Slashdot Mirror


User: tolkienfan

tolkienfan's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
1,095
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 1,095

  1. Re:Surprisingly, not all of them. on Tennessee "Teaching the Controversy" Bill Becomes Law · · Score: 1

    "god did it"
    It's the opposite of a theory. It's not falsifiable. It discourages enquiry and discovery. It's limiting and slows progress.
    I support everyone's personal belief, but don't indoctrinate my kids.
    I work with very smart highly trained people, some of whom are scientists. They are increasingly imported. America stays ahead by importing scientists from countries that value the proper teaching of science.

  2. Re:Surprisingly, not all of them. on Tennessee "Teaching the Controversy" Bill Becomes Law · · Score: 1

    I don't really think this is "just people explaining their sincere beliefs to the next generation, beliefs with which I disagree"
    In the UK, where I grew up, there are people who believe in God, and those that do not. Also there are those that understand science. But there wasn't anyone trying to pervert the teaching of evolution.
    The reason for the claim of controversy over evolution is to tarnish it as a scientific theory. It's always intended to imply /scientific/ controversy.
    Teachers aren't currently being forced to teach that there is controversy over evolution, but you can be sure that there are those that working to that end - and it's clearly aimed at casting doubt on the science.
    You're either falling into the trap or deliberately furthering their ends. I tend to think the former...

  3. Re:WTF? on UK Man Jailed For 'Offensive Tweets' · · Score: 1

    Rioting is a crime. Hatred is not.
    So it makes sense for it to be a crime to incite rioting.
    But, it is my opinion that inciting something legal shouldn't be illegal.

    If you think hate should be legal that's a different matter. But it would be a thought crime.

    If he was inciting other behaviors, like violence, for example (as I already stated) then if course that should be illegal.

  4. Re:Why? on GNU/Linux Running On An 8-Bit Processor · · Score: 1

    There already exist various space rated processors at least up to 16 bit. Plus it makes no sense to use an emulator when you could run software directly on the chip. Also 6khz is pointless when much faster more capable hardware exists. A 16 bit core takes so few transistors these days that you could put many of them on a single die.
    It's a nice hack, but let's not pretend it has practical use.

  5. Re:It's more than just global warming gas on Climate Change To Drive Weather Disasters, Say UN Experts · · Score: 1

    Many scientific studies cover exactly these questions.
    You shouldn't expect today's media to give fair and balanced reporting.
    BTW do you know how many studies have concluded that global warning is not occurring, or that it's occurring but isn't caused by mankind.
    But I suppose the experts are making it up to scare everyone.

  6. Re:Oh god, apple fanboys, they are so funny on In Your Face, Critics! Red Hat Passes $1 Billion In Revenue · · Score: 1

    New keyboard please

  7. Re:WTF? on UK Man Jailed For 'Offensive Tweets' · · Score: 1

    I'm saying that a stiffer sentence for existing crimes because they are racially motivated makes a certain amount of sense.
    On the other hand, making it illegal to use racial slurs is entirely another.
    The question to me is: were his tweets illegal if there were no racial side?

  8. Re:What about ladyboys/shemales? on Why Gay Men Are Worth So Much To Facebook · · Score: 1

    For what it's worth I agree with both of you.
    I wonder if humans will ever outgrow this tribal exclusionary violent instinct.
    Sadly, I fear not.

  9. Re:WTF? on UK Man Jailed For 'Offensive Tweets' · · Score: 1

    A thought experiment:
    Imagine there was no racial aspect. Now explain what his crime was.

    If the hate aspect only affects the sentencing, and not the finding (guilt or innocence), then I fail to see a crime.

    Perhaps there was one: I haven't actually read the tweets. But it sure sounds like the crime was "being offensive."

    Now if he were threatening harm or coercing others, then I agree, but the sentencing was way lenient.

  10. Re:PI song on Judge Rules Pi-Based Music Is Non-Copyrightable · · Score: 1

    I created a tune from i once.

    I think I did, anyway!

  11. Re:There's Your Problem Right There on Tennessee Passes Bill That Allows "Teaching the Controversy" of Evolution · · Score: 1

    Amen!
    Sorry, couldn't help myself ;)

  12. Re:There's Your Problem Right There on Tennessee Passes Bill That Allows "Teaching the Controversy" of Evolution · · Score: 1

    Not completely arbitrary. Some classifications would be completely useless.
    In fact, the way you classify can have an enormous affect on how quickly you make progress. A math problem, for example, might become trivial to solve after switching to a particular notation.

