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Comment Re:Don't look at Australia. (Score 1) 418

> waste lying around in pools that have to be maintained

The only reason nuclear waste is 'left lying in pools' at the various reactor sites is because anti-nuclear NIMBYs have shut down underground storage facilities like Yucca Mountain. With no permanent place to put it, it can't be moved from the temporary cooling pools.

>waste lying around in dry casks which suffer embrittlement from radiation and then corrode and leak

You think nuclear waste is green goo, like in cartoons? Goo that can "leak"? Well, it's not. It's vitrified into a glass-like substance. https://www.reddit.com/r/mildl...

Comment Re:Recycle! (Score 1) 323

All the workers need to know is how to look up the correct Process and follow their check list. The Process will cover all scenarios and situations imaginable and should never be deviated from.

Sounds like Manna.

http://marshallbrain.com/manna...

"...I replied, "it's a new system they've installed called Manna. It manages the store."

"How so?"

"It tells me what to do through the headset."

"Who, the manager?"

"No, it's a computer."

He looked at me for a long time, "A computer is telling you what to do on the job? What does the manager do?"

"The computer is the manager. Manna, manager, get it?"

"You mean that a computer is telling you what to do all day?", he asked.

"Yeah."

"Like what?"

I gave him an example, "Before you got here, I was taking out the trash. Manna told me how to do it."

"What did it say?"

"It tells you exactly what to do. Like, It told me to get four new bags from the rack. When I did that it told me to go to trash can #1. Once I got there it told me to open the cabinet and pull out the trash can. Once I did that it told me to check the floor for any debris. Then it told me to tie up the bag and put it to the side, on the left. Then it told me to put a new bag in the can. Then it told me to attach the bag to the rim. Then it told me to put the can back in and close the cabinet. Then it told me to wipe down the cabinet and make sure it's spotless. Then it told me to push the help button on the can to make sure it is working. Then it told me to move to trash can #2. Like that."

He looked at me for a long time again before he said, "Good Lord, you are nothing but a piece of a robot. What is it saying to you now?"

"It just told me I have three minutes left on my break. And it told me to smile and say hello to the guests. How's this? Hi!" And I gave him a big toothy grin.

"Yesterday the people controlled the computers. Now the computers control the people. You are the eyes and hands for this robot....."

Comment Re:Magic the Gathering Online Exchange (Score 1) 249

Bitcoin fails 1, 3, 5, and 7.

It is not durable in a practical sense because it relies on a global P2P network to work. Governments have taken their countries off the internet before. How do you spend your bitcoins during civil unrest when you can't access the network?

How do you access your bank account via an ATM when the connection is down? Oh Noes! Any type of money accessed via ATMs and Debit/credit cards is not... um, money?

It is also vulnerable to a 51% attack, which is well within the technological capabilities of many governments.

Get back to me one you figure out what would happen if one group help the majority of US Dollars (or any money)

It is not convenient because it relies on both parties having setup a bitcoin wallet and having an internet connection

A wallet is trivial to set up. And who doesn't have internet access these days?

If I want to buy a used car for 3 ounces of gold, all I have to do is hand the seller the gold and they can verify firsthand that it is real and then I get the title to the car.

That is not convenient because it relies on both parties having setup gold testing equipment. Oh, and don't you need to go online (or to the DMV) to register the transfer?

I've gone to estate sales where there was no cellular or other data service and was not aware of this beforehand. Someone trying to buy via Bitcoin would be SOL, people using gold, silver, or paper money would go on with business as usual.

Where are you buying land that there is no cell service? (Note: not at the property itself, but at the real estate office (or whatever) where you buy it).

Comment Re:Same rules apply (Score 1) 303

So, I guess the whole thing comes down to: When is an online order 'complete'?

After the buyer has both paid for and taken delivery of the item.

You must own a business.

So, what you're saying is, the business can take my money, 'ship' the product (Ground, of course), then, on the last day before it's delivered, cancel the shipping and have it returned to them, all that time keeping my money in their bank accounts, earning them interest, and only then refund me? Bull.

Comment Re:Same rules apply (Score 1) 303

On the other hand... if the price said $3000, BUT the cash register rings up $300, they need not honor the $300 price: if the clerk catches the error, before finalizing the transaction. If the clerk doesn't catch the error --- tells the customer this is what their price is: then the deal is final after the customer pays.

Similarly IF THE WEBSITE advertises $1000, but when you got to checkout, your total shows $100. The customer should expect the store won't honor the $100 price; if their online shopping cart disagrees with the advertised price.

So, I guess the whole thing comes down to: When is an online order 'complete'? When they say 'thanks for your order', and email you a confirmation? (That's what I'd say.) Or when they actually ship? Or when you get the order delivered?

Comment Re:hehe (Score 1) 163

Unless they're magic, they have to get energy from somewhere for all that shuffling.

Exactly.

For zombies to move, their muscles must be working. For their muscles to work, they must have a source of energy. Absent 'magic', that source of energy is blood sugar and oxygen, which needs to be delivered to the muscles by the circulatory system. This means zombies have hearts that beat, lungs that breathe, and blood that flows. (So, basically, aren't they are still alive?) So shooting them Not in the head would still result in blood loss (zombies don't perform First Aid on themselves), and would result in 'killing' them. This also means that zombies need to eat something, otherwise they'd all be dead due to starvation in a few weeks. (no food= no blood sugar= no muscles moving)

This is why the 'infected' type zombies are more logical than the original 'magical dead coming back to un-life' zombies.

Comment Bias, plain and simple (Score 5, Insightful) 264

When a new expensive electric vehicle catches fire, it is news. Maybe not stop-the-presses news, but news nonetheless.

Yup. Comes down to observer bias, just like nuclear energy. A nuke plant has an accident that results in a tiny leak of radioactive steam (resulting in exactly 0 deaths)? OH NOES!! THE WURST THING EVAR!!!!! But if a coal power plant spits out literally TONS of CO2, ash, soot (and even radioactive isotopes that were in the coal!), and that's a "Meh".

Comment Re:Kill the zombies (Score 1) 203

DUI, per se, that is, driving with a BAC over a certain number, is not harmful. Getting into an accident is harmful. And there is some evidence that people who DUI have a higher chance of getting into accidents.

Of course, there is just as much evidence that being fat/out of shape due to poor eating/exercising habits is harmful. For instance, it takes real time and money to send an ambulance out when you get a heart attack (caused by cholesterol caused by poor eating). Government mandated diets and exercise regimens for everyone!! And the cops should have the right to warrantlessly search your kitchen to make sure you don't have unhealthy food!

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