What is a Red Dwarf?  Sounds like a communist fairy tale.?
553165
its a type of star\n\n\nAccording to the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, a red dwarf star is a small and relatively cool star, of the main sequence, either late K or M spectral type. They constitute the vast majority of stars and have a diameter and mass of less than one-third that of the Sun (down to 0.08 solar masses, which are brown dwarfs) and a surface temperature of less than 3,500 K. They emit little light, sometimes as little as 1/10,000th that of the sun. Due to the slow rate at which they burn hydrogen, red dwarfs have an enormous estimated lifespan; estimates range from tens of billions up to trillions of years. Red dwarfs never initiate helium fusion and so cannot become red giants; the stars slowly contract and heat up until all the hydrogen is consumed. In any event, there has not been sufficient time since the Big Bang for red dwarfs to evolve off the main sequence.\n\nThe fact that red dwarfs remain on the main sequence while older stars have moved off the main sequence allows one to date star clusters by finding the mass at which the stars turn off the main sequence. In addition, the fact that no red dwarfs have evolved off the main sequence has been observed as evidence that the universe has a finite age.\n\nOne mystery which has not been solved as of 2004 is the lack of red dwarf stars with no metals (in astronomy a metal is any element other than hydrogen and helium). The Big Bang model predicts the first generation of stars should have only hydrogen, helium, and lithium. If such stars included red dwarfs, they should still be observable today, but are not. The conventional explanation is that without heavy elements, low mass stars cannot form. Since a low mass star fuses hydrogen in the presence of metals, then an early protostar of such a low mass devoid of metals would not 'go nuclear', it would simply sit around as a clump of gas until more material came along. This supports the theory that the first stars were extremely high mass population III stars which died quickly and produced the metals necessary for low mass stars to form later.\n\nRed dwarf stars are believed to be the most common star type in the universe. Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the Sun, is a red dwarf (Type M5, magnitude 11.0), as are twenty of the next thirty nearest. However, due to their low luminosity, few are known.\n\nExoplanets have been discovered orbiting red dwarfs in 2005, one as small as the size of Neptune, or seventeen earth masses. It orbits just 6 million kilometers from its star, and so is estimated to have a surface temperature of 150 °C, despite how dim the star is.[1]. In 2006 a planet similar to Earth was found orbiting a red dwarf; it lies 390 million km from the star and its surface temperature is -220 °C.
230494
Thanks for the link. Although I have so much to read already, I may have to get that book. I also don't need anyone to tell me that Communism is run by thugs, all power structures have the same problem, e.g. the GOP in this country albeit in a different way.
815406
Hi DJW\n\nI think you mean Cyderdelic\n\nFrom the BBC3 Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/tv/cyderdelic.shtml\n\nEco-warriors Cyderdelic are a radical trio with an anarchic agenda. A BBC crew followed Beetle Smith, Su Long and Frogger on the road in their 'Ambience' - a converted ambulance - in their quest to spread their revolutionary message to anyone who'll listen.\n\nOur intrepid trio are inept but well-meaning DJs who take their music and protests wherever they can. Hailing from the West Country they attend live events - both here and abroad, picket with animal rights activists and generally take their views to the people. Their manifesto includes helping Hamburgler in his attempt to defeat Ronald McDonald’s plan to take over the world with their slogans 'overthrow capitalism and replace it with something nicer', ‘cut the traffic, not the trees' and 'make people realise that most women and foreigners can be as good as men'.\n\nFrom recording a charity record with Dave Stewart and a band of refugees to leading the Berlin Love Parade on their extravagant float and performing at the Glastonbury music festival, Cyderdelic’s dedication and passion shows they will stop at nothing to get themselves heard. Things however, do not always go to plan.\n\nNarrated by John Peel, this colourful and highly entertaining documentary takes us through the highs and lows of being well-meaning, raving (if a little naïve) anarchists in Britain today.\n\n\nHope that helped! ;)
178773
That sounds like a recipe for class warfare (which is basically marxism in disguise). Besides their leaders (and many of them) are helpless pessimistic little whiners.
63943
Someone evil.  That stuff is NASTY. I grew up in the 70's and had to drink that swill all the time.  But, ya, was invented for the space program.  Had to punish the astronauts while they were in space, isupose, so they would remember what it was like to be mere mortals.  Astronauts were treated, well, different after they came back.  Like shiny golden gods of the cosmose.  I'm thinking the frereze dired ice cream and meat in a tube were just ways of reminding themthey were still mortals. Ok, just kidding.
