Taxis in most cities are oligopolies in that the business is controlled by a few companies. The reason oligopolies are created is that they are compensation for requirements put on them by the government.
What makes you think that oligopoly is an inevitable result of regulations? The restaurant industry, for example, has many of the same restrictions as the taxi industry (licenses, inspections, insurance, minimum wage, accessibility, etc.) Do you think the restaurant industry is an oligopoly?
For your reference, a liver transplant gets you qualified for parking in a handicapped spot for some time after it occurs and all sorts of time while you're waiting, as does most of the other treatments he was going through.
Because it's too humane. The condemned doesn't just die peacefully, they die after a brief euphoria. For many people this offends their sense of justice: It feels like an evil person has gotten away because they didn't suffer sufficient pain to balance out their crime.
Whenever someone dies while mountain climbing or skydiving, the friends and relatives console themselves with the thought "He died happily - doing what he loved most. If you have to die someday, isn't that the best way?"
Not wanting a murderer to die among feelings of euphoria is just the flip side of this attitude.
Like it or not, human beings attach great importance to what's felt just before death. Not wanting a murderer to feel euphoria at this moment is hardly an example of cruelty.
This. I was speaking the owner of a company last week. He loved my capabilities and experience, kept going on about the pivotal role I could play in his company and then said to my face that he was not going to pay market rates (but not in those words) - and no, he didn't mean he'd pay above market rates, he wanted to pay about 15% to 20% below market rates, and he was not offering anything in return of that.
The Karachi and NY metro areas are of similar size, but NY has a much lower density overall. Yes, Manhattan is super-dense, but most of the NY metro by geographic area is sprawling suburbs in Long Island and NJ. Karachi suburbs extend about 20km in every direction, NY suburbs extend about 60km in every direction, if you look at Google Maps. You can also see that for an 8km radius around this nuclear facility, there is almost no population.
Why not do the experiment in outer space? There are essentially no vibrations there. If the tubes were sufficiently thin and light, they could be affordably launched and then fit together in low earth orbit, and the experiment done there.
The administration officials had been using a private Internet domain, called gwb43.com, owned by and hosted on an email server run by the Republican National Committee, for various communications of unknown content or purpose. The domain name is an acronym standing for "George W. Bush, 43rd" President of the United States. The server came public when it was discovered that J. Scott Jennings, the White House's deputy director of political affairs, was using a gwb43.com email address to discuss the firing of the U.S. attorney for Arkansas. Communications by federal employees were also found on georgewbush.com (registered to "Bush-Cheney '04, Inc.") and rnchq.org (registered to "Republican National Committee"), but, unlike these two servers, gwb43.com has no Web server connected to it — it is used only for email.
That would have been a hell of a spear phishing target. Imagine if you or I had sent emails to a million potential email addresses consisting of permutations of Bush's and his subordinates' names. We're talking about a bunch of middle aged guys who grew up without email. You'd think the chances of gaining access to a super high value computer system would be rather high. This should be a big deal whether it is done by GWB, Hillary, or anyone else.
I've always been puzzled that some of the best minds in user interface design get together and say "obviously, the best solution is to throw out everything the users have learned and give them something totally different."
Because if all the design problems are solved, then they're out of a job.
Dogs are genetically disposed to imprint on their owners. Imagine a dog that really does understand human language... complete with grammar. Lassie, sort my mail then bring me bills and magazines.
Consider a horse that isn't stupid. Able to know when it is needed, what it is to do, and when it is to leave. And possibly the damn things could be taught to take care of themselves a bit better so that the owners don't have to spend as much time fussing over them.
Imagine cats that are not only bred by instinct to depopulate the rat population in the area but that understand that is why you keep them there. Possibly useful as lookouts etc in ways that they're not today.
As usual, what matters is not what has been gained or lost, but the imbalance in who is gaining or losing.
Corporations know everything about what you do. You know little about what corporations do. The government know everything about what you do. You know little about what the government does.
