The janitor has all the keys to the building and the cook could poison everyone if he wanted but those people aren't afforded the respect they deserve either. CEO's are given golden parachutes by their buddies who they'll see at the golf club and who they can maybe return the favor later on the board of some other company. We're just staff and staff don't get golden parachutes, they get concrete shoes.
Redundancy packages are golden parachutes for ordinary employee's. In Australia if an employer outsourced a department they are required to give X days per month working at the company (I think it's about 7 or 10). But if something untoward happens to the company due to a dead man switch or back door then the ex-employee can be sued for that redundancy package and some. Perhaps even criminal charges. Companies can take the dodgy route and fire everyone for incompetence by giving them an impossible task and sacking them for failing to complete it but this will generally nullify the companies right to claim against workers and open them up to unfair dismissal claims.
As an (ex-)employee, it would be to your advantage to maintain good relations with your previous employer anyway, unless you don't plan on ever using them as a reference.
If it gets to the point that you're installing back doors, you've passed the point of burning bridges already.
As a sysadmin, my own ethics are responsible for ensuring this doesn't happen. Unfortunately a lot of non-sysadmins that get high levels of access are not as scrupulous. Sysadmins have to fix the problems that occur from departure bombs and dead man switches, once you've done that you develop an extreme dislike of them.
Well, I would like to point out all the manufacturing and packaging and physical media waste/byproducts that are being removed from the equation when you consider how much of the Apple iMarket is all about downloading. The only resource being used there is the electricity to power your device and your modem.
I'd like to point out that Apple is one of the least environmentally friendly companies in the IT world. A lot more waste ends up from old/broken Apple computers and phones as well as the waste created in making and shipping them.
Also with physical media, the media stays around for years, the packaging can be easily recycled as it's mostly made from recyclable material (paper).
Apple and Andorid are reinventing the way we look at software
Not really,
Even Android has changed nothing. It's simple old *nix development except you're looking at a smaller scale. It seems new and shiny to some devs because they've never done *nix development before.
Realistically, I think this app thing is a craze, a stopgap until the mobile browser becomes as functional as the desktop browser and then we'll see a continuation of the shift to web based applications that we've seen on the desktop.
How many mobile apps do they use?
For the most part, on my Android phone I tend to use the browser, after that my two email clients. I've found little advantage using the Phandroid application as opposed to just navigating to Phandroid.com. Tapatalk is available for vBuiltin forums that I use but I cant justify the price when I can log in on my web browser.
A lot of things are going browser based, applications are becoming superfluous. I have one "must have" paid for application, it's the Exchange email client Touchdown which provides so much more functionality over the default Android client (or HTC client). It costs US$20 and has been worth every cent, my issue with $0.99 applications is that 1. they dont always do as promised. 2. they are treated as disposable. 3. there often is no demo version available so I can check number 1.
We are seeing a mass dumbing down of the already dumb consumer. Everyone now expects all software to cost $0.99 - be feature packed, and work flawlessly.
Blame Apple for that.
They've fostered the idea that computing must be easy (dumb), that everything must work flawlessly and that everything is cheap (there's an app for that and it only costs US$0.99) and all three of these traits can and must be present at once.
Personally I'd say you're better off developing a mobile version of web sites. I dont know about the Iphone but Android's browser advances in leaps and bounds with each major release. With 1.5/1.6 it was not very functional but with 2.0/2.1, as I've iterated above few applications can offer a better experience then using the browser especially since they are mostly using HTML anyway.
Slashdot is not comprised of normal people. Apple would very much like to be rid of the likes of us.
Why would you want iOS on an iMac?
Normal people would. It would be the same as the Iphone, they wouldn't have to learn anything new. Having to make the End moron^W User learn new things is the biggest stumbling block to implementing new technology. They'll complain that it's not like the system they're used to, cry, pout and refuse to use it, sometimes even up until the point of direct sabotage.
I could see going in the other direction, and putting OSX on an iPad,
Normal people dont give a crap about Unix shells or even having admin access to their own box if it means they can run their chat programs and Arsebook. Really, there is no benifit to OSX for the end user and Apple knows this.
