9/16    Tim Sweeney on the future of GPUs
        http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/gpu-sweeney-interview.ars
        I like Sweeney, I don't care about Unreal, but ZZT was a heck of a
        game
        \_ Interesting. Co-processor-like units have come and gone
           throughout the history of computing. GPU, co-processor, what-not,
           will all be obviated by advances in processors and systems
           integration. I've no doubt GPU-like units will come back in
           time, but not for another decade or so.
        \_ Unreal's renderer is pretty shit.  Everything looks plastic,
           polygon counts are pretty low, and framerate is very peaky.
           It's amazing how much Unreal engine games all look the same.

9/16    You probably should try and limit your exposure to this stuff.
        I threw out my polycarbonate water bottle:
        http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080916/sc_nm/chemical_heart_dc_1
        \_ HOLY SHIT I've been drinking from the bottle since I was
           a baby. Plastic today is like lead in the old days. I am FUCKED.
           \_ The important thing is don't put hot things in plastic
              and don't leave things in plastic bottles for a long time,
              especially if stored someplace that gets really warm.
              \_ And don't heat oily stuff in plastic containers, e.g. whole
                 milk.
              \_ And don't heat oily stuff in plastic containers.
                 \_ I never microwave food in plastic ever. I took too much
                    O-Chem to think that this is a good idea.
        \_ Hello, all that they say is that BPA is correlated to heart
           disease, etc.  It's a bit too soon to panic.  I can easily see
           that obese people eat lots of shit out of bottles and plastic
           and that's why they have high BPA, but the eating habit
           independently causes both high BPA and heart disease, not high
           BPA causing heart disease.  This may be a tempest in a teapot.
           \_ Any reasonable study will take that into account.
           \_ I am not going to panic, but I am going to stop exposing myself
              to it. Why woudn't I?
           \_ Pyrex storage: 15 bucks.  Advantages: last forever, easy to
              clean (even after you let stuff sit in them for months),
              don't pick up smells, you can cook with them, and you
              don't need to worry about plastic killing you.  Disadvantages:
              about 2x as expensive as decent tupperware, break if you
              throw them at people, heavier.  Seems like a pretty simple
              call to me.  15 bucks is worth it.

9/16    Very interesting statistics on internet participation inequality.
        http://www.useit.com/alertbox/participation_inequality.html

9/16    My mother's words are as empty as black hole. She would say something
        and promise something but changes her mind the next minute. She
        would tell me to not worry when her tones bellie all the problems
        we've been facing. She is never held accountable for anything.
        Maybe that is why I distrust everyone until promises are put
        in contracts. I hate my mother. All talk no action.
        \_ Welcome to the club.
           \_ club of what?
              \_ Of people with bad moms.
                 \_ Really? Is this really common?  -pp
        \_ Maybe she is getting senile. A few years ago, my dad bought five
           homes in the middle of the boom, in spite of all my efforts to
           discourage him. Turns out he has Alzhiemers and is in a home
           (and bankrupt) now. But remember, the motd.libertarians will tell
           you there is no such thing as abusive lending practices!
           \_ Free market weeds out dumb people who are unfit to
              live in this world and should be filtered out.  -conservative
           \_ While I would never clain there's no such thing as abusive
              lending practices, I admit that I'm not sure who was abused
              more in this case.

9/16    "In Ike's wake, holdouts complicate rescues"
        http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080915/ts_csm/aike
        I thought some officials has said that whoever refused to evacuate
        before the storm hit wouldn't be rescued afterwards.  Why are we
        spending the time and resources to rescue them now?
        \_ I took them to have meant that no one would be rescued during
           the hurricane, a promise which was pretty much kept.  It'd
           be unconscionable not to help people now.

9/16    Couldnt have McCain found a VP who does NOT have an ex pastor
        who thinks the end times are just ahead and Alaska will be converted
        into a haven for true christians?  Just no one else out there?
        Nobody?
        \_ redux Obama
           \_ Obama's actually a Muslim, so he's not influenced by what
              the Rev. Wright says.
              \_ Secret Muslim.  They are double special.

