Ok, the Open Directory Project is a huge directory of categorised websites, and has thousands of editors. It also has filters for "kids", "teens" and "mature teens". Isn't there some way to link filtering software with that - i.e. if a site isn't shown when you're searching ODP on the kids setting, then the connection isn't allowed unless you're an adult.
If a site is inappropriate but not in the directory, then someone at the library reports this and it gets added. On the other hand, if a site is needlessly blocked, that could also be reported and resolved. You could also hint to the large adult sites that it would be nice if they cooperated (e.g. endlessly cry "think of the children!" until they agreed).
Obviously it wouldn't be a perfect system, but it would be better than Net Nanny and the like, and open to much more scrutiny
[Flameproofing] Or alternatively, you could use one of the "truly Free" directories.
/me waits for someone to point out the fatal flaw in my idea...
If nothing else, I have to laugh at the proposed name (DMCRA). It's a poignant acronym, with just the right amount of "ha-ha" expected. Once again we have the pols battling it out against each other, with the target result being to counteract each other. For once, I hope this is achieved. To counter the DMCA with the DMCRA would raise my spirits for sure.
But don't you see? Then they'll introduce the Digital Monopoly - Can't Rip Mp3s Act (DMCRMA), so we'll have to fight back with the Digital Manumission - Civil Rights, Media Freedom Act (DMCRMFA), which they'll counter with the Digital Moguls Control, Rule, Manipulate Federal Law Act (DMCRMFLA), and before you know it, we'll need 42-inch plasma screens just to fit the acronyms
The theory of relativity was appearantly used to detect the speed of gravity. This would be fine if the theory of relativity didn't assume a speed of gravity. Basically, all he did was prove his given. So, if eggs are green, then eggs are green!
sigh
You can't prove a physical theory - you can either show that it fits experimental evidence (in which case it might be right), or that it doesn't (in which case you've disproved it).
This experiment shows that a key assumption of GR is consistent with real life. That's it. That's all we can do, and that's all that is being claimed - observations of Jupiter give (roughly) the results we'd expect if gravity travels at c.
There's partly an advertising issue - unless you run a degree titled "Computer Game Design" or "Wireless Computing", people may not realise that that sort of topic is offered as an option in the "Computer Science" degree. They'll think it just covers the 'dull' subjects (from their point of view) and won't want to go to your university.
But yes, a generic degree in Maths or Comp. Sci. will certainly make you more employable, and will in many cases be more useful.
The "classic" way (due to Hubble) to guess at the "age of the Universe" was as follows:
If we observe galaxies outside the Local Group, we see their light as being red-shifted. This indicates that they're moving away from us with some speed.
There is a simple relation (called Hubble's law) between the recession speed v, and the distance r between us and the galaxy. This is
v = Hr where H is a constant.
Nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. So stick v = c into the above equation, and see what r is. Call this "the radius of the Universe".
The "age of the Universe" is the time that a photon would take to travel a distance r
Stick all that together, and you get t = 1/H. The problem being that finding H is fairly difficult - we can't accurately find distances to far-away galaxies. Estimates range from 50 km/s/Megaparsec to 100 km/s/Mpc
So how else could we measure the "age of the Universe"? Well, we could work out the age of the oldest stars we can see, make some guesses at how long they would take to form from hot matter, and take that as our "age". After quickly RTFA-ing, I think this is what they've done, with a revised method to obtain the age of a star.
Tsk! I'm insulted that you think all slashdotters are porn-obsessed losers. Can't we get away from this sort of stereotype?
[5 seconds later]
Of course, it would be unfair not to be fully aware of both sides of the argument, so I'll have to thoroughly inspect her website. Purely for research purposes, you understand...
Nah, there's really only 12 people who read/. - the rest are just CmdrTaco pretending. Why else do you think 50 people post variations on the same comment in every story?
And the/. effect? They use voodoo - stick pins into a 386.
Ideally of course, the digital camera would have an AI that would prevent taking pictures of naked women, but until then, DRM may be that only thing saving our marriages.
That's a different argument entirely - it's saying that the "wrong" act was taking the pictures, when previously the "wrong" act was distributing them. If people want to take naked pictures of each other, that's their business and no-one else's.
If you'd said "... would prevent taking pictures of naked women unless they truly consented..." or something, I might not have disagreed with you (possibly I would have pointed out how difficult that would be to judge).
