I hate to answer my own question, but could it have to do with the physics of the situation? I'm no physicist, and I have no idea how to calculate the answer, but is it possible that this robot could have more straight-ahead force than a ship forced to tow a plow at an angle?
...where someone lumps in the 2002, 1996, or 1984 games into that category, too, not realizing that the mere fact that they can post such a statement falsifies it.
Current undersea trenching is done using plows pulled by ships. I highly doubt that even this large robot is going to be able to match the power of a 60,000 ton ship pulling a plow. And considering the need to dig fairly deep below the seabed in order to protect from wayward anchors and fishing nets, I have to question the usefulness of this robot. It might be useful for smaller, brown-water cables where you need the protection but can't afford to hire a ship to plow the trench, but the big ocean-spanning cables probably won't use this robot.
Bring it up here to Alaska. I'll believe in the technology when it walks from Fairbanks to Barrow. I'll even let them use bridges to get across the rivers.
Most of these programs aren't receiving government subsidies on any level remotely comparable with the Concorde program. What you're seeing are a bunch of smaller aerospace companies that see a niche they think can make them money. It's entirely possible that niche won't be as big as they think and a lot will go bankrupt trying to compete for the few hundred thousand people willing to spend $500,000 for a 30-minute trip into suborbital space.
The sorts of G-forces expected on the ride will be less than those experienced on many modern rollercoasters. Granted, the G-forces onboard a spaceplane might be a bit longer in duration, but until we have details on the mission profile, it's difficult to tell. You might end up getting greater G-forces from some of the more extreme rollercoasters out there, and given the physical fitness of a lot of roller coaster riders, I wouldn't worry too much.
It's a good first step, but none of the plans mentioned in the story really advance anything. They're basically glorified Vomit Comets with no ability to orbit, which would really be a stepping stone to things further out. After all, once you're out of the gravity well, you're halfway to anywhere else in the solar system. I guess the best hope is that the number of "spaceplane" providers will compete against each other for new perks, thus pushing someone to provide a true orbital experience.
It'll be interesting to see how quickly GooTube caves and removes the videos. After all, they were willing to alter their search in order to gain access to Chinese markets. Let's see how far they're willing to bend over.
Why worry about proliferation? They're not going to be sending these things to Iran -- if they're ever built -- and any financially and technologically stable nation can already build nuclear weapons. There's over 100 research reactors operating around the world, hundreds more medical reactors, and all the power-generating ones as well. Sounds like a good plan to me.
As an aside, I'd suggest the example of aluminum. 200 years ago, someone might've suggested investing heavily in aluminum. After all, it was one of the most valuable metals in the world due to its scarcity. That person couldn't have seen Alcoa coming along, and the same goes for us and future technology. Who's to say what nanotechnology will be able to do in 200 years?
That's the exact argument I have when people bring up blogging as the future of journalism. A successful blogger, by definition, becomes a journalist when he/she manages to make a living off his/her blog. Sure, many of the blogs out there are written more by "columnists" than actual journalists, but that works just fine.
But far too many websites use flash for their entry portals, and don't have a non-flash alternative. It really, really sucks when I can't get to a website I need to use on my phone. This announcement seems to be to be an invitation to crack my as yet unbroken phone, and make me some kind of "pirate."
When there's 22 hours of sunlight a day, it kind of makes Daylight Savings Time kinda moot. Even for folks in Ketchikan and Juneau, there can't be that much benefit. I wonder why the hell Alaska observes it.
Slashdot Mirror
You may be thinking of the novel "Earth," by David Brin, which includes artifical black holes threatening the Earth as a portion of the plot.
I hate to answer my own question, but could it have to do with the physics of the situation? I'm no physicist, and I have no idea how to calculate the answer, but is it possible that this robot could have more straight-ahead force than a ship forced to tow a plow at an angle?
Where does dark matter fit into that cosmological view?
