You arrive at the polling station. Your name is checked against registered voters. Your name is checked off so that you cannot vote twice. You get a ballot paper with the names of candidates on it. You go into a booth and mark with a pencil a large X in the box next to the name of the candidate for whom you wish to vote. You place the ballot paper into a sealed ballot box. At the close of voting, all ballot boxes are taken to the counting room, which is usually televised thesedays, and a few dozen people sort the ballot papers into piles according to who the votes are for. Some more people count these piles, while other people walk up and down the aisles making sure all is in order. The count is announced and a winner proclaimed.
You have it all in physical terms - the ballot papers, the boxes, and you can confirm that there's nothing missing or that there's nothing "extra".
If you were to take a pile of bills into the bank, and they credited your account with "approximately" the amount you thought you had, you'd be pretty upset. Businesses would demand banks be shut down until every penny banked could be accounted for.
So why so lax over something just as important? The signals this gives out is "Democracy good, Capitalism better".
It's not a perfect world, but for something that happens only every four years, why not get it as perfect as you can? And for once, technology isn't the answer. (cue the mod-down remarks for that one)
Please explain how you give birth to 6 year old children.
Procreation is about two people agreeing together to create a new life. Aborting a pregnancy as a result of a rape is not the same as murdering a 6 year old child.
Take the Christian view to the extreme, a child created as the result of a rape would have to honor their rapist father. Please explain that one to me.
I'm all for preventing global warming, but the Kyoto protocal is worthless unless the same standards apply to everyone.
Where was this "same standards apply to everyone" stance when the world criminal court was being discussed? A US State Department spokesman said "The United States is concerned that its military and civillian personnel will be exposed to politically motivated investigations and prosecutions." Mmm-hmm, so the US gets immunity while everyone else faces up to their responsibilities?
Y'see, this is why much of the world now looks up on the US with disdain and despair. It's not that we don't like you, it's that we don't like the "fuck you" attitude.
You're right about voting for someone new in 4 years
I hope so, but what if Bush comes clean and admits that he didn't really win the 2000 election. Would that clear the way for him to stand again in 2008?
You are confusing "publicly funded" with "state run". The two are distinct, and I think a better example of this is the BBC. You cannot accuse the publicly-funded BBC of being "state run" - they've had more than a couple of run-ins with the Her Majesty's Government, whichever party is in power.
So what's this "invite" thingie people here are banging on about? Do I just click a link from google.com and set up an a/c, or is there a better slashdot way?
So you read this book in which the hero called Pete Something or other built a time machine but you can't remember who wrote the book, the publisher, nor even the name of the book.
Does Amazon help you find the book, or would something like Google's potential offering be of more use?
If you know exactly what you want, then go directly to Amazon (or Chapters, or Books etc, or WH Smith...) but I think Google is adding a useful service here.
Well, there's a whole spectrum of government between the status quo and dictatorship. Ignoring your knee-jerk "if it isn't X then it must be Y" I invite you to look around at the palce you live in today. Elitism is alive and well - we all (try to) do jobs that match our abilities, and as such I'm part of a techno-elite working on an IT support desk. Judges and lawyers are "legal elites" because they know more about the law than most people. Doctorsm nurses and surgeons are members of the medial elite. So elitism should not be a dirty word.
I appreciate that Joe Voter knows more than we give credit for, but I still say that Joe Voter hasn't the foggiest what's best for the country. [Neither do I, and I'm part of the learned intellectual elite]. It's a valid statement - 99% of people do not know what is best for their country. They know what's best for themselves but that's a different kettle of fish.
If we wanted to live in the dark ages, then it wouldn't matter, but to build a better future this species needs to plan, to co-operate with those who find it difficult to co-operate, and use the resources at their disposal - and Joe Voter (me included) can only begin to guess what they are.
Perhaps (I say PERHAPS) we need trained leaders. Those who are quite literally born into it. Maybe not a single lineage, but it sounds like the class system may just work.
Slashdot Mirror
Damn Brits! :P
Not poms? heh. I guess Aussies on Mars would find water no doubt.
Bugger.
...
Hoist, meet petard
Sorry, 3 years is infeasible
Infeasible in uncromulent.
Would you like a glass of water?
You arrive at the polling station.
Your name is checked against registered voters.
Your name is checked off so that you cannot vote twice.
You get a ballot paper with the names of candidates on it.
You go into a booth and mark with a pencil a large X in the box next to the name of the candidate for whom you wish to vote.
You place the ballot paper into a sealed ballot box.
At the close of voting, all ballot boxes are taken to the counting room, which is usually televised thesedays, and a few dozen people sort the ballot papers into piles according to who the votes are for.
Some more people count these piles, while other people walk up and down the aisles making sure all is in order.
The count is announced and a winner proclaimed.
You have it all in physical terms - the ballot papers, the boxes, and you can confirm that there's nothing missing or that there's nothing "extra".
If you were to take a pile of bills into the bank, and they credited your account with "approximately" the amount you thought you had, you'd be pretty upset. Businesses would demand banks be shut down until every penny banked could be accounted for.
So why so lax over something just as important? The signals this gives out is "Democracy good, Capitalism better".
