Michael Crichton wrote a book about how we thought we could control thousand of nanobots using swarm theory.
Also, L. Ron Hubbard wrote a book about how we are all haunted by thousands of evil alien ghosts. Fortunately, both books are works of fiction, and therefore have little relation to reality.
I believe the only way a true democracy can be run is if individual citizens are allowed to vote on legislation proposed by their representatives, rather than having the representatives do the voting.
This is a terrible idea. What we'd end up with is a situation (like now) where 99% of the population doesn't have the time (or interest) to read the legislation or vote on it, but also a situation where the remaining 1% would control what gets passed and doesn't get passed. That remaining 1% would be composed largely of trolls, unemployed busybodies, single-issue-firebrands (using their vote as leverage to promote their unrelated pet cause), and people who are getting paid under the table to vote for/against the bill by, parties who would profit from its passage or failure. There would be much less accountability than in our current system.
Rationality, by this yardstick (and irrationality too, but we'll get to that) is nothing more or less than a servant of the hard-wired compulsion to triumph in the debating arena.
The current spike in bitcoin is cause by the fact that people have little faith in dollars etc. so want to put their money somewhere else that can't be devalued by someone printing more money.
I have to say... if you think dollars are too risky to hold, BitCoins are definitely not for you. Maybe in 20 years, once all the potential gotchas have been (painfully) discovered, but for now, anyone investing their life savings in BitCoins isn't thinking clearly, and might be just as well off investing in deposed Nigerian princes.
This just turns electricity into heat and produces nothing of value.
Some people think (the ability to buy and sell goods without having to rely on a government-controlled currency, or pay processing fees to a middleman) has value. YMMV.
No. There is zero benefit to having people know what you're up to as a black hat. That's like leaving riddles inside the bank safe.
Unless, of course, your goal is to get publicity and make a point about something. (if Lulzsec or whoever just hacked into senate.gov and didn't tell anyone, do you think we'd ever hear about it?)
His analogy, not mine.. though I'd argue that some of the ideas expressed in books could potentially be far more harmful than any pornographic image, especially without the proper context.
You think so? I'd be interested in hearing some examples of ideas that harm children. (if you're thinking of things like Mein Kampf or The Satanic Bible, I'd think any child capable of -- and interested in -- reading books like that probably also has the maturity to deal with their content)
I'd say the difference between reading an idea in text, and seeing a pornographic image, is that with text you have to think about what you're reading, which means that the conscious/intellectual part of your mind is involved, and thus you are necessarily mentally present enough to consider the ideas presented on their merits. Pornography, OTOH, goes directly through your visual cortex to your primitive reproductive drive, bypassing your intellectual filters... which is why it is so effective (and for many, alluring). If the conscious part of the mind was involved, it would quickly realize that it makes little evolutionary or practical sense to become sexually aroused by a pattern of ink particles on a piece of paper... but the ancient/reptilian sexual layers of the brain haven't yet figured out that photographs aren't real, so they still get fooled every time. I think it is (in part) that automatic bypassing of rational thought that makes pornography so controversial (and scary to most parents).
Yes, my parents would drop me off at the library, but the librarians never stopped us from going into the 'adult' section.
Of course, the 'adult' section of a public library has a very different purpose than the 'adult' section of the Internet. I'm willing to bet that your library didn't stock porn magazines, or if it did, that kids weren't allowed access to them.
It works perfectly, they'll never see anything you don't want them to
If there was ever a sentence that deserved a surreptitious goatse link, it's that one.
Although I suppose it does suggest an idea: a web browser that runs on two monitors, with a 5 second delay so that images brought up on the first monitor don't show up on the second monitor until they've been vetted on the first. (not that that sounds like "quality time with your kid" to me, but who am I to judge?)
Perhaps we'll become extinct. Perhaps we won't. In the grand scale of things, either outcome, in light of the Earth's roughly 5 billion year lifespan bears less significance than we'd like to believe
Ahem. It's very significant to us... you know, the humans who will be living (or starving, or dying) on this planet in the near future.
I don't know bitcoin but I bet it's encrypted and low traffic. Detecting and filtering is would be an amazing technical feat in an ocean of TCP connections.
