Hey, if the cops had a fucking shred of intelligence and respect for the law & the constitution, then you're right. Keep the port open, and let the dumb as a fucking rock criminal get himself caught again.
Unfortunately, we live in the real world where we are guilty before proven innocent & where "won't someone think of the children" leads to some poor bastard's door smashed in by SWAT at 3am.
I hate the fucking world we live in...but I'll protect myself to the best of my ability from becomming a victim of it.
Well, considering how Apple browbeat the carriers into NOT installing their own personal custom shitware on every iPhone, the precident was set. Google COULD have swung essentially the same hammer.
Of course, in the Android world, I think I hate Motorola (I think?) more for their locked down all-but-impossible to root devices more than carrier shitware. And yes, I know they can still be rooted...but they made it a royal clusterfuck to do.
I realize that the whole concept goes against the whole "open" concept that appeals to us geeks about Andriod, but still....shitware is still shitware. If Google browbeat the carriers (and locked down Android so they couldn't) to prevent the shitware, then they'd be the same walled garden in most ways that Apple is.
Honestly, in my personal opinion...Android isn't winning because it is better than iOS. It isn't winning because of the "open-ness" either. It is winning because their phones are cheap as fuck and do a reasonable job of emulating the iPhone experience. $200 less than an iPhone = a fuck of alot of leftover money for beer.
Yes, I know there are areas where Andriod is superior to the iPhone...but the iPhone is still the measuring stick Android is held to, and carrier shitware is an area where Andriod falls horribly short.
Honestly, if you don't root your phone and load custom ROM, I think you're missing out on quite a bit
So, essentially, at it's root - the Andriod you get when you buy your Android phone is likely shitty, and beat to shit with crapware from multiple parties. So, instead of going to the store and getting a smartphone that works great out of the box, I have to go out, find a custom ROM, root my device, and load said custom ROM on my device?
And this is a fucking SELLING POINT??
Look, while I declared iOS long ago, I love Android too & hope it continues its success. And for me, rooting a device & doing all that isn't an issue whatsoever. But seriously, we expect the average schlub to be able to do this shit? Or even realize the option is out there? And if they don't, they're getting a sub-par experience?
Sorry, but this does not make me love Andriod. THis is just more useless shit that my users will demand I support for them. Thanks....fuckers.
So you bought a phone released in 2008 during 2010, knowing full well that a refresh happened in 2009 and was coming soon in 2010? And as a result of that decision, you're pissed off because your (old) new shiny didn't keep up with all the latest releases?
Wow, 2 year old technology slower and less responsive running up-to-date OS...who'd have thought. You should inform your local media, I'm sure they'd love to run a story.
It isn't "socially responsible" to open your WiFi connection. Fuck, if you want to get right down to it, it is socially irresponsible to leave an effectively traceless porthole into the intrawebs for any asshole to do with what he pleases.
If you want to choose to open that port for the "world" to use without your knowledge or control, then you also choose to accept some consequence of that action...which can include a suprise no-knock raid at 3am where your dog gets shot. Just like the EFF can choose whether it wants to spend resources saving your ass from penal anal rape when some fucking pedobear uses your internet connection to watch some 2 year old getting raped.
I in the meantime will continue to protect my access point to the best of my ability from the rest of the world.
Thanks for the story. I always assumed that these people were morons. Now you've provided confirmation:)
Really though...this is where the MSM has come...down to the lowest fucking common denominator. Most people are too stupid to know the difference, so we'll just make shit up as we go.
I really don't know what is worse though in some ways - the irresponsible reporter who doesn't check his facts & publishes shit as news, or the festering turd plucking cheetos from under his giant fucking ass sitting in a recliner taking everything he sees on TV as the ultimate in truth.
They're both responsible for how fucked up the country is.
Part of the problem is the downright fucking shoddy reporting in the mainstream media, especially in tech matters...FTA...
The agent identified the IP address, or unique identification number, of the router, then got the service provider to identify the subscriber.
They're teaching the average moron that IP Address = Identity. And as we all know, these morons are the "jury of our peers" when some fucking perv uses (y)our internet connections and we get busted for it.
Um...last time I checked there are around 73,357,145,315* companies in the world which will provide support for Micorosoft products. Fuck they have a legion* of people who have those wonderful pieces of paper from Microsoft that say they know how to do shit on Microsoft products.
*This is all obvious exaggeration. And while I of course understand the obvious difference between support and development, and how one could support and/or develop for Linux but only support Microsoft since their product is closed. But really, to say "only one organization provides windows support" is typical Anti-Microsoft FUD bullshit spewed by linux fanbois jerking off in their parent's basements to the latest version of the Linux kernel.
And don't get me wrong, Linux is fucking awesome. But we all need to stop pretending that we're suddenly going to destroy microsoft with our current 1% desktop market share. Windows...Linux...OSX...Unix...they ALL have their use, and all have their place, and anyone who tries to cry differently is fucking retarded.
I play regularly with real money on one of the sites. I have seen the improbable happen. There have even been a couple of scandals which all but killed a couple of cardrooms (and said scandals were not comitted by the "house"). There are ways to collude via software...there are ways to collude via telephone. But all the reputable cardrooms all work their asses off to prevent this, because they make a shitton of money off the rake, and they don't want their users jumping ship to another cardroom.
