Not entirely true. Look at the insurance industry for example. If I have a perfect driving record, my premiums can increse at the discretion of the insurer to cover their cost because they found in their infinite wisdom to attach their polocies to a 16 year old driver who kills someone. To me, that's the true cost of doing business, however insurance companies in general spread this 'expense' out over all of their current policy holders. What a sham. The next time you drive through a state or two where you can view a true metropolis skyline, look at which buildings you see first on the horizon: banks and insurance companies. Besides, I think Las Vegas has a better track record than insurers; at least they pay out when they lose....even if the odds are in their favor and at all costs, they never pass that loss on to the consumer. The odds are better for insurance companies to be sure, but a $100 bet in Vegas and a $100 premium to protect you and/or your families financial future are actually pretty similar.
OOOOO....now I LIKE that idea! The only thing that would be truly better is for them to receive 'damaged' DVD's all at once within a week; preferrably of the same movie (like a new release). Inspiring.
Sure. Then I can claim that anyone walking down the street who gives me a bad look is 'torturing' me. I never claimed that psychological abuse was any better or worse; just different. Rape is NOT humiliation per se'; it's physical abuse so get a clue. Besides, getting psychologically abused in high school is a far cry from being abused in Vietnam or Iraq. I don't justify any abuse, however when attempting to extract information, certain people's 'psyche' may be trampled upon. War is indeed hell but I don't expect that people like you will ever notice the difference between codes of conduct in war and getting picked on in high school. What a shame.
Interrogation has always been a part of war; political assumptions aside. Right or wrong, these 'soldiers' (especially from a military standpoint) know what they did is wrong and now they're getting fried for it. So be it. The 'forces that be' don't have any more or less control over a person's actions than say, me, over you. Harman can accomplish the same goal without taking pictures; that's just plain stupid.
Actually, no. The personnel in the unit that was photographed are a police unit; military police to be exact. Sure, they were trained to 'kill' people but more precisely they were there to control; not to kill. Who knows, maybe that England chick WILL come up with a cure for cancer. It's the least she can do at this point.
Just for clarification, the actions depicted in these photos are humiliation; not necessarily torture. When you see true torture videos or photos, you'll know why I'm writing this.
I don't disagree with any of your comments but please let's take this in context. When special operations forces go into a combat zone their objective is usually clear: kill whatever gets in your way and come back with whatever we sent you to go get. It's usually ugly, difficult and a moral dilemma at best; photos or not. Even so, the USA is good at it. Taking pictures of these actions would be, shall we say, sanctimonious at best because most spec ops personnel don't want to even remember the action, let alone the reasons. Now enter the 'regular' military. They are not as highly trained and are expected to carry out functions such as prison control. Hello? Problem here? Orders or not, US military personnel are trained in the Geneva Convention (at least I was) during boot camp. 'Plausible deniability' has nothing to do with it from a military standpoint and actions like these are common in war (given the level of training). It's just now that the level of technology has caught up; we get a quicker view of what's happening. Not better or worse, just faster. In my opinion, these images and actions by US military personnel are not 'atrocities' rather than an embarrassment. The world is LOOKING for an excuse to push America off its high moral horse, however resorting to these tactics and allowing yourself to be photographed is just plain stupid. Hiding the brutalities of war has not been something that ANY country has been able to do effectively, however over-exposing it does just as much damage (obviously). Creating euphemisms like 'enemy combatant' has become necessary because of our current judicial system and are necessary to define (in legalize) the functions and actions that the military needs to take to protect its personnel. I'm not saying it's right; just necessary. I pray to God every night that this conflict ends as soon as possible, however given the effectiveness and brutality of the 'enemy', would you expect quick resolution over a diplomatic table in the UN?
I had a professor in college who claimed that there's no such thing as 'deceleration'; it's acceleration in a negative direction. GOD I hated that and never did quite grasp the concept. I mean seriously, how do you accelerate negatively? Jeez that guy pissed me off.
Oh please. Long gone are the days where prisons are considered 'rehabilitation institutions' for possible release of criminals back into 'productive' society. Prisons exist for the sole purpose of keeping criminals off the street and (hopefully) not getting a chance to perpetuate their crimes. As far as I'm concerned, the longer the better. You're right that harsh penalties don't deter crime, however I for one sleep much better at night knowing that they're not out in the public on some socially accepted experiment that believes these people can be 'rehabilitated'. Now THAT'S bullshit.
I like that idea. Where can I obtain this worm so I can install it on my machine and my 10 minutes worth of justice? (I know, I know....I would be doing it to myself, but still....I WANT MY 10 MINUTES OF JUSTICE! That's at least enough time to meet and become intimately involved with a man named Bubba).
