"I'm really not sure if I'm looking forward to that. Either they won't be armed, and they'll be easily disabled, or they will be, and then.... Meh."
Armament and resistance to damage are completely different qualities.
"What about a nice EMP blast?"
What about automobile airbag charges propelling water-based paint?
Blind the optics and the machine is useless. In situations such as protests the action would be non-violent and not ruin the spendy machine at possible great cost to those caught disabling it.
Airbag gas generators come in a variety of configurations, are cheap or free if you don't mind old ones or units with cosmetically damaged covers, and put out quite a volume of gas.
"When the Communists show up to protest the Nazis, you're supposed to pray for an asteroid, not pick a favourite."
I'm an atheist and hence don't believe the FSM will throw space rocks for me. I stand a better chance for self advancement with one of the above-mentioned groups, so I've already picked a favourite.
"How many starving children in Africa could have been fed instead of you be connected to the internet? Exactly, now shut the fuck up!"
Feeding them just perpetuates the status quo. When enough Africans want Africa to be different (and decide to help each other instead of starve each other) it will be different. Otherwise, not our problem or concern.
I'd buy the aircraft too. If Africa needs food, send it Sally Struthers.
"Well, when your choices are no education and free but perhaps not perfectly accurate education, I think most of the world's poor would choose the latter for their children."
"Tell me why we're supporting Afghanistan again? How is the current government any better than the Taliban?"
They aren't, AFAIK, hosting Al Qaeda operatives. That's all we really need of them, which is why they went undisturbed for so long.
As far as "better" for Afghans, it isn't sane to expect them to ever have a government that is decent by Western standards. They were a tribalist, primitive, brutal Muslim society before European colonials arrived, and they'll be that after the Coalition puts down the White Man's Burden and leaves exhausted.
There is no sporting, UN-compliant way to defeat such people and we should cut a deal where possible.
"A lot of good men and women are out there getting killed just so companies like Microsoft can deliver their product around the world."
No, they are getting killed because it is cheaper (for the ship owners) than arming merchantmen and hiring private military contractors to kill the pirates. If it is desired to stop piracy, one applies the time-tested method of sinking the pirates and destroying their bases and vessels. Pirates shouldn't survive to get close enough to board.
"With our easy DNA submission process, we'll find you the most genetically compatible partners on Earth. Isn't it time you gave up a little privacy for a chance at optimal mating?"
No problem with a sample. I'll just send in my keyboard and they can pour out as much as they like.
"No alien civilization is expending the mammoth amount of resources needed to traverse the vast distances of interstellar space just to stick a probe up your ass. Deal with it."
The idea of superior beings taking in interest in my simple earthling self is comforting. Not quite as good as religion, but not demanding either.
I savor idea that we are not alone, that there are indeed other civilizations, and that they would traverse galaxies to look up my ass.
"Being the only house on your block not radiating all sorts of data sounds like an excellent reason for the DHS to perform a no-knock raid with a legions of SWAT teams and an armored troop carrier or two."
Set up appropriate systems to radiate innocent bogus data on the first floor. Lining the basement with copper roof flashing (an innocent purchase) would be easy enough, though Mom may grumble about paying for it.
"This report reminds me of the many videos of people donning various winglike arm attachments and diving off platforms or tall structures to disastrous results."
As demonstrated repeatedly, the "winged jet suit" concept works surprisingly well.
The flying car, so far, does not work well and crossing the two types of vehicle guarantees a shit result. The shit result may be entertaining, but that is all. Running articles about flying cars on/. only appeals to the technically naive who have some respect for the idea.
"Those are two very attractive selling points for the retiree pilot who is cashed up with a cabin on a lake but may not be able to pass the medical requires for a private license any more."
Great. Not only do we have to dodge the dodderers on the road, but we'll have falling gummers to deal with too. Not meeting medical standards is a hint to stay on the ground or let someone else do the piloting.
There is no reason to tilt at windmills and care about human obstacles if you still get paid, so unless I am both directed and empowered to solve problems where I work I don't care about solving them. If an organization cherishes their problems, fuck 'em.
I get paid to make my employer continue wanting to pay me.:)
"There's apparently a problem with the ever-increasing popularity of granite and marble computer desks, complete with optional shag carpet mousepads"
That's why I use a Logitech Marble Mouse.
