why the hell did the clerk at Hollywood Video ask for my SSN to open a damn account to rent movies?!
Video places use it for a credit check. They're loaning you a movie.
On the other hand, here's a trick I learned. When you're asked for a SSN, say "I'm soooo sorry! I didn't think I needed it. I'll have to come back!" 90% of the time, the clerk will just say "We really don't need it, just hang on." I kid you not! Try it! It pisses me off that a lot of firms "require" this information but when you balk or plead stupidity (in my case),it's amazing how it all of a sudden "doesn't matter."
When I was taking a marketing class, we were told by the Prof. that to get information for whatever reason, all we had to do was ask. Most people just hand it over. I would love to get into the social reasons for this, but for now, I'll just say that we're all (in Western countries at least) to just shutup and hand over anything anyone in authority or perceived authority requests...I'm starting to rant and my spellink is going to hell. Off to the porn sitesss!
and the companies pay HUGE fines for not meeting the new compliancy standards.
Mr. AC, Please define "HUGE". And who's to enforce this fine?
I mean, a $250,000 fine or whatever to a very large corp, is their toilet paper budget for the week. Which they'll then pass on to their customers and/or make their stockholders eat.
And...we should have people's religious preference and background on this ID. Then....if they're, let's say, Muslim or a convicted cracker, we'll have them wear a yellow star on their shirts. That way the children will be safe!
By the way, have you thought of being a psychic? You predicted the flaming.;-)
Any bestselling item will never have an average review of less than 4.0/5.0 stars.
I wondered about that too. Sometimes, I wonder if those folks even read the book or used the item more then once. What I like to do is to look for the 1 or 2 star reviews and read what they have to say. If they're along the lines of "This sucks!", then I ignore them, but if the review goes on to itemize the things they had a problem with, then I find the review to be helpful. It's the same the other way when folks post "This is the best book ever! You don't need anything else!" - ignore it.
And many times, for example power tools, people use the item differently and as a result get varying performance. You'll get a guy who used the item once and reviewed as being 5 stars. Then you'll get a pro who used it for 100 hours and knocks it because of parts wearing out too fast. Those are the reviews I look for.
Adventure Capitalist by Jim Rogers. The liberal types will not like him and neither will the conservative types, but he does have some interesting opservations.
I know what you're saying. But what really pissed me off was that I could get the exact same information as in a $100+ textbook from a publisher that charged $40+. Think I'm full of shit? Well compare your typical programming textbook that you'd have to buy in a CS program with a book from O'Reilly. Yeah, yeah, it's not a "CS" textbook, but the information is identical. And any other information thatmay be needed would be a great research project for the students - free from the InterNet.
AND I'm sure there's some program for third world countries to get textbooks for FAR cheaper than those of us in the US.
There's a cafe like this around where I live. I was talking to one of the employees and she told me that a lot of people who come in are sales people or some other road warrior type who just order one coffee, stay for hours and just use up bandwidth.
The place is always filled with people, but I've noticed that very few of them have had anything other than a drink. I think Starbucks, Borders, etc., use T-Mobile or some other pay service for that reason.
I've been watching that Mars special on PBS last week and it sickens me that a scientifically valuable program is struggling for money while shuttles are being sent up for political reasons.
Fuck the space station and any other manned missions to the Moon and let's see once and for all if there's life on Mars! Goddamnit!
....and the gaping mouths of the most devout Mac fanbois who can't get used to the idea.
You're absolutely correct! What a lot of folks are missing is that Apple is not in the PC business. They're in the image business. By image, I mean people who like Apple products because they have an image of being "different" or "cool". I just priced a comparable PC from IBM.
ThinkPad T42 (Think Express Program)
2378RSU
1.70 GHz Intel® Pentium® M, Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional, 512 MB, 80 GB, 5.7 lbs, 15.0" XGA (1024x768), IBM Embedded Security Subsystem and Integrated Fingerprint Reader, Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, 32MB ATI Mobility RADEON 7500, DVD-ROM, Ultrabay Slim
Availability**: Within 4 weeks
$1,629.00 web price*
Granted, it's not exact and as you add features, it'll approach the price of a PowerMac. (I compared to a PowerMac to an IBM since that seemed the best comparison. If anyone insists on iMac with ThinkPad, I'd have to disagree and say "No, Dell vs. iMac.)
I have never been impressed with the iMac. I thought it was cheaply constructed and the OS, though very good, I found it to be slow and wasn't worth the Apple premium.
