Once they are denied a driver license, a whole host of otherwise trivial transactions (banking, travel, renting an apartment, etc) become much harder from them to accomplish without attracting attention.
I sincerely hope you are kidding, at least a little bit. In major towns (NY, LA, San Fran, Atlanta, etc., etc.) it would be easy for them to acquire a legal ID regardless of what mandates are in place. Let me give you an old maxim that holds true today (and applies in this situation): Money talks, Bullshit walks. Simple as that.
Look, all they have to do is have one member of their cell have affiliations with the black market or have some government official by the balls (because he's* been screwing around on his wife and they have proof) or by the wallet (because he's been screwing around, period or he's just greedy) and they have their nice legal IDs without having to answer a single damn question. There is no way to watch every single person who issues IDs all the time, every single day. That is just for the ID. How many questionable places are there in New York to rent an apartment (or other building) without needing any ID? Lots. Atlanta? Lots. LA? Lots. Do I need to continue? I didn't think so. The same goes for everything else as well - water, gas, lights, food, transportation, and pretty much anything else one needs. Let's face it, no matter what ID law there is anyone (not just terrorist) who wants one of the new IDs has the master key to get one: GREED. You can't legislate morality, no matter how hard you try, and you damn sure can't legislate away greed. No matter how severe the penalties, it will still happen. Just look at the states that have a death penalty -- how many murders (or other killings that justify a death penalty) still happen in those states DESPITE the severe punishment that will be meted out by the courts? Lots.
It has been said before and it will be said again, but by giving up the liberties we have come to expect from being a citizen of These United States of America we will NOT be gaining safety. We will be gaining a prison for ourselves and giving control of the keys to the people MOST likely to abuse the power they have over us. The evidence is all around us right now: massive wiretapping without a search warrant, violations of the 1st and 4th amendments, holding prisoners without due process or legal counsel (this is a right EVERYONE has, not just a citizen of These United States because as soon as we treat them differently we have lost our case), massive intrusions into foreign bank data without warrant or due process and cooperation thus offending the law-abiding citizens of those countries, and many more things. Not to mention that by giving up our freedoms, we have given a victory to those who oppose our lifestyle here in the USA - if we make ourselves less free, we become closer to the way they want everyone to live.
I say fuck them. I say stand up for your rights and the rights of every other HUMAN being on this planet - even if you hate them with a passion. This is one of the hardest things another human can do, and I know that I would have a hard time personally, but if we do not stand up for "them" then who will stand up for you and I?
*She can easily be substituted for he in all cases.
I have to give them credit as well, they heard about the problem, acknowledged there was a problem, teamed up with Cedega and then FIXED the problem (reinstated locked accounts) and then gave them 20 days credit as well.
Would I be pissed if I played and had an account locked/banned by this? Hell yeah. Would I be somewhat mollified by 20 days of play tacked onto my account and an e-mail apology with an admission of "We screwed up, sorry" to boot? Hell yeah!
A lot of companies these days don't listen to their "base" and ignore the customer as nothing more than a $ and a number. Blizzard isn't perfect on this account, but they're better than a lot of the major playors out there. Kudos to Blizzard for realizing their cash cow was supported by multiple _people_/players and not just a bunch of $$$ and random numbers called credit cards - and willing to work to fix the problem! Keep up the good work.
Sorry for the all caps title, but I seriously believe that Linux developers need to call their bluff. Combined with all the corporations that benefit from Linux. I think they should all pitch in and buy a full page ad in the New York Times, LA Times, Atlana Journal Constitution, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and every other major newspaper in the country with the text being:
"The following companies, corporations, and persons call upon you, Microsoft, to formally state exactly and explicitly which patents or other IP currently owned by Microsoft or any of their subsidiaries are being infringed upon by the Linux Operating System or any Linux Operating System component, computer application, program or other Open Source Software. If you cannot fulfill this simple request, all of the undersigned formally request you cease all veiled threats of lawsuits against users, purchasers, companies, and/or coporations currently utilizing the Linux Operating System and attendant software."
Red Hat should lead the charge with Samba tagging along immediately. Then IBM would get pulled into the fray along with Sun, Oracle, and every computer manufacturer that sells Linux servers/workstations (pretty much every damn one of them). Then the other major Linux companies and users can get on the bandwagon which would include some heavyweights as well: Google, Amazon, pretty much _every_ ISP in the United States (and the world), large-scale datacenters, universities, and many, many more. With that many entities set against Microsoft threatening Linux and OSS and stating it quite publicly, then Microsoft has to either put up or shut up. Not to mention that the software patent war that could happen should prove, without a doubt, how horrendously stupid software patents really are. A pipe dream? Maybe. But something quite akin to a revolution is brewing and I'm interested to see how it plays out since I also feel one brewing against the MPAA/RIAA as well.