These rooms ARE regulated...just not by the almighty US Government.
Or to better phrase...the US Government isn't getting a cut, so they're shutting them down.
And seriously, how in the FUCK does the US Government have the right to sieze domain names OUTSIDE of the fucking USA? Pigfuckers have now tied up $500 of MY money that is in a site, and its NOT fucking illegal for me to play (I'm in Canada). Seriously, USA...go fuck yourself.
I would rather have the freedom to choose whether or not I would risk my money in an unregulated gambling house than to be forced by the government to not gamble.
In either case, the result is the same...I wouldn't gamble. But I sill believe in the right to choose.
True...we agree there. I am 100% against poeple forcing their beliefs on another person.
I'm more than willing to discuss it (as we have been here), but I'd never try to make you believe what I believe. The Religious are WRONG to do that to people, period. And you are right...organized religion (or what I keep referring to as "The Church") have done it since the dawn of man, and they're bastards for doing so.
Fuckit, I grow tired of this discussion...we seem to agree on everything but the existance of God. I'm ok with that. Lets fucking get a beer:P
I'm actually starting to see the biggest issue in this discussion....we keep interchanging words around. I'm doing it too, so I'm failing there just as bad.
"Religion" is a cultural concept more than a spiritual one. It tends to go into organizations, which spout there particual breed of
"Dogma", which is effectively the forced "you must believe/do exactly THIS or bad shit will happen", which is what the Church tells its members to effectively control their membership. All the "There is only one path, and its the Catholic path" type bullshit (to pick on catholics for a moment) is there for no other purpose than to contol and intimidate their membership through FUD.
"Faith" though is simple. I believe in the biblical Christian God, but I also realize that the Bible itself is at minimum probably 50% dogma, created/translated/misread by the Church to use in their Church and control the masses through FUD. I also read other ancient religious documents which often directly contridict the bible. Sometimes those documents are crap, and sometimes I find what I believe to be truth in them. My faith, my religion, is a personal journey, one that I do not allow the Church to corrupt. I make up my own mind based on my own experiences and insight, using the fact that Science provides to also further my understanding of the universe.
I think (and I could be wrong) that we're not that different here, other than the fact that one of us believes in a god, and the other doesn't. We seem to hold similar opinions of organized religion, and religion's negative impact on government and law. We both believe, through observance, of the natural laws of our reality, and how science shows us how the universe functions.
So I believe in God and you don't. Big fucking deal. Its Friday afternoon, lets go hit the bar & have a fucking beer:)
I don't have to prove God exists either. I just accept it. I feel it in my interaction in the world. I can't prove it, and honestly...if I'm wrong and have deluded myself into belief in a lie for my life, there's no consequence to my belief other than I've followed a lie. I am doing no harm to my fellow man.
And I'm not even trying to be one of those assholes who give the anti-athiest argument of "Well, if I'm wrong, nothing happens. If you're wrong, you go to hell" bullshit. When I say there is no consequence to my belief, I mean it. I follow my path, try to be the best person I can be & help in the world, and I don't try to force anyone to believe the same as I do. My impact, and my personal faith's inpact on the world, is pretty much zero.
Yes, it is entirely faith, pure and simple, because the existence or non-existence of God cannot be emperically proven. TO you it is the same as believing in Santa...to me it is a part of who I am.
I guess the difference...even though in both cases it is blind faith...I'm willing to revise my opinions based on evidence, and to date I have found no evidence that God does not exist. If Science were to somehow prove that God does not exist, I would be forced to revisit my entire belief structure. (And before you ask...of course there would be people/churches that would scream bloody murder, and start a downright religious war thinking Science made it all up if that happened. That would be wrong, and I would never be a part of it)
I see that the only way you would accept God is if Science lit him up and went "SEE!! THERE HE IS!!!" for all of humanity to witness, and I respect your decision. But I stand by the statement that, at least in our little discussion here, I'm the one being respectful of your beliefs, and you are not. And I stand by the concept that as a general rule, athiests seem to have a serious problem accepting that religious people have their beliefs, and feel the need to mock and belittle those with faith for their faith.
Right up until science started disproving much of the religious foundations. Then they parted company and religion had to be against 'science' because it offers up a method by which things can be proven. And religion fails that method categorically.
I'm not aware of science disproving the bible. Laugh all you want...it has disproven the people that believe that the earth is 6000 years old, but that's not against anything written in the bible. It has disproven the concept that the Earth is the absolute ceneter of the universe, which is not against anything written in the bible. It has shown evolution to likely* be true, which is not against anything said in the bible.
*"Likely" was used in the sense of: It is not yet a Law - we may find emperical evidence to further our understanding of evolution, which may change some general ideas and/or details. I am not arguing in any way that evolution is wrong, or just a hypothesis.
Not every religion or religious person thinks that science and religion are adversaries. They can, and do, co-exist perfectly, so long as the listener is open to hearing.
You didn't ask why it's different. You made a statement to be insulting.
Obviously, you find God to be a lie. I don't. Unfortunately for this discussion, that IS an argument of faith and not science. I can not *prove* God exists any more than you can *prove* that God does not exist. So, we're at an impasse, one where I respect that you have come to a different conclusion than I have, and yet you seem to not respect in me.
