Did it 'die' because of the 0-60mph in 12 seconds thing (as mentioned in the article)?
No, it did mainly die because the expense of aluminium. Similar cars (in performance) were less expensive (due to using steel). Bodywork repairs require special skills and special tools, which makes that more expensive too. The only other Audi made of aluminium is the A8, but that's a whole other kind of car.
Anyway, my dad happens to have an Audi A2 and I have driven it on occasion. It's a fun little car to drive and while it could use a tad bit more pep (he has the 1.4 petrol engine) I could imagine it as a daily workhorse without any problems.
So, the A2 didn't die due to performance issues. It died because it was too expensive for the perceived value. (Completely ignoring that your car will never, ever rust.... which is quite an advantage) I read your other comments, and saw you like sports cars, but most people (at least at my side of the pond) are quite content with cars performing in that range. How often do you need to madly accelerate anyway? To get on a highway, that's about it and I assure you: getting on the highway between 8h00 and 9h30 in the morning, needs you to accelerate to 20kmh.... *sigh* I should go and be one of the lemmings now.... *deeper sigh*
As I recall, there's some theoretical curve for robots where the human acceptance of a robot dramatically drops at a sweet spot as reality is approached and doesn't rise until reality is achieved.
Thank you for contributing to nuclear weapons proliferation...
When I was in high school (that's over 14 years ago), my physics schoolbook had the basic information on how to build an atom bomb. Any high school physics curriculum will explain how it works... Basically, it's just "make sure that critical mass isn't achieved until you really really really want it".
Cheap brat should just buy a decent used machine for a change instead of dumpster diving for hardware.
Between, you and me: in dumpsters you often find machines that are better than "decent used machines". Dumpster diving is fun and I have to admit that I'm a bit puzzled that he needs help with computers if he actually dumpster dives. You'd think he knows more about computers because recognises the value of the hardware.
Besides, I have found machines in the dumpster with a Windows XP Home license sticker on them. I'm pretty sure, I could use that (the machine itself was a AMD XP 2800+ or so) and not be a pirate.
We all should, and I'm saying that as living in a DD-MM-YYYY country. However, I convinced my wife to put her photos in YYYYMMDD folders. A small victory.
Oh, when having a date, home theatres have other advantages over movie theatres . They're usually quite close to the bedroom, and in some cases the couch is as far as one gets. Once started, the movie doesn't matter the slightest, nor the quality of the home theatre....
I'm not saying you cannot do this in the last row of a movie theatre, but you're most certainly going to annoy the other moviegoers with all the moaning and panting.
If it were maybe 1 euro a day I think it might be fair.
Really? That's still 30€/month. Most people don't even pay that for their low-end to midrange home broadband connections! So, if you get something like this, it would *replace* your normal broadband connection. QoS of wireless isn't going to be as good as the good old copper that comes in your house.
If you want to have this on the move, then 10€ per MONTH might be reasonable to have such a feature.... This is not the thing you'll use as primary broadband connection, it's just "to get the fix while on the move".
Hmmmm.... 10€/day versus 0€/day.... It's probably just me, but I'm going for the 0€/day option. Come on, even if you're abroad and get 2h of "free internet" at starbucks with a coffee for 2.5€, you have more than enough to stay in touch. Heck, my city has been "hotspotted". For the moment it's 100% free....
It's sad that so many people misunderstand your post. I'm completely with you: I manage a few Windows machines for family and friends, but I know how to secure them. They're 100% clean, but if they want to install something it's time to call jawtheshark and she may refuse ("No, those smilies are bad for your computer"). I've also been introducing Ubuntu Linux for a few select people. The administration work is still mine. It really is no different from Windows for me. (The problems are different, but problems there are)
To go for the bad car analogy: I know squat about my car and I have an "administrator" take care of my troubles. He's called "a mechanic".;-)
So the answer is: yes; you need expert skill... Your own or the one you bought...
You really think that's going to happen in a country with a 2586 sq km landmass and a 480222 (July 2007 est.)? (Data from the CIA factbook) In the US, no, this wouldn't be a good idea, here... well... my country isn't exactly big.
It's called humour... You should get acquainted with the concept sometimes. (It's a parody of "If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and swims like a duck.. it is probably a duck."... I guess you must be new here.)
But we all seem to know Human rights violations when we see them.
We do? I have one word for you: waterboarding.
Just to clarify, you brought up porn. I don't think a nipple is porn, but the US broadcasters thinks so. For religious muslims a girl in bikini is porn. I recognize porn only because it qualifies my definition of porn, not a "absolute" definition of porn.
That would really assume everyone would base themselves just on a number. It really isn't like that with national ID cards: you're not going to use an ID card with a picture that doesn't at least resemble you vaguely. Replacing a picture on a stolen card seems nigh to impossible to me. They aren't even comparable with credit cards. Apart from having an ID Card (one of the true ones, like implemented in Japan), I have a drivers license (with a different number) a social security card (with another number) and my bank merely has a photocopy of the ID card I had when I opened the account. Which is (oh, my God!) 15 years ago! T
It really doesn't work that way..... There are surely databases that could connect all of it together, but I have worked for the state and I can assure you: they are so incompetent they won't manage....
