1) You allude that there is something wrong with the healthcare we as Canadians receive. This is false, our care is very good. Is it "the best" maybe not, but it is certainly better than most citizens in the US receive (since most are uninsured).
2) There is something wrong with having to wait your turn to get treatment. There are two issues with this:
a) If you and I arrive with the same issue, but I arrive first, it is only fair that I get seen to first, and in most cases our wait times aren't much worse than anyone else's, IIMO that wait times are so short in many US hospitals because the insurance companies prevent people from being approved for treatment. This simply does not happen in Canada, if you need treatment, you get it.
b) in Canada if you arrive and your condition is more sever than mine (ie: I can wait without any harm to myself for you to be treated) the you WILL be seen to first. This is proper.
I also like how you brought up "Cuba" and "North Korea" as the comparisons to our healthcare system, and not any of the many others (who aren't communist) who share our 1 tier system. How sad of you to lower yourself to such scare tactics.
"There's no reason to have such a blocklist to begin with except to engage in censorship."
Your right, sort-of, you seem to imply that censorship is wrong. IMO, it is not wrong to censor. I whole-heartedly believe in blacklists. I just think that for the vast majority of cases (if not all) that blacklisting/censoring should be opt-in and that any blacklist should be publicly available and usable.
Take OpenDNS as an example. I've setup OpenDNS for myself and friends who have young kids to help filter out porn, drugs, violence, etc (as well as phishing, malware, etc). Its not 100% accurate, but it does work most of the time. Its certainly easier and more cost effective than setting up a private ipCop/SmoothWall firewall and adding URL Filtering, updating it, etc... (which incidentally is what I did in the past).
FYI: OpenDNS uses "Domain Tagging" to help identify false positives, and to allow its users (or anyone I believe) to report a site that fits a certain category (or report the false-positive).
As I said, I do believe that all blacklists should be publicly accessible (ala OpenDNS). If someone wants to use the list to find porn sites, that's their prerogative, if they use site to find and view content that is illegal in their country, then well, when they get arrested, its their own damned fault. Publicly accessible black lists serve two main purposes (IMO):
a) people can see just how much porn is on the internet, makes them aware that maybe they should talk to their kids about what and who is out there. You know, educate them instead of sticking their heads in the sand.
b) allows people to identify domains on blacklists that may be false-positives, request them be removed.
In any case, education and knowledge are key. The more you know about a subject the better off you are to make a decision, the better you can protect yourself and those in your care from things that may harm them.
PS: (Sparx 139) No, Censorship is never 100% effective, but it is effective for the vast majority of users. Saying something doesn't work 100% so don't use it is (IMO) a little silly.
Um, hrm.. my 7 year old neice knows it is wrong to call someone a fag, so how to these 13-17 year olds get away with it? 'cause they are not educated? bullshit. suspend thier accounts for 30 days.
Would GLBT people object if I said "I'm recruiting for a guild, we really only want heterosexuals pls, kthx." Of course they would.
Um, actually, most probably wouldn't... they'd then know to stay away from you and your kind;)
And as a point of fact, the GLBT guild was a GLBT "friendly" guild, meaning ANYONE could join, not just those in the GLBT community, their only restriction is that you are friendly to those in the GLBT community and you conduct yourself in a friendly manner... that mean not calling any of them queers in a derogatory manner..
OH! and on this calling people "gay". My gay friends call each other queer all the time... but it is sort-of like the "N-word", it is ok for people within and friendly to call each other that (generalization), but not those who are unknown or un-trusted.
IMNSHO, for simplicity's sake, nobody should use the words...
And before anyone jumps down my throat for comparing calling someone a "queer" or a "fag" with "nigger", yes, there are enough similarities, both are forms of HATE. Some one calling a black man "boy" or "nigger" is just as bad as calling a gay man a "faggot" or "queer" when the intention is the same hate-filled ignorance...
Blizzard needs to smarten the hell up and apologize before someone makes a point of bringing it up to the right people...
