*cough*
I actually despise NWN - but it's a better storytelling device in the traditional RPG sense than WOW could or ever was intended to be.
But since you apparently used "reading comprehension" as a "dump stat" on your RL charachter, let me requote the OP:
All in all, it's marginally above Bejeweled while I'm waiting for my WoW server to restart.
Implying that he'd rather play WOW than NWN, given the entire point of the article is to discuss NWN, the comment is slightly less than idiotic:)
Yes, because level grinding in WoW is the paragon of a good story-oriented RPG experience!
I think we have a bigger problem than that....
on
Saving U.S. Science
·
· Score: 1
The hang wringing has generated a couple of new ideas to deal with the dilemma.
As apparently even basic spelling is difficult for editor and submitter alike!
I can just imagine the "ZOMG", kkthxbye?, IIRC, evelution, and neuclear phisics in the papers of the "scientits" of tomorrow....
After all, a peaceful man has no use for a special right to employ coercion against others, does he?
How about you bother posting as yourself?
As for the answer to your question, yes - because not all men are peaceful.
.... Seriously folks, there have been big corporations and governments trying to influence the way schools go with everything from computers to food. Advertising brought into schools to get kids to buy things. Special interest groups spending money on things schools need to get a new generation of consumers interested in them.
Where there is money and future political mindsets involved, people will spare no amount of money and/or stupidity on all sides of a debate. It's really too bad that politics and ideology wars have to get in the way of doing what schools should be doing, give the kids the ability to think for themselves instead of telling them what to think.
Yes, because it's not like she's made any bad decisions recently or anything.....
Re:What you're doing is unethical
on
GoogleOS Scenarios
·
· Score: 4, Funny
I wrote this hyped up nonsense in order to place ads on it and make a lot of money for my 10 min of effort. You're free not to visit or promote my page, but please don't steal my intellectual property.
Yes, let's make a sweeping generalization about "kids these days". Because "oh so many" college students previous to the era of onling gaming didn't fall into other traps in college (negative addiction to drugs, general lazyness)? For those types of students, video games are simply an escape from the fact that they aren't motivated enough or aren't smart enough to get through college.
I note you apparently don't suffer from the same issue. And college graduation rates are up across the board (if not retention percentages).
Doesn't that really depend on the "gamer" you're talking about?
Sure, there are some pasty-faced unwashed slobs out there who really think they live in Azeroth. But there are a ton of casual gamers who get out, have a real life, etc, etc. People who bring up arguments like this are similar to those that point out that drunks seem to be in taverns or their local liquor shops all the time and do nothing but drink, so therefore all drinkers are bad people.
Addiction to anything can be bad. But painting anyone who indulges in something with the same brush is just ignorant.
Even a devout Catholic can't look at the history of the Catholic church and say that organized religion has been anything other than a monstrosity for most of its history. From the Inquisition to the Crusades to anti-Semitism to political and social oppression - the history of Catholicism is sordid and shameful. Most organized religions fare no better, and the shame of their history simply depends on how long they've been around. The Mormons, for example, have the Mountain Meadows Massacre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_Mas sacre).
Sure. But that really rather does not speak to the point. I never implied one religion was better than another, simply that someone with an apparent religious background would imply that science must avoid the fate of the same.
However, just as science has been misused to support things like phrenology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrenology) the argument can be made that what we've seen historically is not necessary to organized religion. It is instead what happens when organized religion falls prey to lust for political and economic power. As far as I'm concerned the chief difference between the evils of organized religion and the evils of science are that religion is a much, much older social institution than science. As a result, religion has had time to be perverted in all kinds of ways that science has not yet and - if we are vigilant - never will be.
Agreed. I would, rather, put it in these terms: Science must not be allowed to become a religion in the same sense that any other faith has become religious, largely because faith is in essence the antithesis of science.
