It's exactly that, a boogeyman that gives governments a convenient excuse to watch you, listen to your phone calls, monitor your internet usage. Do lots of things they'd like to deny. Also gives them a wonderful excuse for invading countries and ignoring borders. TWAT is based on a very shakey foundation. And yes, it's the best acronym for the current situation we find ourselves in. The UK paid it's share of blood for this foolish pursuit of "Terrorists" in far off countries. So did Australia. If the US wants to go nab oil they should do it without dragging the rest of us with it.
@CaloNord - non-conflict Buddhism and world-wide weekends playing of BG saga sounds nice, but I believe there would be people trying to screw the system. Like using EEKeeper and cheat codes...and that's just a step from total destruction of the society...
It's exactly that, a boogeyman that gives governments a convenient excuse to watch you, listen to your phone calls, monitor your internet usage. Do lots of things they'd like to deny. Also gives them a wonderful excuse for invading countries and ignoring borders.
TL;DR if you've even read an article about anonymity software, the NSA considers you to be a political extremist and is siloing your data indefinitely.
@terzaerian The U.S. is so intensly paranoid right now. Thanks for linking me that, the NSA can silo all my data it wants. They'll get a TON of Baldur's Gate posts and some coding tutorials. Well done NSA! I can't believe they get billion dollar budgets to do this. Terrorists don't meet on websites and draw pictures of their future plans with MS paint... They live in the Middle-east and communicate on donkeys. >:/
On a political side note! Political satirists in Australia present you, the government of this once great nation. This is sadly EXACTLY what question time is like now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5O2rZeM8fk
I can't believe they get billion dollar budgets to do this. Terrorists don't meet on websites and draw pictures of their future plans with MS paint... They live in the Middle-east and communicate on donkeys.
Even though I know you are joking, you really shouldn't underestimate how people looking to do harm communicate with one another. One cell was using a gmail account to plan an attack. They would log into it, write an email save it as a draft and then sign out. His friend in another country would then open the account, add to the same drafted email then just save it again. They thought as long as they didn't send the email, no one would be able to intercept it. So they do meet on websites.
Yea I know. But still. I don't mind to much having my internet use monitored from afar, we all know it's been happening for a long time anyway, I do disagree with having it all stored however. If they're after a keyword or looking for something specific that's fine, but building a massive database that contains all my/many other peoples personal information just leads to more risk of it falling into the wrong hands and being abused. It's also being used far to much to dig up dirt on political rivals, business epsionage and the like. If you're going to use it to protect the country I don't mind. ( I used to do it myself until a few years ago. ) But I don't want my information being used against me by the government or anyone because I happen to disagree with them.
On another note, according to our wise Prime Minister Australia was unsettled before the British arrived. Britain unsettled before the Vikings arrived... so obviously the hundreds of tribes of natives in both countries that had been living there for uncounted centuries don't count...?
Eh, I don't really care what they do. I don't have a whole lot to hide yet. I'm just another serial number in the endless sea of big data, and it's for a... um, reasonable cause, at least.
Eh, I don't really care what they do. I don't have a whole lot to hide yet. I'm just another serial number in the endless sea of big data, and it's for a... um, reasonable cause, at least.
This is a regrettably short-sighted view, and bad things don't need to be in your history to be used against you. This very forum could be held up in a court as an example of bad character - "it's a violent video game about the God of Murder, clearly meagloth is some sort of psychopath in the making," etc. etc.
Eh, I don't really care what they do. I don't have a whole lot to hide yet. I'm just another serial number in the endless sea of big data, and it's for a... um, reasonable cause, at least.
This is a regrettably short-sighted view, and bad things don't need to be in your history to be used against you. This very forum could be held up in a court as an example of bad character - "it's a violent video game about the God of Murder, clearly meagloth is some sort of psychopath in the making," etc. etc.
Meh. I'll probably be in a psychiatric ward with @Quartz and @CrevsDaak before that even matters. And really, as violent video games go...
Even though I know you are joking, you really shouldn't underestimate how people looking to do harm communicate with one another. One cell was using a gmail account to plan an attack. They would log into it, write an email save it as a draft and then sign out. His friend in another country would then open the account, add to the same drafted email then just save it again. They thought as long as they didn't send the email, no one would be able to intercept it. So they do meet on websites.
I'm pretty sure this was what General Petraeus was using to conceal communications during his affair wasn't it?
I'm pretty sure this was what General Petraeus was using to conceal communications during his affair wasn't it?
*cough* A general and that's the best he can come up with? Why don't you juuust... I don't know... maybe not have an affair?
