I've tried a voice speaking browser, and it didn't work very intuitively. Since it was designed for blind people, perhaps they have computer skills or intuitions I don't that help them operate it better than I could, but I'd really kill for a nice browser that could read me the news or/. stories, while I work in another window.
But if "roundness" is part of the definition, how "round" is round?
What if it was round at one point, but has a 30% chunk blown off it and that is now a moon of the other 70%?
And which diameter will we measure at? The thickest or thinnest? And with many small objects, we can't see them all because they might be cigar shaped, or worse, non-reflective material.
True, it's gravatiational signficance on Earth is less than a speck of local dust, unless it flings a KBO into Earth's orbit, which then we'd notice [hopefully].
It's folklore is large though, representing part of the Disney empire, and texbook history. And it is a really cool Trans Nepunian Object.;-)
Harvard has a nice page with lots of links an references for people looking to dig deeper into the Minor Planet definition under which asteroids like Ceres and Sedna fall under.
And just what makes me an authority on this? I've taken more Astronomy classes in University than the average bear.
So here is my reasoning from an old assinment of mine: A) Is Pluto a planet? Many measurable criteria signify that Pluto is a planet, but it is not a major planet. It is too small to be a major planet, so it is a minor planet or a giant comet. The only reason some astronomers still accept Pluto as one of the major planets, is because an American astronomer discovered Pluto in 1930, and they feel that changing its status to "minor" will minimize Pluto's significance in the solar system. Obviously books will need to be changed to reflect its new status, and many feel it would just be simpler to let it continue to be seen as a major planet, despite the facts saying otherwise.
It might make sense to consider placing Pluto into different categories, such as minor planet and comet. "Dual status already exists for some comets and minor planets, which are given formal numbers and names in both kinds of catalogues." [Green] The various categories we have for collections of matter in our solar system are many. The main categories are star, giant gaseous planets, smaller rocky planets orbiting the sun inside the "asteroid belt", satellites orbiting both major and minor planets, trojans, comets, trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and Kuiper belt objects. Meteoroids, and bits of dust, gas, and sub-atomic particles round out the other matter in our solar system.
A large asteroid named Ceres was first discovered in 1801, and was first presumed to be a comet. Then it was classified as a planet. That means astronomers, hypothesized that Ceres was a planet, they tested their hypothesis, and upon inspection of the available data years later they concluded that Ceres part of a new family of minor planets that was just being discovered. We now know of other TNOs, and Pluto doesn't look all too different from them, so we could adjust our view to place it as one of those other 100+ objects.
We can teach school children valuable lessons about science and astronomy if we teach them the history of the classification of Pluto, but stop calling it the ninth major planet. Pluto would not be called a major planet if it were discovered today, so it is a bad lesson in science to ignore data in favour of political concerns. People who say Pluto should remain a planet because for 70 years we have called it so, do not know the history of astronomy. They either don't know or don't care that many celestial bodies have been reclassified as new scientific data is gathered. Outdated models are thrown away in favour of newer, and more accurate models. Pluto no longer fits the major planet model that we use for the 8 major planets, so with our new data we should find Pluto a new category. B) Pluto was classified as a planet, when the data available to astronomers indicated it was one. Now the technology has allowed us to gather more accurate data about Pluto's characteristics, we should re-evaluate it's current categorization. People have had to re-evaluate "scientific facts" for millennia. Classifying the Earth as the center of the universe made sense several hundred years ago, but now we know more data that shows it cannot be the center. From what we know about the physical characteristics about Pluto, I say it is a special minor planet. It seems odd to classify it as a kind of a comet, since I've seen no evidence that it leaves a trail of debris, and we don't know if the core is rocky, or ice like.
Feedback is your first step to warding off fraud. The next is to use PayPal or a Credit Card if the purchase is more than you can afford to lose.
And watch out for hijacked accounts, with too-good to be true auctions. And then you're pretty much fine buying on eBay. Most people are basically good, but scammers can list a WHOLE lot of auctions fast.
eBay doesn't review feedback, if you want results, you have to file a report to eBay, or report it to your Credit Card company if it was misrepresented.
If you didn't use a Credit Card or at least PayPal, then you may be out of luck, other than you can threaten to turn them into the Text Book producer who will sue their butt off, if they don't give you a FULL refund.
It used to be that talking to one's self in public [or having that appearance anyway] was the sign of lunacy and homelessness. Now it is a status symbol for the rich, and "chained to their friends, work, or Significant Other".
I think most sane people would balk at talking to air, without a phone in their hand, but only until they saw everyone else doing it anyway...
