What you are looking for in a sci-fi movie doesn't exist. That's the big difference between true science fiction and what hollywood calls science fiction.
I mostly agree, but occasionally some get through...
2001 & 2010 Blade Runner Soldier Alien Predator Total Recall Terminator 6th Day
With varying degrees of hollywoodization, these are good "sci-fi."
To a lesser degree, Minority Report and Paycheck.
Then on T.V. sometimes one is surprised by cyclic rehashing of "Outer Limits" or "Twilight Zone."
If you need a sci-fi fix, find "The Man From Earth" by Jerome Bixby.
but in this one making the Earth "stand still" was more a side effect of what it took to stop Gort, it wasn't the intent of the alien's to deprive Earth of modern technology.
I think you misunderstand the plot. The plot was to save the earth from man's horrible horrible ways. Their first solution was to just kill us. Then, after Klatu decides, maybe, we should be allowed to live, he just renders our technology useless.
Even if the "stood still" is an artifact of stopping GORT, it still means it would have been possible to render our technology useless to begin with.
Either way, the movie was stupid. The moment John Cleese debates Klatu about being on the precipice, I know that intellectual lightweights were behind this one. To assume an advanced race would merely overlook this obvious point is just stupid, and heralded in the rest of the stupidity that was this steaming pile of drek.
The movie Soldier is an amazing movie. Not that it is perfect, by any means, but Kurt Russel has about 12 spoken lines, but carries the whole movie by body language and facial expressions.
I am a closet Kurt Russel fan, and wish, in a better world, he got better parts. His acting is cartoonish because he gets cartoonish parts.
Similarly, I was joking with my son a few weeks ago about the movie "Tropic Thunder" and Robert Downey Jr. It is a awesome that Robert Downey has such a screwed up personal life, it means his talent and ability are relegated to "fun" movies like "Iron Man" and "Tropic Thunder" as opposed to boring movies like "Chocolat," "Cider House Rules," or "The Ice Storm.":-)
The fact it's been made doesn't affect the original in any way whatsoever.
I completely disagree. 100%
Look at "The Day The Earth Stood Still" I am a fan of the original and think the new one sucked more than anyone will admit.
The Earth "standing still" was a warning, not a conclusion. If they had the power to make the earth "stand still" why, in the new one, would the aliens choose to kill all the humans first? The new one just sucked. The plot changes made to make it a "green" message made it stupid.
The original was written and acted by the "A" list of their time. The sequel was done by the "C" list of our time.
It "taints" the artistry and message of the first.
I can go on, "Time Machine," "War of the Worlds," etc. I can just bet that the new "Star Trek" movie is going to KILL any hope of a return to an optimistic and philosophical "Star Trek."
But if your pay is lower, then prices will go down accordingly.
Umm, have you been looking at gas prices, house prices, etc?
If American workers see their wages come down to market levels,
No, we are seeing "Market levels" come down, that is a different story.
then no-one will be able to afford $14k health insurance,
That's just it, people CAN'T afford $14K health insurance, and end up using emergency rooms and draing public funds, which pushes up heath care. Its a vicious circle.
so tthat will come down to a reasonable price like in the rest of the developed world.
The rest of the developed would has nationalized heath care.
That is Crap.... A man who will work for less then the current market rate is a fool and being take advantage of.
Exactly, and that's when a company hires an H1B. Thus depriving a citizen of a job at the prevailing wage. Now that person can no longer find work at the previous "prevailing" wage, and now must work for less or not at all.
Let the company pay what they want and put a tariff on the good. The most likely effect is it will stop the trade and force the job offshore.
A lot of companies are finding out that "outsourcing" is not as cost effective that they once thought. H1B visas are an answer to that. Off shore prices with local employees.
As for taxing the difference, you really can't. Pay rates vary greatly from experience to expertise. On paper, everyone looks about the same, so paying someone $45K (the base pay for a position) instead of $60K (midrange pay) wouldn't be detected, but of course, the company saves $15K by getting an experienced H1B at the price of an entry level.
