Walk outside, and look up. You see those TWO big fat cables slung underneath the phone lines, one black and one grey. (Assuming you're in a covered area, of course.) One belongs to Optus, one to Telstra/Foxtel. Telstra own their own cable backbone.
As for ADSL, ever wondered why there are no competitors, except in CBD areas? That's because TELSTRA would not allow anyone else access to the local exchanges to install equipment. They've since been forced to, but few other companies are offering their own service yet.
You MAY mean the Southern Cross (undersea) Cable, of which Optus is a part owner. Telstra doesn't use this very much at all, and has plenty of other undersea cables of their own. Legacy of being the Telecomms monopoly, dontcha know? Pity they all seem to be in shallow Chinese shipping lanes!:)
For what it's worth, that "average" cable user on Optus@Home uses around 60 megabytes per day, 1.8 gigabytes per month. For Telstra to start charging 18 cents per megabyte for people who use only around twice the average (given the nature of usage profiles) doesn't seem to make sense for me.
I can't wait until this comes to Australia - having just returned from a holiday in the Northern Territory where the open road is unrestricted, I spent several hours at a time sitting on 180 km/h. Let's see their system cope with that!
[later]
Oh damn... should have read the fine print in the rental contract, I suppose.
My old twin blade Schick used to last at least 2 weeks of shaving every morning in the shower.
The Mach 3's I change every monday. Also, if I store the blades in the bathroom cupboard, they rust (invisible to the naked eye) and after 3 weeks (beginning of the fourth blade) they are already blunt. This didn't happen with the Schicks.
I am getting a closer shave with fewer strokes though. Now Schick has released a 3 blade in Australia, I'm trying that next.
1....the crackers could have modified Microsoft source code? No. Look, does anyone believe MS don't use version control and offsite backups?
Well, they don't appear to use any Anti-Virus measures. Norton Antivirus installed on the workstations or even just on the server would have detected this almost instantly!
For bonus points, discuss the reasons virii exist on the Win32 platform....
Apply the same to just about every energy source that "giant oil corporations are covering up, man".
For example, a friend and I once calculated the carbon cost from scrapping his old Kingswood (big heavy car with a very inefficient 308) and changing to a reasonably fuel efficient small car like a Hyundai Excel or similar. The payback period was over 12 years, which is longer than the average age of cars, even here in Australia.
In terms of carbon, the best thing he could do was to continue to drive the beaten up, dirty old v8! NOx and other emissions are a completely different story though.
Which brings me (slowly) to my point - is covering up several acres per person with plants that are then fermented and distilled to make alcohol for burning better than digging it out a hole in the ground?
Try here for a newspaper article, probably the one I remembered reading, or here for a short paper with a few references that looks to have been written from that article. Gotta lova plagia^H^H research!
Found a link that points to a very similar piece of research at the Earth Sciences department of the University of Melbourne, although this researcher is talking about the Urban Heat Island, discussed elsewhere in this thread. Such heat islands may be up to 10 degrees celsius at midnight - it that can't cause local weather patterns, what can?
Last year I was reading (somewhere) that Melbourne averages 0.5 degrees Celsius higher temperature on weekdays than weekends. The researchers attributed this to traffic and industrial pollution acting like a mini-greenhouse zone, rather than increased heat output.:)
Given that Melbourne is a very widespread city with only 4 million or so people, it's hardly surprising that a city like LA, that equals Australia's entire population generates some sort of meteorological effect.
Uh - wouldn't that mean we have 225 IP addresses for every square metre of the earth now?
Not a flame, but if we keep adding IP's in proportion to the number of users (unrealistic) then it won't be that long at all before numbers are getting tight again.
With any luck, Slockets for the Socket A Thunderbirds and Duron's aren't too far away, and the Abit KA7-100 (ATA 100 with IDE Raid for free:> ) will be the board you're looking for. Yes, it's got a HighPoint.
On the other hand, perhaps Abit will make a Socket A KA7.
Either way, check out Dans Data and quite a few others for reviews of the KA7.
I honestly don't see where retroviruses can play into the discussion, except for your (IMHO flawed) assertion that natural selection in bound to a strict model of the possible ways DNA can be altered. So I guess the real question is, why do you think darwinian theory requires that?
Because that's what the book said:) Well, actually, no. That's what the book said the current school of thought about evolution is - that information only flows outward from DNA, and positive changes from random variations are kept.
There's a very interesting book called Lamark's Signature : how retrogenes are changing Darwin's natural selection paradigm by Edward J. Steele, Robyn A. Lindley and Robert V. Blanden. (Series Edited by Feynman, the physics professor.)
Apparently, some 10 years or so after Darwin's Origin of Species he published his theory of Pangenesis, which is essentially a Lamarkian view of evolution. In the course of gaining public and religious acceptance (or tolerance) of evolution, Pangenesis has been quietly dropped as Darwin has been deified.
In the book, these molecular biologists illustrate how some retroviruses encode changes into the DNA of the host that is passed on to later offspring - a very small example that proves that our DNA is not unchanged from generation to generation, except for random variations.
