I just walked into RS and asked for the "Cat thing that reads barcodes", bingo, a guy hands me a bag with the Cue Cat and a catalog (praise "Bob" they're not selling the things any more!), he says "Y'know, you can scan anything - soda pop, chewing gum, whatever!", I wave goodbye and I'm out of the store.
No name, nothing to tie me to an "ID" number.
You'd think that if there were some sort of attempt to track scans vs consumer they'd be a little more attentive about getting, like, my name, or something.
Then again, this is Radio Shack we're talking about.
Unless that category was, "Best Science Fiction Comedy", I can't imagine how a spoof of trekkies could win out over one of the most awesome visualizations of a science fiction concept on the silver screen, ever.
Perhaps because the Hugo voters were looking less for "visualization" and more for "plot". Take the special effects out of "The Matrix" and you've got the sequel to Tron: "The MCP Strikes Back".
(I should confess that I have Tron on DVD, which in and of itself probably disqualifies any opinions I have on movies)
I believe that the pollution problem stems more from accepted lifestyles in our society than anything else. Look at all the SUV's out there today!
I don't think it's so much "lifestyle" as government interference steering people towards vehicles that are inefficient.
A major reason people are driving SUVs is due to government legislation. The CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy, if memory serves) standards added thousands of dollars to the costs of big car - the kind of car a growing family would want to cart themselves around in.
So given a choice between a $18k station wagon or $12k mini-van, the average family doesn't need a slide rule to figure that one out.
Government is needed in a civil society to provide services for the common good. Often those services aren't profitable (or shouldn't be). Fire and police protection, water purfication, trash pickup, etc
So just how many of these services will the new President be involved in improving?
The Federal government doesn't need to be involved in any of these. Nor much else, for that matter.
Anyway, my question is this: if the company takes you out to dinner, is it appropriate to order a beer?
I'm assuming this is a straight question, I'll give a straight answer.
The "dinner" part is important - if this were during business hours then alcohol is out of the question entirely. With dinner, then, maybe.
Even then, you're best bet is to pass on the beer. Consider the worst-case scenarios... if you order beer and they're stuck up hyper business types you've just lost points (and possibly the job). If you don't order beer and they do, they'll probably just put it down to your trying to make the best impression, and not hold it against you.
Now I'm assuming you're going for some sort of technical job - if, on the other hand, you're pitching for a position that would have you out and schmoozing, wining and dining the customers, that's a different kettle of fish. They might be very interested in how well you can hold your liquor:-)
This advice is localized to the Midwest US, your milage may vary according to location. Good luck on the interview.
In a battle to the death between you and Dvorack, which one of you would win?
My money's on the Cringe. I remember (ages ago) Dvorak singing the praises of some hopped-up motherboard - a '286, I think, that's how long ago this was - it blew out all his benchmarks. Turns out that instead of speeding up the CPU the makers had just slowed down the RTC!
Since then I've been rather suspect of Dvorak's technical wherewithal.
Before you call the number on yer Caller ID display and start venting, consider this:
Where I work there are maybe, I dunno, a thousand people in the building. When someone, anyone, picked up the phone on their desk and dialed an outside number, the number that showed up on the target's caller ID was the number to the receptionist. Who had to handle a good number of irate calls - "WHY DID YOU CALL ME?!?" - from people who simply wouldn't listen to the facts that it could have been anyone in the building.
As it turns out, we just told the phone co to block ID to save the trouble. Too bad - because I'd love to block anonymous calls with my nifty little Radio Shack Caller ID F-You Box, but I can't afford to miss a call from The Boss.
The lesson: The number you call back may not be the number that placed the call.
There's always time for politeness! - Politenessman
WTF is it with you people? Social security number does not control your life in the same manner as this "we'll mute your phone in places we deem appropriate".
Please regale us with the stories of all the drivers' licenses, bank acounts, rental cars, airline tickets, jobs et al that you've managed to score without a SSN.
Seeing as I've done all that without a cell phone.
So... Slashdot has been getting all worked up over Net Nanny et al. for no good reason?
You have the right to climb on top of your soap box and declare that the King is a Fink. You do not have to right to a free, tax-payer subsidized soapbox.
