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The Year in Ideas

Some Anonymous Dude writes "The NYTimes magazine reviews this year's great ideas including the anti-paparazzi flash, forehead billboards, scientific free-throw distraction, and why popcorn doesn't pop." From the intro: "Once we have thrown back all the innovations that don't meet our exacting standards, we find ourselves with the following alphabetical catch: 78 notions, big and small, grand and petty, serious and silly, ingenious and. . . well, whatever you call it when you tattoo an advertisement on your forehead for money."

125 of 157 comments (clear)

  1. adverts on foreheads? by joe+155 · · Score: 4, Funny
    "whatever you call it when you tattoo an advertisement on your forehead for money."

    ...I think its called being really, really drunk... like all truely stupid ideas, they seemed like a good one at the time

    --
    *''I can't believe it's not a hyperlink.''
    1. Re:adverts on foreheads? by Macgrrl · · Score: 1

      Also known as the Cactus Bush Theorm.

      As in "Why did you jump naked into the cactus bush anyway?" "Well it seemed like a good idea at the time..."

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
    2. Re:adverts on foreheads? by Guignol · · Score: 1

      Sounds just like the voting for Bush theorem....

  2. The greatest innovation ever... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    BugMeNot.

    1. Re:The greatest innovation ever... by emptycorp · · Score: 2, Informative

      Also, BugMeNot isn't reliable anymore. I've tried numerous free sites on it and it has been flooded with fake logins.

    2. Re:The greatest innovation ever... by Ex-MislTech · · Score: 3, Informative

      I guess Bugmenot just needs to make a verification script/zombie so the "fakes"
      can be tossed in the bin .

      Ex-MislTech

      --
      google "32 trillion offshore needs IRS attention"
  3. Here's A Shot by MrNonchalant · · Score: 4, Insightful

    well, whatever you call it when you tattoo an advertisement on your forehead for money.

    Materialistic and depraved?

    1. Re:Here's A Shot by Councilor+Hart · · Score: 1

      As I remember the story, she wanted to put her kid into college.
      The person who did the tattoo tried to talk her out of it for many hours, but she wouldn't cave.

    2. Re:Here's A Shot by el+americano · · Score: 1

      FYI, there were at least two that were permanent Tattoos for G.P., including the mother who did it for $10,000. $10,000 won't go very far for private school - not that I buy that story anyway.

      I don't know the state of the art in tattoo removal, but that would have to come off if you want any hope of leaving "loser" status.

      --
      Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others. -Groucho Marx
    3. Re:Here's A Shot by Fred_A · · Score: 1

      If she removes it then her kid won't be able to sell her head on ebay after she dies so that he can finance his first house after she dies.

      --

      May contain traces of nut.
      Made from the freshest electrons.
    4. Re:Here's A Shot by BalloonMan · · Score: 1

      What do I call it? Dermi-Spam (tm)

  4. FOREHEAD BILLBOARDS??? by matr0x_x · · Score: 2, Funny

    How the heck is tattooing GoldenPalace.com on your forehead for $25,000 a great idea??????? I'd need atleast $50K lol...

    --
    LINUX ONLINE POKER: Linux Poker
    1. Re:FOREHEAD BILLBOARDS??? by say · · Score: 1

      Economic status, OK. Social status? I doubt so. You'll always be the guy with the ad on your forehead, and no matter what you do you'll be considered a sell-out or a person without other means to get rich than selling your body.

      --
      Roses are #FF0000, violets are #0000FF, all my base are belong to you
    2. Re:FOREHEAD BILLBOARDS??? by Cheapy · · Score: 1

      Would you do it for free if it was Linux Online Poker?

      --
      Would you kindly mod me +1 insightful?
    3. Re:FOREHEAD BILLBOARDS??? by CyricZ · · Score: 1

      You completely missed the point. Economic status allows one to remove the tattoo, for instance.

      --
      Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
    4. Re:FOREHEAD BILLBOARDS??? by Bastard+of+Subhumani · · Score: 4, Funny

      ... or at least you could afford a hat.

      --
      Only three things are certain; death, taxes, and apocryphal quotations - Ben Franklin.
    5. Re:FOREHEAD BILLBOARDS??? by matr0x_x · · Score: 1

      I'd permanently attach a third arm to my body that held a Linux Online Poker sign if I could... On second thought...

      --
      LINUX ONLINE POKER: Linux Poker
    6. Re:FOREHEAD BILLBOARDS??? by CSfreakazoid · · Score: 1

      I agree, mod +1 funny

    7. Re:FOREHEAD BILLBOARDS??? by Felmir · · Score: 1

      Just wait until a face transplant costs under $25000. Then you got yourself a business plan!

  5. Celebs by Beuno · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You can anti-paparazzi flash be a GREAT idea.
    It only applies to 0.00001% of the worlds population...

    1. Re:Celebs by simdan · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Sure it may apply to a small percentage of the population, but that small percentage would probably be willing to spend big bucks for something like this. Of course that doesn't take into account those without big bank accounts that could make good use of them, like people who are dragged into the lime light by some high-profile court case.

    2. Re:Celebs by CyricZ · · Score: 2, Insightful

      But it's a very, very rich segment of the world's population, even if they are few in numbers.

      --
      Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
    3. Re:Celebs by aneroid · · Score: 1

      i thought "Anti-Paparazzi Flash, The" ;-) was a totally cool idea. if it could be fine tuned massively, even as just a detector, it would help the paranoid. find out when the [ 3-letter-org ] is tailing u. ofcourse, it wouldn't work...but if u're truly paranoid, nothing will.

    4. Re:Celebs by xoip · · Score: 2, Funny

      Toss in one of those Cameera Balls and still get the shots.

    5. Re:Celebs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
      "u're"
      Aren't you going to be late for recess? [Keep all 11 year olds off Slashdot.]
    6. Re:Celebs by TychoCelchuuu · · Score: 1
      Yeah. Only applies to celebrities. And movie theaters. And government installations. And conventions/art shows. And any place you want to keep secure, or where photography is prohibited.

