So it sounds like your brother is slowly working himself to death.
Did you notice the comment about the great-grandfather living to 86, despite the same work ethic? You may be right about the enjoyment aspect, but perhaps for some people the satisfaction of a job well done truly compensates for the lack of rest and leisure activities.
There's nothing to say pharmaceutical development and pharmaceutical production couldn't be effectively split up. As long as the government is still there to pay for pharmaceutical research, there's no real problem.
The drugs you use in Sweden were funded by the U.S. consumer. You don't have enough money in the Swedish government to develop the new drugs you need. Once the patent system is gone, the amount of money available for drug research will also plummet, barring a massive increase in tax revenues to replace that funding. (And for Sweden, wouldn't that put your tax rate somewhere north of 100% GDP?)
And it's not as though direct-patronage systems don't work, they've obviously worked fairly well in the past;
What empirical evidence do you have that patronage systems "obviously worked fairly well in the past"? What you are really saying is that the only art that will be created is art that rich people like, no?
it's also well understood that subscription services work very well in many media, where you pay less for any individual unit of information than to a continuous stream of information -- the value of such services would likewise be unaffected.
What motivation is there to pay for a subscription service instead of making a copy of your friend's copy of the subscription material for free?
Yer kidding, right? So the most talented musicians of our time are Brittney, Christina and Justin? You're going to put them on the same level as a Mozart? Or Prince? Or Maynard James Keenan? or Trent Reznor?
So your solution is a system where Prince, Maynard James Keenan or Trent Reznor are unable to support themselves creating music full time? Did you ask Prince, Maynard and Trent if they're OK with this?
ow with video games things are even more extreme, they have absolutely no connection with reality, they might get inspiration from reality, but you next random WWII shooter isn't like fighting in WWII and GTA doesn't show the normal live on the street either.
This is an excellent, excellent point. Want to give kids some experience of the "real" world stuff like war? Show them school children screaming in pain because a car bomb just went off next to them, body parts lying everywhere, and there's nothing to do to fight back because the perpetrator killed himself as part of the attack. Show them doctors fruitlessly trying to help people who are going to die anyway, show them other kids standing helplessly, looking at the body parts of some of their friends, hearing the hideous screams of other friends not so fortunate.
How's that sound for a video game to introduce children to "real life"?
Those dates are the dates of the times the stories appear to have been written, judging by the style of the writing and the issues that can be cross-referenced to the culture of that time.
I know Wikipedia is not infallible, but where did they get those dates from? Thessalonians is dated at 50 A.D., about 20 years after the normally accepted time of Christ's death.
"The importance of this fragment is quite out of proportion to its size, since it may with some confidence be dated in the first half of the second century A.D., and thus ranks as the earliest known fragment of the New Testament in any language."
We don't just know about the Greeks from the Greeks; we know about them from the Romans, from all over Europe in fact.
I only wish to point out that the Greeks were an entire nation. Jesus was a single individual. Easier to expect corroboration of the existence and exploits of a nation than a single individual.
Kings and generals and such are exceptions, of course. This is because they stand in as proxies for large groups of people in historical narrative, "Xerces marched on the Persians" or whatever. I think this also applies to Cleopatra, for example.
when we look at the writings they left and they say "there is a library here... a royal barge there... a temple here..." we actually find these things
I'm pretty sure a lot of things cited in the Bible have been found where the Bible says they are. I think you concede as much later in your post.
One specific event is reported in Matt. 27:45. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour...
A fair criticism. A good question to ask a skilled Christian apologist sometime. I admit I have yet to do so, and do not have an immediate explanation.
What it means is that the text we have today closely matches the text of 300 AD.
My understanding is that many (most?) historians believe that much of the text of 300 AD reflects accurately much of what was written much earlier, at least 70AD, maybe earlier.
I'm glad you also acknowledge:
The bible is known to have not changed since about 300 AD. It contains some broad strokes - kings and kingdoms, largely - that are historically accurate.
There's a lot of critics of Christianity that do not acknowledge even that, or claim that the Bible is the result of a centuries long game of "telephone". If you reject outright as unreliable any claim to supernatural events, that is your right, and I acknowledge you make some good criticisms. I think it is reasonable to agree to disagree about how much other writers of the day would have been interested in Jesus while he was living. I suppose you've given me a good amount of homework to do with your list of writers from that period.