9/16    we are so screwed.   i actually dont get down on Palin about earmarks.
        Alaska is far away.  Stevens spent the last 50 years bringing earmarks
        to Alaska.  Alaska loves it.  for Palin and McCain to campaign on
        how she crushes earmarks dead it kind of funny though.
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naXqE4dTxPA
        \_ This video is incorrect.  She hasn't been a member of AoG for 6
           years.

9/16    Remember when Pelosi said this would be the most ethical congress in
        history?  Oh well.
        http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122158705277343865.html
        \_ When is Stevens going to step down?
           \_ Apples/Oranges.  I'd love Stevens to leave, but Pelosi could
              strip Rangel's chairmanship in a heartbeat.  You'd think the head
              of the Ways and Means committee should, I don't know, *not* be
              committing tax fraud?

9/16    <DEAD>retirementplans.vanguard.com/VGApp/pe/pubnews/SocialSecurityAndWorking.jsf?SelectedSegment=LivinginRetirement<DEAD>
        Why Social Security fucks everyone up. Earn too much? Get nothing!
        \_ Your reading comprehension is poor. You don't get nothing, you
           just get reduced benefits. That Vanguard page doesn't mention that
           your later benefits are actually increased because of working
           later.
        \_ You are right, we should let Morgan Stanley run Social Security,
           they will do a good job of protecting our retirement money.

9/16    Sarah Palin bikini photo. Must have been years ago, but she's hot:
        link:tinyurl.com/5je2va
        \_ VPILF
        \_ Chest too flat.
           \_ Could be bigger, but she looks good.
        \_ How the hell did a girl like that turn into a hag like today?
           What the hell happened?
           \_ age

9/16    Really?  There are no recent grads. here looking for a nice, local,
        jr. to mid-level sys admin gig in the sexy world of mobile-location?
        I haven't even told you how little we are paying yet.  Don't let the
        prospect of working with Brain or Aspo frighten you.  They are fine
        in person, really.  Mail me if you have questions.  -crebbs
        \_ recent grads don't read the MOTD.   -tom
           \_ Check your crystal ball again Tom.  Fortunately, I already found
              a job though. -mrauser, recent grad extrodinaire
              \_ That's "recent grad", singular.  -tom
        \_ Sorry what is this about???  -someone out of context
         \_ Crebbs needs a lackey.  WaveMarket has a lot of things going for
            it.  Work for WaveMarket.  Be Tom's lackey. -aspo
        \_ Did you try jobs@csua?

9/16    Fed to loan $85B to AIG while it sells its assets, since no one else
        wanted to lend $85B.  Hopefully the Fed gets back $85B--it's not clear
        how long that may take (loan is for 2 years but may be extended).
        \_ How the hell does the Fed have the power to make $85B loans without
           congressional approval?
           \_ exigent circumstances necessary to maintain stability of the
              financial markets
              \_ 85 BILLION!  That's a pretty amazing amount of money.
                 \_ We spend more than that in Iraq every year. The Pentagon
                    as a whole spends that every two months.
              \_ Financial markets are too fragile. We should clamp down
                 on this money is debt shit like from that one video.  Is the
                 inflated money supply from bank credit really worth the
                 fragility introduced by their complex webs of interdependent
                 debt relationships?  So much of the economy is built on top
                 of speculative vs. real assets.
           \_ The Fed is a private entity, and is arguably the most powerful
              organization on earth (even more so than the US gov).
        \_ No one else has $85B to lend.
        \_ correction:  up to $85B, it's like a HELOC.  Interest rate is 11%
           on outstanding balance.  regardless, Fed gets 80% equity (diluting
           existing). -op
           \_ URL?
              \_ http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/other/20080916a.htm
        \_ BAIL OUT IS THE NEW IPO! Company in trouble? No problem! Just
           keep spending. We'll get a bail-out... perfect exit strategy.
           The more companies require BAIL OUT, the hotter it gets. It
           is just like the dot-coms. BAIL OUT NOW!
           \- i'm not an expert on this, but based on recent and not so
              recent history BEAR STERNS almost certainly "deserved" a
              bail out less than LEHMAN [BS played a very "me first" role
              in various past episodes like the LTCM intervention (speaking
              of people who didnt derserv a bailout) as well as in the lead
              up to the eventual collapse]. LEH was a slightly better citizen.
              But unfortunately "just deserts" has little to do with the
              decision making. AIG is a quite evil company too, but its
              hard to be gleeful over this ... although I am pleased to
              see the self-serving probably criminal HGREENBERG taking a bath.]

