* Posts by Bounty

359 publicly visible posts • joined 26 Sep 2007

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Computer forensics defuses FBI's Clinton email 'bombshell'

Bounty

For the sake of argument lets say that there are 40 classified email that Clinton wanted to hide, but have now been found on that laptop. Would the FBI just walk out and announce they are going to charge her with a crime? What if they are low level classified, what if they may lead to other possible charges, but are not in and of themselves super interesting. There are a ton of reasons why the FBI would not publicly announce anything yet. Also, they may be scrubbing the HDD for deleted email files as well, which would take time. Imagine the things Anthony Weiner has deleted from that laptop.. *SHUDDERS*

Deploying Turing to see if we have free will

Bounty

Re: quantum non-determinism

"Given that quantum events happen at a quantum level and are very predictable at any larger level and that their variability is truly random, then it only really means that we have free will at a sub-atomic level and that free will means the same as unpredictable behaviour.

How would free will of that nature be useful?"

Because, watching a monkey type in "1" over and over again as input to a very complex program would be very boring. Let the money put in truly random numbers and it might be entertaining.

US gov cash slash threatens manned trips to asteroids and Mars

Bounty

Re: So you've never played chicken, then.

It actually depends on why you're playing chicken and what your risk is. Not all games of chicken are "fair." Are you driving the expensive sports car, or the beat up older family sedan with full insurance?

Chase joins Bank of America in possible Islamic attack outage

Bounty

Christoph, if we killed people in other countries "wholesale," how do they keep suicide bombing Russians or anyone else, not brown enough when an Egyptian who became a US citizen makes a bad movie? Zombies? Magic? Time travel? If we're killing them "wholesale," why do we keep landing troops there? Wouldn't we just drop bombs indiscriminately instead?

Also, is there some way to partially invade a country? Maybe you're saying it would have been OK if we only invaded parts of a country, as in occupy certain places there instead of everywhere? I think I would understand your comment better if you used more hyperbole. Wholesale entire complete massive hyperbole.

Mars rover harangues empty landscape with loudhailer

Bounty

"(back-of-envelope calculations put the cost of 1kg extra cargo at about $27m)..."

A 1kg speaker? Do you think they put woofers on there? I'm guessing it's probably a 3g peizo speaker. At around 900kg total weight and a cost of 2.5 billion, that would put a 3g speaker at about 8,333$. A little much, but just a bit short of 27 million.

Finally a use for quantum computers: Finding LOL-cats faster

Bounty

Re: Next-generation ciphers

Well all existing encrypted data using known a known cipher or pattern of ciphers might be in jeopardy. Being obscure would still help in this regard I believe.

Canary Islands host long-distance quantum teleportation

Bounty

Re: Not sure I see the point

"If Carol was in the middle with an identical model Quantum Communicator 3000 she could grab the first entangled photon. "

--------------------------------------------------------

"quantum mechanics guarantees that measuring quantum data disturbs that data; this can be used to detect an adversary's interference with a message"

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_cryptography

Basically Carol couldn't pass on a photon that isn't obviously modified.

Cosmic ray source riddle mystery now even more mysterious

Bounty

Well, to be fair, neutrinos dont like to be detected. I think there has only been 1 confirmed detected, extrasolar point source of neutrinos other than the sun, supernova 1987A. "On the average, neutrinos can penetrate four light years of lead before being stopped" So chances of bouncing off a km of ice is pretty low.

Nearest supernova since 1986 blasts boffin off her chair

Bounty

Yes, but when did it's neutrino's arrive.

Americans offered sleep-monitoring datatouch card

Bounty

you-rolled-over-ogram

"The waiting list for a sleep study in my health service area is approximately 16 months - it's a fairly intense procedure, full 12 wire cardiogram, eeg, respiration, etc, and the results take about another 11 months to come through"

Do you think all this can be replaced by a you-rolled-over-ogram? I'd think if it could, the wait wouldn't be 16 months. I guess that won't stop someone from making a quick buck though.

US military satellite to get attack-warning equipment

Bounty

Yes, really it's installed, I swear.

Adding equipment to a satellite that will probably never be useful is not a good way to spend money. Of course, as a deterrent, saying this technology is on there is probably sufficient..

