I've eaten plenty of food that hasn't killed me, and it's not always "FDA Approved". Are you saying that "FDA Approved" means you will not die? I believe that's been disproven already. Water? I never drink municipal water - too much fluoride. I drink bottled, but the funny thing about that is the fact that the FDA has nothing to do with approving bottled water. I'm still here. As for "hard core criminals" in prison, they are actually few and far between when compared to all the non-violent offenders incarcerated with our tax dollars. As far as snow, you've got to be kidding me. We got like 3 inches last night and the roads look untouched. It a half hour drive to work and I didn't see a single plow.
Government is 90% waste and 10% actual benefit.
I don't know if this has anything to do with the ruling, but here's what happened to me...
I had a domain through bestregistrar.com (they are based in kentucky!) all of a sudden, my domain was gone. A couple of days later, I got an email from dotster saying they have taken over all of bestregistrars domains. I couldn't find much on the internet about why this happened though. Could be related?
You are not getting my point. If you open the case, I will get a phone call. You will be terminated. Game over. The odds of 6 other people being in the bathroom at the same time as you opening the case is nil as there are only 4 bathrooms. I would expect you to maybe get as far as editing the hard drive before you are asked to leave. My machine? You wouldn't be allowed up here. And i'm not even on the domain anyway except through RDC when needed. Besides, I doubt your keylogger would execute on FreeBSD. Unless you think you could get up here with a solder gun and put one in my keyboard?
Well, I wouldn't call it a sweatshop, but it is a manufacturing facility (same thing maybe?). Yep, they pretty much punch out for everything and most employees are clock-watchers (lined up at 4:29 ready for that last minute to tick so they can clock out!). DOH! I've never even thought about the CMOS battery! I always think too much and have a tendency to forget some of the most basic low-level tricks! But it wouldn't last long - without domain access they would be screwed.
No and no - only the server. So? If someone opens a case, it would be too obvious and i'd have a few users letting me know immediately. Besides, if they swapped out HD's, they wouldn't be on the domain getting work done. They wouldn't last an 8 hour shift before they got fired.
"regardless of the policies businesses may lay down, individuals will always try to use their favorite gadgets and websites at work."
Exactly. Key word here is TRY. They can keep trying and trying, but there is no way for any of my users to install anything (small company - i'm the only one with admin rights), and all wireless connections are locked tight with encrypted keys + MAC filters. We don't care what websites they go to as there are no cubicles and no filters on the monitors - everyone can see what everyone else is doing.
my doctors visit costs me about 20 ( that's $30 more or less) Costs me $20 also!
if i have to stay home.. i still get paid.. gradually this lowers to 50% of my wage (over 2 years) Me too! Not out of SS though - and it wouldn't drop to 50% either.
you just walk in the E.R., and they fix it.. (had this 2 years ago.. paid a whopping 90 in total for the whole fixing... My ER visits are only $75!
Then.. when the time has come to retire.. i get paid 75% of my last paycheck every month.. for the rest of my life.. I'm unsure where i'll be on that one, but hopefully i'll be making more than 100%!
i pay about 45% of my income to taxes Ah got me there - here in the US it's more like 50% - why do you think Budweiser sold out? - they pay less taxes in Europe than in the US.
It's pretty damn stupid to say that you should not help someone else But that's not what I said - on my way to work this morning I actually gave some guy a ride to his car because he ran out of gas and was walking with his gascan. You do realize people have been helping each other since before governments existed, right?
when i, or my family get sick.. we get treated and not asked for a visa card first Wow we are pretty similar - can't recall that happening here - I think that would violate EMTALA!
but i bet you will look at it differently when you or your family suddenly needs a 300k treatment and can't come up with thecash... I had 2 surgeries last year and me and the wife had our first child. Not once did they ever ask for the money up front!
Can your portfolio survive a bear market for 10 years? Come on - we're dying to know - how's your portfolio been doing the last few years? Just great thanks to Gamestop! Got in at 32, should have sold when it broke 60, no biggie as it's still in the mid 40's. Budweiser was staying flat and I sold right before it jumped on the InBev deal. Oh well - I still didn't lose money.
SS isn't borked because of poor investment performance, it is borked because there are a heck of a lot of boomers demanding their cut at the same time. Sounds eerily like a pyramid scheme to me!
