the very NOTION of having "hate speech" laws is anti-free speech and anti-freedom.
So are laws against yelling "FIRE! FIRE!" in a crowded theater, but in any civilized society we have to draw the line somewhere to prevent douchebags from causing pointless harm and upheaval.
The exact same thing can truthfully be said of those on the left of the political spectrum.
Absolutely. There are people all across the political spectrum who are (or who seek) ideologues... just as there are people all across the political spectrum who are open to opposing ideas and enjoy rational debate. My comment was in response to TFS which references Ann Coulter.
I attribute the popularity of people like Ann Coulter - and networks like Fox News - to the fact there is a huge segment of the population that doesn't watch TV or log onto the internet to become informed... they seek out information that validates their already-existing view of the world. Actual facts and truth might require a painful rewiring of preconceived notions.
Disabling someone else's machine is immoral, no matter what your goal might be.
Does "disabling" include cutting off network connectivity? In today's environment of cloud computing and web2.0 apps, being cut off from the net is arguably the same as disabling a machine entirely.
And to extend the logic a bit further, it is immoral for an ISP to cut off somebody's account if that account is being used to spew spam. Or to extend things a bit further, it's immoral for an upstream to cut off a downstream spam sewer... or for anything like RBL or SBL to exist since it can be used to facilitate disruption of network service.
I'm not trying to explicitly condone an approach where zombies are vandalized to render them inoperable, but I'm trying to point out how this entire argument is shades of grey - at some point, action against criminal networks involves infringement on people's "right" to do whatever they want with their money, their computer, their internet connection, etc.
... and one other thing to keep in mind: when the day comes (becuase it's a when not an if) that terrorist organizations hire a botnet to attack the computers that control the electric grid, or to perform supercomputing nuclear simulations, or any number of other things... you are going to see some serious shit being done to botnets and zombies, and it will be done by governments not by random vigilantes.
If i went to wendys and got a 1/16th pounder i'd be pretty pissed.
My very first summer job was working at a Wendy's. There were various "stations" where you could work (with the guy on the grill being pretty much the pinnacle unless you were one of the managers), one of which was the sandwich area - which involved putting together the burgers with patties, condiments, and whatever specific toppings the customer ordered.
Sometimes when I was feeling particularly bitter about the fast food industry, I'd deliberately put together one of the drive-thru orders with no meat on the buns... I'd be very careful in getting everything else about the order right but no patties. It amazed me how many people didn't come back to complain when they opened their meatless burger somewhere down the road.
The simple truth is that interstellar distances will not fit into the human imagination
- Douglas Adams
I once read something that I though did a pretty neat job of allowing me to wrap my head around interstellar distances:
Image that the sun is the size of a baseball sitting on top of home plate at Skydome (a baseball stadium in Toronto, Canada... I leave it to the reader to make the mental leap to their own hometown example). The Earth would then be the ball from a ballpoint pen, sitting on the pitcher's mound. And Neptune and Pluto would be orbiting somewhere out in the vicinity of the circular rails out beyond the outfield that guide the retractable roof. The next nearest star, Alpha Centauri, would be another baseball sitting on home plate at the Houston Astrodome.
This spore-laden asteroid was only a followup, a redundant backup mission. The original alien spore mission to Sudan succeeded several years ago... spore-infected individuals are known to take up weapons and form militia groups who then engage in rape, murder, and genocide. So far nobody outside Sudan seems to have taken much notice or to care.
So it can get quite a bit hotter and life will still be sound.
Sure our civilization might not like it but life will go on.
Sure, I don't see many people denying it. But what will it do to our economy?
Never mind the economy, what will it do for the survival prospects of 6.7 billion people?
As a species, we are appropriating the majority of earth's productive capacity for our own survival. There are already numerous regions that are ecologically stressed (i.e. they have been pushed basically to the limit of their ecological carrying capacity). A reduction in global carrying capacity, even of just 10 or 20%, is not good news for our species. Look at the lives of people living in ecologically marginal lands - they are not worried about the economy, they are worried about the fact they have to walk 5km one way to get drinking water. They are worried about the fact that food insecurity is driving a societal breakdown. That's the future that's in store for billions more if (when) a climate change crisis really starts to kick in.
To respond to the GP - Earth will do just fine if humanity disappears. Life will indeed go on.
Option 1: Phone the manufacturer, arrange for a service call, take time off work to make sure I'm home, make small talk with a technician for 30-60 minutes while he diagnoses the same problem I already found, listen in disbelief when he tells me he doesn't have the appropriate part on hand, arrange for another service call, take more time off work....
My understanding was that Hubble had a life expectancy of 20 years. It was launched in 1990, so going dark in 2008 is perhaps a little premature but hardly what I'd call a failure.
Almost three years ago, our dishwasher (which was only a year old at the time) stopped working. After a bit of troubleshooting I determined that the solenoid valve in the water intake was shot - my multimeter indicated that it was receiving an electrical signal, but the valve wouldn't open so the dishwasher couldn't fill.
I whacked it with a hammer and it's been working flawlessly ever since.
Slashdot Mirror
the very NOTION of having "hate speech" laws is anti-free speech and anti-freedom.
So are laws against yelling "FIRE! FIRE!" in a crowded theater, but in any civilized society we have to draw the line somewhere to prevent douchebags from causing pointless harm and upheaval.
Stupid or brilliant, everybody casts one vote
This post may be an attempt at serious debate, or I may be trolling you for my own amusement. You decide!
Umm, the second one?
The exact same thing can truthfully be said of those on the left of the political spectrum.
Absolutely. There are people all across the political spectrum who are (or who seek) ideologues ... just as there are people all across the political spectrum who are open to opposing ideas and enjoy rational debate. My comment was in response to TFS which references Ann Coulter.
