Dispatcher

I think free will is the ability to choose or act (or not act) without compulsion.

Just like home cooked (or not):

I'm sure that once space tourism is commonplace, a baby will be born in orbit. As for Google translate; a fun thing to do when bored is to write something in one's native language, then Google translate it into another language, and finally Google translate the translation back into the native language.

Check out a recently new feature of Steam: Steam Music Player. Read about it within the Steam browser or at Steam's website.

Cool. I'd never heard of Catphone before.

Check out this Consumer Report on the subject of bent smartphones: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/09/consumer-reports-tests-iphone-6-bendgate/index.htm Watch the short video there.

Nice work, NB. I like the influence of your model from "2001"'s Discovery 1. I think its interesting that even though the movie makes clear that there are national space agencies (evidenced by an American Tycho moon base and an unnamed Soviet moon base) as well as an international space station (Station V), that there is never a direct reference to NASA by name or logo. So the combination of your model with the NASA logo (selected at the moment you took the stills anyway) reminds me of how difficult it is to predict the future via science fiction, in terms of what "should have been" vs. what really is, or was, for space achievements. Shifting focus a little, I like the idea of a probe core functionality included with a command pod, as it should be possible to remotely control an unKerbaled ship.

This thread was dead for a while, anyway. I recommend that anyone really interested in the OP should get a copy of Ben Bova's "Venus" and read it.

I agree with you Beowolf. From what I've read/ watched, LiS was time slotted against Batman, so Allen decided to go with the campy colors and plots in order to capture the same audience. Dumb thing to do IMHO. Edit: if you haven't, watch an entire episode of "Outer Limits" called "Architects of Fear", I recommend doing so. Can still scare.

Good questions/ comments on using shirt pockets. All my shirts have pockets, inc. my pullover shirts. I like shirt pockets. The reason my smartphone has never fallen out of my pocket (even when hiking, panning, etc.) is that the wrap-around case is rubberized. Try using that kind of case and you may find a shirt pocket to be quite secure from falling out issues. As to weight and size of the smartphone, that's never been a problem for me as far as shirt pockets go. But I can see that depending on where/ how one carries a phone, it could be a deciding factor on what brand or size phone to get. Edit: nobody is telling anyone how to carry their smartphone. But for me, the weight and size of the phone is no issue and my carrying preference has never been a problem for me either. Your mileage (or meterage) may vary.

I always carry my phone in my shirt pocket.

I kinda like these beings (but are they all aliens?):

So, if someone doesn't carry a smartphone in a pants pocket, and he or she knows how to take care of said phone, that person should get whatever device is preferred. Otherwise, someone who carries a smartphone in a a pants pocket, or doesn't take care of the phone, should not get a larger iPhone. That's understandable.

My smartphone is first generation (as in Edge network, rather than 2, 3 or 4G or whatever). The case is a simple rubberized back which wraps around the sides. The entire front face is exposed and there are designated holes for camera lens, earphones/ mic and charger. I have never dropped it, and I use it every day. It has never slipped out of my shirt pocket (where it always is unless I've set it down or am holding it); even when hiking and panning for ... mostly mercury it seems, with the occasional gold fleck. The case was worth the $20 or so it cost me. I'm going to finally get a new smartphone, only because I want to switch carriers to one which gives me better coverage in my area (there was only one carrier available for this phone when it was launched, so by now you've probably figured out which smartphone I have). My local coverage with my current carrier is actually a little worse than it used to be, but the phone works well and I only charge it about every 5 or 6 days; and it is hardly ever switched off. Oh, yes, original battery. Due to my positive experience using my smartphone, I will be buying from the same company again, if the new case is similar to the one I use now. Too bad the form factors between phones differ or I'd just continue using my existing case.

Off topic/ I didn't mention pads & tablets because I don't have my own and no comparative opinion. The one I use from work is a Kindle; makes a great paperweight. I also have no interest in "the cloud". Local storage/ archiving technologies are just fine for me. /Off topic I like what others above have to say about their choices, or choosing in general.

