For some reason people seem to think that the point of (most) corporations is to help the public. Clue : It's NOT. The ONLY responsibility of a corporation is to its SHAREHOLDERS. Otherwise it's business as normal. Can we fire 2,000 people and still have the business run? Does it save money in operating expense? Then do it. The thought that corporations somehow are supposed to care for what they do to the public at large is totally foreign to the concept of the corporation in the first place. It's a sociopathic entity, a non-being given the rights (in some cases more rights than actual human beings.) Yes there are some beneficial corporations out there, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
I hope this clears a few things up : http://www.thecorporation.com/ I believe there is a 'shareware' version of the entire movie available for viewing. It goes through the history of the corporation among other things. Also I believe there was a book written that basically puts corporations on a psych couch and examines them, interesting read;-)
In closing, corporations are not your friend, they were originally a business deal granting extra rights for a limited time to a company so that they could perform works for the public good. After a few interesting court decisions that last part was effectively removed.
Funny, I'm still playing a RAVENLOFT game, actually I DM the thing. What you seem to be forgetting is the fact that nothing says you HAVE to buy 4.0 books. Ravenloft isn't even being published anymore, yet me and my group have a lot of fun playing it. Why? Because I look for things in other settings, books, movies, etc. and incorporate them into my game to keep things new. The books are REFERENCE material. The true game comes from the DM. If you don't want to buy the new books... DON'T. How hard is that? Play 1.0 if you really want to, it doesn't really matter to anyone else.
For the record, I don't think this is flamebait (or the post above which is his). The guy makes some valid points, even if they aren't popular. I find it sad that he gets popped for flamebait simply because he didn't bother to post as an AC./.'ers wonder why there are so many AC posts.....THIS is why.
Or my personal favorite: People who spend the first 20-25 minutes on the phone BITCHING ABOUT THE HOLD TIME. I worked for a subcontractor for AT&T when they went from @home to ATTBI. To say it was a nightmare is like calling the sun a tad bright. 4+ hour hold times, the phone system couldn't keep up and we were transferring people into the ether, where they would call back and then be on hold another yep, you guessed it, 4 hours. That was a month of my life I never want back. *shudders*
--Vista looks cool and all and has some interesting under-the-hood improvements, but the release was rushed, and Microsoft has way too much bureaucratic nonsense going on for them to actually release something good.--
So, like the upgrade from 2000 to XP then? It seems that as soon as they get a system stable it's at the end of it's lifetime, so we "have" to upgrade to another piece of shit. Sorry, I'm still running 2000, mostly because my computer is ancient and xp runs like a turtle mired in quicksand on it. *shrugs*
--The consequent lowering of a song's monetary worth due to a surplus in its supply.--
So...playing a song on a radio lowers its value? Trust me, I STOPPED listening to the radio because no matter which station I turned on it was the same 20 songs played repeatedly with 1 or 2 'old' songs in there for 'variety'. Music just simply isn't the same thing as most other products. You can't duplicate a car, house, or radio with the same ease and small amount of PHYSICAL investment. I'm sick of hearing the Mafiaa complain that it's soooo hard to produce 'hits' considering that lately it's pretty much the same songs all over again anyway! More and more I hear so-and-so's 'rendition' of someone else's music. It's my opinion that the MARKET *is* speaking, and they say it's not worth them paying $20 for one friggin song they're going to listen to and 11 tracks of pure electronic garbage. Where's the 'value' in $20 a song (on a CD)? They just want to charge more than the market will support and they cry when people find other ways to do things.
Yes, I skipped over the legality argument on purpose, I think people are hashing that out above and below this comment just fine and don't want to become involved. It would also seem that people are making much the same argument as mine below me, but I feel like chiming in and saying it my way anyway:-D
--I do not know about callcenters you have seen but having worked in cellphone customer service, tech support, and now insurance sales.--
Just a few things: I've never worked cellphone customer service, but otherwise, I think you're my clone. I just got my license to sell Life/Health ins. *chuckles* Now then, on to my experiences.
