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User: Semptimilius

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Comments · 37

  1. Re:US Gov't + Entertainment Industry = team fail on US "the Enemy" Says Dotcom Judge · · Score: 1

    Yeah, that's nice. The Jon Stewart video is not available in my area.

  2. Re:grade on University Sues Student For Graduating Early · · Score: 1
  3. Re:Canadian Campaign Financing on The Behind-the-Scenes Campaign To Bring SOPA To Canada · · Score: 3, Informative

    Donations and campaign finance rules do nothing to prevent MPs from using their time creating laws (or just general behind the scenes work) benefiting an industry/company/etc., then receiving compensation after leaving Parliament. I think this is an exceptionally malignant form of corruption that currently exists in Canadian politics.
     
    Perhaps I'm just not thinking of it the right way, but I can't picture our government supporting such ideas as SOPA as being anything other than from some form of corruption. Perhaps I'm giving our MPs too much credit in their ability to sit back and think of the consequences and, well, just the philosophical basis of the laws.

  4. Re:Interesting concept on MIT Researchers Make Advance Toward Photonic Circuits · · Score: 4, Informative

    Well, much of the leaking in traditional electronic transistors is due to quantum mechanical effects, which would still apply to photonic devices. (With differences arising from such things as spin.) Some people are using evanescent fields from thin fibre lines to actually couple the signals in the line to other devices.

  5. Re:Markets?!? on Are We Seeing the End of Big Oil? · · Score: 2

    And the summary gives an example where government had to step in because the market created a monster. Long ago, granted, but still looked on as a favourable move. Naturally, when the economics no longer make sense, "the market" brings about a change. Though, this isn't necessarily a better solution without governments protecting the entities; oil-rich nations and nationalized oil corporations will gobble up the smaller players if given the chance.

  6. Let me guess... on Under Soviet Satellites, How Area 51 Hid (And Invented) Secret Craft · · Score: 5, Funny

    Roofs?

  7. Re:Link to Conservative promise to monitor interne on Pirate Party of Canada Promises VPN For Freedom · · Score: 2

    No, it's all there, as davecb stated. The Conservative platform is disturbingly vague (I'm sure details would dampen the spirit of many who currently support the ideas), but page 50 of it is what you are looking for. You need to expand the story on Geist's site to see the more detailed info about what is intended.

  8. Re:OPEC have tried this on Local Currencies To Replace Dollar For 5 Countries' Dealings · · Score: 2

    India is not an ally of China. There are huge land disputes, troops at the borders, etc. China has entered behind the scenes in the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan as well. (I believe part of it is building railroads in disputes areas.) China is also attempting to contain India in the Indian ocean too, with deals for ports to protect Chinese trade routes. Competition for resources can see these two at each other's throats in the future. (Large populations, proximity, clashing zones of influence.)

    The BRIC alliance (South Africa is peanuts and just in there as the token African country) is much more pragmatic than Western media like to portray it. It's really these countries trying to wrest away some international power away from the West, and they know they can't do it individually.

    The US is closer to being an ally to both India and China than the latter two are to each other.

  9. Damn it on US Navy Breaks Laser Record · · Score: 1

    Just when I installed my new 200' thick steel bunker doors on my ocean-side villain headquarters.

  10. Not that I know the specifics of this test on Russian Simulated Mars Mission Close To 'Landing' · · Score: 3, Insightful

    From what I've read, they're looking at monitoring mental and physical health of a crew simulating a mission to Mars. The fundamental psychology is different, as pointed out by others, as they can leave at any time. Confinement and isolation are not properly simulated at the fundamental level. The physical side of the test is also not simulated properly, as they are under the influence of Earth's gravity and this has effects on the health of the crew.
     
    Perhaps a first step. A better test would be one at the ISS.

  11. Continually upgrading and shifting archive on How Do You Store Your Personal Photos? · · Score: 1

    Whatever I want to keep, I archive on hard disks, as of now. (Used to also use DVDs, but they're a pain and slow as hell.) I have several disks, some the portable 2.5 inch variety, and one large 2 TB external for a complete archive. (Lots of unnecessary additions to it...)
     
    The problem is managing the risk of disk failure. You must ensure you have copies because your disks will eventually die or the data may become corrupt. You also have to keep up with new media technology and standards and transfer your archive(s) over as changes occur. It's also not smart to store all these disks at the same location, in case of fire, theft, the zombie outbreak.
     
    My photos are, obviously, a subsection of the archive proper. Care and tend to what it vital to you; be willing to part with that which is not.

  12. Re:Invented in US? Made in China. on First Pictures of Chinese Stealth Fighter · · Score: 1

    I don't really like "centre of the world" talk with historical civilizations. While China had influence on Europe (and vice versa), and was rich, for a long while, they didn't call the shots on a international matters in anywhere near the role the US does in global affairs. They think of themselves as having been the centre of the world like someone who studied only European history would think Europe was the centre of the world since ancient Egypt.