I don't see why they should pay more for your services when someone is willing to do it for less.
On the surface that seems true, but it isn't. In any capitalist market there is supply and demand. When supply exceeds demand, prices fall. When demand exceeds supply, prices rise. Well understood theory, correct?
In the U.S. workforce market there is ample supply of workers, but the prevailing wage that people need to thrive, you know have a home, wife, children, etc. is fairly high. My health insurance alone, is $14K a year.
So, the government gave a gift to large corporations. With record profits, Microsoft is getting more and more H1B visa workers. This causes a glut of workers on the market and allows Microsoft to pay their workers less. Following suit, other companies can now pay less for the over abundance of workers.
H1B visas are nothing more than "human resource dumping" for corporate america. H1Bs cost less, and lower the prevailing wage. This is undeniable.
Then there is the nefarious code purposefully put into Microsoft's proprietary code.
Prove it.
Two things about this challenge. As a proprietary product, I am unable to prove or disprove what is or is not in Windows. We do, however, have plenty of evidence that "NSA Key" does not have an adequate explanation, that WGA does send personal information despite microsoft's claims to the contrary, and that there are plenty of "easter eggs" in Microsoft programs and Windows itself.
It is reasonable to conclude that security is lacking and it is a fact that there is unaccounted for/unaudited code in Windows and microsoft programs. (Easter eggs are a an example.) Any security minded person presented with this situation and UNABLE to verify for themselves, should assume the worst.
WGA isn't a hidden backdoor. It uses a well-known port and connects to well-known servers. It's easily blocked or disabled.
Yes, but it is not 100% documented and verifiable as to what it does and what information is conveyed.
The NSA backdoor does not exist unless you can prove it exists.
See my first point.
There have been extensive code reviews of Windows source code that have not revealed these imaginary backdoors.
By whom? Not by me. Not under circumstances that I trust. By the same people who've requested its inclusion in the first place, perhaps?
What makes you think Remote Desktop is "bad"?
It is a server intended for very broad access to the system, however it is proprietary and impossible to audit. So you can't check the access execution path to verify that it is secure. More over, it uses AES encryption which, while fairly secure in theory, does not prevent MITM and does not prevent eavesdropping. All you need to do is get the password and that's easier than you think. Even WITH the passphrase, you can't eavesdrop and if properly configured, can't do an MITM with ssh.
So, yes that's "BAD."
Do you have any idea how it works? If so, please explain it. Just about every feature in SSH is in RDP.
It isn't about the "features" it is about the "security" of how they are implemented.
And the paranoid can tunnel their RDP connections over SSH or IPSec.
I am glad that you have no real say in public policy in this country. And Sir, you are a jackass!
I'm sorry you feel that way. You say you are here on an H1B visa. How about your country? How easy is it for foreigners to go there and work? How much consideration does your country give its foreign working class? (If it even has one.)
Wouldn't your country bet better off if you went back home and worked in your industry of choice for your country?
I am a member of the ACLU and believe, fundamentally in free speech. However, it is not "free" speech when you threaten or create danger, like yelling "fire" in a crowded movie house. That is an abuse of your rights.
Your freedom to swing your fists stops at my face, as it were.
With all rights there must be responsibilities. This is one of those contentious problems when people exercising their rights are not being responsible. There is *no* good answer to this situation.
When one uses their freedoms irresponsibly, it creates a threat to all freedom because it offers legitimate precedent for those who's aim it is to repress.
Be it the NSA key, WGA, or other methodologies of accessing machines remotely. If these systems are in Windows, they WILL be exploited by external entities.
So you're saying "remote access of any kind = external exploit".
There is a difference between a "regular" service and a backdoor system like WGA, the NSA key, et. al. *You* have no control over how those services are configured nor whom they contact.
In Unix you have telnet and ssh. In Windows you have Remote Desktop (and telnet and ssh). I'm sure there are exploits for these, but this is hardly a Microsoft problem.
