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User: RingDev

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  1. Re:Mod the summary funny on 'Wi-Fi Illness' Spreads To Ontario Public Schools · · Score: 0, Redundant

    It should be noted that public education systems are most significantly influenced by state and local governments. If you are running into a disproportionatly large number of uneducated (there is virtually no such thing as a 'completely' uneducated person) it is likely due to problems in your local community, local schools, local parents, local tax codes, local teacher's union, and state licensing, regluation, and funding of your local schools.

    Where I live (south-central Wisconsin), the number of drop outs is insignificant, and it is an exceptionally rare occurance to meet someone who came up through the public education system that can not read at a minimum of a 6th grade level.

    Non-english speeking families typically don't do quite as well, on average. But most of the 1st-gen US citizen latinos I know, that stuck with school, have a solid enough education to maintain a stable life style for themselves and their families.

    IOW, it could very well be those libertarians that are causing the problems in your immediate area ;)

    -Rick

  2. Re:Used GPS are cheap on Recycling an Android Phone As a Handheld GPS? · · Score: 1

    there may be hundreds of kilometers between me and a road.

    Not in the US. In the mainland, no matter where you are, you are never more than 25 miles from a road. Might not be a heavily trafficed road, but a road none the less.

    -Rick

  3. Who ever came up with this should be fired. on US Students Struggle With Understanding of the 'Equal' Sign · · Score: 1

    That was my first thought, but their usage is even worse.

    4+3+2=()+2=11

    If we treat () as variable x, we get:
    4+3+2=x+2=11

    Simplified:
    9=x+2=11

    We now have an equality operator with two non-equal values.

    What they are implying is:

    2+3+4=x; x+2=11

    The problem here is not the use of the equal sign, it is their completely asstarded implementation of the parenthesis that is some how intended to imply one variable twice, with a line break in the middle.

    -Rick

  4. Re:Mr Assange: Remove the grid-squares!!! on Wikileaks To Publish Remaining Afghan Documents · · Score: 1

    Heh, shows how rusty I am, I completely forgot Confidential. My bust. Operationally though, secret clearance is handed out like candy for active duty folks, especially if you're working in IT fields or reporting. And the only folks who should have access to the names of contacts en bulk had better be much more tested than your average E-3.

    -Rick

  5. Re:Mr Assange: Remove the grid-squares!!! on Wikileaks To Publish Remaining Afghan Documents · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Unless say, your house was the one documented in an artillery strike and such a document could give you evidence that it was one specific faction or another that blew up your house and killed your family.

    Or say that local Taliban leaders have been claiming that deaths were caused by the Americans, but no artillery or mortars were used by US forces in that immediate vicinity. These documents could show that the US is not to blame for everything.

    In either case, when you're talking about the specific coordinates of small arms fire and an air strike from 5+ years ago, there is no risk to current operations.

    Informants names shouldn't be in documents classified as 'Secret' anyway, they should be in 'Top-Secret' or above. As I said in the last thread on this. 'Secret' clearance is insignificant in the military. When I was active duty I knew an individual who was in under don't-ask-don't-tell, a couple of alcoholics, and even one enlisted guy that wound up getting convicted of dealing drugs, all with secret clearance. None of them were over the age of 21.

    Secret classification is one step up from Sensitive (SSNs, addresses, phone numbers, etc...) and it isn't very well controlled. How else do you think some lowly E-3 is going to get his hands on tens of thousands of documents?

    -Rick

  6. Re:Explain This To Me on Portugal Gives Itself a Clean-Energy Makeover · · Score: 1

    Besides, there is a direct correlation between the current price for oil(which is based off of demand)

    The current price of oil is determined by the Futures market. It has nothing to do with demand.

    -Rick

  7. F(tfs)FY on Could Crowdsourcing Help the SEC Detect Fraud? · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The SEC failed to catch Bernie Madoff largely because they actively ignored and hide numerous well formed and filed complaints and warnings about his fraudulent activities.

    So no, it probrably wouldn't work.

    -Rick

  8. FTFY on Larry Ellison Rips HP Board a New One · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Does anyone know if there is hard evidence (heh) proving this guy's guilt? It would be a real shame for this to be a false accusation that gives this man $12 million in cash and $30 to 40 million in stock options...

