Actually, that is only one business model. Loosely stated from my operations management book:
1. When a new idea is found, the initial companies need to move in fast and get name recognition. Sponsoring events, Charity work, etc. is the Advertising medium used here.
2. Once a demand for a product has been started, companies need to provide quality, which they can charge more for. Word-of-Mouth is the advertising media here.
3. Once the market has developed enough customers, companies need to provide low price products. Advertising sales works here.
4. Once all 3 are fulfilled, a company needs to dominate via saturation and economies-of-scale.
Word-of-mouth and advertising sales work here.
The examples for department stores are:
1 is Sears, Gimbels, Macy's etc...
2 is Nordstroms, Nieman-Marcus, etc...
3 is KMart, etc...
4 is Walmart.
Eventually, there is only room for stores that fit 1, 2 and 4. In terms of internet firms, if I am buying on impulse I'll go with Amazon or Travelocity, because those companies are the first I think of. There are plenty of firms that will sell things for cheaper prices, and I'll use Google to search for them if I don't like the price I found initially. But I don't know of any companies that started on the Internet that have a wonderful service or quality reputation where I would shop which would fulfill 2. And as of 4, I don't know of any company that I would trust to always have the product I want.
Do you really think that there would be that much difference if the developers were Democrat supporters?
I used to think there was a difference, until I was taught the concept of "Safe Harm" legislation. Here is how it works: I write a bill to increase school funding for poor districts, "Safe Harm". Then I set an overall budget that doesn't increase funding for schools. The "Safe Harm" clause means that current funding can not be reduced for other areas, so since we can't reduce school funding to wealthier schools, the poor schools get the same amount of funding they did before. If I reduce the overall funding level, it means that I actually reduce funding for the poor schools, since I can't reduce the funding to the rich. Ah, but that was the fault of those dirty (fill in the party of your dislike), who reduced the funding I would have given your schools. So sorry. And if you change schools to military bases, you have see the same thing happen for the other side.
And that, my friend, is how you can pretend to support causes, and not actually change a thing. There are a whole lot of loopholes out there that do the same.
In short, no, it doesn't bother me. I don't see that much difference in actual results between both parties (ignoring the rhetoric on both sides). Besides, I'd suspect that there are more Democratic hackers out there willing to counter-balance the influence of the Republican control of the machines.
Actually, I was taught in the advanced political science courses (by a senator) to appeal to the lunatic fringe. The "average" person will neither donate nor go out of their way to vote you in. The fringe groups will mobilize to get out the vote, and will give you money.
The secret of it all is to present laws on things that fringe wants that you are sure won't pass - so that the fringe group's opinions remain minority.
So, 18-25 year olds aren't important as a group, since they are trying to hard to make a life. The people who have telephones and actually will answer for a pollster are closer to what you want - people with enough time, and something that they are interested in, that you can appeal to.
Watch what your representatives submit as bills - and you can see this process in action.
About fifteen years ago, when last I checked, there were many dead people voting in Philadelphia - however, it was found that roughly as many dead people voted Democrat as Republican, so neither party bothered to invalidate the vote. It is also only within the last few decades that states have inacted laws to keep campaigners away from voting booths where they could "help" people choose whom to vote for.
Voting in the United States has long been wrought with fraud and inaccuracies, and as long as that fraud is equal on both sides, the system has worked.
Now, if there were more than two viable parties, then it might be a problem. But since there aren't, I will consider my vote as secure electronically as it is non-electronically.
No, the coolest bubbles are the ones that form when you stir chocolate milk powder into a caffinated coke-like soda - the acids cause the chocolate to become a powder, and the fine particles allow for explosive formation of bubbles, causing an explosion of foam to about eight times the volume of the original liquid (or more).
It is even more fun if you suggest this to someone, and not mention what will happen. Ah, that was classic!!!! (Hi Aaron).
Hmm... that advertising could get interesting. Imagine setting up advertising so that when someone is using a competitor's establishment, you advertise the specials at your establishment... Or the latest consumer rants against the establishment... This could raise "smear campaign advertising" to a new height...
You are using the assumption that the outsourcing happens in a completely free economy. If the economy it is happening in doesn't completely follow capitalistic terms (and there is no truly capitalistic country in the world), then outsourcing creates hidden dependencies that can scuttle an economy.
