I was thinking about this the other day when I opened my Razr to make a call. And it suddenly occured to me how much my phone reminded me of the old ST communicators especially when I flip it open to make a call. Too bad I don't have the sound effect to go along.
Now if I could only figure out a way to turn my PDA into a fully functional phaser...
It was also announced today that the Paris Hilton International Computer Security School has closed its Sweedish operations offices effective immediately. A spokesperson for the company declined to comment when asked for a reason behind this sudden move.
Actually, this was a pretty enlightening excercise for me. I'm up to 15 pages of Google links now, and so far I saw one Washington Post piece dating from about May and one Wikipedia entry (both of which I'm taking with about as much salt as I would the blog pieces).
This is simply amazing to me. Where are the facts? There are blogs and blogs and blogs all parroting the same theme and little, if any, objective facts to back them up. I for one will be quite content when the blogosphere runs its course and goes the way of the Betamax.
My advice: Believe about 10% of what you read, and then take that with a grain of salt.
I am no Bush apologist (please read that again before modding me flamebait), but I was more than a little perturbed by the editorial tone of the article. So, I Googled the subject and I can find dozens of blogs and opinion pieces dating back to around March or so on this, but nothing from a traditional news source (I gave up after about 5 pages of search results).
I would like to read an objectively written fact based story behind this and not just a lot of reactionary Bush bashing.
I am always skeptical of this stuff too, but if you look at the link AC posted above, it says that these flies feed exclusively on fire ants. So we're hopeful that they'll do some good. Either that or they'll mutate and start gobbling oranges or orchids something valuable while leaving the fire ants alone. We've got it all down here, bufo toads, fire ants, killer bees, hurricanes.... I guess it's the price you pay for living in 'paradise'.
They're still here. I live in South Florida and they have spread over the years throughout the entire state. Occaisionally, you will hear about livestock or sometimes even a person in a nursing home or otherwise debilitated being bitten to death by them. Some people have also developed severe allergies to them and a single bite can be fatal for these people if they don't have epiniphrine nearby. Those who can tolerate bites wind up with welts that become pustules and last for days.
The fire ants are very hard to eradicate as once you get rid of them from your yard, they just eventually creep back over from a neighbor's yard. Flooding rains don't help as the ants can simply just raft themselves over the water until it recedes. This is also another way that they spread.
The bait type treatments (Amdro TM, etc.) are somewhat effective, but they're expensive and they don't permanently rid you of these pests. We used to just burn the mounds with gasoline when we were kids, but it's not effective at getting the whole mound and it's ecologically irresponsible as the gas that doesn't burn winds up in the aquafer(sp?).
I did recently see a program where fire ant mounds were being treated in rural areas with a mite that specializes in laying its eggs in the fire ants' skulls. The mite larvae hatch out and then spread to the rest of the mound to lather, rinse, repeat. It looks like this may be an effective natural way of keeping fire ants in check, if they can't be completely eliminated. I think someone at the University of Florida came up with this and if it works, they should be in line for some kind of prize for the research.
Yes, but this is a hole created by a patch to fix a hole. On the whole, different and somewhat amusing. Or it would be amusing if I didn't have to administer Windows systems.:P
Well, that was kind of my point. Without highjacking the thread into a discussion on the state of our legal system, I must say that it's rare that class action suits actually ever return anything to the parties that were harmed by the process in question. More often than not, the overwhelming amounts of damages awarded go to the lawyers and a few special interests. This is an example of the type of parasitic behavior that helps to bring a free society to its knees.
That said, in this case the public may actually benefit as the judge clearly states that the executive branch overstepped its bounds. This is checks and balances in action. The problem is that this administration has already shown its disdain of the courts, and will probably just go on doing what it's been doing regardless of any court challenges.
The really intersting thing about today's article though is that even though the telecoms were complying with requests from the executive branch, they may still be found legally and financially liable for participating in activities that the court has deemed to be in violation of the law. Now please excuse me while I go out to the mailbox to wait for my check...
Seriously though, we purchased this mostly as a desktop replacement so battery life and weight weren't among the first concerns at the time. But the few times I have travelled with it I've had not only the short battery life, but also the sheer weight of the thing to contend with as it hits the scales at about 12 to 13 pounds when you add all the adapters and such. Schlepping this thing through and airport over your shoulder is no fun I can tell you. Thankfully I usually have a wheeled carry on with me so it usually just gets strapped to that.
I don't know about your laptops, but I have an HP 8000 series with a ridiculously short battery life (like 90 minutes or less). AFAIK, there are few airlines that offer a/c current for laptops so this may be another reason why the service is failing. I mean, why on earth would I pay for 5 hours of access when I'd only be able to use 1 or 2 at best.
Slashdot Mirror
I was thinking about this the other day when I opened my Razr to make a call. And it suddenly occured to me how much my phone reminded me of the old ST communicators especially when I flip it open to make a call. Too bad I don't have the sound effect to go along.
Now if I could only figure out a way to turn my PDA into a fully functional phaser...
It was also announced today that the Paris Hilton International Computer Security School has closed its Sweedish operations offices effective immediately. A spokesperson for the company declined to comment when asked for a reason behind this sudden move.
Hey, wait. Don't forget about edlin. Oh, wait. You probably already have.
Now all you damn kids better get off of my lawn!
...and let your users do the Beta testing. Not picking specifically on MS, but isn't that what many software publishers do now?
