10/20   How come aircraft like A-10 can disable a modern tank with a 30mm
        cannon while tanks need 125mm or larger guns to penetrate each other's
        armor?
        \_ That's a good question.  Maybe it's the angle of the incoming
           shells compared to the armor?  The machine gun effect?  Shorter
           range on the 30mm gun?
        \_ It's about range and rate of engagement, though I can't find a
           citation.  3km+ vs. ~1.2 km. Also compare how many kills with a
           fully loaded A-10 vs. an M1A1.
        \_ Insurgents don't have tanks.
        \_ depleted uranium rounds
        \_ Maybe it's also because tanks are more havily armoured on the sides
           (against other tanks and RPGs) than on the top?
           \_ Yes, tanks generally have weaker armor on top and below, making
              them more vulnerable to vertical fire.  Also their armor is
              sloped, making it more effective against horizontal ground fire
              than vertical fire.  Their most effective armor is designed to
              protect against frontal fire.
              \_ Which is the idea behind the Javelin
                 http://www.army-technology.com/projects/javelin
                 \_ This is TOTALLY COOL. I love our military.
                    \_ Cf. its inspiration, the Roman pila (singular: pilum).
                    \_ Cf. its inspiration, the Roman Plumbata.

10/21   ok, how Taiwan going to protrait itself as a victim and cry faul
        this time:
        http://csua.org/u/mpw
        \_ The protesters will claim that they were protecting their country
           from sell-outs like Ma; Ma will claim that they're nutjobs.
           *shrug* How is this any different than PRC's reaction to Chinese
           civilian attacks on US consulates?

10/21   did you know McCain fixed the Cuban missile crisis too?
        my brain is going to explode.
        \_ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4wQfQtpDAc
        \_ McCain/Alzheimer's 2008

10/21   OBAMA is VACATIONING IN HAWAII
        \_ How dare his grandmother get gravely ill and throw this election.
           \_ she is not ill, she threatened to show Obama's birth
              certificate which is not from the US
              \_ you know mccain was born in central america right

10/21   Republican Party, personified:
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4wQfQtpDAc

10/21   LEFTISTS.
        \_ OBAMA IS SPENDING MONEY TO WIN THIS ELECTION.
           \_ You bring up an interesting point.  Does $$ win elections, or
              do winning candidates have lots of support, and therefore $$?
              Arguably, Obama has many, many more small donations from
              individuals, therefore, he has more support, and the $$ is
              just a sign of it.
                \_ obFreakonomicsAlreadyAnalyzedThis

10/21   why does Palin say things like 'my fellow alaskans were given
        the opportunity to finally vote on the possibility of an amendment
        to their constitution in this great state of Alaska!'?  it drives
        me crazy.
        \_ You don't know that this is the first time that citizens of a state
           in Russia can vote on the possibility of an amendment to their
           constitution?  Palin the Russian state governor knows that.
           constitution?

10/21   Palin isn't dumb.  She's just ignorant.  Do you remember in the 70s
        when a bunch of Harvard trained MBAs tried an elaborate scheme
        of price fixing and screwed up the economy for YEARS?  do you think
        Palin in her wildest dreams would think of something like that?  I
        thought so.  Vote for Palin!
        \_ Homina homina homina!

10/21   VICTORY IN IRAQ.  SAY IT.  SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT.
        \_ SAY MY NAME.

10/21   Palin is mocking Obama for supposedly supporting in a future
        scenario sending our troops into a nation who's government does
        not welcome us.

10/21   Does Palin know what condoms are?

10/21   I think McCain's only going to win Alaska and Arizona
        \_ REAL AMERICANS
        \_ No, he'll get Texas too.  I think it'll be 300 votes for
           Obama, no more.  Wouldn't put money on it though.  --PM
           \_ 380 -Liberal Elitist
          http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/obama_vs_mccain/?map=10
              Plus add IN and WV.
        \_ he's got Alaska, Arizona, Texas, Utah and New Hampshire LOCKED UP
        \_ Palin is KICKING SERIOUS ASS in Nevada.  That's gotta be
           3 or 4 electoral votes right there.

10/21   WHY DO YOU HATE AMERICA?
        \_ 'COS SHE NEVER CALLS, SHE NEVER WRITES, AND SHE RAN OFF WITH
           MY DOG AND MY BEST FRIEND. I REALLY JUST MISS THE DOG.
           \_ EMARKP WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR?