Oh the stories. There was a guy who figured out how to get spectacular call times. "Hi, thank you for calling--[click]" "Hi, thank you [click]" about 5-10 in a row and then he'd take a couple of calls. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. He got promoted. I wish I was kidding. Mind you, I got bitched at weekly because my call times were much higher than most people. Why you may ask? Because I usually got the guy who had just gotten off tech support...for the fourth time...and they told him to wave a magic wand over his computer and wave his mouse in the air. Well, it didn't work (suprise!) so I had to spend the next 45 minutes trying to get him back online. I worked for one of the largest outsourcing companies for internet tech support that a certain *cough*deathstar*cough* company had, and they DID figure out how to game the system. In spades. When I started working there, call times had to be less than 600 seconds (10 minutes.) When I left, it was down to 450. Then there was the time I heard "Ok, click start...run...now type in the following : r-e-g-e-d-i-t. Yes that's right." It got worse from there. Mind you, we weren't doing full blown computer support, just internet and e-mail tech support. I figured the guy was going to go in, delete some critical keys, and then say "oh wow, looks like your computer is messed up, would you like the number for Micro$oft tech support?"
I will **NEVER** work tech support again as long as I live, and I can see why people think it sucks ass.
Granted, the guy was using a sensitive topic, but his point is valid. He was sarcastically calling attention to the fact that doing nothing, or stating that because a practice is commonplace makes it valid, is not a productive way to induce change. Poor taste? Perhaps, but he got you to read it. I for one think it's amusing, and valid.
*shrugs*
My two cents,
A.A
P.S. I'm curious to see if I get modded a troll simply because I'm agreeing with him. Not that I mind, I've got karma to burn. *dons asbestos suit and gets out the marshmallows*
--IANA world leader, so feel free to enlighten me, but what right does a publicly elected government have to hide things from its owners ?--
My fiancee works for the US Gov and her and I have had many talks about just that subject. I've swung my opinion to somewhere between where I was when I met her and where she sits. I'll explain:
There are (in our opinions) certain LIMITED reasons for the government to withhold sensitive information. For the record, "sensitive information" would include things such as troop movements and positions, timetables for said movements, floor plans for certain buildings, and identities of spies. In these cases, releasing that information to the general public is most likely to result in loss of human life on a (sometimes) massive scale. I can't argue with that logic. I don't agree with things like spies and whatnot, but I don't see an option. As for most other things, the goverment should most CERTAINLY be transparent in its doings. To do anything less would be dishonest and above all against the idea of a democracy.
I recall a news article in the last 6 months or so (sorry, I'm not citing, I don't remember where the heck I read it, please take w/grain of salt.) about someone in the upper levels of the Government basically making some damning evidence against them a matter of "national security". That is utter, grade A, 100% USDA top choice BULLSHIT, and should have been treated as such.
My parents used to tell me that if I didn't think for myself, someone else, most likely far less qualified, will do it for me. I wish more parents would have included that in the raising of their children.
Well, ASIDE from the EMPHATIC shouting;) I'd say that I agree with most of what you said. The corruption of politics is a shameful reality. As I said in an above post, people will only change when forced to, and as you stated, when people are more worried about putting food on their table...suddenly something happening half a world away, while a tragedy, is still half a world away.
Cheers, and here's to voting your MIND and not your HEART.
A.A (Posting under my real name because freedom not fought for is not worth anything.)
*Waves his arms* Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!!! --there's your answer.
First of all, yes, we *do* have it drummed into us that the US is the greatest country on earth. I, and a LOT of my friends apparently were paying some attention but then we also paid attention to the history of mistakes (DreadScott still brings a tear to my eye when I think about it. How the hell are PEOPLE property....but I digress.) and downright idiocy that some Americans have committed. It's been oft quoted that those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it, and I believe this is another example of this.
Personally, the only answer that I've come up with is one that boils down to human nature. People generally will not change unless they are forced to do so, it's a question of comfort. I think that we don't teach our children the value of human life that much anymore and our culture certainly doesn't help in that department. Combining these factors I believe we've gotten what we have currently, a state where we're steadily sliding into a fascist mode of thinking and acting. A key ingredient to that is "a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism". I've been told quite a few times now that if I don't like the way things are, I can just leave. There's no possibility of a rational discussion with a lot of people anymore because they've let our society become polarized over a few subjects (abortion, religion and capital punishment to name some of them) and we pay more attention to those than anything else. (Please reference people blowing up abortion clinics to "save lives". It's like fvcking for virginity.) Inability to conduct logical discourse with a majority of the people I come into contact is the *norm* not the exception. All I get when I try most of the time is the same bs about "like it or lump it" or they resort to name-calling...because telling me that I'm a "tree-hugging enviro-fag" (yeah, that's not made up *rolls eyes*) somehow justifies their position that we should bomb anyone who doesn't look and act like us into the stone age.
