they need teachers who won't get shot, kids who won't go hungry, parents who won't die from AIDS, and/or textbooks that won't be burned for fuel
The GP's point wasn't that the laptop wasn't cost effective, or that the hardware is inferior to other mass market items. He alluded to that, sure, but that wasn't his main point at all.
The point is that the target audience for this item, ie: the impoverished people of third world countries, have much bigger problems that the 1st world could help them solve, than whether or not they have web access.
For example, how about a $100 refrigerator? Or a $100 generator?
This product is a non-starter, because its target audience doesn't need or really want it. It'd be like offering cheap beer to a Muslim nation.
The problem isn't that they don't know right from wrong, as an ethics class would teach them. People who engage in underhanded activities KNOW they're doing something wrong. If they didn't, they would likely be easily caught.
No, the problem are people who chose to ignore what they already know. In those cases, no amount of instruction is going to fix them. Look at rate of repeat offenses for felons. Not one of them thinks that stealing that TV was right, they just decided it was worth the risk for some reason (economic, social, etc).
And if the Europeans do, good for them! Actually, good for us all.
However, that's not really the point. It really is in everyone's interest that the United States throw the full weight of its considerable economic and academic power behind important research topics like this one.
So, who cares? Well, if you think furthering this research is worthwhile, you should, for one. I know I do.
There we go. Now, I'll go out on a limb here, and say that one can believe in evolution and contraception and not be a wanton hedonist. I'll assert that, because that describes me quite well, as well as most of the circle of friends I keep.
From the above mentioned article, you'll see that a very wise Greek had some pretty good ideas about this, roughly 1700 years ago. I especially like the description, "seek modest pleasures in order to attain a state of tranquility and freedom from fear". That sounds pretty damn good to me.
However, we certainly don't need to believe ourselves to be the chosen people of some abstract God to have self-worth. That feeling comes from the level of efficacy in your own life. If you feel that you need to believe you were created with a higher purpose by a higher being to have self worth, well good for you, but it certainly isn't necessary for me to get my rocks off. (Notice the hedonistic comment there? It was intentional)
I'm not going to even touch on the contraception comment, Google around for that one, you'll find plenty of scientific research proving that one to be a red herring almost as big as the aforementioned Troll.
Bottom line: I don't need my Invisible Friend in the Sky to make me feel good about myself. I'm not alone either.
And yea, I know you didn't mention God in your post. To bad, he's the big white elephant in the margins.
This is probably a little offtopic, but I've heard that bastardization of a concept, "Social Darwinism", one too many times lately.
Let's set the record straight.
Social Darwinism is a concept popularized in the late 19th century after Darwin published the Origin of Species.
It has no basis in Darwin's writing or theories, although it remained popular until after the Second World War.
Why is that? Because it was used as a scientific basis for racism.
So please, think of a better phrase for what you mean, or better yet, do some research in sociology before spouting about what was essentially science twisted for evil.
Its really not that ridiculous. It might seem like it at first, but think about it.
But what is it really? It's a luxury item. Granted perhaps one with limited appeal, but it is certainly no less ridiculous than a lot of other luxury items popular today. Need some examples?
A $3000, 50" flat screen TV. A $200 CRT will let you watch TV too. Hell, a TV in general is a luxury item.
Any car costing over $15,000. If you live in a city, any car at all
Cell Phones. Period.
That list is endless, really. It's all about who it appeals too. TBH, the idea that my toilet will one day wash my ass, blow dry it, and then analyze my piss and tell me that I had better see a proctologist because I have some cancer brewing, all sounds pretty good to me.
Of course, assuming it is false, then all those beta fish in the petstores, in bowls just as long and as wide as they are, seem awfully inhumane, don't they?
Would you put a dog in 3'x3' cage and never let it out?
That's a completely nieve sentiment. I'm sorry, but government, at least in some form, is absolutely necessary. How do I know? I'm human. And by and large, humans are greedy, amoral, unethical creatures that left to their own devices lie, steal, cheat, murder and rape their way through life. Don't believe me? Look at any area of the modern world lacking a strong government, like Africa.
Now, since government is comprised of humans as well, it also must have checks and balances in place to ensure that those in power don't lie, steal, cheat, murder and rape their way through life, much to the misery of the people they rule. For examples of this, see any totalitarian regime. ie: North Korea
You say this as if you actually prefer strong authority figures keeping the world in order for you because you are unable to do it yourself.
Are you able to keep the whole world in order? You do realize at there's 6 billion people on the planet right? Most of them would kill you, your family, and everyone you know, if it made their lives even marginally better. So go ahead, try to "keep the world in order", I'm sure that'll work out great for you, by yourself. What's that? You'll get some friends to help? You do realize you just created a government then, right? Albiet, an informal government that probably would rule by force. Good job.
