1) They're fun to read. 2) They're reliable. I don't want to worry about batteries, cellphone signals and fragile gadgetry wile I'd driving the back roads of northern Nevada. 3) They help me connect with the local landscape. I actually have to *think about where I am*.
Since the presence of geysers doesn't increase the likelihood of life, which would require a much more complex set of conditions and events to occur. You might as well write "Iron detected on Enceladus, increasing the likelihood of Cadillac Dealerships."
When I was in High School, I set up a full lab, with the full array of chemicals like Sulfuric Acid, Hydrazine, Ethyl Acetoacetate etc etc. I learned a tremendous amount and made some interesting chemicals, but in hindsight I have serious reservations:
1) Most people will have a very hard time coping with hazardous waste in a proper fashion, and the temptation to cut corners will be irresistible. 2) If you look at the current state of chemical research, you'll see that the home hobbyist *HAS NO CHANCE* of keeping pace with a modern research lab. Palladium catalysts? Glove Boxes? Preparative Chromatography? NMR? Organometallic chemistry? Suzuki couplings? If you want to advance the state of the art and make meaningful contributions you need heavy tools nowadays. Yes, you might find something interesting, but most all of the easy chemicals have been made. 3) The risk of fire, explosion and toxic contamination is very real. Someone trying to distill a liter of THF in their garage is asking for trouble, and if my neighbor was doing this I would be very concerned. If someone wants to spend $600,000 and lease space in an industrial park, more power to 'em, but it doesn't sound like a hobby at that point. I eventually packed everything up and took it to a 'hazardous material collection day' run by the local fire department. They were quite surprised, and it all went off to a HazMat landfill.
Until you accidentally break a kilogram bottle of TiCl4 while unloading it from your friend's truck, creating a giant cloud of opaque white fumes, you'll never really learn... how to explain things diplomatically to your Dad. Now *that* was a chemistry set! Sigh.
You sail out by yourself in a small vessel near the Farralones and don't return, there's not much mystery. There's many a boat out sitting on the ocean floor out there that was piloted by an experienced sailor. Some nasty, shark infested waters out there.
Batch processing images via the commandline isn't really a mainstream activity. ImageMagick is (ASAIK) widely used by the people and applications that need such a tool. I use it professionally and personally when I need such a tool. You might as well say that weblog analysis tools are sliding towards obscurity because they aren't featured on the cover of LinuxNewbie Magazine.
1) Books aren't that expensive. 2) There are libraries with lots of great books, essentially for free. 3) I can drop a book on the sidewalk and know I'll still be able to read it after I pick it up. 4) Books don't need batteries, power supplies or cables. 5) I don't have to angle a book just right to see the words. 6) I don't want some company deciding I can only read the book 3 times before I have to pay for it again
I'll be surprised if they ever create a robot cat that can barf on the rug as realistically as my dear old Andy! And stealing food off the table? It'll never happen!
Slashdot Mirror
Personally, I like maps:
1) They're fun to read.
2) They're reliable. I don't want to worry about batteries, cellphone signals and fragile gadgetry wile I'd driving the back roads of northern Nevada.
3) They help me connect with the local landscape. I actually have to *think about where I am*.
Since the presence of geysers doesn't increase the likelihood of life, which would require a much more complex set of conditions and events to occur.
You might as well write "Iron detected on Enceladus, increasing the likelihood of Cadillac Dealerships."
But the movie didn't require a plot, since it was just a series of special effects and action scenes.
When I was in High School, I set up a full lab, with the full array of chemicals like Sulfuric Acid, Hydrazine, Ethyl Acetoacetate etc etc. I learned a tremendous amount and made some interesting chemicals, but in hindsight I have serious reservations:
1) Most people will have a very hard time coping with hazardous waste in a proper fashion, and the temptation to cut corners will be irresistible.
2) If you look at the current state of chemical research, you'll see that the home hobbyist *HAS NO CHANCE* of keeping pace with a modern research lab. Palladium catalysts? Glove Boxes? Preparative Chromatography? NMR? Organometallic chemistry? Suzuki couplings? If you want to advance the state of the art and make meaningful contributions you need heavy tools nowadays. Yes, you might find something interesting, but most all of the easy chemicals have been made.
3) The risk of fire, explosion and toxic contamination is very real. Someone trying to distill a liter of THF in their garage is asking for trouble, and if my neighbor was doing this I would be very concerned.
If someone wants to spend $600,000 and lease space in an industrial park, more power to 'em, but it doesn't sound like a hobby at that point.
I eventually packed everything up and took it to a 'hazardous material collection day' run by the local fire department. They were quite surprised, and it all went off to a HazMat landfill.
Is there a big variety I'm unaware of?
...but they might be the wrong kind.
Now I have to wear lead pajamas.
This whole thread is becoming a strangely cruel science experiment. Ow.
Sorry, I should have highlighted the sarcasm in red 36 point bold underlined letters. I actually play drums in jazz bands.
Man, that's cruel. Fetch the soft cushion while you're at it.
'Tiny Dancer' would have been a more logical choice.
Until you accidentally break a kilogram bottle of TiCl4 while unloading it from your friend's truck, creating a giant cloud of opaque white fumes, you'll never really learn... how to explain things diplomatically to your Dad.
Now *that* was a chemistry set! Sigh.
Thai Food and Beer.
...it's called a map.
You sail out by yourself in a small vessel near the Farralones and don't return, there's not much mystery. There's many a boat out sitting on the ocean floor out there that was piloted by an experienced sailor. Some nasty, shark infested waters out there.
...it had to be said.
Batch processing images via the commandline isn't really a mainstream activity. ImageMagick is (ASAIK) widely used by the people and applications that need such a tool. I use it professionally and personally when I need such a tool.
You might as well say that weblog analysis tools are sliding towards obscurity because they aren't featured on the cover of LinuxNewbie Magazine.
1) Books aren't that expensive.
2) There are libraries with lots of great books, essentially for free.
3) I can drop a book on the sidewalk and know I'll still be able to read it after I pick it up.
4) Books don't need batteries, power supplies or cables.
5) I don't have to angle a book just right to see the words.
6) I don't want some company deciding I can only read the book 3 times before I have to pay for it again
Advertisements for quack remedies for fallen arches.
1) Take customer's money.
2) Fold it in half.
3) Stick it in Bill Gate's wallet.
4) Origami!
I'll be surprised if they ever create a robot cat that can barf on the rug as realistically as my dear old Andy!
And stealing food off the table? It'll never happen!
Testing Drugs on India's Rich:
1) There are a lot fewer of them.
2) They'd sue our asses off.
I welcome our new robotic carpet-sweeping overlords!
The Mob saw your posting and put a hit on their server!
It seemed to work OK for me. Exactly what problems are you seeing?