This area is heavily debated because nobody can exactly calculate what it costs to produce X from raw materials vs. recycle X from used materials. But Wikipedia has some writing on the subject.
why so many people I know try to get out of jury duty
Because they can't afford to be shanghaied into a commitment of unknown duration. Some trials can take months. Many people earn their pay every single day, and if they don't work they don't get paid, their children go hungry, their house payments are at risk, etc. No surprise people don't sign up for jury duty just for fun.
Also, hard work is not the way ahead in society in Russia, all you accomplish is to make some gangster or bureaucrat (in Russia, they are mostly the same) happy. So either you become a gangster/bureaucrat, or you work as little as possible and spend what you have on vodka, so there is nothing to steal.
This is very true. But there is a deeper reason why people in Russia take it easy (one of popular expressions is "work is not a wolf, it won't run away into the forest".) Russians perceive the purpose of life differently. In the West one common interpretation of purpose of life is in collecting wealth on top of wealth, until you become filthy rich, then you die. In the East one popular interpretation of the same is in living a good life, having a good family, visiting friends, drinking and having good time. In other words, accumulation of wealth is not glorified as much as it is done in the USA. There is a good foundation to that belief - people in the USSR did not need to get rich on their own to live in retirement. Once they retired they were paid generally enough money to be happy. Specifically, they never needed to buy their homes - they rented them from the state, cheaply, and food was also inexpensive. Of course, in 1980-2000 this changed in many ways, and a modern Russia may have a somewhat different philosophy, but majority of Russians lived under the USSR and retained its quiet, slow, low-stress way of living. Under-working and over-drinking is part of it.
One comment to your observations. If you talk about people who immigrated into your country to start a new life then you are comparing apples to oranges. These people are far more motivated, and more hard-working than the rest, who remained in their native country because of many reasons. I don't want to paint those who remain with too wide a brush, but truth is that many of those who remain do so in part because they are plain lazy, or scared, or not qualified for a foreign job that would be better than what they have now... So the immigrants that you see around are not a typical sample; quite opposite, they are usually the best.
If you look at history you will see that Russia's potential is most effectively realized under authoritarian governments (Czars, Stalin, Brezhnev) and mostly wasted under "democratic" rulers (Gorbachev, Yeltsin.)
Must be the weather or something.
It's not the weather. It's russians. Given the choice they don't work. Unlike americans, russians are not chasing the golden calf, preferring instead to have good time. Nothing gets done this way.
This whole repair idea is silly, of course, but nobody mentioned yet another killer problem with xmodmap - who wants a computer with a non-standard keyboard layout? More importantly, who wants to use such a computer for education?
In rubber keyboard designs the dirt that gets under the pads often migrates from the other parts of the enclosure. If you have a lid in the enclosure that the user can open, or air vents, or a connector cover, that's the way the dirt will enter. Also, some dirt may be left after the final assembly of the product (usually plastic shavings.)
I think most of thieves won't even turn the laptop on, mostly because they don't need to, and in part because they may not know what to do next. A typical install of any OS these days is protected with a user name and a password; they may be weak, but what's the upside for the thief to waste time trying to get to that user's typically useless data?
If the thief is any good in his trade, instead of leaving his fingerprints all over the notebook he should place it in a bag and deliver directly to a reseller of such goods. The said reseller knows what to do - to immediately format the HDD, for example. Or, if the reseller is smart, to boot from a CD and make a backup, then explore the contents using a different OS. In either case, none of owner's scripts will run.
The best practice I could think of is to set up a full disk encryption, and a BIOS password, just to make those guys work hard (and in vain) if they want to get to your data or even to resell the laptop. But once they have your hardware, they will keep it or trash it if it's too much trouble; the owner won't be getting it back.
Yes, this happens on about 5% of all landings. This is one of "normal" ways to land, though not the preferred one. One advantage of a round landing capsule with ablative thermal shield is that it can't be destroyed however you land; it *will* deliver you to the surface; the only difference between controlled and uncontrolled landing is in where you land, and how many G's you will get. Neither will kill you.
Her response was "Well, Works came with the computer, it's good enough and I don't want to go messing with it." As far as I know, she still uses it. UGH! At least she isn't secretary anymore.
Indeed, I can't imagine any sane manager who would listen to IT opinions from his secretary. "Either you use what I tell you to use, or you are free to go and work for someone else. It's not just the matter of me being evil, it's mostly the fact that I can't read what you write. Makes you kind of useless here, eh?
'm not arguing that this is a real flesh and blood project (I think it is a case of the russians making a statement of national pride when they are flush with cash
I see it as a research project, with the only output expected being numbers, charts and computer models. Besides, there ought to be something after ISS, probably? The best way to find out what it is is to give those rocket scientists something to work on. If the research ends up interesting, the thing will be built. If not, it will be set aside - just as every research project under the Sun. Nothing to see here.
