7/13    I am looking into buying a light weight bike--mostly riding in
        the parks with some weekend off the road riding.  Is Marin's Hawk
        Hill a good buy for a $800 budget?  Thx.
        \_ If you're a beginner you SHOULD buy a really nice ***USED***
           bike. A used Giant OCR C1/C2 is pretty decent. But more
           importantly you should try out a few. Go to your local bike
           shop (LBS) and ask for demo rides, and then find out what you
           like. People say aluminum vibrates a lot, and steel is more
           gentle, but only you can find out what you like. Lastly, may
           I recommend clipless shoes, as they make your strokes much
           more efficient.

7/14    Has all mail been delivered?
        \_ In the words of Ted Stevens ("internet expert"):
           The internet is not something that you just dump something on.
           It's not a big truck. It's a series of tubes. And if you don't
           understand that those tubes can be filled, and if they're filled
           when you put your message in it, it gets in line, it's gonna be
           delayed by anyone who puts into that tube enormous amounts of
           material, enormous amounts of material. Ten movies streaming
           across that that, internet, and what happens to your own
           personal internet? I...just the other day, got internet was
           sent by my staff at 10 o'clock in the morning on Friday, I got
           it yesterday. Why?
        \_ So, I think your answer is, no, it's not all been delivered, never
           has been, never will be.  Let me rephrase my question.  Has mail
           been delivered to the extent that it normally would be, or is
           there still a significant percentage of the mail from when
           sendmail was down that hasn't been delivered yet?  It seems that
           some of my mail is missing.  Not sure if it's just 1 message, or
           a significant percentage.  -op
        \_ I think the intelligent way to interpret this question, is for
           someone in the know to tell us if mail was queued on another
           machine during extended periods of downtime, and if not,
           approximately how long that non-queueing-of-mail went on for.

7/14    So as I understand it, Intel introduced Hyperthreading because the
        penalty for a cache miss or branch misprediction on Netburst was huge
        so to make up for it they could work on a different thread while
        waiting for memory latency.  Given that the Core2 architecture has
        such a wide execution path, couldn't they use HT to try and keep all
        those execution units full?
        \_ I attended one of Intel's talks on campus and the "huge penalty"
           myth is a myth. As the number of pipelines increases, the depth
           of the miss and a pipe flush is longer, yes. However, keep in mind
           that since each stage in the pipe is shorter the clock cycle is
           also faster. Thus, in terms of absolute time (time=number of
           pipes that need to be flushed * cycle time), the increase in P4
           from the old architecture is only increased by ~20% time, which
           is insignificant in computer science speak.
             As for keeping execution units full, it's very much application
           dependent. Even with the huge instruction reorder mechanisms some
           applications still can't utilize them all.

7/14    Baghdad descending into total anarchy.
        http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2268585_2,00.html
        "A local journalist told me bitterly this week that Iraqis find it
        ironic that Saddam Hussein is on trial for killing 148 people 24 years
        ago, while militias loyal to political parties now in government kill
        that many people every few days. But it is not an irony that anyone
        here has time to laugh about. They are too busy packing their bags and
        wondering how they can get out alive."
        \_ but it is our God given duty to bring FREEDOM LIBERTY AND THE
           PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS into primitive cultures around the world,
           starting with Iraq! There is no price too great for our glorious
           War on every primitive culture on this planet. The War is totally
           worth it. God Bless.
           \_ Son, all I've ever asked of my marines is that they obey my
              orders as they would the word of God. We are here to help
              the Vietnamese, because inside every gook there is an American
              trying to get out. It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta
              keep our heads until this peace craze blows over.
              \_ Personally, I think, uh... they don't really want to be
                 involved in this war. You know, I mean... they sort of took
                 away our freedom and gave it to the, to the gookers, you
                 know. But they don't want it. They'd rather be alive than
                 free, I guess. Poor dumb bastards.
        \_ that's because there is evidence for that.. there are tons
           more people killed but no evidence to support it..
        \_ that's <censored by the US Government> no <censored by the US
           Government> support <censored>
           \_ Uh...forest, trees anyone?
           \_ sorta like how evidence of WMD's was the technical reason for
              the war?
        \_ No, the real difference is that this is (largely) the people killing
           themselves.
           \_ So the people killing each other is preferable to the government
              doing it?
              \_ it's a democratic right!  if yer still alive, it's probably
                 because you and yours have also exercised yer right to bear
                 an assault rifle!
           \_ If you've been paying attention to other reporting coming out
              of Baghdad recently, it is becoming evident that the government
              is collaborating with the militia death squads - or at least
              tacitly supporting them.  For instance see:
              http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/07/12/baghdad
              For a personal perspective:
              http://www.csua.org/u/gfl (riverbend blog)
        \_ hey, democrats, got a problem for ya.  I've been opposing the war
           all along.  And there is a part of me want us just to get out.
           The logic is that you can not reverse a failed policy (i.e.
           invading iraq), and we shouldn't be responsible for such failed
           policy.   HOWEVER, it is more and more clear that if we get out
           prematurely, there will be a genocide of some sort... what
           should we do?  continue Bush's failed policy?
           \_ Check the Lawrence Kaplan article.  The (quiet) Bush policy is
              withdrawal anyway, even though they keep vigorously denying the
              existence of a "timetable."
              \_ and blaming democrats for the genocide happened afterwards...
                 sounds like an ingenius plan of Karl Rove again.
              \_ any link to that article?
                 \_ Here you go:
                    http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?pt=3FtL2Vxi34T0BA0X2XTFjy%3D%3D
           \_ I told you a long time ago what we should do, you are just
              not interested in doing what will work.