Geeks are the worst enemy of Apple, we take away the "Just Works" and "you're cooler for using this" image that Apple has tried so hard to foster.
Why? Apple got permission from Cisco to use the name.
I agree with the GP but there's SFA I can do about it.
It's going to play havoc with Google searches until Google figures out the difference between Cisco IOS and Apple IOS. Many a router will suffer for it though.
Good point. We're talking about a guy who started Apple (and then later came back and basically saved it)
He's also the guy that sunk apple in the first place.
The world would be better off if Microsoft didn't save Apple (did you forget about the payout in 1997).
has been involved in basically reinventing the music industry,
And great Steve slayed the RIAA and artists rejoiced as they were now in full control their creations.
No...
Wait...
That didn't happen. Steve did nothing to change the music industry, it's still as abusive as it has been for over 60 years (probably longer). In fact, he's handed the RIAA more control over the years including the ability to adjust prices based on popularity (the price rise to US$1.29 for "select" songs, the removal of DRM was a cover for this).
the cellphone industry
So the old vertical monopolies have been broken?
Nothing has changed, we still use phones in the exact same was as we did in 2007.
I know it's popular to be a Steve Jobs arselicker but still, can you try to remain somewhat grounded in reality. Nothing Apple has done has been remotely game changing. They've just been good at marketing that myth.
... but how many cars can even idle for 9 days straight? I would think most cars in the jam would have run out of gas before day 9 came and went.
Asian traffic jams, they'll typically turn off the engine once they've been there for a while. Trying to get through Bangkok at about 4 PM is a nightmare. It took 15 minutes to drive the 25 KM from the airport and 30 minutes to get the 5 KM from the toll-way to my hotel. Feck if I had of known I would have walked it from the off ramp.
I cannot see the logo of any traditional media outlet in that display; no CNN, News Limited anything, no BBC etc.
Because none of the content is published under "News LTD". It's published under 1000 different brands each too small to count but publishing the same stories. In the end, most stories end up coming from Rueters or AP.
Where does this fucking deranged fantasy come from?
Israel.
In the 1970's Iran had three major religions, Baha'i, Zoroastrianism and Islam. These three got along under the previous democratic government, even under the shah. In the 1980's Baha'i and Zoroastrians began to leave Iran for two places in particular, the United States and Israel. The headquarters of the Baha'i religion is in Israel. After Iran, the largest Persian populations in the world are the US and then Israel.
Before the Islamic republic there was a lot of immigration from Iran to Israel, mainly because the Persians (white) and Israeli's had a common enemy, the Arabs.
Former Prime Minister Moshe Katsav was born in Yazd, Iran. He's an ethnic Persian, his brother owns a chemical company in Iran. Katsav is not the only Iranian born Persian in the Kizmet.
Every Israeli I speak to tells me the same thing, the Persians are the most oppressed people in the Middle east and that's a land where oppression is rife.
So where do you get the delusion that Persians and Israeli's hate each other? Speak to a Persian (there's 40 million of them in the US) or an Israeli and get a clue.
Don't forget that portions of Israel in the past few weeks have been calling for an invasion of Iran.
Living with a Jewish housemate means I've been adopted into a Jewish family (you cant fight it). Talking to people from Israel itself this seems flakey at best. The Israeli's are having enough trouble with the Palestinians and starting a war with Iran will be political suicide. Any war between Iran and Israel will be a war of words, neither side is dumb enough to do anything rash.
As far as weapons go, Iran already has missiles far in advance of this, which is what leads me to believe this is intended to strike fear into their less technologically advanced enemies.
All those things you mentioned, have been done before. Firefox 1 had the same kind of zooming as the Iphone, but no one used it as it was never needed.
I'm sorry you've been sucked into that delusion that the Iphone is somehow new or even unique.
Now wave failed because Google 1. didn't push it enough. 2. didn't distribute it enough. There was not enough incentive for a significant community to form, nor for uptake in the private sector. I'm still waiting for a replacement for Microsoft Exchange so I can get away from the Windows Server System completely. Wave was our best chance for that. I don't see Apple providing an alternative to Microsoft's best piece of engineering.
