"Industry trade groups have no fucking business writing curriculum for children."

Neither does the government. Now that the government controls the schools (a recent development), there's no way to stop this from happening, since you have no practical influence over the actions of your own government.

Thanks, progressives.

Arg. Just noticed I'm not logged in. Fixed, now.

The above post is mine.

Best terrestrial option:

http://freestateproject.org/

Disclosure: I am early mover #488.

Of course, if you've got space capabilities, by all means.

Here in New Hampshire, home of the Free State Project (http://freestateproject.org), that's already happening. We're about to go have a protest next week in Concord against the city PD requesting what is essentially a tank. In the reasons stated on the form they filled out to apply for the DHS grant, they specifically reference "Free Staters" and "Occupy" as potential threats they're worried about -- as justification for getting a fucking TANK.

http://freekeene.com/2013/07/29/concord-pd-requests-a-bearcat-to-deal-with-sovereign-citizens-free-staters-and-occupy-new-hampshire/

Every time I see something like this, I flashback to the scene in Farenheit 451 when the government takes over everyone's wall-screen to post pictures of the fugitive (the protagonist) and tell them to go outside and look for him so he can't hide.

Anyone who thinks the government should have this power is not my friend.

You're not allowed to say bad things about Wilson; he's the darling of the left, especially academia. (He was a professor who became president.)

Just like you're not allowed to talk shit about Lincoln, under penalty of being slapped with a pro-slavery label, which is retarded (Lincoln was the pro-slavery asshole, not me).

My experience does not concur with yours re female cops. I think you might have a blind spot.

And before anyone tries to argue percentages, or point fingers at situational factors, listen up:

It can't be any other way. Cops will always be like this, and in fact continue to get worse. There's no way around that as long as you give them power over other human beings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment

Private security, on the other hand, is a different scenario. They have to do their job with the same rights, privileges, and liabilities as the rest of us mere citizens.

I think she was trying to compare *me* to Plato. I've rarely been so insulted.

I don't know why she decided to assume that I get my understanding from CNN instead of from my (and my friends') numerous personal experiences with state thugs.

I don't even own a TV.

You've really fallen for that protect and server propaganda bullshit, haven't you.

You must have very little real world experience... and few interesting friends.

I never feel better around police. They're the predominant remaining natural predator of humans.

Slashdot... where pointing out evil gets you marked as a troll.

I'm glad you're inspired by NASA. But that's irrelevant, isn't it?

Again, the ends do not justify the means. That fact that NASA inspires you does not make it ok for some people to steal money from other people by force to fund NASA.

It doesn't matter what I do with the money after I rob you; I've still commited theft.

If a program like NASA is so important to so many people, surely those people can self-organize and find a creative method of funding a similar program on a voluntary basis.

And if they fail... that still does not justify robbing your neighbor because space is just so damn cool/important/whatever.

You're joking, right? You've never heard of the FAA? No barriers? Are you for real?

If you have to tolerate a tyrannical hierarchy that wages war and devalues the currency just to use it to steal money from people for your pet project, perhaps you're not being creative enough.

The bottom line is, a moral society recognizes that the ends do not justify the means. Sadly, we're still a long way from a moral society.

And yes, you're part of the problem.

I find it sadly naive that this article is tagged with "science" rather than "politics".

As a libertarian who loves science and technology, the most alieniating aspect of talking to others about science and technology is how much they look to the state to push progress forward.

The state is not a scientific institution. It is the antithesis of science -- it is merely the organized used of force to dominate a population. The government in all its forms is merely a manifestation of the threat or actual use of violence, which is anathema to free thought and inquiry.

State involvement in science will continue to bite us in the ass. I just hope some of you start to rethink your core assumptions as the private space industry continues to pave the way at an accelerating rate -- if the government doesn't grind it to a halt with regulations and subsidizing of inferior alternatives... like NASA.