Ticket: $10 A bottle of water: $3.50 Gas (let's say it takes a little over a gallon to get there as I live in nowheresville): $3
Forget popcorn and what not. When all is said and done, it's costing almost $20 to go see a damn movie that, more often than not (lately, anyway), is not worth it. The last movie I saw in theatres was Return of the King becase that trilogy just NEEDS to be on a big screen.
I simply can't justify paying $20 to sit in a theatre when my $17 NetFlix subscription gets me 3 DVDs at a time with unlimited rentals. I can wait the couple months to see most of these movies on DVD.
Some background: I am currently an undergraduate in my last semester at Lehigh University.
At my school, there are two main undergraduate libraries on campus: The more liberal arts-oriented one (called Linderman) with creaking wood floors, hand-carved wood covering the walls and ceilings, and a very nice (no longer functional) fireplace inside the massive reading room; the other is the more "modern" library that has no need for a description...just picture every other "modern" library on campuses around America (called Fairmart amoung students).
Now, Fairmart has the majority of the library computers with the main concentration of such on the main floor. Every other floor has more computers. Linderman lacks computers everywhere but 9 in the main reading room. NINE in an entire library (obvious exceptions being in librarian offices).
With all this technology creeping into Fairmart, I see more and more of an interest among the student body to study in Linderman. Where there's technology, there's noise. It is virtually impossible to find a seat in Linderman during exams...even in the "haunted" basement.
I, for one, do not like this trend of technology creeping into university libraries. Even our beloved Linderman was just approved for renovations...what an uproar that caused amongst students. It seems like everyday we are losing one more quiet place where we can get away from it all and just bury our nose in a book to study.
As far as this electronic "paper" is concerned: I hope they make it as indestructible as my textbooks so I can throw them across a room when a concept doesn't make sense. Furthermore, when the switch to digital happens, what am I going to sell to other students to recoup some of the money that was gouged out of me by the bookstore? Surely, there will be some sort of DRM and they will still charge $100 for one book.
I agree with the parent. I have some basic rules that I follow when I put mmy AdBlock extension to use.
First of all, I never block ads on sites that I visit frequently. However, the second I see some annoying flashing animated GIF, it's blocked. I'm ALL for targeted text ads...I think they will be the saving grace of internet advertising.
Secondly, if the ad is some stupid "shoot the monkey" type, it gets blocked. MLM isn't my thing to support. To use/. as an example: Non-annoying ads for generally related products/services. And not 500 of them all over the page. Very well done. Add that to the option to pay for removal and you have a well-executed ad/subscription-supported site.
Let's forget the fact that hackers exist for a moment...
These companies would have millions of customers' data out in the open if they could? Personally, I'm glad there are people out there testing these systems to the extent that they are.
I live in a gated community in a town where crime is essentially zero, but we still lock our doors when we're not at home or when we're sleeping.
I might agree with you on some points. I feel, however, that knowing the "hard way" of doing things has its place. I see so many people that can't do simple calculus without the use of a calculator. I see even more where the concept of mental math on anything more than single-digit operands is lost. I believe that the "hard way" should be taught first and *then* (and only then) introduce these advanced calculators. Without fully understanding the ins and outs of basic mathematical concepts, how can we expect people to build on them?
People should see the calculator as a tool for getting calculations done quickly, not as something they rely on simply to get them done at all.
While it would be nice if everyone understood the methods of computers, most people simply will have no use for binary arithmetic in their adult lives. Get them adept at everyday math, first.
Also, assembly has its niche. For most things, however, the time and skill it takes is just not practical. When it comes to embedded systems, it is still nice to have the total control over the much more limited memory that assembly languages provide.
Now that you mention it, we should just get rid of computers altogether. I mean, if it wasn't for computers, we wouldn't be worrying about all this copyright infringement in the first place. While we're at it, let's get rid of Sharpie Markers since they can be used to break the protection on some disks.
There are LEGAL uses for DVD burners. I use mine for legal purposes all the time. It is for THESE uses that Sony, et. al. market their burners.
Couldn't you just buy a slower processor? Why buy a more expensive processor just to have it match a slower (read: less expensive) processor's performance?
Assuming my sister is home from prep school and I from college, this is what our network looks like:
Cable Modem
Netgear MR814 Router/Wireless AP - A dinosaur, I know, but has never failed me once.
