Ok...so the Ernie Ball thing is really only a footnote in the actual article as most of the article is actually current but damnit, Ernie Ball switched 4-5 YEARS ago. This is not news. Now if we all hop in our time machine then the summary will actually be relevant, but for fucks sake this news is over 4 years old.
http://www.news.com/2008-1082_3-5065859.html
Notice the published in 2003, and then notice further the part where it explains that this is 1 year after the fact interview.
He was right, but it is irrelevant. In digital "objects" scarcity is artificial. This assanine idea that noone will produce is "economic thinking" coupled with poor judgement. TRUE economic thinking would show the supply/demand curve shift, and the price adjust accordingly and there will still be a huge supply of artists because the cost of entry has become so insanely low. So the little popstar boyband or rockstar lifestyle of 16 cars, 5 hookers, and all the drugs you can shoot, snort, or smoke dies. Oh boo freaking hoo. You mean artists might only make enough to make a middle class lifestyle off of their work? Oh the agony, the horror, the defeat... Soldiers, policemen, firefighters, etc all risk their damned lives on a day to day basis and don't get megamillions, why should some coke snorting junkie that can't take care of her kids get more?
So I agree with you, but the GP is absolutely correct about scarcity. The "industry" crews want to enforce artifical scarcity to drive prices up, the real world wants normal scarcity that deals with the fact that not everyone likes all types of music, nor will everyone become a musician. The this market WILL sort itself out when unburdened from so much silly regulation. The problem is, after the market balances, it will be closer to perfect competition rather than the monopolistic competition we have today, and the fat bastards in big offices and their greasy lawyers don't like that.
Remember kids...the RIAA has struck a deal so they get paid royalties for music they don't own the copyright to. They have been beating the drums of war and lobbying like crazy to make sure THEY are the only method of distribution. If you think this has much to do with the consumer you are deluded...this has everything to do with making sure no one can compete with them.
What bands do you listen to? Barbara Streisand? I have been to TONS of concerts and haven't paid more than $50, with the most common price being $10-20. In fact, I don't think I have ever been to a concert that didn't include at LEAST 2 bands for the price of the ticket. Surprisingly enough that is also the same price range for the CDs of the bands I saw in concert. Even outside of that you are talking the difference between a one time live performance and listen whenever you want recording. Those fancy music boxes in the bar don't have tiny live bands in them...its a one time recording played in a noisy bar for $.50 vs a listen whenever you want in any environment.mp3 for $0.99. I think the $0.99 is clearly the better deal.
That's funny. I'm pretty sure those pay to play music boxes in bars and stuff have been charging.25 to.50 for a single play and have been doing quite well.
I didn't say blame society, I said society has a responsibility for its own health and wellbeing as well. Kids that grew up in the days when if you fucked up on the far side of town and your parents would know by the time you got home were FAR better off. Neighborhoods where you can count on all the neighbors keeping an eye on each others property and children are FAR better off. The overrealiance on the government is sad, and really is directly tied to the "keeping up with the joneses" crap where both parents are working 40+ hours a week just to keep all their shit from being taken back. This is EXACTLY why I moved back to the midwest, because now I know my neighbors look out for each other, not just keep a lookout for the house to rob.
So...you can train dogs to be violent and fight just the same as you can train humans. Society has accepted ultra-violent ultra-graphic things, there should be no surprise that people start acting it out. Take school shootings. Who is the victim? The kids have all been trained into this anti-social self centered view that only they matter and brutality is funny. So it starts with the arrogant little prick bullies...and ends with the psychotic trigger kid. They are no different from each other... Society has abandoned them to fend for themselves. So just blame the parents right? Don't look to the teachers that ignored it, or the administrators that refused to act. Everyone has a responsibility for more than their own personal actions, and that means collectively society DOES cause its own issues and collectively IS responsible for many of the problems. That isn't the same as "oh look at what society did" No, YOU still had to make the choice to do whatever, however, society as a whole is responsible for providing the overall environment. Macro vs Micro effects.
