Not, mind you, that I have any objections to theories of extraterrestrial life, just that this particular factoid doesn't really support your hypothesis.
Damn me for trying to fit too much information into a pithy wee sentence. You're right, of course. What I should have said what that we're increasingly coming across environments on Earth where life is thriving; hot springs, nuclear cooling rods... basically, there are more and more environments out there where life can be supported; be it via geothermal energy on Europa, clouds on Venus, subterranean rock on Mars (what's the word that should be there instead of 'subterranean'?)... the list goes ever on.
Of course, this says nothing about the genesis of life; that could still be a one in a godzillion chance. But once it's established, everything we know (from our limited vantage point) tells us that it's hard to get rid of.
1. Isn't the adjective pertaining to Venus 'venereal'? 2. If true, life must truly be ubiquitous. In the solar system alone, we've got Earth, Mars, Europa, Titan and now Venus. Of course, there's only evidence so far of life on one, but the very fact that scientists are even considering it is a testament to life's tenacity. 3. Can someone who knows more than I tell us all how easy it'd be for UV light to penetrate to the required depth? I wouldn't have thought it possible.
If the list truly was a faq, top of the list, to my mind (well, okay, second to 'what the hell are you thinking') would be 'how do you pronounce gnu/linux?'
If memory serves, RMS pronounced it guh-new-slash-linux; if I remember correctly, there's yet another compelling reason to pronounce it with a silent gnu.
> Centralized and efficient security policy administration > [...] > Greater productivity and reliability attributed to less downtime. That are the Benefits of using M$? Funny, I never knew that widooze provides these features...
You've got to pay attention. Centralized and efficient security policy administration This says nothing about security; just a security policy (apply patches and hope for the best)
Greater productivity and reliability attributed to less downtime 'greater productivity' means that Spider Solitaire isn't as easy as freecell, so users will give up in disgust and do some work. 'reliability' is a truncation in the memo of "re: liability" 'less downtime' refers to the microsoft helpdesk
I wouldn't worry about it. The rest of the world has been living with a rogue nuclear (sorry; nukular) state that launches covert satellites for, oh, decades now.
The average male uses about 600 pairs of underpants over his lifetime Obviously, this is meant to say 6.00 . I haven't grown in decades, so I haven't needed a new pair.
And did you notice that the phrase 'take over the world' doesn't appear once?
Not only is the number relatively small, but chances are it'll be easy enough to verify whether the other planets actually exist (to my mind). The planets, after all, are (we must assume) in stable orbits; the pattern won't change. With starspots, however, they're much more likely to be transitory in nature, and therefore over time it'll become obvious which are planets; the ones that aren't will disappear or move.
Of course, I'm assuming that starspots are like sunspots. I reckon it's a valid assumption, but what do I know?
Oh, and while I'm here, a plug. Check out my handy-dandy extrasolar planet page, where you can calculate travel times to the various planets discovered thus far.
Pah. Damn Americans. Over here in Ireland, where we have a real timezone (albeit one named after a part of England), it's just before six of the morning clock. And although I've been reading the web all night, not fragging, I feel I'm still in a position to comment.
Thus far, I've been kept going by Salon's articles, Kenyan AA coffee and penguin mints. I commend to all, by the way, Penguin's new chocolate mints; they're not nearly has horrible as they sound.
Of course, if you're relying on technology for your sight, you run the serious risk of going blind because of the EMP if you're beside a nuclear bomb when it goes off.
I, too, ordered Spirited Away from cdjapan , and got a couple of emails from them on the subject of the red transfer. I didn't notice it at all.
By the way, most of the Miyazaki stuff is available now in the same series; if you haven't got them yet, get Mononoke, Totoro, Porco Rosso, Kiki's Delivery Service and probably more I can't think of right now. Excellent films all.
Actually, in this case it was possible. The failure wasn't fatal; it was printing the wrong characters for everything in text mode, and in graphic mode it had a load of vertical lines on the screen. A reinstall was possible as long as you could use a working machine to figure out how to use Dell's poxy installation CD. I hate those things.
This isn't physics, though. The fact that it's possible doesn't make it compulsory.
I've found Dell service to range from the great to the appalling; sometimes within the same month.
A couple of years ago, I bought 50 PCs from Dell. 49 worked as expected, one had a dodgy video card (three bluescreened ('98) straight away, but that's a different story). They refused to send out a new one for ages; first of all insisting I perform a bunch of patently unnecessary diagnostics & reinstalls, then stalling me, then losing my details, then, weeks later, sending out a new card.