"My kind" - with all due respect sir, you're bordering on nothing but blind hate and discrimination because I happen to believe in a God similarly to the Christian and Catholic Church. *I* have never called an athiest a heathen, or pagan, or forced another person to conform to my beliefs. I do not have to be responsible for how others have perverted the Bible to their own interests, and would (and currently am in this discussion) publicly standing AGAINST such actions by the so-called Christian Church. As far as I'm concerned, we don't even remotely believe in the same thing, even if we allegedly worship the same entity. Hence the serious distinction *I* make between Church and Religion. Religion itself is "pure" - only when you organize it into masses of people ready to crucify others for their non-belief or different-belief does it become that which you seem to hate.
Obviously someone/some church has seriously fucked with you over the years, to leave you with so much blind hate towards them. We're not all the same.
Also, please explain how not wanting to be associated with the Church is any different than being in the Church and only choosing what you wish to 'believe' from the scriptures.
Let me put it this way...I have found science to prove in emperical ways things which made me re-think and reflect on my interpetation of scripture. Remember...unlike the Church, I see the Bible as being potentially fallable, where corrupted by the hand of man (most normally to increase the power of the Church). Because I accept the Bible as being potentially fallable, my overall belief is that I will follow the Bible to my understanding, using science as a corrective tool when scientific proof contradicts my understanding.
You'll note I never said this. I said 'biblical scholars' said this based on study of the bible. If you're going to argue semantics, I suggest you follow them yourself.
If "biblical scholar" = Biblical Literalist, then yes, I agree. They believe that God created everything in 6 24-hour days. Ancient Hebrew begs to differ - overall, its a shitty translation at fault for these morons thinking Let There Be Light = God turning on a lightswitch. They are a small proportion of Christianity.
Except we're talking here, about allowing teachers to teach that science is flawed and 'faith' is the true path. That should scare the crap out of anyone who thinks.
I would like to point out that I haven't made a comment regarding the article, only regarding your comments that seem to think that any religious person believes the earth is 6000 years old. I wrote to refute that. If you want my thoughts on the overall topic...I agree it fucking retarded that TN has passed a law allowing a teacher to pretend evolution isn't real because they are a biblical literalist. I believe in evolution - you will not find me arguing against it, or its inclusion in school cirruclium. I'm a man of faith, but outside a religious school religion has NO place but in a theology class.
The problem is that religious/spiritual beliefs are still firmly rooted in our government and laws. Until they are gone, your spiritual beliefs do impinge on my life. I fully respect your right to be spiritual and to believe on faith alone that God exists.
I also agree...so-called "morality laws" should be stricken from the books. If you are not doing harm to another person, the Government has no fucking place to tell you what is morally right or wrong.
But it's no different than a 5 yr old believing in Santa Claus.
And this is what makes you a sanctimonious asshole, and why the religious have such a problem with you fuckers. YOu feel the need to insult and be a jackass because you do not share the same beliefs and faith as the religious.
That doesn't make you some wonderful and caring person, spreading the truth to all the believers. I respect the fact you have no religious beliefs, and I won't call you out and tell you that you had better repent or Jeebus will crush you or any of that shit. Faith, or lack thereof, is your choice (as it is my choice) and I won't ridicule you for it, nor will I try to convert you to my beliefs. But yet you have to ridicule me for my beliefs.
You're crossing "The Church" with "Religion" (and I'm sorry, but I believe it is a VERY important distinction).
"The Church" is after one thing, and one thing only. Power over their followers. The Church uses the Bible (or whatever document if not christian) as the stick to force their followers to tow the line (or GO TO HELL!). As a religious person, I honestly believe....fuck the Church. Galileo didn't say ANYTHING contridicting biblical religion when he said the Earth orbits the sun...but he spoke against the Church, and the CHurch beat his ass for it.
Religion is entirely different...and even Christian religion. The Bible doesn't have to be infallable for me to find Truth in it. In this particular argument, the bible NOT ONCE EVER says that the Earth was formed out of nothing 6000 years ago. "Day" when you look at the ceation story doesn't even fucking mean Day - the closest possible translation is "period of time" - and in my opinion is an exceptionally primitive description of the Big Bang & Evolution.
I don't ignore shit I find objectionable and carry on. I use science to further my understanding of God. Where science and the bible clash...quite frankly, I figure it is because some asshole a thousand years ago, when translating, picked a version that suited his own purposes, or that of his church. Scientific Truth shows where these assholes failed, and brings me closer to the actual spiritual Truth.
I get that this shit is hard to comprehend for the athiests out there...no worries. Feel free to have your beliefs, and criticize me for mine. Your choice to make, as being spiritual is my choice to make.
The only place you're right...my spirituality is un-provable. I accept it on faith, and faith alone. I don't expect you to accept it on faith, and I won't condem you or bitch you out for not being able to accept God on faith alone.
My head comes close to exploding every time I hear someone say we evolved from chimps or monkeys. We didn't. We are closely related but we are not descended from them. None of our closest ancestors are alive today, and haven't been for many hundreds of thousands of years.
It's questions like "if we evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys around?" that make it so hard for me to have an intelligent debate with creationists. I mean seriously, TRY to understand other viewpoints and theories besides your own.