It is self centered people like this that screw it up for the whole bunch. This antisocial crap where its me and only me and noone else doesn't work. If you can't peacefully coexist and cooperate everyone fails. Society defines a great many rules, murder, personal property, human rights, obscenity. Personal Responsibilty is meaningless without people mutually agreeing on what is and isn't acceptable. Seems to me this is an obvious lesson but apparently people still don't get it. Plenty of people were held "personally responsible" for lynching blacks...at the time society said it was an acceptable practice...years later that same action became unacceptable and "personally responsible" meant jail time rather than cheering crowds. Welcome to the real world, there are lots of us out here, feel free to join us when you are done pretending you live in a bubble.
Parents need to be responsible, but at some point society as a whole has to be responsible as well, and that just won't happen without legal intervention so long as there is money on the line. The argument that keeps coming up is these people crying about the government doing anything. Well the government is also the one that says no snuff films, the government is the one that says no child porn, because even with the government actively restricting it, it is still a valuable market and it still exists regardless of how repulsive it is. Video games don't make kids violent, but it can indoctrinate them into violence, even more with the push toward making it as realistic as possible in both movie and game. Anyone who claims otherwise is either sheltered or an idiot because the effect is pretty clear. Why the hell would the army spend so much money using video game training, its the same reason they shoot sillouetes instead of pictures of people...it works better to indoctrinate them into killing. Not that this is a bad thing entirely, as that is kinda their job, but that is how it works. 16yr old kids job is not killing. We have turned running into a room shooting things up into a fun video game experience media extravaganza rather than the horrific action it really is...any surprise we suddenly have more school shootings than we have had in the past?
I don't want a nanny state, but I should be able to expect that a G rated movie won't have bambi fucking thumper while the skunk does blow and kills birds. The watering down of our rating system is insane. R rated movies from when I were a kid would barely get a PG-13 these days, and R rated movies now frequently shouldn't be available to the masses. Saw I,II,III,IV and Hostel and the like are just mindless gorefests. The sad part is, REAL movies are coming few and far between now because that mindless ultraviolent drivel sells and things that require you to pay attention to the plot don't. I even liked 300, awesome movie, but I think it's sad and telling that everyone clamors for it, but can hardly watch a movie that requires more than the basic brain functions to stay awake.
When you see someones head explode you aren't supposed to laugh, cheer, or think about how many points you got. You are supposed to be revolted. When you indoctrinate people to be ok with that level of violence you shouldn't be surprised when the level of real violence begins to rise because people expect it and tolerate it.
Both of my kids like watching me play video games, and being vigilant and teaching them right from wrong and how to behave IS being a responsible parent. I am a bit of a disciplinarian but not the constant vigilance type. In fact, proper teaching, bonding, and discipline teaches them to police themselves rather than you policing them constantly. You should know that watching all the time is an insane and pointless goal, your best bet is to teach them to watch themselves as they grow. And as I pointed out, you playing games in front of them is not the same as them playing games without you knowing what it is. To say that you have time to play every game that they will play as they get older is either insane or irresponsible. It isn't the governments job to censor and police everything either. But I am sick of people bitching about this, even more so with Rock Star. Those lying sacks of crap deserve to get kicked straight in the nuts for the stunts they pull trying to slide crap pass and blame others for it. I honestly think its dumb and hypocritical that only sex gets X ratings and super regulated, yet ultra violent things like Saw and Hostel get an R rating and the joys of mass advertising. Yet as I pointed out, seeing daddy stab mommy is going to be FAR worse on a child than seeing daddy get naked with mommy. And the old woman's nipple on national TV sparked outrage and a demand for censorship, yet all the violence barely gets a second look. There needs to be a balance, and all we have is two groups of extremists shouting at each other. Rock Star is hardly some innocent victim in this.
I like you, you are funny. Both of your little wiki links have nothing at the other end. No "completely referenced and backed up" just "there is no page here". And I suggest you look up the FSM religion thing, prime example of the style of argument I was making. That you are still screaming about me not making a progressive argument shows quite clearly that it is indeed completely lost on you.
I am guessing you don't have kids or you would realize exactly how moronic the idea of watching your childs every move really is. You also seem to make the assumption we are talking about babies, which is a little confusing because I can't recall watching even a toddler really play video games, and that is ultimately what the discussion is about. If we have to worry about what video games toddlers are playing its game fucking over already.
