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I am totally against protectionist policies because it never works. You have to understand that we get our water from outside California. We get it from the Colorado River, for instance. Why can we get the water from the Colorado River but we can't get renewable energy from outside the state? We get most of our cars from outside the state; why can't we get renewable energy?

With Reuters outlining some challenges. Aside from that, you have some groups like the CEA speaking out against it and a surprisingly negative response from the California citizens for smart clean energy claiming that it cuts jobs for citizens. A rep from them said:

We all believe in the importance of energy efficiency, but the CEC's proposed regulation is simply bad policy that will do little to achieve energy efficiency and a lot to destroy California jobs. The consumer electronics industry has been trying to work with the CEC since day one on alternatives that would help achieve energy efficiency without causing undue harm on California's economy. But time and time again, we have been disappointed with the CEC's approach and process.

I am totally against protectionist policies because it never works. You have to understand that we get our water from outside California. We get it from the Colorado River, for instance. Why can we get the water from the Colorado River but we can't get renewable energy from outside the state? We get most of our cars from outside the state; why can't we get renewable energy?

With Reuters outlining some challenges. Aside from that, you have some groups like the CEA speaking out against it and a surprisingly negative response from the California citizens for smart clean energy claiming that it cuts jobs for citizens. A rep from them said:

We all believe in the importance of energy efficiency, but the CEC's proposed regulation is simply bad policy that will do little to achieve energy efficiency and a lot to destroy California jobs. The consumer electronics industry has been trying to work with the CEC since day one on alternatives that would help achieve energy efficiency without causing undue harm on California's economy. But time and time again, we have been disappointed with the CEC's approach and process.

I am totally against protectionist policies because it never works. You have to understand that we get our water from outside California. We get it from the Colorado River, for instance. Why can we get the water from the Colorado River but we can't get renewable energy from outside the state? We get most of our cars from outside the state; why can't we get renewable energy?

With Reuters outlining some challenges. Aside from that, you have some groups like the CEA speaking out against it and a surprisingly negative response from the California citizens for smart clean energy claiming that it cuts jobs for citizens. A rep from them said:

We all believe in the importance of energy efficiency, but the CEC's proposed regulation is simply bad policy that will do little to achieve energy efficiency and a lot to destroy California jobs. The consumer electronics industry has been trying to work with the CEC since day one on alternatives that would help achieve energy efficiency without causing undue harm on California's economy. But time and time again, we have been disappointed with the CEC's approach and process.

Hint: The biggest dangers to Americans have nothing to do with terrorism.

"...a poorly crafted governance structure that concentrates authority at the top and leaves little power to others who might join the foundation."

Doesn't look like it captures the OSS development spirit, to me...

The article is well-thought and well written. Though Andy uses longer, politer phrases to beat around the bush, M$ Code Pox, is a scam and misrepresentation. Even though we're not surprised by that behavior from M$ and its minions, we shouldn't put up with it. After all, ten years ago tech people laughed at M$, M$ products, M$ users and M$ boosters. however, they did nothing to stop the spread and now look at the big cleanup job before us.

There are just too many barriers to it ever becoming credible. Look at any of the required changes Andy mentions. This one in particular stands out:

"Provide that no company and its affiliates (including Microsoft) can have more than one representative on the Board of Directors or Board of Advisors."

No way that one can be overcome. M$ has long been using it's tactic of panel stacking to carry out its jihad.

M$ representatives include those by proxy, such as those from sock-puppets and political action groups like Black Dork Software, Novell and others.

Then you have all the activists M$ has placed inside other companies. Juniper Networks, NComputing, Yahoo (especially via the board), Xensource are now saddled with M$ moles.
That is just a sample, and each of those companies turned and started to toe the M$ party line after taking on one or more moles.

Now, you may ask, how is all this getting financed and who is underwriting it? The answer: each and every bastard who in any way is helping build or maintain M$ marketshare, that's who.

Not that I'm disagreeing with you or anything, but the sock-puppet argument could be easily made for Google and 'sort of' Apple.

"Then you have all the activists Open Source has placed inside other companies. Google, Apple, yadda yadda are now saddled with Open Source moles. That is just a sample, and each of the those companes turned and started to toe the Open Source party line after taking on one or more moles."

