I think the first thing we'd see people doing is hacking in a cheaper and more convenient battery - at least before changing the interface. I myself would add a Mr. Fusion...
Actually, Japan seems to be a few years ahead in technology, but a few decades behind in social issues. Since video games are a mixture of the two, as opposed to, say, a cellular phone with a camera or fans that ionize the air they move, it's hard to tell if it will happen there first. I suspect it's most likely to be caused in Japan (be it from a console maker or multiple software developers), but the effects will show up in the US first.
If someone is in surgery and some insane person runs in and shoots everyone in the room, including the patient, in the head, they did not die from "complications during the surgery."
Similarly, if any patient died from falling off the operating table and the hospital tried to pass it off as "complications" and not admit it and settle would be very very poor, and some lawyer would be very famous.
Either way, I want some overclocked consoles just like I want an Amiga and a C64 once I graduate and have money from a nice job to build a collection.:)
Of course, no one said it has to be turned on all the way. Wouldn't a room even that size at maximum output be kind of blinding? As cool as it would be to have a room of ambient light, I don't think I'd want to have to have my eyes adjust going in and out of it.
I have no doubt I can still waste them in any online game I choose to play them at, but I wouldn't put it past them to beat on a lot of other people online. I got everyone in my uncle's family to start playing PC games when I fixed their computer last. (Isn't it fun to be the one in your family that EVERYONE calls for that?:) ) Anyway...
They have 4 girls in the house, and one who already got married and moved away, so there is no influence from brothers. In fact, I'm the only male among my cousins other than the oldest, who was adopted later anyway. (This is out of 14 kids total. 'Kids' might not be a good word, I'm 25, heh.) I gave them Quake 2 and GTA after restoring their computer and making the printer and scanner work for the first time since they bought it. They had to set up a system of sharing the computer after this, because ALL of the girls became hooked on GTA. The youngest, only 4, played it the most, but she turned down the sound because 'the people said naughty words at me'.
You just have to give someone the right game to get started on. Fishing Derby on the 2600 was enough for me, but I guess some girls need GTA.:) I certainly wouldn't want separate leagues, though, I'll shoot a girl just the same as a guy, and would expect them to do the same.
In every state I know of, it's illegal to drive without it on your person, let alone not having one issued to you at all. So, yes, you have to produce it if you are pulled over and asked for it.
Breaking even on something used as an accessory to a more expensive item isn't a new concept... selling video game consoles at (or below) cost and making it up on licenses from game sales, or first and second-party games, has been around since the Dreamcast, or so. (Without being an insider at a company, it's hard to tell for sure which was the first, but still, it's easy to find examples for this comparison. PS2 seems to be the only one that does not follow this model.) Still, depending on the licensing deal Apple has with BMI and ASCAP (or whomever they deal with), they could easily turn a profit at that price.
You must not have been there long enough to notice the trends in prices for sales of singles - they are generally discounted by half (or more) during their first week or two of release, in order to put the songs high on the charts. Then when everyone hears the song all over radio or by word-of-mouth, they go out and buy it at full price to "catch up". Unlike in the US, where songs can stay at #1 or on the top 40 for weeks, in Japan it's a genuine hit (heavy promotion or not) if it stays high more than a month, which hasn't happened in a while that I've noticed.
Stores that rent CDs and also sell CD-Rs is something I've never heard of, not even from the newest exchange students here. How soon ago was your trip? I doubt any publisher would ever consider licensing music for rentals like that in the US, in this market climate. Japan isn't too dissimilar from the US in that sense, that's why it's so amazing that it exists there.
Suppose, just for a convenient example, the Nebraska 'FCC' allows an Omaha station to broadcast at maximum power on channel 6, and the Iowa 'FCC' allows a Council Bluffs station to broadcast at maximum power on channel 6. Both of them completely interfere with the other, and unless you live just outside the range of one but not the other, you can't receive either. That'd be brilliant. Hence, we need a federal agency for this. Licensing of radio stations was the original purpose of the FCC, and they simply make regulations for things the courts nor Congress wanted to touch.