Frankly, I think the announcement is specifically to get Israel to take a shot at them the US doesn't want them too.
I dont know how people believe this.
Israel doesn't want to take a shot at Iran. Knowing a few Israeli's the average Israeli doesn't want any more war, the government knows it's political suicide to start another war after what went down in Lebanon, still going down in the Palestinian territories.
The only people who think Israel is even considering a strike at Iran are the extremist right wing parties of the US.
everybody will claim this is "offensive technology" and Iran is picking the fight
If by everybody, you mean Fox News.
Now lets look at what's really happening. The Iranian's developed a reusable 60's era cruise missile, useless against the sophisticated defences of Israel, US, NATO, Russia and so forth. But Iran knows that the US, Russia, Israel, et al. will do nothing. What Iran is afraid of are pro-arab extremist groups from their immediate neighbours as well as a growing rift between Tehran and Damascus (Syria). People who have armed forces that are less technologically advanced then Iran's but are capable of waging an extended conflict with Tehran.
They are developing UCAV technology because its a cheaper way to fight a technologically inferior but more numerous foe which does not endanger hard to replace vehicles and pilots... Shock horror, just like everyone else who have developed UAV and UCAV technology.
Motivation to go have a beer? When you're depressed? Yeah, that's just what you need, to sit in a smoke-filled room and ingest depressants with the other losers who think that spending too much on a mug full of fuel additive is good treatment for their depression.
To sit in a open air beer garden with good friends, to talk an joke with strangers whilst enjoying a refreshing ale or lager, the great social lubricant which puts a spring in your step and a smile on your face. An ideal way to relax on a warm summers day.
Now, I don't claim to know what will definitely work for you, but I always feel great after doing something physical, so my suggestion would be to get a gym membership*
To be abused and demeaned by hack with half a sports science degree. Constant agony and no reward apart from the constant degradation from others who will remind you that you and your life are not good enough and never will be from their high and mighty positions.
If by whiskey is one of my favourite thought terminating clichés.
The point is to do something real. Video-game achievements just aren't a high-enough density feeling of accomplishment to really satisfy you for the rest of the day.
That is your opinion, but you've presented it as an infallible truth. I'd say you were all work and no play, which makes Jack a very dull boy. If someone enjoys "wasting" their time then who the hell are you to tell them otherwise. Now kindly climb of your soap box, your preaching is robbing me of good play time (might head off for a pint later, Monday is really like the first Friday, so why not).
US companies announce armed UAVs almost daily now,
As do Russian and Chinese military authorities. Other NATO nations as well.
I dont think it will be long before we hear from Hindustan Aeronautics either. Brazil has an up and coming aviation industry (Embraer) but that's mostly civilian. I think that's almost everyone.
This drone is basically 60's tech, Iran has more powerful and longer range missiles already, so this isn't antagonising the west as much as it is cutting costs on a potential war with low tech enemies... A lot like western drone programs.
GPS is not the only positioning system. There's Galileo (EU), GLONASS (RU), the Chinese have a system (cant remember the name off the top of my head) and Iran can launch it's own satellites (they have this capacity).
We'll turn on encryption
And that's how the Iranian's will keep issuing orders to their drones, via encrypted links the same way we do.
Comparatively this weapon is low tech, even for Iran. They have much more powerful and accurate missiles already. So that leads me to believe that such a drone will only be used against low tech armies such as that of extremist groups in Pakistan and former Iraq or in long drawn out conflicts with the likes of Syria.
No, it is pretty obvious that Ahmedinejad has calculated that he will gain from provoking a war with Israel. And he is probably right.
The Islamic Republic will not gain from a war with anyone and they know it. This is why they make so much noise, they want to intimidate their enemies as opposed to actually fighting them.
The Islamic Republic knows that if they start a war with Israel, Israeli tanks with Persian commanders will be seen as liberating heroes by the Iranian (Persian) people so they'll never start one.
The Israeli's know that if They attack Iran en masse the Persian people will rally around the Islamic Republic because of their aggression so they'll never start it.