I believe the true problem lies in human nature's resistance to admitting fault. Then again, it's my opinion...and I may be wrong.
"So who's bringin the guns in this country? (Hmm?) I couldn't sneak a plastic pellet gun through customs over in London And last week, I seen a Schwarzaneggar movie where he's shootin all sorts of these motherfuckers with a uzi I sees three little kids, up in the front row, screamin "Go," with their 17-year-old Uncle I'm like, "Guidance - ain't they got the same moms and dads who got mad when I asked if they liked violence?"
Sometimes I look around and wonder how some people tie their shoes in the morning with the intelligence that they show. *shrugs*
--You know, just a few moments of consideration would lead to the conclusion that in those so-called civilized nations, they have given up their guns, and now they have no option but to pretend that giving them up was a good idea - because they don't have the guns.--
A-friggin'-men.
I used to be very anti-gun. Then I realized that with the way our government is going it might just be a good idea to keep a few around in case they decide they want my house, or my life because I don't agree with them.
Also, there is another way to effect change in the world, it's just *massively* more difficult to do. I don't remember who said it but... "What would happen if they declared a war and nobody showed up?"
If this IS a free country, then we still have the right to stand up and say "No, this will not happen on my watch. Period." Sadly, more of our citizenry are concerned with who won American Idiot..err..Idol and making sure their neighbor isn't doing anything they don't approve of. I have a feeling that when we finally get off our collective asses, things will change. Until then, we're just sheep...all of us. Including me.
--Looking at the guy you put into the white house should eliminate all doubt.--
Did you vote? If you did, then you did all you could however *you* still helped put him in office by adhering to the guideline that you should vote. Just because it didn't go your way doesn't mean you're suddenly innocent of anything he does. Last I checked, you were an AMERICAN, just like the rest of the Americans that keep this country running.
Oh, and if you want change...stop thinking that electing another president is going to accomplish it. Congress is where you want your energy going. Even if the Prez wanted to veto every damn bill that comes out of it, they can *still* override him. The President is a figurehead and a distraction.
Well, it's blatently obivious that concealed carry laws lower crime rates! More guns = less deaths right? Or...not...*shakes his head* Why do people think this is a problem you can just throw more violence at and solve it?
Oh, and another thing... ever see what happens to a plane when you put a hole in the skin...or say...20 of them? You think all the people who carry concealed are crack shots? I sure as shit wouldn't trust my life to Cleetus from KY who just got his CC 4 days ago and wants to be a fuckin hero. Thanks though.
Then again, it's my opinion...and I could be wrong. A.A
--Almost all the US citizens here on Slashdot complain about erosion of freedom, and yet we hear people calling for more gun control. While I'm an advocate for peaceful resistance, giving up your ability to contain an errant government by force as a last resort is anything but wise. While probably not the best way of dealing with the federal government, it has been used successfully in the history of the US to deal with a corrupt local government.--
I almost agree with you here. However, I still fail to see how 1 9mm and a rifle trump 5 assult shotguns, 10.45's (or 9mm...standard police issue.), tear gas / flashbangs and body armor.(I probably have the #'s wrong, but I was trying to think of a SWAT entry squad, which is only on the local level... now let's talk about tanks and APCs.) I think we should have the right to defend ourselves, but I have my doubts as to the majority of this country having the responsiblity and maturity to not shoot their neighbor over something stupid.
We don't raise adults very much anymore. If you're wondering why I say this, it's because if you look at common reactions to situations, most of us (The US) act like children wanting their mommy and daddy to make the bad men go away. We keep passing more and more laws that are turning the land of the free into the land of the nanny. Advertising and general culture don't help. Ever notice that most advertising operates on the level of either embarassment or sex? Two of our most primitive and illogical drives. Are they effective? Yes. Are they teaching those who are bombarded daily with these messages that this is the proper way to behave? YES. We're social animals, it's in our very nature to be that way. When you immerse a social animal into a culture, they adapt to take on traits of that culture. Translation : If little Suzy and Bobby sit and watch TV most of the time, they're going to be bombarded with messages and situations that re-enforce things like sexism, violence, and immature behaviour. It doesn't help that most parents nowadays count on TV and Movies to raise their kids for them.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not just one problem, with one cause... it's a group of problems with causes that feed into each other. Passing more idiotic laws that say "this is the way a small section of people want it, and that's the way it's going to be or it's for you!" don't help because people aren't inclined to follow them anyway. As for things like gun control... I've never heard of a criminal going to his local gun connection and saying "Ooop...sorry man, THAT gun is illegal...I can't have that!"
