The problem is that air is far less dense at those altitudes. There's roughly a third the air at sea level. For example, suppose you're trying to keep the engine below 80C. An air flow at sea level and 20C that barely does it, would be equivalent to a third the airflow at -100C.

You say that people "can't" do the right thing. I disagree. I use the word "won't". Very different meanings.

The efficiency of an Lycoming IO-540K1A5 peaks at 32%, and the Thielert Centurion diesel peaks at 40%. An electric motor peaks at around 80%, but controller etc has an efficinecy of at most 95%, and batteries can not be drained more than 74%, so the total is 64% usable energy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density#Energy_density_in_energy_storage_and_in_fuel/ lists Li-Ion with 0.5MJ/kg, and Gasoline at 46.4MJ/kg. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density#Energy_density_in_energy_storage_and_in_fuel
That is pretty accurately 1%, and you are somewhat right in that when adjusted for system efficiency, the ratio is 2.1%

Still order of magnitude away for useful.

Jurassic Park needn't be taken literally for it to be a good parable about why we should be concerned that toying with life and death can have unforeseen consequences.

If I make a noise of N volume, you make a noise of N-M volume, and bob makes a noise of N-3M volume, bob is 3 times quieter than you. Quiet is relative. Quieter is a measure of the difference between differences.

...I'd buy THAT for a dollar!

Actually, if this thing ever becomes an actual product, I'll buy one.

I can always get the laser in the aftermarket.

It's not their fault! No one wrote what they should be limited to on a post-it note! The stupid framers of the constitution used lame non-sticky parchment or some crap like that. Their fault for making it not self-adhesive and concise.

Another acceptable alternative would have been to make the constitution some type of transforming robot which would beat us up when we got complacent about our rights and proper limits for law enforcement.

Yes, my internet and VOIP and cell all work when the power goes out.

I assume you have phone-company provided internet. That's almost enough to make me consider switching: the one bad thing I've had with my cable internet is that whenever there's a power outage, the network connection is *gone* (and yes, I know, because I have a UPS for my computer and networking equipment).

Tarnish is not the right word. Heathkit had its beginnings in aviation and developed into electronics kits after WW II. Electronics equipment was generally assembled by hand until the late 60's or so, and there were substantial savings to the customer if he/she was willing to assemble it him/herself. Then, printed circuit techniques and especially integrated circuits and automatic (and off-shore) assembly reduced the labor cost dramatically. It was technically harder to build competitive gear at home, and the labor savings are now probably negative. Kit building is much less interesting now, except for specialized market niches.

So the Heath company was bought by Zenith and eventually left the general consumer electronics business entirely. (Zenith used to be a famous brand, by the way. It could have been on the list.) A company needs to seek the most profitable markets. It's sad, but it's not a moral decision. Change is not "tarnish".

Uh, Read RFC 1.

December 1969.

I'll agree that Napster immensely popularized the use of P2P tech... but it wasn't the first, not by a long shot.

If you don't trust them with the rights, they shouldn't be working for you.