I hate that argument too - but my greatest curiousity really when it comes to Evolution...WHY did ALL the more-common ancestors die out? I mean...I always looked at the "Why are there still monkeys around?" argument as stupid and in many ways PROOF of evolution. I mean, Evolution isn't a statement of Poof! Today there are (human ancestor species) and tomorrow there are just humans. Natural Selection suggests that mutations occour over time & those that are beneficial to the species get carried forward. But not every monkey would suddenly mutate....some wouldn't mutate at all & would carry on as fucking monkeys, while another group moved up the evolutionary ladder.
See though...turning that around...where the fuck are these "closest ancestors" and why did they go extinct? You would almost assume that there would be SOME around...perhaps a very small population, but that there would still be an population of effectively "caveman" out there we would have discovered on some island in the middle of assfuck, nowhere. And I don't mean some half-monkey half-man either, because that's just a fucking stupid anti-evolution argument too...but why aren't there those that can be almost directly tied to Homo Erectus instead of Homo Sapien? That's the piece I don't understand...but I'm not a scientist either, just a lowly computer tech.
I believe that the Bible WAS the "Inspired Word of God"
I believe that since its authorship, the multitudes of oral passdown, translation, and outright manipulation by some parties have left it a shell of what it was and what it could be. It has been effectively spoiled by the corruption of man, seeking power for himself over God.
I do not believe it is infallable, because people are fallable, and people have been responsible for its maintenance. But I believe it still contains spiritual truths...one just has to be willing to look for it.
I do believe in a literal Adam & Eve & The Garden, but not in the sense of "God took a rib...", but that these two people were effectively God's chosen & the origin of the Jewish people.
I believe in the Big Bang Theory, and in Evolution, because science has shown these things to be "true" - while we cannot go back in time & observe it directly, they are the best explanations for the origin of the universe.
I believe the creation story in the Bible is a primitive mind attempting to comprehend & explain being shown the Big Bang and evolution bringing about the world we live in.
I do believe that there is truth in religion still out there...and the strongest truth comes from a people that are willing and open and able to reconcile that religion and science are not mutually exclusive...that scientific truth can help you find religious truth; that understanding the laws of the universe is another path to understanding God.
You do realize that *most* religious people easily accept that the earth is more than ~6000 years old.
Honestly, I have faith in a God and I have accepted science as truth as well. To those of us who are not hiding under a rock, we do not find a conflict between religion and science.
I believe that understanding science & the laws of the universe is akin to understanding God. It doesn't have to be one or the other...it doesn't have to be evolution or the literal translation of Genesis. "Let there be light" isn't God flipping a fucking lightswitch...but it sure as hell makes me think of the Big Bang.
I'm sorry, but you're mistaken. Taking off is the hardest part.
Landing is (relatively) easy, with exception to extreme cross-wind scenarios. While it would not be easy, I would guess that probably around 75% of us here could be talked down by an experienced pilot (requires some smarts and situational awareness).
Taking off, however, is chalk full of a plethora of variables, from wind direction and speed, any gusting, thrust, runway length, weight of the aircraft, balance of any cargo/passengers...the list goes on and on. It is by far the most dangerous part of the flight.
-Direct from my uncle, who IS a pilot for a major airline
There's only one case I know of (console to console compare) where Microsoft is still more evil than Sony.
Specifically, it came in with Netflix (at least in Canada)
On the PS3, Netflix is "free" from Sony's standpoint. I have the console, downloaded Netflix, got my Netflix membership, and away I go.
On the X360...I have the console, went to download Netflix, found I couldn't because I'm not a Gold member. SERIOUSLY? I spend money on your console and want to download a free to you app and I can't because you have that gold-only restricted. FUCK YOU! I'm not spending $60 a year to download a free app.
THe odds on an actual "nuclear blast" as you suggest are about 1 in a billion.
Nuclear Explosions don't just happen...they require VERY precise conditions, with geometrically shaped charges and layout, to bring about an actual blast. Yes, bad shit can happen, without a doubt...but a spontaneous nuclear blast is probably somewhere in the magnitude of a 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 event.
There's fanboi-ism, there's anti-fanboi-ism, and then there's blatent bullshit. Guess what category your post falls under?
Tablet-specific apps are barely there for Android...today. Give it a few months, and there will be thousands there too. Apple has the numbers advantage today...and I would also argue they have a "usefulness" advantage today as well. Sure, there are a thousand different soundboard/fart apps and other such bullshit on the iOS app store...but there is a shitton of quality apps there too. TOmorrow...Apple may or may not retain the numbers advantage, but Android will catch up. BOTH are damn fine OS's, with iOS showing a bit more polish over Android 3.0 right now...but Android will close the gap without a doubt.
Being so blinded by hate either way is just fucking stupid, and quite frankly makes you look like a fucking shithead. Anybody who refuses to accept that Apple is the reigning tablet king (and tablet app king) is fucking deluding themselves. Anyone who thinks Android won't catch up is just as fucking delusional.
In the end...when we don't act like fucking children...we all win. Because BOTH companies will be forced to improve their devices and underlying OS's to stay competitive with each other. That is GOOD for all us consumers, period.
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Hey, if the cops had a fucking shred of intelligence and respect for the law & the constitution, then you're right. Keep the port open, and let the dumb as a fucking rock criminal get himself caught again.
