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Comment Re:What's the market here? (Score 1) 101

I've had a 3D printer for a little over a year now. And it's a big deal. The very best thing about it is being able to design parts that fit. I had an antique drain where I needed to attach a hose from my furnace. I was able to make a part that fit the hose and the drain cover, replace lost vacuum cleaner parts, an LED flashlight helmet mount, custom clips for easily attaching straps to a caving bag, the list goes on and on.

Currently I'm working on quadcopter frame. Though most of the frame is aluminum angle iron, the engine mounting pieces, legs, electronic platforms are all 3d printed to fit. I'm personally not very great with power tools or other tools for machining, cutting, or carving parts. The 3d printer is far more accurate at placing screw holes and making things the right size than I am. I print it and as long as I designed the parts with the right size it just fits.

Though having a delivery truck that delivered 3d printed parts? I don't see that as being very useful. You don't have the turnaround time if you make a mistake in the design. It'd only be good for pre-designed items not self designed.

Comment Stories (Score 1) 698

Tell your stories, your life history, what you remember about your own parents, grandparents, brothers or sisters, and about her. These stories will allow your daughter to stay connected with you. These stories will show your values. These stories will help her know a little more about herself. Tell every story you can think of. Then not only will she connect with you but also your grandchildren, and great-grand children in future generations.

Comment Re:What he really said (Score 1) 681

It's also because they are often dependent on the CS guys to get the computer to crunch the numbers for them.

As a CS person I have been in a unique position to study broadly. To program for a scientist you have study until you understand at some degree what is going on. It program for finance the same is true. As a CS person you have a framework of how to make the computer run, but to understand what the computer needs to do you need to understand the science, business, medical, finance, statistics, math, language, and any other wide variety of topics. It's one of the things that attracted me to computer science in the first place is a love of learning. I've used my programming skills professionally in bio-medical sciences, cryptography, mathematics, business, meteorology, and other fields. In my hobbies I've use CS in electronics, physics, biology, art, physical fitness, navigation and language art. I don't claim I'm an expert in any of the individual fields, but there is an above level of exposure to a greater degree of knowledge. Of course that might be that I love learning, not something that having a CS degree gave me or being able to program.

Comment Re:Yes! (Score 2) 88

Funny that those to areas of Government spending are both mentioned (research and development, and infrastructure) in the Constitution, while most of the last are not. You'd think the founders were thinking when they wrote the document. Excerpt from the constitution Article 1 Section 8,

"To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries"

Comment Hiring a CPA is like buying money and time. (Score 1) 450

I remember doing taxes one year. I'd spent all day at it. I was unsure I'd done it properly and came out owing around $100 in taxes. On the suggestion of a friend I hired a CPA. He gave me a 30 minute interview, took my various tax related papers, had me sign a few things, and that was it. In a week or two he reported back to me saying I'd be receiving a $1,500 tax return. It only cost $150. It's the best investment I've ever made. I have never done my taxes without a CPA since.

Comment My own experience. (Score 1) 294

I've worked from home for about 14 years, and my software has worked from home for at least a decade. We work well "together" and have been successful. The remote work place has some challenges, but we've adapted. When offering remote support to customers we all are better at it and have a good idea what can be understood and how to go about the work.

One of the big advantages is having the space needed to really think free from distractions of coworkers. I'm definitely more productive.

If your employees won't work unless they are watched you have a management problem not a worker problem. Your employees obviously don't feel the success of the company is to their own advantage. They obviously don't feel like your giving them enough, and I don't necessarily mean money. Does the job make them feel important? Do they feel like they are contributors? Are you as a manager undermining the good they have done?

Comment Most intersting part (Score 2) 52

Personally the most interesting part is the design of the air frame not the materials. The three motors embedded in the airframe is interesting.

The idea that you could send one of these drones in a sensitive environment and leave it there seems off. Yeah, the air frame biodegrades, but not the motors, electronics, and the most toxic part the battery.

Comment This is what works for me (Score 2) 584

I'm a father of 8 with 4 girls and 4 boys. One of the best ways is to take them out of the cities and into the wilderness, and help them see what is there. To be most effective you need to know what's there yourself. Study the geology of the area, the plants, the animals, the lichens, mosses, mushrooms. When you see something you don't understand ask questions and find the answers. When your children see you learn with a relish they can't help but be curious. Get good at seeing the small and the large so you can point it out. Be good at asking questions. I've found my girls and my boys naturally interested.

Don't just focus on "science" or you'll kill all interest. History is just as important. Science of itself isn't nearly as interesting as adding the human side to it. The stories of how the great ideas of our times came about and how those ideas have been used can make the knowledge come to life in a way that science by itself cannot.

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The only possible interpretation of any research whatever in the `social sciences' is: some do, some don't. -- Ernest Rutherford

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