weldon
Apr 2, 07:15 PM
Word is far...because Pages just isn't a word processor... Publisher was a horrible app and Pages is merely an Apple (much better) version albeit still kind of redundant.
The first week Pages was out a lot of people were crowing about a new "Word-killer" and I really felt that was offbase because the better comparison really is to Microsoft Publisher. It reminds me of a light version of Pagemaker from 10 years ago.
Still, I think that Publisher is an important program. It's a lot easier to create a newsletter with photos, columns, fancy headers, etc. in Publisher than it is in Word. I think Apple should not try and compete with Word on the Mac, but should try to create an equivalent to Publisher, only better.
When I need to create a flyer or a newsletter thing, I fire up Publisher on my Windows box because it works. I'm a teacher and sometimes that free-form page layout is the perfect thing. For handouts with pictures, I just use Word, but I'm always annoyed that I have to format the picture so that text will flow around it and I can place it anywhere on the page by drag and drop. I'd rather do stuff like that in a page layout app, but I don't need to spend the $$$$$ for Pagemaker.
Word, is a great app. I know people complain about it being bloated, but I can get everything I need done pretty quickly. I don't find that Word is slow or that it gets in my way. Of course, I've been using Word since it first came out on the Mac and Windows. I'm used to its quirks and can do things pretty easily. Today, I created a short document that has three columns of terms in the middle. I know that I have to insert a section break (continuous) and then format:columns to switch to three column, and then insert another section break (continuous) to go back to one column. Not intuitive, but easy for me.
The one thing I would like to see in Word is a reference database and auto-format for citations so I can switch to APA or MLA style as needed. My grad school professors each have their own ideas about proper style.
Again, Pages shouldn't grow into a competitor for Word. It should be Pagemaker for the rest of us.
The first week Pages was out a lot of people were crowing about a new "Word-killer" and I really felt that was offbase because the better comparison really is to Microsoft Publisher. It reminds me of a light version of Pagemaker from 10 years ago.
Still, I think that Publisher is an important program. It's a lot easier to create a newsletter with photos, columns, fancy headers, etc. in Publisher than it is in Word. I think Apple should not try and compete with Word on the Mac, but should try to create an equivalent to Publisher, only better.
When I need to create a flyer or a newsletter thing, I fire up Publisher on my Windows box because it works. I'm a teacher and sometimes that free-form page layout is the perfect thing. For handouts with pictures, I just use Word, but I'm always annoyed that I have to format the picture so that text will flow around it and I can place it anywhere on the page by drag and drop. I'd rather do stuff like that in a page layout app, but I don't need to spend the $$$$$ for Pagemaker.
Word, is a great app. I know people complain about it being bloated, but I can get everything I need done pretty quickly. I don't find that Word is slow or that it gets in my way. Of course, I've been using Word since it first came out on the Mac and Windows. I'm used to its quirks and can do things pretty easily. Today, I created a short document that has three columns of terms in the middle. I know that I have to insert a section break (continuous) and then format:columns to switch to three column, and then insert another section break (continuous) to go back to one column. Not intuitive, but easy for me.
The one thing I would like to see in Word is a reference database and auto-format for citations so I can switch to APA or MLA style as needed. My grad school professors each have their own ideas about proper style.
Again, Pages shouldn't grow into a competitor for Word. It should be Pagemaker for the rest of us.
twoodcc
Oct 10, 08:29 AM
just so you know, mac pro NEVER had, let along past tense, Core 2 Duo (or Core 2 Dou)
Woodcrest (Xeon), as much as it might have the similar technology underlying its processor, is NOT Core 2 Duo.
i'm pretty sure that the Xeon (Woodcrest) is considered Core2Duo
Woodcrest (Xeon), as much as it might have the similar technology underlying its processor, is NOT Core 2 Duo.
i'm pretty sure that the Xeon (Woodcrest) is considered Core2Duo
ghostlyorb
Apr 14, 04:09 PM
Hopefully this is a sign that the new data center is opening soon!
benpatient
Feb 18, 11:08 AM
The worst thing about the picture is the amount of noise it has and the fringing by the flowers. UGH!
I know you're being at least somewhat sarcastic, but I'd like to see you get something better from a hand-held 1/60 sec exposure at F2.0 and the ISO set to 3200.
It is amazing that this is even possible without image stabilization. I mean...ISO 3200!
