So donating $1,000 to some PAC fund 4 years before being named CEO constitutes 'using the business to grind personal political/psycho/sexual axes'?
Well, it does if you're a crazy zealot who's simply repeating what they heard without actually looking into it themselves but, damn it, there's a reason to be outraged and they will be righteously indignant. After all, when you've nothing to be proud of, you can join the braying herd of jackasses and at least get noticed or feel as if you've made some accomplishment.
Lest anyone read anything more into what I said then what I wrote, fuck off. Whilst I personally don't condone artificial limits to rights based on innate traits such as sexuality, I also don't appreciate browbeating people into submission and attempting to force conformity in beliefs and lawful actions. If people can't accept that others may think different than they - then they sit and be quiet while the adults have a discussion.
This condemnation and shame is no different today than it was when it was an actual punishment handed down by the courts and from the pulpit during Puritan times. It's no more acceptable now than it was then. People should be allowed to speak and act lawfully without that impacting their past, present, and future employment - to a reasonable extent. There's such a thing as being unreasonable and extreme. Right now, the people who thrive on public admonishment and retribution are continually demonstrating that they're both unreasonable and zealots. If you want to judge people, and that's a generic you, how about you judge them by their skill at performing the task they're hired to do and not how they donated to a political action committee? I know, that's too much to ask.
Never mind that it turns out that many of these outrages are based on misinformation, lies, and intentional omissions of circumstances. Never mind that some are fabricated from whole cloth. Never mind that they, the actors, have usurped a worthy cause and tarnished the name. It's fucking HARMFUL to society and HARMFUL to people - adding MORE HARM is not a good thing in the vast, vast majority of cases. But no... They'll do it just to inflate our egos and little bit and facts are secondary because, damn it, if nothing else we've opened a dialogue... "Something must be done. Somebody has to say something!" Yup, something has to be done and somebody should say something. However, that something is probably not what they're thinking and that someone almost certainly is not them. Take the outrage and do something actually useful.
When I'm ruler of the galaxy, I'm kicking all of 'em off the planet. And before folks sit there with a smug look, I hold the "MRA" folks in the same light. Yes, some people have a legitimate message and legitimate gripes - they appear to be an infinitesimally small number. There is no "both sides" to this coin. It's one side and on that side is a bunch of people looking for cause to be outraged and willing to manufacture that cause if they have nothing more meaningful in their lives that day. They don't care who gets hurt, so long as they can feel better about themselves for a few minutes and feel like they've accomplished something.
Well, that felt nice to write. Before some dumb ass comes along and says, "You're doing it too!" I'd like to point out that no, no I'm not. No, I'm not singling out anyone, using shame, or trying to destroy someone's life and livelihood. I'm not seeking to get anyone defunded nor am I wanting to harm anyone. Hell, I'm not even trying to silence them. There's a big difference between telling someone that you're sick of their stupid shit and don't want to hear anymore as opposed to preventing them from speaking. Sadly, it's reached the point where that has to be specified.
uMatrix has some neat features you may be interested in - including blocking cookies and a bunch of settings. I don't think you can make it block cookies, from the home domain, by default but it will block third party cookies, scripts, etc... It's a bit like NoScript except it's better.
Think an old-school Windows software-based firewall. Now imagine that for your browser - complete with the learning curve. I just recently shared my config file with someone to get them started, somebody from here. I'd suggest a more personalized settings but that's okay to start with someone else's.
It uses whitelisting. Yup. If it's not from the first-party, it's blocked by default and that includes scripts, frames, xss, cookies, etc... I believe, now that I look at it, you can probably set it to block all cookies (even from first-party) by default and then whitelist the site as you go.
The good news is that there's a version for it on Firefox now. I use Opera and I've had uMatrix for ages. It's made by the same guy who makes HTTP Switchboard (another nice app) and uBlock which is a bit like AdBlock Plus but much better and, again, much more refined. Though uBlock works out of the box, there's a lot more you can do with it. Combining uMatrix and uBlock gives you a whole lot of refinement options and really lets you customize your experience.
Alas, the author will not accept donations of any kind - and I've offered to send him some money, I'd even offered what some might call a good chunk of money for a regular donation. He declined and pointed me to his FAQ which, it turns out, says he does not accept donations. (I think I'd tried to send him $500, so not a whole lot.)
So, if you don't mind a small learning curve (it's not entirely intuitive but not difficult - I figured it out) and want to actually get it "right" then I recommend uMatrix. You can export your settings (your whitelist/saved sites) and use them on multiple computers which will save you some time if you're using more than one computer. It is, and I'll be upfront, a bit of work at first. However, once you get a few of your regular sites set up it's good to go. When you find something that doesn't work then you enable it. When you get it to work, you simply save it and add it to the list so that it's retained between sessions. If you're unlikely to visit the site again, don't save it. If you don't need the script(s) then don't enable them.
For each third-party, you can block or accept, set to always block, set to always allow, and whatnot. It's really very nice. I *highly* recommend spending a few hours with it enabled and seeing the difference that it makes. It does make many sites entirely unusable - but then you just enable what needs to be enabled and you're good to go. If you frequent the site then you save it. If you trust the site or just will be visiting once - don't save it but can even go so far as enabling all. It's really quite an impressive tool.
If you want to get fancy and use HTTP Switchboard, or just read about it, then I'll grab that link for you too: https://addons.opera.com/en/ex...
I'm sure you'll figure it out quickly. It's not as much work as I make it seem. I've been using it for a while and once you get it all set you're pretty much good to go with very little interruption. It's surprising how few sites that I actually care to allow to fun scripts from third parties. Sometimes, I even block them on the main sites - I don't always just set to allow.
You raise some interesting points. All quite true for those - which does overlap in other areas. So, maybe? At least I think I get what you're saying. This might be a bit long but I'll do my best to be concise and articulate.
If you don't mind, and treat these as rhetorical in all or in part if you prefer - though I do welcome a reply, if I ask a question or two?
Do we, as a citizenry, have enough impetus to act? Will we, in viable numbers, actually act and make changes to our own habits? Have we reached a point where action is of dire importance? Are we, as a group, so disenfranchised, disillusioned, and jaded that we are willing to risk persecution?
Bread and circuses (beer and television) go a long ways, Lennie. Throws in some creature comforts, some modicum of freedom (even if only a matter of perspective) of choice, fear, and cowardice (I can think of no better word)... Then, well... Pithy, yes... We've still got tools, we still have options. Will we use those options before it is too late?
The sooner the pendulum can be swung back the better and the less destructive those swings will be. It's a bit like speed-wobbles on a bicycle or a skateboard. It's hard to tell, from my perspective, how far we've come. I'm inside looking inside - not outside and looking in. How much is too much? When do we make use of those tools with an adoption rate large enough to matter? When do we begin the deconstruction process and do we need to? What will that look like? When it comes time to throw stones, which side will you be on?
So, those aren't really rhetorical but you can interpret them as such. Buggered if I've got all the answers. I know that, historically, things like the French Revolution look good on paper but that actually lead to a horrific time and didn't really start to die down until Napoleon. For a while, it was pretty damned crazy - including changing calendar dates, use of shaming, forced adherence to social standards, encouraging spying on ones neighbor, and a whole lot of head removal.
Why do I mention the French Revolution? Well, it wasn't quite like a lot of people expected and it's not really covered well in history. No sides were innocent but one side is a bit better able to whitewash the history because they still had their heads. That leads back to the question - which side will you be on?
