Re: Evony (was Re: Starting Engineer's Salaries)
On 10/24/2010 4:06:59 PM, Lance A. Brown (la...@bearcircle.net) wrote: Rceeberger said the following on 10/22/2010 9:23 PM: I've been here...I read the conversations and more or less keep up. I just haven't had much worth adding recently. Mostly I spend my online time playing Evony, where I am the host of Bavaria, a top 10 alliance on SS51. We use Skype in Bavaria so I can be found there pretty much every night under Xponent. Drop by and chat sometime if any of you get a spare few. Evony? Really? I didn't think anyone actually played that game... Apparently there are quite a few playing..thousands on my server alone. xponent PrimeTime Maru rob ___ http://box535.bluehost.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Starting Engineer's Salaries
On 10/23/2010 9:41:08 AM, Damon Agretto (damon.agre...@gmail.com) wrote: I played Evony for a while, until other powers decided to farm the crap out of my cities, and my alliance disintegrated while I watched. That pretty much killed any enjoyment I had from the game... The thing about Evony that is maddening, you have to play every day and playing as many hours as you can provides many bonuses. As it stands...I'm about to break 5 mil prestige and am prepared to dump nearly 3 mil honor on an enemy who deserves it. Evony has been merging servers together for the last year, and the maps are larger than they used to be. Which server did you play on? I was on S72 when an alliance named ELITE was doing pretty much what you describe to us and anyone who stood up to them. We managed to fight back with some success which was surprising since ELITE was rife with botters and we were more or less outclassed. Since then, we have learned a few tricks of our own. How to feed troops for free. How to move any troop at scout speed. How players can trade heroes. Learning how to exploit some of Evony's many bugs has helped a lot. Flash is kinda crappy, but their implimentation is especially bad. xponent THE Host Maru rob ___ http://box535.bluehost.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Starting Engineer's Salaries
On 10/22/2010 8:13:45 AM, Charlie Bell (char...@culturelist.org) wrote: On 22/10/2010, at 1:41 PM, Rceeberger wrote: One at a time please. Xponent Insert GOATSE Here Maru Rob LOL!!! Rob, I've missed you. I've been here...I read the conversations and more or less keep up. I just havent had much worth adding recently. Mostly I spend my online time playing Evony, where I am the host of Bavaria, a top 10 alliance on SS51. We use Skype in Bavaria so I can be found there pretty much every night under Xponent. Drop by and chat sometime if any of you get a spare few. Xponent Addictive Gaming Maru rob ___ http://box535.bluehost.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Starting Engineer's Salaries
On 10/20/2010 1:52:45 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 11:44 AM, Nick Arnett nick.arn...@gmail.com wrote: Hard to know if the quiet was due to trolling or some externality. It looks to me like this email list is usually quiet because the vast majority of the members have self-selected so that they have many of the same opinions. You do not get many interesting discussions that go X is good. X is very good. My entire alliance agrees! I agree. I'm gratified Me too. Nice! Count me in. Okie Dokie +1. One at a time please. Xponent Insert GOATSE Here Maru Rob ___ http://box535.bluehost.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Inconstant Moon
A little ditty Karl Haberl of Sun Microsystems whipped up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NSD1qtstOw Hope you enjoy it. xponent Fun To Do Maru rob GCU Xposted because I am laaazy! ___ http://box535.bluehost.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Brin: Lesley's copy of Kiln People
On 1/12/2010 4:13:29 PM, Nick Arnett (nick.arn...@gmail.com) wrote: On Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 1:39 PM, David Brin db...@sbcglobal.net [link: mailto:db...@sbcglobal.net] wrote: Nick, if it consoles at all, I wish I grew up in a family as clearly tight and loving as yours must have been. Stay strong and thrive-all. We weren't always... and although there have been some rocky moments in the last week, we are growing closer and learning to be more gentle with one another than ever before. Nick I'd like to take something I love and dedicate it to your family Nick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik8J9L5rJnc xponent Having Been There Maru rob ; ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Nomenclature (was) Chemicals R Us
On 11/18/2009 7:00:59 PM, Ronn! Blankenship (ronn_blankens...@bellsouth.net) wrote: At 11:58 AM Wednesday 11/18/2009, Deborah Harrell wrote: I'll bet there's a difference of wording -- 'organic chemistry' here primarily refers to petrochemicals; 'biochemistry' refers to life-related chemicals. This is an incorrect terminology in my opinion, but I can't change what is taught in colleges... Debbi Words, Words - What Is Brain?! Maru :) I agree with you. Organic chemistry is the chemistry of carbon compounds. Though usually with the omission of most metal carbonates, the chemistry of which is usually covered in the section on inorganic chemistry. That's how *I* teach it in colleges, anyway. ;) Just Don't Ask An Astrophysicist To Define Metals 'Cuz He'll Include Carbon As One Maru Well why not? Calcium is a metal too isnt it? xponent Common Sense Is Worth Little Without Knowledge Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/7/2009 4:06:38 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 1:31 PM, David Hobbyhob...@newpaltz.edu wrote: Your argument seemed to be: Money I pay in taxes is money I won't give to worthy charities. I didn't buy the ARGUMENT, for obvious reasons. That was not an attack on your views. It is not an argument, it is a statement of the truth. So.you admit you hate America. xponent More Truth Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Monopoles?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903163725.htm Perhaps they have finally found them. xponent Space Drives Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/6/2009 7:45:14 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 4:38 PM, Bruce Bostwicklihan161...@sbcglobal.net wrote: Freedom of choice is never absolute. Especially when the government prevents people from providing free health care to others. http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=96009catid=2 | We tried to get a waiver to bring in good ol' East Tennessee boys and | girls to fix teeth, do eyes, but unfortunately, except in Tennessee, the | rest of the country won't allow practitoners of medicine from one state | to cross over and help in another state, said Brock. Perhaps the best way for the government to start reforming health care would be to cease actively preventing others who want to help from providing help. Seeand you can be stupid too. It isn't the government. It is 50 (or 49 depending on how you are looking at the question) governments involved. xponent Scum On The Pond Of Liberty Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/6/2009 7:47:52 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 5:44 PM, Rceebergerrceeber...@comcast.net wrote: We do not tax everyone in the world, so they do not need to be considered as part of this discussion. We do not tax everyone in the US, so are you proposing not to provide health care to the about 50% of the US population that (net) does not pay taxes? Name them. xponent Everest Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/6/2009 7:59:34 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 5:51 PM, Rceebergerrceeber...@comcast.net wrote: It isn't the government. It is 50 (or 49 depending on how you are looking at the question) governments involved. 50 (or 49) times more reforms to start with before reforms involving taking more of people's money! C'mon.finish the statementit does not end at money!. xponent Bossy Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/6/2009 8:11:40 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 5:58 PM, Rceebergerrceeber...@comcast.net wrote: On 9/6/2009 7:47:52 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 5:44 PM, Rceebergerrceeber...@comcast.net wrote: We do not tax everyone in the world, so they do not need to be considered as part of this discussion. We do not tax everyone in the US, so are you proposing not to provide health care to the about 50% of the US population that (net) does not pay taxes? Name them. You mean name the bottom 50% of all taxpayers? I don't have enough space to do that in this email, but check the tables here, for example: http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/250.html In 2007, there was $1.115 trillion collected in federal income taxes. The top 50% of taxpayers paid $1.083 trillion, or 97.1% of taxes collected. The IRS tables I found don't break it down for the bottom 50%, but obviously there is a percentile under 50, probably above 40, where there are no federal income taxes paid. Snip That is evidence that we maintain our civilization by maintaining people as a resource. It does not follow that 50% do not pay taxes. xponent Evidence Of Dishonesty Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/6/2009 8:15:52 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 6:01 PM, Bruce Bostwicklihan161...@sbcglobal.net wrote: Beyond proposals, though, there is a very strong argument to be made that it's inhumane to simply leave people to die if they can't find insurance coverage to pay for medical care that costs hundreds of times what they could afford on their own. And what are you, personally, doing about it? Are you living in the cheapest apartment you can find, with no computer or TV or automobile, so that you can give more money and save several more people from dying? If you take money from me, you are leaving people to die: http://www.weforum.org/pdf/whitepaper.pdf | A child born in Niger today is 40 times more likely to die before | her fifth birthday than a child born in the United Kingdom. A | 15-year-old boy in Swaziland has only an 18% chance of celebrating | his 60th birthday; if he had been fortunate enough to have been born | in Switzerland, he would have a 91% chance. A young woman in Uganda | is 300 times more likely to die in childbirth than her sister in the | United States. Snip Prove that you are actively supporting those people with every cent you can spare on par with what you suggest to Bruce. You obviously have a computer, therefore you are a hypocrite. xponent Tag, You're It Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/6/2009 9:36:53 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 6:59 PM, Ronn! Blankenshipronn_blankens...@bellsouth.net wrote: How about first addressing what you propose for everyone _in the U.S._ who cannot afford such things (other than by going to the ER at the county charity hospital at a charge to _someone_ of something like $1K a visit?) Why are people in the US more deserving of my help than other people in the world? Here's an idea: Go live with them so you can help them more directly. xponent Liars Of Las Vegas Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/6/2009 10:00:23 PM, Ronn! Blankenship (ronn_blankens...@bellsouth.net) wrote: At 07:44 PM Sunday 9/6/2009, Rceeberger wrote: On 9/6/2009 7:16:21 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 4:38 PM, Bruce Bostwicklihan161...@sbcglobal. net wrote: If not, what exactly *do* you propose as an alternative to public-option health care for people who aren't fortunate enough to be able to afford health insurance that will actually cover treatments? What exactly do you propose for everyone in the world who cannot afford basic health care such as childbirth assistance and infant care and vaccination? We do not tax everyone in the world, so they do not need to be considered as part of this discussion. The fact that you continually bring this up shows how dishonest, amoral, and corrupt your arguments are. xponent One More Step Towards The F_ck You Contingent Maru rob I realize that you (and others) do it for emphasis, but such words don't really do anything to raise the level of discourse. Used in such a context, they don't do much to lower it either. John is a troll, why are people playing *his* game? xponent No Lack Of Spine Here Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/6/2009 10:26:41 PM, Ronn! Blankenship (ronn_blankens...@bellsouth.net) wrote: At 10:13 PM Sunday 9/6/2009, Rceeberger wrote: [snippety-doo-dah} John is a troll, why are people playing *his* game? Someone accused me earlier of trying to bring reasonable arguments into the discussion, and I guess I'm just too stubborn to stop trying . . . ;) I don't fault you for trying, but this will soon have been going on for a year with nary a sign of intellectual honesty on John's part. He is either a brainwashed minion or a troll and neither is worth a minute of time. Let me say this clearly. I'm all for banning him. Or mass ignoring him. Either will do. Someone had to say it first. xponent Fire Brigade Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/6/2009 11:10:38 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 9:01 PM, Rceebergerrceeber...@comcast.net wrote: I don't fault you for trying, but this will soon have been going on for a year with nary a sign of intellectual honesty on John's part. I assure you, I am stating my thoughts honestly and sincerely. He is either a brainwashed minion or a troll and neither is worth a minute of time. The only troll I have seen on this list is you. I have repeatedly replied to your posts politely while you continue to personally insult me. You insult my intelligence with your faux arguments. I'm just being direct. You are running a program. Unfortunately it is a small program and is very repetitive. xponent Another Step Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: DeLong on health insurance reform
