2:23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.I guess they won't be making fun of bald people any more.
2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
Monday, February 8, 2010
What is the most hilarious bible verse?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080906123651AANtYUF
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Test your Risk Intelligence
http://projectionpoint.com/
"Risk Intelligence Quotient (RQ) is a measure of a person’s ability to estimate probabilities accurately. People with high risk intelligence tend to make better predictions than those with low RQ. This five minute test will measure your RQ."
I found this pretty interesting. It's testing your ability to correctly gauge what you know. Fifty questions over a pretty wide range of subjects. I got a 90.
"Risk Intelligence Quotient (RQ) is a measure of a person’s ability to estimate probabilities accurately. People with high risk intelligence tend to make better predictions than those with low RQ. This five minute test will measure your RQ."
I found this pretty interesting. It's testing your ability to correctly gauge what you know. Fifty questions over a pretty wide range of subjects. I got a 90.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Feynman Fun to Imagine
"Physicist Richard Feynman thinks aloud about atoms and how they jiggle, and how we perceive that jiggling as 'hot' and 'cold'. From the BBC TV series 'Fun to Imagine'(1983)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3pYRn5j7oI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITpDrdtGAmo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRxAn2DRzgI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMFPe-DwULM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhh32JYkQPk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msN87y-iEx0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7h4OtFDnYE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qQQXTMih1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmzHQljJ4bc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OrsaL97Epg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj4y0EUlU-Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrk3GbJU0k0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3pYRn5j7oI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITpDrdtGAmo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRxAn2DRzgI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMFPe-DwULM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhh32JYkQPk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msN87y-iEx0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7h4OtFDnYE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qQQXTMih1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmzHQljJ4bc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OrsaL97Epg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj4y0EUlU-Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrk3GbJU0k0
Robotic Audi To Brave Pikes Peak Without a Driver
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/10/02/05/1639216/Robotic-Audi-To-Brave-Pikes-Peak-Without-a-Driver?art_pos=8
"A team of researchers at the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS) has filled the trunk of an Audi TTS with computers and GPS receivers, transforming it into a vehicle that drives itself. The car will attempt Pikes Peak without a driver at race speeds, something that's never been done.""A team of researchers at the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS) has filled the trunk of an Audi TTS with computers and GPS receivers, transforming it into a vehicle that drives itself. The car will attempt Pikes Peak without a driver at race speeds, something that's never been done."
"A team of researchers at the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS) has filled the trunk of an Audi TTS with computers and GPS receivers, transforming it into a vehicle that drives itself. The car will attempt Pikes Peak without a driver at race speeds, something that's never been done.""A team of researchers at the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS) has filled the trunk of an Audi TTS with computers and GPS receivers, transforming it into a vehicle that drives itself. The car will attempt Pikes Peak without a driver at race speeds, something that's never been done."
The Mountain Goats
For a while now I've wanted to do a post about the Mountain Goats. I've managed to find some time so here it is. The Mountain Goats is a band lead by John Darnielle. For all practical purposes John is the Mountain Goats. For the first few years he was very prolific song writer. I went through my playlist and counted 463 unique song titles, and I am sure there's at least 100 that I don't have. I feel his career can be broken into three eras.
Around 1992 he released his first cassette "Taboo VI: The Homecoming". In the first few years he released at least 10 distinct tapes. These all have a distinct lo-fi feel to them. The quality though, is decent. Many songs feature no guitar and instead have a keyboard beat which he sings over.
The next era I would say starts with the 4 song never released EP Jack & Faye in 1995. This is the time I notice his first band member, Rachel Ware, singing backgrounds. I must note I do believe she played bass in earlier recordings, but this is where I notice her singing. This is probably my favorite era.
In 2002 with the release of Tallahassee the Mountain Goats moved into the modern era. Major changes include end of recording on his Panasonic RX-FT500 boombox, the addition of two actual band members, and an obvious improvement in sound quality. This would be the point where you could say he "sold out" if you were the kind of person that likes to do that. He had up to this point, released at least 300 songs, so it's probably fair to cut him some slack for wanting to change musical styles.
So now that we've covered a brief history here are my top 10 albums by songs/plays:
The Mountain Goats - Zopilote Machine
The Mountain Goats - Jack & Faye
The Mountain Goats - New Asian Cinema
The Mountain Goats - Full Force Galesburg
The Mountain Goats - Nine Black Poppies
The Mountain Goats - Songs For Peter Hughes
The Mountain Goats - Songs About Fire
The Mountain Goats - Ghana
The Mountain Goats - Devil in the Shortwave
The Mountain Goats - The Coroner's Gambit
And my top 25 songs by plays:
A word of caution about this song data, first off many of his early songs are re-released on compilations meaning that I have two copies of them, and that their play counts are effectively cut in half. Second, this data is less than a year's worth. It'd be much different if it included the first few months I started listening to the Mountain Goats. There's many songs which I know should be way higher in the play counts but aren't for whatever reasons. I'm tempted to make a list of songs to supplement the above list, however I fear it would be 400 songs long. Instead I'll make a list of albums independent from the above list:
The Hound Chronicles - A good sampling of his early era work.
Zopilote Machine - This was the second album I got after Sunset Tree, and where I realized his old stuff blew his new stuff away.
Nothing For Juice - This is vastly under represented in my playcount because I have it in my car, and as such tend not to listen to it on the computer. In particular I feel this best highlights Rachel's backup vocals. The last four songs are the highlight of the album.
Full Force Galesburg - Almost every song on this album I would describe as a favorite.
New Asian Cinema - Five song EP, my copy is ripped from a vinyl and has the crackle and pop that goes with it. Normally I'm not a vinyl snob but it complements these songs quite well. The last song, Treetop Song, is easily in my top ten.
