wow
I'm still struggling with the first 99 percent, and now you tell me there's more?
This must be the Dark Matter that the rumors are about. Oh, how the elusive tendrils of reality converge on the delicate neurons of the deranged mind.
It's sad that science don't get more respect. Fanatics of various stripes in Congress, in the Middle East, and around the world are more interested in superstitious beliefs than science. And really, when it comes down to it, aren't almost ALL scientists tedious with their caveats and their statistics?
One would think that before embarking upon a ten year educational voyage, they might have investigated the prospects for a reward. Any kind of reward- money, prestige, a mention on Big Bang Theory, girls... But no, they forged ahead blind to the future and their own survival.
PostDocs should be happy that they don't live in times/places of revolution when the educated are the first to be cremated alive. Modern educational standards don't require knowledge of Pol Pot or Mao Zedong or Joseph Stalin. For centuries, intellectuals have been the bane of those who want to conserve traditional values and beliefs. Really? Global warming, descended from monkeys, quarks? These people need to get real.
And so let's give them a position somewhere where they can do no harm and quietly fade away. It's really only a tiny minority of them that actually makes waves and disrupts our dearly held beliefs.
Put someone in a driving simulator and have them do something that might distract them. Does that make sense?
Put ME in a driving simulator and I'm already distracted. This isn't my car. The instruments aren't in the right places. It's confusing! And now you hand me a complicated device to use while 'driving'?
I had a bit of distraction the first few times I used the bluetooth system in my car. It could have been dangerous. The microphone was in the ceiling and the incoming via the radio, controls on the steering wheel and the phone was in my pocket. Dialing out was via voice commands. After a while it all seemed quite natural. Were these test subjects given time to adapt to the strange surroundings (like a week or two)?
Often when a study like this is done; to test the safety of distracting devices, or cigarettes or marijuana or alcohol
The significant thing to note here is that height is important. It wouldn't be studied otherwise. If you want to succeed in politics or upper management or any endeavor in which you are judged by others, you should be tall. Man or woman (but especially men), it makes no difference- you must be tall.
You may be a great scientist or programmer or advertising copywriter, but unless you are tall you won't get credit for your work. It will go to your boss who is tall and doesn't even understand what you do.
Exceptions include Hitler, Napoleon many comedians and malcontents and criminals... You have some in your family, you've seen them on TV. And why do short people act out? Because they feel the pressure that short people feel. They are never accepted, never quite good enough due to their stature. They overcompensate.
When we learn to judge others by their merit, rather than their sometimes obvious 'short'comings, we will prevent many overreactions that lead to crime and worse. Randy Newman was wrong- short people can be just as beneficial to society, just as worthy as tall people.
We already have screens too wide, unable to present a readable document which is taller than it is wide. Great for widescreen movies and certain spreadsheets, not so good for letters, legal papers, business documents, books or magazines.
We may have to stack these monitors somehow.
from TFA:
"In fiscal year (FY) 2014, its budget is $7.2 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly."
and: "awards support research in 22 states"
This particular investment is a tiny fraction of the budget. A low priority.
Note that each congressperson attempts to get government funding for his/her state as part of the obligatory re-election process. Often this funding is for nonsense activity that may provide jobs or incentive for corporate supporters.
Not saying that any of this is pork, but I'd like to know.
The magician tricks the audience by directing their attention over there, while over here he is pulling something from his sleeve.
Guns are simply a distraction. A place to focus attention when the real problems are elsewhere. On one hand, you have the question of why do people want to kill people. OTOH there is the vast array of killing methods.
When every person is blessed by these principles:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
- and when everyone has a fair chance at a good life including medical care, economic opportunity and freedom from oppression, there will be less incentive to kill. Millions of Americans, not to mention those in other countries, have no hope of a good life. They look around at others who have it all, but there is not a pittance for them nor anyone to care for their physical or mental health.
For those who want to kill, guns are not the only resource. Knives might be the obvious alternative, or clubs. But my friend who lived in a rough part of the city used to carry a squeeze bottle of acid as a defense. These are still small potatoes when any interested party can make powerful explosives and chemical/biological poisons that can be widely distributed in air or water, or simply added to Halloween candy.
Are guns such a threat, or are we being manipulated to distract us from the real threats?
you said "These companies are public utilities, that is government granted monopolies that the taxpayer has control over."
Here is the problem in my (USA) area-
The government and the profit-seeking utility are in collusion. The utility wants a rate increase
Roads are built by government (taxpayers); utilities should be run by government (taxpayers) including water, power, communications and internet. These alliances with profit making companies who have the means to manipulate government cost everyone dearly.
It will be done, but should it be the USA?
When we went to the moon, we were deep into a PR battle with the USSR. There was a general perception that they were beating us in space. We rallied our enthusiasm and resources and took the Great Leap- sending humans to the moon. We got lucky.
Now we are the leaders in space. We have nothing to prove. Others; India, China, Europe, Russia--are eager to demonstrate their prowess.
Let them. Lives are expendable in many parts of the world. The rewards justify the risks in some places. Anyone who might perish will be remembered as a hero around the world.
But the failure of a US mission would be costly to our worldwide image and to taxpayers. Others will take up the challenge. Let the US support them, encourage them, and stand aside.
Science doesn't always work to the high standards I mentioned. I have a personal interest in some medical research. Unfortunately much of that is supported by drug manufacturers. Their interest is to prove as rapidly as possible that their new drug works and has few undesirable side effects. The research that they pay for is not to DISPROVE anything. And there is nobody with the major investment available to seek a truthful assessment of the drug.
To the extent that someone wants to PROVE something, science will be undermined.
This explanation may be helpful to some in explaining a common approach to science:
A scientist has an idea about reality, which she carefully states as a theory. She performs experiments in an effort to DISPROVE her theory. After many experiments, if the theory isn't disproven, she publishes her theory and others will attempt to DISPROVE the theory. If it survives all these tests, it begins to gain respect and may someday be accepted as fact by educated people.
A non-scientist has an idea about reality, and without ever making a defining statement of the idea, proceeds to look for proof that it is true. Contrary evidence will probably be ignored.
It's been 4 days since the exhaustive Ars review of iOS 8 was discussed here
http://apple.slashdot.org/story/14/09/17/1553225/ios-8-review/
Have you compared your experience with theirs?
Did you notice the methodical way in which they examined each aspect of performance?
As already stated, your specific device should be mentioned, as well as the conditions under which you are experiencing problems. If a particular app or group of apps are giving you problems, they should be specified. You seem to be pro-Apple, so don't just let this vague complaint hang there.
So instead of looking down at their devices, they are looking down at the signs on the sidewalk; and taking photos of them. A questionable improvement.
FORTRAN is not a flower but a weed -- it is hardy, occasionally blooms, and grows in every computer. -- A.J. Perlis