If you think that is what being a parent means I feel terribly sorry for your children. At least they will be conditioned to live in the surveillance society of tomorrow.
Congratulations you win the prize. That is all these threads ever are. Oh my God the government is upset about another uber violent game let's all cry about censorship. Seriously it is getting old, its the same exact thing every time. The same points get brought up every time. Watch your Kids, stop the government. It amuses me because this crowd pretends to be above the kneejerk reactions, yet when its a hot button emotional issue for them it goes right into the emotional kneejerk reactions. There rarely any discussion about a meaninful middle ground, it is never about where the line should be drawn, just that it shouldn't be drawn. Trite crap about "well like 1 year is going to make a difference, duh it shouldn't be a ban at 17". Ok now its 16 and we can say 1 year wont make a difference and now its 15, rinse and repeat. So my point is that all these dicussions are are bitchfests crying about censorship, I'm glad you caught the irony...Unfortunately it seems it was lost on you.
A) You are right, I shouldn't curse on slashdot as most of the people have clearly demonstrated they are children.
B) I have plenty of patience for children, just none for adults acting as if they were children
Does everyone use wikiurl/randomword to try and sound intelligent these days?
Ok...lets all scream and cry foul. Its the popular thing to do. In fact. I think we should go ahead and make the government allow us to play snuff films on daytime television. Do I think violent games/movies/music make kids violent...no. Do I think parents should do their damned job...yes. Do I believe like damn near every other psychological study has said that it indoctrinates them to violence...uh yeah. You people will cry about the Army using video games to indoctrinate into killing, and then in the same breath say that it doesn't make kids ok with killing. I swear to God you people are almost as bad as the Republicans who vote anti-gay and then get busted in these great butt fucking scandals.
Now, at the same time, if any one of you wackjob assholes trot out that "watch your damned kids" argument without having kids you can kindly STFU. Am I supposed to sit behind my kids and watch everything they watch as they are watching it instead of getting dinner ready or something just incase they decide to play hardcore porn and snuff films or something equally deranged? Am I supposed to follow them everywhere they go and police everything they do?
Our culture is such a puritan wackjob messup that we clamor for ultraviolent movies and games, yet scream bloody murder when a bare nipple gets broadcast across the nation. Bloody, beaten, shot, hanged, or otherwise mutilated and murdered people are FAR more damaging to a child than watching someone naked, even naked pretending to have sex, and quite frankly I think in many cases naked and actually having sex. And before you all scream how stupid this is. Lets try a Bullshit test for you all. Which is more damaging...your child walking in as your stab your wife to death...or your child walking in on naked time with the wife...
It doesn't cause fat buildup. Well except through maybe the additional junk food consumed. It gets stored in existing fat cells. So skinny people won't have as much of a buildup of THC over time.
1. Too bad by purchasing this product you agreed that it should not be used for anything important and cannot hold the company liable for it.
2. I can't believe you are seriously upset about lawn darts.
a. Children can still purchase all manner of dangerous toys to include paintball guns, pellet guns, and the good ol bow n arrow.
b. If a 12yr old can legally operate a shotgun I fail to see how a lawn dart ban is anything other than a waste of my tax dollars.
c. If you are too stupid to observe basic safety or watch your children I fail to see how that should become a tax burden on me to fix.
Do you clean a gun while its loaded pointed at your face? Do you let your kids play with that same gun unsupervised? Now I agree that these companies are deceptive at best, I think the proper solution is to nail them for misrepresenting the stability and security of their product while their manual says "don't do anything important with this software and you can't blame us". But really it isn't the software companies fault, that is the poor bastard who decided to make the purchase of the software to use for some critical application with no promise that the shit will actually work as advertised, and even worse, a disclaimer that it probably won't and that you can't hold anyone liable. Should we also ban the sale of rocks because when used improperly you could throw one at someone's head instead of tossing it into a numbered box and then hopping after it?
