Same with original Nintendo DS, when closed mode it will withstand most drops.
Pity the new model, while smaller and prettier, isn't nearly so durable. I dropped mine and it happened to land on the left shoulder button, which no longer works reliably.
Straight to the hyperbole, that itself speaks to the strength of your argument.
So which is hyperbole? The upstream which is limited to dialup speeds (because it *is* dialup)? Or the latencies which are so bad that 'non-standard IP stacks are used to address the latency and asymmetry problems of the satellite connection', necessary because the TCP three-way handshake can't handle the latencies inherent in satellite internet access? And in case it wasn't obvious, these limitations mean satellite is entirely unsuitable for gaming and other real-time applications (such as VoIP), not to mention P2P applications. And, gee, I wonder what a lot of people use their internet connection for? Hmm...
As for the rest of your post, you're simply ignoring the question, probably because you're unable to address it adequately. The fact is, satellite serves the needs of a few people who can a) afford it, b) can put up a dish, and c) are willing to live with the aforementioned shortcomings. Which means, for the vast majority of the internet-connected public, it's a complete non-starter. Put another way, it's not a "viable alternative".
Uh, no, it does deserve an answer. Given the astronomically high latencies of satellite, not to mention the *severely* limited upstream, please, tell us, why is satellite even in the same league as terrestrial broadband?
you'll most likely going to publish commercial copyrighted content from your own servers
Well, now, that depends on the technology. If we're dealing with a local bittorrent tracker, you most certainly are *not* "[publishing] commercial copyrighted content". At best, you're enabling others to find it, and that may or may not be illegal depending on the laws of the nation you live in, and will depend on the definition of contributory infringement. Heck, it's not even clear that's illegal in the US.
Honestly, I think we all have the necessary reading comprehension to see what the document is driving at. I don't need some ridiculous side commentary, which is wholly devoid of any useful insight, to help me understand the content of the document.
Frankly, the commentary sounds like the rantings of some extremist, conspiracy-theorist wanker, and does nothing but muddy the issues, not to mention make reading the document more difficult, as I have to wade through their irritating scribblings.
I just don't think that the pope is in a position to judge the ethics of science. That's a job for the scientists that actually understand what they're doing.
You then replied with:
That's like saying we should leave it up to a bunch of cannibals to decide if we should be allowed to eat humans in our society.
So you equated *scientists* (not science, scientists, the people performing the work) to cannibals. How is that *not* "calling scientists unethical"?
So, either you phrased your post poorly, or you're backtracking. Either way, I think my response is perfectly reasonable.
Uh, what? That's gotta be the dumbest thing I've read on Slashdot in a long time. Not to mention incredibly fucking insulting to every decent scientist out there. It seems pretty clear to me you're a theist: they're the only people I know who believe that religion is the sole source and arbiter of morality. Lucky for the rest of us, they're wrong, despite all their shouting to the contrary.
And, of course, it's these same people who have this bizarre notion that, because science must necessary be secular in nature, scientists must be unethical monsters who would do anything and everything to further their goals, if it weren't for the kind theists who are there to guide their path and hold them back from the brink of the abyss.
Pull your head out of your ass. The vast majority of scientists out there are ethical, moral individuals who want nothing more than to learn about the universe we live in. And if it weren't for them, we'd still be living in the dark ages, purchasing salvation from the almighty church.
was in a emotional or financial situation where bringing a baby to term would cause her undue stress, resulting in a child she did not love, and all the psychological f***ups that accompany that, i would prefer that my mother not continue her pregnancy past the 3 month old part, and she would have done nothing wrong by my judgment
Here here! Children born to parents who don't want them or can't support them are destined to lead a life of deep hardship, only to become a terrible burden, both to the parent, and to society as a whole. Society, today, has enough trouble handling the problems associated with the poor and disenfranchised without enacting laws that would only serve to swell their numbers.
Meanwhile, the reality is that, in absence of a safe, legal avenue for abortion, such pregancies would still be terminated. The only difference is they'd be done in secret, with no government oversight to ensure the safety of the patient, or the qualifications of those performing the operations.
For example, the "economic stimulus" bill only causes the government, which is deeply in debt [futurepower.org], to print more money. That will make the value of the dollar go down even further.
