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User: mdenham

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  1. Re: What complete nonsense on NASA Is Planning Mission To An Asteroid Worth $10 Quintillion (usatoday.com) · · Score: 1

    High minimum wage is one of the reasons that the unemployment rate among young black males exceeds 50%.

    Are we talking the government's unemployment figures or "percentage of young black males not employed"? If it's the former, I'd hazard a guess that the predominant reason is their peer group tells them they're lame for working and so they quit/get fired.

    If it's the latter, part of the problem is the inflation of requirements for entry-level positions, and that there's only so many minimum-wage jobs to go around... and it's likely an across-the-board, without respect to race or gender, high percentage of young people who aren't employed.

  2. Re: What complete nonsense on NASA Is Planning Mission To An Asteroid Worth $10 Quintillion (usatoday.com) · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There is a point where raising the minimum wage continues to be beneficial; we have not reached that point, but I highly doubt it's more than about $15-20/hr at this time.

    The reason it continues to be beneficial is that price increases are still slower than wage increases up to a certain point. If we want a viable economy, money needs to change hands - and people at the bottom end of the wage scale are going to spend most of their money pretty much no matter what, which means that money changes hands more often.

    Yes, the "rich" (more appropriately, the entrepreneurial class, regardless of the amount of money they have) need an incentive to actually create jobs... but a lot of people at the top end aren't interested in that, they just want to keep their money stagnant because it's safer to do that and keep people from breaking into whatever their pet industry is (which might cause - horrors! - competition) than to, you know, actually put it to active use.

    In short: there's a fucking middle ground between "no raises in the minimum wage" and "minimum wage needs to be enough that someone working 20hrs/week can support a whole family" and that's where we really should be aiming for.

  3. Solution to the "vacuum energy" problem on The Paradoxes That Threaten To Tear Modern Cosmology Apart · · Score: 1

    The expansion of the universe is fueled by a continuous transition to lower-energy vacuum states. Unlike the normal "false vacuum" model, though, there are a lot of these lower-energy states, which become closer and closer together until they reach a limiting value.

    The graph of these states would probably look familiar - it's similar to the electron transitions for the hydrogen atom, only with the orbitals replaced with "time since the Big Bang". The net result matches the lower value of the vacuum energy... and there's the possibility that this also explains inflation as being equivalent to the transition between n=1 and n=2 (whereas we're currently at something on the order of n=10^35).

    Granted, there's no guarantee that I'm right (and in fact I'm probably not, since I have no formal training in cosmology), but it looks like a model that fits the current knowledge.

  4. Re:Cue Liberals on NSA Reveals More Than a Decade of Improper Surveillance · · Score: 1

    I don't know that it's a mental illness per se, but it definitely shares characteristics with narcissistic personality disorder.

    That said, as far as modern psychology goes, it's kind of like Apple's app store - there's a diagnosis for everyone.

  5. Optimizing the process on Google Receives Takedown Request Every 8 Milliseconds · · Score: 2

    Just take down everything permanently because it'll eventually infringe another corporati--excuse me, "non-human person"'s copyright in the future anyway.

  6. Re:the moral of the story on Developer Loses Single-Letter Twitter Handle Through Extortion · · Score: 1

    Gotta keep their prices secure from someone who might try and steal 'em, you know.

  7. Re:Overly paranoid on OpenBSD Moving Towards Signed Packages — Based On D. J. Bernstein Crypto · · Score: 1

    It's about being certain that the system is secure.

    To ensure system security, install this software on the system.

    Then unplug all cables from it that would allow usage of the system by anyone ever, because you cannot ensure the system is secure while users still have access to it.

  8. Re:Had this issue on Ask Slashdot: What To Do With Misdirected Email? · · Score: 1

    With respect to point 3, they shouldn't be allowing that. (And, in fact, a quick test on attempting to create accounts that are distinct solely by addition/removal of periods shows that they don't. It even mentions in the message rejecting the address that they do this.)

