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Comment Always has been (Score 1) 104

In the U.S. there has been a spy program associated with every form of electronic communication we ever had, starting with telegrams.
What's different about DAS is how this federal program is being made user-friendly for local police forces.
https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vice.com%2Fen%2Farticl...

Comment DNA testing is very unreliable (Score 4, Interesting) 35

Working for a company doing rapid PCR tests I was briefly put on a project with the FBI to speed up DNA forensics, and saw they had multiple problems with their testing. The key problems being that there were too many false negatives and too many false positives. I explained this, presented solutions, and was promptly removed from the team. Here's why DNA forensics sucks:
1) too little data: they verify ID based on matching 6-8 short segments of code, out of a massive codebase. Imagine identifying a dictionary using partial definitions of six words.
2) too many subjects: this method works 50% of the time when the database has less than 100,000 samples in it, but other times IDs 0 to 10 individuals. Put a billion samples in the database and there will be many more hits.
3) genetic drift: Our DNA evolves over time, and particular organs will re-organize so that e.g. a hair sample won't match a blood sample in the same individual. Or a hair sample 20 years later won't match the earlier one.
The above cited law-enforcement officials are basically ID-ing their target as "black man in blue car, somewhere near Detroit", and running with it..

That said, DNA/RNA is the coolest codebase I've worked with: bombproof syntax, error-correction, data-retention, execution efficiency, etc. and that's just the 1% that made sense!

Comment legal shenanigans (Score -1) 23

The key word in this act is "farm"

Farm, V. To lease or let; to demise or grant for a limited term and at a stated rental. To carry on business or occupation of farming.
-Black's Law 5th Edition

Read the actual bill, rather than the "summary", using a legal dictionary and it becomes clear this act is intended for alterations to current Colorado financial institutions and contracts, not places with dirt and animals. Would have a significant affect on rentals of dwellings.
https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fopenstates.org%2Fco%2Fbill...

Comment 13k deaths reported to VAERS.gov (Score 0) 311

13k deaths and 55k hospitalizations due to COVID19 vaccinations have been reported to the US government's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Previous studies concluded that less than 1% of such adverse vaccine events end up being reported.

https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvaers.hhs.gov%2F
https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.openvaers.com%2F

Comment Linus Torvald's response was off-topic (Score 1) 603

By engaging in the debate and clearly stating his beliefs, as well as insulting people who don't believe as he does, Torvald is just throwing fuel on the fire. Perhaps that what he wanted to do.
But if he wanted to get the group to focus on its primary purpose of kernel development, a simple "that is off topic and irrelevant to kernel development" would be more effective.

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