...Resource consumption. To have a technological civilization, you will consume resources...
I never said anything about an advanced technological civilization, merely that they could have evolved intelligence. How much resource consumption does a stone age civilization really use compared to our more advanced civilization? Maybe they stopped at rocks and slings and clubs. None of those tools require much resource consumption. Many primative societies used tools made from animal bodies and plants. Again, not much resource consumption there, but that doesn't mean they aren't intelligent.
...many mineral resources we've exploited are older than the dinosaurs. Therefore, nobody has beaten us to them...
Don't forget that the surface of the Earth has changed significantly over the millions of years since the dinos died out. What was once ocean is now mountain, etc. Resources that are easily exploitable today may not have been so millions of years ago (and vice versa) which could explain why they were not exploited.
...But "they didn't use the resource because they had a pure-biological technology" is pretty unlikely...
It's also possible (admittedly unlikely, but possible) that *some* of the non-destructive resource deposits (i.e. metals; they aren't destroyed by use, but merely redistributed) we harvest today are leftovers from the dinos, either dumps or the remnents of settlements. So there's no reason to think that just because there are still resources around that nobody came before us.
Again, there is no evidence that the dinos did develop intelligence (so far), but it is a possibility. If we close our minds to that possibility, we may never recognize the evidence if it does surface.
...the dinosaurs apparently existed for hundreds of millions of years without developing any form of superior intelligence...
I've often wondered if this is true, or not. Maybe they did develop intelligence, but after many million of years, and a few global calamities, the signs just aren't there anymore, or we don't recognize the signs, or we haven't found the few signs that yet remain (new species of dinosaur are still being discovered after all). How much human civilization would be still exist, let alone be recognizable, to a *TOTALLY* alien culture just a few million years after we went extinct?
Perhaps the some of the dinos did develop intelligence, but never got very far along the tool making process? Chimps and even at least one species of bird make tools, but the are just simple pieces of wood (used for getting insects out of hard to reach places) that probably wouldn't have been preserved or recognized if they were preserved. How long were humans, with our superior intelligence, on the world before we advanced beyond stone tools?
Admittedly, I've seen absolutely no evidence (YET!) that dinos did develop intelligence, but it is something to think about.
How much is it worth to you never to have to use the plunger again?
Not all toilets are designed well. The cheap low-flo's will clog on if you try to flush a pea (pun intended). I lived in an apartment that had them, and I'd plung 3-4 times a week (if I was lucky). I put in good low-flo toilets where I live now (cost about $150 for one, $330 for the other - but that was a special case where the drain wasn't the proper distance). I've plunged once in about 3 years. Nothing high tech about either one.
As a side benefit, I discovered that when the sewer is backing up (my neighbor(s?) like dumping grease down the drain), the toilets flush pattern changes, so I can now get the plumbers out before I have any water in my unit (so far).
...I use a bogus name for my telephone directory listing (it is like getting an unlisted number, but better because it is free and it avoids having my real name on the "list of people with unlisted numbers"). I get tons of snail-mail marketing for this bogus person, I also get plenty of sales calls asking for this bogus person by name...
I've done that [used a bogus name] and that name has gotten pre-approved credit card offers in addition to the other stuff you mention! Every time I see a story about how much banks lose annually to CC fraud, I just laugh.
Let me introduce you to one more IE commercial site....
ADP is another IE only site (to actually do anything). I had one client looking at them for a time clock program. BUT, it was IE only. They asked me about it. I told them it would be a great idea to give everyone easy access to IE again (they use Firefox and Mozilla). It would keep me busy cleaning up the malware, and they would have fun with pop-ups all the time. Oh, and you might want to have a few extra workstations on hand for when I have to wipe and re-install to minimize downtime. $$$ for me!!! (I'm part time hourly).
They wound up telling ADP to shove it and I set up PHP timeclock which they've been using happily for several months now. Even recommended it to another sister company.
Unless, of course, that person happens to be innocent...
Hence the appeals exhausted part. If they are going to be put to death (at that point innocent or not), at least make it more meaningful. Yes, I know the system isn't perfect, but neither is life. You do the best you can.
There have been cases among my acquaintances and relatives where the insurance companies refused to pay with the most threadbare excuses.
Then they did better than I did when I had a claim against progressive. The adjuster outright lied to me multiple times (and they weren't even good lies). I finally had enough and got a lawyer involved. The lawyer finally got fed up with the new adjuster lying to her so she filed a lawsuit. The insurance company's attorney was a least honest.