Actually, shooting someone in the head would (probably) not carve out a small hole but cause severe decompression coupled with boiling of the brain in its own juices. Actually, depending on how 'hot' the laser is the brain may do a nice explosion routine from the supercritical heating of the liquids contained in the brain cavity. Even if the sci-fi complete head exploding routine didn't happen, enough brain matter would be seriously injured by the supercritical heated material + the laser itself that, well, it wouldn't matter...
Suddenly, I'm feeling a bit queasy and just thinking about the subject makes my brain hurt. Pun intended.
Add to this the fact that PayPal constantly pushes linking your PayPal account to your "real" bank account (apparently so they can clean you out in one fell swoop) and you have a recipe for...
...someone to do what I have done - set up a PayPal only bank account. This bank account is NOT linked to any other account except for PayPal - period. I don't use it to pay bills, I don't use it to save money in, I don't use it for anything EXCEPT PayPal payments (both sending and receiving). When I get money into my PayPal account, I sweep it out of there into either a) cash or b) another bank account. This means that ALL the mighty PayPal can do if someone disputes a claim is, if they seize my account or try to get back money from it (which is no longer there), cause me to close that account. I'll file a complaint with my bank that the goods were sent and delivered (I always request delivery confirmation and/or signature confirmation) and so PayPal is in error and I won't be putting money back into that account. They can then handle PayPal. Meanwhile, I open a new PayPal bank account and, if needed, a new PayPal account and go right back to buying/selling.
I say HELLO NURSE! That is a federal crime punishable by a large quantity of pounded-in-the-ass prison time along with monetary punishment I believe. Anyone stupid enough to go into someone else's mailbox and/or steal or reroute the mail under cover of anything less than a _federal_ investigaion is asking to get slapped down. Even if you don't destroy/remove the mail you "rifled", you still tampered with it and risk serious penalties.
I have a friend who, when he was under 18, decided to bash mailboxes with a couple of friends. Stupid, yes, because they destroyed the mailboxes and scattered the mail and - of course - they were caught and sentenced to three years probation during which they could not get into ANY trouble with the law or at school or they would get to serve some time in a juvenile detention facility. The judge informed them at the time that if they had just switched mail from box to box or something else seemingly "innocuous", they would have received as stiff a sentence. You just don't fuck with the US Mail.
I would much rather be dead with my Liberty in tact, than alive and living in a police state without the freedoms that made this country great. As Patrick Henry once said - "Give me liberty or give me death!"
I will not accept less. Not for me, not for you the anonymous cowards, not for my fellow countrymen, not for the children alive and waiting to be born, and not for the other people of this world who dream of Freedom _because_ we, the United States of America, are Free.
Well, I for one _would_ watch the entire marathon except for one thing - it is on a FRIGGIN' MONDAY! You know, when the majority of people have to work. WTF is up with that asinine programming choice? How about making it a marathon on Sunday when the majority of people are off? Now I either have to use up a vacation day as I'm out of sick days and comp time, or get "sick" over the weekend and miss a day of work. This is piss poor scheduling on Sci-Fi's part - and they know it.
I met both Alan Tudyk and Summer Glau (yummy!) in person at DragonCon this past weekend and they were down to earth, glad to talk to the fans people. They mentioned a possible movie #2 but would not say "Yes, there will be" (of course) and Alan specifically stated that if there was one, everyone would be in it. Possible prequel movies is what he said. Now, that being said, even if I liked the show and the cast and wanted to support them by watching the marathon is it worth risking my job or using up what little vacation time we Americans get? The risk job? No. Using vacation? Maybe.
Oh, the poster above missed a third option: Those who haven't seen the show (due to time and/or money contraints) but really want to.
I don't normally advocate violating anyone's (yes, even a 14 year olds) privacy or personal space UNLESS it is for the good of the child. Which, in this case, it appears to be so just do the underhanded but right thing - use a keylogger to get both his username and password.
Day 1) While he's in school, slip in his room, install keylogger, make SURE to leave everything undisturbed (paranoid 14 year olds know when someone has been in their room), and then let him play that night.
Day 2) Retrieve keylogger while he is at school. Analyze the data, log into his account, set parental controls. Or, better, change the password so he has to ask his mom (or you) to be able to play. Make playing the reward for acting in the manner his mother and family expect him to.
Dude, you're really just, like, not worried about it. I mean, man, they give you munchies in the joint my man. And hey, it's called the "JOINT"! Whoa...
