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User: Waffle+Iron

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Comments · 6,037

  1. Re:Not really needed on MIT Debuts Integer Overflow Debugger · · Score: 2

    What flag is that then?

    On an X86, "V".

    Not that checking it after every add instruction is really that practical. It would be better to have trapping and non-trapping versions of integer arithmetic, and to have languages with semantics which expose that choice to the programmer.

  2. Re:Competing with government-sanctioned monopolies on Elon Musk's SolarCity Offering To Build Cities, Businesses Their Own Grids · · Score: 1

    I'd like to invest in your fascinating scheme to sink $Trillions into needlessly duplicating infrastructure. Your concept of buying new 5X cost buried cables to compete with existing overhead wires just brilliant as well. Are you offering stock yet?

  3. Real purpose for this on Bring On the Boring Robots · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think this is mainly going to be an excuse for hotels to add a daily $7.99 (+ $1.39 tax) "Robot Fee" to your bill.

  4. Re:safe bet??? on No Fuel In the Fukushima Reactor #1 · · Score: 2

    So the containment structures were not in fact designed to contain the melted core?

    Sure... Just like the way the nuclear reactors were designed to not melt down in the first place.

  5. Keep it as is on Daylight Saving Time Change On Sunday For N. America · · Score: 2, Insightful

    DST is not a bad idea. Who the hell is going to wake up at 4:00 a.m. in June? Who is going to do anything enjoyable or productive in the wee hours of the morning when they've still got a looming commute to work?

    Stop all the damned whining and enjoy the sunlight while you're actually awake.

  6. Re:Oh? on 12-Billion-Solar-Mass Black Hole Discovered · · Score: 2

    You've found me out! I admit it, I'm a member of a vast conspiracy that's foisting "static observation" on an unsuspecting public.

  7. Re:Oh? on 12-Billion-Solar-Mass Black Hole Discovered · · Score: 1

    You didn't even read the article summary at the top of the page, did you?

  8. Re:Oh? on 12-Billion-Solar-Mass Black Hole Discovered · · Score: 4, Funny

    "the space is at 100% of its capacity to hold matter" You can say that, but that doesn't make it so.

    OK, Einstein. You win. You've conclusively proven that there is indeed nothing limiting how fast a black hole can grow, and you can now collect your Nobel Prize in physics.

  9. Re:Oh? on 12-Billion-Solar-Mass Black Hole Discovered · · Score: 1

    If the matter is just "falling in" given the matter's density and distribution being less than 100% of the total possible space I think it's possible that your "maximum possible rate" is an artifact of a static model of a black hole at any given time. I think it's probably impossible that this rate was even approached, really, for any significant time period, certainly not "nearly its entire existence."

    The amount of matter that fits in a given space is totally dependent on its pressure and temperature. For the conditions in an accretion disk near the surface of a black hole accumulating at its maximum rate, the space is at 100% of its capacity to hold matter.

  10. Re:Oh? on 12-Billion-Solar-Mass Black Hole Discovered · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "it must have been munching matter at close to the maximum physically possible rate"

    That "maximum possible rate" sure sounds like bullshit.

    Why does it sound like BS? Given that a huge fraction of the matter spiraling into the black hole is converted into energy before it falls in, that creates an outward pressure that limits how much more matter can follow. So there is a maximum rate that the black hole can accumulate mass.

  11. Re:Gamma burst on What Happens When Betelgeuse Explodes? · · Score: 1

    If you were to actually read some of the "literature", you would find out that your supposition is wrong. For example:

    A GRB within a few parsecs that is directed at the Earth will impact one
    hemisphere of the planet with a short, but intense blast of high energy
    photons. Gamma rays and X rays are highly attenuated by the Earth’s atmosphere.
    Therefore, the ground level effects are primarily indirect. A small fraction
    of the incident energy reaches the ground as dangerous ultraviolet (UV)
    radiation (Smith et al. 2004), but this is limited in time to the duration of
    the event, which is at most 10’s of seconds for a long burst, and is less than
    a seconds for a short burst. While it is possible that this flash would affect
    some organisms, it seems unlikely that a biological catastrophe would result
    from this effect alone. Of course, for planets with thinner atmospheres the
    energy deposited at the ground would be greater and more serious effects may be
    expected (Smith et al. 2004; Ga lante & Horvath 2007). We are concerned here
    with effects on life on Earth and so will concentrate on the longer term
    impacts.

    There are three potentially harmful long term effects of a GRB that follow from
    changes in atmospheric chemistry (Reid & McAfee 1978). High energy photons
    cause dissociation, GRBs and Life on Earth ionization and ionizing
    dissociations of N and O in the atmosphere. Subsequent reactions lead to the
    formation of nitrogen oxides, most importantly NO and NO These compounds
    catalytically deplete ozone (O3) in the stratosphere, leading to increases in
    surface level solar UV over long time periods (years). Secondly, NO2 itself is
    a brown gas that absorbs strongly in the visible. This may potentially have a
    climatic effect by reducing solar insolation a t the ground, thereby leading to
    cooling. Third, the atmosphere returns to normal via the removal of nitrogen
    oxides by way of precipitation of nitric acid (HNO3).