I would be much more willing to believe that Russians would fund a new launch site, a SSTO or similar projects.
Even the article in question mentions that a new space launch site ("Vostochny", or Eastern) opens in 2015 - it's only 7 years from now, so I'd guess the construction has been funded already. The surveying and design phase will take until 2010, and then the workers come in. The site has been already decided on.
With a SSTO there is a little problem, though - nobody on this planet has a clue how to do it, even in theory. Funding has little to do with this, compared to physics. My personal bet is that we won't see SSTO until we get antigravity. Chemical rockets are just as ridiculous as hot air balloons in the age of supersonic jets.
2. The general public, and by extension, the whole world... Will know the exact imaging capabilities of these satellites.
The general public couldn't care less, and the whole world (China, Russia etc.) is likely well aware of the resolution of those satellites. Russia has plenty of their own satellites, and China has some as well, so they know what they could do.
In other words, this secret is probably already known to a handful of countries who'd want to know it. If the state decides that most of the danger comes from within then it may easily start using satellite imagery just as needed. And signs are all too obvious that such a decision [about where the danger lies] has been made already. Iraqis or Iranians, however they may try, can't overthrow the US government, or cause any noticeable damage to the country, or to stop paying US taxes. Only the US citizens can, in theory, do all that and more. So it is quite obvious who is more dangerous [to the government.] People like you, as matter of fact:-( Sad are those days when a "+1 Interesting" post, as yours currently is, must be submitted as AC.
as our government keeps an eye on us, so too must we keep an eye on them
The government already instituted laws that make the former legal and the latter illegal. What are your options now, citizen?
But his inheritors are, and it pains them to see how their cash is being drained into an obviously lifeless body that gains nothing from all that expense.
Do you personally want to work all your life and save every penny just to lose it all in last few days of your life (instead of giving it to your friends or relatives, or to a decent charity?) Besides, these last days will be enormously painful, physically and emotionally, because you know that death is close. It's pointless and cowardly to delay the inevitable.
Frequently we start out using diplomatic pressure to get them to moderate their excessive behavior and that is sufficient, less frequently we have to escalated to economic sanctions and unfortunately we sometimes have to resort to military operations
However Bush just ignores the diplomatic pressure, and the world is not organized enough for economic sanctions (or military actions) against the USA. Your arguments work only against tin pot dictators like Saddam or Noriega, who are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
On the other hand, if they know that every attempted suicide will be 100% successful (with or without government's assistance) then maybe - just maybe - they will consider other, less painful ways to ask for help? Like, maybe, filling a Web form?
As it stands now, virtually none of ham radio applications run on Vista, and chances are slim that they will be updated. FlexRadio's PowerSDR, for example, works on Vista only if you have one of two supported $300 audio "cards" (external FireWire boxes, to be precise.) On XP it works with any audio card, even unsupported.
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This area is heavily debated because nobody can exactly calculate what it costs to produce X from raw materials vs. recycle X from used materials. But Wikipedia has some writing on the subject.
By asking for a "rollable" device the GP did not mean "on the rollers, because otherwise it takes 4 men to carry it."
Because they can't afford to be shanghaied into a commitment of unknown duration. Some trials can take months. Many people earn their pay every single day, and if they don't work they don't get paid, their children go hungry, their house payments are at risk, etc. No surprise people don't sign up for jury duty just for fun.
But they have to start somewhere ;-(
This is very true. But there is a deeper reason why people in Russia take it easy (one of popular expressions is "work is not a wolf, it won't run away into the forest".) Russians perceive the purpose of life differently. In the West one common interpretation of purpose of life is in collecting wealth on top of wealth, until you become filthy rich, then you die. In the East one popular interpretation of the same is in living a good life, having a good family, visiting friends, drinking and having good time. In other words, accumulation of wealth is not glorified as much as it is done in the USA. There is a good foundation to that belief - people in the USSR did not need to get rich on their own to live in retirement. Once they retired they were paid generally enough money to be happy. Specifically, they never needed to buy their homes - they rented them from the state, cheaply, and food was also inexpensive. Of course, in 1980-2000 this changed in many ways, and a modern Russia may have a somewhat different philosophy, but majority of Russians lived under the USSR and retained its quiet, slow, low-stress way of living. Under-working and over-drinking is part of it.
One comment to your observations. If you talk about people who immigrated into your country to start a new life then you are comparing apples to oranges. These people are far more motivated, and more hard-working than the rest, who remained in their native country because of many reasons. I don't want to paint those who remain with too wide a brush, but truth is that many of those who remain do so in part because they are plain lazy, or scared, or not qualified for a foreign job that would be better than what they have now... So the immigrants that you see around are not a typical sample; quite opposite, they are usually the best.
Click on the "Homepage" link in my post and you will know.
