True, this is the benefit of a free market. Another benefit is it's my money so I get to choose where I spend it, so guess what? Not another dollar off mine will go through Steam.
I have no problem with santising comms, but the nature of blind censorship just reeks of abuse. I can't support such behaviour.
I'm a math/science guy, and I have math symbols on my arms. If I ever regret my affection towards math and science, I might as well have some skin torn off.
Besides, the capital Sigma works great whenever somebody asks me "Are you series?".
Not sure if the first part was also part of the joke. But as someone older than 30, I can tell you that you probably won't regret your affection for maths, but you will probably (hopefully you will grow up one day) regret thinking that the idea of drawing things that you like on your skin is going to impress anyone.
Looking like a cool 20 year old is cool when you're 20. Not so much when you're 40.
For some reason this always gets thrown into the conversation as if it somehow justifies the practice (not saying you are, just others who I engage in this topic with). I'm not sure what qualifies as "Art", I've never seen a Tattoo that would be worthy of a gallery. Some of them could be used as a bumper stick, and some even good enough for a comic book. Either way, it's never a plausible reason to have it drawn on your skin of the rest of your life.
Being in control doesn't make you a better driver.
Never said it did. I said I am mostly in control. I get to control the movement and direction of my vehicle which is more than can be said for a passenger of any type of vehicle.
You may be among the 90% of drivers they are better than average, but most likely you are not.
By definition 90% can't be above above average, back to maths class...
And 99% of people causing accidents were in control.
That's not true, A good proportion have proven to be drunk, on drugs, fatigued, operating the vehicle outside it's capability, or focusing on something other than driving (radio, phone etc).
There are some events that are outside your control, but the vast majority can be avoided with some simple awareness. In an Airplane it is 100% out of your control, so there's more to the equation of comparing modes of transport than just raw numbers.
Something has been lost and I'm not sure if/how we get it back.
The horse has bolted, and if history is any guide the only answer is mass death, ie in the tens or hundreds of millions.
It's naturally for life to get greedy, then some external threat occurs which forces everyone to work together and play nice, then as this threat is overcome, everyone gets greedy again.
All the major leaps in human development were immediately after massive catastrophes (war, famine, disease etc). Our selfishness is a sign that we as a race have never had it so good.
Gotta wonder... would Pepsi, Coke and other "name brands" really lose much business if they stopped advertising? Or would their net profit increase by not wasting $$ on ads?
The science of Marketing is well understood. The more your hear a name, the more familiar you are with it, the more likely when making a decision you will favour something you know. If coke stopped advertising and Pepsi didn't (or vice versa) then market share would immediately shift to the most advertised product).
Once you accept that you have no free will, and that the brain is a machine that marketing people have learnt how to manipulate, it all makes a lot more sense.
I don't know why more people don't do this. I had some grief with my Samsung phone, and both Samsung and the retailer fed me the corporate line, " nothing we can do", so I lodged a claim with small claims. Cost me $40, but once they received the notice I was contacted and offered a brand new phone as a replacement.
This is exactly what Small claims court is for. It's a lawyer free zone, and big companies can't be bothered sending an exec in for the day to argue their case, so generally pay to make you go away.
All good info, but the problem is that the manufacturers deliberately downspec their dumb TVs so that if you want a good screen, you have to pay for the smarts, the 3D and all the other shit you don't care about.
I get to do these market research surveys from time to time. They pay about $80 for 60-90 minutes worth of questions, so I go along, eat their food, say whatever I feel like and take their cash.
In my country there are zero bears (outside a zoo) and zero bear incidents. Yet people are winning lotteries every week.
I don't have the figures, but I can't recall people dying each week from lightning strikes either. I challenge your maths.
Only if you believe that like lotteries, car accidents are purely random events.
It's the same reason why the airplane vs car argument doesn't resonate very well. In my vehicle, I am mostly in control of any life threatening event. In a plane or lottery you have zero input.
