These are not robots. These are medical telepresence devices. They have no artificial intelligence or autonomy at all; they are intended to provide the surgeon with tiny hands and eyes in places they could not otherwise reach.
They are cool machines, but they are not robots. That sounds good for all of the doctors in India and China and othe relatively poor countries. I'd expect their fees are much lower. When I need surgery, all I have to do is rent the machine, and hire one of them, and make sure that I have a very reliable connection so I can be assured that nothing goes wrong during the operatio..^%^*&(# NO CARRIER...
Surgery is just about the last place anyone who isn't a trained expert should be involved. It is exactly that athoritarian mindset that concerns me. It should be the patient's decision. It's my body; it should be my choice. ( hmmmm, what does this do to the abortion issue? )
Laws that say that only an MD is allowed to use a surgical robot, and that a manufacturer can sell them only to MDs, and that you can only sell/distribute software for them if you are an MD. This may seem paranoid perhaps, but consider the lawws restricting x-rays: You can buy an x-ray machine for checking welding seams or for x-raying dogs + cats, but you can't use it on humans.
Or there could be a much looser future, in which anyone can buy one, and anyone can program one. If I were having surgery done by a robot, I'd want one that was running open source software.
Notice is hereby given that Harmonious Botch claims copyright to the phrase "First post", both with and without an exclaimation mark, in uppercase or lowercase or any combination thereof, whether actually posted as a first post, a later post, or not posted at all, in alphabetic characters or other representation, including, but not limited to, brail, 1337, and morse code, in English, or any other language, whether posted on Slashdot or any other forum; and all derivative phrases, including, but not limited to: "Frist post", "Fist pots", "Frost p0st", "Frist pozt", "Frost pots", "Forced p0st", "Forced pots", "Firts post", "Fist post", "Frost post", "Fist pozt", "Frost pozt", "Forced post", "Furst post", "Frist psot", "Firts psot", "Firts p0st", "Fist p0st", "Frost psot", "Forced psot", "Forced pozt", "Furst psot", "Frosty piss", "Frist pist", "Firts pist", "Furst p0st", "Forced piss", "Fist pist", "Frost pist", "Forced pist", "Fist psot", "Furst pist", "Frist p0st", "Frost p0st", "Frist pozt", "Firts pozt", "Furst pozt", "Frist pots", "Firts pots", "Furst pots", and any similar phrase, both with and without an exclaimation mark, in uppercase or lowercase or any combination thereof, whether actually posted as a first post, a later post, or not posted at all, in alphabetic characters or other representation, including, but not limited to, brail, 1337, and morse code, in English, or any other language, except for French - I'm not that desperate, whether posted on Slashdot or any other forum.
Ask yourself this: after reading the piece, which do you have a clearer understanding of:
(1) Copyright and other intellectual property law
(2) Which particulars Rowling is invoking and where her case goes wrong
(3) How disgusted Orson Scott Card is with Rowling
I'm seeing a lot of #3 and not very much of #1 or #2. But he'll soon re-write it from another point of view.
Control group for DNA analysis? Yes. There is a group of people who want him to be linked to their tribe. Call that the test group. Then get another, randomly chosen group, not from that tribe. Call that the control group.
This can be used to establish what 'close enough' means.
He could be. And he probably would be if they checked my DNA. But who knows? TFA is really short on information.
There is no mention of the methodology of the study, particularly on how the samples were chosen, or if there was a control group.
Did they decide how close was close enough and then go looking for DNA? Or did they look first and then say "That seems close enough."?
To me, the only intellectually honest way to do it would be the former. There has to be a possibility of the answer being "Nobody that we found was close enough".
I don't wish to criticize these researchers based on the absence of information, but it is remarkably convenient for them that they came up with the politically correct and properly ethnically sensitive result. It makes a cynic like me suspicious.
I've used security netcams for years ( commercial, not residential ) I'd go with one or two expensive cameras. You don't really need to cover everything, for, in most cases, with just a little thought you can predict the likely path of a burglar on your property. But when you do get the photo, it has to be a good one for the cops to take you seriously.