The Coroner's Gambit - While every song is great, Family Happiness rises above the rest as the definitive dark Mountain Goats song.
Protein Source of the Future...Now!; Bitter Melon Farm; Ghana - Three compilation albums. Maybe it's unfair to list three albums totaling 83 songs as a single item, but too bad. They offer a great mix of all his early work.
We Shall All Be Healed - Far and away my favorite modern era album.
So there it is. Ten albums, and I don't know how I kept it to only ten. However, writing this post has made me realize there is truly only one way to listen to Mountain Goats. Get every album that isn't live, put in one playlist, set to random, listen until heat death of the universe.
Around 1992 he released his first cassette "Taboo VI: The Homecoming". In the first few years he released at least 10 distinct tapes. These all have a distinct lo-fi feel to them. The quality though, is decent. Many songs feature no guitar and instead have a keyboard beat which he sings over.
The next era I would say starts with the 4 song never released EP Jack & Faye in 1995. This is the time I notice his first band member, Rachel Ware, singing backgrounds. I must note I do believe she played bass in earlier recordings, but this is where I notice her singing. This is probably my favorite era.
In 2002 with the release of Tallahassee the Mountain Goats moved into the modern era. Major changes include end of recording on his Panasonic RX-FT500 boombox, the addition of two actual band members, and an obvious improvement in sound quality. This would be the point where you could say he "sold out" if you were the kind of person that likes to do that. He had up to this point, released at least 300 songs, so it's probably fair to cut him some slack for wanting to change musical styles.
So now that we've covered a brief history here are my top 10 albums by songs/plays:
The Mountain Goats - Zopilote Machine
The Mountain Goats - Jack & Faye
The Mountain Goats - New Asian Cinema
The Mountain Goats - Full Force Galesburg
The Mountain Goats - Nine Black Poppies
The Mountain Goats - Songs For Peter Hughes
The Mountain Goats - Songs About Fire
The Mountain Goats - Ghana
The Mountain Goats - Devil in the Shortwave
The Mountain Goats - The Coroner's Gambit
And my top 25 songs by plays:
| Orange Ball of Hate | Zopilote Machine |
| Young Caesar 2000 | Zopilote Machine |
| Raid On Entebbe | Jack & Faye |
| Going to Bristol | Zopilote Machine |
| Bad Priestess | Zopilote Machine |
| Grendel's Mother | Zopilote Machine |
| Azo Tle Nelli in Tlalticpac? | Zopilote Machine |
| Song For Tura Satana | Zopilote Machine |
| Adair | Jack & Faye |
| Alpha Incipiens | Zopilote Machine |
| Going to Lebanon | Zopilote Machine |
| It's All Here In Brownsville | Full Force Galesburg |
| Alpha Sun Hat | Zopilote Machine |
| Sinaloan Milk Snake Song | Zopilote Machine |
| Going To Georgia | Zopilote Machine |
| Noctifer Birmingham | Ghana |
| The Black Ice Cream Song | Zopilote Machine |
| Quetzalcoatl Eats Plums | Zopilote Machine |
| Orange Ball of Love | Zopilote Machine |
| Alpha In Taurus | Zopilote Machine |
| Masher | Full Force Galesburg |
| Weekend In Western Illinois | Full Force Galesburg |
| Treetop Song | New Asian Cinema |
| Standard Bitter Love Song #7 | Zopilote Machine |
| US Mill | Full Force Galesburg |
A word of caution about this song data, first off many of his early songs are re-released on compilations meaning that I have two copies of them, and that their play counts are effectively cut in half. Second, this data is less than a year's worth. It'd be much different if it included the first few months I started listening to the Mountain Goats. There's many songs which I know should be way higher in the play counts but aren't for whatever reasons. I'm tempted to make a list of songs to supplement the above list, however I fear it would be 400 songs long. Instead I'll make a list of albums independent from the above list:
The Hound Chronicles - A good sampling of his early era work.
Zopilote Machine - This was the second album I got after Sunset Tree, and where I realized his old stuff blew his new stuff away.
Nothing For Juice - This is vastly under represented in my playcount because I have it in my car, and as such tend not to listen to it on the computer. In particular I feel this best highlights Rachel's backup vocals. The last four songs are the highlight of the album.
Full Force Galesburg - Almost every song on this album I would describe as a favorite.
New Asian Cinema - Five song EP, my copy is ripped from a vinyl and has the crackle and pop that goes with it. Normally I'm not a vinyl snob but it complements these songs quite well. The last song, Treetop Song, is easily in my top ten.
The Coroner's Gambit - While every song is great, Family Happiness rises above the rest as the definitive dark Mountain Goats song.
Protein Source of the Future...Now!; Bitter Melon Farm; Ghana - Three compilation albums. Maybe it's unfair to list three albums totaling 83 songs as a single item, but too bad. They offer a great mix of all his early work.
We Shall All Be Healed - Far and away my favorite modern era album.
So there it is. Ten albums, and I don't know how I kept it to only ten. However, writing this post has made me realize there is truly only one way to listen to Mountain Goats. Get every album that isn't live, put in one playlist, set to random, listen until heat death of the universe.
How can chromosome numbers change?
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/04/basics_how_can_chromosome_numb.php
"The end result is that the chromosome is broken into two chromosomes. I think this is a key concept that the questioner is missing: chromosome numbers really aren't significant at all! You don't need to add significant new information to create a new chromosome, and as I'll show you in a moment, a reduction in chromosome numbers does not represent a loss of genetic information. Chromosome are disorganized filing cabinets, nothing more; we can shuffle genes around between them willy-nilly, and the cell mostly doesn't care. A fission event like the one described above basically does nothing but take one pile of genes and split them into two piles."
