Can't you see what's going on here? Did you see the commericals for Applied Digital Solutions' VeriChips, the implantable chip (which could eventually be used for tracking kidnap victims) immediately following the news story on CNN about Elizabeth Smart?*
Obviously, the kidnapping is a conspiracy orchastrated by the news agencies themselves to boost public approval and acceptance of implants. Which will only lead to a global police state run by Satan himself.*
One of those services is having elected officials that respond to our desires. That's the whole prinicple of democracy. You don't have to run for office to get the government to do things that you see are intellegent and efficient.
What was it about Episode IV that made Episode I look so bad? The same thing that made Spiderman so good: the struggle. In Episode I, the Jedi are already super-powerful. They come in and kick ass. There is no hero's journey for them to go on; they are just galactic policemen.
Think about the use of the Force in Episode IV. How many times did it really manifest? Once. When Vader choked the Admiral. You might count Luke using the Force to shoot a missle up the Death Star's ass, but that could be attributed to luck. It's kinda cool, because it relies more on your imagination than knocking robot troopers around with force-push.
Don't get me wrong, I love using the force powers in Jedi Knight II, but that alone does not a good movie make.
I haven't considered all of the ramifications, but I think it's a good idea. There may be privacy issues, but, really, who cares if your retinal pattern is in a database somewhere? It isn't as if your DNA is being sampled[1].
What makes this a GOOD idea is that identity theft would be much more difficult. Right now, if someone gets a hold of your SSN, they can screw you over. It's much more difficult to recreate a retinal pattern.
David Brin refers to this distinction in The Transparent Society. Your SSN maybe a good identification number, but in many cases it is also used as a password, which is just foolish, because you can't change it, and it can be stolen. On the other hand, a retinal scan, as I said above, makes an excellent ID/password, because it is so difficult to duplicate.
I'm still interested to hear other's arguments against this.
[1] The implication here is that insurance companies may be able to get a hold of your DNA and use the information within against you.
World War III
on
On Hacktivism
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
The article quotes McLuhan: "World War Three will be a guerilla information war with no division between military and civilian participation."
I firmly believe that this is true, and is going on right now. But I wonder if it is appropriate to mix this concept with hacktivism. Consider Bush's current position. He's convinced most of the world (most of the US, anyway) that he should be given free reign to wage war anywhere in the country, all in the name of fighting terrorism. I'll keep theories about military-industrial complex profits to myself, at this point.
The point is, he is using major media outlets to spread his message, and in the mainstream media, very few people are questioning him. And at the moment, it is the mainstream media that carries the perception that it reflects the national consciousness.
Not enough people have switched off their TVs and let their corporate newspaper subscriptions expire to make hacktivism effective. It's unfortunate, and I expect (hope) things will change in the coming years, but for now, it's largely irrevelevant.
The article you reference on thomasjmoore.com mentions a woman being poisoned by supplements containing impurities, manufactured by an irresponsible Japanese company.
While it is true that the FDA has almost no standards in regards to dietary supplements, I did a little research and found out that there are several independant agencies that monitor the quality of products made by "natural" foods manufacturers. I sent an email to a local natural food coop that I belong to and got this reply, FYI:
When reviewing the many nutritional products that are presented to us every month, we at the coop do indeed spend considerable time on both ingredient review and manufacturing methods.
My goal as the Health and Body Care Products Merchandiser is to offer the best quality available at a value to members and general shoppers.
To specifically assure you, here is information about Natural Factors and Source Naturals:
Natural Factors is a Canadian manufacturer and manufactures products according to the Canadian Health Protection Branch Good Manufacturing Practices which are more stringent even than the US National Nutritional Foods Association's guidelines for manufacture of nutritional products.
The Canadian Health Protection Branch is somewhat equivalent to the US FDA, except that they actually do govern the manufacture of nutritional supplements and they do audit manufacturing facilities. Natural Factors is committed to quality and efficacy. As a world leader in the field of Echinacea research they host seminars that are attended by researchers, physicians, and of course, retailers from around the world. The renowned Dr Michael Murray has also joined the staff at Natural Factors as the Director of Product Development and Education.
