Easy access to guns lead to more gun use. Simple as that. This goes for police, civilians and criminals.
Sure, it's a lot easier for me to shoot the bastard who's shooting at me, if I have easy access to a gun. And easy access to a gun sure leads to a lot of gun usage during target practice, or out hunting.
I guess that if the US would try to improve on the huge loss of firearms to criminals every year, the NRA would freak out and go to Capitol Hill chaning the second amendment. I don't see anywhere that the second amendment calls for moronic storage of their firearms? I'm a bit scared when I read bout civilians storing 10+ firearmsin their home, just locking them in a closet. Here, that is punisable because you don't want to give the thieves an edge.
What about kitchen knives? Stabbings are far more common than shootings, even in this country. Way more common than shootings. And accidents with knives are far more statistically common than accidents with firearms. So why no cry to restrict knives, or to keep all civilian knives locked in heavily secure, expensive, vaults in the home? They are far more dangerous! And what if someone broke into your home, stole one of your knives, and killed someone with it! That would be your fault for not locking them up!
At least, it's a comparable argument to yours about guns.
And have you considered the economics? The poor have rights as well in this country, including the right to bear arms. Many poor families rely heavily on hunting in order to afford food. Hunting isn't just an entertainment for the upper classes here. Do you think these people can afford large, expensive, hidden vaults in their homes in which to store guns?
What about all the capitalists throughout history who have been blowing up people, via war, and killing people with inadequate workplace safety regulations?
There are many different kinds of anarchists. Some are violent. Yet, these violent anarchists don't invade countries and conduct war to enlarge empires. The people they have killed are the powerful leaders and industrialists.
First, I believe war existed before capitalism, don't blame capitalism for the fact that war exists. War has always existed as long as there's been groups of humans that didn't get along with other groups of humans. Heck, war exists among non-humans. Chimpanzee tribal groups wage war between each other. We didn't even invent war. Don't blame modern Capitalism for it, nor expect that you have the perfect solution to it.
And yes, they don't invade countries and "wage war"...but they do call for revolution, violent overthrow, and they have started wars...including setting off a rather nasty World War. I'd call that damn close enough.
If you're against government, but not against the capitalist enterprise, then you are an extremist capitalist. There's no "anarchism" in that.
Name any economic system that has gotten more people out of poverty than Capitalism? Name any economic system that has, in any country it's established in, eventually brought about more middle class than poor. It sure isn't socialism. Capitalism has proven itself as the single greatest tool for bringing people out of poverty in the history of the world. Nothing wrong with being a fan.
Anarchism is against all forms of hierarchy, and that means if any government is created, it's task is to dismantle or destroy hierarchy as it forms, whether it's capitalist enterprise, monarchs, religion, gangs, experts, or government (via self destruction). They (we) believe that the ultimate goal is a society of many local organizations to provide social welfare via mutual aid groups.
And exactly how would this be enforced? How would you ensure that nobody stands up and says "this is mine"? Sounds like via organized group to me. And these "local organizations to provide social welfare via mutual aid groups" sound suspiciously like a form of local government to me. The ideal of a system to "destroy hierarchy in all it's forms" sounds nice...problem is, people naturally seek the leadership of others. If there is a lack of such authority, people will create it amongst themselves, either by choosing a leader, or having one forced upon them. It's simple human nature. The Alpha Male and Alpha Female lead the pack. The strong (personality, wisdom, intelligence, charisma, or brute stength) lead, the others follow. It's instinctual.
BTW, you want to see what anarchy looks like? Want to stare it in the face? A society with no rules, no government, no law? Look no further than New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit. In that city there was no order, there was no control. The strong took what they wanted from the weak. There was murder, rape was commonplace, and those with criminal mindsets grouped together into gangs that managed to getfairly well armed. Workers delivering aid were shot at, helicopters flying out the sick and dying were fired on.
Or take LA during the riots. Buildings went up in flames. Anyone who's skin color didn't measure up got dragged out and beaten by mobs. People got shot and killed. People took whatever they wanted from whoever had it. There was lawlessness and disorder.
That's your anarchy. That's your anarchist society, or what it would turn to. People are not insects. We are not ants or bees who follow our programmed paths to serve the collective. We are brutal, savage, apes who got good with projectile weapons and had enough brains to figure out how to not only make tools...but improve on them. "Perfect communist societies" simply are not possible with this animal.
