A. Wake up about 6:00 AM. B. Drive to work. C. Work for several hours. (Wondering about this blissfully empty and tranquil working environment, but not questioning too much... wouldn't want to curse it after all) D. Drive most of the way home. E. Get struck by -large- rock.
I'm always the last thing to know these things. I suspect that it's a conspiracy.
"Should we tell Spork?" "Nah. He ate the last donut yesterday."
Sure. Let's see you get China to sign that. Or how about Iraq (As far as I know, they don't have them yet, but they would certainly get busy on it should this happen).
Wouldn't that be wonderful? Russia and USA without nukes. And countries that have shown willingness to use force to obtain their objectives with them. (Not that USA and Russia aren't... but they have at least some method to their madness)
Here is my example. Mr. X has a gun. He walks up to my house. "Give me your house" Mr. X demands.
In this situation would you rather: A. Hold your hands up in the air, walk out into the street and forfeit all right to your own property. B. Argue with the man holding the gun, claiming that you have a stick upstairs and you aren't afraid to use it. C. Pull the shotgun from the mantle and tell Mr. X to get off your lawn.
Personally, I would call it a decently large package. 2 km wide. And I mean, that's just the asteroid itself. Think about the box you'd have to put it in. Then a couple of hundred feet of bubble tape to prevent damage, and maybe some of those packing peanuts, and you've got one hell of a package.
GOVERNMENT: "We are now using GPL'd software for our banking systems. BILL GATES: "LOL! They don't even know I've h4x0r3d it so I can steal everyone's card numbers! LOL!!!!"
Bill Gates doesn't want your credit card numbers. He would probably lose money by taking the time to max out your credit card.
Why, in a war, would the US stop Windows exports? Wouldn't they step them up?
"EVERYBODY DOWN! They're dropping another load of Windows ME!" "Someone take that thing down!" "I can't Sir! My targeting system has blue screened. Something about a page fault in VXD-123-US-WINS"
If one bites at a troll... does one contract trollness?
Your suggestion, of course, is nonsense. If it weren't for "idiot laws", as you so elequently put it, I would be allowed to come over to your house with a chainsaw and hack you into small pieces for your stupidity. Not that you wouldn't deserve it.
Capitalism is built on greed, and seeing as how nearly every person has that particular trait, it has proven an excellent system for maintenance of society.
So, what you're saying is you don't mind if they use devices in war, but you don't want them to know -how- to use them when it comes to that point.
Soldier #1 "What's this button do?" Soldier #2 "I don't know... try pushing it"
And when they clean up the fragments, they discover that the explosion caught a family of field mice too. And the nation grieves.
How is the instinct of self-preservation affect it in a negative way? Every human being has an instinct of self-preservation... if it came down to it, the soldier in question would almost undoubtably choose to kill some cute little mammal in order to save his own life. And I hold that this is absolutely the correct decision.
The fact that I can never win a bet altered the course of history, allowing the little guy to win. A victory for society... BUT WHAT ABOUT MY LUNCH MONEY!
Very well, we'll use a more rare example then. Let's say the army was forced to kill a couple of kangaro mice (They are endangered) in the process of defending the country. Would you be o.k with that?
Would you consent to wiping out all the kangaro mice to save a family member? How about to save your own life?
They said that the mice were "Killed soon after birth"... what they didn't say is that they were killed after leading a bloody rebellion that culminated in a tense showdown in the lab, with one of the engineered mice holding a poisoned needle to one of the researcher's throats.
Luckily they were able to calm down the miscreant with a piece of cheese, and lured him far enough away from the researcher to turn him into a bloody splot on the (otherwise spotlessly clean linolium) floor.
Cellular cans give you brain tumors! Cellular cans give you impotence! Cellular cans can accidentally summon demons from the planes of HATE! Cellular cans are traceable to within.2 mm of your position allowing the government to aim their mind controling devices!
I warned yah! Didn't I warn yah! Those cellular cans were made by Lucifer himself!