At any rate, the tools are there. Some people are not actively abetting and those people have some sway - but how hard will they push when push comes to shove and the pendulum swings a bit further still? The less the pendulum moves, the less force it has when it swings back. Entropy is the natural thing - it will swing back for the foreseeable future. For all our pomp and circumstance, I can think of no greater arrogance than that displayed by those who believe we are at the pinnacle of morals and education. Well, except maybe that displayed by those who would deem themselves your master.
During WWII and the Siege of Stalingrad, it was not uncommon for roving groups of young men to gather in groups to accost the old and feeble. They'd do so simply to steal their bread. One journalist, from that time, retells a story about a lady who came upon such a lad, by himself that time, who'd done such a thing. When she came across him, he was down on the ground and being beaten to a pulp by the witnesses. She realized what was happening and joined in with the group who was beating that boy. Somehow, in the mix, she managed to get that piece of bread - small, some 50g, in her hands and she did not recollect how. Then, again without knowing how - while still a part of the group kicking the thief, she proceeded to stuff that purloined bread into her mouth and eat it - others noticed and where aghast but, seemingly, unsurprised. Which side will you be on when the stones are thrown?
It's all rather complex, I'd say. The less swing to the pendulum, the better and more prosperous the society seems to be. That can be extrapolated to those who advocate
I'd like to point out that this is probably not only not always appropriate, there's also the law of diminishing returns. There is some point, almost invariably, where it's time to stop saying what you're thinking - no matter how much fun it might seem like at the time. It's not really appropriate to tell Aunt Mary that she's a fat pig who eats like a slob during Christmas dinner when the family is talking about the weather - even if you're thinking it and even if it seems like a good idea at the time.
It's probably okay if you have Tourette's. Maybe not...
In this particular case, I'm inclined to agree with our beloved Mr. Piss but I'd like to stress the importance of examining the source when considering taking etiquette lessons. Rather than have you return a week hence, and without a job, spouse, or home, it's probably best to ensure you know that while such advice is certainly true in this case - it's not exactly true in all cases.
Damn it... *sighs* So, the missus is grumpy. My typing is pretty quiet but that made me laugh loud enough to wake up and give me the hairy eyeball. Usually, I am elsewhere at this time of night - if I'm online. Tonight, she fall asleep on the couch beside me.
Either way, I'm still blaming you. How long have you been waiting to say that?
I hear that sort of sentiment frequently - but I hear it at completely and totally opposite ends.
"Software should be easy to use." "I shouldn't have to hunt for some arcane setting." "It should just work." "There's no reason for the complexity." "There's no reason for it to be this hard."
Then, your post.
"It shouldn't be everyone else's job to handhold them through using a web browser."
I'm inclined to agree with you. Of course, there's a reasonable limit and that's the problem. What's the reasonable limit? Me? I was happier when computers were more complex. No, not because it gave me a modicum of power but because that complexity actually meant that I had *more* options. Yes, yes... There are far more options today than there were yesterday, overall. However, look at some of the options menus for some of those applications that have spanned the ages.
I liked the complexity, it gave me more customizations and more interaction with the software - it enabled me to find my own path. VLC? Now there's a damned fine options menu - complete with nonsense and a horrid usability standpoint by most anyone's metrics, except mine. Crank on those advanced options and let me wreck shit. I love breaking stuff - fixing it is how I learn and I'm a bit fond of learning new things.
Somewhere, and I think the UX folks would do well to find it, there's a point where options become too many and of no value to even a tiny percentage of users. Somewhere, and I don't know where, they should consider not just ridding the options but stuffing them behind an "Advanced Options" menu - perhaps with a warning like you get if you adjust the about:config page on Firefox. Hell, document and let users daisy chain switches and start stuff from the terminal, cmd prompt, or adjust their shortcuts? I don't know but trend of removing options is starting to worry me - I've been watching it happen for years.
It's mine. It's my software. You gave it to me. No, you don't have to do what I want but you should (I think) give me all the options you can reasonably include. It's okay, by my, to stuff 'em into the advanced settings. I'm okay with that. You can hide 'em a bit, that's fine - just make sure that we know where to find them.
You'll note that I said that I didn't know where that line should be drawn? Yeah... So, umm... I've done *some* design and even have done some web design, technically. Err... Yeah... I probably should NOT be the one to help make that choice. However, just because I don't have the solution doesn't mean I can't see the problem. I am not a doctor but I can tell you that my wrist is well and truly fucked.
So, all you smart people... All you designers, usability experts, and such? Yeah... Figure out how I can still have all the options (within reason) and how you can stop Joe Average from screwing up his "internet." Yes, some will bitch about bloat. That's fine. Make the bloat valuable to those of us who use the options and we'll kill them in their sleep for you. Yes, a little bloat is fine. Sometimes we need to do more than one thing and do it well - when you've got a whole bunch of people using a product to do a whole bunch of things in a whole bunch of different ways. You can't, well you can but I wouldn't, do one thing and do it well because there's more to browsing than one thing - like extensions, bookmarks, downloading, etc...
But, you can probably pick a smaller subset and do it really damned good - if not "well." I don't use Firefox and I don't use fine grained cookie controls but I can see why others would and I respect that. They'll strip that out and add Pocket. (I think that's the name.) No... Do your subset of things and do it well. In this case, that subset includes enabling third parties to extend it. Keep core functionality and give the users options - by default. Of course, there's a reasonable point where too much is too much and too little is not enough. That's not my place to tell you where that is and I'd not listen to me if I did tell. However, removing this? Really?
My UID may not reflect it but, lemme tell you something, son...
When you reach our age, you'll yell at any damned cloud you want to. Why? Because, fuck that cloud and we don't give a shit if you or your kid brother are unimpressed with our cloud yelling. Now, if you could just get the damned paper onto the porch in the morning, I'd tip you a whole extra nickel each week.
Actually, getting old is awesome in some ways. I can hide my own Easter Eggs and the young ladies giggle when I give someone the finger! I can straight up not just yell at clouds but I can use all the blue language I want. They just think you're old and senile. I can't wait until my kids put me in a nursing home. I'm going to piss my pants every day and laugh when the cute nurse changes me and gives me a sponge bath. If I want to play with my pudding, I'll play with my damned pudding. Now, order me a damned pizza or I'll piss in my trousers a second time.
I'm too lazy to Google but NoScript is supplanted by uMatrix (same guy that does HTTP Switchboard and uBlock) on Opera. There's a Firefox version available now - he finally made you guys one last year. Also, any of the Chrome extensions can be used by Opera just fine and there are a couple of ways to do it including a nice automatic method. (It might even work by default now - I don't know. I haven't tried it.)
I really can't think of anything that would be keeping you back - IF you wanted to switch. However, you'd have to tell me what Request Policy does and then I might be able to find you an Opera version or a Chrome version. As I said, Chrome extensions work just fine in Opera - and in Vivaldi but Vivaldi hates two out of three computers that I use it on and I have to start it from the command line as they've yet to give me an option to disable hardware acceleration via the GUI.
It's not a bad thing losing to Opera. I mean, well... Alright... But still, Opera's a fine browser! I've been using it for ages. As in, years and years now, I have been using it. I used to actually *pay* to use it. (It wasn't free but you could get a version with ads in it that was free for a while and before that it was demo-ware.)
There was a rough patch where Opera really took a nose dive. They "jumped the shark" and decided to dump their code base and go for Chromium. It was a tumultuous time for a KGIII. I was lost and alone in this dark world you call home. I was using Chromium and sometimes Firefox. But, I stuck with Opera - even if it became my secondary browser.