What I like is to be able to choose between competing products and services. Ultimately, this tends to result in better, less expensive products and services. From what I can observe, each "brand" sells a range of quality/ price options. We all benefit from these choices, whatever these may be. That said, there is always someone out there that is the first to bring an innovation to market. Apple was not the first company to market a home computer and software. Remember the Radio Shack Tandy computer and Commodore (and Basic)? Sure, even these were not the first. But they paved the way for the masses. The mouse and the GUI were not invented by Apple or Microsoft or IBM (you may recall the Canadian Navy's Datar track wheel system, MIT's (OK, Sutherland's) sketchpad, Stanford's On-Line System and Xerox PARC), but the mouse and GUI were first popularized and brought to the masses by Apple. Of course the major market share of "PCs" is currently held by Microsoft, whose Windows 1.0 OS relied on GUI elements licensed from Apple. The common element here to me is competition and recognizing and capitalizing upon innovation, as well as financial brawn and savvy. If you can innovate, do it. If you can't innovate, buy or license it. If you don't want to do that, copy it (if you can get away with it, apparently, regardless of the company in question). As for smartphones with touch surfaces, the IBM Simon might be the first of those, but Apple popularized a much more advanced concept in its iPhone, along with "the" app store. Actually one can see an evolution and derivative integration of Apple's Newton PDA and the iPod, along with OSX and mobile phone technology. The One Plus is an attractive competing choice. On one hand, if not for Apple's iPhone, it probably would not exist. On the other hand, due to its existence, it will help keep Apple's prices in check. As for "smart watches", one can argue that they were first rolled out in the '70s. Apple wants in on the action now, and will probably do well at it, with lots of happy customers in the process. After these latter prove to be successful (or not), Microsoft and other companies will follow suite (or not), regardless of Microsoft's SPOT watch or the Linux Smartwatch. As to the classic Apple vs. Microsoft vs. Linux vs. whoever/ whatever else argument, I don't really care. Apple recognizes and encourages innovation (and for a long time actually lacked that capacity and was trying to follow and copy Microsoft and seems to have just given up its education market share, during the time that Jobs' was absent due to being fired), Microsoft is market savvy and has the capital to enter profitable markets (you may recall Microsoft Game Studios [before, during and after Bungie's time there] and the XBox); Linux is open source, which balances the triad to a significant degree. I appreciate the fact that they all exist, as this will give me more choices now and in the future, with regards to their markets. To all such people, companies and products; I say "welcome, and thanks!"

Try some early Bungie games: the Marathon Trilogy. Edit: an example; for Windows, Mac & Linux--

I lament that some classic novels have been turned into film or video tripe (simply by the fact that about the only thing shared in common are the titles in many cases). I also see this as the reason why the best (or at least less financially desperate) writers will hold out and not allow adaptations to the screen; or will demand creative control (i.e. they get the last word over the producer and director). That said, "original" screenplays will continue to range from B movies and series to the epic. I'm hoping that we'll see more epic ones, relative to the lot. Back on topic, I'm amazed by the variety of films posted or mentioned in this thread. I'll be checking out the ones I've missed in the past (and will happily avoid some that I've had the misfortune of seeing before).

I found a series that is relatively old; don't know that I'd even heard of it before but ran into it recently. Some of it is hokey, but not bad for its day I guess. Angie Dickenson was a family member, but only in the pilot episode. Here is the first episode of "Men Into Space". A KSP player would appreciate this series more than most people. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcKz6uv9Z6w It predates NASA (actually, NASA had been newly created but doesn't appear to have been shown or used in an advisory capacity during the series' production), by the way, and tries for some reasonably scientific accuracy. There were about 40 episodes.

"Night Vision", from "Unreal" (and there is a playlist if anyone wants to stick with Unreal). Enjoy! Edit: Includes "Crypt" or "Temple of Vandora".

Am I right in thinking that the first shader is what you set up and the second shader was generated by Unity? Regardless, have you set your shader(s) to KSP shaders instead of other Unity shaders? I don't know if that will solve the situation as I'm not trying to experiment with Unity at the moment. Good luck!

There are some good ones in these; check them out: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/40439-What-music-do-you-listen-to http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/12239-Music-to-listen-to-when-launching-rockets?highlight=music http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/58637-What-to-listen-to-while-playing-KSP?highlight=music

You'll find old music threads here if you do a (Google or other) search here. I've contributed to those, but now for something completely different: Jimmy Riddle on Eefing. There are other fine classics out there, but you get the idea.

This site is of interest to people who are into genealogy; they would know about preserving or archiving information: also how to utilize less-than-pristine resources. http://www.cyndislist.com Well, your idea of preserving your DNA might be a good option; the archival paper is also a very good idea.

Now I see why you were asking about emissives in the modeling sub forum. Not bad work for you being so new to Blender.