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Comment Re:Porn? (Score 1) 664

Free speech protections are never needed for speech that everyone agrees with. They're only needed for speech that is controversial, or even reprehensible.

There's nothing wrong with free speech that can't be fixed by more free speech. If someone is saying something that you disagree with, or even find reprehensible, then it's your right to try to convince them or others with speech of your own.

Comment Re:health insurance is like auto insurance now (Score 1) 2424

My fellow taxpayers are already paying for it through taxation, whether I'm on government healthcare, or refuse it, only to later have a bill I can't pay. Either way, the people are taking up the cost.

I don't want to risk my children growing up to think that it's alright to take money from people if you REALLY REALLY REALLY need it. It's never alright to take things that don't belong to you.

Comment Re:health insurance is like auto insurance now (Score 1) 2424

you're correct, I read it wrong. It is 88K for a family of 4... I wonder what it is for a family of 3.

Doesn't matter, I still refuse to live on the government dole. I'll take a second or third job to pay the fine, but I will NOT go on government subsidized healthcare. I'm too stinkin' proud.

Comment Re:health insurance is like auto insurance now (Score 1) 2424

So who decides who can afford coverage, and who's getting fined? I've seen the numbers listed in the bill for the government subsidies... it's something like a MAXIMUM $48K for a family of 4, and then the government pays a few percent. I'm just barely over that, and wouldn't be able to afford coverage or the fine, assuming I didn't already have coverage through my job. And I'm not even a family of 4, I'm a family of (soon to be) 3. The government says I can though. So much for taking care of the middle class.

Comment Re:hmm... (Score 4, Insightful) 490

Well yeah, but where do you draw the line? I also work hospital IT, and we have 5 people supporting 2500 users, who expect us to install every little thing they bring in from whatever vendor, conference, or torrent site, regardless of any good reasons not to. In the past, we had no recourse... we were literally told to support everything they asked for, because it was all 'for patient care.' In my job, I was doing hardware support, software support, printer repairs, server support, vendor app support, department app support, programming, oncall support, and database design/administration. For less than $50K/year. We had to do ANYTHING someone submitted a ticket for, at ANY time they submitted it. Thank GOD we finally got some management in who is setting firm guidelines about exactly what we are and are not expected to do as part of our jobs.

Comment Re:Well... (Score 2, Informative) 837

Healthcare. I work desktop support in healthcare.

I've talked to other people who work desktop in this industry, and it seems to be the same all over the place. Most of the managers of IT are clinical people rather than IT people. They regard IT as an unnecessary evil, and would rather it be gone completely. The organization is setup so that no one can tell anyone no, least of all us. They don't care about job descriptions; here Desktop Support is a catchall, but they tell us that we're being paid the industry standard for Desktop, so we should be happy.

So, when someone puts in a helpdesk ticket asking me to write them an access database, or fix one that they broke I have to do it. When someone puts in a helpdesk ticket ordering 100 computers, I have to do that. When someone wants an app written, I have to do that. When someone picks out some damned vendor package against our objections, I have to install it on the desktops, install it on the servers, and maintain both.

Yes, it is in a flyover state, but my pay is still low for the area if they would pay me based on what I do rather than my job description.

Comment Re:Well... (Score 5, Insightful) 837

Funny, but my company did just mandate blaze orange shirts for all front line IT staff. I can't for the life of me figure out who thought that was a good idea. Mine comes in Monday. We can also wear Navy. I think I'm going to get an equal number of pairs of blaze orange and navy pants and alternate them daily. Personally, I find it extremely condescending. I'm required to design and maintain hundreds of databases, several servers, write apps, troubleshoot network problems, manage million dollar projects, AND do desktop support for 2000 devices with 3 other IT people for $40K/year. And now this. No wonder I've thrown my hands up today and am now posting on slashdot. Yes, I'm looking for a way out.

Comment Re:Classified as a religion? (Score 5, Insightful) 802

Yes, in the context it was written and referred to by LRH, it's very easily written off as a joke. The problem is that in courtroom testimony, former COS members have, on a few occasions, admitted that COS management had at least *suggested* that they R2-45 someone, in contexts that could be construed as being serious.

Hubbard himself gave the order on 6 March 1968, referring to *specific people* in an HCO Ethics order that was seized during an FBI raid. Referring to these once valued Scientologists, LRH said, and I quote, "They are declared Enemies of mankind, the planet and all life." ... " They are fair game." ... and "Any Sea Org member contacting any of them is to use Auditing Process R2-45."

Would you consider that a joke? If so, it's a pretty bad one.

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