I completely agree. Hybrid cars were just an example of an environmentally friendly(ier) technology that people are excited to adopt, even though it costs a little more. All of your examples are equally valid, and hopefully we'll see some cool tech solutions to them as well.
And actually, my time would be used more wisely by actually doing "work" here at work. But what fun is that?:^)
What exactly do you mean by "the orgy and the destruction"? That brings to mind people running wide-eyed through the country side, burning oil & coal willy-nilly as they go.
There are very few people on this rock that don't think it's better to choose an environmentally friendly option if one exists. But people aren't going to bend over backwards & spend billions of dollars to address global warming. And just because you think it's important enough to spend thousands of your dollars on doesn't mean you should force other people to do the same.
I would rather see governments spend money on engineering research and technology than Kyoto protocols. The only way people will adopt cleaner solutions is if those solutions don't cost them too much more (or cost less!) than what they are using now and/or offer other benefits. And that will happen through new technologies.
Hybrids are a good here-and-now solution. People love them. They're lining up to buy the new Accord hybrid. They feel good about helping the environment, save a little money each week on gas, and get some extra torque & horsepower at the low end. Not bad. That's a great example of technological solution that people will adopt. We need more of this stuff. Of cousre, fusion would be nice.
There are really only two ways that folks will take drastic action to curtail global warming: economics & disaster. If fossil fuels become so friggin' expensive that people must cut back on their usage, then things will improve (environmentaly). Likewise, if New York goes under water governments will force people to comply.
Personally, I think there's a bit too much hype around global warming. On one side we have the "Oh my God, we're all gonna' die!" crowd. On the other, the "Just keep driving, everythings okay!" crowd. Like most things, the truth is likely somewhere inbetween.
As for the U.S. stance on the environment, I don't think we're doing horribly. Sure the Bush crowd may be a little too unconcerned, but they aren't completely oblivious. It's good that they don't adopt everything Greenpeace says or we'd all be living in huts.
Now, I do think that new technologies will make it easier for people to adopt cleaner ways of life. People, in general, in this country are becoming more and more aware of the importance of the environment, especially as compared to 30 or 40 years ago. Most would like to do the right thing, but they also want to keep their way of life.
I think the upcoming success of hybrids is a great thing and really indicates the mood of the nation on this issue. I worked in that industry about 5 years ago and really thought it was a rewarding job. Hybrids & their recent successes in the market (Accord Hybrid) are an indication of public perception. People are willing to pay a little bit extra for some good technology that helps them save gas and help the environment. Seems logical enough.
In reality, until cold-fussion comes on the scene or people decide that fission isn't so bad, fossil fuels aren't going away. They're just so darn cheap and easy to use. And as much as they might damage the environment, they are the best way to produce the power necessary for modern civilization.
Wow, that was long. Did I just rant?
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The statement wasn't "homosexual random people", just "random people".
Secondly it is there free right to do as they please with there body. God's greatest gift is free will. If 2 guys want to bone each other, they are not going against God. There is no rule saying that they have to procreate."
I'm not quite sure where you're going with this. If free will is "God's greatest gift" then there are rules saying what you should and shouldn't do. If you're a Christian, which I would guess is where you get the free will thing from, then homosexuality is definitely specified to be a sin in the Bible. It's the same as gambling, excessive drinking, etc.
Now, if you're not a Christian, the free will thing doesn't exist as a gift. It exists as a fact of nature because you can do whatever you want. Then the only thing really governing you is the consequences imposed by society. Most of our society believes homosexuality to be immoral, but not illegal. Therefore our society would prefer to keep marriage, a time-honored tradition for at least a couple thousand years, as specifically between a man and a woman.
So I guess either way homosexuals are screwed.... so to speak.
Ummmm... once we are sending tourists to Mars don't you think we could just go pick up the Beagles & Pathfinders and get them out of the view.
But then, the natural life & habitat on Mars definitely deserve to be saved from the ravages of science. In addition to this brilliant plan, I propose we declare all meteors world parks to stop potential mining. Oh yeah, and the sun, we need to make sure nothing falls into it and messes up it's surface. Damn it, we've already polluted the vacuum of space with our satellites and outgasing. We must stop before it's too late! Oh, the horror!
