> Anyone out there who could translate this into English for me?
Not sure what there is to misunderstand, but here you go:
These two ISPs are part of Telstra, the taxpayer-funded broadband network that was, at least partially, deregulated (no longer government-owned). Mr. Mann was told by Telstra that he could not get ADSL service through the first company. When Mr. Mann then went to the second company, Telstra said there was no problem, even though the service is identical and the lines (I believe) are all owned by Telstra & not the individual companies. Therefore, if Mr. Mann could get access to one, he should theoretically be able to get access to the other.
When he pointed out this fact to Telstra, they cut off his service altogether and offered him a settlement to never mention it to anyone (AKA "hush money"), as that inconsistency could look bad to a third party. Also, Mr. Mann seems to claim that the person sent to his house to do the disconnection was pretty mean/rude about it, suggesting that was intentional by the company to keep him quiet (that may or may not have been the point, I could have been reading more or less into it than was really there).
Well, let's see. This is an ESA launch, which the Russians are not a part of? Therefore the only meaningful data would be that which applies to the people involved, i.e. the Europeans who are not Russia.
> is it more of a PR stunt since footage of astronauts drinking fruit punch out of the air is neato > Personally, I fail to see why 7 lives are risked to study worms.
Hmm, well, it looks like you DO see why seven lives are risked...:( All in the name of science^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hre-election.
> The ability to [...good list of reasons...] is what is going to keep the human race around for thousands of years to come.
There are many, many species that have lived for many thousand years without the need to colonize other planets. I don't think it is necessary for Human survival. Granted, that might help ensure an even longer existence, but also mutations. Don't seriously think Humans can move to another planet and expect the next hundred generations to be exactly the same.
What if people living on Mars mutate and are later considered lower-class citizens because of it? Then their religions will teach Earthlings that they are superior supermen who will take over and rule Mars with an iron fist! God no, sir, I will NOT be responsible for that kind of opression!
Woah... I just got Deja Vu. And the last time I thought it happened, I wrote this exact line. Wow.
> The US government spends more than 10 times as much money on its military budget than on its science budget
From raw figures, that may be true, but a whole lot of military funds go to developing "science things," whatever that would be, especially aerospace engineering.
Therefore, I agree with your conclusion, but not your reasoning.
> asteriods probably aren't big enough to have an internal source of heat
Very true, but where did the asteroid come from? Could it have been at the center of an exploded planet (or debris from 2 colliding planets, whatever)? In that case, it would have had internal heat before and then was sent off into space. In that scenario, it would be more likely to have important metals/minerals, since it was at the center of a planet. Of course, it could have just as easily been a chunk right from the surface, but this is all speculation anyway.
> silly to think this is the only place life has had an opportunity to spring up.
I absolutely agree with you, but mathematical statistics has no say in that one. Common sense (one could say "intuitive statistics") suggests that you are right, of course.
> Tell me what love means, to you > I think most Americans have a hard time loving their children.
Love doesn't really mean anything to me... well, my initial knee-jerk reaction to that it is some great, magical, feeling that I'm not allowed. I don't think I've ever felt love, either giving or receiving, so I'm not the best to ask - I'm a bit of a special/mental case.
Well, if no Americans know what it means, I doubt anyone else knows what it means. I don't think they're (we're) any different from anyone else, despite what others say. This statement does not apply to our government -- most of them have their heads up their collective arses.
> Statistics alone tells us there is at least one other inhabited planet, moon, or asteroid
Not to take anything away from your point, but all statistics can tell us is that 1 planet has life. Earth. Since there are so many unknown variables in the equation of locating life, statistics doesn't say anything at all about this.
> I think most Americans don't even know what the word love really means.
Man, you had a good thing going up until there. Americans are no different than other people, except in the way that those other people are different from other, other people.
> Why don't we cooperate and work together to solve our problems?
Well, by looking at your last statement, it's because some people don't want to cooperate. And we all have differing visions of what we should come to after cooperating.
Ah, I feel some semblance of understanding now, must be a Star Trek reference... and your logic is a bit off. If I was a Star Trek nerd I would have known what it was.
