I'm sure at some point in this discussion this will be compared to the Carrington Event in 1859. So here's some data I scrounged up:

Solar flares are commonly classified in terms of their Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 1–8 A peak SXR (soft X-ray) intensity. The scale is C1-9 (weakest), M1-9 (middle), X1-on up (strongest). The Carrington Event is estimated at >X10 (possibly ~X15-X42). The flare on 4 November 2003, generally considered to be the most intense SXR event during the space age, with an estimated peak SXR classification ranging from ~X25-45 but did not hit us directly. The event mentioned in the article is classified as an X1 event.

Do with this data as you will. :)

Since when is the Spice melange used as space travel fuel? Do you know how much that stuff costs? How do you think burning it would fold space? Oh My Muad'Dib!

Lets speak of precursors. Water. I haven't heard one way or another on whether or not this planet has any indications of the presence of water, but let's assume for argument that it has oceans. X-rays get attenuated quite a bit by water. Any region of deep water would provide substantial protection from radiation's effects on DNA_EQUIVALENT.

Life as we know it requires the big 3: water, carbon, energy. With all these flares going on, there will be plenty of energy available in high in a water column where the X-rays work their magic on chemistry, creating high energy compounds potentially usable by life that can hide in the deeper water feeding off those compounds.

That is the point that I take the biggest issue with. Everyone should know that it's relative dimensions, regardless of size, should be 1 x 4 x 9. That's why everyone should know it's a fake. These silly people are flocking to it from everywhere when it's clear on the footage it's not even close.

Until the dimensions are correct, I'll not be convinced it's aliens.

Taler is not for these people:

Wish granted

You give them a PO Box # to ship to.

Agreed. Stallman himself refers to Libertarians as Antisocialists

Stop it with the hyperbole and misrepresentation. He set out the protect the rights of software developers and users from the abuse of unchecked profit motive. Checks and balances. You don't like the way he's done that, and that's fine. But please stop lying and exaggerating to make your points. He's not "trying to destroy profit motive" and you know that. You are a smart cookie and you can do better.

That's a statement that requires some qualification. I can put a dollar in a vending machine and get a soda, no one needs to know all about me. Society will still function.

PayPal is the exchange. They charge exchange fees. That's their service. Real money out of a bank account goes into their escrow and exchanged into PayPal dollars which you do business with. Then you exchange your PayPal dollars back into currency.

GNU Taler works the exact same way. The banks don't have to accept Taler, that's not how it works. The banks would accept real money from a real escrow account from a Taler exchange. The difference is you retain your privacy as a customer.

So that's why no businesses accept paypal?

Are you sure? These "GNU Talers" can be redeemed for cash. Are you saying businesses won't accept cash because they don't know where it came from. They'll say no no no, we don't know where this CASH came from, we really don't want it! Are you high?

The only businesses that wouldn't take it are the ones where they're taking something from you more important to them than your cash.

So, I've just heard back from the Grammar Tribunal and they've reached the following verdicts:

The Grammar Tribunal have also launched a broader investigation into this words misuse. Google and the Mozilla Foundation have been issued subpoenas after the initial investigation has discovered that Google's default messaging app for it's Android platform automatically substitutes, without warning, the word "subluminal" with "subliminal" while the Mozilla Foundation's product Firefox underlines "subluminal" as incorrect and provides "subliminal" as the top spelling suggestion.

Really? It may have applications that subtlety targets people's subconscious thereby allowing interstellar travel? Far out man. Shame on you, long-time Slashdot reader schwit1 for not catching that. :) Also, shame on you Caroline Delbert (writer, book editor, researcher, and avid reader) and publisher of the article for Popular Mechanics, for not catching that. :) Also, shame most goes to you, Dr. Harold “Sonny” White of NASA Johnson Space Center, publisher of "Warp Field Mechanics 101" where you on page 7 of 33, last line, first word, started it all. Your error has become infectious and must be intellectually quarantined.

Y'all have been reported to the Grammar Tribunal where they will decide your fate.