I don't call it theft. If you read my post I called it copyright infringement. I was arguing that the definition of theft is not only the one you described, as many dictionaries and lawyers will happily point out to you. Taking someone's stuff, using it and then giving it back is still considered theft, yet you haven't deprived anyone of anything.
The root cause of all this is that for a short period in history, the creative arts had a monopoly on distribution, so got to charge whatever they liked for their product, and hence vastly overvalued their self worth. Now the balance is swinging back they can't accept they shouldn't be paid millions of dollars for simply telling a story or singing a song. Tough shit, we shouldn't be propping up their outdated business model with legislation. Let them die and a new generation of 21st century entertainers take their place.
I just bought a brand new top of the line 2014 Mazda CX5 and the touch screen (and GPS) suck shit. Why even bother when my phone does all of it better? Surely the best way forward for car manufacturers is a universal smartphone dock with downloadable car specific apps? Oh and I agree, a touch screen is a bad idea, gimme tactile buttons that I don't need to look at to use, so I can avoid running people over while trying to change the radio station.
Hmm.... not sure I totally buy this. Insulated, iced, box cars were being used to ship meat and fruit in the USA before 1900. My recollection is that...
I find tapping slightly faster than swyping, but swyping far more comfortable, and I prefer comfort over speed.
I still have and use a BB along with my Note3. The Note3 shits all over the BB in every area.
I suppose I'm a global warming denier, by the common standard here on Slashdot. The global warming alarmists and pitchmen said "San Francisco will be underwater by 2010". Unfortunately, it's still there.
You, like a lot of people, might be confusing media or politics with science. If you could cite the publish the science paper that made such a claim I'd lover to read it. Until I'll put you in the basket with stupid people who should probably not participate in this discussion.
I am smart because I had good parents and teachers, and I choose to work hard at it. Not that I got the smart gene.
Or maybe you got the gene that responds better to instruction than others? Maybe others have genes that favour shorter attention spans, or favour hyper activity so can't sit still in a classroom, and hence aren't as equipped to learn complex subjects ?
Or I have a few extra pounds on me because I chose to eat that cupcake when I should have picked an Apple,
Or maybe your gene for triggering pleasure from sugar is stronger than others?
or decided not to go to the gym.
Lacked the gene that gets pleasure triggered by exercise
It is easier to say I have the Fat gene.
Easier, or maybe something like that actually exists?
I personally think Nurture is a larger influence in nature.
I think free will is over-rated.
Sure some factors my natural colors, gender, height and perhaps chances to get some generic conditions. I may not control, but if I went out more my skin would be darker, or stayed in more it may be lighter. When growing up if I exercised a different amount or had a different diet I may an inch taller or shorter.
All illusions of free will. All your thoughts and response to environment (eating, exercise, study, compliance to authority etc) can all be explained by nature. Nurture is the excuse people use when they want to feel like they had some control in the outcome. I've never seen any evidence of this.
When I first read this I thought it said "code niggers".
I always thought the best way to de-power a phrase is not by prohibiting it, but by overusing and re-using it so it loses any negative connotation. eg imagine if all programmers called themselves code niggers? After all the initial fury died down, within a generation, people would associate the word nigger with a computer programmer rather than pejorative term for black people, and there'd be one less reason for people to be angry. Of course it will never happen because people like to have reasons to get angry rather than solve problems.
Theft: The unlawful taking of someone's belongings with the intent to deprive them of their use.
I know copyright infringers like to throw this definition around as if the more the say the more it might become true, but as someone who use to break into cars and steal stuff, stealing (or theft) is not about the intent to deprive the owner their use, it's about taking something that doesn't belong to you, and getting stuff which normally cost money, for free.
Slashdot Mirror
True, this is the benefit of a free market. Another benefit is it's my money so I get to choose where I spend it, so guess what? Not another dollar off mine will go through Steam. I have no problem with santising comms, but the nature of blind censorship just reeks of abuse. I can't support such behaviour.
