XBLA is actually about to get a number of classic boardgames. No Monopoly or Scrabble (the licensing fees would probably be astronomical so as to not outstrip sales of the real thing), but games like Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne and Alhambra, all very involving strategy board games, should be here in the spring. There's a pretty nice interview with the lead developer of Settlers at http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/22/off-the-grid-int erviews-brian-reynolds-of-big-huge-games/
I would suggest writing in not in major languages of today, but ancient languages that are still understood/studied. Latin, (Homeric) Greek, and Hebrew come to mind. Who knows if anyone will want to study Tom Clancy novels 10,000 years in the future, but if civilization still exists, they will still be studying the Bible, the Iliad, the Aeneid, etc.
The idea is to preserve humanity at all costs. As far as we know, Earth is the only home for intelligent life - and, perhaps, life at all - in the universe. Is that true? Probably not. But we don't know. I believe the the prospect of a lifeless Earth and, thus, universe (if the waste somehow made it to the ocean, that is possible) is unnerving, and so these steps are taken. Additionally, we don't know if the people of the future will be "cavemen" or not. Suppose civilzation is forced to move underground? They could be just as civilized as, say, 18th century Europe (no ready access to electricity would result in some societal devolution), but still plenty intelligent in other areas like math or psychology. They just wouldn't have access to sophisticated enough tools to detect radiation. The heart of the project is that we don't know what life will be like in 10,000, but we're damn sure going to try to protect it.
Hokay... that's pretty easy. You see, there's a problem with your argument:
Now, write a simple, consistent, chronological narrative of that one day *without ommitting one single biblical detail*
The events described in those passages take place over the course of not one, but forty days.
Mary and Mary go to Jesus' tomb, he is not there. There are angels there in some regard, when or how they spoke to the Marys varies, yes, but the idea is the same: Jesus is not here, he is going to Galilee, tell the others. Mary Magdalene tells them; they do not believe her. At some point, before he reveals himself to the apostles, the conversation with the travellers occurs. He then appears to them in a closed room, blesses them, etc. Does it again, Doubting Thomas. Later (40 days after resurrection) goes to heaven. 10 days after that (pentecost), Holy Spirit is bestowed upon Apostles, they live happily ever after (all would be martyred, save Luke). I would like you to point out the inconsistencies in the story?
Sure, it's not EXACT, but all of these gospels were written at least 30 years after Jesus' death, there is time there for minor details to get switched around. One must also take into account that all of these passages were written for very different audiences (Matt for Jews, Mark for Arabic Gentiles, Luke for Greeks (Theophilus in particular, though that is likely a pseudonym), John for Christians, Acts for Greeks (written by Luke), Corinthians for... Corinthians. Each version had details added and/or omitted to better suit their target audience.
So what if they rarely break? There's plenty of stuff that rarely breaks that is sold on a low profit margin. Take plates/silverware, for instance. I know at my house, we've been using the same stuff for 15 years. That industry seems to still be around, though. What about coathangers? You'll rarely find those on my need-to-buy list (Hell, I wouldn't even know where to look to get some if I needed to), but they are still sold cheaply.
Lego is throwing all of its money at licenses to sell less of a more expensive product. If they would just stick to their roots and design unique creations with new or even "classic" themes (Forest, Space) and package them largely with blocks that are easier (read: less expensive) to make, you drastically reduce overhead.
With the robotics stuff, though, you're going to have to factor in the cost of developing the hardware, software, etc. Sure, it may only cost $20 to produce a unit, but when you've been paying a team of, say, a dozen engineers $60,000 a year for, say, two years ('tis likely the design underwent many changes in its lifetime), all of a sudden you need to make a million dollars off of this thing. At $200, you start turning a profit (not including marketing, managers' pay, shipping, etc.) at around unit 5000. How many of these things are they going to sell? Probably closer to 50,000, but with Lego facing a grim financial situation, they can't afford to have this one flop.
All law enforcement officers must have every form of nonlethal control they wield used on them during training. Every cop you see on the street has been tazered, tear gassed, shot with rubber bullets, sprayed with pepper spray, you name it. I can't think of any reason why this weapon, in the hands of local law enforcement, would not go through the same process of showing the cops exactly what it's capable of. As for freak cases of death/serious injury, sometimes you just have to accept them. People may die from a tazer or tear gas, but the fact is that they help police and disperse riots much more humanely than shotguns and batons. Would you prefer the cops just rode in on horses and trampled or shot anyone that so much as looked like they were breaking the law, like it was before we had these inventions?
What someone is bashing our Empress, Mrs. Clinton?! Mod Down! Mod DOWN!
This man has a good point. I find two problems with the proposed bill. One is mentioned above: The system simply cannot handle the voting public anymore. As the country with the second largest voting public in the world (I don't know how India does their's), there are simply too many voters, too many different systems, too many everything to expect that you can just fix everything with a simple bill. The logistics of implementing a nationwide voting reform are staggering, not mentioning the budget that would be required.
This would bring me to the second point: Elections are in the hands of the states. Period. It is not in the federal government's jurisdiction to say how a state should run an election. The only constitutional clause pertaining to this states simply that states cannot prevent citizens from voting. How they vote, who is on the ballot, when they vote - all that is up to the state. Personally, I strongly oppose anything that takes power from the hands of local, easily monitored politics and moves it hundreds of miles away to Washington.
Damn, I'm a high-schooler and even I charge $25 an hour plus $10 for showing up (I've had several "just change your preferences" fixes that lasted 45 seconds). But along with the general sentiment of the responses - unless you need the money for heroin or something, it's not worth it. I get called back to fix the same computers every two months or less. They keep trying to make more idiot-proof computers, but we just keep making better idiots.
Or call within the next 20 minutes and get it on FlexPay for three easy payments of $333,333,333.33! Please include $10,000,000 for shipping & handling.
I hate to break it to you, but Mars has one of the most active atmospheres in the solar system dust storms that cover the entire planet, hundred-mph winds, etc. One of the main problems facing human exploration there is making a suit that is both flexible and can withstand that. Erosion on Mars is definitely a factor.
Slashdot Mirror
XBLA is actually about to get a number of classic boardgames. No Monopoly or Scrabble (the licensing fees would probably be astronomical so as to not outstrip sales of the real thing), but games like Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne and Alhambra, all very involving strategy board games, should be here in the spring. There's a pretty nice interview with the lead developer of Settlers at http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/22/off-the-grid-int erviews-brian-reynolds-of-big-huge-games/
I would suggest writing in not in major languages of today, but ancient languages that are still understood/studied. Latin, (Homeric) Greek, and Hebrew come to mind. Who knows if anyone will want to study Tom Clancy novels 10,000 years in the future, but if civilization still exists, they will still be studying the Bible, the Iliad, the Aeneid, etc.
The idea is to preserve humanity at all costs. As far as we know, Earth is the only home for intelligent life - and, perhaps, life at all - in the universe. Is that true? Probably not. But we don't know. I believe the the prospect of a lifeless Earth and, thus, universe (if the waste somehow made it to the ocean, that is possible) is unnerving, and so these steps are taken. Additionally, we don't know if the people of the future will be "cavemen" or not. Suppose civilzation is forced to move underground? They could be just as civilized as, say, 18th century Europe (no ready access to electricity would result in some societal devolution), but still plenty intelligent in other areas like math or psychology. They just wouldn't have access to sophisticated enough tools to detect radiation. The heart of the project is that we don't know what life will be like in 10,000, but we're damn sure going to try to protect it.
Hokay... that's pretty easy. You see, there's a problem with your argument:
Now, write a simple, consistent, chronological narrative of that one day *without ommitting one single biblical detail*
The events described in those passages take place over the course of not one, but forty days.
Mary and Mary go to Jesus' tomb, he is not there. There are angels there in some regard, when or how they spoke to the Marys varies, yes, but the idea is the same: Jesus is not here, he is going to Galilee, tell the others. Mary Magdalene tells them; they do not believe her. At some point, before he reveals himself to the apostles, the conversation with the travellers occurs. He then appears to them in a closed room, blesses them, etc. Does it again, Doubting Thomas. Later (40 days after resurrection) goes to heaven. 10 days after that (pentecost), Holy Spirit is bestowed upon Apostles, they live happily ever after (all would be martyred, save Luke). I would like you to point out the inconsistencies in the story?
Sure, it's not EXACT, but all of these gospels were written at least 30 years after Jesus' death, there is time there for minor details to get switched around. One must also take into account that all of these passages were written for very different audiences (Matt for Jews, Mark for Arabic Gentiles, Luke for Greeks (Theophilus in particular, though that is likely a pseudonym), John for Christians, Acts for Greeks (written by Luke), Corinthians for... Corinthians. Each version had details added and/or omitted to better suit their target audience.
Please, show me where I am wrong.
So what if they rarely break? There's plenty of stuff that rarely breaks that is sold on a low profit margin. Take plates/silverware, for instance. I know at my house, we've been using the same stuff for 15 years. That industry seems to still be around, though. What about coathangers? You'll rarely find those on my need-to-buy list (Hell, I wouldn't even know where to look to get some if I needed to), but they are still sold cheaply. Lego is throwing all of its money at licenses to sell less of a more expensive product. If they would just stick to their roots and design unique creations with new or even "classic" themes (Forest, Space) and package them largely with blocks that are easier (read: less expensive) to make, you drastically reduce overhead. With the robotics stuff, though, you're going to have to factor in the cost of developing the hardware, software, etc. Sure, it may only cost $20 to produce a unit, but when you've been paying a team of, say, a dozen engineers $60,000 a year for, say, two years ('tis likely the design underwent many changes in its lifetime), all of a sudden you need to make a million dollars off of this thing. At $200, you start turning a profit (not including marketing, managers' pay, shipping, etc.) at around unit 5000. How many of these things are they going to sell? Probably closer to 50,000, but with Lego facing a grim financial situation, they can't afford to have this one flop.
Millenium 1: 0-999
Millenium 2: 1000-1999
Millenium 3: 2000-2999
It doesn't have to last a thousand years... it only has to last 10-15 for us to be "well into the 3rd millenium"
All law enforcement officers must have every form of nonlethal control they wield used on them during training. Every cop you see on the street has been tazered, tear gassed, shot with rubber bullets, sprayed with pepper spray, you name it. I can't think of any reason why this weapon, in the hands of local law enforcement, would not go through the same process of showing the cops exactly what it's capable of.
As for freak cases of death/serious injury, sometimes you just have to accept them. People may die from a tazer or tear gas, but the fact is that they help police and disperse riots much more humanely than shotguns and batons. Would you prefer the cops just rode in on horses and trampled or shot anyone that so much as looked like they were breaking the law, like it was before we had these inventions?
I'm sorry, you forgot to include the million-dollar Star Wars licensing fee. That's where the money's going, not some stamp-on decal.
What someone is bashing our Empress, Mrs. Clinton?! Mod Down! Mod DOWN! This man has a good point. I find two problems with the proposed bill. One is mentioned above: The system simply cannot handle the voting public anymore. As the country with the second largest voting public in the world (I don't know how India does their's), there are simply too many voters, too many different systems, too many everything to expect that you can just fix everything with a simple bill. The logistics of implementing a nationwide voting reform are staggering, not mentioning the budget that would be required. This would bring me to the second point: Elections are in the hands of the states. Period. It is not in the federal government's jurisdiction to say how a state should run an election. The only constitutional clause pertaining to this states simply that states cannot prevent citizens from voting. How they vote, who is on the ballot, when they vote - all that is up to the state. Personally, I strongly oppose anything that takes power from the hands of local, easily monitored politics and moves it hundreds of miles away to Washington.
You need internet to get background checks, run license plate numbers, etc. The chase becomes very different if you're behind a known drug runner.
Damn, I'm a high-schooler and even I charge $25 an hour plus $10 for showing up (I've had several "just change your preferences" fixes that lasted 45 seconds). But along with the general sentiment of the responses - unless you need the money for heroin or something, it's not worth it. I get called back to fix the same computers every two months or less. They keep trying to make more idiot-proof computers, but we just keep making better idiots.
Mars has an atmosphere. Guaranteed planet, apparently. Mercury, however, does not. Big asteroid? I think not.
Hm... the question is, will the price include the walk-in meat locker you'll need to cool it?
Or call within the next 20 minutes and get it on FlexPay for three easy payments of $333,333,333.33! Please include $10,000,000 for shipping & handling.
I hate to break it to you, but Mars has one of the most active atmospheres in the solar system dust storms that cover the entire planet, hundred-mph winds, etc. One of the main problems facing human exploration there is making a suit that is both flexible and can withstand that. Erosion on Mars is definitely a factor.