When I read that, I had this image in my head of a balding man with thick glasses saying "Hmm.. you know, if we increase blood flow, we can improve erectile dysfunction. But... poop, I really should start working on African Sleeping Sickness, first." when I read that, I couldn't figure if you have some dated stereotypical image of scientists or if you think that its normal/natural for balding, old, rich, white crackers to get fresh with real women.... ?
... you can't argue that the direction of R&D research needs to shift. That wouldn't help, they'd still need the funds to deploy whatever cure they come up with. I'm not so sure - look at where the big R&D money is being poured (my Google foo is still on vacation, so I may or may not find some refs before finishing typing this).
Anti-aging in its myriad forms (wrinkles, limp dicks, cellulose - although these are entirely normal phenomena re-packaged as "syndromes" in need of a cure); anti-obesity (new synthetic fats that will likely cause bowel cancer in exchange for slimmer consumers); etc; etc.
I'm not anti-science, just bewildered at the trends and drivers for growth (even on campus) that come from the pursuit for the research dollar.
while not wanting to bring the mood down, innit funny how much R&D goes into "curing" Western maladies like erectile dysfunction and pickled brain cells while millions die each year from neglected diseases... just my whine for the day folks. Carry on.
Another way to think about the results: about 47 percent of Americans didn't visit a library even once last year. My 1st thought was, "Hey, but even more of you didn't bother to vote last time 'round."
I worked in a public library for 9 years, 1992 until 2000. This saw many changes and developments (online databases, CD-ROMs, www, etc) and to this day I am amazed at how many students, parents, business leaders, teachers, etc STILL cannot grasp basic search/database interrogation strategies.
While I am sure that you are across it, many people benefit from a little expertise at finding those hidden gems of information (not to mention the multitude of other uses for libraries).
I can only speak from experience as an australian resident and tell you giving australia the 2nd worst rating is a load of bullshit and to me calls the whole thing into question. Privacy International (and the annual RSF Freedom of the Press Index for that matter) make international comparisons using many sources. Compare our (Australia's) legislative direction under the previous Federal government with the direction of (small-L) liberal democracies around the world and you may think differently...Electronic Frontiers is a good place to start:)
They have the mirrors already in orbit. Scary, no wonder Castro never appears in public anymore. Wonder when we can expect to see Kim Yong-il wearing a mirrored suit?
marketing these less-than lethal weapons goes light on accuracy and draws attention more to the style associated with having such items They don't go light on accuracy. These war-whores really do want a fricken' laser they can use to shoot someone half way around the world I admit to not being clear (further context to my original quote added above).
I'm referring to the accuracy of such weapons receiving less highlight during the marketing pitch. Knowing as little as even I do about modern ballistics and laser guiding tech... don't they have some throwaway line about hitting golf-balls on the moon?
laser they can use to shoot someone half way around the world
There hasn't been a eureka moment, the "recent breakthroughs" have come over the past few years.:
The HyShot project demonstrated scramjet combustion in July 30, 2002 and had further tests in March;
A DSTO/USAF program had successful tests this past June.
Search/. for some other mentions.
Little or no collateral damage? Depends on the accuracy really. I reckon that GE, Boeing, or whoever happens to be marketing these less-than lethal weapons goes light on accuracy and draws attention more to the style associated with having such items. You know, like in marketing, but concerning less-than lethal weapons.
Remember, it ain't the laser that kills you, its the sudden stop as you hit the dirt beneath what was once the building you were standing on.
...all we need in the future is for Monsanto having a monopoly on global food crops... 1. Acquire patent for nature;
2. Usher in the apocalypse;
3. Rebuild the world under license
4. Name it Monsanto-World (TM)
5. Bwa-hah-hah-hah-hah !!
The island is run by Panserbjørnen and witches! One person's witches are another's alternative remedy practitioners.
