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User: __aaltlg1547

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  1. Re:illogical captain on Why Atheists Need Captain Kirk · · Score: 2

    I find "distrust compassion" to be somewhat contradictory to "Never be a spectator of unfairness."

    But I supposed Hitchens is aware of and is reasonably comfortable with the contradiction.

  2. Re:This is not a new or unique problem on US Patent Office Seeking Consultant That Can Stamp Out Fraud By Patent Examiners · · Score: 2

    Though it is complicated by the government service issue, there are ways to measure performance...

    - Salt the case load with fictitious, bogus applications intended to be declined. In fact, this can both detect work that is disingenuous, and start applying some quality checks. Applications that are so flawed as to be obvious can be expected to fall through as approved if examiners are just phoning it in.

    - Break up the review process, no insight into the next step for any examiner. At some point, some examiners will be doing too little work to keep up, or the backlog will inspire some investigation. Perhaps.

    - This is an oldie. Full tracking of the examiner's work, down to the keystroke.

    - Even older, time to put up the performance chart. Peer pressure will probably not work in Civil Service, but it's a valiant try nonetheless.

    Now, the real trick is how to measure performance. That scares me.

    There's no need to salt the system with bogus applications. Simply review a sample of each employees work.

  3. Re:Solution looking for a problem on Ask Slashdot: Robotics or Electronic Kits For Wounded Veterans? · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It's possible that they thought that was what they were doing, but it wasn't what they were really doing, at least not if they got hurt in Iraq or Afghanistan after 2002. Nevertheless, I have sympathy for them because they got seriously screwed over the the government.

  4. Re:Scary on Denver Latest City Hit By Viral Respiratory Infection That Targets Kids · · Score: 3, Informative

    There are vaccines for many of the most dangerous viruses. That's why nobody gets smallpox any more and very few people get polio or measles.

  5. Re:Only a surprise if... on L.A. Times National Security Reporter Cleared Stories With CIA Before Publishing · · Score: 1

    Well, I guess even Art Bell isn't always wrong.

    But there's far more than just the government keeping you from getting useful news out of US news sources. They focus on what's cheap to produce and give you a steaming pile of it: sports "news", uninteresting "human interest" stories, commercials disguised as news, etc.

  6. Re:No surprise here on L.A. Times National Security Reporter Cleared Stories With CIA Before Publishing · · Score: 1

    It's interesting that you imagine this kind of behavior to be a new thing. As someone previously stated, this is what some reporters stoop to in order to get "access" that they hope other reporters won't have. It looks like Dilanian did it the wrong way, allowing the CIA to become his editors.

    And if a news organization uses information from the government sources carefully, it can occasionally get information that you might not otherwise hear. Certainly what the CIA says about something that the CIA probably knows about is part of what the public ought to know, but it needs to be prefaced with something like, "according to official CIA sources" so the readers know they're reading what the government wants them to hear.

  7. Re:Moon Ring Math on Japanese Firm Proposes Microwave-Linked Solar Plant On the Moon · · Score: 1

    adjustments:

    At any time, half of it is iluminated, forming the equivalent normal illuminated area of 3500km x 200km. Supposing the area utilization within the band is 90%, that's 630,000 square kilometers or 630E9 square meter. Assuming they're Si-heterostructure cells, they can produce 126 terawatts. Then the problem becomes not do you have enough power, but can you get it to Earth in a practical manner?

  8. Re:And if they make me have a Facebook account... on Facebook To Buy WhatsApp · · Score: 1

    Yes, that is exactly what is going on. That's the only way to put anything like these supposed values on companies that don't produce revenue.

  9. Re:And if they make me have a Facebook account... on Facebook To Buy WhatsApp · · Score: 2

    If you've used WhatsApp, you already have one.

  10. Can I get it too? on Chevron Gives Residents Near Fracking Explosion Free Pizza · · Score: 1

    Explosion-Free Pizza, that is.

    Everyone should get some.

  11. Re:3d-printed-exoskeleton LINER on Paralyzed Woman Walks Again With 3D-Printed Robotic Exoskeleton · · Score: 1

    In the old days, they would have done that by molding and sculpting to her contours -- if they had the tech to make the exo suit respond to her commands. That's by far the hardest part.

  12. Re:Fingers crossed for artificial vertebrae on Paralyzed Woman Walks Again With 3D-Printed Robotic Exoskeleton · · Score: 1

    I think it would be possible to design a two-part artificial vertebrum (a doral part and a ventral part) that would press together and form a solid-enough substitute. But how would you get the old deteriorated vertebrum out without damaging the spine and spinal nerves?

