Recent Posts

1

Off the Record / Re: Some local news in my area.

« Last post by 11B4V on Today at 11:28:18 am »

The State Transportation Secretary said the bridge had a 47 sufficiency rating. The scale goes from 0 to 100, with 0 being the worst. A bridge with a rating of 50 or less qualifies for replacement, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers.

A crowd of about 2,000 people gathered at the bridge before police moved them back shortly before 9 p.m. By then I-5 traffic in both directions was backed up for more than 10 miles.

Friday morning traffic was being directed off southbound I-5 at State Route

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/i-5-skagit-river-bridge-collapses-people-vehicles-/nX2d5/

2

Off the Record / Re: Pope Francis says atheists can be good

« Last post by The Minsky Moment on Today at 11:25:26 am »

Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate

Okham IIRC postulated that the substance of the bread and wine also remains so both substances (the victuals and JC) are present.  That is more consistent with a strictly spiritual view but as with other things Okham said and did, skirts heresy.

3

Off the Record / Re: Some local news in my area.

« Last post by fahdiz on Today at 11:22:19 am »

Reddit's blowing up over this: apparently, the bridge was considered "functionally obsolete," probably due to a low overhead clearance- turns out it was a tractor trailer with a tall load that took out part of the top of the bridge.

"Structurally deficient", not "functionally obsolete".

4

Off the Record / Re: Pope Francis says atheists can be good

« Last post by fahdiz on Today at 11:19:30 am »

Excellent. I am glad to see someone around here cares about the pressing issues of the day.

5

Off the Record / Re: Pope Francis says atheists can be good

« Last post by The Minsky Moment on Today at 11:13:54 am »

Minsky, Otto - do you have any thoughts now on how many angels might fit on the head of a pin?

Presumably an infinite number because they have no corporeality unless they choose to manifest to us.

6

Off the Record / Re: Breaking news - RAF jets scrambled after disturbance on Pakistan flight

« Last post by garbon on Today at 11:12:17 am »

Do PIA planes even have a drinks trolley?

I dunno, but American Airlines charging for alcoholic drinks with meals on transatlantic flights are worse than Hitler.

Well American Airlines is in the midst of its re-design so who knows? Though prior to that I'm not sure a sensible person would ever fly American transatlantic.

They had pretty good prices IIRC...or at least they did back in the 90s.

They also until recently had the worst business class option.

7

Off the Record / Re: Pope Francis says atheists can be good

« Last post by fahdiz on Today at 11:01:22 am »

Minsky, Otto - do you have any thoughts now on how many angels might fit on the head of a pin?

8

Off the Record / Re: Breaking news - RAF jets scrambled after disturbance on Pakistan flight

« Last post by Valmy on Today at 10:57:39 am »

Do PIA planes even have a drinks trolley?

I dunno, but American Airlines charging for alcoholic drinks with meals on transatlantic flights are worse than Hitler.

Well American Airlines is in the midst of its re-design so who knows? Though prior to that I'm not sure a sensible person would ever fly American transatlantic.

They had pretty good prices IIRC...or at least they did back in the 90s.

9

Off the Record / Re: Pope Francis says atheists can be good

« Last post by The Minsky Moment on Today at 10:53:22 am »

I don't think so, the substance changes which is the innate properties of it, but not the form, which is synonymous to the word "appearance" to me since it's meant as the physical appearance and shape of the object.

Aristotle equates form with substance so the form does change (it is "trans-formed"). 
The confusion exists because appearance is determined both by form and its accidents (matter), but for Aristotle form (substance) does not change, but persists.
Aquinas and the Christian Aristoteleans get around this by arguing that transformation of substance does not entail contradiction notwithstanding the persistance of the accidents of the prior substance, and can be achieved via miraculous intervention.

In Aristotleian terms  the substance but not the accidents have changed.

Just so, but going strictly by Aristotle this is backwards.

10

Gaming HQ / Re: Star Trek Online: The Continuing Languish Mission

« Last post by Berkut on Today at 10:53:16 am »

One thing I tend to find kind of dissapointing about STO is that the ships all kind of feel the same. Everyone can use every weapon, so what is the real difference? My Romuland can use photons torpedoes, and disruptors, or phasers, and so can my Klingon and Feds. There isn't really any flavour between each race when it comes to their ships and how they are used. They just look different.

And it raises the question of "What is the optimum weapon?" Why ever use phasers, if disruptors are better? Why use cannons if beams are better? Or vice versa of course. In fact, it seems to me like the "best" weapon to use on my ship is whatever I happen to have that will fit and is the highest quality for my level. I've been using plasma torps on my Romulan, just because I insist on doing so, but I suspect I would be better off just loading up with all Cannons or something like that.