Michael Ho 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (703) comment rss

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Space Is Cool Again! Yay!

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 23 Dec, 2015 @ 03:16pm

    Re:

    That's part of the equation, yes. But there are also other factors. Being in a relatively remote location that allows for more frequent liftoffs could make it more economical.

    Maybe someday we'll have rocket launches from semi-autonomous launchpad barges in the middle of the ocean, but that's not happening any time soon.

    And maybe it's just more secretive to launch from NZ... since a lot of people tend to forget about it:
    http://worldmapswithout.nz/

    :P

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Space Is Cool Again! Yay!

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 22 Dec, 2015 @ 06:20pm

    Re: Thank You For Posting My Link Submission

    Thanks for commenting, Lawrence!

    (And maybe someday Flash video will simply cease to exist...)

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Harder Than Diamond (But Not As Pretty Or Available)

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 08 Dec, 2015 @ 05:46pm

    Re: Could Other Group-14 Elements Form Long Chains Besides Carbon?

    Actually... polysilanes, polygermanes, polystannanes, etc exist, but they're not as stable as the carbon analogs. Also, aromatic ring structures aren't favorable with the larger atoms. So nanotube/buckyball/graphene/etc analogs from silicon/etc aren't going to be very likely to form under practical conditions.

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Reducing Carbon Dioxide

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 08 Dec, 2015 @ 07:42am

    Re: Re: Re:

    Really? You think I have accepted some kind of bribe to write up a few sentences on ways to control pollution?

    https://m.facebook.com/notes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-dont-give-a-if-we-agree-about-climate-change/10153855713574658/

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Who Wants To Go To Space?

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 30 Nov, 2015 @ 04:25pm

    Re: The Space Race

    The space shuttle's solid rocket boosters were actually reused, too, so the only part that was junked was that big unpainted external fuel tank under the shuttle at liftoff.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle

    So the "cost savings" of reusing parts existed, but they were negated by the refurbishing costs of replacing all the heat shield tiles on the shuttle, etc, etc.

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Fixing A Hole Where The Rain Gets In…

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 17 Nov, 2015 @ 05:57pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    Anonymous Coward,

    I'm not sure why, among an otherwise reasonable discussion, you feel the need to disparage me (as well as my educators/mentors). But no matter... I'll ignore your insults to be polite.

    > "You've been watching too much Star Trek and have lost the recognition that it takes enormous amounts of energy to mitigate such events."

    I actually do recognize the vast amount of energy it would take to mitigate a hurricane. eg. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110112/03542112626/dailydirt-modern-swords-to-plowshares.shtml

    (I do also admit to enjoying some Star Trek episodes as well.)

    > "there are more important problems to deal with than this current fad of anthropogenic climate change and the subsequent control of people."

    Sure. I still don't see why we can't discuss various engineering proposals that could have significant impact on our environment, if we chose to deploy them.

    I'm going to assume that you don't like the tone and underlying assumptions that I've implied in this post. And on top of that, you have a pet peeve against climate change "science" and its supporters.

    Perhaps your comments would be more constructive if you pointed out some citations behind your views? I know, science oftentimes makes that difficult when a prevailing theory is popular (and well funded) -- that is a weakness in science and human endeavors. Still, I don't think it's a pointless venture as long as those citations are at least somewhat credible and logical.

  • On the post: DailyDirt: With Great Fission Power Comes Great Responsibility…

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 17 Nov, 2015 @ 05:20pm

    Re: Techdirt gone amok

    Seriously? A link to a storefront that helps support this site is despicable/disgusting spam... that's a bit harsh, don't you think?

    What's so offensive about this gentle nudge towards buying stuff? Have you seen the rest of the internet? This is pretty tame in comparison.

    Sorry if you feel like I "tricked you" into reading an extra couple of sentences. I honestly think some of the crap products on StackCommerce is stuff I would buy myself (and I have purchased a couple things in the past).

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Fixing A Hole Where The Rain Gets In…

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 13 Nov, 2015 @ 03:28pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re:

    "What are your mitigation solutions that will demonstratively show positive results? Not PC but actual efforts."

    Exploring alternative energy sources that have no carbon footprint would be a net positive step in the right direction, even if climate change isn't a "real" problem. Fission has its own problems, but fusion could pan out someday. Call me an optimist.

    And we can't fight volcanoes or hurricanes or tsunamis at the moment, but does that mean we shouldn't explore possible ways to, even if our current technology seems woefully inadequate?

    How does progress even happen with an attitude that we can't change things that seem impossible to change?

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Fixing A Hole Where The Rain Gets In…

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 13 Nov, 2015 @ 03:21pm

    Re: Re: [Michael Ho questions Critics]

    I might be wrong. I'm wrong a lot.

    I still think we should pursue better sources of energy simply because we should strive to be more efficient and sustainable. And it doesn't hurt anyone to explore the possibilities of geo-engineering -- if only to better understand our world and the biosphere.

    I agree global warming could be a huge misunderstanding along the lines of 1970s predictions of an upcoming Ice Age. However, I'm leaning towards thinking global climate change is more like ozone-depleting chemicals that irreversibly damage parts of the atmosphere.

