OK - I'll tell you the floats aren't phallic. But the honest answer is, "I have NO idea" - if you look at my profile, you'll see I WORK for a TV network. Now, GUESS how much TV I watched ALL of last YEAR. Hint, you can count them on your fingers, and have a few left over!
Don't like what's on? Do what I did - don't watch!
One is about an incompetant tech from Verizon - I was just getting ISDN installed at home (Yeah - this is THAT long ago). Verizon gave me my SPID numbers - basically your phone number plus 4 digits, in this case 0101. The tech comes out, asks me for the SPIDS, I give him the numbers, but he INSISTS that 0101 was wrong, that they were ALL 0000 - I kept trying to tell him that the tech on the phone said "we changed out SPID scheme last week - make SURE you tell him it's 0101" - 4 hours of trouble shooting later, he got it
The other one was at a company I worked for. One Thursday AM, the big bosses secretary calls me - he computer does not work. Go over there, and figure out, her PC is unplugged - no BIG deal - her desk is in the hall, and the guys vaccuming probably unplugged it. Showed her how to check it, and went on my merry way, after grabbing a cup of Mahogony Row coffee.
Oh, did I mention that this Secretary was hired more for her physical assets than her mental? (Turns out she was sleeping with the EVP)
So, the next Thursday, I get a phone call - "My PC won't turn on" - guess what? Unplugged again - plug in, grab coffee, back to my desk
After the FOURTH Thursday in a row (cleaning crew came Wednesday nights), I gave up trying to teach her. I'd come in my usual time (I come in EARLY), walk all the way across the 2 block long building, plug in her PC, grab a cup of coffee, and head back to my desk, all before she wandered in at 9:00am
End of phone calls, and I got to know the folks up in executive land, which stood me in good sted
I was discussing cases that DO go to court - they VERY rearely depend on confessions, simply because any GOOD defense lawyer will bring up "was it really voluntary" - they say it's NOT worth it, they usually have enough physical evidence to convict
I know in most of the cases we heard, the accused had the stolen good on him when captured - and I say him, because only 2 of the accused in the month were female. Most of what we heard were either burglaries, where the were caught with the goods, robberies, where they were caught in the act or immediately afterwards, with the goods.
I think we heard two confessions - and in moth cases, the accused were dumb as bricks. Frankly, one was a statutory rape case. Guy is on tape saying, "yes, I had sex with her, but she consented" (Yo, idiot, when your 32, and she's 14, that does not matter), the other, the guy was giving the excuse on tape that the reason he had to rob folks was he needed his crack, but that the gun he used wasn't real, so it wasn't ARMED robbery (In NY, if the accused produces something the victim things is a gun, it IS a gun)
what I was trying to say is that at least in most of the cases I saw, the DA was not even going to bring anything the person said to court!! They said it runs about 5% - all the rest of the cases, they have enough to not even bother with a confession. In fact, according to what we asked, they do NOT bother reading you your Miranda Rights until you get to the precinct house, and even then, only if you volunteer - Then they bring out the on call ADA, and the film crew, and film you being read your rights and the like. They say it's way too much bother for the amount of influence it has on the jury. AKA, in 95% of the cases, there IS no confession, or statements of the accused used. They WILL use any Grand Jury Testimony of the accused, as he signs a waver, and has a lawyer there when he makes his statement
actually, what you get at home is not 2 phases - it's a 220v single phase, center tapped, to give you 110v (center tap is neutral) - technically, 2 phase power is "Quadrature", and is rare as hens teeth - it WAS available at one time, and IS used in a few aircraft uses
Hey, what can I tell you - people refer to L1 and L2 and 2 phases, but isn't.
Interestingly, I've talked to police, DAs etc - VERY rarely are confessions involved. I do know that when I was on Grand Jury - every confession we saw (all 2) - was taped in full, with a clock visible, all people on tape (including operator) introduced. The interesting part was that in both cases, the guy confessing thought he was giving a valid excuse "It wasn't a gun, it was a toy that looked like one" - congrats - you just indicted yourself - BTW the guy stated the same thing to us in person, so...