I for one am all for starting a gay pride day/parade in ogrimarr! Blizzard would have a hard time not tossing people who were stupid enough to yell "fag" off the server... I mean as long as thier character was "gay" what would be wrong with it? there are lots of heterosexual acts that happen in WoW and other MMOGs all the time, and this would'nt even be anything "sexual"... Man I'd play a gay-cow just to be in the parade:)
As for the no sexuality in Wow, um.. "Will dance for silver" anyone? I can't even begin to remember how many times I've seen a stripped elf dancing on the counter... or even worse.. a gnome *cringe*...
PS: how is gay not family friendly? unless there is something wrong with being gay? huh?
The Royal Bank of Canada's (royalbank.com) Visa Support line simply ignores user input until it is ready for it. If you've called in once, you know that you press 1 for English, well, if you try to do that the second it answers or anytime before it's opening speech is done, it ignores you. Also, at the main menu, and the very end of it's speech it tells you to press 0 for assistance, but you can only press zero AFTER the speech is done. You can press any of the other menu options at any time before. This is VERY frustrating when you know your question isn't answered by one of the given items, or that you need to speak to a customer service rep anyway.
With customer support like that it is a wonder they HAVE customers;) ( I actually cancelled my visa with them over this )
I don't think people are trying to be anti-tech. Many are just stating the obvious, that sitting with your kids and reading to/with them is much better then shoving a talking toy in their face. Kids already have one of those... the T.V... You can get the Baby Einstein series and then move up to blues clues, Dora, bob the builder, etc, but none of that is a replacement for positive person-to-person interaction or giving a child the tools (crayons, etc) to be imaginative.
Kids these days have very little to no choice but to become computer/tech literate. No worries there, I think where to worry is all about non-tech. Show me a kid that can draw, or write well (not on a computer) and I'll be surprised. Too many parents are relying on T.V., tech toys, consoles, etc to entertain their kids. If you want a child to grow mentally, then et them to use their imagination.
BTW: from experience with our nieces, the Leapfrog is cool, but doesn't do a good job of teaching, the child will be more likely to stab at the word then try and guess it's pronunciation. (cheating...)
"In addition, such a weapon is easy to detect and potentially intercept"
Yes, that's why the Missle defense program has failed almost all of its tests. And these are missles they know are comming, then know the type, and path. Huh..
Ok, maybe in the states you are hurting for nudity, but here in Canada, it's on as early as 8pm. Last week, ASN (TV network) showed the original version of Sword Fish, boobies and all. Most nights you can find boobies on CBC. Heck, CTV had Sopranos on un-edited two years ago. Our movies (though artsy and under funded) are often loaded with sex.
Poor U.S. Janet took what sex you had left away.
Two adolesents having sex at the age of 13-14 isn't really the problem. THe problem is when a 34 year old man attemts to seduce a 13 year old girl/boy.
The argument is really that the average 13 year old does not really understand the implications ans ramifications of what they are doing. Yet the older man is WELL aware of what he's doing.
The main issue is does access to "Child Pron" (as you all put it) make it easier for offenders to take tha next step?
Yes, however, the companies that finance those nascars use the cars to prove technology. Many a better drive-trane, etc has been developed initially for auto-racing or other such events. This is not like an earlier discussion on why the military funds research. The military may use the research for some 'evil' but without them footing the bill, many of the research that may ulimatly lead to a breakthrough civilian use could never be afforded.
Ofcourse, I'de love to see that idea put on a hydrogen powered NASCAR. Yeah...
Actually, the military is often responsible for funding many projects that at first, yes are only used by the military, but often start to be used by civilians for other reasons.
Researchers often have an idea, then slant it so the military will be interested in it. Why? So they get funding, once they have a working product, then they can then slant it back to civilian uses.
These are things you have to do in a country which spends large amounts of its public funds on military projects and not enough on civilian or projects for humanity.
He never said the he trusted all his friends to drive like an expert driver. It has to with being responsible, i.e.: don't lend your car to your idiot brother, but my buddy who's been driving for quite some time & I know drives responsibly, that is just fine. Many insurance packages cover you if your idiot friend wreaks your car, so I don't see why they shouldn't expect you to be responsible for choosing whom you let drive your vehicle, they have to pay out if the car crashes.
