I think you'll find that one varies a whole lot by jurisdiction. I'm nearly certain of this. You can be, if the judge is a prick, held in contempt of court for failing to follow the judge's orders - which were, in this case, to make payment on a fine by a certain date.
I don't think you'll find that, at least in two states (North Carolina and Maine) that they're actually obligated to send a process server, issue a new court date, or things of that nature. Now, they usually do... However, I don't believe they're OBLIGATED to. Having seen some of that paperwork that goes out, there's clearly a spot on that paperwork that can be checked that indicates you are to be arrested instead of just served. The bail is then set at the amount of the fine. And no, this is not after missing a date. (I've not only seen the paperwork, I've paid the fine for someone because they had been arrested. They did have a bit of history, however. In this case, they simply failed to pay the fine.)
Allow me to give a citation of just one (of many) examples that I can pull up by knowing the verbiage for the State of Maine...
* Sara J. Paquette, 24, Rumford, failure to pay fines, 6:05 p.m. Oct. 22, Rumford, Rumford Police Department.
That's it. That's the entirety of their offense. They did not pay a fine and were arrested. They were not sent a notice by the process server. They just get arrested.
This is not always the case. It is usually up to the judge. They can just set a process service notice to be made on contact, hunt you down, etc... By the way, you can just highlight that and click search and it will take you to the appropriate page. For some reason, the page wants me to login. I suspect that I've just got to delete my cookies for the site but, alas, I'm a bit lazy now so you will have to manually highlight, search, and see (if you don't believe me).
I know the same is true in North Carolina. I've paid in both States for other people to get out of jail - their bail total was the amount owed. They'll even have to go to court for the new charge, failure to pay a fine, and that might (it's unlikely) even result in penalties of its own. Those penalties may include a fine. See Maine's statutes for that same law. Easily found by Google.
So, I know there's at least two places where what you say is not necessarily true. It's probably best that you learn this from me as opposed to learning it by being arrested. I'd say that this is obviously also true in Texas but, well, Texas... It may actually not be lawful in Texas. I do know that you're incorrect for those two States. I can not speak for Texas as I've never bailed anyone out in Texas.;-) (However, it might make an interesting story so - if you want to go collect a fine, not pay it, and see if you get arrested, I will come bail you out just so long as I can record it on video and share it with the folks here for our own amusement.) We can blur your face or something just so long as we get to share it around and have a good laugh. If you promise to make it interesting - I'll even pay the fine for you, you won't have to pay me back or anything.
At any rate, these are already judge imposed fines. Failing to pay them is a very good example of contempt of court. You can really get away with lots of things - contempt of court is not usually one of those things. So, I suspect that you might even be wrong for your own jurisdiction but I'm not gonna claim that as I've no way of knowing.
Hmm... Not sure if serious? I've been a member of the Libertarian party for a very long time - since about the start of its days as a formal party and the early days of getting it recognized. Pretty much for forty years. Anyhow...
No, we don't need more ashamed Republicans in the party. No, we don't need more people who are Randians. No, we don't need those people speaking on our behalf, thanks.
They should worry about fixing their own party rather than trying to shoehorn their ideology into our party. In fact, their having co-opted the moniker has made the Libertarian party go from "the loony left" to the "idiotic right" in public perception. No, we don't need the numbers and no, we shouldn't be hoping that we can get anyone to join our group just to inflate the numbers. Suffice to say, it's unfortunate that Libertarianism has even become associated with fiscal conservatives.
The people who belong in the Libertarian party and should be joining the Libertarian party is those people who are actually holding Libertarian beliefs. The goal is pretty much in the title - liberty. Fiscal conservatives are not, necessarily, about increasing and maintaining the maximum liberties afforded to an individual while taking care to ensure the protection of the commons. They may hold those views but that is not essential. In fact, ones status or beliefs as a fiscal conservative has little to do with one's beliefs in Libertarian values.
Yes, one can be both a fiscal conservative and a Libertarian. The two are not necessarily related. In fact, it's better if they're not - in my opinion. While I am, at heart, a fiscal conservative I'm guessing that you'd not actually recognize me as such. I'm willing to bother explaining if you can be bothered to listen?
One of the, many, reasons that I try to remember to make sizable donations to the ACLU and, in addition, the Maine Chapter of the ACLU. http://www.aclumaine.org/use-l...
Err... I think you might be projecting, at this point. Or, more probable, trying to still sound good after having made a bogus comment and getting called on it.
You're basically saying that they shouldn't tell the truth because knowing the truth is harmful to the thinking process. It's either projection, assuming facts not in evidence, or you being too egotistical to just say, "Oops. My bad. I wasn't thinking clearly." I actually hope it is the latter.
You know, it's okay to fuck up and say stupid shit - but it's easier to just admit it and move on. Nobody notices really. If they do notice, it's actually to note that it's fairly unusual and a commendable thing. I know, 'cause I've fucked up, said stupid shit, admitted it, and moved on - and had exactly that response.
You can, of course, keep doubling down on it but you're suggesting that someone should be silenced less their speech be harmful and somehow think that you're not submitting. I'd suggest that's less than logical and not a good indicator of reasoning skills. Thus, I'm inclined to either believe it is projection or you simply being unwilling to admit you screwed up.
Having seen other posts from you, where you're not usually unintelligent or using piss poor logic to try to reason your way into a position of "winning," I'm further inclined to suggest the greater probability is the latter. It's okay to fuck up. It's how we grow and none of us is without need for growth. It'll be forgotten by everyone else - it's okay. It'll be forgotten by everyone else because, even if we don't like to admit it, we also screw up.
The discussion of something is hardly the acceptance of it, nor does it cause harm, nor does it force anyone (except maybe some small minded people who weren't going to be of any assistance anyhow) of anything. Don't be afraid of speech... Respond to it with more speech - don't try to silence it.
I say that on the off-chance that you're actually convinced of the faulty logic you're displaying and need help back to the land of reasoning and not actually just trying to double down and bluster your way out of what might be a marginal bruise to your ego.
In their mind? Presumably they're earning it by providing the equipment, access to the data - and software used to process that data, and keeping the service running - all at no absolute certainty of payment, so incurring risk.
Please note: I said, and I mean, "In their mind?" That is not me justifying it, not me condoning it, nor is it me suggesting that such is valid. I find the very idea deplorable and while I am unable to think of any specific laws that this process violates, it still strikes me as morally reprehensible. Just because it is allowed, does not mean it should be done or accepted. I can call the cashier a "cunt" but that doesn't make it right - even if I've broken no laws in doing so. That doesn't mean that my behavior (if I did so) should be accepted. It sure as hell doesn't mean that it should be lauded.
Sadly, I feel compelled to make that clear. All of it. The worst part is that I feel I must make it clear that I'm only suggesting what it is that *they* think they're doing that justifies this. Otherwise, if I didn't do so, there are those who would likely assume that I'm actually advocating such.
Actually, for a change, I have a girlfriend. I have for a while now. My hand is going to divorce me and sue for alimony! At least it hasn't started being unfaithful.
It is also VERY significant if you show up in a well crafted (it needn't be tailored specifically, just well made and properly fitting) suit. If you are showing up and the rest are in jeans, t-shirts, and have to be asked to remove their baseball caps a second time and you are both well mannered, dressed, and properly prepared - it makes a huge difference. I've hired legal council. I usually represent myself - and use council for what they're intended.
I've not always been a fine and upstanding citizen - I've done things that were in violation of the law before. I admit guilt, accept punishment, and am polite about it. I'm also not white and I've not always been financially secure. When you interact with police, it's amazing how different they interact with you if you're polite. You don't have to lick their nuts. Just be polite, like you would an authority figure that you respect (even if you don't respect 'em - pretend).
When you get to court, you're in there as a guest (willingly or not) of the judge and you should mind your manners to ensure you remain as a guest status as opposed to an interloper status. Enunciate, have good posture, be respectful, give clear answers, and it kind of helps to look a little scared and remorseful - even if you're neither.
I've a long story about getting into a fight with someone, in defense of a third party, breaking a POLICE OFFICER'S JAW, and only being found guilty for the simple assault. The police officer grabbed me, from behind, without identifying himself as a police officer. A reasonable person would defend themselves (even if they were in the commission of a crime) and there was a whole bunch of legal wiggle room for it to go both ways. We accepted a plea agreement where I'd be pleading guilty in a civil matter, at a latter date, and would be paying the officer some money - but I got away with breaking a police officer's jaw. However, he immediately understood why and I was immediately apologetic. He also didn't know that his jaw was cracked and would need to be wired shut until later, after he'd booked me into the jail. I was not granted bail (assaulting a police officer is a bad thing) until a day and a half later, on Monday morning.
There's a bit more to it but the officer and I were still polite with each other as he was bringing me to jail, filling out the paperwork, etc... We were even jovial and he kept making jokes about how I'd really caught him in the jaw. It turns out, it was broken. However, I got away with it - and didn't get my ass kicked, shot, or pepper sprayed. I did plead guilty to a simple assault and battery. I was sentenced to time served and a fine. I was then sued, successfully, and paid quite a bit of money for me at that point - about $60,000 including legal fees for both parties. I was found not-guilty for a third civil suit in which it was alleged that I'd caused severe emotional harm. Sadly, this was me being sued by the person whom I was defending. I came upon them fighting and he slapped her twice. I did not let it happen a third time.
However, I was sitting on his chest and smacking him around (I was very drunk at the time) asking him how it felt "to be slapped like a bitch." Which was when I was grabbed from behind without warning. Given that the officer was in the back of the bar parking lot the entire time, walked over - not ran, and grabbed me, it was presented that we'd argue that he should have followed department protocol and identified himself. He didn't get in trouble for failing to follow protocol, resulting in an injured officer, and I didn't go to jail for breaking the cop's jaw.
There's a bit more but I'll make it brief for once. I just figured you might appreciate the story and somebody else saying that it makes a huge difference in how you present yourself. This matters in most every area of life. I'm often ceded authority and told that I have a commending presence. I'm not a very large person. I just wear properly fitting clothing, carry myself with confidence, enunciate clearly (I never, ever
Here's another one... I'll explain this very carefully.