Ack - so you argue that all (*every*) person who runs out of money before they die is irresponsible? No, you're right - stuff happens, people go broke. I just don't think it's the government's responsibility to care for me or you. There are plenty of charitable organizations that would have more money if we weren't paying 15.3% into SS.
I understand what you mean, but characterizing SS as a Ponzi scheme is specious, ignoring that SS funds are invested in the government. You're right. I meant to say 'pyramid scheme'.
Furthermore, as a pool SS fund returns aren't far off performance for similar (extremely low!) risk investments. Exactly my point. Abysmal returns. You don't get rich investing in a savings account, CD's or T-Bills. (Probably around SS's ROI) I will repeat myself here... I can invest the money better than the government can, so let me opt out - i'll give up everything i've paid in so you should thank me for the free money!
I suppose you'd rather *all* our vast debt be owned by China? What does this statement have to do with what we are talking about?
If people had guaranteed insurance, provided by the state, they would go to doctors and PREVENT problems, instead of just treating them. Then why is it that you are twice as likely to die from prostrate cancer in Germany? Why are women in Germany more likely to die from breast cancer? They have "universal" coverage.
I'm sure many of the people that put their life savings in Enron felt the same.... And guess what - they probably walked away with about the same amount of money that I'll get from social security!
Would you also drive past a terrible car accident on a lonely road without even calling 911? After all, you didn't crash your car. Why should you help the people who did? Depends. If you took money out of every one of my paychecks for 'compulsory 911 calling fees' then I probably wouldn't call. If you didn't, I probably would call. Makes about as much sense as your analogy.
It does not hurt successful, fortunate people such as yourself ONE BIT to help those less fortunate than yourself.
Did you ever think that maybe if it wasn't forcibly taken from him that he WOULD wind up helping the less fortunate anyway? Oh wait - let me guess - you think that he is being 'selfish'. The poor would be better served anyways without those high-paid government employees being middle-men.
We also had conscription during WWII, in case you have forgotten. OK True. But in WWII there were only 4% dissenting. Very small percent.
As for responsibility, what about the person who works THEIR ENTIRE LIFE at a menial job JUST SO they won't need Welfare. They work their asses off to make ends meet and take care of their families. In all this, however, they only manage to break even. I don't think anyone in the history of the world has worked JUST SO they won't need welfare. I think they work to purchase food, housing, you know, stuff like that. And if they only break even, what exactly is your point?
Is it TOO MUCH for someone such as yourself, who seems to have done alright for themselves, to give JUST A LITTLE? Is 15.3% 'little' to you? It isn't to me. Im doing OK but not good enough to where 15.3% doesn't matter.
Getting to Social Security, you tell me ONE THING wrong with making sure people have something when they retire.
I'll worry about myself - I can invest my money better than the government can - but why should I help you retire?
I'm so sick of these 20 YEAR OLDS bitching because they are asked to contribute a fingernail slice of their income to help those who came before them. Well, I was 20 well over 10 years ago and let me tell you - once you add ss with medicare, you're at 15.3%. You consider that to be a fingernail slice? You think it should be 20%? 25%? I for one would gladly give up every penny i've put in just to be able to get out.
That is as selfish an snobbish as those (not that I'm accusing you of this, BTW) who scream they'd go to Canada before being Drafted. If we ever have to draft that just means it isn't worth fighting for - look at WWII - many people gladly joined because it was a cause worth fighting for.
NO ONE has any sense of DUTY or RESPONSIBILITY now days. Damn right - if they were responsible we wouldn't need Social Security!
So says the "Anonymous Coward".
Yes. But that anonymous coward is right on the money. FDR is the one responsible for that ponzi scam they call "social security". As well as the general rise in power of the government that was supposed to serve the people. Now they just serve themselves and their constituents that keep them in office.
Spun, did you ever think that the weak dollar might have something to do with it? Generally, as supply increases, cost goes down (at least that's what I was taught). Nice try at preying on emotional people with the last sentence though. Unfortunately, some people will actually believe it just because they cannot think for themselves. What's probably the best idea I can think of would be to eliminate state and federal taxes on gas, keeping local taxes on to pay for roads. Oh yea, and drilling for more oil wouldn't hurt either.
