Is now on my list of discussion enders. There used to be a rule on bulletin boards. As soon as someone mentioned Hitler the discussion was over. I'm surprised to now find commie sympathizer being a discussion killer on slashdot.
Is ultimately solar power. We just need to up the efficiency in our solar cells a few orders of magnitude. Then solar energy in large isolated plants (say the whole Gobi desert) can be used directly to disassociate hydrogen from oxygen in water to produce shippable hydrogen which can be used at the place where it's needed.
Unless we have fusion plants before the above scenario. I don't think anyone will be arguing that hydrogen is a bad fuel supply then.
It is only isolated for use in fuel cells. It could also be used in fusion plants. It is the most abundant element in the universe by far. If we run out of hydrogen, we've run out of universe. It is the element most used in stars to produce energy. Maybe we should take a hint.
It is the technology that will take us to other worlds, if we ever get that far. It is the fuel that will be scooped by our ram-scoop ships as they fly to other stars. It can be mined and burned/reacted/whatever in asteroids and the power beamed to earth. The possibilities are endless.
We are children afraid to start walking because we know how to crawl very well and we tend to fall down every time we stand up. But the world cannot survive us staying children much longer. The first steps are hard, and are less efficient than crawling. But the eventual potential is so much greater.
"Haven't you ever wondered why oil cost about the same amount as bottled water?"
When do you think we've ever been under free market forces? Capitalism suffers the same problems as communism did, it's central tenets are never truly enacted. Pure free market capitalism, which I'm starting to think is as big a fantasy as pure brotherly love communism, would not see us with rising gas prices when the supply is unaffected. Only colluding mega-corp oligarchies can and do give us that.
By the way, don't count on water staying cheap. Water is the oil of the 21st century. The mega-corps are already acting to privatize all sources of drinkable water around the world.
Yes hydrogen is difficult and a bit dirty to 'manufacture' now. It's really being isolated, not manufactured. But on a universal level, it is the single most common element. If you're looking for a resource that won't run out, you have to eventually move to hydrogen. Natural gas is largely found above deposits of oil. When the oilfields are gone, so is 'natural' gas.
I think you're also underestimating the rate of change in the next 50 years. 50 years from now tech won't be as different from our tech as our tech is from 1950's tech - it will be as different from our tech as our tech is from 1850's tech. Picking the long-term solution now seems sensible when you look at the ultimate cost of re-tooling all machinery for a new power source - do you want to do that once, or several times? Hydrogen production will become cheaper and cleaner and easier, and the benefits are more if the machines are already set up to run on (currently dirty) hydrogen.
Solar power and hydrogen power will not run out in the lifespan of the human species. They will becom cheaper and cheaper and cleaner and cleaner. Picture floating factories refining hydrogen from the oceans using solar power - how ultimately efficient can that become? Natural gas is cleaner than hydrogen now but it is a limited resource. I have nothing against using it now, but it will run out while most of the mega-corps of today are still alive (much more important than nations), so they will have to re-tool eventually. Basically do you build your infrastructure around the fiber optic system of 10 years from now, or the 56k reality of today? Short-term, long-term, it's a complex balance, not a black and white question.
Targetted corporate welfare anyone? Let's see, mega-corp one gives generous donations to senators and political parties. Said parties and senators decide, 'Oh the good folks at Microsoft need a tax break or the whole company will go out of business' and give them one. While Smokey Joe's Software Shack didn't pony up and they get no tax break. Is the gov't altering the workplace rules to tilt against Smokey Joe in favor of Microsoft? Yes.
On a side note, I'm all in favor of letting PEOPLE keep what they own. Corporations are not 'people', they're legal fictions. If you're handing out tax breaks, hand one to me, not the company I work for.
This is the first good use I've ever seen of the WTO. Mega-corps don't need tax breaks. If they go under, wonderful, that's what a free market's all about. Governments should not be favoring one company over another competing one because of campaign contributions, but never before has there existed a mechanism to enforce this principle.
A Macintosh is a personal computer. It is a pc. A mainframe is not a personal computer. It is not a pc.
I was very resentful when the useful term (since nobody outside of a computer concepts class uses the term mini-computer) was hijacked for marketing speak to indicate an os/chip family brand name.
AMD is still wintel b/c amd maintains core compatibility with intel (i don't mean games) for running the MS OS flavor of the year.
