On the other hand, worrying about potential communist sympathizers at this time is just plain stupid.
Looked at as an individual issue, yes, worrying about communism seems silly right now. But combined with the loyalty oaths, and the concern for stem cell research, it's obvious the Bush Administrations true goal - the war against the Commie Mutant Traitors!
I am all for reading political and religious works, some works might require a broader perspective on life before reading them though
This kid was a senior at a university. Barring some Doogie Howser-esque crap, he's 20 or 21. He's an adult. If you're seriously suggesting that somebody over the age of majority not be allowed to read something because they "require a broader perspective on life"... well, where does it stop? 25? 40? Retired people only? Government officials only?
I know this was a joke, but you *are* aware that Polar Bears are actually black right?
This is kind of a debateable point. When you're talking about an animal that is, normally, covered entirely in fur, it's fairly standard to refer to it as its fur color, not its skin color. (For instance, I would say my dog is tan & white, not pink & brown. Unless you shaved her. In which case she'd probably get upset with you.) I guess it would be more correct to say that polar bears have white fur & black skin. (Although I thought it was more brown... Or was that artic foxes?)
If the inflation got too out of hand, the money markets would devalue the US$ so you'd need more of them to repay the debt.
Eh... well, for some of the debt. Virtually all of the debt (from the U.S. federal government to things other than the U.S. federal government) is held in bonds, most with fixed interest, and some with variable interest rates. They only pay off in U.S. dollars, though.
Funnily enough, almost half of the debt is still held... to other portion of the federal government. (Mostly Social Security.) Here's the relevant web page.
I'm always torn by this... I love the fact that each state makes up its own mind on so many issues (and I'm still annoyed over the whole federally mandated drinking age thing). But, seeing as how I move pretty often, I always end up spending a lot of time looking up strange stuff like this each time I'm moved to a new state. Well, being as that I quit smoking, I wouldn't buy my kids cigarettes, even if they were 16-18. But I'd feel like a seriously hypocritical bastard telling my kids no, if I still smoked...
Do you really, honestly think that the people you quoted are devoted to atheism and act in tireless diligence in its furtherance? I mean really? Just because they posted on a message board? On slashdot? I don't think you've seriously thought about this.
Well, I've personally stayed up way, way past a decent bedtime arguing with people on slashdot about stupider things before.
Course, I've also stayed up way too late playing KOL, so I guess it's not proof of much. (Other than possibly that I like only getting four hours of sleep.)
is that people would still mark things off-topic, even when there wasn't any real topic to get off of. No topic of which to get off. You know what I mean.
but the USA is, primarily, descended from Europeans. When talking about the USA, as a country, you can pretty much assume that people aren't talking about the natives that lived here before the 16th century.
Federal and State law have limited the age to buy and smoke tobacco to 18.
Buy, correct. Smoke, nope. It's perfectly legal, at least where I grew up (NC,VA,MD) for a parent or guardian to give cigarettes to a minor to smoke. Course, they still get in trouble for taking them to school... But a lot of my friends back home started smoking, quite legally, well before they were 18.
MIT's not airdropping these in remote villages that are dying of famine. Considering they're being sold to education institutions in the third, I think most of the students who get to use them are already going to have all the basics for survival - kids who don't get to eat aren't going to be going to school. They're designed to be used as educational tools - and beyond immediate survival, I'd argue there isn't much more important than education - especially for the poor. Without education, they'll never be anything but poor.
But whose definition of pirates are you using? If we listen to certain acronym-named groups, the number of pirates today probably outnumbers the number of pirates in the 17th & 18th century by several factors of ten... in which cause, perhaps, your formula is missing a 1/ somewhere.
And do only pirates who say "arrrrrrg" count here?
Okay, okay, my serious point (in my experience from both sides, a fair number of judges (at least in North Carolina) don't even avoid the "appearance of impartiality") was obscured by my semantic point (that judges, defense lawyers & jurors are all working for the same person as the prosecution, that being the government). Just call me IBM.
No, I don't mind allowing people with that kind of mentality to inflict an irretrievable (sp?) punishment. there are certainly more than adequate appeals processes for those so duly sentenced...
So why bother with the original trial at all? If your so comfortable with the punish-somebody-please-anybody crowd, why not just let the cops jail people immediately, and then you have to appeal to get out?
Juries/judges mete out capital punishment not the.gov.
That's got to be one of the funniest dumb things I've read on slashdot this week.
A.) Judges are permanent employess of the government. Jury memebers are, effectively, temporary employees of the governemnt. Perhaps the distinction you meant to draw was between the prosecuting and ruling arms of the legal system. But they're all, still, part of the government. (Just as the defenes lawyer will be, if you're not wealthy enough to employ your own.)
B.) Try being on a jury for a murder (or attempted murder) case sometime, when the judge decides to overrule nearly every objection brought by the defense attorney over improper evidence.
