> What is new however is the fact that wars could now be fought without losing a single one of your own countrymen.
Baron Munchausen: What's this?
Vulcan: Oh, this is a prototype. Ah, it's a intercontinental radar-sneaky multi-warheaded nuclear missile.
Baron Munchausen: Ah... what does it do?
Vulcan: Do? Kills the enemy.
Baron Munchausen: All the enemy?
Vulcan: Aye, all of them. All their wives and all their children and all their sheep and all their cattle and their cats and dogs, all of them. All of them, gone for good.
Sally: That's horrible!
Vulcan: Well, you see the advantage is you don't have to see one single one of them die. You just sit comfortably thousands of miles away from the battlefield and simply press the button.
Berthold: Well, where's the fun in that?
Vulcan: Oh, we cater to *all* sorts here. You'd be surprised.
Personally, I think this is one of the more disturbing elements of the 21st century. The only thing that stops us western powers invading the next oil-rich country is the fact that body-bags equals votes for your opposition. If you can fight a war where no people* die, then fighting war just became politically cheaper.
This has always been the case for the US. Their plan is, and always has been, to let the Europeans and others throw human waves against each other -- the US will have the best-trained, best-equipped soldiers. Body-bag-wise, this current war is still a magnitude and a half below Vietnam, and that's largely because of screw ups in the aftermath, not the "main combat operations" phase.
And look what a relatively small number of bodies has cost, vote-wise. Your observation is quite correct.
Not hard to do given we've invested billions in weighted dice and "roll again" chips, have trained the rollers well, and have offered the officials more than any other country's GDP just to look the other way.
> "For example, there's no consideration that military power or technology could fail or be jammed, she says.
Jammed? Before Gulf War II started, the "shes" of the world were all about how Iraq had 6, cound 'em, 6 GPS jamming devices protecting Bagdhad, so our smart GPS weapons were useless, ZOMG!. Ten minutes later, they were all gone as broadcasting a signal is quite literally a beacon requesting destruction.
> Verses the combined military might of Russia, China, France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy to name a few.
Ok, they might be able to take out California, if California was caught unawares.
Remember most of 'em have no significant military, not on the scale of the US. And go look up the US rates of production during WWII if you wanna see something really scary. And of the two sizeable countries you list, neither one is doing a good job lately of making people fight for the mother land, aside from death threats.
Mortal Kombat Street Fighter Super Mario Bros. Wing Commander Tomb Raider Doom Silent Hill Blood Rayne House of the Dead
You forgt Polan^H^H^H^H^H Ultraviolet.
Ok, so it's not from a video game, but it might as well have been.*
* Actually, I predict cult status for Ultraviolet as the esthetic purity of her reborn mothering instinct taking charge of the direction of the movie is astoundingly humerous to watch.
Kane: Ya know, Mr. Thatcher. I did lose $100 million on that POS movie last year. I expect to lose $100 million on that new movie this year. I expect to lose $100 million on that even newer movie next year. You know what, Mr. Thatcher? At the rate of $100 million a year, I'll have to stop making movies in...one thousand years.
A bunch of Quake rejects running around a low-budget Ringworld, yes, oh yes, I can't wait for the movie.
Actually, my son showed me a Halo machinima/demo/some piece of crap of an actual battle some friends of his were in. I couldn't believe how slowly they run. It almost felt like I had slipped into Dark Age of Camelot by accident.
So I showed him Quake Done Quicker, available on YouTube, thanks. Bam!
> Regardless of the viewpoint, is it even possible that science > can remain apolitical? Has it ever been?"
Science is one thing. Science portrayed by a power hungry politician blatantly and obviously using it to try to gain the presidency is quite another. We won't even bother getting into left-wing politicians in the late '60's onwards getting into ecology^H^H^H^H^H^H^H environmentalism because it gives them a secondary argument to massively control business when the usual class warfare rhetoric starts to fail (accurate description regardless of the science, which is what most people put on blinders about).
I support not putting this ad for Al Gore to school children.
Unless it's "Fey", the common name of all spiritual forest beings like elves, pixies, dryads, nyads, sprites, thumblings, and Leprechauns with their shilaleighs (?) and pots of gold under the other end of the rainbow, god damn I wanna catch one and make him give me his pot of gold, or better yet, a wish, where I'd be just like
Abort! Abort! You were not gonna just say "Spiderman" to piss people off and get a downmod! Abort mocking behavior!
> Learn to accept the limits of human intelligence and work capacity. We're not machines.
I think the article was more about using AI to help humans be more efficient.
Something like:
"Sir?"
"Yes, Alfred?"
"Sir, based on your previous activities, I've taken it upon myself to download these large jaypegs of Anne Hathaway and Jessica Alba, barefoot. It's almost 6 o'clock PM."
> [Oscars] have everything to do with what kind of film the committee feels people should be watching.
Watching...for the purpose of earning more ticket sales, as was the express, stated purpose of the formation of the Oscar awards to begin with. Know your context, and the understanding just flows easily. Similar to "follow the money/power" in understanding politics.
