I just turned 46, and this is definitely true. I remember that we invaded Iraq, and I'm sure there must have been valid reasons for that, but I can't remember them. I clearly remember voting for Obama because he was a constitutional law professor who promised to restore civil liberties and the rule of law, but I can't remember anything he did to follow up on that. I seem to remember intentionally flying from SF to NY in 1986 without any form of ID, but obviously that can't be right, because if people had been able to do that for all those years, our country would have been immediately destroyed by terrorists.
Peculiar, I seemed to remember something similar myself: Once, when I was extremely late for a cross-country United Airlines flight (DC to SF), I was able to walk into a plane unannounced without going through a metal detector or showing any identification carrying a.22 caliber revolver in my suit jacket and buy on-the-spot from an awesome looking stewardess a one way ticket with cash (costing a couple of hundred dollars--she was able to happily give change).
But, although I seem to be recalling it correctly, that can't be right. If everyone was always carrying around that kind of cash (bank cards didn't exist & credit cards were a rarity for only the well-off) thugs would have robbed and killed everyone for their money. With the additional help from all of the psychotics and terrorists out there, surely everything in America would have been instantly destroyed--collapsing into a post-apocalyptic mad-max like society.
PGP... it's way past time. Clinton was trying to mandate forced escrow keys for strong encryption years ago, first warning. Now, you can't place your trust in anyone but yourself to protect your privacy.
In addition to encryption, perhaps it's time to consider getting a government job--ideally for myself, my family, my relatives, my friends, my girlfriends and their relatives; we can then be the ones checking up on everyone else. Also, since anyone using PGP is trying to hide something and therefore should be suspect; government employees OTOH will need encryption to prevent undesirable Americans from getting any information about our ongoing investigations.
... Granted, most people break a rule at some point, but there's a big difference between someone driving with unbroken taillights, non-expired registration, under the speed limit, using proper turn signals, etc., and someone who has non-functioning lights, doesn't use turn signals, etc. Simply put: if you don't commit any infractions, they're not allowed to pull you over....
Fwiw, there's a joke that's been around for awhile; it's (iirc): How do you know when someone is an illegal immigrant? They drive within the speed limit.
My wife and I both have hybrid cars (a prius and an insight) and we both consistently get mileage in the mid 40s.
The gas mileage on my 1993 Saturn (4 cylinder, 1.9 liter engine with an automatic transmission) was 48 mpg at 60mph (2000 rpm); local area driving, usually around 30 to 35 mph, was 32 mpg. This was well tested quite a few times with consistent results during the 8 years of ownership--the resulting gas mileage would only vary within 1 or 2 mpg.
Without having to stop to refill the 11 gallon gas tank, I was able to drive (650 miles) from San Francisco to Los Angeles non-stop; or do a round trip (450 miles) from San Francisco to Reno, Nevada and back non-stop; or from San Francisco to Seattle, Washington (800 miles), making one stop in Eugene, Oregon.
Since this was during the time when gas prices were noticeably less ($1.25 with a couple of $2.00 blips), it was easy to eventually end up putting 250,000 miles before it fell apart. Now with the gas prices presently around $3.50, occasionally hitting the $4.00 or more mark, I occasionally wonder: Was this a personal fluke--since my input was only to perform good maintenance practices without special modifications--or generic to anyone else? And occasionally wonder: What's really up with the $20,000 Hybrids.
What does it mean when a parking spot is marked with a wheelchair symbol?...
The sign means you're unable to walk; requiring additional space to allow you to be able to access your wheel chair when you get in or out of your vehicle.
This happened 2 months ago, really slashdot editors? It's sad when a dead tree newspaper has more current info
The obligatory knee-jerk reaction: It isn't News until it's posted on Slashdot (including the obligatory smiley--if necessary). However, after putting aside the kidding and giving it some thought, it does bring about an idea that might be worth questioning based on the generally accepted definition of News.
News: A noun referring to newly received or noteworthy information, especially about recentorimportant events and made public through a broadcast or published report. Synonyms: Tidings, Information, Report, or Message.
It appears the generally accepted definition of News is usually considered to be time sensitive with its value declining when one or more additional sources report the event. So...
Does/. agree with this definition of News?