Would you be comfortable if your card was part of an integrated system that included Belgium and Germany?
Yes, because it already is.... The EU cooperates on this kind of stuff.
An example would be the treatment that travelers [sic] who show identification at airports in the US receive - they are treated as being more 'legitimate' than people who are unwilling or unable to show id, and then subjected to a lower average level of scrutiny.
We don't show ID, we don't get on the plane. That simple. Recently I went to London from continental Europe with the TGV. ID required. I'm quite sure that they wouldn't have let me board without ID. If I go to the US and don't have a valid passport, I'll be sent home. No questions asked.
Falsely obtained official identification
I could take the ID of my wife and try to board a plane. Won't get very far.... The ID isn't a simple piece of paper with a picture attached. If I want to replicate (and as such that exclused "falsely obtained" which would mean "stolen"), I'll need quite some resources. At least as good as forging currency (and I mean well protected currency, not those lousy greenbacks)
Your last argument is a strawman, and you know it.... If he looks like me, fucks like me, he probably is me...
where xxx is assigned in birth order with even for females and odd for males, c is a checksum character, and the dash can be (+|-|A) depending on century. These are assigned at birth, so everyone has one of these.
Hehe, I didn't even want to go down in that level of detail... The nnn at the end of my number (which is oddly enough the phone code of my country) indicates the sex too. In the pattern xyx, is the y is odd, you're male, otherwhise you're female. All these numbers are indeed assigned at birth (in order of birth, AFAIK). On top of that, all people that work in my country also get one. After all, they pay their social security here.
I know quite a lot of details on that number in my country. I was involved in implementing a datanbase that stored medical information about people that had biopsies that were checked for cancer.
Ehm, just concerning Europe... Many European countries have a Identity Document... The list on wikipedia is not complete. Mine is not listed.... So, in reality you'd better say Japan/Europe != USA
I live in continental Europe and I have an ID card. I know that exactly the same style of ID cards exists in at least Belgium and Germany. Why is it a problem? You get to use it only when to prove that you're actually you. Like when voting and when I did an exam to try to become a state servant (I failed, if you really want to know.)
I also have a number that uniquely identifies me. It is the equivalent the social security number and it consists of my birthdate in format yyyymmdd followed by a three digit number. Unlike in the US, knowing this number means nothing. It's not secret... It isn't displayed on my ID card though.
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No, it did mainly die because the expense of aluminium. Similar cars (in performance) were less expensive (due to using steel). Bodywork repairs require special skills and special tools, which makes that more expensive too. The only other Audi made of aluminium is the A8, but that's a whole other kind of car.
Anyway, my dad happens to have an Audi A2 and I have driven it on occasion. It's a fun little car to drive and while it could use a tad bit more pep (he has the 1.4 petrol engine) I could imagine it as a daily workhorse without any problems.
So, the A2 didn't die due to performance issues. It died because it was too expensive for the perceived value. (Completely ignoring that your car will never, ever rust.... which is quite an advantage) I read your other comments, and saw you like sports cars, but most people (at least at my side of the pond) are quite content with cars performing in that range. How often do you need to madly accelerate anyway? To get on a highway, that's about it and I assure you: getting on the highway between 8h00 and 9h30 in the morning, needs you to accelerate to 20kmh.... *sigh* I should go and be one of the lemmings now.... *deeper sigh*
Yes, it's called the "Uncanny Valley".
That article is over 10 years old....
When I was in high school (that's over 14 years ago), my physics schoolbook had the basic information on how to build an atom bomb. Any high school physics curriculum will explain how it works... Basically, it's just "make sure that critical mass isn't achieved until you really really really want it".
Between, you and me: in dumpsters you often find machines that are better than "decent used machines". Dumpster diving is fun and I have to admit that I'm a bit puzzled that he needs help with computers if he actually dumpster dives. You'd think he knows more about computers because recognises the value of the hardware.
Besides, I have found machines in the dumpster with a Windows XP Home license sticker on them. I'm pretty sure, I could use that (the machine itself was a AMD XP 2800+ or so) and not be a pirate.
Hmmmm.... That would be 3141592654 seconds, and a such 2069-07-21@00:37:34Z. ;-)
We all should, and I'm saying that as living in a DD-MM-YYYY country. However, I convinced my wife to put her photos in YYYYMMDD folders. A small victory.
Oh, when having a date, home theatres have other advantages over movie theatres . They're usually quite close to the bedroom, and in some cases the couch is as far as one gets. Once started, the movie doesn't matter the slightest, nor the quality of the home theatre....