[quote]Mark Twain said the classics are something that everyone talks about, and no one reads. I bet a dollar to a doughnut you've never seen Citizen Kane. As a student of film, I've seen Citizen Kane.
It is horribly, horribly overrated. It goes no where. It really has no point.[/quote]
Sounds to me like you took your class from a tard-o-matic professor with a chip on his shoulder the size of Wells' (well-deserved) ego.
An epic covering the life of the then-equivalent of a multi-billionaire, exploring his tragic flaw in gory detail over the decades "goes no where"?
You sound like the kind of lunatic who hears "it's a sled!" and then things, "what the hell is the point of watching it now?"
The first, a musical, had about as much to do with the original book, which I did read, as the Friend of Dorthy Wizard of Oz had with the original book. Oz "purists" were much more satisfied with the remake (sequel) Oz from 15 years ago, that wasn't a musical, but was much more "true to the books".
Ever hear of it anymore? I rest my case.
Oz, Wonka, sheesh. I suppose someone's gonna start bitching that the Little Shop of Horrors musical bore little resemblence to the original B&W movie, "god damn it!"
So much for Gandi and MLK, Jr.'s passive resistence. "Get the F**K UP and go or we'll zap you."
Funny -- I thought torture devices were forbidden in the US. And using a tazer as a torture device threat, as opposed to taking out a violent person, certainly sounds like it fits the definition.
Zapping someone is a way to take out a violent person without having to phyically grapple with them (endangering the police) or having to shoot them (thus killing the person.)
It is not a punishment utility for the police to get someone to obey arbitrary orders. "Stop resisting or we'll zap you" - OK. "Put down the knife or we'll zap you" - OK. "Get up and get in the car or we'll zap you" - not OK.
Jets are frequently full. Cars are rarely full. Yes, you could jam 23 midgets and contortionists, all in clown makeup, in there, but it wouldn't be an accurate calculation of per person per mile per gallon per thong sticking out of pants.
Slashdot Mirror
> What is new however is the fact that wars could now be fought without losing a single one of your own countrymen.
Baron Munchausen: What's this?
Vulcan: Oh, this is a prototype. Ah, it's a intercontinental radar-sneaky multi-warheaded nuclear missile.
Baron Munchausen: Ah... what does it do?
Vulcan: Do? Kills the enemy.
Baron Munchausen: All the enemy?
Vulcan: Aye, all of them. All their wives and all their children and all their sheep and all their cattle and their cats and dogs, all of them. All of them, gone for good.
Sally: That's horrible!
Vulcan: Well, you see the advantage is you don't have to see one single one of them die. You just sit comfortably thousands of miles away from the battlefield and simply press the button.
Berthold: Well, where's the fun in that?
Vulcan: Oh, we cater to *all* sorts here. You'd be surprised.
This has always been the case for the US. Their plan is, and always has been, to let the Europeans and others throw human waves against each other -- the US will have the best-trained, best-equipped soldiers. Body-bag-wise, this current war is still a magnitude and a half below Vietnam, and that's largely because of screw ups in the aftermath, not the "main combat operations" phase.
And look what a relatively small number of bodies has cost, vote-wise. Your observation is quite correct.
A girl can blow lightly and levitate things. I don't know what the problem is.\
"Home theater" is a appliance salesman euphamism, you G-- d----- f---tards!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >:( >:( >:(
Not hard to do given we've invested billions in weighted dice and "roll again" chips, have trained the rollers well, and have offered the officials more than any other country's GDP just to look the other way.
> If Canada sides against the US
Because, you know, the US would just sit there like a tard letting the rest of the world move equipment into Canada.
If what you say happened, Canada would become de facto American territory. You think Alaska is sparse is a problem?
> and i assume [sparsely-populated Alaska has] not a very good military arm either that is actually there,
You'd assume wrong, as it's got air bases up the wazoo left over from the Cold War.
> and invasion threat from Canada and Mexico (or even one of those)
For Christ's sake, the Detroit police force would arrest the Canadian military before they got out of the tunnel.
Dot hey let yoou edt farked up postsis aftur you subtim?
> "For example, there's no consideration that military power or technology could fail or be jammed, she says.
Jammed? Before Gulf War II started, the "shes" of the world were all about how Iraq had 6, cound 'em, 6 GPS jamming devices protecting Bagdhad, so our smart GPS weapons were useless, ZOMG!. Ten minutes later, they were all gone as broadcasting a signal is quite literally a beacon requesting destruction.
> Verses the combined military might of Russia, China, France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy to name a few.
Ok, they might be able to take out California, if California was caught unawares.
Remember most of 'em have no significant military, not on the scale of the US. And go look up the US rates of production during WWII if you wanna see something really scary. And of the two sizeable countries you list, neither one is doing a good job lately of making people fight for the mother land, aside from death threats.
They need an "Aliens Returns" movie, that pretends movies III and IV didn't happen.