What the hell are YOU smoking? The labels DON'T MAKE SHIT! THEY DISTRIBUTE! That's the difference. Sure, they can set the market price but that's been the battle since day one between them and the consumer: overpriced merchandise. Also, these labels have been the poster child for poor business decisions for so long that they legitimately think that dipping into this pool will somehow make this model better. BS. Lastly, $.10 per song does NOT just drop to the bottom line profitability cell on a P&L spreadsheet. Anyone who thinks it does is an idiot. Even if it did, 10% is not 'fat' in any industry. Most 'mass produced' items (like fasteners; nuts, bolts, etc...) are lucky to see 30% margin (with anywhere from 22-28% being break-even). The gouge in my example comes from the manufacturer of the product (RIAA?) because of current market pricing for labor and material. This product generally sells for about $.10 per THOUSAND pieces. Margin, therefore, doesn't equal profit. All of this information is included in Common Sense 101...take it.
I agree, however it IS within a judge's jurisdiction to 'push' the case along by expediting the plaintiff's requests for extensions and denying them if they're not prepared. Either you come to the court set for battle or don't come at all. I wonder if the judges are getting a kickback from all this in the form of potential political campaign funds? It wouldn't surprise me.
I would normally agree, however 'trusting' MS to do anything proactive that doesn't have the ability to potentially rake in profits is dubious at best....especially since they are (for the most part) the ones trying to push DRM on the general public. It just seems to me that the way this whole scheme is playing out that my PC will never again be mine; sure, I'll own the hardware, but what good is that when it only runs what MS says is OK to run? Only then will it be obvious to businesses and individuals that they have no rights and are slaves to an OS monopolist. I'm writing this on a PC running XP (which I'm happy with overall, by the way), however if half of these new innovations are realized in Longhorn I will be investing in a G5 (maybe they'll come down in price by then; besides, I needed an excuse to 'upgrade' anyway). If my documents can't be read on a LH PC, so be it. Believe you me....businesses will find this out the hard way and MS will lose more than China or Korea in the marketplace.
I've never BEEN in a union (and I never will be) but I've dealt with them for more than 10 years while I was in the manufacturing sector; and yes, I know how they operate. I still have to deal with them on occasion when I have to go to one of our on-site warehouse locations for an assembly plant in Indiana. It sickens me every time I have to go.
Slashdot Mirror
Not entirely true. Look at the insurance industry for example. If I have a perfect driving record, my premiums can increse at the discretion of the insurer to cover their cost because they found in their infinite wisdom to attach their polocies to a 16 year old driver who kills someone. To me, that's the true cost of doing business, however insurance companies in general spread this 'expense' out over all of their current policy holders. What a sham. The next time you drive through a state or two where you can view a true metropolis skyline, look at which buildings you see first on the horizon: banks and insurance companies. Besides, I think Las Vegas has a better track record than insurers; at least they pay out when they lose....even if the odds are in their favor and at all costs, they never pass that loss on to the consumer. The odds are better for insurance companies to be sure, but a $100 bet in Vegas and a $100 premium to protect you and/or your families financial future are actually pretty similar.
OOOOO....now I LIKE that idea! The only thing that would be truly better is for them to receive 'damaged' DVD's all at once within a week; preferrably of the same movie (like a new release). Inspiring.
Wow, you can play that many movies on your laptop while traveling? You must have some eternal outlet to plug that thing into while traveling.
Sure. Then I can claim that anyone walking down the street who gives me a bad look is 'torturing' me. I never claimed that psychological abuse was any better or worse; just different. Rape is NOT humiliation per se'; it's physical abuse so get a clue. Besides, getting psychologically abused in high school is a far cry from being abused in Vietnam or Iraq. I don't justify any abuse, however when attempting to extract information, certain people's 'psyche' may be trampled upon. War is indeed hell but I don't expect that people like you will ever notice the difference between codes of conduct in war and getting picked on in high school. What a shame.
Granted, but that's no longer a justification in the US military code of justice. 'Just following orders' doesn't jive anymore; at least in the US.
Interrogation has always been a part of war; political assumptions aside. Right or wrong, these 'soldiers' (especially from a military standpoint) know what they did is wrong and now they're getting fried for it. So be it. The 'forces that be' don't have any more or less control over a person's actions than say, me, over you. Harman can accomplish the same goal without taking pictures; that's just plain stupid.
Actually, no. The personnel in the unit that was photographed are a police unit; military police to be exact. Sure, they were trained to 'kill' people but more precisely they were there to control; not to kill. Who knows, maybe that England chick WILL come up with a cure for cancer. It's the least she can do at this point.
Just for clarification, the actions depicted in these photos are humiliation; not necessarily torture. When you see true torture videos or photos, you'll know why I'm writing this.
