I have an idea! Stop it.
on
Spidergoats
·
· Score: 2
Basically, you are saying that the next best thing to do is to re-customize beings that have already been customized by the environment for millions of years. Its interesting how fast humans can throw their agenda on even the most agendaless thing like natural selection to make "appropriate changes" that they see fit, or even REPAIR the "mistakes" of nature. I agree with some of the earlier posters. Please just manufacture machines that make the products you want, and leave any creature with a nervous system alone. I don't care about disease resistant fruit. Do as you please with it, but leave anything that can have emotions far away from this.
And don't ever teach my kids. I honestly wonder how someone can actually say "We don't need the fundamentals." If someone didn't sit you down and teach you how to sound out letters, you wouldn't be writing that post or arguing anything at all, Mr. Instantaneous Talented Genius. Society runs on memories and communication... whether it be literary or mathematical. Your bloodline will go the way of the Dodo if you keep that attitude up. So do me a favor, and get out of the way of the ones that are not too lazy to be taught. And stay away from my kids and everyone else's before you teach them that they don't need math if they pray to the Sky-Wolf spirit every night.
Do your self a favor. Never move to America. We have enough dissident opinions that merge on hatefulness here. America is for problem solvers, not for people who point out problems, shoot them full of holes and leave them for dead. Some of us are actually religious, spiritual, highly-motivated people who want to help others. Many of us don't want to know about your problems, or even care, we would prefer to hear about WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO FIX THEM, ASS!!!
You are the reason we find foreigners to be whiny, self-righteous bastards that tell us what to do, but never turn down our big fat international checks to keep your petty, inhumane, unorganized, dangerous governments afloat. You have to deal with us, not the other way around. Keep in mind one thing about Americans: at the end of the day, we are psychotic patriots because this system benefits us like no other government ever has. I don't see people fleeing America because of murderous despots that kill their people. YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT FREEDOM. We refuse to think any way that anyone tells us to. So go ahead and try to demoralize us. We have a big bomb with your name on it that dances the Watusi down your chimney if you try to take our freedoms away in the name of one of your fashionable causes. So, shut up and sit down, you uncivilized bastards, BEFORE WE MAKE YOU SIT DOWN. Oh, and you can't outwork us.... aaaaand the apocalypes isn't coming for us, cause we're watching for it. And take a shower. How do you expect us to even take you seriously if you can't get your hygiene on?!?
Look, I am not trying to get flamed, but who gives a dittly-damn about what format a game console runs on? Really people, c'mon. I could give a crap about if my box is linux or M$, as long as the games are fun and play well. Either way, we all recognize the Sega and Tendo masters, even if they were overrun by the Mongol horde.
And stop dissin' tendo. That is like spitting on your grndmother. You will be wishing you had your tendo back when all of you PSX2 losers and X-boxers get it from the wrong end by a company that is only considering sales by saturation instead of sales by superior product. Honestly these corporations don't know why they want to make games, they just want to make a buck, and Sega and Tendo have always done it because THEY LIKE IT... not because they wanted to make enough money to buy out Viacom. So shuddup, and don't go crying to me or Miyamoto when yer games are a'suckin.
Of course, I don't want to give Gates or Sony all of my money... but damn. Have you played any Sony titles recently? Man they suck. Except for Metal Gear. All of that Code Veronica stuff is so impossible to navigate it is frustrating, and it all looks like ass.
Messing with geneitc diversity is not at all adviseable. You are setting yourself up for a massive die-off when any one "bug" gets into the population, from hosting on the same genetic stock again, and again, and again, and again, and again...... until it mutates to the point that it adapts to you so well, that you're all toast. Choose wisely, and choose different to avoid catastrophe.
Besides, the universe will become bored of football if everyone chose a child with the Joe Monatana genes, and they ALL would. Nerds and all those different would be sexy in the land of Barbie and Ken. Go see GATTACA.
Can you see the social ramifactions of creating a person artificially? Already we have problems with basic human rights and equality in the most civilized nations. How would you like to wake up into the world finding out you were a carbon-copy that is definitely less important than the original? Where would the rights of "constructs" start and end... they will all be humans, and not stupid broom-pushing worker drone ones at that, just another twin of John Doe. This is just eugenics all over again. This whole idea is an offramp that says "Disposable Humans Here." They will not be clones, they will be humans that just happen to be cloned into this world. Stop thinking about your organs that you didn't take care of, and think about an equal life that you will snuff out for your personal greed. This is not like raising cattle. THIS IS RAISING HUMANS AND TREATING THEM LIKE CATTLE. I thought intelligent, scientific, enlightened people would like to protect all the rights of human beings. Hearing people joke about raising humans without cerebrums for parts makes me ill.
