Verizon offers a bundle wherein if you have Verizon wireless, Verizon DSL, and DirecTV you get a slight discount. Don't know how much exactly, but I know a few people who have gone that way.
Until they work out how to put the camera behind the screen, video chat will always bug me. I cannot stand that both parties always seem to be looking slightly downward the whole conversation.
My only real objection to his terms. I get that he wishes to keep his family from harassment (specifically his kids if he has them) but most agencies tasked with finding people start with the family, mostly because it is the best way to find someone. This gives him a much more sporting chance, though which I guess was his intent.
I thought that one was about "falling off the grid". What this guy is doing is trying to stay hidden while still using modern conveniences and only the skills that an average citizen has at their disposal. I.E., hiding while staying on "THE GRID".
Agree wholeheartedly. I am incredibly wary of any shortened URLs. I know what with Twitter and all they may be important to some, but I see them more and more used in forums and message boards. Why use a shortened url when posting from a computer? Is it really harder to (ctrl+c ctrl+v) a full url than to ctrl+c, open a new tab, type tinyurl.com (or click a bookmark), ctrl+v, click "make tinyurl", highlight the new URL, ctrl+c again, and finally ctrl+v it into the post? Seems like more work to me.
My AV protection is always current and up to date, but I don't open any shortened URL, even from friends unless there is some way to preview the link before following it. I've seen below that tinyurl does make a preview link, which is good, but isn't that still creating more work for everyone?
As have I. I've played Chrono Trigger from the PSX re-issue disc (Final Fantasy Chronicles was the compilation name I think) on my PSP in my bedroom with my PS3 running downstairs.
Like I said, the latency over WLAN was tolerable but noticeable.
Cell Chip + Emotion Chip is a greater cost per unit, while the redesign was a 1 time r&d cost, I guess sony counted on the R&D costing less over the life of the console than the continued production of the multi-hardware system.
There is a way to run a PS1 disc in your PS3 and stream it to your PSP over LAN/Internet...Location free player is the util, I believe. It does have (especially over the internet) some major latency issues though.
That's why I love my First Gen 60GB PS3. Full Emotion engine hardware support, 4 usb ports, and every kind of flash card reader I can think of (SD/MultiMedia Card, CompactFlash Type I/Type II, Microdrive, Memory Stick/PRO/Duo).
I did pay a buttload for it though... the curse of the early adopter.
In my opinion, and that's all it is, the console versions of the Orange Box (and specifically Team Fortress 2) suffer from a few major problems:
360: The lack of all the free expansion packs(updates)*. With almost a dozen "Official" and community maps as well as the "sidegrade" extra weapons for 6 of the 9 classes, most PC users consider this a by far inferior product. Not to mention the omission of the entertaining (but ultimately useless) Hats and Medals. Additionally there has been minimal patching of the game itself so only the most egregious hacks and exploits are prevented. Additionally, the central server architecture of the console versions means that only Official XBox Live servers are available for gameplay, as opposed to the PC version that lets anyone with the bandwidth and the VAC** software running host games.
PS3: All of the above problems with the addition of EA publishing only 1 patch in the lifetime of the game, allowing some of the most silly, infuriating, game-breaking hacks and exploits. Even fewer available servers ( last time I looked they were down to 3, Europe, West US and East US) allowing only 16 players per server. And no overtures of eventual downloadable content, both EA and Valve have said PS3 DLC is a no-go.
Finally, I prefer Mouse and Keyboard for control of FPS games.
*Both Valve and Microsoft have made promises to provide the Updates as DLC, but several issues have prevented it from showing up. 1) With a few exceptions, Live prefers to charge for expansion packs to games, and Valve wants it to be free. 2) The RAM limitations of the 360 are such that the un-updated game is pushing the limits of the 360's abilities. Valve says they are working toward making the 360 version of the game less RAM dependant to alleviate this problem. **valve anti-cheating
If you want to see porting done wrong, you should look no further than Valve's partnership with EA. I don't think anyone can argue that Valve makes some very good games. Half life 2, L4D, TF2, Portal, etc... are all excellent games. But their console versions are a crying shame. They range from passably mediocre (Orange box for 360) to downright awful unsupported shovelware (Orange Box for PS3). The only product that actually can be called good is L4D on the 360, and even that is a pale imitator to the PC version.