I know that, and you know that, but our esteemed Senators probably don't know that. So they will (I predict) enact a law requiring ISPs to block BitCoin, and the ISPs will comply with as little effort as possible, by installing a simplistic filter based on some known characteristic of the existing implementation, and then the BitCoin people will change a port number (or whatever) to get past that filter, and round and round we go. It should be almost as entertaining as watching Apple and MacDefender fight it out.
it's obvious that Slashdot is being pumped full of Bitcoin articles by Bitcoin promoters.
Well, duh. Slashdot is also pumped full of Linux articles by Linux fans, pumped full of video game articles by video game fans, and pumped full of science articles by science fans. News for Nerds, remember? Nerds are interested in BitCoin, because it's an interesting bit of software.
Are these web sites and deals happening inside the US? If not what are US Senators going to do about it?
I'd imagine mandatory filtering of Bitcoin traffic by ISPs will be suggested, at some point. Inevitably we'll end up with the Great Firewall of USA; fortunately Cisco and friends have plenty of experience implementing that sort of thing already.
Slashdot Mirror
Don't worry, we'll still mod you up every time you bring up how great the Nokia phones are even though nobody asked.
Yes, but will anyone mod you up for so astutely exposing the shameful, self-serving ulterior motive behind the previous poster's message?
That's why you posted, right? ;^) Heaven knows it's why I'm posting now... I've just got to have more of that that sweet, sweet karma....
Pop Quiz: What was the Zimbabwean dollar backed by?
Ooh! Ooh! I know!
It was backed by the full faith and credit of the Zimbabwean government!
(which, unfortunately, didn't have a very good grasp of economics)
Michael Crichton wrote a book about how we thought we could control thousand of nanobots using swarm theory.
Also, L. Ron Hubbard wrote a book about how we are all haunted by thousands of evil alien ghosts. Fortunately, both books are works of fiction, and therefore have little relation to reality.
They can't climb or burrow. They have all the mobility of my phone in vibrate mode.
Well sure... These are just the research prototypes. v2.0 will add spring-loaded legs, and teeth.
A thousand monkeys standing around a box of parts would "accidentally" build a computer
Ah, I see you are familiar with the TRS-80.
I believe the only way a true democracy can be run is if individual citizens are allowed to vote on legislation proposed by their representatives, rather than having the representatives do the voting.
This is a terrible idea. What we'd end up with is a situation (like now) where 99% of the population doesn't have the time (or interest) to read the legislation or vote on it, but also a situation where the remaining 1% would control what gets passed and doesn't get passed. That remaining 1% would be composed largely of trolls, unemployed busybodies, single-issue-firebrands (using their vote as leverage to promote their unrelated pet cause), and people who are getting paid under the table to vote for/against the bill by, parties who would profit from its passage or failure. There would be much less accountability than in our current system.
Be careful what you wish for!
Why should the police have shown any restraint at all?
Because they professionals, not thugs, and are sworn to uphold the law?
Rationality, by this yardstick (and irrationality too, but we'll get to that) is nothing more or less than a servant of the hard-wired compulsion to triumph in the debating arena.
No it isn't!
The current spike in bitcoin is cause by the fact that people have little faith in dollars etc. so want to put their money somewhere else that can't be devalued by someone printing more money.
I have to say... if you think dollars are too risky to hold, BitCoins are definitely not for you. Maybe in 20 years, once all the potential gotchas have been (painfully) discovered, but for now, anyone investing their life savings in BitCoins isn't thinking clearly, and might be just as well off investing in deposed Nigerian princes.
This just turns electricity into heat and produces nothing of value.
Some people think (the ability to buy and sell goods without having to rely on a government-controlled currency, or pay processing fees to a middleman) has value. YMMV.
No. There is zero benefit to having people know what you're up to as a black hat. That's like leaving riddles inside the bank safe.
Unless, of course, your goal is to get publicity and make a point about something. (if Lulzsec or whoever just hacked into senate.gov and didn't tell anyone, do you think we'd ever hear about it?)
Ok, so I'm kidding - a little. But the last thing you do is fuck with the feds. They will get their pound of flesh. That you can safely bet on.