You want genetic engineering... they can't engineer a good tomato.
And they end up pulpy and taste like crap. Think about this one to yourself. You might be one of the last generations not coming out "altered." There are some benefits to this for indivduals... but honestly, could you imagine the population pressures this will make in a few gens. And even nature doesn't get it right all the time, remember that one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage. So if you think that we can just "grow" a little you without a cerebrum for parts, think again, it ain't easy even in a great host body. You should thank millions of years of evolution and not try to screw with it at the bottom of the ninth.
Besides, do any of you want to die like a normal human being? "Do me a favor and run up to the fridge and get Gramps a new spleen, grandson."
Economics and capitalism states that the better, cheaper products should win, genius.
That is why we have anti-trust regualations so the market can be controlled by natural forces and innovation, instead of driving innovators out and saying "we are the only game in town, kiss my ring." Your way, you get screwed with crap that you cannot afford, with no incentive for innovation... in other words, what every major international corporation's lazy ass has been doing to the entire world in the past 40 years.
Obviously, you have never had a technical problem with your telephone line, or sewer, or power bill.
Duct tape is easy, fast, and has the kind of stickyness that the cutter blade WILL get caugt on. Make sure thought that you put it on the inside, because I assume that "the evil ones" will spot one of those babies a mile away, and have been there before.
If a computer was transparent and had the ability to "light up" during function, it would practically remove hardware troubleshooting... simply notice what is not running. A transparent computer would also be a world class teaching aid to young children on how they function, they could easily follow the circuits and diagrams, and learn a lot in real experience, instead of looking at books. An "etching glass computer" idea is great. Do they etch it now? Either way, I am not an expert on this in the slightest. I think that it is not even remotely ironic that the HAL 9000 "guts" are getting closer to our desktops every day.
Some day men are going to look at "electrical" computers and wonder how on earth our ancestors ever got the damn things to run. Just like how we look at a longbow and wonder how anyone ever hit someone accurately with them.
This is definitely an exciting time to be alive. Keep your heads up, CUZ IT IS COMING.
Well, isn't this the nature of enterprise itself? If you couldn't save time and resources using these services, then it wouldn't be profitable. These people are in it for pay, AHEM, JUST LIKE WE ALL ARE. People that provide unique services that are useful deserve it... after all you pay them (in one way or another) whether it is money or eyes on an ad, to be there and enjoy the effort of others. Besides, what is the true enforcement of all of this? This environment is a free-for-all, and if they lock down one little corner of it, one of you clever little bastards out there will find a whole new way to do it in say, about, THREE DAYS. And screw the lawyers....
Lawyers are a bunch of semi-smart (not truly intelligent) people that couldn't decide what they wanted to do in college, but knew that they wanted to be professionals. Don't ever fear those bastards. They will always be chasing coattails. To paraphrase Dune: "Those that can destroy it, control it." They can't even reformat it. F' those guys. They will never be at the front, never be competition. They haven't stopped a damn thing for a nanosecond on the net, haven't removed innovation for their own personal gain, HAVEN'T ACCOMPLISHED EVEN ONE MAJOR GOAL THAT THEIR NEFARIOUS BOSSES HAVE SET OUT FOR THEM TO TAKE FROM OTHERS. They haven't a chance to do any damage at all. All I ask is that you look into the idea of fair compensation. They want to rule the roost, jack customers and squash competition? Then they are really looking in to a streetfight they can't win, because they don't have the knowledge of even one of you brilliant little bastards. SO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND WIN.
(FLAMEBAIT ALERT!!!!)
I have two words for your non-believing ass...
Soooooooul Caaaaaaaalibur.
If you think that Sega can't design things properly, then you need to go get yourself a little PS2, run over to your little TV, plug it in, pick up a fresh copy of ANY ONE OF THEIR FUCKING USELESS ASS GAMES, and shut THE HELL up. My brother came in from CALI and bought me a Dreamcast... I now owe him a Wookie life-debt. I can't believe I am hearing someone say that Sega doesn't know what it is doing!!! I actually gave away my N64 to my sister so she could play Bust-a-move, and then someone disses Chu-Chu rocket?!?! Blasphemy!!! String his ass up!!!! BOIL HIM IN OIL!!!
Does anyone understand that last post?