Yep - about sums it up. I know in NYC, power lines have had to be underground since, I think it's 1938, however, existing above ground lines can be maintained and used, at least in the outer boroughs. For instance, in my previous house, I had underground power, but we had 2 OLD houses on the block (old as in 100 years) - they both have above ground power - this quite funny to see the power poles on the block - the power lines come up from below ground, run 1-2 poles, and make the drop to the house. It can be done, but older houses usually have to be grandfathered.
Yep - your point is WELL taken. The basics are the basics - and the basic ideas behind MOST languages are similar (well, there are broad categories).
There ARE times when folks will throw something at me where I'll honestly say "I DON'T have a clue how to do that - I'm willing to TRY, but you might be better off with someone else" aka "A man has GOT to know his limitations"
Oh well, back to the code farm - re running a data feed from 2 years ago, to double check an app we are changing
Type Object? Variant? Other than the RARE late bound object - for instance, where I am defining a plug in - I see VERY little use.
In VB6, make SURE you use Option Explicit
in.NET - make SURE you use Option Explicit AND Option Strict
TDD is your friend in C# or VB.NET
Proper class design is important - encapsulate your data - your data should have a small a scope AND lifespan as you can. This stuff is basic "programming" no matter WHAT Lang you program in
As I said - BAD code can be written in anything - and yeah, as much as I'd hate to say it, there is probably more BAD VB code written than anything else, but part of that is that there is probably more VB code written than anything else.
I STILL won't grant the original poster the "MOST VB programmers are bad" - I WILL say that there is probably a higher percentage of bad VB programmers than most other langs, but it does not mean there is not some great VB code out there
Change that last sentence to... "Every language does have it's place, but there are perceptions tha can raise and lower a language's value ON YOUR RESUME"
The perception itself does not raise or lower the actual value
Story: Way back when, in the DARK days of DOS programming, and when most if not all of Microsoft's support was done on CompuServe, one of the forums was called "MSLANGS" - In there, among others, were the C form, and the PDS form (read that as Pro Compiled BASIC). Both generated OBJ files, for the identical linker (MASM used the same linker) - and in fact, if you wrote code that did NOT involve stings, and used the equivilent control structures, you got identical OBJ files. The big differences were pointers in C, and BSTRS in Basic. Now, as a LOT of business code then, as now, was string related, the string functions that were in basic allowed you to develop certain classes of application a LOT faster than the C guys. They would slag on us for "BASIC", and we'd smile, underbid them, and produce the work in less time. Yeah, the perceved value for a "BASIC" programmer was lower - but often the client didn't care what it was written in - only what the application did, how it performed, and how it was going to be maintained. So, which tool was more valuable? If I can underbid you by 10%, but do the job in 25% less time.... (hence, get more contracts...)
Languages are tools - pick the tool for the job.
Of course, sometimes part of the "Job" is your OWN personal development - then perceptions count for a lot
Back then, it was HARD for a BASIC programmer to get a job - VERY hard. It was niche - BIG time (IEEE-488 aka GPIB aka HPIB instrament control was one - the one I was in). Even if you had a CS degree, folks looked down at you. Then one day, Microsoft came out with VB 1.0. I ordered my copy that day. The world changed. Withing a year, the folks who KNEW BASIC (the old DOS stuff) were in demand, as we actually had a clue. I've never looked back. I've done some C, some light C++, enough MASM to have shipped a bunch of old DOS drivers to clients, and now C# and others.
My advise to anyone reading? Don't be a lanuage snob, but also, don't forget, there are language snobs out there, perceptions DO matter, and don't let yourself get boxed into a corner. Evolve or die
I don't know if MOST Visual Basic devlopers have problems learning C#. Around here (a VB shop) we have no problem with going C# - and in fact, we have ASKED to go that way. You are quite right - switching is NOT terribly hard, and in fact, MUCH easier than learning the.NET framework.
