But if the grading system is such that a really good (but not perfect) paper results in an 83%, which (depending on your grading scheme) is a B-, or "average to good", then the grading scheme is skewed.
Taking a six point scale and rendering it onto a 100 point scale is really unfair.
Maximum payload takes that sort of thing into account.
Cruising and landing do not require all of the available thrust on the airframe. Taking off does, of course. There are rules for what multi-engine aircraft are supposed to do when they lose an engine on take-off. In most cases (particularly with four engine aircraft) the loss of an engine makes a longer takeoff roll. There are, of course, situations where losing an engine at a critical point would make the airplane roll off the end of the tarmac, but runway lengths are calculated with these situations in mind.
I really don't understand why I want to "get away from" tools I find useful.
Does your PDA have some sort of zombie brain-sucking hold on you? If so, I think you have more serious issues than needing to get out into the woods from time to time.
A better idea might be to understand that tools are tools, not Your Enemies That Are Trying To Suck Your Soul.
I carry a PDA all the time. I also carry a book. When I'm bored, I read the book. When I need to do something that involves recording data, I use the PDA. Neither "detracts" from anything.
Sure, cultures are different. I think other cultures are very interesting. I also know (from speaking to people who are from other cultures) that the differences between myself and them are much smaller than the same-nesses.
What does left or right or John Kerry have to do with this discussion?
NASA is not "my" industry. As a matter of fact, NASA mis-management has been the number one impediment to true space exploration for almost thirty years.
My "bias" is irrelevant. Rockets work. Space elevators do not (yet) work. When there is a viable model for building and operating a space elevator, I will be delighted.
You might question my "credability", but I question your spelling skills.
Do you have the vaguest notion what building a space elevator would entail? It's a GREAT idea. And when we have autonomous factories that can turn asteroids into carbon nanotubes, it's going to be the only way to fly.
But, for now, with our current level of technology, it is a non-starter.
I know nothing of you other than what you posted. I presume nothing: I rebutted your comment.
You are also "presuming"; in point of fact I have a great deal of faith in people in general. I believe that, by and large, people have the ability to be wise and good. Unfortunately, all too often, we take the easy route and reason by preconception.
So I take issue with those sorts of preconceptions whenever I encounter them.
Has no one ever left the Taliban or Amish culture?
No culture is all-powerful. No one is a slave to their culture. They may be slaves to their own pre-conceptions, but there is nothing preventing anybody from going and doing something different.
Is it difficult? Sometimes dangerous? Often costly? Sure. But, my point stands: Nobody is a slave to their culture.
It's Jesus' definition, which surely is the one we should be taking?
It's Jesus "definition" as filtered by 1500 years of Catholic dogmatists. I take that with a grain of salt. I prefer "And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." (Luke 10:27)
Where, outside of the Bible, do you intend to get a record of what Jesus said and did? If you're not going to follow what Christ said there, then you've no basis for your idea of him, other than yourself, and can't possibly call yourself a follower of him.
The historicity of the Bible is not important to me. Even viewed as an allegory, the story of Jesus is a powerful one. I take what wisdom I can garner from that story, and that wisdom is not dependent on a dogmatic, rigid interpretation. Galileo: "The Bible is not a book about how the heavens go; it is a book about how to go to heaven." God gave us the faculty to reason and think critically so that we could do it, even about the stuff that He "told us". Yes, I absolutely trust my own judgement over that of legions of Biblical scholars.
It's not a question of my wisdom; it's a question of trusting God's revelation in the Bible
Precisely my point. I think trusting that revelation in the Bible is unwise. I think reading the Bible critically, and thinking about the right way to treat other people, and loving them and respecting their beliefs is much more important than slavish adherence to a 1000+ year old book (depending on your reckoning).
It should have read: Trying to follow our own moral code gets us nowhere
Trying to follow MY moral code has gotten me exactly where I want to be. I'm surrounded by people I love, who love and support me. I live a powerful, vibrant life, and I glorify God every day to the best of my ability. Just because YOU don't happen to like it is irrelevant to me.
If your faith sustains you and motivates you to be a better person, that is wonderful. I am glad for you that you have found a path. However, I think it is the height of arrogance for you (or anyone) to say that your path is superior to mine.
Slashdot Mirror
Legality and morality are on orthogonal axes. There are things that are legal but are immoral, and there are things that are illegal but are moral.
You did see my .sig, right?
I think space exploration (not by machines, by meat sacks) improves the lot of every human.
Your assumptions are overbroad.
I'm not attempting to make a rational argument. I am making an assertion of my faith. It's an anecdote, not evidence.
God helps those who help themselves. He's certainly helped me.
You might not acknowledge the power of belief, but billions of people throughout history disagree with you. I am one of them.
I don't give a damn about the infinity of the universe. I care about my life. And the lives of the people I love.
That's what is real to me, that's what is significant.
But if the grading system is such that a really good (but not perfect) paper results in an 83%, which (depending on your grading scheme) is a B-, or "average to good", then the grading scheme is skewed.
