"You ever try doing even just ASCII over a telegraph? Let me tell you, it ain't easy."

Be careful what you ask for. If everyone in less well off conditions moves to New Zealand, it won't be stable, sane, or a first world country.

Then again, maybe you're really a Silicon Valley resident hoping that if someone there takes your advice, housing costs will drop.

I'm all set, then. Not only do I know how to brew beer, but I also used to work as a refrigeration technician.

(I've also worked building houses, but I can get someone else to do that for me if I've got cold beer and ice. :).

This hoohah even managed to drag me and my BS detector back from Soylent.

(I'm blatantly stealing this quote from one Robert A. Nelson, but it sums up my point quite well.)

In 1894, Albert A. Michelson remarked that in physics there were no more fundamental discoveries to be made. Quoting Lord Kelvin, he continued, âoeAn eminent physicist remarked that the future truths of physical science are to be looked for in the sixth place of decimals.â

A few short years later, physics was grappling with two tiny details called quantum mechanics and special relativity.

I just got back from a talk outlining the unbelievable complexity involved in the assembly of fleeting RNA and protein complexes that are crucial in translating DNA to protein in our cells. What they are doing and how they do it is not at all well understood, regardless that our lives and that of all cellular/multicellular life depend critically on it.

Three weeks ago BICEP2 gave fair evidence of beyond standard model physics (How else can you characterize amplified quantum fluctuations in the field of gravity?). This is something that only happens at many many orders of magnitude greater energy than we've ever observed before.

And you propose to tell me that science is mostly finished but for tidying up "minor details"?

That's spelled "horseshit" where I come from.

Damn it, you're not a cyborg because you're standing on that step ladder.

Now come down off of it so I can beat you with my cane (which also doesn't make me a cyborg)!

I put ancient partly because of Turtledove's Videssos Cycle. Taking history and tweaking it a bit can be fascinating if done well.

Whether the technologies are compatible is irrelevant.

The people are not compatible.

Further, many of the people have little desire to be compatible. The "other" side is seen as evil and disingenuous rather than just disagreeing. Compromise is thus impossible in the same way as the current Washington political situation. Gridlock. Forever. No quarter given or expected.

So, no worries, Dice Holdings. This will continue to be a profitable generator of page and ad views for the foreseeable future.

So... Do you still lie awake at night hiding under the covers because of all the "Space Nutters" plotting against you?

Oh no! There may be one under your bed RIGHT NOW!

You know that someone will try to break into the system running this and alter the messages.

This thing has a giant "Kick me!" sign pinned on it..

"I think the NJ governor will be saving his money for legal fees"

Now, now. It ain't over until the fat lady sings about the fat man.

Oh joy. I can just hardly wait for the race to get .obama, .clinton, .christie, .huckabee, etc.

What a wonderful advance for the intarwebs...

(sarcasm warning for the insight impaired)