> Soon though, medical insurance began to be
> provided by employers, partly thanks to the
> unions, and partly because there is economic
> efficiency in large purchases.
But mostly because of the tax code. Employer-
provided medical insurance, like other fringe
benefits, is not subject to income tax.
Medical "insurance" is to a large extent
not insurance at all ("insurance" that pays for
your routine checkups??)--it's a means of paying
your medical bills with untaxed dollars.
Just to remind everybody that there are places
where things are worse, in Russia, there's a
brewing company that has apparantly successfully
patented *bottles*. Not some special kind of
beer bottles, just...bottles. They're already
suing other breweries. Needless to say, they
have some political connections...
> Of course, now that their tax costs have
> decreased dramatically, the prices that they
> charge the consumer have decreased dramat...oh
> bollocks, I knew there was a flaw in the
> argument somewhere. [sigh]
No flaw here. You might find a comparison
between the inflation rate in the halcyon days
of "socking it to the corporations" and the
same rate today instructive.
> I doubt you'd survive the reinforcing process,
> though, unless you also have incredible healing
> powers. Even worse, if you survive the process
> and get your super skeleton, you'll have to
> wear a silly costume and get a stupid nickname.
> Which is located in Woolsley Itch
> Underhamptstead Oldbury Cottenginton
> Westbloodyhammersmith.
(pronounced "Wooster")
Chris Mattern
Re:are copyrights necessary?
on
RIAA CEO Speaks
·
· Score: 1
> This idea, I think, is the key. If there were
> no copyrights, there would be fewer artists,
> and we all lose. (Yeah, you can argue that one,
> but a lot of people are only in it for the
> _big_ money, which you probably can't reach
> without the money-sucking corporate structure.)
I would submit that the "artists" who "are only
in it for the _big_ money" are no big loss.
> High-level security clearance is not an
> orthodoxy exam, a litmus test, a whose-side-are-
> you-on interrogation.
True.
> Government clearances can be broad contingency
> certifications, just-in-case devices that cover
> eventualities.
Erm, no. Nobody holds a security clearance "just
in case". The agency applying for it has to
provide a specific justification as to *why* the
clearance holder needs that clearance to do his
job. When the clearance is no longer required,
it is revoked.
I noticed Glandritek looks an awful lot like
Woodlock. Has anybody told Cutter about this?
Ah well, gotta do something to put wolf chow
on the table, I guess.
> Remember, if the system is really secure there
> isn't much we as hackers can do.
And if we could go faster than light, we can
get someplace before we leave. There is no
such thing as "secure", only more secure and
less secure.
> 128 bit encryption is 128 bit encryption, and
> baring major advances is unbreakable to hackers.
But you overlook a basic fact. We have to be
given the key. You can't play these oh-so-secure
music files if you *aren't* given the key. You
simply capture the data stream after it's been
decoded for you. The door is securely locked.
Such a shame that there are no walls.
> (Ironic point of note: I'm listening to Yoko
> Ono, on cd, as I type this =)
You have my sincere sympathy.
Chris Mattern
Re:You haven't defended Free Speech until...
on
Freenet 0.3 Released
·
· Score: 1
> you've defended someone's right to say
> something you morally oppose.
There's a difference between "defend" and
"actively support". It's one thing for the
ACLU to go to court to give the KKK the right
to hold a rally. It's another thing entirely
to help pass out the flyers for the rally.
You're saying he has to do the latter. Until
Freenet does not force its members to actively
support *any and all* content, I don't think it
can fly.
>> a major revision and modernisation of
>> the "Lost History of Burgundy."
> who else do we know who fought for france's
> control of burgundy? anyone? anyone?
Burgundy did. It was an independent country
of some importance in the early middle ages,
not becoming part of France until 1002, and
having considerable autonomy even thereafter.
The dukes of Burgundy were a power unto
themselves (even though they were closely
related to the French king) during the Hundred
Years War and even sided with the English
during part of that war. The last duke of
Burgundy with any real independence, Charles
the Bold, was finally suppressed by Louis XI
in the late 15th century.
> I think the VHS tapes were longer too, I have
> to check the betamax at my parents.
Yep. Standard Beta tape was only good for 90
minutes while standard VHS went for 2 hours.
This made a *big* difference since, at the
time, almost all movies shown on TV were cut/
padded with commercials to take two hours.
People doing home recording could get entire
movie on one VHS, but not on Beta.
> What's the orbital equivalent of ecology?
> Vacuumology? La Grange-ology?
"Ecology" is a perfectly acceptable term; "eco-"
refers to environments in general, deriving from
the Greek for "household" ("economy" derives
from the same root). There is nothing Earth-
centric in the term.
Slashdot Mirror
> Soon though, medical insurance began to be
> provided by employers, partly thanks to the
> unions, and partly because there is economic
> efficiency in large purchases.
But mostly because of the tax code. Employer-
provided medical insurance, like other fringe
benefits, is not subject to income tax.
Medical "insurance" is to a large extent
not insurance at all ("insurance" that pays for
your routine checkups??)--it's a means of paying
your medical bills with untaxed dollars.
Chris Mattern
> I bet you haven't even read the Green Party's
> platform.
Nor is there much reason to. Ralph's already
publicly repudiated it.
Chris Mattern
It sends you to the entire article with all
comments, yes. But it then pages you right to
comment in question. Works for me.
chris Mattern
> I installed Linux, and now I can read Chinese!
Which is really amazing, as he didn't know
Chinese before he installed Linux!
Chris Mattern
Unless you live in China, you wouldn't. Venus
is MS's set-top box OS for the Chinese market.
