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Comment Re: They should sue parents too. (Score 1) 165

Kids know how to use technology to entertain themselves, but that is not necessarily translating into real life work related skills. For example, our local school system dropped typing because "kids already know how to do that." I cry a little bit inside when I watch my kids type a paper for class.

Comment Re:Original? (Score 1) 75

Some links to the original posts would be good. The brief they filed with the Court suggests that the posts were satirical in nature. For the record, The Onion's brief is humorous, to the point of satirizing the whole case. It is worth the time to read.

In March 2016, Applicant Anthony Novak anonymously published a parody Facebook page poking fun at Respondent Parma, Ohio’s official police department page. On his page, which resembled the real page, Novak published six posts lambasting the department. One post, for example, stated that the department would be hiring new officers by asking 15 multiple-choice questions and administering a hearing test. The post noted, “Parma is an equal opportunity employer but is strongly encouraging minorities to not apply.” Other posts: prioritized a search for a black loitering suspect over a search for a white armed robbery suspect; threatened to arrest citizens who fed the homeless or let their children outside; advertised police giving “free abortions to teens using an experimental technique discovered by the Parma Police Department”; and announced a “Pedophile Reform event,” where any sex offender who could solve several puzzles and quizzes would be made an honorary Parma police office

Comment Re: Not occasional [but still need solutions?] (Score 1) 87

It's possible, but at what cost? The engineering is going to have to be more complicated to allow for replacement of major components. Then you'll have to get the parts out there, then have robots sophisticated enough to make the swap. I suspect it's cheaper and better to always be launching a new vehicle every 10 years. Then retire the old craft, or have two until the older one has used it's fuel. Bonus is that you are sending the latest tech, or most desirable instruments up, rather than having to wait 20-30 years (a whole career) to see your experiment go up on a theoretical mission.

Comment Re:Must be nice... (Score 1) 45

The price of Bitcoin is down almost 11% and Ethereum is off by 14% over the last day. Very few family checkbooks could afford a hit like that, even if the value does comeback. You'd be better off with WW2 era German Marks. At least you would know to run to the grocery store tonight before their value falls.

Comment Re:Drone delivery was always kinda stupid (Score 1) 108

This article suggests there are many drone capable of transporting 40lbs, or more. I agree that drone delivery is not ideal for every situation, but I can see many use cases. For a typical suburban neighborhood, with 1/4 to 1/2 acre lots, a delivery truck could park in a fairly central spot, then deploy 8 or 10 drones. A single drone could carry 2-3 packages, and make those deliveries in less than 10 minutes, following the neighborhood streets so as to not fly over anyone's house or property. Heavier packages could be handled by the truck driver, while the drones are off working. This might scale even better for a denser urban settings.

The article suggests that this is a management problem, rather then a technical one. I cannot speak to if it would save any money, but at Amazon's volume I can see why they are so interested in this a means for delivery.

Comment Re: Kangaroo mode (Score 1) 68

I recall a TV program talking about walking on the moon. It is harder than you think. The astronauts found it was easier to lope, or skip rather than walk. In training they found they could move very quickly. I don't know how this might translate to running, but like you i would think that an athletic person could achieve some impressive speeds after a reasonably short period of practice and training in 1/6th gravity.

Comment Re: I kinda agree, against my will (Score 1) 55

Amazon already does this with Kindle Unlimited. For $10/mo I can read any book in their collection. When I cancel the subscription, Amazon will pull all the downloaded books off my device. My local library has a similar system, I can download the book using a Kindle or similar device, and after three weeks the system will automatically delete it.

Comment Re:Costs too much, but I want it. (Score 1) 77

I am with you on this. The form factor seems about right, and the ability to interact with some functions with the phone closed is also neat. The cost is way out in left field though, especially given the performance. I understand the trade-offs though and respect what they are trying to do. I might be a buyer if it were sub-$1000, but at this price I'll wait and see what direction this goes in.

Comment Re:Numbers (Score 1) 140

I think my point was that we are not going to find a perfect analogy here. The gig economy has possibly created a whole new class of worker. Workers of this sort, be it Uber, Ebay, Youtube, etc, do not fit the classic definition of an employee. What happens if I complain about Uber on Twitter, and I am banned from driving? A traditional employee has some protection, but should these folks be afforded any? What is the appropriate amount of regulation here? And before we jump on the "make them employees" bandwagon, I would remind you that many folks use Uber because it is cheaper. It is cheaper because there is less overhead (or possibly negative overhead absorbed by the driver). If we go too far they will start to look like any other cab company, with government regulated per mile rates, and expensive medallions to be purchased.

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