This is just like the problem with automation of jobs. If jobs can be done by robots and humans can relax and have fun, that's good. If all the robots are owned by a handful of corporations, so all the profits go to them while normal people starve, that's bad.
In each case all the benefits go to a very small number of people, while the costs come from everyone.
I would be OK with the police recording me if I could also record the police - but somehow, it's not working out that way in practice.
$40 million makes you a normal boring rich guy. $500 million makes you nearly a billionaire, possibly the richest guy in your city, likely a public figure of some sort, etc.
1) "Trustworthy" extensions that get sold (with no clue to users) to shady third parties which then update the extension with adware, malware, etc. taking advantage of the userbase. Which extensions can you trust not to do this?
How would signing prevent this? The shady third party would buy the certificate as well as the extension.
Better yet, use an unmanned delivery vehicle which has absolutely no dependence on human schedules. It would deliver a parcel (or groceries or whatever) to your curb at a time you specify, then give you a call to come outside and pick it up, then drive itself back to the warehouse. The ideal form would probably be a small vehicle like a tricycle.
Skytran, and other PRT systems, combine the bad points of driving and transit - the low capacity of automobiles and the fixed routes of transit. They are not the optimal solution in any circumstance.
On Tuesday evening, big screens were set up on the streets and squares of the Syrian town Raqqa, the stronghold of the self-styled Islamic State. As word spread of the show that was about to begin, thousands of men and young boys gathered around the screens and the projectors.... [M]ale residents stood transfixed watching the entire 22-minute segment, many chanting "Allahu Ahkbar" and "Takbir" (another form of "God is greatest") as the caged Kassasbeh was consumed by flames. "I would have burnt the pilot with my own hands," said one boy who looked on in fascination as the clip was replayed over and over.
In other words, once it becomes legal for medical professionals to assist someone in taking their own life, medical professionals begin killing people who have not asked for such "help". -- The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
So, why don't we see in the past the same rates of autism we see today? It's brutally simple. The children born with such genetic differences mostly didn't survive to reproductive age. They were murdered.
Evidence? The number of people with reported autism has increased by hundreds of percent over the last couple decades. Were Americans killing off large numbers of their children before then? I don't think so.
Interesting that this comes from MIT Media Lab - where you can find job descriptions like the following:
2. UNDEFINED DISCIPLINE
The Media Lab is a cross-disciplinary research organization focusing on the invention of new media technologies that radically improve the ways people live, learn, work, and play.
We are seeking a new kind of early career faculty member, not defined by discipline, rather by his or her unique and iconoclastic experience, style, and points of view. You can be a designer, inventor, scientist, or scholar – any combination – as long as you make things that matter. Impact is key.
This means somebody with at least these three sets of characteristics: 1) Being deeply versed in a minimum of two fields, preferably not ones normally juxtaposed; 2) Being an orthogonal and counter-intuitive thinker, even a misfit within normal structures; 3) Having a fearless personality, boundless optimism, and desire to change the world.
Any disciplines apply as long as their confluence shows promise of solving big, difficult, and long-term problems. And, most importantly, candidates must explain why their work really can only be done at the Media Lab. We prefer candidates not be similar to our existing faculty. We welcome applicants who have never considered academic careers. If you fit into typical academia, this is probably not the job for you.
The position has no specific degree requirement. Instead, candidates must show evidence of engineering accomplishment, scientific achievement, design innovation or artistic accomplishment. We are looking for a strong mix of invention, discovery and expression.
Applications should consist of one URL—the web site can be designed in whatever manner best characterizes the candidate’s unique qualifications. Web site should include a CV or link to a CV.
Slashdot Mirror
Taxis in most cities are oligopolies in that the business is controlled by a few companies. The reason oligopolies are created is that they are compensation for requirements put on them by the government.
What makes you think that oligopoly is an inevitable result of regulations? The restaurant industry, for example, has many of the same restrictions as the taxi industry (licenses, inspections, insurance, minimum wage, accessibility, etc.) Do you think the restaurant industry is an oligopoly?
