"Safety deposit boxes are not necessarily safe; banks I've dealt with are explicitly not responsible for the safety of the contents of safety deposit box"
True; but it's more of a cost-benefit thing - a safe deposit box has a hell of a lot more security for far less $$ than a safe oen could install at home, especially if it's short term ('till it gets appraised, etc.)
"There's probably some sort of guaranteed insured storage available soemwhere..."
The magic word is "insured." One can't get ANY insurance until one has an idea of what an object's worth, and he needs to store it in a secure place WHILE he figures that out.
1) Research it. When did your Grandfather get it? Are there local news clippings of the strike? Where was it found? Try to get the provenance a la Antiques Roadshow.
2)Get it appraised - and NOT on "Ask Slashdot"! Do some research and get a real appraiser to look at it. Try the net for general info - Google coughed up http://www.lunar-meteorite.com/frontnew.htm and http://www.mhmeteorites.com/ (forewarned - paid links, but look relevant). Call the local university or astronomy club or observatory for references.
3) Safeguard it while you do your research. Suggest getting a large safe deposit box at your local bank. Now that you've broadcast that you have it to the world, best keep it safe.
After you've determined its monetary value, you can weigh it against its sentimental value and decide. Researching its history might increase it's sentimental value, and make it into something you don't want to part with.
"But seriously - I've gone so far as to do a free-pizza-if-you-come-here-and-listen-to-me presentation on how KaZaa is bad, and I'll still see KaZaa on every desktop I touch (except mine, of course)."
Carrot doesn't work? Try the stick.
Kid: "My computer's broken." You: "Is KaZaa on it?" Kid: "Why, yes." You: "Call KaZaa and have them fix it. I think they are in Australia somewhere. Good Luck!" click.hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
There is a big push right now to force corporations to pay out more dividends, mainly in response to the EnWorld debacle. MS would be forced to do pay out its HUGE cash position, which would make the company's stock value plunge. Their employees bolt the company because their compensation relies heavily on stock options. Since MS's main asset is their workers, the stock plunges again.
So, it really wouldn't take an act of God - just an act of Congress.
"Instead of wanting to mold your daughter into a math geek, why not just let her enjoy the things that she wants to do by herself? Instead of trying to turn her toward math, why don't you just continue to encourage her reading skills and just leave it at that? "
One reason to encourage math skills is that kids need encouragement to excel at the things they're NOT good at, not at the things they do well. True, his daughter may not turn out to be a math geek, but she should still be encouraged to learn math so that she doesn't prematurely foreclose her options in life. She may not WANT to be a computer programmer when she grows up, but without the math background, she CAN'T be one, even if she decides she wants to.
Another reason is to fight the culture that has Barbie going "Math is Hard!" Yeah, it is hard - so is living on welfare. For all the progress made, society still assumes "Math:boys::Language:girls" I'd encourage you to support his daughter in math the same way he should support his son in reading - because there are a lot of people fighting against you.
How? Help her with her homework. Be patient. Communicate with her teacher. Most of all, maintain your own interest - when kids are little, they want to be like their parents, so show her something to be like.
"If it were me, I would notify them that if they don't pay you for the work completed thus far, you will stop work altogether "
Put a 48 hour deadline on it. Have it delivered by certified mail or some other traceable means.
"have to resort to a lawsuit"
First look into a mechanics lien. Basically, it's a statement filed with a court of proper jurisdiction stating that company X owes you money for work performed. What it does is encumber the company financially - there are a lot of financial transactions that company X can't do if they have a mechanics lien recorded against them.
Also, you need an attorney. The laws on mechanics liens are very specific in each state an involve various deadlines, etc.
As for the VC stuff, that's the beauty of a mechanic's lien - if one exists, company X is required to notify the VC of it. They do the dirty work for you.
Okay, so he and Al Gore invented the internet. Why does that make him an expert witness in what is, at the core, an IP case. Or for that matter, and expert at P2P networks?
Re:The more I think on it...
on
Portable Hubs?
·
· Score: 1
"Only problem is finding a way to stop that irritating alarm that UPS's have."
"American Tower may not be selling too many of those sites, they're not exactly honest in saying "these are the only towers that are for sale." They should qualify that to be the only towers that they are selling. "
Isn't that like calling a car salesman a liar when he tells you that they don't have a certain model and you reply "Well it's for sale SOMEWHERE!"
I actually have gotten in touch with them. Their problem is that the link in the original story is a link to the map of EVERY site American Tower owns, not just the surplus ones they were selling. Oh, I'm sure they will sell you one of those non surplus towers - but your gonna pay a shitload more than $25K, since they are working towers and American Tower makes money off them.
