>- A. Coward said: "John Katz's articles are causing Slashdot to get TRASHED and producing no NEW discussion and no NEW news."
That's funny... me and my 36.6K modem haven't had a problem except for the time period when the article is being posted (which lasts about 5 minutes, max... or whenever I get around trying to reload it). Maybe the problem is more of your connection?
>- A. Coward said: "As a last resort, drop out, home school, and take your GED. You won't be able to get into a 4-year college, but if you take the junior college route, you should be able to attend a 4-year with a little work."
I REALLY have to disagree with this; homeschooling and always has been a viable option to public indoctrination. Four year colleges actually embrace homeschooled applicants; ask the admission directors at the Ivy League schools, Stanford, U. of Chicago, Duke, Washing and Lee, and they will all tell you that a homeschooled student is more disciplined in their studies, does better in college, and rarely drops out. Most homeschool students that go to college thoroughly enjoy the experience; they are treated no differently; in fact, some of my friends said that when they told the people where they went to college that they were homeschooled, the vast majority of students and professors were interested in it, with some students coming right out and stating they had wished they were homeschooled. There are no increased admission requirements (which are disallowed by law, anyways), and the GED is only required for public universities (but it is a matter of a formality only). I would seriously suggest to any that feel out of place in high school, and have a willing and capable family, to investigate homeschooling. Take you education into your own hands, and you will actually *gasp* learn more and enjoy it.
As for those with working parents, well, its real simple; class in the evening, work during the day, and you get to sleep late. You'll find with the one-on-one instruction, especially in high school, you will only really need 2-3 hours of it a day, if that; my brother last year did calculus, physics, and C/Python programming himself, with my mother only instructing him on history and english literature/composition. He was, when he applied for college this year, accepted at Princeton, U. of Virginia (we live in TN), Berry College in GA, College of Charleston, Transylvania U. in KY, and U. of Tennessee, which were all the schools he applied to. Not only that, he was granted full academic scholarship everywhere except Princeton, were he obtained a measly $20,000 in aid (they do not give merit scholarships). Gee, not bad for a homeschool student.
And what about me, you ask? I insisted on staying public school. I enjoyed one year (my junior year), was critically ill my freshman year, and despised the other two years. Junior year, things clicked with a few people, but they graduated and moved on. I never did fit in (although I really don't have any horror stories). And now, a junior in college, I regret my decision to not homeschool with my little brother.
I believe that this is part of the answer; you can go through and try to change it, damaging you children in the process through the ridicule and mockery that is almost guaranteed to fall on them if you do so, or can pull them out and educate them yourself, and then try to change it. If you are still in high school and are reading this, I do seriously suggest you talk to your parents about this. And parents, talk to your high school children. Just think: a better education, far less boredom, and no need to worry about the Kevlar vest...
According to the Dirk Meyer's presentation given at the Microprocessor Forum last October (and this is the only extensive dicussion about the K7 AMD has given that I can find), the K7 does use Alpha's EV6 bus technology to run the bus at 200 mhz, but the chip itself utilizes many x86 technologies, including 3 parallel x86 instruction decoders and the support for up to 8 MB of L2 cache (not mention SMP). All of this will utilize a x86 structure as far as the software is concern; Win98 (just an example) and Linux should run fine out of the box; you'll just have to worry about the hardware. I seriously suggest you read the about link; it gives a good bit of information about the chip itself (although, remember this was in Oct. of 1998, and it could be different, hopefully better).
evolve Pronunciation: i-'välv, -'volv, E- also -'väv or -'vov Function: verb Inflected Form(s): evolved; evolving Etymology: Latin evolvere to unroll, from e- + volvere to roll -- more at VOLUBLE Date: 1641 transitive senses 1 : EMIT 2 a : DERIVE, EDUCE b : to produce by natural evolutionary processes c : DEVELOP, WORK OUT evolve social, political, and literary philosophies -- L. W. Doob> intransitive senses : to undergo evolutionary change - evolvable/-'väl-v&-b&l, -'vol- also -'vä-v&- or -'vo-v&-/ adjective - evolvement/-'välv-m&nt, -'volv- also -'väv- or -'vov-/ noun
No where in there do I see anything about evolve implying a better or more sophisticated change. While that is certainly true much of the time, you will find that not all are for the best (reptiles evolutionary adaptation to heat gave them a serious disadvantage in the cold). Segmentation also occurs along the pathways of evolution; just look at the varieties of bird of any single species; the number of subspecies for, say, finches will undoubtedly astound you.
As far as cultural evolution, well, I have heard about it; our anthropologists at the university discuss it, not a change for the better in the culture, but a change that results in a more complex environment (i.e., more rituals, differing religions are introduced, living to an older age, etc.). Events like these force a culture to change, because all culture are defined by a set of "rules" (for lack of a better word) that allows an outsider with knowledge of them to gain an idea of the structure a particular culture. Segmentation has and will often occur; just look at the differences in the Oriental and Native American cultures... a few similarities, many differences, and a common root. So, yes, Katz was correct with using "evolve" in context with changing cultures, although, for a nit-picking point, perhaps the use of "adaptation" would have been better (since, biologically, you must adapt before you can evolve). Either way, evolution does have a place in cultural anthropology.
