I'm in the US. If someone outside the legal borders wins or wants to win, I'd be glad to accept the gift on their behalf and then ship it to them. I think the restriction is crazy too, but I'm willing to work around it....
I got their email notice the other day and I thought, "who would go through all the trouble of a class action lawsuit just to get approx 3-4 DVD rentals for free (assuming you'd watch about 1 of the upgraded DVD rentals per week)". Well, now I know, it reeks of publicity stunt (or the plaintiffs got seriously taken), because if you get sucked into the 'free upgrade' next thing you know, you'll be paying them more the next month. Netflix is bound to not only generate headaches as thousands of people try to retroactively opt out, but also make money. I hate to say these things because otherwise I actually like Netflix and I think they try to be a reasonable business.
Actually, this is why for quick edits, I like to use Paint Shop Pro 5 (ca. 1998); logical, loads fast, most the tools I need, and no bloat. Of course Gimp rocks, but then I have to agree with his complaints.
I thought you were high to say that there was a positive correlation between nighttime lighting and crime rate (and this is getting off-topic), but I found this interesting study:
"In particular, while there is no statistically significant evidence that street lighting impacts the level of crime, especially if crime displacement is taken into account, there is a strong indication that increased lighting - perhaps lighting uniformity - decreases the fear of crime"
Also in regards to light-pollution, I just learned that some of the common types of lights include:
Low Pressure Sodium (LPS) fixture produces a yellow tint.
High Pressure Sodium (HPS) fixture produces a pink tint.
Mercury Vapor fixture produces a blue/white tint.
Incandescent light (bulbs) produces a yellow/white tint.
The first three types are a gas discharge source, and of all those only LPS can be filtered out with telescope filters.
On November 18, 1883, four standard time zones for the continental U.S.A. were introduced at the instigation of the railroads. When people began traveling by train, sometimes hundreds of miles in a day, the calculation of time became a serious problem. Operators of the new railroad lines realized that a new time plan was needed in order to offer a uniform train schedule for departures and arrivals.
Since every city was using a different time standard, there were over 300 local sun times to choose from. The railroad managers tried to address the problem by establishing 100 railroad time zones, but this was only a partial solution to the problem.
One of the major reasons given for observing DST in the United States is energy conservation. Theoretically, the amount of residential electricity needed in the evening hours is dependent both on when the sun sets and when people go to bed. Because people tend to observe the same bedtime year-round, by artificially moving sunset one hour later, the amount of energy used is theoretically reduced. United States Department of Transportation studies showed that DST reduces the country's electricity usage by one percent during each day DST is in effect.
Part of the reason that it is normally observed in the late spring, summer, and early autumn is because during the winter months the amount of energy saved by moving sunset one hour later is negated by the increased need for morning lighting by moving sunrise by the same amount. During the summer most people would wake up after the sun rises, regardless of whether daylight saving time is in effect or not, so there is no increased need for morning lighting to offset the afternoon energy savings.
Another perceived benefit of DST is increased opportunities for outdoor activities. Most people plan outdoor activities during the increased hours of sunlight. Other benefits cited include prevention of traffic injuries (by allowing more people to return home from work or school in daylight), and crime reduction (by reducing people's risk of being targets of crimes that are more common in dark areas).
When the U.S. went on extended DST in 1974 and 1975 in response to the 1973 energy crisis, Department of Transportation studies found that observing DST in March and April saved 10,000 barrels of oil a day, and prevented about 2,000 traffic injuries and 50 fatalities saving about U.S. $28 million in traffic costs.
Yeah, and that's exactly why they should put in place some sort of hierarchical editorship. Slashdot does something like this, hell even in Battlefield 2 if you kill enough good guys, you're kicked from the server. For something which gets as many college kids quoting it as this does, they should take a little more care in who can post to it.
Their hypocrisy is showing when they spend 9/10 of their Internet posts on tinfoil hat rhetoric about government censorship and interference with "their internets" but then suddenly are all hot to toss total Internet access control over to the government as long as they get taxpayer funded "free" net access.
Huh?? I don't think 'these kids' are wanting the government to 'take over' the internet. I think they want the government to allow competition (big difference!). As it is now, the government has locked that out, and it's allowing MegaCorp(TM)(R)(C) to screw all of us, while the megacorps are laughing all the way to the bank. This is proven time again when these corporations fight "Community Internet" systems from going up. I would argue that people are complaining that the government is getting involved with decisions where they don't need to be (e.g. censorship where there are no children), but taking a hands off approach (because they are getting 'favors') in places where that's EXACTLY WHY we have a government (e.g. being prepared for natural disasters or breaking up monopolies).
