Nerds can do enough math to understand that everything done by government must be paid for by taxes, and that if one allows U.S. government to take on tasks that are outside of the scope of what the U.S. Constitution says U.S. government should do, then the result becomes very expensive. They are able to deal with large numbers in the millions and billions, and to understand why there are not enough rich people to make "tax the rich" solve the problem of paying for excessively large government.
Nerds can do enough math to understand why government borrowing beyond a certain point, and inflation caused by government borrowing, are usually bad things, and more often tend to be the result of government trying to do too many things.
Nerds understand the historical relationship between gun control and governments doing things that there is a consensus that they should not have done. A very good example is outlined by Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, which shows how the same gun-laws which were enforced by the Nazis against the Jews were copied verbatim into American gun-laws. You can see the German on one page and the English on the other, and the record of the translation being done by a Connecticut senator (father of the current Dodd), and the sponsoring of the law based on the English translation.
Nerds understand Economics such that if government solves a problem, the government solution is the only game in town. It is often ineffective, and also very wasteful. The War on Poverty is a good example. If a problem is solved not by government, then it is possible to have multiple competitors, trying different approaches, so that the best competitor wins. One of my favorite examples is ASECert.org, the blue and white ASE certified plaque you can see at the shops of some auto mechanics. It has been my experience that ASE members do a good job, and that mechanics who are not ASE certified are less reliable. I now look for ASE cert when I choose an auto mechanic.
Nerds understand history which shows that laws which try to protect people from their own bad judgement don't work. For example, alcohol prohibition did not have the desired effect, and funded organized crime which did things that were worse (protection rackets, assassinations etc.). Marijuana prohibition also does not prevent use, increases the human cost due to product which is not what people think they are buying (Marijuana with spiked Opium, for example), and funds criminal organizations which these days more often engaged in terrorism, civil war, kidnapping foreigners for ransom, weapons smuggling) than in gambling and prostitution, as the alcohol prohibition criminals were more likely to do.
Slashdot Mirror
I am not sure whether tracking your child is a good idea or not.
I don't tell other people how to raise their children.
If you wish to buy a tracker in a phone, here is some information.
Good Housekeeping expressed opinions
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-testing/reviews-tests/appliances-electronics/kid-cell-phones-0306
loc8u ofers a GPS Watch
http://www.switched.com/2009/01/07/lok8u-launches-gps-child-locator-watch-at-ces/
Wherify has one
http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/wherify-wherifone-cell-phone-with-gps-locator-lets-you-gps-track-your-kids/
AT&T has one
http://www.gpsbusinessnews.com/AT-T-launches-child-locator-service_a1470.html
Here is a discussion of short and long range child locators
http://www.gpsfortoday.com/child-locators/
Amber Alert has one
http://www.gpschildtracker.net/child-gps-devices-systems-tracking-phone-chip-child-location
However, if you don't want to use a phone
and build more of it yourself,
here are some websites that may be useful:
http://www.tradekey.com/selloffer_view/id/2924121.htm
http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/gps-tracking-server.html
http://forums.coolest-gadgets.com/showthread.php?t=4079
http://www.ecplaza.net/search/0s1nf20sell/gps_tracker_%20gps_tracking_gps.html
http://5thirtyone.com/archives/876/comment-page-1
Nerds can do enough math to understand that everything done by government must be paid for by taxes, and that if one allows U.S. government to take on tasks that are outside of the scope of what the U.S. Constitution says U.S. government should do, then the result becomes very expensive. They are able to deal with large numbers in the millions and billions, and to understand why there are not enough rich people to make "tax the rich" solve the problem of paying for excessively large government.
Nerds can do enough math to understand why government borrowing beyond a certain point, and inflation caused by government borrowing, are usually bad things, and more often tend to be the result of government trying to do too many things.
Nerds understand the historical relationship between gun control and governments doing things that there is a consensus that they should not have done. A very good example is outlined by Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, which shows how the same gun-laws which were enforced by the Nazis against the Jews were copied verbatim into American gun-laws. You can see the German on one page and the English on the other, and the record of the translation being done by a Connecticut senator (father of the current Dodd), and the sponsoring of the law based on the English translation.
Nerds understand Economics such that if government solves a problem, the government solution is the only game in town. It is often ineffective, and also very wasteful. The War on Poverty is a good example. If a problem is solved not by government, then it is possible to have multiple competitors, trying different approaches, so that the best competitor wins. One of my favorite examples is ASECert.org, the blue and white ASE certified plaque you can see at the shops of some auto mechanics. It has been my experience that ASE members do a good job, and that mechanics who are not ASE certified are less reliable. I now look for ASE cert when I choose an auto mechanic.
Nerds understand history which shows that laws which try to protect people from their own bad judgement don't work. For example, alcohol prohibition did not have the desired effect, and funded organized crime which did things that were worse (protection rackets, assassinations etc.). Marijuana prohibition also does not prevent use, increases the human cost due to product which is not what people think they are buying (Marijuana with spiked Opium, for example), and funds criminal organizations which these days more often engaged in terrorism, civil war, kidnapping foreigners for ransom, weapons smuggling) than in gambling and prostitution, as the alcohol prohibition criminals were more likely to do.
I could go on in similar vein, but that's enough.
mgwmgw
As best as I remember,
the original Trek pilot had a female captain.
So, how about Halle Berry in that role?