What you're saying may seem at least logically viable and strategic, but in practice it doesn't seem to happen, ie. you don't get political or military assassinations occurring at all, by anyone, neither labelled as terrorist, crackpot, nor anything else....
Given your premise about which kind of terrorist or freedom fighter is more likely to get laws changed, how come that we don't see any of the "good" variety?
Indeed, becuase terrorists aren't what they pretend to be. They are not fighting for some "cause". They are fighting becuase they want to "get even".
Terrorists like to use political and religious dogma as a dog and pony show to legitimize thier actions. A man cutting up hookers and eating thier brains is a serial killer, but if he did it becuase the hookers were dissing Allah, then he's a "terrorist". Maybe *you* don't like being called a terrorist, but I'll bet there are a lot of people do, since it's got a nice rebel freedom-fighter feel to it, and you get to take a big steaming shit on your enemies.
The reason you don't usually see see, or in fact, NEVER see terrorist pulling surgical operations on world leaders is precisely becuase they feel someone took a dump on them and they want to get even.
A single Palestenian could have a fairly good chance of ending the conflict with a call to Barbra Walters. Have a week long teary-eyed segment on the harships of being Palestenian and end it with a televised suicide, preferably as painful and pathetic as possible. If done right, even the Isrealis who wouldn't normally give a damn would be sniffling over the injustice of it all, and campaign for change.
But the truth of the situation is that they don't want to end it. They want to get even.
I'm sorry, but I can't say to childern and elderly palestinians that "It's not my fault, all of the choices I had on the ballot support this". The business of who makes it to the ballot is the responsibility of the people too.
I disagree. Why do I have to give up MY life to fight for the Palestenians? Meaning, if the only choice I have to vote for are both anti-palestenian, then, according to what you just said, I must now take it in my own hands that justice triumps. I will have to quit my job and become some kind of underground freedom fighter in America.
If you don't think so, then what exactly are you talking baout here? I don't have the money to run for any position myself, and I don't have the money to buy any politicans of my own. I could stand in the street all day and chant "Save Palestine!" but I grew up in the 80's and 90's where I learned that hippie idealism doesn't actually work in the face of megacoroporations and oil interests, etc. Unless you are advocating a hypocritical cryfest where we feel gawsh-aweful bad about the poor plight of teh plestenians, but gosh darn it, we just can't help them... then the only option left is to take up arms myself and start plugging Israeli leaders for them.
Why is that my responsibility? Why must I fight thier battles for them? Are they children, incapable of taking care of themselves? You seem to make it sound so. And as such, maybe they aren't really ready for freedom after all.
Also, concerning METHODS, you are right. Low-key ops will have higher success rates than blowing up buildings. The Palestinians would have better luck nailing a few of Israel's supporters in our senate than busloads of Israelis on the way to work.
And actually, they could even go a step further and truly end the fight forever without killing a single israeli. They could commit suicide. One teenage palestenian per day, on world news (call in BBC and CNN beforehand), walking into the city square, giving a short speech about how he (or better yet, SHE) feels so strongly that the Israelis are opressing him that he is willing to give his life, and only his life, in hopes that the opression would end. He might thank his mom for raising him (and she'll be right there beside him, watchign him die in front of her), and his beautiful girlfriend and daughter for all the love and affection they have shown him. And then, BANG! Then the next day comes another, and another. Maybe they are even younger than teenagers, maybe they are 12 year old little girls. Tears straming down thier faces, saying, "Why Israelis? Why are you maiking us do this? Mommy, I love you!" BANG!
The world court of public opinion would let that go on for about a week and a half, if that long, and then they fighting in palestine would end. Permanantly. "True" martyrs who die pathetically, as martyrs should, can turn the world on it's head.
Also, as a citizen in a democratic country I am PERSONALLY responsible for the actions of my country. All in all very few of us can be counted as 'innocent' when you look beyond direct and immediate actions. The WTC, IMO was amongst the most appropriate targets because it had the LOWEST ratio of innocent people of the available targets (how many children were in the WTC/Pentagon, not many), not to mention it being the home of those who finance our little empire.
War in Iraq? I didn't support it but I financed it with MY tax money. My Problem.
Israeli weapons killing Palestinians? I don't support it, but again, I finance it and leaders I have voted for DO support it. My Problem.
