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Comment This isn't a victory for Behring-Breivik. (Score 3, Insightful) 491

Someone once pointed out that hoping a rapist gets raped in prison isn't a victory for his victim(s), because it somehow gives him what he had coming to him, but it's actually a victory for rape and violence. I wish I could remember who said that, because they are right. The score doesn't go Rapist: 1 World: 1. It goes Rape: 2.

What this man did is unspeakable, and he absolutely deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison. If he needs to be kept away from other prisoners as a safety issue, there are ways to do that without keeping him in solitary confinement, which has been shown conclusively to be profoundly cruel and harmful.

Putting him in solitary confinement, as a punitive measure, is not a victory for the good people in the world. It's a victory for inhumane treatment of human beings. This ruling is, in my opinion, very good and very strong for human rights, *precisely* because it was brought by such a despicable and horrible person. It affirms that all of us have basic human rights, even the absolute worst of us on this planet.

User Journal

Journal Journal: in which i am a noob all over again 17

I haven't posted a journal here in almost three years, because I couldn't find the button to start a new entry. ...yeah, it turns out that it's at the bottom of the page.

So... hi, Slashdot. I used to be really active here, but now I mostly lurk and read. I've missed you.

Comment Recent NPR story (Score 1) 113

I heard a story on NPR last Sunday about someone being taught by their parents that what made America great (and so much better than "the old country") was our privacy. Specifically, that it was a "federal crime to open the mail".

The story was about the effects of living connected lives. It also mentioned Zuckerberg's recent comments about the pointlessness of privacy. And how the more connected we are, the harder it is to reinvent ourselves.

More and more if feels like we've lost something of our individuality and with it something of the greatness of being a free country. Perhaps we'll find new greatness in the future, but I can't help but think that those of us in transition generations will have a rough time of it.

Comment Re:Peter jackson... (Score 3, Informative) 222

It wasn't what was cut so much as what was changed:

Merri and Pippin weren't bumbling fools who accidentally kinna tagged along, they were dear friends who wanted to help and wouldn't let Frodo go without them.
There were no elves at Helm's Deep.
Faramir was a better man than his brother and didn't try to take Frodo or the ring back to Minas Tirith.
Shelob was a fabulous ending to the Two Towers but lost drama in the middle of RotK.
Aragon wasn't hiding from his heritage, he carried the broken blade with him as a reminder of his destiny (although he was cynical about it).
Arwen wasn't a bad-ass who could out-class the wraiths, Glorfindal was the bad-ass warrior who afforded the hobbits some protection so they could get to Rivendell.

Just a few examples off the top of my head, the main thing was how many character that were fundamentally "wrong" when compared to the books.

Education

Quantum Physics For Everybody 145

fiziko writes in with a self-described "blatant self-promotion" of a worthwhile service for those wishing to go beyond Khan Academy physics: namely Bureau 42's Summer School. "As those who subscribe to the 'Sci-Fi News' slashbox may know, Bureau 42 has launched its first Summer School. This year we're doing a nine-part series (every Monday in July and August) taking readers from high school physics to graduate level physics, with no particular mathematical background required. Follow the link for part 1."

Comment Re:Educated, not crazy and not afraid. (Score 4, Insightful) 725

more like a noisy and obnoxious minority of a community.

...All christians are assholes who try to make everyone conform to they're way of life.
...All muslims are terrorists.
...All jews are stingy.
...All mexicans are illegal immigrants.
...All blacks are in gangs.
...All canadians are nice.
...All slashdot users are nerds who can't find girlfriends.

anytime you try to associate a trait with a group you're probably oversimplifying the truth.

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