We've finally given up thinking of our own ideas and as soon as existing licensing deals run out we are going to squeeze the Marvel universe for everything we can get out of it, by giving it the "Disney" treatment".
Although... Pixar doing Marvel comics? Could be good.
"Yes, in about the same way that pay phones still exist after the advent of cell phones. And in the same way, we can expect the availability to gradually dwindle until the option no longer exists. Let's not wait until that point to solve the problem."
First decide which problem needs solving.
1) Libraries disappearing. Good luck - they were going down prior to Google Books. Either legislate against online libraries or subsidize them. We can't take the position that digital distribution has wiped out the **AA's business model and then bitch at the unintended consequences, i.e. libraries business model getting screwed too.
2) Privacy lacking in Google Books? Again, either legislate that their book search info remain private (which would take away the resultant revenue stream and therefore the service would be canceled)or legislate an "OMG!! Ur privacy is at RISK!!!" splash screen at the start of your search (any bets on how long a FF plugin will be developed to bypass that?)
'The expansion of state-sponsored journalism is a threat to the plurality and independence of news provision.'
I agree.
'It is essential for the future of independent digital journalism that a fair price can be charged for news to people who value it,' says Murdoch.
Wait, what? Just because state sponsored journalism is a bad idea doesn't mean that the only solution for news on the web is payment based. And calling News Corp properties "independent digital journalism" is a side splitter.
As for the purported "objectivity" of the BBC, feh. I listened to them report on a comment by a British pol about parts of British cities being like "The Wire". So they played a scene with a gunfight, and then said simply "and the show continues the same way" in a sneering, dismissive tone. They may be neither liberal or conservative, but the snide superiority that drips from their stories isn't exactly Walter Cronkite level journalism.
"just like the folks who've been brandishing guns outside the events."
Another poster commented that they were not "brandishing", they were "carrying" - as in, holstered and exposed to plain view. I'm simply going to point out that what they were doing was also perfectly legal in the locations where this occurred.
I would also point out that, for every person openly carrying a gun, there were probably 3 carrying concealed. We'll never know the real number, because they were carrying in secret, legally or illegally. So who is ACTUALLY more dangerous - the man you know has a gun, or the man you think doesn't?
Oh wait - it's not about reality, but perception. I guess you can say that a lot about those "town hall meetings".
"Either way you can say its wrong all you'd like and people are still going to do it. Eventually it will change. That is the point the linguists are trying to put across. A million Grammar teachers are screaming out in anguish but not much anyone can do about it."
You miss the GP's point - it's not that change is happening, but that come people will use the general concept of linguistic evolution to justify their individual behavior. The same thing happens with the concept of moral relativism: while it is an undisputed fact that different cultures place different moral value on certain actions, that does not mean that the moral rules of THIS society don't apply to YOU. This is not an academic problem - look at "honor" killings of Muslim women in western countries.
" The card punch portion of the Hollerith Census Machine. For the 1990 census, there were slots to record what farm equipment was present, what lighting was used in the home, and the usual number of people in the household, among other piece of data. "
1990? And there's no punch for Indoor Plumbing?
That's our government - IT always a few decades behind the cutting edge.
"In their survey Venezuela is now a partially free country with a score of 4 (on a scale from 1-10 with 1 being the best) on both accounts. For comparison Cuba has a 7/6 (non free) score while USA has a 1/1 (free) score. So Venezuela is not as bad as Cuba but there is certainly room for improvement."
Since the US is patently the worst country in the world, by all measures, that survey must be fraudulent.
Re. your sig: Are you aware that the USPS has a legal monopoly on transportation of "letters"? As in, it's illegal to send a letter by means other than the post office. UPS is only allowed to carry "parcels", and not letters?
So what will the "public option" health care plan have a monopoly on?
Likewise, public schools. Sure, you can send your kids to a private school- IF it's curriculum meets standards set by the state.
Just because an employer "reimburses" you doesn't mean he takes title to the item. It might be better to call it compensation - he is paying you for the business use of your equipment. There are tax consequences, but it's better than nothing.
There might also be a parallel in the treatment of using a personally owned vehicle for business use - just because I get $.55/mile when traveling doesn't mean that my employer gets to riffle through my trunk.
"cue/. republicans, bitching about how nothing good will come of this, and whenever the government try anything they just fuck it up and or it should just be left to the market!"
Dare we flash back to the FCC under the previous administration and the complaints from/. democrats about how going after Comcast wasn't enough and that the commissioners were in the telco's pockets?
My inlaws spent the last 20 years of their lives in separate rooms watching separate tv's, meeting only at meals and bed. Yeah, their "marriage" lasted.
The funny thing is, my wife always blamed her Dad. "Why won't he get up and go into the living room?" she'd ask. Then at one point I said "Well, why doesn't your Mom get up and go into the den?"
"The government needs to do what private industry can't : research a cost effective vehicle for accessing space. Whether that be an elevator, a bank of lasers, a gigantic railgun, or a factory in Russia mass producing simple rockets, we need something drastically better than the current crap. Until something is done about the stupendous costs of rockets, it's pointless to even discuss trips to far off planets and other big manned expeditions."
So work done by academic institutions, sponsored by NASA, on cheap alternate forms of propulsion don't count?
Keep your personal business and your company's business separate. For instance, I have a separate banking account whose sole purpose is to hold expense reimbursements until I pay the ccard. Why? Because it's just too damned easy to screw up and cause yourself trouble all out of proportion to the original mistake.