Will my productivity go down a tad when we make the swithc, because my fingers are used to typing certain words - yeah - for a few weeks I'll actually have to think about syntax, but then it'll be over
I don't know if I hang out with a different class (pun) of VB developers than what you do. I WILL however admit that I HAVE seen a stack of the type you are talking about, but I also know as many who have no trouble working in either
That said - to answer the original poster. IF I was doing a.NET re-write (and trust me, you probably don't want to do a straight port - that can be VERY ugly), I'd switch to C#. Partly because of the perception of folks that VB developers ARE lower, many of the better tools just don't exist for VB. Yeah, we have things like Refactor Pro, but we don't have ReSharper. We CAN use Nuint (and around here, we do), but more samples are in C#. Basically, it seems to come down to, the VB community (even on the higher end) will rely stricty on Microsoft tools, and what is in the IDE - even if the developer CAN do more, where there seems to be more willingness in the C# community to go outside, and use "other" tools - and this includes simple things like nmake, etc
So, my only debate is over "Most" - I'll grant you a LARGE segment, but I'm NOT sure if I'll give you the 50%+1, but my sample tends to be biased, as everyone in this shop is LONG term VB guys - some going back to VB 1.0 - and all of us have had little to no problem learning C#
I just wish you could get REAL specs - Sensitivity, S/N ratio, selectivity, image rejection, Audio Power - all the full specs that a REAL 2 way radio would give you - lets face it, that's what a cell phone IS
In some ways - it's quite simple. He can refuse the terms of the probabtion (other criminals have done so) - the down side is you get to stay in the pen - BUT if you stay your full term, and walk out - there IS no probabtion terms
Part 15 covers both intentional radiators, unintentional radiators - AND susceptibility to radiators - basically, your non licensed device has to accept interference from any properly operating licensed device
The problem is, even the best Mfgs often cheap out on RFI sheilding, figuring "the odds of it happening...." Thing is, we are seeing more and more RF sources.
By FCC Part 15, any "Non licensed" device must both accept RF from any licensed service, and must not interfere with a licensed service. Your Cell Phone is a licensed service. In other words, if the phone is operating withing it's license class (and it almost certainly is), the problem is with the speakers - no matter HOW much you paid for them
For that matter - let's say the phone company puts in a tower next door - or the fire department, or the police, of even a ham - and they come in over your speakers? Too bad. You have to fix the problem - and if you interfere with them? The can register a complaint - and YOU will have to fix the problem. Licensed services take priority over any non licensed uses
Actually, it means that your speaker system is NOT properly FCC Part 15 compliant. You know, that little sticker all your electronics has on it? Believe it or not, you can (by law - if not in practice) get the MFG to repair/replace the speakers (good luck)
I should be able to walk into the room with a 5 watt HT, and nothing should happen - I should also be able to run over a kilowatt transmitter next door with nothing happening. BTW, and if your neighbor is running 1500 watts of ham radio next do, and your hearing him? Most likely it's YOUR problem, not his
Never mind the Gender Split - let's look at the AGE grouping here. "Tweens" to "adults" - Does anyone really care if 18 or 19 year olds have seen Porn? They are ADULTS
Do most people want their 9 YO seeing porn? As a father of a 9 YO girl - NO I don't want her looking at porn. Would I be "horrified" if I caught her - no, but we'd have a long talk.
And do you think that the 2 leaders who ordered them to open fire would end up being the Supreme Allied Commander, and the Head of the Military in the Pacfic, or would they be thrown out, and court marshaled?
Lincoln suspends Habius Corpus - never mind the whole argument RE States Rights Vs Federalism
WWII - Asian Americans on the west coast are locked up in internment camps. Public works are guarded by the military with Orders to shoot. Blackout wardens walking around making sure no light could be seen. Rationing. Travel Restrictions. Heck, my Dad (WWII vet with the OSS OG) remembers one training mission where the blithely STOLE someone's car, and dropped drove it into the C&O barge canal outside DC (Yes, a simulated car bomb in WWII). And remember, you could NOT just go get another one - he said the Govt had to do LOTS of paperwork to get the guy a new car (RARE during the war years). Tossing a rock through a recruiting station window (like was done in on college town this weekend) would have gotten you arrested for sabotage - and convicted. Speaking in support of it would have gotten you arrested for supporting the Enemy - or blackballed from your job (Enjoy being homeless).