You do not get a public defender (though there may be a representative in the court to speed things along and to give you basic advice for no cost, regardless of income). You do not get a public defender for a speeding ticket. You do not get a public defender for a drinking in public charge. You do not get a public defender for a littering offense.
Note, very carefully, the verbiage. You have a right to a public defender in criminal proceedings. Speeding tickets are (unless they're particularly egregious) civil infractions. Civil infractions have a lower burden of proof. (Remember the OJ civil trial? there's a reason it was called a civil trial.) Civil infractions also do not carry a risk of jail time as their penalty. If the sentence can not include jail time then it is a civil infraction. Civil infractions are not criminal matters. Civil infractions do not have a right to a public defender.
Some courts will still have a person, paid for by the courts, to give legal advice - this is to speed things up, to ensure that you're aware of your rights - if needed, and is not an obligation but is a favor from the courts. Sometimes this service is even provided pro bono.
If you'd like, I'll explain the differences between the two a bit more but basically a civil trial means that the State must demonstrate that you, more likely than not, committed the offense as alleged. A criminal matter means that the State must prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that you are guilty of the offense as is alleged by the State.
You do not have the rights that you would have in a civil case. This includes civil matters between individuals as well as the State.
These are *really* basic concepts and it's scary as fuck that you don't know this. Even worse, you're modded informative. You have an OBLIGATION to be at least familiar with the concepts of the law. This is your end of the social bargain. You are, if you want justice, to ensure that justice is carried out - it is your job to watch the courts and ensure that they are just. This is why court is a public proceeding (typically, unless there are compelling security or privacy reasons otherwise) and if the court is closed, when it otherwise should not be (due to crowding or the likes) then you can petition the court to provide remote access. This may include monitoring on a close circuit television, a simple microphone and speaker, or even just opening the doors. The default state of an in-session court is open to the public, it is by exception that it is not public, and you've an obligation to know the law, observe the courts, and ensure that justice is being carried out.
If you want rights then you must remain vigilant to ensure that they're maintained and protected. That is your end of the social contact. That you don't know the difference between a civil and criminal matter and what protections are afforded by the 6th Amendment is disturbing but not as disturbing as your moderation score. You are not read your Miranda Rights when you get a speeding ticket. You are not arrested and released on PR bail. You're issued a summons for a civil infraction and must answer to it in court. At court, you will be arraigned. If you take the matter to court, instead of paying the fine and admitting guilt, then you go to court. This will be a reading of your charges against you, it will be an opportunity for the judge to carefully explain your rights (it'd do you well to listen). You will then be asked to enter a plea or, if the matter turns out to be a felony, you will be deferred to a superior court. This is usually in a different court house. This may be granted a hearing then or delayed until a scheduled date in the future. You may be eligible for a trial by a jury of your peers.
This process will vary slightly, depending on what rights
That is only true if there's a chance that a conviction will result in jail time. This means that a DA can state that they'll not be asking for jail time, the judge can agree, and you can be not provided an attorney. Public defenders are ONLY provided when there's a chance that the offender will be sentenced, directly, to jail - meaning that you can be sentenced to pay a fine, found in contempt for not paying the fine, and have never had a public defender.
Do you not ever actually learn about the things you opine above? (There is some variance in the above but that's fairly universal across all US jurisdictions,) Just go spend a day watching the local district court in action. It's not only free, but it is a part of your end of the social bargain. If you want a justice system then you need to know about it and observe it to ensure that they are actually dispensing justice.
The most important part of that step is that you need to learn about it. You have access, for free, to the law library. It may be through a university, a State, town, or county library, or a dingy old room in the back of a disused section of the old courthouse. However, it is free.
It is only for CRIMINAL proceedings. The difference between a civil and criminal offense is that you can go to jail for one and not the other (not directly - see the comment about contempt for not paying a fine). The other major difference is the burden of proof. The preponderance of evidence, if you will, is that in a civil trail the state must only prove that you, more likely than not, committed the offense as charged by the State. (The burden for criminal matters is greater.) Some charges can be prosecuted, depending on jurisdiction, as either one at the discretion of the prosecuting attorney (representative of the State). At least I'm reasonably sure that's true in some jurisdictions. Others, it's a bit more defined but there's still prosecutorial discretion where they can charge you with a lesser or greater crime if they feel the burden of proof can be met.
Note the second link in the first sentence. It is "criminal proceedings." Feel free to click that link. At that point, you might learn even more stuff - specifically about the difference between a civil and criminal matter - however, I've given you a run-down here and that should be adequate but there's a citation if you need one.
They didn't call it by their other name, Trash 80, so there's that.
In reference to your prior post - I was just then heading to college for my first four years, having spent four years enlisted in the Marines prior to that. I did see some terminals but didn't really use a computer. In fact, I kind of hated computers back then. Oddly, I was majoring in Applied Mathematics. But, really, we didn't do a whole lot of computing with a computer at that point and, when we did reach that stage, we were actually expected to teach ourselves how to program.
At any rate, I'd seen a computer prior. A programmable, one might call it micro, computer. I'd even used it. I went to a fairly ritzy school and we had these things called an HP 5100 or 5900 - I can't remember what the name was exactly and Google is so very far away and I am so very lazy. It had a magnetic card reader, memory, paper cards that were marked on, a plotter, and could be hooked to a television. We only had one plotter and only one hooked up to the TV but I seem to recall that we had one for every four students in physics class. I seem to recall that there were some in the chem lab as well.
You could store your program (your algorithm) on a magnetic strip card, paper, or keep it in memory until it was rebooted. The story was that they didn't call them a computer because people were actually still a bit leery of computers. (The whole big brain thing we had going on back then - we were worried about being replaced by robots and AI - even back in the late 1960s.) They called them programmable calculators or something along those lines and, well, that's what they were.
We did have a mainframe in the school and there were some terminals but I never touched that. That was used by the astronomy group, as I recall. We had an observatory and that was kind of neat. I used to smoke weed, like Mexican swag and half seed stuff, and go look at the stars with the telescope in the observatory. The town (and school) dutifully shut off their lights at a certain time on certain days so you could see better.
At any rate, I hated computers back in the day. It's funny how things have changed. I hated them because they didn't do anything useful, for me, and I had couldn't actually envision what we have today. It wasn't until I was learning to program that I started to appreciate them. It was an interesting time to have lived through and, in hindsight, it's amazing how quickly things moved.
I don't know if I should hate you or thank you. *sighs* Here I go, ordering another couple of SBCs to play with. Why? Well, it looks like I'll be able to chuck Lubuntu 16.04 on it. Lubuntu is my favorite OS but I'm not really sure if I'll really appreciate the changes to LXQt instead of my beloved LXDE. I didn't order it just yet but I probably will be. I want to do some research and see what people are saying.
How much of the Ubuntu ecosystem is going to run native on it or will I have to either cross-compile or compile it on the PINE64? It is using the AllWinner and, to be honest, I've had less than stellar luck with enjoying their performance on tablets. However, I don't really like tablets so that might not be the fault of AllWinner.
You should keep us updated by sneaking comments into various threads so we can see what's going on in your case. I don't want to run ChromeOS, SteamOS, or Android. I want a full blown Linux and Lubuntu is a pretty good choice there because it's fairly light. I'll get maximum RAM and whatnot but 2 GB of RAM is not going to be enough if I have to compile a bunch of stuff.
So, I'll keep an eye on yet another SBC project. As this one is already shipping and had no problems with its funding, that's a good sign. They're priced rather reasonably, even for the Plus model. It does appear to lack a GPIO set but that can be remedied. I'm not really sure that it's designed to be used quite like that.
I'll have to keep an eye on yet another project. It's something that I'm not sure if I should be grateful for or if I should bitch about it. There really are a whole lot of these things out there now. I guess that's a good thing. It does, kind of, spread developer time/talent around pretty thin. I'm not entirely sure what I'd do with these but I could probably come up with an idea or ten. So thanks, I guess.;-)
Heh, I should have scrolled down. I made a bit of a long winded post about that and about how I'd buy it just 'cause it's open AND assuming it'd be likely to work properly without a problem. The thing is, for the most part, shit already all works without a problem. Linux, it just works. It's so different than what it used to be. Now? It generally just works. Maybe, maybe once in a while, do I need to tweak something, find and compile something with a patch, edit a config file in a text editor, or install the proprietary drivers - I don't even normally bother with those!
I figured there were more of us. Yes, I do tend to buy a bit of hardware but that's because I'm a geek. The reality is, I could probably be just fine on a 10 year old computer. 32 GB of RAM is more than enough - and I can't tell a difference when I have 64. I'm actually fine with 8 GB and could manage with 4 if I needed to. I don't game nor do I care if my documentary is in high definition - I don't watch anything else.
So, yeah, I'll buy it just to support "open" (and assuming it works). I might even, over time, buy quite a few. I won't be buying the latest and greatest GPU. I just don't bother any more. I'm only going to keep it for maybe six months and then donate it to someone or put it up while I play with something new. I don't even invest in the greatest and most powerful CPU. I just buy a reasonably speedy AMD - almost always AMD. I usually buy nVidia GPUs but I don't mind changing that. They're usually a generation or two behind, I guess. I don't even pay attention to that any more?
I don't need the latest I7. I'm fine with a reasonably modern AMD. I don't need blazing graphics - my browser's not gonna look a whole lot prettier in 4k, I know - I've checked. I don't even default to streaming video in high def. So, for what it is worth - and probably not a whole lot, I'll buy it. I still prefer my desktops and laptops - I hate the tablets (and I've tried them all - except I did kind of like a Surface Pro but I guess it's not got very good Linux support yet, but when it does that may change) and I don't really care about phones - I actually have a Windows phone as I was sick of Android. It does fine for what I use it for.
As I said above - I have no idea how much my market segment is actually worth to them, probably not a whole lot, but I'll buy it just to support "open" so long as people are reporting that they're working well and don't require that I do a whole lot to get them to work properly. So, whatever that market is worth, it's their's for the taking if they want it.
While that's likely true in the majority of cases, it's not entirely true - at least for some of us. But, at the same time, I'm not sure how much that matters.
I tend to buy a lot of hardware. I'm not really sure why I do so these days. It's not like I get any real performance increases and it's not like I buy bleeding edge. I just refresh often, give away my older hardware, and like to play with new/different configurations at the bare metal level and not just at the VM level. I know, I know... It doesn't make a whole lot of sense - but it keeps me happy.