The side that initiates the conflict will ultimately lose it because neither the Israeli or Persian people want a war with the other, in fact they get along quite well which is why there are many Persians living in Israel, before and after the rise of the Islamic republic. Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav was born in Yazd, Iran.
Iran's real threats are Syria, pro-Arab groups taking root in Pakistan and former Iraq and even possibly the other stans (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). A 60's era reusable missile will be quite effective against those enemies, who dont have particularly good air defences.
This thing is a gimmick. It is a small cruise missile with remote capabilities. The bomb on it is a tiny little dumb thing that isn't going to hurt anyone unless it hits them directly, and I am going to go out on a limb and say that the avionics on that drone don't amount to much more than a camera bolted on. In defense against the presumed target, the US, this thing is a novelty. The US gets giddy over electronic warfare and this thing is asking have its connection severed. The fuel and explosives are better spent on a missile that doesn't bother to return home and doesn't need an operator to guide it in. This does nothing to help the defense of Iran against the style of combat the US uses.
Yep, it's a cruise missle from the 60's with RTB functionality.
But lets look at who it will be used against.
1. United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan. No, They are theocratic, not stupid. Their war against the US is propaganda only. Even weakened, NATO could crush them like a paper cup if given any motivation.
2. Israel. No, aside from having the most advanced air defence network in the middle east, attacking Israel is stupid for political reasons. The Persians and the Israeli's get along like a house on fire, giving Israeli Persians a reason to liberate their former homeland is suicide for the Islamic Republic. So again their war is purely propaganda.
3. Remnants of Iraq. Quite possible if things get even more out of hand there, which is likely. If more extremist pro-Arab groups take root Iran becomes threatened (as does Saudi Arabia).
4. Syria, also possible. Despite getting along in the past, relations between Damascus and Tehran have become strained in recent years.
5. Pakistan, maybe. Pakistan is having it's own problems with extremist Muslim groups. Pakistan the state is no threat to Iran but if that state falls who is to say.
6. The other Stans (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan), not likely, they dont have the money or organisation to strike Iran but still possible.
So this weapon was not designed to deliver righteous death to the western capitalist pig-dogs but rather to defend against Iran's real threats, Syria, Former Iraq and possibly the Stans. It is Iran's neighbours who have the capacity, motivation and gumption to draw Iran into a lengthy and costly conflict where such weapons will be needed.
And never intent to connect it to Wifi or Itunes ever again.
If Apple do get a way to detect "unauthorised use" of their software and disable it as well as develop the idiocy to actually use it, do you honestly think the the only method they'll have of disseminating it will be via cellular networks?
3. Create a legion of fanboys, locking people into your product emotionally as well as financially. Alienation is kind of a precursor to this, you cant make a cult if other people are able to point out the flaws in their beliefs.
Unless apple retains ownership of the device, I suggest they stick their patent where the sun doesn't shine.
The EULA you agreed to means that they do retain ownership of the software and you've agreed to abide by their terms on how to use it.
Also, if your phone is subsided by a carrier, they effectively own it until the term of the contract is complete (including early termination fee's if applicable).
What's with the all the anti-fiction Debbie Downers here? In a Star Wars or Star Trek or Anime or whatever thread, it takes no effort whatsoever for fellow geeks to suspend disbelief and discuss the Force, hyperspace, controlled wormholes, etc and fiction turned
Because/. is full of Geeks and Nerds who have a pathological need to explain everything.
Many of us like hard sci-fi, which is quite explainable and leads to this kind of behaviour.
Everyone like to associate themselves to their favourite fiction, geeks just do it scientifically. Go talk to a Twi-hard or Home and Away fan. They will associating their lives to that of their favourite fictional character (the soap character they wish they were). This is not strange or abnormal, well until it reaches the point of delusion where people actually believe they are Jedi, Vampire or Victor Devoroe (don't ask, my sister was a Days Of Our Lives fanatic, I still have nightmares) but most people will never reach that point, it's a form of escapism and is quite healthy.
(2) The Zombie infection is viral and spread by getting Zombie fluids (blood, saliva, etc) in another body. It also requires an incubation time.
Isn't this how most blood born infections spread?