"The end result is that the chromosome is broken into two chromosomes. I think this is a key concept that the questioner is missing: chromosome numbers really aren't significant at all! You don't need to add significant new information to create a new chromosome, and as I'll show you in a moment, a reduction in chromosome numbers does not represent a loss of genetic information. Chromosome are disorganized filing cabinets, nothing more; we can shuffle genes around between them willy-nilly, and the cell mostly doesn't care. A fission event like the one described above basically does nothing but take one pile of genes and split them into two piles."
Google and NSA Teaming Up
http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/02/04/131224/Google-and-NSA-Teaming-Up?art_pos=16
"The Washington Post reports that 'Under an agreement that is still being finalized, the National Security Agency would help Google analyze a major corporate espionage attack that the firm said originated in China and targeted its computer networks, according to cybersecurity experts familiar with the matter. The objective is to better defend Google — and its users — from future attack.'"
Google mines all the data it can, the NSA is known for its ability to process and analyze data.
"The Washington Post reports that 'Under an agreement that is still being finalized, the National Security Agency would help Google analyze a major corporate espionage attack that the firm said originated in China and targeted its computer networks, according to cybersecurity experts familiar with the matter. The objective is to better defend Google — and its users — from future attack.'"
Google mines all the data it can, the NSA is known for its ability to process and analyze data.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
USPTO Won't Accept Upside Down Faxes
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/02/04/045243/USPTO-Wont-Accept-Upside-Down-Faxes
"This may seem like a joke, but it's not. The US Patent and Trademark Office will not accept patent filings faxed in if they arrive upside down. That's right, the home of innovation of the federal government is incapable of rotating an incoming fax file, whether electronically or on paper."
"This may seem like a joke, but it's not. The US Patent and Trademark Office will not accept patent filings faxed in if they arrive upside down. That's right, the home of innovation of the federal government is incapable of rotating an incoming fax file, whether electronically or on paper."
UK Government Crowd-Sourcing Censorship
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/02/04/0144233/UK-Government-Crowd-Sourcing-Censorship?art_pos=20
"The UK public can report 'terrorism-related' Web sites to authorities for removal from the Internet under a new program launched by the British government. The program is a way in which the government is seeking to enforce the Terrorism Acts of 2000 and 2006. These laws make it illegal to have or to share information intended to be useful to terrorists, and ban glorifying terrorism or urging people to commit terrorist acts."
"The UK public can report 'terrorism-related' Web sites to authorities for removal from the Internet under a new program launched by the British government. The program is a way in which the government is seeking to enforce the Terrorism Acts of 2000 and 2006. These laws make it illegal to have or to share information intended to be useful to terrorists, and ban glorifying terrorism or urging people to commit terrorist acts."
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
South Australia Outlaws Anonymous Political Speech
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/02/02/1318221/South-Australia-Outlaws-Anonymous-Political-Speech?art_pos=19
"If you're online in South Australia and want to comment about the upcoming state election, be prepared to hand over your real name and postcode first — because this month it becomes illegal to do so anonymously (even under a pseudonym). Media organizations must keep your details on file for six months and face 'fines of $5000 if they do not hand over this information to the Electoral Commissioner.' This abomination was passed with the support of both major parties (Labour and Liberal), and to quote its sponsor, Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, 'There is no impinging on freedom of speech, people are free to say what they wish as themselves, not as somebody else.' Apparently incapable of targeting a few impostors without resorting to 'nuke it from orbit' legislative tactics, Atkinson has forgotten that protecting anonymity is important to the democratic process; hopefully both major parties will get a reminder come the polls on March 20."
"If you're online in South Australia and want to comment about the upcoming state election, be prepared to hand over your real name and postcode first — because this month it becomes illegal to do so anonymously (even under a pseudonym). Media organizations must keep your details on file for six months and face 'fines of $5000 if they do not hand over this information to the Electoral Commissioner.' This abomination was passed with the support of both major parties (Labour and Liberal), and to quote its sponsor, Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, 'There is no impinging on freedom of speech, people are free to say what they wish as themselves, not as somebody else.' Apparently incapable of targeting a few impostors without resorting to 'nuke it from orbit' legislative tactics, Atkinson has forgotten that protecting anonymity is important to the democratic process; hopefully both major parties will get a reminder come the polls on March 20."
Monday, February 1, 2010
Which Way Is She Spinning?
http://bezbrige.com/images/pics/tech/tech.html
I've seen this before, but the colors make it much easier to reverse the spin. Also I'd like to point out that if this were on discovery channel they'd censor the nipples.
I've seen this before, but the colors make it much easier to reverse the spin. Also I'd like to point out that if this were on discovery channel they'd censor the nipples.
Undressing the Terror Threat
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704130904574644651587677752.html
"Consider that on this very day about 6,700 Americans will die. When confronted with this statistic almost everyone reverts to the mindset of the title character's acquaintances in Tolstoy's great novella "The Death of Ivan Ilyich," and indulges in the complacent thought that "it is he who is dead and not I."
Consider then that around 1,900 of the Americans who die today will be less than 65, and that indeed about 140 will be children. Approximately 50 Americans will be murdered today, including several women killed by their husbands or boyfriends, and several children who will die from abuse and neglect. Around 85 of us will commit suicide, and another 120 will die in traffic accidents.
No amount of statistical evidence, however, will make any difference to those who give themselves over to almost completely irrational fears. Such people, and there are apparently a lot of them in America right now, are in fact real victims of terrorism. They also make possible the current ascendancy of the politics of cowardice—the cynical exploitation of fear for political gain."
"Consider that on this very day about 6,700 Americans will die. When confronted with this statistic almost everyone reverts to the mindset of the title character's acquaintances in Tolstoy's great novella "The Death of Ivan Ilyich," and indulges in the complacent thought that "it is he who is dead and not I."