Lately, I've used just Linux on the desktop, server, and tablet (I guess). I do have a Windows phone. It's just 8 but I guess I can put 10 on it but I've not looked into it. I'm really not that much into tablets or phones - I sometimes email and surf on my phone. That's it.
Anyhow, I'd be more inclined to buy AMD graphics if they were open and worked better with Linux. I'm pretty much always just buying AMD CPUs anyhow - though I often will opt for an nVidia CPU. Sometimes ATi but mostly nVidia. I'm not sure if this is applying to ATi or not, or if it's for the GPU processing on the CPU, ala Intel. I don't even know if there's a difference - which is kind of where I'm going with this.
See, I don't game and I could give two shits about high definition movies and whatnot. I guess I've got that capacity but I don't bother. I don't think I've actually ever watched anything in 4k. I don't even bother with full 1080i or the likes unless that's what's fed to me by default. I have YouTube (which is where I watch a lot of documentaries even though I pay for Netflix and Hulu+) set to automatically play movies at 480. That's it.
I don't buy the cheapest GPU I can find. I just pick something, middle of the road, and not too new - that way I know it's probably fairly well supported. I mostly order whiteboxes and I guess, sometimes, I even have them mostly assembled for me these days. I don't know when the last time was that I bothered paying attention, trying to get the best, overclocking, or anything like that? Shit's fast enough for me now. I honestly don't even have to buy new hardware - I just do to play around and keep myself busy. Lately, I've kind of taken to setting something up, getting it running well, and then just handing it off to someone and buying myself something new. I've got more desktops and laptops than I know what to do with, they're all "fast enough."
It's not like there's a huge difference if I compile something on this year's CPU or if I compile it on one from a year ago. They're mostly the same speed. With an SSD and 16 - 32 GB of RAM then, well, I really don't need anything faster. It just doesn't matter any more. Yeah, I've bought a few PCs and decked them out with as much as 64 GB of RAM. Yay? Truth be told, I didn't notice any difference between that and 32 and barely noticed a difference between that and 16. Hell, I can get by with just 8 and be fine. 4 is a bit too low, these days, but I've done it. I don't always get rid of the oldest computer first. I kind of like to keep some around that span some of the ages. It's neat to be able to get Linux to not just run - but to run well, on a desktop with just 4 GB of RAM. Oh, I'm sure I could go smaller - I have in a VM and I have in the past.
Anyhow, to my non-point... Yeah? I guess... If it were more likely to work AND it were open then I'd probably buy it just to support the company. I already buy AMD CPUs. I've had some issues with ATi hardware and Linux in the past (screen tearing and a strange lockup - on two different cards) so I mostly avoid it out of habit. I've no idea where they are now. I just don't pay much attention and I sure as hell don't even bother paying attention to what is the latest and greatest hardware. I mostly just care about it being something different and, well, there's quite a bit that's different today so I'm able to keep myself pretty amused (that counts for something - more than some people give it credit for) and I'm always learn
Hmm... That's sort of true. Cuba has fine doctors for what they are. What they lack is some more modern training, imaging equipment, surgical equipment, and things of that nature. They're probably about twenty years behind but fine for being twenty years behind. How do I know? Well, I've done more than watch Moore's documentary (which was a bit misleading). I've actually been to Cuba and you can walk in and visit a health clinic or hospital. It's not like you're banned from walking in to them.
While I am not a doctor, my daughter is, some I'm a little familiar with the equipment and methods being taught and used in more modern nations so I'm mostly making an educated guess about the 20 year part. It's probably, roughly, around there. They lack modern MRI equipment (I think they have a total of one for the entire population) and the more detailed imaging that can be done with everything from newer x-ray equipment to sonographic equipment. But, as I said, I am not actually a doctor so that year estimate might be a little ahead of where they are or a little behind where they are.
While I'm here. I should also note that the last time I was there, I was told that I'd have 'net access. I did not. They did have a cafe next to the hotel but the cafe was out of order. They do monitor the 'net and HEAVILY restrict usage. Allowing a Cuban to use my hardware would have, potentially, resulted in my going to jail. That would have been problematic because I'm a US citizen and wasn't supposed to be there, technically. But, at the same time, I've dual citizenship, by grace of heritage, with Canada so I might have been able to get some help from Canada (had I done so). I almost certainly would have had no help from the US State Department.
It's pretty rough, their computer use, they're limited in what software they can run. As in, if you type an inappropriate word (I do not know which words those might be) then it closes the application and does not save your document for you ahead of time. Everything is monitored and their bandwidth is low enough that they can have humans do the actual monitoring. They were, as I recall, a bit big on using moral reasons for their blocking. They don't really censor the web so very much. They do and, as I understand, they can a great deal more than they do. They just don't bother. Not only do you need special, monitored, computers but you need special permission to access the whole internet. They didn't really have to censor that so much because they had less than average dial-up speeds and no modern software with which to view most of the internet.
It is at this point that, again, I'd like to point out that allowing a local to use your computer (you can bring it with you and, I guess, use their internet if it's working - with your own hardware) is likely to get you placed in prison and who knows what will happen to the native found using your computer.
At the same time, it's not like the Cubans are the Hermit Kingdom that is NK. They know their situation and, for the most part, seem to tolerate it. If there's an under-current that's itching to oust the Castro regime then I was entirely unaware of it. They do have an infamous sneakernet where they exchange data on USB keys but that's not at all what many people seem to think it is. They're not plotting to overthrow the government or escape. They want to watch Hispanic soap-operas and read the latest James Patterson book translated into Spanish.
When I return (and I will) I am to bring not too many, and "not the big ones", USB keys with me. They are to be blank. I am not to even put any media on them - as they may look at them and confiscate them (until I leave) if they have stuff on them - as opposed to take the time to review them for censored material. So, they want "not the big" USB keys and they want them blank. I presume that larger ones will be subjected to greater scrutiny and that they want multiple small ones. They're insanely expensive (generally unavailable for purchase) there so they get them from tourists
Yeah, you just put a piece of paper in there and they stamp that. I've been to Cuba a couple of times. I'm a bit fond of the place. I'd actually pondered seeing if I could retire there and then I thought about it some more and realized that they'd not want me and that I'd not actually be happy living there. However, it's a great place to visit for a little while and the people are very awesome.
I'm reasonably fluent in Spanish so I don't need a guided tour or anything. I've enjoyed myself a great deal both times that I've gone there. I'm actually pondering going there again soon - before they start changing a great deal. I don't worry so much that they'll change - I just worry that they'll have other people there are are not Cuban. I don't want to go to Cuba to see and hang out with other tourists. I just want to go and visit and get to know the people and the culture.
That sort of thinking has often meant I get off the beaten path. I travel - I travel a lot. I just don't like to go to tourist destinations very much. Why would I want to go to somewhere new, somewhere different, and see the same people that I can see at home? I literally retired in "Vacationland." I see enough tourists. I've even had whole tour buses come up my driveway, by mistake, looking for foliage. Fortunately, there's room for them to turn around. I've actually let 'em get out and walk around and stomp through the woods once but GPS mistakenly points to my driveway as a road. Yes, yes it was a road - fifty years ago. It was a logging road and never fit for automobiles until I paved it.
So, they come driving up - sometimes more than once a year. By all rights, it looks like it'd be a scenic view and a trip back to the main road. Well, it is... Technically. You're just probably not going to want to do it in a bus (though I'd love to let them try) and it now goes across my lawn where it is no longer really a road.
So, I get a bunch of French speaking folks from Quebec. They're generally polite and a bit embarrassed. I am actually a bit used to it now - it has happened multiple times. I'm not entirely sure why they come to Maine to look at foliage - they've got plenty of foliage of their own but they tend to do some shopping down here as I guess some things are less expensive in the US. Why they don't just come shopping, I'll never know. I mean, they do that too but why these particular people (and there are a whole lot of them - like bus after bus after bus, for about a month) come down here to look at foliage is kind of confusing to me. They've got fine foliage. I'm pretty much about 45 minutes from the other side of the border and that includes 20 minutes to get through the border. I've asked and mostly they mention shopping and, of course, foliage. So, I don't know why they don't just come shopping and they've got the same damned foliage I have. I'm literally about 45 minutes from being on the other side of the border...
Ah well... At least it gives me something to ponder but it means that I don't actually want to go see tourists when I'm *being* a tourist.
Yes there is. Get the benefits of Chrome without the garbage, install Opera. I did take a break from it but, for the most part, I've been using Opera since back when you had to pay for it. It works pretty well. When they converted their code to Chromium, well, it kind of sucked for a while. It's stopped sucking and is starting to even have a robust ecosystem of its own - even though you can just as easily use Chrome's extensions. They took the suck out of Chrome and have even gotten the code squared away enough to be able to add their own features on a pretty decent level - including Turbo and a sidebar.
With Linux? Just install whatever version you want (I'm guessing you can find 'em somewhere). Then don't enable (or disable it if they add it) the repository - don't install it from your distro's repository so it won't automatically update. If you install it from your repo it will be a bit of a bitch. If you just install it manually then it might add Google's own repo - so disable that. You can edit it, comment it out, delete it, whatever. 'Snot hard, really - at least I don't imagine it is. You'll just need to find a version you want online. I'm sure you can do so. There are bound to be old versions - just grab the package and install it and make sure that the repository isn't enabled so that you don't have to worry about it upgrading that way.
Mind you, I've never actually tried this but it should work like a champ. Chrome/Chromium's update mechanism is by your package manager.
Not that you've ever browsed any of the source code in Linux but, if you're willing to sign an NDA and provide a reason (I've used "I'm curious" as a reason) then you can see Windows source code, at least quite a bit of it. It's called the Shares Source Initiative. It has been a policy for like ten years now - maybe longer.
You can use Google to find it. Or Bing, I suppose. Just search for Microsoft Shared Source Initiative. Hell, I use Lubuntu and I know this. So, you've got good luck browsing the source code - if you actually want to, could make up a reason, and took the few seconds to use a search engine.
