The issue isn't cost. The issue is that these people are entrusted with the privacy of every American citizen. They act in secret and we aren't even allowed to know a rough count of how many Americans they are spying on. When you see something like this, it just does not seem like they are taking that responsibility seriously.
I believe most Americans are so sick of politics, that they aren't even paying attention anymore. As long as it isn't directly impacting their daily lives, they don't really care about it. In my opinion this NSA stuff is far worse that Watergate, yet no one is being fired or going to prison over it. I'm not sure what is needed to get people to wake up. Perhaps some breakthrough that actually impacts an average (non-terrorist) American in their normal life.
I agree with you, but I don't think the problem is that they were never taught how to think. It takes real effort to keep up with politics and to understand the complex issues. I believe most Americans are just too damn lazy.
So you expect every gaming company to put the same level of design into their game as Blizzard has for WoW, just so that they can do some of their processing server side?
If you are an American and this doesn't bother you, then I hope some group of yours gets targeted by the IRS next.
"First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me."
The "low level" people who did this should be fired immediately to send a clear message that it is not ok for government agencies to specifically target and use their power against groups that they disagree with.
If laws were created the *right* way, then it would be obvious who was responsible for what clauses. Unfortunately, the way Washington works today is that these huge laws are crafted in locked rooms and brought out for a quick vote before anyone has time to read what is in it ("we have to pass it so you can find out what's in it").
Where your analogy example fails is when you apply "scale" to the situation. Is it right to use force to prevent a single person from getting on a lifeboat? No, but is it right to use force to prevent a single person from getting on a lifeboat when the boat is already overfull (and could potentially sink the boat)?
There is no problem with a relatively small number of H1B Visas in the country. The problem is the program is already making up a significant part of the IT workforce and big businesses want to continue to expand it to what many consider to be an "unhealthy" portion simply in the cause of higher profit margins for a few big businesses.
I had put a lot of time into Google Notebook. I was using it to maintain a very active log of technical documentation. I carefully choose tags to make it easy to find the information I needed quickly, and I spent a lot of time pruning the information to keep it clean. Then Google said they were no longer going to develop Notebook.
I started using Google Reader to catalog technical articles. Once again, putting a lot of time/thought into tagging and notes to make it as useful as possible. Now Google is dropping Reader.
If the product is not making enough money from data/ads, then at least give people the opportunity to pay for it. I would gladly pay for Notebook and/or Reader!
Should I put the time and effort into gmail? Is that the next Google product to just disappear?? After being burnt twice, I will be thinking carefully before putting a lot of effort into a free Google product.
At one time, the majority of Americans favored slavery. At one time, the majority of politicians didn't think women should be allowed to vote. Simple majority rule doesn't always mean the best ideas win. Sometimes, if an issue is important enough to a minority, then it needs to be addressed.
I have been in the programming job market for more than 10 years and I am convinced that many big businesses artificially manufacture "shortages" just so that they can get H-1B Visas to hire foreign programmers for much cheaper. A local big business had 20-30 programming jobs on their website. I applied to many of them. Some of those jobs matched up word-for-word with my resume, yet I didn't get a single call back. Instead, we hear of a ton of new hires coming from India. Most of them moved into a new apartment complex right across from the big business. So many, in fact, that the apartment complex became known as "Little India". You can still see them walking across the street early in the morning and then back again very late at night. They work very long hours, are not able to simply change companies at will, and work for a lower salary. And all the big company had to do was claim that they couldn't find any US citizens to meet the job requirements.
Can someone tell me when the "liberal" party became so obsessed with passing laws that tell people what they can't do (ex: buy large sodas, post anonymously on the Internet, buy scary-looking guns, etc.)
In what universe would a tax "cut" mean "free shit"?? People being able to keep a little more of their own hard-earned money is "free"?? You sound as if you believe the money all belongs to the government and getting to keep more of it is like some kind of gift. No, a gift is when the government takes money from people who actually work for it and give it to those who do not. THAT is "free shit".
You carry your birth certificate with you at all times? Or your passport? Those are the only two documents you list that prove citizenship or legal status. Neither a military ID nor a driver's license is considered a proof of status.