I think you don't realize how much more tolerant of decent we are in this country since the 1960s. Even into the 1950s, if the local beat cop didn't like that you were hanging out on the street corner, he would tell you to move - and you DID, if not, you expect at least a gentle whack on the ass with a nightstick (if you were a kid) to get you moving. Heck - want to see what the Government could get away with in the 1st half of the 1900s? Do a web search on the "Bonus Riot" ( http://www.thehistorynet.com/ahi/bl_bonus_march/ is a good start)
Until the vote counter uses the old trick of putting a piece of pencil lead under his fingernail, and either "Ruining" ballots, or filling in offices where someone did not vote - trust me, paper ballots can be tampered with too
When my wife and I were first married, we had a phone number that was either a transpose or off by 1 from the local Pizza place (can't remember 18 years later) - Anyway, on Friday nights, you could rest assured that we would get at least one call for Pizza.
Well, one Friday night - LATE, a Guy calls - wrong number - tell him mistake. 30 seconds later, same thing, hang up, 30 seconds later - same thing. By the 5th time - I was pissed, but decided to be nice. I TOOK the guys order (with callback), and called the pizza parlor - I told them what happened, and gave them the order
BTW this pizza place was ODD for the time (This is 1988) - NOT a chain, but they used caller ID and computers - you called, they KNEW who was calling, and your order history - I used to call up, say hello to the guy who answered (knew most of them by name), told him I wanted my usual, and off we went
They also owned the local computer store that was next door - wonder if one had to do with the other?:)
Biggest problem is that most people don't even HAVE a fire extinguisher at ALL - or if they do, that have some little 8oz job burried in the back of some closet somewhere
I prefer at least 1 10lb'er on each floor of the house, plus a 5lber in the kitchen, plus one in the garage (that's in addition to the 10 lb'ers)
Slashdot Mirror
OK - I'll tell you the floats aren't phallic. But the honest answer is, "I have NO idea" - if you look at my profile, you'll see I WORK for a TV network. Now, GUESS how much TV I watched ALL of last YEAR. Hint, you can count them on your fingers, and have a few left over!
Don't like what's on? Do what I did - don't watch!
One is about an incompetant tech from Verizon - I was just getting ISDN installed at home (Yeah - this is THAT long ago). Verizon gave me my SPID numbers - basically your phone number plus 4 digits, in this case 0101. The tech comes out, asks me for the SPIDS, I give him the numbers, but he INSISTS that 0101 was wrong, that they were ALL 0000 - I kept trying to tell him that the tech on the phone said "we changed out SPID scheme last week - make SURE you tell him it's 0101" - 4 hours of trouble shooting later, he got it
The other one was at a company I worked for. One Thursday AM, the big bosses secretary calls me - he computer does not work. Go over there, and figure out, her PC is unplugged - no BIG deal - her desk is in the hall, and the guys vaccuming probably unplugged it. Showed her how to check it, and went on my merry way, after grabbing a cup of Mahogony Row coffee.
Oh, did I mention that this Secretary was hired more for her physical assets than her mental? (Turns out she was sleeping with the EVP)
So, the next Thursday, I get a phone call - "My PC won't turn on" - guess what? Unplugged again - plug in, grab coffee, back to my desk
After the FOURTH Thursday in a row (cleaning crew came Wednesday nights), I gave up trying to teach her. I'd come in my usual time (I come in EARLY), walk all the way across the 2 block long building, plug in her PC, grab a cup of coffee, and head back to my desk, all before she wandered in at 9:00am
End of phone calls, and I got to know the folks up in executive land, which stood me in good sted
I was discussing cases that DO go to court - they VERY rearely depend on confessions, simply because any GOOD defense lawyer will bring up "was it really voluntary" - they say it's NOT worth it, they usually have enough physical evidence to convict
I know in most of the cases we heard, the accused had the stolen good on him when captured - and I say him, because only 2 of the accused in the month were female. Most of what we heard were either burglaries, where the were caught with the goods, robberies, where they were caught in the act or immediately afterwards, with the goods.