On another occasion, I rang about a fucked hard disk (under warranty), and they had a guy around the same day with a replacement.
Before you all berate me about my intolerance of helpdesk foibles, let me assure you I'm sympathetic. Having techsupported in the past, I'm fully aware that everyone who rings a helpdesk is a lying bastard. But really: who in their right mind insists on an OS reinstall when the machine's failing in the POST?
As I was watching LotR in the cinema, it occurred to me early on that some fucker'd probably have his phone going off at a critical moment. Sure enough, just as (don't read this if you don't know Boromir died) Boromir was giving his dying speech, the phone went off. The well-poisoning motherfucker didn't turn it off or answer it; he just pretended it wasn't his, and the entire cinema was treated to the entire tune. I wasn't close enough to berate him and/or her, and I didn't hear anyone else do it either. They probably got away with it.
Then there's last night, when not only did some wench get a call during Eight-Legged Freaks[1], she answered and carried out a loud conversation.
Why do I mention these? Because they're illustrative of the sort of asshole that's endemic these days; the sort who doesn't give a shit, and who can only be controlled by laws and/or 2x4s. And as they'd go whining to the cops if you larted them, making it illegal to have the ring tone enabled on your phone while in a theatre. I've nothing against vibrators (so to speak), as long as the user leaves the cinema to answer any call deemed important.
[1].Interestingly, the film's called "Eight Legged Freaks" sans hyphen, and had me rushing to the cinema to see a film about eight freaks with legs. I was bitterly disappointed, and not just because it was a shite film.
Films are made by people who care passionately about what they do and what their work says
Oh, yeah? Then explain Armageddon to me.
But seriously, folks... What 'consumer rights'? Who's got the right to see Titanic? What about the right not to see it? More importantly, the right not to hear Celine Dion singing that godawful song?
It could prove interesting, though. If it's is deemed acceptable, will people be allowed, for example, add their own scenes? Change the order of scenes? Imagine if someone were to take a copy of Star Wars and delete the second or so where Greedo pulls a gun. It'd completely change the character of Han Solo.
New Scientist this week are covering the Pioneer craft as well, albeit with regard to their unexpected slowing down (or 'anomalous acceleration' to use the phrase of choice).
Great magazine, New Scientist, even if it's no longer available online. Shame, that. Anyway, I'm not providing a link. Google for the above phrase and you'll encounter a plethora of theories, most of them, ahem, idiosyncratic.
I dunno. You could argue, were you so inclined, that it'd allow a much more dynamic programme; theatre owners would have much more flexibility in what they show; assuming that our theatre-owning chum had his own database of films from which to choose, a system could be set up (for example) whereby everyone in a particular auditorium votes for a film electronically; that film is then chosen.
I'm assuming, of course, that movie makers realise how handy such features would be, and don't lock out such abilities.
It wasn't those parts of the article I was referring to; it's doom-laden statements like If you are concerned about what the future holds for Linux, either get busy with Linux advocacy now, or head out to your local computer superstore and get your copy of "Windows XP for Dummies".
You can, if you like, read that as a Bush-like "you're with us or against us" statement if you like, but either way it's a trifle disingenuous if the aim is community-based advocacy. IMO.
Now, if you'd said that the age of polite linux advocacy was upon us, I'd have been interested.
On a more serious note: what's this crap about Linux dying? Linux can't die until the last developer croaks. That's unlikely to happen. Linux may lose corporate support (unlikely, but not impossible), but that's a long way from Linux's death.
The Fringe is hardly the sort of festival that would accommodate the comedic equivalent of the Backstreet Boys. It's more of a Sex Pistols sort of event (but without the spitting).
Of course it won't be the same as the origninal Python lads. I doubt that the Sketch Club themselves would make that claim. But let's face it: they Python sketches themselves, though impeccably written (4th series excepted), where often somewhat haphazard in their execution. I for one would love to see these new sketches performed by people who aren't - I hope they'll pardon the phrase - a bunch of old farts, however much an institution they are.
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Not, mind you, that I have any objections to theories of extraterrestrial life, just that this particular factoid doesn't really support your hypothesis.
Damn me for trying to fit too much information into a pithy wee sentence. You're right, of course. What I should have said what that we're increasingly coming across environments on Earth where life is thriving; hot springs, nuclear cooling rods... basically, there are more and more environments out there where life can be supported; be it via geothermal energy on Europa, clouds on Venus, subterranean rock on Mars (what's the word that should be there instead of 'subterranean'?)... the list goes ever on.
