Become a fan of Slashdot on Facebook

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror
×

Comment Re:Nobody gets to use the surprise face (Score 4, Informative) 131

Weapons, entertainment, and food are pretty much the bulk of American exports.

Actually, no. In 2013, the US was the second largest exporter of arms ($6.2 billion), after Russia ($8.3 billion). And because you probably won't read the linked article, I should mention that these numbers include the estimated value of arms given as foreign aid. But those numbers are dwarfed by the real heavyweights.

Top ten US exports in 2013:

  1. Machines, engines, pumps: US$219,566,232,000 (13.5% of total exports)
  2. Electronic equipment: $171,966,197,000 (10.6%)
  3. Oil: $157,213,437,000 (9.7%)
  4. Vehicles: $135,797,903,000 (8.4%)
  5. Aircraft, spacecraft: $124,831,567,000 (7.7%)
  6. Medical, technical equipment: $84,879,104,000 (5.2%)
  7. Gems, precious metals, coins: $65,522,480,000 (4.0%)
  8. Plastics: $63,025,216,000 (3.9%)
  9. Pharmaceuticals: $43,967,977,000 (2.7%)
  10. Organic chemicals: $42,255,264,000 (2.6%)

Comment Re:Here's the problem (Score 1) 220

first time some attack (even 9/11 was utterly minor in terms of life vs, say, annual car accidents) happens, you have these dumb sheep throw the Constitution out the window and yell 'Murica while going full tilt behind a nearly decade long attack on a country that had nothing to do with it.

Dead is dead; what difference does the manner of death make, is that it? On the average day, 89 people die in automobile accidents. If that suddenly jumped to 3000 per day, you can bet your "dumb sheep" would react pretty much the same way.

Comment Re:More useful than my high school options (Score 1) 259

or even the more nonsensical "I could care less."

It isn't nonsensical. It's idiom. Sort of like "head over heels" (which started life in the 14th century as "heels over head") or "the exception that proves the rule" (depends on an archaic definition of the word, "prove", meaning "test"; we see the remnants of that today in terms such as "proof mass"). By the way, English is in no way unique in having illogical idiomatic expressions.

Comment Re:problem (Score 1, Funny) 155

Everyone in America at this point knows if it says Apple, don't get into it in the first place. It's like a black hole. Once you're inside, you're stuck and that's that.

Which type of fallacy is this? Where you ways "everyone knows" when no such thing is true.

You're right, of course. He really should have said, "Everyone in America who's been paying attention knows ...". Much smaller number than "Everyone".

Comment Re:so? (Score 1) 157

Ostensibly it has to support the creators

Well, actually it only has to support what passes for creators to the extent required to make their business model work. As long as there is a sufficient market for the products they're churning out, the status quo will remain.

Comment Re:Worst idea ever. (Well, one of them). (Score 1) 168

Thanks. From what I have read, the majority of weight-maintenance failures occur because the individuals didn't find a diet that was satisfying in the long term. Breaking habits is very difficult. I guess I'm fortunate in that I seem to have settled into a healthy eating pattern that I find satisfying. It's been quite a while since I had to make a conscious effort to choose the right foods (as in thinking, "Well, I'd really rather have this, but I guess I'd better have that instead." As for the long run, time will tell.

Comment Re:Worst idea ever. (Well, one of them). (Score 1) 168

You must think I'm a very unusual person then, having lost over 40 pounds in 6 months, just by cutting out high-calorie foods and between-meal snacks. No muscle loss, no feeling starved. And I've maintained the loss for 8 more months without feeling deprived.

I know a few people who have obtained similar results, so I don't think I'm unique at all.

Comment Re:Worst idea ever. (Well, one of them). (Score 1) 168

Most overweight people who are otherwise mostly healthy can reduce their caloric intake significantly without feeling like they're "starving all the time."

But they CANNOT simply reduce their caloric intake enough to BOTH lose weight AND not feeling like they are starving all the time.

Of course they can. You don't have to cut your intake to starvation levels in order to lose weight. In order to maintain an obese weight, an average otherwise healthy individual must consume at least 500 calories per day above their normal weight maintenance consumption level. Cutting 500 calories per day from an obese maintenance diet does not result in a person feeling like they're starving all the time, and it doesn't result in the body going into muscle consumption mode. It's a large order of french fries, or a quarter of a 14" pizza, for God's sake. Of course, all this assumes that the person doesn't confuse "I'm not uncomfortably full" or "I miss eating a burrito larger than my forearm every day" with "I feel like I'm starving." What it results in is a steady weight loss on the order of 1 to 2 pounds per week, which is perfectly sustainable until the person's weight drops to the level where the lower consumption balances the calories burned, at which weight levels off.

Comment Re:Worst idea ever. (Well, one of them). (Score 2) 168

There is a simple solution to obesity: feel like you're starving all the time.

FTFY. I'm sure you're totally man over nature, showing the third most powerful driver of all life who's boss. (after sleep and thirst, and usually before sex)

Most overweight people who are otherwise mostly healthy can reduce their caloric intake significantly without feeling like they're "starving all the time." Have a salad for lunch instead of that pizza or burrito. Stop eating crap between meals. Drink some water before you start eating. Stop wolfing down your meals, and stop when you start feeling full.

Slashdot Top Deals

"What man has done, man can aspire to do." -- Jerry Pournelle, about space flight

Working...