A good start would be to actually fund a space agency to do space work. It's just a thought...

Used and implemented properly, encryption can also provide protection against fraud. It would seem though that the FBI would prefer to encourage agencies around the world to snoop rather than actually *prevent* crime.

Still, I've heard that cops aren't exactly fond of doing the hard work of following proper protocols and procedures, opting for short cuts. It's a bit insulting that they constantly claim they don't have enough search and seize powers however when they start criticizing the one method that may protect my property from a criminal activity they will have no interest in pursuing, I'd give them the advice that any other employee would get:

Stop complaining and do your job.

All the best nuclear shills are anonymous cowards, however you aren't one of the best.

It's more likely that you haven't read it and you don't understand where the energy debt comes from.

It's a large study and I have to see what you are talking about in context, so which part of it are you referring to?

Actually the peer reviewed science shows that nuclear energy has no net energy return. What this means is every dollar spent on nuclear energy is wasted. The study uses industrial standards for process measurement as a basis.

I don't think this is a matter of 'environmentalists' anymore, our society has some severe structural issues. If we don't solve them the future of the human race will become very bleak indeed.

Thank you.

Indeed!

Perhaps it's the technologists you hang out with?

People also forget that the M doesn't loose keystokes just because the amount of keys you press exceed the keyboard rollover. Someone here will correct the details that I am too tired to share however this is also a nice feature of keyboards of that era. Modern keyboards seem to have lost that feature.

I use a model M however them M2 model is smaller, lighter and still a really good keyboard.

The best thing about a Model M is that to can render someone unconscious who complains about the noise it makes and resume typing immediately. If they don't go unconscious then you can continue assaulting them until they shut up. Meanwhile the M will keep going.

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Those who wield technology are, therefore, akin to magicians. People are amazed by magicians but they also don't trust what they don't understand.

Most people don't understand the commitment required to be a good technologist, they just want you to fix their computer during the dinner they invited you to. How may times have you heard the "I'm not very good with computers" line? Even more how many time have you met someone with "the next great idea to make millions" and all they need is some dumb monkey coder to do the actual *work* for them? The general expectation is that you'll do it for them but just watch their face if you ask them to tile your bathroom or do a similar amount of *work*.

I think Thiel is right. I'm uncertain if people actually deserve a gift like information technology and the internet which is powerful enough to enslave or free humanity. Frankly people are so vapid and apathetic they are simply driving us to a technology driven dystopia from the sheer weight of idiocracy. The worst thing about it is that myself and every technologist I know is being dragged along, kicking and screaming, with them - fully aware of the consequences.

No, he's Tchnology.

I'm sorry you feel that way however what I wrote wasn't about you nor was it an attack on you. It was about what you said.

Rationality left the room in this discussion long ago when the oil and coal companies decided to get involved with using PR to counter the irrefutable science being peer reviewed and published. PR companies don't need actual science to influence public opinion, they just need to confuse the issue. Unintentionally, you helped them.

Whilst what you were saying was pretty clear to me, it is obviously not clear to you that what you say will be twisted in much more sinister ways than you claim I have. If you ask yourself how likely it is that this is a consequence of AGW could you indeed state that it's unlikely? Intentionally or not you politicized your own argument. No one is going to do the science on the walrus' coming ashore en-mass because no-one cares about them, not even you. That's the reality.

You've largely backed up my point about the political elements in these topics. You are not a positive influence on rational discussions. You promote factionalism, tribalism, political gainsaying, and other primate pissing contests into what should be a rational scientific discussion.

I never claimed anything I said was science, nor did I launch into an ad hominem attack as you have demonstrated. You claim this "should be a rational scientific discussion" but what you don't realize is we are no longer talking rationally about this and many other things. This is a "gloves off, take no prisoners" battle for survival on one side and a "You won't be taking me alive" fight for a perceived way of life ending on another.

If you want rationality, you should be prepared to demonstrate it as I have, because billions of people are going to die in the changes and resources wars in the coming years. That is the discussion we are having. If you are not equipped to have the discussion you shouldn't complain to me because of it or blame me because you take it personally.

pedantic:

adjective

2. overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, especially in teaching.