Not true. We have "Santa Anas" every Christmas in San Diego. They can happen any time of the year. I've been here more than a while and seen years range from ~5" of rain to ~29". Weather and climate both vary. The problem is that some folks are abusing temperature data and statistical models to blame a specific cause, and, make money in the bargain.

Yes, and I remember some really strong "Santa Ana" conditions (like the one in which these recent human-set fires occurred) in the late seventies when we were said to be slipping into a new Ice Age. Global Warming / Climate Change / Climate Disruption is terribly convenient. You can blame or explain everything within its context.

This is about the likely future value of such investments in face of regulatory hostility. If their fund managers thought the investments were long-term viable, they would keep them. They really should have quietly divested in early 2011, as did most hedge funds.

Yes, it's those awful Republicans that hold 60%+ majorities in both California legislatures, the governorship, both US Senate seats and a majority of the Congressional seats.

...but don't dismiss Oracle's arguments without examination. It may be that Oracle is trying to shift the blame, or their part of it. But, that is also the default position for governmental organizations when shit hits the fan. Is it a coincidence that almost all of the exchanges that failed or are in deep trouble chose government as the SI? Regardless how you view government, it must be conceded that there are few incentives for efficiency or success. Sadly, this also extends to contracts let by said organizations.

I subscribed to Byte when discharged from the Navy in 1977 and maintained the subscription until the day it was killed. They offered to transfer my subscription balance to one of their other publications. None of them interested me because they weren't Byte. A huge hole was left in computer technology reporting that was never filled. Dr. Dobbs persists, at least digitally. For that, we should be grateful.

...ahhhh, you know the rest.

The U.S. government's track record on security, efficiency and effectiveness is unmatched. This is sure to succeed!

There is no excuse for drinking and driving. And, the people with the fewest spare cycles are those most likely to drive impaired. No one has a "right" to endanger others while driving because they are not focused on the task at hand. That includes cell phone conversations, drinking, stuffing their face or whatever they are doing, other than driving.

So, you're saying that the problem was not enough government employees? Why would it make sense to staff IT for very large projects? How many of those are there? The likelihood is high that it would end up as a government fiefdom that perpetuates itself by inventing work, whether it was needed or not.

...there's something unsettling about a German saying "Achtung!" and then firing a weapon. Maybe it was that three day war movie marathon on Spike.

...of why the United States has a First Amendment. Governments will always try to intimidate the citizenry into submission and compliance. It makes their jobs so much easier. Likewise, the Second Amendment was created to protect the First Amendment, in case the government decides to go beyond intimidation.

...to the redress of past crimes against and grievances by third world victims of U.S. imperialism. These funds will be transferred to the United Nations and what remains in NASA's budget will be used for Muslim outreach. If we need satellites launched, we can always do what the EU does and have the Russians launch them.