The World is going backwards. When these slanders now reach millions, and additional millions in the 'Free' World suck it up and regurgitate it (where is their reason and critical faculties?): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuPsuI2lJyA
If a well armed populace are supposed to keep the government from overstepping its bounds, where were they when the OWS were getting pepper sprayed for peaceably assembling? Where were they when the Patriot Act got passed? Where were they when warrant-less wiretapping got approved? Where were they when free speech zones were created?
According to the "Four boxes of liberty" you don't start with the ammo box, you end with it when all other means have been exhausted (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_boxes_of_liberty).
where were they when the OWS were getting pepper sprayed for peaceably assembling?
Because a significant fraction of the population thought OWS was wrong? note: I'm not a US citizen nor am I saying that Occupy Wall Street was necessarily without merit - I'm merely pointing out a fact. While OWS has some good points (the banking system had run amok) there was also a lot of bullshit there too, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwAUrvFo9Sk [4.5 mins] and plenty of associated examples (idealistic students pretty clueless about the complexities of modern society and economics). Hence, even Jethro can see that some fraction of the OWS agenda is bunk and does not rush to start armed revolt to institute the OWS agenda. Make sense?
Where were they when the Patriot Act got passed?
Jethro and weapon not required for this. Letters to your Representative were required. The general citizenry were more interested in Britney Spears' scandals than their own liberties (because they assume they will always have complete freedom - until someone like their government, or the OIC dominated UN, comes and slaps them with a harsh reality that they are not fully free (with reasonable limitations, of course), despite the platitudes they hear).
In the early 20th Century many rifles had a special clips that held multiple rounds (eg. M1 Garand had a metal clip holding 8 rounds). Hence reloading or discharging such rifles were loading or emptying 'clips'. Later rifles, such as the Springfield M14 would use boxes of ammunition called 'magazines'. All the old timers still used the word 'clip' and everyone knew what they meant. Note that the word 'magazine' can also be confused with a place (a storage room for munitions), although it is true that 'clip' can also be confused (but often less so).
So, if we're going to have hundreds of firearm grammar-nazis frothing at distinguishing 'clip' from 'magazine' (although no one is confused if either is used, so there is little point to the debate apart from education) then surely we should have a similar debate about the use of 'guns' (technically, artillery/vehicle/ship/aircraft pieces and not carried by infantry) vs 'small arms', yeah?
And for your amusement, check out this genius sketch from Ronnie Corbett, "My Blackberry is not Worlking" [Credit: BBC - thanks Beeb!]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAG39jKi0lI
Lol. Self-important much? I see that all the time. Instead of reading and analysing a counter point of view where you could learn anything you simply choose to disregard any contrary facts. Possibly this is because you are afraid of being provided facts that would counter your misconceptions. This is totally unscientific and no scientist would do as you do - your sig is fraudulent:(
Ah, you missed the other posts where he called me "moron".
and it hasn't become backward, it started that way and is slowly, unevenly, and not monotonically pulling itself out.
The West is mostly progressing, with some significant social regressions in France etc. The OIC is totally going backward at the moment (1.3 to 1.6 billion people, depending on your estimate). The US has made material progress but their centuries old First Amendment rights have just been scuppered with UN Resolution 16/18. The fact that the US even contemplated agreeing to that resolution shows how morally-invert their governing class' thinking has become.
The World is at a significant crossroads at the moment, will the Enlightenment win? or will the petro-dollar fueled expansion of the totalitarian ideology of Islam win? At the moment the US is so hidebound in political correctness and appeasement (thinking a 'mea culpa' would make things better, but it has made it strategically worse) that hundreds of millions of citizens in the Middle East and North Africa have recently come under increasingly totalitarian Islamist regimes. Egypt and Libya are cases in point. Turkey is under an Islamist regime that is actively working to deconstruct the secular Kemalist state (when it isn't too busy threatening to ethnically cleans the remaining Armenians, if you even mention the historical genocide; and then there is the oppression against Kurdish culture). Indonesia currently has a wave of violence against its Christians. Iraq has nearly finished ethnically cleansing its Christian Assyrians. Albanians in Kosovo are hard at work clearing out the Serbs (who are the victims this time around: http://theorthodoxchurch.info/blog/news/2013/01/serbs-say-kosovo-police-tortured-them-while-in-detention/). The number of terrorist attacks around the World is accelerating (20237 deadly attacks since 9/11, see http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/index.html#Attacks):
since I have some idea what society was like back then, and it hasn't become backward, it started that way and is slowly, unevenly, and not monotonically pulling itself out.
