Likewise. I've got a Windows 7 gaming rig that has seen LOTS of installs and uninstalls, driver updates and Windows updates and have seen zero performance reduction.

Maybe this was a thing in Windows 95, but I'm not sure it's a thing now as long as you're not getting infected with malware.

This story has pretty much nothing to do with the "Internet of Things" they are trying to sell us.

I seriously doubt that any of the WiFi sensors in Intel's machinery required an account with a third party company which then collected data on how Intel used their machines.

We already have an Internet of Things. It's called, "things".

What I don't understand is the lack of concern about security.

Because they don't give a shit about your security or anybody else's, and they're too stupid to realize that by weakening it for them it weakens it for anybody.

They just want unlimited ability to get any piece of data they want without warrant, oversight, or obstacles.

They want it to be illegal for you to have information they can't readily get.

The scary thing is, they couldn't possibly not know that "what about the children" is a bullshit argument designed to get people to go along with it. Every mother in America says "well, if it's to protect the children, it must be good".

In reality, children and terrorism have become the magic keys to unlock the kingdom, and bypass any pesky laws and constitutional protections.

And anybody who disagrees with them is clearly in favor of kiddy fiddlers and terrorists.

If this kind of thing isn't fixed soon, America is marching into becoming a facist state, while pretending to still be defenders of freedom and justice. And people are applauding this as it goes along.

These guys have decided to go straight for the "it's for the children" argument.

It's a stupid argument. It says that in order to protect hypothetical children from hypothetical threats, all people must give up their rights to make it easier for law enforcement to get information without cause or warrant.

And since you've already had your rights taken away, we will also use this for plenty of other things. Like parallel construction of what we charge you for, and whatever else we can think of to misuse this information for.

Fucking lying assholes and fascists.

America is pretty much screwed at this point, and unfortunately, that is affecting everyone else on the damned planet.

Obama is just as happy to create the surveillance state as Bush was. Audacity of Hope is such a fucking lie.

What, like planetary bling or something?

Sort of. ;-)

The quasi-moons are more moon-like than planet like, because the quasi-moons orbit planets and quasi-planets orbit the sun, so in that regard they're almost entirely different, except for how they're not. =)

If the quasi-moon orbited the sun it would be quasi-planet, but then it's too small, so then it just becomes another piece of space debris with an orbit around the sun. And then it's probably an asteroid. Unless it's a really big asteroid, then it's kind of like a planet. Or possibly a quasi-planet.

It's all very complicated. :-P

2014 OL339 is awkward. It sounds like it needs a proper name.

How about Quasimoondo?

Counterpoint: people who have the most to gain from racist propaganda and muckraking are black "leaders."

And the ones who have the most to lose are the racists.

It's gotten so bad that you can hardly use racial slurs for sports team names any more. Thanks a lot, Obama.

Yeah, and when times changed it got amended. But the right to bear arms hasn't been amended, and until it does, it still stands as the law of the land that all arms are included.

Has the 4th amendment been updated?

Or are you under the illusion that this one amendment is sacrosanct while they crap all over the rest of it?

Because blanket surveillance, property seizure because police lie and say they suspected drugs, and parallel construction are pretty much in violation of your Constitution as well.

Absolutely! How else is the public supposed to support a revolt against tyranny?

Look, you're descending into tyranny now. So, either get on with it, or stop whining about how you'll do it when you get around to it or someone really outlaws jumbo sized soda.

Otherwise, it's just lip service. Your government is already ignoring your Constitution on a large scale, but apparently nobody gives a damn.

As are those, who try to limit the Second Amendment

Everyone who isn't an American often finds themselves wondering at your fascination with weapons.

Because in the rest of the world, cops and soldiers are the only ones walking around with weapons, and the only places where people walk around with weapons have generally degraded into a fairly lawless state.

Honestly, it seems uncivilized to many of us.

yet, you chose to ignore them completely

You know, I assumed you were joking about brass knuckles and swords.

I thus doubt your honesty and sincerity here and am unlikely to respond again.

Awww, I'm utterly heartbroken, can you tell?

Do you bitch this loudly about when they violate your first amendment, or your fourth amendment, or your fifth amendment? Or anything else? Or is it just guns in particular you worry yourself about?

Your government is shitting all over your rights, as well as those of everyone else on the planet ... and you're on a screed about being able to carry swords and brass knuckles.

So, you'll excuse me if I discount you as yet another American gun nut who feels he should be allowed to own an assault rifle.

Most of your Constitutional amendments are to correct previous bits of stupidity, like not letting women vote. It's a recognition that situations change and that an overly simplistic set of laws doesn't help anybody.

That implies people think about these problems and seek solutions.

But when it comes to the second amendment, it comes down to "Yarg! Our guns!" (or swords, apparently).

That's two sticks of butter. Also, the butter package is marked with lines, so you can see how many are in a T-spoon or whatever. Not saying I disagree that metric is nice for cooking, but these problems have been solved.

Looking at it another way, someone might say, "why do you always have to use a scale while cooking??"

That is essentially the same argument people use to stay on imperial.