I just lack the faith in humanity required to believe it's a more likely circumstance than a military takeover.
I lack the faith in humanity required to believe that a military takeover or other armed rebellion would improve the situation at all.
Judging from history that's a fair assessment.
Now, couple that with what I said, and it's easy to see how being a human who desires a world free of fascism and governmental abuse is really fucking depressing.
Suddenly I have a nigh irresistible urge to put on my most sardonic, patronizing voice and ask if the poor widdle Bwitish Empire is still feeling butthurt about having their asses handed to them by a rag-tag handful of colonists with inferior muskets...
Actually, there aren't any ways to address government abuse of power, except whistleblowing.
Oh, I can think of another, but IMO modern Americans are entirely too coddled and pussified to ever take up arms in significant enough numbers to make a difference.
The only thing I can think of that would save us from ourselves at this point would be a benevolent military coup.
Welllll.... We might just try voting for people instead of parties and ideologies.
Specifically, people likely to change things.
I don't disagree in the slightest that your plan would be a better one, I just lack the faith in humanity required to believe it's a more likely circumstance than a military takeover.
Personally, I do my part every election by voting my ideals, which, incidentally, means I almost always vote third party.
Flash forward 7 years - now it's the "liberal" guy in office, and suddenly all those horrible policies aren't considered so horrible after all
Huh? Obama has been a huge mixed bag. I severly fault him for the NSA spying, not closing Gitmo, not ending the Iraq war any sooner, continued drone strikes, continued nutso flying policies (can I PLEASE stop taking off my damn shoes!), not cleaning up the financial mess, not putting anyone in jail for the financial mess, and the renewal of the patriot act. Sadly these issues are largely bi-partisan. You're going to tell me that McCain and Romney would have been any different with any of these?
No, and BTW by focusing on the people named and not the topic in general, you have completely missed the point I was making - to the typical, low-information American voter, bad policies are only considered bad when it's the "other guys" making and implementing them. When "their guy" does the exact same shit, suddenly the same people who were demonizing the previous administration step up and ruthlessly defend the new one. That is what I'm bitching about, not the policies of one politician in particular; fuck 'em all, I say.
For example, go find a history of editorials written by Eugene Robinson - during the Bush II admin, he did nothing but demonize domestic surveillance, but once it came to light that Obama was expanding the policy, Robinson suddenly changed tune and exhorted the virtues of spying on your own citizens.
Instead of demonizing "liberals" as unable to form cogent fucking thoughts,
Forgot to point this out in my previous response: No where in my post did I single out liberals as being the only group unable to form cogent thoughts. The fact that you decided to extrapolate that meaning speaks volumes about your true attitude regarding this topic.
Methinks a bit of introspection is warranted on your part.
Instead of demonizing "liberals" as unable to form cogent fucking thoughts, not to mention rabid hack partisan asshats who suddenly agree with horrible policies..... You could realize, and I speak here as a liberal, that we FUCKING STILL HATE THEM AND ARE HORRIBLY DISAPPOINTED IN OBAMA FOR CONTINUING THEM. Really.
I mean, really, Fuck Obama. I'm a liberal. Fuck him. Fuck him for continuing those stupid practices. Fuck him for gitmo, fuck him for the NSA, fuck him for the warrantless wiretapping, for continuing the Patriot Act, for all the warmongering over Iran, etc etc etc.
There, see? We don't just magically agree with shit because it's "Our Guy" in office. Fuck Obama. Perhaps you should think better of us now, hmm?
Yea, great, so one self-identifying liberal doesn't agree with Obama.
Unless you're going to be speaking as a guest of honor at the next DNC, then you're obviously the exception, not the rule.
Imagine you did stand before the Democratic National Convention and say the things you just said in that post. How do you think the other people in the room would react? The fact that there most definitely would not be a resounding echo of agreement with your words (more likely, they'd try and lynch your ass) proves my point.
But hey, now you know how Ron Paul always felt when "liberals" talked about him as if he were a Republican.