Think about this - what is to stop the Chinese government from being controlled by a radical political faction that decides to cut all ties to the United States until a certain policy is changed? All companies dependent on the product would be forced to perform lay-offs. Fixed costs would still exist, so any dependent products would have to increase in price to recoup losses. Some companies would go under, so the resultant Pareto-economic curve is settled back at a higher price, since there would be less supply to offset demand. As a result, there are less jobs, since less product is modified for a given price. And since non-market constraints now govern your economy, the desired capitalistic increase in production is not possible, since there is limited supply to offset demand.
Oh, and don't count on small-businesses arising to provide alternate sources of supply - globalization means that there is an increase in infrastructure needed to handle the logistics of remote supply - from whom to call on problems to which "organization" (criminal or not) to pay to make sure that transfers go smoothly.
As an article here earlier pointed out, the Indian government owns the copyright on using many of the characters for Indian languages. So no company from the outside would be able to provide a product that used those languages in India.
All it would take is a law outlawing non-Indian languages for work, and the Indian economy doesn't have to worry about tech outsourcing.
Actually, this will increase company power. The USA has power right now because our currency is the basis of most international markets. If all of the products are bought in India, then India becomes the basis, since payment revolves around it's buying power. But if the country that can afford to buy things changes every decade, then you have no monetary basis of a global economy. Economic warfare is less possible, because it would compete with the normal unsettling of economies caused by corporate change-of-basis.
Companies can ask you to sign all sorts of crap - one company I know of actually had a contract that said you couldn't live in the same building as someone who worked for a "competitor". They couldn't easily enforce it against citizens - but they did enforce it against H1 workers, who couldn't sue from another country. They also enforced "Indian Girls shouldn't date Americans"... but that is another story.
Most companies will not report to companies asking for a reference what is not substantiatable - it makes them too vulnerable to court suits. If you are truly worried, perhaps there is someone with a company that could help you - ask them to call for a reference on you, including asking why you left your former company.
Good Idea - but how about a legitimate business? Like market research - I get all of the RFID's of customers at my store, then I go into a competitor's store when they are having a competing "sale" and see how much of my customers have been attracted, thus telling me if I should bother to start economic warfare against the competitor.
Actually, I think that you would be accused of possesion of "illegal" copies of the music, since you are refusing to pay for it, invalidating your contract to "legally" possess it. Now, you could say you deleted the file - but since you have proved you possessed it, you would have to be able to prove you deleted it from all media with no backups, which isn't very likely.
We do outsource at the C-Level - it is called foreign ownership. Look at Nissan, Toyota, etc... all of which have plants in the US, and create better and cheaper cars than US-owned companies, with more of the parts made in the US than are made by US companies.
As for the impact - I would guess that American Auto Workers contribute more in taxes and stability of the local economy than the management does. It is true that foreign companies will close US plants before they close foreign plants - but that is no different than our own companies.
However, I would be nervous if I was using military hardware made by a foreign company with no ties to assuring that I win the war.
The Amish communities. Your point is noted - the only drug-free communities are those which have chosen to be drug-free, with the opportunity for those individuals who do want to take drugs to leave. That is not the case in our society as a whole, much as those individuals who do not want to support government actions can not escape to a "tax-free" area anymore.
As for racial issues... one of my classmates in High School had done a drug use survey many years ago (not for alturistic reasons, but for marketing reasons). He found more, and stronger, drug use in the suburban "white" communities. Try to find someone in the ghetto who uses LSD, or much beyond crack or weed. The expensive stuff is used in the suburbs.
Because the NSA (the really spooky guys) tried to say that Linux was better than Microsoft, and were told they can't do that legally. They also have an "approved" Linux version. And most branches of the military don't "hate" Linux.
http://library.lp.findlaw.com/articles/file/00418/ 002034/title/subject/topic/labor%20%20employment%2 0law_employment/filename/laboremploymentlaw_3_47
Enjoy. There is even a legal opinion, not mine
Laws don't require you to go to jail as a result of being broken. Neither libel or slander are usually jailable.
There are no federal laws stopping you. However, check with employees of LCC Communications, approximately seven years ago. There was a rash of lawsuits against former Cellular Engineers.
Or the case that Sheppard Baking brought against my brother-in-law, for the same things.
As for obvious, I think not. Some people post like they have no real-world experience, and that there is fairness in law or doctrine. And as for employees being brought to court, that happened to a friend of mine who worked in technical support. So, name me counter-examples that aren't legal firms, and didn't get prior authorization from their parent firm. Please.
Sorry, but we do not have complete freedom of speech in the United States.
