Slashdot Mirror


User: spineboy

spineboy's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
1,097
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 1,097

  1. Infrastructure problems in the East prohibit on Transportation Bill Sets Aside $45 Million For MagLev Train · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There is already a "high speed" train that runs between New York and Washington D.C. - the Acela Express, for a commute time of 2 hours 48 min. It is limited to a paltry 75-150 MPH (120-240 KPH) due to track conditions. Mostly the speed is limited via the existing infrastructure, the bridges, tunnels, track closeness etc. Higher speeds would necessitate reinforcement of those structures, and the overhead electrical wires to withstand higher speeds. Much of the speed inhibition is in that the train needs to tilt to navigate the sharp rail curves. Pre-existing tracks are to close together to allow for high speed cornering that would require the trains to tilt, thus preventing train collisions between regular trains, and the leaning Acela Express. Of note, there are multiple at-grade crossings on this trains route - these are rarely found on other high speed train lines for obvious reasons.

  2. Cavity search? on Full Body Scanners Installed In 10 US Airports · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I mean - what's to stop a hijacker from hiding a ceramic knife up his rectum? or C4... this and metal detectors wont find it. Can we expect cavity searches next?

  3. Fourth amendment?? on Full Body Scanners Installed In 10 US Airports · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What ever happened to freedom from unreasonable search and seizures by governmental bodies (TSA)?

    I mean seriously - what has happened - have we slid down the slippery slope, or been boiled to death one degree at a time?

    I'm just waiting for a clothing manufacture to come out with millimeter wave blocking clothes or underwear. Need a little metallic weave in the cloth to do the trick.

  4. Ringworld? on Ghostly Ring Found Circling Dead Star · · Score: 4, Funny

    Cool!, now we just need a General Products hull # 4 sufficient for colonization. Except that the damn star is dead.

  5. No more video taping births either on UK Proposes Banning Computer Generated Abuse · · Score: 1

    A nude baby is coming out. Can I keep my medical textbooks that happen to have pictures of any children in it?

    This whole thing seems bizarre, and I imagine, is approved by the same types of people who want Michelangelo's David statue covered up since he is a naked man.

  6. Batteries/motors weigh a lot on The Phoenix Has Landed · · Score: 1

    Yep - I agree - it would otherwise just be another rover mission.

  7. Possibly a behavior of countries in their twilight on Japan "Running Out of Engineers" · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Hmm - USA, Japan, both very rich countries for several generations now. Is this possibly a natural behavior for countries in their twilight, where many of the citizens have lost their "hunger", and focus more on superficial , shiny things, like the NBA and Paris Hilton?

    When you eke out a living, you won't pay attention to Ms. Lohan and her ilk, but probably focus your efforts on working hard to advance your career to get bread on the table, and since science/engineering jobs often pay well with some hard work.....

      My grandparents came over on a boat from Eastern Europe, after growing up in a bombed out basement in WW I - my Dad was an engineer, and I'm a surgeon. Many immigrants families have similar tales.

  8. most people over 70 don't use computers on 20% of U.S. Population Has Never Used Email · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Both my Grandmothers -in their 80s have never used a computer, and are pretty representative of their generation. Obviously there are exceptions, but computers weren't much of their lives. They both get off the phone after a minute, because they are worried about "long distance" charges to - lol.

  9. Re:BMI should be a cubic function... on Fat People Cause Global Warming, Higher Food Prices · · Score: 1

    Please read my post on BMI, and why & what exactly it measures/represents. Basically it means you don't want to be out of the norm for height/weight

    http://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=556310&cid=23450014

  10. ARRRGH Important BMI info here on Fat People Cause Global Warming, Higher Food Prices · · Score: 1

    The BMI data is taken from actuarial tables - i.e. insurance tables of peoples health, longevity,etc.
    What the numbers showed, was that people who had a BMI between 18-25 tended to live the longest.

    Doesn't mention fat anywhere - just weight. So having that super slim, but very muscular body may still put you in the category of not tending to live the longest. So having a short,very lean , but muscular frame may put you over the norm for people. So on average you may not live as long. Maybe the heart doesn't like to pump blood thru all that muscle mass, etc. Having lots of muscle doesn't mean that you are healthier. - it may actually be worse.

  11. Medical fact- somkers & obese people are sick on Fat People Cause Global Warming, Higher Food Prices · · Score: 1

    Smokers and obese people are sick more often, use more sick days, and spend more health care dollars. So they tend to be less productive at work. The non-smokers and thin people wind up subsidizing their health costs, and pull their slack at work.

    So, yes it does affect us.

    I am all for personal responsibility, but I should not have to pay for others poor choices. If you wish to smoke, or get fat, then it's fine by me - go smoke your brains out, but I shouldn't have to smell your stank air, nor subsidize your health costs.

    As far as the SUVs go - I concur. I live in Los Angeles, and see probably 30-40% of the vehicles on the highway are SUVs and pick ups with just one person in it, commuting to work in stop/go traffic. If this were Montana, then I wouldn't mind, but L.A. doesn't get a lot of snow if I recall.

  12. Re:Corn is OVERRATED on Fat People Cause Global Warming, Higher Food Prices · · Score: 3, Informative

    It really depends on just how many calories go in vs how many are expended. New England Journal of Medicine had a study about 15 years ago, looking at exercise and eating habits of thin, and obese people. Obese people tended to underestimate the amount of food they ate by 50% !!, and overestimated the amount of exercise by 2x. Thin people had about the opposite experience.
      Low fat food may be more of a culprit, since many of the stomach and intestinal hormones (CCK, somatostatin, GIP) are triggered/released by fat, which then produce the "full" sensation. Look at the French - tons of fatty food, and they are skinny with much less heart disease. Yeah - they eat less (feeling full?) and walk more. Portion sizes in America are ridiculous.

