Actually, fusion reactors don't explode if you turn off the magnets. The plasma does expand, and it would probably ruin the magnetic coils and perhaps a small surrounding area, but its not very high density.
So as it expands, it also becomes diffuse, and there would be no giant explosion.
When this came out in 1997 it sounded (again) as if smallish, clean power plants were "just around the corner"... but I haven't heard anything much more from it since!
Cell phones are actually not that easy to listen to. The analog kind are, but the digitals aren't -- you need specialized equipment for that.
I've read that the courts have previously ruled that while analog wireless phones don't give an expectation of privacy, digital technologies like spread spectrum, encryption, etc. do, and therefore do require a court order.
Also, I recall reading that people have previously been successfully prosecuted even for listening in on analog cell calls.
So it's not all THAT clear cut, but I agree that email should have some protection since people obviously don't expect it to be read.
If everyone realizes that there's no privacy protection in emails, that will encourage a wide migration to encrypted emails, and make the NSA even more annoyed, but it will be their own fault, since they will have encourged the migration!
Copyright law provides for statutory damages in addition to or in lieu of actual damages or additional profits by the infringer.
In a case where the copyright owner sustains the burden of proving, and the court finds, that infringement was committed willfully, the court in its discretion may increase the award of statutory damages to a sum of not more than $100,000, in addition to the attorney and court costs of the plaintif.
So even if the software is given away, the copyright infringer would be liable for up to $100,000 plus in statutory penalties. (See Sect. 504 of the Copyright Act
Since all contributors to the Linux kernel would be plaintifs in this case, it seems that the most reasonable type of suit would be a class action suit, with the class consisting of all the kernel authors.
On the other hand, they could each sue separately, but I doubt each would be awarded $100K...
We already know that MS Flight Simulator is so authentic that a new Navy Pilot who'd never flow a plane before performed so well his instructor wanted to know how much previous flying he'd done. (See: http://www.microsoft.com/Games/FSIM/usnavy_navytim es.htm)
Now, here's a write-up on an add-on that lets you learn to fly commercial jets. This one is for a 777, but there are others for just about any model you want.
Do-it-yourself terrorism, without even going to flight school. The possibilities are really scary!
Authentic instrument panel with fully operational pedestal and overhead panels that include 4 multifunction LCD's (Liquid Crystal Displays), MFD (Multi Functional Displays) dimmer controls and multi-page EICAS (Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System) and Honeywell FMS (Flight Management System).
Includes 2 comprehensive printed manuals! A fully illustrated aircraft manual explaining among many other areas, instrument panel controls and FMC (Flight Management Computer) operation, and a second manual with aircraft performance tables
Includes the following airline variants: British Airways, Air France, Delta Airlines, United Airlines and Aeroflot.
What the experts are saying about 777-200 Professional:
"I had the pleasure of testing this package and found it to be as real as it can get for a computer simulation. If you were wondering what it would be like to command the 777, this package will give you all that and more. From its greatly functional cockpit to the aircraft flight dynamics, sound and graphics, I found it to be a rewarding experience to fly and highly recommend this package to all." John L Carbone SR (Retd.), Former - 777 Captain
Minimum requirements: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000, Pentium II 266 PC, Windows 95/98, 32 Mb RAM, 250 MB Hard drive space CD-ROM Drive, Sound Card.
give to those orphaned in the WTC disaster
on
More On Tragedy
·
· Score: 3, Informative
The New York Times
9/11 Neediest Fund
The New York Times 9/11 Neediest Fund is a one-month campaign established to collect contributions to relieve the suffering of families struck by death or injury in the World Trade Center calamity, both civilians and rescue workers.
The campaign is being managed by The New York Times Co. Neediest Cases Fund, which will, as with the annual Neediest Cases campaign, cover all administrative costs.
Contributions will be accepted through October 11 and then be allocated to the seven social service agencies which disburse funds in the annual Neediest Cases campaign, plus three foundations representing the uniform services. These are the Fire Safety Foundation, the Police Foundation, and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice Foundation, on behalf of Port Authority, Sanitation, and other agencies.
