"Why should all the electoral votes from a state go to just one candidate? And why should states get 2 votes added to their electoral college votes, independent of their population?"
Unless I'm mistaken the decision for all votes from a state to go to one candidate is made by that state. Some states do split thier votes, some do not. I could be wrong about that though and I do not really have time to do the necessary research right now. That is a valid question/suggestion though and not nearly as loaded as the original one.
"The current presidential system seems to have several shortcomings, including two-party duopoly and the ability to win the Election even after losing the popular vote"
While I agree that the duopoly is an issue(I'm independant and hate both parties equally) the ability to win while still losing the popular vote is not. If a candidate could win based on popular vote New York and California(VERY liberal states) would have far too much say in determining our President based on thier population. Under that system people in the midwest might as well not even vote. That part of the voting process is not broken, but if someone tries to fix it then it won't take long for it to be so.
You can easily save to other extentions by simply selecting all files and typing in the extension that you want. That is how I make most of my web pages. It sounds like you want Notepad to do more than it was meant to. It was meant to be something that you would take notes with, and to be a SIMPLE text editor. In that function it works perfectly.
uhm, that makes no sense. Notepad takes less then a second to open up. If the file is extremely large it takes a little bit longer to open(ie 3 seconds for a 1meg file on a bad pc), but that is because it is not meant for large files. Notepad is simply one of the best programs Microsoft has ever written. It is small, quick, simple, and works.
I love firefox, and use it for just about all my browsing, but it has plugin issues. I use IE for any java or flash pages I need to go to because it simply does the job better. For some reason the install of flash to Firefox does not seem to stick in Windows. I have not had the same problem in Linux.
I think "what's up with him" is probably the same thing has really driven me away from Slashdot. This used to be a great news site but the slant has gotten too great. If you don't believe me just try to submit a story showing something negative that IBM has done and see if it gets posted. How about something defending microsoft or showing a flaw with Linux. The story will never be accepted. The ones that are accepted seem to always have some sort of editorial built into them. Look I love Linux as much as the next guy, but that doesn't mean that I have to see it through rose colored glasses. I see it's flaws as well as it's strengths which seems to be more than most people around here can do. I used to check this site constantly throughout the day, now I check it maybe once a week.
First off is the usually OS visual and functionality tweaking. Then upgrading the Media player.
Ad-Aware Norton Antivirus Corporate Editon SpyBot Kazaa Lite(I have a backed up copy of an older version) Office 2000 Virtual PC Winzip Winrar FireFox WolfET
For a Linux box generally I can get everything I need except Enemy Territory installed durring the install.
You are ignorant for your attitude and by starting out with the name calling. I have no problem with serious debate, but it is obvious that is not your goal. I believe in challenging everything you are told and coming to your own conclusions, but that does not call for putting your best interests above the majorities.
I am not a police officer, I am a Windows Server Administrator.
You would obviously prefer a lawless nation where anyone could do anything that they want. I'm betting the moment something of yours is taken you would have no problem calling the police. Laws are in place to bring structure and safety to our society.
I don't think you really know what logic is, or atleast do not realize that yours is extremely flawed. If you screw up you are responsible for the consequences. I'm betting you are about 14 and and do not yet understand about responsibilities. The fact that you think a year is a crazy period of time only strengthens my assumptions. I have had enough of this mindless argueing with someone who cannot grasp simple concepts of civilization. Feel free to post your final cussing fuming response at me and how stupid you think I am. I am confident that I have adequately outspoken and outclassed you. I will not respond again as I have already wasted too much time on you.
It is ignorant people like you that make me not post on slashdot very much anymore. No I am not a cop, I am just sick of this give me everything free attitude here. I also don't care for unprovoked name calling.
You should just slap people on the wrist who blatantly defy the law. Is that what you are saying. Fines are useless, a little jail time is not, and we both know that if someone is sentenced to 1 year they will probably get atleast half that time in probabtion.
"Who the hell gets to say who deserves to spend more than 1% of thier life in a box?"
