Really? I can reshape my body at will? Great news! I've always wanted to be about 20 pounds heavier than I am. Actually, my doctors want me to gain some weight too. I've tried everything that I can think of, and I've also tried everything that my doctors can think of. High-fat diets, high protein, protein supplements, high carb, high all of the above, no exercise, weightlifting, running, etc, etc, etc. And all of the above in various combinations as well. Nothing works. My body stubbornly refuses to gain more than a couple of pounds, and if I don't keep working very very hard at it, promptly loses them again. And I have always lived in suburban sprawl. Bone structure has a very small amount to do with it, but I am not only small boned (but tall), there is not much more than skin on those bones anyway. Good to know that these technologies of diet and physical fitness are now advanced enough to help me gain a little bit of weight.
This one is easy...
1) Eat a big meal before going to sleep.
2) Drink more soda, in fact replace most of your liquid intake with soda.
3) Sleep either less than 6 hours/night or more than 12 hours/night every day.
4) Avoid exercise, get addicted to WOW or other MMORPGs.
5) Fast food is your new friend.
Of course, I wouldn't want to be you in a few months...
But it's the school boards and administrations that are the biggest problem. They politicize - in the worst way, the local way - education in a very destructive way. Administration of schools should be run by a very professionalized administration with a strong background in educational theory and practice, not a group of yahoos.
I agree with your post, and favor removing political influence from school boards. Members of the board should be drawn from lifetime teachers/educators, and isolated from the direct public.
But, consider this...
If we really want to improve our education system, we have to improve our society's views on teachers (ie, get rid of "You know what they say, those who can do, those who can't teach").
To me, that quote shows one of the most damning things about our education system, teachers aren't respected.
I'm a "religious thinker" and this didn't take long. The definition of human in Jewish law is the ability to speak. (In fact that's the name of the human soul: the "speaker".)
Can't dolphins speak? Based on your definition, if you correct their physical limitations, they should be able to learn a human tongue. Of course their language model is different than ours.
The implications of a "humanzee" is enough to keep philosophers and religious thinkers busy for quite a while.
Does a humanzee really have a soul? Should they be granted "human rights"? Can we use them to test drugs or clean out clogged sewer lines? Really quite interesting.
Just another humbling experience for those who think humans are something special apart from the rest of creation.
More likely we'll just revert to the definition of humanity that our ancestors used...
The fact that humanity must be earned (ie, creatures that look human may not necessarily be human)
Hopefully, we'll used enlightened definition of humanity, but the more likely possibility is that we will create slaves.
The "media standard" for how American is spoken is based off of the educated midwestern accent.
I always thought it was Californian...
I had no problems being understood in any of the Southern states when I communicated with my normal "Cali" accent.
I suppose I could thank Hollywood for that though
Why don't the homeless move somewhere else where it's not so expensive? I left the bay area because it was too expensive for me, and I make about 70K a year. I can't imagine what would keep the poor in that area... oh wait, it's the handouts.
Yup... Soon only the very rich or very "poor" can live in sf.
True dat!
SF has a huge homeless population and oodles of very poor people who I'm sure will all be taking advantage of the free internet on their laptops!
Unfortunately, your statement is insightful.
With all the charity they receive, they have a higher standard of living than most working families...
I worked on the remodel for some of the "Care not Cash projects"...their apartments are among the best I've seen, and they should be, considering the price taxpayers are paying for them.
San Francisco's [wikipedia.org] advantage is that it's such a small big city. A population of 776,773 and an area of 47 square miles yields a density of 16,526 persons per square mile. I have no idea how they plan to do this, but if they spent $20,000 per square mile for wireless equipment*, that's less than $1,000,000. Outdoor WAPs can be had for as little as $330 [metrix.net] or inexpensive consumer routers can be adapted/ruggedized with tupperware.
So, your point is a good one. The City could build out a wireless infrastructure fairly cheaply, and leave the actual operation to a private contractor.
Or the city could contact some people who are already paying for dsl/cable or some other high speed internet access and ask them to create an access point and wireless mesh network... maybe by offering to subsidize their connection.
Prof Van der Hoeven said: "The extraordinary thing about this meteor strike is that it appeared to do so little damage. Unlike the dinosaur strike there is no telltale layer of dust that demonstrates the history of the event. It may have damaged things and wiped out species but there is no sign of it."
One thing that did happen at exactly the same time was the reversing of the Earth's magnetic field. There is no other explanation as to why this took place and Prof Van der Hoeven believes it was caused by the impact.
I read something similar to this years ago in Analog.
They proposed adding implants into the human mind which will help the subject remember/access his memories (by simulating how each neuron communicates with one another). The idea was that originally, the implants will aid the human mind with cognitive tasks. Eventually, the implant will learn how to be/become that person as the original mind rots/decay.
