I haven't read/. for a number of years...it was getting depressing in a variety of ways. So yesterday I thought i'd check in and see what was cooking and discovered that Cmdr Taco was leaving.
I remembering discovering this new site 'Slashdot' and the witnessing first-hand the notorious 'Slashdot effect'. I remember being surprised at that everyone from hackers to Phd's were posting on the site. It was amazing. I remember reading Rob's proposal and I sit here stunned to learn that he now has two kids.
In a way, Rob is lucky to have had a 15year career in this industry. A good chunk of us have had several by this time. And it's good that Cmdr Taco is leaving...on his own terms,...at a time of his choosing. Many of us have not had that luxury.
Good luck what whatever new endeavours you try sir! Many of us will be watching in the wings waiting to see what you come up with!
I found it interesting that the article noted, "additional cuts may lower morale.." uh...morale was already in the pit. It can't get much lower, even in the divisions that are money makers.
Part of the reason I ended my eleven-year career in May was layoffs. I simply hated waiting for the other shoe to drop. People would just disappear, and you'd find out later that they'd been laid off. (WFR'd in HP speak.) Being told by my manager that, "We're pretty safe (from lay offs) but NO GUARANTEES..." about drove me NUTS. Also, when the CEO comes to town and makes a specific point that HP has more IT people than sales people, it's time for an IT guy to take serious stock of the situation.
In the long term I think Hurd will be good for the company, and I wish my former compatriots the best of success. A lot of fat needs to be trimmed, but the question is, "Can he tell the difference between fat, muscle, and bone?" There's a whole lot of fat in middle management right now.
Has anyone else wondered how long this series will run before the Sci-Fi channel makes yet another bone-headed executive decison? (Think Farscape, Firefly..etc.)
The new show has a lot of potential..but I seriously wonder if I should watch..only to have Sci-fi massivly screw it up or cut it off?
L2
You assume that an American air carrier would be used. I'm sure the equivalent of "Air India" could probably make the same trip for a 1/10th of the cost.
I agree.
I was a High School frehman at 12, left home by 15 1/2 graduated at 16.
I'm 34 now and trying to complete a bachelor's degree in Info Systems.
Would I tell myself to study harder? Tell my self that mom really was a bit nuts? No.
The choices and mistakes I made then, led me to where I am now. Happily married with two kids. Those three things (Marriage, kid1, kid2) alone are worth the pain and mistakes of my youth.
Yep. Though it would be hard to see how anyone could do Chapterhouse Dune with the Honered Matres and keep an 'R' Rating. Particularly when Duncan Idaho and the Honored Matre (can't remember the name) er, um 'compete' in the sack.
If only someone could combine the Sci-Fi channel's adaptation with the Lynch movie's special effects and costuming. Ya gotta admit those pannels behind everyone's head were a bit much, and the S.T.T.O.G. sets were just lame. (Exepected one of the foam rocks to fall over at any second.) But the adaptation from the book was MUCH more faithful than the Lynch film.
As far as the books themselves go, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune were not Herber's best works, mereley prequels to his next great accomplishment, God Emperor Dune.
God Emperor would rock as a movie. (If done correctly.)
Wow. He got it right! I think one of the reasons Americans are so fond of bombing the shit out of someone is you can see immediate results. We are an "Instant gratification" culture. Rebuilding a nation takes a lot more time, energy, and money. Congress didn't want to give aid to Japan, but were persuaded when Mac Arthur was reputed to say, "Send me food, or send me bullets." (or something to that effect.) Even "W" has realized that this (or any) war simply can not be won by weapons alone. I would much rather face off against Afghani businessmen than religious fanatics. Eliminate poverty throughout the world, and you remove the foundation the terrorists stand on. We as a nation have so much, it amazes me that we give to little to those who desparately need it.
I've read Dune upwards of 10 times now. I've seen the 4 hr movie, the horrifically hacked 2.5 hr movie, and Sci-Fi's miniseries.