Are you so stuck on hating any form of authority that you can't see it is the individuals breaking the law that are to blame for them spending this time in jail? If the law is on the books, and you know it is there yet you still break it then you are the one saying that you deserve that time in jail plain and simple.
No body is trying to put everyone in jail, only those that deserve the go. How about telling these people to stop breaking the law instead of telling people to stop punishing them.
1. Using night vision goggles is not searching. If you believe that then you could claim that a person wearing perscription eyeglasses is illegally searching everyone he looks at.
2. Fines are useless. Yes our legal system is screwed up, but it doesn't mean that is it wrong about this penalty. You should not get more jail time than you would for burning a dog or cat, but that is not due to the jail time being too great for this, but the penalty far to light for animal cruelty.
The United States have our "OBSESSION" with punishment because FINES ARE USELESS!!!!! Do you know anyone that has ever stopped speeding because they got a speeding ticket? Fines are understandable for crimes that you can unknowningly commit, but taking a camcorder into the movie theatre to record a move is not something that you can unknowingly do. You have to look at the motivation behind the act to determine if a fine or jail-time is relevent. If you are knowingly commiting a crime then you need to be prepared for jailtime.
You have made some good clearly stated points and I believe I have as well. This has been a good debate, but we see things from a different perspective. I will make one final comment though.
It's too bad you didn't ask the same before believing the Iraq Weapons claims.
Actually I was against the war from the beginning. I felt that Iraq was not a real threat even if he did have WMDs, though I still do not doubt that Bush felt he was. I also felt that we were going into Afghanastan without enough proof. As it turns out we were right about Bin Ladin, and I am certainly glad that Sadam is out of power whether our war was justified or not.
Believe me I am not a Bush supporter. I just don't see a viable alternative. As for Kerry's voting record there is a nice chart here. The article is of course BIAS, but then again every article about politics is Bias. The chart is good though. For a source with far better source quoting try here If you can get past the fact that it is the GOP website. Finally for a completely unbiased look here is a link to his voting record. I notice quite a few instances where he was not voting. I have also read Kerry's website extensively and though I find him MUCH more tolerable than Howard Dean, I still wish there was a viable third candidate.
We can go back to the 2000 election campaign for starters. The points that Bush ran on, in no particular order or all-inclusive:
- That we could cut taxes, increase spending, while still maintaining a balanced budget.
- That we could change Medicare without harming it.
- That he would be a Uniter, not a Divider. He would change the tone in Washington away from partisan bickering.
- That we should have a humble foreign policy, more isolationist than a global police force.
I think you are mistaking being incorrect for lying. In all of these examples I think that Bush did truly believe he could do what he was saying. He has failed at all of these, and his opinion on the last one has changed since 911. Yes he is a failure, but that does not make him a liar.
The whole lead up to the Iraq war. A war of choice, I should point out, fabricated upon the belief that Hussein was a potential threat. With no regard for intelligent, reasoned debate on that choice, and a bullying attitude ramming down the throats of the American people this idea that Hussein had Nuclear and Chemical weapons at his disposal. Coupled with this same arrogant bullying attitude used towards our friends and allies.
Once again we cannot know what was going on in Bush's head but I tend to believe that he did think of Sadamm as a threat. Maybe the fact that Saddam tried to kill Bush senior did help to formulate that idea. Also the world in general did believe that Sadamm has WMDs. The fact that he kept kicking out the inspection forces made it look even more like he had them. It wasn't that he had no reguard for intelligence, just that all the intelligence pointed to the wrong conclusion. Hindsight is 20/20 after all.
In retaliation against Joe Wilson, Bush outed a strategic CIA operative... e.g. Wilson's wife Valiere Plame.
There is absolutely no proof or reason to believe that Bush had anything to do with this other than a desire to see him as an evil individual
In order to pass the Medicare bill, Bush lied to Congress as to what it's cost would be. Ok, maybe lying is a bad word, but he told them something that he knew was wrong, and he told the Whitehouse actuarial staff to not answer questions from Congress because they also knew the numbers given were wrong.
