You know, I agree with your sentiments entirely - the legal system does seem overly complicated sometimes. As for working on what other people did in the past, though, surely that's essential, or you'd never know what was considered legal, and what wasn't. Even simple rules lead to complex situations, so all you've got to go on is the interpretation of the law in past cases. It's useful to be able to look back at a case similar to your situation, and say "yep, the court said it was okay to do that".
I gave up completely on gaming cafes, as every single one seemed full of teen boys screaming obscenities across the place (surely sitting near each other would be easier!). It's hard to have a good time when the kid next to you is screaming at his f@#%#$% c@#$% friend at the top of his lungs.
Like everyone else, I only discovered this game long after its re-release into the bargain bins. I didn't know it had a cult following, but I understand why - such a carefully constructed, subtle, humourous piece of work. If you like atmosphere and mystery, this game is a lot of fun. Go buy it for $5 or whatever it's going for these days, and be a travel agent in the Land of the Dead!
Notes is tough to beat as a group calendaring tool - I'm trying to find a useful way to replicate its functions using other software, and finding it difficult.
Somewhat off-topic, but you really shouldn't say "it will definitely have a measurable effect" without anything to back it up. These sorts of things have a habit of being disproven in practice. Maybe it would have an effect, maybe not.
Seriously, Picasa is fantastic. Yet another formerly-commercial package bought by Google, improved, and distributed free.
It has a nice interface, the common photo editing tools are straightforward to use, and since the Google days, there's even an I'm Feeling Lucky button for colour and tone enhancement! I use Photoshop every day, and love it, but it took an awful lot of work to learn it. Picasa, though, I just installed and started using straight away.
Who here hasn't dreamed of seeing the Earth from orbit!
Anyway, a passenger doesn't necessarily hinder a flight by simply being ballast, so to speak. I have no problem with paying tourists hanging off a government-funded space flight - it provides extra funding, boosts the image of space science (and, er, tourism), and gives us latent space nerds a possibility of making it there ourselves (once that website really starts pulling in the cash, right).
I'd personally, expect to have to stay out of the way of the real astronauts, but as long as I could take a peek out the window occasionally, that's fine!
I stand corrected, "evidence of causation" is a much better way of putting it:)
The nuclear power debate is an interesting one - a couple of formerly die-hard anti-nuclear power protesters are suggesting we at least open the debate again, just because of the immediacy of the carbon emissions problem.
I personally like the idea of having my home powered entirely by solar, wind, and other renewable resources, but I guess that's only part of the solution. If I'm buying stuff that's made with electricity from coal-burning power stations, I'm still part of the problem
Oops, you're right, I should have included the entire quote, not just the first paragraph. It isn't at all misleading, however:
The issue of why satellite measurements disagreed with all the terrestrial measurements of temperature change was of great concern to climate researchers, so it was a big deal when the reason was discovered.
The warming trend, along with the satellite measurement differences, weren't just restricted to urbanised areas, however - the same discrepancies were noted everywhere - the arctic and antarctic included.
The point is just that while there once was an argument that there was not such a rapid warming trend, because of the satellite information, this is no longer the case.
I think the parent might have been a little tongue-in-cheek, but you do make some good points.
Another one that's worth thinking about is the effect on animals and plants that live in a given climate. There is a whole ecosystem being driven northwards to San Francisco, as the climate warms. The warmer weather wilts leaves too early in the season to sustain the community, so it's all moving north into the cooler weather, as has happened before during climate change.
The difference now, however, is that we have this massive city in the way. It's like moving the whole ecosystem to/dev/null, the whole thing is practically evaporating.
Similarly, increases in temperature drive cloud and mist levels upward, so mountainous rainforest that rely on mists for water are suddenly dried out, and every single example has eventually just burned down in the dry.
The seals that form the bulk of Polar Bear diets are moving with the change in climate, but the bears themselves aren't keeping up, being land-locked.
I've said this in a previous post, but there's a great discussion of this in the rather frightening book The Weather Makers by Australian scientist Tim Flannery, which is due for release in the US about now.
Myth 1: Global temperatures are rising at a rapid, unprecedented rate.
Fact: Accurate satellite, balloon and mountain top observations made over the last three decades have not shown any significant change in the long term rate of increase in global temperatures.
No, that's not true at all. All terrestrial measurements have shown a steady increase - the satellite measurements were the exceptions, and showed a much slower increase in temperature.
Until last year, fossil fuel advocates pointed to the satellite measurements as refutation of the warming trend. Then, a bunch of clever guys realised that the problem was that the satellite measurements were taking an average of a rapidly heating troposphere (where we live) and a cooler upper section of the atmosphere.
There's a great discussion of this in the rather frightening book The Weather Makers by Australian scientist Tim Flannery, which is due for release in the US about now.
Actually, strong correlation is generally considered causation. There are many phenomena in science whose causes we can demonstrate, even though we don't necessarily understand the mechanisms by which the cause occurs.
Climate change, however, is a well-understood process, the mechanics of which we understand in great detail. Dismissing the entire issue with a glib comment doesn't help anyone.
Slashdot Mirror
You know, I agree with your sentiments entirely - the legal system does seem overly complicated sometimes. As for working on what other people did in the past, though, surely that's essential, or you'd never know what was considered legal, and what wasn't. Even simple rules lead to complex situations, so all you've got to go on is the interpretation of the law in past cases. It's useful to be able to look back at a case similar to your situation, and say "yep, the court said it was okay to do that".
> I am a windows user (yes, I know I will be shuned for addmitting this), ...
