This hits the nail right on the head. Schools like these prey on people who think that a well-paying job is just a few cheesy cram courses away. Back in the dot-bomb era, these same places were trumpeting MSCE/A+ courses as if those alone were going to guarantee a good job.
It costs money and does not generate any revenue (unlike college sports, which the colleges are now so dependent on for income that not even a 12-step program could help them). It makes heroes out of kids who are good at running, jumping, and throwing and catching balls.
In some parts of the US, high school football really is the be all and end all of town life. If you ever seen Friday Night Lights, that depiction is spot on. The whole town practically shuts down on game day and you can bet good money is changing hands on the booster and sponsorship level, if not the bookmaking level. If you're the team captain, you're the prince of town. If you're the captain of the mathletes, you'll be lucky not to be stuffed into your locker on a daily basis.
In one of that film's establishing shots, the dumpy-looking school stands in stark relief to the gleaming stadium where the games are played. It's no mystery what is really being valued.
Can somebody please explain to me why a man trying to form some sort of human connection with a man who's torturing and about to kill him is funny?
I'm not saying it's *wrong* to make a joke of something like that or out of anything at all, I suppose. I guess I just don't see the irony in it. But go ahead, punish me for being Offtopic.
Mod points be damned, I was appalled to see this in no other place but as a Jeopardy category. Scroll down to the double jeopardy round for that day.
As long as you have some kind of inventory sticker or a "property of $CORP" decal on it, you'll probably be fine. If its obvious that the laptop is for personal use, that's where the uncomfortable questions come in.
Fissionable Uranium - part no. #34-88091 - Whether its to power a city or to level a city, you'll be the envy of your friends with your very own pile of fissionable uranium. Comes in high-quality display case with certificate of authenticity. Color our choice please. No gift wrapping available for this item. Monogramming available for $10
are you ready to examine prejudice at work in your mind?
ReiserFS fanboys aside, I'd call it empathy before I'd call it prejudice. I've seen this sentiment on a previous Hans thread and it seemed to answer this question rather well.
With a high geek concentration on Slashdot, you'll have many that identify with Hans. With his keen mind, social awkwardness, downright arrogance, etc, its easy to see him as one of your own, not some knife wielding maniac from a horror film. As the scenario unfolded with one damning thing after another, its easy to explain them away as a geek trying to solve a problem by immersing him/herself in it; not realizing that they're painting a guilty picture of themselves. I'm sure many here put themselves in Hans' shoes and would have done similar things to clear their names.
Put the factors together: 1) Geeks are not prone to real-life violence (which is interesting, especially considering that the geeks are usually on the receiving end of that during their formative years).
2)Geeks usually have trouble with dating (put those troll modpoints away, you know its true). For those borderline aspies who can read the most onerous technical manual but not the social cues in the dating world, a meaningful relationship is like an oasis in the desert.
Having enjoyed Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon, I really wanted to like the Baroque Cycle. After trudging through the first 200 pages that practically dared the reader to continue, I gave up on it. Where was the hook that made Snow Crash and Crypto such page turners?
Birth defect/disability is a relative term. People who might be physically handicapped or mildly retarded could be contributing members to society. When you see those with severe mental handicaps that render them little more than babies in adult bodies with hardly any human dignity, the case for genetic selection grows stronger.
Inevitably, the slippery gattica-like slope comes into play when embryos are tossed away for reasons other than quality of life issues.
Because there is obviously no other purpose for alt.* on usenet other than kiddie porn.
I agree that it's overkill to do away with hosting the whole alt hierarchy, but there isn't much political speech going on in a newsgroup specifically dedicated to underage porn or warez binaries. I'm surprised they've gotten hosted for this long.
My prediction is that the media companies and/or government agencies will start harassing usenet users next. Now that many major ISPs are discontinuing this kind of binary newsgroup access, it'll push those so inclined to seek out third party newsgroup providers. If the relevant government agencies can get user records from those companies, they'll have ip logs and credit card data and be able to catch their prey dead-to-rights.
The collateral damage to the innocent as a result of draconian IP or drug laws is (to borrow the phrase) a feature, not a bug. If people know that the hand of justice will slap them without a second thought for even being marginally associated with those involved in IP infringement/drug trafficking, etc, thats a powerful incentive to make sure you steer clear of those realms.
Slashdot Mirror
I'll bet they weren't even supposed to be there that day.
This hits the nail right on the head. Schools like these prey on people who think that a well-paying job is just a few cheesy cram courses away. Back in the dot-bomb era, these same places were trumpeting MSCE/A+ courses as if those alone were going to guarantee a good job.
IIRC, it was a starters pistol, not a flare gun.
It costs money and does not generate any revenue (unlike college sports, which the colleges are now so dependent on for income that not even a 12-step program could help them). It makes heroes out of kids who are good at running, jumping, and throwing and catching balls.
In some parts of the US, high school football really is the be all and end all of town life. If you ever seen Friday Night Lights, that depiction is spot on. The whole town practically shuts down on game day and you can bet good money is changing hands on the booster and sponsorship level, if not the bookmaking level. If you're the team captain, you're the prince of town. If you're the captain of the mathletes, you'll be lucky not to be stuffed into your locker on a daily basis.