I admittingly have not followed this particular debate so I do not know all the details. You may have made a very valid point and indeed provided an instance where he has lied. I need to do a little research though before I am willing to conceed that point.
There's one difference, and this I find truly sad. The charges made against Clinton were fabricated and were done for pure partisan political advantage.
And you asked if I could listen to proof?
Then to top of all of this, at the National Press Club dinner, Bush had the audacity to make fun of the fact that he lied to the American people about the WMDs in Iraq. He thinks it's a joke.
He made a joke. There was no audacity and no admission to lying. There was a joke about not being able to find them.
This President is the greatest buffoon to ever hold this office. Even Richard Nixon didn't stoop to putting our nation at risk for partisan political advantage.
Alot of opinion here. I do tend to agreed that Bush has made A LOT of mistakes, but I don't believe that he has put our country at risk for partisain Political advantage. The only people he seems to be cattering to are the individuals that won't vote for him anyway. At this point it is pretty much a lesser of two evils. There is Bush who will bend over backwards to illegals and big business all the while not having any idea that he cannot do what he is promissing. Then on the other hand there is Kerry who will promise anything as long as it is popular, but when it is not popular anymore will switch sides. You can't count on him to stand for anything because he will change his mind next week. Situations like this next election are just further proof that we gain nothing from political parties and in the end are only hurt by them.
I asked for proof. You give me tape recording, signed documents, something solid I will believe it.
I tend to think that is more the Apartment complexes than the satallites. My complex allows dishes to be placed on the side of the building, the roof, or on a balcony. That pretty much covers everyone there.
Cable may be able to reach the VERY small percentage of places that cannot get a clear Satallite view, but Satallite reaches far more places that cable does not. At my old house I could not get cable, and despite trees all around the house they still manages to find a place to get the signal. I cannot really image a situation unless you are near mountains that satalite wouldn't work.
Ok, I'm sick off all this garbage. I did not vote for Bush and I'm pretty pissed off about alot of his actions, mostly in reguards to illegal aliens, but this is just getting rediculous. I am sick an tired of everyone out there calling the guy a liar without a shred of proof. All I am hearing is a bunch of conspiracy theory speculation. This is not some political website, this is Slashdot. You want to tell me Bush is a liar, Prove it. You want to tell me he is a bad President, OK that is your opinion and I tend to agree with it.
As much as some people would like to deny it Porn built the internet. Before that it fed the BBSes. It seems kind of obvious to me that despite what we have been told the first network was actually built because one geek called the other up and said, "Hey I got this great picture of a naked chick. You wanna see?" Porn, e-mail, and Wolf ET. Life can't get much better than that.
Situations like this is why you shouldn't feel guilty about downloading "illegal" music.
Um, I don't think anyone that downloads illegal music feels guilty about it. I know I never did. I don't really download anymore not out of guilt and it definately isn't out of RIAA fear, but because there hasn't been anything new that I've wanted in a long time.
God I am sick of this. Why does every story have to become a political debate. Yes I realize that this one has a connection to Bush, but the topic is perfect for discussing the future of space exploration, Mars, or just about anything space related that you could think of. I have a huge interest in politics and I enjoy political debates, but not here. I think most of us come here for science and technology news not peoples opions about who is going to screw up the country worse. It seems that is all politics really is anymore, just picking the lesser of two(or more) evils.
We can comunicate with a rover on the surface of Mars, but I still can't get broadband at my house. Well technically just about anyone could get satalite, but it is not adequite for games.
Keep in mind that if calls are recorded "for quality assurance purposes," it's possible that some unscrupulous employees might have access to those recordings. I forsee a web site or two devoted to funny recordings of people having irate "conversations" with automated call centers.
Where I work every call is recorded including ones made to other employees in the building. We have not set up a webpage, but there have been audio cds made on occation. In fact I have one full of nothing but "Deez Nuts" jokes.
