An astronomer turned creationist named Hugh Ross (http://reasons.org/index.shtml) came to speak at my university and I went to see it, curious to see what his arguments were and eager to ask some questions. The gist of his spiel is that anything that science can't explain can be explained by God or the Bible. He also touted things like Mitochondrial Eve and the anthropic principle, perfectly legitimate scientifically secular ideas but twisted so that they are evidence that God exists.
In the end, it was rather ridiculous. There were many people there and over 90% of them were over 50. Apparently, he was trying to start a chapter of his group in the city. Anyway, he wouldn't answer any questions from us youngsters, which left me feeling like I just wasted 2 hours of my time. In the end I was really offended by the man. He was a published astronomer, so as a man of science he must know how ridiculous these arguments are. He's abusing the public's ignorance of science and a yearning for proof of God's existence to advance his beliefs.
Here's how he started his talk:
"Who came up with the big bang theory: Einstein, Hawking, Araham, or Moses? Actually, there's some debate over whether Moses or Abraham was first, so both of those are correct." The man was saying that the big bang theory is in the Bible! If you need proof of twisting an idea, this is it. The school board in Dover is no different. Espousing a scientific theory that hasn't passed muster through the well-established journal peer-review system is an affront to science. I don't mind them believing in it or teaching it to their own children, but don't force it on me and mine.
From what I understand, Microsoft's plan was to take a hit with Xbox so they could get a user base and then recoup their losses with a profitable Xbox 2 (360?). So this puts a lot of pressure on their next console. If it tanks, remains #2 or #3, or just has a lukewarm response (which is likely), I don't see why Microsoft would stay in for another generation.
PS I thought the Xbox was supposed to be the key to Bill's wet dream, convergence. What ever happened with that?
Maybe he was responsible for some of Nintendo's Microsoft-esque strong arm tactics with distributors and publishers, but Nintendo is still a very profitable company, despite being #2 or #3 in the console race, much due to his leadership. Can Microsoft say that about their videogames division? Nintendo is going to be here for a long time to come and it's all due to Yamauchi-san. He will be missed.
Just FYI, did you know he's the largest shareholder of the Seattle Mariners?
I believe there's a significant difference between messing around with the game and advancing through the game's missions. Being able to run into cars and people, which IS fun regardless the violence, requires only the use of a joystick and an accelerator button. That is not complex at all. The consequences of getting arrested or killed are ridiculously light and forgiving. You respawn seconds later, ready to jack a car conveniently parked next to you. Granted, the controls for foot-based play are complex, but I don't consider that an aspect of the game you should focus on if you want to convert a non-gamer.
To bring non-gamers into the fold requires, I think, a game that is easy to get into and enjoy with a minimum of initial skill. Grand Theft Auto is the poster child for this. I can't recall another game that has so fired up non-gaming friends, male and female. I just hand them the controller, tell them which button is the accelerator, and they go nuts, laughing it up as they run into cars and people.
Nintendo has the right idea in this sense, as they always espouse games that the average person can enjoy the second they pick up the controller. I suppose Animal Crossing (a game that is essentially a purer, simplified version of the Sims) is what they had in mind. I got a friend of mine who hates video games hooked on it. And I was able to do it by stressing how we can co-inhabit the same world and, essentially, play together, furthering our inventory of bugs, fish, and furniture. It was a blast and clearly shows that cooperative play, even when it isn't at the same time, can be a great tool to get non-gamers to play.
So in conclusion, what we need is a cooperative, multiplayer version of Grand Theft Auto. Get to work Rockstar!
It would have made much more sense had the poster included the previous sentence. From the article:
"But until recently, internet users who don't patronize peer-to-peer sites had few options for tracking down video content outside of entering a query in a standard search box. Large net portals and a handful of smaller sites are looking to change that."
The/. summary makes it seem as though ETS has given up on the idea of computer based testing completely, which simply isn't the case. ETS is only changing back to paper and pencil in some overseas reagions temporarily. Apparently verbal test scores shot up unexpectedly in China and the ensuing investigation led to the halt of the Asian computer based test until security is tightened up.
I've got a fairly extensive image library with images that are the same but slightly altered (i.e. more highly compressed or cropped). Can Picasa find duplicate images? Is there any program that can?
I thought taking risks by trusting sources is something journalists did regularly. Woodward and Bernstein did this and happened to be right. Now we treat them and their investigative reporting as ideals of the fourth estate. I just hope the backlash from this incident doesn't make journalists too cautious when reporting the news for fear of being wrong, or worse, being labeled as biased.
Did he get screwed over by Wikimedia or something? He's being very vocal lately (or is/. just getting around to reporting his rants).