Mars trips could blind astronauts

Bounty
Mushroom

"Just a quick note to everyone suggesting the idea of spinning / rotating sections, a la 2001.

You are aware that it was a science _fiction_ book....?"

Which is exactly why so called "tablet computers" are unpossible.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/238664/samsung_claims_tabletlike_device_in_2001_a_space_odyssey_invalidates_apple_patent.html

NASA: Beam me up some power, Scotty

Bounty

Sooo.......

What you're saying is, it will still be far cheaper to use a Falcon 9. Since our current airborne laser project has eaten some 5 billion and managed to develop a 1 Megawatt(?) laser that can barely burn holes/ignite liquid rockets. So we only need 10,000 more of them?

Then there is the whole problem of how to catch a 10 GW laserbeam w/o exploding.

Outbound space probe looks back at tiny Earth and Moon

Bounty

longer life than rtg possible?

I wonder how long they will be able to operate it. If radiation and micro meteors don't take it down.

What vegetables are best for growing in Spaaace?

Bounty

almost

So we need 14,000 pounds of earth and water instead of 7,000 pounds of food per person. Well and some extra weight for the energy generation (panels, RTG whatever) to make light for the plants. Seems the farming thing might work out at some point though, perhaps if they were going to be away 3x as long?

Music biz now runs on Viagra®, not cocaine

Bounty

hmmm

blah blah younger acts... explain to me what happend to the 50 year olds? Why the odd drop there, then huge jump for 60 year olds?

Russia: 'We'll dump the ISS into the sea after 2020'

Bounty

VASIMIR in 2014

According to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Specific_Impulse_Magnetoplasma_Rocket

The station boosting costs should be down to ten million a year or something? That's damn cheap. I'd bet the Chinese or private corps would foot that just to have a destination for their work. Or a lot of other groups for that matter.

I'd like to see the ISS stay (and upgraded) since it provides so much life support systems research for us. Basically they should revise it's recycling systems until eventually you don't need as many re-supply missions, other than fuel for VASIMIR. Once you get that down, you can throw some (magnetic) shielding on, and go colonize.

New plan: Send humans into space, keep the robots on Earth

Bounty
Facepalm

why?

We can simulate variable latency.

We should be using the ISS to study humans living in space, that's aobut the only thing it's good for. Which means we should be using it to study how to recycle food, water and energy in space. Process wastes. Artificial gravity (it should have {opposite} sections that spin.) It should be a test bed for other long term station keeping technologies like solar powered ion drives etc. Manufacturing and repair systems.

It's currently used for many of these things, which is good, but I just don't get this implementation. We need the other mentioned technologies working before we get to operating humanoid cyborgs from orbit. [Which doesn't make sense, we should be operating rovers, which we already do!]

The freakonomics of smut: Does it actually cause rape?

Bounty

I thought the extra internet penetration increased access to pornography addiction groups.

I thought the extra internet penetration increased access to pornography addiction groups. Or at least chat rooms, so you could hook up with willing girls instead of raping random people. People who were looking at dirty mags before just switched to internet porn. No net change.

Well, then there is the overall trend in lower crime. Guess as the economy got better, guys could hire hookers or afford to take girls to movies. Maybe these guys started penetrating each other since homosexuality became less stigmatized. This economic change probably happened in the bigger cities that also coincidentally had better internet infrastructure. Basically for a thousand reasons, this probably had little to do with porn. Also known as prove it, which that essay does not.

IAEA: Handling of Fukushima has been exemplary

Bounty

Lets be honest.

"To date no health effects have been reported in any person as a result of radiation exposure from the nuclear accident."

That statement handily dances around the people injured during the explosions caused by the out of control plant. It also ignores the guys who had radiation burns on their legs from standing in contaminated water. I am a nuclear supporter, but lets not act like nothing happend. How much did those inspectors get paid? IAEA credibility just went south in my mind.

"four workers had been injured by the explosion"

"eleven people were injured in the blast"

"Three Japanese ground workers laboring to contain the nuclear reactors in Fukushima were rushed to the hospital with radiation burns"

San Francisco BOFH must cough up $1.5m

Bounty

An Ode To Locksmiths

Stevie, didn't they fired him, then asked for the keys. To make your scenario work, you would have to fire the locksmith, not pay him, then demand the keys.

