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User: Overzeetop

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  1. The problem with emoji on Unicode Consortium Looks At Symbols For Allergies · · Score: 1

    So does the emoji for sheep mean you're allergic to mutton, or that you're now a member of a fraternity, or that you have insomnia?

  2. Re:no electric car likely, but maybe a motorcycle on Tesla Presses Its Case On Fuel Standards · · Score: 2

    If he won't fit in tesla, there are very few cars (not SUVs) he actually will fit easily into. I'm only 6' - 200# and most sedans are fairly cramped. SUVs, otoh, are generally roomy.

    Funny that a car without an unlimited range is a non-started for him, but a bike with very limited range is okay.

    Unless he's a regular cross-country driver, I suspect you're right - in 10 years there will be an electric car which meets enough of his (actual) needs to be his sole vehicle. On the rare case you need to go futher, you rent a gas car. It's what normal people do now when they find themselves in need of a vehicle they don't own or have with them (i.e. car in a remote city, truck for hauling, RV for cross country travel).

  3. Re:The future of electric could be much brighter i on Tesla Presses Its Case On Fuel Standards · · Score: 1

    The only way electric cars can become affordable is to double the number of the most expensive single element out there? It's the batteries that make them so insanely expensive. And to have a swap system you will need double the number (roughly) to allow for inventory, spares, and repairs. You're talking about a huge outlay of funds on a resource that is going to have to have a long payback period in order to show black on the balance sheet.

    Not to mention that batteries take up a huge amount of space and weight in a car. Trying to standardize on a single battery pack is like asking laptop manufacturers to standardize on a single pack. That's didn't work even when packs were readily removable and swapable.

    And that doesn't even address the short-packing someone will inevitably do. Short a pack by 20-30% of the cells so they can sell a "refill" cheaper than the next guy. Or manufacturers who simply put in shitty batteries. Go over to the candlepower forums to see the crazy differences between current mfrs actual verses tested ratings.

    And solar is going to have to get a *lot* better if you think that's close to a viable option for real-time charging of the kind of power needed for a battery swap or battery charging center. Remember that we only get about 1200w/m^2 of total incident power on a great day, and less than 20% of that is usable as electricity using currently commercialized PV technology. If you want to service, say, 200 full-size cars a day (a low number at a busy interstate station), you're going to need between 17 MWh of energy. For the perfectly sunny day, that's 8500 square meters of panels without any conversion losses - close to 2 ACRES of panels. You're typical filling station site on a 1/4 acre lot.

    I'd love to see electric cars really take off, but battery swaps aren't going to be the silver bullet imho.

  4. As someone who does structural inspections... on The New Google Glass Is All Business · · Score: 2

    I'm kind of interested in this. I've know that Glass could have applications to the work I do every day. Even if not for me, then for a remote employee or contractor who could send back real-time data from a site for review and analysis. Or even for reference materials or two way conversations live in the field.

    I'd prefer to use it as part of my plan to take over the world and destroy the Kingsmen in the process but, as they say, baby steps...

  5. Re:Doubtful on Are We Reaching the Electric Car Tipping Point? · · Score: 1

    I'm generally on your side in this argument, but a manual or multi-geared transmission in an ICE is likely to fall short of the performance of a properly tuned electric drive train and control system in a wheel-spin condition. The control feedback will always be more responsive in a situation like this than an average human driver, just as a properly tuned anti-lock breaking system will always beat an average human driver in breaking performance.

    Also, any type of fuel you can create for use in a compact, internal combustion engine can be burned with significantly higher efficiency in a multi-stage, regenerative fixed industrial power plant. The efficiency will more than compensate for line and battery/charging losses.

  6. Re:In the US. on Are We Reaching the Electric Car Tipping Point? · · Score: 1

    When I went on vacations with my extended family (7 of us), we didn't have a car that would fit all of us and luggage. So we rented a van. Cost me $350 for the week. I saved more than that in gasoline alone by driving a smaller car regularly. I also lived for years without a pickup truck. I borrowed or rented one if I really needed it. It's not that hard here; it might be a different story in Europe.

