Umm, you guys may not have noticed, but I was just in one of the "Big Box" electronic stores yesterday and saw 32" direct view HD sets for just over $700. I expect the very popular 27" size is $100 or so less. And these were the "top" brands like Sorny and Panaphonics. Now, though there is currently precious little content (and it costs extra) to justify purchasing one of these, these prices are getting low enough for people to buy them anyway. When a meteorite hits your trusty old Magnetbox and you head down to the mall to replace it, are you going to spend an extra $200 for the comparable HD model? If you're employed and/or under your credit limit, I think so. I bet that within 2, maybe 3 years, we'll even see HD models becoming the majority of product offerings. Me? I'm holding out for the Carnivalle, since "I really like to watch my TV."
Within a year from now, Microsoft will be giving a superior search experience, subsidized by their billion$, with few advertisements, and no screwy paid placement. It will be just like the golden age of Google was, before they started to cash in. Microsoft will suck them dry over several years and once they have 85% market share, we'll see ads and placement and perversions of search like we've never dreamed of.
I say it's the former. Ebay is trying to buy into (and eventually out) one of its biggest potential competitors. Some days I think this kinda thing should be illegal...
Well, in response to your first concern, while it is certainly a shame that international teams can't contribute to solving this problem from their unique perspectives, it's probably not in the U.S.' security interest to encourage such projects abroad. Today's good friend can always become tomorrow's bitter enemy - this is not paranoia, it's history. If nothing else, it's simply good (internal) politics to try to keep the potential economic and scientific benefits within the U.S. For the record, I truly believe in diversity. Not just because it's fair or in vogue, but because I believe the best ideas come from the broadest set of perspectives. I think this has been key to the U.S.' technological success in the past, feeding off our "melting pot". It seems that the E.U. can rival this, and to compete with Asia, serious EU-US cooperation may be required to maintain any semblance of our present standards of living. Sorry, I digress...
As for your second concern(s), the basic argument for defense applies to the "help the military" question. As long as humans are human, there will be those who seek to take advantage of others, consciously or not, and we as individuals or groups can ignore that only at our own peril. History almost certainly reveals only a tiny fraction of those people(s) who were overrun and exterminated or assimilated by those who were aggressive and capable. Some in that 95% mentioned above may go on to use their good ideas to develop something which could threaten the U.S. and others, as a U.S. citizen I would expect us to research and develop any potentially unique military capability, so that we could at least understand and counter it.
Your fear of the Terminator/Matrix scenario is, IMHO, really premature at this point. Even if they succeed in the DARPA challenge, it will be a long time until we have roving, fully-autonomous-fire vehicles that have the capability to operate and maintain themselves, let alone their supporting infrastructure. The military has enough problems with friendly-fire as it is, some already due to poor machine decisions. I don't think they are so hot on turning ANYTHING (man or machine) loose with a weapon. I would guess the military's real direction with this stuff is to use autonomous machines to reduce communication link requirements and tedium for remote operation by humans - i.e. one man could be controlling vehicle A, targeting and firing weapons, while also being responsible for vehicles B and C, autonomously enroute to different recon sites, and vehicle C is currently out of contact due to terrain, weather, enemy jamming, equipment failure, etc, but returning or maneuvering to get back in touch.
Your sweeping generalization of atheists aside, I, though a non-believer, have run into many difficult individuals. Atheists can no more disprove God's existence than believers can prove it. While I have a certain admiration of those with strong convictions, the righteousness of BOTH sides annoys me.
...The U.S. is preparing to fine Volkswagen $231 million USD for shipping their cars with a stereo. All vehicles sold by them must be delivered without any radio, but with an extensive, powerful speaker and power amp system by 2006. Said system must have sophisticated control protocols and electrical interfaces and specifications for them must be available to car stereo manufacturers in 2005.
Is this just more of that BattleBot-style radio-controlled crap? There should be a law against calling anything under human (or even animal!) control being called a robot.
I just wanted to be the first to explicitly invoke him. Seriously though, they really need to come up with a new, more marketable name for nuclear technologies, i.e. -- "The Other Green Power".
C-Band was always a niche anyway, not fit for the high population density areas where "REAL" money is made. I was similarly disappointed when RCA pulled similar tricks with DSS (DirecTV), but at least later was able to buy them from (gray?)wholesalers. Speaking of Microsoft, their foray into the PVR market flopped -- remember UltimateTV? I mainly support Tivo on this one for selfish reasons though -- I believe they have a superior product (their software), and I want to see it succeed and proliferate, rather than die and leave us stuck with nothing but cheap PVRs flashing "12:00".
From what I recall of a July visit to the "Okoboji, Spirit Lake, Arnolds Park, Iowa" area, the number one thing any computer lab needs is: INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH AIR-CONDITIONING. And maybe a few bug-zappers too. 100% humidity, 100% bugs, 0% comfort.
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And Sears was doing this back when Walmart was a gleam in Sam's eye.
LMAO, you must be one of the same fools who also thinks things will be different under John Kerry!
Umm, you guys may not have noticed, but I was just in one of the "Big Box" electronic stores yesterday and saw 32" direct view HD sets for just over $700. I expect the very popular 27" size is $100 or so less. And these were the "top" brands like Sorny and Panaphonics. Now, though there is currently precious little content (and it costs extra) to justify purchasing one of these, these prices are getting low enough for people to buy them anyway. When a meteorite hits your trusty old Magnetbox and you head down to the mall to replace it, are you going to spend an extra $200 for the comparable HD model? If you're employed and/or under your credit limit, I think so. I bet that within 2, maybe 3 years, we'll even see HD models becoming the majority of product offerings.
