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User: nharmon

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  1. Re:Psychology not science on The Paradox of Choice · · Score: 1

    Psychology may not be a science (art, perhaps, but not science), that doesn't mean there aren't scientists who work in it. Further, research in the field follows the same scientific method you are used to.

    Artificial scoring schemes and arbitrary tests are necessary parts of trying to quantify a totally qualitative set of variables. Bias is the cost of doing business.

    Hi, I'm Nathan Harmon and I'm gonna kick your ass because I spend 10 hours a day studying psychopaths who would take your B.S. and eat it for supper.

  2. Re:question? on IBM Invests $50M in Novell, May Ship SUSE Linux · · Score: 5, Informative

    They are THE major player in the very large server market, however they are still a formitable competitor in the medium-sized to Pentium-class server market.

    And for good reason. IBM packages their servers with a LOT of goodies. IBM Director (formerly known as Tivoli) comes free with every server. And now we're getting SuSE.

  3. Re:Downloading copyrighted material is theft. on Hollywood's Foundations Rest on Piracy · · Score: 1

    A mechanics lien is like any other lien, be it a construction lien or credit lien.

    A lien is a legal right or interest that a creditor has in another property that last until the obligation is paid or satisfied.

    It isn't 100% ownership, but it isn't 0% either.

  4. Re:Downloading copyrighted material is theft. on Hollywood's Foundations Rest on Piracy · · Score: 1

    Put it this way. One can be quantified, the other cannot. Unless you can quantify your comodity, how can anyone STEAL it?

    btw: Electricity can be quantified.

  5. Re:Downloading copyrighted material is theft. on Hollywood's Foundations Rest on Piracy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    In many states there is a law concerning Mechanic Leins, which means the mechanic owns the car until you pay the bill. In the example, you did steal the car.

    In the case of electricity, energy is not abstract like a thought or idea.

  6. Huh? on Hollywood's Foundations Rest on Piracy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Only one example in the article is truly piracy, and that is the movie industry violating existing patents on recording technology.

    The other two involve ambiguities in the law.

    Oh but wait, that would require reading the article.

  7. Re:Wondering about Xbox 2 on Playstation 3 Already Won the Next Gen Battle? · · Score: 1

    "But in the past we didn't care - look at the SNES to N64, or N64 to Gamecube!"

    Keep in mind that the media for all of these were different. Now with games on CD/DVD in standardized formats, we should see more backwards compatibility.

  8. Re:why scrap the Hubble? on Hubble's Deepest Pictures Yet · · Score: 1

    You are also forgetting that space walks are dangerous and there is tremendous risks with sending up a Hubble repair mission.

  9. Re:Awesome! on Rockstar Announces GTA San Andreas · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I really do not like how you have to play missions to open up parts of the city. This doesn't seem right.

    Perhaps they could open the parts up after so much play time.

    However, if they really want to the changing dynamic of landscape to match the dynamic of the story, they should change the landscape.

    For example, I think it would be killer if part of the city suffered an earth quake and turned into a Terminator2-like chaotic warzone. Missions in those parts would be AWESOME.

  10. Re:exclusivity on Rockstar Announces GTA San Andreas · · Score: 3, Redundant

    GTA: Vice City was released "exclusively for the console", although we see now that it is on PC.

    You will not see GTA:SA for the PC until probably early 2006.

    I'm glad to see they aren't waiting for the next Playstation, which means the PS2 I bought in order to play Vice City will also work with San Andreas!

    I, for one, welcome our new GTA overlords.

  11. Re:Another danger of Outsourcing. on The Full Outsourcing Discussion · · Score: 1

    In Soviet Russia, software explodes you!

    (sorry, I couldn't resist)

  12. Re:Free Trade helps megacorps on The Full Outsourcing Discussion · · Score: 1

    Actually, welfare offsets minimum wage $2.34/hour. Which means if you make $2.35/hr more than minimum wage, you are making $0.01 more than someone at Minimum wage. But you have lost food stamps and madicaid because you earn too much.

  13. Any LUGs near Munich? on Munich Struggling with Linux Transition? · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There are quite a few LUGs in Germany. I think it would be great press for one of them to assemble a team to assist their Government with the implementation of GNU/Linux.