Now it is time to go to the uniform store and get a security guard uniform. I think ill stand next to the night deposit box at the bank. Just to see how many people will give me there deposits when I tell them that the deposit box it broken and I am there to collect and secure there deposit.
Soooo, you've been reading Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" have you?:) I'd be willing to bet it would work just fine if you had a partner to cover your behind on the phone, etc. just so long as the cop questioning you or person depositing didn't know any bank personnel.
There is just one problem with your retort (well, two): In pretty much every instance the things you mention are ALREADY against the law (controlled substances, killing people - even willingly, etc). I was not suggesting religion as a means to circumvent the law per se, but as a means of using the law in your favor. In this case, my "religion" would require me to have an internet connection to practise said religion and if the ISP arbitrarily took my connection away, without due process and proving that I am breaking the law, then they have infringed upon my religion. If they can prove, in a court of law, that I was breaking the laws of the land then that might trump my religion in this case (must have a 'net connection).
Second issue is this: Not all controlled substances are against the law when used for religious purposes. Case in point is the North American Native American Church and their use of Peyote. Any member of said religion can partake of peyote without fear of prosecution, though some issues with European descended members does occur. So, in some cases, it DOES work in the USA. Especially when the Indians had been using it for thousands of years before the white man settled here.
Well, now all you have to do is create your own religion, get it recognized by the State (ye olde guv'ment) and make it a PRINCIPLE part of your religion that each person must have internet connections since, well, your services are attended virtually. Chat room style as it were.
Would suck for them to try to cut you off then. Needing your internet fix is now part of your religion. Welcome to the New World Order. '-)
Well, continuing with your slightly off-topic thread of telemarketer calls here is one way to get off the line quickly (if everyone will pardon the crudity here, but there seems to be no POLITE way to stop these calls and I have tried - repeatedly):
TELEMARKETER (usually female): Good evening sir! I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you about... ME (interrupting conversation at critical point): NO! Let me tell _you_ about this gorgeous woman I fucked in the ass last night. Man she was {CLICK, silence} Hello? Still there? End Of Coversation
Works like 95% of the time. Has to be one of the funniest silences ever. *heh* Not to mention I had one lady say "That sounds lovely." just as she was hanging up.
Wasted their braintime on accomplishing this goal? Not granted.
Why? Because this group of people would, more than likely, NEVER have worked on Planeshift. Why? Because they LOVED and were highly interested in Star Wars Galaxies. They felt the pre-CU world of SWG was an open playfield, a veritable land of riches where those who wanted to grab a laser rifle and hunt down a Krayt could do so. Where those who wanted to strip mine the planets for that last ounce of uber ore to make those laser rifles could do so. Where those who wanted to strictly socialize and "help the cause" by dancing or playing in a band COULD DO SO. Based on the fact they are making this emulater, I'd say they also feel that LucasArts and _especially_ Sony Online Entertainment FUCKED UP when they did both the Combat Upgrade and the New Game Enhancements.
I agree with them. There is no freedom to mix-and-match professions anymore. You cannot, for example, have both a combat profession and a crafting profession whereas pre-CU you could. Admittedly, the vast majority of players did not do this but they STILL HAD THE CHOICE to do so. You cannot have a dancer mixed with some crafting or a smuggler mixed with fencer. You cannot have a creature handler, period. Doctors are now frigging useless. Combat medics? Gone. Combat used to be interesting and not frustrating (which it DEFINITELY is now for players who are handicapped and this makes the game _LESS_, not more, accessible) and now it is a frigging FPS click fest. Sheesh. There are really too many negatives to go on mentioning here but I think you get the point.
Now, am I saying it was all wine and roses under the old system? Definitely not. There are several things that needed tweaking, _tweaking_!, not complete revision. 1)) Armor certifications were needed since everyone was wearing 90% composite - and, with certs, new armor was needed for Crafters that can keep them alive versus critters as they scout planets WITHOUT the need to hire/ask/beg combat classes to come with them. 2)) Doctors needed their formulas for making buffs nerfed SLIGHTLY. Enough to make the player more a hero (which we're supposed to be), and less a godly tank (which combat pofessionals were at times). 3)) Dancers/entertainers needed the ability to BUFF THE MIND stat (and ALL associated stats) to the exact same degree that a Doctor could buff Health and Action (and their associated stats). 4)) Some of the combat classes needed some tweaking to prevent stacking of defense/offense bonuses which would have limited the so-called "uber templates" - not to mention most of the "uber templates" would also have been mostly nullified with #3 above (the Mind buffs) since the "uber templates" took advantage of being able to hit the Mind stat.