They point out that one of the tenets of Darwinist Evolution is that everything we could become is encoded in our genes, and that information flows only from DNA to RNA, and not the reverse. They suggest the possibility that information can flow from the adult to the genes, which may return Lamarkian Evolution from pariah status.
Something tells me whoever sells the rights to broadcast sports events to the networks has airtight contracts making sure that the ads around the rink will be seen.
Exactly. When Channel Nine did exactly the same thing during a cricket broadcast in Australia, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, owners of the stadium, were MIGHTY annoyed. They threatened to withdraw Channel Nine's rights to televise anything from the MCG and the issue eventually died.
I believe a similar course of action will play itself out in the US - the stadiums (stadii?) depend on those signs for revenue, and will soon stipulate no "live editing of signs" in contracts.
How is a large number of sysadmins co-operating in response to a common threat in a way formalised by the relevant newsgroups and FAQs an example of functioning anarchy?
They used it during construction of railroads way back when, to melt the iron and join it together.
They still do - around 60% of railway joins are made this way, I was told.
By the way, never do a demonstration of this at a University open day with the lid off the crucilbe - sure it gets you in the Higher Education section of the paper, but globs of white hot metal shooting out of the crucible and landing at people's feet can't be good...
IIRC, the State and Local Elections (at least in Queensland) are optional preferential, whereas the Federal election is preferential - you have to assign preferences to all candidates. Interesting to note that the two fairest forms of voting that the article suggests are both practiced in Australia!
As for the compulsory voting, I feel this is key to maintaining a representative democracy as well as a balnced legistlature. Where voting is optional, the activists hold a disproportionate amount of influence, as well as allowing people to feel totally unrepresented. A lot of the "then you'll have the plebs voting" posts in this discussion have been quite disheartening.
As for living in a "true" democracy where every decision is voted on by the people, as opposed to a representative democracy - screw that! A reasonble term in office allows unpopular decisions to be made and either forgotten, outweighed or redeemed by the next election. A government that stands or falls from day to day or a decision-making process where everyboddy is consulted directly on every issue sounds nightmarish!
Slashdot Mirror
Walk outside, and look up. You see those TWO big fat cables slung underneath the phone lines, one black and one grey. (Assuming you're in a covered area, of course.) One belongs to Optus, one to Telstra/Foxtel. Telstra own their own cable backbone.
:)
As for ADSL, ever wondered why there are no competitors, except in CBD areas? That's because TELSTRA would not allow anyone else access to the local exchanges to install equipment. They've since been forced to, but few other companies are offering their own service yet.
You MAY mean the Southern Cross (undersea) Cable, of which Optus is a part owner. Telstra doesn't use this very much at all, and has plenty of other undersea cables of their own. Legacy of being the Telecomms monopoly, dontcha know? Pity they all seem to be in shallow Chinese shipping lanes!
For what it's worth, that "average" cable user on Optus@Home uses around 60 megabytes per day, 1.8 gigabytes per month. For Telstra to start charging 18 cents per megabyte for people who use only around twice the average (given the nature of usage profiles) doesn't seem to make sense for me.
I can't wait until this comes to Australia - having just returned from a holiday in the Northern Territory where the open road is unrestricted, I spent several hours at a time sitting on 180 km/h. Let's see their system cope with that!
[later]
Oh damn... should have read the fine print in the rental contract, I suppose.
My old twin blade Schick used to last at least 2 weeks of shaving every morning in the shower.
The Mach 3's I change every monday. Also, if I store the blades in the bathroom cupboard, they rust (invisible to the naked eye) and after 3 weeks (beginning of the fourth blade) they are already blunt. This didn't happen with the Schicks.
I am getting a closer shave with fewer strokes though. Now Schick has released a 3 blade in Australia, I'm trying that next.
1. ...the crackers could have modified Microsoft source code? No. Look, does anyone believe MS don't use version control and offsite backups?
Well, they don't appear to use any Anti-Virus measures. Norton Antivirus installed on the workstations or even just on the server would have detected this almost instantly!
For bonus points, discuss the reasons virii exist on the Win32 platform....
Perhaps that should be "scientifically interesting" rather than "interesting for a scientist"!
:)
Postgrads are people too!
Apply the same to just about every energy source that "giant oil corporations are covering up, man".
For example, a friend and I once calculated the carbon cost from scrapping his old Kingswood (big heavy car with a very inefficient 308) and changing to a reasonably fuel efficient small car like a Hyundai Excel or similar. The payback period was over 12 years, which is longer than the average age of cars, even here in Australia.
In terms of carbon, the best thing he could do was to continue to drive the beaten up, dirty old v8! NOx and other emissions are a completely different story though.
Which brings me (slowly) to my point - is covering up several acres per person with plants that are then fermented and distilled to make alcohol for burning better than digging it out a hole in the ground?
There's a "YES" answer to the first four questions right here on earth - Sheep*
Then again, I am from Australia.... carry on. Sorry for the interruption
*Have you ever met a sheep that remembered war?
Try here for a recent PhD graduate at the University of Melbourne who has investigated exactly that possbility.
There are other posts from me elsewhere in this thread that have a few more links, as well.