This implies that terrorists are retarded and don't have the ability to think about problems at a fundamental level. Sure, you "voted" for the guy who financed the killing of Palestinians... But what if your two choices were him and another guy who would have done the same thing as him? Write in vote, perhaps? And even after they do attack, voting somone out of office, even somone hated by the voters, is not a simple task. Fist you have to wait for the next election, which could be years and years away, then you have to find a candidate who doesn't believe in whatever the last guy was doing wrong, but who is not an absolute mad-man who would end up doing more harm than good, then you have to get enough popular support for him.
Terrorism, as a doctorine, would seem to actually be guaranteed to fail, if it's goal is to get rapid change. Targeting the "people" is the surest way to lose, becuase they are the ones most removed from actual decision-making.
Imagine this, two terrorist groups dislike the way Arabs are discriminated against in, say, Nevada. The first group takes the approach of firebombing the populace. They bomb theaters, busses, shoot children on thier way to school, etc. The second group targets the families of the Nevada legislators that make the laws that are oppressing the Arabs, and targets them as secretly as possible (notes left on doorsteps, single long range "near misses" into the windows of rooms where the kids are sleeping, stuff that can be covered up easily).
Now, logically, who is more likely to get the laws changed?
The first group will get the exact opposite of what they wanted. Instead of removing the opression, there will be a HUGE popular uprising against the perceived attackers. Laws would be passed placing all Arab men under house arrest, radio tags strapped to thier legs, etc...
The second group, however, may actually succeed. If they make sure to stay low key, and not give away the legislators danger to the public (and thus making them have to "show strength"), and be reasonable with demands and STOP the attack as soon as the demands are met, then they might actually show how terrorism can work...
Thanks for the link. From a review of "entering space": What really shines through is his passion about humanity's potential. We could do so much, he argues, if we could just get beyond the petty fighting that bogs us down on earth.
It always boils down to this, doesn't it? Either we continue fighting until we destroy ourselves - or a meteor does it for us, OR we just stop fighting alltogether and focus that energy on space.
The root cause of this, i believe, is underpopulation, *gross* underpopulation. Based on the energy output of the sun and the population density of, say, Tokyo (crowded but quite livable), the Earth could house and feed somewhere between 10 and 30 trillion people. When you live in a huge, continuous population like that, it's much harder to have wars and it's much easier to spend money on other things (like finding some damn peace and quiet on the moon, for example). No need for defense when your neighbors know that setting fire to you would most likely end up setting it to them as well.
that the developer (Ken Sakamura, a University professor) would be worth mucho if he had just charged for it
Think about it, if he had only charged a billion dollars per copy, at 3 billion units sold, he'd have more money than all the countries of the world put together! Woah, what if he charged a TRILLION dollars per copy. He could buy the solar system!
Yeah, that's not how it works.. Probably the reason why it IS so wide spead is because it was free...
This is key, but requires more thought than you have currently put into it. Why did you immidiately think of adding album art? Well, of course becuase that's what the RIAA does, right? That sucks. They do the bare minimum to differentiate thier product, and that is all. If they could sell albums in wax paper with the name hand printed in magic marker they would to save a buck, but they can't because people expect at least the lyrics and a eye catching picture or two (boobies good!)...
Give it some thought. Real thought. What would you CUSTOMERS actually be interested in? Would they like home videos of the band? How about a compliation of interviews with transcripts? How about commentary by the song writers about the tru meaning and message behind interesting snatches of lyrics? Or Karaoke (mp3+G, I think is a simple enough format) versions ot the band's tracks so they can sing them at parties? Universal sampling rights so that people can make cool new mixes at home?
I can think of tins of Ideas, but until you are willing to hire me, I would suggest locking yourself in a room for a week with a case of beer and an internet connection. Go, think up some ideas!
From that article: Weiss said the recording industry should lobby for special taxes on CD burners and Internet access Makes perfect sense to me. Since everyone who has an internet connection uses it to pirate music, we should all be forced to pay for this! Its not people out there use the internet for things like....oh, I don't know...shopping, or for information.
If I'm going to be treated like a criminal (and I already am, seeing as how I buy CD-Rs for data backup and mixing my own albums from music I legally own), I'm going to at least act like a criminal. Hoist the Jolly Rogers, it's time to sail the IRCs! Yaaaarrrrrrr!