      Look, useful things don't pop fully formed into existence, serving their main purpose and their main purpose only. You know what the Internet was for? The military. Stuff expands, okay? You invent something for one reason, and suddenly it's useful for a whole host of things.

      --
      Against stupidity the Gods themselves contend in vain.
    7. Re:Celebs by packeteer · · Score: 1

      There are plenty of other uses that were listed in the article if you had RTFA. One possible use is to prevent piracy of movies by blocking digital cameras in theaters.

      --
      unzip; strip; touch; finger; mount; fsck; more; yes; unmount; sleep
    8. Re:Celebs by icebike · · Score: 1

      The article, like so much else in the NYT, is misleading, and in fact most cameras do NOT contain a retroreflective (isn't that redundant?) surface behind the lense.

      So the whole idea is based on bogus information. There are some camera's that do have this, mostly for distance measuring, but by and large its simply not true. Look at your digital camera and see if you can find it.

      A more reliable method might be to get a simple strobe trigger, the kind that reads a strobe (camera flash) and fires another flash. If set up correctly the flash would have the same effect as trying to take your own picture in a mirror with a flash.

      That leaves only the daylight hours to worry about.

      --
      Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
    9. Re:Celebs by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      Except that no self respecting pararazzi would actually use a flash. Even the highest powered professional flashes (that you don't need a truck to carry) have an effective range of about ten feet. They don't work so well for the super telephoto set.

    10. Re: Celebs by DocSavage64109 · · Score: 1

      I too have doubts about the anti-paparazzi system. From the description of how it works, it uses a video camera to aim a beam of light at the offending camera. So what if the paparazzi also has the same system? Would the two systems just cancel each other out leaving the actual spy camera available? I would also think that there are plenty of filters you could place in front of your camera to hide any retroreflective properties.

    11. Re:Celebs by jedrek · · Score: 1

      dial up your iso, open up your lens and you can easly use a good flash at 50-70 feet.

    12. Re:Celebs by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      Sure but you only get one shot (because then they know you're there and put their clothes back on) and 50 feet won't get you over the wall, through the razor wire, past the dogs and into the pool anyway.

      I suspect if a celeb lets one of these guys within 50 feet they want their picture taken.

  6. Here's my idea. by Sheetrock · · Score: 5, Funny
    I like peanut butter cups.

    But... why not go one step further and make peanut butter and jelly cups? Strawberry goes well with peanut butter and chocolate, and if you want to go crazy with the concept so does raspberry and orange marmalade.

    Additionally, those apple-cinammon creme-filled cupcakes were pretty good back in the day, but were inexplicably pulled from the market at the same time they replaced the chocolate on the chocolate cupcakes with black wax. They need to bring those back (preferably avoiding the waxy "improvement" to the frosting.)

    --

    Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.
    -- Dr. Spock, stardate 2822-3.




    1. Re:Here's my idea. by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 2, Informative

      Russel Stover makes those. The jelly falls short in freshness vs jelly from a big glass jar, IMO.

    2. Re:Here's my idea. by Saxophonist · · Score: 2, Funny
      But... why not go one step further and make peanut butter and jelly cups?

      I smell a patent!

      Let's see, how to word this one... A patent for the "infusion of processed fruit and plant root material into an edible item shaped similarly to a common household object."

    3. Re:Here's my idea. by Sheetrock · · Score: 1
      Huh, I wonder if the jelly/peanut butter combination is a product that defies preservation.

      I've had orange and raspberry sticks, which were semi-solid jelled fruit centers with a dark chocolate coating (though from a candy store, not off a gas station shelf), and maybe this technique could be extended to PBJ cup manufacture. Like either jelling the jelly, or going so far as to embed a chocolate-coated half-sized raspberry stick in a peanut butter cup to prevent the oils or whatever in the peanut butter from wreaking havoc on the jelly flavor.

      --

      Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.
      -- Dr. Spock, stardate 2822-3.




    4. Re:Here's my idea. by Sarisar · · Score: 3, Funny

      No no no, far to narrow. Something like a patent to "infuse two or more flavours together into a shape" THAT would get allowed straight away, then you can sue everyone over their ideas!

    5. Re:Here's my idea. by Evro · · Score: 1

      Grammer tip: 'Effect' is used as a noun. 'Affect' is used as a verb.

      Not sure if this is tongue-in-cheek or not, but 'Effect' is also a verb, meaning 'to bring about,' e.g., to effect a change.

      --
      rooooar
    6. Re:Here's my idea. by Atmchicago · · Score: 2, Funny

      Spelling tip: Grammar is a word, grammer is not.

      --

      You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it dissolve.

    7. Re:Here's my idea. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      You see, it would be this mat that you would put on the floor, and it would have different conclusions written on it that you could jump to.

    8. Re:Here's my idea. by joshdick · · Score: 1

      Also, affect can be used as a noun.

    9. Re:Here's my idea. by Bazzalisk · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Just a comment on your .sig.

      Although it's rarer one can also effect a retreat (for example), or sport an affect as part of one's mannerisms.

      Isn't English wonderful?

      --
      James P. Barrett
    10. Re:Here's my idea. by TedCheshireAcad · · Score: 2, Informative

      Grammer tip: 'Effect' is used as a noun. 'Affect' is used as a verb.

      Spelling tip: it's spelled 'grammar'.

    11. Re:Here's my idea. by pboulang · · Score: 2

      even worse, the statement isn't even correct! GP should pick up a dictionary.

      --

      This comment is guaranteed*

      *not guaranteed

    12. Re:Here's my idea. by Demerara · · Score: 2, Funny

      Grammer tip: 'Effect' is used as a noun. 'Affect' is used as a verb.

