Drones make the news these days, for obvious reasons. However, it is important to note that this was not a drone such as the ones we tend to think of these days, taking out terror suspects, etc. This was an old-fashioned target drone, the type the Navy has been using for forty years. Basically a step up from an RC aircraft, with not a lot of smarts, and designed to be shot up. If this accident had happened thirty years ago no one outside of the Navy would have taken note of it.
I don't completely trust their numbers. 70+ percent of motorists 18-39 admit that they talk or text while driving, but I suspect that older drivers do it just about as much -- they just don't admit to it. Just driving around I notice a LOT of drivers, who are obviously older than 39, talking on, or otherwise looking down at, their phones. In fact, I would say that middle-aged women are possibly the most prolific texters while driving. I'm just not sure that younger drivers are the biggest issue.
Good point. And today is a good day to bring it up. Because originally this was Armistice Day (and still is in some countries). It was a day to celebrate peace - or at least, the cessation of war. From Wikipedia: "A Congressional Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday: "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."
I think Barnes and Noble have pretty much already gone bust. Have you been in one lately? All they have is a big Nook section surrounded by puzzles, games, greeting cards and other knick-knacks -- hardly any books at all.
The Faustman Lab at Mass General has already been going down this road for years, and are ready for a phase II trial now -- but they only need to raise $16 million more. Just sayin', if anyone is thinking about donating, the Faustman Lab seems further along.
What's with all the pictures? Not only does Slashdot load more slowly, now it's no longer safe for work. Did you REALLY work with members of the community to come up with this new design? I've been on Slashdot since 1999 (five digit user number). I don't want to leave Slashdot, but it's looking like every other craptastic news site now.
Then why is he blaming it on IBM? It was not pointless or stupid on the original, pre Windows PC. Keeping it in Windows is on him, not some schmuck at IBM.
I don't understand the problem. Ctrl+Alt+Del originally meant "reboot". That's obviously not something you want to do accidentally. If there's a problem it is in using the three-finger-salute for things other than reboot.
We might need to coin a new term for this. Just as the TSA, et al, practice "security theatre", the NSA will be practicing "privacy theatre". That is to say, seemingly taking steps to protect privacy and civil liberties, but really just doing business as usual.
This is possibly one of the most idiotic things I've ever read on Slashdot. It is so stupid, in fact, that I can only assume it's a joke. But in case it isn't, you need to understand something: We neolithic humans have evolved to develop tools, agriculture, and manufacturing. We settle down in one spot, building wealth and capital. Whatever device you used for posting that drivel exists only because people are NOT able to "leave at the drop of a hat", like a paleolithic hunter-gatherer. If you want to live that way, fine -- to each his own -- but don't pretend that this parasitical method is somehow superior, while still taking advantage of the technology and infrastructure built by others.
The irony in this is that it was technology that made the newspapers possible. Without the technology of the printing press there would never have been newspapers in the first place.
Yes. But the Costa Concordia does NOT displace 114,000 tons. It only displaces about 55,000 tons. The 114,000 number is its gross tonnage, not its displacement.
One of the things about this story that has been driving me crazy is the continual reporting that the ship "weighs" 114,000 tons. It's a big ship, but it isn't THAT big. The 114k number comes from the ship's gross tonnage, which, despite its name, refers to volume, not weight. The Costa Concordia's displacement, which is essentially its weight, is probably around 55,000 tons.
Well, yes, huge pandemics are "scary". Stephen King's "The Stand" is based on the premise. But they are also historical realities -- it is possible that there will be a flu pandemic at some point. The fact that the DoD has done some planning for such a scenario is not scary. What would be scary is if they did NOT do any planning.
Slashdot Mirror
Drones make the news these days, for obvious reasons. However, it is important to note that this was not a drone such as the ones we tend to think of these days, taking out terror suspects, etc. This was an old-fashioned target drone, the type the Navy has been using for forty years. Basically a step up from an RC aircraft, with not a lot of smarts, and designed to be shot up. If this accident had happened thirty years ago no one outside of the Navy would have taken note of it.
I think introducing zero-based counting to older children is a good idea. For younger children, this is a mistake.
"You have ten fingers Zoe."
