laggy experience filled with bigots and idiots.

  10. Holy Irritation Batman on Mad Scientist Brings Back Dead With "Deanimation" · · Score: 1

    Great story but this "writer" makes me want to punch my computer screen. PAINFUL.

  11. TSA on What Examples of Security Theater Have You Encountered? · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Nuff' said.

  12. Pickens is not a good guy on Oil Billionaire Building World's Largest Wind Farm · · Score: 5, Informative
    This is the same guy planning to drain the Olligalla (sp?) aquifer to supply southern texas with water. Private water rights being abused, right before your eyes.


    FWIW, these two projects (the wind farm and the water system) are really the same

  13. Re:Thats irrational and selfish. on Disillusioned With IT? · · Score: 1
    This may be the most uninformed and ridiculous comment ever. Having kids does not mean you can't do what you love. It means you get to share that love and passion with a person so enormously important to you that everything else pales in comparison. It's the best feeling in the world. You say you should throw what you love away when you have kids - I'd say you have no idea what love is until you have kids.

    People like you are just compensating for your complete lack of original ideas, convictions, and security. You're probably 23 years old.

  14. Re:Genetic engineering WILL get scary on Artificial Bases Added to DNA · · Score: 1
    Paranoid much?

    Even if your super-crazy scenario comes to fruition, the rest of the world can always decide not to trade with countries that utilize such methods.

  15. This should not suprise anyone on US Urged To Keep Space Shuttles Flying Past 2010 · · Score: 1

    Too much money involved to not get the attention of some politicians. In terms of "do-ability", the real question is how the shuttle managers will get around the lack of spares/supplies that have been minimized and/or completely shut down in preperation for the retirement date.

  16. Say what? on Today's Gamers, Tomorrow's Leaders? · · Score: 1

    This may be the stupidest story ever posted to slashdot.

  17. Re:Without a scale... on Images of Endeavour's Damaged Tiles · · Score: 1
    Oh for the love of....

    Each tile is 6x6 inches. The damage is about 3 inches long. Length however, does not matter - it's all about depth. In this case, the tile is 1.14 inches thick, and it is believed that the damage is through the entire width, exposing the filler bar/RTV adhesive under the tile edge. This implies no ceramic insulation for the aluminum skin. Before more slashdot armchair NASA engineers make ridiculous claims, understand that fluid flow into a cavity of this geometry will choke, lowering the heat rate. Also, this damage is conveniently under an aluminum structural assembly, giving the vehicle significantly more dissipative capacity. I think you'll see this thing cleared for reentry.

  18. Re:The trouble with unmanned vehicles... on Lockheed Martin Plans Unmanned Aircraft · · Score: 1
    Well - except for those made at home due to "inaccurate" drone warfare.

  19. Confused on Clinton Introduces Invasive Game Legislation · · Score: 1
    Aren't there real problems to solve?

    You know, like Iraq or the defecit or health care?

    What a screwed up country.

  20. Re:Paranoia. on Space Shuttle to Receive Emegency Repairs · · Score: 1
    Best estimate is actually worse - Mach 21.5

    In this case, as the gap filler is pretty far forward on the nose, the boundary layer is very thin and easy to trip. The position is key - forward and slightly outboard so that it overheats the WLE. In fact, one could argue that this is quite possibly the worst possible location for a protrusion of this size.

  21. Re:Paranoia. on Space Shuttle to Receive Emegency Repairs · · Score: 2, Informative

    30% on the tile. 80% at mach 19 early boundary layer transition on the WLE.

    My source is my job. :)

  22. Re:Paranoia. on Space Shuttle to Receive Emegency Repairs · · Score: 5, Interesting
    NO. Boundary layer transition is not a very well understood phenomenon to begin with, and in this case you pushing the limits of both flight experience and analytical capability. Going from laminar to turbulent flow above mach 18 results in some very serious heating, ultimately effecting not just the thermal system, but also the structural margins.

    Most importantly, this trip would spill over the side of vehicle and run down streamlines into the wing leading edge. Analysts put the increased heat loads even in a "best case" situation at 80% increase. At those temperatures (almost 3300F), the SiC coating will start to degrade. Dispersion in the entry tajectory could lead to an additional 150F. At that temperature the SiC will ablate, exposing the carbon-carbon substrate. It will oxidize and the temperature will skyrocket to 4000F. At that temp kiss the wing goodbye.

    That all being said, I think it could make it down - the uncertainty in this situation is increasing conservatism - but I sure as hell won't take that risk when the EVA is quick and relatively simple.

  23. Re:WTF on NASA Postpones Shuttle Launch · · Score: 2, Funny

    True, I worded that badly. I must need another cup of coffee.

  24. Re:WTF on NASA Postpones Shuttle Launch · · Score: 3, Informative
    As someone who works at NASA on the SSP, let me tell you a well known axiom:


    "Every shuttle launch entails putting roughly 4.5 million tons of weight into orbit - and closing out about twice as much weight in paper."


    Jokes aside, most of the paperwork is there for a good reason. Every single component on the shuttle is certified for the entire flight envelope. It's quite a challenge.

  25. Re:I could have told you something was wrong... on Rosenzweig Now Chairman of DHS Privacy Board · · Score: 1
    I was thinking the same thing:

    Doesn't this reek of Orwellian doublespeak? I mean - the privacy board represents a group of people who want to circumvent privacy. The PATRIOT act is the most un-patriotic legislation government action since COINTELPRO. Etc.

    Yuck!

    See This for a fun look at Bush tactics.

    April 02, 2005
    Build your own Bush administration! It's easy and fun!