Yes, history (which I do know well) shows non-monotonic progress. However, over the last decade there has been progress in the West/Free World and undeniable regression elsewhere. Even the freedoms in the West is under threat due to the corruption of the UN by the OIC and now UN HRC and General Assembly resolutions get passed that are anti-thetical to the founding ideals of the UN. Despite your clever turn-of-phrase there is no absolutely no guarantee that the passage of time will always bring progress, and at the moment there is a significant risk that the Islamists will win in the long term. This is especially likely given the posture of the US (where their military are expressly prohibited from associating Islam with terrorism, just in case anyone gets offended. wtf? ! See any of the videos by Major Stephen Coughlin, eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhZe7eZK4dw)
Neither you nor I can predict the future. My guess is that we are at a local inflection point. If the West continues on its current trajectory then the totalitarian ideology of Islam will achieve what the similarly totalitarian National Socialism and Soviet Communism could not - domination and assimilation of the Free World. If the West wakes up and 'grows a pair' (unlikely given the craven self-serving and 'afraid to offend' nature of our current leaders) and we defeat that totalitarian ideology (Islam) then we will have non-monotonic progress again - and I will be very happy to be proven wrong. It is delusional (and, in fact, self-defeating) to assume that the period of regression we are seeing must only be temporary - it could well get
You really are a closed-minded wanker aren't you? I will provide references showing that although your view is true for the last century, over the last two decades there has been a massive regression in many areas. I will provide citations
There are been great progress in the West. This is probably where you are making your statements about, yeah? However, you are completely *ignorant* (or chose to ignore) several facts: 1) anti-Semitism is increasing in the West (correlated strongly with massive immigration from OIC countries), 2) honor-crime and rape are increasing in countries where formerly it was never heard of (eg. Scandinavia, and again strongly and geographically correlated with OIC immigration), 3) the amount of terrorism has increased massively in the last decade, most of it is Muslim-on-Muslim (so if one is not paying attention, like you, then it is easy to miss: ), 4) the United Nations is OIC dominated and they are actively working to inhibit Free Speech across the globe, eg. see UN HRC Resolution 16/18 (where Hilliary Clinton very stupidly agreed to punish US First Amendment Free Speech rights against her own citizens in her own country - completely craven, shameful and anti-Constitutional).
In the last two decades Human Rights have been going backward for the 1.3 billion people in OIC countries (that's a lot of people). Example analyses:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/07/the_lamps_are_going_out_all_over_the_islamic_world.html http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/study-finds-worsening-conditions-for-democracy-and-human-rights-in-central-asia.aspx?pageID=438&n=study-finds-worsening-conditions-for-democracy-and-human-rights-in-central-asia-2002-08-20
Sudan going backwards: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3130234.stm
Consider the cases of the following countries: Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Indonesia, Chechnya/Dagestan. Have human rights and tolerance gone forward in these countries with the dismantling of secular, socialist or moderate regimes and replaced with increasingly Islamist or repressive ones? Even in Britain, Canada and the US there is regression with an increasing rate of 'dishonor killings' that were unheard of a few years back (and the killing of any number innocent girls by their families for trying to life a liberal Western lifestyle is completely unacceptable, yes? or are you a fascist too?). There are now also places (eg. in France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden) were non-Muslims and even the police fear to go. Even Russia has experienced significant regressing with respect to human and civil rights. And as I mentioned, "useful idiot" Hilliary Clinton has just made the US agreed to UN Resolution 16/18 to suppress the Free Speech rights that US citizens have had for several centuries. These regressions are significant.
It is not all doom and gloom. The World just might be sorted out eventually (although there is also a good chance it won't be), but to say it is all forward progress is delusional and contrary to the facts if you look outside the Western/Free World. For a substantial chunk of the World's population there may have been material growth has been noticeable regression in human and civil rights.
So get out of your cozy neighborhood and start looking at the entire globe. For the last decade or so there has been significant regression for a large chunk of the World's population. It is indeed "it is incredible how backward the world has become". Oh yeah, if you are going to be a moron through ignorance, at least try not to be such a jerk about it. k?
but ability to call people to lynch someone because he's evil(jew, black whatever counted as evil) has gone down - you can only do it in some 3rd world countries still.
Like the 57 members of the OIC? Yes, many countries have become more tolerant. Doesn't mean we can't stop now - we have to make the others tolerant too, especially as the OIC ideology seeks to re-establish intolerance in the West.
Cool. The subject is too vast to post the hundreds of citations that would be required to cover all aspects. Your criticism is fair enough, but I hope you understand why I couldn't provide exhaustive citations - there is just too much and the problem is "where to start?". That's why I offer to address each question in detail.
Excellent anecdote. Here's an eye-opening video from a law school professor and a detective. Both of them agree, never talk to the police http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc
Well, the Shia Army of Allah (as in Iran) are working on nuclear weapons capability. It doesn't matter whether it was the Soviet Empire or the Islamic Caliphate (Empire) that kills you, you will still be dead. The clock is neither moronic nor obsolete. It is intended to raise public consciousness about the risk of Weapons of Mass Destruction to the entire human race. In that sense it succeeded and still has a point to make. Particularly as the Shia believe the 12th Imam, "The Mahdi" will not come to earth until the time of Armageddon - which much of the Shia theocracy think they just might be able to arrange. Still think the clock serves no purpose to raise awareness with the general public?
Don't worry. If Iran complete the research programme that gives them the ability to construct nuclear weapons this year (which *all the facts* show they are working on) then the Doomsday Clock will move. Will you be happy then?