It doesn't matter if everyone is born with the same opportunities. I was born poor to a couple of crackhead parents. I went off on my own at 16 years old and did what I had to do. I'm sick of people saying 'ooh I was born into this ghetto and I can't get out there are no opportunities.' Cry me a river. Get yourself a pair and get out of that environment. I've worked at pizza places, temp jobs, telemarketing, and other jobs that most poor people won't even take because 'it doesn't pay me enough'. How can you justify handouts that are taken by force from the rich when most of the poor people I know won't even take a crap job? I've slept in cars, under bridges, on the el train, buses, you name it. I finally managed to land a full time job and buy a car after years of hard work. Childish selfishness? No, I call it the inability to comprehend why people can't pull themselves up by their bootstraps and thake care of themselves. Everybody wants something for nothing. In Libertarianism, there is no such thing as a free lunch. What, exactly, is wrong with that?
Yea it gets boring quick... until you install diablo and then the time just flies by. It'll be time to leave and you'll be like... OK - just let me get in one last mephy run!!!
Well, I have to disagree with "it's cheaper in the long run to stay Microsoft" because it's just not true. Actually, linux would be ideal for long-term use, because once you have the training done (the majority of your costs in switching - and i'm not denying it's a large chunk of coin), you are in the clear for long term maintenance with a very small operating expense. Windows in the long term = major cash on perpetual forced upgrades (along with the new hardware to run them). Not only that, but you will spend more time on windows boxes once they are rolling. Spyware, viruses, malware, you name it - all seem to latch onto windows and take a lot of resources to conquer. So, maybe for a few years you will be saving money, but if you are looking for a long term, cost-effective solution, it just isn't windows.
Actually, it's not hard at all to get an off the shelf card working. Most operating systems have hardware notes. Read them before you buy hardware. Even my card in my toshiba (intel pro wireless) was not hard at all. Just needed firmware installed (EULA - otherwise i'm sure it would have just worked.) and presto! If you continue to buy unsupported or half supported hardware, you are definitely sending the wrong message to the manufacturers. The only power we have is our $$$. I spend mine on hardware that runs on anything I may need to run it on.
Slashdot Mirror
I've eaten plenty of food that hasn't killed me, and it's not always "FDA Approved". Are you saying that "FDA Approved" means you will not die? I believe that's been disproven already. Water? I never drink municipal water - too much fluoride. I drink bottled, but the funny thing about that is the fact that the FDA has nothing to do with approving bottled water. I'm still here. As for "hard core criminals" in prison, they are actually few and far between when compared to all the non-violent offenders incarcerated with our tax dollars. As far as snow, you've got to be kidding me. We got like 3 inches last night and the roads look untouched. It a half hour drive to work and I didn't see a single plow. Government is 90% waste and 10% actual benefit.
I don't know if this has anything to do with the ruling, but here's what happened to me... I had a domain through bestregistrar.com (they are based in kentucky!) all of a sudden, my domain was gone. A couple of days later, I got an email from dotster saying they have taken over all of bestregistrars domains. I couldn't find much on the internet about why this happened though. Could be related?
You are not getting my point. If you open the case, I will get a phone call. You will be terminated. Game over. The odds of 6 other people being in the bathroom at the same time as you opening the case is nil as there are only 4 bathrooms. I would expect you to maybe get as far as editing the hard drive before you are asked to leave. My machine? You wouldn't be allowed up here. And i'm not even on the domain anyway except through RDC when needed. Besides, I doubt your keylogger would execute on FreeBSD. Unless you think you could get up here with a solder gun and put one in my keyboard?
"Also, keep in mind that the stock market depends on an influx of fresh money from the bottom. It's a legalized pyramid scheme,"
I think he meant to say social security instead of stock market.
Well, I wouldn't call it a sweatshop, but it is a manufacturing facility (same thing maybe?). Yep, they pretty much punch out for everything and most employees are clock-watchers (lined up at 4:29 ready for that last minute to tick so they can clock out!). DOH! I've never even thought about the CMOS battery! I always think too much and have a tendency to forget some of the most basic low-level tricks! But it wouldn't last long - without domain access they would be screwed.
No and no - only the server. So? If someone opens a case, it would be too obvious and i'd have a few users letting me know immediately. Besides, if they swapped out HD's, they wouldn't be on the domain getting work done. They wouldn't last an 8 hour shift before they got fired.
