2011-08-26, 12:52 | Link #16101 |
blinded by blood
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Neat, but otherwise not that useful. What's more interesting to me is that it's orbiting a neutron star so closely and so rapidly. I wonder if it's orbit is stable--if it's not, it'll eventually crash into the pulsar and be destroyed/absorbed.
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2011-08-26, 13:52 | Link #16103 |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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Gold isn't going to be the first metal to run low, the first ones are going to be certain rare earth elements, that are currently heavily used in electronics. They may become far more valuable then gold, ultimately.
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2011-08-26, 13:57 | Link #16104 | |
Not Enough Sleep
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: R'lyeh
Age: 48
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2. rare earth elements isn't that rare. just very dirty to extract. if the US and Europe are willing to tear up their environmental regulations, then they won't need China to supply them.
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2011-08-26, 14:16 | Link #16105 | |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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A lot of metals are going to run out soon, and we're either going to have to dig deeper, or find some other way to mine metals in space... Gold I don't see being a huge problem due to the large quantities held in reserves. Diamonds will be (relatively) worthless soon. |
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2011-08-26, 16:32 | Link #16106 |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan Resigns
Honestly, can they not keep a PM for longer then a year? How are they expecting anything to get done... |
2011-08-26, 17:41 | Link #16107 | |
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
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2011-08-26, 18:08 | Link #16108 | |
Le fou, c'est moi
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Age: 34
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From that perspective Kan, a relatively uncharismatic traditional politician, is always a short term solution put in after Hatoyama because he was the most influential DPJ politician who's not Ozawa. His power is not of the people's mandate, but political cliques; it is more or less the traditional LDP kind of power and thus he has no tools, nor perhaps even motivation, to challenge the bureaucracy in a way that a more popular prime minister could. His going out in this manner was a matter of when, not if. That he was not exactly successful as a crisis leader only hastened the inevitable. Ironically enough the consequences of the relative failure of the DPJ experiment is only mitigated because the bureaucracy is so entrenched and unconcerned by dictates from politicians. "The trains run on time" no matter what (though at some point the clock gets wonky and no one has the power to wind it properly, pressure builds up, cogs get crushed, and eventually things go boom). I'm aware of the corrupt and incestuous nature of such an arrangement and the danger it entails; but it's an extreme I sometimes wish for, not seriously mind, whenever I see the American system of government constantly under siege by far right populist extremists here. |
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2011-08-26, 18:56 | Link #16109 | |
Rawrrr!
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: CH aka Chocaholic Heaven
Age: 40
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2011-08-26, 19:19 | Link #16110 | |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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That said, you are correct that more reserves may get discovered in the future. Also, a lot of these things can be recycled quite cheaply as well... |
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2011-08-26, 20:34 | Link #16111 | |
YOU EEDIOT!!!
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: I'm right behind you
Age: 41
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2011-08-26, 20:36 | Link #16112 | |
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
Author
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
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2011-08-26, 21:12 | Link #16113 | |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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By contrast, while America may be a bit messed up, at least it isn't stagnant. The problems of the USA are not nearly as intractable as Japan's. If you were to ask me, I'd say the Japanese government has done a pretty job, both the politicians AND the bureaucrats. |
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2011-08-26, 21:12 | Link #16114 | |
YOU EEDIOT!!!