When the organic mind dies, the implant will then be recovered and place in a new body.
Does time have a meaning if there was no one to observe it?
In physics, time is objective rather than subjective. In short, yes. The existing data indicates that many things happened before anybody was around to observe them, and those events have observable consequences.
So if existing data indicated that many things happened before anybody was around to observe them couldn't we argue that time existed before the big bang since the events that cause that explosion still have observable consequences in our current universe? (ie matter formation if everything consisted of uniform background radiation)
Not really. Conventional Big Bang theory starts out, "In the beginning, everything was light. There was nothing before that--in fact, there was no 'before that'--because time did not exist before the beginning."
Does time have a meaning if there was no one to observe it?
It's not a bad idea, except for one (or maybe five) things... the resolution, and the framerate, would have to be far inferior to current available client-side games. The entire game running as a streaming video with good resolution (even 800x600) and a respectable framerate (even 30fps)... the bandwith cost would be way, way too high. Also, the servers would need to be far more powerful (per user) - every gameplay & graphics calculation would have to be done there. I don't see how it would be possible without some ridiculous subscription price.
While it doesn't really seem feasible now, but as the following post mentioned, in the future everyone would probably be running programs using thin clients.
If vmware ever gets accelared graphics working, and some people figure out how to route graphics information between different workstations (something like xterm but by using an abstraction layer like directx, instead of redirecting xwin info); can't you see this taking off?
Sorry if I'm not very coherent right now... I'm still suffering from jet lag. My original vision was for a way for people to run a internet gaming cafe using a computer powerhouse/server and a bunch of thin clients.
Fah, the need to physically own something is not always going to be a requirement. However, if certain game companies use the all-digital, broadcast-on-demand, nature of these next generation video games to gouge their customers then you can bet someone else will come along and take over the market by offering more for less.
Yes, it might be sad that the companies that come out on top in this new shift aren't the ones that you happen to be attached to now, but anyone that thinks that video games are going to cost more in the future is plain crazy.
Technology is making it easier and easier to create, publish and distribute games, and these factors will far outweigh the fact that technology is also making it easier to do away with the sharing of games. As technology lowers the bar for entry for game companies you can bet that the price of gaming will decrease, not increase. Those that try and buck the trend will simply get run out of business.
Actually, I can see something along these lines taking off...
Imagine a game in which >everything(positioning, calculations, damage/effects, graphics, etc) is done on the server. The server only accepts limited "known" inputs from the clients (ie, only key presses and mouse movements), with all unknowns/race conditions (everything else) thrown away/ignored.
The server will only return video information to its clients, with the video being limited to only what the server knows the client should be able to see/access based on the clients position in the server.
Wouldn't you be willing to pay to play an online game (MMORPG, or FPS), if no one could cheat?
I think in California, already more than 50% of the state budget goes to education. How much more do you think should got to education at the cost of other needs?
The problem is that the rank and file teachers are not the ones getting the money. It's the school officials and politicians.
No!!!!!!!!!! Haven't we learned anything from b rated video games
Offtopic, but your post doesn't make sense unless you include the plot
From the link, "The plot of the game is simple: aliens from Jupiter want to wipe out the humans because a human Jupiter probe killed a good number of aliens."
I know for a fact that there is. The iPrism Web Filtering Appliance (disclaimer: I am an employee of the company in question and NOT speaking as a representitive of the company or the product.) has had these 'features' for years (I don't know how long exactly so I won't quote numbers, but still, it's years). Day/Time based control of profiles and ACL's, filtering, blocking, logging, monitoring... It's all there, been done before and by many more than just us (8e6 and n2h2 just to name a couple.)
For it to be considered prior art, your appliance has to predate January 28, 2000 (date the patent was filed)
Ok lets take it from the top.
1. There are people with functional brains and mathematical skills all over this planet. The US has no lock on either commodity.
2. The educational system here has been garbage for years. We have emphasized collage preparatory skills over vocational skills and managerial and business skills over technical and engineering skills. Other places haven't had this luxury or stupidity.
3. Capitol ALWAYS seeks the lowest cost solution. As soon as the ability to move material goods became cheap enough to negate a localized location requirement for manufacturing items, then the next highest cost became the labor expense and companies sought the lowest labor cost market they could find. To not have done so would have been a breach of their obligation and duty to maximize the profits of their corporation. As soon as the transfer of information became inexpensive, knowledge based companies did the same. And investment companies have done the same. What do you think the currency trading and international banking markets are all about anyway?
4. Don't know about you friend, but when I was born I didn't come with any guaranties or warranties. Competition is the natural state of life and you can no more be shielded from it in employment then you can in any other factor of your existence.