154640
Communism is extreme socialism. Marx's idea was to conquer the world for the deserving people (the workers).  This was a truly terrifying prospect for anyone with any brains and gave rise to the fascist alternative socialist system, which was national rather than international.  This system worked miraculously well in Italy and Germany, while the pure Marxist system seems to have been a bust everywhere.\nIn China the Communist Party has realised this and specifically and unequivocally announced that it will pursue a policy of "Socialism with Chinese Characteristics".   In a big country like China, where not everyone is Han Chinese, this can only be expressed as National Socialism.   Does anyone have the cheek to argue with me?
399309
But it DOES have a moral! The moral is that Communism does not work. Communism seems like a great idea at first, but eventually natural heirarchies evolve and the government becomes autocratic.\n\nIn Animal Farm the pigs incite a revolution against the tyrannical Farmer Jones, but by the end of the book they themselves have become the tyrants - indistinguishable from humans.\n\nMost of the characters in the book represent real individuals or organisations from the Communist Revolution in Russia. \n\nFarmer Jones is Tsar Nicholas, Old Major is Marx, Snowball is Trotsky, Napoleon is Lenin or Stalin, Squealer presents the propanda machine, the horses are the people (Boxer representing the working class Proletariats and Molly representing the aristocratic Bourgoise), the raven represents the church, the dogs represent the Red Army, and so on.
560937
What is Communism? \nCategory: News and Politics \nWithout a doubt, you’ve probably heard about communism. And, also without a doubt, you’ve probably heard all sorts of horror stories about it — from your teachers, from the media, from politicians, even from your church pastor or preacher. \n        They tried to scare you. They want to keep you from finding out for yourself. If you asked one authority figure for a second opinion, they usually told you to ask another authority figure. And if that didn’t satisfy you, then they told you to read the history books they wrote for you.\n        Do you see a pattern here? The one person they will never tell you to talk to, however, is a communist. Why? Because a communist might go “off script” and tell you something they don’t want you to hear.\n        So, what is communism? Well, there is communism, the theory, and communism, the society. Let’s first deal with communism, the society.\n        To begin with, communism is a society without bosses or servants, without superiors or subordinates, without masters or slaves — in short, communism is a society without classes and the stress, conflict and antagonisms that go with the existence of classes. Contrary to the history they teach you, classes are a relatively new thing in the human experience, having been around for only about 25,000 of the last 50 million years of human existence.\n        “But,” someone might say, “there are a lot more people alive today than there were back then.” That’s true. What’s also true is that we are smarter, more conscious of our world and more technologically advanced than our ancestors. We really don’t need someone standing over us, telling us what to do and when to do it. If necessary, we can work that out together, in common.\n        Because it is a society without classes, communism is also a society where all aspects of society are developed and administered in common. That means not only the political system, but the economy, culture and social relations too. Can you imagine, having an equal voice, along with your co-workers, in deciding how conditions at your job would be determined? Or, having a say, along with your neighbors, in shaping how the city’s budget will be spent?\n        Democracy is a key element in the development of communism — but not the stale, formal “democracy” we are taught about in school; we are talking about democracy as a practice, a real-world tool that works for those who work.\n        As well, communism is a society without a state. Now, when we talk about a “state,” we are not talking about councils and assemblies that debate issues and adopt policy. When we say “state,” we mean the armed organizations that enforce “order” (the rulers’ “order,” that is), like the police and military.\n        “No police?!” Yes, no police. What are the police really for? Well, when you live in a society where goods and services are restricted to a few, you end up with the many in need. When you have so many in need, you need to maintain order. However, if you live in a society where the needs of everyone in society are met, what need is there for police? If everyone’s basic needs — good food, decent housing, worthwhile education, etc. — are met, what basis is there for most of the crime in society?\n        Sure, there may be times here and there that may require some kind of investigation or enforcement unit, but those times would be relatively few and far between, and could easily be handled as they come up.\n        It is also the case that communism is a society without money. “Without money?!” Yes, without money. Why does money exist? Basically, it was invented so that one group of owners wouldn’t get screwed by another set of owners. But, if you have a society where the factories and workplaces are owned in common, and we can sit down and plan out three months, six months or even a year in advance what w