I'm not sure what benefit you'd actually, personally, gain from browsing the source code. That's not really the benefit from free software. The benefit isn't so much that you can browse, but that you can change, fix, and edit the source code. You can not do that with Windows, however. Well, if you're big and powerful enough then they might let you or will do so on your behalf. But not so for you. For example, Windows XP is still being quietly maintained and updated - just not for you. The US Navy pays Microsoft, not a whole lot actually, to provide continued support for Windows XP.
At any rate, if browsing the source code on Windows 7 is your goal, make up a good reason and check out the shared source initiative. You can browse quite a bit.
*chuckles* Your entire property is smaller than my lawn back home. But, back home is in Maine. I don't actually really have what you'd probably call neighbors. There is a farm that's about a half mile away by woods or about a mile away by road. I usually take the woods route. There are six houses in the unincorporated township and we're about 24 miles from the center of the village. I am wintering in Florida for a change of pace.
Actually, that's about what I was paying programmers and engineers at that point in time. I don't know what field they worked in but it was damned near impossible to find anyone even remotely familiar with traffic modeling. The ones who were were often in fleet management, cargo transport, trains, or air traffic. Finding, and keeping, quality people was essential to the business. I even had to send people to school, cross-train, and - at one point, hired a local university to do some research for us and then stole the researchers from the university - they hadn't even finished their degrees.
Depending on the field they were in, it's possible. What's funny, is their listing of their prior salary and current salary rather mimics the trends in traffic modeling. The people who are senior in that field now only bring in an average of 85k. They're starting as low as 60 and averaging around 70. Many of the people who worked for me still work for the now-parent company. I have no idea what they're being paid but it's probably not gone down but, in my opinion, they are among the best and brightest in the industry and there's a bit of a glut of them now. I'm sure that many will be retiring soon.
So, it's not only possible but you can look up the history of salaries in that particular field and follow the trend - it's almost exactly the numbers they quoted, for the dates they quoted even. It was pretty much impossible to find qualified people. For the most part, they had to be invented. They could have experienced something similar or worked in that specific industry. I shake my head and have a sad every time I look at the current average salaries and I've kept track in the years since. The government invested "800 billion in shovel ready jobs" which were highway related. Those, by virtue of tech changing, defaulted to now needing traffic modeling. The number of companies grew, the skill level went down, the pay went down, and the jobs have mostly dried up at this point.
I got lucky and sold right at that time when they had announced they were going to repair the economy (late 2007, finalized in 2008) and retired a happy man. I kicked the pond, hopped onto and rode the wave, and then managed to bail at just the right time. If I'd tried to plan it that way, it never would have worked. I just got damned lucky and my thesis happened to be in traffic modeling (back in 1991) and "on a computer." It's been a far better run than I'd ever have hoped for. I just found the subject interesting so I decided to see what could be done by playing with the math. I used a computer to do it and to make predictions. It worked and here I am today.
So, like them, I've a fairly non-typical history. That's what we paid at that point, that's what they should be making now, and that's what they are making now. Yes, they were C developers but they converted, between 1998 to 2000, the entire code base to C++. I'd written the original code in C and, honestly, I'm a horrible programmer. I only programmed because the damned computer didn't do what I wanted it to do by default. I took a few programming courses, later, but I'd absolutely no professional instruction at the time. The classes didn't help much either. That's why it was essential that I hire programmers. I needed them to do things that I could not. That's why they were paid what they were paid. They were essential and did things that I could not - at least not as well or as quickly and while still having time to run the business, be on site, and the many other tasks that became my job.
Oddly, I'd expected to be a mathematics professor at an old New England university, perhaps a nice private school, and driving an antique Saab to work and enjoying the foliage in the fall more than the rest of the year. I expected to remain in academia, retire from academia, and plod my way through life enjoying the little things.
That would be awesome! I believe that, during the week, I can get onto the track at Daytona for just a few bucks during the week. I've got my 6 series with me. Hell, want to take turns? We can even buy some slicks and see if we can how high we can get the LA to trip. I'm game for something like that - I'll even let you drive my car for a few laps (it's insured) if you want. It's "that" 6 series. As in dual turbo and ~450 ponies. It's a bit heavy feeling but actually very poised. I've not put it on a track but I've played with it. It's about 3.5 for 0-60 and has giant brakes (we'll need to replace those too when we're done) so it stops almost as fast. Once you get used to it, you'll find it behaves a lot lighter than it is but you can still throw the ass out, on command, and just rip into it. You can, I know, be tooling along at 60, drop it into 3rd, peak the RPMs, and smoke 'em and toss the ass end out sideways like that.
What are you gonna bring to Fuck With Uber Track Day? Ha! I should sign up for Progressive and do that too. I already insure my license so anything I drive is automatically insured. I do so through a private insurance company. I could give two shits what Progressive thinks. I just want to read the letter, email, or get the phone call that asks what it is that I'm doing and that I need to pull over immediately as they'll be refunding my premium, in part, as I am no longer insured by their fine company.
I like the way you think! We could get a whole group of us together. We'll never, ever, be covered by Progressive or allowed to drive for Uber again. Oh wow... We could get some older vehicles and then put them inside of vehicles used at one of those demolition derbies! My Saab has a blown engine so I've nothing to rally with (really) so that's not an option at the moment but that'd be a whole lot of fun too. There's a privately owned, but public has access - but not right of way, road called the Golden Road back up in Maine. It's like 90 miles of road and it's one of the ones where we hold/have held a rally race with our local club before. We could do the NEFR course - I've got access even when there's no race in session to a good portion of it. It's a blast! There could even be a legitimate destination and start point so that we completely fuck with Uber.
As they collect the data AND provide insurance... Oh, I'm not thinking of fraud. I'm wondering if they forward that information automatically to the insurance provider? We should seriously do something along those lines. We can even record ourselves, put it on YouTube, and let others live vicariously through us! 'Cause, I'm there for you - I'd not let you undertake something of this level of importance (or risk!) all alone. I can't believe nobody has thought of this with the existing Progressive type devices that hook into your OBD-II slot. I truly don't give a shit, and never will, what Progressive thinks of my driving. I can also afford a few dollars for something this entertaining - there are MULTIPLE ways to screw with them. From rallies to demolition derbies to track day! I'm sure we can come up with more. So long as we never, ever, make any effort to cash in on the insurance - it should be entirely lawful. It shouldn't even be remotely a problem to go through a set of tires at the track, like you mention. Just so long as we never actually try to cash in on the insurance... I'm pretty sure that will get us into a whole bunch of trouble. At that point, it stops being funny.
So, yes... I'd not want you to have to face this type of dangerous task on your own! I'm afraid I must go with you and help keep you safe.
They're full of shit. Not only am I an automobile aficionado but I worked in the traffic modeling industry, have driven professionally, and have taken countless advanced driving courses over the years. Hell, I've even gone on vacation (at considerable expense) to take special driving lessons, including classroom time and time spent with a professional coach in the passenger seat or in the driver's seat, while renting exotics and I spent *days* doing laps at Nurburgring. That's just *one* of many examples. I've taken lessons in everything from open-wheel/CART to asset protection. I've driven on track and closed "street" courses. I've rallied and I've driven giant vehicles with a bunch of armed men inside of them - including one where I had an armed man poking his head out the roof on a regular basis - if not constantly. Yet, I suspect they'd argue with me. About driving... It'd be like me arguing the best way to use a Java library...
If you are aware of your surroundings then the exact opposite is true - you're NOT hitting your brakes often and hard. If you were aware of your surroundings then you'd not NEED to hit your brakes often and hard. It's important to note, an absurd percentage of people think that they're above average drivers. It's pathetic how little most drivers actually know and how poorly they drive. You're not a race car driver, you're on an open road with other people around you. Don't drive like you're in a race. Drive like you're on the street. There's a time and place for heavy braking and acceleration, that time and place is not normally on the street. If you're doing either, on the street, it generally means that you're doing something horribly wrong.
Here's one that pisses people off. Nearly all accidents are because someone was driving too fast for the conditions. That is factual, yet so few people understand it. More often than not, someone will try to argue with it. For some reason, they think they know more than someone who's very experienced, highly trained, and actually has a record to back up their claims. But, damn it, they've got an automatically shifted Ford Focus and it's got a spoiler AND it's the S package! They've only had two accidents in the past five years and they are an expert driver who has had their license (standard license) for 12 years now! It's kind of amusing, to be honest.
That they think (maybe because they not "causing accidents") that they're a good driver and qualified to not just opine authoritatively but to argue with you after you clearly indicated specific domain knowledge is a great example of people who should have their license revoked on general principle. How these people actually manage to drive without killing someone daily is a testament to the skills of others - and not them. (Typically the folks who designed the roads and the vehicles have done a good job at keeping a lot of people from harming themselves or others out of a combination of ignorance and arrogance.) What they said is so exactly wrong that it is exactly opposite. As near as I can tell (and this is with some effort applied) I can not think of how they could have made that statement any less correct without including explosives, a cell phone, and a pet zebra in the back seat.
And people wonder why I point out that modeling traffic is akin to modeling chaos... You can account for everything, including the colors of automobiles and the sky, and then some drunk idiot will drive, in reverse, the wrong way down a one way street. This, that person you replied to, this is an example of why we have so many deaths on the road. Seriously, they think they're a good driver. Hell, they think they know more than someone who works in the industry. Yet they say something so patently wrong that it's laughable. Sadly, it's not a troll. They seriously believe they're correct and that they're a skilled driver.
It is people like them who are to blame for you not being able to get a light-weight automobile as easily any more. It's people like them who made it so that side impact cur
It seems unlikely. I do not know as fully autonomous vehicles are anywhere near as close as you seem to think they are, either. For a small example; There are people like me. I've not actually insured a single vehicle that I own (and I own quite a few) in a very long time. Instead, I just insure my license. Any vehicle I drive - even if I do not own it, is insured. And, to touch on the second part, I own a significant number of automobiles - as an aficionado and a collector of sorts. I doubt they'll prohibit them for a long time to come.
I don't know when you expect autonomous vehicles, fully autonomous, but I suspect it's going to be quite some time before you see that.
Slashdot Mirror
Electronic !== (by default, anyways) HFT.