GP: It is part of federal medical research laws that prisoners cannot be used for medical testing.
We're working on changing quite a few laws right now. Might as well throw that one in. Thanks for the heads up.
Actually, I wouldn't mind it if the person is on death row with appeals exhausted. The person on death row killed one (or more!) people to get there, and this could be a form of restitution. You can't bring the murder victim(s) back, but maybe you could save a lot of other lives.
Almost all money market ads have big bold print on their advertising saying Not FDIC Insured.
I'm old enough to remember that the last time the FDIC insurance kicked in, it took quite a while to actually get access to your money, and during this time, you got 0% interest. I don't remember how long, nor can I find the answer on Google, but I remember months to more than a year. Some insurance!
Most true money market funds (MMFs; not to be confused with money market accounts, which are offered by banks) are fairly safe. The government ones are about as safe as it gets, especially if backed by a large company. Although I can't name one off the top of my head, some MMFs would have lost money, but were bailed out by their backers (aka invest advisors). There were only a few (less than 10) of these bail-outs (that I know about).
MMFs are liquid and most even offer free check writing (technically they aren't really checks, but few know the difference and those that do don't care), including giving you the checks, although the minimum amount of the checks does vary from fund to fund. $500 is (or used to be) a common number. Other terms vary somewhat from fund to fund too, most importantly the minimum initial investment and minimum balance.
One place to start your research is http://www.imoneynet.com/. Avoid funds sold by your bank!!! Just remember when looking at yields to watch for fund managers absorbing part of the expenses. They do that from time to time to artifically jack up the rate of return. Unless you like fund hopping, avoid these. Also, give a dim view to any mutual funds (all types, not just money market) with a load. Look mostly at no-load funds.
The biggest downside of MMFs is their low rate of return. Don't expect to make a lot, but you will make more than most savings accounts (ING mentioned above is one exception). Yields tend to rival 6 month to 1 year CDs. But, you do get liquidity, safety, and because they won't flucuate in value, you will get to sleep at night. It will also give you a safe introduction to mutual funds and how they work.
One final word about investing in general. When I was learning about investing, I was given this piece of advice: More money has been lost to chasing yield than all the scams ever invented by Wall Street.
Self-checkout should be _strictly_ reserved for people who have about 5 things _max_. When I see people with a cart full of groceries pull up to a self-checkout station I just laugh... it will take them _forever_...
Or some stores, such as Kroger, where after a certain time, they ONLY have self-checkout available. I hate that, and it does limit my shopping there. I wonder if the study figured that out too.
I'd say that somebody who creates a corporation merely to escape the consequences of their actions counts as a good example of being morally bankrupt.
Except that's not what the GP post was talking about. Go visit the Stella Awards site. It's this type of lawsuits the GP was trying to defend against. You don't have to do anything wrong to get sued.
...how much are you willing to pay for a t-shirt if I also have to sell you a gaurantee that nothing bad will ever happen to your credit card information?...
Considering that I can, and do, use single use numbers(which my cards offer), not much. It's gotten to the point where I pretty much assume my info isn't safe. Too bad I seem to be in the minority on this.
...Now there is a danger posed by airline travellers (do I really need to explain?) and so there is a safety measure in place that says the person that gets on the plane needs to be the one the ticket it for...
And how exactly does this make things safer? Did the 9/11 hijackers have IDs (that were checked)? (Hint: yes)
What you really need to do is check intentions of the travelers to make travel safer. But we have no real way of doing that. Those in charge (and most of the public) feel we have to do something. So we check IDs. Politicians get to claim they are doing something, and most of the public (and some judges apparently) buy that load of bull.
...The government needs a warrant, not probable cause and they aren't getting them. It's not that they're being denied, they just can't be bothered.
And that is the really sad part. As an ex-law enforcement, I can tell you warrants aren't hard to get at all. It's almost scary how easy it is to get one. The president could have gotten almost the exact same spying/info and been 100% legal. Shows how much respect he truly has for the Constitution.
Will someone please give Bush a blowjob so we can get on with the impeachment!
...I really think this kid needs to say "NO! Fuck it, Im not accepting probation and Im not accepting community service", and just take it to a judge...
This wouldn't be a good idea if he ever hopes to graduate. Even if the judge decides in his favor, there will always be "problems" with his school work afterwards. Enough problems he will never graduate. People in academia can be very vindictive.
