Did you read my post, Troll? I specifically said I wasn't insulting Gore. And I admitted it was a nitpick...so it leads me to wonder...does trolling have a certain appeal to you? Does it give your life a certain meaning? I hope so; everyone's life should have a certain meaning.
It was an intersting article in Rolling Stone. Usually I can't stand the magazine or the writing, and in this case the interview was extremely softball, but it did let Gore speak, and I wanted to listen to what he said. He did say something I found funny, and I'm not insulting the man for making this mistake, because public figures say a lot of things and can't be correct 100% of the time, but read this clip when he was talking about the early days of the internet and his contributions:
"...It became apparent that the juice was in the information revolution. Computer-processing power was doubling every year and a half, but the transmission lines for information were still based on twisted copper. The number of bits per second was static, and it wasn't increasing; meanwhile, processing power was expanding geometrically, logarithmically, explosively..."
Unfortunately for Gore, it turns out that a logarithmic function is probably the slowest increasing function there is, and is definately not on the same par as geometric or exponential expansion. Its a nitpick sure, but I found it funny. Try it in your calculator. The log of 800,000? 5.9. That means graphically that as you go 800,000 units in the x direction (to the right on the graph), the function only increases 5.9 units in the y direction (up on the graph). If the increase in processing power truly was logarithmic, we'd still be stuck with the PDP-10.
This is not a Gore slam; not everyone is a mathematician. But, then again, when GWB makes these kinds of mistakes the media is all over it...
It's definately the next logical step, going from 2-d printer representations as we have now to something like this, 3-d surfaces. And the cool thing is, being made from water, the "ink" is completely reusuable! I think the ice sculptors are out of a job...
Is that a job...?:)
Re:Cloning for the Layman...
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TigerCloning
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i'd so moderate this post up if i could...alas.
the funniest goddamn post i've seen in a long time. thank you sir, thank you!
All of this talking in circles about what god wants. There is an inherent flaw in trying to guess the mind of god when the mind of god is hidden. I think we've seen the second guessing inherent in this thread. "what if god doesn't want us playing god", "but what if god wants us to play god to redeem ourselves from playing god before" "what if god wants us all to give up technology" etc. etc. what if what if.
There's no logic in this. If god is so into this, if god really cares, let it come out, directly, and say so. Once god (assuming the existence of such a being(s)) comes out from behind its masks of mysticism, stops hiding like some spoiled child...then maybe we can have a rational discussion about issues and include the will and thoughts of "god" in the decision-making process.
Hey, it's like the rats in Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy... They pretended they were being lab rats and being experimented on, but instead were much smarter than the humans!
Everyone admit it, that was the greatest show (not just a cartoon, I'm talking television event/phenomenon/series) ever. Not even cancellation will destroy the legend. Cartoon Network will soon realize the errors of its ways (after an amazing drop in ratings)and will bring it all back. Not even C.N. can deny Lion-o his war against the very very evil (and stylish) Mum-ra. I think the mummy fashion is very chic, its coming back.
in case the link on the front page is/.ed, here is a link to the nytimes article. I like the part where "...He noted that the DeCSS computer code that unlocks the software designed to protect DVDs from being copied is like computer viruses which can ``disable systems upon which the nation depends.'' Really! I guess I better update Norton Antivirus and get the definitions for this new and very very evil DeCSS virus...it could destroy EVERYTHING!
Thank you for clarification, everything is much clearer now, and you have some good points. I can see your point about subsidizing research; it is not logical to fund research that will not benefit those who are funding it; at least, that is the nature of capitalism. But consider the nature of research (at least in the hard sciences); hypothesis, experiment, documentation. No matter the outcome of the experiment (whether the results agreed with the initial hypothesis or not), the results and documentation will be useful to other researchers who follow the same field. From one researcher's "failure", or disproven hypothesis may come another's success directly from the results of the previous researcher. Scientific research is an intricate interconnected web of discovery, setback and uncertainity. Whereas one could gather together hundreds of failed research projects and use them as evidence that the system has failed, I think it would be wise to follow the web and see how many successes were allowed preciesely because of those failures.
