> we need to admit that the only justification for undertaking such a mission is the same as that for climbing mountains: "because it's there".
No, that's NOT the only reason. There may be valuable resources on Mars. Even though we can't use them yet, it is more than "because it's there."
There may be water on Mars (seems pretty conclusive, now), and therefore, possibly life. If the life is similar to Earth's life forms, we can get a better understanding of nature. If they are VERY similar, we can add weight to the theory that life very well could have gone from one planet to the other (or had similar origins elsewhere).
Maybe there is some element or substance we have never seen before? Maybe that element can make future space travel trivial. Or maybe it can cure some disease. Who knows.
> If politics were taken out of the equation, humans could be on Mars in 10 years
Shit, if politics were completely out of the equation, we could be there already! Unfortunately, everyone (not literally...) is out to make a buck wherever they can.
> Watch it: does that mean you don't believe singularities exist? Or what about the big bang. At the moment prior to the big bang, the universe was an infinitely dense point.
That's exactly what it means. What about the big bang? You're assuming a theory is true. None of us know what the universe is right now, let alone what we think might be the beginning of it.
Assuming an "infinitely dense point," wouldn't that therefore imply infinite mass in the universe? Maybe there was no "bang," but all the mass of this universe slipped through a tiny hole in space-time (or insert you favorite sci-fi theory here) suddenly, making it look like it was all compressed to one point, but instead that point was just the escape point.
My point is that (I think) we cannot truly conceive infinite anything, and to use it in a rational discussion is a bit problematic, at best.
Re:And I can only count the seconds...
on
United Linux Dead
·
· Score: 1
> Until I see someone post the [...] "Netcraft confirms:" post
What, like the FIRST FUCKING POST MADE??? Seriously, look at the page. I browse at 1 and it was the first thing I read.
> billions of years of wind would do to cover up any lakes or seas that may exist (frozen) with particulate matter.
A problem I see with your theory is that if that dust accumulates, it still had to come from somewhere. Therefore, unless quite a few VERY LARGE mountains have gone missing (eroded to dust) and the water had stayed frozen solid during that entire time, it would not be very thick, and parts of it would be uncovered from time to time. It seems likely that there are no missing mountains, or else the planet would be considerably more spherical and there would be no mountains left to speak of.
In addition, since "sea level" is generally lower than land level, the dust would have to settle in the sea-level areas. You know all those canyons & craters on the planet? They would all be filled up too. Or, at least, more than they are now.
Of course, blah blah IANAN* (Nasa anything), blah blah.
> Can you imagine the order of intelligence which would have been required to create not just a single cell organism; but, all the species which populate the earth?
Maybe the infinite intelligence of God?
> immense amounts of time and evolution really do seem to be the better horse to back in that race.
So in the argument of infinite time or infinite intelligence, you go with the "time" one? I agree (I don't believe in God), but I don't think it's a very logically valid argument. I guess any argument including infinite anything has problems to begin with.
> So how does the plant realize that these other lifeforms are useful for pollen-spreading?
Go look up evolution in a dictonary, there is no realization or thought involved, just that since something as simple as bees could spread the seed while obtaining food can make it more widespread & therefore wore likely to live on in future generations.
> why did some plants form defensive mechanisms such as poisons
Easy: they have different ways of reproducing. Poison ivy doesn't have the luxury of being sweet easily spreadable by bees, so it would have had to work on protection instead of enticement. If animals get sick when eating a plant, they won't eat it any more. Therefore, since the threat of eating is lessened, the plant lives longer and has a better chance to spread.
Hehe, too bad he's not a she (and in my area) then we'd be all set! I'm assuming the person is male because his nick is "el-spectre." And I'm an egotistical male chauvenist (sp? close...) who expects anyone with a valid opinion is male. (not really)
> Why don't you say that you own some code in linux and send corporations a bill for $500.00?
Because I've got ethics. Haha, yeah right. Actually, it's because anyone who knows me could say in an instant that I don't have the skill to write anything useful that isn't already written. Plus, I understand the GPL and know it would be futile. SCO either does not know this, doesn't care, or they think they have a valid claim (who knows, maybe they do -- but I doubt it).
Some companies (I doubt it's any big or well-known ones) DO send bills for bogus things. More likely, it's an individual posing as a company.
> It's usually worth it to fight blackmailers
While I agree that they should fight back, but some just want to ignore it because they only lost what they consider a small amount of money. To the person that receives a few of them, though, it's quite a bit. The amount they pay in legal bills might easily exceed the money lost by the fraud (not blackmail, BTW, that's a bit different).
Plus, since the U.S. does not have an automatic loser-pays system, those legal fees might not be reimbursed. In that case, it is certainly not worth it to fight.