  13. Re:Like War on All Video Games Cause Aggressive Behavior, Say Two US Congressmen · · Score: 1

    I have a feeling that would result in an increase in average congress IQ...

  14. Re:Fuel cells are overrated. on Cheap Solar Panels Made With An Ion Cannon · · Score: 1

    And, do you also agree that the cause of the increase is fossil fuel combustion, at least in large part?

  15. Re:Fuel cells are overrated. on Cheap Solar Panels Made With An Ion Cannon · · Score: 1

    Question: do you agree that CO2 in the atmosphere is rising?

  16. Re:Fuel cells are overrated. on Cheap Solar Panels Made With An Ion Cannon · · Score: 1

    It is presumptuous, at best, for you to state that it is a fact that I think oil and coal are evil.
    If you cared what I think you'd ask. But let me volunteer: oil and coal, among all inanimate objects cannot be evil. Only humans and to a lesser degree other primates can be truly evil.
    And if you were really interested, you would have taken what I said in context. Any new oil or coal is forming at such a low rate that it is for all intents and purposes zero. So, you can quite literally call it unsustainable.
    If you really want to be pedantic, which you clearly do, you could say they are being used at a rate many orders of magnitude greater that they are being generated, and unless we curtail their use, they will run out.
    Of course, with the supply and demand as they will become, the price will rise inevitably, as the supply drops, and the rate of use will eventually begin to reduce. Even sources of energy that are currently considered expensive will eventually be cheaper than oil or coal.

  17. Re:Fascinating! on Possible New Human Species Discovered In China · · Score: 1

    What does that mean?

  18. Re:Fuel cells are overrated. on Cheap Solar Panels Made With An Ion Cannon · · Score: 1

    Way to miss the point.
    Well done. You just surpassed my teenage daughter and obtained first place in willful ignorance.

  19. Re:Fuel cells are overrated. on Cheap Solar Panels Made With An Ion Cannon · · Score: 1

    Leaving aside questions of pollution and climate change, oil is not renewable. For those of you not keeping up, oil will run out. And with rapidly industrializing countries, oil usage is only likely to increase.
    If a company can make an alternative energy source competitive with fossil fuels, they will do well. That's simple economics.
    You don't even need to make any touchy partisan arguments that might offend some weak fool.

  20. Re:Just keep in mind the tradeoff on Indian Gov't Uses Special Powers To Slash Cancer Drug Price By 97% · · Score: 1

    This isn't a case of "company x doesn't get to patent its drugs."
    They've actually been forced to license the drug.
    Bayer still gets royalties.
    Of course, your main point still stands - there are trade-offs.

  21. Re:jury trials cost more money on How To Crash the US Justice System: Demand a Trial · · Score: 1

    Denying sex to young adults IS repression.
    Denying sex education is foolish at best.
    And denying access to birth control plain stupid.

    We have a strong natural urge to copulate. Denying it is repression.

    Kids should learn about sex, and possible consequences. They should learn that it's normal and natural, and not shameful. They should feel comfortable talking about it. And, of course, they should learn that there are various social stigmas about sex, and some, stupid, repressed, twisted, people will label them "whores" if they engage in sex.

    Note: there are multiple definitions of adult. I'm not talking about ability to vote!

  22. Re:Attention DHS! on What The DHS Is Looking For In Your Posts · · Score: 1

    +1

  23. Re:Eggstra! Eggstra! Read all about it! on Stem Cells That May Make Eggs Found In Women · · Score: 1

    Nice

  24. Re:Not safe on Stem Cells That May Make Eggs Found In Women · · Score: 1

    What does silly mean in this context?
    You have some kind of feeling that it seems way off?
    Or does silly have some biological meaning that I'm not familiar with?

  25. Re:Not safe on Stem Cells That May Make Eggs Found In Women · · Score: 1

    Correct. Survival of the species is not a purpose.
    Some species adapt and survive, and some don't. They don't try to adapt for the purpose of surviving. There is no guiding hand.
    Some genes make it into future generations and some don't.
    If a species is prolific and successful early on and then starts producing deformed offspring that die early its genes will still have made it.
    Defective offspring is not necessarily a deleterious occurrence.