The public access channels are a good idea, it guarantees that anyone who wants to have some sort of show or air time gets it. There have been a number of public access shows that, if ratings were taken for them, would have led their market for their timeslot. Also, the cost of the channel generally falls on those who want to produce the programming. The cost of having a machine that will play a tape onto a channel is almost nothing. (My cable system might be an exception - the public access channel here has studios and cameras and other equipment that can be checked out by anyone who passes a course, all at no charge. None of this is required, however, they only have to have a facility for putting the shows on the air.)
There are some rules that were put into place for the benefit of business, however. The problem is that even though FCC board members cannot have any financial interest in any industry regulated by the FCC, it doesn't stop companies from offering them high-paying jobs for when they end their term with the FCC in exchange for putting favorable regulations into place.
Free market solution? Yeah, that'll be one company buying up anyone who tries to start up a station, and they'll make sure none of the stations in their monopoly interfere with each other.
While I agree that the FCC sometimes abuses its power, it is most definitely needed. If they go away, who regulates which stations can broadcast on which frequencies in a given market? But I suppose if you don't mind the interference...
In any case, what the FCC regulates regarding speech is done (usually) in the best interest of the public. Not everything they do which is only questionably within their power restricts speech, and definitely not to the benefit of businesses - mandatory cable public access channels, for instance.
It is. The businesses that were complaining were not manipulating their rank. They were complaining that adjustments made to fight abusers were adversely affecting their (deserved) rank, and therefore their business.
It's in the Constitution that Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce. They delegated that control to the FRC (Federal Radio Commission, later FCC.) I don't want to go reading the Constitution just to find the one line to quote it, but it is in there. That was all the authorization Congress needed.
"Oh wait, of course, the idea is that the banking community will adopt a common scheme with RFID chips acting as -- drum roll, please -- de facto universal identifiers. Mark of the beast if you're into neolithic supersition, or the long arm of warrantless, unaccountable federal law enforcement if you live in the modern age."
Or those of us who live outside of traditional boundaries might see those as one and the same...
I doubt pre-authorization would be necessary. In fact, why would balance checking be available from anyone but your bank itself? They'd only be able to perform an actual transfer, and the balance would either be sufficient or not.
Hardly... they were a site offering a legitimate business that was ranked high because they had content relevant to searches. (Since people searching for 'gift basket' were likely shopping for them.) The new search engine causes portal sites to be high ranked and knocks the actual stores down or even off the list? I hardly cal that 'useful'.
The FCC was always within those rights. They always have had the power to regulate interstate commerce, and radio waves don't just stop when they hit state boundaries, so for as long as broadcasting is a business...
Really? People here have called those dry-erase boards (on which you use dry-erase markers, of course) for as long as I can remember. The only place I see whiteboard used anymore are online programs (like MSN Messenger) that let you draw stupid smiley faces and bad Japanese at your cute (but taken) female Japanese friends online.
"The reason was, there had been no black applicants. This didn't matter, I was replaced with a black employee who had no education or qualifications. Basically, they yanked my position and posted the opening with the labor board intentionally seeking an employee based on their race.
This should be illegal. If nothing else, it's unethical. The result of affirmitive action, for me, was a general dislike for the "black community" and their political agenda."
That IS illegal. It's probably a bit late now, but you should have contacted the ACLU or some similar organization immediately. The employment laws all say "may not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex...", but nowhere does it say "this only applies if you belong to a minority group".
It's hard to prove someone was hired or not hired by discriminatory practices, but it's very easy to prove someone was fired for it, especially with the particular circumstance you had. (The HR guy asking why you have no blacks in your group, then replacing you with one, is kind of a hint.)
I've always thought there were too many lawsuits in this country, and with too much in the way of damage awards, but your case seems like one that actually deserves it.
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I think the first thing we'd see people doing is hacking in a cheaper and more convenient battery - at least before changing the interface. I myself would add a Mr. Fusion...
