Don't forget leap years - 365 was quite accurate the last time Microsoft forgot about February 29th.

I'm disappointed that they edited out my original comment: "Office 365 (maybe an optimistic name)".

Yes, they used faith rather than science, even though they were supposed to be conducting scientific experiments. Just because they were doing it wrong doesn't mean that you can extrapolate that to people who do it right.

In addition to your other reply, the feature film RED (with Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich etc) was based on one of his graphic novels.

I think it depends on your specific situation. Some people learn to use/take care of their body more when they are older, so they can "improve" with age (although they would have improved more if they had learnt that earlier). I personally started doing a lot of road cycling a few years ago and I'd say my heart/lungs are in way better shape now (45) than when I was in my 20s and just drinking and partying.

Anyway, middle-age is the best time to be delusional about aging. It's when some things start to go south, but you've got more disposable income to compensate for them. I don't think it's necessarily true that geeks are anti-aging at all - I'd be perfectly happy to take some age-reversing drugs if they worked. I think Warren Ellis just has a very good handle on what is bullshit and what isn't (that's why he's one of my favourite authors).

I was a bit disappointed that Warren didn't plump for any cybernetic laser implants, but I think he took the question too seriously.

I think you've got a couple of things wrong there. Kickstarter is in no way an investment as you don't get any ownership of the company/project and you don't receive any profits. You "pledge" money rather than "investing".

In the Kickstarter basics, they state explicitly: "Project creators kepp 100% ownership of their work, and Kickstarter cannot be used to offer equity, financial returns, or to solicit loans."

In section 4 of their terms-of-use, they state: "the creator must complete the project and fulfill each reward." There then follows a description of the appropriate actions for the creators to follow when it's impossible for them to fulfill the project.

I imagine that would be a bit more challenging for a 5 year old than learning MS-specific exam answers. A lot of generic computer skills require a level of abstract reasoning that wouldn't be easy for a youngster to master. I guess it also depends on what his parents know - if they are MS specialists then I guess the kid's only going to be learning MS stuff.

While the qualification is worthless for him, the kid's interested in computers so why not take an exam? He's 5, what else would he be doing with his time?

Because we all hate you.

I think you've just won the internets with that comment.

Well, who's a tetchy Anonymous Coward then?

Except for when we find out that we're living in a simulation - then the model is reality.

String theories may not be currently testable but they are in principle testable although we may never have the access to the levels of energy required to really probe the structures at Planck levels. It's always possible that someone will find clever ways of testing the theories in the future. Some of the predictions of relativity have only recently been actually tested, so we don't necessarily need perform the experiments for a theory to be useful.

A few of your peers in the comics industry are heavily into Magick (not the card game) and the occult. Are you similarly interested in the occult beyond using it as a plot device (e.g. Gravel)?