Unfortunately, we live in the real world where we are guilty before proven innocent & where "won't someone think of the children" leads to some poor bastard's door smashed in by SWAT at 3am.
I hate the fucking world we live in...but I'll protect myself to the best of my ability from becomming a victim of it.
Well, considering how Apple browbeat the carriers into NOT installing their own personal custom shitware on every iPhone, the precident was set. Google COULD have swung essentially the same hammer.
Of course, in the Android world, I think I hate Motorola (I think?) more for their locked down all-but-impossible to root devices more than carrier shitware. And yes, I know they can still be rooted...but they made it a royal clusterfuck to do.
I realize that the whole concept goes against the whole "open" concept that appeals to us geeks about Andriod, but still....shitware is still shitware. If Google browbeat the carriers (and locked down Android so they couldn't) to prevent the shitware, then they'd be the same walled garden in most ways that Apple is.
Honestly, in my personal opinion...Android isn't winning because it is better than iOS. It isn't winning because of the "open-ness" either. It is winning because their phones are cheap as fuck and do a reasonable job of emulating the iPhone experience. $200 less than an iPhone = a fuck of alot of leftover money for beer.
Yes, I know there are areas where Andriod is superior to the iPhone...but the iPhone is still the measuring stick Android is held to, and carrier shitware is an area where Andriod falls horribly short.
Offtopic, but in response to your statement:
Honestly, if you don't root your phone and load custom ROM, I think you're missing out on quite a bit
So, essentially, at it's root - the Andriod you get when you buy your Android phone is likely shitty, and beat to shit with crapware from multiple parties. So, instead of going to the store and getting a smartphone that works great out of the box, I have to go out, find a custom ROM, root my device, and load said custom ROM on my device?
And this is a fucking SELLING POINT??
Look, while I declared iOS long ago, I love Android too & hope it continues its success. And for me, rooting a device & doing all that isn't an issue whatsoever. But seriously, we expect the average schlub to be able to do this shit? Or even realize the option is out there? And if they don't, they're getting a sub-par experience?
Sorry, but this does not make me love Andriod. THis is just more useless shit that my users will demand I support for them. Thanks....fuckers.
So you bought a phone released in 2008 during 2010, knowing full well that a refresh happened in 2009 and was coming soon in 2010? And as a result of that decision, you're pissed off because your (old) new shiny didn't keep up with all the latest releases?
Wow, 2 year old technology slower and less responsive running up-to-date OS...who'd have thought. You should inform your local media, I'm sure they'd love to run a story.
Exactly. Someone that fucking gets it.
It isn't "socially responsible" to open your WiFi connection. Fuck, if you want to get right down to it, it is socially irresponsible to leave an effectively traceless porthole into the intrawebs for any asshole to do with what he pleases.
If you want to choose to open that port for the "world" to use without your knowledge or control, then you also choose to accept some consequence of that action...which can include a suprise no-knock raid at 3am where your dog gets shot. Just like the EFF can choose whether it wants to spend resources saving your ass from penal anal rape when some fucking pedobear uses your internet connection to watch some 2 year old getting raped.
I in the meantime will continue to protect my access point to the best of my ability from the rest of the world.
Thanks for the story. I always assumed that these people were morons. Now you've provided confirmation :)
Really though...this is where the MSM has come...down to the lowest fucking common denominator. Most people are too stupid to know the difference, so we'll just make shit up as we go.
I really don't know what is worse though in some ways - the irresponsible reporter who doesn't check his facts & publishes shit as news, or the festering turd plucking cheetos from under his giant fucking ass sitting in a recliner taking everything he sees on TV as the ultimate in truth.
They're both responsible for how fucked up the country is.
Part of the problem is the downright fucking shoddy reporting in the mainstream media, especially in tech matters...FTA...
The agent identified the IP address, or unique identification number, of the router, then got the service provider to identify the subscriber.
They're teaching the average moron that IP Address = Identity. And as we all know, these morons are the "jury of our peers" when some fucking perv uses (y)our internet connections and we get busted for it.
Um...last time I checked there are around 73,357,145,315* companies in the world which will provide support for Micorosoft products. Fuck they have a legion* of people who have those wonderful pieces of paper from Microsoft that say they know how to do shit on Microsoft products.
*This is all obvious exaggeration. And while I of course understand the obvious difference between support and development, and how one could support and/or develop for Linux but only support Microsoft since their product is closed. But really, to say "only one organization provides windows support" is typical Anti-Microsoft FUD bullshit spewed by linux fanbois jerking off in their parent's basements to the latest version of the Linux kernel.
And don't get me wrong, Linux is fucking awesome. But we all need to stop pretending that we're suddenly going to destroy microsoft with our current 1% desktop market share. Windows...Linux...OSX...Unix...they ALL have their use, and all have their place, and anyone who tries to cry differently is fucking retarded.
The only people who have been taken advantage of in this are the people who have real money in accounts on these gaming sites.
They have been taken advantage of by the US Government.
This shows what a fucking joke the USA has become. Die away from me.
"My brother knew a guy". Really?
[citation needed]
I play regularly with real money on one of the sites. I have seen the improbable happen. There have even been a couple of scandals which all but killed a couple of cardrooms (and said scandals were not comitted by the "house"). There are ways to collude via software...there are ways to collude via telephone. But all the reputable cardrooms all work their asses off to prevent this, because they make a shitton of money off the rake, and they don't want their users jumping ship to another cardroom.
