"Most people, I think, won't have a clear understanding. They don't know what a server does."
Well, they could look it up. If they cared....
"They won't understand that the U.S. government can secretly demand the information."
Only if they have been living under a rock. Or they don't care...
"They won't realize the importance of the lost of privacy, or the reason why Google is offering to do something for them."
I think for the most part they DON'T CARE. Coupled with the belief that something bad won't happen to me....
I won't use the service, but I don't think it is a bad idea. Google shouldn't be faulted because of the ignorance, laziness and lack of civic responsibility of the average person.
"The increasing availability and ease of access of information is making it increasingly difficult to get away with lying."
Only in theory. After all, if no one checks your resume/application/etc (as in this case before hiring) lots of information easily available isn't of much use. Not that it was ever difficult to check whether someone graduated....
The reason there is so much crap on resumes/applications/etc is that nobody checks the vast majority of them. Even though most say they do....
"I just don't understand why this lawsuit is going on ground (patents) that are likely to be dismissed and deemed invalid. Because if I understand right, patents not valid = lawsuit not founded anymore.
Can someone explain?"
No, not really:) But the validity of the patents and the court case are not one in the same. At the time of the trial the patents were/are? still in effect. The court decided it wasn't their job to invalidate them. RIM however made the very large error of misleading the court. So it is getting hung out to dry.
It's more of a case of what NOT to do in court rather than a case about patents....
"Coming the merest sliver short of outright falsification of evidence - in an attempt to prove prior art they gave a demonstration of older software that sent pager messages - but they modified the supposedly prior art software in order to get the demo to work!"
Which is why the court is hanging them out to dry. RIM was its own worst enemy. It's why the patent can be invalid according to the patent office but still enforceable as far as the court goes.
"They make their money from cigs, lottery and other convenience items. So they want you to come in... Using the pay at the pump costs them a lot of sales..."
Potential sales. If the station doesn't have pay at the pump I will leave. I suspect others will too. They may not make much but some is better than none. And I sometimes wander in and buy something-from stations with pay at the pump.
"I would support the idea of a law protecting workers rights to engage in any legal activity outside of work on the workers own time."
Oh goody, more work for lawyers:)
Sounds good on paper but in reality a bit more difficult. How about a case of an employee who drinks right before work? And they drive equipment as part of their job. How do you prevent this and still have a useful law?
"We're running out of legal reasons to fire someone."
Is that a joke? There are essentially no legal roadblocks to firing anyone (outside of a written contract). None of the legal protections are very useful when you have an intelligent person doing the firing.
On the other hand, she did a hatchet job on the book's author because she WAS being scrutinized. The "truth" wasn't important to her until then. I have very little respect for people like her-those that find "religion" on issues after their butt in on the line.
She is the daytime version of Larry King-never ask a hard question unless your reputation is on the line.
"But then why are we accepting this crap as news? And by we, I mean those of you who keep their ratings so goddamned high. I stopped watching TV news in the 2000 election when I noticed that I'd gone for over a week without seeing an actual instance of reporting."
Perhaps because the people watching can't determine quality reliably? Perhaps they want entertainment?
Problably because people want validation from their "news". They want to be able to fit the information into their view of the world, not have the information change it. Changing viewpoints is painful.
"Since I work in academia, let me state this for the record: The cost of textbooks is not a result of the publisher's desire to screw the student (at least not in the biological and physical sciences), it is due to the free-market ownership of individual photographs or charts, which must be paid for by the publisher for the right to publish it."
As one who worked in both editing and academia, the cost of textbooks is the result of the publishers desire to get as much money from the student (purchaser) as possible. The cost of the photographs or charts is not a large part of a textbooks final price. If they cost too much, they choose different photos or make their own charts. Labor and profit are the big ones. After all, I doubt MH loses money when their employees get 50% off or throws away perfectly good books:) Or maybe I'm just a little cynical.
So, while their goal is not to screw end users it isn't exactly benign.
"The problem is that I don't have the time to put out the energy (of all kinds) that weight loss requires. I work two jobs (one for God, and one for currency) and at the end of the day I'm/tired/, and I simply don't have the energy to ask myself how many calories my dinner has."
You do have the time. But not the desire. If it is too much hassle to exercise and eat healthy, medications and surgeries are unlikely to help.
And it is rather hard for people in wheelchairs to use the stairs. Not so for overweight people....
Re:Obesity comes from a simple condition...
on
Obesity Contagious?
·
· Score: 1
"Others can work out every day and still just barely keep up with the caloric intake of a healthy diet."
I doubt this a great deal. How many people who work out extensively and eat healthy are obese? I suspect very few.
Now many people overestimate how much calories they burn and underestimate how many calories they ingest.
"For one thing, their knees would cruble in a matter of weeks. For another, their various food cravings are a lot stronger than mine."
That's why you start slow. And no need to run. Walking will do just fine. And a large part of food cravings are behavioral in nature. Many are not.