"Svalbard is completely controlled by the Kingdom of Norway and is part of it. Svalbard has a population of approximately 2,400 people as of 2005. Approximately 70% of the people are Norwegian; the remaining 30% are Russian, Ukrainian and Polish." -- wikipedia
What if the doomsday involved global warming, permafrost perma-gone? I guess the assumption is that the "catostrophic event" doesn't render the entire earth a wasteland.
Locally mined coal will provide power for refrigeration units Supreme irony!
I can't say whether the practice empirically lead to a decrease in crime/abuse, but the law is definitely technologically possible, and at first glance would seem to make it more difficult for strangers to get in contact with minors. To make a simple analogy, anyone can pick up a phone and dial numbers at random until a kid answers. Don't confuse "technologically possible" laws with necessary ones.
Your attitude shows why technological people have so little influence in politics - you're unconcerned with the realities of the situation, or the actual technology, and more concerned with getting on a high horse and making your unqualified opinions out to be fact. I take it you mean "unqualified as politicians"? Otherwise there is a contradiction there.
Contrary to your point, tech people only urge a little less knee-jerk, fud-ite legislature and some informed debate.
Please make some examples out of the many, IMHO, dumb laws that are discussed here from time to time. Explain how they are actually based in the greater-reality rather than some sky-is-falling fantasy.
What they need to do to encourage kids to not find ways around this... I first read this as
encourage kids to find ways around this
which I think is just as funny, but consider for a sec. Society benefits when the kids are encouraged to participate in official-type stuff like this. Something about feeling included. More governments should try it. I can't remember where I read - and a couple of searches aren't bringing it up - but one section of (from memory) a state government in Australia has recruited the teen "hacker" who took a few minutes to bypass the bajillion dollar government-issue "net nanny" filter. This teenager is helping to draft government tech policy. Cool AND daggy!
So, once again legislators completely fail to grasp the simplest of concepts relating to this communications medium. It's easy to single out Thailand due to the bizarrelaws that apply to the King/YouTube/Open Source. However, this seems to happen under all governments - regressive/conservative/progressive. My own country does it. Or, hopefully the correct phrase is did it now that the election was won by a party that promises tax rebates for parents buying tech for their schoolkids.
Is it really a surprise, when you look at who the people are that draft these laws? Is it fair of us to expect them to be in touch? Perhaps what democratic governments need is a non-political, not-for-profit group that can propose some framework for national government tech policy? They could even propose different flavours for governments with either progressive or conservative agendas. At least then we may have some body of tech legislature that is based on informed analysis of what is being regulated. Easy to say, I guess...
If he can just hit that bulls-eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards! But Putin has been playing with a stacked-deck for the entire match.
The rules of the game are set to change further since Putin is required to stand aside as President, but still desires one hand on the reins.
This whole deal should serve as a reminder to Kasparov of how easily the prize can slip away.
A washed-up 80's band with two hits to its name... For those playing at home, the other "hit" was Talking In Your Sleep in 1983. I'd hum a bar for you, but it can't have been too memorable.
"What I Like About You" is pretty much an early Kinks pastiche.
Ditto Gloria and a million songs that go E-A-D.
According to TFA, the attorneys say that publishing an accurate cover is "infringing on the group's rights to its own likeness".
FFS, we are talking about a 3-chord riff that a child could master in 10 minutes.
can someone explain to them the purpose of a cover song? I hardly think that the makers of GH would want re-interpretations of original songs on their product.
Slashdot Mirror
that's a cool thing isn't it? or is it bad? Bad as in Xenu bad?
Two thumbs up on that idea. I'll bring the rope. skull-cracking rope? sounds like a chain to me
... you can't argue that the direction of R&D research needs to shift. That wouldn't help, they'd still need the funds to deploy whatever cure they come up with. I'm not so sure - look at where the big R&D money is being poured (my Google foo is still on vacation, so I may or may not find some refs before finishing typing this).Anti-aging in its myriad forms (wrinkles, limp dicks, cellulose - although these are entirely normal phenomena re-packaged as "syndromes" in need of a cure); anti-obesity (new synthetic fats that will likely cause bowel cancer in exchange for slimmer consumers); etc; etc.
