No, our universe will not end. We are the embryonic stem cells of the earth embryo. However, we will soon be harvested by the universe entity to be used to find a cure for galactic cancer. Unless the multi-verse government can pass the cosmos-bill banning earth-embryonic stem cell research, we are all doomed.
It's possible that many of the edits are NOT deliberate corporate acts. Rather, I would imagine a prideful employee may see some controversial items in the article and would rather see them removed. I can see a situation where I uncover a defamatory comment about my company in wikipedia. I would likely interpret it as sensationalism or determine it to be minor compared to the accomplishments of my company. After all, why focus on a few minor negatives when the positives should shine through? Some may call it spin, but I could argue the "controversy" sections fit into the same category. So how does this relate to the article? Even dedicated employees need 15 min. break to browse wikipedia once in a while. So a random employee edits at work without any real company input and voila, slashdot labels the company as corrupt for having whitewashed the article.
I'm curious about the mathematics behind the format. Can someone show a mathematical distortion between an mp3 encoding vs a cd recording? What I'm getting at is the reason CD's are recorded at 44.1kHz is that in order to produce the high range of hearing, the sample rate has to be > 2*f or 2*20kHz = 40kHz. A conversion of the sampled data back to an audible waveform will produce a "perfect" match of the original waveform up to ~20kHz. It's mathematically proven that the audio produced from a CD is a perfect reproduction of the audible portions of the original audio.
So, a CD recording seems relatively simple to explain. Simply sample the audio at a rate of >40kHz. How does this relate to an MP3?
Your comments seem to make sense at first. However, it seems the only way this scenario will happen if the underdog of the fight isn't very bright. Fighting back by killing citizens is not an effective way to win a war. You will lower public opinion against your cause and you will increase the government's resolve to hunt you down and kill you. Granted, over a looooong period of time you may be able to wear a country down, but by then the powerful government you are fighting will likely have killed you and your leadership team and your families and your staff so that there is hardly anyone left other than some isolated zealots with bombs strapped to their chests.
Another thing is that fanaticism would be a person's only motivation to engage in a war like this. There's no chance of gaining any territory, economic improvement, world clout, etc. It's difficult to justify a strategically insignificant target such as civilians other than through hate and misunderstanding.
I'd like to add to that point. The so called "filler" episodes are also important for character development. Some people might not appreciate it, but I find these episodes keep me guessing about the true nature of many of the characters. One week I'm pissed at Baltar, the next week I feel sorry for him. This type of thing is frustrating at times, but I think it helps to develop the overall picture of the series from a character development standpoint.
I thought we were already paying taxes on gasoline? At least 15-20 cents a gallon for federal tax alone plus another 20 cents depending on the state? Depending on price, our tax rate on gas is already at least 10%. You probably spend closer to 20%.
It has a 2L turbocharged inline 4 producing 180hp optimized to run on E85.
I'm not sure what your point is. Is this engine spec a good thing? VW's GTI is a 2L turbocharged 4 that produces 200 peak hp on conventional 93 octane gas. I'm sure there are others of equal displacement that perform even better. Can an E85 vehicle match the performance of a conventional fuel vehicle? Or are you saying a conventional fuel engine can be tuned to run just as well on E85?
Actually, Africanized Bees can be a benefit to the overall Bee productivity. They tend to be more productive in areas with proper climate (warm, and lots of rain). Many places have learned to breed the Africanized bees into gentler colonies that are manageable. Once the bees are bred to a manageable state, the output from the colony can be better than the original European bees. They have after all been doing it in Africa for quite a while, why not in other continents too?
So how is the consumer going to know which light bulb to buy once these come out. I know how bright a 100W bulb is compared to a 40W bulb. Will I have to buy a 50W high efficiency bulb that gives equivalent light of a current 100W bulb? Lets say i walk into the store and need a reading light for my room. I want to get something fairly bright so I look for the 100W bulb. I have the option of buying the old 100W bulb or a "new" 75W bulb. I will go with the 100W bulb because I'm a dumb consumer and assume it will be brighter even though the high efficiency 75W bulb produces more light.
This poses an interesting issue for the marketers to tackle once this goes to market. Hopefully they will be able to properly convey the "light output" as the deciding factor rather than the wattage.
Take the example of the M-1 Abrams. The main gun on this tank is stabilized in some way to allow accurate shooting while on the move. I'm not sure of the details behind this, but I'm sure mounting the railgun on some actuators controlled by some gyros will be able to minimize the pitch from the ocean.
It seems consensus is small rural telco is OK. I just want to mention a possibly related concept. I live in a large metro area and by some impossible scheme my cable provider is a small local provider. I must say content is pretty poor. There is no HD/Digital offering. Internet is mediocre and basic cable service is spotty. The system even goes down in heavy rains because the provider loses the satellite. This is just an example of a small company not having the infrastructure and content that a larger company like Time Warner might provide.