These rooms ARE regulated...just not by the almighty US Government.
Or to better phrase...the US Government isn't getting a cut, so they're shutting them down.
And seriously, how in the FUCK does the US Government have the right to sieze domain names OUTSIDE of the fucking USA? Pigfuckers have now tied up $500 of MY money that is in a site, and its NOT fucking illegal for me to play (I'm in Canada). Seriously, USA...go fuck yourself.
I disagree.
I would rather have the freedom to choose whether or not I would risk my money in an unregulated gambling house than to be forced by the government to not gamble.
In either case, the result is the same...I wouldn't gamble. But I sill believe in the right to choose.
True...we agree there. I am 100% against poeple forcing their beliefs on another person.
I'm more than willing to discuss it (as we have been here), but I'd never try to make you believe what I believe. The Religious are WRONG to do that to people, period. And you are right...organized religion (or what I keep referring to as "The Church") have done it since the dawn of man, and they're bastards for doing so.
Fuckit, I grow tired of this discussion...we seem to agree on everything but the existance of God. I'm ok with that. Lets fucking get a beer :P
I'm actually starting to see the biggest issue in this discussion....we keep interchanging words around. I'm doing it too, so I'm failing there just as bad.
"Religion" is a cultural concept more than a spiritual one. It tends to go into organizations, which spout there particual breed of
"Dogma", which is effectively the forced "you must believe/do exactly THIS or bad shit will happen", which is what the Church tells its members to effectively control their membership. All the "There is only one path, and its the Catholic path" type bullshit (to pick on catholics for a moment) is there for no other purpose than to contol and intimidate their membership through FUD.
"Faith" though is simple. I believe in the biblical Christian God, but I also realize that the Bible itself is at minimum probably 50% dogma, created/translated/misread by the Church to use in their Church and control the masses through FUD. I also read other ancient religious documents which often directly contridict the bible. Sometimes those documents are crap, and sometimes I find what I believe to be truth in them. My faith, my religion, is a personal journey, one that I do not allow the Church to corrupt. I make up my own mind based on my own experiences and insight, using the fact that Science provides to also further my understanding of the universe.
I think (and I could be wrong) that we're not that different here, other than the fact that one of us believes in a god, and the other doesn't. We seem to hold similar opinions of organized religion, and religion's negative impact on government and law. We both believe, through observance, of the natural laws of our reality, and how science shows us how the universe functions.
So I believe in God and you don't. Big fucking deal. Its Friday afternoon, lets go hit the bar & have a fucking beer :)
I don't have to prove God exists either. I just accept it. I feel it in my interaction in the world. I can't prove it, and honestly...if I'm wrong and have deluded myself into belief in a lie for my life, there's no consequence to my belief other than I've followed a lie. I am doing no harm to my fellow man.
And I'm not even trying to be one of those assholes who give the anti-athiest argument of "Well, if I'm wrong, nothing happens. If you're wrong, you go to hell" bullshit. When I say there is no consequence to my belief, I mean it. I follow my path, try to be the best person I can be & help in the world, and I don't try to force anyone to believe the same as I do. My impact, and my personal faith's inpact on the world, is pretty much zero.
Yes, it is entirely faith, pure and simple, because the existence or non-existence of God cannot be emperically proven. TO you it is the same as believing in Santa...to me it is a part of who I am.
I guess the difference...even though in both cases it is blind faith...I'm willing to revise my opinions based on evidence, and to date I have found no evidence that God does not exist. If Science were to somehow prove that God does not exist, I would be forced to revisit my entire belief structure. (And before you ask...of course there would be people/churches that would scream bloody murder, and start a downright religious war thinking Science made it all up if that happened. That would be wrong, and I would never be a part of it)
I see that the only way you would accept God is if Science lit him up and went "SEE!! THERE HE IS!!!" for all of humanity to witness, and I respect your decision. But I stand by the statement that, at least in our little discussion here, I'm the one being respectful of your beliefs, and you are not. And I stand by the concept that as a general rule, athiests seem to have a serious problem accepting that religious people have their beliefs, and feel the need to mock and belittle those with faith for their faith.
Right up until science started disproving much of the religious foundations. Then they parted company and religion had to be against 'science' because it offers up a method by which things can be proven. And religion fails that method categorically.
I'm not aware of science disproving the bible. Laugh all you want...it has disproven the people that believe that the earth is 6000 years old, but that's not against anything written in the bible. It has disproven the concept that the Earth is the absolute ceneter of the universe, which is not against anything written in the bible. It has shown evolution to likely* be true, which is not against anything said in the bible.
*"Likely" was used in the sense of: It is not yet a Law - we may find emperical evidence to further our understanding of evolution, which may change some general ideas and/or details. I am not arguing in any way that evolution is wrong, or just a hypothesis.
Not every religion or religious person thinks that science and religion are adversaries. They can, and do, co-exist perfectly, so long as the listener is open to hearing.
You didn't ask why it's different. You made a statement to be insulting.
Obviously, you find God to be a lie. I don't. Unfortunately for this discussion, that IS an argument of faith and not science. I can not *prove* God exists any more than you can *prove* that God does not exist. So, we're at an impasse, one where I respect that you have come to a different conclusion than I have, and yet you seem to not respect in me.