The scary thing about that site, is at first, and even 2nd glance, it is possible to think that the people writing it, actually believe what they are saying. The things are so crazy though, as to go beyond into satire.
eg: "2nd Place: "Women Were Designed For Homemaking" Jonathan Goode (grade 7) applied findings from many fields of science to support his conclusion that God designed women for homemaking: physics shows that women have a lower center of gravity than men, making them more suited to carrying groceries and laundry baskets; biology shows that women were designed to carry un-born babies in their wombs and to feed born babies milk, making them the natural choice for child rearing; social sciences show that the wages for women workers are lower than for normal workers, meaning that they are unable to work as well and thus earn equal pay; and exegetics shows that God created Eve as a companion for Adam, not as a co-worker."
I wouldn't want a hard drive in my watch though. It would drain the battery, and who want spinning metal with magnets over their wrist? Well, maybe magnet nuts, but not I.
Canada can still easily investigate why HP charges $40 for a printer with a cartridge, yet $50 for a new cartridge. I'm sure they can find that to be against the law somehow... maybe an environmental one.
Pick out your clothes the night before. Do your homework the night before it is due, instead of the morning it is due.
And use a VCR to record the radio, it is possible, just leave the radio tuned to the right station and on, and program the VCR to record the Line in if possible.
I recently learned that iPods don't have user servicable batteries.
This is correct right? If not ignore this.
Anyway, based on that, it is also the sign of a trend toward "throw away" devices that cost hundreds of dollars. I think that is a trend that humans should avoid.
It is the best economic system SO FAR, but that doesn't mean it will keep us alive and thriving in the coming decades. We should do all we can to make sure that Capitalists don't put a stranglehold onto developing countries, and force them to become the developed world's slaves.
Re:Have your kayak and heat it too.
on
Space Burial
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· Score: 1
Why even go that far? Why not clip your toe and finger nails, and maybe your hair. Less painful, less infection, and light as a feather practically. Less flammable too.
This is great - I can explore space
on
Space Burial
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· Score: 1
If I save enough money I could be the first human to leave the solar system if I convince them to put me on a ship headed outta here instead of being confined to Sol's gravity.
Slashdot Mirror
I've tried a voice speaking browser, and it didn't work very intuitively. Since it was designed for blind people, perhaps they have computer skills or intuitions I don't that help them operate it better than I could, but I'd really kill for a nice browser that could read me the news or /. stories, while I work in another window.
But if "roundness" is part of the definition, how "round" is round?
What if it was round at one point, but has a 30% chunk blown off it and that is now a moon of the other 70%?
And which diameter will we measure at? The thickest or thinnest? And with many small objects, we can't see them all because they might be cigar shaped, or worse, non-reflective material.
Have you heard of Ida and Dactyl?
You have now.
Do you speak Scheme or Lisp? I don't, but I think that is the intent of the title.
True, it's gravatiational signficance on Earth is less than a speck of local dust, unless it flings a KBO into Earth's orbit, which then we'd notice [hopefully].
;-)
It's folklore is large though, representing part of the Disney empire, and texbook history. And it is a really cool Trans Nepunian Object.
Harvard has a nice page with lots of links an references for people looking to dig deeper into the Minor Planet definition under which asteroids like Ceres and Sedna fall under.
And just what makes me an authority on this? I've taken more Astronomy classes in University than the average bear.
So here is my reasoning from an old assinment of mine:
A) Is Pluto a planet? Many measurable criteria signify that Pluto is a planet, but it is not a major planet. It is too small to be a major planet, so it is a minor planet or a giant comet. The only reason some astronomers still accept Pluto as one of the major planets, is because an American astronomer discovered Pluto in 1930, and they feel that changing its status to "minor" will minimize Pluto's significance in the solar system. Obviously books will need to be changed to reflect its new status, and many feel it would just be simpler to let it continue to be seen as a major planet, despite the facts saying otherwise.
It might make sense to consider placing Pluto into different categories, such as minor planet and comet. "Dual status already exists for some comets and minor planets, which are given formal numbers and names in both kinds of catalogues." [Green] The various categories we have for collections of matter in our solar system are many. The main categories are star, giant gaseous planets, smaller rocky planets orbiting the sun inside the "asteroid belt", satellites orbiting both major and minor planets, trojans, comets, trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and Kuiper belt objects. Meteoroids, and bits of dust, gas, and sub-atomic particles round out the other matter in our solar system.
A large asteroid named Ceres was first discovered in 1801, and was first presumed to be a comet. Then it was classified as a planet. That means astronomers, hypothesized that Ceres was a planet, they tested their hypothesis, and upon inspection of the available data years later they concluded that Ceres part of a new family of minor planets that was just being discovered. We now know of other TNOs, and Pluto doesn't look all too different from them, so we could adjust our view to place it as one of those other 100+ objects.
We can teach school children valuable lessons about science and astronomy if we teach them the history of the classification of Pluto, but stop calling it the ninth major planet. Pluto would not be called a major planet if it were discovered today, so it is a bad lesson in science to ignore data in favour of political concerns. People who say Pluto should remain a planet because for 70 years we have called it so, do not know the history of astronomy. They either don't know or don't care that many celestial bodies have been reclassified as new scientific data is gathered. Outdated models are thrown away in favour of newer, and more accurate models. Pluto no longer fits the major planet model that we use for the 8 major planets, so with our new data we should find Pluto a new category.