Consider then that around 1,900 of the Americans who die today will be less than 65, and that indeed about 140 will be children. Approximately 50 Americans will be murdered today, including several women killed by their husbands or boyfriends, and several children who will die from abuse and neglect. Around 85 of us will commit suicide, and another 120 will die in traffic accidents.
No amount of statistical evidence, however, will make any difference to those who give themselves over to almost completely irrational fears. Such people, and there are apparently a lot of them in America right now, are in fact real victims of terrorism. They also make possible the current ascendancy of the politics of cowardice—the cynical exploitation of fear for political gain."
Can statistics help catch terrorists?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8452260.stm
"In the wake of the alleged attempt to bomb a Detroit-bound plane, Britain could step up airport security with targeted passenger profiling. But how effective is it?"
"In the wake of the alleged attempt to bomb a Detroit-bound plane, Britain could step up airport security with targeted passenger profiling. But how effective is it?"
Would You Have Spotted the Fraud?
http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/2010/01/would-you-have-spotted-the-fraud/
"Pictured below is what’s known as a skimmer, or a device made to be affixed to the mouth of an ATM and secretly swipe credit and debit card information when bank customers slip their cards into the machines to pull out money. Skimmers have been around for years, of course, but thieves are constantly improving them, and the device pictured below is a perfect example of that evolution.
This particular skimmer was found Dec. 6, 2009, attached to the front of a Citibank ATM in Woodland Hills, Calif. Would you have been able to spot this?"
"Pictured below is what’s known as a skimmer, or a device made to be affixed to the mouth of an ATM and secretly swipe credit and debit card information when bank customers slip their cards into the machines to pull out money. Skimmers have been around for years, of course, but thieves are constantly improving them, and the device pictured below is a perfect example of that evolution.
This particular skimmer was found Dec. 6, 2009, attached to the front of a Citibank ATM in Woodland Hills, Calif. Would you have been able to spot this?"
Sunday, January 31, 2010
German TV on the Failure of Full-Body Scanners
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2010/01/german_tv_on_th.html
"The video is worth watching, even if you don't speak German. The scanner caught a subject's cell phone and Swiss Army knife -- and the microphone he was wearing -- but missed all the components to make a bomb that he hid on his body. Admittedly, he only faced the scanner from the front and not from the side. But he also didn't hide anything in a body cavity other than his mouth -- I didn't think about that one -- he didn't use low density or thinly sliced PETN, and he didn't hide anything in his carry-on luggage.
Full-body scanners: they're not just a dumb idea, they don't actually work."
"The video is worth watching, even if you don't speak German. The scanner caught a subject's cell phone and Swiss Army knife -- and the microphone he was wearing -- but missed all the components to make a bomb that he hid on his body. Admittedly, he only faced the scanner from the front and not from the side. But he also didn't hide anything in a body cavity other than his mouth -- I didn't think about that one -- he didn't use low density or thinly sliced PETN, and he didn't hide anything in his carry-on luggage.
Full-body scanners: they're not just a dumb idea, they don't actually work."
How To Deal With Unintended Acceleration
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q4/how_to_deal_with_unintended_acceleration-tech_dept
Lexus and Toyota models were stung recently by claims that faulty floor mats had jammed throttle pedals and were causing wide-open acceleration. Toyota has agreed to a largest-ever recall of 4.3 million vehicles (which could cost $250 million or more) to modify the gas pedals and remove unsecured or incompatible driver’s floor mats. Not since Audi was decimated by accusations of unintended acceleration in the late 1980s has the topic of runaway cars received so much media attention.
The furor began when an off-duty California Highway Patrolman crashed a loaner Lexus ES350 at high speed, killing himself, his wife and their daughter, and his brother-in-law. It was reported that someone, either the officer or his brother-in-law, called 9-1-1 moments before the crash, saying that the “accelerator is stuck . . . there’s no brake.”
Lexus and Toyota models were stung recently by claims that faulty floor mats had jammed throttle pedals and were causing wide-open acceleration. Toyota has agreed to a largest-ever recall of 4.3 million vehicles (which could cost $250 million or more) to modify the gas pedals and remove unsecured or incompatible driver’s floor mats. Not since Audi was decimated by accusations of unintended acceleration in the late 1980s has the topic of runaway cars received so much media attention.
The furor began when an off-duty California Highway Patrolman crashed a loaner Lexus ES350 at high speed, killing himself, his wife and their daughter, and his brother-in-law. It was reported that someone, either the officer or his brother-in-law, called 9-1-1 moments before the crash, saying that the “accelerator is stuck . . . there’s no brake.”
Obama Budget To Triple Nuclear Power Loan Guarantees
http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/01/31/1327238/Obama-Budget-To-Triple-Nuclear-Power-Loan-Guarantees?art_pos=6
"When President Obama said in his State of the Union address on Wednesday that the country should build 'a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants,' it was one of the few times he got bipartisan applause. Now the NY Times reports that administration officials have confirmed their 2011 federal budget request next week will raise potential loan guarantees for nuclear projects to more than $54 billion, from $18.5 billion, and a new Energy Department panel will examine a vastly expanded list of options for nuclear waste, including a new kind of nuclear reactor that would use some of it. The Energy Department appears to be getting close to offering its first nuclear loan guarantee. Earlier this week, Southern Co. Chief Executive David Ratcliffe said the company expects to finalize an application for a loan guarantee 'within the next couple months,' while Scana Corp., which has also applied, is 'a couple months behind Southern' and is hopeful of receiving a conditional award 'sometime in the next months.'"