176814
If you believe that "communism is as communism does," and you use those shoddy tyrannies as the only possible socialist models, than the answer is no. On the other hand, if you consider the basic proposals of communism (actually socialism), then it gets more interesting. \n\nFirst let's get rid of the sillyness that equates socialism with tyranny. That's a little like saying that because Pinochet was dictatorial and pro-capitalist, then capitalism is dictatorial. And even though it's true that the democratic socialist movements were invariably short-lived, it's also true that their lives were most often cut short by their opponents - e.g., from Allende to Pinochet,  from Arbenz to a succesion of military dictators, etc. In short, there is nothing in socialist theory that prohibits democracy - in fact, many of its proponents have made the case that democracy is necessary in order to have the deliberation necessary to create a productive society. And capitalism, the real opposition to socialism, has done very well under a plethora of dictatorial forms, thank you very much.  \n\nThat being said, I do agree with the writer who implies that perhaps our species is not ready to deliberate on its own economic future. As a whole, we may not be intellectually or ethically equipped to get much past our present dismal state of quasi-anarchy. There's the "rub." Just as the population of the Soviet Union was told, "don't worry about the economy ... the party will look after it," capitalist regimes say, "don't worry about the economy, the 'invisible hand' and the captains of industry will look after it."
286654
They should be more properly refered to as a "stellar remnant."  When a low mass star runs out of material that it can fuse in the core it puffs off all of it's outer layers and waht is left over is the hot, dense (generally carbon) core of the star.\n\nThe white dwarf is bright due to being very hot, but it will cool over a very long time.  Often times one will see a definition that a true "star" is an object that can suport fusion in it's core.  A white dwarf has no more core fusion, and is mearly a very, very hot ball of ultra-dense carbon (plus some other elements mixed in for fun).
360265
There really has never been a real communist state in the world. Only totalitarian governments that called themselves communist. I don't think it works.\n\nOn the other hand. A government made up of several types of ideals I beleive is the way. Like the US or Canada. A democracy with a capitalistic base, seasoned with socialism works very well. As long as it doesn't get too one way or the other, business booms, and the poor get help.
315709
Marx wasnt a conservative, communism is extreme liberalism\n\n\nand yes it is
800427
Welcome to the world of political philosophy vs political propoganda.  Okay a couple of things socialism means that the government has more control over business.  MAking sure there is money for healthcare, welfare, education, etc.  There are many socailistic countries in Europe that are democratic and doing fine.  Communism is further left.  Communism is an economic model and not a political one.  You could have a democratic communism.  What has happenned is a lot of solcialistic dictatorships.  There is yet to be a true communist country.  Unfortunately human greed always ruins communism as it will do with capitalism (according to marx) and there is examples of it starting to happen now (outsourcing jobs for penny wages).  Captilism will expand until it cannot expand any further and then collapse upon itself (basically once the rich have starved the poor whats left?).  It is a very confusing issue.   Anarchy is a political model and I would say is the opposite of socialism...which is no governemnt at all.  However I have been an anarchist for awhile, not because of punk, but because I have no faith in the politcal process today.  Too much business influence and lobbyists to really help most individuals.  But the pistols do rock.
982132
that is a cool tune! i'm sure it was probably just made by Howard Goodall or someone else on the Dwarf team
965582
I think there's a reason most fairy tales are set in "old times" -it boils it down to essentials. People and places, no robotic arms or bionic wolfs to clutter up the meaning or moral of the story. Anyway "modern technology" has really only existed for about 100 years...about 0.1% of human history. \n\nIf modern technology and modes and means were to be included the scope of the story would have to be broadened...what's the point of a character going to an automated-replenishing dispenser when they can go to a "shop" in a simple story? Form follows function...if the story is set in the future and can include some technology for a good reason then it might be there to accomplish some end in the story. Read Podkayne of Mars by Robert Heinlein, it's almost a kids' story but it's set in space and does have some "modern" elements.\n\nThere might be stories in the future like "little Timmy the robot went to the great central computer..." if that's the norm for people. \n\nI would oppose modernization for the sake of modernization. There's a word that fits here: pointless. Now I need to find something better to do too, haha.