Average Critical Response?
on
State of the Xbox
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
Touting their average critical response is a joke. The gaming press is not exactly a hive of quality journalism. Most gaming magazines and websites are simply deliverers of the gaming industry's press releases. They call it news and charge you extra for movies and such. Review scores are determined by how much hype has been generated and how well the the reviewer is treated by the company. The Driv3r scandal last summer is an example of this.
To me, it seems Nintendo thinks the hurdle is more technological than econmical, despite what they say. To play the Nintendo games that people want online, such as Mario Kart or Samsh Bros., you really can't suffer any lag. Many can attest, the slightest mismovement in Smash Bros. will cost a precious point. By waiting another generation of consoles, Nintendo is ensuring a qaulity service instead of one seemingly slapped together at the last minute.
OK, regressions are much easier to perform now. Unfortunately, it isn't possible to display the equation for the regression. What is the use of performing a regresison if you can't get the equation?
I'm stuck with the family for X-mas and all I have to work with is a very old, very slow laptop running Windows 95. I'm afraid of hurting the poor thing with a new piece of software, hehe. Maybe I should give it a shot. I am runng Firefox...
I use Excel for simple number crunching and data analysis. The most complex thing I do is add polynomial regressions of varying degrees onto sets of data. Now with Excel, I'm able to do this with several clicks of the mouse. With Calc 1.x, I had to manually perform the regression, which is a longer, tedious process. I read that the guys a OO.o were going to streamline this process in 2.0. Is it in this beta release?
Its for precisecly this reason that Gordon Freeman represents the true Free Man. Valve's present business model could rock the foundation of the gamining industry. A small dedicated group of programmers and artists will turn out a quality product, and thanks to the internet, be able to recoup 100% of the sales revenue. The giant conglomerates will continute to turn out half-hearted sequels to their library of properties. Its only a matter of time till EA becomes obsolete.
From http://www.idlethumbs.net/ on the subject of choice: "Now now, let's not forget," reminds a fictional EA media rep, "We make both Madden and NFL Street."
Occasionally, press releases come out touting the large sums of money the game industry is generating (i.e. more than movies, tv, etc.). This has led to considerable conglomeration and corporatization of the industry. I point to EA as a prime example. My question is, what are the effects of this? Are quick buck liscensed movie games dumbing down the gaming audience? Are innovative ideas being stifled becuase they are considered too risky? Is Valve's Steam direct-to-consumer system a way for the small publisher to save itself?
Having the X-Box use c++ and directx was a mistake, in my opinion. It makes it much too easy for a developer to port its games to the PC. Two of the X-Box's juggernaut, system selling, "exclusive" games, Halo and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, were later released on the PC. I don't own an X-Box and I waited to purchase the PC versions of both games. If they were perpetually exclusive, I may have broken down and bought an X-Box. I wonder how many more are like me out there.
I suppose you're right. I was reading up on it at wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EULA, and I never thought to return the software because I disagree with the EULA. Is there a clause stating I have the right to get my money back?
If I buy XP Pro, read the EULA, and decide I don't want to agree to it. You can't read the EULA before opening the package so you have no way to know what it is before running the disc in your computer. But shouldn't I be able to get a refund? This would conflict with most business' no-refund policy on opened software.
Slashdot Mirror
In the end, it was rather ridiculous. There were many people there and over 90% of them were over 50. Apparently, he was trying to start a chapter of his group in the city. Anyway, he wouldn't answer any questions from us youngsters, which left me feeling like I just wasted 2 hours of my time. In the end I was really offended by the man. He was a published astronomer, so as a man of science he must know how ridiculous these arguments are. He's abusing the public's ignorance of science and a yearning for proof of God's existence to advance his beliefs.
Here's how he started his talk:
"Who came up with the big bang theory: Einstein, Hawking, Araham, or Moses? Actually, there's some debate over whether Moses or Abraham was first, so both of those are correct." The man was saying that the big bang theory is in the Bible! If you need proof of twisting an idea, this is it. The school board in Dover is no different. Espousing a scientific theory that hasn't passed muster through the well-established journal peer-review system is an affront to science. I don't mind them believing in it or teaching it to their own children, but don't force it on me and mine.
PS I thought the Xbox was supposed to be the key to Bill's wet dream, convergence. What ever happened with that?
Just FYI, did you know he's the largest shareholder of the Seattle Mariners?
I believe there's a significant difference between messing around with the game and advancing through the game's missions. Being able to run into cars and people, which IS fun regardless the violence, requires only the use of a joystick and an accelerator button. That is not complex at all. The consequences of getting arrested or killed are ridiculously light and forgiving. You respawn seconds later, ready to jack a car conveniently parked next to you. Granted, the controls for foot-based play are complex, but I don't consider that an aspect of the game you should focus on if you want to convert a non-gamer.