"When President Obama said in his State of the Union address on Wednesday that the country should build 'a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants,' it was one of the few times he got bipartisan applause. Now the NY Times reports that administration officials have confirmed their 2011 federal budget request next week will raise potential loan guarantees for nuclear projects to more than $54 billion, from $18.5 billion, and a new Energy Department panel will examine a vastly expanded list of options for nuclear waste, including a new kind of nuclear reactor that would use some of it. The Energy Department appears to be getting close to offering its first nuclear loan guarantee. Earlier this week, Southern Co. Chief Executive David Ratcliffe said the company expects to finalize an application for a loan guarantee 'within the next couple months,' while Scana Corp., which has also applied, is 'a couple months behind Southern' and is hopeful of receiving a conditional award 'sometime in the next months.'"
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Man in Court Over Simpsons Porn
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/01/28/0112246/Man-in-Court-Over-Simpsons-Porn?art_pos=17
"Ever get the urge to look at pornographic drawings of famous cartoon children? Neither do I, but 28-year-old Kurt James Milner did, and that's what got him registered as a sex offender. Police received a tip about the pornographic material and eventually found images featuring child characters from The Simpsons and The Powerpuff Girls on Milner's computer. Back in 2008, a Supreme Court judge in Australia ruled that cartoons in which child characters engage in sexual acts is child pornography. Milner said he downloaded the images to show them to his friend 'because he believed they were funny.' Guess it's not so funny now."
It's only fair to mention this was his second offense, the first involving pictures of actual humans. That being said at most that makes this stupid. It shouldn't make it any more illegal. Cartoons don't hurt anyone.
PARADOX!!!!!11!!11!111!1111ONE!~~`1!1!@@#131!!!11!!11
"Ever get the urge to look at pornographic drawings of famous cartoon children? Neither do I, but 28-year-old Kurt James Milner did, and that's what got him registered as a sex offender. Police received a tip about the pornographic material and eventually found images featuring child characters from The Simpsons and The Powerpuff Girls on Milner's computer. Back in 2008, a Supreme Court judge in Australia ruled that cartoons in which child characters engage in sexual acts is child pornography. Milner said he downloaded the images to show them to his friend 'because he believed they were funny.' Guess it's not so funny now."
It's only fair to mention this was his second offense, the first involving pictures of actual humans. That being said at most that makes this stupid. It shouldn't make it any more illegal. Cartoons don't hurt anyone.
PARADOX!!!!!11!!11!111!1111ONE!~~`1!1!@@#131!!!11!!11
Obama Choosing NOT To Go To the Moon
http://science.slashdot.org/story/10/01/27/1725236/Obama-Choosing-NOT-To-Go-To-the-Moon?art_pos=15
"Obama's budget proposal will contain no funding for the Constellation program, which was to send astronauts to the moon by 2020. Instead, NASA will be focused on terrestrial science, such as monitoring global warming. One anonymous official said: 'We certainly don't need to go back to the moon.'"
"Obama's budget proposal will contain no funding for the Constellation program, which was to send astronauts to the moon by 2020. Instead, NASA will be focused on terrestrial science, such as monitoring global warming. One anonymous official said: 'We certainly don't need to go back to the moon.'"
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Judge Lowers Jammie Thomas' Damages to $54,000
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/01/22/1939256/Judge-Lowers-Jammie-Thomas-Damages-to-54000?art_pos=17&art_pos=17
"Judge Michael Davis has slashed the amount Jammie Thomas-Rassett is said to owe Big Music from almost $2,000,000 to $54,000. 'The need for deterrence cannot justify a $2 million verdict for stealing and illegally distributing 24 songs for the sole purpose of obtaining free music. Moreover, although Plaintiffs were not required to prove their actual damages, statutory damages must still bear some relation to actual damages.' The full decision (PDF) is also available."
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2010/01/jammie-thomas-verdict-reduced-from-192m.html
"Judge Davis also indicated that he found even the reduced amount to be "harsh" and that, were he -- rather than a jury -- deciding the appropriate measure of damages, the award would have been even lower than $54,000. But he felt that since the jury had determined the damages, it was his province to determine only the maximum amount a jury could reasonably award."
"Judge Michael Davis has slashed the amount Jammie Thomas-Rassett is said to owe Big Music from almost $2,000,000 to $54,000. 'The need for deterrence cannot justify a $2 million verdict for stealing and illegally distributing 24 songs for the sole purpose of obtaining free music. Moreover, although Plaintiffs were not required to prove their actual damages, statutory damages must still bear some relation to actual damages.' The full decision (PDF) is also available."
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2010/01/jammie-thomas-verdict-reduced-from-192m.html
"Judge Davis also indicated that he found even the reduced amount to be "harsh" and that, were he -- rather than a jury -- deciding the appropriate measure of damages, the award would have been even lower than $54,000. But he felt that since the jury had determined the damages, it was his province to determine only the maximum amount a jury could reasonably award."
Friday, January 22, 2010
Civ 4 OCC
So I've been playing a lot of Civ 4 One City Challenge. Lately I've been playing with the most default options. Nobel, standard map, 7 civs, continents, all other defaults (except quick game speed). I've been winning space race victories reliably around 2010. I'm going to outline my game plan here.
First off I play as Bismark (Germany). He is expansive and industrious.
Expansive, +2 health per city; build granary and harbor at half cost; +25% worker production
Industrious, +50% wonder production; build forge at half cost
His unique unit is the panzer, replacing tank. Of some use because late game wars are common in OCC. The unique building is assembly plant, replacing tank. Production is always useful.
As for starting position I try not to regen the map too much. However I do have some requirements. First off the space elevator is important to me to win space race, and it can't be built too close to the poles. So if I see any indication that I'm near a pole I'll regen. Also I used to insist upon being on a coast, to have access to the water. However, Now I see that sea tiles are a waste. Thus I refuse to be anywhere where my fat cross will have any water tiles. I prefer to be as far inland as possible since strategic resources only appear on land, but will play any start position that is a few tiles away from coast at least. I do insist upon a river start, but almost always am.
