Re:Bring on the Aliens
on
Your Own Mecha
·
· Score: 3, Informative
I've never seen Aliens but I remembered reading about these robots a while back(10/30/2003). Its a USA Today story about the Israeli's using remote control Caterpillar bulldozers to destroy Palesinian homes.
First I ask would an alternate style sheet be a reasonable way to use fixed column widths and still maintain accessibility?
Second, with fonts I completely agree. I expect all users to have Arial, Courier and Times New Roman. What do you suggest about useing unusual fonts? (I avoid this when I can but sometimes it is worth the negatives) I admit in the past I've just used images but I just realized thats no good for someone who needs large fonts.
You made many good points about accessibility and to be honest sometimes I just forget to be as vigilant regarding these things as I should and I am sorry about that.
Oh, one final comment, IE's implementation is of CSS is not only buggy, its also plain incomplete making it the most infuriating thing on Earth (CSS is powerful but until IE supports it I just can't use many of the really exciting funtions.)
I started using GMX about two years ago. They have free POP3 and spam filtering and an assortment of other tools. They seem to be quite stable as well. The only drawback is that the site is all in german. None the less I find the web interface quite useable after I spent a week or so getting used to it. (I use a POP3 client most of the time but if I'm on vacation for example its nice to be able to get e-mail from the web.)
At least for me the issue is not that GM organisms will necessarily ruin ecosystems its that we don't know the effect they might have. Until we have a better understanding of nature (basically a better understanding of everything) I feel it is irresponsible to be so cavalier about these things. Just look at what non-GM species can do when introduced to forign habitats.
One example it the zebra mussle which has become a very large problem in the great lakes region. It is non-native and it is killing many native species by starving them out of the area. It is also effecting local dams, locks, and industrial plants.
"...their titanium-based alloys exhibit "super" properties, such as ultrahigh strength and super elasticity. The new materials could prove useful..." (emphasis added)
This sounds to me like they created multiple alloys with different properties and not a single miracle alloy with all of these properties. I may be wrong but since I cannot get through to read the nature story I can't tell for sure one way of the other.
I know that systems such as this are used in Hospitals. Instead of doctors being paged and then having to go back to their office to talk to someone on the phone the Docs have cell phones that are integrated into the hospital's Phone system. That way if someone has an important question they can call the Dr's Phone #, the Dr. Pick up, answers quickly and then get back to what ever else he/she was doing. This avoids wasting time going back and forth between office and patient for quick questions. It also dramatically decreases the time it takes to get a hold of a doctor while he/she is on rounds
That is not entirely correct. I posted that over a year ago. I am currently a junior in high school and I am also a member of the Harvard, MA EMT squad. My highschool has a special state varience allowing students under the age of 18 to become licensed EMTs. I have no particular way of proving this to you save to say its the truth.
I'm an EMT and I see alot of car crashes. I can tell you that this would be just about useless to us in the field. The simple fact is we don't have time to analyze the data and the computer couldn't tell us anything that can't be seen by looking at the crashed cars themselves. Another thing is that ALL motor vehicle accidents are considered "significant mechanism of injury" meaning that while we will do what we can to help our number one priority is to get the patient to the hospital as soon as possible.
One final thought. Most ambulances these days are run by for profit services. These services use the cheapest/smallest trucks they can find and keep only the absolute minimum equipment required by law on board. So, unless it becomes required by law it would never make its way onto the vast majority of ambulances
"A crew member with proper training can now take basic heart, blood, temperature and sugar level readings."
As an EMT I do these things all the time. One doesn't need a machine to take a pulse and infact the machines are often wrong. I can see having blood pressure cuffs and a stethescope on board but again a machine will give you incorrect readings. For temperature, sure have a thermometer but how big/expensive is that really going to be? A glucometer is certainly a good idea but they are also tiny these days. What I really don't understand is why do they need a sattelite phone? Don't airliners have radios? Why not just have the nearest tower relay the info to an emergency room on the ground? EMTs have specific protocols for this kind of "on-line" medical direction.
Really all that is needed is a small box about 12"x6"x6" and a bit of training to do everything this "briefcase" can do and it would only uses tested, reliable technology.
I have to agree for the short term. Space exploration proves that competition is a good thing. The simple problem is we have no competition at the moment. Our only real hope is the Chinese, they've been working on manned flights for some time and I think they're close to sending one up. Until we have competition the general public won't see any value in space exploration.
I thought you slashdotters might be interested in the reactions of a high school student.
I am a high school freshman and I understand what many of my peers feel. I know that as long as I can remember I have hated school. It is not the work or the teachers that I hate either. The work is almost insulting, my parents or I have tought me most of the science/history/english/math I know. It is the other children that I can not stand. I have always wondered why they can't "grow up." I have must confess that often I have thoughts about how nice it would be if I didn't have to deal with everyone I don't like, but then thats life.
I have found the best solution is to just not say anything. I have conditioned myself to never raise my hand not matter how obvious the answer is. I no longer let any one in school into my life. As a result I am very unhappy but I am not bothered. I think that I have faded into the back ground. Sometimes I worry that the rest of life will be this way. But I still have a little hope.
