People are used to organized crime, but terrorism is a relatively new concept in America; people are more afraid of Al Qaeda than they are of the Hell's Angels, so fighting terrorism takes priority.
I'm not saying it's the right way to look at things, but that's the way most Americans do.
This is obviously a plot by our extraterrestrial overlords (whom I belatedly welcome) to minimize the blips caused by UFO's. Not to mention the fact that radar has been attributed to the recent (last 60 or so years) phenomenon of UFO crashes.
exactly. I'd be interested in finding out what kind of redundancy they have in the system; Satellites become disabled in one way or another too frequently.
it answers the question by saying that we exist in one of the few universes in which a conscious observer can exist. And there's no reason why there has to be a finite number of universes; just because our mind cannot conceive it, doesn't mean it cannot happen.
To demonstrate this point in a more clear fashion, let's move the argument to a less esoteric setting: "Why did I win the lottery ? Because I wouldn't be rich if I hadn't." The anthropic principle is basically arguing this, only the winning lottery numbers are values of the physical constants, which got the exact values which allow life in general and us in particular to exist.
The problem with your example is that you will still remain conscious and aware if you don't win the lottery. Now, rewrite the example to where at the second it becomes clear that you won't win the lottery (i.e. third ball doesn't match one of your numbers) you are killed, then you've got a valid comparison. This is similar to the quantum suicide thought experiment, except that in addition to proving the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics, you're also rich.
Personally, I think that there's good evidence to suggest that the Many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics is accurate. It simply states that at every quantum wavefunction collapse, every possible path is realized in seperate universes. This allows for universes in which we exist, nothing exists, and even the Flying Spaghetti Monster exists.
Your guitar analogy is akin to Dell telling you what software you can run on your new computer. A better analogy would be you buying a book of guitar tabs and not being allowed to share that book with a friend. The problem with software is that you can share that one program with more than just a couple of friends; you can share it with the entire world. And if everyone can get the same software from you for free, there's no need to pay the developer.
A big flaw in that argument is that it assumes everyone who copies the movie would have shelled out the fifteen dollars to see it in the theater, had they not downloaded it. This is simply not the case, and it applies to all forms of copyright infringement (software, music, and movies). There has to be real money being lost before you can assume a loss of $50 million dollars to the economy, not fictional "maybe dollars" that the RIAA and MPAA like to use.
I find it interesting that the prosecutor can choose to forgo a trial by a jury of your peers and still have you sent to jail for the same amount of time minus a day. Democracy in action.
I'm of the opinion that DRM's aren't there to be unbreakable protections anymore, but to give users pirating the game the biggest hassle possible. It may not be a problem for the tech savvy to download and implement a complicated DRM workaround, but the average user would balk at anything more complicated than overwriting executables.
In the navy, the people who run the nuclear reactors are called Nukes. It's also common knowledge in the navy that while the Nukes are some of the brightest minds in the military, they have an incredible lack of common sense. I mention this only because I think it parallels the rest of the world. intelligent != smart indeed.
two words: personal responsibility. If they break into cars, they should go to jail. Not because they were on crack. If the drugs are impacting their life and other people's lives, then its their responsibility to get off drugs or face the consequences, not the state's responsibility to make them. People get arrested for drunk driving all the time; it doesn't mean drinking should be illegal, it just means that drunk drivers should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Which implies a catalytic life-shaping environment, or an extra-terrestrial source, or of course, intelligent design.
Why can't it be all three? extra-terrestrials engineered the environment and seeded life from off-world sources. The seedy underbelly of ID theory that Christians would rather not talk about (if they insist that the possibility of God creating the earth be taught, they must also acknowledge the possibility of extra-terrestrial ID, as well).
I have done quite a bit of reflection on this subject and one of the possible conclusions I have come to (and this may sound a bit crazy) is that perhaps time or more specifically the human perception that everything must have a beginning and end is a false perception or illusion and that really existence has never had a beginning or ending, it just is.
I think you're onto something here. I've always heard it said that time is an illusion of the human mind. In reality, all events in space-time happen simultaneously.
the explanation that I read was that he meant to "pull" the firefighters out of the building, not ignite some explosives. I also read that pulling is not a valid demolition term, at least not anymore.
Slashdot Mirror
You apparently slashdotted this Youtube video. Bravo.
People are used to organized crime, but terrorism is a relatively new concept in America; people are more afraid of Al Qaeda than they are of the Hell's Angels, so fighting terrorism takes priority. I'm not saying it's the right way to look at things, but that's the way most Americans do.