Incubation time is a given. Turning instantly into a zombie is not plausible.
(3) Zombies need no form of sustenance (food, drink, oxygen, etc)
You have a point with oxygen, but the body can survive for some time with no food or water.
Time without food will only result in the degradation of the body. Also some animals do not undergo Senescence meaning if they get sufficent food (brains) they can live forever (theoretically). Also being able to put the body into and out of a state of hibernation would reduce the need to eat when food is not readily available.
(4) Zombies eat as an instinct... and it's their only instinct.
Animals sometimes (often) disobey their other instincts if one is powerful enough. Self preservation is overriding but hunger can become enough to over power that.
(7) Zombies can freeze, but they can also thaw and continue killing
Certain kinds of frogs can survive the freezing/thawing process. Mostly warm blooded creatures have this problem.
(9) Zombies do not have super-human strength, but, when they're seeking food, they only know Full Power and No Power.
Get enough adrenaline into someone and they'll act the same way.
(10) Zombies feel no pain
Easy to produce in humans chemically. This goes hand in hand with Adrenaline (above). Meth heads will seem impervious to pain.
(11) Zombies do not tire or need rest
See Adrenaline. If there is no higher mental functioning then tiredness may become a non-issue. Of course the body will slowly degrade under these conditions.
(1) Zombies are real
Got me here, the 28 days later style of zombie is plausible but highly improbable. They answer most of your questions (yes they do degrade over time). I think the most implausible thing about traditional zombies is the lack of nourishment, fluids in particular. The idea of hibernation solves this somewhat.
This level of cognitive dissonance in the libertarians is going to be amusing.
After all who can say no to the photographers right to take pictures in a public place, but who can say no to someone's right to keep the front gardens off of a publicly accessible mapping system.
(to the rest of us, we know this guys just being an arsehole)
Slashdot Mirror
Redundancy packages are golden parachutes for ordinary employee's. In Australia if an employer outsourced a department they are required to give X days per month working at the company (I think it's about 7 or 10). But if something untoward happens to the company due to a dead man switch or back door then the ex-employee can be sued for that redundancy package and some. Perhaps even criminal charges. Companies can take the dodgy route and fire everyone for incompetence by giving them an impossible task and sacking them for failing to complete it but this will generally nullify the companies right to claim against workers and open them up to unfair dismissal claims.
If it gets to the point that you're installing back doors, you've passed the point of burning bridges already.
As a sysadmin, my own ethics are responsible for ensuring this doesn't happen. Unfortunately a lot of non-sysadmins that get high levels of access are not as scrupulous. Sysadmins have to fix the problems that occur from departure bombs and dead man switches, once you've done that you develop an extreme dislike of them.
I'd like to point out that Apple is one of the least environmentally friendly companies in the IT world. A lot more waste ends up from old/broken Apple computers and phones as well as the waste created in making and shipping them.
Also with physical media, the media stays around for years, the packaging can be easily recycled as it's mostly made from recyclable material (paper).
Not really,
Even Android has changed nothing. It's simple old *nix development except you're looking at a smaller scale. It seems new and shiny to some devs because they've never done *nix development before.
Realistically, I think this app thing is a craze, a stopgap until the mobile browser becomes as functional as the desktop browser and then we'll see a continuation of the shift to web based applications that we've seen on the desktop.
For the most part, on my Android phone I tend to use the browser, after that my two email clients. I've found little advantage using the Phandroid application as opposed to just navigating to Phandroid.com. Tapatalk is available for vBuiltin forums that I use but I cant justify the price when I can log in on my web browser.
A lot of things are going browser based, applications are becoming superfluous. I have one "must have" paid for application, it's the Exchange email client Touchdown which provides so much more functionality over the default Android client (or HTC client). It costs US$20 and has been worth every cent, my issue with $0.99 applications is that 1. they dont always do as promised. 2. they are treated as disposable. 3. there often is no demo version available so I can check number 1.
Blame Apple for that.
They've fostered the idea that computing must be easy (dumb), that everything must work flawlessly and that everything is cheap (there's an app for that and it only costs US$0.99) and all three of these traits can and must be present at once.
