Funny how your type doesn't seem to want government to do much of anything, and views the Constitution so narrowly that such a course of action (course of inaction?) seems like the only thing that's "allowed".
Reminds me of a cartoonist's suggestion for managing flu vaccine shortages: Deny it to those who don't accept the evolution of a virus, the cartoon picturing a bedridden Falwell, Robertson & co.
People want the benefits but don't want to pony up the costs, you see that anywhere and for anything. [The following is a special case of that concept] So you can probably bet there would be a shitstorm if anyone (especially anyone famous) who railed against stem cell research is denied treatment derived from stem-cell research
Overall, though, seems you have a very interesting idea. A main problem (in addition to the hypocrisy issues described above) would probably be The Man not liking the Bimodal Politics results for some questionable program, or the "threat" thereof. (and thus interfering with the application of the concept) The classic economic issue of externalities also creates a problem.
Is there some reason why playing the DVD with English-language subtitles wouldn't work well enough compared to closed-captioning? My university has a large deaf population; I see that shortcut taken fairly often to play a video in-class that doesn't have captioning, etc.
MC Lars' "Download this Song" also comes to mind Hey, I can follow instructions.:P
"It's 2006, the consumer's still pissed Won't take it anymore so I'm writing a list Don't try to resist this paradigm shift The music revolution cannot be dismissed"
"You know, we just wanted a level playing field. You've overcharged us for music for years, and now we're Just trying to find a fair balance. I hate to say it, but... Welcome to the future."
He's saying that something should be illegal, not necessarily related to whether the thing is or isn't illegal. In this case, he happens to agree with its current illegality.
I've found that I can successfully get through some classes without the textbook; thing is, I often don't manage to figure that out until a few weeks in. Often, I won't need to the textbook to actually *learn* the material, but I need it to get ahold of the homework questions. (I live off-campus, so it would be a PITA to borrow the book from a classmate, who's probably on a tight schedule to get the homework done himself.) [Charitably thinking], perhaps the books are assigned because some other students learn in a matter that means *they* *do* need them.
I make a point of asking the professor for the booklist before the quarter starts; that way I have some lead time to get it off of Amazon or whatever (Maybe I could be more adventurous in choosing online bookstores, but they still 0wn the campus bookstore) Heck, about all I use the campus bookstore for is double-checking that I have the right ISBNs
Have had trouble finding students who are about to be in class such-and-such to sell the book to. Out of pride if nothing else, not going to sell back at the campus bookstore's crap rates.
I've run into other components of the racket, but I've never gotten assigned a book written by the professor himself...my profs have, as far as I can tell, for the most part been understanding [but somewhat powerless] about this mess. One assigned us PDF'ed excerpts from her copies of the books in question, for instance.
I think this guy *does* sort of have a point - while, ideally, content such as this likely is worth defending on free-speech grounds, it may not be the best idea tactically due to limited resources or something.
It's the pragmatists versus the "fuck it, it's the right thing to do" idealists.
...I don't have obnoxious work sessions like that, but I admit to spending way too much time surfing the 'Net and whatnot.
My preferred form of exercise is bicycle-riding I've noticed that it's a bit harder to get the motivation to go out and ride around just for the hell of it; I find it a bit easier to get out there if I have something specific to go out and do, even if the thing's just a small mundane errand...Sometimes, when I get out there, I stay out evne after whatever task is taken care of.
I've noticed that microwaveable frozen dinners generally have decent food, but small quantities. The small portion size is frustrating at the tiem, but I suppose it works if I manage to not throw other stuff on top of it.:P
While some open-source development is definitely paid, most of it has got to be being done by volunteer programmers.
A volunteer (on any project, software or not) is going to be working on what he or she wants, and I'm speculating that that's the crux of the problem - here, the techies in question either isn't good at userfriendly interfaces or doesn't care about newbie-friendly interfaces, plain and simple. The "RTFM n00b" types likely aren't going to work on interfaces for said n00bs.
Sure, there are some 'good people' out there on this issue (think of the pushing behind *ubuntu, for instance), but an awful lot are not.:(
That's true, the non-aggression pact. However, would Stalin have necessarily kept to it? Especially with the stark ideological divide between fascism and communism, probably not.