I think we heard two confessions - and in moth cases, the accused were dumb as bricks. Frankly, one was a statutory rape case. Guy is on tape saying, "yes, I had sex with her, but she consented" (Yo, idiot, when your 32, and she's 14, that does not matter), the other, the guy was giving the excuse on tape that the reason he had to rob folks was he needed his crack, but that the gun he used wasn't real, so it wasn't ARMED robbery (In NY, if the accused produces something the victim things is a gun, it IS a gun)
what I was trying to say is that at least in most of the cases I saw, the DA was not even going to bring anything the person said to court!! They said it runs about 5% - all the rest of the cases, they have enough to not even bother with a confession. In fact, according to what we asked, they do NOT bother reading you your Miranda Rights until you get to the precinct house, and even then, only if you volunteer - Then they bring out the on call ADA, and the film crew, and film you being read your rights and the like. They say it's way too much bother for the amount of influence it has on the jury. AKA, in 95% of the cases, there IS no confession, or statements of the accused used. They WILL use any Grand Jury Testimony of the accused, as he signs a waver, and has a lawyer there when he makes his statement
actually, what you get at home is not 2 phases - it's a 220v single phase, center tapped, to give you 110v (center tap is neutral) - technically, 2 phase power is "Quadrature", and is rare as hens teeth - it WAS available at one time, and IS used in a few aircraft uses
Hey, what can I tell you - people refer to L1 and L2 and 2 phases, but isn't.
Interestingly, I've talked to police, DAs etc - VERY rarely are confessions involved. I do know that when I was on Grand Jury - every confession we saw (all 2) - was taped in full, with a clock visible, all people on tape (including operator) introduced. The interesting part was that in both cases, the guy confessing thought he was giving a valid excuse "It wasn't a gun, it was a toy that looked like one" - congrats - you just indicted yourself - BTW the guy stated the same thing to us in person, so...
Yep - about sums it up. I know in NYC, power lines have had to be underground since, I think it's 1938, however, existing above ground lines can be maintained and used, at least in the outer boroughs. For instance, in my previous house, I had underground power, but we had 2 OLD houses on the block (old as in 100 years) - they both have above ground power - this quite funny to see the power poles on the block - the power lines come up from below ground, run 1-2 poles, and make the drop to the house. It can be done, but older houses usually have to be grandfathered.
Yep - your point is WELL taken. The basics are the basics - and the basic ideas behind MOST languages are similar (well, there are broad categories).
There ARE times when folks will throw something at me where I'll honestly say "I DON'T have a clue how to do that - I'm willing to TRY, but you might be better off with someone else" aka "A man has GOT to know his limitations"
Oh well, back to the code farm - re running a data feed from 2 years ago, to double check an app we are changing
Type Object? Variant? Other than the RARE late bound object - for instance, where I am defining a plug in - I see VERY little use.
.NET - make SURE you use Option Explicit AND Option Strict
In VB6, make SURE you use Option Explicit
in
TDD is your friend in C# or VB.NET
Proper class design is important - encapsulate your data - your data should have a small a scope AND lifespan as you can. This stuff is basic "programming" no matter WHAT Lang you program in
As I said - BAD code can be written in anything - and yeah, as much as I'd hate to say it, there is probably more BAD VB code written than anything else, but part of that is that there is probably more VB code written than anything else.
I STILL won't grant the original poster the "MOST VB programmers are bad" - I WILL say that there is probably a higher percentage of bad VB programmers than most other langs, but it does not mean there is not some great VB code out there
Change that last sentence to...
"Every language does have it's place, but there are perceptions tha can raise and lower a language's value ON YOUR RESUME"
The perception itself does not raise or lower the actual value
Story:
Way back when, in the DARK days of DOS programming, and when most if not all of Microsoft's support was done on CompuServe, one of the forums was called "MSLANGS" - In there, among others, were the C form, and the PDS form (read that as Pro Compiled BASIC). Both generated OBJ files, for the identical linker (MASM used the same linker) - and in fact, if you wrote code that did NOT involve stings, and used the equivilent control structures, you got identical OBJ files. The big differences were pointers in C, and BSTRS in Basic. Now, as a LOT of business code then, as now, was string related, the string functions that were in basic allowed you to develop certain classes of application a LOT faster than the C guys. They would slag on us for "BASIC", and we'd smile, underbid them, and produce the work in less time. Yeah, the perceved value for a "BASIC" programmer was lower - but often the client didn't care what it was written in - only what the application did, how it performed, and how it was going to be maintained. So, which tool was more valuable? If I can underbid you by 10%, but do the job in 25% less time.... (hence, get more contracts...)
