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On a somewhat related note, did you see the video of John Entwistle isolated while playing Won't Get Fooled Again?

markcaudill  ·  3880 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Schneier on Security: NSA Surveillance and Mission Creep

Surveillance State: already here Police State: already here Thrid-World: already here

These things are either already here or are just over the horizon.

markcaudill  ·  3880 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Schneier on Security: NSA Surveillance and Mission Creep

I've reached a point where I really think that groups of people over a certain size (haven't figure out the size yet) are practically ungovernable without some level of oppression. Small, decentralized communities are the best bet I think.

This sounds a lot like Aldi. It would be very amusing if Wal-Mart shoppers started acting superior to those of us who shop at Aldi or WinCo.

markcaudill  ·  3883 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Kids can't use computers... and this is why it should worry you

Yeah, I think it comes down to not being afraid (more than is healthy) of technology and having basic problem solving skills. A lot of this is frustrating because we look at these people's inability to troubleshoot even the most basic things and extrapolate that out and come to the conclusion that these people must suck at everything. But I'm not convinced that they really do suck at everything. I think there's something about technology that is just too mystical for so many (most?) people. But for those of us who have been behind the veil, it just seems silly.

markcaudill  ·  3883 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The Mixed Tape/CD exchange -how is it coming?

Psh, I sent mine out over a week or two ago. I'm up for another round. And yes, headphones are a must. My current ones are a pair of Sony MDR-7506s and I love them (super crisp, no overly emphasized low-end).

markcaudill  ·  3899 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The Innocent Man

I can't imagine losing my wife and then child like that. I'm curious if he has reconciled with his son.

markcaudill  ·  3906 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Next Month’s Rolling Stone Cover

Ah, I see.

markcaudill  ·  3906 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Next Month’s Rolling Stone Cover

I don't get it. What's the deal?

markcaudill  ·  3907 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The Care Card

Are you a fellow Marylander by any chance?

markcaudill  ·  3907 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: McDonald's can't figure out how its workers survive on minimum wage

This is embarrassing.

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Sorry, this comment is private.
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markcaudill  ·  3910 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Systemd is not portable and what this means for our ports

I think the author's conclusion sums it up nicely. As much of a pain as it is to change from well-established subsystems and applications, it's critical to identify long term trends and make sure your platform is maintaining relevance.

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markcaudill  ·  3910 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Cursive Writing

I'm torn on this. I think cursive is good to teach in school even if it's not considered practical anymore. It's now more of an art than anything else (and we teach art in school). At the same time, I don't see how this is the legislature's business. Isn't there a school board (hopefully comprised of educators) to make decisions like this?

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markcaudill  ·  3915 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: 30,000 California inmates begin hunger strike

Good. We really need to work to stigmatize things like solitary confinement and prison rape rather than relish in criminals getting their comeuppance.

I get what you're saying (I think). I mean, I have a garden and like The Avalanches and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Am I a hipster too? The lines have been blurred and I think that's a good thing.

markcaudill  ·  3918 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Who Makes Below Minimum Wage in the Mechanical Turk Sweatshop?

I tried to use MTurk for a while with the goal of paying my AWS bill every month. I didn't even come close. It just takes too long to make any money. I'm surprised and a little depressed when I think about all the workers and their possible motivations for working for so little pay.