Meanwhile, i don't think it said ANYTHING about sharing information with insurance companies. That would take some wonderful hoop jumping. They MIGHT get away with sending you a ticket if you were 10+ kms/miles over the limit, maybe, sharing any info with companies though would be seen as invasion of privacy.
And no, it is different, fining you (or your idiot friend) for speeding, can help make the highways safer, raising your insurance on top is just over kill.
Yeah, right now they wear a little red mapleleaf with CANADA writtern on it. You see, that way they get treated well. I thought it was a Joke until I saw it IRL.
Sad that an American has to hide behind an Canadaina's symbol just to get treated with respect, then ofcourse, is not hard to understand why so many internationals hate the US. Look what the US Government (not the US People) have done to many of the forigners and thier homelands.
Worse still is that poor little mapleleaf is getting tarnished, as more and more foreing nationals begin to blur the line between Canadian and US citizens. Not only that be we are starting to get just as arrogant, just as blind to the problems.
BTW: I DO feel that biometric capturing is a good idea, I DO NOT feel there should be any exemptions though. I also feel that in the future, the US should require that countries with flights entering the US should also require such data collections. Why? What's the sense of tracking where people come & go if you aren't going to do it right. Great, "john Doe" enteredt the US, but what was his path before that?
It is not an invasion of privacy unless they are using that info to track you for profit. The idea is just to build a DB on who enters/exits, when, what happened around that time, how long did they stay. Did they enter/exit from the same point, etc... This info is useful when trying to narrow down a list of millions of potential threats.
IMO it could/should be taken further. Hell you live in a police state already, you just don't know it yet.
The thing is, most people who frequent bars (such as the average college kid), could care less if they are being tracked. By the time most students here in Halifax (legal age 19) get to the bar, they have already started drinking. The "dome" (bar) here has a similar program, where you can "join" and get a preferred membership (used to track how often you go, drinks ordered, etc).
Anyway, getting back to my point, Most bar goers will NOT abandon a bar becuse it tracks them, they won't care, it where they go to drink & pick up. The bar might lose some geek patrons, but geek patrons aren't usually the heavy drinkers;)
Okay, I hear this a lot, and the problem I see is that, too many people rely on the game to COMPLETELY entertain them. This is an MMORPG, Massively Multiplayer. MM should not just mean a bunch of people in the game at the same time. It means a bunch of people in the game at the same time interacting. I have a blast playing the game, as I have made cool friends in my guild (and friends outside my guild) and we often do guild activities (killing rebel scum, raiding tuskan fort, placing our houses & crap).
A MMORPG is what you make it. Thank god it's not all Hack & Slash like EQ or AC... that would suck. I like to think of it more of a community with PvP and PvE capabilities. I've met a lot of people who were ex-Sims Online players and really disappointed... they like SW:G better cause it allows them to do soo much more..
Saying it's not a game is silly. It is a game, but it's not a game that will do all the entertaining for you.
It is a very social game. So if you don't like being social, don't bother.
If we were to use your logic, then ANYTHING paid for by the public should be publicly available (including your SIN/SSN, Criminal/Traffic records, education history, tax hisory, etc.. these are ALL paid for by tax payers).
There's a thin line between parania and idiocy. If cameras are being used to monitor PUBLIC areas for PUBLIC safty, then what's the problem? Why should you or anyone else who is not working for the group that is monitoring public safy see the tapes? Mabe your looking for your g/f cheating on you, or your employee slacking off, etc, etc...
What your suggesting is just plain silly. Unless oyur doing somthing ILLIGAL you really have very little to fear from public cameras. Hell, I'de worry more about the cameras stores & businesses use. They can (in the future, through face recognition, etc) monitor what you buy, how much you spend, etc...
That's right! cause those dirty bookstore people will rat you out to the NSA/CIA/MI5/CSIS/{insert your fav govt. agency here).
Yeah.. I'm being SARCASTIC. God, get over yourself. IM(notso)HO: Those who DON'T break the law, have (virtually) nothing to fear from the Govt. All your info (name, DOB, ssi/ssn, ey-color, hair color, etc, vital stats, the govt has already if you have: Social Insurance Card or Driver's License, or if you've EVER been charged with a criminal offence.