Its like the terrorist colour thing. They want you worried or they don't have a point.
Nope. They are correct because they are in possession of the facts and you, clearly, are not. Hence, you imply a conspiracy theory since it is so much easier than checking the facts (the information is actually out there in the public domain if one bothers to look). I'll do you a favor and give you a link to the number of terrorist attacks since 9/11:
The wikipedia list, which is a subset of the real list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/ lists 20237 deadly terror attacks since 9/11 (and climbing, it is updated daily from events around the world) http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/index.html#Attacks Here is a detailed list of the attacks
With that data you should be shocked. What is even more shocking is that it is not "politically correct" to point out the *facts*. We haven't lost Free Speech yet in a legal sense, but we certainly have lost it in a social sense where to speak the truth now marks you as some kind of radical, instead of a rational.
The tragedy is that most of the terrorist attacks are Muslims on other Muslims (of a different sect; there is currently a multi-national Sunni vs Shia war going on as to which flavor will dominate Islam, yet most people are unaware of it); there is also a lot of Muslim on Christians in the Middle East and Africa (Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Mali etc); there is Muslim on Hindu stuff (the recent shelling of Indian positions and the capture and beheading of an Indian soldier); and then attacks on the US and the West (mostly foiled because the jihadis spend too much time studying the Qur'an and hadiths and not on science or tactics; so police often foil them - but it is not for a lack of trying).
So, if you think the terrorism alerts are just for the military-industrial complex to shake money out of you then you should remove your tinfoil hat. The world is *full* of terrorist acts (almost all of them jihadis against other Muslims, Christians, and unbelievers; as the Qur'an commands them to do) - it is just that you haven't being paying attention.
It's even worse, even the US is kinda subdued these days and the Secretary of State has just concluded UN HRC resolution 16/18 where she agree she would suppress the First Amendment rights of her own citizens. This is both shocking and shameful. Without Free Speech we are borked, and the US government policy is actually suppressing eg. Hillary's shameful statements, or the US military being prohibited from associating Islamism and terrorism; see any of Major Stephen Coughlin's analyses on YouTube for more info: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhZe7eZK4dw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsArto3UVT0
The US currently believes that by atoning for its past mistakes it can encourage moderates in the Islamic World and isolate the extremists. Unfortunately this strategy appears to be failing (witness the pro-Islamist ambassador in Benghazi getting killed by factions he was assisting; or the US embassy in Cairo getting overrun by a population that loathes them). The 'mea culpa' strategy would work with many nations, but unfortunately nothing will work for any member of the OIC (which you mention) except for complete submission to Sharia (which their stated aim is to take global).
As I said, there is an awful lot of slanders and mistruths about. It is not just the improbably but the outright false that is the "New Normal".
Here's another example of how the UN is corrupted - and is now used to specifically slander Israel and the US (note: I'm not a citizen of either, I'm just aware that the libels against these two would easily be used against other weaker freedom-loving nations, like my own New Zealand). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7Mupoo1At8
The UN Human Rights Council is now stuffed with OIC members, and human rights rulings are now voted on by countries like Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sudan etc. If you know anything about these countries you will be very concerned about your liberties:
So, the point of my original post was that we get people who aren't fact-based and think "black is white" and vice versa. As you so rightly point out, it really is a "wow" (as in, wtf) moment when you hear these guys not only come up with totally ignorant and counter-factual statements, but then defend them aggressively (trying to shut any speakers of reason down). Anyone who loves freedom has to keep speaking out before that freedom disappears (as I mentioned UN HRC resolution 16/18 is a huge danger to free speech *worldwide*; and the madness is that the US is aiding and abetting this travesty against its own citizens!).
Ah, I see you are insufferably arrogant as well as wrong. It's always ok to be wrong, but it is a character flaw to be arrogant (I've been there, mostly kicked the habit, now recognize the flaw in others). Arrogance does not equal intelligence, so please don't confuse them.
You ought be apologizing to me since it is you who accused me of not understanding history yet I understand the facts very very well (and I'd wager a lot better than you). However, let's ignore the slight and get on with the topic at hand.
Again, do you have a single statement to back up your suggestion that Israel and the US are not routinely slandered by falsehoods on a daily basis? You see, you are exactly the kind of person I was talking about. Misguided, but perhaps not hopelessly so. If you'd like to debate these slanders then it'd be my pleasure to correct your worldview to one that is fact-based. You can then draw your own conclusions based on facts, and you would probably stop your implicit support for the cartel of oppressive, censorial, anti-democratic, misogynistic, racist, homophobic, violent, terrorist-exporting nations (as in, the OIC) and instead support open and free democratic states that promote freedom of religion, the right to change religion, free speech, women's rights, homosexual rights, animal rights, equality of races etc etc.
Again, I offer to debate and correct any misunderstandings you may have. All that has to happen is you stop being smug and open your mind to fact-based analysis to your specific criticism of the US and Israel.
ps. I like your signature quote. FWIW, I have a PhD in Physics (specifically, Astrophysics), so I offer an analytic and fact-based approach to counter the common slanders against Israel, US and other liberal/free nations.
