Well.. sorta. It's more like when a company loans you a laptop to hack, then they let ya keep it, then they give ya ten thousand dollars on top of that. I dunno, I think that analogy is a bit of a stretch...
What if phones were forced into vibrate mode when they detected the picocell on the plane? I hate loud celly-talkers as much as the next hermetic curmudgeon, but I don't like my cell phone doing stuff without my prompting (since all phones would need this feature for it to be effective) to make up for other people being irresponsible jerks.
Perhaps it's time we moved the entire country to 112. If you ask me, "occasional journalistic ambiguity" is hardly a good reason to completely replace a vital part of our emergency services infrastructure.
Okay, your math might work in some places, but that doesn't mean CFLs have a net benefit in all circumstances.
For example, in Ontario (ref http://www.opg.com/power/), only 27% of power generated in 2007 was from fossil fuels. This brings your 7 milligrams-in-savings figure down to 3.8 milligrams, which is a narrower range. If you buy cheap bulbs which don't last as long, the benefit might be lost.
In places like Quebec, where nearly all power is from hydroelectricity, or France, where most is from nuclear and hydroelectricity, the mercury argument goes out the window (especially considering the environmental impacts of nuclear and hydro).
All this to say is that people want to focus on mercury, they should find out where their electricity is coming from, and not necessarily assume that one solution is better.
I disagree. The problem with the mainstream environmental movement is that it lets people think that changing a lightbulb is enough.
Sure, I use CFLs, but I don't use CFLs as a litmus test for environmentalism.
Unregulated/underregulated/unenforced/underenforced industrial pollution, suburban sprawl, industrial agriculture, ecological and cultural displacement... hell, even war. All of these things are big environment-destroyers, but Joe Public is 'making a difference' because he changed a fucking lightbulb!
This process scales up. The Ontario Government recently banned incandescent lightbulbs in order to promote CFL use. It's a cheap and dangerous vote-buying technique, especially with the jury still out on CFLs' net benefit.
Ikea also takes back bulbs, but only ones purchased from Ikea (not sure if this only applies to Ottawa...)
In Ottawa, you can also take bulbs to Marchand Electrical Co. Ltd., according to the City's TakeItBack guide (www.ottawa.ca/takeitback)
A couple years ago, I wrote to the City and asked them about CFLs, and their response (Jan 3, 2006) is reproduced in part below:
The City of Ottawa's municipal landfill is regulated by the Ontario Ministry of Environment Regulation 347. Under this regulation, there is a small quantity exemption for residents to dispose of mercury containing light fixtures that would be equivalent to 17 standard 4 foot, 1 and 1/2 inch diameter fluorescent tubes per month. You can place this type of material out with your regular curbside collection.
These types of light fixtures do contain trace amounts of mercury. You should be aware that the City's municipal landfill has an impermeable liner and an extensive leachate collection system where the leachate is collected and then treated at our sewage treatment plant. The concentration of mercury in the landfill leachate has never been out of compliance with the City's Sewer Use Bylaw and in fact has never been detected (detection limit is 0.0001 mg/L for mercury) in our leachate over the past 4 years.
Manufacturers are working to reduce the mercury content without reducing lamp life in these types of fixtures. - RG>
That's great, in theory at least. So tell me. What company do you currently go to in order to buy an inkjet printer with cheap high capacity cartridges that can be supplied by someone other than the manufacturer? The difference is that it is (and/or will be) much easier to make your own LED "lightbulb" than to make your own inkjet printer/printer cartridge.
Instead of simply referencing what you "heard" or "read", why don't you at least check out the Wikipedia article on entrapment, which lists lots of relevant US case law, and talks about the two different tests for entrapment.
Even worse than wide screens is short screens. I had three OOo Calc windows open, tiled horizontally, and I had removed most of the toolbars and status bars to maximize visible area.
Unfortunately, it kept turning the toolbars back on!
Reporting OOo bugs is hardly a user-friendly experience, especially if you've never done it before. Heck, even now when I want to report a new one, or vote for an existing bug, it takes me a while to figure out how I did it last time. But at least you can!
From what I recall (from books, not personal experience), there were pretty much equal numbers of gasoline, electric, and steam-powered cars until Henry Ford revolutionized manufacturing.
(resisting urge to start post with "why was this modded up?")
I was going to post asking about the ice cream before. I've heard of freeze dried ice cream on several occasions, there are even places you can buy it here on earth. I have no idea how the process works, but it makes ice cream that does not need to be frozen.
The Wikipedia article seems fairly explanatory: real ice cream has gone to space; freeze-dried ice cream was for longer-duration missions to reduce weight.
As for the iPods,... They probably remove the batteries and then attach them to the external packs you can buy around here, that take four AA batteries.
It's also very likely they have an alternate adapter to jack into the ISS's grid to power it, a bit like a cigarette lighter jack but something smaller I'm sure. The batteries are probably only needed when they are inconveniently away from an outlet, or say out on a space walk.
