Clearly it was only the Son of God who rode dinosaurs: http://freethinker.co.uk/images/uploads/2010/09/300x412xjesus-riding-a-dinosaur-tattoo.jpg.pagespeed.ic.w9AV_5-nYU.jpg

I agree with you but consider this:The publisher lost the right to control the aftermarket sale, not the copyright of the content of the book itself. Perhaps from that perspective, the ruling does align with the restrictions on the modification of a product such as an Xbox or cell phone.

Just trying to figure out their goofy logic.

Since this is /. I'll start with a programming analogy. Imagine someone saying: "Hey, I got one of those rasberry pi computers and a bunch of stepper motors and I want to build a robot." Sure you could do it but you would need to be ready to put in some time and a lot of hard work.

CAD design is a field, just like programming. You need to learn some basics of design (drafting in the days of old) first. This doesn't mean that you need a degree but it does mean that you should be a bit organized in how you approach it. Here's my suggestion:

1. Pick a program that will let you do 3d modeling that you can easily aquire. Pick wisely so that you only waste 1 strike if caught =)
2. If you do spend money, don't spend a lot. This could be a momentary interest/hobby
3. Get a book that teaches the basics of design with the program that you chose
4. Start simple
5. Be patient

What's wrong with writing blogs? Journals have been a viable alternative to short papers for a long time, probably the last century at least.

Otherwise, there's not enough information here to determine if the activity is a waste of time or not. I can say that many students in online courses are resistant to discussion board posts, weblogs, asynchronous group activities; or in other words, work in general.

As far as your assessment of other students having poor writing skills, your professor is probably in agreement. You should probably keep in mind that blog writing is a personal or subjective process. It is difficult to conclude that someone has poor writing skills if the assignment allows for them to freely write whatever comes to mind without specific criteria. If you actually have to read other student's lousy blogs then I would suggest putting on some rose-colored glasses and try to find the silver lining in the muck.

The original poster was going on the premise that e-ink uses less power because it only needs to be refreshed when something has changed, like a kindle. Since the information only changes once every 10-15 minutes, this would seem ideal.

Your calculations are going under the premise that an e-ink display uses the same amount of energy as a regular tv. Your calculation may be correct but they are out of context.

You call it a "curriculum vitae," that is, CV when you are applying for a professional job in academia. Professors have CV's while accountants have resumes.

It's a subjective term though.

Come on...you have Internet access. Type in GPA and see what you get.

On the other hand, point well taken =)

Ok, I've heard of perfect SAT/ACT but "known?"

I hate GPA's above 4.0. I would exchange the term fake with "a lack of academic standards."

In other words, how can you have a 4.0 standard and then give out a 4.1?

You have a PhD in Chemistry. No joke, tough degree. Congratulations.

I have a Ph.D. in educational psychology. Yes, I had a 4.0. Yes, I would personally say that my degree was easier than yours but, then again, I was a professional in my field before I started my degree. Neither of us would have fared well in each others degree programs.

A 4.0 says that the student's performance met the instructors established criteria for earning an "A." Do not discredit your degree and your accomplishments by implying the Ph.D. students play the system by taking easy courses. This isn't high school So what if you didn't get a 4.0? Every Ph.D.'s course of study is different, depending upon the career pathways of the individual. Take comfort in the knowledge that many schools other than your own have watered down the course grading systems.

Long story short, a Ph.D. implies that you know enough about statistics to generate and interpret scientific research. You do not need to make bogus statistical interpretations of what a 4.0 is and is not. Be proud of your accomplishment.

You are not describing the typical graduate degree. The typical graduate degree does not include serious research, is 30-40 credit hours, and costs about 50% more per hour than an undergrad. They are handed out like hotcakes nowadays.

A doctoral degree, as you describe, does require the student to learn how to work within the system. This is partially because you will have a very hard time getting tenure or funding otherwise. This is also because students need to learn save their opinions for after they get published and have tenure. You can run your mouth in politics, literature, poetry, etc. without the need for a degree but you can't do that when your opinion is supposed to be based upon "objective" research.

I'm a bit curious what schools charge 4-5x for graduate credits. That seems surprisingly high though not inconceivable considering the direction that Academia has been going in terms of tuition prices.

Black smokers have always been a target. Cool menthols being the weapon of choice.

The story is here because they made a sweet video game! It plays a bit better than the previous Mario game too.

They might even create a major console release sometime in the future if they keep advancing. Of course, it would be for a game cube or something antiquated.

I agree that UHD will probably not be be a huge benefit for popular television viewing, e.g., sitcoms, action films, reality tv. However, some viewers may enjoy UHD systems if the interface allowed them to zoom in on specific locations in extreme detail, e.g., sporting events, nature films, etc.

I would imagine that, like many technologies that advance to extreme levels, there will be specialized uses, e.g., medical videos, nature films, security cams, or any other video in which the content or application might benefit from additional detail.

Ok, I had a 4.0 for my Ph.D. (but then again who doesn't?). Results may vary but here's what worked for me:

1. Stay awake. This is not a joke and is easier said than done.
2. Go to ALL classes. Taking notes is difficult if you missed something from a previous class. You also build up a stronger tolerance for staying awake.
3. Pre-read all instructional materials BEFORE class. This allows for the course materials to be somewhat familiar, perhaps a bit more interesting and increases the likelihood of point number 1.
4. Contribute to course discussions, i.e., raise your hand and talk, ask questions. Helps ensure point #1.
5. Buy a decent audio recorder and use it. Hide it if the teacher doesn't like it. This helps with the review of long lectures and is a backup in case point #1 fails.
6. Highlight your notes & key points in books.
7. If in an online or hybrid course, post more than necessary. Be active!
8. Find relevance in the instructional materials, no matter how useless they may seem. Hold back your sarcasm and try to accept that highly educated scholars put together the curriculum for the purpose of educating you, not making the university money. Upper level courses typically have lower enrollment and universities often take a hit on them financially.
9. Do NOT take notes on your laptop unless you have EXTREME discipline! The temptation for solitaire, WoW, and Slashdot may overwhelm you.

Education is often wasted on the young so things could go very smoothly if you have gained maturity and discipline with age.