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Comment Self-defence (Score 5, Funny) 309

Rumor has it that the server was seen holding what the mortgage officer thought was a weapon. The officer drew and repeatedly fired his weapon, pausing to reload 15 times because he believed his life was in danger. The server was fatally hit by 87 rounds, most of them entering through the rear of the chassis. No other weapon was found at the scene. The mortgage officer has been put on temporary desk assignment while an investigation is held.

Comment Don't like it? Know where the door is? (Score 1) 1018

Anyone who doesn't like the conditions of their job, whether it be pay or whatever, always has the right to quit (at least in this country). So if you think you can do better elsewhere, go for it. If you are proven wrong, scuttle back into a job working for the man while looking for the next opportunity to break free again. Sooner or later: profit!
The difference between winners and losers is that everyone loses, winners merely shake off defeat and try again.
My friend started 3 companies. The first 2 failed. He went back to working for someone else each time. The third one was a success. He eventually sold his share in the company for (I'm guessing) $40M. He retired before he reached 40.
I'm still trying :-(

Comment Freedom is having a choice (Score 1) 359

Given today's technology, I can well imagine that an electric-only car with its fairly limited range won't suit everyone - but it will suit some people. I have a short commute. An electric car would be perfect for me. What I want to see is diversity in propulsion systems. A one-solution fits all model is probably unrealistic. Gasoline doesn't fit my requirements as well as an all-electric car for example. There are a very wide variety of vehicles from trucks through 2-seat sports cars. Why not endorse a wide variety of propulsion systems too?
With all the problems caused by oil politics and oil pollution, I would really, really like an all-electric car. Then we can work on renewable energy sources and the oil stain on so many lives will become a distant memory.
So let's have hydrogen fuel cells, series hybrids, pure electric and even pure gasoline cars (when the need arises). Then let consumers choose with their wallets what works for them.
It's only a free country if you have choices.

Comment High Frequency Trading is not necessarily bad (Score 2, Interesting) 525

The high frequency traders of today basically fall into two categories:
  • Those running algorithms that make use of various market anomalies to siphon money from the markets.
  • Those doing the latter-day equivalent of the role that used to be played by a market maker.

The siphoners add no value to the market, in fact exactly the opposite. They take advantage of market anomalies that can only be detected by ultra-high speed trading to remove money from the system. A simple example of a market anomalies would be taking advantage of the distributed market place whereby you can trade the same stock on many exchanges and none of them perform at the same speed. So you see which way the stock is moving on a fast exchange and then take advantage of that on a slow exchange before it has had the time it needs to react. Just like betting on a horse race after it has finished because you know the result before the bookmaker is aware the race is over.

The other high frequency shops are adding value to the markets in the same way a market maker used to. They serve a function of keeping the market liquid. This means that a buyer can always guarantee to buy a stock or a seller can always guarantee to sell a stock because the market maker keeps some inventory to bridge any transitory lull when there are more buyers than sellers (or vice-versa) and yet the price is deemed to be correct. They are the brokers who reduce fluctuations in the market and offer a valuable service, even to a joe who wants to sell his 50 shares in IBM.

Just like anything, there are good guys and bad guys. The tool is high frequency trading. It can be used for good or bad, depending on who is using it and what they are using it for.

Disclaimer: I don't do any high frequency trading.

Submission + - Mightier than the sword? 1

seniorcoder writes: Suggestion for next poll: Which is mightier?
o The pen
o The sword
o The keyboard
o The AK-47
o The mouse
o The phaser
o Love

Comment Yet another human-produced pile of trash (Score 1) 242

There is a mass of debris floating in the pacific ocean which I read was roughly the size of Texas. Newly discovered is a huge amount of trash floating in the Atlantic.
Can anyone be surprised that there is a mountain of trash building up in orbit?

We seem to befoul everything we touch.
We need more Burning man philosophy: leave no trace.

Image

Hollywood Stock Exchange Set To Launch In April 100

You can buy and sell actor or movie "stock" for virtual cash on the website Hollywood Stock Exchange (HSX). Starting in April the company plans on letting you turn those movie performance predictions into real dollars. HSX filed with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission for approval as an active trading site in November 2008 and has just entered the final phase of regulatory review. Richard Jaycobs, president of HSX's parent company, said, "The number of people who visit movie theaters each year and form opinions about a film's success is in the tens of millions. We believe that's the reason the public response to this product has been very positive."

Comment That's the trouble with them new-fangled doo-dads (Score 1) 427

Well gosh darn, I'm surprised they have started to use them fax machines. I reckon it's still OK for me to continue to send it my applications by using smoke signals ain't it? I'm wonderin' why the folks hereabouts didn't tell me they now use fax as I have just purchased one of them telex thingys.

Well I guess they use fax to promote the fact that they are the center of all innovation after all.

Perhaps I should submit a "rotator" device for a patent. You takes the piece of paper in one rotator on the end of your arm. Then, with the help of another rotator on the end of the other arm, you turns the piece of paper through 180 of them degrees. Hot dang I'm on a winner with this one! I hope I submit a patent first on this, but it's a chicken and egg thing. What if I submit it the wrong way round?

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