Please make a (false) statement so I can rebut it with reality. All you've done so far is a feeble ad-hominem suggesting I know nothing of history. In fact I know a very great deal about the situation. So, please try your hand, I'm guessing your mental model of the world is vastly out of whack with reality (which was the point of my original post, so many people love to embrace the slander and never ever check the facts for themselves). "The Improbable (and outrageously slanderous) is the New Normal" indeed.
Not only is there the improbable out there, there are also outright slanders. Particularly against Israel and the US. All sorts of conspiracy junk that blames them for the world's ills and based on falsehoods that are trivially easy to disprove with facts. However, idiots lap it up. Just wait for the flames in reply to this post - and watch how people with froth at the mouth based on cherished falsehoods rather than quoting actual *facts*. It is incredible just how backward the world has become, that people will hate blindly without ever checking any facts whatsoever (accepting false *facts* from propagandists instead). Cue the rants...
Please note gamepads *are* supported by JInput. I know, as I said I can control my flight simulator using mouse, PS3 Dualshock, or HOTAS - simultaneously if I want (eg. use HOTAS throttle with PS3 right analogue axis).
Xbox 360 and PS3 are larger markets than the PC market for sure. However their hardware is unsuitable for my application, given they are so underpowered by modern standards (which is why the games you get on them are so similar, limited in scope, and IMHO underwhelming compared to some PC games). Note while Valve's Steam Box is still not specified it appears to be vastly superior to either of XBox 360/PS3 (no surprise, it is much newer) in hardware terms and it runs Linux - which means my GLSL code will definitely work and Java probably will too (perhaps even without any modification).
The balkanization of development platforms does not suit developers, it only suits console vendors. So I choose to avoid 'silo' technologies like XNA (designed to keep you on Microsoft platforms) and recommend others do the same. I always like to post the example of Austin Meyer's experience with X-Plane where by using open technologies he was able to exploit the iPhone/iPad hype and personally net $3.5 million dollars. Choosing open technologies over closed ones is the sane strategic decision: http://techhaze.com/2010/03/interview-with-x-plane-creator-austin-meyer/
False. JInput lets me control my PS3 DualShock controller, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS, Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS, Thrustmaster F-16 MFDs , all sorts of mice (wired, wireless, laptop touchpad) - and it does this on Windows, Linux and Mac (I test in all three environments). It also handles force-feedback 'rumblers'. It doesn't control my TrackIR head tracking device, but the linux-tracker library does that for me (and I'm about to port that from C++ to Java+libusb so it runs everywhere). The nice thing is that whatever a (Java) developer creates is not bound by the crappy XNA license. Not only do these Java gaming technologies work on multiple platforms, for zero cost, and for all kinds of hardware, you don't have to accept any licenses that restrict your ability to make (a lot of ) money. Still think XNA is the shizz? (hint: it's not, it is inferior in several ways).
No such luck, I wish I could get paid for promoting Java. I just use it everyday for development. If find that there is still no alternative to Java that meets *my* requirements (and I understand it meets the needs of many others for lots of reasons, which I won't go into here). That's why I choose to address the anti-Java hysteria.
But how will this work on platforms that can't use Java at all, such as Windows Phone 7 (only runs C#) and XNA (only runs C#)?
Unfortunately not. Microsoft have closed these platforms off, same with Apple and iOS. Fortunately, I don't care about Windows Phone or XNA and would much rather chase the enormous other markets eg. Android (which is the leader and continually growing), Windows, Mac OS X, even Linux. At the moment I'm developing a modern jet combat flight simulator using Java and OpenGL/GLSL. Where native per-platform libraries would need to be used there are platform-neutral wrappers (eg. JoGL, JOAL, JInput etc). Yes, you could use Mono to try reach the tiny markets of WinPhone7 and XNA, but I'd rather stick to Java (since the tooling is awesome, eg, JVisualVM, and the ecosystem is enormous).
The only thing which beggars belief is that you would be OK with the school telling you that they have no idea where your child is or what they are doing.
There are ways and means of doing what you say without resorting to a tracking mechanism that works outside the school. Note also that the tracking mechanism can easily be spoofed (get your mates to carry it for you while you abscond, is that ridiculously easy to do or what?). If you are unconcerned about tracking then why don't you post as someone other than an Anonymous Coward? that way we can search for your posts across the whole Interwebz. Privacy matters, privacy is a right, and it is good to oppose invasions of privacy. The school clearly overstepped their mandate in this case - too bad some wannabe serfs can see that (not only does the school have no right to invade your privacy without special authorization, neither does the Government - what you do as a law-abiding citizen is simply not their business unless they get a judicially-approved warrant).
