I walked in to a local Best Buy today and was surprised that they had completely rearranged the place. The loud stereo section was history. When that loud base started going, it put me on the fast track to the front door. The tall isles were gone as well - all of the shelves where no higher than chest height, making the place seem much more open. I was looking at LCD TVs - usually I got about three people asking me if they could help me (which I can't fault them for, but it did get annoying). Today, one person asked if I was "browsing" or if they could answer any questions. Overall it was a much better experience than I'm used to at that store. The only thing I didn't get to see is if they were still required to try an sell me junk at checkout time.
What if, instead of telling these companies what we'd *like* to see, we tell them what we *don't* like. Sure it will be a longer list, but its absolutely less revealing in terms of being able to profile people.
The solution is to grow a spine. Cut them off. Yes, that means gasp! canceling your service. We've managed to survive for very long periods without cell phones. And we still can. The only difference is a little less convenience.
I'd mod you up if I had points. And to hell with 24" - the newer LCD TVs can easily give you twice that. Additionally, the better sets are tweaked for contrast, color saturation, and fast scan rates. I don't think it's even fair to compare this to a PC - each one provides an entirely different experience.
That's what I was thinking. I've not purchased an iPod Touch (or iPhone) because I don't think the Apple tax is worth it once you get past the marketing hype. This device, on the other hand, is a different story. It's bigger, more functional, and completely open in that it runs Linux- there's a lot more you can do with it. The form factor of the detachable screen might even make it suitable for a full-color Kindle replacement.
Cops don't need a warrant to follow you around, for example, and neither does anyone else.
No, it hasn't. The reason it hasn't is that it has been practically and technically infeasible. However, with CCTV, data mining, other means of technical surveillance, and companies willing to sell customer information at the drop of a hat, the playing field has become far too one-sided. Without this technology, cops can't follow me around because it simply isn't practical (unless there is probable cause to believe that I either have, or am about to, commit a serious crime). Without the recent advances in technology, I wouldn't have had to worry about my picture inadvertently appearing on someone's google account, much less that I had been identified. I also wouldn't have to worry about being profiled based on all kinds of information that was once relatively private. Do you get it now, or should I go on?
All it takes on YouTube is an accusation - even if it's your own damned material, once you're accused, it's a strike against you. You can contest it, but the point is that you have to prove yourself innocent in order to keep from being booted. There is just FAR too much potential for abuse.
Planetside?? I played Planetside for a while, and yes, it was fun on occasion, but there is absolutely no comparison. I realize there is some similarity between the capture/re-capture element with respect to the control points in TR, and the bases in PS, but TR had much more depth. It had missions. It had crafting. The artwork was meticulously done. With the Foreas base announcer, it even had a element of humor. It didn't have vehicles like PS, but I didn't see that as a big drawback.
Being in public is the only practical (and logistical) way to accomplish many day-to-day tasks. It is, for all intents and purposes, a requirement, not an option. This requirement, however, does not impart any kind of permission, invitation, or other level of participation in order to record or track what it is I or anyone else is doing. Even in public, people have the right to be left alone.
I have to give NCSoft some serious credit here - it was a great game. I started when it was first released, and there's not much I didn't like about it. It's a damned shame they have to close it.
If you had several encrypted volumes on your machine (via something like Truecrypt), and simply left one or two of of them without any content, it would be next to impossible to prove that any of them contained anything.
Hardwiring surveillance into the UKâ(TM)s pubs raises serious privacy concerns. We recognise that CCTV plays an important role in the prevention and detection of crime...
And that role is?
I watched a short segment on MSNBC last night - it contained crystal clear footage of someone robbing a fast-food restaurant, holding one person at gunpoint - even putting the gun to his head and pulling the trigger (for whatever reason, the gun didn't go off). There were two cameras - one in the back room where the safe was, and another in the dining area. Fortunately this individual was able to wrestle the intruder out the door, at which point he ran. The perpetrator was never caught - apparently there's this weird limitation that cameras have - the guy was wearing a ski mask and was fully covered in dark clothing. But the point is, that even under the best of circumstances, cameras can easily be rendered useless. The crime won't stop, it will just change how crimes are committed.
I'd argue that the whole point of finding them is to pursue and enforce a sense of accountability. If people that get into office are going to do any of the completely lame things that was done by the Bush administration they should be prepared to answer for it. Otherwise, it's a free-for-all.
ABC was extremely annoying with the ads for the show - it seemed like every other commercial was something to with the season opener. Like I hadn't seen it the first two hundred times. When I see that kind of "in your face" approach, I usually turn and walk away. And I did.