Slashdot Mirror
"Why should all the electoral votes from a state go to just one candidate? And why should states get 2 votes added to their electoral college votes, independent of their population?" Unless I'm mistaken the decision for all votes from a state to go to one candidate is made by that state. Some states do split thier votes, some do not. I could be wrong about that though and I do not really have time to do the necessary research right now. That is a valid question/suggestion though and not nearly as loaded as the original one.
"The current presidential system seems to have several shortcomings, including two-party duopoly and the ability to win the Election even after losing the popular vote" While I agree that the duopoly is an issue(I'm independant and hate both parties equally) the ability to win while still losing the popular vote is not. If a candidate could win based on popular vote New York and California(VERY liberal states) would have far too much say in determining our President based on thier population. Under that system people in the midwest might as well not even vote. That part of the voting process is not broken, but if someone tries to fix it then it won't take long for it to be so.
You can easily save to other extentions by simply selecting all files and typing in the extension that you want. That is how I make most of my web pages. It sounds like you want Notepad to do more than it was meant to. It was meant to be something that you would take notes with, and to be a SIMPLE text editor. In that function it works perfectly.
uhm, that makes no sense. Notepad takes less then a second to open up. If the file is extremely large it takes a little bit longer to open(ie 3 seconds for a 1meg file on a bad pc), but that is because it is not meant for large files. Notepad is simply one of the best programs Microsoft has ever written. It is small, quick, simple, and works.
I love firefox, and use it for just about all my browsing, but it has plugin issues. I use IE for any java or flash pages I need to go to because it simply does the job better. For some reason the install of flash to Firefox does not seem to stick in Windows. I have not had the same problem in Linux.
I think "what's up with him" is probably the same thing has really driven me away from Slashdot. This used to be a great news site but the slant has gotten too great. If you don't believe me just try to submit a story showing something negative that IBM has done and see if it gets posted. How about something defending microsoft or showing a flaw with Linux. The story will never be accepted. The ones that are accepted seem to always have some sort of editorial built into them. Look I love Linux as much as the next guy, but that doesn't mean that I have to see it through rose colored glasses. I see it's flaws as well as it's strengths which seems to be more than most people around here can do. I used to check this site constantly throughout the day, now I check it maybe once a week.
Not taking sides here, but he asked for successful Windows to Linux conversion, not just places where Linux was installed successfully.
First off is the usually OS visual and functionality tweaking. Then upgrading the Media player.
Ad-Aware
Norton Antivirus Corporate Editon
SpyBot
Kazaa Lite(I have a backed up copy of an older version)
Office 2000
Virtual PC
Winzip
Winrar
FireFox
WolfET
For a Linux box generally I can get everything I need except Enemy Territory installed durring the install.
You are ignorant for your attitude and by starting out with the name calling. I have no problem with serious debate, but it is obvious that is not your goal. I believe in challenging everything you are told and coming to your own conclusions, but that does not call for putting your best interests above the majorities.
I am not a police officer, I am a Windows Server Administrator.
You would obviously prefer a lawless nation where anyone could do anything that they want. I'm betting the moment something of yours is taken you would have no problem calling the police. Laws are in place to bring structure and safety to our society.
I don't think you really know what logic is, or atleast do not realize that yours is extremely flawed. If you screw up you are responsible for the consequences. I'm betting you are about 14 and and do not yet understand about responsibilities. The fact that you think a year is a crazy period of time only strengthens my assumptions. I have had enough of this mindless argueing with someone who cannot grasp simple concepts of civilization. Feel free to post your final cussing fuming response at me and how stupid you think I am. I am confident that I have adequately outspoken and outclassed you. I will not respond again as I have already wasted too much time on you.
It is ignorant people like you that make me not post on slashdot very much anymore. No I am not a cop, I am just sick of this give me everything free attitude here. I also don't care for unprovoked name calling.
You should just slap people on the wrist who blatantly defy the law. Is that what you are saying. Fines are useless, a little jail time is not, and we both know that if someone is sentenced to 1 year they will probably get atleast half that time in probabtion.
"Who the hell gets to say who deserves to spend more than 1% of thier life in a box?"
