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[2014-11-04 12:59:05] - mig: Yeah, I've heard that there is a big battle brewing over indie titles. Surprises me that PS4 is winning. Didn't microsoft win last gen indie titles? What happened? -Paul
[2014-11-04 12:19:01] - paul: you've probably already heard, but looks like Gary Johnson will be giving it another go for 2016. - mig
[2014-11-04 12:02:04] - "there's no solaris video player" it seems like you're maybe discounting my viewpoint with this statement. they refuse to support chromecast. they refuse to support my smarttv. the big problem is *i* can't decide which player to use, they tell me what player i can use. that's completely backwards, imo. ~a
[2014-11-04 11:47:58] - in other words, don't expect normal DRM minus shitty DRM to be a very big number. ~a
[2014-11-04 11:46:27] - "shitty DRM < normal DRM < DRM-free". ok, i'll agree with that of course. but i guess, where we might disagree: when it comes to companies that sell media that is "normal DRM" or "shitty DRM" for about the same price as a dvd, i get mad at that company for trying to sell bullshit. ~a
[2014-11-04 10:36:11] - a: they pull the plug 2 years later, then that's much worse than a company who just has ordinarily "i have to be online" "there's no solaris video player" kinds of limitations - aaron
[2014-11-04 10:33:28] - a: shitty DRM < normal DRM < DRM-free, i mean hopefully that goes without saying. when i buy DRM stuff from amazon, i'm accepting the limitations of their DRM, maybe i can only watch it on specific TVs or eventually maybe only over the internet once they stop selling those kinds of TVs. i'm not mad at amazon over that. if i buy a DRM movie from amazon, and - aaron
[2014-11-04 10:30:17] - a: i understand the difference between DRM and DRM-free, but the idea of "we sold you this thing 3 years ago and now it's useless" is exclusively a problem with shitty DRM implementations, and shitty companies. good DRM doesn't have this problem - aaron
[2014-11-04 10:28:16] - back to your original thing: in my opinion, this isn't a problem with microsoft, this is a problem with drm. ~a
[2014-11-04 10:26:27] - aaron: if the network goes down, if i'm offline in afghanistan, if amazon decides to stop supporting their service, if amazon's servers happen to be too slow one day, if throttling of my isp prevents me from watching the movie, if any of these things, drm falls on it's face. and i cry salty tears. ~a
[2014-11-04 10:25:24] - aaron: (for example) i bought a movie on amazon's movie service. i cannot (now or ever) play that movie on every device i want. i can't watch it on my phone, i can't watch it on my home computer, i can't watch it on my work computer, i can't watch it on my chromecast, i can't watch it on my smarttv. i can *only* watch it on my roku. ~a
[2014-11-04 10:23:21] - aaron: "it's not a problem with DRM in general, it's specifically a problem with DRM from shitty companies" i strongly disagree here. when it comes to *purchasing* data (renting i consider differently), consumers want to be able to use the data in ways that the data distributor can't always foresee. drm must, by design, prevent users from doing what they want. ~a
[2014-11-04 09:34:11] - so if you do like the peggles/defense grid type games, that's something to conside.r - mig
[2014-11-04 09:33:38] - paul: I'm unaware of any 3rd party developer that just dropped one of the major 2 consoles. I would just worry about what individual console offers. One thing I'll note about the PS4, is that it's indie developer support is far superior. The PSN+ set up they've got going is immensely popular. - mig
[2014-11-04 08:57:18] - a: oops, wal*mart's music store opened in 2004. they started selling DRM-free tracks, and shut down their DRM servers in 2008 -- but re-opened them due to bad customer feedback. when they permanently closed their music service in 2011, they apparently still kept their DRM servers running to this day, so they're WAY better than microsoft... didn't know that - aaron
[2014-11-04 08:54:15] - a: actually, amazon opened its instant video service in 2006. they've rebranded in 2011 as "Amazon Instant Video" but they maintained support for their DRM, so as of today they've got an 8-year-window where they've maintained support for existing customers. so they're better than microsoft too - aaron
[2014-11-04 08:51:22] - a: microsoft opened their music store in 2004, shut down their store in 2006, and shut down their DRM servers in 2008, giving people a 2-4 year window to listen to their "purchased" music. it's the worst DRM support i've personally experienced from any company, but maybe some other company did a worse job. i heard about walmart's music service for example - aaron
[2014-11-04 08:48:49] - a: it's not a problem with DRM in general, it's specifically a problem with DRM from shitty companies. the iTunes stuff i bought over 11 years ago still plays fine. i haven't really bought my amazon movies long enough ago to make a fair comparison - aaron
[2014-11-03 22:02:45] - aaron: Yeah, that's another thing I'm worried about in a way. Not that they'll stop supporting the Xbox necessarily, but something similar. They already kinda stopped supporting the Kinect, for instance. -Paul
[2014-11-03 21:36:26] - that's not a problem with microsoft, that's a problem with drm in general. have you bought any movies on amazon? or itunes? ~a
[2014-11-03 20:09:01] - paul: maybe that's unfair
but there's a "Herbie Hancock - Rock It.wma" file on my hard drive which i can never listen to again, because microsoft decided to replace their music store with a newer, more popular music store, shutting down the older DRM servers in the process - aaron[2014-11-03 20:05:05] - paul: i wouldn't be worried about third party developers abandoning the XBox One -- but i would be worried about microsoft ditching the product and releasing a newer more powerful successor, leaving their customers hanging. they kind of have a history of doing that - aaron
[2014-11-03 20:02:39] - paul: i tried paperkarma tonight. the "take a picture of your mail" part seems flaky, it works best with national companies with a clear mailing address (like CapitalOne), not so good with local companies or colorful flyers. regardless of whether the picture-recognition works though, you can search its database for the company name, and it will unsubscribe you - aaron
[2014-11-03 18:41:18] - xpovos: do you want to buy a new (unopened) xbox one for $350? also, yes i'm totally serious. ~a
[2014-11-03 17:41:39] - Paul: Interesting article. I'm still planning to buy an Xbox One ... eventually. This kind of thing could help me because it should make the push to lower the price more significant. I don't understand the desire for a PS4 at all. For me in this 'next' gen battle, it's One or nothing. And nothing is still the champ. -- Xpovos
[2014-11-03 17:28:17] - a: Interesting. Thanks. I'll give that a try tonight if I can find the time. -Paul
[2014-11-03 17:23:49] - dd.exe is in cygwin (i just tested it in my vm). cygwin even has ddrescue: a version of dd specifically designed to get data out of devices with bad sectors. ~a
