I never turn my mobile off. The phone just doenst work that high up
Exactly, and even if your phone made the aircraft twitch, the pilot would just correct it as a matter of course.
And then, just as the plane approaches for landing in a tricky crosswind, your phone comes within range of the radio tower, and starts receiving a bunch of SMS messages (the 'welcome to such-and-such network' ones, and yes, phones do transmit as well when receiving messages), and screws up the avionics. But now, there is very margin for error and that twitch might well cause a crash.
Not following these safety regulations on aircraft is not only illegal, it's utterly stupid.
I would guess that the coalitions would allow for more fluidity in politics than 2 (or a few) strong parties.
Yes, and that can be a distinct drawback. With an election that will determine the one party to rule them all, you know what you are voting for. With coalitions, you know what party you vote for, but if they end up in the government, you never know whom they will form a coalition with, and what principles they will compromise on.
In the Netherlands, there are currently 5 sizable parties with a good likelyhood of being part of the government. They are Social-democrats, Christian center, Reactionists, Liberal and Conservative. I'll vote conservative, but they might (and have in the past) make a coalition with any of the other parties. If they team up with the liberals, they will compromise on government reform. If they team up with the Socialists, they will compromise on wage levelling and higher tax for rich gits. You get the idea... So, what exactly am I voting for?
Aside from the uncertainty of the resulting policies, a coalition will always have to compromise on their differing principles and choose a middle ground, which can make for a very dull and rudderless government. At least a single party in power can take decisive action.
That's what the collectivists of the world would like you to believe.
Just looking out for yourself is neither selfish nor being greedy. It becomes selfish when you lose all regard for other people's interests in the process. It becomes greed when it turns into an obsessive lust for wealth.
The problem is already there: you are lost in a strange city? What to do...?
If (and that's a big 'if') this system works as advertised, wouldn't you say it is a rather useful application for the many, many people who already own a phone-with-camera, and no built-in GPS?
My questions to those CEOs would be: would you say that, 2 or 3 years down the line, outsourcing has improved your bottom line? And are your customers (whether they are internal 'customers' or real ones) as happy with the provided quality as they used to be before you outsourced?
Then I'd go and ask the same questions to middle management and the customers themselves, their 'bottom line' being value for money.
I've had some limited experience with outsourcing. In one case, the team from India did a super job, as good as we could have done in-house. In another case, outsourcing was a dismal failure. So at a glance it would seem possible to do it right, but its certainly no panacea.
Oh, another question: are we talking about outsourcing (having another company, possibly based in the same country, take over certain activities of your own company that aren't part of your core business), or offshoring (having another company or a subsidiary of your own company take over activities, in a low-cost country)?
How even though given the anti-intellectual culture of the US we are still the only ones able to land this very successful rover
I think one of the factors contributing to the success of the US, is the mindset of its people. Unlike most other countries, the US is a 'nation of winners' as someone put it once, where people celebrate success, are proud of their achievements, and not afraid to be #1. (disclaimer: yes, it's a generalisation, not all Americans are like that, and these qualities can be found in people of other nations as well).
Americans have the will to risk money and lives on visionary stuff, on going somewhere first. Looking in and around my own country in Europe, I do not see this drive for success. We'd rather spend our money on health care, railroads, and other such mundane things. We do not have grand visions, and if anything, success is scorned. "These people may be sooo proud of their little rover, but they still shit the same color as we all do. They're no better than us". Discuss the history of our country with others, and everyone will focus on the bad stuff (slavery and such), on how much we suck, rather than the things we did well (and our country has plenty to be proud of). Such a nation will never put anything on Mars.
There are other nations with the drive to go to Space, though. They have some catching up to do in terms of technology, and they are certainly not as rich as the US, but they'll get there.
oh come on! conservation is ALWAYS a good thing. fuck the politics
It was exactly the politics that I was questioning. As for conservation being always good; that is not the case. Conservation often carries with it an economic penalty. Consider: if we want to reduce the amount of soot ejected into the atmosphere by 30%, should we a) reduce energy consumption by 30% (assuming we're using coal-powered plants), or b) install scrubbers on the smokestacks, achieving a 30% reduction that way. In Europe at least, many environmentalists have professed a preference for option a), given the choice.