    As far as sloppy typing, well, the only real solution to this is moving to a firstname.lastname.randomstring@gmail.com email address. The odds that someone has a similar name to you and picks a random string that's somehow relevant to them and has similar relevance to you such that you would pick it as well, are quite a bit lower than simply relying on the vagaries of what your parents thought it would be cute to call you.

  9. Re: multi-options on Why We Think There's a Multiverse, Not Just Our Universe · · Score: 1

    No, it says that the cardinality of the sets of trials that meet those outcomes is the same. There's a difference between the two, which basically only comes up in probability at infinity.

    It's the same difference as the one that states that the probability of choosing any real number at random is 0, even though obviously if you're choosing a real number at random one of them must come up.

  10. Re:Had this issue on Ask Slashdot: What To Do With Misdirected Email? · · Score: 2

    For what it's worth, GMail treats all e-mail addresses that are identical other than dots as the same e-mail address internally, so j.dunce@gmail.com, jdunce@gmail.com, jd.unce@gmail.com, and j.d.u.n.c.e@gmail.com are all going to be the same account.

    I've noticed that forum spammers like to use that trick to get around "each account must have a unique e-mail" settings on certain types of forum software.

  11. Re:Graphics were great, software, not so much on Myst Was Supposed To Change the Face of Gaming. What Is Its Legacy? · · Score: 1

    I'm not so sure that they do (need a body count, that is) - in fact, I'm pretty sure that Portal and Portal 2 are basically what Myst's legacy are at this point, and neither of those has you racking up a body count (other than deaths by failure, ha ha).

  12. Re:Hmmm. I may have to go fly an RC plane over the on Drone Hunters Lining Up and Paying Out In Colorado · · Score: 1

    I'm pretty sure an RC plane costs more than the shooter's pants, so he would technically be able to sue the pants off of the shooter and still get some money as well.

  13. Re:Useless academic is useless. on Scottish Academic: Mining the Moon For Helium 3 Is Evil · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Good point (and one that basically points out that Mr. Whittington is the one attempting to shut off debate, in this case by basically implying Milligan is a fucking loony).

    That said, the author of the paper is still just wanking at best. :-) To point at one particular issue with his conclusion: the argument from "eco-minded critics" he claims sympathy with that we have more energy than we can handle without causing damage is an argument brought from ignorance at best and from willful intent to send humanity back to the Dark Ages at worst.

    Basically, the issue is not that we need to necessarily reduce our energy usage, but that we need to improve our methods of handling energy production - which is something the critics he's referring to would find a ghastly prospect, having entrenched interests in making negative predictions about humanity.

    And, of course, the implication in his conclusion that because there are risks, an action is not worth taking... well, I find that attitude ethically problematic as without risks, you stunt the potential of humanity.

  14. Re:Well of course on Scottish Academic: Mining the Moon For Helium 3 Is Evil · · Score: 1

    "Too cheap to meter" only makes sense with government-owned utilities, and then only if startup and maintenance costs (including fuel under maintenance) are both negligible.

    That said, I suspect geothermal power is actually better-suited to being "too cheap to meter", but getting the necessary power output requires significant advances in mining-related technologies anyway (ideally your heat-uptake loop has as large of a heat differential as possible, meaning drilling a borehole near or even into the mantle if possible).

  15. Re:it's puritanism on Scottish Academic: Mining the Moon For Helium 3 Is Evil · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Eh, some of the trends are unsustainable projected into the long run.

    That said, projected into the long run, there's a 100% chance of the Earth being destroyed.

  16. Re:Well of course on Scottish Academic: Mining the Moon For Helium 3 Is Evil · · Score: 3, Informative

    Taking into account assorted opportunity costs as well (including reduced productivity from pollution-related illnesses from other sources), I would say the correct answer is "yes".

  17. Re:Useless academic is useless. on Scottish Academic: Mining the Moon For Helium 3 Is Evil · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Aside from that declaring it "evil" is specifically a move to shut off debate?

    It's an intentionally bad choice of words on his part, designed to garner publicity and be entirely unproductive. Referring to it as "bad" still allows room for the debate to exist - it puts him specifically on one side of it, but that's fine - whereas referring to it as "evil" shifts it from a "should we do this or not" debate to a debate about morality, which, honestly, is not what a debate about mining anything should be about.