I gradutated two years ago from a high school in a town of 19,000. We had approximately 150-175 students in my grade, and by the end of middle school, 15 had been arrested (mostly for misdemeanor drug use, a few for resale), and, to the surprise to everyone, several pregnancies occurred. My crowd sat back an watched it all; drug use would become common among a few friends a couple of years later, but at that time, we were able to see these people, the shining apples of their peers, have to bear these in middle school (which, IMHO, is a far harsher environment socially than high school), and, in a twisted way, we were glad it happened (although it does not say much for us in that respect).
I survived the utter boredom of high school through a close-knit family, a few friends, and the support of the teachers. Most of the teachers there despised the administration, and many of them would help myself and my friends through various ways: our programing teacher (supposed to be BASIC, we did C and C++) allowed access to the school computer security system, under the supervision of the man in charge of it, actually improving on it. Our english teacher would hold reading groups with us; we'd pick the book, and then we would meet two weeks later and discuss it. I won't go into more detail, but the fact remains we were fortunate. I do not go back there; I maintain contact with those teachers through email. I do not see anyone from that high school except the six people who I considered close friends... 3 of them have moved away now, so the 3 of us huddle together on the holidays and summers, inviting our college friends down to help pass the time better.
I had decided a long time ago that the people who would ostrasize me for who I am are not worth mess with or worrying about; it was hard to learn to ignore them, to not worry about them, but, after several months (almost a whole semester), I was able to do it. The result? I am never bothered (they do not wish to waste their time), and I am actually on slightly friendlier terms with them then I would be otherwise. Sometimes, the best solution is the hardest one; we just have to remember, when these other people are shunning us, or poking fun, or hurting, why are we around them, and do we truely want to befriend them?
- zantispam said: "At least in the Koran, it explicitly gives permission to strike down one's enemies. In the Bible,that is left up to interpretation. The difference between the two, while subtle, is in part my beef with the Church."
I must profess my knowledge of other religions than Christianity beyond the general overview of then is lacking, but I have heard about that passage in the Koran. As far as the the Christian Bible (and to a certain extent the Judaic Torah), it is that interpretation bit that riles me. Those very passages you have mentioned have always , in my eyes, pertain to those that would harm the followers of the church, whether they are Christians of not; God has promised to save those of his flock ("Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him" - Revelations 3:20). It is unfortunate that many overzealous leaders through centuries have taken these same messages and applied them in a heavy-handed manner, turning on anyone who does not view it the same (for my interpretations I have given here, I would be branded a heretic). All I can see now to try and remedy through action, although it is difficult to have a culture put aside 2000 years of history and re-examine their faith. I feel though, that through that very action, fewer people outside of Christianity will feel then need to lash out in a justified self-defense. It is that very principle that the founding fathers of the USA were striving for; not necessarily separation of church and state (which is a 20th Century Supreme Court ruling, BTW, not a tenant of the Constitution) but understanding and the ability to live without fear of persecution. In a way, I think the Internet enhances this; the anonymity it provides gives the users a chances to flesh out, and seek out their own beliefs, giving them confidence in them and allowing them to eventually bring them forth, off the Net, and into the sun.
"I do not 'look down' upon those whose views are different than my own. I do, however, hold in contempt an institution (or idea) that has resulted in the slaughter of so many innocent people."
Perhaps you would do better to place the fault into the hands of those that committed the atrocities. Remember, just because it was in the name of religion does not mean that it was what the religion espouses... I wish I could remember the passage, but, since I can't, I suggest you re-read the Gospels (I am only saying this since the religion in reference is Christianity; do the say with the like documents for other religions).
"Please back that up. Here's my justification. Crusades:Let's see, the Crusades were two things(I'm making a generalization here): #1:The Church needed a distraction, a rallying point to bring in warring factions... #2:The Church (as always) needed money. Who better to get it from than the Infidels that occupied the Holy Land?"
Let us also examine the Islamic jihads, the Hindu v. Buddhism, the Shinto v. Confusicism/Taoist, the Celtic v. Everyone, and the various African religions v. everyone conflicts. One might initially say that religion is the single common thread. In reality, what is religion but a unifying system of morals and beliefs for a culture? Once together, they begin scheming, and will often use the very religion that unites them to justify their actions, even if that religion does not endorse such activities. My point is, look to the fault within man first; there is the root of the problem.
>- an AC wrote: Supposedly they can determine the volume of the planet in question, but without knowledge of the materials how can you possible determine it's mass?
It is quite easy to determine the mass of a body with out knowledge of its composition. By using doppler and spectral shifts, one can gauge the tangential acceleration of the body. Additionally, we can, by its very interaction with the star, determine the force exerted to maintain the orbit. Once both of those are known, a simple calculation of FORCE=MASS*ACCELERATION will yield the mass. Now, all that remains is a way to determine composition and size.
>- Skyshadow said: [big snip] So, is it possible to be a technical person all your life and still live? In the case of the first generation of computer techs, I'd have to say almost certainly not. That frightens me.