I have had Time Warner in the past and besides mediocre customer service, the content was great with HD channels, all digital, available DVR, fast internet etc. From this experience I have, I would prefer to go with a large provider with the assumption they have the infrastructure to deploy superior content, service, and reliability (price issues excluded).
the Pure-Digital video camera that lets you take digital video with one button, has no memory cards, and runs on aa batteries.
Hey good job! You must have some OOP training. It sounds like you are describing "cohesion". Design a device that does one task and does it very well. Hmmmm so a person can use code modules with high cohesion to design the most complicated program for a user. I sense a bit of irony here.
I've noticed the same issues exist not just in computers, but in my experience programming controls. I can sit at my desk, read a functional spec. and churn out some PLC code and feel very proud of myself. However, I've had a situation or two when I had to revisit some design decisions after realizing what they meant to operators at the factory.
For instance: I thought it would be nice to give some extra control to the operator so I gave them an alarm notification when, for some odd reason, the equipment stopped or started without a command from the control system (such as a local start/stop). Since the local operation should only occur in the odd case I thought it would be a nice feature. However, the operators are simply confused by the concept that the controller state machine can be in a different state than the actual equipment.
Looking back, it was probably not the best idea. Instead I've changed the logical state in the controller to match the actual equipment. All the operator has to do is clear the alarms and put the thing in Auto mode.
The lesson I get out of it is basically do not rely on the operators to know what's going on. Give them a START button and a STOP button and they'll be happy. Don't announce lots of alarms because someone started the machine by overriding the control system. KISS is key on this. The less they have to do, the better.
The two examples you gave are not quite valid in this case. The Defcon example looks like it used a Matrics (now Symbol technologies) reader which operates in the UHF range. I perfectly agree that these can operate 69 ft and under better conditions would bet MUCH further read ranges are possible. The second (WiFi) is a completely different technology.
My assumption in this case is that the RFID technology will be of some standard similar to those stated in my parent post (ISO 15693, 14443 or other HF standards). In this case, the tags are inductively coupled with the reader antenna primarily through the Magnetic field produced by the current through the antenna wire. This field loses strength very quickly as you move from the source which means a VERY limited read range. The technologies mentioned (UHF and WiFi) interact with the Electromagnetic field which propagates nicely through the air and thus gives longer range. (we can, of course, try to discuss all the lovely physics if needed, but this is my attempt at simplification)
Basically, my point is that while I concede it is possible to hack into RFID credit cards, it is NOT as easy as many like to believe, and I don't feel nearly as threatened as some would suggest I should feel. Also, RFID is NOT one technology. It is a mishmash of all kinds of different standards comprising multiple frequencies and technologies and so should not be lumped together as the one evil tech it is commonly identified as.
I completely agree about the UHF technology. I work directly with UHF and Alien is one vendor who I've done an implementation or two with. I doubt that UHF is going to be used in any credit card implementation.
"With RFID, you can read it from across the room given a good transmitter and a sensitive receiver."
I don't know if this is the case. Everyone seems to assume you can "intercept" the RFID information from many meters away. I guess I'm not sure which technology is used in credit cards, but if it's anything like ISO 14443 standard or even ISO 15693, the max distance is only going to be 1.5 meters or less.
In the end, it's always the path of least resistance. It's easier just to steal a credit card or dig up some old receipts or bank statements from the trash then to spend the hundreds of dollars to make a sophisticated reader device capable of reading and decoding these tags.
Slashdot Mirror
"I've had worse!"
No, our universe will not end. We are the embryonic stem cells of the earth embryo. However, we will soon be harvested by the universe entity to be used to find a cure for galactic cancer. Unless the multi-verse government can pass the cosmos-bill banning earth-embryonic stem cell research, we are all doomed.
It's possible that many of the edits are NOT deliberate corporate acts. Rather, I would imagine a prideful employee may see some controversial items in the article and would rather see them removed. I can see a situation where I uncover a defamatory comment about my company in wikipedia. I would likely interpret it as sensationalism or determine it to be minor compared to the accomplishments of my company. After all, why focus on a few minor negatives when the positives should shine through? Some may call it spin, but I could argue the "controversy" sections fit into the same category. So how does this relate to the article? Even dedicated employees need 15 min. break to browse wikipedia once in a while. So a random employee edits at work without any real company input and voila, slashdot labels the company as corrupt for having whitewashed the article.
So, a CD recording seems relatively simple to explain. Simply sample the audio at a rate of >40kHz. How does this relate to an MP3?
Oh we have much more value! For instance, who's going to open all those jars?
Another thing is that fanaticism would be a person's only motivation to engage in a war like this. There's no chance of gaining any territory, economic improvement, world clout, etc. It's difficult to justify a strategically insignificant target such as civilians other than through hate and misunderstanding.
Well now it seems I'm not part of any of the groups highlighted in the formal investigation in Exhibit A.
