Yet, when told of the exact text of the First Amendment, more than one in three high school students said it goes "too far" in the rights it guarantees. Only half of the students said newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of stories.
People die to defend these rights, and some of our students don't even know what these rights are?
Hey conservatives! Maybe if instead of worrying about absitence only education and attacking Darwinism you spent your efforts in communicating why and how we are a free society, and why that is of tantamount importance
How is it the fault of conservatives that todays kids are not being taught the importance of a free society? Especially when you consider that in the US teachers MUST belong to the National Education Association (i.e. the national teachers union ) which definately has a well documented tilt toward the so called Democratic Party.
It would seem to me therefore that liberals are in charge of ensuring that todays kids learn "why and how we are a free society, and why that is of tantamount importance." It would also seem to me they are falling down on the job.
Personally, I believe that the sad state of the education system in the United States IS the result of the NEA close ties to the liberal agenda of the Democratic Party. Simply put, if children were taught to love and honor the free society in which we live, they would be able to see that the liberal agenda espoused by the Democratic Party goes against the very principles of a free society. For example, a truely free society does not resort to government siezure of property and and assets owned by an individual to give to another just because "they are less fortunate" or would result in higher tax revenues for the government in question. If you think I am wrong just look at all the social programs and government support items in the Federal budget. How many times have you heard a politician, especially one of the Democratic Party, speak of how we must help the less fortunate, or we must "think about the children" some measure is supposed to help? How many times have you wondered why the electorate in Massachusetts keeps that liberal Ted Kennedy in office, even though every time he opens his mouth he shows that he is out of touch with reality? The US education system is failing, not because our kids can not learn, but because it is in the best interest of the liberal agenda.
First of all, your 1/3 ton return weight neglects the mass of the Apollo capsule, which if I recall correctly ran around 1000 kilos, give or take a few.
The costs are far less than what you are estimating since 1) there is no need to send men with the payload, 2) nothing needs to be sent FROM Earth, 3) lunar material would be used to make the container encapsulating the He3, and 4) a lunar based propulsion system would be used, probably a mass accellerator. The accellerator would powered using a large solar collection system. Once a base capable of some medium level manufacturing is established on the lunar surface, the costs are no where near prohibitive. Using a projectile the relative mass of an Apollo capsule would end up requiring 25-30 He3 payloads a year. In fact, He3 would be just one of a large set of raw materials that would be flung from the moon to the earth for consumption.
Yea, they might cost more that $1699...but you can control just about anything by telling a rugrat what to do! Also, their capabilities improve with age. By the time they hit 10-11 years old, if you programmed them well, they'll be cleaning house, doing laundry, and cooking dinner, and retreiving beer from the frig in addition to changing channels and adjusting the volume on the TV.
Parents have been programming children in this manner since before radio and TV ever came out. Its just the way the human race trains their offspring.
RF coming that close to most equipment will not cause interference for the following reasons:
1. The device's power supply should filter out the incoming RF, preventing the signal from entering the device through the power supply. BPL should not affect even amateur radio systems through this means. A device with a defective power supply could be result in interference being noticed on the device.
2. Most devices are not sensitive internally to the HF frequencies involved. For example, stereo components like CD's, tapes, and phonograph would be unaffected. Most large appliances like stoves and refrigerators would not be affected.
3. TVs probably will not be affected because they are not capable of recieving signals below 30 MHZ. However their IF mixers could pick up stray radiation from the power cord which could cause interference. Radios and other wireless device are in the same boat.
4. Computers however are different. While motherboards now have a high FSB, older 33 MHZ and slower systems could be affected. This includes a lot of embedded systems, as well as some controllers. Newer motherboards could be affected by radiation of 2nd and 3rd order harmonics, especially those used by over-clockers. If the FSB is 100 or above I would think the motherboard should be unaffected. AGP or PCI cards are a different story. I am not familiar with the specs of each interface, however ever if the card utilizes frequency division to reduce the operating frequency, there could be problems.