If we could've had the costuming and actors of the movie with Sci-Fi's adaptation it would have been a helluva mini-series.
I will never forgive the original movie for turning the "wierding way" into "wierding modules" quite possibly one of the stupidest ideas in an adaptation. That and the final battle scene..."This is Paul Atredies on a sand worm." "Here's the rear view of Paul Atredies on a sandworm" "Sand worms are REALLY BIG" "Here is yet another shot of Paul Atredies on top of a really big sand worm" "Did we show that sandworms are really big?" It was pathetic. They could've cut 30 min of worthless footage from the movie simply by paring down that scene.
On the Sci-fi side, the Bene-Geserit costumes were laughable, and the guild navigators looked like ET gone horribly wrong. I also expected the foam sound-stage rocks to come tumbling down if one of the actors leaned on them. Costuming and sets aside, the actual way they adapted the book was pretty good. Giving Irulan a larger role was necessary to allow the audience a better understanding of who both she and Feyd were. You get a glimpse of just how slimy Feyd was.
I've read the Amber series a couple of times, so I look forward to Sci-Fi's adaptation with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation. Watching Corwin on a Star Trek (the original) style set pathetically trying to pass as one of the more bizarre shadows of amber would be positively painful to watch.
Step 1. www.warnerbros.com
Step 2. Do a search for Babylon 5 under DVD heading.
Step 3. Fork over dough for intro movie. Cost = 14 + 4 Shipping. $18.00 total.
Step 4. Begin saving dough to buy Seasons if / when they come out.
L2
I think it depends on the quality of the series. I recently borrowed some B5 tapes from a friend to check the video quality before dubbing. I ended up getting sucked into a 12 hr B5 marathon over the weekend.
Maybe it's because B5 is a story arc and TNG is a episode to episode show.
All I DO know is I will seriously dent my savings when B5 comes out on DVD, and I will likely watch all 5 years in one sitting.
L2
Very true. I'm amazed at how many folks I've known that are generally nice people come across as real jerks because they are trying to fit in.
Just be yourself, it will be all right. You may not get laid but you make find someone new...and that is the first step toward getting laid...:-)
I think for most of the day I'm going to keep the fire going, the kids from killing themselves or each other(ages 4 & 1), and alternate between frying some critters on Wizardry 8, and working on my stop-motion animation.
And despite the cold(?) that I've had for the past week, I'm going to open and finish the 2.3 ft tall gygo-economy-size bottle of Heineken that a buddy of mine gave me for Solstice.
If the Oregon skies are willing, (doesn't look like it at present) I'll slosh out into the backyard with my wife and her telescope and try to catch a look at Jupiter. (Thank you jeffy124 for the idea.)
Skies willing or not, I'll eventually settle down for a slow comfortable screw, then off to bed...er to sleep.
Supreised there wasn't a/. poll on resolutions. Since I'll be working full time and carrying 12 credits at the local university, my resolution is to survive the comming term.
Actually it's $200 for the bike, and another $80 for the box. For $300 bucks I could completely upgrade my system. (Though I wouldn't get any thinner.)
I know this is going to seem a bit off topic, but does anyone remember the "Political Office" and the "Night Watch" from Babylon 5?
The episodes relating to Night Watch parallel very closely to both past and current reality. What's scary here is the possilbility for a similar progression. How soon before martial law is declared "for our own protection"?
Or will we simply "disappear" political opponents of the current regime?
How about the FBI "accidentally" leaking the fact that a Presidential or Senate candidate downloaded 200Mb of Porn in their college days? Or is sending torrid e-mail to a woman that's not his wife. Or hell, how about sending e-mail to his wife! I can see it now: "Senate Candidate Joe Schmoe sent e-mail to his wife indicating that he wanted to fuck her up the butt. Mr. Schmoe has been arrested since that kind of activity is illegal in his state..."
This law is one step away from making what Nixon tried to do LEGAL.
The folks at the Department of Homeland Defence don't wear arm bands...yet..
I understand the moral and emotional argument here. It's the legal precedent I'm concerned.