I think it's outrageous that I have to pay close to $100 per month for 50 channels of crap and cable internet (in Calif.). Why not drop the TV you ask? Because basic TV + cable internet is the SAME PRICE as cable internet by itself, and as long as I have TV, I feel compelled to pay even more to actually get some channels I'd actually watch.
As for those people debunking the numbers with population density differences, I'd like you to tell me how you think that Canada is a very small and/or dense country. I'd say they have a similar population layout to the U.S. albeit not as large of a total population.
I bet something like that 3 ton mainframe is like art; if no one pays attention to it, it's practically worthless, but it's a different story if someone's willing to pay to get it. That is, a month ago say you call the guy who has that mainframe sitting in his lab and he says you can have it if you come get it, but now that Gates is hosting a computer museum, well, now that same guy's gonna charge you half a million for it because it's "so unique".
You answered your first question with your second paragraph. As you say, it would imply that Earth is not that "special", which would mean that the religous zealots would yet again have to reexamine their texts and have yet another big issue against science .
The Penguins are a miraculous species, capable of extreme heroism, self-sacrifice, sorrow and unshakable love.
I have first-hand witnessed the mowing down of over a dozen adult Adelie penguins because they wouldn't get out of the way of an elephant seal plowing through their colony. Actually, they are pretty dopy altho very loveable birds. Did I mention ferocious? They are the top marine preditor down there after all! (OK, when krill is about the only thing to eat, that's not much grounds for bragging.)
Try Copacabana, there's only 4-5 people there during the research season, so it wouldn't be hard to sneak off and cook one up real quick. Of course, you would have to travel half-way around the world, and then do research for five months, but wouldn't it be worth it?
Yeah, that's one thing you can look forward to in addition to your lowered salary - the exciting prospect of paying to park. I ask anyone to tell me about any other employer which charges their own employees to park on their own property!
Slashdot Mirror
You gotta love the animated release date!
I'm in the US. If someone outside the legal borders wins or wants to win, I'd be glad to accept the gift on their behalf and then ship it to them. I think the restriction is crazy too, but I'm willing to work around it....
I got their email notice the other day and I thought, "who would go through all the trouble of a class action lawsuit just to get approx 3-4 DVD rentals for free (assuming you'd watch about 1 of the upgraded DVD rentals per week)". Well, now I know, it reeks of publicity stunt (or the plaintiffs got seriously taken), because if you get sucked into the 'free upgrade' next thing you know, you'll be paying them more the next month. Netflix is bound to not only generate headaches as thousands of people try to retroactively opt out, but also make money. I hate to say these things because otherwise I actually like Netflix and I think they try to be a reasonable business.
Cuz you know it's like way better to play Quake IV at 953 Frames Per Second. Totally!
The geniuses over at EA Games won't even allow you to change your on-line nickname for Battlefield 2.
AHA! There's the proverbial smoking gun for global warming!
My experience is that if something has to be done, just do it - don't ask! They will thank you later,' he said."
Indeed, I was told a little gem from a family friend:
It is much easier to ask for forgiveness than it is permission.
I have found this to be almost universally true (although break glass only when needed).
Actually, this is why for quick edits, I like to use Paint Shop Pro 5 (ca. 1998); logical, loads fast, most the tools I need, and no bloat. Of course Gimp rocks, but then I have to agree with his complaints.
It's been years since I bought some, but there was a time when Baskin Robbins (or maybe other ice cream stores) would have dry ice for sale...
"In particular, while there is no statistically significant evidence that street lighting impacts the level of crime, especially if crime displacement is taken into account, there is a strong indication that increased lighting - perhaps lighting uniformity - decreases the fear of crime"
Also in regards to light-pollution, I just learned that some of the common types of lights include:
The first three types are a gas discharge source, and of all those only LPS can be filtered out with telescope filters.
On November 18, 1883, four standard time zones for the continental U.S.A. were introduced at the instigation of the railroads. When people began traveling by train, sometimes hundreds of miles in a day, the calculation of time became a serious problem. Operators of the new railroad lines realized that a new time plan was needed in order to offer a uniform train schedule for departures and arrivals.
Since every city was using a different time standard, there were over 300 local sun times to choose from. The railroad managers tried to address the problem by establishing 100 railroad time zones, but this was only a partial solution to the problem.
ref: LOC: Today in History
Straight from the mighty wikipedia:
Rationales for DST
One of the major reasons given for observing DST in the United States is energy conservation. Theoretically, the amount of residential electricity needed in the evening hours is dependent both on when the sun sets and when people go to bed. Because people tend to observe the same bedtime year-round, by artificially moving sunset one hour later, the amount of energy used is theoretically reduced. United States Department of Transportation studies showed that DST reduces the country's electricity usage by one percent during each day DST is in effect.
