Why does the world owe a Kiribati resident a problem-free life on a tropical island? Why does the Kiribati's problem with sea level take precedence over the Russian who wants to heat his home in the winter? Or the guy in India or Africa who wants running water and air conditioning in the summer? Or the Chinese woman who wants to buy fresh fruits and vegetables that need to be transported to her town?
Why not just be honest and say "Why does the Kiribati's problem take precedence over the American who wants a bigger SUV to tow his boat down his vacation home on the man-made lake so he can fish for trophies?"
That's why my caulking gun and battery operated drill are more or less the same form factor as any handgun since the flintlock pistol.
And why does it have to be held in the hand?
This is a little bit like an explanation of why all automobiles need to look like horses. And it's kind of Charlie Stross' point: Why do science fiction writers seem to often have such limited imaginatons?
In the future, everyone will carry personal defense weapons that look approximately the size and shape of 20th century guns. They'll have starships and nanotechnology, and robots, but they'll still need to have holsters and ammo belts. So basically, everything is American, except the villain will speak with a Shakespearean accent and the alien love interest will look just like a 20th century supermodel, except with an interesting glowing tattoo and/or clever contact lenses, so you know she's an alien.
The future is just the Wild West with high-tech accessories.
The government should not have the right to seize whatever they want because it doesn't meet their ideas of quality.
Not quality. Safety.
Why do you not see how dangerous a precedent this is?
This isn't a precedent, it's been going on for as long as there have been governments. Do you realize if the government finds animals that are being shipped into the country that are infected with mad cow disease that they don't just send them back, they seize and destroy them? If there's tainted medicine government doesn't just tell the company, "Oh, you'll have to sell this somewhere else, sorry".
Do you remember a few years ago when the Chinese were trying to import pet foods that were poisonous and killing animals? The government seized shipping containers full of the stuff.
There are millions of unwanted pets sitting in shelters. Before you worry about making your poodle live for 300 years, maybe go down there and adopt a couple.
About 75% of the non-troll comments I've seen here think that this is about the theory we're all in the Matrix, or some variant.
That's not what Holographic Theory is about. Now, I'm not a physicist and I suck at explaining things anyway, so I don't want to get too far into it, but essentially the holographic theory is that there are fewer "real" dimensions than is apparent (like a hologram is a flat sheet of paper that appears to be 3D.)
The name is based upon the behavior of paper holograms - like the one on your credit card. Holograms themselves are able to appear 3D by using natural interference patterns and resonance to ensure that, looked at from different angles, they transmit different images. Well, that's kinda the direction you need to go in to understand the Holographic Universe theory, rather than attempts to build 3D images in space to make a virtual universe look real (as in "Holodeck")
You're really trying to spoil everyone's fun, aren't you? Anyway, it's Friday and everyone's just waiting for a story about a woman who got a job in tech so we can all be outraged at SJWs and PC culture. Get with the program, you.
I'm starting to get the notion that these patent lawsuits are a way for big multinationals to further dodge taxes. Not only are civil penalties often deductible, but civil awards are very often not taxable.
So, it's sue me, sue you and can you scratch a little lower on my back, please.
Having had the math of solar, wind, geothermal and other unreliable energy sources explained to me I'd think that mining the moon for helium is a more logical solution.
OK! We have a taker.
Go figure out how much real estate it would take to collect enough wind, solar, or whatever with current technology.
Wait a minute. "...using current technology"? If we're comparing something to mining space helium, then why are you limiting this to "current technology"?
Mining the moon for anything is insane, we just don't have the technology.
How can something be "more logical" and "insane" at the same time? And how can it be more logical than renewable energy which are being used by millions of people worldwide right now?
Well, golly, as long as we can discount the decades of research, engineering, and implementation that would be required to (a) establish a huge industrial presence on the Moon, (b) extract helium-3 in bulk from the lunar crust, (c) transport that He3 in bulk to Earth's surface, and (d) successfully fuse that He3 on an industrial scale to produce power, why don't we hedge our bets with giant space-constructed solar shades and thorough terraforming of Mars?
Plus, you think the Nazis on the moon are just gonna hand over all that moon helium?
