The DPRK aren't "communist" in any ideological sense of the word. They are a totalitarian autocracy keeping the citizens in a state of primitive servitude. Which funnily enough is exactly where communism tends to lead in the real world. I mean think about it - step 1) give us all your stuff, step 2) we'll redistribute it. Is anyone even slightly surprised that it never gets past step 1.
It's probably fair to say a lot of younger people wouldn't be interested in this either. The times they are a'changing...
I think web development has a bit of a bad rap these days in terms of complexity. Things have moved on a lot from the 90s when anyone could hack together a bit of HTML and your biggest worry was making it work in internet exploder.
Nowadays a web dev needs a firm grasp on SQL databases and what you can and can't do on them, ever more complex stylesheets, a scripting language like PHP, Javascript plus interpretations like JQuery or AJAX, HTML, XML, the graphics packages used to produce the look of the websites, plus a whole host of subsidiary technologies including networks and Linux if you want to set up your own server as well as email, flash development and actionscripting, and on and on. And things are only going to get more involved now that we're getting into decentralised networks via WebRTC and mobile integration. And you do need artistic chops.
Yes the depth mightn't be as focused as C or whatever, but the breadth is impressive and growing more so. If a C++ dev was sat down and told to make a fully dynamic website from scratch, aestheticalIy pleasing and with all the bells and whistles, they might be surprised at how much is happening behind the scenes. I agree with the subby that traditional schools aren't going to cut it anymore, you do not need high end maths for web development, maybe something vocational to get a good grounding and understanding of the concepts before just doing it yourself.
Wonder if anyone has written some sci-fi where humanity makes contact with the lowest, poorest, stupidest, backwards redneck the aliens have to offer.
I have met the enemy, and he is me.
Yes, I'm of the opinion that science, technology and engineering will continue to advance long after I'm gone, probably to heights I would struggle to comprehend just as a visitor from the 18th century would struggle to understand what we've achieved, and as such feel comfortable indulging in speculation. It's deriding such speculation that is indicative of an unscientific mind.
Who knows, maybe they will send carrier pigeons down wormholes.
More likely they've figured out either a more advanced communications technology than radio, or have gone to tightbeaming for long distances. Or they, like us, aren't putting out any signals that get beyond a couple of light years.
I think they tested it for the GPS satellites, but the effect was micro micro scale. There are some good calculators out there like this one: http://www.convertalot.com/relativistic_star_ship_calculator.html
Oh yeah the Black Library, good fun indeed if you got the right novellist. Some of them didn't work at all but some of the stuff by Gordon Rennie and Anthony Reynolds was amazing.
It's even more ironic since GW ripped almost all of their material off from Aliens, D&D, Michael Moorcock, and of course daddy Tolkien. The only thing that makes them different from other clone stamps is the quality of their art, which is great stuff
Profit? These guys are old-line Commies, so profit is probably the least of their motives
Oh come off it, the whole commie thing is just an excuse for the fat cats at the top to live it up with hookers and blow while the rest of the population languishes in a human hell.
Unless I'm mistaken the math is straightforward; at C the trip would seem instantaneous to the traveler, so half C a 50 light year trip would seem like 25.
No, there aren't really noticeable relativistic effects until you get into the
FDIC already insures bank accounts up to $250k
That would be the bailout part of the picture. Interesting post though, I will ruminate upon these ideas.
bank deposits are guaranteed by the government.
...hence the bailouts. What did you think happens when a bank collapses and the government needs to step in, taxpayer money feeds the beast.
Except in the case of banks, they have all your money, so if they fail, all your money is gone. Reserves are meant to ensure that a reasonable ratio of funds are kept in case of emergencies, but due to the removal of regulations those dwindled to very little, among other things. Personally I'd target the banks and never mind the rest of the corporations, everything else descends from them. Split up their responsibilities so one single entity isn't shuffling funds from pensions to derivatives, make various kinds of banks rather than just one "bank".
Yes it will reduce the bulk of funds available for any one activity (like mortgages), but that's the price you pay for security; also it might inspire growth due entirely to creative activity rather than hype. There are a lot of other options for growth as well, but if you want to ensure this never happens again, return Glass-Steagall. Simple as that.
Stallman's idea is pretty good but it has a lot of gotchas as he mentions himself, not least of which is finding a definition of 'size' that quicksilver accountancy and shell company structures won't slide around immediately.
Discovers experience.
"No matter where you go, there you are..." -- Buckaroo Banzai
