I likely would have had this post up about 20 earlier, but I've just managed to pick myself off the floor after taking a look at the photo. As a chemist, I personally find the verification of theory a significant milestone in our understanding. It's one thing to have a theory, and then through somewhat serendipitous means, verify the theory, but to have an actual photo, brings it to a new level.
Greg
Yes, I do have a life outside the lab, but maybe not as much of one as I once thought.
It seems that we're interested in making some political points and (or) walking lock-step with some biases.
If you check the data from the PLoS Med citation (http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/slideshow.action?uri=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050066&imageURI=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050066.g003#) you'll discover that finishing high school would appear to be a detriment to longevity (my personal guess is that a fair number of more educated folks cash in earlier due to stress).
When you talk poor and rural, there appears to be two, one in the south and one in the northern Midwest. It's true that the rural south has seen a decline, but looking at the "WebMed" citation (http://www.webmd.com/news/20060913/top-states-for-life-expectancy), unless you've got the technology to convert your genetics to become a non-Pacific island Asian (defined as America 1), you're next best bet is to join "America 2" defined as; "3.6 million low-income rural whites living in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa, Montana, and Nebraska with income and education below the national average. Average life expectancy: 79 years."
My personal read with "America 2" is simply (again) a more "kicked-back" (less stress) lifestyle. In wandering the U.P. (home of the "Uppers", namely the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) if there is a common trait among the folk, is that they're simply taking it easier than most folks in urban settings. They're "in-to" out of doors (less sedentary) and if you want to get one's attention, its not by the latest fashion, but where there's a better hunting / fishing / biking / beer joint (meet a Upper and you'll understand the last item). Cars are rusty but the barrels are clean and the reels oiled.
I've added a fair amount of personal opinion, which is clearly open to argument (and I hope that any Uppers reading this do not take offense that I secretly...or at least used to secretly...covet their lifestyle) but none-the-less, if you're about to write spout off on the subject, at least read the citations.
In a nutshell, we tend to be fat and lazy, which doesn't take a high school education to figure out, and we're also way too stressed.
Good piece. One of the thoughts I've had is the impact of more memory and "better" higher level languages. It seemed that when there was significant limitation on memory assy was used more often to manage to remain under the memory limitations.
I guess that if a decent Sci-Fi about aliens gets folks to look up at the night sky for a bit, regardless if they then "see" a UFO (real or imaginary, I'll stay out of that debate) its done us a good thing.
A bit of wonder of the cosmos will do most people good.
So what we have is the average Canadian, thinking their government should do one thing, and a few vested parties (with A LOT of $$$) disagreeing. I know how this plays out on this side of the border, but will Canadian govt actually listen to it's people? Eh?
Greg
I've got a pet rat and it's got a pretty ugly ass (and the attached rodent); having said that I'd be willing to part with them for the aforementioned reasons.
Greg
PS, you got to feed him though, I'm not completely heartless.
What this has to mean is that men breed more often with attractive females, or attractive women breed more often (based upon the assumption that the average male will breed at the drop of a hat). In other words, it's not that males are breeding more often with attractive females driving this, but that attractive females are driving the equation (we want more like me, so breed more).
But what them is the criteria are women are choosing by? Females, any thoughts?
After pondering the article, and a few of the links, what seems to be the point is intent. If ancillary information is gathered, necessary in supplying a service, with sufficient safe-guards in place, then its OK. The problem I see with this approach is that, as the old saying states, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions", though any particular service provider may have both insufficient PII for identification purposes, and has put in place what they consider sufficient safe guards, the "Russian Porno Spammers" are intent on hacking sites and are more than likely compiling partial PII information across web sites. This would allow them to write the life history for anyone who's sufficiently active on the internet (though they'd more likely simply steal everything the individual owns).
This is where a uniform standard would be beneficial, so that what is available anywhere is controlled. This ideally would come out of the industry than government, simply because they are more likely to be more on top of the situation.