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Two issues with your statements:
1) You allude that there is something wrong with the healthcare we as Canadians receive. This is false, our care is very good. Is it "the best" maybe not, but it is certainly better than most citizens in the US receive (since most are uninsured).
2) There is something wrong with having to wait your turn to get treatment. There are two issues with this:
a) If you and I arrive with the same issue, but I arrive first, it is only fair that I get seen to first, and in most cases our wait times aren't much worse than anyone else's, IIMO that wait times are so short in many US hospitals because the insurance companies prevent people from being approved for treatment. This simply does not happen in Canada, if you need treatment, you get it.
b) in Canada if you arrive and your condition is more sever than mine (ie: I can wait without any harm to myself for you to be treated) the you WILL be seen to first. This is proper.
I also like how you brought up "Cuba" and "North Korea" as the comparisons to our healthcare system, and not any of the many others (who aren't communist) who share our 1 tier system. How sad of you to lower yourself to such scare tactics.
"There's no reason to have such a blocklist to begin with except to engage in censorship."
Your right, sort-of, you seem to imply that censorship is wrong. IMO, it is not wrong to censor. I whole-heartedly believe in blacklists. I just think that for the vast majority of cases (if not all) that blacklisting/censoring should be opt-in and that any blacklist should be publicly available and usable.
Take OpenDNS as an example. I've setup OpenDNS for myself and friends who have young kids to help filter out porn, drugs, violence, etc (as well as phishing, malware, etc). Its not 100% accurate, but it does work most of the time. Its certainly easier and more cost effective than setting up a private ipCop/SmoothWall firewall and adding URL Filtering, updating it, etc... (which incidentally is what I did in the past).
FYI: OpenDNS uses "Domain Tagging" to help identify false positives, and to allow its users (or anyone I believe) to report a site that fits a certain category (or report the false-positive).
As I said, I do believe that all blacklists should be publicly accessible (ala OpenDNS). If someone wants to use the list to find porn sites, that's their prerogative, if they use site to find and view content that is illegal in their country, then well, when they get arrested, its their own damned fault. Publicly accessible black lists serve two main purposes (IMO):
a) people can see just how much porn is on the internet, makes them aware that maybe they should talk to their kids about what and who is out there. You know, educate them instead of sticking their heads in the sand.
b) allows people to identify domains on blacklists that may be false-positives, request them be removed.
In any case, education and knowledge are key. The more you know about a subject the better off you are to make a decision, the better you can protect yourself and those in your care from things that may harm them.
PS: (Sparx 139) No, Censorship is never 100% effective, but it is effective for the vast majority of users. Saying something doesn't work 100% so don't use it is (IMO) a little silly.
Um, hrm.. my 7 year old neice knows it is wrong to call someone a fag, so how to these 13-17 year olds get away with it? 'cause they are not educated? bullshit. suspend thier accounts for 30 days.
And as a point of fact, the GLBT guild was a GLBT "friendly" guild, meaning ANYONE could join, not just those in the GLBT community, their only restriction is that you are friendly to those in the GLBT community and you conduct yourself in a friendly manner... that mean not calling any of them queers in a derogatory manner..
OH! and on this calling people "gay". My gay friends call each other queer all the time... but it is sort-of like the "N-word", it is ok for people within and friendly to call each other that (generalization), but not those who are unknown or un-trusted.
IMNSHO, for simplicity's sake, nobody should use the words...
And before anyone jumps down my throat for comparing calling someone a "queer" or a "fag" with "nigger", yes, there are enough similarities, both are forms of HATE. Some one calling a black man "boy" or "nigger" is just as bad as calling a gay man a "faggot" or "queer" when the intention is the same hate-filled ignorance...
Blizzard needs to smarten the hell up and apologize before someone makes a point of bringing it up to the right people...
I for one am all for starting a gay pride day/parade in ogrimarr! Blizzard would have a hard time not tossing people who were stupid enough to yell "fag" off the server... I mean as long as thier character was "gay" what would be wrong with it? there are lots of heterosexual acts that happen in WoW and other MMOGs all the time, and this would'nt even be anything "sexual"... Man I'd play a gay-cow just to be in the parade
As for the no sexuality in Wow, um.. "Will dance for silver" anyone? I can't even begin to remember how many times I've seen a stripped elf dancing on the counter... or even worse.. a gnome *cringe*...