I think the expletive you're after is zuned. :D
I gave up completely on gaming cafes, as every single one seemed full of teen boys screaming obscenities across the place (surely sitting near each other would be easier!). It's hard to have a good time when the kid next to you is screaming at his f@#%#$% c@#$% friend at the top of his lungs.
Cromulent. I hope this embiggens your recollection.
"No, really, it's just a test, I'm not bad! Look, I have a Slashdot login!"
Like everyone else, I only discovered this game long after its re-release into the bargain bins. I didn't know it had a cult following, but I understand why - such a carefully constructed, subtle, humourous piece of work. If you like atmosphere and mystery, this game is a lot of fun. Go buy it for $5 or whatever it's going for these days, and be a travel agent in the Land of the Dead!
Notes is tough to beat as a group calendaring tool - I'm trying to find a useful way to replicate its functions using other software, and finding it difficult.
Somewhat off-topic, but you really shouldn't say "it will definitely have a measurable effect" without anything to back it up. These sorts of things have a habit of being disproven in practice. Maybe it would have an effect, maybe not.
Apparently so!
h tml#6
http://www.kerneltraffic.org/wine/wn20050304_264.
Seriously, Picasa is fantastic. Yet another formerly-commercial package bought by Google, improved, and distributed free.
It has a nice interface, the common photo editing tools are straightforward to use, and since the Google days, there's even an I'm Feeling Lucky button for colour and tone enhancement! I use Photoshop every day, and love it, but it took an awful lot of work to learn it. Picasa, though, I just installed and started using straight away.
http://www.picasa.com/
There are two elitist clubs that might get to go to space:
:)
(1) Professional Astronauts
(2) Rich people
At least (2) is a possibility for we great unwashed masses to contemplate! True, this is a selfish perspective, but hey, I want to go to space
Who here hasn't dreamed of seeing the Earth from orbit!
Anyway, a passenger doesn't necessarily hinder a flight by simply being ballast, so to speak. I have no problem with paying tourists hanging off a government-funded space flight - it provides extra funding, boosts the image of space science (and, er, tourism), and gives us latent space nerds a possibility of making it there ourselves (once that website really starts pulling in the cash, right).
I'd personally, expect to have to stay out of the way of the real astronauts, but as long as I could take a peek out the window occasionally, that's fine!
I thought it was a recent thing, but I might be getting mixed up. It's discussed in some detail in Tim Flannery's book, anyway.
I stand corrected, "evidence of causation" is a much better way of putting it :)
The nuclear power debate is an interesting one - a couple of formerly die-hard anti-nuclear power protesters are suggesting we at least open the debate again, just because of the immediacy of the carbon emissions problem.
I personally like the idea of having my home powered entirely by solar, wind, and other renewable resources, but I guess that's only part of the solution. If I'm buying stuff that's made with electricity from coal-burning power stations, I'm still part of the problem
Oops, you're right, I should have included the entire quote, not just the first paragraph. It isn't at all misleading, however:
The issue of why satellite measurements disagreed with all the terrestrial measurements of temperature change was of great concern to climate researchers, so it was a big deal when the reason was discovered.
The warming trend, along with the satellite measurement differences, weren't just restricted to urbanised areas, however - the same discrepancies were noted everywhere - the arctic and antarctic included.
The point is just that while there once was an argument that there was not such a rapid warming trend, because of the satellite information, this is no longer the case.
There's you, saying "no, look at me, look at me!"
:) Seriously, though, go read Tim Flannery's book The Weather Makers.
Okay, that was a bit harsh
You're exactly right - it'll be cold comfort to say "I told you so"
The Weather Makers is a superb book. Frightening, but superb.
Actually, current thought is that there wasn't actually a Medieval Warm Period at all.
I think the parent might have been a little tongue-in-cheek, but you do make some good points.
/dev/null, the whole thing is practically evaporating.
Another one that's worth thinking about is the effect on animals and plants that live in a given climate. There is a whole ecosystem being driven northwards to San Francisco, as the climate warms. The warmer weather wilts leaves too early in the season to sustain the community, so it's all moving north into the cooler weather, as has happened before during climate change.
The difference now, however, is that we have this massive city in the way. It's like moving the whole ecosystem to
Similarly, increases in temperature drive cloud and mist levels upward, so mountainous rainforest that rely on mists for water are suddenly dried out, and every single example has eventually just burned down in the dry.
The seals that form the bulk of Polar Bear diets are moving with the change in climate, but the bears themselves aren't keeping up, being land-locked.
I've said this in a previous post, but there's a great discussion of this in the rather frightening book The Weather Makers by Australian scientist Tim Flannery, which is due for release in the US about now.
Myth 1: Global temperatures are rising at a rapid, unprecedented rate.
Fact: Accurate satellite, balloon and mountain top observations made over the last three decades have not shown any significant change in the long term rate of increase in global temperatures.
No, that's not true at all. All terrestrial measurements have shown a steady increase - the satellite measurements were the exceptions, and showed a much slower increase in temperature.
Until last year, fossil fuel advocates pointed to the satellite measurements as refutation of the warming trend. Then, a bunch of clever guys realised that the problem was that the satellite measurements were taking an average of a rapidly heating troposphere (where we live) and a cooler upper section of the atmosphere.
There's a great discussion of this in the rather frightening book The Weather Makers by Australian scientist Tim Flannery, which is due for release in the US about now.
Actually, strong correlation is generally considered causation. There are many phenomena in science whose causes we can demonstrate, even though we don't necessarily understand the mechanisms by which the cause occurs. Climate change, however, is a well-understood process, the mechanics of which we understand in great detail. Dismissing the entire issue with a glib comment doesn't help anyone.
They never consider if they should do something only if they can do it
:P
Not to be a pedant, but we're actually talking about an issue with technology, not science.