Maybe you're on to something. Maybe our need to stay in touch and the demands of modern life make it impossible to accomplish everything we need to and navigate a personal vehicle. Chauffeurs would be nice but perhaps the only real solution is mass transportation. Of course 100 people screaming into their cell phones would be a little annoying,but one should be able to text someone or put on makeup without disturbing others. And there is no reason why conversation booths couldn't be installed in train cars(buses may be tricky).
The point I'm making is everybody seems to want to change human behavior and I don't think that will happen. No amount of laws will change anything. For one we don't have the manpower to enforce the laws we have. For another when some schmuck is worried he will lose his job if he doesn't get some task done the last thing he will be worried about is some stupid ticket.
Everybody is looking for a solution. I think we need to identify th problem.
Drug traffic and illegal gambling are a big part of our economy but that doesn't mean they are healthy for our country. How much is lost in downtime and work arounds for closed source software? The only reason Microsoft benefits the economy is because it is the operating system that most people grew up on; if we had grown up on GNU/Linux things would be much different. I think adoption would have been more rapid since the OS would have been free and computers would have been more useful right out of the box. Development companies would still create closed source software but I think overall the attitudes of amateur developers would be much different. Maybe all that freeware floating around would be Open Source.
Remember, most of what makes the internet work is Open Source (TCP/IP, Bind, Sendmail, etc.). Who knows where we'd be if academia was still the main souce of innovation. Not that Microsoft hasn't had an impact on society but if Mr. Gates haden't been born we would of taken another path. I can't help but wonder where that path would of taken us.
R.H.
Last week I went to buy a pack of smokes and the cashier said there was a new law that requires you to show some I.D. when purchasing cigarettes. I'm 55 w/ grey hair. It's obvious I'm old engough (and dumb enough)to smoke. But she was insistent that I show my I.D. After a couple of days of this, I asked her if there was a camera watching her and she said yes, thats why she has to check.
Seems pretty minor (not to mention creepy) but I beleive it's this constant onslought of new laws that is the most dangerous threat to our freedoms and way of life.
The congress (both federal and state) seem to think you can solve any problem just by passing a bill. And with the current culture of lobbyism/activism not unresaonable to think that eventually everybody will be guilty of something.
Right now we have a wannabe facist administration. What do you think will happen if we get a real one? Should someone dare speak out there would certainly be something they could be arrested on.
It's not even really about the impact new laws have on us today, but how they might be used in the future. Isn't kind of odd that people cussing someone out are now charged w/ making a 'Terrorist Threat'? Or have the baby seat pointing in the wrong direction is 'Child Endangerment' (a felony unless you're Britney Sprears). And of course remember Al Capone was eventually brought down with 'Tax Evasion' charges. You might think he might of deserved it but remember you could someday be on their rader.
Not to mention they're taking all our freedoms by protecting everybodys rights.
R.H.
I assume you are talking about the open source community and business model.
This is probably true for software, but try refining oil, mining iron or making chips with workers and volunteers spread out all over the world.
That said, there is no reason why smaller plants couldn't be built providing they were close to the raw materials. Personally, it really bothers my that we have all our refineries clustered together. It really makes them vunerable to attack or natural disaters.
I think as the world becomes more globalized smaller companies will be more adaptable to changing demands( Think China, India, global warming, shrinking resources, etc.) and the larger corporations will find it more difficult to compete.
I think we are building toward major crises as the general public becomes disillusioned with big business and the whole Capitalist Idealology. The profit above all else mentality of many CEO's and the total disregard for the middle class is really starting to get more airplay on the news channels.
This probably won't cause a revolution as such, but a drift toward more conciensess companies. I'm not saying that there won't be an awaking like we had in the 60's(enviormentalists,civil rights activists, anti-war activists and a general distrust of the status quo) but I think that spending habits, loyalties and personal beliefs will have the main impact.
R.H.
Yes and no. As a recovering addict I find it is more a question of balance. When I was using, drugs were more important than my finanical and social responsibilities and my life was unmanagable. After I got clean I started obessing on other things such as playing guitar, surfing the net, women, etc. and my life waa still unmanagable. But now that I've been clean for a while and my self esteem has improved I no longer have to distract my self from all the feelings that caused me to use in the the first place and 'doing the right thing' no longer seems that much of a burden. I still play my guitar, surf the net and chase woman but those things no longer have a negative impact on my life(mostly).
As far as I'm concerned, I am addicted to something if it affects other areas of my life in a negative way. So yes gaming, coffee, smoking, etc. can be addicting just as anything that changes the way you feel can be addicting. But the key to recovery is dealing with the root cause. Why do you want to change the way feel? Low self image, fear of failure, fear of sucsess? There are many reasons and that is what has to be dealt with weather it's drugs, sex, gaming, whatever.