I checked each new version, eagerly. I installed the stable, developer, and beta builds - hoping to find some sanity in the madness. Eventually, around version 23, it started to get viable again. The ecosystem was naught and one needed to download Chrome extensions, unpack them, and load them that way. But, things grew, the leaves sprouted, and the memory footprint returned to normal and the loathsome CPU spikes began to die out. The days were less bleak, the Sun a little brighter, and the birds sang a merrier tune.
And Opera, albeit a bit slowly and lurching, climbed out from the tomb and stomped into the light reborn! Right at about version 25 it became good again - not just viable. I found an extension that some hardworking soul had created - it enabled automatically using Chrome's extensions with just a click and, best of all, it didn't run resident and eat CPU cycles! Then, soon, I found that I didn't really need that extension any longer. The ecosystem had grown and the planted seeds had reached fruition!
And a happy KGIII sang and danced naked in the glade. He was a happy, happy man. I realized that I'd not given Opera any money in a long time. So, I scoured their site and found there's no way for me to give them money. Otherwise, I'd give them a shekel or two, I'd give them three if they played a merry tune while dancing a jig. They've not actually kicked me out of their forum yet but that day's surely coming.
Which is to say, it's okay to lose to Opera. Opera's a fine browser. It was an excellent browser. Then it was not a good browser at all - but that lasted but a short time. They're now an excellent browser again. I dare say, Opera's my favorite browser. Give it a week's worth of your use and you might agree. It kind of grows on you, a bit like a fungus but that's growth. Seriously, 'tis a fine browser.
That means, "Fuck you! We do what we like, if you don't like it - piss off."
Which, I guess, they can do if they want to? I'm not sure it's the best move to make but they can do it if they want. I stopped donating to them years ago. I've never been a huge fan but I used to donate just to ensure they would get a few extra bucks. I stopped that when it became obvious that they were no longer interested in just making good software that people wanted. I donated because I liked those people - not because I liked the browser.
I do like Thunderbird but the compiled version that I am using is not their version. I'd donate and support just Thunderbird if I could. There's at least one person from Mozilla in this thread. They seem to be a bit delusional. Someone pointed out the declining market share (quite a big percentage over a couple of years) and they countered with that's because the number of internet users has increased while the number of Firefox users hasn't increased. I'm guessing you can see some potential mental traps in that so I'll save the bytes from adding that. I'm also tired.
At any rate, if that's the attitude the rest take then the problem is internal and endemic. There's little that can be done without a change of management and, perhaps, ownership. That's the good thing, it can be forked. Given the reply that you got, using that as one example of *many* others, I think it's safe to say, they've actually completely decided that it's okay to ignore the users. For better or worse, that's their choice to make.
Me? I use Opera. It's Chromium with the garbage stripped out, a bunch of other features, and the ecosystem of both Opera and Chrome. Extensions are not a problem - I have to cull them once in a while as I tend to build up collections of them for no real reason other than I am easily amused. I think it's high time that we, the people, seriously consider putting our support behind a fork or a new project. While Opera is, technically, open source - it's not really completely free. So, that's not an option for this type of thing. Pale Moon? The new one, Brave? Vivaldi? I'm sure there are more.
I'll have to take a peek at 'em over the next few days. Then I'll watch a couple of them and throw a few donations out to see what happens over a few months. Oh, I'll stick with Opera as my browser. I just figure some things are worth supporting even if I don't personally use them. They keep things in motion and being developed. I benefit indirectly by my browser choice having competition. No, no I'm not altruistic at all. I'm quite pragmatist. Hell, if you can think of others besides the three I mentioned that are open source, feel free to tell me about 'em or link 'em.
Note the name? Yup... It says "Duct." However, scroll down to the history section. It comes from "duck" cloth. Also, most brands of "duct tape" aren't really good for ducts - you want special duct tape that's got actual aluminum on it.
WTF? How, pray tell, do you know about the camps in Maine? They weren't/aren't a secret or anything but I've never heard anyone bring it up on Slashdot and I don't think I've actually heard anyone bring it up in a thread elsewhere - there are pages devoted to it. In fact, you can still find some of the fencing and some buildings and there's even an etched swastika on a large stone. Some of the *very* old people actually remember them. They helped harvest food and even helped work in the woods. Somewhere, I've some video and pictures that I've taken. I'm not a photographer or the likes. I'm pretty sure they're on a drive I can connect to from my current location. If you're curious, I can search for them and upload them. I can't say that I ever thought anyone on Slashdot would actually know about it.
What's next? Someone gonna mention Maine going to war with Canada?
Do you want to outlaw firearms? I know your answer and I know why you espouse that answer and what you think of those who do. I know because I've read your posts before. Cowardice is no excuse to infringe on someone's rights, yes? Just because someone is scared of an inanimate object, we don't go stomping on their rights, yes? Rights are important, yes? Bad people may do good things with their freedom but we can't reduce other's rights because we're afraid - we'd be reducing our own rights too, yes?
So, I know nobody ever changes their mind due to a Slashdot post but I urge you to reconsider. Give 'em their damned trial and be done with it. If the government doesn't want to present the evidence, the government doesn't get to hold 'em. Yup... Bad things might happen. Chances are really high that you'll be okay - as will everyone you've ever met.
Those detention facilities are not for non-service members. While they might look like they'd work, it might not be prudent to house them with the detainees in said facilities. Those detention facilities are just for service members either convicted or deemed unsafe and held for trial. I was an escort/chaser, as I've mentioned before.
Err... It's probably not salient but if you actually have any questions about the detention process - I might know the answer, though my answers (and feelings) will certainly predate 9/11. However, I'm pretty sure that you can't just stuff random people into a military detention facility. I'm not really an expert on the subject but I'm kind of familiar with the process.
I'm going to operate under the assumption that you own duck tape. If you don't own duck tape, you probably shouldn't be here. Next, you need to give all (other) donations to a favored charity - except for exactly 14.5" of duck tape and the ones from the post above that you've accumulated for this task.
You won't need clothing or a baseball card collection where you're going.
I am a bit of a student of history. I am not, by trade, a historian. However, it is my observation that the pendulum swings in (at least) two directions. The further it swings in any direction, the further it swings back.
So, if history is any indication as to social, political, or economic events, and I think it is, there will be a backlash and it probably won't be pretty. It's quite likely that it will take some years and some push but the people will fight back eventually.
If you knock someone down in the corner and then keep kicking them, they'll eventually get up and fight back - and be mighty pissed. Well, not everyone. Some folks will not only take it but lick the boots that kick them while asking for more. I'll let you speculate as to whom that might be but, rest assured, they exist.
You're gonna need a five gallon pail of marmalade, three spoons from a virgin's kitchen, a shotgun, and a yak. When you acquire those things, let me know and I'll tell you the next step.
Somewhere at about $33k USD is where you reach the 1% on the global scale for per year income. It's about $440k for the US or about $7m USD worth of assets, or so I am told. It doesn't take a whole lot to be in the 1% with either of those numbers. Chances are, as you're here, that you're in the 1%, or damned close to it, on the global scale.
I'm well within the metrics that puts me in the 1% and have far, far less than many others and still far more than most. I am also a geek.
But your question is kind of funny. No. There's no special internet. There's no "avoid prosecution" button either - though hiring a team of lawyers seems to help and I try to avoid that sort of thing as a matter of general principle. Nobody ever pulled me into a back office, lined with oak and smelling of fine cigars, and welcomed me to any club. No, I didn't get a back door account with any banks. I didn't even get any special phone numbers to special lines to reach any elected officials. In fact, not one official has even asked me for a bribe, in the US. I should note, I get lots of 'em asking for donations - I imagine you do too.
