A simpler solution would have been to design them like those old mini-discs were- with a protective case (kind of like the casing around floppies). They could be made to be replaceable easily enough too. Unfortunately, with the industry having gone to the 'naked' standard, fat chance of getting all of those hardware manufacturers to move over to the obvious solution---or is it that the record companies like scratchable CD's? helps kill the used market, and encourages repeated consumption...maybe.
You're right- physicists have made contributions to medicine- i was in no way implying that physicists cannot- but the original poster was implying that the research wasn't worth conducting because it didn't have medical applications.
About air- of course you're right- if we were landing on the moon. But landing on Mars is different- there is air- just not much (you'll remember that the rover's landing pod had parachutes.
air currents? Dumbass scientists with nothing better to live for than proving evolution and why pieces of paper fall slowly. Why not cure cancer you retards?
"Wang and Pesavento also showed that the falling-paper effect is almost twice as effective for slowing an object's descent, compared with the parachute effect (that is, if an object falls straight down)."
This might be useful for future Rover missions (or, um Beagle missions). You'll lose accuracy, but at least you wouldn't hit the ground like a falling rock.
In another post, I compared Snow Crash and Neuromancer, saying that I thought that Snow Crash was on par with Neuromancer, only funnier.
Yes, Snow Crash is very in-line with the cyberpunk thing, but, I call it original because I think that the approach it took to cyberpunk was original. But that is only my opinion.
As I said, I enjoyed Cryptinomicon (is it really SciFi though? and how?), but I thought that it was in-line with a very common approach to sci-fi narrative, and to other fiction as well- it is something I have been giving thought to for a few weeks now, but still have a hard time expressing: what exactly this approach I'm talking about is...unfortunately, I'm not able to really state what it is (i'm not copping out, I'm just stating my inability to describe this common approach that I'm thinking of, or that I half recognize when I read a new sci-fi novel- I don't expect you to take too much stock in my undescribed 'feelings'!).
Some of my favorite sci-fi is not so much sci-fi in the classic sense: e.g. A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick, and The Gold Coast by Kim Stanley Robinson.
Look, I liked Cryptonomicon, it was a pretty good book- and maybe the prose is a little more polished than his earlier work- but I still think Snow Crash is better- it was an original, while Cryptonomicon was, well, sorta conventional (good, but...conventional) (Sorry Neal, I think your essays are brilliant).
I haven't read the Baroque cycle, so I can't precisely say, but I would suggest that you start with Snow Crash. Its the best cyber punk novel I've ever read, at least on par with Neuromancer (but wittier).
I agree. My 74 year old grandfather goes and fixes leaks on the roof in story weather at night. I'm not going to tell him not to- he'll do as he wants. I'll be out there with him (if I'm around). Many elderly feel that if they can't do that kind of stuff, then life's not worth living- and some of the oldest people in the world are also the most active- riding horses at 90...not that all the elderly can do this.
And not even just fear of death, but fear of being shouted at by the drivers of passing vehicles (it can be a real shock when you're not expecting it)...or for that matter, the fact that some lights won't change for bicyclists...they have to go over and walk the bicycle on the cross-walk, after pushing the button.
Bicyclists have real lists of complaints. Some idiot left their big black garbage can right in the middle of my bicycle lane at night on a dark street corner- Wham! I was down...and laughed at by the drunkards across the street. ha ha.
Unfortunately, both of you are correct. Voting for Bush, rather than Ghandi is a good idea, because we don't want Satan in. But it is a feedback loop- if everyone evaluates their choices with respect to what they think others are going to do.
Fortunately, we are not dealing with such an extreme election: as much as I dislike Bush's administration, I think that four more years of Bush will not cause irrevocable harm. Thus, vote for the person you want to be President.
It is a fact that if everyone simply did that, then we wouldn't be having this discussion.
You know what's interesting? For the fact that 3rd Parties get so little of the vote...a few percent, there appear to be a lot of supporters of third parties here on/. Now if all those Slashdotters would just go vote for who they wanted to win...