Please don't say that the one-click experience was "invented" by Jeff Bezos - it completely trivializes the entire creative process. It reduces those who are truly innovative to the status of mere dilettantes.
The government, in typical UK style, decreed that cameras would make use safer, but declined to provide sufficient funding.
No, they failed to provide sufficient evidence that it would work. It was a bee up someone's ass, a lot of money was spent install them, and now they have nothing but a huge, expensive, ineffective mess. Looks like the bee has made its way to Chicago. The same, horrible waste of money will happen all over again.
Your comment makes it sound like all broadcast television stations will broadcast in 1080i
Not at all. I'm simply saying that in order to make room for all that "content", the cable companies have to resort to tricks - one of which is compression. It doesn't matter to me whether it's standard def or high def - if the compression is too high, the picture quality will generally suffer. Most stations have one channel, and hence, only have one show at a time - to my knowledge, there's no need for the same level of compression.
Perhaps for some people it's compelling, but the problem with cable/PPV is that they're trying to squeeze ever more content over the same pipe. This means that they have to compress more and more. Compression leads to artifacts, and a generally crappy picture. The question is then, are you willing to have more channels with crummy quality, or fewer high-quality channels? The stations accessible via rabbit ears are broadcast stations, and they don't have to worry about this.
I think the parent's point is quite valid. People are generally lazy, and they'd rather put up with the pathetic crap that goes on just so they can make their lives a tad easier. This whole issue with the RIAA and copyright - in fact, LOTS of these kinds of issues, could be resolved in OUR favor. Unfortunately, everyone's too lazy to take action - not by breaking the law, but by keeping their money.
I'd say also stop treating the CEOs and upper management like gods. A company's success is the sum of its parts, and the way things are currently structured, I can't see a single thing that would motivate an employee to suggest ideas that would put a new yacht or summer home in the hands of someone else. Spreading the wealth would provide some real incentive.
Second, if the company's culture has its roots in political infighting and empire building, this kind of environment can't exist. It simply isn't worth the effort when the potential for good ideas to get crushed under the egos of incompetent management.
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I walked in to a local Best Buy today and was surprised that they had completely rearranged the place. The loud stereo section was history. When that loud base started going, it put me on the fast track to the front door. The tall isles were gone as well - all of the shelves where no higher than chest height, making the place seem much more open. I was looking at LCD TVs - usually I got about three people asking me if they could help me (which I can't fault them for, but it did get annoying). Today, one person asked if I was "browsing" or if they could answer any questions. Overall it was a much better experience than I'm used to at that store. The only thing I didn't get to see is if they were still required to try an sell me junk at checkout time.
What if, instead of telling these companies what we'd *like* to see, we tell them what we *don't* like. Sure it will be a longer list, but its absolutely less revealing in terms of being able to profile people.
The solution is to grow a spine. Cut them off. Yes, that means gasp! canceling your service. We've managed to survive for very long periods without cell phones. And we still can. The only difference is a little less convenience.
I'd mod you up if I had points. And to hell with 24" - the newer LCD TVs can easily give you twice that. Additionally, the better sets are tweaked for contrast, color saturation, and fast scan rates. I don't think it's even fair to compare this to a PC - each one provides an entirely different experience.
That's what I was thinking. I've not purchased an iPod Touch (or iPhone) because I don't think the Apple tax is worth it once you get past the marketing hype. This device, on the other hand, is a different story. It's bigger, more functional, and completely open in that it runs Linux- there's a lot more you can do with it. The form factor of the detachable screen might even make it suitable for a full-color Kindle replacement.
Yes, it does. And always has.
Cops don't need a warrant to follow you around, for example, and neither does anyone else.
No, it hasn't. The reason it hasn't is that it has been practically and technically infeasible. However, with CCTV, data mining, other means of technical surveillance, and companies willing to sell customer information at the drop of a hat, the playing field has become far too one-sided. Without this technology, cops can't follow me around because it simply isn't practical (unless there is probable cause to believe that I either have, or am about to, commit a serious crime). Without the recent advances in technology, I wouldn't have had to worry about my picture inadvertently appearing on someone's google account, much less that I had been identified. I also wouldn't have to worry about being profiled based on all kinds of information that was once relatively private. Do you get it now, or should I go on?
Right. And what will they pay their mortgage with? Their misplaced faith in humanity?
All it takes on YouTube is an accusation - even if it's your own damned material, once you're accused, it's a strike against you. You can contest it, but the point is that you have to prove yourself innocent in order to keep from being booted. There is just FAR too much potential for abuse.