All that being said, I do value my privacy and freedoms greatly. I wish the government would stay out of my life. However, I also appriciate the fact that the crazies down the street know that their asses will end up on jail, should they try to hurt me or my family.
well, choice is great, in moderation. When it comes down to the core of a system, some cohesion in necessary.
For example, you DO have a choice over network protocols, but if someone told you that you needed IPX to talk to their service, how motivated would you be to look for another service?
Yes, because George Takei, Leonard Nimoy, and Patrick Stewart all went on to receive all the highest laurels. Every one of them has so many Oscar's, that surely no one could hold a candle to them...
oh wait, I seem to be mistaken, every one of those actors was type-cast from the onset, and never did a damn thing significant past Star Trek, Stewart being the sole exception in the new X-Men movies.
Vote for who? A democrat? While a minority, they are surely "in power" already. A republican? They have the majority. An independant? How many of those are in Congress? I'm not even going to bother looking up a number, I'll wager its 1% or lower in the House.
The votes go down the party line anyway, you really vote for a party, not for a candidate.
So you just keep on voting, and we'll see how much changes.
To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson:
Every 10 or so years, there must be a revolution to cleanse any government of corruption.
Slashdot Mirror
they need teachers who won't get shot, kids who won't go hungry, parents who won't die from AIDS, and/or textbooks that won't be burned for fuel
The GP's point wasn't that the laptop wasn't cost effective, or that the hardware is inferior to other mass market items. He alluded to that, sure, but that wasn't his main point at all.
The point is that the target audience for this item, ie: the impoverished people of third world countries, have much bigger problems that the 1st world could help them solve, than whether or not they have web access.
For example, how about a $100 refrigerator? Or a $100 generator?
This product is a non-starter, because its target audience doesn't need or really want it. It'd be like offering cheap beer to a Muslim nation.
That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard.
The problem isn't that they don't know right from wrong, as an ethics class would teach them. People who engage in underhanded activities KNOW they're doing something wrong. If they didn't, they would likely be easily caught.
No, the problem are people who chose to ignore what they already know. In those cases, no amount of instruction is going to fix them. Look at rate of repeat offenses for felons. Not one of them thinks that stealing that TV was right, they just decided it was worth the risk for some reason (economic, social, etc).
And if the Europeans do, good for them! Actually, good for us all.
However, that's not really the point. It really is in everyone's interest that the United States throw the full weight of its considerable economic and academic power behind important research topics like this one.
So, who cares? Well, if you think furthering this research is worthwhile, you should, for one. I know I do.
I dunno, your framework doesn't look like it scales too well ;-)
Links are DOA.
Oh man, that troll is 30 ft. high. Wow.
Why, oh, why mods, are you giving him Interesting and Insightful mods?
Bury the troll, but first, lets set him on fire:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicureanism
There we go. Now, I'll go out on a limb here, and say that one can believe in evolution and contraception and not be a wanton hedonist. I'll assert that, because that describes me quite well, as well as most of the circle of friends I keep.
From the above mentioned article, you'll see that a very wise Greek had some pretty good ideas about this, roughly 1700 years ago. I especially like the description, "seek modest pleasures in order to attain a state of tranquility and freedom from fear". That sounds pretty damn good to me.
However, we certainly don't need to believe ourselves to be the chosen people of some abstract God to have self-worth. That feeling comes from the level of efficacy in your own life. If you feel that you need to believe you were created with a higher purpose by a higher being to have self worth, well good for you, but it certainly isn't necessary for me to get my rocks off. (Notice the hedonistic comment there? It was intentional)
I'm not going to even touch on the contraception comment, Google around for that one, you'll find plenty of scientific research proving that one to be a red herring almost as big as the aforementioned Troll.
Bottom line: I don't need my Invisible Friend in the Sky to make me feel good about myself. I'm not alone either.
And yea, I know you didn't mention God in your post. To bad, he's the big white elephant in the margins.
No cable TV then? Because, ya know, that's non-free non-print media that is chalk full of commercials.
But, I'll keep mine for Comedy Central, History Channel, and Discovery. (They can keep the rest, as far as I'm concerned)
For the answer on digital vs. film.
How many silver halide molecules can you fit into any given area?
Now, how many pixels can you fit into that same area?
Exactly.
While your snarky tone is unmistakeable, you definately missed the GP's point.
The audi is a lease
The hi-def TV is on the credit line you opened at Best Buy
And a $250 a month bill, is afterall a liability, not an assest.
Read the damn book, he's right.
This is probably a little offtopic, but I've heard that bastardization of a concept, "Social Darwinism", one too many times lately.
Let's set the record straight.
Social Darwinism is a concept popularized in the late 19th century after Darwin published the Origin of Species.