See, here is a prime example of "equivocation" that is nonsense. The "ssh" vs "Windows Remote Desktop" comparison is rediculous, do you have any idea how BAD the security in WRD? Any?
I agree. I think that overall Linux is much more secure than Windows. The numbers of bug fixes may be more for Linux (I don't know) but that could also be because people are acting fast to make Linux the best it can be.
Nice FUD. Without some serious analysis, you can't really draw any conclusions about "bug fixes." Many security bug fixes in Linux are merely "potential" vulnerabilities that are not and probably could not be full vulnerabilities without a lot of other things in place to allow the exploit.
and the people running it tend to be a little more technically savvy and probably don't just plug their Linux box right into their cable or DSL modem.
Again, WRONG. Linux/BSD are more secure REGARDLESS of the people running it. Qualified people running Windows will never be able to get it secure as Linux or FreeBSD simply because Windows is designed to be insecure.
I wasn't trying to say that Linux was just as insecure as Windows. I was just saying that there have been exploits for Linux too, you can misconfigure it, open ports, and run vulnerable services, and people that think just running Linux makes them impervious to attack could end up with a surprise.
I completely reject the equivocation argument. "All operating systems have security issues" which leads to "so it doesn't matter what you use" or something similar. It does matter because there are real differences between security exploits. All security bugs are not equal. A "potential" security bug with an arcane and virtually impossible exploit path is fundamentally different beast than an exploit that allows millions of Windows PCs to become part of a bot farm.
As for Microsoft, or any employer, *all* H1Bs should be dispensed with *before* any american gets laid off. Really? Should they fire all H1b compiler coders before they let go an American office admin?
Absolutely. They shouldn't be hiring H1Bs at all. There are americans who should be doing the work.
I experienced, in Massachusetts, a company that will remain nameless, fire (sorry lay off) 20 software engineers and hire 20 H1Bs (through a contracting house) at a lower rate, and of course, we locals have to train the H1Bs.
It is wrong on every level, and should be criminal.
Yes, that will teach them!!! Err.. wait, who are we punishing again?
Correcting a systemic problem is not necessarily a punitive action. It is unfortunate that real human beings are affected, but that's life sometimes.
The concept of a global workforce is not one that goes away as the global economic tail winds shift. Regardless of whether politicians all of a sudden grow a conscience or not.
The concept of a "global workforce" is a race to poverty for the working class.
I am on an H1-B. I have been here for the last 9 years,
Then you should get a green card or get out.
But how do you ever plan to make all of them right, by getting rid of all the immigrant families here now?
You still don't get it, it's a way to drain talented resources from other countries and bring them into the USA.
You sound like former president Bush on Iraq. Once someone figures out one argument is bogus, you throw up a new argument to obfuscate the issue.
In the end it benefits our country and hurts other countries.
Your argument works from the false premise that there is a scarcity of skilled human resources. This is, of course, completely false. ESPECIALLY in an economic decline.
The majority of people who come here on H1Bs are very intelligent, and that is one of the reasons the USA has done so well, it attracts the most intelligent people from the world.
I disagree 100% The H1B visa program is not a green card nor is it naturalized citizenship. I agree that immigration is basically a good thing for the U.S.A. but the H1B visa program is *NOT* intended as a replacement for the naturalization process.
The H1B program reduces the prevailing wage, creates an easily exploited migrant worker class, and is increasing current unemployment rate.
People live in the most polluted places because that's where they live, that's where they work, that's where they play.
Within reason, of course. When there is no place to go, they stay. However, history shows that where there are alternatives, people migrate to cleaner/better environments. The Navaho and Anaszi would pack up and leave a whole city and build a new one. In the 1800s people flocked to the west for a better life. Europeans flocked to the Americas for a cleaner/better life.
Linux isn't perfect. There have been any number of security issues that would allow a knowledgeable hacker easy access.
