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User: MikeBabcock

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Comments · 6,826

  1. Re:Enough! on Rubik's Cube Now Solvable in 20 Moves · · Score: 1

    I was tempted to insert a disclaimer about the number of hooks, but I don't see my fellow geeks trying this on many four and five hook bra clasps.

    PS don't use scissors, girls hate that. lol

  2. Re:Where is de-Google? on Google Secret Privacy Document Leaked · · Score: 1

    I was suddenly faced with the same issue to a larger degree when some dip with my name became a famous hockey coach.

  3. Re:I understand... on Google Secret Privacy Document Leaked · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The guy whose girlfriend says "I want a gaudy, heart-shaped ring with 47 diamonds just crammed in there in the ugliest manner possible!"

  4. Re:I don't see any ads at all... on Google Secret Privacy Document Leaked · · Score: 1

    Randomly generating the div ids in the middleware such that they're still consistent but different on each visit isn't hard. Not even remotely hard. If it were necessary, or desirable, they'd just do that.

  5. Re:Disconnected from reality... on The Shoddy State of Automotive Wireless Security · · Score: 1

    Last time I bought tires retail, they handed me the government registration form and said "please fill this out and mail it in."

    If I didn't, I didn't. My decision.

  6. Re:Lets skip to the heart of the matter on The Shoddy State of Automotive Wireless Security · · Score: 1

    ABS simply keeps the wheels from locking up. That's it, that's all. To do so, it must by design brake less hard than the driver might.

    Not all circumstances require pumping for rapid braking, nor is a full tire lock-up always bad. In gravel for example, a full tire lock-up can create a nice trench that stops the vehicle faster while displacing the surface in question.

    If I had a vehicle option of choice, it would be a much tougher driver licensing system with long-term on-going testing for actual driving skills to maintain the license.

    For example, not all people who are skilled enough to drive to the shopping mall are skilled enough to drive on the freeway.

  7. Re:Lets skip to the heart of the matter on The Shoddy State of Automotive Wireless Security · · Score: 1

    If you had regular brakes, like the guy in the F1 car going three times my speed, you'd use threshold braking skills to bring the car to a sudden stop without the need for electronic assistance. I don't mind equipping cars with ABS, but I should be able to turn it off just like cruise control.

  8. Re:Well, duh on Claimed Proof That P != NP · · Score: 1

    Agreed entirely. If an anonymous post is worth reading, it shouldbe moderated up (as yours was). That said, I'd prefer people to use consistent logins so I can recognize their replies to mine when i'm not moderating.

  9. Re:Funny can cost you karma on Claimed Proof That P != NP · · Score: 1

    Because that's a completely different system than the one we have.

    We could also hold elections for which users are worth reading and give the top 10% of voted users an automatic +5.

    Personally I think users who are consistently moderated with offtopic and troll should get higher karma penalties to future posts, but that's a different system too.

    All I know is that I've had excellent karma since they stopped posting the actual karma points and I just keep posting what pops into my head instead of worrying about it.

  10. Re:Well, duh on Claimed Proof That P != NP · · Score: 1

    "It is better to be silent and thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."

    Keyboards apply here.

  11. Re:Enough! on Rubik's Cube Now Solvable in 20 Moves · · Score: 4, Funny

    Placing the hand such that the forefinger is bent against the section of the bra closest to the back and the thumb is over the piece in the foreground with the hooks, slide in the detaching direction with the thumb.

    Alternatively, just ask her to take it off for you ... but that may be a problem if you didn't actually know the girl on the bus in the first place.

  12. Re:Of course they can on Denials Aside, Feds Storing Body Scan Images · · Score: 1

    Feel free to be a pompous jackass all you like if you don't care.

    Amazingly, I hear a lot of Americans whine about how the world thinks they're bullies. I hear a lot of "why don't people like us, we're just trying to help."

    That sounds like caring to me.

    You don't have to care, of course, you can be a horrible person all you like. Just keep it in your own yard. Thanks.

  13. Re:Woof on Where To Start With DIY Home Security? · · Score: 1

    My wife grew up in a decent neighbourhood that had one suspicious house. She was sure it was a criminal's house because the two very attentive dogs in the yard only ever barked at men in uniform.

    Even criminals know that a well-kept dog is the best security system.