COULD WE ALL STOP USING THIS CRAZY MOON LANGUAGE? IT IS JAMMING UP MY SKULL. This communication models stuff is academic crap that someone is using to wring a doctoral thesis out some old limp ideas. DO NOT LISTEN.
And, by the way, I am a professional communicator if you must now defend yourselves.
Big Relativity Al said himself that science was best served by determining what is, and religious and moral leaders determine what should be.
I have no objections to teaching children evolution (I strangely believe both) because of the inherent logic of it. But there is a way that the minds and spirits of men will the Earth as well. These politicians are idiots, and according to theories that they are suppressing, their thought processes are going to eventually die out. No sweat over time.
It is the South, there are some issues there...(INSERT FLAMEBAIT RESPONSE HERE) and the schools are crappy. But that is everywhere in TN. Your school experience (in any school in Tennessee) is not special by any means. But blaming school is wrong. Could be worse. Could be in a country where school is not even there. Talking el crappo here people.
Really people, if the very fact of being different in some way bothers you... you need to seriously seek psychological help. THE WORLD IS FULL OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN YOU, AND DAMMIT, IT IS COOL AS HELL. Embrace it. Smile a little and everything will be fine.
I work every day next to a female, African-American Muslim and she teaches me all sorts of great things daily. It is a joy to live and work next to these people. See the surprise on their faces as an opportunity to TEACH THEM SOMETHING... RATTLE THEIR CAGES A BIT!!!!
Cmon here people, getting so damn negative doesn't do anything... just because you're an intellectual doesn't mean that you have to cop the defacto moodiness and standard intense one sided "I am always right view."
Re:Speaking as a Social and Open Minded White Man
on
Racism At Microsoft?
·
· Score: 1
I see what you are saying... I work in the news industry (where I came to my own as a white man from rural Indiana) on the mean streets everyday. I have spoken to Senators and crack-heads on the same day and done stories on both... and the only issue that I have seen in the past five years is that of ignorance. There is one single dilineation in humanity... those that seek out knowledge and those that do not. There has never been a race issue other than the particular culture of knowledge that the race promotes. These are cultural wars... not human ones... and certainly not individual based. I have trained myself to speak to all people regardless of my gut reaction (its my job), and every time I am surprised in a positive manner by almost all of them. KEEP IN MIND THAT EDUCATION LIES AROUND YOU AT ALL TIMES... the best are self-taught naturals. The opportunity excuse can be used, but the best people don't ever need to believe all of that hype. And there will always be a group of people in the world regardless of race that will sit back and relax when they should be studying, that is a PERSONAL PROBLEM. And by the way slashdotters, I have met Jesse Jackson, and if I ever hear another POS posting about the "agenda" of such a positive and hardworkig man, I will puke... you can officially speak poorly about a man only after you have spoken to him personally. Get out and meet some people, admit your opinions about them are formed from few encounters... and meet more people!!! Stay positive and learn!!!
Ahem. Lawyers. Lawyers make money on returns from the settlements or judgements. They are the bastards that encouraged them to ask for the kind of money that no one could ever earn in a million years short of screwing the world over or becoming a Banana republic dictator. If I was Gates I would put out a contract on the lawyers that filed those complaints as a response to such a ludicrous request. RULE #1. Don't try to bully the mob.
Re: Thought that it wasn't even possible.
on
Going Up?
·
· Score: 1
I have been reading about this kind of stuff a while back, and I thought that the kind of tersile strenght that these devices would need are on the order of magnitude higher than the actual bonds between any atoms (if you're talking about over a length that would be considered enough to "ride" into orbit). In other words, I heard that space elevators are not even possible from a materials point of view. Keep in mind nature on those methods. Not that I want to shoot down any really good Scifi story ideas.
First off, I work in television, and no one wants to spend the money on a digital system when the analog works just fine. TRUST ME ON THIS.
Second, just like the man said up there in the previous post, there is no way that all of the unused space be used. Cell tech is microwave, UHF is a form of high frequency radio waves. The physics of transmitting on that band are cost prohibitive, and constructive interference is a monster bitch. If you don't understand this, call up one of your physics-major buddies and let him throw it out for you, it will kill that argument completely.
Third, the internet works great in terms of cost. For the price of cable TV I can get anything I want. If you think that serving the public interests is what it is all about, consider this, DID PBS SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST?
The public viewer as a whole is very content specific. NBC serves the public interest better than NPR ever has... they are the ones with the focus groups, not PBS. Free in my television business means that you pay for it some other way, as in terms of cost, or if you're British, watchable quality of media.