Should the criteria for relevant News having any useful value be an all-or-nothing time sensitive proposition?
Are there situations when dated News should be posted on Slashdot--allowing others to make comments and discuss the information?
Did the creation of Ask Slashdot (unintentionally) resolve the previous questions?
When the last question applies, perhaps a tweak interconnecting/. FireHose & Ask/. could minimize undesirable variations of the problem.
Here is a list showing the criteria required for the "Technical Assistant to Stephen Hawking" position; the disparate qualifying skills are definitely a mixed bag: mechanically inclined (including automotive maintenance), Electrical/Electronic background, Computer Technologist, Media Coordinator, Speaker and Travel Agent. Also, there are references to a lack of documentation, including a comment about "Black Box" technology--which I could be misinterpreting as a security issue creating additional maintenance complications. (Fortunately, nothing seemed to vaguely imply additional responsibilities in personal care, but that may be there in the small print, as mentioned in a previous post.) There aren't going to be a lot of people meeting all of these requirements--the successful applicant will most likely be someone with very good BS skills.
... I also can understand people's resistance, to an extent, because for normal activities it isn't helpful. Metric really only starts to show you how cool it is when you do things like inter-unit conversions....
Fwiw, the following is a practical guide I created for myself as a quick fix to deal with metric measurements for nontechnical daily situations when I smugly wandered into a metric society totally unprepared: (Of course, the conversions works in both directions.)
Distance: A Mile, about 2 Kilometers; an Inch, about 2 Centimeters; the Yard and Meter, about the same.
Weight: One Pound, about 2 Kilograms.
Liquid: A Quart, about a Liter. A Gallon, about 4 Liters.
Pressure: 2 Kg/Cm, about 2 Bar or 28 psi. (An automobile would be a little more than 2 Kg/Cm per 1 Tire.)
Temperature: An approximated 2 to 1 ratio also, but 32 has to be added after doubling to Fahrenheit or subtracted before halving to Celsius.
Granted, it could cause those inclined to be obsessed with the details to cringe a little about the accuracy; keep in mind, although it was only meant to be a temporary solution, tweaking the accuracy becomes surprisingly easy to do over time. It ended up being my way to adapt and accept the change--if it would have ever occurred.
"We're sorry, Doctor Einstein. I'm afraid we have to let you go."
"but your brain stays here... sorry about that but its the rules."
"But, if someone breaks the rules--such as: stealing your brain to Lawrence, Kansas only to have someone else road trip it to San Francisco--we're not responsible."
People calm down. Jobs is still alive. Do you really think a cutting edge innovative company like Apple would fail at being able to develop an elegant solution that would prevent something as simple as death. Rest assured; he's only working on the next killer app.
From: His final will stated that he be buried in a glossy white coffin with no visible hinges or latches....
(Fwiw fyi) A similar version of this practice happens in the real world quite a bit for anyone with a suit jacket concerned about appearances in public--especially (but not necessarily) for those in the television industry. In this case one pulls the back down before sitting on the jacket to tighten up the rise in the shoulders. Apparently, this is an issue with any type of loose clothing and not a tailoring error that looks distractedly sloppy-bad when viewed in a photo, on video or in a film. There is a slim possibility the actors may not have been aware of it being an issue and considered it to be common knowledge--a move that everyone does.
From:... Mr. Shatner: I recently watched my way through The Original Series and you were constantly pulling your uniform shirt down....
Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics. Initially, I found the simplistic algorithm to be strangely fascinating; in hindsight, I realized the exposure was my first experience with the idea of programming--something I still find strangely fascinating.
From:...Are there any Russians that contribute something positive to the world of software?
There is this somewhat quaint notion that the purpose for a tax being collected is to finance needed support facilities related to the organizations being taxed--the gasoline tax on each gallon to finance the transportation infrastructure is one ideal example. What will the tax in California be used for? Will it be assigned to improving something needed due to increased customer usage of companies such as Amazon? Perhaps it could be applied to improving the Net's infrastructure? Probably not.
Creating a budget with an accountable specific set of applications (like the so called California gas tax) went out the window years ago. Like everything else, it'll most likely go to that big catch-all slush fund in the sky; after all, taxes now seem to be an obligatory tithing that everyone and everything should pay, just because it's a required "fair-share" responsibility.