What other large electronics chains are left that I can buy at?
The Apple Store?
Insanely great service. Low key sales pitch. Genius bars. Free training sessions for lots of their products.
Of course, if you're shopping for something other than a Mac or an iPod you're out of luck. But I've yet to read of an Apple Store employee claiming to be egregiously underpaid or abused.
(remind me what is happening to foreclosure rates and home values)
I agree with most of what you are saying, but:
1. home values have had a pretty darn good ride. that they are coming down slightly after a meteroic rise does not mean the sky is falling.
2. I think the individual needs to take SOME responsibility for buying more house than they can afford. I'm sorry, but anyone who thought an interest only, adjustable rate mortgage they could barely afford when they started payments was a good idea is in serious need of a hard earned lesson in fiscal sanity.
This is about the scale of Washington DC to Pittsburgh. I'm not claiming that this would be a useful track (what do I know?), but it most certainly would be a start.
The cheapest fare I found for this route was $42, round trip. Takes a little under 8 hours.
Google suggests driving time between Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. is about 4 1/2 hours (need to adjust for traffic, of course). You can park exactly at your destination and use your car while you are there. You can leave at precisely the time you want to leave and not worry about getting to the train station.
On the other hand, gas alone will cost significantly more than $42. And you can relax, nap, read, work, etc. in the train.
Interesting. In general, I don't think Americans even think of trains as an option.
I say, if the bible says Jesus existed, then we should be able to find many mentions of him in history outside the bible; he was no "bit player."
What is your basis for this statement?
Of course he was a "bit player", to everyone who you consider a reliable source. Messiahs were a dime a dozen back then. Another one being executed to keep the people from getting any stupid ideas about insurrection was not a momentous occasion.
The only people with an incentive to record his story were his followers. It appears they did so.
You do not think they are credible. Fine. That is your right.
But to expect to find a lengthy official record about someone who was of little note to the authorities of that time, and when there was very little documentation of anything, compared to today, and when very little of that documentation has survived until today, is quite silly.
The New Testament texts are more reliable than pretty much any other texts from that time period. Whatever criteria you use to throw them out as invalid will also apply to pretty much every other document from that time period or earlier.
Well if that shrinking minority of Christians just happens to be running the country, driving policy (banning gay marriage?) then people may well get that impression.
I think that is rapidly running its course. I think we saw a backlash against that minority in the last Congressional elections.
Although, I don't think "Christian minority" is accurate if you mean to imply that Christians are a minority of Americans. If you mean "a minority of American Christians with views rapidly losing power and influence in society", I think that would be accurate.
Actually, let me follow this up with a more concrete example. To do so I will spoil the previous episode of the show "Heroes", so be warned.
The superhuman serial killer Sylar, who kills other superhumans and takes their abilities, has overcome the scientist who captured him, who's father Sylar killed. Another superhuman character, Peter Petrelli, who also seems to be able to assume the abilities of other superhumans (but without killing them) comes to visit the scientist. A drop of blood falls on his head. He looks up, and sees the bloody scientist, being held to the ceiling by telekinesis. The scientist says the single word "Sylar".
Peter looks down to see Sylar standing in front of him. Sylar throws Peter against the wall and says "You're like me. Let's see how that works." Holding his finger above Peter's forehead, he opens an incision across it, with a telekinetic "scalpel" effect.
Peter screams. The episode ends.
I have 3 and 5 year old boys. Now, Heroes is very entertaining. I think it is a very well done show and they follow the consequences of the various abilities of the characters in a way that suspends disbelief fairly well, which is the hallmark of a good superhero show.
But what if my kids happened to be up late at someone's house who happened to leave the TV turned on to that channel without thinking about it? My 5 year old especially has a very vivid imagination, remembers everything he sees on television in great detail, and is still working out some of the details of what is real and what isn't.
Seeing something like that could fuck him up for weeks. I garuntee you he wouldn't forget it. He would ask questions about it. He might wake up screaming from nightmares. He might need counseling, for all I know.
TV very much CAN be like walking down the street in your neighborhood. There's no way you can know for sure what someone might have on when you visit their house. Many people leave a TV on a single channel for hours on end without really thinking about what's on.
And with a show called "Heroes", well, might some third party think "Hey, a superhero show. I bet the kids would like that."
