Polybius

He was married in TX but lives in Washington. He was told to go ahead and file for divorce in TX since Washington was not fair to spouses (I'm not sure on this). How does he go about doing this?

One of the current theories of gravity by a Harvard physicist states that gravity may be such a weak force because it is bleeding off into unseen spatial dimensions. If that's so, and these dimensions are tightly curled, it is possible that the force also seeps back in? Would that account for dark matter's presence?

I'm sure you Obama supporters are tired of typical "right-wing" rants, so how about a practical question: Are you guys tired yet of the political "bait-and-switch"? I.e. he promised open negotiations on health care reform...and instead we get unknown Democrats in a not-too-secret backroom collaboration. He had Tim Geithner force a bail-out on the banks (because of their risky investment practices) and now he wants to tax those same businesses to get back the money they owe...which is really just pushing the money around on paper. So, are you guys tired of it yet? Or, would you vote for him a second time?

Okay, first, let me say I know less about engines than I'd like. The Chevy engine just won't catch and turn over. (I dunno if I'm even using the correct terms!) It's like this, the starter coil seems to work just fine, everything sounds like it's supposed to. All the belts turn.

The battery is new (and apparently wasn't the problem). Some neighbors came over--they are knowledgable about engines--and they checked the fuel filter...no problem there. Out comes a voltimeter...all the electronics check out fine.

They finally gave up and said that there must be water in the gas tank, and recommended putting gas treatment or 70% rubbing alcohol into the tank to dry it out. Did that, and it seemed to work alright. But every time it rains, the truck becomes impossible to start. Does anyone have a suggestion, something I could try? I can't even get it to a repair shop like this! Thanks in advance!

Granted, it's a little like borrowing money to pay the credit card, yet it's what Obama is now proposing. My guess is he and his team figure Americans are just too stupid to understand the scam such a transaction would represent. Eventually the lenders will stop giving America money, and may even demand that our government pay back the debt...at which point we're screwed. So all you 'Hope and Change' people, please call the officials you elected and ask them if they inhabit reality, or a fantasy land of unicorns and magic.

But my guess is that when stuff hits the fan, Obama's supporters will be hauling bags of shoes, or rummaging thru Best Buy, and wondering why they have no food. (anyone who watched Katrina news coverage knows what I'm talking about).

Here's my ideas on how that would go:

1) A level cap that ensures social equality in the game.

2) Any environmental spells that could cause damage to the ecosystem require a purchase of a Credit from Blizzard, to offset potential ill-effects of lightning bolts, fireballs, etc. These credits could be traded among players, and Blizzard--to help offset the cost of the credits--will give certain favored players free credits.

3) Each player is required to purchase health potion insurance, even if they don't require healing, because someone who ran into a pack of demons (or whatever) died due to lack of sufficient healing skill.

4) Newbs who have never even played the game before last night will be given loans to purchase weapons, items, and armor, etc. If they default, the amount of debt will be divided amongst all player characters, and immediately subtracted from their gold. The player in debt will receive a bail-out, and be immediately promoted 10 levels.

5) For each level above the lowest level character in the game at large, a penalty will be assigned to the damage done by weapons/spells of higher level characters to ensure fairness.

Any other ideas?

I saw that up to 45% of doctors are considering quitting/retiring rather than become enslaved by government dictate. Of course, the article I was reading had several comments varying in levels of relative stupidity, but one was so succinct and so stupid that it shone above the rest. This person said:

"If money is the only thing motivating my doctor then I don't him treating me...."

Think about it. Does the Sony corporation make newer TVs, with new features, out of the kindness of their CEO's heart? No, they do it because they want your money, and they know you'll pick the best TV for the dollar spent, whether it's Sony, Panasonic, et al.

Does Ford put airbags into the doors (not required by law) because they are concerned with our well-being? No, they do it because they want your money, and they know you want the safest ride for the dollar spent, and that so does Chevy, et al.

Does nVidia make better video cards because they want us all to enjoy HD content on our computers? No!! They want our frickin' money, and they know that AMD does too!

I don't think I want a doctor who's an altruist, I'd rather have a competent one. But maybe I'm just a greedy sort.

I've seen many politicians say that people who oppose the Healthcare reform are ignorant and need to be 'educated.' But isn't part of education the imparting of the ability to question the judgement of others?

The best is when ordinary citizens read passages from the Healthcare bill aloud to their representatives, only to find that the politician hasn't actually read the legislation, or know what the ramifications will be down the line. Seems that instead of education, they should at least say, "...needs to shut up and do what we say."

BTW...I'm not opposed to practical steps to make healthcare affordable, but I disagree that MORE government intervention will fix it. Maybe if we, as Americans, paid for routine check-ups and other minor things (vaccines, dental check-ups) out of pocket, the costs of care would go down as providers compete for our business. I'm of a mind to think insurance is for catastrophic illnesses/injury, not routine maintenance. A multi-day stay at the hospital hurts financially, and one doesn't really have much choice when healing, say, a broken arm, whereas a $100 check-up (if that much) sucks, but won't break the bank...and it'll make me shop around.

So, any other opinions?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090827/ap_on_go_ca_st...

So in the above article, we find out that those evil Republicans have the nerve to allow Stimulus money to be spent in their districts by the Pentagon for various military base infrastructures...when those same Republicans voted against the Stimulus Bill! Duhn-duhn DUHN!

So...if I wanted a new PLASMA tv, but my wife vetoes that level of spending and insists we only buy an LCD that's on sale, should I NOT be allowed to watch the new TV? Should SHE not be allowed to watch the new TV...who's the hypocrite?

If me and a group of friends were picking a restaurant to eat at, and the majority chose a place I don't prefer...and I a hypocrite for actually eating there? Perhaps I should wait in the parking lot, hungry, just to prove I'm not a 'hypocrite.'