Of course, this says nothing about the genesis of life; that could still be a one in a godzillion chance. But once it's established, everything we know (from our limited vantage point) tells us that it's hard to get rid of.
A couple of thoughts occurred...
1. Isn't the adjective pertaining to Venus 'venereal'?
2. If true, life must truly be ubiquitous. In the solar system alone, we've got Earth, Mars, Europa, Titan and now Venus. Of course, there's only evidence so far of life on one, but the very fact that scientists are even considering it is a testament to life's tenacity.
3. Can someone who knows more than I tell us all how easy it'd be for UV light to penetrate to the required depth? I wouldn't have thought it possible.
If the list truly was a faq, top of the list, to my mind (well, okay, second to 'what the hell are you thinking') would be 'how do you pronounce gnu/linux?'
If memory serves, RMS pronounced it guh-new-slash-linux; if I remember correctly, there's yet another compelling reason to pronounce it with a silent gnu.
> Centralized and efficient security policy administration
> [...]
> Greater productivity and reliability attributed to less downtime.
That are the Benefits of using M$? Funny, I never knew that widooze provides these features...
You've got to pay attention.
Centralized and efficient security policy administration
This says nothing about security; just a security policy (apply patches and hope for the best)
Greater productivity and reliability attributed to less downtime
'greater productivity' means that Spider Solitaire isn't as easy as freecell, so users will give up in disgust and do some work.
'reliability' is a truncation in the memo of "re: liability"
'less downtime' refers to the microsoft helpdesk
Or Leather Godesses of Phobos?
Okay, it's not a video game, except inasmuch as you use a monitor, but it'd be good for English class. Amongst others.
I wouldn't worry about it. The rest of the world has been living with a rogue nuclear (sorry; nukular) state that launches covert satellites for, oh, decades now.
The average male uses about 600 pairs of underpants over his lifetime
Obviously, this is meant to say 6.00 . I haven't grown in decades, so I haven't needed a new pair.
And did you notice that the phrase 'take over the world' doesn't appear once?
Not only is the number relatively small, but chances are it'll be easy enough to verify whether the other planets actually exist (to my mind). The planets, after all, are (we must assume) in stable orbits; the pattern won't change. With starspots, however, they're much more likely to be transitory in nature, and therefore over time it'll become obvious which are planets; the ones that aren't will disappear or move.
Of course, I'm assuming that starspots are like sunspots. I reckon it's a valid assumption, but what do I know?
Oh, and while I'm here, a plug. Check out my handy-dandy extrasolar planet page, where you can calculate travel times to the various planets discovered thus far.
equivalent to a 133 MHz 486 system
lessee.. 133MHz. That's over a million cycles a second. Damn, they can move fast over there.
Pah. Damn Americans. Over here in Ireland, where we have a real timezone (albeit one named after a part of England), it's just before six of the morning clock. And although I've been reading the web all night, not fragging, I feel I'm still in a position to comment.
Thus far, I've been kept going by Salon's articles, Kenyan AA coffee and penguin mints. I commend to all, by the way, Penguin's new chocolate mints; they're not nearly has horrible as they sound.
Of course, if you're relying on technology for your sight, you run the serious risk of going blind because of the EMP if you're beside a nuclear bomb when it goes off.
I, too, ordered Spirited Away from cdjapan , and got a couple of emails from them on the subject of the red transfer. I didn't notice it at all.
By the way, most of the Miyazaki stuff is available now in the same series; if you haven't got them yet, get Mononoke, Totoro, Porco Rosso, Kiki's Delivery Service and probably more I can't think of right now. Excellent films all.
Caveat, btw. The DVDs are region 2.
Actually, in this case it was possible. The failure wasn't fatal; it was printing the wrong characters for everything in text mode, and in graphic mode it had a load of vertical lines on the screen. A reinstall was possible as long as you could use a working machine to figure out how to use Dell's poxy installation CD. I hate those things.
This isn't physics, though. The fact that it's possible doesn't make it compulsory.
I've found Dell service to range from the great to the appalling; sometimes within the same month.
A couple of years ago, I bought 50 PCs from Dell. 49 worked as expected, one had a dodgy video card (three bluescreened ('98) straight away, but that's a different story). They refused to send out a new one for ages; first of all insisting I perform a bunch of patently unnecessary diagnostics & reinstalls, then stalling me, then losing my details, then, weeks later, sending out a new card.
On another occasion, I rang about a fucked hard disk (under warranty), and they had a guy around the same day with a replacement.
