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User: Wardish

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Comments · 138

  1. Re:This is clearly a hoax on Louisiana, Intelligent Design, and Science Classes · · Score: 1

    Here's the really fun part.

    Once upon a time there was a culture that was the technological wonder of the world. They invented many things including modern mathematics and many other wonders.

    Then their theology started exerting more and more control until free thinking and invention was not only subservient to religion but in many cases was banned.

    The religion, fundamentalist Islam, and the civilization, Arab.

    And now our own brand of Christian fundamentalism is forcing us down that same road. Give it a couple of generations and we will be ohhh and ahhhing at the magic of magnetism, or electricity.

    Fundamentalist Islam destroyed the Arab civilization and fundamentalist Christians will do so for us.

  2. Data side on Good Database Design Books? · · Score: 1

    Much good advice here but before you go to far you need to understand your data.

    Understand your data.
    How you use it.
    How it changes.
    Why it changes.

    Once you get a handle on the data then do a risk assessment.

    Then you are ready to begin.

  3. Cyclic uplift on Where Will Your Next Gadget Be Made? · · Score: 1

    Made in Japan
    Made in Korea
    Made in Chine (perhaps a special case)

    It's a cycle that 3rd world countries should celebrate.

    1. Manufacturing, starting with minimal tech, moves to country with extremely cheap labor but is relatively stable.
    2. Tech steadily improves as higher and higher tech move in to take advantage of labor costs.
    3. Eventually the labor costs start to rise as the country joins the list of developed countries.
    4. Rinse and repeat.

    Assuming civilization doesn't seriously back step this process will be a great thing for the world.

    Now for the pie in the sky, this process will move off world eventually. Earth orbit, moon, asteroids...

  4. Principle / school punishment on PA Appeals Court Weighs Punishment For Students' Online Parodies · · Score: 1

    What if the child had done the same thing to someone on the city zoning board? Would that mean he could use his power and influence to punish the child? Ridiculous I know but rezone the child's home. Would that be proper punishment?

    What if the child had used a picture of a principal from somewhere else for the fake Alabama principal? Would her principal be entitled to punish her?

    The problem of course is that what is published on the net by "children" (or for that matter many "adults") does not come with an attribute for accuracy and many people don't have the sense to assign one for uncorroborated info from the net. That plus we assume guilt from little or no facts.

  5. Mars, the Corporation route on SpaceX Eyeing June 4 Window For Falcon 9 Launch · · Score: 1

    I would give better than 50% that the first person on Mars will be wearing a space/mars suit that has sponsor logo's like a race driver.

  6. Re:Wait, does this mean... on Quantum Teleportation Achieved Over 16 km In China · · Score: 1

    I'm happy with standard speed of light speed, or lower for that matter.

    The "does this mean..." I'm curious about is for undetectable transmission of information. Commonly referred to as "Bugging".

    Does this enable the installation of some type of mechanism that will enable information to be transmitted without detection by any known means.

    If so the world just got much more interesting. Of course such would be the pervue of the 3 letter brigades for some time, but it gets even more entertaining (pun intended) when such technology becomes available to an average individual.

    Welcome to information really is now free.

  7. Re:Obviously, I hope Amazon wins... but on Amazon Fights For Privacy of Customer Records · · Score: 1

    Ditto on that Amazon wins.

    I would be more concerned about why they want the details of the transactions.

    Are there items that are illegal to buy/own in NC?

    What items might someone find embarrassing, job threatening, political suicide...

    The devil is in the details.

  8. Re:constitutional law professor on Google Backs Yahoo In Privacy Fight With DoJ · · Score: 2, Interesting

    /tinfoil hat

    One might wonder why all presidents appear to quickly move to the exact same positions regardless of their prior beliefs. /tinfoil hat off

    One might wonder.... hehehehe

  9. What took so long? on Game CEO Sees "Gamification" of Work and Military · · Score: 1

    Sci-Fi got pieces of this right decades ago.

    I nailed it down for friends 10 years ago.

    Just as obvious as the neuromancer interface wasn't going to work.

  10. Analagy and I recommend on Landmark Canadian Hyperlink Case Goes To Supreme Court · · Score: 1

    Hi Tom. I'm looking for a book, "Catcher in the Rye".
    Hey Ralph. That's amazing, I was looking for that just last week. I made a list of where you can get it.