Technical solution = one less issue for the greens to lobby against, hence less power for them.
Solution in the form of rationing = greens telling us how to live, meaning more power to them
Call me cynical, but all too often I see the greens (or the Green Khmer as my friend calls them) protesting against good solutions... it seems that they always favour rationing.
people are now starting to learn just how fundamental some of the problems with windows are and just how futile it is to try and keep a system up to date on a dial up modem.
I'm rather more pessimistic about just how well people, ordinary consumers, are starting to learn of the problems with Windows and the alternatives. Actually, most people do not think there are any alternatives to Windows. When you mention a choice of operating systems, they say "Ah, so it's Windows XP or Windows NT?".
Most people shopping for computers consider Windows to be like a component similar to, say, a hard disk. You will need to buy one unless you happen to already have one lying around. Only a very few enlightened ones know that something like Linux exists... an operating system "for nerds, that won't let you run any of the good games". These people will moan about Windows security just as much as the Slashdot crowd, but they will not switch.
do we really need to give people another excuse to get mad at someone, blaming "that idiot speeder" for making them late?
That's partly the point of these things. Het, maybe the light will change to red long enough for you to walk over to the speeder's car and pop him one in the mouth. Instant justice at no cost to the taxpayer.
But seriously, I've heard of experiments in our area with such traffic lights, and the results were quite encouraging. It works well for those thoroughfares through small villages, where you should do 50km/h but everyone does 80. The traffic light isn't even at an intersection, it's just in the middle of the road.
Oh, and it had a camera to catch you running the red light as well... not many people do that; running a red light is seen as a much more serious offence than speeding. Speeding is like downloading music: it's not quite legal but many people do it anyway and think it's okay. Running a red light is more like shoplifting.
Quite right. My favorite example: a dripping faucet. This noise can be very faint; just on the edge of what you can still hear. But be honest: when you're lying in bed, as soon as you have identified the source of that faint, constant tapping, you just have to get up and turn off that faucet!
In contrast, a running AC can make quite a bit of noise, but the sound is continuous and similar to white noise. Almost no-one has trouble falling asleep to the sound of an AC, in fact, if you are being kept awake by a dripping faucet or other noises, switch on the AC and its noise may drown out the rest, allowing you to sleep. (I know, not the most environmentally sound solution...)
That's the problem with sound pollution laws: they only take sound levels into account.
If you're a doctor on call, or a businessman expecting a call about the deal of a lifetime, don't go into places like theaters where you are expected to muster the courtesy of turning your phone off. It is that simple.
...or a call about something incredibly good? What if it were Darl's call to Linus apologizing for the lawsuit that was blocked? (Hey, we can dream.)
That is why the phone companies invented voicemail. Use it.
No thanks. Pretty ladies, boobage, flirting, nice ankles, and so on are all fine for movies, but actual sex scenes are hardly every (if at all) done right.
Stanley Kubrick had the right idea about sex in movies. There is a sex scene in A clockwork Orange, but Kubrick fast-forwards through the thing for us.
Although my cellphone and PDA get a few hours in their cradle every day and thus are usually fully charged all the time, it'll still be useful to be able to fast-charge them.
But the technology will really shine for applications with a large power drain. I'd love to have such a battery for my dive-light (quick-charge between dives aren't practical with today's battery technology), or for my RC heli... I'll just need a few minutes at the charger between flights. And it'll be great for power tools on batteries... somehow a single charge is always juuuuuust a little less than what you need for the job.
the centre of mass (where the axle is attached) doesn't move vertically
Minor nitpick: the smoothness of the ride has nothing to do with the vertical motion of the center of mass, but with the motion of the axle. The c.o.m of a wheel is usually at the axle, but it doesn't have to be. If it isn't, you'll get vibrations at high speeds, at on this bike you probably wouldn't notice it.
I already use mostly open bucket evaporating
[...] during summer it's expected to go to 30 celsius for fuckin weeks again and no money for AC
You're using evaporation to cool your home? How effective is that?