Also if it installs a virus "INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY INFECTIONS OR CONTAMINATIONS OF YOUR COMPUTER" then you also hold them blameless. Even if they did it intentionally. Even if you install it at work and hose your whole company's network. Yeah, right:)
If you run an out from your audio player to an in on your sound card you can record the music without putting the cd in your cd-rom drive, and thus never seeing the EULA. And you are legally allowed to make archival and back-up copies.
"(5)(A) A "digital musical recording" is a material object--
(i) in which are fixed, in a digital recording format, only sounds, and material, statements, or instructions
incidental to those fixed sounds, if any, and
(ii) from which the sounds and material can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated,
either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.
(B) A "digital musical recording" does not include a material object:--
(i) in which the fixed sounds consist entirely of spoken word recordings, or
(ii) in which one or more computer programs are fixed, except that a digital musical recording may contain statements or instructions constituting the fixed sounds and incidental material, and statements or instructions to be used directly or indirectly in order to bring about the perception, reproduction, or
communication of the fixed sounds and incidental material. "
Hmm. Don't seem to meet the definition of a digital music recording anymore. Phillips is right in their position.
For cd-audio media at least. Which is why nobody uses them or the standalone cd-audio recorders.
I always found it offensive, especially since I make music myself. Why should I pay a tax to support record companies when I just want to give away my music for free? The tax that gives them the pockets to take out Napster (which got more of my music distributed than anything else has)?
From the legalese (gawdammit, had to put in lowercase because of caps lameness filter, GRRR!):
"you will not hold us... any damgaes that result from you using the player or content, including but not limited to ANY INFECTIONS or contaminations of your computer or damage to any software or systems you use to access the same that may result from that use."
Seems to me like they'll infect your computer with a virus which could do anything (re-format your hard drive or whatever) and then claim that you can't hold them responsible.
Check out the extigy (or the internal audigy). Optical in. 24 bit sound. Have a dvd player that plays audio cds? With an optical out? Bam! Digital recording without your cd-rom drive. CD players with optical outs are rarer, though I have some. Once you have the perfect.wav files, you can even burn yourself a non-copyprotected version of the cd. And of course the files you record on your computer will be ever-so-much higher quality than the compressed files they 'allow' you to play on your windoze pc.
"...AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND ANY WARRANTY OF NONINFRINGEMENT. THERE IS NO WARRANTY..... YOU WILL NOT HOLD US OR OUR AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, LICENSORS, BUSINESS PARTNERS AND/OR SUPPLIERS, AS APPLICABLE, RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES THAT RESULT FROM YOU USING THE PLAYER OR CONTENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY INFECTIONS OR CONTAMINATIONS OF YOUR COMPUTER OR DAMAGE TO ANY SOFTWARE OR SYSTEMS YOU USE TO ACCESS THE SAME THAT MAY RESULT FROM THAT USE."
Not that I'm paranoid or anything.... but Magic Lantern anyone?
They are giving themselves legal room to infect your computer with a virus that could detect copyright infringing material and re-format your hard drive. Not that I think they're doing so, but they now have the legal 'right' and you as an innocent consumer have agreed to allow them to damage your computer. All to prevent copying the cd. And of course they also disclaim warranty of noninfringement. What the heck is that all about? Are they infringing someone's copyright to prevent you from doing the same?
Of course, if you have a sound blaster audigy or extigy with an optical in, and you play the cd in your dvd player (or rarer cd player with optical out) which you hook up to your sound card, you now have a 24 bit digital recording that doesn't use your cd-rom drive in any way shape or form. And that also will sound infinitely better than their compressed version. And which you have every legal right to make, as long as you're technologically sophisticated enough to do so. I really need to get me one of those phatty sound cards anyway, particularly since I have cd players with optical outs, a feature I've never been able to take advantage of before.
The root servers are what makes a sea of unconnected networks into the apparently seamless internet. What you are suggesting would fragment the internet back into separate networks. Typing slashdot.org in europe could go to their 'root' servers and be directed to whoever their root says owns that domain. While typing the same address elsewhere in the world would take you to a different site.
Pretty big change. There have been companies that set up new top level extensions (impatient with ICANN and who can blame them) and sell those addresses, but for visitors to get to those sites the visitors need to have the dns settings in their computer modified. And if ICANN eventually rolls out the new extension (and I think there is one extension that this applies to, can anyone remember? biz maybe?) you could then have two company.biz sites, and which one the browser goes to depends on which root it's querying. Man, what a mess.
