Slippery Pete - Slashdot User

Comment Re:Microsoft Stock? (Score 1) 313

by Slippery Pete on Sunday January 25, 2009 @03:06PM (#26599925) Attached to: Microsoft 'Vista Capable' Settlement Cost Could Be Over $8 Billion

I'll trade you my Circuit City stock.

At least with CC, they had the decency to lie to you right your face versus hiding behind a sticker.

US Tests New Missile Defense 278

Posted by Soulskill on Saturday December 06, 2008 @09:20AM from the doesn't-involve-sharks-or-lasers dept.

pumpkinpuss writes "The US military yesterday shot down a missile in a test simulating a long-range ballistic missile attack by a potential adversary such as North Korea or Iran. The target missile was launched from Kodiak Island, Alaska, at 3:04 PM Eastern time, tracked simultaneously by several ground and ship-based radars, and intercepted by a 'kill vehicle' 3,000 kilometers away over the Pacific 25 minutes later, according to the Missile Defense Agency. Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly said, 'The kill vehicle was sent to a very accurate spot in space giving us great confidence.'" Reader gilgsn points out the testing of a different "multiple kill vehicle" by Lockheed Martin, which was able to hover over the ground and track a target. Video of the test (WMV) is also available.

Schneier, Journalist Poke Holes In TSA Policies 296

Posted by Soulskill on Friday October 17, 2008 @07:00PM from the leave-my-shoes-alone dept.

Fallen Andy points out an article in The Atlantic written by Jeffrey Goldberg. He and Bruce Schneier teamed up to put the TSA's policies to the test at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. They found plenty of evidence for security theater, and rather less for actual security. Quoting: "'The whole system is designed to catch stupid terrorists,' Schneier told me. ... As I stood in the bathroom, ripping up boarding passes, waiting for the social network of male bathroom users to report my suspicious behavior, I decided to make myself as nervous as possible. I would try to pass through security with no ID, a fake boarding pass, and an Osama bin Laden T-shirt under my coat. I splashed water on my face to mimic sweat, put on a coat (it was a summer day), hid my driver's license, and approached security with a bogus boarding pass that Schneier had made for me. ... 'All right, you can go,' [an airport security supervisor] said, pointing me to the X-ray line. 'But let this be a lesson for you.'"

Comment Re:Fuel economy (Score 1) 1114

by Slippery Pete on Monday October 13, 2008 @09:11AM (#25354173) Attached to: Fuel Efficiency and Slow Driving?

I have an 11 year old Saturn and get 44 mpg on the highway at 70. I wouldn't give up my safety for 6 extra miles per gallon.

On a side note, I did own a Fiero once and it had TERRIBLE problems with the cooling system. On one fateful night, I lost all of the cooling fluid when I was away from home. I was closer to a mechanic than my house, so I drove it there. I live in a hilly town, so I would drive the Fiero up the hill, shut off the engine and coast down, then start it up for the next hill. One time I did this, I turned the key past the "accessories" mode and into the lock mode, locking my steering wheel, going 35 down a hill. I almost needed a new pair of underwear after that and know exactly how stupid and dangerous this is now.

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