I have to say that United Statesians sounds a lot better in French (Etats-uniens) than it does in English. Rolls off the tongue a lot nicer too. But, alors, I've forgotten most of the French I took in junior high school so trying to read the Wikipedia article is pretty much out of the question.
Of course you're an an American, at least technically. But, as a Canadian, would you really want to call yourself one and lead people to think you're from the U.S. of A.?;-)
People of European descent who live or lived in what's now called the United States of America have been calling themselves Americans since long before there was a United States thereof and were widely known as such in Europe. They saw no reason to change that after they defeated what was then the most powerful military state in the world largely because:
1. They were used to referring to themselves as Americans.
2. "United Statesians" didn't exactly roll off the tongue.
Any other conjecture, theory or wild-assed guess relating to residents of the United States "appropriating" the term American is utter nonsense.
I've heard of people who are left unable to speak (due to a stroke or other brain trauma) still being able to curse and swear like sailors.
When my grandfather was dying of Parkinson's Disease he gradually lost all his speech facilities. At the very end, the only words he was able to speak were obscenities. Full disclosure: he was a sailor, on one of the last American flagged square riggers operating commercially on the west coast.
I don't have a lot of delays, but my graphics card clocks up to full speed when scrolling Slashdot in Firefox, and that's saying something
Yeah--Slashdot is the only text-based Web site that makes the fans on my laptop run fast enough to be audible. Usually the only online activity that does that is watching long videos on YouTube.
That's absolutely true. But it was possible for the people of Bletchley Park to be recognized for their achievements without giving up the technical details of what they did--especially when you consider that, by the 1970s, it was already common knowledge everywhere else in the world but Great Britain.
I frequently get pissed off by the shenanigans of my own government (U.S.) but when it comes to unnecessary secrecy and invasion of privacy, the British government has about the worst record in the (nominally) free world.
I agree with your post completely but I don't think Madoff stashed most of that $65 billion in a Swiss bank account or anything else that might leave a paper trail. Since he was running a pyramid scheme, most of it probably when to pay off other investors.
Of course, he undoubtedly skimmed off a tidy sum for use by he and his spouse.
No appeals--he pled guilty. And since he was brought up on federal charges, he's got to serve a minimum of 85% of the sentence. That means he'll be eligible for parol in 2136.
It's not like I made it up, you know. It's been pretty well documented and Bill Gates has even signed documents attesting to the fact. Microsoft also paid Apple for copyright infringement in 1998. Here's one good article on it that you might be interested in checking out.
Not to mention stealing the source code for the original Mac operating system, which was supplied to them as a Mac developer by Apple, and then using it in Windows 1.0.
If that's not enough, how about Microsoft stealing QuickTime and using it in Windows Media? I have no illusions about how cutthroat the business world is but theft is theft no matter how you cut it and Microsoft has made billions of dollars by stealing the work of others.
Actually, it appears that you're both right to a certain extent. From the Oxford American Dictionary:
daemon (also daimon)
noun
1 (in ancient Greek belief) a divinity or supernatural being of a nature between gods and humans.
an inner or attendant spirit or inspiring force.
2 archaic spelling of demon.
That's true, the non-aggression pact. However, would Stalin have necessarily kept to it?
Especially with the stark ideological divide between fascism and communism, probably not.
Tough to know for sure. The ideological differences where indeed stark but Stalin still held a certain admiration for Hitler's political abilities. He was said to have spoken admirably of Hitler's ruthlessness during the purge known as the Night of the Long Knives.
BTW, I was at the San Diego Air & Space Museum this past weekend and saw the full-scale replica. They were still in the process of setting up the exhibit but the they've got it hanging from the ceiling; it looks like a smaller, slightly rounder version of the F-117.
But lately it seems like Pixar is making movies to impress themselves while forgetting who their audience is.
It appears to me that you are assuming Pixar's audience is exclusively children. I don't think that's ever been the case. Just because a film has been created using animation techniques it does not necessarily mean it's a a kid's movie--not everyone who enjoys animated features is a kid (or has one).
Pixar makes sophisticated computer-animated movies that appeal to a wide audience and, for the most part, they can be appreciated on several levels. This was the case with the original Toy Story and it continues to be the right through UP.
Slashdot Mirror
I have to say that United Statesians sounds a lot better in French (Etats-uniens) than it does in English. Rolls off the tongue a lot nicer too. But, alors, I've forgotten most of the French I took in junior high school so trying to read the Wikipedia article is pretty much out of the question.
