See, when somebody tries to sneak a rider on a bill called the "Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001" that deals with Internet piracy, that they must be equating piracy with terrorism. I know that it's the way bills get passed, but that doesn't make it any less wrong or misleading.
So, I don't disagree with the thrust of your argument, but I thought I'd interject. : )
Find a hard drive manufacturer that doesn't size their hard drives that way. Go on...give me a URL.
You won't find any. Iomega (for one) is quite explicit about the way they've redefined a megabyte.
Bitch all you want, but Apple's not doing anything that ALL hard drive manufacturers aren't doing. For the record, Apple used to size their monitors by visible area, not tube size, until they got tired of losing sales to people who thought that 16" monitors weren't as good as 17" monitors.
First, you said Americans don't read unbiased news. That's a lie.
Then, you said Americans don't know geography. That's a lie. You then dodged repeated challenges to demonstrate your own geographical prowess.
Now, you're dusting off the death penalty? Come on. Admit that you're a euro-centric bigot and leave off.
If you think that there's no value or intellect in America, you are an idiot. Hell, Europe is unifying its ENTIRE ECONOMY to try to compete with the United States. If that's the way you rise to the challenge of a bunch of drooling idiots, what are you going to do about Japan and Taiwan?
Explain why. I don't think it's important for a European citizen to be able to identify all 50 states on a map. If you live in Switzerland, it's obviously significant. If you live in Michigan, it's pretty irrelevant (except as a meaningless question designed to make Europeans feel better about themselves, which seems to be a full time job).
I'll put my geography skills up against anybody on the planet.
And if it IS about oil, so what? Any other powerful nation in the history of the world would simply have colonized Iraq and made this question about oil prices go away.
Would that have been the Right Thing to Do? No, probably not. But, like it or not, the United States does have a vested interest in the oil reserves of the Middle East, and does have the responsibility to defend those interests, using diplomacy when possible or the military when necessary.
Welcome to geopolitics. It's not a nice game, but people who stop playing it start speaking other languages.
Amazing! Unless you're interested in handhelds, information about handhelds is not interesting. Wow! Where did you get your brilliant gift for insight?
Why help them with their research? Much better to just broadly censor everybody who wants to play with theories about disaster scenarios. Such dangerous ideas should be restricted to people who are trained for such things. Right?
Well, shit, if you sell your name, you shouldn't be surprised if people think that you are responsible for the product that bears it.
Good, bad, or indifferent, Mr. Meier was responsible for making that decision to sell his name. If the intervening games have tarnished it, that's just too bad.
So, the point is valid: If Mr. Meier wants to demonstrate that he still has the brilliance he showed us in his first games, something new and fresh would be a Good Idea.
It's not MY responsibility to feed the Iraqui people. If the Iraqui government engages in practices that our government doesn't like, our government is free to not trade with them. The Iraquis don't have a right to our trade.
Iraq (and the Taliban) have been given every opportunity to join the civilized world community. They have elected not to do so. What gives them the right to dictate the terms of trade? Nothing.
And if you think driving an airliner into a building is on the same moral footing as electing not to trade with another nation state, you are dangerously misguided.
Dammit! You're right! When I got my LEGO set, it totally switched off the part of my brain responsible for outdoor survival! It's obvious that the LEGO company wants us all to be mindless automatons after the coming holocaust, so that they can sell us the new LEGO Survival Sam kits!
Your contention that these two types of knowledge and fun are mutually exclusive is ridiculous. I know how to build a bow drill, and I know how to play with LEGO. What's wrong with having both?
And the government PROMISES that it won't track dissidents, political undesireables, and democrats/republicans (depending on which party is in power). No, really!
So you're not concerned by the CIA dossiers compiled since the 60's? Nixon's "Enemies Lists" writ large? The fact that this tracking network WILL be compromised by somebody with an axe to grind? None of this stuff concerns you?
So the fact that something unacceptable is already happening, means that we shouldn't worry if it happens again in a more efficient and easy-to-abuse way.
Of COURSE it was Bin Laden's decision. He did, after all, throw the first punch. Had he done nothing, or had he (gasp!) used peaceful methods to further his cause, we would not be threatening Afghani civilians. As it is, we are taking great pains to preserve the civilian populace.
The US is directly responsible for the deaths caused in the attacks. However, this is a war. In war, civilians die. It's not a war that we would have liked to fight, but fight it we will.
"He has factually and impassionately stated both the problem and the only acceptable solution."