Thet's part of the test - the logical computer clicks on the link and gets nowhere, while the human uses their ingenuity and sticks "captcha" into Google instead.
Slashdot Mirror
Either that or it's the Israeli Underground system.
(Credit to I'm Sorry, I Haven't A Clue, from which I stole the joke ...)
It's probably more to do with minimising damage if the cable were to break - middle of ocean => huge "empty" space for bits of elevator to drop into.
Ok, the Open Directory Project is a huge directory of categorised websites, and has thousands of editors. It also has filters for "kids", "teens" and "mature teens". Isn't there some way to link filtering software with that - i.e. if a site isn't shown when you're searching ODP on the kids setting, then the connection isn't allowed unless you're an adult.
If a site is inappropriate but not in the directory, then someone at the library reports this and it gets added. On the other hand, if a site is needlessly blocked, that could also be reported and resolved. You could also hint to the large adult sites that it would be nice if they cooperated (e.g. endlessly cry "think of the children!" until they agreed).
Obviously it wouldn't be a perfect system, but it would be better than Net Nanny and the like, and open to much more scrutiny
[Flameproofing] Or alternatively, you could use one of the "truly Free" directories.
/me waits for someone to point out the fatal flaw in my idea ...
Worth a try ...
Come on, this is Slashdot - the important question is "Can you imagine a Beowulf cluster of those?"
Honestly. Can't get the staff these days ...
[Insert obligatory "Corporations f**k people on a daily basis" joke here]
I'm waiting for the cooling system that needs its own cooling system.
You can't prove a physical theory - you can either show that it fits experimental evidence (in which case it might be right), or that it doesn't (in which case you've disproved it).
This experiment shows that a key assumption of GR is consistent with real life. That's it. That's all we can do, and that's all that is being claimed - observations of Jupiter give (roughly) the results we'd expect if gravity travels at c.
There's partly an advertising issue - unless you run a degree titled "Computer Game Design" or "Wireless Computing", people may not realise that that sort of topic is offered as an option in the "Computer Science" degree. They'll think it just covers the 'dull' subjects (from their point of view) and won't want to go to your university.
But yes, a generic degree in Maths or Comp. Sci. will certainly make you more employable, and will in many cases be more useful.
The "classic" way (due to Hubble) to guess at the "age of the Universe" was as follows:
Stick all that together, and you get t = 1/H. The problem being that finding H is fairly difficult - we can't accurately find distances to far-away galaxies. Estimates range from 50 km/s/Megaparsec to 100 km/s/Mpc
So how else could we measure the "age of the Universe"? Well, we could work out the age of the oldest stars we can see, make some guesses at how long they would take to form from hot matter, and take that as our "age". After quickly RTFA-ing, I think this is what they've done, with a revised method to obtain the age of a star.
At least you got a guy's prescription.
[/me fondles his breasts]Y'know, maybe this isn't so bad after all ...
Tsk! I'm insulted that you think all slashdotters are porn-obsessed losers. Can't we get away from this sort of stereotype?
[5 seconds later]
Of course, it would be unfair not to be fully aware of both sides of the argument, so I'll have to thoroughly inspect her website. Purely for research purposes, you understand ...
Nah, there's really only 12 people who read /. - the rest are just CmdrTaco pretending. Why else do you think 50 people post variations on the same comment in every story?
And the /. effect? They use voodoo - stick pins into a 386.
300Kbps should be enough for anyone
That's a different argument entirely - it's saying that the "wrong" act was taking the pictures, when previously the "wrong" act was distributing them. If people want to take naked pictures of each other, that's their business and no-one else's.
If you'd said "... would prevent taking pictures of naked women unless they truly consented ..." or something, I might not have disagreed with you (possibly I would have pointed out how difficult that would be to judge).
"Terminator 4: Skynet gets Slashdotted"
If you think that's bad, what's going to happen when Stephen King really dies?
Thet's part of the test - the logical computer clicks on the link and gets nowhere, while the human uses their ingenuity and sticks "captcha" into Google instead.
Erm, why the Centre for Disease Control?
Doctor: "I'm sorry, but little Billy has got a serious case of cranial bullet-itis. There's nothing I can do."
"Turning Webservers into Puddles - a guide to mastering the art of Slashdotting"
a five course dinner of those!