603553
If the Soviet Union were the only remaining superpower, the world would be a living hell.\n\nThe problem with the Communist system is that it perverts man's true nature.  The Communists said they had a noble ideal, that they were creating a selfless man, so that everything would be shared, everyone could live as equals, and poverty would be eliminated.\n\nHowever, Communism only creates poverty for everyone. People generally despised their jobs because they knew that putting forth more effort would give them and their families nothing in return.\n\nTwo common refrains were:\n\n1)  They pretend to pay me, and I pretend to work.\n2)  If you don't steal from the State, you are stealing from your family.\n\nCommunism was just another word for slavery.  You had the top Communist bosses who enjoyed luxuries forbidden to the masses.  The State told you where you could live, and what kind of job you could perform.  You had no voice.\n\nIf the old, Communist Soviet Union were in charge of the world, everyone would blame their problems on them, but not openly, or they'd have tanks running through their streets like 1968 Czechoslovakia.\n\nIf the old, Communist Soviet Union were in charge the world would be more backward, unstable, and poorer.\n\nIf you want to see the true evil face of Communism, rent this movie in the Foreign Films section of your local rental store:  "Dark Blue World" (Tvamomodry Svet).  You will see the absolutely vile nature of Communism.  The movie recounts how Czech pilots fled to England to join the fight against the Nazis.  After the war, the Communists occupiers sent these heroes to prison because they feared  these men had been to exposed to Western ideas about democracy and freedom.
966781
This is an answer I gave recently to someone asking about Little Red Riding Hood being adult themed:\n\n"Faeries are creatures who are neither malevolent or benevolent, but simply do things as their whim takes them. This is why tales such as those spun by the Brothers Grimm were given the name "Faerie Tales", because they have the properties of faeries in them.\n\nChildren were told faerie tales (not the glossed up Disney ones) to teach them what becomes of having a whimsical nature and not following certain rules of behaviour. Life conditions were harsh back then and the mortality rate was high, especially for children. Much depended on children contributing to their families in the way of chores and earning a livelihood, as well.\n\nThe unedited versions of faerie tales which were told back when they were first introduced might seem "adult" by today's standards, or seem to have "adult" themes, but they were simply par for the course back then, nothing adult about them. Just a way of teaching life lessons which needed to be learned."\n\nDisney is good at corrupting the nature and intention of faerie tales, trying to give them a "happily ever after" theme that was never intended. The ones by the Bothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen were familiar tales told and so were most often redone by Disney. In the original Italian tale of Pinocchio (Le Avventure di Pinocchio) it has Pinocchio killing the cricket given him to act as his conscience, smashing it thoroughly underfoot. As he had neither a soul or a conscience, Pinocchio was by definition a monster and acted accordingly. In the original unrevised version he was killed for his crimes against others.\n\nLong before faerie tales were called faerie tales, from what I've been able to gather throughout the years researching, the tales came about to speak of the "Book of Pacts". The Book of Pacts is an object referred to in many very ancient cultures throughout the world, and although these cultures were separated by distance they tell similar tales of its origin. Pieced together and shortened, here is how it basically goes:\n\nOnce there existed several groups of different beings who were ever at odds with each other for various reasons, and so they battled constantly. Much time passed without any group becoming victor over another. All of them slowly came to realize that, as things existed, no one group could ever gain enough power to claim superiority over the others, and left as they were the fighting would continue endlessly. And so they all eventually came to an agreement for a solution: All of existence must be changed to allow for the possibility that not only one group could gain the power to reign over the others, but also that one individual in a group might gain this power. The details of how reality would change and how each group would be changed in it (their forms, abilities and limitations) were worked out and placed in a Book of Pacts (agreements). The Book was then hidden in a place agreed by all, and reality shifted.\n\nThe different groups became such as faeries, dragons, leprechauns, jinn, daemons, vampyres, were-beings, etc., and even some humans. The Book changed as well, as did the place it was hidden. One of the ways it is said that the necessary power might be obtained is for a being to take possession of the Book in whatever form it is now in. \n\nIt is my opinion that faerie tales started taking on their "nicey-nice" flavour in the telling at the beginning of the 20th century. As life came to be less harsh and jobs gave sway to industry, the old lessons to be had from tales of faerie seemed less important. Children were having more of a childhood, it being extended longer and more full of playtime. Parents wished their children to enjoy this new lease on childhood time and wanted objects in their lives that helped make this possible. So the faerie tale began a reinvention to