Happily, stopping distances become irrelevant because you won’t see the obstacle in the first place. By the time you know it was there, you’ll have gone through the windscreen, through the Pearly Gates and be half way across God’s breakfast table."
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Bugatti Veyron
Jeremy Clarkson - Times Online: "When you push a car past 180mph, the world starts to get awfully fizzy and a little bit frightening. When you go past 200mph it actually becomes blurred. Almost like you’re trapped in an early Queen pop video. At this sort of speed the tyres and the suspension are reacting to events that happened some time ago, and they have not finished reacting before they’re being asked to do something else. The result is a terrifying vibration that rattles your optical nerves, causing double vision. This is not good when you’re covering 300ft a second.
Happily, stopping distances become irrelevant because you won’t see the obstacle in the first place. By the time you know it was there, you’ll have gone through the windscreen, through the Pearly Gates and be half way across God’s breakfast table."
Happily, stopping distances become irrelevant because you won’t see the obstacle in the first place. By the time you know it was there, you’ll have gone through the windscreen, through the Pearly Gates and be half way across God’s breakfast table."
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Monday, November 28, 2005
Friday, November 18, 2005
The Straight Dope: What is supposed to happen when you land on "Free Parking" in Monopoly?
From The Straight Dope, here is "a list of what appears to be every Monopoly rule variation ever devised by the mind of man, ranging from the mundane to the criminally deranged. Herewith a sampling:
- If you land directly on Go, you collect $400 instead of the usual $200. There's also the "subway" variation--if you land directly on Go, on your next turn you can choose not to roll the dice and move instead directly to any other space on the board.
- If you go bankrupt, you can file for reorganization under Chapter 11, meaning you distribute all your cash on hand to your creditors but continue to play.
- Players can establish "investment funds" by paying any sum of money into the bank. Subsequently they draw 10 percent interest on their investments (plus $200) every time they pass Go.
- If you own all four railroads, you can build "stations" on them. (These stations look suspiciously like houses, thereby demonstrating the monotonous uniformity that is characteristic of modern architecture.) Rent progresses upward until you get to "Grand Central Station," the equivalent of a hotel, which permits you to extort $1700 from the unlucky sap who lands on it.
- For the ultimate in sybaritic living, we have the concept of "building beyond hotels": an Estate with Gardener's Cottage (a hotel plus a house), an Estate with Gardener's Cottage & Rolls Royce Garage (a hotel plus two houses), and a Palace (a hotel with three houses). These permit rents to be raised to truly astronomical levels--a Boardwalk palace will net its owner a whopping $7500, resulting in instant ruin for the lessee/victim.
- Then there's the WAHOO card, which you get one of every time you land on Free Parking. Among other things there is the Three Mile Island Contamination card, in which "the color group of properties of your choice is contaminated by leaked nuclear wastes and no owner of a property on that group can collect rent until they have twice passed Go and paid a $500 clean-up charge to the bank." Guaranteed to bring a touch of realistic contemporary angst to the game.
Finally, for those who are truly interested in making Monopoly a spiritually significant experience, hustling Straight Dope managing editor Pat C. suggests a splendid variation called Cosmonopoly. Here, instead of chasing after tawdry commodities like Baltic and St. Charles Place, we aspire to the Platonic virtues, Truth and Beauty. We replace Community Chest and Chance with Free Will and Predetermination, one of the cards from which may sternly admonish you to "GO DIRECTLY TO THE METAPHYSICAL VOID. Do not pass Being or Essence. Do not collect $200." To get out of the Metaphysical Void, you either have to grasp the meaning of the universe or roll doubles twice.
On the Catholic side of the board, instead of collecting all the properties in a color group, your aim is to acquire Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, and Fear of the Lord. Playing pieces to select from include the Jean-Paul Sartre piece (comes with blank dice and it's up to you to to decide how far you want to go) and the Nostradamus piece (you just sit around and guess who's going to win). Entrepreneurs interested in making a killing on this outstanding concept may write care of this column for a complete prospectus.