Along similar lines, I've been quite surprised how computer apt my family members have become over the last 3 or 4 years. I mean sure, I still have to do tech support over this Thanksgiving holiday. But it's much quicker & consists of only the more difficult stuff. They've learned to take care of the other stuff on their own. Wow!
Plus, when I showed my parents Firefox they really thought it was neat. They really liked the tabbed browsing & integrated search bar. We'll have to wait and see if they have it installed this Thursday.
The problem with a single party 0wning everything is that the individual branches overlap too much nowdays. The judicial branch is too much about inserting the judges personal ideas & thoughts into the laws they are asked to rule on. They're real job is just to interpret the law as it was intended by the legislature (even if it's stupid) and rule accordingly. That's why the 9th circuit court in CA pisses everybody off, they legislate instead of judge.
The legislative branch seems to forget that it is not their job to influence executive orders. It is their job to uphold the will of the people by writing and voting on legislation (bills). It is the executive branches job to run the country and deal with other countries.
The republicans were voted into power fair and square. Thus the legislative branch should feel free to propose and vote on legislation along those lines. The executive branch should run the country & our foreign policy along those lines as well. The judicial branch, however, should be completely free from party influence because it isn't really part of their job. Of course, that's what happens when you give lawyers power, they just do what they think is right and to hell with everybody else & the way things are supposed to work.
The advantage of moving in small steps is that it allows the human psyche time to adapt as well. Currenty, I don't see a problem at all with trusting adaptive cruise or audible warnings. After a couple years of that, I probably wouldn't see a problem moving a little further (harder braking, swerving to avoid collisions?). From there the small steps just keep adding up.
I currently find it hard to believe that cars can drive themselves effectively on city streets. I don't see much of a problem (technically) on interstates though. In fact, if we could just get an automonous system running on the interstate, with human control for exiting & entering, I would be really happy.
But like I said, after a few years on the interstates I might not see a problem with autonomous driving everywhere.
I'm fairly happy with the internet explorer upgrade that came along with SP2. I'm also extremely happy with Firefox 1.0 and all the features it has to offer.
Wait a minute, what happened? Competing products both improved. Hmmmm, it's as if competition in the marketplace is good for the consumer. But no one on the windows help line told me that. Oh well, must be a fluke.
I've recently been rethinking my computer usage based on the power they need. I used to have three computers on 24/7. A Linux box, a Windows box, and a Windows laptop. The Linux box was just for fun & learning. The Windows box is now just a place to store data & might get used if the laptop is in use. The laptop is used all the time.
Anyway, I've started leaving the two boxes off because they make noise and use too much power. Sure it's a pain in the arse to turn them on when I need them, but I don't need them that often. What this results in is my lack of tinkering on the Linux box & my increase in bitching (from wife) when the Windows box is needed. Sucks, but what are you gonna do?
I thought that was the point. The carbon is in the plant, as a sugar. The CO2 is destroyed during the photosynthetic process. CO2 & Water in, O2 & sugar out. CO2 is no more.
The article mentions that water bladders would be added to the hull after expansion to protect against radiation. I wonder if some sort of powder/liquid could be added to these bladders that, once in place, could turn them hard. Better meteorite & puncture protection (from inside & outside) as well as eliminating floating water in the event that one of the water bladders is punctured. Of course, it may make it harder to get to the hull in the event of a puncture, but that could be helped with how the bladders are designed.
That's weird. What happens if in 25 years CNN is practically non-existant & FOX News is by far the most popular channel (already happening)? Will they keep CNN because it "got there first"?
Whatever, at least you guys let me drink earlier than I could here!:^)
Not hard in Indiana. Thanks to this story I remembered to update the address where I'm registered (I moved). It took about 2 minutes, 1 of which was spent printing the form.
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I completely agree. Hybrid cars were just an example of an environmentally friendly(ier) technology that people are excited to adopt, even though it costs a little more. All of your examples are equally valid, and hopefully we'll see some cool tech solutions to them as well.
:^)
And actually, my time would be used more wisely by actually doing "work" here at work. But what fun is that?