"My kind" - with all due respect sir, you're bordering on nothing but blind hate and discrimination because I happen to believe in a God similarly to the Christian and Catholic Church. *I* have never called an athiest a heathen, or pagan, or forced another person to conform to my beliefs. I do not have to be responsible for how others have perverted the Bible to their own interests, and would (and currently am in this discussion) publicly standing AGAINST such actions by the so-called Christian Church. As far as I'm concerned, we don't even remotely believe in the same thing, even if we allegedly worship the same entity. Hence the serious distinction *I* make between Church and Religion. Religion itself is "pure" - only when you organize it into masses of people ready to crucify others for their non-belief or different-belief does it become that which you seem to hate.
Obviously someone/some church has seriously fucked with you over the years, to leave you with so much blind hate towards them. We're not all the same.
Also, please explain how not wanting to be associated with the Church is any different than being in the Church and only choosing what you wish to 'believe' from the scriptures.
Let me put it this way...I have found science to prove in emperical ways things which made me re-think and reflect on my interpetation of scripture. Remember...unlike the Church, I see the Bible as being potentially fallable, where corrupted by the hand of man (most normally to increase the power of the Church). Because I accept the Bible as being potentially fallable, my overall belief is that I will follow the Bible to my understanding, using science as a corrective tool when scientific proof contradicts my understanding.
You'll note I never said this. I said 'biblical scholars' said this based on study of the bible. If you're going to argue semantics, I suggest you follow them yourself.
If "biblical scholar" = Biblical Literalist, then yes, I agree. They believe that God created everything in 6 24-hour days. Ancient Hebrew begs to differ - overall, its a shitty translation at fault for these morons thinking Let There Be Light = God turning on a lightswitch. They are a small proportion of Christianity.
Except we're talking here, about allowing teachers to teach that science is flawed and 'faith' is the true path. That should scare the crap out of anyone who thinks.
I would like to point out that I haven't made a comment regarding the article, only regarding your comments that seem to think that any religious person believes the earth is 6000 years old. I wrote to refute that. If you want my thoughts on the overall topic...I agree it fucking retarded that TN has passed a law allowing a teacher to pretend evolution isn't real because they are a biblical literalist. I believe in evolution - you will not find me arguing against it, or its inclusion in school cirruclium. I'm a man of faith, but outside a religious school religion has NO place but in a theology class.
The problem is that religious/spiritual beliefs are still firmly rooted in our government and laws. Until they are gone, your spiritual beliefs do impinge on my life. I fully respect your right to be spiritual and to believe on faith alone that God exists.
I also agree...so-called "morality laws" should be stricken from the books. If you are not doing harm to another person, the Government has no fucking place to tell you what is morally right or wrong.
But it's no different than a 5 yr old believing in Santa Claus.
And this is what makes you a sanctimonious asshole, and why the religious have such a problem with you fuckers. YOu feel the need to insult and be a jackass because you do not share the same beliefs and faith as the religious.
That doesn't make you some wonderful and caring person, spreading the truth to all the believers. I respect the fact you have no religious beliefs, and I won't call you out and tell you that you had better repent or Jeebus will crush you or any of that shit. Faith, or lack thereof, is your choice (as it is my choice) and I won't ridicule you for it, nor will I try to convert you to my beliefs. But yet you have to ridicule me for my beliefs.
Go fuck yourself :)
You're crossing "The Church" with "Religion" (and I'm sorry, but I believe it is a VERY important distinction).
"The Church" is after one thing, and one thing only. Power over their followers. The Church uses the Bible (or whatever document if not christian) as the stick to force their followers to tow the line (or GO TO HELL!). As a religious person, I honestly believe....fuck the Church. Galileo didn't say ANYTHING contridicting biblical religion when he said the Earth orbits the sun...but he spoke against the Church, and the CHurch beat his ass for it.
Religion is entirely different...and even Christian religion. The Bible doesn't have to be infallable for me to find Truth in it. In this particular argument, the bible NOT ONCE EVER says that the Earth was formed out of nothing 6000 years ago. "Day" when you look at the ceation story doesn't even fucking mean Day - the closest possible translation is "period of time" - and in my opinion is an exceptionally primitive description of the Big Bang & Evolution.
I don't ignore shit I find objectionable and carry on. I use science to further my understanding of God. Where science and the bible clash...quite frankly, I figure it is because some asshole a thousand years ago, when translating, picked a version that suited his own purposes, or that of his church. Scientific Truth shows where these assholes failed, and brings me closer to the actual spiritual Truth.
I get that this shit is hard to comprehend for the athiests out there...no worries. Feel free to have your beliefs, and criticize me for mine. Your choice to make, as being spiritual is my choice to make.
The only place you're right...my spirituality is un-provable. I accept it on faith, and faith alone. I don't expect you to accept it on faith, and I won't condem you or bitch you out for not being able to accept God on faith alone.
My head comes close to exploding every time I hear someone say we evolved from chimps or monkeys. We didn't. We are closely related but we are not descended from them. None of our closest ancestors are alive today, and haven't been for many hundreds of thousands of years.
It's questions like "if we evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys around?" that make it so hard for me to have an intelligent debate with creationists. I mean seriously, TRY to understand other viewpoints and theories besides your own.