[2014-11-03 17:21:35] - http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/10/updated-numbers-show-ps4-with-at-least-65-percent-of-two-console-market/ PS4 appears to be crushing the competition (in the console market). I was considering getting an Xbox One since Microsoft keeps dropping the price, but now I'm starting to get worried about if the console will get support from third party developers. -Paul
[2014-11-03 17:03:53] - a: Haha, really? I had completely forgotten. I guess I should get that from you sometime. I don't know if there is a dd equivalent for windows. -Paul
[2014-11-03 16:46:22] - i often use dd if=/dev/dvd of=output.iso ~a
[2014-11-03 16:45:15] - paul: i still have your dvd. ~a
[2014-11-03 16:43:31] - I feel like this is a question from a decade ago, but does anybody here have any recommendations on DVD ripping software that can handle bad sector copy protection? I've tried DVD Decrypter and Handbrake but neither seems to work. -Paul
[2014-11-03 15:48:27] - aaron: Have you tried it? Does it work? -Paul
[2014-11-03 15:36:15] - https://www.paperkarma.com/ paperkarma. scan your junk mail using your android/iphone, it automatically unsubscribes you - aaron
[2014-11-03 12:50:28] - mig: If your state registers that way, yes. Virginia does not register with party affiliation. -- Xpovos
[2014-11-03 12:27:54] - a: Yeah, I can't imagine that letter doing anything but backfiring. I wonder if those people guilted into voting actually vote Democratic after all is said and done? -Paul
[2014-11-03 12:15:33] - remember minorities, women, vote democrat or you are a self-loathing misogynist or an uncle tom! - mig
[2014-11-03 12:14:47] - Last year it was republicans demanding libertarians are somehow morally obligated to vote for Cucinelli because ... reasons. This year it's democrats making hysterically bigoted outburts about anyone who disagrees with them. - mig
[2014-11-03 12:11:06] - paul/mig: seems like a dick move to me. i'd go out of my way to go into vote against anybody that sent me that mailer. ~a
[2014-11-03 12:08:22] - But yes, this definitely hits my pet peeve about people treating voting as a personal decision, but as some sort of moral obligation to the altar of the state, and that you've committed a mortal sin of sorts by not voting. And even more annoying, that we somehow "owe" something to the 2 major parties in doing so. - mig
[2014-11-03 11:54:06] - paul: I think my opinions on the subject of voting should make my thoughts on this clear enough. I do find it interesting that whether or not one votes is public information, or is it public information if you are registered with a party? - mig
[2014-11-03 11:31:22] - a: Looks like a good time was had. Sorry we missed it (and had to cancel our own party at the last minute). We're hoping to try again soon, though. -Paul
[2014-11-03 11:30:14] - mig: http://reason.com/blog/2014/10/31/vote-shaming-reminding-you-the-parties-t Thoughts?
-Paul[2014-11-03 11:30:06] - aaron: Yeah. Exactly. My whole sense of normal gets thrown off like twice if I keep going back and forth. -Paul
[2014-11-03 11:28:59] - http://aporter.org/pics/ (if you missed the party saturday) ~a
[2014-11-03 11:09:17] - paul: yeah, it's really weird going from left to right and left again, because my brain goes... "normal... okay, that's a little weird... okay that third one is REALLY weird" even though it's the same one i looked at the first time - aaron
[2014-11-03 10:42:34] - a: Yeah, and it's something that I didn't even notice the originals looked weird until I saw the altered ones. -Paul
[2014-11-03 10:37:22] - paul: agreed. the altered versions look more realistic (and less freakish?) in almost every example. ~a
[2014-11-03 10:30:58] - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/30/disney-princess-real-waistline_n_6076634.html Some of the originals on the left really look weird after comparing them to the altered images on the right. -Paul
[2014-11-03 10:30:54] - aaron: yeah that is pretty amazing. I knew being you could get a decent income by being a popular youtuber, but I didn't know it could be that lucrative. - mig
[2014-11-03 09:00:49] - Xpovos: That was my assumption too. I was just disappointed because I didn't think that sidewalk got a lot of foot traffic and it seemed to be an ideal place to get some exposure. I would ask for a replacement, but at the time, it was too late to get another. -Paul
[2014-11-03 08:59:48] - a: Ah, okay. Makes sense. I would probably tend to leave them be, but I can see your side of things too. -Paul
[2014-11-03 08:32:28] - holy crap i had no idea pewdiepie made $4M a year from views. that's waaay beyond what my expectations were for youtube celebs - aaron
[2014-10-31 14:40:08] - http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2014/10/30/youtube-60fps-video-is-here-and-it-looks-incredible/ I was watching a video for the Mortal Kombat X last night and was wondering why it felt like the animation was running a lot more fluid that I'm accustomed to on youtube. - mig
[2014-10-31 12:06:54] - *No, it wasn't for Cuccinelli. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-31 12:06:38] - Yours was almost certainly vandalized by an anti-Sarvis person. I had a sign up in my yard last year (first time ever) and it fell over many times from the wind and eventually disappeared (my neighborhood is not particularly friendly to my political ideas) but it lasted quite a while. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-31 12:05:40] - Paul: Many local ordinances prohibit signs. Political ones sometimes get a caveat under some sort of 'civic education' premise, but even then they're illegal in those situations the day of (or not more than a week) after the election. Some localities probably do prohibit even campaign signs. Not relevent here for multiple reasons, though. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-31 11:07:47] - paul: no. i never said they were illegal. it's just my opinion. if it's public property, (assuming it isn't literally litter) put whatever you want there, and don't get mad if i go and take it. it's like . . . abandoned property. ~a
[2014-10-31 10:27:04] - a: So, are all those political signs on the medians of roads illegal, then? I see them all the time and I have to imagine it's public property... -Paul
[2014-10-31 09:45:44] - paul/xpovos: i've never touched a political sign before, but if it was obviously on public property (i understand this one was not) i'd probably consider it fair game. if i'm worried someone will see me i'll usually leave a sign alone. also, the last time i touched a sign was years ago. ~a
[2014-10-31 08:43:45] - a: Ah, okay. Well, my sign definitely wasn't trash (it's still relevant, as the election hasn't passed, and I was planning on keeping it as a memento even afterwards) and I don't think it was on public property (it was on the grass between the sidewalk and my house). -Paul
[2014-10-30 20:07:15] - New post: I'll take down signs, particularly campaign signs if I see them after the election, and it's not horribly inconvenient. The campaigns are supposed to do that, but I'm a concerned citizen. I'm stricter about yard sale signs and such, though, because there's less political recourse. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-30 20:02:15] - Shit.
