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User: the+Gray+Mouser

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  1. Re:except it wasn't people renting out their rooms on Hotel CEO Openly Celebrates Higher Prices After Anti-Airbnb Law Passes (washingtonpost.com) · · Score: 1

    Private courier services still exist and have existed since at least the Roman Empire. Try delivering a letter using some other company (or a private individual) and compare the price to buying a stamp. As for the other examples that didn't exist until created by government, in most cases they didn't exist precisely because the cost was too prohibitive.

  2. Re:Not Impressed on New AI Is Capable of Beating Humans At Doom (denofgeek.com) · · Score: 1

    I remember computer games that used WASD for movement in the 1980's.

  3. Re:Fools think this is horrible. on EFF: License Plate Scanner Deal Turns Texas Cops Into Debt Collectors (eff.org) · · Score: 1

    Where I live (southern state not far from Texas), most courts will let you work off your fines doing community service at a pretty decent hourly rate: I think it was about $15/hour when a friend of mine took this option. Net benefit to everyone as it keeps our roadways clean and well-maintained.

  4. Re:Done to _gouge_ the customer better on Regionally Encoded Toner Cartridges 'to Serve Customers Better' · · Score: 1

    We are the Borg, and we know that the DMCA applies to copyright (that would be the C).

    Tough to copyright a toner cartridge, but I'm sure they're working on that...

  5. Re:100 percent of 1 is 1 on Dropcam CEO's Beef With Brogramming and Free Dinners · · Score: 1

    Many start up restaurants do exactly this.

    No one wants to eat at an empty looking restaurant.

  6. "Sola Scriptura" does not exclude recognizing similes, metaphors, allegories, parables, taunts (one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted 'literary devices' as we don't really have an equivalent in English, or other literary devices. It means believing that Scripture is inspired by God, not that every word was dictated and must be literally true no matter what the context.

    When Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the branches", it doesn't mean that His followers are green and leafy.

  7. Having been 'blasted' by one on Gov't Report: Laser Pointers Produce Too Much Energy, Pose Risk For the Careless · · Score: 1

    I can say that toning them down may not be a bad idea.

    I was managing a Radio Shack at the time. I was helping customers near the counter, another associate was helping someone over with the 'gadgets', and the next thing I remember I'm picking myself up off the floor. Thankfully, I don't think my eyes suffered permanent damage, but my eyesight is so bad already I don't know if I could tell anyway :(

    I'm sure it was nothing malicious or intentional, just one of those freak things that happen, but I sure wouldn't wish it happening to someone else. So long as they can still do their job as pointers, which is to make a dot on a presentation board or wall in a relatively bright room, toning them down a bit doesn't bother me.

  8. Re:It's called the key on Driver Trapped In Speeding Car At 125 Mph · · Score: 1

    For those who don't know, this is otherwise known as "Georgia Overdrive" - (Kentucky Overdrive in older models).

    Truckers do this all the time.

  9. The Real Question on J.J. Abrams To Direct Star Wars VII · · Score: 1

    Will Ahsoka Tano be alive?

  10. Bush plan and proxies on The World Remains Five Minutes From Midnight · · Score: 1

    Here's a question I've never seen an answer to in regards to the 'Bush' plan for social security:

    Who would vote all the proxies for the stocks bought for the 'private sector' option?

    It can't be the actual people - unless you wanted to have a national election for each of the Wilshire 5000 every year - so somebody in the Federal government would have that power. And with the amount of money you're talking about with Social Security, that means the Federal government would soon have the power to appoint boards of directors and make fiscal decisions for many small cap and even mid cap companies.

    There's also the little matter of how to replace all the money that would be diverted into private investment - as currently pretty much all the money goes to pay current retirees/disabled persons. Your retirement will be paid for by people much younger than you - but that's actually a minor point to me compared to the above.

  11. Re:Simply put.. on How Do You Detect Cheating In Chess? Watch the Computer · · Score: 1

    Chess is a game of perfect knowledge - as such it has been mathematically proven to

    a) Have a solution - a line of 'best play' for both sides

    and

    b) That solution is 'solvable'.

    I fully expect the game of chess to be solved within my lifetime.

  12. Re:Simply put.. on How Do You Detect Cheating In Chess? Watch the Computer · · Score: 1

    Yeah, for all the press the Kasparov vs. Deep Blue game got, most didn't tell the whole story.

    In one game Kasparov made a 'finger fumble' - he moved the wrong piece in an opening - Deep Blue just followed his preprogrammed lines well into the middlegame at which point Garry didn't stand a chance.

    In another game, Kasparov resigned from a known drawn position.

  13. Re:Can't America get its acts together ? on Congressman Introduces Bill To Ban Minting of Trillion-Dollar Coin · · Score: 1

    To 'clarify' your post further:

    FICA funds the current beneficiaries Social Security benefits.
    Your Social Security benefits (for those not already retired or collecting disability) will be funded by future people's FICA payments.

    That is a fact. Not political spin or economic bullshit.

    If you tried to set up a 'payment program' like that in the public sector, it would be labelled a 'Ponzi scheme' and you'd go to jail, but with Social Security it does work because of mandatory enrollment. The baby boomers are throwing a wrench into the works currently, but if all else fails raising the retirement age (to the point where the money coming in equals the money going out) would work. I'm not saying that's the best solution - but it WOULD work.