There are several more areas that needed tweaking, but the vast majority of those left are minor tweaks or bugfixes and not worth going into in depth. The above suggestions would have fixed the MAJOR problems people were having - and all without a frigging CU or NGE in sight. Sorry to have gone on a bit of a rant, but I - and many other pre-CU players - would love to have the ability to play on servers uncontaminated by the CU and NGE. Just like the people working on this emulator. Not to mention, if they do make the emulator open-source, then LucasArts and SOE can have tag-team lawyers going at it day-in and day-out and won't be able to stop those pre-CU gamers from having what they want - a game they fell in love with, in a galaxy far, far away.
If AT&T can unilaterally change the privacy policy as it applies to users of those services (primarily individuals) what is stopping them from doing to same thing to small business as well as big business/coporations? Hmm? Lawyers? - perhaps. If I had a small business that used AT&T in any way, shape, form, or fashion I would be IMMEDIATELY and deeply concerned about the privacy of my business documents that are being transmitted over AT&T's network - by any means (T1/T3, OC3, Frame Relay, VPN, etc. - even encrypted communications). Suddenly all of my VERY sensitive corporate secrets become the property of AT&T? My e-mails are all logged? My browsing and viewing habits as CEO of said corporation are now catalogued and kept in a database at AT&T's Galactic Data Core? As a private citizen of the United States of America and as a corporate employee I say, unequivocally, FUCK THAT.
Every concerned citizen and individual should rail against these changes in their policy - even if you don't use their service now. Write to them and explain, calmly and rationally, why you would never use their service and how you will do everything in your power to explain to family and friends why THEY should not use their service either. Dissatisfied people talk to loads of other people. Pissed off people talk to loads of other people. ANYTHING negative gets spread, on average, 10 times more than positive things do. When was the last time someone you know went to the doctor and said they had a great visit? Probably can't remember that, but I can guarantee that _someone_ you know has been to the doctor/dentist/etc. in the past 2 weeks and has vented a complaint about "I had to wait FOREVER to even see the doctor and he was only in there for 5 minutes" or something along those lines. Will a write-in campaign from both people who are on their service as well as those who aren't work? MAYBE. Yes, capital maybe since is always an If. Corporations tend to be a little more responsive to loads of negative press and negative write-ins than the goverment of the USA seems to be. If a good many small businesses and larger businesses/corporations jump on the write-in bandwagon too (especially those affected by HIPAA, Sa-Ox and other "privacy" concerns) then I'd give it a good chance.
Not to mention who did NOT see this coming? Any company that uses the frigging DEATH STAR as a corporate logo has to be aiming for world domination somehow;-)
This is the reason I have an account set up with my bank that states it is specifically for PayPal. Period. The only money I keep in the account is enough to cover 4 to 6 months of banking charges (like $5/month) so even if someone were to try and steal the money in that account, I'm out $20 to $30 or so AND I am immediately alerted to the fact that account has been breached.
At this point I immediately shut down the checking account, check with my bank to see if anyone has called and tried to change account information or get more info on accounts, apply for my money back based on fraud/identity theft, log in to PayPal (_if_ I can) and change passwords (if I cannot log in to PayPal then I try and contact PayPal to have that account shut down), set up a new checking account for PayPal only, and finally - if needed - start a new PayPal account.
With a special checking account for PayPal only, and it designated as such, that makes it much easier to prove fraud/identity theft since I have NO checks for the account, NO check card for the account, NO online banking for the account, NO way to access the account other than through PayPal or by walking into or calling the bank. Sure it costs $5 per month but if you really need/want to do transactions through PayPal it is the safest way. Also, if PayPal gets a wild hair up their ass and decides to freeze your account for some reason (someone accuses you of fraud, whatever) then the only thing they tie up is that same small amount of money in an easily closed account.
Please allow me to reply to my reply - I was being slightly sarcarstic in my remarks it just doesn't come across that way. I guess it should not have been "my problem", rather it should have been "my quandry" perhaps. My boggle maybe?:)
I'm sure they didn't ban exactly those amounts but it is close enough to be a weird coincidence since, like I said, you can buy epic mounts for less with discounts.
I just found it an interesting coincidence is all. Personally, I'm glad they've banned farmers and are continuing to do so.
WoW bans 30,000 accounts which equals 30,000,000 gold. If we divide that out it is approximately 1,000 gold PER ACCOUNT banned. Hmmm, not taking into account discounts from being honored and seargent/? or greater rank then 1,000 gold is EXACTLY the amount of cash needed for your epic mount. Coincidence, eh?
