Forgot your password?

Comment: Is there an echo in here? (Score 1) 674

by miltonw (#45888265) Attached to: The Internet's Network Efficiencies Are Destroying the Middle Class
"The new technology will destroy civilization as we know it!!!1!!!!"

Why is this stupid article even considered news? Someone will always predict the End of Civilization as We Know It when new technology disrupts the old, Right Way to Do Things, technology.

And they are always wrong. Things change. Deal with it.

(Protip: The destruction of the middle class has nothing to do with the Internet).

Comment: Re:unavailable information (Score 1) 511

by miltonw (#45799395) Attached to: US Federal Judge Rules NSA Data Collection Legal

Answer this question: Is there any data that you want to be **completely unavailable** to law enforcement with **proper warrant**?

Definitely! There are protections, or used to be, that made certain information totally off limits to law enforcement no matter what kind of "proper warrant" they might have. One example: conversations between husband and wife.

In your world, there would be no such protections.

Our military and law enforcement absolutely must be able to use all means to catch the bad guys.

So now everybody is a "bad guy" - and the military and law enforcement can do anything to us?

It is important, very, very important that we keep in mind that you can't "catch the bad guys" if you become the bad guys. If the military and law enforcement break the law to gather information, then they are the bad guys!

Comment: Re:Creating memories for my kids (Score 1) 199

by miltonw (#45767597) Attached to: I decorate my dwelling for the winter holidays ...
Yes! When my kids were young, we always had fun and Santa was real. We were never religious but, like you, I don't object to religion. I feel sorry for deeply religious Christians having to cope with all the crass commercialization of "their" holy day - but that's another subject.

Now that my kids are all grown, there really isn't any reason to continue that. I love the time and getting together, but the whole decoration and gift-giving is for children - to continue the "magic".

I tell everyone, "If I want something, I'll buy it. If I haven't bought it, I don't want it." This relieves everyone the agony of trying to figure out what to buy me. I opt out of the crass commercialization and save everyone some time and money.

That being said, I look forward to making the time magical for any grandkids.

Comment: Not a good conclusion from the studies. (Score 1) 554

In general, the mega-study found no significant benefits specifically for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive function. And "mortality".

From that, they claim there are absolutely zero health benefits from supplements.

That just doesn't follow. There is a huge area outside of "cardiovascular disease, cancer, cognitive function and 'mortality'" that could come under "better health".

Talk about drawing vast, generalized conclusions from narrowly defined studies.

Comment: Re:Well, isn't this nice (Score 5, Informative) 961

by miltonw (#45527859) Attached to: Why Scott Adams Wished Death On His Dad
Scott Adams did not "threaten to kill someone". Read what he wrote. He only wished that those who actively oppose assisted suicide be condemned to experience the same agony and suffering they have imposed on others. Actually, I think that's probably exactly what's going to happen for some of them.

Comment: You need someone to say no. (Score 4, Interesting) 221

by miltonw (#44243895) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Development Requirements Change But Deadlines Do Not?

Comment: Re:First (Score 1) 405

What a stupid and horrible idea. If you are driving and some road-rage idiot is after you -- you can't call for help? What about those stuck accelerator situations? What if you are speeding to the hospital with some badly injured person and need directions to the nearest hospital? I could go on and on. What a stupid idea!

Comment: Re:Not a good time (Score 0) 526

by miltonw (#43163869) Attached to: For 2012's U.S. tax season ...
You don't argue very well, do you? You cherry-pick a bunch of phrases I said out of context and string them together in a confusing jumble to pretend I'm not making sense. Then you mock the strawman you created with ALL CAPS and insane ranting.

I say debt is bad and you go off on a side tangent about how some efforts to reign in debt have had bad consequences. Your "argument" failed to address my point completely. Eventually, you admit that I was correct, but only after tedious argument about side tangents.

You objected to everything I said about our national debt despite the fact that everything I said was accurate. 17 trillion IS "unprecedented". 17 trillion IS massive. The national debt IS growing. The national debt is NOT being addressed. Given these FACTS, our future generations WILL be saddled with this debt. I'll admit that "doomed" was a bit rhetorical, but "massively screwed by us" wasn't so punchy. I understand you cannot confront this and must argue every single sentence, but the fact that you can't confront it does not change reality.

I hope your wishful "Oh, this debt will be paid off soon and not bother our future generations!" comes to pass, but that old pesky reality does not bode well for your head-in-the-sand viewpoint.

In the future, try to remain calm and rational, it makes for a better debate. Avoid creating strawmen, it isn't effective and makes you look stupid.

As for this conversation, I'm done. I will not converse with someone who "debates" as you do. I don't need that kind of crap.
