Am I correct in understanding that there is concern over he concept of questioning science or math? Shouldn't we be doing just that? Isn't questioning these things a good thing? Couldn't it (wouldn't it) lead to greater interest and understanding? Isn't that the nature of science? It's more than just saying maybe they are right. Doesn't it include saying maybe they are wrong?

It seems like hubris to think the unwashed masses should just accept these things because it is beyond them to undertsand. Perhap I just don't understand.

I admit that this is beyond the scale of aything I have managed but why can't we be 100% sure? I could take my backup and restore it to a test server where I could then check the data. That's what I used to do with my backup system. Who would perform backups without testing them to ensure they were useable in case of an emergency like this? O.K. who else?

I remember my tech mentor often saying to me "It should be tattoed on every systems administrator's forehead. It can only get so bad if you are properly backed up."

Price is determined by what the consumer is willing to pay.
Price is determined by what the consumer is willing to pay.
It's not that hard and it does not apply solely to video games.

Nice list but I think you forgot this http://www.apple.com/ca/press/1999/08/Seybold.html

Proof of female: Give birth

Proof of male: You are reading this

Perhaps it is the morons who vote congress into office. No, wait, it couldn't be our fault. The blame must lie with someone else.

Yes, it has.

..but will anyone pay for it? That would truly be news.

You could have eliminated "Bible-thumping" from that statement and had a much more effective position. Here on Slashdot I have seen scientists want to decertify other scientists who speak against global warming. Worse still some who speak against global warming may even receive death threats

Frankly, a 25,000E fine seems fairly mild by comparison.

Perhaps, if we blamed overreaction and intolerance (common human traits) rather than the beliefs of people we don't agree with, we might make some progress dealing with these kinds of things.

Sadly, looking at a lot of the posts here on slashdot, it looks like we have a long way to go.

This is the perfect example of treating a symptom. Smiles represent good feelings and a positive attitude which can very very infectious and so desirable in customer service. However, if someone is "too serious" the response "still to serious" doesn't really help. Perhaps they should consider the root of the issue and try to make their employees genuinely happy.

Another option is to have them all wear smiley face masks :)

I'll agree with previous posts. This is nothing more than an add for a new app. I will NOT be visiting their site. Besides at $79(39 educational) I'll take iWork from Apple and have an awesome Presentation app and office compatibility, Of course we need another office format like we need a hole in the head but hey, you opened the flood gates with your fat price tag.
BTW: I still recommend OO to everyone. You can't beat free and it seems like a pretty solid office app on every platform. Frankly, I'd choose it over MS Office 2007 even if it were free. Have you seen the new interface? Awful!

Careful. The more "Public Services" provided the less free you are likely to be. Those services have to come from some place. be paid for by someone, and put restrictions on something. If you really want to be free, you want the least amount of government possible.

...If you consider some poor sucker is paying $655.52 for the whole office package. I'd rather pay $98 for an xml editor than $557.52 for MS Office sans editor. Not that the xml editor is that important but I'd rather throw away $98 than throw away ~$600.

Perhaps this is a little poetic justice for MS's fleecing of their own customers.

If ever there were a case of treating a symptom, this is it. The problem is either in being burakumin or (more realistically) being discriminated against by being burakumin (I still don't quite get the issue). The problem is not the deterioration of the ability to hide thanks to developing technology. If that's the problem, the advancement of the human race is the problem and stagnation is about the only solution.

...need I say more?

The democrats have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate and solid control of the House. They aren't going to make their own party look bad and don't have to give the Republicans a chance to do it. This is the problem with putting a single party in almost total power. We will see more of this until some sort of balance is restored.

If you thought the Republicans did a lot of damage controlling the Executive and Legislative, just wait. The Democrats have an opportunity here with the overwhelming majority to do far more. For all of you scientists out there you are going to get a crash course in faith because that is about the only thing we can have that bad does not become worse over the next two or more years. We certainly don't have any control or checks or balances.

Understand that this is not a Republican vs Democrat rant. I don't trust any of them to look out for the good of the nation. That's why I am deeply concerned about any one party dominating government.