Your next argument could just has easily have been:
"Now, you may ask, how is all this getting finaced and who is underwriting it? The answer: each and every bastard who buys a Microsoft product, or a product that runs on a Microsoft platform, that's who."

The reason people buy MS products has nothing to do with a conspiracy theory. MS makes good products. You have to admit that Office is a pretty amazing application, and I know first hand that SharePoint has been a godsend to many organizations.

"...a poorly crafted governance structure that concentrates authority at the top and leaves little power to others who might join the foundation." Doesn't look like it captures the OSS development spirit, to me...

The article is well-thought and well written. Though Andy uses longer, politer phrases to beat around the bush, M$ Code Pox, is a scam and misrepresentation. Even though we're not surprised by that behavior from M$ and its minions, we shouldn't put up with it. After all, ten years ago tech people laughed at M$, M$ products, M$ users and M$ boosters. however, they did nothing to stop the spread and now look at the big cleanup job before us.

There are just too many barriers to it ever becoming credible. Look at any of the required changes Andy mentions. This one in particular stands out:

"Provide that no company and its affiliates (including Microsoft) can have more than one representative on the Board of Directors or Board of Advisors."

No way that one can be overcome. M$ has long been using it's tactic of panel stacking to carry out its jihad. M$ representatives include those by proxy, such as those from sock-puppets and political action groups like Black Dork Software, Novell and others.

Then you have all the activists M$ has placed inside other companies. Juniper Networks, NComputing, Yahoo (especially via the board), Xensource are now saddled with M$ moles. That is just a sample, and each of those companies turned and started to toe the M$ party line after taking on one or more moles.

Now, you may ask, how is all this getting financed and who is underwriting it? The answer: each and every bastard who in any way is helping build or maintain M$ marketshare, that's who.

Both exhibit hugely damaging behavior; but there are structural differences worth noting.

In broad strokes, organized crime exploits the niches created by legal prohibitions, while corporations exploit the niches created by legal allowances.

Bootlegging, drug running, cigarette smuggling, and illicit waste disposal are all activities that are profitable because they are either illegal, and thus have no legitimate competitors, or have legitimate competitors that operate under considerable restrictions or high taxes. In order to exploit these niches, mafias put resources into stealth and subversion of the law enforcement apparatus(bribing cops, planting informants, intimidating witnesses, etc.). They don't tend to try to alter the law(indeed, the law creates their profitable niche); but simply to evade, subvert, or blunt its enforcement on them.

Corporate activities tend to focus much more on subverting the law, rather than subverting the law enforcement. Lobbying for softball legislation(in particular, if an industry supports federal regulation of something, that probably means that some state's law pisses them off, and they want it preempted), exploiting loopholes(spinning off shell subsidiaries as owners of all your severely polluted sites, say), moving from country to country to find the most favorable regulatory conditions, buying supreme court justices, and the like; are all about exploiting, and where possible modifying, the structure of the law.

The two aren't completely distinct, obviously, and both use a mix of tactics(not a few corporations have used outright violence from time to time, and most mafias have substantial interests in legal areas of business); but there behaviors are hardly identical, even if the results sometimes are.

I see you study and raise you 63% of doctors support a mixed public/private option.

so which is it?

You mean, like what Toyota is starting to do (although, they haven't said if they'd let other car manufacturers join in, they probably won't I guess)

You get rid of the tenure system, you get rid of the ability for teachers to speak freely, and only do more to indoctrinate people to maintain the status quo and not question anything. There are cases where tenure needs to be able to be rescinded, but that should only be done in the case of academic dishonesty. And that's it.

The part I agree with you is that it's the parents that are failing. They're teaching their kids that it's ok to be mediocre, that it's cool to not be smart. They'd rather have them play football or basketball, anything other than be smart. And the popular role models for kids? Fucking morons like Kanye West straight-out saying that it's not cool to read. He gets his "information" from talking to people, apparently. Great way to learn anything scientific. Our culture is worshiping ignorance, putting appearance on a pedestal while banishing substance and intellect to the basement. Even the "geek chic" look is just that... a look. You don't have to actually know anything to be part of it.