What exactly do you mean by "the orgy and the destruction"? That brings to mind people running wide-eyed through the country side, burning oil & coal willy-nilly as they go.
There are very few people on this rock that don't think it's better to choose an environmentally friendly option if one exists. But people aren't going to bend over backwards & spend billions of dollars to address global warming. And just because you think it's important enough to spend thousands of your dollars on doesn't mean you should force other people to do the same.
I would rather see governments spend money on engineering research and technology than Kyoto protocols. The only way people will adopt cleaner solutions is if those solutions don't cost them too much more (or cost less!) than what they are using now and/or offer other benefits. And that will happen through new technologies.
Hybrids are a good here-and-now solution. People love them. They're lining up to buy the new Accord hybrid. They feel good about helping the environment, save a little money each week on gas, and get some extra torque & horsepower at the low end. Not bad. That's a great example of technological solution that people will adopt. We need more of this stuff. Of cousre, fusion would be nice.
There are really only two ways that folks will take drastic action to curtail global warming: economics & disaster. If fossil fuels become so friggin' expensive that people must cut back on their usage, then things will improve (environmentaly). Likewise, if New York goes under water governments will force people to comply.
Personally, I think there's a bit too much hype around global warming. On one side we have the "Oh my God, we're all gonna' die!" crowd. On the other, the "Just keep driving, everythings okay!" crowd. Like most things, the truth is likely somewhere inbetween.
As for the U.S. stance on the environment, I don't think we're doing horribly. Sure the Bush crowd may be a little too unconcerned, but they aren't completely oblivious. It's good that they don't adopt everything Greenpeace says or we'd all be living in huts.
Now, I do think that new technologies will make it easier for people to adopt cleaner ways of life. People, in general, in this country are becoming more and more aware of the importance of the environment, especially as compared to 30 or 40 years ago. Most would like to do the right thing, but they also want to keep their way of life.
I think the upcoming success of hybrids is a great thing and really indicates the mood of the nation on this issue. I worked in that industry about 5 years ago and really thought it was a rewarding job. Hybrids & their recent successes in the market (Accord Hybrid) are an indication of public perception. People are willing to pay a little bit extra for some good technology that helps them save gas and help the environment. Seems logical enough.
In reality, until cold-fussion comes on the scene or people decide that fission isn't so bad, fossil fuels aren't going away. They're just so darn cheap and easy to use. And as much as they might damage the environment, they are the best way to produce the power necessary for modern civilization.
Wow, that was long. Did I just rant?
The statement wasn't "homosexual random people", just "random people".
I'm not quite sure where you're going with this. If free will is "God's greatest gift" then there are rules saying what you should and shouldn't do. If you're a Christian, which I would guess is where you get the free will thing from, then homosexuality is definitely specified to be a sin in the Bible. It's the same as gambling, excessive drinking, etc.
Now, if you're not a Christian, the free will thing doesn't exist as a gift. It exists as a fact of nature because you can do whatever you want. Then the only thing really governing you is the consequences imposed by society. Most of our society believes homosexuality to be immoral, but not illegal. Therefore our society would prefer to keep marriage, a time-honored tradition for at least a couple thousand years, as specifically between a man and a woman.
So I guess either way homosexuals are screwed.... so to speak.
I'd prefer it if you'd go ahead and decompose into something with better ideas. :^)
Ummmm... once we are sending tourists to Mars don't you think we could just go pick up the Beagles & Pathfinders and get them out of the view.
But then, the natural life & habitat on Mars definitely deserve to be saved from the ravages of science. In addition to this brilliant plan, I propose we declare all meteors world parks to stop potential mining. Oh yeah, and the sun, we need to make sure nothing falls into it and messes up it's surface. Damn it, we've already polluted the vacuum of space with our satellites and outgasing. We must stop before it's too late! Oh, the horror!
Along similar lines, I've been quite surprised how computer apt my family members have become over the last 3 or 4 years. I mean sure, I still have to do tech support over this Thanksgiving holiday. But it's much quicker & consists of only the more difficult stuff. They've learned to take care of the other stuff on their own. Wow!