Source Naturals is a US company and does many quality assurance tests on their products. They test all raw goods coming into their manufacturing facility on three levels--a) product is analyzed to see that it matches both what Source Naturals ordered and that it matches what the vendor claims it is; b) product is qualitatively evaluated for a long list of specifications, including color, odor, flavor, texture, and absence of extraneous materials; c) herbal products are tested for microbiological contamination. In addition to testing the raw goods Source Naturals also tests finished products to make sure that they meet quality standards, such as properly formed product. Additional testing is also done to ensure that products meet label claim, have not been contaminated during manufacture and that the product will physically perform as indicated--that is dissolve in water if it is intended to do so or taste like chocolate if that is what the label indicates. The same quality assurance standards are set for Source Naturals' sister company Planetary Formulas.
In addition to asking many questions and verifying via independent lab assays that companies are selling what their bottles claim, I also look at the business practices of the company. For example, are they selling organic herbs when they are available?; do they support eco-friendly farming and harvesting practices?; do they use minimal packaging and/or shipping materials?; have they ever been cited by the NNFA for their products not conforming to label?
I had a roommate try that stuff for a week to see if it could help him concentrate on his biology homework. I never found out whether it worked; he was too busy trying to stop the nosebleeds to try to study.
Ha!
I've had that problem twice, in the three or so years I've been taking it. And I think it could be attributed to dehydration more than anything.
If you want to improve your powers of concentration, try Ginko Biloba. I've been taking it for years, 60 mg every morning. I've noticed that my alertness levels are waaay up. I swear by it.
Another posted mentioned that alternative energy sources will not replace oil, because oil is so cheap. The poster also said that another reason for oil to be replaced is if we run out, or if supplies dwindle enough that we can no longer provide enough oil for everybody (which ties into the rising cost argument).
According to Oilcrisis.com, when we hit the point (within the first quarter of this century) that we need to switch over to an alternative energy source, it will be too late. Our infrastructure depends on oil, and switching every motor vehicle, truck, airplane, cargo ship, and train to an alternative energy source will be a massive endeavor. Perhaps impossible to perform without the support of the infrastructure itself.
I would like to encourage everyone to support alternative energy before this point. We can't afford to wait until it is cheap.
Regardless of the "actual" origins of Star Wars, the film (and Empire and Jedi) touches a nerve. We live in a society where the only way to be a hero is to get lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time (a firefighter in NYC on 9/11). It isn't a profession.
So, most of us are sadly lacking in the rites of passage department. We seek out meaningful adventure in fantasy. Through Star Wars we could live vicariously, and go through the classic struggle that Luke went through. Campbell or not, it's still a hero's quest.
I think you are right, but I don't see how this has much to do with the Seattle Law. Thanks to the wonders of globalization, any company can do that (and it can be a very bad thing). Thing is, if a company is making larger profits, they can be taxed for those profits. Assuming there is a business income tax for the state or city.
Washington State uses a gross receipts method of calculating taxes: Dept. of Revenue
The question boils down to whether Seattle should apply the business tax to the development of software -- essentially a thinking process -- as it does to the manufacturing of off-the-shelf software products, software lobbyists say.
"The business tax"? Shouldn't the tax be applied to the business's profits, and be dependent on where the business is headquarted?
If I own ABC Software, and I'm located in Seattle, I can contract programmers in India, and contract a manufacturer in Taiwain, and sell the software all over the world. But the profits are going to be recorded in my ledgers in Seattle, and are therefore subject to any local, state, and national taxes. Am I missing something?
I used that page to send a few emails to my Congresspeople. And they are listening!! I got this reply from Senator Maria Cantwell:
Dear ---:
Thank you for contacting me about the Security Systems Standards and
Certification Act (SSSCA). I appreciate hearing your concerns.
The SSSCA has not yet been introduced in the U.S. Senate or House of
Representatives, nor does it exist in final form. My staff has been in
contact with the Senator Hollings' office, one of the authors of the SSSCA
along with Senator Stevens. I was informed that the SSSCA is yet to be
completed, and the timeline for the introduction of the SSSCA is uncertain
at this point. The early draft that was made publicly available on the
Internet, to which your comments are likely directed, may be significantly
different from the legislation that may be introduced by Senators Hollings
and Stevens. You may be interested to know that Sen. Hollings held a
hearing in the Senate Commerce Committee to address this issue on February
28 (To view statements and testimony from this hearing, see:
http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/hearings.htm)
I understand your concern that we must work to achieve the right balance
between protecting copyrights and remunerating the creators of those works
and reasonable consumer use of copyrighted works. Indeed, the pace of
innovation requires a diligent consideration of both of these interests.