Russia considers Skype a threat. I wonder if this shut down is an effort to kill off my idea for using Skype to communicate on hostile internets. I wanted to create a skype Extra that uses PGP to encrypt the voice traffic between two parties communicating on a network that is controlled by an oppressive government that does not respect privacy.

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1029818020090910

Wasn't that one of the talking points that was used to sell this robbery of the American people - that Congress would not allow fraud to happen? Well? What happened? Am I in the fucking Twilight Zone, here? And these are the people who want us to let them create another new massive entitlement program. Because even though the three massive entitlement programs that they already created (MedicAid, MediCare, and Social Security) are riddled with waste, fraud, and are insolvent, they can do better this time! Riiiight.. You've had enough chances. Keep your fucking paws off my money, you mongoloid mouth-breathers. Tell me how the hell it's possible for someone to win a seat in Congress when they don't know that X dollars minus Y dollars is less than zero is a bad thing? Fucking retards. Tar and feather the lot of them!

Wrong. Microsoft sued first and TomTom responded with a countersuit.

See http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE52J1IE20090320

the pigeon won.

'If you have jury duty, you would be listening to the case being discussed, not your iPod.'

Well, usually:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/jul/10/claredyer.uknews4

"Last Wednesday a defence lawyer thought she caught a glimpse of a wire under the woman's head covering. On several occasions the judge had thought he could hear the faintest "tinny music", but dismissed it as his imagination. Finally, a woman juror sent him a note, claiming her colleague had been listening to her MP3 player during the defendant's evidence."

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL1689542720070816

"Attorney General Baroness Patricia Scotland had "carefully" considered the case and decided not to press criminal charges, saying it would be too difficult to prove if the woman was guilty, a spokeswoman for her office said...The Crown Prosecution Service said there had been contempt cases where people had taken pictures using mobile phones in court, but it was believed to be the first of its kind involving a juror suspected of listening to music."

Geeks should be equally worried about indium, of which China is the main producer. So much for those cheap LCDs...

It's worthwhile to note that carpel-tunnel syndrome (CTS) predominately shows up in women. It used to be commonly held that CTS was a result of endless typing or other repetitive wrist motion, but studies in the past couple years have shown that women simply have a higher disposition to get CTS than men, and there were/are more women in pure typing roles (secretary, etc).

References:

http://www.rsi-relief.com/2008/05/carpal-tunnel-syndrome-and-women/

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS102819+08-Apr-2009+BW20090408

It just not so bad that theres any need for something as expensive as the shuttle yet. No immediate crisis for government action, and certainly no profitability for the private sector.

No crisis? So there was no problem when China used a "ballistic missile to destroy one of its defunct weather satellites"? And the experts are all wrong? It was just a mirage when an American commercial satellite and a Russian retired satellite collided? " Close calls in orbit happen all the time--scientists estimate that launch vehicles and other objects come within striking distance of one other over 1000 times a day." That article says how the collision of the two satellites created a cloud of debris that spread around the world in a few hours. Further it says "The junk was in the orbital path of the Hubble Space Telescope and just 250 miles higher than the orbit of the International Space Station."

there really isn't that much salvage value in most of the stuff floating around

There isn't? The Pop Mechanics article above says that best possible space-junk solution: salvage isn't allowed by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. It prevents businesses from salvaging defunct crafts. I don't know if without the treaty it would be profitable now or not, but when one or more critical crafts collides with space junk people will think differently. Personally I think those who put the junk in space should be responsible for it, but because the US put a lot of it there I doubt that will happen. Nor do I think Russia or China will agree.

Falcon

Wrong.

Microsoft sued first. TomTom's suit was the response.

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE52J1IE20090320

Letting the E.U. in on software patents would simply result in more patent violation suits against Microsoft. You'd think Microsoft would have learned by now.

"If I had money, I would enjoy flying to Mars," she said. "This was the dream of the first cosmonauts. I wish I could realize it! I am ready to fly without coming back."

http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSL0647601420070306

Depending on how far they are from the McMurdo base, they might get some action.