Perhaps you should actually READ the law:
"A person is presumed to not be an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States if the person provides to the law enforcement officer or agency any of the following:
1. A valid Arizona driver license. 2. A valid Arizona nonoperating identification license. 3. A valid tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification. 4. If the entity requires proof of legal presence in the United States before issuance, any valid United States federal, state or local government issued identification."
A young woman arrived in a WalMart in near Houston, with ~$4,700 worth of Walmart money orders. It has been proven conclusively that the money orders were genuine, and lawfully hers - but she was charged by the Walmart manager with trying to pass counterfeit money orders. False arrest and false imprisonment (which, by any reasonable definition amounts to kidnapping) committed by a corporation. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6932914.html
WalMart did not arrest and imprison the woman, the government did. WalMart has no power whatsoever to come to my home and arrest me. No power whatsoever to throw me in jail. The most WalMart can do is file a complaint with the government, just like any citizen can.
Once again, it is not the government that enables (or prevents) the corporation from doing this and not the other way around.
Corporations don't knock your door down, and sieze your goods? How about taking your property at gunpoint, in public, with witnesses? California
May 15-16, 2002 - The RIAA and Fonovisa representatives executed a series of voluntary surrender actions at two flea markets in Indio, CA and Torrance, CA. 11 vendors were issued notices and 3,637 alleged illicit sound recordings were recovered from both locations. Artist recordings seized included works from top-selling acts such as Thalia and Shaggy. http://www.grayzone.com/october2008busts.htm
Don't let the terminology fool you, in that story. A "voluntary surrender action" involves the presence of armed men telling you that you can't have certain items in your possession. In most times and places throughout history, this would be considered robbery.
That link doesn't even contain that story. What it does contain are several examples where pirates were found, government authorities were called in, and government authorities took care of the situation.
You are obviously missing the entire point of my post. Filling a complaint with the government and the government deciding to take some kind of action does not mean the person who filled the complaint actually has the power to do what the government can do.
Given the choice between overpowered government or overpowered corporations, I am far more scared of overpowered government because government has FAR more power to dramatically affect my life.
Nations have constitutions, laws, and face insurrection, mutiny, and revolt if/when they trample people's rights to much. Corporations? Damned thieves can tramply anyone, and everyone, with no repercussions.
Corporations cannot burst into my home and seize my property. Corporations cannot listen in to my phone calls and emails, sometimes without even a warrant. Corporations cannot put me in jail while I am waiting to be proven guilty of a crime. Corporations cannot take my property and use it to build a toll road. Corporations cannot force me to buy a health insurance policy.
Congress has had ~20% approval rating for many years now, yet 90% of incumbents win re-election year after year. If you think your voice truly matters in politics, then you clearly are not paying attention. The 2 major political parties in this country have gerrymandered congressional districts in a way that virtually guarantees victory for their chosen one year after year. The voting system for president virtually guarantees people having to pick the lesser of 2 evils. Once one these bums get into office, it takes years to get them out.
"In my humble opinion, providing access for the disabled is not only the right thing to do but it will generate more profit for Sony"
I hope you never complain about the price of video games, because frivolous lawsuits like this only drive up the cost of games. I honestly wonder how much cheaper everything would be in America if we could get rid of all the frivolous lawsuits.
Ahh, the idealistic promise of socialization. Sounds great in theory. Doesn't work well in reality.
Al Gore would have us believe that more social programs are the answer to everything. Let take a look at a hypothetical example:
Al Gore decides that very poor children should be given programmable calculators so that they can keep up with their peers in school. Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it? In THEORY, I would support this measure.
IN REALITY:
Where does this money come from? Assuming we don't dip into other programs, this comes from each and every hard-working taxpayer.