It isn't so easy. I dodged the bullet on most of the stuff mentioned but only barely like you. Go and have kids and then talk about how the solution is so simple. We have a table in our house from when I was a kid...I split my face open and got stitches at age 5 by running through the house and falling on its corner. It is a little easier with boys, and my son is a bit older, but it is almost terrifying to watch my toddler daughter run past that table because I know that table is silently waiting, out for blood.
The flip side to this is my stepson managed to split his head and I was thrilled they used medical staples instead of that stupid glue. Stitches and staples are potent teachers. I have had more than a few sets and I haven't forgotten any of the lessons they taught.
Now...the social stuff has to stop...I don't know how to stop it, but it makes me sick to watch people afraid of their kids. I will not be told what to do by a 4yr old and I will never be afraid to put him in his place. The unfortunate part is I keep telling myself that if I don't care who the kid is I will tell them off...but most of the time I am so stunned by their bad behavior towards someone with the parents watching and not correcting I can barely gather coherent thought to say anything to either child or parent.
The physical part...well easy to say how it will be when you don't have kids. I think a lot of people overreact and get carried away and pretend that kids will never get hurt. However, with years of experience on you, you can watch a child do something like they are indestructible, but every alarm you have is going off in the back of your mind and you are already mentally prepping for damage assessment and a potential emergency room visit.
You are ignoring the classic education of Army of Darkness...this is my boom stick! Just bring the mentioned machine gun AND a camera... This also assumes you can return to your time, and with the camera, in which case why not just toss the scrolls back on through as well?
A felon is someone who has commited a felony, nothing more, nothing less, and it speaks nothing of the motivations. This includes treason and destruction of property and theft which they all did. You on the other hand seem to equate felon with common thieves and vandals which is EXACTLY what the government wants you to do. The government gets to determine who is a felon, they get to determine that felons cannot vote, and through people like you they can ensure that a felon can never again work or reenter society as a productive member. So while many of them are common thieves and vandals...many felons are not and are victims of a system designed to be able to strip a person of their life and freedom for political reasons just as much as civil.
In some states I could be convicted of felony murder for shooting someone breaking into my house. Does that make me a common theif and vandal? Some peaceful protestors are looking at felony charges...a felony conviction means they can no longer vote...does that make them common criminals and thieves? I suggest you examine your definition of felon.
What do you mean 'tainted'? That was the best freaking part! How many people would not have known anything about the comet if it wasn't for that little bit of hilarity.
My mistake, but your accusations of mythmaking are a bit farfetched and does just as much to fuel the wackaloons (though I like this word). I had not studied his religious views specifically so much inferred them from his writings. To me he always sounded like a conservative christian with the ability to think for himself. Even though I realize that breed is all but extinct, once upon a time they roamed the plains in great numbers. A great number of advances came from conservative christian types...back before they lost their ability to think for themselves and reason. I will also point out you CAN find this type still out there, they are just few and far between these days. I will also point out that they are rarely tied to a particular brand (Catholics, Puritans, Baptists, etc) and tend to have their own opinions rather than holding a particular groupthink belief as correct.
Yeah...well go check out India, Iraq, Iran, and all those other places that have been ruled by the good ol British Empire... Oh and by the way... don't forget Africa... They came out in wonderful shape...course they also came out in chains on boats and stuff...but they are doing much better now right?
It depends on which ones you are talking about. Go read some of Thomas Jefferson's letters. He was a wealthy conservative christian...but he also spoke out a great deal about how religion is meaningless if morality and belief is enforced by government. He also had wonderful things to say like "The beauty of the 2nd ammendment is that you do not need it until the government tries to take it away".
People try to do this crap with the founding fathers about how "oh they were just rich elitists too". Well some of them surely were, the famous ones not so much. They were felons and revolutionaries and were well aware that if their little rebellion were to fail... "We must all hang together, or assuredly we will all hang separately". Fancy that...government officials that actually DID risk their lives... No they are most certainly not the same as the current crop of sniveling spineless greedy jingoistic wack jobs we have today.
Slashdot Mirror
Hey at least this one has a correct and relavant summary. The summary for the last copy of this story was rehasing news that was over 5 years old.