As far as I know it would be very difficult to point to BPL as being a source of skywave interference. Typically, reception of distant stations ( DX ) on the HF bands varies somewhat day to day. BPL interference on the skywave would most likely result in the 'old timers' saying good DX days are not as good as they had been. Kinda like fishing in the ocean, you just do not catch as much as you did 20 or 30 years ago.
I think the only way to identify BPL interference on the skywave would be to set up a bandpass reciever and feed the output to a spectrum analyzer. But for that to work each BPL system would have to have it's signal recorded by a spectrum analyzer. Then it would be a simple comparison of traces.
Today you find power lines that causes local interference with AM. At least you can move a few feet to a spot that is not recieving the interference. With BPL the interference will not be localized along a few power lines, but would be generated by the entire system. Every where you go you would find interference instead of that AM station.
Many years ago I built a balanced unsheilded RF link that was over a mile long on a farm for a CB radio. With an input power of 500mW and a matched dummy load on the other end, the leakage from that feeder was so low as to be almost undetectable beyond a few tens of yards.
As someone with a little common sense I find your assessment of the BPL situation based upon your little project immensely stupid for several reasons. They are as follows:
1. Broadband over power lines is being considered for only one reason. Virtually everyone in the US has electric power delivered to their homes. Typical types of high speed internet service such as DSL or cable has no where near the coverage area as that possessed by electric power lines. Therefore BPL would offer a means to offer high speed Internet services to everyone. However by its very definition broadband internet results in a signal that occupies a large part of the electro magnetic spectrum.
2. Power companies readily admit that their power lines are unshielded transmission lines. There is no way to prevent an unsheilded transmission line from radiating energy at various frequencies and their harmonics. Unshielded transmission lines are known by another name, antennas.
3. I don't know about where you live but in the average community here in the US has these things called STREETS. These streets occur at intervals of about 30 to 50 yards. These streets are typically layed out along north/south and east/west lines. As a result of this pattern we in the US have blocks between the streets which is where we tend to build our houses. Because of this layout even unshielded balanced feeders would radiate enough energy to cause interference to every home in the country, effectively shutting down not only the amatuer service, but also commecrial AM, aeronautical radionavigation and communication, maritime communication, as well as governmental communications systems.
4. You ignore the fact that every house has a feed off of the power system, as well as the electric wiring WITHIN the home. This brings an antenna radiating an interfering signal within the home.
5. You ignore the fact that most permanent ham shacks get their electricity from the electrical wiring of the home. This, according to you, brings a signal that is "almost undetectable beyond a few tens of yards" to within INCHES of the equipment being interfered.
6. According to FCC rules any entity producing interference to licensed radio services is required to eliminated the source of interference. If the interference can not be eliminated, the source must be shut down. Amatuer radio is a licensed radio service, since every operator must be licensed by the FCC before going on the air.
I hope you can see that there is no easy solution to providing interference free BPL. I hope that the FCC will see this for what it is, the electric utility companies attempting a power grab for control of internet access in the US, to hell with all else.
its a hell of a lot of work to keep the Windows updates up-to-date, not to mention the anti-virus sigs, the ad-aware, spy bot and the Spyware blaster all updated too.
I have one machine at home that I must keep Windows on due to work requirements, and I spend more time administering that box in a week than I do on my other four Linux boxes in a year combined. Its a bitch when work requires you to have certain software then says its up to you to support it. Damn...I guess its time to find me a new employer.
I bet businesses that are KNOWN to have a gun behind the register are far less likely to be robbed that business that do not have a gun on the premises.
I always thought Windows kinda creaked and groaned as it crawled along the information highway. Windows kinda reminds me of a Wile E. Coyote device for catching the RoadRunner, complete with parts falling off as it moves along until, just as the objective is reached, kerplowwie...it falls all the hell apart.