      Spelling Tip: Its "Grammar"

      --
      Backward%20compatibility%20is%20over-rated
    13. Re:Here's my idea. by Werkhaus · · Score: 5, Funny

      >>Grammer tip: 'Effect' is used as a noun. 'Affect' is used as a verb.

      >Spelling Tip: Its "Grammar"

      Punctuation Tip: It's "It's".

    14. Re:Here's my idea. by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      Capitalization tip: you don't capitalize every letter in a sentence. ;)

      How long do you suppose this thread can keep going?

    15. Re:Here's my idea. by Macgrrl · · Score: 3, Funny

      How long do you suppose this thread can keep going?

      Is that a hypothetical question?

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
    16. Re:Here's my idea. by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      Of course! My hypothesis is that the more technically correct the post, the longer (and more esoteric) the reply pointing out an error will have to be. Thus, the more opportunities for mistakes. Therefore, this thread can go on forever, mostly in circles.

    17. Re:Here's my idea. by Pneuma+ROCKS · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Is that a hypothetical question?

      I believe you mean rethorical.

      --
      Favorite quote: "
    18. Re:Here's my idea. by Locke03 · · Score: 2, Funny

      ;)

      Non-standard use of punctuation.

      --
      I don't care what youre doing so much as the idiotic way you're doing it.
    19. Re:Here's my idea. by evilneko · · Score: 1

      You're both right. This is English we're talking about, there are exceptions. Do I need to give examples?

      --
      Slashdot - where to disagree, is to be a troll
    20. Re:Here's my idea. by bw_bur · · Score: 1

      Or even rhetorical.

    21. Re:Here's my idea. by Placido · · Score: 1

      Sentence fragment is a sentence fragment.

      --

      Pinky: "What are we going to do tomorrow night Brain?"
      Brain: "I would tell you Pinky but this 120 char limi
    22. Re:Here's my idea. by pboulang · · Score: 1

      Obviously I don't need examples. I was pointing out a terrible blanket statement.

      --

      This comment is guaranteed*

      *not guaranteed

    23. Re:Here's my idea. by boojum.cat · · Score: 2, Funny
      Grammer tip: 'Effect' is used as a noun. 'Affect' is used as a verb.
      Spelling tip: it's spelled 'grammar'.
      --

      All the world seems in tune on a spring afternoon when we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
      Etiquette tip: When quoting somebody, cite your source. Give Mr. Lehrer credit for your sig.
      --
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  7. Why read slashdot by kermitthefrog917 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I could just wait for this article to come out each year instead. Anybody else see that the majority of those have been on slashdot before?

    --
    I may be wrong but you're downright ugly!
    1. Re:Why read slashdot by ZachPruckowski · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I could just wait for this article to come out each year instead. Anybody else see that the majority of those have been on slashdot before?

      Flip that around. You're hearing about the great ideas of the year months before a New York Times reader is. A great reason to read.

  8. One thing is sure by rolypolyman · · Score: 1

    The New York Times Online Registrations will surely be Slashdotted! Perry White would be proud.

    1. Re:One thing is sure by kermitthefrog917 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Or a lot of BugMeNot accounts will be discovered and disactivated...

      --
      I may be wrong but you're downright ugly!
    2. Re:One thing is sure by heinousjay · · Score: 1

      What exactly is the objection to signing up for the account, anyway? Is it the typical "entertainment wants to be free" mindset of Slashdot, or something deeper? It can't be privacy, because false information is accepted.

      --
      Slashdot - where whining about luck is the new way to make the world you want.
    3. Re:One thing is sure by magefile · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's a hassle to me (takes time). BugMeNot takes less time, especially with the extension or bookmarklet installed, and I feel no guilt because the NYT would'nt've gotten real information anyway.

  9. Oddly Enough by Cherita+Chen · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Surprise, Surprise, the "$100 Laptop" is on the list

    http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/11/14/ 2119209&from=rss

    --
    I'm not fat, just big boned...
    1. Re:Oddly Enough by TedCheshireAcad · · Score: 2, Interesting

      But the NYT says it's the 'laptop that will save the world'. Because computers are apparently more important than FOOD and MEDICINE now.

    2. Re:Oddly Enough by ozmanjusri · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Because computers are apparently more important than FOOD and MEDICINE now.

      My computer lets me do things that earn money. With money, I buy FOOD and MEDICINE, not just now, but whenever I need them. Maybe other people can do the same, then they will not be hungry and sick. If those people are not hungry and sick, we will stop having to send aid money to their countries. If we don't have to keep ending donations to their countries, we will be able to spend the money on large clue-by-fours to sort out people who don't understand that a sustainable income is always better than charity.

      --
      "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
    3. Re:Oddly Enough by cornface · · Score: 1, Funny

      My computer lets me do things that earn money. With money, I buy FOOD and MEDICINE, not just now, but whenever I need them. Maybe other people can do the same, then they will not be hungry and sick. If those people are not hungry and sick, we will stop having to send aid money to their countries. If we don't have to keep ending donations to their countries, we will be able to spend the money on large clue-by-fours to sort out people who don't understand that a sustainable income is always better than charity.

      Your worldview is simplistic and retarded.

      Try working on your computer while you are malnourished and suffering from dysentery.

      Let me know how much money you make!

    4. Re:Oddly Enough by Brendor · · Score: 2, Insightful
      "My computer lets me do things that earn money"

      How can a person without access to reliable drinking water earn money with a computer?

      How can a person who lives on barren land use a computer to get food?

    5. Re:Oddly Enough by narcc · · Score: 2, Informative
      My computer lets me do things that earn money.

      115 ways to earn money with your computer.

      Does not include: Gold Farming or Fishing

      Remember that old saying -- [Give a man a fish: he eats for a day. Teach a man to phish: he eats for a lifetime.]
       
    6. Re:Oddly Enough by LegendLength · · Score: 1

      Your worldview is simplistic and retarded.

