I am not sure you can have what is going on without the two things that you listed. Bill Gates saw 30 years ago that there would come a point where the United states would no longer manufacture anything, and that the only wealthy people would be those who would control the processes to how things are made. He applied this model to computer software, licensing it to companies (IBM) who would actually manufacture the product and sell it, while he would collect Royalties. Watch as Microsoft sheds a lot of its workforce over the next 10 or 20 years and become more of a patent holding company collecting royalties for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundataion. (There is nothing wrong with this in and of itself, but there will most likely be no true innovation for the next 20-30 years or more, and those who survive will be the ones who can monetize what has already been done.
The corporate lobby will extend this to eliminate fair use and the public domain. Everything will be covered by a copyright, patent, or trademark. Want to learn 2+2=4 you will have to pay a royalty to the owner of the copyright to the numbers 2 and 4, the copyright of the symbols "+" and "=" and the patent covering the addition of numbers. (ok I am being a little sarcastic)
The government would work if it was of the people, by the people, for the people; and not of the corporation, buy the corporation, for the corporation.
Here is a theory I have:
I believe Video Game Manufactures are trying to go the way of movie Studios (like Disney) where they can put their products in a vault and re-release them every few years. In this case, they will do little more than re-compile it for a new platform when they re-release it. They will get the same few customers to buy the game over and over again.
At the risk of sounding like some fundamentalist nutjob, this began as our society became aggressively secular. We became affluent enough, as a result of winning WWII that people were able to question the existence of any higher power. There was no more reason to delay gratification. Also, the prevailing anglo-saxon moral culture was exposed as ethnocentric (racist), patriarchal (sexist), authoritarian, and repressive.
The social progress of the last 30-40 years came at the expense of the destruction of major social institutions. People are now more influenced by popular culture than their families. Are readily brainwashed by mass media. Many are only functionally literate: They get their news from Television programs rather than newspapers.
We need to create a new common culture that will foster civility between races and religions, and will encourage people to control their desires when those desires can hurt others. If we rely solely on law for this, we will have to abandon all our freedoms (look at what is happening with the "Think of the children" legislations that are being proposed)
This could be the beginning of the creation of separate "Internets" for different countries or distinct national groups. If each country takes control of its "internet" and creates proprietary standards, they can impose their will on the content of their networks.
This is because this society is on the decline, and our IP is the only true national asset left. Asia, China in particular is now the dominant manufacturer. India is producing far more doctors, scientists, and engineers then we are. A lot of people have decided to cash out of the system, and this is happening as a lot of early baby boomers are retiring.
Like most Clinton era social-liberal capitalists, she represents the Hollywood Democrats. They tow the line on social issues, but protect the economic interests of their industry even though it may go against their ideals.
Another problem is that IP is the only asset we have of value as a nation. That, and a strong military which may be used to enforce IP. Wait until people die because someone needed to collect a royalty for some drug to become available. IP is about to become something much bigger than copying music or movies. The awarding of superfluous patents, and their enforcement will eventually stifle innovation, and set up the next world war between the US and the "third world".
The necons had been in charge for the most part since Reagan unified catholic whites and Jews under the WASP banner of anti-communism. Clinton, found come chinks in the armor, but the neo-cons just bided their time until GWB could be brought to power.
The Republican Party needs to purge itself of the southern/midwestern white supremacist/fundamentalist Christian portion. This election is the greatest mandate since 1932. The "second great depression" combined with the failure of the "great fundamentalist Christan crusade" in Iraq and Afghanistan, combined with the exposures of hypocrisy (Foley, Craig, Haggard et. al.) This is the beginning of the end of :
* Foreign Policy soley based on White American Interests. * Opposition to Abortion/Gay Rights * Unconditional support for Israel * Cutting off of public education funding/school choice
I wouldn't place the blame just on Bush. If it weren't for the fundamentalist Christian, White Supremacist types that are common in the south and midwest, Neither Bush would have ever been president. The white aristocracy that has run this country for most of its history has kept its power by manipulating lower class whites with fear either of communism or homosexuals or Islam.
Adultery is illegal is some states. The laws are rarely enforced, but are there. Most states consider it a civil tort (I am no lawyer) which could affect divorce judgments, influencing property and custody situations.
Also, When the next wave of Fundamentalist Christianity(tm) hits, expect a slew of new anti-adultery laws designed to "Preserve the Traditional Family(tm)"
There is no room for mistakes anymore. We now live in a zero-tolerance,no-forgiveness world. This guy probably doesn't understand the degree to which his life is over.
I actually interpret it as :
Go along or we will use Software Patents and our Republican Government to crush you. He's expecting either McCain to win or to be able to buy out OBAMA.
Makes you wonder if the USA had implemented similiar taxes when we had our oil crises in the 70s and 80s. It might have allowed us to make alternative tech that we could have spread now to India and China. Europe reacted by conserving more, and that will soften the impact peak oil will cause them. If a "die-off" occurs, the greatest affected will be Middle-class/Upper Middle-Class Americans.