The only excercise they get is doing a lot of good old 12 ounce curls. Now, if that makes you an athlete, someone owes me a trophy.
I can't wait until my neighbor gets one of these so I can check this out!
Wait until Friday? I mean haven't statistics shown that there's less chance of an "incident"?
Actually, this was a pretty enlightening excercise for me. I'm up to 15 pages of Google links now, and so far I saw one Washington Post piece dating from about May and one Wikipedia entry (both of which I'm taking with about as much salt as I would the blog pieces).
This is simply amazing to me. Where are the facts? There are blogs and blogs and blogs all parroting the same theme and little, if any, objective facts to back them up. I for one will be quite content when the blogosphere runs its course and goes the way of the Betamax.
My advice: Believe about 10% of what you read, and then take that with a grain of salt.
I'm waiting for an episode of Survivor Man where they give him a Dell laptop instead of a box of matches.
[beavis voice:] "Fire, Fire, Fire!!!"
I am no Bush apologist (please read that again before modding me flamebait), but I was more than a little perturbed by the editorial tone of the article. So, I Googled the subject and I can find dozens of blogs and opinion pieces dating back to around March or so on this, but nothing from a traditional news source (I gave up after about 5 pages of search results).
I would like to read an objectively written fact based story behind this and not just a lot of reactionary Bush bashing.
I am always skeptical of this stuff too, but if you look at the link AC posted above, it says that these flies feed exclusively on fire ants. So we're hopeful that they'll do some good. Either that or they'll mutate and start gobbling oranges or orchids something valuable while leaving the fire ants alone. We've got it all down here, bufo toads, fire ants, killer bees, hurricanes.... I guess it's the price you pay for living in 'paradise'.
Or have I been at work too long? I originally read this as "Company to Pay for Erection Problems" and thought, how odd?
They're still here. I live in South Florida and they have spread over the years throughout the entire state. Occaisionally, you will hear about livestock or sometimes even a person in a nursing home or otherwise debilitated being bitten to death by them. Some people have also developed severe allergies to them and a single bite can be fatal for these people if they don't have epiniphrine nearby. Those who can tolerate bites wind up with welts that become pustules and last for days.
The fire ants are very hard to eradicate as once you get rid of them from your yard, they just eventually creep back over from a neighbor's yard. Flooding rains don't help as the ants can simply just raft themselves over the water until it recedes. This is also another way that they spread.
The bait type treatments (Amdro TM, etc.) are somewhat effective, but they're expensive and they don't permanently rid you of these pests. We used to just burn the mounds with gasoline when we were kids, but it's not effective at getting the whole mound and it's ecologically irresponsible as the gas that doesn't burn winds up in the aquafer(sp?).
I did recently see a program where fire ant mounds were being treated in rural areas with a mite that specializes in laying its eggs in the fire ants' skulls. The mite larvae hatch out and then spread to the rest of the mound to lather, rinse, repeat. It looks like this may be an effective natural way of keeping fire ants in check, if they can't be completely eliminated. I think someone at the University of Florida came up with this and if it works, they should be in line for some kind of prize for the research.
Nope - I see your hype and raise you Real Live Rattlesnakes!
This would absolutely keep me out of the theater.
On the hole, Preparation H is a good plan.
There, fixed that for ya.
Oh, wait. I thought you said newS flaws. Nevermind.
Bah! I;ve been eeating it forrrr yeres and thyurs nething worong weth my cogggggggnitive skilz. l;akeurpewuj!
Yes, but this is a hole created by a patch to fix a hole. On the whole, different and somewhat amusing. Or it would be amusing if I didn't have to administer Windows systems. :P
Please go back to your eighth grade history teacher and either beat them severely or demand a refund.
Well, that was kind of my point. Without highjacking the thread into a discussion on the state of our legal system, I must say that it's rare that class action suits actually ever return anything to the parties that were harmed by the process in question. More often than not, the overwhelming amounts of damages awarded go to the lawyers and a few special interests. This is an example of the type of parasitic behavior that helps to bring a free society to its knees.
That said, in this case the public may actually benefit as the judge clearly states that the executive branch overstepped its bounds. This is checks and balances in action. The problem is that this administration has already shown its disdain of the courts, and will probably just go on doing what it's been doing regardless of any court challenges.
The really intersting thing about today's article though is that even though the telecoms were complying with requests from the executive branch, they may still be found legally and financially liable for participating in activities that the court has deemed to be in violation of the law. Now please excuse me while I go out to the mailbox to wait for my check...
Um, just curious. What about the protections due to us average citizens, or don't we count anymore?
Yeah, but it's so purty! :P
Seriously though, we purchased this mostly as a desktop replacement so battery life and weight weren't among the first concerns at the time. But the few times I have travelled with it I've had not only the short battery life, but also the sheer weight of the thing to contend with as it hits the scales at about 12 to 13 pounds when you add all the adapters and such. Schlepping this thing through and airport over your shoulder is no fun I can tell you. Thankfully I usually have a wheeled carry on with me so it usually just gets strapped to that.
I don't know about your laptops, but I have an HP 8000 series with a ridiculously short battery life (like 90 minutes or less). AFAIK, there are few airlines that offer a/c current for laptops so this may be another reason why the service is failing. I mean, why on earth would I pay for 5 hours of access when I'd only be able to use 1 or 2 at best.