This is oversimplification, of course, but perhaps you see my point. This is not to say that there are not research projects that are completely useless or baseless as far as science goes (some of the sofer sciences come to mind *cough psychology cough*):), and even baseless research in the harder sciences. Good comes with the bad I guess. But when everything is sifted and refined, I think the cost of supporting both the good and the not-so-good research is far outweighed by the payoff of good research, societalwise. If that is true (and that would be hard to measure in any realistic way), then I personally could feel well about having taxpayer monies support university research.
Just on the educational aspect of this thread, I am glad you support the importance of education. I think education is vital (not just institutional education, education is a broad word with broad applications and paths. Self-taught, officially schooled, it doesn't matter. Any path towards information will do). And I think that while the tax/government/political system is far from perfect, government funds help a lot of people attend college and give them a chance at education, and that is something I don't mind helping to pay for. It boils down to personal opinion and personal choice. One either supports or doesn't support this subsidization. Either way it doesn't really matter, since the government does it anyway, but having a stance and being able to voice an opinion are powerful concepts, able to change even a large government. (I'm feeling very optimistic today.:)
Just to clarify, are you implying that all students who attend a college are "brain dead moron"s, or are you just against your tax dollars being used to subsidizing that particular class of people (read:brain dead morons)?
if former(), continue.
if latter(), end.
Further, to solve your dilema, what would you like to be done? Would you rather pay zero taxes, thus relieving you of the burden, shut down all colleges, thus relieving the everyone (you included) of the burden, or just not have the government support the education system?
rhetotical(), continue.
Even further, why stop at higher education institutions? Since many high schools offer college prep courses, which often encourage young minds to enter the higher education system, would those courses also be not acceptable, as they are supported by your tax dollars (accepted that it is a public high school)?
continue.
I am anxious for clarification of your comment, because I see no logic in the government cutting back support of the education system. Education is one of the greatest ways to alieveate ignorance. And remember ignorance = suffering.
I know what I'd do if I were a computer science teacher; set up a secure box where all the student's grades were kept, and let them spend the semester trying to crack it. If they crack it, get in and they change their grade to an A, they get an A.:) Probably not the best model for honest computing in the future, but it probably be more fun than anything they have going at the schools right now.
As I recall from Episode IV (A New Hope), Obi-Wan tells a young impressionable Luke, "For over a thousand generations the jedi knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the old republic. Before the dark times...before the empire..." At that point Luke becomes uninterested, shuts off the lightsaber, and asks obi-wan, "How did my father die?" Obi-Wan was prepared for this one, and unloads a great big whopper of a lie, from a certain point of view...the movie goes on, but anyway, that's quite a long time, 1000 generations. Of course with obi-wan's history of blatent lying, how can we really believe anything he says?:)
Your interesting blanket slam against what I assume are scientists and researchers "these white-coat guys with the bulging brains" is indicitive of contradiction and sterotype. Your assumption that all scientists are amoral is comparable to saying that all christians are ignorant brainwashed roadblocks to progress. Its sterotype, and it isn't true. Scientists search for the truth through a process of experimentation and documentation, through theory and observation. Christians search for the truth through prayer and scripture. Neither one is more correct than the other, more moral or amoral than the other. Science just generally gives us more tools to work with, much like the computer you're reading this on. Without your "amoral white-coat guys" you revert to...well, the animal world really. No science, no discovery, no progress, that really means that there is no mind. Everyone is a scientist in this respect, we all spend our lives thinking and experiencing, putting two and two together, ouch the burner is hot I won't be putting my hand on that again. Brilliant flashes of discovery everyday.
And, if one believes in a god, one shouldn't use its name as a mask to oppose the use of the mind that S/He/It gave to us.
Science discovers a kind of truth, sometimes that truth can be molded into technology. Sometimes that technology has two sides, a beneficial side and a non-beneficial one. It depends on the individual to decide which side is used. Nuclear fission, which you mentioned, gave us both nuclear power and nuclear weapons. Do you blame the scientists who discovered nuclear fission for the decisions of the politicians? And do you really think it was the german scientists during the third reich who set up the holocaust concentration camps? You don't think that, say, Hitler and Goebbles and Himmler had a little more to do with all that?
Scientists aren't the enemy, science isn't an abomination in the eyes of a god. The real enemy is ignorance and closed minds, which are the real causes of abhorrent actions like the holocaust.
