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  1. Re:Stop trying to win this politically on Michael Mann: Swiftboating Comes To Science · · Score: 1

    And perhaps a combination of Ralph Nadar, and the US Supreme Court had something to do with Al Gore losing as well. I sure miss W. though. I time when the economy boomed, deficits came down, and the US garnered the world's respect.

  2. Re:"Could", on The Shale Boom Won't Stop Climate Change; It Could Make It Worse · · Score: 1

    They don't see it as pollution, but an assault on the very moral fabric of their being. If they are wrong about AGW, so then think about the consequences!!! TEH SOCIALISM!!! And so the cogs turn in the mind of the ideologue who, with no trace of irony sees themselves as balanced, nuanced and reasonable. Hence all the projection and gnashing at teeth.

  3. Re:"Could", on The Shale Boom Won't Stop Climate Change; It Could Make It Worse · · Score: 2

    It only takes a microsecond for a claim to be generated, and another microsecond of the ideologue to convince themselves it is true based on its pleasant chime. It takes forever to disprove the claim because, as the Japanese say, he who doesn't listen cannot hear. Thus it is, has been, and always will be. I'm convinced that the name "homo sapian" is a failed attempt at irony.

  4. Renewables are cheaper than you think on The Shale Boom Won't Stop Climate Change; It Could Make It Worse · · Score: 1

    You probably believe that renewables can never compete with carbon energy on price alone -- unsubsidized. The simple truth is that after subsidies are removed, only gas can compete with renewables. Gas wins handily, for now. The main obstacle for renewables in that the USA needs more high voltage capacity -- blocked by the nimby crowd -- to move electricty across the country. With more high voltage power lines, it would quickly start to cost more to mine and ship coal to existing coal power plants than build wind power. Solar is close behind, and the prices are coming down fast.

    Now it is not true that the above pricing estimates are purely subsidy free. Coal, oil and natural gas are still given huge subsidies in the calculations: private profits, socialized losses. You see, coal/oil/gas does not pay for the significant health burdens, or the trillions in wars. And that is leaving aside using the atmosphere as a free waste tip.

    If your main concern about climate change action is "ruining the economy", then pull your head out of partisan news sources, and go look at the actual figures that businesses and governments use to make decisions. Most economists believe that climate action costs are negligible, but that not doing anything will cost a lot -- starting with all the beachfront property on the East coast, which will have moved in land within 100 years.

  5. Re:its not as if american cops have anything to fe on Once Again, Baltimore Police Arrest a Person For Recording Them · · Score: 1

    Haha! He said he couldn't breath like six times before being murdered by the cop choking him. Did you not watch the tape? Did it cause a mental syntax error or something?

  6. Re:Fire all the officers? on Once Again, Baltimore Police Arrest a Person For Recording Them · · Score: 1

    Have you ever seen police breaking cameras? What would you do if someone broke your camera? Call the police?

  7. Re:Fire all the officers? on Once Again, Baltimore Police Arrest a Person For Recording Them · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Yeah, the police feel they are under assault. Yet there is almost a live-stream of police abusing the moral privilege they are given, even though the job is far safer than many other jobs. I've seen a good friend enter the police, and adopt the cultural talking points. There are real systemic problems with how police do their jobs, and how interrogations and prosecutions are done -- and at no point do police seem willing to accept any criticism or feedback at all. If there is video evidence, then the problem is that there is video evidence.

  8. Re:Really!?!?!? on Prospects Rise For a 2015 UN Climate Deal, But Likely To Be Weak · · Score: 1

    It's amazing how replete with projection "skepticism" is. You probably don't even know what that means, and almost certainly couldn't process it if you did.

  9. Re:Senate approves international treaties on Prospects Rise For a 2015 UN Climate Deal, But Likely To Be Weak · · Score: 1

    Yeah, I think that "skeptic" groups specifically target slashdot as a way to skew the conversation in their favor. "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." -- Russell

  10. Deal is the opposite to what you think. on Prospects Rise For a 2015 UN Climate Deal, But Likely To Be Weak · · Score: 1

    The deal is actually the opposite. America doesn't really need to do much to meet Obama's target. The natural market-driven growth of renewables will do it, so long as the GOP doesn't play pick the winners and losers by slapping regulations. (*cough* Kansas *cough*). It may well cost the US consumer $0. China, on the other hand, is deploying huge amounts of new energy, and will fundamentally need to shift their plan in order to have emissions peak in 2030. But they want to do it anyway, since -- pollution, and they will be at the bleeding edge of renewables technology with will own carbon by 2030. Heck, wind is already price parity with coal, and solar is dropping fast. See Levelized cost of electricity by source. And I say all of this knowing that you cannot understand it, because you are a "skeptic" with the "truth". (Somehow not a contradiction -- but that's human nature for you.)