I attribute the popularity of people like Ann Coulter - and networks like Fox News - to the fact there is a huge segment of the population that doesn't watch TV or log onto the internet to become informed ... they seek out information that validates their already-existing view of the world. Actual facts and truth might require a painful rewiring of preconceived notions.
Who will I direct my anger against? The person who decided to hijack the spynet ... they might as well kiss their life goodbye
Okay. Good luck with that.
if you turn my PC into an usuable brick, I will become VERY angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.
Who exactly are you planning to turn your anger against?
Disabling someone else's machine is immoral, no matter what your goal might be.
Does "disabling" include cutting off network connectivity? In today's environment of cloud computing and web2.0 apps, being cut off from the net is arguably the same as disabling a machine entirely.
And to extend the logic a bit further, it is immoral for an ISP to cut off somebody's account if that account is being used to spew spam. Or to extend things a bit further, it's immoral for an upstream to cut off a downstream spam sewer ... or for anything like RBL or SBL to exist since it can be used to facilitate disruption of network service.
I'm not trying to explicitly condone an approach where zombies are vandalized to render them inoperable, but I'm trying to point out how this entire argument is shades of grey - at some point, action against criminal networks involves infringement on people's "right" to do whatever they want with their money, their computer, their internet connection, etc.
... and one other thing to keep in mind: when the day comes (becuase it's a when not an if) that terrorist organizations hire a botnet to attack the computers that control the electric grid, or to perform supercomputing nuclear simulations, or any number of other things ... you are going to see some serious shit being done to botnets and zombies, and it will be done by governments not by random vigilantes.
britneynude.exe
*shudder*
(I'm not angry, just flabbergasted that you think it's acceptable behavior to hijack other people's personal property and money.)
You mean like the way botnet owners do in the first place?
If i went to wendys and got a 1/16th pounder i'd be pretty pissed.
My very first summer job was working at a Wendy's. There were various "stations" where you could work (with the guy on the grill being pretty much the pinnacle unless you were one of the managers), one of which was the sandwich area - which involved putting together the burgers with patties, condiments, and whatever specific toppings the customer ordered.
Sometimes when I was feeling particularly bitter about the fast food industry, I'd deliberately put together one of the drive-thru orders with no meat on the buns ... I'd be very careful in getting everything else about the order right but no patties. It amazed me how many people didn't come back to complain when they opened their meatless burger somewhere down the road.
The simple truth is that interstellar distances will not fit into the human imagination
- Douglas Adams
I once read something that I though did a pretty neat job of allowing me to wrap my head around interstellar distances:
Image that the sun is the size of a baseball sitting on top of home plate at Skydome (a baseball stadium in Toronto, Canada ... I leave it to the reader to make the mental leap to their own hometown example). The Earth would then be the ball from a ballpoint pen, sitting on the pitcher's mound. And Neptune and Pluto would be orbiting somewhere out in the vicinity of the circular rails out beyond the outfield that guide the retractable roof. The next nearest star, Alpha Centauri, would be another baseball sitting on home plate at the Houston Astrodome.
big shiny space suits
You haven't seen a lot of recent Bollywood cinema have you?
While the outfits are likely to be shiny, the ones worn by the women during dance scenes will be tiny.
Damn, no mod points today ...
Is this some new form of the "your mamma's so fat ..." joke?
This spore-laden asteroid was only a followup, a redundant backup mission. The original alien spore mission to Sudan succeeded several years ago ... spore-infected individuals are known to take up weapons and form militia groups who then engage in rape, murder, and genocide. So far nobody outside Sudan seems to have taken much notice or to care.
Looks 'chopped to me
I am a systems administrator,
tedius
primarily Unix/Linux
boring
Nonsense ... these kids are the perfect audience for a 20-minute talk on the joys of awk and sed.
So it can get quite a bit hotter and life will still be sound.
Sure our civilization might not like it but life will go on.
Sure, I don't see many people denying it. But what will it do to our economy?
Never mind the economy, what will it do for the survival prospects of 6.7 billion people?
As a species, we are appropriating the majority of earth's productive capacity for our own survival. There are already numerous regions that are ecologically stressed (i.e. they have been pushed basically to the limit of their ecological carrying capacity). A reduction in global carrying capacity, even of just 10 or 20%, is not good news for our species. Look at the lives of people living in ecologically marginal lands - they are not worried about the economy, they are worried about the fact they have to walk 5km one way to get drinking water. They are worried about the fact that food insecurity is driving a societal breakdown. That's the future that's in store for billions more if (when) a climate change crisis really starts to kick in.
To respond to the GP - Earth will do just fine if humanity disappears. Life will indeed go on.
Option 1: Phone the manufacturer, arrange for a service call, take time off work to make sure I'm home, make small talk with a technician for 30-60 minutes while he diagnoses the same problem I already found, listen in disbelief when he tells me he doesn't have the appropriate part on hand, arrange for another service call, take more time off work ....
Option 2: Hit the solenoid with a hammer.
And I can see Alaska from my house
My understanding was that Hubble had a life expectancy of 20 years. It was launched in 1990, so going dark in 2008 is perhaps a little premature but hardly what I'd call a failure.
the "thwack" repair method seldom lasts long
Almost three years ago, our dishwasher (which was only a year old at the time) stopped working. After a bit of troubleshooting I determined that the solenoid valve in the water intake was shot - my multimeter indicated that it was receiving an electrical signal, but the valve wouldn't open so the dishwasher couldn't fill.
I whacked it with a hammer and it's been working flawlessly ever since.
$7.9 million? MASA will launch any payload and successfully land it on the moon for two hundred dollars.
Nividia posted sales of USD 892.7 million.
So they offer to settle for $850 thousand?
0.1% of their sales???
... which in AMD's case would probably be 100% of their net profits.