If you can't read about it on the internet, it didn't happen.

Also, in the Internet Age you're more likely to hear about it when someone does something crooked or foolish. I question the Ask-Slashdotter's assumption that things are getting worse.

(He actually asked the right question: why do things appear to be getting worse. But then elaborates on the assumption that the sky is actually falling.)

I'm surprised the feds haven't banned it. IIRC th constitution prevents the states from creating money other than gold or silver coin; surely they won't allow individuals more leeway.

All I can figure is that it's considered more like a credit card than money. Or else the hammer just hasn't come down yet.

Except it turned back toward Malaysia, but then turned again generally westward and followed a crooked channel out to sea, along a path that a Malaysian pilot would know isn't covered by air traffic radar, but would not know is covered by military radar.

Foul play is beyond question. The questions are who and why.

I always wanted to copyright my name, do something outrageous, and then sue all the media that runs a story on it.

I suspect you could say that to all governments, on lots of issues.

AIUI, the blue is caused by refraction and all other colors by pigments.

On my land line I put the phone down gently without hanging up. I figure if they want to waste my time, I should waste some of theirs.

I was hoping "settled" meant they agreed to hangings rather than impalings.

I dunno... we usually get about two discoveries of Atlantis a year.

(But I'm starting to worry, because I haven't heard of any new discoveries of Atlantis lately.)

Depends on what you mean by 'reproducible'. Who's going to reproduce the discovery of the Higg's boson? Who's going to reproduce the big bang, biological evolution, climate change, or continental drift. Of if not actually reproduce those events, what counts as reproducing the science behind them.

The devil is in the details.

Finally, someone uses their brain. Sure, we could send a big army over there and stomp them into the ground. But then what?

And if anyone thinks Saddam's dead-enders were a big headache, what do you suppose a bunch of religious zealots will be?

Cue Mencken on problems and solutions.

Actually he had better fear for his life.

But it's nice of them to tell everyone it's hitting them where it hurts.

Precisely the argument used to rationalize the war in Vietnam.

I miss the good old days, when you knew to blame everything on the Axis of Evil, and you could solve all our problems by bombing Iraq.