Now, before anyone says I'm all for gold farmers I am definitely NOT. They cause me nothing but grief when I'm farm, errr, trying to acquire certain patterns or items needed for my character(s);-). Not to mention that I've seen a rise in prices on items that my character can make which means I have more gold to spend elsewhere in the game - such as on patterns, armor, etc. including the items other players make. I consider that a good thing overall. Now if the price on traveler's backpacks would just come back down....:-p
Well, I was going to say something along the same lines:
DON'T PUT ADVERTISING IN ANY GAMES. PERIOD.
That is the most effective way to deal with in-game advertising. You want to target my demographic? Then learn that my demographic DOESN'T WANT intrusive (or even non-intrusive) advertising in our ENTERTAINMENT. That is my down-time away from all the crap of the world. Why would I want to be subjected to the shit called advertising that spews forth from Madison Avenue, LA, or anywhere else in the world during that time?
Slashdot Mirror
I sincerely hope you are kidding, at least a little bit. In major towns (NY, LA, San Fran, Atlanta, etc., etc.) it would be easy for them to acquire a legal ID regardless of what mandates are in place. Let me give you an old maxim that holds true today (and applies in this situation): Money talks, Bullshit walks. Simple as that.
Look, all they have to do is have one member of their cell have affiliations with the black market or have some government official by the balls (because he's* been screwing around on his wife and they have proof) or by the wallet (because he's been screwing around, period or he's just greedy) and they have their nice legal IDs without having to answer a single damn question. There is no way to watch every single person who issues IDs all the time, every single day. That is just for the ID. How many questionable places are there in New York to rent an apartment (or other building) without needing any ID? Lots. Atlanta? Lots. LA? Lots. Do I need to continue? I didn't think so. The same goes for everything else as well - water, gas, lights, food, transportation, and pretty much anything else one needs. Let's face it, no matter what ID law there is anyone (not just terrorist) who wants one of the new IDs has the master key to get one: GREED. You can't legislate morality, no matter how hard you try, and you damn sure can't legislate away greed. No matter how severe the penalties, it will still happen. Just look at the states that have a death penalty -- how many murders (or other killings that justify a death penalty) still happen in those states DESPITE the severe punishment that will be meted out by the courts? Lots.
It has been said before and it will be said again, but by giving up the liberties we have come to expect from being a citizen of These United States of America we will NOT be gaining safety. We will be gaining a prison for ourselves and giving control of the keys to the people MOST likely to abuse the power they have over us. The evidence is all around us right now: massive wiretapping without a search warrant, violations of the 1st and 4th amendments, holding prisoners without due process or legal counsel (this is a right EVERYONE has, not just a citizen of These United States because as soon as we treat them differently we have lost our case), massive intrusions into foreign bank data without warrant or due process and cooperation thus offending the law-abiding citizens of those countries, and many more things. Not to mention that by giving up our freedoms, we have given a victory to those who oppose our lifestyle here in the USA - if we make ourselves less free, we become closer to the way they want everyone to live.
I say fuck them. I say stand up for your rights and the rights of every other HUMAN being on this planet - even if you hate them with a passion. This is one of the hardest things another human can do, and I know that I would have a hard time personally, but if we do not stand up for "them" then who will stand up for you and I?
*She can easily be substituted for he in all cases.
The lesser of two evils? ;-)
Oh, wait, that's right.. Google has a "do no evil" policy whereas Microsft has "Extend, embrace, extinguish". Nevermind.
I have to give them credit as well, they heard about the problem, acknowledged there was a problem, teamed up with Cedega and then FIXED the problem (reinstated locked accounts) and then gave them 20 days credit as well.
Would I be pissed if I played and had an account locked/banned by this? Hell yeah. Would I be somewhat mollified by 20 days of play tacked onto my account and an e-mail apology with an admission of "We screwed up, sorry" to boot? Hell yeah!
A lot of companies these days don't listen to their "base" and ignore the customer as nothing more than a $ and a number. Blizzard isn't perfect on this account, but they're better than a lot of the major playors out there. Kudos to Blizzard for realizing their cash cow was supported by multiple _people_/players and not just a bunch of $$$ and random numbers called credit cards - and willing to work to fix the problem! Keep up the good work.
Sorry for the all caps title, but I seriously believe that Linux developers need to call their bluff. Combined with all the corporations that benefit from Linux. I think they should all pitch in and buy a full page ad in the New York Times, LA Times, Atlana Journal Constitution, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and every other major newspaper in the country with the text being:
"The following companies, corporations, and persons call upon you, Microsoft, to formally state exactly and explicitly which patents or other IP currently owned by Microsoft or any of their subsidiaries are being infringed upon by the Linux Operating System or any Linux Operating System component, computer application, program or other Open Source Software. If you cannot fulfill this simple request, all of the undersigned formally request you cease all veiled threats of lawsuits against users, purchasers, companies, and/or coporations currently utilizing the Linux Operating System and attendant software."
