Yeah once you get accustomed to the voice there is actually some fun content here. I for one LOVE First Contact despite the many flaws in the story. The borg queen was a really stupid idea, if you ask me. The faceless, personality free borg as force of nature is much more awe-inspiring.

>> ^jbaber:
Cecil Adams' take on it.


That is an incredibly small minded, limited view of things. It's virtually quoting exactly what suntzu said - if we're not getting a jam banana why are we there?

God i despair of people that argue that we SHOULDN'T expand, shouldn't reach out, shouldn't shoot, quite literally, for the fucking stars. The one thing that marks our generation to make it stand out above all other generations is our fucking apathy towards everything. Depression levels soar. We're all content to be working 40 hours a week in an officeblock as another faceless tool lining someone's pocket - who, we will never know. I feel like we insult our evolutionary forefathers with our lack of desire to try, to excell and to strive.

This cunt says "It will take 5000 years to reach other solar systems with next generation propulsion systems due to the limitations of the universe." And then he says "But never say never, we may find a way to circumvent them - but not in a rickety space bucket."

It's a self defeating idea. Don't go into space until we can conquer all of space. And then how will we learn how to conquer space? AGAIN historically, if we had said "Well i've made a boat, but it'd take me a year to sail around the world in it, so forget it, destroy the boat and don't bother with it anymore until we have a cruise liner that can carry millions of tonnes around the planet in days."

How does this douche milkshake think we get from something that is inadequate to something that exceeds all expectations? By sitting there with our thumbs up our arses? Or is it by trial, error, experimentation, understanding, observation, refinement, followed by a brilliant idea on how to improve it?

>> ^blankfist:
It's easy to complain about a business when you've never invested money in a venture yourself. Most business owners are NOT billionaire fat cats with top hats and monocles. Most are working to make a living, and a lot of restauranteurs make less than the servers because of the debt and having to pay worker salaries first before paying theirs.
That aside, when these customers sat down to order they agreed to the mandatory tip. It would've been wise for the restaurant to comp them when they complained, but they certainly are not obligated to do so.
I rarely tip less than 20% unless the service is terrible. Even when mandatory I tend to add to it. I suppose I should move to Europe where they "make better society" and then I'd never have to reward people for their good work.


I think you are twisting my words. I know that restaurants are not a big faceless corporation with tons of cash and so on, that's not the issue. The issue is that a tip should not be mandatory - then it is a bill or a tax, or even as demon_ix says, fraud. "When they sat down they agreed to the mandatory tip" how should they know that? Did the restaurant advertise it to them or is it just implied? If all prices just happen to me 20% more expensive than what's listed, I'm inclined to say it's fraud too.

As a libertarian, I would have think you agreed with me on this, but a tip should not be a tax, it should be a donation. If you want to give the servers, the cook etc. extra money you are free to do so over here too, but it is your own choice.

When restaurant owners rely on tips to make up a decent wage for their employees, they are profiting on their employees good service instead of the employees doing that. That's (bad) exploitation. I like the more direct approach in Europe, where waiters get to keep the tips themselves on top of their wages, which would be enough. I suppose it's different when the minimum wage is almost $20, hence my "make better society".

It doesn't matter if Rs are "invited" to this travesty of communist legislation.

Once the socialist swine control all of health care, that's it, game over. The government will have life or death power over the sheeple; it'll be up to some faceless bureaucrat to decide whether your expensive cancer drugs or critical operation is "in the budget".

BTW, how many times are taxocrats going to repeat the fucking lie about "50 million uninsured"?

this made national news?

they really went with it too. played the whole "what a great patriot you are sir". "i think i'm going to cry just thinking about what you've done for us". then she starts feeding him the story (as the interview starts collapsing) with the agenda they need to push for this to be newsworthy. "oh, the travesty of it all!" and then she tops it off by getting all belligerent with the 'evil' faceless voice at the end: "do my bidding, for we are the news!", "DO IT!".

quality stuff.

Ah, yes, community college, as if being a faceless drone in the labor force weren't humiliating enough. How I miss it.

its extremely easy to live beyond your means when your earning potential is lower than the cost of living.

a recent poverty study i read had the stats for what it costs for different family sizes to live in specific areas of my state.

a single parent, 2 child home in fort worth, tx needs to make a minimum of $38,000 + change to make sure basic needs are met..... now how many single moms do you know that make at least 38k/year? im a single mom with 2 kids and a college degree and just barely started to crack the 38k mark last year. i barely hover it. that means i can afford all the basic necessity, but if an emergency comes along, were fucked. but somehow we manage.

