"Can a rodent generate enough electricity to power a light by running on it's wheel?"
Well it methinks it all depends how big the rodent is... AFAIK the capybara is the biggest rodent.
From the size of it I guess it could generate enough electric juice to power a high power halogen lamp.
"there is no theoretical reason why every subatomic particle in your body could not simultaneously jump one foot to the left"
There's something called probability too seeing to that i.e. what is the probability of that happenining? Although I cannot prove it, the probability of it happenning is VERY low - getting statistical data to prove that should be a no-brainer task.
Fact is, the FORECASTED probability of a project's success and the amount of funding it receives are proportional.
The problem with this is the forecasting. In economy everybody knows how crucial forecasts are, however, in scientific research forecasts have no value except maybe for formulating theories... and as long as something remains purely theoretical it has no economic value.
If the smell from NEW computer items really gives that amount of trouble just place the newly purchased item(s) in a dry, well ventilated place for one or two days. If you place them outside(caution: direct sunlight, rain, thieves), especially if there's a breeze or it is slightly windy it's even better. I usually do this process for monitors, keyboards and mice (i.e. mostly plastic stuff).
Most of the smelly chemicals will 'evaporate' leaving the item odourless.
Note: do not keep items in direct sunlight or heat; not only this can cause damage to the item but it can also INCREASE the offending smell.
I do not only archive my important emails but I record my converstaions with other people as well.
I have an MP3 recorder running in a loop all the time in my pocket. Whenever I have gone through a particularly important conversation I save it on my laptop, and then finally on CDROM for future reference. In future, if the technology becomes affordable, I would also like to record whatever I see too (video)... meanwhile I take pictures with my digital camera. In order not to piss people off I don't give it away that i'm recording everything.
Such recordings can be very useful when assholes 'twist' what they have said in order to save their ass and put yours on the stake.
Tinfoil hat wearers might try the following method:
1) Fry the electronics in the card by putting it in a microwave oven etc.
2) Report the card as lost and get a new working card.
You can then keep the working card wrapped in tinfoil and use it only when you really need its identification technology. Otherwise use the card with the disabled electronics as you would use a 'normal' ID card.
But I'll expose my philosopy to you; think well about it before you criticize.
People get what they deserve.
For example, when the majority votes for a good president - they get what they deserve. The contrary is also true. When people fight for their rights and have strong ideals - they get what they deserve. The contrary is also true. When students advance academically while sensibly ignoring copyright laws - they get what they deserve: a good grade at a cost they can afford. Of course, the contrary is also true.
Forget morality and legality; on this planet, the rule has always been survival of the fittest. Where fitness is relative to the surrounding (physical, social, economical, legal, etc.) environment. Don't believe me? Have a look at Bill.
Knowledge is a right, not a privilege. You get what you deserve - remember that.
As one who knows how to repair both types of devices I find repairing TV's the most difficult of both jobs. Repairing at component level takes some skill and experience, as opposed to just swapping boards.
Classifing a computer as a TV sets a dangerous precedent since a computer can subsitute nearly any electronic device that has only solid state parts. A computer can function as an oscilloscope, VCR, Radio (both RX & TX) etc etc with adequate peripherals... the level of skill required to repair these (the actual devices, not the peripherals) is simply beyond the skill of a typical computer technician.
Of course with adequate training that might be another story...
When batches of silicon chips are made a number of them are always defective.
This technology is more beneficial for IBM than for us because it will allow IBM to SELL defective-but-self-repairable chips instead of SCRAPPING them. Because of this, it is highly probable that there will be no way end users will be able to garner info about to what extent the chip has already repaired itself.
If this is the case IBM will probably take one of the following roads: 1) Continue with the current manufacturing standards - this would yield chips with more longevity. 2) Manufacture chips with less stringent (and hence cheaper) manufacturing standards - although this would yield more defective chips, these won't be thrown away since they can self repair; they will be sold instead!
I can't remember who said that Gaia (the planet Earth considered a complex living entity) has a form of AIDS disease that's running amok and depleting its resources from within, and it's called Humanity.
Well, relatively speaking, I consider humanity more like a cancer than like AIDS.
Well, there might be multiple reasons for developing patentable ideas for 50 pounds.
First of all you get 50 pounds for an idea that you would not have made any money out of anyways. Or better still, get 50 pounds for something you have worked on during the weekends AT A LOSS and is now sitting idly on a shelf in your garage/workshop. Another reason might be for getting more recognition from the boss/company. This might help later on if your department is going to be downsized.
