That 2 year contract they want you to sign in the reason why their customer service sucks. You're locked in for 2 years or you have to pay a huge cancellation fee. If you don't have a choice to leave, they don't have to provide you with good service.
And, of course, the continuing claims from the looneys who say that there was no code theft and that the entire story was made up to hide the fact that the code just wasn't ready.
If both choices suck, why make one? Choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.
What the fuck do you think happens on election day? You walk into a booth and check either Bush or Kerry and then walk out? There are other races, other candidates. You can have an effect on all of them.
You're lazy and apathetic and just looking to excuse it.
If everyone was voting the choices would still be the same: two people making promises to corporations in return for campaign funding.
Bill Clinton was first elected by less than half of the voters. George Bush was also likely elected by less than half of the voters. Perot and Nader changed the outcome of elections. What was the result of this? Clinton moved toward the center. Bush moved toward the center. Your guy doesn't need to win in order for you to have a voice.
Fine, if you don't like Bush or Kerry, don't vote for them. That doesn't mean to boycott the November election. Sentate seats, House seats, State Senate and House seats, Mayors, Governors, Alderman, School boards, Sheriffs and myriad other offices are up for election. Don't blame your laziness and apathy on a lack of choices.
If 60% of the people have lost faith in the system, it's the system, not the people, that is the problem.
It is those people who are the problem. They are the reason for all of the problems that they have with the system. The fact that voter turn out is so low means that every vote is more valuable. Politicians will spend more campaign money to get them. They will promise and deliver more tax dollars for projects to get them. If everyone was voting these tactics wouldn't work and they wouldn't be employed.
If you don't vote because you don't like the system, blame yourself as you are the cause of the current state of the system.
A machine that small recieves an absolutely puny amount of sunlight, and Tesla style distributed power doesn't work over long distances.
Small machines require small amounts of energy. Why would they be unable to complete a krebs cycle and liberate ATP for energy? Where there are living creatures, there is a source for energy. Is there any spot on the globe that is devoid of every kind of RF? What keeps this scenario "remotely possible" is that fact. I'm sure we all agree that it's nearly impossible; but since it isn't completely impossible, I think we should consider it and take reasonable steps to prevent it.
In a world as hyperparanoid as the current one is about weapons of mass destruction you have to wonder about technology that might enable a new class of WMD's when it falls in to malevolent hands, for example terrorists or the U.S. military.
You can't really blame the military. They are just obeying the politicians. If you want to blame someone, blame the 60% of the electorate who can't be bothered to vote.
I used to take apart every dead HD that came into the shop just to make wind chimes out of the platters and play with the cool magnets. But I noticed that EVERY TIME I disassembled a drive I got a really bad eyeball head ache. I have not taken a drive apart in about 4 years.
The series was filmed in Canada, and was written, directed, and performed by Canadians. This fulfills any CanCon requirements that might have existed (but which the show wouldn't have been affected by at all.)
A protest need not be directed at some injustice that you personally face. The "MacKenzie Brothers" was such a protest.
Let me give you another example of a unique identifier that already exists in every device connnected to the internet from anywhere: Your MAC address! Better start pulling all your ethernet cards and burning them in a big bonfire...
Try again. I have an nForce 2 Ultra based motherboard with a built in NIC. I can change the MAC through the BIOS.
Perhaps you don't understand what "broadcast" means. "Broadcast" infers that the information is sent out for any and all to access. My system doesn't "broadcast" anything. My IP is available, but only to the people that I choose. I can and do use my firewalls (hardware and software) to isolate myself from certain parties. Whenever I choose I can refresh my DHCP information and get a new IP address. The processor ID served no useful purpose.
Even if you have no such concerns, many of us are concerned with controlling who has access to our information.
Seems to me that AMD is trying to cash in on the buzz surrounding the Centrino marketing push that Intel is making.
I can't say I blame them. It's a good idea. AMD has always been a good "budget" performer. Intel may be king of the hill in raw processing power, but in the price/performance battle it's AMD all the way.