    For what it's worth, I agree with two of the three terms you're using to describe mining the moon (the point of disagreement being "completely futile", as I'd like to see advancements in automated mining technology, which would have uses down here in the old gravity well).

  18. Re:Daaaa Whaaaat ? on The Greatest Keyboard Shortcut Ever · · Score: 3, Funny

    A little bane.

    Is he fighting a little Batman?

  19. Re:Huh? What? on The Greatest Keyboard Shortcut Ever · · Score: 1

    2/9ths of the way through its life, considering it as "mature enough to be able to get into the Senate", maybe. It's not anywhere near dead yet.

    So, more like "since it's been in 2nd grade".

  20. Re:Not surprising on Excess Coffee May Be Linked To Early Death · · Score: 1

    I assume you take your dead fetus dredged through elephant shit drenched in horse semen instead, then.

  21. Re:Linus is just a mean old asshole... on Kernel Dev Tells Linus Torvalds To Stop Using Abusive Language · · Score: 1

    I'll link you to what he said. (I'm not sure if you haven't read this particular bit, or if you have and are just trying to make a case for some magical ponies-and-rainbows world.)

    I submit that what he said there provides more useful criticism than your suggestion, despite the usage of... well, really not very much profanity at all. (Tallying up everything that could even vaguely be considered "bad language", I get three "crap"s, two "shit"s, one "hell", and one "WTF".)

    In addition, your response is more punitive than is probably necessary, considering that the person in question has a history of committing good code normally. You'd seriously operate on a two-strikes policy for bad commits?

  22. Re:Linus is just a mean old asshole... on Kernel Dev Tells Linus Torvalds To Stop Using Abusive Language · · Score: 1

    So why does he need to yell publicly at this person who screwed up, why not do the yelling in private? The only reason I can think is that he wants to embarrass or humiliate the person, and possibly send out warnings/intimidations to tohers, and that's dickish.

    If you do the yelling in private, other people will repeat the same mistake. Basic fact of human nature: we learn best from other people being made an example of.

    So, responding to the mistake "publicly" (and keep in mind that far more people read Slashdot than the LKML) is the best way of preventing future mistakes. Whether or not yelling is necessarily the best way of responding is another matter entirely, and obviously is target-dependent. (Based on comments on the mailing list, yelling appears to be reserved for people who really, really should know better. People who don't necessarily know better, or people who actually ask first - like they should - don't get yelled at.)

    Really, what this boils down to is that if you're not sure if you're doing the right thing, you should ask first rather than going all cowboy-style and screwing things up. "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission" should not be the guiding principle of, well, anyone who isn't ready to set out on their own anyway.

  23. Re:hes right on Kernel Dev Tells Linus Torvalds To Stop Using Abusive Language · · Score: 1

    The thing is, people end up thinking it's okay to retaliate in kind because they see no adverse consequences to it. Which is directly traceable back to the whole "let's keep up a professional front" thing.

    If you're going to enforce professionalism, you have to be willing to enforce thought police on everyone there so that nobody even gets to think about backstabbing...

  24. Re:Linus is just a mean old asshole... on Kernel Dev Tells Linus Torvalds To Stop Using Abusive Language · · Score: 4, Insightful

    From one of the more recent things he engaged his primary flame-cannon over, the person he aimed it at did screw up pretty badly and for no apparent reason (I mean, seriously, submitting code that you don't know if it works and you admit is probably not necessary? Don't do that).

    So no, I don't think he's a dick for the sake of being a dick - he's a dick because people shouldn't be submitting things that are broken and that kind of person deserves to be told off.

  25. Re:The last link is bogus. on Megatokyo Gets a Visual Novel Game · · Score: 1

    Assuming that 90% of people who donate will donate in the first ten days, and that it'll hold its average to date over that time period (through exposure to new people), it's still on track for over $330k. "Half" is not "a tiny fraction" last time I checked.

    But yes, expecting less than what Kicktraq is projecting is otherwise appropriate.