Without a mobile phone, how would you go about reaching roadside assistance or emergency services? It's hard to find a payphone anymore.

Yeah, if they want to routinely pay data overages.

Fans have shown themselves more than willing to perform such an "enormous amount of work". See SMBDis.

For a work made for hire, the clock starts at the first publication of a particular work. Whether the 2014 is appropriate depends on whether the changes are not substantial enough to form a new work. If the alleged infringer can prove not, then the clock starts from the old copyright date.

I'll have no trouble at all finding a replacement who has all your skills and none of your attitude,

Your salary is defined by your usefulness to your employer and your potential for promotion --- which implies that you know how to dress for the different roles you must play within the company and are being realistic about your age and appearance.

Charlie Stross recently posted a very good take on this: This is a permanent change. Whatever happens during the first few years is basically irrelevant, compared to the long-term results. Did Norway separating from Sweden cause short-term economic upheaval? Does that matter at all a century later?

Yes it matters a century later - because what happens in those first few years sets the stage for what happens a century later. Historical events don't 'just happen' and then toddle off into the history books without leaving long term effects, real and "imaginary" (psychological).

I didn't say it was better - or worse. I merely pointed out that the two bids were not identical, and thus comparisons drawn on the basis (assumption) that they were identical were deeply flawed.

Apple has lots of sharp corners once you want to go beyond basics. They would want the VM software to take over memory management. Honestly that's who you should be blaming. They weren't operating within Apple's system. Memory configuration isn't something that Apple wants end users doing. It is simple for the OS to handle it and they have great features for developers. For end users it is terrible.

I'm not following you. What specifically are you claiming about iPhone 5?

I did not think SpaceX even with its excellent track record would have convinced the bureaucrats to give them a solid chance instead of just give everything to Boeing as usual.

SpaceX's excellent track record? Ship me some of what you're smoking, as it must be good stuff. (Seriously, where do you guys get this stuff?)
 
SpaceX's track record is far from excellent. The first flight of the Falcon 9 was six months late, the first flight of the Falcon/Dragon COTS was two years late. (And that's pretty much been the pattern to date - they've been unable to demonstrate a consistent ability to meet launch schedules or to maintain a significant flight rate.) They've had a steady series of technical problems with both the Falcon booster and the Dragon CRS capsules. Granted, they're getting better, but their track record overall is spotty at best.
 
That is why SpaceX was given a solid chance rather than the whole enchilada.