Newspapers are essential "non-profit" anyway, since they have no income to tax! They're all losing money, and have for some time... and since it doesn't look as if that circumstance will change in the future, I don't see how the proposal material benefits them materially.
Perhaps Microsoft could embed a replacement for Clippy the Paperclip--say, Stabby the Sabre?
"I see you are trying to stab someone in the face. Would you like help? I'll grab the bastard from behind."
We pay several tyrannical governments billions of dollars per day to pump oil out of the ground, ship it to us in vessels that are essentially large terrorist targets, where we refine it, reship it out in polluting fuel trucks, so we can sit around in stuck in traffic twice a day burning it.
Because it is prohibitively expensive. [wsj.com] If all the exercise machines were in use 10 hours a day for a year, the gym could generate roughly $183 worth of electricity. At that rate, it would take about 82 years to pay off the initial $15,000 investment.
82 years? Let's forget about the time value of money for a moment, and go for strict payback period calculation:
$15,000 investment / $183 per month savings = about 82 months = about 7 years payback period
Even if we take the additional cost for the time value of money into consideration as well as the cost of capital, it would only be fair to take into account the additional savings as the cost of energy rises (and we're looking at $100/barrel for oil by yearend, yeah?)--so assuming, not unreasonably one might think, that the rate of increased savings at least offsets the cost of capital, that 7 year payback might be a pretty good deal--especially if the equipment improvements have a usable life of, say, 10 years.
"I understand that employers feel they need to protect themselves but they shouldn't be so paranoid as to limit their employee pool to only the financially stable, mentally stable and law abiding. They'll never get someone who thinks outside of the box then."
Dude! When you say "think outside the box" it sounds like you're talking about a box with bars on the windows, or a box with padded walls.
It's probably a good thing that we start to run a bit short of fossil fuels, we have much better use for petrochemicals and higher prices will make other energy options more attractive. I'm a big fan of solar thermal (especially salt towers and parabolic troughs), but alternative energy isn't cost competitive yet.
But to stay on topic, the answer to climate change is climate management. Global warming may actually be a net sum positive for the environment, what with decreased winter warming fuel needs and extended crop growing seasons and a decreasing birthrate in developed nations. Or not, in which case we need to stop yammering and do something. But in either case we need leaders who can stop the fear-mongering on both sides of the debate, continue our positive trends, ameliorate the negative trends, and establish some sort of global universal standards we can all live with. The bottom line is that climate has *happened* to life on this planet, and now life (through humanity's shepherding) is starting to gain the ability to control and manage climate. We can go from reactive crisis management to predictive management.
"We have much more data and a much better understanding of climate, and even a better understanding of what we don't know"
My train of thought was running parallel with yours, until your tracks became blocked by this large wooly mammoth with sunglasses and swim trunks. Asking "How can we know what we don't know?" has been known to cause hippies to disappear from this dimension by way of falling into their navels.
"In conclusion, I think we have to accept the risks of possible danger (we fly with airlens, but those also crash don't they?"
Well, yes they do, but when they crash, deaths are pretty much limited to the passengers, crew, and the unfortunate few in the crash zone, and the next day, the area is more or less safe.
When a nuclear plant "crashes", tens of thousands or more could die, and enormous tracts of land are affected for tens of years, if not hundreds.
Respectfully, your area has done a great job managing its nuke, but its still a big risk, with the potential consequences fantastically greater than a mere airplane crash -- my 2 cents is that the comparison with airline operations is poor. Even if it was an accurate comparison, here in the States our airlines go bankrupt every few years!
You mean well, but your observations don't match with the common American experience:
Checks can take up to 3 weeks or longer to clear the US banking system, even if your friendly US bank does put the deposit amount into your US account for use. Case in point: I live in Hawaii, and have a Hawaii customer who paid with a check drawn against another Hawaii bank. I received funds from my bank on the day that the check was deposited -- but then had the deposit reversed 7 days later, when the customer's bank returned the check to my bank.
Regarding money orders, there have been many famous cases over the past couple of years about fraudulent US money orders. If scammers in our own country are doing this, imagine how we feel about receiving a foreign money order...
Same thing with checks written for a higher amount than the purchase, whether the purchase is an online auction or at a local bricks-and-mortar shop. Stores everywhere used to accept checks and provide cash for overpayment, as a courtesy to customers, but there have been just too many scammers in recent years. Many places no longer accept checks at all, even with instant verification services available, and those that do want exact payment only.
