This is starting to sound like China's Great Firewall (or the "Golden Shield" as they like to call it). I could see joke sites getting caught in this since it's a non-governmental entity keeping the list--not that joke sites should contain child porn, but a joke site (such as Encyclopedia Dramatica) that makes fun of pedos, child abuse, or the organization itself--could be targets for blocking. I am always against arbitrary censorship. Any pedo that wants porn is going to find it underground anyway--newsgroups, VHS and DVD swapping, email, P2P, and anything anonymous. A block list is only going to stop a person who is thinking "Gee, I wonder what child porn looks like."
I like Macs, but didn't anyone else think, "Gee, all Macs except one cost over $1000. How could Apple have *any* growth in the sub-$1000 market?" Captain Obvious, to the rescue!
Sony makes a good console? The PS2 was killer, to be sure, but most reviews of the PS3 were ho-hum. Yes, it had a lot of power, a faster processor and GPU than the XBox 360, but it was ungodly expensive and had few launch games. The market for PS3 has improved since then, but it's still a lesser platform than the 360 for overall gaming experience. Gran Turismo? Big deal. What about Forza Motorsport 2, Need for Speed series and other very realistic racing simulators for the XBox 360? Even worse, Sony pulled PS2 emulation from most models of the PS3 to cut costs, which was really the only advantage it had over the 360 to me. I loved the PS2 selection of games, especially RPGs, but there's nothing charming about the PS3's selection that justifies its massive cost over an XBox 360. I've never had a "red ring of death" or any other problems with mine.
Don't even get me started on the overpriced Sony computer lineup or the low quality of Sony Cybershot point-and-shoots. Those things have the same specs as Gateways, Dells and HPs and cost hundreds of dollars more, and for that you could get a MacBook Pro. Cybershots are about the noisiest picture takers I've ever seen. I'd take a Nikon, Canon or Olympus (hell, even a Kodak) point and shoot over a Sony any day.
Work? What is this thing you call work? I have this company sponsoring a small space for me to look at Slashdot on dual monitors. Some guy occasionally comes by to check on my TPS reports, but I have never heard of this...work thing...oh no. Now I remember! Work? Work? Oh no! Not again! Aaaaaaaaaaahhh!
Somewhere in the mid-western U.S., a small explosion of brain matter litters an office floor.
Well, depending on the topography of the land, it's possible for a cop to radar you before you see him or her, such as from the crest of the next hill or around a curve. I'm not saying it happened to you, but I've seen land scenarios where the police officer can park and radar people coming between trees, around the curve or over a hill.
Look, son, there's a rare breed of Internet posting: the "cops are criminals" breed. What? They're extremely common in this part of the wild? Well, I guess you learn something new everyday, son.
I disagree with the idea that Linux would outsell Macs and Windows machines at big box stores. I remember reading an article about the gPC which reviewed it as absolutely terrible. I see the three operating systems as follows, from my experience with all three:
Microsoft Windows Vista or XP: Almost universally installed on all new personal computers. Runs with the vast majority of commercially produced software. There is a cost for Windows, but it is subsidized somewhat when you buy it with a new PC. Windows has a massive amount of drivers that generally work with any produced hardware for the home and office PC. Basically, when a user buys a PC they get a machine that works easily out of the box to check email, download music, share photos and play games, and is relatively easy to configure. It may crash occasionally, but a reboot fixes that. The downsides: you need slow, bloated virus scanners and anti-spyware programs to stay secure. Windows does crash more often. It does cost money. It's not developer-friendly, and several programs will slow it down. However, it does what most users need just fine, and that's all they need.
Mac OS X: Only runs on Apple hardware, and comes with all new Apple machines. Has a limited selection of commercial software to choose from. Mac OS X is free with a new Mac. Some devices come with Mac drivers and some don't. Some that don't, however, do work with Macs. Macs, however, excel at multimedia and design. iTunes, iMovie, Adobe Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Garage Band, etc all work smoothly and flawlessly on a Mac in general, while the Windows versions tend to be bloated. Mac hardware is well designed and pleasing to the eye. The interface on a Mac is generally more appealing than Windows, and has lots of little tweaks that fascinate the average user (and geek). Macs are not as prone to viruses and spyware, and few are actually written for it. Downsides: Still costs money, only runs on Apple hardware, limited hardware support and program base, and Mac hardware is far more expensive than equivalent PC hardware.