Sorry buddy, but that's deeply simplistic. The value of the US dollar is determined by many factors, but fundamentally, it's an expression of the demand for the US dollar in foreign markets. And that demand is fueled by many factors. One of them is the desire to invest in US business, or to buy US products. Unfortunately, the current environment of fear strongly discourages foreign investment (and rightly so, given that US banks were willing to sell investment instruments backed by extremely dubious mortgages... who would be insane enough to buy an investment instrument in the US now?? Particularly given the continued growth of consumer debt, not to mention the vast number of dubious business and corporate loans that have been given out). And the massive trade deficit means the demand for the US dollar is further decreased.
In theory, a stimulus package could provide a little kickstart to the economy, which could encourage people to invest in the US market. Unfortunately, a) the proposed package is puny relative to the size of the US market, and b) there's no proof such an approach will actually work (in theory it would infuse money into the consumer market, but one would expect the effect to be small, and relatively short-term).
You weren't the only one! I loved my SMS... great list of games, too. My brother and played the crap out of Quartet, which is still one of the better two-player platformers I've ever encountered. The same was true of Time Soldier. And I still love to pop in R-Type and blow away some space aliens, despite MAME putting the arcade version at my fingertips. Easily one of the best 8-bit arcade adaptations. And it has a wicked FM soundtrack to boot (which was only available to me thanks to the miracle of modern emulators).
- people who have probably done more than most of the readers here ever will - and will probably do more in the future.
Congratulations for them. What's your point?
My brother has a mild reading disability - he's a manager at a cable firm and makes more than many CEOs. My other brother had a speech impediment - he's an international lawyer who actually wrote Iraq's insurance laws - and does way more than just that.
Gee, yay for them, too. I still don't see what your point is.
Oh, and BTW, the plural for anecdote isn't data. Just FYI. Just because two people you know overcame their mild learning disabilities, doesn't mean it's a problem. For example, I have a family member who has a learning disability that was discovered far too late. As a consequence, he lagged behind in school, and has since achieved very little as a consequence of falling behind the pack. He also has a strongly addictive personality... seems to fit with what's described here, right? But you're right, who gives a shit, he should just be able to get over it on his own.
most people are on a curve, a gradient, of functionality in many respects. Language is just one thing, as is the ability to learn - there are techniques to compensate for many impairments.
So can a person with tremors from alzheimers (ignoring for the moment that the disease is progressive). Does that mean we shouldn't try to cure it, or at least treat the symptoms? Of course not. So why are learning disabilities different? Because some people are worse off? That's a bullshit argument, and you know it.
Oh that's bullshit. Microsoft tools don't "teach" any more than Emacs teaches, or gdb teaches, or gcc teaches. They're *tools*. The quality of the code is entirely dependent on the developer wielding them.
The most you could conceivably say is that a bad developer, given Microsoft tools, may have an easier chance of fucking things up. The problem is, having worked on both sides of the fence, doing extensive Unix, Java, and Win32/C# development, I don't think that's even remotely true. Frankly, as far as toolsets go, I think they're all basically equivalent, particularly given how similar the platforms are, and I have a hard time believing you could prove otherwise (though you're certainly free to try).
Just because some people have a harder time learning does not mean they can't learn.
It's just harder.
And just because some people have impaired vision does not mean they can't see... And just because some people have difficulty hearing, doesn't mean they can't hear... And just because some people have difficulty walking, doesn't mean they can't walk... Etc, etc, etc.
Yes, that's how stupid your argument is. A disability is a disability. Just because a person can somewhat overcome it on their own, doesn't mean we should just forget about providing treatment that could make their lives more comfortable. And I would argue a learning disability is *far* more wide-ranging in it's consequences than a physical disability.
Then they'll brainwash there kids into thinking they have a genetic disorder that prevents them from learning
Did it occur to you that they, umm, might *actually* have a learning disorder?
I mean, jesus christ, yes, I understand, ADHD is getting overdiagnosed. That doesn't mean that a) ADHD doesn't actually exist as a real, serious disorder or that b) other learning disorders don't exist, and should be recognized and treated as soon as possible.
Hell, you should be *applauding* this kind of work. If you could take a simple genetic test that demonstrated, provably, that you had a disorder that affected your ability to learn (as opposed to the wishy-washy criteria used today), wouldn't you welcome that?
Being a Unix coder at nights, and using Visual Studio during the day is like being a neurosurgeon during the night but working as a miracle healer.
You, sir, are an idiot. Let me enlighten you: Visual Studio is an IDE. It's a tool. It's not a religion. It's not a way of life. And it's use certainly isn't indicative of the quality of a developer (though, being blindly idiological certainly is... and not in a good way).
