riddler

"I was here first. You can't come in." I hear the same thing about living in any city. Someone moved here 10 years ago, and they're bitter about all the people that moved in after them. But you're right. Over-population is by far the largest environmental and social problem we have in the world today. Only one country has the courage to do anything about it (China), and they are internationally condemned for it. The nations want more taxpayers, and the churches need more followers. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I always shudder when I see the Polls during elections. Everyone knows that the media makes money from selling stories, and it seems like they've figured out that the closer a contest is, the more newspapers and television (et al) they sell. Regardless of your political affiliations, does it seem odd that nearly every race for key positions is a dead heat? First it was Hillary and Obama. McCain didn't need to have a close race because there was the dem race (the media seems to push one story at a time). Now, it's McCain and Obama, neck-and-neck. And they likely will be close for the next three months. I predict Obama will be a few points ahead after the DNC is over, then McCain will be a few points ahead after the RNC is over. Then it will look really favorable for one of them, but as we approach election day, it will suddenly become a dead heat again. Who's doing the polls, anyway? Well, in the most recent, CNN themselves did the poll, and they immediately followed with a story about how it's now a close race. Who thinks the media distorts the figures to sell more of their "product"? Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I won't put Vista on a machine I own until I have absolutely no other choice. I've already had to fix several problems with computers that have it. On the surface, it seems to work, but once you start drilling down, it's problem upon problem. The business rules of this release are completely whacked. Service Pack 2 or 3 of Vista might get some of these problems worked out, and it might be OK to upgrade by then. I know of at least one significant Denver IT company that made the decision to switch all Windows desktops and servers completely to Linux because of problems with Vista. And anyone who has worked with Linux knows that's a fairly drastic step. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

It sucks, but trying to get people evicted is a major hassle, even when you've won a legal judgement. It's also too bad that there are hundreds of SWAT people driving around the center of town and they can't help - seems like they could swing by and practice arresting people at your mom's house. What I wouldn't do. I definitely would NOT make an anonymous call from a payphone to the FBI saying they were experimenting with home-made bombs in the backyard. Nor would I make phony Klan flyers with the N-word and "President" on them, and spread a few around in the front yard for effect. Sure, it would be a quick eviction, but that's just an opportunistic abuse of all the additional security in place for the DNC. It would be morally wrong. Oh yeah - I also wouldn't post your phone number directly on here. Seems like Text Message spammers are trolling sites like these looking for numbers to spam. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Ya know, I stopped watching TV altogether about eight years ago, so I've never actually seen this show. People talk about it, so I know what it is, and sometimes I'm at a friend's house, so they usually have the TV blaring, and I almost always see at least one commercial for it - it definitely gets a lot of ad time. Usually they talk so fast in those commercials, with quick sound-bites, I can't even follow what the plot is - of course, I'm sure that means I'm just getting old But it's probably more because I make a effort to not pay attention. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I guess it depends on where you are and where you are coming from. Five years ago, I might've thought it was funny. Now I have a 3-month old and a 22-month old at home, whom I love more than life. That video kinda turned my stomach Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Snopes isn't as entertaining as Rush Limbaugh, but it's more factual. Here's what it has to say about that: http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/50lies.asp Falsehood: # I Have Always Been Against Iraq - LIAR, you weren't in office to vote against it AND you have voted to fund it every single time, unlike Kucinich, who seems to be out gutting you Obama. You also seem to be stepping back from your departure date - AGAIN. Truth: Senator Obama expressed opposition to the war in Iraq well before he gained a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2004. (The vote that authorized U.S. military action in Iraq was held in 2002.) He has since voted in the Senate to authorize funding for that war, for reasons he defended in a February 2008 Democratic debate: The two Democrats exchanged pointed words over each other's records on the war in Iraq, which contrast sharply even as economic and domestic concerns become dominant in the race. Clinton voted in 2002 to authorize the invasion, which Obama opposed from the start. After Obama again touted a high-profile antiwar speech he gave in Chicago before the war, Clinton pointed out that he, like her, had subsequently voted for war funding, and that their records on Iraq were similar since he came to the Senate in 2005. "When it wasn't just a speech, but it was actually action, where is the difference?" she said. "Where is the comparison that would in some way give a real credibility to the speech that he gave against the war?" Obama shot back: "Once we had driven the bus into the ditch, there were only so many ways we could get out." Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I was more making the point that some rich people trying to build a 4-billion dollar casino isn't indicative of how people on the street are bringing food to the table. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Yep. The last two elections have been aided by a well-funded GOP smear campaign, and this one is no different: So that's where the "credible" sources of GOP information come from! Italian fashion magazines. I've always wondered about that ... Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Is that the same mentality as "if another country looks dangerous, let's beat them up before they might possibly think about attacking us" ? Defining someone or something as a "threat" is purely subjective, and depends on who holds the power at that moment. Right now, there are white Christians in power that think that anyone that is Muslim is a threat. That may be OK with Christians, but wait until the Jews are in power, and see if your name ends up on the list. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Fixed it Biden was the likely fore-runner, so it's not surprising if it's true. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