The most important question is will you - or someone else - be able to monitor them when needed? ( This is actually a non-trivial question as there probably is such a thing as a virtual "neighborhood" watch in which you watch your neighbor's property in, say, Belgium while he sleeps, and then somebody in Japan watches your property while you sleep, and then the guy in Belgium watches the property in Japan. Monitoring does not require constant attention: it is rather easy to do other work with a netcam output in your peripheral vision on a separate monitor or in the corner of your screen.
Or, there is probably some company in India or China that will watch your proprety for a small monthly fee. )
Anyway, if you have someone monitoring, I recommend one expensive Pan/tilt/zoom camera like the Panasonic KX-HCM280 ( or the Cannon VB-C50i if you need infrared )
If you don't have someone monitoring, I recommend a couple of Axis 2110s or 2120s ( or 2140s if you need infrared ). They come with software motion sensing.
PS: It is possible to buy separate pan/tilt modules with built-in web servers that can mount a netcam and/or other objects such as tasers, shotguns, etc.
PPS: Model numbers change as upgrades are made. The Axis 2110 is now called a 210, I think. The Panasonic may have a new number also.
PPPS: You can pick up 2110s on eBay for a couple hundred. Used 280s go for around six hundred.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. -HB
I want to see a large cylinder ( 100+ m diameter ) with enough spin to have about 1/4 G, and lots of water. There could be waves going both directions, and a few underwater obstacles to provide breaks.
Yes, of course. But what does that have to do with the submitter's claim that banning genetic discrimination means the end of private insurance? The whole idea of insurance is that it is a less-than-perfect information game. If one party gets perfect information ( or even close to perfect ) then the game is up.
That being said, I think that the OP's claim does not hold up. It would if one's health were only influenced by genetics, but there are accidents, and other things that affectone's health also.
We have three separate subjects crammed together in one article. So some of the briliant, insightful comments by my fellow shashdotters may get buried. How about three separate articles?
Or is this a new trend? Are we going to see twenty subjects crammed into the one daily article tommorow?
Sorry, but I gotta call BS on that.
Financial corporations only give up on fraud when the cost of recovery is more that the amount defrauded - and sometimes even then they persue the fraudster just to set an example, for they don't want to be known as an easy mark.
They can't just raise their rates and let the customer cover it, because they have competition which might be more efficient and run them out of business.
Is this a new wave of fraud, or a new bunch of stupid victims? I read the article, and saw nothing that didn't scream fraud to anybody with more than a dozen functioning brain cells.
...and just employ hypnotists to force people to buy your crappy products.
God forbid that a product would be sold on its genuine merits.
Advertising really is one of the nastiest traits of "capitalism" (if you can call it that at this point) Remember - before you bitch too much about capitalism - that complaining about people subtly influencing your choice means that you have a choice. Sure it's nasty,sleazy, distastful, etc, but it is an inevitable side effect of you having a large amount of freedom about how you live your life and them having free speech.
Compare it to the other economic/political structures where one or both freedoms are missing.
Why is P modded 'flamebait'? He asks a relevant question. The response of government officials may unfortunately be the biggest factor in calculating how to deal with a disaster.
Pardon me, but I'm skeptical when I hear all of the sweetness and light interpretations. How about something more bloodthirsty, but just as reasonable?
A significant proportion of the newly discovered Neolithic remains show clear signs of skeletal trauma. Some had undergone operations to the skull, or had walked with a limp, or had broken bones. Slaves, kidnapped in other parts of England, forced to work building the monument. They had lots of skeletal injuries because it was dangerous work. ( Impromptu graveyards near the Egyptian pyramids had lots of crunched skeletons also )
...sacred circle at the monument is dominated by bluestone chippings... Theses were war trophies, brought home and shattered to destroy their magic.
It would also help to increase the frequency to 6000 Hz or so, which will also make it harder for humans to locate the direction of sound. Ummm...surely you mean decrease the frequency. As a general rule, higher frequencies are more directional.