What they're really hoping is probably that it will keep non-addicted people from getting any pleasure from the drug.
This would then lead to a new series of "drug vaccinations" for every baby born, immunizing them against nicotine, heroin, cocaine, etc. etc.
Then, the side effects will start coming out, as the immune systems of these immunized people start attacking the native neurohormones in their own bodies which these drugs mimic.
This will lead to all kinds of neurological complications, like people incapable of experiencing any pleasure, people for whom every sensation is painful, etc. etc.
I have three words for prospective recipients of these vaccines: "Just say no!".
First of all, the small mass of the satellite could only slightly alter the orbit of the comet. There is no way that it could impart enough energy to take the comet out of solar orbit and send it towards a distant star.
Secondly, since comets are made of "dirty ice", imparting enough energy to take the comet out of solar orbit via a single impact would almost certainly vaporize the comet rather than moving it.
Thirdly, even if you could nudge a comet out of solar orbit, since the average speed of a comet is on the order of 1/6000 the speed of light or less (about 100,000 mph), it would take about 25,000 years for the comet to get to the nearest star (Alpha Centauri A), let alone "distant stars".
So no, it wouldn't be a cool way to contact alien civilizations.
I live with two non-geeks, and wanted to set up a network so they could be online (and subsidize my DSL).
I used an old P133 (WAY overkill), ran FreeBSD on it with IPFW and NAT, and ran ethernet to each room.
Total cost: $29.95 for an 8 port 10mbps hub, I used left over cable and a left over computer as the gateway/NAT/Firewall, and we were done.
Is it a geek house? I don't know... but we all have DSL access!
Slashdot Mirror
Actually, fusion reactors don't explode if you turn off the magnets. The plasma does expand, and it would probably ruin the magnetic coils and perhaps a small surrounding area, but its not very high density.
So as it expands, it also becomes diffuse, and there would be no giant explosion.
Fusion power would actually be relatively safe.
When this came out in 1997 it sounded (again) as if smallish, clean power plants were "just around the corner"... but I haven't heard anything much more from it since!
Check out the original article I read and its accompanying diagram.
Or go to the scientists' web site, which hasn't been updated since 1997!
And these aren't crackpots either... they're professors at UC Irvine, Los Alamos National Labs, and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory!
Oh well, I still have high hopes for fusion, but I also have low expectations...
Cell phones are actually not that easy to listen to. The analog kind are, but the digitals aren't -- you need specialized equipment for that.
I've read that the courts have previously ruled that while analog wireless phones don't give an expectation of privacy, digital technologies like spread spectrum, encryption, etc. do, and therefore do require a court order.
Also, I recall reading that people have previously been successfully prosecuted even for listening in on analog cell calls.
So it's not all THAT clear cut, but I agree that email should have some protection since people obviously don't expect it to be read.
If everyone realizes that there's no privacy protection in emails, that will encourage a wide migration to encrypted emails, and make the NSA even more annoyed, but it will be their own fault, since they will have encourged the migration!
The real disgrace is that ISPs don't install virus scanning software in their mail servers.
There are a variety of such packages available, and they would stop most of the viruses which are spread via email.
I haven't seen anyone taking the ISPs to task for this so far, and I think now is the time to start demanding that they install it!
Copyright law provides for statutory damages in addition to or in lieu of actual damages or additional profits by the infringer.
In a case where the copyright owner sustains the burden of proving, and the court finds, that infringement was committed willfully, the court in its discretion may increase the award of statutory damages to a sum of not more than $100,000, in addition to the attorney and court costs of the plaintif.
So even if the software is given away, the copyright infringer would be liable for up to $100,000 plus in statutory penalties. (See Sect. 504 of the Copyright Act
Since all contributors to the Linux kernel would be plaintifs in this case, it seems that the most reasonable type of suit would be a class action suit, with the class consisting of all the kernel authors.