I don't kick puppies, I even walk gingerly around them. After I steal the baby's candy, I give it back. I may take their pacifier and hide it for my own amusement but that's because I'm evil. I give that back too. I've never run over a nun. I've never burned down an orphanage. I've never even cheated on my taxes. I've never pushed an old lady out of the way - my home is up in Maine now and they're particularly stout. I don't cut people off in traffic. I'm not more important than you - I'm not better than you either. I've never once shut down a factory and sent everyone home without pay - nor do I pay anyone or reward anyone who does. I only get one vote and nobody has ever told me that my vote is more important than your vote and, if they did, you'd probably enjoy living in my country as I'm mostly sane. I've never torched a cat, a cow, or even stuck a firecracker in a frog's butt. I never bullied anyone. I'd say I'd never hurt anyone but that'd be a lie. I not only got my degree, I served my country to afford it. I do own a BMW (a couple, actually) but I've never run anyone off the road. I put my pants on one leg at a time - I don't even have a tailor or a butler. I do, technically, have a housekeeper and sometimes she lets me pretend to be the boss. I have a dog and he farts just like your dog. I use the same 'net and the same hardware you use. You probably are using a faster computer (at least video card) than I am. I have a cute girlfriend but she's not a supermodel and she wears jeans and a sweatshirt. She has a purse, it was under $100 from LL Bean and is more like a satchel. I think my credit cards have a limit but I don't know what they are - I don't use them. I don't want to eat your baby, even with salt. I've never once been mean to your mother and I'm sure she's a nice lady. I've never had knowing contact with aliens. I have no idea how to buy a law, or a senator. I don't shop at Walmart but I've been in one. You have a bigger television than I do. You probably have a better stereo than I do. I don't steal. I'm willing to do manual labor. I didn't sacrifice a chicken or even a goat to get to where I am - I just got lucky as all hell. I swear, I smoke cigars, and I don't think I've taken a shower yet today. I didn't burn down a church. I've never taken your retirement fund - none of the people I know personally have done that either. Most of the people I know and associate with are not wealthy, they're fairly average and middle class. I drive my own cars - and wouldn't have it any other way. I use the same software others use - nobody makes me special software unless I pay them or do it myself.
So, no... I could go on. But no... Lots of people, and you were probably joking, seem to think that you reach a magic number and life is different. Really? I'm often pretty bored. I don't spend much money on myself - I don't need anything. I laugh, joke, and cry. I didn't even do anything evi
Hmm... I don't know if he's being a hypocrite so much as he appears to be (legitimately) asking for more information? Given their initial post, they indicate a willingness to change their mind. So, I'm still not sure I agree with your assertion.
Most of my uploaded photos are of cats I do not own, internet memes I didn't create, and lately every derp face Trump picture ever taken. The latter itself could fill a sizable storage array.
I'm not really a religious person but, and I think this is a first, I'm inclined to say, "You're doing God's work, son."
Promoting or enabling? While I've no love (or use) for Facebook - I'm not sure that they're explicitly promoting such though I'd accept an argument that they're facilitating such. I'm a pretty firm believer in that tool are just tools - it's how you use them that matters. Some people will use tools to do bad things, others will use them for good things.
It's a bit like speech, really. You can say good things or you can say poor things. You can use it to create art or you can use it to create wrath. It can certainly be abused, at the very least abusive, but it isn't bad in and of itself. It can even be dangerous and used to cause real harm or hardship. Yet, I'd really hate to see it prevented or banned.
So, no... I'd not say that they, themselves, are "effectively promoting" that sort of behavior. I'd say that they enable it, that they facilitate it, and that they might even tolerate it. I'd tolerate you saying racist things but I don't think that'd be me "effectively promoting" it. It's a tool and people make of it what is in their nature to make. I own a variety (and an obscene number) of firearms but they're just tools and usually used for sport. There's nothing inherently wrong with a tool. There can be something wrong with what a tool is used for. In the firearm example, I use it to feed myself (and others) or I go on mass shooting sprees where I've been known to kill hundreds of innocent bits of paper. Even if you're paper, there's no need to fear the firearm but there might be cause to fear the operator.
Yeah, as I think more about it... I don't think that is "effectively what they are promoting." That might be some of what they enable but I don't think they're promoting it. However, there's a chance that there's something I am unaware of? I can't say that I know a lot about the site other than what folks tell me and what I read on Slashdot. From what I know, which might not be as much as you know, they're not really promoting any such thing(s). Maybe I'm missing something?
The thing is, on Slashdot we've got user generated content, journals, a friend and foe system, ways to include contact information, ways to link to other's content, and ways to contact each other in private. Slashdot is pretty much a social network - the friend and foe system, being public, makes it even more so as you develop a network. Hell, I've met dozens of people from this site in the real world. I've communicated with many more by off-site means or, if you'd prefer, a private message.
I don't have a Facebook account but I'll happily tell folks all about my on Slashdot - and I've even invited them (and had them come) to celebrate with me. I gave good directions to my house and then gave refined directions via email. We had a blast. There were a bunch of people, not just from Slashdot, and a good time was had by all. I'll probably do it again.
So, I dunno? I mean, Slashdot pretty much fits the bill as being a social networking site. Albeit the methods aren't as well polished... But, still... Given the longevity of your account, I could probably read your post history and figure out quite a bit about you on a personal level. You'd be a rarity if that wasn't true. Hell, I know people's spouses, kids, and sometimes their pets - all from Slashdot.
But no... I don't have a Facebook account.:/ Meh, I've got all the 'friends' I need already and some pretty good folks came from Slashdot itself. Hell, I've gifted hardware to folks here. I've actually gifted a few things to folks here - and even offered a few desktops that are rather recent just the other day. They're only a few years old and have 8 to 16 GB of RAM in 'em. So, now those have gone to a good home too - but not to a Slashdot member. We've got contacts with others, we've got our journals, we've got links, and we've got a public facing friends/foes list.
Give the video a peak - it's an interesting method to navigate your computer. I've never tried it and I'm not actually sure what I was doing when I bumped into it back in September but there it is.
As a second question, I've been tasked with writing a book about business management. I've actually been taking this project a little more serious than I'd expected. Yet, it comes down to actually doing the work, examining the structure, working on the layout, figuring out the goals, and deciding on things like verbiage - I end up getting stuck and just meandering off to do something else.
What motivates you to write? That's pretty much it. In my case, the result will be "open source" and free (as in beer) so finances aren't actually a concern. Money just isn't going to motivate me, I've got enough. It just reaches the point where it's somewhere between overwhelming and just a ton of work. It seems insurmountable at times and some method of motivation might help.
Slashdot Mirror
So donating $1,000 to some PAC fund 4 years before being named CEO constitutes 'using the business to grind personal political/psycho/sexual axes'?
Well, it does if you're a crazy zealot who's simply repeating what they heard without actually looking into it themselves but, damn it, there's a reason to be outraged and they will be righteously indignant. After all, when you've nothing to be proud of, you can join the braying herd of jackasses and at least get noticed or feel as if you've made some accomplishment.
Lest anyone read anything more into what I said then what I wrote, fuck off. Whilst I personally don't condone artificial limits to rights based on innate traits such as sexuality, I also don't appreciate browbeating people into submission and attempting to force conformity in beliefs and lawful actions. If people can't accept that others may think different than they - then they sit and be quiet while the adults have a discussion.