Ok...so the Ernie Ball thing is really only a footnote in the actual article as most of the article is actually current but damnit, Ernie Ball switched 4-5 YEARS ago. This is not news. Now if we all hop in our time machine then the summary will actually be relevant, but for fucks sake this news is over 4 years old. http://www.news.com/2008-1082_3-5065859.html Notice the published in 2003, and then notice further the part where it explains that this is 1 year after the fact interview.
I still think $0.99 for a non DRM mp3 is worth it. But your explanation is certainly hard to refute.
He was right, but it is irrelevant. In digital "objects" scarcity is artificial. This assanine idea that noone will produce is "economic thinking" coupled with poor judgement. TRUE economic thinking would show the supply/demand curve shift, and the price adjust accordingly and there will still be a huge supply of artists because the cost of entry has become so insanely low. So the little popstar boyband or rockstar lifestyle of 16 cars, 5 hookers, and all the drugs you can shoot, snort, or smoke dies. Oh boo freaking hoo. You mean artists might only make enough to make a middle class lifestyle off of their work? Oh the agony, the horror, the defeat... Soldiers, policemen, firefighters, etc all risk their damned lives on a day to day basis and don't get megamillions, why should some coke snorting junkie that can't take care of her kids get more?
So I agree with you, but the GP is absolutely correct about scarcity. The "industry" crews want to enforce artifical scarcity to drive prices up, the real world wants normal scarcity that deals with the fact that not everyone likes all types of music, nor will everyone become a musician. The this market WILL sort itself out when unburdened from so much silly regulation. The problem is, after the market balances, it will be closer to perfect competition rather than the monopolistic competition we have today, and the fat bastards in big offices and their greasy lawyers don't like that.
Remember kids...the RIAA has struck a deal so they get paid royalties for music they don't own the copyright to. They have been beating the drums of war and lobbying like crazy to make sure THEY are the only method of distribution. If you think this has much to do with the consumer you are deluded...this has everything to do with making sure no one can compete with them.
What bands do you listen to? Barbara Streisand? I have been to TONS of concerts and haven't paid more than $50, with the most common price being $10-20. In fact, I don't think I have ever been to a concert that didn't include at LEAST 2 bands for the price of the ticket. Surprisingly enough that is also the same price range for the CDs of the bands I saw in concert. Even outside of that you are talking the difference between a one time live performance and listen whenever you want recording. Those fancy music boxes in the bar don't have tiny live bands in them...its a one time recording played in a noisy bar for $.50 vs a listen whenever you want in any environment .mp3 for $0.99. I think the $0.99 is clearly the better deal.
That's funny. I'm pretty sure those pay to play music boxes in bars and stuff have been charging .25 to .50 for a single play and have been doing quite well.
I didn't say blame society, I said society has a responsibility for its own health and wellbeing as well. Kids that grew up in the days when if you fucked up on the far side of town and your parents would know by the time you got home were FAR better off. Neighborhoods where you can count on all the neighbors keeping an eye on each others property and children are FAR better off. The overrealiance on the government is sad, and really is directly tied to the "keeping up with the joneses" crap where both parents are working 40+ hours a week just to keep all their shit from being taken back. This is EXACTLY why I moved back to the midwest, because now I know my neighbors look out for each other, not just keep a lookout for the house to rob.
So...you can train dogs to be violent and fight just the same as you can train humans. Society has accepted ultra-violent ultra-graphic things, there should be no surprise that people start acting it out. Take school shootings. Who is the victim? The kids have all been trained into this anti-social self centered view that only they matter and brutality is funny. So it starts with the arrogant little prick bullies...and ends with the psychotic trigger kid. They are no different from each other... Society has abandoned them to fend for themselves. So just blame the parents right? Don't look to the teachers that ignored it, or the administrators that refused to act. Everyone has a responsibility for more than their own personal actions, and that means collectively society DOES cause its own issues and collectively IS responsible for many of the problems. That isn't the same as "oh look at what society did" No, YOU still had to make the choice to do whatever, however, society as a whole is responsible for providing the overall environment. Macro vs Micro effects.
YES it does.
"Civilization" Google it.