"Shouldn't we all consider that there may be more treatment required than shouting "stop being so lazy, fatty" at them?"
Absolutely. But few active people are fat. Behavior changes aren't easy.
"Have you ever USED a heat pump in any area that gets below freezing in winter?"
Perhaps you missed the GEOTHERMAL qualifier? Instead of exchanging heat with the air it uses the ground which is at a fairly constant temperature (warmer than air in winter, cooler in summer).
Solves most of the problems of a heat pump but at significant cost.
"If they weren't so cheap, they'd realize that high-performance exhaust systems with cats are everywhere and work just as well to reduce backpressure enough to kill the motor's low-end torque."
True. But then most ricers drive vehicles with no low end torque.:)
"Say whatever you want about the credibility of one side of this debate or another, the fact that our scientists can't talk to the media without a babysitter is truly and spectacularly wrong."
Considering the scientific literacy of the media (and general public), it probably isn't a good idea to talk directly to the media. Most reporters can't get quotes correct or distill the information presented. About all they can do is say the sky is falling. In short they are incompetant.
It was always interesting when the geologists I worked with compared what they said to what the reporters wrote. It was amusing, in a car accident sort of way.....
"In this country we have a judicial system that is based on the prevention of crime, not retribution."
At best we SAY we have a judicial system based on prevention not retribution. In reality we have a judicial system based mostly on retribution (punishing after the fact). Just look at the time and money we spend on prosecuting crime vs prevention. Prevention is hard, time consuming work. Convicting them and putting them in jail is much easier.
"The question we should ask here is what punishment is the most effective in preventing future acts, not what is 'fair' in relation to other crimes."
Good luck in determining that. You may also get contradictory results in attempting that method (if robbery and murder have the same penalties, you might as well kill the person you rob....)
Slashdot Mirror
"Most people, I think, won't have a clear understanding. They don't know what a server does."
Well, they could look it up. If they cared....
"They won't understand that the U.S. government can secretly demand the information."
Only if they have been living under a rock. Or they don't care...
"They won't realize the importance of the lost of privacy, or the reason why Google is offering to do something for them."
I think for the most part they DON'T CARE. Coupled with the belief that something bad won't happen to me....
I won't use the service, but I don't think it is a bad idea. Google shouldn't be faulted because of the ignorance, laziness and lack of civic responsibility of the average person.
"How does every article that mentions science turn out anti-Christian posts?"
:)
It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Christians are the primary anti-science force in the US and Europe?
Nah, couldn't be.
"The increasing availability and ease of access of information is making it increasingly difficult to get away with lying."
Only in theory. After all, if no one checks your resume/application/etc (as in this case before hiring) lots of information easily available isn't of much use. Not that it was ever difficult to check whether someone graduated....
The reason there is so much crap on resumes/applications/etc is that nobody checks the vast majority of them. Even though most say they do....
"I just don't understand why this lawsuit is going on ground (patents) that are likely to be dismissed and deemed invalid. Because if I understand right, patents not valid = lawsuit not founded anymore.
:) But the validity of the patents and the court case are not one in the same. At the time of the trial the patents were/are? still in effect. The court decided it wasn't their job to invalidate them. RIM however made the very large error of misleading the court. So it is getting hung out to dry.
Can someone explain?"
No, not really
It's more of a case of what NOT to do in court rather than a case about patents....
"Coming the merest sliver short of outright falsification of evidence - in an attempt to prove prior art they gave a demonstration of older software that sent pager messages - but they modified the supposedly prior art software in order to get the demo to work!"
Which is why the court is hanging them out to dry. RIM was its own worst enemy. It's why the patent can be invalid according to the patent office but still enforceable as far as the court goes.
"Sex for pre-teens and early teens is absolutely self destructive. They don't fully appreciate the consequences of their actions,..."
:)
Well, I'm glad that adults don't have that problem.
"If you want to go far in politics, you've got to bet on one side or the other."
:)
Only if you have no talent. The good ones can change sides almost as easy as you change your clothes...
"They make their money from cigs, lottery and other convenience items. So they want you to come in... Using the pay at the pump costs them a lot of sales..."
Potential sales. If the station doesn't have pay at the pump I will leave. I suspect others will too. They may not make much but some is better than none. And I sometimes wander in and buy something-from stations with pay at the pump.
The terms "total ego-maniac" and "tenured professor" are somewhat redundant. :)
Very few faculty have low egos. The nature of the position tends to encourage people with a large ego.
"damage caused by upper management and government meddling."
:)
I think you are underestimating upper management.
"I would support the idea of a law protecting workers rights to engage in any legal activity outside of work on the workers own time."
:)
Oh goody, more work for lawyers
Sounds good on paper but in reality a bit more difficult. How about a case of an employee who drinks right before work? And they drive equipment as part of their job. How do you prevent this and still have a useful law?
"We're running out of legal reasons to fire someone."