....the lowest income quintile keeps getting poorer. If the Federal government is going to do anything to help these people along, it needs to know a little more about them. Why are we implicitly assuming that the feds should do anything in particular to help these people? The last thing they need is more government 'help'. The 'war on poverty' has been going on for 40+ years now, and - as noted - the poorest group is getting poorer, not wealthier.
If you think Congress makes dumb decisions, then complain about the dumb decisions. But don't cut off their access to information that could help them make better decisions. Parent - and congress - seem to assume that if you just knew enough about people, you could make good decisions for them. The latest atack on poverty didn't work? Well we just need more data.
But the fact is that you can never know enough about a person's needs and circumstances as the person himself. Leave him alone, quit meddling in his life, lower his taxes ( by not wasting his money on cencus boondogles ) and he will probably get rich on his own.
Slashdot Mirror
I can forsee two possible futures:
Laws that say that only an MD is allowed to use a surgical robot, and that a manufacturer can sell them only to MDs, and that you can only sell/distribute software for them if you are an MD. This may seem paranoid perhaps, but consider the lawws restricting x-rays: You can buy an x-ray machine for checking welding seams or for x-raying dogs + cats, but you can't use it on humans.
Or there could be a much looser future, in which anyone can buy one, and anyone can program one. If I were having surgery done by a robot, I'd want one that was running open source software.
Notice is hereby given that Harmonious Botch claims copyright to the phrase "First post", both with and without an exclaimation mark, in uppercase or lowercase or any combination thereof, whether actually posted as a first post, a later post, or not posted at all, in alphabetic characters or other representation, including, but not limited to, brail, 1337, and morse code, in English, or any other language, whether posted on Slashdot or any other forum; and all derivative phrases, including, but not limited to: "Frist post", "Fist pots", "Frost p0st", "Frist pozt", "Frost pots", "Forced p0st", "Forced pots", "Firts post", "Fist post", "Frost post", "Fist pozt", "Frost pozt", "Forced post", "Furst post", "Frist psot", "Firts psot", "Firts p0st", "Fist p0st", "Frost psot", "Forced psot", "Forced pozt", "Furst psot", "Frosty piss", "Frist pist", "Firts pist", "Furst p0st", "Forced piss", "Fist pist", "Frost pist", "Forced pist", "Fist psot", "Furst pist", "Frist p0st", "Frost p0st", "Frist pozt", "Firts pozt", "Furst pozt", "Frist pots", "Firts pots", "Furst pots", and any similar phrase, both with and without an exclaimation mark, in uppercase or lowercase or any combination thereof, whether actually posted as a first post, a later post, or not posted at all, in alphabetic characters or other representation, including, but not limited to, brail, 1337, and morse code, in English, or any other language, except for French - I'm not that desperate, whether posted on Slashdot or any other forum.
(1) Copyright and other intellectual property law
(2) Which particulars Rowling is invoking and where her case goes wrong
(3) How disgusted Orson Scott Card is with Rowling
I'm seeing a lot of #3 and not very much of #1 or #2. But he'll soon re-write it from another point of view.
There are not 350 right whales in the world. There are approximately 8000-8500 of them.
There are about 350 right whales in the north Atlantic.
This can be used to establish what 'close enough' means.
He could be. And he probably would be if they checked my DNA. But who knows? TFA is really short on information.
There is no mention of the methodology of the study, particularly on how the samples were chosen, or if there was a control group.
Did they decide how close was close enough and then go looking for DNA? Or did they look first and then say "That seems close enough."? To me, the only intellectually honest way to do it would be the former. There has to be a possibility of the answer being "Nobody that we found was close enough".
I don't wish to criticize these researchers based on the absence of information, but it is remarkably convenient for them that they came up with the politically correct and properly ethnically sensitive result. It makes a cynic like me suspicious.
I've used security netcams for years ( commercial, not residential ) I'd go with one or two expensive cameras. You don't really need to cover everything, for, in most cases, with just a little thought you can predict the likely path of a burglar on your property. But when you do get the photo, it has to be a good one for the cops to take you seriously.