They got a shipment of 16,500 condoms last summer, so odds are something's going on there!

Single page link

Greasemonkey can make this automatic.

Nope, never.

Um, "single digit" number of devices submitted worldwide due to similarly claimed battery failures. Over 40 Million iPhones/iTouches sold since launch. Same LiIon based batteries in nearly every iPod sold since 2005, over another 110M units. New 3GS phones do not use LiIon, but LiPo, and are not subject to combustion or outgassing due to heat or short failures, and do not explode on impact (you actually have to put a HOLE in one to get a negative result, like cracking it in half by sitting on it).

Less than 10 out of 150M is a VERY smnall number... In most states, odds of winning the states top lottery is better.

Per this article, over 83 in a 2 year period, mostly Kyocera and LG:http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/cell_phone_batteries.html

Sony recalled a massive line of batteries after ericson phones were blowing off all over the world, with nearly 100 cases reported of people being burned.

Nokia in 2007 had over 100 reported cases of their devices causing burns.

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSHEL00572220070814

The Blackberry Bold, which at the time had distributed as few at 5,000 units, had had more cases of battery failure (30 cases!) than apple has with 150 million LiIon powered devices in the field (RIM also declined a recall). Total, RIM has distributed only 21 million phones, and has already gone through 2 recalls for saftey issues.

do you really expect rational arguments in favor of the public good to be of any help against entrenched interests in this matter?

What interests are those, the interests of software companies like Microsoft? "Microsoft to pay $60 million to settle patent-infringement, antitrust claims". "Jury rules for Alcatel in Microsoft patent case". As TFA say, some businesses take out software patents as a means of legal defense, someone sued them over infringement and they may be able to use their own patents as a club, "you sue us and we'll sue you."

The only ones I could see supporting software patents are some patent lawyers.

Falcon

Recent advances in giant batteries for wind power load balancing: http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE57P4PJ20090826

But Obama IS meddling:

U.S. moves toward formal cut off of aid to Honduras

WASHINGTON, Aug 27 (Reuters) - U.S. State Department staff have recommended that the ouster of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya be declared a "military coup," a U.S. official said on Thursday, a step that could cut off as much as $150 million in U.S. funding to the impoverished Central American nation.

The official, who spoke on condition he not be named, said State Department staff had made such a recommendation to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has yet to make a decision on the matter although one was likely soon.

Washington has already suspended about $18 million aid to Honduras following the June 28 coup and this would be formally cut if the determination is made because of a U.S. law barring aid "to the government of any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree." ...

"The recommendation of the building is for her to sign it," said the first U.S. official said of the 'military coup" determination, saying this was a response to the de facto government's refusal to accept a compromise that would allow Zelaya to return to power ahead of November elections. (Editing by Jackie Frank)

Geez, maybe the US needed to accept some sort of "compromise" back in 1973 to return Richard Nixon to power?!?!

Good God, Zelaya was removed for trying to subvert the Presidential term limits in the Honduran Constition. The very clause that says anyone trying to remove must be removed from power. Every Honduran political institution worked deliberatively per Honduran law to remove Zelaya.

And here's the Obama aministration saying Zelaya needs to be returned to power.

WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!

That's EXACTLY the very kind of "meddling" that you're saying Obama's opposed to.

It sure doesn't look that way.

I second the opinion that the $1.4B is for proof-of-concept. Reuters reported that the contract was for the System Design and Demonstration phase of the contract, with which the Army buys two orbits of two aerostats (likely engineering design models) for testing and evaluation.

Regarding the aerostats floating over Iraq and Afghanistan now, these are likely the Persistent Threat Detection System.

Similar study in a different wording:

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN0430617520090804

Diets high in cholesterol also tend to be high in fat, which will lead to obesity without moderation and exercise.

The body naturally produces a balanced and adequate quantity of HDL and LDL cholesterol (except in rare cases), the cholesterol in consumed animal tissue (including dairy) creates an imbalance in the cholesterol levels and will lead to a build up of cholesterol on arterial walls, which can lead to blockage, arterial wall damage and rupture. This happens in the heart, leading to heart disease, and it happens in blood vessels in the brain, leading to vascular dementia and alzheimers. These are diseases resulting from a loss of brain cell function.

