Follow Slashdot blog updates by subscribing to our blog RSS feed

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror

Comment Re:$1.4 Billion (Score 1) 467

by superphreak (#31512250) Attached to: The Death of the US-Mexico Virtual Fence
You seem to be misunderstanding me or I am misunderstanding you. And yes, I agree handles can be deceptive. Sorry, I didn't mean a personal attack. I, too, am all for the Declaration of Independence, the security of our borders, and a stable business environment. Maybe we agree on the ideas but not on how to implement them best. Oh well.

Comment Re:$1.4 Billion (Score 1) 467

by superphreak (#31512034) Attached to: The Death of the US-Mexico Virtual Fence
I said more freedom, not ultimate freedom. I said fewer programs, not no programs. It's it odd that the first thing that people point at is "no policemen no firefighters oh no chaos!!!!" No, not really. There's a lot you could reduce (not even CUT, but just REDUCE) before you'd be left with "oh man, the only thing left to cut is policemen and firefighters." How about we put those near the bottom of the list to cut/reduce? People and companies have to make budget cuts/reductions, how about the government tried it too? If you haven't noticed, the national debt is kinda high. And yes, it's Bush's fault too. But not solely Bush's fault. It's pretty much everyone's fault.

Comment Re:$1.4 Billion (Score 1) 467

by superphreak (#31511470) Attached to: The Death of the US-Mexico Virtual Fence
I agree with you. If you notice, the post I was replying to was talking about jobs, not borders. I completely agree that national defense, which would include protecting the borders, is the government's job. I guess the fact that the guy's name is "Marxist Hacker" might be a clue to his position on things.
Government

Wisconsin Passes Digital Download Tax 327

Posted by Soulskill from the harvesting-the-tubes dept.
McGruber writes with news that the State of Wisconsin has passed legislation to extend sales tax to digital downloads. The new law will go into effect on October 1st. Estimates suggest that the 5% tax on "downloads of music, games, books, ring tones and other video entertainment" will bring in $6.7 million annually. "[Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle] has been fighting for the change for years. He and other state officials say it is a matter of fairness: Internet vendors shouldn't have a tax-exempt advantage over Wisconsin's brick-and-mortar retail stores." Similar legislation has been proposed in North Carolina, and we've previously discussed New York's foray into taxing sales made online in addition to downloaded purchases.
Power

Optical Concentrator To Make Solar Power Cheaper 141

Posted by Soulskill from the bright-ideas dept.
Al writes "Researchers at a company called Morgan Solar have developed a simple solar concentrator that promises to cut the cost of solar energy. The Light-Guide Solar Optic (LSO) consists of a specially-molded acrylic optic that traps light and guides it toward its center using total internal reflection. At the middle of the concentrator another optic made of glass receives the incoming light, amplifies it and directs it toward a small solar cell at the very center of the device. Unlike other concentrators, the light doesn't leave the optic before striking a solar cell so there's no air gap, and there's no chance of fragile components being knocked out of alignment. This could significantly reduce the cost of manufacturing this type of solar cell."
Image

Giant Shoe Honors Journalist Who Targeted Bush 60

Posted by samzenpus from the don't-get-no-respect dept.
A town in Iraq has unveiled a giant monument in honor of the journalist who threw his shoe at former US President George W. Bush. The statue, unveiled in former dictator Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit, depicts a bronze-colored shoe, filled with a plastic shrub. Fatin Abdul Qader, head of an orphanage and children's organization in the town, said the one-and-a-half-ton monument by artist Laith al-Amiri was titled "statue of glory and generosity." This statue is the least expression of our appreciation for Muntazer al-Zaidi, because Iraqi hearts were comforted by his throw." Mission accomplished.
Earth

Global Warming Irreversible, NOAA Scientist Finds 1061

Posted by kdawson from the is-it-hot-in-here dept.
Tibor the Hun writes "NPR reports that Susan Solomon, one of the world's top climate scientists, finds in her new study that global warming is now irreversible. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concludes that even if we could immediately cease our impact on pollution and greenhouse gasses emissions, global climate change would continue for more than a thousand years. The reason is the saturation of oceans with carbon dioxide. Her study looked at the consequences of long-term effect in terms of sea-level rise and drought."
It's funny. Laugh.

Stand-Up Comic Makes Science Funny 126

Posted by timothy from the not-quite-as-cynical-as-tom-lehrer dept.
Hugh Pickens writes "The San Fransisco Chronicle is running a story about Brian Malow, a stand-up comedian who has showcased his science-centric stand-up humor for more than a decade in comedy clubs, at conventions and for corporate clients across the country. Fortunately, club patrons don't need a degree in quantum mechanics to appreciate one-liners like 'I used to be an astronomer, but I got stuck on the day shift,' 'I just started reading, "The Origin of Species." Don't tell me how it ends!' or that he 'attended a magnet school for bipolar students.' While his show is very rational and based on hard science, Malow cleverly infuses it with an abstract or surreal comic twist."
Earth

The Environmental Impact of Google Searches 516

Posted by timothy from the compounding-wild-ass-guesses dept.
paleshadows writes "The Times Online reports that researchers claim that each query submitted to Google has a quantifiable impact. Specifically, two queries performed through a desktop computer generate about the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a cup of tea. From the article: 'While millions of people tap into Google without considering the environment, a typical search generates about 7g of CO2 [whereas] boiling a kettle generates about 15g [...] Google is secretive about its energy consumption and carbon footprint. It also refuses to divulge the locations of its data centers. However, with more than 200m Internet searches estimated daily, the electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions caused by computers and the Internet is provoking concern. A recent report [argues that] the global IT industry generate[s] as much greenhouse gas as the world's airlines — about 2% of global CO2 emissions.'" Google makes an interesting focus for such claims, but similar extrapolations have been done before about, for instance, the energy costs of sending a short email.
Power

US Corps Want $1B From Gov't For Battery Factory 394

Posted by timothy from the when-you-really-truly-need-some-free-tax-money dept.
tristanreid writes "The Wall Street Journal reports that a consortium of 14 US technology companies will ask the Federal Government for up to $1 billion for a plant to make advanced battery technology, as a part of the broad fiscal stimulus package that Pres. Elect Obama is planning. The story quotes a report by Ralph Brodd, which suggests that while existing battery technology was developed in the US, the lead in development is now held in Asia. From the WSJ story: 'More than four dozen advanced battery factories are being built in China but none, currently, in the US.'"

Slashdot Top Deals

Are you having fun yet?

Close