When I first read the summary of TFA, I quietly said to myself, "Good. I am glad we have solved all the big problems on our planet."

There are two things that immediately come to mind:

1. First world "problems" aren't problems: http://youtu.be/fxyhfiCO_XQ

2. Our perspectives and focus in life are highly myopic. For our species to survive, we must think broadly and deliberately. We need to have awe at the world around us. We need to take time to be still and listen. The latest gadgets and toys are great, but what we do with the gadgets and how we use them is far more important. The short time we are given on this earth is more important than most of us can conceive.

What I am trying to say is that there is so much more to life than the volume of television commercials. During this time of year, take time to turn off the tap of the media giants and spend some time with your loved ones...the people who helped shape you, and the people you are helping to shape.

Mr Rogers says it better than I can during his lifetime achievement award acceptance speech. You need to hear it if you haven't: http://youtu.be/Upm9LnuCBUM

Here's a video to help explain this broad overview perspective that I speak of: http://vimeo.com/55073825

Now, what was that about some new FCC legislation taking effect today?

Well played.

Love my Unicomp Classic 104!

I like the buckling spring feel. I use the Unicomp Classic 104 and have been very happy with it for 8-10 years now.

The cool thing is that 100% of the greater Chattanooga, TN area has been wired with fiber to the home...for use with their automated meter reading stuff. Even the smallest country home miles away from any other network service has fiber connectivity now. Even this remote farmhouse can sign up and actually get 1000Mb/s service.

So, I am on EPBfi.com and purchased their 50Mbps service. As of 30 seconds ago, I am getting 81.74Mb/s down and 55.36 Mb/s up with 6ms ping. See: http://www.speedtest.net/result/2216317275.png

Win 2008 can run headless. Here is now to do it.

The more interesting thing is that Microsoft now requires all server apps be able to run without a GUI. There was also a /. story about it.

BTW, nice 4 digit /. UID. :)

I wish I could mod this comment +5

And you have to pay a $1,000 fine for playing Frisbee or football on the beach.

bad information: See: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/02/football-and-frisbee-beach-furor-la-county-reels.html

Second most useful thing I've ever learned...

Which begs the question: So, what is _the_ most useful thing you ever learned?

If you really want to know, look at:

http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/faa_regulations/

Specifically, here: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title14/14tab_02.tpl

http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim/

Basically, for general aviation, you don't need to file a flight plan or anything. You go out to your plane, get in and fly...like your car. If you are at an airport with an operational tower, you will need to get clearance and authorization for when to take off, but it is still your decision where you go, and when. As soon as you leave the airport's airspace with VFR flight, you can fly however you want.

The same situation occurred back in the day with Montana's [lack of posted] speed limit.

Its all about the federal income tax pulling from the pockets of [state] citiziens, then giving the funds back to the states if they play by the Federal "rules".

This is how the highway system has worked for years.

However, if taxes were decreased at a federal level and increased at the state level, the states would then be able to pay for their own roadwork without Federal involvement. But, how would that help Federal control?

Agreed. It is all about the design requirements. :)

Thanks for the clarification.

Wondering about the 500M per sec?

Take a look a the numbers for 4k video.

Now, be sure to keep in mind that on such an aircraft, there is at least one visual light spectrum camera, and at least one high resolution thermal camera.

If I were the one laying out the specs for this bird, I might want to look a direction other than just facing forward. Maybe a couple of cameras? The 500Mb or 500MB doesn't seem unreasonable when trying to pull all that data from the aircraft real-time; even compressed.

The telemetry data is small by comparison, but what is the refresh rate of said telemetry data? 30Hz? 50Hz? And, how much telmetry data is being sent? Keep in mind all the other data...even including the most basic lat/long, heading, airspeed (IAS via multiple pitot tubes), engine data (temperatures at different points, fuel flows, pressures, etc).

Here is a photo of the flightdeck/cockpit of a Boeing 777. Check out the cockpit of a C130 at night. Now, if instead of pushing all those sensor systems to a flightdeck on board, what if all that data has to be sent to the other side of the world?

Another [maybe flamebait] commenter suggested that the drone pilots operate in theater. From what I have read, the Airforce pilots the drones from Las Vegas; "just minutes from the slot machines."

  <rant> What makes so many slashdoters completely underestimate the complexity of such a system? The average /. crowd these days seem to be quite egotistical to assume that they could "do it better". </rant>

End the coverage debate: http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/pcc.aspx

There is a lot of area that isn't covered, but most sections of interstate are covered.