Exactly. Key word here is TRY. They can keep trying and trying, but there is no way for any of my users to install anything (small company - i'm the only one with admin rights), and all wireless connections are locked tight with encrypted keys + MAC filters. We don't care what websites they go to as there are no cubicles and no filters on the monitors - everyone can see what everyone else is doing.
my doctors visit costs me about 20 ( that's $30 more or less)
...
Costs me $20 also!
if i have to stay home.. i still get paid.. gradually this lowers to 50% of my wage (over 2 years)
Me too! Not out of SS though - and it wouldn't drop to 50% either.
you just walk in the E.R., and they fix it.. (had this 2 years ago.. paid a whopping 90 in total for the whole fixing
My ER visits are only $75!
Then.. when the time has come to retire.. i get paid 75% of my last paycheck every month.. for the rest of my life..
I'm unsure where i'll be on that one, but hopefully i'll be making more than 100%!
i pay about 45% of my income to taxes
Ah got me there - here in the US it's more like 50% - why do you think Budweiser sold out? - they pay less taxes in Europe than in the US.
It's pretty damn stupid to say that you should not help someone else
But that's not what I said - on my way to work this morning I actually gave some guy a ride to his car because he ran out of gas and was walking with his gascan. You do realize people have been helping each other since before governments existed, right?
when i, or my family get sick.. we get treated and not asked for a visa card first
Wow we are pretty similar - can't recall that happening here - I think that would violate EMTALA!
but i bet you will look at it differently when you or your family suddenly needs a 300k treatment and can't come up with thecash...
I had 2 surgeries last year and me and the wife had our first child. Not once did they ever ask for the money up front!
You won't get an argument out of me on any of those points! I agree 100%!
Can your portfolio survive a bear market for 10 years? Come on - we're dying to know - how's your portfolio been doing the last few years?
Just great thanks to Gamestop! Got in at 32, should have sold when it broke 60, no biggie as it's still in the mid 40's. Budweiser was staying flat and I sold right before it jumped on the InBev deal. Oh well - I still didn't lose money.
SS isn't borked because of poor investment performance, it is borked because there are a heck of a lot of boomers demanding their cut at the same time.
Sounds eerily like a pyramid scheme to me!
Ack - so you argue that all (*every*) person who runs out of money before they die is irresponsible?
No, you're right - stuff happens, people go broke. I just don't think it's the government's responsibility to care for me or you. There are plenty of charitable organizations that would have more money if we weren't paying 15.3% into SS.
I understand what you mean, but characterizing SS as a Ponzi scheme is specious, ignoring that SS funds are invested in the government.
You're right. I meant to say 'pyramid scheme'.
Furthermore, as a pool SS fund returns aren't far off performance for similar (extremely low!) risk investments.
Exactly my point. Abysmal returns. You don't get rich investing in a savings account, CD's or T-Bills. (Probably around SS's ROI) I will repeat myself here... I can invest the money better than the government can, so let me opt out - i'll give up everything i've paid in so you should thank me for the free money!
I suppose you'd rather *all* our vast debt be owned by China?
What does this statement have to do with what we are talking about?
If people had guaranteed insurance, provided by the state, they would go to doctors and PREVENT problems, instead of just treating them.
Then why is it that you are twice as likely to die from prostrate cancer in Germany? Why are women in Germany more likely to die from breast cancer? They have "universal" coverage.
I'm sure many of the people that put their life savings in Enron felt the same....
And guess what - they probably walked away with about the same amount of money that I'll get from social security!
Would you also drive past a terrible car accident on a lonely road without even calling 911? After all, you didn't crash your car. Why should you help the people who did?
Depends. If you took money out of every one of my paychecks for 'compulsory 911 calling fees' then I probably wouldn't call. If you didn't, I probably would call. Makes about as much sense as your analogy.
It does not hurt successful, fortunate people such as yourself ONE BIT to help those less fortunate than yourself.
Did you ever think that maybe if it wasn't forcibly taken from him that he WOULD wind up helping the less fortunate anyway? Oh wait - let me guess - you think that he is being 'selfish'. The poor would be better served anyways without those high-paid government employees being middle-men.
We also had conscription during WWII, in case you have forgotten.
OK True. But in WWII there were only 4% dissenting. Very small percent.