What you're saying is equivalent to stating that a carpenter is an idiot for using screws in some cases instead of nails.
Here's a hint: one when chooses a tool, one should use the best tool for the job. Period. Sometimes, that's a screw (VS + Windows) and sometimes that's a nail (Emacs/Vi/GDB/etc + Unix). After all, one wouldn't hesitate to deride a carpenter who insisted on using nails for ever single application. The same is true of languages, development environments, operating systems, hardware platforms, text editors, etc, etc.
Even if it's inexplicable to you and I, some people actually prefer working with Microsoft and their tools and are good with them
Or, god forbid, some might realize, through wisdom and experience, that both toolsets have their advantages and disadvantages, and so choose not to be blindly, idiotically idealogical about the whole thing.
Unfortunately, there are those who seem to prefer being dogmatic douchebags. Such is the way of the world.
if you get a computer with no earthing pin on its AC mains power connection, you should insist that it be replaced
Excellent advice for a PC. But for a laptop (since that's what this article is about), would you suggest the same? Every Thinkpad I've ever come across, including my own, has an ungrounded AC adapter, and I've never heard of any problems with this arrangement.
Nonsense. Morality exists because it's advantageous for human society. After all, morality is one of the fundamental elements of successful social interaction. I mean, would you talk to your neighbour if you feared they might kill you and take your possessions?
As such, while non-theistic morality may be more malleable in the face of changing needs, it's no less "shakey", as it is fundamentally rooted in the survival of our species.
Most morality came (er... or rather, comes) from religion.
Uhuh. Okay, then you should be able to prove to me that fundamental moral values were *originated* by religions, rather than coopted by them. Please, I'd love to see your evidence proving your assertion.
I suspect you may find that difficult, though... after all, the same basic moral code (aversion to murder, etc) has cropped up throughout human history, in a myriad of places, which suggests that such values have a real, evolutionary advantage. As such, there's no reason to believe such values originated with religion. Instead, I suspect religion simply acted to codify them.
Sorry, I don't buy it. You *honestly* believe that most people don't kill simply because their deity says it's wrong?
Frankly, I think you significantly underestimate the effect of social pressures in order to enforce cultural norms. Why do most people not:
1) Speak loudly during movies, or 2) Throw their garbage on the street, or 3) Avoid staring at other people, or, or, or...
All these things are social norms enforced by simple social conditioning. What on earth makes you believe that prohibition against murder, rape, torture, etc, are any different?
The fact is, people don't commit crimes because they either a) understand it's wrong, as they wish to treat others as they are treated (and yes, this is a belief that can exist outside of the framework of religion), b) fear reprisal from their peers, or c) fear punishment from authority figures. The fact that religion adds a fourth option to that list doesn't change the fact that social order would continue to exist in it's absence.
Religion (or, at the very least, morality) without rationality
While I don't fundamentally disagree with your other statements, your implication that morality can't exist given the absence of religion is a) absurd, and b) deeply offensive, given that I hold no religion while considering myself a moral person.
At best, you're suggesting that morality is akin to superstition, a statement which is also patently ridiculous. But, I suspose I shouldn't be surprised... it's hardly new for the religious to take sole credit for morality, despite the fact that the concept exists even among lower primate groups.
Elections are one of the most visible embodiments of state's rights
That's right. It's a visible embodiment of the idea that some state's rights are more important than others, by virtual of the fact that they're smaller.
Now, I understand why this was important when the union was formed. Without it, many states probably wouldn't have joined. But today, all it does is ensure that the votes of some citizens are worth more than others, and *that* is an incredibly bizarre notion in a system that passes itself off as a democracy.
Except all those variables are probably well enough represented in the control set that it's unnecessary. Median income probably does a good job controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, and job type, and population density will, to some degree, cover polling station proximity.
Now, granted, I haven't looked at the disparities, so I have no idea what the margin for error is, here. But there is such a thing as overkill when selecting control variables.
Slashdot Mirror
Same with original Nintendo DS, when closed mode it will withstand most drops.
Pity the new model, while smaller and prettier, isn't nearly so durable. I dropped mine and it happened to land on the left shoulder button, which no longer works reliably.
Straight to the hyperbole, that itself speaks to the strength of your argument.