Also, why is this a criminal case, it should be a civil case. There should be no jail time.

Contractor is working on my mansion, puts in a security system, doors/locks. Before he gives me the keys, I fire him. He doesn't give me the keys. Jail time?

Contractor is working for the city of SF, puts in a security system, doors/locks. Before he gives the keys, he gets fired. He doesn't give me the keys. Jail time? 4 ?!?!? years! ?

Brazilians slap health warnings on knickers

Bounty

This is my title, there are many like it, but this one is mine.

"São Paulo gynecologist Gilberto Goncalves Gatti, though, reckons the plan will work the same way cigarette pack health warnings do."

I remember when warning labels on cigarette packs finally ended all smoking. What year was that... ohh right nobody has ever quit smoking because of those labels. But hey, while we're putting random unrelated health warnings on clothes, I think all food should labeled to remind us to brush our teeth. Maybe we could print warnings on toilet paper to check our assholes for lumps. Maybe we could put warnings on beer that remind us to hold our breath while we drink etc.

LimeWire settles with record labels, to pay $105m for copyright hurt

Bounty

cost of running pirate business

So they're gonna pay up 105 million. How much money have they made selling ads, installing toolbars and selling their premium pirate product?

Nvidia dollars lifted by Intel's Sandy Bridge ramp, payola

Bounty

Really?

"There's plenty available from 3rd party sellers on Amazon but, admittedly, you'll pay a premium."

I just searched and I see like two 590 models available, of which, one is out of stock. The one that is in stock, is a limited edition card that's way overpriced.

Official: phones sting bees

Bounty

I know why the bees became agitated

"and constantly playing the France info program (output of the small radio loudspeaker,"

I'd leave my house doo.

Blighty's Skylon spaceplane faces key tech test in June

Bounty

meh,

first stage should be a large rail/RAM/mass driver etc gun. Well at least the launch would look cool.

Google hits 'prove we killed no Afghans' – Assange™

Bounty

new website

For some odd reason I now want to start up a new website dedicated to ranking things with "blood on its hands"

Russia, NASA to hold talks on nuclear-powered spacecraft

Bounty

What's the actual mission?

Any word on what the actual mission is, besides put radioactive something something in space? Different engines would favor different mission typre etc.

Dutch courts: Wi-Fi 'hacking' is not a crime

Bounty
Grenade

"A computer"

A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. All layer 3 and up devices are computers..... at least. Any programmable layer 2 device would also be one. You might even argue all layer 2 devices are. If you're going to be anal about the letter of the law, at least be anal about the definition of computer. Now where did I leave my abacus?

Gadget makes bombs, mines go off 'on average' 20m away

Bounty
Grenade

Is this directed or omni?

That could really suck for anyone using "electrically-actuated detonators" that have the explosive on them and not in the ground yet. If the plane or truck wielding the gadget gets too close, *pop*

Texting teenager plunges to his death

Bounty

Lower the barrier.

We shouldn't have to argue over how high it is. It's not the building or the building owners fault or problem. It's gravity's fault. We should sue gravity. Or maybe the ground?

NASA hails 'amazing' exoplanetary system

Bounty
Boffin

re. re. Anticipation And Intent →

"This is called 'survival of the fattest' and is the reason why most of the observed extrasolar planets are big and chunky things."

No the reason why most of the observed extrasolar planets are big is because they are the easiest to spot. Our solar system may or may not be a good model, same for most of what we've found so far. It could be that most solar systems are full of tiny planets, but we can't detect them yet. You can have a prediction, that's fine, just don't call it fact yet.

Republican reps push for mandatory gun ownership

Bounty

Stop the country bashing. You don't know me.

>The mandate has nothing to do with ensuring the size of the pool. It resulted from the simple

>fact that you cannot force the insurance companies to ignore pre existing conditions without

>forcing everyone to purchase insurance

Then don't force them to ignore pre-exiting conditions.

>But having a mandatory health insurance will not only lead to benefits to society (less people

>dying of curable illnesses just because they can't afford treatment), but should also lead to

>lower insurance premiums."

Why? Nobody is forcing them to lower premiums. The "uninsurable" will now have to be insured, certainly rates will go UP. Also, the same # of people will die, they'll just die later. Which I'm not sure is a "benifit" to society. It'll drag Social Security down, increase national debt, fill our hospitals and force up the retirement age while at the same time lowering real wages. There is potential benifit, however the problem is there is a also a tipping point. Our programs as written are not balanced.