Planetside?? I played Planetside for a while, and yes, it was fun on occasion, but there is absolutely no comparison. I realize there is some similarity between the capture/re-capture element with respect to the control points in TR, and the bases in PS, but TR had much more depth. It had missions. It had crafting. The artwork was meticulously done. With the Foreas base announcer, it even had a element of humor. It didn't have vehicles like PS, but I didn't see that as a big drawback.
Being in public is the only practical (and logistical) way to accomplish many day-to-day tasks. It is, for all intents and purposes, a requirement, not an option. This requirement, however, does not impart any kind of permission, invitation, or other level of participation in order to record or track what it is I or anyone else is doing. Even in public, people have the right to be left alone.
I have to give NCSoft some serious credit here - it was a great game. I started when it was first released, and there's not much I didn't like about it. It's a damned shame they have to close it.
If a parent wants to keep their little darlings sheltered and ignorant, an online gaming forum isn't the place to do it.
If you had several encrypted volumes on your machine (via something like Truecrypt), and simply left one or two of of them without any content, it would be next to impossible to prove that any of them contained anything.
Like it or not, sexual orientation is a mature subject
You seem to be implying that "gay" only starts after someone turns 18. Is that correct?
Hardwiring surveillance into the UKâ(TM)s pubs raises serious privacy concerns. We recognise that CCTV plays an important role in the prevention and detection of crime...
And that role is?
I watched a short segment on MSNBC last night - it contained crystal clear footage of someone robbing a fast-food restaurant, holding one person at gunpoint - even putting the gun to his head and pulling the trigger (for whatever reason, the gun didn't go off). There were two cameras - one in the back room where the safe was, and another in the dining area. Fortunately this individual was able to wrestle the intruder out the door, at which point he ran. The perpetrator was never caught - apparently there's this weird limitation that cameras have - the guy was wearing a ski mask and was fully covered in dark clothing. But the point is, that even under the best of circumstances, cameras can easily be rendered useless. The crime won't stop, it will just change how crimes are committed.
I'd argue that the whole point of finding them is to pursue and enforce a sense of accountability. If people that get into office are going to do any of the completely lame things that was done by the Bush administration they should be prepared to answer for it. Otherwise, it's a free-for-all.
ABC was extremely annoying with the ads for the show - it seemed like every other commercial was something to with the season opener. Like I hadn't seen it the first two hundred times. When I see that kind of "in your face" approach, I usually turn and walk away. And I did.
Please don't say that the one-click experience was "invented" by Jeff Bezos - it completely trivializes the entire creative process. It reduces those who are truly innovative to the status of mere dilettantes.
The government, in typical UK style, decreed that cameras would make use safer, but declined to provide sufficient funding.
No, they failed to provide sufficient evidence that it would work. It was a bee up someone's ass, a lot of money was spent install them, and now they have nothing but a huge, expensive, ineffective mess. Looks like the bee has made its way to Chicago. The same, horrible waste of money will happen all over again.
Got issues?
Your comment makes it sound like all broadcast television stations will broadcast in 1080i
Not at all. I'm simply saying that in order to make room for all that "content", the cable companies have to resort to tricks - one of which is compression. It doesn't matter to me whether it's standard def or high def - if the compression is too high, the picture quality will generally suffer. Most stations have one channel, and hence, only have one show at a time - to my knowledge, there's no need for the same level of compression.
When is the last time you called MS support for free?
Perhaps for some people it's compelling, but the problem with cable/PPV is that they're trying to squeeze ever more content over the same pipe. This means that they have to compress more and more. Compression leads to artifacts, and a generally crappy picture. The question is then, are you willing to have more channels with crummy quality, or fewer high-quality channels? The stations accessible via rabbit ears are broadcast stations, and they don't have to worry about this.
I think the parent's point is quite valid. People are generally lazy, and they'd rather put up with the pathetic crap that goes on just so they can make their lives a tad easier. This whole issue with the RIAA and copyright - in fact, LOTS of these kinds of issues, could be resolved in OUR favor. Unfortunately, everyone's too lazy to take action - not by breaking the law, but by keeping their money.
I'd say also stop treating the CEOs and upper management like gods. A company's success is the sum of its parts, and the way things are currently structured, I can't see a single thing that would motivate an employee to suggest ideas that would put a new yacht or summer home in the hands of someone else. Spreading the wealth would provide some real incentive.
Second, if the company's culture has its roots in political infighting and empire building, this kind of environment can't exist. It simply isn't worth the effort when the potential for good ideas to get crushed under the egos of incompetent management.