With the pro makeup artists, they can still doll Sigourney up enuf to make her hot and bluescreen away her walker.
You forgt Polan^H^H^H^H^H Ultraviolet.
Ok, so it's not from a video game, but it might as well have been.*
* Actually, I predict cult status for Ultraviolet as the esthetic purity of her reborn mothering instinct taking charge of the direction of the movie is astoundingly humerous to watch.
> Anything wrong with not wanting to make a flop?
Kane: Ya know, Mr. Thatcher. I did lose $100 million on that POS movie last year. I expect to lose $100 million on that new movie this year. I expect to lose $100 million on that even newer movie next year. You know what, Mr. Thatcher? At the rate of $100 million a year, I'll have to stop making movies in...one thousand years.
(cue horns: wah wah wah wah waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh)
A bunch of Quake rejects running around a low-budget Ringworld, yes, oh yes, I can't wait for the movie.
Actually, my son showed me a Halo machinima/demo/some piece of crap of an actual battle some friends of his were in. I couldn't believe how slowly they run. It almost felt like I had slipped into Dark Age of Camelot by accident.
So I showed him Quake Done Quicker, available on YouTube, thanks. Bam!
> Regardless of the viewpoint, is it even possible that science
> can remain apolitical? Has it ever been?"
Science is one thing. Science portrayed by a power hungry politician blatantly and obviously using it to try to gain the presidency is quite another. We won't even bother getting into left-wing politicians in the late '60's onwards getting into ecology^H^H^H^H^H^H^H environmentalism because it gives them a secondary argument to massively control business when the usual class warfare rhetoric starts to fail (accurate description regardless of the science, which is what most people put on blinders about).
I support not putting this ad for Al Gore to school children.
Just make sure it's not one of Quark's sexy holodeck programs. I wouldn't wanna get into a "swordfight" with Worf in there!
Unless it's "Fey", the common name of all spiritual forest beings like elves, pixies, dryads, nyads, sprites, thumblings, and Leprechauns with their shilaleighs (?) and pots of gold under the other end of the rainbow, god damn I wanna catch one and make him give me his pot of gold, or better yet, a wish, where I'd be just like
Abort! Abort! You were not gonna just say "Spiderman" to piss people off and get a downmod! Abort mocking behavior!
Very well, then.
Obviously Mr. Cochrane has never tried using Linux.
> Learn to accept the limits of human intelligence and work capacity. We're not machines.
I think the article was more about using AI to help humans be more efficient.
Something like:
"Sir?"
"Yes, Alfred?"
"Sir, based on your previous activities, I've taken it upon myself to download these large jaypegs of Anne Hathaway and Jessica Alba, barefoot. It's almost 6 o'clock PM."
"Uhhh, thank you Alfred."
I mean, shit, it hasn't even been colorized, yet. >:(
> [Oscars] have everything to do with what kind of film the committee feels people should be watching.
Watching...for the purpose of earning more ticket sales, as was the express, stated purpose of the formation of the Oscar awards to begin with. Know your context, and the understanding just flows easily. Similar to "follow the money/power" in understanding politics.
[quote]Mark Twain said the classics are something that everyone talks about, and no one reads. I bet a dollar to a doughnut you've never seen Citizen Kane. As a student of film, I've seen Citizen Kane.
It is horribly, horribly overrated. It goes no where. It really has no point.[/quote]
Sounds to me like you took your class from a tard-o-matic professor with a chip on his shoulder the size of Wells' (well-deserved) ego.
An epic covering the life of the then-equivalent of a multi-billionaire, exploring his tragic flaw in gory detail over the decades "goes no where"?
You sound like the kind of lunatic who hears "it's a sled!" and then things, "what the hell is the point of watching it now?"
The first, a musical, had about as much to do with the original book, which I did read, as the Friend of Dorthy Wizard of Oz had with the original book. Oz "purists" were much more satisfied with the remake (sequel) Oz from 15 years ago, that wasn't a musical, but was much more "true to the books".
Ever hear of it anymore? I rest my case.
Oz, Wonka, sheesh. I suppose someone's gonna start bitching that the Little Shop of Horrors musical bore little resemblence to the original B&W movie, "god damn it!"
So much for Gandi and MLK, Jr.'s passive resistence. "Get the F**K UP and go or we'll zap you."
Funny -- I thought torture devices were forbidden in the US. And using a tazer as a torture device threat, as opposed to taking out a violent person, certainly sounds like it fits the definition.
Zapping someone is a way to take out a violent person without having to phyically grapple with them (endangering the police) or having to shoot them (thus killing the person.)
It is not a punishment utility for the police to get someone to obey arbitrary orders. "Stop resisting or we'll zap you" - OK. "Put down the knife or we'll zap you" - OK. "Get up and get in the car or we'll zap you" - not OK.
Jets are frequently full. Cars are rarely full. Yes, you could jam 23 midgets and contortionists, all in clown makeup, in there, but it wouldn't be an accurate calculation of per person per mile per gallon per thong sticking out of pants.