In short, you are all whining. Some have said that people of this opinion must not have ever lost a job to such outsourcing. Good guess, but wrong. I myself have been fired, quit, and been downsized out of positions. No one has yet assured me that I'll have this job forever, nor even this line of work. I've been through four different career fields so far and if I have to do a fifth then I do. If the only other job you can get is "do you want fries with that", then neither your initiative nor your imagination impress me. Try becoming a plumber, I can never find a good one when I want one, and it's bloody hard to downsize that position to India. Or start your own business, or go work for the government, go into sales or... But stop wasting the world's time complaining about how the gravy train has stopped flowing for you. You were put on this world to suffer and work, only slaves get things handed to them, free men have to earn all they get, so get moving or be a slave. And since it's corporate profits that are increased then don't fight the tide, roll WITH it. The rule is INVEST, INVEST, and INVEST. Not in stupid, flash in the pan ventures either, but for the long term and steady returns. My father in law is eighty, he's been a farmer all his life, when he was twenty he was smart enough to figure out that farming would never pay worth a damn, so he invested every extra dime he could. He still goes out there and farms, because hard work has never scared him and at heart he's still a farmer. But he's put three daughters through collage and helped them all get started in life with the money from his investments. Stop whining about the moneyed class and figure out how to get into it.
While I agree with the majority of your points, I don't believe that everyone here is whining... Our problem is that we do not seem to have the same opportunities your generation had.
Then again, if you feel like we're complaining because the gravy train has stopped flowing to us, I'm sure you'll have no complaints once we're unable to afford your gravy train (re: Social Security, Medicare, Other retirement services, etc).
This probably applies to a lot of people here on slashdot, and it's a solid fact, but here goes.
I was barely around 30 years ago.
I wasn't in the workforce 10 years ago.
I wasn't even in the workforce in any significant (in terms of earnings) way 5 years ago.
There's plenty here who are a LOT younger than I am, too.
So, how is it we're somehow at fault for not protesting these things three decades ago, before many of us even existed?
If the only shoes available are made in the third world, are we all supposed to go barefoot?
BTW.. I don't see any lower prices from IT yet.
What I do see is an increase in corporate profits that is benefitting CEOs and shareholders.
Have you a job in IT? Still?
If so, please outsource it to me. I'm sure I can do it cheaper. No? Oh, so you're a hypocrite too.
Unfortunately, I agree with you. It seems like everyone in management is unable to see past their quarterly earnings...
Instead, they prefer to make a quick buck at the expense of their childrens' future.
It just doesn't seem fair does it... Why do we have to pay for their mistakes?
Why do we have to pay into broken systems like Social Security when it probably won't be around when we need it?
There was a recent article on Business2 that talked about jobs going overseas, and how there are not enough skilled IT workers overseas now to fill the coming job-boom that will be caused by all the baby-boomers retiring..... just something to think about.
Considering what happened to their 401k and other investment income, do you think the majority of baby boomers could retire?
No, you have it all wrong. Management stays in the U.S. while the work is done in India. You manage the workers through email and telephones. Eventually, all management will be based in the U.S. with all production being elsewhere. American will be an entire population of PHBs.
Then what will happen when India realizes they don't need us? I'm sure they're more than capable enough to train their own managers.
Slashdot Mirror
tomato
This one is easy...
1) Eat a big meal before going to sleep.
2) Drink more soda, in fact replace most of your liquid intake with soda.
3) Sleep either less than 6 hours/night or more than 12 hours/night every day.
4) Avoid exercise, get addicted to WOW or other MMORPGs.
5) Fast food is your new friend.
Of course, I wouldn't want to be you in a few months...
Frankly, I'm surprised at this... isn't the 2000 SG 344 also due to hit Earth in 2030?
And then there's 1950DA which is a civilization killer
I agree with your post, and favor removing political influence from school boards. Members of the board should be drawn from lifetime teachers/educators, and isolated from the direct public.
But, consider this...
If we really want to improve our education system, we have to improve our society's views on teachers
(ie, get rid of "You know what they say, those who can do, those who can't teach").
To me, that quote shows one of the most damning things about our education system, teachers aren't respected.
Can't dolphins speak? Based on your definition, if you correct their physical limitations, they should be able to learn a human tongue.
Of course their language model is different than ours.
More likely we'll just revert to the definition of humanity that our ancestors used...
The fact that humanity must be earned (ie, creatures that look human may not necessarily be human)
Hopefully, we'll used enlightened definition of humanity, but the more likely possibility is that we will create slaves.
The "media standard" for how American is spoken is based off of the educated midwestern accent.
I always thought it was Californian...
I had no problems being understood in any of the Southern states when I communicated with my normal "Cali" accent.
I suppose I could thank Hollywood for that though
Yup... Soon only the very rich or very "poor" can live in sf.