Well, I am not sure of the current trends; I only personally know of three people who have been around that long. One is indeed in management, but the other two aren't. One, my boss, is in title a VP of the corporation I work for, but he functions as the senior system/network administrator, something he has been doing for hei entire career. The other man, my father, has been programming in various languages and on various operating systems since 1971. Both of these men are willing to learn the new technologies and "fads" that permeate any evolving technology, and then filter out the trash. If you are willing to constantly learn, and then (most importantly) constantly do you best, a long career (with huge paycheck every two weeks) can be had; come to think of it, that is what you should do for any job.
-G.
Sterling and Gibson anyone?
on
Generations
·
· Score: 1
>- Saint said: I think the "cyberpunk" authors of the eighties were prophetic in spirit about the attitude and direction of the world today.
I think they were prophetic not only in that manner, but also physically. Already down at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, researchers are pluggin quadrapalegics into a computer, using probes to allow them to manipulate a mouse and keyboard (a fair amount of success with the mouse, not so much with the keyboard). If they can do this now, then physically we might end immersing ourselves in a digital world not unlike that of Gibson's (or, worse, the Matrix). I simple electromagnetic device like that would change the entire social structure as we know it; something to ponder...
Think about it; one of the biggest examples of volunteering is in a for-profit environment: hospitals. Those candy-stripers do not get paid. Unfortunately, I do not know much about their duties; maybe someone else can elaborate, please? I do know about volunteering in two other for-profit environments: an animal hospital and the local DA's office. Allow me to elaborate on this.
My younger brother volunteered for 2.5 years at a local animal hospital (he works there now as a vet tech getting money for college). The vetinarian that hired him made a couple of things clear: the vet could only request a certain number of hours of work, but my brother could work more (up to the legal limit, since he was 15 and in school), and the vet could request and duties of him, although my brother could refuse to perform it, at which time the vet could not take an reconciliatory action toward him. As a volunteer, my brother actually got to do more, since the age labor laws do not apply to volunteers as long as they have parental permission. The minute my brother was hired though, he was unable to perform some of the tests and other activities he was doing do to the exact labor law that AOL is being sued over. I am assuming (although I might jumping too far here) that the vet checked out the labor laws; my brother approached him about it, then, after a discussion, the vet said it would be one month before he could start. I believe, if my memory serves me correctly, that this was to check out the labor laws.
My brother's friend volunteered in the local DA's office one summer, and performed such duties as paper-fetcher and -runner, wrote letters, typed up briefs, and several other duties I am not able to recall at this moment.
The point is that both of them work with NO compensation: no free account, no free cat/dog washes, no free legal services, etc. What might, if anything, cause AOL a problem is that they did compensate for the services, which can be construed as payment. If so, then, by law, they have pay minimum wage. This is for the judge to decide, though; just remember that, as long as NO compensation is given, then it really won't matter if you are for-profit or not.
>- Doviende said: Actually, saying that they're "pure energy" makes them sound insubstantial. If they can chop through things, they have to interact via the electromagnetic force. This means that they will also interact with the air, so they (at a minimum) have some air resistance.
But the air resistance would minimal compared to the resistance given by gravity. The shear weight would be the biggest factor, and with it dropped substantially, that would likewise decrease the resistance, and thus increase the speed with which it can be wielded.
>- Doviende: also, rather than just being "pure energy", they could be a some kind of plasma (ionized gas).I obviously have no idea how they would implement the containment of such a thing, but if this were the case, the blade would have a mass too.
Well... I think a plasma of some kind would be more plausible than pure energy. It has some mass, which means it can be physically confined. Have a limited magnetic field emit from the base as a containment field (remember, plasma is a *charged* gas, alloing for such containment), and the gas could be held. Then, turning it on and off would merely be expanding the magnetic field and thus the range the plasma can move about. Of course, practical considerations abound (I'll get to them below).
>- Doviende: Then there's the fact that they would probably want to artificially weight them so that they balance properly. I've been in the fencing club at university, and i think it would be quite a nuisance to have a sword that had all of its weight behind your hands instead of in front. You'd have to use a different set of muscles i think (although i'm not a kinesiologist).
I don't know if that would advantageous. As a fencer, I prefer to have as much weight as possible behind the bell garde and in my hand. This gives me more control (particularly in the two thrusting weapons) and less fatigue. As for using the different muscle set, well, that all comes down to training. If you train with it, you will develop the control and muscles necessary to use it properly.
The biggest things I see as a problem are the following: 1): What happens when two lightsabers collide? Would the magnetic field hold, or, if they can be compressed enough, would it force the plasma out (and since they are charged the same, force them out in a violent manner)? This may not be a problem with strong enough fields, as the two fields would bounce off each other (maybe...).
2): Strong magnetic field in a metal ship or building... 'nuff said.
3): The weapon would become, in Newtonian mechanics, as close to a point-mass as we can achieve in reality. With it come control problems; no inertia = inability to gauge the position of the blade and its tip (with potentially fatal consequences for the wielder).