Audio is a better example, because on an unmodified Windows install, live audio WILL have worse latency and WILL have a very high chance of dropouts when compared to Apple. A tweaked Windows install will be on par.
My experience tells me otherwise: Regardless of how much I tinkered with it, Neither XP or 7 could deliver acceptable latency with either the Rocksmith 1/4" TS cable, nor my Korg K49.
the 2008 model Macbook I was given, however, syncs both up perfectly; albeit not at the same time, but I'm pretty convinced that's either a software issue (Garageband seems to play better with multiple USB input devices than Logic), or just good ol' fashioned user incompetence.
People aren't buying the old one. Apple's customers don't want the size.
So, Apple's typical customer cares more about aesthetic than usefulness?
10 years ago that would have been a solid burn (because it wasn't really true); today, when I take into consideration the people I know who tend to buy Apple products*, I'd say it's a far more true statement than ever before.
* Other than the handful of graphic designers and musicians, myself included.
Actually, there aren't any ways to address government abuse of power, except whistleblowing.
Oh, I can think of another, but IMO modern Americans are entirely too coddled and pussified to ever take up arms in significant enough numbers to make a difference.
The only thing I can think of that would save us from ourselves at this point would be a benevolent military coup.
To that end, I know guys in prison for drug possession, but not a single one of them has ever, say, used taxpayer dollars to fund a 'business trip' to Southeast Asia for the purpose of fucking underage boys.
So yea, coke dealers in Cell Block D actually do have a higher moral standing than a lot of DC politicians.
I think a few things are or will be changing. Now as an amateur democracy activist I think more things would change if U.S. citizens realized how much political power they actually have.
Read and understand the Constitution: the only powers the government has are specifically listed in that document; to that end, it even states that any power or right not specifically delegated to the government in the Constitution (and Amendments) is a right and power of the people.
The people running the government have been very successful at convincing regular folks that we don't actually have as many rights as the Constitution allows us. Not sure what to do about that one...
Heck, they've already forgotten the Boston Marathon bombing.
Obviated by the fact that even though the NSA keeps telling us their illegal spying program has stopped terrorist attacks, they never seem to want to talk about the ones they "failed" to stop.
Scare quotes around "failed" because I question whether the federal government ever had any intention of preventing said attack.
If a for-profit business isn't making at least as much money "today" as it was "yesterday" then it is a failing concern. All for-profit business want to make more money because it is the measure of a businesses success.
You are using an overly broad generalization to makes something seem true that is, in fact, false. Specifically, which diseases can be cured but haven't been so only "treatments" exist? How do you know a cure is not only achievable but also viable?
On NPR the other day, they were talking about a new drug that completely cures Hepatitis C in 12 weeks, without all the nasty side effects of interferon. So, effectively, we now have a cure for Hep C, and could theoretically rid the planet of a horrible, debilitating disease.
Except the drug company that makes this treatment is charging $90,000 a pop. Thus, society has to deal with this life-threatening, quality-of-life reducing illness for lord knows how much longer, all because someone figured out they can make $9 billion/yr profit. Something about that just sickens me.
Basically, you are committing a version of the composition fallacy by saying "Some diseases have been cured with current technology therefore all diseases can be cured with current technology."
Actually, you are the one who committed a fallacious act, by assuming that I meant 'cure all diseases, right now, today.'
...or they secretly agreed with him and hoped he'd do something about it.
That's actually a fair point, since it's unlikely that a lowly contractor would be working in the same facility as the higher-ups who would stand to lose from such a disclosure...
His fellow 'agents' may very well have encouraged him to expose the materials.
giving the shallow-thinking right-wing a scapegoat.
Yea, amazing how short-sighted and narcissistic the typical American voter is, huh?