Depending on the methodology of access this is potentially true. There are philosophical differences between the development of Linux, BSD, and Windows.
I've been around the industry for a while and I have seen first hand the systemic differences. At Microsoft, things like adding executable code to TIFF images and metafiles is neither challenged nor audited. On Linux and FreeBSD the developers wouldn't even dream of doing something idiotic like that, and even if they do, there are legions of people who will scream bloody murder.
Then there is the nefarious code purposefully put into Microsoft's proprietary code. Be it the NSA key, WGA, or other methodologies of accessing machines remotely. If these systems are in Windows, they WILL be exploited by external entities.
I'm sure he's native American, like most Americans. You can see it in his writing.
And people call *me* a racist. You speak from a position of ignorance. Perhaps you have not read about some of the great native American philosophers. It doesn't surprise me, most Europeans (and their descendants) are ignorant of the world outside of europe and its colonies after they have enslaved the indigenous peoples.
There is a rich tradition of wisdom that Europe does not know and can not comprehend. There is a wisdom and strength that comes from watching the animals and listening to the wind.
The native Americans may have lost the Americas, but mostly because of European diseases. Even then, with the indian population decimated, the europeans still had to wipe out the buffalo and kill innocent women and children to win.
you do realise that America was founded on immigration?
Which America are you talking about?
probably your great grandfather.
All of my great grandfathers were born here. So were half of my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfathers. The "mohawk" in my name is for my great grandfather.
lot of it through H visas to Green Card to Citizenship
The H1B program was not intended to be a road to citizenship nor was it intended to create a migrant working class.
without it, the US would country would be full of ignorant gits making comments like that. back to your cave.
Interesting choice of words. I'll let the casual readers contemplate all the things that are wrong within those two sentences.
I am not a racist. That is something that is easy to say. The label of "racist" is cowards way out. By trying to affix the label of "racist" you are employing the old "Ad Hominem" attack. You insult me and call into question my motives, but do not, in fact, address the opinion. What I say I say as a member of the American middle class.
Get a green card or become a citizen, short of that you are a leach draining good jobs from citizens and lowering the prevailing wage and fundamentally damaging the middle class of my country.
Call that a troll if you want, I don't care. It is an important thing to protect one's community.
Now, seriously, I have *no* problem with *anyone* moving in next door to me, or emigrating to my country, but BECOME part of my community BEFORE you take work here. The H1B program was not intended to create a migrant working class.
His point was that bringing in skilled workers from other countries benefits us.
This statement assumes that a local resident does not have the same skills. This is a myth created by large corporations to perpetuate the H1B program.
Not very smart. The success of a nation is a function of the intelligence and education of its people. Giving visas to people with above-average intelligence and education will therefore always be to a nation's benefit.
That assumes (1) that there is no benefit to employing Americans, (2) That the same level and skill is not available locally, and (3) there is no harm in employing non-resident foreigners.
The "guest worker" program is nothing more than a gift to large corporations to get cheap labor that is almost an "indentured servant."
Seriously, what employer wouldn't want to be in the position to employ reasonably killed labor that *HAS* to work to to say in the country. They are a lot easier to intimidate. They can't raise labor issues for fear of having to leave the country.
H1Bs come to the US. Work for less than the prevailing wage. Are not "citizens" and do not have the same rights. Can be easily intimidated: "Don't want to work on the week-end without pay? Your fired, now go back to your own country."
Then if they lose their jobs, not only do they have to leave, but they have to pay to leave. Lose their last month's security deposit on their apartment because they have to break the lease.
H1Bs reduce the prevailing wage, exploit foreigners, and are generally bad policy for middle class.
As for Microsoft, or any employer, *all* H1Bs should be dispensed with *before* any american gets laid off.
Slashdot Mirror
What you are looking for in a sci-fi movie doesn't exist. That's the big difference between true science fiction and what hollywood calls science fiction.
I mostly agree, but occasionally some get through...