A faulty version of software was released. And yes the fault was buried waaay down in a giant case or if/elseif statement. Normally no big deal, right? Just roll back. But they had things set up so that any machine connected to another would poll it for the version of software it had. If what it connected to had a newer version, it would download that and then hand it off to all its fellows. So by the time the bad code triggered and they realized they had a problem it had already spread virus-like across the whole network. Going back to the older version one one machine was futile because as soon as it booted up it would connect to other machines and download the flawed software.
They had to eventually take their old version, give it a new, higher number, and then compile and release that. So that that 'feature' once again became a feature and not a bug. Many lessons to be learned.
Re:I resent the underlying sexism of your comment.
on
The Ultimate S.U.V.
·
· Score: 2
Yeah because I don't ever see anyone engaging in reckless endangerment:) Laws don't work unless they're enforced.
No, what we need are robot drivers. Then you can eat, sleep, whatever.
Just because some other morons can't control their 8 ton tractor trailer while getting a blowjob and snorting a few lines doesn't mean that I can't do it.
PBBBBTTT!
It's obviously relative. But if you're trying to drive while changing a cd and you spill your coffee on your crotch which causes you to yell and the greasy Egg McMuffin you're gobbling down splurts out and gets between your shoe and the brake pedal and you rear end me - you have clearly messed up. Nobody is 'capable' of doing this. Some people are better than others, but multi-tasking always involves some switching costs, and even a minimal delay in focusing on changing road conditions can be disastrous.
Which isn't to say you shouldn't use your cell phone. Just realize that if you have an accident while doing so, regardless of who is actually to blame, you will probably end up being blamed.
Re:The question we're all asking...
on
The Ultimate S.U.V.
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
I'm sure these folks could install one for them. Check it out, a joystick controlled.50 caliber machine gun (or optionally a 40 mm grenade launcher) that is stealthed inside your vehicle and deploys in less than 10 seconds. Slope too steep for even your expedition vehicle? Blast it flat like any true explorer.
Here's the actual bill, look at the language
on
The Drone War
·
· Score: 3, Informative
Congress had a bill up for debate to declare war. It died without passing. Instead, specifically and with a clear understanding of the difference, Congress passed a resolution authorizing the President to use armed forces against a particular enemy and passed funding bills. It's not the same in the eyes of the Congress, and it's not the same in my eyes. Your point would have been valid if that previous bill hadn't come up. Of interest we also have two bills up basically offering to pay any bounty hunters that want to go kill Osama bin Laden for us.
Here is what passed:
S.J.Res.23
One Hundred Seventh Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, two thousand and one
Joint Resolution
To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United States.
Whereas, on September 11, 2001, acts of treacherous violence were committed against the United States and its citizens; and
Whereas, such acts render it both necessary and appropriate that the United States exercise its rights to self-defense and to protect United States citizens both at home and abroad; and
Whereas, in light of the threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by these grave acts of violence; and
Whereas, such acts continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States; and
Whereas, the President has authority under the Constitution to take action to deter and prevent acts of international terrorism against the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This joint resolution may be cited as the `Authorization for Use of Military Force'.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
(a) IN GENERAL- That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.
(b) War Powers Resolution Requirements-
(1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION- Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution.
(2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS- Nothing in this resolution supercedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.
There are two more bills that seems to be stuck in committee:
H.R. 3074 --Air Piracy Reprisal and Capture Act of 2001 will update federal statutes to recognize acts of piracy beyond the high seas by including the skies; update punishment for piracy to allow death penalty.
H.R. 3076 -- September 11 Marque and Reprisal Act of 2001 will grant President Bush the authority to issue letters of marque and reprisal to capture, alive or dead, Osama bin Laden and the others responsible for the September 11 attacks.
It will give President Bush the option, if he chooses, but does not require the use of this weapon of war.
... in my parent's basement:)
Actually my disks for that game got corrupted in the weirdest way... the power supply kept going out so the machine would crash randomly and I was playing Bard's Tale pretty much all the time. So in the constant crashes something got corrupted and some of the classes stopped getting their special abilities. My hunter's couldn't critical hit. Weird...
Slashdot Mirror
Is now on my list of discussion enders. There used to be a rule on bulletin boards. As soon as someone mentioned Hitler the discussion was over. I'm surprised to now find commie sympathizer being a discussion killer on slashdot.