I know you're being at least somewhat sarcastic, but I'd like to see you get something better from a hand-held 1/60 sec exposure at F2.0 and the ISO set to 3200.
It is amazing that this is even possible without image stabilization. I mean...ISO 3200!
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hakuryuu
Apr 23, 01:11 PM
1. Real men ride Harleys.
If being a real man equals only being able to ride slowly in a straight line and have a "pay attention to me" exhaust, then yes. (This also applies to sportbike riders in long beach, ca)
Otherwise, real men ride Triumphs. :cool:
If being a real man equals only being able to ride slowly in a straight line and have a "pay attention to me" exhaust, then yes. (This also applies to sportbike riders in long beach, ca)
Otherwise, real men ride Triumphs. :cool:
TheAppleDragon
Apr 15, 05:00 PM
I've just installed Lion on a blank drive on a new Air and this is in Software Update. I'm definitely running DP2 as it says in the dialog. Is this telling me to update to something I already have or is there a DP3 I haven't heard about?
http://i.imgur.com/06l8O.png
It's just a minor (supposedly, not enough people have looked into the deeper changes) upgrade, nothing much new - though you do have to use Xcode 4.1 DP 3 to make applications after updating. Guess that counts... sorta. :P
http://i.imgur.com/06l8O.png
It's just a minor (supposedly, not enough people have looked into the deeper changes) upgrade, nothing much new - though you do have to use Xcode 4.1 DP 3 to make applications after updating. Guess that counts... sorta. :P
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rshullic
Jul 14, 01:40 PM
Sort of.
Lets separate reading and writing exFAT. If I can read it, I can pull stuff off of it. So OS X will require the ability to read exFAT in order to make it compatible with non apple devices that will be using this format. HOWEVER, it is not required that Apple choose to read exFAT. You could format with HFS+. Then any device that can read HFS+ could read and write to it.
If I can write to exFAT, then I can place data (even 4GB+ media files) on the card. Apple may create a driver that allows you to read exFAT but not write to it.
This matters if you are going to use the card to store media files (4 GB+), or are planning on using the card with non Apple devices. I could get a 128 GB SDXC card, format 100 GB in FAT32 for a user directory, and format 3 8GB swap spaces (one for OS X, one for Windows, and one for Unix). Then I'd have my user files and swap space with me wherever I go, and it would be cross platform compatible (everyone reads and writes FAT32). Yes, FAT32 does have a maximum partition size, this is why I used a 128 GB SDXC card as the example. And yes, I wouldn't have my media files (movies) on the card (I'd need one of the 2 TB cards to do this).
Since Pretec is selling an ExpressCard SDXC reader, this is what I plan to do with my triple boot MBP (see sig). I'll point my OS X user directory to the directory that will be on this card, I'll do the same for Win7, and BackTrack. Each OS will also have swap space on the card. This increases security too. If I have my SDXC card with me, someone using the laptop can't see my files at all. It also increases speed (maybe and a little) because I'm using a different storage device and bus to put my user files/swap space on.
Let's take a closer look at what we have here.
For references we have: http://www.sans.org/reading_room/whitepapers/forensics/reverse-engineering-microsoft-exfat-file-system_33274 and the blog rshullic.wordpress.com
First, the SDXC card is set to be exclusively exFAT. You may be able to format the card as FAT32, or HFS or NTFS as FAT32 can be formatted to 2TB although you can't use Microsoft utilities to do so. Microsoft will read a 2TB FAT32 file system and write to it, they just won't let you create anything over 32GB. If you want to use the SDXC card exclusively with the Mac, then you could format the card with almost any file system. I have formated a 256MB (yes MB, it is SD Version 1.00) SD card as exFAT. But put that card with exFAT into a camera, like the Panasonic Lumix which has SDXC support, and it says that the card is not formatted properly and won't let you use the card until you reformat it. A SD card is speced for FAT, a SDHC card is speced for FAT32 and a SDXC card is speced for exFAT, and some camera manufacturers enforce the proper file system. So, if you intend to use the sdxc in a camera or a phone or other consumer device, formatting it as anything other than exFAT may not be an option.
And Apple might need to license exFAT just to read it even if not to write. (might need, I don't really know as there are now forensics tols that read exfat but I don't think those guys are licensing it, maybe read only is ok and doesn't violate licensing agreements?)