Freedom of the Press does not mean you get a free printing press. Freedom of Religion does not mean you get a free church. Etc, etc.
ok so im guessing you stay with your kids 24 hours a day 7 days a week,
No, I'm someone who actually thought about it, and decided that (a) I don't like kids, and (b) the responsibility that comes with crotch-fruit (if you're more civilized than a baboon) isn't something I want to be stuck with.
Wow. Being responsible for your actions. What a concept.
what about missing an emergency call about your wife being in the hospital or your father,
I'm not a doctor or an EMS specialist, so there's jack all I can do about it in the immediate sense. Call me NOW, call me 8 hours from now, it don't make a whole hell of a lot of difference to the body in the meatwagon when push comes to shove. Or do you figure you'll arrive at the hospital just in time to deliver the live-saving technique that will save your loved one? This ain't TV. This is Real Life. Has been for quite a while.
there are thousands of calls you CANNOT AFFORD to miss
Or, alternatively, you take your instant-access status just a tad too seriously.
This may come as a shock, but civilization did manage to get along for one or two centuries before we even had cell phones.
Cell phones are convenient. They are not a necessity.
Just because you don't get shot, you aren't censored? Sounds like telling me that if I'm not eating a 48 oz steak, I'm not eating... Just because it's not extreme doesn't make it right...
We really are belaboring the obvious here, but what the heck, I'm bored. Here's the difference:
If a theatre manager shoots you for using a cell phone, that's murder. Because we have laws about killing people, and where and when you're allowed to do it. They are answerable to a higher authority, the Government.
If the government shoots you, it's because they felt like it. It's perfectly legal, because they write whatever laws they like. They answer to no higher authority than the people, and so far the people don't seem to have any problems with the Government blowing away folks in order to "Save the Children".
i for one would not like to be the person missing an emergency phone call, where possibly my child (if i had one) was in danger and i didnt get the phone call because i was in the friggin Q-zone so joe-shmo can not be annoyed
Here's a radical idea, we used it back before there were cell-phones. If you're not completely comfortable with the situation your child is in, maybe you shouldn't leave it.
Yeah, I know - that could impact your lifestyle. Bummer.
Being a grown-up and having kids tends to do that.
So, wait... when M$ used their leverage to block all of E-Bay's auctions of M$ products, that wasn't censorship? ?
Of course not! The fact that you know about it should point that out. Just because one stinking site (ebay) wimped out to Gawd-Amighty Microsoft does not censorship make. The fact that we are talking about it here, now, makes my point.
Censorship is when you and a bunch of your friends gather around a street corner yelling "Bill Gates Sucks!" and the governing body shoots you all dead.
See also Tiemenn Square (sp) in China. When you've been run over by a tank because of your views get back to me.
I can't count the number of times I've been driving to/from work and seen idjuts talking into their cellphones, weaving around, largely oblivious to their immediate (and dangerous) surroundings. So, assuming I were a complete and utter, is there some cheap litte bit o' nastiness that would "hang up"/crash/cancel/annoy all cell phones say, within a 25 foot radius?
The list of things they want to try for next time include using "liquid CO2" for the cooler. I think that's going to be more expensive than the Fluorinert stuff!
(CO2 goes from it's solid "dry ice" form directly to gas, it sublimates, if I remember the word correctly)
The old (v2.01) Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet system had what was for it's time a pretty good help system that used hyperlinks to related subjects. I'm pretty sure that's prior to this patent.
Slashdot Mirror
I just walked into RS and asked for the "Cat thing that reads barcodes", bingo, a guy hands me a bag with the Cue Cat and a catalog (praise "Bob" they're not selling the things any more!), he says "Y'know, you can scan anything - soda pop, chewing gum, whatever!", I wave goodbye and I'm out of the store.
No name, nothing to tie me to an "ID" number.
You'd think that if there were some sort of attempt to track scans vs consumer they'd be a little more attentive about getting, like, my name, or something.
Then again, this is Radio Shack we're talking about.
Anybody else miss the free flashlights?
Unless that category was, "Best Science Fiction Comedy", I can't imagine how a spoof of trekkies could win out over one of the most awesome visualizations of a science fiction concept on the silver screen, ever.