[2014-10-30 20:02:10] - a: I <a href=saw the sign. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-30 18:08:31] - ummm, i haven't done it recently. but i dislike signs in general. specifically, signs are trash when left behind by somebody on public property. "i'm a sign, not a cop" sums up my feelings on signs that tell me to do things. or signs. ~a
[2014-10-30 16:04:02] - a: Really? What kind of signs? I guess it could've been some random person walking along the sidewalk. -Paul
[2014-10-30 16:01:50] - or just a random. i've taken down signs i didn't like before. ~a
[2014-10-30 15:41:49] - a: Doubt it. Our HOA seems pretty lazy/relaxed. It was on the other side of my fence, off of West Ox road, so I suspect either some government employee (I was pretty sure it was legal to place it there, but maybe I was wrong) or somebody from another campaign... -Paul
[2014-10-30 15:29:30] - paul: hoa? ~a
[2014-10-30 14:44:16] - Boo. I think somebody took down my Sarvis yard sign.
-Paul[2014-10-29 20:45:12] - All that said, this was 70 years ago and in Belgium. Which is kind of your point. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-29 20:44:12] - a: Well, in this decade, most dioceses have a shortage of priests, so we don't have ones that can spend excess time studying astronomy--they don't have excess time. Most sciences have also evolved (pardon the language) to the point where a basement hobbyist can't really compete. That was far less true even 50 years ago. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-29 20:28:45] - a priest astronomer. wow. something i can't imagine in america, in this decade. ~a
[2014-10-29 18:28:52] - and priest. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-29 17:19:09] - mig: also, the big bang theory was first proposed by Georges Lemaître, a roman catholic - aaron
[2014-10-29 12:05:18] - Mig: See my 1950 link below. Also: The local Catholic Church joined with the plaintiffs in 1981's McLean vs. Arkansas against 'equal time' teaching of creationism and evolution. Also 1996 JP2: http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp961022.htm -- Xpovos
[2014-10-29 11:50:06] - xpovos: maybe this will help clarify - did the Church have any sort of official position on evolution/big bang before this proclamation? - mig
[2014-10-29 11:44:19] - * the Christian denominations making up 89% of the Christian population in the United States. Obviously that's very different from what I actually said, since the small fringe groups that are anti-evolution would clearly push that number lower if it was counting denominations. Sorry. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-29 11:40:38] - This link indicates that ~89% of Christian denominations have an official or semi-official statement out in favor of, or tolerant of evolution. http://ncse.com/rncse/18/2/what-do-christians-really-believe-evolution There are some caveats on the Baptists, though. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-29 11:35:43] - mig: That's outside my field. I mean, how many Waynesboro Baptists are there? But how much noise do they make? Catholics make up between 22 and 25% of the population in the U.S., depending on survey. Other Christian denominations make up an additional ~52%, with the plurality of that being Baptist. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-29 11:02:18] - xpovos: How much of a minority though? I definitely agree that belief in evolution and genesis isn't really all that contradictory, and I figure for catholicism it certainly isn't that controversial, but I wonder about the other denominations. - mig
[2014-10-29 10:26:55] - Speaking of not a BFD, 1950 - Pius XII's Humani Generis. So pretty much old hat. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-28 22:10:29] - At lest... within Catholicism. I can't speak to as great an extent on other denominations, but we're biggest, so that counts for something. Plus that's the feeling I get from my conversations with them. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-28 22:09:49] - Secondly, a mixture of creationism, (i.e. God created the world and life in the form of species) and evolution (i.e. species change over time to adapt to habitats, etc.) is pretty much standard thought in most mainstream Christianity. The die-hard "man was created as he is and never evolved" types are a vocal minority. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-28 22:08:23] - mig: Less of a BFD than you might think. Without reading the details, I can say contrary to my previous post, that the church has erred in scientific matters MANY times. Where the church is infallible is in the Pope's unique teaching authority on matters of faith and morals. Anything else he's subject to as much error as anyone else (maybe more). -- Xpovos
[2014-10-28 22:07:01] - a: People, yes. That's the value of the Church. Divinely created, divinely inspired, incapable of promoting something as truth that isn't. Of course, if you don't believe in that either, such statements are meaningless; but there it is. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-28 21:08:26] - xpovos: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/28/pope-says-evolution-and-creation-both-right thoughts? this seems to be a BFD. - mig
[2014-10-28 17:03:18] - why? "interpretation thereof". i'll bet you'd agree that people have misinterpreted "truth" many many times before. ~a
[2014-10-28 16:06:48] - a: Sure, but if that's correct, the entirety of the religion is down the drain too, so it's all moot. Really it's a zero-answer to the equation. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-28 15:17:47] - xpovos: "people either accept truth or reject it" there is always that third option. that the "truth", or interpretation thereof, might be incorrect. ~a
[2014-10-28 15:15:37] - xpovos: "do not give what is holy to the dogs"? yeah you probably don't want any of that mixed imagery in your analogy. ~a
[2014-10-28 15:10:07] - g: Probably not. People either accept truth or reject it. I recall something about pearls before swine. And I should hasten to add, before I get myself in more hot water on this board, I am not calling anyone swine. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-28 14:40:03] - http://reason.com/archives/2014/10/28/vote-libertarian-to-stop-the-next-bipart Reason has a series of interesting editorials explaining why to vote Libertarian/Republican/Democrat this election. This one was written by Sarvis, the Republican one was written by Rand Paul. -Paul
[2014-10-28 14:37:05] - mig: honestly, probably not. otoh, it sounds like this democrat isn't getting the benefit of the doubt either. ~a
[2014-10-28 14:09:38] - g: oh i agree, he certainly meant to say "her" and it just came out wrong. I do wonder though if a non-democrat would get the benefit of the doubt in a similar situation... - mig
[2014-10-28 13:44:18] - mig: I was tempted to say I would vote for the republican just to punish the candidate, however I can see Her and Whore sounding similar with some accents.... ~g
[2014-10-28 13:39:19] - a: im not sure the church cares about what people think of what they think of people... ~g
[2014-10-28 11:42:22] - http://www.mediaite.com/online/sc-democratic-challenger-apologizes-for-calling-nikki-haley-a-whore/ this amuses me on a few levels. - mig
[2014-10-28 10:41:19] - yes. i don't mind being gravely sinful or scandalous. evil doesn't sound like me. unless said in jest.