Red Hat should lead the charge with Samba tagging along immediately. Then IBM would get pulled into the fray along with Sun, Oracle, and every computer manufacturer that sells Linux servers/workstations (pretty much every damn one of them). Then the other major Linux companies and users can get on the bandwagon which would include some heavyweights as well: Google, Amazon, pretty much _every_ ISP in the United States (and the world), large-scale datacenters, universities, and many, many more. With that many entities set against Microsoft threatening Linux and OSS and stating it quite publicly, then Microsoft has to either put up or shut up. Not to mention that the software patent war that could happen should prove, without a doubt, how horrendously stupid software patents really are. A pipe dream? Maybe. But something quite akin to a revolution is brewing and I'm interested to see how it plays out since I also feel one brewing against the MPAA/RIAA as well.
Actually, shooting someone in the head would (probably) not carve out a small hole but cause severe decompression coupled with boiling of the brain in its own juices. Actually, depending on how 'hot' the laser is the brain may do a nice explosion routine from the supercritical heating of the liquids contained in the brain cavity. Even if the sci-fi complete head exploding routine didn't happen, enough brain matter would be seriously injured by the supercritical heated material + the laser itself that, well, it wouldn't matter...
Suddenly, I'm feeling a bit queasy and just thinking about the subject makes my brain hurt. Pun intended.
Fuck PayPal.
I say HELLO NURSE! That is a federal crime punishable by a large quantity of pounded-in-the-ass prison time along with monetary punishment I believe. Anyone stupid enough to go into someone else's mailbox and/or steal or reroute the mail under cover of anything less than a _federal_ investigaion is asking to get slapped down. Even if you don't destroy/remove the mail you "rifled", you still tampered with it and risk serious penalties.
I have a friend who, when he was under 18, decided to bash mailboxes with a couple of friends. Stupid, yes, because they destroyed the mailboxes and scattered the mail and - of course - they were caught and sentenced to three years probation during which they could not get into ANY trouble with the law or at school or they would get to serve some time in a juvenile detention facility. The judge informed them at the time that if they had just switched mail from box to box or something else seemingly "innocuous", they would have received as stiff a sentence. You just don't fuck with the US Mail.
I will not accept less. Not for me, not for you the anonymous cowards, not for my fellow countrymen, not for the children alive and waiting to be born, and not for the other people of this world who dream of Freedom _because_ we, the United States of America, are Free.
I met both Alan Tudyk and Summer Glau (yummy!) in person at DragonCon this past weekend and they were down to earth, glad to talk to the fans people. They mentioned a possible movie #2 but would not say "Yes, there will be" (of course) and Alan specifically stated that if there was one, everyone would be in it. Possible prequel movies is what he said. Now, that being said, even if I liked the show and the cast and wanted to support them by watching the marathon is it worth risking my job or using up what little vacation time we Americans get? The risk job? No. Using vacation? Maybe.
Oh, the poster above missed a third option: Those who haven't seen the show (due to time and/or money contraints) but really want to.
I imagine it is more like this:
Software developer: HEY ARMY GUYS! I said you can't use this software.
Army Guys: I have a big gun.
Software developer: _I_ have the root password for YOUR nuclear weapon.
Army Guys: Oh sh..... SNAFU!
I don't normally advocate violating anyone's (yes, even a 14 year olds) privacy or personal space UNLESS it is for the good of the child. Which, in this case, it appears to be so just do the underhanded but right thing - use a keylogger to get both his username and password.
Day 1) While he's in school, slip in his room, install keylogger, make SURE to leave everything undisturbed (paranoid 14 year olds know when someone has been in their room), and then let him play that night.
Day 2) Retrieve keylogger while he is at school. Analyze the data, log into his account, set parental controls. Or, better, change the password so he has to ask his mom (or you) to be able to play. Make playing the reward for acting in the manner his mother and family expect him to.
Dude, you're really just, like, not worried about it. I mean, man, they give you munchies in the joint my man. And hey, it's called the "JOINT"! Whoa...
Soooo, you've been reading Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" have you? :) I'd be willing to bet it would work just fine if you had a partner to cover your behind on the phone, etc. just so long as the cop questioning you or person depositing didn't know any bank personnel.
Second issue is this: Not all controlled substances are against the law when used for religious purposes. Case in point is the North American Native American Church and their use of Peyote. Any member of said religion can partake of peyote without fear of prosecution, though some issues with European descended members does occur. So, in some cases, it DOES work in the USA. Especially when the Indians had been using it for thousands of years before the white man settled here.