Actually, Japan seems to be a few years ahead in technology, but a few decades behind in social issues. Since video games are a mixture of the two, as opposed to, say, a cellular phone with a camera or fans that ionize the air they move, it's hard to tell if it will happen there first. I suspect it's most likely to be caused in Japan (be it from a console maker or multiple software developers), but the effects will show up in the US first.
If someone is in surgery and some insane person runs in and shoots everyone in the room, including the patient, in the head, they did not die from "complications during the surgery." Similarly, if any patient died from falling off the operating table and the hospital tried to pass it off as "complications" and not admit it and settle would be very very poor, and some lawyer would be very famous. Either way, I want some overclocked consoles just like I want an Amiga and a C64 once I graduate and have money from a nice job to build a collection. :)
Of course, no one said it has to be turned on all the way. Wouldn't a room even that size at maximum output be kind of blinding? As cool as it would be to have a room of ambient light, I don't think I'd want to have to have my eyes adjust going in and out of it.
I have no doubt I can still waste them in any online game I choose to play them at, but I wouldn't put it past them to beat on a lot of other people online. I got everyone in my uncle's family to start playing PC games when I fixed their computer last. (Isn't it fun to be the one in your family that EVERYONE calls for that? :) ) Anyway...
They have 4 girls in the house, and one who already got married and moved away, so there is no influence from brothers. In fact, I'm the only male among my cousins other than the oldest, who was adopted later anyway. (This is out of 14 kids total. 'Kids' might not be a good word, I'm 25, heh.) I gave them Quake 2 and GTA after restoring their computer and making the printer and scanner work for the first time since they bought it. They had to set up a system of sharing the computer after this, because ALL of the girls became hooked on GTA. The youngest, only 4, played it the most, but she turned down the sound because 'the people said naughty words at me'.
You just have to give someone the right game to get started on. Fishing Derby on the 2600 was enough for me, but I guess some girls need GTA. :) I certainly wouldn't want separate leagues, though, I'll shoot a girl just the same as a guy, and would expect them to do the same.
In every state I know of, it's illegal to drive without it on your person, let alone not having one issued to you at all. So, yes, you have to produce it if you are pulled over and asked for it.
Breaking even on something used as an accessory to a more expensive item isn't a new concept... selling video game consoles at (or below) cost and making it up on licenses from game sales, or first and second-party games, has been around since the Dreamcast, or so. (Without being an insider at a company, it's hard to tell for sure which was the first, but still, it's easy to find examples for this comparison. PS2 seems to be the only one that does not follow this model.) Still, depending on the licensing deal Apple has with BMI and ASCAP (or whomever they deal with), they could easily turn a profit at that price.
You must not have been there long enough to notice the trends in prices for sales of singles - they are generally discounted by half (or more) during their first week or two of release, in order to put the songs high on the charts. Then when everyone hears the song all over radio or by word-of-mouth, they go out and buy it at full price to "catch up". Unlike in the US, where songs can stay at #1 or on the top 40 for weeks, in Japan it's a genuine hit (heavy promotion or not) if it stays high more than a month, which hasn't happened in a while that I've noticed. Stores that rent CDs and also sell CD-Rs is something I've never heard of, not even from the newest exchange students here. How soon ago was your trip? I doubt any publisher would ever consider licensing music for rentals like that in the US, in this market climate. Japan isn't too dissimilar from the US in that sense, that's why it's so amazing that it exists there.