"Simply replace every single part if nothing else helps." - if you had to replace every single part, then it wouldn't be hacking the same piece of hardware!
Offtopic?!? Hey Mods, B-O-O-K that spells book!
on
A Flu Pandemic?
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
Two posters comment on a thread about a SUPERFLU with direct references to a bestselling book about a SUPERFLU, and moderators rate both posts as offtopic?? Where are we getting moderators these days, the Republic of Illiteracia?
FWIW, I thought both posts were quite topical AND funny. "M-O-O-N" indeed:))
Interesting that Australia's top criminologists say "The weapons/methods used in the commission of homicide have remained relatively unchanged over the years." - essentially, they say the gun control laws don't make a bit of difference, criminals still kill in the same proportions with whatever is available, be it a gun, knife, or hand.
This dovetails quite nicely with the theory that individuals hold the primary responsibility to protect themselves from vermin (old US values) and the theory that individuals are weak and puny and need a big gov't to protect them (new US values, and most of the rest of the world). Politicians everywhere are in the business of grabbing and holding power, using whatever crisis du jour is available. Bush used our very real terrorist problem to invade Iraq and force the Patriot Act on the country - the only question now is, is the damage too far gone to ever be repaired?
ref: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/rpp/66/02_summa ry.html#4a
With the exception of metal objects giving off sparks, all of those telltale signs could also be associated with living in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina passed through (yes, including the delicious housepet, for those poor souls who were stuck in the Superdome!)
I downloaded his "Mr. Hands treatment" expecting something akin to Mr. Hand from the old Mr. Bill skits, but the link goes to a bestiality video that downloads with no warning.
What an inconsiderate butthead, to put a link like this in his post without a warning!
As others mentioned, half of the evolution process is missing.. there is no selection of better traits. Everyone lives, thrives, and reproduces regardless of their genetic adaptations (or quality)
Ahem! What about people who refuse to wear seat belts? Who don't wear motorcycle helmets? Who smoke cigarettes? Who use meth? etc etc.
Slashdot Mirror
Newspapers are essential "non-profit" anyway, since they have no income to tax! They're all losing money, and have for some time... and since it doesn't look as if that circumstance will change in the future, I don't see how the proposal material benefits them materially.
Perhaps Microsoft could embed a replacement for Clippy the Paperclip--say, Stabby the Sabre? "I see you are trying to stab someone in the face. Would you like help? I'll grab the bastard from behind."
So let's collect energy so we can waste it?
We pay several tyrannical governments billions of dollars per day to pump oil out of the ground, ship it to us in vessels that are essentially large terrorist targets, where we refine it, reship it out in polluting fuel trucks, so we can sit around in stuck in traffic twice a day burning it.
Hey, at least we're consistent!
Because it is prohibitively expensive. [wsj.com] If all the exercise machines were in use 10 hours a day for a year, the gym could generate roughly $183 worth of electricity. At that rate, it would take about 82 years to pay off the initial $15,000 investment.
82 years? Let's forget about the time value of money for a moment, and go for strict payback period calculation:
$15,000 investment / $183 per month savings = about 82 months = about 7 years payback period
Even if we take the additional cost for the time value of money into consideration as well as the cost of capital, it would only be fair to take into account the additional savings as the cost of energy rises (and we're looking at $100/barrel for oil by yearend, yeah?)--so assuming, not unreasonably one might think, that the rate of increased savings at least offsets the cost of capital, that 7 year payback might be a pretty good deal--especially if the equipment improvements have a usable life of, say, 10 years.
"Your post is almost rigth." Whath wongth whith ith?
"I understand that employers feel they need to protect themselves but they shouldn't be so paranoid as to limit their employee pool to only the financially stable, mentally stable and law abiding. They'll never get someone who thinks outside of the box then." Dude! When you say "think outside the box" it sounds like you're talking about a box with bars on the windows, or a box with padded walls.
It's probably a good thing that we start to run a bit short of fossil fuels, we have much better use for petrochemicals and higher prices will make other energy options more attractive. I'm a big fan of solar thermal (especially salt towers and parabolic troughs), but alternative energy isn't cost competitive yet. But to stay on topic, the answer to climate change is climate management. Global warming may actually be a net sum positive for the environment, what with decreased winter warming fuel needs and extended crop growing seasons and a decreasing birthrate in developed nations. Or not, in which case we need to stop yammering and do something. But in either case we need leaders who can stop the fear-mongering on both sides of the debate, continue our positive trends, ameliorate the negative trends, and establish some sort of global universal standards we can all live with. The bottom line is that climate has *happened* to life on this planet, and now life (through humanity's shepherding) is starting to gain the ability to control and manage climate. We can go from reactive crisis management to predictive management.