1. You can not do anything that would cause public panic (the yelling "fire" in a crowded theater argument).
2. You can not make malicious statements with intent to harm another (unless they can be proven to be true).
3. You can not reveal "secret" information that was obtained while working in the government.
4. You can not "steal" customers away from your former company if you were in a position to sell them products or services. (This is used against most delivery people or contractors)
Re:Excellent heat conductivity
on
The Diamond Age
·
· Score: 1
Agreed. Anyone who sees a woman meeting friends should know that.
Stupidity and foolish behaviour do not impair the ability of men to get women. I think it is because woman enjoy feeling superior to us.:-)
Besides this, the amount of effort we are willing to expend on a woman shows her what her market value is to us. Remember that most of what we tell woman we value them for is incredibly subjective (bust size, sexiness, sweetness...) so this is the best way that they have to know we aren't going to dump them and get someone else.
Sort of like the amount of benefits and food provided by a computer company shows how much they value us.
You are correct - people used to the "old style" of labor will not adapt. The major point that keeps people from adapting is marketing - which is what "new style" business is all about.
Robots will replace humans in all jobs that do not require "marketing" oneself. The humans will be left to do tasks that require convincing other humans that they should buy a particular product. Remember that if we have 10 companies out there with the same robots, there will be no particular native advantage to any company. So someone will need to make an imaginary advantage.
That being said, I am from the ghetto, and have learned the marketing lesson. Anyone who sees a prostitute or drug dealer competing for trade knows it. The only difference is if you market a legal service, like programming, or an illegal one. If you are good enough at marketing yourself, you survive. If not, you die. (If you think I am over-exaggerating, check the cost of high-blood pressure medication, or basic medication for disease, and ask yourself if you could afford them on a "budget" that causes you to go without food for a day for every $5.00 worth of cost for the medication).
Ah, but the question is, which "they" do you trust more?
The "they" that is the government, that hasn't succeeded in enforcing anti-drug laws?
Or the "they" that is our corporations, that has succeeded in getting the DMCA passed, has sued college students, and has succeeded to have an organization that allows them to legally pass information that doesn't have to be correct (Credit Bureaus) that allows them to alter the cost of living for you personally by adjusting your ability to borrow money or get a house?
As for me, I'll take my government over a corporation any day.
PG County cops have been investigated for holding people and prosecuting them without due cause.
A company held my wife in a back room when she was younger, and refused to allow her food, drink or to let anyone know where she was until she signed a paper proclaiming her guilt to credit card theft. (Fortunatly, the government didn't believe it). The company is still doing business, and hasn't paid any fines, even though they did this to 500 employees.
It isn't the Jewish race that is a "problem" for the Arabs - it is the modernism of Israel. How will you enforce that a woman can't drive, when Israeli women serve in the military? It isn't extremism to destroy a race - it is extremism to preserve a way of life that could not survive without the control of the few resources in the area by the upper class.
1. This is illegal if the combined hours would cause you to be making less than minimum wage (12*7*5.15) = $432.60 for that week.
http://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/speeches/541_Side_By _Side.htm shows that you must make $27.30 an hour or above to be an "exempt" employee... therefore, if your yearly hours * 27.30 is less than your salary, you may argue that you are not exempt.
As a note, unless you live in a really good state (like California), never go to your state employment bureau!!!
As an example, the following were "allowed" by the state of New Jersey:
1. An employer removing money from a cash register, and "charging" the cashier for it.
2. Forcing an employee to work 24 hours without a bathroom or meal break
3. Forcing a non-overtime schedule of more than 40 hours without compensation for a "non-exempt" employee
4. Forcing an employee to work hours that are not recorded nor compensated for.
These are against the FSLA, and OSHA regulations. But if you don't go to a Federal investigator, they usually won't be investigated.
The US and other governments are concentrating on this technology, for the reasons you have stated.
What this device lacks that is in the current standards are:
1. Corba (or some other buss) connectivity
2. A secure and non-secure side (think of hackers getting into your encrypted data)
3. Matching of standards (SCA version 2.2, API standards), which make the waveforms and radio hardware independent.
4. A source of an accurate timing signal.
The current military specs are actually well written - I was impressed when reading them.
My guess is that the waveforms used here would be very specific to the hardware in question, to get around the hardware speed.
BTW - don't think that they could just buy this hardware and use it. If someone's life is going to be in the balance, this stuff would need much more testing, and security to make sure that there are no hidden viruses that could disable it on command.
Still, I was thinking of making one of these for myself... Good going.:-)
Slashdot Mirror
Actually, that is only one business model. Loosely stated from my operations management book:
1. When a new idea is found, the initial companies need to move in fast and get name recognition. Sponsoring events, Charity work, etc. is the Advertising medium used here.
2. Once a demand for a product has been started, companies need to provide quality, which they can charge more for. Word-of-Mouth is the advertising media here.
3. Once the market has developed enough customers, companies need to provide low price products. Advertising sales works here.
4. Once all 3 are fulfilled, a company needs to dominate via saturation and economies-of-scale. Word-of-mouth and advertising sales work here.
The examples for department stores are:
1 is Sears, Gimbels, Macy's etc...
2 is Nordstroms, Nieman-Marcus, etc...
3 is KMart, etc...
4 is Walmart.
Eventually, there is only room for stores that fit 1, 2 and 4. In terms of internet firms, if I am buying on impulse I'll go with Amazon or Travelocity, because those companies are the first I think of. There are plenty of firms that will sell things for cheaper prices, and I'll use Google to search for them if I don't like the price I found initially. But I don't know of any companies that started on the Internet that have a wonderful service or quality reputation where I would shop which would fulfill 2. And as of 4, I don't know of any company that I would trust to always have the product I want.
Do you really think that there would be that much difference if the developers were Democrat supporters?
I used to think there was a difference, until I was taught the concept of "Safe Harm" legislation. Here is how it works: I write a bill to increase school funding for poor districts, "Safe Harm". Then I set an overall budget that doesn't increase funding for schools. The "Safe Harm" clause means that current funding can not be reduced for other areas, so since we can't reduce school funding to wealthier schools, the poor schools get the same amount of funding they did before. If I reduce the overall funding level, it means that I actually reduce funding for the poor schools, since I can't reduce the funding to the rich. Ah, but that was the fault of those dirty (fill in the party of your dislike), who reduced the funding I would have given your schools. So sorry. And if you change schools to military bases, you have see the same thing happen for the other side.
And that, my friend, is how you can pretend to support causes, and not actually change a thing. There are a whole lot of loopholes out there that do the same.
In short, no, it doesn't bother me. I don't see that much difference in actual results between both parties (ignoring the rhetoric on both sides). Besides, I'd suspect that there are more Democratic hackers out there willing to counter-balance the influence of the Republican control of the machines.
Actually, I was taught in the advanced political science courses (by a senator) to appeal to the lunatic fringe. The "average" person will neither donate nor go out of their way to vote you in. The fringe groups will mobilize to get out the vote, and will give you money.
The secret of it all is to present laws on things that fringe wants that you are sure won't pass - so that the fringe group's opinions remain minority.
So, 18-25 year olds aren't important as a group, since they are trying to hard to make a life. The people who have telephones and actually will answer for a pollster are closer to what you want - people with enough time, and something that they are interested in, that you can appeal to.
Watch what your representatives submit as bills - and you can see this process in action.
About fifteen years ago, when last I checked, there were many dead people voting in Philadelphia - however, it was found that roughly as many dead people voted Democrat as Republican, so neither party bothered to invalidate the vote.
It is also only within the last few decades that states have inacted laws to keep campaigners away from voting booths where they could "help" people choose whom to vote for.
Voting in the United States has long been wrought with fraud and inaccuracies, and as long as that fraud is equal on both sides, the system has worked.
Now, if there were more than two viable parties, then it might be a problem. But since there aren't, I will consider my vote as secure electronically as it is non-electronically.
No, the coolest bubbles are the ones that form when you stir chocolate milk powder into a caffinated coke-like soda - the acids cause the chocolate to become a powder, and the fine particles allow for explosive formation of bubbles, causing an explosion of foam to about eight times the volume of the original liquid (or more).
It is even more fun if you suggest this to someone, and not mention what will happen. Ah, that was classic!!!! (Hi Aaron).
Hmm... that advertising could get interesting. Imagine setting up advertising so that when someone is using a competitor's establishment, you advertise the specials at your establishment... Or the latest consumer rants against the establishment... This could raise "smear campaign advertising" to a new height...
You are using the assumption that the outsourcing happens in a completely free economy. If the economy it is happening in doesn't completely follow capitalistic terms (and there is no truly capitalistic country in the world), then outsourcing creates hidden dependencies that can scuttle an economy.