Some might label me as an AMD fanboy because I haven't bought an Intel chip since the P2-300 and because I have sworn off Intel because of the P3's processor ID fiasco. That's fine with me.
Spend more on Intel than I do on AMD and you'll get a 10% performance bonus at the cost of a 25% price premium.
Canadian and American timeslot lengths, so they decided to add something "uniquely Canadian" and put in Bob and Doug in the "Great White North".
I believe it was a protest about some Canadian regulation requiring "Canadian" content to be included in television programming. If they were forced to include something "Uniquely Canadian" they were going to make it a stereotype of Canadians.
Imagine if Bill Cosby included a 2 minute Minstrel Show at the end of every episode of his show as a protest to those who didn't think his show was "black enough".
National tv with children watching and people feel the need to "push the envenlope."
It was a breast for God's sake! In case you didn't know, children are supposed to suckle. That means put a nipple into their mouths and suck on it. Children are supposed to see breasts. It wasn't the end of the world.
I haven't played Thief 2, but in the original Thief I used to love to drop guards into the water so that they drown. I can take a much more morbid delight in their deaths.
Hey, Windows doesn't even come with a C compiler! My iBook at least shipped with a Developer Tools CD (even if it wasn't installed by default). Also, Developer Tools is FREE. How much does Visual Studio cost again? (Actually, I can get it through MSDN-AA free, but most people probably can't)
It just so happens that Microsoft has a version of their compiler that is $Free.
Okay, I have to admit that back then I didn't use OS 7 enough, or understand enough about computers, to know whether it was better or not.
I did, and it was.
However, by that time they had already lost because they wouldn't allow clones, and IBM did.
Eventually Apple DID allow clones. Power Computing, UMAX, SuperMac, APS et all made nice Mac clones. Power Computing's top of the line was usually faster than Apple's top of the line. The PowerTower Pro series from Power Computing stomped ass all over the Powermac 8500/9500s from Apple.
This is part of the reason why Jobs killed off the clones. People who needed as much speed as possible bought Power Computing. People who needed the lowest price possible bought UMAX. People who wanted the best bang for their buck bought other clones. Only people who were loyal to the Apple brand name bought Apple.
The fact that all the clones could run Windows (and MS-DOS, for that matter) was what allowed MS to get their monopoly in the first place.
That's arguable. I agree that not allowing clones earlier was one of the biggest mistakes in all of the computing industry; but who can say how much different things would have turned out if they had allowed it earlier?
The Mac is the best machine for what my girlfriend does (she's an art student majoring in animation)
No question about it.
and for what I do (computer science student).
That's a bit of a stretch.
IMHO, it's also the best machine for what casual computer users (read: n00bs) would do (i.e. email, web browsing etc) just because it's easier to avoid viruses and malware.
In a vacume that would be correct, but in this world n00bs need to rely on their friends and relatives who have more experience than they do. Most of the people out here know about Windows. Have a problem with your machine, you'll have less trouble getting help with a Windows setup.
Not necessarily, because MS got it's monopoly before they became the best.
I disagree. Mac OS 7 was superior to Win 3.1 in many ways even System 6 was on par with Windows 3.1 but MS dominated the marketplace anyway.
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That 2 year contract they want you to sign in the reason why their customer service sucks. You're locked in for 2 years or you have to pay a huge cancellation fee. If you don't have a choice to leave, they don't have to provide you with good service.
This one is a no-brainer.
LK
And, of course, the continuing claims from the looneys who say that there was no code theft and that the entire story was made up to hide the fact that the code just wasn't ready.
Why must they be "looneys"?
LK
How is his eventual policy on stem cell research a remotely left-ward move?
By allowing federal funding to continue.
He was elected as a moderate, and has governed, largely, from the far right.
Only in your imagination.
LK
Bush backed away from repealing Clinton's gun legislation. Bush backed away from the total ban on funding for fetal stem cells.
Maybe he didn't move far enough to the left for your liking, but he did move toward the center.
LK
If we'd just switch to a sensible voting system
Like what, the one in India where there are over 100 parties?
If both choices suck, why make one? Choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.
