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User: spidrw

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  1. Re:Going backwards? on University of Florida Eliminates Computer Science Department · · Score: 1

    Graduated with a degree housed in CISE in 2005 -

    They never actually granted any degrees, as they weren't a 'college'. CIS/MIS came from Business, CS came from Liberal Arts, Comp Engineering came from Engineering. Comp Engineering still had to take Chem, Physics, etc; CS had to take a foreign language (stupid libs) and CIS/MIS had to take accounting and economics.

    The CISE department though is where all of those students took their 'computery' classes, most of which overlapped between degrees. Lots of opportunities for inter-college teams and projects, which was great.

    I can see how there may have been some un-necessary overhead, but at the same time since there are applicable Comp-Sci-related degrees from multiple colleges, its existence made sense to me.

    I don't think they'll eliminate any degrees as a result of this, but I do see resource contention being a problem eventually. Oh you're a CIS student, well then you don't need access to the lab in the Engineering building. That CS guy wants to take a database class, well too bad because the database professor is funded by the Business school. All I know is that department has given me a great career so far, and I would think that even in this economy it probably has some of the best hiring numbers for new grads. Of course, nobody looks at those numbers, because the hires get counted for Liberal Arts, Business or Engineering instead...

  2. Re:Engineering on What a Black Box Data Dump Looks Like · · Score: 1

    It's also to protect you from sleeping Lt. Governors, over which you have no control.

  3. Re:Nothing to see here.... on Proposed Mercury Ban Threatens Vaccines · · Score: 1

    They did it in 2009 with asthma inhalers as part of the Montreal Protocol to remove all traces of CFCs. The new propellant they put in them created a new drug (even though it had the same active ingredient) and BAM - no more affordable generics on the market for 10-20 years. So don't think they'll let it slide just 'because of the children'.

  4. Re:You think the housing collapse was bad on US Student Loans Exceed $1 Trillion · · Score: 1

    If you have $75k in debt coming out of school (as stated in the article) then you're DOING IT WRONG. Don't go to school at NYU to get a degree in Women's Studies and then cry about not being able to pay your loans back. You made a bad decision, and nobody ever should have loaned you that money. Not speaking to you of course SpeZek...just that dumb chick who mortgaged her future for a career as a bank teller.

  5. Re:What other products on Healthcare Law Appealed To Supreme Court · · Score: 1

    Why does everyone think that getting married also comes with a tax break? Ever look at income limits for various deductions and credits? They are never double for married couples, and certainly not MORE than doubled.

  6. Re:Single-payer, like Medicare, would have been fi on Healthcare Law Appealed To Supreme Court · · Score: 2

    Medicare's overhead is 3% because they don't pay anyone (relatively speaking anyway) to investigate and then deny false claims.

    Fewer than 5% of Meidcare claims are audited.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/12/AR2008061203915.html

  7. Re:Private Sector / Non-legal Solution on US ISPs, Big Content Reaching Antipiracy Agreement · · Score: 1

    Don't forget easement payments made to local governments (paid for by the consumer of course). AT&T has a line buried right across the middle of my backyard and they are allowed carte' blanche access to my yard whenever they want it. I put a lock on the gate? Well they can knock once on my door, then jump my fence. Someday I'll be naked out back. Take that! The funniest part is that I don't even have AT&T service. Ripped all of the phone lines out of my house actually. So when I'm doing any digging near that line, I'm not remotely careful.

  8. Re:Questions ... on Verizon To Drop Unlimited Data Plans In Two Weeks · · Score: 1

    Too bad Verizon (like all other providers) has a binding arbitration clause in the agreement. The BBB will be the only group they answer to. Either way, I'm pretty sure this change is only going-forward. Renew now!

  9. Re:Limited much? on Time Warner Cable Launches iPad App With Live TV · · Score: 1

    For what it's worth, TWC modems are 'free'. Probably built into the cost of the service? Yes, but that's transparent to the user. I pay ~$40/month for 7 meg service (it's in a bundle, so I don't know what the actual price is). They (are trying to) do the same thing with ESPN360. They make you login to verify that you have TV service with them also, which causes a problem for Xbox 360 users. They're trying to protect their ancient revenue stream. If I can watch live TV on my ipad, including sports, TW isn't getting my $60/month anymore for cable. They don't like that. I don't blame them.

  10. Re:They tried. They failed. Here's what's left... on Time Warner Cable Launches iPad App With Live TV · · Score: 1

    Guaranteed that somewhere in the Netflix T&C there is a clause about public use. Just like with cable/satellite companies.