So when Bin Laden does this, he's an idealistic hero, but when George Bush does this, he's a genocidal maniac, denying the Taliban's sincere desire for a diplomatic solution? The Taliban wasn't looking for diplomatic solutions when they destroyed the holy relics of other cultures. But now, when they're facing a threat brought upon them by somebody who enjoys their sanctuary and support, they're suddenly peace-loving, "Can't we all just get along?" diplomats?
Bullshit.
If I was going to be an apologist for a mass murderer, I'd much rather be an apologist for The Presidents Bush than for a terrorist psychopath. But that's just me.
Umm, Bin Laden's bombing (just counting the WTC) killed, what, 5000? He's still ahead by a bit.
If he was not willing to accept civilian casualties in this war that he started, he should not have attacked a civilian target. The US Military is bending over backwards to make sure that the Afghani civilians are safer now than they were a month ago.
Yes, we are killing people. That's what the military is FOR. You can try to sugar-coat it, you can try to do it in as controlled and focused a way as possible, but the fundamental purpose of the US military is to destroy the opponent's ability to make war. That involves killing people. If you think that killing people is never ever justified under any circumstances, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. Just keep in mind that evolution selects strongly against such unwise decisions.
I would classify Ghandi as a coward if, despite all evidence to the contrary, he persisted in his belief that non-violent means can solve any problem.
Non-violent means worked stupendously against the relatively benign British rule. (I happen to think that they would work for the Palestinians, too.) Against a truly repressive regime, like in some African nations and parts of the Middle East, or in China, those techniques would a) not work and b) cost you a lot of protestors.
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See, when somebody tries to sneak a rider on a bill called the "Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001" that deals with Internet piracy, that they must be equating piracy with terrorism. I know that it's the way bills get passed, but that doesn't make it any less wrong or misleading.
So, I don't disagree with the thrust of your argument, but I thought I'd interject. : )
Find a hard drive manufacturer that doesn't size their hard drives that way. Go on...give me a URL.
You won't find any. Iomega (for one) is quite explicit about the way they've redefined a megabyte.
Bitch all you want, but Apple's not doing anything that ALL hard drive manufacturers aren't doing. For the record, Apple used to size their monitors by visible area, not tube size, until they got tired of losing sales to people who thought that 16" monitors weren't as good as 17" monitors.
Your argument is all over the map.
First, you said Americans don't read unbiased news. That's a lie.
Then, you said Americans don't know geography. That's a lie. You then dodged repeated challenges to demonstrate your own geographical prowess.
Now, you're dusting off the death penalty? Come on. Admit that you're a euro-centric bigot and leave off.
If you think that there's no value or intellect in America, you are an idiot. Hell, Europe is unifying its ENTIRE ECONOMY to try to compete with the United States. If that's the way you rise to the challenge of a bunch of drooling idiots, what are you going to do about Japan and Taiwan?
Explain why. I don't think it's important for a European citizen to be able to identify all 50 states on a map. If you live in Switzerland, it's obviously significant. If you live in Michigan, it's pretty irrelevant (except as a meaningless question designed to make Europeans feel better about themselves, which seems to be a full time job).
I'll put my geography skills up against anybody on the planet.
And if it IS about oil, so what? Any other powerful nation in the history of the world would simply have colonized Iraq and made this question about oil prices go away.
Would that have been the Right Thing to Do? No, probably not. But, like it or not, the United States does have a vested interest in the oil reserves of the Middle East, and does have the responsibility to defend those interests, using diplomacy when possible or the military when necessary.
Welcome to geopolitics. It's not a nice game, but people who stop playing it start speaking other languages.
So, basically, destroy all its advantages and turn it into an Archos MP3 player.
Apple would do this...why?
If you can find a 5gb MP3 player at WalMart for $32.95, I'll buy you ten of them.
Come on. You wouldn't have bought one anyway...it says Apple on it, so it's automatically uncool.
Apple's market for this device is...Apple's market. Why are you surprised?
Amazing! Unless you're interested in handhelds, information about handhelds is not interesting. Wow! Where did you get your brilliant gift for insight?
Real observations based on facts never include the word "sucks" and always include the "facts".
PocketPoolPC2002 is still a massive resource hog that's really bad at doing the things I need a PDA to do. Your mileage may vary.
Why help them with their research? Much better to just broadly censor everybody who wants to play with theories about disaster scenarios. Such dangerous ideas should be restricted to people who are trained for such things. Right?
