Instead we have a "Star Trek" universe that JJ has TOTALLY F*&*ed up where people can use the transporter to get anywhere in the galaxy, super-magically powerful "Red Matter", lame plots and passable acting etc. etc.
You don't NEED star ships anymore because of the awesome transporter.
I think many of your (valid) complaints stem from weak and/or immature writers relying on "magical" things and/or super tech to achieve the desired story line. I dislike "magic" in most stories as it seems to be used mostly as a crutch for weak writing, or a writer unwilling to deal with unpleasant consequences in a story.
My understanding is that the transporter was originally used to workaround using a shuttle craft for all extra-vehicular excursions (for screen-time efficiencies) and later became a useful story device. But, you're right that this new trans-warp beaming-device is simply "plot magic". Kahn could have beamed to a near-by ship and flown to Klingon space. (Furthermore, why didn't an Enterprise retrieval party simply re-use the trans-warp transporter to beam themselves as did Kahn... saving themselves the trouble of the trip.
The two J.J. Abrams ST films seem full of unnecessary / stupid things - like parking the Enterprise underwater to avoid being seen by natives when parking it in *orbit* would have accomplished the same thing. Granted, watching the ship rise from the ocean was a ST boner moment, but still technologically unnecessary. (JJ's signature move seems to be having the Enterprise rise up through clouds, water, etc...)
I was behind a guy that tried to bring not one, but *two* bottles of shampoo.... The shampoo didn't have any special labels to indicate it was prescription...
Schneier took from his bag a 12-ounce container labeled "saline solution."
"It's allowed," he said. Medical supplies, such as saline solution for contact-lens cleaning, don't fall under the TSA's three-ounce rule.
"What's allowed?" I asked. "Saline solution, or bottles labeled saline solution?"
"Bottles labeled saline solution. They won't check what's in it, trust me."
They did not check. As we gathered our belongings, Schneier held up the bottle and said to the nearest security officer, "This is okay, right?" "Yep," the officer said. "Just have to put it in the tray."
(Later, Schneier would carry two bottles labeled saline solution—24 ounces in total—through security. An officer asked him why he needed two bottles. "Two eyes," he said. He was allowed to keep the bottles.)
Stasis would only be necessary for the purposes of reducing energy consumption and preventing boredom, which would both be issues in a machine intelligence.
When can we get that? I'm bored now - speaking as an intelligent (biological) machine (my predilection for posting on/. not withstanding...)
The VISA Pay Wave doesn't have user challenge/response, it's simply a wireless magstripe.
Do you have a citation for that?
Sure, every TV commercial showing someone using Pay Wave - tap, (beep/flash), done. In addition, it's advertised as being faster than just swiping. Having to type in a PIN isn't faster. The US is supposed to move to Chip and PIN next year for CC - I think debit cards usually need a PIN already (not sure, I would *never* use a debit card). Often no signature/PIN is required for common purchases (like food) if under $50 - both CC and debit.
Yes, wireless connections to the card are a risk... but that risk is minuscule in comparison to the risks associated with using the magstripe (vulnerable to skimming) instead of the chip (uses challenge and response). These days, if someone requires me to use magstripe, I look at the terminal extremely carefully before swiping.
The VISA Pay Wave doesn't have user challenge/response, it's simply a wireless magstripe. It's just a gimmick and really no faster than swiping the card. Skimming at a POS terminal - other than at a gas station or older ATM - is pretty rare (and/or ballsy) and I've personally never heard/read about it anywhere. I live in the US, so your mileage may vary elsewhere...
Passports are easy. Just microwave the thing. Fries the chip but looks normal. "I don't know why it doesn't work,officer."
Got my passport in 2006, don't think it has RFID. My VISA card does - or did until I centered a hole punch over the chip and whacked it with a hammer. That was strangely satisfying:-)
To hear Sony explain to its shareholders how spending tens of millions of dollars to produce and millions more to promote a movie that they now have no plans to release is a good thing.
I'm sure Sony has insurance for this sort of thing and will actually make more money from that than by releasing the movie.