You know Australia only got an R rating for videos game a couple of years ago. Before then if it was R, it couldn't be sold here or had to have a special release for Australia. The government's classification board thought it would turn children into mass murderers because they could play Saint's Row 4...
I heard Switzerland did something like that as well. They put a ban on violent games but it ended up being only like 7 games or something. The things politicians dream up ehh?
Canada uses the ESRB too but to be honest I hadn't even thought about games ratings in years. Also the ESRB is self-regulating, unlike say provincial film boards.
I'm all for free choice with what we watch, read, view and play. I don't think the government should interfere with what I choose to play for fun. I'm an adult, if I want to play Saint's Row 3 and bash people to death with a dildo then that is my prerogative. It does NOT mean that later I will go a reenact it in real life. Quite the opposite in fact. I would like to teach my children that games are the only appropriate place for violence. In this world, on the computer, you can be as violent as you choose to be, that is the place for it. Outside, in the real world is not it.
I blame religion. (Surprise surprise) In Australia anyway a lot of these pushes against games have started with religious groups. Stuffy old priests with enough of an audience to cause trouble and no intention of moving with the times. They want to go back to the dark ages when their word was law and the church had all the power. (That lead to some real healthy things) Although, that being said, I could get rid of that annoying woman in number 2 who revs her car quite loudly at 4am every morning by telling everyone she's a witch...
I'm an adult, if I want to play Saint's Row 3 and bash people to death with a dildo then that is my prerogative. It does NOT mean that later I will go a reenact it in real life. Quite the opposite in fact. I would like to teach my children that games are the only appropriate place for violence. In this world, on the computer, you can be as violent as you choose to be, that is the place for it. Outside, in the real world is not it.
While I agree with what you say... It's not true for everyone. You have to accept the fact (well, let's better call it "my subjective idea of intelligence based upon my subjective idea of intelligence") that 35% (and I am being generous I think) is stupid and won't make the same considerations as you do. Not all the world will react the same way, several people (can't tell how many with those 7 billions out there) might go and start randomly killing people with a gun, this happens from time to time in the states.
You make a valid point my good man! However, that ties in well with gun control. The U.S. is the most heavily armed country on Earth. In Australia if you want to go on a murderous rampage with a gun you have to wait for the police to answer your paperwork, then attend a gun safety course, then wait for your license, then buy a gun and wait for the holding period thing. Assault rifles, full automatics are out, sniper rifles are out, you can get semi-auto pistols and bolt action rifles, that's about it. The chances you know someone with a gun, or have a family member with one or break into a random house and find one are MUCH much lower here. I think I've covered gun control before, the general population have no need for a firearm. They own one because everyone else has one. Farmers are the only exception really, they can justify owning a rifle or shotgun. Besides, the U.S. has one of the finest military's on Earth (Bar a few 'incident's' here and there, but generally speaking) they can keep you safe from the British when Anduin comes to take his colonies back. :P
I agree with @CrevsDaak. 49.9% of the population is below average intelligence. While
May be true, if a kid is raised on bashing people to death with dildos, then he is FAR more likely to do it later in life, and not all parents can be trusted. Some are simply absent, others are just 3/3/3/ int/wis/cha.
@CaloNord true, I know that the number of weapons sold in the us is unnatural, in my country, getting a gun (legally) needs around an year of paperwork, and lots of studies about your psychical and physical states, you can't have any type of criminal record, etc. But, well, there are a lot of weapons that are sold illegally here.
To me, the really ludicrous thing about our 2nd amendment in the U.S. is that it was, in large part, originally intended to allow the populace to defend itself against a tyrannical government. Should it come to that at some point in the future, the idea that citizens equipped with automatic and semi-automatic weaponry could hope to survive against a professionally trained, highly mobile force of unfathomable power over land, sea, and air, all guided by satellite surveillance, is completely laughable. What are you gonna do, empty your Glock at the drone bearing down on you? Ridiculous.
Look past the 2 mentally disturbed individuals killing the officers. That happens more often than it should. Look past the weapons that they used. Look past the gun fight that they had with the officers.
Look at the one civilian causality in Walmart. One. How did he die? He took the law into his own hands because he was armed and attempted to play hero. He tried to do what trained professionals are suppose to do and lost his life because of it. He lived and died by what he perceived the second amendment was about. Carry a firearm for your protection. He was killed for it.
If they can't change the amendment, they need to change their attitude on why you need to carry one around with you.
Comments
TWAT is based on a very shakey foundation. And yes, it's the best acronym for the current situation we find ourselves in. The UK paid it's share of blood for this foolish pursuit of "Terrorists" in far off countries. So did Australia. If the US wants to go nab oil they should do it without dragging the rest of us with it.