SHHHHH! I'm waiting until this tax passes and then go and claim my share as a copyright owner (i.e. slashdot poster).
You could probably fit that c64 computeing power in a watch AND provide an LCD screen capable of rendering the stunning CGA style graphics all at a reasonable price and footprint... It would actually be a lot of fun to hack around with... I might see if I can do it myself if they don't.:)
Is this as bad a deal as it appears? Notice that the guy voluntarily signed - in order for him todo that, they had to offer something that he felt was worth signing. Maybe promotional things, perhaps transportation costs, etc.
Hi there, Bob, it's me, Chuck, you know, your RIAA rep? Well, Bob, We at the RIAA would like to offere you a draconian contract to suck a little more blood from the wound, if you know what I mean... How's that sound?
No?
Oh, Bob, I'm sorry to hear that, we'll, I guess we'll just have to go without. Oh yeah, before I forget, there is just one little thing...
Remember that whole "five album deal" we made with you when you signed. Yeah, that one. Yeah, remember how in the fine print, it says you can't work with any other recording company until those deals are done? And remember that clause about how an album can't be released without our approval?
Well, you see Bob, it seems that you've only released three albums so far, so you still owe us two more. Now, the way I see it buddy, You're going to need our approval to get those last two out. Now, I can't speak for the rest of the group, but I like you a lot. However, there are a few of us who are saying.. well, saying that they don't think you've got what it takes to get your last two albums approved.
Yeah? Yeah, that's true, you COULD practice more, but Bob, the thing is, they think you just aren't a team player... I don't think they'd feel you deserve approval even if you were really good. Unless you could show us some of that RIAA team spirit...
Yes, Bob? Oh, no, Bob, without those last two albums, you can't work for ANY label, even your for youself. Nope, can't sing another lyric, legally at least. Ah, we'll I wouldn't advise singing Happy Birthday to your grandmother, see that would be a public performance, and all....
Oh, what's that you say? That draconian contract sounds fine to you after all? Oh, excellent! Oh wait a second, I think the RIAA percentages I quoted you before were off by, say, 20% (darn blurry faxes), but I'll have the revised copy sent to your trailer. Oh, I'm sorry, Bob, the line must be going bad, I could have sworn I heard cursing on the other line... It would be a shame if we had to.. oh, you didn't hear anything you say? Ah, so you agree? Right. 25%. Oh you heard 20%? Ah, that pesky line noise must have interfered... Or did I say 30%? That's a good boy, Bob. Yes you can come over later this afternoon and lick my car clean for me, that would be super.
nutron stars (collapsed due to gravity to the point of overcoming the repulsive force between atoms, so the nucleus of the atoms are smashed together, extremely high density matter just short of a black hole in density)
Or to put in Futurama terms, neutron stars are stars made up of incedibly dense matter, so dense that a single pound of it would weigh over a million pounds!
If Dr. Kanazawa got married more than five years ago, I think you can safely discount the study... It scientifically proves itself to not be his best work.
Hey, I'm all for the SETI thing (did over 7500 units on SETI@home myself), but I don't think using our tax dollars searching for aliens in a time when we've got the largest national debt in history makes alot of sense. Yeah, it might be cool to discover life elsewhere, but ya need to prioritize.
Yeah, tax breaks for the oil companies come first, then congressional trips to the Bahamas, THEN aliens.
Fighting it will only prolong the amount of time that humanity is going to have to suffer due to patents. Making small gains is actually a detriment to the anti-patent movement, because all that does it legitimize the system while allowing it to perpetuate. Instead, let these things happen. Let somone patent a business process for "a way of exchanging currency or credit for good or services", or let someone get the software patent for "performing bit manipulation of various forms on a 'computing' device".
Just remember, the old saw, "never cost anyone more money than they are willing to pay to have you killed". It applies to business too. Once you start costing enough money to business then they'll do whatever it takes to make sure you don't survive. If you are costing a corporation more money that it costs to buy a congressman or two, then you need to be prepared to find your business model suddenly become illegal or heavily regulated.