So which is hyperbole? The upstream which is limited to dialup speeds (because it *is* dialup)? Or the latencies which are so bad that 'non-standard IP stacks are used to address the latency and asymmetry problems of the satellite connection', necessary because the TCP three-way handshake can't handle the latencies inherent in satellite internet access? And in case it wasn't obvious, these limitations mean satellite is entirely unsuitable for gaming and other real-time applications (such as VoIP), not to mention P2P applications. And, gee, I wonder what a lot of people use their internet connection for? Hmm...
As for the rest of your post, you're simply ignoring the question, probably because you're unable to address it adequately. The fact is, satellite serves the needs of a few people who can a) afford it, b) can put up a dish, and c) are willing to live with the aforementioned shortcomings. Which means, for the vast majority of the internet-connected public, it's a complete non-starter. Put another way, it's not a "viable alternative".
Uh, no, it does deserve an answer. Given the astronomically high latencies of satellite, not to mention the *severely* limited upstream, please, tell us, why is satellite even in the same league as terrestrial broadband?
you'll most likely going to publish commercial copyrighted content from your own servers
Well, now, that depends on the technology. If we're dealing with a local bittorrent tracker, you most certainly are *not* "[publishing] commercial copyrighted content". At best, you're enabling others to find it, and that may or may not be illegal depending on the laws of the nation you live in, and will depend on the definition of contributory infringement. Heck, it's not even clear that's illegal in the US.
Look, IPv6 is all well and good, but apart from typing 1:: for localhost, how am I going remember my outside IP?
Uhh, using the DNS name you registered?
Honestly, I think we all have the necessary reading comprehension to see what the document is driving at. I don't need some ridiculous side commentary, which is wholly devoid of any useful insight, to help me understand the content of the document.
Frankly, the commentary sounds like the rantings of some extremist, conspiracy-theorist wanker, and does nothing but muddy the issues, not to mention make reading the document more difficult, as I have to wade through their irritating scribblings.
It's good that they're getting rid of a couple of them, though while, if and the like still remain.
:i | Transcript show: i; cr; ]
Might I suggest just switching to Smalltalk?
[ booleanExpression ] whileTrue: [ self anotherMethod ]
[ booleanExpression ] ifTrue: [ trueBlock ] ifFalse: [ falseBlock ]
1 to: 5 do: [
I don't recall calling scientists unethical
Funny, because the post your responded to said:
I just don't think that the pope is in a position to judge the ethics of science. That's a job for the scientists that actually understand what they're doing.
You then replied with:
That's like saying we should leave it up to a bunch of cannibals to decide if we should be allowed to eat humans in our society.
So you equated *scientists* (not science, scientists, the people performing the work) to cannibals. How is that *not* "calling scientists unethical"?
So, either you phrased your post poorly, or you're backtracking. Either way, I think my response is perfectly reasonable.
Science inherently comes with no ethics.
Uh, what? That's gotta be the dumbest thing I've read on Slashdot in a long time. Not to mention incredibly fucking insulting to every decent scientist out there. It seems pretty clear to me you're a theist: they're the only people I know who believe that religion is the sole source and arbiter of morality. Lucky for the rest of us, they're wrong, despite all their shouting to the contrary.
And, of course, it's these same people who have this bizarre notion that, because science must necessary be secular in nature, scientists must be unethical monsters who would do anything and everything to further their goals, if it weren't for the kind theists who are there to guide their path and hold them back from the brink of the abyss.
Pull your head out of your ass. The vast majority of scientists out there are ethical, moral individuals who want nothing more than to learn about the universe we live in. And if it weren't for them, we'd still be living in the dark ages, purchasing salvation from the almighty church.
was in a emotional or financial situation where bringing a baby to term would cause her undue stress, resulting in a child she did not love, and all the psychological f***ups that accompany that, i would prefer that my mother not continue her pregnancy past the 3 month old part, and she would have done nothing wrong by my judgment
Here here! Children born to parents who don't want them or can't support them are destined to lead a life of deep hardship, only to become a terrible burden, both to the parent, and to society as a whole. Society, today, has enough trouble handling the problems associated with the poor and disenfranchised without enacting laws that would only serve to swell their numbers.
Meanwhile, the reality is that, in absence of a safe, legal avenue for abortion, such pregancies would still be terminated. The only difference is they'd be done in secret, with no government oversight to ensure the safety of the patient, or the qualifications of those performing the operations.