1. Not giving a fuck. This is the default mode when everything is more or less fine.
2. Self-righteous anger. And this is the mode for when something goes wrong and the greedy corrupt politicians are obviously to blame.
@CaloNord - non-conflict Buddhism and world-wide weekends playing of BG saga sounds nice, but I believe there would be people trying to screw the system. Like using EEKeeper and cheat codes...and that's just a step from total destruction of the society...
The one to unite all of Ireland and take over England.
http://boingboing.net/2014/07/03/if-you-read-boing-boing-the-n.html
TL;DR if you've even read an article about anonymity software, the NSA considers you to be a political extremist and is siloing your data indefinitely.
I can't believe they get billion dollar budgets to do this. Terrorists don't meet on websites and draw pictures of their future plans with MS paint... They live in the Middle-east and communicate on donkeys. >:/
On a political side note! Political satirists in Australia present you, the government of this once great nation.
This is sadly EXACTLY what question time is like now.
'Tax the rich... yea you mean take money off the rich? It's never been done before... It can't be done...'
It's also being used far to much to dig up dirt on political rivals, business epsionage and the like. If you're going to use it to protect the country I don't mind. ( I used to do it myself until a few years ago. ) But I don't want my information being used against me by the government or anyone because I happen to disagree with them.
On another note, according to our wise Prime Minister Australia was unsettled before the British arrived. Britain unsettled before the Vikings arrived... so obviously the hundreds of tribes of natives in both countries that had been living there for uncounted centuries don't count...?
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-says-australia-benefited-from-foreign-investment-because-it-was-unsettled-before-the-british-20140703-zsvby.html
Do we dare set foot in you browser history?
You have my congratulations anyway. :P
*cough* A general and that's the best he can come up with? Why don't you juuust... I don't know... maybe not have an affair?
You know Australia only got an R rating for videos game a couple of years ago. Before then if it was R, it couldn't be sold here or had to have a special release for Australia. The government's classification board thought it would turn children into mass murderers because they could play Saint's Row 4...
http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.js
And movies:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Association_of_America_film_rating_system
And tv:
http://www.tvguidelines.org/ratings.htm
Looks like aulstrailian uses the same ratings for everything though.
I'm all for free choice with what we watch, read, view and play. I don't think the government should interfere with what I choose to play for fun. I'm an adult, if I want to play Saint's Row 3 and bash people to death with a dildo then that is my prerogative. It does NOT mean that later I will go a reenact it in real life.
Quite the opposite in fact. I would like to teach my children that games are the only appropriate place for violence. In this world, on the computer, you can be as violent as you choose to be, that is the place for it. Outside, in the real world is not it.
I blame religion. (Surprise surprise) In Australia anyway a lot of these pushes against games have started with religious groups. Stuffy old priests with enough of an audience to cause trouble and no intention of moving with the times. They want to go back to the dark ages when their word was law and the church had all the power. (That lead to some real healthy things) Although, that being said, I could get rid of that annoying woman in number 2 who revs her car quite loudly at 4am every morning by telling everyone she's a witch...
I think I've covered gun control before, the general population have no need for a firearm. They own one because everyone else has one. Farmers are the only exception really, they can justify owning a rifle or shotgun.
Besides, the U.S. has one of the finest military's on Earth (Bar a few 'incident's' here and there, but generally speaking) they can keep you safe from the British when Anduin comes to take his colonies back. :P
Not nesisarily related to videogames but inching were talking about guns, and @CaloNord especially will get a good laugh out of it.
Should it come to that at some point in the future, the idea that citizens equipped with automatic and semi-automatic weaponry could hope to survive against a professionally trained, highly mobile force of unfathomable power over land, sea, and air, all guided by satellite surveillance, is completely laughable.
What are you gonna do, empty your Glock at the drone bearing down on you? Ridiculous.
For it, If they can change one of the amendments in the Constitution what is preventing them from changing the others?
However, the second amendment has been taken grossly out of context which brings me to the other side of the argument:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/usanow/2014/06/08/3-dead-in-shooting-at-vegas-restaurant-walmart/10204227/
Look past the 2 mentally disturbed individuals killing the officers. That happens more often than it should. Look past the weapons that they used. Look past the gun fight that they had with the officers.
Look at the one civilian causality in Walmart. One. How did he die? He took the law into his own hands because he was armed and attempted to play hero. He tried to do what trained professionals are suppose to do and lost his life because of it. He lived and died by what he perceived the second amendment was about. Carry a firearm for your protection. He was killed for it.
If they can't change the amendment, they need to change their attitude on why you need to carry one around with you.