      Try working on your computer while you are malnourished and suffering from dysentery.


      While that is true, there is still a huge chunk of people in the world that do have the basics, but are still trapped in poverty. The $100 laptop will make an enormous difference in these demographics. Consider the ultra low cost of setting up internet businesses combined with the start of the information age.

    7. Re:Oddly Enough by sharkdba · · Score: 1

      Teach a man to phish: he eats for a lifetime.

      Yes, they feed you well in prison...

      --
      The purpose of life is to find the purpose of life.
  10. Re:Missing an important one by CyricZ · · Score: 3, Informative

    That's an idea that has been around for ages. It's just that its proponents are far more organized now than they were years ago.

    Sure, they are getting a lot of publicity and having some effect in certain areas, but then you have to consider which areas those are. Kansas isn't known as a hub of scientific discovery, for instance. It really doesn't matter what they want to believe. The world as a whole, including most Christians, see ID for the nonsense that it is.

    --
    Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
  11. Article? by LadyLucky · · Score: 4, Insightful
    There is an introduction, which points to the article, which isn't the article but points back to the introduction.

    Am I the only one that can't find any article? What gives?

    --
    dominionrd.blogspot.com - Restaurants on
    1. Re:Article? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      NYT idea:
      Make people pay for content

    2. Re:Article? by BushCheney08 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Did you try following the half dozen links on the linked page? Or the 'Go to the Issue' link? On that page there are some 50 or 60 links under the 'Year in Ideas' heading. Honestly, I can't believe you can miss a huge list like that...

      --
      Be a real patriot: Question authority. Think for yourself. Formulate your own conclusions.
  12. In Vitro Meat by Errandboy+of+Doom · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I like how they talk wistfully about that great, stomach churning invention from 2005: "In Vitro Meat."

    Ah, yeah, remember In Vitro Meat?

    No? Neither did I.

    It's because that article was published the same day (Dec. 11th, 2005).

    I'm not sure a contemporaneous story could have "helped make 2005 what it was," at best it could be "helping to make 2005 what it is."

    IV Meat is still worth a read though, it's a cyberpunk fantasy come true.

    In Vitro Meat (free BugMeNot required).

    1. Re:In Vitro Meat by The_Rook · · Score: 1

      my favorite food product was the chef who figured out how to print flavors on edible paper. it reminded me of countless cartoons and the fine dining scene from "Brazil".

      --
      when religion is no longer the opiate of the masses, governments will resort to real opiates.
    2. Re:In Vitro Meat by i_should_be_working · · Score: 1

      Possibly even more stomach churning than that is what I thought IV meat was going to be from the title: some kind of meat that you can grow inside of you, then digest later.

      I think I may be on to something here. All that time I waste chewing and tasting could be spent on the real fun of eating: digesting.

    3. Re:In Vitro Meat by natrius · · Score: 2, Informative

      Ah, yeah, remember In Vitro Meat? No? Neither did I. It's because that article was published the same day (Dec. 11th, 2005).

      From the article: In July, scientists at the University of Maryland announced the development of bioengineering techniques that could be used to mass-produce a new food for public consumption: meat that is grown in incubators.

      All of the "Year in Ideas" articles are dated today.

    4. Re:In Vitro Meat by pboulang · · Score: 1

      . . . or it also could be from July, but you are just in a grouchy mood.

      --

      This comment is guaranteed*

      *not guaranteed

    5. Re:In Vitro Meat by Ugmo · · Score: 1
      IV Meat is still worth a read though, it's a cyberpunk fantasy come true.


      In vitro meat is cool but it is much older than cyberpunk. C.M. Kornbluth and Frederick Pohl wrote a book in 1953 called "The Space Merchants" where corporations run the world and people are manipulated by constant advertising (Lucky we dodged that possible future, huh?). Anyway, one of the products that plays a role in the story is "Chicken Little" a chicken substitute made from a slab of tissue grown in a vat.

      Here is a website with a summary

      And a relevant quote from near the bottom of the summary/article:

      One of the great, classic images of this book is Chicken Little--a neatly packaged, popular meat product that's actually a gigantic, living mass of vat-grown tissue fed and processed at the Chlorella plantation.

  13. This year's greatest idea... by Stormwatch · · Score: 4, Funny

    Adding malware to music CDs.

    1. Re:This year's greatest idea... by Freaky+Spook · · Score: 1

      That also goes hand in hand with the years greatest quote, by one president of Sony BMG

  14. Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by ATeamMrT · · Score: 4, Insightful
    How the heck is tattooing GoldenPalace.com on your forehead for $25,000 a great idea???????

    $25,000 is a LOT of money for someone who's never had more than the $121.45 which food stamps pays per month. To someone in IT, $25,000 might be a 2 month contract, and not very much money. Buy a top notch digital camera to play with, maybe a new plasma TV, eat at a fancy restaurant all month, and your $25K is gone. But for someone who is poor, that $25K might last 2 or 3 years. It is enough to buy a 7 year old Honda Civic with 110,000 miles for $1700. That should be solid transportation for another 5 years. That 25K will buy lots of chicken at the grocery store at $0.79 cents a pound. Add the 10 pound bag of potatoes that is $1.99, and that will last a month. For someone who has been poor, you would be surprised how easy it is to stretch $25 into a weeks worth of good eats. There isn't any steaks, but there is plenty of roasted chicken, rice, oven baked potatoe wedges, and hearty soups made from the left over bones of the chicken with some veggies. I sometimes get a kick out of fancy resturants that use peasant recipes to make meals they charge $40 per plate. The original purpose of these recipes was to conserve and be frugal. For example, there is an Italian resturant near my home that has a $7 soup which is made from olive oil, garlic, basil, water, and lots of day old crusty bread cut in cubes. It is a creamy soup, very tastey, and something that $1 could make a big pot with 20 servings. The bread breaks apart and thickens the flavorfull water.