    Personally, I'm disabled - for real, I've tried going back to work, my body/mind just can't handle it.If it wasn't for one really good year and a half I had working right off Wall Street my family would be well and truly fucked. What's really screwed up, is I'm in the position where if I made any more household income, I'd also be screwed.

    Last I checked an extra $100/month income for me would take away close to $1000/month of benefits (mostly, but not entirely, for my prescription medications and doctor's visits - so while you can debate what those actually should cost, that's what they would cost ME if I had to pay full price for them - which I would during the 'donut hole' which I'd hit pretty quickly). So I have a teenage daughter, that I can't allow to go out and have an 'over the table' part time job...

  14. Re:Penny Arcade Kickstarter Scam on Most Kickstarter Projects Fail To Deliver On Time · · Score: 1

    Depends entirely on the contracts Penny Arcade signed with the ad providers.

    This may be a case of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing...

  15. Why not stick to the plan and keep the profit? on Most Kickstarter Projects Fail To Deliver On Time · · Score: 1

    From the summary, it's the influx of extra money that throws a wrench into the works.

    Stick to the plan, deliver what was promised - and only what was promised, and pocket any change left over.

    You don't even need a step 3 to Profit!

  16. Re:Why? on Why The Hobbit's 48fps Is a Good Thing · · Score: 1

    The question is not "Are tubes better?", but "Which sound better to you - EL84's or SLS's?"

    Oh, and vinyl isn't distorted, it's compressed (so the needle won't jump out of the groove).

  17. Re:It's very possible on Steve Jobs Was Wrong About Touchscreen Laptops · · Score: 1

    If you think ALL it is is a thin sheen of snot, then you're the one in denial.

    Unnecessary validation: I'm a parent too :)

  18. Re:Over private property? on Activists' Drone Shot Out of the Sky For Fourth Time · · Score: 1

    What about if you're using a goosegun?

  19. Re:hunting? on Activists' Drone Shot Out of the Sky For Fourth Time · · Score: 1

    Actually it goes way back to William the Conqueror.

    It was a class thing, but not out of envy - the people who worked in the kitchens spoke French, so they used French words for everything they cooked (and presented out to the court as food). The common people - people who actually raised the animals, spoke English (as did most of the actual members of the court who were allowed to hunt), so they used English words for the names of the animals.

    The dichotomy was absorbed into English like we've absorbed parts of pretty much every language.

  20. Open Office can't even open an .rtf file properly on German City Says OpenOffice Shortcomings Are Forcing It Back To Microsoft · · Score: 1

    There may be a bunch of things it can do well, but there are some it can't do at all. And when something as basic as handling .rtf files doesn't work properly 'out of the box' the program is still 'not ready for prime time'.

    Yes, people still do use .rtf files: professional authors use them quite a bit actually.

    I can easily imagine how this German town ran into similar problems along the way - maybe file formats, maybe localization, maybe something else.

  21. Just give me my GD soda! on Lawsuit Challenges New York Sugary Drink Ban · · Score: 1

    Screw the politicians!

    I want my Dr Pepper dammit, and I want to buy it in a size that will last me the whole trip while I run errands.
    Laws like this serve no purpose other than to irritate the common citizen. People and going to drink what they
    like, and it's not the governments job to tell me what I can and can't eat.

    Thank the Goddess I live in a state where I can still get a medium rare cheeseburger. Just north of me is
    a state that lets children drink a beer at a bar as long as their parent buys it and hands it to him. Hopefully
    we'll get that one implemented soon.

    Yeah, I get that obesity is a problem that ends up costing everybody because of the health care costs
    involved. A much better solution would be to encourage people to exercise. The government loves to
    build things (like more prisons), so let them build health clubs that people can join free of charge. Or
    sponsor sports programs so adults can participate, rather than the current system where once you're
    in high school you're only allowed to play if you're good at it and there's pretty much nothing after that.
    Castro's an evil dude, but he got that right - we should copy Cuba's model of sports for everyone.

    Now I'm going to go out and buy myself a Route 44 sized cup of Dr Pepper, cause all this writing
    has tired me out and I need to get me some energy ;)

  22. Re:Consider this. on Jury In Apple v. Samsung Case May Have to Agree on 700 Points · · Score: 1

    Actually, at the time the "wage" was set, I'm sure $5 was a decent days pay.

    They just never adjusted the pay.

  23. Re:Consider this. on Jury In Apple v. Samsung Case May Have to Agree on 700 Points · · Score: 1

    I think getting paid minimum wage is probably the best thing they can do.

    I served jury duty in New Jersey years ago.

    The pay has never been raised in something like over a hundred years. You get $5 a day.

    They keep you in a room with a small booth in the back that serves lunch. The hamburger, drink, and chips costs more than $5.

  24. I play The Ville - EA has a good point on EA Sues Zynga For Copying Sims Game · · Score: 1

    It's not just that you control people building houses and placing objects. The views, even (and especially) the music are VERY reminiscent of playing The Sims. The way you interact with items and other people. Not exactly, but very, very close. You've even got the Needs to take shower, wash hands, etc...

    At best, it's a sim clone, the way Torchlight is a Fate/Diablo clone. At worst, it's infringement and Zynga is going to be zapped.

  25. Re:There is no problem on Australian Sex Party May Sue Google Over Ad Refusal · · Score: 1

    Same thing happened with Reagan and Schwarzenegger. I think Reagan was the first, or at least first major candidate where that became an issue.