That's actually a pretty good question - spoken like a true geographer. They create the maps of petro reserves by drilling wells until they find oil. Then, they progress outwards radially until the production becomes economically unviable.
At first, I'm sure they found oil/gas by accident, or through random drilling. As the correlations developed between geologic formations and "black gold", they were able to find clues that led to improvements in exploration efficiency.
This is a big deal, economically. If you can find a major reserve before anyone else, you can acquire mineral rights, right of way, infrastructure, and property much cheaper than your competitors. Your cost of operating is much lower if you can beat the rush. Big companies spend thousands every month to get data on where new wells are being drilled. (http://www.rigdata.com/)
* * *
When I say chemical structure, I mean the actual hydrocarbons making up the fuel. For example, methane is CH4. It is my understanding that similar types of carbon chains are found in living organisms.
I agree - I develop computer mapping programs for energy companies, and couldn't have said it better myself. The in-ground reserves always correlate to sedimentary deposits.
I am not an organic chemist, but I am sure there is also a linkage between the carbon chains found in petroleum and those found in biological matter.
Releasing your source code is a BAD thing when you write proprietary software for a living.
If you develop a simple program with high economic value, it is in your best interest to keep the methodology largely unknown. You are getting paid because you develop a timely answer to a problem with economic value. If your solution is easily repeatable, then you don't want your source floating around for others to inspect and in turn kill your "innovative" program by giving it away for free. I say simple because chess programs will fit on an 8-bit NES cartrige - I don't know the specifics of this program.
We operate in a free market. If your solution has enough economic worth, it will definitely be copied and resold/given away. He might as well make a buck off of his chess program before someone else uses his ideas to write their own.
The previous post refers to a company that will SELL you increased page ranking, who HAPPEN to be ranked number one when you do this search.
I am assuming (due to their page rank) that they have figured out how to scam google and are selling this service to others. Unless (possible but unlikely) there are 100's or 1000's of web pages with a valid link telling how helpful this marketing company is.
I used to live in an apartment next to a schizophrenic guy. He left his dirty clothes scattered all over his apartment.
One day, he brought me down to his house because he was seeing faces in the wrinkles of the clothes - and he was running around the room whacking his laundry with a stick to kill the faces.
from article: Detailed calculations, to be published in the journal Icarus, suggest that lead and bismuth are to blame for giving Venus its bright, metallic skin.
During the August experiments in Monterey, fishermen plucked four of the gliders from the water after the robots briefly surfaced to communicate with scientists by satellite.
We had/have permission from the Kuwaiti government and the Saudi government to base some military equipment there. I believe the Saudi's recently asked us to leave, and we did as soon as the logistics could be arranged (a matter of days).
FYI, the Kuwaiti's also gave out (really nice) medals made with silver and gold to American officers after Desert Storm.
Political parties who cater to special-interest groups and corporate sponsors rule the land
That's the great thing! If you don't like the way the political process is going, you can run for office and change things. As a model, I will use Bill Frist (http://www.senate.gov/~frist/). He is a doctor, and didn't like how the healthcare system was turning out. So, he ran for the senate and is working on medical reforms. You don't have to have a coup, kill the previous regime, or bootlick some prince in order to be a civil servant.
al-Quaeda doesn't go after people who disagree with them all over the world, just people who get in their way
"Because someone gets in your way" is not an excuse to target civilians. By using such political means, you render your cause irrelevant.
Slashdot Mirror
That's actually a pretty good question - spoken like a true geographer. They create the maps of petro reserves by drilling wells until they find oil. Then, they progress outwards radially until the production becomes economically unviable.
At first, I'm sure they found oil/gas by accident, or through random drilling. As the correlations developed between geologic formations and "black gold", they were able to find clues that led to improvements in exploration efficiency.
This is a big deal, economically. If you can find a major reserve before anyone else, you can acquire mineral rights, right of way, infrastructure, and property much cheaper than your competitors. Your cost of operating is much lower if you can beat the rush. Big companies spend thousands every month to get data on where new wells are being drilled. (http://www.rigdata.com/)
* * *
When I say chemical structure, I mean the actual hydrocarbons making up the fuel. For example, methane is CH4. It is my understanding that similar types of carbon chains are found in living organisms.
For a more mainstream view, check out the American Petroleum Institute's website.
i don't get it
I agree - I develop computer mapping programs for energy companies, and couldn't have said it better myself. The in-ground reserves always correlate to sedimentary deposits.
