Of course I don't care for their attitude toward women, domestic violence etc. My point is that no one nominated the US as the global cop and they don't appreciate our trying to fill that role. The question here is not whether a nation is behaving in a way that we are comfortable with - the question is whether one nation has a right to waltz in and reshape another nation. It is a very tricky thing to translate individual morality to the national level. You really do NOT want the national government making moral pronouncements. Trust me - it is a really bad idea. History is full of example where the national governments made horrible messes (with the best intentions).
If we really care about human rights, and I mean really care then why are we not more directly involved with the genocide in the various African countries? The answer is that we don't care about human rights - it is a shill that politicians use to excuse their abuse of power.
The founders of the US knew that this would happen, they feared it. Washington made it very clear in his final speech in office - he warned the people to not get involved in the old world national issues.
I did read part of the FM:) My comment wasn't intended to suggest that any robot of non-humanoid shape would meet the requirements, just that humanoid shape isn't a requirement - only the illustration.
You are correct - the requirements are stiff. Many of the challenges lend themselves better to a multi-legged chassis with manipulators that can handle tools. The human form is tricky for a number of reasons, odd center of gravity, etc. that are more suited to biological form than a machine. This looks like a great challenge.
In this case Iran isn't trying to control the internet, they are choosing to unplug themselves (or parts of their populate). I say that is a problem for Iran, not the rest of the world. I don't want anyone telling me what to do with my "intertubes" and I don't want to tell other countries what to do with their intertubes. Now, if an elected official in the US tried a stunt like that I would be all over that like a hobo on a ham sandwich - but the US is MY country.
I don't like the idea of fetters of any kind - if folks want to hurt themselves they should be able to as long as it doesnt involve me. This goes back to the 2 fundamental points in common law:
1. Do everything you agree to do. 2. Do not encroach on others or their property.
I think it is silly for any government to do something like sensor "the internet" - but is what Iran does in their country my business?
I find it amusing that we (the US in my case) often feel we have a right to tell other countries how to govern themselves, how to run their industry, how to run their elections, etc. Where does any country get off thinking it can tell another country what to do? I am not defending the criminal heads of state - just saying that we wouldn't take kindly to another country deciding how things should work in the US, deciding who they would allow to serve in elected office etc.
When will people realize that we need to leave people alone. If the Iranians want a different government then it is up to them to make one. Every single time the US tries to force other countries to behave it results in piles of corpses and enormous debt and a giant dose of hate directed at the US by BOTH sides of the conflict in the foreign country.
I have telecommuted 3/5 days each week for almost 6 years at the same company, here are a few observations:
- be in the office the same days each week so that people know where/when to find your face - make your work visible, send status reports in even if they are not asked for - speak up on a call, if you have nothing to contribute then make jokes, use humor but make sure your voice is heard - when you are in the office, work hard - make sure folks see you online in instant messenger when your are at home
One of the major problems is that most of our markets are NOT free - government regulation and intervention has constrained the markets and created significant imbalance and malinvestment. The US used to have something closer to a free market.
As western civilization has grown through the industrial revolution we have found that as technology replaces skill sets and workers it typically frees them up for more profitable work. A specific set of jobs is replaced, but those workers are then put to work on something that is ultimately more productive. In a command economy this would be a problem, in a capitalist economy those workers will be employed in the next role until that one is replaced as well.
Your profanity and personal insults have made such a strong case that I am sure anyone reading this that might have agreed with me has been swayed to your opinion.
I agree that science should NOT be done that way, however as a matter of fact some researchers DO start with a conclusion. Read your history books, there are plenty of ideas that were the result of "science", were widely accepted by the culture only to be disproved later. Some of the best examples come from the 20th century - look up eugenics for a start.
Anyone who has worked with statistics knows that nearly every set of numbers that represent a non-trivial set of data MUST rely on their experience and training to interpret the data. Numbers are only useful when interpreted with an understanding of causal relationships and background.
You are being naive if you think that scientists are infallible, superhuman or don't have their own predispositions. The important thing is for them to recognize their own bias and to balance their work against it.
These "scientists" have a clear bias and are making every effort to hide that bias - this draws their research into question.
I think you have confused documented historical fact with theory.
The history of the holocaust is a document historical fact with eye witnesses.
The "theory" of evolution is exactly that - a theory, not a fact. Natural selection lends itself a little more closely to being labeled fact, evolution as the origin of the species has far too many problems to be elevated beyond theory.
The moon shot is a documented historical fact, again with eye witnesses.
The question of anthropogenic global climate change is not a question of whether people are rational, rather it is a question of whether we have a theory or a set of facts. The facts may suggest their theory, however the facts fail to prove the theory.