Personally I'd say you're better off developing a mobile version of web sites. I dont know about the Iphone but Android's browser advances in leaps and bounds with each major release. With 1.5/1.6 it was not very functional but with 2.0/2.1, as I've iterated above few applications can offer a better experience then using the browser especially since they are mostly using HTML anyway.
Normal people would. It would be the same as the Iphone, they wouldn't have to learn anything new. Having to make the End moron^W User learn new things is the biggest stumbling block to implementing new technology. They'll complain that it's not like the system they're used to, cry, pout and refuse to use it, sometimes even up until the point of direct sabotage.
Normal people dont give a crap about Unix shells or even having admin access to their own box if it means they can run their chat programs and Arsebook. Really, there is no benifit to OSX for the end user and Apple knows this.
Geeks are the worst enemy of Apple, we take away the "Just Works" and "you're cooler for using this" image that Apple has tried so hard to foster.
I agree with the GP but there's SFA I can do about it.
It's going to play havoc with Google searches until Google figures out the difference between Cisco IOS and Apple IOS. Many a router will suffer for it though.
He's also the guy that sunk apple in the first place.
The world would be better off if Microsoft didn't save Apple (did you forget about the payout in 1997).
And great Steve slayed the RIAA and artists rejoiced as they were now in full control their creations.
No...
Wait...
That didn't happen. Steve did nothing to change the music industry, it's still as abusive as it has been for over 60 years (probably longer). In fact, he's handed the RIAA more control over the years including the ability to adjust prices based on popularity (the price rise to US$1.29 for "select" songs, the removal of DRM was a cover for this).
So the old vertical monopolies have been broken?
Nothing has changed, we still use phones in the exact same was as we did in 2007.
I know it's popular to be a Steve Jobs arselicker but still, can you try to remain somewhat grounded in reality. Nothing Apple has done has been remotely game changing. They've just been good at marketing that myth.
Asian traffic jams, they'll typically turn off the engine once they've been there for a while. Trying to get through Bangkok at about 4 PM is a nightmare. It took 15 minutes to drive the 25 KM from the airport and 30 minutes to get the 5 KM from the toll-way to my hotel. Feck if I had of known I would have walked it from the off ramp.
Because none of the content is published under "News LTD". It's published under 1000 different brands each too small to count but publishing the same stories. In the end, most stories end up coming from Rueters or AP.
Israel.
In the 1970's Iran had three major religions, Baha'i, Zoroastrianism and Islam. These three got along under the previous democratic government, even under the shah. In the 1980's Baha'i and Zoroastrians began to leave Iran for two places in particular, the United States and Israel. The headquarters of the Baha'i religion is in Israel. After Iran, the largest Persian populations in the world are the US and then Israel.
Before the Islamic republic there was a lot of immigration from Iran to Israel, mainly because the Persians (white) and Israeli's had a common enemy, the Arabs.
Former Prime Minister Moshe Katsav was born in Yazd, Iran. He's an ethnic Persian, his brother owns a chemical company in Iran. Katsav is not the only Iranian born Persian in the Kizmet.
Every Israeli I speak to tells me the same thing, the Persians are the most oppressed people in the Middle east and that's a land where oppression is rife.
So where do you get the delusion that Persians and Israeli's hate each other? Speak to a Persian (there's 40 million of them in the US) or an Israeli and get a clue.
Living with a Jewish housemate means I've been adopted into a Jewish family (you cant fight it). Talking to people from Israel itself this seems flakey at best. The Israeli's are having enough trouble with the Palestinians and starting a war with Iran will be political suicide. Any war between Iran and Israel will be a war of words, neither side is dumb enough to do anything rash.
As far as weapons go, Iran already has missiles far in advance of this, which is what leads me to believe this is intended to strike fear into their less technologically advanced enemies.
Yes.
All those things you mentioned, have been done before. Firefox 1 had the same kind of zooming as the Iphone, but no one used it as it was never needed.
I'm sorry you've been sucked into that delusion that the Iphone is somehow new or even unique.
