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Comment: Bad assumptions... (Score 2) 197

by Bomarc (#46990393) Attached to: 7.1 Billion People, 7.1 Billion Mobile Phone Accounts Activated
Several bad assumptions were caught -- however one that I've not seen (yet) is the assumption that all the cell phone are "smart" (aka latest tech features form and function). I for one don't want one (if you gave it to me I'd quickly sell it before it was stolen). I also know of many people that don't want one. Many of us like our old desktop/laptop/server. I'm also not into the idea of sharing my phone when I want to watch TV.


by Bomarc (#46664531) Attached to: How Many People Does It Take To Colonize Another Star System?

Let's try again. Say you take 150 people to run the ship, and figure to get your 10k population level with these embryos after they arrive. You can incubate them (if you brought the equipment) but then you get 10k squalling infants and only 150 people to provide food shelter education and attention for them for the next decade plus before they start carrying their own weight. It just doesnt work that way.

They wouldn't need to all be born at the same time. Also, the initial population should be all female (obvious reasons). Time the release of new-born to allow for the most genetic diversity. (They may not be happy hatching others eggs but... hey, they've got a new planet to populate!) After the first ~10 births per woman (assuming 150 to start with, starting at age '18') working they 'norm' mortality (adult/child) after about 30-35 years you are looking at a population of about 10K, which could be sustainable.
After arrival 150...
Year 1: 150 woman give birth to 150 children. Population 299.
Year 2: 150 woman give birth to 150 children. Population 447.
Year 3: 150 woman give birth to 150 children. Population 595... (you get the point)
...(year 11 through 17 look amusing).

...again, after about 30--35 years, males could then be permitted, and one would no longer need embryos.
(side note: tweaking the spreadsheet for this is interesting.)

Comment: Re:The noise problem is not just a TV one. (Score 1) 544

by Bomarc (#46649815) Attached to: 60 Minutes Dubbed Engines Noise Over Tesla Model S
Not to long ago, I watched as someone was texting -- walked into an intersection (crosswalk) against the (pedestrian) light. The on-coming traffic (with a normal engine) had to stop as to not hit her. As she approached me -- I told her "you just walked against the light and forced that car to stop" ... to which she replied "I'm sorry" and continued what she was doing. (Hey, I'm not the one that is going to get plowed into by not paying attention). Darwin candidate?

The point being: If someone is not paying attention - and walks into the street, engine noise (or lack of it) is not going to make a lot of difference, only an excuse for lawyers after the fact. (He knew his car was quite -- he should have watched out for that pedestrian!)

Comment: Re:That *is* funny! (Score 1) 314

And just how many times do *you* crash into two walls and a tree at 110 mph (while drunk)? The risk of this happening is so SMALL, why would this a factor with a decision to not buy?
-- If my gas powered car would let me walk away after this type of incident -- I would buy that car again. Oh, wait...

+ - Backwards & turned around justice or failure to understand basic internet

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes "I created a Facebook web page for feedback and interaction of a cause. Someone vandalized that web page with a message of hate and false information. That someone as a direct result of vandalizing that web page now has a TRO against me for supposed stalking of them, by seeing the post that was put ... on my Facebook web page. Is there a legal organization that would like to look into this, or willing to help before this becomes case history and the law of the land?

In Short: If you try to stop harassment / vandalism on your web site; a TRO can be placed against YOU (the owner of the web site) by the perpetrator for reading their their message of hate?!?

Note: I must leave out a lot of key details in public forum; I don't want to go to jail before I can finish my appeal. Also — when it comes to a TRO, the other party can continue it for the rest of your life. (Oh, you want a job??)"

+ - 16th-century manual shows 'rocket cat' weaponry 2

Submitted by Bomarc
Bomarc (306716) writes "An article on KOMO website highlights the proposed use of a 'rocket cat' as weaponry. The — sometimes colorful illustrations that are coming to light illustrations (Digitized by the University of Pennsylvania) that are coming to light from a circa-1530 manual on artillery and siege warfare seem to show jet packs strapped to the backs of cats.

... looks like sharks with lasers have competition!"

+ - It's the End of (XP) Support as we Know It->

Submitted by X!0mbarg
X!0mbarg (470366) writes "We've all heard about the inevitability of it, but M$ has started sending out Downloaded Notifications of its End Of Support for Windows XP as part of Automatic Updates. Has anyone else seen these pop up on their XP systems? I certainly did.

(Apologies in advance for my poor code-fu here.)

Many links abound for reference here:
  • http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/end-support-help?locale=ja-jp
  • http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows/lifecycle
  • http://www.scmagazine.com/pop-ups-to-signal-the-coming-end-of-windows-xp-support/article/336777/
  • http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2014/03/windows-xp-will-now-notify-you-that-its-dying/
  • and the Google-it-for-you reference: https://www.google.ca/search?q=WinXP+End+Of+Support+Notice&num=100&source=univ&tbm=nws&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=mLoYU-7WJ4nTqgHEjoGgCw&ved=0CE4QqAI&biw=1173&bih=750

Anyone else see this as an attempt to scare users into upgrades directly from the desktop?

Yes, we all knew this day would be upon us, but surely we didn't see M$ being so downright aggressive, did we?

Ultimately, what is everyone's opinion on this effort and its' ultimate affect to their usage of the admittedly antiquated OS?

I for one, will still be chugging along on a few systems until the system finally just Dies on me.

Any theories on actual support and afterlife cycle predictions? Anyone still patching together their Win98 systems? Win3.11? What duties have they been relegated to and why? What plans does everyone have in the Upgrade department? Are you waiting for anything specific from M$ before taking the Win8.1 plunge, or planning on holding onto your Win7 systems 'till they pry the code from its cold, dead drive?"

Link to Original Source

+ - Hubble Witnesses Mysterious Breakup of Asteroid->

Submitted by astroengine
Link to Original Source

backups: always in season, never out of style.