PS: how is gay not family friendly? unless there is something wrong with being gay? huh?
The Royal Bank of Canada's (royalbank.com) Visa Support line simply ignores user input until it is ready for it. If you've called in once, you know that you press 1 for English, well, if you try to do that the second it answers or anytime before it's opening speech is done, it ignores you. Also, at the main menu, and the very end of it's speech it tells you to press 0 for assistance, but you can only press zero AFTER the speech is done. You can press any of the other menu options at any time before. This is VERY frustrating when you know your question isn't answered by one of the given items, or that you need to speak to a customer service rep anyway. With customer support like that it is a wonder they HAVE customers ;) ( I actually cancelled my visa with them over this )
I don't think people are trying to be anti-tech. Many are just stating the obvious, that sitting with your kids and reading to/with them is much better then shoving a talking toy in their face. Kids already have one of those... the T.V... You can get the Baby Einstein series and then move up to blues clues, Dora, bob the builder, etc, but none of that is a replacement for positive person-to-person interaction or giving a child the tools (crayons, etc) to be imaginative.
Kids these days have very little to no choice but to become computer/tech literate. No worries there, I think where to worry is all about non-tech. Show me a kid that can draw, or write well (not on a computer) and I'll be surprised. Too many parents are relying on T.V., tech toys, consoles, etc to entertain their kids. If you want a child to grow mentally, then et them to use their imagination.
BTW: from experience with our nieces, the Leapfrog is cool, but doesn't do a good job of teaching, the child will be more likely to stab at the word then try and guess it's pronunciation. (cheating...)
"In addition, such a weapon is easy to detect and potentially intercept"
Yes, that's why the Missle defense program has failed almost all of its tests. And these are missles they know are comming, then know the type, and path. Huh..
Ok, maybe in the states you are hurting for nudity, but here in Canada, it's on as early as 8pm. Last week, ASN (TV network) showed the original version of Sword Fish, boobies and all. Most nights you can find boobies on CBC. Heck, CTV had Sopranos on un-edited two years ago. Our movies (though artsy and under funded) are often loaded with sex. Poor U.S. Janet took what sex you had left away.
Two adolesents having sex at the age of 13-14 isn't really the problem. THe problem is when a 34 year old man attemts to seduce a 13 year old girl/boy.
The argument is really that the average 13 year old does not really understand the implications ans ramifications of what they are doing. Yet the older man is WELL aware of what he's doing.
The main issue is does access to "Child Pron" (as you all put it) make it easier for offenders to take tha next step?
I think it does.
Actually, its spelled "eh".. not "ay".. that's closer to "aye" as in "Aye Capatin"...
Yes, however, the companies that finance those nascars use the cars to prove technology. Many a better drive-trane, etc has been developed initially for auto-racing or other such events. This is not like an earlier discussion on why the military funds research. The military may use the research for some 'evil' but without them footing the bill, many of the research that may ulimatly lead to a breakthrough civilian use could never be afforded.
Ofcourse, I'de love to see that idea put on a hydrogen powered NASCAR. Yeah...
Actually, the military is often responsible for funding many projects that at first, yes are only used by the military, but often start to be used by civilians for other reasons. Researchers often have an idea, then slant it so the military will be interested in it. Why? So they get funding, once they have a working product, then they can then slant it back to civilian uses. These are things you have to do in a country which spends large amounts of its public funds on military projects and not enough on civilian or projects for humanity.
He never said the he trusted all his friends to drive like an expert driver. It has to with being responsible, i.e.: don't lend your car to your idiot brother, but my buddy who's been driving for quite some time & I know drives responsibly, that is just fine. Many insurance packages cover you if your idiot friend wreaks your car, so I don't see why they shouldn't expect you to be responsible for choosing whom you let drive your vehicle, they have to pay out if the car crashes. Meanwhile, i don't think it said ANYTHING about sharing information with insurance companies. That would take some wonderful hoop jumping. They MIGHT get away with sending you a ticket if you were 10+ kms/miles over the limit, maybe, sharing any info with companies though would be seen as invasion of privacy. And no, it is different, fining you (or your idiot friend) for speeding, can help make the highways safer, raising your insurance on top is just over kill.
