roboneal

8 ms·

31.
by roboneal 13y ago
An appropriate partial quote of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged: “Did you really think we want those laws observed?" said Dr. Ferris. "We want them to be broken." <snipped> "But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor
32.
by roboneal 13y ago
It's how I used to feel about viewing 95% of the output of Hollywood as a "wacky" political conservative. I got over it and learned to judge the work on its merits.
33.
by roboneal 14y ago
In summary: You've registered a domain name, spent 3 weeks noodling the problem since Sandy Hook, have no hardware engineering background, and have never fired a gun. Why is this on HackerNews?
34.
by roboneal 14y ago
So your idea solves the problem of someone "cracking" or knowing the combination to my gun safe and removing the gun without my knowledge? Please explain how many of mass shootings over the last 15 years or so this would have prevented?
35.
by roboneal 14y ago
Let's assume you get past the obvious problems like politics, privacy concerns, massive improvements in battery technology to implement GPS tracking of guns, etc. With the estimated 200 Million privately owned firearms in the United States
36.
by roboneal 14y ago
To sum up the comments: Stop generalizing about my generalizing.
37.
by roboneal 14y ago
Google already has a Terms of Service and felt that this video did not violate it. A position the Obama administration disagreed with. Ultimately, I'm glad that they had a broader view of free speech than the current Administration. And f
38.
by roboneal 14y ago
How riled up will they be when they see the White House-approved full length feature film of the killing of Bin Laden? Will same principles apply?
39.
by roboneal 14y ago
"I'm very pro free speech, but...." Let's expand on your thought process a bit....how about we just suppress all video that criticizes Islamic sensibilities just on the anniversary of 9/11? Well and maybe through Ramadan too. Just temporari
40.
by roboneal 14y ago
Is the takeaway message..that the Obama administration says we have permission to put whatever we want on Youtube as long as it doesn't offend Islam?
41.
by roboneal 14y ago
I have to disagree. You and I are pretty much stuck clicking "Flag" on Youtube. The White House gets to use the power of the bully pulpit to make such a "request" and Al Qaeda storms a few embassies and murders diplomats to make their "req
42.
by roboneal 14y ago
No I didn't mean "could". Of course, the White House "could" ask for any video to be censored/suppressed. The question is "should" they on the same "it incites" Middle Eastern mobs premise.
43.
by roboneal 14y ago
They could have quietly clicked "Flag as inappropriate" as anyone else. Instead, they made a public "request" whose intent was to put pressure on Google outside it's normal "review process".
44.
by roboneal 14y ago
Not sure what confused you. It's a rhetorical question using essentially the White Houses "incitement" argument.
45.
by roboneal 14y ago
On the same grounds, should the White House have asked Youtube to censor the numerous clips of Kerry and Biden praising the killing of Bin Laden at the DNC last week? I'm sure the Islamic world might have taken offense.
46.
by roboneal 14y ago
Does the Obama administration really want to enter the business of suppressing every "inconvenient" video that might offend the sensibilities of Middle Eastern mobs?
47.
by roboneal 15y ago
Comcast claims that the app turns the XBox into essentially a set top box and that all data is streamed over Comcast's "private" network capacity and do not use any of the traditional public facing internet infrastructure. Standard usage of
48.
by roboneal 15y ago
Being ex-military and not a sociopath -- he lost me when he said that the "vast majority of us are straight up sociopaths" We constantly made decisions that increased the risk to ourselves while trying to minimize the risk to civilians. Th
49.
by roboneal 15y ago
Are you seriously arguing that "many" people are against the "rule of law" and some form of government "approaching a democracy"? If so, why all the dead or deposed dictators?
50.
by roboneal 15y ago
Amazing the shift of perspective... How many who voted for Obama (or at least against John McCain) would expect their vote would elect a President who would violate the sovereignty of Pakistan with a special forces operation, murder an Amer
51.
by roboneal 15y ago
My definition of "civilization" is a society "ruled by law" and something approaching a "democracy". I can't think of a country in the Middle East remotely qualifying -- maybe Israel. Trying to equate "religious pandering" in the US to th
52.
by roboneal 15y ago
Europe, like America, is run by politicians with a 2-4 year election cycle "accountability" making long term multi-generational fiscal obligations (i.e., here is a tiny raise now, but we'll promise to give you free healthcare benefits 20 ye
53.
by roboneal 15y ago
Sorry, I meant "tethered" weather balloons. Which I assume would solve the "recover-ability" issue. No idea on "stability".
54.
by roboneal 15y ago
What about mounting infrared cameras to weather balloons? He seems to have a problem "lingering" over the right area.
55.
by roboneal 15y ago
I moved to Houston from Milwaukee last year. Primary reason was economic (more robust job market and the nearly 6% savings on state income taxes). Secondarily, I was tired of shoveling my weather. Never underestimate the hidden costs of sn
56.
by roboneal 16y ago
Safe to say that anyone carrying an iPad while talking on an iPhone sipping a Starbucks is middle class. In many, ways middle class is better defined as access to disposable income (at least from a marketing/retail perspective). What defin
57.
by roboneal 16y ago
Considering the article cites Census data broadly collected across the country - not sure where you are getting those mortgage/food price numbers? $1800 would buy you a 5 bedroom/2.5 bath/2400sf house in Houston. A "small" house for a coupl
58.
by roboneal 16y ago
Honest question: Based on the general sentiment here, is there anything that a government should be legitimately allowed to keep secret?
59.
by roboneal 16y ago
An organization, say like the EFF, should coordinate mass "opt-out" travel at peak travel times. A little "gridlock" might highlight the absurdity of the situation.
60.
by roboneal 16y ago
There is a difference between being a Citizen and a subject. You are not obligated to sit meekly while your rights are being nibbled at or outright violated by "people just doing their jobs".

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