I don't disagree with any of your comments but please let's take this in context. When special operations forces go into a combat zone their objective is usually clear: kill whatever gets in your way and come back with whatever we sent you to go get. It's usually ugly, difficult and a moral dilemma at best; photos or not. Even so, the USA is good at it. Taking pictures of these actions would be, shall we say, sanctimonious at best because most spec ops personnel don't want to even remember the action, let alone the reasons. Now enter the 'regular' military. They are not as highly trained and are expected to carry out functions such as prison control. Hello? Problem here? Orders or not, US military personnel are trained in the Geneva Convention (at least I was) during boot camp. 'Plausible deniability' has nothing to do with it from a military standpoint and actions like these are common in war (given the level of training). It's just now that the level of technology has caught up; we get a quicker view of what's happening. Not better or worse, just faster. In my opinion, these images and actions by US military personnel are not 'atrocities' rather than an embarrassment. The world is LOOKING for an excuse to push America off its high moral horse, however resorting to these tactics and allowing yourself to be photographed is just plain stupid. Hiding the brutalities of war has not been something that ANY country has been able to do effectively, however over-exposing it does just as much damage (obviously). Creating euphemisms like 'enemy combatant' has become necessary because of our current judicial system and are necessary to define (in legalize) the functions and actions that the military needs to take to protect its personnel. I'm not saying it's right; just necessary. I pray to God every night that this conflict ends as soon as possible, however given the effectiveness and brutality of the 'enemy', would you expect quick resolution over a diplomatic table in the UN?
I had a professor in college who claimed that there's no such thing as 'deceleration'; it's acceleration in a negative direction. GOD I hated that and never did quite grasp the concept. I mean seriously, how do you accelerate negatively? Jeez that guy pissed me off.
Oh please. Long gone are the days where prisons are considered 'rehabilitation institutions' for possible release of criminals back into 'productive' society. Prisons exist for the sole purpose of keeping criminals off the street and (hopefully) not getting a chance to perpetuate their crimes. As far as I'm concerned, the longer the better. You're right that harsh penalties don't deter crime, however I for one sleep much better at night knowing that they're not out in the public on some socially accepted experiment that believes these people can be 'rehabilitated'. Now THAT'S bullshit.
I like that idea. Where can I obtain this worm so I can install it on my machine and my 10 minutes worth of justice? (I know, I know....I would be doing it to myself, but still....I WANT MY 10 MINUTES OF JUSTICE! That's at least enough time to meet and become intimately involved with a man named Bubba).
Except the internet....
...or tomorrow.
I guess we're all just expecting functional behavior from a dysfunctional organization. **sigh**
What the hell are YOU smoking? The labels DON'T MAKE SHIT! THEY DISTRIBUTE! That's the difference. Sure, they can set the market price but that's been the battle since day one between them and the consumer: overpriced merchandise. Also, these labels have been the poster child for poor business decisions for so long that they legitimately think that dipping into this pool will somehow make this model better. BS. Lastly, $.10 per song does NOT just drop to the bottom line profitability cell on a P&L spreadsheet. Anyone who thinks it does is an idiot. Even if it did, 10% is not 'fat' in any industry. Most 'mass produced' items (like fasteners; nuts, bolts, etc...) are lucky to see 30% margin (with anywhere from 22-28% being break-even). The gouge in my example comes from the manufacturer of the product (RIAA?) because of current market pricing for labor and material. This product generally sells for about $.10 per THOUSAND pieces. Margin, therefore, doesn't equal profit. All of this information is included in Common Sense 101...take it.
Blah, blah, blah..this whole argument is old. M$ sucks and Open Source is God......most of us 'get it'.
I agree, however it IS within a judge's jurisdiction to 'push' the case along by expediting the plaintiff's requests for extensions and denying them if they're not prepared. Either you come to the court set for battle or don't come at all. I wonder if the judges are getting a kickback from all this in the form of potential political campaign funds? It wouldn't surprise me.
I would normally agree, however 'trusting' MS to do anything proactive that doesn't have the ability to potentially rake in profits is dubious at best....especially since they are (for the most part) the ones trying to push DRM on the general public. It just seems to me that the way this whole scheme is playing out that my PC will never again be mine; sure, I'll own the hardware, but what good is that when it only runs what MS says is OK to run? Only then will it be obvious to businesses and individuals that they have no rights and are slaves to an OS monopolist. I'm writing this on a PC running XP (which I'm happy with overall, by the way), however if half of these new innovations are realized in Longhorn I will be investing in a G5 (maybe they'll come down in price by then; besides, I needed an excuse to 'upgrade' anyway). If my documents can't be read on a LH PC, so be it. Believe you me....businesses will find this out the hard way and MS will lose more than China or Korea in the marketplace.
Personally, I'm surprised that they can come up with new content for new episodes...they should get a cut.
I think he's dead.
Now THAT'S cool.....thanks for the link!
I've never BEEN in a union (and I never will be) but I've dealt with them for more than 10 years while I was in the manufacturing sector; and yes, I know how they operate. I still have to deal with them on occasion when I have to go to one of our on-site warehouse locations for an assembly plant in Indiana. It sickens me every time I have to go.
I never said Capitalism was sustainable; just that your argument was not.
OK, fine....I have my own perceptions of Unions. Prove me wrong.