It's not a perfect world, but for something that happens only every four years, why not get it as perfect as you can? And for once, technology isn't the answer. (cue the mod-down remarks for that one)
Please explain how you give birth to 6 year old children.
Procreation is about two people agreeing together to create a new life. Aborting a pregnancy as a result of a rape is not the same as murdering a 6 year old child.
Take the Christian view to the extreme, a child created as the result of a rape would have to honor their rapist father. Please explain that one to me.
Just because the voting exercises of 51% of Americans were not swayed ...
..."
??? 79% of Americans did not vote for Bush.
Perhaps you meant "51% of Americans who voted
I'm all for preventing global warming, but the Kyoto protocal is worthless unless the same standards apply to everyone.
Where was this "same standards apply to everyone" stance when the world criminal court was being discussed? A US State Department spokesman said "The United States is concerned that its military and civillian personnel will be exposed to politically motivated investigations and prosecutions." Mmm-hmm, so the US gets immunity while everyone else faces up to their responsibilities?
Y'see, this is why much of the world now looks up on the US with disdain and despair. It's not that we don't like you, it's that we don't like the "fuck you" attitude.
You're right about voting for someone new in 4 years
I hope so, but what if Bush comes clean and admits that he didn't really win the 2000 election. Would that clear the way for him to stand again in 2008?
You are confusing "publicly funded" with "state run". The two are distinct, and I think a better example of this is the BBC. You cannot accuse the publicly-funded BBC of being "state run" - they've had more than a couple of run-ins with the Her Majesty's Government, whichever party is in power.
So it can work, and I do miss it.
Any other questions?
...
None that I'm allowed to ask
It's obviously a standard letter, so rather than tailoring it to the particular case, they just listed everything to cover all their bases.
Luckily, all their base are belong us.
Counter-sue the Fsck'rs!
Then the one loony who does vote will elect an extremist leader who will make irrational decisions affecting the whole world.
On the other hand you could all vote and get the same result.
Question: Why is it a federal crime for non-citizens to vote in any federal election, but those non-citizens can be taxed federally? Whatever happened to "No Taxation without Representation"?
Well, now they can froogle for the cheapest booze.
You know I'm laughing at you right now. I swear Libertarians bite easier than any other
...
political grouping.
We do not!
D'oh
Eh? We had to be up at crack o'sparrow fart, beg wi' mill owner t'let us fix his proxy, then lick servers clean wi' us tongue.
An' tell kids today that, they won't believe yer.
Sold :-)
So what's this "invite" thingie people here are banging on about? Do I just click a link from google.com and set up an a/c, or is there a better slashdot way?
And lastly, always assume that your users are out to get you. Validate all data, and assume everything and everyone is hostile. :-)
Apart from that validate thing, you'd make a good POTUS.
So you read this book in which the hero called Pete Something or other built a time machine but you can't remember who wrote the book, the publisher, nor even the name of the book.
...) but I think Google is adding a useful service here.
Does Amazon help you find the book, or would something like Google's potential offering be of more use?
If you know exactly what you want, then go directly to Amazon (or Chapters, or Books etc, or WH Smith
Graham T. Bookworm
At the risk of being the only guy on the planet without a gmail account ...
:) but can't justify spending time on gmail just yet.
1. Text-based ads instead of graphics or flash.
Graphics ads never bothered me. Yahoo has one, and it's not huge or intrusive. IMO anyway.
2. No taglines. Very nice if you want to send out professional emails.
I can do this without gmail.
3. Excellent spam filter.
I hardly get any spam to my yahoo a/c and on my personal domains accounts I have numerous good spam software covering those.
4. FAST CSS (might be wrong about that) interface.
Speed has never been a problem since I went broadband a few years ago.
5. Google search built right into your email inbox, archive, etc.
I have the google toolbar - I don't need a second search box.
I'm sure it's great for lots of people, but for me, I remain unconvinced it has something to offer that I don't already get elsewhere.
Please, prove me wrong though - I like playing with new stuff
Given the opposition, can you blame them?
Is that how they smile in Texas?
And then in a thousand years time it squishes New New York.
More likely:
"Most people I know still steal music," he said.
(Says a lot about him and the people he mixes with)
Unless he's talking out of his arse, that is.
Well, there's a whole spectrum of government between the status quo and dictatorship. Ignoring your knee-jerk "if it isn't X then it must be Y" I invite you to look around at the palce you live in today. Elitism is alive and well - we all (try to) do jobs that match our abilities, and as such I'm part of a techno-elite working on an IT support desk. Judges and lawyers are "legal elites" because they know more about the law than most people. Doctorsm nurses and surgeons are members of the medial elite. So elitism should not be a dirty word.
I appreciate that Joe Voter knows more than we give credit for, but I still say that Joe Voter hasn't the foggiest what's best for the country. [Neither do I, and I'm part of the learned intellectual elite]. It's a valid statement - 99% of people do not know what is best for their country. They know what's best for themselves but that's a different kettle of fish.
If we wanted to live in the dark ages, then it wouldn't matter, but to build a better future this species needs to plan, to co-operate with those who find it difficult to co-operate, and use the resources at their disposal - and Joe Voter (me included) can only begin to guess what they are.
Perhaps (I say PERHAPS) we need trained leaders. Those who are quite literally born into it. Maybe not a single lineage, but it sounds like the class system may just work.