    -Rick

  9. Re:The sad part? on Human Rights Groups Join Criticism of WikiLeaks · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Tens of thousands of people are dead, and it is your opinion that only 1 of those deaths represents the 'sad part'?

    The hope is that balances of power, like Wikileaks, like our own journalists and news media should be doing, will prevent, or at least deter us from entering into such conflicts and rogue actions again in the future. If it even just slightly aids in the process of maintaining peace, it will save far more lives than this limited exposure will cost.

    Also, if you are looking for a target to blame, review the intelligence officers who put informants names in Secret classified documents. Secret is virtually meaningless if you are in a data access position in the military. A 19 year old kid with a drinking problem in the military can hold secret clearance with out a problem (I've known a few). Any of these documents that contained contact/informants names or any other information that could get a person killed, should have been classified top-secret or better.

    Also be GLAD that they were leaked to Wikileaks instead of sold/traded/given to strategic entities. Sure, everyone knows now, but we also know exactly what they know and who is likely to act on it. If it had been leaked covertly, we might not even have realized it until everyone who had been named was dead.

    I wish we lived in a world where Wikileaks wasn't necesary. But seeing as how we live in the real world, I'd strongly prefer that Wikileaks continues to exist. That he asked the Pentagon for help in redacting the documents really strikes me as a stand up thing to do. I don't envy him, I wouldn't want to be him, but I sure appreciate what he is trying to do.

    -Rick

  10. In other words... on Google & Verizon's Real Net Neutrality Proposal · · Score: 1

    Except that their proposed legislation is effectively:

    We hereby bar all those old fogies from punching you in the face. We, the young fogies, reserve the right to kick you in the nuts.

    -Rick

  11. If Morale is the issue... on US Military 'Banned' From Viewing Wikileaks · · Score: 1

    "Marine Welfare and Recreation" should have been shit caned years ago. They do far more to harm morale than these damn leaks.

    -Rick

  12. Re:finally adjudicated? on Market Data Firm Spots the Tracks of Bizarre Robot Trading · · Score: 3, Informative

    Stocks must be liquid for markets to work at all efficiently.

    Liquidity is a result of an efficient market. Liquidity is not a driver of efficiency.

    -Rick

  13. Re:Nope, it's right on on Market Data Firm Spots the Tracks of Bizarre Robot Trading · · Score: 5, Interesting

    At least those with increasing prices by one cent. Those where the bids are going down don't fit this explanation.

    And that is what this junk is, completely bogus bids with no intent other than to cost your competitors clock cycles.

    To use the face to face analogy, it's like two people trying to negotiate a deal when a third person comes up and starts screaming at one of the parties. While the subject is still recovering from being screamed at, the other parties make the same deal that the offended party was about to make.

    -Rick

  14. Nope, it's right on on Market Data Firm Spots the Tracks of Bizarre Robot Trading · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I read an interview a few weeks ago about these trades. When we're talking about the majority of all stock trades being done by these incredibly fast bots, where people are looking for every possible advantage, there are many tricks. One of them is to flood out a huge quantity of bogus bid/sell offers in sufficient enough bulk that it may cause your competition's bot to slip a few micro seconds. Just enough for your own bot to snipe a fraction of a cent advantage.

    If you are interested in the 'Cyber-War'. Forget China, head to Wall Street.

    -Rick

  15. Re:This is why I'm never a fan of 'rebates'. on Electric Car Subsidies As Handouts For the Rich · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you are driving a Golf TDI and getting 41 mpg highway, take it to a skilled mechanic becuase something is wrong. Rocketting off the line at lights and holding cruise at 75-80 on interstate I still average 44mpg with a bone stock car.

    A few weeks back I bumped into another TDI, the guy had swapped 5th gear out, got new injectors, and a new PROM burn, and was averaging over 56mpg combined driving.

    Most of the Prius drivers I know hold anything from 38-45mpg on the interstate, depending on the car and their driving habbits.

    The LEAF is neat, but at this point I know two things: They have released crap-all for information about it, and the have the worst designed website ever.