I believe that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) passed in 1998
helps to accomplish this goal. I feel we need to continue to encourage
innovation in technology while protecting the intellectual property rights
of inventors, artists, authors and musicians. The DMCA prohibits
circumvention of technological protection measures and the trafficking of
such technology. Thus, the law facilitates legitimate distribution of
copyrighted work by allowing for the use of technological measures by the
copyright holder and providing legal protections for those measures.
However, you should know that I will not be supportive of legislation that
unduly limits technological innovation or consumers' rights.
At this relatively early point in the development of digital distribution
of copyrighted works, the U.S. Copyright Office has recommended that
Congress make no significant changes to copyright law right now. As a
member of the Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over copyright
law, I will be actively considering these issues. Please be assured that
should the SSSCA come before the Senate, I will keep your concerns in
mind.
Again, thank you for contacting me, and please do not hesitate to do so in
the future if I can be of further assistance.
Meditate. A half hour of meditation could reduce the need for sleep by several hours.
Or, more simply, rest throughout the day. Take a few 5 to 15 minute breaks were you do nothing but relax and breathe.
Brainwave syncronization devices also claim to reduce the need for sleep. You can spend hundreds of dollars on one, or you can get the free software BWGen. All you need are headphones.
I think you are asking for a lot for such a small price. Currently, I use an Echo Layla, which has 8 unbalanced inputs and 8 unbalanced outs. They also have the Gina, which has 4 balanced ins, and 6 balanced outs. Both cards also have MIDI In/Out (which isn't that fancy [read: doesn't effect the cost much]) and optical In/Out.
I use the optical in to add another 8 channels from a cheap digital mixer with an optical out (the Fostex VM88). All this runs through a proprietary PCI card. A buddy just got the Layla with the new PCMCIA card instead of a PCI card, for his laptop. Both models can be found for $699.
Echo's products also come with a very nice software digital mixer, which allow you to mix any input to any output. Recording software such as Sonar works well for recording multiple channels at once, at 24bit/96kHz (although I only use 44kHz).
Personally, I suspect that Echo has a far better product than Creative (largely because of the USB), but I haven't seen the price on the Extigy yet.
The 42 character line length is a little misleading. It appears to be a 64 bit wide binary image.
If you open the file in a hex editor and get rid of all the line breaks, and replace the 1s with a hex value of FF, and the 0's with a hex value of 0, then open it as a raw image with a width of 64 in Photoshop, you can see the image.
I didn't quite get it right, the image is shifted one pixel per line. But it looks like it contains a picture of earth, and some human figures, among other things.
If you are at all interested in the issues brought about by introducing one-way cameras to public places, I strongly recommend David Brin's Transparent Society.
He sees (and I agree) that these technologies will become more and more prevalent, and that all we can do to prevent their abuse by police and the government is to carefully monitor the people that are monitoring us.
It's a fascinating book, and covers a wide range of topics, from Internet censorship and toxicity of ideas, to the need for a society to criticize its leaders in order to remain healthy and free.
The potential energy is the same, but the way the fuel behaves when it crashes into a building is different for each chemical.
By your argument, I could be an olympic athlete in training, and the day before the big event, I could either eat a 2000 calorie salad for dinner, or I could eat 2000 calories of Snicker's bars. The amount of chemical energy is the same, right?
I heard some guy from the Phoenix Project on NPR the other day, and he was talking about how the jet fuel in the WTC attack was really heavy and dense, and just stuck to everything. On the other hand, hydrogen is light, and if it were being used as fuel in the attacks, it would have pretty much just floated away. Of course, some damage would have been done, but not anywhere near as much.
Slashdot Mirror
Can't you see what's going on here? Did you see the commericals for Applied Digital Solutions' VeriChips, the implantable chip (which could eventually be used for tracking kidnap victims) immediately following the news story on CNN about Elizabeth Smart?*
Obviously, the kidnapping is a conspiracy orchastrated by the news agencies themselves to boost public approval and acceptance of implants. Which will only lead to a global police state run by Satan himself.*
*not really
Alexis Patterson was abducted?! By what, a U.F.Orb?
Yuk yuk yuk...
