Banks gouge the poor more than their better off customers, and payday loans at 300% often end up cheaper than bank overdraft and late payment fees.
I think you're blending issues here. Your statement assumes that a large portion of people are poor because they cannot effectively manage their money. That's a separate issue based upon (lack of) education and self control. Are these related to being poor? There might be A relationship, but it's not a direct cause and effect.
For those who are poor because of unfortunate life circumstances and who have the proper education and self control are much more likely to live within their (smaller) means may well be able avoid overdraft and late fees by simply not spending more than they have available. For these folks, the bank option would be far better for them.
"That's not ironic, it's just coincidential."
and later: "The use of words expressing something other than their literal intention - now that IS irony!"
Courtsey of Bender Bending Rodriguez
It's getting quite old to blame the world's problems on human nature not fitting into some Utopian dreams of what humanity should be, despite our overwhelming natural tendencies to the contrary. Stop spending your time complaining and come up with a solution to that compliments human nature and thus doesn't require causing people to resist and resent the movement.
I'm all for discourse, but don't end your otherwise very insightful post blaming all the world's problems on "greedy human nature" and instead work towards a solution that utilizes that nature.
That same human nature will help push people ever forward if there's an open incentive for them. Lets work towards developing worthy incentives to motivate all of those greedy instead.
Back when I was high school (2001 grad) in a decade-behind-everyone-else state, I took a laptop to school for a couple of years. No fuss was made because I used it mostly during off-times or asked the teacher permission before firing it up.
Is anybody else feeling really inadequate right now?
Honestly, I feel more proud than inadequate. I have no connection to this kid, but I'm proud of him for providing more proof that young scientists can still be top innovators. Hopefully this will inspire other youngsters to be more involved with science and spur further developments.
I think it's all a matter of perspective. As insiders (I'm an American) often see vast differences between our parties. It's more about the (oft hidden) over-arching theme of the party than in any individual law or immediate stance. Each party tries to (usually) shift the perspectives of the people by gradually changing laws toward their position.
We fight so hard over laws or policies that may look very similar because we are trying to create a change in the political system towards our grand views. Many feel that if we give an inch, then the other party will take a mile and that the country will be the worse for it.
From what I can tell about Europe, the governments there have parties that represent the entire gamut of political thought as major players in the system and campaign with their end-game theories and designs more clearly represented. As opposed to the American government where our 2-party system requires a shift in the thinking of a majority of voters (voters do, in the long run, impact the electoral college) to actually realize their goals.
I have a few forms of color blindness; through the years, I've been able to see shapes, outlines, and distinctions in colors that people without my color blindness have extreme difficulty seeing, or can't see at all. It's my understanding that color blindness varies from person to person, so why not either make a variety of color locks tailored just to the color blindness of the user? This could be done in a similar manner as the circular tests often used to diagnose color blindness. I understand this sort of lock is only openable by a very few people (and potentially a machine), but that could be a good thing depending on what is being guarded.
For anyone near Charleston, WV on Sunday, May 25th the Clay Center will be displaying streaming video from the Green Bank radio telescope that NASA is using to watch the landing. This event is free, open to the public and doors open at 6:30 pm.
Ah, thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of the issue regarding the non-lethal wounds or the objective of wounding vs. killing. I suppose that "laws" regarding ballistic tip bullets, which seem to provide even greater bullet expansion and increased shock than hollow points, simply haven't caught up with the technology.
I must say, I'm all for the shoot-to-wound philosophy. I understand, and am OK with, fighting and dieing (or rather making the enemy die) for king & country, but if it were me, I would rather survive the fight than not.
I think that you have it exactly backwards. For example, one of the primary goals of the Geneva conventions, other than laying out the rules for treatment of POWs, was to ensure that only weapons which deliver a quick and certain death, with the minimal amount of suffering, were used in warfare between signatories. This is why weapons such as the crossbow and others not deemed lethal enough were banned because they caused more agonizing deaths too frequently to justify their use in the face of better available weaponry (i.e. the only reason they would be chosen over a standard rifle would be to increase the suffering of the enemy which was not a valid reason under the agreement). This doesn't explain why the conventions have prohibited hollow point bullets. They kill much faster and are much more lethal than full metal jacketed bullets, but are prohibited none the less. I believe the conventions essentially claim that the hollow points hurt too much or something similar.
If I were to be shot to death, I would much prefer the expedited death from the hollow points.