Plus, when I showed my parents Firefox they really thought it was neat. They really liked the tabbed browsing & integrated search bar. We'll have to wait and see if they have it installed this Thursday.
The problem with a single party 0wning everything is that the individual branches overlap too much nowdays. The judicial branch is too much about inserting the judges personal ideas & thoughts into the laws they are asked to rule on. They're real job is just to interpret the law as it was intended by the legislature (even if it's stupid) and rule accordingly. That's why the 9th circuit court in CA pisses everybody off, they legislate instead of judge.
The legislative branch seems to forget that it is not their job to influence executive orders. It is their job to uphold the will of the people by writing and voting on legislation (bills). It is the executive branches job to run the country and deal with other countries.
The republicans were voted into power fair and square. Thus the legislative branch should feel free to propose and vote on legislation along those lines. The executive branch should run the country & our foreign policy along those lines as well. The judicial branch, however, should be completely free from party influence because it isn't really part of their job. Of course, that's what happens when you give lawyers power, they just do what they think is right and to hell with everybody else & the way things are supposed to work.
And you are proof we geeks are too pedantic to see humor & accept it as such.
The advantage of moving in small steps is that it allows the human psyche time to adapt as well. Currenty, I don't see a problem at all with trusting adaptive cruise or audible warnings. After a couple years of that, I probably wouldn't see a problem moving a little further (harder braking, swerving to avoid collisions?). From there the small steps just keep adding up.
I currently find it hard to believe that cars can drive themselves effectively on city streets. I don't see much of a problem (technically) on interstates though. In fact, if we could just get an automonous system running on the interstate, with human control for exiting & entering, I would be really happy.
But like I said, after a few years on the interstates I might not see a problem with autonomous driving everywhere.
Some alkaselzer ought to take care of those pesky critters.
If there's no sound, there's no oxygen. If there's no oxygen, there's no boom. If there's no boom, there's no vroom. It's an air-breather.
I'm fairly happy with the internet explorer upgrade that came along with SP2. I'm also extremely happy with Firefox 1.0 and all the features it has to offer.
Wait a minute, what happened? Competing products both improved. Hmmmm, it's as if competition in the marketplace is good for the consumer. But no one on the windows help line told me that. Oh well, must be a fluke.
Speaking of false statements and doublethink...
I've recently been rethinking my computer usage based on the power they need. I used to have three computers on 24/7. A Linux box, a Windows box, and a Windows laptop. The Linux box was just for fun & learning. The Windows box is now just a place to store data & might get used if the laptop is in use. The laptop is used all the time.
Anyway, I've started leaving the two boxes off because they make noise and use too much power. Sure it's a pain in the arse to turn them on when I need them, but I don't need them that often. What this results in is my lack of tinkering on the Linux box & my increase in bitching (from wife) when the Windows box is needed. Sucks, but what are you gonna do?
I thought that was the point. The carbon is in the plant, as a sugar. The CO2 is destroyed during the photosynthetic process. CO2 & Water in, O2 & sugar out. CO2 is no more.
I think that's Starbucks new slogan: "Burnt, Bitter Crap. Mortgage your home and get some today!"
Thank you Mr. Obvious!
The article mentions that water bladders would be added to the hull after expansion to protect against radiation. I wonder if some sort of powder/liquid could be added to these bladders that, once in place, could turn them hard. Better meteorite & puncture protection (from inside & outside) as well as eliminating floating water in the event that one of the water bladders is punctured. Of course, it may make it harder to get to the hull in the event of a puncture, but that could be helped with how the bladders are designed.
Lot's of hot-plates and a giant beer coozie.
That's weird. What happens if in 25 years CNN is practically non-existant & FOX News is by far the most popular channel (already happening)? Will they keep CNN because it "got there first"?
:^)
Whatever, at least you guys let me drink earlier than I could here!
Holy "Missing The Point" Batman!
Well, that would remove part of the separation of powers. We've already lost enough of that with judges "making" law. I'd rather not lose more.
Not hard in Indiana. Thanks to this story I remembered to update the address where I'm registered (I moved). It took about 2 minutes, 1 of which was spent printing the form.