These are cash on the barrelhead, WYSIWYG, no deposit no return transactions. Demo the tower because you don't want to pay for the upkeep of the signal lights? Do it yourself. Find some surplus equipment that you want out of the bunker? Better start lifting weights.
If you're still interested, download the spreadsheet, then go to Mapquest and plug in the latitude and longitude. Most of these are in the MOFN, and there towers aren't tall enough to be useful, so that's why they are selling them as surplus.
The following is a reply (auto-generated, I think) when I sent an e-mail to the inquiries address.
"Please note that the message postedyesterdayon Slash Dot is incorrect. American Tower Corporation has onlya limited number of Surplus towers for sale that can be accessed by clicking "Sites For Sale" on our home page. These are the only towers that are for sale. Please also note that these Surplussites are sold on a strictly "as is-where is", all cashbasis.
If the site you are inquiringabout is not on the "Sites For Sale" list, then it is not for sale.
If you are interested in a Surplus site, please contact me via email.
Ifyou are having difficulty accessing our website, please try againlateras wewere experiencing technical difficulties earlier today.
Thanks,
XXXX XXXXX Senior VP/Development American Tower Corporation
Keep in mind that I DID NOT mention/. in my original email.
Keep in mind that the text of the question said "game hen", which in the 48 states is a wee little thing. The ling shows something a lot bigger, which I would call a "guinea hen", which is a lot closer in size to a capon or a turkey.
Sounds like a linguistic/cultural boo-boo.
Re:my 2yo son used one as a retractable seat
on
When Users Attack
·
· Score: 2, Funny
Mine likes to make the blinkenlights go on and off - by pressing the power and/or reset buttons. He's a stealthy little critter, so I don't know why my computer crashed until I hear the giggle.
"Even though I'm not American, many of us wish Americans would stand up against these things because our politicians need to see that people in a democracy will not stand for such things."
Let's see: you want Americans to stand up to our own politicians so as to set an example that will show YOUR politicians that their constituents, i.e. YOU, will not "stand for such things."
In other words, you want Americans to do your dirty work for you.
Instead of modding the parent "+1 insightful" how about "-1 Get your ass out from behind your computer and deal with your own problems."
"Flashlight. Preferably a mini mag light. They're bright as hell and they're easy to hold in your teeth when you need both hands =)"
Tip for the Mini-mag-in-the-teeth-trick. Wrap electrical tape around the base twice. Do it just above the end cap so you don't have to remove it when changing batteries.
This will give your teeth something to grip and make it safer for your teeth. Figured this out while diagnosing a dead fuel pump relay at 10:00 at night on the side of I-81.
Bonus points: used colored tape so you can identify your light when it "wanders" into someone elses tool kit.
"This statement is void of any technical reality."
I meant my comments above as more of a statement on MS's PR and spin, not technically. I fully believe that IE is NOT fully integrated as MS claims, as evidenced by evidence in the court case. But since MS has taken the steadfast line that it IS a part of Windows, they can't really turn around and say "it's just an IE problem" without people jumping all over them.
Likewise, MS's drumbeat about integration, techinically accurate or not, means that bad PR about IE rubs off on Windows. To the VP's that make decisions about software environment, an IE flaw is a Windows flaw is an MS flaw, and they all add up.
If MS wants to use the technical naivete of management and the home user to promote itself, then they damned well better expect that technical naivete to be turned against them.
Huge eysore? So was the Eifel Tower. Now the French can't live w/o it.
Exploiting? Lets see - huge amounts of the highest tech material on the planet being shipped thru and fabricated in Africa. Sounds like thie ticket to bring Africa OUT of exploitation.
I'm glad you weren't around when some really smart monkeys started breaking rocks to make tools - "It will never work - your using up all our resources of flint, and we'll upset rthe balance of power with the neighboring tribes."
Slashdot Mirror
Unless he's selling pictures of his sister - creepy, but something sibling rivalry could engender.
"Safety deposit boxes are not necessarily safe; banks I've dealt with are explicitly not responsible for the safety of the contents of safety deposit box"
True; but it's more of a cost-benefit thing - a safe deposit box has a hell of a lot more security for far less $$ than a safe oen could install at home, especially if it's short term ('till it gets appraised, etc.)
"There's probably some sort of guaranteed insured storage available soemwhere..."
The magic word is "insured." One can't get ANY insurance until one has an idea of what an object's worth, and he needs to store it in a secure place WHILE he figures that out.
To expand a little...
d
1) Research it. When did your Grandfather get it? Are there local news clippings of the strike? Where was it found? Try to get the provenance a la Antiques Roadshow.