I think you may have missed my point. I realize that suppressors only dampen noise, usually by a rated dB level, but they work through, in most cases, a system of baffles that slows the high pressure, high velocity gases before releasing them into the environment as noise. The gases the weapon emits are supersonic in unsuppressed weapons, the bullet could not be propelled to supersonic velocities otherwise. Also, I accounted for the remaining noise from the weapon by placing the listener-witness 50 meters away, the sound emitted from a suppressed weapon at 50 meters is going to be very difficult or impossible for a human to detect (depending on the weapon, the listener, etc.).
Its the same reason that bullets have that crack that movie goers have come to believe is the sound of a "gun shot", when it is really the sound of a sonic boom from a minuscule object travelling between one and three times the speed of sound (called "sonic crack" in the gun culture in America, not sure what the Europeans call it, can't be much different.) This is largely true, but a lot of the noise of a "gun shot" is from the very high pressure gas escaping the barrel, recoil management systems, and ejecting and chambering a new round if the weapon is automatic or semiautomatic. A silenced weapon is much quieter, but in many cases does not drop bullet velocity to subsonic until a good distance down range. If, say, the bullet is still supersonic at 50 meters, someone standing 1 or 2 meters from its flight path would hear a cracking noise from the sonic boom, but it would be quite faint.
Also consider an air rifle. There is no chemical explosion, but a few are capable of propelling the bullet to supersonic speeds and are similarly quiet to a silenced weapon at 50 meters in regards to bullet noise from it's shock wave.
The reasons that the practice of law essentially requires attorneys to not only have access to the current state of the law, in the form of either online databases such as West or LexisNexis, but to have the skills required to find applicable statutes and cases. Once the rules have been found, significant skill is needed to successfully articulate the findings in a coherent manner. Certainly these standards are relaxed in small claims courts and the judge is used to having to pry out arguments for both sides, but knowing which arguments to make about which issues is critical. Appellate judges are much less used to dealing with these issues, aside from convicted criminals, and are much less willing to do your job for you. The worst trouble Sheehan will face will undoubtly be the appellate court, if he makes it that far, but he may find an attorney willing to pick up his case pro bono (for free) because of the larger EULA issues at play. This could turn out to be a very important ruling for many people and companies.
I have spent the last 18 years living in South Charleston and am very concerned about our mayor. My own political views aside, Mayor Robb should place his vote for president where he sees it fit, but his electoral vote does not belong to him, but to his party and the West Virginia population as a whole. It is misguided and selfish for him to believe otherwise.
Slashdot Mirror
Banks gouge the poor more than their better off customers, and payday loans at 300% often end up cheaper than bank overdraft and late payment fees.
I think you're blending issues here. Your statement assumes that a large portion of people are poor because they cannot effectively manage their money. That's a separate issue based upon (lack of) education and self control. Are these related to being poor? There might be A relationship, but it's not a direct cause and effect.
For those who are poor because of unfortunate life circumstances and who have the proper education and self control are much more likely to live within their (smaller) means may well be able avoid overdraft and late fees by simply not spending more than they have available. For these folks, the bank option would be far better for them.
A new version of soylent green! Would it be Tang flavored?
I absolutely agree with your analysis and I'm proud to be one of those not taken into account.
Now we just need Prof. Farnsworth's smell-o-scope!
"That's not ironic, it's just coincidential." and later: "The use of words expressing something other than their literal intention - now that IS irony!" Courtsey of Bender Bending Rodriguez
Whether humanity should or shouldn't, while great for philosophical discussions, fails to actually get the desired results.
It's getting quite old to blame the world's problems on human nature not fitting into some Utopian dreams of what humanity should be, despite our overwhelming natural tendencies to the contrary. Stop spending your time complaining and come up with a solution to that compliments human nature and thus doesn't require causing people to resist and resent the movement. I'm all for discourse, but don't end your otherwise very insightful post blaming all the world's problems on "greedy human nature" and instead work towards a solution that utilizes that nature. That same human nature will help push people ever forward if there's an open incentive for them. Lets work towards developing worthy incentives to motivate all of those greedy instead.
Back when I was high school (2001 grad) in a decade-behind-everyone-else state, I took a laptop to school for a couple of years. No fuss was made because I used it mostly during off-times or asked the teacher permission before firing it up.
You know, sort of how the courts require plaintiffs to enumerate their complaints with specificity.
I would always just leave the clutch in rather than put it in neutral in case you have to get out of trouble.
Your throw-out bearing hates you!