*It takes a lot of effort to eat less*

only on a bad diet. bad diet being defined as hormonally imbalanced.

i'm on a diet (for life, mind you, i never want to go back to the crap i ate before!) that is a more advanced version of harvard medical school's joslin diabetes center' 2005 nutritional guidelines. i'm basically never hungry, unless i stray from my dietary guidelines,.as i lost nearly 1 lb of excess fat a week. i dropped over 25 lbs and my low total weight was 155.5 lbs as a just over 5'10" man. just over a year later, i'm now 167 lbs - on the same diet modified a bit for pure muscle mass gains. i have flat abs and they look better in my mid 40s than when i was 17 and ran cross country (yeah, i sucked)!

i'm having a blast working to achieve *all time* bests in strength, speed and endurance.

my energy is dramatically better than ever before, i've tripled my previous record for not calling into work sick with a cold (30 months and counting!), my blood work is ridiculously good (TG/HDL well below 1.0), blood pressure is good, BPM in the low 50s (down from 80) and my life long allergy problems have just disappeared.

the problem most people face is their diet is hormonally unbalanced and pro inflammatory. Good luck fighting your hormones - especially if you aren't genetically gifted.

the good news is that the latest research has revealed a hormonally balanced, anti-inflammatory diet that provides amazing results.

the world's heaviest man, manuel uribe, has lost over 500 lbs in about 3.5 years. in addition, he's lost his hunger and his depression, too. he's not hungry on about 6% of what he used to eat (2k calories compared to 30k+ calories).

quick hints:

1. throw away veggie oil and use olive oil. omega 6 fatty acids act as a substrate for pro-inflammatory eicosanoids.
2. eat lean meat and minimize egg yolks. saturated fat and egg yolks are chalk full of omega 6s.
3. supplement with fish oil (2.5g epa+dha is a great place to start for most people).
4. eat fruits and veggies for your carbohydrate. eat moderate carbs (about 2 apples worth for a typical man and 1.5 for a typical woman). too many carbs over stimulates insulin which activates an enzyme that drives cellular inflammation when combined with omega 6 fatty acids (this is the smoking gun that links obesity to chronic disease (ultimately caused by excessive cellular inflammation).
5. eat monounsaturated fatsnuts, guacamole and olive oil in moderation.

the results are real - high risk groups developed 83% less diabetes than low risk groups based on following this kind of diet.

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSL2979390020080530?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

no drug can touch 10% of that outcome.

The U.S. uses Cuba as an election ploy in Florida and presidential elections. Please help stop this inhumanity.

Castro IS correct: Racist right-wingers fight Obama.

Yours In Novy Urengoy,
Kilgore Trout

Except our new government (Conservatives) have lost their minds and are pushing mandatory minimum sentences.

If they thnk that will work they should stop smoking so much dope ...

Seriously ... minimum mandatory sentences will:

1. make it more likely for people to refuse to cop a plea, raising prosecution costs, etc;
2. make it more likely that police themselves will look the other way (more than they do now - which, from what others have experienced, is "give us the pot and you can go");
3. make it more likely that jurors will refuse to return not guilty verdicts, since it's unlikely that you'll find a "clean" jury;
4. bring the administration of justice into disrepute;
5. raise constitutional issues, since all the above can be readily proven even today, making it more likely that defendants can show that they were selectively prosecuted, hence discriminated against;

Disclosure: I would love to be able to wave a magic wand and make pot, tobacco, etc., illegal, because I can't stand the smell of any of them - however, I also realize that illegal drug use is a social issue, and that the only way to get it mostly out of the hands of the biker gangs is to legalize it and tax the crap out of it. Also, we've been down this road before with prohibition in the US.

We're hypocrites because we allow tobacco sales, even though it's much more addictive AND a proven killer. Let someone eat their stupid mary jane brownies instead - I won't have to smell it, they'll be putting money into the tax coffers instead of the bikers' bank accounts, and we won't be giving criminal records to people who've only done what so many of our elected officials have admitted to doing, on both sides of the border. For example, your current president admits in his memoirs that he's a former pot and coke user, and your previous one was an out-of-control coke-head and alcoholic.