  7. Re:Electric is Evolution. Driverless is Revolution on Are We Reaching the Electric Car Tipping Point? · · Score: 2

    The difference is that a gallon of gasoline really isn't getting you much further these days than, say, 40 years ago at the efficient end of the scale whereas batteries have seen quite a large increase in energy density and overall vehicular efficiency in the same time frame and have a good deal of room left to grow.

    For most drivers, and electric car in 10 years will be ideal - though there will still be outliers. Saying that electric cars are bad for most people is like saying that wireless cell coverage is bad in most of the US. That may be technically true (even the best network has far less than 50% of the landmass covered), but in a practical sense most of the population has coverage. Similarly most of the miles driven may still be ICE, but the majority of people will be fine with an electric car.

  8. AYFKM? on Are We Reaching the Electric Car Tipping Point? · · Score: 1

    The ICE Spark is under $15k, similarly equipped, with a range of 360 miles. The base Spark EV is $26,000 and has a range of 82 miles. You're paying over $10,000 extra for the EV. On a $15,000 car. For a car with 1/4 the range. That's a pretty big difference.

  9. Error 1 on Are We Reaching the Electric Car Tipping Point? · · Score: 1

    Gasoline stations don't sell gasoline. The provide it as a service at near-zero margin as a way to lure you in for the high-margin food and sundries in their stores.

    They'll find other ways to lure you in (like adding charging stations).

  10. Re:We're much more progressive in the states on Britain Shuts Off 750,000 Streetlights With No Impact On Crime Or Crashes · · Score: 1

    ... shutting off education in Wisconsin.

    I'd say that this would show up as a noticeable reduction in the dumbing down of Americans but, let's face it, the bar is pretty close to zero already so there's not much down-side movement left to go.

  11. Re:Drones on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 2

    I hope you never learn about spotting scopes.That will scare the living fuck out of you.

  12. Judge, Jury, Executioner on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 1

    In the redneck form of government, you take the law into your own hands for even the most petty of offenses. There's no need for lawyers, cops, judges or any of the like. See two men holding hands? Beat the fuck out of them. That will let them know that gay marriage isn't allowed - if you see them together again, you kill one of them and the marriage problem is solved. Don't like black people? Burn a cross on their front lawn as a warning sign if you're one of those "soft" rednecks, but the proper punishment for having dark skin is hanging. Neighbors dog is barking in the middle of the night. A couple of rounds from your .30-06 will shut that mutherfucker up and let you get a good night's sleep.

    It's so much easier and safer when we all have guns and are willing to use them to solve any dispute. Just ask the NRA - they'll concur.

  13. Re:Stay in school, don't do dope on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 1

    Your peeping Tom might be violating a law, it depends on the state.

    You may be the subject of a civil suit if Tom wasn't breaking the law, and you'll probably lose on the merits. (you did willfully damage someone else's property).

    Now, if you were to fire a weapon containing ball bearings and the area downrange of your weapon was not known to be free of all persons; or if your municipality specifically forbids firing a weapon* within the municipal limits, then you are violating the law.

    *self-defense in the presence of a bodily threat does not make it legal, but it is a valid and positive defense to such an action.

    Note: in a civil society with laws when your rights are violated and except in the case of an emergency related to bodily harm or death you are required to report the violation and a court determines the responsible and/or injured party. In an uncivil society, you simply kill / maim /destroy those things which you don't like to don't approve of. This is not Lord of the Flies nor are you the judge, jury and executioner in all disputes with your neighbors.