    What's more, it's not possible to "wipe out life on earth" in this manner given that some organisms have been found living in rocks a couple of miles down inside the earth. Instead, a mass extinction is the worst case outcome.

  12. Re:Gamma burst on What Happens When Betelgeuse Explodes? · · Score: 1

    No, the atmosphere would shield you from the gamma rays. However, a side effect of that would be the generation of massive amounts of ozone-destroying chemicals in the upper atmosphere. The subsequent lack of ozone and massive UV exposure would be the real risk, especially because almost all of our food grows in sunlight.

  13. Re:Actually on Stephen Hawking: Biggest Human Failing Is Aggression · · Score: 4, Funny

    It makes things worse. Meddling with our precious bodily fluids is known to be one of the greatest risks for starting a nuclear war.

  14. Re:A good language that'll get slammed... on Nim Programming Language Gaining Traction · · Score: 1

    You are aware that Python will let you arbitrarily indent code within parentheses like that to your heart's content? And that, contrary what the GP said, Python does indeed support multi-line strings?

  15. Re:Odds are favorable in a way on The Mathematical Case For Buying a Powerball Ticket · · Score: 1

    My main point is that I'm not going to concern myself with anything that's as unlikely as me dying of an accident by the end of today.

  16. Re:Odds are favorable in a way on The Mathematical Case For Buying a Powerball Ticket · · Score: 1

    The odds of getting killed or permanently disabled in a motor vehicle accident from driving just a couple of miles to get one of these tickets is higher than the odds of winning as well. So, no thanks. I'll pass.

  17. Re:Translation... on Verizon Sells Off Wireline Operations, Blames Net Neutrality Plans · · Score: 1

    It kind of sucks reaching at Rush Limbaugh, but he has declared there is no journalism in the media any more. It is all media narrative reports from media narrative reporters.

    Well, he would know, since he pretty much invented replacing journalism with BS.

  18. Re:He-3 mining? on FAA Could Extend Property Rights On the Moon Through Regulation · · Score: 1

    This whole topic is really putting the cart before the horse.

    Nobody has yet demonstrated viable D-T fusion. He3 fusion is orders of magnitude harder than that.

    It will be many decades before this could possibly be an issue.

  19. Re:The fuzzy line between hobby and job on Calif. DMV Back-Pedals On Commercial-Plate Mandate For Ride-Share Drivers · · Score: 1

    And if that redistribution did not happen, those drivers would be out of jobs among other things.

    That's the economic system that was used in the USSR.

  20. Re:The fuzzy line between hobby and job on Calif. DMV Back-Pedals On Commercial-Plate Mandate For Ride-Share Drivers · · Score: 1

    The taxes collected are a redistribution of wealth from automobile drivers to truckers because trucks cause FAR MORE than four times the damage.

    This is about the fourth time I've had to spell this out for you. Instead of reflexively reaching for your keyboard, start at the top of the previous paragraph and READ. IT. AGAIN. until it sinks in. If that's even possible for you.

    You're also high if you think that the total tax and borrowed money spent on roads in this country is anywhere near covered by fuel taxes and fees.

  21. Re:The fuzzy line between hobby and job on Calif. DMV Back-Pedals On Commercial-Plate Mandate For Ride-Share Drivers · · Score: 1

    Only four times as many fees so they can base their whole living off of socialist government entitlements is a joke.

    And it's an established fact that trucks cause orders of magnitude as much damage as cars. Not four times. Face it, you're just wrong.

  22. Re:The fuzzy line between hobby and job on Calif. DMV Back-Pedals On Commercial-Plate Mandate For Ride-Share Drivers · · Score: 1

    Math: Can you even understand it?

    Truck axle weight limit: 20,000 lb per axle.

    Prius axle weight: 1600 lb per axle

    Road damage is proportional to (20,000 / 1,600) ^ 4, or 24,400:1.

    So the truck should pay $8,000,000 per year if the prius pays $328. Obviously, the Prius is getting overcharged and the truck undercharged.

  23. Re:The fuzzy line between hobby and job on Calif. DMV Back-Pedals On Commercial-Plate Mandate For Ride-Share Drivers · · Score: 1

    Your entire elaborate argument is based on a false premise.

    As I said, the road damage is exponential with the weight. It is proportional to the axle weight to the fourth power.

    Fuel economy is roughly linear with weight, or even less than linear (big rigs get much better MPG per ton than smaller vehicles). Therefore, fuel taxes don't begin to recover the extra costs of heavier vehicles.

    Who has made the stupidest argument you've ever heard now? You might look in the mirror.

  24. Re:The fuzzy line between hobby and job on Calif. DMV Back-Pedals On Commercial-Plate Mandate For Ride-Share Drivers · · Score: 2

    Your hypotheses that road damage is caused solely by the pressure on the top few millimeters of the road is highly questionable. The Prius is not going to be pounding down through the structure of the concrete nearly as much as your super-duty pickup hauling a huge boat.

    I do agree that big rigs should be paying drastically more in fees than they do. However, industry lobbyists will always trump common sense.

  25. Re:The fuzzy line between hobby and job on Calif. DMV Back-Pedals On Commercial-Plate Mandate For Ride-Share Drivers · · Score: 2

    Since road damage is exponentially proportional to vehicle weight, heavier trucks *should* be paying more in fees.