For example, the "economic stimulus" bill only causes the government, which is deeply in debt [futurepower.org], to print more money. That will make the value of the dollar go down even further.
Sorry buddy, but that's deeply simplistic. The value of the US dollar is determined by many factors, but fundamentally, it's an expression of the demand for the US dollar in foreign markets. And that demand is fueled by many factors. One of them is the desire to invest in US business, or to buy US products. Unfortunately, the current environment of fear strongly discourages foreign investment (and rightly so, given that US banks were willing to sell investment instruments backed by extremely dubious mortgages... who would be insane enough to buy an investment instrument in the US now?? Particularly given the continued growth of consumer debt, not to mention the vast number of dubious business and corporate loans that have been given out). And the massive trade deficit means the demand for the US dollar is further decreased.
In theory, a stimulus package could provide a little kickstart to the economy, which could encourage people to invest in the US market. Unfortunately, a) the proposed package is puny relative to the size of the US market, and b) there's no proof such an approach will actually work (in theory it would infuse money into the consumer market, but one would expect the effect to be small, and relatively short-term).
You weren't the only one! I loved my SMS... great list of games, too. My brother and played the crap out of Quartet, which is still one of the better two-player platformers I've ever encountered. The same was true of Time Soldier. And I still love to pop in R-Type and blow away some space aliens, despite MAME putting the arcade version at my fingertips. Easily one of the best 8-bit arcade adaptations. And it has a wicked FM soundtrack to boot (which was only available to me thanks to the miracle of modern emulators).
- people who have probably done more than most of the readers here ever will - and will probably do more in the future.
Congratulations for them. What's your point?
My brother has a mild reading disability - he's a manager at a cable firm and makes more than many CEOs. My other brother had a speech impediment - he's an international lawyer who actually wrote Iraq's insurance laws - and does way more than just that.
Gee, yay for them, too. I still don't see what your point is.
Oh, and BTW, the plural for anecdote isn't data. Just FYI. Just because two people you know overcame their mild learning disabilities, doesn't mean it's a problem. For example, I have a family member who has a learning disability that was discovered far too late. As a consequence, he lagged behind in school, and has since achieved very little as a consequence of falling behind the pack. He also has a strongly addictive personality... seems to fit with what's described here, right? But you're right, who gives a shit, he should just be able to get over it on his own.
most people are on a curve, a gradient, of functionality in many respects. Language is just one thing, as is the ability to learn - there are techniques to compensate for many impairments.
So can a person with tremors from alzheimers (ignoring for the moment that the disease is progressive). Does that mean we shouldn't try to cure it, or at least treat the symptoms? Of course not. So why are learning disabilities different? Because some people are worse off? That's a bullshit argument, and you know it.
Oh that's bullshit. Microsoft tools don't "teach" any more than Emacs teaches, or gdb teaches, or gcc teaches. They're *tools*. The quality of the code is entirely dependent on the developer wielding them.
The most you could conceivably say is that a bad developer, given Microsoft tools, may have an easier chance of fucking things up. The problem is, having worked on both sides of the fence, doing extensive Unix, Java, and Win32/C# development, I don't think that's even remotely true. Frankly, as far as toolsets go, I think they're all basically equivalent, particularly given how similar the platforms are, and I have a hard time believing you could prove otherwise (though you're certainly free to try).
Just because some people have a harder time learning does not mean they can't learn.
It's just harder.
And just because some people have impaired vision does not mean they can't see...
And just because some people have difficulty hearing, doesn't mean they can't hear...
And just because some people have difficulty walking, doesn't mean they can't walk...
Etc, etc, etc.
Yes, that's how stupid your argument is. A disability is a disability. Just because a person can somewhat overcome it on their own, doesn't mean we should just forget about providing treatment that could make their lives more comfortable. And I would argue a learning disability is *far* more wide-ranging in it's consequences than a physical disability.
Then they'll brainwash there kids into thinking they have a genetic disorder that prevents them from learning
Did it occur to you that they, umm, might *actually* have a learning disorder?
I mean, jesus christ, yes, I understand, ADHD is getting overdiagnosed. That doesn't mean that a) ADHD doesn't actually exist as a real, serious disorder or that b) other learning disorders don't exist, and should be recognized and treated as soon as possible.
Hell, you should be *applauding* this kind of work. If you could take a simple genetic test that demonstrated, provably, that you had a disorder that affected your ability to learn (as opposed to the wishy-washy criteria used today), wouldn't you welcome that?