Before you all berate me about my intolerance of helpdesk foibles, let me assure you I'm sympathetic. Having techsupported in the past, I'm fully aware that everyone who rings a helpdesk is a lying bastard. But really: who in their right mind insists on an OS reinstall when the machine's failing in the POST?
As I was watching LotR in the cinema, it occurred to me early on that some fucker'd probably have his phone going off at a critical moment. Sure enough, just as (don't read this if you don't know Boromir died) Boromir was giving his dying speech, the phone went off. The well-poisoning motherfucker didn't turn it off or answer it; he just pretended it wasn't his, and the entire cinema was treated to the entire tune. I wasn't close enough to berate him and/or her, and I didn't hear anyone else do it either. They probably got away with it.
Then there's last night, when not only did some wench get a call during Eight-Legged Freaks[1], she answered and carried out a loud conversation.
Why do I mention these? Because they're illustrative of the sort of asshole that's endemic these days; the sort who doesn't give a shit, and who can only be controlled by laws and/or 2x4s. And as they'd go whining to the cops if you larted them, making it illegal to have the ring tone enabled on your phone while in a theatre. I've nothing against vibrators (so to speak), as long as the user leaves the cinema to answer any call deemed important.
[1].Interestingly, the film's called "Eight Legged Freaks" sans hyphen, and had me rushing to the cinema to see a film about eight freaks with legs. I was bitterly disappointed, and not just because it was a shite film.
He's quoted in the article, and it's worth reading his stuff. His home page is here, and there's an archive of his ABC Who's Counting columns here..
Go read 'em.
Maybe the SF people will 'fly' further that the Dubliners.
Yeah. After watching the Dublin one, I assumed that 'flug' was the German for 'plummet'.
all figures that could have been called profit were in personal bank accounts in the Swiss
Damn. That's a hell of a hiding place. When they said that the money was disappearing down a hole, I guess they meant up a hole.
Films are made by people who care passionately about what they do and what their work says
Oh, yeah? Then explain Armageddon to me.
But seriously, folks...
What 'consumer rights'? Who's got the right to see Titanic? What about the right not to see it? More importantly, the right not to hear Celine Dion singing that godawful song?
It could prove interesting, though. If it's is deemed acceptable, will people be allowed, for example, add their own scenes? Change the order of scenes? Imagine if someone were to take a copy of Star Wars and delete the second or so where Greedo pulls a gun. It'd completely change the character of Han Solo.
When DRM goes wrong, it is called Palladium
New Scientist this week are covering the Pioneer craft as well, albeit with regard to their unexpected slowing down (or 'anomalous acceleration' to use the phrase of choice).
Great magazine, New Scientist, even if it's no longer available online. Shame, that. Anyway, I'm not providing a link. Google for the above phrase and you'll encounter a plethora of theories, most of them, ahem, idiosyncratic.
I dunno. You could argue, were you so inclined, that it'd allow a much more dynamic programme; theatre owners would have much more flexibility in what they show; assuming that our theatre-owning chum had his own database of films from which to choose, a system could be set up (for example) whereby everyone in a particular auditorium votes for a film electronically; that film is then chosen.
I'm assuming, of course, that movie makers realise how handy such features would be, and don't lock out such abilities.
More on how digital cinema works, btw, can be found at How Digital Cinema Works
It wasn't those parts of the article I was referring to; it's doom-laden statements like
If you are concerned about what the future holds for Linux, either get busy with Linux advocacy now, or head out to your local computer superstore and get your copy of "Windows XP for Dummies".
You can, if you like, read that as a Bush-like "you're with us or against us" statement if you like, but either way it's a trifle disingenuous if the aim is community-based advocacy. IMO.
Now, if you'd said that the age of polite linux advocacy was upon us, I'd have been interested.
On a more serious note: what's this crap about Linux dying? Linux can't die until the last developer croaks. That's unlikely to happen. Linux may lose corporate support (unlikely, but not impossible), but that's a long way from Linux's death.
The Fringe is hardly the sort of festival that would accommodate the comedic equivalent of the Backstreet Boys. It's more of a Sex Pistols sort of event (but without the spitting).
Of course it won't be the same as the origninal Python lads. I doubt that the Sketch Club themselves would make that claim. But let's face it: they Python sketches themselves, though impeccably written (4th series excepted), where often somewhat haphazard in their execution. I for one would love to see these new sketches performed by people who aren't - I hope they'll pardon the phrase - a bunch of old farts, however much an institution they are.