Even in the 80s when I was in the air force, the Navy was considered the strongest leg of the Triad.
Maybe in your country where your Navy owns more aircraft than most Air Forces. But if we're talking boats vs planes vs tanks, I'll pick planes first.
I'm a math/science guy, and I have math symbols on my arms. If I ever regret my affection towards math and science, I might as well have some skin torn off.
Besides, the capital Sigma works great whenever somebody asks me "Are you series?".
Not sure if the first part was also part of the joke. But as someone older than 30, I can tell you that you probably won't regret your affection for maths, but you will probably (hopefully you will grow up one day) regret thinking that the idea of drawing things that you like on your skin is going to impress anyone.
Looking like a cool 20 year old is cool when you're 20. Not so much when you're 40.
a very few are actually amazing bits of art
For some reason this always gets thrown into the conversation as if it somehow justifies the practice (not saying you are, just others who I engage in this topic with). I'm not sure what qualifies as "Art", I've never seen a Tattoo that would be worthy of a gallery. Some of them could be used as a bumper stick, and some even good enough for a comic book. Either way, it's never a plausible reason to have it drawn on your skin of the rest of your life.
Being in control doesn't make you a better driver.
Never said it did. I said I am mostly in control. I get to control the movement and direction of my vehicle which is more than can be said for a passenger of any type of vehicle.
You may be among the 90% of drivers they are better than average, but most likely you are not.
By definition 90% can't be above above average, back to maths class...
And 99% of people causing accidents were in control.
That's not true, A good proportion have proven to be drunk, on drugs, fatigued, operating the vehicle outside it's capability, or focusing on something other than driving (radio, phone etc).
There are some events that are outside your control, but the vast majority can be avoided with some simple awareness. In an Airplane it is 100% out of your control, so there's more to the equation of comparing modes of transport than just raw numbers.
Something has been lost and I'm not sure if/how we get it back.
The horse has bolted, and if history is any guide the only answer is mass death, ie in the tens or hundreds of millions. It's naturally for life to get greedy, then some external threat occurs which forces everyone to work together and play nice, then as this threat is overcome, everyone gets greedy again. All the major leaps in human development were immediately after massive catastrophes (war, famine, disease etc). Our selfishness is a sign that we as a race have never had it so good.
Gotta wonder... would Pepsi, Coke and other "name brands" really lose much business if they stopped advertising? Or would their net profit increase by not wasting $$ on ads?
The science of Marketing is well understood. The more your hear a name, the more familiar you are with it, the more likely when making a decision you will favour something you know. If coke stopped advertising and Pepsi didn't (or vice versa) then market share would immediately shift to the most advertised product). Once you accept that you have no free will, and that the brain is a machine that marketing people have learnt how to manipulate, it all makes a lot more sense.
I don't know why more people don't do this. I had some grief with my Samsung phone, and both Samsung and the retailer fed me the corporate line, " nothing we can do", so I lodged a claim with small claims. Cost me $40, but once they received the notice I was contacted and offered a brand new phone as a replacement.
This is exactly what Small claims court is for. It's a lawyer free zone, and big companies can't be bothered sending an exec in for the day to argue their case, so generally pay to make you go away.
I'm in. When do you run for office?
All good info, but the problem is that the manufacturers deliberately downspec their dumb TVs so that if you want a good screen, you have to pay for the smarts, the 3D and all the other shit you don't care about.
I get to do these market research surveys from time to time. They pay about $80 for 60-90 minutes worth of questions, so I go along, eat their food, say whatever I feel like and take their cash.
In my country there are zero bears (outside a zoo) and zero bear incidents. Yet people are winning lotteries every week. I don't have the figures, but I can't recall people dying each week from lightning strikes either. I challenge your maths.
Only if you believe that like lotteries, car accidents are purely random events. It's the same reason why the airplane vs car argument doesn't resonate very well. In my vehicle, I am mostly in control of any life threatening event. In a plane or lottery you have zero input.