Why should Amazon be able to avoid paying taxes while any other business in the state does?
I'm sick of corporate America being treated like royalty. They have more voting power, more funds, lower taxes, and seemingly unlimited resources to control the political landscape to the detriment of the consumer. When they start hiring and stop giving all their money to their CEO's, perhaps I might have more sympathy, but until I see they are actually interested in supporting the states and municipals where they do business, then I can't seem to shed a tear for them.
I thought the answer was obvious: It's not being implemented because no one has figured out a way to stop time or be able to determine when the event will naturally occur. Then I read the summary.
Imagine Doctor McCoy during one of his moments shouting at Mr. Spock, "Hey, Copper Man!".
How long would it take before he finds out what it's like to experience--the death grip"?
I think we should go for 100-day years too. Much easier.
We'll just have to find a way to speed up earth orbit.
Besides the measurement of Time, something else is being ignored by the make-it-all metric mind set: Music! The binary aspect of the half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes...etc., is amazingly close to being ideally analogous with the Imperial system--yet none of them seem to be proposing to have the notational system for measuring musical sound changed. (There has been some experimental efforts and historical cultural variations--both seriously flawed, imho.)
Considering this with the related success in the creation of computers using the binary system (somewhat derived from Shannon's idea of information in its simplest/purest form), perhaps nature is hinting at something a little deeper than the anthropomorphic solution for measuring space and matter. If the "backward" States are to consider an overhaul, perhaps they should consider making it worthwhile and leap-frog the Metric Agenda by reinventing measurement first with something a little more elegant.
Slashdot Mirror
I just turned 46, and this is definitely true. I remember that we invaded Iraq, and I'm sure there must have been valid reasons for that, but I can't remember them. I clearly remember voting for Obama because he was a constitutional law professor who promised to restore civil liberties and the rule of law, but I can't remember anything he did to follow up on that. I seem to remember intentionally flying from SF to NY in 1986 without any form of ID, but obviously that can't be right, because if people had been able to do that for all those years, our country would have been immediately destroyed by terrorists.
Peculiar, I seemed to remember something similar myself: Once, when I was extremely late for a cross-country United Airlines flight (DC to SF), I was able to walk into a plane unannounced without going through a metal detector or showing any identification carrying a .22 caliber revolver in my suit jacket and buy on-the-spot from an awesome looking stewardess a one way ticket with cash (costing a couple of hundred dollars--she was able to happily give change).
But, although I seem to be recalling it correctly, that can't be right. If everyone was always carrying around that kind of cash (bank cards didn't exist & credit cards were a rarity for only the well-off) thugs would have robbed and killed everyone for their money. With the additional help from all of the psychotics and terrorists out there, surely everything in America would have been instantly destroyed--collapsing into a post-apocalyptic mad-max like society.
PGP... it's way past time. Clinton was trying to mandate forced escrow keys for strong encryption years ago, first warning. Now, you can't place your trust in anyone but yourself to protect your privacy.
In addition to encryption, perhaps it's time to consider getting a government job--ideally for myself, my family, my relatives, my friends, my girlfriends and their relatives; we can then be the ones checking up on everyone else. Also, since anyone using PGP is trying to hide something and therefore should be suspect; government employees OTOH will need encryption to prevent undesirable Americans from getting any information about our ongoing investigations.
Fwiw, there's a joke that's been around for awhile; it's (iirc): How do you know when someone is an illegal immigrant? They drive within the speed limit.
My wife and I both have hybrid cars (a prius and an insight) and we both consistently get mileage in the mid 40s.
The gas mileage on my 1993 Saturn (4 cylinder, 1.9 liter engine with an automatic transmission) was 48 mpg at 60mph (2000 rpm); local area driving, usually around 30 to 35 mph, was 32 mpg. This was well tested quite a few times with consistent results during the 8 years of ownership--the resulting gas mileage would only vary within 1 or 2 mpg.
Without having to stop to refill the 11 gallon gas tank, I was able to drive (650 miles) from San Francisco to Los Angeles non-stop; or do a round trip (450 miles) from San Francisco to Reno, Nevada and back non-stop; or from San Francisco to Seattle, Washington (800 miles), making one stop in Eugene, Oregon.