Like, when Bush II was in charge, setting up all these bullshit draconian laws, the self-proclaimed "liberals" wouldn't shut up about how horrible America would become if we allowed said policies to go into place. Flash forward 7 years - now it's the "liberal" guy in office, and suddenly all those horrible policies aren't considered so horrible after all... Unless, of course, you're a self-proclaimed "conservative," in which case letting "your guy's" laws fall into the hands of the "other guy" is the worst fucking thing to happen in American history.
Land of the free, alright - free of the ability to form cogent fucking thoughts.
He's not wearing a jumpsuit and standing on an aircraft carrier with a banner behind him.
Damn, I was about to say the complete opposite: Until I see pics of Snowden in a jumpsuit on an aircraft carrier with a banner behind him, I don't buy it.
You obviously missed my point, which is probably my fault for not stating it more clearly.
I get that shit's gotta be paid for; my complaint is how, in our society, unless something is not just actively making money, but actively making more money today than it did yesterday, then it's considered a stupid waste of time. I dunno, somehow that irritates me... probably because there's lots of shit that wouldn't be very profitable but is still worth doing.
Like curing disease, for example - it's a noble idea, and one we can achieve technologically speaking, but we don't, because a cure you only get to sell once, whereas with "treatments" you get repeat customers.
Slashdot Mirror
I just lack the faith in humanity required to believe it's a more likely circumstance than a military takeover.
I lack the faith in humanity required to believe that a military takeover or other armed rebellion would improve the situation at all.
Judging from history that's a fair assessment.
Now, couple that with what I said, and it's easy to see how being a human who desires a world free of fascism and governmental abuse is really fucking depressing.
[George Washington]'s a criminal.
Correct.
Suddenly I have a nigh irresistible urge to put on my most sardonic, patronizing voice and ask if the poor widdle Bwitish Empire is still feeling butthurt about having their asses handed to them by a rag-tag handful of colonists with inferior muskets...
"Land of the free, alright - free of the ability to form cogent fucking thoughts."
You can't tell from the birth rate.
Hey - you don't have to think to get preggers.
Hell, in my experience, thinking prevents pregnancy.
Ever heard of the word "fortification" ? Pike wall is a "weapon" as much a locked door is a weapon
You can't pull a door off it's hinges and stab an invader with it.
A pike, on the other hand...
How about a vat of boiling oil down the murder hole? That one make you feel any better about the analogy?
Actually, there aren't any ways to address government abuse of power, except whistleblowing.
Oh, I can think of another, but IMO modern Americans are entirely too coddled and pussified to ever take up arms in significant enough numbers to make a difference.
The only thing I can think of that would save us from ourselves at this point would be a benevolent military coup.
Welllll.... We might just try voting for people instead of parties and ideologies.
Specifically, people likely to change things.
I don't disagree in the slightest that your plan would be a better one, I just lack the faith in humanity required to believe it's a more likely circumstance than a military takeover.
Personally, I do my part every election by voting my ideals, which, incidentally, means I almost always vote third party.
Flash forward 7 years - now it's the "liberal" guy in office, and suddenly all those horrible policies aren't considered so horrible after all
Huh? Obama has been a huge mixed bag. I severly fault him for the NSA spying, not closing Gitmo, not ending the Iraq war any sooner, continued drone strikes, continued nutso flying policies (can I PLEASE stop taking off my damn shoes!), not cleaning up the financial mess, not putting anyone in jail for the financial mess, and the renewal of the patriot act. Sadly these issues are largely bi-partisan. You're going to tell me that McCain and Romney would have been any different with any of these?
No, and BTW by focusing on the people named and not the topic in general, you have completely missed the point I was making - to the typical, low-information American voter, bad policies are only considered bad when it's the "other guys" making and implementing them. When "their guy" does the exact same shit, suddenly the same people who were demonizing the previous administration step up and ruthlessly defend the new one. That is what I'm bitching about, not the policies of one politician in particular; fuck 'em all, I say.
For example, go find a history of editorials written by Eugene Robinson - during the Bush II admin, he did nothing but demonize domestic surveillance, but once it came to light that Obama was expanding the policy, Robinson suddenly changed tune and exhorted the virtues of spying on your own citizens.
