Having just seen Armageddon on network television, I have to wonder about this angle to getting ISS more funding...
Wouldn't an asteroid or comet striking the Earth be considered an act of Interstellar Terrorism?
If that's the case, perhaps the new Anti-terror legislation should be ammended to include funding for a federal interstellar security force to man the ISS...
the Heroes from Earth need a manned space station to dock with before flying off to save the planet!
My story is somewhat similar to the original post, but doesn't relate to a former employer, rather, a former girlfriend (of several years), and her employer.
She worked at a high-volume, high-tech print shop which I had written software for some two years prior to our breakup. Some 8 months after our break up, she called me up and asked if I could troubleshoot a problem with their LAN, and consequently, problems they were having accessing the local side of the software I had written for them ( web based file/job management & tracking app for their print ready graphics files, some 250+ uploads a day).
My response was simple, direct, and immediate: $5,000, up front.
Suffice it to say, I was never bothered again.
Moral of my story? Sure, your former 'employer' can ask for all the help in the world, and it's totally up to you if you give it to them, or, as any right-minded American would do, SELL it to them.
I know how much my time is worth, but it sounds like you're a little too naive.
I haven't seen debian's installer since 1998, when I installed this box.
I'm sure it hasn't changed, and I HOPE it hasn't changed, because OF that installer, I can get a debian box set up and going in less than 20 minutes.
I believe one of debians strengths [installer] has been to, perhaps, "weed out", those who are incapable of reading HOWTO's and README's PRIOR to installation.
If the US is going to take on the role of Sole ISS Taxi, then the US has to have a reliable fleet.
I am terrified that NASA, under pressure to 'Get it done', is going to start missing key safety issues. I don't think out of laziness or incompetence, but more likely due to Lack of Budget and Pressure from the Political system in DC.
It is NECESSARY at this time to REPLACE this aging fleet.
If Space is where the US wants to be, and I certainly hope it is, the program needs a NEW FLEET before we have 7 more dead astronauts.
Perhaps it's time to get our Russian friends to bring Buran out of mothballs? It may be a 20 year old ship, but it's got Very Low Mileage.
I don't think, nor did you imply, that people under the age of 18 are idiots. Far from it. When I was 18, I think I might've been more intelligent than I am now, simply from a standpoint of experience. I hadn't been fully exposed to the double-standard, hypocritical society that we live in. Well, I can say that at 26, my perspective has changed.
I don't think, either, that exposure to these games will 'train' children for acts of violence, hell, it's in our nature from birth. We don't need any more training than our genetic code gives us.
I also do not advocate any ANY kind of censorship, which I don't believe responsible legislation would incur (look at what Australia's done with GTA3, and you'll see clearly that is censorship).
How soon in life do we want our children to see Mature Content? Smoke? Drink? Play games intended for Mature Audiences? Would you want your 8 year old daughter or son playing strip poker at a sleep over? Would you want your 10 year old son watching Fight Club, or Seven?
I think the answer to these questions would be a resounding 'NO'. The justification for this answer would be a simple premise, "young people aren't mature enough, YET, ON AVERAGE, to be exposed to these things with objectivity. It is not appropriate for young children, on average, to use/view these products."
I am certainly not a proponent of the Thought Police, but let's be real here. Thought Control already exists today, and it's not going anywhere any time soon.
A good friend of mine has a 7 year old stepson, and the child's father bought the boy GTA3 for Christmas. This kid has NO business, supervised by a parent or not, to play this game. I told my friend what a player can do in this game, and he immediately called his wife and had her confiscate it. The child is not happy, I'm sure, but will forget about it, and move on to something else.
Back to my original point. I do not advocate legislation to replace the duties and responsibilities of a parent. I would liken this legislation to the federal and state laws governing the sales and distribution of alcohol and tobacco products to minors.
Would you advocate the laws banning sales of tobacco products to minors be lifted? If so, why, and if not, why not?
In my opinion, the sale of Mature Content to minors is a cut-and-dry "Bad Thing." I don't find any grey area about it at all. Want to buy pornography, tobacco and Mature Video games? You'd better be 18, in my book. You see, I find very little distinction between gratuitous violence and gratuitous sex acts. Albeit, the are different acts, but it comes back to the commonality, "Children should not have access to it."
As for the gaming industry, I think they've done a fantastic job of categorizing their products. The ESRB(?)'s simple, yet functional, way of warning parents IS and SHOULD be the final word. But sadly, it's not. A 12 year old kid could go into Best Buy or Comp USA and easily purchase a copy of Grand Theft Auto 3. The vast majority of the counter-clerks just don't know about the game, the MA rating on it, and possibly don't care either way. Training issue, honestly.