Here's an article about it:
http://www.china2thou.com/9907p5.htm
Don't seem to be able to find an MS web
site for it.
Chris Mattern
Just to remind everybody that there are places
where things are worse, in Russia, there's a
brewing company that has apparantly successfully
patented *bottles*. Not some special kind of
beer bottles, just...bottles. They're already
suing other breweries. Needless to say, they
have some political connections...
Chris Mattern
> Of course, now that their tax costs have
> decreased dramatically, the prices that they
> charge the consumer have decreased dramat...oh
> bollocks, I knew there was a flaw in the
> argument somewhere. [sigh]
No flaw here. You might find a comparison
between the inflation rate in the halcyon days
of "socking it to the corporations" and the
same rate today instructive.
Chris Mattern
> In the context of chemistry and materials,
> organic refers to a materials based on carbon
> (an element abbreviated as C).
And since plastics are built on hydrocarbon
chains, all plastics are, by definition,
organic.
Chris Mattern
> I doubt you'd survive the reinforcing process,
> though, unless you also have incredible healing
> powers. Even worse, if you survive the process
> and get your super skeleton, you'll have to
> wear a silly costume and get a stupid nickname.
Not to mention the ridiculous haircut.
> Doesn't sound like it'd be worth it.
Indeed.
Chris Mattern
> Napoleon had a banquet setting made of
> aluminum. It took half the refined aluminum in
> the world to produce it.
Only his most favored guests got to use it.
Lesser lights had to be satisfied with plain
old gold.
chris Mattern
Well, you'd probably be wondering why the
phone's not ringing while the phone is
waiting for you dial the last digit...
Chris Mattern
> Which is located in Woolsley Itch
> Underhamptstead Oldbury Cottenginton
> Westbloodyhammersmith.
(pronounced "Wooster")
Chris Mattern
> This idea, I think, is the key. If there were
> no copyrights, there would be fewer artists,
> and we all lose. (Yeah, you can argue that one,
> but a lot of people are only in it for the
> _big_ money, which you probably can't reach
> without the money-sucking corporate structure.)
I would submit that the "artists" who "are only
in it for the _big_ money" are no big loss.
Chris Mattern
> High-level security clearance is not an
> orthodoxy exam, a litmus test, a whose-side-are-
> you-on interrogation.
True.
> Government clearances can be broad contingency
> certifications, just-in-case devices that cover
> eventualities.
Erm, no. Nobody holds a security clearance "just
in case". The agency applying for it has to
provide a specific justification as to *why* the
clearance holder needs that clearance to do his
job. When the clearance is no longer required,
it is revoked.
Chris Mattern
I noticed Glandritek looks an awful lot like
Woodlock. Has anybody told Cutter about this?
Ah well, gotta do something to put wolf chow
on the table, I guess.
Chris Mattern
...with two cat5s in the yard?
Chris Mattern
> Remember, if the system is really secure there
> isn't much we as hackers can do.
And if we could go faster than light, we can
get someplace before we leave. There is no
such thing as "secure", only more secure and
less secure.
> 128 bit encryption is 128 bit encryption, and
> baring major advances is unbreakable to hackers.
But you overlook a basic fact. We have to be
given the key. You can't play these oh-so-secure
music files if you *aren't* given the key. You
simply capture the data stream after it's been
decoded for you. The door is securely locked.
Such a shame that there are no walls.
Chris Mattern
> (Ironic point of note: I'm listening to Yoko
> Ono, on cd, as I type this =)
You have my sincere sympathy.
Chris Mattern
> you've defended someone's right to say
> something you morally oppose.
There's a difference between "defend" and
"actively support". It's one thing for the
ACLU to go to court to give the KKK the right
to hold a rally. It's another thing entirely
to help pass out the flyers for the rally.
You're saying he has to do the latter. Until
Freenet does not force its members to actively
support *any and all* content, I don't think it
can fly.
Chris Mattern
Dunno about you, but to me, vapor means, "I
can't plunk down money and get one *right now*."
Release dates can be (and usually are) lies.
Chris Mattern
> SCOTTY! Get more more ANTIPATENT!
Cap'n, the examiners canna take enny more!
Chris Mattern
>> a major revision and modernisation of
>> the "Lost History of Burgundy."
> who else do we know who fought for france's
> control of burgundy? anyone? anyone?
Burgundy did. It was an independent country
of some importance in the early middle ages,
not becoming part of France until 1002, and
having considerable autonomy even thereafter.
The dukes of Burgundy were a power unto
themselves (even though they were closely
related to the French king) during the Hundred
Years War and even sided with the English
during part of that war. The last duke of
Burgundy with any real independence, Charles
the Bold, was finally suppressed by Louis XI
in the late 15th century.
Chris Mattern
> I think the VHS tapes were longer too, I have
> to check the betamax at my parents.
Yep. Standard Beta tape was only good for 90
minutes while standard VHS went for 2 hours.
This made a *big* difference since, at the
time, almost all movies shown on TV were cut/
padded with commercials to take two hours.
People doing home recording could get entire
movie on one VHS, but not on Beta.
Chris Mattern
> What's the orbital equivalent of ecology?
> Vacuumology? La Grange-ology?
"Ecology" is a perfectly acceptable term; "eco-"
refers to environments in general, deriving from
the Greek for "household" ("economy" derives
from the same root). There is nothing Earth-
centric in the term.
Chris Mattern
> I was told that Pascal was created by French
> programmers anf that is why "it is the way it
> is".
Lord, give me strength. Pascal was created by
Niklaus Wirth, who is from Switzerland and whose
native language is German.
Chris Mattern