Plus, as long as I have a string on my can I won't be able to lose it. Now where did I put that string...
Yep, that's entirely true. The military kills mammals. The only reason you're protesting so strongly is the fact that they are whales, and since your childhood you've been told: "Whales are gentle creatures, who never hurt a fly and are hunted down by cruel humans"
Well... cows are gentle mammals too. (Well, most cows). Would you be offended if the military killed some cattle in order to be ready to -Protect your life-?
They chose Albany because no one notices what is going on in Albany. They can get away with their secret plans of world domination without anyone being the wiser.
Any day now people in Albany will start complaining about the people next door shouting "IT'S ALIVE!!! ALIVE!!!" at all hours of the morning.
"The technology to monitor citezens is in place and will be used by those who come to power after the wars. Europe will be obliterated, as will much of the US north east, California, and all other hubs of central government. "
Slashdot Mirror
You say:
"...Americans living in all but a few cities have to drive in order to function in society."
And then continue:
"...and they should not be allowed to drive any more."
*Blink*
A. Wake up about 6:00 AM.
B. Drive to work.
C. Work for several hours. (Wondering about this blissfully empty and tranquil working environment, but not questioning too much... wouldn't want to curse it after all)
D. Drive most of the way home.
E. Get struck by -large- rock.
I'm always the last thing to know these things. I suspect that it's a conspiracy.
"Should we tell Spork?"
"Nah. He ate the last donut yesterday."
20 feet long,
2 lanes wide;
21 tons of American pride!
Canyonero! Hyah! Canyonero!
Heck, with a machine like that all you'd have to do is lasso the damn thing and -pull- it out of its orbit. =)
Sure. Let's see you get China to sign that. Or how about Iraq (As far as I know, they don't have them yet, but they would certainly get busy on it should this happen).
Wouldn't that be wonderful? Russia and USA without nukes. And countries that have shown willingness to use force to obtain their objectives with them. (Not that USA and Russia aren't... but they have at least some method to their madness)
Here is my example.
Mr. X has a gun. He walks up to my house.
"Give me your house" Mr. X demands.
In this situation would you rather:
A. Hold your hands up in the air, walk out into the street and forfeit all right to your own property.
B. Argue with the man holding the gun, claiming that you have a stick upstairs and you aren't afraid to use it.
C. Pull the shotgun from the mantle and tell Mr. X to get off your lawn.
You decide.
What you have just described is the doom of civilized society.
Sounds like fun. =)
Personally, I would call it a decently large package. 2 km wide. And I mean, that's just the asteroid itself. Think about the box you'd have to put it in. Then a couple of hundred feet of bubble tape to prevent damage, and maybe some of those packing peanuts, and you've got one hell of a package.
Just think of the postage.
Somehow I can't see this situation:
GOVERNMENT: "We are now using GPL'd software for our banking systems.
BILL GATES: "LOL! They don't even know I've h4x0r3d it so I can steal everyone's card numbers! LOL!!!!"
Bill Gates doesn't want your credit card numbers. He would probably lose money by taking the time to max out your credit card.
Why, in a war, would the US stop Windows exports? Wouldn't they step them up?
"EVERYBODY DOWN! They're dropping another load of Windows ME!"
"Someone take that thing down!"
"I can't Sir! My targeting system has blue screened. Something about a page fault in VXD-123-US-WINS"
Bah, who needs a support staff for Linux. Just have an e-mail address that in answer to any query spits out "RTFM".
Companies could save millions!
Yeah, at least it had a clever catch phrase. Zero-day virus just doesn't have the same -zing- to it.
Maybe they should hire an ad agency to come up with a clever jingle for it or something.
Zero-day virus will hit today
All computer systems will go away
You'd better go stock up on stuff
Or the coming months are going to be tough.
*Bows*
Hmmmmmm?
When 700 years old you are, see how good you talk.