If the Supreme Court decides that virtual child porn is illegal, wouldn't that then set the precident for any game/video that illustrates murder/maahem/sex to be deemed illegal too?
If you make the argument that viewing virtual kiddy porn is going to make you more likely to molest children, then isn't playing Rogue Spear more likely to make you buy a sniper rifle and start capping any one you percieve as a "terrorist".?
(I believe there is evidence that just the opposite is true. If a potential pedophile can live out his fantasy virtually, then he may be LESS likely to commit the act.)
Having 2 kids myself, I would MUCH rather that some sick fuck live out his fantasy in a virtual world than touch my kids.
Two questions you need to ask yourself about getting this toy for your niece.
1. What is the age range of these toys? (Taking a guess, I'd say 3 and up looks about right.)
2. Does she have any younger siblings?
(Small toys or small pieces present possible choking hazards to wee ones.)
As to whether or not your're wrong aboout yer values, don't sweat it. I think it's an awsome idea to introduce her to new and challenging stuff. God knows we need more female geeks in this world.:) Your niece is lucky to have an Uncle that actually puts some thought into the things he buys.
As corporates continue to seemingly copyright and patent everything in sight and sue anyone even APPEARING to voilate these "rights" I think it entirely appropriate that a culture sue over appropriation of it's heritage. The law DOES occasionally work two ways, and the corporates are slowly suing themselves into a corner.
BTW: Although you may believe the contrary, America has been a litigious society since the first puritans. In those days verbal slander was enough to go to court over.
Slashdot Mirror
I haven't read /. for a number of years...it was getting depressing in a variety of ways. So yesterday I thought i'd check in and see what was cooking and discovered that Cmdr Taco was leaving.
I remembering discovering this new site 'Slashdot' and the witnessing first-hand the notorious 'Slashdot effect'. I remember being surprised at that everyone from hackers to Phd's were posting on the site. It was amazing. I remember reading Rob's proposal and I sit here stunned to learn that he now has two kids.
In a way, Rob is lucky to have had a 15year career in this industry. A good chunk of us have had several by this time. And it's good that Cmdr Taco is leaving...on his own terms,...at a time of his choosing. Many of us have not had that luxury.
Good luck what whatever new endeavours you try sir! Many of us will be watching in the wings waiting to see what you come up with!
Actually Dunn was spying on her PEERS. One shudders to think what she does to mere employees....
I found it interesting that the article noted, "additional cuts may lower morale.." uh...morale was already in the pit. It can't get much lower, even in the divisions that are money makers.
Part of the reason I ended my eleven-year career in May was layoffs. I simply hated waiting for the other shoe to drop. People would just disappear, and you'd find out later that they'd been laid off. (WFR'd in HP speak.) Being told by my manager that, "We're pretty safe (from lay offs) but NO GUARANTEES..." about drove me NUTS. Also, when the CEO comes to town and makes a specific point that HP has more IT people than sales people, it's time for an IT guy to take serious stock of the situation.
In the long term I think Hurd will be good for the company, and I wish my former compatriots the best of success. A lot of fat needs to be trimmed, but the question is, "Can he tell the difference between fat, muscle, and bone?" There's a whole lot of fat in middle management right now.
I stand corrected. :)
Though I don't agree with the farscape comments.
Saw BSG...pretty cool so far.
Has anyone else wondered how long this series will run before the Sci-Fi channel makes yet another bone-headed executive decison? (Think Farscape, Firefly..etc.) The new show has a lot of potential..but I seriously wonder if I should watch..only to have Sci-fi massivly screw it up or cut it off? L2
Actually I was being sarcastic. :)
You make a good point though. So what about the costs of flying an Indian team here? (Think H1-b or L1 visa)
L2
You assume that an American air carrier would be used. I'm sure the equivalent of "Air India" could probably make the same trip for a 1/10th of the cost.
I agree. I was a High School frehman at 12, left home by 15 1/2 graduated at 16.