Slashdot Mirror
We've finally given up thinking of our own ideas and as soon as existing licensing deals run out we are going to squeeze the Marvel universe for everything we can get out of it, by giving it the "Disney" treatment".
Although... Pixar doing Marvel comics? Could be good.
"Oh shit - there goes the planet."
I agree.
Wait, what? Just because state sponsored journalism is a bad idea doesn't mean that the only solution for news on the web is payment based. And calling News Corp properties "independent digital journalism" is a side splitter.
As for the purported "objectivity" of the BBC, feh. I listened to them report on a comment by a British pol about parts of British cities being like "The Wire". So they played a scene with a gunfight, and then said simply "and the show continues the same way" in a sneering, dismissive tone. They may be neither liberal or conservative, but the snide superiority that drips from their stories isn't exactly Walter Cronkite level journalism.
I'd be more concerned about his use of the word "hole" for "whole" - twice.
"just like the folks who've been brandishing guns outside the events."
Another poster commented that they were not "brandishing", they were "carrying" - as in, holstered and exposed to plain view. I'm simply going to point out that what they were doing was also perfectly legal in the locations where this occurred.
I would also point out that, for every person openly carrying a gun, there were probably 3 carrying concealed. We'll never know the real number, because they were carrying in secret, legally or illegally. So who is ACTUALLY more dangerous - the man you know has a gun, or the man you think doesn't?
Oh wait - it's not about reality, but perception. I guess you can say that a lot about those "town hall meetings".
"Either way you can say its wrong all you'd like and people are still going to do it. Eventually it will change. That is the point the linguists are trying to put across. A million Grammar teachers are screaming out in anguish but not much anyone can do about it."
You miss the GP's point - it's not that change is happening, but that come people will use the general concept of linguistic evolution to justify their individual behavior. The same thing happens with the concept of moral relativism: while it is an undisputed fact that different cultures place different moral value on certain actions, that does not mean that the moral rules of THIS society don't apply to YOU. This is not an academic problem - look at "honor" killings of Muslim women in western countries.
"I mean what do you do on the internet? You read, and write, and read. Then you look at porn. "
The more efficient among us read our porn. Well, technically "erotica" but the results are the same.
" The card punch portion of the Hollerith Census Machine. For the 1990 census, there were slots to record what farm equipment was present, what lighting was used in the home, and the usual number of people in the household, among other piece of data. "
1990? And there's no punch for Indoor Plumbing?
That's our government - IT always a few decades behind the cutting edge.
As a fellow MD resident, I believe I am correct in saying that PG County is the asshole of the state.
Baltimore? That's the actual feces.
I think maybe you ought to read the Niven stories referenced in the 1st line.
Since the US is patently the worst country in the world, by all measures, that survey must be fraudulent.
But they are very effective against the people that run them.
Or have I just been dreaming the last 6 years in Iraq?
Negative.
http://www.copper.org/applications/plumbing/techcorner/problem_embedding_copper_concrete.html
They use PEX because it is cheaper and easier to install, NOT because of its longevity.
Insightful? Yes.
But when stated in the porn context, +5 Funny (or -5 Revolting, depending)
What's the ranking of the question "How do I get rid of the Awsomebar" on various forums?
Pretty high, I bet.
Re. your sig: Are you aware that the USPS has a legal monopoly on transportation of "letters"? As in, it's illegal to send a letter by means other than the post office. UPS is only allowed to carry "parcels", and not letters?
So what will the "public option" health care plan have a monopoly on?
Likewise, public schools. Sure, you can send your kids to a private school- IF it's curriculum meets standards set by the state.
Look up the mafia and trash collection.
Just because an employer "reimburses" you doesn't mean he takes title to the item. It might be better to call it compensation - he is paying you for the business use of your equipment. There are tax consequences, but it's better than nothing.
There might also be a parallel in the treatment of using a personally owned vehicle for business use - just because I get $.55/mile when traveling doesn't mean that my employer gets to riffle through my trunk.
Dare we flash back to the FCC under the previous administration and the complaints from /. democrats about how going after Comcast wasn't enough and that the commissioners were in the telco's pockets?
If "Net Neutrality"= "treat traffic the same regardless of source and destination", then GOOD.
If "Net Neutrality"= "treat traffic the same regardless of protocol", then BAD.
My inlaws spent the last 20 years of their lives in separate rooms watching separate tv's, meeting only at meals and bed. Yeah, their "marriage" lasted.
The funny thing is, my wife always blamed her Dad. "Why won't he get up and go into the living room?" she'd ask. Then at one point I said "Well, why doesn't your Mom get up and go into the den?"
Hmmm...
AC compressor
Exhaust pipe
ignition system
Yeah, I think a spud gun is doable.
"The government needs to do what private industry can't : research a cost effective vehicle for accessing space. Whether that be an elevator, a bank of lasers, a gigantic railgun, or a factory in Russia mass producing simple rockets, we need something drastically better than the current crap. Until something is done about the stupendous costs of rockets, it's pointless to even discuss trips to far off planets and other big manned expeditions."
So work done by academic institutions, sponsored by NASA, on cheap alternate forms of propulsion don't count?
Who am I kidding - it's not like you RTFA'd
Keep your personal business and your company's business separate. For instance, I have a separate banking account whose sole purpose is to hold expense reimbursements until I pay the ccard. Why? Because it's just too damned easy to screw up and cause yourself trouble all out of proportion to the original mistake.