--But alas, the only amendments that most politicians seem to be interested in proposing involve idiocies like flag burning and marriage definition (both of which come as close to the concept of 'unconstitutional constitutional amendments' as can be imagined).--
Anyone else notice that the only things to make the news anymore are topics that will cause people to have a strong emotional reaction? Nobody wants to hear about technology amendments, educating our senators and congress critters. They want to know who won on American Idol. They want to know about OJ and Anna Nicole. They want useless, pointless busywork so they don't have to pay attention to the REAL issues. Why would we want to worry about the Government wiretapping our homes when things like whether or not your neighbor wants to bang someone in the ass in his/her own home?
Abortion, Gay Marriage, Music Downloads...all of these things to keep the eyes of the populace glued to the TV for the next fuckin' commercial. It reminds me of The Wizard of Oz and the 'man behind the curtain'. They trump up all this useless bullshit, meanwhile lots of actually IMPORTANT things go un-reported because they only have so much time on the air.
A quick Google on a topic I had read about a few years ago turned up quite a few websites that were touting "most missed / under-reported news stories" Newsdesk.org,Foreignpolicy.com, and Worldnetdaily.com to name a few. Start asking questions of your congressional representitaves, then KICK THE BUMS OUT IF THEY DON'T WANT TO LISTEN. There are millions of people in America. I find it astounding that they can all be so damn silent while their country rots from the inside out.
Slashdot Mirror
I miss Red Dwarf :-)
A.A
For some reason people seem to think that the point of (most) corporations is to help the public. Clue : It's NOT. The ONLY responsibility of a corporation is to its SHAREHOLDERS. Otherwise it's business as normal. Can we fire 2,000 people and still have the business run? Does it save money in operating expense? Then do it. The thought that corporations somehow are supposed to care for what they do to the public at large is totally foreign to the concept of the corporation in the first place. It's a sociopathic entity, a non-being given the rights (in some cases more rights than actual human beings.) Yes there are some beneficial corporations out there, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
;-)
I hope this clears a few things up : http://www.thecorporation.com/ I believe there is a 'shareware' version of the entire movie available for viewing. It goes through the history of the corporation among other things. Also I believe there was a book written that basically puts corporations on a psych couch and examines them, interesting read
In closing, corporations are not your friend, they were originally a business deal granting extra rights for a limited time to a company so that they could perform works for the public good. After a few interesting court decisions that last part was effectively removed.
A.A
Funny, I'm still playing a RAVENLOFT game, actually I DM the thing. What you seem to be forgetting is the fact that nothing says you HAVE to buy 4.0 books. Ravenloft isn't even being published anymore, yet me and my group have a lot of fun playing it. Why? Because I look for things in other settings, books, movies, etc. and incorporate them into my game to keep things new. The books are REFERENCE material. The true game comes from the DM. If you don't want to buy the new books... DON'T. How hard is that? Play 1.0 if you really want to, it doesn't really matter to anyone else.
*shakes his head*
My 2 cents,
A.A
For the record, I don't think this is flamebait (or the post above which is his). The guy makes some valid points, even if they aren't popular. I find it sad that he gets popped for flamebait simply because he didn't bother to post as an AC. /.'ers wonder why there are so many AC posts.....THIS is why.