No RSI issues (for me anyway), no requirement to move the mouse itself, ambidexterous (I can switch sides while in my recliner or at my desk), and solidly built.
I'm not seeing any I can boot and run the full OS from read-only media in the manner of Knoppix and many other live Linux CD/DVDs,which do not require a hard disk be present.
"The ability to legally run their operating system on something other than their own machines was once an option. Now it is not, for all practical purposes."
Too bad there are no OS X equivalents to the Knoppix DVD. They wouldn't be legal, but they would be useful.
Full-featured live CD/DVDs with installers are very handy.
It's nice to surf for more information while you install, especially if you run into problems. Dual-use install media are a great convenience for Linux users. It is reasonable to expect other OS to be offered that way if their proponents are serious about market penetration. It works for Ubuntu/Kubuntu/other 'buntus.
There are only a tiny number (compared to the numbers of Christians and Muslims) of Jews worldwide, and of those there are an even tinier number of seriously religious Jews.
Even if ALL roughly 13 million Jews were clones of Meir Kahane, they couldn't do much damage outside of Israel.
Slashdot Mirror
"I'm really not sure if I'm looking forward to that. Either they won't be armed, and they'll be easily disabled, or they will be, and then.... Meh."
Armament and resistance to damage are completely different qualities.
"What about a nice EMP blast?"
What about automobile airbag charges propelling water-based paint?
Blind the optics and the machine is useless. In situations such as protests the action would be non-violent and not ruin the spendy machine at possible great cost to those caught disabling it.
Airbag gas generators come in a variety of configurations, are cheap or free if you don't mind old ones or units with cosmetically damaged covers, and put out quite a volume of gas.
"When the Communists show up to protest the Nazis, you're supposed to pray for an asteroid, not pick a favourite."
I'm an atheist and hence don't believe the FSM will throw space rocks for me. I stand a better chance for self advancement with one of the above-mentioned groups, so I've already picked a favourite.
"How many starving children in Africa could have been fed instead of you be connected to the internet? Exactly, now shut the fuck up!"
Feeding them just perpetuates the status quo. When enough Africans want Africa to be different (and decide to help each other instead of starve each other) it will be different. Otherwise, not our problem or concern.
I'd buy the aircraft too. If Africa needs food, send it Sally Struthers.
"Well, when your choices are no education and free but perhaps not perfectly accurate education, I think most of the world's poor would choose the latter for their children."
Next step, Encyclopedia Dramatica for schools. :)
"Tell me why we're supporting Afghanistan again? How is the current government any better than the Taliban?"
They aren't, AFAIK, hosting Al Qaeda operatives. That's all we really need of them, which is why they went undisturbed for so long.
As far as "better" for Afghans, it isn't sane to expect them to ever have a government that is decent by Western standards. They were a tribalist, primitive, brutal Muslim society before European colonials arrived, and they'll be that after the Coalition puts down the White Man's Burden and leaves exhausted.
There is no sporting, UN-compliant way to defeat such people and we should cut a deal where possible.
"Man, biker gangs have certainly changed since I was a kid."
Trademarks etc. among MCs go back as far as the 1970s at least. Clubs are often quite sophisticated about image, marketing, self-promotion, and IP.
ttp://randazza.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/hells-angels-open-up-some-intellectual-property-whup-ass/
http://www.hells-angels.com/
http://www.mongolsmc.com/mongols.html
http://www.bandidosmc.com/
http://www.outlawsmc.com/CSS/Active/home.html
http://www.mongolsmc.com/
"A lot of good men and women are out there getting killed just so companies like Microsoft can deliver their product around the world."
No, they are getting killed because it is cheaper (for the ship owners) than arming merchantmen and hiring private military contractors to kill the pirates. If it is desired to stop piracy, one applies the time-tested method of sinking the pirates and destroying their bases and vessels. Pirates shouldn't survive to get close enough to board.
"The whole point of nuclear weapons is to overtly have them; if your possession of them is truly "covert," you don't win a damn thing. "
Touch one off on an enemy center of gravity without them knowing it was you, and you can win a bunch if the object is to disable the enemy.
