Any solar powered device that can't rely on constant direct sunlight needs batteries. In the case of planes they may not be able to generate enough power from solar panels in real time even under ideal conditions. So you need batteries that are charged pre-flight. Batteries are heavy and expensive. And they have limited storage capacity and power output. However there's a lot of research being done to overcome these limitations. Soon your idea may be technically feasible, but right now I think we're not quite there yet.

Recently a relative of mine passed away and I posted a pic of him of facebook as a remembrance. My 12 year old cousin posted that she thinks he's in heaven. Normally I would let that slide but since he was also an atheist I responded that he didn't believe in heaven and it would be best to think of him as living on in our memories. Needless to say I have taken a lot of flack for this. But she is of the age where she is expected to participate in Confirmation (Catholic) so I thought if she's old enough to swear she believes in Christ til death she's old enough to know that someone she loved and respected was an atheist. How would you have handled this situation? My thanks and respect to you Prof Dawkins, Swade

Have you considered clicking on the link in the article? The first sentence answers your question.

Back in December there was a Zappo's Rock n' Roll marathon in Las Vegas that drew a lot of ire for its many short comings including running out of food and water, replacing said water with non-potable fire hydrant water making many people sick, overcrowding, disorganized medical response teams, etc. It would not surprise me to learn that some one decided to inflict this attack as retribution. However, that's just speculation. There are plenty of other feasible motives.

Ya know, a joke is a bit like a frog. You can dissect it but it usually doesn't survive.

Find a company whose ideals and environment suit you, and work for them instead. If you don't like your current product, management or tasks, the only way to change that is to work for someone else. Or yourself. Got an idea for a killer Android app?

i[ENTER] Happy Birthday, vim!!! [ESC]:wq![ENTER]

The primary skill at my embedded software positions for the last 20 years has been C. It's what I use most of the time and what I'm quizzed about in interviews. However, I continually need to pick up new skills to supplement my toolkit.

Hey, that's my senator's name you're mangling there! Ron Wyden of Oregon.

So their solution to a security breach is to send out everyone's logins via clear text?

I'm an uncle to three girls (5, 2 and 1 years old) and have been making sure they get a solid dose of learnin' and TMBG. "No!" is good. "Here Comes the ABC's" and "Here Comes the 123's" are big hits but not nearly as beloved as "Here Comes Science". Last time I saw them we joined hands and danced in a circle singing "Science is real!" at the top of our lungs (which is especially refreshing since they're getting a rather religious upbringing). So what's next for the wee ones?

Do you plan on or would you consider doing more collaborations with Mike Doughty?

The days of staying with one company and being amply rewarded with things like pensions and raises is long over. Loyalty rarely gets you anything. I've been a software developer for over 20 years. I've worked for roughly four companies in that time. The pay increases I got from switching jobs is about triple that I received for my 'loyalty' (staying with the same company). I recommend giving your two week notice because that's the ethical thing to do.

And yet around 50% of the US population thinks that "intelligent design" should be taught in schools along with evolution.

Ummmm ... no f'ing way. Reference please.