> There are those with poor circulation in the extremities
I have no idea why this was modded flamebait, unless someone has a personal vendetta against those with poor circulation...
Anyway, many of those people are that way because they are (or recently were) smokers. My father has poor circulation in his legs because of weight. Some have it because of a weak heart, and some just "because." A suggestion is warm water. Submerse your cold extremities in warm (not hot) water, and they should warm up pretty quickly. It's a bit harder for your feet than hands, but better than nothing.
I'm not certain about anything when more than one human is involved. Sometimes, even just one.
> if you have a grievance with a utility company and you file your complaint with both them and with the local regulatory agency
That's the thing. If you file a grievance/complaint. Does that cost money to do properly? More than $699? Any company who has faced legal issues before would most likely pay a lawyer to draw up such documents, if necessary, which would get expensive in a matter of hours. After 5 hours of a pretty cheap lawyer, you start losing money on the whole thing.
I still think the end result is ignore, pay up, or face legal crap (you could be on either "side").
Granted, you are probably right that you could not accrue more damages against you, legal fees are not taken into consideration.
> it STILL doesn't mean we shouldn't be looking at cleaner and cheaper forms of power.
That should be the end conclusion either way, I guess. Regardless of quantity, cleanliness and viability should be a primary goal. Thanks for using the brain cells I don't have to take it to the next level of continuous thought.:)
> Where's your science-god now? [...] People could have been clothed and fed. > before the glory of the Almighty.
Of course, because God regularly clothes and feeds people. Wait, he NEVER has? Oh, well I guess the U.S. has an infinitely better track record than God on that one. (although much worse on others)
Slashdot Mirror
> we need to admit that the only justification for undertaking such a mission is the same as that for climbing mountains: "because it's there".
No, that's NOT the only reason. There may be valuable resources on Mars. Even though we can't use them yet, it is more than "because it's there."
There may be water on Mars (seems pretty conclusive, now), and therefore, possibly life. If the life is similar to Earth's life forms, we can get a better understanding of nature. If they are VERY similar, we can add weight to the theory that life very well could have gone from one planet to the other (or had similar origins elsewhere).
Maybe there is some element or substance we have never seen before? Maybe that element can make future space travel trivial. Or maybe it can cure some disease. Who knows.
> If politics were taken out of the equation, humans could be on Mars in 10 years
Shit, if politics were completely out of the equation, we could be there already! Unfortunately, everyone (not literally...) is out to make a buck wherever they can.
> Nice sig! but how many know the reference.
Umm, I'd guess greater than 99% of those reading.
Not exactly a tough one...
> Watch it: does that mean you don't believe singularities exist? Or what about the big bang. At the moment prior to the big bang, the universe was an infinitely dense point.
That's exactly what it means. What about the big bang? You're assuming a theory is true. None of us know what the universe is right now, let alone what we think might be the beginning of it.
Assuming an "infinitely dense point," wouldn't that therefore imply infinite mass in the universe? Maybe there was no "bang," but all the mass of this universe slipped through a tiny hole in space-time (or insert you favorite sci-fi theory here) suddenly, making it look like it was all compressed to one point, but instead that point was just the escape point.
My point is that (I think) we cannot truly conceive infinite anything, and to use it in a rational discussion is a bit problematic, at best.
> Until I see someone post the [...] "Netcraft confirms:" post
What, like the FIRST FUCKING POST MADE??? Seriously, look at the page. I browse at 1 and it was the first thing I read.
> billions of years of wind would do to cover up any lakes or seas that may exist (frozen) with particulate matter.
A problem I see with your theory is that if that dust accumulates, it still had to come from somewhere. Therefore, unless quite a few VERY LARGE mountains have gone missing (eroded to dust) and the water had stayed frozen solid during that entire time, it would not be very thick, and parts of it would be uncovered from time to time. It seems likely that there are no missing mountains, or else the planet would be considerably more spherical and there would be no mountains left to speak of.
In addition, since "sea level" is generally lower than land level, the dust would have to settle in the sea-level areas. You know all those canyons & craters on the planet? They would all be filled up too. Or, at least, more than they are now.
Of course, blah blah IANAN* (Nasa anything), blah blah.
> Fuck the hippies.
Hell no, man! With all that "free love," I bet they have plenty of "free diseases," too.
> Can a planet be said to have achieved sentience?
Ho-lee shit. I was thinking of this exact same topic last night. I was high. (No, really, I am telling the truth -- stranger than fishin')
> Can you imagine the order of intelligence which would have been required to create not just a single cell organism; but, all the species which populate the earth?
Maybe the infinite intelligence of God?
> immense amounts of time and evolution really do seem to be the better horse to back in that race.