The SDXC card actually begins at 48GB, which is the equivalent of a dual layer Blu-Ray disc. I have seen 48GB and 64GB so far, and the 64GB (at a low i/o speed) can be gotten at amazon for about $200. But the card are running in the $350-$600 range with speeds claimed to be 30MBs (that is mega-bytes per second) so it will be a while for the prices to come down and the speeds to increase near the SD 3.0 level of 104 MBs, let alone the SD 4.00 spec of 300 MBs.
Lets separate reading and writing exFAT. If I can read it, I can pull stuff off of it. So OS X will require the ability to read exFAT in order to make it compatible with non apple devices that will be using this format. HOWEVER, it is not required that Apple choose to read exFAT. You could format with HFS+. Then any device that can read HFS+ could read and write to it.
If I can write to exFAT, then I can place data (even 4GB+ media files) on the card. Apple may create a driver that allows you to read exFAT but not write to it.
This matters if you are going to use the card to store media files (4 GB+), or are planning on using the card with non Apple devices. I could get a 128 GB SDXC card, format 100 GB in FAT32 for a user directory, and format 3 8GB swap spaces (one for OS X, one for Windows, and one for Unix). Then I'd have my user files and swap space with me wherever I go, and it would be cross platform compatible (everyone reads and writes FAT32). Yes, FAT32 does have a maximum partition size, this is why I used a 128 GB SDXC card as the example. And yes, I wouldn't have my media files (movies) on the card (I'd need one of the 2 TB cards to do this).
Since Pretec is selling an ExpressCard SDXC reader, this is what I plan to do with my triple boot MBP (see sig). I'll point my OS X user directory to the directory that will be on this card, I'll do the same for Win7, and BackTrack. Each OS will also have swap space on the card. This increases security too. If I have my SDXC card with me, someone using the laptop can't see my files at all. It also increases speed (maybe and a little) because I'm using a different storage device and bus to put my user files/swap space on.
Let's take a closer look at what we have here.
For references we have: http://www.sans.org/reading_room/whitepapers/forensics/reverse-engineering-microsoft-exfat-file-system_33274 and the blog rshullic.wordpress.com
First, the SDXC card is set to be exclusively exFAT. You may be able to format the card as FAT32, or HFS or NTFS as FAT32 can be formatted to 2TB although you can't use Microsoft utilities to do so. Microsoft will read a 2TB FAT32 file system and write to it, they just won't let you create anything over 32GB. If you want to use the SDXC card exclusively with the Mac, then you could format the card with almost any file system. I have formated a 256MB (yes MB, it is SD Version 1.00) SD card as exFAT. But put that card with exFAT into a camera, like the Panasonic Lumix which has SDXC support, and it says that the card is not formatted properly and won't let you use the card until you reformat it. A SD card is speced for FAT, a SDHC card is speced for FAT32 and a SDXC card is speced for exFAT, and some camera manufacturers enforce the proper file system. So, if you intend to use the sdxc in a camera or a phone or other consumer device, formatting it as anything other than exFAT may not be an option.
And Apple might need to license exFAT just to read it even if not to write. (might need, I don't really know as there are now forensics tols that read exfat but I don't think those guys are licensing it, maybe read only is ok and doesn't violate licensing agreements?)
The SDXC card actually begins at 48GB, which is the equivalent of a dual layer Blu-Ray disc. I have seen 48GB and 64GB so far, and the 64GB (at a low i/o speed) can be gotten at amazon for about $200. But the card are running in the $350-$600 range with speeds claimed to be 30MBs (that is mega-bytes per second) so it will be a while for the prices to come down and the speeds to increase near the SD 3.0 level of 104 MBs, let alone the SD 4.00 spec of 300 MBs.
Slip Jigs
Dec 28, 11:12 AM
I found this interesting, apparently people can't buy an iphone online from AT&T delivered to NY. However, you can still get it at stores.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/28/iphone.sales.nyc/index.html
What do you guys think? Fraud? Just a glitch? Or desperate measure by AT&T to stop the congestion?
Umm - did you read any of this thread at all?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/28/iphone.sales.nyc/index.html
What do you guys think? Fraud? Just a glitch? Or desperate measure by AT&T to stop the congestion?
Umm - did you read any of this thread at all?
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GeekLawyer
Apr 21, 12:58 PM
So what do you think it should have?
Will only a redesign make it a real new phone? I think its great that Apple has had three good designs now. Some build up is necessary, otherwise the public will only look for redesigns and nothing else.
