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User: Chacham

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Comments · 1,412

  1. Re:No, Chacham, it IS Capitalism on DSL Surcharge Plan Abandoned by Major Carriers · · Score: 1

    (it's the 18th centurty, so all owners are "he").

    Why? Before the middle class (19th century) and the women and children restrictive labor laws (late 19th century) women worked just as well as men. If anything, owners were more likely wealthy people, and this included both genders.

    The reason we say he, is that unknown (or mixed) animate object are usually refered to as he, and inanimate as she.

    Very rapidly you end up with only one pin factory, because its costs are so much lower than any competitor than it can drive them out of business.

    Only if the people allow it. People are not sheep. They can realize how not supporting smaller business will hurt them. In fact, having anti-monopoly laws does that for us. However, ideally, people would do it themselves. But, being stupidly passive, they don't.

  2. Re:Simple regulation would let market forces fix t on DSL Surcharge Plan Abandoned by Major Carriers · · Score: 1

    They already do this. Look at your phone bill.

  3. Re:Modern life = too complicated for that on DSL Surcharge Plan Abandoned by Major Carriers · · Score: 1

    Or have a group study it for us, publish their findings, and having the people make informed choices.

    Saying that it's too hard to fight, so i'll vote someone in to fight for me, and i will get more without giving up anything, it exactly what i call "stupidly passive".

  4. Re:Moo on DSL Surcharge Plan Abandoned by Major Carriers · · Score: 1

    The only way to not need so much regulation is to educate the people to start participating in the free market.

    So you are for regulation (mandatory education) just you believe in pulling instead of pushing.

  5. Re:Moo on DSL Surcharge Plan Abandoned by Major Carriers · · Score: 1

    How am I supposed to fight this? It has nothing to do with being "stupidly passive".

    This is a bit different in the original case where you have a choice to purchase the service for a published monthly fee, or go without service (from them).

    They know a person will only fight for X number of hours per Y dollars of fake charge.

    And for sure requires government intervention. It's usually called the police (or FBI, etc.) and they enforce this thing known as laws, which in general prohibit stealing. Something basically everyone is for encoding into law.

    My idea of libertarianism is that you don't have many laws, but when you do break them, you are hit so hard that the example to others is loud and clear.

    As long as the punishement is not greater than the crime. We cannot make one person pay to be a deterrence, unless his actions voided some earlier deterrance.

  6. Re:Moo on DSL Surcharge Plan Abandoned by Major Carriers · · Score: 1

    I could easily get extra fees tacked on and not notice.

    I was really referring to more spectacular cases, but we need to fight it everywhere, even on the small ones.

    We have public media, and it is pretty much their unofficial mandate to report these things. For example, right now on slashdot we hear about it. Now that we all know, we can refuse service, together.

    Does that make me stupidly passive?

    No. But people who just give in because they don't want to lose anything in a fight end up being passive, and IMHO, stupidly so because of the ultimate outcome.

  7. Re:Moo on DSL Surcharge Plan Abandoned by Major Carriers · · Score: 1

    When there's collusion (price fixing), then I can support government intervention.

    Actually, i'm a bit more harsh than that. If there is collusion, just don't buy the product. If it is a necessity, start your own business and charge less. (I think that works at least theoretically, and should be pursued before jumping to regulation.)

    When it is a necessesity (water, oxygen, etc.) and limited, there is no recourse (you must buy, and from them) an equal force (a governing body, representing the people as a group) should step in. (And probably take them out of business and give it to someone else.)

  8. Re:Moo on DSL Surcharge Plan Abandoned by Major Carriers · · Score: 1

    It's amazing how far the Internet isn't. Many Candians have the same problem.

  9. Moo on DSL Surcharge Plan Abandoned by Major Carriers · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Traditionally, i'm against government stepping in. I'm a firm believer that the market should (and will) regulate itself, only requiring laws breaking monopolies on limited necessities. But with consumer's getting more stupidly passive, and companies more ingeniously aggressive, i'm left without a force to join, and the companies, who as a result of frequent changeover and short-termed decisions, never think of the customers as more than a quick way to make money, we need a government body stepping in.

    We are no longer practising Capitalism. This is more of a MoneyGrabism.

  10. Moo on Pluto Making a Comeback · · Score: 1

    It just bothers me, that I, uh, you, have an organization that sold our system, and is willing to milk it way out there. Pluto is having a ruff time, no matter which way you plan it. Like a dog that barked at the daughter or bit the son, it'll always come at you.