To find out why gamers are dying one must ask: "What are they running from?"
R.H.
Didn't I see on CNN a couple of days ago where a Senators plane was struck by lightning and the entire electrical system went down? Hmmm. Wonder what the headline would of been if the control system was based on wireless or fiber only. Aircraft are mission critical by nature and if the system goes down, you go down. Now I see no reason why you couldn't have an optic or wireless control system as the primary, but you still need something machanical if all else fails.
R.H
I would take the O.S System one step further. Forget the Desktop; it's an antiquated anology from the days when P.C.'s were mostly used in the office. I would like an enviorment that resembles http://activeworlds.com/ or the old VRML sites that would represent my virtual home with rooms that represent different applications or groups of applications.
Suppose I wanted to record some music. I would enter a room that had icons of music apps on the wall or sitting on a desk. I click on the app I needed and start working. If I turned in another direction I would see other apps I might have open or click on another app to start it. Then to look at each open app I simply rotate or back up.
Of course I will probably have an 'Office' which would hold my Open Office app and docs and other text related stuff.
The system would most likely have a teleporter that would act as 'shortcuts' to fequently used rooms.
Some ideas for rooms:
- Movie room. When you leave the room the movie pauses.
- Game Room. When you leave the room the game pauses.
- Web Room. Get out of the house by going to a virtual mall.
I'm not sure why someone's not doing this now. We certainly have the technology.
R.H.
As an electrican I can tell you that you can replace all the Cat5 you want with fiber and all the audio cables with whatever; it probably won't make dent in the supply. Aluminum has been proven unsuitable for residental wiring years ago and I have never seen a motor or generator with anything other than copper wound stators. All generating stations regardless fuel used generate electricity using genertors. While transmission lines might use aluminum and steel the transformers in the substations certainly use copper windings. Not to mention all the factories around the world that have literally millions of electric motors that are constantly burning out and need to be replaced or rewound. Autos, trucks and machinery all have copper wiring for thier electrical systems. We also have how many homes and commerical buidings being built and upgraded? Not to mention the appliances(microaves,fax machines copiers, tv's,stereo's toasters...) that we use every day. I think we depend on copper more than we realize.
RH
Slashdot Mirror
If they collect money from my music w/o my permission then they've commited fraud and they should have forfeit whatever they've collected.
They'll have to take my guitar from my cold, dead hands.
Now we know how to get out of contracts.
Maybe you're on to something. Maybe our need to stay in touch and the demands of modern life make it impossible to accomplish everything we need to and navigate a personal vehicle. Chauffeurs would be nice but perhaps the only real solution is mass transportation. Of course 100 people screaming into their cell phones would be a little annoying,but one should be able to text someone or put on makeup without disturbing others. And there is no reason why conversation booths couldn't be installed in train cars(buses may be tricky).
The point I'm making is everybody seems to want to change human behavior and I don't think that will happen. No amount of laws will change anything. For one we don't have the manpower to enforce the laws we have. For another when some schmuck is worried he will lose his job if he doesn't get some task done the last thing he will be worried about is some stupid ticket.
Everybody is looking for a solution. I think we need to identify th problem.
RH
Which brings us to todays word - Industrialphilanthropies.
But I'm allowed to own a knife you insensitive clod.
Yea, until he destroyed them in a huge ball of fire for their wicked ways.
Keith is that you?
R.H.
Drug traffic and illegal gambling are a big part of our economy but that doesn't mean they are healthy for our country. How much is lost in downtime and work arounds for closed source software? The only reason Microsoft benefits the economy is because it is the operating system that most people grew up on; if we had grown up on GNU/Linux things would be much different. I think adoption would have been more rapid since the OS would have been free and computers would have been more useful right out of the box. Development companies would still create closed source software but I think overall the attitudes of amateur developers would be much different. Maybe all that freeware floating around would be Open Source.
Remember, most of what makes the internet work is Open Source (TCP/IP, Bind, Sendmail, etc.). Who knows where we'd be if academia was still the main souce of innovation. Not that Microsoft hasn't had an impact on society but if Mr. Gates haden't been born we would of taken another path. I can't help but wonder where that path would of taken us.
R.H.
Last week I went to buy a pack of smokes and the cashier said there was a new law that requires you to show some I.D. when purchasing cigarettes. I'm 55 w/ grey hair. It's obvious I'm old engough (and dumb enough)to smoke. But she was insistent that I show my I.D. After a couple of days of this, I asked her if there was a camera watching her and she said yes, thats why she has to check.
Seems pretty minor (not to mention creepy) but I beleive it's this constant onslought of new laws that is the most dangerous threat to our freedoms and way of life.
The congress (both federal and state) seem to think you can solve any problem just by passing a bill. And with the current culture of lobbyism/activism not unresaonable to think that eventually everybody will be guilty of something.