It will be a new phone with updated specs and maybe the casing. That's all it needs.When I said "that's about it," it wasn't a negative thing. When it comes to an iPhone, if they made those enhancements, that's plenty to guarantee another year of success. Especially alongside iOS 5.
Will only a redesign make it a real new phone? I think its great that Apple has had three good designs now. Some build up is necessary, otherwise the public will only look for redesigns and nothing else.
It will be a new phone with updated specs and maybe the casing. That's all it needs.When I said "that's about it," it wasn't a negative thing. When it comes to an iPhone, if they made those enhancements, that's plenty to guarantee another year of success. Especially alongside iOS 5.
tCruzin4lyfe
Mar 28, 09:11 AM
I'm ready for anything, just can't wait to see what the next iPhone will look like (same or bigger screen) and I want to see the iOS 5, should be some big improvements. Can't wait for a sneak peak.
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Lex Yu
Apr 30, 07:47 PM
And a Apple branded USB Thumb drive makes no sense cost wise! DVD makes much more sense as an installation media.
I don't think Apple will be bothered by a few bucks because Apple is the cash king.
OS media on the USB stick makes sense because it is a lot faster than DVD-ROM.
I don't think Apple will be bothered by a few bucks because Apple is the cash king.
OS media on the USB stick makes sense because it is a lot faster than DVD-ROM.
mytakeontech
Mar 25, 06:53 PM
mind letting me know which store? I've been trying to get one shipped to me all day!
This in Sherman Oaks, CA on Ventura blvd!
This in Sherman Oaks, CA on Ventura blvd!
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Peace
Mar 26, 05:11 PM
It's one of those containers holding the bill. It's too black to be an iPad.
Gizmodo says the tipster said it was a menu.
Gizmodo says the tipster said it was a menu.
AlphaAnt
Dec 28, 09:28 AM
2) which other carriers will Apple partner with.
If it's Verizon or T-Mobile, I wouldn't consider it a step up. I might consider going back to Sprint now that they've considerably improved their customer service and prices. For me, Verizon would be a lateral move, as their customer service, prices and billing are a serious detractor, and their network is actually worse that AT&T's here where I am.
Verdict: All American cell companies are garbage, period. Just another reason I'm considering moving overseas.
If it's Verizon or T-Mobile, I wouldn't consider it a step up. I might consider going back to Sprint now that they've considerably improved their customer service and prices. For me, Verizon would be a lateral move, as their customer service, prices and billing are a serious detractor, and their network is actually worse that AT&T's here where I am.
Verdict: All American cell companies are garbage, period. Just another reason I'm considering moving overseas.
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thatisme
Mar 29, 10:58 AM
sorry man.. i just cannot help you...
you are beyond what we, on planet earth, define as normal...
I tried.. i really tried..please read carefully what i wrote..
the "cropping" was referred to only one camera body.. just to illustrate you the whole crop size thing.
Now on the top of my quote you write to show you an exif intact photo with an EFs and EF lens..
I cannot do that as I don't have my cam but I will have it back on the weekend and I actually own a dx and FX lens (EF-s and EF) in Nikon land that overlap at 24mm, so I CAN show you..
to everyone else: Can someone do this before then to show our poor misguided soul what is going on?.
As far as Nikon goes: The reason was the F- Mount.. High speed crop is a byproduct. the D700 does not have it and some other don't either but they all MOUNT DX lenses in crop mode AND full frame mode.
F Mount has not changed since the 1950's and the reason why they kept it was that they can let people use older lenses.. Canonians for example got forced to EF in the 80's if I am not mistaken.
Now drop it.. you lost.
I have not made claims on Nikon mounts. Only about the crop mode. I used to shoot Nikon gear. So I am familiar with the cameras and the lenses. I now shoot Canon gear, ok. I am also very familiar with the lenses and gear.
Every time this subject comes up, the general response is... "but if you crop"... which is what you brought into the conversation. The fact is if you want a true comparison, you cannot crop. As from the example in #27 or whatever post it was with the 5D image, yes, you could crop it and get a 1.6 FOV. BUT, that is NOT what the lens is transmitting (see the black corners). Is the actual FOV the same? Again, who gives a flying flip. What is the true definition of FOV? Again, Does it matter to the average Joe with a camera? NO. It's the resulting image that matters, and if you got those black corners in your pictures, would you be happy that in order to get a usable image you ..."just have to crop"?