The next time you see nazis lurking in the shadows, check to make sure whose shadow it is; it might be yours. Not just you in particular, AC, but everyone. Sometimes what we see on the outside is what comes from deep within.
I respect you for your decision, will power is a wonderful thing. You make a good (and not formerly unheard) connection between something very close, a movie like the X-Men, and something that seems so far away, the MPAA. The distances are distorted, because while we believe all of this corporate nonsense is out in the distance away from our lives, it turns out that its everywhere, all around us, not only in our lives but somewhat (and more and more every year) determining the course of our lives. Sometimes its hard to see the things that are right in front of your face until you catch a glimpse of it in another light. It's all a lot to take in.
I think, when he mentions the brain-washed public, that he is not setting himself up above it (if he is, then he probably shouldn't; that invites arrogance). In the end, we are all the monkeys, all of us in the same zoo. Some monkeys have seventy-story buildings and rule the world. The rest of us have no choice but to listen to their excrement as it rains down 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. It's hard to deny the brainwashing commercialist forces in effect in the world, and when it comes down to it, we're all brainwashed. But we continue to try to escape from the loops and find the end of the mobius strip.
I can not really believe this is happening. Out of the four choices that I saw FOX was considering (Bruce, Lou Diamond Phillips, Chris North and the T-1000), the guy they chose was probably the worst suited and, compared to the other actors, the least talented. Bruce Campbell would have been perfect, and it would have brought me back to the X-Files (I've been absent this last season after dedicated viewing because it started to go down, and now it doesn't look like it will stop). Remember, I think it was, the season before last when they did a bunch of quirky, funnier episodes that just kind of played around? Those were some great episodes, intersperced between more serious ones, and they could have brought that back so perfectly with an actor such as Campbell, the man who defines quirky comedy. He's also very versatile, acting-wise.
But, maybe this isn't unexpected or unwarrented. The X-Files needs to end before these new seasons drag down the classic earlier seasons . I think this interesting choice of acting replacement will do the trick.
Normally, the photons are repelled from each other due to electromagnetism...
I'm pretty sure you meant to type protons, just wanted to clarify, since photons have no charge to repel each other with, and it was a little confusing.:) It must have been Win2k.
Slashdot Mirror
it was bound to happen. time to sew another star into the flag...
wait a minute...
"...It became apparent that the juice was in the information revolution. Computer-processing power was doubling every year and a half, but the transmission lines for information were still based on twisted copper. The number of bits per second was static, and it wasn't increasing; meanwhile, processing power was expanding geometrically, logarithmically, explosively..."
Unfortunately for Gore, it turns out that a logarithmic function is probably the slowest increasing function there is, and is definately not on the same par as geometric or exponential expansion. Its a nitpick sure, but I found it funny. Try it in your calculator. The log of 800,000? 5.9. That means graphically that as you go 800,000 units in the x direction (to the right on the graph), the function only increases 5.9 units in the y direction (up on the graph). If the increase in processing power truly was logarithmic, we'd still be stuck with the PDP-10.
This is not a Gore slam; not everyone is a mathematician. But, then again, when GWB makes these kinds of mistakes the media is all over it...
Is that a job...? :)
the funniest goddamn post i've seen in a long time. thank you sir, thank you!
There's no logic in this. If god is so into this, if god really cares, let it come out, directly, and say so. Once god (assuming the existence of such a being(s)) comes out from behind its masks of mysticism, stops hiding like some spoiled child...then maybe we can have a rational discussion about issues and include the will and thoughts of "god" in the decision-making process.
I thought that was the Secret of N.I.H.M...:)
Terrible movie.
This is an outrage!
They can't take the thundercats away!
Everyone admit it, that was the greatest show (not just a cartoon, I'm talking television event/phenomenon/series) ever. Not even cancellation will destroy the legend. Cartoon Network will soon realize the errors of its ways (after an amazing drop in ratings)and will bring it all back. Not even C.N. can deny Lion-o his war against the very very evil (and stylish) Mum-ra. I think the mummy fashion is very chic, its coming back.
Yeah, you thought you forgot.
Thunder, thunder, thunder, thundercats, HO!