The most important question is will you - or someone else - be able to monitor them when needed? ( This is actually a non-trivial question as there probably is such a thing as a virtual "neighborhood" watch in which you watch your neighbor's property in, say, Belgium while he sleeps, and then somebody in Japan watches your property while you sleep, and then the guy in Belgium watches the property in Japan. Monitoring does not require constant attention: it is rather easy to do other work with a netcam output in your peripheral vision on a separate monitor or in the corner of your screen.
Or, there is probably some company in India or China that will watch your proprety for a small monthly fee. )
Anyway, if you have someone monitoring, I recommend one expensive Pan/tilt/zoom camera like the Panasonic KX-HCM280 ( or the Cannon VB-C50i if you need infrared )
If you don't have someone monitoring, I recommend a couple of Axis 2110s or 2120s ( or 2140s if you need infrared ). They come with software motion sensing.
PS: It is possible to buy separate pan/tilt modules with built-in web servers that can mount a netcam and/or other objects such as tasers, shotguns, etc.
PPS: Model numbers change as upgrades are made. The Axis 2110 is now called a 210, I think. The Panasonic may have a new number also.
PPPS: You can pick up 2110s on eBay for a couple hundred. Used 280s go for around six hundred.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. -HB
I want to see a large cylinder ( 100+ m diameter ) with enough spin to have about 1/4 G, and lots of water. There could be waves going both directions, and a few underwater obstacles to provide breaks.
I want one when talking to women.
That being said, I think that the OP's claim does not hold up. It would if one's health were only influenced by genetics, but there are accidents, and other things that affectone's health also.
We have three separate subjects crammed together in one article. So some of the briliant, insightful comments by my fellow shashdotters may get buried. How about three separate articles?
Or is this a new trend? Are we going to see twenty subjects crammed into the one daily article tommorow?
Sorry, but I gotta call BS on that.
Financial corporations only give up on fraud when the cost of recovery is more that the amount defrauded - and sometimes even then they persue the fraudster just to set an example, for they don't want to be known as an easy mark.
They can't just raise their rates and let the customer cover it, because they have competition which might be more efficient and run them out of business.
Is this a new wave of fraud, or a new bunch of stupid victims? I read the article, and saw nothing that didn't scream fraud to anybody with more than a dozen functioning brain cells.
...and just employ hypnotists to force people to buy your crappy products. God forbid that a product would be sold on its genuine merits. Advertising really is one of the nastiest traits of "capitalism" (if you can call it that at this point) Remember - before you bitch too much about capitalism - that complaining about people subtly influencing your choice means that you have a choice. Sure it's nasty,sleazy, distastful, etc, but it is an inevitable side effect of you having a large amount of freedom about how you live your life and them having free speech.Compare it to the other economic/political structures where one or both freedoms are missing.
Why is P modded 'flamebait'? He asks a relevant question. The response of government officials may unfortunately be the biggest factor in calculating how to deal with a disaster.
...sacred circle at the monument is dominated by bluestone chippings... Theses were war trophies, brought home and shattered to destroy their magic.The aggregate would be reliable, not the individual data.
This will be very useful in elevator vs elevator combat.
Unsupported? Please read it in context. It was followed by an explanation of how the process could be done much cheaper.
Thank you for correcting GP. I feel so much better now.
....the lowest income quintile keeps getting poorer. If the Federal government is going to do anything to help these people along, it needs to know a little more about them. Why are we implicitly assuming that the feds should do anything in particular to help these people? The last thing they need is more government 'help'. The 'war on poverty' has been going on for 40+ years now, and - as noted - the poorest group is getting poorer, not wealthier. If you think Congress makes dumb decisions, then complain about the dumb decisions. But don't cut off their access to information that could help them make better decisions. Parent - and congress - seem to assume that if you just knew enough about people, you could make good decisions for them. The latest atack on poverty didn't work? Well we just need more data.But the fact is that you can never know enough about a person's needs and circumstances as the person himself. Leave him alone, quit meddling in his life, lower his taxes ( by not wasting his money on cencus boondogles ) and he will probably get rich on his own.