Now wave failed because Google 1. didn't push it enough. 2. didn't distribute it enough. There was not enough incentive for a significant community to form, nor for uptake in the private sector. I'm still waiting for a replacement for Microsoft Exchange so I can get away from the Windows Server System completely. Wave was our best chance for that. I don't see Apple providing an alternative to Microsoft's best piece of engineering.
I dont know how people believe this.
Israel doesn't want to take a shot at Iran. Knowing a few Israeli's the average Israeli doesn't want any more war, the government knows it's political suicide to start another war after what went down in Lebanon, still going down in the Palestinian territories.
The only people who think Israel is even considering a strike at Iran are the extremist right wing parties of the US.
If by everybody, you mean Fox News.
Now lets look at what's really happening. The Iranian's developed a reusable 60's era cruise missile, useless against the sophisticated defences of Israel, US, NATO, Russia and so forth. But Iran knows that the US, Russia, Israel, et al. will do nothing. What Iran is afraid of are pro-arab extremist groups from their immediate neighbours as well as a growing rift between Tehran and Damascus (Syria). People who have armed forces that are less technologically advanced then Iran's but are capable of waging an extended conflict with Tehran.
They are developing UCAV technology because its a cheaper way to fight a technologically inferior but more numerous foe which does not endanger hard to replace vehicles and pilots... Shock horror, just like everyone else who have developed UAV and UCAV technology.
To sit in a open air beer garden with good friends, to talk an joke with strangers whilst enjoying a refreshing ale or lager, the great social lubricant which puts a spring in your step and a smile on your face. An ideal way to relax on a warm summers day.
To be abused and demeaned by hack with half a sports science degree. Constant agony and no reward apart from the constant degradation from others who will remind you that you and your life are not good enough and never will be from their high and mighty positions.
If by whiskey is one of my favourite thought terminating clichés.
That is your opinion, but you've presented it as an infallible truth. I'd say you were all work and no play, which makes Jack a very dull boy. If someone enjoys "wasting" their time then who the hell are you to tell them otherwise. Now kindly climb of your soap box, your preaching is robbing me of good play time (might head off for a pint later, Monday is really like the first Friday, so why not).
As do Russian and Chinese military authorities. Other NATO nations as well.
I dont think it will be long before we hear from Hindustan Aeronautics either. Brazil has an up and coming aviation industry (Embraer) but that's mostly civilian. I think that's almost everyone.
This drone is basically 60's tech, Iran has more powerful and longer range missiles already, so this isn't antagonising the west as much as it is cutting costs on a potential war with low tech enemies... A lot like western drone programs.
GPS is not the only positioning system. There's Galileo (EU), GLONASS (RU), the Chinese have a system (cant remember the name off the top of my head) and Iran can launch it's own satellites (they have this capacity).
And that's how the Iranian's will keep issuing orders to their drones, via encrypted links the same way we do.
Comparatively this weapon is low tech, even for Iran. They have much more powerful and accurate missiles already. So that leads me to believe that such a drone will only be used against low tech armies such as that of extremist groups in Pakistan and former Iraq or in long drawn out conflicts with the likes of Syria.
The Islamic Republic will not gain from a war with anyone and they know it. This is why they make so much noise, they want to intimidate their enemies as opposed to actually fighting them.
The Islamic Republic knows that if they start a war with Israel, Israeli tanks with Persian commanders will be seen as liberating heroes by the Iranian (Persian) people so they'll never start one.
The Israeli's know that if They attack Iran en masse the Persian people will rally around the Islamic Republic because of their aggression so they'll never start it.
The side that initiates the conflict will ultimately lose it because neither the Israeli or Persian people want a war with the other, in fact they get along quite well which is why there are many Persians living in Israel, before and after the rise of the Islamic republic. Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav was born in Yazd, Iran.
Iran's real threats are Syria, pro-Arab groups taking root in Pakistan and former Iraq and even possibly the other stans (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). A 60's era reusable missile will be quite effective against those enemies, who dont have particularly good air defences.
Yep, it's a cruise missle from the 60's with RTB functionality.
But lets look at who it will be used against.
1. United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan. No, They are theocratic, not stupid. Their war against the US is propaganda only. Even weakened, NATO could crush them like a paper cup if given any motivation.