  11. Re:Too weak because humans are not the cause on Prospects Rise For a 2015 UN Climate Deal, But Likely To Be Weak · · Score: 1

    If only the sun's output showed a trend. Gee, a bunch of ideologues with ties to industry providing you with the "truth" of climate change, eh? Sad.

  12. Single-year does not make a decadal trend. on Prospects Rise For a 2015 UN Climate Deal, But Likely To Be Weak · · Score: 1

    A single year does not a trend make. It's a decadal trend. Average the temperatures on a decadal basis, and you will see that there was never an abatement from warming. Furthermore, most of the heat (90+%) goes into the oceans, which makes them rise (because they expand) and the signal is much less noisy. No abatement there either. And besides, 1998 wasn't the hottest year on record -- that's is an ambiguous statement -- and it was hot because of a record El Nino. The next record El Nino will blast 1998 to bits, unless there is some mitigating circumstance such as huge volcanic eruptions in the same year. And I say all of this fully aware that you cannot possibly understand it -- being a "skeptic" and all.

  13. Re:Er on Prospects Rise For a 2015 UN Climate Deal, But Likely To Be Weak · · Score: 1

    Look up cherry-pick in the skeptics guide to science, 'cause that's just what you did on a decadal trend.

  14. Re:Subsidies on Rooftop Solar Could Reach Price Parity In the US By 2016 · · Score: 0

    Without. See levelized cost of electricity by source for more information. The formulas are complicated (because the world is complicated) so do some reading to figure out what is going on with them. If you have been watching these numbers for a few years -- as I have -- fossil fuels are in big trouble. They're already crying to the government to bail them out. It won't be long until box stores, data centers and factories switch. I think the big change-over will come around 2020. Obama's deal with China was really pretty cheap on his part. The chinese will actually have to do some work.

  15. Intro to algorithms. on Ask Slashdot: Programming Education Resources For a Year Offline? · · Score: 3, Informative

    At the very least: Intro to algorithms

  16. Re:The Pentagon is more important than climate cha on The Military's Latest Enemy: Climate Change · · Score: 3, Informative

    He didn't say "immediate evacuation". Learn to read. At some stage in the future -- our children's future -- there will be ocean where Miami is. So there will be a permanent evacuation. Probably after some storm surge or king tide. Dummy.

  17. Re:The Pentagon is more important than climate cha on The Military's Latest Enemy: Climate Change · · Score: 1

    How is that tinfoil hat rant insightful?

  18. Re:Mod parent DOWN on Jesse Jackson: Tech Diversity Is Next Civil Rights Step · · Score: 1

    Ending the war on drugs would be a good step towards breaking down the honour culture that causes so many problems for some African Americans. Don't forget that this happens because of institutionalized incentive structures.

  19. Re:Crazy on States That Raised Minimum Wage See No Slow-Down In Job Growth · · Score: 2

    once the wage is in effect fewer new businesses will be created.

    Just because you believe it doesn't mean that it is true. Even professional economists can't agree on such a simple statement, since the details are so complex. But whatever floats your boat Mr Dunning Kruger.

  20. Re:New bells and whistles on Apple Announces New Programming Language Called Swift · · Score: 1

    Then you're not using the correctly. If you understand how to design functional software (i.e., using closures), then you end up with far less code, and much better separation of concerns. Had to spend some time in lisp/scheme to really get it.

  21. Re:News at 11 on Shrinking Waves May Save Antarctic Sea Ice · · Score: 1
  22. Re:News at 11 on Shrinking Waves May Save Antarctic Sea Ice · · Score: 2

    This article is just another PRATT. No scientists are not ignoring the increase in sea ice. I think the parent comment reflects the depth of AGW opposition.

  23. Re:Bad move on Fusion Power By 2020? Researchers Say Yes and Turn To Crowdfunding. · · Score: 1

    Right, that would fit into an NSF grant. Also, their promo video says that they were the most read paper (in some time frame), but really, it would be more interesting to know how many times they are cited.

  24. Re:A matter of priorities on Fusion Power By 2020? Researchers Say Yes and Turn To Crowdfunding. · · Score: 1

    Yeah, and think of all the high technology jobs the UK would have created. Granted the military industry has big hooks into the government... and all that money talks...

  25. Re:Fusion power since 4.5*10^9 BC in space! on Fusion Power By 2020? Researchers Say Yes and Turn To Crowdfunding. · · Score: 1

    Gee how to do you know that that cannot be done. You see, maybe the technology isn't around now, or maybe it is, and the electricity infrastructure needs to be updated. But it is not entirely stupid.