On 9/6/2009 11:39:43 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 9:29 PM, Rceebergerrceeber...@comcast.net wrote: You insult my intelligence with your faux arguments. No insult intended. And I assure you, my points are genuine. You are running a program. Unfortunately it is a small program and is very repetitive. I'm sorry you feel that way. Feel free to ignore my posts, I will not be offended. Why do you hate America? xponent Bankai Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Posted in a workcube
I will not brew Decaf. Decaf is the mind-killer. Decaf brings the little sleep that leads to total oblivion. I will embrace my caffeine. I will brew my beverages and let them... flow through me, and when they are gone, I will remain...alert xponent Findings Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Ben Bernanke, fearless leader
On 8/29/2009 6:17:25 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: My point was rather that Bernanke, and others like him, were invested in making the situation seem dire AND that unless there were swift and large government intervention, that the consequences would be inconceivable. After painting that picture, and intervening, Bernanke et al. then began proclaiming how their intervention had prevented such a calamity. All with no real proof -- in fact, the success of the whole scheme depends on there being no possible way to disprove their alleged genius and heroics -- but just scare tactics and bluster. Or on the other hand, they did do a good job of it and people of your political stripe are invested in pretending that they did nothing of any worth. xponent Backbiters Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Ben Bernanke, fearless leader
On 8/29/2009 8:23:09 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: Or on the other hand, they did do a good job of it and people of your political stripe are invested in pretending that they did nothing of any worth. Immense government debt, rapidly increasing with no end in sight, high unemployment, and the many of the large financial companies that caused the problems still operating because the government bailed them out. That does not look like a good job to me. Obviously the politicians will argue that unemployment would have been higher if they had not intervened, but there is no way to prove that either way. It could have been lower if they had not intervened. No one can know. Utter bullshit, and I'm calling you on it. If GM and Chrysler had gone out of business there would have been a wave of unemployment like we have never seen in our lifetime. There would have been no one to pick up all those unemployed in the short to medium term. If Goldman and several other of the troubled financials had gone under, there would have been such a hole in the overnight paper market that the entire economy would have locked up AGAIN, like it did last September only this time it would have been for a significant length of time rather than just 4 hours. But two things can be known. Many of the companies at fault would now be bankrupt if the government had not intervened. And the government would have spent a lot less and be on the hook for hugely less if there had been no intervention. Bankrupt like Lehman Bros.? The future would look a lot brighter now if government debt were a lot lower and companies that are known to invest recklessly and take taxpayer dollars when they screw up were no longer operating. If Bernanke had achieved that future outlook, then it would be a good job. John.you filter the facts too selectively. AFAIC, Bernanke did just good enough to skirt serious consequences in the short term. How this turns out over the next few years remains to be seen. We still have inflationary pressures to worry about and that is serious business. I don't have any particular skills in economics or finance, but I was warning about this crisis coming over 2 years ago. I just listen to financial news for about an hour before work, but it seemed clear that bad times were coming. I see another crisis coming. Here in Houston, in the Texas Medical Center, they are building bio-medical research facilities, and hospitals, and all over this region they are building hospitals and clinics like there is no tomorrow. The clinics are costing just a few millions each, but the hospitals and research buildings are each hundreds of million dollar facilities. There is billions being spent here in just one city/region and concentrated in a short time period. It seems like overkill and a significant portion is government funded (UTHS, UTMB, M D Anderson, Texas Childrens, The Heart Center, St Lukes and several others) From the building where I work I can see a dozen cranes and at home I can see (from my front door) at least 3 hospitals being built. I forsee a major contraction after these facilities open, attracting talent from all over the nation, then stranding these folks when the cash dries up. I really wonder what is going on. Is anyone else seeing medical related construction on this scale in their area? xponent Disaster Lurks Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Ben Bernanke, fearless leader
On 8/29/2009 10:10:54 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 7:39 PM, Rceebergerrceeber...@comcast.net wrote: If GM and Chrysler had gone out of business there would have been a wave of unemployment like we have never seen in our lifetime. There would have been no one to pick up all those unemployed in the short to medium term. Or not. The system is much too complex to make these kind of off-the-cuff predictions. Most people are not even aware of the numbers involved. When the monthly employment net change numbers come out, and there is a change of +200K or -120K or whatever, the actual number of people who were hired in a new job or lost a job are much higher, in the millions. Compare gross jobs gained or lost in a quarter (often around 10million) to the number of people employed by GM or Chrysler. Then look at gross jobs for a year. People change jobs in the millions all the time. A complex economy like the US has a large churn rate, and it is nearly impossible to predict exactly what jobs will be created and destroyed even 1 year ahead. You are so blinded by your political philosophy that you cannot even see what a ridiculous statement you just made. Either that, or you are completely ignorant or the realities of manufacturing. xponent Complete Lack Of Fluidity Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Placebos Are Getting More Effective
http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=1 A mind is a terrible thing. xponent Nocebos Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Passive-Agressive posting (was Re: The Role of Government in a Libertarian Free Market)
On 8/18/2009 4:22:27 PM, Bruce Bostwick (lihan161...@sbcglobal.net) wrote: Yeah, Eliza and Parry could be quite entertaining if they talked to each other. Eliza and Racter could be too, but Eliza didn't get to say much in those conversations .. On Aug 18, 2009, at 4:08 PM, Patrick Sweeney wrote: It's kind of like playing with that old Eliza computer program. Anyone remember that? (Type mismatch error: expected boolean value but found string 'cake'. Input not parsed.) The cake is a lie? xponent Portalizations Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: The Role of Government in a Libertarian Free Market
On 8/17/2009 8:04:00 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Mon, Aug 17, 2009 at 5:38 PM, David Hobbyhob...@newpaltz.edu wrote: That doesn't really prove anything. For instance, a flame war would produce a large number of posts, but one could hardly call that communication. Of course it does not prove anything, but it is highly suggestive. While you no doubt have a different idea of flame war than I do, it is obvious that most of the posts in question are communication of some sort. LOL!! You have no idea what this list has been through over the years. Your statement reads quite humorously.G xponent Yrkoon Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: The Role of Government in a Libertarian Free Market
On 8/17/2009 8:48:30 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Mon, Aug 17, 2009 at 6:38 PM, Rceebergerrceeber...@comcast.net wrote: Your statement reads quite humorously.G That's great! Apparently there is a fine line between humorous and rude and sincere. Feel free to give my posts the benefit of the doubt... Oh, you have received that particular benefit in spades. Still here, right? xponent Vegas G Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: The Role of Government in a Libertarian Free Market
On 8/17/2009 11:03:58 PM, Trent Shipley (tship...@deru.com) wrote: No, when I say we in this context, I mean that we have in the past booted people from the list as a group in most cases. There being no one person in particular one can suck up to in order to avoid consequences, it behooves everyone to be generally inoffensive. A few people have been removed, a couple of them long term listees and one was a moderator here. We definitely are not queasy when it comes to pulling the pin. xponent Wide Borders Maru rob Who was the moderator who got booted? Remember JVB? Are you suggesting J.W. is near that limit? I'm not nearly that ready to take offense yet. No, but anyone who is in a spat on this list should be aware of the potential. It keeps all of us on better behavior. Personally, I'd rather leave a list of my own accord than be forcibly removed from one. xponent In Disgrace Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: The Role of Government in a Libertarian Free Market
On 8/17/2009 11:04:59 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Mon, Aug 17, 2009 at 8:48 PM, xponentrobxponent...@comcast.net wrote: But no, I do not give you the benefit of the doubt. I think I have you pegged as exactly the kind of intentionally obtuse person you appear to be. My apologies for not being as perceptive as you are. No, when I say we in this context, I mean that we have in the past booted people from the list as a group in most cases. So, is there is a vote of the 50 unnamed we people David referred to? In such cases, yes. xponent Democracy Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: The Role of Government in a Libertarian Free Market
On 8/16/2009 1:09:53 AM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sat, Aug 15, 2009 at 9:23 PM, Rceebergerrceeber...@comcast.net wrote: It is worth noting that this guy is one of the most respected members on this list Decide that with a vote, did you? One would have to be quite dense to not notice after over a decade on the list. Once again, your default position is to assume that others are stupid. Do you actually think your feeble attempts to place others in a defensive position are not recognized for what they are? He seems rather a hot-head to me. Normally Charlie is level headed and even tempered. Perhaps it was just an off day. I was going to ask him to explain what set him off, but evidently he would rather call me names and then stalk off then discuss it. Normally, that would be my gig. xponent The Subversive Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Torchwood: Children of Earth