"As taxpayers we get services".
One of those services is having elected officials that respond to our desires. That's the whole prinicple of democracy. You don't have to run for office to get the government to do things that you see are intellegent and efficient.
What was it about Episode IV that made Episode I look so bad? The same thing that made Spiderman so good: the struggle. In Episode I, the Jedi are already super-powerful. They come in and kick ass. There is no hero's journey for them to go on; they are just galactic policemen.
Think about the use of the Force in Episode IV. How many times did it really manifest? Once. When Vader choked the Admiral. You might count Luke using the Force to shoot a missle up the Death Star's ass, but that could be attributed to luck. It's kinda cool, because it relies more on your imagination than knocking robot troopers around with force-push.
Don't get me wrong, I love using the force powers in Jedi Knight II, but that alone does not a good movie make.
I just love how we can use the "neat new technology" line to hype instruments of death. _Popular mechanics_ is notorious for this. Now Slashdot.
Go ahead, mod me down. This makes me sick.
I haven't considered all of the ramifications, but I think it's a good idea. There may be privacy issues, but, really, who cares if your retinal pattern is in a database somewhere? It isn't as if your DNA is being sampled[1].
What makes this a GOOD idea is that identity theft would be much more difficult. Right now, if someone gets a hold of your SSN, they can screw you over. It's much more difficult to recreate a retinal pattern.
David Brin refers to this distinction in The Transparent Society. Your SSN maybe a good identification number, but in many cases it is also used as a password, which is just foolish, because you can't change it, and it can be stolen. On the other hand, a retinal scan, as I said above, makes an excellent ID/password, because it is so difficult to duplicate.
I'm still interested to hear other's arguments against this.
[1] The implication here is that insurance companies may be able to get a hold of your DNA and use the information within against you.
The article quotes McLuhan: "World War Three will be a guerilla information war with no division between military and civilian participation."
I firmly believe that this is true, and is going on right now. But I wonder if it is appropriate to mix this concept with hacktivism. Consider Bush's current position. He's convinced most of the world (most of the US, anyway) that he should be given free reign to wage war anywhere in the country, all in the name of fighting terrorism. I'll keep theories about military-industrial complex profits to myself, at this point.
The point is, he is using major media outlets to spread his message, and in the mainstream media, very few people are questioning him. And at the moment, it is the mainstream media that carries the perception that it reflects the national consciousness.
Not enough people have switched off their TVs and let their corporate newspaper subscriptions expire to make hacktivism effective. It's unfortunate, and I expect (hope) things will change in the coming years, but for now, it's largely irrevelevant.
The article you reference on thomasjmoore.com mentions a woman being poisoned by supplements containing impurities, manufactured by an irresponsible Japanese company.
While it is true that the FDA has almost no standards in regards to dietary supplements, I did a little research and found out that there are several independant agencies that monitor the quality of products made by "natural" foods manufacturers. I sent an email to a local natural food coop that I belong to and got this reply, FYI:
When reviewing the many nutritional products that are presented to us every month, we at the coop do indeed spend considerable time on both ingredient review and manufacturing methods.
My goal as the Health and Body Care Products Merchandiser is to offer the best quality available at a value to members and general shoppers.
To specifically assure you, here is information about Natural Factors and Source Naturals:
Natural Factors is a Canadian manufacturer and manufactures products according to the Canadian Health Protection Branch Good Manufacturing Practices which are more stringent even than the US National Nutritional Foods Association's guidelines for manufacture of nutritional products.
The Canadian Health Protection Branch is somewhat equivalent to the US FDA, except that they actually do govern the manufacture of nutritional supplements and they do audit manufacturing facilities. Natural Factors is committed to quality and efficacy. As a world leader in the field of Echinacea research they host seminars that are attended by researchers, physicians, and of course, retailers from around the world. The renowned Dr Michael Murray has also joined the staff at Natural Factors as the Director of Product Development and Education.
Source Naturals is a US company and does many quality assurance tests on their products. They test all raw goods coming into their manufacturing facility on three levels--a) product is analyzed to see that it matches both what Source Naturals ordered and that it matches what the vendor claims it is; b) product is qualitatively evaluated for a long list of specifications, including color, odor, flavor, texture, and absence of extraneous materials; c) herbal products are tested for microbiological contamination. In addition to testing the raw goods Source Naturals also tests finished products to make sure that they meet quality standards, such as properly formed product. Additional testing is also done to ensure that products meet label claim, have not been contaminated during manufacture and that the product will physically perform as indicated--that is dissolve in water if it is intended to do so or taste like chocolate if that is what the label indicates. The same quality assurance standards are set for Source Naturals' sister company Planetary Formulas.
