Linux Mint, and I'd assume Ubuntu too, has already pushed the updates out. Happy happy. Joy joy.

I was raised in a Roman Catholic family, was baptised, took communion, got confirmed and married in the church, and ended that association in 1993, when after my wife and I separated and divorced she decided she wanted our marriage of 7 years and one child anulled, and had that granted. I didn't respond to the petition as by then, I figured that if through a few words and mumbo jumbo by some shaman here on earth, our marriage never was in the eyes of the Lord, then to hell with the Lord, he must be nothing but made up nonsense, too. Thanks to the internet, I've connected with people and made friends with folks who think like I do -- that there really isn't any magical guy in the sky looking down on us all, and this after a full read of the Bible and a lot of personal reflection.

Is there a facility to adjust this? I listen to doctors dictating notes all day long so I'm used to very quick speech rates. I find the rate at which the TTS engine is dropping output is driving me nuts.

And not just an implementation; the work must be somehow transformative, as in transforming one set of assembled items or parts to create a whole new invention, machine, gadget that mankind hasn't seen before. This idea that we're somehow transforming a general PC into a new invention every time some overly litigitious asshole programmer thinks some new software he wrote somehow transforms the PC into a new device; it can't continue to work and not keep a healthy, competitive business environment going, where lots of companies write software that might function in similar manner, but also where the competition is based on the merits of the program itself, how well it performs the job the end user wants to perform, and not who owns the patents to some silly, obvious algorithm that's been included in a work, something so fucking obvious that you wonder how in the hell anyone got a patent on it, other than the idiots in the patent office don't know what the hell they're doing. Please, someone bury the idea of software patents, let's all go back to copyrights to handle that set of business ideas, and let's move forward to really competing and making money off software, not stifling competition.

I put my dad's PC up with Linux a few years ago. I have him set up with reduced user privileges so he cannot fuck anything up. He does very well with everything he needs to do, and I've not had to worry about anything that he's doing with that PC in just as much time.

I give you this map of the US and its average IQ by state. Compare and contrast. http://s4.hubimg.com/u/5047299_f520.jpg

How is this not illegal wiretapping?

How does Constitution work? How crime get prosecuted? You want to do your job and collect data to catch crooks, you target someone specific, you get a warrant, you make the requests through the carriers, and you do it like it's always been done. Thanks for your utter disregard for all of our rights, you fucking jackhole.

I use laptop with touchpad. What is this "mouse" of which you speak?

I'd like to posit that Howard Shiplee's attention span has been well asleep up until 2 years ago. Holy flying fig, man, what have you been doing since 1985!?! Sleeping like Rip Van Winkle?

I remember this really old adage that my mom used to tell me... Something about reaping or sowing or some shit. Been a while since I heard that one.

Hey, corporations are people. Extending that to chimps isn't too far a stretch.

I don't see how they prove intent here. Empty container -- I could store guns, money, drugs, or *any other valuable item* I don't want exposed and out there for someone to heist by smashing the glass in the vehicle. I don't suppose I have a right to secure my property in any way I see fit? Intent is missing here and the prosecutor is going to have to stretch the truth quite a bit to prove his case.

I want one, but only if it comes with working option to suspend Asimov's 4 laws.

This is the stupidest thing I've ever read. Not only is it a blow to Mint, but to free software in general. I just got done crowing to friends that Linux isn't full of NSA backdoors, and then this pops up on newsfeed. Sheiss.

I suppose our developer doesn't understand that one can go with slightly more intelligent tools, like apt-get on the CLI, to get those packages upgraded? If so, he's no developer I'd give a shit about.