I've been trying to decide if I should upgrade from my '92 civic, which gets 30 mpg. Years ago one of the climate scientists at Berkeley National Lab, where I work, said over 60% of the carbon footprint of an automobile is in it's initial manufacture. Other climate scientists argued over the exact number, however the consensus amongst the climate scientists was the carbon footprint of the initial manufacturing is very significant making the 2009's Cash for Clunker's, decidedly negative for the environment, and purely stimulus to the auto industry. Based on this, I have been feeling carbon virtuous by driving my older, fuel efficient vehicle, rather than buying a prius, or other hybrid/electric vehicle.
I recently read an article about electric vehicles, and how improvements in vehicle longevity, and improved batteries change this equation. Based on this more recent study, I could reduce my carbon footprint by purchasing a purely electric vehicle. I was thinking an electric motorcycle with a side car for my doggies, who could then wear fashionable Doggles, and striped scarves.:) It could also make putting solar panels on my house, economically feasible. (With my low electrical usage, I would currently lose money installing solar panels, with the panels dying before I break even. By increasing my electrical usage I could change the result of this equation.)
Whether or not electric vehicles help the environment now, they are an important step in developing the technology to become carbon neutral. With consumers and the government putting money into the industry there is money and interrest in improving battery technology. Green energy sources require storage of energy, and developing energy storage technology is ultimately good for the environment.
Just let me know where the riots are and I'll be there!
Our media also plays a role. With all the election coverage, near zero time is given to fair and valid elections. The fraud in the last two elections is outrageous, and near NOTHING is being done to prevent it this time. I know the international election monitoring folks will be here, so they can report to everyone outside the US, on how yet another election was stolen... And what the conservatives call our "liberal media" won't bother with it! Argh! It is so frustrating.
When my best friend started working for google six years ago, "Do no evil" was a major motto/value there. For some reason, the Russian background of the founders goes along with this, as it seems powerful people in Russian history didn't share the value of "Do no evil."
I don't buy it that we have run out of scientific uses for the space station. I've known a number of physicists who sent experiments to the space station. One as looking at high energy particles, and sent up glass to be etched by particles passing through. This was considered more cost effective than building expensive accelerators on this planet.
Anyway, the point it, I don't buy it. There are still plenty of scientific uses for the space station.
When I was working for NASA funded satellite projects, my coworker Manfred created this fancy software (which likely he is still working on and selling) that would track space trash. This is all the junk that ends up orbiting the planet, such as defunct satellites, dropped screws, bits that fall off of spacecraft, etc. The software would display an image of earth, and a red dot for every bit of space junk being tracked by the software. (I think it had to be at least 1 cm to qualify.) Anyway, the image of the planet was enveloped by the cloud of red dots. There isn't much space around the earth that isn't full of our own, human created, space trash.
As disappointing as it is, what they are smelling, isn't "space", but the human pollution of space exploration.
I have no problem with un-realistic science in Star Trek, as it is set in a FICTIONAL world! It is a little harder with movies set in LA and jumping buses. I do think the general public gets a misunderstanding of physics.
What is even more disturbing than physics, is the absurd use of computer technology in movies! A lot of people actually believe that stuff!
I also want to comment that people, especially children learn a lot about the world from watching television. Currently, they are learning a lot of BS, and gaining misunderstandings about how physical sciences work. (That isn't even going into misunderstandings about human relationships.)
On a tangential note, while thinking of children, Sesame Street is an example of education and entertainment. Are children confused by the mixture of learning and make believe? Maybe a little. There was a segment of Sesame Street where two puppets were trying to spell DOG, and sound it out. When they finished, a barking D-O-G (not a dog, but the letters D, O and G) came across the screen. Most children know, or figure out quickly, that letters don't do this.
I agree! I think I have been more crippled (in terms of being able to live the life I want, and pursue my goals) by the cost of meds, and the necessity of having group health insurance, than I have been by the actual disease.
When I was diagnosed with MS 10 years ago, I was given some statistics.
There is ~ 1/1000 chance of any person having MS. If one identical twin has MS, there is a 50% chance the other twin will have it. It is not 100% genetic, but is strongly so.
Hm. I have access to everyone's email, but have never even considered reading it. Even when I must look at an email when working on the server to resolve a problem, I try not to pay attention to preserve privacy. However, now I am suddenly tempted. If it is assumed we are all doing it anyway, then maybe I will. I'll never know what interesting tidbits I could find if I don't even look.
I lived in The Hague from when I was 13-16. Some people I knew smoked pot, but I was never interested. Not until I got back to California did I smoke.:) Kids in the US do it to rebel, show their independence, show they are cool. None of that applied in Holland.
I couldn't agree more!
