argumentum

11 ms·

91.
by argumentum 12y ago
> You cannot linearly compare shoplifting against auto theft or battery Why can't I? For theft, it's easy to determine the value of the stolen goods. You seem not to care for the lives of the individual human beings committin
92.
by argumentum 12y ago
So you're a pathological truth-teller?
93.
by argumentum 12y ago
I think you missed my point: the OP had linked to an accusation by an employer that Mr. Karpeles had been using IM software while claiming to be working. If such an innocuous "lie" was any evidence that someone could commit fraud,
94.
by argumentum 12y ago
I agree with you, if you read my original comment I support reducing sentences for all but the worst crimes (serial murder, mass murder, terrorism, genocide, slavery, violent rape).
95.
by argumentum 12y ago
I totally agree motive should be a factor in sentencing, not sure where you read otherwise ..
96.
by argumentum 12y ago
I'll stick with "crimes" .. people should be rewarded or punished for what they do not for who they are (or what some doctors claim they are).
97.
by argumentum 12y ago
I think you meant "correlation"?
98.
by argumentum 12y ago
> The reason for this is simple: Sentence length isn't just retribution for the crime. It can be for rehabilitation as well (at least, in other countries). Prison sentences also try to have a deterrent effect. Thieves aren't c
99.
by argumentum 12y ago
> As for deterrence, I'm not sure that you want to build a system on that as we have; people ought to follow the law and not murder because it is the right thing to do, not because they're afraid not to. The problem is there
100.
by argumentum 12y ago
Well, I'm of the belief that certain crimes are beyond rehabilitation. No matter how "rehabilitated" Anders Breivik is, he still deserves to be locked up. He should never again interact with the society he so evidently despis
101.
by argumentum 12y ago
Call me old fashioned if you will, but I support the idea of just punishment as a deterrent in violent crimes such as murder. I wouldn't call it revenge, rather justice : the idea that you are held to account for the harm you cause
102.
by argumentum 12y ago
Sure, but even if he's kept away from society for life (which is far from guaranteed), he still gets to enjoy a decent standard of living. http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1989083,00...
103.
by argumentum 12y ago
Leaving aside victimless crimes for now (drugs, gambling prostitution), one problem with US sentencing is that it doesn't scale linearly. For instance, the sentence for petty larceny can be 6 months to a year. The penalty for 1st degre
104.
by argumentum 12y ago
I agree with most of what you said but: > Karpeles seems to have a history of lying. He was caught in a lie by his employer in 2004 Everybody "has a history of lying", because everybody lies. One incident of lying to an emplo
105.
by argumentum 12y ago
> Fashions change, yet people believe that diamonds have permanent value ('is forever'). In contrast to bullion, this is relatively recent development with little ties to traditional banking practices No, actually diamonds (a
106.
by argumentum 12y ago
There are ways it might hurt a neighborhood, but if you fail to see any benefits I'd propose you lack imagination. 1. It's fun and exciting to meet interesting new people from all over the world. We're not all curmudgeons.
107.
by argumentum 12y ago
In my experiences, weed simply enhances whatever you are already feeling. This seems to hold true for psychological states as well as sensory input. If you're already anxious, you'll become more anxious. If you're relaxed,
108.
by argumentum 12y ago
Perhaps you meant Caltech?
109.
by argumentum 12y ago
As a consumer, I'd be very unlikely to buy a car that would kill me to save strangers. Not that I don't care about strangers, but to me my life is simply more valuable. So given a choice, I'd pick the model that did everyth
110.
by argumentum 12y ago
"patent pending" = bad sign for a mobile app startup.
111.
by argumentum 12y ago
> If a minority got into Stanford, there is a thought that probably goes into everyone's mind, that they had an advantage because they were a minority. White people don't have that same stigma. Out of curiosity, where do you
112.
by argumentum 12y ago
I wouldn't be so dismissive. The value HN creates just by concentrating smart and ambitious hackers is immense. Further for YC companies (and other startups to a lesser extent), HN is an invaluable tool for recruiting early adopters an
113.
by argumentum 12y ago
I dunno, Mozart kept producing great music without copyright. People would still go to movie theaters for the social experience .. they'd also keep going to concerts for the same reason.
114.
by argumentum 12y ago
If the goal of graying out was to prevent these comments from ever being read, why show them in the first place? The goal, I think, was to reduce noise for the majority of users. If someone really wants to read a grayed out comment, they ar
115.
by argumentum 12y ago
The author of this article is an exceptionally talented writer for a high-school student. And what she describes below seems like a positive development: One student told Inklings, the school newspaper, that “kids are just mean these days,
116.
by argumentum 12y ago
That should be true for Black, White and Latino immigrants as well. The assumption that Asians are immigrants while others are not is a prejudiced one. It's also not wise to provoke animosity against immigrants generally. Most of the
117.
by argumentum 12y ago
The statements made by Yolanda Lewis in this article are disturbingly racist. > Tech companies, Lewis said, "do not want to employ Americans. They import labor from overseas, pushing for H-1B visas. Check the job boards. They basic
118.
by argumentum 12y ago
Actually it's often not your choice for broadband. There's no other option but fios where my parents live. Because they have a protection racket going with the city.
119.
by argumentum 12y ago
Google and Facebook are free services that make money from advertising. Last time I looked at my Verizon FIOS and Verizon Wireless bills, they were anything but free.
120.
by argumentum 12y ago
Some more examples of this kind of thing: http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-02/when-brain-dam...

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