Slashdot Mirror
I've never seen Aliens but I remembered reading about these robots a while back(10/30/2003). Its a USA Today story about the Israeli's using remote control Caterpillar bulldozers to destroy Palesinian homes.
First I ask would an alternate style sheet be a reasonable way to use fixed column widths and still maintain accessibility?
Second, with fonts I completely agree. I expect all users to have Arial, Courier and Times New Roman. What do you suggest about useing unusual fonts? (I avoid this when I can but sometimes it is worth the negatives) I admit in the past I've just used images but I just realized thats no good for someone who needs large fonts.
You made many good points about accessibility and to be honest sometimes I just forget to be as vigilant regarding these things as I should and I am sorry about that.
Oh, one final comment, IE's implementation is of CSS is not only buggy, its also plain incomplete making it the most infuriating thing on Earth (CSS is powerful but until IE supports it I just can't use many of the really exciting funtions.)
Jared Martin
I started using GMX about two years ago. They have free POP3 and spam filtering and an assortment of other tools. They seem to be quite stable as well. The only drawback is that the site is all in german. None the less I find the web interface quite useable after I spent a week or so getting used to it. (I use a POP3 client most of the time but if I'm on vacation for example its nice to be able to get e-mail from the web.)
At least for me the issue is not that GM organisms will necessarily ruin ecosystems its that we don't know the effect they might have. Until we have a better understanding of nature (basically a better understanding of everything) I feel it is irresponsible to be so cavalier about these things. Just look at what non-GM species can do when introduced to forign habitats.
One example it the zebra mussle which has become a very large problem in the great lakes region. It is non-native and it is killing many native species by starving them out of the area. It is also effecting local dams, locks, and industrial plants.
(source http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/algae/matc-nf.html)
"...their titanium-based alloys exhibit "super" properties, such as ultrahigh strength and super elasticity. The new materials could prove useful..." (emphasis added)
This sounds to me like they created multiple alloys with different properties and not a single miracle alloy with all of these properties. I may be wrong but since I cannot get through to read the nature story I can't tell for sure one way of the other.
I know that systems such as this are used in Hospitals. Instead of doctors being paged and then having to go back to their office to talk to someone on the phone the Docs have cell phones that are integrated into the hospital's Phone system. That way if someone has an important question they can call the Dr's Phone #, the Dr. Pick up, answers quickly and then get back to what ever else he/she was doing. This avoids wasting time going back and forth between office and patient for quick questions. It also dramatically decreases the time it takes to get a hold of a doctor while he/she is on rounds
That is not entirely correct. I posted that over a year ago. I am currently a junior in high school and I am also a member of the Harvard, MA EMT squad. My highschool has a special state varience allowing students under the age of 18 to become licensed EMTs. I have no particular way of proving this to you save to say its the truth.
I'm an EMT and I see alot of car crashes. I can tell you that this would be just about useless to us in the field. The simple fact is we don't have time to analyze the data and the computer couldn't tell us anything that can't be seen by looking at the crashed cars themselves. Another thing is that ALL motor vehicle accidents are considered "significant mechanism of injury" meaning that while we will do what we can to help our number one priority is to get the patient to the hospital as soon as possible.
One final thought. Most ambulances these days are run by for profit services. These services use the cheapest/smallest trucks they can find and keep only the absolute minimum equipment required by law on board. So, unless it becomes required by law it would never make its way onto the vast majority of ambulances
I don't see why you need this.
"A crew member with proper training can now take basic heart, blood, temperature and sugar level readings."
As an EMT I do these things all the time. One doesn't need a machine to take a pulse and infact the machines are often wrong. I can see having blood pressure cuffs and a stethescope on board but again a machine will give you incorrect readings. For temperature, sure have a thermometer but how big/expensive is that really going to be? A glucometer is certainly a good idea but they are also tiny these days. What I really don't understand is why do they need a sattelite phone? Don't airliners have radios? Why not just have the nearest tower relay the info to an emergency room on the ground? EMTs have specific protocols for this kind of "on-line" medical direction.
Really all that is needed is a small box about 12"x6"x6" and a bit of training to do everything this "briefcase" can do and it would only uses tested, reliable technology.
I have to agree for the short term. Space exploration proves that competition is a good thing. The simple problem is we have no competition at the moment. Our only real hope is the Chinese, they've been working on manned flights for some time and I think they're close to sending one up. Until we have competition the general public won't see any value in space exploration.
try http://bb.earthquakers.org/WolfMPTEST0915.exe i am getting 115k/sec
I thought you slashdotters might be interested in the reactions of a high school student.
I am a high school freshman and I understand what many of my peers feel. I know that as long as I can remember I have hated school. It is not the work or the teachers that I hate either. The work is almost insulting, my parents or I have tought me most of the science/history/english/math I know. It is the other children that I can not stand. I have always wondered why they can't "grow up." I have must confess that often I have thoughts about how nice it would be if I didn't have to deal with everyone I don't like, but then thats life.
I have found the best solution is to just not say anything. I have conditioned myself to never raise my hand not matter how obvious the answer is. I no longer let any one in school into my life. As a result I am very unhappy but I am not bothered. I think that I have faded into the back ground. Sometimes I worry that the rest of life will be this way. But I still have a little hope.