As far as visible resources I don't take that into account. While it's nice to have marble/stone for wonders, and food resources for growth, I don't insist upon it.
Upon starting this game I see that I have stone, corn, and sheep close by, that is great. I start my scout on auto explore, and build a new scout. Scouts get goody huts which are usually worthless money, but sometimes valuable techs or workers. Since I have nothing better to build initially I start with the second scout.
http://www.civfanatics.com/gallery/files/1/techtree_original.jpg
My starting techs are hunting and mysticism. I do arg, wheel, pott, animal, (mason, arch, preist, bronze no set order). Note that fishing is cheaper than arg, so if you just click pottery it'll default to that. However arg needs to be researched for farms, while fishing is worthless. Todd said he tried to time the completion of the oracle with the ability to get the free tech of civil service. I was unable to beat the AI in building the oracle with delaying it while researching the prerequisites. Instead I am to get metal casting, which is rather expensive.
I do notice some tundra to the south, and after my first expansion it's confirmed. Still I'll stick with this map because the resources are good. Also I'm building a scout in 5 turns as opposed to 10, so I'll build 2 more instead of the normal 1, giving me 3 total. After my second scout I'm 3 turns from pottery, and thus granary. I'm also just at pop 3. So I build my first worker.
As my explorers fight animals I promote them to combat and let them rest if needed, I don't much care about them after the first 20 or so turns when the pop goodie huts. I'll pay 50 gold around 50 turns for a map. I usually just automate my workers, as I hate micro management. But I'll sometimes manually give them orders, especially at the very start.
In this game I go with mason so I can get access to my stone. I also start building barracks after my granary. I then research towards priest (and the 2 requisites). I build a second worker, then start on pyramids. Once I've connected my stone, and built on the corn and sheep, I automate my workers. I also switch to build the Stonehenge in 3 turns with stone connected.
Once priest is done I do archery, so that I can build archers my early game defense. I still have no units providing defense in my capital. However, I've never had the AI declare an early war. Usually there is a point to build a couple archers in 1 or 2 turns between early wonders.
On turn 48/1120BC I finished the pyramids, and started researched bronze working. However, someone else finished the Oracle. This is the earliest I ever saw an AI finish it. Maybe I should have switched to it as soon as I had the tech and went back to the pyramids which usually don't get built until late. Oh well. I switch representation, and begin building walls. A few archers with city defense to guard the capital. Throughout the game whenever I don't have something to build I'll build the general defensive unit. I rarely build research since it's important to have a solid 20 or so units by late game to prevent war.
After bronze I queue writing, math, aesthetics. Since I have more production than research I build the great wall, more archers and more workers. All great people get added to the city. The only exceptions being ones that can build a building with the first one (scientist), and my first artist which I start a golden age with.
I agree to open borders, and will buy maps once in a while. Other wise I do no trading. I'll hold off on a religion until I see one that is leading in terms of power of civs with it.
Literature, calender, drama, music, civil service. My 5 national wonders are National epic, globe, oxford university, national park, wall street. Then I beeline to liberalism. As my free tech I usually go with nationalism. I tried to come up with a better tech to get but couldn't. Nationalism lets me build the Taj Majal, for a golden age. Whenever I research paper I go to the last AI and buy their map for around 100 gold. This is really just a nice thing to have, it doesn't much matter what the rest of the map looks like.
After Liberalism I'll get a few beginning techs that I still don't have (iron working). Then I'll go towards astronomy then bio, then steam. There's a lot of techs needed before them, but I just hold shift and click those three. Then assembly line, and rocketry. This begins the race to space. I then research industrialism both for the production boost and to reveal aluminum.
Around 1900 I usually build my first space ship part. Around this time I like to take note of two things. First off you should start strategizing on how you are going to get aluminum. You can either trade for it or attempt to found the corp that makes it. I've yet to go the found the corp method. If you are going to trade you likely won't want to wait until a civ has the tech to see it. I try to find a civ that is behind but has at least two sources. Then trade/give them the techs they need. Second you want to check the victory screen and make sure no one is getting close to winning. The only method the AI has ever almost won in a OCC with me is culture. Luckily the victory screen gives you a 100 turn warning before a culture victory. If you see a civ is going to win culture pretty much your only option is to build tanks and raze the city.
First off I play as Bismark (Germany). He is expansive and industrious.
Expansive, +2 health per city; build granary and harbor at half cost; +25% worker production
Industrious, +50% wonder production; build forge at half cost
His unique unit is the panzer, replacing tank. Of some use because late game wars are common in OCC. The unique building is assembly plant, replacing tank. Production is always useful.
As for starting position I try not to regen the map too much. However I do have some requirements. First off the space elevator is important to me to win space race, and it can't be built too close to the poles. So if I see any indication that I'm near a pole I'll regen. Also I used to insist upon being on a coast, to have access to the water. However, Now I see that sea tiles are a waste. Thus I refuse to be anywhere where my fat cross will have any water tiles. I prefer to be as far inland as possible since strategic resources only appear on land, but will play any start position that is a few tiles away from coast at least. I do insist upon a river start, but almost always am.
As far as visible resources I don't take that into account. While it's nice to have marble/stone for wonders, and food resources for growth, I don't insist upon it.
