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User: Politburo

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  1. Re:No... on Proposed California Law Would Mandate Smartphone Kill Switch · · Score: 0

    Here's the thing, not every area of the country has the same air pollution issues. So why, they argued, do we need ultra clean cars? In response, the national legislature set minimum standards and also said states could choose to require the more stringent California standards.

    Many states with air pollution problems chose to do this (13+DC). So it is still decided by the national legislature and individual state legislatures (via delegation to administrative bodies). There is no representation issue.

    For other products this regime doesn't exist. It's still not a representation issue, though, when a company chooses to release products that only follow California standards. That is simply the manufacturer making a business decision.

  2. Re:Thank you on Panel Urges Major NSA Spying Overhaul · · Score: 1

    The current state of the US government explicitly prohibits US citizens being detained at Guantanamo (as has been the case since its inception). Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Or at the least, any evidence.

  3. Re:not super expensive at all on US Light Bulb Phase-Out's Next Step Begins Next Month · · Score: 1

    You shouldn't need to rely on the heat of the bulb to prevent condensation (what if someone takes a shower with the lights off?). A properly insulated fixture will not have a problem, and of course use damp rated equipment.

  4. Re:This app never seemed necessary on FTC Drops the Hammer On Maker of Location-Sharing Flashlight App · · Score: 3, Funny

    Rogue fleshlight? I don't wanna know where that thing has been...

  5. Re:A decade long product cycle sounds good to me on Moore's Law Blowout Sale Is Ending, Says Broadcom CTO · · Score: 1

    The BLS doesn't really recognize "core" CPI and only asserts that CPI is one way to measure inflation, not the only way. They publish an index called "All items, less food and energy" at the request of the Fed. The Fed doesn't even use it anymore, but the media has glommed onto it.

  6. Re:Everybody gets this far. Then it gets hard. on Nissan Leaf Prototype Becomes First Autonomous Car On Japanese Highways · · Score: 1

    You wouldn't need to record light timings. Upon yellow light, determine if safe stop is possible based on distance to light and current speed. If yes, then do so.

  7. Re:NSA Delenda Est on NSA Tracking Cellphone Locations Worldwide · · Score: 1

    Just like how tarring and feathering tax collectors during the 'Whiskey rebellion' sent a clear message to the federal government..

  8. Re: You may think it troll, flame bait, etc, but.. on Lawsuits Seek To Turn Chimpanzees Into Legal Persons · · Score: 1

    "So it would be best to officially secularize the state-concerning legal aspects of marriage, and let various churches, sects and suicide cults conduct whatever rituals they want for who they want on whatever basis they want."

    This is already how it is done. You go to city hall or county office, etc, to get a marriage license. There is no requirement to go to a church, sect, or cult, but you may not be viewed as married by those institutions. Similarly, if you only go to a church/sect/cult and don't go to city hall, you're not married in the eyes of the law (exception: states with common law marriage).

  9. Re:If you've got good signal, digital is better, b on Final Days For Australia's Analog TV · · Score: 1

    That sounds like a problem with your receiver. Back when I was using the free boxes, that would happen sometimes, but it was cleared up by changing the channel.

  10. Re:If you've got good signal, digital is better, b on Final Days For Australia's Analog TV · · Score: 1

    "We should have kept just one analog channel for a local news station to broadcast on"

    My guess is that there are many such channels available in your area. You may know them by the names FM and AM.

  11. Re:If you've got good signal, digital is better, b on Final Days For Australia's Analog TV · · Score: 1

    I have two TVs of the same brand and they still aren't exact. It's close enough that it's more of a reverb than an echo, though.

  12. Re:That room on the 6th floor of the Book Deposito on Intelligence Officials Fear Snowden's 'Doomsday' Cache · · Score: 1

    The shooting was not shown live on TV.

  13. Re:In the USA on Science Museum Declines To Show Climate Change Film · · Score: 2

    "Actually, don't bother — I'll offer evidence to the contrary. In 2005 US was hit with 14 hurricanes, 10 in 2012. The average for period between 1944 and 2005 is 6 [weatherstreet.com]. Is there a rise? Hardly — between 1885 and 1889 there were 26..."

    This does not seem to disprove GP. Let's accept all of your factual assertions as correct.

