It was a lot of zeroes so if I missed an order of magnitude, my apologies. I'm not gonna double check again, though, because I think mil or bil doesn't matter. :)

I can imagine people getting alarmed at this, but they shouldn't. If it's truly directly towards us (unlikely), and never veers off course (unlikely), it would still take about 18.3 million years to reach us.

I agree and would further suggest that it's a form of legalized racketeering. In effect, the system created an inefficient process (racket) and then is attempting to charge us for speeding things up. How this isn't racketeering is beyond me.

Sure. It was released on the Persian github, closest to those who needed it most.

A similar comment can be made about movies. I hate remakes and especially reboots. Even movies made from book are better than remakes. Can you come up with something new?

However, I disagree a little with Woz here because it's critical to improve existing technology. True innovation is difficult and important, but improving those first bits of technology is probably as crucial. The obvious case in point is the mobile phone. It has been around quite a while, but our lives are greatly affected by recent technologies (including infrastructure).

That might be the last time you have a decent job that isn't being a teacher somewhere.

LOL - Good one. I will concede that on this I'm an ignorant clod. :-)

I don't insist, but prefer on-line and free and yes I understand the risks therein. I concede your point, not being an attorney myself, but I would think that the distinction in this word is not really useful. Why is it important to say that you can prosecute a criminal case, but not a civil one? I don't present this as counter-evidence, but the first link on searching for "civil prosecution" brings up some LA community college using it.

Wiktionary disagrees with your suggestion in the terminology. But, it's not like anyone really gives a shit about this pedantry.

If only they pulled them out of the air. They actually pull them out of their asses.

If you can't use proper grammar (it's), you ... nevermind, you're in the right place, asshole.

For the lay people in this particular field, from TFA (also, wiki link):

No, you're going to be modded down for reading and posting in another of these speculative bitcoin stories when it obviously disinterests you.

Assmunch.

Apparently, TFA is a little premature. The first will be in Indianapolis in August 2014.

It's a scale. The more serious bug gets more money, with the typical being about $10K, per TFA.