I think you'll find that one varies a whole lot by jurisdiction. I'm nearly certain of this. You can be, if the judge is a prick, held in contempt of court for failing to follow the judge's orders - which were, in this case, to make payment on a fine by a certain date.
I don't think you'll find that, at least in two states (North Carolina and Maine) that they're actually obligated to send a process server, issue a new court date, or things of that nature. Now, they usually do... However, I don't believe they're OBLIGATED to. Having seen some of that paperwork that goes out, there's clearly a spot on that paperwork that can be checked that indicates you are to be arrested instead of just served. The bail is then set at the amount of the fine. And no, this is not after missing a date. (I've not only seen the paperwork, I've paid the fine for someone because they had been arrested. They did have a bit of history, however. In this case, they simply failed to pay the fine.)
Allow me to give a citation of just one (of many) examples that I can pull up by knowing the verbiage for the State of Maine...
* Sara J. Paquette, 24, Rumford, failure to pay fines, 6:05 p.m. Oct. 22, Rumford, Rumford Police Department.
That's it. That's the entirety of their offense. They did not pay a fine and were arrested. They were not sent a notice by the process server. They just get arrested.
This is not always the case. It is usually up to the judge. They can just set a process service notice to be made on contact, hunt you down, etc... By the way, you can just highlight that and click search and it will take you to the appropriate page. For some reason, the page wants me to login. I suspect that I've just got to delete my cookies for the site but, alas, I'm a bit lazy now so you will have to manually highlight, search, and see (if you don't believe me).
I know the same is true in North Carolina. I've paid in both States for other people to get out of jail - their bail total was the amount owed. They'll even have to go to court for the new charge, failure to pay a fine, and that might (it's unlikely) even result in penalties of its own. Those penalties may include a fine. See Maine's statutes for that same law. Easily found by Google.
So, I know there's at least two places where what you say is not necessarily true. It's probably best that you learn this from me as opposed to learning it by being arrested. I'd say that this is obviously also true in Texas but, well, Texas... It may actually not be lawful in Texas. I do know that you're incorrect for those two States. I can not speak for Texas as I've never bailed anyone out in Texas. ;-) (However, it might make an interesting story so - if you want to go collect a fine, not pay it, and see if you get arrested, I will come bail you out just so long as I can record it on video and share it with the folks here for our own amusement.) We can blur your face or something just so long as we get to share it around and have a good laugh. If you promise to make it interesting - I'll even pay the fine for you, you won't have to pay me back or anything.
At any rate, these are already judge imposed fines. Failing to pay them is a very good example of contempt of court. You can really get away with lots of things - contempt of court is not usually one of those things. So, I suspect that you might even be wrong for your own jurisdiction but I'm not gonna claim that as I've no way of knowing.
Hmm... Not sure if serious? I've been a member of the Libertarian party for a very long time - since about the start of its days as a formal party and the early days of getting it recognized. Pretty much for forty years. Anyhow...
No, we don't need more ashamed Republicans in the party. No, we don't need more people who are Randians. No, we don't need those people speaking on our behalf, thanks.
They should worry about fixing their own party rather than trying to shoehorn their ideology into our party. In fact, their having co-opted the moniker has made the Libertarian party go from "the loony left" to the "idiotic right" in public perception. No, we don't need the numbers and no, we shouldn't be hoping that we can get anyone to join our group just to inflate the numbers. Suffice to say, it's unfortunate that Libertarianism has even become associated with fiscal conservatives.
The people who belong in the Libertarian party and should be joining the Libertarian party is those people who are actually holding Libertarian beliefs. The goal is pretty much in the title - liberty. Fiscal conservatives are not, necessarily, about increasing and maintaining the maximum liberties afforded to an individual while taking care to ensure the protection of the commons. They may hold those views but that is not essential. In fact, ones status or beliefs as a fiscal conservative has little to do with one's beliefs in Libertarian values.
Yes, one can be both a fiscal conservative and a Libertarian. The two are not necessarily related. In fact, it's better if they're not - in my opinion. While I am, at heart, a fiscal conservative I'm guessing that you'd not actually recognize me as such. I'm willing to bother explaining if you can be bothered to listen?
One of the, many, reasons that I try to remember to make sizable donations to the ACLU and, in addition, the Maine Chapter of the ACLU.
http://www.aclumaine.org/use-l...
Err... I think you might be projecting, at this point. Or, more probable, trying to still sound good after having made a bogus comment and getting called on it.
You're basically saying that they shouldn't tell the truth because knowing the truth is harmful to the thinking process. It's either projection, assuming facts not in evidence, or you being too egotistical to just say, "Oops. My bad. I wasn't thinking clearly." I actually hope it is the latter.
You know, it's okay to fuck up and say stupid shit - but it's easier to just admit it and move on. Nobody notices really. If they do notice, it's actually to note that it's fairly unusual and a commendable thing. I know, 'cause I've fucked up, said stupid shit, admitted it, and moved on - and had exactly that response.
You can, of course, keep doubling down on it but you're suggesting that someone should be silenced less their speech be harmful and somehow think that you're not submitting. I'd suggest that's less than logical and not a good indicator of reasoning skills. Thus, I'm inclined to either believe it is projection or you simply being unwilling to admit you screwed up.
Having seen other posts from you, where you're not usually unintelligent or using piss poor logic to try to reason your way into a position of "winning," I'm further inclined to suggest the greater probability is the latter. It's okay to fuck up. It's how we grow and none of us is without need for growth. It'll be forgotten by everyone else - it's okay. It'll be forgotten by everyone else because, even if we don't like to admit it, we also screw up.
The discussion of something is hardly the acceptance of it, nor does it cause harm, nor does it force anyone (except maybe some small minded people who weren't going to be of any assistance anyhow) of anything. Don't be afraid of speech... Respond to it with more speech - don't try to silence it.
I say that on the off-chance that you're actually convinced of the faulty logic you're displaying and need help back to the land of reasoning and not actually just trying to double down and bluster your way out of what might be a marginal bruise to your ego.
In their mind? Presumably they're earning it by providing the equipment, access to the data - and software used to process that data, and keeping the service running - all at no absolute certainty of payment, so incurring risk.
Please note: I said, and I mean, "In their mind?" That is not me justifying it, not me condoning it, nor is it me suggesting that such is valid. I find the very idea deplorable and while I am unable to think of any specific laws that this process violates, it still strikes me as morally reprehensible. Just because it is allowed, does not mean it should be done or accepted. I can call the cashier a "cunt" but that doesn't make it right - even if I've broken no laws in doing so. That doesn't mean that my behavior (if I did so) should be accepted. It sure as hell doesn't mean that it should be lauded.
Sadly, I feel compelled to make that clear. All of it. The worst part is that I feel I must make it clear that I'm only suggesting what it is that *they* think they're doing that justifies this. Otherwise, if I didn't do so, there are those who would likely assume that I'm actually advocating such.
Yeah? Tell that to my right hand, buddy... ;-)
Actually, for a change, I have a girlfriend. I have for a while now. My hand is going to divorce me and sue for alimony! At least it hasn't started being unfaithful.
It is also VERY significant if you show up in a well crafted (it needn't be tailored specifically, just well made and properly fitting) suit. If you are showing up and the rest are in jeans, t-shirts, and have to be asked to remove their baseball caps a second time and you are both well mannered, dressed, and properly prepared - it makes a huge difference. I've hired legal council. I usually represent myself - and use council for what they're intended.
I've not always been a fine and upstanding citizen - I've done things that were in violation of the law before. I admit guilt, accept punishment, and am polite about it. I'm also not white and I've not always been financially secure. When you interact with police, it's amazing how different they interact with you if you're polite. You don't have to lick their nuts. Just be polite, like you would an authority figure that you respect (even if you don't respect 'em - pretend).
When you get to court, you're in there as a guest (willingly or not) of the judge and you should mind your manners to ensure you remain as a guest status as opposed to an interloper status. Enunciate, have good posture, be respectful, give clear answers, and it kind of helps to look a little scared and remorseful - even if you're neither.
I've a long story about getting into a fight with someone, in defense of a third party, breaking a POLICE OFFICER'S JAW, and only being found guilty for the simple assault. The police officer grabbed me, from behind, without identifying himself as a police officer. A reasonable person would defend themselves (even if they were in the commission of a crime) and there was a whole bunch of legal wiggle room for it to go both ways. We accepted a plea agreement where I'd be pleading guilty in a civil matter, at a latter date, and would be paying the officer some money - but I got away with breaking a police officer's jaw. However, he immediately understood why and I was immediately apologetic. He also didn't know that his jaw was cracked and would need to be wired shut until later, after he'd booked me into the jail. I was not granted bail (assaulting a police officer is a bad thing) until a day and a half later, on Monday morning.
There's a bit more to it but the officer and I were still polite with each other as he was bringing me to jail, filling out the paperwork, etc... We were even jovial and he kept making jokes about how I'd really caught him in the jaw. It turns out, it was broken. However, I got away with it - and didn't get my ass kicked, shot, or pepper sprayed. I did plead guilty to a simple assault and battery. I was sentenced to time served and a fine. I was then sued, successfully, and paid quite a bit of money for me at that point - about $60,000 including legal fees for both parties. I was found not-guilty for a third civil suit in which it was alleged that I'd caused severe emotional harm. Sadly, this was me being sued by the person whom I was defending. I came upon them fighting and he slapped her twice. I did not let it happen a third time.
However, I was sitting on his chest and smacking him around (I was very drunk at the time) asking him how it felt "to be slapped like a bitch." Which was when I was grabbed from behind without warning. Given that the officer was in the back of the bar parking lot the entire time, walked over - not ran, and grabbed me, it was presented that we'd argue that he should have followed department protocol and identified himself. He didn't get in trouble for failing to follow protocol, resulting in an injured officer, and I didn't go to jail for breaking the cop's jaw.
There's a bit more but I'll make it brief for once. I just figured you might appreciate the story and somebody else saying that it makes a huge difference in how you present yourself. This matters in most every area of life. I'm often ceded authority and told that I have a commending presence. I'm not a very large person. I just wear properly fitting clothing, carry myself with confidence, enunciate clearly (I never, ever
Here's another one... I'll explain this very carefully.