I'm 34 now and trying to complete a bachelor's degree in Info Systems.
Would I tell myself to study harder? Tell my self that mom really was a bit nuts? No.
The choices and mistakes I made then, led me to where I am now. Happily married with two kids. Those three things (Marriage, kid1, kid2) alone are worth the pain and mistakes of my youth.
Yep. Though it would be hard to see how anyone could do Chapterhouse Dune with the Honered Matres and keep an 'R' Rating. Particularly when Duncan Idaho and the Honored Matre (can't remember the name) er, um 'compete' in the sack.
If only someone could combine the Sci-Fi channel's adaptation with the Lynch movie's special effects and costuming. Ya gotta admit those pannels behind everyone's head were a bit much, and the S.T.T.O.G. sets were just lame. (Exepected one of the foam rocks to fall over at any second.) But the adaptation from the book was MUCH more faithful than the Lynch film.
As far as the books themselves go, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune were not Herber's best works, mereley prequels to his next great accomplishment, God Emperor Dune.
God Emperor would rock as a movie. (If done correctly.)
Where nothing can go wrong...
go wrong.
go wrong.
go wrong.
Wow. He got it right!
I think one of the reasons Americans are so fond of bombing the shit out of someone is you can see immediate results. We are an "Instant gratification" culture. Rebuilding a nation takes a lot more time, energy, and money.
Congress didn't want to give aid to Japan, but were persuaded when Mac Arthur was reputed to say, "Send me food, or send me bullets." (or something to that effect.)
Even "W" has realized that this (or any) war simply can not be won by weapons alone. I would much rather face off against Afghani businessmen than religious fanatics.
Eliminate poverty throughout the world, and you remove the foundation the terrorists stand on. We as a nation have so much, it amazes me that we give to little to those who desparately need it.
Silly question. Why H20? Is there another legal liquid substance that would provide more efficient cooling?
Imagine a poor person deprived of their constitutional right to have their intellect ground down by the generally mind-numbing crap on the tube!
No more Survivor, no more Dawson's Creek!!
Why, they might just have to do something radical...like read a book!
Assuming the publishing industry hasn't taken over the libraries by then.
I've read Dune upwards of 10 times now. I've seen the 4 hr movie, the horrifically hacked 2.5 hr movie, and Sci-Fi's miniseries.
If we could've had the costuming and actors of the movie with Sci-Fi's adaptation it would have been a helluva mini-series.
I will never forgive the original movie for turning the "wierding way" into "wierding modules" quite possibly one of the stupidest ideas in an adaptation. That and the final battle scene..."This is Paul Atredies on a sand worm." "Here's the rear view of Paul Atredies on a sandworm" "Sand worms are REALLY BIG" "Here is yet another shot of Paul Atredies on top of a really big sand worm" "Did we show that sandworms are really big?" It was pathetic. They could've cut 30 min of worthless footage from the movie simply by paring down that scene.
On the Sci-fi side, the Bene-Geserit costumes were laughable, and the guild navigators looked like ET gone horribly wrong. I also expected the foam sound-stage rocks to come tumbling down if one of the actors leaned on them. Costuming and sets aside, the actual way they adapted the book was pretty good. Giving Irulan a larger role was necessary to allow the audience a better understanding of who both she and Feyd were. You get a glimpse of just how slimy Feyd was.
I've read the Amber series a couple of times, so I look forward to Sci-Fi's adaptation with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation. Watching Corwin on a Star Trek (the original) style set pathetically trying to pass as one of the more bizarre shadows of amber would be positively painful to watch.
Step 1. www.warnerbros.com
Step 2. Do a search for Babylon 5 under DVD heading.
Step 3. Fork over dough for intro movie. Cost = 14 + 4 Shipping. $18.00 total.
Step 4. Begin saving dough to buy Seasons if / when they come out.
L2
I think it depends on the quality of the series. I recently borrowed some B5 tapes from a friend to check the video quality before dubbing. I ended up getting sucked into a 12 hr B5 marathon over the weekend.
