Slashdot Mirror


User: wmaker

wmaker's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
163
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 163

  1. Re: There are lots of ways to play that game. on Ask Slashdot: Did Baby Boomers Break America? (time.com) · · Score: 1

    good thing 1 person isnt a statistically significant sample space.

  2. Re:While... on Earthquakes Correlated With Texan Fracking Sites · · Score: 1
  3. good starting point on Ask Slashdot: What Should a Unix Fan Look For In a Windows Expert? · · Score: 1

    intimate knowledge of minesweeper and solitaire is a start. after that, maybe ctrl alt del, then maybe something about powershell... or maybe just the powershell part.

  4. Re:Reserves != recoverable on Geologists Say UK Shale Deposits Hold Vast Energy Reserves · · Score: 1
  5. Re:Reserves != recoverable on Geologists Say UK Shale Deposits Hold Vast Energy Reserves · · Score: 1

    not secret at all, please visit: http://fracfocus.org/

  6. Solution on Ask Slashdot: How To Feed Africa? · · Score: 1

    Cannibalism solves both the hunger and population problems.

  7. Re:Metric 'Tons'? on North Korea Agrees To Suspend Nuclear Activities · · Score: 1

    1 metric ton = 1 tonne
    1 ton = .90718474 tonnes

  8. Re:Supply and Demand on US Wants Natural Gas As Major Auto Fuel Option · · Score: 1

    let's say for a second CNG is adopted and prices rise to a gasoline equivalent price, but also we've eliminated our dependence on opec oil, created american jobs, and are using a cleaner fuel... is that a wash? or a success for America? I say a success. But to answer your question more directly, there is an incredible supply of Nat Gas under our feet here in US shale formations. Horizontal drilling and frac techology have opened a whole new world for us. That is why natural gas prices dropped from $16/mcf in 2008 to around $2.50/mcf today! This is just simply because the industry did too good a job at extracting gas and showing the supply abundance in proven and unproven reserves.

  9. Re:Oh Frack! on US Wants Natural Gas As Major Auto Fuel Option · · Score: 1

    OPEC is bad

    Money exported to the middle east is money used to fight wars against us (the USA) and kill us. If that isn't a bad thing, I don't know what is!

  10. Re:Oh Frack! on US Wants Natural Gas As Major Auto Fuel Option · · Score: 1

    CNG is safer

    "Although CNG is a flammable gas, it has a narrow flammability range, making it an inherently safe fuel. Strict safety standards make CNG vehicles as safe as gasoline-powered vehicles. In the event of a spill or accidental release, CNG poses no threat to land or water; it is non- toxic. CNG also disperses rapidly, minimizing ignition risk relative to gasoline. Natural gas is lighter than air and will not pool as a liquid or vapor on the ground. Nevertheless, leaks indoors may form a flammable mixture in the vicinity of an ignition source. CNG is primarily methane, however, which is a greenhouse gas that could contribute to global cli- mate change if leaked. Methane is slightly soluble in water and under certain environmental conditions (anaerobic) does not biodegrade; if excess amounts accumulate, the gas can bubble from the water, possibly creating a risk of fire or explosion.
    Reported incidences of bus fires are related to engine failures, not the use of natural gas. Natural gas buses have onboard gas detectors and other safety devices, such as tank safety valves that allow fuel flow only when the engine is keyed on. Also, the tanks must be inspected and approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation after certain periods of use.
    There are some different safety concerns with CNG buses than diesel fuel buses, such as greater breaking distance due to increased fuel storage system weight. This is a relatively small concern, however, because the fuel system is a small fraction of a bus’ total weight. CNG buses also might accelerate slower than their diesel counterparts."

    - EPA
    http://eerc.ra.utk.edu/etcfc/docs/EPAFactSheet-cng.pdf

  11. Re:Oh Frack! on US Wants Natural Gas As Major Auto Fuel Option · · Score: 2

    I drove from Oklahoma City to Ardmore, around 100 miles (and I don't think the CNG tang was completely full) before the dual fuel Chevy Tahoe I was driving switched from CNG to Gasoline.

  12. Re:Oh Frack! on US Wants Natural Gas As Major Auto Fuel Option · · Score: 2

    There are quite a few CNG stations and there are more and more being built every day... Here's an iphone/android app that will find one for you:
    http://www.cngnow.com/app/Pages/information.aspx

    Also, here is a standard webpage that lists all CNG stations in the USA:
    http://www.cngnow.com/stations/Pages/information.aspx

    You don't have to have a special refueling card to pump CNG, that is just a requirement by that one PG&E facility... There are public CNG fueling stations. You don't need a class, it is pretty easy. If you can operate a propane tank for your gas grill, you can fill up your vehicle. Here is a youtube video that shows how easy it is: http://youtu.be/W8FkcG64Gtk

    Thanks!

  13. Re:Oh Frack! on US Wants Natural Gas As Major Auto Fuel Option · · Score: 2

    Just the facts:

    Wells have been hydraulically fractured 1.2 million times since 1948.
    Critics of the frac process have found only 2 alleged cases of groundwater polutions and industry experts disagree with those 2 cases.
    Tens of thousands of jobs have been created, and billions in wealth for mineral owners because of fracing.
    OPEC is bad.
    Home heating, plastics, steel, fertilizer, electricity, and chemical production (to name only a few) are dependent on natural gas production in the USA.
    CNG is currently $1.85/gallon equivalent, the gas station next door sells unleaded for >$3.50.
    CNG tanks are safer than gasoline tanks.
    Pumping CNG into a car is a much more efficient process (Very little, if any waste)
    You can ALREADY put a pump into your garage that will fill your CNG vehicle (depending on where you live, this cost would be as little as $0.75/gallon equiv)
    Electric cars are running off energy generated at electricity plants which means you're running your car off coal or natural gas anyway. Why not cut out the middle man.
    We export $1,000,000 every minute to the middle east by purchasing foreign oil.
    Wind and Solar can't compete with natural gas, because they are currently economically infeasible.