This is one of those catch 22 situations. Getting a new drug approved in the US costs money, lots of it. It can easily cost over $200 million (and take over 12 years). Without the patent protection, what company is going to spend that kind of money to bring the drug to market? They need to recover not just the initial cost, but build a reserve fund against new drugs that don't get approved.
OTOH, this treatment hardly deserves a patent from an inventiveness point of view. They didn't invent the virus. And drug companies (among others) do exploit patents.
So, it boils down to giving a patent where it isn't deserved or getting a new "drug" on the market that could save many lives. Which option does less harm???
...You know it, I know it, they know it. Just depends on how big an ass is running the school...
Except the "ass" won't have to foot the bill for any judgement against the school. Probably won't get fired for it either. Maybe a transfer at worst. That enviroment kind of encourages such actions.
...I've heard rumors of Eolas vowing not to go after FOSS infringers -- like Mozilla --...
I wonder if that promise is mostly based on the fact that Mozilla/FOSS doesn't have billions in the bank, unlike MS, rather than a love/respect for FOSS. Deep pockets make for more tempting targets after all.
...it would be nice to see it supported in MS Office but it won't happen because MS will lose market share by doing it...
Don't be so sure. I remember when IE 6 SP1 was going to be the last version released without buying Longhorn (now Vista). Firefox gains marketshare at IE's expense, now there is XP SP2 and IE7 beta 1 for XP.
This balking at adding OO support is merely a tactic (aka FUD) to try to kill the format before it gains a considerable foothold. If MS fails (which I hope they do), OOdoc support will come. Now how good it will be is another story...
... Electric Universe proponents are generally considered to be crackpots by the wider astronomy community, but who knows...
It has been my observation that many (perhaps even most) great breakthroughs in science and other areas were very controversial when first proposed, and sometimes for a long time there after.
Lexmark can sue me...But they aren't going to, because it's absurd, frivilous, and there's no chance of success.
Every heard of slapp lawsuits? They don't have to have a case to cause major trouble, especially with a small, shallow pockets individuals and companies. And since they went to court to get this absurd ruling, it is clear they don't like people refilling.
msoffice for $500 with no support or accountability (just the false impression of it)
openoffice for $0 with no support or accountability, but any third party could sell you support
staroffice for $50 with support but no accountability (and maybe the false impression of it)
Remember, no non-security bug fixes will be made by MS unless you have a support contract. So if there is a bug, either pay more money or live with it an hope someone with a support contract requests a fix and MS chooses to comply.
Or you can chose OpenOffice.org/StarOffice where anyone can submit a bug report and hope to see it fixed. Of course, for some $$$, you can make sure it's fixed.
...is a spelling checker. There is a good one available for FireFox as a downloadable add-on extension...
For those that need a pointer in the right direction, it's call spellbound. Don't forget to add the dictionary(s) like it instructs or spellbound will silently fail to catch any mistakes.
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I never said anything about an advanced technological civilization, merely that they could have evolved intelligence. How much resource consumption does a stone age civilization really use compared to our more advanced civilization? Maybe they stopped at rocks and slings and clubs. None of those tools require much resource consumption. Many primative societies used tools made from animal bodies and plants. Again, not much resource consumption there, but that doesn't mean they aren't intelligent.
Don't forget that the surface of the Earth has changed significantly over the millions of years since the dinos died out. What was once ocean is now mountain, etc. Resources that are easily exploitable today may not have been so millions of years ago (and vice versa) which could explain why they were not exploited.
It's also possible (admittedly unlikely, but possible) that *some* of the non-destructive resource deposits (i.e. metals; they aren't destroyed by use, but merely redistributed) we harvest today are leftovers from the dinos, either dumps or the remnents of settlements. So there's no reason to think that just because there are still resources around that nobody came before us.
Again, there is no evidence that the dinos did develop intelligence (so far), but it is a possibility. If we close our minds to that possibility, we may never recognize the evidence if it does surface.
I've often wondered if this is true, or not. Maybe they did develop intelligence, but after many million of years, and a few global calamities, the signs just aren't there anymore, or we don't recognize the signs, or we haven't found the few signs that yet remain (new species of dinosaur are still being discovered after all). How much human civilization would be still exist, let alone be recognizable, to a *TOTALLY* alien culture just a few million years after we went extinct?