So you won't mind the cable company injecting javascript to bombard you with adds _and what not_?
Cox already does this with their "browser alerts" by injecting HTML. Shows up with either HTTP or HTTPS - I had to block the source hosts at my router. Regardless of their intentions, this is, of course, unfriendly - to say the least.
Currently only about 33% of websites use HTTPS, according to statistics gathered by the Trustworthy Internet Movement which monitors the way sites use more secure browsing technologies. In addition, since September Google has prioritised HTTPS sites in its search rankings.
Um... Secure != Trustworthy and, seriously, most web connections DO NOT NEED to be HTTPS.
Furthermore, I cannot filter HTTPS via my proxy filter (Proxomitron) to strip out annoying things, like the fucking Google sidebar and other forced "user experience" settings - which is why I use nosslsearch.google.com...
So, protesting a fictional, comedic film about assassinating their leader, the "Guardians of Peace" hack the studio that produced the film and then threaten violence against theaters showing and people who might watch the film. Wow. (I guess that's in line with people who follow a certain "Religion of Peace" threatening violence against those who draw, even respectful, images of their prophet because it's against said religion.)
... get their movies online for a reasonable price...
Because whoever has the most nickels and dimes at the end "wins". That's objectively stupid, of course, but that's the core of corporate, MPAA, RIAA, and Wall Street thinking.
The Maryland State Police arrested the Army for filming them - no film at 11.
(I'd list some reference articles (including ones on/.) about how Maryland Police keeps arresting people for filming them, even though it's not unlawful, but, you know - Google)
Debit cards are basically "checks" that clear immediately, (with some, supposed, safeguards), and so are good for people who have trouble managing their money and/or living within their means as the funds are withdrawn directly from their bank account. The downside is that the funds are withdrawn immediately directly from your bank account. If the funds are spent fraudulently, then you have to ask (beg) the bank for your money back and deal with any hassles about short funds, should your account be that close to the edge.
All these problems can be avoided by using a no-fee credit card and paying it off in full each month. (a) you get a one-month float on your funds, (b) your bank account is not directly attached to the card, (c) fraudulent purchases cab be disputed w/o have to first pay for them (assuming you don't use auto-pay) and (d) it helps your credit rating.
In short, if you have a no-fee CC and are responsible, there's no rational reason to ever have/use a Debit card. Especially as CC / Debit cards are both accepted in all the same places - CC might actually be accepted in more places.
Wow, what's with all the hatred? I don't see anything offensive in the above, just an incomplete perception. Maybe simply explaining the matter would've been enough.
Perhaps the AC can simply try being circumcised and if he doesn't like it - oh wait...
It can be disastrous! The ACH delay screwed me on more occasions than I can count, and banks use it to maximize the fees they can hit you with.
Can you not think of an instance where a two day delay would be too long? Because it has cost me hundreds in ridiculous fees over the years.
Sorry about your misfortune with bank fees. I'm 51 and I've never had an issue as I always keep more than enough funds in my account. I may help that I have never used a Debit card (they're evil) and rarely write checks, paying for most things with a CC and paying that off in full every month. Most household bills are manually paid electronically each month - no auto pay.
Zoning laws prevent you from doing what you want with your property... They are evil...
Yes, because every individual's property is an island unto itself and totally disconnected from the properties and community around it. People should be able to do anything they want on/with their own property because, you know, fuck everyone else./sarcasm
Slashdot Mirror
Instead we have a "Star Trek" universe that JJ has TOTALLY F*&*ed up where people can use the transporter to get anywhere in the galaxy, super-magically powerful "Red Matter", lame plots and passable acting etc. etc.
You don't NEED star ships anymore because of the awesome transporter.
I think many of your (valid) complaints stem from weak and/or immature writers relying on "magical" things and/or super tech to achieve the desired story line. I dislike "magic" in most stories as it seems to be used mostly as a crutch for weak writing, or a writer unwilling to deal with unpleasant consequences in a story.