Cool, an "insightful" mod just for posting relevant XKCD's. In all seriousness, I can see how a straightforward phone would have its uses, but I never understood this "cell phone mania" that I see all my buddies & college classmates hooked on.
Have long since been "intrigued" by the fact that USian news outlets intermix "real news" and "bullcrap news" (Not sure how foreign outlets behave on this issue)
True. I recall a MAD article entitled "What Democrats Believe / What Republicans Believe"; one of the lines was something lie "Only Democrats believe that our big fat partisan gasbag [Moore] is better than their big fat partisan gasbag [Limbaugh]"
I'm closer to Moore than Limbaugh, but I can still recognize the (snarky) truth of such a statement.
But even a fucking moron can see this tripe is designed with the insurance companies profits in mind. Screw the BS. Go ahead and kick the private insurance companies to the side and make it truly government supplied health care. Single ayer with no private companies taking a cut from the pie. There will be waste and corruption no matter what, but leaving private companies involved will double waste, corruption and cost at the bare minimum.
QFT Many of the advantages I see in nationalized health care come from private insurers NOT being involved. But something like this seems like a good first step/trial run/start in the right direction / etc
"Providing private healthcare alternatives (for any of the above 3 cases, or any other case) is illegal."
I've long since supported the idea of nationalized healthcare system, but it doesn't have to come with a requirement like this, and I'd argue that it shouldn't. No system is *perfect*, a private emergency backup (bad choice of words?) for the national system wouldn't hurt. Furthermore, allowing private care would be a good way to defuse some complaints from the section of the population that *does* have the money for it.
Slashdot Mirror
Funny how your type doesn't seem to want government to do much of anything, and views the Constitution so narrowly that such a course of action (course of inaction?) seems like the only thing that's "allowed".
Reminds me of a cartoonist's suggestion for managing flu vaccine shortages: Deny it to those who don't accept the evolution of a virus, the cartoon picturing a bedridden Falwell, Robertson & co.
People want the benefits but don't want to pony up the costs, you see that anywhere and for anything. [The following is a special case of that concept]
So you can probably bet there would be a shitstorm if anyone (especially anyone famous) who railed against stem cell research is denied treatment derived from stem-cell research
Overall, though, seems you have a very interesting idea.
A main problem (in addition to the hypocrisy issues described above) would probably be The Man not liking the Bimodal Politics results for some questionable program, or the "threat" thereof. (and thus interfering with the application of the concept)
The classic economic issue of externalities also creates a problem.
Is there some reason why playing the DVD with English-language subtitles wouldn't work well enough compared to closed-captioning?
My university has a large deaf population; I see that shortcut taken fairly often to play a video in-class that doesn't have captioning, etc.
Axl Rose finally got Chinese Democracy out the door last year.
So, what do we get in 2010?
MC Lars' "Download this Song" also comes to mind :P
Hey, I can follow instructions.
"It's 2006, the consumer's still pissed
Won't take it anymore so I'm writing a list
Don't try to resist this paradigm shift
The music revolution cannot be dismissed"
"You know, we just wanted a level playing field.
You've overcharged us for music for years, and now we're
Just trying to find a fair balance. I hate to say it, but...
Welcome to the future."
He's saying that something should be illegal, not necessarily related to whether the thing is or isn't illegal. In this case, he happens to agree with its current illegality.
Howard Wolowitz: In a model base don the Drake Equation, I have calculated that there are 5,512 mate-able women within a 40-mile radius...
Leonard: Howard, really?
Howard: I'm a horny engineer - all I can think about is math and sex.
I've found that I can successfully get through some classes without the textbook; thing is, I often don't manage to figure that out until a few weeks in.
Often, I won't need to the textbook to actually *learn* the material, but I need it to get ahold of the homework questions. (I live off-campus, so it would be a PITA to borrow the book from a classmate, who's probably on a tight schedule to get the homework done himself.)
[Charitably thinking], perhaps the books are assigned because some other students learn in a matter that means *they* *do* need them.