Sheesh people!
Is ultimately solar power. We just need to up the efficiency in our solar cells a few orders of magnitude. Then solar energy in large isolated plants (say the whole Gobi desert) can be used directly to disassociate hydrogen from oxygen in water to produce shippable hydrogen which can be used at the place where it's needed.
Unless we have fusion plants before the above scenario. I don't think anyone will be arguing that hydrogen is a bad fuel supply then.
It is only isolated for use in fuel cells. It could also be used in fusion plants. It is the most abundant element in the universe by far. If we run out of hydrogen, we've run out of universe. It is the element most used in stars to produce energy. Maybe we should take a hint.
It is the technology that will take us to other worlds, if we ever get that far. It is the fuel that will be scooped by our ram-scoop ships as they fly to other stars. It can be mined and burned/reacted/whatever in asteroids and the power beamed to earth. The possibilities are endless.
We are children afraid to start walking because we know how to crawl very well and we tend to fall down every time we stand up. But the world cannot survive us staying children much longer. The first steps are hard, and are less efficient than crawling. But the eventual potential is so much greater.
"Haven't you ever wondered why oil cost about the same amount as bottled water?"
When do you think we've ever been under free market forces? Capitalism suffers the same problems as communism did, it's central tenets are never truly enacted. Pure free market capitalism, which I'm starting to think is as big a fantasy as pure brotherly love communism, would not see us with rising gas prices when the supply is unaffected. Only colluding mega-corp oligarchies can and do give us that.
By the way, don't count on water staying cheap. Water is the oil of the 21st century. The mega-corps are already acting to privatize all sources of drinkable water around the world.
Yes hydrogen is difficult and a bit dirty to 'manufacture' now. It's really being isolated, not manufactured. But on a universal level, it is the single most common element. If you're looking for a resource that won't run out, you have to eventually move to hydrogen. Natural gas is largely found above deposits of oil. When the oilfields are gone, so is 'natural' gas.
I think you're also underestimating the rate of change in the next 50 years. 50 years from now tech won't be as different from our tech as our tech is from 1950's tech - it will be as different from our tech as our tech is from 1850's tech. Picking the long-term solution now seems sensible when you look at the ultimate cost of re-tooling all machinery for a new power source - do you want to do that once, or several times? Hydrogen production will become cheaper and cleaner and easier, and the benefits are more if the machines are already set up to run on (currently dirty) hydrogen.
Solar power and hydrogen power will not run out in the lifespan of the human species. They will becom cheaper and cheaper and cleaner and cleaner. Picture floating factories refining hydrogen from the oceans using solar power - how ultimately efficient can that become? Natural gas is cleaner than hydrogen now but it is a limited resource. I have nothing against using it now, but it will run out while most of the mega-corps of today are still alive (much more important than nations), so they will have to re-tool eventually. Basically do you build your infrastructure around the fiber optic system of 10 years from now, or the 56k reality of today? Short-term, long-term, it's a complex balance, not a black and white question.
Targetted corporate welfare anyone? Let's see, mega-corp one gives generous donations to senators and political parties. Said parties and senators decide, 'Oh the good folks at Microsoft need a tax break or the whole company will go out of business' and give them one. While Smokey Joe's Software Shack didn't pony up and they get no tax break. Is the gov't altering the workplace rules to tilt against Smokey Joe in favor of Microsoft? Yes.
On a side note, I'm all in favor of letting PEOPLE keep what they own. Corporations are not 'people', they're legal fictions. If you're handing out tax breaks, hand one to me, not the company I work for.
This is the first good use I've ever seen of the WTO. Mega-corps don't need tax breaks. If they go under, wonderful, that's what a free market's all about. Governments should not be favoring one company over another competing one because of campaign contributions, but never before has there existed a mechanism to enforce this principle.
or microcomputer, rather.
seriously, when was the last time you heard that in a spoken conversation?
A Macintosh is a personal computer. It is a pc. A mainframe is not a personal computer. It is not a pc.
I was very resentful when the useful term (since nobody outside of a computer concepts class uses the term mini-computer) was hijacked for marketing speak to indicate an os/chip family brand name.
AMD is still wintel b/c amd maintains core compatibility with intel (i don't mean games) for running the MS OS flavor of the year.
or a cd player?
i think most people have both. so the circumstance is pretty easily circumvented.