2)Get it appraised - and NOT on "Ask Slashdot"! Do some research and get a real appraiser to look at it. Try the net for general info - Google coughed up
http://www.lunar-meteorite.com/frontnew.htm
an
http://www.mhmeteorites.com/
(forewarned - paid links, but look relevant).
Call the local university or astronomy club or observatory for references.
3) Safeguard it while you do your research. Suggest getting a large safe deposit box at your local bank. Now that you've broadcast that you have it to the world, best keep it safe.
After you've determined its monetary value, you can weigh it against its sentimental value and decide. Researching its history might increase it's sentimental value, and make it into something you don't want to part with.
Mony Python, "The Meaning of Life"
Segment: The Miracle of Birth
Scene: Woman in labor, surrounded by machines and TV medical drama music, while hospital administrator type give tour.
"And this is the machine that goes "PING."
Lehigh U
1986
Engineering 1 (Yes, that was the class name)
All Fortran, All the Time.
FINALLY - an appropriate response to the well worn greeting "How's it hangin'?"
"But seriously - I've gone so far as to do a free-pizza-if-you-come-here-and-listen-to-me presentation on how KaZaa is bad, and I'll still see KaZaa on every desktop I touch (except mine, of course)."
Carrot doesn't work? Try the stick.
Kid: "My computer's broken."
You: "Is KaZaa on it?"
Kid: "Why, yes."
You: "Call KaZaa and have them fix it. I think they are in Australia somewhere. Good Luck!" click.hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
'While I agree that this is really a bit of a scam, it is a way for us to pay salaries while not adversely affecting our users.'
"While I agree that slapping my wife around isn't very nice, it does get me my dinner on time."
"While I agree that insider trading is against SEC rules, how else am I going to get the 2nd Aston-Martin?"
There is a big push right now to force corporations to pay out more dividends, mainly in response to the EnWorld debacle. MS would be forced to do pay out its HUGE cash position, which would make the company's stock value plunge. Their employees bolt the company because their compensation relies heavily on stock options. Since MS's main asset is their workers, the stock plunges again.
So, it really wouldn't take an act of God - just an act of Congress.
"Instead of wanting to mold your daughter into a math geek, why not just let her enjoy the things that she wants to do by herself? Instead of trying to turn her toward math, why don't you just continue to encourage her reading skills and just leave it at that? "
One reason to encourage math skills is that kids need encouragement to excel at the things they're NOT good at, not at the things they do well. True, his daughter may not turn out to be a math geek, but she should still be encouraged to learn math so that she doesn't prematurely foreclose her options in life. She may not WANT to be a computer programmer when she grows up, but without the math background, she CAN'T be one, even if she decides she wants to.
Another reason is to fight the culture that has Barbie going "Math is Hard!" Yeah, it is hard - so is living on welfare. For all the progress made, society still assumes "Math:boys::Language:girls" I'd encourage you to support his daughter in math the same way he should support his son in reading - because there are a lot of people fighting against you.
How? Help her with her homework. Be patient. Communicate with her teacher. Most of all, maintain your own interest - when kids are little, they want to be like their parents, so show her something to be like.
It's closer to you jacking into their music playing device with your own headphones, and using their resources - battery life.
Is it trivial? Yes.
Is it theft of services? If you didn't ask permission, yes.
Are you going to offer to replace batteries? From the sound of your post, probably not.
"If it were me, I would notify them that if they don't pay you for the work completed thus far, you will stop work altogether "
Put a 48 hour deadline on it. Have it delivered by certified mail or some other traceable means.
"have to resort to a lawsuit"
First look into a mechanics lien. Basically, it's a statement filed with a court of proper jurisdiction stating that company X owes you money for work performed. What it does is encumber the company financially - there are a lot of financial transactions that company X can't do if they have a mechanics lien recorded against them.
Also, you need an attorney. The laws on mechanics liens are very specific in each state an involve various deadlines, etc.
As for the VC stuff, that's the beauty of a mechanic's lien - if one exists, company X is required to notify the VC of it. They do the dirty work for you.
'Mr. Simonyi has left Microsoft with the right to use the intellectual property he developed and patented while working there.'
Hrrrmmm - Does this mean that, if he gets struck down by God in a blinding flash of light, he could be converted and release his stuff under GPL?
Quick - you get the camera flash, and I'll get the sodium pentathol...
Okay, so he and Al Gore invented the internet. Why does that make him an expert witness in what is, at the core, an IP case. Or for that matter, and expert at P2P networks?
"Only problem is finding a way to stop that irritating alarm that UPS's have."
Dip switches on the back - RTM.