    For someone who is poor, that $25,000 extra cash might be reason enough to buy a case of two buck chuck and stock the wine cabinet.

    I know we all live in the USA, but there is a gap growing between the rich and the poor. $25,000 is a lot of money no matter who you are! Those guys who box are often poor, and come from homes where the needs were far greater than the wants.

    Having said all that, I hate the blatant advertising. People should not use their body or uniform to advertise. It is a shame, because that $25,000 might be more money than the boxer could make any other way. It is one guaranteed payout.

    1. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by JWSmythe · · Score: 3, Insightful


          You haven't known many people without money, have you?

          Ideally, yes, they would live within their means, and use the $25k to help with their standard of living.

          In the real world, that $25k would be gone in a week, but probably less. It may go to pay back bills, but more than likely it will put the biggest TV they can fit in their house (usually not well), some new furnature, a couple nice dinners, and maybe the down payment on a new car. Unfortunately, they'll still be living in a crappy place in a bad part of town. The car will get repossessed within months, and their 'nice' stuff that they just bought will end up as crappy as the stuff they already have. Generally, they treat their stuff just as badly as they treat themselves, which is why they're usually in that situation.

          I won't say everyone who is down on their luck is like that. Hell, I've been there. But, most people wouldn't use cash like that to ensure that they will thrive in the future.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    2. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by ATeamMrT · · Score: 1, Insightful
      You haven't known many people without money, have you?

      Ideally, yes, they would live within their means, and use the $25k to help with their standard of living.

      In the real world, that $25k would be gone in a week, but probably less. It may go to pay back bills, but more than likely it will put the biggest TV they can fit in their house (usually not well), some new furnature, a couple nice dinners, and maybe the down payment on a new car. Unfortunately, they'll still be living in a crappy place in a bad part of town. The car will get repossessed within months, and their 'nice' stuff that they just bought will end up as crappy as the stuff they already have. Generally, they treat their stuff just as badly as they treat themselves, which is why they're usually in that situation.

      I won't say everyone who is down on their luck is like that. Hell, I've been there. But, most people wouldn't use cash like that to ensure that they will thrive in the future.

      I don't know why they marked you troll, you're right about some poor people. They do get in debt, and it is a real problem. I am not sure about the status of the new bankrupcy laws, but I hear it is more difficult to declare bankrupcy. The courts will not discharge debts.

      If a family took a $25,000 pay check, and the first thing they did was buy a $5,000 plasma TV, that family is in trouble. I doubt the TV will make their lives that much better.

      Truth be told, for some people, I don't know how $25,000 could be invested for a better future. Not everyone has the ability to finish college, it takes good reading skills, reasoning skills, and math. Some people just can't get over the hump of a college education. It is a sad fact, and it does not make the person any less valuable to society. But 30 years ago, that person could get a good union job, buy a house, and live a normal life. Today, that person will have a very difficult time making ends meet.

      What would you recommed for a guy with an IQ of 87 to do with $25,000? Spend $2,000 at the community college learning a trade which one day might offer a $10 hour job? Keep training in boxing, and hope for the 1 in a 1,000,000 shot of making good money?

      I don't know what the solution is. I wonder what suggestions others would give that family? And we should not criticize them for being human and wanting items like big TV's. That is the job of marketing, and they do a good job of making people spend their money on junk. There are whole forums dedicated to sneaking information on what DVD's will be 2 for $20 at the local electronics store next week.

    3. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by JWSmythe · · Score: 5, Insightful


          I suppose that my comment was marked as troll, because I hit a nerve with someone.

          Myself, I did the trade school route. I took a year (two 6 month classes) on HVAC repair with a friend of mine. I never got hired, but he did. He spent the next year crawling under mobile homes, and in attics to run duct work. I had an old Apple IIe at home, that I was becoming very proficient on.

          I ended up getting a job in a WalMart ware house, making crap money and long hours. I was driving a $300 car with a leaky radiator that I couldn't afford to replace.

          I ended up going back to trade school for law enforcement. I started with corrections (i.e., prison guard), and then law enforcement, both of which I got certified in by the state. I worked for roughly 3 months there, where I found out it's a really shitty job deeply rooted in the good ol' boy system. I wasn't one of the good ol' boys, so I didn't have a chance.

          I ended up with a tech job at a crappy computer store in a bad part of town. They sold the worst hardware, and the customers were always unhappy. Last I heard, the owner was on the run for tax evasion. I learned a lot about PC hardware, and how to make absolute crap work.

          All the while, I was living in some pretty crappy places. I was very happy eating a $0.49 McDonalds hamburger and water for lunch, and maybe a bowl of rice or spaghetti for dinner.

          I knew people who lived in rusted out mobile homes, that would get some quick cash somehow, and waste it. They'd have a huge TV, newer car, or whatever, and a couple weeks later, be bitching that their welfare check didn't buy them enough food to eat.

          I ended up at an Internet company for a year, making not quite as crappy money. I think my take-home check was roughly $200.

          I kept trying, had a bit of dumb luck, and have ended up where I am now. I have nice things, and live in a nice place.

          But, money doesn't buy happiness. My girlfriend left me yesterday, because I don't take her out enough, and I don't pay enough attention to her. She doesn't like that my pager goes off at odd hours, and that I get phone calls from 9am until sometime after 1am, depending on where the clients are. She doesn't like that I work a lot, and lately have frequently been out of town for work for between a week and two months at a time.

          So, what do you do? Beats me. Right now, I'd get a tattoo on my head, if I knew it would earn me happiness. Screw the cash.

          For them, yes, go to a trade school, learn to do something. Anything. Work a hard day, get a crappy paycheck, and when the better job comes along, grab it. It's better than putting a tattoo on your forehead, grabbing the quick cash, and squandering it all.