So in the argument of infinite time or infinite intelligence, you go with the "time" one? I agree (I don't believe in God), but I don't think it's a very logically valid argument. I guess any argument including infinite anything has problems to begin with.
> So how does the plant realize that these other lifeforms are useful for pollen-spreading?
Go look up evolution in a dictonary, there is no realization or thought involved, just that since something as simple as bees could spread the seed while obtaining food can make it more widespread & therefore wore likely to live on in future generations.
> why did some plants form defensive mechanisms such as poisons
Easy: they have different ways of reproducing. Poison ivy doesn't have the luxury of being sweet easily spreadable by bees, so it would have had to work on protection instead of enticement. If animals get sick when eating a plant, they won't eat it any more. Therefore, since the threat of eating is lessened, the plant lives longer and has a better chance to spread.
> I read that as *windows*
We can only hope that Windows will be forbidden some day...
> Dry-El? That's Superman's brother, right?
:)
I don't know whether to laugh because it's damn funny, or to kill myself because I understood.
> Now you two go get a room already
Hehe, too bad he's not a she (and in my area) then we'd be all set! I'm assuming the person is male because his nick is "el-spectre." And I'm an egotistical male chauvenist (sp? close...) who expects anyone with a valid opinion is male. (not really)
> he is not entitled to keep the $14 million.
Is the other entitled to get it all back, though?
> Why don't you say that you own some code in linux and send corporations a bill for $500.00?
Because I've got ethics. Haha, yeah right. Actually, it's because anyone who knows me could say in an instant that I don't have the skill to write anything useful that isn't already written. Plus, I understand the GPL and know it would be futile. SCO either does not know this, doesn't care, or they think they have a valid claim (who knows, maybe they do -- but I doubt it).
Some companies (I doubt it's any big or well-known ones) DO send bills for bogus things. More likely, it's an individual posing as a company.
> It's usually worth it to fight blackmailers
While I agree that they should fight back, but some just want to ignore it because they only lost what they consider a small amount of money. To the person that receives a few of them, though, it's quite a bit. The amount they pay in legal bills might easily exceed the money lost by the fraud (not blackmail, BTW, that's a bit different).
Plus, since the U.S. does not have an automatic loser-pays system, those legal fees might not be reimbursed. In that case, it is certainly not worth it to fight.
> Anti-Burnination
:)
Holy Crap, that's funny. Thanks
> There are those with poor circulation in the extremities
I have no idea why this was modded flamebait, unless someone has a personal vendetta against those with poor circulation...
Anyway, many of those people are that way because they are (or recently were) smokers. My father has poor circulation in his legs because of weight. Some have it because of a weak heart, and some just "because." A suggestion is warm water. Submerse your cold extremities in warm (not hot) water, and they should warm up pretty quickly. It's a bit harder for your feet than hands, but better than nothing.
> Incidently, I like your .sig !
How about that: I noticed your sig a few weeks ago (assuming it was you) and I like yours too.
> God, according to his official bibliographers, killed everyone on the entire planet save two
:)
Woah, I hadn't thought of that! He's a genocidal terrorist that MUST BE STOPPED at all costs!
We should declare war on those God-fearing terrorists.
> Are you certain about that?
I'm not certain about anything when more than one human is involved. Sometimes, even just one.
> if you have a grievance with a utility company and you file your complaint with both them and with the local regulatory agency
That's the thing. If you file a grievance/complaint. Does that cost money to do properly? More than $699? Any company who has faced legal issues before would most likely pay a lawyer to draw up such documents, if necessary, which would get expensive in a matter of hours. After 5 hours of a pretty cheap lawyer, you start losing money on the whole thing.
I still think the end result is ignore, pay up, or face legal crap (you could be on either "side").
Granted, you are probably right that you could not accrue more damages against you, legal fees are not taken into consideration.
> it STILL doesn't mean we shouldn't be looking at cleaner and cheaper forms of power.
:)
That should be the end conclusion either way, I guess. Regardless of quantity, cleanliness and viability should be a primary goal. Thanks for using the brain cells I don't have to take it to the next level of continuous thought.
> That's immature and dangerous.
:)
> Instead, return with a baseball bat
How dangerous of me. The bat is only immature, which is something I cannot change.
> A creaky old diesel-smokin' hippie-painted 16bit bus.
Damn diesel smoking hippies, get off my lawn!
> Where's your science-god now? [...] People could have been clothed and fed.
> before the glory of the Almighty.
Of course, because God regularly clothes and feeds people. Wait, he NEVER has? Oh, well I guess the U.S. has an infinitely better track record than God on that one. (although much worse on others)
> One camera facing Mars and one facing Earth so you can watch one fade to a spec and the other get bigger.
That would be an AWESOME time lapse video. Especially using real images.