2 Strictly-XP boxes.
1 HDD-less Dell Inspiron 8000 running m0n0Wall - Connected to WLAN via a Cisco Aironet 350 PCMCIA
1 Cisco ATA 186 for the Analog-to-VoIP deal. The whole house phone system is then connected to this using a Leviton M-Block.
1 Netgear router that creates another subnet. The m0n0 box is configured as the WAN for this router.
1 Fedora Core 3 machine connected to the LAN via the Netgear/m0n0 combo. Only sees use for web browsing by my mother.
1 FreeBSD box that serves no purpose as of yet.
1 Linksys WAP54G connected to the m0n0 subnet. Might eventually see use as a hotspot for my neighbors (all 5 of them). Still looking for suitable freeware Portal/Accounting software for this. Please email (or respond) with any suggestions.
Right now, I'm in my final semester of a Computer Engineering degree. Looking back, I think I made the right choice.
The CompE degree seems to be a great mix of EE concepts as well as CS concepts. While I despise my CS classes (could never program for a living), I love the ECE core on which my major is based. Either way, I know why I'm taking each class.
I saw several people say that EE provides the theory which is the best thing to know and it "makes you smarter." My problem with that, however, is the lack of programming experience I see a lot of EE majors get. Everything is moving towards minimal hardware with the major functionality coming from software-controlled microcontrollers. I feel like my CompE degree provided me with enough of a base on the theory that I could dive deeper if I wanted/needed to and a good base in programming so that I can program microcontrollers, et. al..
The CompE degree just seems to be more timely in this day and age of software-controlled hardware and makes you really marketable come time to apply for jobs.
Point 1 : Sorry, I don't have a Merriam-Webster. Apparently, that's the only correct source. How you misconstrued my comments as bigoted leaves me saying, "Hummmmunnawhat?" I have not made any comments against any group of people whatsoever.
Point 2: "Innocent people"? What exactly does that mean? Are you implying that gay people aren't innocent simply because they are attracted to the same sex? If so, who are these "innocent" people to whom you're referring? Surely you must mean the millions of straight people in this nation. All those "innocent" straight people having pre-marital sex and popping out babies at the age of 15. But hey, at least you know that baby wasn't a result of anal sex.
Point 3: HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) is spread through FLUID exchange, not just blood. Having unprotected sexual intercourse with anybody who is infected makes you vulnerable. You are no more vulnerable through anal sex than you are through vaginal sex. Also, there are wonderous products on the market that take care of the lubrication factor.
Point 4: I didn't say I condone sexual advances in the workplace. I was merely making a point on sexual advances in general. This is where you sound like a bigot. You seem to think that only gay people are the ones who would make said advances in a work environment. When you wouldn't hire an entire group of people based on whatever characteristic because you "don't want to spend [your] days" with them, you are prejudiced against that group.
How you think I am disappointed because you don't hate me is beyond me. I have no desire to have a beer with such an ignorant person. Thanks for the offer, though. Tolerance is part of the whole prejudice issue. You may not condone the lifestyle, but you should recognize and respect the fact that it exists and there's nothing you can do about it. By saying you don't tolerate the behavior, you are implying that everything you said about giving me a beer and working with me is a bold-faced lie. Your implicative methods of argumentation are insulting. You have not made one solid point that I can not refute based on the grounds that you sound like nothing more than an ignorant ass. Your "facts" are poorly founded and unresearched, at best. I would not be surprised if you say these things merely to get a response, but you are making yourself sound like an ignoramus.
Some down and dirty experience? Well, I'm gay. So, I think I have some real world experience with this subject.
I deal with people like you all the time. To still make comments like yours really shows how long we have to go in stomping out ignorance. You are a bigot, sir. There's no two ways about that.
You seem to still think that AIDS is the "gay disease." Well, welcome to the 1980s, here's your mullet. Gay sex doesn't make you any more vulnerable to AIDS than straight sex does. If protection isn't used, that's the risk you run.
So what if gay guys hit on you? It's not going to turn you gay. When women hit on me, I'm flattered. I'm not thinking, "Oh shit...they might turn me straight." If a conflict arises from a gay guy hitting on you, that is a problem with you, not the gay gentleman. If you aren't secure enough to handle that situation with a little couth, that's your problem.