    I'm fully aware that CO2 is a "natural" molecule that can be harmless at a wide range of concentrations. Yes, we exhale it. Yes, methane is produce by other bodily functions. Those facts don't mean everything "natural" is safe or harmless under all conditions.

    And I don't think you're making a "truckload of vegetables" argument, either. You have a point. Life on earth could also be endangered by tampering with things we don't understand fully -- such as CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere.

    I have never said that anyone should jump into geo-engineering blindly. But we are, in a sense, doing so by not doing anything at all (and continuing to burn fossil fuels at an increasingly greater rate). And merely discussing the options is potentially helpful and not a seemingly huge waste of resources.

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Fixing A Hole Where The Rain Gets In…

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 12 Nov, 2015 @ 03:08pm

    Re: Re:

    "The billion dollar question is are the mechanisms anthropogenic or natural?"

    Does the answer really matter that much? Are we supposed to just accept all natural disasters and not even discuss possible solutions for global problems?

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Fixing A Hole Where The Rain Gets In…

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 12 Nov, 2015 @ 03:06pm

    Re:

    Okay... I'm not sure why you feel that way?

    I assume you believe climate change is a non-issue that shouldn't even be discussed? If that's the case, you must be disappointed in a lot of people/organizations/governments.

    I haven't suggested the government needs to tax carbon dioxide production or provide incentives to capture greenhouse gases. If climate change isn't caused by human activity, should we just let it happen naturally? If an asteroid was headed straight for us, should we just look the other way?

  • On the post: Daily Deal: Lytro Cameras

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 08 Oct, 2015 @ 10:30am

    Re: 1st gen?

    Looks like there was a typo in the html. oops. fixed.

  • On the post: DailyDirt: How Sweet It Is?

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 05 Oct, 2015 @ 09:31am

    Re: Left Chondrite Sugar

    Yah. The problem with indigestible sugar is that it isn't much sweeter than regular sugar -- and the volume has to go somewhere....

  • On the post: Daily Deal: Using Python For Data Analysis And More…

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 30 Sep, 2015 @ 02:50pm

    Re: Python 2 Or Python 3?

    A quick search on the provider, Stone River...

    http://stoneriverelearning.com/courses/python-programming-for-beginners/lectures/192763

    It looks like Python 3.

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Creative Robots Replacing Artists And Writers…

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 25 Sep, 2015 @ 12:41pm

    Re: Virtual composers too

    If you're a loyal DailyDirt reader...

    https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110715/11112415107/dailydirt-creative-robots-generating-art-overload.shtml

    Perhaps you're thinking of Emily Howell?

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Making Progress Towards Fusion (Again)

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 23 Sep, 2015 @ 10:06am

    Re: Fusion Is Irrelevant.

    Given that fusion generators that produce net energy don't exist yet -- yes, fusion is irrelevant now.

    But are you saying that if fusion energy were practical at some point, it wouldn't significantly change the world economy? Hmm. The petroleum industry wouldn't disappear entirely, but we might not need to ship billions of gallons of oil anywhere -- or strip mine coal or frack anything.

    And I think electric cars are already becoming quite practical, more quickly than you might expect.

    The question really is... will fusion ever live up to its promise of unlimited, clean, cheap energy? If it does, it would be a game changer.

    Obviously, if fusion turns out to be similar to fission generators, where the potential for catastrophic accidents are a concern and the total costs are comparable to coal-produced energy, then yes, it'll be no big deal.

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Getting Unwanted Carbon Dioxide Out Of The Atmosphere

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 14 Sep, 2015 @ 10:58am

    Re: hitting a nerve

    hmm. not a record, even for the same topic:
    https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110902/04112015784/dailydirt-renewable-energy.shtml

    But I didn't write that one. I think my record number of comments is slightly lower:
    https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100623/0146249930/dailydirt-healthcare-nightmares.shtml

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Getting Unwanted Carbon Dioxide Out Of The Atmosphere

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2015 @ 06:05pm

    Re: CO2 is a Prerequisite for Life on Earth

    I don't think anyone is suggesting to remove carbon dioxide COMPLETELY from our atmosphere. That would be insane.

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Getting Unwanted Carbon Dioxide Out Of The Atmosphere

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2015 @ 12:16pm

    Re: What Exactly Is Unwanted CO2?

    Are you saying that we should be putting even more CO2 into the air because it seems to make make some plants grow better?

    I don't think anyone is saying that the Earth itself is going to be lifeless due to increasing levels of carbon dioxide. The ecosystem changes all the time in response to climate, but do we want to be the cause of the changes? (Especially when we're not sure what will happen?)

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Getting Unwanted Carbon Dioxide Out Of The Atmosphere

    Michael Ho ( profile ), 10 Sep, 2015 @ 04:38pm

    Re: Re: Re: (growing bamboo)

    I'm not so sure about your solution to CO2. First, it's not exactly carbon neutral or negative to grow and harvest bamboo (and then dump it all down a hole)? Second, oil wells and coal mines don't exactly sound like great storage places for preventing organic material from rotting? Third, this bamboo scheme doesn't seem financially advantageous for anyone, either, so there's no economic incentive to do it.

    If we can get carbon nanofibers in an economical way, we get some desirable building materials AND suck some CO2 out of the air.

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