Comment Re:Relevant discussion. (Score 1) 427
I suppose you also may not like to eat sugar from sugarcane or sugar beets that has been drenched in insecticides? I suppose you could eat Splenda.
Comment Relevant discussion. (Score 1) 427
So, I'm not really sure why a posting on sugar beets makes it onto /. anyway, but I'll cast in a couple important points for civil discussion.
1) The pollen from sugar beets does travel a very long distance (Darmency, H. et al., 2009. Pollen dispersal in sugar beet production fields. TAG Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 118(6), 1083-1092).
2) This is may be an environmental concern, but it is also a concern for anyone growing sugar beets. That is, there are problems controlling weedy beets when herbicide-resistant beets sprout up.
3) This entire issue is unimportant when beet growers cultivate off the tops of their beets, rendering them sterile. If they receive a higher yield for the herbicide usage, this may be an extra drive across the field may be a good option for preserving the integrity of the resistance trait.
Comment Re:Finally! (Score 1) 61
You mean, other than logging, mink farming, and fly breeding.
Comment Re:Minneosta (Score 0) 61
Get the acronym right! It's Iowa!
Comment Re:when does a stone become an axe (Score 2, Informative) 200
Look it up (and maybe read the article too). There is usually a considerable amount of evidence that goes along with these axes that makes them much more likely to be tools than the result of geologic processes. This particular item was collected from a a site that has a history of producing items from an ancient culture. Yes, there are stones out there sharp enough to be useful (e.g., naturally broken pieces of obsidian). The point isn't that they are useful, but that they have been used. Some tools are made and some are found.
Comment Re:In need of perspective? (Score 1) 138
Upon further reflection, and with your succinct description, I think I understand. Obviously, stereoscopic view isn't needed to track orbits, most telescopes are monocular. One just needs to see something moving (e.g., a tool-bag in orbit). I guess for some reason the impression of an object heading straight at the lens came to mind, which is clearly, well silly.
Submission + - Worm Threat Forces Apple to Disable Software? (beskerming.com)
SkiifGeek writes: "After the debacle that surrounded the announcement and non-disclosure of a worm that targets OS X (Rape.osx), did the claimed but not disclosed vulnerability in mDNSResponder force Apple to remove support for certain mDNSResponder capabilities with the recently released Security Update 2007-007?"
Submission + - Verizon Copper Cutoff Traps Customers
theodp writes: "As it hooks up homes and businesses to its FiOS fiber-optic network service, Verizon has been routinely disconnecting the copper infrastructure that it was required to lease to other phone companies, locking customers into higher broadband bills, eliminating power outage safeguards, and hampering rivals. A Verizon spokesman argues customers are being given adequate notice of the copper cutoff, which includes this read-between-the-lines fine print: 'Current Verizon High Speed Internet customers who move to FiOS Internet service will have their Verizon High Speed Internet permanently disabled after their FiOS conversion.'"
Submission + - floating wind turbines (inhabitat.com)
The Great Pulgoso writes: Norwegian energy group Norsk Hydro is to place giant floating wind turbines in the North Sea that will provide a reasonable, environmentally-friendly and economically feasible alternative to standard energy generation processes. The design uses a three-able tethered system, similar to the ones used in oil rigs, that holds a 200 meter tall steel tube with an attached turbine and three 60-meter-long blades. It expects to be able to use this technology on sites located 50-100 miles off shore, and with a depth of up to 500 meters. Images on the prototypes are on the link provided
Journal Journal: US Air Force Looks to the XBox Generation for Pilots
The U.S. Air Force is creating a new job specialty, UAV pilots. Starting later this year, the air force will recruit people for this job. The details are still being worked out, but it will be an officer position. The army uses NCOs to pilots its UAVs, which are generally smaller than those used by the air force. The new air force program expects to attract those who had applied to be regular pilots, but had been denie
Submission + - Bacteria to protect against quakes
Roland Piquepaille writes: "If you live near the sea, chances are high that your home is built over sandy soil. And if an earthquake strikes, deep and sandy soils can turn to liquid, with some disastrous consequences for the buildings sitting on them. But now, U.S. researchers have found a way to use bacteria to steady buildings against earthquakes by turning these sandy soils into rocks. Today, it is possible to inject chemicals in the ground to reinforce it, but this can have toxic effects on soil and water. On the contrary, this use of common bacteria to 'cement' sands has no harmful effects on the environment. But so far, this method is limited to labs and the researchers are working on scaling their technique. Here are more references and a picture showing how unstable ground can aggravate the consequences of an earthquake."