I don't know who the hell you think you are with these "lesson[s]".
Congratulations, you can use a dictionary. You certainly showed me.
Last time I checked, "white men" aren't considered a minority in America. If you look at my original post, there is an obvious pattern of listing groups that are generally considered minorities in USA. Since you know how to use a dictionary, I assume you are capable of picking up on that.
Your argument is flawed in that you assume there exists some universal set of morals. There are plenty of people that don't agree with you on what is a "perverted" lifestyle. Your implication that homosexuality is a misuse of sexual intercourse only weakens any ground you were standing on before. Sexual intercourse is a means of reproduction, but many people use contraceptives to avoid this so that they can have sex just for the pleasure. Are these people also perverts?
I highly doubt that there are many employers who enjoy paying spousal benefits to their employees, but who are the employers to judge the employee's lifestyle? Perhaps your employees shouldn't receive a paycheck because, hey, wouldn't want that money to go towards something of which you don't approve. Whether or not this person is married is not your call to make. If their union is recognized by the state in which your company resides, you should pay the benefits as such.
What's more, I question how much research you've done in this area. Merriam-Webster can hardly be considered the definitive source on this matter since this subject can not be summarized in one sentence. Many studies (Hamer & Copeland [1994], Bailey & Martin [1995], et. al.) have shown evidence that homosexuality is biological in nature and people can not just STOP being homosexual. While there is still no clear-cut explanation as to how homosexuality occurs, it still exists elsewhere in nature (bottlenose dolphins, bison, et. al.). As a corollary to your argument that no one is gay "until they have sex with someone of their own gender," are you not also implying that no one is straight until they have sex with someone of the opposite sex? Did you doubt your heterosexuality until you had sex with someone of the opposite sex?
Furthermore, I don't know if you could call any argument seated in hundreds and thousands of years of history "irrelevant." Prejudice has existed since the beginning of the human race. Millions of people have died under bigotry. How can you call anything remotely related to this "irrelevant"?
At the risk of sounding redundant: no one is asking you to embrace homosexuals....
You like to fish. What if I was interviewing you and decided not to hire you based solely on the fact that you liked to fish? Or what if I found out after hiring you and then fired you? Replace your fondness of fishing with your race, your sexual orientation (and believe me, it's not a preference...no one 'prefers' to be the target of many religious zealots and bigots like you), your sex, your religion, or whatever else could be used against you.
It's unfortunate that we even need to put bills like this in effect. I can not comprehend bigotry because I just don't feel the same way. If you're the right person for the job, I'm going to hire you...plain and simple.
No one's making you "embrace homosexuality." Bills like this are an attempt to curb discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation, not make you want to go out and party with them.
Why can't Black people just embrace the fact that they're black and accept the good and bad that goes along with it? How about Asians, Latinos, and women, too? They should all just suck it up and deal with prejudice, right?
I can't get over ignorance like this. I feel like my IQ just dropped 50 points. I guess I'm even with you, now.
In today's world where ignorance seems to be praised by many, if there's any addiction we need more of, it's an addiction of information and learning more.
Defense - yes, but it is not exactly a service the citizens use directly.
Laws - Funny how a lot of the laws they've been passing lately take away some freedoms because some corporate lobbyist says to.
Transportation - So when they start using your EZ-Pass/Sunpass/Whatever to issue you a speeding ticket based on the times you pass through two tolls, you're not going to care?
Educate children - As they should.
None of your examples make a point. It may be (according to you) the government's job to provide the services, but at what cost to the citizens? Fine, if you don't mind being snooped on, use their free service, but what if they REQUIRE you to use their service so they can monitor your activities? They should provide these services with some basic rights to privacy being honored. If not, I don't mind paying for a service that I know I can control to some extent. And with their track record, I'm sure they're going to abuse their snooping powers.
I have found that people seem content with simply reposting stories that appear on hackaday.com. I understand that that is the essence of slashdot (i.e. finding interesting stories and aggregating them in one relevant place), but almost EVERY story from hackaday makes it to the front page of slashdot.
Perhaps people can just start checking two sites every day?
I hate when people try using test scores as verification of their abilities.
I know people that are dumber than a box of hair and still do well on tests. Why? Because they are good test takers. Having worked with these people, I can assure you my knowledge trumps theirs, even if they scored higher than I did on test X.