Much of this can be laid at EA's feet. They focus on hitting the maximum market spectrum and don't really care much about "after purchase support" Something that Valve (the L4D2 debacle notïwithstanding) is usually very good at. However you have to give some of the blame to Valve for licensing their product to a publisher who has a well known reputation for the slap-dash "screw the customer" business approach.
Except even if you omit the cost of the Shuttle program, the cost of maintaining the ISS is HUMONGUS. Millions if not Billions of US dollars go into it a year, and no other nation's space program gets the kind of money that the US does. I'm guessing no other nation can pick up the tab to keep the lights on if the US kills its funding.
Delta-V required to generate escape velocity for an object that size would be huge. The Earth's gravity even at the height the ISS is at is still incredibly powerful. I sincerely doubt that the onboard fuel reserves have enough thrust to accomplish that. The easier solution is to just give it a nudge toward Earth and let gravity and friction do the work for you.
For every audiophile that listens to music at some super high bitrate, there's 10s or 100s of listeners that don't really care. Personally, 192kbps is where I listen to music because in my early years of listening to digital music that was the best convergence of size/quality to my ears. I understand that that is still pretty compressed, but to my ears it sounds fine. Now my wife even to this day will listen to music at as low as 96kbps (and very occasionally I see a 64kbps) and not be bothered. It makes my ears ring to hear it, but it illustrates the point that many people just don't care as long as they can make out the melody.
Of the [formerly] big 3, Ford seems to be the only one who managed to maintain profitability. As my economist pal tells me, they did it by pushing their fleet vehicles heavily. The F-series work trucks and E-series commercial vans are a particularly profitable market segment for them, and Chrysler never had much in that sector, and GM's offerings were never really taken seriously outside of GMC heavy trucks (>5ton) and Suburban/Tahoe for "security contractors"
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Verizon offers a bundle wherein if you have Verizon wireless, Verizon DSL, and DirecTV you get a slight discount. Don't know how much exactly, but I know a few people who have gone that way.
Until they work out how to put the camera behind the screen, video chat will always bug me. I cannot stand that both parties always seem to be looking slightly downward the whole conversation.
Problem is, They'll break his rules faster than you can say Sasquatch. They'll find him, but using undoubtedly illegal methods.
contact my family
My only real objection to his terms. I get that he wishes to keep his family from harassment (specifically his kids if he has them) but most agencies tasked with finding people start with the family, mostly because it is the best way to find someone. This gives him a much more sporting chance, though which I guess was his intent.
I thought that one was about "falling off the grid". What this guy is doing is trying to stay hidden while still using modern conveniences and only the skills that an average citizen has at their disposal. I.E., hiding while staying on "THE GRID".
Agree wholeheartedly. I am incredibly wary of any shortened URLs.
I know what with Twitter and all they may be important to some, but I see them more and more used in forums and message boards. Why use a shortened url when posting from a computer? Is it really harder to (ctrl+c ctrl+v) a full url than to ctrl+c, open a new tab, type tinyurl.com (or click a bookmark), ctrl+v, click "make tinyurl", highlight the new URL, ctrl+c again, and finally ctrl+v it into the post? Seems like more work to me.
My AV protection is always current and up to date, but I don't open any shortened URL, even from friends unless there is some way to preview the link before following it. I've seen below that tinyurl does make a preview link, which is good, but isn't that still creating more work for everyone?
my $0.02
As have I. I've played Chrono Trigger from the PSX re-issue disc (Final Fantasy Chronicles was the compilation name I think) on my PSP in my bedroom with my PS3 running downstairs.
Like I said, the latency over WLAN was tolerable but noticeable.
And thanks to AC for the correct name.
Cell Chip + Emotion Chip is a greater cost per unit, while the redesign was a 1 time r&d cost, I guess sony counted on the R&D costing less over the life of the console than the continued production of the multi-hardware system.
There is a way to run a PS1 disc in your PS3 and stream it to your PSP over LAN/Internet.. .Location free player is the util, I believe. It does have (especially over the internet) some major latency issues though.
That's why I love my First Gen 60GB PS3. Full Emotion engine hardware support, 4 usb ports, and every kind of flash card reader I can think of (SD/MultiMedia Card, CompactFlash Type I/Type II, Microdrive, Memory Stick/PRO/Duo).
I did pay a buttload for it though... the curse of the early adopter.