Slashdot Mirror
The World is going backwards. When these slanders now reach millions, and additional millions in the 'Free' World suck it up and regurgitate it (where is their reason and critical faculties?):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuPsuI2lJyA
If a well armed populace are supposed to keep the government from overstepping its bounds, where were they when the OWS were getting pepper sprayed for peaceably assembling? Where were they when the Patriot Act got passed? Where were they when warrant-less wiretapping got approved? Where were they when free speech zones were created?
According to the "Four boxes of liberty" you don't start with the ammo box, you end with it when all other means have been exhausted (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_boxes_of_liberty).
where were they when the OWS were getting pepper sprayed for peaceably assembling?
Because a significant fraction of the population thought OWS was wrong? note: I'm not a US citizen nor am I saying that Occupy Wall Street was necessarily without merit - I'm merely pointing out a fact. While OWS has some good points (the banking system had run amok) there was also a lot of bullshit there too, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwAUrvFo9Sk [4.5 mins] and plenty of associated examples (idealistic students pretty clueless about the complexities of modern society and economics). Hence, even Jethro can see that some fraction of the OWS agenda is bunk and does not rush to start armed revolt to institute the OWS agenda. Make sense?
Where were they when the Patriot Act got passed?
Jethro and weapon not required for this. Letters to your Representative were required. The general citizenry were more interested in Britney Spears' scandals than their own liberties (because they assume they will always have complete freedom - until someone like their government, or the OIC dominated UN, comes and slaps them with a harsh reality that they are not fully free (with reasonable limitations, of course), despite the platitudes they hear).
Absolutely True. But something has to be *seen* to be done, yeah?
In the early 20th Century many rifles had a special clips that held multiple rounds (eg. M1 Garand had a metal clip holding 8 rounds). Hence reloading or discharging such rifles were loading or emptying 'clips'. Later rifles, such as the Springfield M14 would use boxes of ammunition called 'magazines'. All the old timers still used the word 'clip' and everyone knew what they meant. Note that the word 'magazine' can also be confused with a place (a storage room for munitions), although it is true that 'clip' can also be confused (but often less so).
So, if we're going to have hundreds of firearm grammar-nazis frothing at distinguishing 'clip' from 'magazine' (although no one is confused if either is used, so there is little point to the debate apart from education) then surely we should have a similar debate about the use of 'guns' (technically, artillery/vehicle/ship/aircraft pieces and not carried by infantry) vs 'small arms', yeah?
Cool. Stay ignorant. Don't follow the Scientific Method.
RIM is popular in Africa:
http://www.economist.com/news/business/21567977-its-devices-are-still-popular-there-africa-wont-save-rim-blackberry-babes
And for your amusement, check out this genius sketch from Ronnie Corbett, "My Blackberry is not Worlking" [Credit: BBC - thanks Beeb!]:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAG39jKi0lI
Lol. Self-important much? I see that all the time. Instead of reading and analysing a counter point of view where you could learn anything you simply choose to disregard any contrary facts. Possibly this is because you are afraid of being provided facts that would counter your misconceptions. This is totally unscientific and no scientist would do as you do - your sig is fraudulent :(
Ah, you missed the other posts where he called me "moron".
and it hasn't become backward, it started that way and is slowly, unevenly, and not monotonically pulling itself out.
The West is mostly progressing, with some significant social regressions in France etc. The OIC is totally going backward at the moment (1.3 to 1.6 billion people, depending on your estimate). The US has made material progress but their centuries old First Amendment rights have just been scuppered with UN Resolution 16/18. The fact that the US even contemplated agreeing to that resolution shows how morally-invert their governing class' thinking has become.
The World is at a significant crossroads at the moment, will the Enlightenment win? or will the petro-dollar fueled expansion of the totalitarian ideology of Islam win? At the moment the US is so hidebound in political correctness and appeasement (thinking a 'mea culpa' would make things better, but it has made it strategically worse) that hundreds of millions of citizens in the Middle East and North Africa have recently come under increasingly totalitarian Islamist regimes. Egypt and Libya are cases in point. Turkey is under an Islamist regime that is actively working to deconstruct the secular Kemalist state (when it isn't too busy threatening to ethnically cleans the remaining Armenians, if you even mention the historical genocide; and then there is the oppression against Kurdish culture). Indonesia currently has a wave of violence against its Christians. Iraq has nearly finished ethnically cleansing its Christian Assyrians. Albanians in Kosovo are hard at work clearing out the Serbs (who are the victims this time around: http://theorthodoxchurch.info/blog/news/2013/01/serbs-say-kosovo-police-tortured-them-while-in-detention/). The number of terrorist attacks around the World is accelerating (20237 deadly attacks since 9/11, see http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/index.html#Attacks):
since I have some idea what society was like back then, and it hasn't become backward, it started that way and is slowly, unevenly, and not monotonically pulling itself out.