I can't find a link, but there was a story a while ago about a TSA screener who found some "suspicious" stuff in someone's bag and then called the DEA. IIRC, it resulted in a drug bust.
What I'm getting at, the TSA will/has become a way to go out and find people who are guilty of crimes. Next, deadbeat dads, tax evaders, parking tickets, speeding tickets, etc... - As others have said, "Good -bye 4th Amendment! We'll miss you!"
Or what really irks me is that some of them are liars.
I was leaving Hartford CT one time and the TSA guy saw my shoes and told me to take them off. I said "They've gone through every other checkpoint. He says "It's new policy." After going through without any problem (as usual), I asked, "Was policy put in today? THis is the first I heard about it."
TSA guy: "I don't know. If you didn't go through you would have had to go to extra screening."
What a fucking moron! I told him that I never have a problem with the shoes I wear - they're advertised as being for the airport security. He just gave me a bullshit line because he was too fucking lazy and/or stupid to do his job! And these fuckers are protecting us!?!
Fuck that! I want something that keeps me feeling real good! Also, I want somethint that make me hyper -productive so I can make a $1,000,000/ week for a month or two so that I can retire next year!
If you're going to give to a charity, do it anonymously. Otherwise, you'll be put on a "sucker" list and you'll not only be continuously called by the original charity that you gave to, but also charities that they sold your name and number to.
By the way, I just got laid off, does anyone need a Sys Admin?
Sorry man!
I thought you guys were immune from that type shit.
I've been looking for a while (I'm not an Admin, BTW) but when it comes to job postings, going directly to a company's website is much better than going to the job sites - ComputerJobs, Monster, Dice, etc... I don't know why, but companies post less or none at all on those sites these days. Of course, personal contacts are the best, but sometimes they can't come through for you so you have to hit the net.
You mean like this: Zazzle represents a significant breakthrough in e-commerce and is the ideal advocate for every individual who wants to create products that are as unique as they are," Doerr said in a statement.
And what really kills me is that Doerr and the others will sell their stake for billions. I just wish I had the ability to think of shit like this so I could cash out big.
A Cross Compiler for MS products. You write you stuff according to standards, compile with the MSXCompiler, and BOOM! you're done - it'll work on MS platforms.
We can do it together! You don't mind going into business with someone named "Karma_Fucker_Sucker" do you?
One of my fondest early dates I had when dating my now wife was sticking around on Friday nights to watch "Farscape". She was a HUGE fan of that show. She actually signed up for digital cable just to get the SciFi channel to watch it. (When Farscape went, so did her cable!)
Now I know somebody is going to say ARE YOU TOO STUPID TO USE GOOGLE!! No, I'm not. I'm simply saying that the article could have been much better, had they simply put actual information in instead of simply writing an introduction to the history of LDAP.
Thank you for saying that - it needed to be said. My answer is ususally "I don't have time to google for the information and pick through the thousands of advertisements posing as real information."
Why is that people have to cover up their own ineptitude by calling someone "stupid"?
Slashdot Mirror
Video places use it for a credit check. They're loaning you a movie.
On the other hand, here's a trick I learned. When you're asked for a SSN, say "I'm soooo sorry! I didn't think I needed it. I'll have to come back!" 90% of the time, the clerk will just say "We really don't need it, just hang on." I kid you not! Try it! It pisses me off that a lot of firms "require" this information but when you balk or plead stupidity (in my case),it's amazing how it all of a sudden "doesn't matter."
When I was taking a marketing class, we were told by the Prof. that to get information for whatever reason, all we had to do was ask. Most people just hand it over. I would love to get into the social reasons for this, but for now, I'll just say that we're all (in Western countries at least) to just shutup and hand over anything anyone in authority or perceived authority requests...I'm starting to rant and my spellink is going to hell. Off to the porn sitesss!
Mr. AC,
Please define "HUGE". And who's to enforce this fine?
I mean, a $250,000 fine or whatever to a very large corp, is their toilet paper budget for the week. Which they'll then pass on to their customers and/or make their stockholders eat.
By the way, have you thought of being a psychic? You predicted the flaming. ;-)
I wondered about that too. Sometimes, I wonder if those folks even read the book or used the item more then once. What I like to do is to look for the 1 or 2 star reviews and read what they have to say. If they're along the lines of "This sucks!", then I ignore them, but if the review goes on to itemize the things they had a problem with, then I find the review to be helpful. It's the same the other way when folks post "This is the best book ever! You don't need anything else!" - ignore it.
