yeah, same here. Since I plugged a cheapo bluetooth unit (the blue clear one for people looking on eBay) into my Volvo V40 my fuel bills have dropped noticeably, and it gave me very early warning that the engine thermostat was failing, long before I'd have noticed it through an unsteady thermostat needle. I feel also that running the car in a less aggressive style for economy's sake will prolong the life of various components too that otherwise need to be bought and either fitted, or paying someone to fit...

Also , in that particular culture the appearance of not having been duped / not losing face is worth more than any degree of integrity and honesty. Plus - maybe the bomb un-detectors have a placebo effect on potential bombers?

'cos I really need source compatibility between my toaster, my phone and my PC

unless you include the Afrikaner Dutch, in which case they may be one of the most angry races alive

Core Assets are things that make money. Normally its Capital Assets - EG, a machine that costs $100000 but makes $50000 basecost contribution (markup on) saleable goods a year and lasts for 10 years would be considered an asset - as it gives a revenue yield greater than the costs it consumes (power, materials) and the costs of financing.

But the real economic value of that machine requires a market willing to buy the goods produced at the stated value. So it is for Human Capital - employees. If they produce goods worth more than their wages cost, and if the market will take those goods and pay for them - then the employees are assets who must be appreciated, and protected, and kept.

The problem is that the wage bill exists whether anyones buying the product or not. Most corporations fail because the product doesnt sell. That being the case the staff are, sadly, a liability not an asset. Economics is a game for the cold-hearted.

I wonder if there is any hate term that includes the phrase " DROP TABLE Submissions;-- " .....

I was more pleased than if they had gone along with the displays they were curating. These people were probably minimum wage earners who could be fired in a heartbeat for undermining the museum's message, but they had a personal ethic to tell the truth which went beyond their perceived duties as employees.

Dinosaur fossils were well known in some parts of the ancient world long before the writing of the holy books of the Abrahamic religions, mainly China where they were revered, dug out and eaten as medicine (dragon bones!). International flows of knowledge have happened for a very long time, its probably a reference to one of those areas where fossils were plentiful and evidently monstrous.

Some reporters did that when it first opened, found that almost all of the museum staff were quite willing to admit that it was all nonsense and that none of them were qualified in any related field, and weren't expected to offer any sort of analysis or insight...

or even.. April 1st Post ! *i'll get my coat*

Or just cut to the chase and drop a warhead.

In 1918 the Treaty of Versailles stated - not for the first time - that there is no such thing as an innocent civilian of a warlike state - they can be divided into those who acted to prevent, and those who complied. We are probably all citizens (or subjects in the case of monarchies) of post-revolutionary states. We should understand that a limited proportion of the blame for the actions of tyrants must fall upon those who did not act to stop them

Or it could be ended in 5 minutes if anyone had the balls to use a neutron weapon in the role it was designed for.

I was thinking in terms of temporary coverage - IE, hanging over the mountains of Afghanistan to give radio coverage to an operation in a valley, flying over a sports event to give fast uplink to media staff, trailing round-the-world yacht races for constant coverage and communications

But not as air transport. If it can fly without need for refuelling, it can stand in for a communications satellite, endlessly and automatically circling one spot above the cloud level