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: I'm right behind you
Age: 41
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About those "far-right populist extremists here"; I'm not gonna pull a Godwin and call them terrorists or Nazis, but they are absolutely STUPID sheep who've been suckered into supporting the big-government right-wingers who have both clogged our government and kept America's trains from running on time. It's kinda sad when you recall that the Tea Party movement was originally founded to support Ron Paul. (Say what you will about him, as Vexx pointed out earlier, he's one of the few Republicans out there who actually support REAL small government as opposed to corporate welfare and the military-industrial complex.) And now Bushie protege Rick Perry is reaching out to the Tea Partiers, he's leading GOP polls, and Pubbies are calling Paul a nutjob at best and an evil sodomite "liberaltarian" at worst. Meanwhile Perry is soliciting advice from former Bush aide (and Project for a New American Century signatory) Douglas Feith. The Tea Party revolution has eaten its children, like Saturn and the French Revolution. Or maybe I should say the children have eaten their father. Last edited by andyjay729; 2011-08-26 at 21:37. |
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2011-08-26, 21:27 | Link #16115 | |||
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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Even if the system flows, it must be liquid. No matter how sweet honey is, it is still less viscous and flows less efficiently than sugar water. And given how concentrated it is, you'd get diabetes. Quote:
Take a look at Nico Douga and Pixiv - all those creative minds would have better served society if they are encouraged to work and think outside of the box rather than just following those implied terms of society. Then again, such a "social order" is prevalent of Asian states; there isn't much that could have been done anyway.
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2011-08-26, 21:52 | Link #16116 | |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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Perhaps Japan is becoming a bit of a gerontocracy. It needs a blast of fresh ideas and new blood. It has all the knowledge base required to be truly great, but unfortunately the institutional rot goes the whole way through the system. By contrast, the rot in America is much more concentrated at the top, and I'd say much easier to deal with. Perhaps societies do best when faced with adversity. Arguably the seeds of Japan's triumphs were planted in the hardships of the post WW2 years, when they had to innovate to have any hope. Japan used to be at the forefront, but it seems right now they are stuck in a state of stagnancy. Japanese haven't managed to be at the forefront of the tech race in anything for the past 5 or 10 years. Remember the 90s, when Japan even in it's post bubble economy, still produced the world's game consoles, still had the leading car industry, still were world leaders in micro electronics. They still have some top class companies, but I can't help but think they've let the initiative pass back to the US and Europe. I hope Japan can bounce back. |
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2011-08-26, 22:06 | Link #16117 |
books-eater youkai
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
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Thousands march anew against Syria's Assad, 2 killed
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...77P12M20110827 Thing go bad when you see a day with only 2 killed as a quiet day...
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2011-08-26, 23:10 | Link #16118 |
Observer/Bookman wannabe
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Singapore
Age: 38
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My advice: Get a job that doesn't require you to travel using sardine cans (They exist; I'm in one now), and pays relatively well (same for my job). As for getting things done, engage them only if you need to.
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2011-08-26, 23:38 | Link #16119 |
YOU EEDIOT!!!
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: I'm right behind you
Age: 41
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http://news.yahoo.com/2-million-orde...212056071.html
Really, don't mess around if you live in this area. GET THE HELL OUT!!! And that goes for my relatives in NC too. |
2011-08-27, 00:47 | Link #16120 | ||
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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As for Japan, if not for Futennma and the US 7th Fleet, the threat from China would have transformed them into something akin to "The Road to Serfdom" by Von Hayek. They would be another military power - akin with greater technological ability than the US and Chinese. Nuts like Ishihara would have gained power easily and send young men to their deaths. Quote:
Earning $1,300 and saving $1,000 just doesn't cut it in the long run if the inflation doesn't subside by next year June - I have already put off my second year in uni to shore up living funds. Market data is disturbing at best - if China doesn't come clean on their accounts, AND that Malaysia doesn't fix their budget deficit, we could have another Asian Financial Crisis by 2013/2014, coupled with a possible double-dip recession in the US. Sardine cans don't fix themselves - the government has to put temporary tariffs on petrol imports, 200% COE prices to get private cars off the road. With an increased rate of public transportation alternative to the train, the public can move much easier. If anyone is going to complain, then "subsidise" Singpost, the public transport system and a few taxi companies temporarily so as to ease up the roads. Mind you, there are a number of my peers who are wanting to become parents, but unable to do so or even get a decent house to live in. I am glad I am single, but probably not in 10 years because I would want a couple of lolis then, one which would call me "Honey" and another to call me "Daddy".
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