-Yoda, Master of Fortran, Basic, and Assembly
If one bites at a troll... does one contract trollness?
Your suggestion, of course, is nonsense. If it weren't for "idiot laws", as you so elequently put it, I would be allowed to come over to your house with a chainsaw and hack you into small pieces for your stupidity. Not that you wouldn't deserve it.
Capitalism is built on greed, and seeing as how nearly every person has that particular trait, it has proven an excellent system for maintenance of society.
Sooo... what you're saying is...
Your "Sweetie" is a "yet undiscovered hideous species"...
Dude... I know slashdotters are a little desperate, but at least stick to the -known- species.
Great.
I've had various computers; smoke, spit sparks, and make loud clattering noises before dying.
Now I have one that will start steaming.
I wonder if I could sue them if I spill hot water in my lap?...
So, what you're saying is you don't mind if they use devices in war, but you don't want them to know -how- to use them when it comes to that point.
Soldier #1 "What's this button do?"
Soldier #2 "I don't know... try pushing it"
And when they clean up the fragments, they discover that the explosion caught a family of field mice too. And the nation grieves.
How is the instinct of self-preservation affect it in a negative way? Every human being has an instinct of self-preservation... if it came down to it, the soldier in question would almost undoubtably choose to kill some cute little mammal in order to save his own life. And I hold that this is absolutely the correct decision.
I can't do that!
I'd starve to death!
*Stomach growls in concern*
Salesperson - We have this lovely floral design...
Spork - Digital.
Salesperson - This one comes in great pastel colors.
Spork - Digital.
Salesperson - Damn it! The morons in electronics get the commisions for digital wallpaper! Buy the damn Pastel!
Spork backs slowly away.
Damn... I bet my money on the big guys.
The fact that I can never win a bet altered the course of history, allowing the little guy to win. A victory for society... BUT WHAT ABOUT MY LUNCH MONEY!
The inconsolable and hungry-
Very well, we'll use a more rare example then. Let's say the army was forced to kill a couple of kangaro mice (They are endangered) in the process of defending the country. Would you be o.k with that?
Would you consent to wiping out all the kangaro mice to save a family member? How about to save your own life?
They said that the mice were "Killed soon after birth"... what they didn't say is that they were killed after leading a bloody rebellion that culminated in a tense showdown in the lab, with one of the engineered mice holding a poisoned needle to one of the researcher's throats.
Luckily they were able to calm down the miscreant with a piece of cheese, and lured him far enough away from the researcher to turn him into a bloody splot on the (otherwise spotlessly clean linolium) floor.
Back to you Bob.
Cellular cans give you brain tumors! .2 mm of your position allowing the government to aim their mind controling devices!
Cellular cans give you impotence!
Cellular cans can accidentally summon demons from the planes of HATE!
Cellular cans are traceable to within
I warned yah! Didn't I warn yah! Those cellular cans were made by Lucifer himself!
Plus, as long as I have a string on my can I won't be able to lose it. Now where did I put that string...
Yep, that's entirely true. The military kills mammals. The only reason you're protesting so strongly is the fact that they are whales, and since your childhood you've been told:
"Whales are gentle creatures, who never hurt a fly and are hunted down by cruel humans"
Well... cows are gentle mammals too. (Well, most cows). Would you be offended if the military killed some cattle in order to be ready to
-Protect your life-?
Get your priorities straight.
They chose Albany because no one notices what is going on in Albany. They can get away with their secret plans of world domination without anyone being the wiser.
Any day now people in Albany will start complaining about the people next door shouting "IT'S ALIVE!!! ALIVE!!!" at all hours of the morning.
"The technology to monitor citezens is in place and will be used by those who come to power after the wars. Europe will be obliterated, as will much of the US north east, California, and all other hubs of central government. "
Let me guess... you aim nukes for a living?
It is time to upgrade our technology again.
I've heard good things about the "Two cans and a piece of String" company based in Florida. Perhaps the solution is right there?