I scored a 5 on the Calculus AP. Does that make me good at calculus? No. I know people that scored 3s or 4s and could still probably show me a thing or two.
Slashdot Mirror
Ticket: $10
A bottle of water: $3.50
Gas (let's say it takes a little over a gallon to get there as I live in nowheresville): $3
Forget popcorn and what not. When all is said and done, it's costing almost $20 to go see a damn movie that, more often than not (lately, anyway), is not worth it. The last movie I saw in theatres was Return of the King becase that trilogy just NEEDS to be on a big screen.
I simply can't justify paying $20 to sit in a theatre when my $17 NetFlix subscription gets me 3 DVDs at a time with unlimited rentals. I can wait the couple months to see most of these movies on DVD.
Some background: I am currently an undergraduate in my last semester at Lehigh University.
At my school, there are two main undergraduate libraries on campus: The more liberal arts-oriented one (called Linderman) with creaking wood floors, hand-carved wood covering the walls and ceilings, and a very nice (no longer functional) fireplace inside the massive reading room; the other is the more "modern" library that has no need for a description...just picture every other "modern" library on campuses around America (called Fairmart amoung students).
Now, Fairmart has the majority of the library computers with the main concentration of such on the main floor. Every other floor has more computers. Linderman lacks computers everywhere but 9 in the main reading room. NINE in an entire library (obvious exceptions being in librarian offices).
With all this technology creeping into Fairmart, I see more and more of an interest among the student body to study in Linderman. Where there's technology, there's noise. It is virtually impossible to find a seat in Linderman during exams...even in the "haunted" basement.
I, for one, do not like this trend of technology creeping into university libraries. Even our beloved Linderman was just approved for renovations...what an uproar that caused amongst students. It seems like everyday we are losing one more quiet place where we can get away from it all and just bury our nose in a book to study.
As far as this electronic "paper" is concerned: I hope they make it as indestructible as my textbooks so I can throw them across a room when a concept doesn't make sense. Furthermore, when the switch to digital happens, what am I going to sell to other students to recoup some of the money that was gouged out of me by the bookstore? Surely, there will be some sort of DRM and they will still charge $100 for one book.
I don't know why, but I'm laughing out loud over this. I wish I had mod points.
And what about men who are quite clear on their sexuality however deviating from mainstream it might be?
I agree with the parent. I have some basic rules that I follow when I put mmy AdBlock extension to use.
/. as an example: Non-annoying ads for generally related products/services. And not 500 of them all over the page. Very well done. Add that to the option to pay for removal and you have a well-executed ad/subscription-supported site.
First of all, I never block ads on sites that I visit frequently. However, the second I see some annoying flashing animated GIF, it's blocked. I'm ALL for targeted text ads...I think they will be the saving grace of internet advertising.
Secondly, if the ad is some stupid "shoot the monkey" type, it gets blocked. MLM isn't my thing to support. To use
Yes, that's what I was saying. Locking my door is obviously a sign of agoraphobia. Get me to a clinic.
Let's forget the fact that hackers exist for a moment...
These companies would have millions of customers' data out in the open if they could? Personally, I'm glad there are people out there testing these systems to the extent that they are.
I live in a gated community in a town where crime is essentially zero, but we still lock our doors when we're not at home or when we're sleeping.
I might agree with you on some points. I feel, however, that knowing the "hard way" of doing things has its place. I see so many people that can't do simple calculus without the use of a calculator. I see even more where the concept of mental math on anything more than single-digit operands is lost. I believe that the "hard way" should be taught first and *then* (and only then) introduce these advanced calculators. Without fully understanding the ins and outs of basic mathematical concepts, how can we expect people to build on them?
People should see the calculator as a tool for getting calculations done quickly, not as something they rely on simply to get them done at all.
While it would be nice if everyone understood the methods of computers, most people simply will have no use for binary arithmetic in their adult lives. Get them adept at everyday math, first.
Also, assembly has its niche. For most things, however, the time and skill it takes is just not practical. When it comes to embedded systems, it is still nice to have the total control over the much more limited memory that assembly languages provide.
Now that you mention it, we should just get rid of computers altogether. I mean, if it wasn't for computers, we wouldn't be worrying about all this copyright infringement in the first place. While we're at it, let's get rid of Sharpie Markers since they can be used to break the protection on some disks.