    Average # of hurricanes/yr 1885-1889*: 5.2

    Average # of hurricanes/yr 1944-2005: 6

    Average # of hurricanes/yr (2005, 2012): 12

    * I think you meant 1886-1888 which makes this number almost correct (27 hurricanes for those three years), which makes the average 9/yr still below the 2005, 2012 average.

    (Yes I understand 2005, 2012 is not a real average, but it is the 'evidence to the contrary' that OP chose to include)

  14. Re:Fixed summary for you on Science Museum Declines To Show Climate Change Film · · Score: 3, Insightful

    More accurately, opponents saw the opportunity to label anything related to climate change as "political" because Al Gore.

  15. Re:Indians are not a model on Norway's Army Battles Global Warming By Going Vegetarian · · Score: 1

    Nice anecdote, but there are also plenty of successful vegetarian athletes.

  16. Re:self-flying planes on Airline Pilots Rely Too Much On Automation, Says Safety Panel · · Score: 1

    I think only wheels up time counts towards that 100 hours.

  17. Re:Accuracy on Affordable Blood Work In Four Hours Coming To Pharmacies · · Score: 1

    The actual metric is that 80% of premiums must go to medical care. So yes, they can spend more (in asbolute $) on medical care and subsequently keep more (in absolute $) as overhead/profit, but in order for that to work out, they have to also charge higher premiums since that is the only income in the equation. This puts them at a disadvantage in the marketplace.

  18. Re:Food for thought on Texas Drivers Stopped At Roadblock, Asked For Saliva, Blood · · Score: 2

    Hahaha, no.

    Most dash cams are activated when the lights go on. All the officer has to say is that they observed it prior to that. Do not under any circumstance fool yourself into thinking that lack of video evidence means you are off.

  19. Re:Food for thought on Texas Drivers Stopped At Roadblock, Asked For Saliva, Blood · · Score: 2

    The court has considered that for decades, it was a key point in Florida v. Bostick which relied on jurisprudence going back to Terry. Unfortunately the court ruled that it has to be explicit that you are not free to leave an encounter with police. Coercion and trickery is OK, which is why ACLU and similar videos tell you to repeatedly ask "Am I free to leave?", as you note. In this case, being on a bus with the aisle blocked by police officers didn't count, the Court insanely ruled that a reasonable person would have felt free to leave the encounter. Justice Marshall dissented (with 2 others), one of the last decisions he took part in. Only Scalia and Kennedy are still on the Court and sided with the majority.

  20. Re:Booze Bus on Texas Drivers Stopped At Roadblock, Asked For Saliva, Blood · · Score: 2

    And depending on the state they might still charge you even if you're under the limit.

  21. I was against the war, but am more against revisionism. ~30% in the UK supported the war in March 2003. This does not represent "almost universal opposition". Similarly in the US, ~30% were against the war, despite supporters' claims that "everyone" was for it.

    http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/iraq
    http://pollingreport.com/iraq18.htm

  22. Re:Hard market to break into on Tesla Planning an Electric Pickup Truck, Says Elon Musk · · Score: 1

    1st gen Odyssey you still had to haul the 2nd row seats out. In fact even today the Odyssey doesn't have 2nd row stowable seats.

  23. Re:Convince the Truck Buyers on Tesla Planning an Electric Pickup Truck, Says Elon Musk · · Score: 1

    There's not much in the way of tools.. really only a Techstream which many already have since they are used for all Toyota/Scion/Lexus. And for most things you don't even need that, a generic OBDII (and sometimes a multimeter) will do. Most of the routine maintenance is no different than a conventional vehicle.

  24. Re:Assuming makes an ass out of u... on Nearly 1 In 4 Adults Surf the Web While Driving · · Score: 1

    "I don't know of anyone who owns a smartphone but doesn't use it for GPS in the car"

    Assuming I don't already know (which is >95% of trips if not higher), I figure out how to get there before I leave. I guess I'm just old-fashioned.

    Great, now I want an old fashioned. Thanks a lot.

  25. Re:I wonder who the first person was? on Nearly 1 In 4 Adults Surf the Web While Driving · · Score: 1

    Those who cheat at bar trivia are really the lowest of the low.