At the end of the day, the debate is... is the IMAGE the same or not. Who gives a flying flip about the FOV. All that matters is do you have the same subject in the frame, and the resulting print. If your print has more subject in the frame than another, then the image is DIFFERENT (and yes, this can be achieved with the same focal length lens, different sensor sized cameras). Again, see #27.
As far as Nikon goes: The reason was the F- Mount.. High speed crop is a byproduct. the D700 does not have it and some other don't either but they all MOUNT DX lenses in crop mode AND full frame mode.
So do this experiment for fun.... Mount your F mount lens to your Nikon body. Set your Focal length. Mount to tripod. Shoot an image. Look at your results
Now, take that same setup and simply change your setting to your DX setting (1.6 or 1.5.. I forget for Nikon). Look at your results.
Are the images different or the same? What changed? The lens is the same focal length on both images, but your sensor capture are has changed. The DX mode only records the center of the image circle.
Now, Im fairly certain the next logical argument you will bring up.... IF you change the physical dimensions of the resulting images because of the number of megapixels and file size (dimensions)...... This will bring us to another debate about the merits of up-rezzing or down-sampling an image. Again, not an Apple-to-Apple comparison.
you are beyond what we, on planet earth, define as normal...
I tried.. i really tried..please read carefully what i wrote..
the "cropping" was referred to only one camera body.. just to illustrate you the whole crop size thing.
Now on the top of my quote you write to show you an exif intact photo with an EFs and EF lens..
I cannot do that as I don't have my cam but I will have it back on the weekend and I actually own a dx and FX lens (EF-s and EF) in Nikon land that overlap at 24mm, so I CAN show you..
to everyone else: Can someone do this before then to show our poor misguided soul what is going on?.
As far as Nikon goes: The reason was the F- Mount.. High speed crop is a byproduct. the D700 does not have it and some other don't either but they all MOUNT DX lenses in crop mode AND full frame mode.
F Mount has not changed since the 1950's and the reason why they kept it was that they can let people use older lenses.. Canonians for example got forced to EF in the 80's if I am not mistaken.
Now drop it.. you lost.
I have not made claims on Nikon mounts. Only about the crop mode. I used to shoot Nikon gear. So I am familiar with the cameras and the lenses. I now shoot Canon gear, ok. I am also very familiar with the lenses and gear.
Every time this subject comes up, the general response is... "but if you crop"... which is what you brought into the conversation. The fact is if you want a true comparison, you cannot crop. As from the example in #27 or whatever post it was with the 5D image, yes, you could crop it and get a 1.6 FOV. BUT, that is NOT what the lens is transmitting (see the black corners). Is the actual FOV the same? Again, who gives a flying flip. What is the true definition of FOV? Again, Does it matter to the average Joe with a camera? NO. It's the resulting image that matters, and if you got those black corners in your pictures, would you be happy that in order to get a usable image you ..."just have to crop"?
At the end of the day, the debate is... is the IMAGE the same or not. Who gives a flying flip about the FOV. All that matters is do you have the same subject in the frame, and the resulting print. If your print has more subject in the frame than another, then the image is DIFFERENT (and yes, this can be achieved with the same focal length lens, different sensor sized cameras). Again, see #27.
As far as Nikon goes: The reason was the F- Mount.. High speed crop is a byproduct. the D700 does not have it and some other don't either but they all MOUNT DX lenses in crop mode AND full frame mode.
So do this experiment for fun.... Mount your F mount lens to your Nikon body. Set your Focal length. Mount to tripod. Shoot an image. Look at your results
Now, take that same setup and simply change your setting to your DX setting (1.6 or 1.5.. I forget for Nikon). Look at your results.
Are the images different or the same? What changed? The lens is the same focal length on both images, but your sensor capture are has changed. The DX mode only records the center of the image circle.
Now, Im fairly certain the next logical argument you will bring up.... IF you change the physical dimensions of the resulting images because of the number of megapixels and file size (dimensions)...... This will bring us to another debate about the merits of up-rezzing or down-sampling an image. Again, not an Apple-to-Apple comparison.
ct-scan
Oct 10, 09:11 AM
ehh.. you know wikipedia isn't always right, right?
They are both based on the Core architecture, that was my only point.
I thought you were saying that they were completely unrelated.
Of course they are branded differently, they have different uses.
Historically Xeon is for high-end workstations and servers, people know and expect this.
They are both based on the Core architecture, that was my only point.
I thought you were saying that they were completely unrelated.