What the fuck do you think happens on election day? You walk into a booth and check either Bush or Kerry and then walk out? There are other races, other candidates. You can have an effect on all of them.
You're lazy and apathetic and just looking to excuse it.
If everyone was voting the choices would still be the same: two people making promises to corporations in return for campaign funding.
Bill Clinton was first elected by less than half of the voters. George Bush was also likely elected by less than half of the voters. Perot and Nader changed the outcome of elections. What was the result of this? Clinton moved toward the center. Bush moved toward the center. Your guy doesn't need to win in order for you to have a voice.
LK
Most of the soldiers and personnel I've talked to believe in the cause.
What cause is that? Serving their country?
How many of them were in the military before the war started? How many of them were reservists just looking for college money?
Has it ever occured to you that these people are forbidden to publicly disagree with the stated goals of their commander in chief?
Note who is taking the fall for the clearly unjust aspects of the "War on Terror." It starts as the bottom.
I didn't see any pictures of Bush or Rummsfeld with the naked Iraqi prisonors.
LK
Fine, if you don't like Bush or Kerry, don't vote for them. That doesn't mean to boycott the November election. Sentate seats, House seats, State Senate and House seats, Mayors, Governors, Alderman, School boards, Sheriffs and myriad other offices are up for election. Don't blame your laziness and apathy on a lack of choices.
If 60% of the people have lost faith in the system, it's the system, not the people, that is the problem.
It is those people who are the problem. They are the reason for all of the problems that they have with the system. The fact that voter turn out is so low means that every vote is more valuable. Politicians will spend more campaign money to get them. They will promise and deliver more tax dollars for projects to get them. If everyone was voting these tactics wouldn't work and they wouldn't be employed.
If you don't vote because you don't like the system, blame yourself as you are the cause of the current state of the system.
LK
A machine that small recieves an absolutely puny amount of sunlight, and Tesla style distributed power doesn't work over long distances.
Small machines require small amounts of energy. Why would they be unable to complete a krebs cycle and liberate ATP for energy? Where there are living creatures, there is a source for energy. Is there any spot on the globe that is devoid of every kind of RF? What keeps this scenario "remotely possible" is that fact. I'm sure we all agree that it's nearly impossible; but since it isn't completely impossible, I think we should consider it and take reasonable steps to prevent it.
LK
In a world as hyperparanoid as the current one is about weapons of mass destruction you have to wonder about technology that might enable a new class of WMD's when it falls in to malevolent hands, for example terrorists or the U.S. military.
You can't really blame the military. They are just obeying the politicians. If you want to blame someone, blame the 60% of the electorate who can't be bothered to vote.
LK
F' No! Acronym Overload!
For a minute, I thought that maybe this was a Jon Katz submission.
LK
and boy are my arms tired.
*Ba Dum Bum*
Wait a minute, that doesn't work for nautical travel. Nevermind.
Never again.
I used to take apart every dead HD that came into the shop just to make wind chimes out of the platters and play with the cool magnets. But I noticed that EVERY TIME I disassembled a drive I got a really bad eyeball head ache. I have not taken a drive apart in about 4 years.
LK
The series was filmed in Canada, and was written, directed, and performed by Canadians. This fulfills any CanCon requirements that might have existed (but which the show wouldn't have been affected by at all.)
A protest need not be directed at some injustice that you personally face. The "MacKenzie Brothers" was such a protest.
Google it yourself.
LK
Let me give you another example of a unique identifier that already exists in every device connnected to the internet from anywhere: Your MAC address! Better start pulling all your ethernet cards and burning them in a big bonfire...
Try again. I have an nForce 2 Ultra based motherboard with a built in NIC. I can change the MAC through the BIOS.
Oh... You're one of those wackos...
Flattery will get you nowhere.
Your computer is broadcasting an IP address!
Perhaps you don't understand what "broadcast" means. "Broadcast" infers that the information is sent out for any and all to access. My system doesn't "broadcast" anything. My IP is available, but only to the people that I choose. I can and do use my firewalls (hardware and software) to isolate myself from certain parties. Whenever I choose I can refresh my DHCP information and get a new IP address. The processor ID served no useful purpose.
