What company do you work for that closes for a week at X-mas? I want to work there! Every company I've ever worked for closes down for two days at most. X-mas day, and the day after. If those happen to fall on a weekend, then no extra days off.
Some places only close X-mas day, or not at all (Walmart).
If I had mod points, I think you'd probably be getting "flamebait" and not "offtopic".
-Jesse
Most cars made today have a central computer. It's not the kind of computer you're thinking of, with Windows or Linux. It's usually an embedded system running on an 8 or 16 bit microprocessor that has been around for years and years. We already have 100% (essentially) reliable systems through heritage, testing, and otherwise. I know, because I write code for mine (In proprietary Motorola HC11-variant code), and mine is a '92. If you want to look into more of this, look up OBD, OBDII, and CAN. The computers in most cars do essentially what you're asking for already though. They start the car, and keep it running as well as they can. It's only recently that they're doing naughty things (like BMW for one, has been doing) like reporting back to headquarters if you've been a little rough on the car.
So... What category do I fall under then? I do play with solder and chips (I'm an EE) and regularly make my way into Rad-Shack when I'm desperate for parts and Digi-key just can't ship 'em fast enough to me. I "code to the wire" all the time in assembly, and enjoy the occasional foray into things like C and Perl on my desktop. Have I ascended to a higher state of geekdom? UberGeekness I might even say? (one of my aim names even, with a slight spelling variation, damn every name being taken already).
I use my computer for heating my bedroom all winter. It's not exactly central heating, but it does take the bite off those early-morning pre-work wakeupigans. My room will be downright tropical, and I just have a vanilla Athlon 1.4.
That story about the guy racing along the highway is dumb, and probably fake. The guy probably made it up. There are many many ways to stop a car, and this guy obviously didn't try enough
Second off: Brakes and steering are _not_ computer controlled, especially on your father's Focus. The Focus is the bottom-of-the-barrel Ford product in the US. All of the lights in the car will blink if the engine stalls, and the power assist to the steering and brakes won't work anymore (they're mechanical pumps driven by the motor). However, the brakes and steering still work. Your father was just a weaky-poo and couldn't turn the wheel or push the brakes after he stalled his car. The reason why Ford couldn't find the defect, is because the defect is a PEBCAK (or CAW as it happens to be). I drive without power steering 100% of the time in my car, and have driven cars without power brakes just fine.
It's almost common knowledge now that children exposed to violence at a very young age, whether it be on TV, Games, Music, or in real life get pretty messed up by it. Friends of mine who were abused at a young age often have to go to psychologists and take medication. I've been lucky enough to have a trouble and violence free life, and I'm just fine and medication-free.
You obviously didn't RTFA. Neopets is a vast online gaming / chat / community area. The toys are just marketing crap to attract them to that online area. The problem is the games and such involve gambling. No, it's not real money, but it's the same argument over violence on TV and Videogames. The intelligent amongst us can deal with it of course, but when the average child is allowed to view violent material from a very young age, it can affect them. Get it? The worry is the same about the gambling.
(Another question, at high altitudes, does the atmosphere rotate with the Earth?)
Yeah, of course it should rotate with the earth, there's no force external to the earth that should slow it down, unless it's some aspect of rotation of a fluid I'm not seeing.
-Jesse
Without proper regulation though, it could be a burning hunk of metal from anybody who had the means to get up there. I think that's the issue really. Obviously I don't want any of this to be tied down, and I think the recent events have been amazing to witness... but if a flaming rocket booster shell landed in my yard, I'd want/need some regulation so the rightful owners can be identified, and take care of it, ya know?
The regulation in effect pretains to things like early stage boosters falling onto peoples houses and such. Basic regulation like that is necessary to protect the innocent. It just sets responsibilities for things falling from space on someone, so we don't have large space debris raining down at many hundreds of miles an hour into populated area. Get it?
His brakes still worked though; and was how he eventually stopped the car, he was just too much of a puss to push _really_ hard the first hour or so apparently, or he was lying.
Either way, my point is the guy is either a moron or lying.
About turning off the ignition: The only time it is hard to steer a car without power assist is when the car is sitting still, or moving only very slowly (less than ~3 mph). When the wheels are rolling, it is just as easy to turn (I have removed my power steering to save weight in a car that isn't light by any means, I'm a skinny geek and it isn't a problem). The brakes might possibly lose their power assist (unless they are vacuum assist), but even then, as long as you know that the brakes will be harder to push, it isn't _that_ hard.