For me, the most important function of an AC is that it dries the air. I'd even use AC if it would't cool the air as well... I can stand warm weather, but it's the humidity that usually comes with it, that does me in. "Yeah man, but it's a dry heat", and all that.
Evaporation would cool the house somewhat, but add humidity to the air. Does that really make it more comfortable?
I wonder what open source project will suffer first as they enforce these patents?.
I would be really surprised if this isn't Microsoft's new way to take on open source projects that threaten their business. Sure, Mono, but also Linux in general. Their sponsorship of SCO was just the beginning.
MS has found that sometimes, they cannot win from open source projects on their products' merits alone. FUD isn't working as well as it used to either. And their monopoly position and the use they make of it is turning against them as well: people and even companies choose alternatives over Microsoft products, not because of the products themselves, but because they dislike MS. Hell, MS can't even buy or assimilate threatening open-source products because there's no owning entity to buy.
So what's left to them? That's right, you work to outlaw the competition, or at least its products. And if there's no way to sue the producers of software infringing on your intellectual property, you sue the users! What better deterrent can you think of? SCO has shown MS the light and the way.
To me, it would be better to have to package load onto the HDD, and if there are any missing libraries, have that go and fetch them as well.
That's exactly what is happening: the software is cached. From their website: "I've only got dial-up; can I still use Zero Install?
Yes! Run each program you want while on-line and it will be cached. When you're off-line, the cached copy is used automatically."
Actually, I have received this particular one, both in the "Citibank" form and in the Dutch "Postbank" reincarnation, which is basically a translation of the original one.
You scoff, but the scam spam I received did not have a single spelling error in it (a small miracle in itself), and to the untrained or trained but lazy eye, the letter, URL, and the website might very well appear to be legit. And no, not everyone knows that your PIN should never been given to anyone. I imagine that these scammers have harvested quite a few accounts. This is easily the cleverest scam spam I have seen in a long while.
Slashdot Mirror
And then, just as the plane approaches for landing in a tricky crosswind, your phone comes within range of the radio tower, and starts receiving a bunch of SMS messages (the 'welcome to such-and-such network' ones, and yes, phones do transmit as well when receiving messages), and screws up the avionics. But now, there is very margin for error and that twitch might well cause a crash.
Not following these safety regulations on aircraft is not only illegal, it's utterly stupid.
In the Netherlands, there are currently 5 sizable parties with a good likelyhood of being part of the government. They are Social-democrats, Christian center, Reactionists, Liberal and Conservative. I'll vote conservative, but they might (and have in the past) make a coalition with any of the other parties. If they team up with the liberals, they will compromise on government reform. If they team up with the Socialists, they will compromise on wage levelling and higher tax for rich gits. You get the idea... So, what exactly am I voting for?
Aside from the uncertainty of the resulting policies, a coalition will always have to compromise on their differing principles and choose a middle ground, which can make for a very dull and rudderless government. At least a single party in power can take decisive action.
No, it's 'Awesom-o'. It farts, too.
Just looking out for yourself is neither selfish nor being greedy. It becomes selfish when you lose all regard for other people's interests in the process. It becomes greed when it turns into an obsessive lust for wealth.
Or, as the judge in 'Fear and loathing in Las Vegas' suggested: "Castration! Double castration!!"
You forgot one important cardinal rule for Men: "Thou shalt NOT ask for directions. Ever."
If (and that's a big 'if') this system works as advertised, wouldn't you say it is a rather useful application for the many, many people who already own a phone-with-camera, and no built-in GPS?
My questions to those CEOs would be: would you say that, 2 or 3 years down the line, outsourcing has improved your bottom line? And are your customers (whether they are internal 'customers' or real ones) as happy with the provided quality as they used to be before you outsourced?
Then I'd go and ask the same questions to middle management and the customers themselves, their 'bottom line' being value for money.
I've had some limited experience with outsourcing. In one case, the team from India did a super job, as good as we could have done in-house. In another case, outsourcing was a dismal failure. So at a glance it would seem possible to do it right, but its certainly no panacea.
Oh, another question: are we talking about outsourcing (having another company, possibly based in the same country, take over certain activities of your own company that aren't part of your core business), or offshoring (having another company or a subsidiary of your own company take over activities, in a low-cost country)?