Even if you have no such concerns, many of us are concerned with controlling who has access to our information.
LK
AMD 64 bit line is faster than anything x86 that Intel has.
That is arguable. The P4EE does outperform the Athlon 64 at some benchmarks.
LK
Seems to me that AMD is trying to cash in on the buzz surrounding the Centrino marketing push that Intel is making.
I can't say I blame them. It's a good idea. AMD has always been a good "budget" performer. Intel may be king of the hill in raw processing power, but in the price/performance battle it's AMD all the way.
Some might label me as an AMD fanboy because I haven't bought an Intel chip since the P2-300 and because I have sworn off Intel because of the P3's processor ID fiasco. That's fine with me.
Spend more on Intel than I do on AMD and you'll get a 10% performance bonus at the cost of a 25% price premium.
LK
Canadian and American timeslot lengths, so they decided to add something "uniquely Canadian" and put in Bob and Doug in the "Great White North".
I believe it was a protest about some Canadian regulation requiring "Canadian" content to be included in television programming. If they were forced to include something "Uniquely Canadian" they were going to make it a stereotype of Canadians.
Imagine if Bill Cosby included a 2 minute Minstrel Show at the end of every episode of his show as a protest to those who didn't think his show was "black enough".
LK
I was with you until I got to this little gem.
National tv with children watching and people feel the need to "push the envenlope."
It was a breast for God's sake! In case you didn't know, children are supposed to suckle. That means put a nipple into their mouths and suck on it. Children are supposed to see breasts. It wasn't the end of the world.
LK
I haven't played Thief 2, but in the original Thief I used to love to drop guards into the water so that they drown. I can take a much more morbid delight in their deaths.
LK
Hey, Windows doesn't even come with a C compiler! My iBook at least shipped with a Developer Tools CD (even if it wasn't installed by default). Also, Developer Tools is FREE. How much does Visual Studio cost again? (Actually, I can get it through MSDN-AA free, but most people probably can't)
It just so happens that Microsoft has a version of their compiler that is $Free.
Okay, I have to admit that back then I didn't use OS 7 enough, or understand enough about computers, to know whether it was better or not.
I did, and it was.
However, by that time they had already lost because they wouldn't allow clones, and IBM did.
Eventually Apple DID allow clones. Power Computing, UMAX, SuperMac, APS et all made nice Mac clones. Power Computing's top of the line was usually faster than Apple's top of the line. The PowerTower Pro series from Power Computing stomped ass all over the Powermac 8500/9500s from Apple.
This is part of the reason why Jobs killed off the clones. People who needed as much speed as possible bought Power Computing. People who needed the lowest price possible bought UMAX. People who wanted the best bang for their buck bought other clones. Only people who were loyal to the Apple brand name bought Apple.
The fact that all the clones could run Windows (and MS-DOS, for that matter) was what allowed MS to get their monopoly in the first place.
That's arguable. I agree that not allowing clones earlier was one of the biggest mistakes in all of the computing industry; but who can say how much different things would have turned out if they had allowed it earlier?
LK
What do you do, then?
Gaming & programming primarily.
The Mac is the best machine for what my girlfriend does (she's an art student majoring in animation)
No question about it.
and for what I do (computer science student).
That's a bit of a stretch.
IMHO, it's also the best machine for what casual computer users (read: n00bs) would do (i.e. email, web browsing etc) just because it's easier to avoid viruses and malware.
In a vacume that would be correct, but in this world n00bs need to rely on their friends and relatives who have more experience than they do. Most of the people out here know about Windows. Have a problem with your machine, you'll have less trouble getting help with a Windows setup.
Not necessarily, because MS got it's monopoly before they became the best.
I disagree. Mac OS 7 was superior to Win 3.1 in many ways even System 6 was on par with Windows 3.1 but MS dominated the marketplace anyway.
LK
Viewing = possession.
Once it's viewed, it's cached.
What if you browse with no cache?
LK