Is that a joke? There are essentially no legal roadblocks to firing anyone (outside of a written contract). None of the legal protections are very useful when you have an intelligent person doing the firing.
"Enron had little to do with deregulation, and everything to do with accountancy rules."
:)
Hmm, could have sworn it had just a little to do with outright fraud
The things you mention are excuses, not causes.
Probably because she is well-liked and powerful.
On the other hand, she did a hatchet job on the book's author because she WAS being scrutinized. The "truth" wasn't important to her until then. I have very little respect for people like her-those that find "religion" on issues after their butt in on the line.
She is the daytime version of Larry King-never ask a hard question unless your reputation is on the line.
"But then why are we accepting this crap as news? And by we, I mean those of you who keep their ratings so goddamned high. I stopped watching TV news in the 2000 election when I noticed that I'd gone for over a week without seeing an actual instance of reporting."
Perhaps because the people watching can't determine quality reliably? Perhaps they want entertainment?
Problably because people want validation from their "news". They want to be able to fit the information into their view of the world, not have the information change it. Changing viewpoints is painful.
"Since I work in academia, let me state this for the record: The cost of textbooks is not a result of the publisher's desire to screw the student (at least not in the biological and physical sciences), it is due to the free-market ownership of individual photographs or charts, which must be paid for by the publisher for the right to publish it."
:) Or maybe I'm just a little cynical.
As one who worked in both editing and academia, the cost of textbooks is the result of the publishers desire to get as much money from the student (purchaser) as possible. The cost of the photographs or charts is not a large part of a textbooks final price. If they cost too much, they choose different photos or make their own charts. Labor and profit are the big ones. After all, I doubt MH loses money when their employees get 50% off or throws away perfectly good books
So, while their goal is not to screw end users it isn't exactly benign.
"The problem is that I don't have the time to put out the energy (of all kinds) that weight loss requires. I work two jobs (one for God, and one for currency) and at the end of the day I'm /tired/, and I simply don't have the energy to ask myself how many calories my dinner has."
You do have the time. But not the desire. If it is too much hassle to exercise and eat healthy, medications and surgeries are unlikely to help.
And it is rather hard for people in wheelchairs to use the stairs. Not so for overweight people....
"Others can work out every day and still just barely keep up with the caloric intake of a healthy diet."
I doubt this a great deal. How many people who work out extensively and eat healthy are obese? I suspect very few.
Now many people overestimate how much calories they burn and underestimate how many calories they ingest.
"For one thing, their knees would cruble in a matter of weeks. For another, their various food cravings are a lot stronger than mine."
That's why you start slow. And no need to run. Walking will do just fine. And a large part of food cravings are behavioral in nature. Many are not.
"Shouldn't we all consider that there may be more treatment required than shouting "stop being so lazy, fatty" at them?"
Absolutely. But few active people are fat. Behavior changes aren't easy.
"Have you ever USED a heat pump in any area that gets below freezing in winter?"
Perhaps you missed the GEOTHERMAL qualifier? Instead of exchanging heat with the air it uses the ground which is at a fairly constant temperature (warmer than air in winter, cooler in summer).
Solves most of the problems of a heat pump but at significant cost.
"If they weren't so cheap, they'd realize that high-performance exhaust systems with cats are everywhere and work just as well to reduce backpressure enough to kill the motor's low-end torque."
:)
True. But then most ricers drive vehicles with no low end torque.
"Say whatever you want about the credibility of one side of this debate or another, the fact that our scientists can't talk to the media without a babysitter is truly and spectacularly wrong."
Considering the scientific literacy of the media (and general public), it probably isn't a good idea to talk directly to the media. Most reporters can't get quotes correct or distill the information presented. About all they can do is say the sky is falling. In short they are incompetant.
It was always interesting when the geologists I worked with compared what they said to what the reporters wrote. It was amusing, in a car accident sort of way.....
"I love that science can't involve policy statements."
Policy statements are NOT science. Policy MAY be based on science. But policy is a political decision.
"This is a prime example of the legal activism that Repuplicans are supposed to be against."
:)
The practical definition of judicial activism is a court ruling that goes against what you believe it should have done.
"In this country we have a judicial system that is based on the prevention of crime, not retribution."
At best we SAY we have a judicial system based on prevention not retribution. In reality we have a judicial system based mostly on retribution (punishing after the fact). Just look at the time and money we spend on prosecuting crime vs prevention. Prevention is hard, time consuming work. Convicting them and putting them in jail is much easier.
"The question we should ask here is what punishment is the most effective in preventing future acts, not what is 'fair' in relation to other crimes."
Good luck in determining that. You may also get contradictory results in attempting that method (if robbery and murder have the same penalties, you might as well kill the person you rob....)
"100% Egyptian Cotton"
:)
Hmm, Egypt
torture, check
censorship, check
discrimination, check
human right violations, check
Somehow I don't see much of a real difference between them....