Look, the conservatives didn't want to spend such a massive amount...but it did pass, and that money WILL be spent. What the Democrat complainers are mad about is that they have to share the money...money which is from taxes paid by everyone.

At least the money is going to improve conditions for the military. Where I live, the local politicians want to spend it on a frickin' sports complex...we don't even have a major-league team for ANY sport, and sports are short-lived and add only to a small portion of the economy because sports don't produce any tangible goods...but leave it to a politician to confuse games with economic progress. And that's the real hypocracy here.

Background: Wife is in the military. She's away right now. Her mother moved in with us last year, bringing *everything* and storing it at our house. She doesn't pay any rent, nor help with utilities, nor pitch in for food. Half of the garage is filled with her furniture. I cannot reach our stuff in the attic because her boxes fill that space too, and the guest bedroom (now hers) is similarly filled with furniture. Pretty much walk in the door, and the furniture lines up around the perimeter in an unbroken palisade.

As I said, my wife is military. She is being reassigned. The house we are moving into is smaller than where we live now. By about half. (Our current home is ~1800 sq ft, whereas the house we're moving into is 905 sq ft.)

I suggested to the in-law that she might want to lighten her load. There really is much less room at the next house, and while she could store the furniture in the shed on the property, I know that the shed once had termites, and her furniture is exclusively made of wood.

Well, she doesn't want to, apparently everything (even clothing that was out of date in the 1970's, boxes worth) is just to sentimental for her to be without. If not sell, maybe a storage locker (not at our expense!) I suggest.

Well later, I get a call from my wife, who asks me why I'm pressuring her mom to sell all of her stuff!

Am I being unreasonable? Should I just have no opinion on my home being treated as her personal museum?

Aside from the simple fact that the liberals did not "Get over it" during Bush's terms, is it not our right to be actively critical of government? Ad hominem attacks against the President are uncalled for, but many take issue with *policy* decisions. Does this mean liberals do not think Republicans should have a voice in the government? Not very 'liberal' of them, eh?

Lucius Tarquinius became king in Rome by murder, and soon went to war against the city of Gabii. Being unable to take the city, he sent his loyal son, Sextus Tarquinius, who pretended to be defecting from his hateful father. The Gabini took Sextus in, and so good were his councils that he "won" several battles for the Gabini. After a while they placed security of Gabii entirely in his care, at which point he sent a messenger to his father to ask how to proceed.

Lucius Tarquinius did not speak to his son's messenger, but rather went on a walk thru his garden. In the presence of the messenger he began to cut off the tallest and prettiest flowers, but still did not say a word. Then the messenger was sent back to Sextus.

The messenger was mystified, and returning to Gabii he told Sextus of what had happened. Sextus got the message, can you?

-->from Livy's history of Rome

Detail: N. Korea is testing long-range missles. Iran is nearly ready to turn on it's reactors (for peaceful purposes, of course!). Russia is modernizing it's nuclear armaments. The Taliban has just conquered a region of nuclear-equiped Pakistan. And today it's announced that Russia & China have been hacking into the US electrical grid, leaving 'backdoors' for whatever dire reasons. Oh, the list goes on.

Instead of reassuring the world of America's resolve and strength, Obama has spent the last several days apologizing to every nation on our behalf. We're sorry we won World War 2, we're sorry that we've prevented full-scale nuclear war for 60+ years, etc, etc.

Am I the only one wondering if he is living on the same planet as the rest of us?

On the same day that Congress was killing their sacrificial lamb (AIG's CEO Liddy), Ben Bernake of the Federal Reserve 'bought' $1.15 TRILLION of Treasury Debt. That would be as if I borrowed cash using what I owed the bank for my mortgage as collateral. It is basically printing money. Now I ask you, if we print $1 Trillion dollars without the assets to back them up, what happens to the value of the dollar?

Ford's CEO Alan Mulally stated recently in Santa Barbara, CA, that low gas prices are limiting sales of the smaller vehicles which meet the government-mandated mileage requirements.

Mr. Michael Jackson (not the singer)--the CEO of AutoNation--has said explicitly that "[America] needs more expensive gasoline." He considers a bottom-floor price to be $4/gallon.

Government has forced the car companies to make unwanted cars. Then, the government gives the failing car companies money for failing to sell the unwanted cars. And now the car companies are asking for new taxes to *force* people to choose the unwanted cars. This is seriously F'ed up, IMHO. Bright sides anyone?

http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/03/12/...

Aren't those guys supposed to be figuring out how to solve all of our problems? I'd like someone to come fix up my yard for summer, isn't that a government job yet?!

N'Gai Kroal of Newsweek seems to think so. In fact, he's most disturbed by the notion that gamers don't see that they're attacking blacks. Now, he says he isn't saying a game cannot have black zombies, but he didn't see one friendly African zombie in the trailer, and that bothers him.

Is the game racist? And are the gamers who only think of killing the zombies racist by ignorance?

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/04/10/newsweek...

During the early days of the Bush Admin came the incident with a US surveillance plane that was forced to land by two chinese fighter planes. The crew was treated well, but had managed to destroy all equipment in the plane...much to the dismay of the chinese.

Now, during the early days of the Obama Admin, we have this:

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTR...

It seems clear that they are trying to do *something*, but why? I, of course, have my own guesses, but I'd like to hear what y'all think.

Do our Rights come from a document? Or from the concept that we are human beings with a dignity and nobility that shall not be infringed without due cause?

I am trying to find out how much their windows cost, as we plan on redoing our house, but I cannot get a price per window or square feet without a 'Consultation." If anyone has used Pella windows, I would greatly appreciate any info on price. Thank you.