What I find alarming is that tasks are becoming much more automated and the gap between technical people and common people growing. This is great for efficiency and workflow, but soon we'll end up with a population of 99.9% people who "know how to push a button" and .1% of which "know how" that "button" works. For example, it's very easy to create a webpage: find a template, type some info into a CMS and upload a picture or two. Nevermind learning xHtml or CSS. Have you seen the movie Idiocracy?

NASA will pay for a 90 day mission. 1 day of operating expenses costs x dollars. NASA probably would not pay the operating cost of a 6+ year mission. So you they built these things for longevity, knowing very well the mission would be more than 90 days. Once your on Mars making headlines, who's going to agree to pull the plug...? No one.

As every black hat knows: you will not need to compromise the software. You just have to compromise one of the people working for the government in question.

I know how to pay for healthcare and more quite simply: end the failed, horribly antiquated 'war on drugs' (+$19 billion) save on jail and federal prison sentencing and jailing (+10 billion) legalize pot & tax the bejeesus out of it (+ 3 billion) monitor, legislate and control other narcotics (+1 billion) That wouldn't be a bad start. You would end alot of violence, broken families and the unemployment rates would go down since future 'convicts' will be able to land jobs. Being that they're not a 'criminal' anymore.

Every municipality in South Louisiana will pay gorgeous sums to equip every telephone pole. This has to be much more cost effective--not to mention healthier (greener)--than the trucks driving around spraying chemicals in the air and ditches. The annual contracts for mosquito control services are usually well in the millions, even for smaller parishes.

not if it's upside down.

...and you're surprised why? Afterall, he can be considered a brilliant ruthless pioneering cut-throat rober baron of the 21st century.

I'm a graphic designer, it is REQUIRED that I sit on the internet 8+ hours a day gathering pdf's, emails, stock photography, free vector files, keeping up with social trends, web design, email design and taking short breaks browsing to 'switch' my mind to the next job. When I get home--by habit gained at the workplace--I check the news... cnn.com, salon.com, washington post and also prone to check facebook. So it is my job requiring me to be online which will eventually make me depressed. Seems that could be a legit argument against your workplace insurance in covering medical bills and could have even further repercussion?

Thank you for your online order; Online Pizza Delivery status: "6-12 months, Pending Space Shuttle availability; NEW click here for 2 day super saver shipping"

Anthony Michael Hall and his late 80's PC are way ahead of you.

Why does DRM even matter? Whatever they come up with will be cracked in less than a week.

Why would Chase be concerned with ignominy? Any charitable organization (except those chase found to be exempt) winning is purely fortuitous. The true commercial nature of this contest is adverse to the charitable benefits anways.

I second whisper_jeff's opinion, I am currently working as a graphic design in the fashion industry.

Nothing makes it onto print unless its been altered, and not just altered * usually* in my experience significantly. It is taken by a photographer through an objective lens, with a particular vision and use to start with. That photographer then adjusts all the levels, colors and raw photo data...before the photo even makes it to page layout and graphic design. the Graphic Designer then gets it and removes any blemishes, colors, or objectionable unsightly marks, then the client proofs it and probably will ask to have it edited more. Then the art director sees it and asks to maybe 'smooth out the makeup', or some more details. This is much more than simple light adjustments.

Your left with a bastardized representation of the original model.

I worked closely with a certain very high profile beauty/fashion international company and this was typically the process. They would actually release books of process of makeup, lighting and alterations including photo manipulation in screenshots and photos from begginning to end, so that other artists within the company could recreate the same exact style on a completely different human being. You can probably find one online with a simple search.

However, this does not only apply to fashion/hair/makeup/model images. News, Technology magazines, hobby brochures... everything. Almost every picture thats come across my desk is retouched in a significant way, more than just lighting and raw data changes.
Ive had a model say to me, "I wish I looked like me," this is while we were eating at a taco bell...

Now you have some myspace girl in Boise, Idaho wishing she looked like something that doesnt even exist in the real world. Little does she know that she should hire a 2 professional photographers, a makeup team, 12 lighting assistants, a photo retoucher, a spray artist, 2 graphic designers, 3 production managers, 2 art directors, a marketing team, and get an account with a publishing house. Meanwhile the graphic designer's wishing he could boink the image on his screen... afterall its an image he skillfully molded from the liking of his own creativity. But then he realizes she doesnt exist, and goes on meaninglessly hacking away at photos.

Man oh man, you guys have done it now. Burnin' up the the Rougarou's swamp gas is really going to upset him...