"No I don't. I have nine. See? 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 -- 9!"
Teaching young children zero-based counting, before they can count is like teaching them the Greek alphabet before they learn their ABCs.
I don't completely trust their numbers. 70+ percent of motorists 18-39 admit that they talk or text while driving, but I suspect that older drivers do it just about as much -- they just don't admit to it. Just driving around I notice a LOT of drivers, who are obviously older than 39, talking on, or otherwise looking down at, their phones. In fact, I would say that middle-aged women are possibly the most prolific texters while driving. I'm just not sure that younger drivers are the biggest issue.
Winter is coming.
Except for Kat Dennings. I can watch her all day long.
Good point. And today is a good day to bring it up. Because originally this was Armistice Day (and still is in some countries). It was a day to celebrate peace - or at least, the cessation of war. From Wikipedia: "A Congressional Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday: "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."
I think Barnes and Noble have pretty much already gone bust. Have you been in one lately? All they have is a big Nook section surrounded by puzzles, games, greeting cards and other knick-knacks -- hardly any books at all.
The Faustman Lab at Mass General has already been going down this road for years, and are ready for a phase II trial now -- but they only need to raise $16 million more. Just sayin', if anyone is thinking about donating, the Faustman Lab seems further along.
This sounds like some 1950s, Popular Mechanics approach to the situation. Wouldn't it make more sense for the books to be digital?
What's with all the pictures? Not only does Slashdot load more slowly, now it's no longer safe for work. Did you REALLY work with members of the community to come up with this new design? I've been on Slashdot since 1999 (five digit user number). I don't want to leave Slashdot, but it's looking like every other craptastic news site now.
Then why is he blaming it on IBM? That was pre-Windows.
Then why is he blaming it on IBM? It was not pointless or stupid on the original, pre Windows PC. Keeping it in Windows is on him, not some schmuck at IBM.
I don't understand the problem. Ctrl+Alt+Del originally meant "reboot". That's obviously not something you want to do accidentally. If there's a problem it is in using the three-finger-salute for things other than reboot.
We might need to coin a new term for this. Just as the TSA, et al, practice "security theatre", the NSA will be practicing "privacy theatre". That is to say, seemingly taking steps to protect privacy and civil liberties, but really just doing business as usual.
This is possibly one of the most idiotic things I've ever read on Slashdot. It is so stupid, in fact, that I can only assume it's a joke. But in case it isn't, you need to understand something: We neolithic humans have evolved to develop tools, agriculture, and manufacturing. We settle down in one spot, building wealth and capital. Whatever device you used for posting that drivel exists only because people are NOT able to "leave at the drop of a hat", like a paleolithic hunter-gatherer. If you want to live that way, fine -- to each his own -- but don't pretend that this parasitical method is somehow superior, while still taking advantage of the technology and infrastructure built by others.
People have been doing the same things with vehicles and planes for a hundred years now.
If they want to equal Wiley Post's achievement, they have to do it with one eye.
I cannot fathom any software system costing that much. I imagine even the people over at SAP are going, "Dayum!"
Wow. That statement sounds like something that could have been written by the Supreme Court of the Soviet Union back in the 1970s.
The irony in this is that it was technology that made the newspapers possible. Without the technology of the printing press there would never have been newspapers in the first place.
Yes. But the Costa Concordia does NOT displace 114,000 tons. It only displaces about 55,000 tons. The 114,000 number is its gross tonnage, not its displacement.
One of the things about this story that has been driving me crazy is the continual reporting that the ship "weighs" 114,000 tons. It's a big ship, but it isn't THAT big. The 114k number comes from the ship's gross tonnage, which, despite its name, refers to volume, not weight. The Costa Concordia's displacement, which is essentially its weight, is probably around 55,000 tons.
The military (and just about every other essential agency) have to do their own planning. Only they know their needs and capabilities.
They said infected population, not total population. They are assuming that about one third of the population could get infected.
Well, yes, huge pandemics are "scary". Stephen King's "The Stand" is based on the premise. But they are also historical realities -- it is possible that there will be a flu pandemic at some point. The fact that the DoD has done some planning for such a scenario is not scary. What would be scary is if they did NOT do any planning.