Slashdot Mirror
Basically, you are saying that the next best thing to do is to re-customize beings that have already been customized by the environment for millions of years. Its interesting how fast humans can throw their agenda on even the most agendaless thing like natural selection to make "appropriate changes" that they see fit, or even REPAIR the "mistakes" of nature. I agree with some of the earlier posters. Please just manufacture machines that make the products you want, and leave any creature with a nervous system alone. I don't care about disease resistant fruit. Do as you please with it, but leave anything that can have emotions far away from this.
And don't ever teach my kids. I honestly wonder how someone can actually say "We don't need the fundamentals." If someone didn't sit you down and teach you how to sound out letters, you wouldn't be writing that post or arguing anything at all, Mr. Instantaneous Talented Genius. Society runs on memories and communication... whether it be literary or mathematical. Your bloodline will go the way of the Dodo if you keep that attitude up. So do me a favor, and get out of the way of the ones that are not too lazy to be taught. And stay away from my kids and everyone else's before you teach them that they don't need math if they pray to the Sky-Wolf spirit every night.
Do your self a favor. Never move to America. We have enough dissident opinions that merge on hatefulness here. America is for problem solvers, not for people who point out problems, shoot them full of holes and leave them for dead. Some of us are actually religious, spiritual, highly-motivated people who want to help others. Many of us don't want to know about your problems, or even care, we would prefer to hear about WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO FIX THEM, ASS!!! You are the reason we find foreigners to be whiny, self-righteous bastards that tell us what to do, but never turn down our big fat international checks to keep your petty, inhumane, unorganized, dangerous governments afloat. You have to deal with us, not the other way around. Keep in mind one thing about Americans: at the end of the day, we are psychotic patriots because this system benefits us like no other government ever has. I don't see people fleeing America because of murderous despots that kill their people. YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT FREEDOM. We refuse to think any way that anyone tells us to. So go ahead and try to demoralize us. We have a big bomb with your name on it that dances the Watusi down your chimney if you try to take our freedoms away in the name of one of your fashionable causes. So, shut up and sit down, you uncivilized bastards, BEFORE WE MAKE YOU SIT DOWN. Oh, and you can't outwork us.... aaaaand the apocalypes isn't coming for us, cause we're watching for it. And take a shower. How do you expect us to even take you seriously if you can't get your hygiene on?!?
When playing Tony Hawk, you can turn down the muic, dude.
Look, I am not trying to get flamed, but who gives a dittly-damn about what format a game console runs on? Really people, c'mon. I could give a crap about if my box is linux or M$, as long as the games are fun and play well. Either way, we all recognize the Sega and Tendo masters, even if they were overrun by the Mongol horde. And stop dissin' tendo. That is like spitting on your grndmother. You will be wishing you had your tendo back when all of you PSX2 losers and X-boxers get it from the wrong end by a company that is only considering sales by saturation instead of sales by superior product. Honestly these corporations don't know why they want to make games, they just want to make a buck, and Sega and Tendo have always done it because THEY LIKE IT... not because they wanted to make enough money to buy out Viacom. So shuddup, and don't go crying to me or Miyamoto when yer games are a'suckin.
Of course, I don't want to give Gates or Sony all of my money... but damn. Have you played any Sony titles recently? Man they suck. Except for Metal Gear. All of that Code Veronica stuff is so impossible to navigate it is frustrating, and it all looks like ass.
Messing with geneitc diversity is not at all adviseable. You are setting yourself up for a massive die-off when any one "bug" gets into the population, from hosting on the same genetic stock again, and again, and again, and again, and again...... until it mutates to the point that it adapts to you so well, that you're all toast. Choose wisely, and choose different to avoid catastrophe. Besides, the universe will become bored of football if everyone chose a child with the Joe Monatana genes, and they ALL would. Nerds and all those different would be sexy in the land of Barbie and Ken. Go see GATTACA.
Can you see the social ramifactions of creating a person artificially? Already we have problems with basic human rights and equality in the most civilized nations. How would you like to wake up into the world finding out you were a carbon-copy that is definitely less important than the original? Where would the rights of "constructs" start and end... they will all be humans, and not stupid broom-pushing worker drone ones at that, just another twin of John Doe. This is just eugenics all over again. This whole idea is an offramp that says "Disposable Humans Here." They will not be clones, they will be humans that just happen to be cloned into this world. Stop thinking about your organs that you didn't take care of, and think about an equal life that you will snuff out for your personal greed. This is not like raising cattle. THIS IS RAISING HUMANS AND TREATING THEM LIKE CATTLE. I thought intelligent, scientific, enlightened people would like to protect all the rights of human beings. Hearing people joke about raising humans without cerebrums for parts makes me ill.
