Mathematicians are supposed to be able to think at a higher level of abstraction than most other folks. Any mathematician who claims that 'this is too much for a human to check' is an idiot. It's not too much. We understand how computers work. They're way less error-prone than humans.

1) Verify the proof that the verification algorithm works.
2) Obtain several independent simple, portable implementations of said verification.
3) Run said implementations on proof certificate on a variety of hardware.

Trust the math, and where it comes to the hardware and software, trust but verify. Too long to check without aid of a computer? Sure, I'll buy that. But you'd have to be an idiot to want to check this proof without a computer. Why is this news? (actually, the result in discrepancy theory is wonderful, and I'm very happy to see it here on Slashdot... but massive computer proofs are truly nothing new)

Funny thing about this. They've checked it. Actually, their "check" of this proof is many of orders of magnitude more rigorous than when, for example, a reviewer "checks" a math paper for errors before firing off a positive review. Nondisclaimer: I'm a mathematician.

No. This doesn't even make sense if there's only one car doing it. The idea of a human controlling such a drone is laughable... landing on an aircraft carrier in an open ocean is hard enough for experienced, trained pilots with hundreds of logged hours -- an untrained civilian landing on a car swerving around in traffic, while possibly controlling said car? With a rat's nest of utility lines, traffic signs, street lights, business signs and tunnels directly overhead? Bullshit.

Even assuming an AI that can land on a moving car every time, sensors and planning algorithms are decades away from being able to handle the overhead rat's nest.

So, the drone will almost certainly crash-land in its first few flights, and necessarily have a powerful enough engine to catch up to a car doing 80mph on the freeway. That powerful engine weighs a good 10 pounds at a minimum. Ever see how much damage a 3 gram pebble can do to your windshield? There is no way that this will ever get off the ground.

This idea: bullshit.

It's a simple matter of economics. You get the most honking for your buck. It's clearly an obvious no-brainer.

See, this is the thoughtless sort of legislation that makes the world an awful place to live. I immediately see your tax as an incentive to hardwire the horn on. I pay at most $.1 per trip in horn tax, and still get to use it as much as I like.

And apps, apparently. My luddite tendencies are catching up to me. Smart what? My phone remembers peoples' phone numbers for me, I think that's pretty effing smart. I still don't even use bookmarks -- if I can't remember the URL, the website wasn't that important to begin with.

You type the www for hostnames that don't need it? Get off my slashdot, luser.

Don't get your hopes up. I've got a different theory: people have stopped using google to find / research facebook. Those who use facebook use it more than they use the rest of the internet -- they don't need to find it, it's the first thing their browser opens. Those who don't use it already know what it is. No need to google it.

This is already EXACTLY what happens. The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), for example, is a private company whose largest (though not sole, if you read between the lines... a comforting thought) client is the NSA. So basically, Obama's "reform" is "don't worry guys, we'll totally change everything: third parties will collect and analyze your information, the NSA will only purchase access to that information. Just like we're already doing." Sadly, this is "change I can believe in" 'cause it's the same bullshit I've come to expect from this twofaced asshole.

If you shoot your victim to death, and there's no evidence that their participation wasn't consentual, then it wasn't murder, right?

Whereas some prefer products imbued with the souls of broken political prisoners. Transparency benefits everybody, really.

When would I find time to read when I'm already so busy inventing?

Or, if you want to try your hand at meta regex golf there's a place for that, too.

Next, in finance: Local main aims to make millions by purchasing a lottery ticket!

Seriously. This is news if they succeed. Chumps.

WTF do you mean Bush & Co. were more honest? Obama demands laws to be rewritten to allow his unconstitutional policies. If that ain't transparency, I don't know what is! Yay, satisfying campaign promises! Change! Transparency!