Of course they are branded differently, they have different uses.
Historically Xeon is for high-end workstations and servers, people know and expect this.
more...
Ugg
Apr 29, 11:58 AM
The Economist, that stalwart of conservatism has this to say (http://www.economist.com/node/18620944?story_id=18620944) about the state of US transportation.
America is known for its huge highways, but ..... American traffic congestion is worse than western Europe�s. ....More time on lower quality roads also makes for a deadlier transport network. With some 15 deaths a year for every 100,000 people, the road fatality rate in America is 60% above the OECD average; 33,000 Americans were killed on roads in 2010.
America�s economy remains the world�s largest; its citizens are among the world�s richest. The government is not constitutionally opposed to grand public works. The country stitched its continental expanse together through two centuries of ambitious earthmoving. Almost from the beginning of the republic the federal government encouraged the building of critical canals and roadways. In the 19th century Congress provided funding for a transcontinental railway linking the east and west coasts. And between 1956 and 1992 America constructed the interstate system, among the largest public-works projects in history, which criss-crossed the continent with nearly 50,000 miles of motorways.
But modern America is stingier. Total public spending on transport and water infrastructure has fallen steadily since the 1960s and now stands at 2.4% of GDP. Europe, by contrast, invests 5% of GDP in its infrastructure, while China is racing into the future at 9%. America�s spending as a share of GDP has not come close to European levels for over 50 years. Over that time funds for both capital investments and operations and maintenance have steadily dropped (see chart 2).
Although America still builds roads with enthusiasm, according to the OECD�s International Transport Forum, it spends considerably less than Europe on maintaining them. In 2006 America spent more than twice as much per person as Britain on new construction; but Britain spent 23% more per person maintaining its roads.
America�s petrol tax is low by international standards, and has not gone up since 1993 (see chart 3). While the real value of the tax has eroded, the cost of building and maintaining infrastructure has gone up. As a result, the highway trust fund no longer supports even current spending. Congress has repeatedly been forced to top up the trust fund, with $30 billion since 2008.
Other rich nations avoid these problems. The cost of car ownership in Germany is 50% higher than it is in America, thanks to higher taxes on cars and petrol and higher fees on drivers� licences. The result is a more sustainably funded transport system. In 2006 German road fees brought in 2.6 times the money spent building and maintaining roads. American road taxes collected at the federal, state and local level covered just 72% of the money spent on highways that year, according to the Brookings Institution, a think-tank.
Supporters of a National Infrastructure Bank�Mr Obama among them�believe it offers America just such a shortcut. A bank would use strict cost-benefit analyses as a matter of course, and could make interstate investments easier. A European analogue, the European Investment Bank, has turned out to work well. Co-owned by the member states of the European Union, the EIB holds some $300 billion in capital which it uses to provide loans to deserving projects across the continent. EIB funding may provide up to half the cost for projects that satisfy EU objectives and are judged cost-effective by a panel of experts.
American leaders hungrily eye the private money the EIB attracts, spying a potential solution to their own fiscal dilemma.
The upshot is that we built too much, too fast and are unwilling to pay to maintain it although we continue to build bridges and highways (http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/04/28/third-houston-outerbelt-would-turn-prairies-into-texas-toast/) to nowhere.
America is known for its huge highways, but ..... American traffic congestion is worse than western Europe�s. ....More time on lower quality roads also makes for a deadlier transport network. With some 15 deaths a year for every 100,000 people, the road fatality rate in America is 60% above the OECD average; 33,000 Americans were killed on roads in 2010.
America�s economy remains the world�s largest; its citizens are among the world�s richest. The government is not constitutionally opposed to grand public works. The country stitched its continental expanse together through two centuries of ambitious earthmoving. Almost from the beginning of the republic the federal government encouraged the building of critical canals and roadways. In the 19th century Congress provided funding for a transcontinental railway linking the east and west coasts. And between 1956 and 1992 America constructed the interstate system, among the largest public-works projects in history, which criss-crossed the continent with nearly 50,000 miles of motorways.
But modern America is stingier. Total public spending on transport and water infrastructure has fallen steadily since the 1960s and now stands at 2.4% of GDP. Europe, by contrast, invests 5% of GDP in its infrastructure, while China is racing into the future at 9%. America�s spending as a share of GDP has not come close to European levels for over 50 years. Over that time funds for both capital investments and operations and maintenance have steadily dropped (see chart 2).
