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User: Dunbal

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  1. Frightening thought on US Killer Robot Policy: Full Speed Ahead · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's a chilling thought that the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism is also pioneering drone and robotics technology. I guess some bright spark somewhere decided he can get around international law by just having the machines do the killing, because "there's no law against machines doing it, right?"

    Most Americans turn around and say "what law are we breaking?". How about this one, from the UN General Assembly: "No State may use or encourage the use of economic, political or any other type of measures to coerce another State in order to obtain from it the subordination of the exercise of its sovereign rights or to secure from it advantages of any kind. Also, no State shall organize, assist, foment, finance, incite or tolerate subversive, terrorist, or armed activities directed towards the violent overthrow of the regime of another State, or interfere in civil strife in another State." Don't even get me started on "targeted killing" or "extrajudicial killing", which is just summary execution without trial. Even Goering got a trial. Even Eichmann got a trial. And then you have the nerve to call yourselves a "free country"? Wake up, people, put your shiny iPhones down.

  2. Re:Reason: Price gouging by Dept of Energy on Without Plutonium, Deep-Space Probe Missions May Sputter Out · · Score: 1

    Oh here we go with the partisan bullshit circus yet again. Yeah remember which color flag you fly makes a HUGE difference! Morons. Maybe when you stop shouting at each other you'll realize that you have BOTH been had.

  3. Re:HowTo on Without Plutonium, Deep-Space Probe Missions May Sputter Out · · Score: 1

    Nobody understands gravity but we're still capable of making highly accurate predictions of orbits of comets and asteroids far, far into the future. Not bad for something that's not "understood". If you want to be pedantic about it, no one understands subatomic particles or electromagnetic radiation, either. I mean, not really understands. Sigh.

  4. Re:No PC yet on GTA V Makes $800 Million In 24 Hours · · Score: 0

    I'm a PC gamer and, nahh, it's not really my type of game anyway. I prefer something that requires a little more thought, like "Europa Universalis (IV)" or something. You won't see that on a console ever, the 12 years old would simply not understand what's going on (wait I press speed 4 and everything is exactly the same nothing is moving no one is shooting at me!).

  5. Re:Wait a minute on Brazil Announces Plans To Move Away From US-Centric Internet · · Score: 1

    Banning LUA because it's a munition. I did not know that - rofl - but it sure sounds like America. Just ban a language. That has already been "exported" and has many programmers and companies perfectly adept in it. Please everyone, unlearn LUA now! Anyway I'm in Central America (Costa Rica) - I was just joking about the routers. But yeah good idea to stay as far away from American tainted merchandise as possible I guess.

  6. Wait a minute on Brazil Announces Plans To Move Away From US-Centric Internet · · Score: 5, Funny

    And they're going to do all that with Cisco routers, right? LOL

  7. Re:Hold up. on Physicists Discover Geometry Underlying Particle Physics · · Score: 2

    Cow farts, and suddenly we've invented cow bowling!

  8. Re:Hold up. on Physicists Discover Geometry Underlying Particle Physics · · Score: 2

    Considering that we have evolved all these different sensory organs to help us survive, I'm sure that if perceiving a 4th dimension granted any biological advantage at all, we would be able to perceive it. Sorry to be anthropic about it but my field is biology not physics, lol.

  9. Re:Wolfram's A New Kind of Science on Physicists Discover Geometry Underlying Particle Physics · · Score: 1

    Math is a tool, nothing more. The universe doesn't give a damn about math - that's an abstract human model that happens to simplify things for us so we can understand abstract concepts. No, the universe follows its own set of rules and proportion, and we make math to describe it to ourselves.

  10. Re:hmmm.... on Physicists Discover Geometry Underlying Particle Physics · · Score: 1

    Yeah, it's like chemistry. Geometry, the actual shapes of molecules, sizes and charge distribution/volume of atoms, all of these affect chemical properties. We've gotten to the point where we can easily predict certain reactions merely by thinking a little about a given molecule. One day maybe we'll find out what's behind the geometry that's forcing the basic stuff of matter to fit together the way it does.

  11. Re:42 on Physicists Discover Geometry Underlying Particle Physics · · Score: 1

    No, "high order" intelligence discards the idea of "soul". You mean rudimentary or average intelligence, surely.