~a[2014-10-28 07:40:06] - In case it wasn't clear, gravely sinful and evil aren't the same thing at all. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-28 00:12:08] - ah, cool. thanks. ~a
[2014-10-27 23:45:14] - a: In most cases, no. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 23:19:33] - those living in sin, homosexuals, divorcées, condom users, heathens, they aren't evil? i mean, their actions aren't evil? ~a
[2014-10-27 19:24:10] - What we're talking about is exactly the opposite. Welcoming the sinner, preferably penitent. The issue is the difference between evil and scandalous. Evil is something like pedophila. Scandalous is something like openly living in a state of grave sin. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 19:22:55] - a:OK. And I technically was the one who started using the word evil, but that wasn't in reference to most of the things you're talking about. Let's say we have an unrepentant murderer. Evil person, evil actions, per your own language. If we say, "all are welcome", we have a problem with that because it welcomes the evil person...
[2014-10-27 16:59:20] - xpovos: well, ok. in that case, i guess i don't feel comfortable calling other peoples actions as "evil" when they aren't really that bad. if you're not going around infringing on other people's rights, or otherwise failing to treat other people the way you want to be treated, then i have a hard time calling your actions evil. ~a
[2014-10-27 16:18:22] - Sorry all for the split reasoning, I had the message board open in two windows and a reply going in each. My multi-tasking failed me today. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 16:18:01] - The first secret is Mirror Entity. It was in play first, so it triggers and a copy comes into play with no battlecry. Now my Hypothetical comes into play and destroys the remaining secret? That's my understanding of how a play with those rules would work; but I could also see an argument for both secrets are destroyed, no copy made. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 16:16:47] - mig: I have a new Hearthstone card, "Hypothetical" a creature with battlecry "Destroy an opponent's secrets". My opponent is a Mage (my initial thought was Hunter for Snipe, but Mage works better) who has two secrets on the board. I play Hypothetical....
[2014-10-27 16:13:49] - Paul: That's easy to believe. Gillespie is a terrible candidate. I'm all over Sarvis for Senate. I wasn't for him in the gubenatorial race mostly because Cuccinelli was just so much better (for me). I'm not entirely sold on Sarvis, but I'm way more sold on him than the other guys. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 15:19:28] - mig: Back to this, I think the confusion might be in that death rattle goes off in order of being played, but battlecry triggers prior to entry. In Magic terms, it's an effect from the spell that can go off even if the spell were to be countered, which would be weird in Magic. I've got another example of how that interaction could play off and be weird. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 15:10:54] - a: The problem is the failure to disconnect. People do evil things. That doesn't make them evil. Even Hitler, a genuinely evil guy, isn't evil because he did an evil thing. He's evil because he did an extraordinary number of evil things, intending to do them, and without remorse. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 15:09:40] - mig: I don't know if there is a solution to that kind of problem. I agree it looks weird, and particularly in this situation where it changes the outcome of the game... but whenver basic rules are allowed to interact in increasingly complex fashion, there's going to be that point of confusion. This one seems sufficiently rare to not be an issue. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 13:17:02] - http://reason.com/blog/2014/10/23/poll-finds-double-digit-support-for-rob Sarvis polling better than Republican candidate among millenials. -Paul
[2014-10-27 13:01:46] - but visually it looks like mind control tech played, battlecry steals juggler, then juggler procs, which leads me to wonder whether that is actually intended. - mig
[2014-10-27 13:00:51] - he plays the mind control tech because ... why not? He ends up grabbing a knife juggler, and the knife juggler immediately triggers it's proc, hitting the face for 1 damage, enabling the druid to hero power for 1 more damage and win. So I understand the OOP - tech's battlecry -> knife juggler stolen -> tech is summoned -> knife juggler proc. does make sense sort of
[2014-10-27 12:57:19] - so i saw a hearthstone clip yesterday that perplexed me. I understood why the interactions worked as they did, but was wondering if that's how it *should* work. so the situation: druid player is facing an opponent's full board vs. an empty one for him. His opponent only has 2 health but he only has a mind control tech in his hand and his hero power ...