    Of course, now they would be to a degree, if they fill the US's shoes. Lots of money flowing in and out of China all over the globe, their citizens posted all over, influence with the actions and laws of countries on the other side of the globe, etc. In the end, the historical norm is not important, I just don't like when people claim there was a centre of the world before we could quickly travel and communicate from one end to the other.

    (I don't think they will have as much influence over global affairs as the US did since WW2. South America, India, other places have climbed out of the poverty hole enough to be a bit more self-deterministic.)

  13. In other words on Chinese Written Language To Dominate Internet · · Score: 1

    There are more and more Chinese speakers in China coming online. Shocking. I think we should all fall in a bout of hysteria. Soon all my favourite websites will be all in Chinese, and I won't be able to read them.

  14. End of neutrality to wane influence? on RIAA, MPAA Recruit MasterCard As Internet Police · · Score: 2

    Will we see the rise of non-American alternatives (global alternatives) to American credit cards? Visa and Mastercard being a tool of American foreign policy (they might have been in a soft manner before) gives incentive to just not use them.

    I'm fine with no credit cards at all.

  15. Re:Too Late Already on NASA Head Ignores Congress, Eyes Cooperation With China · · Score: 1

    Yeah, the gap is so huge! I'm surprised at how much more advanced China is to the US. Flying cars and transporter technology! I hear they're also putting people into space! How can the US compete with that?! And, if we ignore the terrible fallacy of these facts, how did China ever deign to overcome the gap it had? This all just baffles the mind in several awe-inspiring ways.

  16. Exempt from bankruptcy on Canadian Spammer Fined Over $1 Billion · · Score: 1

    Fines are typically exempt from bankruptcy in Canada. I don't know if there are reasonable limits to fines that could cut this down to something that can be paid back, but, if not, essentially the court just forced the guy to pay this for the rest of his life. This is incentive to create a new identity, perhaps get work under the table (maybe criminal, besides the tax evasion).

  17. Re:Cover up the accent... on Graph Shows Fraud in Russian Elections · · Score: 1

    Indeed. There were times when the rest of Europe was much like the Russia that Russian described.

  18. Re:Canadians ... time to NOT be Americans. on Canadian DMCA Won't Include Consumer Rights · · Score: 1

    Torontonians are the ones called Americans. This has been my experience.

  19. Re:Designed to fail? on Canadian DMCA Won't Include Consumer Rights · · Score: 1

    I think this would be a boon for the Grits should the Cons make this a confidence motion. The Liberals are--or rather seem to be; I think the quiet you are getting from Dion right now is the party formulating an agenda--fairly prepared for an election in the new year, both parties are running neck and neck, and the Cons are defeated on an issue that harms the rights of Canadians and kowtows to US corporate interests.

  20. Re:Impractical in the cities? on 6 Major Pre-Production Electric Vehicles Compared · · Score: 1

    How about you carry the battery inside?

  21. Re:My PSP story (since others are sharing) on The PSP's Comeback Trail · · Score: 1

    How many of those games you have on your PSP are available on the Wii's virtual console. (No need to post numbers, just make a list for yourself. Keep in mind the list of VC games grows.) I'm sure you have such gems as SMB3, ALTTP. Really, you should just download PSP games. There is no difference with what you're doing otherwise.

  22. Re:TO is broke, and scrambling for cash on Canadian Mint Claims Rights To Words "One Cent" · · Score: 1

    There are many mayors in the GTA. Miller represents about 2.5 million of about 6 million people in the GTA. (Both guesses.)

  23. Re:6 Billion+ on After 10,000 Years, Farming No Longer Dominates · · Score: 1

    I don't know if you're implying this isn't the case, but, programming is a service job. Like a checkout clerk, an engineer or a police officer.

  24. Re:Why does America need farms? on Robots To Replace Migrant Fruit Pickers · · Score: 1

    Importing all your food from thousands of kilometres away is a famine waiting to happen. And yes, countries would use it for leverage. And they shouldn't necessarily be required to trade under threats. (Occupying a country and forcing it to trade isn't easy.) And not just the countries producing it. Any large superpower rival could use it as an advantage. It also uses much more energy to transport all that food, and with oil prices likely only going in one direction, transport costs will continue to rise. It's just common sense to have local agriculture. Hell, I have a small garden in the back just for the extra supplement of food.

    And with water crises popping up all over the increasingly overpopulated world, I just think it would be folly not to maintain an agricultural base for such a large population on such a fertile land. It needn't be a trading country holding back crops, but rather the inability to produce enough. Too much can go wrong.

    Using large subsidies and dumping "cheap" produce on developing markets is another matter. Cutting back on excess subsidies would certainly lower your taxes. (Having everyone eat less could lower your taxes too.)

  25. Re:Mach unit valid in space? on First Ever Scramjet Reaches Mach 10 · · Score: 1

    I don't think it really matters. It's only a reference speed (probably established at a specific set of atmospheric parameters). They could have referenced it against the speed of light, km/h.