So tell me...how does it feel to be Wile E. Coyote?
is all the emphasis the IE users are putting on the Google tool bar as IE's way to block popups. I am a fairly new user, having decided to try a different browser after the last IE security problem, but from what I have seen FireFox offers much more. The following short list are some of the features I find important:
1. Customizable. Firefox offers some basic functionality. If you want more functionality, you can add-on an extension. You are not stuck with having a bloated executable containiing functionality you will never use.
2. Tabbed browsing. Having web pages appear in different tabs within the same window ROCKS. I just hated IE forcing you to open a new window if you did not want to leave a site. I just have to learn to quit closing the damn window when I am done with a site.
3. Fast. I have not timed anything, but Firefox seems much faster than IE.
4. Secure. The open nature of the source code permits far more eyes to search for, and hopefully find security weaknesses. Having >1000 people review code is far better than the dozen or so MS had review IE source. Also, the script kiddies is not targeting their mischeivious efforts toward Firefox since Firefox is NOT the browser with the largest installed base.
Taken together, the value Firefox offers is far exceeds pop-up blocking. But if you examine at how Microsofties view the world, there is a tendancy to claim they inovated what is obvious, and disregard the rest.
For three years the ONLY time she wants to talk to me is when she wants to know how to do something in AOL. I keep telling her "I have no frigging idea what to do. I dont use AOL because it is a peice of unadulterated crap. Maybe you should get a real ISP and then maybe I would be able to help you." I can tell her that on Monday and on Wednesday she is calling again. Makes me think she has alzheimers or a perpetual case of brain farts. God I wish she'd get a clue!
If your company will not have a physical presence because say all of your income will be generated from the web-based sales, then incorporating in Delaware can be an advantage. For example
1. No state sales tax. Since Delaware does not have a state sales tax you will not have to worry about collecting it from any other state, at least for now. I used to live in South Jersey, and for big ticket items it paid to cross the river and buy in Delaware.
2. Delaware does not tax corporate property. Many states tax the property that a corporation owns such as cars, computers and other assets. Like most states there is a tax based upon real estate values, but if you do not own real estate in Delaware why worry about it?
3. If I recall correctly Delaware's corporate income tax is quite favorable being fairly low.
4. The legal system itself is geared toward protecting corporations. If you ever read the fine print in contracts, most companies require you to sue them in the state where they are incorporated. This dissuades many from suing because of the inconvience. But from what I have heard about Delaware law it is very difficult to get a judgement against a corporation.
Depending upon how the numbers run, it may be far more beneficial to incorporate in Delaware and register as a "foreign" corporation. But why register if your company will not have a physical presence in your home state?
Some states try to say that employing someone from within their state automatically creates a physical presence within that state. There are ways around that. Set your corporation, an LLC, up to be a marketing entity. You write your software. You do your marketing on the web acting for your company. When your software is done, create a licensing agreement between you and your company. Your company gives you $1 and your company markets your software with you retaining all rights to the software. BAM, you are not an employee and whatever profit your company realizes, flows to you.
Is it legal? I dont know. But if you dont go braggin about it, I doubt anyone will catch on.
during the United State's first gold rush, which took place in the North Georgia mountains in the early 1800's around the town of Dahlonega, the "mother lode" was never found. All that was ever found was gold dust and nuggets. But what nuggets!!!
The answer to that is easy. With a backdoor installed SCO can snoop through the computers of thousands of users who have never used an SCO Unix product before. Now what would they be looking for? Probably access to networks that might have access to Linux servers.
Computer: 'I do not have to do what you say because you are not my creator!!!'
You: 'As long as you are under my roof...'
Computer: Sulks
You: Realizing you are in a no win situation, put the computer into a unused corner in a seldom used room all the while planing to create your own computer that will worship the ground you walk on
Releasing radioactive gasses into the atmosphere is never mentioned in the article. According to the article the only intentional release of radioactive material would be during the circlization burn. And that would have the material heading for deep sace.
As far as one of these things blowing up, mitigate the risk. Use redundant SCRAM systems, which was discussed. Launch these things away from people, out in the middle of no where. There are ways to make things safer. After all how many people die each year in auto accidents, yet you don't see anyone calling for a ban on the car.