It is self centered people like this that screw it up for the whole bunch. This antisocial crap where its me and only me and noone else doesn't work. If you can't peacefully coexist and cooperate everyone fails. Society defines a great many rules, murder, personal property, human rights, obscenity. Personal Responsibilty is meaningless without people mutually agreeing on what is and isn't acceptable. Seems to me this is an obvious lesson but apparently people still don't get it. Plenty of people were held "personally responsible" for lynching blacks...at the time society said it was an acceptable practice...years later that same action became unacceptable and "personally responsible" meant jail time rather than cheering crowds. Welcome to the real world, there are lots of us out here, feel free to join us when you are done pretending you live in a bubble.
Parents need to be responsible, but at some point society as a whole has to be responsible as well, and that just won't happen without legal intervention so long as there is money on the line. The argument that keeps coming up is these people crying about the government doing anything. Well the government is also the one that says no snuff films, the government is the one that says no child porn, because even with the government actively restricting it, it is still a valuable market and it still exists regardless of how repulsive it is. Video games don't make kids violent, but it can indoctrinate them into violence, even more with the push toward making it as realistic as possible in both movie and game. Anyone who claims otherwise is either sheltered or an idiot because the effect is pretty clear. Why the hell would the army spend so much money using video game training, its the same reason they shoot sillouetes instead of pictures of people...it works better to indoctrinate them into killing. Not that this is a bad thing entirely, as that is kinda their job, but that is how it works. 16yr old kids job is not killing. We have turned running into a room shooting things up into a fun video game experience media extravaganza rather than the horrific action it really is...any surprise we suddenly have more school shootings than we have had in the past?
I don't want a nanny state, but I should be able to expect that a G rated movie won't have bambi fucking thumper while the skunk does blow and kills birds. The watering down of our rating system is insane. R rated movies from when I were a kid would barely get a PG-13 these days, and R rated movies now frequently shouldn't be available to the masses. Saw I,II,III,IV and Hostel and the like are just mindless gorefests. The sad part is, REAL movies are coming few and far between now because that mindless ultraviolent drivel sells and things that require you to pay attention to the plot don't. I even liked 300, awesome movie, but I think it's sad and telling that everyone clamors for it, but can hardly watch a movie that requires more than the basic brain functions to stay awake.
When you see someones head explode you aren't supposed to laugh, cheer, or think about how many points you got. You are supposed to be revolted. When you indoctrinate people to be ok with that level of violence you shouldn't be surprised when the level of real violence begins to rise because people expect it and tolerate it.
Both of my kids like watching me play video games, and being vigilant and teaching them right from wrong and how to behave IS being a responsible parent. I am a bit of a disciplinarian but not the constant vigilance type. In fact, proper teaching, bonding, and discipline teaches them to police themselves rather than you policing them constantly. You should know that watching all the time is an insane and pointless goal, your best bet is to teach them to watch themselves as they grow. And as I pointed out, you playing games in front of them is not the same as them playing games without you knowing what it is. To say that you have time to play every game that they will play as they get older is either insane or irresponsible. It isn't the governments job to censor and police everything either. But I am sick of people bitching about this, even more so with Rock Star. Those lying sacks of crap deserve to get kicked straight in the nuts for the stunts they pull trying to slide crap pass and blame others for it. I honestly think its dumb and hypocritical that only sex gets X ratings and super regulated, yet ultra violent things like Saw and Hostel get an R rating and the joys of mass advertising. Yet as I pointed out, seeing daddy stab mommy is going to be FAR worse on a child than seeing daddy get naked with mommy. And the old woman's nipple on national TV sparked outrage and a demand for censorship, yet all the violence barely gets a second look. There needs to be a balance, and all we have is two groups of extremists shouting at each other. Rock Star is hardly some innocent victim in this.
I like you, you are funny. Both of your little wiki links have nothing at the other end. No "completely referenced and backed up" just "there is no page here". And I suggest you look up the FSM religion thing, prime example of the style of argument I was making. That you are still screaming about me not making a progressive argument shows quite clearly that it is indeed completely lost on you.