Americans have the will to risk money and lives on visionary stuff, on going somewhere first. Looking in and around my own country in Europe, I do not see this drive for success. We'd rather spend our money on health care, railroads, and other such mundane things. We do not have grand visions, and if anything, success is scorned. "These people may be sooo proud of their little rover, but they still shit the same color as we all do. They're no better than us". Discuss the history of our country with others, and everyone will focus on the bad stuff (slavery and such), on how much we suck, rather than the things we did well (and our country has plenty to be proud of). Such a nation will never put anything on Mars.
There are other nations with the drive to go to Space, though. They have some catching up to do in terms of technology, and they are certainly not as rich as the US, but they'll get there.
Solution in the form of rationing = greens telling us how to live, meaning more power to them
Call me cynical, but all too often I see the greens (or the Green Khmer as my friend calls them) protesting against good solutions... it seems that they always favour rationing.
Most people shopping for computers consider Windows to be like a component similar to, say, a hard disk. You will need to buy one unless you happen to already have one lying around. Only a very few enlightened ones know that something like Linux exists... an operating system "for nerds, that won't let you run any of the good games". These people will moan about Windows security just as much as the Slashdot crowd, but they will not switch.
But seriously, I've heard of experiments in our area with such traffic lights, and the results were quite encouraging. It works well for those thoroughfares through small villages, where you should do 50km/h but everyone does 80. The traffic light isn't even at an intersection, it's just in the middle of the road.
Oh, and it had a camera to catch you running the red light as well... not many people do that; running a red light is seen as a much more serious offence than speeding. Speeding is like downloading music: it's not quite legal but many people do it anyway and think it's okay. Running a red light is more like shoplifting.
In contrast, a running AC can make quite a bit of noise, but the sound is continuous and similar to white noise. Almost no-one has trouble falling asleep to the sound of an AC, in fact, if you are being kept awake by a dripping faucet or other noises, switch on the AC and its noise may drown out the rest, allowing you to sleep. (I know, not the most environmentally sound solution...)
That's the problem with sound pollution laws: they only take sound levels into account.
Stanley Kubrick had the right idea about sex in movies. There is a sex scene in A clockwork Orange, but Kubrick fast-forwards through the thing for us.
Although my cellphone and PDA get a few hours in their cradle every day and thus are usually fully charged all the time, it'll still be useful to be able to fast-charge them.
But the technology will really shine for applications with a large power drain. I'd love to have such a battery for my dive-light (quick-charge between dives aren't practical with today's battery technology), or for my RC heli... I'll just need a few minutes at the charger between flights. And it'll be great for power tools on batteries... somehow a single charge is always juuuuuust a little less than what you need for the job.
There's no contradiction if you read it right (ok... if I had written it better).
I should have written: "The vertical motion of the c.o.m. does not necessarily have a noticable effect on the smoothness of the ride".
Better>
... was found in the booth as well, I suppose?
f-f-f-f-f-f-f!!!
For me, the most important function of an AC is that it dries the air. I'd even use AC if it would't cool the air as well... I can stand warm weather, but it's the humidity that usually comes with it, that does me in. "Yeah man, but it's a dry heat", and all that.
Evaporation would cool the house somewhat, but add humidity to the air. Does that really make it more comfortable?
MS has found that sometimes, they cannot win from open source projects on their products' merits alone. FUD isn't working as well as it used to either. And their monopoly position and the use they make of it is turning against them as well: people and even companies choose alternatives over Microsoft products, not because of the products themselves, but because they dislike MS. Hell, MS can't even buy or assimilate threatening open-source products because there's no owning entity to buy.
So what's left to them? That's right, you work to outlaw the competition, or at least its products. And if there's no way to sue the producers of software infringing on your intellectual property, you sue the users! What better deterrent can you think of? SCO has shown MS the light and the way.
You scoff, but the scam spam I received did not have a single spelling error in it (a small miracle in itself), and to the untrained or trained but lazy eye, the letter, URL, and the website might very well appear to be legit. And no, not everyone knows that your PIN should never been given to anyone. I imagine that these scammers have harvested quite a few accounts. This is easily the cleverest scam spam I have seen in a long while.