Censorship is never, ever the answer.
Well, shit, if you sell your name, you shouldn't be surprised if people think that you are responsible for the product that bears it.
Good, bad, or indifferent, Mr. Meier was responsible for making that decision to sell his name. If the intervening games have tarnished it, that's just too bad.
So, the point is valid: If Mr. Meier wants to demonstrate that he still has the brilliance he showed us in his first games, something new and fresh would be a Good Idea.
It's not MY responsibility to feed the Iraqui people. If the Iraqui government engages in practices that our government doesn't like, our government is free to not trade with them. The Iraquis don't have a right to our trade.
Iraq (and the Taliban) have been given every opportunity to join the civilized world community. They have elected not to do so. What gives them the right to dictate the terms of trade? Nothing.
And if you think driving an airliner into a building is on the same moral footing as electing not to trade with another nation state, you are dangerously misguided.
You know what? It has a power switch. Most phones do. You're only as accessible as you let yourself be.
Dammit! You're right! When I got my LEGO set, it totally switched off the part of my brain responsible for outdoor survival! It's obvious that the LEGO company wants us all to be mindless automatons after the coming holocaust, so that they can sell us the new LEGO Survival Sam kits!
Your contention that these two types of knowledge and fun are mutually exclusive is ridiculous. I know how to build a bow drill, and I know how to play with LEGO. What's wrong with having both?
And the government PROMISES that it won't track dissidents, political undesireables, and democrats/republicans (depending on which party is in power). No, really!
So you're not concerned by the CIA dossiers compiled since the 60's? Nixon's "Enemies Lists" writ large? The fact that this tracking network WILL be compromised by somebody with an axe to grind? None of this stuff concerns you?
Wow. The sky must be pretty on your planet.
If you are not more nervous about government abuses of power than you are about identity theft, you obviously haven't read any history.
So the fact that something unacceptable is already happening, means that we shouldn't worry if it happens again in a more efficient and easy-to-abuse way.
Great philosophy.
If nobody gives a rat's ass about me, why is the Fed so eager to tattoo a tracking number on my forearm (figuratively speaking, of course)?
Of COURSE it was Bin Laden's decision. He did, after all, throw the first punch. Had he done nothing, or had he (gasp!) used peaceful methods to further his cause, we would not be threatening Afghani civilians. As it is, we are taking great pains to preserve the civilian populace.
The US is directly responsible for the deaths caused in the attacks. However, this is a war. In war, civilians die. It's not a war that we would have liked to fight, but fight it we will.
...but he'll be dead, and the US civilians he's threatening will not.
That's what the US Military is for...to destroy threats to the US. The fact that the ENTIRE WORLD is lined up with us is gravy.
"He has factually and impassionately stated both the problem and the only acceptable solution."
So when Bin Laden does this, he's an idealistic hero, but when George Bush does this, he's a genocidal maniac, denying the Taliban's sincere desire for a diplomatic solution? The Taliban wasn't looking for diplomatic solutions when they destroyed the holy relics of other cultures. But now, when they're facing a threat brought upon them by somebody who enjoys their sanctuary and support, they're suddenly peace-loving, "Can't we all just get along?" diplomats?
Bullshit.
If I was going to be an apologist for a mass murderer, I'd much rather be an apologist for The Presidents Bush than for a terrorist psychopath. But that's just me.
Check out this movie. It's pretty good stuff.
Umm, Bin Laden's bombing (just counting the WTC) killed, what, 5000? He's still ahead by a bit.
If he was not willing to accept civilian casualties in this war that he started, he should not have attacked a civilian target. The US Military is bending over backwards to make sure that the Afghani civilians are safer now than they were a month ago.
Yes, we are killing people. That's what the military is FOR. You can try to sugar-coat it, you can try to do it in as controlled and focused a way as possible, but the fundamental purpose of the US military is to destroy the opponent's ability to make war. That involves killing people. If you think that killing people is never ever justified under any circumstances, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. Just keep in mind that evolution selects strongly against such unwise decisions.
I would classify Ghandi as a coward if, despite all evidence to the contrary, he persisted in his belief that non-violent means can solve any problem.
Non-violent means worked stupendously against the relatively benign British rule. (I happen to think that they would work for the Palestinians, too.) Against a truly repressive regime, like in some African nations and parts of the Middle East, or in China, those techniques would a) not work and b) cost you a lot of protestors.