I don't follow - we don't have this sort of legislation in the US.
Patriot act, Guantanamo prisoners without trial, war in Iraq linked to terrorism when no such link existed in reality, war in Iraq linked to WMD when no such link existed in reality, general fear and hysteria around terrorism as excuse for draconian laws and measures -- when terrorism only caused a fraction of the number of deaths caused by say, traffic, or domestic violence, or obesity, or illness, or even caused by the hysteria itself, in the deaths caused through the Iraq war.
I'm pretty sure that people around the world are, on balance, about equally gullible.
Yes, I'd say all peoples are about equally gullible -- we're all people, we're all generally similar. But the American media horrify me, and the fact that the American people buy and sponsor and support such media.
In every democracy the media have a crucial role. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. The media must provide that vigilance. The way I see it, the American media in general are not doing their duty in this regard. And the American people are not vigilant of their media.
This is absolutely essential, that's why I have it in my sig. You need to buy media that will defend your democracy against corruption of power.
Indeed I wasn't aware of that definition. Interesting. Thanks.
It seems to me unfortunate that the same term "direct democracy" is used for two radically different systems. What you describe seems to me a representative democracy with strong referendum rules. There should be separate terms for this system, and for the other meaning of "direct democracy", a system where everything is decided by referendum.
No, the direct democracy that you describe is worse. It means only activists with lots of free time get a say. People who are always busy and tired get very little influence. Being always busy and tired is more common among the poor than among the rich, so the poor get vastly underrepresented.
What you need is politicians who are regular people, close to the rest of the people; media that first and foremost scrutinize everything the politicians do, well aware that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance; and a people who are aware enough to buy such media.
"To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to written law
Terrorists do not threaten your country in any way that could make you lose your country. Nor do they threaten your freedom.
Terrorists can only threaten the freedom of a very limited number of citizens, by taking them hostage and/or by killing them. That is the only thing terrorists can do. Their power is very limited.
Any other taking of freedom would be done by lawmakers, courts, officers of the law, intelligence agents, and so on, aided by media frenzy and scaremongers. They can threaten your freedom. Terrorists cannot.
I see more time and money spent WASTED on meetings to put together paperwork...
Wasted? Clearly you have misunderstood the purpose of the meetings and the other process arrangements. The purpose isn't to produce software! The purpose is to give employment to people who wouldn't have employment were it not for the meetings, buzzwords etc.
the actual work to be done and deliverables to be produced are merely a nagging side item.
Why should blind people be excluded from the Web, when making it accessible is such a trivial thing? Accessible design really is quite trivial, if you just know the technology.
The Web is an immensely valuable resource. There's no reason and no excuse for excluding the blind from this fantastic resource.
This is your loving Government, taking yet another step toward Total Security and Safety. To this end we're creating, for each and every one of our beloved citizens, the Perfect Padded Cell.
All we want in return is your Freedom.
Remember, the Terrorists hate our Freedom. We'll take it away, step by step, until there's nothing left for them to hate.
Slashdot Mirror
I don't follow - we don't have this sort of legislation in the US.
Patriot act, Guantanamo prisoners without trial, war in Iraq linked to terrorism when no such link existed in reality, war in Iraq linked to WMD when no such link existed in reality, general fear and hysteria around terrorism as excuse for draconian laws and measures -- when terrorism only caused a fraction of the number of deaths caused by say, traffic, or domestic violence, or obesity, or illness, or even caused by the hysteria itself, in the deaths caused through the Iraq war.
I'm pretty sure that people around the world are, on balance, about equally gullible.
Yes, I'd say all peoples are about equally gullible -- we're all people, we're all generally similar. But the American media horrify me, and the fact that the American people buy and sponsor and support such media.
In every democracy the media have a crucial role. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. The media must provide that vigilance. The way I see it, the American media in general are not doing their duty in this regard. And the American people are not vigilant of their media.
This is absolutely essential, that's why I have it in my sig. You need to buy media that will defend your democracy against corruption of power.
Indeed I wasn't aware of that definition. Interesting. Thanks.