  14. Re:Risk Management on Where To Start With DIY Home Security? · · Score: 2, Funny

    Speaking of risk management, if you're preparing for that eventuality I hope you've also got an anti-nuke shield and a space alien laser weapon detection system because I'm pretty sure both are more likely than your scenario.

  15. Re:obvious suggestions on Where To Start With DIY Home Security? · · Score: 1

    I remember a guy in a bar saying once "if you think you injured them in the car accident, back over them to make sure" as a response to staying out of lawsuits.

    When the justice system comes to grips with this truth, perhaps we'll have more sensible judgments in both cases.

    That said, there's something to be said for putting a suffering animal out of their misery ;-)

    "I'm sorry for permanently injuring the plaintiff your honour, I'd be glad to shoot them in the head if they're that hard up."

  16. Re:Of course they can on Denials Aside, Feds Storing Body Scan Images · · Score: 1

    The NATO alliance declared war on Afghanistan. The USA declared war on terrorism.

    The differentiation is worthwhile.

  17. Re:Somehow Civilization Will Survive This Injustic on Why Recordings From World War I Aren't Public Domain · · Score: 1

    While we're having this flame-fest, Jazz has roots just like rap does, but neither existed in any form to our knowledge in fairly recent history as humanity goes.

    Get back to me when you've spent an afternoon listening to the Downward Spiral (preferably the SACD release) and then tell me how derivative it is.

    Other people exist "in the genre", but Reznor personally evolved this style more than most.

  18. Re:Somehow Civilization Will Survive This Injustic on Why Recordings From World War I Aren't Public Domain · · Score: 1

    I'm betting they'd be less frequent. Reason being that the artists who make those lateral jumps are likely inspired by the more linear derivations of works that precede them.

  19. Re:Somehow Civilization Will Survive This Injustic on Why Recordings From World War I Aren't Public Domain · · Score: 1

    Not sure why you threw out all those red herrings but anyway, my point seemed pretty clear: Libraries bypass the intent of Copyright by allowing free access to works that would otherwise cost money to the reader to have.

    I believe they're doing the right thing and this is justice, fyi. That said, there are plenty of publishers in various industries who don't like the rental or used markets either because they believe those are taking away sales too. None of them would be stupid enough to attack libraries because those are a much more well-established institution, but the same premise stands.

  20. Re:Upgrade forced me to abandon Thunderbird on A Pointed Critique of Thunderbird 3's Performance Compared to v.2 · · Score: 1

    Downloading full text of millions of messages in sub-folders is daft, no matter what kind of user you are.

    If I want to do that, I should be able to right click the folder and say 'download contents' but otherwise, leave them on the server. I'm using IMAP after all for a reason. If I wanted local copies, I'd be using POP.

  21. Re:Who still uses a local email client? on A Pointed Critique of Thunderbird 3's Performance Compared to v.2 · · Score: 1

    Your ISP should also be offering IMAP ... I don't understand the assumptions you're making in your statements.

    I use ISP and personal and other E-mail all through IMAP all through various IMAP clients, and never through webmail fyi.

  22. Re:Limited problems on A Pointed Critique of Thunderbird 3's Performance Compared to v.2 · · Score: 1

    I have some IMAP folders that accumulate messages for years, and why not? But when I go to access them, it shouldn't be this painful.

    The sad thing is I've gone back to using mutt for most of my IMAP E-mail because its so much more efficient.

  23. Re:This settlement is a joke. on FTC Introduces New Orders For Intel; No Bundling · · Score: 1

    I've never understood the belief that discounts are the only benefit to consumers.

    I'm quite happy getting a better product for the same price sometimes, or a new product with new features for the same price.

    There's often a price-point at which production just isn't profitable anymore (and this is why you don't see very many small hard drives for sale once the larger models come out), and that's fine. The remedy here is to try and keep Intel from screwing us over any worse without being punitive.

  24. Re:Somehow Civilization Will Survive This Injustic on Why Recordings From World War I Aren't Public Domain · · Score: 1

    I gave two. Learn to read.

  25. Re:Pics or it didn't happen on Denials Aside, Feds Storing Body Scan Images · · Score: 1

    I was quite certain this case was bad enough already.

    That's the school who had two staff strip-search a thirteen year old student.