On 7/27/2009 7:42:51 AM, Alberto Monteiro (albm...@centroin.com.br) wrote: William T Goodall wrote: _Lost_ and _Fringe_ both return. _Lost_ was excellent last season and I expect great things from the final season. _Fringe_ kicked up a gear with the twists and revelations at the end of the first season so it will be interesting where that goes. I never watched _Fringe_. It replaced _Terminator_ in the Warner Channel (which I find quite annoying: they keep chaning the times and days, even placing good shows on Sundays (!)), and then I switched to The Hentai Channel aka Animax, and now I am totally captivated by _Death Note_. DeathNote just ended on The Cartoon Network here. Hopefully they will run the entire series again. From my house it appears to be the best anime series ever. xponent Ryuk Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Death Note and japanese music [was: Torchwood: Children of Earth]
On 7/27/2009 5:49:57 PM, Alberto Monteiro (albm...@centroin.com.br) wrote: Rob wrote: DeathNote just ended on The Cartoon Network here. Hopefully they will run the entire series again. From my house it appears to be the best anime series ever. Two weeks ago, I kind-of made all my family watch one episode together. What was my surprise when, instead of emocore's song by Nightmare, the show began with the death-metal by Maximum the Hormone. Animax shows japanese videoclips every half hour. It's very interesting. Some bands are quite good - and they don't show in the mainstream videoclip channels. Alberto Monteiro PS: I will refrain from commenting too much on Death Note. The show is too good to be spoiled. I have grown to love Maximum The Hormone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCGcNoAoq9s Kind of a sidestory to Deathnote wherein a false MTH is killed by the Deathnote and the real MTH appears to finish the song. It's not deathmetal, it's kicking your ass over town hardrock.G xponent With Drop D Tuning Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Whatcha reading? (was Re: In despair for the state of SF)
On 7/14/2009 10:37:23 AM, Nick Arnett (nick.arn...@gmail.com) wrote: I've been reading so much lately... been thinking it's time to post some quick thoughts about recent readings and ask what others are reading, too. I just started The Caryatids by Bruce Sterling. Somewhat over the top in terms of apocalyptic technology, but I can't help liking the fact that it is set on the island of Mljet, Croatia, where my namesake, great-grampa Nikolai Strazicich, lived. Mainspring by Jay Lake reminded me quite a bit of Anathem in tone - religion and science fiction set in an older age. Goes much more mystical than Anathem, however. A bit of a page-turner. Anathem struck me as somewhat desperate in its invention of language, but it all made sense in the end. I'm not sure the book deserved to be so long, but on the other hand, I was never particularly tempted to give up on it. Stephenson knows how to keep the suspense up. Now my mind is going blank as I try to remember what else I've read lately... Well, it'll come to me and I'll post again. Nick I'm in the middle of The Bridge by Banks. Just finished The Algebraist and Matter by the same with the M. I really really liked Matter. It has I think supplanted Excession as my favorite Banks. The Algebraist was real good also, if a bit less serious than the typical M novel. xponent ABridged Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Drinking Water From Air Humidity
On 7/12/2009 1:53:34 AM, Charlie Bell (char...@culturelist.org) wrote: On 12/07/2009, at 3:42 PM, Warren Ockrassa wrote: On Jul 11, 2009, at 7:03 PM, Charlie Bell wrote: There are several devices to do this, some of them actually on the market. One is a wind turbine arrangement that produces around 10 litres an hour (plenty for drinking purposes for several people!). Vaporators? My first job was programming binary load lifters. Very similar to your vaporators in most respects... *chuckle* Uh-huh. Lol...the first time I saw Star Wars I kept seeing lifts from Dune too. xponent Sand People Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Google Operating System
On 7/9/2009 11:15:40 AM, Bruce Bostwick (lihan161...@sbcglobal.net) wrote: At the risk of being flamed, I might also point out that NASA has long since forbidden any primary functionality on ISS from running on Windows platforms because of stability concerns -- if it's onboard and actually has to do with life support, maneuvering, or station operations, it's running on Linux. They only allow Windows for non- mission personal use and, in some cases, non-mission-critical experiment support. That says a lot, to me. I have to respond to this. I've worked at Mission Control at Johnson and have been in every single room in the building. Not kidding an iota. What you say here is basically true, but misleading. There are Windows machines all over NASA and they are being used for your typical business applications. Nasa is extremely vested in UNIX because they are running Science applications on computers that predate the PC. (As you might guess there is some kludge around some of the older units) The ground floor of MSC is pretty much a giant room with hundreds of mainframes and those are the computers that are actually mission critical. The Linux machines are mostly special purpose machines designed to perform specific tasks and Linux is used because for nix interoperability and hardly any of this equipment approaches what you would call general purpose. It is quite similar to the 'nix cores being used in building management systems, used because it is easy to strip down to the needed essentials with no extra frills involved. It is these stripped down cores that actually do all the work for NASA because the simpler the design the greater it's reliability. xponent Lives One Mile From NASA-JSC Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Google Operating System
On 7/8/2009 8:06:20 PM, Doug Pensinger (brig...@zo.com) wrote: Mauro wrote: So, any early adopters planning on switching over when it ships? I'm willing to at least give it a hard drive partition. Me too. I refuse to use Explorer and would jump on a new OS from Google especially. I don't see how turning your PC into a dumb terminal could be considered an advance. I'm not storing my stuff on Google's servers. Regardless of their mantra, Google is kinda evil. xponent Computer User Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
The Hunt For Gollum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H09xnhlCQU A fan made film of unbelievably high quality. Freeking amazing! xponent Tricksy Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Green Brief 11
For those who are interested: http://iran.whyweprotest.net/news-current-events/3127-green-brief-11-a.html I'm NiteOwl AKA Josh Shahryar - twitter.com/iran_translator on twitter - and I've been immersed in tweets from Iran for the past several hours. I have tried to be extremely careful in choosing my tweet sources. What I have compiled below is what I can confirm through my reliable twitter sources. Remember, this is all from tweets. No news media outlets have been used. (All my work is released under Creative Commons (CC). You can freely use it and repost it wherever you'd like to. Just provide a link to the original source at the bottom.) These are the important happenings that I can positively confirm from Saturday, June 27 in Iran. 1. Mousavi has rejected the Guardian Council's decision to look into discrepancies in only 10% of the vote. Mousavi has said that as he mentioned in two letters before to the GC, there are simply far too many irregularities for them to accept the election. A new one must be held in order to give people their voice back. 2. A prominent supporter of Mousavi was forced to confess on national TV that protests were pre-planned and that they have broken laws. However, reports strongly indicate that the media had already pre-written the statements because they sounded far more official than a speaker can come up with impromptu. More and more protesters are being prepped through intimidation and torture to make confessions. 3. Iran's paramilitary Basij are carrying out brutal nighttime raids, destroying property in private homes and beating civilians in an attempt to stop nightly protest chants, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch also said the Iranian authorities are confiscating satellite dishes from private homes to prevent citizens from seeing foreign news. 4. Ahmadinejad warned the US of repercussions if it continues to meddle in Iranian affairs. He also sent out a message to the people saying that the days of liberal democracy were over. (In the sense that no more reform and change against Islamic law will be allowed to take place.) He warned that in the next 4 years he will take a tougher approach. This happens while Ahmadinejad's first deputy, Parviz Davoudi, was denied a US visa by the US State Department. Iranian ambassador to the UN blamed the US government for it. 5. At the same time, a government spokesperson blatantly accused other countries of meddling in Iranian affairs and instigating the current protests and violence. Fatemeh Rajabi, spokesperson symbol of women in Ahmadinazhad's government in a separate statement also called Mousavi and Khatami the faces of corruption in the country. 6. The Guardian Council commission on investigating 10% of the vote was rejected by Mousavi today. He said that 10% was not enough and the elections have to be annulled. He added that an impartial commission should be set up to help arbitrate the issue. The other two candidates also didn't send representatives to the commission. This is after the commission was criticized by others - including a prominent MP and Mahdi Karoubi - for being too one-sided and the investigation of irregularities in only 10% of the vote insufficient. This is while the GC yet again called the elections the 'best in Iran's history so far'. 7. Javan newspaper - which is closely linked to the IRG - has reported that instigators of violence and the forces behind the protests have been identified. According to Javan, a group of actors were involved and this group created flyers and statements! It accused these individuals - 15-20 people according to Javan - of hiring thugs and distributing weapons that were used in violence. It also reported the arrest of three prominent Iranian film personalities. 8. Tehran's district attorney stated that he didn’t know how many people have been arrested so far but that he had met several at Evin Prison. The detainees are continuously under mental sometimes physical torture. IRNA reported that Iran banned Mousavi’s ally Abolfazl Fateh from leaving the country. It is being reported that it's possible that the fate of the people that have been arrested would be known by the end of the week. The name of the girl who was shot in Baharestan and died later in the hospital is reportedly Sheler Khezri. 9. Amnesty International confirms on CNN: people disappearing from hospitals. Hundreds of people missing. Amnesty International asked the Iranian authorities to immediately release dozens of journalists who are at risk of torture in detention. The UN also asked the government to prevent further violence and bloodshed. More people were arrested today including journalists and bloggers as well as other people of some clout in the Iranian society. Karoubi's newspaper, Etemade Melli's chief editor was asked to appear before a court. 10. Today a group of people including women's rights activists
RE: Iran