    There's nothing magic about food - if you eat too much, it gets converted to fat. And please, no vegan rants - England looked at a random sampling of 1000 people who reached the age of 100, and only 4 were vegetarians, all the rest ate meat routinely. It's not eating meat that can cause heart disease, but the lack of fruits and veggies. Yes I agree Americans could stand to eat less meat, but mostly just need to eat less.

  13. Soooo, you should be able to on World's Newest, Most Powerful Laser Comes Online · · Score: 1

    Shoot down an enemy ICBM, even with rotating heat shields, reflective surfaces, etc.

    Nice to have since other countries are working on their atomic programs, and missile systems. Suitcase nukes on the other hand :-(

  14. 18 year old seniors on Senators OK $1 Billion for Online Child Porn Fight · · Score: 1

    It is possible for a senior to be 18 while in high school. Either that, or else there is an implicit understanding that anyone else portrayed could have "stayed back" a grade or two, thus being 18.

  15. Church foward thinking on Vatican Says Alien Life Plausible · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm glad that the Catholic Church is taking an educated view of the sciences, with the support of evolution, and now this. Of course this will also lead to many useless comments about pedophilia, non-existance of God, and other useless flame wars.

    Scientific illiteracy here in the states is really bad, and I'm embaressed that my church has a more progressive attitude than our current administration. This should change with the next admin thankfully.

    This is Slashdot, and everyone needs to get their 2 cents in, but please try to submit meaningful/useful posts.

  16. Ultra Capacitors! on Tesla Motors Opens Retail Store · · Score: 1

    Ultra caps shouldn't have this problem, and I bet will eventually replace batteries. No prolonged charging either,as capacitors can be charged in a few seconds or so.

  17. I'm a surgeon, and I answer my call OUTSIDE on Stealth Paint From German Inventor Werner Nickel · · Score: 1

    I think this whole MD/cell phone/movie thing is really blown out of proportion. If I go to the theater and I'm on call, then I answer the call AFTER I've climbed out of my seat and left the theater.
    Doctors who see patients compromise 0.03% of the population - thats 1/30 of one percent or 1 in 3,000 people. So maybe 1 out of 10 movies might contain an MD, if they see movies as often as the general populace, which I doubt.

  18. MDs often get calls even when not on call on Stealth Paint From German Inventor Werner Nickel · · Score: 1

    I'm a surgeon, and patients are always trying to contact me, even when I'm not on call. Just because we work hard and make some money is no reason to say screw you, you can't be a person and enjoy life.

    Sure some people are rude, but does a little cell phone ruin the entire movie for you? What about the people who insist on talking the whole time in the movie, or bring their crying kids?

    I just don't see the fascination of people wanting to block cell phones - this topic comes up every month or so.

    If someone is rude, just ask them to be quiet (oh no I'm a geek and can't talk to people), or else ask the usher to make them be quiet or leave. Draconian measures to enforce manners is somewhat silly, especially when it inconveniences so many other people..

  19. That relies on cars that are ferro magnetic on Stealth Paint From German Inventor Werner Nickel · · Score: 1

    When the sensor imbedded in the road is triggered by the iron object moving across it, it generates a current. The trick is to get a car that is non ferromagnetic.

  20. China to have spectacular cancer bloom in 20 yrs on EV71 Outbreak In China Sparks Fears For Olympics · · Score: 1

    Since environmental regulatory laws seem non existent in China, I wonder what sort of horrific contaminants are floating around in their typical potable water? Routinely drinking water that is even close to be colored bright red/green/blue/black can not be good in the long term for the kidneys, bladder and liver. I expect to see a wild, unprecedented rise in their cancer rate, about 15-20 years after their recent industrial/manufacturing revolution has occurred.

  21. So what about DC comics then? on Iron Man Released · · Score: 1

    Other than Superman and Batman, not much has been done. V for Vendetta, and League of unordinary Gentlemen did well, Catwoman - ugh!

    I had heard a Flash movie was in the works, and possible Justice League, Watchmen and Wonder Woman(please, please cast Jessica Biel).

    Makes you wonder why DC hasn't been more aggressive about getting some of their heroes onto the big screen.

  22. Establishing a huge following, for later profit . on Is Ubuntu Selling Out or Growing Up? · · Score: 1

    Ubuntu is building an incredibly huge following. Later on they can institute for fee services that rely on people using them since they are comfortable with Ubuntu.

    Not too dissimilar to many companies giving software/equipment away to college and grad students, who train on it, and thereby later on use that product since they are comfortable with it.

    Ubuntu has been the number one Linux distro downloaded for how many months straight now?

  23. Next of kin on Post-Suicide Account Cracking? · · Score: 1

    I agree with the parent.

    I would think that all possessions, physical and intellectual, go to the next of kin. So if they WANT to crack the password encrypted files they should be able.

    Of course, if they decide not to in honoring the person's wishes, then so be it.

  24. Bah! - Switched my wife to a Mac on Usability Testing Hardy Heron With a Girlfriend · · Score: 2, Interesting

    She was convinced that something was "wrong" with her computer that I had installed Suse. Finally got her a Mac with the understanding that I don't know Mac much and could not offer her tech support. Anyway, I wound up fixing/solving all her issues with that as well. Almost daily issues at first, then weekly, and finally after 4-5 months, I rare get asked to do much with it. She only uses it for downloading songs, making powerpoint, webbrowsing, and some camera picture stuff.

    To be honest, both Linux and Mac generated about the same amount of workload for me

  25. Didn't mean to imply all homeless steal on Backup Tapes With 2 Million Medical Records Stolen · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Just stating that some people, desperate for cash , might steal anything. Obviously there are plenty of homeless who are law abiding citizens, just down on their luck.