So, solar, wind, geothermal and other renewable energy sources are just pie-in-the-sky hippie fantasies because technological advances are just too far off, but energy from Moon helium is a solid, practical solution?
Which is more likely - the EFF made a bullshit accusation with no evidence that they suffer no penalty for and might even help them anyways, or Google making a bald-faced, PR-damaging lie that can be discovered with a simple subpoena?
Because Google has a history of making bald-faced lies and don't give a goddamn about PR damage, because they don't have to.
If that's true then why does California, which has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, also have by far the highest murder by gun rate too?
You lying sack of shit. The state with the highest murder by gun rate is Louisiana, where you can buy guns from vending machines in bars. California isn't even in the top ten.
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Why does a Kiribati life matter more than an American's trophy fishing?
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Kiribati, because that's all they're gonna get and I ain't fucking giving up my giant SUV. No way.
Why not just be honest and say "Why does the Kiribati's problem take precedence over the American who wants a bigger SUV to tow his boat down his vacation home on the man-made lake so he can fish for trophies?"
http://www.apple.com/shop/prod...
I remember them well.
If we just put all the Muslims in Planned Parenthood clinics, then our homegrown terrorists will become the homegrown solution.
http://time.com/3934980/right-...
It's a wonder that there are any humans left in Australia.
Except it all tries to kill you.
And why does it have to be held in the hand?
This is a little bit like an explanation of why all automobiles need to look like horses. And it's kind of Charlie Stross' point: Why do science fiction writers seem to often have such limited imaginatons?
Palm, Inc.
They'll just have trouble figuring out that you don't load them from the muzzle.
Absolutely.
In the future, everyone will carry personal defense weapons that look approximately the size and shape of 20th century guns. They'll have starships and nanotechnology, and robots, but they'll still need to have holsters and ammo belts. So basically, everything is American, except the villain will speak with a Shakespearean accent and the alien love interest will look just like a 20th century supermodel, except with an interesting glowing tattoo and/or clever contact lenses, so you know she's an alien.
The future is just the Wild West with high-tech accessories.
And the elite all speak with British accents, so you know they're elite.
In my science fiction universe, everyone speaks with a working class Scottish accent. AHL TURN YER FOOKIN RINGPIECE INSIDE OOT YAH BUFTIE COONT.
Not quality. Safety.
This isn't a precedent, it's been going on for as long as there have been governments. Do you realize if the government finds animals that are being shipped into the country that are infected with mad cow disease that they don't just send them back, they seize and destroy them? If there's tainted medicine government doesn't just tell the company, "Oh, you'll have to sell this somewhere else, sorry".
Do you remember a few years ago when the Chinese were trying to import pet foods that were poisonous and killing animals? The government seized shipping containers full of the stuff.
There are millions of unwanted pets sitting in shelters. Before you worry about making your poodle live for 300 years, maybe go down there and adopt a couple.
And it's full, so if you don't mind, a little help here?
You're really trying to spoil everyone's fun, aren't you? Anyway, it's Friday and everyone's just waiting for a story about a woman who got a job in tech so we can all be outraged at SJWs and PC culture. Get with the program, you.
I'm starting to get the notion that these patent lawsuits are a way for big multinationals to further dodge taxes. Not only are civil penalties often deductible, but civil awards are very often not taxable.
So, it's sue me, sue you and can you scratch a little lower on my back, please.
Let's break down what you say:
OK! We have a taker.
Wait a minute. "...using current technology"? If we're comparing something to mining space helium, then why are you limiting this to "current technology"?
How can something be "more logical" and "insane" at the same time? And how can it be more logical than renewable energy which are being used by millions of people worldwide right now?
Plus, you think the Nazis on the moon are just gonna hand over all that moon helium?
So, solar, wind, geothermal and other renewable energy sources are just pie-in-the-sky hippie fantasies because technological advances are just too far off, but energy from Moon helium is a solid, practical solution?
Because Google has a history of making bald-faced lies and don't give a goddamn about PR damage, because they don't have to.
A "UK based blog"? The journal linked is the American Journal of Epidemiology.
You lying sack of shit. The state with the highest murder by gun rate is Louisiana, where you can buy guns from vending machines in bars. California isn't even in the top ten.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...