Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror

Comment Re:What exactly does the Pentagon do well these da (Score 1) 128

The Trump negotiated Air Force One contract should be the standard. Contractor agrees to deliver X by this date for this amount of money.

The only cost overruns are if the government's specs change.

https://www.politico.com/news/...
Trump got personally involved in the negotiations for the replacement aircraft. In February 2017, Trump said the Air Force was “close to signing a $4.2 billion deal” and that “we got that price down by over $1 billion.”

“President Trump negotiated a good deal on behalf of the American people,” Boeing said in a tweet after the contract was finalized.

Instead of negotiating a contract that protected the company from changes in supply costs and other factors, Boeing and Trump settled on a fixed-price contract that forces the company to carry the risk and not charge the government.

Submission + - China unveils a powerful deep-sea cable cutter that could reset the world order (scmp.com) 3

schwit1 writes:

A compact, deep-sea, cable-cutting device, capable of severing the world’s most fortified underwater communication or power lines, has been unveiled by China – and it could shake up global maritime power dynamics.

The revelation marks the first time any country has officially disclosed that it has such an asset, capable of disrupting critical undersea networks.

The tool, which is able to cut lines at depths of up to 4,000 metres (13,123 feet) – twice the maximum operational range of existing subsea communication infrastructure – has been designed specifically for integration with China’s advanced crewed and uncrewed submersibles like the Fendouzhe, or Striver, and the Haidou series.

World War III will be fought pretty much everywhere.
The more vulnerable undersea cables are, the more powerful Starlink becomes.

Submission + - 23andMe files for Chapter 11 protection (upi.com)

Gruntbeetle writes: Human genetics and biotechnology firm 23andMe has announced that it has filed for bankruptcy and its chief operating officer, Anne Wojcicki, has resigned.

The California-based company made the announcement Sunday in a statement, explaining it is seeking to enter Chapter 11 proceedings to facilitate a court-supervised sale of its assets.

Comment Re:Decentralize the swamp (Score 1) 84

Move the HQs closer to the places they regulate is called COMMON SENSE.

NASA's HQ doesn't NEED to be in DC. Many agency HQs don't NEED to be in the DC area.

Interior department HQ should be in a western state. Most of the land they regulate is west of the Mississippi.
The FBI HQ with all of its labs doesn't need to be in the DC area.
HUD doesn't need to be in the DC area.
HHS doesn't need to be in the DC area.
Labor dept doesn't need to be in the DC area.
Transportation dept doesn't need to be in the DC area.
Veterans Affairs doesn't need to be in the DC area.

The high paying jobs should be spread out. Also for continuity of government the agencies should not all be in one place.

Comment The problem isn't the credit cards (Score 4, Insightful) 303

The problem is people living beyond their means. They need to plan, prioritize and live on a budget.

Stop eating out.
Stop going on expensive vacations.
Stop buying a new iphone or car or cloths every year. Treat your phone and car as the appliances they are.
Stop the $200/month cable bill. Get a basic plan

Treat the card as a means to transact business and not as a loan.

Submission + - 'Tunnel Girl' granted permit to continue digging bunker under her Virginia home (foxnews.com)

schwit1 writes: The green light has been granted to a woman who went viral for digging a massive tunnel under her home.

"Kala," the supposed name of the homeowner and creator of the TikTok account @engineer.everything, garnered 7.7 million views as she documented herself digging a bunker under her home in Herndon, Virginia.

Known on social media as "Tunnel Girl," Kala posted a video on Monday announcing that her plans had been approved after paying a $2,000 fee. Her project had been halted in 2024 due to potential building violations.

Submission + - Anonymous sources: Starship needs a major rebuild after two consecutive failures (behindtheblack.com)

schwit1 writes: According to information at this tweet from anonymous sources, parts of Starship will likely require a major redesign due to the spacecraft's break-up shortly after stage separation on its last two test flights.

These are the key take-aways, most of which focus on the redesign of the first version of Starship (V1) to create the V2 that flew unsuccessfully on those flights:
  • Hot separation also aggravates the situation in the compartment.
  • Not related to the flames from the Super Heavy during the booster turn.
  • This is a fundamental miscalculation in the design of the Starship V2 and the engine section.
  • The fuel lines, wiring for the engines and the power unit will be urgently redone.
  • The fate of S35 and S36 is still unclear. Either revision or scrap.
  • For the next ships, some processes may be paused in production until a decision on the design is made.
  • The team was rushed with fixes for S34, hence the nervous start. There was no need to rush.
  • The fixes will take much longer than 4-6 weeks.
  • Comprehensive ground testing with long-term fire tests is needed. [emphasis mine]

It must be emphasized that this information comes from leaks from anonymous sources, and could be significantly incorrect. It does however fit the circumstances, and suggests that the next test flight will not occur in April but will be delayed for an unknown period beyond.

Slashdot Top Deals

"I prefer the blunted cudgels of the followers of the Serpent God." -- Sean Doran the Younger

Working...