Which Government on this planet is willing to negotiate with accused criminals in order to bring them to trial? It doesn't happen, not in Democracies or Dictatorships. The most you might get is "I'll surrender at the station tomorrow morning so you don't have to haul me out of my house in handcuffs." but even that isn't a sure thing.

Then save those conversations for private, like The former Clippers owner ... oh wait !

You are not anonymous on the internet. Your identity is just obfuscated. Of course, you can lie to yourself and believe otherwise.

I remember back when I was 14, there was barely internet and there was definitely no "Internet Trolls", and we liked it that way (Apple ][ era)!

Email is not a Documentation system. It just isn't. Documentation should be centralized and pointed to for newbies and veterans returning from Vacation/Holiday alike. While it MIGHT suffice for such out of convenience, it really starts to show as documentation ages and people come and go organizationally.

You have failed to realize the shrinking Middle Class is caused by government strangling the economy with taxes, fees, regulations and laws. You speak of "robust middle class" when there is less of it everyday. Taxes are regressive, and if you look at the combined taxes people pay (hidden sales, excise, non-hidden sales, income, fees, duties and property taxes ...) you realize that we all are serfs to government. Tell me, when was government ever satisfied with the taxes it collected?

Because being a serf to someone is our only option, right?

I guess Liberty doesn't mean shit to people anymore.

1/2 are PARTIALLY due to NIMBYism. However, the real costs (Construction, Labor ...) are all increased beyond the original estimate. And from my perspective, the fact that these costs were not represented to the tax payers in the first place (short sightedness), when they KNEW it wouldn't be as cheap as they presented, makes the whole thing a lie.

3) It is "feasible" at what cost. Feasibilty at the cost they presented, hardly. Not even close. And they knew the real cost all along and lied about it to get their pet project.

4) Arguing Airfare costs are going to increase, while at the same time denying the actual increasing cost of the HSR is quite hypocritical of you. The current estimate is a one way fare from Sacramento to San Diego is going to be $120 range, when it is complete, and that cost will certainly be subsidized by the taxpayer. Additionally we have no idea what kind of transportation system will be needed in 20 years, with Public Versions of Google Cars and Tesla types and ....

Trains are 1800 Technology, and work well for established mid range corridors (200-300 Miles max). Sacramento to Los Angeles is outside that range. And forget Redding to San Diego.

HSR is nothing more than a romantic fantasy.

Honest question:

What's the difference with a criminal walking in public and being identified by some person who notifies the authorities VS. a criminal walking in public and being identified by a camera using face recognition software which notifies the authorities?

There are no cameras in our homes watching us. There are no cameras in the bathroom watching us. No cameras where there's a reasonable expectation of privacy...

I just don't get the argument that a camera scanning my face in public is the "government assuming I'm a criminal and treating me like one" and a stranger scanning my face with his eyes (though maybe creepy) isn't assuming I'm a criminal.

I'll admit I have an uneasy FEELING about the practice, but I haven't found a reasonable argument AGAINST it in public places.

This is flat out error and wrong. All taxes are regressive, even the ones that "target" the rich. Remember the "Luxury Tax" during the Clinton era? It was short lived because it didn't collect any revenue and cost thousands of jobs or regular people as the rich suddenly stopped buying Luxury Items (boats, planes, limos etc). It didn't hurt the rich, it hurt the people who made stuff for the rich.

It was so bad, so quickly that it was repealed in very short order. You don't hear about it, because it doesn't fit the "Progressive" mantra of "Progressive" taxes.

The fact of the matter is, taxes are a necessary evil, because they are regressive, either intentionally (Cigarette Taxes), or unintentionally (Medical Device Taxes under Obama Care).

Demonize the rich all you want, I don't care. But the moment you try to take from them via "Taxes" you're not going to hurt them at all, you're gonna hurt those that work for the rich. That's the thing about "disposable income", they don't have to use it at all or they can use it to keep more of their own money and avoid taxes, and that always hurts those whose incomes depend on the rich spending that money.

Another fine example of "All taxes are regressive".

The people who can least afford taxes, are hit the hardest, while the people who can afford spending money to save even more will. Even when targeting "the rich", it never works out the way people expect.

TAXES are regressive, all of them. Until the left realizes this, we're stuck being turned into serfs unto our government masters.

The HSR system is already 1) More expensive than they promised, 2) Already behind schedule, 3) Not really feasible, 4) will cost more than a half a dozen round trip plane tickets for every man, woman, child in the state (legal and illegal) BEFORE the first passenger buys a $120 one way ticket (and the huge state subsidy).

I hope it dies a horrible death. There is no possible way to justify the expense.

Great, the planet (unspecified) you're going to is twice the size of Jupiter and is going to crush you the moment you arrived. Nicely done Darwin Award Winner!

Great, the planet (unspecified) you're going to is as hot as Mercury and is going to burn you to death the moment you arrived. Nicely done Darwin Award Winner!

Great, the planet (unspecified) you're going to has toxic atmosphere of Methane (or any number of other gases that will kill you) and is going to suffocate/poison you the moment you arrived. Nicely done Darwin Award Winner!

You have a great deal of faith that there is another Earthlike planet out there, but have no actual proof that one actually exists. My guess, is if they do exist, they are unimaginably rare.

I think you miss the greater point, Man what a freaking awesome story. Be damn glad you can tell it.

I prefer understanding risk. If I have one in ten chances of success, and I only try once, and fail, then I haven't understood the risk. And if I have success, then I am simply "lucky".

Venture capitalists understand risk and rewards. They structure their deals in such a way that most people see them as Parasites, leaching off other's hard work. I don't see them that way. I see people willing to take high risks for the chance at amazingly high rewards.