My understanding is that the transporter was originally used to workaround using a shuttle craft for all extra-vehicular excursions (for screen-time efficiencies) and later became a useful story device. But, you're right that this new trans-warp beaming-device is simply "plot magic". Kahn could have beamed to a near-by ship and flown to Klingon space. (Furthermore, why didn't an Enterprise retrieval party simply re-use the trans-warp transporter to beam themselves as did Kahn... saving themselves the trouble of the trip.
The two J.J. Abrams ST films seem full of unnecessary / stupid things - like parking the Enterprise underwater to avoid being seen by natives when parking it in *orbit* would have accomplished the same thing. Granted, watching the ship rise from the ocean was a ST boner moment, but still technologically unnecessary. (JJ's signature move seems to be having the Enterprise rise up through clouds, water, etc...)
I was behind a guy that tried to bring not one, but *two* bottles of shampoo. ... The shampoo didn't have any special labels to indicate it was prescription ...
From Schneier on Security:
Schneier took from his bag a 12-ounce container labeled "saline solution."
"It's allowed," he said. Medical supplies, such as saline solution for contact-lens cleaning, don't fall under the TSA's three-ounce rule.
"What's allowed?" I asked. "Saline solution, or bottles labeled saline solution?"
"Bottles labeled saline solution. They won't check what's in it, trust me."
They did not check. As we gathered our belongings, Schneier held up the bottle and said to the nearest security officer, "This is okay, right?" "Yep," the officer said. "Just have to put it in the tray."
(Later, Schneier would carry two bottles labeled saline solution—24 ounces in total—through security. An officer asked him why he needed two bottles. "Two eyes," he said. He was allowed to keep the bottles.)
The chainsaw is for dealing with a seat in front of you that's reclined a bit too far...
Yup Connections and The Day the Universe Changed were two of my favorite shows.
[ Don't really understand why I got modded Flamebait for my original post... ]
What does it mean when you dream of being chased by an elephant?
That you're Hillary Clinton running for President in 2016.
ok, that was clever. /applaud
Thanks. I have my moments. Not many, mind you, but some, like this Re:Horrible idea. in a thread about "Better Living Through Nukes?" from 2009.
Congratulations, someone watched the How We Got to Now episode, Cold.
"How do I hide a dead body?"
Prop it up at a desk in Congress; no one will ever notice...
What does it mean when you dream of being chased by an elephant?
That you're Hillary Clinton running for President in 2016.
Stasis would only be necessary for the purposes of reducing energy consumption and preventing boredom, which would both be issues in a machine intelligence.
When can we get that? I'm bored now - speaking as an intelligent (biological) machine (my predilection for posting on /. not withstanding...)
The VISA Pay Wave doesn't have user challenge/response, it's simply a wireless magstripe.
Do you have a citation for that?
Sure, every TV commercial showing someone using Pay Wave - tap, (beep/flash), done. In addition, it's advertised as being faster than just swiping. Having to type in a PIN isn't faster. The US is supposed to move to Chip and PIN next year for CC - I think debit cards usually need a PIN already (not sure, I would *never* use a debit card). Often no signature/PIN is required for common purchases (like food) if under $50 - both CC and debit.
Yes, wireless connections to the card are a risk ... but that risk is minuscule in comparison to the risks associated with using the magstripe (vulnerable to skimming) instead of the chip (uses challenge and response). These days, if someone requires me to use magstripe, I look at the terminal extremely carefully before swiping.
The VISA Pay Wave doesn't have user challenge/response, it's simply a wireless magstripe. It's just a gimmick and really no faster than swiping the card. Skimming at a POS terminal - other than at a gas station or older ATM - is pretty rare (and/or ballsy) and I've personally never heard/read about it anywhere. I live in the US, so your mileage may vary elsewhere...
Lies, damned lies and statistics.
I lived long enough to see cyber limbs. Now to make them specialized for specific tasks, and have quick release mechanisms.
Two words: cyber penis
Passports are easy. Just microwave the thing. Fries the chip but looks normal. "I don't know why it doesn't work,officer."