9/16    I'm confused on this one.  Obama's campaign denies that he pressed
        Iraqi's to delay security agreement by confirming it.  Huh?
        http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hi9TDNHvuBZpFsO8ZbiFYsnbIl3A
        \_ Isn't this what Nixon did?
           \_ I'm not sure of the history on that one. -op
           \_ Ah, I've heard this charge before.  As far as I know it's just
              speculation, and there is no proof.  Besides, is Nixon really
              the role model you want for the next president?
              \_ http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/080900-01.htm
                 Reagan did the same thing with Iran when they were holding
                 American hostages. At least Obama is negotiating with aj
                 nominal ally.
                 \_ Errr...  kinda?  This should sink Obama's hopes for
                    presidency, as it would have for Nixon.  I would
                    hope no one here would think this is OK.

9/16    Make sure you watch the video before reading the story
        http://wonkette.com/402785/gop-delegate-robbed-blind-by-sexy-hero-gal
        \_ Am I a bad person for thinking this is insurance fraud?
           \_ Where's it say his shit was insured?

9/16    (Brought up with update)
        Interesting old NYTimes article.  It seems Bush tried to overhaul
        Fannie and Freddie regulation 5 years ago, but was blocked by Dems.
        http://csua.org/u/mdc
        \_ Thanks, this renewed my faith in McCain
        \_ How was it blocked by Dems if the GOP had a majority of both
           houses of Congress?
        \_ Newer NYTimes article. The house DID pass a reform bill 3 years
           ago (with bipartisan support) but it died in the Senate after
           Greenspan and the Bush administration opposed it, according to
           the former Republican congressman who had pushed for it.
           http://csua.org/u/mdd
           \_ McCain apparently sponsored the this Bill in the Senate, but
              it never made it out of committee. http://csua.org/u/me8
              \_ Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said: "I'm always for less
                 regulation" and referred to himself as "fundamentally, a
                 deregulator."
                 \_ So what?  So am I, but Freddie and Fannie were a
                    terrible implementation of priviatization and
                    deregulation.  What kind of idiot says to businessmen
                    "Ok, I'll take all the risk, and you can have all the
                     profits.  We'll have congress watch you."  That's
                    just flat out retarded.
                    \_ So far, I have never seen a politician come out and
                       say "I am in favor of bad government" but it is amazing
                       to watch the GOP go from "government is bad" to
                       "nationalize everything" in two weeks.
                       \_ As a free market person I am disappointed in the
                          actions of the GOP. I don't much care for the
                          GOP, but WTF are they thinking? My take:
                          1) Preserve stock equity for their cronies
                          2) Pander to the public ahead of the election
                          No honest Republican or fiscal conservative wants
                          any part of this crap plan they are wasting taxpayer
                          money on. In fact, who *does* want it other than
                          Wall Street? Why should the gov't bail out Wall
                          Street? The gov't is broke. Wall Street has been
                          raking in massive profits. The US banking system
                          will be just fine. Reprice the debt, declare a
                          loss, and move on. Good ideas will still find
                          capital. There's a lot of money flowing in the
                          markets around the world.
                          \_ The entire world is a free market. If the
                             US government is incompetent, good people
                             with good ideas will simply move their ideas
                             to countries where it is profitable for them.
                             If the US government is unfit to compete, then
                             it deserves to die.        -free market person
                          \_ The problem is that so much of our economy is
                             based on nothing -- just moving numbers around
                             computer systems.  Financial markets are supposed
                             to support real markets, not the other way around.
        \_ Nationalization of Freddie and Fannie is a good thing.  It should
           never been privatized.

9/16    Isn't RIM a Canadian company? If John McCain invented the BlackBerry,
        how does that help our economy?
        \_ McCain took the money RIM gave him for inventing the BlackBerry and
           invested it in his 7 American houses.