Also, I respect The Netherlands desire to protect thier language and culture. I lived in Den Haag from 1987-1989. I visited again in 1997, and it had changed in many ways. One of the most surprising changes was that when I walked into a store, people said, "Hello" in English, rather than "Goedemorgen" or "Goedemiddag" in Dutch. The Dutch people are generally accepting of other cultures and speak many languages. This may be why the Dutch language is being replaced by English. And in response to English taking over, the Dutch are requiring immigrants to learn Dutch so it does not disappear entirely.
My DVD player already does this! It especially ticks me off on DVDs I own! It does not allow me to skip the adds at the front of the DVD. I can fast-forward, but when I try to skip, a little red icon appears.
Maybe the new patent disables the fast-forward as well as the skip?
Why does the manufacturer of the HARDWARE side with the makers of the DVDs over their CUSTOMERS, the ones who buy the hardware? Seems like poor marketing to me!
In my experience as a female computer engineer, there are many environments where women are not welcome, especially women who are not propperly submissive to all the men they work with. (Maybe a little bitterness is oozing through.)
This has not always been my experience, and some environments are more gender neutral. However, had I known what an uphill battle I would be fighting, I wouldn't have gone into engineering. I'm not trying to prove anything, I am just trying to have a career, and be relativley successful. If a young woman were to ask me about a career in computer science, I would probably discourage her, as would 90% of my friends who are female engineers.
As a female, there is frequently an assumption of incompetance, and inferiority, which my male counterparts claim to not experience. So, here I am working with all these men of inferior intellect, who are paid twice as much as me, are my bosses, (yes, I have four bosses, bossing me around), and make my work environment very difficult.
In fact, I am bossed around my men at work so much, I am unwilling to date, because men I date want to boss me around too. (They want to "Be the MAN.") Argh!
So, I don't believe Chimps are smarter than humans.
From an early age human children are trained to do useless, rediculous stuff. Early on, children learn to do these things to please the adults. So, when they are trained to do somthing in this study, they do it just as they have been instructed to. While, chimps having the advantage of not being raised by humans, are free to focus on the percieved end goal.
Doesn't anyone remember how buggy MS office was when it was the same age as open office? Very buggy, with few features. I believe all office suites have loads of bugs.
Just to be a pedant; An LED (Light Emitting Diode) display is probably not a LCD (Liquid crystal display). Different technologies. We seem to be using LCD to mean thin, flat panel display.
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I've been trying to decide if I should upgrade from my '92 civic, which gets 30 mpg. Years ago one of the climate scientists at Berkeley National Lab, where I work, said over 60% of the carbon footprint of an automobile is in it's initial manufacture. Other climate scientists argued over the exact number, however the consensus amongst the climate scientists was the carbon footprint of the initial manufacturing is very significant making the 2009's Cash for Clunker's, decidedly negative for the environment, and purely stimulus to the auto industry. Based on this, I have been feeling carbon virtuous by driving my older, fuel efficient vehicle, rather than buying a prius, or other hybrid/electric vehicle. I recently read an article about electric vehicles, and how improvements in vehicle longevity, and improved batteries change this equation. Based on this more recent study, I could reduce my carbon footprint by purchasing a purely electric vehicle. I was thinking an electric motorcycle with a side car for my doggies, who could then wear fashionable Doggles, and striped scarves. :) It could also make putting solar panels on my house, economically feasible. (With my low electrical usage, I would currently lose money installing solar panels, with the panels dying before I break even. By increasing my electrical usage I could change the result of this equation.)
Whether or not electric vehicles help the environment now, they are an important step in developing the technology to become carbon neutral. With consumers and the government putting money into the industry there is money and interrest in improving battery technology. Green energy sources require storage of energy, and developing energy storage technology is ultimately good for the environment.
Just let me know where the riots are and I'll be there! Our media also plays a role. With all the election coverage, near zero time is given to fair and valid elections. The fraud in the last two elections is outrageous, and near NOTHING is being done to prevent it this time. I know the international election monitoring folks will be here, so they can report to everyone outside the US, on how yet another election was stolen... And what the conservatives call our "liberal media" won't bother with it! Argh! It is so frustrating.
When my best friend started working for google six years ago, "Do no evil" was a major motto/value there. For some reason, the Russian background of the founders goes along with this, as it seems powerful people in Russian history didn't share the value of "Do no evil."
I don't buy it that we have run out of scientific uses for the space station. I've known a number of physicists who sent experiments to the space station. One as looking at high energy particles, and sent up glass to be etched by particles passing through. This was considered more cost effective than building expensive accelerators on this planet. Anyway, the point it, I don't buy it. There are still plenty of scientific uses for the space station.