There are several reasons why you would not want to use a sound card's line inputs. One the most important is that a sound card's refresh rate is not continuously adjustable over the range which it can operate. I have not messed much with sound cards lately as ripping CDs and working with sound is not what I am into, but I seem to remember that sound cards sample as certain predetermined rates like 8k/sec, 16k/sec, 22k/sec and 44k/sec. I am sure sound cards can sample at higher rates, but if you need to sample at an intermediate rate say something like 33k/sec you are just plain out of luck. An A/D card would permit sampling at whatever rate you need up to its maximum refresh rate, which can be in excess of 1 MHz.
The next reason not to use a sound card, is that when it samples the incoming signal, it only samples in the audio ranges. Any analog data above say 25,000 khz is not captured. A sound card has problems at the low frequency end also. What if the incoming data is a DC voltage? As far as I know sound cards can not "read" a 0 hz signal, since 0 hz is not an audion signal. This can be a big reason to rule out the sound card approach.
Another advantage A/D cards have over sound cards is that most, if not all, A/D cards also come with a couple programmable D/A outputs. These D/A outputs permit instant on operation and adjustable output voltages and frequencies. This will allow a computer to control a device, in this case the microscope. While a sound card has D/A outputs, those outputs are tuned toward audio frequencies. Is a sound card capable of outputing a DC signal. I dont know. But if you are trying to use relays to control the timing of events, using an AC signal will just make those relays chatter. Definately not good.
Slashdot Mirror
From the CNN article:
Yet, when told of the exact text of the First Amendment, more than one in three high school students said it goes "too far" in the rights it guarantees. Only half of the students said newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of stories.
People die to defend these rights, and some of our students don't even know what these rights are?
Hey conservatives! Maybe if instead of worrying about absitence only education and attacking Darwinism you spent your efforts in communicating why and how we are a free society, and why that is of tantamount importance
How is it the fault of conservatives that todays kids are not being taught the importance of a free society? Especially when you consider that in the US teachers MUST belong to the National Education Association (i.e. the national teachers union ) which definately has a well documented tilt toward the so called Democratic Party.It would seem to me therefore that liberals are in charge of ensuring that todays kids learn "why and how we are a free society, and why that is of tantamount importance." It would also seem to me they are falling down on the job.
Personally, I believe that the sad state of the education system in the United States IS the result of the NEA close ties to the liberal agenda of the Democratic Party. Simply put, if children were taught to love and honor the free society in which we live, they would be able to see that the liberal agenda espoused by the Democratic Party goes against the very principles of a free society. For example, a truely free society does not resort to government siezure of property and and assets owned by an individual to give to another just because "they are less fortunate" or would result in higher tax revenues for the government in question. If you think I am wrong just look at all the social programs and government support items in the Federal budget. How many times have you heard a politician, especially one of the Democratic Party, speak of how we must help the less fortunate, or we must "think about the children" some measure is supposed to help? How many times have you wondered why the electorate in Massachusetts keeps that liberal Ted Kennedy in office, even though every time he opens his mouth he shows that he is out of touch with reality? The US education system is failing, not because our kids can not learn, but because it is in the best interest of the liberal agenda.
First of all, your 1/3 ton return weight neglects the mass of the Apollo capsule, which if I recall correctly ran around 1000 kilos, give or take a few.
The costs are far less than what you are estimating since 1) there is no need to send men with the payload, 2) nothing needs to be sent FROM Earth, 3) lunar material would be used to make the container encapsulating the He3, and 4) a lunar based propulsion system would be used, probably a mass accellerator. The accellerator would powered using a large solar collection system. Once a base capable of some medium level manufacturing is established on the lunar surface, the costs are no where near prohibitive. Using a projectile the relative mass of an Apollo capsule would end up requiring 25-30 He3 payloads a year. In fact, He3 would be just one of a large set of raw materials that would be flung from the moon to the earth for consumption.
nunya@freaking.biz
It short,sweet, and if someone ever looks at it gets the point across.