This condemnation and shame is no different today than it was when it was an actual punishment handed down by the courts and from the pulpit during Puritan times. It's no more acceptable now than it was then. People should be allowed to speak and act lawfully without that impacting their past, present, and future employment - to a reasonable extent. There's such a thing as being unreasonable and extreme. Right now, the people who thrive on public admonishment and retribution are continually demonstrating that they're both unreasonable and zealots. If you want to judge people, and that's a generic you, how about you judge them by their skill at performing the task they're hired to do and not how they donated to a political action committee? I know, that's too much to ask.
Never mind that it turns out that many of these outrages are based on misinformation, lies, and intentional omissions of circumstances. Never mind that some are fabricated from whole cloth. Never mind that they, the actors, have usurped a worthy cause and tarnished the name. It's fucking HARMFUL to society and HARMFUL to people - adding MORE HARM is not a good thing in the vast, vast majority of cases. But no... They'll do it just to inflate our egos and little bit and facts are secondary because, damn it, if nothing else we've opened a dialogue... "Something must be done. Somebody has to say something!" Yup, something has to be done and somebody should say something. However, that something is probably not what they're thinking and that someone almost certainly is not them. Take the outrage and do something actually useful.
When I'm ruler of the galaxy, I'm kicking all of 'em off the planet. And before folks sit there with a smug look, I hold the "MRA" folks in the same light. Yes, some people have a legitimate message and legitimate gripes - they appear to be an infinitesimally small number. There is no "both sides" to this coin. It's one side and on that side is a bunch of people looking for cause to be outraged and willing to manufacture that cause if they have nothing more meaningful in their lives that day. They don't care who gets hurt, so long as they can feel better about themselves for a few minutes and feel like they've accomplished something.
Well, that felt nice to write. Before some dumb ass comes along and says, "You're doing it too!" I'd like to point out that no, no I'm not. No, I'm not singling out anyone, using shame, or trying to destroy someone's life and livelihood. I'm not seeking to get anyone defunded nor am I wanting to harm anyone. Hell, I'm not even trying to silence them. There's a big difference between telling someone that you're sick of their stupid shit and don't want to hear anymore as opposed to preventing them from speaking. Sadly, it's reached the point where that has to be specified.
Yup. I'm gonna post this.
uMatrix has some neat features you may be interested in - including blocking cookies and a bunch of settings. I don't think you can make it block cookies, from the home domain, by default but it will block third party cookies, scripts, etc... It's a bit like NoScript except it's better.
Think an old-school Windows software-based firewall. Now imagine that for your browser - complete with the learning curve. I just recently shared my config file with someone to get them started, somebody from here. I'd suggest a more personalized settings but that's okay to start with someone else's.
It uses whitelisting. Yup. If it's not from the first-party, it's blocked by default and that includes scripts, frames, xss, cookies, etc... I believe, now that I look at it, you can probably set it to block all cookies (even from first-party) by default and then whitelist the site as you go.
The good news is that there's a version for it on Firefox now. I use Opera and I've had uMatrix for ages. It's made by the same guy who makes HTTP Switchboard (another nice app) and uBlock which is a bit like AdBlock Plus but much better and, again, much more refined. Though uBlock works out of the box, there's a lot more you can do with it. Combining uMatrix and uBlock gives you a whole lot of refinement options and really lets you customize your experience.
Alas, the author will not accept donations of any kind - and I've offered to send him some money, I'd even offered what some might call a good chunk of money for a regular donation. He declined and pointed me to his FAQ which, it turns out, says he does not accept donations. (I think I'd tried to send him $500, so not a whole lot.)
So, if you don't mind a small learning curve (it's not entirely intuitive but not difficult - I figured it out) and want to actually get it "right" then I recommend uMatrix. You can export your settings (your whitelist/saved sites) and use them on multiple computers which will save you some time if you're using more than one computer. It is, and I'll be upfront, a bit of work at first. However, once you get a few of your regular sites set up it's good to go. When you find something that doesn't work then you enable it. When you get it to work, you simply save it and add it to the list so that it's retained between sessions. If you're unlikely to visit the site again, don't save it. If you don't need the script(s) then don't enable them.
For each third-party, you can block or accept, set to always block, set to always allow, and whatnot. It's really very nice. I *highly* recommend spending a few hours with it enabled and seeing the difference that it makes. It does make many sites entirely unusable - but then you just enable what needs to be enabled and you're good to go. If you frequent the site then you save it. If you trust the site or just will be visiting once - don't save it but can even go so far as enabling all. It's really quite an impressive tool.
I'll go ahead and get you the link:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-...
Opera:
https://addons.opera.com/en/ex...
Chrome:
https://chrome.google.com/webs...
If you want to get fancy and use HTTP Switchboard, or just read about it, then I'll grab that link for you too:
https://addons.opera.com/en/ex...
I'm sure you'll figure it out quickly. It's not as much work as I make it seem. I've been using it for a while and once you get it all set you're pretty much good to go with very little interruption. It's surprising how few sites that I actually care to allow to fun scripts from third parties. Sometimes, I even block them on the main sites - I don't always just set to allow.
I suppose, if you need a hand with it th
Hello there, Lennie.
You raise some interesting points. All quite true for those - which does overlap in other areas. So, maybe? At least I think I get what you're saying. This might be a bit long but I'll do my best to be concise and articulate.
If you don't mind, and treat these as rhetorical in all or in part if you prefer - though I do welcome a reply, if I ask a question or two?
Do we, as a citizenry, have enough impetus to act?
Will we, in viable numbers, actually act and make changes to our own habits?
Have we reached a point where action is of dire importance?
Are we, as a group, so disenfranchised, disillusioned, and jaded that we are willing to risk persecution?
Bread and circuses (beer and television) go a long ways, Lennie. Throws in some creature comforts, some modicum of freedom (even if only a matter of perspective) of choice, fear, and cowardice (I can think of no better word)... Then, well... Pithy, yes... We've still got tools, we still have options. Will we use those options before it is too late?
The sooner the pendulum can be swung back the better and the less destructive those swings will be. It's a bit like speed-wobbles on a bicycle or a skateboard. It's hard to tell, from my perspective, how far we've come. I'm inside looking inside - not outside and looking in. How much is too much? When do we make use of those tools with an adoption rate large enough to matter? When do we begin the deconstruction process and do we need to? What will that look like? When it comes time to throw stones, which side will you be on?
So, those aren't really rhetorical but you can interpret them as such. Buggered if I've got all the answers. I know that, historically, things like the French Revolution look good on paper but that actually lead to a horrific time and didn't really start to die down until Napoleon. For a while, it was pretty damned crazy - including changing calendar dates, use of shaming, forced adherence to social standards, encouraging spying on ones neighbor, and a whole lot of head removal.
Why do I mention the French Revolution? Well, it wasn't quite like a lot of people expected and it's not really covered well in history. No sides were innocent but one side is a bit better able to whitewash the history because they still had their heads. That leads back to the question - which side will you be on?
At any rate, the tools are there. Some people are not actively abetting and those people have some sway - but how hard will they push when push comes to shove and the pendulum swings a bit further still? The less the pendulum moves, the less force it has when it swings back. Entropy is the natural thing - it will swing back for the foreseeable future. For all our pomp and circumstance, I can think of no greater arrogance than that displayed by those who believe we are at the pinnacle of morals and education. Well, except maybe that displayed by those who would deem themselves your master.