Linux: Runs on any hardware. Free to download from anywhere. Vast selection of open source software to choose from. Limited driver support for exotic hardware, however most hardware will run under generic drivers. As secure as Mac OS X if not more secure. Can do email, Internet, photos, etc. Terrible for gaming. Difficult and unintuitive to configure, even for people who are familiar with another flavor of Linux or UNIX, or command lines in general. If installing from scratch, it can be a major headache even for tech wizards. Open-source programs tend to be barebones and less feature-filled than commercial counterparts. Good for geeks and developers, bad for end users who like features, whiz-bang effects and pretty interfaces. IM equivalent programs typically lack features found in Windows or even Mac versions (webcam support, chatrooms, etc) and are ugly. No Linux GUI interface (even Beryl) is as attractive as Mac OS X or even Vista. Most Linux X desktops remind me of Windows 95 or even 3.1. Installing custom hardware is usually a major pain. One misconfiguration can render the entire system unbootable.
The reason Linux as it stands today would not outsell Windows or even Macs has nothing to do with cost. Linux is still a mostly geek product that doesn't do quite everything your average home family wants to do on a computer. Sure, you can cobble together various programs and tools that will almost get there, such as Beryl, Wine, and so on, but it still is a bigger hassle than hooking up a Windows machine or opening a Mac laptop and clicking Next, Next, Finish then running the program you want. Until Linux is truly up to par with the capabilities of Windows and Mac, it will continue to be relegated to the hobbyist bin.
Now, despite all that, Linux is incredible for server work. I love Linux server side. I just think because of the above reasons it's still light-years from being a viable desktop alternative.
If college students aren't kids, then why did I encounter the following as an undergraduate?
1. Limits on who I could have in my room and what time.
2. A letter I had to write to my PARENTS if caught underage with alcohol (I never was, but it was a rule)
3. Resident assistants who could basically boss you around as they see fit at the threat of being kicked out of the dorm.
4. Curfews when someone in the dorm broke a rule.
5. Mandatory floor meetings (again, gets you kicked out if you don't go)
I understand most of these are housing related. I went to a public school, and I know things were a lot worse at private colleges (constant curfews, moral codes, etc). My point is, if I'm an adult, what the hell are all these rules for? They did nothing but limit my freedom the same way my parents did as a child.
These stories wouldn't even get past five diggs on that website before they got buried into oblivion. You wouldn't even need the bury brigade for that sort of action. Pro-Guantanamo stories on Digg? What could the content of those possibly be? What possible pros exist?
Teach a man to fish, and he'll have to buy a fishing license, which means he'll need money, so he'll have to get a job, which means he'll have to get a place to live and pay rent, and he'll have to buy a car to drive to work, which means he'll pollute the environment and have to buy gas from the oil companies...
Well, since we're talking about laptops and mobile graphics, I feel the need to point out that my new MacBook Pro has an nVidia 8600 GT in it. Apple has provided nVidia chips in the MacBook Pro line for a few months now. You can get 128 MB or 256 MB, depending on whether you buy the 15" or 17" model.
You'd have research that would have enormous potential from living on the moon, however.
1. A telescope would have much better visibility, and with a base next to it maintenance would be faster and cheaper. 2. A launchpad for space exploration. It's much easier to blast off a rocket from the moon than it would be from Earth. With 1/6 the gravity, a moon rocket would have to have far less thrust to get itself into space and could use Earth's gravity for acceleration. The parts could be manufactured on the moon or on Earth and shipped to the moon via the regular shipping that has been established. Even if it has to be shipped, it would still be a smaller, cheaper rocket. 3. Adaptation to other worlds. If we ever accomplish superluminal transport, we may come in contact with other planets or other forms of life that live in different conditions. If we know how to sustain ourselves off Earth, we can likely sustain ourselves in other locations such as the moon of Titan or worlds beyond the solar system. 4. Wireless networking. We might have to learn how to blanket the universe (or at least our region) with billions of miles of wireless networking at high bandwidth. I'm serious. If we have multiple colonies on multiple planets and space stations, wireless networking on that scale would make communication easier, even if the latency is limited by the speed of light. 5. Future sustainability on Earth. If the climate on Earth ever goes down the tubes, what we learn on the moon may help us survive on Earth, in the case of runaway global warming, an ice age, asteroid impact or nuclear war. 6. Weapons research. We could test weapons away from forms of life it could harm. This one has its own ethical implications, but I leave that to philosophers. 7. Energy research. The energy sources required to power such a base could lead to more efficient energy at home, such as improved solar energy sources. 8. Recycling. The extreme recycling needed for a space station or moon base could be commercialized and used to conserve Earth resources.
I can imagine the anxiety stems from your low testes. I'd be anxious about my testes being away from my body. You never know when that co-worker you kiss will kick you between the legs.
Slashdot Mirror
This is starting to sound like China's Great Firewall (or the "Golden Shield" as they like to call it). I could see joke sites getting caught in this since it's a non-governmental entity keeping the list--not that joke sites should contain child porn, but a joke site (such as Encyclopedia Dramatica) that makes fun of pedos, child abuse, or the organization itself--could be targets for blocking. I am always against arbitrary censorship. Any pedo that wants porn is going to find it underground anyway--newsgroups, VHS and DVD swapping, email, P2P, and anything anonymous. A block list is only going to stop a person who is thinking "Gee, I wonder what child porn looks like."