Now I +really+ wish /. had an edit post option!
Try here for a newspaper article, probably the one I remembered reading, or here for a short paper with a few references that looks to have been written from that article. Gotta lova plagia^H^H research!
Found a link that points to a very similar piece of research at the Earth Sciences department of the University of Melbourne, although this researcher is talking about the Urban Heat Island, discussed elsewhere in this thread. Such heat islands may be up to 10 degrees celsius at midnight - it that can't cause local weather patterns, what can?
I wish Slashdot had an "Edit Post" option...
Last year I was reading (somewhere) that Melbourne averages 0.5 degrees Celsius higher temperature on weekdays than weekends. The researchers attributed this to traffic and industrial pollution acting like a mini-greenhouse zone, rather than increased heat output. :)
Given that Melbourne is a very widespread city with only 4 million or so people, it's hardly surprising that a city like LA, that equals Australia's entire population generates some sort of meteorological effect.
Uh - wouldn't that mean we have 225 IP addresses for every square metre of the earth now?
Not a flame, but if we keep adding IP's in proportion to the number of users (unrealistic) then it won't be that long at all before numbers are getting tight again.
Or has this all been adressed before?
With any luck, Slockets for the Socket A Thunderbirds and Duron's aren't too far away, and the Abit KA7-100 (ATA 100 with IDE Raid for free :> ) will be the board you're looking for. Yes, it's got a HighPoint.
On the other hand, perhaps Abit will make a Socket A KA7.
Either way, check out Dans Data and quite a few others for reviews of the KA7.
The 2 billion odd dollars is more like AUD$100 (US$60-65) per person per year, given approx. 20 million people.
I honestly don't see where retroviruses can play into the discussion, except for your (IMHO flawed) assertion that natural selection in bound to a strict model of the possible ways DNA can be altered. So I guess the real question is, why do you think darwinian theory requires that?
:) Well, actually, no. That's what the book said the current school of thought about evolution is - that information only flows outward from DNA, and positive changes from random variations are kept.
Because that's what the book said
There's a very interesting book called Lamark's Signature : how retrogenes are changing Darwin's natural selection paradigm by Edward J. Steele, Robyn A. Lindley and Robert V. Blanden. (Series Edited by Feynman, the physics professor.)
Apparently, some 10 years or so after Darwin's Origin of Species he published his theory of Pangenesis, which is essentially a Lamarkian view of evolution. In the course of gaining public and religious acceptance (or tolerance) of evolution, Pangenesis has been quietly dropped as Darwin has been deified.
In the book, these molecular biologists illustrate how some retroviruses encode changes into the DNA of the host that is passed on to later offspring - a very small example that proves that our DNA is not unchanged from generation to generation, except for random variations.
They point out that one of the tenets of Darwinist Evolution is that everything we could become is encoded in our genes, and that information flows only from DNA to RNA, and not the reverse. They suggest the possibility that information can flow from the adult to the genes, which may return Lamarkian Evolution from pariah status.
Well worth a read!
Something tells me whoever sells the rights to broadcast sports events to the networks has airtight contracts making sure that the ads around the rink will be seen.
Exactly. When Channel Nine did exactly the same thing during a cricket broadcast in Australia, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, owners of the stadium, were MIGHTY annoyed. They threatened to withdraw Channel Nine's rights to televise anything from the MCG and the issue eventually died.
I believe a similar course of action will play itself out in the US - the stadiums (stadii?) depend on those signs for revenue, and will soon stipulate no "live editing of signs" in contracts.
it's an example of anarchism actually working
How is a large number of sysadmins co-operating in response to a common threat in a way formalised by the relevant newsgroups and FAQs an example of functioning anarchy?
That would be because in the neighbouring branes the area of space that interacts with Earth is empty and/or has a uniform gravity field.
:)
At random points a long way from here, there might be a black hole in a neighbouring brane that produces effects such as gravtational lenses.
At least that's my crackpot take on a crackpot theory
They used it during construction of railroads way back when, to melt the iron and join it together.
They still do - around 60% of railway joins are made this way, I was told.
By the way, never do a demonstration of this at a University open day with the lid off the crucilbe - sure it gets you in the Higher Education section of the paper, but globs of white hot metal shooting out of the crucible and landing at people's feet can't be good...
IIRC, the State and Local Elections (at least in Queensland) are optional preferential, whereas the Federal election is preferential - you have to assign preferences to all candidates. Interesting to note that the two fairest forms of voting that the article suggests are both practiced in Australia!
As for the compulsory voting, I feel this is key to maintaining a representative democracy as well as a balnced legistlature. Where voting is optional, the activists hold a disproportionate amount of influence, as well as allowing people to feel totally unrepresented. A lot of the "then you'll have the plebs voting" posts in this discussion have been quite disheartening.
As for living in a "true" democracy where every decision is voted on by the people, as opposed to a representative democracy - screw that! A reasonble term in office allows unpopular decisions to be made and either forgotten, outweighed or redeemed by the next election. A government that stands or falls from day to day or a decision-making process where everyboddy is consulted directly on every issue sounds nightmarish!