Hey CanHasDIY?
Instead of demonizing "liberals" as unable to form cogent fucking thoughts,
Forgot to point this out in my previous response: No where in my post did I single out liberals as being the only group unable to form cogent thoughts. The fact that you decided to extrapolate that meaning speaks volumes about your true attitude regarding this topic.
Methinks a bit of introspection is warranted on your part.
Hey CanHasDIY?
Instead of demonizing "liberals" as unable to form cogent fucking thoughts, not to mention rabid hack partisan asshats who suddenly agree with horrible policies..... You could realize, and I speak here as a liberal, that we FUCKING STILL HATE THEM AND ARE HORRIBLY DISAPPOINTED IN OBAMA FOR CONTINUING THEM. Really.
I mean, really, Fuck Obama. I'm a liberal. Fuck him. Fuck him for continuing those stupid practices. Fuck him for gitmo, fuck him for the NSA, fuck him for the warrantless wiretapping, for continuing the Patriot Act, for all the warmongering over Iran, etc etc etc.
There, see? We don't just magically agree with shit because it's "Our Guy" in office. Fuck Obama. Perhaps you should think better of us now, hmm?
Yea, great, so one self-identifying liberal doesn't agree with Obama.
Unless you're going to be speaking as a guest of honor at the next DNC, then you're obviously the exception, not the rule.
Imagine you did stand before the Democratic National Convention and say the things you just said in that post. How do you think the other people in the room would react? The fact that there most definitely would not be a resounding echo of agreement with your words (more likely, they'd try and lynch your ass) proves my point.
But hey, now you know how Ron Paul always felt when "liberals" talked about him as if he were a Republican.
Quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Do 17" laptops still exist?
Yup, my wife has a 17" Dell from maybe 2-3 years ago.
I find the full keyboard w/ 10-key awful damn handy.
Audio is a better example, because on an unmodified Windows install, live audio WILL have worse latency and WILL have a very high chance of dropouts when compared to Apple. A tweaked Windows install will be on par.
My experience tells me otherwise: Regardless of how much I tinkered with it, Neither XP or 7 could deliver acceptable latency with either the Rocksmith 1/4" TS cable, nor my Korg K49.
the 2008 model Macbook I was given, however, syncs both up perfectly; albeit not at the same time, but I'm pretty convinced that's either a software issue (Garageband seems to play better with multiple USB input devices than Logic), or just good ol' fashioned user incompetence.
People aren't buying the old one. Apple's customers don't want the size.
So, Apple's typical customer cares more about aesthetic than usefulness?
10 years ago that would have been a solid burn (because it wasn't really true); today, when I take into consideration the people I know who tend to buy Apple products*, I'd say it's a far more true statement than ever before.
* Other than the handful of graphic designers and musicians, myself included.
I'll give you credit for admitting that only history can decide whether or not Snowden is worthy of the hero label.
Actually, there aren't any ways to address government abuse of power, except whistleblowing.
Oh, I can think of another, but IMO modern Americans are entirely too coddled and pussified to ever take up arms in significant enough numbers to make a difference.
The only thing I can think of that would save us from ourselves at this point would be a benevolent military coup.
To that end, I know guys in prison for drug possession, but not a single one of them has ever, say, used taxpayer dollars to fund a 'business trip' to Southeast Asia for the purpose of fucking underage boys.
So yea, coke dealers in Cell Block D actually do have a higher moral standing than a lot of DC politicians.
Hmm,
I think a few things are or will be changing. Now as an amateur democracy activist I think more things would change if U.S. citizens realized how much political power they actually have.
Read and understand the Constitution: the only powers the government has are specifically listed in that document; to that end, it even states that any power or right not specifically delegated to the government in the Constitution (and Amendments) is a right and power of the people.
The people running the government have been very successful at convincing regular folks that we don't actually have as many rights as the Constitution allows us. Not sure what to do about that one...
Heck, they've already forgotten the Boston Marathon bombing.