"So don't allow your children in other people's homes," you might say. Well, then you are coming very close to "don't let your children walk down the street because it might be dangerous."
Yes, it is possible to go too far with "for the children..." arguments. But your attitude comes close to "Let's create environments as hostile to children as possible, because it's the parents responsibility to protect children from this stuff." Just making it so that parents can at least know "stuff on broadcast television between these hours will not involve superhuman serial killers torturing people" is not an undue burden on you nor a violation of your civil rights.
The idea that you should impart restrictions on what society can show on TV so your kid can "safely" watch TV, is ludicrous.
The idea that there is any meaningful restrictions on what adults can watch is ludicrous. Buy HBO. Buy DVDs. Watch video on the internet. Pay per view. Go to the movies. Netflix. Tivo.
There are, what, 4 broadcast networks plus PBS? If you're an adult, you can access pretty much anything else unregulated and uncensored.
Are you really trying to say you are unable to find sufficient sex and violence to meet your viewing needs?
However, such words as "murder, kill, maim, torture" etc. have no censorship, have no disapproval in polite conversation, and children can cheerfully use them frivolously in the playground to express themselves.
Slashdot Mirror
So it sounds like your brother is slowly working himself to death.
Did you notice the comment about the great-grandfather living to 86, despite the same work ethic? You may be right about the enjoyment aspect, but perhaps for some people the satisfaction of a job well done truly compensates for the lack of rest and leisure activities.
-jimbo
I remember one, retailing for around Rs 200, in which the left parenthesis key didn't work.
But, but, how in the world do you write Lisp programs on a computer like that??!!? How awful!
-jimbo
There's nothing to say pharmaceutical development and pharmaceutical production couldn't be effectively split up. As long as the government is still there to pay for pharmaceutical research, there's no real problem.
The drugs you use in Sweden were funded by the U.S. consumer. You don't have enough money in the Swedish government to develop the new drugs you need. Once the patent system is gone, the amount of money available for drug research will also plummet, barring a massive increase in tax revenues to replace that funding. (And for Sweden, wouldn't that put your tax rate somewhere north of 100% GDP?)
-jimbo
And it's not as though direct-patronage systems don't work, they've obviously worked fairly well in the past;
What empirical evidence do you have that patronage systems "obviously worked fairly well in the past"? What you are really saying is that the only art that will be created is art that rich people like, no?
it's also well understood that subscription services work very well in many media, where you pay less for any individual unit of information than to a continuous stream of information -- the value of such services would likewise be unaffected.
What motivation is there to pay for a subscription service instead of making a copy of your friend's copy of the subscription material for free?
-jimbo
This is a far cry from abolishing copyright.
This is absolutely abolishing copyright, and I think you know this.
-jimbo
Yer kidding, right? So the most talented musicians of our time are Brittney, Christina and Justin? You're going to put them on the same level as a Mozart? Or Prince? Or Maynard James Keenan? or Trent Reznor?
So your solution is a system where Prince, Maynard James Keenan or Trent Reznor are unable to support themselves creating music full time? Did you ask Prince, Maynard and Trent if they're OK with this?
-jimbo
It is written by folks working in corporate IT departments, small application shops, etc.
Should read "...is written by folks working in Bangalore, Hyderabad, or other low wage locations."
-jimbo
ow with video games things are even more extreme, they have absolutely no connection with reality, they might get inspiration from reality, but you next random WWII shooter isn't like fighting in WWII and GTA doesn't show the normal live on the street either.
This is an excellent, excellent point. Want to give kids some experience of the "real" world stuff like war? Show them school children screaming in pain because a car bomb just went off next to them, body parts lying everywhere, and there's nothing to do to fight back because the perpetrator killed himself as part of the attack. Show them doctors fruitlessly trying to help people who are going to die anyway, show them other kids standing helplessly, looking at the body parts of some of their friends, hearing the hideous screams of other friends not so fortunate.
How's that sound for a video game to introduce children to "real life"?
Peace be with you,
-jimbo
So what exactly is their justification for leaving DRM on the $0.99 tracks?
They think they can make more money that way?
-jimbo
Those dates are the dates of the times the stories appear to have been written, judging by the style of the writing and the issues that can be cross-referenced to the culture of that time.
Yes, that is what I was saying.