You want genetic engineering... they can't engineer a good tomato. And they end up pulpy and taste like crap. Think about this one to yourself. You might be one of the last generations not coming out "altered." There are some benefits to this for indivduals... but honestly, could you imagine the population pressures this will make in a few gens. And even nature doesn't get it right all the time, remember that one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage. So if you think that we can just "grow" a little you without a cerebrum for parts, think again, it ain't easy even in a great host body. You should thank millions of years of evolution and not try to screw with it at the bottom of the ninth. Besides, do any of you want to die like a normal human being? "Do me a favor and run up to the fridge and get Gramps a new spleen, grandson."
Economics and capitalism states that the better, cheaper products should win, genius. That is why we have anti-trust regualations so the market can be controlled by natural forces and innovation, instead of driving innovators out and saying "we are the only game in town, kiss my ring." Your way, you get screwed with crap that you cannot afford, with no incentive for innovation... in other words, what every major international corporation's lazy ass has been doing to the entire world in the past 40 years. Obviously, you have never had a technical problem with your telephone line, or sewer, or power bill.
Duct tape is easy, fast, and has the kind of stickyness that the cutter blade WILL get caugt on. Make sure thought that you put it on the inside, because I assume that "the evil ones" will spot one of those babies a mile away, and have been there before.
If a computer was transparent and had the ability to "light up" during function, it would practically remove hardware troubleshooting... simply notice what is not running. A transparent computer would also be a world class teaching aid to young children on how they function, they could easily follow the circuits and diagrams, and learn a lot in real experience, instead of looking at books. An "etching glass computer" idea is great. Do they etch it now? Either way, I am not an expert on this in the slightest. I think that it is not even remotely ironic that the HAL 9000 "guts" are getting closer to our desktops every day. Some day men are going to look at "electrical" computers and wonder how on earth our ancestors ever got the damn things to run. Just like how we look at a longbow and wonder how anyone ever hit someone accurately with them. This is definitely an exciting time to be alive. Keep your heads up, CUZ IT IS COMING.
Well, isn't this the nature of enterprise itself? If you couldn't save time and resources using these services, then it wouldn't be profitable. These people are in it for pay, AHEM, JUST LIKE WE ALL ARE. People that provide unique services that are useful deserve it... after all you pay them (in one way or another) whether it is money or eyes on an ad, to be there and enjoy the effort of others. Besides, what is the true enforcement of all of this? This environment is a free-for-all, and if they lock down one little corner of it, one of you clever little bastards out there will find a whole new way to do it in say, about, THREE DAYS. And screw the lawyers.... Lawyers are a bunch of semi-smart (not truly intelligent) people that couldn't decide what they wanted to do in college, but knew that they wanted to be professionals. Don't ever fear those bastards. They will always be chasing coattails. To paraphrase Dune: "Those that can destroy it, control it." They can't even reformat it. F' those guys. They will never be at the front, never be competition. They haven't stopped a damn thing for a nanosecond on the net, haven't removed innovation for their own personal gain, HAVEN'T ACCOMPLISHED EVEN ONE MAJOR GOAL THAT THEIR NEFARIOUS BOSSES HAVE SET OUT FOR THEM TO TAKE FROM OTHERS. They haven't a chance to do any damage at all. All I ask is that you look into the idea of fair compensation. They want to rule the roost, jack customers and squash competition? Then they are really looking in to a streetfight they can't win, because they don't have the knowledge of even one of you brilliant little bastards. SO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND WIN.
(FLAMEBAIT ALERT!!!!) I have two words for your non-believing ass... Soooooooul Caaaaaaaalibur. If you think that Sega can't design things properly, then you need to go get yourself a little PS2, run over to your little TV, plug it in, pick up a fresh copy of ANY ONE OF THEIR FUCKING USELESS ASS GAMES, and shut THE HELL up. My brother came in from CALI and bought me a Dreamcast... I now owe him a Wookie life-debt. I can't believe I am hearing someone say that Sega doesn't know what it is doing!!! I actually gave away my N64 to my sister so she could play Bust-a-move, and then someone disses Chu-Chu rocket?!?! Blasphemy!!! String his ass up!!!! BOIL HIM IN OIL!!!