Bingo... Congress indeed changed the laws so that once you are in, you may not leave (though how this would apply to Texas, I do not know... it probably would not, as this would be considered ex post facto).
I find it interesting that an organization (KLA) that NATO is (nominally) supporting was organized, trained, and supported by Osama Bin-Laden, the very Saudi that the US would like to get their hands on.
As for the "mass genocides" I have not heard anything but that word thrown around; no pictures, no places mentioned, etc. If this word is being thrown around, shouldn't it be connected to something?
Mmmm... I think you need to go back and re-read joshamania's statement; I didn't see anything in there were he claimed one was better than the other. He said Apple may a margin into the product, but he doesn't know for sure. Only the people at Apple could really know for sure (or those who can get the information out of them). You jumping on his case like that was unnecessary; it would perhaps be better if you read his post correctly...
You know... I've never tried to crack any RC5 keys on my AMD system, but, if I remember correctly, that is FPU intensive, is it not (somebody let me know)? I have already stated that the current K6-2 and K6-III processors from AMD are lacking in the raw power of their FPU's, but, honestly, how many home users are going to crack RC5 keys? Very few; most want is for their WYSIWYG word processors and Internet preformance, and of their games. In these three areas, I have not seen a noticable difference in AMD's performance vs. P2 or G3 (assuming comparable speeds).
As for what my personal system can do... that would be interesting; I think I'll try it out to see just what can it do.
Gotta agree with than... we had a power supply fry at work on our RS/6000 server(ok... its not a PC, but the point is the same). Blew both processors boards and the mainboard... all because two $.50 capacitors went out...
We also had a PC power supply go out, and after I replaced it, it turned out it took the motherboards and processor with it. So, spending the extra money on a good power supply is an excellent investment. You can get an Enlight case, with which I have been pleased with, for around $80 for the ATX form (I think it is $60 for the AT).
my fault... didn't mean to slight those pre-seventies... I guess the rapid growth didn't really start till mid-seventies as microprocessors were enhanced, and made feasible, so there will not be as many then, but you can't forget them (afterall, it was them and the like of Alan Turing who helped make this industry possible)...
Err... well, actually the nickname came from the way I play Quake (re: like an old man), and yes, I suck (I am happy to get 10-12 frags in multiplayer).
But, as for the age bit, remember the first generation of computer programmers are either in or nearing their fifties (like my father, age 52, who has been a programmer since '71). He already gets senior citizen discounts (which really irks him). My mother, 52 almost 53, has just been introduced to Linux (Dad has worked with Unix systems for the past 15 years), and she is getting the hang of it rapidly. She understands the workings of the file system, has no trouble upgrading the packages (in Slackware, no less!), set up X windows, changed the X server (after swapping video cards), and then configuring the modem and ppp connection. On her own. Hmmm... guess we shouldn't underestimate the true elders of our society, eh? =)
Well... yeah, your right... there is no contest on that point. Mine was from the point that most of the people reading this know what they are doing with the insides. The size and components of the iMac are good ('cept the OS), and there are plenty of machines out there that, when coupled with the monitor, are still cheaper. I was merely using mine as an example of, after adding all that extra hardware, my system just then reached the current price plataeu of the iMac... and, as for 6-12 months hence, I re-evaluate the cost based on market conditions, know full well that building my system then was be cheaper (and, mostly likely, still around the iMac price).
But yes, I agree; the majority of the people will not be mucking around and building their own PC's. Just don't fail to neglect the cheaper PC's...
I have built an AMD system, and the money saved on the processor alone allowed me to put in 128 MB ram rather than 64 (which is still more than the 32 everyone is touting). I do not have a lot of applications that tax the processor, but the memory usage sometimes is noticable (I only had 64 MB originally, and adding the other 64 MB has made a noticable difference). Yeah, I know, the AMD processor's FPU isn't as good... and that said, I really haven't seen a difference between my k6-2/350mhz and my friend's pII-350mhz on the same applications. As for significantly less, well, the cost of my 17" monitor, system (with a 3D card, sound, ethernet (10/100), 56K modem, 36x CD-ROM, 8.4 GB HD), and UPS was around $875 (with rebates, I think that there was an upfront cost of $980). I then added a 2x/2x/8x CD-RW the other day for around (after the rebate) $139. Now... show me the iMac (or G3) that does all of that for that price... or even near it...
As for the kiddies and Quake... maybe we should push id to develop Quake For Kids, feature levels contain their favorite television friends, like Barney, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, etc., and have them go around shooting foam pellets at them (so the kids won't get upset when Big Bird dies)... then, when they graduate to real Quake, they'll be ready to whup...
Apple would make a good bit of money if they offered the case for sale and use with PC's. Of course this would probably be counter productive on the profit end, but I know I would seriously consider one...
Slashdot Mirror
>- A. Coward said:
"John Katz's articles are causing Slashdot to get TRASHED and producing no NEW discussion and no NEW news."
That's funny... me and my 36.6K modem haven't had a problem except for the time period when the article is being posted (which lasts about 5 minutes, max... or whenever I get around trying to reload it). Maybe the problem is more of your connection?
-G.