You do not get a public defender (though there may be a representative in the court to speed things along and to give you basic advice for no cost, regardless of income). You do not get a public defender for a speeding ticket. You do not get a public defender for a drinking in public charge. You do not get a public defender for a littering offense.
Here's the important citation:
https://www.justia.com/crimina...
Note, very carefully, the verbiage. You have a right to a public defender in criminal proceedings. Speeding tickets are (unless they're particularly egregious) civil infractions. Civil infractions have a lower burden of proof. (Remember the OJ civil trial? there's a reason it was called a civil trial.) Civil infractions also do not carry a risk of jail time as their penalty. If the sentence can not include jail time then it is a civil infraction. Civil infractions are not criminal matters. Civil infractions do not have a right to a public defender.
Some courts will still have a person, paid for by the courts, to give legal advice - this is to speed things up, to ensure that you're aware of your rights - if needed, and is not an obligation but is a favor from the courts. Sometimes this service is even provided pro bono.
If you'd like, I'll explain the differences between the two a bit more but basically a civil trial means that the State must demonstrate that you, more likely than not, committed the offense as alleged. A criminal matter means that the State must prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that you are guilty of the offense as is alleged by the State.
You do not have the rights that you would have in a civil case. This includes civil matters between individuals as well as the State.
These are *really* basic concepts and it's scary as fuck that you don't know this. Even worse, you're modded informative. You have an OBLIGATION to be at least familiar with the concepts of the law. This is your end of the social bargain. You are, if you want justice, to ensure that justice is carried out - it is your job to watch the courts and ensure that they are just. This is why court is a public proceeding (typically, unless there are compelling security or privacy reasons otherwise) and if the court is closed, when it otherwise should not be (due to crowding or the likes) then you can petition the court to provide remote access. This may include monitoring on a close circuit television, a simple microphone and speaker, or even just opening the doors. The default state of an in-session court is open to the public, it is by exception that it is not public, and you've an obligation to know the law, observe the courts, and ensure that justice is being carried out.
If you want rights then you must remain vigilant to ensure that they're maintained and protected. That is your end of the social contact. That you don't know the difference between a civil and criminal matter and what protections are afforded by the 6th Amendment is disturbing but not as disturbing as your moderation score. You are not read your Miranda Rights when you get a speeding ticket. You are not arrested and released on PR bail. You're issued a summons for a civil infraction and must answer to it in court. At court, you will be arraigned. If you take the matter to court, instead of paying the fine and admitting guilt, then you go to court. This will be a reading of your charges against you, it will be an opportunity for the judge to carefully explain your rights (it'd do you well to listen). You will then be asked to enter a plea or, if the matter turns out to be a felony, you will be deferred to a superior court. This is usually in a different court house. This may be granted a hearing then or delayed until a scheduled date in the future. You may be eligible for a trial by a jury of your peers.
This process will vary slightly, depending on what rights
That is only true if there's a chance that a conviction will result in jail time. This means that a DA can state that they'll not be asking for jail time, the judge can agree, and you can be not provided an attorney. Public defenders are ONLY provided when there's a chance that the offender will be sentenced, directly, to jail - meaning that you can be sentenced to pay a fine, found in contempt for not paying the fine, and have never had a public defender.
Do you not ever actually learn about the things you opine above? (There is some variance in the above but that's fairly universal across all US jurisdictions,) Just go spend a day watching the local district court in action. It's not only free, but it is a part of your end of the social bargain. If you want a justice system then you need to know about it and observe it to ensure that they are actually dispensing justice.
The most important part of that step is that you need to learn about it. You have access, for free, to the law library. It may be through a university, a State, town, or county library, or a dingy old room in the back of a disused section of the old courthouse. However, it is free.
It is only for CRIMINAL proceedings. The difference between a civil and criminal offense is that you can go to jail for one and not the other (not directly - see the comment about contempt for not paying a fine). The other major difference is the burden of proof. The preponderance of evidence, if you will, is that in a civil trail the state must only prove that you, more likely than not, committed the offense as charged by the State. (The burden for criminal matters is greater.) Some charges can be prosecuted, depending on jurisdiction, as either one at the discretion of the prosecuting attorney (representative of the State). At least I'm reasonably sure that's true in some jurisdictions. Others, it's a bit more defined but there's still prosecutorial discretion where they can charge you with a lesser or greater crime if they feel the burden of proof can be met.
I suppose you'll be wanting a citation?
https://www.justia.com/crimina...
Note the second link in the first sentence. It is "criminal proceedings." Feel free to click that link. At that point, you might learn even more stuff - specifically about the difference between a civil and criminal matter - however, I've given you a run-down here and that should be adequate but there's a citation if you need one.
They didn't call it by their other name, Trash 80, so there's that.
In reference to your prior post - I was just then heading to college for my first four years, having spent four years enlisted in the Marines prior to that. I did see some terminals but didn't really use a computer. In fact, I kind of hated computers back then. Oddly, I was majoring in Applied Mathematics. But, really, we didn't do a whole lot of computing with a computer at that point and, when we did reach that stage, we were actually expected to teach ourselves how to program.
At any rate, I'd seen a computer prior. A programmable, one might call it micro, computer. I'd even used it. I went to a fairly ritzy school and we had these things called an HP 5100 or 5900 - I can't remember what the name was exactly and Google is so very far away and I am so very lazy. It had a magnetic card reader, memory, paper cards that were marked on, a plotter, and could be hooked to a television. We only had one plotter and only one hooked up to the TV but I seem to recall that we had one for every four students in physics class. I seem to recall that there were some in the chem lab as well.
You could store your program (your algorithm) on a magnetic strip card, paper, or keep it in memory until it was rebooted. The story was that they didn't call them a computer because people were actually still a bit leery of computers. (The whole big brain thing we had going on back then - we were worried about being replaced by robots and AI - even back in the late 1960s.) They called them programmable calculators or something along those lines and, well, that's what they were.
We did have a mainframe in the school and there were some terminals but I never touched that. That was used by the astronomy group, as I recall. We had an observatory and that was kind of neat. I used to smoke weed, like Mexican swag and half seed stuff, and go look at the stars with the telescope in the observatory. The town (and school) dutifully shut off their lights at a certain time on certain days so you could see better.
At any rate, I hated computers back in the day. It's funny how things have changed. I hated them because they didn't do anything useful, for me, and I had couldn't actually envision what we have today. It wasn't until I was learning to program that I started to appreciate them. It was an interesting time to have lived through and, in hindsight, it's amazing how quickly things moved.
I don't know if I should hate you or thank you. *sighs* Here I go, ordering another couple of SBCs to play with. Why? Well, it looks like I'll be able to chuck Lubuntu 16.04 on it. Lubuntu is my favorite OS but I'm not really sure if I'll really appreciate the changes to LXQt instead of my beloved LXDE. I didn't order it just yet but I probably will be. I want to do some research and see what people are saying.
How much of the Ubuntu ecosystem is going to run native on it or will I have to either cross-compile or compile it on the PINE64? It is using the AllWinner and, to be honest, I've had less than stellar luck with enjoying their performance on tablets. However, I don't really like tablets so that might not be the fault of AllWinner.
You should keep us updated by sneaking comments into various threads so we can see what's going on in your case. I don't want to run ChromeOS, SteamOS, or Android. I want a full blown Linux and Lubuntu is a pretty good choice there because it's fairly light. I'll get maximum RAM and whatnot but 2 GB of RAM is not going to be enough if I have to compile a bunch of stuff.
So, I'll keep an eye on yet another SBC project. As this one is already shipping and had no problems with its funding, that's a good sign. They're priced rather reasonably, even for the Plus model. It does appear to lack a GPIO set but that can be remedied. I'm not really sure that it's designed to be used quite like that.
I'll have to keep an eye on yet another project. It's something that I'm not sure if I should be grateful for or if I should bitch about it. There really are a whole lot of these things out there now. I guess that's a good thing. It does, kind of, spread developer time/talent around pretty thin. I'm not entirely sure what I'd do with these but I could probably come up with an idea or ten. So thanks, I guess. ;-)
Heh, I should have scrolled down. I made a bit of a long winded post about that and about how I'd buy it just 'cause it's open AND assuming it'd be likely to work properly without a problem. The thing is, for the most part, shit already all works without a problem. Linux, it just works. It's so different than what it used to be. Now? It generally just works. Maybe, maybe once in a while, do I need to tweak something, find and compile something with a patch, edit a config file in a text editor, or install the proprietary drivers - I don't even normally bother with those!
I figured there were more of us. Yes, I do tend to buy a bit of hardware but that's because I'm a geek. The reality is, I could probably be just fine on a 10 year old computer. 32 GB of RAM is more than enough - and I can't tell a difference when I have 64. I'm actually fine with 8 GB and could manage with 4 if I needed to. I don't game nor do I care if my documentary is in high definition - I don't watch anything else.
So, yeah, I'll buy it just to support "open" (and assuming it works). I might even, over time, buy quite a few. I won't be buying the latest and greatest GPU. I just don't bother any more. I'm only going to keep it for maybe six months and then donate it to someone or put it up while I play with something new. I don't even invest in the greatest and most powerful CPU. I just buy a reasonably speedy AMD - almost always AMD. I usually buy nVidia GPUs but I don't mind changing that. They're usually a generation or two behind, I guess. I don't even pay attention to that any more?
I don't need the latest I7. I'm fine with a reasonably modern AMD. I don't need blazing graphics - my browser's not gonna look a whole lot prettier in 4k, I know - I've checked. I don't even default to streaming video in high def. So, for what it is worth - and probably not a whole lot, I'll buy it. I still prefer my desktops and laptops - I hate the tablets (and I've tried them all - except I did kind of like a Surface Pro but I guess it's not got very good Linux support yet, but when it does that may change) and I don't really care about phones - I actually have a Windows phone as I was sick of Android. It does fine for what I use it for.
As I said above - I have no idea how much my market segment is actually worth to them, probably not a whole lot, but I'll buy it just to support "open" so long as people are reporting that they're working well and don't require that I do a whole lot to get them to work properly. So, whatever that market is worth, it's their's for the taking if they want it.
While that's likely true in the majority of cases, it's not entirely true - at least for some of us. But, at the same time, I'm not sure how much that matters.
