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User: JeffOwl

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Comments · 459

  1. Too broad, and safe for what? on The Gap Between What The Public Thinks And What Scientists Know · · Score: 1

    If a scientist literally said "GMO crops are safe." I would not trust that scientist. That is too broad a question. If a scientist said "These specific crops are safe" or "Crops with these types of gene modifications are safe" then I would be more inclined to believe it. And then the next question is "safe for what?" Human consumption is one thing, the environment is another, the health of the agriculture industry is another, the health and diversity of food crops in general is another.

  2. Re: He'll win in a landslide on Fark's Drew Curtis Running For Governor of Kentucky · · Score: 1

    Fraud by ineligeable voters is a ridiculously inefficient and costly way to rig an election.

    You sound like you think that either party would consider that a reason not to do something.

  3. Re:The (in)justice system on Innocent Adults Are Easy To Convince They Committed a Serious Crime · · Score: 1

    That scenario sounds ripe for the proliferation of injustice.

    On that point I think most of us agree.

  4. Re:The (in)justice system on Innocent Adults Are Easy To Convince They Committed a Serious Crime · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Ask yourself which makes more money for a lawyer - handling several plea bargains a day, or one long case that he is likely to lose for a client that will have no income?

    You realize that many, if not most, of these plea bargains are between public defenders and the DA's office. You realize that neither group is raking in huge cash based on case volume. It isn't about making money, it is about a case load that they could not possibly handle if they had to take every one to court. Besides, the court system couldn't deal with the volume either.

  5. Re:Nostalgic for Windows 7? on Microsoft Ends Mainstream Support For Windows 7 · · Score: 1

    (consider that Winrot means an image dump every 9 months or so on average, while I've had a PowerMac that ran for 3 years on 10.3 then 4 more on 10.5, and no OS reinstalls.)

    What in the world are your users doing? That's nuts. I've had a Win7 PC at work for two years on the original install. I know of only a couple of people, out of dozens, that have had to have the PC re-imaged. I've had a Win 7 PC at home for 4 years on the original install and am only now retiring it to a secondary role.

  6. Re:Any experienced teacher already deals with this on UK Computing Teachers Concerned That Pupils Know More Than Them · · Score: 1

    Sadly, graduate level math classes are not necessarily a requirement to teach HS math.

  7. You get what you measure on Chicago E-Learning Scheme Embraces Virtual Badges For Public Schoolers · · Score: 1

    But you need to be sure that you are measuring the right things. Teaching to the test is not necessarily the best approach. Hopefully this will work out better than some of our professional certs for predicting job performance, but I doubt it. What is the problem that they are trying to solve, other than employers are lazy and don't want to look at resumes and transcripts?

  8. Re:Fuck the libs! on Bill Would Ban Paid Prioritization By ISPs · · Score: 4, Informative

    Not sure where you were going with that, but the bridge to nowhere was sponsored by Republicans.

  9. Re:Like it or not, this was flamebait. on Neil DeGrasse Tyson Explains His Christmas Tweet · · Score: 1

    I agree that his goal was to get people up in arms. His job is to stay i the public eye. Those offended aren't his audience anyway. Now people are talking about him.

  10. Why do they care what he thinks? on Neil DeGrasse Tyson Explains His Christmas Tweet · · Score: 3, Insightful

    For those that know of him, they probably already know he is an atheist. For those that don't, a little internet searching on his name will lead to that conclusion. I know I don't care what most people think about religious stuff one way or the other. It doesn't bother me that they think that way, only when they try to get laws and such changed based solely on their religious beliefs does it bother me. Sure, he goes out of his way to keep his name in the public eye, but I don't think this tweet was intended as a lobbying effort, so who cares? If you don't like what he says just ignore him and pray for his soul; be sure to send him a note that you are doing so.

  11. Re:Already lost the "complete freedom" argument... on Economist: US Congress Should Hack Digital Millennium Copyright Act · · Score: 1

    ... but when we're starting to talk about hacking automobile electronics that other drivers and pedestrians depend upon for their own safety...you can probably see where we're developing a slippery slope.

    And yet I can take the stock brakes off my car and install after market, or even home built custom components to alter the performance of one of the most safety critical systems on the vehicle. I can even custom build an entire vehicle if I want to. (Well, I probably shouldn't).