Well, now all you have to do is create your own religion, get it recognized by the State (ye olde guv'ment) and make it a PRINCIPLE part of your religion that each person must have internet connections since, well, your services are attended virtually. Chat room style as it were.
Would suck for them to try to cut you off then. Needing your internet fix is now part of your religion. Welcome to the New World Order. '-)
SSI - Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Simply a must have on a gamer's list. /salute
Well, continuing with your slightly off-topic thread of telemarketer calls here is one way to get off the line quickly (if everyone will pardon the crudity here, but there seems to be no POLITE way to stop these calls and I have tried - repeatedly):
TELEMARKETER (usually female): Good evening sir! I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you about...
ME (interrupting conversation at critical point): NO! Let me tell _you_ about this gorgeous woman I fucked in the ass last night. Man she was {CLICK, silence} Hello? Still there?
End Of Coversation
Works like 95% of the time. Has to be one of the funniest silences ever. *heh* Not to mention I had one lady say "That sounds lovely." just as she was hanging up.
What? You mean like Sauron? '-)
The most milked franchise? Granted.
Wasted their braintime on accomplishing this goal? Not granted.
Why? Because this group of people would, more than likely, NEVER have worked on Planeshift. Why? Because they LOVED and were highly interested in Star Wars Galaxies. They felt the pre-CU world of SWG was an open playfield, a veritable land of riches where those who wanted to grab a laser rifle and hunt down a Krayt could do so. Where those who wanted to strip mine the planets for that last ounce of uber ore to make those laser rifles could do so. Where those who wanted to strictly socialize and "help the cause" by dancing or playing in a band COULD DO SO. Based on the fact they are making this emulater, I'd say they also feel that LucasArts and _especially_ Sony Online Entertainment FUCKED UP when they did both the Combat Upgrade and the New Game Enhancements.
I agree with them. There is no freedom to mix-and-match professions anymore. You cannot, for example, have both a combat profession and a crafting profession whereas pre-CU you could. Admittedly, the vast majority of players did not do this but they STILL HAD THE CHOICE to do so. You cannot have a dancer mixed with some crafting or a smuggler mixed with fencer. You cannot have a creature handler, period. Doctors are now frigging useless. Combat medics? Gone. Combat used to be interesting and not frustrating (which it DEFINITELY is now for players who are handicapped and this makes the game _LESS_, not more, accessible) and now it is a frigging FPS click fest. Sheesh. There are really too many negatives to go on mentioning here but I think you get the point.
Now, am I saying it was all wine and roses under the old system? Definitely not. There are several things that needed tweaking, _tweaking_!, not complete revision. 1)) Armor certifications were needed since everyone was wearing 90% composite - and, with certs, new armor was needed for Crafters that can keep them alive versus critters as they scout planets WITHOUT the need to hire/ask/beg combat classes to come with them. 2)) Doctors needed their formulas for making buffs nerfed SLIGHTLY. Enough to make the player more a hero (which we're supposed to be), and less a godly tank (which combat pofessionals were at times). 3)) Dancers/entertainers needed the ability to BUFF THE MIND stat (and ALL associated stats) to the exact same degree that a Doctor could buff Health and Action (and their associated stats). 4)) Some of the combat classes needed some tweaking to prevent stacking of defense/offense bonuses which would have limited the so-called "uber templates" - not to mention most of the "uber templates" would also have been mostly nullified with #3 above (the Mind buffs) since the "uber templates" took advantage of being able to hit the Mind stat.
There are several more areas that needed tweaking, but the vast majority of those left are minor tweaks or bugfixes and not worth going into in depth. The above suggestions would have fixed the MAJOR problems people were having - and all without a frigging CU or NGE in sight. Sorry to have gone on a bit of a rant, but I - and many other pre-CU players - would love to have the ability to play on servers uncontaminated by the CU and NGE. Just like the people working on this emulator. Not to mention, if they do make the emulator open-source, then LucasArts and SOE can have tag-team lawyers going at it day-in and day-out and won't be able to stop those pre-CU gamers from having what they want - a game they fell in love with, in a galaxy far, far away.