And finally, what are the chances for those R&D developers to patent the idea and make a good profit out of it? (If there was any chance they wouldn't have disclosed the idea to their company wouldn't they?) ------- Thinking about it, a good idea might be for open source and open hardware communities to give ~50 pounds (out of donations etc.) and full credit to those that develop 'patentable' ideas. This serves the dual purpose of rendering the idea unpatentable and giving due credit to the inventor.
At least the chinese goverment is not hypocrite:-t they say openly what they are going to do.
Remember echelon? Sure, the message passes through (an act feigning freedom of information) but then those people who used certain keywords inexplicably find themselves on government blacklists. Or rather; they DO NOT find themselves there:- such blacklists are not public.
With the government telling you what they're gonna do you can at least take precautions.
I mean, people in a dark theatre assume they aren't being watched.
Well, the bootlegger teen must have assumed that he wasn't watched.
Future bootleggers will just assume otherwise and take precautions.
Making something difficult does not make it impossible.
Sperm cells have unique human DNA. Should masturbation be illegal? Hundreds of sperm would still die even upon successful conception during sex. There goes all that wonderful unique human DNA.
Sperm cells have only 50% human DNA. Considering that even a chimp and a human have ~ 98% of DNA in common, I wouldn't consider sperm human.
...the British defense contractor, has announced that the same material used to foil radar by stealth bombers can be used to selectively block certain frequencies and prevent wireless networking signals from entering or exiting a building.
In a related article:
Wallpaper coated cessna evades radar detection.
Slashdot Mirror
Only to Roman Catholics my friend.
;-)
Oh well, if the pope said so... it must be true.
Everybody knows how scientifically advanced the vatican's resident scientists are.
"Can a rodent generate enough electricity to power a light by running on it's wheel?"
m mals/9801.jpg
Well it methinks it all depends how big the rodent is... AFAIK the capybara is the biggest rodent.
From the size of it I guess it could generate enough electric juice to power a high power halogen lamp.
Here are some pics of the beast:
http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/capy2.jpg
http://stockpix.com/stock/animals/mammals/smallma
"yep, they just dont build things the way they used to"
"there is no theoretical reason why every subatomic particle in your body could not simultaneously jump one foot to the left"
There's something called probability too seeing to that i.e. what is the probability of that happenining? Although I cannot prove it, the probability of it happenning is VERY low - getting statistical data to prove that should be a no-brainer task.
Fact is, the FORECASTED probability of a project's success and the amount of funding it receives are proportional.
The problem with this is the forecasting. In economy everybody knows how crucial forecasts are, however, in scientific research forecasts have no value except maybe for formulating theories... and as long as something remains purely theoretical it has no economic value.
If the smell from NEW computer items really gives that amount of trouble just place the newly purchased item(s) in a dry, well ventilated place for one or two days. If you place them outside(caution: direct sunlight, rain, thieves), especially if there's a breeze or it is slightly windy it's even better. I usually do this process for monitors, keyboards and mice (i.e. mostly plastic stuff).
Most of the smelly chemicals will 'evaporate' leaving the item odourless.
Note: do not keep items in direct sunlight or heat; not only this can cause damage to the item but it can also INCREASE the offending smell.
If you can't detect it, it should be legal.
Are we talking about athletes or about politicians?
I just can't wait to transform these videos into cartoons.
from a common slacker ancestor.
how about we set up SETI to search for radioactivity residue slung into space ??
Sure, radioactive sludge thrown in space is a sure sign of intelligence.
I do not only archive my important emails but I record my converstaions with other people as well.
I have an MP3 recorder running in a loop all the time in my pocket. Whenever I have gone through a particularly important conversation I save it on my laptop, and then finally on CDROM for future reference. In future, if the technology becomes affordable, I would also like to record whatever I see too (video)... meanwhile I take pictures with my digital camera. In order not to piss people off I don't give it away that i'm recording everything.
Such recordings can be very useful when assholes 'twist' what they have said in order to save their ass and put yours on the stake.
Tinfoil hat wearers might try the following method:
1) Fry the electronics in the card by putting it in a microwave oven etc.
2) Report the card as lost and get a new working card.
You can then keep the working card wrapped in tinfoil and use it only when you really need its identification technology.
Otherwise use the card with the disabled electronics as you would use a 'normal' ID card.
They want to put 3 real people in a 38 inch diameter rocket and then launch them into space?! Who in their right mind would agree to such a thing?
;-)
One man and two women... or maybe one woman and two men.
But I'll expose my philosopy to you; think well about it before you criticize.
People get what they deserve.