This event helps highlight the difficulty in approaching any non-trivial problem in an unbiased way. The problem is less about the science than it is that the researches were clearly biased and pursuing specific results. The fact that others have claimed to reproduce the results does not lend credibility as long as they fail to acknowledge their bias and operate in a fully transparent way.
Whether you agree or disagree with the question of human affected climate change you really can't deny the fact that these folks are heavily biased toward a specific outcome for their research.
After more than 20 years in the industry (13 or so as a software engineer/programmer, a few years manager, a few more as a systems architect) I can unequivocally say that a Masters Degree is nearly useless.
A post-graduate degree means nothing compared to another candidate with a few years more of meaningful experience related to the job. Even if the experience is not directly related, if they can demonstrate their problem solving skills and ability to adapt through that experience I am going to be far more interested in them.
I realize that this is anecdotal, however it seems to me that there is a huge representation of non-post graduate degrees in the higher paid levels of jobs related to computer science.
Other disciplines may make sense, but post graduate (and in some cases baccalaureate) degrees are a waste of time and money.
I clicked on this article because I read "twitter as a camping tool" and I thought to myself - how odd that someone worked out a way to use twitter with an FPS (HalfLife, Quake?) to "camp".
You have no idea how disappointing it was to see a reference to "campaigning" once I started to read the post....
I have found that my Toyota Corolla suffers nearly 10% loss in MPG when I use ethanol (from pumps labeled "may contain 10% ethanol"). My wife's Toyota Highlander appears to suffer a loss in fuel economy too, however I have not been able to track her mileage as closely.
I drive 132 miles each way to work (once a week) over easy 2-lane highways so it gives me a good chance to evaluate fuel economy in a mostly static environment. What fascinates me about this is that theory is great - in theory, but it is difficult to argue with real world measurements.
Has anyone else tracked their own fuel economy using ethanol and non-ethanol based fuels?
I enjoyed the article - take a look at the FAQ. The author(s) mention that ION drive is "acceleration with patience" - it will take 6 years of accelerate to change the spacecraft's velocity by 10KM/s but will use a fraction of the weight of propellant that conventional chemical propulsion would.
Space exploration and the related technology are still in their infancy, it is really exciting to to see the stuff of decades old sci-fi making into reality. Who can predict what non-conventional propulsion systems will look like in 50 years?
It is curious to me to see the frequency that the Linux/Unix enthusiasts complain about the lack of robust/commercial offerings of Linux hosted/compatible systems in various areas compared to those that are Windows hosted/compatible.
We should be supportive of companies and individuals that are attempting to establish a broader base of Linux/Unix hosted/compatible systems since it can only benefit the industry.
If a system truly is a piece of crap, then many will hopefully learn from the experience - even folks not part of the effort. Many great products started as a POS and grew into respectable offerings.
Although I understand people taking the opportunity to thrash this system (it can be fun), I wish that the general attitude of the vocal members of the community was just a little more positive.
People complain frequently of censorship, however let's remember that corporations "own" assets in ways similar to individuals. I am in the US, however I suspect that Canada can't be too different.
The bottom line here is, if a consumer does not like the actions that a corporation is taking, then they can vote with their money by using a competing service.
When the government is behind censorship that is different - if something is publicly funded then it should publicly available (generally speaking and within reason of course).
Thanks for the link. I love all of these vehicles that I see - they meet every need, except being able to seat 8. We have to move 6 kids and 2 adults - this looks like a great choice but only provides seating for 7. I am beginning to think that I am in search for a Holy Grail or capable, large capacity vehicles!
I think that his complaints are mostly on target - the problem is with his perspective. He thinks that the users "owe" him the ability to effortlessly track them.
This is simply a variation on an ancient marketing problem. How do I get people to see what I want to sell and convince them that they need it. The only difference is the technical context.
We only use 4WD when weather/road conditions warrant. The MPG I cited was actually for 2WD mode (not sure what we get when we operate in 4WD mode).
That truck has an 8 cylinder 5.8L engine. I think that Chevy could get away with smaller displacement engines on these things. I bought it used so the selection was a little more limited.
I suspect that people do not realize the huge affect building a new car has on the environment. I think that by simply "recycling" cars rather than buying new all the time might help more than we realize.
Thanks for the link - the Sequoia looks great, but unfortunately the 4WD MPG is 15/18 - no different than what I get in my suburban - I routinely get 17MPG.