RTFA: iPods are not cleared to be used on the ISS, only on the Shuttle. And they go through a heck of a lot of AA batteries. You realize the whole point of an iPod is that you don't have to plug it in, right?
I bet they have even more stringent requirements though for what you can take on your person when on a space walk. It would not surprise me if ipods are barred. And for some of those 8 and 11 hour marathon walks we hear about from time to time, that's gotta be a bummer.
If you've ever watched an EVA, there is no opportunity for the spacewalkers to listen to music, as they are constantly in communication with ground control. They also have to concentrate on, you know, making sure they're always tethered and not going to float away, that they're clear of hazardous objects, etc.
I'm surprised this article gave so few details though - I've heard offhand of numerous other issues I was expecting to read about in this article. It had all of what, five interesting factoids? Lets hear about
- toilets - showers - drinking liquids - anything to reduce weight on liftoff, like hair cutting
Sunita Williams went up a year or so ago and stayed on the ISS. She had long hair going up, and cut much of it off while in orbit because it was floating around like a puff ball. Considering she probably weighed less than most of the male astronauts, I doubt hair really matters.
- I wonder if there's an "in case of emergency" bean-o pack on board? heh... y'know, one recirculating air system and all...
First, you take bean-o at the start of the meal, not after you start passing gas. Second, I'm sure meals are highly regulated to ensure that they don't cause gas (for example, the thing about carbonated beverages that someone mentioned in another comment). Third, *all* smells are regulated. Every piece of material that goes up in space is rigorously tested to make sure it has no smell. I think there was an issue a few years back where a piece of velcro was allowed to go up into space, and it was causing troubles because the plastic in it was off-gassing a chemical odour that caused discomfort.
- the sorrid details of a long space walk. how do you drink? anything for food in 8-11 hr walks? yes, you get to wear a diaper and WILL be using it, etc - stories of what happens when an astronaut gets sick - flu etc. I recall someone on Appolo getting appendicitis in mission. - do astronauts sign an agreement not to have sex while up there? or how was that addressed? you know they had something to say about it.
I expect that they don't talk about this stuff in order to respect the astronauts' privacy. Things like illness are likely dealt with on a case-by-case basis. In February, the first spacewalk was delayed because one of the would-be spacewalkers was feeling ill. NASA and the astronaut refused to divulge details, citing privacy reasons.
Slashdot Mirror
It's what browsers need.
- RG>
- RG>
Actually, they are available in Canada, on thecomedynetwork.ca
- RG>
Or how about the one most relevant to the NYT: Newspaper.
- RG>
- RG>
s/fear/patriotism
- RG>
- RG>
Yes, but it's always such a hassle when wardriving to have to go in and secure all those signals.
- RG>
Where will you park it?
It's one thing to reduce emissions, but quite another to reduce traffic congestion.
- RG>
Okay, your math might work in some places, but that doesn't mean CFLs have a net benefit in all circumstances.
For example, in Ontario (ref http://www.opg.com/power/), only 27% of power generated in 2007 was from fossil fuels. This brings your 7 milligrams-in-savings figure down to 3.8 milligrams, which is a narrower range. If you buy cheap bulbs which don't last as long, the benefit might be lost.
In places like Quebec, where nearly all power is from hydroelectricity, or France, where most is from nuclear and hydroelectricity, the mercury argument goes out the window (especially considering the environmental impacts of nuclear and hydro).
All this to say is that people want to focus on mercury, they should find out where their electricity is coming from, and not necessarily assume that one solution is better.
- RG>
I disagree. The problem with the mainstream environmental movement is that it lets people think that changing a lightbulb is enough.
Sure, I use CFLs, but I don't use CFLs as a litmus test for environmentalism.
Unregulated/underregulated/unenforced/underenforced industrial pollution, suburban sprawl, industrial agriculture, ecological and cultural displacement... hell, even war. All of these things are big environment-destroyers, but Joe Public is 'making a difference' because he changed a fucking lightbulb!
This process scales up. The Ontario Government recently banned incandescent lightbulbs in order to promote CFL use. It's a cheap and dangerous vote-buying technique, especially with the jury still out on CFLs' net benefit.
- RG>
In Ottawa, you can also take bulbs to Marchand Electrical Co. Ltd., according to the City's TakeItBack guide (www.ottawa.ca/takeitback)
A couple years ago, I wrote to the City and asked them about CFLs, and their response (Jan 3, 2006) is reproduced in part below: The City of Ottawa's municipal landfill is regulated by the Ontario Ministry of Environment Regulation 347. Under this regulation, there is a small quantity exemption for residents to dispose of mercury containing light fixtures that would be equivalent to 17 standard 4 foot, 1 and 1/2 inch diameter fluorescent tubes per month. You can place this type of material out with your regular curbside collection.