Who is going to manage and distribute all this money for this new program? We need to hire some burocrats to manage and distribute this money. Mostly, these jobs go to people who 'supported' the president in his campaign (people he/she owes a 'favor' to). These people are government employees. Government employees have a history of doing poor jobs yet still keeping their jobs and getting paid very well for the amount of 'work' that they actually do. They are not subject to the same rules that regular company employees are. In a regular company, if you do not do your job well you are gone. Government employees are paid from a nearly infinite source (taxpayer pockets) and have 'customers' that are unlikely to complain about poor service/results (because their customers are getting something that they didn't pay for in the first place). The result is a bunch of people in cushy jobs that are paid more than they are worth and are hard to remove. Need proof of this? Go to the local IRS tax audit office. Need another example? Visit your local DMV. Also, burrocracy tends to 'breed'. Once 1 person gets in, they find a way to justify hiring 3 more people. Eventually you have 10 people doing the work that 2 people could handle.
Next question: who is the government going to buy the calculators from? Time for government bids. History has shown that this process leads to the government paying WAY TOO much for simple items. Why? Perhaps the president has more 'favors' to pay back. Whatever the cause, the result is more waste of taxpayer dollars.
What happens when people find out that the government is giving away calculators? There are many people who do not qualify for the free calculators under the plan. However, they pay their taxes, and think the government 'owes' them something to. So they lie a little to get their children a calculator even through the program was not meant for them. Want to stop the abuse? Looks like you are going to have to hire more burocrats to monitor and fight program abuse.
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS ARE NOT AN EFFICIENT WAY TO DISTRIBUTE WEALTH.
In order to get $20 to stick where you want it you have to take $100 away from taxpayers.
Who loses in this scheme?
Hardworker tax payers who refuse to lie in order to get something free.
Who wins in this scheme?
The people the program was meant for do get something, but so do:
Burocrats, who produce very little work for their pay.
Companies who the president owes a favor to.
People who are willing to lie to get something free.
Slashdot Mirror
See Cross-Site Request Forgery: https://www.owasp.org/index.php/Cross-Site_Request_Forgery_(CSRF)
The issue isn't cost. The issue is that these people are entrusted with the privacy of every American citizen. They act in secret and we aren't even allowed to know a rough count of how many Americans they are spying on. When you see something like this, it just does not seem like they are taking that responsibility seriously.
Just replace "Prime Directive" with "US Constitution" and you are on the right track.
I believe most Americans are so sick of politics, that they aren't even paying attention anymore. As long as it isn't directly impacting their daily lives, they don't really care about it. In my opinion this NSA stuff is far worse that Watergate, yet no one is being fired or going to prison over it. I'm not sure what is needed to get people to wake up. Perhaps some breakthrough that actually impacts an average (non-terrorist) American in their normal life.
You know the difference? A corporation normally doesn't threaten to break your legs if you refuse to go on strike with them.
The Sarlacc always wins in the end.
“This is the most transparent administration in history,” Obama said during a Google Plus “Fireside” Hangout.
I agree with you, but I don't think the problem is that they were never taught how to think. It takes real effort to keep up with politics and to understand the complex issues. I believe most Americans are just too damn lazy.
So you expect every gaming company to put the same level of design into their game as Blizzard has for WoW, just so that they can do some of their processing server side?
And Nixon resigned because a few people broke into the Democrat headquarters, right? And Clinton was only impeached because he lied about a bj, right?
The coverup is worse than the crime. That's what the Democrats said during the Nixon administration.
If you are an American and this doesn't bother you, then I hope some group of yours gets targeted by the IRS next.
"First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me."
The "low level" people who did this should be fired immediately to send a clear message that it is not ok for government agencies to specifically target and use their power against groups that they disagree with.
If laws were created the *right* way, then it would be obvious who was responsible for what clauses. Unfortunately, the way Washington works today is that these huge laws are crafted in locked rooms and brought out for a quick vote before anyone has time to read what is in it ("we have to pass it so you can find out what's in it").
Where your analogy example fails is when you apply "scale" to the situation. Is it right to use force to prevent a single person from getting on a lifeboat? No, but is it right to use force to prevent a single person from getting on a lifeboat when the boat is already overfull (and could potentially sink the boat)?
There is no problem with a relatively small number of H1B Visas in the country. The problem is the program is already making up a significant part of the IT workforce and big businesses want to continue to expand it to what many consider to be an "unhealthy" portion simply in the cause of higher profit margins for a few big businesses.