  13. Re:In all Honesty, Chevron is being a Good Neighbo on Chevron Gives Residents Near Fracking Explosion Free Pizza · · Score: 2

    When there's a big explosion and fire, there's definitely a possibility that nearby residents were directly affected.

  14. Re:they exist but do not have titles? on Good Engineering Managers Just "Don't Exist" · · Score: 1

    Do you have another word for something that you use to get work done that's not insulting?

    Don't think so. You wouldn't understand, what with you being only a wog and all that, but pretty much every word in English is a euphemism for private parts or bodily functions of some kind.

    Because this is literally what managers do with people.

    You're a hoot at parties, aren't you? Theoretically speaking, of course.

    I'm not here to amuse you, except incidentally. I'm more interested in making you think.

  15. Re:How does press freedom drop because of leaks? on US Plunges To 46th In World Press Freedom Index · · Score: 1

    They're the ones that HAVE direct access to the data. Do you know of any US media outlets that have that access?

  16. Re:How does press freedom drop because of leaks? on US Plunges To 46th In World Press Freedom Index · · Score: 2

    They were FIRST reported though the Guardian, but that hasn't stopped any US paper or other news outlet from covering the hell out of the story.

  17. Re:Bah, fake posturing. on US Secretary of State Calls Climate Change 'Weapon of Mass Destruction' · · Score: 1

    They're already there. You have no point.

  18. Re:Given the mass extinctions... on US Secretary of State Calls Climate Change 'Weapon of Mass Destruction' · · Score: 2

    It's not comparable. The effects of climate change advance slowly. Sure, every year more people might be exposed to storms but it takes decades for an area to become uninhabitable. It's enormously expensive and whole countries can be whittled away. Or in US terms, large portions of some states.

  19. Re:they exist but do not have titles? on Good Engineering Managers Just "Don't Exist" · · Score: 1

    Because (1) it's difficult since people have minds of their own and (2) management training is inadequate and fad-ridden.

  20. Re:they exist but do not have titles? on Good Engineering Managers Just "Don't Exist" · · Score: 1

    Do you have another word for something that you use to get work done that's not insulting?
    Because this is literally what managers do with people.

  21. Re:they exist but do not have titles? on Good Engineering Managers Just "Don't Exist" · · Score: 1

    You fail to understand what managers do. Let me make it plain for you.

    Engineers build things with tools. Managers do the same thing, but their tools are more complex; their tools are people.

  22. Re:First Things First on Non-Coders As the Face of the Learn-to-Code Movements · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah, there is no such thing as a competent spokesperson who also knows how to write code. Because knowing how to talk to people and knowing how to program computers are mutually fucking exclusive. Basically, all coders are mentally deficient when it comes to interacting with other human beings. I'm sure that's exactly what non-coders fucking need to hear.

    Apparently, the campaign was doomed from the beginning.

  23. Re:Why? on Slashdot Tries Something New; Audience Responds! · · Score: 1

    Huh? This page is already mostly javascript.

    (function () {
            if (typeof window.sdmedia !== 'object') window.sdmedia = {};
            if (typeof window.sdmedia.site !== 'object') window.sdmedia.site = {};

            var site = window.sdmedia.site;
            site.rootdir = "//slashdot.org";
    }());

    var pageload = {
            pagemark: '507007232917153288',
            before_content: (new Date).getTime()
    };
    function pageload_done( $, console, maybe ){
            pageload.after_readycode = (new Date).getTime();
            pageload.content_ready_time = pageload.content_ready - pageload.before_content;
            pageload.script_ready_time = pageload.after_readycode - pageload.content_ready;
            pageload.ready_time = pageload.after_readycode - pageload.before_content; // Only report 1% of cases.
            maybe || (Math.random()>0.01) || $.ajax({ data: {
                    op: 'page_profile',
                    pagemark: pageload.pagemark,
                    dom: pageload.content_ready_time,
                    js: pageload.script_ready_time
            } });
    }

  24. Re:READY OR NOT IS NOT THE ISSUE!!! on Slashdot Tries Something New; Audience Responds! · · Score: 1

    Can I retract my last 15 +mod points and put them all on this comment?

  25. Re:Why? on Slashdot Tries Something New; Audience Responds! · · Score: 1

    That's bare minimum. But the brain damage of just looking at the interface needs to be addressed. That's why I've blocked Beta at my router. I won't let my computers connect to that crap. If they change over and I still can't stand it, slashdot.org will be blocked at the router and you can count me as a former user.