Although America still builds roads with enthusiasm, according to the OECD�s International Transport Forum, it spends considerably less than Europe on maintaining them. In 2006 America spent more than twice as much per person as Britain on new construction; but Britain spent 23% more per person maintaining its roads.
America�s petrol tax is low by international standards, and has not gone up since 1993 (see chart 3). While the real value of the tax has eroded, the cost of building and maintaining infrastructure has gone up. As a result, the highway trust fund no longer supports even current spending. Congress has repeatedly been forced to top up the trust fund, with $30 billion since 2008.
Other rich nations avoid these problems. The cost of car ownership in Germany is 50% higher than it is in America, thanks to higher taxes on cars and petrol and higher fees on drivers� licences. The result is a more sustainably funded transport system. In 2006 German road fees brought in 2.6 times the money spent building and maintaining roads. American road taxes collected at the federal, state and local level covered just 72% of the money spent on highways that year, according to the Brookings Institution, a think-tank.
Supporters of a National Infrastructure Bank�Mr Obama among them�believe it offers America just such a shortcut. A bank would use strict cost-benefit analyses as a matter of course, and could make interstate investments easier. A European analogue, the European Investment Bank, has turned out to work well. Co-owned by the member states of the European Union, the EIB holds some $300 billion in capital which it uses to provide loans to deserving projects across the continent. EIB funding may provide up to half the cost for projects that satisfy EU objectives and are judged cost-effective by a panel of experts.
American leaders hungrily eye the private money the EIB attracts, spying a potential solution to their own fiscal dilemma.
The upshot is that we built too much, too fast and are unwilling to pay to maintain it although we continue to build bridges and highways (http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/04/28/third-houston-outerbelt-would-turn-prairies-into-texas-toast/) to nowhere.
twoodcc
Oct 10, 09:04 AM
ehh.. you know wikipedia isn't always right, right?
no one is
no one is
iJohnHenry
Apr 8, 05:05 PM
Cut defence,
<Sorry, I needed a quote.> ;)
Defence? WTF!!!! Has anyone actually attacked the U.S. mainland since 9/11??
It should be offence, if anything, as in throwing their weight about the World.
And the U.S. taxpayers are working their asses off, to support this endeavour.
Nuts, all nuts.
<Sorry, I needed a quote.> ;)
Defence? WTF!!!! Has anyone actually attacked the U.S. mainland since 9/11??
It should be offence, if anything, as in throwing their weight about the World.
And the U.S. taxpayers are working their asses off, to support this endeavour.
Nuts, all nuts.
scaredpoet
Dec 27, 08:35 PM
You're talking about a whole country. As it is right now there are more iPhones in NYC than anywhere else. In order for this to be true it would mean tens of thousands of NYers, at least, are having their personal info stolen.
Why is that not unrealistic? NYC has 8.3 million people as of 2008. Even if 99,999 people had their identities stolen for iPhones, that's only 1.2% of the population. Consider that as of 4.6% of the population were victims of ID fraud according to the Federal Trade Commission.
I think it would take less than 99,999 cases in a concentrated area for AT&T to consider potential fraud a problem. Even 50,000 iPhones and accounts lost due to fraud would cause about $15 million in losses, assuming an average $300 subsidy per iPhone.
Also: it's not just ID theft that could be the issue here. there are other ways to scam iPhones off AT&T and resell them.
Also, why only the iPhone?
Because it's a hot item, and continues to outsell other smartphones quarter after quarter?
Because lots of people are looking to buy "nearly new" iPhones on eBay and cragislist, and are willing to pay more in some cases than retail for them?
Because it's easy to jailbreak and unlock, and can be sold that way at a premium to countries where it's in short supply or not yet sold?
Wouldn't these thieves with all their stolen info just move onto another AT&T phone that costs just as much? Such as BB?
Because BB's aren't as easy to unlock, the BB PINs are traceable by the Blackberry network regardless of carrier, and they're just not as much in demand. People don't stand in lines for Blackberries. They have for iPhones.
Why is that not unrealistic? NYC has 8.3 million people as of 2008. Even if 99,999 people had their identities stolen for iPhones, that's only 1.2% of the population. Consider that as of 4.6% of the population were victims of ID fraud according to the Federal Trade Commission.
I think it would take less than 99,999 cases in a concentrated area for AT&T to consider potential fraud a problem. Even 50,000 iPhones and accounts lost due to fraud would cause about $15 million in losses, assuming an average $300 subsidy per iPhone.