Are you so stuck on hating any form of authority that you can't see it is the individuals breaking the law that are to blame for them spending this time in jail? If the law is on the books, and you know it is there yet you still break it then you are the one saying that you deserve that time in jail plain and simple.
No body is trying to put everyone in jail, only those that deserve the go. How about telling these people to stop breaking the law instead of telling people to stop punishing them.
1. Using night vision goggles is not searching. If you believe that then you could claim that a person wearing perscription eyeglasses is illegally searching everyone he looks at. 2. Fines are useless. Yes our legal system is screwed up, but it doesn't mean that is it wrong about this penalty. You should not get more jail time than you would for burning a dog or cat, but that is not due to the jail time being too great for this, but the penalty far to light for animal cruelty.
The United States have our "OBSESSION" with punishment because FINES ARE USELESS!!!!! Do you know anyone that has ever stopped speeding because they got a speeding ticket? Fines are understandable for crimes that you can unknowningly commit, but taking a camcorder into the movie theatre to record a move is not something that you can unknowingly do. You have to look at the motivation behind the act to determine if a fine or jail-time is relevent. If you are knowingly commiting a crime then you need to be prepared for jailtime.
You have made some good clearly stated points and I believe I have as well. This has been a good debate, but we see things from a different perspective. I will make one final comment though.
It's too bad you didn't ask the same before believing the Iraq Weapons claims.
Actually I was against the war from the beginning. I felt that Iraq was not a real threat even if he did have WMDs, though I still do not doubt that Bush felt he was. I also felt that we were going into Afghanastan without enough proof. As it turns out we were right about Bin Ladin, and I am certainly glad that Sadam is out of power whether our war was justified or not.
Believe me I am not a Bush supporter. I just don't see a viable alternative. As for Kerry's voting record there is a nice chart here. The article is of course BIAS, but then again every article about politics is Bias. The chart is good though. For a source with far better source quoting try here If you can get past the fact that it is the GOP website. Finally for a completely unbiased look here is a link to his voting record. I notice quite a few instances where he was not voting. I have also read Kerry's website extensively and though I find him MUCH more tolerable than Howard Dean, I still wish there was a viable third candidate.
We can go back to the 2000 election campaign for starters. The points that Bush ran on, in no particular order or all-inclusive: - That we could cut taxes, increase spending, while still maintaining a balanced budget. - That we could change Medicare without harming it. - That he would be a Uniter, not a Divider. He would change the tone in Washington away from partisan bickering. - That we should have a humble foreign policy, more isolationist than a global police force.
I think you are mistaking being incorrect for lying. In all of these examples I think that Bush did truly believe he could do what he was saying. He has failed at all of these, and his opinion on the last one has changed since 911. Yes he is a failure, but that does not make him a liar.
The whole lead up to the Iraq war. A war of choice, I should point out, fabricated upon the belief that Hussein was a potential threat. With no regard for intelligent, reasoned debate on that choice, and a bullying attitude ramming down the throats of the American people this idea that Hussein had Nuclear and Chemical weapons at his disposal. Coupled with this same arrogant bullying attitude used towards our friends and allies.
Once again we cannot know what was going on in Bush's head but I tend to believe that he did think of Sadamm as a threat. Maybe the fact that Saddam tried to kill Bush senior did help to formulate that idea. Also the world in general did believe that Sadamm has WMDs. The fact that he kept kicking out the inspection forces made it look even more like he had them. It wasn't that he had no reguard for intelligence, just that all the intelligence pointed to the wrong conclusion. Hindsight is 20/20 after all.
In retaliation against Joe Wilson, Bush outed a strategic CIA operative... e.g. Wilson's wife Valiere Plame.
There is absolutely no proof or reason to believe that Bush had anything to do with this other than a desire to see him as an evil individual
In order to pass the Medicare bill, Bush lied to Congress as to what it's cost would be. Ok, maybe lying is a bad word, but he told them something that he knew was wrong, and he told the Whitehouse actuarial staff to not answer questions from Congress because they also knew the numbers given were wrong.