Yes, I know, anecdotal evidence isn't good proof of anything... except for that fact that, at least in one place, punishing somebody for a crime is more important than punishing the right somebody. And do you really want people with that kind of mentality having the power to inflict a punishment they can't take back?
Slashdot Mirror
Looked at as an individual issue, yes, worrying about communism seems silly right now. But combined with the loyalty oaths, and the concern for stem cell research, it's obvious the Bush Administrations true goal - the war against the Commie Mutant Traitors!
This kid was a senior at a university. Barring some Doogie Howser-esque crap, he's 20 or 21. He's an adult. If you're seriously suggesting that somebody over the age of majority not be allowed to read something because they "require a broader perspective on life"... well, where does it stop? 25? 40? Retired people only? Government officials only?
This is kind of a debateable point. When you're talking about an animal that is, normally, covered entirely in fur, it's fairly standard to refer to it as its fur color, not its skin color. (For instance, I would say my dog is tan & white, not pink & brown. Unless you shaved her. In which case she'd probably get upset with you.) I guess it would be more correct to say that polar bears have white fur & black skin. (Although I thought it was more brown... Or was that artic foxes?)
Eh... well, for some of the debt. Virtually all of the debt (from the U.S. federal government to things other than the U.S. federal government) is held in bonds, most with fixed interest, and some with variable interest rates. They only pay off in U.S. dollars, though.
Funnily enough, almost half of the debt is still held... to other portion of the federal government. (Mostly Social Security.) Here's the relevant web page.
Considering the number of people who send Jick 10 bucks a month, because they've got to get every item-of-the-month, I might have to agree with him. ;)
Seriously... umm... what the fuck?
I'm always torn by this... I love the fact that each state makes up its own mind on so many issues (and I'm still annoyed over the whole federally mandated drinking age thing). But, seeing as how I move pretty often, I always end up spending a lot of time looking up strange stuff like this each time I'm moved to a new state. Well, being as that I quit smoking, I wouldn't buy my kids cigarettes, even if they were 16-18. But I'd feel like a seriously hypocritical bastard telling my kids no, if I still smoked...
Heinlin wanted to cut down the pool of voters...
We're adding the "he's gay" ammo into this? I mean, come on, can we focus on one thing to bitch about the guy at a time?
Well, I've personally stayed up way, way past a decent bedtime arguing with people on slashdot about stupider things before.
Course, I've also stayed up way too late playing KOL, so I guess it's not proof of much. (Other than possibly that I like only getting four hours of sleep.)
Cthuluh eats you first.
I mean, as far as I know, they're not responsible for any genocides... That's got to count for something.
is that people would still mark things off-topic, even when there wasn't any real topic to get off of. No topic of which to get off. You know what I mean.
but the USA is, primarily, descended from Europeans. When talking about the USA, as a country, you can pretty much assume that people aren't talking about the natives that lived here before the 16th century.
Well, when you edit it like that, it is. :) Seriously, root beer & tequila? Why not just go all the way and combine everclear & kool-aid.
MIT's not airdropping these in remote villages that are dying of famine. Considering they're being sold to education institutions in the third, I think most of the students who get to use them are already going to have all the basics for survival - kids who don't get to eat aren't going to be going to school. They're designed to be used as educational tools - and beyond immediate survival, I'd argue there isn't much more important than education - especially for the poor. Without education, they'll never be anything but poor.
My bad. I'd actually like to give it back, but I forget what pawn shop I took it to.
Umm... Yeah, you're just wrong on this one. That's all I've got to say.
That's a great idea, if you want to get some more footage for "America's Worst Parenting Skills".
The best genes in the universe won't make up for parents who don't want you.
And do only pirates who say "arrrrrrg" count here?
Okay, okay, my serious point (in my experience from both sides, a fair number of judges (at least in North Carolina) don't even avoid the "appearance of impartiality") was obscured by my semantic point (that judges, defense lawyers & jurors are all working for the same person as the prosecution, that being the government). Just call me IBM.
That's got to be one of the funniest dumb things I've read on slashdot this week.
A.) Judges are permanent employess of the government. Jury memebers are, effectively, temporary employees of the governemnt. Perhaps the distinction you meant to draw was between the prosecuting and ruling arms of the legal system. But they're all, still, part of the government. (Just as the defenes lawyer will be, if you're not wealthy enough to employ your own.)
B.) Try being on a jury for a murder (or attempted murder) case sometime, when the judge decides to overrule nearly every objection brought by the defense attorney over improper evidence.
Yes, I know, anecdotal evidence isn't good proof of anything... except for that fact that, at least in one place, punishing somebody for a crime is more important than punishing the right somebody. And do you really want people with that kind of mentality having the power to inflict a punishment they can't take back?
Because posting excerpts from sci-fi shows is insightful... Riiiight.