Now really, this is definitely cause to worry. Everyone knows the overpowered force with the incredible super weapon will be defeated at the last second, usually with that same super weapon.

Supply and demand only works on good which it is possible to give up or replace. Given our societies dependency on the internet, the monopoly or duopoly state of service providers here in the US, and the relative lack of competition or differentiating factors between firms here in the US, it is still concerning. :-\

Agreed, my math was terrible. That's what I get for trying to do it in my head.

Two passes with the Falcon 9 rocket would just about do it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9

We've always been at war with Eurasia, perhaps?

Ok, so they investigated computer simulations of three different models of communication within a population. Everyone talks to everyone else, special hub people who talk to lots of people, and everyone with equal number of connections. Then they sprinkled in special people who's opinions couldn't be changed, and let them talk.

Couple Questions:
How did they determine whether listening to someone influenced a persons opinion?
Seems likely that in a given population, a minority of committed individuals like this would naturally self segregate, possibly even leaving the population voluntarily.
Did they model the continual rotation of population? Even the luckiest individual is around to spread his/her opinion for 100 years.

Oww.... That pun was terrible. ;-)

Isn't it a valid tool for stress testing websites developed by several individuals collectively? Sounds like you want to blame the creator of dynamite because some people use it to blow up bridges. Just because a tool can be used for a wrong purpose doesn't mean we blame the maker. Blame those who use it that way.