*dons flame resistant suit*
My 2 cents,
A.A.M
Thorazine man....sheesh =)
about 1/3 of the way through the song, it made my firefox crash. Somehow I'm whole heartedly amused by this and thought I'd share ^_^
Or my personal favorite: People who spend the first 20-25 minutes on the phone BITCHING ABOUT THE HOLD TIME. I worked for a subcontractor for AT&T when they went from @home to ATTBI. To say it was a nightmare is like calling the sun a tad bright. 4+ hour hold times, the phone system couldn't keep up and we were transferring people into the ether, where they would call back and then be on hold another yep, you guessed it, 4 hours. That was a month of my life I never want back. *shudders*
My 2 cents,
A.A
--Vista looks cool and all and has some interesting under-the-hood improvements, but the release was rushed, and Microsoft has way too much bureaucratic nonsense going on for them to actually release something good.--
So, like the upgrade from 2000 to XP then? It seems that as soon as they get a system stable it's at the end of it's lifetime, so we "have" to upgrade to another piece of shit. Sorry, I'm still running 2000, mostly because my computer is ancient and xp runs like a turtle mired in quicksand on it. *shrugs*
A.A
--The consequent lowering of a song's monetary worth due to a surplus in its supply.--
:-D
;-)
So...playing a song on a radio lowers its value? Trust me, I STOPPED listening to the radio because no matter which station I turned on it was the same 20 songs played repeatedly with 1 or 2 'old' songs in there for 'variety'. Music just simply isn't the same thing as most other products. You can't duplicate a car, house, or radio with the same ease and small amount of PHYSICAL investment. I'm sick of hearing the Mafiaa complain that it's soooo hard to produce 'hits' considering that lately it's pretty much the same songs all over again anyway! More and more I hear so-and-so's 'rendition' of someone else's music. It's my opinion that the MARKET *is* speaking, and they say it's not worth them paying $20 for one friggin song they're going to listen to and 11 tracks of pure electronic garbage. Where's the 'value' in $20 a song (on a CD)? They just want to charge more than the market will support and they cry when people find other ways to do things.
Yes, I skipped over the legality argument on purpose, I think people are hashing that out above and below this comment just fine and don't want to become involved. It would also seem that people are making much the same argument as mine below me, but I feel like chiming in and saying it my way anyway
My opinion, and I just might be wrong
A.A
--I do not know about callcenters you have seen but having worked in cellphone customer service, tech support, and now insurance sales.--
Just a few things:
I've never worked cellphone customer service, but otherwise, I think you're my clone. I just got my license to sell Life/Health ins. *chuckles* Now then, on to my experiences.
Oh the stories. There was a guy who figured out how to get spectacular call times. "Hi, thank you for calling--[click]" "Hi, thank you [click]" about 5-10 in a row and then he'd take a couple of calls. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. He got promoted. I wish I was kidding. Mind you, I got bitched at weekly because my call times were much higher than most people. Why you may ask? Because I usually got the guy who had just gotten off tech support...for the fourth time...and they told him to wave a magic wand over his computer and wave his mouse in the air. Well, it didn't work (suprise!) so I had to spend the next 45 minutes trying to get him back online. I worked for one of the largest outsourcing companies for internet tech support that a certain *cough*deathstar*cough* company had, and they DID figure out how to game the system. In spades. When I started working there, call times had to be less than 600 seconds (10 minutes.) When I left, it was down to 450. Then there was the time I heard "Ok, click start...run...now type in the following : r-e-g-e-d-i-t. Yes that's right." It got worse from there. Mind you, we weren't doing full blown computer support, just internet and e-mail tech support. I figured the guy was going to go in, delete some critical keys, and then say "oh wow, looks like your computer is messed up, would you like the number for Micro$oft tech support?"
I will **NEVER** work tech support again as long as I live, and I can see why people think it sucks ass.
[/rant]
My two cents,
A.A
Granted, the guy was using a sensitive topic, but his point is valid. He was sarcastically calling attention to the fact that doing nothing, or stating that because a practice is commonplace makes it valid, is not a productive way to induce change. Poor taste? Perhaps, but he got you to read it. I for one think it's amusing, and valid.
*shrugs*
My two cents,
A.A
P.S. I'm curious to see if I get modded a troll simply because I'm agreeing with him. Not that I mind, I've got karma to burn. *dons asbestos suit and gets out the marshmallows*
Didn't I see that process on an episode of The Outer Limits?
--IANA world leader, so feel free to enlighten me, but what right does a publicly elected government have to hide things from its owners ?--
My fiancee works for the US Gov and her and I have had many talks about just that subject. I've swung my opinion to somewhere between where I was when I met her and where she sits. I'll explain:
There are (in our opinions) certain LIMITED reasons for the government to withhold sensitive information. For the record, "sensitive information" would include things such as troop movements and positions, timetables for said movements, floor plans for certain buildings, and identities of spies. In these cases, releasing that information to the general public is most likely to result in loss of human life on a (sometimes) massive scale. I can't argue with that logic. I don't agree with things like spies and whatnot, but I don't see an option. As for most other things, the goverment should most CERTAINLY be transparent in its doings. To do anything less would be dishonest and above all against the idea of a democracy.