I tend to buy a lot of hardware. I'm not really sure why I do so these days. It's not like I get any real performance increases and it's not like I buy bleeding edge. I just refresh often, give away my older hardware, and like to play with new/different configurations at the bare metal level and not just at the VM level. I know, I know... It doesn't make a whole lot of sense - but it keeps me happy.
Lately, I've used just Linux on the desktop, server, and tablet (I guess). I do have a Windows phone. It's just 8 but I guess I can put 10 on it but I've not looked into it. I'm really not that much into tablets or phones - I sometimes email and surf on my phone. That's it.
Anyhow, I'd be more inclined to buy AMD graphics if they were open and worked better with Linux. I'm pretty much always just buying AMD CPUs anyhow - though I often will opt for an nVidia CPU. Sometimes ATi but mostly nVidia. I'm not sure if this is applying to ATi or not, or if it's for the GPU processing on the CPU, ala Intel. I don't even know if there's a difference - which is kind of where I'm going with this.
See, I don't game and I could give two shits about high definition movies and whatnot. I guess I've got that capacity but I don't bother. I don't think I've actually ever watched anything in 4k. I don't even bother with full 1080i or the likes unless that's what's fed to me by default. I have YouTube (which is where I watch a lot of documentaries even though I pay for Netflix and Hulu+) set to automatically play movies at 480. That's it.
I don't buy the cheapest GPU I can find. I just pick something, middle of the road, and not too new - that way I know it's probably fairly well supported. I mostly order whiteboxes and I guess, sometimes, I even have them mostly assembled for me these days. I don't know when the last time was that I bothered paying attention, trying to get the best, overclocking, or anything like that? Shit's fast enough for me now. I honestly don't even have to buy new hardware - I just do to play around and keep myself busy. Lately, I've kind of taken to setting something up, getting it running well, and then just handing it off to someone and buying myself something new. I've got more desktops and laptops than I know what to do with, they're all "fast enough."
It's not like there's a huge difference if I compile something on this year's CPU or if I compile it on one from a year ago. They're mostly the same speed. With an SSD and 16 - 32 GB of RAM then, well, I really don't need anything faster. It just doesn't matter any more. Yeah, I've bought a few PCs and decked them out with as much as 64 GB of RAM. Yay? Truth be told, I didn't notice any difference between that and 32 and barely noticed a difference between that and 16. Hell, I can get by with just 8 and be fine. 4 is a bit too low, these days, but I've done it. I don't always get rid of the oldest computer first. I kind of like to keep some around that span some of the ages. It's neat to be able to get Linux to not just run - but to run well, on a desktop with just 4 GB of RAM. Oh, I'm sure I could go smaller - I have in a VM and I have in the past.
Anyhow, to my non-point... Yeah? I guess... If it were more likely to work AND it were open then I'd probably buy it just to support the company. I already buy AMD CPUs. I've had some issues with ATi hardware and Linux in the past (screen tearing and a strange lockup - on two different cards) so I mostly avoid it out of habit. I've no idea where they are now. I just don't pay much attention and I sure as hell don't even bother paying attention to what is the latest and greatest hardware. I mostly just care about it being something different and, well, there's quite a bit that's different today so I'm able to keep myself pretty amused (that counts for something - more than some people give it credit for) and I'm always learn
Hmm... That's sort of true. Cuba has fine doctors for what they are. What they lack is some more modern training, imaging equipment, surgical equipment, and things of that nature. They're probably about twenty years behind but fine for being twenty years behind. How do I know? Well, I've done more than watch Moore's documentary (which was a bit misleading). I've actually been to Cuba and you can walk in and visit a health clinic or hospital. It's not like you're banned from walking in to them.
While I am not a doctor, my daughter is, some I'm a little familiar with the equipment and methods being taught and used in more modern nations so I'm mostly making an educated guess about the 20 year part. It's probably, roughly, around there. They lack modern MRI equipment (I think they have a total of one for the entire population) and the more detailed imaging that can be done with everything from newer x-ray equipment to sonographic equipment. But, as I said, I am not actually a doctor so that year estimate might be a little ahead of where they are or a little behind where they are.
While I'm here. I should also note that the last time I was there, I was told that I'd have 'net access. I did not. They did have a cafe next to the hotel but the cafe was out of order. They do monitor the 'net and HEAVILY restrict usage. Allowing a Cuban to use my hardware would have, potentially, resulted in my going to jail. That would have been problematic because I'm a US citizen and wasn't supposed to be there, technically. But, at the same time, I've dual citizenship, by grace of heritage, with Canada so I might have been able to get some help from Canada (had I done so). I almost certainly would have had no help from the US State Department.
It's pretty rough, their computer use, they're limited in what software they can run. As in, if you type an inappropriate word (I do not know which words those might be) then it closes the application and does not save your document for you ahead of time. Everything is monitored and their bandwidth is low enough that they can have humans do the actual monitoring. They were, as I recall, a bit big on using moral reasons for their blocking. They don't really censor the web so very much. They do and, as I understand, they can a great deal more than they do. They just don't bother. Not only do you need special, monitored, computers but you need special permission to access the whole internet. They didn't really have to censor that so much because they had less than average dial-up speeds and no modern software with which to view most of the internet.
It is at this point that, again, I'd like to point out that allowing a local to use your computer (you can bring it with you and, I guess, use their internet if it's working - with your own hardware) is likely to get you placed in prison and who knows what will happen to the native found using your computer.
At the same time, it's not like the Cubans are the Hermit Kingdom that is NK. They know their situation and, for the most part, seem to tolerate it. If there's an under-current that's itching to oust the Castro regime then I was entirely unaware of it. They do have an infamous sneakernet where they exchange data on USB keys but that's not at all what many people seem to think it is. They're not plotting to overthrow the government or escape. They want to watch Hispanic soap-operas and read the latest James Patterson book translated into Spanish.
When I return (and I will) I am to bring not too many, and "not the big ones", USB keys with me. They are to be blank. I am not to even put any media on them - as they may look at them and confiscate them (until I leave) if they have stuff on them - as opposed to take the time to review them for censored material. So, they want "not the big" USB keys and they want them blank. I presume that larger ones will be subjected to greater scrutiny and that they want multiple small ones. They're insanely expensive (generally unavailable for purchase) there so they get them from tourists
Yeah, you just put a piece of paper in there and they stamp that. I've been to Cuba a couple of times. I'm a bit fond of the place. I'd actually pondered seeing if I could retire there and then I thought about it some more and realized that they'd not want me and that I'd not actually be happy living there. However, it's a great place to visit for a little while and the people are very awesome.
I'm reasonably fluent in Spanish so I don't need a guided tour or anything. I've enjoyed myself a great deal both times that I've gone there. I'm actually pondering going there again soon - before they start changing a great deal. I don't worry so much that they'll change - I just worry that they'll have other people there are are not Cuban. I don't want to go to Cuba to see and hang out with other tourists. I just want to go and visit and get to know the people and the culture.
That sort of thinking has often meant I get off the beaten path. I travel - I travel a lot. I just don't like to go to tourist destinations very much. Why would I want to go to somewhere new, somewhere different, and see the same people that I can see at home? I literally retired in "Vacationland." I see enough tourists. I've even had whole tour buses come up my driveway, by mistake, looking for foliage. Fortunately, there's room for them to turn around. I've actually let 'em get out and walk around and stomp through the woods once but GPS mistakenly points to my driveway as a road. Yes, yes it was a road - fifty years ago. It was a logging road and never fit for automobiles until I paved it.
So, they come driving up - sometimes more than once a year. By all rights, it looks like it'd be a scenic view and a trip back to the main road. Well, it is... Technically. You're just probably not going to want to do it in a bus (though I'd love to let them try) and it now goes across my lawn where it is no longer really a road.
So, I get a bunch of French speaking folks from Quebec. They're generally polite and a bit embarrassed. I am actually a bit used to it now - it has happened multiple times. I'm not entirely sure why they come to Maine to look at foliage - they've got plenty of foliage of their own but they tend to do some shopping down here as I guess some things are less expensive in the US. Why they don't just come shopping, I'll never know. I mean, they do that too but why these particular people (and there are a whole lot of them - like bus after bus after bus, for about a month) come down here to look at foliage is kind of confusing to me. They've got fine foliage. I'm pretty much about 45 minutes from the other side of the border and that includes 20 minutes to get through the border. I've asked and mostly they mention shopping and, of course, foliage. So, I don't know why they don't just come shopping and they've got the same damned foliage I have. I'm literally about 45 minutes from being on the other side of the border...
Ah well... At least it gives me something to ponder but it means that I don't actually want to go see tourists when I'm *being* a tourist.
Yes there is. Get the benefits of Chrome without the garbage, install Opera. I did take a break from it but, for the most part, I've been using Opera since back when you had to pay for it. It works pretty well. When they converted their code to Chromium, well, it kind of sucked for a while. It's stopped sucking and is starting to even have a robust ecosystem of its own - even though you can just as easily use Chrome's extensions. They took the suck out of Chrome and have even gotten the code squared away enough to be able to add their own features on a pretty decent level - including Turbo and a sidebar.
With Linux? Just install whatever version you want (I'm guessing you can find 'em somewhere). Then don't enable (or disable it if they add it) the repository - don't install it from your distro's repository so it won't automatically update. If you install it from your repo it will be a bit of a bitch. If you just install it manually then it might add Google's own repo - so disable that. You can edit it, comment it out, delete it, whatever. 'Snot hard, really - at least I don't imagine it is. You'll just need to find a version you want online. I'm sure you can do so. There are bound to be old versions - just grab the package and install it and make sure that the repository isn't enabled so that you don't have to worry about it upgrading that way.
Mind you, I've never actually tried this but it should work like a champ. Chrome/Chromium's update mechanism is by your package manager.
Not that you've ever browsed any of the source code in Linux but, if you're willing to sign an NDA and provide a reason (I've used "I'm curious" as a reason) then you can see Windows source code, at least quite a bit of it. It's called the Shares Source Initiative. It has been a policy for like ten years now - maybe longer.
You can use Google to find it. Or Bing, I suppose. Just search for Microsoft Shared Source Initiative. Hell, I use Lubuntu and I know this. So, you've got good luck browsing the source code - if you actually want to, could make up a reason, and took the few seconds to use a search engine.