    If I were in the market for an affordable full electric today, I'd be hounding Aptera ;)

    -Rick

  16. Re:This is why I'm never a fan of 'rebates'. on Electric Car Subsidies As Handouts For the Rich · · Score: 1

    There are 6 Priuses in my parking lot (we all race in for the LEV/HE parking spots). None of them are owned by anyone making more than 80k a year, and most of the owners are in fields that are legally prevented from forming unions. Not to mention more than a couple of them are quite stern conservatives.

    Maybe this guy's data is right, and it just happens that every Prius owner I work with and know has vastly different life styles and experiences. My accounts are all purely annecdotal, and his might be data.

    As for electricity, our night time rate is next to nil. Not free, but cheep enough that charging an electric car over night would be pennies on the dollar compared to our fuel bills. Not to mention that our town just finished building it's first wind power generator (I think we have 2 more coming in on the prototype and a new wind farm looking for land as well) so I don't even have to feel guilty about coal ;)

    But honestly, if your electric rate is through the roof, maybe it's not a good deal for you. It's not going to be such a great option in northern Canada either! Use your brain and critical thinking skills. What's good in one situation isn't necesarily good in another.

    -Rick

  17. Re:This is why I'm never a fan of 'rebates'. on Electric Car Subsidies As Handouts For the Rich · · Score: 5, Insightful

    New York city is actually doing just that. Working with cab companies to replace their fleets of 12 mpg crown vics with high efficiency and hybrid vehicles.

    I'm slightly skeptical on this research as well on three fronts:

    1) A fully loaded Prius with range extender batteries (allowing for full electric 30-50 miles depending on kit) comes in at right about $31k. The new Volt comes in at $41k. But the Volt has a $7500 federal rebate and some states are putting up another $1-4k rebate. Which puts it's price right in line with the Prius. You don't have to been in the $200k/year income bracket to be interested in that.

    2) I am very interested in the full electric, the only reason why I haven't persued it is because I commute 40+ miles on interstate/highways twice a day. Full electric is unbeatable for surface street driving, but up on the interstate, Diesel is king. There's no way a Prius/Volt will recoup the savings when compared to a VW TDI pushing 50+ MPG on the highway. And I am noooooo where close to $200k/year. Heck, many of my friends have also stated their interest. To the point where a few folks have been pestering me to convert the old Fiero to full electric. There is significant interest in the electric market from the $100k/year bracket. There would be even more if they could get the market price down to $25k.

    3) A full electric can easily out perform and present a ROI in the life of the car over econoboxes when driving to their strengths. Again, up on the highway, electric isn't going to be all that great, but if you do nothing but stop and go commutes for short ranges every day, the full electric is going to pay off big time over even a decent mpg econobox.

    -Rick

  18. I did my part. on Happy System Administrator Appreciation Day · · Score: 4, Funny

    I opened a trouble ticket with the text "Happy System Administrator Appreciation Day!"

    -Rick

  19. Re:Costs for what? on Internal Costs Per Gigabyte — What Do You Pay? · · Score: 1

    Not to mention you are also paying the salary for a full time employee+on call. Figure with taxes and benies, and depending on your local cost of living, a decent network tech can run a company $100k/year. And if you're running a smaller SAN with say 10 terabytes of storage that's $10/GB right there.

    -Rick

  20. I wonder how many... on Tennessee Town Releases Red Light Camera Stats · · Score: 4, Interesting

    were cops?

    I'm not sure about Tennessee, but in my small town, the local cops treat most laws or the road with little regard. Rolling stops, speeding, high speed/reckless driving. Heck, I had to file a complaint one evening after a cop damn near ran into a group of young boys walking down the side walk. Apparently, pulling over to the curb and calling them to the car, or getting out and approaching them were the lesser options when compared to flooring it and jumping the curb to park on some company's apron to block the side walk. His excuse was that someone had reported their teen daughter missing and the officer thought the boys might know where she was.

    Or heck, when I was working 3rd shift years ago, we used to have two squad cars that would run 1/8th mile laps around the block in front of my work place. They would turn on the lights, but no sirens, then scream up and down the divided business road.

    Just last night on the drive home I saw a cop come to a complete stop and make a 7 point turn IN THE MIDDLE OF A BRIDGE, blocking traffic in both directions on a 55mph high way during rush hour. If he had driven 100 feet, he could have pulled into a country lane and done his turn faster and with out obstructing any traffic.