Yeah, right now they wear a little red mapleleaf with CANADA writtern on it. You see, that way they get treated well. I thought it was a Joke until I saw it IRL.
Sad that an American has to hide behind an Canadaina's symbol just to get treated with respect, then ofcourse, is not hard to understand why so many internationals hate the US. Look what the US Government (not the US People) have done to many of the forigners and thier homelands.
Worse still is that poor little mapleleaf is getting tarnished, as more and more foreing nationals begin to blur the line between Canadian and US citizens. Not only that be we are starting to get just as arrogant, just as blind to the problems.
BTW: I DO feel that biometric capturing is a good idea, I DO NOT feel there should be any exemptions though. I also feel that in the future, the US should require that countries with flights entering the US should also require such data collections. Why? What's the sense of tracking where people come & go if you aren't going to do it right. Great, "john Doe" enteredt the US, but what was his path before that?
It is not an invasion of privacy unless they are using that info to track you for profit. The idea is just to build a DB on who enters/exits, when, what happened around that time, how long did they stay. Did they enter/exit from the same point, etc... This info is useful when trying to narrow down a list of millions of potential threats.
IMO it could/should be taken further. Hell you live in a police state already, you just don't know it yet.
The thing is, most people who frequent bars (such as the average college kid), could care less if they are being tracked. By the time most students here in Halifax (legal age 19) get to the bar, they have already started drinking. The "dome" (bar) here has a similar program, where you can "join" and get a preferred membership (used to track how often you go, drinks ordered, etc). Anyway, getting back to my point, Most bar goers will NOT abandon a bar becuse it tracks them, they won't care, it where they go to drink & pick up. The bar might lose some geek patrons, but geek patrons aren't usually the heavy drinkers ;)
Okay, I hear this a lot, and the problem I see is that, too many people rely on the game to COMPLETELY entertain them. This is an MMORPG, Massively Multiplayer. MM should not just mean a bunch of people in the game at the same time. It means a bunch of people in the game at the same time interacting. I have a blast playing the game, as I have made cool friends in my guild (and friends outside my guild) and we often do guild activities (killing rebel scum, raiding tuskan fort, placing our houses & crap).
A MMORPG is what you make it. Thank god it's not all Hack & Slash like EQ or AC... that would suck. I like to think of it more of a community with PvP and PvE capabilities. I've met a lot of people who were ex-Sims Online players and really disappointed... they like SW:G better cause it allows them to do soo much more..
Saying it's not a game is silly. It is a game, but it's not a game that will do all the entertaining for you.
It is a very social game. So if you don't like being social, don't bother.
If we were to use your logic, then ANYTHING paid for by the public should be publicly available (including your SIN/SSN, Criminal/Traffic records, education history, tax hisory, etc.. these are ALL paid for by tax payers). There's a thin line between parania and idiocy. If cameras are being used to monitor PUBLIC areas for PUBLIC safty, then what's the problem? Why should you or anyone else who is not working for the group that is monitoring public safy see the tapes? Mabe your looking for your g/f cheating on you, or your employee slacking off, etc, etc... What your suggesting is just plain silly. Unless oyur doing somthing ILLIGAL you really have very little to fear from public cameras. Hell, I'de worry more about the cameras stores & businesses use. They can (in the future, through face recognition, etc) monitor what you buy, how much you spend, etc...
I prefer the Desert Eagle .50 myself. If your gonna put them down, might as well make it messy.
That's right! cause those dirty bookstore people will rat you out to the NSA/CIA/MI5/CSIS/{insert your fav govt. agency here).
Yeah.. I'm being SARCASTIC. God, get over yourself. IM(notso)HO: Those who DON'T break the law, have (virtually) nothing to fear from the Govt. All your info (name, DOB, ssi/ssn, ey-color, hair color, etc, vital stats, the govt has already if you have: Social Insurance Card or Driver's License, or if you've EVER been charged with a criminal offence.
Paranoia, it'll destroy-ya..