Since this was during the time when gas prices were noticeably less ($1.25 with a couple of $2.00 blips), it was easy to eventually end up putting 250,000 miles before it fell apart. Now with the gas prices presently around $3.50, occasionally hitting the $4.00 or more mark, I occasionally wonder: Was this a personal fluke--since my input was only to perform good maintenance practices without special modifications--or generic to anyone else? And occasionally wonder: What's really up with the $20,000 Hybrids.
What does it mean when a parking spot is marked with a wheelchair symbol? ...
The sign means you're unable to walk; requiring additional space to allow you to be able to access your wheel chair when you get in or out of your vehicle.
This happened 2 months ago, really slashdot editors? It's sad when a dead tree newspaper has more current info
The obligatory knee-jerk reaction: It isn't News until it's posted on Slashdot (including the obligatory smiley--if necessary). However, after putting aside the kidding and giving it some thought, it does bring about an idea that might be worth questioning based on the generally accepted definition of News.
News: A noun referring to newly received or noteworthy information, especially about recent or important events and made public through a broadcast or published report.Synonyms: Tidings, Information, Report, or Message.
It appears the generally accepted definition of News is usually considered to be time sensitive with its value declining when one or more additional sources report the event. So ...
DoesWhen the last question applies, perhaps a tweak interconnecting /. FireHose & Ask /. could minimize undesirable variations of the problem.
http://www.hawking.org.uk/
Here is a list showing the criteria required for the "Technical Assistant to Stephen Hawking" position; the disparate qualifying skills are definitely a mixed bag: mechanically inclined (including automotive maintenance), Electrical/Electronic background, Computer Technologist, Media Coordinator, Speaker and Travel Agent. Also, there are references to a lack of documentation, including a comment about "Black Box" technology--which I could be misinterpreting as a security issue creating additional maintenance complications. (Fortunately, nothing seemed to vaguely imply additional responsibilities in personal care, but that may be there in the small print, as mentioned in a previous post.) There aren't going to be a lot of people meeting all of these requirements--the successful applicant will most likely be someone with very good BS skills.
Fwiw, the following is a practical guide I created for myself as a quick fix to deal with metric measurements for nontechnical daily situations
Distance: A Mile, about 2 Kilometers; an Inch, about 2 Centimeters; the Yard and Meter, about the same. Weight: One Pound, about 2 Kilograms. Liquid: A Quart, about a Liter. A Gallon, about 4 Liters. Pressure: 2 Kg/Cm, about 2 Bar or 28 psi. (An automobile would be a little more than 2 Kg/Cm per 1 Tire.) Temperature: An approximated 2 to 1 ratio also, but 32 has to be added after doubling to Fahrenheit or subtracted before halving to Celsius.when I smugly wandered into a metric society totally unprepared: (Of course, the conversions works in both directions.)
Granted, it could cause those inclined to be obsessed with the details to cringe a little about the accuracy; keep in mind, although it was only meant to be a temporary solution, tweaking the accuracy becomes surprisingly easy to do over time. It ended up being my way to adapt and accept the change--if it would have ever occurred.
by koan: Yet you posted as "anonymous coward" how.... what's the word I want here...
by AC: The word you are looking for is "private". To assume anything else would be foolish.
by Zero__Kelvin: Nope. The problem is it isn't just one word he seeks. He's looking for "Hypocritical and stupid".
by AC: Well there is one fool standing up to be counted, a zero indeed. Any others?
Although aware of the replies's mix of woosh and sarcasm, the (most likely) intentionally missing term for the original parent quoted was: Ironic.
"When Cops have Guns outlawed; Outlaws will be Cops with Guns."
"We're sorry, Doctor Einstein. I'm afraid we have to let you go."
"but your brain stays here ... sorry about that but its the rules."
"But, if someone breaks the rules--such as: stealing your brain to Lawrence, Kansas only to have someone else road trip it to San Francisco--we're not responsible."
FTS ... theoretically this technology could allow a grocer to put a picture on the store package of the pig you are eating.
... I wonder how much people associate doors metaphorically with permission to forget and ignore everything on the other side? ...
