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Comment Re:Damn Republicans! (Score 1) 162

You have to wonder if a possibility would be for the big internet and software firms (Yahoo, Google, Microsoft, etc.) who are most negatively affected by this to just pack up, leave the US and move their headquarters and main operations to another country. Obviously such a process could not be done overnight and would have very unpleasant short-term repercussions for said companies but it would definitely send a message to the elected officials.

Comment Re:The tried & trusted will still rule the ser (Score 2) 237

considering SSDs have only a limited number of write cycles, database work with heavy writes would likely be better served by RAM disks if you want ridiculously low access times and very high speeds. Something along the lines of a HyperOS HyperDrive or an ACard ANS-9010 / 9010B would likely be better suited but those solutions also have their own issues (namely a very steep price and loss of data when the battery runs out)

Submission + - Bell's Network Congestion Admission (michaelgeist.ca)

drmag writes: Bell confirm that there is no congestion in the "last mile" — the connection between the user and the so-called Central Office. At the moment, Bell aggregates the data from both its own retail customers and independent ISPs at this stage (which it says causes the congestion necessitating traffic shaping and UBB), though the independent ISP subscriber traffic later goes to the independent ISP before heading to the Internet. The "congestion problem" is therefore not at the last mile nor at the Internet — it is in the intermediate stage between the two.
Science

Submission + - $1.50/gallon Gas With No CO2 Emissions? (gizmag.com)

Zothecula writes: UK-based Cella Energy has developed a synthetic fuel that could lead to US$1.50 per gallon gasoline. Apart from promising a future transportation fuel with a stable price regardless of oil prices, the fuel is hydrogen based and produces no carbon emissions when burned. The technology is based on complex hydrides, and has been developed over a four year top secret program at the prestigious Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford. Early indications are that the fuel can be used in existing internal combustion engined vehicles without engine modification.
Security

Submission + - Passenger not guilty despite annoying the TSA (papersplease.org)

ConfusedVorlon writes: A six-woman Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court jury has found Phil Mocek “NOT GUILTY” of all of the charges brought against him following his arrest in November 2009 at the TSA checkpoint at the Albuquerque airport.

Annoying the TSA is not a crime. Photography is not a crime. You have the right to fly without ID, and to photograph, film, and record what happens. Your best defense is your own camera and microphone. Ordinary jurors know, and are prepared to recognize with their verdict, that the TSA and police lie about what they are doing and why.

Science

Submission + - Dr. Who's Sonic Screwdriver Exists (bristol.ac.uk)

Phoghat writes: "Television's favourite Time Lord could not exist without his trusty sonic screwdriver, as it's proved priceless in defeating Daleks and keeping the Tardis in check. Now Doctor Who's famous cure-all gadget could become a reality for DIY-ers across the world, say engineers.
Ultrasonic engineers at Bristol University and The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair are uncovering how a real life version of the fictional screwdriver — which uses sonic technology to open locks and undo screws — could be created."

Comment Re:Eduke32, HRP etc. (Score 1) 518

How about building it on Freespace SCP as a base? Considering how extensive the mod community for it is (and the fact it's open source) it should be doable and wouldn't need to pay through the nose for the eve graphics engine. Of course, the big issue is getting a licence / clear the copyrights with George / LucasArts / ILM / whoever.

Comment Re:What's the deal with the rush of TSA stories re (Score 1) 1135

I know it would be a pain to implement on existing airliners, but why not completely separate the cockpit from the passenger cabin on future models / aircraft being built? No door, just a nice solid wall (admittedly going full out with two separate pressure compartments would be overly complex). The pilots come on board from a separate exterior door. Include a washroom and something for lunches/snacks in the cockpit compartment if necessary.

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