I'm not anti-science, just bewildered at the trends and drivers for growth (even on campus) that come from the pursuit for the research dollar.
OK - some further reading: Dengue Fever is crying for funds for clinical testing despite discovery of a breakthrough antiviral drug:
http://www.biospectrumasia.com/content/020307MYS3046.asp
This says alot re. the quandary of patent right in developing countries and the impact of R&D activity:
http://www.who.int/intellectualproperty/studies/stats/en/index.html
while not wanting to bring the mood down, innit funny how much R&D goes into "curing" Western maladies like erectile dysfunction and pickled brain cells while millions die each year from neglected diseases ... just my whine for the day folks. Carry on.
How is vastly overestimating (to enhance their point) equal to "botching"?
I worked in a public library for 9 years, 1992 until 2000. This saw many changes and developments (online databases, CD-ROMs, www, etc) and to this day I am amazed at how many students, parents, business leaders, teachers, etc STILL cannot grasp basic search/database interrogation strategies.
While I am sure that you are across it, many people benefit from a little expertise at finding those hidden gems of information (not to mention the multitude of other uses for libraries).
I'm referring to the accuracy of such weapons receiving less highlight during the marketing pitch. Knowing as little as even I do about modern ballistics and laser guiding tech ... don't they have some throwaway line about hitting golf-balls on the moon?
laser they can use to shoot someone half way around the worldWouldn't they need a few mirrors for that? :)
There hasn't been a eureka moment, the "recent breakthroughs" have come over the past few years.: /. for some other mentions.
The HyShot project demonstrated scramjet combustion in July 30, 2002 and had further tests in March;
A DSTO/USAF program had successful tests this past June. Search
not trying to pick an argument, but on which point am I wrong? The marketing practices of the military-industrial war-whores or death by falling?
Remember, it ain't the laser that kills you, its the sudden stop as you hit the dirt beneath what was once the building you were standing on.
...all we need in the future is for Monsanto having a monopoly on global food crops... 1. Acquire patent for nature;2. Usher in the apocalypse;
3. Rebuild the world under license
4. Name it Monsanto-World (TM)
5. Bwa-hah-hah-hah-hah !!
"Svalbard is completely controlled by the Kingdom of Norway and is part of it. Svalbard has a population of approximately 2,400 people as of 2005. Approximately 70% of the people are Norwegian; the remaining 30% are Russian, Ukrainian and Polish." -- wikipedia
Contrary to your point, tech people only urge a little less knee-jerk, fud-ite legislature and some informed debate.
Please make some examples out of the many, IMHO, dumb laws that are discussed here from time to time. Explain how they are actually based in the greater-reality rather than some sky-is-falling fantasy.
which I think is just as funny, but consider for a sec. Society benefits when the kids are encouraged to participate in official-type stuff like this. Something about feeling included. More governments should try it. I can't remember where I read - and a couple of searches aren't bringing it up - but one section of (from memory) a state government in Australia has recruited the teen "hacker" who took a few minutes to bypass the bajillion dollar government-issue "net nanny" filter. This teenager is helping to draft government tech policy. Cool AND daggy!
Is it really a surprise, when you look at who the people are that draft these laws? Is it fair of us to expect them to be in touch? Perhaps what democratic governments need is a non-political, not-for-profit group that can propose some framework for national government tech policy? They could even propose different flavours for governments with either progressive or conservative agendas. At least then we may have some body of tech legislature that is based on informed analysis of what is being regulated. Easy to say, I guess...
Eddie Aikau - he's still out there you know. Riding those mutthas.
Ditto Gloria and a million songs that go E-A-D.
According to TFA, the attorneys say that publishing an accurate cover is "infringing on the group's rights to its own likeness".
FFS, we are talking about a 3-chord riff that a child could master in 10 minutes.
can someone explain to them the purpose of a cover song? I hardly think that the makers of GH would want re-interpretations of original songs on their product.