I recall a news article in the last 6 months or so (sorry, I'm not citing, I don't remember where the heck I read it, please take w/grain of salt.) about someone in the upper levels of the Government basically making some damning evidence against them a matter of "national security". That is utter, grade A, 100% USDA top choice BULLSHIT, and should have been treated as such.
My parents used to tell me that if I didn't think for myself, someone else, most likely far less qualified, will do it for me. I wish more parents would have included that in the raising of their children.
My 2 cents,
A.A
Well, ASIDE from the EMPHATIC shouting ;) I'd say that I agree with most of what you said. The corruption of politics is a shameful reality. As I said in an above post, people will only change when forced to, and as you stated, when people are more worried about putting food on their table...suddenly something happening half a world away, while a tragedy, is still half a world away.
Cheers, and here's to voting your MIND and not your HEART.
A.A
(Posting under my real name because freedom not fought for is not worth anything.)
*Waves his arms* Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!!! --there's your answer.
First of all, yes, we *do* have it drummed into us that the US is the greatest country on earth. I, and a LOT of my friends apparently were paying some attention but then we also paid attention to the history of mistakes (Dread Scott still brings a tear to my eye when I think about it. How the hell are PEOPLE property....but I digress.) and downright idiocy that some Americans have committed. It's been oft quoted that those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it, and I believe this is another example of this.
Personally, the only answer that I've come up with is one that boils down to human nature. People generally will not change unless they are forced to do so, it's a question of comfort. I think that we don't teach our children the value of human life that much anymore and our culture certainly doesn't help in that department. Combining these factors I believe we've gotten what we have currently, a state where we're steadily sliding into a fascist mode of thinking and acting. A key ingredient to that is "a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism". I've been told quite a few times now that if I don't like the way things are, I can just leave. There's no possibility of a rational discussion with a lot of people anymore because they've let our society become polarized over a few subjects (abortion, religion and capital punishment to name some of them) and we pay more attention to those than anything else. (Please reference people blowing up abortion clinics to "save lives". It's like fvcking for virginity.) Inability to conduct logical discourse with a majority of the people I come into contact is the *norm* not the exception. All I get when I try most of the time is the same bs about "like it or lump it" or they resort to name-calling...because telling me that I'm a "tree-hugging enviro-fag" (yeah, that's not made up *rolls eyes*) somehow justifies their position that we should bomb anyone who doesn't look and act like us into the stone age.
I believe the true problem lies in human nature's resistance to admitting fault. Then again, it's my opinion...and I may be wrong.
A.A
IIRC, wasn't there also ships out in international waters that they were using to circumvent laws so they could torture people?
A.A
I'll bite. Why is it not a comparison? If the actions are comparable, what's the big deal?
My 2c,
A.A
--If we could thumb up or down ads as we watch, maybe we would get better quality ads.--
I'm suddenly struck with the "Why didn't I think of that?" thought. Is there any hope that one important person read this???
A.A
I think ya may be right :">
Thx.
A.A
I think Eminem said it best:
"So who's bringin the guns in this country? (Hmm?)
I couldn't sneak a plastic pellet gun through customs over in London
And last week, I seen a Schwarzaneggar movie
where he's shootin all sorts of these motherfuckers with a uzi
I sees three little kids, up in the front row,
screamin "Go," with their 17-year-old Uncle
I'm like, "Guidance - ain't they got the same moms and dads
who got mad when I asked if they liked violence?"
Sometimes I look around and wonder how some people tie their shoes in the morning with the intelligence that they show. *shrugs*
My two cents,
A.A
--You know, just a few moments of consideration would lead to the conclusion that in those so-called civilized nations, they have given up their guns, and now they have no option but to pretend that giving them up was a good idea - because they don't have the guns.--
A-friggin'-men.
I used to be very anti-gun. Then I realized that with the way our government is going it might just be a good idea to keep a few around in case they decide they want my house, or my life because I don't agree with them.
Also, there is another way to effect change in the world, it's just *massively* more difficult to do. I don't remember who said it but... "What would happen if they declared a war and nobody showed up?"
If this IS a free country, then we still have the right to stand up and say "No, this will not happen on my watch. Period." Sadly, more of our citizenry are concerned with who won American Idiot..err..Idol and making sure their neighbor isn't doing anything they don't approve of. I have a feeling that when we finally get off our collective asses, things will change. Until then, we're just sheep...all of us. Including me.