I had put a lot of time into Google Notebook. I was using it to maintain a very active log of technical documentation. I carefully choose tags to make it easy to find the information I needed quickly, and I spent a lot of time pruning the information to keep it clean. Then Google said they were no longer going to develop Notebook.
I started using Google Reader to catalog technical articles. Once again, putting a lot of time/thought into tagging and notes to make it as useful as possible. Now Google is dropping Reader.
If the product is not making enough money from data/ads, then at least give people the opportunity to pay for it. I would gladly pay for Notebook and/or Reader!
Should I put the time and effort into gmail? Is that the next Google product to just disappear?? After being burnt twice, I will be thinking carefully before putting a lot of effort into a free Google product.
At one time, the majority of Americans favored slavery. At one time, the majority of politicians didn't think women should be allowed to vote. Simple majority rule doesn't always mean the best ideas win. Sometimes, if an issue is important enough to a minority, then it needs to be addressed.
I have been in the programming job market for more than 10 years and I am convinced that many big businesses artificially manufacture "shortages" just so that they can get H-1B Visas to hire foreign programmers for much cheaper. A local big business had 20-30 programming jobs on their website. I applied to many of them. Some of those jobs matched up word-for-word with my resume, yet I didn't get a single call back. Instead, we hear of a ton of new hires coming from India. Most of them moved into a new apartment complex right across from the big business. So many, in fact, that the apartment complex became known as "Little India". You can still see them walking across the street early in the morning and then back again very late at night. They work very long hours, are not able to simply change companies at will, and work for a lower salary. And all the big company had to do was claim that they couldn't find any US citizens to meet the job requirements.
Can someone tell me when the "liberal" party became so obsessed with passing laws that tell people what they can't do (ex: buy large sodas, post anonymously on the Internet, buy scary-looking guns, etc.)
In what universe would a tax "cut" mean "free shit"?? People being able to keep a little more of their own hard-earned money is "free"?? You sound as if you believe the money all belongs to the government and getting to keep more of it is like some kind of gift. No, a gift is when the government takes money from people who actually work for it and give it to those who do not. THAT is "free shit".
You carry your birth certificate with you at all times? Or your passport? Those are the only two documents you list that prove citizenship or legal status. Neither a military ID nor a driver's license is considered a proof of status.
Perhaps you should actually READ the law:
"A person is presumed to not be an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States if the person provides to the law enforcement officer or agency any of the following:
1. A valid Arizona driver license.
2. A valid Arizona nonoperating identification license.
3. A valid tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification.
4. If the entity requires proof of legal presence in the United States before issuance, any valid United States federal, state or local government issued identification."
A young woman arrived in a WalMart in near Houston, with ~$4,700 worth of Walmart money orders. It has been proven conclusively that the money orders were genuine, and lawfully hers - but she was charged by the Walmart manager with trying to pass counterfeit money orders. False arrest and false imprisonment (which, by any reasonable definition amounts to kidnapping) committed by a corporation. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6932914.html
WalMart did not arrest and imprison the woman, the government did. WalMart has no power whatsoever to come to my home and arrest me. No power whatsoever to throw me in jail. The most WalMart can do is file a complaint with the government, just like any citizen can.
and they also enable the gubbermint to monitor your telephone traffic without warrants. http://arstechnica.com/telecom/news/2008/01/senate-blocks-vote-on-surveillance-bill-that-would-grant-telecom-immunity.ars
Once again, it is not the government that enables (or prevents) the corporation from doing this and not the other way around.
Corporations don't knock your door down, and sieze your goods? How about taking your property at gunpoint, in public, with witnesses? California
May 15-16, 2002 - The RIAA and Fonovisa representatives executed a series of voluntary surrender actions at two flea markets in Indio, CA and Torrance, CA. 11 vendors were issued notices and 3,637 alleged illicit sound recordings were recovered from both locations. Artist recordings seized included works from top-selling acts such as Thalia and Shaggy. http://www.grayzone.com/october2008busts.htm
Don't let the terminology fool you, in that story. A "voluntary surrender action" involves the presence of armed men telling you that you can't have certain items in your possession. In most times and places throughout history, this would be considered robbery.