>- A. Coward said:
"As a last resort, drop out, home school, and take your GED. You won't be able to get into a 4-year college, but if you take the junior college route, you should be able to attend a 4-year with a little work."
I REALLY have to disagree with this; homeschooling and always has been a viable option to public indoctrination. Four year colleges actually embrace homeschooled applicants; ask the admission directors at the Ivy League schools, Stanford, U. of Chicago, Duke, Washing and Lee, and they will all tell you that a homeschooled student is more disciplined in their studies, does better in college, and rarely drops out. Most homeschool students that go to college thoroughly enjoy the experience; they are treated no differently; in fact, some of my friends said that when they told the people where they went to college that they were homeschooled, the vast majority of students and professors were interested in it, with some students coming right out and stating they had wished they were homeschooled. There are no increased admission requirements (which are disallowed by law, anyways), and the GED is only required for public universities (but it is a matter of a formality only). I would seriously suggest to any that feel out of place in high school, and have a willing and capable family, to investigate homeschooling. Take you education into your own hands, and you will actually *gasp* learn more and enjoy it.
As for those with working parents, well, its real simple; class in the evening, work during the day, and you get to sleep late. You'll find with the one-on-one instruction, especially in high school, you will only really need 2-3 hours of it a day, if that; my brother last year did calculus, physics, and C/Python programming himself, with my mother only instructing him on history and english literature/composition. He was, when he applied for college this year, accepted at Princeton, U. of Virginia (we live in TN), Berry College in GA, College of Charleston, Transylvania U. in KY, and U. of Tennessee, which were all the schools he applied to. Not only that, he was granted full academic scholarship everywhere except Princeton, were he obtained a measly $20,000 in aid (they do not give merit scholarships). Gee, not bad for a homeschool student.
And what about me, you ask? I insisted on staying public school. I enjoyed one year (my junior year), was critically ill my freshman year, and despised the other two years. Junior year, things clicked with a few people, but they graduated and moved on. I never did fit in (although I really don't have any horror stories). And now, a junior in college, I regret my decision to not homeschool with my little brother.
I believe that this is part of the answer; you can go through and try to change it, damaging you children in the process through the ridicule and mockery that is almost guaranteed to fall on them if you do so, or can pull them out and educate them yourself, and then try to change it. If you are still in high school and are reading this, I do seriously suggest you talk to your parents about this. And parents, talk to your high school children. Just think: a better education, far less boredom, and no need to worry about the Kevlar vest...
-G.
yeah... and wright, mason, and gilmour NEVER wrote anything when waters was with them...
and r.e.m.? well, they are gone too... that new Up album, that was somebody else...
some comments are best kept to oneself, Hobbex
-G.
According to the Dirk Meyer's presentation given at the Microprocessor Forum last October (and this is the only extensive dicussion about the K7 AMD has given that I can find), the K7 does use Alpha's EV6 bus technology to run the bus at 200 mhz, but the chip itself utilizes many x86 technologies, including 3 parallel x86 instruction decoders and the support for up to 8 MB of L2 cache (not mention SMP). All of this will utilize a x86 structure as far as the software is concern; Win98 (just an example) and Linux should run fine out of the box; you'll just have to worry about the hardware. I seriously suggest you read the about link; it gives a good bit of information about the chip itself (although, remember this was in Oct. of 1998, and it could be different, hopefully better).
-G.
From the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
/-'väl-v&-b&l, -'vol- also -'vä-v&- or -'vo-v&-/ adjective /-'välv-m&nt, -'volv- also -'väv- or -'vov-/ noun
evolve
Pronunciation: i-'välv, -'volv, E- also -'väv or -'vov
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): evolved; evolving
Etymology: Latin evolvere to unroll, from e- + volvere to roll -- more at VOLUBLE
Date: 1641
transitive senses
1 : EMIT
2 a : DERIVE, EDUCE b : to produce by natural evolutionary processes c : DEVELOP, WORK OUT evolve social,
political, and literary philosophies -- L. W. Doob>
intransitive senses : to undergo evolutionary change
- evolvable
- evolvement
No where in there do I see anything about evolve implying a better or more sophisticated change. While that is certainly true much of the time, you will find that not all are for the best (reptiles evolutionary adaptation to heat gave them a serious disadvantage in the cold). Segmentation also occurs along the pathways of evolution; just look at the varieties of bird of any single species; the number of subspecies for, say, finches will undoubtedly astound you.
As far as cultural evolution, well, I have heard about it; our anthropologists at the university discuss it, not a change for the better in the culture, but a change that results in a more complex environment (i.e., more rituals, differing religions are introduced, living to an older age, etc.). Events like these force a culture to change, because all culture are defined by a set of "rules" (for lack of a better word) that allows an outsider with knowledge of them to gain an idea of the structure a particular culture. Segmentation has and will often occur; just look at the differences in the Oriental and Native American cultures... a few similarities, many differences, and a common root. So, yes, Katz was correct with using "evolve" in context with changing cultures, although, for a nit-picking point, perhaps the use of "adaptation" would have been better (since, biologically, you must adapt before you can evolve). Either way, evolution does have a place in cultural anthropology.