Unfortunately, your statement is insightful.
With all the charity they receive, they have a higher standard of living than most working families...
I worked on the remodel for some of the "Care not Cash projects"...their apartments are among the best I've seen, and they should be, considering the price taxpayers are paying for them.
So, your point is a good one. The City could build out a wireless infrastructure fairly cheaply, and leave the actual operation to a private contractor.
Or the city could contact some people who are already paying for dsl/cable or some other high speed internet access and ask them to create an access point and wireless mesh network... maybe by offering to subsidize their connection.
Prof Van der Hoeven said: "The extraordinary thing about this meteor strike is that it appeared to do so little damage. Unlike the dinosaur strike there is no telltale layer of dust that demonstrates the history of the event. It may have damaged things and wiped out species but there is no sign of it."
One thing that did happen at exactly the same time was the reversing of the Earth's magnetic field. There is no other explanation as to why this took place and Prof Van der Hoeven believes it was caused by the impact.
Does this mean we're safe a a few more years
I read something similar to this years ago in Analog.
They proposed adding implants into the human mind which will help the subject remember/access his memories (by simulating how each neuron communicates with one another).
The idea was that originally, the implants will aid the human mind with cognitive tasks. Eventually, the implant will learn how to be/become that person as the original mind rots/decay.
When the organic mind dies, the implant will then be recovered and place in a new body.
If I were to Zerg rush you... There's no way you'll have a bunker out before my 12 zerglings decimate your peasant stream.
Try paypalsucks.com
In physics, time is objective rather than subjective. In short, yes. The existing data indicates that many things happened before anybody was around to observe them, and those events have observable consequences.
So if existing data indicated that many things happened before anybody was around to observe them couldn't we argue that time existed before the big bang since the events that cause that explosion still have observable consequences in our current universe? (ie matter formation if everything consisted of uniform background radiation)
Does time have a meaning if there was no one to observe it?
While it doesn't really seem feasible now, but as the following post mentioned, in the future everyone would probably be running programs using thin clients.
If vmware ever gets accelared graphics working, and some people figure out how to route graphics information between different workstations (something like xterm but by using an abstraction layer like directx, instead of redirecting xwin info); can't you see this taking off?
Sorry if I'm not very coherent right now... I'm still suffering from jet lag. My original vision was for a way for people to run a internet gaming cafe using a computer powerhouse/server and a bunch of thin clients.
Yes, it might be sad that the companies that come out on top in this new shift aren't the ones that you happen to be attached to now, but anyone that thinks that video games are going to cost more in the future is plain crazy.
Technology is making it easier and easier to create, publish and distribute games, and these factors will far outweigh the fact that technology is also making it easier to do away with the sharing of games. As technology lowers the bar for entry for game companies you can bet that the price of gaming will decrease, not increase. Those that try and buck the trend will simply get run out of business.
Actually, I can see something along these lines taking off...
Imagine a game in which >everything(positioning, calculations, damage/effects, graphics, etc) is done on the server. The server only accepts limited "known" inputs from the clients (ie, only key presses and mouse movements), with all unknowns/race conditions (everything else) thrown away/ignored.
The server will only return video information to its clients, with the video being limited to only what the server knows the client should be able to see/access based on the clients position in the server.
Wouldn't you be willing to pay to play an online game (MMORPG, or FPS), if no one could cheat?
The problem is that the rank and file teachers are not the ones getting the money. It's the school officials and politicians.
Offtopic, but your post doesn't make sense unless you include the plot
From the link, "The plot of the game is simple: aliens from Jupiter want to wipe out the humans because a human Jupiter probe killed a good number of aliens."
For it to be considered prior art, your appliance has to predate January 28, 2000 (date the patent was filed)
While I agree with the majority of your points, I don't believe that everyone here is whining...
Our problem is that we do not seem to have the same opportunities your generation had.
Then again, if you feel like we're complaining because the gravy train has stopped flowing to us, I'm sure you'll have no complaints once we're unable to afford your gravy train (re: Social Security, Medicare, Other retirement services, etc).
Unfortunately, I agree with you. It seems like everyone in management is unable to see past their quarterly earnings...
Instead, they prefer to make a quick buck at the expense of their childrens' future.
It just doesn't seem fair does it... Why do we have to pay for their mistakes?
Why do we have to pay into broken systems like Social Security when it probably won't be around when we need it?
More importantly, what can we do about it?
Considering what happened to their 401k and other investment income, do you think the majority of baby boomers could retire?
No, you have it all wrong. Management stays in the U.S. while the work is done in India. You manage the workers through email and telephones. Eventually, all management will be based in the U.S. with all production being elsewhere. American will be an entire population of PHBs.
Then what will happen when India realizes they don't need us? I'm sure they're more than capable enough to train their own managers.