    1. Library on 6th street. Serious restrictions on use, must return, no notes in margins.
    2. Bookstore on East Main. Good place but a bit pricey. On the plus side you will have a copy with full control on how YOU use it.
    3. Used bookstore on 8th and Wine. Great prices but it's a nasty neighborhood. Lot of crime recorded in the area. One might even say that area's primary purpose is criminal.

    Anyway, here's the list. Hollar at me later and if I have any updates I'll let you know.

    I would recommend doing a bit of research on what web resources the members of the supreme court use. Then you can provide examples of what such would be if this mess isn't corrected.

  11. Not just contract stupid on The Difficulty of Dismantling Constellation · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The fact that Nasa is contract stupid (I'm guessing deals to placate various legislators, but hey, I'm paranoid.) is only part of the problem.

    Nasa lives and dies over gee wizz flashy programs to get funding. Nasa has to impress the powers that be, President, advisors, legislators, defense contractors, and even lobbyists, to get decent upper management and funding. They have to be even more impressive to maintain the needed funding over multiple years and administrations.

    Because...

    Most ventures having to do with space require a lot of time as well as consistent funding. Congress, who holds the purse strings, is motivated by short term goals and is easily swayed by other vested interests (see above).

    The only way I can see to fix this would require a law or constitutional amendment, if necessary, to enable congress to assign budgetary funds, ideally multi-year, that are paid in advance and very difficult to change. At least a 2/3 or even a 3/4 vote should be necessary to remove or repeal. This sort of protection will have to include the top management at Nasa as well.

    Not a lot else you can do unless you can make all three branches of government reasonable, honorable, and able to think and plan on a long range basis.

  12. Fiscal Reality on Senators Blast NASA For Lacking Vision · · Score: 1

    Unfortunately the morally repugnant legislators are correct as far as it goes. Nasa indeed needs gee wizz flashy programs to achieve funding as this article shows. Nasa has to impress the powers that be, President, advisors, legislators, defense contractors, and even lobbyists, to get decent upper management and funding. They have to be even more impressive to maintain the needed funding over multiple years and administrations.

    Because...

    Most ventures having to do with space require a lot of time as well as consistent funding. Congress, who holds the purse strings, is motivated by short term goals and is easily swayed by other vested interests (see above).

    The only way I can see to fix this would require a law or constitutional amendment, if necessary, to enable congress to assign budgetary funds, ideally multi-year, that are paid in advance and very difficult to change. At least a 2/3 or even a 3/4 vote should be necessary to remove or repeal. This sort of protection will have to include the top management at Nasa as well.

    Not a lot else you can do unless you can make all three branches of government reasonable, honorable, and able to think and plan on a long range basis.

  13. Re:Peer Review / publication process on Call For Scientific Research Code To Be Released · · Score: 1

    I agree, however if you make it a requirement to publish, I believe that the necessity of publishing will quickly outweigh the "need" for proprietary code.

    Simulations can be the key to turning data into something understandable. Especially for those who can't see patterns in datasets. Not absolutely required but reproducing someone's simulation... There are so many ways to massage a large complicated dataset.
     

  14. Re:Peer Review / publication process on Call For Scientific Research Code To Be Released · · Score: 1

    Being as I have reviewed many things over the years, including software.

    Getting a different answer only tells you it's different. Could be your code.

    Reviewing his code can not only show a problem(s) but can let you know if it's significant. As stated before, most but not all coding errors are not relevent to the final conclusions.

    Last but not least, if you are going to complain about my work, it might be helpful to offer some useful information. I got different results isn't useless, but it's in the neighborhood.

  15. Peer Review / publication process on Call For Scientific Research Code To Be Released · · Score: 2, Insightful

    As part of publication and peer review all data and providence of the data as well as any additional formula's, algorithms, and the exact code that was used to process the data should be placed online in a neutral holding area.

    Neutral area needs to be independent and needs to show any updates and changes, preserving the original content in the process.

    If your data and code (readable and compilable by other researchers) isn't available then peer review and reproduction of results is foolish. If you can't look in the black box then you can't trust it.

  16. Accusation 1 on UK's Anti-File-Sharing Bill Could "Breach Human Rights" · · Score: 1

    I believe being a working politician in the USA means and possibly even requires that every politician ignore and/or bypass copyright legislation in order to do their job. Considering the diverse uncontrolled information sources it would be a miracle if one wasn't.

  17. Re:The only link to "terraforming Mars": on ESA Conducts Mars Terraforming Experiments On ISS · · Score: 1

    RTFA

    They did test for martian conditions, including direct sunlight as well as shaded. /Insanity is highly underrated.