          In my own situation, I'm being humbled. I'm going to sell virtually everything I have, move in with a friend, save every penny I have, and maybe when I come out of it, I'll have savings in the bank to keep me financially stable for the rest of my life, and still have my friends. All the nice stuff that I could possibly own (and do), and as much as I've tried to please girlfriends I've been with have done be absolutely no good. If I know I can buy a $0.49 hamburger for lunch every day, a bowl of rice every night, and be around my friends, I'll continue to be happy. I'll still have my skills, and I will continue to work until I'm too old to type or to think.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    4. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by complete+loony · · Score: 4, Interesting
      There's a couple I know who don't know squat about money. They are on welfare (in AU). My wife is good with money, and financial planning and what not. She sat down with them and showed them how they could live on what they get from the government, how they could have the things they want in moderation, save money, and still have enough for all the bills.

      They didn't listen, they still blow all their money. I believe the husband has a gambling problem. The wife moved out for a while, but still couldn't make ends meet and eventually moved back again.

      They won $10K once gambling. They moved to a cheaper house, bought some furniture, a computer, and even tried to save some of the money in the bank. But it's all gone now.

      There are some people who just can't seem to manage their own finances. They never learn from their mistakes and keep blowing all their money in useless ways.

      I've seen it time and time again.

      --
      09F91102 no, 455FE104 nope, F190A1E8 uh-uh, 7A5F8A09 that's not it, C87294CE no. Ah! 452F6E403CDF10714E41DFAA257D313F.
    5. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by Symbha · · Score: 1
      In a quantum universe, with an infinite number of possibilities, this sig could say anything.
      You mean, it DOES say EVERYTHING. ;)
    6. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by JWSmythe · · Score: 1


          It could. :)

          Or it could say nothing.

          Luckly here, it just says something.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    7. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by JWSmythe · · Score: 2, Insightful


          There is no god, no matter what religion you are. I've searched. No one has found 'god'. They've found in religion something to make them feel safe from what they don't understand.

          Religion is the early man's way of explaining what he didn't understand.

          Surely you have grown beyond that by now.

          Some have told me that we are 'god'. That is the best explanation. We are in control of our own destiny. Leaving it up to a mythical being to save yourself is leading your life to ruin through inaction.

          But hey, if it works for you, go to church, give your 'donation', and pray all that you'd like.

          I don't claim to understand everything, but I know that I shouldn't. Some people believe I do. Some people know I don't. The rest of you don't know me at all.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    8. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by LegendLength · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I suppose that my comment was marked as troll, because I hit a nerve with someone.

      I would say it was this:

      "Generally, they treat their stuff just as badly as they treat themselves, which is why they're usually in that situation."

    9. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by TapeCutter · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Spot on, nobody understands what "it is all about" for anybody except themselves. Those that would force their beliefs on others through violent means are responsible for most of the carnage of human history including the carnage that is happening now. Accepting that "it" is unkowable gives the same sense of awe and liberation found in more conventional religions.

      Yes, I have missed meals and been hungry.
      Yes, I, my ex and two kids, were classed as "working-poor" for ~10yrs.
      Yes, I get well above the average wage now.
      Yes, I have "wasted" money I didn't have on "frivolus" things like a weekend in a 3 star hotel. I can only assume the posts that think this is a bad thing have a "religion" based on money.

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
    10. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by syousef · · Score: 2, Insightful

      But, money doesn't buy happiness. My girlfriend left me yesterday, because I don't take her out enough, and I don't pay enough attention to her. She doesn't like that my pager goes off at odd hours, and that I get phone calls from 9am until sometime after 1am, depending on where the clients are. She doesn't like that I work a lot, and lately have frequently been out of town for work for between a week and two months at a time.

      Trust me. If she's like that, it's good news. You'll appreciate it soon enough. Alone sux. With the wrong person sux worse. Find someone who'll treat you better and you'll be a lot happier.

      --
      These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
    11. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by Engineer+Andy · · Score: 2, Interesting

      it's totally off topic from the main discussion, but i just wanted to put in my $0.02 worth of encouragement. The wrong woman is far far worse than no woman. Alone does suck, but the misery that you could go through with the wrong person is indescribable.

      In a month or so, things will proabbly look better.

      I'm a christian. you might not be. I had a similar thing happen to me just under a year ago, and for me, getting the signals that this was not the right woman was the best thing that happened to me for a very long time. I count myself blessed for getting that heads up about her.

      --
      "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World" 1 John 4:14
    12. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by DarkHand · · Score: 1

      You haven't known many people without money, have you?

      And apparantly you haven't, either. While I agree that there are a number of people who would in fact just buy a plasma TV and some 20" wheels for their rusty '82 Mercury, there are just as many good, sensible people who are just trapped in a bad situation that would act in the way the grandparent post described. It sounds right: Smart, decent, hardworking people should always be successful in the US. But it dosen't always turn out that way. One bad decision, medical emergency, or death in the family can trap someone who's already only just getting by into a terrible, almost inescapable spiral of debt. I'm not just talking about owing some money on your credit cards. With the person the grandparent described, he or she already has no credit. They're trying to get by purely on a week to week basis, so there is no chance to break free; all of their effort is going towards immediate survival. You wouldn't believe the gap that exists between people that have and people that don't have credit. In this nation it's an entirely different existance.

    13. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by tabrnaker · · Score: 1

      You sound somewhat level headed. Unfortunately, your body will not thank you for the mcdonald's hamburgers. There are better alternatives out there that WILL ensure that you'll be around to spend time with friends.

    14. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by Lord_Dweomer · · Score: 1
      The situation you described makes me wonder if it was a matter of them knowing about money, or whether it had more to do with their financial self control. People with a gambling problem aren't known to be the most responsible with money even if they have a keen awareness of how little they have left.

      And its funny, because even if you are someone who is normally very financially aware, and conservative in their spending, you too can find yourself living paycheck to paycheck.

      The kicker is you don't even have to be considered "poor" in the traditional sense to do so.