On the other hand, they could each sue separately, but I doubt each would be awarded $100K...
(IANAL)
Now, here's a write-up on an add-on that lets you learn to fly commercial jets. This one is for a 777, but there are others for just about any model you want.
Do-it-yourself terrorism, without even going to flight school. The possibilities are really scary!
One dealer: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/fsc/77prof.html
Excerpts from the product description:
Authentic instrument panel with fully operational pedestal and overhead panels that include 4 multifunction LCD's (Liquid Crystal Displays), MFD (Multi Functional Displays) dimmer controls and multi-page EICAS (Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System) and Honeywell FMS (Flight Management System).
Includes 2 comprehensive printed manuals! A fully illustrated aircraft manual explaining among many other areas, instrument panel controls and FMC (Flight Management Computer) operation, and a second manual with aircraft performance tables
Includes the following airline variants: British Airways, Air France, Delta Airlines, United Airlines and Aeroflot.
What the experts are saying about 777-200 Professional:
"I had the pleasure of testing this package and found it to be as real as it can get for a computer simulation. If you were wondering what it would be like to command the 777, this package will give you all that and more. From its greatly functional cockpit to the aircraft flight dynamics, sound and graphics, I found it to be a rewarding experience to fly and highly recommend this package to all." John L Carbone SR (Retd.), Former - 777 Captain
Minimum requirements: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000, Pentium II 266 PC, Windows 95/98, 32 Mb RAM, 250 MB Hard drive space CD-ROM Drive, Sound Card.
The New York Times
9/11 Neediest Fund
The New York Times 9/11 Neediest Fund is a one-month campaign established to collect contributions to relieve the suffering of families struck by death or injury in the World Trade Center calamity, both civilians and rescue workers.
The campaign is being managed by The New York Times Co. Neediest Cases Fund, which will, as with the annual Neediest Cases campaign, cover all administrative costs.
Contributions will be accepted through October 11 and then be allocated to the seven social service agencies which disburse funds in the annual Neediest Cases campaign, plus three foundations representing the uniform services. These are the Fire Safety Foundation, the Police Foundation, and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice Foundation, on behalf of Port Authority, Sanitation, and other agencies.
You can contribute online: http://prodpub.wavesys.com/cw/donations.asp?charit y=neediest911
Donations can also be sent to:
The New York Times 9/11 Neediest Fund
P.O. Box 5193
General Post Office
New York, NY 10087
http://www.rcc.ryerson.ca/ccf/news/unique/am_tex t. html
This would then lead to a new series of "drug vaccinations" for every baby born, immunizing them against nicotine, heroin, cocaine, etc. etc.
Then, the side effects will start coming out, as the immune systems of these immunized people start attacking the native neurohormones in their own bodies which these drugs mimic.
This will lead to all kinds of neurological complications, like people incapable of experiencing any pleasure, people for whom every sensation is painful, etc. etc.
I have three words for prospective recipients of these vaccines: "Just say no!".
First of all, the small mass of the satellite could only slightly alter the orbit of the comet. There is no way that it could impart enough energy to take the comet out of solar orbit and send it towards a distant star.
Secondly, since comets are made of "dirty ice", imparting enough energy to take the comet out of solar orbit via a single impact would almost certainly vaporize the comet rather than moving it.
Thirdly, even if you could nudge a comet out of solar orbit, since the average speed of a comet is on the order of 1/6000 the speed of light or less (about 100,000 mph), it would take about 25,000 years for the comet to get to the nearest star (Alpha Centauri A), let alone "distant stars".
So no, it wouldn't be a cool way to contact alien civilizations.
I live with two non-geeks, and wanted to set up a network so they could be online (and subsidize my DSL). I used an old P133 (WAY overkill), ran FreeBSD on it with IPFW and NAT, and ran ethernet to each room. Total cost: $29.95 for an 8 port 10mbps hub, I used left over cable and a left over computer as the gateway/NAT/Firewall, and we were done. Is it a geek house? I don't know... but we all have DSL access!