2001 & 2010
Blade Runner
Soldier
Alien
Predator
Total Recall
Terminator
6th Day
With varying degrees of hollywoodization, these are good "sci-fi."
To a lesser degree, Minority Report and Paycheck.
Then on T.V. sometimes one is surprised by cyclic rehashing of "Outer Limits" or "Twilight Zone."
If you need a sci-fi fix, find "The Man From Earth" by Jerome Bixby.
but in this one making the Earth "stand still" was more a side effect of what it took to stop Gort, it wasn't the intent of the alien's to deprive Earth of modern technology.
I think you misunderstand the plot. The plot was to save the earth from man's horrible horrible ways. Their first solution was to just kill us. Then, after Klatu decides, maybe, we should be allowed to live, he just renders our technology useless.
Even if the "stood still" is an artifact of stopping GORT, it still means it would have been possible to render our technology useless to begin with.
Either way, the movie was stupid. The moment John Cleese debates Klatu about being on the precipice, I know that intellectual lightweights were behind this one. To assume an advanced race would merely overlook this obvious point is just stupid, and heralded in the rest of the stupidity that was this steaming pile of drek.
The movie Soldier is an amazing movie. Not that it is perfect, by any means, but Kurt Russel has about 12 spoken lines, but carries the whole movie by body language and facial expressions.
I am a closet Kurt Russel fan, and wish, in a better world, he got better parts. His acting is cartoonish because he gets cartoonish parts.
Similarly, I was joking with my son a few weeks ago about the movie "Tropic Thunder" and Robert Downey Jr. It is a awesome that Robert Downey has such a screwed up personal life, it means his talent and ability are relegated to "fun" movies like "Iron Man" and "Tropic Thunder" as opposed to boring movies like "Chocolat," "Cider House Rules," or "The Ice Storm." :-)
The fact it's been made doesn't affect the original in any way whatsoever.
I completely disagree. 100%
Look at "The Day The Earth Stood Still" I am a fan of the original and think the new one sucked more than anyone will admit.
The Earth "standing still" was a warning, not a conclusion. If they had the power to make the earth "stand still" why, in the new one, would the aliens choose to kill all the humans first? The new one just sucked. The plot changes made to make it a "green" message made it stupid.
The original was written and acted by the "A" list of their time. The sequel was done by the "C" list of our time.
It "taints" the artistry and message of the first.
I can go on, "Time Machine," "War of the Worlds," etc. I can just bet that the new "Star Trek" movie is going to KILL any hope of a return to an optimistic and philosophical "Star Trek."
But if your pay is lower, then prices will go down accordingly.
Umm, have you been looking at gas prices, house prices, etc?
If American workers see their wages come down to market levels,
No, we are seeing "Market levels" come down, that is a different story.
then no-one will be able to afford $14k health insurance,
That's just it, people CAN'T afford $14K health insurance, and end up using emergency rooms and draing public funds, which pushes up heath care. Its a vicious circle.
so tthat will come down to a reasonable price like in the rest of the developed world.
The rest of the developed would has nationalized heath care.
That is Crap.. .. A man who will work for less then the current market rate is a fool and being take advantage of.
Exactly, and that's when a company hires an H1B. Thus depriving a citizen of a job at the prevailing wage. Now that person can no longer find work at the previous "prevailing" wage, and now must work for less or not at all.
Let the company pay what they want and put a tariff on the good. The most likely effect is it will stop the trade and force the job offshore.
A lot of companies are finding out that "outsourcing" is not as cost effective that they once thought. H1B visas are an answer to that. Off shore prices with local employees.
As for taxing the difference, you really can't. Pay rates vary greatly from experience to expertise. On paper, everyone looks about the same, so paying someone $45K (the base pay for a position) instead of $60K (midrange pay) wouldn't be detected, but of course, the company saves $15K by getting an experienced H1B at the price of an entry level.
I don't see why they should pay more for your services when someone is willing to do it for less.