Next time you are driving in a large isolated stretch of road, try flooring it and putting on the brakes to try to overcome the engine. The car will come to a complete stop (unless you drive a POS with worn out brakes) even with the engine floored. Also, the emergency brake should have a mostly similar reaction, though you will probably end up dragging the rear tires along the ground, given the propensity for front wheel drive these days.
Third, many cruise control systems (not sure about brand-spankin' new cars) use some sort of vacuum or hydraulic control over the throttle pedal. You can physically override the cruise control by pulling up on the throttle pedal.
Fourth, he should have been able to put the car into neutral, even in an automatic. If the car is modern enough to have cruise control, it will slip into neutral, and the engine RPMs will bounce off the rev limiter, and not grenade the engine either (modern engines can run for weeks at maximum rpm without problems). Pull the car over, pop the hood, disconnect the battery or spark plugs until it stops running.
This guy is either a complete moron, or someone looking to speed down the highway semi-legally.
Thank you kindly aah... sexylicious. That was the missing keystone. I'm just brain-weary from staring at my screen all day, dealing with CSS (and I'm an EE, how'd this happen?).
I know this is a _gross_ oversimplification, but 1 + -1 = 0. So... is "anti"matter just a misnomer somewhat, or am I looking at it from the wrong parabola?
I always thought it'd be funny if antimatter + matter just equalled a nifty "fop" noise and then nothing.
Slashdot Mirror
You mean like these?
-Jesse
What company do you work for that closes for a week at X-mas? I want to work there! Every company I've ever worked for closes down for two days at most. X-mas day, and the day after. If those happen to fall on a weekend, then no extra days off.
Some places only close X-mas day, or not at all (Walmart).
If I had mod points, I think you'd probably be getting "flamebait" and not "offtopic". -Jesse
All the water you've ever drank has been:
:D
Shat in
Peed in
Had babies made in
Had things died in
So... don't get so squeamish now
-Jesse
I hate to break it to you, but:
Most cars made today have a central computer. It's not the kind of computer you're thinking of, with Windows or Linux. It's usually an embedded system running on an 8 or 16 bit microprocessor that has been around for years and years. We already have 100% (essentially) reliable systems through heritage, testing, and otherwise. I know, because I write code for mine (In proprietary Motorola HC11-variant code), and mine is a '92. If you want to look into more of this, look up OBD, OBDII, and CAN. The computers in most cars do essentially what you're asking for already though. They start the car, and keep it running as well as they can. It's only recently that they're doing naughty things (like BMW for one, has been doing) like reporting back to headquarters if you've been a little rough on the car.
-Jesse
In the world of stupid drivers, loud bikes are A-OK with me.
-Jesse
So... What category do I fall under then? I do play with solder and chips (I'm an EE) and regularly make my way into Rad-Shack when I'm desperate for parts and Digi-key just can't ship 'em fast enough to me. I "code to the wire" all the time in assembly, and enjoy the occasional foray into things like C and Perl on my desktop. Have I ascended to a higher state of geekdom? UberGeekness I might even say? (one of my aim names even, with a slight spelling variation, damn every name being taken already).
-Jesse
I use my computer for heating my bedroom all winter. It's not exactly central heating, but it does take the bite off those early-morning pre-work wakeupigans. My room will be downright tropical, and I just have a vanilla Athlon 1.4.
-Jesse
Okay.. First off:
That story about the guy racing along the highway is dumb, and probably fake. The guy probably made it up. There are many many ways to stop a car, and this guy obviously didn't try enough
Second off: Brakes and steering are _not_ computer controlled, especially on your father's Focus. The Focus is the bottom-of-the-barrel Ford product in the US. All of the lights in the car will blink if the engine stalls, and the power assist to the steering and brakes won't work anymore (they're mechanical pumps driven by the motor). However, the brakes and steering still work. Your father was just a weaky-poo and couldn't turn the wheel or push the brakes after he stalled his car. The reason why Ford couldn't find the defect, is because the defect is a PEBCAK (or CAW as it happens to be). I drive without power steering 100% of the time in my car, and have driven cars without power brakes just fine.
-Jesse
Google "I'm Feeling Lucky" for "children exposed to violence at a young age". There are a good number of references at the bottom of that page to start you off. You might also want to try the "non-lucky" Google search for even more information!