But 10 years down the line, once porn has worked out the bugs, and made the market big enough to drive the cost of the hardware down, it'll become common technology. So, though porn may have a lot of negatives, it does tend to allow the development of technologies based upon what a lot of horny SOB's are willing to pay.
Now, I tend to receive a lot of spam, but the stuff that does not get deleted immediately is some of the great stories out of Nigeria. You've got your run of the mill Canadian pharmacy spam, the bank scam spam, the designer watch scam, the Viagra and their ilk spam, but the Nigerians are outright creative. Nice long stories of human suffering, or international intrigue (or both). So, though I'm not likely to respond (one was to have delivered to my front door gold bullion by armed Nigerian guards, which if it was real would simply have me sign, shoot me, and make off with the gold) but they're at least fun to read!
We ferreted our Atari 1200 away, functional, and still pull it out now and again (to the delight of our kids). One game in particular, regardless of the dated graphics, is always a great hit; "M.U.L.E."
I'd rate it as one of the best head-to-head style video games I've played on any system.
The argument whether video games are "Art" is fundamentally equivalent to whether movie making is "Art"; which I believe at this point, is generally considered "Art". The analogy works in that as in there are crappy movies (depending upon personal taste and what you define as entertainment and art) which holds true to video games.
I believe much what is at issue is that there is a large number of parents who take issue with some video games, but do not want own up to the parental responsibility of simply saying "No"; they would rather make it illegal than face their kids saying "But Bobby gets to play (insert whichever sexually provocative or violent game title you wish)." And then holding their ground that whatever it is, is off limits to them. This may be a bit tough with what happens at friends houses, but if you pay attention, you'll know what's going on.
We had a president that wasn't having sex with the intern, just doing everything else.
The next one tells us that we're not torturing anyone, right after he re-writes the definition.
I guess the point is that if there's a will there's a way, particularly if there's gun's, sex, or money involved (not quite certain if I have the order right though).
I guess there should be some sense of moral outrage here, but I guess I'm all out of that.
Sorry to point out a flaw in your argument (which is generally valid) but with the right recipe, tripe can be made palatable (i.e., have some use) so I would disagree with the comparison to tripe.
Hitchhiker's Guide made a killing by copying information off of a cereal box, passing it through a wormhole to an early time, and then suing the cereal company.
From this the term "Future Perfect" was dropped.
I would propose that the term "Present Imperfect" is currently too fitting.
My coon hound bays; it communicates even less than the barking dog (based upon hims being significantly more vacuous than the average dog) but is more painful due to the decibels he reaches.
Also, didn't Ford Prefect come to the conclusion that we talk and say the very, very, obvious, not because our jaws may seize-up, but because our brains may start working.
Wastewater "sludge" often goes to Land Ap meaning it's spread on farmer's fields.
The wastewater enters the local stream or river to go and "visit" the town downstream.
In the Chicago area you need to be be well outside the general Metro area where the local river flow isn't above 90% "wastewater impacted" or the flow is basically 90% wasterwater or higher.
My perspective would be that I'm surprised that recycling water didn't already happen.
Unless you've been synthesizing your water, that's all you've been drinking.
Seems you must have pissed off a moderator along the way; everything along the end of this trail was "un-modded", except for yours, all down to "0". Some may have been a bit flippant, but your point about whether you can make the just to the jaw-bone scratches indicating cannibalism is dead-on (this was one of your comments a couple after this one).
My favorite start of a headline in a tabloid is; "Scientist Says, bhah, bhah, blah, bhah" and if you actually look at what's going on either its taken completely out of context (often in the case of the tabloids) or its simply one guy giving a completely unsubstantiated opinion, which is then presented as fact (as in this situation).
Slashdot Mirror
OK, if I recognize this stuff (and likely still could run), do I need to worry I'll be next to be crated up and carried off to a museum?
Greg
I likely would have had this post up about 20 earlier, but I've just managed to pick myself off the floor after taking a look at the photo. As a chemist, I personally find the verification of theory a significant milestone in our understanding. It's one thing to have a theory, and then through somewhat serendipitous means, verify the theory, but to have an actual photo, brings it to a new level.