During WWII and the Siege of Stalingrad, it was not uncommon for roving groups of young men to gather in groups to accost the old and feeble. They'd do so simply to steal their bread. One journalist, from that time, retells a story about a lady who came upon such a lad, by himself that time, who'd done such a thing. When she came across him, he was down on the ground and being beaten to a pulp by the witnesses. She realized what was happening and joined in with the group who was beating that boy. Somehow, in the mix, she managed to get that piece of bread - small, some 50g, in her hands and she did not recollect how. Then, again without knowing how - while still a part of the group kicking the thief, she proceeded to stuff that purloined bread into her mouth and eat it - others noticed and where aghast but, seemingly, unsurprised. Which side will you be on when the stones are thrown?
It's all rather complex, I'd say. The less swing to the pendulum, the better and more prosperous the society seems to be. That can be extrapolated to those who advocate
If you're thinking it you might as well say it.
I'd like to point out that this is probably not only not always appropriate, there's also the law of diminishing returns. There is some point, almost invariably, where it's time to stop saying what you're thinking - no matter how much fun it might seem like at the time. It's not really appropriate to tell Aunt Mary that she's a fat pig who eats like a slob during Christmas dinner when the family is talking about the weather - even if you're thinking it and even if it seems like a good idea at the time.
It's probably okay if you have Tourette's. Maybe not...
In this particular case, I'm inclined to agree with our beloved Mr. Piss but I'd like to stress the importance of examining the source when considering taking etiquette lessons. Rather than have you return a week hence, and without a job, spouse, or home, it's probably best to ensure you know that while such advice is certainly true in this case - it's not exactly true in all cases.
***
This has been a PSA from the Protecting People From "Frosty's Etiquette Advice©" since 2005 Organization. Click here to download your free copy of Explaining Mr. Piss' Behavior to Children Under the Age of Ten.
***
Damn it... *sighs* So, the missus is grumpy. My typing is pretty quiet but that made me laugh loud enough to wake up and give me the hairy eyeball. Usually, I am elsewhere at this time of night - if I'm online. Tonight, she fall asleep on the couch beside me.
Either way, I'm still blaming you. How long have you been waiting to say that?
I hear that sort of sentiment frequently - but I hear it at completely and totally opposite ends.
"Software should be easy to use."
"I shouldn't have to hunt for some arcane setting."
"It should just work."
"There's no reason for the complexity."
"There's no reason for it to be this hard."
Then, your post.
"It shouldn't be everyone else's job to handhold them through using a web browser."
I'm inclined to agree with you. Of course, there's a reasonable limit and that's the problem. What's the reasonable limit? Me? I was happier when computers were more complex. No, not because it gave me a modicum of power but because that complexity actually meant that I had *more* options. Yes, yes... There are far more options today than there were yesterday, overall. However, look at some of the options menus for some of those applications that have spanned the ages.
I liked the complexity, it gave me more customizations and more interaction with the software - it enabled me to find my own path. VLC? Now there's a damned fine options menu - complete with nonsense and a horrid usability standpoint by most anyone's metrics, except mine. Crank on those advanced options and let me wreck shit. I love breaking stuff - fixing it is how I learn and I'm a bit fond of learning new things.
Somewhere, and I think the UX folks would do well to find it, there's a point where options become too many and of no value to even a tiny percentage of users. Somewhere, and I don't know where, they should consider not just ridding the options but stuffing them behind an "Advanced Options" menu - perhaps with a warning like you get if you adjust the about:config page on Firefox. Hell, document and let users daisy chain switches and start stuff from the terminal, cmd prompt, or adjust their shortcuts? I don't know but trend of removing options is starting to worry me - I've been watching it happen for years.
It's mine. It's my software. You gave it to me. No, you don't have to do what I want but you should (I think) give me all the options you can reasonably include. It's okay, by my, to stuff 'em into the advanced settings. I'm okay with that. You can hide 'em a bit, that's fine - just make sure that we know where to find them.
You'll note that I said that I didn't know where that line should be drawn? Yeah... So, umm... I've done *some* design and even have done some web design, technically. Err... Yeah... I probably should NOT be the one to help make that choice. However, just because I don't have the solution doesn't mean I can't see the problem. I am not a doctor but I can tell you that my wrist is well and truly fucked.
So, all you smart people... All you designers, usability experts, and such? Yeah... Figure out how I can still have all the options (within reason) and how you can stop Joe Average from screwing up his "internet." Yes, some will bitch about bloat. That's fine. Make the bloat valuable to those of us who use the options and we'll kill them in their sleep for you. Yes, a little bloat is fine. Sometimes we need to do more than one thing and do it well - when you've got a whole bunch of people using a product to do a whole bunch of things in a whole bunch of different ways. You can't, well you can but I wouldn't, do one thing and do it well because there's more to browsing than one thing - like extensions, bookmarks, downloading, etc...
But, you can probably pick a smaller subset and do it really damned good - if not "well." I don't use Firefox and I don't use fine grained cookie controls but I can see why others would and I respect that. They'll strip that out and add Pocket. (I think that's the name.) No... Do your subset of things and do it well. In this case, that subset includes enabling third parties to extend it. Keep core functionality and give the users options - by default. Of course, there's a reasonable point where too much is too much and too little is not enough. That's not my place to tell you where that is and I'd not listen to me if I did tell. However, removing this? Really?
My UID may not reflect it but, lemme tell you something, son...
When you reach our age, you'll yell at any damned cloud you want to. Why? Because, fuck that cloud and we don't give a shit if you or your kid brother are unimpressed with our cloud yelling. Now, if you could just get the damned paper onto the porch in the morning, I'd tip you a whole extra nickel each week.
Actually, getting old is awesome in some ways. I can hide my own Easter Eggs and the young ladies giggle when I give someone the finger! I can straight up not just yell at clouds but I can use all the blue language I want. They just think you're old and senile. I can't wait until my kids put me in a nursing home. I'm going to piss my pants every day and laugh when the cute nurse changes me and gives me a sponge bath. If I want to play with my pudding, I'll play with my damned pudding. Now, order me a damned pizza or I'll piss in my trousers a second time.
I'm too lazy to Google but NoScript is supplanted by uMatrix (same guy that does HTTP Switchboard and uBlock) on Opera. There's a Firefox version available now - he finally made you guys one last year. Also, any of the Chrome extensions can be used by Opera just fine and there are a couple of ways to do it including a nice automatic method. (It might even work by default now - I don't know. I haven't tried it.)
I really can't think of anything that would be keeping you back - IF you wanted to switch. However, you'd have to tell me what Request Policy does and then I might be able to find you an Opera version or a Chrome version. As I said, Chrome extensions work just fine in Opera - and in Vivaldi but Vivaldi hates two out of three computers that I use it on and I have to start it from the command line as they've yet to give me an option to disable hardware acceleration via the GUI.
It's not a bad thing losing to Opera. I mean, well... Alright... But still, Opera's a fine browser! I've been using it for ages. As in, years and years now, I have been using it. I used to actually *pay* to use it. (It wasn't free but you could get a version with ads in it that was free for a while and before that it was demo-ware.)
There was a rough patch where Opera really took a nose dive. They "jumped the shark" and decided to dump their code base and go for Chromium. It was a tumultuous time for a KGIII. I was lost and alone in this dark world you call home. I was using Chromium and sometimes Firefox. But, I stuck with Opera - even if it became my secondary browser.