10/21   SOCIALISM
        \_ WELFARE STATE
        \_ ...FOR THE RICH
        \_ JEWISH-BACKED ISLAMISTS
        \_ why are Republican strategists on tv always old white guys?
           \_ You're forgetting psychotic but hot MILFs (c.f. Michele
              Bachmann)
              \_ you're right, but i'm talking about guys who describe their
                 jobs as 'republican strategist'.  at least Bachmann has
                 a day job.
        \_ I grew up in the 80s. Capitalism has done nothing good. The
           lack of central command to direct basic things such as housing,
           transportation, utility, etc makes everything suck. In addition
           there is too much greed resulting in fraud everywhere. Fuck
           Reaganomics, it is not working. I never prospered from Reaganomics
           and neither did my family. Fuck capitalism. I welcome
           New World Socialism any time.
           \_ Yes, command economies like former USSR are so superior.
              \_ I suppose you don't support the bail out at all.
              \_ {$HUMOR}
              \_ Let's talk about how much money an average American owes
                 vs. how much money an average Russian saved. Actually,
                 let's just talk about the National Deficit.
              \_ No, but command economies like the US military in the 80s
                 was superior. I love me them base PX prices.
                 \_ ha i grew up on the PX too.
           \_ Yeah, let's nationalize all the dot-coms.  Better, let's do that
              retroactively, and make all those (ex-)employees who benefited
              from stock options turn in their profit to the goverment.
           \_ Seems like the problem is corruption in general, and I don't
              think socialism will resolve that.  A more vigilent populace
              may.
        \_ Yes? What about it? Young people today with nothing to lose
           but everything to gain from Socialism, embrace it. We're
           tired of having sucky infrastructures and unfairness.
           Let us all embrace socialism.
           \_ Why do you think they have nothing to lose?
              \_ Read Prop 13 history and ramifications
        \_ I presume you are free-market type.  Please do tell me you
           oppose the 700 billion bail out package.  Please tell me you
           do support the abolishment of
           - SEC
           - FDIC
           - FDA
           - minimum wage
           - child labor law
           - ban on human trafficking

           and let the invisible hand does everything.
           \_ Excellent straw man sir!
        \_ You know, I'd say 8 of the top 10 nicest countries to
           live in in the world are socialist.
        \_ The three TIE fighters move in on Luke.  As Vader's center fighter
           unleashes a volley of laserfire, one of the TIE ships at his side
           is hit and explodes into flame.  The two remaining ships continue
           to move in.
           \_ Which are the other two? Switzerland and Singapore?
        \_ Wow, I think this is the most efficent troll I have ever
           seen.  Bravo!
           \_ Seconded. It takes the Art of Troll to the next level. Kudos!
        \_ Key word: socialism
           \_ BUD DAY doesn't like your tone.  Obviously you've never
              served.

10/21   motd not getting laid guy here.  oh forget it.
        \_ do you run ubuntu?

10/21   I installed the latest Ubuntu.  It recognized my wireless, dual
        monitor setup, sound card, then made me breakfast.

10/21   Peak Oil, a billion dollar hoax:
        http://preview.tinyurl.com/5mujcl

10/20   'You wonder why McCain/Palin supporters feel like they can go to
        rallies and talk about Obama being a Jew-bought Islamic radical
        cokehead forced abortionist communist? Because it’s the standard that
        the campaign’s set by having ridiculously drawn out public
        conversations designed to draw full attention to the charges while
        laboring under the pretense that they’re “debating” over using the
        smear.'
        http://pandagon.net/index.php/site/comments/stupidity_will_suffice

10/22   Yet another Bruce Schneier vs The TSA article:
        http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200811/airport-security
        This is pretty funny:
           On another occasion, at LaGuardia, in New York, the
           transportation-security officer in charge of my secondary
           screening emptied my carry-on bag of nearly everything it
           contained, including a yellow, three-foot-by-four-foot
           Hezbollah flag, purchased at a Hezbollah gift shop in south
           Lebanon. The flag features, as its charming main image, an
           upraised fist clutching an AK-47 automatic rifle. Atop the
           rifle is a line of Arabic writing that reads "Then surely
           the party of God are they who will be triumphant."  The
           officer took the flag and spread it out on the inspection
           table. She finished her inspection, gave me back my flag,
           and told me I could go. I said, "That's a Hezbollah flag."
           She said, "Uh-huh."
           \_ what, do you think it's important for TSA to arrest people
              who are carrying Hezbollah flags?
              \_ That seems to be the implication of the article. At least
                 question them?
                 \- i think the point was "the TSA employee had no
                    recognition of what hezbollah was." it would be like
                    picking a VP candidate who didnt know what the VPs
                    job was or couldnt name any sup ct cases other than RvW.
                    and it is funny. you would have thought somebody else
                    watching this would have reacted.
                    \_ Or, more likely, they already knew who Bruce Schneier
                       is and knew that he was not likely to be a real
                       security threat.
                       \_ This was a journo for The Atlantic, not Scheier.
                          \_ TSA is a joke and a huge waste of taxpayer money.
                             Fly out of Tel Aviv sometime if you want to see
                             what real airport security looks like.

10/21   Obama supporter (and Baptist Minister, and veteran) has his Obama
        lawn sign replaced with with a confederate flag:
        http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-10-21-0105.html
        \_ Meh. Inside job.

10/21   Creepy video of the day
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8Bzp0Fxq28
        \_ "This is a private video..."

10/21   kill me now
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l40nrw3V3GA
        \_ Her response to being universally ridiculed?  Get cocky!

10/21   Can I join ACORN?  I want to join an all powerful evil conspiracy.
        I bet the health benefits are good.
        \_ http://www.acorn.org

10/21   Outlook question: Is there a way to configure Outlook such that when I
        reply to a message, the "Sent:" time in the original mail will contain
        timezone information?  I'm working on a project with a team in China,
        and it's often confusing which timezones the "Sent:" times refer to in
        an e-mail chain.  Thanks.

10/21   Palin just said she will be in charge of the Senate!
        \_ Didn't you hear?  Vice-presidents no longer have to follow the
           constitution.
        \_ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/03/nailin-paylin-hustlers-pa_n_131581.html