I hate that argument too - but my greatest curiousity really when it comes to Evolution...WHY did ALL the more-common ancestors die out? I mean...I always looked at the "Why are there still monkeys around?" argument as stupid and in many ways PROOF of evolution. I mean, Evolution isn't a statement of Poof! Today there are (human ancestor species) and tomorrow there are just humans. Natural Selection suggests that mutations occour over time & those that are beneficial to the species get carried forward. But not every monkey would suddenly mutate....some wouldn't mutate at all & would carry on as fucking monkeys, while another group moved up the evolutionary ladder.
See though...turning that around...where the fuck are these "closest ancestors" and why did they go extinct? You would almost assume that there would be SOME around...perhaps a very small population, but that there would still be an population of effectively "caveman" out there we would have discovered on some island in the middle of assfuck, nowhere. And I don't mean some half-monkey half-man either, because that's just a fucking stupid anti-evolution argument too...but why aren't there those that can be almost directly tied to Homo Erectus instead of Homo Sapien? That's the piece I don't understand...but I'm not a scientist either, just a lowly computer tech.
I believe that the Bible WAS the "Inspired Word of God"
I believe that since its authorship, the multitudes of oral passdown, translation, and outright manipulation by some parties have left it a shell of what it was and what it could be. It has been effectively spoiled by the corruption of man, seeking power for himself over God.
I do not believe it is infallable, because people are fallable, and people have been responsible for its maintenance. But I believe it still contains spiritual truths...one just has to be willing to look for it.
I do believe in a literal Adam & Eve & The Garden, but not in the sense of "God took a rib...", but that these two people were effectively God's chosen & the origin of the Jewish people.
I believe in the Big Bang Theory, and in Evolution, because science has shown these things to be "true" - while we cannot go back in time & observe it directly, they are the best explanations for the origin of the universe.
I believe the creation story in the Bible is a primitive mind attempting to comprehend & explain being shown the Big Bang and evolution bringing about the world we live in.
I do believe that there is truth in religion still out there...and the strongest truth comes from a people that are willing and open and able to reconcile that religion and science are not mutually exclusive...that scientific truth can help you find religious truth; that understanding the laws of the universe is another path to understanding God.
You do realize that *most* religious people easily accept that the earth is more than ~6000 years old.
Honestly, I have faith in a God and I have accepted science as truth as well. To those of us who are not hiding under a rock, we do not find a conflict between religion and science.
I believe that understanding science & the laws of the universe is akin to understanding God. It doesn't have to be one or the other...it doesn't have to be evolution or the literal translation of Genesis. "Let there be light" isn't God flipping a fucking lightswitch...but it sure as hell makes me think of the Big Bang.
I'm sorry, but you're mistaken. Taking off is the hardest part.
Landing is (relatively) easy, with exception to extreme cross-wind scenarios. While it would not be easy, I would guess that probably around 75% of us here could be talked down by an experienced pilot (requires some smarts and situational awareness).
Taking off, however, is chalk full of a plethora of variables, from wind direction and speed, any gusting, thrust, runway length, weight of the aircraft, balance of any cargo/passengers...the list goes on and on. It is by far the most dangerous part of the flight.
-Direct from my uncle, who IS a pilot for a major airline
There's only one case I know of (console to console compare) where Microsoft is still more evil than Sony.
Specifically, it came in with Netflix (at least in Canada)
On the PS3, Netflix is "free" from Sony's standpoint. I have the console, downloaded Netflix, got my Netflix membership, and away I go.
On the X360...I have the console, went to download Netflix, found I couldn't because I'm not a Gold member. SERIOUSLY? I spend money on your console and want to download a free to you app and I can't because you have that gold-only restricted. FUCK YOU! I'm not spending $60 a year to download a free app.
Bullshit. Utter fucking bullshit.
THe odds on an actual "nuclear blast" as you suggest are about 1 in a billion.
Nuclear Explosions don't just happen...they require VERY precise conditions, with geometrically shaped charges and layout, to bring about an actual blast. Yes, bad shit can happen, without a doubt...but a spontaneous nuclear blast is probably somewhere in the magnitude of a 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 event.
Quit spreading shit.
Oh come off it already.
There's fanboi-ism, there's anti-fanboi-ism, and then there's blatent bullshit. Guess what category your post falls under?
Tablet-specific apps are barely there for Android...today. Give it a few months, and there will be thousands there too. Apple has the numbers advantage today...and I would also argue they have a "usefulness" advantage today as well. Sure, there are a thousand different soundboard/fart apps and other such bullshit on the iOS app store...but there is a shitton of quality apps there too. TOmorrow...Apple may or may not retain the numbers advantage, but Android will catch up. BOTH are damn fine OS's, with iOS showing a bit more polish over Android 3.0 right now...but Android will close the gap without a doubt.
Being so blinded by hate either way is just fucking stupid, and quite frankly makes you look like a fucking shithead. Anybody who refuses to accept that Apple is the reigning tablet king (and tablet app king) is fucking deluding themselves. Anyone who thinks Android won't catch up is just as fucking delusional.
In the end...when we don't act like fucking children...we all win. Because BOTH companies will be forced to improve their devices and underlying OS's to stay competitive with each other. That is GOOD for all us consumers, period.