I am guessing you don't have kids or you would realize exactly how moronic the idea of watching your childs every move really is. You also seem to make the assumption we are talking about babies, which is a little confusing because I can't recall watching even a toddler really play video games, and that is ultimately what the discussion is about. If we have to worry about what video games toddlers are playing its game fucking over already.
If you think that is what being a parent means I feel terribly sorry for your children. At least they will be conditioned to live in the surveillance society of tomorrow.
Congratulations you win the prize. That is all these threads ever are. Oh my God the government is upset about another uber violent game let's all cry about censorship. Seriously it is getting old, its the same exact thing every time. The same points get brought up every time. Watch your Kids, stop the government. It amuses me because this crowd pretends to be above the kneejerk reactions, yet when its a hot button emotional issue for them it goes right into the emotional kneejerk reactions. There rarely any discussion about a meaninful middle ground, it is never about where the line should be drawn, just that it shouldn't be drawn. Trite crap about "well like 1 year is going to make a difference, duh it shouldn't be a ban at 17". Ok now its 16 and we can say 1 year wont make a difference and now its 15, rinse and repeat. So my point is that all these dicussions are are bitchfests crying about censorship, I'm glad you caught the irony...Unfortunately it seems it was lost on you.
A) You are right, I shouldn't curse on slashdot as most of the people have clearly demonstrated they are children.
B) I have plenty of patience for children, just none for adults acting as if they were children
Does everyone use wikiurl/randomword to try and sound intelligent these days?
Ok...lets all scream and cry foul. Its the popular thing to do. In fact. I think we should go ahead and make the government allow us to play snuff films on daytime television. Do I think violent games/movies/music make kids violent...no. Do I think parents should do their damned job...yes. Do I believe like damn near every other psychological study has said that it indoctrinates them to violence...uh yeah. You people will cry about the Army using video games to indoctrinate into killing, and then in the same breath say that it doesn't make kids ok with killing. I swear to God you people are almost as bad as the Republicans who vote anti-gay and then get busted in these great butt fucking scandals.
Now, at the same time, if any one of you wackjob assholes trot out that "watch your damned kids" argument without having kids you can kindly STFU. Am I supposed to sit behind my kids and watch everything they watch as they are watching it instead of getting dinner ready or something just incase they decide to play hardcore porn and snuff films or something equally deranged? Am I supposed to follow them everywhere they go and police everything they do?
Our culture is such a puritan wackjob messup that we clamor for ultraviolent movies and games, yet scream bloody murder when a bare nipple gets broadcast across the nation. Bloody, beaten, shot, hanged, or otherwise mutilated and murdered people are FAR more damaging to a child than watching someone naked, even naked pretending to have sex, and quite frankly I think in many cases naked and actually having sex. And before you all scream how stupid this is. Lets try a Bullshit test for you all. Which is more damaging...your child walking in as your stab your wife to death...or your child walking in on naked time with the wife...
It doesn't cause fat buildup. Well except through maybe the additional junk food consumed. It gets stored in existing fat cells. So skinny people won't have as much of a buildup of THC over time.
Smoking it destroys something like 75-80% of the THC due to the high heat. The buildup also has to do with fat. Gets soaked up in fat cells.
1. Too bad by purchasing this product you agreed that it should not be used for anything important and cannot hold the company liable for it.
2. I can't believe you are seriously upset about lawn darts.
a. Children can still purchase all manner of dangerous toys to include paintball guns, pellet guns, and the good ol bow n arrow. b. If a 12yr old can legally operate a shotgun I fail to see how a lawn dart ban is anything other than a waste of my tax dollars. c. If you are too stupid to observe basic safety or watch your children I fail to see how that should become a tax burden on me to fix. Do you clean a gun while its loaded pointed at your face? Do you let your kids play with that same gun unsupervised? Now I agree that these companies are deceptive at best, I think the proper solution is to nail them for misrepresenting the stability and security of their product while their manual says "don't do anything important with this software and you can't blame us". But really it isn't the software companies fault, that is the poor bastard who decided to make the purchase of the software to use for some critical application with no promise that the shit will actually work as advertised, and even worse, a disclaimer that it probably won't and that you can't hold anyone liable. Should we also ban the sale of rocks because when used improperly you could throw one at someone's head instead of tossing it into a numbered box and then hopping after it?
