Either they used a couple orbits around the Earth to get a slingshot, or to save the most fuel or used Lagrange Points as way points. That is supposed to be the most efficient in the way of fuel.

So how is a laser like a goldfish?

Think of it like nuclear fusion. Once you get critical mass it is a self-sustaining reaction. Einstein is credited with once calling compound interest the most powerful force. Once you get past the hump of earning more than you spend, short of a catastrophe you're just going to get richer. It is the nature of capitalism. Marx and Engals knew this.

The trick is getting to that point. Most people don't make it because when they make more they immediately spend more.

It isn't baffling one you realise it is the nature of the system and doesn't require the rich to do anything.

s/intent/intend

Those options aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, they often go hand in hand.

Google for "double diverse compiling" and educate yourself a little more.

Unfortunately, no. Not and do any justice to the article. This is just one of those things that needs to be read in its entirety to be absorbed and properly understood. It is worth the read.

I still have issues with affirmative action -- like not believing it works very well -- but after reading the article in The Atlantic, there are a lot of things I am rethinking.

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/05/the-case-for-reparations/361631/

I'd be surprised if there wasn't a JBoss or Tomcat back end in there somewhere. And while JSON is popular with the web crowd, XML still rules when dealing with back end processing and transformation. There are since powerful enterprise tools that can do XML but far fewer that know what JSON is.

What I'm describing is a societal behavior trait, not necessarily one fundamental to humans as a species. We (Americans) didn't used to have it, but with the comforts of civilization and not having to struggle comes complacency and a softness.

No, I'm not saying we should go back to struggling for a living, I'm just pointing out a simple fact. Eternal vigilance is the price we pay for liberty.

As an American who has not lived extensively in another country for several years now, I don't presume to speak for them. I spoke only for what I am immersed and have experienced first hand. That isn't bigotry, just confining my opinion to what I know -- my own subgroup.

Yes, the media plays a large role in exacerbating this. So does Hollywood and the entire political apparatus. It is in their own self interests.

Hollywood and the media sell tickets, boost ratings and make money. Politicians get elected off of fear, accrue power by doling out patronage and make money.

There is an entire ecosystem based on keeping the public afraid. Scared people are willing to buy the feeling of security, even if it is fleeting and false.

I agree, but don't have enough experience with people from too many other countries to speak in that general sense. I'm immersed in American culture and thus see it every day.

The sad truth is the majority of Americans are fundamentally cowards. That, combined with the human tendency to grossly over estimate the risks from rare events with severe consequences creates this problem.

Unlike a war which happens over there terrorist acts can happen anywhere. If they can happen anywhere, they can happen here, to me! Gasp!

Look at the hysteria that occurred when the anthrax mailings were going on. People were reporting "white powder" everywhere and breathlessly telling each other "that could've been me, I could have DIED".

No, not really. Unless you were a postal worker, you had a bigger chance of being kicked to death by a wild mule than you did of encountering anthrax in a package.

The sad truth is people play their potential role up in their mind because they think their lives are boring and uneventful. A terrorist attack may be horrible, but it is exciting, too. People do the same thing with celebrities. "OMG! I ate dinner in the same restaurant as Justin Bieber! He was there the night before!"

Add all of that together and you get a lot of people who will gladly give up lots of freedom for a little (perceived) security.

Thanks. Paxil showed up the other day. I can't seem to find your e-mail address, though I thought I had it before. Mine is charles DOT e DOT hill AT gmail DOT com.

I don't get up to Springfield much anymore since I moved out of the Chicagoland area.

If I have to turn my head to see more, then I want a break of some sort. When working on something that really needs focus, I prefer to be able to read by just moving my eyes and keeping my head still.

At work, I use two monitors but they're for two distinctly separate tasks. The one on the right is always e-mail and chat. The one on the left -- pretty much directly in front of me -- is for whatever else I'm working on.

Widescreens are good for positioning stuff in an IDE, but as far as the actual code goes I personally prefer 132-column width window, Deja Vu Sans Mono font.