>"In Australia " blah blah....

It doesn't matter, since the system is nothing like Obamacare. Government ran doesn't equal mandated private purchase.

One last thing.

"Hospitals and physician spending take the largest share of the health care dollar" in the US. We spend 19% GDP around 10% more (read DOUBLE) than Australia on healthcare, and the most in the world. In the US the Hospitals are getting well paid. Therefore I would gladly consider actual basic (not advanced treatments/expensive drugs) socialized care, instead of government mandated rich guy making. Also, for the advanced (private care) issues, health is a natual monopoly, you don't go shopping when you're on your death bed. Therefore health care providers should be regulated as monopolies.

Bradley Manning 'is British' – campaigners urge UK.gov to act

Bounty

according to visiting friends

If you have visiting friends, is it really that severe? It is a prision ya know.

UK.gov braces for Anonymous hacklash

Bounty

huh?

Why do you think it's legal to physically block the entrance to a shop? This is how peaceful (sometimes lawful) protests turn violent and riot cops show up. Just because you're protesting, doesn't suddenly mean laws don't apply to you.

Microsoft refreshes secure developer software tools

Bounty

The question then is

does Microsoft use this for their own products?

California's green-leccy price system will stifle plug-in cars

Bounty

California blend

From the PG&E (large california energy company) website

"The power mix we provided to our customers in 2009 consisted of non-emitting nuclear generation (20.5 percent), large hydroelectric facilities (13.0 percent) and renewable resources (14.4 percent), such as wind, geothermal, biomass and small hydro. The remaining portion came from natural gas (34.6 percent), coal (1.3 percent), unspecified sources (15.0 percent), and other fossil-based resources (1.2 percent)."

So it's a fairly green mix. Probably greener than buring gas in a regular car. Considering Hydro and Nuclear don't turn off at night (1/3 production), they should have a flat rate that drops at night.

Special Ops satellite-bitchslapping hydrogen strato cruiser flies

Bounty
Flame

Hydrogen sucks as a fuel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Impulse

Loose the Hydrogen, install Solar Panels.

US gov funds censorship-busting tech alternatives to Wikileaks

Bounty
Pint

more of our ultra-censorship govt in action

"Republicans are planning to use the Internet as a sledgehammer to clobber the secretive way in which Congress has traditionally done business."

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20027294-281.html

Bounty
Pint

There is a difference between freedom and anarchy.

( http://civilliberty.about.com/od/freespeech/tp/History-of-Censorship.htm )

Stopping slander isn't censorship.

( http://www.eff.org/cases/indymedia-server-takedown )

"However, the unsealed documents reveal that the government never officially demanded the computer servers -- the subpoena to Rackspace only requested server log files"

How about some context?

( http://www.wanttoknow.info/mediacover-up )

"These courageous writers were prevented by corporate media ownership from reporting major news stories"

So somehow Hillary Clinton is responsible for corporate media making decisions on what to publish? Are you trying to imply our media can't publish anti-government articles? You know the Colbert Report is satire right?

( http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/category/top-stories/ )

"Archive for the Category ‘Top Censored Stories’"

If they're Censored, why can I read them?

( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3902833.stm )

" "There was a moment about a year ago when you couldn't say a word about anything in this country for fear of your career being shot down by people saying you are un-American," he told the magazine. "

If Elton John is afraid to come out of the closet on Iraq because of loosing profit, you're going to tell me that's Hillary Clinton's fault? I'm listening to Slayer right now. Trust me, they can and will say anything they want. If you're worried about losing profit for saying non-PC things, it's not censorship, it's life.

( When they do it, it's evil. When we do it, it's totally different! )

........... Really, you're going to equate the great firewall of China* with Elton John worrying about his fans disagreeing with his political views. We need to have a drink together, I'll bet you would say some really funny stuff.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firewall_of_china

White House forbids feds from reading WikiLeaked cables

Bounty
Welcome

ass u me

"I think you'll also find that the assumption by americans that their laws apply everywhere in the world is one of the things that people most dislike about them."