Greg
Yes, I do have a life outside the lab, but maybe not as much of one as I once thought.
Did you even glance at the citations????
What do you call someone who could be informed but opens their mouth while choosing to remain ignorant?
Check the articles, "Poor" doesn't track so well. Upper Midwest, below average income is second best (to American Asians).
Greg
It seems that we're interested in making some political points and (or) walking lock-step with some biases.
If you check the data from the PLoS Med citation (http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/slideshow.action?uri=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050066&imageURI=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050066.g003#) you'll discover that finishing high school would appear to be a detriment to longevity (my personal guess is that a fair number of more educated folks cash in earlier due to stress).
When you talk poor and rural, there appears to be two, one in the south and one in the northern Midwest. It's true that the rural south has seen a decline, but looking at the "WebMed" citation (http://www.webmd.com/news/20060913/top-states-for-life-expectancy), unless you've got the technology to convert your genetics to become a non-Pacific island Asian (defined as America 1), you're next best bet is to join "America 2" defined as; "3.6 million low-income rural whites living in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa, Montana, and Nebraska with income and education below the national average. Average life expectancy: 79 years."
My personal read with "America 2" is simply (again) a more "kicked-back" (less stress) lifestyle. In wandering the U.P. (home of the "Uppers", namely the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) if there is a common trait among the folk, is that they're simply taking it easier than most folks in urban settings. They're "in-to" out of doors (less sedentary) and if you want to get one's attention, its not by the latest fashion, but where there's a better hunting / fishing / biking / beer joint (meet a Upper and you'll understand the last item). Cars are rusty but the barrels are clean and the reels oiled.
I've added a fair amount of personal opinion, which is clearly open to argument (and I hope that any Uppers reading this do not take offense that I secretly...or at least used to secretly...covet their lifestyle) but none-the-less, if you're about to write spout off on the subject, at least read the citations.
In a nutshell, we tend to be fat and lazy, which doesn't take a high school education to figure out, and we're also way too stressed.
Greg
Good piece. One of the thoughts I've had is the impact of more memory and "better" higher level languages. It seemed that when there was significant limitation on memory assy was used more often to manage to remain under the memory limitations.
Greg
Amateur radio operators, sorry too close to a useful hobby.
Greg
I guess that if a decent Sci-Fi about aliens gets folks to look up at the night sky for a bit, regardless if they then "see" a UFO (real or imaginary, I'll stay out of that debate) its done us a good thing.
A bit of wonder of the cosmos will do most people good.
Greg
So what we have is the average Canadian, thinking their government should do one thing, and a few vested parties (with A LOT of $$$) disagreeing. I know how this plays out on this side of the border, but will Canadian govt actually listen to it's people? Eh? Greg
I've got a pet rat and it's got a pretty ugly ass (and the attached rodent); having said that I'd be willing to part with them for the aforementioned reasons.
Greg
PS, you got to feed him though, I'm not completely heartless.
What this has to mean is that men breed more often with attractive females, or attractive women breed more often (based upon the assumption that the average male will breed at the drop of a hat). In other words, it's not that males are breeding more often with attractive females driving this, but that attractive females are driving the equation (we want more like me, so breed more).
But what them is the criteria are women are choosing by? Females, any thoughts?
After pondering the article, and a few of the links, what seems to be the point is intent. If ancillary information is gathered, necessary in supplying a service, with sufficient safe-guards in place, then its OK. The problem I see with this approach is that, as the old saying states, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions", though any particular service provider may have both insufficient PII for identification purposes, and has put in place what they consider sufficient safe guards, the "Russian Porno Spammers" are intent on hacking sites and are more than likely compiling partial PII information across web sites. This would allow them to write the life history for anyone who's sufficiently active on the internet (though they'd more likely simply steal everything the individual owns).
This is where a uniform standard would be beneficial, so that what is available anywhere is controlled. This ideally would come out of the industry than government, simply because they are more likely to be more on top of the situation.