Slashdot Mirror
I am not sure you can have what is going on without the two things that you listed. Bill Gates saw 30 years ago that there would come a point where the United states would no longer manufacture anything, and that the only wealthy people would be those who would control the processes to how things are made. He applied this model to computer software, licensing it to companies (IBM) who would actually manufacture the product and sell it, while he would collect Royalties. Watch as Microsoft sheds a lot of its workforce over the next 10 or 20 years and become more of a patent holding company collecting royalties for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundataion. (There is nothing wrong with this in and of itself, but there will most likely be no true innovation for the next 20-30 years or more, and those who survive will be the ones who can monetize what has already been done. The corporate lobby will extend this to eliminate fair use and the public domain. Everything will be covered by a copyright, patent, or trademark. Want to learn 2+2=4 you will have to pay a royalty to the owner of the copyright to the numbers 2 and 4, the copyright of the symbols "+" and "=" and the patent covering the addition of numbers. (ok I am being a little sarcastic)
Wasn't Joesph Stalin. an atheist?
Wouldn't a small population with a western standard of living be as good or better than a larger population that is say hunter-gatherer?
The government would work if it was of the people, by the people, for the people; and not of the corporation, buy the corporation, for the corporation.
Here is a theory I have: I believe Video Game Manufactures are trying to go the way of movie Studios (like Disney) where they can put their products in a vault and re-release them every few years. In this case, they will do little more than re-compile it for a new platform when they re-release it. They will get the same few customers to buy the game over and over again.
At the risk of sounding like some fundamentalist nutjob, this began as our society became aggressively secular. We became affluent enough, as a result of winning WWII that people were able to question the existence of any higher power. There was no more reason to delay gratification. Also, the prevailing anglo-saxon moral culture was exposed as ethnocentric (racist), patriarchal (sexist), authoritarian, and repressive. The social progress of the last 30-40 years came at the expense of the destruction of major social institutions. People are now more influenced by popular culture than their families. Are readily brainwashed by mass media. Many are only functionally literate: They get their news from Television programs rather than newspapers. We need to create a new common culture that will foster civility between races and religions, and will encourage people to control their desires when those desires can hurt others. If we rely solely on law for this, we will have to abandon all our freedoms (look at what is happening with the "Think of the children" legislations that are being proposed)
This could be the beginning of the creation of separate "Internets" for different countries or distinct national groups. If each country takes control of its "internet" and creates proprietary standards, they can impose their will on the content of their networks.
Wouldn't it be better to not permit cell phones or computers in these areas? (Courtrooms in particular?)
They just want cash now.
This is because this society is on the decline, and our IP is the only true national asset left. Asia, China in particular is now the dominant manufacturer. India is producing far more doctors, scientists, and engineers then we are. A lot of people have decided to cash out of the system, and this is happening as a lot of early baby boomers are retiring.
Would throwing chairs be considered "soft"?
Like most Clinton era social-liberal capitalists, she represents the Hollywood Democrats. They tow the line on social issues, but protect the economic interests of their industry even though it may go against their ideals.
I think the highways would have not been an issue if we hadn't discovered oil in the Persian Gulf. Gas would have become expensive a lot quicker, and many of the highways would have not been built. http://www.country-studies.com/persian-gulf-states/discovery-of-oil.html
One Word ..... Microsoft!
Don't ISPs have to support IPv6 at the modem level for consumers to have true IPv6 connectivity?
Another problem is that IP is the only asset we have of value as a nation. That, and a strong military which may be used to enforce IP. Wait until people die because someone needed to collect a royalty for some drug to become available. IP is about to become something much bigger than copying music or movies. The awarding of superfluous patents, and their enforcement will eventually stifle innovation, and set up the next world war between the US and the "third world".
The necons had been in charge for the most part since Reagan unified catholic whites and Jews under the WASP banner of anti-communism. Clinton, found come chinks in the armor, but the neo-cons just bided their time until GWB could be brought to power.
The Republican Party needs to purge itself of the southern/midwestern white supremacist/fundamentalist Christian portion. This election is the greatest mandate since 1932. The "second great depression" combined with the failure of the "great fundamentalist Christan crusade" in Iraq and Afghanistan, combined with the exposures of hypocrisy (Foley, Craig, Haggard et. al.) This is the beginning of the end of :
* Foreign Policy soley based on White American Interests. /school choice
* Opposition to Abortion/Gay Rights
* Unconditional support for Israel
* Cutting off of public education funding
I wouldn't place the blame just on Bush. If it weren't for the fundamentalist Christian, White Supremacist types that are common in the south and midwest, Neither Bush would have ever been president. The white aristocracy that has run this country for most of its history has kept its power by manipulating lower class whites with fear either of communism or homosexuals or Islam.
Adultery is illegal is some states. The laws are rarely enforced, but are there. Most states consider it a civil tort (I am no lawyer) which could affect divorce judgments, influencing property and custody situations. Also, When the next wave of Fundamentalist Christianity(tm) hits, expect a slew of new anti-adultery laws designed to "Preserve the Traditional Family(tm)"
Then they will block that, and make it illegal to circumvent their blocking.
There is no room for mistakes anymore. We now live in a zero-tolerance,no-forgiveness world. This guy probably doesn't understand the degree to which his life is over.
They can't do that, they are not Microsoft!
Hopefully this is not just window dressing to cover deeper rights abuses by this and future administrations.
I actually interpret it as : Go along or we will use Software Patents and our Republican Government to crush you. He's expecting either McCain to win or to be able to buy out OBAMA.
Makes you wonder if the USA had implemented similiar taxes when we had our oil crises in the 70s and 80s. It might have allowed us to make alternative tech that we could have spread now to India and China. Europe reacted by conserving more, and that will soften the impact peak oil will cause them. If a "die-off" occurs, the greatest affected will be Middle-class/Upper Middle-Class Americans.