Phi for All

Isn't the Pentagon using WTF?

Perhaps the reference (which I don't think I've ever heard, at least in my culture) is because glass isn't a very porous material, and is very slippery when it's wet. Surely the saying refers to icy conditions and not just cold ones? Rain that freezes on the pavement can seem like wet glass.

Which came originally from Atlantis, not offworld. It was only when the Atlantians discovered Super Glue that their continent sunk.

We're social creatures. In order for us to build communities larger than a few hundred people, it became necessary for us to believe in "leaders" we might possibly never meet. The larger the population of a particular group, the more we needed to believe in entities and higher powers beyond our immediate experiences. I think this naturally lead to an ultimate higher power with authority over everything. I have never had any clashes with my local government, aside from a few traffic tickets, and while I have never met the mayor of my city I still believe in his power and authority. The same goes with my federal government. They hold power over me that I allow in order to function within my chosen society. They have written laws which detail the consequences I face should I choose to break them. I don't begrudge anyone their belief in a higher power unless they act on those beliefs in a way that infringes upon what I can allow as an individual. Most religions and their followers have a fairly benign effect on the society around them, but there are many instances of discrimination and ignorance in religious teachings as well. And zealots in any form can be detrimental to our society, be they religious or not. I don't think religion and science are mutually exclusive, but I think religious beliefs often have a sacred quality that science finds antithetical to its purview. But I have been encouraged by some of the major religion's willingness to acknowledge what science has discovered about our universe, and their desire to adapt their beliefs accordingly. Some, however, believe that their faith is threatened by anything that challenges it in any way, and these are usually the ones who cry out for science to have an open mind, while they shut their own down tightly around a few sacred scriptures they take extremely literally.

There's only so much you can do tactically with Velcro.

I remember looking this up when it was featured on an episode of Castle. What most people call porphyria is a collection of disorders, not a single disease. Your answer would depend on which type you were talking about. Since this is something one could easily research on the web, I have to wonder why you joined to ask such an elementary question? No offense, but this seems like a set up for something. My Spidey-senses are tingling.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. In the US, it took $5/gallon gasoline before we started backing off our consumption, and that still wasn't nearly what Europe pays for petrol. And we'll still stick with hybridized internal consumption, even though more efficiency in burning gasoline is needed. The market favors this type of incremental approach, even though it clashes with our desire for innovation. It just costs too much to jump into future too quickly. *sigh*

I hate to say it, but I think much of our expectations in the 70s and 80s remain unmet because we haven't been forced to be more resourceful. We still use horribly inefficient means of transportation and energy because they've been cheap and abundant. I don't think we'll fix anything until we're forced to by economic necessity or a lack of resources. I'm reminded of Asimov's Foundation series. The outer planets came up with micro-machinery because they had a lack of metals way out there. Simple expediency.

I think we have a communications problem here. lucky45 is asking something *outside of BBT*, something that BBT does not predict, and the responses have all been about BBT. I think lucky45 is asking what there was before the Big Bang, perhaps besides "everything" in one small point, and if "everything" was in a point the size of a Planck length, was there "nothing" outside of that? I suppose it's along the lines of, "If the universe is expanding, what is it expanding into? What's beyond the leading edge?" It's a speculative question and should perhaps be moved, since none of this is really Science News.

Maybe they're appealing because they represent the "eyes" that go with the "cheeks" to make a "face", and that just leads the brain to fill out the rest of the pattern....

"I find everyone's pain amusing, except my own... I'm French!" - Jean Reno, as Le Frog in Flushed Away

I was picturing more of a flint-chips-glued-to-leather sort of affair, so when you struck your hands against a bridge or something you'd get sparks. But then I couldn't figure out what real functionality they would have, other than starting unintentional fires.

What is the function of "spark gloves"? Please explain.

One of the big problems with our current political system is that whenever a great new technology that deserves subsidization comes along, one of the entrenched technologies that we're still subsidizing uses their market superiority to make the new tech unappealing. Our economic system tends to favor profit over progress, but at least the market has other pressures on it that often encourage innovation.

I also was hoping for high-speed maglev trains to be more prevalent in the US. I have a relative in Germany working with a system that raises the tracks 15 feet above ground so they don't intersect auto traffic. The trains can handle an 18 percent grade, they never derail, they can do over 300 mph, and the tracks are only energized on the sections the train is currently traveling over. There are no moving engine parts to wear out, the tracks can be placed alongside existing roadways and the only pollution they create themselves is the big whooooosh noise they make as they bullet by. The main drawbacks are that it will destroy the commuter airline business and encourage less oil and gas consumption, which, as everyone knows, will completely destroy the economy.

She likes chicken too. And me.

I'm not so interested in turtle soup, but some claim the Polynesians are responsible for bringing the chicken to the Americas. For that, they have my utmost gratitude.

If he ever finishes Dance With Dragons. Maybe.

Happy to see you, New faces for SFN, Year in and year out!

Not if Gale D. Rossides, acting director of TSA, told the press that the cameras *could be* in any airplane, in line with TSA's policy of random unpredictable procedures. It would be very interesting to see what kind of media backlash there would be. After all, some stores put video cameras in dressing rooms to prevent shoplifting.

There are so many powerful groups that profit from instability, violence and fear. It seems logical to avoid the dark road "They" would lead us down and reject their tactics, but that seems naive and ineffective. I sympathize with the Iranian people's rejection of tyranny and it would be wonderful to help them in their protests without creating more instability, violence and fear.

Sameul, since you already got an answer to this at Overclock.net, yet pasted the exact same post here 3 hours later, you make me think the question is more important to you than the answer.

Here's a very cheap solution: amend the warning announcements and signs so they read, "No person may tamper with, disable, or destroy any smoke detector or security camera installed in any airplane lavatory". It only implies there actually *is* a camera, and it would be interesting to see the reaction. If no one minds being surveilled in the loo, you could probably figure they would submit to being searched before boarding next time. If they really object, the pre-boarding search becomes the lesser of two evils. I hate that our reactions to those who threaten our freedom is to restrict our freedom even more. It just proves that our methods for fighting terrorism continue to make terrorism the most cost-effective warfare EVER.

OK, Umar, you need work on the pastels and the ink sketches, but you're way above average with oil. Also, we're denying your request for potassium nitrate as a tempera pigment. And once again, NO, there is no extra credit for cutting off other people's ears!

Any company claiming what Steorn claims *should* be off the grid. For the same reasons a great tax accountant should never pay much in taxes.