On 6/22/2009 7:36:48 PM, Dan M (dsummersmi...@comcast.net) wrote: Things do not look overly promising for the protesters, but if they manage to make it through tomorrow without their heads being cracked Iranian public sentiment may swing decisively in their direction. It really depends on how hard the Supreme Ayatollah swings back at them. We should see by morning. Well, it's the next day, and I don't see any resolution. I think that the splits in the leadership are promising, though small. But.the best organized force is the Revolutionary Guard, and they appear to be fanatical. I'd guess, if push came to shove, they wouldn't mind killing thousands to keep orderand I don't see anyone standing up to them in a fight. I wouldn't be so quick to judge. Reports from inside Iran say the Guard is split and mostly inactive. The Army is similarly. The police have been ineffective because they won't shoot their own countrymen. That is why most of the violence has been committed by Basiji and Arab imports (such as Hezbollah and some Afghan Taliban with possibly some Russians thrown in according to rumor) Many of the people committing violence are non-Farsi speakers and that is a solid indictment of the gravity of the situation. The Council of Experts is split and the Ayatollahs seem to be waiting for Khamenei to commit an irrevocable fuckup before they move. Many Mullahs are going to the protests themselves and making pronouncements on behalf of the protestors. A Revolutionary Guard General was arrested for refusing to fire on protestors. Rafsanjani's daughter was arrested for attending a protest. The longer this continues the better it gets for the protestors I think. The general trend seems to be favoring them. Amedinajad is pretty much irrelevant ATM. It really hinges on Khamenei and what he does, which I expect will be screwup because he really isn't much more than a hack/wonk in the overall picture and I don't think he is skilled enough to wiggle out of the crack he has gotten himself into. A national strike is being called (starting today). How that goes will determine the course and success of this revolt. xponent #IranElection Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
RE: Iran [News]
From a website run by Anonymous (the group): http://iran.whyweprotest.net/news-current-events/1966-green-brief-6-niteowl.html The Green Brief #6 - NiteOwl Please retweet this link. I'm Josh Shahryar AKA NiteOwl - iran_translator on twitter - and I've been immersed in tweets from Iran for the past several hours. I have tried to be extremely careful in choosing my tweet sources and have tried maximally to avoid listening to media banter. What I have compiled below is what I can confirm through my tweets to have happened in the past day and in the past week in Iran. Remember, this is all from tweets. There is NOTHING included here that is not from a reliable tweet. No news media outlets have been used in the compilation of this short brief as I would like to call it. These are the important happenings that I can positively confirm from Monday, June 22 in Iran. (If I cannot positively confirm, I have indicated that I can't.) 1. Protests were held throughout Tehran today. The main protest was held at 7 Tir Square where 3-5 thousand people gathered to remember and mourn Neda - the protester killed on Saturday. However, soon hundreds of IRG, police, Basij and plainclothesmen gathered and violently tried to disperse the protesters. It took hours to disperse all the protesters. The security forces used batons and fired tear gas shells as well as firing weapons in the air. Dozens of people were injured, including many women. Helicopters were flying over Tehran for the second day. There were also reports of helicopters firing tear gas shells at people - they have not been fully confirmed. 2. There was also a gathering of about 1,000 people in Valiasr Avenue, meeting security forces who sparked a confrontation. It was not as violent as the one on 7 Tir, but many people were injured there as well. There was a huge rally held by Ahmadinejad's supporters at Valiasr for his victory speech. The participants were mostly people from the provinces, children and older Iranians. There were also a large number of government employees. 3. News of protests around the country was not relayed through tweets much today; however, sources confirmed that at least some rallies and protests were held in Tabriz where protesters met with violent attacks by the security forces. Later in the night as people chanted Allah o Akbar from the rooftops, there were reports of clashes in northern and western Tehran between protesters and security forces. Chants of Allah o Akbar also echoed across the country. Candles were lit throughout the country in memory of protesters that have been killed so far. The number of confirmed deaths stands close to 50 now and there have been more than a thousand injured. 4. Sources claim that the government is considering expelling some diplomatic missions because they've helped protesters or are accused of masterminding the unrest. The government earlier in the day alleged that the US had paid 400 million dollars to people in order to organize unrest in Iran. They also blamed the UK and Germany - saying the latter was coaxed into taking action by Israel - how Israel manages to coax other countries was beyond our sources. The Guardian Council has now announced that there were 3 million extra votes cast. Other information is unreliable at this point or various sources exist. 5. The government is actively trying to suppress news from getting out. BBC and Al-Arabiya's correspondents were told to get out in 24 hours, twitter sites are being hacked, people are being tricked into getting out late at night by others chanting in the streets who are actually Basijis and the spread of spam and propaganda on twitter. The government has also established dozens of sites with pictures of protesters, asking people to identify them. At least two of these sites that were based abroad have been taken down by hackers sympathetic to Iranians today. 6. There are sporadic reports coming in from Qom at this point. Sources claim that Rafsanjani who was in Qom has had meetings with clerics inside Qom. It has been also reported - but not confirmed - for the past three days that Ayatollah Montazeri has declared a three days' mourning period. It likely is a hoax because it has not been confirmed by anyone. What can be confirmed is that the Council of Combatant Clerics - which includes in its members Rafsanjani and Nateq Noori - have backed the protesters. 7. Hamzeh Ghalebi, head of Mousavi's youth headquarters and Reza Homaye, another reformist and backer of Mousavi, have been arrested. There have been arrests of numerous other reformists and backers of Mousavi, Karoubi, Noori and Rafsanjani. The total number of people that have been arrested is still anyone's guess. Reports indicate somewhere between five and ten thousand. 8. Tuesday has been declared a national strike by Mousavi and his
Iran
My My it has been a busy week. I've twittered in support of Iranian democracy. DDOSed Iranian government websites.(ended up quitting that since it was bad for their network and hence causing problems for the people I wanted to help). Tried to give helpful suggestions. (I'm probably one of the very first people to change my location to Tehran -3:30) Taunted IRG network security thugs (Is it true that the IRG is the worlds largest all homosexual army?)(ya gotta hit em where it hurts emGThey are such punks) And generally tried to keep up with the news from over there. Things do not look overly promising for the protesters, but if they manage to make it through tomorrow without their heads being cracked Iranian public sentiment may swing decisively in their direction. It really depends on how hard the Supreme Ayatollah swings back at them. We should see by morning. xponent AnonIran Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Fan Made Green Lantern Trailer
http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/ Worth a look. You'd almost think it was a real trailer til you notice the Star Trek footage. xponent Green Mal Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Will Brain Augmentation be considered Cheating?
On 5/14/2009 12:03:43 PM, Chris Frandsen (lear...@mac.com) wrote: Our society considers using hormone enhancement for improving physical performance cheating. Only during contests. Will we treat brain enhancement the same way? Only during contests. How about the Chinese, Japanese and Russians? Is this the new arms race? I suspect, yes, but it will probably be our grandkids worrying about it. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227083.700-will-designer-brains- divide-humanity.html?full=trueprint=true Probably will start with prosthetics here in the US. http://www.darpa.mil/dso/thrusts/bio/restbio_tech/revprost/index.htm May we learn something new today! We are approaching a singularity crossing. Keep both arms inside the carriage and hang on for dear life. xponent Unevingeful Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Eden Of The East
I've been watching (via bittorrent) a new Anime, Eden Of the East. It's the best new anime I've seen since Death Note. The art is really really good and the story has me wanting to know more. Note to Alberto, you may be interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eden_of_the_East First Episode: http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/anime/watch/v18302947knkP22cN#watch%3Dv18211731MGYjpRCm xponent NoitaminA Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Uplift Universe question....
On 5/8/2009 10:22:00 AM, Nick Arnett (nick.arn...@gmail.com) wrote: On Fri, May 8, 2009 at 8:04 AM, Leonard Matusik nanotreasu...@yahoo.com [link: mailto:nanotreasu...@yahoo.com] wrote: ... though the initial Uplift of Earth was a rogue undertaking... accomplished by Wolflings far removed from the conventional wisdom of the Galactic Community... and that term 'Wolfling'... what did Brin mean by that? (...and did the Tibrini represent Baloo the Bear?. lmao/tiny...) I imagine the Chimps of the Uplift universe were heavily reg/bonobo hybrids.. esp considering the scene in the chimp bar... According to Wikipedia (a reliable source for over 200 years, according to Wikipedia): Dogs [link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog] have been mentioned as a possible client of Humanity in several books, but their final adoption has not been confirmed. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EarthClan#Neo-Dogs [link: en.wikipedia. org/wiki/EarthClan#Neo-Dogs] Seems like a lot of work to me. Dogs are just not that bright to begin with, at least compared to other species that did get uplifted. I would think Swines would be easier. xponent When Swines Flew Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Death Note [was: Weekly Chat Reminder]
On 4/23/2009 7:27:31 AM, Julia Thompson (deg...@chiba.3jane.net) wrote: On Thu, 23 Apr 2009, Alberto Vieira Ferreira Monteiro wrote: But here it's not broadcast on normal channels, but on the cable-channel Animax (aka The Hentai Channel :-) ) The Hentai Channel? I have a friend who would be *extremely* interested in that Not available where prohibited! You can't hardly get fanservice in the USA. xponent Bible Black Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Weekly Chat Reminder
- Original Message - From: Alberto Monteiro albm...@centroin.com.br To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 1:32 PM Subject: Re: Weekly Chat Reminder The Brin-L weekly chat has been a list tradition for over ten years. (...) BTW, about the chat we had two weeks ago, I think I know the confusion about Heroes. What I was calling Season 4 (not aired nowhere) was the Book 4. Book 3 finished a long time ago, I think they are showing Book 4, but I missed all episodes, since I thought they were reprising. Next weeks episode is the season finale. And the seasons are divided by Volumes. Next Monday is the finale for Volume 4 *and* Season 3. OTOH, right now my favourite series is the Anime Death Note - I don't miss an episode. I've seen the whole series and the movies based on the series. They are excellent! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-SpNRR8FZk Opening theme for season 2 by Maximum the Hormone. Irony: This song is the only occasion I hear the word fucker used on TV and it is on a cartoon network. xponent Ningen Ningen Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Death Note [was: Weekly Chat Reminder]
On 4/22/2009 7:27:55 PM, Alberto Vieira Ferreira Monteiro (albm...@centroin.com.br) wrote: Rceeberger wrote: OTOH, right now my favourite series is the Anime Death Note - I don't miss an episode. I've seen the whole series and the movies based on the series. They are excellent! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-SpNRR8FZk Opening theme for season 2 by Maximum the Hormone. Irony: This song is the only occasion I hear the word fucker used on TV and it is on a cartoon network. But here it's not broadcast on normal channels, but on the cable-channel Animax (aka The Hentai Channel :-) ) I'm still on Season 1, so no spoilers please. How many episodes have you seen? I assume you have met L if you have gotten in far enough to be hooked. xponent Shinigami Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Is it time to legalize Marijuana?
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/04/why-marijuana-legalization-is-gaining.html I think the time may be coming, but I don't think it is now. There are plenty of rational reasons to legalize or decriminalize, but I don't see the electorate suddenly doing the math and adding their opined weight in with the liberals and libertarians. Not this year at least. BTW, the Constitution and the Declaration are not written on hemp paper, they are written on parchment. xponent Legalize It Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Solar Sats go mainstream
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10218788-54.html Ok Keithlooks like the time is coming! xponent Small Doses Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Canadians find vast computer spy network
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE52R2HQ20090328 Someone in China is doing some hacking and spying. xponent GhostNet Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Freeman Dyson on climate
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/magazine/29Dyson-t.html?pagewanted=1_r=2hp Worth a read. Dyson is a Global Warming skeptic with an interesting take on the subject. Remember brinl brinl if you don't have an account for NYT. xponent This Is Not Crichton Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
NQSFW The funniest Ann Coulter joke ever!
http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/03/family-guy-ann-coulter-simpsons.html A small tour of the Fox news Offices. xponent Fridge Light Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Quiet
On 3/18/2009 6:00:38 AM, Charlie Bell (char...@culturelist.org) wrote: On 18/03/2009, at 1:07 PM, William T Goodall wrote: since the Taliban imposed censorship on the list. Eh? Don't recall censorship. Just stop being annoying and posting entire articles without comment. Stone me Maru *lobs a rock at WTG* Not really been in the mood to post much, myself. But the mood is improving here in Victoria. We went to the Sound Relief concert at the MCG on Saturday, where both Split Enz AND Crowded House played. Oh, and the Environment Minister Peter Garrett decided he'd sing a few songs. Which was *AMAZING*. Was it this AMAZING?: http://showhype.com/video/adam_lambert_top_11_ring_of_fire/ xponent Over The Top Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Lets do it
10 Surprising Health Benefits of Sex http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/10-surprising-health-benefits-of-sex When you're in the mood, it's a sure bet that the last thing on your mind is boosting your immune system or maintaining a healthy weight. Yet good sex offers those health benefits and more. That's a surprise to many people, says Joy Davidson, PhD, a New York psychologist and sex therapist. Of course, sex is everywhere in the media, she says. But the idea that we are vital, sexual creatures is still looked at in some cases with disgust or in other cases a bit of embarrassment. So to really take a look at how our sexuality adds to our life and enhances our life and our health, both physical and psychological, is eye-opening for many people. Sex does a body good in a number of ways, according to Davidson and other experts. The benefits aren't just anecdotal or hearsay -- each of these 10 health benefits of sex is backed by scientific scrutiny. xponent With The Lights On Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Hitler gets Watchmen spoilers
Yup.SPOILERS: http://www.boingboing.net/2009/03/04/hitler-finds-out-abo.html But it is sooo damn funny! xponent Delicious Subtitles Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
RE: On the Housing Market
On 2/24/2009 11:22:40 PM, Dan M (dsummersmi...@comcast.net) wrote: Thanks John! Those were pretty much the kinds of arguments I was seeing in 2006-2007 that made me anticipate the bubble bursting. Do you see the correction lasting 12 - 18 months or perhaps longer? I won't argue with the basic premise, because I saw it too...especially for the coasts, NV, etc, Sure, those areas were what tipped me off that something was up, though to be honest, I anticipated the bubble bursting only in the highly priced areas with the rest of the country riding it out mostly unmolested. I saw the loan problems as being a parallel situation and never expected such a dramatic implosion. but I have found that it is more expensive to live in a 1350 sq. foot apartment that's not as nice as my house than it would be if I bought my old 2950 sq. foot house at the price I sold it, paid 20% down, and lost the interest on the down payment money. This figures in all the costs of maintenance, the but not the 400 sq. foot of storage for furniture and books and stuff that we are storing until we move to wherever Teri gets a call. Down on the far south side of town, also on the pricey side of real estate, 1000 sq ft runs $800 - $1000 depending on how nice the appointments are. Of course there is a price level above and one below, depending on ones income bracket. On the whole, up on the north side of Houston, it's cheaper per sq. ft. per year to own than to rent. I think that's very unusual for the US, so I think Houston is just below the live because of expensive downtown rentalsif we weren't hoping to leave soon, it wouldn't make sense to rent. Right now houses in Clear Lake are quite inexpensive. Prices are way down from 2005 levels. 10 - 20 percent in many cases. When I was first recognizing the bubble, I noticed a lot of billboards advertizing homes in the 400-500K range and I wondered who in the hell were buying these homes. I still have no idea. For John, one of the better real estate sites I visit is HAR.com xponent Da Moneez Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: On the Housing Market
On 2/24/2009 1:05:34 PM, John Williams (jwilliams4...@gmail.com) wrote: http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2009/02/house-prices-real-prices-price- to-rent.html Thanks John! Those were pretty much the kinds of arguments I was seeing in 2006-2007 that made me anticipate the bubble bursting. Do you see the correction lasting 12 - 18 months or perhaps longer? xponent A Question Of Balance Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
On the Housing Market
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-housing-chart-thats-worth-1000-words-2009-2 Housing prices may still have a ways to fall. xponent Bubble Bobble Maru rob ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Australian Fires and Floods
On 2/9/2009 3:54:44 PM, John Garcia (john...@gmail.com) wrote: On Sun, Feb 8, 2009 at 9:23 PM, sendai sen...@iicx.net wrote: Euan Ritchie wrote: It was almost a perfect storm for fire conditions. I'm 1,500 miles downwind and was reminded of the end to The Sheep Look Up last night when I thought I could smell faint burning on the air. I felt the same... I woke at ~2am, and I smelt burning outside. I looked up the local file listings and saw that they hadn't been updated since Friday. I then checked the wind and synoptic-charts from the past few days and saw that it was feasible that the winds from down there had brought with it dust and smoke... I still don't see any bush-fires or large-fires listed here, so it was either a bonfire or psychosomatic. ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l New York Times reports 173 dead, hundreds homeless, and that the fire may have been set. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/world/asia/10australia.html good luck to all down under john There are towns in southern Australia where they won't let people back in, due to the numbers of bodies still lying in the streets. These towns are all quite rural, and there is just no way any governmental entities could be prepared for such a death toll over a broad area. I really feel for their Prime Minister. Regardless of his politics, his humanity shows as he is completely lost for words and trying to hold back tears. (Watching news from there is hard, they have so much pain to deal with.) Australia always stands with and by us though all sorts of ordeals. Anyone know of a good way an American can be helpful? xponent Recipricocity Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Australian Fires and Floods
Repeating the call-out on the Culture list. Are our Aussie friends doing OK? We worry for you. xponent Precipice Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Br#n: Startide Movie?
