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User: matt4077

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  1. DRM will not... on Will DRM Exterminate Spore? · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    ...but the total stupidity of the game will. It's basically a series of mini games, starting with packman, each of which has been done better before. There's nothing evolution-like in there, unless you believe in Intelligent Design. The science is terrible and the visual style is more kindergarden than Vista.

  2. That's what? on 1,500-Ship Fleet Proposed To Fight Climate Change · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Two days of war?

  3. Almost like... on The Electronic Bastille · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sounds like wikipedia :-)

  4. Should be standard on NZ Judge Bans Online Publishing of Accuseds' Names · · Score: 5, Informative

    In the small part of Europe I live in, it's common practice (even written in a non-binding "codex") not to publish the pictures or names of accused. It's obvious that the "This guy raped a child" headline will stick while "Trial ends, accused absolved" will sometimes not even be published.

    Yes, it should be voluntary, but it's the right thing to do.

  5. Too bad.. on Smart Self-Service Scales · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I quite enjoyed the apparent abolition of self-service scales in favor of weighing fruits at checkout. Let's hope they don't make a comeback.

  6. Breaking News on Computer Beats Pro At US Go Congress · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Breaking News: Snail is faster than cheetah encased in 200 pound lead handicap

  7. Re:Space Unity on EU and Russia Show Off New Lunar Spacecraft Design · · Score: 1

    You should moonlight as a speechwriter.

  8. RIP Randy on "Last Lecture" CMU Professor Randy Pausch Dies · · Score: 1

    ... and thanks for some inspiration.

  9. Re:Convincing one of safety of small vehicles. on VW Concept Microcar Gets 235 MPG · · Score: 1

    Sorry, no pictures. It was the smart roadster though, which is a little longer in the front. The normal smart you can buy in the us is pretty well build, too. The mechanism where the engine slides under the driver's cabin greatly enlarges the crumple zone.

  10. Re:Convincing one of safety of small vehicles. on VW Concept Microcar Gets 235 MPG · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've been in a full-on frontal collision between my smart roadster and a e-class mercedes. Both were totaled, and the resulting minor injuries were about equal on both sides. Construction is a lot more important than size and weight.

  11. Re:Lysol on What Is the Best Way To Disinfect Your Laptop? · · Score: 1

    It's interesting though that these wipes are totally useless, except to calm down the patient.

  12. Re:They only get a few months.. on Montreal's Public Bikes To Use Web, RFID, Solar · · Score: 1

    They have bikes like these in most large cities here in Germany. Seems like it's quite successful since the program has been going for five years or more. They do collect them in the winter, though.

  13. Re:Or you could just breed your dog on Get the Family Dog Cloned · · Score: 2, Insightful

    A cat always looks down on you. A dog always looks up to you.

    A pig looks you in the eyes and recognizes you as an equal,

  14. Re:Eat the PETA members on PETA Offers X-Prize for Artificial Meat · · Score: 1

    It might be relevant. Raising animals is a lot less efficient than corn etc. Part of the recent wave of food shortages is due to the increased ability of chinese and indians to afford meat. Lots of corn, wheat, rice are needed to raise that meat, and that's (one) reason why prices have risen dramatically.

  15. Microsoft Albania... on Microsoft "Albany" Offers Office and Security as Subscription · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...the balkanization of software.

  16. Chose what you like better on For CS Majors, How Important Is the "Where?" · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'd probably go for the liberal arts college. You'll meet some interesting people, have a good life for a while and probably get a better education if the groups are small anyway. You can always go to MIT for your masters. I'd also not discount the value of theory. I've always prefered hiring the math student with some programming knowledge over the CS student who took all the Java classes.

  17. Re:Low Carb? No Really. on Harvard Scientists Aim To Stop Cancer In Its Tracks · · Score: 1

    Cancer is primarily a desease of civilization because only civilized people live long enough to die from it. If there's a strong relation between sugars and cancer, we should find it in the data from different countries with different eating habits, i. e. the US and Japan. As far as I remember, the US has a higher rate of cancer in the digestive tract (thought to be related to fats), but other cancers don't vary much.

  18. Re:Low Carb? No Really. on Harvard Scientists Aim To Stop Cancer In Its Tracks · · Score: 1

    There might be correlation, but blood glucose levels are regulated rather tightly. If you have a low input, it is first released from stored glycogen and then synthesized from fatty acids. If I remember correctly, the brain adapts after a while and uses ketons, but the heart still requires glucose, which is why the blood level should never fall lower than a certain level. You'd also get the same problems as you get from an insulin overdose, so there's probably no way to reduce glucose levels enough without killing youself in the process.

  19. Re:Don't they know they are unstoppable? on Swarm Robot Immune System? · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I like Crichton, but Prey is probably the worst of all his books, It's junk science in the beginning and lame action afterwards. I know that describes pretty much all Crichton books, but others like Jurassic Park simply were better in both regards.

  20. Russian attacks? on The Secret China-U.S. Hacking War? · · Score: 2, Informative

    It should be noted (search for it if you don't believe me) that these so-called russian attacks on estonia were actually done by an estonian teenager. Kind of makes me doubt that expert's expertness.

  21. Re:Looks like a new advertising line for ThinkGeek on Topical Caffeine Might Help Fight Skin Cancer · · Score: 1

    It's a scam second only to oxigenated water. But there are always idiots willing to buy it, even on slashdot apparently.

  22. Re:Just a thought on Bank That Suppressed WikiLeaks Gives It Up · · Score: 1

    Technology isn't really that special, and lots of judges are actually very good at what they do and in learning new things, contrary to what ./ believes. Looking at this case, I'd say the initial injunction was justified. It can't be denied that these accusations were/are indeed detrimental to JB's public image, and the defence (truthfulness) wasn't invoked because wikileaks didn't show up. Without any way to contact WL, The injunction against the registrar was the only option.

  23. Re:MOD PARENT UP on VW Set To Release Diesel Hybrid · · Score: 1

    Yes, it was true, for a while. At least regarding Japanese cars, especially Toyota, the quality has been declining in the last few years due to their massive success and ensuing expansion.

  24. Opinions, Opinions on Bank Julius Baer Issues Statement On WikiLeaks · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Quote: "And the statement "Julius Baer's sole objective has always been limited to the removal of these private and legally protected documents from the website" means either that a) they're lying, b) they really did think that wiping WikiLeaks.org from the DNS records of the Net would only remove those 'inauthentic' documents they're so concerned about, or c) they're lying."

    I'd interpret it as meaning they tried everything else and then had to resort to these means to get these documents offline. In a way, I can understand the Bank. If the documents are true, it's confidential information that shouldn't be published. If they're forged, it's obviously defamatory and shouldn't be published, either. I'm not sure if exposing some tax fraud is a goal high enough to disregard legal standards. WIkileaks is obviously doing good work, as with last years documents about african dictators. Not sure if this is among that good work,

  25. Re:Well, actually... on German Court Abolishes German Snooping Law · · Score: 1

    They didn't legalize it. To be legal, there needs to be a law allowing it. They struck down the first such law allowing it in one state, NRW. So right now it's not legal anywhere. However, based on the ruling, the federal gov. is expected to pass a law soon, legalizing it everywhere. The ruling did however put hard restrictions on any such law.