That link doesn't even contain that story. What it does contain are several examples where pirates were found, government authorities were called in, and government authorities took care of the situation.
You are obviously missing the entire point of my post. Filling a complaint with the government and the government deciding to take some kind of action does not mean the person who filled the complaint actually has the power to do what the government can do.
Given the choice between overpowered government or overpowered corporations, I am far more scared of overpowered government because government has FAR more power to dramatically affect my life.
Nations have constitutions, laws, and face insurrection, mutiny, and revolt if/when they trample people's rights to much. Corporations? Damned thieves can tramply anyone, and everyone, with no repercussions.
Corporations cannot burst into my home and seize my property. Corporations cannot listen in to my phone calls and emails, sometimes without even a warrant. Corporations cannot put me in jail while I am waiting to be proven guilty of a crime. Corporations cannot take my property and use it to build a toll road. Corporations cannot force me to buy a health insurance policy.
Congress has had ~20% approval rating for many years now, yet 90% of incumbents win re-election year after year. If you think your voice truly matters in politics, then you clearly are not paying attention. The 2 major political parties in this country have gerrymandered congressional districts in a way that virtually guarantees victory for their chosen one year after year. The voting system for president virtually guarantees people having to pick the lesser of 2 evils. Once one these bums get into office, it takes years to get them out.
"In my humble opinion, providing access for the disabled is not only the right thing to do but it will generate more profit for Sony"
I hope you never complain about the price of video games, because frivolous lawsuits like this only drive up the cost of games. I honestly wonder how much cheaper everything would be in America if we could get rid of all the frivolous lawsuits.
Do we really need all this complexity? Can't we just send Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck? We could even give Bruce a 2-way ticket.
People aren't buying Windows Vista? What do you think comes stock on virtually every single new computer? Did Dell suddenly stop selling computers?
Ahh, the idealistic promise of socialization. Sounds great in theory. Doesn't work well in reality. Al Gore would have us believe that more social programs are the answer to everything. Let take a look at a hypothetical example: Al Gore decides that very poor children should be given programmable calculators so that they can keep up with their peers in school. Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it? In THEORY, I would support this measure. IN REALITY: Where does this money come from? Assuming we don't dip into other programs, this comes from each and every hard-working taxpayer. Who is going to manage and distribute all this money for this new program? We need to hire some burocrats to manage and distribute this money. Mostly, these jobs go to people who 'supported' the president in his campaign (people he/she owes a 'favor' to). These people are government employees. Government employees have a history of doing poor jobs yet still keeping their jobs and getting paid very well for the amount of 'work' that they actually do. They are not subject to the same rules that regular company employees are. In a regular company, if you do not do your job well you are gone. Government employees are paid from a nearly infinite source (taxpayer pockets) and have 'customers' that are unlikely to complain about poor service/results (because their customers are getting something that they didn't pay for in the first place). The result is a bunch of people in cushy jobs that are paid more than they are worth and are hard to remove. Need proof of this? Go to the local IRS tax audit office. Need another example? Visit your local DMV. Also, burrocracy tends to 'breed'. Once 1 person gets in, they find a way to justify hiring 3 more people. Eventually you have 10 people doing the work that 2 people could handle. Next question: who is the government going to buy the calculators from? Time for government bids. History has shown that this process leads to the government paying WAY TOO much for simple items. Why? Perhaps the president has more 'favors' to pay back. Whatever the cause, the result is more waste of taxpayer dollars. What happens when people find out that the government is giving away calculators? There are many people who do not qualify for the free calculators under the plan. However, they pay their taxes, and think the government 'owes' them something to. So they lie a little to get their children a calculator even through the program was not meant for them. Want to stop the abuse? Looks like you are going to have to hire more burocrats to monitor and fight program abuse. GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS ARE NOT AN EFFICIENT WAY TO DISTRIBUTE WEALTH. In order to get $20 to stick where you want it you have to take $100 away from taxpayers. Who loses in this scheme? Hardworker tax payers who refuse to lie in order to get something free. Who wins in this scheme? The people the program was meant for do get something, but so do: Burocrats, who produce very little work for their pay. Companies who the president owes a favor to. People who are willing to lie to get something free.