> double helix structure was the optimal way to store information of this sort > wouldn't all life be based on _some_ sort of double helix configuration?
That does make logical sense, but unfortunately, the only information we have to basse this logic on is what we know to be true on Earth. We cannot yet, with 100% certainty, apply this logic to things we don't even know exist. Perhaps there are beings with less-than-optimal amino acids, or even use some other base entirely.
> if I wrote a post telling the truth about homosexual's or black's
Umm, well that depends on your version of the truth, I guess. Your statement sounds like you think there's something wrong with being black or gay. If that's what you're saying, then yes, you deserved to be modded down. Of course, the moderators DO suck ass generally.
That's funny. ENTIRELY off-topic, but they should just tell the bitch to take it off or she can't drive. She has the right to ask for identification, but she then has the requirement of following the same rules as everyone else.
Basically, if she's not willing to give a very tiny, little bit, the gov should not be asked to give at all.
> One might even argue there is nothing unnatural in the universe.
Finally, someone else who understands that. I hate when things are called "natural." Even if something was created in a laboratory, it is created using "natural" elements and, ergo must be natural.
> I ask since you seem to think expanding is an end in itself.
I realize that's flamebait, but Expanding != Conquering
Nothing is an end to anything. The point of any species is to reproduce and grow to the point where the ecosystem can handle them comfortably. If we move to other planets, we have increased our "ecosystem" dramatically, continue to grow, and are a successful species.
Slashdot Mirror
> I like gay anal sex
Like getting screwed in the ass? Yeah, you must be a Telstra customer.
(Like how I got a troll on-topic?)
> Anyone out there who could translate this into English for me?
Not sure what there is to misunderstand, but here you go:
These two ISPs are part of Telstra, the taxpayer-funded broadband network that was, at least partially, deregulated (no longer government-owned). Mr. Mann was told by Telstra that he could not get ADSL service through the first company. When Mr. Mann then went to the second company, Telstra said there was no problem, even though the service is identical and the lines (I believe) are all owned by Telstra & not the individual companies. Therefore, if Mr. Mann could get access to one, he should theoretically be able to get access to the other.
When he pointed out this fact to Telstra, they cut off his service altogether and offered him a settlement to never mention it to anyone (AKA "hush money"), as that inconsistency could look bad to a third party. Also, Mr. Mann seems to claim that the person sent to his house to do the disconnection was pretty mean/rude about it, suggesting that was intentional by the company to keep him quiet (that may or may not have been the point, I could have been reading more or less into it than was really there).
> European space flight != ESA
Well, let's see. This is an ESA launch, which the Russians are not a part of? Therefore the only meaningful data would be that which applies to the people involved, i.e. the Europeans who are not Russia.
> Would someone please mod down parent as "presumptuous" and "whiney"
Will someone ever shut the hell up and not spew crap just because they feel like pissing someone else off?
> > When was the last manned European space flight
> You ever heard the term 'cosmonaut'
You ever heard of Russians? I don't believe they are a big part of ESA.
> is it more of a PR stunt since footage of astronauts drinking fruit punch out of the air is neato
:( All in the name of science^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hre-election.
> Personally, I fail to see why 7 lives are risked to study worms.
Hmm, well, it looks like you DO see why seven lives are risked...
> The ability to [...good list of reasons...] is what is going to keep the human race around for thousands of years to come.
There are many, many species that have lived for many thousand years without the need to colonize other planets. I don't think it is necessary for Human survival. Granted, that might help ensure an even longer existence, but also mutations. Don't seriously think Humans can move to another planet and expect the next hundred generations to be exactly the same.
What if people living on Mars mutate and are later considered lower-class citizens because of it? Then their religions will teach Earthlings that they are superior supermen who will take over and rule Mars with an iron fist! God no, sir, I will NOT be responsible for that kind of opression!
Woah... I just got Deja Vu. And the last time I thought it happened, I wrote this exact line. Wow.
> The US government spends more than 10 times as much money on its military budget than on its science budget
From raw figures, that may be true, but a whole lot of military funds go to developing "science things," whatever that would be, especially aerospace engineering.
Therefore, I agree with your conclusion, but not your reasoning.
