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User: MichaelSmith

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Comments · 11,670

  1. Re:Learn from Kuwait too on Hacker Destroys Avsim.com, Along With Its Backups · · Score: 1

    When invaded their identities system was lost too.

    Sounds like a feature to me.

  2. Re:Just in time for Galileo on GPS Accuracy Could Start Dropping In 2010 · · Score: 0, Troll

    In 2000, Pope John Paul II issued a formal apology for all the errors of the Church over the last 2000 years including the trial of Galileo among others.

    Thats why I never accept apologies. If they were really sorry they wouldn't have done it in the first place.

  3. Re:Best not one system... LORAN, Fuller, Cold War on GPS Accuracy Could Start Dropping In 2010 · · Score: 1

    Some people in aviation are using a combination of the two. They locally transmit an offset to GPS, based on the known position of a fixed GPS reciever.

  4. Re:Surveyors are going to start having problems... on GPS Accuracy Could Start Dropping In 2010 · · Score: 1

    Well my etrex claims four metre accuracy with good cover. Differential GPS has been used for decades to measure small movements of the earth across geological faults. That must require millimetre accuracy.

  5. Re:Surveyors are going to start having problems... on GPS Accuracy Could Start Dropping In 2010 · · Score: 2, Informative

    No they wont. http://surveyorsnotebook.com/ If I were to purchase a plot of land ad it had gps coordinates as the buoundary then they would be hiring a certfied surveyor to redo it. GPS is great for maritime , road, and outdoor navigation but is no where near accurate enough for surveys.

    Well not if you just walk around with an etrex, but surveyors have more accurate gear than that. Not sure if they still use differential GPS though.

  6. Just in time for Galileo on GPS Accuracy Could Start Dropping In 2010 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Best not to rely entirely on one system anyway.

  7. Re:ASP on An Australian Space Agency At Last? · · Score: 2, Funny

    Russian launch vehicles have to be rotated to the correct azimuth before launch. I believe the launch pads have welded in stops which prevent them being pointed at Moscow.

    There must be a reason for that...

  8. Re:Will this help? on Gates Foundation Funds "Altruistic Vaccine" · · Score: 1

    Because if it won't help against infection it's little consolation that you won't spread the fever.

    In a population of 100 with one infected individual this approach is 1% worse than a treatment which cures the disease in all individuals.

    On a personal note if I was infected but could prevent infecting my family that would be a big advantage for me.

  9. Re:Isn't this what governor huey did.. on Gates Foundation Funds "Altruistic Vaccine" · · Score: 1

    in Distraction?

    Made genetic modifications to the humans to make their blood poisonous to the mosquitoes..

    Maybe Bill is really looking for a new angle on multi threaded software.

  10. Re:Is that really enough? on Gates Foundation Funds "Altruistic Vaccine" · · Score: 1

    This message has been sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

    There goes another five bucks.

  11. Re:Simple Solution on McDonalds Free Wi-Fi Users Soak Up Seating · · Score: 1

    Depends a lot on your location. The place in question is close to a cinema. They rely on people dropping in after the movie. Your preferred restaurant would be in a location with less passing trade. They would focus more on keeping customers on the premises. Wifi might make sense there.

  12. Re:ANZAC? on An Australian Space Agency At Last? · · Score: 2, Informative

    "form an ANZAC Space Agency together" So that'd be an Australia and New Zealand Army Corps Space Agency then?

    Thats not going to end well you know.

  13. Re:Ten Million a Year! on An Australian Space Agency At Last? · · Score: 1

    And travel for "research" purposes. Do you know that a lot of launch sites are close to good beaches?

  14. Re:Yeah, but - on An Australian Space Agency At Last? · · Score: 1

    But then they would just fall on to the back of the turtle.

  15. Re:Yeah, but - on An Australian Space Agency At Last? · · Score: 1

    I believe the pointy end is up. Thats the normal way in any event.

  16. Re:ASP on An Australian Space Agency At Last? · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not for 50 million bucks you won't.

  17. Re:Misleading Article Title on Scientists Create RNA From Primordial Soup · · Score: 1

    On the other hand there is that natural fission reactor in (I think) Africa. Nuclear reactors are normally quite difficult to construct.

    If you have a whole planet and billions of years quite a few low probability things can be expected to happen by accident.

  18. Re:lunacy on Greece Halts Google's Street View · · Score: 1

    Yeah I think the greeks are scoring an own goal here. Street view pictures of a tourist destination make me more likely to want to go there.

  19. Re:How about Relative Speed? on Atlantis Links Up To Hubble For Repairs · · Score: 1

    Not only that but the Apollo crews were able to dock the LM ascent stage and CSM in lunar orbit without any help from Earth at all. I believe this was done many times in simulation. Available instruments would have been VHF voice communication, VHF ranging, the strobe light on the LM and the rule-of-thumb tricks from Buzz Aldrin's masters thesis.

  20. I'm trying to think on Engineering the 30-Meter Telescope · · Score: 1

    I remember that. It had music by Vangelis and a Seyfert galaxy in the forward view screen.

    Thought back through my collection and checked the wiki. Drew a blank. So which movie are you thinking of?

  21. Speculation on Minor Damage Found On Space Shuttle · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Maybe NASA could build a capsule small enough to put into the shuttle through the side hatch. One crew member initiates re-entry then rides out aero braking inside the capsule. If the spacecraft burns up the capsule falls into the air. Parachutes open automatically.

    As far as I know the pilot is only needed to manually deploy landing gear. Everything else can be automatic or remotely operated.

  22. Re:Simple Solution on McDonalds Free Wi-Fi Users Soak Up Seating · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Of course, uncomfortable seats would not just make me stay as little as possible, but also to not come again if I can avoid it. Yes, that means I won't occupy seats any more, but I'll also not buy food from them any more.

    Balance is the key. Not too good, not too bad.

  23. Re:Since when does McDonald's want 'sticky' custom on McDonalds Free Wi-Fi Users Soak Up Seating · · Score: 1

    I don't get your point. Probably because I don't live in Canada.

  24. Re:Since when does McDonald's want 'sticky' custom on McDonalds Free Wi-Fi Users Soak Up Seating · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Now that cellular broadband is becoming cheap, public wifi may be on the way out anyway.

  25. Re:Simple Solution on McDonalds Free Wi-Fi Users Soak Up Seating · · Score: 5, Interesting

    My wife has an architecture business. One of her customers (a cafe owner) treated us to a free meal. When we sat down my wife shifted in her seat and congratulated the owner on the uncomfortable seats. Apparently he had gone through a few iterations on seats to make sure that people didn't stay too long.

    I worked with him for a bit on a proposal for wifi for customers, but I don't think it would have been good for them in retrospect.