  12. Re:42 on Physicists Discover Geometry Underlying Particle Physics · · Score: 1

    Yes and no. If it's a machine then it's a very badly assembled, and shoddily coded machine. It keeps interrupting itself, it hardly ever stays focused on a task without a great deal of training, it produces irrational thoughts and sometimes even causes its host to act upon them. One advantage, however, is that it is capable of 100% never been seen before "creativity" once in a while, as well. Code me a machine that can do all that, and I will agree you have reproduced a human brain.

  13. Re:AMD multi-display problems on Multi-Display Gaming Artifacts Shown With AMD, 4K Affected Too · · Score: 1

    I understand, and it must be a PITA for you if you absolutely must have the latest tech, bugs and all. But the software and even firmware industry now have a policy of "release THEN patch". I've always thought this irresponsible since the trend started in the 80's (before that programs were usually shipped bug free and fully tested - of course they were simpler programs too). With the advent of the internet companies got even sloppier. I mean, who DOESN'T have an internet connection to download a patch nowadays? Sigh.

    So while it's not unreasonable to insist on getting value for your money, it is unreasonable to assume that the software industry responsible for your drivers will change habits that have been entrenched for many years, just to keep you happy. Their answer will be "wait a couple months and there'll be a patch that addresses this issue".

  14. Re:Metaphor does not mean "bollocks". on Stronger Winds Explain Puzzling Growth of Sea Ice In Antarctica · · Score: 1

    You missed it completely, didn't you? Oh well.

  15. Re:Multi-Monitor Gaming Just Sucks on Multi-Display Gaming Artifacts Shown With AMD, 4K Affected Too · · Score: 1

    Hey that sounds like a good game still I'm sure people will manage to lose all their money so why don't we put in a feature I dunno let's call it "too big to fail" so if they lose everything we just put more cash in their account. I'd play that game.

  16. Re:Talk about your canonical on Multi-Display Gaming Artifacts Shown With AMD, 4K Affected Too · · Score: 1

    Hey that one is almost as good as: "You guys are here talking about video games DON'T YOU KNOW WE ARE AT WAR?" Honestly if you have nothing interesting to say, why are you even here?

  17. Re:AMD multi-display problems on Multi-Display Gaming Artifacts Shown With AMD, 4K Affected Too · · Score: 2

    Driver nightmares? I have zero driver problems on my PC. Of course I never buy the "bleeding edge" brand new "hot video-card for this year just in time for Christmas", either. I'm perfectly happy being one or two generations behind, where cards and drivers are less buggy. I don't think it's so much a PC vs console issue as it is an "early adopter" issue. It's not only software companies that crowd-source the "beta test" of their products, apparently.

  18. Re:AMD multi-display problems on Multi-Display Gaming Artifacts Shown With AMD, 4K Affected Too · · Score: 1

    See if you were running linux instead of windows then you wouldn't have these.... lol. Welcome to slashdot :P

  19. Re:AMD multi-display problems on Multi-Display Gaming Artifacts Shown With AMD, 4K Affected Too · · Score: 2

    To be honest the Tseng also worked wonders for Windows 3.1, not just games :) Ahh the bad old days... God I've spent so much money on computers and computer stuff. Sigh.

  20. Re:Wat? on Stronger Winds Explain Puzzling Growth of Sea Ice In Antarctica · · Score: 1

    A much simpler answer is you lack a basic understanding of metaphor.

  21. Re:OMG....this blows... on Stronger Winds Explain Puzzling Growth of Sea Ice In Antarctica · · Score: 1

    Send him to the arctic to look for penguins and the first polar bear he sees will teach him the difference between the poles rather quickly.

  22. Re:Wat? on Stronger Winds Explain Puzzling Growth of Sea Ice In Antarctica · · Score: 2, Interesting

    In exactly the same way that the lack of "divine manifestation" disproves the existence of god. Unless, of course, you "believe". Then you'll see divine manifestations everywhere, even in your breakfast cereal.

  23. Re:OMG! It wasn't puzzling on Stronger Winds Explain Puzzling Growth of Sea Ice In Antarctica · · Score: 1, Funny

    Anthropogenic global warming is causing the wind, of course!

  24. A eyball everywhere on NSA Bought Exploit Service From VUPEN · · Score: 2

    Trust your government. That's what they meant by "trusted computing".

  25. Re:BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA on True Size of the Shadow Banking System Revealed (Spoiler: Humongous) · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's? Banks have always existed to fuck people. We put up with it because it's an easier system to deal with than using cattle, chickens or rocks to trade with.