Of course you're an an American, at least technically. But, as a Canadian, would you really want to call yourself one and lead people to think you're from the U.S. of A.? ;-)
I didn't think so.
Actually, I was talking about defeating England during the American Revolution.
People of European descent who live or lived in what's now called the United States of America have been calling themselves Americans since long before there was a United States thereof and were widely known as such in Europe. They saw no reason to change that after they defeated what was then the most powerful military state in the world largely because:
1. They were used to referring to themselves as Americans.
2. "United Statesians" didn't exactly roll off the tongue.
Any other conjecture, theory or wild-assed guess relating to residents of the United States "appropriating" the term American is utter nonsense.
When my grandfather was dying of Parkinson's Disease he gradually lost all his speech facilities. At the very end, the only words he was able to speak were obscenities. Full disclosure: he was a sailor, on one of the last American flagged square riggers operating commercially on the west coast.
Yeah--Slashdot is the only text-based Web site that makes the fans on my laptop run fast enough to be audible. Usually the only online activity that does that is watching long videos on YouTube.
That's absolutely true. But it was possible for the people of Bletchley Park to be recognized for their achievements without giving up the technical details of what they did--especially when you consider that, by the 1970s, it was already common knowledge everywhere else in the world but Great Britain.
I frequently get pissed off by the shenanigans of my own government (U.S.) but when it comes to unnecessary secrecy and invasion of privacy, the British government has about the worst record in the (nominally) free world.
I was thinking Louisville Slugger myself.
I agree with your post completely but I don't think Madoff stashed most of that $65 billion in a Swiss bank account or anything else that might leave a paper trail. Since he was running a pyramid scheme, most of it probably when to pay off other investors.
Of course, he undoubtedly skimmed off a tidy sum for use by he and his spouse.
No appeals--he pled guilty. And since he was brought up on federal charges, he's got to serve a minimum of 85% of the sentence. That means he'll be eligible for parol in 2136.
Hey, he's lucky he didn't get life...
It's not like I made it up, you know. It's been pretty well documented and Bill Gates has even signed documents attesting to the fact. Microsoft also paid Apple for copyright infringement in 1998. Here's one good article on it that you might be interested in checking out.
They are pronounced the same, too.
Not to mention stealing the source code for the original Mac operating system, which was supplied to them as a Mac developer by Apple, and then using it in Windows 1.0.
If that's not enough, how about Microsoft stealing QuickTime and using it in Windows Media? I have no illusions about how cutthroat the business world is but theft is theft no matter how you cut it and Microsoft has made billions of dollars by stealing the work of others.
Actually, it appears that you're both right to a certain extent. From the Oxford American Dictionary:
daemon (also daimon)
noun
1 (in ancient Greek belief) a divinity or supernatural being of a nature between gods and humans.
an inner or attendant spirit or inspiring force.
2 archaic spelling of demon.
Someone, I can't remember who, said that "life was water's way of moving itself around."
That's true, the non-aggression pact. However, would Stalin have necessarily kept to it? Especially with the stark ideological divide between fascism and communism, probably not.
Tough to know for sure. The ideological differences where indeed stark but Stalin still held a certain admiration for Hitler's political abilities. He was said to have spoken admirably of Hitler's ruthlessness during the purge known as the Night of the Long Knives.
What DIDN'T Hitler Do?
Only the stuff that the Chinese did first.
BTW, I was at the San Diego Air & Space Museum this past weekend and saw the full-scale replica. They were still in the process of setting up the exhibit but the they've got it hanging from the ceiling; it looks like a smaller, slightly rounder version of the F-117.
Internet: You'll be stone dead in a minute.
I know you were making a joke but it's not far off the truth. I've had Java turned off for months now and never even noticed a difference.
No problem on my first-generation MacBook using Software Update.
Huge file, though--158MB.
It appears to me that you are assuming Pixar's audience is exclusively children. I don't think that's ever been the case. Just because a film has been created using animation techniques it does not necessarily mean it's a a kid's movie--not everyone who enjoys animated features is a kid (or has one).
Pixar makes sophisticated computer-animated movies that appeal to a wide audience and, for the most part, they can be appreciated on several levels. This was the case with the original Toy Story and it continues to be the right through UP.
Mighty brave of you to post that anonymously. Asshole.
Why do people try to put Linux on an iPod or some other obscure bit of hardware?
Because it's a challenge and it's fun.
Will someone with mod points please mod this up "+1: Funny"?