I'm not saying you cannot do this in the last row of a movie theatre, but you're most certainly going to annoy the other moviegoers with all the moaning and panting.
Really? That's still 30€/month. Most people don't even pay that for their low-end to midrange home broadband connections! So, if you get something like this, it would *replace* your normal broadband connection. QoS of wireless isn't going to be as good as the good old copper that comes in your house.
If you want to have this on the move, then 10€ per MONTH might be reasonable to have such a feature.... This is not the thing you'll use as primary broadband connection, it's just "to get the fix while on the move".
Hmmmm.... 10€/day versus 0€/day.... It's probably just me, but I'm going for the 0€/day option. Come on, even if you're abroad and get 2h of "free internet" at starbucks with a coffee for 2.5€, you have more than enough to stay in touch. Heck, my city has been "hotspotted". For the moment it's 100% free....
Nope, you buy a Quadro if you are heavily into 3D. You buy a Matrox if you want to do 2D. ;-)
It's sad that so many people misunderstand your post. I'm completely with you: I manage a few Windows machines for family and friends, but I know how to secure them. They're 100% clean, but if they want to install something it's time to call jawtheshark and she may refuse ("No, those smilies are bad for your computer"). I've also been introducing Ubuntu Linux for a few select people. The administration work is still mine. It really is no different from Windows for me. (The problems are different, but problems there are)
To go for the bad car analogy: I know squat about my car and I have an "administrator" take care of my troubles. He's called "a mechanic". ;-)
So the answer is: yes; you need expert skill... Your own or the one you bought...
You really think that's going to happen in a country with a 2586 sq km landmass and a 480222 (July 2007 est.)? (Data from the CIA factbook) In the US, no, this wouldn't be a good idea, here... well... my country isn't exactly big.
It's called humour... You should get acquainted with the concept sometimes. (It's a parody of "If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and swims like a duck .. it is probably a duck."... I guess you must be new here.)
We do? I have one word for you: waterboarding.
Just to clarify, you brought up porn. I don't think a nipple is porn, but the US broadcasters thinks so. For religious muslims a girl in bikini is porn. I recognize porn only because it qualifies my definition of porn, not a "absolute" definition of porn.
and
Dude, I think you just lost your US citizenship ;-)
You know, sadly enough that makes sense.... :-(
That would really assume everyone would base themselves just on a number. It really isn't like that with national ID cards: you're not going to use an ID card with a picture that doesn't at least resemble you vaguely. Replacing a picture on a stolen card seems nigh to impossible to me. They aren't even comparable with credit cards. Apart from having an ID Card (one of the true ones, like implemented in Japan), I have a drivers license (with a different number) a social security card (with another number) and my bank merely has a photocopy of the ID card I had when I opened the account. Which is (oh, my God!) 15 years ago! T
It really doesn't work that way..... There are surely databases that could connect all of it together, but I have worked for the state and I can assure you: they are so incompetent they won't manage....
So, what exactly stops them from implementing this and make sure the laws are in place that it can be used as in the EU?
Yes, because it already is.... The EU cooperates on this kind of stuff.
We don't show ID, we don't get on the plane. That simple. Recently I went to London from continental Europe with the TGV. ID required. I'm quite sure that they wouldn't have let me board without ID. If I go to the US and don't have a valid passport, I'll be sent home. No questions asked.
I could take the ID of my wife and try to board a plane. Won't get very far.... The ID isn't a simple piece of paper with a picture attached. If I want to replicate (and as such that exclused "falsely obtained" which would mean "stolen"), I'll need quite some resources. At least as good as forging currency (and I mean well protected currency, not those lousy greenbacks)
Your last argument is a strawman, and you know it.... If he looks like me, fucks like me, he probably is me...
Hehe, I didn't even want to go down in that level of detail... The nnn at the end of my number (which is oddly enough the phone code of my country) indicates the sex too. In the pattern xyx, is the y is odd, you're male, otherwhise you're female. All these numbers are indeed assigned at birth (in order of birth, AFAIK). On top of that, all people that work in my country also get one. After all, they pay their social security here.
I know quite a lot of details on that number in my country. I was involved in implementing a datanbase that stored medical information about people that had biopsies that were checked for cancer.
Ehm, just concerning Europe... Many European countries have a Identity Document... The list on wikipedia is not complete. Mine is not listed.... So, in reality you'd better say Japan/Europe != USA
I live in continental Europe and I have an ID card. I know that exactly the same style of ID cards exists in at least Belgium and Germany. Why is it a problem? You get to use it only when to prove that you're actually you. Like when voting and when I did an exam to try to become a state servant (I failed, if you really want to know.)
I also have a number that uniquely identifies me. It is the equivalent the social security number and it consists of my birthdate in format yyyymmdd followed by a three digit number. Unlike in the US, knowing this number means nothing. It's not secret... It isn't displayed on my ID card though.
I dunno if your strategy will hold in the continental European context. I'll look into it nevertheless.