  18. Ummm Gov lobbies itself on Following Tech's Money Trail In Washington · · Score: 1

    As I recall, the US Government owns a chunk of GM.

    "And while longtime lobbying stalwart General Motors nearly outspent the tech industry on its own, the rise of lobbying among tech giants"

    GM spends in the neighborhood of 100 Million lobbying.

    There has to be law/rules/fscking clue about spending money lobbying yourself.

  19. Re:One thing I don't get... on Harder-Than-Diamond Natural Carbon Crystals Found · · Score: 1

    "Idiot science reporters should go back to covering the MTV music awards."

    And have them fscking up music as wel... Oh, you said MTV, nevermind.

  20. Re:Whoa, let's not overpersonify. on Supreme Court Rolls Back Corporate Campaign Spending Limits · · Score: 1

    I have to disagree with your metaphor. A corporation will and does have a distinct and different will than the directors and other top executives.

    The will of the corporation will not match any person of the mentioned group. It will in fact be a combination of differing parts from that group, possibly even a synergy where the whole is greater than the parts.

    For example, the fiscal policy may be an amalgamation of the CEO, the CFO, and 2 our of 12 board members. And at any time those board members can change introducing more complexity.

    The environmental policy may be composed of an internal interest group in the corp, the CEO, the publicity dept., and some board members, with noted opposing points from the CFO, and more board members. And don't forget these groupings change overtime.

    Therefore the direction of the corporation can both maintain some larger goals while at the same time altering the nature of some in response to new inputs. Again, Even the CEO doesn't have a lock on which direction some things go.

    So yes the corporation does have a unique personality and like many other creatures, including us, responds to changes by modifying responses up to and including major shifts in direction.
       

  21. Private air force... on Own Your Own Fighter Jet · · Score: 1

    The company formerly known as Blackwater...

    Already has some interesting flying hardware, wonder how many of these they might pick up.

  22. Suprised? on Google Attackers Identified as Chinese Government · · Score: 1

    And this surprises who?

    And if you are surprised, calmly put down the lenova and step away.

  23. Contracts anyone? on CES Vendors Kicked Out of Hotels For Showcasing Wares in Room · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Since I am not a lawyer, take all this with a block of salt.

    It's all about the room contract. I assume the room contracts were between the small companies and the hotel. If so a review of the contract is in order.

    It's possible that CEA had a contract with the hotel, but unless the hotel rewrote the contracts the small companies signed it's still a moot point.

    It's also possible that CEA bought blocks of rooms (not reserved, purchased) and sold them directly to the small companies. If so the contracts between CEA and the small companies are probably in force. A good reading is still in order as it's hard to tell if there's anything in there about it.

    If the contracts don't go your way then you might consider getting into he said / he said with hotel staff. And get out your wallet.

  24. Re:Perhaps... on IT Job Satisfaction Plummets To All-Time Low · · Score: 1

    "IT folks are people like any others and their jobs aren't any more difficult than anyone else's in the corporate family."

    If you believe that then you have not and definitely are not an IT Person. There are plenty of folks that are working hard to become one, but most won't. It's a ridiculous skill set, all the associated technical skills, bit of psychology, devil be damned attitude, ability to Listen, and foremost you must be a Problem Solver. You must be able to listen, question, listen, question, formulate theories, test them, question, listen until you get to the problem. Then you work out a first level solution that best meets the needs of the business. Back online at reduced volume until scheduled downtime, quickly implemented final solution. Whatever it takes. Last but not least, you finish up by producing a detailed but not overly technical description of what went wrong, why it went wrong, how to keep it from going wrong again, what kind of resources are needed to implement that and a recommendation of what, considering the real risk, is necessary to mitigate problems in the future.

    Let me put it another way. Six Sigma is a wonderful way to do business, not the fastest, but it's dependable. MOST OF THE TIME. But every now and then it really hits the fan. Normal procedures are going to take a lot of time and financial loss to correct the problem. That's when you need the IT Person, because he/she can short cut problem solution or jury rig something to allow operations to continue while the problem is fixed. The so called Heroic measures that six sigma is tasked with removing the need for.

    And I have news for you, those folks are rare.

  25. Re:Screw that on Body Heat Energy Generation · · Score: 3, Informative

    Sorry to say, since it's a heat engine, it moves heat from warmest to coolest. In hot weather YOU are the coolest. The device would warm you up.