-G.
I gradutated two years ago from a high school in a town of 19,000. We had approximately 150-175 students in my grade, and by the end of middle school, 15 had been arrested (mostly for misdemeanor drug use, a few for resale), and, to the surprise to everyone, several pregnancies occurred. My crowd sat back an watched it all; drug use would become common among a few friends a couple of years later, but at that time, we were able to see these people, the shining apples of their peers, have to bear these in middle school (which, IMHO, is a far harsher environment socially than high school), and, in a twisted way, we were glad it happened (although it does not say much for us in that respect).
I survived the utter boredom of high school through a close-knit family, a few friends, and the support of the teachers. Most of the teachers there despised the administration, and many of them would help myself and my friends through various ways: our programing teacher (supposed to be BASIC, we did C and C++) allowed access to the school computer security system, under the supervision of the man in charge of it, actually improving on it. Our english teacher would hold reading groups with us; we'd pick the book, and then we would meet two weeks later and discuss it. I won't go into more detail, but the fact remains we were fortunate. I do not go back there; I maintain contact with those teachers through email. I do not see anyone from that high school except the six people who I considered close friends... 3 of them have moved away now, so the 3 of us huddle together on the holidays and summers, inviting our college friends down to help pass the time better.
I had decided a long time ago that the people who would ostrasize me for who I am are not worth mess with or worrying about; it was hard to learn to ignore them, to not worry about them, but, after several months (almost a whole semester), I was able to do it. The result? I am never bothered (they do not wish to waste their time), and I am actually on slightly friendlier terms with them then I would be otherwise. Sometimes, the best solution is the hardest one; we just have to remember, when these other people are shunning us, or poking fun, or hurting, why are we around them, and do we truely want to befriend them?
-G.
-G.
- zantispam said:
"At least in the Koran, it explicitly gives permission to strike down one's enemies. In the Bible,that is left up to interpretation. The difference between the two, while subtle, is in part my beef with the Church."
I must profess my knowledge of other religions than Christianity beyond the general overview of then is lacking, but I have heard about that passage in the Koran. As far as the the Christian Bible (and to a certain extent the Judaic Torah), it is that interpretation bit that riles me. Those very passages you have mentioned have always , in my eyes, pertain to those that would harm the followers of the church, whether they are Christians of not; God has promised to save those of his flock ("Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him" - Revelations 3:20). It is unfortunate that many overzealous leaders through centuries have taken these same messages and applied them in a heavy-handed manner, turning on anyone who does not view it the same (for my interpretations I have given here, I would be branded a heretic). All I can see now to try and remedy through action, although it is difficult to have a culture put aside 2000 years of history and re-examine their faith. I feel though, that through that very action, fewer people outside of Christianity will feel then need to lash out in a justified self-defense. It is that very principle that the founding fathers of the USA were striving for; not necessarily separation of church and state (which is a 20th Century Supreme Court ruling, BTW, not a tenant of the Constitution) but understanding and the ability to live without fear of persecution. In a way, I think the Internet enhances this; the anonymity it provides gives the users a chances to flesh out, and seek out their own beliefs, giving them confidence in them and allowing them to eventually bring them forth, off the Net, and into the sun.
- G.
(I'm going to have to snip a good bit - G.)
"I do not 'look down' upon those whose views are different than my own. I do, however, hold in contempt an institution (or idea) that has resulted in the slaughter of so many innocent people."
Perhaps you would do better to place the fault into the hands of those that committed the atrocities. Remember, just because it was in the name of religion does not mean that it was what the religion espouses... I wish I could remember the passage, but, since I can't, I suggest you re-read the Gospels (I am only saying this since the religion in reference is Christianity; do the say with the like documents for other religions).
"Please back that up. Here's my justification.
Crusades:Let's see, the Crusades were two things(I'm making a generalization here):
#1:The Church needed a distraction, a rallying point to bring in warring factions...
#2:The Church (as always) needed money. Who better to get it from than the Infidels that occupied the Holy Land?"
Let us also examine the Islamic jihads, the Hindu v. Buddhism, the Shinto v. Confusicism/Taoist, the Celtic v. Everyone, and the various African religions v. everyone conflicts. One might initially say that religion is the single common thread. In reality, what is religion but a unifying system of morals and beliefs for a culture? Once together, they begin scheming, and will often use the very religion that unites them to justify their actions, even if that religion does not endorse such activities. My point is, look to the fault within man first; there is the root of the problem.
- G.
>- an AC wrote:
Supposedly they can determine the volume of the planet in question, but without knowledge of the materials how can you possible determine it's mass?
It is quite easy to determine the mass of a body with out knowledge of its composition. By using doppler and spectral shifts, one can gauge the tangential acceleration of the body. Additionally, we can, by its very interaction with the star, determine the force exerted to maintain the orbit. Once both of those are known, a simple calculation of FORCE=MASS*ACCELERATION will yield the mass. Now, all that remains is a way to determine composition and size.
>- Skyshadow said:
[big snip]
So, is it possible to be a technical person all your life and still live? In the case of the first generation of computer techs, I'd have to say almost certainly not. That frightens me.