Better if we can confine them there, if we've gotten to the point of making government mostly harmless and incapable of doing much in the first place. And accountable to the People when it does do something. We're not quite there yet, but we're getting closer. Closer than at any point in human history.
Anarchists (aka social anarchists or anarcho-communists) say "smash the state, burn out the capitalists" and see the state and capital as partners in crime. (For example, their favorite enemies are the President, weapons makers, and prisons.)
They've also had a number of terrorists, quite willing to use bombs and assassination to get their way (one started WWI)...yet claim to be a misunderstood, peaceful movement that wouldn't hurt a fly. Bah. I've actually debated one who has said that quotes that he used before which said "revolution" this and "overthrow of the State" that weren't meant to be taken in a violent sense but in an "evolutionary" sense.... Sure, that explains all the anarchists through history who have been blowing stuff up and shooting people.
They also see widespread impoverishment and miles of tenements as a business opportunity.
Well, I suppose it is...any area like that is insufficiently economically developed. When people lack adequate shelter, food, clothing, etc... best thing to do is provide jobs so they can earn money to improve their way of life.:)
I do agree with anarcho-capitalists on some things. Big fan of Free Market enterprise. And I agree that government is an evil. But I also believe it's a necessary evil. Just one that needs to be kept as small and harmless as possible. Anarchy of any stripe, historically, just leads to rule by the least desirable elements of society, and mass atrocity. Look at the French Revolution. A horrible time, and at the end of it....under the thumb of a power mad conquering dictator. Look at Somalia or Afghanistan (before the US invasion)....they quickly degraded into warlordism, oppression, and constant brutality. In my opinion some small agreement must be made between the People of a society to establish an organization for their mutal protection from the worst elements of themselves, who would come forth and enslave if they didn't. We call that government.
So that's why I'm a minarchist free market libertarian.
Browser statistics? You're using browser statistics to base your case on? It's based on browser detection and that's very easy to spoof (and heck, often necessary to get a site to accept you. As most of the time the only thing that makes a site that claims it "only works in IE" not work is that you're detecting as something else) and fairly commonly done by non-Windows users. It's incredibly unreliable at best.
Anarcho-socialism (what you and many others seem to be spouting as the one true "anarchism" ) is an oxymoron. Anarchism opposes the state and socialism requires the state in order to survive.
Yeah, but the problem with the standard "Turing Test" which uses someone actively trying to discover the AI is.....they are trying to actively discobver the AI. There have been human beings who have failed the Turing Test because they were "too smart" or "answered too quickly." People judging Turing Tests are on an AI hunt. Turing tests are inherently biased. We'll never have any AI pass the Turing Test sufficiently because the judges will always be on the hunt for them.
I have personally seen resale shops with shelves of used computers, perfectly usable hardware, with them marked in the $20 range because it's "obsolete" stuff. Personal experience, vs sarcasm tags.....gee I wonder who wins?
There are plenty of underpriveledged children here in the United States who could benefit from this kind of program . . . inner-city and rural. At the risk of seeming selfish or callous, shouldn't we take care of our own first?
They can already get computers cheap. Not new, top of the line computers, but cheap. Plenty of used stuff avaliable out there for well under $100. Heck in some places they're tossed out as garbage because of spyware infestations! Easy to snag one for free in such a case.
The focus on profit means that you can't trust anybody who is publically traded- and the grand majority of the privately owned companies aren't that much better.
Oh yes, because everyone knows that inherently, trying to make money is in any way, shape, or form, evil. And thus any organization wanting to make money must therefore also be involved with kicking puppies and raping kittens on the side, you know, for laughs, right before the big meetings when the board of directors sacrifice little girls in order to drink their blood while chanting, "money, money, money!"
Actually, most businesses aren't the "big evil corporations" but the smaller, more ethical ones. And as he pointed out, not all the big corporations fall into the "big evil corporation" stereotype...heck, it's really only a few well known bastards that give everyone else a bad name.
Corporations want ownership of materials; Private individuals want free access those materials. Therein lies the battle.
No, the private individuals want access to property they've already paid for. Corporations want control of property that isn't theirs without consent, and expects the owners to pay them for them to take control. Somewhat different battle here.