When I was working for NASA funded satellite projects, my coworker Manfred created this fancy software (which likely he is still working on and selling) that would track space trash. This is all the junk that ends up orbiting the planet, such as defunct satellites, dropped screws, bits that fall off of spacecraft, etc. The software would display an image of earth, and a red dot for every bit of space junk being tracked by the software. (I think it had to be at least 1 cm to qualify.) Anyway, the image of the planet was enveloped by the cloud of red dots. There isn't much space around the earth that isn't full of our own, human created, space trash. As disappointing as it is, what they are smelling, isn't "space", but the human pollution of space exploration.
I have no problem with un-realistic science in Star Trek, as it is set in a FICTIONAL world! It is a little harder with movies set in LA and jumping buses. I do think the general public gets a misunderstanding of physics.
What is even more disturbing than physics, is the absurd use of computer technology in movies! A lot of people actually believe that stuff!
I also want to comment that people, especially children learn a lot about the world from watching television. Currently, they are learning a lot of BS, and gaining misunderstandings about how physical sciences work. (That isn't even going into misunderstandings about human relationships.)
On a tangential note, while thinking of children, Sesame Street is an example of education and entertainment. Are children confused by the mixture of learning and make believe? Maybe a little. There was a segment of Sesame Street where two puppets were trying to spell DOG, and sound it out. When they finished, a barking D-O-G (not a dog, but the letters D, O and G) came across the screen. Most children know, or figure out quickly, that letters don't do this.
I agree! I think I have been more crippled (in terms of being able to live the life I want, and pursue my goals) by the cost of meds, and the necessity of having group health insurance, than I have been by the actual disease.
When I was diagnosed with MS 10 years ago, I was given some statistics. There is ~ 1/1000 chance of any person having MS. If one identical twin has MS, there is a 50% chance the other twin will have it. It is not 100% genetic, but is strongly so.
Hm. I have access to everyone's email, but have never even considered reading it. Even when I must look at an email when working on the server to resolve a problem, I try not to pay attention to preserve privacy. However, now I am suddenly tempted. If it is assumed we are all doing it anyway, then maybe I will. I'll never know what interesting tidbits I could find if I don't even look.
I lived in The Hague from when I was 13-16. Some people I knew smoked pot, but I was never interested. Not until I got back to California did I smoke. :) Kids in the US do it to rebel, show their independence, show they are cool. None of that applied in Holland.
I couldn't agree more! Also, I respect The Netherlands desire to protect thier language and culture. I lived in Den Haag from 1987-1989. I visited again in 1997, and it had changed in many ways. One of the most surprising changes was that when I walked into a store, people said, "Hello" in English, rather than "Goedemorgen" or "Goedemiddag" in Dutch. The Dutch people are generally accepting of other cultures and speak many languages. This may be why the Dutch language is being replaced by English. And in response to English taking over, the Dutch are requiring immigrants to learn Dutch so it does not disappear entirely.
My DVD player already does this! It especially ticks me off on DVDs I own! It does not allow me to skip the adds at the front of the DVD. I can fast-forward, but when I try to skip, a little red icon appears. Maybe the new patent disables the fast-forward as well as the skip? Why does the manufacturer of the HARDWARE side with the makers of the DVDs over their CUSTOMERS, the ones who buy the hardware? Seems like poor marketing to me!
In my experience as a female computer engineer, there are many environments where women are not welcome, especially women who are not propperly submissive to all the men they work with. (Maybe a little bitterness is oozing through.) This has not always been my experience, and some environments are more gender neutral. However, had I known what an uphill battle I would be fighting, I wouldn't have gone into engineering. I'm not trying to prove anything, I am just trying to have a career, and be relativley successful. If a young woman were to ask me about a career in computer science, I would probably discourage her, as would 90% of my friends who are female engineers. As a female, there is frequently an assumption of incompetance, and inferiority, which my male counterparts claim to not experience. So, here I am working with all these men of inferior intellect, who are paid twice as much as me, are my bosses, (yes, I have four bosses, bossing me around), and make my work environment very difficult. In fact, I am bossed around my men at work so much, I am unwilling to date, because men I date want to boss me around too. (They want to "Be the MAN.") Argh!
So, I don't believe Chimps are smarter than humans. From an early age human children are trained to do useless, rediculous stuff. Early on, children learn to do these things to please the adults. So, when they are trained to do somthing in this study, they do it just as they have been instructed to. While, chimps having the advantage of not being raised by humans, are free to focus on the percieved end goal.
Doesn't anyone remember how buggy MS office was when it was the same age as open office? Very buggy, with few features. I believe all office suites have loads of bugs.
Just to be a pedant; An LED (Light Emitting Diode) display is probably not a LCD (Liquid crystal display). Different technologies. We seem to be using LCD to mean thin, flat panel display.