If AT&T can unilaterally change the privacy policy as it applies to users of those services (primarily individuals) what is stopping them from doing to same thing to small business as well as big business/coporations? Hmm? Lawyers? - perhaps. If I had a small business that used AT&T in any way, shape, form, or fashion I would be IMMEDIATELY and deeply concerned about the privacy of my business documents that are being transmitted over AT&T's network - by any means (T1/T3, OC3, Frame Relay, VPN, etc. - even encrypted communications). Suddenly all of my VERY sensitive corporate secrets become the property of AT&T? My e-mails are all logged? My browsing and viewing habits as CEO of said corporation are now catalogued and kept in a database at AT&T's Galactic Data Core? As a private citizen of the United States of America and as a corporate employee I say, unequivocally, FUCK THAT.
;-)
Every concerned citizen and individual should rail against these changes in their policy - even if you don't use their service now. Write to them and explain, calmly and rationally, why you would never use their service and how you will do everything in your power to explain to family and friends why THEY should not use their service either. Dissatisfied people talk to loads of other people. Pissed off people talk to loads of other people. ANYTHING negative gets spread, on average, 10 times more than positive things do. When was the last time someone you know went to the doctor and said they had a great visit? Probably can't remember that, but I can guarantee that _someone_ you know has been to the doctor/dentist/etc. in the past 2 weeks and has vented a complaint about "I had to wait FOREVER to even see the doctor and he was only in there for 5 minutes" or something along those lines. Will a write-in campaign from both people who are on their service as well as those who aren't work? MAYBE. Yes, capital maybe since is always an If. Corporations tend to be a little more responsive to loads of negative press and negative write-ins than the goverment of the USA seems to be. If a good many small businesses and larger businesses/corporations jump on the write-in bandwagon too (especially those affected by HIPAA, Sa-Ox and other "privacy" concerns) then I'd give it a good chance.
Not to mention who did NOT see this coming? Any company that uses the frigging DEATH STAR as a corporate logo has to be aiming for world domination somehow
This is the reason I have an account set up with my bank that states it is specifically for PayPal. Period. The only money I keep in the account is enough to cover 4 to 6 months of banking charges (like $5/month) so even if someone were to try and steal the money in that account, I'm out $20 to $30 or so AND I am immediately alerted to the fact that account has been breached.
At this point I immediately shut down the checking account, check with my bank to see if anyone has called and tried to change account information or get more info on accounts, apply for my money back based on fraud/identity theft, log in to PayPal (_if_ I can) and change passwords (if I cannot log in to PayPal then I try and contact PayPal to have that account shut down), set up a new checking account for PayPal only, and finally - if needed - start a new PayPal account.
With a special checking account for PayPal only, and it designated as such, that makes it much easier to prove fraud/identity theft since I have NO checks for the account, NO check card for the account, NO online banking for the account, NO way to access the account other than through PayPal or by walking into or calling the bank. Sure it costs $5 per month but if you really need/want to do transactions through PayPal it is the safest way. Also, if PayPal gets a wild hair up their ass and decides to freeze your account for some reason (someone accuses you of fraud, whatever) then the only thing they tie up is that same small amount of money in an easily closed account.
Please allow me to reply to my reply - I was being slightly sarcarstic in my remarks it just doesn't come across that way. I guess it should not have been "my problem", rather it should have been "my quandry" perhaps. My boggle maybe? :)
I'm sure they didn't ban exactly those amounts but it is close enough to be a weird coincidence since, like I said, you can buy epic mounts for less with discounts.
I just found it an interesting coincidence is all. Personally, I'm glad they've banned farmers and are continuing to do so.
WoW bans 30,000 accounts which equals 30,000,000 gold. If we divide that out it is approximately 1,000 gold PER ACCOUNT banned. Hmmm, not taking into account discounts from being honored and seargent/? or greater rank then 1,000 gold is EXACTLY the amount of cash needed for your epic mount. Coincidence, eh?
;-). Not to mention that I've seen a rise in prices on items that my character can make which means I have more gold to spend elsewhere in the game - such as on patterns, armor, etc. including the items other players make. I consider that a good thing overall. Now if the price on traveler's backpacks would just come back down.... :-p
Now, before anyone says I'm all for gold farmers I am definitely NOT. They cause me nothing but grief when I'm farm, errr, trying to acquire certain patterns or items needed for my character(s)
Well, I was going to say something along the same lines:
DON'T PUT ADVERTISING IN ANY GAMES. PERIOD.
That is the most effective way to deal with in-game advertising. You want to target my demographic? Then learn that my demographic DOESN'T WANT intrusive (or even non-intrusive) advertising in our ENTERTAINMENT. That is my down-time away from all the crap of the world. Why would I want to be subjected to the shit called advertising that spews forth from Madison Avenue, LA, or anywhere else in the world during that time?
My apologies if you were being polite, but I believe what you were looking for is this:
Jack don't know SHIT.
I believe that pretty much sums up Jack Thompson's total knowledge base. ;-)