There are LEGAL uses for DVD burners. I use mine for legal purposes all the time. It is for THESE uses that Sony, et. al. market their burners.
Couldn't you just buy a slower processor? Why buy a more expensive processor just to have it match a slower (read: less expensive) processor's performance?
~94.44 million SSNs assuming no hyphens and the usual marketing by disc manufacturers that 1 GB = 1 billion bytes.
At the risk of sounding like a karma-whore to all those people that accuse people as such, I have made a PDF of the .DOC
It can be found here: http://www.lehigh.edu/~mlt3/Unclassified.pdf
Right now, I'm in my final semester of a Computer Engineering degree. Looking back, I think I made the right choice.
The CompE degree seems to be a great mix of EE concepts as well as CS concepts. While I despise my CS classes (could never program for a living), I love the ECE core on which my major is based. Either way, I know why I'm taking each class.
I saw several people say that EE provides the theory which is the best thing to know and it "makes you smarter." My problem with that, however, is the lack of programming experience I see a lot of EE majors get. Everything is moving towards minimal hardware with the major functionality coming from software-controlled microcontrollers. I feel like my CompE degree provided me with enough of a base on the theory that I could dive deeper if I wanted/needed to and a good base in programming so that I can program microcontrollers, et. al..
The CompE degree just seems to be more timely in this day and age of software-controlled hardware and makes you really marketable come time to apply for jobs.
Point 1 : Sorry, I don't have a Merriam-Webster. Apparently, that's the only correct source. How you misconstrued my comments as bigoted leaves me saying, "Hummmmunnawhat?" I have not made any comments against any group of people whatsoever.
Point 2: "Innocent people"? What exactly does that mean? Are you implying that gay people aren't innocent simply because they are attracted to the same sex? If so, who are these "innocent" people to whom you're referring? Surely you must mean the millions of straight people in this nation. All those "innocent" straight people having pre-marital sex and popping out babies at the age of 15. But hey, at least you know that baby wasn't a result of anal sex.
Point 3: HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) is spread through FLUID exchange, not just blood. Having unprotected sexual intercourse with anybody who is infected makes you vulnerable. You are no more vulnerable through anal sex than you are through vaginal sex. Also, there are wonderous products on the market that take care of the lubrication factor.
Point 4: I didn't say I condone sexual advances in the workplace. I was merely making a point on sexual advances in general. This is where you sound like a bigot. You seem to think that only gay people are the ones who would make said advances in a work environment. When you wouldn't hire an entire group of people based on whatever characteristic because you "don't want to spend [your] days" with them, you are prejudiced against that group.
How you think I am disappointed because you don't hate me is beyond me. I have no desire to have a beer with such an ignorant person. Thanks for the offer, though. Tolerance is part of the whole prejudice issue. You may not condone the lifestyle, but you should recognize and respect the fact that it exists and there's nothing you can do about it. By saying you don't tolerate the behavior, you are implying that everything you said about giving me a beer and working with me is a bold-faced lie. Your implicative methods of argumentation are insulting. You have not made one solid point that I can not refute based on the grounds that you sound like nothing more than an ignorant ass. Your "facts" are poorly founded and unresearched, at best. I would not be surprised if you say these things merely to get a response, but you are making yourself sound like an ignoramus.
This is useless when you can't spare that space. I have 5 drives in a Lian-Li PC60 case. Filled to capacity.
Some down and dirty experience? Well, I'm gay. So, I think I have some real world experience with this subject.
I deal with people like you all the time. To still make comments like yours really shows how long we have to go in stomping out ignorance. You are a bigot, sir. There's no two ways about that.
You seem to still think that AIDS is the "gay disease." Well, welcome to the 1980s, here's your mullet. Gay sex doesn't make you any more vulnerable to AIDS than straight sex does. If protection isn't used, that's the risk you run.
So what if gay guys hit on you? It's not going to turn you gay. When women hit on me, I'm flattered. I'm not thinking, "Oh shit...they might turn me straight." If a conflict arises from a gay guy hitting on you, that is a problem with you, not the gay gentleman. If you aren't secure enough to handle that situation with a little couth, that's your problem.
I don't know who the hell you think you are with these "lesson[s]".