Yes, history (which I do know well) shows non-monotonic progress. However, over the last decade there has been progress in the West/Free World and undeniable regression elsewhere. Even the freedoms in the West is under threat due to the corruption of the UN by the OIC and now UN HRC and General Assembly resolutions get passed that are anti-thetical to the founding ideals of the UN. Despite your clever turn-of-phrase there is no absolutely no guarantee that the passage of time will always bring progress, and at the moment there is a significant risk that the Islamists will win in the long term. This is especially likely given the posture of the US (where their military are expressly prohibited from associating Islam with terrorism, just in case anyone gets offended. wtf? ! See any of the videos by Major Stephen Coughlin, eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhZe7eZK4dw)
Neither you nor I can predict the future. My guess is that we are at a local inflection point. If the West continues on its current trajectory then the totalitarian ideology of Islam will achieve what the similarly totalitarian National Socialism and Soviet Communism could not - domination and assimilation of the Free World. If the West wakes up and 'grows a pair' (unlikely given the craven self-serving and 'afraid to offend' nature of our current leaders) and we defeat that totalitarian ideology (Islam) then we will have non-monotonic progress again - and I will be very happy to be proven wrong. It is delusional (and, in fact, self-defeating) to assume that the period of regression we are seeing must only be temporary - it could well get
You really are a closed-minded wanker aren't you? I will provide references showing that although your view is true for the last century, over the last two decades there has been a massive regression in many areas. I will provide citations
There are been great progress in the West. This is probably where you are making your statements about, yeah? However, you are completely *ignorant* (or chose to ignore) several facts: 1) anti-Semitism is increasing in the West (correlated strongly with massive immigration from OIC countries), 2) honor-crime and rape are increasing in countries where formerly it was never heard of (eg. Scandinavia, and again strongly and geographically correlated with OIC immigration), 3) the amount of terrorism has increased massively in the last decade, most of it is Muslim-on-Muslim (so if one is not paying attention, like you, then it is easy to miss: ), 4) the United Nations is OIC dominated and they are actively working to inhibit Free Speech across the globe, eg. see UN HRC Resolution 16/18 (where Hilliary Clinton very stupidly agreed to punish US First Amendment Free Speech rights against her own citizens in her own country - completely craven, shameful and anti-Constitutional).
In the last two decades Human Rights have been going backward for the 1.3 billion people in OIC countries (that's a lot of people). Example analyses: http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/07/the_lamps_are_going_out_all_over_the_islamic_world.html
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/study-finds-worsening-conditions-for-democracy-and-human-rights-in-central-asia.aspx?pageID=438&n=study-finds-worsening-conditions-for-democracy-and-human-rights-in-central-asia-2002-08-20
Sudan going backwards: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3130234.stm
Consider the cases of the following countries: Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Indonesia, Chechnya/Dagestan. Have human rights and tolerance gone forward in these countries with the dismantling of secular, socialist or moderate regimes and replaced with increasingly Islamist or repressive ones? Even in Britain, Canada and the US there is regression with an increasing rate of 'dishonor killings' that were unheard of a few years back (and the killing of any number innocent girls by their families for trying to life a liberal Western lifestyle is completely unacceptable, yes? or are you a fascist too?). There are now also places (eg. in France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden) were non-Muslims and even the police fear to go. Even Russia has experienced significant regressing with respect to human and civil rights. And as I mentioned, "useful idiot" Hilliary Clinton has just made the US agreed to UN Resolution 16/18 to suppress the Free Speech rights that US citizens have had for several centuries. These regressions are significant.
It is not all doom and gloom. The World just might be sorted out eventually (although there is also a good chance it won't be), but to say it is all forward progress is delusional and contrary to the facts if you look outside the Western/Free World. For a substantial chunk of the World's population there may have been material growth has been noticeable regression in human and civil rights.
So get out of your cozy neighborhood and start looking at the entire globe. For the last decade or so there has been significant regression for a large chunk of the World's population. It is indeed "it is incredible how backward the world has become". Oh yeah, if you are going to be a moron through ignorance, at least try not to be such a jerk about it. k?
but ability to call people to lynch someone because he's evil(jew, black whatever counted as evil) has gone down - you can only do it in some 3rd world countries still.
Like the 57 members of the OIC? Yes, many countries have become more tolerant. Doesn't mean we can't stop now - we have to make the others tolerant too, especially as the OIC ideology seeks to re-establish intolerance in the West.
Cool. The subject is too vast to post the hundreds of citations that would be required to cover all aspects. Your criticism is fair enough, but I hope you understand why I couldn't provide exhaustive citations - there is just too much and the problem is "where to start?". That's why I offer to address each question in detail.
Excellent anecdote. Here's an eye-opening video from a law school professor and a detective. Both of them agree, never talk to the police
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc
it's from the army of Allah.
Well, the Shia Army of Allah (as in Iran) are working on nuclear weapons capability. It doesn't matter whether it was the Soviet Empire or the Islamic Caliphate (Empire) that kills you, you will still be dead. The clock is neither moronic nor obsolete. It is intended to raise public consciousness about the risk of Weapons of Mass Destruction to the entire human race. In that sense it succeeded and still has a point to make. Particularly as the Shia believe the 12th Imam, "The Mahdi" will not come to earth until the time of Armageddon - which much of the Shia theocracy think they just might be able to arrange. Still think the clock serves no purpose to raise awareness with the general public?