> Maybe they mean harpoon in the sense of what happens when you harpoon something much larger and faster than you...
You start hurtling (sp?) along through space being tugged by a rock? That's what I thought of as I was reading the comments.
> asteriods probably aren't big enough to have an internal source of heat
Very true, but where did the asteroid come from? Could it have been at the center of an exploded planet (or debris from 2 colliding planets, whatever)? In that case, it would have had internal heat before and then was sent off into space. In that scenario, it would be more likely to have important metals/minerals, since it was at the center of a planet. Of course, it could have just as easily been a chunk right from the surface, but this is all speculation anyway.
> What, Fozzy Bear Skywalker?
Wokka Wokka, Motha Focka'
> silly to think this is the only place life has had an opportunity to spring up.
I absolutely agree with you, but mathematical statistics has no say in that one. Common sense (one could say "intuitive statistics") suggests that you are right, of course.
> And shoots everyone else in the area as well?
If there's only one person in the area... yeah!
> Tell me what love means, to you
> I think most Americans have a hard time loving their children.
Love doesn't really mean anything to me... well, my initial knee-jerk reaction to that it is some great, magical, feeling that I'm not allowed. I don't think I've ever felt love, either giving or receiving, so I'm not the best to ask - I'm a bit of a special/mental case.
Well, if no Americans know what it means, I doubt anyone else knows what it means. I don't think they're (we're) any different from anyone else, despite what others say. This statement does not apply to our government -- most of them have their heads up their collective arses.
> Statistics alone tells us there is at least one other inhabited planet, moon, or asteroid
Not to take anything away from your point, but all statistics can tell us is that 1 planet has life. Earth. Since there are so many unknown variables in the equation of locating life, statistics doesn't say anything at all about this.
> I think most Americans don't even know what the word love really means.
Man, you had a good thing going up until there. Americans are no different than other people, except in the way that those other people are different from other, other people.
> Why don't we cooperate and work together to solve our problems?
Well, by looking at your last statement, it's because some people don't want to cooperate. And we all have differing visions of what we should come to after cooperating.
> this is because you are a star trek nerd.
Ah, I feel some semblance of understanding now, must be a Star Trek reference... and your logic is a bit off. If I was a Star Trek nerd I would have known what it was.
> double helix structure was the optimal way to store information of this sort
> wouldn't all life be based on _some_ sort of double helix configuration?
That does make logical sense, but unfortunately, the only information we have to basse this logic on is what we know to be true on Earth. We cannot yet, with 100% certainty, apply this logic to things we don't even know exist. Perhaps there are beings with less-than-optimal amino acids, or even use some other base entirely.
> if I wrote a post telling the truth about homosexual's or black's
Umm, well that depends on your version of the truth, I guess. Your statement sounds like you think there's something wrong with being black or gay. If that's what you're saying, then yes, you deserved to be modded down. Of course, the moderators DO suck ass generally.
> it's a joke people, just like Michael Moore.
:)
Speaking of jokes, that's a good one
That's funny. ENTIRELY off-topic, but they should just tell the bitch to take it off or she can't drive. She has the right to ask for identification, but she then has the requirement of following the same rules as everyone else.
Basically, if she's not willing to give a very tiny, little bit, the gov should not be asked to give at all.
> Does it prefer to run on partly stale peeps, or only freshly opened ones.
Actually, it doesn't matter -- Peeps, exposed to air, have a half-life of about ten billion years.
> One might even argue there is nothing unnatural in the universe.
Finally, someone else who understands that. I hate when things are called "natural." Even if something was created in a laboratory, it is created using "natural" elements and, ergo must be natural.
> On Soviet Mars... ...life searches out *you*.
Hmm, that's the first "Soviet Russia" joke that makes sense. If you are life on Mars, the Humans (life) is searching for you.
> I ask since you seem to think expanding is an end in itself.
I realize that's flamebait, but Expanding != Conquering
Nothing is an end to anything. The point of any species is to reproduce and grow to the point where the ecosystem can handle them comfortably. If we move to other planets, we have increased our "ecosystem" dramatically, continue to grow, and are a successful species.