Your idea was good until you posted it here, and killed it with 'oral disclosure'. It was nice while it lasted though... :)
Suppose, just for a convenient example, the Nebraska 'FCC' allows an Omaha station to broadcast at maximum power on channel 6, and the Iowa 'FCC' allows a Council Bluffs station to broadcast at maximum power on channel 6. Both of them completely interfere with the other, and unless you live just outside the range of one but not the other, you can't receive either. That'd be brilliant. Hence, we need a federal agency for this. Licensing of radio stations was the original purpose of the FCC, and they simply make regulations for things the courts nor Congress wanted to touch. The public access channels are a good idea, it guarantees that anyone who wants to have some sort of show or air time gets it. There have been a number of public access shows that, if ratings were taken for them, would have led their market for their timeslot. Also, the cost of the channel generally falls on those who want to produce the programming. The cost of having a machine that will play a tape onto a channel is almost nothing. (My cable system might be an exception - the public access channel here has studios and cameras and other equipment that can be checked out by anyone who passes a course, all at no charge. None of this is required, however, they only have to have a facility for putting the shows on the air.) There are some rules that were put into place for the benefit of business, however. The problem is that even though FCC board members cannot have any financial interest in any industry regulated by the FCC, it doesn't stop companies from offering them high-paying jobs for when they end their term with the FCC in exchange for putting favorable regulations into place. Free market solution? Yeah, that'll be one company buying up anyone who tries to start up a station, and they'll make sure none of the stations in their monopoly interfere with each other.
While I agree that the FCC sometimes abuses its power, it is most definitely needed. If they go away, who regulates which stations can broadcast on which frequencies in a given market? But I suppose if you don't mind the interference... In any case, what the FCC regulates regarding speech is done (usually) in the best interest of the public. Not everything they do which is only questionably within their power restricts speech, and definitely not to the benefit of businesses - mandatory cable public access channels, for instance.
It is. The businesses that were complaining were not manipulating their rank. They were complaining that adjustments made to fight abusers were adversely affecting their (deserved) rank, and therefore their business.
It's in the Constitution that Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce. They delegated that control to the FRC (Federal Radio Commission, later FCC.) I don't want to go reading the Constitution just to find the one line to quote it, but it is in there. That was all the authorization Congress needed.
"Oh wait, of course, the idea is that the banking community will adopt a common scheme with RFID chips acting as -- drum roll, please -- de facto universal identifiers. Mark of the beast if you're into neolithic supersition, or the long arm of warrantless, unaccountable federal law enforcement if you live in the modern age." Or those of us who live outside of traditional boundaries might see those as one and the same... I doubt pre-authorization would be necessary. In fact, why would balance checking be available from anyone but your bank itself? They'd only be able to perform an actual transfer, and the balance would either be sufficient or not.
For the benefit of us who don't (at least, didn't until today) know the details of search engine terminology, what is a duplicate doorway entry page?
Hardly... they were a site offering a legitimate business that was ranked high because they had content relevant to searches. (Since people searching for 'gift basket' were likely shopping for them.) The new search engine causes portal sites to be high ranked and knocks the actual stores down or even off the list? I hardly cal that 'useful'.
The FCC was always within those rights. They always have had the power to regulate interstate commerce, and radio waves don't just stop when they hit state boundaries, so for as long as broadcasting is a business...
I'm rather patial to Master/Bitch myself, any problems with that as a replacement? Pimp/Ho worked well for me also.
Really? People here have called those dry-erase boards (on which you use dry-erase markers, of course) for as long as I can remember. The only place I see whiteboard used anymore are online programs (like MSN Messenger) that let you draw stupid smiley faces and bad Japanese at your cute (but taken) female Japanese friends online.
"The reason was, there had been no black applicants. This didn't matter, I was replaced with a black employee who had no education or qualifications. Basically, they yanked my position and posted the opening with the labor board intentionally seeking an employee based on their race. This should be illegal. If nothing else, it's unethical. The result of affirmitive action, for me, was a general dislike for the "black community" and their political agenda." That IS illegal. It's probably a bit late now, but you should have contacted the ACLU or some similar organization immediately. The employment laws all say "may not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex...", but nowhere does it say "this only applies if you belong to a minority group". It's hard to prove someone was hired or not hired by discriminatory practices, but it's very easy to prove someone was fired for it, especially with the particular circumstance you had. (The HR guy asking why you have no blacks in your group, then replacing you with one, is kind of a hint.) I've always thought there were too many lawsuits in this country, and with too much in the way of damage awards, but your case seems like one that actually deserves it.