That's the spirit citizen. Join in and do what is necessary to please the algorithm. After all your only purpose in life is to server the all mighty algorithm. Doesn't matter if it's about Google's page ranking or Goldman's stock evaluation; they all are our new gods.
The difference here is that while some modern Buddhists are certainly smug mofos, they're not likely to tell you that you're a sinner or that you're going to hell if you don't agree with them.
I agree. The montheistic religions are by far more intolerant and obnoxious than the other belief systems that are still around today.
For all the rest: I'm not sure if all the good things you say about Buddhism are really part of Buddhism or part of your interpretation of all the metaphors, i. e. your positive outlook on life comes from within yourself not from Buddhism. Buddhism, just like all other religions, doesn't really have anything to offer; it's vague, hollow, ambigious, and in parts just factually wrong. You have a positive outlook on life and you project that into the meaningless wish-wash of Buddhism.
Right now, I'm interested in responding to reasonable questions as best I can
You wrongfully claimed that you have the copyright over a video that some random person posted on youtube in order to make money from people watching that video. That is fraud. What do you as an insider to the IP business think is an apropriate punishment for your fraud?
Your likelihood of making a technical mistake here or there in a supremely complex experiment is far, far higher than the likelihood of special relativity being wrong
The likelyhood that special relativity is wrong is 1. That's why the LHC was build in the first place: to find a better model that doesn't contradict observations like special relativity does.
They should have kept it strictly within the community rather than embarrass themselves, and physics, in this manner.
I think, instead, one should define free will as the "ability of the conscious mind to make decisions".
What is the "conscious mind"? Is it all of your neurons? Or only some of them? Which ones? What does it mean for this entity to "make a decision"? The laws governing the physical and chemical interactions between the neurons don't change.
This is one of the reasons that--to me--of all of the formal religions, Buddhism is most pleasing to me. There are teachers and there are texts, but it's core is around experience rather than absolute truths.
Karma, rebirth, samsara, the four noble truths, ans so on are all dogmatic, absolute "truths".
Buddhism is a happier
As exemplified by the first noble truth: Life is suffering. Couldn't get more happy than that. I know, I don't "understand" it.
Not true. I can easily concluded that the probability for "the universes and everything" to exist is 1. And there is absolutely nothing to argue about.
This is guaranteed to get modded down because it's anti-piracy.
Well, let's test this hypothesis: Piracy is wrong. There I said it. Mod me down.
But here's the ting: the piratebay case and all the "intellectual property" discussion is is not about whether the "creative" people deserve to get paid or should be ripped of. It is a fight between the RIAA, MPAA, et al on the one side and the pirates on the other side over who gets to rip them of. Search for "Hollywood accounting", read Courtney Love does the math, or find out why some guy suddenly was called "the artist formerly known as prince" if you don't believe me about the real goals of the "MAFIAA". Now there are some exceptions to these rules; both the MAFIAA and the pirates are willing to pay some of the creators for some of the work they produce but these exceptions are few and far between.
In a fight between MAFIAA and pirates it is very easy to see who the real assholes are (hint: it's the guys promoting global censorship and life crippling penalties for what could arguably be called the equivalent of stealing a CD). That's why the discussion is so "one-sided". But all of this doesn't change the fact that pirating content is legally wrong in many countries.
[...] but let's say the Stuxnet code was published [...]
Most of it was decompiled and published here. You can find all the binaries online if you're really interested. Hiding the results is just security by obscurity. The Dutch scientist didn't perform some magic trick that nobody else can do. Doesn't make it any less scary though.
The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows: Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. They also include the right of all to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence.
The only thing TBP does is saying "internet user x has a copy file y and wants to share it with anyone who wants it." You can not load "the latest Twilight Movie for free" from the piratebay.
Slashdot Mirror
I wonder if these handful of drone strikes that don't count murdered more people than the 9/11 attacks.
Man up and join the 21st century.
That's the spirit citizen. Join in and do what is necessary to please the algorithm. After all your only purpose in life is to server the all mighty algorithm. Doesn't matter if it's about Google's page ranking or Goldman's stock evaluation; they all are our new gods.
The difference here is that while some modern Buddhists are certainly smug mofos, they're not likely to tell you that you're a sinner or that you're going to hell if you don't agree with them.
I agree. The montheistic religions are by far more intolerant and obnoxious than the other belief systems that are still around today.