20% of the kids living in poverty in texas come from homes where all the adults in the house work. the industries of economic growth in texas are low wage employers, namely walmart and construction.

dont talk about 48% of americans living beyond there means without talking about how many of those americans can actually earn enough to meet their needs.

oh and how many of these giant faceless industry were talking about employ 100,000 of people and dont pay them enough to make their ends meet? but as long we have a job right?

fuck all of these people.

>> ^thepinky:
^Yes, but both of the "examples" seemed to be aimed at me. Maybe I'm just overly-defensive. Probably.

I wasn't aiming anyone (except whoever got "secular" wrong -- that was pretty pointed). I took ideas I remembered reading about earlier and made them clearly generalizations for the examples. I made one from each side so it wouldn't single anybody out. Missed.

FWIW, you'll notice, Pinky, that I had already upvoted a few of your comments.

Anyway, I'm just some anonymous guy on the net being snippy about faceless others. It's easy to do, so I wouldn't worry about what I say.

^Makes sense. What do you think about these alternatives to governmental intervention:

1. increase birth control usage by reducing governmental regulation (i.e. make it over the counter, and cheaper to produce)
2. develop more female and male birth control products
3. rely on values instilled by families to encourage family planning
4. foster a culture which highly regards those who adopt children, and remove the restrictions on adoption.

I think one of the most detrimental effects governmental regulation has had on our lives is that it disrupts our social cohesion. Jobs that once were performed by brothers, sisters, parents, neighbors, coworkers, and friends are now performed by faceless governmental officials. These jobs (caring for your parents at old age, providing for your children, helping your friends through hard times) are what foster relationships, and when you transfer all these jobs to the government what you are left with are broken families and poor relationships with your fellow man.

That's funny. I just finished quoting Orwell, too! Ha! Orwell warned of absolute power corrupting absolutely, and the power in which we give bigger government is the power we lose as individuals. There is no such thing as social liberty; only individual liberty. I see what you mean now when you say "concentrated power". You're thinking more in terms of the blue bloods and the corporate elite being given power and influence in government policy, but what I'm saying is removing that ability by having less power in the Federal government.

Do you know what it would take to sue a corporation today in this country? A lot. It's damn near impossible without creating a class action. This used to NOT be true, but the government in its infinite wisdom decided to regulate corporations, thus edging out smaller business and making punishment for larger corps less effectual. These days, the government has instated a pollution fine which is in essence a "pollution tax" for the deep pocketed corporations that can easily afford it. So, if a corp pollutes or destroys a communities water supply or air or property, we've almost entirely removed the individual's ability to sue that corporation. The government, however, has the right to tax them... I mean, "fine" them.

If we allow the courts to do their job, large corporations (which shouldn't have the same rights as humans, that's just absurd, but that's what happens when big money gets near Washington) would be properly punished locally by the communities in which they tried to operate. This is something that requires a longer conversation, but that's essentially the gist of it. Believe me, I'm against concentrated power.

In reply to this comment by dystopianfuturetoday:
Likewise.

This is an important point that is seldom made. With your disgust for Orwellian doublespeak and concentrated power, I'm surprised you disagree. I think limited government is a fair argument, but some of your allies intend to replace so called government tyranny with private tyranny. As far as I can tell, you are not anarcho-capatalist. Are you?



In reply to this comment by blankfist:
I've never seen you so political on the Sift. I like it.

In reply to this comment by dystopianfuturetoday:
'Small government' is such an arbitrary and meaningless term. It's pure corporate propaganda, and it's disturbing that traditional media has been able to put this frame into our brains and mouths. .

Notice that the biggest pork, corruption and waste comes from the same people who hawk this 'small government' canard - the Bush administration. They don't seem to mind giving away billions upon billions of our tax dollars to their own corporate cronies, but when we need more teachers or a better healthcare system, they bitch and moan about 'big government', and we buy into it.

Have you ever heard these people proclaim the need for 'small corporations'? Never, because 'large' corporate tyranny is the whole point of making government small; Taking power from the people and giving it to nameless, faceless entities with no accountability, oversight or responsibility to the public.

Our citizen elected government isn't an Orange Mocha Frapachino, so enough with the small, medium and large bullshit. The correct size of government should be whatever allows it to function at its most efficient and most effective. No more. No less. Logic is your friend.

Likewise.

This is an important point that is seldom made. With your disgust for Orwellian doublespeak and concentrated power, I'm surprised you disagree. I think limited government is a fair argument, but some of your allies intend to replace so called government tyranny with private tyranny. As far as I can tell, you are not anarcho-capatalist. Are you?