Also: it's not just ID theft that could be the issue here. there are other ways to scam iPhones off AT&T and resell them.
Also, why only the iPhone?
Because it's a hot item, and continues to outsell other smartphones quarter after quarter?
Because lots of people are looking to buy "nearly new" iPhones on eBay and cragislist, and are willing to pay more in some cases than retail for them?
Because it's easy to jailbreak and unlock, and can be sold that way at a premium to countries where it's in short supply or not yet sold?
Wouldn't these thieves with all their stolen info just move onto another AT&T phone that costs just as much? Such as BB?
Because BB's aren't as easy to unlock, the BB PINs are traceable by the Blackberry network regardless of carrier, and they're just not as much in demand. People don't stand in lines for Blackberries. They have for iPhones.
leekohler
May 3, 11:17 AM
Being a conservative is not about having no social programs but rather it is about being fiscally responsible with tax payers money and spending on social programs that serve the majority of citizens and help promote a strong and healthy workforce. The workforce is the engine of the economy.
Tax cuts are not a bad thing but they should only be done when the government is certain that the budget will be balanced or when they are needed for economic stimulus and they should be across the board or to people on the bottom end.
That's exactly what our conservatives used to say. Many of them still do. Don't believe it for a second.
Tax cuts are not a bad thing but they should only be done when the government is certain that the budget will be balanced or when they are needed for economic stimulus and they should be across the board or to people on the bottom end.
That's exactly what our conservatives used to say. Many of them still do. Don't believe it for a second.
T'hain Esh Kelch
Apr 5, 09:07 AM
If I would leak something, I would make sure the device is clean, the camera is in focus and there is enough light.
Why are leaked images (almost) always such bad quality?
PR images are boring.
Blurry stuff, grease, elevators - They all add to the credibility of the photo!
Why are leaked images (almost) always such bad quality?
PR images are boring.
Blurry stuff, grease, elevators - They all add to the credibility of the photo!
JoeG4
Mar 18, 06:53 PM
How about how to succeed?
1. Hold the camera really still. No, that's not still enough.
2. Don't shoot pictures from the back seat
3. long exposures at night are godly
4. Don't use the flash at night.
1. Hold the camera really still. No, that's not still enough.
2. Don't shoot pictures from the back seat
3. long exposures at night are godly
4. Don't use the flash at night.
Lyle
Sep 13, 11:26 AM
It looks like everyone else has covered the basics. The bottom line is: Don't Worry. You'll do fine.
As best I can remember, all of my experiences with anesthesia have been of the IV persuasion. The medicine feels warm going in, and when counting backwards from 100, I rarely make it past 96. ;)
Like others have said, when you wake up, one of your first sensations will be to wonder: "Well, when are we going to get started?" You will almost certainly say some goofy things to the nurse or whoever's monitoring you; don't worry, they're used to it.
You really do need to arrange for someone to take you home. There's no way I'd try to manage a cab ride home while still "under the influence." Even though the hospital's released you, you'll still likely be a little loopy for awhile. And you will sleep a good while once you get home.
I don't remember if anyone's said this, but if you're a little anxious about the anesthesia, they can give you something to calm you down beforehand. They did this for me once when my doc was running late (tied up in a prior surgery) and my procedure was postponed a little bit. The delay gave me a little more time to get worried about things, and so they gave me a shot of something that didn't knock me out, but did help me to relax. wdlove probably knows what I'm talking about.
As best I can remember, all of my experiences with anesthesia have been of the IV persuasion. The medicine feels warm going in, and when counting backwards from 100, I rarely make it past 96. ;)
Like others have said, when you wake up, one of your first sensations will be to wonder: "Well, when are we going to get started?" You will almost certainly say some goofy things to the nurse or whoever's monitoring you; don't worry, they're used to it.
You really do need to arrange for someone to take you home. There's no way I'd try to manage a cab ride home while still "under the influence." Even though the hospital's released you, you'll still likely be a little loopy for awhile. And you will sleep a good while once you get home.
I don't remember if anyone's said this, but if you're a little anxious about the anesthesia, they can give you something to calm you down beforehand. They did this for me once when my doc was running late (tied up in a prior surgery) and my procedure was postponed a little bit. The delay gave me a little more time to get worried about things, and so they gave me a shot of something that didn't knock me out, but did help me to relax. wdlove probably knows what I'm talking about.
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