I make a point of asking the professor for the booklist before the quarter starts; that way I have some lead time to get it off of Amazon or whatever (Maybe I could be more adventurous in choosing online bookstores, but they still 0wn the campus bookstore)
Heck, about all I use the campus bookstore for is double-checking that I have the right ISBNs
Have had trouble finding students who are about to be in class such-and-such to sell the book to. Out of pride if nothing else, not going to sell back at the campus bookstore's crap rates.
I've run into other components of the racket, but I've never gotten assigned a book written by the professor himself...my profs have, as far as I can tell, for the most part been understanding [but somewhat powerless] about this mess. One assigned us PDF'ed excerpts from her copies of the books in question, for instance.
Who do those textbook publishers think they are? Sounds a lot like RIAA behavior there...
Works For Me.
I can't buy any cheddar here? But it's the most popular cheese in the world!
I think this guy *does* sort of have a point - while, ideally, content such as this likely is worth defending on free-speech grounds, it may not be the best idea tactically due to limited resources or something.
It's the pragmatists versus the "fuck it, it's the right thing to do" idealists.
...I don't have obnoxious work sessions like that, but I admit to spending way too much time surfing the 'Net and whatnot.
My preferred form of exercise is bicycle-riding
I've noticed that it's a bit harder to get the motivation to go out and ride around just for the hell of it; I find it a bit easier to get out there if I have something specific to go out and do, even if the thing's just a small mundane errand...Sometimes, when I get out there, I stay out evne after whatever task is taken care of.
I've noticed that microwaveable frozen dinners generally have decent food, but small quantities. The small portion size is frustrating at the tiem, but I suppose it works if I manage to not throw other stuff on top of it. :P
some people were suspicious that Osama would magically be captured right before the 2004 election..
While some open-source development is definitely paid, most of it has got to be being done by volunteer programmers.
A volunteer (on any project, software or not) is going to be working on what he or she wants, and I'm speculating that that's the crux of the problem - here, the techies in question either isn't good at userfriendly interfaces or doesn't care about newbie-friendly interfaces, plain and simple.
The "RTFM n00b" types likely aren't going to work on interfaces for said n00bs.
Sure, there are some 'good people' out there on this issue (think of the pushing behind *ubuntu, for instance), but an awful lot are not. :(
What, is that the new name for America's Funniest Home Videos?
yes, yes, I get the Idiocracy reference...please give the geek card back.
That's true, the non-aggression pact.
However, would Stalin have necessarily kept to it?
Especially with the stark ideological divide between fascism and communism, probably not.
Was it an uneasy alliance to begin with? Maybe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov-Ribbentrop_Pact
Cool, an "insightful" mod just for posting relevant XKCD's.
In all seriousness, I can see how a straightforward phone would have its uses, but I never understood this "cell phone mania" that I see all my buddies & college classmates hooked on.
Have long since been "intrigued" by the fact that USian news outlets intermix "real news" and "bullcrap news" (Not sure how foreign outlets behave on this issue)
Ah yes, Mr. Smith has lot more-complex ideals about market economics than many of his supposed acolytes; doesn't hurt to send out reminders of this
http://xkcd.com/479/ - "Tones"
True.
I recall a MAD article entitled "What Democrats Believe / What Republicans Believe"; one of the lines was something lie "Only Democrats believe that our big fat partisan gasbag [Moore] is better than their big fat partisan gasbag [Limbaugh]"
I'm closer to Moore than Limbaugh, but I can still recognize the (snarky) truth of such a statement.
But even a fucking moron can see this tripe is designed with the insurance companies profits in mind. Screw the BS. Go ahead and kick the private insurance companies to the side and make it truly government supplied health care. Single ayer with no private companies taking a cut from the pie. There will be waste and corruption no matter what, but leaving private companies involved will double waste, corruption and cost at the bare minimum.
QFT
Many of the advantages I see in nationalized health care come from private insurers NOT being involved.
But something like this seems like a good first step/trial run/start in the right direction / etc
"Providing private healthcare alternatives (for any of the above 3 cases, or any other case) is illegal."
I've long since supported the idea of nationalized healthcare system, but it doesn't have to come with a requirement like this, and I'd argue that it shouldn't.
No system is *perfect*, a private emergency backup (bad choice of words?) for the national system wouldn't hurt.
Furthermore, allowing private care would be a good way to defuse some complaints from the section of the population that *does* have the money for it.