Taking a six point scale and rendering it onto a 100 point scale is really unfair.
So, sort of like submitting drafts to the teacher for him/her to review?
Yeah, I'd certainly call that cheating.
Have you seen the screenshots for Gran Turismo 4 and compared them to Gran Turismo 3?
Enough said. If my PS2 is "stagnant", then I'll take all the stagnation I can get.
Maximum payload takes that sort of thing into account.
Cruising and landing do not require all of the available thrust on the airframe. Taking off does, of course. There are rules for what multi-engine aircraft are supposed to do when they lose an engine on take-off. In most cases (particularly with four engine aircraft) the loss of an engine makes a longer takeoff roll. There are, of course, situations where losing an engine at a critical point would make the airplane roll off the end of the tarmac, but runway lengths are calculated with these situations in mind.
I really don't understand why I want to "get away from" tools I find useful.
Does your PDA have some sort of zombie brain-sucking hold on you? If so, I think you have more serious issues than needing to get out into the woods from time to time.
A better idea might be to understand that tools are tools, not Your Enemies That Are Trying To Suck Your Soul.
I carry a PDA all the time. I also carry a book. When I'm bored, I read the book. When I need to do something that involves recording data, I use the PDA. Neither "detracts" from anything.
I don't understand your point.
Sure, cultures are different. I think other cultures are very interesting. I also know (from speaking to people who are from other cultures) that the differences between myself and them are much smaller than the same-nesses.
What does left or right or John Kerry have to do with this discussion?
NASA is not "my" industry. As a matter of fact, NASA mis-management has been the number one impediment to true space exploration for almost thirty years.
My "bias" is irrelevant. Rockets work. Space elevators do not (yet) work. When there is a viable model for building and operating a space elevator, I will be delighted.
You might question my "credability", but I question your spelling skills.
Serious possibility?
Do you have the vaguest notion what building a space elevator would entail? It's a GREAT idea. And when we have autonomous factories that can turn asteroids into carbon nanotubes, it's going to be the only way to fly.
But, for now, with our current level of technology, it is a non-starter.
Find me a company that's still in business where the accounting fuckup is more than thirty times their annual budget.
You can't.
If somebody refuses to break away from their culture, the culture is not enslaving them. They are making a choice to subscribe to that culture.
I have a great deal of faith in individual initiative to improve one's lot. It'd done wonders for me.
I know nothing of you other than what you posted. I presume nothing: I rebutted your comment.
You are also "presuming"; in point of fact I have a great deal of faith in people in general. I believe that, by and large, people have the ability to be wise and good. Unfortunately, all too often, we take the easy route and reason by preconception.
So I take issue with those sorts of preconceptions whenever I encounter them.
Yeah, and the Israelis seem to be pretty good at both.
So are the Palestinians.
I say we put a wall around the lot of them, take away every weapon more dangerous than a pointy stick, and let them kill each other.
There will always be an "uneducated" power in the world, that will be delighted to put bayonets in your oh-so-enlightened but militarily weak society.
The world is a dangerous place. Humans are dangerous creatures. Societies that forget this no longer exist.
Yeah, because Americans have the monopoly on denigrating other people. Nobody else on the planet ever exhibits anything like xenophobia.
People all over the world are the same. Get used to the idea. You will encounter it again.
Has no one ever left the Taliban or Amish culture?
No culture is all-powerful. No one is a slave to their culture. They may be slaves to their own pre-conceptions, but there is nothing preventing anybody from going and doing something different.
Is it difficult? Sometimes dangerous? Often costly? Sure. But, my point stands: Nobody is a slave to their culture.
Monty probably wanted to try to plug the gap with his dick.
That guy was a prat.
See my other posts.
Rules? No. Influences? Sure.
Nobody is a slave to their culture.
It's Jesus "definition" as filtered by 1500 years of Catholic dogmatists. I take that with a grain of salt. I prefer "And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." (Luke 10:27)
The historicity of the Bible is not important to me. Even viewed as an allegory, the story of Jesus is a powerful one. I take what wisdom I can garner from that story, and that wisdom is not dependent on a dogmatic, rigid interpretation. Galileo: "The Bible is not a book about how the heavens go; it is a book about how to go to heaven." God gave us the faculty to reason and think critically so that we could do it, even about the stuff that He "told us". Yes, I absolutely trust my own judgement over that of legions of Biblical scholars.
Precisely my point. I think trusting that revelation in the Bible is unwise. I think reading the Bible critically, and thinking about the right way to treat other people, and loving them and respecting their beliefs is much more important than slavish adherence to a 1000+ year old book (depending on your reckoning).
Trying to follow MY moral code has gotten me exactly where I want to be. I'm surrounded by people I love, who love and support me. I live a powerful, vibrant life, and I glorify God every day to the best of my ability. Just because YOU don't happen to like it is irrelevant to me.
If your faith sustains you and motivates you to be a better person, that is wonderful. I am glad for you that you have found a path. However, I think it is the height of arrogance for you (or anyone) to say that your path is superior to mine.