Part of the reason that it is normally observed in the late spring, summer, and early autumn is because during the winter months the amount of energy saved by moving sunset one hour later is negated by the increased need for morning lighting by moving sunrise by the same amount. During the summer most people would wake up after the sun rises, regardless of whether daylight saving time is in effect or not, so there is no increased need for morning lighting to offset the afternoon energy savings.
Another perceived benefit of DST is increased opportunities for outdoor activities. Most people plan outdoor activities during the increased hours of sunlight. Other benefits cited include prevention of traffic injuries (by allowing more people to return home from work or school in daylight), and crime reduction (by reducing people's risk of being targets of crimes that are more common in dark areas).
When the U.S. went on extended DST in 1974 and 1975 in response to the 1973 energy crisis, Department of Transportation studies found that observing DST in March and April saved 10,000 barrels of oil a day, and prevented about 2,000 traffic injuries and 50 fatalities saving about U.S. $28 million in traffic costs.
Yeah, and that's exactly why they should put in place some sort of hierarchical editorship. Slashdot does something like this, hell even in Battlefield 2 if you kill enough good guys, you're kicked from the server. For something which gets as many college kids quoting it as this does, they should take a little more care in who can post to it.
Their hypocrisy is showing when they spend 9/10 of their Internet posts on tinfoil hat rhetoric about government censorship and interference with "their internets" but then suddenly are all hot to toss total Internet access control over to the government as long as they get taxpayer funded "free" net access.
Huh?? I don't think 'these kids' are wanting the government to 'take over' the internet. I think they want the government to allow competition (big difference!). As it is now, the government has locked that out, and it's allowing MegaCorp(TM)(R)(C) to screw all of us, while the megacorps are laughing all the way to the bank. This is proven time again when these corporations fight "Community Internet" systems from going up. I would argue that people are complaining that the government is getting involved with decisions where they don't need to be (e.g. censorship where there are no children), but taking a hands off approach (because they are getting 'favors') in places where that's EXACTLY WHY we have a government (e.g. being prepared for natural disasters or breaking up monopolies).
I think it's outrageous that I have to pay close to $100 per month for 50 channels of crap and cable internet (in Calif.). Why not drop the TV you ask? Because basic TV + cable internet is the SAME PRICE as cable internet by itself, and as long as I have TV, I feel compelled to pay even more to actually get some channels I'd actually watch.
As for those people debunking the numbers with population density differences, I'd like you to tell me how you think that Canada is a very small and/or dense country. I'd say they have a similar population layout to the U.S. albeit not as large of a total population.
I bet something like that 3 ton mainframe is like art; if no one pays attention to it, it's practically worthless, but it's a different story if someone's willing to pay to get it. That is, a month ago say you call the guy who has that mainframe sitting in his lab and he says you can have it if you come get it, but now that Gates is hosting a computer museum, well, now that same guy's gonna charge you half a million for it because it's "so unique".
I'm sorry, but I can get old computer parts for free or like twelve bucks on ebay, what in the world do they need that kind of money for?
Here's the mandatory google link:
After a quick search, here is the oldest google groups reference I could find.
Why? Because they are annoying as hell!
How? hosts file: Mike's Ad Blocking Hosts file
Amen!
You answered your first question with your second paragraph. As you say, it would imply that Earth is not that "special", which would mean that the religous zealots would yet again have to reexamine their texts and have yet another big issue against science .
It's not that if Google farts, it makes headlines...
It's not? Could have fooled me!
The Penguins are a miraculous species, capable of extreme heroism, self-sacrifice, sorrow and unshakable love.
I have first-hand witnessed the mowing down of over a dozen adult Adelie penguins because they wouldn't get out of the way of an elephant seal plowing through their colony. Actually, they are pretty dopy altho very loveable birds. Did I mention ferocious? They are the top marine preditor down there after all! (OK, when krill is about the only thing to eat, that's not much grounds for bragging.)
Try Copacabana, there's only 4-5 people there during the research season, so it wouldn't be hard to sneak off and cook one up real quick. Of course, you would have to travel half-way around the world, and then do research for five months, but wouldn't it be worth it?
Yeah, that's one thing you can look forward to in addition to your lowered salary - the exciting prospect of paying to park. I ask anyone to tell me about any other employer which charges their own employees to park on their own property!
Huh? I'd say, that that part of the brain in German's must be replaced by, oh, say automobile engineering.