As far as my anti-authority stance goes, yes: there is a certain amount of intellectual tension in both adhering to a standardized body of theological belief and the scientific method. But tension is not the same thing as contradiction. I happen to think that part of the purpose of an organized religion is to make our intellectual lives harder - not easier. Intellectual tension is the motivator for intellectual growth in the same sense that necessity is the mother of invention. This means I don't hold my spiritual beliefs as sacrosanct and my scientific ones as conditional. All belief is conditional. I don't expect everyone to believe that, especially given religion's dearth of credibility on Slashdot, but that's the intro to the answer to how a devout Mormon also holds anti-authoritarian beliefs if you're curious.
I completely understand your point of view. I will, however, disagree with one thing you said. The lack of credibility for religious faiths extends beyond slashdot - science itself tends to give little crediblity to anything unproven and improbable. And the history of the LDS isn't exactly one that lends to crediblity (to be fair, Catholics and/or Muslims would be just as relevant examples, were you named "TheStorminCatholic" or "TheStorminMuslim") in the face of provable fact, or history of accountablity or crediblity to it's own faith.
In terms of science OR religion, my stance is simply that I refuse to belive anything simply becase an "expert" tells me. I reject the teachings of pastors/priests/etc who justify their beliefs with contradictory or fallacious arguments just the same as I refuse to place full trust in a "scientific expert" who cannot prove his stance (or has questionable objectivity).
On a lighter note, I'm really rather suprised that nobody has brought the FSM into this discussion.... it just seems relevant:)
. Any true follower of science must reject "consensus" for what it is: argument by authority. It is, fundamentally, the same monstrosity that corrupted organized religion 1,000s of years ago. It must be rejected if science is to escape the fate of those organized religions.
Not to go off-topic here,not that I don't agree with you, and not that I know all that much about you, but isn't it a bit.... ironic coming from a fellow named "theStorminMormon"?
Laser Tag with a doom-style map on the gun/on a wristband?
Brilliant!
Then again, it also makes a great set for a horror movie (big arena, psychopath with a real gun, etc, etc *groan*)
If you belive that money is a type of power (i.e. money ~ power), then greed is nothing but a lust for power.
Even if you don't belive that, this is a simple grab for legal power so that they can use that power to generate revenue (over and above those "independant" artists).... which leads you back to greed.
I
We at a total loss to understand how this policy has developed, who is behind it and why there is such haste in enacting it into law -- with little if any public debate.
Simple. Greed, those who stand to benefit from it, greed.
11 million.... "woah, that's a lot".
Ok, consider this. Let's assume that each record is, say, a couple of kilobytes (that's much more than it probably is) of just text, as you say.
11,000,000 * 2kb = 22,000,000 kbytes.
22,000,000Kb = 21484.375 MB = 20.98 GB.
If it's in a raw database format, that is.
Last time I checked, laptops aren't exactly being sold with 20GB of HD space.
I don't know what computer programmers you work with, but there aren't many I know who don't understand an "if->elseif->elseif->elseif->else" loop chain.
.... I can see that "many game industry experts" also like posting as Annonymous Cowards as well!
(Disclaimer: I love the Wii and will be buying one long before a PS3, but if they're saying "here's a list of game industry experts" they should get rid of the ones who won't post their names. Sheesh.)
Why do I have to spend an hour driving to the store, hunting down a box that's in no particular order and is probably already out, just to see a stupid movie ?
You live an -hour- from a Blockbuster and you have internet fast enough to download DVD quality videos with ease?
What intelligent person would really want that DRM OS on their box anyway?
is that people who like games will. Remember, the world doesn't revolve around you(or me).
Slashdot Mirror
*cough*
:)
I actually despise NWN - but it's a better storytelling device in the traditional RPG sense than WOW could or ever was intended to be.
But since you apparently used "reading comprehension" as a "dump stat" on your RL charachter, let me requote the OP:
All in all, it's marginally above Bejeweled while I'm waiting for my WoW server to restart.
Implying that he'd rather play WOW than NWN, given the entire point of the article is to discuss NWN, the comment is slightly less than idiotic
Yes, because level grinding in WoW is the paragon of a good story-oriented RPG experience!