Expect Canada to fully legalize it within the next decade. We almost did under Chretien, but caved in because we already had enough hassles with Bush over other issues (like the BS about how "the 9/11 terr'ists entered the US through Canada" - when not one did, and Chretien (the then prime minister) not only refusing to support the US and publicly criticizing them over the Iraq invasion as stupid - "real friends will tell you what others won't"). We'll tax it, return to budget surpluses, and life will go on - Americans will come to Canada for their partying, same as they already do (drinking age is 18 here in Quebec, gay weddings of US citizens contribute to local tourism, etc), . As for the US reaction - BFD. We've been demonstrably right on so many issues that we've disagreed on (invading Iraq, banking regulations - did you know that Canada has the soundest banking system in the world?) that any nowadays any attempt to get us to change policy to kow-tow to the US on domestic policy would probably result in the fall of the government and a new election. Harper's not stupid - he knows it.

This chart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Temp-sunspot-co2.svg) shows a much better correlation between sunspots and temperature, than between CO2 and termperature.

Uh, no, it doesn't. The trend line for sunspots on that chart, peaked in 1960, and have been on a declining trend ever since. Meanwhile temperatures (on that chart) have been on the upswing.

Solar variations over the past 20 years should have had a cooling effect, but instead we've seen warming. Solar variations are not the main driver of the climate change we are currently experiencing.

Hi. Canadian here. Not sure where you're getting your numbers. The idea that Canadians have more firearms per-capita than Americans is something that needs a really really good citation. This article from Reuters says the US has 90 guns per 100 Americans and Canada has 30 guns per hundred Canadians. I did find a reference to your murder rate numbers.

"the US has more people who have no coverage than the entire population of Canada" - Um, I think California has more people than the entire population of Canada - yep, Wikipedia says California has 36.7 million and Canada has 31.6 million. So this is a pointless statement.

Now, there has been a lot of misinformation in the US news about Canada, and particularly the Canadian health care system. First of all, the system being proposed in the US is *not* a universal health care system like Canada has. In my opinion, as a person who has used both a US "HMO" and the Canadian system, the Canadian system only works because (a) you can't "get ahead" by scamming the health care system. Remember the Canadian system doesn't include medications, so there's no scamming pain meds or anything. You basically get doctor's visits and hospital visits paid for. Not sure about you, but I want to spend as little time in those places as possible, so there's little incentive for people to "scam more health care" from the system, and (b) EVERYONE has to use the system. This includes the hospital administrators, the politicians, their families, etc. There's a built in incentive for everyone to make the system work well, because everyone has to use it at some point in their life.

I'm a fiscal conservative, so public health care is something I look on skeptically, but I have to tell you that the Canadian system is brilliant. It needs constant supervision and tweaking, but it really is great. I've started to realize that while I'm generally pro-market, the one place I really think it makes sense to socialize is any type of insurance. Look at insurance this way: everyone is supposed to agree to share the cost of some high risk, low occurrence event, like theft, fire, accident, or health related expense. In an ideal world, the amount paid to cover expenses is equal to the amount that people have to put into the pot, perhaps adjusted by their risk level (so choosing to live in an earthquake zone or choosing to smoke might cost you more). Obviously it takes effort to administer such a program (you have to prevent fraud, keep track of the money, etc.) but this shouldn't be much more than the overhead expense of a well run charity, some of which frequently have administrative expense ratios below 5%. But then you throw insurance companies into the mix and they realize that their entire reason for existing (profit) is to maximize the amount going into the pot and minimize the amount going out. Therefore, they hire armies of lawyers, draft convoluted insurance policies, spend exorbitant sums on marketing, and ultimately none of that money and effort is being spent on bettering the world, like it would be if we spent it building infrastructure or investing in new technologies, like "good" companies do. The number I've seen is that insurance companies have administrative ratios of 30% to 50%.