Well, I am not sure of the current trends; I only personally know of three people who have been around that long. One is indeed in management, but the other two aren't. One, my boss, is in title a VP of the corporation I work for, but he functions as the senior system/network administrator, something he has been doing for hei entire career. The other man, my father, has been programming in various languages and on various operating systems since 1971. Both of these men are willing to learn the new technologies and "fads" that permeate any evolving technology, and then filter out the trash. If you are willing to constantly learn, and then (most importantly) constantly do you best, a long career (with huge paycheck every two weeks) can be had; come to think of it, that is what you should do for any job.
-G.
>- Saint said:
I think the "cyberpunk" authors of the eighties were prophetic in spirit about the attitude and direction of the world today.
I think they were prophetic not only in that manner, but also physically. Already down at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, researchers are pluggin quadrapalegics into a computer, using probes to allow them to manipulate a mouse and keyboard (a fair amount of success with the mouse, not so much with the keyboard). If they can do this now, then physically we might end immersing ourselves in a digital world not unlike that of Gibson's (or, worse, the Matrix). I simple electromagnetic device like that would change the entire social structure as we know it; something to ponder...
Think about it; one of the biggest examples of volunteering is in a for-profit environment: hospitals. Those candy-stripers do not get paid. Unfortunately, I do not know much about their duties; maybe someone else can elaborate, please? I do know about volunteering in two other for-profit environments: an animal hospital and the local DA's office. Allow me to elaborate on this.
My younger brother volunteered for 2.5 years at a local animal hospital (he works there now as a vet tech getting money for college). The vetinarian that hired him made a couple of things clear: the vet could only request a certain number of hours of work, but my brother could work more (up to the legal limit, since he was 15 and in school), and the vet could request and duties of him, although my brother could refuse to perform it, at which time the vet could not take an reconciliatory action toward him. As a volunteer, my brother actually got to do more, since the age labor laws do not apply to volunteers as long as they have parental permission. The minute my brother was hired though, he was unable to perform some of the tests and other activities he was doing do to the exact labor law that AOL is being sued over. I am assuming (although I might jumping too far here) that the vet checked out the labor laws; my brother approached him about it, then, after a discussion, the vet said it would be one month before he could start. I believe, if my memory serves me correctly, that this was to check out the labor laws.
My brother's friend volunteered in the local DA's office one summer, and performed such duties as paper-fetcher and -runner, wrote letters, typed up briefs, and several other duties I am not able to recall at this moment.
The point is that both of them work with NO compensation: no free account, no free cat/dog washes, no free legal services, etc. What might, if anything, cause AOL a problem is that they did compensate for the services, which can be construed as payment. If so, then, by law, they have pay minimum wage. This is for the judge to decide, though; just remember that, as long as NO compensation is given, then it really won't matter if you are for-profit or not.
-G.
>- Doviende said:
Actually, saying that they're "pure energy" makes them sound insubstantial. If they can chop through things, they have to interact via the electromagnetic force. This means that they will also interact with the air, so they (at a minimum) have some air resistance.
But the air resistance would minimal compared to the resistance given by gravity. The shear weight would be the biggest factor, and with it dropped substantially, that would likewise decrease the resistance, and thus increase the speed with which it can be wielded.
>- Doviende:
also, rather than just being "pure energy", they could be a some kind of plasma (ionized gas).I obviously have no idea how they would implement the containment of such a thing, but if this were the case, the blade would have a mass too.
Well... I think a plasma of some kind would be more plausible than pure energy. It has some mass, which means it can be physically confined. Have a limited magnetic field emit from the base as a containment field (remember, plasma is a *charged* gas, alloing for such containment), and the gas could be held. Then, turning it on and off would merely be expanding the magnetic field and thus the range the plasma can move about. Of course, practical considerations abound (I'll get to them below).
>- Doviende:
Then there's the fact that they would probably want to artificially weight them so that they balance properly. I've been in the fencing club at university, and i think it would be quite a nuisance to have a sword that had all of its weight behind your hands instead of in front. You'd have to use a different set of muscles i think (although i'm not a kinesiologist).
I don't know if that would advantageous. As a fencer, I prefer to have as much weight as possible behind the bell garde and in my hand. This gives me more control (particularly in the two thrusting weapons) and less fatigue. As for using the different muscle set, well, that all comes down to training. If you train with it, you will develop the control and muscles necessary to use it properly.
The biggest things I see as a problem are the following:
1): What happens when two lightsabers collide? Would the magnetic field hold, or, if they can be compressed enough, would it force the plasma out (and since they are charged the same, force them out in a violent manner)? This may not be a problem with strong enough fields, as the two fields would bounce off each other (maybe...).
2): Strong magnetic field in a metal ship or building... 'nuff said.
3): The weapon would become, in Newtonian mechanics, as close to a point-mass as we can achieve in reality. With it come control problems; no inertia = inability to gauge the position of the blade and its tip (with potentially fatal consequences for the wielder).
Well... that's my bit on the matter...
-G.