The hang wringing has generated a couple of new ideas to deal with the dilemma.
As apparently even basic spelling is difficult for editor and submitter alike!
I can just imagine the "ZOMG", kkthxbye?, IIRC, evelution, and neuclear phisics in the papers of the "scientits" of tomorrow....
Just ask yourself - What Would Republican Jesus Do? for the answer ;)
After all, a peaceful man has no use for a special right to employ coercion against others, does he?
How about you bother posting as yourself? As for the answer to your question, yes - because not all men are peaceful.
.... Seriously folks, there have been big corporations and governments trying to influence the way schools go with everything from computers to food. Advertising brought into schools to get kids to buy things. Special interest groups spending money on things schools need to get a new generation of consumers interested in them.
Try:
* Discounts from Apple, Microsoft, etc on computers (I'd link, but I'm going to go with this as a given...)
* Coca-Cola
* Book It (Pizza Hut)
* A growing trend of commercialization of sporting events and buildings
* Large amounts of money being spent by religious lobbies to support Creationist teachings in schools....
* Large amounts of money being spent to promote evolution as a science teaching in schools
* Politicians getting involved in the above 2 items
* Politics derailing attempts to get anything done about improvments in materials and course work.
Where there is money and future political mindsets involved, people will spare no amount of money and/or stupidity on all sides of a debate. It's really too bad that politics and ideology wars have to get in the way of doing what schools should be doing, give the kids the ability to think for themselves instead of telling them what to think.
Yes, because it's not like she's made any bad decisions recently or anything.....
I wrote this hyped up nonsense in order to place ads on it and make a lot of money for my 10 min of effort. You're free not to visit or promote my page, but please don't steal my intellectual property.
:)
There, I fixed that for you.
Hell, how about a warping planet? Time for earth to find a better neighborhood than sector 1 :)
If I want to see WOW addicts being accurately potrayed in a comedic fashion on TV I think South Park [wikipedia.org] did a far better job.
There, I fixed that for you. Gamers != WOW "kiddiez".
I try to limit my viewing of that wasteland as much as possible.
Sorry, can't stand WOW, Mr A/C :). I'm more of an EVE Online fellow myself. In either case, my coworkers wouldn't appreciate it if I was 'unwashed'.
Yes, let's make a sweeping generalization about "kids these days". Because "oh so many" college students previous to the era of onling gaming didn't fall into other traps in college (negative addiction to drugs, general lazyness)? For those types of students, video games are simply an escape from the fact that they aren't motivated enough or aren't smart enough to get through college.
I note you apparently don't suffer from the same issue. And college graduation rates are up across the board (if not retention percentages).
Doesn't that really depend on the "gamer" you're talking about?
Sure, there are some pasty-faced unwashed slobs out there who really think they live in Azeroth. But there are a ton of casual gamers who get out, have a real life, etc, etc. People who bring up arguments like this are similar to those that point out that drunks seem to be in taverns or their local liquor shops all the time and do nothing but drink, so therefore all drinkers are bad people.
Addiction to anything can be bad. But painting anyone who indulges in something with the same brush is just ignorant.
Even a devout Catholic can't look at the history of the Catholic church and say that organized religion has been anything other than a monstrosity for most of its history. From the Inquisition to the Crusades to anti-Semitism to political and social oppression - the history of Catholicism is sordid and shameful. Most organized religions fare no better, and the shame of their history simply depends on how long they've been around. The Mormons, for example, have the Mountain Meadows Massacre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_Mas sacre).
:)
Sure. But that really rather does not speak to the point. I never implied one religion was better than another, simply that someone with an apparent religious background would imply that science must avoid the fate of the same.
However, just as science has been misused to support things like phrenology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrenology) the argument can be made that what we've seen historically is not necessary to organized religion. It is instead what happens when organized religion falls prey to lust for political and economic power. As far as I'm concerned the chief difference between the evils of organized religion and the evils of science are that religion is a much, much older social institution than science. As a result, religion has had time to be perverted in all kinds of ways that science has not yet and - if we are vigilant - never will be.
