Proof that Internet porn prevents rape. - By Steven E. Landsburg - Slate Magazine

Proof that Internet porn prevents rape. - By Steven E. Landsburg - Slate Magazine:

What happens when a particularly violent movie is released? Answer: Violent crime rates fall. Instantly.

Ha ha! Your theory is nothing, compared to your ignored reality. Let's see more mindless violence onscreen -- or I may be coerced to walk around my neighbourhood, looking for something to do!

Parents prepare to sue fingerprint grabbers | The Register

Parents prepare to sue fingerprint grabbers | The Register:

Parents are preparing a legal challenge to schools that have fingerprinted their children without their consent.

Janine Fletcher, a solicitor and concerned parent who instigated the legal response, said she became concerned when she learned that 70 schools in her home county of Cumbria had taken childrens' fingerprints without seeking parental consent.

Ahem.

Bwah ha ha ha ha ha!

How's your 'security' plan working now? What, innocent people have a right to privacy? Kids are too young to sign away that right (imho, presidents are too young to sign away that consent for anyone!). How strange.

Now your stupid HomeRoom Security Initiative is crushed under the light of inspection, and all it took was a tiny WhatTheFuck.

Can we start acting like we want to protect kids, now, and less like little fascists? Bring TAG back, and let kids be kids, now -- let them not need to worry about whatever their idiot minders will think of next in the way of 'protection'.

Pardon me, I need to log off: I think some Airport Insecurity Drone needs to confiscate my laptop. I heard them saying it could probably play Quake 5, you see, and they don't need a reason ...

Oracle Linux move a worry for Whom?

InfoWorld Tech Watch | InfoWorld | Oracle move a worry for Red Hat | October 25, 2006 03:24 PM | By Neil McAllister:

Oracle has offered comprehensive support for customers who run Oracle databases on Linux in the past, but the new program is something more. According to Ellison, customers will now be able to receive all their patches, security fixes, and backports for RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) releases 3 and 4 directly from Oracle.

I'm sorry. Is there a worrying part here? At least before I settle on a maintenance solution for my enterprise-class operation - if I had one - I'd want to establish that the company providing said maintenance actually had a good track record of providing decent software. Software history, for me, is a bit of a reference as to the quality of the software whcih will be produced, oddly enough.

Oracle database software doesn't work on servers, so much as it works over a server. In recent software test work, images which sprung to mind rather closely resembled bullies picking on the Short Kid and stealing his lunch money than the peaceful cohabitation of dinosaurs and men we've come to know and love as our state-sanctioned history. Playing nice isn't really known to be one of the strong points of an 800-lb gorilla, nor the software it makes.

I'll not throw too much mud around here, but I will suggest that, from where I'm sitting I just don't think that Oracle will be able to offer much better service and support for RedHat's products than RedHat has and will offer, although I'm sure an 800-lb-gorilla-ish 'support package' will be in the works. And when I throw a bag of money at RedHat, at least I know the money's going directly toward RH and Linux development and some innovation; I can't say as much for the same money thrown at Oracle or Novell, at least until the likes of Alan or TEG change employers.

I own a Mazda. I don't get it fixed at the Subaru dealer. By the same token, I don't think RedHat has much to worry about, since I already know who'll best support my RedHat servers.

Whiny Bitches Question Motives Of Bar's Dress Code

wsmv.com - News - Some Question Motives Of Bar's Dress Code:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The bar is a popular hangout on Demonbreun Street, but the new dress policy has caused some to question the bar’s motive.

“It is discrimination really,” said Jarvis Canty. “I mean, if I pay my money to go in there, I should be able to wear what I want.”

No. You shouldn't. You're forgetting the part that you're choosing to go in there. You can't have your cake (go in) and eat it (make your own rules) too. You go in, you're agreeing to do whatever they say. Discrimination involves race, creed, sex, age, disabilities and similarly immutable non-chosen qualities.

Just don't go in, Einstein, or just change your fucking shirt. They're already saying they'd prefer you don't go in if you have no decent clothing, although, for some reason, that still bothers you. What, are you only finding out now that you're not special and entitled to do whatever the fuck you want? Where were you when everyone else was growing up?

Knowing the US, though, this will be overturned and/or picketed or something, even if I feel that the people too lazy to think ahead and dress appropriately will probably be too lazy to fucking show up for a picket line anyway.

Five killed in Canada overpass collapse | WORLD | NEWS | tvnz.co.nz

Five killed in Canada overpass collapse | WORLD | NEWS | tvnz.co.nz:

'This is quite a young construction, normal life expectancy is 70 years,' Despres said at a news conference carried live on Canadian television. 'There was nothing to indicate, technically, how this could have happened.'

I think they're overlooking corruption in the consturction industry. What's that big colosseum in QC, the one with the massive cost over-runs which were partially determined necessary to fix construction problems?

An identical structure elsewhere in Laval, just north of Montreal, was closed and officials plan to inspect similar structures over the next 48 hours.

I'm sure this inspector is as impartial...

Several motorists told Canada's LCN television network they had called police up to one hour before the collapse to report seeing fissures appearing in the overpass roadbed and chunks of concrete falling to the road below.

.. as these inspectors.

Quebec officials on Sunday said a transport ministry worker then inspected the site, filed a report and left. Half an hour after his departure, Quebec police warned the ministry again that debris had been spotted falling from the bridge, Despres said.

Four minutes later, the overpass collapsed.

I feel sorry for the inspector. He'll probably be fired, and all because he said what he was supposed to say.