The sun puts out more energy in roughly a month than all of the energy man has ever consumed in all of his existance on this planet. Harnesing that power doesn't mean lining the roof tops of the world with silly solar panels that wear out in the rain and sun and only work for a faction of the day, and that's in perfect weather conditions.. Instead an array of millions of power generating satelites orbiting near Mercury and beaming power continouously to a base on, say, the Moon would provide nearly unlimited energy for the entire planet, essentially for free.
Forever.
This will never happen, though. The initial cost of developing the satelites would be astronomically high, in the trillions and trillions, at least. Even though it would pay for itself a hundred times over in a generation, the human race isn't yet clear sighted enough to understand what a boon limitless energy would be for the world.
Harry Potter books are popular everywhere. People love 'Harry Potter'. So people churn out these knock-off books. If the authors wanted to write for the local market I'm sure they could easily make up their own stories but again the just rip-off works just to get the cash.
Let me ask you this, if all of these knock-off books were prefectly legal, and now the 6th book of the series comes out, are you trying to say that all of these people who "love 'Harry Potter'" will decide to buy the 6th book in the series of Tanya Grotter instead? They will just decide to dump harry and start reading this new guy's books? Ok, let's say that DOES happen, let's say this guy is a much better author than JKR. In that case, propping up the inferior JKR instead of letting the new guy take over the genre is WRONG. It does not promote the art of novel writing to let the lesser quality writer win. It also does not hurt the original author any if somone else uses the characters in a new way, because, if the author really is a good writer, then people will buy her books regardless of what else is out there.
Slashdot Mirror
What you're saying may seem at least logically viable and strategic, but in practice it doesn't seem to happen, ie. you don't get political or military assassinations occurring at all, by anyone, neither labelled as terrorist, crackpot, nor anything else. ...
Given your premise about which kind of terrorist or freedom fighter is more likely to get laws changed, how come that we don't see any of the "good" variety?
Indeed, becuase terrorists aren't what they pretend to be. They are not fighting for some "cause". They are fighting becuase they want to "get even".
Terrorists like to use political and religious dogma as a dog and pony show to legitimize thier actions. A man cutting up hookers and eating thier brains is a serial killer, but if he did it becuase the hookers were dissing Allah, then he's a "terrorist". Maybe *you* don't like being called a terrorist, but I'll bet there are a lot of people do, since it's got a nice rebel freedom-fighter feel to it, and you get to take a big steaming shit on your enemies.
The reason you don't usually see see, or in fact, NEVER see terrorist pulling surgical operations on world leaders is precisely becuase they feel someone took a dump on them and they want to get even.
A single Palestenian could have a fairly good chance of ending the conflict with a call to Barbra Walters. Have a week long teary-eyed segment on the harships of being Palestenian and end it with a televised suicide, preferably as painful and pathetic as possible. If done right, even the Isrealis who wouldn't normally give a damn would be sniffling over the injustice of it all, and campaign for change.
But the truth of the situation is that they don't want to end it. They want to get even.
I'm sorry, but I can't say to childern and elderly palestinians that "It's not my fault, all of the choices I had on the ballot support this". The business of who makes it to the ballot is the responsibility of the people too.
I disagree. Why do I have to give up MY life to fight for the Palestenians? Meaning, if the only choice I have to vote for are both anti-palestenian, then, according to what you just said, I must now take it in my own hands that justice triumps. I will have to quit my job and become some kind of underground freedom fighter in America.
If you don't think so, then what exactly are you talking baout here? I don't have the money to run for any position myself, and I don't have the money to buy any politicans of my own. I could stand in the street all day and chant "Save Palestine!" but I grew up in the 80's and 90's where I learned that hippie idealism doesn't actually work in the face of megacoroporations and oil interests, etc. Unless you are advocating a hypocritical cryfest where we feel gawsh-aweful bad about the poor plight of teh plestenians, but gosh darn it, we just can't help them... then the only option left is to take up arms myself and start plugging Israeli leaders for them.
Why is that my responsibility? Why must I fight thier battles for them? Are they children, incapable of taking care of themselves? You seem to make it sound so. And as such, maybe they aren't really ready for freedom after all.
Also, concerning METHODS, you are right. Low-key ops will have higher success rates than blowing up buildings. The Palestinians would have better luck nailing a few of Israel's supporters in our senate than busloads of Israelis on the way to work.