7/14    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060714/ap_on_re_mi_ea/lebanon_israel_62
        "The level of damage inflicted by Israel appeared finely
        calibrated. For example, a missile punched a hole in a major
        suspension bridge on the Beirut-Damascus road but did not destroy it,
        unlike less expensive bridges on the road that were brought down. An
        Israeli strike hit fuel depots at one of Beirut's two power stations
        sending massive fireballs and smoke into the sky but avoided the
        station itself."
        \_ Israel's attack is always "pinpointed."  But the past record showed
           pinpointed attack often result in death of, let say, 7 month old
           terrorist, or entire terrorist's family age from 9-17.  Some
           would argue that "unjustified death" from those Israel attack
           validates sucide bombing tactics in the middle of crowded buses.
           You know, those Arab has such twisted sense of what is justifiable
           what is not... those 7 month old, future terrorist, and those 1
           year old future terrorist *DESERVED* to be bombed or shelled;
           ANY reasonable person from the Western world would agree with that.
           \_ the goal of a terrorist bomber is to kill as many civilians
              as possible.  this speaks for itself.
              \_ the goal of terrorist bomber is to make the cost of
                 occupation as high as possible.
              \_ The goal of a terrorist bomber is not something for a
                 modern democracy to measure its actions by.  There is a very
                 big line between civilian casualties incurred from
                 hitting a military or paramilitary target, and
                 indiscriminately killed women or children.  The former is
                 tragic and to be avoided whenever possible, but before
                 judging, what would _you_ do?  -John
                 \_ remember, more Iraqi civilians died of US bombing
                    during the invasion than those killed by suicide bombers.
                    (iraqibodycount)
                    are you saying that as long as we kill civilians via
                    arial bombing, that will be ok?
                 \_ What would I do?  Get the fuck out.  I'd move to America
                    or Europe and not look back, if I were either Israeli or
                    Arab.  -!pp
                    \_ To them it's home.  By this logic, I don't think
                       anyone would stay where they're from (because no
                       matter where you are, it's get-the-fuck-outtable in
                       someone else's view... -John
                       \_ this is great.  Those Arabs who live there for
                          1800 years doesn't belong there.  those who
                          migrate to there in 1948 consider that "home" and
                          have the right to defend itself...
                          \_ Israel has no problems with allowing Arabs
                             in the country and holding government posts. Arabs
                             seem to have a problem with Israelis being there.
                             \_ Why won't they let the 1948 refugees back in
                                then? Isreal only allows a very few Arabs
                                in their country and the ones that they do
                                allow are 2nd class citizens, ala apartheid.
                                \_ They left.  Why should they be allowed back
                                   in?  Can the Jews who got kicked out of the
                                   Arab countries in the Middle East return
                                   home and get their stuff back, too?  No.
                                   There are Arabs in the Israeli government.
                                   They were elected to office just like in
                                   any democracy.  If you have a specific
                                   example of second classness, please share.
                                   \_  http://www.csua.org/u/gg7
                                       http://www.csua.org/u/gg6
                                       45% of Isreali Arabs live in poverty,
                                       compared to 15% of Isreali Jews.
                                       Okay, I step back from my apartheid
                                       statement though, that is going too
                                       far. But they are second class citizens.
                                       Unlike the Palestinians stuck in the
                                       occupied territory, who are not even
                                       citizens at all.
                                       \_ So there is evidence that Israeli
                                          Arabs are being oppressed by the
                                          government and lack the full rights
                                          of Israeli Jews and this explains
                                          the higher poverty rates?
                       \_ how about this kind of turkey shoot?  these guys
                          are 1. civilian and 2. trying to get out:
                          http://tinyurl.com/lwxtj
                          according to your logic, bus bombing from the air
                          or artillery shell is perfectly ok?  I am sorry,
                          I ain't no Hezbollah or Hamas, but I don't find this
                          convincing.
                          \_ No, according to my logic its okay if you're not
                          \_ No, according to my logic its tragic, but maybe
                             very regrettably unavoidable, if you're not
                             blatantly trying to whack civilians (and trying
                             to avoid doing so whenever possible.)  Which, as
                             far as I'm aware, is usually the case.  And as
                             for who's lived there longer, let's see, I think
                             most Arabs (and most Israelis) were probably born
                             there after 1948?  They're both there now, and
                             bitching about whose grandparents were where first
                             won't solve it.  -Johnj
                             won't solve it.  -John
j
                             \_ bombing a civilian bus call it "tragic?"
                                The differences is that I don't believe every
                                thing Israeli says, you do.  I sincerely
                                don't think Israeli care too much about
                                civilian casualties, or collateral damage
                                involves MASSIVE number of women and children.
                                Number talk, John.  Arabic civilian casualties
                                is at least one order of magnitude than
                                Israeli civilian in the past conflict.
                                You really think the 18,000 casualties in
                                Lebanon back in 1982 were all Hezbollah
                                fighters?   How about Israeli-backed Christian
                                groups who slaughter every Sunni and Shiite
                                in sight?  The truth is, Israeli doesn't care.
                                They felt they need to defend itself.  If it
                                means 20 civilians or 9 family members going to
                                die along with that one terrorist, they will
                                drop the bomb, fire the missile.  There is no
                                differences between Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and
                                IDF.  While American media covers virtually
                                every sucide bombers attack, there is virtually
                                no photographs, video footage or any kind of
                                media coverage of Arabic civilian fleeing
                                Southern Lebanon and being mow down by IDF
                                machine guns.   IDF reminds me a lot of
                                the behavior of Imperial Japanese Army in
                                China backed in the WW2 days.

7/14    Valve announces they're finally going to release Team Fortress 2
        http://www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=news&id=691