In addition to asking many questions and verifying via independent lab assays that companies are selling what their bottles claim, I also look at the business practices of the company. For example, are they selling organic herbs when they are available?; do they support eco-friendly farming and harvesting practices?; do they use minimal packaging and/or shipping materials?; have they ever been cited by the NNFA for their products not conforming to label?
I had a roommate try that stuff for a week to see if it could help him concentrate on his biology homework. I never found out whether it worked; he was too busy trying to stop the nosebleeds to try to study.
Ha!
I've had that problem twice, in the three or so years I've been taking it. And I think it could be attributed to dehydration more than anything.
If you want to improve your powers of concentration, try Ginko Biloba. I've been taking it for years, 60 mg every morning. I've noticed that my alertness levels are waaay up. I swear by it.
Others might agree.
Note that ginko takes several weeks to build up in your system. Have fun!
Another posted mentioned that alternative energy sources will not replace oil, because oil is so cheap. The poster also said that another reason for oil to be replaced is if we run out, or if supplies dwindle enough that we can no longer provide enough oil for everybody (which ties into the rising cost argument).
According to Oilcrisis.com, when we hit the point (within the first quarter of this century) that we need to switch over to an alternative energy source, it will be too late. Our infrastructure depends on oil, and switching every motor vehicle, truck, airplane, cargo ship, and train to an alternative energy source will be a massive endeavor. Perhaps impossible to perform without the support of the infrastructure itself.
I would like to encourage everyone to support alternative energy before this point. We can't afford to wait until it is cheap.
Regardless of the "actual" origins of Star Wars, the film (and Empire and Jedi) touches a nerve. We live in a society where the only way to be a hero is to get lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time (a firefighter in NYC on 9/11). It isn't a profession.
So, most of us are sadly lacking in the rites of passage department. We seek out meaningful adventure in fantasy. Through Star Wars we could live vicariously, and go through the classic struggle that Luke went through. Campbell or not, it's still a hero's quest.
I think you are right, but I don't see how this has much to do with the Seattle Law. Thanks to the wonders of globalization, any company can do that (and it can be a very bad thing). Thing is, if a company is making larger profits, they can be taxed for those profits. Assuming there is a business income tax for the state or city.
Washington State uses a gross receipts method of calculating taxes:
Dept. of Revenue
Note we have no income tax in this state - anywhere. None.
I believe that businesses do have to pay an income tax in Washington State. I could be wrong.
The question boils down to whether Seattle should apply the business tax to the development of software -- essentially a thinking process -- as it does to the manufacturing of off-the-shelf software products, software lobbyists say.
"The business tax"? Shouldn't the tax be applied to the business's profits, and be dependent on where the business is headquarted?
If I own ABC Software, and I'm located in Seattle, I can contract programmers in India, and contract a manufacturer in Taiwain, and sell the software all over the world. But the profits are going to be recorded in my ledgers in Seattle, and are therefore subject to any local, state, and national taxes. Am I missing something?
Do something about it!
t .html
Visit the EFF:
http://www.eff.org/alerts/20010921_eff_sssca_aler
I used that page to send a few emails to my Congresspeople. And they are listening!! I got this reply from Senator Maria Cantwell:
Dear ---:
Thank you for contacting me about the Security Systems Standards and Certification Act (SSSCA). I appreciate hearing your concerns.