On 2/3/2009 4:05:22 PM, Mauro Diotallevi (diotall...@gmail.com) wrote: Ah, thanks. I haven't been as connected lately and thought I might have missed something. Cheers. Wellit was several years ago, but Trevor Sands was a listmember for a while during the writing of the script. Real nice guy who had interesting ideas. It was a fun time on the list, with several of us thinking to write some mosaic fanfic telling a story that occurs after Startide on Kithrup. But it all sort of fell apart after a while, we never quite found our footing. xponent Glory Days Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Flatland - The Movie
http://www.flatlandthemovie.com/ This flew right under my radar. Anyone seen it? I really loved the book, it is a treasure. xponent Invaders From Higher Dimensions Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Flatland - The Movie
On 1/31/2009 6:59:32 PM, Ronn! Blankenship (ronn_blankens...@bellsouth.net) wrote: At 06:38 PM Saturday 1/31/2009, Rceeberger wrote: http://www.flatlandthemovie.com/ This flew right under my radar. Anyone seen it? I really loved the book, it is a treasure. xponent Invaders From Higher Dimensions Maru rob Wonder if there are any plans to re-make it in 3-D . . . Heh! Turns out there are 2 films currently available that were made in the last couple of years. I'm investigating them at the moment. xponent Flattery In Flatland Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Bill Hicks on Letterman **This Friday**
http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/01/28/this-friday-on-letterman-bill-hicks/ 15 years after Bill Hicks' death, the famous segment cut from Letterman's show will be shown. Hicks was quite bitter that this monologue was cut and he died 5 months later of cancer at 32 years of age. If you remember Hicks, this will be well worth watching. xponent Dinosaurs In The Bible Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Tweetsnet beta
On 1/23/2009 9:46:54 PM, Nick Arnett (narn...@mccmedia.com) wrote: The social network analysis I've been doing on Twitter turned into a new site called Tweetsnet (http://tweetsnet.com) that shows web pages that are hot topics on Twitter. It's a blog, with a feed. It updates every 10 minutes or so with the five highest scoring, previously unpublished, web pages being talked about. Each post shows the page title, summary and keywords (as tags) if available, and frequent two-word phrases that appear in conjunction with the page citations. Good work Nick! That is the kind of site that could get a surprising amount of traffic. xponent Twitteroonie Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Galactic Effect On Biodiversity
On 1/24/2009 3:07:57 AM, Charlie Bell (char...@culturelist.org) wrote: On 24/01/2009, at 10:53 AM, Nick Arnett wrote: On Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 3:15 PM, Charlie Bell char...@culturelist.orgwrote: It's closer to the first example you suggest than the second, but it's part of a general trope of less-good science writing that pitches every new minor spin on science as rewriting the whole body of theory that is really starting to wind me up. I'll bet you were happy, as I was, to hear applause when Obama said We will restore *science* to its rightful place... Oh yes, absolutely. And he's made a fantastic start, IMO. Choices I applaud on the most part for his Cabinet, and his early moves to reverse some of the constitutional disarray of the last 8 years fill me with hope again. I'm not sure that most Americans realise how this election has affected people all over the world. Charlie, (heck, any non-Americans reading this!) do you see it as a question of Obama is a great man who will set America on a better course or America has finally come to it's senses, or perhaps some other train of thought? It is exceedingly difficult to judge exactly what the rest of the world thinks about the election of Obama. It could be a more singular reasoning and it could be a variety of reasons that people are applauding (or in some cases sighing relief). I've read a good number of articles on the subject, but don't see a definitive common thread. xponent Curiosity Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Cattalica
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6798/af20907621cbf76cee7547eco9.jpg Heavy Metal Cats xponent Built By Anons Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Portal Gun
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30109...@n03/sets/72157612758626401/ xponent Want Want Want Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Galactic Effect On Biodiversity
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2007/07/the-milky-way-c.html Horoscope enthusiasts will be happy to hear that a grand cosmic force does indeed seem to be responsible for controlling the direction of all life on Earth. However, this grand cosmic cycle has more to do with extinction than finding a tall, handsome stranger. Earlier this year, research revealed that the rise and fall of species on Earth seems to be driven by the undulating motions of our solar system as it travels through the Milky Way. Some scientists believe that this cosmic force may offer the answer to some of the biggest questions in our Earth's biological history-especially where evolution has fallen short. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that marine fossil records show that biodiversity increases and decreases based on a 62-million-year cycle. At least two of the Earth's great mass extinctions-the Permian extinction 250 million years ago and the Ordovician extinction about 450 million years ago-correspond with peaks of this cycle, which can't be explained by evolutionary theory. Earlier this year, a team of researchers at the University of Kansas came up with an out-of-this-world explanation for the phenomenon. Their idea hinges upon the fact that stars move through space and sometimes rush headlong through galaxies, or approach closely enough to cause a brief cosmic tryst. Our own star moves toward and away from the Milky Way's center, and also up and down through the galactic plane. One complete up-and-down cycle takes 64 million years- suspiciously close to the Earth's biodiversity cycle. Once the researchers independently confirmed the biodiversity cycle, they then proposed a novel mechanism whereby which the Sun's galactic travels is causing it. It's no secret that the Milky Way is being gravitationally pulled toward a massive cluster of galaxies, called the Virgo Cluster, which is located about 50 million light years away. Adrian Melott and his colleague Mikhail Medvedev, speculate that as the Milky Way rushes towards the Virgo Cluster, it generates a so-called bow shock in front of it that is similar to the shock wave created by a supersonic jet. Our solar system has a shock wave around it, and it produces a good quantity of the cosmic rays that hit the Earth. Why shouldn't the galaxy have a shock wave, too? Melott asks. The galactic bow shock is only present on the north side of the Milky Way's galactic plane, because that is the side facing the Virgo Cluster as it moves through space, and it would cause superheated gas and cosmic rays to stream behind it, the researchers say. Normally, our galaxy's magnetic field shields our solar system from this galactic wind. But every 64 million years, the solar system's cyclical travels take it above the galactic plane. When we emerge out of the disk, we have less protection, so we become exposed to many more cosmic rays, Melott has said. The boost in cosmic-ray exposure may have a direct effect on Earth's organisms, according to paleontologist Bruce Lieberman. The radiation would lead to higher rates of genetic mutations in organisms or interfere with their ability to repair DNA damage. In this way, the process could lead to new species while killing off others. Cosmic rays are also associated with increased cloud cover, which could cool the planet by blocking out more of the Sun's rays. They also interact with molecules in the atmosphere to create nitrogen oxide, a gas that eats away at our planet's ozone layer, which protects us from the Sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Richard Muller, one of the UC Berkeley physicists who co-discovered the cycle, said Melott and his colleagues have come up with a plausible galactic explanation for the biodiversity cycle. If future studies confirm the galaxy-biodiversity link, it would force scientists to broaden their ideas about what can influence life on Earth. Maybe it's not just the climate and the tectonic events on Earth, Lieberman said. Maybe we have to start thinking more about the extraterrestrial environment as well. xponent Zodiacal Radiation Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
The Hunt For Goldilocks
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2007/05/goldilocks_plan.html http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2007/04/1st_habitable_p.html?cid=109278512 http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2007/05/dead_zones_in_t.html http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/02oct_goldilocks.htm xponent Little Red Riding Hood Zone Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
The Whole World
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/20/AR2009012002411.html Excerpt: Nairobi Crowds of students -- future doctors, politicians, engineers and others -- gathered hours early on the sprawling green lawn of Nairobi University, where three big screens were set up to broadcast the inauguration of Barack Obama, whose father was Kenyan. The mood was celebratory. Homeboyz Entertainment, a group of deejays, would be on later. Red, white and blue ribbons were tied to big white canopies. Vendors sold postcards of Obama and the words, I do solemnly swear. A young man walked around hoisting a homemade sign that read: From Black Power to Barack Power. Engineering students Ntabo Maranga and Wycliffe Ogega said they felt a sense of relief that the day had finally come. Like many young Kenyans, they said they identify more with Obama than with their own aging political class, which they hoped Obama would shake up by example. His election has already offered a great challenge to leaders here, through his values, said Maranga, 27. In particular, students said they hoped Obama would shame politicians into rising above tribalism. When people speak of Obama, we don't say he's Luo Obama, said Ogega, 27, referring to Obama's Kenyan ethnic group. We say he's Kenyan. We hope he will help us see each other as Kenyans instead of certain tribes. A group of young women studying for an exam in diplomacy echoed that idea. We hope he'll be able to straighten out some politicians of this country -- give them a straight deal on issues like graft, said Judith Ngandoki, 27, who is studying for a master's degree in international relations. Not far away, Kadiro Ganemo, an Ethiopian immigrant, suggested that such hope stretches beyond Kenya. He's not just for Kenya -- he's for the whole world, said Ganemo, 28, who is not a student but joined the celebration because he didn't want to watch alone at home. He confessed that he had not believed Obama could be elected, given the racism that exists in the United States. When the results came in, he said, he cried, as he expected he would again later Tuesday. Maybe Africans can unite like people in the U.S., he said. xponent With Pride Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: airliner ditches in hudson river
On 1/15/2009 4:01:48 PM, John Garcia (john...@gmail.com) wrote: a US Airways Airbus A320 went down in the Hudson River near the USS Intrepid after a bird strike crippled the engines http://wcbstv.com/breakingnewsalerts/us.airways.crash.2.909535.html john you can't make this up maru Man..those people onboard were extraordinarily fortunate, and that pilot amazingly good! xponent Prepare For Impact Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Number 6 is dead
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-patrick-mcgoohan15-2009jan15,0,3951859.story xponent Number 5 Is Alive Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Number 6 is dead
On 1/14/2009 9:12:05 PM, John Garcia (john...@gmail.com) wrote: On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 5:52 PM, Rceeberger rceeber...@comcast.net wrote: http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-patrick-mcgoohan15- 2009jan15,0,3951859.story xponent Number 5 Is Alive Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l he wasn't a number, but a free man. RIP http://www.amctv.com/videos/the-prisoner-1960s-video/ You can watch the old series free.and get a look at the remake. xponent Reboot Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Pentagon installs LED lighting
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10134721-54.html Take that! CFLs!! xponent In Sight Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Tesla Bluestar
Tesla Roadster = Blackstar Tesla Model SO = Whitestar Proposed Tesla family vehicle = Bluestar http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10049993-54.html Tesla Motors has received many accolades for producing an all-electric luxury sports car. But its long-term plans may hold its most challenging task: making a mass-market electric car. The company intends to make a family car that it hopes will lead to the sale of millions of all-electric vehicles, JB Straubel, Tesla's chief technology officer, said Wednesday. He spoke earlier on a panel on green transportation at the EmTech 2008 conference here. Code-named Bluestar, the car has been part of Tesla's plans for a few years. Tesla Chairman Elon Musk earlier this month was quoted as saying that the goal is to produce a car priced in the $20,000 to $30,000 range, possibly in partnership with other automakers. Next out of Tesla's factories will be the Model S, a luxury sports sedan with a price tag of about $60,000 due out at the end of 2010. From the same technology base, Tesla intends to develop a series of vehicles including a minivan, coupe, and light pick-up truck which could be used in fleets, Straubel said. Technology from that Model S line may also make its way into the follow-on Bluestar line, he said. It could use the same or similar architecture, and we may partner with an existing OEM (original equipment manufacturer) to leverage their scale, Straubel said. (But) lower cost is the target. The goal is to be able to produce hundreds of thousands of these cars per year, he said. Leveraging existing technologies, such as its battery pack and powertrain, would help speed development. With Bluestar, we're looking at cost and lowering the overall expense to the user. If it's not cost-competitive (with oil), you are going to have a hard time scaling to a high level, Straubel said. China and other fast-growing economies could be good markets for the Bluestar, he said. Straubel said Tesla welcomes more electric car variants to the market, such as the Chevy Volt and Chrysler's recently announced line. The introduction of these cars and the release of the Tesla Roadster have helped changed the image of electric vehicles as golf carts. But he said that Tesla's all-electric technology, as opposed to a plug-in hybrid with a battery and internal combustion engine, gives it certain advantages. The smaller battery in plug-in hybrids translates into more charging cycles, which means that they will need to be replaced sooner. You lower the wear and tear as you make batteries bigger. Also, you're pushing the envelope with bigger batteries and taking a bigger technology leap, he said. Straubel said there are different motivations for interest in electric cars but energy security--a desire to reduce imported oil--seems to be the biggest driver, ahead of environmental concerns. Our goal is to change the transportation energy mix. To do that, you need a meaningful volume of cars, he said. A family car is one market that means scale. ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Metric Conversions
http://xkcd.com/526/ xponent Spit Goes Cunk Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Scouted: U.S. to collapse in next two years?