"americans" Really, all Americans think the same? I think your assumptions are broad and missing the mark. I think you're confusing law, jursidiction, extradition, diplomacy and a few other concepts.

Firefox extension detects FireSheep snoop software

Bounty
Grenade

(untitled)

So it detects lazy script kiddies, buy installing security programs, that the "victim" installed so they could continue to insecurely connect to web 2.0 crap on public networks?

1) Sniffing cookies has been around forever. Firesheep is just new lazy/convient grabs a pic from Facebook cuz it's purdy.

2) If you're worried about a sniffer, encrypt something. If they're not using exactly Firesheep™ brand sniffing, you're not protected.

3) What the hell exactly are you going to do if you "know" 2.3.4.5 is using Firesheep? Punch the nearest guy with a laptop?

Alien Earthlike worlds 'like grains of sand', say 'wobble' boffins

Bounty

even at sub light?

Even at sub light, we don't know if it's feasible for living organisms to travel in interstellar space. If you look at the rocket equations it's ridiculously difficult. Which also means ridiculously expensive. Who would pay for it?

New pocket-sized smartbomb - just for killer robots

Bounty
Flame

religion is so last millennium

Numbers 31:17-18

This appears to be advocating killing women and male children, and raping little girls. Does the bible really say this is OK?

Yes, that's exactly what is says. God wanted vengance, and as long as you think god wants you to kill people it's ok!

Rogue engineer supplied dodgy power to 1,500 homes

Bounty

actually

Instead of the shareholders, every honest customer looses. As a shareholder I would vote to raise the rates on my customers if I had to run the generators a bit longer (or purchase more on the market) to meet demand. Why would I take the hit?

Battle of the US super-soldier robot suits hots up with XOS 2.0

Bounty

Loading missiles

Looks like a great way to load missiles for the Navy and Air Force if it's reliable. Could be faster, safer and require less staff potentialy. Just make sure it doesn't step on anyone's toes.

School caretaker jailed for fitting up colleague

Bounty

More details next time por favor.

I'm still a little lost as to how the correct person was convicted. So what if Weiner made an anonymous call to the cops that his co-worker had child porn? Then took a CD he found and mailed it to the cops. I mean, it kinda sounds like someone trying to report someone with child porn to me. Is there an article out somewhere with more details, like the cops finding porn on Weiners PC's at home, or on his cell phone or something? Were the timestamps on Thomson's computer suspect?

nevermind, found it "He then told former lover Sandra Godfrey and friend Susan James that he was going to put child porn on Mr Thompson's computer before reporting him."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/09/24/school-caretaker-was-framed-with-child-porn-so-deputy-could-steal-his-job-115875-22584071/

Indiana judges dismiss girl's nipple exposure appeal

Bounty

Also, being a 16 year old girl....

Shouldn't this also count as child pornography here?

Starting to think we should implement separation of sex and state.

IP address-tracing software breached data protection law

Bounty

If you see me stealing can you legally describe me to police?

If you see me stealing can you legally describe me to police?

Japanese press step into execution chamber

Bounty

huh?

Why does execution have to be a deterrent? It's just the most effective way to keep someone from re-offending. Why is jail a deterrent for robbery but not murder, or are we kidnapping all inmates for fun?

Killing isn't necessarily wrong, killing w/o a valid reason is wrong. (ex: Bob walks into the Kwickie Mart and starts killing everyone, owner kills Bob = owner is good / moral / saved a little girl.)

Why is Manson alive? Seriously? Jail is expensive. Executions should be quick and cheap. Do mistakes get made, yes of course. Life isn't utopia, it's messy and complex. Since 1992 we've had 15 exonerated death row inmates because of DNA... v.s. http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/rpr94.pdf Which represents 2/3 of inmates released in the US in 1994. "Within 3 years, 2.5% of the 3,138 released rapists were rearrested for another rape, and 1.2% of the 4,443 persons who had served time for homicide were rearrested for a homicide." That works out to the US releasing around 80 convicted murders in 1994 who murdered again shortly afterwards. That means the more people are killing again after being paroled than getting executed innocently. Stop letting these wolves walk among us!

I don't have numbers for number of convicted murderers in the US that have been exonerated after all appeals, but if that # is lower than 80/year, we'd net innocent lives by immediately executing ALL convicted murderers who have made their appeals.

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