Don't need it. DVD player with optical out, extigy sound card with 24 bit optical in.
They only PARTLY follow the standard, audio cd players have heavy duty built in error correction, cd-rom drives don't.
Also if it installs a virus "INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY INFECTIONS OR CONTAMINATIONS OF YOUR COMPUTER" then you also hold them blameless. Even if they did it intentionally. Even if you install it at work and hose your whole company's network. Yeah, right :)
If you run an out from your audio player to an in on your sound card you can record the music without putting the cd in your cd-rom drive, and thus never seeing the EULA. And you are legally allowed to make archival and back-up copies.
From the text:
"(5)(A) A "digital musical recording" is a material object--
(i) in which are fixed, in a digital recording format, only sounds, and material, statements, or instructions
incidental to those fixed sounds, if any, and
(ii) from which the sounds and material can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated,
either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.
(B) A "digital musical recording" does not include a material object:--
(i) in which the fixed sounds consist entirely of spoken word recordings, or
(ii) in which one or more computer programs are fixed, except that a digital musical recording may contain statements or instructions constituting the fixed sounds and incidental material, and statements or instructions to be used directly or indirectly in order to bring about the perception, reproduction, or
communication of the fixed sounds and incidental material. "
Hmm. Don't seem to meet the definition of a digital music recording anymore. Phillips is right in their position.
For cd-audio media at least. Which is why nobody uses them or the standalone cd-audio recorders.
I always found it offensive, especially since I make music myself. Why should I pay a tax to support record companies when I just want to give away my music for free? The tax that gives them the pockets to take out Napster (which got more of my music distributed than anything else has)?
And yes, you live in France, so you are fucked.
Nothing more, nothing less. It doesn't mean wintel. Wintel means wintel.
From the legalese (gawdammit, had to put in lowercase because of caps lameness filter, GRRR!):
... any damgaes that result from you using the player or content, including but not limited to ANY INFECTIONS or contaminations of your computer or damage to any software or systems you use to access the same that may result from that use."
"you will not hold us
Seems to me like they'll infect your computer with a virus which could do anything (re-format your hard drive or whatever) and then claim that you can't hold them responsible.
Check out the extigy (or the internal audigy). Optical in. 24 bit sound. Have a dvd player that plays audio cds? With an optical out? Bam! Digital recording without your cd-rom drive. CD players with optical outs are rarer, though I have some. Once you have the perfect .wav files, you can even burn yourself a non-copyprotected version of the cd. And of course the files you record on your computer will be ever-so-much higher quality than the compressed files they 'allow' you to play on your windoze pc.
"...AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND ANY WARRANTY OF NONINFRINGEMENT. THERE IS NO WARRANTY ..... YOU WILL NOT HOLD US OR OUR AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, LICENSORS, BUSINESS PARTNERS AND/OR SUPPLIERS, AS APPLICABLE, RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES THAT RESULT FROM YOU USING THE PLAYER OR CONTENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY INFECTIONS OR CONTAMINATIONS OF YOUR COMPUTER OR DAMAGE TO ANY SOFTWARE OR SYSTEMS YOU USE TO ACCESS THE SAME THAT MAY RESULT FROM THAT USE."
Not that I'm paranoid or anything.... but Magic Lantern anyone?
They are giving themselves legal room to infect your computer with a virus that could detect copyright infringing material and re-format your hard drive. Not that I think they're doing so, but they now have the legal 'right' and you as an innocent consumer have agreed to allow them to damage your computer. All to prevent copying the cd. And of course they also disclaim warranty of noninfringement. What the heck is that all about? Are they infringing someone's copyright to prevent you from doing the same?
Of course, if you have a sound blaster audigy or extigy with an optical in, and you play the cd in your dvd player (or rarer cd player with optical out) which you hook up to your sound card, you now have a 24 bit digital recording that doesn't use your cd-rom drive in any way shape or form. And that also will sound infinitely better than their compressed version. And which you have every legal right to make, as long as you're technologically sophisticated enough to do so. I really need to get me one of those phatty sound cards anyway, particularly since I have cd players with optical outs, a feature I've never been able to take advantage of before.
The root servers are what makes a sea of unconnected networks into the apparently seamless internet. What you are suggesting would fragment the internet back into separate networks. Typing slashdot.org in europe could go to their 'root' servers and be directed to whoever their root says owns that domain. While typing the same address elsewhere in the world would take you to a different site.