Perhaps because the Hugo voters were looking less for "visualization" and more for "plot". Take the special effects out of "The Matrix" and you've got the sequel to Tron: "The MCP Strikes Back".
(I should confess that I have Tron on DVD, which in and of itself probably disqualifies any opinions I have on movies)
The United States (as opposed to European countries as an example), has artificially low gas prices.
Riiight. The Greys have been subsidizing U.S. gasoline prices as part of their Master Plan to Conquer the World!
I think your tinfoil hat needs re-alignment.
I believe that the pollution problem stems more from accepted lifestyles in our society than anything else. Look at all the SUV's out there today!
I don't think it's so much "lifestyle" as government interference steering people towards vehicles that are inefficient.
A major reason people are driving SUVs is due to government legislation. The CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy, if memory serves) standards added thousands of dollars to the costs of big car - the kind of car a growing family would want to cart themselves around in.
So given a choice between a $18k station wagon or $12k mini-van, the average family doesn't need a slide rule to figure that one out.
Government is needed in a civil society to provide services for the common good. Often those services aren't profitable (or shouldn't be). Fire and police protection, water purfication, trash pickup, etc
So just how many of these services will the new President be involved in improving?
The Federal government doesn't need to be involved in any of these. Nor much else, for that matter.
In all seriousness, if they are those kind of people then I wouldn't want to work there.
For any price?
The more I'm paid, the more BS I'm willing to put up with. Life is full of trade offs.
Anyway, my question is this: if the company takes you out to dinner, is it appropriate to order a beer?
:-)
I'm assuming this is a straight question, I'll give a straight answer.
The "dinner" part is important - if this were during business hours then alcohol is out of the question entirely. With dinner, then, maybe.
Even then, you're best bet is to pass on the beer. Consider the worst-case scenarios... if you order beer and they're stuck up hyper business types you've just lost points (and possibly the job). If you don't order beer and they do, they'll probably just put it down to your trying to make the best impression, and not hold it against you.
Now I'm assuming you're going for some sort of technical job - if, on the other hand, you're pitching for a position that would have you out and schmoozing, wining and dining the customers, that's a different kettle of fish. They might be very interested in how well you can hold your liquor
This advice is localized to the Midwest US, your milage may vary according to location. Good luck on the interview.
In a battle to the death between you and Dvorack, which one of you would win?
My money's on the Cringe. I remember (ages ago) Dvorak singing the praises of some hopped-up motherboard - a '286, I think, that's how long ago this was - it blew out all his benchmarks. Turns out that instead of speeding up the CPU the makers had just slowed down the RTC!
Since then I've been rather suspect of Dvorak's technical wherewithal.
...it's not like it's their money that's getting spent.
Before you call the number on yer Caller ID display and start venting, consider this:
Where I work there are maybe, I dunno, a thousand people in the building. When someone, anyone, picked up the phone on their desk and dialed an outside number, the number that showed up on the target's caller ID was the number to the receptionist. Who had to handle a good number of irate calls - "WHY DID YOU CALL ME?!?" - from people who simply wouldn't listen to the facts that it could have been anyone in the building.
As it turns out, we just told the phone co to block ID to save the trouble. Too bad - because I'd love to block anonymous calls with my nifty little Radio Shack Caller ID F-You Box, but I can't afford to miss a call from The Boss.
The lesson: The number you call back may not be the number that placed the call.
There's always time for politeness!
- Politenessman
WTF is it with you people? Social security number does not control your life in the same manner as this "we'll mute your phone in places we deem appropriate".
Please regale us with the stories of all the drivers' licenses, bank acounts, rental cars, airline tickets, jobs et al that you've managed to score without a SSN.
Seeing as I've done all that without a cell phone.
So... Slashdot has been getting all worked up over Net Nanny et al. for no good reason?
You have the right to climb on top of your soap box and declare that the King is a Fink. You do not have to right to a free, tax-payer subsidized soapbox.