[2014-10-27 12:18:36] - xpovos: if you start calling too many things evil, then you're effectively calling the things that people are evil. that doesn't sound loving enough to me. let's keep the number of things we call "evil" to a smaller number of very serious things (coveting and murder and such). ~a
[2014-10-27 12:15:22] - mig: jokes. ~a
[2014-10-27 12:15:12] - That God loves you regardless of your sins, that the Church is a source of refuge and healing for all even those with grave sins. Especially those with grave sins. It's going to refocus a lot of debate around the idea of scandal, I think. That'll be the big change. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 12:13:05] - If homosexuality is so important to you that it defines who you are, you're going to have a hard time with Catholic doctrine which says that it's intrinsically disordered and homosexual acts are gravely sinful. That statement is highly unlikely to change. But the goal is to put more emphasis on the other half that rarely gets heard. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 12:12:10] - a: to a catholic, yes, because the word marriage does have a very specific religious meaning to the church. - mig
[2014-10-27 12:11:57] - The whole purpose of the synod from Francis' point of view (a good one, I'll say) is that the church needs to be more inclusionary, but there are severe difficulties. We want all to be welcome, but that doesn't mean we change policy and now accept evil. The difficulty is that it's all mixed up in identity politics. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 12:10:56] - a: I saw that less as being a jackass and more as humor, so well done? It's an interesting tack for an argument at least. But I'll leave it alone since it's not beneficial at the moment. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 12:07:55] - sorry, i'll stop being a jackass. it is interesting to me that this is changing. i hope it changes, because i want churches to be more inclusionary. ~a
[2014-10-27 12:05:38] - xpovos: is the word marriage important? do divorced people care about the government recognizing their union? or do they care about the legal rights that get conferred by the church? if its the latter then shouldn't the church just get out of the "marriage" business? ~a
[2014-10-27 10:01:19] - The synod's report goes to the Pope as an advisory thing, then the Pope may, at his discretion, make a proclamation of some sort for or against, or neither. Or do nothing at all. If the Pope makes a proclamation, then it's a BFD, until then it's still just noise. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 10:00:12] - All of the bishops at the synod vote on the grafs, not all bishops attend. It's selective, but I don't know the process by which they were selected. Nothing will change (immediately) even with a radical super-majority. E.g. 100% of the synod could vote to have a blessing of same-sex marriages (another hot-button) and it wouldn't change anything that day. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 09:58:41] - a: "Extraordinary Synod on Marriage and the Family" I belive is the official name. The most liberal cardinals are pushing for divorced and remarried individuals to be permitted to recieve the Eucharist at Mass. That's one example, there are a lot of issues, but that's a hot-button. ... -- Xpovos
[2014-10-27 08:49:16] - xpovos: which synod? what's a midterm report? what are the liberal cardinals pushing for? who's voting for the grafs? what is something that will actually change when a super-majority is achieved? what is actually happening? ~a
[2014-10-24 19:36:34] - the awkwardness of the social media age. I see an article about a missing womans remains being found is "liked" by someone on my friends list. - mig
[2014-10-24 08:23:06] - So, even from my TL;DR the ttl;dr version is: nothing changed, nothing will change for quite a while, even the talking about change is fraught with periods of nothingness. The ultimate conclusion (years from now) is bound to be disappointing. But it's been a rare and fun view into some of the church politics. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-24 08:20:47] - The final paper is 63 paragraphs long, each paragraph (or graf in the speak) earned a simple majority of support. For the next synod the final paper will need a 2/3 majority per graf, which shouldn't be hard because 60 of the 63 passed with supermajorities this time. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-24 08:19:29] - Most of the hulabaloo was over the midterm report which in language and tone was much closer to moving on some major issues. The liberal cardinals, Kasper in particular, pushed hard; and got pushed back hard after the midterm. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-24 08:18:25] - The status right now is: the synod published a final paper, which will be reviewed at the next synod (not extraordinary) which will then present their paper to the Pope (who has been heavily involved in the synods, so it's not like it'll be new) for consideration, which may or may not result in any papal action in any particular direction. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-24 08:16:52] - a: There's not much to explain at this point. I figured because of the subject matters and the media tilt there'd be some more interest from some folks, including some here, but it's been pretty tame and mostly a source of angst for folks on the other side of the aisle. I.e. traditionalists were freaking anything could change more than anyone else for anything else.
[2014-10-23 22:52:34] - or "elia" (explain like i'm atheistic).
~a[2014-10-23 18:51:27] - xpovos: i've skimmed a few articles and i don't have enough context to understand. tl/dr? ~a
[2014-10-23 11:07:14] - Anyone (other than me, obviously) pay any attention to the recent Extraordinary Synod? -- Xpovos
[2014-10-23 10:34:34] - a: That's just what animals want you to believe! -- Xpovos
[2014-10-22 16:21:32] - plants can't feel pain. ~a
[2014-10-22 13:47:58] - a: And what about major plant suffering? -Paul
[2014-10-22 13:17:11] - paul: veganism. vegetarianism isn't enough as there is still major animal suffering. ~a
[2014-10-22 09:43:26] - aaron: Time for vegetarianism? -Paul
[2014-10-21 16:12:59] - http://i.imgur.com/Yrkw4sH.gif moomy
- aaron[2014-10-21 15:16:00] - http://www.vox.com/2014/10/17/6988377/threats-to-americans-ranked-ebola-isis-russia-furniture It might have a slightly liberal slant, but I still enjoyed this article trying to put the threats that Ebola and ISIS pose to us in perspective. As always, we underrate the flu and traffic accidents. -Paul
[2014-10-21 12:07:20] - xpovos: yeah, true enough - aaron
[2014-10-21 11:52:42] - Wow, better than 2:1. Still, that just shows useage, not which is correct. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-21 10:19:24] - Aaron: I was leaning towards "hardy" myself, but didn't at all feel strongly about it so I kept my trap shut.