In reply to this comment by blankfist:
I've never seen you so political on the Sift. I like it.

In reply to this comment by dystopianfuturetoday:
'Small government' is such an arbitrary and meaningless term. It's pure corporate propaganda, and it's disturbing that traditional media has been able to put this frame into our brains and mouths. .

Notice that the biggest pork, corruption and waste comes from the same people who hawk this 'small government' canard - the Bush administration. They don't seem to mind giving away billions upon billions of our tax dollars to their own corporate cronies, but when we need more teachers or a better healthcare system, they bitch and moan about 'big government', and we buy into it.

Have you ever heard these people proclaim the need for 'small corporations'? Never, because 'large' corporate tyranny is the whole point of making government small; Taking power from the people and giving it to nameless, faceless entities with no accountability, oversight or responsibility to the public.

Our citizen elected government isn't an Orange Mocha Frapachino, so enough with the small, medium and large bullshit. The correct size of government should be whatever allows it to function at its most efficient and most effective. No more. No less. Logic is your friend.

I've never seen you so political on the Sift. I like it.

In reply to this comment by dystopianfuturetoday:
'Small government' is such an arbitrary and meaningless term. It's pure corporate propaganda, and it's disturbing that traditional media has been able to put this frame into our brains and mouths. .

Notice that the biggest pork, corruption and waste comes from the same people who hawk this 'small government' canard - the Bush administration. They don't seem to mind giving away billions upon billions of our tax dollars to their own corporate cronies, but when we need more teachers or a better healthcare system, they bitch and moan about 'big government', and we buy into it.

Have you ever heard these people proclaim the need for 'small corporations'? Never, because 'large' corporate tyranny is the whole point of making government small; Taking power from the people and giving it to nameless, faceless entities with no accountability, oversight or responsibility to the public.

Our citizen elected government isn't an Orange Mocha Frapachino, so enough with the small, medium and large bullshit. The correct size of government should be whatever allows it to function at its most efficient and most effective. No more. No less. Logic is your friend.

'Small government' is such an arbitrary and meaningless term. It's pure corporate propaganda, and it's disturbing that traditional media has been able to put this frame into our brains and mouths. .

Notice that the biggest pork, corruption and waste comes from the same people who hawk this 'small government' canard - the Bush administration. They don't seem to mind giving away billions upon billions of our tax dollars to their own corporate cronies, but when we need more teachers or a better healthcare system, they bitch and moan about 'big government', and we buy into it.

Have you ever heard these people proclaim the need for 'small corporations'? Never, because 'large' corporate tyranny is the whole point of making government small; Taking power from the people and giving it to nameless, faceless entities with no accountability, oversight or responsibility to the public.

Our citizen elected government isn't an Orange Mocha Frapachino, so enough with the small, medium and large bullshit. The correct size of government should be whatever allows it to function at its most efficient and most effective. No more. No less. Logic is your friend.

>> ^phelixian:
I usually agree with Yahtzee, but I whole heartedly disagree this time. Fighting games are the consoles bread and butter going way back to SF2. I bought the playstation for Tekken and Battle Arena Toshinden. PS2 for Tekken 2. And while my PS3 purchase had more to do with it's media streaming, racing and MGS4, I still love mashing buttons against faceless online opponents on Tekken. Perhaps if he had been driven to the mall by his grandma with a roll of quarters for Virtua Fighter when he was a lad like I had he'd understand it a bit more. I guarantee he couldn't beat me with the throw button, and everyone know that the AI isn't the point of fighting games, but playing against your friends IS.


You're falling into the trap of taking any of what he says personally.

HE doesn't much like these games, but YOU can like them if you want. If you feel you need to defend them so much perhaps you are uncertain of your love of them. If you love them, and are happy with loving them, then let it lie... there's sure as hell enough people who agree with you.

I used to quite like a round or two of Mortal Kombat, but noawadays I find that I have better things to do than commit to memory insane lists of button combos just so I can do the moves required.

I usually agree with Yahtzee, but I whole heartedly disagree this time. Fighting games are the consoles bread and butter going way back to SF2. I bought the playstation for Tekken and Battle Arena Toshinden. PS2 for Tekken 2. And while my PS3 purchase had more to do with it's media streaming, racing and MGS4, I still love mashing buttons against faceless online opponents on Tekken. Perhaps if he had been driven to the mall by his grandma with a roll of quarters for Virtua Fighter when he was a lad like I had he'd understand it a bit more. I guarantee he couldn't beat me with the throw button, and everyone know that the AI isn't the point of fighting games, but playing against your friends IS.