Agreed. I would, rather, put it in these terms: Science must not be allowed to become a religion in the same sense that any other faith has become religious, largely because faith is in essence the antithesis of science.
As far as my anti-authority stance goes, yes: there is a certain amount of intellectual tension in both adhering to a standardized body of theological belief and the scientific method. But tension is not the same thing as contradiction. I happen to think that part of the purpose of an organized religion is to make our intellectual lives harder - not easier. Intellectual tension is the motivator for intellectual growth in the same sense that necessity is the mother of invention. This means I don't hold my spiritual beliefs as sacrosanct and my scientific ones as conditional. All belief is conditional. I don't expect everyone to believe that, especially given religion's dearth of credibility on Slashdot, but that's the intro to the answer to how a devout Mormon also holds anti-authoritarian beliefs if you're curious.
I completely understand your point of view. I will, however, disagree with one thing you said. The lack of credibility for religious faiths extends beyond slashdot - science itself tends to give little crediblity to anything unproven and improbable. And the history of the LDS isn't exactly one that lends to crediblity (to be fair, Catholics and/or Muslims would be just as relevant examples, were you named "TheStorminCatholic" or "TheStorminMuslim") in the face of provable fact, or history of accountablity or crediblity to it's own faith.
In terms of science OR religion, my stance is simply that I refuse to belive anything simply becase an "expert" tells me. I reject the teachings of pastors/priests/etc who justify their beliefs with contradictory or fallacious arguments just the same as I refuse to place full trust in a "scientific expert" who cannot prove his stance (or has questionable objectivity).
On a lighter note, I'm really rather suprised that nobody has brought the FSM into this discussion.... it just seems relevant
. Any true follower of science must reject "consensus" for what it is: argument by authority. It is, fundamentally, the same monstrosity that corrupted organized religion 1,000s of years ago. It must be rejected if science is to escape the fate of those organized religions. .... ironic coming from a fellow named "theStorminMormon"?
Not to go off-topic here,not that I don't agree with you, and not that I know all that much about you, but isn't it a bit
Laser Tag with a doom-style map on the gun/on a wristband?
Brilliant!
Then again, it also makes a great set for a horror movie (big arena, psychopath with a real gun, etc, etc *groan*)
If you belive that money is a type of power (i.e. money ~ power), then greed is nothing but a lust for power.
Even if you don't belive that, this is a simple grab for legal power so that they can use that power to generate revenue (over and above those "independant" artists).... which leads you back to greed.
I
We at a total loss to understand how this policy has developed, who is behind it and why there is such haste in enacting it into law -- with little if any public debate.
Simple. Greed, those who stand to benefit from it, greed.
Yes - I should have stated more clearly "Last time I checked, laptops aren't exactly being sold with such a small amount of hard drive space".
11 million.... "woah, that's a lot".
Ok, consider this. Let's assume that each record is, say, a couple of kilobytes (that's much more than it probably is) of just text, as you say.
11,000,000 * 2kb = 22,000,000 kbytes.
22,000,000Kb = 21484.375 MB = 20.98 GB.
If it's in a raw database format, that is.
Last time I checked, laptops aren't exactly being sold with 20GB of HD space.
Uhh....
I don't know what computer programmers you work with, but there aren't many I know who don't understand an "if->elseif->elseif->elseif->else" loop chain.
.... I can see that "many game industry experts" also like posting as Annonymous Cowards as well! (Disclaimer: I love the Wii and will be buying one long before a PS3, but if they're saying "here's a list of game industry experts" they should get rid of the ones who won't post their names. Sheesh.)
Why do I have to spend an hour driving to the store, hunting down a box that's in no particular order and is probably already out, just to see a stupid movie ?
You live an -hour- from a Blockbuster and you have internet fast enough to download DVD quality videos with ease?
Well.... my point to the parent:
What intelligent person would really want that DRM OS on their box anyway?
is that people who like games will. Remember, the world doesn't revolve around you(or me).