Fixed it for you:
"Are the US taxpayers happy to have their education tax dollars being spent on this, instead of on football?"
"With our easy DNA submission process, we'll find you the most genetically compatible partners on Earth. Isn't it time you gave up a little privacy for a chance at optimal mating?"
No problem with a sample. I'll just send in my keyboard and they can pour out as much as they like.
"No alien civilization is expending the mammoth amount of resources needed to traverse the vast distances of interstellar space just to stick a probe up your ass. Deal with it."
The idea of superior beings taking in interest in my simple earthling self is comforting. Not quite as good as religion, but not demanding either.
I savor idea that we are not alone, that there are indeed other civilizations, and that they would traverse galaxies to look up my ass.
"especially when you add in that the average American is as smart as a radish."
I'm a radish, and find the comparison insulting.
"Being the only house on your block not radiating all sorts of data sounds like an excellent reason for the DHS to perform a no-knock raid with a legions of SWAT teams and an armored troop carrier or two."
Set up appropriate systems to radiate innocent bogus data on the first floor.
Lining the basement with copper roof flashing (an innocent purchase) would be easy enough, though Mom may grumble about paying for it.
"Who cares about companies violating their own copyright? Last night I sexually molested myself. I must be stopped before it happens again."
Pics or it didn't happen.
"This report reminds me of the many videos of people donning various winglike arm attachments and diving off platforms or tall structures to disastrous results."
As demonstrated repeatedly, the "winged jet suit" concept works surprisingly well.
The flying car, so far, does not work well and crossing the two types of vehicle guarantees a shit result. The shit result may be entertaining, but that is all. Running articles about flying cars on /. only appeals to the technically naive who have some respect for the idea.
"Those are two very attractive selling points for the retiree pilot who is cashed up with a cabin on a lake but may not be able to pass the medical requires for a private license any more."
Great. Not only do we have to dodge the dodderers on the road, but we'll have falling gummers to deal with too.
Not meeting medical standards is a hint to stay on the ground or let someone else do the piloting.
"And you think that they won't start searching there?"
Thanks to the internet I know that it is quite feasible to conceal grenade-sized objects in the human colon and retrieve them afterwards.
Whether TSA is willing to invoke these examples in order to justify intrusive searches remains to be seen.
There is no reason to tilt at windmills and care about human obstacles if you still get paid, so unless I am both directed and empowered to solve problems where I work I don't care about solving them. If an organization cherishes their problems, fuck 'em.
I get paid to make my employer continue wanting to pay me. :)
"There's apparently a problem with the ever-increasing popularity of granite and marble computer desks, complete with optional shag carpet mousepads"
That's why I use a Logitech Marble Mouse.
No RSI issues (for me anyway), no requirement to move the mouse itself, ambidexterous (I can switch sides while in my recliner or at my desk), and solidly built.
I'm not seeing any I can boot and run the full OS from read-only media in the manner of Knoppix and many other live Linux CD/DVDs,which do not require a hard disk be present.
"The solution isn't to appease the mob. If people act like thugs, they should be treated like thugs."
And if a particular mob belief system is toxic, we are considered trolls for pointing that out.
I could scorn Communism or any other secular ideology all I wish, but superstitions are somehow a protected species.
If it's OK to scorn a bad secular system, why should a superstition be exempt?
"The ability to legally run their operating system on something other than their own machines was once an option. Now it is not, for all practical purposes."
Too bad there are no OS X equivalents to the Knoppix DVD.
They wouldn't be legal, but they would be useful.
Full-featured live CD/DVDs with installers are very handy.
It's nice to surf for more information while you install, especially if you run into problems. Dual-use install media are a great convenience for Linux users. It is reasonable to expect other OS to be offered that way if their proponents are serious about market penetration. It works for Ubuntu/Kubuntu/other 'buntus.
There are only a tiny number (compared to the numbers of Christians and Muslims) of Jews worldwide, and of those there are an even tinier number of seriously religious Jews.
Even if ALL roughly 13 million Jews were clones of Meir Kahane, they couldn't do much damage outside of Israel.
"The Qur'an is out of copyright by now, so what's the problem?"
Fanbois, with big knives.
Just be happy the RIAA hasn't discovered their methods.