Does anyone understand that last post? COULD WE ALL STOP USING THIS CRAZY MOON LANGUAGE? IT IS JAMMING UP MY SKULL. This communication models stuff is academic crap that someone is using to wring a doctoral thesis out some old limp ideas. DO NOT LISTEN. And, by the way, I am a professional communicator if you must now defend yourselves.
Big Relativity Al said himself that science was best served by determining what is, and religious and moral leaders determine what should be. I have no objections to teaching children evolution (I strangely believe both) because of the inherent logic of it. But there is a way that the minds and spirits of men will the Earth as well. These politicians are idiots, and according to theories that they are suppressing, their thought processes are going to eventually die out. No sweat over time.
I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me. Support free ASCII art!!! Yo! Dot matrix will never die!!!
It is the South, there are some issues there...(INSERT FLAMEBAIT RESPONSE HERE) and the schools are crappy. But that is everywhere in TN. Your school experience (in any school in Tennessee) is not special by any means. But blaming school is wrong. Could be worse. Could be in a country where school is not even there. Talking el crappo here people.
Really people, if the very fact of being different in some way bothers you... you need to seriously seek psychological help. THE WORLD IS FULL OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN YOU, AND DAMMIT, IT IS COOL AS HELL. Embrace it. Smile a little and everything will be fine. I work every day next to a female, African-American Muslim and she teaches me all sorts of great things daily. It is a joy to live and work next to these people. See the surprise on their faces as an opportunity to TEACH THEM SOMETHING... RATTLE THEIR CAGES A BIT!!!! Cmon here people, getting so damn negative doesn't do anything... just because you're an intellectual doesn't mean that you have to cop the defacto moodiness and standard intense one sided "I am always right view."
I see what you are saying... I work in the news industry (where I came to my own as a white man from rural Indiana) on the mean streets everyday. I have spoken to Senators and crack-heads on the same day and done stories on both... and the only issue that I have seen in the past five years is that of ignorance. There is one single dilineation in humanity... those that seek out knowledge and those that do not. There has never been a race issue other than the particular culture of knowledge that the race promotes. These are cultural wars... not human ones... and certainly not individual based. I have trained myself to speak to all people regardless of my gut reaction (its my job), and every time I am surprised in a positive manner by almost all of them. KEEP IN MIND THAT EDUCATION LIES AROUND YOU AT ALL TIMES... the best are self-taught naturals. The opportunity excuse can be used, but the best people don't ever need to believe all of that hype. And there will always be a group of people in the world regardless of race that will sit back and relax when they should be studying, that is a PERSONAL PROBLEM. And by the way slashdotters, I have met Jesse Jackson, and if I ever hear another POS posting about the "agenda" of such a positive and hardworkig man, I will puke... you can officially speak poorly about a man only after you have spoken to him personally. Get out and meet some people, admit your opinions about them are formed from few encounters... and meet more people!!! Stay positive and learn!!!
Ahem. Lawyers. Lawyers make money on returns from the settlements or judgements. They are the bastards that encouraged them to ask for the kind of money that no one could ever earn in a million years short of screwing the world over or becoming a Banana republic dictator. If I was Gates I would put out a contract on the lawyers that filed those complaints as a response to such a ludicrous request. RULE #1. Don't try to bully the mob.
I have been reading about this kind of stuff a while back, and I thought that the kind of tersile strenght that these devices would need are on the order of magnitude higher than the actual bonds between any atoms (if you're talking about over a length that would be considered enough to "ride" into orbit). In other words, I heard that space elevators are not even possible from a materials point of view. Keep in mind nature on those methods. Not that I want to shoot down any really good Scifi story ideas.
First off, I work in television, and no one wants to spend the money on a digital system when the analog works just fine. TRUST ME ON THIS. Second, just like the man said up there in the previous post, there is no way that all of the unused space be used. Cell tech is microwave, UHF is a form of high frequency radio waves. The physics of transmitting on that band are cost prohibitive, and constructive interference is a monster bitch. If you don't understand this, call up one of your physics-major buddies and let him throw it out for you, it will kill that argument completely. Third, the internet works great in terms of cost. For the price of cable TV I can get anything I want. If you think that serving the public interests is what it is all about, consider this, DID PBS SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST? The public viewer as a whole is very content specific. NBC serves the public interest better than NPR ever has... they are the ones with the focus groups, not PBS. Free in my television business means that you pay for it some other way, as in terms of cost, or if you're British, watchable quality of media.