These types of light fixtures do contain trace amounts of mercury. You should be aware that the City's municipal landfill has an impermeable liner and an extensive leachate collection system where the leachate is collected and then treated at our sewage treatment plant. The concentration of mercury in the landfill leachate has never been out of compliance with the City's Sewer Use Bylaw and in fact has never been detected (detection limit is 0.0001 mg/L for mercury) in our leachate over the past 4 years.
Manufacturers are working to reduce the mercury content without reducing lamp life in these types of fixtures. - RG>
- RG>
Instead of simply referencing what you "heard" or "read", why don't you at least check out the Wikipedia article on entrapment, which lists lots of relevant US case law, and talks about the two different tests for entrapment.
- RG>
Even worse than wide screens is short screens. I had three OOo Calc windows open, tiled horizontally, and I had removed most of the toolbars and status bars to maximize visible area.
Unfortunately, it kept turning the toolbars back on!
- RG>
Reporting OOo bugs is hardly a user-friendly experience, especially if you've never done it before. Heck, even now when I want to report a new one, or vote for an existing bug, it takes me a while to figure out how I did it last time. But at least you can!
- RG>
Your system is overheating. I keep mine below 0 degrees celsius, and wasn't able to recreate the leaks you described.
- RG>
As a follow-up:
George W. Bush: Great president, or Greatest president?
- RG>
From what I recall (from books, not personal experience), there were pretty much equal numbers of gasoline, electric, and steam-powered cars until Henry Ford revolutionized manufacturing.
- RG>
I thought the new Godwin's law was to use any discussion as a starting-off point to complain about Bush.
- RG>
Now that Wikileaks has the bomb, people will think twice about trying to shut it down!
- RG>
It's not the rape that's funny; it's the irony.
- RG>
I was going to post asking about the ice cream before. I've heard of freeze dried ice cream on several occasions, there are even places you can buy it here on earth. I have no idea how the process works, but it makes ice cream that does not need to be frozen.
The Wikipedia article seems fairly explanatory: real ice cream has gone to space; freeze-dried ice cream was for longer-duration missions to reduce weight.
As for the iPods, ... They probably remove the batteries and then attach them to the external packs you can buy around here, that take four AA batteries.
It's also very likely they have an alternate adapter to jack into the ISS's grid to power it, a bit like a cigarette lighter jack but something smaller I'm sure. The batteries are probably only needed when they are inconveniently away from an outlet, or say out on a space walk.
RTFA: iPods are not cleared to be used on the ISS, only on the Shuttle. And they go through a heck of a lot of AA batteries. You realize the whole point of an iPod is that you don't have to plug it in, right?
I bet they have even more stringent requirements though for what you can take on your person when on a space walk. It would not surprise me if ipods are barred. And for some of those 8 and 11 hour marathon walks we hear about from time to time, that's gotta be a bummer.
If you've ever watched an EVA, there is no opportunity for the spacewalkers to listen to music, as they are constantly in communication with ground control. They also have to concentrate on, you know, making sure they're always tethered and not going to float away, that they're clear of hazardous objects, etc.
I'm surprised this article gave so few details though - I've heard offhand of numerous other issues I was expecting to read about in this article. It had all of what, five interesting factoids? Lets hear about
- toilets
- showers
- drinking liquids
- anything to reduce weight on liftoff, like hair cutting
Sunita Williams went up a year or so ago and stayed on the ISS. She had long hair going up, and cut much of it off while in orbit because it was floating around like a puff ball. Considering she probably weighed less than most of the male astronauts, I doubt hair really matters.
- I wonder if there's an "in case of emergency" bean-o pack on board? heh... y'know, one recirculating air system and all...
First, you take bean-o at the start of the meal, not after you start passing gas. Second, I'm sure meals are highly regulated to ensure that they don't cause gas (for example, the thing about carbonated beverages that someone mentioned in another comment). Third, *all* smells are regulated. Every piece of material that goes up in space is rigorously tested to make sure it has no smell. I think there was an issue a few years back where a piece of velcro was allowed to go up into space, and it was causing troubles because the plastic in it was off-gassing a chemical odour that caused discomfort.
- the sorrid details of a long space walk. how do you drink? anything for food in 8-11 hr walks? yes, you get to wear a diaper and WILL be using it, etc
- stories of what happens when an astronaut gets sick - flu etc. I recall someone on Appolo getting appendicitis in mission.
- do astronauts sign an agreement not to have sex while up there? or how was that addressed? you know they had something to say about it.
I expect that they don't talk about this stuff in order to respect the astronauts' privacy. Things like illness are likely dealt with on a case-by-case basis. In February, the first spacewalk was delayed because one of the would-be spacewalkers was feeling ill. NASA and the astronaut refused to divulge details, citing privacy reasons.
- personal limitations? we saw
Because the area man who doesn't have a television has the day off?
- RG>
- RG>