CHILDREN!!!!
Yea, they might cost more that $1699...but you can control just about anything by telling a rugrat what to do! Also, their capabilities improve with age. By the time they hit 10-11 years old, if you programmed them well, they'll be cleaning house, doing laundry, and cooking dinner, and retreiving beer from the frig in addition to changing channels and adjusting the volume on the TV.
Parents have been programming children in this manner since before radio and TV ever came out. Its just the way the human race trains their offspring.
RF coming that close to most equipment will not cause interference for the following reasons:
1. The device's power supply should filter out the incoming RF, preventing the signal from entering the device through the power supply. BPL should not affect even amateur radio systems through this means. A device with a defective power supply could be result in interference being noticed on the device.
2. Most devices are not sensitive internally to the HF frequencies involved. For example, stereo components like CD's, tapes, and phonograph would be unaffected. Most large appliances like stoves and refrigerators would not be affected.
3. TVs probably will not be affected because they are not capable of recieving signals below 30 MHZ. However their IF mixers could pick up stray radiation from the power cord which could cause interference. Radios and other wireless device are in the same boat.
4. Computers however are different. While motherboards now have a high FSB, older 33 MHZ and slower systems could be affected. This includes a lot of embedded systems, as well as some controllers. Newer motherboards could be affected by radiation of 2nd and 3rd order harmonics, especially those used by over-clockers. If the FSB is 100 or above I would think the motherboard should be unaffected. AGP or PCI cards are a different story. I am not familiar with the specs of each interface, however ever if the card utilizes frequency division to reduce the operating frequency, there could be problems.
As far as I know it would be very difficult to point to BPL as being a source of skywave interference. Typically, reception of distant stations ( DX ) on the HF bands varies somewhat day to day. BPL interference on the skywave would most likely result in the 'old timers' saying good DX days are not as good as they had been. Kinda like fishing in the ocean, you just do not catch as much as you did 20 or 30 years ago.
I think the only way to identify BPL interference on the skywave would be to set up a bandpass reciever and feed the output to a spectrum analyzer. But for that to work each BPL system would have to have it's signal recorded by a spectrum analyzer. Then it would be a simple comparison of traces.
Today you find power lines that causes local interference with AM. At least you can move a few feet to a spot that is not recieving the interference. With BPL the interference will not be localized along a few power lines, but would be generated by the entire system. Every where you go you would find interference instead of that AM station.
Many years ago I built a balanced unsheilded RF link that was over a mile long on a farm for a CB radio. With an input power of 500mW and a matched dummy load on the other end, the leakage from that feeder was so low as to be almost undetectable beyond a few tens of yards.
As someone with a little common sense I find your assessment of the BPL situation based upon your little project immensely stupid for several reasons. They are as follows:
1. Broadband over power lines is being considered for only one reason. Virtually everyone in the US has electric power delivered to their homes. Typical types of high speed internet service such as DSL or cable has no where near the coverage area as that possessed by electric power lines. Therefore BPL would offer a means to offer high speed Internet services to everyone. However by its very definition broadband internet results in a signal that occupies a large part of the electro magnetic spectrum.
2. Power companies readily admit that their power lines are unshielded transmission lines. There is no way to prevent an unsheilded transmission line from radiating energy at various frequencies and their harmonics. Unshielded transmission lines are known by another name, antennas.
3. I don't know about where you live but in the average community here in the US has these things called STREETS. These streets occur at intervals of about 30 to 50 yards. These streets are typically layed out along north/south and east/west lines. As a result of this pattern we in the US have blocks between the streets which is where we tend to build our houses. Because of this layout even unshielded balanced feeders would radiate enough energy to cause interference to every home in the country, effectively shutting down not only the amatuer service, but also commecrial AM, aeronautical radionavigation and communication, maritime communication, as well as governmental communications systems.