Nintendo has the right idea in this sense, as they always espouse games that the average person can enjoy the second they pick up the controller. I suppose Animal Crossing (a game that is essentially a purer, simplified version of the Sims) is what they had in mind. I got a friend of mine who hates video games hooked on it. And I was able to do it by stressing how we can co-inhabit the same world and, essentially, play together, furthering our inventory of bugs, fish, and furniture. It was a blast and clearly shows that cooperative play, even when it isn't at the same time, can be a great tool to get non-gamers to play.
So in conclusion, what we need is a cooperative, multiplayer version of Grand Theft Auto. Get to work Rockstar!
You could say the same about Star Trek...
"But until recently, internet users who don't patronize peer-to-peer sites had few options for tracking down video content outside of entering a query in a standard search box. Large net portals and a handful of smaller sites are looking to change that."
The /. summary makes it seem as though ETS has given up on the idea of computer based testing completely, which simply isn't the case. ETS is only changing back to paper and pencil in some overseas reagions temporarily. Apparently verbal test scores shot up unexpectedly in China and the ensuing investigation led to the halt of the Asian computer based test until security is tightened up.
Looks like a great little program, but I'm tethered to a Windows system and there doesn't appear to be a port. Is there a Windows alternative?
I've got a fairly extensive image library with images that are the same but slightly altered (i.e. more highly compressed or cropped). Can Picasa find duplicate images? Is there any program that can?
I thought taking risks by trusting sources is something journalists did regularly. Woodward and Bernstein did this and happened to be right. Now we treat them and their investigative reporting as ideals of the fourth estate. I just hope the backlash from this incident doesn't make journalists too cautious when reporting the news for fear of being wrong, or worse, being labeled as biased.
Nevermind, shoulda rtfa.
Did he get screwed over by Wikimedia or something? He's being very vocal lately (or is /. just getting around to reporting his rants).
Touting their average critical response is a joke. The gaming press is not exactly a hive of quality journalism. Most gaming magazines and websites are simply deliverers of the gaming industry's press releases. They call it news and charge you extra for movies and such. Review scores are determined by how much hype has been generated and how well the the reviewer is treated by the company. The Driv3r scandal last summer is an example of this.
They should just pave over the whole state and get it over with.
To me, it seems Nintendo thinks the hurdle is more technological than econmical, despite what they say. To play the Nintendo games that people want online, such as Mario Kart or Samsh Bros., you really can't suffer any lag. Many can attest, the slightest mismovement in Smash Bros. will cost a precious point. By waiting another generation of consoles, Nintendo is ensuring a qaulity service instead of one seemingly slapped together at the last minute.
OK, regressions are much easier to perform now. Unfortunately, it isn't possible to display the equation for the regression. What is the use of performing a regresison if you can't get the equation?
I'm stuck with the family for X-mas and all I have to work with is a very old, very slow laptop running Windows 95. I'm afraid of hurting the poor thing with a new piece of software, hehe. Maybe I should give it a shot. I am runng Firefox...
I use Excel for simple number crunching and data analysis. The most complex thing I do is add polynomial regressions of varying degrees onto sets of data. Now with Excel, I'm able to do this with several clicks of the mouse. With Calc 1.x, I had to manually perform the regression, which is a longer, tedious process. I read that the guys a OO.o were going to streamline this process in 2.0. Is it in this beta release?
Its for precisecly this reason that Gordon Freeman represents the true Free Man. Valve's present business model could rock the foundation of the gamining industry. A small dedicated group of programmers and artists will turn out a quality product, and thanks to the internet, be able to recoup 100% of the sales revenue. The giant conglomerates will continute to turn out half-hearted sequels to their library of properties. Its only a matter of time till EA becomes obsolete.
From http://www.idlethumbs.net/ on the subject of choice:
"Now now, let's not forget," reminds a fictional EA media rep, "We make both Madden and NFL Street."
Geek is chic. I don't want to be popular.
Occasionally, press releases come out touting the large sums of money the game industry is generating (i.e. more than movies, tv, etc.). This has led to considerable conglomeration and corporatization of the industry. I point to EA as a prime example. My question is, what are the effects of this? Are quick buck liscensed movie games dumbing down the gaming audience? Are innovative ideas being stifled becuase they are considered too risky? Is Valve's Steam direct-to-consumer system a way for the small publisher to save itself?
Having the X-Box use c++ and directx was a mistake, in my opinion. It makes it much too easy for a developer to port its games to the PC. Two of the X-Box's juggernaut, system selling, "exclusive" games, Halo and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, were later released on the PC. I don't own an X-Box and I waited to purchase the PC versions of both games. If they were perpetually exclusive, I may have broken down and bought an X-Box. I wonder how many more are like me out there.
If I buy XP Pro, read the EULA, and decide I don't want to agree to it. You can't read the EULA before opening the package so you have no way to know what it is before running the disc in your computer. But shouldn't I be able to get a refund? This would conflict with most business' no-refund policy on opened software.