It seems to me unfortunate that the same term "direct democracy" is used for two radically different systems. What you describe seems to me a representative democracy with strong referendum rules. There should be separate terms for this system, and for the other meaning of "direct democracy", a system where everything is decided by referendum.
I don't think the people of Brazil are this gullible.
What makes you think the Brazilians are so much less gullible than the Americans?
No, the direct democracy that you describe is worse. It means only activists with lots of free time get a say. People who are always busy and tired get very little influence. Being always busy and tired is more common among the poor than among the rich, so the poor get vastly underrepresented.
What you need is politicians who are regular people, close to the rest of the people; media that first and foremost scrutinize everything the politicians do, well aware that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance; and a people who are aware enough to buy such media.
How can Web 2.0 change the fact that lots of votes go through easily rigged voting machines?
I wonder how the Arecibo astronomers feel about the decision?
Well, judging by this part of the intro, they'll be deeply hurt and offended:
Arecibo remains the world's most sensitive radio telescope.
(Thanks)
Slashdot really, really needs a "-1 Clueless" moderation alternative.
How dare they question the Holy Religion of America, as revealed by our Almighty God the Dollar!
Repeat after me: There is no global warming!
And even if there is, it's not caused by humans!
And even if it is, there's no need to do anything about it!
I doubt the warranty covers using the heatsink as a stove.
Damn Microsoft and their draconian license restrictions.
A process blocked on I/O is blocked, no matter how many threads you throw at it.
Amateur. A Real Programmer makes his program wait faster.
We all know can and will be an idiot sometimes
Sometimes?
why don't we just put a article on the front page that says "George W. Bush. DISCUSS!"
Impossible. That would be pure flamebait.
there may be some method to Bush's seeming madness
Come on, try to be be realistic.
My goodness!
Indeed, quite contrary to my expectations, I find that I must humbly bow to your superior snarkiness.
Oops! Indeed it is clear. I wasn't paying attention. Too little sleep lately.
... the atmosphere contains 1.12E17 gallons ...
...
That is a ridiculously small number
1.12E17 means 1.12 * 10 ^ 17. That's 112,000,000,000,000,000 gallons. Roughly 10,000,000 gallons for every person on the planet.
"To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to written law
Terrorists do not threaten your country in any way that could make you lose your country. Nor do they threaten your freedom.
Terrorists can only threaten the freedom of a very limited number of citizens, by taking them hostage and/or by killing them. That is the only thing terrorists can do. Their power is very limited.
Any other taking of freedom would be done by lawmakers, courts, officers of the law, intelligence agents, and so on, aided by media frenzy and scaremongers. They can threaten your freedom. Terrorists cannot.
And my FWIW, IAWTP means: For what it's worth, I agree with this post.
The Acronym Finder is indispensable.
elude is, in fact, not only a real word, but appropriately used in that sentence.
Whereas allude certainly isn't.
And elude isn't really appropriate either. What eludes the buyers isn't the acronyms, it's the meanings of the acronyms.
Don't try to outsnark me, you're doomed to fail.
FWIW, IAWTP.
especially when you'd used the world you did not mean is the wrong word
:-D
Suppose you get your English right...
the terms used to describe what these new toys do often allude the people who buy them
No wonder they're baffled when the geeks try to speak English but don't know English.
I see more time and money spent WASTED on meetings to put together paperwork...
Wasted? Clearly you have misunderstood the purpose of the meetings and the other process arrangements. The purpose isn't to produce software! The purpose is to give employment to people who wouldn't have employment were it not for the meetings, buzzwords etc.
the actual work to be done and deliverables to be produced are merely a nagging side item.
So you did understand after all.
Why should blind people be excluded from the Web, when making it accessible is such a trivial thing? Accessible design really is quite trivial, if you just know the technology.
The Web is an immensely valuable resource. There's no reason and no excuse for excluding the blind from this fantastic resource.
This is your loving Government, taking yet another step toward Total Security and Safety. To this end we're creating, for each and every one of our beloved citizens, the Perfect Padded Cell.
All we want in return is your Freedom.
Remember, the Terrorists hate our Freedom. We'll take it away, step by step, until there's nothing left for them to hate.