For example, when the majority votes for a good president - they get what they deserve. The contrary is also true.
When people fight for their rights and have strong ideals - they get what they deserve. The contrary is also true.
When students advance academically while sensibly ignoring copyright laws - they get what they deserve: a good grade at a cost they can afford. Of course, the contrary is also true.
Forget morality and legality; on this planet, the rule has always been survival of the fittest. Where fitness is relative to the surrounding (physical, social, economical, legal, etc.) environment.
Don't believe me?
Have a look at Bill.
Knowledge is a right, not a privilege.
You get what you deserve - remember that.
As one who knows how to repair both types of devices I find repairing TV's the most difficult of both jobs. Repairing at component level takes some skill and experience, as opposed to just swapping boards.
Classifing a computer as a TV sets a dangerous precedent since a computer can subsitute nearly any electronic device that has only solid state parts. A computer can function as an oscilloscope, VCR, Radio (both RX & TX) etc etc with adequate peripherals... the level of skill required to repair these (the actual devices, not the peripherals) is simply beyond the skill of a typical computer technician.
Of course with adequate training that might be another story...
When batches of silicon chips are made a number of them are always defective.
This technology is more beneficial for IBM than for us because it will allow IBM to SELL defective-but-self-repairable chips instead of SCRAPPING them. Because of this, it is highly probable that there will be no way end users will be able to garner info about to what extent the chip has already repaired itself.
If this is the case IBM will probably take one of the following roads:
1) Continue with the current manufacturing standards - this would yield chips with more longevity.
2) Manufacture chips with less stringent (and hence cheaper) manufacturing standards - although this would yield more defective chips, these won't be thrown away since they can self repair; they will be sold instead!
I really hope it's not option #2 they chose.
"Also, Bill... hate to break it to you, buddy. But you're doing just what a ton of other people are doing every day."
I think Bill knows already. Bill also knows that you don't have enough money (relative to his stash) to contest against the USPTO decision.
"Microsoft will pay upstart Linux seller Lindows $20 million"
Soon I am going to start a new company under the name of Microshaft... if all goes well maybe i'll get some millions too!
"It's high time that the computer stop lurking in the shadows of dusty computer desks in forgotten rarely-used bedrooms"
...but in my case the aforementioned bedroom is daily-used.
I can't remember who said that Gaia (the planet Earth considered a complex living entity) has a form of AIDS disease that's running amok and depleting its resources from within, and it's called Humanity.
Well, relatively speaking, I consider humanity more like a cancer than like AIDS.
Well, there might be multiple reasons for developing patentable ideas for 50 pounds.
First of all you get 50 pounds for an idea that you would not have made any money out of anyways. Or better still, get 50 pounds for something you have worked on during the weekends AT A LOSS and is now sitting idly on a shelf in your garage/workshop. Another reason might be for getting more recognition from the boss/company. This might help later on if your department is going to be downsized.
And finally, what are the chances for those R&D developers to patent the idea and make a good profit out of it? (If there was any chance they wouldn't have disclosed the idea to their company wouldn't they?)
-------
Thinking about it, a good idea might be for open source and open hardware communities to give ~50 pounds (out of donations etc.) and full credit to those that develop 'patentable' ideas. This serves the dual purpose of rendering the idea unpatentable and giving due credit to the inventor.
At least the chinese goverment is not hypocrite:-t they say openly what they are going to do.
Remember echelon? Sure, the message passes through (an act feigning freedom of information) but then those people who used certain keywords inexplicably find themselves on government blacklists. Or rather; they DO NOT find themselves there:- such blacklists are not public.
With the government telling you what they're gonna do you can at least take precautions.
I mean, people in a dark theatre assume they aren't being watched.
Well, the bootlegger teen must have assumed that he wasn't watched.
Future bootleggers will just assume otherwise and take precautions.
Making something difficult does not make it impossible.
Sperm cells have unique human DNA. Should masturbation be illegal? Hundreds of sperm would still die even upon successful conception during sex. There goes all that wonderful unique human DNA.
Sperm cells have only 50% human DNA.
Considering that even a chimp and a human have ~ 98% of DNA in common, I wouldn't consider sperm human.
Ditto for ova.
...the British defense contractor, has announced that the same material used to foil radar by stealth bombers can be used to selectively block certain frequencies and prevent wireless networking signals from entering or exiting a building.
In a related article:
Wallpaper coated cessna evades radar detection.
most there'd be is maybe some bacteria
When the colonizers will begin sneezing and getting fever you'll know that the martians are attacking.