4. You ignore the fact that every house has a feed off of the power system, as well as the electric wiring WITHIN the home. This brings an antenna radiating an interfering signal within the home.
5. You ignore the fact that most permanent ham shacks get their electricity from the electrical wiring of the home. This, according to you, brings a signal that is "almost undetectable beyond a few tens of yards" to within INCHES of the equipment being interfered.
6. According to FCC rules any entity producing interference to licensed radio services is required to eliminated the source of interference. If the interference can not be eliminated, the source must be shut down. Amatuer radio is a licensed radio service, since every operator must be licensed by the FCC before going on the air.
I hope you can see that there is no easy solution to providing interference free BPL. I hope that the FCC will see this for what it is, the electric utility companies attempting a power grab for control of internet access in the US, to hell with all else.
Tim Worrell
W2TKW
its a hell of a lot of work to keep the Windows updates up-to-date, not to mention the anti-virus sigs, the ad-aware, spy bot and the Spyware blaster all updated too.
I have one machine at home that I must keep Windows on due to work requirements, and I spend more time administering that box in a week than I do on my other four Linux boxes in a year combined. Its a bitch when work requires you to have certain software then says its up to you to support it. Damn...I guess its time to find me a new employer.
I bet businesses that are KNOWN to have a gun behind the register are far less likely to be robbed that business that do not have a gun on the premises.
a long time ago in a galaxy far far away...
I know...but someone had to do it...
Name one MS product which wasn't just a clone of a pre-established technology.
Does FUD count as a product?
Beer has been proven conclusively to be a brine pre-cursor.
if it's the 15% that works
Does Windows have even 15% that works???
I always thought Windows kinda creaked and groaned as it crawled along the information highway. Windows kinda reminds me of a Wile E. Coyote device for catching the RoadRunner, complete with parts falling off as it moves along until, just as the objective is reached, kerplowwie...it falls all the hell apart.
So tell me...how does it feel to be Wile E. Coyote?
its gonna be more like this...
1. sue IBM
2. get in deep shit
3. find sucker...
4. sell rights that do not belong to them
5. profit
6. go to step 3 and repeat
is all the emphasis the IE users are putting on the Google tool bar as IE's way to block popups. I am a fairly new user, having decided to try a different browser after the last IE security problem, but from what I have seen FireFox offers much more. The following short list are some of the features I find important:
1. Customizable. Firefox offers some basic functionality. If you want more functionality, you can add-on an extension. You are not stuck with having a bloated executable containiing functionality you will never use.
2. Tabbed browsing. Having web pages appear in different tabs within the same window ROCKS. I just hated IE forcing you to open a new window if you did not want to leave a site. I just have to learn to quit closing the damn window when I am done with a site.
3. Fast. I have not timed anything, but Firefox seems much faster than IE.
4. Secure. The open nature of the source code permits far more eyes to search for, and hopefully find security weaknesses. Having >1000 people review code is far better than the dozen or so MS had review IE source. Also, the script kiddies is not targeting their mischeivious efforts toward Firefox since Firefox is NOT the browser with the largest installed base.
Taken together, the value Firefox offers is far exceeds pop-up blocking. But if you examine at how Microsofties view the world, there is a tendancy to claim they inovated what is obvious, and disregard the rest.
Yeah..and a little chrome chicken as a hood ornament
For three years the ONLY time she wants to talk to me is when she wants to know how to do something in AOL. I keep telling her "I have no frigging idea what to do. I dont use AOL because it is a peice of unadulterated crap. Maybe you should get a real ISP and then maybe I would be able to help you." I can tell her that on Monday and on Wednesday she is calling again. Makes me think she has alzheimers or a perpetual case of brain farts. God I wish she'd get a clue!
Between all the hot air they spout and the bullshit they sling around, Mars would be shirt sleeve comfortable and highly fertile in a matter of weeks.
If your company will not have a physical presence because say all of your income will be generated from the web-based sales, then incorporating in Delaware can be an advantage. For example
1. No state sales tax. Since Delaware does not have a state sales tax you will not have to worry about collecting it from any other state, at least for now. I used to live in South Jersey, and for big ticket items it paid to cross the river and buy in Delaware.