If you go into my doctor's office in Canada, there is one woman behind the counter doing all the paperwork for the entire practice. Walk into a US doctor's office and there's at least 3. That's because if you're a doctor in Canada, you have one insurance company to deal with, and if you're a doctor in the US you have hundreds, and you have to narrow it down to maybe 30 or 40 that you're going to deal with. You have to be familiar with all those different forms, etc. That a huge overhead expense, and it doesn't contribute to providing the patient with better healthcare (indeed, it makes it harder to get effective

"Apple Inc., incorporated on January 3, 1977, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers..."
From their company profile

Just in case you're too stupid to know: PC stands for Personal Computer.

Marketing is bullshit? Shocking!!! Bill Hicks was right? Sorry to burst your bubble.

Buffet got his bailout.

Warren Buffet Made Millions On Bailout: Reuters

Were it not for government bailouts, for which Buffett lobbied hard, many of his company's stock holdings would have been wiped out.

Berkshire Hathaway, in which Buffett owns 27 percent, according to a recent proxy filing, has more than $26 billion invested in eight financial companies that have received bailout money. The TARP at one point had nearly $100 billion invested in these companies and, according to new data released by Thomson Reuters, FDIC backs more than $130 billion of their debt.

He was once the oracle, now he's just another corporate welfare pig at the trough. And a hypocrite.

Turns out his long-term investment strategy was just as much a gamble. How is he any different than anyone else who can't manage their money and ends up on the public dole? Oh, right, his welfare check is BILLIONS!

Warren Buffet Made Millions On Bailout: Reuters

Were it not for government bailouts, for which Buffett lobbied hard, many of his company's stock holdings would have been wiped out.

Berkshire Hathaway, in which Buffett owns 27 percent, according to a recent proxy filing, has more than $26 billion invested in eight financial companies that have received bailout money. The TARP at one point had nearly $100 billion invested in these companies and, according to new data released by Thomson Reuters, FDIC backs more than $130 billion of their debt.

He was once the oracle, now he's just another corporate welfare pig at the trough. And a hypocrite.

As in many other things relating to computers, Japan already has the lead in sexless, marginally employed men who live with their parents and play on the internet. They call them "herbivores."

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE56Q0C220090727?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=10522

Now the children's minds will become corrupted by images of porn....and democracy.

Don't forget alternate viewpoints of history and historical events. Who was right, who was wrong and what exactly happened seem to be fairly touchy subjects with the Chinese government. Even current news -- like the Khmer Rouge trials -- needs a meticulously spun delivery to be worthy of public scrutiny in China. Nothing's wrong with that, I just hope the citizens have the right to read about the trial through other outlets like ... say ... Cambodia's.

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE5790AK20090810 http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090810/lf_nm_life/us_pacemaker_2

Yeah, tell me about it! $1,000,000 of profit over 6 years of operation is crap, if they really want a decent level of government assistance they should've posted $82,000,000,000 in losses over the last 4 years like GM, now there's a real company!

http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNews/idUKKLR48361520090807

Just as a follow-up, the subs are nuclear-powered, not nuclear-armed as indicated in your linked article to the guardian. They are Akula class subs

From Reuters: "Akula is the NATO code name for the Nerpa submarine, which has been in service since the mid-1980s. They are armed with torpedoes, cruise missiles and can carry underwater missiles."

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5740DV20090805

Cruise Missiles != Nuclear Missiles

The problem with one site charging an access fee and another not charging is that no one will pay when they can get something similar for free. Unless more sites or at least a critical mass work together, any charging plans won't work. The fact that everyone knows this purposed charging model won't work by itself indicates to me that there is more than likely some collusion going on with other major news players and we will hear similar announcements from others soon as well. If there was no secret talks, maybe his FY10 implementation date is testing the waters to see if the others will follow without technically working with directly with them to game the system.
Newspaper publishers had talks about doing the same thing earlier this year. See here and here for details.

First off, let me make point you to what I actually said:

N. Korea (sic) truly IS a threat to the US and it's allies.

You attack an ally of the US, and you are attacking the US... period.