Perhaps the some of the dinos did develop intelligence, but never got very far along the tool making process? Chimps and even at least one species of bird make tools, but the are just simple pieces of wood (used for getting insects out of hard to reach places) that probably wouldn't have been preserved or recognized if they were preserved. How long were humans, with our superior intelligence, on the world before we advanced beyond stone tools?
Admittedly, I've seen absolutely no evidence (YET!) that dinos did develop intelligence, but it is something to think about.
How much is it worth to you never to have to use the plunger again?
Not all toilets are designed well. The cheap low-flo's will clog on if you try to flush a pea (pun intended). I lived in an apartment that had them, and I'd plung 3-4 times a week (if I was lucky). I put in good low-flo toilets where I live now (cost about $150 for one, $330 for the other - but that was a special case where the drain wasn't the proper distance). I've plunged once in about 3 years. Nothing high tech about either one.
As a side benefit, I discovered that when the sewer is backing up (my neighbor(s?) like dumping grease down the drain), the toilets flush pattern changes, so I can now get the plumbers out before I have any water in my unit (so far).
I've done that [used a bogus name] and that name has gotten pre-approved credit card offers in addition to the other stuff you mention! Every time I see a story about how much banks lose annually to CC fraud, I just laugh.
Let me introduce you to one more IE commercial site....
ADP is another IE only site (to actually do anything). I had one client looking at them for a time clock program. BUT, it was IE only. They asked me about it. I told them it would be a great idea to give everyone easy access to IE again (they use Firefox and Mozilla). It would keep me busy cleaning up the malware, and they would have fun with pop-ups all the time. Oh, and you might want to have a few extra workstations on hand for when I have to wipe and re-install to minimize downtime. $$$ for me!!! (I'm part time hourly).
They wound up telling ADP to shove it and I set up PHP timeclock which they've been using happily for several months now. Even recommended it to another sister company.
Unless, of course, that person happens to be innocent...
Hence the appeals exhausted part. If they are going to be put to death (at that point innocent or not), at least make it more meaningful. Yes, I know the system isn't perfect, but neither is life. You do the best you can.
There have been cases among my acquaintances and relatives where the insurance companies refused to pay with the most threadbare excuses.
Then they did better than I did when I had a claim against progressive. The adjuster outright lied to me multiple times (and they weren't even good lies). I finally had enough and got a lawyer involved. The lawyer finally got fed up with the new adjuster lying to her so she filed a lawsuit. The insurance company's attorney was a least honest.
GP: It is part of federal medical research laws that prisoners cannot be used for medical testing.
We're working on changing quite a few laws right now. Might as well throw that one in. Thanks for the heads up.
Actually, I wouldn't mind it if the person is on death row with appeals exhausted. The person on death row killed one (or more!) people to get there, and this could be a form of restitution. You can't bring the murder victim(s) back, but maybe you could save a lot of other lives.
Almost all money market ads have big bold print on their advertising saying Not FDIC Insured.
I'm old enough to remember that the last time the FDIC insurance kicked in, it took quite a while to actually get access to your money, and during this time, you got 0% interest. I don't remember how long, nor can I find the answer on Google, but I remember months to more than a year. Some insurance!
Most true money market funds (MMFs; not to be confused with money market accounts, which are offered by banks) are fairly safe. The government ones are about as safe as it gets, especially if backed by a large company. Although I can't name one off the top of my head, some MMFs would have lost money, but were bailed out by their backers (aka invest advisors). There were only a few (less than 10) of these bail-outs (that I know about).
MMFs are liquid and most even offer free check writing (technically they aren't really checks, but few know the difference and those that do don't care), including giving you the checks, although the minimum amount of the checks does vary from fund to fund. $500 is (or used to be) a common number. Other terms vary somewhat from fund to fund too, most importantly the minimum initial investment and minimum balance.
One place to start your research is http://www.imoneynet.com/. Avoid funds sold by your bank!!! Just remember when looking at yields to watch for fund managers absorbing part of the expenses. They do that from time to time to artifically jack up the rate of return. Unless you like fund hopping, avoid these. Also, give a dim view to any mutual funds (all types, not just money market) with a load. Look mostly at no-load funds.
The biggest downside of MMFs is their low rate of return. Don't expect to make a lot, but you will make more than most savings accounts (ING mentioned above is one exception). Yields tend to rival 6 month to 1 year CDs. But, you do get liquidity, safety, and because they won't flucuate in value, you will get to sleep at night. It will also give you a safe introduction to mutual funds and how they work.
One final word about investing in general. When I was learning about investing, I was given this piece of advice: More money has been lost to chasing yield than all the scams ever invented by Wall Street.
Self-checkout should be _strictly_ reserved for people who have about 5 things _max_. When I see people with a cart full of groceries pull up to a self-checkout station I just laugh... it will take them _forever_...
Or some stores, such as Kroger, where after a certain time, they ONLY have self-checkout available. I hate that, and it does limit my shopping there. I wonder if the study figured that out too.
And big question is which group has a higher number of voters. Those are the ones whose opinions really count.
Hence my email sig:
I'd say that somebody who creates a corporation merely to escape the consequences of their actions counts as a good example of being morally bankrupt.
Except that's not what the GP post was talking about. Go visit the Stella Awards site. It's this type of lawsuits the GP was trying to defend against. You don't have to do anything wrong to get sued.
Considering that I can, and do, use single use numbers(which my cards offer), not much. It's gotten to the point where I pretty much assume my info isn't safe. Too bad I seem to be in the minority on this.
And how exactly does this make things safer? Did the 9/11 hijackers have IDs (that were checked)? (Hint: yes)
What you really need to do is check intentions of the travelers to make travel safer. But we have no real way of doing that. Those in charge (and most of the public) feel we have to do something. So we check IDs. Politicians get to claim they are doing something, and most of the public (and some judges apparently) buy that load of bull.
And that is the really sad part. As an ex-law enforcement, I can tell you warrants aren't hard to get at all. It's almost scary how easy it is to get one. The president could have gotten almost the exact same spying/info and been 100% legal. Shows how much respect he truly has for the Constitution.
Will someone please give Bush a blowjob so we can get on with the impeachment!
This wouldn't be a good idea if he ever hopes to graduate. Even if the judge decides in his favor, there will always be "problems" with his school work afterwards. Enough problems he will never graduate. People in academia can be very vindictive.
This is one of those catch 22 situations. Getting a new drug approved in the US costs money, lots of it. It can easily cost over $200 million (and take over 12 years). Without the patent protection, what company is going to spend that kind of money to bring the drug to market? They need to recover not just the initial cost, but build a reserve fund against new drugs that don't get approved.
OTOH, this treatment hardly deserves a patent from an inventiveness point of view. They didn't invent the virus. And drug companies (among others) do exploit patents.
So, it boils down to giving a patent where it isn't deserved or getting a new "drug" on the market that could save many lives. Which option does less harm???
Except the "ass" won't have to foot the bill for any judgement against the school. Probably won't get fired for it either. Maybe a transfer at worst. That enviroment kind of encourages such actions.
I wonder if that promise is mostly based on the fact that Mozilla/FOSS doesn't have billions in the bank, unlike MS, rather than a love/respect for FOSS. Deep pockets make for more tempting targets after all.
Don't be so sure. I remember when IE 6 SP1 was going to be the last version released without buying Longhorn (now Vista). Firefox gains marketshare at IE's expense, now there is XP SP2 and IE7 beta 1 for XP.
This balking at adding OO support is merely a tactic (aka FUD) to try to kill the format before it gains a considerable foothold. If MS fails (which I hope they do), OOdoc support will come. Now how good it will be is another story...
It has been my observation that many (perhaps even most) great breakthroughs in science and other areas were very controversial when first proposed, and sometimes for a long time there after.
Lexmark can sue me...But they aren't going to, because it's absurd, frivilous, and there's no chance of success.
Every heard of slapp lawsuits? They don't have to have a case to cause major trouble, especially with a small, shallow pockets individuals and companies. And since they went to court to get this absurd ruling, it is clear they don't like people refilling.
msoffice for $500 with no support or accountability (just the false impression of it)
openoffice for $0 with no support or accountability, but any third party could sell you support
staroffice for $50 with support but no accountability (and maybe the false impression of it)
Remember, no non-security bug fixes will be made by MS unless you have a support contract. So if there is a bug, either pay more money or live with it an hope someone with a support contract requests a fix and MS chooses to comply.
Or you can chose OpenOffice.org/StarOffice where anyone can submit a bug report and hope to see it fixed. Of course, for some $$$, you can make sure it's fixed.
For those that need a pointer in the right direction, it's call spellbound. Don't forget to add the dictionary(s) like it instructs or spellbound will silently fail to catch any mistakes.