On 1/5/2009 12:26:56 PM, Bruce Bostwick (lihan161...@sbcglobal.net) wrote: Probably true, but don't let the Canadians hear you say that .. :D .. Hey, you, down in the States, take off, eh?! Hoser! (Bit of a sensitive subject up there, I hear.) On Jan 5, 2009, at 10:49 AM, Dan M wrote: I know Canada is almost a suburb of the US, with most of the population living within 100 miles of the US (and most living south of Duluth MN, where I grew up). http://www.unitednorthamerica.org/ xponent For Spice Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Brin : Former Brineller makes good
I waited for someone else to mention this after seeing it on the Culture list. Former listmember Gord Sellar got a story in Years Best Science Fiction, 26th annual edition for his story: LESTER YOUNG AND THE JUPITER'S MOONS' BLUES, Gord Sellar (Asimov's, July 2008) Good going Gord http://www.asimovs.com/aspnet_forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=1143Page=3 xponent Pass It On Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Physicists offer foundation for uprooting a hallowed principle of physics
http://www.physorg.com/news150388964.html An apple and an anti-apple might not fall at the same rate. xponent But A Mac And An Anti-Apple 2E Do Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
1-1-09
Happy New Year xponent MaruMaru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
ElectricMotoUnicycle?
http://greenupgrader.com/1307/the-uno-electric-motorcycle-or-motorunicycle/ Ingenuity! xponent Freeway Eyecatchers Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: It's confirmed: Matter is merely vacuum fluctuations
On 11/30/2008 2:26:19 AM, Ronn! Blankenship ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: At 08:25 PM Saturday 11/29/2008, Bruce Bostwick wrote: (Although to be fair, classical mechanics does sum up pretty well what we see on our scale. It's just right for the wrong reasons, is all. :) Why is it for the wrong reasons? Some would say that if it leads to predictions which match the observations closely enough to be useful, it's good enough, at least in the limited range of observations of interest where it is applicable (our scale), and matching or not matching observations of reality is all that makes a model right or wrong. No one except a theoretical physicist is going to devote such huge amounts of computation time to a real world problem where classical mechanics gives a good enough answer to predict frex whether a building will stand or fall or whether a space probe will successfully land on Mars or crash or miss the planet entirely . . . Actually, I think you are both right in some respects. All of our maths concerning physics (to any degree) are no more than approximations. It just depends on how exact an answer you require to solve a problem reliably. If physics were anything more than approximate, we would have final answers to all our questions. xponent Masters Of The Universe Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
RE: It's confirmed: Matter is merely vacuum fluctuations
On 11/30/2008 5:30:23 PM, Dan M ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Rob wrote: If physics were anything more than approximate, we would have final answers to all our questions. How? All physics does is model observations. Models make predictions. And over time models have made predictions with greater accuracy and that cover more situations that previous models failed. Mercury anyone? Models also allow us to re-create phenomena for our own purposes. Physics was created out of Natural Philosophy by tabling the question of the reliability of observations. Which definition of tabling are you using here? Now, you can use the results of physics as a reliable model of what we observe when you do metaphysics. But, it is a really really good idea to not confuse when you are doing physics and when you are doing something else. Otherwise you can wander off into the aether. :-) G I think the implication of what I wrote before is that for most of us there really isn't much of a difference. I would think it quite different when having a formal discussion. xponent Meta-Physical Conversions Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
RE: It's confirmed: Matter is merely vacuum fluctuations
On 11/29/2008 11:50:26 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Original Message: - From: Rceeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:04:20 -0600 To: brin-l@mccmedia.com Subject: It's confirmed: Matter is merely vacuum fluctuations http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16095-its-confirmed-matter-is-merely-v acuum-fluctuations.html Matter is built on flaky foundations. Physicists have now confirmed that the apparently substantial stuff is actually no more than fluctuations in the quantum vacuum. It's unfortunate that the New Scientist tend to tack on its metaphysical interpretation onto pretty good science when it reports on new physics. Perhaps that's the only way to grab laymen, I don't know. As I mentioned in my last post, this idea in QCD dates back to when I was a grad student. The work that was described was pretty good stuff, so I'm not insulting the physicist. But, the energy involved in the interaction between quarks must be mass, so there is nothing earth shattering here. But, like doing a QED calculation of, say water, and coming up with what is observed, this massive computational work is well worth doing, and the first ones to get it done deserve acclaim for getting it done. Agree with what you are trying to say. I think that as a magazine, NS is trying to engage lay folk and other scientists whose expertise doesn't extend very far into QM. For most of us the metaphysics *is* the important aspect of QM. It helps us to work out the nature of reality and what it means to exist. For we, the dummiesG, it is difficult to hold on to the ideas of simultaneous existing/non-existing, objects frothing out of nothing, or matter mostly being not there in any sense that doesn't stagger one's common sense and bring it to it's knees whimpering and moaning. QM is destructive to much of the rules one has ingrained as soon as one learns to walk, it just seems to go against all that one sees in day to day life. The rules are of course, oversimplifications based on limited observation from a limited viewpoint, but for those of us who lack the time to learn the maths and pour over the datas, the metaphysics are all we have to hold on to. We can understand philosophy much easier than maths, they are easier for us to discuss and digest. xponent Paradox Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
It's confirmed: Matter is merely vacuum fluctuations
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16095-its-confirmed-matter-is-merely-vacuum-fluctuations.html Matter is built on flaky foundations. Physicists have now confirmed that the apparently substantial stuff is actually no more than fluctuations in the quantum vacuum. xponent Tenuous Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Treasury Dept Mistakenly Bails Out Sperm Bank
http://www.crystalair.com/content.php?id=12200811014 xponent Onion Competitor Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: European bank failures
On 11/24/2008 2:37:47 PM, John Williams ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 11:15 AM, Dan M [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Ah, I'm very tired of me doing virtually all the leg work in this discussion. I try hard to look up data, you typically list articles (with little more data that I provide personally) of libertarian economists. That's why I wanted to talk about technique, and I suppose why you aren't interested in it. This attitude is typical of people who think they know better how to spend other people's money. They can't be bothered to provide even minimal justification for why they know how to spend other people's money better, then they try to change the subject. It ain't your money and it never was. It is our money and you just get a share of it. If you cannot deal with the consensus and that some aspects of life will be determined communally because you drank the kool-aid of the myths of individuality, then you will just have to live with the fact that people laugh at you. G xponent IAAMOAC (No Choice About It) Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
The Empire Of Dumpling
http://www.esquire.com/features/dean-kamen-1208 On the genius and what he is up to these days. xponent Pure Water Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: How Government Stoked the Mania
On 11/16/2008 2:13:10 PM, John Williams ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 11:51 AM, xponentrob [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The other problem, one that is often overlooked over here, is that this situation is basically occurring worldwide. As should be quite clear by now, all global markets are linked. Supply and demand knows no national boundaries. The credit crisis and drop in stock markets occurred worldwide. It is not hard to see how artificially increasing the demand for housing in the US can have global effects. Besides the low interest rates which contributed to the increased demand, and which are obviously a global phenomenon, US politicians do not have an exclusive on bad policy decisions. a more likely place to look for the origin of this disaster is multinationals. Certainly plenty of non-US corporations invested in securities and bonds which were directly or indirectly backed by the US housing market. [snip] Here are some interesting graphs: http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/long_post_on_fannie_and_freddie_with_graphs.php xponent Localized Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Taking responsibility (was Re: How Government Stoked the Mania)
On 11/16/2008 3:42:06 PM, John Williams ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 1:36 PM, Nick Arnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: By what metric(s)? Over a trillion dollars stolen in the last few months, for one. I think you need to clarify which trillion dollars you are referring to here. There are a few that you could be talking about. xponent For Clear Views Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Ask the Next Question Q---
On 11/15/2008 11:55:20 AM, John Williams ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Did you make any posts predicting the housing crisis before, say, 2004? I don't recall having posted about this onlist, but it has been on my mind for a few years as being a serious problem w/consequences. What got me thinking about it in the first place was news about housing prices in California and New York City. I found it astounding that home prices in those places could be at such variance with what I saw in the local market. I understood the demand arguments, but didn't find them too convincing. Then, I discussed the situation with people who had moved here from California. They were selling Cal. homes and moving here into homes well beyond their means (and then bitching about property taxes). Frex: One guys dad had bought a Cal. home for 70K back in the 70's and sold it in 2003 for over 1.5M. To me, that was a sign of an unsupportable bubble, and led me into further thinking about the local market. The home I grew up in cost my parents 11K in 1958. In 1977 my Mom sold it for 33K even though the neighborhood was already in a downward slide (becoming a poor persons neighborhood). Now I would guess you couldn't touch the house for less than 60K(I just looked up some homes in the 'hood and its more like 85K) even though it is basically a slum. This tells me that there is something seriously wrong with the housing market. And the market here is quite favorable compared to many other areas of the country. (I think Dan could speak about this with more authority off the top of his head.) My current thinking is that the whole real estate market is basically a pyramid scam where players make profit in the long term off of boom and bust cycles, and in the short term off of speculation. (I'm not positing grand conspiracies, just greed greed gred) I'm not much of a proponent for regulation in this case, but I don't see any market forces that are strong enough to offset or even oppose the greed function. At the least, for decades we have been hammered with the idea that real estate prices will *always* increase. But why should they when the intrinsic value of a property has decreased? Now the bubble has burst, and in some places prices are decreasing. But it isn't because the homes are deteriorating, or gangs infest the local parks, or the schools are failing, or city services have been diminished, it is because the credit market is suffering. And that tells me the entire system is broken. (Note: Locally, home prices are holding steady or increasing. Correct me if I am wrong here) xponent Intentional Non-Homeowner Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Ask the Next Question Q---