Me? I'm holding out for the Carnivalle, since "I really like to watch my TV."
We had that??? Must have been before my time...
American farmers? Not likely. If this kind of thing ever becomes reality, somebody else with fewer regulations will certainly grow the crops cheaper.
Within a year from now, Microsoft will be giving a superior search experience, subsidized by their billion$, with few advertisements, and no screwy paid placement. It will be just like the golden age of Google was, before they started to cash in. Microsoft will suck them dry over several years and once they have 85% market share, we'll see ads and placement and perversions of search like we've never dreamed of.
I say it's the former. Ebay is trying to buy into (and eventually out) one of its biggest potential competitors. Some days I think this kinda thing should be illegal...
Well, in response to your first concern, while it is certainly a shame that international teams can't contribute to solving this problem from their unique perspectives, it's probably not in the U.S.' security interest to encourage such projects abroad. Today's good friend can always become tomorrow's bitter enemy - this is not paranoia, it's history. If nothing else, it's simply good (internal) politics to try to keep the potential economic and scientific benefits within the U.S. For the record, I truly believe in diversity. Not just because it's fair or in vogue, but because I believe the best ideas come from the broadest set of perspectives. I think this has been key to the U.S.' technological success in the past, feeding off our "melting pot". It seems that the E.U. can rival this, and to compete with Asia, serious EU-US cooperation may be required to maintain any semblance of our present standards of living. Sorry, I digress...
As for your second concern(s), the basic argument for defense applies to the "help the military" question. As long as humans are human, there will be those who seek to take advantage of others, consciously or not, and we as individuals or groups can ignore that only at our own peril. History almost certainly reveals only a tiny fraction of those people(s) who were overrun and exterminated or assimilated by those who were aggressive and capable. Some in that 95% mentioned above may go on to use their good ideas to develop something which could threaten the U.S. and others, as a U.S. citizen I would expect us to research and develop any potentially unique military capability, so that we could at least understand and counter it.
Your fear of the Terminator/Matrix scenario is, IMHO, really premature at this point. Even if they succeed in the DARPA challenge, it will be a long time until we have roving, fully-autonomous-fire vehicles that have the capability to operate and maintain themselves, let alone their supporting infrastructure. The military has enough problems with friendly-fire as it is, some already due to poor machine decisions. I don't think they are so hot on turning ANYTHING (man or machine) loose with a weapon. I would guess the military's real direction with this stuff is to use autonomous machines to reduce communication link requirements and tedium for remote operation by humans - i.e. one man could be controlling vehicle A, targeting and firing weapons, while also being responsible for vehicles B and C, autonomously enroute to different recon sites, and vehicle C is currently out of contact due to terrain, weather, enemy jamming, equipment failure, etc, but returning or maneuvering to get back in touch.
Ok, yes, and Luke Perry was the Fifth Element...
Your sweeping generalization of atheists aside, I, though a non-believer, have run into many difficult individuals. Atheists can no more disprove God's existence than believers can prove it. While I have a certain admiration of those with strong convictions, the righteousness of BOTH sides annoys me.
And the number of non-Americans who lump all 50 states and some-odd-thousand counties into one homogenous "America" also seems to be much too large.
That's OBLIGATORY comment you clod!
...Welcome our new Giant Burnt Umber Overlord!
...The U.S. is preparing to fine Volkswagen $231 million USD for shipping their cars with a stereo. All vehicles sold by them must be delivered without any radio, but with an extensive, powerful speaker and power amp system by 2006. Said system must have sophisticated control protocols and electrical interfaces and specifications for them must be available to car stereo manufacturers in 2005.
Is this just more of that BattleBot-style radio-controlled crap? There should be a law against calling anything under human (or even animal!) control being called a robot.
Nah, they finally figured out that they can just buy new technology from universities or starving startups.
1. Let taxpayers and outsider investors foot the bill for research
2. Oppress startups and dictate to universities
3. PROFIT!!
...Is neither fish, nor a stick. It is a fungus. -Matt Groening
I just wanted to be the first to explicitly invoke him. Seriously though, they really need to come up with a new, more marketable name for nuclear technologies, i.e. -- "The Other Green Power".
C-Band was always a niche anyway, not fit for the high population density areas where "REAL" money is made. I was similarly disappointed when RCA pulled similar tricks with DSS (DirecTV), but at least later was able to buy them from (gray?)wholesalers. Speaking of Microsoft, their foray into the PVR market flopped -- remember UltimateTV? I mainly support Tivo on this one for selfish reasons though -- I believe they have a superior product (their software), and I want to see it succeed and proliferate, rather than die and leave us stuck with nothing but cheap PVRs flashing "12:00".
Google is simply discouraging idiotic searches.
I've gotta put in my vote for TextPad too. It makes life on Windows bearable.
Just how did Pavlov get the bell to crave ice cream??
And you call yourselves editors...
From what I recall of a July visit to the "Okoboji, Spirit Lake, Arnolds Park, Iowa" area, the number one thing any computer lab needs is: INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH AIR-CONDITIONING.
And maybe a few bug-zappers too.
100% humidity, 100% bugs, 0% comfort.
1000+ submissions of:
I'm with CowboyNeal
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Let me be concise: We're doomed. DOOOMED!!