Upon starting this game I see that I have stone, corn, and sheep close by, that is great. I start my scout on auto explore, and build a new scout. Scouts get goody huts which are usually worthless money, but sometimes valuable techs or workers. Since I have nothing better to build initially I start with the second scout.
http://www.civfanatics.com/gallery/files/1/techtree_original.jpg
My starting techs are hunting and mysticism. I do arg, wheel, pott, animal, (mason, arch, preist, bronze no set order). Note that fishing is cheaper than arg, so if you just click pottery it'll default to that. However arg needs to be researched for farms, while fishing is worthless. Todd said he tried to time the completion of the oracle with the ability to get the free tech of civil service. I was unable to beat the AI in building the oracle with delaying it while researching the prerequisites. Instead I am to get metal casting, which is rather expensive.
I do notice some tundra to the south, and after my first expansion it's confirmed. Still I'll stick with this map because the resources are good. Also I'm building a scout in 5 turns as opposed to 10, so I'll build 2 more instead of the normal 1, giving me 3 total. After my second scout I'm 3 turns from pottery, and thus granary. I'm also just at pop 3. So I build my first worker.
As my explorers fight animals I promote them to combat and let them rest if needed, I don't much care about them after the first 20 or so turns when the pop goodie huts. I'll pay 50 gold around 50 turns for a map. I usually just automate my workers, as I hate micro management. But I'll sometimes manually give them orders, especially at the very start.
In this game I go with mason so I can get access to my stone. I also start building barracks after my granary. I then research towards priest (and the 2 requisites). I build a second worker, then start on pyramids. Once I've connected my stone, and built on the corn and sheep, I automate my workers. I also switch to build the Stonehenge in 3 turns with stone connected.
Once priest is done I do archery, so that I can build archers my early game defense. I still have no units providing defense in my capital. However, I've never had the AI declare an early war. Usually there is a point to build a couple archers in 1 or 2 turns between early wonders.
On turn 48/1120BC I finished the pyramids, and started researched bronze working. However, someone else finished the Oracle. This is the earliest I ever saw an AI finish it. Maybe I should have switched to it as soon as I had the tech and went back to the pyramids which usually don't get built until late. Oh well. I switch representation, and begin building walls. A few archers with city defense to guard the capital. Throughout the game whenever I don't have something to build I'll build the general defensive unit. I rarely build research since it's important to have a solid 20 or so units by late game to prevent war.
After bronze I queue writing, math, aesthetics. Since I have more production than research I build the great wall, more archers and more workers. All great people get added to the city. The only exceptions being ones that can build a building with the first one (scientist), and my first artist which I start a golden age with.
I agree to open borders, and will buy maps once in a while. Other wise I do no trading. I'll hold off on a religion until I see one that is leading in terms of power of civs with it.
Literature, calender, drama, music, civil service. My 5 national wonders are National epic, globe, oxford university, national park, wall street. Then I beeline to liberalism. As my free tech I usually go with nationalism. I tried to come up with a better tech to get but couldn't. Nationalism lets me build the Taj Majal, for a golden age. Whenever I research paper I go to the last AI and buy their map for around 100 gold. This is really just a nice thing to have, it doesn't much matter what the rest of the map looks like.
After Liberalism I'll get a few beginning techs that I still don't have (iron working). Then I'll go towards astronomy then bio, then steam. There's a lot of techs needed before them, but I just hold shift and click those three. Then assembly line, and rocketry. This begins the race to space. I then research industrialism both for the production boost and to reveal aluminum.
Around 1900 I usually build my first space ship part. Around this time I like to take note of two things. First off you should start strategizing on how you are going to get aluminum. You can either trade for it or attempt to found the corp that makes it. I've yet to go the found the corp method. If you are going to trade you likely won't want to wait until a civ has the tech to see it. I try to find a civ that is behind but has at least two sources. Then trade/give them the techs they need. Second you want to check the victory screen and make sure no one is getting close to winning. The only method the AI has ever almost won in a OCC with me is culture. Luckily the victory screen gives you a 100 turn warning before a culture victory. If you see a civ is going to win culture pretty much your only option is to build tanks and raze the city.
Guantanamo group of 47 'should be held indefinitely'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8476075.stm
"A task force on the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay has advised that 47 inmates should be held indefinitely without trial, officials say."
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am5
"No person shall be ... deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;"
"A task force on the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay has advised that 47 inmates should be held indefinitely without trial, officials say."
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am5
"No person shall be ... deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;"
Thursday, January 21, 2010
American's Crazed Corn Habit
http://mises.org/daily/3934
"The federal government provides a 45 cent per-gallon subsidy for domestically produced (corn-based) ethanol. Add to that the crippling sugar policy, plus a 54 cent per gallon tariff placed specifically on foreign ethanol (sugar based, from Brazil), and bang — ADM corners the domestic ethanol market. Pretty crafty, huh?"
"The federal government provides a 45 cent per-gallon subsidy for domestically produced (corn-based) ethanol. Add to that the crippling sugar policy, plus a 54 cent per gallon tariff placed specifically on foreign ethanol (sugar based, from Brazil), and bang — ADM corners the domestic ethanol market. Pretty crafty, huh?"
Obama DOJ Sides With RIAA Again In Tenenbaum
http://politics.slashdot.org/story/10/01/20/211243/Obama-DOJ-Sides-With-RIAA-Again-In-Tenenbaum?art_pos=27
"Despite having had some time to get their act together, Obama's Department of Justice has filed yet another brief defending the RIAA's outlandish statutory damages theory — that someone who downloaded an mp3 with a 99-cent retail value, causing a maximum possible damages of 35 cents, is liable for from $750 to $150,000 for each such file downloaded, in SONY BMG Music Entertainment v. Tenenbaum. The 25- page brief (PDF) continues the DOJ's practice of (a) ignoring the case law which holds that the Supreme Court's due process jurisprudence is applicable to statutory damages, (b) ignoring the law review articles to like effect, (c) ignoring the actual holding of the 1919 case they rely upon, (d) ignoring the fact that the RIAA failed to prove 'distribution' as defined by the Copyright Act, and (e) ignoring the actual wording and reasoning of the Supreme Court in its leading Gore and Campbell decisions. Jon Newton of p2pnet.net attributes the Justice Department's 'oversights' to the 'eye-popping number of people [in its employ] who worked for, and/or are directly connected with, Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony Music's RIAA.'"