In my opinion, and that's all it is, the console versions of the Orange Box (and specifically Team Fortress 2) suffer from a few major problems:
360: The lack of all the free expansion packs(updates)*. With almost a dozen "Official" and community maps as well as the "sidegrade" extra weapons for 6 of the 9 classes, most PC users consider this a by far inferior product. Not to mention the omission of the entertaining (but ultimately useless) Hats and Medals. Additionally there has been minimal patching of the game itself so only the most egregious hacks and exploits are prevented. Additionally, the central server architecture of the console versions means that only Official XBox Live servers are available for gameplay, as opposed to the PC version that lets anyone with the bandwidth and the VAC** software running host games.
PS3: All of the above problems with the addition of EA publishing only 1 patch in the lifetime of the game, allowing some of the most silly, infuriating, game-breaking hacks and exploits. Even fewer available servers ( last time I looked they were down to 3, Europe, West US and East US) allowing only 16 players per server. And no overtures of eventual downloadable content, both EA and Valve have said PS3 DLC is a no-go.
Finally, I prefer Mouse and Keyboard for control of FPS games.
*Both Valve and Microsoft have made promises to provide the Updates as DLC, but several issues have prevented it from showing up. 1) With a few exceptions, Live prefers to charge for expansion packs to games, and Valve wants it to be free. 2) The RAM limitations of the 360 are such that the un-updated game is pushing the limits of the 360's abilities. Valve says they are working toward making the 360 version of the game less RAM dependant to alleviate this problem.
**valve anti-cheating
If you want to see porting done wrong, you should look no further than Valve's partnership with EA. I don't think anyone can argue that Valve makes some very good games. Half life 2, L4D, TF2, Portal, etc... are all excellent games. But their console versions are a crying shame. They range from passably mediocre (Orange box for 360) to downright awful unsupported shovelware (Orange Box for PS3). The only product that actually can be called good is L4D on the 360, and even that is a pale imitator to the PC version.
Much of this can be laid at EA's feet. They focus on hitting the maximum market spectrum and don't really care much about "after purchase support" Something that Valve (the L4D2 debacle notïwithstanding) is usually very good at. However you have to give some of the blame to Valve for licensing their product to a publisher who has a well known reputation for the slap-dash "screw the customer" business approach.
Ah that's the beauty of the thing, come winter the gorillas will freeze to death.
Actually, Lorenzo Music DID do the voice of Venkman. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090506/
Except even if you omit the cost of the Shuttle program, the cost of maintaining the ISS is HUMONGUS. Millions if not Billions of US dollars go into it a year, and no other nation's space program gets the kind of money that the US does. I'm guessing no other nation can pick up the tab to keep the lights on if the US kills its funding.
Delta-V required to generate escape velocity for an object that size would be huge. The Earth's gravity even at the height the ISS is at is still incredibly powerful. I sincerely doubt that the onboard fuel reserves have enough thrust to accomplish that. The easier solution is to just give it a nudge toward Earth and let gravity and friction do the work for you.
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5
For every audiophile that listens to music at some super high bitrate, there's 10s or 100s of listeners that don't really care. Personally, 192kbps is where I listen to music because in my early years of listening to digital music that was the best convergence of size/quality to my ears. I understand that that is still pretty compressed, but to my ears it sounds fine. Now my wife even to this day will listen to music at as low as 96kbps (and very occasionally I see a 64kbps) and not be bothered. It makes my ears ring to hear it, but it illustrates the point that many people just don't care as long as they can make out the melody.
Pronounced tan-staff-ul?
For USAicans like me who needed to do some converting: Parent is 5'8" and 125 lbs.
No we have those where I live! We call them "Land Sea-Lions"!
Of the [formerly] big 3, Ford seems to be the only one who managed to maintain profitability. As my economist pal tells me, they did it by pushing their fleet vehicles heavily. The F-series work trucks and E-series commercial vans are a particularly profitable market segment for them, and Chrysler never had much in that sector, and GM's offerings were never really taken seriously outside of GMC heavy trucks (>5ton) and Suburban/Tahoe for "security contractors"
But..... RON PAUL?
(am I doing it right?)
I thought that Transformers work because of energon cubes.
About a century ago. 1894 according to Wikipedia. With a patent in 1897. Good to know that Edison's megalomania only held us back for a century.