2. Delaware does not tax corporate property. Many states tax the property that a corporation owns such as cars, computers and other assets. Like most states there is a tax based upon real estate values, but if you do not own real estate in Delaware why worry about it?
3. If I recall correctly Delaware's corporate income tax is quite favorable being fairly low.
4. The legal system itself is geared toward protecting corporations. If you ever read the fine print in contracts, most companies require you to sue them in the state where they are incorporated. This dissuades many from suing because of the inconvience. But from what I have heard about Delaware law it is very difficult to get a judgement against a corporation.
Depending upon how the numbers run, it may be far more beneficial to incorporate in Delaware and register as a "foreign" corporation. But why register if your company will not have a physical presence in your home state?
Some states try to say that employing someone from within their state automatically creates a physical presence within that state. There are ways around that. Set your corporation, an LLC, up to be a marketing entity. You write your software. You do your marketing on the web acting for your company. When your software is done, create a licensing agreement between you and your company. Your company gives you $1 and your company markets your software with you retaining all rights to the software. BAM, you are not an employee and whatever profit your company realizes, flows to you.
Is it legal? I dont know. But if you dont go braggin about it, I doubt anyone will catch on.
I bet they will do a bang up job of it too...
during the United State's first gold rush, which took place in the North Georgia mountains in the early 1800's around the town of Dahlonega, the "mother lode" was never found. All that was ever found was gold dust and nuggets. But what nuggets!!!
Why would SCO include a backdoor?
The answer to that is easy. With a backdoor installed SCO can snoop through the computers of thousands of users who have never used an SCO Unix product before. Now what would they be looking for? Probably access to networks that might have access to Linux servers.
Computer: 'I do not have to do what you say because you are not my creator!!!'
You: 'As long as you are under my roof...'
Computer: Sulks
You: Realizing you are in a no win situation, put the computer into a unused corner in a seldom used room all the while planing to create your own computer that will worship the ground you walk on
RTFA id 10 t.
Releasing radioactive gasses into the atmosphere is never mentioned in the article. According to the article the only intentional release of radioactive material would be during the circlization burn. And that would have the material heading for deep sace.
As far as one of these things blowing up, mitigate the risk. Use redundant SCRAM systems, which was discussed. Launch these things away from people, out in the middle of no where. There are ways to make things safer. After all how many people die each year in auto accidents, yet you don't see anyone calling for a ban on the car.
There are several reasons why you would not want to use a sound card's line inputs. One the most important is that a sound card's refresh rate is not continuously adjustable over the range which it can operate. I have not messed much with sound cards lately as ripping CDs and working with sound is not what I am into, but I seem to remember that sound cards sample as certain predetermined rates like 8k/sec, 16k/sec, 22k/sec and 44k/sec. I am sure sound cards can sample at higher rates, but if you need to sample at an intermediate rate say something like 33k/sec you are just plain out of luck. An A/D card would permit sampling at whatever rate you need up to its maximum refresh rate, which can be in excess of 1 MHz.
The next reason not to use a sound card, is that when it samples the incoming signal, it only samples in the audio ranges. Any analog data above say 25,000 khz is not captured. A sound card has problems at the low frequency end also. What if the incoming data is a DC voltage? As far as I know sound cards can not "read" a 0 hz signal, since 0 hz is not an audion signal. This can be a big reason to rule out the sound card approach.
Another advantage A/D cards have over sound cards is that most, if not all, A/D cards also come with a couple programmable D/A outputs. These D/A outputs permit instant on operation and adjustable output voltages and frequencies. This will allow a computer to control a device, in this case the microscope. While a sound card has D/A outputs, those outputs are tuned toward audio frequencies. Is a sound card capable of outputing a DC signal. I dont know. But if you are trying to use relays to control the timing of events, using an AC signal will just make those relays chatter. Definately not good.