  11. Re:I think Beck has started to believe his own con on Glen Beck Warns Viewers Not To Use Google · · Score: 1

    This is it exactly. Everyone is college is all hippy-dippy-kum-by-ya-let's-all-be-equal-hari-hari-krishna. Then they graduate and (if they didn't major in Liberal Arts) get jobs with paychecks. All of a sudden they realize what money tastes like, and understand that maybe they should get to keep what they earned. Bam- conservative.

  12. Re:Come on Sony! on Sony Files Lawsuit Against PS3 Hacker GeoHot · · Score: 2

    It's just reading the disc to make sure you have a legitimate copy before it loads from the HD. It's not loading any game data from it. The additional whirring noises you hear are just the fans trying to keep it from becoming a pool of molten silicon.

  13. Re:Over-Reliance on the Sales Tax on Amazon Prevails In State Sales Tax Dispute, Thus Far · · Score: 1

    How do you suggest they collect taxes then? Around here anyway, there are sales taxes, income taxes and property taxes. Beyond that, it's frivilous. If I'm a renter making minimum wage at McDonald's, sales tax is all I pay.

  14. Re:A Little More Complicated Than That... on Amazon Prevails In State Sales Tax Dispute, Thus Far · · Score: 3, Informative

    Amazon isn't being asked to pay taxes at all. NC would certainly prefer that Amazon collect and pay them, but what NC wants is purchase details so that they can send tax bills to NC residents (you and me) for un-paid use taxes. Amazon has no NC tax liability - we do.

  15. Re:Use CASH on Credit Cards That Think They Are Gadgets · · Score: 1

    While I agree with most everything you say, I just want to point out that the minimum purchase requirements for card use are almost always not allowed based on the terms and conditions of the bank that is providing the swiping machine/software. It's a crap rule, but it is the rule.

  16. Hate my job. on Willow Garage Robot Fetches Beer, Engineers Rejoice · · Score: 1

    God I hate my job.

  17. Re:Neflix != Amazon, and postal service == bad on Amazon Opposes Plan To End Saturday Mail Delivery · · Score: 1

    The trouble is, the postal service can't do that for 43 cents (or 44). They've been trying like hell to, but they can't. And here we are. As rarely as I mail things, I wouldn't be opposed to dropping a buck to mail a letter these days. That's me though. Lower income people and businesses that rely on mail would certainly have different opinions.

  18. Re:Jack up the price? on Amazon Opposes Plan To End Saturday Mail Delivery · · Score: 2, Informative

    The kind of mail they're allowed to leave in your mailbox and not on your doorstep.

  19. Re:NASA shutting down manned exploration doesn't h on The Real Science Gap · · Score: 1

    If you ever get a chance, watch the series 'From the Earth to the Moon'. It was on HBO a while ago and is now on DVD. Specifically, watch episode 10. It addresses exactly what you're talking about. Granted, robot and camera technology today is significantly better than it was in 1970, but I think the point made in that episode (people > robots for scientific observation) is still true today.

  20. Re:What OS? on Hacker Develops ATM Rootkit · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I managed to crash an ATM once (not a good feeling when you just deposited 50 big checks). When it rebooted, there was the Start menu. Before the 'ATM software' fired up I was able to easily open a command prompt and even get IE going. Then the ATM stuff went full screen and everything was hunky dory - except for my deposit.

  21. Re:ATM Machines on Hacker Develops ATM Rootkit · · Score: 3, Funny

    I find it best to use part of my vehicle's VIN number when picking out my personal PIN number for use at the automated ATM machines. That way I can just read the reflection off my dash when punching the numbers into the LCD display.

  22. Re:Incorrect title on Amazon Fights For Privacy of Customer Records · · Score: 1

    It doesn't require Amazon to pay taxes. It requires NC residents to pay use taxes (which replace sales taxes) on out of state/online purchases. Those taxes are calculated and paid along with regular taxes on April 15th. They want Amazon to fork over the records so they can either 1) reconcile it to tax returns and back-bill with interest or 2) make everyone in the state afraid to lie on the Use Tax portion of the tax form.

  23. Re:Good. on Will Adobe Sue Apple Over Flash? · · Score: 1

    Am I wrong (I probably am) in thinking that HTML 5 won't support DRM on said video content? I think that type of stuff (Hulu, Netflix, etc) is what's going to keep the Flashes and Silverlights of the world alive and kicking for a while.

  24. Re:Buy a Pre on iPhone 3.1 Update Disables Tethering · · Score: 3, Informative

    Actually, I believe it really is 'unlimited,' as they're assuming you're not tethering and only using the phone to do your browsing. If you get a data card, or a tethering plan, then you'll see that limit imposed. There are scores of people who use their Pre's to listen to Pandora all day, and regularly go over 5 gb/month and never have a problem. Might that change in the future? Yes, but so far it's not a problem.

  25. Alright, poop time. on IBM Patents Tweeting Remote Control · · Score: 1, Redundant