Wait, I thought the Federal gov't was incompetent at everything except wasting taxpayer money. Which is it?
When there are no employees left, how will humans earn the money to buy products with?
Humans will still be able to earn money servicing the robots.
(the robots enjoy a good rim job)
His analogy, not mine.. though I'd argue that some of the ideas expressed in books could potentially be far more harmful than any pornographic image, especially without the proper context.
You think so? I'd be interested in hearing some examples of ideas that harm children. (if you're thinking of things like Mein Kampf or The Satanic Bible, I'd think any child capable of -- and interested in -- reading books like that probably also has the maturity to deal with their content)
I'd say the difference between reading an idea in text, and seeing a pornographic image, is that with text you have to think about what you're reading, which means that the conscious/intellectual part of your mind is involved, and thus you are necessarily mentally present enough to consider the ideas presented on their merits. Pornography, OTOH, goes directly through your visual cortex to your primitive reproductive drive, bypassing your intellectual filters... which is why it is so effective (and for many, alluring). If the conscious part of the mind was involved, it would quickly realize that it makes little evolutionary or practical sense to become sexually aroused by a pattern of ink particles on a piece of paper... but the ancient/reptilian sexual layers of the brain haven't yet figured out that photographs aren't real, so they still get fooled every time. I think it is (in part) that automatic bypassing of rational thought that makes pornography so controversial (and scary to most parents).
Yes, my parents would drop me off at the library, but the librarians never stopped us from going into the 'adult' section.
Of course, the 'adult' section of a public library has a very different purpose than the 'adult' section of the Internet. I'm willing to bet that your library didn't stock porn magazines, or if it did, that kids weren't allowed access to them.
It works perfectly, they'll never see anything you don't want them to
If there was ever a sentence that deserved a surreptitious goatse link, it's that one.
Although I suppose it does suggest an idea: a web browser that runs on two monitors, with a 5 second delay so that images brought up on the first monitor don't show up on the second monitor until they've been vetted on the first. (not that that sounds like "quality time with your kid" to me, but who am I to judge?)
Perhaps we'll become extinct. Perhaps we won't. In the grand scale of things, either outcome, in light of the Earth's roughly 5 billion year lifespan bears less significance than we'd like to believe
Ahem. It's very significant to us... you know, the humans who will be living (or starving, or dying) on this planet in the near future.
"Earth is just too small and fragile a basket for mankind to keep all its eggs in."
And yet it's the only viable basket we have. (off-world colonies would not survive long without regular assistance from Earth)
I don't know bitcoin but I bet it's encrypted and low traffic. Detecting and filtering is would be an amazing technical feat in an ocean of TCP connections.
I know that, and you know that, but our esteemed Senators probably don't know that. So they will (I predict) enact a law requiring ISPs to block BitCoin, and the ISPs will comply with as little effort as possible, by installing a simplistic filter based on some known characteristic of the existing implementation, and then the BitCoin people will change a port number (or whatever) to get past that filter, and round and round we go. It should be almost as entertaining as watching Apple and MacDefender fight it out.
Bob Dole doesn't appreciate that remark.
IIRC, even Bob had to resort to medical intervention in order to give her 'proper coverage'.
but she's definitely not completely wrong
I can see the bumper stickers now:
Palin 2012: She's definitely not completely wrong!
it's obvious that Slashdot is being pumped full of Bitcoin articles by Bitcoin promoters.
Well, duh. Slashdot is also pumped full of Linux articles by Linux fans, pumped full of video game articles by video game fans, and pumped full of science articles by science fans. News for Nerds, remember? Nerds are interested in BitCoin, because it's an interesting bit of software.
Are these web sites and deals happening inside the US? If not what are US Senators going to do about it?
I'd imagine mandatory filtering of Bitcoin traffic by ISPs will be suggested, at some point. Inevitably we'll end up with the Great Firewall of USA; fortunately Cisco and friends have plenty of experience implementing that sort of thing already.
Wouldn't we be better off detecting the viruses, not the antivirus?
The distinction between those two categories grows hazier every year...
If your standards depend not only on human perfection, but mastery over the elements, you are bound to be disappointed.
Standards are (or at least should be) proportional to the cost of failure.