Everything fun is evil and addictive. All you people out there stop using the net, masterbating, playing video games, watching tv, playing sports, reading comics, and doing anything else that sets off the pleasure centers in the brain because pleasure is an evil sin that must be eradicated for the good of mankind. Our all powerful, commanding overlords of psychology and politics command us!
What's with all the pro-Microsoft, anti-Linux/OSS troll articles posted lately? There seems to be a greater number than usual. Is Bill bored lately? Can't get it up anymore for Melinda so he gets his jollies off spreading this stuff? This one is just so far out in left field, as it points at email...when they mean groupware, and Linux does have good groupware avaliable.
Until someone blames George W. Bush for this? Come on, you know it's going to happen sooner or later. I mean, there were certain leaders of certain countries that will remain nameless that blamed him for Hurricane Katrina existing... So I can't see how this won't be blamed on him somehow too...
Yes, but you still have to know what cellphone to do that to. And I don't have to keep that cellphone long, or can have it completely reset regularly. It's inexpensive to do so with systems like tracfone. Especially if you're in a lucrative illicit business. In which case if you do have a tap, you're back to square one. And this is exactly the point I was making.
...is giving a fair, and balences critique of Open Source. Wait, what? You say he isn't? Let me read that again? My you are right....he's just some loudmouth asshat. Why the hell did this even make slashdot?
There are a lot easier ways to get around government spooks. Prepaid cellphones for example. They can be bought very cheaply these days, with cash, can be activated without giving your name, address, or phone number, and the minutes can also be purchased with cash and activated anonymously. With nothing to tie any particular identity to any particular cellphone, it makes it hard to know who to listen in on. If it is tapped...easy to just cancel the phone, let it die and register all over, toss it and get a replacement, whatever...
So what does the movie ratings board get? What about the TV show ratings board? Why is it that the ratings board for video games is the one to get picked on when everyone knows kids see R-rated movies, and watch shows that are rated above their age. Simple. Video games are the popular villain right now. Nothing more. Video games are a scapegoat for society's ills. Blame everything on video games, demonise them....and then you don't have to look at your own faults as parents.
Dude, these days people are practically throwing away perfectly good computers. Hell, sometimes they are throwing away perfectly good, working computers. If someone is poor and has no computer, they aren't trying hard enough to get one. Might not be top of the line speed demon, but you don't need that for the basics. Circuit city and Walmart may be selling their computers for hundreds of dollars, doesn't mean that poor people have to get their computers there.
but how many people are entering dozens of domain names even in a year of web use?
You know, some people do use more than Google for their internet experience. I enter domain names into my web browser all the fucking time. Just for regular everyday type of stuff.
So, are you saying that all software should be free?
No, not at all. I'm no Stallman-esque zealot. Although I certainly prefer my software to be Open Source and certainly demand it in my OS, I'm quite willing to pay for quality commercial closed source software...and have done so before.
Well, some people make a living writing software.
Yes, and some of them are Open Source Software developers...
I tried really hard to get into Linux. I bought a new computer just to install RedHat on. I worked with it for a few weeks and was really digging it in the beginning. Until I realized that most of the "free" software I was using was actually pretty crappy. Apps would core dump all the time. Even Konquerer would bomb on me even when I was just doing simple things.
When was this Mr Coward? 10 years ago? Also...what do you expect with a distro like Redhat, it was never a good desktop distribution. I have been using Linux for years, I've used Slackware, Mandrake, SuSE, as well as a few of the LiveCDs out there. I've not had these problems you describe. My grandfather uses Linux, Mepis and previously SuSE....and he sees a big improvement over Windows. He certainly doesn't have the problems you talk about. None of the people I know who use Linux have the kinds of problems you are talking about. I'm guessing, Mr. Coward, that you're talking out of your Windows loving ass.
The fact is, myself and many other people enjoy working with Windows and Microsoft apps. I am very productive with Visual C++, MS Word, Excel, and others. I spend practically zero time dealing with operating system issues. I have not had a BSOD on one of my machines as far back as I can remember. Probably not since Win98.
Bill, is that you?
I use a computer not for the sake of using a computer but to get work done. Whether it be work work, art work, music work or anything else. I would much rather spend my time getting work done than messing around with my OS trying to get free software from different people to work right.
Sounds like you're using the wrong OS for that then. Windows sounds like a real nightmare compare to every other choice in that department.