...where someone lumps in the 2002, 1996, or 1984 games into that category, too, not realizing that the mere fact that they can post such a statement falsifies it.
Current undersea trenching is done using plows pulled by ships. I highly doubt that even this large robot is going to be able to match the power of a 60,000 ton ship pulling a plow. And considering the need to dig fairly deep below the seabed in order to protect from wayward anchors and fishing nets, I have to question the usefulness of this robot. It might be useful for smaller, brown-water cables where you need the protection but can't afford to hire a ship to plow the trench, but the big ocean-spanning cables probably won't use this robot.
Bring it up here to Alaska. I'll believe in the technology when it walks from Fairbanks to Barrow. I'll even let them use bridges to get across the rivers.
Most of these programs aren't receiving government subsidies on any level remotely comparable with the Concorde program. What you're seeing are a bunch of smaller aerospace companies that see a niche they think can make them money. It's entirely possible that niche won't be as big as they think and a lot will go bankrupt trying to compete for the few hundred thousand people willing to spend $500,000 for a 30-minute trip into suborbital space.
The sorts of G-forces expected on the ride will be less than those experienced on many modern rollercoasters. Granted, the G-forces onboard a spaceplane might be a bit longer in duration, but until we have details on the mission profile, it's difficult to tell. You might end up getting greater G-forces from some of the more extreme rollercoasters out there, and given the physical fitness of a lot of roller coaster riders, I wouldn't worry too much.
It's a good first step, but none of the plans mentioned in the story really advance anything. They're basically glorified Vomit Comets with no ability to orbit, which would really be a stepping stone to things further out. After all, once you're out of the gravity well, you're halfway to anywhere else in the solar system. I guess the best hope is that the number of "spaceplane" providers will compete against each other for new perks, thus pushing someone to provide a true orbital experience.
Ban something, and you may choose to regret not having the option later. The solution? Ban nothing. Or, ban banning.
I was under the impression that Google did alter their searches for users in China. If they're willing to do that, why wouldn't they be willing to take down a few You Tube videos?
It'll be interesting to see how quickly GooTube caves and removes the videos. After all, they were willing to alter their search in order to gain access to Chinese markets. Let's see how far they're willing to bend over.
You're reading this HTML file right now. Guess they'd better cut me off for sharing it with you.
Who else put ipv6.google.com in their address bar just to see what would happen?
Why worry about proliferation? They're not going to be sending these things to Iran -- if they're ever built -- and any financially and technologically stable nation can already build nuclear weapons. There's over 100 research reactors operating around the world, hundreds more medical reactors, and all the power-generating ones as well. Sounds like a good plan to me.
As an aside, I'd suggest the example of aluminum. 200 years ago, someone might've suggested investing heavily in aluminum. After all, it was one of the most valuable metals in the world due to its scarcity. That person couldn't have seen Alcoa coming along, and the same goes for us and future technology. Who's to say what nanotechnology will be able to do in 200 years?
What if the RIAA had won that lawsuit? Where would we be with music today?
One-page link.
That's the exact argument I have when people bring up blogging as the future of journalism. A successful blogger, by definition, becomes a journalist when he/she manages to make a living off his/her blog. Sure, many of the blogs out there are written more by "columnists" than actual journalists, but that works just fine.
But far too many websites use flash for their entry portals, and don't have a non-flash alternative. It really, really sucks when I can't get to a website I need to use on my phone. This announcement seems to be to be an invitation to crack my as yet unbroken phone, and make me some kind of "pirate."
When there's 22 hours of sunlight a day, it kind of makes Daylight Savings Time kinda moot. Even for folks in Ketchikan and Juneau, there can't be that much benefit. I wonder why the hell Alaska observes it.
... or at least that's what I said the last time I posted this ... in the future.
Mind if I follow you into the bathroom?
Raul knows what he's talking about... he's the main Featured Article approver at Wikipedia.
Where do you get such a device/computer to run this? Sounds fascinating.