I like Macs, but didn't anyone else think, "Gee, all Macs except one cost over $1000. How could Apple have *any* growth in the sub-$1000 market?" Captain Obvious, to the rescue!
Sony makes a good console? The PS2 was killer, to be sure, but most reviews of the PS3 were ho-hum. Yes, it had a lot of power, a faster processor and GPU than the XBox 360, but it was ungodly expensive and had few launch games. The market for PS3 has improved since then, but it's still a lesser platform than the 360 for overall gaming experience. Gran Turismo? Big deal. What about Forza Motorsport 2, Need for Speed series and other very realistic racing simulators for the XBox 360? Even worse, Sony pulled PS2 emulation from most models of the PS3 to cut costs, which was really the only advantage it had over the 360 to me. I loved the PS2 selection of games, especially RPGs, but there's nothing charming about the PS3's selection that justifies its massive cost over an XBox 360. I've never had a "red ring of death" or any other problems with mine.
Don't even get me started on the overpriced Sony computer lineup or the low quality of Sony Cybershot point-and-shoots. Those things have the same specs as Gateways, Dells and HPs and cost hundreds of dollars more, and for that you could get a MacBook Pro. Cybershots are about the noisiest picture takers I've ever seen. I'd take a Nikon, Canon or Olympus (hell, even a Kodak) point and shoot over a Sony any day.
Weeelcome to the woooooorld of tomooooorrow!
Bathroom's that way.
Work? What is this thing you call work? I have this company sponsoring a small space for me to look at Slashdot on dual monitors. Some guy occasionally comes by to check on my TPS reports, but I have never heard of this...work thing...oh no. Now I remember! Work? Work? Oh no! Not again! Aaaaaaaaaaahhh!
Somewhere in the mid-western U.S., a small explosion of brain matter litters an office floor.
You counted the letters, didn't you?
It's over nine thooooousand!!!!
Well, depending on the topography of the land, it's possible for a cop to radar you before you see him or her, such as from the crest of the next hill or around a curve. I'm not saying it happened to you, but I've seen land scenarios where the police officer can park and radar people coming between trees, around the curve or over a hill.
Look, son, there's a rare breed of Internet posting: the "cops are criminals" breed. What? They're extremely common in this part of the wild? Well, I guess you learn something new everyday, son.
Because it was too contrived to be funny?
Oh great. A bluish princess.
Dude, you're getting a hell! (Fire that is)
I disagree with the idea that Linux would outsell Macs and Windows machines at big box stores. I remember reading an article about the gPC which reviewed it as absolutely terrible. I see the three operating systems as follows, from my experience with all three:
Microsoft Windows Vista or XP: Almost universally installed on all new personal computers. Runs with the vast majority of commercially produced software. There is a cost for Windows, but it is subsidized somewhat when you buy it with a new PC. Windows has a massive amount of drivers that generally work with any produced hardware for the home and office PC. Basically, when a user buys a PC they get a machine that works easily out of the box to check email, download music, share photos and play games, and is relatively easy to configure. It may crash occasionally, but a reboot fixes that. The downsides: you need slow, bloated virus scanners and anti-spyware programs to stay secure. Windows does crash more often. It does cost money. It's not developer-friendly, and several programs will slow it down. However, it does what most users need just fine, and that's all they need.
Mac OS X: Only runs on Apple hardware, and comes with all new Apple machines. Has a limited selection of commercial software to choose from. Mac OS X is free with a new Mac. Some devices come with Mac drivers and some don't. Some that don't, however, do work with Macs. Macs, however, excel at multimedia and design. iTunes, iMovie, Adobe Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Garage Band, etc all work smoothly and flawlessly on a Mac in general, while the Windows versions tend to be bloated. Mac hardware is well designed and pleasing to the eye. The interface on a Mac is generally more appealing than Windows, and has lots of little tweaks that fascinate the average user (and geek). Macs are not as prone to viruses and spyware, and few are actually written for it. Downsides: Still costs money, only runs on Apple hardware, limited hardware support and program base, and Mac hardware is far more expensive than equivalent PC hardware.
Linux: Runs on any hardware. Free to download from anywhere. Vast selection of open source software to choose from. Limited driver support for exotic hardware, however most hardware will run under generic drivers. As secure as Mac OS X if not more secure. Can do email, Internet, photos, etc. Terrible for gaming. Difficult and unintuitive to configure, even for people who are familiar with another flavor of Linux or UNIX, or command lines in general. If installing from scratch, it can be a major headache even for tech wizards. Open-source programs tend to be barebones and less feature-filled than commercial counterparts. Good for geeks and developers, bad for end users who like features, whiz-bang effects and pretty interfaces. IM equivalent programs typically lack features found in Windows or even Mac versions (webcam support, chatrooms, etc) and are ugly. No Linux GUI interface (even Beryl) is as attractive as Mac OS X or even Vista. Most Linux X desktops remind me of Windows 95 or even 3.1. Installing custom hardware is usually a major pain. One misconfiguration can render the entire system unbootable.