Freedom of the Press does not mean you get a free printing press. Freedom of Religion does not mean you get a free church. Etc, etc.
ok so im guessing you stay with your kids 24 hours a day 7 days a week,
No, I'm someone who actually thought about it, and decided that (a) I don't like kids, and (b) the responsibility that comes with crotch-fruit (if you're more civilized than a baboon) isn't something I want to be stuck with.
Wow. Being responsible for your actions. What a concept.
what about missing an emergency call about your wife being in the hospital or your father,
I'm not a doctor or an EMS specialist, so there's jack all I can do about it in the immediate sense. Call me NOW, call me 8 hours from now, it don't make a whole hell of a lot of difference to the body in the meatwagon when push comes to shove. Or do you figure you'll arrive at the hospital just in time to deliver the live-saving technique that will save your loved one? This ain't TV. This is Real Life. Has been for quite a while.
there are thousands of calls you CANNOT AFFORD to miss
Or, alternatively, you take your instant-access status just a tad too seriously.
This may come as a shock, but civilization did manage to get along for one or two centuries before we even had cell phones.
Cell phones are convenient. They are not a necessity.
Just because you don't get shot, you aren't censored? Sounds like telling me that if I'm not eating a 48 oz steak, I'm not eating... Just because it's not extreme doesn't make it right...
We really are belaboring the obvious here, but what the heck, I'm bored. Here's the difference:
If a theatre manager shoots you for using a cell phone, that's murder. Because we have laws about killing people, and where and when you're allowed to do it. They are answerable to a higher authority, the Government.
If the government shoots you, it's because they felt like it. It's perfectly legal, because they write whatever laws they like. They answer to no higher authority than the people, and so far the people don't seem to have any problems with the Government blowing away folks in order to "Save the Children".
Hope this helps.
One word: EMP (well, it's not really a word, but...)
I was sort of hoping to keep the local CPUs on line. Seeing as they run the tranny, engine, radio et al.
i for one would not like to be the person missing an emergency phone call, where possibly my child (if i had one) was in danger and i didnt get the phone call because i was in the friggin Q-zone so joe-shmo can not be annoyed
Here's a radical idea, we used it back before there were cell-phones. If you're not completely comfortable with the situation your child is in, maybe you shouldn't leave it.
Yeah, I know - that could impact your lifestyle. Bummer.
Being a grown-up and having kids tends to do that.
I think this is the most ridiculous use of technology to control people's lives I've heard of in a long time...
(Assuming this is from the United States...)
Might I suggest you take a long, hard look at your Social Security Number and just how many places that puts YOU in some database?
So, wait... when M$ used their leverage to block all of E-Bay's auctions of M$ products, that wasn't censorship? ?
Of course not! The fact that you know about it should point that out. Just because one stinking site (ebay) wimped out to Gawd-Amighty Microsoft does not censorship make. The fact that we are talking about it here, now, makes my point.
Censorship is when you and a bunch of your friends gather around a street corner yelling "Bill Gates Sucks!" and the governing body shoots you all dead.
See also Tiemenn Square (sp) in China. When you've been run over by a tank because of your views get back to me.
I can't count the number of times I've been driving to/from work and seen idjuts talking into their cellphones, weaving around, largely oblivious to their immediate (and dangerous) surroundings. So, assuming I were a complete and utter, is there some cheap litte bit o' nastiness that would "hang up"/crash/cancel/annoy all cell phones say, within a 25 foot radius?
Not that I'd ever do anything like that. No.
Just curious, ya understand.
Am I going to be the only person who realizes that this is censorship?
Yes. Here's the clue: Censorship can only be done by the government.
You don't like the fact that the theatre you paid to get in to blocks cell phones? Walk out.
The list of things they want to try for next time include using "liquid CO2" for the cooler. I think that's going to be more expensive than the Fluorinert stuff!
(CO2 goes from it's solid "dry ice" form directly to gas, it sublimates, if I remember the word correctly)
Give me Ewoks any day.
...with a nice garlic sauce.
I'm a little confused by the term "moral vegetarian".
A Moral Vegetarian is someone who eats only evil plants.
Living inside that 40 megs has been tough...
If memory serves...
The old (v2.01) Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet system had what was for it's time a pretty good help system that used hyperlinks to related subjects.
I'm pretty sure that's prior to this patent.