"We have much more data and a much better understanding of climate, and even a better understanding of what we don't know"
My train of thought was running parallel with yours, until your tracks became blocked by this large wooly mammoth with sunglasses and swim trunks. Asking "How can we know what we don't know?" has been known to cause hippies to disappear from this dimension by way of falling into their navels.
Sounds like they were running the new version of MSMath
Dude! I think you need to get your political spectrum analyzer recalibrated.
I remember NATO commanders who used to say that.
What if the law is evil?
Well, yes they do, but when they crash, deaths are pretty much limited to the passengers, crew, and the unfortunate few in the crash zone, and the next day, the area is more or less safe.
When a nuclear plant "crashes", tens of thousands or more could die, and enormous tracts of land are affected for tens of years, if not hundreds.
Respectfully, your area has done a great job managing its nuke, but its still a big risk, with the potential consequences fantastically greater than a mere airplane crash -- my 2 cents is that the comparison with airline operations is poor. Even if it was an accurate comparison, here in the States our airlines go bankrupt every few years!
France is set to generate 76% of its power needs through the nuclear option. Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reac tion/readings/french.html
You mean well, but your observations don't match with the common American experience: Checks can take up to 3 weeks or longer to clear the US banking system, even if your friendly US bank does put the deposit amount into your US account for use. Case in point: I live in Hawaii, and have a Hawaii customer who paid with a check drawn against another Hawaii bank. I received funds from my bank on the day that the check was deposited -- but then had the deposit reversed 7 days later, when the customer's bank returned the check to my bank. Regarding money orders, there have been many famous cases over the past couple of years about fraudulent US money orders. If scammers in our own country are doing this, imagine how we feel about receiving a foreign money order... Same thing with checks written for a higher amount than the purchase, whether the purchase is an online auction or at a local bricks-and-mortar shop. Stores everywhere used to accept checks and provide cash for overpayment, as a courtesy to customers, but there have been just too many scammers in recent years. Many places no longer accept checks at all, even with instant verification services available, and those that do want exact payment only.
"Simply replace every single part if nothing else helps." - if you had to replace every single part, then it wouldn't be hacking the same piece of hardware!
Two posters comment on a thread about a SUPERFLU with direct references to a bestselling book about a SUPERFLU, and moderators rate both posts as offtopic?? Where are we getting moderators these days, the Republic of Illiteracia? FWIW, I thought both posts were quite topical AND funny. "M-O-O-N" indeed :))
... everyone who uses Usenet is an asshole? Why, sir, I quite resemble that compliment!
Interesting that Australia's top criminologists say "The weapons/methods used in the commission of homicide have remained relatively unchanged over the years." - essentially, they say the gun control laws don't make a bit of difference, criminals still kill in the same proportions with whatever is available, be it a gun, knife, or hand. This dovetails quite nicely with the theory that individuals hold the primary responsibility to protect themselves from vermin (old US values) and the theory that individuals are weak and puny and need a big gov't to protect them (new US values, and most of the rest of the world). Politicians everywhere are in the business of grabbing and holding power, using whatever crisis du jour is available. Bush used our very real terrorist problem to invade Iraq and force the Patriot Act on the country - the only question now is, is the damage too far gone to ever be repaired? ref: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/rpp/66/02_summa ry.html#4a
With the exception of metal objects giving off sparks, all of those telltale signs could also be associated with living in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina passed through (yes, including the delicious housepet, for those poor souls who were stuck in the Superdome!)
... it's just all downhill and downwind, with the engine idling :)
I downloaded his "Mr. Hands treatment" expecting something akin to Mr. Hand from the old Mr. Bill skits, but the link goes to a bestiality video that downloads with no warning. What an inconsiderate butthead, to put a link like this in his post without a warning!
Ahem! What about people who refuse to wear seat belts? Who don't wear motorcycle helmets? Who smoke cigarettes? Who use meth? etc etc.
... at a game between Go masters, and white just removed a bunch of black stones from the board
I'd like a plugin for Firefox that automatically sends hate mail to webmasters who actively block anyone not using IE or Nutscrape Aggrivator.