Being a Unix coder at nights, and using Visual Studio during the day is like being a neurosurgeon during the night but working as a miracle healer.
You, sir, are an idiot. Let me enlighten you: Visual Studio is an IDE. It's a tool. It's not a religion. It's not a way of life. And it's use certainly isn't indicative of the quality of a developer (though, being blindly idiological certainly is... and not in a good way).
What you're saying is equivalent to stating that a carpenter is an idiot for using screws in some cases instead of nails.
Here's a hint: one when chooses a tool, one should use the best tool for the job. Period. Sometimes, that's a screw (VS + Windows) and sometimes that's a nail (Emacs/Vi/GDB/etc + Unix). After all, one wouldn't hesitate to deride a carpenter who insisted on using nails for ever single application. The same is true of languages, development environments, operating systems, hardware platforms, text editors, etc, etc.
Absolutely. But I would suggest that GNUALMAFUERTE fits the former description, rather than the latter. :)
Even if it's inexplicable to you and I, some people actually prefer working with Microsoft and their tools and are good with them
Or, god forbid, some might realize, through wisdom and experience, that both toolsets have their advantages and disadvantages, and so choose not to be blindly, idiotically idealogical about the whole thing.
Unfortunately, there are those who seem to prefer being dogmatic douchebags. Such is the way of the world.
if you get a computer with no earthing pin on its AC mains power connection, you should insist that it be replaced
Excellent advice for a PC. But for a laptop (since that's what this article is about), would you suggest the same? Every Thinkpad I've ever come across, including my own, has an ungrounded AC adapter, and I've never heard of any problems with this arrangement.
it places them on shaky ground
Nonsense. Morality exists because it's advantageous for human society. After all, morality is one of the fundamental elements of successful social interaction. I mean, would you talk to your neighbour if you feared they might kill you and take your possessions?
As such, while non-theistic morality may be more malleable in the face of changing needs, it's no less "shakey", as it is fundamentally rooted in the survival of our species.
Most morality came (er... or rather, comes) from religion.
Uhuh. Okay, then you should be able to prove to me that fundamental moral values were *originated* by religions, rather than coopted by them. Please, I'd love to see your evidence proving your assertion.
I suspect you may find that difficult, though... after all, the same basic moral code (aversion to murder, etc) has cropped up throughout human history, in a myriad of places, which suggests that such values have a real, evolutionary advantage. As such, there's no reason to believe such values originated with religion. Instead, I suspect religion simply acted to codify them.
Sorry, I don't buy it. You *honestly* believe that most people don't kill simply because their deity says it's wrong?
Frankly, I think you significantly underestimate the effect of social pressures in order to enforce cultural norms. Why do most people not:
1) Speak loudly during movies, or
2) Throw their garbage on the street, or
3) Avoid staring at other people, or, or, or...
All these things are social norms enforced by simple social conditioning. What on earth makes you believe that prohibition against murder, rape, torture, etc, are any different?
The fact is, people don't commit crimes because they either a) understand it's wrong, as they wish to treat others as they are treated (and yes, this is a belief that can exist outside of the framework of religion), b) fear reprisal from their peers, or c) fear punishment from authority figures. The fact that religion adds a fourth option to that list doesn't change the fact that social order would continue to exist in it's absence.
Religion (or, at the very least, morality) without rationality
While I don't fundamentally disagree with your other statements, your implication that morality can't exist given the absence of religion is a) absurd, and b) deeply offensive, given that I hold no religion while considering myself a moral person.
At best, you're suggesting that morality is akin to superstition, a statement which is also patently ridiculous. But, I suspose I shouldn't be surprised... it's hardly new for the religious to take sole credit for morality, despite the fact that the concept exists even among lower primate groups.
Elections are one of the most visible embodiments of state's rights
That's right. It's a visible embodiment of the idea that some state's rights are more important than others, by virtual of the fact that they're smaller.
Now, I understand why this was important when the union was formed. Without it, many states probably wouldn't have joined. But today, all it does is ensure that the votes of some citizens are worth more than others, and *that* is an incredibly bizarre notion in a system that passes itself off as a democracy.
Except all those variables are probably well enough represented in the control set that it's unnecessary. Median income probably does a good job controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, and job type, and population density will, to some degree, cover polling station proximity.
Now, granted, I haven't looked at the disparities, so I have no idea what the margin for error is, here. But there is such a thing as overkill when selecting control variables.