Ok. It wasn't really a computer, but that silly little cartridge was the initial hook that got me interested in computers back in 1980. Sure, you couldn't do squat with like 128 bytes (IIRC)and you couldn't save or anything, but that first taste of programming was a peek at the man behind the curtain. After that, I couldn't get enough....
1) Gift Certificates are not tangible personal property and are not recorded as a sale for the company when purchased. Not taxable.
2) When the certificate is redeemed (thats the taxable transaction), the sale is deemed to have taken place where the merchandise is received.
IANAL, but here goes. The article doesn't really articulate that although the Supreme Court ruling(s) (National Bellas Hess v. Illinois and later Quill vs. N. Dakota) barred collection of sales tax on interstate commerce where the company had no nexus in the target state, subsequent legislation was introduced into Congress to try to change that law and compel remote retailers to collect.
The legislation failed, in part, because of the undue burden it would put on online and direct marketing retailers to comply with the myriad rates, forms and rules in so many jurisdictions. The Streamlined Sales Tax initiative is the attempt by those states to coordinate tax collection in order to convince Congress that that burden no longer exists so that they will pass the appropriate legislation allowing states to compel collection.
IMO, even after the majority of states join and implement the SST regime, it will still be a fight to get Congress to pass the legislation. Compliance in non-conforming states will remain a significant burden to retailers and the SST itself is still a very complicated beast. We may get there, but this is only the first step in a long process.
The point isn't whether or not his reply yields some sort of insight into his soul, he only need prove that he *understands* the question by not giving a generic answer which could equally apply to the question "Why do you like food?" or "Why do you like movies?"
Answer something like this and see if they think your a bot:
"I *don't* like music. At least not any modern music. Classic jazz (like Louis Armstrong) is the only music that has any soul."
-The emphasis on "don't" feels human.
-Refuting the assumption that "I like music" feels human, as does qualifying the refutation to "modern music."
-Refining generic music into a specific genre (jazz) and then fixing it in time (classic) and providing an example (Armstrong) couldn't be done by a bot.
-Connecting that sub-genre to an abstract concept (soul) is likewise unmistakeably human.
No, it may be hard to convince somebody you're not a bot if you reply mindlessly, but it wouldn't take a lot of effort if you tried to give an meaningful answer, regardless of whether or not you believe it.
Although I never had to get up in the morning at 10 o'clock at night, half an hour before I went to bed, I too am afflicted. The progression of my disease ran Magnavox Odyssey (the original with overlays) followed by the 2600, 5200, Intellivision, etc.
At least my geek card is not in danger of revocation. My garage workshop still has a full-blown MAME cabinet (runs Daphne and VPinMame as well), an Atari 2600, 5200, Atari 800XL (with 1050 drive and PC interface) and an NES all hooked up. Oh yeah, and more DVD's of other emulation goodies than I can begin to organize. I also still play the TTY version of Nethack.
Although it makes some sense that the moon appears larger when its near the horizon due to having nearby points of reference to compare it with, this still doesn't explain why on some nights it appears larger than on other nights from precisely the same vantage point. Odd indeed.
Totally agreed. I've been anxiously awaiting each week's episode in AVI format from a friend Tivo'ing it off the Beeb.
BTW, did Empty Child give anyone else the creeps?
A very well done episode, IMO, as was Dalek.
"We care about moral issues, nobility, decency, happiness, goodness--the issues that matter in the real world, but which can only be addressed, in their purity, in fiction."
Bad acting and campy dialogue aside, I'm surprised that he can't see, or chooses not to recognize in his op-ed piece, the relentless (and at times ground-breaking) treatment of those same issues in the Trek universe.
Slashdot Mirror
No, that would clearly be a case of games imitating real life....
Chicken vs Egg, anyone?
No, 1982 called to confirm that this wasn't even news then...
Should be "from the couldn't-have-chosen-a-worse-title dept."
Its a brave, new virtual world....
Did I mention I still have that machine?
Yep. Call themselves The Standford Cardinals.
1) Gift Certificates are not tangible personal property and are not recorded as a sale for the company when purchased. Not taxable. 2) When the certificate is redeemed (thats the taxable transaction), the sale is deemed to have taken place where the merchandise is received.