For your reference, a liver transplant gets you qualified for parking in a handicapped spot for some time after it occurs and all sorts of time while you're waiting, as does most of the other treatments he was going through.
Jobs was parking in handicapped spots decades before he got cancer.
Because it's too humane. The condemned doesn't just die peacefully, they die after a brief euphoria. For many people this offends their sense of justice: It feels like an evil person has gotten away because they didn't suffer sufficient pain to balance out their crime.
Whenever someone dies while mountain climbing or skydiving, the friends and relatives console themselves with the thought "He died happily - doing what he loved most. If you have to die someday, isn't that the best way?"
Not wanting a murderer to die among feelings of euphoria is just the flip side of this attitude.
Like it or not, human beings attach great importance to what's felt just before death. Not wanting a murderer to feel euphoria at this moment is hardly an example of cruelty.
This. I was speaking the owner of a company last week. He loved my capabilities and experience, kept going on about the pivotal role I could play in his company and then said to my face that he was not going to pay market rates (but not in those words) - and no, he didn't mean he'd pay above market rates, he wanted to pay about 15% to 20% below market rates, and he was not offering anything in return of that.
He was fishing. I hope you didn't bite.
The Karachi and NY metro areas are of similar size, but NY has a much lower density overall. Yes, Manhattan is super-dense, but most of the NY metro by geographic area is sprawling suburbs in Long Island and NJ. Karachi suburbs extend about 20km in every direction, NY suburbs extend about 60km in every direction, if you look at Google Maps. You can also see that for an 8km radius around this nuclear facility, there is almost no population.
Why not do the experiment in outer space? There are essentially no vibrations there. If the tubes were sufficiently thin and light, they could be affordably launched and then fit together in low earth orbit, and the experiment done there.
The administration officials had been using a private Internet domain, called gwb43.com, owned by and hosted on an email server run by the Republican National Committee, for various communications of unknown content or purpose. The domain name is an acronym standing for "George W. Bush, 43rd" President of the United States. The server came public when it was discovered that J. Scott Jennings, the White House's deputy director of political affairs, was using a gwb43.com email address to discuss the firing of the U.S. attorney for Arkansas. Communications by federal employees were also found on georgewbush.com (registered to "Bush-Cheney '04, Inc.") and rnchq.org (registered to "Republican National Committee"), but, unlike these two servers, gwb43.com has no Web server connected to it — it is used only for email.
That would have been a hell of a spear phishing target. Imagine if you or I had sent emails to a million potential email addresses consisting of permutations of Bush's and his subordinates' names. We're talking about a bunch of middle aged guys who grew up without email. You'd think the chances of gaining access to a super high value computer system would be rather high. This should be a big deal whether it is done by GWB, Hillary, or anyone else.
You want to stop ISIS? Fix the Middle-East's economy. Give people stable, productive jobs.
Which is why ISIS is getting so many recruits from Western countries...
I've always been puzzled that some of the best minds in user interface design get together and say "obviously, the best solution is to throw out everything the users have learned and give them something totally different."
Because if all the design problems are solved, then they're out of a job.
scan the skies in the empty deserts of the Southwest to spot illegal immigrants
Hey guys, I think I see the problem.
Why not? Aliens usually come in Unidentified Flying Objects...
If self-driving cars get popular, that parking meter agreement is going to look pretty good...
Dogs are genetically disposed to imprint on their owners. Imagine a dog that really does understand human language... complete with grammar. Lassie, sort my mail then bring me bills and magazines.
Consider a horse that isn't stupid. Able to know when it is needed, what it is to do, and when it is to leave. And possibly the damn things could be taught to take care of themselves a bit better so that the owners don't have to spend as much time fussing over them.
Imagine cats that are not only bred by instinct to depopulate the rat population in the area but that understand that is why you keep them there. Possibly useful as lookouts etc in ways that they're not today.
You mean, imagine having slaves?
As usual, what matters is not what has been gained or lost, but the imbalance in who is gaining or losing.
Corporations know everything about what you do. You know little about what corporations do.