And many times, for example power tools, people use the item differently and as a result get varying performance. You'll get a guy who used the item once and reviewed as being 5 stars. Then you'll get a pro who used it for 100 hours and knocks it because of parts wearing out too fast. Those are the reviews I look for.
Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt.
Firefox Baby! Yeah!
Adventure Capitalist by Jim Rogers. The liberal types will not like him and neither will the conservative types, but he does have some interesting opservations.
-Fucker
AND I'm sure there's some program for third world countries to get textbooks for FAR cheaper than those of us in the US.
The place is always filled with people, but I've noticed that very few of them have had anything other than a drink. I think Starbucks, Borders, etc., use T-Mobile or some other pay service for that reason.
I've been watching that Mars special on PBS last week and it sickens me that a scientifically valuable program is struggling for money while shuttles are being sent up for political reasons.
Fuck the space station and any other manned missions to the Moon and let's see once and for all if there's life on Mars! Goddamnit!
The "doors" paradigm means that each and every program runs in its own little door.
Please?!?!
By that statement I mean features beyond the base of a PowerMac.
You're absolutely correct! What a lot of folks are missing is that Apple is not in the PC business. They're in the image business. By image, I mean people who like Apple products because they have an image of being "different" or "cool". I just priced a comparable PC from IBM.
ThinkPad T42 (Think Express Program) 2378RSU 1.70 GHz Intel® Pentium® M, Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional, 512 MB, 80 GB, 5.7 lbs, 15.0" XGA (1024x768), IBM Embedded Security Subsystem and Integrated Fingerprint Reader, Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, 32MB ATI Mobility RADEON 7500, DVD-ROM, Ultrabay Slim Availability**: Within 4 weeks $1,629.00 web price*
Granted, it's not exact and as you add features, it'll approach the price of a PowerMac. (I compared to a PowerMac to an IBM since that seemed the best comparison. If anyone insists on iMac with ThinkPad, I'd have to disagree and say "No, Dell vs. iMac.)
I have never been impressed with the iMac. I thought it was cheaply constructed and the OS, though very good, I found it to be slow and wasn't worth the Apple premium.
What I'm getting at, the TSA will/has become a way to go out and find people who are guilty of crimes. Next, deadbeat dads, tax evaders, parking tickets, speeding tickets, etc ... - As others have said, "Good -bye 4th Amendment! We'll miss you!"
Or what really irks me is that some of them are liars.
I was leaving Hartford CT one time and the TSA guy saw my shoes and told me to take them off. I said "They've gone through every other checkpoint. He says "It's new policy." After going through without any problem (as usual), I asked, "Was policy put in today? THis is the first I heard about it."
TSA guy: "I don't know. If you didn't go through you would have had to go to extra screening."
What a fucking moron! I told him that I never have a problem with the shoes I wear - they're advertised as being for the airport security. He just gave me a bullshit line because he was too fucking lazy and/or stupid to do his job! And these fuckers are protecting us!?!
Of course, my spelling would really go to shit on that thing!
Mr. Huxley, here I come!
I have blown off PBS because of this!
Sorry man!
I thought you guys were immune from that type shit.
I've been looking for a while (I'm not an Admin, BTW) but when it comes to job postings, going directly to a company's website is much better than going to the job sites - ComputerJobs, Monster, Dice, etc... I don't know why, but companies post less or none at all on those sites these days. Of course, personal contacts are the best, but sometimes they can't come through for you so you have to hit the net.
You mean like this: Zazzle represents a significant breakthrough in e-commerce and is the ideal advocate for every individual who wants to create products that are as unique as they are," Doerr said in a statement.
And what really kills me is that Doerr and the others will sell their stake for billions. I just wish I had the ability to think of shit like this so I could cash out big.
Don't forget to add that it's a convient excuse for giving farmers wellf....subsidies.
A Cross Compiler for MS products. You write you stuff according to standards, compile with the MSXCompiler, and BOOM! you're done - it'll work on MS platforms.
We can do it together! You don't mind going into business with someone named "Karma_Fucker_Sucker" do you?
they'll be turned inned..if they're lucky.
One of my fondest early dates I had when dating my now wife was sticking around on Friday nights to watch "Farscape". She was a HUGE fan of that show. She actually signed up for digital cable just to get the SciFi channel to watch it. (When Farscape went, so did her cable!)
Thank you for saying that - it needed to be said.
My answer is ususally "I don't have time to google for the information and pick through the thousands of advertisements posing as real information."
Why is that people have to cover up their own ineptitude by calling someone "stupid"?