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User: trout007

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  1. This is where the ton for AC capacity comes from. on How a Massachusetts Man Invented the Global Ice Market · · Score: 4, Interesting

    One ton of AC is equivalent to what one ton of ice melting would provide over a day.

  2. Re:I don't care about NASA on Can Rep. John Culberson Save NASA's Space Exploration Program? · · Score: 1

    You should be happy since NASA has paid for about 1/2 of SpaceX expenses so far. In fact NASA doesn't build much. The last A is for administration which is what it mostly does. Private contractors do the vast majority of the work. NASA just sets the goals and monitors the contracts. Some work is kept in house but most of that is so that there are people smart enough to manage the contracts.

  3. Re:As long as they get close it's a win on SpaceX To Attempt Falcon 9 Landing On Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship · · Score: 1

    I'll try one more time. They have shown they can land from a stable position in Texas. If they can show they can get from second stage separation to a similar configuration over a barge in the ocean then it's a success. If they can it will show they have good enough control that range safety will allow them to fly back to try to land on land.

  4. Re:Home of the brave? on Top Five Theaters Won't Show "The Interview" Sony Cancels Release · · Score: 1

    Funny how you just throw the word profit out there without explaination. If your first statement is true that humans are brave and motivated by liberty and honor then the easiest way for corporations to make a profit is to sell people what they want. If humans were truely motivated by these ideals then corporations would be selling into that market.

  5. Re:As long as they get close it's a win on SpaceX To Attempt Falcon 9 Landing On Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship · · Score: 1

    You missed quoting the important part.

    It doesn't really matter if they tip over over land too hard at sea.

    As long as they show a good landing burn over the landing zone it doesn't matter if a pitching deck causes a landing failure.

  6. As long as they get close it's a win on SpaceX To Attempt Falcon 9 Landing On Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship · · Score: 4, Informative

    The goal isn't to land on a barge, but back at the launch site (or at least near it). If they can show over a couple attempts that they get close to the target then they can move to doing this over land. They have already proven they can do this in Texas many times. It doesn't really matter if they tip over over land too hard at sea. What you don't want is that it missed by a mile or cartwheels out of control.

  7. Re:sometimes regrettable, somewhat necessary on 'Revolving Door' Spins Between AT&T, Government · · Score: 1

    I think it was Milton Friedman who explained there are 4 ways to spend money.

    1) Spend your own money on yourself.
        You look for a compromise between cost and quality
    2) Spend your own money on somebody else.
        You look mostly for cost
    3) Spend somebody else’s money on yourself.
        You look mostly for quality
    4) Spend somebody else’s money on somebody else.
        You really don't care.

  8. A Universal Truth at Work on Displaced IT Workers Being Silenced · · Score: 4, Insightful

    We all want to have a monopoly on what we do for a living. We want limited competitor and supply s and be able to charge high prices. As consumers we want unlimited choices, lots of supply, and low prices. A free market will provide the latter and a command economy is required for the former. What we have now is the worst of both. Those with political power use it to restrict start up and small competitors while trying to have unlimited supply of cheap labor.

  9. Re:Wrong conclusion: not "unintended consequences" on How One Man Changed the Ecology of the Great Lakes With Salmon · · Score: 1

    It only takes one predator carrying a pregnant fish from one pond to another to eat it and having the eggs wash into the pond to start. I'm sure they take off pretty quick with no large fish predators in the water.

  10. Re:These are real engineers, you Ruby weenies. on Orion Capsule Safely Recovered, Complete With 12-Year-Old Computer Guts · · Score: 1

    The difference is that this is the first compile and test of Orion and it costs a couple billion so don't mess up.

  11. Re:Overtime system provides the wrong incentives on Should IT Professionals Be Exempt From Overtime Regulations? · · Score: 1

    I think the original reason is that employee benefits are typically calculated over 40 hours. So after 40 hours the cost of the employee actually goes down to the employer.

  12. Live Coverage on NASA's Orion Capsule Reaches Orbit · · Score: 1

    In case anyone is interested.
    http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv

  13. Re:Why only women? on Australian Target Stores Ban GTA V For Depictions of Violence Against Women · · Score: 1

    Especially since those evil men were most likely raised by single women and educated in schools made up almost entirely of women.

  14. Re:So if it were violence against white men on Australian Target Stores Ban GTA V For Depictions of Violence Against Women · · Score: 1

    If men's lives weren't disposable think how hard it would be to get things done or have wars.

  15. Re:More worries over technical competence on Technical Hitches Delay Orion Capsule's First Launch · · Score: 1

    This was a problem with the Air Force rocket not the NASA payload.

  16. Re:More worries over technical competence on Technical Hitches Delay Orion Capsule's First Launch · · Score: 1

    NASA doesn't launch these rockets. They are operated by ULA (Boeing and Lockheed).

  17. Re:Why tax profits, why not income? on UK Announces 'Google Tax' · · Score: 1

    Not quite. I am talking about in place of the existing tax code.

    So take this mine.
    http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?...
    Right now they pay $87M in taxes on $2789M in revenue or about 3%. So prices wouldn't go up that much. If anything their costs of tax complience would also go down quite a bit.

  18. Re:Why tax profits, why not income? on UK Announces 'Google Tax' · · Score: 1

    Not quite. The price of your labor is $50. That hour is worth less to you than $50 otherwise you wouldn't trade. That hour is worth more to your employer otherwise they wouldn't trade.

  19. Re:Why tax profits, why not income? on UK Announces 'Google Tax' · · Score: 1

    Of course they would for a price. But it's hard to compete with free which is what businesses pay today.

  20. Re:Why tax profits, why not income? on UK Announces 'Google Tax' · · Score: 1

    We already pay sales tax on cars and houses. It's factored into the price.

  21. Re:Why tax profits, why not income? on UK Announces 'Google Tax' · · Score: 1

    I limit my liability for driving by buying insurance. The more risky a driver the higher the rates. The same should apply to businesses. Except since the risk is externalized so companies are better off taking larger risks because they keep the benefits but socialize the risk.

  22. Re:Why tax profits, why not income? on UK Announces 'Google Tax' · · Score: 1

    Not if you are an employee. I can't deduct my car that I need to get to work, house to live, utilities, food, medicine, etc. Only if you are self employed.

  23. Re:Why tax profits, why not income? on UK Announces 'Google Tax' · · Score: 2

    Did you read what I wrote?
    "After all there is a huge benefit to incorporating which is limiting liability of the owners"

    This is what I mean. This HUGE benefit should come at a price.

  24. Why tax profits, why not income? on UK Announces 'Google Tax' · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Individuals aren't taxes based on their profit but income. Corporations should minimally be held to the same standard. After all there is a huge benefit to incorporating which is limiting liability of the owners. Tax the income at a much lower rate of 5% or so. Think of all of the productivity lost moving money around to optimize tax payments. If your profit margin isn't high enough to cover this tax then you shouldn't incorporate.

  25. Re:Might be a fit for EVs on Practical Magnetic Levitating Transmission Gear System Loses Its Teeth · · Score: 1

    Wrong. Electric cars have plenty of gears. You need to change the relatively high RPM of an electric motor to the lower RPM of the wheels. Also if a motor is driving more than one wheel you need a differential which is full of gears.

    What you might not need is a transmission where you can actively change the gear ratio but there are plenty of gears in an electric car.