I checked each new version, eagerly. I installed the stable, developer, and beta builds - hoping to find some sanity in the madness. Eventually, around version 23, it started to get viable again. The ecosystem was naught and one needed to download Chrome extensions, unpack them, and load them that way. But, things grew, the leaves sprouted, and the memory footprint returned to normal and the loathsome CPU spikes began to die out. The days were less bleak, the Sun a little brighter, and the birds sang a merrier tune.
And Opera, albeit a bit slowly and lurching, climbed out from the tomb and stomped into the light reborn! Right at about version 25 it became good again - not just viable. I found an extension that some hardworking soul had created - it enabled automatically using Chrome's extensions with just a click and, best of all, it didn't run resident and eat CPU cycles! Then, soon, I found that I didn't really need that extension any longer. The ecosystem had grown and the planted seeds had reached fruition!
And a happy KGIII sang and danced naked in the glade. He was a happy, happy man. I realized that I'd not given Opera any money in a long time. So, I scoured their site and found there's no way for me to give them money. Otherwise, I'd give them a shekel or two, I'd give them three if they played a merry tune while dancing a jig. They've not actually kicked me out of their forum yet but that day's surely coming.
Which is to say, it's okay to lose to Opera. Opera's a fine browser. It was an excellent browser. Then it was not a good browser at all - but that lasted but a short time. They're now an excellent browser again. I dare say, Opera's my favorite browser. Give it a week's worth of your use and you might agree. It kind of grows on you, a bit like a fungus but that's growth. Seriously, 'tis a fine browser.
What does that mean?
That means, "Fuck you! We do what we like, if you don't like it - piss off."
Which, I guess, they can do if they want to? I'm not sure it's the best move to make but they can do it if they want. I stopped donating to them years ago. I've never been a huge fan but I used to donate just to ensure they would get a few extra bucks. I stopped that when it became obvious that they were no longer interested in just making good software that people wanted. I donated because I liked those people - not because I liked the browser.
I do like Thunderbird but the compiled version that I am using is not their version. I'd donate and support just Thunderbird if I could. There's at least one person from Mozilla in this thread. They seem to be a bit delusional. Someone pointed out the declining market share (quite a big percentage over a couple of years) and they countered with that's because the number of internet users has increased while the number of Firefox users hasn't increased. I'm guessing you can see some potential mental traps in that so I'll save the bytes from adding that. I'm also tired.
At any rate, if that's the attitude the rest take then the problem is internal and endemic. There's little that can be done without a change of management and, perhaps, ownership. That's the good thing, it can be forked. Given the reply that you got, using that as one example of *many* others, I think it's safe to say, they've actually completely decided that it's okay to ignore the users. For better or worse, that's their choice to make.
Me? I use Opera. It's Chromium with the garbage stripped out, a bunch of other features, and the ecosystem of both Opera and Chrome. Extensions are not a problem - I have to cull them once in a while as I tend to build up collections of them for no real reason other than I am easily amused. I think it's high time that we, the people, seriously consider putting our support behind a fork or a new project. While Opera is, technically, open source - it's not really completely free. So, that's not an option for this type of thing. Pale Moon? The new one, Brave? Vivaldi? I'm sure there are more.
I'll have to take a peek at 'em over the next few days. Then I'll watch a couple of them and throw a few donations out to see what happens over a few months. Oh, I'll stick with Opera as my browser. I just figure some things are worth supporting even if I don't personally use them. They keep things in motion and being developed. I benefit indirectly by my browser choice having competition. No, no I'm not altruistic at all. I'm quite pragmatist. Hell, if you can think of others besides the three I mentioned that are open source, feel free to tell me about 'em or link 'em.
Heh... I used to think that too! Alas, we're wrong.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Note the name? Yup... It says "Duct." However, scroll down to the history section. It comes from "duck" cloth. Also, most brands of "duct tape" aren't really good for ducts - you want special duct tape that's got actual aluminum on it.
WTF? How, pray tell, do you know about the camps in Maine? They weren't/aren't a secret or anything but I've never heard anyone bring it up on Slashdot and I don't think I've actually heard anyone bring it up in a thread elsewhere - there are pages devoted to it. In fact, you can still find some of the fencing and some buildings and there's even an etched swastika on a large stone. Some of the *very* old people actually remember them. They helped harvest food and even helped work in the woods. Somewhere, I've some video and pictures that I've taken. I'm not a photographer or the likes. I'm pretty sure they're on a drive I can connect to from my current location. If you're curious, I can search for them and upload them. I can't say that I ever thought anyone on Slashdot would actually know about it.
What's next? Someone gonna mention Maine going to war with Canada?
Well... We're often in agreement with some things. In this? You're not gonna like what I have to say but I'll tell ya anyhow.
Suck it up. Give 'em their trial and see what happens. If they can't be convicted, send them home. Keep tabs on 'em and don't let them come back. Yes, there's a risk that they'll do bad things. That's what happens. American ideals don't end at the edge of our territory. They can have their due process and Bad Things© might happen. So? Bad shit happens all the time - often to good people. Sometimes, you do the Right Thing© not because it is the Right Thing© but because it's the right thing to do.
Do you want to outlaw firearms? I know your answer and I know why you espouse that answer and what you think of those who do. I know because I've read your posts before. Cowardice is no excuse to infringe on someone's rights, yes? Just because someone is scared of an inanimate object, we don't go stomping on their rights, yes? Rights are important, yes? Bad people may do good things with their freedom but we can't reduce other's rights because we're afraid - we'd be reducing our own rights too, yes?
So, I know nobody ever changes their mind due to a Slashdot post but I urge you to reconsider. Give 'em their damned trial and be done with it. If the government doesn't want to present the evidence, the government doesn't get to hold 'em. Yup... Bad things might happen. Chances are really high that you'll be okay - as will everyone you've ever met.
Those detention facilities are not for non-service members. While they might look like they'd work, it might not be prudent to house them with the detainees in said facilities. Those detention facilities are just for service members either convicted or deemed unsafe and held for trial. I was an escort/chaser, as I've mentioned before.
Err... It's probably not salient but if you actually have any questions about the detention process - I might know the answer, though my answers (and feelings) will certainly predate 9/11. However, I'm pretty sure that you can't just stuff random people into a military detention facility. I'm not really an expert on the subject but I'm kind of familiar with the process.
I'm going to operate under the assumption that you own duck tape. If you don't own duck tape, you probably shouldn't be here. Next, you need to give all (other) donations to a favored charity - except for exactly 14.5" of duck tape and the ones from the post above that you've accumulated for this task.
You won't need clothing or a baseball card collection where you're going.
I am a bit of a student of history. I am not, by trade, a historian. However, it is my observation that the pendulum swings in (at least) two directions. The further it swings in any direction, the further it swings back.
So, if history is any indication as to social, political, or economic events, and I think it is, there will be a backlash and it probably won't be pretty. It's quite likely that it will take some years and some push but the people will fight back eventually.
If you knock someone down in the corner and then keep kicking them, they'll eventually get up and fight back - and be mighty pissed. Well, not everyone. Some folks will not only take it but lick the boots that kick them while asking for more. I'll let you speculate as to whom that might be but, rest assured, they exist.
How do I stop this?
You're gonna need a five gallon pail of marmalade, three spoons from a virgin's kitchen, a shotgun, and a yak. When you acquire those things, let me know and I'll tell you the next step.
Somewhere at about $33k USD is where you reach the 1% on the global scale for per year income. It's about $440k for the US or about $7m USD worth of assets, or so I am told. It doesn't take a whole lot to be in the 1% with either of those numbers. Chances are, as you're here, that you're in the 1%, or damned close to it, on the global scale.