"Despite having had some time to get their act together, Obama's Department of Justice has filed yet another brief defending the RIAA's outlandish statutory damages theory — that someone who downloaded an mp3 with a 99-cent retail value, causing a maximum possible damages of 35 cents, is liable for from $750 to $150,000 for each such file downloaded, in SONY BMG Music Entertainment v. Tenenbaum. The 25- page brief (PDF) continues the DOJ's practice of (a) ignoring the case law which holds that the Supreme Court's due process jurisprudence is applicable to statutory damages, (b) ignoring the law review articles to like effect, (c) ignoring the actual holding of the 1919 case they rely upon, (d) ignoring the fact that the RIAA failed to prove 'distribution' as defined by the Copyright Act, and (e) ignoring the actual wording and reasoning of the Supreme Court in its leading Gore and Campbell decisions. Jon Newton of p2pnet.net attributes the Justice Department's 'oversights' to the 'eye-popping number of people [in its employ] who worked for, and/or are directly connected with, Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony Music's RIAA.'"
FBI Obtains Phone Records With a Post-it Note
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/01/20/239224/FBI-Obtains-Phone-Records-With-a-Post-it-Note?art_pos=21
"The FBI was so cavalier — and telecom companies so eager to help — that a verbal request or even one written on a Post-it note was enough for operators to hand over customer phone records, according to a damning report (PDF) released on Wednesday by the US Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General."
"The FBI was so cavalier — and telecom companies so eager to help — that a verbal request or even one written on a Post-it note was enough for operators to hand over customer phone records, according to a damning report (PDF) released on Wednesday by the US Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General."
Conan O'Brien
"Under the deal, which came seven months after O'Brien took the reins from Leno, O'Brien will get more than $33 million, NBC said. The rest will go to his 200-strong staff in severance, the network said in an announcement on the "Today" show."
Thursday, January 14, 2010
United Nations
So I was playing some Civ 4, and I was thinking about the UN. I've long had thoughts for what I'd like to see instead of the UN. I'll put my ideas here. First instead of being something linked to a wonder it would be much more similar to mutual protection pacts. Once some tech had been researched any civ with it would be able to enter into international unions. The way it would work is one civ would create the charter for the union and then try to get other civs to join it via the trade screen. No civ would be part of it unless they consented, and there could be multiple unions at a time. Any attack on any member would put you at war with the entire union. No civ could be a member of multiple unions. On the trade screen there would be a new item like, propose my joining your union and vote for me.
The charter would contain everything about how the union worked. Here's what would be configurable. Percentage needed to pass resolutions. Percentage needed to change charter (change the these configurable things). Whether each civ got one vote or a vote based on population (or both). Percentage needed to admit new members. Percentage needed to kick out existing members.
Every turn any member would be able to put up any one resolution. They're be no leader. Here's the resolutions. Give city from one member to another. Give money from one member to another. Condemn some civ (suffer -1 relations hit). Declare war on some civ. Give any tech known by x members to all members. All the resolutions currently in the game.
The key for all this is that any civ could defy a resolution whenever they wanted. However, when they did they'd automatically be kicked out, and they'd automatically be at war with the union (if a civ was kicked out via a vote there would be no mandatory war). This is really the only change I actually care about, I just don't think it would be fair to force civs into the union.
I suppose civs would be pretty unlikely to enter these unions. You could give economic rewards like additional trade routes between members. Also you could come up with a custom screen for the creating of unions that would show which civs would be willing to join and what changes they'd want before they'd join.
The charter would contain everything about how the union worked. Here's what would be configurable. Percentage needed to pass resolutions. Percentage needed to change charter (change the these configurable things). Whether each civ got one vote or a vote based on population (or both). Percentage needed to admit new members. Percentage needed to kick out existing members.
Every turn any member would be able to put up any one resolution. They're be no leader. Here's the resolutions. Give city from one member to another. Give money from one member to another. Condemn some civ (suffer -1 relations hit). Declare war on some civ. Give any tech known by x members to all members. All the resolutions currently in the game.
The key for all this is that any civ could defy a resolution whenever they wanted. However, when they did they'd automatically be kicked out, and they'd automatically be at war with the union (if a civ was kicked out via a vote there would be no mandatory war). This is really the only change I actually care about, I just don't think it would be fair to force civs into the union.
I suppose civs would be pretty unlikely to enter these unions. You could give economic rewards like additional trade routes between members. Also you could come up with a custom screen for the creating of unions that would show which civs would be willing to join and what changes they'd want before they'd join.
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Significant Objects Project
http://www.predictablyirrational.com/?p=708&date=1
"Would you pay $76 for a shot glass? What about $52 for an oven mitt? And $50 for a jar of marbles?
You may shake your head and say no way, but in a recent series of eBay auctions, the consumers did just that: they shelled out considerable cash for objects that to all appearances should never have fetched more than a couple bucks.
So what made the difference? Each item came with a unique tale."
Interesting, without checking I'd bet there are already copy cat auctions up.
"Would you pay $76 for a shot glass? What about $52 for an oven mitt? And $50 for a jar of marbles?
You may shake your head and say no way, but in a recent series of eBay auctions, the consumers did just that: they shelled out considerable cash for objects that to all appearances should never have fetched more than a couple bucks.
So what made the difference? Each item came with a unique tale."
Interesting, without checking I'd bet there are already copy cat auctions up.
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