On the surface that seems true, but it isn't. In any capitalist market there is supply and demand. When supply exceeds demand, prices fall. When demand exceeds supply, prices rise. Well understood theory, correct?
In the U.S. workforce market there is ample supply of workers, but the prevailing wage that people need to thrive, you know have a home, wife, children, etc. is fairly high. My health insurance alone, is $14K a year.
So, the government gave a gift to large corporations. With record profits, Microsoft is getting more and more H1B visa workers. This causes a glut of workers on the market and allows Microsoft to pay their workers less. Following suit, other companies can now pay less for the over abundance of workers.
H1B visas are nothing more than "human resource dumping" for corporate america. H1Bs cost less, and lower the prevailing wage. This is undeniable.
Then there is the nefarious code purposefully put into Microsoft's proprietary code.
Prove it.
Two things about this challenge. As a proprietary product, I am unable to prove or disprove what is or is not in Windows. We do, however, have plenty of evidence that "NSA Key" does not have an adequate explanation, that WGA does send personal information despite microsoft's claims to the contrary, and that there are plenty of "easter eggs" in Microsoft programs and Windows itself.
It is reasonable to conclude that security is lacking and it is a fact that there is unaccounted for/unaudited code in Windows and microsoft programs. (Easter eggs are a an example.) Any security minded person presented with this situation and UNABLE to verify for themselves, should assume the worst.
WGA isn't a hidden backdoor. It uses a well-known port and connects to well-known servers. It's easily blocked or disabled.
Yes, but it is not 100% documented and verifiable as to what it does and what information is conveyed.
The NSA backdoor does not exist unless you can prove it exists.
See my first point.
There have been extensive code reviews of Windows source code that have not revealed these imaginary backdoors.
By whom? Not by me. Not under circumstances that I trust. By the same people who've requested its inclusion in the first place, perhaps?
What makes you think Remote Desktop is "bad"?
It is a server intended for very broad access to the system, however it is proprietary and impossible to audit. So you can't check the access execution path to verify that it is secure. More over, it uses AES encryption which, while fairly secure in theory, does not prevent MITM and does not prevent eavesdropping. All you need to do is get the password and that's easier than you think. Even WITH the passphrase, you can't eavesdrop and if properly configured, can't do an MITM with ssh.
So, yes that's "BAD."
Do you have any idea how it works? If so, please explain it. Just about every feature in SSH is in RDP.
It isn't about the "features" it is about the "security" of how they are implemented.
And the paranoid can tunnel their RDP connections over SSH or IPSec.
Exactly.
I am glad that you have no real say in public policy in this country. And Sir, you are a jackass!
I'm sorry you feel that way. You say you are here on an H1B visa. How about your country? How easy is it for foreigners to go there and work? How much consideration does your country give its foreign working class? (If it even has one.)
Wouldn't your country bet better off if you went back home and worked in your industry of choice for your country?
So now, when you take a picture of police shooting a restrained person in the back, they'll be alerted and shoot you!!!
Silent camera phones are an important instrument to keep authorities in check.
I am a member of the ACLU and believe, fundamentally in free speech. However, it is not "free" speech when you threaten or create danger, like yelling "fire" in a crowded movie house. That is an abuse of your rights.
Your freedom to swing your fists stops at my face, as it were.
With all rights there must be responsibilities. This is one of those contentious problems when people exercising their rights are not being responsible. There is *no* good answer to this situation.
When one uses their freedoms irresponsibly, it creates a threat to all freedom because it offers legitimate precedent for those who's aim it is to repress.
Be it the NSA key, WGA, or other methodologies of accessing machines remotely. If these systems are in Windows, they WILL be exploited by external entities.
So you're saying "remote access of any kind = external exploit".
There is a difference between a "regular" service and a backdoor system like WGA, the NSA key, et. al. *You* have no control over how those services are configured nor whom they contact.
In Unix you have telnet and ssh. In Windows you have Remote Desktop (and telnet and ssh). I'm sure there are exploits for these, but this is hardly a Microsoft problem.