Don't worry. If Iran complete the research programme that gives them the ability to construct nuclear weapons this year (which *all the facts* show they are working on) then the Doomsday Clock will move. Will you be happy then?
Its like the terrorist colour thing. They want you worried or they don't have a point.
Nope. They are correct because they are in possession of the facts and you, clearly, are not. Hence, you imply a conspiracy theory since it is so much easier than checking the facts (the information is actually out there in the public domain if one bothers to look). I'll do you a favor and give you a link to the number of terrorist attacks since 9/11: The wikipedia list, which is a subset of the real list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/ lists 20237 deadly terror attacks since 9/11 (and climbing, it is updated daily from events around the world)
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/index.html#Attacks Here is a detailed list of the attacks
With that data you should be shocked. What is even more shocking is that it is not "politically correct" to point out the *facts*. We haven't lost Free Speech yet in a legal sense, but we certainly have lost it in a social sense where to speak the truth now marks you as some kind of radical, instead of a rational.
The tragedy is that most of the terrorist attacks are Muslims on other Muslims (of a different sect; there is currently a multi-national Sunni vs Shia war going on as to which flavor will dominate Islam, yet most people are unaware of it); there is also a lot of Muslim on Christians in the Middle East and Africa (Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Mali etc); there is Muslim on Hindu stuff (the recent shelling of Indian positions and the capture and beheading of an Indian soldier); and then attacks on the US and the West (mostly foiled because the jihadis spend too much time studying the Qur'an and hadiths and not on science or tactics; so police often foil them - but it is not for a lack of trying).
So, if you think the terrorism alerts are just for the military-industrial complex to shake money out of you then you should remove your tinfoil hat. The world is *full* of terrorist acts (almost all of them jihadis against other Muslims, Christians, and unbelievers; as the Qur'an commands them to do) - it is just that you haven't being paying attention.
It's even worse, even the US is kinda subdued these days and the Secretary of State has just concluded UN HRC resolution 16/18 where she agree she would suppress the First Amendment rights of her own citizens. This is both shocking and shameful. Without Free Speech we are borked, and the US government policy is actually suppressing eg. Hillary's shameful statements, or the US military being prohibited from associating Islamism and terrorism; see any of Major Stephen Coughlin's analyses on YouTube for more info:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhZe7eZK4dw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsArto3UVT0
The US currently believes that by atoning for its past mistakes it can encourage moderates in the Islamic World and isolate the extremists. Unfortunately this strategy appears to be failing (witness the pro-Islamist ambassador in Benghazi getting killed by factions he was assisting; or the US embassy in Cairo getting overrun by a population that loathes them). The 'mea culpa' strategy would work with many nations, but unfortunately nothing will work for any member of the OIC (which you mention) except for complete submission to Sharia (which their stated aim is to take global).
As I said, there is an awful lot of slanders and mistruths about. It is not just the improbably but the outright false that is the "New Normal".
Here's another example of how the UN is corrupted - and is now used to specifically slander Israel and the US (note: I'm not a citizen of either, I'm just aware that the libels against these two would easily be used against other weaker freedom-loving nations, like my own New Zealand).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7Mupoo1At8
The UN Human Rights Council is now stuffed with OIC members, and human rights rulings are now voted on by countries like Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sudan etc. If you know anything about these countries you will be very concerned about your liberties:
So, the point of my original post was that we get people who aren't fact-based and think "black is white" and vice versa. As you so rightly point out, it really is a "wow" (as in, wtf) moment when you hear these guys not only come up with totally ignorant and counter-factual statements, but then defend them aggressively (trying to shut any speakers of reason down). Anyone who loves freedom has to keep speaking out before that freedom disappears (as I mentioned UN HRC resolution 16/18 is a huge danger to free speech *worldwide*; and the madness is that the US is aiding and abetting this travesty against its own citizens!).
Ah, I see you are insufferably arrogant as well as wrong. It's always ok to be wrong, but it is a character flaw to be arrogant (I've been there, mostly kicked the habit, now recognize the flaw in others). Arrogance does not equal intelligence, so please don't confuse them.
You ought be apologizing to me since it is you who accused me of not understanding history yet I understand the facts very very well (and I'd wager a lot better than you). However, let's ignore the slight and get on with the topic at hand.
Again, do you have a single statement to back up your suggestion that Israel and the US are not routinely slandered by falsehoods on a daily basis? You see, you are exactly the kind of person I was talking about. Misguided, but perhaps not hopelessly so. If you'd like to debate these slanders then it'd be my pleasure to correct your worldview to one that is fact-based. You can then draw your own conclusions based on facts, and you would probably stop your implicit support for the cartel of oppressive, censorial, anti-democratic, misogynistic, racist, homophobic, violent, terrorist-exporting nations (as in, the OIC) and instead support open and free democratic states that promote freedom of religion, the right to change religion, free speech, women's rights, homosexual rights, animal rights, equality of races etc etc.