I'm not sure what benefit you'd actually, personally, gain from browsing the source code. That's not really the benefit from free software. The benefit isn't so much that you can browse, but that you can change, fix, and edit the source code. You can not do that with Windows, however. Well, if you're big and powerful enough then they might let you or will do so on your behalf. But not so for you. For example, Windows XP is still being quietly maintained and updated - just not for you. The US Navy pays Microsoft, not a whole lot actually, to provide continued support for Windows XP.
At any rate, if browsing the source code on Windows 7 is your goal, make up a good reason and check out the shared source initiative. You can browse quite a bit.
What I want to know is how did he have that many Macs networked in 1990??? ;-)
*chuckles* Your entire property is smaller than my lawn back home. But, back home is in Maine. I don't actually really have what you'd probably call neighbors. There is a farm that's about a half mile away by woods or about a mile away by road. I usually take the woods route. There are six houses in the unincorporated township and we're about 24 miles from the center of the village. I am wintering in Florida for a change of pace.
Actually, that's about what I was paying programmers and engineers at that point in time. I don't know what field they worked in but it was damned near impossible to find anyone even remotely familiar with traffic modeling. The ones who were were often in fleet management, cargo transport, trains, or air traffic. Finding, and keeping, quality people was essential to the business. I even had to send people to school, cross-train, and - at one point, hired a local university to do some research for us and then stole the researchers from the university - they hadn't even finished their degrees.
Depending on the field they were in, it's possible. What's funny, is their listing of their prior salary and current salary rather mimics the trends in traffic modeling. The people who are senior in that field now only bring in an average of 85k. They're starting as low as 60 and averaging around 70. Many of the people who worked for me still work for the now-parent company. I have no idea what they're being paid but it's probably not gone down but, in my opinion, they are among the best and brightest in the industry and there's a bit of a glut of them now. I'm sure that many will be retiring soon.
So, it's not only possible but you can look up the history of salaries in that particular field and follow the trend - it's almost exactly the numbers they quoted, for the dates they quoted even. It was pretty much impossible to find qualified people. For the most part, they had to be invented. They could have experienced something similar or worked in that specific industry. I shake my head and have a sad every time I look at the current average salaries and I've kept track in the years since. The government invested "800 billion in shovel ready jobs" which were highway related. Those, by virtue of tech changing, defaulted to now needing traffic modeling. The number of companies grew, the skill level went down, the pay went down, and the jobs have mostly dried up at this point.
I got lucky and sold right at that time when they had announced they were going to repair the economy (late 2007, finalized in 2008) and retired a happy man. I kicked the pond, hopped onto and rode the wave, and then managed to bail at just the right time. If I'd tried to plan it that way, it never would have worked. I just got damned lucky and my thesis happened to be in traffic modeling (back in 1991) and "on a computer." It's been a far better run than I'd ever have hoped for. I just found the subject interesting so I decided to see what could be done by playing with the math. I used a computer to do it and to make predictions. It worked and here I am today.
So, like them, I've a fairly non-typical history. That's what we paid at that point, that's what they should be making now, and that's what they are making now. Yes, they were C developers but they converted, between 1998 to 2000, the entire code base to C++. I'd written the original code in C and, honestly, I'm a horrible programmer. I only programmed because the damned computer didn't do what I wanted it to do by default. I took a few programming courses, later, but I'd absolutely no professional instruction at the time. The classes didn't help much either. That's why it was essential that I hire programmers. I needed them to do things that I could not. That's why they were paid what they were paid. They were essential and did things that I could not - at least not as well or as quickly and while still having time to run the business, be on site, and the many other tasks that became my job.
Oddly, I'd expected to be a mathematics professor at an old New England university, perhaps a nice private school, and driving an antique Saab to work and enjoying the foliage in the fall more than the rest of the year. I expected to remain in academia, retire from academia, and plod my way through life enjoying the little things.
That would be awesome! I believe that, during the week, I can get onto the track at Daytona for just a few bucks during the week. I've got my 6 series with me. Hell, want to take turns? We can even buy some slicks and see if we can how high we can get the LA to trip. I'm game for something like that - I'll even let you drive my car for a few laps (it's insured) if you want. It's "that" 6 series. As in dual turbo and ~450 ponies. It's a bit heavy feeling but actually very poised. I've not put it on a track but I've played with it. It's about 3.5 for 0-60 and has giant brakes (we'll need to replace those too when we're done) so it stops almost as fast. Once you get used to it, you'll find it behaves a lot lighter than it is but you can still throw the ass out, on command, and just rip into it. You can, I know, be tooling along at 60, drop it into 3rd, peak the RPMs, and smoke 'em and toss the ass end out sideways like that.
What are you gonna bring to Fuck With Uber Track Day? Ha! I should sign up for Progressive and do that too. I already insure my license so anything I drive is automatically insured. I do so through a private insurance company. I could give two shits what Progressive thinks. I just want to read the letter, email, or get the phone call that asks what it is that I'm doing and that I need to pull over immediately as they'll be refunding my premium, in part, as I am no longer insured by their fine company.
I like the way you think! We could get a whole group of us together. We'll never, ever, be covered by Progressive or allowed to drive for Uber again. Oh wow... We could get some older vehicles and then put them inside of vehicles used at one of those demolition derbies! My Saab has a blown engine so I've nothing to rally with (really) so that's not an option at the moment but that'd be a whole lot of fun too. There's a privately owned, but public has access - but not right of way, road called the Golden Road back up in Maine. It's like 90 miles of road and it's one of the ones where we hold/have held a rally race with our local club before. We could do the NEFR course - I've got access even when there's no race in session to a good portion of it. It's a blast! There could even be a legitimate destination and start point so that we completely fuck with Uber.
As they collect the data AND provide insurance... Oh, I'm not thinking of fraud. I'm wondering if they forward that information automatically to the insurance provider? We should seriously do something along those lines. We can even record ourselves, put it on YouTube, and let others live vicariously through us! 'Cause, I'm there for you - I'd not let you undertake something of this level of importance (or risk!) all alone. I can't believe nobody has thought of this with the existing Progressive type devices that hook into your OBD-II slot. I truly don't give a shit, and never will, what Progressive thinks of my driving. I can also afford a few dollars for something this entertaining - there are MULTIPLE ways to screw with them. From rallies to demolition derbies to track day! I'm sure we can come up with more. So long as we never, ever, make any effort to cash in on the insurance - it should be entirely lawful. It shouldn't even be remotely a problem to go through a set of tires at the track, like you mention. Just so long as we never actually try to cash in on the insurance... I'm pretty sure that will get us into a whole bunch of trouble. At that point, it stops being funny.
So, yes... I'd not want you to have to face this type of dangerous task on your own! I'm afraid I must go with you and help keep you safe.
They're full of shit. Not only am I an automobile aficionado but I worked in the traffic modeling industry, have driven professionally, and have taken countless advanced driving courses over the years. Hell, I've even gone on vacation (at considerable expense) to take special driving lessons, including classroom time and time spent with a professional coach in the passenger seat or in the driver's seat, while renting exotics and I spent *days* doing laps at Nurburgring. That's just *one* of many examples. I've taken lessons in everything from open-wheel/CART to asset protection. I've driven on track and closed "street" courses. I've rallied and I've driven giant vehicles with a bunch of armed men inside of them - including one where I had an armed man poking his head out the roof on a regular basis - if not constantly. Yet, I suspect they'd argue with me. About driving... It'd be like me arguing the best way to use a Java library...
If you are aware of your surroundings then the exact opposite is true - you're NOT hitting your brakes often and hard. If you were aware of your surroundings then you'd not NEED to hit your brakes often and hard. It's important to note, an absurd percentage of people think that they're above average drivers. It's pathetic how little most drivers actually know and how poorly they drive. You're not a race car driver, you're on an open road with other people around you. Don't drive like you're in a race. Drive like you're on the street. There's a time and place for heavy braking and acceleration, that time and place is not normally on the street. If you're doing either, on the street, it generally means that you're doing something horribly wrong.
Here's one that pisses people off. Nearly all accidents are because someone was driving too fast for the conditions. That is factual, yet so few people understand it. More often than not, someone will try to argue with it. For some reason, they think they know more than someone who's very experienced, highly trained, and actually has a record to back up their claims. But, damn it, they've got an automatically shifted Ford Focus and it's got a spoiler AND it's the S package! They've only had two accidents in the past five years and they are an expert driver who has had their license (standard license) for 12 years now! It's kind of amusing, to be honest.
That they think (maybe because they not "causing accidents") that they're a good driver and qualified to not just opine authoritatively but to argue with you after you clearly indicated specific domain knowledge is a great example of people who should have their license revoked on general principle. How these people actually manage to drive without killing someone daily is a testament to the skills of others - and not them. (Typically the folks who designed the roads and the vehicles have done a good job at keeping a lot of people from harming themselves or others out of a combination of ignorance and arrogance.) What they said is so exactly wrong that it is exactly opposite. As near as I can tell (and this is with some effort applied) I can not think of how they could have made that statement any less correct without including explosives, a cell phone, and a pet zebra in the back seat.
And people wonder why I point out that modeling traffic is akin to modeling chaos... You can account for everything, including the colors of automobiles and the sky, and then some drunk idiot will drive, in reverse, the wrong way down a one way street. This, that person you replied to, this is an example of why we have so many deaths on the road. Seriously, they think they're a good driver. Hell, they think they know more than someone who works in the industry. Yet they say something so patently wrong that it's laughable. Sadly, it's not a troll. They seriously believe they're correct and that they're a skilled driver.
It is people like them who are to blame for you not being able to get a light-weight automobile as easily any more. It's people like them who made it so that side impact cur
It seems unlikely. I do not know as fully autonomous vehicles are anywhere near as close as you seem to think they are, either. For a small example; There are people like me. I've not actually insured a single vehicle that I own (and I own quite a few) in a very long time. Instead, I just insure my license. Any vehicle I drive - even if I do not own it, is insured. And, to touch on the second part, I own a significant number of automobiles - as an aficionado and a collector of sorts. I doubt they'll prohibit them for a long time to come.
I don't know when you expect autonomous vehicles, fully autonomous, but I suspect it's going to be quite some time before you see that.