Must be the weather or something.
It's not the weather. It's russians. Given the choice they don't work. Unlike americans, russians are not chasing the golden calf, preferring instead to have good time. Nothing gets done this way.
This whole repair idea is silly, of course, but nobody mentioned yet another killer problem with xmodmap - who wants a computer with a non-standard keyboard layout? More importantly, who wants to use such a computer for education?
In rubber keyboard designs the dirt that gets under the pads often migrates from the other parts of the enclosure. If you have a lid in the enclosure that the user can open, or air vents, or a connector cover, that's the way the dirt will enter. Also, some dirt may be left after the final assembly of the product (usually plastic shavings.)
Yes, they landed in a lake a couple of times.
Or? OR ???
If the thief is any good in his trade, instead of leaving his fingerprints all over the notebook he should place it in a bag and deliver directly to a reseller of such goods. The said reseller knows what to do - to immediately format the HDD, for example. Or, if the reseller is smart, to boot from a CD and make a backup, then explore the contents using a different OS. In either case, none of owner's scripts will run.
The best practice I could think of is to set up a full disk encryption, and a BIOS password, just to make those guys work hard (and in vain) if they want to get to your data or even to resell the laptop. But once they have your hardware, they will keep it or trash it if it's too much trouble; the owner won't be getting it back.
Yes, this happens on about 5% of all landings. This is one of "normal" ways to land, though not the preferred one. One advantage of a round landing capsule with ablative thermal shield is that it can't be destroyed however you land; it *will* deliver you to the surface; the only difference between controlled and uncontrolled landing is in where you land, and how many G's you will get. Neither will kill you.
Indeed, I can't imagine any sane manager who would listen to IT opinions from his secretary. "Either you use what I tell you to use, or you are free to go and work for someone else. It's not just the matter of me being evil, it's mostly the fact that I can't read what you write. Makes you kind of useless here, eh?
Angora is a breed of cat. Angara is a river. The latter is the name for the rocket :-) Though I like cats more than rivers.
I see it as a research project, with the only output expected being numbers, charts and computer models. Besides, there ought to be something after ISS, probably? The best way to find out what it is is to give those rocket scientists something to work on. If the research ends up interesting, the thing will be built. If not, it will be set aside - just as every research project under the Sun. Nothing to see here.
Even the article in question mentions that a new space launch site ("Vostochny", or Eastern) opens in 2015 - it's only 7 years from now, so I'd guess the construction has been funded already. The surveying and design phase will take until 2010, and then the workers come in. The site has been already decided on.
With a SSTO there is a little problem, though - nobody on this planet has a clue how to do it, even in theory. Funding has little to do with this, compared to physics. My personal bet is that we won't see SSTO until we get antigravity. Chemical rockets are just as ridiculous as hot air balloons in the age of supersonic jets.
The last time they tried that the lander decided that it's not worth landing at all, and missed Mars :-)
The general public couldn't care less, and the whole world (China, Russia etc.) is likely well aware of the resolution of those satellites. Russia has plenty of their own satellites, and China has some as well, so they know what they could do.
In other words, this secret is probably already known to a handful of countries who'd want to know it. If the state decides that most of the danger comes from within then it may easily start using satellite imagery just as needed. And signs are all too obvious that such a decision [about where the danger lies] has been made already. Iraqis or Iranians, however they may try, can't overthrow the US government, or cause any noticeable damage to the country, or to stop paying US taxes. Only the US citizens can, in theory, do all that and more. So it is quite obvious who is more dangerous [to the government.] People like you, as matter of fact :-( Sad are those days when a "+1 Interesting" post, as yours currently is, must be submitted as AC.
as our government keeps an eye on us, so too must we keep an eye on them
The government already instituted laws that make the former legal and the latter illegal. What are your options now, citizen?
Do you personally want to work all your life and save every penny just to lose it all in last few days of your life (instead of giving it to your friends or relatives, or to a decent charity?) Besides, these last days will be enormously painful, physically and emotionally, because you know that death is close. It's pointless and cowardly to delay the inevitable.
However Bush just ignores the diplomatic pressure, and the world is not organized enough for economic sanctions (or military actions) against the USA. Your arguments work only against tin pot dictators like Saddam or Noriega, who are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
It's likely that the GP mixed it all up, but as matter of fact there is a .45 Special ammo that is optimized for competition.
On the other hand, if they know that every attempted suicide will be 100% successful (with or without government's assistance) then maybe - just maybe - they will consider other, less painful ways to ask for help? Like, maybe, filling a Web form?
As it stands now, virtually none of ham radio applications run on Vista, and chances are slim that they will be updated. FlexRadio's PowerSDR, for example, works on Vista only if you have one of two supported $300 audio "cards" (external FireWire boxes, to be precise.) On XP it works with any audio card, even unsupported.