I don't call it theft. If you read my post I called it copyright infringement. I was arguing that the definition of theft is not only the one you described, as many dictionaries and lawyers will happily point out to you. Taking someone's stuff, using it and then giving it back is still considered theft, yet you haven't deprived anyone of anything.
Because the NK military wouldn't even think to shoot anyone caught with such a device...
The root cause of all this is that for a short period in history, the creative arts had a monopoly on distribution, so got to charge whatever they liked for their product, and hence vastly overvalued their self worth. Now the balance is swinging back they can't accept they shouldn't be paid millions of dollars for simply telling a story or singing a song. Tough shit, we shouldn't be propping up their outdated business model with legislation. Let them die and a new generation of 21st century entertainers take their place.
I just bought a brand new top of the line 2014 Mazda CX5 and the touch screen (and GPS) suck shit. Why even bother when my phone does all of it better? Surely the best way forward for car manufacturers is a universal smartphone dock with downloadable car specific apps? Oh and I agree, a touch screen is a bad idea, gimme tactile buttons that I don't need to look at to use, so I can avoid running people over while trying to change the radio station.
Hmm.... not sure I totally buy this. Insulated, iced, box cars were being used to ship meat and fruit in the USA before 1900. My recollection is that...
You were alive in 1900?
This is why I got a Note3. Bigger screen and stylus makes this easier to deal with.
I find tapping slightly faster than swyping, but swyping far more comfortable, and I prefer comfort over speed. I still have and use a BB along with my Note3. The Note3 shits all over the BB in every area.
I suppose I'm a global warming denier, by the common standard here on Slashdot. The global warming alarmists and pitchmen said "San Francisco will be underwater by 2010". Unfortunately, it's still there.
You, like a lot of people, might be confusing media or politics with science. If you could cite the publish the science paper that made such a claim I'd lover to read it. Until I'll put you in the basket with stupid people who should probably not participate in this discussion.
I am smart because I had good parents and teachers, and I choose to work hard at it. Not that I got the smart gene.
Or maybe you got the gene that responds better to instruction than others? Maybe others have genes that favour shorter attention spans, or favour hyper activity so can't sit still in a classroom, and hence aren't as equipped to learn complex subjects ?
Or I have a few extra pounds on me because I chose to eat that cupcake when I should have picked an Apple,
Or maybe your gene for triggering pleasure from sugar is stronger than others?
or decided not to go to the gym.
Lacked the gene that gets pleasure triggered by exercise
It is easier to say I have the Fat gene.
Easier, or maybe something like that actually exists?
I personally think Nurture is a larger influence in nature.
I think free will is over-rated.
Sure some factors my natural colors, gender, height and perhaps chances to get some generic conditions. I may not control, but if I went out more my skin would be darker, or stayed in more it may be lighter. When growing up if I exercised a different amount or had a different diet I may an inch taller or shorter.
All illusions of free will. All your thoughts and response to environment (eating, exercise, study, compliance to authority etc) can all be explained by nature. Nurture is the excuse people use when they want to feel like they had some control in the outcome. I've never seen any evidence of this.
When I first read this I thought it said "code niggers".
I always thought the best way to de-power a phrase is not by prohibiting it, but by overusing and re-using it so it loses any negative connotation. eg imagine if all programmers called themselves code niggers? After all the initial fury died down, within a generation, people would associate the word nigger with a computer programmer rather than pejorative term for black people, and there'd be one less reason for people to be angry. Of course it will never happen because people like to have reasons to get angry rather than solve problems.
Theft: The unlawful taking of someone's belongings with the intent to deprive them of their use.
I know copyright infringers like to throw this definition around as if the more the say the more it might become true, but as someone who use to break into cars and steal stuff, stealing (or theft) is not about the intent to deprive the owner their use, it's about taking something that doesn't belong to you, and getting stuff which normally cost money, for free.