For all the rest: I'm not sure if all the good things you say about Buddhism are really part of Buddhism or part of your interpretation of all the metaphors, i. e. your positive outlook on life comes from within yourself not from Buddhism. Buddhism, just like all other religions, doesn't really have anything to offer; it's vague, hollow, ambigious, and in parts just factually wrong. You have a positive outlook on life and you project that into the meaningless wish-wash of Buddhism.
Actually there is no way they can comply since it is impossible to not communicate.
Right now, I'm interested in responding to reasonable questions as best I can
You wrongfully claimed that you have the copyright over a video that some random person posted on youtube in order to make money from people watching that video. That is fraud. What do you as an insider to the IP business think is an apropriate punishment for your fraud?
Your likelihood of making a technical mistake here or there in a supremely complex experiment is far, far higher than the likelihood of special relativity being wrong
The likelyhood that special relativity is wrong is 1. That's why the LHC was build in the first place: to find a better model that doesn't contradict observations like special relativity does.
They should have kept it strictly within the community rather than embarrass themselves, and physics, in this manner.
The only embarrasing thing here is you.
I think, instead, one should define free will as the "ability of the conscious mind to make decisions".
What is the "conscious mind"? Is it all of your neurons? Or only some of them? Which ones? What does it mean for this entity to "make a decision"? The laws governing the physical and chemical interactions between the neurons don't change.
If Google stops offering Google Docs you simple export your documents and use a different office product.
Of course he was wrong about a fair number of things.
Can you name three?
Where does the bible answer the "Why?". Where does it talk about God's motivation for creating the universe?
This is one of the reasons that--to me--of all of the formal religions, Buddhism is most pleasing to me. There are teachers and there are texts, but it's core is around experience rather than absolute truths.
Karma, rebirth, samsara, the four noble truths, ans so on are all dogmatic, absolute "truths".
Buddhism is a happier
As exemplified by the first noble truth: Life is suffering. Couldn't get more happy than that. I know, I don't "understand" it.
Not true. I can easily concluded that the probability for "the universes and everything" to exist is 1. And there is absolutely nothing to argue about.
what happened before the beginning of time
The words "before" and "after" don't have any meaning if there is no time. There is no "before beginning of time".
or where all the mass in the universe came from
The total energy of the universe is 0. There is no mass that had to come from anywhere.
There's nothing particularly wrong with taxing wealth rather than income theoretically.
Heck yes there is. It punishes people for saving and investing.
And an income tax punishes people for working.
Bastion was arguably one of the best games of 2011. Magicka was pretty good also.
As a pastafarian I am deeply offended that you mock The One And Only True Good by insinuating that there are other gods.
The exploits used in stuxnet are already integrated in metasploit and canvas. The script kiddies already have access.
This is guaranteed to get modded down because it's anti-piracy.
Well, let's test this hypothesis: Piracy is wrong. There I said it. Mod me down.
But here's the ting: the piratebay case and all the "intellectual property" discussion is is not about whether the "creative" people deserve to get paid or should be ripped of. It is a fight between the RIAA, MPAA, et al on the one side and the pirates on the other side over who gets to rip them of. Search for "Hollywood accounting", read Courtney Love does the math, or find out why some guy suddenly was called "the artist formerly known as prince" if you don't believe me about the real goals of the "MAFIAA". Now there are some exceptions to these rules; both the MAFIAA and the pirates are willing to pay some of the creators for some of the work they produce but these exceptions are few and far between.
In a fight between MAFIAA and pirates it is very easy to see who the real assholes are (hint: it's the guys promoting global censorship and life crippling penalties for what could arguably be called the equivalent of stealing a CD). That's why the discussion is so "one-sided". But all of this doesn't change the fact that pirating content is legally wrong in many countries.
Keeping certain scientific discoveries secret was SOP during the cold war.
[...] but let's say the Stuxnet code was published [...]
Most of it was decompiled and published here. You can find all the binaries online if you're really interested. Hiding the results is just security by obscurity. The Dutch scientist didn't perform some magic trick that nobody else can do. Doesn't make it any less scary though.
"Thanks, I could have thought of this myself." I was just using your terminology.
The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows: Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. They also include the right of all to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence.
We can. This gives you you another chance to think for yourself. Let's see how it goes.
It might not be the DHS but the American Government regulary assassinates citizens and non-citizens alike.
The only thing TBP does is saying "internet user x has a copy file y and wants to share it with anyone who wants it." You can not load "the latest Twilight Movie for free" from the piratebay.