Chemical weapons:
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUST32127420090618
Don't like Reuters?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_world/3440771.stm
Don't like the BBC?
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2009/07/20097165415127287.html

They have had the ACTUAL (not imagined, like Iraq) capability to build and explode a nuclear device.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/25/north-korea-hiroshima-nuclear-test

Last, but certainly NOT least Delivery technology: (from Wiki)

# Nodong-1 â" larger and more advanced Scud modification. Liquid-fueled, road-mobile missile with a 650 kg warhead. First production variants had inertial guidance, later variants featured GPS guidance, which improves CEP accuracy to 190â"250 m.[43] Range is estimated to be between 1,300 and 1,600 km.
# Nodong-2 â" further improved variant of the Nodong-1, successfully tested in 2006. Range is estimated at about 2,000 km.
# Taepodong-1 â" two-stage Scud-derived missile. Has been tested with a satellite payload in 1998. The satellite failed, but the missile apparently flew without significant problems, therefore it is North Korea's longest-ranged operational missile with its 2,500 km maximum range. According to some analysts, the Taepodong-1 could have an intercontinental range of nearly 6,000 km with a third stage and a payload of less than 100 kg.[44][45]
# Musudan-1 â" a modified copy of the Soviet R-27 Zyb SLBM. No tests of this missile have ever been made, but it is known to be operationally deployed. Most probably it is used as a first stage to the Taepodong-2. The missile, also known under the names Nodong-B, Taepodong-X and BM25, has a range of 4,000 kilometers.
# Taepodong-2 â" North Korea's domestic ICBM attempt. First test occurred in 2006, when the missile failed 40 seconds after launch. On April 5, 2009, a space booster variant was launched with a satellite on board. As with in 1998, the satellite itself failed to reach orbit, but the missile flew several thousand kilometers before falling in the Pacific Ocean. Estimates of the range vary widely â" from 4,500 to 10,000 kilometers (most estimates put the range at about 6,700 km).

I'm not going to bother with multiple citations, since if you haven't started investigating on your own, then you're a zealot, and no amount of facts will convince you.

I was amused to see that Reuters, of all organizations, reports that 21,000-pounds is equal to 9.5 million kg. I guess it's safe to assume that someone who went to a US high school made the conversion.

(It's actually 9.5 million g, or 9500 kg.)

For example, the French Thomson SA is in a middle of restructuring, changed its field of business, and has been struggling because people still see it as a cheap brand of consumer electronics whereas they are now catering to pro industry clients. So changing name = blank slate, as it were.

http://www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUSLR8701120090727

Not necessarily what happens here with "The Shack" (name sounds ridiculous btw), just saying that it can be carefully planned decision, and possibly financially sound.

(Let's not talk about "Sy Fy" ;))

Here in Colorado we have net metering, so two meters aren't needed. If my solar generates more than I use the excess is sent back to the grid, "State 3" in your post, I sell my electricity back to Xcel at wholesale prices, not what I pay if I get the power from the grid, "State 1" from your post. Lets say I need power from Xcel, I would pay them (for simplicity) 10 cents per kw, but if I generate more on a sunny day I sell it back to them for 6 cents per kw. Please point out to me how are they getting screwed again?

Us fine folks here in Colorado passed a law several years ago that 20% of electricity has to come from renewable resources by 2020, so Xcel would benefit from having more people getting solar on their houses, but they want to have the generation facilities to keep their monopoly.

Plain and simple, this is just a money grab by Xcel as they are going for the triple bonus of not having to generate as much electricity (less money spent on coal), getting a "connection fee", and getting closer to the requirement of 20% renewable without any capitol outlay.

I think most all power companies are scared that their monopoly on electricity production and distribution is in jeopardy with advances and the new smart grid. Power companies are the single biggest roadblock to any advancement of our aged and ailing electrical grid. They refuse to look at any other way of doing business other than having huge power plants and huge power lines feeding. (sound familiar? Music industry anyone?) I realize that there will always be a need for power plants and lines, but there are many ways to get the job done better.

I am guessing that you work for a power company?

These are the some 11 word extracts from the first few "headlines" on Google News's front page as of a few minutes ago, along with links to their articles:

...the death of an Islamic sect leader whose capture police announced.... (link)

...bombs exploded within minutes near Shi'ite mosques across Baghdad on Friday... (link)

...the economy shrank at a 1% rate in the second quarter. (link)