Got my passport in 2006, don't think it has RFID. My VISA card does - or did until I centered a hole punch over the chip and whacked it with a hammer. That was strangely satisfying :-)
To hear Sony explain to its shareholders how spending tens of millions of dollars to produce and millions more to promote a movie that they now have no plans to release is a good thing.
I'm sure Sony has insurance for this sort of thing and will actually make more money from that than by releasing the movie.
So you won't mind the cable company injecting javascript to bombard you with adds _and what not_?
Cox already does this with their "browser alerts" by injecting HTML. Shows up with either HTTP or HTTPS - I had to block the source hosts at my router. Regardless of their intentions, this is, of course, unfriendly - to say the least.
Currently only about 33% of websites use HTTPS, according to statistics gathered by the Trustworthy Internet Movement which monitors the way sites use more secure browsing technologies. In addition, since September Google has prioritised HTTPS sites in its search rankings.
Um... Secure != Trustworthy and, seriously, most web connections DO NOT NEED to be HTTPS.
Furthermore, I cannot filter HTTPS via my proxy filter (Proxomitron) to strip out annoying things, like the fucking Google sidebar and other forced "user experience" settings - which is why I use nosslsearch.google.com ...
So, protesting a fictional, comedic film about assassinating their leader, the "Guardians of Peace" hack the studio that produced the film and then threaten violence against theaters showing and people who might watch the film. Wow. (I guess that's in line with people who follow a certain "Religion of Peace" threatening violence against those who draw, even respectful, images of their prophet because it's against said religion.)
Narrow minded people thinking mindlessly...
Ya, but you'd already be 50km above the surface. How would that affect the launch budget?
... get their movies online for a reasonable price ...
Because whoever has the most nickels and dimes at the end "wins". That's objectively stupid, of course, but that's the core of corporate, MPAA, RIAA, and Wall Street thinking.
The Maryland State Police arrested the Army for filming them - no film at 11.
(I'd list some reference articles (including ones on /.) about how Maryland Police keeps arresting people for filming them, even though it's not unlawful, but, you know - Google)
I always thought CC's were evil.
Debit cards are basically "checks" that clear immediately, (with some, supposed, safeguards), and so are good for people who have trouble managing their money and/or living within their means as the funds are withdrawn directly from their bank account. The downside is that the funds are withdrawn immediately directly from your bank account. If the funds are spent fraudulently, then you have to ask (beg) the bank for your money back and deal with any hassles about short funds, should your account be that close to the edge.
All these problems can be avoided by using a no-fee credit card and paying it off in full each month. (a) you get a one-month float on your funds, (b) your bank account is not directly attached to the card, (c) fraudulent purchases cab be disputed w/o have to first pay for them (assuming you don't use auto-pay) and (d) it helps your credit rating.
In short, if you have a no-fee CC and are responsible, there's no rational reason to ever have/use a Debit card. Especially as CC / Debit cards are both accepted in all the same places - CC might actually be accepted in more places.
Wow, what's with all the hatred? I don't see anything offensive in the above, just an incomplete perception. Maybe simply explaining the matter would've been enough.
Perhaps the AC can simply try being circumcised and if he doesn't like it - oh wait ...
It can be disastrous! The ACH delay screwed me on more occasions than I can count, and banks use it to maximize the fees they can hit you with.
Can you not think of an instance where a two day delay would be too long? Because it has cost me hundreds in ridiculous fees over the years.
Sorry about your misfortune with bank fees. I'm 51 and I've never had an issue as I always keep more than enough funds in my account. I may help that I have never used a Debit card (they're evil) and rarely write checks, paying for most things with a CC and paying that off in full every month. Most household bills are manually paid electronically each month - no auto pay.
Zoning laws prevent you from doing what you want with your property... They are evil ...
Yes, because every individual's property is an island unto itself and totally disconnected from the properties and community around it. People should be able to do anything they want on/with their own property because, you know, fuck everyone else. /sarcasm