      For example, I come from a wealthy family, father is a succesful lawyer and all that garbage, and I am well supported by them. Having just graduated, I am fortunate enough to never have to worry about my college tuition, and managed to get a decent paying job out of school (for my experience level at least). At the insistence of my parents, I moved into an apartment which is VERY expensive for me, and once it all works out with that, cell bill, electricity, internet, food, transportation and such, I end up fluctuating between saving a little money, and not saving any money.

      If I didn't have the support of my family, I'd be screwed, and I hope I'd never let myself be dumb enough to be in that situation. And if I suddenly were to lose that support, I would most likely move to a cheaper place so I could start saving money.

      But you see, that support is akin to receiving a large amount of money (like this woman did). You have a false sense of financial security because you are provided with money that makes you feel like you are able to live richer, when in fact your income has not changed and it will eventually even out to where you were at previously.

      --
      Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
    15. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by JWSmythe · · Score: 1


          I'm guessing that you have seen Super Size Me.

          Honestly, no I don't and wouldn't eat McDonalds every day. I did back in the day, because it was cheap and accessable. I was stuck with the fixed lunch break period, and needed food of some sort fast and cheap.

          I am in relatively good shape. 12% body fat, and/or a BMI of 21. I felt that I should mention that, since virtually no one who would read this has ever seen me. I don't exercise as much as I want, but that's due to other reasons.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    16. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by muszek · · Score: 1

      There is no god, no matter what religion you are. I've searched.

      You use some shitty search engine, brother.

      http://www.google.com/search?hs=d3X&hl=en&lr=&c2co ff=1&client=opera&rls=en&q=god&btnG=Search

    17. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by JWSmythe · · Score: 1


          Sorry, that's not how I searched. I did it the old fashion way. I read lots of books, and talked to lots of people.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    18. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by complete+loony · · Score: 1
      My wife used to have no idea about money. She would see the bank balance and think, hey what can I spend this on? I'd come home and she'd proudly show me the latest trinket she'd purchaced. Now I'm a hopeless introvert and though I tried to explain that we needed to eat, and pay the bills that were coming up, she never seemed to understand. So I let her continue. I figured she'd only work out how much money we really had when we had nothing left.

      We reached a point where we had to decide which bill to pay this week, and which ones could wait for the next payday. Finally we sat down and worked out how much money we actually had. We added up every single expense from the big things like the mortgage, water etc, to hair cuts, petrol, movies and take away.

      Though my income has gone up, and we have paid off every debt but the mortgage, we still live well below our means.

      --
      09F91102 no, 455FE104 nope, F190A1E8 uh-uh, 7A5F8A09 that's not it, C87294CE no. Ah! 452F6E403CDF10714E41DFAA257D313F.
    19. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by Zzesers92 · · Score: 1
      Leaving it up to a mythical being to save yourself is leading your life to ruin through inaction.

      Most people who are religious despise inaction as well (heard of sloth?) Get over the need to actually put a face with 'god' and you'll find most religions are actually about leading your life in a manner that will bring you the most happiness and fullfillment.

      Don't get me wrong, extremist in any relgion will probably disagree with that statement. But if someone can find a philosophy that makes them happy and lead your life in a good direction, whether it's through Christ's teachings, Buddism, Islam, Judaism, why are you intent on trying to convince them that their rules to live by are not valid?

      More importantly, your religion, I would argue, is either Agnosticism or Aetheism. This is the philosphy you've chosen to guide your life in a positive manner. Good for you. I applaud you for giving the matter some thought and finding a settling position on the wonders and miracles of this universe.

    20. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by LegendLength · · Score: 1

      Sorry, that's not how I searched. I did it the old fashion way. I read lots of books, and talked to lots of people.

      Sad because you would missed existing also:
      http://www.google.com/search?hs=d3X&hl=en&lr=&c2co ff=1&client=opera&rls=en&q=unicorn&btnG=Search

    21. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by tabrnaker · · Score: 1
      haha, i've seen the docu, however that isn't why i stated that. You see, i've actually eaten mcdonalds in the past!! Used to taste good when i was sick, now the healthier i get the sicker it makes me :)

      Remember folks, while body fat and BMI CAN be correlated with health they are NOT health indicators.

    22. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by JWSmythe · · Score: 1


          I've been called both Agnostic and Athiest. Yes, I know the difference. :)

          I think of myself more as polytheistic, leaning towards Pagan. Unfortunately, the ancient religions which may have a real clue, disappeared long ago. I feel they died along with the departure of those gods. I don't believe the gods to be supreme beings, controlling the whole universe, but more advanced races to what we were when the legends started.

          If there's a God or Gods, I'd like to have a few words with him/her/them. I could learn a lot more directly, rather than through vauge legands. I'll expect a knock on my door any time. :)

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    23. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by JWSmythe · · Score: 1


          Ahhh, the Unicorn. A creature that may or may not have actually existed.

          I'm fond of the dragon legend. Virtually every culture on the planet has dragon lore, and they're all very similiar. Did they exist? Who knows. I haven't seen a dodo bird either, but legend has it that they existed.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    24. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by JWSmythe · · Score: 1


          I just listed them to indicate that I am healthy, and of a normal weight.

          The stereotypical picture of a Slashdot user is an overweight male nerd, stuck to his chair by a cement created by spilled soda, coffee, and cigarette ashes. The truth won't really come out until Slashdot starts having it's own conventions. Of course, I probably won't show up, unless it happens to be where I am that week.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    25. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by TapeCutter · · Score: 1

      John 14,27 "I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn't like the peace that this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid."

      Far be it from me to argue with the wisdom of the bible but context is everything. I belive that "peace" is found not given but I also agree John has brought "peace" to untold millions of souls by relating how HE found it in Christ's teachings.