Maybe it's because B5 is a story arc and TNG is a episode to episode show.
All I DO know is I will seriously dent my savings when B5 comes out on DVD, and I will likely watch all 5 years in one sitting.
L2
Very true. I'm amazed at how many folks I've known that are generally nice people come across as real jerks because they are trying to fit in. Just be yourself, it will be all right. You may not get laid but you make find someone new...and that is the first step toward getting laid... :-)
I think for most of the day I'm going to keep the fire going, the kids from killing themselves or each other(ages 4 & 1), and alternate between frying some critters on Wizardry 8, and working on my stop-motion animation.
/. poll on resolutions. Since I'll be working full time and carrying 12 credits at the local university, my resolution is to survive the comming term.
And despite the cold(?) that I've had for the past week, I'm going to open and finish the 2.3 ft tall gygo-economy-size bottle of Heineken that a buddy of mine gave me for Solstice.
If the Oregon skies are willing, (doesn't look like it at present) I'll slosh out into the backyard with my wife and her telescope and try to catch a look at Jupiter. (Thank you jeffy124 for the idea.)
Skies willing or not, I'll eventually settle down for a slow comfortable screw, then off to bed...er to sleep.
Supreised there wasn't a
Happy New Year folks!
Peace!
L2
Actually it's $200 for the bike, and another $80 for the box. For $300 bucks I could completely upgrade my system. (Though I wouldn't get any thinner.)
I know this is going to seem a bit off topic, but does anyone remember the "Political Office" and the "Night Watch" from Babylon 5?
The episodes relating to Night Watch parallel very closely to both past and current reality. What's scary here is the possilbility for a similar progression. How soon before martial law is declared "for our own protection"?
Or will we simply "disappear" political opponents of the current regime?
How about the FBI "accidentally" leaking the fact that a Presidential or Senate candidate downloaded 200Mb of Porn in their college days? Or is sending torrid e-mail to a woman that's not his wife. Or hell, how about sending e-mail to his wife! I can see it now: "Senate Candidate Joe Schmoe sent e-mail to his wife indicating that he wanted to fuck her up the butt. Mr. Schmoe has been arrested since that kind of activity is illegal in his state..."
This law is one step away from making what Nixon tried to do LEGAL.
The folks at the Department of Homeland Defence don't wear arm bands...yet..
Ditto. Just did that stuff yesterday. No replies yet either.
The majority of Americans are going to be OK with this until they see some WASPs having their lives destroyed.
This just plain sucks.
I understand the moral and emotional argument here. It's the legal precedent I'm concerned.
If the Supreme Court decides that virtual child porn is illegal, wouldn't that then set the precident for any game/video that illustrates murder/maahem/sex to be deemed illegal too?
If you make the argument that viewing virtual kiddy porn is going to make you more likely to molest children, then isn't playing Rogue Spear more likely to make you buy a sniper rifle and start capping any one you percieve as a "terrorist".?
(I believe there is evidence that just the opposite is true. If a potential pedophile can live out his fantasy virtually, then he may be LESS likely to commit the act.)
Having 2 kids myself, I would MUCH rather that some sick fuck live out his fantasy in a virtual world than touch my kids.
1. What is the age range of these toys?
(Taking a guess, I'd say 3 and up looks about right.)
2. Does she have any younger siblings?
(Small toys or small pieces present possible choking hazards to wee ones.)
As to whether or not your're wrong aboout yer values, don't sweat it. I think it's an awsome idea to introduce her to new and challenging stuff. God knows we need more female geeks in this world. :) Your niece is lucky to have an Uncle that actually puts some thought into the things he buys.
As corporates continue to seemingly copyright and patent everything in sight and sue anyone even APPEARING to voilate these "rights" I think it entirely appropriate that a culture sue over appropriation of it's heritage. The law DOES occasionally work two ways, and the corporates are slowly suing themselves into a corner. BTW: Although you may believe the contrary, America has been a litigious society since the first puritans. In those days verbal slander was enough to go to court over.