B)
Pluto was classified as a planet, when the data available to astronomers indicated it was one. Now the technology has allowed us to gather more accurate data about Pluto's characteristics, we should re-evaluate it's current categorization. People have had to re-evaluate "scientific facts" for millennia. Classifying the Earth as the center of the universe made sense several hundred years ago, but now we know more data that shows it cannot be the center.
From what we know about the physical characteristics about Pluto, I say it is a special minor planet. It seems odd to classify it as a kind of a comet, since I've seen no evidence that it leaves a trail of debris, and we don't know if the core is rocky, or ice like.
You're confusing buying with selling.
PayPal = Great for buyers
PayPal != Good for sellers
Feedback is your first step to warding off fraud. The next is to use PayPal or a Credit Card if the purchase is more than you can afford to lose.
And watch out for hijacked accounts, with too-good to be true auctions. And then you're pretty much fine buying on eBay. Most people are basically good, but scammers can list a WHOLE lot of auctions fast.
eBay doesn't review feedback, if you want results, you have to file a report to eBay, or report it to your Credit Card company if it was misrepresented.
If you didn't use a Credit Card or at least PayPal, then you may be out of luck, other than you can threaten to turn them into the Text Book producer who will sue their butt off, if they don't give you a FULL refund.
It used to be that talking to one's self in public [or having that appearance anyway] was the sign of lunacy and homelessness. Now it is a status symbol for the rich, and "chained to their friends, work, or Significant Other".
I think most sane people would balk at talking to air, without a phone in their hand, but only until they saw everyone else doing it anyway...
It's strange that only 70% of homes in the USA have an Internet capable computer, yet 75% of homes have the Internet?
Maybe WebTV is an explanation, but it could be something more sinister. Perhaps these figures are wrong?
I'd bet the figures are wrong, as I've just made up the "70%" stat. Sorry if I had alarmed you there for a moment...
The scary thing about that site, is at first, and even 2nd glance, it is possible to think that the people writing it, actually believe what they are saying. The things are so crazy though, as to go beyond into satire.
eg: "2nd Place: "Women Were Designed For Homemaking"
Jonathan Goode (grade 7) applied findings from many fields of science to support his conclusion that God designed women for homemaking: physics shows that women have a lower center of gravity than men, making them more suited to carrying groceries and laundry baskets; biology shows that women were designed to carry un-born babies in their wombs and to feed born babies milk, making them the natural choice for child rearing; social sciences show that the wages for women workers are lower than for normal workers, meaning that they are unable to work as well and thus earn equal pay; and exegetics shows that God created Eve as a companion for Adam, not as a co-worker."
"does anybody want to go into business selling tinfoil-lined ski hats?"
Now there is an idea. Why didn't I think of that?...
I wouldn't want a hard drive in my watch though. It would drain the battery, and who want spinning metal with magnets over their wrist? Well, maybe magnet nuts, but not I.
Epson has managed to be both Sexist and Racist in a single promotion.
A printer for women, and targetted at the Japanese?
So first they are implying that women can't figure out their original crappy Stylus's, and especially their Japanese customers?
Canada can still easily investigate why HP charges $40 for a printer with a cartridge, yet $50 for a new cartridge. I'm sure they can find that to be against the law somehow... maybe an environmental one.
Isn't it odd that the /. mods don't consider throw away mentality a social [and thus ontopic] development the iPod has brought about?
Pick out your clothes the night before.
Do your homework the night before it is due, instead of the morning it is due.
And use a VCR to record the radio, it is possible, just leave the radio tuned to the right station and on, and program the VCR to record the Line in if possible.
I recently learned that iPods don't have user servicable batteries.
This is correct right? If not ignore this.
Anyway, based on that, it is also the sign of a trend toward "throw away" devices that cost hundreds of dollars. I think that is a trend that humans should avoid.
The next Service Pack is going to turn the DVD burners in to toasters.
General Electric is gonna be pissed!
"What do you think happened to the atmospheric helium on Earth?"
It got into the lungs of a massive clown with a sqeaky voice I'd wager.
Capitalism != The best economic system possible.
It is the best economic system SO FAR, but that doesn't mean it will keep us alive and thriving in the coming decades. We should do all we can to make sure that Capitalists don't put a stranglehold onto developing countries, and force them to become the developed world's slaves.
Why even go that far? Why not clip your toe and finger nails, and maybe your hair. Less painful, less infection, and light as a feather practically. Less flammable too.
If I save enough money I could be the first human to leave the solar system if I convince them to put me on a ship headed outta here instead of being confined to Sol's gravity.
Sure I'd be dead, but I'd be famous...