The government know everything about what you do. You know little about what the government does.
This is just like the problem with automation of jobs. If jobs can be done by robots and humans can relax and have fun, that's good. If all the robots are owned by a handful of corporations, so all the profits go to them while normal people starve, that's bad.
In each case all the benefits go to a very small number of people, while the costs come from everyone.
I would be OK with the police recording me if I could also record the police - but somehow, it's not working out that way in practice.
$40 million makes you a normal boring rich guy.
$500 million makes you nearly a billionaire, possibly the richest guy in your city, likely a public figure of some sort, etc.
1) "Trustworthy" extensions that get sold (with no clue to users) to shady third parties which then update the extension with adware, malware, etc. taking advantage of the userbase. Which extensions can you trust not to do this?
How would signing prevent this? The shady third party would buy the certificate as well as the extension.
Better yet, use an unmanned delivery vehicle which has absolutely no dependence on human schedules. It would deliver a parcel (or groceries or whatever) to your curb at a time you specify, then give you a call to come outside and pick it up, then drive itself back to the warehouse. The ideal form would probably be a small vehicle like a tricycle.
Skytran, and other PRT systems, combine the bad points of driving and transit - the low capacity of automobiles and the fixed routes of transit. They are not the optimal solution in any circumstance.
Maybe it is.
On Tuesday evening, big screens were set up on the streets and squares of the Syrian town Raqqa, the stronghold of the self-styled Islamic State. As word spread of the show that was about to begin, thousands of men and young boys gathered around the screens and the projectors. ... [M]ale residents stood transfixed watching the entire 22-minute segment, many chanting "Allahu Ahkbar" and "Takbir" (another form of "God is greatest") as the caged Kassasbeh was consumed by flames. "I would have burnt the pilot with my own hands," said one boy who looked on in fascination as the clip was replayed over and over.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articl...
In other words, once it becomes legal for medical professionals to assist someone in taking their own life, medical professionals begin killing people who have not asked for such "help".
--
The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
Nice sig.
So, why don't we see in the past the same rates of autism we see today? It's brutally simple. The children born with such genetic differences mostly didn't survive to reproductive age. They were murdered.
Evidence? The number of people with reported autism has increased by hundreds of percent over the last couple decades. Were Americans killing off large numbers of their children before then? I don't think so.
Interesting that this comes from MIT Media Lab - where you can find job descriptions like the following:
2. UNDEFINED DISCIPLINE
The Media Lab is a cross-disciplinary research organization focusing on the invention of new media technologies that radically improve the ways people live, learn, work, and play.
We are seeking a new kind of early career faculty member, not defined by discipline, rather by his or her unique and iconoclastic experience, style, and points of view. You can be a designer, inventor, scientist, or scholar – any combination – as long as you make things that matter. Impact is key.
This means somebody with at least these three sets of characteristics:
1) Being deeply versed in a minimum of two fields, preferably not ones normally juxtaposed;
2) Being an orthogonal and counter-intuitive thinker, even a misfit within normal structures;
3) Having a fearless personality, boundless optimism, and desire to change the world.
Any disciplines apply as long as their confluence shows promise of solving big, difficult, and long-term problems. And, most importantly, candidates must explain why their work really can only be done at the Media Lab. We prefer candidates not be similar to our existing faculty. We welcome applicants who have never considered academic careers. If you fit into typical academia, this is probably not the job for you.
The position has no specific degree requirement. Instead, candidates must show evidence of engineering accomplishment, scientific achievement, design innovation or artistic accomplishment. We are looking for a strong mix of invention, discovery and expression.
Applications should consist of one URL—the web site can be designed in whatever manner best characterizes the candidate’s unique qualifications. Web site should include a CV or link to a CV.
I wanted to nominate David Icke :)
Like a hash table?
Your poll would "find out" what people SHOULD think.
The poll in the article found out what people DO think.
Well, there are a lot of non-Christians, and non-practicing Christians, who say "Jesus Christ" which translates to "Jesus the Messiah"...
Cog railways are way too slow...