--Looking at the guy you put into the white house should eliminate all doubt.--
Did you vote? If you did, then you did all you could however *you* still helped put him in office by adhering to the guideline that you should vote. Just because it didn't go your way doesn't mean you're suddenly innocent of anything he does. Last I checked, you were an AMERICAN, just like the rest of the Americans that keep this country running.
Oh, and if you want change...stop thinking that electing another president is going to accomplish it. Congress is where you want your energy going. Even if the Prez wanted to veto every damn bill that comes out of it, they can *still* override him. The President is a figurehead and a distraction.
A.A
Well, it's blatently obivious that concealed carry laws lower crime rates! More guns = less deaths right? Or...not...*shakes his head* Why do people think this is a problem you can just throw more violence at and solve it?
Oh, and another thing... ever see what happens to a plane when you put a hole in the skin...or say...20 of them? You think all the people who carry concealed are crack shots? I sure as shit wouldn't trust my life to Cleetus from KY who just got his CC 4 days ago and wants to be a fuckin hero. Thanks though.
Then again, it's my opinion...and I could be wrong.
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--Almost all the US citizens here on Slashdot complain about erosion of freedom, and yet we hear people calling for more gun control. While I'm an advocate for peaceful resistance, giving up your ability to contain an errant government by force as a last resort is anything but wise. While probably not the best way of dealing with the federal government, it has been used successfully in the history of the US to deal with a corrupt local government.--
.45's (or 9mm...standard police issue.), tear gas / flashbangs and body armor.(I probably have the #'s wrong, but I was trying to think of a SWAT entry squad, which is only on the local level... now let's talk about tanks and APCs.) I think we should have the right to defend ourselves, but I have my doubts as to the majority of this country having the responsiblity and maturity to not shoot their neighbor over something stupid.
I almost agree with you here. However, I still fail to see how 1 9mm and a rifle trump 5 assult shotguns, 10
We don't raise adults very much anymore. If you're wondering why I say this, it's because if you look at common reactions to situations, most of us (The US) act like children wanting their mommy and daddy to make the bad men go away. We keep passing more and more laws that are turning the land of the free into the land of the nanny. Advertising and general culture don't help. Ever notice that most advertising operates on the level of either embarassment or sex? Two of our most primitive and illogical drives. Are they effective? Yes. Are they teaching those who are bombarded daily with these messages that this is the proper way to behave? YES. We're social animals, it's in our very nature to be that way. When you immerse a social animal into a culture, they adapt to take on traits of that culture. Translation : If little Suzy and Bobby sit and watch TV most of the time, they're going to be bombarded with messages and situations that re-enforce things like sexism, violence, and immature behaviour. It doesn't help that most parents nowadays count on TV and Movies to raise their kids for them.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not just one problem, with one cause... it's a group of problems with causes that feed into each other. Passing more idiotic laws that say "this is the way a small section of people want it, and that's the way it's going to be or it's for you!" don't help because people aren't inclined to follow them anyway. As for things like gun control... I've never heard of a criminal going to his local gun connection and saying "Ooop...sorry man, THAT gun is illegal...I can't have that!"
My rambling two cents,
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--But alas, the only amendments that most politicians seem to be interested in proposing involve idiocies like flag burning and marriage definition (both of which come as close to the concept of 'unconstitutional constitutional amendments' as can be imagined).--
/soapbox rant
Anyone else notice that the only things to make the news anymore are topics that will cause people to have a strong emotional reaction? Nobody wants to hear about technology amendments, educating our senators and congress critters. They want to know who won on American Idol. They want to know about OJ and Anna Nicole. They want useless, pointless busywork so they don't have to pay attention to the REAL issues. Why would we want to worry about the Government wiretapping our homes when things like whether or not your neighbor wants to bang someone in the ass in his/her own home?
Abortion, Gay Marriage, Music Downloads...all of these things to keep the eyes of the populace glued to the TV for the next fuckin' commercial. It reminds me of The Wizard of Oz and the 'man behind the curtain'. They trump up all this useless bullshit, meanwhile lots of actually IMPORTANT things go un-reported because they only have so much time on the air.
A quick Google on a topic I had read about a few years ago turned up quite a few websites that were touting "most missed / under-reported news stories"
Newsdesk.org,Foreignpolicy.com, and Worldnetdaily.com to name a few. Start asking questions of your congressional representitaves, then KICK THE BUMS OUT IF THEY DON'T WANT TO LISTEN. There are millions of people in America. I find it astounding that they can all be so damn silent while their country rots from the inside out.
Thanks.
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