Right now we have a wannabe facist administration. What do you think will happen if we get a real one? Should someone dare speak out there would certainly be something they could be arrested on.
It's not even really about the impact new laws have on us today, but how they might be used in the future. Isn't kind of odd that people cussing someone out are now charged w/ making a 'Terrorist Threat'? Or have the baby seat pointing in the wrong direction is 'Child Endangerment' (a felony unless you're Britney Sprears). And of course remember Al Capone was eventually brought down with 'Tax Evasion' charges. You might think he might of deserved it but remember you could someday be on their rader.
Not to mention they're taking all our freedoms by protecting everybodys rights.
R.H.
Soylent Green's Organic.
R.H.
I assume you are talking about the open source community and business model. This is probably true for software, but try refining oil, mining iron or making chips with workers and volunteers spread out all over the world.
That said, there is no reason why smaller plants couldn't be built providing they were close to the raw materials. Personally, it really bothers my that we have all our refineries clustered together. It really makes them vunerable to attack or natural disaters.
I think as the world becomes more globalized smaller companies will be more adaptable to changing demands( Think China, India, global warming, shrinking resources, etc.) and the larger corporations will find it more difficult to compete.
I think we are building toward major crises as the general public becomes disillusioned with big business and the whole Capitalist Idealology. The profit above all else mentality of many CEO's and the total disregard for the middle class is really starting to get more airplay on the news channels.
This probably won't cause a revolution as such, but a drift toward more conciensess companies. I'm not saying that there won't be an awaking like we had in the 60's(enviormentalists,civil rights activists, anti-war activists and a general distrust of the status quo) but I think that spending habits, loyalties and personal beliefs will have the main impact.
R.H.
Yes and no. As a recovering addict I find it is more a question of balance. When I was using, drugs were more important than my finanical and social responsibilities and my life was unmanagable. After I got clean I started obessing on other things such as playing guitar, surfing the net, women, etc. and my life waa still unmanagable. But now that I've been clean for a while and my self esteem has improved I no longer have to distract my self from all the feelings that caused me to use in the the first place and 'doing the right thing' no longer seems that much of a burden. I still play my guitar, surf the net and chase woman but those things no longer have a negative impact on my life(mostly).
As far as I'm concerned, I am addicted to something if it affects other areas of my life in a negative way. So yes gaming, coffee, smoking, etc. can be addicting just as anything that changes the way you feel can be addicting. But the key to recovery is dealing with the root cause. Why do you want to change the way feel? Low self image, fear of failure, fear of sucsess? There are many reasons and that is what has to be dealt with weather it's drugs, sex, gaming, whatever.
To find out why gamers are dying one must ask: "What are they running from?"
R.H.
Didn't I see on CNN a couple of days ago where a Senators plane was struck by lightning and the entire electrical system went down? Hmmm. Wonder what the headline would of been if the control system was based on wireless or fiber only. Aircraft are mission critical by nature and if the system goes down, you go down. Now I see no reason why you couldn't have an optic or wireless control system as the primary, but you still need something machanical if all else fails.
R.H
I would take the O.S System one step further. Forget the Desktop; it's an antiquated anology from the days when P.C.'s were mostly used in the office. I would like an enviorment that resembles http://activeworlds.com/ or the old VRML sites that would represent my virtual home with rooms that represent different applications or groups of applications. Suppose I wanted to record some music. I would enter a room that had icons of music apps on the wall or sitting on a desk. I click on the app I needed and start working. If I turned in another direction I would see other apps I might have open or click on another app to start it. Then to look at each open app I simply rotate or back up. Of course I will probably have an 'Office' which would hold my Open Office app and docs and other text related stuff. The system would most likely have a teleporter that would act as 'shortcuts' to fequently used rooms. Some ideas for rooms: - Movie room. When you leave the room the movie pauses. - Game Room. When you leave the room the game pauses. - Web Room. Get out of the house by going to a virtual mall. I'm not sure why someone's not doing this now. We certainly have the technology. R.H.
'Till there's a shortage of Blade Runners?
As an electrican I can tell you that you can replace all the Cat5 you want with fiber and all the audio cables with whatever; it probably won't make dent in the supply. Aluminum has been proven unsuitable for residental wiring years ago and I have never seen a motor or generator with anything other than copper wound stators. All generating stations regardless fuel used generate electricity using genertors. While transmission lines might use aluminum and steel the transformers in the substations certainly use copper windings. Not to mention all the factories around the world that have literally millions of electric motors that are constantly burning out and need to be replaced or rewound. Autos, trucks and machinery all have copper wiring for thier electrical systems. We also have how many homes and commerical buidings being built and upgraded? Not to mention the appliances(microaves,fax machines copiers, tv's ,stereo's toasters ...) that we use every day. I think we depend on copper more than we realize.
RH