It has no basis in Darwin's writing or theories, although it remained popular until after the Second World War.
Why is that? Because it was used as a scientific basis for racism.
So please, think of a better phrase for what you mean, or better yet, do some research in sociology before spouting about what was essentially science twisted for evil.
Refernece: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Darwinism
You don't have to be a president to fall off of one.
;-)
No, just inebriated and attempting to renact a medieval sport.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4G
Note the bar on the side? Its not just an arbitrary designation to get you to spend more money.
Unless you think that broadband wired internet was just a ploy to suck money out of your wallet...
Oh yes, but really, the whole experiance is a waste if you don't connect your speakers with $2500 cable: http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.as p?sku=CARGRS3&loc=2
Actually you can, but I think I might be the only person that ever found this "feature".
Ready?
Center button click! Ta-da! (Or click down ur mouse wheel)
If you don't have a wheel mouse, well, how are the current Lynx and Pine builds these days anyway?
Tragically, you picked the wrong site to make that comment on.
/loves fark
//See the slashies?
I suggest you go where it would be appricated: http://www.fark.com/
But what is it really? It's a luxury item. Granted perhaps one with limited appeal, but it is certainly no less ridiculous than a lot of other luxury items popular today. Need some examples?
A $3000, 50" flat screen TV. A $200 CRT will let you watch TV too. Hell, a TV in general is a luxury item.
Any car costing over $15,000. If you live in a city, any car at all
Cell Phones. Period.
That list is endless, really. It's all about who it appeals too. TBH, the idea that my toilet will one day wash my ass, blow dry it, and then analyze my piss and tell me that I had better see a proctologist because I have some cancer brewing, all sounds pretty good to me.
Of course, assuming it is false, then all those beta fish in the petstores, in bowls just as long and as wide as they are, seem awfully inhumane, don't they?
Would you put a dog in 3'x3' cage and never let it out?
Thought not.
That's a completely nieve sentiment. I'm sorry, but government, at least in some form, is absolutely necessary. How do I know? I'm human. And by and large, humans are greedy, amoral, unethical creatures that left to their own devices lie, steal, cheat, murder and rape their way through life. Don't believe me? Look at any area of the modern world lacking a strong government, like Africa.
Now, since government is comprised of humans as well, it also must have checks and balances in place to ensure that those in power don't lie, steal, cheat, murder and rape their way through life, much to the misery of the people they rule. For examples of this, see any totalitarian regime. ie: North Korea
You say this as if you actually prefer strong authority figures keeping the world in order for you because you are unable to do it yourself.
Are you able to keep the whole world in order? You do realize at there's 6 billion people on the planet right? Most of them would kill you, your family, and everyone you know, if it made their lives even marginally better. So go ahead, try to "keep the world in order", I'm sure that'll work out great for you, by yourself. What's that? You'll get some friends to help? You do realize you just created a government then, right? Albiet, an informal government that probably would rule by force. Good job.
All that being said, I do value my privacy and freedoms greatly. I wish the government would stay out of my life. However, I also appriciate the fact that the crazies down the street know that their asses will end up on jail, should they try to hurt me or my family.
nope. just referring to the boobies. that I can't see. well, except in my head.
Well, this is wrong, but seriously, now. Didn't anyone do a GIS for her?
1 65482_64981000.jpg
http://www.spiz.ae.krakow.pl/uploaded_images/1123
I think we need a new security officer here....
I'm sorry for that. I know I'm part of the problem.
well, choice is great, in moderation. When it comes down to the core of a system, some cohesion in necessary.
For example, you DO have a choice over network protocols, but if someone told you that you needed IPX to talk to their service, how motivated would you be to look for another service?
Yay! He's good on stage. However did I miss that?
Who cares? Have you ever seen Masterminds? Ye gods
Nooo...not odd. Fitting right into the same mold.
/obligatory //loves Digg ///Probably shouldn't use the slashies here, they're for fark.
Yes, because George Takei, Leonard Nimoy, and Patrick Stewart all went on to receive all the highest laurels. Every one of them has so many Oscar's, that surely no one could hold a candle to them...
oh wait, I seem to be mistaken, every one of those actors was type-cast from the onset, and never did a damn thing significant past Star Trek, Stewart being the sole exception in the new X-Men movies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL#Standardization
There are standards. And there has been for a very long time.
Vote for who? A democrat? While a minority, they are surely "in power" already. A republican? They have the majority. An independant? How many of those are in Congress? I'm not even going to bother looking up a number, I'll wager its 1% or lower in the House.
The votes go down the party line anyway, you really vote for a party, not for a candidate.
So you just keep on voting, and we'll see how much changes.
To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson: Every 10 or so years, there must be a revolution to cleanse any government of corruption.