People calm down. Jobs is still alive. Do you really think a cutting edge innovative company like Apple would fail at being able to develop an elegant solution that would prevent something as simple as death. Rest assured; he's only working on the next killer app.
From: His final will stated that he be buried in a glossy white coffin with no visible hinges or latches. ...
--
I am not a signature genius.
Also (heh heh), how many women do think Captain Kirk nailed and what percentage were Aliens--does any of this apply to yourself in real life?
From: Q: How much of James T. Kirk's mentality do you share in the real world? Did playing the character change you as a person?
--
I am not a signature genius.
(Fwiw fyi) A similar version of this practice happens in the real world quite a bit for anyone with a suit jacket concerned about appearances in public--especially (but not necessarily) for those in the television industry. In this case one pulls the back down before sitting on the jacket to tighten up the rise in the shoulders. Apparently, this is an issue with any type of loose clothing and not a tailoring error that looks distractedly sloppy-bad when viewed in a photo, on video or in a film. There is a slim possibility the actors may not have been aware of it being an issue and considered it to be common knowledge--a move that everyone does.
From: ... Mr. Shatner: I recently watched my way through The Original Series and you were constantly pulling your uniform shirt down. ...
--
I'm am not a signature genius.
Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics. Initially, I found the simplistic algorithm to be strangely fascinating; in hindsight,
I realized the exposure was my first experience with the idea of programming--something I still find strangely fascinating.
From: ...Are there any Russians that contribute something positive to the world of software?
--
"God, please stop me before I code again."
There is this somewhat quaint notion that the purpose for a tax being collected is to finance needed support facilities related to the organizations being taxed--the gasoline tax on each gallon to finance the transportation infrastructure is one ideal example. What will the tax in California be used for? Will it be assigned to improving something needed due to increased customer usage of companies such as Amazon? Perhaps it could be applied to improving the Net's infrastructure? Probably not.
Creating a budget with an accountable specific set of applications (like the so called California gas tax) went out the window years ago. Like everything else, it'll most likely go to that big catch-all slush fund in the sky; after all, taxes now seem to be an obligatory tithing that everyone and everything should pay, just because it's a required "fair-share" responsibility.
Why should Amazon be able to avoid paying taxes while any other business in the state does?
I'm sick of corporate America being treated like royalty. They have more voting power, more funds, lower taxes, and seemingly unlimited resources to control the political landscape to the detriment of the consumer. When they start hiring and stop giving all their money to their CEO's, perhaps I might have more sympathy, but until I see they are actually interested in supporting the states and municipals where they do business, then I can't seem to shed a tear for them.
I thought the answer was obvious: It's not being implemented because no one has figured out a way to stop time or be able to determine when the event will naturally occur. Then I read the summary.
Imagine Doctor McCoy during one of his moments shouting at Mr. Spock, "Hey, Copper Man!".
How long would it take before he finds out what it's like to experience--the death grip"?
"How many CEOs today can you think of that set a goal of that magnitude, ... "
Strangely, Jimmy Hoffa comes to mind: "If it's got wheels, it's going to be a Teamster jurisdiction."
I think we should go for 100-day years too. Much easier.
We'll just have to find a way to speed up earth orbit.
Besides the measurement of Time, something else is being ignored by the make-it-all metric mind set: Music! The binary aspect of the half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes...etc., is amazingly close to being ideally analogous with the Imperial system--yet none of them seem to be proposing to have the notational system for measuring musical sound changed. (There has been some experimental efforts and historical cultural variations--both seriously flawed, imho.)
Considering this with the related success in the creation of computers using the binary system (somewhat derived from Shannon's idea of information in its simplest/purest form), perhaps nature is hinting at something a little deeper than the anthropomorphic solution for measuring space and matter. If the "backward" States are to consider an overhaul, perhaps they should consider making it worthwhile and leap-frog the Metric Agenda by reinventing measurement first with something a little more elegant.
--
Homer Simpson secretly pines for Base Eight.
I didn't realize blood sucking ticks were capable of speaking our language--let alone being able to type.
... and Chiggers.
"My brain is open." -- Paul Erdos.
"My stomach is empty." -- Nets Hawk Katz.