What a strange thing it is to pursue total annihilation in the interest of world peace. Yet the horror of war is the greatest force for peace. Seeing as how the nuclear weapons haven't been used since the first time(s), I fail to see how they can CAUSE these small conflicts. I could see an argument that they facilitate lesser combat more readily because the conflicts CANNOT escalate, and therefore the larger military force with nuclear weapons is more disposed to attack conventionally, knowing it cannot be overcome conventionally. However, nuclear weapons also prevent the TYPE of warfare that they embody - TOTAL WAR. They stand as a warning against atrocity. We could conceivably use nukes as retaliation against biological, chemical, or similar attacks from lesser non-nuclear rogue states. No state would dare use WMD of any type in any capacity because of M.A.D. Of course, terrorists could be immune to M.A.D. They could also be used in the case of an all-out invasion or similar major theater warfare, for example if India invaded Pakistan. With such stakes, even the most hawkish generals are forced to reconcile their ambitions with the chance of worst case scenarios. The nuclear genie is out the bottle, perhaps, but I would argue that we resealed the bottle in horror after we realized the ramifications. The most dangerous nuclear weapons are the smallest ones. The less collateral damage, the more likely they'll be used. The newest low-yield nuclear bunker busters would open the door to 'conventionalized' nuclear weapons worldwide. Conventionalized nuclear war, now that is truly frightening. Thank god for the doomsday machine, it served its purpose, real or not.

Ingenius. Ingenius.

Yes yes, the games are mindless drivel. But the MARKETING of said boring games... ingenious. They truly have given every 14 y/o boy in America a half chub. KUDOS!

Agreed, this is tastefully tasteless, tongue in cheek, and WAY better than EA's other marketing. Besides, bribing game reviewers blatantly? We knew they did anyway, but this smacks of BRASS BALLS! I love it. The wooden cases with pillows were a nice touch... heck, I'd write a favorable blog article for that alone.

I think those estimates are for the public, the PHB's, the congress, etc. Astronauts are smarter than that. BTW, all random probabilities are exactly 50:50. Either a thing happens or it doesn't. Anything else is an estimate. I'm only half kidding.

In the future, heroin will be replaced by pure Colombian electricity and the streets will be filled with hordes of electricity-depraved zombies. Now, you could waste precious ammunition on these pour souls, but why? Just set the Tase-more mine, flip the switch, and run along. The zombies get their daily fix of electrified needles and fall into a peaceful slumber. Problem solved. Meanwhile, you've saved your buckshot for the REAL enemy of the people; the comcast horde and its mighty flotilla of death vans! If the comcastinites were ever to get their hands on Taser technology... we would surely pay a price. After 6 months, we would pay more.

Most /. readers USED TO BE Wired readers, back in the 90's when it was relevant, interesting, and had actual production value (of a sort). Now it's just geek playboy. A couple interesting articles, 60 pages of glossy shwag for sale, and a desperate sense of self-promotion. Well, maybe it hasn't changed THAT much... maybe my gadget pr0n tastes have evolved. Either way, leave it on Digg.

BTW, In no way am I endorsing knocking down AM radio towers in a bid to save the earth. I mean, really?

There have been many studies linking and many disproving a link between EM radiation and cancer. Even at extremely high levels, most people don't get cancer. In fact, one theory posits that exposure to low-level radiation at early stages can boost the immune system. No one can say either way for certain, because this is all scientific heresy until someone credible crunches the numbers and they are significant. This is happening all the time as science constantly evolving, but at this time 'most' don't recognize this link. Anyone who does is likely a crackpot... reads popular science, orders blueprints, that sort of thing. Now, devil's advocate, imagine the potential ramifications if some credible scientific study came out rigorously pointing to a link between even high-level EM radiation and a carcinogenic effect... The lawsuits would block out the sun. Pandemonium. Economies would fail, and people would starve. Seriously. The world economy could not afford to take that gut-check at this time. It would destroy us. So then, it would be in the best interest of the 'powers that be' to deny, discredit, obfuscate, and in any way DISPROVE a link between EM radiation and cancer. Well-heeled corporations can afford LOTS of 'science'. With as much as they've invested in cell phones, radio, radar systems... imagine asking them to turn it off? Yeah. Suddenly the link is a possibility again. Let's crunch those numbers one more time.

Dude, wake up... the heisenberg compensator is CURRENT technology, albeit from the future-past. It's complicated, but they make it simple. I'm constructing an H.L. Mencken device, which makes it possible to lose money underestimating the intelligence of the great masses. Popular science is popular for a reason, Luser. Try to keep up, eh?

It's the "frist post" of the domain naming system, yes... but explain to me why symbolics.com is significant other than that it's had one owner for 25 years? Other than that, what significance is being the first registered domain? Someone had to be first, and symbolics is as obscure and incidental as any I can think of. Why is this a story again? Kdawson isn't involved somehow? Clearly I'm missing something that makes this important in the slightest.

I know right? China has, like, a BILLION PLUS PEOPLE! Surely they can make a better display by jailing a measly hundred thousand or so... I'm sure they have people picked out on rosters for the purpose... so what's holding them back? Windows 7 release candidates? Come ON!