-jimbo
No. There is nothing available from that time period; the earliest texts are from 200-300 AD at best,
OK, what do you make of this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dating_the_Bible#Ap proximate_dates
I know Wikipedia is not infallible, but where did they get those dates from? Thessalonians is dated at 50 A.D., about 20 years after the normally accepted time of Christ's death.
Or this?
http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment .htm
"The importance of this fragment is quite out of proportion to its size, since it may with some confidence be dated in the first half of the second century A.D., and thus ranks as the earliest known fragment of the New Testament in any language."
Hoax?
-jimbo
We don't just know about the Greeks from the Greeks; we know about them from the Romans, from all over Europe in fact.
I only wish to point out that the Greeks were an entire nation. Jesus was a single individual. Easier to expect corroboration of the existence and exploits of a nation than a single individual.
Kings and generals and such are exceptions, of course. This is because they stand in as proxies for large groups of people in historical narrative, "Xerces marched on the Persians" or whatever. I think this also applies to Cleopatra, for example.
when we look at the writings they left and they say "there is a library here... a royal barge there... a temple here..." we actually find these things
I'm pretty sure a lot of things cited in the Bible have been found where the Bible says they are. I think you concede as much later in your post.
One specific event is reported in Matt. 27:45. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour...
A fair criticism. A good question to ask a skilled Christian apologist sometime. I admit I have yet to do so, and do not have an immediate explanation.
What it means is that the text we have today closely matches the text of 300 AD.
My understanding is that many (most?) historians believe that much of the text of 300 AD reflects accurately much of what was written much earlier, at least 70AD, maybe earlier.
I'm glad you also acknowledge:
The bible is known to have not changed since about 300 AD. It contains some broad strokes - kings and kingdoms, largely - that are historically accurate.
There's a lot of critics of Christianity that do not acknowledge even that, or claim that the Bible is the result of a centuries long game of "telephone". If you reject outright as unreliable any claim to supernatural events, that is your right, and I acknowledge you make some good criticisms. I think it is reasonable to agree to disagree about how much other writers of the day would have been interested in Jesus while he was living. I suppose you've given me a good amount of homework to do with your list of writers from that period.
Well, fun discussing this with you,
-jimbo
What other large electronics chains are left that I can buy at?
The Apple Store?
Insanely great service. Low key sales pitch. Genius bars. Free training sessions for lots of their products.
Of course, if you're shopping for something other than a Mac or an iPod you're out of luck. But I've yet to read of an Apple Store employee claiming to be egregiously underpaid or abused.
-jimbo
(remind me what is happening to foreclosure rates and home values)
I agree with most of what you are saying, but:
1. home values have had a pretty darn good ride. that they are coming down slightly after a meteroic rise does not mean the sky is falling.
2. I think the individual needs to take SOME responsibility for buying more house than they can afford. I'm sorry, but anyone who thought an interest only, adjustable rate mortgage they could barely afford when they started payments was a good idea is in serious need of a hard earned lesson in fiscal sanity.
-jimbo
There was no focus on technology in the Dot Bomb 90s?
-jimbo
This is about the scale of Washington DC to Pittsburgh. I'm not claiming that this would be a useful track (what do I know?), but it most certainly would be a start.
Like this?
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?page name=Amtrak/am2Route/Horizontal_Route_Page&c=am2Ro ute&cid=1081256321384&ssid=133
The cheapest fare I found for this route was $42, round trip. Takes a little under 8 hours.
Google suggests driving time between Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. is about 4 1/2 hours (need to adjust for traffic, of course). You can park exactly at your destination and use your car while you are there. You can leave at precisely the time you want to leave and not worry about getting to the train station.
On the other hand, gas alone will cost significantly more than $42. And you can relax, nap, read, work, etc. in the train.
Interesting. In general, I don't think Americans even think of trains as an option.
-jimbo
I say, if the bible says Jesus existed, then we should be able to find many mentions of him in history outside the bible; he was no "bit player."
What is your basis for this statement?
Of course he was a "bit player", to everyone who you consider a reliable source. Messiahs were a dime a dozen back then. Another one being executed to keep the people from getting any stupid ideas about insurrection was not a momentous occasion.
The only people with an incentive to record his story were his followers. It appears they did so.
You do not think they are credible. Fine. That is your right.
But to expect to find a lengthy official record about someone who was of little note to the authorities of that time, and when there was very little documentation of anything, compared to today, and when very little of that documentation has survived until today, is quite silly.