IANAL, but here goes. The article doesn't really articulate that although the Supreme Court ruling(s) (National Bellas Hess v. Illinois and later Quill vs. N. Dakota) barred collection of sales tax on interstate commerce where the company had no nexus in the target state, subsequent legislation was introduced into Congress to try to change that law and compel remote retailers to collect.
The legislation failed, in part, because of the undue burden it would put on online and direct marketing retailers to comply with the myriad rates, forms and rules in so many jurisdictions. The Streamlined Sales Tax initiative is the attempt by those states to coordinate tax collection in order to convince Congress that that burden no longer exists so that they will pass the appropriate legislation allowing states to compel collection.
IMO, even after the majority of states join and implement the SST regime, it will still be a fight to get Congress to pass the legislation. Compliance in non-conforming states will remain a significant burden to retailers and the SST itself is still a very complicated beast. We may get there, but this is only the first step in a long process.
The point isn't whether or not his reply yields some sort of insight into his soul, he only need prove that he *understands* the question by not giving a generic answer which could equally apply to the question "Why do you like food?" or "Why do you like movies?"
Answer something like this and see if they think your a bot:
"I *don't* like music. At least not any modern music. Classic jazz (like Louis Armstrong) is the only music that has any soul."
-The emphasis on "don't" feels human.
-Refuting the assumption that "I like music" feels human, as does qualifying the refutation to "modern music."
-Refining generic music into a specific genre (jazz) and then fixing it in time (classic) and providing an example (Armstrong) couldn't be done by a bot.
-Connecting that sub-genre to an abstract concept (soul) is likewise unmistakeably human.
No, it may be hard to convince somebody you're not a bot if you reply mindlessly, but it wouldn't take a lot of effort if you tried to give an meaningful answer, regardless of whether or not you believe it.
Dont forget: You have genocided Sony Executives
Although I never had to get up in the morning at 10 o'clock at night, half an hour before I went to bed, I too am afflicted. The progression of my disease ran Magnavox Odyssey (the original with overlays) followed by the 2600, 5200, Intellivision, etc.
At least my geek card is not in danger of revocation. My garage workshop still has a full-blown MAME cabinet (runs Daphne and VPinMame as well), an Atari 2600, 5200, Atari 800XL (with 1050 drive and PC interface) and an NES all hooked up. Oh yeah, and more DVD's of other emulation goodies than I can begin to organize. I also still play the TTY version of Nethack.
Did I mention my geek card is safe?
So I should throw away $70 because somebody else might make $25 on the transaction. Its called capitalism, folks, and it works.
Is icecream cold? Is ice cream cold? You owe us one more. Also, "Is sex nice?" cannot be proven to be true by slashdot readers...
+1 Funny as hell.
Although it makes some sense that the moon appears larger when its near the horizon due to having nearby points of reference to compare it with, this still doesn't explain why on some nights it appears larger than on other nights from precisely the same vantage point. Odd indeed.
Hehe. I think I scanned over that section of the interview...
So how old is this article?
Let's see, the winner is "now" 39 and he was 22 when he got his first Atari 2600 in 1981.
If it's been 17 years since he got his first machine then this interview was given in 1998.
Yep, you know it's a slow news day when slashdot is running links to 7 year old interviews about 20+ year old video game contests.
Totally agreed. I've been anxiously awaiting each week's episode in AVI format from a friend Tivo'ing it off the Beeb. BTW, did Empty Child give anyone else the creeps? A very well done episode, IMO, as was Dalek.
And here I am expecting to find an article about Andre the Giant's evil twin hax0r...
King of the whooo? Who are the Britons?
I'm mostly addicted to snail mail. I check my mailbox everyday, except Sundays and holidays.
I imagine absolutely nothing would happen.
Neil Stephenson would be proud. Can you say, "Diamond Age?"
Now if we can only get The Oracle to raise our kids for us....
"We care about moral issues, nobility, decency, happiness, goodness--the issues that matter in the real world, but which can only be addressed, in their purity, in fiction."
Bad acting and campy dialogue aside, I'm surprised that he can't see, or chooses not to recognize in his op-ed piece, the relentless (and at times ground-breaking) treatment of those same issues in the Trek universe.
In separate news, Apple invented the operating system today...