It's almost common knowledge now that children exposed to violence at a very young age, whether it be on TV, Games, Music, or in real life get pretty messed up by it. Friends of mine who were abused at a young age often have to go to psychologists and take medication. I've been lucky enough to have a trouble and violence free life, and I'm just fine and medication-free.
-Jesse
You obviously didn't RTFA. Neopets is a vast online gaming / chat / community area. The toys are just marketing crap to attract them to that online area. The problem is the games and such involve gambling. No, it's not real money, but it's the same argument over violence on TV and Videogames. The intelligent amongst us can deal with it of course, but when the average child is allowed to view violent material from a very young age, it can affect them. Get it? The worry is the same about the gambling.
-Jesse
(Another question, at high altitudes, does the atmosphere rotate with the Earth?)
Yeah, of course it should rotate with the earth, there's no force external to the earth that should slow it down, unless it's some aspect of rotation of a fluid I'm not seeing. -Jesse
Your confused and poor, Billy isn't.
My confused and poor Billy isn't what?
-Jesse
Corporate Suits know no bounds of stupidity, really.
-Jesse
What I want to know is, where does DOS fit into all of this?
-Jesse
ITMJ, part of OSTG reports about OFDM to use VoIP?
Good...
-Jesse
This just means that 8-bit micros will cost $.10 instead of $.20 now, so things that don't need a lot of computing power will be that much cheaper.
8 BIT LIVES ON!
-Jesse
Without proper regulation though, it could be a burning hunk of metal from anybody who had the means to get up there. I think that's the issue really. Obviously I don't want any of this to be tied down, and I think the recent events have been amazing to witness... but if a flaming rocket booster shell landed in my yard, I'd want/need some regulation so the rightful owners can be identified, and take care of it, ya know?
-Jesse
Whoa there Cries-with-bears.
The regulation in effect pretains to things like early stage boosters falling onto peoples houses and such. Basic regulation like that is necessary to protect the innocent. It just sets responsibilities for things falling from space on someone, so we don't have large space debris raining down at many hundreds of miles an hour into populated area. Get it?
-Jesse
His brakes still worked though; and was how he eventually stopped the car, he was just too much of a puss to push _really_ hard the first hour or so apparently, or he was lying.
Either way, my point is the guy is either a moron or lying.
-Jesse
Here's why:
About turning off the ignition: The only time it is hard to steer a car without power assist is when the car is sitting still, or moving only very slowly (less than ~3 mph). When the wheels are rolling, it is just as easy to turn (I have removed my power steering to save weight in a car that isn't light by any means, I'm a skinny geek and it isn't a problem). The brakes might possibly lose their power assist (unless they are vacuum assist), but even then, as long as you know that the brakes will be harder to push, it isn't _that_ hard.
Next time you are driving in a large isolated stretch of road, try flooring it and putting on the brakes to try to overcome the engine. The car will come to a complete stop (unless you drive a POS with worn out brakes) even with the engine floored. Also, the emergency brake should have a mostly similar reaction, though you will probably end up dragging the rear tires along the ground, given the propensity for front wheel drive these days.
Third, many cruise control systems (not sure about brand-spankin' new cars) use some sort of vacuum or hydraulic control over the throttle pedal. You can physically override the cruise control by pulling up on the throttle pedal.
Fourth, he should have been able to put the car into neutral, even in an automatic. If the car is modern enough to have cruise control, it will slip into neutral, and the engine RPMs will bounce off the rev limiter, and not grenade the engine either (modern engines can run for weeks at maximum rpm without problems). Pull the car over, pop the hood, disconnect the battery or spark plugs until it stops running.
This guy is either a complete moron, or someone looking to speed down the highway semi-legally.
-Jesse
22,000 miles. Just so nobody gets confused.
-Jesse
Thank you kindly aah... sexylicious. That was the missing keystone. I'm just brain-weary from staring at my screen all day, dealing with CSS (and I'm an EE, how'd this happen?).
-Jesse
I know this is a _gross_ oversimplification, but 1 + -1 = 0. So... is "anti"matter just a misnomer somewhat, or am I looking at it from the wrong parabola?
I always thought it'd be funny if antimatter + matter just equalled a nifty "fop" noise and then nothing.
-Jesse
The Subaru STi Ships without a Radio (wireless, heh) from the factory. It's a brand new top-of-the-line boy-racer mobile.
-Jesse
Wonderful view of the mountain this morning *G*
-Jesse