The most recent 20 comments posted to Making Light by Mac H.:

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Posted on entry Alien Abduction: Betty & Barney Hill ::: September 20, 2007, 05:57 AM:
@ #15: "Why would highly advanced aliens travel a tremendously long distance, at astronomical (ha ha) costs, just to kidnap somebody? What's their motive? (Excessive boredom?)"

I'm sure many Pacific Islanders in times gone by used the same argument to demonstrate why White Europeans were a myth.

Perhaps we need to concede that an alien culture might have alien motivations.

Mac
Posted on entry Talk, don't spin ::: September 03, 2007, 11:54 AM:
Quote #49: "A perfect example of the incompatibility of these social systems is the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. Once the scandal broke, Bill held a press conference and apologized to the people simply and sincerely."

Err - no he didn't. When the scandal broke Bill held a press conference and made the famous public statement "I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time; never. These allegations are false." How on earth was that an apology?

Or was that sarcasm? I'm never sure on the inter-web.

Mac
Posted on entry Bookstore chain puts the screws on small publishers ::: August 13, 2007, 03:38 AM:
PS: In reply to #151: "So, is there a good chance for a jail term for extortion in Charlie "Core Incompetencies" Rimmer's future?"

No. The ACCC were pretty quick to point out that the acts (however low) don't fit under 'unconscionable conduct' - which is the closest match for what happened.

It's just bad policy - not illegal.

Mac
Posted on entry Bookstore chain puts the screws on small publishers ::: August 13, 2007, 03:33 AM:
In reply to #129 & #122:

Traffic formulas get worse than that - due to Braess' paradox, putting in a new faster road can SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN !!!

One nice explanation is here: http://www.davros.org/science/roadparadox.html

(It uses an over simplistic formula that mixes up units when it works out vehicle speed, but don't get too fussy - it is just to demonstrate the paradox. Believe me - it works in real life ... even with calculating the speed of IP packets across the Etherweb..)

Yes - someone adding a router in a network (even a very fast router) can slow the network down.

Mac
Posted on entry Prayer in the schools: a modest proposal ::: February 04, 2007, 06:19 PM:
The same point (but with much more humour) is presented here:

http://www.jumbojoke.com/the_pastors_pen_120.html

Have a great day everyone,

Mac (No, not MacAllister. Another one)

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