Comment: Re:What do you expect? (Score 1) 470
Well color me stupid. Thanks for the info. You can tell I've (luckily) not had to think or know anything about WinXP for many years now.
Comment: Re:What do you expect? (Score 1) 470
Ah, I didn't realize there was a 64-bit version of Windows XP, but it turns out that there is one. So I guess I'm not confused at the OP's initial comment on why people would ditch WinXP when moving to 64-bit architectures.
Comment: Re:On the contrary, the web must forget (Score 1) 215
Keeping a permanent copy of every bad web site made by every bored teen is not actually useful, any more than keeping every grocery list, or to do list, or every piece of homework you ever did as a child.
I agree that such extremes are not good for the individual or society today, but they would be a boon for histories.
Yes, 99.999% of those to do lists would be of zero interest, but what historian wouldn't want access to all of, say, Abraham Lincoln's to do lists and diary entries?
Comment: Re:What do you expect? (Score 1) 470
his will become especially true if and when 32-bit systems disappear. In the mean time Microsoft is going to realse at least one more version of Windows and likely more.
You mean like the 16-bit or 8-bit support disappeared? You do realize that even the latest x86/AMD64 processors still support the original 80086 processor modes, right? That that is their _default_ state of running when power is applied?
Perhaps what the OP meant is the limitations imposed by 32-bit systems, thereby prompting decision makers to choose a 64-bit system when upgrading the hardware? Say the new workstations being purchased have 4 or 8 or 16 GB of memory and here we have Windows XP, which can only see and use 2 GB. Time to roll in a 64-bit OS!
Comment: Re:why are the bounties so low? (Score 1) 114
I hope you don't think we've hit the bottom of the real-estate market. Fine wines maybe? Collectables? Seems much safer to just buy interest rate derivitives, at least that way your losses are limited to 100%.
I wager he's talking real estate. Probably been snatching up lower end homes to rent out to the previously home owning subprime market. That would be my guess. I really hope he hasn't gone into debt to buy collectibles or fine wines!
Speaking of real estate, here's an interesting aerial photograph from a Florida subdivision that was built during the 1970s land boom. No houses were ever built, just sold lots. Today, trees are growing between cracks in the roads.
Comment: Re:why are the bounties so low? (Score 1) 114
Not gold, but yes, borrowed a lot to buy assets that have held a historically 'fixed' price relative to inflation.
And those assets would be...
Comment: Re:why are the bounties so low? (Score 1) 114
There will absolutely be a reckoning, and it will involve massive inflation, for which I am personally well positioned.
Care to elaborate? Did you borrow a lot of money at a locked in rate to buy gold, per chance?
Comment: Re:why are the bounties so low? (Score 1) 114
On your sig: A 121K debt per taxpayer sounds like a lot until you think about paying that off over a 30-40 year working lifetime. Plus, you know that's going to be heavily reduced by inflation. 2015-2025 we're probably going to have 10-15% inflation per year, which will turn that into only 46K or less in today's dollars. Over a 40 year working life, that's like 1K extra in taxes per year. Call me when it hits 10K in extra taxes per year.
121K debt per taxpayer is what the national debt is right now. Your whole formula presupposes that the debt won't rise another penny from now through the next 30-40 years. Is that at all likely? The GAO estimates Social Security and Medicare obligations alone will cost us roughly 12 TRILLION in borrowed dollars (in total) between now and 2040 (not adjusted for inflation). And have you seen the proposal for the upcoming fiscal year? We'll be running a $1.6 TRILLION dollar deficit.
We have reason to be worried about the US deficit and debt. There will certainly be a day of reckoning in our lifetimes.
Comment: Re:Never read (Score 1) 238
You may not realize it, but you've seen glimpses of the DT universe through most of King's books.
Comment: Re:Just what we needed (Score 1) 238
remember, young Roland was in possession of the horn in the reset that occurs at the end of the final book. It gives the reader hope that the outcome may be different on the subsequent attempt.
Maybe, but probably not. It seems like after a second or two he had already forgotten about the events that had just transpired and was back to the narrative of The Gunslinger.
Have you seen the movie Triangle? If you liked the ending you may like that movie.