Languages are tools - pick the tool for the job.
Of course, sometimes part of the "Job" is your OWN personal development - then perceptions count for a lot
Back then, it was HARD for a BASIC programmer to get a job - VERY hard. It was niche - BIG time (IEEE-488 aka GPIB aka HPIB instrament control was one - the one I was in). Even if you had a CS degree, folks looked down at you. Then one day, Microsoft came out with VB 1.0. I ordered my copy that day. The world changed. Withing a year, the folks who KNEW BASIC (the old DOS stuff) were in demand, as we actually had a clue. I've never looked back. I've done some C, some light C++, enough MASM to have shipped a bunch of old DOS drivers to clients, and now C# and others.
My advise to anyone reading? Don't be a lanuage snob, but also, don't forget, there are language snobs out there, perceptions DO matter, and don't let yourself get boxed into a corner. Evolve or die
I don't know if MOST Visual Basic devlopers have problems learning C#. Around here (a VB shop) we have no problem with going C# - and in fact, we have ASKED to go that way. You are quite right - switching is NOT terribly hard, and in fact, MUCH easier than learning the .NET framework.
.NET re-write (and trust me, you probably don't want to do a straight port - that can be VERY ugly), I'd switch to C#. Partly because of the perception of folks that VB developers ARE lower, many of the better tools just don't exist for VB. Yeah, we have things like Refactor Pro, but we don't have ReSharper. We CAN use Nuint (and around here, we do), but more samples are in C#. Basically, it seems to come down to, the VB community (even on the higher end) will rely stricty on Microsoft tools, and what is in the IDE - even if the developer CAN do more, where there seems to be more willingness in the C# community to go outside, and use "other" tools - and this includes simple things like nmake, etc
Will my productivity go down a tad when we make the swithc, because my fingers are used to typing certain words - yeah - for a few weeks I'll actually have to think about syntax, but then it'll be over
I don't know if I hang out with a different class (pun) of VB developers than what you do. I WILL however admit that I HAVE seen a stack of the type you are talking about, but I also know as many who have no trouble working in either
That said - to answer the original poster. IF I was doing a
So, my only debate is over "Most" - I'll grant you a LARGE segment, but I'm NOT sure if I'll give you the 50%+1, but my sample tends to be biased, as everyone in this shop is LONG term VB guys - some going back to VB 1.0 - and all of us have had little to no problem learning C#
I'm all for computer literacy - in fact, all the old folks I know who were computers are literate...
OH - you mean PEOPLE knowing something about computers.....
NEVER MIND
I just wish you could get REAL specs - Sensitivity, S/N ratio, selectivity, image rejection, Audio Power - all the full specs that a REAL 2 way radio would give you - lets face it, that's what a cell phone IS
In some ways - it's quite simple. He can refuse the terms of the probabtion (other criminals have done so) - the down side is you get to stay in the pen - BUT if you stay your full term, and walk out - there IS no probabtion terms
Part 15 covers both intentional radiators, unintentional radiators - AND susceptibility to radiators - basically, your non licensed device has to accept interference from any properly operating licensed device
The problem is, even the best Mfgs often cheap out on RFI sheilding, figuring "the odds of it happening...." Thing is, we are seeing more and more RF sources.