--CECIL ADAMS"
- If you land directly on Go, you collect $400 instead of the usual $200. There's also the "subway" variation--if you land directly on Go, on your next turn you can choose not to roll the dice and move instead directly to any other space on the board.
- If you go bankrupt, you can file for reorganization under Chapter 11, meaning you distribute all your cash on hand to your creditors but continue to play.
- Players can establish "investment funds" by paying any sum of money into the bank. Subsequently they draw 10 percent interest on their investments (plus $200) every time they pass Go.
- If you own all four railroads, you can build "stations" on them. (These stations look suspiciously like houses, thereby demonstrating the monotonous uniformity that is characteristic of modern architecture.) Rent progresses upward until you get to "Grand Central Station," the equivalent of a hotel, which permits you to extort $1700 from the unlucky sap who lands on it.
- For the ultimate in sybaritic living, we have the concept of "building beyond hotels": an Estate with Gardener's Cottage (a hotel plus a house), an Estate with Gardener's Cottage & Rolls Royce Garage (a hotel plus two houses), and a Palace (a hotel with three houses). These permit rents to be raised to truly astronomical levels--a Boardwalk palace will net its owner a whopping $7500, resulting in instant ruin for the lessee/victim.
- Then there's the WAHOO card, which you get one of every time you land on Free Parking. Among other things there is the Three Mile Island Contamination card, in which "the color group of properties of your choice is contaminated by leaked nuclear wastes and no owner of a property on that group can collect rent until they have twice passed Go and paid a $500 clean-up charge to the bank." Guaranteed to bring a touch of realistic contemporary angst to the game.
Finally, for those who are truly interested in making Monopoly a spiritually significant experience, hustling Straight Dope managing editor Pat C. suggests a splendid variation called Cosmonopoly. Here, instead of chasing after tawdry commodities like Baltic and St. Charles Place, we aspire to the Platonic virtues, Truth and Beauty. We replace Community Chest and Chance with Free Will and Predetermination, one of the cards from which may sternly admonish you to "GO DIRECTLY TO THE METAPHYSICAL VOID. Do not pass Being or Essence. Do not collect $200." To get out of the Metaphysical Void, you either have to grasp the meaning of the universe or roll doubles twice.
On the Catholic side of the board, instead of collecting all the properties in a color group, your aim is to acquire Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, and Fear of the Lord. Playing pieces to select from include the Jean-Paul Sartre piece (comes with blank dice and it's up to you to to decide how far you want to go) and the Nostradamus piece (you just sit around and guess who's going to win). Entrepreneurs interested in making a killing on this outstanding concept may write care of this column for a complete prospectus.
--CECIL ADAMS"
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
New Skate Technology
Freeline dual independent skates connected by the body of the rider.
Check out the videos of the skates in action. Impressive.
Check out the videos of the skates in action. Impressive.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Monday, November 14, 2005
Maturity
from Dear Abbey
This is maturity: To be able to stick with a job until it's finished; to do one's duty without being supervised; to be able to carry money without spending it; and to be able to bear an injustice without wanting to get even.
This is maturity: To be able to stick with a job until it's finished; to do one's duty without being supervised; to be able to carry money without spending it; and to be able to bear an injustice without wanting to get even.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
The Scandal of U.S.-Saudi Relations
"by Daniel Pipes"
When it comes to the Saudi-American relationship, the White House should be called the "White Tent".
- Mohammed Al-Khilewi,
a Saudi diplomat who defected to the United States
When it comes to the Saudi-American relationship, the White House should be called the "White Tent".
- Mohammed Al-Khilewi,
a Saudi diplomat who defected to the United States
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
How to Cut Quill Pens from Feathers
How to Cut Quill Pens from Feathers: "Cutting Quill Pens from Feathers"
Protect the Little Critters
Why you should proof-read:
OPPORTUNITY: Pima County, Arizona, seeks a PLANNER to join a seasoned interdepartmental team that reviews development projects and works with complex planning issues. The Planning Division of Pima County’s Development Services Department prepares smart growth policies and environmentally sensitive zoning ordinances, advise the Design Review Committee, and works collaboratively with other jurisdictions and county departments. Planner qualifications include analytical, problem solving and time management skills, written and verbal communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse interest groups.