And actually, they could even go a step further and truly end the fight forever without killing a single israeli. They could commit suicide. One teenage palestenian per day, on world news (call in BBC and CNN beforehand), walking into the city square, giving a short speech about how he (or better yet, SHE) feels so strongly that the Israelis are opressing him that he is willing to give his life, and only his life, in hopes that the opression would end. He might thank his mom for raising him (and she'll be right there beside him, watchign him die in front of her), and his beautiful girlfriend and daughter for all the love and affection they have shown him. And then, BANG! Then the next day comes another, and another. Maybe they are even younger than teenagers, maybe they are 12 year old little girls. Tears straming down thier faces, saying, "Why Israelis? Why are you maiking us do this? Mommy, I love you!" BANG!
The world court of public opinion would let that go on for about a week and a half, if that long, and then they fighting in palestine would end. Permanantly. "True" martyrs who die pathetically, as martyrs should, can turn the world on it's head.
Also, as a citizen in a democratic country I am PERSONALLY responsible for the actions of my country. All in all very few of us can be counted as 'innocent' when you look beyond direct and immediate actions. The WTC, IMO was amongst the most appropriate targets because it had the LOWEST ratio of innocent people of the available targets (how many children were in the WTC/Pentagon, not many), not to mention it being the home of those who finance our little empire.
War in Iraq? I didn't support it but I financed it with MY tax money. My Problem.
Israeli weapons killing Palestinians? I don't support it, but again, I finance it and leaders I have voted for DO support it. My Problem.
This implies that terrorists are retarded and don't have the ability to think about problems at a fundamental level. Sure, you "voted" for the guy who financed the killing of Palestinians... But what if your two choices were him and another guy who would have done the same thing as him? Write in vote, perhaps? And even after they do attack, voting somone out of office, even somone hated by the voters, is not a simple task. Fist you have to wait for the next election, which could be years and years away, then you have to find a candidate who doesn't believe in whatever the last guy was doing wrong, but who is not an absolute mad-man who would end up doing more harm than good, then you have to get enough popular support for him.
Terrorism, as a doctorine, would seem to actually be guaranteed to fail, if it's goal is to get rapid change. Targeting the "people" is the surest way to lose, becuase they are the ones most removed from actual decision-making.
Imagine this, two terrorist groups dislike the way Arabs are discriminated against in, say, Nevada. The first group takes the approach of firebombing the populace. They bomb theaters, busses, shoot children on thier way to school, etc. The second group targets the families of the Nevada legislators that make the laws that are oppressing the Arabs, and targets them as secretly as possible (notes left on doorsteps, single long range "near misses" into the windows of rooms where the kids are sleeping, stuff that can be covered up easily).
Now, logically, who is more likely to get the laws changed?
The first group will get the exact opposite of what they wanted. Instead of removing the opression, there will be a HUGE popular uprising against the perceived attackers. Laws would be passed placing all Arab men under house arrest, radio tags strapped to thier legs, etc...
The second group, however, may actually succeed. If they make sure to stay low key, and not give away the legislators danger to the public (and thus making them have to "show strength"), and be reasonable with demands and STOP the attack as soon as the demands are met, then they might actually show how terrorism can work...
I'm still amazed that Ken Lay and his Enron buddies haven't been shot yet; what was it, 150,000 retirements they destroyed?
I think the higher-ups (in gov't and corporations) would be a LOT more responsible if they feared for their lives a bit more.
Never cost anyone more money than they are willing to pay to have you killed. It's a good rule to live by.
...for a change. Just like China.
Thanks for the link. From a review of "entering space": What really shines through is his passion about humanity's potential. We could do so much, he argues, if we could just get beyond the petty fighting that bogs us down on earth.
It always boils down to this, doesn't it? Either we continue fighting until we destroy ourselves - or a meteor does it for us, OR we just stop fighting alltogether and focus that energy on space.
The root cause of this, i believe, is underpopulation, *gross* underpopulation. Based on the energy output of the sun and the population density of, say, Tokyo (crowded but quite livable), the Earth could house and feed somewhere between 10 and 30 trillion people. When you live in a huge, continuous population like that, it's much harder to have wars and it's much easier to spend money on other things (like finding some damn peace and quiet on the moon, for example). No need for defense when your neighbors know that setting fire to you would most likely end up setting it to them as well.
that the developer (Ken Sakamura, a University professor) would be worth mucho if he had just charged for it
Think about it, if he had only charged a billion dollars per copy, at 3 billion units sold, he'd have more money than all the countries of the world put together! Woah, what if he charged a TRILLION dollars per copy. He could buy the solar system!