    These are just SOME of the facts... please research as much as you can. Opinions aren't important, only the facts.... However:

    “People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe.” - Andy Rooney

  14. Re:Horizontal drilling is not a "US-developed" ran on Oil May Be Finite, But U.S. Production Is Ramping Up · · Score: 1

    Just an addition to your already informative post... Hydraulic fracturing has been done successfully over 1 million times since 1948 in the United States alone. These wells, however, were mostly vertical. The newness is in relation to combining hydraulic fracturing with horizontal drilling. This relatively new combination (horizontal drilling + fracture stimulation) has been hugely successful in the Barnett, Marcellus and Haynesville Shale plays here in the United States to release natural gas from "tight rock" (low permeable shale). This isn't to say that horizontal drilling and fracture are not used in wet (oily) plays as well. Recently, 21 discovery wells drilled in the Utica (Ohio) proved that its formations hold rich deposits of oil, wet gas, and dry gas from west to east respectively. 12 of these wells were drilled horizontally, 9 vertically (all were hydraulically fractured). When wells are properly cased before hydraulic fracture stimulation is performed, it is 100% safe, and there is zero chance of a water table being contaminated. There are scare tactics put forth by those whose agenda is to go cold turkey on fossil fuels; they usually lack an understanding of the drilling/fracturing process, and are unaware that alternatives (wind, solar, etc.) are economically infeasible at this time. I have seen multiple responses to this article that are marked "interesting", "informative", and "insightful", that have no scientific basis what-so-ever. Maybe I'm begging for a 'you must be new here', but really, slashdot, we can do better.

  15. Re:Executive != contractor on Anonymous Breaches Another US Defense Contractor · · Score: 1
  16. Re:Executive != contractor on Anonymous Breaches Another US Defense Contractor · · Score: 1
  17. Re:Could Someone Help Me Out With This? on Debt Deal Reached · · Score: 1

    C) Work to privatize social security, but those who've paid in need to get the money that was taken from them by force and promised to them. If the government wants to run social security, make it a voluntary program.

    Remember that social security is not a retirement fund. It is actually a government forced insurance policy that will support you in your old age (assuming you live to be that old, oh and don't forget that if you die, no one gets to benefit from your policy except your spouse assuming you were married for > 20 years). However, I do agree we should be able to opt out of SS and invest for our retirement as we please (I'm responsible with my finances; I'd rather retire at a much earlier age than what SS requires).

  18. Re:Actually, the New Yorker article was quite tame on Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology · · Score: 1

    adultery is a felony in oklahoma. not only is the married person guilty of a felony charge, but the other person involved in the affair is guilty as well.

  19. uhg title tag on Google Instant Announced · · Score: 1

    once you type in a search result... if you leave it there for a moment, it changes the 'title' html tag, even after erasing the enter contents of the text box, the title tag remains the same as my previous search. very annoying.

  20. Re:They will make them comply on Pentagon Demands Return of Leaked Afghanistan Documents · · Score: 1

    The Community Reinvestment Act reformed by the Clinton administration in the 90s encouraged lenders to make unsafe loans to the poor who had zero chance of ever paying their debt off. Once the smart banks realized the mistake/over-leveraging, they packaged as much of the debt as possible and sold it off with ratings from ill-informed ratings agencies (Collateralized Debt Obligations). The debt they couldn't sell was insured with Credit Default Swaps, however once the bubble popped, the insurance agencies couldn't pay the banks. Simple as that. Clinton lit the flame by claiming home ownership a right. He believed that poor people who couldn't afford houses should be loaned money anyway. Sorry, home ownership is NOT a right. Now hardworking American are footing the bill for the irresponsible and dishonest people who took out these loans and are probably collecting welfare, foodstamps and healthcare from the government at the same time.

  21. Re:They will make them comply on Pentagon Demands Return of Leaked Afghanistan Documents · · Score: 0, Troll

    I love the fact everyone has forgotten the majority of Americans wanted to turn the middle east into a parking lot post 9/11. Funny how time has changed things. Maybe some of our slashdot friends should re-watch some 9/11 footage, or read some names aloud of those who died for no reason other than Islamic terrorists hate our freedom.

  22. Re:Whatis bot on USPTO Awards LOL Patent To IBM · · Score: 2, Interesting

    here's an example: William H. Maker: lol 5:38:00 PM Whatis Bot *Fu...: Found 9 results. (Buzz) Definitions Found (1) Laugh Out Loud (4) Limitation Of Liability (3) Loss Of Light (2) Laugh Out Loud (1) Laughing Out Loud (1) Lead Overlay Layer (1) List Of Lists (1) Log Of Log (1) Lots Of Laughs ... brought to you by Acrobot. http://acrobot.almaden.ibm.com/

  23. Whatis bot on USPTO Awards LOL Patent To IBM · · Score: 3, Interesting

    as an IBM employee I use the "Whatis bot" all the time. It is just a chat bot on Sametime chat inside Lotus Notes that allows you to message it an abbreviation and it tells you all the meanings. This is very useful when you get an e-mail from a long time IBMer that knows every abbreviation and doesn't hesitate to use them.

  24. Re:As a PHB... on Music While Programming? · · Score: 1

    (and yes, some people prefer to talk rather than email - mainly because it actually gets a result) +1 so true

  25. office space on Music While Programming? · · Score: 3, Funny

    MILTON I, I told Bill that if Sandra's going to listen to her headphones while she' working, I can listen to the radio while I'm collating - MILTON I enjoy listening to the radio at a reasonable volume from nine to eleven.