It isn't so easy. I dodged the bullet on most of the stuff mentioned but only barely like you. Go and have kids and then talk about how the solution is so simple. We have a table in our house from when I was a kid...I split my face open and got stitches at age 5 by running through the house and falling on its corner. It is a little easier with boys, and my son is a bit older, but it is almost terrifying to watch my toddler daughter run past that table because I know that table is silently waiting, out for blood.
The flip side to this is my stepson managed to split his head and I was thrilled they used medical staples instead of that stupid glue. Stitches and staples are potent teachers. I have had more than a few sets and I haven't forgotten any of the lessons they taught.
Now...the social stuff has to stop...I don't know how to stop it, but it makes me sick to watch people afraid of their kids. I will not be told what to do by a 4yr old and I will never be afraid to put him in his place. The unfortunate part is I keep telling myself that if I don't care who the kid is I will tell them off...but most of the time I am so stunned by their bad behavior towards someone with the parents watching and not correcting I can barely gather coherent thought to say anything to either child or parent.
The physical part...well easy to say how it will be when you don't have kids. I think a lot of people overreact and get carried away and pretend that kids will never get hurt. However, with years of experience on you, you can watch a child do something like they are indestructible, but every alarm you have is going off in the back of your mind and you are already mentally prepping for damage assessment and a potential emergency room visit.
42, problem solved. Next?
You are ignoring the classic education of Army of Darkness...this is my boom stick! Just bring the mentioned machine gun AND a camera... This also assumes you can return to your time, and with the camera, in which case why not just toss the scrolls back on through as well?
A felon is someone who has commited a felony, nothing more, nothing less, and it speaks nothing of the motivations. This includes treason and destruction of property and theft which they all did. You on the other hand seem to equate felon with common thieves and vandals which is EXACTLY what the government wants you to do. The government gets to determine who is a felon, they get to determine that felons cannot vote, and through people like you they can ensure that a felon can never again work or reenter society as a productive member. So while many of them are common thieves and vandals...many felons are not and are victims of a system designed to be able to strip a person of their life and freedom for political reasons just as much as civil.
In some states I could be convicted of felony murder for shooting someone breaking into my house. Does that make me a common theif and vandal? Some peaceful protestors are looking at felony charges...a felony conviction means they can no longer vote...does that make them common criminals and thieves? I suggest you examine your definition of felon.
What do you mean 'tainted'? That was the best freaking part! How many people would not have known anything about the comet if it wasn't for that little bit of hilarity.
My mistake, but your accusations of mythmaking are a bit farfetched and does just as much to fuel the wackaloons (though I like this word). I had not studied his religious views specifically so much inferred them from his writings. To me he always sounded like a conservative christian with the ability to think for himself. Even though I realize that breed is all but extinct, once upon a time they roamed the plains in great numbers. A great number of advances came from conservative christian types...back before they lost their ability to think for themselves and reason. I will also point out you CAN find this type still out there, they are just few and far between these days. I will also point out that they are rarely tied to a particular brand (Catholics, Puritans, Baptists, etc) and tend to have their own opinions rather than holding a particular groupthink belief as correct.
Yeah...well go check out India, Iraq, Iran, and all those other places that have been ruled by the good ol British Empire... Oh and by the way... don't forget Africa... They came out in wonderful shape...course they also came out in chains on boats and stuff...but they are doing much better now right?
It depends on which ones you are talking about. Go read some of Thomas Jefferson's letters. He was a wealthy conservative christian...but he also spoke out a great deal about how religion is meaningless if morality and belief is enforced by government. He also had wonderful things to say like "The beauty of the 2nd ammendment is that you do not need it until the government tries to take it away".
People try to do this crap with the founding fathers about how "oh they were just rich elitists too". Well some of them surely were, the famous ones not so much. They were felons and revolutionaries and were well aware that if their little rebellion were to fail... "We must all hang together, or assuredly we will all hang separately". Fancy that...government officials that actually DID risk their lives... No they are most certainly not the same as the current crop of sniveling spineless greedy jingoistic wack jobs we have today.