pi_of_9

Lighter fluid and a lit match. Heavier at first but lighter after a minute or two.

The Ansari Group could create a new X Prize for 2010. But it will take more than $10,000,000 in prize money. Then there maybe a possibility that it might happen by then, otherwise I think it'll be another 10 years or so.

Kerry is scary but Bush is not much better Nader just plain sucks

I can see this technology being used in the computer industry...clean, cool, and quiet. Overclockers would love it!

Hello all...pi_of_9 here. Obviously, I'm a Star Trek fan but have not been able to bring myself to attend a convention. I am still searching for my purpose in life...I thought saving lives as a paramedic was it, but I became apathetic. Too many idiots with self-inflicted injuries/illnesses. Quit after 14 years and now I sell books. No strange bodily fluids to clean up. I love science, love to learn. Oh, I love my husband and my pets as well. I enjoy this forum and learn a little something from it everyday.

Geode...they should have cast you for the Hoshi character on Star Trek Enterprise. Know any Zindi?

My point was that there is no requirement to show I.D. when entering the voting booth. All I have to do is walking into my precinct, tell them my name and address and walk into the booth. I could give any name and address, as long as it matches one on the list. It is a joke and a travesty. The sad part is that I don't forsee a change in the near future because there are too many "undocumented workers" in California and no politician wants to lose that constuency or the backing of latino voter. I am inclined to agree with LucidDreamer on the validity of national I.D. cards.

Not in California where no form of I.D. is required whatsoever. It is a violation of privacy. Some would say, "If you have nothing to hide, there's no need to worry". I say, that if you have not put the public in harm's way (i.e., no criminal record), the government needs to stay out of your business. I WOULD be inclined to agree that an I.D. card be issued for every person entering the country that is not a citizen. I would not be opposed to being issued a card should I visit another country. I firmly believe that every country has the right to track non-citizen that have crossed through the borders. __________________

bin Laden is a Muslem and hates the infidels (that would include the Chinese). He would not hide in a non-muslem community. My guess that he is in the Middle East, Africa, or Indonesia. Who knows, maybe he is pushing up daisies and his people are covering for him.

The U.S. forces just found another mass grave in Iraq. The Iraqi people weren't tortured? Have you read about the tortured athletes that didn't perform to expectations under Saddam's regime? The problem with Sudan is that the whole region is so unstable, if the U.S. went in, forces would be in place for decades. The U.S. does not need to be there any more than it needed to be in Iraq. Let the U.N. deal with it.

Bad for the general population, good for the incarcerated and those on probation. Actually, the criminals should have a chip surgically implanted and the government should have DNA records for every incarcerated person.

4 nuns in line at the Pearly Gates St. Peter asks the first nun: Have you ever broken your vow of chasity? The nun replies, "I saw a man's privates once and lusted". Peter saus "go to the bowl of holy water over there and wash your eyes with it. Then you may proceed to Heaven. St Peter asked the 2nd nun the same question to which she replied, "I touch a man's private parts once". St. Peter says, "Wash your hands in the Holy Water then proceed to Heaven" There's a commotion as the 4th nun runs toward the bowl of Holy Water. St Peter asks "Where are you going?" The nun replies, "I'm going to rinse my mouth before she puts her a** in it.

JaKiri has it right...He represents the States. Homosexuals account for about 5% of the population. It is a small, but vocal interest group. Atheists also make up about 5% and agnostics also make up about 5% of the population. The president (any president, not just Bush) should not to cater specifically to small segments of society. While I believe in States rights, this is one area that I believe that the all of the voters should decide. It should not be left to a President or a judge. The Methodist Church's official position on homosexuality is being challenged and may tear the church apart, as the Episcopalians...or was it the Presbyterians?

Communism provides no incentive for the individual to achieve. Why should person X work harder than person Y? Both receive the same pay and same crappy benefits. Person X will not receive a bonus or any reward for hard work or ingenuity. Most all Communist countries have very strict law enforcement to ensure conformity. People are not allowed to express their views openly (the old Communist Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea). I cherish my right to speak my part without fear of the government taking me away in the middle of the night, never to be seen again. Communism is a utopian concept and works in small communities where the individuals are of like minds with similar goals and objectives. Kibbutz and Communes are examples of communist micro-societies that function well. The people are not forced against their will to stay (although some radical religious communes have held their "followers" captive). In a large society, everyone has different desires, beliefs and levels of effort. Some people are down right lazy while others are great acheivers. I predict that in the next 50 years, Communism in China will be replaced by Socialism.

I have a question that deals with acceleration but did not want to start a new thread as the question has probably already been addressed. If there was a large hole that extended from the North Pole through the center of the Earth to the South Pole and a person fell in...would he fall all the way through or stop at the center? If he stops at the center would he move up and down like a bungie jumper until he comes to rest?

I speak Spanish fairly well. My dad is from the Azores (Acores) and I am learning Portuguese which is like slurpy Spanish. I also play handbells with a Korean foreign exchange student so I am trying to learn conversational Korean. I have gotten as far as "hello", "how do you say...", and "where is the bathroom?"

I can still control my dream. I had one last night in fact. I was mandatorily called in to work at a place that I worked 4 years ago. I arrived at work and then realized that I was dreaming and that I don't work there anymore. I walked off the job in my dream. My favorite dreams that I can control are the flying dreams. I love them! I usually wake up on my back when I have my flying dreams but I normally sleep on my side, so I don't have them frequently.

How about a metal that floats, the bouyancy could hold the metal in place while a magnet or something spins it. No friction, but perhaps resistance from the liquid.

The earth is in perpetual motion relative to the sun...it would seem plausible that in a vacuum some type of machine could be devised, although I haven't a clue what that might be.

trig = boring snoring

I believe it describes the shape of the orbit. The object in a horseshoe orbit does not move around a central point in a circle or ellipse but swings somewhat like a pendulum. I have also seen reference to a Tulip orbit. Although, this was in a book written about the Nemesis Star and was theoretical.

That's a good point... I had better brush up on my Cantonese...or is it Mandarin?

This Libertarian voted Kerry, This Libertarian voted Bush, This Libertarian voted Nader, This Libertarian voted none... This Libertarian cried why, why, why can't we have a good candidate?

If that is the case, why is the U.S. the most prosperous and one of the most politically stable governments in the world? In fact, one of the major medical problems of the poor in this country is obesity. Figure that one out....kids have holes in their shoes, but the shopping cart is full of sodas, beer, chips, and other crap. I was a paramedic for 14 years in the Bay Area and Central California and not once did I ever pick up a patient who was suffering from starvation. I've seen 5 kids sleeping on a mattress on the floor, but the house had cable and a big screen television. The problems in this country is not caused by the leadership, it is the choices that people make. Clinton, Bush, Reagan, Nixon, Carter...it doesn't matter who is in office, people want to blame someone else for their own shortcomings. They do not want to take responsibility for themselves or their actions. This country chock full of people who believe that the government owes them. The federal government owes us nothing but protection from invasion. That is all. The people of this country should not be taxed by the Federal gov't . The states should be the governing body without interference. I never said that Bush was truthful. Every politician in Washington lies and schemes. It is the way of things, I suppose and it's been that way since the dawn of time. Sad commentary...

Well, that certainly is a rub. But John Kerry is closer to a socialist and I want as little government as possible. The government should provide for the defense of the nation, not provide after-school programs, national healthcare, or tell me that I have to wear a helmet or seatbelt. I don't care what a woman does with her body, as long as I don't have to pay for it. Have an abortion, just not on my dime.