In closing, if the parents (and more importantly, the Gaming Industry) will not protect children from questionable content/product, I guess the government will have to do it.
I recently purchased the PS2, and with it, Grand Theft Auto 3. I am an adult, and I can see the fantasy about this game, as I can also see the humor in it. It's an incredibly violent game, and should not be in the hands of minors. I'm sure there are a pile of games out there that equal or surpass the violence and mature content of this game, and any responsible lawmaker wanting to keep impressionable kids away from the game are OK in my book. Leave it up to parents to decide, and you're asking for trouble. While most parents may/will keep an eye on their kid's game play, some just won't.
Now, I must get back to bashing prostitutes, pimps and thugs with my Louisville Slugger...
Evenually this post will make it's way onto google, somewhere. Here's my bit 'o debian advocacy.
I've been using it since 97, and haven't looked back. To the guys and gals on the debian dev team, thank you. You've made my life so much easier. One of these days I'll sit down and help squash some bugs so unstable doesn't remain unstable for so long.
Slashdot Mirror
Having just seen Armageddon on network television, I have to wonder about this angle to getting ISS more funding...
Wouldn't an asteroid or comet striking the Earth be considered an act of Interstellar Terrorism?
If that's the case, perhaps the new Anti-terror legislation should be ammended to include funding for a federal interstellar security force to man the ISS...
the Heroes from Earth need a manned space station to dock with before flying off to save the planet!
but, the article says that Enterprise is the sixth show in the franchise,
1: Original Series
2: The Next Generation
3: DS9
4: Voyager
5: Enterprise
That's only 5. Or, is the author referring to the animated show, too?
Layoff announcements. Nice job with the books.
Anyone who thinks that there isn't life elsewhere in this solr system certainly has their head up their ass.
I've already sunk all my money into Sprint's PCS Vision... it's so(oooo) 3G already.
/me throws his [pcs] cellphone in the trash.
Har.
Ok, but am I the only one who's looked at the hardware list they're selling, and wondering why the hell they have so much gear?
For God's sakes, they went belly up because they bought so much damned gear!
13 - Sun Microsystems Enterprise 420R Server With Up to 4ea 450mhz Ultra Sparc Iii Processors , 4GB Memory 72GB Of Total Storage
91 - VA Linux fullon 2230 Server Server With Up to Dual P3 800mhz 1GB 18 GB Of Total Storage
what the hell?!?
They've got more gear than Nasa, CIA, and the FBI combined.
My story is somewhat similar to the original post, but doesn't relate to a former employer, rather, a former girlfriend (of several years), and her employer.
She worked at a high-volume, high-tech print shop which I had written software for some two years prior to our breakup. Some 8 months after our break up, she called me up and asked if I could troubleshoot a problem with their LAN, and consequently, problems they were having accessing the local side of the software I had written for them ( web based file/job management & tracking app for their print ready graphics files, some 250+ uploads a day).
My response was simple, direct, and immediate: $5,000, up front.
Suffice it to say, I was never bothered again.
Moral of my story? Sure, your former 'employer' can ask for all the help in the world, and it's totally up to you if you give it to them, or, as any right-minded American would do, SELL it to them.
I know how much my time is worth, but it sounds like you're a little too naive.
I haven't seen debian's installer since 1998, when I installed this box.
I'm sure it hasn't changed, and I HOPE it hasn't changed, because OF that installer, I can get a debian box set up and going in less than 20 minutes.
I believe one of debians strengths [installer] has been to, perhaps, "weed out", those who are incapable of reading HOWTO's and README's PRIOR to installation.
I'm sure the IDF will not hesitate to cook a few of their Arab friends.
I suppose if someone thinks it's OK to steal from "The Artists", then it's OK for the developers of the tool(s) to steal a little for themselves.
i guess i forgot to mention, too, that the Reviewers have to send the walkman back, undamagaed, unmolested, if they want to get interviews, etc.
according to my girlfriend, a RABID Tori Amos fan, this is nothing new. She's apparently always done this.
Not that it matters, though, as I've had 7 tracks from Scarlet's Walk for well over two months now...
If the US is going to take on the role of Sole ISS Taxi, then the US has to have a reliable fleet.
I am terrified that NASA, under pressure to 'Get it done', is going to start missing key safety issues. I don't think out of laziness or incompetence, but more likely due to Lack of Budget and Pressure from the Political system in DC.
It is NECESSARY at this time to REPLACE this aging fleet.
If Space is where the US wants to be, and I certainly hope it is, the program needs a NEW FLEET before we have 7 more dead astronauts.
Perhaps it's time to get our Russian friends to bring Buran out of mothballs? It may be a 20 year old ship, but it's got Very Low Mileage.
It's a double-bonus for me and my programming team, then, I guess. We use opensource tools to generate thousands of incomprehensible lines of code.
"They have some of the worst quality of service records and some of the worst support records"...
wonder why Sprint has racked up so many JD Power awards for service? [amongst other awards]
Don't believe everything you read in The Oracle of Slashdot. 1/2 the posters are pissed off unemployed telecom workers.
After reading the rest of your post, I've realized that you Are a jackass with no clue about the Telecom industry.
ding ding ding. you win a brand new car. the RBOCS are scum.
although fully of hippies and homeless, the rainbow gathering might qualify...
I often find myself scanning the want ads for Long Haul Trucking positions, and getting out of this crazy software business...
I don't think, nor did you imply, that people under the age of 18 are idiots. Far from it. When I was 18, I think I might've been more intelligent than I am now, simply from a standpoint of experience. I hadn't been fully exposed to the double-standard, hypocritical society that we live in. Well, I can say that at 26, my perspective has changed.
I don't think, either, that exposure to these games will 'train' children for acts of violence, hell, it's in our nature from birth. We don't need any more training than our genetic code gives us.
I also do not advocate any ANY kind of censorship, which I don't believe responsible legislation would incur (look at what Australia's done with GTA3, and you'll see clearly that is censorship).
How soon in life do we want our children to see Mature Content? Smoke? Drink? Play games intended for Mature Audiences? Would you want your 8 year old daughter or son playing strip poker at a sleep over? Would you want your 10 year old son watching Fight Club, or Seven?
I think the answer to these questions would be a resounding 'NO'. The justification for this answer would be a simple premise, "young people aren't mature enough, YET, ON AVERAGE, to be exposed to these things with objectivity. It is not appropriate for young children, on average, to use/view these products."
I am certainly not a proponent of the Thought Police, but let's be real here. Thought Control already exists today, and it's not going anywhere any time soon.
A good friend of mine has a 7 year old stepson, and the child's father bought the boy GTA3 for Christmas. This kid has NO business, supervised by a parent or not, to play this game. I told my friend what a player can do in this game, and he immediately called his wife and had her confiscate it. The child is not happy, I'm sure, but will forget about it, and move on to something else.
Back to my original point. I do not advocate legislation to replace the duties and responsibilities of a parent. I would liken this legislation to the federal and state laws governing the sales and distribution of alcohol and tobacco products to minors.
Would you advocate the laws banning sales of tobacco products to minors be lifted? If so, why, and if not, why not?
In my opinion, the sale of Mature Content to minors is a cut-and-dry "Bad Thing." I don't find any grey area about it at all. Want to buy pornography, tobacco and Mature Video games? You'd better be 18, in my book. You see, I find very little distinction between gratuitous violence and gratuitous sex acts. Albeit, the are different acts, but it comes back to the commonality, "Children should not have access to it."
As for the gaming industry, I think they've done a fantastic job of categorizing their products. The ESRB(?)'s simple, yet functional, way of warning parents IS and SHOULD be the final word. But sadly, it's not. A 12 year old kid could go into Best Buy or Comp USA and easily purchase a copy of Grand Theft Auto 3. The vast majority of the counter-clerks just don't know about the game, the MA rating on it, and possibly don't care either way. Training issue, honestly.
In closing, if the parents (and more importantly, the Gaming Industry) will not protect children from questionable content/product, I guess the government will have to do it.
I recently purchased the PS2, and with it, Grand Theft Auto 3. I am an adult, and I can see the fantasy about this game, as I can also see the humor in it. It's an incredibly violent game, and should not be in the hands of minors. I'm sure there are a pile of games out there that equal or surpass the violence and mature content of this game, and any responsible lawmaker wanting to keep impressionable kids away from the game are OK in my book. Leave it up to parents to decide, and you're asking for trouble. While most parents may/will keep an eye on their kid's game play, some just won't.
Now, I must get back to bashing prostitutes, pimps and thugs with my Louisville Slugger...
if all books were structured the same way as Michael Kay's XSLT Programmer's Reference, 2nd Edition, I would be a happy man.
Wrox Press,
ISBN 1-861005-0607
pah. count me out then. no windows no comix.
ban microsoft from any 'innovation' for a period no less than 5 years, or until they fix all the flaws in their current operating system.
Evenually this post will make it's way onto google, somewhere. Here's my bit 'o debian advocacy.
I've been using it since 97, and haven't looked back. To the guys and gals on the debian dev team, thank you. You've made my life so much easier. One of these days I'll sit down and help squash some bugs so unstable doesn't remain unstable for so long.