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Comment: Re:Dangerous... (Score 1) 399

Basically, parent post is nothing more than a straw man argument. I do think we need to do more to ensure we have good teachers... I've run across a fair number who have no business leading a class. Whether I bitch about prison guards isn't relevant.

As far as parents "not doing their job" that is simply not true. Studies today show that mothers are just as engaged as their parents and grandparents in terms of quality time. Fathers of today are, overall, more engaged than their parents and grandparents.

I personally spend an average of 15 hours a week working with my 8 and 10 year old working on foreign language, computer programming and their normal schoolwork. Even if I did not spend that much time, I'd still be allowed to complain about the quality of a program that my tax dollars support.

Straw man argument. +5 insightful. Gotta love slashdot.

Comment: Re:Where is everybody? (Score 1) 155

by MyLongNickName (#46045391) Attached to: Studies Say Earth Won't Die As Soon As Thought

The drake equation does not take into consideration that most civilizations destroy themselves when they achieve the point of being able to communicate

One other point... we have a data set of less than one to work with, ourselves. I do not think that we can extrapolate based on our experience. Can we say with any kind of certainty that other species would follow a similar evolutionary path as ours? Would a smaller planet result in a slower evolutionary process and less global conflict once intelligence does arise? I don't know the answer to that or the thousands of other questions about how intelligent life arises. Regardless, one data point is worthless in trying to extrapolate to a whole universe.

And the reason why I say we have LESS than one example... our data point is still in progress. Perhaps the last few centuries were growing pains and we will finally mature... perhaps you are right and we destroy ourselves.

Comment: Re:Reflective Armor (Score 3, Informative) 173

by MyLongNickName (#45707441) Attached to: Army Laser Passes Drone-Killing Test

I'll give you two answers, feel free to pick the one you like.

1) When you are fighting a less-advanced army, they won't have the technology to implement your suggestions.
2) Defense (haha) contracts are written based on what will sell with congress, not necessarily what is useful

Comment: Re:Rule #1 (Score 5, Informative) 894

by MyLongNickName (#45695603) Attached to: How the Lessons of Columbine Saved Lives At Arapahoe High School

If you take a tiny handful of small neighborhoods out of the equation (places like Flint, Michigan) the United States is actually an extremely peaceful place

Your statement is completely false. Take a look at the murder rate by state and you will find that the lowest rate state is New Hampshire. Guess what? New Hampshire still has a higher murder rate (barely) than Western, Northern or Southern Europe. 42 of the 50 states have a more than double rate. 37 triple. 28 quadruple. 18 quintuple.

So no, taking a couple ZIP codes out of the equation will not get us to where civilized countries homicide rates are.

Comment: Re:Well, isn't this nice (Score 1) 961

by MyLongNickName (#45534957) Attached to: Why Scott Adams Wished Death On His Dad

You are splitting hairs


The only reason he says he wouldn't kill someone who disagreed with his viewpoint is because of the consequences. If he thought he would get away with it, he is saying he would.