-Paul[2014-10-21 09:35:14] - mig: that's what i thought but google disagrees (i don't know why googlefight is in french today) - aaron
[2014-10-20 13:03:33] - +1 -- Xpovos
[2014-10-20 12:26:20] - aaron: hearty. - mig
[2014-10-20 12:15:48] - "hearty handshake" or "hardy handshake"? - aaron
[2014-10-20 11:38:32] - mig: Ah, the hypocricy angle. Got it. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-20 11:30:31] - well, this was in the context of the federal government, but point understood. However, I'm fairly sure that this comment was made by someone who would totally flip their shit if Reddit, for instance, started mandating people use their real names to comment. - mig
[2014-10-20 10:53:31] - mig: It's a legitimate question. Obviously at the federal level, it exists, since that's a 9th/10th Amendment issue. But in theory the states could get pretty persnickity with the monitoring of speech and be perfectly constitutional. We have 'free' speech, which means what we say can't be censored without strong cause and freedom of assembly, which is very non-anon
[2014-10-20 10:26:33] - Sometimes reddit comments make me sad: "Since when do Americans have the right to anonymous speech?" - mig
[2014-10-17 10:59:41] - Paul: I'm not sure, I was never able to identify it. There were mostly only green things, a lot of grasses of various types, some shrubberies. There might have been some lilac. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-17 09:52:27] - Xpovos: Interesting. What smelled so good, then? Flowers? -Paul
[2014-10-17 09:33:41] - Paul: I was walking through a garden yesterday, and despite being at the end of all growing seasons, it smelled fantastic. Yet I'd wager there wasn't a single thing in there that was even edible, let alone intended as food. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-16 16:05:24] - aaron: Odd, I don't have any particularly strong feelings on how cantaloupe smells OR tastes. -Paul
[2014-10-16 16:04:07] - paul: i love how cantaloupe smells, but it has almost a strangely bitter taste that i don't like at all. but i think that's a personal thing - aaron
[2014-10-16 15:40:54] - https://www.facebook.com/events/580408215397988/?ref=3&ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular Not sure if I can make it, but I thought I would post this here in case anybody else was interested. -Paul
[2014-10-16 15:16:56] - aaron: Well, I was thinking it smells really good, but generally tastes disappointing based on the smell (not that it tastes bad). I was only thinking of food, but Mr. Sketch markers would otherwise certainly qualify.
-Paul[2014-10-16 15:02:24] - I like the smell of white out, but have never actually tasted it. -Daniel
[2014-10-16 14:51:52] - paul: does it have to be food??? i submit Mr Sketch markers - aaron
[2014-10-16 14:51:35] - paul: like, smells very very good and tastes very very bad? - aaron
[2014-10-16 13:00:25] - I submit for the message board's consideration, my suggestion for food with the highest ratio of smelling good to how it actually tastes: Cup O Noodles. -Paul
[2014-10-16 11:46:15] - http://www.nationalreview.com/article/390395/travel-ban-marc-siegel do-something! politics strikes again. At least in these latest cases they are honest about it, I guess. - mig
[2014-10-16 10:01:34] - and Warner has some weird ad trying to tie Gillespie with Enron because I guess he worked for some lobbying group that received money from them. -Paul
[2014-10-16 10:01:12] - mig: Consider yourself lucky. I'm sure it's not true, but I feel like the political ads are dumber this time around. Comstock ads just want to hammer home Foust's "She's never had a real job" quote. Foust just wants to talk about how Comstock is against abortion. Gillespie keeps talking about how often Warner votes with Obama... -Paul
[2014-10-15 16:49:43] - I suppose I'll chalk it up into my media consumption habits then. - mig
[2014-10-15 15:58:20] - Xpovos: I think I've only blocked one ad on my Facebook feed so far, and it was because I just wasn't overly comfortable with viewing the image while at work (it was for some dating service). I also recall hearing some Maryland governor ads on the radio, now that you mention it. -Paul
[2014-10-15 15:47:46] - To the point, though, I've seen a ton of anti-Gillespie ads and a bunch from the Maryland Governor's campaign. All on traditional TV advertising, or spots in on-demand TV. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-15 15:39:34] - Paul: Yeah, that's why Facebook can charge an advertising premium. I'm generally pretty lenient about the ads I let Facebook show me. The only exception is: no ads or sponsored posts go in the feed. Anything shows up there that doesn't belong and I axe it immediately. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-15 15:32:55] - "You're seeing this ad because Democrats wants to reach men aged 18 to 65 who are in Virginia. This is based on things like your Facebook profile information and your internet connection." -Paul
[2014-10-15 15:32:46] - Not only can you choose to hide all ads from Democrats or say that you don't want to see this or that it's useful, but you can also choose "Why am I seeing this". When I chose that, I was told.. -Paul
[2014-10-15 15:30:53] - mig: Somewhat related, but I commented to Gurkie recently that I found it a little strange how Facebook insists on reminding me (complete with video ad!) that Ramon likes Democrats on my news feed. I finally clicked on the corner of the post and got surprisingly helpful information. -paul
[2014-10-15 15:24:05] - paul: maybe i've somehow managed to insulate myself from it all. I'm surprised I haven't heard much on the radio aside from maybe 1 pro foust ad but maybe they're trending away from that medium. - mig
[2014-10-15 15:22:12] - mig: I haven't noticed a decrease. Seen a ton of Comstock/Foust commercials and a fair amount of Warner/Gillespie as well. -Paul
[2014-10-15 15:18:31] - Well I guess we have all the congressional reps and Mark Warner, but it's odd I've yet to see or hear an pro/anti Warner ad at all so far. - mig
[2014-10-15 15:05:50] - Is it just me or have their been less electoral ad activity this cycle? Granted, I only have been watching tv on football sundays, but I've seen relatively little ads compared to years past. Maybe because locally VA doesn't have any candidates running? I've hardly heard anything on radio either. - mig
[2014-10-15 14:16:30] - mig: there's also this: hbo has great content. it's arguably better content than anything netflix or hulu creates. i want to fund great content coming from non-cable distribution channels. ~a
[2014-10-15 14:03:45] - a: right, i forgot about the john oliver show. - mig
[2014-10-15 13:59:21] - it drives me nuts that amazon prime is sans-chromecast. ~a
[2014-10-15 13:58:41] - mig: all of the things. jon oliver's show was the impitus for me, but there are probably a dozen hbo shows i want to watch. amazon-prime has been getting a ton of hbo's content and that has been nice, but getting it right from the source would be even better since i'll be able to see current shows (game of thrones?). and extra points for chromecast support! ~a
[2014-10-15 13:56:50] - takemymoneyhbo.com updated ~a
[2014-10-15 13:56:20] - a: is there something particular on hbo you've been wanting to watch? - mig
[2014-10-15 13:53:40] - finally ~a
[2014-10-15 13:44:54] - the only interesting or informative commentary has pretty much come from more neutral observers (i.e. people like Total Biscuit). - mig
[2014-10-15 13:38:07] - I've honestly gotten tired of reading about it, because it does seem like the one side is just repeating the Whedon and Felicia Day tweets ad infinitum, or declaring any minority or female who actually does side with #gamergate to be "traitors". - mig
[2014-10-15 13:30:35] - mig: Right, and I'm beginning to understand that that seems to be some of the beef that the other side (can't really think of what to call the sides) has. It seems like any legitimate criticisms they might have is being drowned out by this idea that they're all misogynistic jerks. -Paul