See, here is a prime example of "equivocation" that is nonsense. The "ssh" vs "Windows Remote Desktop" comparison is rediculous, do you have any idea how BAD the security in WRD? Any?
I agree. I think that overall Linux is much more secure than Windows. The numbers of bug fixes may be more for Linux (I don't know) but that could also be because people are acting fast to make Linux the best it can be.
Nice FUD. Without some serious analysis, you can't really draw any conclusions about "bug fixes." Many security bug fixes in Linux are merely "potential" vulnerabilities that are not and probably could not be full vulnerabilities without a lot of other things in place to allow the exploit.
and the people running it tend to be a little more technically savvy and probably don't just plug their Linux box right into their cable or DSL modem.
Again, WRONG. Linux/BSD are more secure REGARDLESS of the people running it. Qualified people running Windows will never be able to get it secure as Linux or FreeBSD simply because Windows is designed to be insecure.
I wasn't trying to say that Linux was just as insecure as Windows. I was just saying that there have been exploits for Linux too, you can misconfigure it, open ports, and run vulnerable services, and people that think just running Linux makes them impervious to attack could end up with a surprise.
I completely reject the equivocation argument. "All operating systems have security issues" which leads to "so it doesn't matter what you use" or something similar. It does matter because there are real differences between security exploits. All security bugs are not equal. A "potential" security bug with an arcane and virtually impossible exploit path is fundamentally different beast than an exploit that allows millions of Windows PCs to become part of a bot farm.
As for Microsoft, or any employer, *all* H1Bs should be dispensed with *before* any american gets laid off. Really? Should they fire all H1b compiler coders before they let go an American office admin?
Absolutely. They shouldn't be hiring H1Bs at all. There are americans who should be doing the work.
I experienced, in Massachusetts, a company that will remain nameless, fire (sorry lay off) 20 software engineers and hire 20 H1Bs (through a contracting house) at a lower rate, and of course, we locals have to train the H1Bs.
It is wrong on every level, and should be criminal.
Yes, that will teach them!!! Err.. wait, who are we punishing again?
Correcting a systemic problem is not necessarily a punitive action. It is unfortunate that real human beings are affected, but that's life sometimes.
The concept of a global workforce is not one that goes away as the global economic tail winds shift. Regardless of whether politicians all of a sudden grow a conscience or not.
The concept of a "global workforce" is a race to poverty for the working class.
I am on an H1-B. I have been here for the last 9 years,
Then you should get a green card or get out.
But how do you ever plan to make all of them right, by getting rid of all the immigrant families here now?
It would be a start.
You still don't get it, it's a way to drain talented resources from other countries and bring them into the USA.
You sound like former president Bush on Iraq. Once someone figures out one argument is bogus, you throw up a new argument to obfuscate the issue.
In the end it benefits our country and hurts other countries.
Your argument works from the false premise that there is a scarcity of skilled human resources. This is, of course, completely false. ESPECIALLY in an economic decline.
The majority of people who come here on H1Bs are very intelligent, and that is one of the reasons the USA has done so well, it attracts the most intelligent people from the world.
I disagree 100% The H1B visa program is not a green card nor is it naturalized citizenship. I agree that immigration is basically a good thing for the U.S.A. but the H1B visa program is *NOT* intended as a replacement for the naturalization process.
The H1B program reduces the prevailing wage, creates an easily exploited migrant worker class, and is increasing current unemployment rate.
People live in the most polluted places because that's where they live, that's where they work, that's where they play.
Within reason, of course. When there is no place to go, they stay. However, history shows that where there are alternatives, people migrate to cleaner/better environments. The Navaho and Anaszi would pack up and leave a whole city and build a new one. In the 1800s people flocked to the west for a better life. Europeans flocked to the Americas for a cleaner/better life.
Linux isn't perfect. There have been any number of security issues that would allow a knowledgeable hacker easy access.
Depending on the methodology of access this is potentially true. There are philosophical differences between the development of Linux, BSD, and Windows.
