People often change their minds, and are inspired to see other films when browsing. Having said that, The biggest advantage the online destinations have vs a brick and motar physical store is volume, and you can't compete with that.

The latest movies - sure you can get that. I think the real question for financial success is to offer a "flavor" or style, that isn't generated by an endless catalog, because you just have to get the people who are there, rent what you have, and be happy about it. They have to see what you have, and think "Hey that looks cool/good! I want to watch that." Even if it's an older movie.

I think people who are leaving a store don't know what they want, and can't make up their minds, or aren't inspired by anything they've seen. I think what you're aiming for is a niche destination. It can never compete on a sheer volume of scale with Netflix, or other services, but it will need to offer something that captures, and rewards a certain group of people. Somewhat like Starbucks vs the local coffee shop.

Before the 80 hour/week restriction, surgical residents used to average over 100 hours/week. I did that for 5 years learning how to be a specialized surgeon, and hit up to 130 hours a few times
There is that much to learn.

The average person does not need 9 hours/night of sleep - 6 to 8 I'd say yes, but there are many very driven people in doctorate fields, and many who just aren't like other people.
I typically need about 4-5 hours/night, and have been doing that for 25 years. Some people just don't need that much.

I was 4 and remember being rushed inside by my parents and grandparents. Many people were crowded around our TV, as not everyone had one yet.

That blurry, slow, staticy picture would forever inspire me to love space and science.

We need more of this for our future. Money better spent on building and science as opposed to destruction....

I've played a few Linux ports - America's Army Online, Diablo 2 (with Cedega), etc.

And they've all palyed faster under Linux, than windows on my own PC.

Also crashed a lot less, when played in Linux.

So I'm not surprised, and think they are reasonable numbers

Sic the RIAA after them - they go sue Iran, and bankrupt their nuclear program.

What if we are the first? The first civilization because our planet and solar system is fairly old as compared to many other place in the galaxy.

Maybe we need to broadcast radio waves, in a grand gesture that some unknown culture in the future will hear us. Am I worried about bug eyed monsters invading us, because we are transmitting a "We are here signal."? - No.

Diverting the asteroid means, that 1) we can track it accurately
2) the lasers have enough accuracy to hit the asteroid on the same spot, and not cancel each other out
3) the asteroid isn't spinning (but this might allow it to slow down a bit)

If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably isn't.

I'll believe it when I see it last for more than a year..There is a huge jump from designing a 15 story to a 100 story building. Some things just don't scale properly.

Standard sized buildings and prices vary widely from location to location.
A few years ago the median house price in Detroit was $9600 - that's median, mind you.

Some spots in California on the cost - houses average 1.5-2 million for 1200 sqft starter homes...

According to the US Dept Commerce - the average new home price was $238k and the median price was about $282k
http://www.wsjprimerate.us/new_home_sales_price_history.htm

Especially when he did the first solo flight across the Alantic Ocean

So they can do what they want with power/water, and not be sued by anyone for "mental distress". Because you know, that if they let people live there, and continue to play with the city, someone will become "hurt" or get pissed off and sue for something.

ARRRRGGGGGHHHH!

Epic troll rage.
OK - I bit, and it got me - but only because the reality isn't that far away.

nice one, unfortunately.

Interesting argument, but it relies on a logical fallacy that implies our wealth is derived from being free, and not from being a growing industrialized nation. China might be an argument against your supposition.

  Other thought - while our country was "free" there were horrors, like rivers catching on fire from accumulated waste, and working situations like "the Jungle" by Upton Sinclair.

Our wealth is beng polarized by the new Oil Barrons, and wasteful wars, etc.

Just some examples I can think of 4 seater sports cars - which few people will argue are not sports cars:
Porsche 911 (all models except for the GT3 which has no back seats)
BMW M3 and M5
Nissan GT-R
Aston Martin Rapide and DB9

Yes there are more, but you get the point. Some will argue that a true sports car must be a 2 seater, and be a convertable, but.... so what.

Human body fat is the most efficient way for a human to store energy. Give them enough (recycled) water, some vitamins and protein and they will shed weight all the way to Mars, and back maybe too.

Cryo sleep will not work, because joints will become fibrosed, muscles will atrophy, etc.

So to figure out how FAT our ASTRONAUTS will be - we'll need to look at some numbers.
A pound of fat can expend about 3500 KCAL of energy.
An average male basal metabolic rate is around 2000 KCAL/day.

Now using conventional fuel - the trip takes 214 days, using a constant propulsion nuclear motor might shorten it to 120 days

Soooo - ballpark FAT ESTIMATES are for conventional fuel 214 x 2000 = 428,000 KCALs
428,000 KCAL /3500KCal/fat = 122 pounds (or about 56 Kilos extra)

    Nuke fuel require them to only gain about 70 pounds extra.

Now this is a one way trip - so lets double the weight to provide for our FAT ASTRONAUTS to get back home safely

So now we are looking at 244 pounds EXTRA - or a 444 pound (200 KILO) Buzz Aldrin... for conventional fuel
and for constant acceleration nuke powered craft - a 340 pound Buzz Aldrin

This will make the newer movie version of the RIGHT STUFF a bit different to watch. All those neck beards out there - yep - you're training for a MARS mission....