[2014-10-15 13:19:31] - paul: the preferred method of debate among people like this is to simply declare all people who disagree with them to be literally hitler, and then declare victory. - mig
[2014-10-15 12:42:19] - Both were re-tweets, one by Joss Whedon and another by Felicia Day. Obviously, I don't really disagree with either tweet, but it seems to me that the implication is that the "other side" is all about murdering female game developers. Am I off base here? -Paul
[2014-10-15 12:40:34] - Tweet 2: "If you still think an issue exists that's worth threats of murder and school shootings, not sure what else to say. You're the problem." -Paul
[2014-10-15 12:40:10] - But just today, I saw two tweets in my twitter feed from very respectable people who seem to have taken the stance that one side is just completely bonkers and ridiculous. Tweet 1: "Should women be allowed to create and play video games without fear of being murdered in real life? Let's hear both sides of the story." -Paul
[2014-10-15 12:39:06] - Let me know if you guys are sick and tired of #GamerGate, but it looks like the story rages on and I'm beginning to see why people are so passionate about it. It seems like most outside observers agree that there are at least two "legitimate" sides to the controversy (even if one side is viewed more favorably than the other). -Paul
[2014-10-15 12:02:34] - Is a bit of an anomaly among European countries in economic policy. - mig
[2014-10-15 12:02:11] - xpovos: Chile is rather famous (or infamous depending on your political leanings) for privatizing its retirement system, and it's gone through some other free market reforms in the past as well. UK is a weird one. I actually was reading an article the other day about the Royal Mail being privatized about a year ago, so even with blights like NHS, it seems the UK
[2014-10-15 11:29:22] - a: In case it wasn't clear, I don't think Chile is actually all that awesome a place to live. It might be, I've never been, but since I don't speak Spanish I'd probably have a hard time. I did find it interesting how green Chile was according to all of those metrics, ones which I'd normally consider to be good. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-15 09:18:44] - yeah, a number of things surprise me about that database. based on things i've heard, it's weird that australia and the UK are so green. ~a
[2014-10-14 19:31:52] - Wow, Chile looks like an awesome place to live... -- Xpovos
[2014-10-14 17:19:21] - not the most unbiased source in the world, but it's interesting to read regardless: 2014 index of freedom (also with map). ~a
[2014-10-14 14:34:43] - i'll be watching that tonight. . . . i'm so excited! i love watching tds when they make fun of democrats. ~a
[2014-10-14 14:30:43] - http://www.salon.com/2014/10/14/jon_stewart_slams_politicians_for_campaign_fundraising_hypocrisy/ Don't quite agree on the idea that money in politics is so bad, but I'm glad Democrats are being called out for being hypocrites on the issue. -Paul
[2014-10-14 14:25:47] - a: Hehehe, yeah, I almost included that part too, but wasn't sure if it would fit the character limit. The entire conversation was great.
-Paul[2014-10-14 14:23:45] - "I said, 'a large gold medal,' as one does. So they opened it up and they said, 'What's it made out of?'" ~a
[2014-10-14 14:18:56] - http://reason.com/blog/2014/10/14/nobel-prize-winner-talks-about-getting-h Who gave this to you? The King of Sweden. Why did he give this to you? Because I helped discover the expansion rate of the universe was accelerating. -Paul
[2014-10-14 12:06:16] - paul: I think the last 2 sentences of that article perfectly summarize my sentiments on the subject. - mig
[2014-10-14 12:04:13] - http://i.imgur.com/vySOQf3.jpg halloween comic - aaron
[2014-10-14 11:51:06] - mig: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/14/why-i-will-not-vote I was a little taken aback by how angry the comments were for this article. I guess they take their voting pretty seriously in Britain. -Paul
[2014-10-14 10:52:26] - http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/10/14/robert-downey-jr-will-be-in-captain-america-3 For Marvel comic fans, this has to be exciting. -Paul
[2014-10-14 10:07:51] - I mean, if the author are going to support a draconian law which by his own admission will probably ensnare innocent people, don't you need really solid evidence that it's necessary? The author's evidence in support is flimsy at best, and I think I'm being charitable in that assessment. - mig
[2014-10-14 09:47:46] - Also what's the citation that false accusations "happen very, very rarely". Are we just supposed to take his word for it? - mig
[2014-10-14 09:47:30] - http://www.cnet.com/news/dorian-nakamoto-solicits-donations-to-sue-newsweek/#ftag=CAD590a51e -Paul
[2014-10-14 09:47:01] - a: if the sole rationale for the second statement is that one flawed study (and it is indeed very flawed), then no, I don't think that statement is logical at all. - mig
[2014-10-14 09:46:07] - mig: Seems like the outrage isn't over if the charges are right, though, but the symbolism of the wheelchair being used against somebody with a disability. I do wonder if this would be a bigger story if it was a Republican man who had done it against a disabled woman. -Paul
[2014-10-14 09:44:22] - a: Just because it seems logical doesn't mean the numbers back it up. How often is "constantly"? What is "sexual assault"? Rape is already against the law, so it seems like laws like this would only serve to criminalize more marginal cases that don't qualify as rape and probably shouldn't be prosecuted anyway. -Paul
[2014-10-14 07:05:19] - Paul: I'd heard some of the uproar, but I wasn't familiar with the ad itself. After briefly educating myself, I can see why it's caused a firestorm and why most people think she shouldn't have done it. It does look like a desperation move. But it also seems like a more fair attack than Foust. Part of that might be scripted vs. off the cuff, though. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-14 02:12:31] - "I don't want to say [false accusations] never happen, because they do happen, and they're awful. But they happen very, very rarely. Sexual assault on college campuses, by contrast, happens constantly." seems logical to me. ~a
[2014-10-14 00:55:49] - The author even admits he has no fucking clue how much of a problem sexual assault on college campus really is. He just knows we have to react with a terrible law because ... reasons. - mig
[2014-10-14 00:52:03] - And there are a host of other problems with the methodology in that study that the author neglects to mention, because god dammit, we have to do something. - mig
[2014-10-14 00:49:55] - we can also go into the sole study that he cites as the rationale for this admittedly terrible law. It's bad enough the study actually only surveyed a grand total of 2 universities (out of however many hundreds of universities there are nationwide). How you can credibly cite this as some sort of national figure is just mind boggling. - mig
[2014-10-14 00:32:48] - a: we can start with the title. - mig
[2014-10-13 23:36:09] - what's wrong with the article? ~a
[2014-10-13 17:46:01] - http://www.vox.com/2014/10/13/6966847/yes-means-yes-is-a-terrible-bill-and-i-completely-support-it this article probably represents everything I despise about do-something politics. - mig
[2014-10-13 17:27:36] - Honestly I find the recent attempts by both parties to politicize the ebola non-outbreak to be a little more despicable. - mig
[2014-10-13 16:58:36] - paul: well the Davis ad is really light on details. I don't think its necessarily foul to bring up possible hypocricy because of the circumstances of his disability, but her charges could be bullocks. - mig
[2014-10-13 14:22:17] - Xpovos: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/10/13/blowback-continues-after-texas-candidate-wendy-davis-ad-uses-wheelchair-to/ What do you think of this one? Fair or foul? It seems fine to me, but I'm also an insensitive jerk.