I seriously hope this whole "Open Source" buzzword thing dies out. From what I can tell, a lot of Open Source software out there is incomplete and abandoned by the original implementers. Yeah, I have the source so I can fix it but why should I? I'd rather pay for something that works rather than waste my time.
So you're counting every single project that never gets out of alpha against us now? Should we count every bit of Windows vaporware against it? Every killed product? Every dead piece of software? I think you'll find that there's more dead in the Microsoft world than in the Linux/OSS world.
Slashdot Mirror
What about kitchen knives? Stabbings are far more common than shootings, even in this country. Way more common than shootings. And accidents with knives are far more statistically common than accidents with firearms. So why no cry to restrict knives, or to keep all civilian knives locked in heavily secure, expensive, vaults in the home? They are far more dangerous! And what if someone broke into your home, stole one of your knives, and killed someone with it! That would be your fault for not locking them up!
At least, it's a comparable argument to yours about guns.
And have you considered the economics? The poor have rights as well in this country, including the right to bear arms. Many poor families rely heavily on hunting in order to afford food. Hunting isn't just an entertainment for the upper classes here. Do you think these people can afford large, expensive, hidden vaults in their homes in which to store guns?
First, I believe war existed before capitalism, don't blame capitalism for the fact that war exists. War has always existed as long as there's been groups of humans that didn't get along with other groups of humans. Heck, war exists among non-humans. Chimpanzee tribal groups wage war between each other. We didn't even invent war. Don't blame modern Capitalism for it, nor expect that you have the perfect solution to it.
And yes, they don't invade countries and "wage war"...but they do call for revolution, violent overthrow, and they have started wars...including setting off a rather nasty World War. I'd call that damn close enough.
Name any economic system that has gotten more people out of poverty than Capitalism? Name any economic system that has, in any country it's established in, eventually brought about more middle class than poor. It sure isn't socialism. Capitalism has proven itself as the single greatest tool for bringing people out of poverty in the history of the world. Nothing wrong with being a fan.
And exactly how would this be enforced? How would you ensure that nobody stands up and says "this is mine"? Sounds like via organized group to me. And these "local organizations to provide social welfare via mutual aid groups" sound suspiciously like a form of local government to me. The ideal of a system to "destroy hierarchy in all it's forms" sounds nice...problem is, people naturally seek the leadership of others. If there is a lack of such authority, people will create it amongst themselves, either by choosing a leader, or having one forced upon them. It's simple human nature. The Alpha Male and Alpha Female lead the pack. The strong (personality, wisdom, intelligence, charisma, or brute stength) lead, the others follow. It's instinctual.
BTW, you want to see what anarchy looks like? Want to stare it in the face? A society with no rules, no government, no law? Look no further than New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit. In that city there was no order, there was no control. The strong took what they wanted from the weak. There was murder, rape was commonplace, and those with criminal mindsets grouped together into gangs that managed to getfairly well armed. Workers delivering aid were shot at, helicopters flying out the sick and dying were fired on.
Or take LA during the riots. Buildings went up in flames. Anyone who's skin color didn't measure up got dragged out and beaten by mobs. People got shot and killed. People took whatever they wanted from whoever had it. There was lawlessness and disorder.
That's your anarchy. That's your anarchist society, or what it would turn to. People are not insects. We are not ants or bees who follow our programmed paths to serve the collective. We are brutal, savage, apes who got good with projectile weapons and had enough brains to figure out how to not only make tools...but improve on them. "Perfect communist societies" simply are not possible with this animal.
Better if we can confine them there, if we've gotten to the point of making government mostly harmless and incapable of doing much in the first place. And accountable to the People when it does do something. We're not quite there yet, but we're getting closer. Closer than at any point in human history.
Well, I suppose it is...any area like that is insufficiently economically developed. When people lack adequate shelter, food, clothing, etc... best thing to do is provide jobs so they can earn money to improve their way of life. :)
I do agree with anarcho-capitalists on some things. Big fan of Free Market enterprise. And I agree that government is an evil. But I also believe it's a necessary evil. Just one that needs to be kept as small and harmless as possible. Anarchy of any stripe, historically, just leads to rule by the least desirable elements of society, and mass atrocity. Look at the French Revolution. A horrible time, and at the end of it....under the thumb of a power mad conquering dictator. Look at Somalia or Afghanistan (before the US invasion)....they quickly degraded into warlordism, oppression, and constant brutality. In my opinion some small agreement must be made between the People of a society to establish an organization for their mutal protection from the worst elements of themselves, who would come forth and enslave if they didn't. We call that government.