Think about this - what is to stop the Chinese government from being controlled by a radical political faction that decides to cut all ties to the United States until a certain policy is changed? All companies dependent on the product would be forced to perform lay-offs. Fixed costs would still exist, so any dependent products would have to increase in price to recoup losses. Some companies would go under, so the resultant Pareto-economic curve is settled back at a higher price, since there would be less supply to offset demand. As a result, there are less jobs, since less product is modified for a given price. And since non-market constraints now govern your economy, the desired capitalistic increase in production is not possible, since there is limited supply to offset demand.
Oh, and don't count on small-businesses arising to provide alternate sources of supply - globalization means that there is an increase in infrastructure needed to handle the logistics of remote supply - from whom to call on problems to which "organization" (criminal or not) to pay to make sure that transfers go smoothly.
As an article here earlier pointed out, the Indian government owns the copyright on using many of the characters for Indian languages. So no company from the outside would be able to provide a product that used those languages in India.
All it would take is a law outlawing non-Indian languages for work, and the Indian economy doesn't have to worry about tech outsourcing.
Actually, this will increase company power. The USA has power right now because our currency is the basis of most international markets. If all of the products are bought in India, then India becomes the basis, since payment revolves around it's buying power. But if the country that can afford to buy things changes every decade, then you have no monetary basis of a global economy. Economic warfare is less possible, because it would compete with the normal unsettling of economies caused by corporate change-of-basis.
Companies can ask you to sign all sorts of crap - one company I know of actually had a contract that said you couldn't live in the same building as someone who worked for a "competitor". They couldn't easily enforce it against citizens - but they did enforce it against H1 workers, who couldn't sue from another country. They also enforced "Indian Girls shouldn't date Americans"... but that is another story.
Most companies will not report to companies asking for a reference what is not substantiatable - it makes them too vulnerable to court suits. If you are truly worried, perhaps there is someone with a company that could help you - ask them to call for a reference on you, including asking why you left your former company.
Good Idea - but how about a legitimate business? Like market research - I get all of the RFID's of customers at my store, then I go into a competitor's store when they are having a competing "sale" and see how much of my customers have been attracted, thus telling me if I should bother to start economic warfare against the competitor.
Actually, I think that you would be accused of possesion of "illegal" copies of the music, since you are refusing to pay for it, invalidating your contract to "legally" possess it. Now, you could say you deleted the file - but since you have proved you possessed it, you would have to be able to prove you deleted it from all media with no backups, which isn't very likely.
We do outsource at the C-Level - it is called foreign ownership. Look at Nissan, Toyota, etc... all of which have plants in the US, and create better and cheaper cars than US-owned companies, with more of the parts made in the US than are made by US companies. As for the impact - I would guess that American Auto Workers contribute more in taxes and stability of the local economy than the management does. It is true that foreign companies will close US plants before they close foreign plants - but that is no different than our own companies. However, I would be nervous if I was using military hardware made by a foreign company with no ties to assuring that I win the war.
The Amish communities. Your point is noted - the only drug-free communities are those which have chosen to be drug-free, with the opportunity for those individuals who do want to take drugs to leave. That is not the case in our society as a whole, much as those individuals who do not want to support government actions can not escape to a "tax-free" area anymore. As for racial issues... one of my classmates in High School had done a drug use survey many years ago (not for alturistic reasons, but for marketing reasons). He found more, and stronger, drug use in the suburban "white" communities. Try to find someone in the ghetto who uses LSD, or much beyond crack or weed. The expensive stuff is used in the suburbs.
Because the NSA (the really spooky guys) tried to say that Linux was better than Microsoft, and were told they can't do that legally. They also have an "approved" Linux version. And most branches of the military don't "hate" Linux.
http://library.lp.findlaw.com/articles/file/00418/ 002034/title/subject/topic/labor%20%20employment%2 0law_employment/filename/laboremploymentlaw_3_47
Enjoy. There is even a legal opinion, not mine
Laws don't require you to go to jail as a result of being broken. Neither libel or slander are usually jailable. There are no federal laws stopping you. However, check with employees of LCC Communications, approximately seven years ago. There was a rash of lawsuits against former Cellular Engineers. Or the case that Sheppard Baking brought against my brother-in-law, for the same things. As for obvious, I think not. Some people post like they have no real-world experience, and that there is fairness in law or doctrine. And as for employees being brought to court, that happened to a friend of mine who worked in technical support. So, name me counter-examples that aren't legal firms, and didn't get prior authorization from their parent firm. Please.