This is obviously a plot by our extraterrestrial overlords (whom I belatedly welcome) to minimize the blips caused by UFO's. Not to mention the fact that radar has been attributed to the recent (last 60 or so years) phenomenon of UFO crashes.
exactly. I'd be interested in finding out what kind of redundancy they have in the system; Satellites become disabled in one way or another too frequently.
it answers the question by saying that we exist in one of the few universes in which a conscious observer can exist. And there's no reason why there has to be a finite number of universes; just because our mind cannot conceive it, doesn't mean it cannot happen.
To demonstrate this point in a more clear fashion, let's move the argument to a less esoteric setting: "Why did I win the lottery ? Because I wouldn't be rich if I hadn't." The anthropic principle is basically arguing this, only the winning lottery numbers are values of the physical constants, which got the exact values which allow life in general and us in particular to exist.
The problem with your example is that you will still remain conscious and aware if you don't win the lottery. Now, rewrite the example to where at the second it becomes clear that you won't win the lottery (i.e. third ball doesn't match one of your numbers) you are killed, then you've got a valid comparison. This is similar to the quantum suicide thought experiment, except that in addition to proving the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics, you're also rich.
Personally, I think that there's good evidence to suggest that the Many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics is accurate. It simply states that at every quantum wavefunction collapse, every possible path is realized in seperate universes. This allows for universes in which we exist, nothing exists, and even the Flying Spaghetti Monster exists.
Your guitar analogy is akin to Dell telling you what software you can run on your new computer. A better analogy would be you buying a book of guitar tabs and not being allowed to share that book with a friend. The problem with software is that you can share that one program with more than just a couple of friends; you can share it with the entire world. And if everyone can get the same software from you for free, there's no need to pay the developer.
I think you mean to say inversely proportional.
A big flaw in that argument is that it assumes everyone who copies the movie would have shelled out the fifteen dollars to see it in the theater, had they not downloaded it. This is simply not the case, and it applies to all forms of copyright infringement (software, music, and movies). There has to be real money being lost before you can assume a loss of $50 million dollars to the economy, not fictional "maybe dollars" that the RIAA and MPAA like to use.
I find it interesting that the prosecutor can choose to forgo a trial by a jury of your peers and still have you sent to jail for the same amount of time minus a day. Democracy in action.
I'm of the opinion that DRM's aren't there to be unbreakable protections anymore, but to give users pirating the game the biggest hassle possible. It may not be a problem for the tech savvy to download and implement a complicated DRM workaround, but the average user would balk at anything more complicated than overwriting executables.
personal experience. I was a nuke.
It doesn't. in fact, Google image search is an excellent source of free pr0n
In the navy, the people who run the nuclear reactors are called Nukes. It's also common knowledge in the navy that while the Nukes are some of the brightest minds in the military, they have an incredible lack of common sense. I mention this only because I think it parallels the rest of the world. intelligent != smart indeed.
I agree completely. Unless they can prove that it's likely to be a repeat offense, there's no benefit to the American taxpayer.
two words: personal responsibility. If they break into cars, they should go to jail. Not because they were on crack. If the drugs are impacting their life and other people's lives, then its their responsibility to get off drugs or face the consequences, not the state's responsibility to make them. People get arrested for drunk driving all the time; it doesn't mean drinking should be illegal, it just means that drunk drivers should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
true, but, if convicted, good luck ever traveling to Italy without getting yourself arrested.
Real assets are the only hard currency left.
>
Not true, once the dollar is valueless, gold will be the currency to own
Found it
Which implies a catalytic life-shaping environment, or an extra-terrestrial source, or of course, intelligent design.
Why can't it be all three? extra-terrestrials engineered the environment and seeded life from off-world sources. The seedy underbelly of ID theory that Christians would rather not talk about (if they insist that the possibility of God creating the earth be taught, they must also acknowledge the possibility of extra-terrestrial ID, as well).
The LHC may very well bring about the end of the world, but it won't be until 2012, just ask any Mayan :D
I have done quite a bit of reflection on this subject and one of the possible conclusions I have come to (and this may sound a bit crazy) is that perhaps time or more specifically the human perception that everything must have a beginning and end is a false perception or illusion and that really existence has never had a beginning or ending, it just is.
I think you're onto something here. I've always heard it said that time is an illusion of the human mind. In reality, all events in space-time happen simultaneously.
the explanation that I read was that he meant to "pull" the firefighters out of the building, not ignite some explosives. I also read that pulling is not a valid demolition term, at least not anymore.
what, is it too much to ask for actual content instead of grinding the same mobs for days or weeks on end?