  14. Re:A much more efficient air conditioner, too? on Sharp Announces Sales of DC Powered Air Conditioner, Other Products To Follow · · Score: 1

    The good news is that, potentially, this would be tied to a large PV battery bank. He who shall not be named's battery packs are Li-ion at 400V which, if run directly, would be just over an amp and a half (about 25% of the basic battery pack's continuous delivery capacity). I agree it's not going to make a whole house system work, though. I don't do the hardcore side of ME, so I don't know what separates the typical residential 2.5-3.0 CoP of a whole house unit from the mini-splits that seem to get closer to 4.0 and can suck heat out of colder sinks. The mitsubishi in my home office is a beast, pumping out hot air even when it's 10-15F outside and the main system is hitting the resistance coil backup heat.

    FWIW, AC systems for cars are actually pretty demanding - a typical system for a full sized sedan is ~20kBTU. Then again, you have mechanical compressor power to spare.

  15. Re:Disappointed on Sharp Announces Sales of DC Powered Air Conditioner, Other Products To Follow · · Score: 1

    So you're saying it's impossible to do an arbitrary DC/AC to DC/AC without a massive efficiency penalty?

  16. Re:Name of the Computer Project on Obama's New Executive Order Says the US Must Build an Exascale Supercomputer · · Score: 1

    Did I catch a "niner" in there?

  17. Re:Below 500' it probably is on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 1

    In KY, a fence is a sufficient notice against trespass (class 2 criminal trespass)

  18. Re:Why do you hate America? on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 1

    Mom still keeps you locked in the basement, huh?

    Really - get out more. I know everyone on my street, at least by sight if not all by name. I know almost everyone on the next street down, at least for a block in each direction. Then again, I don't walk around with a shotgun on my shoulder so I guess I tend to be more approachable than the typical NRA fuckwad.

  19. Different (key)strokes for different folks on Ask Slashdot: Why Is the Caps Lock Key Still So Prominent On Keyboards? · · Score: 1

    I use the capslock all the time. Of course I'm an engineer and I switch between documents (regular case) and drawings (all upper case) so it gets a pretty big workout. Gotta say the same for my right mouse button - and the center scroll, tool. NumLock, though - that's a pretty rare beast for me; typically only gets used when it's accidentally turned off.

  20. Re:Sounds like he was arrested for shooting. on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 1

    No, they can't. They require a failure of either one critical component or two secondary ones. And there are drones which are one fault tolerant as well.

    The shooter created the fault which made the craft unstable/dangerous to those around him. It would be like me cutting your break lines after you parked your POS car in front of my house for the 4th time this week. I mean, you could hit some 5 year old crossing the street to go to school in that thing. But if I make sure you crash it tomorrow morning on your way out of the neighborhood, I can effectively saved that poor 5 year old that could have died at any moment from your POS rattletrap of a vehicle? I don't think so.

  21. Re:Or... just hear me out here... on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 1

    Shotgun shot is harmless

    Tell that to Harry Whittington.

  22. Re: Right to Privacy in One's Backyard? on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 1

    You think the pilot *wasn't* a neighbor?

  23. Re:"...the same as trespassing." on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 1

    It might. It would be second degree criminal trespass if the prosecution can show that the drone was synonymous with the pilot. Trespass in KY requires that a person be present on the land or in the dwelling.

  24. Re:"...the same as trespassing." on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 1

    "upon another person" - that will be a sticking point, and without case law to say that an owned device is a person it will likely fail on a techincality in civil court.

    "A person is guilty of criminal trespass in the second degree when he knowingly
    enters or remains unlawfully in a building or upon premises as to which notice
    against trespass is given by fencing or other enclosure. "

    The drone operator would have had to *known* that he was over that persons property to be in violation.

    So the shooter will have to prove that the firing of his weapon was "immediately necessary" to prevent the trespass, and he would have to prove that the pilot *knew* he was trespassing.

    One item you excluded is that "physical force" does *not* included deadly force. Deadly force is defined in 503.010 (1), and is distinct and separate from 503.010 (4) which defines physical force.

    My money is on the pilot

  25. Re:Not quite that trivial. on Kentucky Man Arrested After Shooting Down Drone · · Score: 1

    When seconds count, a clown with a balloon is just minutes away.