  14. So let me get this straight... on Second Lawsuit Filed Against ICANN (and VeriSign) · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I can buy the right to register Microsoft.Com if Microsoft Corp ever decides to stop renewing it. However, Microsoft could buy an 'insurance' which would prevent loss of the domain if someone forgot to renew it.

    Other than the same company is selling these two products, I find this comical at best. No way this should be illegal.

    Unless Verisign intends to make information about who owns 'domain insurance' private confidential, then I see no reason why both products cannot co-exist.

    As long as the person understands that they have about as much chance of registering microsoft.com as they do of winning the lottery, I see no reason why we should be holding consumers' hands and protecting them from their own stupidity.

  15. Re:I know this is bad..... on Jail Time for Misleading Domain Names · · Score: 1

    Most nations will not extradite to places where the accused can face the death penalty, no matter what type of agreement they might have.

    So the obvious answer would be to do something that could get you the death penalty, AND THEN skip on off to France.

    Kind of off topic, but imagine if the US suddenly refused to hand people over to Europe authorities because US foreign policy dictated that European sentencing standards were not harsh enough.

  16. Re:Who cares? on Electronic Arts Shuts Down Origin Systems? · · Score: 1

    Not that one does not have any sympathy for the employees at the Austin facility, keep in mind they are being offered a transfer to California or a severance package.

    Many are not offered such nice parting gifts...

  17. ...End of time? on New Clues About the Nature of Dark Energy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If the repulsion from dark energy is or becomes stronger than Einstein's prediction, the universe may be torn apart by a future "Big Rip," during which the universe expands so violenty that first the galaxies, then the stars, then planets, and finally atoms come unglued in a catastrophic end of time.

    This is quite a shift from the implosion theory that results in pre-'Big Bang' conditions causing a loop in time.

  18. Re:Right to request ID on Search and Seizure at the Supreme Court · · Score: 2, Interesting

    7. Do all cops vote Republican? Just curious.

    Very few do, actually. Many vote the way their unions tell them, which tends to be democratic. Many vote for politicians who bath them in pork barrel spending (no pun intended).

    The individualistic, anti-Federalist stance of the Republican party runs contrary to the thoughts and feelings of many people in law enforcement.

  19. Re:The Home-Insudtrial Revolution? on Cheap Fast Eyeglasses from a Desktop Fabricator · · Score: 5, Funny

    Imagine, too, the anguished hand-wringing of governments when the technology reaches a point where you can print parts for an AK-47.

    When the printing of guns is outlawed, only outlaws will be able to print guns.

  20. Re:Good luck trying to leave in a hurry... on An Ignition Interlock In Every Car? · · Score: 1

    The accuracy of a PBT (portable breath test) is not compromised by persons with diabetic reactions. This is because the device tests for alcohol, which as you said is not the chemical produced from high blood sugar.

    PBTs are so good at this, that a drunk who claims their open beverage is non-alcoholic is quickly proved wrong by inserting the mouth piece of the PBT into the open end of the container. It is a neat trick that is sure to make the drunk feel like a dumbass.

  21. Re:Please explain this. on Working Around Bad Luck on the Resume? · · Score: 1

    [i]If you weren't working or training during a gap, then you weren't gaining experience, but you weren't exactly losing it either.[/i]

    That is not always true. Many skills, including technical skills, are not permenant. It is the case of using it, or losing it. A 6 to 12 month gap in employment might suggest that you are not as fresh as someone who is presently employed.

    Including in your resume that you worked on projects, or attended training during these gaps is good because you are showing that you kept your skills sharp.

  22. Re:Salute! on Ctrl-Alt-Del Inventor To Retire From IBM · · Score: 1

    Try holding the windows key and pressing L.

  23. Re:it seems like nothing ever gets done on Electronic Burglary in the Senate · · Score: 1

    You think thats tough, try being a democrat who is against abortion and against gun control. It gets bad enough that I end up voting for Bush.

  24. Re:Are you being shot at? on The Absolute Worst Working Environment? · · Score: 2, Informative

    Many of us understand and some of us were even there at one time. There is a fate worse than having a 'crummy job'.

    Stay safe.

  25. Re:Would it surprise anyone... on The State of IPv6 · · Score: 1

    As long as people feel perfectly fine in paying $60, $70, and even $100 USD for sub-quality cable service (or DSL), the media and telephone companies will continue to charge these outrageous prices.