"American Tower may not be selling too many of those sites, they're not exactly honest in saying "these are the only towers that are for sale." They should qualify that to be the only towers that they are selling. "
Isn't that like calling a car salesman a liar when he tells you that they don't have a certain model and you reply "Well it's for sale SOMEWHERE!"
I actually have gotten in touch with them. Their problem is that the link in the original story is a link to the map of EVERY site American Tower owns, not just the surplus ones they were selling. Oh, I'm sure they will sell you one of those non surplus towers - but your gonna pay a shitload more than $25K, since they are working towers and American Tower makes money off them.
These are cash on the barrelhead, WYSIWYG, no deposit no return transactions. Demo the tower because you don't want to pay for the upkeep of the signal lights? Do it yourself. Find some surplus equipment that you want out of the bunker? Better start lifting weights.
If you're still interested, download the spreadsheet, then go to Mapquest and plug in the latitude and longitude. Most of these are in the MOFN, and there towers aren't tall enough to be useful, so that's why they are selling them as surplus.
The following is a reply (auto-generated, I think) when I sent an e-mail to the inquiries address.
/. in my original email.
"Please note that the message postedyesterdayon Slash Dot is incorrect. American Tower Corporation has onlya limited number of Surplus towers for sale that can be accessed by clicking "Sites For Sale" on our home page. These are the only towers that are for sale. Please also note that these Surplussites are sold on a strictly "as is-where is", all cashbasis.
If the site you are inquiringabout is not on the "Sites For Sale" list, then it is not for sale.
If you are interested in a Surplus site, please contact me via email.
Ifyou are having difficulty accessing our website, please try againlateras wewere experiencing technical difficulties earlier today.
Thanks,
XXXX XXXXX
Senior VP/Development
American Tower Corporation
Keep in mind that I DID NOT mention
Keep in mind that the text of the question said "game hen", which in the 48 states is a wee little thing. The ling shows something a lot bigger, which I would call a "guinea hen", which is a lot closer in size to a capon or a turkey.
Sounds like a linguistic/cultural boo-boo.
Mine likes to make the blinkenlights go on and off - by pressing the power and/or reset buttons. He's a stealthy little critter, so I don't know why my computer crashed until I hear the giggle.
"Even though I'm not American, many of us wish Americans would stand up against these things because our politicians need to see that people in a democracy will not stand for such things."
Let's see: you want Americans to stand up to our own politicians so as to set an example that will show YOUR politicians that their constituents, i.e. YOU, will not "stand for such things."
In other words, you want Americans to do your dirty work for you.
Instead of modding the parent "+1 insightful" how about "-1 Get your ass out from behind your computer and deal with your own problems."
"Flashlight. Preferably a mini mag light. They're bright as hell and they're easy to hold in your teeth when you need both hands =)"
Tip for the Mini-mag-in-the-teeth-trick. Wrap electrical tape around the base twice. Do it just above the end cap so you don't have to remove it when changing batteries.
This will give your teeth something to grip and make it safer for your teeth. Figured this out while diagnosing a dead fuel pump relay at 10:00 at night on the side of I-81.
Bonus points: used colored tape so you can identify your light when it "wanders" into someone elses tool kit.
http://www.dataq.com/products/startkit/di194rs.htm
At $25 with a Win interface, maybe it's the ticket.
"This statement is void of any technical reality."
I meant my comments above as more of a statement on MS's PR and spin, not technically. I fully believe that IE is NOT fully integrated as MS claims, as evidenced by evidence in the court case. But since MS has taken the steadfast line that it IS a part of Windows, they can't really turn around and say "it's just an IE problem" without people jumping all over them.
Likewise, MS's drumbeat about integration, techinically accurate or not, means that bad PR about IE rubs off on Windows. To the VP's that make decisions about software environment, an IE flaw is a Windows flaw is an MS flaw, and they all add up.
If MS wants to use the technical naivete of management and the home user to promote itself, then they damned well better expect that technical naivete to be turned against them.
This is the result of "integrating" IE into the OS. Now when there is a "browser" sesecurity problem, it's really an OS problem.
Sorry MS - kill by integration, be killed by integration. It's a circle of life kinda thing...
South Africa? What map are you looking at?
Huge eysore? So was the Eifel Tower. Now the French can't live w/o it.
Exploiting? Lets see - huge amounts of the highest tech material on the planet being shipped thru and fabricated in Africa. Sounds like thie ticket to bring Africa OUT of exploitation.
I'm glad you weren't around when some really smart monkeys started breaking rocks to make tools - "It will never work - your using up all our resources of flint, and we'll upset rthe balance of power with the neighboring tribes."