Congratulations, you can use a dictionary. You certainly showed me.
Last time I checked, "white men" aren't considered a minority in America. If you look at my original post, there is an obvious pattern of listing groups that are generally considered minorities in USA. Since you know how to use a dictionary, I assume you are capable of picking up on that.
Your argument is flawed in that you assume there exists some universal set of morals. There are plenty of people that don't agree with you on what is a "perverted" lifestyle. Your implication that homosexuality is a misuse of sexual intercourse only weakens any ground you were standing on before. Sexual intercourse is a means of reproduction, but many people use contraceptives to avoid this so that they can have sex just for the pleasure. Are these people also perverts?
I highly doubt that there are many employers who enjoy paying spousal benefits to their employees, but who are the employers to judge the employee's lifestyle? Perhaps your employees shouldn't receive a paycheck because, hey, wouldn't want that money to go towards something of which you don't approve. Whether or not this person is married is not your call to make. If their union is recognized by the state in which your company resides, you should pay the benefits as such.
What's more, I question how much research you've done in this area. Merriam-Webster can hardly be considered the definitive source on this matter since this subject can not be summarized in one sentence. Many studies (Hamer & Copeland [1994], Bailey & Martin [1995], et. al.) have shown evidence that homosexuality is biological in nature and people can not just STOP being homosexual. While there is still no clear-cut explanation as to how homosexuality occurs, it still exists elsewhere in nature (bottlenose dolphins, bison, et. al.). As a corollary to your argument that no one is gay "until they have sex with someone of their own gender," are you not also implying that no one is straight until they have sex with someone of the opposite sex? Did you doubt your heterosexuality until you had sex with someone of the opposite sex?
Furthermore, I don't know if you could call any argument seated in hundreds and thousands of years of history "irrelevant." Prejudice has existed since the beginning of the human race. Millions of people have died under bigotry. How can you call anything remotely related to this "irrelevant"?
At the risk of sounding redundant: no one is asking you to embrace homosexuals....
You like to fish. What if I was interviewing you and decided not to hire you based solely on the fact that you liked to fish? Or what if I found out after hiring you and then fired you? Replace your fondness of fishing with your race, your sexual orientation (and believe me, it's not a preference...no one 'prefers' to be the target of many religious zealots and bigots like you), your sex, your religion, or whatever else could be used against you.
It's unfortunate that we even need to put bills like this in effect. I can not comprehend bigotry because I just don't feel the same way. If you're the right person for the job, I'm going to hire you...plain and simple.
Yeah...cause you're not stereotyping at all. All gay guys are good with hair and clothing.
Are you joking or are you really that ignorant?
No one's making you "embrace homosexuality." Bills like this are an attempt to curb discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation, not make you want to go out and party with them.
Why can't Black people just embrace the fact that they're black and accept the good and bad that goes along with it? How about Asians, Latinos, and women, too? They should all just suck it up and deal with prejudice, right?
I can't get over ignorance like this. I feel like my IQ just dropped 50 points. I guess I'm even with you, now.
In today's world where ignorance seems to be praised by many, if there's any addiction we need more of, it's an addiction of information and learning more.
You're all missing the real issue here.
The submitter used a colon after a verb; clearly, this is the more important issue at hand.
None of your examples make a point. It may be (according to you) the government's job to provide the services, but at what cost to the citizens? Fine, if you don't mind being snooped on, use their free service, but what if they REQUIRE you to use their service so they can monitor your activities? They should provide these services with some basic rights to privacy being honored. If not, I don't mind paying for a service that I know I can control to some extent. And with their track record, I'm sure they're going to abuse their snooping powers.
I have found that people seem content with simply reposting stories that appear on hackaday.com. I understand that that is the essence of slashdot (i.e. finding interesting stories and aggregating them in one relevant place), but almost EVERY story from hackaday makes it to the front page of slashdot.
Perhaps people can just start checking two sites every day?
I hate when people try using test scores as verification of their abilities.
I know people that are dumber than a box of hair and still do well on tests. Why? Because they are good test takers. Having worked with these people, I can assure you my knowledge trumps theirs, even if they scored higher than I did on test X.
I scored a 5 on the Calculus AP. Does that make me good at calculus? No. I know people that scored 3s or 4s and could still probably show me a thing or two.