The NSA doesn't have to have access to the servers if all network traffic is also sent into the NSA's special rack...

Back when I worked in a hosting center the FBI had a little group of machines that were theirs and we were hands-off. Our network admin would occasionally get requests to have traffic to/from particular IPs routed to their "playpen" and he would comply - while this meant they got everything they wanted, nobody was granted any access to someone's server.

Consider that the entire Kingdom can fit inside the state of Texas...

It's not good, but it's still better.

My driving record and the observation of others disagrees.

Maybe I'm just good at leaving enough attention where it should be that I notice things, even while somewhat focused on something.

Maybe it's all that gaming or simulating. While you're focused on the now etc, you have to maintain situational awareness and be alert for changes/danger. Or maybe it's that I respect dangerous things and realize that piloting a 3000lb machine is dangerous and afford the attention it deserves, even when divided. It takes priority.

I don't have a real gear selector. It's a CVT, and park is a button that does not reside on the 'stick' (that only serves to select drive, neutral, or reverse)

Hey, I remember you! I think I flipped you off one day when you took 10 seconds to start moving after the car in front of you rolled off.

Radios in general are excluded from such things - provided they don't have a keypad on the microphone. Police probably don't have that gotcha though. I have seen an officer (trying) using the computer in motion before. He was... having trouble maintaining his lane. In general though yes, they will wait until they are stopped or in the worst case call in and check it over the radio.

... and why should one stop their engine unnecessarily? Waste of gas and wear on the starter - and a complete fucking waste of time when all you need to do is push 3 buttons (route, address book, destination).

That said I do have a problem with people texting, browsing the web (seriously, I've seen it) or perhaps typing a GPS destination in by hand. But selecting a saved destination? Would you argue that people should pull over and stop the engine to change radio station? Because that's the same level of distraction.

I just don't understand how people have such tunnel vision. I have no problem noticing movement or light changes (or indeed anything changing around me in a somewhat mast manner) even when I'm looking down by my feet. How do they not notice movement? Are my eyes unusual? When it comes to movement and other sudden changes (eg light change) I have an effective field of view slightly beyond 180 degrees. ... and I do wear glasses so that's not an excuse.

You sure have some strange reflexes. I've been bumped once, and my foot went on the brake harder.

Meanwhile it feels like 75% of the drivers with Gwinnett tags don't have working lights, insurance, etc. Or just don't have tags at all (yea!) and they let them drive around. Fuck you, Jessie Myers, and your supervisor. I'm glad I don't live there anymore.

Seriously? Are they trying to bleed their user-base dry?

Yikes. That sounds like FOD-city to me.

In which case why don't you start with the one closer to what you want?

I'd rather install Mint and rip out the, well, three things or so I don't want, then try to do the same thing with Ubuntu and find out that "ubuntu-desktop" DEPENDS on $RANDOM_BULLSHIT_I_DONT_WANT and has no reason for being an absolute dependency instead of a suggestion or recommendation.

That I have to use equivs or remove the metapackage and stay on top of updates manually is... dumb. Incredibly, ridiculously dumb.