But 10 years down the line, once porn has worked out the bugs, and made the market big enough to drive the cost of the hardware down, it'll become common technology. So, though porn may have a lot of negatives, it does tend to allow the development of technologies based upon what a lot of horny SOB's are willing to pay.
Now, I tend to receive a lot of spam, but the stuff that does not get deleted immediately is some of the great stories out of Nigeria. You've got your run of the mill Canadian pharmacy spam, the bank scam spam, the designer watch scam, the Viagra and their ilk spam, but the Nigerians are outright creative. Nice long stories of human suffering, or international intrigue (or both). So, though I'm not likely to respond (one was to have delivered to my front door gold bullion by armed Nigerian guards, which if it was real would simply have me sign, shoot me, and make off with the gold) but they're at least fun to read!
We ferreted our Atari 1200 away, functional, and still pull it out now and again (to the delight of our kids). One game in particular, regardless of the dated graphics, is always a great hit; "M.U.L.E."
I'd rate it as one of the best head-to-head style video games I've played on any system.
The argument whether video games are "Art" is fundamentally equivalent to whether movie making is "Art"; which I believe at this point, is generally considered "Art". The analogy works in that as in there are crappy movies (depending upon personal taste and what you define as entertainment and art) which holds true to video games.
I believe much what is at issue is that there is a large number of parents who take issue with some video games, but do not want own up to the parental responsibility of simply saying "No"; they would rather make it illegal than face their kids saying "But Bobby gets to play (insert whichever sexually provocative or violent game title you wish)." And then holding their ground that whatever it is, is off limits to them. This may be a bit tough with what happens at friends houses, but if you pay attention, you'll know what's going on.
Greg
We had a president that wasn't having sex with the intern, just doing everything else.
The next one tells us that we're not torturing anyone, right after he re-writes the definition.
I guess the point is that if there's a will there's a way, particularly if there's gun's, sex, or money involved (not quite certain if I have the order right though).
I guess there should be some sense of moral outrage here, but I guess I'm all out of that.
Greg
Sorry to point out a flaw in your argument (which is generally valid) but with the right recipe, tripe can be made palatable (i.e., have some use) so I would disagree with the comparison to tripe.
Greg
Hitchhiker's Guide made a killing by copying information off of a cereal box, passing it through a wormhole to an early time, and then suing the cereal company.
From this the term "Future Perfect" was dropped.
I would propose that the term "Present Imperfect" is currently too fitting.
He with the smartest lawyer wins.
My coon hound bays; it communicates even less than the barking dog (based upon hims being significantly more vacuous than the average dog) but is more painful due to the decibels he reaches.
Also, didn't Ford Prefect come to the conclusion that we talk and say the very, very, obvious, not because our jaws may seize-up, but because our brains may start working.
Greg
But I believe you've mentioned that this isn't due to some perversity, just that it doesn't fit in your pants.
To paraphrase Shakespeare, "A Poo by any other name would smell as sweet."
Wastewater "sludge" often goes to Land Ap meaning it's spread on farmer's fields.
The wastewater enters the local stream or river to go and "visit" the town downstream.
In the Chicago area you need to be be well outside the general Metro area where the local river flow isn't above 90% "wastewater impacted" or the flow is basically 90% wasterwater or higher.
My perspective would be that I'm surprised that recycling water didn't already happen.
Unless you've been synthesizing your water, that's all you've been drinking.
Seems you must have pissed off a moderator along the way; everything along the end of this trail was "un-modded", except for yours, all down to "0". Some may have been a bit flippant, but your point about whether you can make the just to the jaw-bone scratches indicating cannibalism is dead-on (this was one of your comments a couple after this one).
My favorite start of a headline in a tabloid is; "Scientist Says, bhah, bhah, blah, bhah" and if you actually look at what's going on either its taken completely out of context (often in the case of the tabloids) or its simply one guy giving a completely unsubstantiated opinion, which is then presented as fact (as in this situation).