Pretty big change. There have been companies that set up new top level extensions (impatient with ICANN and who can blame them) and sell those addresses, but for visitors to get to those sites the visitors need to have the dns settings in their computer modified. And if ICANN eventually rolls out the new extension (and I think there is one extension that this applies to, can anyone remember? biz maybe?) you could then have two company.biz sites, and which one the browser goes to depends on which root it's querying. Man, what a mess.
A faulty version of software was released. And yes the fault was buried waaay down in a giant case or if/elseif statement. Normally no big deal, right? Just roll back. But they had things set up so that any machine connected to another would poll it for the version of software it had. If what it connected to had a newer version, it would download that and then hand it off to all its fellows. So by the time the bad code triggered and they realized they had a problem it had already spread virus-like across the whole network. Going back to the older version one one machine was futile because as soon as it booted up it would connect to other machines and download the flawed software.
They had to eventually take their old version, give it a new, higher number, and then compile and release that. So that that 'feature' once again became a feature and not a bug. Many lessons to be learned.
Yeah because I don't ever see anyone engaging in reckless endangerment :) Laws don't work unless they're enforced.
No, what we need are robot drivers. Then you can eat, sleep, whatever.
Just because some other morons can't control their 8 ton tractor trailer while getting a blowjob and snorting a few lines doesn't mean that I can't do it.
PBBBBTTT!
It's obviously relative. But if you're trying to drive while changing a cd and you spill your coffee on your crotch which causes you to yell and the greasy Egg McMuffin you're gobbling down splurts out and gets between your shoe and the brake pedal and you rear end me - you have clearly messed up. Nobody is 'capable' of doing this. Some people are better than others, but multi-tasking always involves some switching costs, and even a minimal delay in focusing on changing road conditions can be disastrous.
Which isn't to say you shouldn't use your cell phone. Just realize that if you have an accident while doing so, regardless of who is actually to blame, you will probably end up being blamed.
I'm sure these folks could install one for them. Check it out, a joystick controlled .50 caliber machine gun (or optionally a 40 mm grenade launcher) that is stealthed inside your vehicle and deploys in less than 10 seconds. Slope too steep for even your expedition vehicle? Blast it flat like any true explorer.
Congress had a bill up for debate to declare war. It died without passing. Instead, specifically and with a clear understanding of the difference, Congress passed a resolution authorizing the President to use armed forces against a particular enemy and passed funding bills. It's not the same in the eyes of the Congress, and it's not the same in my eyes. Your point would have been valid if that previous bill hadn't come up. Of interest we also have two bills up basically offering to pay any bounty hunters that want to go kill Osama bin Laden for us.
Here is what passed:
S.J.Res.23
One Hundred Seventh Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, two thousand and one
Joint Resolution
To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United States.
Whereas, on September 11, 2001, acts of treacherous violence were committed against the United States and its citizens; and
Whereas, such acts render it both necessary and appropriate that the United States exercise its rights to self-defense and to protect United States citizens both at home and abroad; and
Whereas, in light of the threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by these grave acts of violence; and
Whereas, such acts continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States; and
Whereas, the President has authority under the Constitution to take action to deter and prevent acts of international terrorism against the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This joint resolution may be cited as the `Authorization for Use of Military Force'.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
(a) IN GENERAL- That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.
(b) War Powers Resolution Requirements-
(1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION- Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution.
(2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS- Nothing in this resolution supercedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.
There are two more bills that seems to be stuck in committee:
H.R. 3074 --Air Piracy Reprisal and Capture Act of 2001 will update federal statutes to recognize acts of piracy beyond the high seas by including the skies; update punishment for piracy to allow death penalty.
H.R. 3076 -- September 11 Marque and Reprisal Act of 2001 will grant President Bush the authority to issue letters of marque and reprisal to capture, alive or dead, Osama bin Laden and the others responsible for the September 11 attacks.
It will give President Bush the option, if he chooses, but does not require the use of this weapon of war.
... in my parent's basement :)
Actually my disks for that game got corrupted in the weirdest way... the power supply kept going out so the machine would crash randomly and I was playing Bard's Tale pretty much all the time. So in the constant crashes something got corrupted and some of the classes stopped getting their special abilities. My hunter's couldn't critical hit. Weird...