In one of that film's establishing shots, the dumpy-looking school stands in stark relief to the gleaming stadium where the games are played. It's no mystery what is really being valued.
Can somebody please explain to me why a man trying to form some sort of human connection with a man who's torturing and about to kill him is funny?
I'm not saying it's *wrong* to make a joke of something like that or out of anything at all, I suppose. I guess I just don't see the irony in it. But go ahead, punish me for being Offtopic.
Mod points be damned, I was appalled to see this in no other place but as a Jeopardy category. Scroll down to the double jeopardy round for that day.
As long as you have some kind of inventory sticker or a "property of $CORP" decal on it, you'll probably be fine. If its obvious that the laptop is for personal use, that's where the uncomfortable questions come in.
Then a bunch of artsy fashionistas would parade around saying that gaping anus is the new black.
There seems to be no mention of it in the timeline.
Brain tumors caused by the VirtualBoy may be to blame.
I'll bet it looks like the Johnson Smith catalog.
Fissionable Uranium - part no. #34-88091 - Whether its to power a city or to level a city, you'll be the envy of your friends with your very own pile of fissionable uranium. Comes in high-quality display case with certificate of authenticity. Color our choice please. No gift wrapping available for this item. Monogramming available for $10
$79,999,999.99
I dare you to come down to my mother's basement and say that to my face, punk!
My mother in law was sent to Siberia by russians
Say, you wouldn't still have the phone number for those guys, would you?
are you ready to examine prejudice at work in your mind?
ReiserFS fanboys aside, I'd call it empathy before I'd call it prejudice. I've seen this sentiment on a previous Hans thread and it seemed to answer this question rather well.
With a high geek concentration on Slashdot, you'll have many that identify with Hans. With his keen mind, social awkwardness, downright arrogance, etc, its easy to see him as one of your own, not some knife wielding maniac from a horror film. As the scenario unfolded with one damning thing after another, its easy to explain them away as a geek trying to solve a problem by immersing him/herself in it; not realizing that they're painting a guilty picture of themselves. I'm sure many here put themselves in Hans' shoes and would have done similar things to clear their names.
Put the factors together:
1) Geeks are not prone to real-life violence (which is interesting, especially considering that the geeks are usually on the receiving end of that during their formative years).
2)Geeks usually have trouble with dating (put those troll modpoints away, you know its true). For those borderline aspies who can read the most onerous technical manual but not the social cues in the dating world, a meaningful relationship is like an oasis in the desert.
3) This guy was literally one of our own.
With these in mind, was the community's reaction to the allegation that he murdered his wife so surprising?
not only for ages, but FOREVER!
A note to mods: click the button on this link for added effect.
Never mind that, did they give you free tickets to Mamma Mia?
As opposed to the other jerks you'll find responding to this thread, I will offer something constructive to the matter at hand.
Your shit's all retarded and you talk like a fag.
But the Baroque Cycle was nearly flawless.
Having enjoyed Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon, I really wanted to like the Baroque Cycle. After trudging through the first 200 pages that practically dared the reader to continue, I gave up on it. Where was the hook that made Snow Crash and Crypto such page turners?
(and don't say page 201)
Please state the nature of the accidental moderation.
If the attacker has physical access to the machine to begin with, you might as well throw in the towel.
As someone who is currently working to change my sex
We're all trying to change our sex here, but in most cases, it's from "none" to "some".
Phone analogy? This is Slashdot. It's car analogy or GTFO.
Birth defect/disability is a relative term. People who might be physically handicapped or mildly retarded could be contributing members to society. When you see those with severe mental handicaps that render them little more than babies in adult bodies with hardly any human dignity, the case for genetic selection grows stronger.
Inevitably, the slippery gattica-like slope comes into play when embryos are tossed away for reasons other than quality of life issues.
A few years back, Smoking Gun obtained a ton of DMV complaint letters about vanity plates and put it on their site. Link
It doesn't look like anybody took the setup on this one. As a diehard Carlin fan, allow me:
responding to the cliche that "he's in heaven smiling down on us and I'm sure he's pleased"
Who's to say he's in heaven? Maybe he's in Hell!
I'll bet he's down there right now screaming up at us and I'm sure he's in a lot of pain.
Because there is obviously no other purpose for alt.* on usenet other than kiddie porn.
I agree that it's overkill to do away with hosting the whole alt hierarchy, but there isn't much political speech going on in a newsgroup specifically dedicated to underage porn or warez binaries. I'm surprised they've gotten hosted for this long.
My prediction is that the media companies and/or government agencies will start harassing usenet users next. Now that many major ISPs are discontinuing this kind of binary newsgroup access, it'll push those so inclined to seek out third party newsgroup providers. If the relevant government agencies can get user records from those companies, they'll have ip logs and credit card data and be able to catch their prey dead-to-rights.
The collateral damage to the innocent as a result of draconian IP or drug laws is (to borrow the phrase) a feature, not a bug. If people know that the hand of justice will slap them without a second thought for even being marginally associated with those involved in IP infringement/drug trafficking, etc, thats a powerful incentive to make sure you steer clear of those realms.