Bingo... Congress indeed changed the laws so that once you are in, you may not leave (though how this would apply to Texas, I do not know... it probably would not, as this would be considered ex post facto).
I find it interesting that an organization (KLA) that NATO is (nominally) supporting was organized, trained, and supported by Osama Bin-Laden, the very Saudi that the US would like to get their hands on.
As for the "mass genocides" I have not heard anything but that word thrown around; no pictures, no places mentioned, etc. If this word is being thrown around, shouldn't it be connected to something?
But he was 14... the good ole paper-and-pen games seem to have been surplanted among the younger population...
Mmmm... I think you need to go back and re-read joshamania's statement; I didn't see anything in there were he claimed one was better than the other. He said Apple may a margin into the product, but he doesn't know for sure. Only the people at Apple could really know for sure (or those who can get the information out of them). You jumping on his case like that was unnecessary; it would perhaps be better if you read his post correctly...
You know... I've never tried to crack any RC5 keys on my AMD system, but, if I remember correctly, that is FPU intensive, is it not (somebody let me know)? I have already stated that the current K6-2 and K6-III processors from AMD are lacking in the raw power of their FPU's, but, honestly, how many home users are going to crack RC5 keys? Very few; most want is for their WYSIWYG word processors and Internet preformance, and of their games. In these three areas, I have not seen a noticable difference in AMD's performance vs. P2 or G3 (assuming comparable speeds).
As for what my personal system can do... that would be interesting; I think I'll try it out to see just what can it do.
Gotta agree with than... we had a power supply fry at work on our RS/6000 server(ok... its not a PC, but the point is the same). Blew both processors boards and the mainboard... all because two $.50 capacitors went out...
We also had a PC power supply go out, and after I replaced it, it turned out it took the motherboards and processor with it. So, spending the extra money on a good power supply is an excellent investment. You can get an Enlight case, with which I have been pleased with, for around $80 for the ATX form (I think it is $60 for the AT).
the PC would still be cheaper, though...
MAG 15" Trinitron XJ500T: $135
Sony 15" Trinitron 100es: $151 (at a local comp store)
You don't have to pay a lot for a good 15" monitor nowadays...
and for the MultiSync fans (I prefer Trinitron):
NEC MultiSync A500, 15": $174
my fault... didn't mean to slight those pre-seventies... I guess the rapid growth didn't really start till mid-seventies as microprocessors were enhanced, and made feasible, so there will not be as many then, but you can't forget them (afterall, it was them and the like of Alan Turing who helped make this industry possible)...
Err... well, actually the nickname came from the way I play Quake (re: like an old man), and yes, I suck (I am happy to get 10-12 frags in multiplayer).
But, as for the age bit, remember the first generation of computer programmers are either in or nearing their fifties (like my father, age 52, who has been a programmer since '71). He already gets senior citizen discounts (which really irks him). My mother, 52 almost 53, has just been introduced to Linux (Dad has worked with Unix systems for the past 15 years), and she is getting the hang of it rapidly. She understands the workings of the file system, has no trouble upgrading the packages (in Slackware, no less!), set up X windows, changed the X server (after swapping video cards), and then configuring the modem and ppp connection. On her own. Hmmm... guess we shouldn't underestimate the true elders of our society, eh? =)
Well... yeah, your right... there is no contest on that point. Mine was from the point that most of the people reading this know what they are doing with the insides. The size and components of the iMac are good ('cept the OS), and there are plenty of machines out there that, when coupled with the monitor, are still cheaper. I was merely using mine as an example of, after adding all that extra hardware, my system just then reached the current price plataeu of the iMac... and, as for 6-12 months hence, I re-evaluate the cost based on market conditions, know full well that building my system then was be cheaper (and, mostly likely, still around the iMac price).
But yes, I agree; the majority of the people will not be mucking around and building their own PC's. Just don't fail to neglect the cheaper PC's...
I have built an AMD system, and the money saved on the processor alone allowed me to put in 128 MB ram rather than 64 (which is still more than the 32 everyone is touting). I do not have a lot of applications that tax the processor, but the memory usage sometimes is noticable (I only had 64 MB originally, and adding the other 64 MB has made a noticable difference). Yeah, I know, the AMD processor's FPU isn't as good... and that said, I really haven't seen a difference between my k6-2/350mhz and my friend's pII-350mhz on the same applications. As for significantly less, well, the cost of my 17" monitor, system (with a 3D card, sound, ethernet (10/100), 56K modem, 36x CD-ROM, 8.4 GB HD), and UPS was around $875 (with rebates, I think that there was an upfront cost of $980). I then added a 2x/2x/8x CD-RW the other day for around (after the rebate) $139. Now... show me the iMac (or G3) that does all of that for that price... or even near it...
As for the kiddies and Quake... maybe we should push id to develop Quake For Kids, feature levels contain their favorite television friends, like Barney, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, etc., and have them go around shooting foam pellets at them (so the kids won't get upset when Big Bird dies)... then, when they graduate to real Quake, they'll be ready to whup...
Apple would make a good bit of money if they offered the case for sale and use with PC's. Of course this would probably be counter productive on the profit end, but I know I would seriously consider one...