WHY WORK FOR PIMA COUNTY: If you’re serious about working for an organization that promotes growth consistent with the protection of scenic deserts and mountains, where developers blow smoke but the environmentalists call the shots; then WAKE UP and discover Pima County, Arizona and the greater Tucson Metropolitan Area.
ENVIRONMENT: Pima County is the Southwest’s most progressive urban county with a population that recently topped 1,000,000 and covers 9,184 square miles. The county ranges in elevation from 1,200 feet to the 9,185-foot peak of Mount Lemmon. We specialize in clean air, snow capped mountains in the winter, mild summers, and lush desert landscapes where urban and rural land uses are synchronized with environmentally sensitive policies and development standards.
CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION FOCUS: Our trail blazing policies and standards set the national standard for the protection and conservation of Sonoran desert habitat and the little critters that live here. We have hillside and native plant preservation ordinances, a conservation subdivision ordinance, a conservation land system and a Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan (SDCP) that was recently awarded a national Outstanding Planning Award for a Plan by the APA (American Planning Association). The SDCP protects the biodiversity of Pima county including a large number of threatened and endangered species, and conserves our cultural resources........and we need YOU to help us craft and implement our next batch of conservation and preservation ordinances, guidelines and implementation manuals.
SALARY levels are competitive and our benefits are the best in the west. For more information about an opportunity that won’t last, and for applications and the official announcement go to our Human Resources website: www.pima.gov/hr/index.html
OPPORTUNITY: Pima County, Arizona, seeks a PLANNER to join a seasoned interdepartmental team that reviews development projects and works with complex planning issues. The Planning Division of Pima County’s Development Services Department prepares smart growth policies and environmentally sensitive zoning ordinances, advise the Design Review Committee, and works collaboratively with other jurisdictions and county departments. Planner qualifications include analytical, problem solving and time management skills, written and verbal communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse interest groups.
WHY WORK FOR PIMA COUNTY: If you’re serious about working for an organization that promotes growth consistent with the protection of scenic deserts and mountains, where developers blow smoke but the environmentalists call the shots; then WAKE UP and discover Pima County, Arizona and the greater Tucson Metropolitan Area.
ENVIRONMENT: Pima County is the Southwest’s most progressive urban county with a population that recently topped 1,000,000 and covers 9,184 square miles. The county ranges in elevation from 1,200 feet to the 9,185-foot peak of Mount Lemmon. We specialize in clean air, snow capped mountains in the winter, mild summers, and lush desert landscapes where urban and rural land uses are synchronized with environmentally sensitive policies and development standards.
CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION FOCUS: Our trail blazing policies and standards set the national standard for the protection and conservation of Sonoran desert habitat and the little critters that live here. We have hillside and native plant preservation ordinances, a conservation subdivision ordinance, a conservation land system and a Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan (SDCP) that was recently awarded a national Outstanding Planning Award for a Plan by the APA (American Planning Association). The SDCP protects the biodiversity of Pima county including a large number of threatened and endangered species, and conserves our cultural resources........and we need YOU to help us craft and implement our next batch of conservation and preservation ordinances, guidelines and implementation manuals.
SALARY levels are competitive and our benefits are the best in the west. For more information about an opportunity that won’t last, and for applications and the official announcement go to our Human Resources website: www.pima.gov/hr/index.html
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
The Best Bison Genes Are in Sullys Hill, North Dakota
USFWS Reporters Tip Sheet
Is there such a thing as a “purebred” bison herd? Though that may be impossible to authenticate, preliminary analysis has found that the bison herd at Sullys Hill National Game Preserve in North Dakota may be closer to that pure standard than any other herd within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Is there such a thing as a “purebred” bison herd? Though that may be impossible to authenticate, preliminary analysis has found that the bison herd at Sullys Hill National Game Preserve in North Dakota may be closer to that pure standard than any other herd within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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