OK, but as a citizen of the glorious state of Ohio, how do I verify, legitimately, that my number was not included in the theft?
My feelings are hurt by that answer you insensitive clod!
Sincerely, -Dick Nixon
Maybe we are seeing the return of whiskers when using the non-lead solder?
I'd like to add to that point. The so called "filler" episodes are also important for character development. Some people might not appreciate it, but I find these episodes keep me guessing about the true nature of many of the characters. One week I'm pissed at Baltar, the next week I feel sorry for him. This type of thing is frustrating at times, but I think it helps to develop the overall picture of the series from a character development standpoint.
I thought we were already paying taxes on gasoline? At least 15-20 cents a gallon for federal tax alone plus another 20 cents depending on the state? Depending on price, our tax rate on gas is already at least 10%. You probably spend closer to 20%.
I'm not sure what your point is. Is this engine spec a good thing? VW's GTI is a 2L turbocharged 4 that produces 200 peak hp on conventional 93 octane gas. I'm sure there are others of equal displacement that perform even better. Can an E85 vehicle match the performance of a conventional fuel vehicle? Or are you saying a conventional fuel engine can be tuned to run just as well on E85?
Actually, Africanized Bees can be a benefit to the overall Bee productivity. They tend to be more productive in areas with proper climate (warm, and lots of rain). Many places have learned to breed the Africanized bees into gentler colonies that are manageable. Once the bees are bred to a manageable state, the output from the colony can be better than the original European bees. They have after all been doing it in Africa for quite a while, why not in other continents too?
I believe the legal term is "H1-Beesa."
This poses an interesting issue for the marketers to tackle once this goes to market. Hopefully they will be able to properly convey the "light output" as the deciding factor rather than the wattage.
Oh yeah, and Gears also has Dom playing a prominent role. I guess I couldn't ask for more diversity.
Take the example of the M-1 Abrams. The main gun on this tank is stabilized in some way to allow accurate shooting while on the move. I'm not sure of the details behind this, but I'm sure mounting the railgun on some actuators controlled by some gyros will be able to minimize the pitch from the ocean.
I have had Time Warner in the past and besides mediocre customer service, the content was great with HD channels, all digital, available DVR, fast internet etc. From this experience I have, I would prefer to go with a large provider with the assumption they have the infrastructure to deploy superior content, service, and reliability (price issues excluded).
Oh good. I had some musings on whether the noisy drive was a defect. At least now I know I'm not crazy. I am still a little disappointed though.
Hey good job! You must have some OOP training. It sounds like you are describing "cohesion". Design a device that does one task and does it very well. Hmmmm so a person can use code modules with high cohesion to design the most complicated program for a user. I sense a bit of irony here.
For instance: I thought it would be nice to give some extra control to the operator so I gave them an alarm notification when, for some odd reason, the equipment stopped or started without a command from the control system (such as a local start/stop). Since the local operation should only occur in the odd case I thought it would be a nice feature. However, the operators are simply confused by the concept that the controller state machine can be in a different state than the actual equipment.
Looking back, it was probably not the best idea. Instead I've changed the logical state in the controller to match the actual equipment. All the operator has to do is clear the alarms and put the thing in Auto mode.
The lesson I get out of it is basically do not rely on the operators to know what's going on. Give them a START button and a STOP button and they'll be happy. Don't announce lots of alarms because someone started the machine by overriding the control system. KISS is key on this. The less they have to do, the better.
My assumption in this case is that the RFID technology will be of some standard similar to those stated in my parent post (ISO 15693, 14443 or other HF standards). In this case, the tags are inductively coupled with the reader antenna primarily through the Magnetic field produced by the current through the antenna wire. This field loses strength very quickly as you move from the source which means a VERY limited read range. The technologies mentioned (UHF and WiFi) interact with the Electromagnetic field which propagates nicely through the air and thus gives longer range. (we can, of course, try to discuss all the lovely physics if needed, but this is my attempt at simplification)
Basically, my point is that while I concede it is possible to hack into RFID credit cards, it is NOT as easy as many like to believe, and I don't feel nearly as threatened as some would suggest I should feel. Also, RFID is NOT one technology. It is a mishmash of all kinds of different standards comprising multiple frequencies and technologies and so should not be lumped together as the one evil tech it is commonly identified as.
I completely agree about the UHF technology. I work directly with UHF and Alien is one vendor who I've done an implementation or two with. I doubt that UHF is going to be used in any credit card implementation.
I don't know if this is the case. Everyone seems to assume you can "intercept" the RFID information from many meters away. I guess I'm not sure which technology is used in credit cards, but if it's anything like ISO 14443 standard or even ISO 15693, the max distance is only going to be 1.5 meters or less.
In the end, it's always the path of least resistance. It's easier just to steal a credit card or dig up some old receipts or bank statements from the trash then to spend the hundreds of dollars to make a sophisticated reader device capable of reading and decoding these tags.