    Or so the bad pundits say.

  11. Moo on New Web Browser Leaves No Footprints · · Score: 1

    Didn't fdisk.com have a java browser (that looked exactly like Netscape) Did that save anything?

  12. Re:Moo on Radio Shack E-Fires 400 Workers · · Score: 1

    "Nothing to see here, please move on folks."

    It really isn't worth your time, it was just for a quick chuckle. :P

  13. Re:Moo on Radio Shack E-Fires 400 Workers · · Score: 1

    If you consider five minutes a long time, then, well, maybe. :)

  14. Moo on Radio Shack E-Fires 400 Workers · · Score: 4, Funny

    Radio Shack actually hired these guys from Sony's Advanced Systems Sodium-Chloride Electronics Division (SASSED). The sassed employee's were fired for explosive behavior, assault, and battery. Even though the workers were feeling blue, Ray Sirr, a manager on the project, said that other employee's were safe, and the fired employee's were pre-picked, and put in a queue, cataloging it all. I just hope that all of you, PC in all, realize what was going with, by quickly scanning what i have written.

  15. Moo on First Quantum Cryptographic Data Network · · Score: 1

    The beauty of quantum encryptions is that even the smallest things means something different to everyone.

    The basis of the encryption is simple. The data goes inside a plain cryptumbular box, and is locked with a quantum key. The key's signature can be detected by any decrypter, and the user is asked to use a C code to open it.

    The C code is done differenlty by everyone, and does not deserve any specific comment. The obfuscation is awarded on the quantus anum, and the results are easily availible.

    After that, the user can take the key and open the lock, and if the frame of reference is appropriate, the data will be readable. It's pretty much black and white.

  16. Moo on Interview With Linux Flash Player's Lead Engineer · · Score: 1

    I got into Linux when I wanted to use a free relational database called MySQL for a web project.

    Except of course, that MySQL isn't a database.

  17. Re:How many /.ers does it take to change a light b on The Light Bulb That Can Change the World · · Score: 1

    Mod parent "+1, Illuminating"

    Heh.

  18. Moo on Ladies and Gentlemen, the Electronic Toilet · · Score: 2, Funny

    I welcome Gnu inventions, that help with free time.

    I means, it's used in the stall, man.

    Better that you nix the rest of this post. before it gets really bad.

  19. Moo on Ladies and Gentlemen, the Electronic Toilet · · Score: 5, Funny

    And the warm water, once we got the temperature right, was also a luxurious twist on the normal bathroom experience.

    The bathroom experience?

    I'd rather see Larson's idea of a big light over public bathroom doors: "Didn't wash hands!"

  20. Moo on Trap-Jaw Ants Break Speed Records With Jaws · · Score: 0

    What's the wpm of their yappers?

  21. Moo on Trap-Jaw Ants Break Speed Records With Jaws · · Score: 4, Funny

    What i learned from the article.

    1) Black ants can jump.

    The researchers used a high-speed video camera filming at 50,000 frames per second to visualize the mandible movements.

    2) If i want a high-speed camera, become a researcher.

    The jumps were detailed at a relatively slower 3,000 frames per second.

    3) Jumping is slower than eating.

    The average duration of a strike was a mere 0.13 milliseconds, or 2,300 times faster than the blink of an eye.

    4) Blinking is slower than eating.

    Yet, the researchers note that even when an ant lands on its back or head, the insect is so light that it can still walk away no worse for wear.

    5) These ants are light headed.

  22. Moo on Poker Driving Artificial Intelligence Research · · Score: 1

    poker's much more representative of what the real world's like

    Didn't Kenny Rogers figure that one out a long time ago?

  23. Re:Number 4 of 4 on A Move to Secure Data by Scattering the Pieces · · Score: 1

    Burma shave.

    heh!

  24. Re:Smart is one thing... on Goldfish Smarter Than Dolphins · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm reeling from that fishy one liner.

  25. Re:Valuable metals? on Closer to Deducing the Origin of the Moon · · Score: 1

    Hey I'm just waiting for the exchange rate to be just right so that I can order tons of canadian pennys pay for stuff with them, return the items for american dollars, then rinse and repeat :)

    Heh. Now why didn't _i_ think of that? :)

    nobody every checks to see if it's an american or canadian penny!

    Noone really cares, Inspector Gadget really isn't *that* famous.