      The problem (as I see it) is that he also heavily implies Christ is the ONLY way. A couple of sentence's up the page, John quotes from Jesus. When put in this context John could be seen as justification for the "us/them, good/evil" demons that lurk in every human phyche. When seen from a "un-Christian" like point of view, it could be said that John has also triggered torment and destruction to untold millions of souls.

      John 14,23 "If anyone loves me, they will obey me. Then my Father will love them, and we will come to them and live in them. 24But anyone who doesn't love me, won't obey me. What they have heard me say doesn't really come from me, but from the Father who sent me."

      But hey, what do I know. My mum was a Sunday school teacher, his dad was God!

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
    26. Re:Have you ever missed meals or been hungry? by janrinok · · Score: 1

      Er, no, we don't all live in the USA. Look around, there is a big world out there....

      --
      Have a look at soylentnews.org for a different view
  15. If there are only 78 innovative ideas by Flyboy+Connor · · Score: 2, Insightful
    If there are only 78 innovative ideas, why is it that tens of thousands of patents were awarded?

    Furthermore: tattooing a slogan on your forehead -- why does that fall under the category "Science"?

    1. Re:If there are only 78 innovative ideas by ztucker · · Score: 1

      The article wasn't clear enough concerning the technology. What actually occurs is that approx. 30,000 micro-filament LEDs are implanted into the forehead, along with a processor and motion sensors, allowing the message and its intensity to be adjusted during the day. For a fee it also shows pay-per-view movies.

  16. 2003 in ideas by Leontes · · Score: 2, Informative

    "Started in August 2003"

    -wikipedia

  17. cyberpunk fantasy? by commodoresloat · · Score: 2, Funny
    it's a cyberpunk fantasy come true.

    you misspelled "gourmand's nightmare."

    What I do love, though, is anything that prompts the New York Times to publish a joke about "tube steak."

  18. Slashdot Says: by 246o1 · · Score: 2, Informative

    It's 'Grammar.'

    And both things you say are wrong, as those words are both both verb and noun.

    And, last but not least, everyone around here loves to pick on people who post about grammar and spelling.

    Perhaps you're a grammar troll?

    --
    Although the moon is smaller than the earth, it is farther away.
  19. Another grammar tip ... by Empty+Yo · · Score: 1

    "Affect", as it is used in psychology, is a noun. When we refer to someone's mood, we refer to their "affect". You can, in this sense, affect an effect on an affect.

    --
    I'll tolerate anything except intolerance.
  20. MOD PARENT UP by Millenniumman · · Score: 1

    That was reasonably funny an on-topic relative to the average /. post, yet it was modded to -1. It should be 3, Funny at least.

    --
    Stupidity is like nuclear power, it can be used for good or evil. And you don't want to get any on you.
  21. Is it.. by StikyPad · · Score: 2, Funny

    whatever you call it when you tattoo an advertisement on your forehead for money.

    Slashdot?

  22. Conspiracy theorists, pay attention! by Stickerboy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I found this tidbit interesting:

    Under "Making Global Warming Work For You", there was "Millions of acres of ice may soon become suitable for nautical traffic and oil exploration. An estimated quarter of the world's undiscovered oil and gas resources are in the Arctic."

    And people wonder why the energy industry/US government is doing all it can to drag their heels on climate control...

    --
    Light a fire for a man and he'll be warm for a day. Light a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
    1. Re:Conspiracy theorists, pay attention! by LegendLength · · Score: 1

      "An estimated quarter of the world's undiscovered oil and gas resources are in the Arctic."

      And people wonder why the energy industry/US government is doing all it can to drag their heels on climate control.


      Besides being dishonest to lump the government and energy industry's ideals together, many moderate right wingers simply put a higher priority on other world problems. To imply that they wish to reverse climate controls is a plain lie. They want an ideal climate like everyone else.

      Secondly, energy companies are blocked in the form of international land controls for polar mining. Do you really think it is just a matter of them not having the technology to drill through ice?

  23. Re:Great ideas worth the paper their printed on? by Cherita+Chen · · Score: 1
    How exactly am I a troll here? I merely corrected this individual on the fact that this story had nothing to do with the news at all, given it was printed in a magazine.

    "Chut up!" is my sig as it relates to my handle, which is a line from a movie.

    Give me a break!

    --
    I'm not fat, just big boned...
  24. The Real Big Ideas for 2005 by dexter+riley · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I read the list of innovative ideas...they mostly seemed like Sharper Image catalog entries. An infrared pet dryer? Robot jockeys? Singing toothbrushes? How grand.

    So, I say we start a list of what the REAL big ideas of 2005 were. I'll start. This is the first year I recall where it was widely expressed in the media that there are major global cities, even some in the United States (ye gads!), that are unmaintainable over the next hundred years, and can be expected to be abandoned to the elements. Whether it's New Orleans being returned to swamp, or the cities of the Southwest that could dwindle as energy and water costs rise, the notion of the likely failure of many of our great cities seems significant. At least, it seems more important than the "Snap-On Celebrity Smiles" that made the list.

    Anyone else have any other real ideas that came from 2005 that are worth commenting on?

    Rock on with your bad selves,
    dex

  25. Re:Missing an important one by Gibsnag · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh yes, I can't wait for society to accept the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Ahh, what a blissful day that will be when the Church of the FSM is recognised as a world religion.

  26. [ot] appreciation of your joke: by wild_berry · · Score: 1

    Thanks for the laugh.

  27. Sounds of the Uncyclopedia by wild_berry · · Score: 1

    That should be 'rhetorical', from the Latin word 'torica' meaning 'goes round and round'.

  28. novelty with out benefit by museumpeace · · Score: 1

    does not rate the "best ideas of 2005" category implied by TFA. This is a stunt to prop up circulation. [Time mag. did a similar cover storey two weeks ago. Today they layed off a few hundred people.] Not a good sign of the "Times" if you ask me.

    --
    SLASHDOT: news for people who can't concentrate on work or have no life at all and got tired of yelling back at the TV.