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Of course I don't care for their attitude toward women, domestic violence etc. My point is that no one nominated the US as the global cop and they don't appreciate our trying to fill that role. The question here is not whether a nation is behaving in a way that we are comfortable with - the question is whether one nation has a right to waltz in and reshape another nation. It is a very tricky thing to translate individual morality to the national level. You really do NOT want the national government making moral pronouncements. Trust me - it is a really bad idea. History is full of example where the national governments made horrible messes (with the best intentions).
If we really care about human rights, and I mean really care then why are we not more directly involved with the genocide in the various African countries? The answer is that we don't care about human rights - it is a shill that politicians use to excuse their abuse of power.
The founders of the US knew that this would happen, they feared it. Washington made it very clear in his final speech in office - he warned the people to not get involved in the old world national issues.
I did read part of the FM :) My comment wasn't intended to suggest that any robot of non-humanoid shape would meet the requirements, just that humanoid shape isn't a requirement - only the illustration.
You are correct - the requirements are stiff. Many of the challenges lend themselves better to a multi-legged chassis with manipulators that can handle tools. The human form is tricky for a number of reasons, odd center of gravity, etc. that are more suited to biological form than a machine. This looks like a great challenge.
RTFM - the robot does not have to be humanoid, it simply needs to be compatible with human tools.
In this case Iran isn't trying to control the internet, they are choosing to unplug themselves (or parts of their populate). I say that is a problem for Iran, not the rest of the world. I don't want anyone telling me what to do with my "intertubes" and I don't want to tell other countries what to do with their intertubes. Now, if an elected official in the US tried a stunt like that I would be all over that like a hobo on a ham sandwich - but the US is MY country.
I don't like the idea of fetters of any kind - if folks want to hurt themselves they should be able to as long as it doesnt involve me. This goes back to the 2 fundamental points in common law:
1. Do everything you agree to do.
2. Do not encroach on others or their property.
I think it is silly for any government to do something like sensor "the internet" - but is what Iran does in their country my business?
I find it amusing that we (the US in my case) often feel we have a right to tell other countries how to govern themselves, how to run their industry, how to run their elections, etc. Where does any country get off thinking it can tell another country what to do? I am not defending the criminal heads of state - just saying that we wouldn't take kindly to another country deciding how things should work in the US, deciding who they would allow to serve in elected office etc.
When will people realize that we need to leave people alone. If the Iranians want a different government then it is up to them to make one. Every single time the US tries to force other countries to behave it results in piles of corpses and enormous debt and a giant dose of hate directed at the US by BOTH sides of the conflict in the foreign country.
I have telecommuted 3/5 days each week for almost 6 years at the same company, here are a few observations:
- be in the office the same days each week so that people know where/when to find your face
- make your work visible, send status reports in even if they are not asked for
- speak up on a call, if you have nothing to contribute then make jokes, use humor but make sure your voice is heard
- when you are in the office, work hard
- make sure folks see you online in instant messenger when your are at home
One of the major problems is that most of our markets are NOT free - government regulation and intervention has constrained the markets and created significant imbalance and malinvestment. The US used to have something closer to a free market.
Disk quotas or separate file systems are a simple solution to this problem. Just takes a little more work than a line in a config file.
As western civilization has grown through the industrial revolution we have found that as technology replaces skill sets and workers it typically frees them up for more profitable work. A specific set of jobs is replaced, but those workers are then put to work on something that is ultimately more productive. In a command economy this would be a problem, in a capitalist economy those workers will be employed in the next role until that one is replaced as well.
Your profanity and personal insults have made such a strong case that I am sure anyone reading this that might have agreed with me has been swayed to your opinion.
Have a nice holiday.
I agree that science should NOT be done that way, however as a matter of fact some researchers DO start with a conclusion. Read your history books, there are plenty of ideas that were the result of "science", were widely accepted by the culture only to be disproved later. Some of the best examples come from the 20th century - look up eugenics for a start.
Anyone who has worked with statistics knows that nearly every set of numbers that represent a non-trivial set of data MUST rely on their experience and training to interpret the data. Numbers are only useful when interpreted with an understanding of causal relationships and background.
You are being naive if you think that scientists are infallible, superhuman or don't have their own predispositions. The important thing is for them to recognize their own bias and to balance their work against it.
These "scientists" have a clear bias and are making every effort to hide that bias - this draws their research into question.
I think you have confused documented historical fact with theory.
The history of the holocaust is a document historical fact with eye witnesses.
The "theory" of evolution is exactly that - a theory, not a fact. Natural selection lends itself a little more closely to being labeled fact, evolution as the origin of the species has far too many problems to be elevated beyond theory.
The moon shot is a documented historical fact, again with eye witnesses.
The question of anthropogenic global climate change is not a question of whether people are rational, rather it is a question of whether we have a theory or a set of facts. The facts may suggest their theory, however the facts fail to prove the theory.