The SSSCA has not yet been introduced in the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, nor does it exist in final form. My staff has been in contact with the Senator Hollings' office, one of the authors of the SSSCA along with Senator Stevens. I was informed that the SSSCA is yet to be completed, and the timeline for the introduction of the SSSCA is uncertain at this point. The early draft that was made publicly available on the Internet, to which your comments are likely directed, may be significantly different from the legislation that may be introduced by Senators Hollings and Stevens. You may be interested to know that Sen. Hollings held a hearing in the Senate Commerce Committee to address this issue on February 28 (To view statements and testimony from this hearing, see: http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/hearings.htm)
I understand your concern that we must work to achieve the right balance between protecting copyrights and remunerating the creators of those works and reasonable consumer use of copyrighted works. Indeed, the pace of innovation requires a diligent consideration of both of these interests. I believe that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) passed in 1998 helps to accomplish this goal. I feel we need to continue to encourage innovation in technology while protecting the intellectual property rights of inventors, artists, authors and musicians. The DMCA prohibits circumvention of technological protection measures and the trafficking of such technology. Thus, the law facilitates legitimate distribution of copyrighted work by allowing for the use of technological measures by the copyright holder and providing legal protections for those measures. However, you should know that I will not be supportive of legislation that unduly limits technological innovation or consumers' rights.
At this relatively early point in the development of digital distribution of copyrighted works, the U.S. Copyright Office has recommended that Congress make no significant changes to copyright law right now. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over copyright law, I will be actively considering these issues. Please be assured that should the SSSCA come before the Senate, I will keep your concerns in mind.
Again, thank you for contacting me, and please do not hesitate to do so in the future if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell United States Senator
Maybe they were having a hard time dishing out all that bloated Flash.
Ah, a sign of the web to come.
What an honor, to be the first monkey to move a mouse with your mind. Not only that, but all the lady monkey's really like your new high-tech hat.
(Did anybody else wonder why there were no pictures in the article?)
SCIENCE!
There are a few things you could try:
Meditate. A half hour of meditation could reduce the need for sleep by several hours.
Or, more simply, rest throughout the day. Take a few 5 to 15 minute breaks were you do nothing but relax and breathe.
Brainwave syncronization devices also claim to reduce the need for sleep. You can spend hundreds of dollars on one, or you can get the free software BWGen. All you need are headphones.
Oops. I think the Layla and Mona both have *balanced* ins/outs, but the Mona has XLR ins/outs rather than TRS.
I think you are asking for a lot for such a small price. Currently, I use an Echo Layla, which has 8 unbalanced inputs and 8 unbalanced outs. They also have the Gina, which has 4 balanced ins, and 6 balanced outs. Both cards also have MIDI In/Out (which isn't that fancy [read: doesn't effect the cost much]) and optical In/Out.
I use the optical in to add another 8 channels from a cheap digital mixer with an optical out (the Fostex VM88). All this runs through a proprietary PCI card. A buddy just got the Layla with the new PCMCIA card instead of a PCI card, for his laptop. Both models can be found for $699.
Echo's products also come with a very nice software digital mixer, which allow you to mix any input to any output. Recording software such as Sonar works well for recording multiple channels at once, at 24bit/96kHz (although I only use 44kHz).
Personally, I suspect that Echo has a far better product than Creative (largely because of the USB), but I haven't seen the price on the Extigy yet.
The 42 character line length is a little misleading. It appears to be a 64 bit wide binary image.
If you open the file in a hex editor and get rid of all the line breaks, and replace the 1s with a hex value of FF, and the 0's with a hex value of 0, then open it as a raw image with a width of 64 in Photoshop, you can see the image.
I didn't quite get it right, the image is shifted one pixel per line. But it looks like it contains a picture of earth, and some human figures, among other things.
I just hope the aliens have Photoshop.
and wrap it around the space shuttle, you get the Pepsi Logo.
If you are at all interested in the issues brought about by introducing one-way cameras to public places, I strongly recommend David Brin's Transparent Society .
He sees (and I agree) that these technologies will become more and more prevalent, and that all we can do to prevent their abuse by police and the government is to carefully monitor the people that are monitoring us.
It's a fascinating book, and covers a wide range of topics, from Internet censorship and toxicity of ideas, to the need for a society to criticize its leaders in order to remain healthy and free.
The potential energy is the same, but the way the fuel behaves when it crashes into a building is different for each chemical.
By your argument, I could be an olympic athlete in training, and the day before the big event, I could either eat a 2000 calorie salad for dinner, or I could eat 2000 calories of Snicker's bars. The amount of chemical energy is the same, right?
I heard some guy from the Phoenix Project on NPR the other day, and he was talking about how the jet fuel in the WTC attack was really heavy and dense, and just stuck to everything. On the other hand, hydrogen is light, and if it were being used as fuel in the attacks, it would have pretty much just floated away. Of course, some damage would have been done, but not anywhere near as much.