As for responsibility, what about the person who works THEIR ENTIRE LIFE at a menial job JUST SO they won't need Welfare. They work their asses off to make ends meet and take care of their families. In all this, however, they only manage to break even.
I don't think anyone in the history of the world has worked JUST SO they won't need welfare. I think they work to purchase food, housing, you know, stuff like that. And if they only break even, what exactly is your point?
Is it TOO MUCH for someone such as yourself, who seems to have done alright for themselves, to give JUST A LITTLE?
Is 15.3% 'little' to you? It isn't to me. Im doing OK but not good enough to where 15.3% doesn't matter.
Getting to Social Security, you tell me ONE THING wrong with making sure people have something when they retire.
I'll worry about myself - I can invest my money better than the government can - but why should I help you retire?
I'm so sick of these 20 YEAR OLDS bitching because they are asked to contribute a fingernail slice of their income to help those who came before them.
Well, I was 20 well over 10 years ago and let me tell you - once you add ss with medicare, you're at 15.3%. You consider that to be a fingernail slice? You think it should be 20%? 25%? I for one would gladly give up every penny i've put in just to be able to get out.
That is as selfish an snobbish as those (not that I'm accusing you of this, BTW) who scream they'd go to Canada before being Drafted.
If we ever have to draft that just means it isn't worth fighting for - look at WWII - many people gladly joined because it was a cause worth fighting for.
NO ONE has any sense of DUTY or RESPONSIBILITY now days.
Damn right - if they were responsible we wouldn't need Social Security!
So says the "Anonymous Coward".
Yes. But that anonymous coward is right on the money. FDR is the one responsible for that ponzi scam they call "social security". As well as the general rise in power of the government that was supposed to serve the people. Now they just serve themselves and their constituents that keep them in office.
Spun, did you ever think that the weak dollar might have something to do with it? Generally, as supply increases, cost goes down (at least that's what I was taught). Nice try at preying on emotional people with the last sentence though. Unfortunately, some people will actually believe it just because they cannot think for themselves. What's probably the best idea I can think of would be to eliminate state and federal taxes on gas, keeping local taxes on to pay for roads. Oh yea, and drilling for more oil wouldn't hurt either.
"in the US, someone cannot be forced to incriminate himself" I take it you have never heard of waterboarding?
It doesn't matter if everyone is born with the same opportunities. I was born poor to a couple of crackhead parents. I went off on my own at 16 years old and did what I had to do. I'm sick of people saying 'ooh I was born into this ghetto and I can't get out there are no opportunities.' Cry me a river. Get yourself a pair and get out of that environment. I've worked at pizza places, temp jobs, telemarketing, and other jobs that most poor people won't even take because 'it doesn't pay me enough'. How can you justify handouts that are taken by force from the rich when most of the poor people I know won't even take a crap job? I've slept in cars, under bridges, on the el train, buses, you name it. I finally managed to land a full time job and buy a car after years of hard work. Childish selfishness? No, I call it the inability to comprehend why people can't pull themselves up by their bootstraps and thake care of themselves. Everybody wants something for nothing. In Libertarianism, there is no such thing as a free lunch. What, exactly, is wrong with that?
Yea it gets boring quick... until you install diablo and then the time just flies by. It'll be time to leave and you'll be like... OK - just let me get in one last mephy run!!!
Well, I have to disagree with "it's cheaper in the long run to stay Microsoft" because it's just not true. Actually, linux would be ideal for long-term use, because once you have the training done (the majority of your costs in switching - and i'm not denying it's a large chunk of coin), you are in the clear for long term maintenance with a very small operating expense. Windows in the long term = major cash on perpetual forced upgrades (along with the new hardware to run them). Not only that, but you will spend more time on windows boxes once they are rolling. Spyware, viruses, malware, you name it - all seem to latch onto windows and take a lot of resources to conquer. So, maybe for a few years you will be saving money, but if you are looking for a long term, cost-effective solution, it just isn't windows.
Actually, it's not hard at all to get an off the shelf card working. Most operating systems have hardware notes. Read them before you buy hardware. Even my card in my toshiba (intel pro wireless) was not hard at all. Just needed firmware installed (EULA - otherwise i'm sure it would have just worked.) and presto! If you continue to buy unsupported or half supported hardware, you are definitely sending the wrong message to the manufacturers. The only power we have is our $$$. I spend mine on hardware that runs on anything I may need to run it on.