The reason Linux as it stands today would not outsell Windows or even Macs has nothing to do with cost. Linux is still a mostly geek product that doesn't do quite everything your average home family wants to do on a computer. Sure, you can cobble together various programs and tools that will almost get there, such as Beryl, Wine, and so on, but it still is a bigger hassle than hooking up a Windows machine or opening a Mac laptop and clicking Next, Next, Finish then running the program you want. Until Linux is truly up to par with the capabilities of Windows and Mac, it will continue to be relegated to the hobbyist bin.
Now, despite all that, Linux is incredible for server work. I love Linux server side. I just think because of the above reasons it's still light-years from being a viable desktop alternative.
I get first dibs on lurking around Delta Labs with a machine gun when we build our outposts on Mars.
In Soviet Russia, memes give YOU back!
Unless a hot chick injects you in the ass with a syringe full of iron so a rather magnetic villain can escape from a plastic cell.
If college students aren't kids, then why did I encounter the following as an undergraduate?
1. Limits on who I could have in my room and what time.
2. A letter I had to write to my PARENTS if caught underage with alcohol (I never was, but it was a rule)
3. Resident assistants who could basically boss you around as they see fit at the threat of being kicked out of the dorm.
4. Curfews when someone in the dorm broke a rule.
5. Mandatory floor meetings (again, gets you kicked out if you don't go)
I understand most of these are housing related. I went to a public school, and I know things were a lot worse at private colleges (constant curfews, moral codes, etc). My point is, if I'm an adult, what the hell are all these rules for? They did nothing but limit my freedom the same way my parents did as a child.
These stories wouldn't even get past five diggs on that website before they got buried into oblivion. You wouldn't even need the bury brigade for that sort of action. Pro-Guantanamo stories on Digg? What could the content of those possibly be? What possible pros exist?
Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day.
Teach a man to fish, and he'll have to buy a fishing license, which means he'll need money, so he'll have to get a job, which means he'll have to get a place to live and pay rent, and he'll have to buy a car to drive to work, which means he'll pollute the environment and have to buy gas from the oil companies...
You get the idea.
"I didn't know Gloria was sick."
Well, since we're talking about laptops and mobile graphics, I feel the need to point out that my new MacBook Pro has an nVidia 8600 GT in it. Apple has provided nVidia chips in the MacBook Pro line for a few months now. You can get 128 MB or 256 MB, depending on whether you buy the 15" or 17" model.
http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/archive/dilbert-20071016.html
You'd have research that would have enormous potential from living on the moon, however.
1. A telescope would have much better visibility, and with a base next to it maintenance would be faster and cheaper.
2. A launchpad for space exploration. It's much easier to blast off a rocket from the moon than it would be from Earth. With 1/6 the gravity, a moon rocket would have to have far less thrust to get itself into space and could use Earth's gravity for acceleration. The parts could be manufactured on the moon or on Earth and shipped to the moon via the regular shipping that has been established. Even if it has to be shipped, it would still be a smaller, cheaper rocket.
3. Adaptation to other worlds. If we ever accomplish superluminal transport, we may come in contact with other planets or other forms of life that live in different conditions. If we know how to sustain ourselves off Earth, we can likely sustain ourselves in other locations such as the moon of Titan or worlds beyond the solar system.
4. Wireless networking. We might have to learn how to blanket the universe (or at least our region) with billions of miles of wireless networking at high bandwidth. I'm serious. If we have multiple colonies on multiple planets and space stations, wireless networking on that scale would make communication easier, even if the latency is limited by the speed of light.
5. Future sustainability on Earth. If the climate on Earth ever goes down the tubes, what we learn on the moon may help us survive on Earth, in the case of runaway global warming, an ice age, asteroid impact or nuclear war.
6. Weapons research. We could test weapons away from forms of life it could harm. This one has its own ethical implications, but I leave that to philosophers.
7. Energy research. The energy sources required to power such a base could lead to more efficient energy at home, such as improved solar energy sources.
8. Recycling. The extreme recycling needed for a space station or moon base could be commercialized and used to conserve Earth resources.
The possibilities are endless.
Towing birds with one stone would require a lot of rock 'n' roll.
I can imagine the anxiety stems from your low testes. I'd be anxious about my testes being away from my body. You never know when that co-worker you kiss will kick you between the legs.