A little while ago there was a proposal to launch small orbiting "parasols" that would reflect solar heat and help stop global warming (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAl erts/2006/2006110323537.html). As proposed, they would be spacecraft with circuitry, but the proposal did call for electromagnetic launching (i.e., railguns). I would think you could also send reflectors without circuitry; they would be reflective chaff, and they would need more frequent replacement, but what the heck. Railguns are loads cheaper than rockets.
Electricity for just a couple of cents a kwh? Here in Maine, the price is more than six times that. My last bill, for 464 kwh, was $70.34, 31.44 for delivery and $38.90 for supply.
That windmill looks like a pretty good deal to me!
People have announced the end of progress before and been wrong every time. I think we have a few Next Big Things in store; the one I have been waiting for will be imminent as soon as the Little Giant Home Genetic Engineering kit becomes available in 10-20 years. Another is nanotechnology; even without the wilder dreams in this realm coming true, this will be a highly disruptive tech.
A friend of mine, Shane Rexford (rexfords@thomas.edu) is making mylar-foil envelopes to put in wallets and to hold passports. And he was doing it before this. If you're interested, email him.
See eBay item 5831788304. This guy has a Mylar-foil envelope to shield the chips in ID cards and passports from unwanted scrutiny. He tells me it successfully blocks the use of the rfid chip in an ID card as a door key.
Paranoia rules! I plan to buy as many as I can and resell at a markup!
Loads of good suggestions so far, but if you don't want to get experience or become an accountant or... you might consider adding a few courses in computer security or even getting a criminal justice degree. Homeland Security is hiring computer security people, last I heard, and there is a strong demand for people who understand computer forensics (though police departments don't have Homeland's budget!).
Now if they could just indicate the orbital paths too, they could have the ultimate crop circles. (http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/connec t.html).
Trouble is, you'd need a large field! Maybe a field of snow--in Antarctica?
If you can get power out of poop with a suitable electrode, the space aliens abducting folks and using alien probes must just be recharging their batteries.
The Japanese robotic bathtubs etc. are just the beginning. If you believe mental downloads will ever happen, just picture this: You check into the nursing home, and the first thing they do is copy your mind into a robot, which will then be your personal care attendant. Solves the labor shortage and also lets you take care of yourself. At least until your robot self--which has just as much mind as you ever did--decides to get a life.
A friend of mine did a story on this a couple of years ago. See http://www.sff.net/people/teaston/foggy.htm
Slashdot Mirror
See http://www.sff.net/people/teaston/front7.htp. The piece appeared in 1998, but it's relevant.
A little while ago there was a proposal to launch small orbiting "parasols" that would reflect solar heat and help stop global warming (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAl erts/2006/2006110323537.html). As proposed, they would be spacecraft with circuitry, but the proposal did call for electromagnetic launching (i.e., railguns). I would think you could also send reflectors without circuitry; they would be reflective chaff, and they would need more frequent replacement, but what the heck. Railguns are loads cheaper than rockets.
Reminds me of that old song, "Promenading in the park, Goosing statues after dark If Sherman's horse can take it why can't you" http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiHUMORESQ.html
Electricity for just a couple of cents a kwh? Here in Maine, the price is more than six times that. My last bill, for 464 kwh, was $70.34, 31.44 for delivery and $38.90 for supply. That windmill looks like a pretty good deal to me!
I clicked, and I promptly discovered the grand flaw of Web-based apps: If you want to do something NOW, and the server is swamped, you are SOL.
People have announced the end of progress before and been wrong every time. I think we have a few Next Big Things in store; the one I have been waiting for will be imminent as soon as the Little Giant Home Genetic Engineering kit becomes available in 10-20 years. Another is nanotechnology; even without the wilder dreams in this realm coming true, this will be a highly disruptive tech.
A friend of mine, Shane Rexford (rexfords@thomas.edu) is making mylar-foil envelopes to put in wallets and to hold passports. And he was doing it before this. If you're interested, email him.
See eBay item 5831788304. This guy has a Mylar-foil envelope to shield the chips in ID cards and passports from unwanted scrutiny. He tells me it successfully blocks the use of the rfid chip in an ID card as a door key. Paranoia rules! I plan to buy as many as I can and resell at a markup!
Loads of good suggestions so far, but if you don't want to get experience or become an accountant or... you might consider adding a few courses in computer security or even getting a criminal justice degree. Homeland Security is hiring computer security people, last I heard, and there is a strong demand for people who understand computer forensics (though police departments don't have Homeland's budget!).
I just tried it--it didn't find a thing, which I suppose is good!
The browser.
I see chips on the reply list, but they go back too far. The Internet, as said, is too old. But the browser is what it took to make it hum.
Heh! I still use XyWrite 4 for some things!
Now if they could just indicate the orbital paths too, they could have the ultimate crop circles. (http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/connec t.html).
Trouble is, you'd need a large field! Maybe a field of snow--in Antarctica?
Don't forget patches for nicotine, estrogen, etc., etc.
10 kinds: Those who can count in binary, and those who can't.
If you can get power out of poop with a suitable electrode, the space aliens abducting folks and using alien probes must just be recharging their batteries.
The Japanese robotic bathtubs etc. are just the beginning. If you believe mental downloads will ever happen, just picture this: You check into the nursing home, and the first thing they do is copy your mind into a robot, which will then be your personal care attendant. Solves the labor shortage and also lets you take care of yourself. At least until your robot self--which has just as much mind as you ever did--decides to get a life. A friend of mine did a story on this a couple of years ago. See http://www.sff.net/people/teaston/foggy.htm