That's like saying that because super-rich people aren't buying their usual quota of gold-plated Rolls-Royce's at the moment, then the common people can't afford bread. These new billion-dollar casinos have such crazy financing deals, it's amazing any of them get built. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Late night whining about grammar and political history. Speak softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far. - African proverb Made famous in America after Theodore Roosevelt (another right-wing republican) created US Foreign Policy, in which he justified the US's intervention into the domestic affairs of it's neighbors (i.e. not Russia, unless you want to go WAY out on a limb and call Russia a neighbor because the Bering Straight links Alaska and Siberia). Big Stick foreign policy works about as well for international relations as it does for that school bully that always ends up in detention. The US has already learned it's lesson from that failed foreign policy, why would we want to go back to it? Just at the moment I am so angry with that infernal little Cuban republic that I would like to wipe its people off the face of the earth. All that we wanted from them was that they would behave themselves and be prosperous and happy so that we would not have to interfere. - Teddy Roosevelt Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Obviously the marketing department at this place believes a little too much in the product. Imagine if everyone hired these people for endorsement slogans: "Skydive. Because it's perfectly safe." "Lucky Charms. Health food for the 21st Century." "Government spending. A new model for economic efficiency." Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

How much do you think the top guys in your field make? Probably a lot more than that. And they don't have to get on little kids bikes and race each other. The only was that could not be embarrassing is if all the competitors are stupid drunk. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

From the Forum Rules: Seems pretty simple to me. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

May be better to post this one DIRECTLY in Speaker's Corner. Save a few clicks for your fellow Greenie. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Your DZO may feel differently But I was talking about live testing. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Let's just say, after 7 years of invading and occupying parts of the middle-east, we've gotten used to it. Ignore the nation-building, oil-chasing dictatorship behind the curtain. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

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Something that I haven't seen mentioned here. Don't use alcohol or drugs anytime you are close to jumping. i.e. If you are a weekend instructor, drink on Monday And if you smoke, do it on the off-season. Toxicology tests are becoming more standard on autopsies these days. I'm not a lawyer, but if I was, and I had a PI suit, I would immediately get a judge to order drug/alcohol test on the instructor. Considering that the metabolites of THC in Marijuana can stay in your body for over 30 days, if you use at all, you're going to test positive. An etg urine test can detect if you've had alcohol even 80 hours before. If the lawyers move really fast, they can get you for that, too. I don't drink or use drugs at all, for different reasons. But if there is ever an issue with my teaching, I know I'll pass any urine test. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

And unless you're lucky enough to have video, you go to jail for three years for beating them. Lies, damn lies and police testimony. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Not only that, but for efficiencies this high, there are typically a few layers, including smaller concentrators at the top level. Still, a noteable achievement. NREL (formerly SERI) has been the beneficiary of significant financial infusions lately, and I expect to see some really cool things coming from Golden, CO. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Exactly the information I was looking for. Thank you!

The second half of that article is much funnier than the first half Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD