What about setting up roadblocks for a city of 200,000 people based on one localized shooting incident? It's not like San Bernardino is some tiny village, after all.
It'd be like closing down five blocks surrounding a liquor store hold-up. Either the government is grasping at straws, or their purpose for this survellance is pretty much unrelated to the incident.
The California High Speed Rail project has been in various phases of development for over a decade.
These things aren't built overnight. It also relies on voters getting passionate about funding it, which changes depending on how the economy's doing.
The former mayor of Palo Alto wanted to hold it up awhile ago, because he's basically afraid it'll reduce property values. The new mayor basically bragged to her constituents upon taking office about successfully holding up the project at added expense to the state. So, you have those kinds of obstructions to consider as well.
It easily beats having those people all driving themselves.
It also causes congestion in the city,
No, it reduces congestion in the city.
-jcr
No, it doesn't reduce congestion. It convinces employees working 40 miles away from the city that they can still live in San Francisco and don't have to worry about driving the commute.
Basically, it creates an inefficient working population living far from their place of work.
Chances are, far more would choose to live closer if they had to take public transit or drive their own car.
Vendors are flogging tablets over E-ink; why get a one trick pony when you can have a multi-tasker.
Truth is, the one-trick pony feels much better on the eyes after reading for any extended amount of time. Staring at a backlit LCD just burns out your retinas, and changes reading from a relaxing experience to a tolerable situation.
Exactly this.
Even the new Kindle Paperwhite is meant to be used with a backlight, increasing the likelihood of headaches and eyestrain.
Unfortunately, this is one of those cases where people just aren't informed enough as an aggregate to realize the advantages of non-backlit e-ink for reading.
The market demands tablets with outlandishly bright backlights, and companies provide them.
The NSA is a pack of dimwitted fuckers for pulling this, because the blow back when this was discovered (not if) would clearly far exceed any benefit they could possibly gain. Now, I think this might not be an entirely bad thing that they pulled this shit.
I suspect that as a result, the rest of the world is going to be deeply suspicious of the US in the future, and it is going to be much more difficult to maintain control of the Internet's key systems and keep them inside US borders as much as is possible. I also think this might kick off a new round of encryption and paranoia, which really is a good thing for consumers of tech resources in the long run. Bad for the spy types, because RSA1024 on everything will really put a damper on their ELINT gathering capabilities. They might have to go out and do some honest on the ground trade craft for a change.
Who ever is running the NSA should be sacked on the spot. Not for engaging in massive illegal wire tapping, but for being such a shallow idiot and not considering the fall out of being caught. You have to suppose that there are analysts writing papers about what will likely happen when they get caught, so the Director isn't paying attention to their own intel papers and projections. Fire him for being a fucking inept moron.
The rest of the world is barely surprised, and everyday Americans aren't educated enough to be outraged.
The recent Pew poll indicating a majority of Americans are okay with warrantless data aggregation is merely a sign of the times to come.
The supposed blowback from this revelation is barely a collective sigh, and front-page news-coverage already moved on to supposed chemical weapons in Syria and Iran's presidential election.
They don't give a damn about a few angered/. posters who swore off Sony because they couldn't run Linux on their game consoles.
They are, however, KEENLY aware of the legions of users who stopped buying shit from their online store and basically deserted the console following their leaving the customers' credit card data right in the fucking open.
My PS3 is a standing blu-ray player that isn't allowed to have a network connection these days for good reason, and I suspect Sony realized that there's no chance in hell of my buying their box if it required a net connection knowing their track record on the subject.
I buy pre-paid PSN cards, no credit card info required.
I don't trust Sony on any issue except occasionally coming out with pretty good games. That level of trust tends to work out well.
That being said, remember when Microsft came out with a console prone to widespread hardware failure? Remember incessantly sending those consoles in for repairs and/or purchasing new ones as they failed? Yeah, I remember it too.
I'm either on my 4th or 5th 360, I lost track after the third repair or so. My PS3 running launch hardware is still going strong....
In short, while I'm not a fan of either Microsoft or Sony, there are a lot of reasons why I'll be choosing Sony and giving the big middle-finger to MS this time around.
British Foreign Secretary on Surveillance Worries: '"Law Abiding Citizens Have N
What is N? Where can I get rid of N? Can I buy more N at the store? Should I be worried if I have N?
FFS, editors. FFS.
*head in hands*
Law abiding citizens have N.
N = e(N)suring servility despite a widening gap between the affluent and the poor via unyielding government oversight into every aspect of the life of every individual
In Australia we have a 0.05 limit on BAC plus a 0 limit on provisional (usually under 21) drivers. 0.08 is the point where you are obviously going to fail at driving. 0.05 is where you think you can do it but more likely than not cannot.
After seeing how friends dealt with the 0 limit on provisional drivers and in light of the fact I don't drive myself, I'd support a 0 limit - it encourages a lot of caution and forethought, particularly the morning after when you can still be drunk and might think it's just a hangover.
I don't disagree with the sentiment that people who are intoxicated should get the fuck off the road. There are other distractions drivers have to worry about, but drinking and driving is unnecessarily lowering your awareness, negatively impacting your response time and making your large heavy vehicle a hazard to everyone else.
At the same time, a 0 limit means you'd pretty much have to avoid all substances with trace amounts of alcohol, which would be difficult from a practical standpoint. Start looking at how many brands of mouthwash and similar products contain alcohol, and you'll see what I mean.
We get it, you don't have Facebook and feel the need to tell the world they don't need it either so that you can feel superior by being different. I don't have cable TV, but I at least understand that some people feel that TV has value and thus subscribe to it so I'm not going to go around telling everyone that because I don't want TV they shouldn't want it either.
Clearly, people see value in communicating with friends/family in a casual environment. I understand that.
The issue for me is, to use the TV example, my TV doesn't compromise the privacy of my neighbors and acquaintances, Facebook does. I'm not on Facebook because the potential value there is outweighed by my privacy concerns with the service.
Unfortunately, my friends and family *are* on Facebook. This means, as family members share private photographs of me and talk about me on Facebook, my privacy is compromised even though I never agreed to it. This is the real issue here.
"I have purchased several Humble Bundles over the years and also promoted it to others. I bought some where I never even played most of the games. Why? Because I believed in what you were doing. But I think you have betrayed your mission with this THQ stuff:
* It is not multi-platform, leaving Linux and Mac users out in the cold. * It is not direct download, eaving non-Steam users out in the cold. * It is not from indie developers. * It is not DRM-free.
I am very disappointed in what you did, and, to me, it severely taints your name and brand. I think you should be ashamed and hopefully you will get back on track."
Not to nit-pick, but you may come off as slightly dismissive in that e-mail.
Did you consider the cost and manpower it would take to port those games to Mac/Linux? Did you take into account the infrastructure, cost and services necessary if Humble Bundle provided direct downloads for all of those games? Did you include in your estimations the fact that THQ is on the verge of bankruptcy? What do you consider an indie developer, because you don't really make that clear, either.
Why are you against Steam as a form of DRM? Being against DRM is fine, but you should have a well-reasoned explanation if you don't want to give the impression of being a bit single-minded.
I feel you address your personal concerns and sense of effrontery very well, but you don't express your understanding of how their business works to an extent that would make your voice more likely to be heard. Just my two cents, best wishes and I hope you get a thorough response from the HB people.
THQ has been struggling, so they're trying something new. That's a good thing. If you don't want to buy it, don't. I did, as did many of my friends, and I'm quite happy with it.
Exactly. If this helps save THQ, it helps maintain the diversity of the marketplace, similar to how helping indie developers find success makes it possible to enjoy games we'd never experience otherwise.
Personally, I like the Saints Row series and wouldn't want someone like EA buying THQ and taking it over. This bundle is a great deal and money well-spent IMO.
No, but they did steal the emphasis on fun. Just like GTA, there are no boring missions where you drive your cousin across town to go bowling or play darts together.
I can see how you'd think that, but It's actually a discourse related to the cognitive dissonance inherent to the post-modern influx of cultural normativity.
Gartner Buzzword Tracker Says "Buzzword" Still On Hype Wave
Is a term used in an advertisement descriptive of a specific technology, item or service you can learn more about? If not, it's probably a buzzword.
Is a term used to describe things for which there is no set beginning and no creator or founder? If so, it's probably a buzzword.
It's not perfect, but it seems to me buzzword has a relatively specific (and useful) definition. I suppose we could all say "horseshit" instead of "buzzword," but that might not go over as well at the next all hands meeting...
Slashdot needs to update their text for buzzword compliance. Instead of "submitting" comments to Slashdot, it should indicate that I'm "syncing comments to the cloud."
A better approach would be to set up a Kickstarter campaign outlining all the work that needs to be done and who needs to be paid for their efforts, and how much money it will take to support this for 6 months or 12 months or something. They would sail past their reqested amount long before the deadline. Vaguely similar to the humble bundle approach in a way.
They could make a big deal out of how this approach means they avoid needing advertising sponsors.
The best bet for this kind of thing would probably be to rope in some reputable names to start a foundation and create a Kickstarter fund. Rules for a foundation can be laid on the table up-front, and potential corporate or individual investors can have a little more assurance that it's just not one guy who would take the money and run.
The barriers you would cross don't have to do with Kickstarter not being a great resource to start a new open torrent client, but, rather, convincing people your project won't just disappear into smoke in a year or two.
Impressive. I think this is the first time I've heard anyone threaten to storm an embassy. I haven't even seen the Chinese do this. Note to everyone: this is what happens if you threaten to thoroughly upend the balance of power, expose secrets everywhere, and generally fuck with people in power. If you do this, you better make sure you have an equally strong power backing you. Otherwise, you will spend the rest of your life in jail, regardless of whether you actually broke any laws.
On the upside, props to Assange. I don't think he saw this coming, but I do think that what he did was a service to the world.
While storming the embassy would be an immediate defeat for Assange, I can't help but think it would prove a massive victory for Wikileaks in the battle over public opinion.
Slashdot Mirror
What about setting up roadblocks for a city of 200,000 people based on one localized shooting incident? It's not like San Bernardino is some tiny village, after all.
It'd be like closing down five blocks surrounding a liquor store hold-up. Either the government is grasping at straws, or their purpose for this survellance is pretty much unrelated to the incident.
Ahem..
BART!?
Needs to be bigger, faster and fewer strikes.
The California High Speed Rail project has been in various phases of development for over a decade.
These things aren't built overnight. It also relies on voters getting passionate about funding it, which changes depending on how the economy's doing.
The former mayor of Palo Alto wanted to hold it up awhile ago, because he's basically afraid it'll reduce property values. The new mayor basically bragged to her constituents upon taking office about successfully holding up the project at added expense to the state. So, you have those kinds of obstructions to consider as well.
As opposed to SF? I think this story shows that SF is not known for overly rational people..
Sure, because we should judge an entire city due to a few crazy people. That's rational.
this is not as eco-friendly as you might think.
It easily beats having those people all driving themselves.
It also causes congestion in the city,
No, it reduces congestion in the city.
-jcr
No, it doesn't reduce congestion. It convinces employees working 40 miles away from the city that they can still live in San Francisco and don't have to worry about driving the commute.
Basically, it creates an inefficient working population living far from their place of work.
Chances are, far more would choose to live closer if they had to take public transit or drive their own car.
How about measuring how fast the NSA get a copy of all my stuff?
That depends on how fast your upload speed is.
We've heard from David Cameron that Snowden's leak "damaged national security."
Cameron made veiled threats suggesting he could take the media to court over publishing the leaks.
Government enforcers employed heavy-handed tactics to intercept, detain and threaten those even tangentially connected to the leaks.
Many were forced to destroy technical equipment in a quixotic quest to purge the unpurgeable.
Now, all of that failed. Predictably, this is the kind of horse shit they've resorted to slinging.
Vendors are flogging tablets over E-ink; why get a one trick pony when you can have a multi-tasker.
Truth is, the one-trick pony feels much better on the eyes after reading for any extended amount of time. Staring at a backlit LCD just burns out your retinas, and changes reading from a relaxing experience to a tolerable situation.
Exactly this.
Even the new Kindle Paperwhite is meant to be used with a backlight, increasing the likelihood of headaches and eyestrain.
Unfortunately, this is one of those cases where people just aren't informed enough as an aggregate to realize the advantages of non-backlit e-ink for reading.
The market demands tablets with outlandishly bright backlights, and companies provide them.
Seriously. What could go wrong?
You're ten years too late.
Whatever could possibly go wrong is already definitely going wrong.
The NSA is a pack of dimwitted fuckers for pulling this, because the blow back when this was discovered (not if) would clearly far exceed any benefit they could possibly gain. Now, I think this might not be an entirely bad thing that they pulled this shit.
I suspect that as a result, the rest of the world is going to be deeply suspicious of the US in the future, and it is going to be much more difficult to maintain control of the Internet's key systems and keep them inside US borders as much as is possible. I also think this might kick off a new round of encryption and paranoia, which really is a good thing for consumers of tech resources in the long run. Bad for the spy types, because RSA1024 on everything will really put a damper on their ELINT gathering capabilities. They might have to go out and do some honest on the ground trade craft for a change.
Who ever is running the NSA should be sacked on the spot. Not for engaging in massive illegal wire tapping, but for being such a shallow idiot and not considering the fall out of being caught. You have to suppose that there are analysts writing papers about what will likely happen when they get caught, so the Director isn't paying attention to their own intel papers and projections. Fire him for being a fucking inept moron.
The rest of the world is barely surprised, and everyday Americans aren't educated enough to be outraged.
The recent Pew poll indicating a majority of Americans are okay with warrantless data aggregation is merely a sign of the times to come.
The supposed blowback from this revelation is barely a collective sigh, and front-page news-coverage already moved on to supposed chemical weapons in Syria and Iran's presidential election.
In other words, we're pretty much fucked.
They don't give a damn about a few angered /. posters who swore off Sony because they couldn't run Linux on their game consoles.
They are, however, KEENLY aware of the legions of users who stopped buying shit from their online store and basically deserted the console following their leaving the customers' credit card data right in the fucking open.
My PS3 is a standing blu-ray player that isn't allowed to have a network connection these days for good reason, and I suspect Sony realized that there's no chance in hell of my buying their box if it required a net connection knowing their track record on the subject.
I buy pre-paid PSN cards, no credit card info required.
I don't trust Sony on any issue except occasionally coming out with pretty good games. That level of trust tends to work out well.
That being said, remember when Microsft came out with a console prone to widespread hardware failure? Remember incessantly sending those consoles in for repairs and/or purchasing new ones as they failed? Yeah, I remember it too.
I'm either on my 4th or 5th 360, I lost track after the third repair or so. My PS3 running launch hardware is still going strong....
In short, while I'm not a fan of either Microsoft or Sony, there are a lot of reasons why I'll be choosing Sony and giving the big middle-finger to MS this time around.
British Foreign Secretary on Surveillance Worries: '"Law Abiding Citizens Have N
What is N? Where can I get rid of N? Can I buy more N at the store? Should I be worried if I have N?
FFS, editors. FFS.
*head in hands*
Law abiding citizens have N.
N = e(N)suring servility despite a widening gap between the affluent and the poor via unyielding government oversight into every aspect of the life of every individual
In Australia we have a 0.05 limit on BAC plus a 0 limit on provisional (usually under 21) drivers. 0.08 is the point where you are obviously going to fail at driving. 0.05 is where you think you can do it but more likely than not cannot.
After seeing how friends dealt with the 0 limit on provisional drivers and in light of the fact I don't drive myself, I'd support a 0 limit - it encourages a lot of caution and forethought, particularly the morning after when you can still be drunk and might think it's just a hangover.
I don't disagree with the sentiment that people who are intoxicated should get the fuck off the road. There are other distractions drivers have to worry about, but drinking and driving is unnecessarily lowering your awareness, negatively impacting your response time and making your large heavy vehicle a hazard to everyone else.
At the same time, a 0 limit means you'd pretty much have to avoid all substances with trace amounts of alcohol, which would be difficult from a practical standpoint. Start looking at how many brands of mouthwash and similar products contain alcohol, and you'll see what I mean.
We get it, you don't have Facebook and feel the need to tell the world they don't need it either so that you can feel superior by being different.
I don't have cable TV, but I at least understand that some people feel that TV has value and thus subscribe to it so I'm not going to go around telling everyone that because I don't want TV they shouldn't want it either.
Clearly, people see value in communicating with friends/family in a casual environment. I understand that.
The issue for me is, to use the TV example, my TV doesn't compromise the privacy of my neighbors and acquaintances, Facebook does. I'm not on Facebook because the potential value there is outweighed by my privacy concerns with the service.
Unfortunately, my friends and family *are* on Facebook. This means, as family members share private photographs of me and talk about me on Facebook, my privacy is compromised even though I never agreed to it. This is the real issue here.
Good to know. Now tell me, which is the best sexual violation? Which is the best form of murder?
Of course I'm being facetious, but the point remains; The best of a bad thing does not make it good.
I don't know, but I can say with certainty that you're the best comedian in this thread.
My vote will shift, however, as soon as someone inevitably compares DRM to Hitler and/or raping children.
Reply to self....
Rather than complain here. I sent them an Email:
"I have purchased several Humble Bundles over the years and also promoted it to others. I bought some where I never even
played most of the games. Why? Because I believed in what you were doing. But I think you have betrayed your mission with this THQ stuff:
* It is not multi-platform, leaving Linux and Mac users out in the cold.
* It is not direct download, eaving non-Steam users out in the cold.
* It is not from indie developers.
* It is not DRM-free.
I am very disappointed in what you did, and, to me, it severely taints your name and brand. I think you should be ashamed and hopefully you will get back on track."
Not to nit-pick, but you may come off as slightly dismissive in that e-mail.
Did you consider the cost and manpower it would take to port those games to Mac/Linux? Did you take into account the infrastructure, cost and services necessary if Humble Bundle provided direct downloads for all of those games? Did you include in your estimations the fact that THQ is on the verge of bankruptcy? What do you consider an indie developer, because you don't really make that clear, either.
Why are you against Steam as a form of DRM? Being against DRM is fine, but you should have a well-reasoned explanation if you don't want to give the impression of being a bit single-minded.
I feel you address your personal concerns and sense of effrontery very well, but you don't express your understanding of how their business works to an extent that would make your voice more likely to be heard. Just my two cents, best wishes and I hope you get a thorough response from the HB people.
THQ has been struggling, so they're trying something new. That's a good thing. If you don't want to buy it, don't. I did, as did many of my friends, and I'm quite happy with it.
Exactly. If this helps save THQ, it helps maintain the diversity of the marketplace, similar to how helping indie developers find success makes it possible to enjoy games we'd never experience otherwise.
Personally, I like the Saints Row series and wouldn't want someone like EA buying THQ and taking it over. This bundle is a great deal and money well-spent IMO.
They stole that from GTA too?
No, but they did steal the emphasis on fun. Just like GTA, there are no boring missions where you drive your cousin across town to go bowling or play darts together.
Oh wait.
What's to prevent J. Random Hacker, or Ima Crookedcop from showing it a photo of my face, and thereby gaining access?
Easy, just use a type-written password.
Ooooh! Now I understand! It's a paradigm shift!
I can see how you'd think that, but It's actually a discourse related to the cognitive dissonance inherent to the post-modern influx of cultural normativity.
I thought Wave was dead.
This is Wave 2.0
Gartner Buzzword Tracker Says "Buzzword" Still On Hype Wave
Is a term used in an advertisement descriptive of a specific technology, item or service you can learn more about? If not, it's probably a buzzword.
Is a term used to describe things for which there is no set beginning and no creator or founder? If so, it's probably a buzzword.
It's not perfect, but it seems to me buzzword has a relatively specific (and useful) definition. I suppose we could all say "horseshit" instead of "buzzword," but that might not go over as well at the next all hands meeting...
Slashdot needs to update their text for buzzword compliance. Instead of "submitting" comments to Slashdot, it should indicate that I'm "syncing comments to the cloud."
+1 depressing
A better approach would be to set up a Kickstarter campaign outlining all the work that needs to be done and who needs to be paid for their efforts, and how much money it will take to support this for 6 months or 12 months or something. They would sail past their reqested amount long before the deadline. Vaguely similar to the humble bundle approach in a way.
They could make a big deal out of how this approach means they avoid needing advertising sponsors.
The best bet for this kind of thing would probably be to rope in some reputable names to start a foundation and create a Kickstarter fund. Rules for a foundation can be laid on the table up-front, and potential corporate or individual investors can have a little more assurance that it's just not one guy who would take the money and run.
The barriers you would cross don't have to do with Kickstarter not being a great resource to start a new open torrent client, but, rather, convincing people your project won't just disappear into smoke in a year or two.
Do you really have an expectation of privacy over the license plate hanging on your car bumper?
Aren't license plates like the opposite of private?
How about very specific knowledge of where you're going and when? Because, that's what we're really talking about here.
Impressive. I think this is the first time I've heard anyone threaten to storm an embassy. I haven't even seen the Chinese do this. Note to everyone: this is what happens if you threaten to thoroughly upend the balance of power, expose secrets everywhere, and generally fuck with people in power. If you do this, you better make sure you have an equally strong power backing you. Otherwise, you will spend the rest of your life in jail, regardless of whether you actually broke any laws.
On the upside, props to Assange. I don't think he saw this coming, but I do think that what he did was a service to the world.
While storming the embassy would be an immediate defeat for Assange, I can't help but think it would prove a massive victory for Wikileaks in the battle over public opinion.