Comment Re:Very VERY stupid idea... (Score 1) 233
Which is the same reason that Venus has no atmosphere...
Comment Re:Really bad idea. (Score 1) 1173
Roundabouts (or rotaries, or traffic circles, as they're known in parts of the U.S.)
This is part of the problem with the perception of roundabouts in the US: people don't know what is and what is not a roundabout. The modern roundabout came about in the UK in the late 70's and early 80's, and is a small (typically <200' diameter, depending on the number of lanes) circular intersection where the entering traffic yields the right of way to circulating vehicles. In multi-lane roundabouts, lane changes within the roundabout are not permitted.
Rotaries and traffic circles have been present in the US for the past 100 years (and are much more common on the east cost than elsewhere). These can be up to 1000' in diameter, and have varying traffic control (from circulating vehicles yielding to entering vehicles, to traffic signals at the approaches or crosswalks). Speeds at rotaries and traffic circles can also be quite high, and lane changes and merging are often permitted.
The main difference is that the modern roundabout is designed to keep traffic speeds low (ideally around 15mph, but usually less than 25 mph), and are often empirically designed (this varies from state to state, many use empirical models, but some use gap acceptance theory) based upon driver behavior.
But I loathe rotaries when there's a lot of traffic. You can sit there for a lot longer than you would at a red light.
Roundabouts are not indented for extremely high traffic volumes, or in close proximity to signalized intersections, as the platooning vehicles from the adjacent signals will disrupt the flow of traffic through the roundabout. If you are stopped and waiting at modern roundabout, unless the traffic condition is extremely uncommon for the location, the roundabout was either designed improperly, or was ill-considered for the location. If you are not in fact at a modern roundabout, but at an old-style rotary or traffic circle, then the FSM only knows what is happening.
And, BTW, I am a highway engineer, so take this as you may.
Dead Goldfish Offered The Vote In Illinois 216
Election officials in northern Chicago want to know why voter registration material was sent to Princess, a dead goldfish. "I am just stunned at the level of people compromising the integrity of the voting process," said Lake County Clerk Willard Helander, a Republican, who said she has spotted problems with nearly 1,000 voter registrations this year. Beth Nudelman, who owned Princess, said the fish may have got on a mailing list because the family once filled in her name when they got a second phone line for a computer. When will we recognize a goldfish's right to vote?
Comment Re:In short, because we can. (Score 2, Informative) 378
ST:TMP:TDE, fixed most of the pacing problems which the theatrical release suffered from. It also fixed some seens that seemed unfinished. The recut of the movie actually earned a PG rating, as opposed to the G rating of the theatrical release.
For example, when V'Ger's attack upon the Enterprise with one of the devices which it used to destroy the Klingons, is aborted, in the theatrical realease the music and sound effects build, then the device simply dissapears from the viewscreen, and the music and sound effects ackwardly fade out. In the Directors Edition, the music and sound effects build, and then cut to an exterior shot of the device disapating as it approaches the Enterprise. This leaves the scene feeling much more tense, and finished.
The scenes of the Enterprise flying around V'Ger's spaceship actually seem to have a point to them, as we actually can see the ship, and get a true sense of scale opposed to the Enterprise. However, this may just be part of the difference of having watched a dirty VHS pan and scan transfer of the film (with 12 extra minutes!) in the past.
There are also some seemingly unnecessary changes, such as the path between the Enterprise and V'Ger itself forming as Kirk & Co. are walking on it. However these do not distract from the movie.
IMHO, the most impressive effects change is the final effect shot of V'Ger's ship sitting over Earth before it explodes into a new level of consiousness. This effect incorporated the original shot of V'Ger's explosion with the Enterprise flying out of the light, with new elements preceeding them.
Overall, the new effect are subtle, and if you hadn't ever watched the movie before, you would never pick them out. But it is the changes in pacing which ultimately make this a much better movie.
For example, when V'Ger's attack upon the Enterprise with one of the devices which it used to destroy the Klingons, is aborted, in the theatrical realease the music and sound effects build, then the device simply dissapears from the viewscreen, and the music and sound effects ackwardly fade out. In the Directors Edition, the music and sound effects build, and then cut to an exterior shot of the device disapating as it approaches the Enterprise. This leaves the scene feeling much more tense, and finished.
The scenes of the Enterprise flying around V'Ger's spaceship actually seem to have a point to them, as we actually can see the ship, and get a true sense of scale opposed to the Enterprise. However, this may just be part of the difference of having watched a dirty VHS pan and scan transfer of the film (with 12 extra minutes!) in the past.
There are also some seemingly unnecessary changes, such as the path between the Enterprise and V'Ger itself forming as Kirk & Co. are walking on it. However these do not distract from the movie.
IMHO, the most impressive effects change is the final effect shot of V'Ger's ship sitting over Earth before it explodes into a new level of consiousness. This effect incorporated the original shot of V'Ger's explosion with the Enterprise flying out of the light, with new elements preceeding them.
Overall, the new effect are subtle, and if you hadn't ever watched the movie before, you would never pick them out. But it is the changes in pacing which ultimately make this a much better movie.