    Then again, I guess if you can just brush away any pics of cops blowing lights due to 'technical issues', there won't be many of them getting tickets.

    -Rick

  21. Re:It is Called Competition on Al Franken's Warning On Net Neutrality · · Score: 1

    Your argument about TV and Radio regulation is a slippery slope fallacy in this case. And the proof is perfectly clear.

    The FCC has been regulating phone companies for decades and they have never implemented any form of content regulation over phone calls.

    Our interactions over the internet are individual request-respond patterns, not a broadcast.

    -Rick

  22. Re:Takes one to know one. on Newspapers' New Revenue Plan — Copyright Suits · · Score: 1, Interesting

    The MM argument is that the copy righted content has value (as proven by this company). So the act of giving a political party a gift of valuable content is effectively the same as making a campaign contribution. There for, any such actions would require them to follow election campaign laws.

    And maybe I missed it, but has MM actually sued yet? Or are they just talking about it?

    -Rick

  23. Re:Please return to troll school on New Photos Show 'Devastating' Ice Loss On Everest · · Score: 1

    Wow, a long rant, but you completely failed to actually read my post. If your reading comprehension is that bad, you are the one who should return to school.

    Pot, meet Kettle. Kettle, Pot.

    haven't felt the need to go back much since I got my PhD, although I do return to university and do some lecturing occasionally.

    Last I heard there wasn't a huge speaking demand of 'University of Pheonix Online' graduates, but it's good to hear you're getting some work out of it. I have no interest in getting into a credentials pissing match with you, but I assure you, your PhD isn't likely to impress me. Besides, anyone who has put in the effort to get a piece of paper that says "PhD" on it, but doesn't feel the need to learn more, really didn't learn much at all on their trek of earning the PhD.

    I also never claimed anything about how science "is supposed to work". I actually agree with you whole heatedly on that. BUT, I did say that only an idiot would write off anything that is of popular scientific agreement due to the fact that it is of popular scientific agreement alone.

    You yourself are proposing the very religion you are preaching against. You are claiming at no one should ever accept the commonly held beliefs of the scientific community for the sole reason that those beliefs are held by the popular majority.

    I could understand if you were to argue for the questioning of specific assertions of specific scientist with out specific proof or understanding. But to write off all of them for a reason no better than, "they are popular" is just as asinine as believing in them all for the reason of "they are popular".

    I tell you what, I'll send you a funny hat and some robes, you can start up your Church of "Don't believe anything scientists say." Any way, I'm off to the bathroom, mind if I borrow that PhD of yours? We're low on toilet paper.

    -Rick

  24. Please return to troll school on New Photos Show 'Devastating' Ice Loss On Everest · · Score: 1

    Please can we take the belief terminology and appeals to authority out of the debate? If you believe in global warming, then you are an idiot.

    Awesome, first, insist that others drop beliefs and appeals to authority, then immediately state your own beliefs installing yourself as an authority figure. Well done! If this was kinder-troll-garten you would have earned a golden star for that one.

    If you believe in anything because the majority of scientists do, then you are an idiot.

    So how many "idiots" here believe in the laws of thermodynamics? Sure, there are probably a handful of /. readers who may be able to fully grasp the science behind it, but the vast majority of us just accept it because the majority of scientists do. But by all means, continue on your quest to create a perpetual motion machine. Obviously all those scientist are just incompetent, or part of a huge plot to ensure energy demands for the future.

    Heck, along with thermodynamics lets toss in life sciences. Since only an "idiot" would trust the popular opinion of scientists, you must not be big on western medicine. Those quacks are just out to make a quick buck scamming insurance companies. They can't do anything that a good leech or lancing can't fix.

    This whole "write off the scientists" argument has to be the most mentally deficient angle ever produced in such a debate. Do us all a favor, take your drivel back to school and get some proper trolling education before you spout off that weak crap.

    -Rick

  25. Really bad translation... on Chinese News Reports the Taliban Are Training Monkey Soldiers · · Score: 3, Funny

    The time the cited the Onion on the story about the retractable dome over the capital building was funny, but this has to be the worst translation ever.

    Monkey Soldiers...
    Guerrilla Tactics...

    -Rick