On 11/15/2008 2:40:44 PM, John Williams ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 11:46 AM, Rceeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 11/15/2008 11:55:20 AM, John Williams ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Did you make any posts predicting the housing crisis before, say, 2004? I don't recall having posted about this onlist, but it has been on my mind for a few years as being a serious problem w/consequences. I hazard a guess that the reason you did not post is one of these: 1) You were not certain enough of your prediction to risk that other people might act on it 2) You did not care enough to help others with your insight It is such cynical and sarcastic statements that makes you appear to run Asshole as a native app. Not trying to be insulting, just an observation on why you catch so much flak. You remarks here were uncalled for and if you are trying to draw my ire..try harder. Or perhaps none of the above. Probably. It is not like this mailing list is a compendium of my every thought or belief. I've been here for 10 years or so, and have discussed many things. I even started all that Maru stuff a few years ago. There is no master Brin-L list of everything in the universe that we tic once a conversation gets underway. Then, one must also consider that I have no expertise in this subject, just some observations based on what I know from the news and the experiences of people I know. I try not to start such a conversation, laden with ignorance or potential ignorance on my part. I tend towards pragmatism in that respect.G But whatever the reason, it is a good example of the difficulty of regulating markets. Regulation is always a balancing act, but then so is running a business. If the government were good at predicting these things, then I think what should be done is to convey the predictions and warnings to the public, and let people act on them as they see fit. [snip] By the same token, if business were good at predicting things (without constantly lying about it), they should be spreading the word in order to self-regulate. You know there is nothing keeping them from taking their data back to the regulators in order to get change when conditions warrant. And then it would be a matter of public record rather than self-serving polemics. Of course, this never happens because business gets it's pool of experts from the same place government does. And business does not embrace the concept of enlightened self-interest to a degree that would allow it to be self-regulating, thereby making a need for government regulation superfluous. xponent The Invisible Hand Has No Brain Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Ask the Next Question Q---
On 11/15/2008 7:50:42 PM, John Williams ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 4:54 PM, Rceeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Then, one must also consider that I have no expertise in this subject, just some observations based on what I know from the news and the experiences of people I know. I try not to start such a conversation, laden with ignorance or potential ignorance on my part. I tend towards pragmatism in that respect.G So, the reason you didn't post your prediction is because you didn't consider it reliable enough to share. Which was my number 1 guess, by the way. Off the mark. You said: 1) You were not certain enough of your prediction to risk that other people might act on it I don't really care that anyone would act on *my* understanding of a situation. Not my problem. It is that subjects where the volume of knowledge is large and my own understanding is limited are not subjects where I pretend to have an opinion that can be taken as fact, and would prefer to listen and learn rather than speak out. It has nothing to do with making predictions.that is for blowhards and other idiots who think Christmas tree lights have smart DC transformers built in. Dig? That is part of the point I was making. There are those like you, then there are others who share their predictions even though they are no good (either they know that and do it anyway, or they think their predictions are better than they are). The number of people who consistently make good predictions is very small, and they rarely share their predictions. In any predictive setting there will be uncertainty based on the quality of data and the lack of necessary data. No one can judge the need for data if they do not have it and don't know that they need it, or even know it exists. It is what you don't know that hurts you. By the same token, if business were good at predicting things (without constantly lying about it), they should be spreading the word in order to self-regulate. And they do. Businesses set prices and make deals in markets. So.you are saying that the market *intentionally* caused this burst bubble? That they intentionally lost a trillion in stock value? If so, your polemic places you squarely in the drown it in the bathtub set. xponent In Reference To Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Ask the Next Question Q---
On 11/15/2008 10:35:11 PM, Euan Ritchie ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Surely you can give a single example to support your claim that Bush deregulation was responsible for the subprime mortgage crisis. It's fairly obvious it all began with private investment banks going public in the 1980's and shifting liabilities onto shareholders. Since then it's been a steadily increasing land slide of increased risk in an environment of decreasing regulation as apparent wealth creation has been trumpeted widely while the increasing fragility of ever leveraged debt remained hidden. Both Republican and Democrat administrations were blinded by the proclaimed profits, and everyone (and there were quite a few) who warned of the dangers was simply ignored because the big players pooh poohed them. What most failed to notice was the incentives the big players had to ignore reality - it not being their wealth they were risking. I'm sure that is all quite true, but I think it begins earlier. (Please correct me if I get the facts wrong here) About 50 years ago a home would cost 10-15K, you put 40% down and paid it off in 10 years. The idea that real estate would *always* increase in value set in and land and home prices increased at a rate that allowed people to think of their property as an investment. Over the intervening period wages did not keep pace with the rising land values. So soon, lenders were forced to change their practices. At first 20% down and 20 years to pay and so on til you have 0% down and 30 or more years to pay. In light of rising property values, lenders had little choice but to give more liberal loans if they wanted to keep lending money for homes and land. Buyers had to accept longer term loans if they wanted to buy a home. So basically, it didn't matter all that much what government policies were, eventually we were going to come to this bubble burst one way or the other. (Though I must say that there is an implication of government complicity since rising real estate prices mean higher property tax revenues) Why this death spiral was not being discussed years ago is beyond me. Perhaps it is similar to an economic singularity. No one could see what was on the other side, and so averted their gaze. xponent Event Horizon Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Ask the Next Question Q---
On 11/15/2008 11:00:14 PM, John Williams ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:36 PM, Rceeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: It is that subjects where the volume of knowledge is large and my own understanding is limited are not subjects where I pretend to have an opinion that can be taken as fact, As I said, I got it in number 1. So.you are saying that the market *intentionally* caused this burst bubble? Intentionally? No. That would require everyone to act together on the same bad information. The sort of thing that government interference tends to cause. Since market information is not filtered through the government but through the market itself, exactly how does that work? xponent Plato Says So Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Ask the Next Question Q---
On 11/15/2008 11:43:53 PM, John Williams ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 9:05 PM, Rceeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Since market information is not filtered through the government but through the market itself, exactly how does that work? Exactly how does what work? Government regulation? Not very well. Disingenuity will get you nowhere. Try harder Roto. xponent Sock Puppet Spoor Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Glee overseas as Obama wins
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117995346.html?categoryId=3230cs=1 Barack Obama's historic victory was greeted around the world with reactions ranging from hope to hostility. In Kenya, Obama's ancestral home, folks danced in the street, while in Moscow, President Dmitry Medvedev took the opportunity to up the military ante. In Rome, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi feigned indifference while offering the new American leader advice. But in the U.S., the mood was one of anticipation. Washington was abuzz with reports that the president-elect offered the chief of staff job to Rahm Emanuel, brother of Endeavor Agency partner Ari Emanuel. Attention also was turning to the inauguration, as hotels started to book up in anticipation of a crush of revelers to greet the first Democratic turnover of the White House since 1992. Parties are being planned as we speak, said one longtime D.C. insider. Everybody's waiting for the Chicago crowd to come. It will be a total realignment of social Washington. After the last guests left from an election night party at her Beverly Park home, Irena Medavoy, who, with husband Mike, hosted Obama at their home for a fund-raiser, said that she and Arianna Huffington, among others, were planning a pre-inaugural party. Two races of interest to the entertainment industry remained in dispute. In California, Los Angeles County stopped issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples after it appeared voters had approved the Proposition 8 ballot initiative to constitutionally ban gay nuptials in the state. While news outlets declared that the initiative had passed, supporters of gay marriage refused to concede pending the results of remaining absentee ballots. There is always the thought of 'live to fight another day,' but if we end up losing this, the disappointment is that a majority of California voters didn't get that this is a human rights and civil rights issue, said producer Bruce Cohen, who had raised money and campaigned against the initiative. The city attorneys of San Francisco and Los Angeles and counsel of Santa Clara County filed a petition with the state Supreme Court to invalidate the proposition, and others were planning other legal challenges. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Al Franken trailed incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman by just 475 votes, triggering an automatic recount. This has been a long campaign, but it is going to be a little longer before we have a winner, Franken said. Foreign relations Outside the U.S., Obama dominated the news. No country greeted his win with such unbridled joy as Kenya, where Obama's father was born. President Mwai Kibaki declared Thursday a national holiday to celebrate. Sen. Obama is our new president. God has answered our prayers, enthused pastor Washington Obonyo. In Russia, in his first state of the nation address, President Medvedev did not directly congratulate Obama, but said he hoped the new administration would mend damaged relations between the two countries, suggesting it was up to the U.S. to take the first steps. Russia hoped that Obama would make a choice in favor of full-fledged relations with Russia, Medvedev said. He then announced the deployment of short-range Iskander missiles in Russia's Baltic enclave Kaliningrad, which he said would neutralize the planned U.S. anti-missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. In Italy, as millions stayed up late Tuesday to watch the all-night TV coverage, media mogul-turned-premier Berlusconi, among President Bush's strongest allies in Europe, told reporters he was going to bed early. Berlusconi congratulated Obama on Wednesday but added he would offer him some advice, given my age and experience. Berlusconi, who has been in politics since 1994, is 72. Meanwhile, right-winger Maurizio Gasparri, Senate leader of Berlusconi's conservative People of Freedom Party, sparked an uproar by stating on Italian state radio that with Obama in the White House, perhaps al Qaeda is happier. As for Italian headlines, they ranged from the jubilant Obama president, it's another America banner on leftist La Repubblica to the more matter-of-fact Obama president, America changes on Berlusconi-owned Il Giornale. In Blighty, impromptu celebratory parties were held in many urban centers, especially liberal strongholds like London, Manchester and Brighton, and millions stayed up through the night glued to their TVs as results rolled in. This included a huge number of teens and twentysomethings -- surprising given their reputation for political apathy. But not everyone was popping the champagne. The manager of a busy Syrian restaurant in West London told Daily Variety, I won't be watching. To us Arabs, both candidates are the same. Neither will significantly change foreign policy in the Middle East. More than one optiona.. (Co) Daily Variety Filmography, Year, Role b.. (Co) Daily Variety But apart from such lone dissenters, the reaction
From The Archives
Me: Tue Jul 27 19:03:48 PDT 2004 OK, I'm ready to vote for Barack Obama for President. Wow! What a dynamic speaker. He was really able to elucidate much of what I feel about America. xponent Encore!!! Maru rob xponent I Found It Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