I am not an organic chemist, but I am sure there is also a linkage between the carbon chains found in petroleum and those found in biological matter.
an experiment with brewer's yeast gets sent up on a Russian Progress rocket to the Space Station next year
Next slashdot article:
Germans initiate a new space program, volunteer additional funding for the ISS.
with local police doing little to stop it
Better call in the sherrif then!
crashing copies of this as-yet-unreleased product are sure to cause dilution of branding
Yeah, I bet they will think twice about buying burned copies of the Longhorn release version, once they see how much this one crashes.
Releasing your source code is a BAD thing when you write proprietary software for a living.
If you develop a simple program with high economic value, it is in your best interest to keep the methodology largely unknown. You are getting paid because you develop a timely answer to a problem with economic value. If your solution is easily repeatable, then you don't want your source floating around for others to inspect and in turn kill your "innovative" program by giving it away for free. I say simple because chess programs will fit on an 8-bit NES cartrige - I don't know the specifics of this program.
We operate in a free market. If your solution has enough economic worth, it will definitely be copied and resold/given away. He might as well make a buck off of his chess program before someone else uses his ideas to write their own.
Can you hear me now?
A collaboration between the EU, Japan, the U.S., Canada, China, South Korea and Russia
What about Iran and North Korea? Surely they have nuclear experience to bring to the table...
The army's been starting to switch some things to Linux
I don't want combat troops that know Linux - their muscles are probably too atrophied to carry an M16.
(runs for cover)
$699 isn't much to a company like Google...
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF -8&q=boost+page+ranking
The previous post refers to a company that will SELL you increased page ranking, who HAPPEN to be ranked number one when you do this search.
I am assuming (due to their page rank) that they have figured out how to scam google and are selling this service to others. Unless (possible but unlikely) there are 100's or 1000's of web pages with a valid link telling how helpful this marketing company is.
I used to live in an apartment next to a schizophrenic guy. He left his dirty clothes scattered all over his apartment.
One day, he brought me down to his house because he was seeing faces in the wrinkles of the clothes - and he was running around the room whacking his laundry with a stick to kill the faces.
I moved not long after that.
for "boost page ranking", and got this cheesy online marketing company:
http://www.page-rank.boost-web-site-traffic.com/
My first reaction was that these guys are scam artists. But, they did appear at the top of the page...
Obviously it is still possible to scam google. To web experts: how do they do it?
Bismuth can also be found on the surface of Venus, although I didn't get modded up for my pepto-bismol reference.
Yes, I'm bitter.
Make a knife!
For all you D&D/Conan nerds out there...
You can also buy your own meteorite here.
from article:
Detailed calculations, to be published in the journal Icarus, suggest that lead and bismuth are to blame for giving Venus its bright, metallic skin.
I thought bismuth was the stuff in Pepto Bismol.
Wouldn't Venus appear pink if that were the case?!?
I will save all the anonymous cowards the trouble:
Wouldn't that cause Venus to appear black on the radar? Doesn't bismuth belong on Uranus?
During the August experiments in Monterey, fishermen plucked four of the gliders from the water after the robots briefly surfaced to communicate with scientists by satellite.
Ebay!
Single male, early 20's. Employed in the computer industry.
I am a Libra who likes candlelight dinners, going to the gym, and long walks in the woods.
Looking for friendship, possibly more...
I definitely wouldn't trust someone named "Horny Smurf" enough to click the link.
This is no way to run a culture.
Do we run the culture, or does the culture run us?
Your name is not Bob, is it?
For the unenlightened:
Bob Porter: Looks like you've been missing a lot of work lately.
Peter Gibbons: I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob!
We had/have permission from the Kuwaiti government and the Saudi government to base some military equipment there. I believe the Saudi's recently asked us to leave, and we did as soon as the logistics could be arranged (a matter of days).
FYI, the Kuwaiti's also gave out (really nice) medals made with silver and gold to American officers after Desert Storm.
Correct me if I am wrong.
The US was not an "occupying power" in an Islamic country BEFORE September 11.
We had a minor military presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, with the explicit consent of the host governments.
Political parties who cater to special-interest groups and corporate sponsors rule the land
That's the great thing! If you don't like the way the political process is going, you can run for office and change things. As a model, I will use Bill Frist (http://www.senate.gov/~frist/). He is a doctor, and didn't like how the healthcare system was turning out. So, he ran for the senate and is working on medical reforms. You don't have to have a coup, kill the previous regime, or bootlick some prince in order to be a civil servant.
al-Quaeda doesn't go after people who disagree with them all over the world, just people who get in their way
"Because someone gets in your way" is not an excuse to target civilians. By using such political means, you render your cause irrelevant.