    I would suggest that the skill/coordination/attention/mental stability of the driver is by orders of magnitude a larger risk than anyone tinkering with the ECU or other electronic systems on the vehicle today.

  12. Re:Is it legally binding on Displaced IT Workers Being Silenced · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is typical. They will offer you a choice, something like: 2 weeks of severance pay and you don't have to sign anything, or 4 weeks + 2 weeks per year of employment and you sign the agreement. The agreements often say you will stay quiet about the company and you give up your right to sue over the termination.

  13. Free Chinese stuff? on Chinese CEO Says "Free" Is the Right Price For Mobile Software · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't know about spyware, but with apps at least you don't have to worry about lead or melamine.

  14. Re:Flip Argument on Officer Not Charged In Michael Brown Shooting · · Score: 1

    All the facts given by the guy who was assigned to prosecute the officer. He made a point of saying he was going to present ALL the evidence he had.

  15. Ts and Cs on Bidding In Government Auction of Airwaves Reaches $34 Billion · · Score: 2

    I wonder what provisions the government put on the license. Perhaps something about infrastructure to aid in surveillance?

    /Tinfoil?

  16. Re:Dumb question? on Number of Coders In Congress To Triple (From One To Three) · · Score: 1

    A congressional coder takes requirements from lobbyists and translates them into a design and set of instructions that aren't readable by the average person but can be executed by a large bureaucratic machine. Note that the machine is subject to frequent single event upsets and has an executive that is prone to write it's own instructions.

  17. Re:Stupid, trucks cause the problem on The Downside to Low Gas Prices · · Score: 1

    You miss the point entirely that one of the main drivers of highway construction is congestion, which is largely caused by passenger vehicles. Building more lanes has a cost. Maintaining more lanes has a cost.

  18. Re:TWC are (surprise, surprise) crooks and thieves on Overbilled Customer Sues Time Warner Cable For False Advertising · · Score: 4, Interesting

    How about a compromise? Make the last mile providers utilities and require them to allow other ISPs to sell on their infrastructure. Since the infrastructure in many areas was a government granted monopoly when it was put in, regulate the rates that they can charge ISPs, but let the ISPs compete on prices, speeds and features. I remember when DSL was this way and I thought it worked pretty well.

  19. Re:Comcast tried to steal $50 from me on Overbilled Customer Sues Time Warner Cable For False Advertising · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Never attribute to malice what could be explained by stupidity. Eg they could unintentionally be profitting millions and they have no clue why because they never audit the department managing the cash card offers.

    They know not to ask questions to which they do not want to know the answers.

  20. Re:Quite the poker player on U.S. and China Make Landmark Climate Deal · · Score: 1

    Yes, but if you look at the second derivative of each curve it doesn't look so lopsided.

  21. Re: DMCA (Defamation) on ISPs Removing Their Customers' Email Encryption · · Score: 1

    What does it say in the ISP TOS?

  22. Re:$50+, really? Can I get $50 for my copy? on Landfill Copies of Atari's 'E.T.' End Up On eBay · · Score: 1

    Why the premium? Is it just because of the history?

    Hipsters buying it ironically to play while drinking their Pabst are driving up demand.

  23. Re:But DC is different,no? on Marijuana Legalized In Oregon, Alaska, and Washington DC · · Score: 1

    (although, if you're an "exempt" employee, there are no hours that are truly yours; being an "exempt" employee means that you trade having to punch a clock for a fixed salary, no overtime, and the possibility of being required to work 120 hours a week, all legal).

    If you are an "exempt" employee you are on your own to negotiate the terms of your employment. Most of the exempt employees where I work do get OT pay.

  24. Re:Time for Solidarity? on Skilled Foreign Workers Treated as Indentured Servants · · Score: 4, Insightful

    My COBRA insurance is higher than the mortgauge. This payment pretty much sucks up all expendable income normally used for living expenses.Many younger workers simply forgo the insurance payments.

    Wait, I was under the impression that these health insurance exchanges would create a competitive marketplace where people could buy insurance at reasonable prices even if they weren't eligible for subsidies. You mean that isn't true?

  25. Re:Fine, if on The Airplane of the Future May Not Have Windows · · Score: 1

    Many airlines offer seat upgrades to "economy comfort" (Delta's name) seats that are just like regular coach but have a few extra inches of legroom. These seats can be had for somewhere between free and $29 extra depending on the fair class you paid, frequent flyer status, and occupancy of the plane at check-in.