2. Israel. No, aside from having the most advanced air defence network in the middle east, attacking Israel is stupid for political reasons. The Persians and the Israeli's get along like a house on fire, giving Israeli Persians a reason to liberate their former homeland is suicide for the Islamic Republic. So again their war is purely propaganda.
3. Remnants of Iraq. Quite possible if things get even more out of hand there, which is likely. If more extremist pro-Arab groups take root Iran becomes threatened (as does Saudi Arabia).
4. Syria, also possible. Despite getting along in the past, relations between Damascus and Tehran have become strained in recent years.
5. Pakistan, maybe. Pakistan is having it's own problems with extremist Muslim groups. Pakistan the state is no threat to Iran but if that state falls who is to say.
6. The other Stans (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan), not likely, they dont have the money or organisation to strike Iran but still possible.
So this weapon was not designed to deliver righteous death to the western capitalist pig-dogs but rather to defend against Iran's real threats, Syria, Former Iraq and possibly the Stans. It is Iran's neighbours who have the capacity, motivation and gumption to draw Iran into a lengthy and costly conflict where such weapons will be needed.
What better to personify the spirit of giving then delivering hot lead directly to your doorstep.
Personally I'm glad he's a Muslim, I'd hate to think the kind of gifts he'd gives for Christmas.
And never intent to connect it to Wifi or Itunes ever again.
If Apple do get a way to detect "unauthorised use" of their software and disable it as well as develop the idiocy to actually use it, do you honestly think the the only method they'll have of disseminating it will be via cellular networks?
3. Create a legion of fanboys, locking people into your product emotionally as well as financially. Alienation is kind of a precursor to this, you cant make a cult if other people are able to point out the flaws in their beliefs.
The EULA you agreed to means that they do retain ownership of the software and you've agreed to abide by their terms on how to use it.
Also, if your phone is subsided by a carrier, they effectively own it until the term of the contract is complete (including early termination fee's if applicable).
Because /. is full of Geeks and Nerds who have a pathological need to explain everything.
Many of us like hard sci-fi, which is quite explainable and leads to this kind of behaviour.
Everyone like to associate themselves to their favourite fiction, geeks just do it scientifically. Go talk to a Twi-hard or Home and Away fan. They will associating their lives to that of their favourite fictional character (the soap character they wish they were). This is not strange or abnormal, well until it reaches the point of delusion where people actually believe they are Jedi, Vampire or Victor Devoroe (don't ask, my sister was a Days Of Our Lives fanatic, I still have nightmares) but most people will never reach that point, it's a form of escapism and is quite healthy.
Isn't this how most blood born infections spread? Incubation time is a given. Turning instantly into a zombie is not plausible.
You have a point with oxygen, but the body can survive for some time with no food or water. Time without food will only result in the degradation of the body. Also some animals do not undergo Senescence meaning if they get sufficent food (brains) they can live forever (theoretically). Also being able to put the body into and out of a state of hibernation would reduce the need to eat when food is not readily available.
Animals sometimes (often) disobey their other instincts if one is powerful enough. Self preservation is overriding but hunger can become enough to over power that.
Certain kinds of frogs can survive the freezing/thawing process. Mostly warm blooded creatures have this problem.
Apraxia, nuff said.
Get enough adrenaline into someone and they'll act the same way.
Easy to produce in humans chemically. This goes hand in hand with Adrenaline (above). Meth heads will seem impervious to pain.
See Adrenaline. If there is no higher mental functioning then tiredness may become a non-issue. Of course the body will slowly degrade under these conditions.
Got me here, the 28 days later style of zombie is plausible but highly improbable. They answer most of your questions (yes they do degrade over time). I think the most implausible thing about traditional zombies is the lack of nourishment, fluids in particular. The idea of hibernation solves this somewhat.
I'm getting popcorn.
This level of cognitive dissonance in the libertarians is going to be amusing.
After all who can say no to the photographers right to take pictures in a public place, but who can say no to someone's right to keep the front gardens off of a publicly accessible mapping system.
(to the rest of us, we know this guys just being an arsehole)