This event helps highlight the difficulty in approaching any non-trivial problem in an unbiased way. The problem is less about the science than it is that the researches were clearly biased and pursuing specific results. The fact that others have claimed to reproduce the results does not lend credibility as long as they fail to acknowledge their bias and operate in a fully transparent way.
Whether you agree or disagree with the question of human affected climate change you really can't deny the fact that these folks are heavily biased toward a specific outcome for their research.
After more than 20 years in the industry (13 or so as a software engineer/programmer, a few years manager, a few more as a systems architect) I can unequivocally say that a Masters Degree is nearly useless.
A post-graduate degree means nothing compared to another candidate with a few years more of meaningful experience related to the job. Even if the experience is not directly related, if they can demonstrate their problem solving skills and ability to adapt through that experience I am going to be far more interested in them.
I realize that this is anecdotal, however it seems to me that there is a huge representation of non-post graduate degrees in the higher paid levels of jobs related to computer science.
Other disciplines may make sense, but post graduate (and in some cases baccalaureate) degrees are a waste of time and money.
I clicked on this article because I read "twitter as a camping tool" and I thought to myself - how odd that someone worked out a way to use twitter with an FPS (HalfLife, Quake?) to "camp".
You have no idea how disappointing it was to see a reference to "campaigning" once I started to read the post....
I have found that my Toyota Corolla suffers nearly 10% loss in MPG when I use ethanol (from pumps labeled "may contain 10% ethanol"). My wife's Toyota Highlander appears to suffer a loss in fuel economy too, however I have not been able to track her mileage as closely.
I drive 132 miles each way to work (once a week) over easy 2-lane highways so it gives me a good chance to evaluate fuel economy in a mostly static environment. What fascinates me about this is that theory is great - in theory, but it is difficult to argue with real world measurements.
Has anyone else tracked their own fuel economy using ethanol and non-ethanol based fuels?
It used to be that there were serious implications if you engaged in flashing, potentially including jail time!
The world has come a long way when any geek can flash thousands of times and not have problems with his hard disk.
To paraphrase my favorite wise man...
"These aren't the bombs you're looking for.....move along..."
I enjoyed the article - take a look at the FAQ. The author(s) mention that ION drive is "acceleration with patience" - it will take 6 years of accelerate to change the spacecraft's velocity by 10KM/s but will use a fraction of the weight of propellant that conventional chemical propulsion would.
Space exploration and the related technology are still in their infancy, it is really exciting to to see the stuff of decades old sci-fi making into reality. Who can predict what non-conventional propulsion systems will look like in 50 years?
It is curious to me to see the frequency that the Linux/Unix enthusiasts complain about the lack of robust/commercial offerings of Linux hosted/compatible systems in various areas compared to those that are Windows hosted/compatible.
We should be supportive of companies and individuals that are attempting to establish a broader base of Linux/Unix hosted/compatible systems since it can only benefit the industry.
If a system truly is a piece of crap, then many will hopefully learn from the experience - even folks not part of the effort. Many great products started as a POS and grew into respectable offerings.
Although I understand people taking the opportunity to thrash this system (it can be fun), I wish that the general attitude of the vocal members of the community was just a little more positive.
People complain frequently of censorship, however let's remember that corporations "own" assets in ways similar to individuals. I am in the US, however I suspect that Canada can't be too different.
The bottom line here is, if a consumer does not like the actions that a corporation is taking, then they can vote with their money by using a competing service.
When the government is behind censorship that is different - if something is publicly funded then it should publicly available (generally speaking and within reason of course).
Thanks for the link. I love all of these vehicles that I see - they meet every need, except being able to seat 8. We have to move 6 kids and 2 adults - this looks like a great choice but only provides seating for 7. I am beginning to think that I am in search for a Holy Grail or capable, large capacity vehicles!
I think that his complaints are mostly on target - the problem is with his perspective. He thinks that the users "owe" him the ability to effortlessly track them.
This is simply a variation on an ancient marketing problem. How do I get people to see what I want to sell and convince them that they need it. The only difference is the technical context.
We only use 4WD when weather/road conditions warrant. The MPG I cited was actually for 2WD mode (not sure what we get when we operate in 4WD mode).
That truck has an 8 cylinder 5.8L engine. I think that Chevy could get away with smaller displacement engines on these things. I bought it used so the selection was a little more limited.
I suspect that people do not realize the huge affect building a new car has on the environment. I think that by simply "recycling" cars rather than buying new all the time might help more than we realize.
Thanks for the link - the Sequoia looks great, but unfortunately the 4WD MPG is 15/18 - no different than what I get in my suburban - I routinely get 17MPG.