Again, I offer to debate and correct any misunderstandings you may have. All that has to happen is you stop being smug and open your mind to fact-based analysis to your specific criticism of the US and Israel.
ps. I like your signature quote. FWIW, I have a PhD in Physics (specifically, Astrophysics), so I offer an analytic and fact-based approach to counter the common slanders against Israel, US and other liberal/free nations.
Please make a (false) statement so I can rebut it with reality. All you've done so far is a feeble ad-hominem suggesting I know nothing of history. In fact I know a very great deal about the situation. So, please try your hand, I'm guessing your mental model of the world is vastly out of whack with reality (which was the point of my original post, so many people love to embrace the slander and never ever check the facts for themselves). "The Improbable (and outrageously slanderous) is the New Normal" indeed.
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What would you specifically like to know?
Not only is there the improbable out there, there are also outright slanders. Particularly against Israel and the US. All sorts of conspiracy junk that blames them for the world's ills and based on falsehoods that are trivially easy to disprove with facts. However, idiots lap it up. Just wait for the flames in reply to this post - and watch how people with froth at the mouth based on cherished falsehoods rather than quoting actual *facts*. It is incredible just how backward the world has become, that people will hate blindly without ever checking any facts whatsoever (accepting false *facts* from propagandists instead). Cue the rants ...
Please note gamepads *are* supported by JInput. I know, as I said I can control my flight simulator using mouse, PS3 Dualshock, or HOTAS - simultaneously if I want (eg. use HOTAS throttle with PS3 right analogue axis).
Xbox 360 and PS3 are larger markets than the PC market for sure. However their hardware is unsuitable for my application, given they are so underpowered by modern standards (which is why the games you get on them are so similar, limited in scope, and IMHO underwhelming compared to some PC games). Note while Valve's Steam Box is still not specified it appears to be vastly superior to either of XBox 360/PS3 (no surprise, it is much newer) in hardware terms and it runs Linux - which means my GLSL code will definitely work and Java probably will too (perhaps even without any modification).
The balkanization of development platforms does not suit developers, it only suits console vendors. So I choose to avoid 'silo' technologies like XNA (designed to keep you on Microsoft platforms) and recommend others do the same. I always like to post the example of Austin Meyer's experience with X-Plane where by using open technologies he was able to exploit the iPhone/iPad hype and personally net $3.5 million dollars. Choosing open technologies over closed ones is the sane strategic decision: http://techhaze.com/2010/03/interview-with-x-plane-creator-austin-meyer/
False. JInput lets me control my PS3 DualShock controller, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS, Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS, Thrustmaster F-16 MFDs , all sorts of mice (wired, wireless, laptop touchpad) - and it does this on Windows, Linux and Mac (I test in all three environments). It also handles force-feedback 'rumblers'. It doesn't control my TrackIR head tracking device, but the linux-tracker library does that for me (and I'm about to port that from C++ to Java+libusb so it runs everywhere). The nice thing is that whatever a (Java) developer creates is not bound by the crappy XNA license. Not only do these Java gaming technologies work on multiple platforms, for zero cost, and for all kinds of hardware, you don't have to accept any licenses that restrict your ability to make (a lot of ) money. Still think XNA is the shizz? (hint: it's not, it is inferior in several ways).
Are you a $hill, by chance ?
No such luck, I wish I could get paid for promoting Java. I just use it everyday for development. If find that there is still no alternative to Java that meets *my* requirements (and I understand it meets the needs of many others for lots of reasons, which I won't go into here). That's why I choose to address the anti-Java hysteria.
But how will this work on platforms that can't use Java at all, such as Windows Phone 7 (only runs C#) and XNA (only runs C#)?
Unfortunately not. Microsoft have closed these platforms off, same with Apple and iOS. Fortunately, I don't care about Windows Phone or XNA and would much rather chase the enormous other markets eg. Android (which is the leader and continually growing), Windows, Mac OS X, even Linux. At the moment I'm developing a modern jet combat flight simulator using Java and OpenGL/GLSL. Where native per-platform libraries would need to be used there are platform-neutral wrappers (eg. JoGL, JOAL, JInput etc). Yes, you could use Mono to try reach the tiny markets of WinPhone7 and XNA, but I'd rather stick to Java (since the tooling is awesome, eg, JVisualVM, and the ecosystem is enormous).
The only thing which beggars belief is that you would be OK with the school telling you that they have no idea where your child is or what they are doing.
There are ways and means of doing what you say without resorting to a tracking mechanism that works outside the school. Note also that the tracking mechanism can easily be spoofed (get your mates to carry it for you while you abscond, is that ridiculously easy to do or what?). If you are unconcerned about tracking then why don't you post as someone other than an Anonymous Coward? that way we can search for your posts across the whole Interwebz. Privacy matters, privacy is a right, and it is good to oppose invasions of privacy. The school clearly overstepped their mandate in this case - too bad some wannabe serfs can see that (not only does the school have no right to invade your privacy without special authorization, neither does the Government - what you do as a law-abiding citizen is simply not their business unless they get a judicially-approved warrant).