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A simpler solution would have been to design them like those old mini-discs were- with a protective case (kind of like the casing around floppies). They could be made to be replaceable easily enough too. Unfortunately, with the industry having gone to the 'naked' standard, fat chance of getting all of those hardware manufacturers to move over to the obvious solution---or is it that the record companies like scratchable CD's? helps kill the used market, and encourages repeated consumption...maybe.
Ha ha, just kidding.
Yes, you're quite right, except that 'fuck you' is mysogynist- at least in the image it evokes...
You're right- physicists have made contributions to medicine- i was in no way implying that physicists cannot- but the original poster was implying that the research wasn't worth conducting because it didn't have medical applications.
About air- of course you're right- if we were landing on the moon. But landing on Mars is different- there is air- just not much (you'll remember that the rover's landing pod had parachutes.
And physicists are supposed to do what about cancer? Please, let physicists do physics, and physicians do medicine!
Just two words for you: Dumbass Retard.
Thank you.
This might be useful for future Rover missions (or, um Beagle missions). You'll lose accuracy, but at least you wouldn't hit the ground like a falling rock.
clean air and water. duh.
Not that a good economy doesn't help.
The question really is, why should states be natural units of elections?
Yes, Snow Crash is very in-line with the cyberpunk thing, but, I call it original because I think that the approach it took to cyberpunk was original. But that is only my opinion.
As I said, I enjoyed Cryptinomicon (is it really SciFi though? and how?), but I thought that it was in-line with a very common approach to sci-fi narrative, and to other fiction as well- it is something I have been giving thought to for a few weeks now, but still have a hard time expressing: what exactly this approach I'm talking about is...unfortunately, I'm not able to really state what it is (i'm not copping out, I'm just stating my inability to describe this common approach that I'm thinking of, or that I half recognize when I read a new sci-fi novel- I don't expect you to take too much stock in my undescribed 'feelings'!).
Some of my favorite sci-fi is not so much sci-fi in the classic sense: e.g. A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick, and The Gold Coast by Kim Stanley Robinson.
Try not picking it up to read it. Best to have it set on a table, so that you only have to lift one page at a time. e=humor
Look, I liked Cryptonomicon, it was a pretty good book- and maybe the prose is a little more polished than his earlier work- but I still think Snow Crash is better- it was an original, while Cryptonomicon was, well, sorta conventional (good, but...conventional) (Sorry Neal, I think your essays are brilliant).
I haven't read the Baroque cycle, so I can't precisely say, but I would suggest that you start with Snow Crash. Its the best cyber punk novel I've ever read, at least on par with Neuromancer (but wittier).
Yeah, that'd be great! If we freakin' had bike lanes in America.
Segways, rural, and winter---no no no. For the elderly? Wellll, if they want to, though I'm not sure its a good idea......
I agree. My 74 year old grandfather goes and fixes leaks on the roof in story weather at night. I'm not going to tell him not to- he'll do as he wants. I'll be out there with him (if I'm around). Many elderly feel that if they can't do that kind of stuff, then life's not worth living- and some of the oldest people in the world are also the most active- riding horses at 90...not that all the elderly can do this.
Bicyclists have real lists of complaints. Some idiot left their big black garbage can right in the middle of my bicycle lane at night on a dark street corner- Wham! I was down...and laughed at by the drunkards across the street. ha ha.
Yess, lotsss of bullsy theres. The mentions of 'post-modern' were perfectly superfluous.
Exactly what is exponential?
You're right , of course, but, its no consolation to a recent graduate with 30,000 in debts and no job prospects.
Fortunately, we are not dealing with such an extreme election: as much as I dislike Bush's administration, I think that four more years of Bush will not cause irrevocable harm. Thus, vote for the person you want to be President.
It is a fact that if everyone simply did that, then we wouldn't be having this discussion.
Good point.
Why?
4 more years of Bush will galvanize the Left.
You know what's interesting? For the fact that 3rd Parties get so little of the vote...a few percent, there appear to be a lot of supporters of third parties here on /. Now if all those Slashdotters would just go vote for who they wanted to win...