I've been around the industry for a while and I have seen first hand the systemic differences. At Microsoft, things like adding executable code to TIFF images and metafiles is neither challenged nor audited. On Linux and FreeBSD the developers wouldn't even dream of doing something idiotic like that, and even if they do, there are legions of people who will scream bloody murder.
Then there is the nefarious code purposefully put into Microsoft's proprietary code. Be it the NSA key, WGA, or other methodologies of accessing machines remotely. If these systems are in Windows, they WILL be exploited by external entities.
I'm sure he's native American, like most Americans. You can see it in his writing.
And people call *me* a racist. You speak from a position of ignorance. Perhaps you have not read about some of the great native American philosophers. It doesn't surprise me, most Europeans (and their descendants) are ignorant of the world outside of europe and its colonies after they have enslaved the indigenous peoples.
There is a rich tradition of wisdom that Europe does not know and can not comprehend. There is a wisdom and strength that comes from watching the animals and listening to the wind.
The native Americans may have lost the Americas, but mostly because of European diseases. Even then, with the indian population decimated, the europeans still had to wipe out the buffalo and kill innocent women and children to win.
you do realise that America was founded on immigration?
Which America are you talking about?
probably your great grandfather.
All of my great grandfathers were born here. So were half of my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfathers. The "mohawk" in my name is for my great grandfather.
lot of it through H visas to Green Card to Citizenship
The H1B program was not intended to be a road to citizenship nor was it intended to create a migrant working class.
without it, the US would country would be full of ignorant gits making comments like that. back to your cave.
Interesting choice of words. I'll let the casual readers contemplate all the things that are wrong within those two sentences.
let me tell you that you are a completely clichÃf© ignorant, _racist_ american. You are the kind of person who damages the reputation of the US abroad.
I am not a racist. That is something that is easy to say. The label of "racist" is cowards way out. By trying to affix the label of "racist" you are employing the old "Ad Hominem" attack. You insult me and call into question my motives, but do not, in fact, address the opinion. What I say I say as a member of the American middle class.
Get a green card or become a citizen, short of that you are a leach draining good jobs from citizens and lowering the prevailing wage and fundamentally damaging the middle class of my country.
Call that a troll if you want, I don't care. It is an important thing to protect one's community.
Now, seriously, I have *no* problem with *anyone* moving in next door to me, or emigrating to my country, but BECOME part of my community BEFORE you take work here. The H1B program was not intended to create a migrant working class.
His point was that bringing in skilled workers from other countries benefits us.
This statement assumes that a local resident does not have the same skills. This is a myth created by large corporations to perpetuate the H1B program.
The majority of those H1-Bs stay in the USA,
The H1B system is for TEMPORARY workers.
become Americans after a period of time.
That should be the first step.
Not very smart. The success of a nation is a function of the intelligence and education of its people. Giving visas to people with above-average intelligence and education will therefore always be to a nation's benefit.
That assumes (1) that there is no benefit to employing Americans, (2) That the same level and skill is not available locally, and (3) there is no harm in employing non-resident foreigners.
None of these assumptions are true.
The "guest worker" program is nothing more than a gift to large corporations to get cheap labor that is almost an "indentured servant."
Seriously, what employer wouldn't want to be in the position to employ reasonably killed labor that *HAS* to work to to say in the country. They are a lot easier to intimidate. They can't raise labor issues for fear of having to leave the country.
H1Bs come to the US. Work for less than the prevailing wage. Are not "citizens" and do not have the same rights. Can be easily intimidated: "Don't want to work on the week-end without pay? Your fired, now go back to your own country."
Then if they lose their jobs, not only do they have to leave, but they have to pay to leave. Lose their last month's security deposit on their apartment because they have to break the lease.
H1Bs reduce the prevailing wage, exploit foreigners, and are generally bad policy for middle class.
As for Microsoft, or any employer, *all* H1Bs should be dispensed with *before* any american gets laid off.