Obviated by the fact that even though the NSA keeps telling us their illegal spying program has stopped terrorist attacks, they never seem to want to talk about the ones they "failed" to stop.
Scare quotes around "failed" because I question whether the federal government ever had any intention of preventing said attack.
He's a criminal, not a hero. The ends do NOT justify the means. He should be in a US prison for the rest of his life.
Let's extrapolate that to a different, historical scenario, shall we?
[George Washington]'s a criminal, not a hero. The ends do NOT justify the means. He should be in a [British Imperial] prison for the rest of his life.
Do you still feel the same way? Keep in mind, many people actually died as a result of Gen. Washington's decision to commit treason against the crown.
If a for-profit business isn't making at least as much money "today" as it was "yesterday" then it is a failing concern. All for-profit business want to make more money because it is the measure of a businesses success.
You are using an overly broad generalization to makes something seem true that is, in fact, false. Specifically, which diseases can be cured but haven't been so only "treatments" exist? How do you know a cure is not only achievable but also viable?
On NPR the other day, they were talking about a new drug that completely cures Hepatitis C in 12 weeks, without all the nasty side effects of interferon. So, effectively, we now have a cure for Hep C, and could theoretically rid the planet of a horrible, debilitating disease.
Except the drug company that makes this treatment is charging $90,000 a pop. Thus, society has to deal with this life-threatening, quality-of-life reducing illness for lord knows how much longer, all because someone figured out they can make $9 billion/yr profit. Something about that just sickens me.
Basically, you are committing a version of the composition fallacy by saying "Some diseases have been cured with current technology therefore all diseases can be cured with current technology."
Actually, you are the one who committed a fallacious act, by assuming that I meant 'cure all diseases, right now, today.'
It is incredibly easy to be smarter and more moral than anyone in the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of the government.
General opinion is that even used-car salesman can do as much.
When I was a kid, we had one really, really smart chicken.
I'd bet on ol' Roy the Rooster in a battle of wits with damn near any politician.
...or they secretly agreed with him and hoped he'd do something about it.
That's actually a fair point, since it's unlikely that a lowly contractor would be working in the same facility as the higher-ups who would stand to lose from such a disclosure...
His fellow 'agents' may very well have encouraged him to expose the materials.
giving the shallow-thinking right-wing a scapegoat.
Yea, amazing how short-sighted and narcissistic the typical American voter is, huh?
Like, when Bush II was in charge, setting up all these bullshit draconian laws, the self-proclaimed "liberals" wouldn't shut up about how horrible America would become if we allowed said policies to go into place. Flash forward 7 years - now it's the "liberal" guy in office, and suddenly all those horrible policies aren't considered so horrible after all... Unless, of course, you're a self-proclaimed "conservative," in which case letting "your guy's" laws fall into the hands of the "other guy" is the worst fucking thing to happen in American history.
Land of the free, alright - free of the ability to form cogent fucking thoughts.
Do you really think the NSA has time to waste on Slashdot? We have much more pressing issues to take care of.
Like trolling WoW.
He's not wearing a jumpsuit and standing on an aircraft carrier with a banner behind him.
Damn, I was about to say the complete opposite: Until I see pics of Snowden in a jumpsuit on an aircraft carrier with a banner behind him, I don't buy it.
You obviously missed my point, which is probably my fault for not stating it more clearly.
I get that shit's gotta be paid for; my complaint is how, in our society, unless something is not just actively making money, but actively making more money today than it did yesterday, then it's considered a stupid waste of time. I dunno, somehow that irritates me... probably because there's lots of shit that wouldn't be very profitable but is still worth doing.
Like curing disease, for example - it's a noble idea, and one we can achieve technologically speaking, but we don't, because a cure you only get to sell once, whereas with "treatments" you get repeat customers.
You can extort food from someone by threatening them with a gun but that generally does not work indefinitely.
Maybe not, but apparently if you refer to your self as a government of some sort, you can milk it for a couple hundred years at least...