Sorry, but we do not have complete freedom of speech in the United States.
1. You can not do anything that would cause public panic (the yelling "fire" in a crowded theater argument).
2. You can not make malicious statements with intent to harm another (unless they can be proven to be true).
3. You can not reveal "secret" information that was obtained while working in the government.
4. You can not "steal" customers away from your former company if you were in a position to sell them products or services. (This is used against most delivery people or contractors)
Agreed. Anyone who sees a woman meeting friends should know that. Stupidity and foolish behaviour do not impair the ability of men to get women. I think it is because woman enjoy feeling superior to us. :-)
Besides this, the amount of effort we are willing to expend on a woman shows her what her market value is to us. Remember that most of what we tell woman we value them for is incredibly subjective (bust size, sexiness, sweetness...) so this is the best way that they have to know we aren't going to dump them and get someone else.
Sort of like the amount of benefits and food provided by a computer company shows how much they value us.
You are correct - people used to the "old style" of labor will not adapt. The major point that keeps people from adapting is marketing - which is what "new style" business is all about.
Robots will replace humans in all jobs that do not require "marketing" oneself. The humans will be left to do tasks that require convincing other humans that they should buy a particular product. Remember that if we have 10 companies out there with the same robots, there will be no particular native advantage to any company. So someone will need to make an imaginary advantage.
That being said, I am from the ghetto, and have learned the marketing lesson. Anyone who sees a prostitute or drug dealer competing for trade knows it. The only difference is if you market a legal service, like programming, or an illegal one. If you are good enough at marketing yourself, you survive. If not, you die. (If you think I am over-exaggerating, check the cost of high-blood pressure medication, or basic medication for disease, and ask yourself if you could afford them on a "budget" that causes you to go without food for a day for every $5.00 worth of cost for the medication).
Ah, but the question is, which "they" do you trust more? The "they" that is the government, that hasn't succeeded in enforcing anti-drug laws? Or the "they" that is our corporations, that has succeeded in getting the DMCA passed, has sued college students, and has succeeded to have an organization that allows them to legally pass information that doesn't have to be correct (Credit Bureaus) that allows them to alter the cost of living for you personally by adjusting your ability to borrow money or get a house? As for me, I'll take my government over a corporation any day. PG County cops have been investigated for holding people and prosecuting them without due cause. A company held my wife in a back room when she was younger, and refused to allow her food, drink or to let anyone know where she was until she signed a paper proclaiming her guilt to credit card theft. (Fortunatly, the government didn't believe it). The company is still doing business, and hasn't paid any fines, even though they did this to 500 employees.
It isn't the Jewish race that is a "problem" for the Arabs - it is the modernism of Israel. How will you enforce that a woman can't drive, when Israeli women serve in the military? It isn't extremism to destroy a race - it is extremism to preserve a way of life that could not survive without the control of the few resources in the area by the upper class.
1. This is illegal if the combined hours would cause you to be making less than minimum wage (12*7*5.15) = $432.60 for that week. http://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/speeches/541_Side_By _Side.htm shows that you must make $27.30 an hour or above to be an "exempt" employee... therefore, if your yearly hours * 27.30 is less than your salary, you may argue that you are not exempt.
As a note, unless you live in a really good state (like California), never go to your state employment bureau!!!
As an example, the following were "allowed" by the state of New Jersey:
1. An employer removing money from a cash register, and "charging" the cashier for it.
2. Forcing an employee to work 24 hours without a bathroom or meal break
3. Forcing a non-overtime schedule of more than 40 hours without compensation for a "non-exempt" employee
4. Forcing an employee to work hours that are not recorded nor compensated for.
These are against the FSLA, and OSHA regulations. But if you don't go to a Federal investigator, they usually won't be investigated.
The US and other governments are concentrating on this technology, for the reasons you have stated. What this device lacks that is in the current standards are: 1. Corba (or some other buss) connectivity 2. A secure and non-secure side (think of hackers getting into your encrypted data) 3. Matching of standards (SCA version 2.2, API standards), which make the waveforms and radio hardware independent. 4. A source of an accurate timing signal. The current military specs are actually well written - I was impressed when reading them. My guess is that the waveforms used here would be very specific to the hardware in question, to get around the hardware speed. BTW - don't think that they could just buy this hardware and use it. If someone's life is going to be in the balance, this stuff would need much more testing, and security to make sure that there are no hidden viruses that could disable it on command. Still, I was thinking of making one of these for myself... Good going. :-)