I'm well within the metrics that puts me in the 1% and have far, far less than many others and still far more than most. I am also a geek.
But your question is kind of funny. No. There's no special internet. There's no "avoid prosecution" button either - though hiring a team of lawyers seems to help and I try to avoid that sort of thing as a matter of general principle. Nobody ever pulled me into a back office, lined with oak and smelling of fine cigars, and welcomed me to any club. No, I didn't get a back door account with any banks. I didn't even get any special phone numbers to special lines to reach any elected officials. In fact, not one official has even asked me for a bribe, in the US. I should note, I get lots of 'em asking for donations - I imagine you do too.
I don't kick puppies, I even walk gingerly around them. After I steal the baby's candy, I give it back. I may take their pacifier and hide it for my own amusement but that's because I'm evil. I give that back too. I've never run over a nun. I've never burned down an orphanage. I've never even cheated on my taxes. I've never pushed an old lady out of the way - my home is up in Maine now and they're particularly stout. I don't cut people off in traffic. I'm not more important than you - I'm not better than you either. I've never once shut down a factory and sent everyone home without pay - nor do I pay anyone or reward anyone who does. I only get one vote and nobody has ever told me that my vote is more important than your vote and, if they did, you'd probably enjoy living in my country as I'm mostly sane. I've never torched a cat, a cow, or even stuck a firecracker in a frog's butt. I never bullied anyone. I'd say I'd never hurt anyone but that'd be a lie. I not only got my degree, I served my country to afford it. I do own a BMW (a couple, actually) but I've never run anyone off the road. I put my pants on one leg at a time - I don't even have a tailor or a butler. I do, technically, have a housekeeper and sometimes she lets me pretend to be the boss. I have a dog and he farts just like your dog. I use the same 'net and the same hardware you use. You probably are using a faster computer (at least video card) than I am. I have a cute girlfriend but she's not a supermodel and she wears jeans and a sweatshirt. She has a purse, it was under $100 from LL Bean and is more like a satchel. I think my credit cards have a limit but I don't know what they are - I don't use them. I don't want to eat your baby, even with salt. I've never once been mean to your mother and I'm sure she's a nice lady. I've never had knowing contact with aliens. I have no idea how to buy a law, or a senator. I don't shop at Walmart but I've been in one. You have a bigger television than I do. You probably have a better stereo than I do. I don't steal. I'm willing to do manual labor. I didn't sacrifice a chicken or even a goat to get to where I am - I just got lucky as all hell. I swear, I smoke cigars, and I don't think I've taken a shower yet today. I didn't burn down a church. I've never taken your retirement fund - none of the people I know personally have done that either. Most of the people I know and associate with are not wealthy, they're fairly average and middle class. I drive my own cars - and wouldn't have it any other way. I use the same software others use - nobody makes me special software unless I pay them or do it myself.
So, no... I could go on. But no... Lots of people, and you were probably joking, seem to think that you reach a magic number and life is different. Really? I'm often pretty bored. I don't spend much money on myself - I don't need anything. I laugh, joke, and cry. I didn't even do anything evi
There are a variety of GreaseMonkey scripts to take care of that. You'll want one to disable Google's redirection.
Hmm... I don't know if he's being a hypocrite so much as he appears to be (legitimately) asking for more information? Given their initial post, they indicate a willingness to change their mind. So, I'm still not sure I agree with your assertion.
Most of my uploaded photos are of cats I do not own, internet memes I didn't create, and lately every derp face Trump picture ever taken. The latter itself could fill a sizable storage array.
I'm not really a religious person but, and I think this is a first, I'm inclined to say, "You're doing God's work, son."
Promoting or enabling? While I've no love (or use) for Facebook - I'm not sure that they're explicitly promoting such though I'd accept an argument that they're facilitating such. I'm a pretty firm believer in that tool are just tools - it's how you use them that matters. Some people will use tools to do bad things, others will use them for good things.
It's a bit like speech, really. You can say good things or you can say poor things. You can use it to create art or you can use it to create wrath. It can certainly be abused, at the very least abusive, but it isn't bad in and of itself. It can even be dangerous and used to cause real harm or hardship. Yet, I'd really hate to see it prevented or banned.
So, no... I'd not say that they, themselves, are "effectively promoting" that sort of behavior. I'd say that they enable it, that they facilitate it, and that they might even tolerate it. I'd tolerate you saying racist things but I don't think that'd be me "effectively promoting" it. It's a tool and people make of it what is in their nature to make. I own a variety (and an obscene number) of firearms but they're just tools and usually used for sport. There's nothing inherently wrong with a tool. There can be something wrong with what a tool is used for. In the firearm example, I use it to feed myself (and others) or I go on mass shooting sprees where I've been known to kill hundreds of innocent bits of paper. Even if you're paper, there's no need to fear the firearm but there might be cause to fear the operator.
Yeah, as I think more about it... I don't think that is "effectively what they are promoting." That might be some of what they enable but I don't think they're promoting it. However, there's a chance that there's something I am unaware of? I can't say that I know a lot about the site other than what folks tell me and what I read on Slashdot. From what I know, which might not be as much as you know, they're not really promoting any such thing(s). Maybe I'm missing something?
The thing is, on Slashdot we've got user generated content, journals, a friend and foe system, ways to include contact information, ways to link to other's content, and ways to contact each other in private. Slashdot is pretty much a social network - the friend and foe system, being public, makes it even more so as you develop a network. Hell, I've met dozens of people from this site in the real world. I've communicated with many more by off-site means or, if you'd prefer, a private message.
I don't have a Facebook account but I'll happily tell folks all about my on Slashdot - and I've even invited them (and had them come) to celebrate with me. I gave good directions to my house and then gave refined directions via email. We had a blast. There were a bunch of people, not just from Slashdot, and a good time was had by all. I'll probably do it again.
So, I dunno? I mean, Slashdot pretty much fits the bill as being a social networking site. Albeit the methods aren't as well polished... But, still... Given the longevity of your account, I could probably read your post history and figure out quite a bit about you on a personal level. You'd be a rarity if that wasn't true. Hell, I know people's spouses, kids, and sometimes their pets - all from Slashdot.
But no... I don't have a Facebook account. :/ Meh, I've got all the 'friends' I need already and some pretty good folks came from Slashdot itself. Hell, I've gifted hardware to folks here. I've actually gifted a few things to folks here - and even offered a few desktops that are rather recent just the other day. They're only a few years old and have 8 to 16 GB of RAM in 'em. So, now those have gone to a good home too - but not to a Slashdot member. We've got contacts with others, we've got our journals, we've got links, and we've got a public facing friends/foes list.
This is not quite what you asked for but I had stumbled across it, emailed it, and was able to pull it out of my archives.
http://eaglemode.sourceforge.n...
Give the video a peak - it's an interesting method to navigate your computer. I've never tried it and I'm not actually sure what I was doing when I bumped into it back in September but there it is.
As a second question, I've been tasked with writing a book about business management. I've actually been taking this project a little more serious than I'd expected. Yet, it comes down to actually doing the work, examining the structure, working on the layout, figuring out the goals, and deciding on things like verbiage - I end up getting stuck and just meandering off to do something else.
What motivates you to write? That's pretty much it. In my case, the result will be "open source" and free (as in beer) so finances aren't actually a concern. Money just isn't going to motivate me, I've got enough. It just reaches the point where it's somewhere between overwhelming and just a ton of work. It seems insurmountable at times and some method of motivation might help.