This is oversimplification, of course, but perhaps you see my point. This is not to say that there are not research projects that are completely useless or baseless as far as science goes (some of the sofer sciences come to mind *cough psychology cough*) :), and even baseless research in the harder sciences. Good comes with the bad I guess. But when everything is sifted and refined, I think the cost of supporting both the good and the not-so-good research is far outweighed by the payoff of good research, societalwise. If that is true (and that would be hard to measure in any realistic way), then I personally could feel well about having taxpayer monies support university research.
Just on the educational aspect of this thread, I am glad you support the importance of education. I think education is vital (not just institutional education, education is a broad word with broad applications and paths. Self-taught, officially schooled, it doesn't matter. Any path towards information will do). And I think that while the tax/government/political system is far from perfect, government funds help a lot of people attend college and give them a chance at education, and that is something I don't mind helping to pay for. It boils down to personal opinion and personal choice. One either supports or doesn't support this subsidization. Either way it doesn't really matter, since the government does it anyway, but having a stance and being able to voice an opinion are powerful concepts, able to change even a large government. (I'm feeling very optimistic today. :)
execute.
Just to clarify, are you implying that all students who attend a college are "brain dead moron"s, or are you just against your tax dollars being used to subsidizing that particular class of people (read:brain dead morons)?
if former(), continue.
if latter(), end.
Further, to solve your dilema, what would you like to be done? Would you rather pay zero taxes, thus relieving you of the burden, shut down all colleges, thus relieving the everyone (you included) of the burden, or just not have the government support the education system?
rhetotical(), continue.
Even further, why stop at higher education institutions? Since many high schools offer college prep courses, which often encourage young minds to enter the higher education system, would those courses also be not acceptable, as they are supported by your tax dollars (accepted that it is a public high school)?
continue.
I am anxious for clarification of your comment, because I see no logic in the government cutting back support of the education system. Education is one of the greatest ways to alieveate ignorance. And remember ignorance = suffering.
end.
As I recall from Episode IV (A New Hope), Obi-Wan tells a young impressionable Luke, "For over a thousand generations the jedi knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the old republic. Before the dark times...before the empire..." At that point Luke becomes uninterested, shuts off the lightsaber, and asks obi-wan, "How did my father die?" Obi-Wan was prepared for this one, and unloads a great big whopper of a lie, from a certain point of view...the movie goes on, but anyway, that's quite a long time, 1000 generations. Of course with obi-wan's history of blatent lying, how can we really believe anything he says? :)
And, if one believes in a god, one shouldn't use its name as a mask to oppose the use of the mind that S/He/It gave to us.
Science discovers a kind of truth, sometimes that truth can be molded into technology. Sometimes that technology has two sides, a beneficial side and a non-beneficial one. It depends on the individual to decide which side is used. Nuclear fission, which you mentioned, gave us both nuclear power and nuclear weapons. Do you blame the scientists who discovered nuclear fission for the decisions of the politicians? And do you really think it was the german scientists during the third reich who set up the holocaust concentration camps? You don't think that, say, Hitler and Goebbles and Himmler had a little more to do with all that?
Scientists aren't the enemy, science isn't an abomination in the eyes of a god. The real enemy is ignorance and closed minds, which are the real causes of abhorrent actions like the holocaust.
The next time you see nazis lurking in the shadows, check to make sure whose shadow it is; it might be yours. Not just you in particular, AC, but everyone. Sometimes what we see on the outside is what comes from deep within.
I respect you for your decision, will power is a wonderful thing. You make a good (and not formerly unheard) connection between something very close, a movie like the X-Men, and something that seems so far away, the MPAA. The distances are distorted, because while we believe all of this corporate nonsense is out in the distance away from our lives, it turns out that its everywhere, all around us, not only in our lives but somewhat (and more and more every year) determining the course of our lives. Sometimes its hard to see the things that are right in front of your face until you catch a glimpse of it in another light. It's all a lot to take in.
But, maybe this isn't unexpected or unwarrented. The X-Files needs to end before these new seasons drag down the classic earlier seasons . I think this interesting choice of acting replacement will do the trick.
I'm pretty sure you meant to type protons, just wanted to clarify, since photons have no charge to repel each other with, and it was a little confusing. :) It must have been Win2k.