WalterBright

Many diseases randomly affect people. Many other diseases are the result of lifestyle choices.

For example, I seriously doubt that lung cancer causes smoking.

I've seen every episode of TOS, most multiple times.

I don't recall that in War of the Worlds!

I meant TOS, not TNG.

Technology makes a lot of things better. Like eliminating symptoms of 95% of cystic fibrosis victims.

> even widen the gap between the haves and haves not

America's poor have a higher standard of living than medieval kings.

I watched "Boston Legal" because of him. He clearly was enjoying himself, including making snide remarks about himself and making references to Star Trek. I wish him many more happy years.

I prefer fiction that is entertaining, rather than preaching the author's vision of morality/politics.

I know. But it would be awesome!

Some TOS episodes were based on classic scifi stories, like "Voyage of the Space Beagle". Also, Roddenberry employed established scifi authors like David Gerrold to script episodes.

An annoying facet of ST episodes is the morality lessons they push, like on every episode of The Brady Bunch.

I've got a copy of his first album, The Transformed Man, which is quite entertaining to listen to. I have heard him do a cover of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man".

"Seeking Major Tom" might be of interest to you.

Google sez:

William Shatner’s heavy metal album, titled What the F Is Heavy Metal?, does not have an exact release date yet, though it is tentatively scheduled for winter 2026 or 2027 via Cleopatra Records.

Album Details

• Title: What the F Is Heavy Metal? • Band Name: The *uckers • Expected Release: Winter 2026 / 2027 • Label: Cleopatra Records • Format & Content: Features a mix of original tracks and heavy metal/hard rock covers (including Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica, and Ozzy Osbourne). • Notable Collaborators: Rob Halford, Tony Iommi, Zakk Wylde, Brian May, and Dave Lombardo, among dozens of other rock and metal musicians. • Live Debut: Shatner and his band debuted songs from the project live at Riot Fest in Chicago in September 2026. • William Shatner on Instagram Ladies, gentlemen, SWs fans… I have explored space. I have explored time. Now… I explore distortion. Yes. You read that correctl... • USA Today William Shatner debuts heavy metal band at age 95 At 95, William Shatner is starting a heavy metal band Greta Cross USA TODAY Sept. 17, 2026Updated Sept. 18, 2026, 9:14 a.m. ET Wil...

I know nothing about Stewart's personal life.

I visited a cardiologist today, who has seen thousands of patients. He remarked that two big factors in staving off heart disease are staying slim and long term aerobic exercise.

Those two factors are under one's control.

(Nobody said it was easy, though.)

Eh, it's the writing and the characters that make it fly, not the budget. TOS was blessed with some really good writers, and was very lucky with the actors.

I'm not so sure about that. I enjoyed the subtle humor of the illogical Mr Spock, whose logic always came to the wrong conclusion. And McCoy with "dammit Jim I'm a doctor not a bricklayer!"

The best dialog ever:

Lawyer: Mr Spock, I understand you know something about computers?

Spock: I know all about them.

Always makes me laugh.

Keep in mind that Star Trek is a fictional utopia. When writing a script, one can make anything work out well.

The original Star Trek was Roddenberry's vision of utopia. The benevolent dictator always makes the right decisions. He's surrounded by his loyal band of perfect lieutenants, who apparently have zero desire to advance, and have no flaws at all. Any and all of them are willing to sacrifice themselves for the others. None do anything bad (unless it's a plot device with an explanation that absolves them).

Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed watching ST very much. Just keep in mind that that it's a fiction.

I suspect the key thing about Shatner's longevity is his obvious enjoyment of life. For example, he's currently recording a bunch of heavy metal albums. Of course he is not a good singer, but he couldn't care less, and has a great time doing it. He's always up for doing fun things, like getting blasted into space on a rocket.

I recall recognizing him as a Roman soldier in "I, Claudius".

IBM has been left far behind.

Thank you. The 3rd one has a single jpg of the whole thing, as I wanted, but unfortunately it is low res. Well, better something than nothing!

I'd like to install it along the hall just under the ceiling!

> Anyone who exercises regularly knows that there are always plenty of reasons to avoid it: you didn’t sleep well, you have an important project to finish, or you’re sore from a previous workout.

Ahnold Schwarzenegger remarked that the improvements come when your really don't want to exercise, but do it anyway.

Your story is wonderful. It is similar to the story of cystic fibrosis, where about 95% of CF cases can now get their symptoms erased.

I don't understand why people don't make copies of these wonderful tapestries, including the battle of hastings one, so people can display them. Instead, we just see random, cropped pictures of parts of them.

> It is true that anarchy is necessary for a free market

No, it isn't.

Again, look up the definition of it rather than make up your own. Here's one from wikipedia:

"In economics, a free market is an economic system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers."

It still requires a government to keep people from stealing, defrauding, and murdering each other.

Please look up what a free market is. You're describing anarchy, not a free market.

> Never in recorded human history has there been a free market

There's a continuum between free markets and socialism. It is not a binary thing. Nothing human is perfect. You might as well claim there is no such thing as water because 100% water is not achievable (there are always contaminents).

Also, a free market requires a government. The role of government is to protect life, liberty, and property.

Yes, I've heard the story that X was the result of A+B+C+D+E+F+G and B was done by the government, and so the government gets all the credit.

Bell invented the transistor, not the government. The rest is history.

I am not aware of any subsidies that Microsoft, Apple, etc., received from the government, let alone massive subsidies. Intel received zero subsidies for the 8088 microprocessor, which really launched the computer industry. Not for the 286, 386, x86_64, etc., either.

> is directly attributable to decades of intervention by the US government

Oh come on. I've been in this business for 50 years, with zero government intervention (other than I pay my taxes).

DEC (maker of the famous PDP-10 and PDP-11) did not get subsidies from the government, although it sold equipment to the government.

> I'm not seeing the connection between a relative lack of regulation in the software industry and the price of FOSS software being (close to) zero

Regulations are a massive cost to industry. There are no regulations on software development. I don't have to get a permit to write software, or sell it. I do not need a license. I do not need any government approvals. I do not need any certifications. Anybody with a keyboard can write software and make it available under any terms they want (usually free!).

Has the government paid for any of this FOSS software? I've never received a dime from the government for my 26 year efforts in making FOSS software.

> or your larger assertion regarding free markets and prosperity in general.

The most prosperous economies in history and the world come from free markets, not socialist ones.

At one point there was a storm. I was very impressed with the size of the waves and the ship would just muscle through it.

Some years ago I was on a cruise ship. The captain announced that they were changing course to avoid a storm. I was disappointed :-/

When people leave, the prices of things they were buying goes down due to the Law of Supply and Demand.

IBM is a mere shadow of it was in the 1980s, when everyone waited breathlessly for every new move by IBM. I haven't seen IBM in the news for many years.

I remember a comment in the tech news from 25 years ago - "nobody is afraid of Microsoft anymore".

I haven't seen a free market monopoly yet. If it's so inevitable, you'd expect plenty of them.

It's a sad day. I crossed the Atlantic in it long ago. Some great memories.