Yeah, that's not how it works.. Probably the reason why it IS so wide spead is because it was free...
This is key, but requires more thought than you have currently put into it. Why did you immidiately think of adding album art? Well, of course becuase that's what the RIAA does, right? That sucks. They do the bare minimum to differentiate thier product, and that is all. If they could sell albums in wax paper with the name hand printed in magic marker they would to save a buck, but they can't because people expect at least the lyrics and a eye catching picture or two (boobies good!)...
Give it some thought. Real thought. What would you CUSTOMERS actually be interested in? Would they like home videos of the band? How about a compliation of interviews with transcripts? How about commentary by the song writers about the tru meaning and message behind interesting snatches of lyrics? Or Karaoke (mp3+G, I think is a simple enough format) versions ot the band's tracks so they can sing them at parties? Universal sampling rights so that people can make cool new mixes at home?
I can think of tins of Ideas, but until you are willing to hire me, I would suggest locking yourself in a room for a week with a case of beer and an internet connection. Go, think up some ideas!
10 stock drops
20 sullen employees, unable to laugh
30 productivity ceases
40 goto 10
From that article: Weiss said the recording industry should lobby for special taxes on CD burners and Internet access
Makes perfect sense to me. Since everyone who has an internet connection uses it to pirate music, we should all be forced to pay for this! Its not people out there use the internet for things like....oh, I don't know...shopping, or for information.
If I'm going to be treated like a criminal (and I already am, seeing as how I buy CD-Rs for data backup and mixing my own albums from music I legally own), I'm going to at least act like a criminal. Hoist the Jolly Rogers, it's time to sail the IRCs! Yaaaarrrrrrr!
SHHHHH! I'm waiting until this tax passes and then go and claim my share as a copyright owner (i.e. slashdot poster).
You could probably fit that c64 computeing power in a watch AND provide an LCD screen capable of rendering the stunning CGA style graphics all at a reasonable price and footprint... It would actually be a lot of fun to hack around with... I might see if I can do it myself if they don't. :)
Pointing out these flaws only helps MS to fix them.
... fix? ... vulnerabilities? I understand the individual words, but somehow they don't seem to make a comprehensible sentence.
Microsoft?
Mickey Mouse Condom
Is this as bad a deal as it appears? Notice that the guy voluntarily signed - in order for him todo that, they had to offer something that he felt was worth signing. Maybe promotional things, perhaps transportation costs, etc.
Hi there, Bob, it's me, Chuck, you know, your RIAA rep? Well, Bob, We at the RIAA would like to offere you a draconian contract to suck a little more blood from the wound, if you know what I mean... How's that sound?
No?
Oh, Bob, I'm sorry to hear that, we'll, I guess we'll just have to go without. Oh yeah, before I forget, there is just one little thing...
Remember that whole "five album deal" we made with you when you signed. Yeah, that one. Yeah, remember how in the fine print, it says you can't work with any other recording company until those deals are done? And remember that clause about how an album can't be released without our approval?
Well, you see Bob, it seems that you've only released three albums so far, so you still owe us two more. Now, the way I see it buddy, You're going to need our approval to get those last two out. Now, I can't speak for the rest of the group, but I like you a lot. However, there are a few of us who are saying.. well, saying that they don't think you've got what it takes to get your last two albums approved.
Yeah? Yeah, that's true, you COULD practice more, but Bob, the thing is, they think you just aren't a team player... I don't think they'd feel you deserve approval even if you were really good. Unless you could show us some of that RIAA team spirit...
Yes, Bob? Oh, no, Bob, without those last two albums, you can't work for ANY label, even your for youself. Nope, can't sing another lyric, legally at least. Ah, we'll I wouldn't advise singing Happy Birthday to your grandmother, see that would be a public performance, and all....