-jimbo
Throw out all of human history, then.
The New Testament texts are more reliable than pretty much any other texts from that time period. Whatever criteria you use to throw them out as invalid will also apply to pretty much every other document from that time period or earlier.
-jimbo
Well if that shrinking minority of Christians just happens to be running the country, driving policy (banning gay marriage?) then people may well get that impression.
I think that is rapidly running its course. I think we saw a backlash against that minority in the last Congressional elections.
Although, I don't think "Christian minority" is accurate if you mean to imply that Christians are a minority of Americans. If you mean "a minority of American Christians with views rapidly losing power and influence in society", I think that would be accurate.
-jimbo
I don't need to cite references.
I'm always amused by someone seeking to claim superior devotion to reason and in the process demonstrating total disdain for reason.
It says alot about /. that such a stellar demonstration of unreason is deemed "+5 Insightful".
-jimbo
Actually, let me follow this up with a more concrete example. To do so I will spoil the previous episode of the show "Heroes", so be warned.
The superhuman serial killer Sylar, who kills other superhumans and takes their abilities, has overcome the scientist who captured him, who's father Sylar killed. Another superhuman character, Peter Petrelli, who also seems to be able to assume the abilities of other superhumans (but without killing them) comes to visit the scientist. A drop of blood falls on his head. He looks up, and sees the bloody scientist, being held to the ceiling by telekinesis. The scientist says the single word "Sylar".
Peter looks down to see Sylar standing in front of him. Sylar throws Peter against the wall and says "You're like me. Let's see how that works." Holding his finger above Peter's forehead, he opens an incision across it, with a telekinetic "scalpel" effect.
Peter screams. The episode ends.
I have 3 and 5 year old boys. Now, Heroes is very entertaining. I think it is a very well done show and they follow the consequences of the various abilities of the characters in a way that suspends disbelief fairly well, which is the hallmark of a good superhero show.
But what if my kids happened to be up late at someone's house who happened to leave the TV turned on to that channel without thinking about it? My 5 year old especially has a very vivid imagination, remembers everything he sees on television in great detail, and is still working out some of the details of what is real and what isn't.
Seeing something like that could fuck him up for weeks. I garuntee you he wouldn't forget it. He would ask questions about it. He might wake up screaming from nightmares. He might need counseling, for all I know.
TV very much CAN be like walking down the street in your neighborhood. There's no way you can know for sure what someone might have on when you visit their house. Many people leave a TV on a single channel for hours on end without really thinking about what's on.
And with a show called "Heroes", well, might some third party think "Hey, a superhero show. I bet the kids would like that."
"So don't allow your children in other people's homes," you might say. Well, then you are coming very close to "don't let your children walk down the street because it might be dangerous."
Yes, it is possible to go too far with "for the children..." arguments. But your attitude comes close to "Let's create environments as hostile to children as possible, because it's the parents responsibility to protect children from this stuff." Just making it so that parents can at least know "stuff on broadcast television between these hours will not involve superhuman serial killers torturing people" is not an undue burden on you nor a violation of your civil rights.
-jimbo
The idea that you should impart restrictions on what society can show on TV so your kid can "safely" watch TV, is ludicrous.
The idea that there is any meaningful restrictions on what adults can watch is ludicrous. Buy HBO. Buy DVDs. Watch video on the internet. Pay per view. Go to the movies. Netflix. Tivo.
There are, what, 4 broadcast networks plus PBS? If you're an adult, you can access pretty much anything else unregulated and uncensored.
Are you really trying to say you are unable to find sufficient sex and violence to meet your viewing needs?
-jimbo
However, such words as "murder, kill, maim, torture" etc. have no censorship, have no disapproval in polite conversation, and children can cheerfully use them frivolously in the playground to express themselves.
Post Columbine, no.
-jimbo
The company just can't ignore such a massive swath of the market and expect to really break out.
Why should AAPL want to "break out", when they make as much profit as Dell and HP selling far fewer machines and taking on less risk?
At this point in time, with massive commoditization of PC hardware, ignoring massive swaths of the market seems to be the right business call.
-jimbo
I'm curious, does the parable of the Prodigal Son inform your beliefs in any particular way? It seems to address the issues you cite.
Peace be with you,
-jimbo