-Paul[2014-10-13 14:21:47] - Xpovos: So, you were definitely right about the Foust comment about Comstock not having a job. I've been seeing a bunch of press (TV and mail) with that quote plastered all over it. -Paul
[2014-10-10 17:37:04] - The problem is that they require so much to get the EZ Pass, because the EZ Pass is designed to pay tolls, not ride HOV/slug. So slug drivers need to get one. And if you don't use it 'right', which includes at least once per month, they screw you with fees. Not to mention the privacy concerns. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-10 17:35:50] - So they scrapped that plan fast and just bolted a 'feature' onto the EZ Pass which lets you toggle it to tell the system you're high occupancy. And then if they find you aren't you get a massive massive fine. It's inelegant, but works for an automated process. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-10 17:34:51] - The proposed solution years ago was some kind of scanning system that would be able to count people in a vehicle through the glass. That works OK in VA because of the existing no-window-tint laws. But it's pretty hard to actually do, of course. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-10 17:34:10] - a: The problem with HOT lanes is differentiating between the HOV and the toll. Tolls are easy, use the EZ Pass. But what about the HOV. You can't just say, "don't use and EZ Pass" because then there's no control and no one pays a toll. So you need a solution to differentiate. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-10 17:10:03] - which crazy requirement? (i'm not doubting a crazy requirement, i just don't know to what you refer) ~a
[2014-10-10 16:23:12] - All of that is ignoring the logistics problems of the EZ Pass system and the crazy requirement for the EZ Pass flex. It's like they said: we need a technological fix for this problem, what's the most assinine thing we can do that requires no effort? -- Xpovos
[2014-10-10 16:20:07] - As an occasional slug driver, I'd much rather pick up slugs than pay $. I'm just hoping enough people agree with me. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-10 16:19:35] - Slugging dies if the drivers feel the convenience of not picking up people/having strangers in the car is worth $. If that happens, the HOT lanes will be a DISASTER. The busses will be unable to keep up with demand and the main lanes will get even more crowded. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-10 16:18:25] - a: I'm in a wait-and-see kind of mode. I've actually slugged a lot less in the past two years. My schedule is a little erratic, and the times when I can get a predictable schedule, I've been able to have a regular carpool. But HOT doesn't necessarily kill slugging either. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-10 16:09:11] - paul/xpovos: the hot lanes system seems like the best of both worlds: you get the benefits of HOV and the benefits of funding for roads. you can have money to build good roads and you can have the underprivileged appreciate a fast commute. it helps the environment. in most scenarios (everybody but current slugs) it makes the commute quicker. sorry, xpovos. ~a
[2014-10-10 16:01:11] - It's not 66, but I've been watching the I-95 HOT construction very carefully for years because that could significantly impact my commute, and almost certainly not for the positive. -- Xpovos
[2014-10-10 15:50:16] - a: I'm lucky in that my commute doesn't involve 66 or 495, so I really don't have strong opinions either way. Don't toll roads offend your sense of net neutrality, though? (Tongue firmly planted in cheek). -Paul
[2014-10-10 15:41:18] - $2k/year seems like a stretch, but i guess i'm assuming pricing on 66 will be similar to the pricing on 495. ~a
[2014-10-10 15:40:59] - paul: "three free lanes and two HOT toll lanes". that doesn't sound like an expansion to me, but i'm not totally sure. anyways, i disagree with aaron, i think this is a good thing. i love what 495 did and if i was in rush hour every day on 66 or 495, i'd pay the $1k/year or get people to carpool with me. ~a
[2014-10-10 15:31:48] - aaron: Too bad I don't speak Mandarin.
-Paul[2014-10-10 15:26:48] - paul: you know, "i want to play texas hold-em poker, for a $20 buy in, using kem cards, and paul has to sit in front of a wall-length mirror, with ambient music from one of those iPod speakers" - aaron
[2014-10-10 15:25:58] - Aaron: That's what I thought the "Mandarin speaking dealer" thing might've been at first, since the first article didn't mention why it was necessary. -Paul
[2014-10-10 15:21:55] - paul: but yeah i'm honestly surprised that all three of those requests were necessary for his ploy to work, i would have expected him to throw in one or two red herrings along the lines of van halen's "no brown m+ms" request - aaron
[2014-10-10 15:17:52] - https://www.kardwell.com/gemaco-gemback.htm i don't know if anybody else was curious how he cheated, but this is what gemaco cards look like. phil ivey had an accomplice ask the dealer (in mandarin) to turn some cards 180 degrees. since the card pattern stretches all the way to the edge, this allowed him to see when important cards were coming up next - aaron
[2014-10-10 15:10:08] - http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/10/09/famed-poker-pro-phil-ivey-accused-of-cheating-by-casino-loses-court-case-and-12-million/ And here's the answer. Sadly, it wasn't as wacky as I was hoping. -Paul
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