By FCC Part 15, any "Non licensed" device must both accept RF from any licensed service, and must not interfere with a licensed service. Your Cell Phone is a licensed service. In other words, if the phone is operating withing it's license class (and it almost certainly is), the problem is with the speakers - no matter HOW much you paid for them
For that matter - let's say the phone company puts in a tower next door - or the fire department, or the police, of even a ham - and they come in over your speakers? Too bad. You have to fix the problem - and if you interfere with them? The can register a complaint - and YOU will have to fix the problem. Licensed services take priority over any non licensed uses
Actually, it means that your speaker system is NOT properly FCC Part 15 compliant. You know, that little sticker all your electronics has on it? Believe it or not, you can (by law - if not in practice) get the MFG to repair/replace the speakers (good luck)
I should be able to walk into the room with a 5 watt HT, and nothing should happen - I should also be able to run over a kilowatt transmitter next door with nothing happening. BTW, and if your neighbor is running 1500 watts of ham radio next do, and your hearing him? Most likely it's YOUR problem, not his
Never mind the Gender Split - let's look at the AGE grouping here. "Tweens" to "adults" - Does anyone really care if 18 or 19 year olds have seen Porn? They are ADULTS
Do most people want their 9 YO seeing porn? As a father of a 9 YO girl - NO I don't want her looking at porn. Would I be "horrified" if I caught her - no, but we'd have a long talk.
They are lumping together apples and oranges
And do you think that the 2 leaders who ordered them to open fire would end up being the Supreme Allied Commander, and the Head of the Military in the Pacfic, or would they be thrown out, and court marshaled?
I've noticed it's us "Old farts" who say have the date at home. Oh I agree
Now, I can also see - Your 15-18, living at home, and want to go on that date - Humm, hang in the living room, with Mom and Dad around, or go out?
Or your 18-22, in college, living in the Dorm?
Now, look at the demographics of WHO goes to the movies....
Notice something? Us "Old Farts" are NOT the target audience
Sigh
Ooops - responded to the wrong person
Really?
Hummm
Lincoln suspends Habius Corpus - never mind the whole argument RE States Rights Vs Federalism
WWII - Asian Americans on the west coast are locked up in internment camps. Public works are guarded by the military with Orders to shoot. Blackout wardens walking around making sure no light could be seen. Rationing. Travel Restrictions. Heck, my Dad (WWII vet with the OSS OG) remembers one training mission where the blithely STOLE someone's car, and dropped drove it into the C&O barge canal outside DC (Yes, a simulated car bomb in WWII). And remember, you could NOT just go get another one - he said the Govt had to do LOTS of paperwork to get the guy a new car (RARE during the war years). Tossing a rock through a recruiting station window (like was done in on college town this weekend) would have gotten you arrested for sabotage - and convicted. Speaking in support of it would have gotten you arrested for supporting the Enemy - or blackballed from your job (Enjoy being homeless).
I think you don't realize how much more tolerant of decent we are in this country since the 1960s. Even into the 1950s, if the local beat cop didn't like that you were hanging out on the street corner, he would tell you to move - and you DID, if not, you expect at least a gentle whack on the ass with a nightstick (if you were a kid) to get you moving. Heck - want to see what the Government could get away with in the 1st half of the 1900s? Do a web search on the "Bonus Riot" ( http://www.thehistorynet.com/ahi/bl_bonus_march/ is a good start)
Until the vote counter uses the old trick of putting a piece of pencil lead under his fingernail, and either "Ruining" ballots, or filling in offices where someone did not vote - trust me, paper ballots can be tampered with too
When my wife and I were first married, we had a phone number that was either a transpose or off by 1 from the local Pizza place (can't remember 18 years later) - Anyway, on Friday nights, you could rest assured that we would get at least one call for Pizza.
:)
Well, one Friday night - LATE, a Guy calls - wrong number - tell him mistake. 30 seconds later, same thing, hang up, 30 seconds later - same thing. By the 5th time - I was pissed, but decided to be nice. I TOOK the guys order (with callback), and called the pizza parlor - I told them what happened, and gave them the order
BTW this pizza place was ODD for the time (This is 1988) - NOT a chain, but they used caller ID and computers - you called, they KNEW who was calling, and your order history - I used to call up, say hello to the guy who answered (knew most of them by name), told him I wanted my usual, and off we went
They also owned the local computer store that was next door - wonder if one had to do with the other?
Biggest problem is that most people don't even HAVE a fire extinguisher at ALL - or if they do, that have some little 8oz job burried in the back of some closet somewhere
I prefer at least 1 10lb'er on each floor of the house, plus a 5lber in the kitchen, plus one in the garage (that's in addition to the 10 lb'ers)