I admittingly have not followed this particular debate so I do not know all the details. You may have made a very valid point and indeed provided an instance where he has lied. I need to do a little research though before I am willing to conceed that point.
There's one difference, and this I find truly sad. The charges made against Clinton were fabricated and were done for pure partisan political advantage.
And you asked if I could listen to proof?
Then to top of all of this, at the National Press Club dinner, Bush had the audacity to make fun of the fact that he lied to the American people about the WMDs in Iraq. He thinks it's a joke.
He made a joke. There was no audacity and no admission to lying. There was a joke about not being able to find them.
This President is the greatest buffoon to ever hold this office. Even Richard Nixon didn't stoop to putting our nation at risk for partisan political advantage.
Alot of opinion here. I do tend to agreed that Bush has made A LOT of mistakes, but I don't believe that he has put our country at risk for partisain Political advantage. The only people he seems to be cattering to are the individuals that won't vote for him anyway. At this point it is pretty much a lesser of two evils. There is Bush who will bend over backwards to illegals and big business all the while not having any idea that he cannot do what he is promissing. Then on the other hand there is Kerry who will promise anything as long as it is popular, but when it is not popular anymore will switch sides. You can't count on him to stand for anything because he will change his mind next week. Situations like this next election are just further proof that we gain nothing from political parties and in the end are only hurt by them.
I asked for proof. You give me tape recording, signed documents, something solid I will believe it.
I tend to think that is more the Apartment complexes than the satallites. My complex allows dishes to be placed on the side of the building, the roof, or on a balcony. That pretty much covers everyone there.
Or another example. I could choose Bush or I could choose Kerry. Once again only bad choices.
Cable may be able to reach the VERY small percentage of places that cannot get a clear Satallite view, but Satallite reaches far more places that cable does not. At my old house I could not get cable, and despite trees all around the house they still manages to find a place to get the signal. I cannot really image a situation unless you are near mountains that satalite wouldn't work.
Ok, I'm sick off all this garbage. I did not vote for Bush and I'm pretty pissed off about alot of his actions, mostly in reguards to illegal aliens, but this is just getting rediculous. I am sick an tired of everyone out there calling the guy a liar without a shred of proof. All I am hearing is a bunch of conspiracy theory speculation. This is not some political website, this is Slashdot. You want to tell me Bush is a liar, Prove it. You want to tell me he is a bad President, OK that is your opinion and I tend to agree with it.
Now if extortion for the pictures I have on my flash stick doesn't work I can just stab the guy. Thanks Victorinox.
As much as some people would like to deny it Porn built the internet. Before that it fed the BBSes. It seems kind of obvious to me that despite what we have been told the first network was actually built because one geek called the other up and said, "Hey I got this great picture of a naked chick. You wanna see?" Porn, e-mail, and Wolf ET. Life can't get much better than that.
Situations like this is why you shouldn't feel guilty about downloading "illegal" music.
Um, I don't think anyone that downloads illegal music feels guilty about it. I know I never did. I don't really download anymore not out of guilt and it definately isn't out of RIAA fear, but because there hasn't been anything new that I've wanted in a long time.
God I am sick of this. Why does every story have to become a political debate. Yes I realize that this one has a connection to Bush, but the topic is perfect for discussing the future of space exploration, Mars, or just about anything space related that you could think of. I have a huge interest in politics and I enjoy political debates, but not here. I think most of us come here for science and technology news not peoples opions about who is going to screw up the country worse. It seems that is all politics really is anymore, just picking the lesser of two(or more) evils.
We can comunicate with a rover on the surface of Mars, but I still can't get broadband at my house. Well technically just about anyone could get satalite, but it is not adequite for games.
Keep in mind that if calls are recorded "for quality assurance purposes," it's possible that some unscrupulous employees might have access to those recordings. I forsee a web site or two devoted to funny recordings of people having irate "conversations" with automated call centers.
Where I work every call is recorded including ones made to other employees in the building. We have not set up a webpage, but there have been audio cds made on occation. In fact I have one full of nothing but "Deez Nuts" jokes.