Is anybody else feeling really inadequate right now?
Honestly, I feel more proud than inadequate. I have no connection to this kid, but I'm proud of him for providing more proof that young scientists can still be top innovators. Hopefully this will inspire other youngsters to be more involved with science and spur further developments.
I think it's all a matter of perspective. As insiders (I'm an American) often see vast differences between our parties. It's more about the (oft hidden) over-arching theme of the party than in any individual law or immediate stance. Each party tries to (usually) shift the perspectives of the people by gradually changing laws toward their position.
We fight so hard over laws or policies that may look very similar because we are trying to create a change in the political system towards our grand views. Many feel that if we give an inch, then the other party will take a mile and that the country will be the worse for it.
From what I can tell about Europe, the governments there have parties that represent the entire gamut of political thought as major players in the system and campaign with their end-game theories and designs more clearly represented. As opposed to the American government where our 2-party system requires a shift in the thinking of a majority of voters (voters do, in the long run, impact the electoral college) to actually realize their goals.
I have a few forms of color blindness; through the years, I've been able to see shapes, outlines, and distinctions in colors that people without my color blindness have extreme difficulty seeing, or can't see at all. It's my understanding that color blindness varies from person to person, so why not either make a variety of color locks tailored just to the color blindness of the user? This could be done in a similar manner as the circular tests often used to diagnose color blindness. I understand this sort of lock is only openable by a very few people (and potentially a machine), but that could be a good thing depending on what is being guarded.
For anyone near Charleston, WV on Sunday, May 25th the Clay Center will be displaying streaming video from the Green Bank radio telescope that NASA is using to watch the landing. This event is free, open to the public and doors open at 6:30 pm.
Or "NetBook Ether" because that's what you'd need to be huffed up on to be willing to pay $500 for that laptop.
Ah, thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of the issue regarding the non-lethal wounds or the objective of wounding vs. killing. I suppose that "laws" regarding ballistic tip bullets, which seem to provide even greater bullet expansion and increased shock than hollow points, simply haven't caught up with the technology. I must say, I'm all for the shoot-to-wound philosophy. I understand, and am OK with, fighting and dieing (or rather making the enemy die) for king & country, but if it were me, I would rather survive the fight than not.
I think you may have missed my point. I realize that suppressors only dampen noise, usually by a rated dB level, but they work through, in most cases, a system of baffles that slows the high pressure, high velocity gases before releasing them into the environment as noise. The gases the weapon emits are supersonic in unsuppressed weapons, the bullet could not be propelled to supersonic velocities otherwise. Also, I accounted for the remaining noise from the weapon by placing the listener-witness 50 meters away, the sound emitted from a suppressed weapon at 50 meters is going to be very difficult or impossible for a human to detect (depending on the weapon, the listener, etc.).
This is largely true, but a lot of the noise of a "gun shot" is from the very high pressure gas escaping the barrel, recoil management systems, and ejecting and chambering a new round if the weapon is automatic or semiautomatic. A silenced weapon is much quieter, but in many cases does not drop bullet velocity to subsonic until a good distance down range. If, say, the bullet is still supersonic at 50 meters, someone standing 1 or 2 meters from its flight path would hear a cracking noise from the sonic boom, but it would be quite faint. Also consider an air rifle. There is no chemical explosion, but a few are capable of propelling the bullet to supersonic speeds and are similarly quiet to a silenced weapon at 50 meters in regards to bullet noise from it's shock wave.
The reasons that the practice of law essentially requires attorneys to not only have access to the current state of the law, in the form of either online databases such as West or LexisNexis, but to have the skills required to find applicable statutes and cases. Once the rules have been found, significant skill is needed to successfully articulate the findings in a coherent manner. Certainly these standards are relaxed in small claims courts and the judge is used to having to pry out arguments for both sides, but knowing which arguments to make about which issues is critical. Appellate judges are much less used to dealing with these issues, aside from convicted criminals, and are much less willing to do your job for you. The worst trouble Sheehan will face will undoubtly be the appellate court, if he makes it that far, but he may find an attorney willing to pick up his case pro bono (for free) because of the larger EULA issues at play. This could turn out to be a very important ruling for many people and companies.
I have spent the last 18 years living in South Charleston and am very concerned about our mayor. My own political views aside, Mayor Robb should place his vote for president where he sees it fit, but his electoral vote does not belong to him, but to his party and the West Virginia population as a whole. It is misguided and selfish for him to believe otherwise.