Oh, what's that you say? That draconian contract sounds fine to you after all? Oh, excellent! Oh wait a second, I think the RIAA percentages I quoted you before were off by, say, 20% (darn blurry faxes), but I'll have the revised copy sent to your trailer. Oh, I'm sorry, Bob, the line must be going bad, I could have sworn I heard cursing on the other line... It would be a shame if we had to.. oh, you didn't hear anything you say? Ah, so you agree? Right. 25%. Oh you heard 20%? Ah, that pesky line noise must have interfered... Or did I say 30%? That's a good boy, Bob. Yes you can come over later this afternoon and lick my car clean for me, that would be super.
ciao!
nutron stars (collapsed due to gravity to the point of overcoming the repulsive force between atoms, so the nucleus of the atoms are smashed together, extremely high density matter just short of a black hole in density)
Or to put in Futurama terms, neutron stars are stars made up of incedibly dense matter, so dense that a single pound of it would weigh over a million pounds!
If Dr. Kanazawa got married more than five years ago, I think you can safely discount the study... It scientifically proves itself to not be his best work.
Hey, I'm all for the SETI thing (did over 7500 units on SETI@home myself), but I don't think using our tax dollars searching for aliens in a time when we've got the largest national debt in history makes alot of sense. Yeah, it might be cool to discover life elsewhere, but ya need to prioritize.
Yeah, tax breaks for the oil companies come first, then congressional trips to the Bahamas, THEN aliens.
Fighting it will only prolong the amount of time that humanity is going to have to suffer due to patents. Making small gains is actually a detriment to the anti-patent movement, because all that does it legitimize the system while allowing it to perpetuate. Instead, let these things happen. Let somone patent a business process for "a way of exchanging currency or credit for good or services", or let someone get the software patent for "performing bit manipulation of various forms on a 'computing' device".
Just remember, the old saw, "never cost anyone more money than they are willing to pay to have you killed". It applies to business too. Once you start costing enough money to business then they'll do whatever it takes to make sure you don't survive. If you are costing a corporation more money that it costs to buy a congressman or two, then you need to be prepared to find your business model suddenly become illegal or heavily regulated.
The sun puts out more energy in roughly a month than all of the energy man has ever consumed in all of his existance on this planet. Harnesing that power doesn't mean lining the roof tops of the world with silly solar panels that wear out in the rain and sun and only work for a faction of the day, and that's in perfect weather conditions.. Instead an array of millions of power generating satelites orbiting near Mercury and beaming power continouously to a base on, say, the Moon would provide nearly unlimited energy for the entire planet, essentially for free.
Forever.
This will never happen, though. The initial cost of developing the satelites would be astronomically high, in the trillions and trillions, at least. Even though it would pay for itself a hundred times over in a generation, the human race isn't yet clear sighted enough to understand what a boon limitless energy would be for the world.
Forsaking railgun giblets
Fo-Ru-Se-I-Ki-N-Gu Re-I-Ru-Ga-N Gi-bu-re-tsu
Oops, 16 even. >:)
Well of course, it's *always* the last place you look.
Not for me. I found em and I just kept on lookin, you know, just in case.
Harry Potter books are popular everywhere. People love 'Harry Potter'. So people churn out these knock-off books. If the authors wanted to write for the local market I'm sure they could easily make up their own stories but again the just rip-off works just to get the cash.
Let me ask you this, if all of these knock-off books were prefectly legal, and now the 6th book of the series comes out, are you trying to say that all of these people who "love 'Harry Potter'" will decide to buy the 6th book in the series of Tanya Grotter instead? They will just decide to dump harry and start reading this new guy's books? Ok, let's say that DOES happen, let's say this guy is a much better author than JKR. In that case, propping up the inferior JKR instead of letting the new guy take over the genre is WRONG. It does not promote the art of novel writing to let the lesser quality writer win. It also does not hurt the original author any if somone else uses the characters in a new way, because, if the author really is a good writer, then people will buy her books regardless of what else is out there.
Art which uses found objects, cultural references, preexisting stories may be protected under the fair use doctrine.
Hmmm, so what if my "found art" was an illigal reproduction of the Matrix II?
This got me to wondering; How do Slashdot readers mark their territory so future generations know they were there?
/etc/passwd.
I write an impossible to find bug in thier critical software that will cause thier servers to shut down should my name be removed from
So, if I steal this off of Kazaa, is that still just called copyright infringment?