So that's why I'm a minarchist free market libertarian.
Browser statistics? You're using browser statistics to base your case on? It's based on browser detection and that's very easy to spoof (and heck, often necessary to get a site to accept you. As most of the time the only thing that makes a site that claims it "only works in IE" not work is that you're detecting as something else) and fairly commonly done by non-Windows users. It's incredibly unreliable at best.
Anarcho-socialism (what you and many others seem to be spouting as the one true "anarchism" ) is an oxymoron. Anarchism opposes the state and socialism requires the state in order to survive.
Yeah, but the problem with the standard "Turing Test" which uses someone actively trying to discover the AI is.....they are trying to actively discobver the AI. There have been human beings who have failed the Turing Test because they were "too smart" or "answered too quickly." People judging Turing Tests are on an AI hunt. Turing tests are inherently biased. We'll never have any AI pass the Turing Test sufficiently because the judges will always be on the hunt for them.
I have personally seen resale shops with shelves of used computers, perfectly usable hardware, with them marked in the $20 range because it's "obsolete" stuff. Personal experience, vs sarcasm tags.....gee I wonder who wins?
Oh yes, because everyone knows that inherently, trying to make money is in any way, shape, or form, evil. And thus any organization wanting to make money must therefore also be involved with kicking puppies and raping kittens on the side, you know, for laughs, right before the big meetings when the board of directors sacrifice little girls in order to drink their blood while chanting, "money, money, money!"
Stupid fucking communists...
Actually, most businesses aren't the "big evil corporations" but the smaller, more ethical ones. And as he pointed out, not all the big corporations fall into the "big evil corporation" stereotype...heck, it's really only a few well known bastards that give everyone else a bad name.
Everything fun is evil and addictive. All you people out there stop using the net, masterbating, playing video games, watching tv, playing sports, reading comics, and doing anything else that sets off the pleasure centers in the brain because pleasure is an evil sin that must be eradicated for the good of mankind. Our all powerful, commanding overlords of psychology and politics command us!
What's with all the pro-Microsoft, anti-Linux/OSS troll articles posted lately? There seems to be a greater number than usual. Is Bill bored lately? Can't get it up anymore for Melinda so he gets his jollies off spreading this stuff? This one is just so far out in left field, as it points at email...when they mean groupware, and Linux does have good groupware avaliable.
Until someone blames George W. Bush for this? Come on, you know it's going to happen sooner or later. I mean, there were certain leaders of certain countries that will remain nameless that blamed him for Hurricane Katrina existing... So I can't see how this won't be blamed on him somehow too...
Yes, but you still have to know what cellphone to do that to. And I don't have to keep that cellphone long, or can have it completely reset regularly. It's inexpensive to do so with systems like tracfone. Especially if you're in a lucrative illicit business. In which case if you do have a tap, you're back to square one. And this is exactly the point I was making.
...is giving a fair, and balences critique of Open Source. Wait, what? You say he isn't? Let me read that again? My you are right....he's just some loudmouth asshat. Why the hell did this even make slashdot?
There are a lot easier ways to get around government spooks. Prepaid cellphones for example. They can be bought very cheaply these days, with cash, can be activated without giving your name, address, or phone number, and the minutes can also be purchased with cash and activated anonymously. With nothing to tie any particular identity to any particular cellphone, it makes it hard to know who to listen in on. If it is tapped...easy to just cancel the phone, let it die and register all over, toss it and get a replacement, whatever...
No, they found ice...they may have also found liquid water in addition to ice.
So what does the movie ratings board get? What about the TV show ratings board? Why is it that the ratings board for video games is the one to get picked on when everyone knows kids see R-rated movies, and watch shows that are rated above their age. Simple. Video games are the popular villain right now. Nothing more. Video games are a scapegoat for society's ills. Blame everything on video games, demonise them....and then you don't have to look at your own faults as parents.
Dude, these days people are practically throwing away perfectly good computers. Hell, sometimes they are throwing away perfectly good, working computers. If someone is poor and has no computer, they aren't trying hard enough to get one. Might not be top of the line speed demon, but you don't need that for the basics. Circuit city and Walmart may be selling their computers for hundreds of dollars, doesn't mean that poor people have to get their computers there.